Sheldon waited.
It was ten minutes past the meeting time and he started to worry. Maybe there was a traffic jam, he also hit traffic coming here. He was glad he had planned to arrive earlier to speak with the staff and get everything settled. But it was unsettling nevertheless, as Amy was always punctual. One of the things he always loved about her.
She was late, but he waited.
Half an hour passed; his confidence was starting to waver. Where was she? Amy said she would be there. Well, not exactly, but she agreed to come. Bernadette confirmed it to him during the call.
What if Amy took it back and she wasn't coming?
No, no, no. She agreed to come. Bernadette said so. Maybe she had a reason to be late. Sheldon checked his phone just in case, but immediately remembered that she had blocked his calls and messages.
He looked at the view in front of him. There were a lot of people, couples, and families walking around and enjoying their afternoon. Sheldon hated being in crowds, and he felt alone at that moment.
He waited.
Amy drove like her life depended on it. She tried to be cautious and not make a traffic infraction, but she pushed the gas pedal with all her strength.
Should she call him? She was already late. Maybe he wasn't there, why didn't she think about this before? Amy pulled the car off the road in a safe place and rummaged in her purse.
"Oh no!" her phone wasn't there. In her rush to leave she must have forgotten it at home.
There was only one way to know if he was still there. She just hoped she wasn't too late, and that she was going to the correct place.
She kept driving, her emotions rushing into her. Was he the same person from the dating site chat? There were too many coincidences. But was that possible? To be matched twice with the same person? She tried to recall all the conversations she had had these last few days.
His girlfriend broke up with him. He didn't understand why, as his ex-girlfriend wasn't explicit on her reasons. His friends set up a profile for him. So many coincidences! But the way he spoke...
She looked at the road signs. The next exit was hers.
Griffith Observatory
She just hoped this was the place.
A member of the staff told Sheldon they couldn't wait for him. It was near 7 pm, and public access was starting. He had the privilege to get a private visit for him and Amy before the opening time. But Amy wasn't here yet. Sheldon thanked them, ashamed. He felt miserable at that point.
His mind kept replaying why everything had failed. It was all set. Amy had agreed to come. She was a woman of her word. He knew it. He trusted her with all his heart.
It was 7.30 pm already, the sun was setting down. Sheldon looked at the beautiful landscape he had in front of him. Some couples were there watching the sky turn orange and red, it was beautiful, yet his senses couldn't enjoy it. He just had Amy in mind.
She wasn't coming.
All his strength crumbled. He walked away to a distant wall and sat down on the floor. He didn't even think about the floor's dirt, he put his hands on his head, and a few tears dropped to the floor. He hadn't cried in years, decades maybe. He had been tough all these years, with walls up not letting anything or anyone hurt him like this. But he couldn't put up with it anymore. A silent sob escaped his mouth, and he let the tears fall.
He wasn't sure if several pedestrians were watching him, but he didn't care. He was tired and exhausted. He had lost all the hope and confidence he had built up these last few days.
She wasn't coming. She didn't want him.
This last crack tore him up. He was broken.
Amy arrived at the Observatory parking lot. There were always many visitors on a Saturday, but she got a place to park her car and ran through the park in front of the building. She looked left and right, trying to spot him. Was this the place he had meant? She hoped she wasn't wrong. They had been in a lot of places together, especially science-related spots they both liked. But the words he used, there was something familiar about them that told her this was the place.
She remembered a date they had here. They went to the planetarium together, and after that, they talked for a long time about the universe. They enjoyed the great views after that, still engrossed in conversation. Amy remembered that date fondly. She thought it was romantic, even if they didn't even kiss, not even hand-holding in public. It was one of her favorite science places, after all, where you also could observe the sky above, the beautiful city lights below, and talk about everything with the person you loved. It was special. She hoped it had felt as special to him too.
She kept running, looking at everyone who crossed her path. Should she go around the balcony, or should she go to the roof? She was almost two hours late, and Sheldon hated unpunctuality. She knew that very well. He most likely wouldn't be there, but she needed to confirm it. She couldn't call him so she just ran towards the crowd. She wanted to go upstairs to check the roof. She would also have a better view of the whole place from there.
"Excuse me." She ran up the stairs. "Sorry." People looked upset with her for running up the stairs.
Once on the roof, she stopped in her tracks and surveyed the area. Many couples, families, and groups of friends were watching the sunset, but there wasn't anyone resembling Sheldon there.
She walked to the other side, where the telescope entrance was. She didn't run this time. She just confirmed it.
He wasn't there.
Sheldon was sitting down, looking at the floor. His legs were too weak to stand up. His heart was broken. He wanted to leave, but he didn't have the strength to do it. And leaving meant he had to give up on her. He couldn't accept that.
But she hadn't come.
Why?
Showing his love for her wasn't enough? He had physical proof of it. He had worked days on writing down all his feelings for her. Wasn't that enough? Did she need more from him? What did she need then?
He was lost. He had lost her. But there weren't any more tears to shed.
Amy walked back from the telescope area. She had looked down from there too, but she hadn't seen him.
Maybe he had left. Maybe it was too late. Or maybe she was in the wrong place.
Amy put her hand on her mouth to prevent a sob from escaping. She had failed him. She had failed herself.
She should have done something before this happened. A tear fell down her cheek, even with her efforts not to cry. She dried it with her sleeve and looked at the amazing sunset in front of her. It was a fantastic view, hypnotizing. Too beautiful to look at it alone and heartbroken.
She turned around, defeated.
It was then that she saw him, sitting on the floor, leaning towards a wall on the other side of the roof, almost hidden.
Amy blinked, astonished, was it really him? Or was she just having hallucinations?
"Sh-Sheldon." Her voice was low, but the person on the floor lifted his head up.
"Amy?"
Sheldon.
Did he hear his name? He thought he was dreaming it, hallucinating.
He sniffed and stood up clumsily. His legs felt numb from sitting on the floor. He was a little cold. How much time had he been sitting down there?
He looked at the form in front of him. It was blurry, as his eyes were still wet. With the sunset behind, he could just see a silhouette, a familiar one. One he was longing to see again. It couldn't be, though, he was clearly imagining it. This wasn't happening. He had fallen into madness and gone crazy; there was no other explanation. He dried the remainder of his tears with his sleeve and blinked to see if the form in front of him disappeared.
But It was still there. Sheldon stood there, watching it in front of him. Was she real? He couldn't trust his senses now.
"A-Amy?" He said with a tiny voice.
"Oh, Sheldon!"
Amy ran towards him and jumped to embrace him. The force almost made him lose his balance. She hugged him tightly.
Sheldon remained astonished, almost immobile. He raised his arms, unable to react. But then, warmth invaded his body. The tight hug rescued his mind from the fog of uncertain thoughts. He put his head down, and a distinctive shampoo scent filled his nostrils. He had missed this. He had missed her.
He finally reacted and hugged her back. Amy.
She was here.
He felt saved.
"I'm sorry," Amy said with her face buried in his chest. "I've missed you." Her tears had been wetting his shirt.
Sheldon inhaled fondly, enjoying the softness of her hair on his face. He closed his eyes, pulling her body towards him as much as he could.
"I'm happy you feel the same way."
To be continued…
Told you to trust me! But now what? More on Sunday!