"Would you like to come in for tea before you head home?" Sheldon offered to Amy following their date night a few weeks before Max's sixth birthday.

Glancing at her watch to check the time, Amy nodded. "That would be okay. My dad doesn't need to leave for another forty-five minutes, so I can stay for about half an hour."

Sheldon unlocked his apartment, turned on the lights, and moved towards the kitchen to begin preparing tea for himself and his girlfriend. Amy sat at one of the stools at the island as Sheldon took two mugs off the shelf and presented her with the tea box for her to make a selection.

"Sheldon, did I ever tell you what your mother said to me at The Cheesecake Factory while you were taking Max to the bathroom?" asked Amy, knowing full well that she hadn't.

"No," he shook his head. "She didn't mention what you talked about while I wasn't at the table. I'm guessing it wasn't too important because that was months ago."

"She was impressed by your interactions with Max. That she never thought she'd see you being so helpful with a kid. Your mother also said Max reminds her a lot of you when you were his age."

Sheldon smiled in response. "I guess Max does have some similarities to myself when I was six. We both love trains. I still do, so I wouldn't get your hopes up that it's something Max will outgrow. He's the smartest kid in his class. I met him when he was two and he already had most of his books memorized. He liked to say he was reading them, but I could tell he was just reciting them from memory."

Not making eye contact, Amy spoke again, "There's something else your mother said that was so ridiculous I didn't even know what to say to her. I have never been as glad to see you and Max coming back to the table as I was then."

"Did she say something that upset you? Why didn't you tell me earlier? I could have said something to her, rather than letting whatever it is eat at you for months."

"What she said didn't upset me, but her comment has been stuck in my head whenever we're together since then. She said that Max reminds her of you in ways other than liking trains and being smart. Your mother commented it was like looking at a picture of you when you were his age. If she didn't know better, she would think that Max was your son. She knows that not possible since Max was already two by the time we met, but it still got me thinking about how much Max has picked up from you in the almost four years we've known each other."

Hearing about his mother's comment gave Sheldon the courage to bring up something he'd been thinking about for months. "May I share something that's been on my mind for some time, as well?"

Amy shook her head as though she were clearing her thoughts to pay attention to Sheldon. "Go ahead."

"I had a thought not long after I started spending time with Max and now learning my mother's comment has made it worse. I won't be able to not think about it all the time unless you confirm something for me. Did you by any chance go to the high IQ sperm bank on Green Street when you had Max?"

"It was in Glendale and wasn't advertised as specializing in high IQ donations. The donor I chose did have a genius-level IQ, though. They'd been in business for years. Tons of great reviews. Why? Are you interested in making a donation?" Amy smirked.

Sheldon was uncomfortable with Amy's expression. "I shouldn't have asked. It's none of my business. Leonard and I attempted to donate years ago. He backed out, while I went back a few days later on my own. The timing would line up with when you were looking at donors."

"I know what you're thinking. We didn't go to the same clinic. Even if we did, the likelihood I chose you as my donor is so slim. I should probably buy a bunch of lottery tickets if that were the case. If it will help you stop worrying, I can dig out the info I still have from the clinic so you can see if any of it matches the history you gave them."

"Thank you. Do you know that my mother and I had a conversation about you, and Max, and myself, that night, too?" Amy replied to Sheldon's question with a shake of her head, but remained quiet, waiting for him to share his conversation with Mary. "She told me she thought you are a great mother to Max and can tell how much you love him and want him to have a good life."

Amy sipped her tea before replying, "I'm doing my best. Some days I think I could be doing better, but as long as he's happy and safe at the end of the day, I guess I can't ask for more than that."

"You are a great mother. Never doubt that," Sheldon attempted to comfort Amy. "She also said that she had some reservations about our relationship when she heard you were a single mother. She could tell I enjoyed your company, but was concerned that Max would somehow affect our friendship. My mom said all she wants is for her kids to be happy and healthy. She no longer has reservations about us dating if you and Max are what makes me happy."

"Your mother didn't like that we were dating for almost four years before she said anything? She always seemed to like me when I've met her in the past. I don't know what to think about this, Sheldon," stated Amy.

"She has always liked you. She could tell you were a good person, but was still worried how you being a single mother would affect our relationship. After seeing you with Max, she has given our relationship her blessing. It was never something I was looking for from her, so this shouldn't change anything between us. I'm sorry for telling you this," Sheldon apologized.

Letting out a small smile, Amy studied Sheldon's face before replying. "I'm sorry for the way I responded just now. I should probably head home. I've already stayed longer than I should have."

Amy picked up her purse and crossed the apartment, followed by Sheldon. Standing next to the door, he leaned down to kiss her goodnight before opening the door for her. "Let me know when you get home. Good night, Amy."

"Good night, Sheldon."

Author's note- Thanks again for the reviews! We're getting closer to answering all of those questions you've been asking in the reviews.