"My birthday is next week," Sheldon stated matter-of-factly after Levi and Theo were in bed.

Amy narrowed her eyes at the physicist, "It is. But you hate your birthday. Why are you telling me this?"

"I might hate my birthday, but it's Missy's birthday, too, and she loved it. What would you say if I suggest we go to Texas for a few days?"

"Are you sure?" she abandoned Levi's lunchbox she was in the middle of packing for the next day on the counter and moved next to her husband on the couch.

Sheldon shrugged his shoulders, "I thought Levi and Theo might want to be close to her. Levi's been asking about his dad the past few days. We've been home for almost a month and Ricky hasn't replied to either of us since we've been here, but maybe he will if he knows we're in Texas."

Resting her hand on Sheldon's leg, Amy reminded him, "Let's not mention anything to the boys. I don't want Levi to get his hopes up, only for Ricky to not reply."

A week later, Sheldon, Amy, Levi, and Theo were at Mary's house. Amy was unsuccessfully trying to assist Mary in the kitchen while Georgie manned the barbecue out back. Sheldon noticed the younger members of the family were occupied with the toys that hadn't made the trip to California and slipped out the backdoor. He sat at the table on the patio, watching his brother flip the meat on the grill.

"What's up, Sheldon?"

"What?" The younger brother was pulled from his thoughts.

Georgie pulled out the chair across from Sheldon and leaned on the table. "How you doing? The boys seem happy, but you've got something on your mind, don't you?"

Avoiding eye contact, Sheldon picked at a spot of peeling paint on the edge of the table. "Have you or mom heard anything from Ricky since Amy and I took the boys back to California? We've sent him pictures and updates about the boys, but never get a response."

"I haven't heard from him since the day before you guys left. I texted him last week, letting him know I've got a stocker position open at one of my stores, asking if he was interested. I never heard back from him, either."

Sheldon's jaw dropped, "You always hated Ricky. You wanted him to work for you?"

His brother adamantly shook his head, "Not really, but I thought him working for me would let me keep an eye on him, see that he's getting his life together, and is in a good place when he says he's ready to have Levi and Theo again. I knew it would be a long shot since he knows I can't stand him, but we're all doing what's best for those boys."

"Are you about done out here?" Mary called through the open back door.

"Yeah, just a few more minutes," Sheldon replied, not knowing how much longer it would actually be. "Are you coming with us tomorrow?"

Shaking his head, Georgie removed the meat from the grill and placed it on the plate sitting next to it. "I don't think so. We've got a sale going and the store has been pretty busy this week and I'm still short a stock person."

"It really is a nice headstone," Amy slipped her arm around Sheldon's waist as he stood in front of Missy's burial plot. "I'll give you a minute. Looks like your mom could use a hand getting Levi and Theo in the car."

Sheldon watched his wife walk up the hill to the road running through the cemetery. Kneeling in front of the granite plaque bearing his sister's name, he traced her name with his finger. "It's been two months and three days, Missy. Levi and Theo miss you, but they're doing well. Levi says his teacher reminds him of you. He doesn't have any friends at school, but he loves Howard and Bernadette's kids. Amy decided to take more time off before returning to work, so Theo is home with her. He's learning so much. He's got new words every day and is always on the go, unless he's tired, then he's clinging to Amy. We love having them with us, but wish you were still here for them."

Growing silent, he watched his mother and wife buckle his nephews into the backseat of Mary's car. "Amy and I bought a house. We're moving in a few weeks. We were already planning to buy one after the Nobel ceremony; the boys are going to have so much more room. We swapped apartments with Leonard and Penny so we've got two bedrooms for now, but they're having a baby and are going to need that room for themselves. I never knew it was possible to love two little kids as much as I love Levi and Theo. It looks like mom and Amy have them in the car, so I'd better get going." Sheldon took a few steps before turning back. "Happy birthday, Missy. It's not the same without you."

Quiet the rest of the afternoon, Amy quickly noticed when Sheldon slipped his jacket on after dinner. "Where are you going?"

"Just going for a walk. I'll be back in a little while," he replied with his hand on the knob of the front door.

"Do you want me to come with you? Your mom is tucking the boys in. Give me a minute to grab my jacket."

Sheldon shook his head, "I need a little alone time."

Before he knew it, his wife had crossed the living room, placing a kiss on his cheek. "Okay. Be careful, though. It's dark out."

Sheldon quickly walked the four blocks from his mother's house to the bar he knew his sister frequented in her younger days. Scanning the room, he spied the man he'd been hoping would be there. "Ricky," he stated, sitting on the empty barstool beside his former brother-in-law.

"Sheldon. How'd you find me?" Ricky was shocked to see the physicist.

"It wasn't that hard. This was the bar you and Missy always came to. I guessed if there was a day that would make you want to be here, it was going to be today and it looks like I was correct in that assumption. Amy and I are staying with my mom until Saturday. You didn't reply to any of my texts and Georgie said you haven't replied to him, either. I thought I'd let you know in case your phone wasn't working. You know, in case you wanted to see your sons before we leave."

Ricky took a swig of the beer in his hand. "Listen, I appreciate you making the effort to keep me updated on them and letting me know you're in town, but there's a reason I didn't see them for over six months before Missy died. I'm not a good dad and I haven't been since before Levi was born. I have a hard enough time taking care of myself. There's no way I can handle two little kids on my own."

Noticing the man was getting up, Sheldon stopped him, "Ricky, wait. I'm sure my mom and Meemaw would be willing to help you if you need it. Georgie wanted to offer you a job at one of his stores. We want you to be a part of the boys' lives. They should know who their dad is. They already lost their mom, we don't want them to lose their dad, too."

"That's real sweet, but I need to worry about myself." With that, Ricky slid from the barstool and made his way through the door Sheldon had entered a few minutes prior.

Having overheard the entire conversation, the bartender placed a beer in front of Sheldon. "You look like you could use this. I don't know you, but I do deal with Ricky several nights a week. When he says he's not a good dad, he means it. What dad would be here until closing time, bitching every time his phone goes off with a picture of his kids?"

"He's in here a lot?"

"Yeah," the bartender nodded. "Was in here all the time last summer, but we didn't see him for a few weeks around Thanksgiving. He's been back every day since about Christmas."

"Thanks," Sheldon excused himself, leaving his beer on the bar.