Marie and Stephen age 12
Amelia age 9
Amy watched as Amelia struggled out of the school. Crumpled papers falling out of her open school bag in her hand, which was unusual because it was normally on her back. She brushed her hair back, revealing her flushed red face, to try to spot her mother's car, who gave a little wave when she saw her looking around.
She trudged towards the car and climbed in.
"How was school today Amelia?" Amy asked as she turned slightly to face her daughter
"It was alright… I guess" she said looking out the window
"Any luck with making a friend?" It was the beginning of the third week of school and Amelia was yet to talk to any of peers
"Not really" she looked towards the school, whose doors had just been open by a group of children, "Can we leave? Like now please"
Amy eyed Amelia suspiciously, "Alright" she said before driving towards the twins' high school across town
"Momma" Amelia said after a few minutes of silence, "why'd you guys name me Amelia?"
"It was a running joke by your aunt Penny to call you Amy Jr. We just added a few tweaks. But we already told you this baby"
Amelia chewed her lip, "So my name's a joke to everybody?" she asked catching her mother's eye in the rearview mirror
"No Amelia. We loved the name. Its not nor will it ever be a joke"
"Just a really old-fashion name" she mumbled looking out the window as they drove. Amy pretended not to hear her daughter's statement. They made it to the high school to see Marie surrounded by people and Stephen talking to another boy
"Marie has the world of friends" Amelia said sarcastically
"Yeah" Amy said ignoring the sarcasm, "who knew a child of mine could be so popular"
The twins spotted the car and made their way over. "Hey Lia" Stephen greeted as he got in the seat next to her
"Any luck in the friend department?" Marie asked from the front seat as Amy drove home
"No. Why does everyone keep asking that?" Amelia snapped
"Sorry for being concerned I guess" Marie said
"Amelia? What's wrong?" Amy asked
"Nothing. I just feel tired. It's been a long day and I have a lot of homework."
"What's wrong with Amelia?" Sheldon asked as they got ready for bed
"I have no idea. She nearly bit Marie's head off for asking about her day"
"Oh good, well not good, but I thought she only did that to me"
Amy eyed Sheldon, "She asked about her name today. She called it old fashioned"
"While I agree that many girls do not have that name today, I don't think it's old fashioned"
"I know. She just seems so moody these past few days"
"Maybe its hormonal changes" Sheldon offered
"She's 9 Sheldon. She doesn't have any hormones"
He shrugged, "Maybe she was just tired as she said"
"Maybe" Amy said as she rolled over to go to sleep
Amy got out of bed to wake up the kids for school. She never had to wake up Marie and Amelia, just remind them of the time and that they needed to get ready. Stephen was a different story. He slept like his life depended on it.
She met Marie o her way to the bathroom
"Morning momma. I think Lia's sick. Her room's still dark"
Amy furrowed her brows. A sick Cooper child was no fun. They were even worse than Sheldon and to top it off they all clung to her. She decided to go to Stephen first. She had long given up on the gentle nudges and whispering his name. She basically had to push him out of bed, before he woke up mid-fall.
"I'm up!" he shouted as he hit the floor
"Good. Daddy's taking you guys today and he has to get to work earlier to talk with Uncle Leonard" Amy said as she walked out the room
She eased into Amelia's still dark room; she saw her turn away from the door as she entered
"Lia? How are feeling baby?" she asked coming to sit on the bed next to her
"I'm sick" she replied
Amy paused, "You don't sound sick" Amy said placing a hand on her forehead. She felt cool to the touch, "Your temperature feels normal."
"Maybe it's a stomach thing. But I don't feel well enough to go to school"
Amy pulled the covers off of her youngest daughter, "Amelia, nothing is wrong with you"
"Please momma" she begged as tears came to her green eyes, "I just don't wanna go"
Amy's face softened, "Amelia? What's wrong?"
"N-nothing. I promise I'll feel better tomorrow"
"Fine" Amy said with a sigh, "I'll stay home with you today. But this better not be a regular thing" she said as pulled the covers back up. "Maybe when everyone's gone, we can watch some tv"
"Even the forensic shows?"
"Even the forensic ones" Amy responded getting a small smile from the girl
She bumped into Sheldon in the hallway, "Amelia's not coming today. She's sick"
Sheldon took a step back from his wife, "What kind of sick?"
Amy rolled her eyes and ushered him back to their bedroom. After three kids he was still a germaphobe. "She's not sick. Maybe something's really bothering her"
"Amy that is no reason to miss school. True she may be leaps and bounds ahead of the class she still needs to attend"
"Sheldon, just leave her. Maybe she open up. Just go to work, I'll stay home with her"
Sheldon sighed in defeat, "Fine. I'll come back home earlier today so you could go pick up the twins"
Amy rolled her eyes at her husband and still constant need for schedules
.
Amy sighed as Sheldon pulled into the driveway a few hours later. This whole day had been a bust. All Amelia did was talk about forensics and her desire to become a CSI, even though Sheldon didn't agree.
She met Sheldon in the kitchen. "She didn't say anything, maybe you could get her to talk. I might pick up something to eat. Burgers okay?"
Sheldon nodded his approval as his wife gathered her keys and wallet.
Sheldon made his way to his younger daughter on the living room couch, "How are you feeling?"
"Better" she replied curtly
"Oh okay. I would be reading comic books if you need me."
Not 20 minutes had gone by when he heard shuffling by the door of his self proclaimed man-cave, "Yes Amelia"
She looked at him with wide eyes and licked her lips, "Nothing. N-never mind" she said turning to leave
"Amelia. What is wrong? I know you want to say something"
"She opened and closed her mouth. "Daddy? Am… am I ugly?"
Sheldon put down his comic book. He wasn't expecting that, "What?"
"Am I u-ugly?" she choked out as tears started to run down her face
"No Amelia. Every part of you is beautiful. Where would you even get such an idea?"
"The kids at school say it all the time. They say I'm ugly daddy. And my name's weird. And my nose is too big for my face and I dress weird. They dumped all my papers out of my bag. And they pushed me down yesterday. And… and"
Sheldon wrapped his arms around his daughter as she sobbed. The height difference made her head only meet his stomach, but he still wrapped his arms tighter. He couldn't believe children could still be so cruel
He could feel his shirts being soaked with her tears. He had to find a way to get her to stop crying.
"Hey daddy! We're back!" Marie called out as she entered the house. "Momma bout Big… Boy" she trailed off as she saw her still sobbing sister being held my her father, "What's going on?"
Amelia shook her head, "Nothing" Sheldon answered
"No something's wrong" Marie said stepping closer, "Lia what's wrong" She turned her sister to look at her, "Lia? What happened?" she asked cupping her face. Her sister didn't just cry like that and dad was acting too fidgety. "Amelia, you can tell me"
"Tell you what?" Amy asked as she rounded the corner, "Amelia, what happened?"
"She's being bullied" Sheldon finally let out
"What?!" Two pairs of frantic, worried green eyes met his before looking back at Amelia, "Why didn't you say something?" Amy asked as Amelia shrugged, "How long has this been happening?"
"Since school started" she said with a sniffle
"Why didn't you say something?" Amy asked again, taking over from Marie in cupping her daughter's face
"I dunno. I didn't want to upset you guys"
"We wouldn't have been upset. You did nothing wrong" Amy reassured as she wrapped her arms around her daughter
"Who's even doing this?" Marie asked
"A group of kids, but the main one is this girl called Jurnee Summers"
Sheldon scoffed at the name. "God, she sounds like an ass" Stephen commented from the doorway
"Language" Amy snapped, "Don't worry. Daddy and I will sort it out. Right Sheldon?" she said meeting his eyes over the kids' heads
"Yeah. I'll call the principal right now to schedule a meeting" he said reaching for his phone
After a few hours when everything had seemingly cooled down, Sheldon went to his and Amy's room to find Amy sitting in the bay window staring down at the cushion beside her with the lights off.
"Amy?" he asked cautiously in case she was asleep
"This is all my fault" she whispered
"What's all your fault?"
"Amelia and school"
"How could it be your fault?"
"She got everything from me. Even the things kids like to make fun of" she said brushing back her hair and Sheldon could see she had been crying, "They called my daughter ugly, and she looks just like me" she said with a sad chuckle as she tried to wipe away the unshed tears, "this never happened to the twins, they look more like you." She said turning to face them
"Amy" Sheldon sighed
"This wouldn't have happened if she didn't look the way I did or acted like I did"
"Amy" he said sitting next to her and wrapping an arm around her, "you can't believe that's true"
"I just never wanted them to grow up like I did" she continued as if she didn't hear him, "The twins never went through it so I thought we had escaped it. I should have known it would have happened eventually"
"Amy stop" he said turning her face to look at him, "none of this is your fault, it's that Jurnee kid and her hippy parents. We'll find a way to fix this"
"You need to get your students in line" Sheldon said as he marched into the principal's office the next day, Amy and Amelia in tow
"Mr. Cooper, please have a seat, so we can discuss the matter" he said pointing to one of the chairs
"First of all it's Dr. Cooper. And I will not have a seat. Last night I was strong armed into consoling my wife and daughter, a night I had originally designated for reading my comic books and spending time with my family. I do not mind comforting them when their sadness is justified, like if they're hurt, I mind when I have to comfort them because some hippy kid named Jurnee decides to make my daughter's life a living hell in this school, with no regard as to how it would affect me or my family's night."
"Dr. Cooper what do you want me to do about it?"
"You clearly weren't listening to my topic sentence. Get your students in line!"
"How will I even go about doing this?"
"You're the principal all members of faculty and students fall under your control, You make it so" he said jabbing a finger in the man's chest before leaving the room in a huff.
"Yeah. What he said" Amy said as she stood up, taking Amelia's hand and leaving the room.