Leonard dropped Sheldon off at Amy's apartment at 4:30 that afternoon. Sheldon slung his overnight bag over his shoulder, and proceeded up the stairs, taking two steps at a time. At the top of the third floor steps, a little out of breath from both the exertion and the anticipation of the evening to come, Sheldon knocked at the door of her apartment. From the other side, Amy opened the door. She was pleasantly surprised to see Sheldon, because he was not just her Sheldon. This Sheldon was wearing dress slacks instead of his standard khakis, and a button-down dress shirt instead of layered comic book-themed t-shirts and henleys. The solid navy blue shirt made his cobalt eyes stand out, and paired with the pale grey, well-tailored trousers made Amy's heart dance. No tie, she noted, but as the top button wasn't fastened that meant she got a sneak peak at the top of his chest. Hoo, she thought deep inside.
Sheldon looked at Amy, dressed in her typical garb of a flowered blouse and overlying plain pale denim jumper with tights. "Are you planning on going like this?" he asked pointedly, referring to her dress.
"Yes, why do you ask?" she responded. "And why are you dressed like you're headed to an interview?" Although, not that I'm complaining, she kept to herself.
"You don't think tonight essentially amounts to an interview for me?" Sheldon asked, his head tilted slightly to the right. "Maybe not for a job, but all the same, I am meeting your father for the first time, and your mother… well, last time was under less than ideal circumstances." Sheldon smiled, with a teasing glimmer in his eyes.
Sheldon decided to take charge. "Come on, let's go see what you have hidden in the back of your closet." Sheldon pushed gently past Amy on the way to her bedroom. Amy called after him. "Sheldon…"
Amy didn't catch up with Sheldon until he was already part-way into her clothes on far right side of the closet rack.
"No… No… No….No… oh, wait, here we go…"
Sheldon held up a simple but elegant burgundy sheath dress that had half sleeves, a modestly-cut v-neck, and was brought in gracefully at the waist. The dress continued in a smooth flowing pattern over the hips and down to just past the knees. Sheldon hung the dress hanger on the top of the closet wood trim and went back into the closet, this time bent down to the floor.
"Sheldon…" Amy started.
"Wait, almost there." Sheldon didn't turn as he eagerly pursued his next conquest… a pair of dress shoes. "Here's the perfect pair."
Sheldon stood up, holding a pair of chestnut brown dress sandals he had found hidden amongst the multitude of sensible shoes. "How long have you had these shoes and this dress? I don't think I've ever seen you wear either of them."
"Penny took me shopping about a year ago. She talked me into both. I don't know why I let her, though. They aren't my style. The neckline of that dress alone is enough to set my mother off…"
"OK," Sheldon interrupted, "That's where this stops. You get to determine what works for you and what doesn't, not your mother. You may have had to follow her rules when you still lived with her, but that was over ten years ago and I think it's long past time when you should be making choices for yourself. We've got time… why don't you change into this and see what you think? I'll wait for you in the living room."
Sheldon departed the bedroom, leaving Amy alone with the dress, shoes, and her thoughts. Amy had spent years – decades, even – blindly obeying her mother's dictates of how to dress and how to act. What had it gotten her? Sure, she'd managed to finish her advanced degrees and was a well-respected neuroscientist, but she could have done both… with or without her mother's attire and behavior mandates. Amy had borne the unrelenting teasing of her peers and loneliness associated with her hyper-conservative dress and mentality all throughout her childhood and early adulthood. Maybe it was time for Amy to stretch her wings, just a little. After all, Sheldon was there to help her if she started to fall…
Without allowing herself a moment's pause to change her mind, Amy whipped her denim jumper over her head and stripped off both the blouse and tights. Amy tenderly touched the fabric of the new dress – it was so soft! – and tentatively unzipped the back. She pulled the dress over her head and was able to bring the back zipper up on her own. Amy turned and looked in the mirror, astonished with what she saw. Wow, I really do look pretty in this dress… it brings out the green of my eyes…maybe Mom is wrong, maybe red is my color, after all…
Amy realized she was once again allowing her mother to dictate her thoughts, and shook her head violently to expel any mention of her mother from them. Amy grabbed a brush off her dresser and ran it through her hair. The action caused soft waves of dark brunette hair to fall on either side of her head. A light sheen of deep red lip gloss was the final touch. Satisfied with the result, she strapped on the sandals and set off for the living room.
True to his word, Sheldon was sitting on the couch in the living room, waiting for her. He was watching a Firefly rerun on the television, and turned when he heard footsteps coming into the room. Sheldon jumped up, nearly tripping as he grabbed the remote and shut the television off.
Amy stood nearly in place; the only movement was her nervously switching her weight back and forth between her feet. Sheldon stood positively still, his eyes the only part of him he allowed to move. He looked Amy over from top to bottom, and slowly back up again.
"What?" Amy insisted. Her face fell. "I know, it's nothing like me. I'm going to change back…" She turned to go back to her room.
"Don't you dare," Sheldon nearly growled, his voice an octave lower than usual. Amy spun back around, astonished at his tone. Sheldon cleared his throat, and his voice returned to near-normal. "You are beautiful. That dress only emphasizes the fact."
Amy smiled, uncertainly. "Do you really think so?"
Sheldon finally allowed his feet to move, and he stepped around the couch, toward Amy. He took both her hands in his. "Yes. It's not over-the-top at all. I could easily see my sister Missy wearing something like it. But she wouldn't be nearly as lovely as you are tonight.
You are a beautiful person with a brilliant mind." Sheldon dropped one of Amy's hands, and pointed directly at her. "Tonight, Amy gets to decide what's right for Amy. Have you seen yourself in a mirror yet?"
Amy nodded.
"What did you think?" Sheldon asked.
Amy's looked down. Her answer was barely audible. "I thought I was beautiful. I couldn't believe it was me."
Sheldon smiled. He lifted her chin so she could see his face. Amy reveled in the open adoration she saw in his eyes.
"I can," he said, simply.
Sheldon kissed Amy lightly on the lips. Then he continued, "I think it's time your parents met the real you."
…..
Sheldon offered to drive, as Amy appeared too nervous to handle both her emotions and the traffic. They pulled into her parents' driveway just a little before 6:00. The house was a classic Tudor design, with an immaculately manicured front lawn with huge pine and juniper trees. Outside the front porch, the flowers in their beds were well kept, and opened in a variety of colors. The fragrance was soft in the mid-summer afternoon air, with a cool breeze blowing in from the ocean to the west.
Amy looked toward the front door and sighed. "Abandon every hope, all ye who enter here," she muttered underneath her breath.
"Really?" Sheldon startled, worried about her emotional state. "The sign above the gate to the nine circles of Hell from Dante's Inferno? Amy, it can't be that bad."
"We're not in there yet, Sheldon."
Sheldon took her hand and led Amy up the path toward the front door. The door opened before they got there, and a middle-aged man, about two inches shorter than Sheldon, with greying hair and a slight paunch stepped out to stand in front of the two of them. He was casually dressed in dress slacks and a knit shirt. The man's smile traveled easily from one ear to the other, and he held open both his arms in a welcoming motion.
"Daddy!" Amy nearly shrieked, and let go of Sheldon's hand. She ran into her father's arms, and he wrapped them around her, swinging her around off the ground.
"Hey, Pumpkin!" Amy's father replied, laughing, and put her down gently. "I've missed you too! But I think we might be overdue for an introduction…"
Amy laughed at her own foolishness, and remembered the manners she had been brought up to. "Daddy, I want you to meet my boyfriend, Dr. Sheldon Cooper. Sheldon, this is my father, Dr. Robert Fowler."
Sheldon, who had always had difficulty reading emotion, this time easily recognized the open kindness and love for his daughter Robert Fowler had written on his face. Sheldon readily held out his hand to shake Amy's father's hand. "Dr. Fowler, it is a pleasure to meet you."
"Rob, if you please. It's only Dr. Fowler in the university classroom. Dr. Cooper, trust me when I say, I am very glad to finally make your acquaintance."
"Then please, call me Sheldon. What do you teach?"
"Literature. Mostly middle English, although I have a particularly soft spot in my soul for Shakespeare," Rob replied.
"So, Amy's love of Chaucer…" Sheldon began.
"… Is just plain weird." Rob concluded, chuckling.
"Hey!" Amy replied, and slugged her father playfully in the arm for his efforts to embarrass her. Sheldon laughed out loud. He couldn't keep the grin off his face.
"And though she be but little,
She is fierce."
Rob quoted.
"'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' right?" Sheldon asked.
"Very good! I am suitably impressed, Sheldon," Rob replied.
Behind Rob, a middle aged, slender woman with coiffed hair and discrete but effective makeup had appeared in the doorway. She was impeccably dressed in a sophisticated blouse, classic pencil skirt, and closed-toed pumps. In stark comparison with the jovial man outside, this woman looked ready to slay a man with one glance. Abandon every hope, indeed, thought Sheldon, as his visage grew more serious. Amy visibly shrunk, involuntarily attempting to hide behind her father.
"Carole! Come outside and join us!" Rob eagerly invited the woman.
"I think I'd prefer to wait until you're ready to come inside. I'll see you all momentarily," Carole replied and turned away from the door, headed back indoors.
A/N: If you will forgive me, a personal dedication for this chapter:
To J.L.S. ... How I wish I could squeal and run into your arms once again. You may never have shared my love of Shakespeare, and Louis L'Amour may have ever been more your style, but you did it. You raised a Champion. I will love you forever. Pumpkin
Next: The gloves go on. We should sell tickets for the match! See you for chapter 3 (hopefully by Wednesday).
06.21.2015: the story has been amended: Amy's apartment is back on the third floor. :) Thanks to Stephen-Hawking and his attention to detail!