Sheldon woke later than his normal 6 am alarm call. Instead of an alarm it was the smell of bacon cooking that woke him. Smiling he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and climbed out of bed. Fastening his dressing gown he went down the stairs and was greeted by a surprisingly agile pensioner!

"Moonpie!" came the cry as he was grabbed around the waist by a 5 ft nothing grey haired lady dressed in denim jeans and plaid shirt.

"Meemaw!" grinned Sheldon wrapping his arms around her in delight "I wasn't expecting you here this early!"

"I couldn't wait to spend the day with my Moonpie, I have been here an hour waiting for you to wake up! In the end I told your momma to fry some bacon and watch you appear and here you are!"

Laughing Sheldon said "Meemaw you know me so well!"

Sitting down Sheldon accepted a glass of milk from his mother followed by a plate overflowing with eggs, bacon and pancakes. Sheldon, breakfast rota abandoned, tucked in with enthusiasm and listened as his grandmother laid out her plans for the day.

"Right Sheldon I have lots I want to do today! I need to hear all about these lectures you have been giving. Mary tells me she is going with you to the Texas University. Why was I not invited?! I am telling you now I will be there!"

"Of course you can come Meemaw. I have lots of news to share with you. I thought we could go out for lunch somewhere fancy and then maybe back to your house. I wanted to have a look at your recipe books!"

"So you still wooing this girl of yours? I was impressed with the chicken recipe you sent me. She sure seems to be looking after my boy."

Blushing Sheldon nodded. "I brought some photos to show you. We threw Amy a party before she left for England and Penny and Leonard gave us both photo albums of the night, I thought you might like to see?"

"Sheldon" came Mary Cooper's voice from behind him "Why have you not shown them to me!"

"Momma you have met Amy! You know what she looks like!"

"That doesn't mean I don't want to see photos of my baby boy and his lady love!"

Shaking his head Sheldon said "I will get the photos when I have finished breakfast then you can look at them together."

So the morning passed quickly with Mary and Meemaw cooing over the pictures of Amy, half amazed that Sheldon had finally found someone who seemed to hold his focus as much as his beloved science~.

Leaving the women still looking at the pictures Sheldon went to shower and dress. He was happy. He always loved seeing Meemaw but his momma seemed to be genuinely trying too. Once dressed Sheldon went to collect Meemaw and together they went back to Meemaw's house. Missy was working the afternoon and evening shifts and Mary had functions at her Church

to prepare for; so Sheldon had the rest of the day with just him and his beloved grandmother.

Recipe books were pondered over with Sheldon copying down those he thought Amy would like best, plus a few he hoped she might like to cook for him! They drank tea whilst Sheldon filled Meemaw in on the latest news.

"Meemaw there is something else. I haven't told anyone else this, even Amy. Before I came home Gablehauser called me into his office and said Stephen Hawking wants me to go to England! He is going to call me. I haven't heard from him yet. I was so excited as I thought I would get to show him my work and see Amy. But Meemaw how will I be able to get there? The flight here was awful. I cant go all the way to England and certainly not on my own."

"Sheldon, listen to me. All your life you have devoted yourself to science. You have worked hard and made amazing discoverers that finally are being recognised. This man you so admire, why is it so important that you meet him again? You have met him once."

"Meemaw Hawking is like no one else. My mind is different from most peoples, but his...! To be able to sit and exchange ideas... "Sheldon became lost in the idea for a moment. "The last time I saw him I made a boo boo. I have spent the last few months working on that mistake and if I could correct the error I would feel somewhat vindicated. I would hate to think he only saw me as someone who tried to impress him. I want him to know my work is good."

"Sheldon what would your decision be if he said you could go to England to see him now, whilst Amy is over there, or wait 6 months until he flew to the USA. Would you wait?"

Sheldon frowned ass he thought. "That would be tempting Meemaw; it would mean I didn't have to fly, but..."

"But you want to see Amy!" grinning Meemaw patted Sheldon's hand "you really love her don t you! Sheldon this make me so happy. That you have found someone to share your life with."

Sheldon blushed and nodded "I really miss her Meemaw and I love her. Before she left we had become so close, but part of me is scared. The past 5 months have gone so slowly and I have kept in contact, but text messaging isn't the same. What if she has changed. She has made new friends and worked so hard, say she doesn't feel the same when we meet up. If I go out there and find her feelings have changed..."

"Sheldon sometimes we have to trust other people. I am sure if Amy was wise enough to see the man behind the scientist, for her to have made a place for herself in your circle of friends as you have described; then I am sure she is not the type of girl who would be so easily swayed. Have faith in yourself and her Sheldon!"

"Meemaw do you think I should go to England?"

"I think if you don't go you could very well spend the rest of your life regretting it! Sheldon sometimes we have to be brave and take risks. You need to ask yourself is it a risk worth taking. But I think you already know the answer to that."

Sheldon looked at his grandmother and wondered how such a tiny little woman, who had never left Texas, could be so wise.

Leaning over he grabbed her hand and kissed it.

"I love you Meemaw!"

"I love you too Moonpie. Now quit buttering me up and get cracking you promised me a mighty fine lunch!"

Over lunch Meemaw observed Sheldon and wondered at the changes. In some ways he hadn't changed at all. He insisted on going to the same restaurant they visited every time he came home. He ordered the same meal in the same precise fussy manner. He still washed his hands frequently using the bottle of Purell he kept on his person at all times; and he refused to shake hands with any of the neighbours they met when out.

But watching him as he spoke about his job he seemed more composed, less robotic. When he spoke about Amy he softened completely and Meemaw wondered just how serious the relationship really was. Mary had implied they were very similar in personality and the bond between them was because of IQ points and science, but from what she was observing in Sheldon here Meemaw felt things may have changed.

"Sheldon, you can tell this old lady too keep her nose out.."

"Meemaw! I would never say that to you!" Sheldon replied shocked.

"Hear me out first! Your relationship with Amy, are you intimate?"

Sheldon flushed scarlet and looked down at his hands fiddling with the napkin." err... err.."

"Sheldon you don't have to say any more and I will not tell your mother! But Sheldon if you love this girl and she feels the same think of how she will feel if she found out you could have gone see her and you didn't. Also how special will she feel knowing how you hate flying but made the effort for her. Sometimes Moonpie you don't need to show someone you love them with gifts, but with actions."

"Meemaw I wish you could come with me!"

"Oh Sheldon I would if I could, but this old body wouldn't take the flight now."

Smiling Sheldon held her hand.

"You would have gone to England for pop pop wouldn't you!" It was a statement not a question.

"In a heartbeat" she replied smiling.

73~73

Returning home to his mothers house that night Sheldon dragged out his paper and read it from the beginning. He had definitely solved it! He kept looking at it, almost unable to believe it himself. The question was, was he brave enough to see this thing through to the end and show Hawking in person. Almost as soon as the thought passed through his mind his phone rang.

"Cooper." he answered, not recognising the code.

"Is that Dr Sheldon Cooper?"

"It is. Who is this?"

"Dr cooper, this is the office of Professor Stephen Hawking. I believe you were told to expect this call?"

"err... yes... sorry... yes I was expecting the call." Sheldon recovered quickly.

"I am Professor Hawking's secretary and I am extending an invitation on his behalf for you to come to England to present the lectures you have been touring in the states. Professor Hawking would also like to arrange a lunch with yourself to discuss your work. Is this agreeable?"

"Could I ask the dates you had in mind?" Sheldon asked quietly, almost scared the dates would be when Amy was home.

"We were hoping you could fly out almost immediately. Caltech have told us you are currently in Texas, so we hoped by the beginning of next week?"

Sheldon was stunned. If he went next week he would maybe be able to stay for the rest of Amy's stay and they could fly home together!

"Those dates seem acceptable." Sheldon tried not to sound too excited. "Would it be possible for me to have an open ended ticket so I could book my own flight home?"

"Of course. We will email you details of the dates of the lectures and lunch; then if these are OK we will then book fights and accommodation."

"OK, thank you very much. And please pass on my thanks to Professor Hawking."

"I will, but he said he would text you later, he mentioned something about a new game?..."

grinning Sheldon said "I will look forward to it!"

After disconnecting the call Sheldon sat stunned for a good five minutes. Was he really going to do this? If the dates matched he may be able to do the Cambridge thing then travel to London and see Amy before coming home together. Should he tell her? Sheldon went to bed that night with many many questions going round in his head.

73~73