CHAPTER 31
"Amy, are you sure you don't want me to go with you, instead of staying here, waiting in the car?". Sheldon asked her, hoping Amy would change her mind. They were a few meters away from Mrs. Fowler house.
"No, I need to talk to my mother in private, just the two of us. Once I've told her about our baby, I'll call you on the phone, so we can have a conversation with her. Trust me, it's better if I talk to her first". Amy had made a decision; she was sticking to her plan. She thought it would be easier to deal with this difficult situation, being alone with her mother.
"Alright then! . Go Amy Farrah Fowler! Do what you have to do. I'll wait here." Sheldon leaned forward to kiss her on the lips, reassuringly.
Still with many doubts and fears, Amy got out of the car. "Well, it'll be just you and me. Let's meet your grandma." She told her tiny baby, trying to give herself courage.
Sheldon watched her from the car, which was parked at a safe distance from Mrs. Fowler's house. "She should've let me accompany her" Sheldon muttered, very nervous, because he couldn't imagine Mrs. Fowler reaction when she hears the news. He knew his mother in law was a woman of strong character. Sheldon considered her, strict and authoritarian at times. Amy deeply respected her mother; one might even say that she feared her.
Amy walked towards a lovely little house with a well maintained front garden, filled with geraniums, roses and lilies. "Let's get this over with", she told herself as she rang the doorbell. She turned her head one more time, looking at Sheldon.
After a few seconds, Amy could hear someone coming to the door. When she finally opened the door; Amy's mother looked at her from head to toe. "Amy, you're back! I thought you're still in Sweden. I didn't expect you come back so soon. You said you'd stay there for 6 months. Come in, please. I'm glad to see you! . Would you like some coffee?. I'll get you a cup of coffee, or tea. I know you like it."
"Thanks mom, a glass of water would be fine." Amy no longer drank coffee or tea since she discovered she was pregnant. She wouldn't do anything that could be harmful to her baby.
Mrs. Fowler lived in the same house where Amy grew up, and in fact, things hadn't changed much. She kept the same decoration and the same furniture as always. Upon entering the living room, Amy looked at the pictures placed over the fireplace. In most of them Amy was smiling with her mother and her father, when she was a little girl. Everything was so different when his father was alive.
Since Amy's father passed away, when she was ten, Mrs. Fowler had become a very hard and severe woman. Perhaps, she was afraid of losing Amy, who was everything she had left. Ironically, the fervent need to protect her daughter was one of the reasons of the distance between them.
Amy's mother returned to the living room and handed a glass of water to Amy, who started drinking it as if she were completely dehydrated.
"Amy, tell me, how was your trip? Did you like Stockholm? Did you finish your assignment earlier?. From what I see, you haven't been eating well. You look pale and thin, like you're sick" Amy's mother kept looking at her questioningly.
"No, I'm not sick. I'm fine, maybe a little tired from the trip". Amy answered anxiously. After all, Amy had spent the last three months, throwing up almost everything she ate; of course her mother would think she was sick.
Amy didn't know how to deal with this difficult issue, for several days she'd thought about telling her mother. Amy's eyes began to show her fears. She felt that at any moment, she'd start to cry like a child. Her mother could tell she was hiding something, just by looking into her eyes.
"Are you sure you're fine? It seems you're about to cry. Tell me, what's wrong?". Mrs. Fowler asked Amy, increasingly certain that her daughter was distressed. It's because of that boyfriend of yours, Sheldon… Isn't it? I never liked him. I knew he wasn't right for you."
"No mother!. This isn't Sheldon's fault. Well, he has something to do with it... but this isn't his fault." Amy's words got stuck in the lump in her throat. She desperately wanted to share the news with her mother, but she wasn't sure how to start.
"I don't understand you. Amy, what are you trying to tell me?" Mrs. Fowler was quite confused.
"Mother... I'm ... pregnant. I'm carrying Sheldon's baby" . Amy began to hyperventilate, trying to calm down, she drank the entire glass of water in one gulp.
"What did you just say?, I didn't understand. You're pregnant?". Amy's mother had an inscrutable look.
"Yes, Mother I'm pregnant. You always wanted a grandchild. Don't you?" . Amy didn't know what to expect in terms of her mother's reaction.
"I assume you're going to marry him. Did he propose? I don't see a ring on your finger." Mrs. Fowler looked exasperated.
Amy shook her head. "No", she finally answered.
"Oh ... Amy ... you disappoint me. I never expected this from you. Of course I wanted a grandchild, but I wanted my grandchild to be born within a family. I didn't want things happening… this way." Amy's mother looked dreadfully upset.
"But Mother, Sheldon and I ... We… are together. My baby has a mother and a… father." Amy didn't know what to say or do at that time. She felt the irresistible urge to run away from that place.
"Yes, you're together… for now; but who knows what happens next. Your relationship with him isn't stable. I don't see a future for you. What are you trying to do Amy? . This is not a suitable way to make a man stay by your side. I didn't raise you to do something like this". Her mother's words sounded incredibly hurtful. Amy couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Mother, I didn't look for this to happen, if that's what you're implying. I'm a grownup woman and I can cope with this responsibility. Why are you so hard on me?. I should never have come". Amy cried, feeling a painful tightness in her chest. Suddenly she rose from her seat, and ran to the door, leaving her mother's house.
Mrs. Fowler looked at Amy as she was leaving her home, she couldn't say a word. Amy's mother sat on the couch, still shocked with the latest events. She had worked so hard, trying to give Amy the best education and the strongest moral values, but now everything was lost. She loved her daughter, but this wasn't what she had planned for her. "Why did Amy fail me?", she muttered under her breath.
Amy wiped away her tears with a tissue as she walked to her car, trying to look cool and breathing deeply. "Why do all things have to be so difficult? . Just when I thought everything would be fine, something like this happens. "Don't I deserve to be happy?" Amy sobbed.
When Amy opened the car's door, Sheldon looked at her, puzzled. Amy's eyes looked puffy and red as tears were still escaping from them. Amy sat on her seat, without saying a word.
"What happened Amy?. Why are you crying? Please, tell me" Sheldon asked her. Amy kept silent about the conversation with her mother. "If you don't tell me, I'm going to talk to your mother and find out, right now" Sheldon was about to get out of the car. Amy held his arm.
"Sheldon! I'm so stupid. Somehow, my mother thinks I did this on purpose, to force you to stay with me. She thinks I'm a disappointment to her, and our relationship has no future. I didn't expect this reaction". Sheldon had never seen her cry so hopelessly. Obviously Mrs. Fowler wasn't happy with the news.
"Amy, that's ridiculously absurd!" Sheldon hugged her tightly; he was as sad as she was, seeing her so distressed and vulnerable. "You know I love you. Don't you?".
"Yes, I know. I love you too, as I've never loved before" , Amy answered truthfully , looking into his eyes .
"So you and I have everything; we don't need someone's approval. And now we're having a child, together. That's the best thing that has happened to us. I could never thank you enough for making me so happy", Sheldon held Amy's face gently with both hands, while kissing her as if his life depended on it. "We're a family". Sheldon smiled.
"Yeah, you're right! You're always right!. Let's get out of here" Amy managed to say when she felt a little better, although the pain her mother caused her would take longer to heal.
"Are you feeling well enough to drive?" . Sheldon asked her with concern. Amy nodded.
Although he didn't confess it to Amy, Sheldon had thought that Mrs. Fowler would take things better. Well, certainly better than his mother would take it. Now, Sheldon was frightened to tell his mother. Mary Cooper was a tougher nut to crack.
In his mind, Sheldon imagined hundreds of plans to tell his mother about his future parenthood. So far, the best plan he could figure out was: waiting until the baby is born and send his mother a Christmas card with the baby's picture and the message "Merry Christmas Mom. This is your grandchild."
Although she was feeling better, Amy couldn't stop thinking about her mother's words. She hoped she could have a stronger relationship with her mother, someday. Her baby deserved a grandmother, after all.
When they finally reached Sheldon's apartment, they're greeted by Penny and Leonard. "Hey, guys! How was your day? Did you tell Amy's mother?" . Penny asked them with curiosity.
"Well, unfortunately we didn't get the expected outcome, but... it doesn't really matter. I'm quite hungry. Aren't you?" . Amy said trying to change the topic of the conversation. "I have a craving for Thai food".
"I don't feel like going out for dinner" Sheldon added. "It was a hectic day, and I prefer if we stay at home."
Actually Sheldon wanted Amy to be able to get some rest. Although she tried to look tough, he knew she was very upset by her mother's attitude. The theoretical physicist sat in his favorite spot, patting the space on his right, as if he was telling Amy that was her spot. That'll always be her spot.
"Okay, Penny and I are going to get something for dinner." Leonard told them when he saw how Amy and Sheldon cuddled on the couch, without any intention of leaving home.
"Thanks Leonard, Thai food would be fine" Sheldon said.
"And ... Rocky road ice cream". Amy imagined the mouth watering dessert, and her face lit up.
When they were completely alone in the living room, Sheldon stroked Amy's back with his right hand, kissing her softly on her neck. Amy shuddered as she felt the tingling sensation that Sheldon's lips caused her.
Amy responded to Sheldon's caresses, placing her hands behind his neck and kissing him passionately, as she was feeling an urge to merge with him forever.
Sheldon's embrace was becoming more and more intense with every passing second. His hands wandered his girlfriend's back, underneath her blouse. Amy smiled playfully, her eyes staring at him with a charming sparkle.
Without thinking twice Amy straddled Sheldon's lap as their kiss became stronger and their temperature increased. Amy's soft hands lightly explored her boyfriend's chest as she slowly raised his colorful shirts.
In one smooth motion, Amy's skirt ended up wrapped around her waist and hips, where Sheldon's hands roamed with dexterity.
"No, no, wait Sheldon! . Leonard and Penny are coming back at any minute. Ah, ah, Stop!" Amy tried to calm him down as he continued ravishing her with kisses and caresses.
Sheldon came out of that passion-induced trance. In fact there wasn't much time, maybe fifteen minutes or less, and that wasn't enough. "Oh… oh… you're right Amy" Sheldon was trying to catch his breath.
Amy hastily rose from the couch and walked to Sheldon's bedroom to freshen herself up. Sheldon went to the kitchen and opened the fridge, pulling a bottle of iced water. He drank it quickly.
Sheldon sat back in his spot of the couch and turned on the TV to distract his attention and calm down. Amy was still in Sheldon's bedroom. Out of the blue, someone knocked on the door.
"They must be Leonard and Penny. Why do they always forget the keys?" he told himself as he walked to the door.
When he opened the door, Sheldon was extremely surprised to see an unexpected guest standing before him. He couldn't believe it, that couldn't be true. He blinked again and again trying to clear up his sight.
"Hi Shelly! Don't just stand there! Help me with my luggage!" the unexpected guest told Sheldon.
"Mom, I didn't know you were coming! Why are you here?" Sheldon froze at the doorway.
"So, now I need a special reason to visit my Shelly Bean" Mary Cooper pinched Sheldon's cheek.
"Hey, did you bring my Rocky road… ice cream?" Amy said as she entered to the living room.
While seeing Sheldon's mother, standing before her, in the middle of the room, Amy almost fainted. The tension was blatant. Amy feel a cold draft sending a chill down her spine.
"Hi Emily" , Mary Cooper greeted Sheldon's girlfriend .
"Mother, her name is Amy!" , Sheldon stated.
