A/N: I hope this chapter was worth the wait...
Disclaimer: I don't own BBT but like to take them out to play sometimes.
Meamaw and Amy were walking back to the house after their talk earlier.
"In my opinion, Sheldon's talents are best put to use in either cosmology or dark matter if he is not returning to M theory"
Meamaw nodded. "Is that so? What did Moon Pie think when you told him this?"
Amy hesitated for a moment. "He never asked me. His career is something that hasn't come up since before he left"
"Why wouldn't he ask what you thought? You're his girlfriend, Honey"
"I guess with losing Professor Proton, the comic shop, and me pressing him about living together, my thoughts on what he should do weren't his top priority" She saw the look on Meamaw's face and felt bad for speaking out of turn. "I'm not trying to put him down—"
"Stop Honey. Shelly should not have shut you out and ran away. I know the boy was scared, but you don't push away the girl you love"
"Meamaw!"
"Amy. Take it from an old woman who has been there. My Moon Pie loves you and you love him, but pushing things aside to avoid a fight doesn't help but makes it all worse until there is nothing left. That goes for more than just my grandson, Amy"
Meamaw put her hand on Amy's arm to stop her. "If I am going too far with what I am about to say, you tell me to just mind my beeswax, understood?"
"Meamaw, why would you say that?"
"Because I think your momma's way of treating you is plain ass stupid"
Amy's eyes bugged out of her head, too stunned to speak.
"Honey, instead of supporting you for the wonderful girl you are, she sounds like the type with a stick up her butt who projects her shitty feelings onto you. That's not being a momma. You say she wasn't there for you when your daddy died. Now I don't know what she did, but a mother who doesn't pull herself together at a time like that needs to be knocked upside the head"
Meamaw took her hands and placed them on Amy's cheeks. "You're a smart girl. You're funny, kind…patient as all get out if you and Moon Pie have been together as long as you have"
The elder woman combed Amy's hair back from her face. "You seem to crave acceptance, but Honey, the only acceptance you need is from in here"
Meamaw pointed to Amy's heart. "You have to love yourself. People will always try to tear you down when they feel weak. Sheldon's daddy did that and it helped make the boy fearful of life. You are too, but you two as a unit, well, the both of you can take all that stuff and turn it on its ear. I told the same thing to Moon Pie when he came and got me from the house earlier while you were in the car"
Meamaw waited for a moment before continuing. "Both of your hearts are still hurting, from each other, your parents, all that other stuff. You can help each other by talking about what's hurting you, even the nasty stuff. He needs to know how much it hurt when he shut you out. If he is feeling pressured somehow by you, he needs to tell you that."
Meamaw waited for a moment to make sure she wasn't overstepping. "At some point, you need to let my daughter know that you are not going to put up with her rudeness because what you two do is your business and yours alone. I know she's worried about her son, but that doesn't give her the right to take it out on you"
The elder woman saw tears in the young woman's eyes. Gently, she wiped them away before she continued with her thoughts. "Also, when you are ready, you tell Shelly about your daddy and momma and he should do the same"
"W-we talked earlier, about our fathers. I don't think he's ever talked about his father with anyone"
"I'm not surprised, but that's why he needs someone like you and you need someone like him. You seem to understand each other and really like each other. That's important you know"
Amy merely nodded. She knew this, but hearing this wonderful woman giving her love and honesty made her feel more secure than any of her relatives save her father ever had. She wondered what she would have been like if she only had a woman like Meamaw in her life growing up. She perked up when she heard the woman's booming voice again.
"Finally, you tell your momma that you are not going to be treated like you're nobody. Bullies need to be put in their place"
Before Amy could respond, Meamaw finished with "I just call 'em as I see them. I've noticed a difference since Shelly started standing his ground with his momma and I think it could help you, too."
Amy could only nod as Meamaw's advice began to sink in. She didn't have a lot of time to ponder it before the elderly woman spoke up.
"Well, we better get back before Mary's panties get in a twist for holding up dinner"
Amy and Meamaw arrived back a short time later arm in arm with the elder woman using her cane. When they got on the porch, Meamaw noticed Amy's face was tear-streaked from a few tears that fell after their talk.
"Darlin', go upstairs, wash your face and have a few minutes to yourself before dinner"
The two walked in and saw the family congregating throughout the downstairs with Sheldon holding his nephew reading him another physics book. When he saw his girlfriend's red eyes and face, he got up and headed towards her, but was stopped by his grandmother.
"Just give her a few minutes, Moon Pie"
"Is she okay?"
"Yes, Shelly. Sometimes ladies just need a good cry"
"That sounds bat crap crazy, Meamaw"
"Of course it does…you're a man. We just had a good talk is all. After dinner, the two of us will have one of our own"
She saw his face and quickly moved to reassure him. "You're not in trouble, Moon Pie. I just want to continue the talk we had earlier that we didn't get to finish. As for the matter we did discuss, you let me know when you're ready for what I need to give you"
"Meamaw, I don't think—"
"You will"
"But what if—"
Meamaw took her grandson's face and held it lovingly like she had earlier with Amy. "I know of what I speak young man. When I see you two, I see me and Pop Pop. Have I ever steered you wrong?"
Sheldon shyly smiled. "No, Meamaw"
"Good"
When the family came to the table a short time later, Amy's place at the table was set so Sheldon was sitting across from her. Before either could protest, Missy changed places with her twin brother, but not before giving her mother a dirty look. Amy was glad to be sitting next to her boyfriend, but had to contend with Junior on her other side.
Over the meal, it was obvious Mary was ignoring Amy, speaking to her when spoken to, including giving a reluctant thanks when the neurobiologist complimented the cooking. It was easier to deal with since Missy and Meamaw put forth an effort to include her in conversation, as did Sheldon, but, like anyone else, it hurt to be ignored.
What made it worse was until recently, she thought she got along just fine with Mary Cooper. The few conversations she had with her over the years were pleasant in manner since the woman managed to get her and Sheldon reunited years earlier when he had his breakdown with twenty-five cats. She remembered Meamaw's words from earlier, but for the neurobiologist, confrontation was not her strong suit.
'I will be heading back to Michigan Tuesday. Do I say something, or should I just ignore this? The last thing I want to do is start a fight between Sheldon and his mother'
Before she could process her thoughts any further, she felt a hand slowly move up her right leg. Sheldon had earlier touched her under the table, but it was his right hand on her left leg and while he caressed her he kept his hand at a proper distance from her private areas. Only one person could touch her other leg and she turned to him.
Junior was finishing a swallow of his beer and poked his chicken with his fork before putting it in his mouth. As he chewed, he looked at her as he was eyeing a cupcake that he was getting ready to lick off its frosting.
As much as she hated confrontation, there was a time and place. Unfortunately, now was one of them as Mary's food was turning to bile that threatened to rise because of the person sitting on her right.
She swallowed the chicken that was in her mouth, put down her fork, and turned to her offender. Keeping her expression as neutral as possible, she only said three words.
"I warned you"
Before the older man could respond, she socked him with an upper cut to the nose, causing him to tumble over onto the floor.
"You hit me!" Junior bellowed as he held his nose which was leaking blood.
Mary threw down her napkin and ran to her son. "It's okay, baby" She turned to Amy with anger in her eyes. "What in the devil is wrong with you?" She turned to everyone else. "What are you all standing around for? Junior needs some ice"
"I do apologize for interrupting dinner, but when he grabbed my buttocks earlier upstairs, I told him to keep his hands to himself or the next time I would show him why I will always get special attention from the TSA before each flight. A minute ago, he groped my leg under the table and was feeling his way up my upper leg under my skirt. I'm sorry Mrs. Cooper, but men aren't allowed to touch me unless I give them permission"
Sheldon's eyes perked up as storms formed in his eyes. "You touched my Amy?" He said in low voice with a deathly calm.
"Shelly, your brother should not have tried to be familiar with your girl and will apologize, but she hit your brother. That is unacceptable" Mary said before she turned to the rest of the family. "Where is Junior's ice?"
Instead of getting ice, everyone including Ron stayed where they were seated, not wanting to help the man who groped Sheldon's girlfriend.
Mary gave a look of daggers to Amy before turning to her other son. "Junior, apologize to Amy. Shelly, your girlfriend just assaulted your brother. Get your priorities straight"
Sheldon wasn't paying attention to his mother as his eyes developed tunnel vision focused on his older brother. For years, he tolerated being bullied and picked on by Junior, but he was always ignored it by remembering what his mother said in regards of he and Missy had more going for them as opposed to their elder brother.
However, he crossed a line when he inappropriately touched Amy. Years of frustration boiled to the surface as the physicist's blue eyes and voice turned to ice. "You…touched…my…girlfriend"
Missy turned and saw the look on her twin's face. 'Oh shit'
Quickly she jumped from her seat and pulled her mother away from her older brother, taking her by surprise. She barely had her out of the way before Sheldon jumped his brother and started punching him in the face repeatedly.
"Sheldon! Stop!" Amy jumped in and tried to hold him back to no avail. It took her along with Ron and Richie to pull him off and hold him back. All but Meamaw were surprised at the depth of Sheldon's anger.
"You skinny son of a bitch!" Junior said while holding his nose. He had an open laceration above his eye along with his lip and his eye was turning various shades of color. Suddenly, he jumped up to go after his younger brother, but Richie was faster and pushed him to the floor.
"Sit there you damn idiot!" Richie yelled
Mary stood up and stormed over to Amy, unleashing her rare temper. "Young lady! You have done nothing but cause trouble in this house since you appeared"
Sheldon observed his mother confronting his girlfriend and finally hit his breaking point. "Let me up. I won't go after Junior" he said in a low voice to Amy and Ron.
Standing up, he moved in front of Amy and stepped forward, sending his surprised mother back two steps before they were standing face to face.
"No, Mom, Amy has been nothing but courteous and polite. She's put up with your comments, your rude attitude, and nosy nature with more manners that I will ever have and it hasn't even been twenty-four hours since we arrived. You tell me what your problem is with my girlfriend right now!"
Mary's ire was up. "You want to know, Shelly. I'll tell you. Excuse me one moment" She said before going into the kitchen. A few seconds later, she came back and tossed an object onto the floor.
Amy saw what it was and was mortified. "Oh my God" She said before running outside.
Sheldon started to move, but Missy put her hand on his arm. "I've got this, Shelly. You have more important things to do at the moment"
Her twin looked at her with a silent thank you before she followed Amy. When Missy was gone, Sheldon continued to look at his mother. "Would you all excuse us, except you Meamaw? I need to talk to my mother"
"Of course" Ron said. He kicked Junior in the arm. "Get up, stupid. I'm taking you to the Emergency Room"
"I'm calling the cops—"
Ron grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him up, ignoring Junior's cries of pain. "You will do no such thing. If you do, I'll kick your ass worse than that little girl can and there will be no one to help you because I'm good friends with all these deputies in this county. They've been looking for a reason to lock your ass up"
Sheldon watched Ron push Junior forward and out the door, sighing relief when they were gone.
Richie grabbed Noah. "Come on buddy, let's go for a walk"
The two walked out the door, but not before his brother-in-law patted Sheldon's shoulder in support. A moment later, only Sheldon, Mary, and Meamaw remained.
Sheldon picked up the object on the floor. He opened it and when he saw the information inside, it confirmed his worst fear. He closed it and looked at his mother.
"These are Amy's Ortho Tri-Cyclen pills that she couldn't find this afternoon. Why do you have them?"
Mary wanted to make her son understand her position and see what she was doing was for him. "Shelly" she said coming closer, but the look in Sheldon's eyes stopped her cold.
"Shelly, I found these early this morning in my car. My question is why is your girlfriend taking them? You promised me you two hadn't sinned but I saw these…..you two lied to me. That girl exudes innocence but she's led you astray"
"Mom, I am sick of this argument. I do not owe you an answer, but I will tell you one final time. Amy and I have not had coitus and the reason is besides the fact we are both virgins it's that I've been the one holding back"
"Of course you have been holding her off while she's getting ready to bed you—"
"She's not taking them for that reason! It's because…you know what? That's Amy's business. She doesn't have to justify herself to you. Now, these can't be the only reason for your hostility to her as you only found these today"
Sheldon's attitude had Mary's back up, forgetting her original intent a minute earlier. "I don't have to justify—"
Meamaw stepped up and stared her daughter down. "Oh, yes you do, Mary Louise. I didn't raise you to be rude and disrespectful. However that's all you have been either to her face or when she would come up in conversation. Your boy asked you a question. Now damn it answer him or I swear on your daddy's grave I will take you over my knee and whoop you like you were a kid, grown up or not"
Mary knew her mother would too. Not wanting to add humiliation to herself today, she decided to put her cards on the table.
"Her mother"