And ahh, you're my favorite thing
Ahh, all the happiness you bring
Well, it feels like I've opened my eyes again
And the colors are golden and bright again
And the sun paints the skies and the wind sings our song
It's a better place since you came along
As It Is In Heaven
Chapter 13 – "Better Place"
A few months passed in Medford and very slowly, Sheldon was beginning to feel more like himself again.
Of course, this was a new, happier version of himself, without the heavy, almost suffocating feeling of loneliness he had felt for so long.
And it had everything to do with the new routine he had formed, which – to his greatest pleasure – included a lot of time with a certain bespectacled brunette.
In the morning, he would go for a walk and spend some time reading his comic books or playing computer games. Relaxing, like the doctor had ordered him to.
He still felt more tired than before his heart attack, but he didn't need as many naps anymore and was able to be more productive.
His afternoons were spent working on arrangements for new songs that Amy and he picked out for the choir. And he was getting good at that too.
It turned out, working on music was not that different from working on science. There were essential rules. Different kinds of harmony. Intervals. Chords. Ranges. Overlap.
He could spend hours trying to make the pieces work and when they finally did, it was a very similar feeling to the one he had when solving a particularly complicated equation.
All this focusing on music must have triggered something in his brain, because he would sometimes hear a melody in his ear that he didn't recognize.
He would write it down, not really sure of the significance, but he had a feeling he would use it at some point.
In the late afternoon, he would sit either outside on the front porch or in the living room by the window. Then, at some point, he would see Amy's car appear in her driveway, telling him, his new best friend was back from work.
During the first weeks, he would give her some time then, assuming she wanted to come home for some peace and quiet, before he would knock at her door.
But after a while, he would notice her turning her head as soon as she got out of her car. Was she looking for him?
He liked to think she was, so he just went over there right when he saw her. And she always made him feel like he was very welcome.
They would go on walks together, talk about Amy's day at school or about new plans for the choir.
On the evenings when they didn't have choir practice, they would end up at her place, watching a movie or playing a trivia game. Oh, she was great at trivia games.
Or sometimes, she would play the harp and he would play on his meemaw's little piano, and they would try out the new arrangements he had written for the choir.
On Saturdays they would still join his family for dinner.
He had left the decision to Amy, and she had been reluctant to join them again at first. It was clear that her feelings were still hurt, so he told her, he could always come to her place every Saturday and have dinner, just the two of them.
If he was being honest, that actually sounded tempting.
But then, his mother apologized to Amy. Sheldon did not know exactly what was said, but he had watched from the window as the two women went on a long walk together and when they returned, both of them looked like they had been crying.
"We understand each other better now.", was the only thing, Amy told him about it later. "I think it'll be okay with time."
In the end, Amy pointed out that – if they wanted to help Missy – the best way was to keep going to these dinners, even if Robbie's presence was hard to stomach for both of them.
"Let's just keep a low profile.", she suggested. "Assess the situation. Make him believe we are not suspecting anything. Maybe with time, we'll find a way to help your sister."
The next dinner went much smoother than the first one.
His mother even called Amy herself and let her know, she was very much invited, not just as Sheldon's friend but as a friend of this family.
And while she was still friendly and polite towards Robbie, she made a point of emphasizing, what a shame it was, she hadn't seen her daughter with the choir at church during the last Sunday service.
"Were you sick, honey?", she asked, while side-eyeing Robbie, and with the way Amy poked his side, even Sheldon understood, this was more than just an innocent question.
The week after that, Missy came back to choir practice.
And while she never mentioned the phone call between her and Sheldon, Amy still convinced him to take this as a little win.
It was a busy time for the choir.
Weddings, baptisms, holidays.
On some weeks, they had several performances both at church and at private events.
According to his mother, who heard a lot more of the small-town gossip than he and Amy did, the people in town had started talking about the improved quality of the choir.
This was evidenced by the growing number of choir members and Amy was happy to make more than twice the number of copies every week.
Jared, who despite the fact that he used to be Robbie's friend in High School, had grown on Sheldon a lot these past weeks, had mixed feelings about all the new members.
Especially, because his father, Jeremy, still tried to set him up with each and every new female member that joined.
"I wish he would just leave me alone.", he sighed on night when he helped Sheldon and Amy clean up the room after practice.
"Maybe he would… if you told him.", Amy suggested.
"Told him what?", Sheldon asked surprised. Was there a secret between Amy and Jared that he did not know of?"
"Told him about… the fact I've been taking music classes at the city college.", Jared said quickly, and Sheldon wasn't sure if that was the whole story. "I joined the choir because I am interested in music. Not because I am looking to date."
Sheldon looked at Amy, who just shook her head lightly. He guessed whatever secret there was, it was not meant for his ears.
Despite these small headaches, the choir was slowly turning into something, the people of Medford were proud of.
"Can you believe it was the Cooper boy who turned things around?", people apparently whispered to each other at church. "The weird one who went to California? Really?" – "Yes. That one. Him and his lady."
His lady.
He felt a strange sensation, when people called Amy that.
And maybe in a way, there was some truth to it.
The first time, he really felt that, was on Christmas Eve.
He had been prepared to battle his mother over inviting Amy, but as it turned out, there was no battle to fight on that.
"Oh, please. I might not be completely happy with how close you and Amy are becoming. But your brother's bringing his new girlfriend too. The third one since you came back to Texas. Even I have to admit, Amy is much more part of the family than she is."
Part of him was almost disappointed.
He had been ready to just go to Amy's and celebrate with her alone, but he guessed this was not a possibility now.
The truth was, he dreaded this. The first Christmas without meemaw. And the first one with Robbie. But at least he would have Amy by his side.
It hadn't been as unpleasant as he had feared. Even Robbie was being civil, but he usually always was when Sheldon's mother was around.
After dinner, when Robbie excused himself outside to smoke, he had motioned for Joshua to come to his room, where he gave him a little, wrapped package.
The little boy had squealed when he opened it.
"A model train. A real model train!"
But then his face fell.
"Robbie won't allow me to have it."
Sheldon had expected this.
"You can keep it here.", he suggested. "We can play, whenever you come over. It will be the first train for your brand-new collection."
"I love you, Uncle Sheldon.", the little boy had shouted before jumping into his arms and a lump formed in Sheldon's throat.
But even that was not the best thing that happened to Sheldon that night.
After everyone had left, he and Amy went over to her place to exchange gifts in private.
Sheldon had never been good at gifts. What do you gift someone who made you see the whole world in a different light?
He had asked Missy for advice and in the end, he had bought her a necklace with a little harp as a pendant.
"It's beautiful, thank you, Sheldon.", she whispered before she kissed his cheek, which prompted Sheldon's heart to jump in his chest. In a good way.
"Here, I've got something for you too."
She then handed him a medium-sized box and once he had opened it, tears sprang to his eyes as he noticed the familiar scent that brought him back to every Christmas of his childhood.
"Meemaw's cookies?", he croaked. "But how…"
"She taught me how to make them.", Amy explained. "We made them together last year. She told me, you had to have them every Christmas, even when you weren't in Texas."
He smiled. "So last year's weren't just from her. But from you too."
Amy just nodded.
He took a bite and reveled in the knowledge that even with his meemaw gone, she was still here in a way.
"Thank you, Amy.", he whispered. But it wasn't enough. How could he ever thank her for giving him back this part of his childhood?
And then, as she smiled at him, his gaze shifted to the ceiling.
"Amy… is that a…"
"Mistletoe. Yes. But Sheldon, that does not mean… I just hung it up because Connie always liked them. You don't have to…"
He did not give her the opportunity to finish that sentence. Because this was perfect.
"I know I don't have to.", he said softly. "But… may I?"
She swallowed deeply. "Of course.", she said hoarsely.
He cupped her face then, as he took one step towards her.
It was a social obligation after all.
But it was more than just that.
It was a way to finally feel her lips again. A safe way. A way that did not mean they had to have a conversation they probably both weren't ready for yet.
And oh, he would make it count.
Deliberately slow, he leaned in and brushed his lips against hers.
Her lips felt so soft as they grazed his. Like the wings of a butterfly and he couldn't stop the satisfied sigh that escaped his mouth.
Without breaking the kiss, he pulled her close and she wrapped her arms around his back as she finally kissed him back just as gently as he kissed her.
He felt himself starting to tremble. Oh, it had been far too long.
How he wished mistletoes were a thing all year.
Best Christmas ever.
And when they pulled apart again, they smiled at each other sheepishly, before saying good night.
His lady.
After that, there seemed to be a whole new closeness developing between them. And he enjoyed every second of it.
The way she liked to touch his arm when they were sitting at her table talking. The way she leaned against him when they watched a movie. And the way he just naturally offered her his arm and she took it whenever they went on a walk together.
It felt as if they were a couple from an old-fashioned movie. Moving slowly but steadily. The anticipation. The excitement.
And the slowly growing tension that made him feel both impatient and on guard.
He had to admit, he kind of liked this.
But still, he wasn't ready for her to officially be his lady. Not yet at least.
So, he just kept on with their new routine and hoped she was just as content with it as he was.
Kept on this life where he grew happier and more at peace with everything that had happened to lead him here in the first place.
That is, until a day happened, that made him form a plan. A plan that would change things. For the better. And sadly, for some, for the worse.
It started out as a choir practice, not much different to the many ones they had before.
Everyone was in a great mood because of the successful performance at Ruth's nephew's retirement party the week before and the article in the local paper that had praised the choir's abilities.
They had met a little earlier that day. Olivia, the pastor's wife, had brought a cake. Untypically for her, she was smiling. Probably, because one of her suggestions for a more religious song for the next church event had been approved.
Someone had put on music and Daniel and Ruth were dancing together.
Sheldon still did not understand the dynamic between those two, even after Amy had tried to explain it to him.
"They grew up together.", she told him. "Have been friends all their lives. Apparently, she helped him raise his son. But no, according to her, they were never more than that."
In the end, he just shrugged, and their conversation shifted to something else again.
More and more choir members joined the floor and Sheldon was just mustering up the courage to ask Amy to dance as well, but then, Jeremy stopped the music and clinked his glass.
"Listen up, folks, I have excellent news.", he started.
Everyone had quiet down to listen to him and Amy and Sheldon looked at each other curiously.
"As you all know the annual choir competition in Houston is coming up. Now, I have considered signing us up for years, but we all know that in the past, we sucked. But not anymore. So, I have filled out an application which has been approved. We are going to Houston at the end of March. And we will win this thing."
There was a moment of deafening silence until everyone but Billy – who seemed to be excited to go to Houston – turned around and looked to Sheldon who was standing in the back with Amy.
It was one of those moments, when he had no idea how to react.
"You… you signed us up?", Amy asked in shock. "But… why did you not talk to us about this first?"
"Wait. He did not?", Jared asked wide-eyed. "Sheldon? You did not know about this? But… Dad. How could you do this?"
"Sheldon's not the boss here.", Jeremy replied stubbornly. "I have been in this choir for twenty years. I have seen conductors come and go, different people managing it and I think I am well within my rights to…"
"Oh, Jeremy, stop it.", Olivia hissed at him. "I've been a member just as long as you have been. Sheldon might not be the boss, but neither are you. We are a team. You can't just do something like this without asking any of us."
"And even if you don't see Sheldon as the boss, you expect him and Amy to put together a program and write all the arrangements, don't you?", Ruth said softly.
"I… Well…", Jeremy stuttered, and he looked guilty for a second but then his face hardened. "I thought you would all be thrilled. I mean what's the point of this? All the rehearsing, all the improvements, all the hard work. I thought we were working towards something bigger than just singing at some local people's wedding."
Sheldon could only watch and listen as a fight broke out about the seriousness of the choir. A conflict between those who were happy just singing locally and having fun and those who agreed with Jeremy.
It was a conflict he knew all too well. There had been the occasional discussions before. Jeremy or one of his friends calling him, complaining about Billy and wanting him pushed out of the choir. Others complaining about Jeremy and his ambition that sometimes took the fun out of it.
He thought about what Amy had told him. That this choir was about so much more than just music. And he had experienced it during the past weeks. Billy, Missy, Ruth, Daniel, Olivia, Jared, even himself, they all had found a place here. A place where they belonged, as different as they were.
What would it do to the choir? Entering a competition. Focusing on winning a price. Up until now they had just had fun with this. Without pressure.
Would it still be the same, once a jury had compared them to other choirs and told them how good or bad they were?
"What is the purpose of this competition?", he finally asked, directed at Jeremy. "We're going to Houston, participate, get some kind of price depending on how we perform and then that's it, we're going home and everything's back to normal?"
"Well, yeah.", Jeremy said hesitantly. "Or… we win and enter the national competition. Which would be a home run for you this year, Sheldon."
"Home run?", he asked, slightly confused.
"Jeremy, are you saying…", Amy started. "Are you saying we would have to go to California?"
"Yes.", Jeremy nodded. "The national competition is at a different place every year. Last year a choir from Southern California won so this year it will be in Los Angeles."
Los Angeles. Only a few miles from Pasadena.
Sheldon's blood ran cold.
The other members gasped.
"I can't just go to California.", one of the younger members said. "I have a job here."
Sheldon shook his head. This was crazy. He did not want to travel to California and perform with the choir there. It wasn't part of the life he had there.
But on the other hand, what were the chances they would even win in Houston?
"Maybe we should give him this.", Amy whispered to him, as if she could read his thoughts. "Couldn't hurt to have Jeremy on our side in the future."
He nodded absentmindedly.
"Alright. Let's not decide this today.", he finally said, as he saw the other members still looking at him, expecting him to make a call. "I need to think about this for a few days and see if we could even put together a program for it. Let's talk about it more next week."
The others nodded in agreement and even Jeremy seemed to be satisfied with this.
Sheldon looked at his watch then and took the whole thing as his cue to end the celebration and start practice.
They were just about to start, when they heard the door being creaked open, and Missy came in. A little late as usual, so he just nodded at her and didn't look too closely, until he heard Billy gasp audibly.
"Is Missy hurt?", his former neighbor asked.
He lowered his baton again and took a good look at his sister.
There was something about her face.
She had apparently tried to cover it with heavy make-up. But still, as he looked closer, to his utter shock, Sheldon could recognize a big bruise that covered almost half her face.
Her right eye almost shut close and the skin around it dark blue, almost black.
"Missy!", he exclaimed before he could stop himself. "What happened to you?"
That prompted everyone to fall silent and stare at his sister for a moment.
"I… I…", she stuttered. "I tripped. And fell. As I was feeding the cat.", she said then, not even looking at Sheldon.
"Missy…", Amy said softly and took a step closer to her.
Ruth was at her side too momentarily. "Oh, my dear little girl.", she whispered.
"I said I tripped.", Missy said again and stepped away from the two women. "I'm just… clumsy. Can we let it go and keep singing now? That's why we're here, right?"
Sheldon blinked, as he looked at his sister. Once again, he asked himself how it could have gotten this far. Why did she keep lying about this? Why did she keep enduring it?
"Missy's right.", Jeremy finally said. "Let's rehearse."
All the others looked down at the floor uncomfortably and Sheldon sighed defeated.
He couldn't do anything. Not here. Not with all the choir watching. Not while they were all fine pretending nothing was going on.
So, he started conducting like always. Even if his head was somewhere entirely else.
But when the choir practice was over, he ran after Missy when – again – she tried to be the first one out of the door.
"Missy, wait.", he begged as he caught up with her.
She turned around. Up close her injury looked even worse. He reached out with his hand to touch her face and Missy winced. She took a step backwards.
"Sheldon please.", she begged. "Don't make a big deal out of this. It's… it's nothing."
He swallowed deeply, resisting the urge to say all the things he wanted to say.
"I meant what I said.", he ended up telling her. "Missy, I am not stupid. I know you're not clumsy. I know what's happening. But I won't pressure you to talk about it. Just… please don't shut me out. Please let me be there for you."
A tiny sob escaped Missy's lips and he knew her walls were starting to crack.
"I… I want to… but… I can't Sheldon."
"Please.", he whispered. "Please, Missy. I want to help. I know, I wasn't much of a brother these past years, but I want to be now. Please let me."
She bit her lower lip, and he could see tears sparkling in her eyes.
"I need to go, Sheldon. But… I heard you."
He nodded. That wasn't a 'no' at least."
After she left, Sheldon stood there for a while before going to the place that had brought him comfort before.
It didn't take long for him to hear the familiar footsteps.
"I always seem to find you here. Are you alright?", she asked softly as she sat down next to him in front of meemaw's grave.
"My sister showed up with a black eye and no one seems to care.", he said tonelessly. "How do you think I feel."
Tears started pouring down his face on to the ground.
It took far too long for his liking for Amy to wrap her arms around his body like she usually did when she knew he was upset.
He shook, as she finally held him close.
"How could that happen? My tough sister. She… she was always so strong. People knew not to mess with her. Did I ever tell you, about the time she played baseball? In her first game…"
"She made a pitcher eat dirt because he kept trying to hit her with the ball."
He looked up surprised. "I told you this already?"
She shook her head smiling. "No. Connie did. She also told me how she punched a guy at Sunday school to defend your family."
"Of course, she did.", he grinned. "Missy definitely got that side from meemaw. She must have been so proud."
"She was.", Amy said quietly. "Of all of her grandchildren."
"Then how?", he asked desperately. "How could Missy end up with a man who beats her?"
"Sheldon.", Amy said softly. "Strong people can become victims too. And it doesn't make them weak. Missy is still strong and tough. Even if right now she might have forgotten what that feels like."
Finally, Sheldon let go of Amy.
"Thank you.", he mumbled. "I hope you don't mind, but I'll be staying here a bit longer today."
She nodded in understanding and Sheldon was glad she did not offer to stay as well. Somehow, she must have sensed that he needed to be alone now.
An hour later, he walked home, still with a heavy heart.
His mother had already retreated to her room, so he quickly did his bedtime routine and went to bed.
The situation did not let him rest. He kept thinking about all of it. His head was spinning.
Missy's black eye. The sadness in her eyes. Her defeated look. And then what Amy had just said.
At once, he knew what to do.
He jumped up and ran the whole way to Amy's house, still in his pajamas.
It took a while for her to open the door and when she did, she was wearing her robe and her eyes were sleepy.
He didn't even wait for her to say hello or ask why he was there, he just stomped past her.
"I think we should do this.", he said urgently.
She followed him to the kitchen table where he sat down.
"Do… what?", she asked, while trying to straighten out her hair with her right hand.
"The competition. We are going to enter, and we are going to win."
"Sheldon. I mean yes, we can enter. But we might not win. We aren't ready. We haven't practiced enough."
"Then we will have to get ready.", he insisted and slammed his fist on the table so hard, Amy almost jumped.
"Sheldon…", she said. "You're scaring me. What's this about?"
"Missy.", he said. A little softer now. "We need to win, so I can get Missy out of this town for a few days. Make her remember what life was like before she got married to this controlling, abusive pig. I need this, Amy. Missy needs this."
Amy looked at him seriously.
"Alright.", she conceded. "Then let's do this."
He sighed relieved.
She stood up to prepare tea then.
"You know, for a moment, when you came banging at my door in the middle of the night, saying we should do this… I almost thought you meant something else. It sounded a little like a booty call.", she said, her voice sounding half-jokingly.
He accepted the mug from her hand.
"What's a booty call?"
She stared at him puzzled for a second.
"Nevermind."
But later when he was lying in bed again, he looked it up and his eyes widened.
Was that what she wanted?
He groaned, as he realized what what his dreams would be looking like that night.
That vixen…