Friday, March 4, 2022- 8 weeks

Amy and I are getting ready to go over to Wolowitz's house. The girls are planning a night out while we stay with the kids and play video games. Amy emerges from the bedroom, pulling a cardigan around herself. "Can we tell them tonight, Sheldon?" She pleads, her eyes going soft as she approaches.

"Amy, you're still in your first trimester. You've heard everything the doctor has said about the highest risk of something going wrong being in the first thirteen weeks. We should wait," I feel my shoulders drop, expecting Amy to protest and I might give in if she does. I understand her desire to tell our friends she's pregnant. I want nothing more than to tell everyone I encounter that I'm going to be a father. I'm ready for the world to know Amy is going to be the best mother ever. I'm also terrified of something going wrong and having to tell them we're no longer having a baby.

She picks up her purse and stands in front of me. "But that's not for another month. I think Penny is beginning to suspect something is going on with us."

I loosely wrap my finger around her pinky, "If she or Bernadette says anything tonight, tell them we're buying a house. The inspection was this morning and it was fine. We're only waiting on paperwork being finalized."

"Are you sure? Do you want me to text you so you can tell the guys if it comes up while we're out? I could see Penny texting Leonard and Leonard blurting it to Howard and Raj. That's what happened when Bernadette was pregnant with Halley. Howard told Leonard, Leonard texted Penny, and Penny blabbed before Bernadette could tell us." I knew this story, and I don't want one of our friends to share either piece of news we have to share in the coming weeks.

Nodding, I agree, "I'm sure, and a head's up would be appreciated. We need to leave or we'll be late. I've already heard Leonard and Penny leave with Ava. What are you girls doing tonight?"

"Bernadette got us tickets to see Hamilton at The Pantages in Hollywood. Not much room for talking during the show and not something where drinking is expected, so I can avoid that question." She's leading the way into the hallway as she talks.

We arrive at Wolowitz's house and Amy departs quickly with Penny and Bernadette, leaving me with Leonard, Wolowitz, Koothrappali, and three small children. While this is not my favorite way to spend an evening, I've been trying harder to disguise my disdain, especially since we learned Amy is pregnant.

"Uncle Sheldon!" Halley squeals in a voice reminiscent of her mother's. The five-year-old has taken a real liking to me in recent months. I'm not sure why, but at least she listens when I speak, something her father has never done. She climbs onto the couch next to me and stands so she can whisper to me. Cupping her hands around my ear she says, "I need your help." I pull back and give a questioning look. "Come with me."

By now, she's tugging on my hand in the direction of the stairs. "I guess she wants to show me something upstairs. We'll be back in a few minutes," I explain our exit to the other guys around the living room. Halley drops my hand before reaching the stairs and scurries up them, while I trailed behind her. She waits for me in the doorway of her bedroom. "What do you need help with?"

"It's Daddy's birthday. I want to make a card." Halley is already pulling out paper and crayons and spreading them across the table in the corner of the room. She points at one of the small chairs, indicating I should sit.

I balance awkwardly on the chair that would be a normal-size chair for the Wolowitz family, but is far too small for a normal-sized adult, such as myself. "His birthday isn't for two days. What do you need my help with?"

"You need to spell," she's already folded the paper over, not evenly, but it gets the idea across that it's supposed to be a card. "Spell happy birthday." I slowly say each letter and Halley concentrates on neatly printing each one as I say it. She holds it up when finished. The letters are uneven and squished at the end; it's exactly what you would expect for a birthday card made by a five-year-old. She scribbles under the writing on the front, flips the paper open, and does the same on the inside. I watch her sit back and study her handiwork. "I'm gonna give it to him now."

"Don't you want to wait to give it to him on his actual birthday?"

"Oh," a look of defeat crosses her face. "I need to hide it so he doesn't find it." She looks around the room before stashing it under her pillow. "I'm going downstairs."

I follow the girl back to the living room. "What did she need?" Howard asks as I reach the last few steps.

"She wanted to show me something." I hope one day my friends do the same thing for my child. I want him or her to grow up with this extended family Amy and I have built and know they can trust everyone to keep their little secrets. The big secrets, on the other hand, they will need to share with us as soon as possible.

In the time we were upstairs, Chinese food had been delivered for dinner. We eat and opt to play a rousing game of Candy Land with the kids. It's been a few hours and the kids have abandoned us and we start the video games. After a few rounds, with Leonard or Howard checking on the kids between, Leonard returns from checking on them with Ava on his hip. "I think I'm gonna take her home for bed."

"Aren't you waiting for Penny?" I ask. The kids usually fall asleep on the floor or in each other's beds and we continue with video games until the girls return.

Leonard sighs in my direction "She said she'd get a ride home with Amy. Are you coming with me or waiting for them to get back from the play?"

Amy and I hadn't discussed my leaving before she returns. "I'll wait."

"Go home, Sheldon," Howard mumbles. "The show won't be over until almost eleven. It will probably be midnight before they get back. We know how you are about your bedtime; I'm sure Amy will understand you wanting to go home before she gets back." Little does he know I've been working on being more flexible with my bedtime and other routines.

"Okay," I reluctantly agree. This wasn't the plan for tonight, but I am trying to be less rigid with my schedule. I guess I can wait up for Amy to get home to hear about her evening.

Leonard and I bid goodbye to our friends. I climb into the front seat and fasten my seatbelt as Leonard straps Ava into her car seat. She's fussy, but the sound of quiet snores meets our ears by the time we reach the end of the block. "What did Halley want to show you earlier?"

"She wanted help with a birthday card for Howard," I stare out the window. I don't want him to notice the look I'm trying to hide, thinking of the card she made.

Unexpectedly, he laughs. "You used to hate helping with the kids, but you've really come around since the pandemic."

I snap my head to the left. I thought I'd been hiding my lack of disdain over spending time with our friends' children. "What?"

"You seem to enjoy spending time with the kids lately. It's nice to see you adjust to all of the changes and be happy."

"Oh," that's not something I was expecting to come up tonight. "Thank you." I want to tell him so badly. I wonder if he suspects anything. It's only another month before we tell everyone, but it's going to be the longest month of my life.