Yes, this is another Shamy breakup story. What can I say, I enjoy the possibilities that timeframe allows. I've been toying with this idea for a while and I'm finally happy with the outline that I'm comfortable enough to start posting. I think regular updates will be on Friday evenings.
Sheldon watched as his roommates cleaned the kitchen after their friends left from Thanksgiving dinner. "Oh," he remarked, extracting his phone from his pocket. "It's my friend Amy. Hello," he greeted her, putting the phone up to his ear.
"Hi, Sheldon. I'm just driving home from my mother's," she remarked into the speaker phone, steering her car down the interstate toward her apartment.
"Did you have a nice time?"
Nodding her head to herself, Amy confirmed, "I did." Letting out a breath, she continued, "Um, listen, I really enjoyed spending this morning with you. Uh, listen, I, I was thinking that, um, maybe I'm ready to be your girlfriend again."
Taken aback by this preposition, Sheldon questioned, "Oh, I thought we were just friends."
"We are, but I was hoping maybe," she stumbled over her words until Sheldon cut her off.
"Amy, I excel at many things, but getting over you wasn't one of them. I think I need to just be your friend." This remark piqued the interest of Penny from the kitchen.
Her breath hitched in her throat, it took everything Amy had not to start crying, "Okay, I understand," she mumbled before ending the call without another word.
"That had to be hard for you," Penny abandoned her chores in the kitchen to join Sheldon on the couch. He shrugged and silently stared at the now-dark screen of his phone. "Are you sure? You can probably call Amy back and talk about this."
Sheldon shook his head, "No. This morning was good. I think it would be better for everyone if we were just friends. I tried being in a relationship, but it didn't work out. I don't need a partner; I just need science and I'm set for life."
"Don't shut her out so fast. I think the two of you need to talk about what happened and get reacquainted. You've both grown and changed over the past six months, even if you don't see it."
Not getting an immediate response, Penny stood to give her friend the space she sensed he needed and wanted. "Penny," he stopped her, "Please call Amy and make sure she's okay. I can't." The blonde silently nodded, returning to the wet rag she left in the middle of the kitchen island.
Letting herself into the apartment that has been her home for over five years, Amy dropped her purse on the end of the couch before shrugging her jacket from her shoulders. She noticed her laptop waiting on the table where she left it earlier that morning and smiled to herself, suddenly knowing what she needed to do. First, Amy busied herself with preparing a cup of tea. She blindly selected a mug from the cabinet, noticed the design on it, and placed it back before reaching for her favorite mug.
Amy sat at the table with her warm tea and opened the computer in front of her. She navigated to her email and found the one she had been avoiding for the better part of a week. Selecting "Reply," the curser blinked at her as she gathered her thoughts.
"Good evening Dr. Rosman," she typed, mumbling the words to herself as she moved her fingers. "I hope you're having an enjoyable Thanksgiving. Apologies for the delayed response. I have given your offer much thought and am interested in accepting. I've been interested in branching out to a new focus for my research and I'm excited the opportunity has presented itself with Rice University. I look forward to confirming the details in the coming weeks." Scanning over the words before her, Amy finished with, "Thank you, Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler"
Clicking send, Amy instantly regretted her action, "Ohmygod. How do I unsend an email?" Searching email, she saw it was already appearing in the sent items folder. "No, this is what I need to do. It's only for a few months. Everything will be fine."
Having excused herself across the hall, Penny called her best friend. "Hi Amy," she greeted the woman when she answered the phone.
"Oh, hi, Penny."
"We missed you at dinner tonight. How was dinner with your parents?"
"It was okay," Amy shrugged, continuing to stare at the email she sent only minutes earlier on the computer screen in front of her.
Not beating around the bush, Penny shared her reason for calling, "I heard Sheldon's side of your phone call a little while ago. He asked me to check on you. Are you doing okay? I'm guessing that wasn't easy for you to call him like that."
"I don't know. I wasn't expecting him to shoot me down like that, but I also wasn't surprised by it. Spending the morning at the aquarium felt like before, even before we were officially dating."
"Do you want me to come over, sweetie?" Penny offered. "I can bring the leftover pie and wine. It will help take your mind off everything."
Amy sighed, "That sounds nice, but I think I want to be alone tonight. Maybe tomorrow?"
"Okay. I'll talk to Bernie and we'll come over in the morning. Call me if you change your mind and want me to come over tonight."
"How's Amy?" Penny wasn't fully through the door of apartment 4A before Sheldon was asking about her phone call.
"Sheldon," the blonde gently started, "She put her heart on the line when she called you. She didn't say it, but she's upset."
Sitting upright, Sheldon cuts her off, "She's upset? Why didn't you go over there to check on her?"
"Upset might be the wrong word. I think she was hopeful you would want to resume your relationship and is saddened that you just want to be friends. I offered to come over, but she said she wanted to be alone this evening. Bernadette and I will go over there tomorrow."
"Should I call her?"
Leonard quickly jumped in, suggesting, "Give her some space. She'll come around. I'm sure she'll be up for joining us for dinner again before you know it. It sounds like going to the aquarium together went well, but you guys might want to ease your way back into spending time together as friends. You'll get there, I know you will. Look at me and Penny. It took us a while to function as friends after we broke up. Now we're better than ever."