This has been sitting on my hard drive since late June. I just kept putting off looking it over, polishing it up, and posting it. I really had every intention of getting it up before "DOA" aired but...well...things happen. This is part 1 of probably 3. The good news is part 2 is about half finished so it might be up reasonably soon.
Sharon slowly stood when she heard the knock on the door. "I can't believe he lost his key again," she muttered as she padded across the living room toward the door. "I swear I'm going to have that key surgically attached-" She stopped short at the face she saw when she opened the door.
"Nice to see you too, Sharon. You've changed the locks since last time I was here."
"And yet you didn't quite get the message." She stood aside as he came in, barely resisting the urge to slam the door behind him. "What do you want, Jackson."
"Can't a man visit his wife when he's in town on business?" He looked around. "The place hasn't changed much. Don't worry. I'll take the guest room," he smirked as he turned to face her.
"It's not available but there's a Holiday Inn downtown. I hear it's really nice."
"Come on, Sharon. Give me a chance."
"I have. I don't like repeating my mistakes." She was going to say more but heard a key in the door.
"Sorry I'm late, Sharon. But I had dinner after study group so you don't have to feed me." Rusty stared down the stranger in the living room then looked at his foster mother. "Who's this?"
"Rusty, Jackson, Jackson, Rusty. Jackson was just leaving," she added with a pointed look from Jackson to the door before she walked to the kitchen and poured a glass of wine.
Rusty waited a minute then followed her.
"Sharon who is this guy? And do you need me to escort him out?" He whispered so Jackson wouldn't hear the conversation.
She took a large drink then put the glass down on the counter, turning to face the boy. "Jackson is my husband."
"So what's he doing here?"
"He says he's working. If so, that'll be new for him."
"You really don't like him much, do you?" She shrugged but didn't answer. "So do you want me to get him out of here?"
"I do, but I'd also like to know what he's really up to."
"If it's really that big of a deal I can take the couch," Jackson's raised voice came from the living room.
Sharon rolled her eyes, muttered "God give me strength," and walked back out to her estranged husband. "One night, Jackson. After that I don't care if you're sleeping in your car, but I want you out of my house."