By the Shore
by Miss Shannon
The rushing of the ocean is loud out here, only ever interrupted by the shrieking of the odd seagull. Sharon didn't expect to end up on this stretch of private beach belonging to the hotel and she certainly didn't expect it to be empty and peaceful like this. For a moment her eyes are captivated by the rich blue of the pacific and the glittering points of light that the sun plants among the waves. She takes a deep breath and inhales the salty air, taking a sip of her chardonnay, a bit of fine sand already clinging to the outside of the sweating glass.
It is a beautiful day and a wonderful occasion, but she has chosen the moment to get away for a while, to gather her thoughts and even out her troubled emotions. The day has been hard, even if it ends like this, with the golden afternoon sun warming her face. She is careful not to wrinkle her dress when she sits down in the sand, her shoes left behind on the stretch of lawn behind her, so she won't ruin her favorite pair of Manolos.
For a moment she just looks at the horizon where the blue sea meets the slowly changing sky that already holds a promise of violet that heralds the approaching night.
"Nice spot, right?" Sharon looks up and is surprised to see Nora Simmons, the former Mrs Flynn. She is about her own age, a tall blond woman who looks like an older version of her daughter, Nicole, just without Andy's dark-brown eyes. Sharon attempts a smile. She has seen Nora with Andy and they seem cold, distant. There is a glimmer of something in Nora's eyes whenever her gaze meets Andy's that makes Sharon uneasy.
"May I?" Nora gestures towards the space next to Sharon and she nods, watching as the other woman carefully lowers herself into the sand, her feet bare and her toenails crimson, the tasteful light-blue dress matching her eyes.
They are silent for a while, both sipping their drinks. White wine for Sharon, gin and tonic for Nora. Sharon can feel that the other woman is a bit tense. She bites her lower lip without noticing, bleached teeth attacking the sensitive flesh.
"It is a beautiful reception," Sharon says, trying to break the ice. "You must be very proud of Nicole."
Nora turns her head, a slight smile gracing her lips. She is one of those fragile, slim blondes that never look their age from afar. Only now that she is close, Sharon can see the delicate lines around her eyes and mouth.
"I am. Thank you, Sharon. I am glad you're enjoying it."
Suddenly Sharon is sure that Nora has seen her leave, that she has followed her for a reason. She expects her to explain why she chose to wander off, she realizes now. But Sharon has no intention of telling the mother of the bride about the gruesome case they had today, about all the pain and all the suffering the memory of which is lodged in her brain tonight. It is not easy to shake off and she regrets the fact that this is only her second glass of wine. It would take at least a third to get this out of her system. With an alcoholic by her side, however, she is not about to take any chances. Andy is uneasy enough as it is and she doesn't want to make things any more difficult for him.
She watches Nora realize that Sharon is not about to take the hint. The other woman smiles and for a moment Sharon can imagine what she looked like when she met Andy. The stereotypical California girl: Sun-kissed skin, naturally blond hair, not a care in the world. No wonder the young man from New Jersey fell for her head over heels. Sharon has seen it happen so many times.
"So you're my ex-husband's friend," Nora says in a forced light tone that sounds stilted to Sharon. Instead of angering her, she is surprised to find, the blunt approach causes her to feel a pang of sympathy for the other woman. She is not sure where it is coming from, so she ignores it for now.
"Yes," she confirms cautiously. "He is dancing with Nicole right now, so I thought I could get some fresh air for a moment." She gives her most disarming smile, hoping that the ex-wife she has heard so many bad things about is not about to launch an attack on her. She is not scared of her, but she would rather avoid a nasty showdown.
"You know, I am kind of surprised he is even here." Nora takes another sip of her drink and the ice cubes jingle. Her gaze is directed at the water but Sharon can see the flicker of pain behind her eyes.
"He wouldn't miss it for the world," she decides to not tell the whole truth as she is sure Andy wouldn't appreciate it.
Nora turns her head and smiles wryly. "I know you're trying to protect him, Sharon. I used to make up excuses for him, too. Spent ten years doing that."
Sharon bows her head at the bitter note in the other woman's voice. She can tell that Nora is angry with Andy and even though she is here as a buffer for him, she doesn't feel antagonistic towards the other woman. She remembers Andy's stories in the car how his wife tried to keep the children away from him, how he was never invited to spend Christmas with them. She inevitably thinks of Jack and the many phone calls it takes her every year to reach him and get either a straight "no" or a vague answer out of him. They have been going to Park City with her parents for fifteen years now and he has never once showed up. Never got the hang of skiing, he used to say with that crooked, attractive smile of his.
Nora flinches under Sharon's touch and she is snapped out of her musings, realizing only now that she has reached out to place her hand on the other woman's arm. The contact seems to make Andy's ex-wife uneasy, so Sharon pulls back, the jingling of the ice-cubes a clear indication that the other woman is thrown off balance.
"You know-" Nora swallows a big mouthful of gin, tonic and ice. "I don't know what it is between you and Andy, but be prepared for disappointment."
She looks over and their eyes meet. Nora doesn't look as condescending as her statement could have suggested. There is a sort of pain in her eyes that is almost too familiar for Sharon.
"I am not trying to put you off, Sharon," Nora's voice is heavy now, her gaze unsteady. "but Andy is quite something. Entering into a relationship with him might not be what you expect it to be."
A chuckle escapes Sharon and the other woman looks scandalized for a moment.
"I am sorry," Sharon hurries to say. "but I know all about men like that."
Now Nora's smile is a little arrogant. "Do you, Sharon? Have you ever found yourself trying to explain to your children why their daddy showed up in the middle of the night, drunk out of his mind, and passed out on the couch?"
Sharon smirks painfully. "As a matter of fact, I have."
She can tell that Nora is thrown off-balance by her comment. After a moment she recovers, obviously deciding to ignore what Sharon has just said.
"Andy might be here now, but he is setting Nicole up for disappointment again," she says, the pain evident in her voice. What Sharon easily believed was egoism after hearing only Andy's point of view is actually concern. Nora wants to protect her children from being let down by their father once again, which is a desire Sharon is only too familiar with. "She is so enthusiastic you know. She is going to invite him to dinner. He might come once or twice, but with that demanding job of his... it won't last long. Never did."
"I don't think so," Sharon says softly, causing Nora to knit her brows. "I've seen him. He is trying."
"Trying!" Nora gasps. "Nicole is 28. He should have started trying decades ago!"
"Of course he should have." Sharon smiles. "I am not defending his past actions here, Nora, but he is coming around, I can assure you."
Nora gives her a sardonic smile. "I am not trying to insult you here, Sharon, but you might just be a little naive. You two obviously have something going on. You are probably just seeing what you want to see. You haven't spent ten years of your life being married to an alcoholic dead-beat father or you would understand."
Sharon looks at the other woman for a moment, wondering how much she should be disclosing. She is here as Andy's friend and although while dancing with him, she has found herself a little dizzy with an all too familiar feeling she thought she'd never rediscover, they are nothing but good acquaintances at this point. She decides, however, not to set the record straight in regards to that.
"I do understand, Nora. My husband was an alcoholic, too, but instead of fighting that addiction, he traded it for another. He lives in Vegas nowadays and he hasn't seen our children in years." She doesn't love Jack anymore, she realized as much years ago, but she can't help but hope that he will reconnect with her children someday. "I would go as far as saying that if my daughter got married today, he wouldn't be here."
Nora looks stunned, her mouth open to protest, but Sharon goes on. Her story has long since become a recounting of events that might have as well happened to someone else. She has grieved and she has been angry. She has joked about her relationship with Jack and she has cried about it. All that accompanies her words nowadays is a dull pain, like a feeble echo of something far more powerful.
"Jack often didn't make it to our couch, you know. He could sleep on the floor like nobody's business. He wasn't there for my daughter's first ballet recitals but that shouldn't have surprised me as he didn't even make it to the hospital when I had her. I know your pain, Nora. I have seen it all."
Sharon realizes only now that there has been a veil in Nora's eyes because now it lifts and she sees her own pain reflected back.
"Sharon, I had no idea."
Now it's Nora who reaches out for her. It is a curious thing, discovering that you are sharing your pain with someone you barely know. Inevitably and without thinking much about it, Sharon has taken Andy's side, has made his ex-wife out to be some sort of dragon. She can tell from the surprise in Nora's eyes that she, too, imagined her to be someone else entirely. This moment they are sharing is one of mutual surprise as well as a sudden and deep connection that might be fleeting. They look at each other, the sound of the crashing waves droning in the background.
"But why Andy, Sharon? Why choose someone who is just like your ex-husband?" Nora asks, her voice much deeper than before. She has let go of her pretenses, Sharon thinks. They might never see each other again, but right now, for this moment alone, they are as close as good friends. It is a weird feeling that is oddly uplifting.
Sharon doesn't correct her, doesn't tell her that she is still married because she doesn't want questions as to why.
"Andy and Jack might share an addiction and have a similar past, but they couldn't be more different." She smiles for the first time. "Andy is really trying. He is struggling, but he is trying, Nora. He has his issues, but he is working to overcome them. Jack-" she sighs. "not so much. Jack keeps running away and he will never stop long enough to make things right."
Sharon stops and her breath hitches inaudibly. This is what has been bothering her lately, lingering at the edge of her conscious. This is what watching Andy has taught her. She swallows. Jack is never going to reconnect with his children. No amount of blackmail or sweet talk could get him to. Jack is a coward and that will never change. She has to swallow back tears and yet she feels strangely light, as if a weight has been lifted off her shoulders.
Nora looks at her thoughtfully, her drink forgotten, the last remains of the melted ice-cubes seeping into the sand next to her where the glass rolls on the ground.
"Are you sure?" her gaze is piercing; she trusts Sharon's opinion.
"I am sure." Sharon smiles. "He can't undo the past, but he will make fewer mistakes in the future."
The wind carries a few notes of music over to them and the spell between them is broken just like that.
"I should get back," Nora says.
Sharon rises with her, collecting their shoes where Nora's stand tidily next to Sharon's. They don't say a word to each other as they walk back, somewhat taken aback by the intimacy that existed between them and is now gone.
The music swells, mixing with the sounds of laughter and the clicking of cutlery. Andy greets them at the edge of the dance floor, looking mildly concerned.
"There you are, Sharon. You alright?" His expression hardens as he spots his ex-wife next to her. "Nora," he greets her curtly.
"I'm fine," Sharon smiles back at him. "I just needed a quiet moment."
Andy still looks suspicious, even more so when Nora steps forward and places a hand on his arm.
"I see Nicole is waltzing with her new husband. Shall we join them for a moment?" she asks. Andy looks as if he is about to faint with surprise and Sharon can't hide a chuckle. "Before I leave you to your friend Sharon, of course." Nora grins and Andy's shoulders sink a little.
"Okay," he agrees hesitantly. His gaze flits to Sharon over Nora's shoulder and he shakes his head lightly in confusion. Sharon shrugs as she places her empty glass on a tray and doesn't take the new one that is offered to her.
She watches the bride's parents sway on the dance floor - familiar, yet awkward - and catches Nicole's stunned look.
A smile spreads over her face and she chuckles to herself.
The End
A/N: I've been meaning to write this for a long time, because I noticed that Andy's ex-wife is always portrayed as very unpleasant when she has essentially gone through the same horrible things Sharon had to endure in her marriage. I found it interesting to explore her character in a different way as everything we learned about her came from Andy who might just be a little biased when it comes to her. I hope you enjoyed! :-)
EDIT: Corrected a few typos. Sorry for that! :D