With a creeping note of impatience she flipped her long chestnut brown hair and glanced at her rose-golden Michael Kors watch for what seemed like the umpteenth time. A quarter till seven pm. He wasn't late, she was just early and Madame Butterfly wouldn't start till 7:30. It was only their second date. Fourth if you count his daughter's wedding and the Nutcracker ballet show. The route she had taken to Fresno must have been shorter than the route he had taken. Her surroundings in front of the Warnors Theater were crowded with regular patrons and elegantly dressed men and women in gowns and tuxedos some queued entering the lobby, some excitedly chattering about the opera.
She scolded herself for being giddy like a school girl, restless in anticipation of meeting her crush. She was a grown, mature woman for crying out loud but she couldn't understand how her hear skips a beat whenever they catch each other's eyes across the room, how the mere touch of his hand on her person sends shivers down her spine, and his close proximity sends fluttering butterflies in the pit of her stomach.
She hadn't felt anything like it in years. Despite her long separation from Jack she conditioned herself that she was indeed still married and must not entertain affections from other men. As a result she devoted her time to her children and career... too much focus on work that detractors called her ice queen behind her back. She didn't care. She was great in what she does that's why she reached the peak of her career and no one can take her success from her.
Perhaps they should stop meeting clandestinely in another city but waiting for him in her three-inch red stiletto sounded more tolerable than being reproved when caught by fellow LAPD officers.
A gentle touch on her bare shoulders stirred her to face the man behind her.
"Andy! It's about time…"
Her voice was caught in her throat when she saw it wasn't Andy but a handsome middle-aged man that looked like Robert Redford. Without ado he lifted her hand to his lips which caught Sharon by surprise.
Her instinct told her to grope for her gun but remembered she was off duty and left the gun in the car.
"Good evening my lady. Would you like some company?" asked the man.
Before she could refuse him, a stern voice retorted.
"Are you hitting on my date, pal? Take your hands off her or I'll them off myself."
The man didn't look like the slightest bit embarrassed but muttered an apology.
His brows still furrowed, and his coal black eyes giving the man a murderous look long after he was out of sight, Andy was smoldering like Mt. Saint Helen about to erupt.
Sharon gently touched his arm to pacify his anger.
"Calm down, Andy. He was not hitting on me," reassured Sharon.
He looked at her, his anger just a notch lower but not completely eradicated.
"Oh yeah? It sure looked like it from where I'm standing."
"Sshhush… there now. Your blood pressure," reminded Sharon with a smile as she fixed the bow tie of his tuxedo.
If she hadn't started falling for her hot-tempered Lieutenant she would normally have castigated him as his commanding officer but looking at him all wrapped up in a silly jealousy made her eyes lit up in amusement. She never would have imagined Andy Flynn as the jealous type. Her heart leaped with joy. Does he actually feel the same affection she was now harboring for him?
His anger vanished and immediately replaced by a warm smile as Sharon patted his back, flashing him her killer smile that somehow brings out the amber flecks in her light brown eyes. He scolded himself for acting like a dumb jock who's overly possessive of his girlfriend. He couldn't understand himself. She was his boss and not his girlfriend. He certainly didn't have the right to cause a ruckus. But seeing her in her strapless long evening red gown with slits on either side, revealing her beautiful legs, his Neanderthal instincts got the better of him.
He never quite understood where his protective instincts and intense feelings of affection were coming from. He has had a lot of women since his divorced but none of them ever had a hold on him so much that he was willing to give an arm leg just to have her heart. None of them could ever stir him to lose control of his faculties but Sharon… Sharon… just the thought of her makes him forget everything but her name. Her scent was intoxicating he could feel himself losing control whenever she was in close proximity. Her smile, even her reprimands at work melts his heart like a burning fire he couldn't put out. Tonight he was so excited to see her that he forgot his gun in the house.
"Come, on Sharon. We're going to be late. I heard this is a great opera," said Andy as he led her inside the theater.
"Why, Andy… box seats!" noticed Sharon in mild surprise. She knew they cost a fortune.
"Of course, nothing less for my beloved Captain," he replied as though Captain actually meant darling.
Oh my god why am I openly flirting with my boss? I must be out of my mind.
Although they have gone out a few times neither of them wanted to acknowledge the growing affection each had for the other. Sharon chose to ignore Lt. Flynn's blatant flirtation and took his hand as he led her up the staircase where the boxes were located.
Sharon caught her breath at the majestic interior of the Warnors Theater. It certainly didn't look like it had been standing for several decades. It looked as beautiful and new as though it was only built yesterday.
An usher took their ticket and led them to box number 7. A voice over announced that the show was about to begin in 10 minutes.
"It appears no one else thought of getting a ticket in box 7 for the night," observed Andy as he settled beside Sharon.
"Well, since we have the box all to ourselves, maybe we shouldn't seat so close as there is so much room," said Sharon in a low voice quite uncomfortably.
Andy didn't take offense. He teased her, "What! You want to seat on the opposite side of the box? You will get a chill you know how the air-conditioner gets colder and colder by the hour. Come on, Sharon no one's going to recognize us from way down at the orchestra and we look like ants from the balcony seats."
Sharon gave a little laugh at her silliness. She changed the subject.
"Where did you park your car? I almost thought you weren't showing up," she teased.
"On the east side parking. Third row, right next to the huge oak with a broken branch," said Andy.
Worry crossed Sharon's features. "That's exactly where I'm parked."
Andy smiled, looking like a little boy who was given an extra piece of cookie. "I know. I parked right next to your car so we could walk together to the parking lot."
"But Andy…" Sharon started to protest.
"Sharon. We're miles away from Los Angeles. I don't think anyone's gonna see us together. And if someone does, so what? There's nothing illegal about walking together in the parking lot. I'm just walking my girl, I mean my boss to her car."
Andy stated matter-of-factly pretending the slip didn't happen.
Sharon was actually too agitated to hear the slip. By the time it dawned to her a couple of minutes have passed and a tinge of doubt whether she actually heard what she heard.
The lights dimmed as Madame Butterfly opened its first act. Andy was not a fan of opera but when he found out Sharon loved the opera as much as she was fond of ballet he saw this as an opportunity to show her he truly liked her, and not just as his friend. He caught himself before he could drape his arm at the back of her chair. He didn't want to scare her off. He knew she wasn't an innocent young girl but he could tell she wanted to take it slow.
He was almost pinching himself to stay awake by the middle of the first act but seeing Sharon's intent gaze and immense enjoyment on the drama before their eyes was truly worth it.
There was an intermission at the end of act 2. Andy took this time to stretch his legs and visit the lavatory, leaving Sharon who's having an intense phone conversation with Rusty.
"Rusty, I told you you're not going to this Boy Scout three day camp. You're grounded for a week and your detention isn't over until after the scheduled camp," said Sharon sternly and firmly.
"But Sharon, please, all my friends will be there and I really wanted to go. I can pick up the remaining days after I get back from camp. You can even add another three days," begged Rusty on the other end.
"Rusty, let's discuss this when I get home. Stop calling my cell. I'm in the middle of an opera show."
Rusty was hell-bent on blackmail. "You don't love me that's why you're keeping me from going to this camp that you know meant so much to me. Fine. I'll just go back to my room and stay there till the next century."
Sharon sighed as Rusty hang up. It's hard to be a parent all over again. Tough love. She was still contemplating on what's the best thing to do with Rusty when she became aware of another presence in the box.
"Oh Andy, I don't know what to do…"
Sharon gasped in horror as she turned around to face the person who came in. It wasn't Andy. It was the same man who approached her at the lobby and he stumbled on her, falling on his face by Sharon's feet. Andy returned at that moment and found Sharon dumbfounded for a few seconds as he followed her gaze to a protruding knife on the back of the man face down on the floor.
The two looked at each other in exasperation. "Okay let's do this quietly and call the local police," said Sharon.
Andy was dialing his cellphone when an usherette chose at that moment to enter and check if patrons of box 7 need anything. An ear shattering scream pierced the air as she found the lifeless man at Sharon's feet.
"So much for keeping things quiet," said Andy wryly.