Notes: Hi everyone! Welcome to the sequel to "Die with You", if you haven't read that or it's parent story (Heat of the Moment), I'd suggest backtracking a little bit now and checking those out.
We are picking up in February of 1995. Nicole is 9, Emily is 8, Charlie is 7, and Ricky is 5, Sharon and Andy are on the back side of their thirties and have been married just shy of 3 years at this point. It's been around 10 years since this story started.
Please let me know your thoughts! Enjoy!
"I can't believe you're going camping for your birthday," Gavin says as he and Andrea walk through a small shopping district with Sharon. The kids were at home with their dad for the afternoon and Sharon had escaped to have some lunch and do a little shopping after they got home from Mass.
"That's not all we're doing," Sharon defends as she regards a small tea boutique before stepping in, "We're camping at Joshua Tree on the way to Arizona to go to Dodgers spring training."
"You kept talking and it got worse," Gavin groans.
"Are you sure this is your birthday you're celebrating and not Andy's?" Andrea smarts with an arched eyebrow as she picks up a mug to look at.
"I like camping, and I like baseball," Sharon says with a slight bite to her tone, "It's something that we like doing together. We're already going on the trip to Europe this summer, we really don't need to do something big for my birthday. If I can get a weekend away from the kids doing something mildly fun, I'll take it."
"Alright, alright," Gavin holds his hands up, "I give up. I wouldn't have agreed to take the little Flynnlings if I didn't think it was a worthy cause."
"They're not that little anymore," Sharon sighs softly as she looks at the different tea blends lining the wall.
"Tell me about it," Andrea agrees, "I can't believe how tall Ricky has gotten."
"He's taller than Emily," Sharon says, pinching her fingers together, "Just a smidge. He's probably going to end up taller than his father…god help us, we'll have to get a new car in the next couple years so he can fit in it."
"Don't let it be said you don't grow them well," Gavin points out. Sharon laughs and pulls a canister down, lifting the lid off before taking a small whiff. She lets out a hum and puts it back before trying a couple others. She reaches back for the first canister and takes it over to the counter.
"Can I get a couple ounces of this?" Sharon asks as she slides the container across the counter.
"Of course," The woman smiles, "Have you had this blend before?"
"No, it smells heavenly though."
"It has a great taste."
"It's herbal? I've been looking for something to drink in the evening."
"It is mostly other leafs and a little bit of fruit, it's a good night tea," The woman explains as Sharon hands over her credit card while she reads the label on the bag.
"Red raspberry leaf, nettle, red clover…raspberry…lemon…" Sharon shrugs with a hum and signs her name on the bottom of the slip before putting the card back in her wallet and tucking the small pouch into a bag that she already was carrying. Andrea buys a mug before the three of them head out of the store.
"When do you have to be home?" Andrea asks as they continue to walk.
"Soon probably," Sharon replies as she looks at her watch, "We should probably start heading back towards the cars. I told Andy I would be back to make dinner, and I think I need to run by the store still."
"Sure."
"What's for dinner?" Gavin asks as they cross the street to the other side and head back in the direction of where they parked.
"I'm thinking baked chicken, some vegetables, bread…might even splurge on some gravy."
"Well aren't you just Miss Martha Stewart."
"It's Sunday," Sharon shrugs, "No one's coming home late from work or running off to rehearsals or practice. One night a week we can have a proper dinner. You're welcome to come over."
"Oh no, I have a sushi date tonight."
"With?"
"Me, myself, and I," Gavin grins, "I have some case files to go over, I'm picking up some takeout on the way home."
"Takeout fish?" Andrea wrinkles her nose.
"How is it any different than eating it in the restaurant?" Gavin says exasperated. They had had this argument multiple times before, "It's not like I'm picking it up from a gas station."
"I don't know! There's just something about getting fish to go…" She wrinkles her nose again and shakes her head. Sharon laughs and shakes her head at the two of them. Once they get back to their cars she waves them off as she puts her bags into the trunk before getting in and turning the engine over. She stops at the store on the way home, picking up a few extra things for dinner before turning her sights towards the house. She parks in the garage and grabs all of her purchases, carrying them into the kitchen and dropping everything on the table.
"Andy? I'm home!" Sharon calls out as she unloads the groceries. She looks up as she hears the heavy footfall of her husband's steps, smiling at him when he comes into the kitchen, "Hey honey."
"Hi," Andy smiles, leaning down to press his lips to hers, "Good afternoon?"
"Very good," Sharon says, "How about yours?"
"Same," Andy replies, his hands resting on her hips as he stands in front of her, "Homework is done, uniforms are washed. Sam came over for a little bit while Ricky and I were out back playing catch, and now they are in the living room watching tv."
"Mmmm," Sharon hums as she leans up to kiss Andy again, "Have I told you how wonderful you are lately?"
"Not since this morning," Andy grins and winks, stepping back as her hand reaches out to pinch him.
"You're terrible," Sharon says with a laugh and a shake of her head, "I was going to make chicken for dinner. Does that sound okay?"
"Sounds wonderful," Andy says, "Do you need any help?"
"Do you want to cut up some vegetables while I say hi to the kids?"
"I can do that," Andy agrees as he steps over to the sink to wash his hands. Sharon presses a kiss to his cheek and makes her way into the living room, finding Emily and Ricky sprawled out on the floor watching tv.
"Hey, what are you two watching?"
"Scooby Doo," Ricky says, looking away from the tv to smile at his mother. Sharon smiles back and runs her fingers through his hair before pressing a kiss to his head.
"Did you have a good afternoon with your dad?"
"Mmhm," Ricky nods and grins, "What's for dinner?"
"Chicken and vegetables," Sharon says before playfully grabbing at his bicep, "Though maybe we should give you some protein shakes, string bean!"
"Momma stop!" Ricky laughs as Sharon switches to tickling him. Lily lifts her head from Emily's lap, watching the two of them for a moment before laying her head back down and letting out a sigh. After letting her son go, Sharon reaches over and tugs gently on Emily's hair to get her daughter's attention. She seemed quite pensive for an eight year old watching an old cartoon.
"Dad said Sam came over for a bit?"
"Mmhm," Emily nods, tearing her eyes away from the tv, offering her mom a small smile, "Dad let us paint, I made you a picture. It's on the bed."
"Thank you, honey," Sharon smiles, leaning over to kiss her daughter's cheek before pushing up from the floor, "Dinner will be about an hour, one more episode and then I want you to wash up and set the table."
"Okay," Both of the kids say, turning their eyes back to the television. Sharon makes her way back into the kitchen just as Andy calls out.
"Honey, did you get toilet paper while you were at the store?"
"Crap!" Sharon groans, stomping the last couple steps to her husband and dropping her head against his shoulder, "I knew I was forgetting something!"
"Aren't you the one usually harping about making a list?"
"Oh hush," Sharon says as she pinches his side. Andy jumps and smacks her hand away with a sparkle in his eye.
"Ow!"
"I'm sorry, did I pinch the baby?" Sharon asks as she sticks her bottom lip out.
"You know I was going to offer to run to the corner store to get us a pack to tie us over but now…I'm not so sure."
"You'd let your kids go without toilet paper because I pinched you?"
"Actions have consequences, Lieutenant," Andy shakes his head in an animated gesture before letting her take over making dinner, "Isn't that what you're always telling me?"
"I'm always telling you that because you're a trouble maker," Sharon says as she mock glares at Andy.
"I am not."
"A six month temporary assignment with Provenza, and you were in my office…"
"Seven times. Yeah, yeah, yeah," Andy rolls his eyes, "Are you ever going to let that go? Or stop rubbing the fact that you have an office in my face?"
"Nope," Sharon smiles sweetly before opening the oven to put the chicken in. She jumps and squeals as she feels a swift swat against her backside after she puts the chicken on the rack. She nudges the oven door closed with her knee and spins on her heel to throw a look at her husband. He grins cheekily at her and shrugs.
"I've been cooped up with the kids all day."
"Oh you are trouble," Sharon says as she steps closer to Andy, cupping his face in her hands as she presses a kiss to his lips. Andy's arms snake around her waist and he holds her close as he deepens the kiss with a soft groan.
"I hope you're not being gross near dinner!" Emily yells out from the living room. Sharon chuckles against Andy's lips and pulls back, dropping her head to his chest.
"Who told us to have kids again?"
"Mmm, I don't think we get to blame that on anyone," Andy laughs, rubbing his hands up her back as he holds her close, "I love you."
"I love you too," Sharon murmurs as she stands in his arms for a couple more moments before he pulls away and grabs his car keys off the table.
"I'll be right back," He assures her, winking before he disappears into the garage. Sharon sighs and shakes her head, picking up her purchases and carrying them to the bedroom. She puts a few things in the laundry pile and empties the other things onto her vanity, putting them into their proper spots. She folds up the bags and tucks them next to the trashcan in the bathroom. On her way back through the bedroom to the kitchen she spots Emily's painting, a smile spreading across her lips as she picks up the crinkly paper. The girl had painted her a small vase of flowers, differing in color from purple to pink, all tucked into a blue vase. Sharon props the painting up next to the mirror before turning the light off and going back to the kitchen.
After cleaning up the dishes from dinner and tucking the leftovers away into various containers for use through out the week, Sharon busies herself with getting the kids tucked in while Andy takes the dog out once more before they head to bed themselves. She gets Ricky settled in first, reading him a short chapter from the book they were working through before pressing a soft kiss to his head and tucking his Dodgers comforter around his long form. They'd moved all of the kids up to regular size twin beds over the holidays and let them pick out their own bedding. Ricky and Charlie had both picked Dodgers sets, while Nicole had picked a yellow gingham set and Emily purple butterflies.
Sharon turns the light off in Ricky's room, pulling the door closed before crossing the hall to Emily's room, smiling as she finds the girl reading to herself, her long brown hair hanging over her shoulder as she waits to be tucked in.
"What're you reading tonight?" Sharon asks as she sits on the edge of the bed, tilting her head to get a look at the cover.
"Matilda," Emily says, shifting the book so Sharon could get a better look at it, "I got it from the library on Friday. It's good."
"What's it about?"
"A little girl who's really smart, but her parents kind of suck," Emily shrugs, "That's about as far as I've gotten."
"Sounds interesting," Sharon smiles. Emily puts a scrap of paper from her bedside table into the book before closing it and putting it on her bedside table. She shuffles down on the bed a little bit more and sighs as she looks up at her mother, her brow furrowing slightly. Sharon offers her a concerned look as she smoothes her hand over the blanket, "Everything okay?"
"What's a period?" Emily asks.
"A period?" Sharon clarifies, making sure that she'd heard her daughter right. Sometimes when she looked at Emily she forgot that her daughter wasn't a chubby cheeked little toddler anymore. She was very much on the brink of becoming a pre-teen.
"Yeah," Emily nods, "When Sam came over she said that Katie Olsen had gotten hers and that meant that she was a woman now, but I don't know what that is. I've also heard Abbie and Jenna talk about them too."
"Oh…" Sharon says, biting her bottom lip for a moment as she casts her eyes up at the ceiling. She shifts her position on the bed, settling in a little bit more before she takes a deep breath, starting to explain a bit of the finer points of the human body to her daughter.
[TBC]