After they had gotten home rusty decided to retreat to his bedroom and think about what Sharon had told him earlier in the evening. As he sat there staring at his computer he couldn't help but upset with the fact that his birth mother had been out of the half way all this time and didn't even bother to try and reach out to him. That's what disappointed him the most.
Sharon and Andy had been sitting on the couch neither one saying too much. After a few minutes of silence Andy looked at her, "So are you going to tell me what's up or am I going to have to guess." He asked puzzled as she turned to look at him. He could see that she had been in deep thought about whatever had happen back at the office.
She took a deep breath and sighed before she spoke, "Lt. Provenza informed me tonight that Rusty's birth mother had been released from the half way house and she was working and living in a apartment near by and that she has been testing clean on her weekly drug test. Andy sat there silence processing what she had just told him. "Oh I see," Is all he could say. He was just as speechless as she was. She looked at him with such sadness and his heart went out to her he knew that deep down this whole situation was bothering her. He took her hand in his as he asked his next question. "So how do you feel about all of this?" He asked he already knew the answer.
She looked at him and then down the hall before she spoke, "I know this shouldn't bother me Andy but after everything she has put him through I can't help but have a bad feeling about this whole thing."
"I understand how you feel. Sharon but you don't honestly think that she is going to try and turn him against you do you?" "You realize how crazy that sounds right?"
She knew deep down that he was right and that he had a point, but she couldn't help but have a sinking feeling about it. "I'm going to check on him I'll be right back she said as she got up and walked down the hall to her sons room.
Rusty could hear them talking from his room and he knew what they were discussing. He had been busy texting Gus telling him about what was going on and he felt a little better about everything after talking to him. She was standing outside his bedroom she knocked gently and waited for him to answer. "Come in mom" he said never looking up from the computer. She walked into the room and sat down on the foot of his bed. "Rusty can we talk?" He shut the computer down and looked at his mother. "Sure"
She hesitated for a moment, "How are you doing with all of this?" He sat there studying her, he had never seen her so unsure of her place in his life. He knew that she was worried about what his birth mother was up to.
He got up and walked over and sat down on the bed next to her. He reached out his hand and she took it as she sat there listening to her son. He looked at his mother and began to talk. "Sharon you have nothing to worry about as far as she is concerned. You are my mom." "You have been there for me and cared about me more than she ever did in my entire life."
I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. "You are the reason I am the person I am today."
"You took a chance on a street kid that didn't have a prayer and helped him grow into a responsible person."
She could feel the tears falling down her cheeks listening to her son talk. She tried to wipe them away but that only made it worse. She squeezed his hand as she tired to contain her emotions.
"Rusty honey you are the one who did all the hard work I only pointed you in the right direction." I can't take all the credit for how well you turned out. "You did all the work." "I'm beyond proud of you."
"You know Sharon he's right." "You are the real reason he's here today." Andy spoke from the door way. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop I was just getting worried about both of you."
She and rusty smiled at each other. Rusty looked over at Andy "Thank you maybe she'll believe you." She looked over at her son who had a wide grin on his face, she reached over to smack him as he moved and fell off the bed and landed in the floor with a thud while laughing like crazy. "Rusty honey you ok? She asked as she helped him up off the floor "Yes mom I'm ok he said as he wrapped her in a hug. She hugged him back even tighter.
She walked over to where Andy was standing and stood in front of him and wrapped her arms around him. "Ok guys that's just gross!" Especially in my room.. Rusty spoke up in protest. Just as he was about to kick them out of his room his phone chimed letting him know that he had a text.
They all stood there staring as he walked over to his desk and picked up his phone as his smile faded she knew exactly who it was from.
She looked at her son, "We are going to leave you so you can talk to whoever it is." She said as she and Andy walked back down the hall she stopped outside his room when she heard him answer his phone. "Hey mom" He answered.
Her heart fell into her stomach as she walked down the hall she felt like her world was slowly starting to fall apart in front of her eyes..
She walked back into the living room and sat down on the couch with Andy as the tears started to fall again.. He didn't say anything he wrapped his arm around her and held her as she cried.. He knew how bad she was hurting even if she didn't want to admit it. As he sat there holding her and trying to comfort her, he knew that Rusty would handle his birth mother on his own..
Right now is concern was the beautiful woman in his arms..
Rusty heard Sharon crying on the couch when he answered his phone. He wasn't really in the mood talk to his birth mother but he was doing it for Sharon and he was also curious as to why she hadn't been contact with him over the last three months. That's what infuriated him the most. But on the other hand he had come to expect that from her.
"Hey mom" Yeah I'm good. What's up?
"I was just wanting to talk to you."
He stood there holding the phone after a moment he answered her.
"Well I know you've been on your own for the last few months and you haven't bothered to let me know that you were. He was starting to get angry now.
"Yeah sorry about that honey." I wasn't sure how you would feel about talking to me now that you are part of "that woman's" family." She knew that she touched a nerve with that one.
He listened to her and he knew that she was trying to make him mad but he wasn't falling for it anymore. "Well to tell you the truth mom she has nothing to do with who I do or don't talk to." "So please leave her out of it."
"Fine I'll leave her out of it." "So have you been?" Anything new going on your life?"
He hesitated for a moment, "Listen can you just stop trying to be my friend and acting like you care cause you and I both know you don't."
"You are just fishing for information. There was silence on her end of the phone for a few minutes.
He spoke up again, Listen I have to go I have a lot of stuff that I need to get done so we will talk some more later."
She couldn't believe how cold he was being to her. This wasn't her little boy anymore, being around that woman had changed him and not for the better.
"That's fine we can talk later sweetheart." I love you! She was waiting for a response.
"Goodbye mom" With that he hung up the phone and sat down on his bed as he had a million different thoughts running through his head.. He didn't know what to say or what to think at this point. It was going to take him sometime to figure it all out.
He stood up and walked to the door and made his way down the hall to the living room he stopped in his tracks at the sight before him. Andy was sitting on the couch with Sharon holding her close to him and he could tell that she was crying. Andy looked up to see rusty walking toward them he bent his head and whispered something to Sharon she sat up wiping her eyes and trying to compose herself before her son entered the room.
She looked up to see rusty staring at her, His heart was in his throat as he walked in and sat down next to her on the couch. Andy started to get up and walk into the kitchen to give them a moment together rusty stopped him. "Andy you don't have to leave." He looked at them both and sharon motioned for him to see back down next to her. She turned to see rusty watching her she smiled as she tried to put on a happy face for him.
"Mom I just want you to know that no matter what nothing or anyone will ever come between us." "You are stuck with me." She snort laughed at that.. It's the same thing she told him in the beginning. She couldn't help but smile at that memory it seemed like such a long time ago..
She held his hand as she responded "I know that honey,"
He looked at Andy who was nodding his head in agreement. "The only thing that I ask is let me handle my birth mother." I have no idea what she wants or what kind of game she is playing but I will find out." He was starting to get angry again. He looked at Sharon and couldn't help but smile at her as she sat on the couch holding his hand..
She finally spoke up again. "I respect your decision on how you want to handle your birth mother." I will always be here to help you if you need me too."
First and foremost you are my son and I love you with everything I have and I always will."
"I know mom," But I won't to handle this problem on my own. "You have done enough for me over the years."
She looked at her son, "Rusty I would do it all over again in a heartbeat."
I will always help you and be here if you need me. She sat there staring at her son, She was proud of the young man he was becoming. She just hoped that his birth mother would see it too and try not to mess things up for him. He had come so far from where he was when she took him 4 years ago. He had grown into an incredibly smart young man.
He reached over and hugged her and as he was letting her go he whispered in her hear, " I love you mom" She smiled at him, "I love you too rusty more than you will ever know."