Author's Note: Thank you all so much for the reviews. I'm glad you liked the beginning. Here is the second part. I have a bit more written and I'll post it soon. Let me know what you think. Thanks.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Andy wasn't sure who was at the door, but when Sharon hadn't returned in a few minutes he had thrown on his robe and went to check on her. As he peered through the peephole he had been surprised to find Ricky standing there clinging to his mother like a life raft. Andy had decided then the only thing to do was to put on some coffee. It is only now that Andy is realizing that Ricky isn't alone. Andy is also realizing that even though Sharon looks calm and collected, she is anything but. Both Ricky and Sharon are just standing there, Ricky looking heavenward and Sharon scowling at Ricky's reaction to the crying baby.
"May I take him?" Andy asks, guessing from the football patterned sleeper at the baby's gender.
"Uh, yeah, sure!" Ricky hands the baby quickly to Andy, so quickly Sharon barely has time to grab the two mugs of coffee from Andy.
Andy takes the baby and readjusts him so he is now more carefully cradled against his chest then begins to sway the crying baby from side to side. Sharon can't help but smile at just how good Andy is with babies, but her eyes are quickly back on her son. He is standing there, messenger bag thrown over his shoulder, just staring at Andy and the baby. Sharon softly clears her throat to draw Ricky's attention and when he looks at her she arches her brow and nods her head towards Andy.
"Thanks, Andy," Ricky says a bit sheepishly.
"No problem," Andy says flashing a genuine Flynn smile. "This little guy just needs changing."
Ricky's eyes widen in horror then he quickly begins rummaging through the messenger bag. For the first time since reentering the apartment Sharon looks at Andy and she can tell by the look he gives her that he too is concerned about Ricky.
"Uh, is there somewhere I can change him?" Ricky asks when looks up from the bag, a diaper in hand.
"I'll change him and you and your Mom can talk," Andy offers holding out his hand for the messenger bag.
"Thanks," Ricky says and hands Andy the bag. Andy slings the bag over his shoulder, gives Sharon a quick peck on the cheek and squeezes her arm as he passes her. Sharon murmurs a 'thank you' and watches him walk down the hall to her bedroom.
When the bedroom door closes, Sharon turns her gaze back to Ricky. Standing in front of her at over six feet tall and just a couple of years shy of being thirty, Ricky looks more like that frightened six-year-old that had been caught throwing smoking bombs into the girls' bathroom than the successful and cocky young man he is. Even though a part of Sharon wants to have a serious discussion with him, not only on birth control, but also about responsibility and even his manners, Sharon holds her arms out for him instead. Birth control isn't one hundred percent effective, Emily and Ricky are both proof of that, and Sharon also remembers how terrifying a new baby can be. She had seven and a half months to prepare for Emily then seven months to prepare for Ricky and both times she had been incredibly overwhelmed.
Ricky walks into his mother's arms and hugs her tightly. He knows a lecture is coming and that there will be several questions, but right now he is just so glad that his Mom is always there for him.
"Come sit down and let's talk," Sharon says after a few moments. Ricky nods and they head over to the sofa. "So," Sharon begins when they are both seated. "That's your son?" She asks, already knowing the answer. Ricky nods. "Do you have any other proof than just the mother's word?" Sharon asks carefully not wanting to upset Ricky further.
"We had a DNA test done Monday. It's in the diaper bag." Ricky offers leaning forward on the sofa. He props his elbows on his knees and places his head in his hands.
"That's good," Sharon reasons getting a sideways glance from Ricky. "This way you know for sure he's yours." Sharon explains and Ricky nods again. "What's his name?" Sharon can't believe she has a grandson and doesn't even know his name.
"Leo James Whitaker," Ricky answers, an edge to his voice when he gets to the baby's last name.
"I'm assuming you've just found out about him?" Sharon asks this quietly, not for privacy or because it could be considered scandalous, but because she can tell Ricky is angry over this fact.
"I found out Monday morning. He's two-months-old and…." Ricky pauses and takes a deep breath, his voice beginning to crack. "He's two-months-old and I haven't done a damned thing for him," Ricky hisses, his eyes becoming red as he says the words.
"That's not your fault," Sharon is quick to say as she reaches for Ricky's hand. She is now beginning to understand that while Ricky is scared, as any parent has the right to be, he is also feeling guilty. He's also probably making unfair comparisons between himself and his own father. For that Sharon can't help but tear up as a familiar sense of guilt begins to bubble in her. "Ricky," Sharon says, her voice laced with tears. "Ricky, look at me." She says more forcefully and this time Ricky turns to look at her. "It isn't your fault you haven't been there; you didn't know. What matters is that you're here for him from now on. And we will all be here for him and for you, too."
Ricky has tried to keep his emotions under control this past week, and for the most part he has. It is now though that he feels everything bubbling to the surface. Sitting beside his Mom, holding her hand, he can't fight the tears any longer. He refuses to breakdown and weep, that is so something Emily would probably do, but a few tears do make their way down his face.
"Thanks Mom," He practically whispers then pulls her into another hug. Sharon hugs him and tells him she loves him. For a moment they just sit there like that.
Andy has tried to postpone going back into the living room for as long as possible, first changing the baby then taking a few moments to just sit there and hold him, talking baby nonsense to the little guy. In those moments he couldn't help but see the strong resemblance between Ricky and the baby. Now, Andy quietly heads back towards the living room not wanting to interrupt whatever is going on between Ricky and Sharon. When he enters the living room he is a bit surprised to see the two sitting on the sofa laughing. He can't help but shoot Sharon a questioning look.
"Mom, you've gotta fill your boyfriend in on the joke," Ricky laughs noticing the look on Andy's face. Sharon nods and snorts then covers her face before sitting up and speaking.
"When I answered the door Ricky was holding the baby over his head," Sharon explains holding her hands over her head like Ricky had been holding the baby, "And he is singing the beginning of the opening song of the 'The Lion King'." Sharon's eyes sparkle as she tells Andy this and explains that 'The Lion King' was one of Ricky's favorite movies as a young child. Andy is glad to see her laugh, the worry on her face from just a few minutes earlier replaced with amusement.
"Well I thought it'd be better to introduce him like that instead of just calling you and saying, 'Oh hey Mom, you have a grandson. Bye'." Ricky also seems to be a bit brighter than just a few minutes earlier but it is obvious the boy has been through the ringer.
"That would not have been a good idea," Sharon says sternly as she peers over her glasses. "Speaking of my grandson, hand him here," Sharon says as she stands from the sofa and walks over to Andy.
Andy meets her half way and hands the little boy over to his grandmother. Sharon carefully takes the baby from Andy and cradles him against her chest. She looks into his face and traces his cheek with her finger. She then takes his hand in hers and brings it to her lips. She presses a kiss to the baby's hand and whispers so softly to the baby Andy nor Ricky can hear what she is saying, but Andy can see the tears in her eyes. He has seen her with his two step-grandsons and she is amazing with them, but this takes his breath away. She is absolutely mesmerizing with this baby. The love for this little person she has just met is obvious in her eyes and her movements.
"Teach me how to be so good with him," Ricky says only half-jokingly as he watches his mother with the baby.
"It comes with time," Andy offers, remembering all too well how incompetent he had felt as a new father.
"She's Mom; she's just like that," Ricky says with a roll of his eyes. His Mom has always been good with anything.
"I wasn't always," Sharon says turning to face her son, her eyes finally leaving her grandson. Ricky and Andy both seem surprised by this. Sharon chuckles at the looks on the two men's faces. "Your father was much better with Emily than I was. I was scared of hurting her. I didn't have that maternal instinct until she was about five-weeks-old. My mother told me it was just hormones, but when you have a baby of your own, this person that depends completely on you, it is very overwhelming and…..terrifying. It takes time for you to learn the baby and for the baby to learn the world." Sharon speaks so exuberantly, her free hand motioning as she talks. It almost makes Ricky feel better to hear that his mother, Sharon Raydor, was once just as terrified of a baby as he is now.
"I know with Nicole I was scared I'd do something wrong or break her." Andy offers, his eyes lingering on Sharon and the baby.
"Even with you I was scared." Sharon admits looking at her son. "I'd been a Mom for more than three years and I still was so afraid of hurting you or doing something to damage you." Sharon smiles fondly at her son. Ricky puts his hands in his pockets and looks at his feet.
"But you had Dad, even though he left when I was only two, you still had him when me and Em were new." Ricky's voice sounds almost mournful as he speaks. Sharon and Andy share another look and Sharon realizes that through all of this she has yet to ask just what role the mother is going to play in this child's life.
"I did have your father then, you're right, but he was scared too. Our parents, his brother, my sister Anne, everyone who already had babies made it look so easy, but once we started talking, really talking about something other than how cute the baby was," Sharon starts to explain.
"You must be talking about me because Emily was NOT a cute baby," Ricky can't help but say. Sharon gives him a mild version of her Darth Raydor look before continuing.
"The point is Ricky, that everyone is terrified with their own child. It only took me a couple of days to get the hang of things with you, but I was still scared. It is perfectly normal for there to be a transition period." Sharon has moved closer to Ricky and places her hand on his arm. Ricky nods and offers her a half smile, the same half smile Andy has seen Sharon give.
The baby has been almost as entranced with Sharon as she has been with him, but he begins to fuss, balling his fists up and sucking on them. Sharon and Andy share knowing glances but Ricky just stands there staring at the baby, that same horrified look on his face. He looks at Sharon and Andy with questioning eyes. Sharon offers him a smile then reaches for the bag that is still slung over Andy's shoulder.
"Does he have a bottle in there?" Sharon asks as she takes the bag from Andy then passes it to Ricky.
"Oh yeah, he probably is hungry," Ricky says and rolls his eyes at his own stupidity. "Sorry buddy," Ricky tells the baby as he runs his hand along the side of the baby's leg.
"It'll get easier," Andy says but Ricky isn't so sure. Only a few hours into this parenting thing and he is already so confused.
Ricky heads to the kitchen with the diaper bag leaving Sharon holding the baby. Andy moves closer to her and places his arm around her shoulders. She leans her head on his chest and closes her eyes for a moment. This is definitely not how they had planned to spend their morning but she also wouldn't trade this precious baby for anything.
"You ok?" Andy asks softly as he places a kiss to her forehead. Sharon hums and nods. "I'm just worried about Ricky," Sharon says lifting her eyes so she is looking up at Andy. "He'll be ok," Andy says and drops a kiss on Sharon's lips.
"He will, it's just going to be an adjustment."
Sharon and Andy are standing in the middle of the living room, Andy's arm still around her shoulders, as they look down at the baby. Andy is carefully playing with the baby's hand when the front door open and Rusty walks in. While he had expected to find Andy in the condo when he arrived back home, he most certainly was not expecting to find them robe clad and snuggling in the middle of the living room.
"Eww," he can't help but groan as he closes the door behind him. Sharon bounces and Andy and she turn to face Rusty. "What is that?" Rusty asks, his eyes going wide as he notices the baby Sharon is holding.
Rusty has that look on his face he gets just before going on one of his melodramatic teenaged rants and all Andy can do is let his head fall back and look heavenward. Even though the boy has matured greatly since coming into Sharon's care, he is still a young adult and on occasion reverts back to his brattish ways. Sharon is just about to answer Rusty's question when Ricky comes out of the kitchen, a burp cloth thrown over his shoulder and a bottle in his hand.
"THAT would be my son…your nephew!" Ricky replies smugly as he walks over to Sharon and carefully takes the baby. Rusty's eyes go wider, if that's even possible, and for a moment he is unable to speak. "Look there Leo, you can make your Uncle Rusty shut up. Good job, buddy," Ricky says to the baby as he takes a seat on the sofa and places the bottle in the baby's mouth.
"Wait, what? Mom?" Rusty's eyes go back and forth between Ricky and the baby to Sharon and Andy. He's definitely missing something here. Sharon leans her head against Andy's chest and sighs. Andy can't help but chuckle at her.
"Advice from one parent to another," Sharon says to Ricky and he looks up expectantly. "Enjoy him while he doesn't speak." Sharon gives both of her boys a forced smile. Andy laughs at the advice but both boys give her the same blank, unamused stare.