Dealing With Jack Chapter 4
Andy looked up from his coffee and paper across the living room to see Rusty gathering his things and putting his shoes on. Surprised to see him up so early much less going somewhere on a Saturday, "Where are you off to?" he asked him
"Oh, we never finished filming last night so they need us back today." He explained "I don't know if I will make the game or not, sorry"
"Don't worry, Rusty, your mom and I understand that work comes up sometimes." Andy said half laughing
"Ok, I will do my best to meet you guys for dinner. I would like to see Nicole and Dean and the boys."
They were all going to catch one last Dodgers game before the season ended next week. "Ok, just let us know." He said
"Ok, tell Sharon bye for me. I've got to make the coffee run." He said as he rushed out
Andy smiled thinking about how much his life had changed in the last eight months. Saturdays were now filled with simple happy moments like that one. He heard the sound of the shower cut off and thought he might go catch Sharon before she got dressed and distract her for a while. He got up and put his dishes in the sink and poured her a cup of coffee. He was surprised by the ringing doorbell.
"Andy, can you get that?" Sharon called out
"Yeah, Rusty just left I bet he forgot his keys." He answered her, 'What did you forget.."he started to ask answering the door, stopping when he realized Jack was standing on the other side.
"Hey, is there coffee? What do you want to do for breakfast?" Sharon was asking as she came out of their bedroom wearing jeans and the Dodgers jersey Andy had bought her earlier this summer drying her hair with a towel.
Andy looked at her not able to say much and Jack looked back and forth between them. "Flynn, you want to tell me what you are doing with my wife at 9:00 on Saturday morning? "
"He lives here Jack." Sharon said her voice calm and placing her hand on Andy's back. "The question is why you are here?'
"I came to talk about these." He said looking down at a folder in his hands that held the divorce papers.
"Well, then come in." Sharon said
'Wait, "Andy said stepping between them slightly, looking Jack over closely, "You sober Jack?" he asked him.
"Yes, two months" he told him.
'Well then, congratulations." Andy said sincerely offering the other man his hand
"Andy, do you mind giving us a minute?" Sharon asked him in a voice that let Andy knew it was truly a question not a "Captain Raydor" question command. He looked at her eyes and over to Jack then back at her. He felt like things would be okay.
'Sure, I'm going to go get a shower." He said giving Sharon a quick kiss before he left.
"See you later Jack. Truly congratulations on two months, that's big."
Sharon and Jack stood there for a few seconds until she pointed to the table, "Have a seat." She said
"So, you are divorcing me for Flynn, huh?" he asked her
"No Jack, I'm divorcing you because you were unfaithful, left me multiple times, drank and gambled away our money." Sharon replied editing Andy's words from their earlier fight on the subject
"That's a fair statement." Jack said, "I came by so you would know that I've gotten sober, and to apologize. I wanted to see if there was one last chance for us. But I can see the way you look at him and that's not going to happen. You haven't looked at me that way in a very long time. "
"No, Jack it's not. It's too late for us." Sharon said softly
Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out a pen and opened the folder and removed the divorce papers. He sighed and looked at Sharon and signed it. He stood up from the chair leaving it on the table, "Once again Sharon., I really am sorry for everything. I hope Andy makes you happy, you deserve that."
"Thank you Jack." She said not looking up from the papers on the table. She heard him close the door behind him and she sighed. It was over.
The rest of the fall seemed to fly by. Before they knew they were going to the Nutcracker again and Emily and Ricky had both called to say they would be home for Christmas.
"It's going to be a little crowded don't you think" Rusty asked one night over dinner
"It's the holidays. It's about being together." Sharon said, "And I'm excited to have all three of my children home for Christmas for the first time"
"Yes, but where are all three of us going to sleep?"
"Well actually Emily might stay at Jack's" Sharon said casually
"What?" Rusty and Andy asked in unison
"Does Emily know that?" Rusty asked
"No, I told him to call her. So we will see."
"Hey, he says it's been almost five months and he's trying to make amends with his kids. Even I have to give the guy some credit for trying.' Andy said as he got up to do the dishes. He had to admit though he wasn't entirely sure that Jack was being completely honest with them. When he showed up at the station today it was the first time either of them had seen him since that morning in September. He was there for work but still Andy didn't like seeing him there and he did not like the way he called Sharon out on during the interview. For now though he kept those thoughts to himself.
The holidays flew by because of course murderers don't take a break for Christmas or New Years. Bur despite the cases they all had a great time together. It was a bit of a juggling act between her kids and his kids and work but they had managed it. During Ricky and Emily's visit Andy couldn't shake the feeling that all three of Sharon's kids were keeping a secret and if he had a feeling Jack was probably involved. One morning after they had left he finally asked Rusty.
"Ok, so I have the distinct feeling you guys are keeping something from your mom. Are you going to level with me?"
"Listen Andy, this is the first time I have ever had siblings so I'm not entirely sure how it works but I do think that if I have been trusted by them with something then I need to keep that trust and not screw it up." Rusty told him
"Fair enough" Andy said as his and Sharon's phones began to ring. "What? Where, Ok. I'm on my way." Rusty could hear Sharon having a similar reaction on her phone in the bedroom. She came out quickly.
"We have to go right now." She said coming into the living room
"Is everyone OK?" Rusty asked?
"Yes, but Julio might be in trouble." Sharon told him.
None of them knew how much worse that day was going to get. The murder, reading Julio his rights, not telling Julio the truth, Sharon already felt the weight of everything bearing down on her. Then Rusty came in and told her about Jack. "Wait here and we will go together" she told him.
"Andy I need to speak with you." She said leading to one of the conference rooms
"He's in our home!" Andy yelled the frustration of the day reaching a boiling point. "I knew something wasn't right, damn it."
"Andy, lower your voice." She said back to him almost as loudly
"Why did he still have a key?" he asked her
"I don't know. I think Emily must have left the one we gave her at Christmas there on accident."
"All right I'm going with you."
"No Andy, I need you here, besides I don't need two FID cases in one day."
"And if I saw him there would be one, trust me." He stepped closer to her and for the first time ever at work pulled her close to him and ran his hand through her hair. "I'm calling a locksmith tonight." He said
"Okay" she said leaning against his chest wishing the day was over.
"I love you." He whispered
"I love you too and please work on clearing Julio. I will be fine."
It was the next day before they found themselves home together. "How are you?" Andy asked her as they sat on the couch.
"I'm tired and sad, sad not for myself anymore but for my kids. I hate that Rusty had to deal with Jack and I want Emily and Ricky to have a father they can count on"
They sat there quietly for a few minutes with Sharon lying up against him. "Hey, did you call a locksmith?" she asked him
"No, I had a better idea." He said
"What's that?"She asked as she was starting to doze off
"Let the next owners change them."
"What?" she asked sitting up and looking at him
"Sharon, I think you should sell the condo. I should sell my place and we should buy a place of our own." He was looking straight into her eyes and she knew he was completely serious.
"Andy.." she started
"Sharon, I love you and I know you love me and I know where this is headed even if we haven't talked about it. I want a place that is ours. A place where your kids can home for the holidays and have beds to sleep in. A place where Nicole and her family can come and the boys can run and play. Let's face both of our places were for single people. We aren't single anymore. Sharon I guess what I'm saying is I want to build a family with you." He stopped for a second and took a breath and smiled at her, "What do you say? You want to start a family of with five kids and two grandkids?'
"Andrew Flynn, I love you more than I ever thought possible and now you are wanting to give me the one thing that I have always wanted? I say yes."
The End
Thank You all so much for reading! The next story will be "Building A Family" It will be both a companion an sequel to this one