The dinner was fun, relaxed and delicious. The boys loved to talk about their Christmas presents with willing ears around. When the Christmas presents were mostly gone through, they moved on to their Christmas trip and what happened the last few weeks at school — it really had been over a month since they had the chance to catch up with their Grandpa and Sharon. Not many adult topics had room to be discussed with eager little boys and enthusiastic grandparents stealing the show. Sharon was not ashamed to be acting like the grandmother who spoils small kids rotten even if her place in the family wasn't really formal. She really, really missed kids that age.
Andy only smiled at Sharon's enthusiasm. It was great to see her relate so easily to his family. She took all of them by storm: her bubbly personality was hard not to like. When she got like this — excitedly chattering and smiling and gesturing so hard it was a miracle she didn't take flight — it was hard to reconcile her reserved and controlled side. Sometimes Andy wondered about that: what had made her have two completely separate sides to her personality?
Andy received a few kicks to the shin during the dinner (from both ladies) because he kept spacing out watching Sharon and the boys interact. He was still being quiet and a bad conversationalist to boot, apparently. Dean asked a few questions about work, but while Sharon was otherwise personable, her flippant and short answers communicated her disapproval of the subject so Andy tried to steer the conversation towards other avenues as well. There wasn't much, but they did manage a short discussion about the train set while the boys, Nicole and Sharon gushed over something dance related.
After dinner Dean remained in the kitchen with Nicole to clear up and get everything ready for their dessert. Andy followed the boys to the living room while Sharon took some convincing before agreeing to leave the kitchen. The boys wanted to see the track, which — quite unfortunately — was still in the box. Andy tried to interest them in foliage but there was not a lot to hold the first grader level interest so one by one they left Andy alone and moved towards the stairs where they had two little plastic cars to race.
That was the point where Sharon had been convinced. She waved at the boys at the bottom stair and walked around the couch.
"Andy, we could go upstairs now. Dean said the dessert will be a while and the boys are dying to show you their kit." She planted herself beside Andy on the cushions and only then saw what he was engrossed in. "Andy, are you having me on?"
"Yes, Sweetheart," he said a little distantly while joining plastic trees together, "of course. Sounds nice."
Sharon gawked at the man. Did he just — ? Did he really 'yes, dear' her? In all the time they had dated, she couldn't remember a time he didn't listen. Or, probably more accurately, this was the first time he got caught not listening. It cut that it had to happen around people, especially around family. Especially during Christmas: she would remember that and — Oh, she wanted to slap the man! Cursed, cursed trains and —
"Especially the having you part. That I like," Andy rumbled so close that Sharon startled. "But I'm willing to hear ideas on the 'on' part too, if you have some to spare." His hand snaked around Sharon's waist and his voice dropped even more. "After all, we've already done the 'on a desk' and 'on the floor' and..."
She swatted his shoulder. "You're horrible, horrible —" Her protests were cut off by a sweet kiss.
"There are impressionable ears around, Sharon," he mock chastised her, then looked around the room. "Speaking of which, there's science going on here somewhere."
"Yes, that's why I came down." She reflexively straightened his tie. "The boys want Grandpa."
He jumped up and smugly straightened his lapels. "Of course they do. I'm irresistible."
Sharon raised more sedately, rolled her eyes and pushed past Andy towards the stairs and the boys waiting. "You're something alright."
She could hear Andy chuckling behind her back until they entered the hall at which point he gently tugged on her elbow.
"Sharon?" he whispered, quite urgently, "I had a D in science."
"Of course you did," Sharon replied deadpan. Just her luck. "Just wing it," she hissed.
"'Wing it'? That's the best you can do?"
Sharon couldn't answer for two little boys abandoning their plastic cars and bounding to them.
"Now?" the older boy asked and at Sharon's nod, he jumped. "Yay!"
"Okay, monsters," Andy said catching the younger by the waist and lifting him to eye level. "You got all set up?"
"Uh-huh!"
The older boy kicked the floor with his toes. "Mom won't let us have bleach."
"Why? Then again, why would you want bleach?"
"Um, to... There's this one recipe."
"I see." Andy placed the little boy on his feet and turned towards the kitchen doorway. She missed Sharon's very unamused folding of her arms and the boys clamoring up the stairs. "Nic, can they have bleach?"
Nicole walked into the doorway and glanced at Dean.
"It's your father, honey," he said.
Nicole thought about it for a few moments. "Not without adult supervision."
"What am I," Andy said spreading his arms with a good-humored grin. "Yesterday's meatloaf?"
Nicole glanced at him like he was just that. Or more like, a meatloaf you didn't quite remember making. "One who needs supervision." She ignored her father's flabbergasted look and turned towards Sharon. "Sharon? Supervise?"
Now it was Sharon's turn to give Andy a long, appraising look.
He sighed. "Why don't you women ever trust me!"
"Hm, yes," Sharon said drily, "wonder why that is." She gave him another long look before turning to his daughter. "Okay, Nicole. Luckily I'm well versed in supervising unruly men."
Nicole nodded and fetched the bottle. She handed it to Sharon who hugged it to herself. "But I'm not giving any of you matches," she said sternly, "no point in asking." Nicole shot an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Sharon. You're wonderful, but Dad's... Well, Dad."
"Hey!" Andy threw his arms and the scowl moved over his face.
"Come on." Sharon grabbed his elbow and started dragging him up the stairs. Over her shoulder she sent a melodious, "Thank you, Nicole!"
Andy followed a few steps in silence before leaning over and quietly asked Sharon, "Err... Why would we want matches?"
Sharon shook her head.
Andy stopped. "You don't know, do you!" He jumped two steps at once to catch up to her. "You got a D too!"
"I did not!" she snapped. "It's just been a while... and I haven't found a chemist to date." At the top of the stairs, she twirled and added with a raised brow, "Yet."
Andy gasped. "I'm taking out my phone and googling."
Turned out, that could have been an useful plan all through the experiments with the boys. If Sharon felt useless at explaining the underlying science, Andy was useless. At first he tried making up explanations but even at the age of five some of them sounded way too farfetched. Sharon had to step out several times to control her laughter. And Nicole had been so right about the matches — Sharon wouldn't want to be included in that mess... Luckily the boys were honest and with sparkling eyes they had explained the bit where the matches would have made an appearance.
The boys were ecstatic to be spending some time with Grandpa despite his obvious lapses in science. It seemed like they enjoyed it even more to together try to work out the explanations than they would just experimenting and then being told the whys and wherefores. Sharon was happy to watch the interactions and help wherever asked. She made a mental note to 'I told you so' later in the evening. She was getting inwardly smug, very very inwardly smug.
But when the planned experiments ran out, the boys were tasked with the final putting away of the kit while Sharon and Andy cleaned the bigger messes. Quietly chatting the adults moved downstairs, Sharon still in charge of the bleach bottle. Andy joined Dean in the living room while Sharon kept walking into the kitchen with the bottle. Nicole walked the other way with a bottle of wine and asked Sharon to join them in the living room after putting the bottle down wherever.
Sharon, on the second try, found the bleach's rightful place, and then joined the adults in the living room. Nicole was leaning on the couch's backrest with an expression of horrified curiosity. The men were again at the train project, silently working at making practically nothing. Sharon paused at her shoulder.
"Out of interest," she said lowly, "do you think there's a train set sold in this country that goes to a child who wants it more than his or her father or grandfather?"
"I'm beginning to think not."
Sharon watched Andy making a few more fiddly trees. "I think I'm starting to be real glad your father doesn't have a basement."
"I think letting Dean talk me into buying this was a mistake."
"Well, at least you don't have a basement."
"No, but he showed me a video of a track going through the whole house."
"Ah."
There was a silence for a few beats. Then, Nicole, "Any more wine?"
On the other side of the couch, Dean raised his head. He caught Andy's attention. "I think we are being mocked."
"Think? I know so."
"Do we complain when they buy shoes?"
"Never."
"Do we make fun of their shoe closets?"
"No, of course not."
Sharon rolled her eyes and leaned towards Nicole. "Do men lie?"
"Absolutely!"
Andy shook his head. "They just don't understand." He turned in his place and held out his hand. "Sharon, come here." Sharon gave Nicole a knowing smirk but both ladies rounded the couch and arranged themselves on the floor next to their respective men. Sharon was still daintily arranging her legs and skirt when Andy scooped her closer to his chest. "This here is an electric track. Electric, Sharon!"
"Yes? So is my iron."
Frustrated, Andy slid his arms around her. He placed an engine in her hands. "Here, take this. Feel the weight of it." Sharon did a few experimental hefts. Andy placed his chin on her shoulder and enclosed her hands in his around the engine. "See? It feels real, yeah?" He slowly moved their hands over the toy and lowered his voice. "Look at the curves, think about the engine coursing through, leaning on the inside..."
Nicole shared a meaningful look with Dean. "Do you think we are a little bit... extra in the room?"
Sharon noticed the younger couple exchanging small smirks. She blushed and nudged Andy to give her a little more space.
He wasn't fazed. "Okay," he said and reached into the box. "Here is track for you. Join it." Sharon took the piece and leaned to snap it to the piece on the floor. "Not like that!"
She paused. "I thought it just snapped together?"
"It does, but... Not there, okay?"
Slowly, she turned, the piece still in her hand. The younger couple chuckled and quietly retreated to check on the dessert.
"What do you mean 'not there'?" Sharon asked with deathly seriousness.
"Well, see here," Andy pointed a little further on the floor, "we have the hospital set over there and wouldn't it be great to have it inside a curve? Now, if you put the turn there we —"
"Oh, come on!" Sharon threw the piece away and bunched her arms. "This is insane." Andy grappled around her for a few track pieces and started to build like nothing had happened. "I get the size thing and the going into tunnels symbolism," Sharon said more evenly, "but the rest of it is all a mystery to me."
"Just out of curiosity, do you always think everything in a sexual context or do you do it just to tease me? I know it's not that you don't realize you do it."
Sharon smirked at his scowl. "Both?"
"Well, you're on the wrong tracks there, Ms. Dirty Mind," he said and pushed her aside with a kiss on her temple. "Trains are awesome. Big, bulky things breathing fire and smoke with noise and speed. The world was conquered by laying down tracks. Hard work, power, prowess."
"So men like dragons too?"
"No," Andy gave an all-suffering sigh at her mocking, "men indulge in fantasy from time to time, but dragons usually don't enter the picture. Not unless you're a sad nerdy sea captain. Or a little perverted."
"Is this going to be another Edward thing?"
"You're practically Edwardian with your men."
"What's that supposed to mean? That I date only a class above myself?"
"Yeah." He placed laid another few pieces down. Then muttered, "Above, or rather, at your level."
"Why would I date down?" Sharon watched Andy building the track as if he wasn't listening to her. "I've achieved things and I like smart, assertive men with ambition, goals, tenacity and work ethic. They tend to succeed by the age I feel comfortable dating them."
He grumbled something unintelligible.
"What do you care anyway? You're at least as good as any of them, more likely better. So what you can't explain celestial navigation to me in dress whites? I can explain it to you in a white dress." She flipped her hair over one shoulder. "And you do have a dress uniform, I hope, professionally."
Andy perked up and came to look Sharon in the eye. "What kind of a white dress?"
She shrugged. "Short?" She leant closer to whisper, "Wedding?"
"Soon?"
She smiled but shook her head and glanced down. Probably not.
"Well, never mind," Andy said kissing her lips quickly as a thunder descended the stairs. "I have patience these days, thanks to you."
The boys yelled into the kitchen in the hopes of dessert, but hearing that it was not yet ready, the older went to help and the younger boy made a beeline towards the train project.
"Hey hey, buddy, easy!"
Andy tried to wave the boy around the track area, but he skipped through the curves and over the trees to where they were sitting. Sharon pulled the child in her arms and away from Andy's methodical building area.
"Why can't we set this up?" the boy pouted.
"Oh," Sharon kissed the back of his neck, "honey, don't mind your grandpa. He's a silly old man who never got to play with trains. Now there's the thing he always wanted and he's not allowed to play! Adults can't play just because, they have to have reasons like setting things up or testing or teaching."
"Being adult is dumb."
"I agree," Sharon chuckled. "So, what do you say we let your grandpa play for a while and soon he'll let you join and when we leave, it's all yours?"
"Okay. Can I watch?"
"Of course you can." The boy settled on the floor beside her. To counteract the impending boredom, Sharon turned her attention on him. "You know, your grandpa tried to explain to me what's great about trains, but, well, he wasn't very good. Could you?"
"Maybe. But you're a girl. Girls don't get things."
Andy laughed.
Sharon swatted his forearm. "Be quiet or you won't get things. Concentrate on the track."
"You shouldn't hit grandpa," interjected the little boy.
"Yeah, you heard it," Andy agreed. It earned him another absentminded swat as Sharon focused back on the child.
"You're a smart boy. You shouldn't hit people but that was a sign we agree on. I just quickly reminded your grandpa of manners. He disrespects me."
"Dis—?"
"Disrespects. It means to think bad of someone. Like calling someone stupid."
"Grandpa calls you stupid?"
"Sometimes and sometimes far worse." She chuckled and leant closer to whisper conspirationally, "He thinks it's funny because I'm smarter than he is and everyone knows."
"Hey," Andy objected, "you are not that smart!"
"Am I not?" Sharon challenged. "Would a stupid person choose you?"
"Yeah, good argument. You are smart," he said with a smile and reached to peck her lips.
"Eww!" the boy sneered.
From the kitchen came Nicole's voice, "What's that, are our children getting lifelong traumas too?"
Sharon chuckled. "Yes, sorry!"
"Could you two try to keep your hands to yourselves even for a minute?"
"No hands involved, I assure you!" Andy called.
Nicole emerged into the doorway. "I don't know if that's supposed to horrify or reassure me."
They all chuckled and seeing nothing noteworthy, Nicole returned to the dessert preparations.
Sharon turned to the boy. "See, it's important to make up if you fight with someone or apologize if you disrespect them."
"But, kissing! Eww!"
"You will learn to like it. But only kiss people you care about, it's special then."
The boy thought about that. "Like mom?"
"Like your mom. You can always kiss your family or friends on the cheek if you want to say you like and care about them but don't know the words."
The boy nodded and they watched Andy setting up the track. Few minutes later the boy shifted, got up and first kissed Sharon's cheek making her startle, then stepped around her and kissed Andy's making him stop his assembly, before running off to the kitchen.
"Thank you," Andy said lowly, still watching the pieces he had in his hands without seeing them.
"I didn't do anything," Sharon said and went to rest her head on his shoulder, folding one arm to rest on the opposite shoulder.
"Yes, you did. Without you I wouldn't have any of this."
"You would. Anything you think you have now, you've worked for, hard and long. I'm only here to enjoy the rewards of your hard work."
He slipped her hand from his shoulder and kissed it, first the face, then the palm, before laying it back to its original place. His other arm snaked around her waist and pulled her impossibly close. Sharon had to relocate her head from his back to the crook of his shoulder, gently laying her right hand on his holding her waist.
The track lay forgotten as they just sat there thinking about life. How it changed, how little things made it so much different. Taking a chance on scary things — like facing the whole extended family who hates you just to see your girl marry or opening yourself up to a friendship evolving into something more — enriched your life when looking back, but sometimes they also paid out in small kodak moments.
"It's still not finished? I'm going to agree with Sharon about men and trains," Nicole said behind their backs. Noticing how they pulled apart and both of them brushed their eyes; Sharon as daintily and inconspicuously as she could with an effective but tiny gesture, Andy by pretending to rub the whole of his face and missing the mark somewhat; she lost all of her playful notes and faltered.
"What happened?" she asked worried. Neither met her eye.
"Nothing," Sharon replied clearing her throat and smoothing imaginary pulls on her dress. To further send the message of nonchalance, Sharon folded her legs between her and Andy.
"Something did." Nicole checked the surroundings like the answer would just hang there somewhere in the air. Finding nothing, she had to resort to prodding, "Is everything alright? You okay?"
Andy placed a hand on Sharon's ankle and they both turned to look at it. As if by silent agreement their eyes rose and fixed on each other.
He smiled faintly. "Everything's perfect."
A/N: So this was the last chapter before the smut... Which is quite terrible, actually (one of my first tries, hey!), but since I promised it & it ties up a few things (pun not intended) I'll put it up as soon as I have time. It's been quite fun revisiting this AU and slutty!Sharon. :D If M-ish stuff is not your thing, thanks for reading, commenting, following etc. this far!
