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Chapter Four
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DAY THREE:
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"You okay?" Andy asked Sharon.
It was 8:30 in the evening, and Sharon had called him just to talk. She did that every now and then, but given everything going on, it made him worry.
"Just nervous. Being here at home, knowing Stroh's probably keeping surveillance on us now . . ."
"Let me come over," Andy asked. "Please."
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An hour later, the uniformed officer at Sharon's door let Andy in.
"Hey, kid," he said to Rusty.
"Hey, Andy," he smiled tensely.
"Got this to take your mind off Stroh," Andy smiled, tossing him a brown bag.
Rusty opened the bag and looked inside. "Awesome," he grinned, "the new DragonBall game! Chad was telling me about this one. Thanks!"
"That was nice, Andy," Sharon smiled at him.
"I'm going to play. See you later," Rusty walked briskly down the hall to his room.
"Chad?" Andy asked.
"Chad Stuart, Rusty's bodyguard. I think Rusty has a crush on him."
"Yeah, that can happen when two people work together," Andy smiled knowingly.
"Touché."
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"Sharon . . . come here," Andy invited her gently. "Please?"
Andy took Sharon into his arms. She was so tense, he thought. It reminded him of a long time ago, when he comforted his baby daughter. Nicole was just a year old and crying inconsolably from a lack of sleep and the pain of teething. He held her to his chest in the rocking chair, stroking her little back and kissing her head until she relaxed and fell asleep.
Sharon felt Andy's hand stroke her hair, and it set off an internal struggle: her ego wanted her to continue worrying, but her body wanted her to rest. Then, he kissed the top of her head, and the struggle subsided. With a couple of deep breaths, Sharon let her body fold into Andy's.
"I need this," Sharon murmured.
"Yeah. Me, too."
"I don't understand."
"I care for you and Rusty. A lot. Even when I'm not here, I'm still in the middle of this."
Andy pulled back from her briefly and gazed into her eyes. He kissed her forehead tenderly and surrounded her with his arms again.
"Sharon, you're not alone."
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Andy held Sharon for the longest time, until she suggested they'd be more comfortable on the couch. She turned on the television, and the Clippers were playing.
Andy sat down and invited Sharon to rest against him in the crook of his arm. She settled into him, with one hand in her lap and the other against his chest. He pulled her close. Exhausted, they were asleep within minutes.
Rusty walked into the living room an hour later and switched off the television. He shook his head at Andy and Sharon, curled peacefully in each other's arms. How can they not know how in love they are?
Rusty spotted a blanket thrown over the armchair and carefully covered them with it. As he left the room, he dimmed the lights and smiled to himself. He could hardly wait to hear Sharon explain how she didn't spend the night with Andy Flynn.
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