Everything She Does - Chapter 8
by Kadi
Rated: T
On the day that Andy carried his wife and son home from the hospital, three full days after his birth, he surprised her with the gift from their squad. The crib, as it turned out, remained in its box. The team had combined their resources and bought a matching bassinet, in the same dark cherry wood that Sharon had chosen for the crib, and trimmed in blue and white gingham. It fit perfectly at the foot of their bed, and would more than suffice until they'd gotten moved in to their new home - which the realtor assured them would happen by the end of the month.
Sharon's children stayed until their mother was released from the hospital, and then they both had to, regretfully, return to their own jobs and lives. They left with promises to return soon, and as much as she loved them, missed them, and loved having them there, it was much quieter without them. Settling in with a new baby was an adjustment, more so after a certain age, and was much easier to do without all of the extra bodies crowding the condo in a constant rotation of visitors. After the first two days, the excitement, thankfully, declined.
Andy had planned on only taking a week to be home with his family upon the baby's birth, but with the circumstances surrounding Ian's sudden arrival, he had extended that time to two weeks. Paternity leave, he'd gotten some ribbing on that one, but had shrugged it off. Jealous, he told them, and couldn't imagine how they wouldn't be. Especially when he watched his wife sashay through the condo in a pair of shorts and one of his dress shirts, or a pair of leggings and his shirt. That appeared to become her staple in their post pregnancy world. The shirts were loose and comfortable on her, the buttons provided perfectly easy access for young Mister Flynn when he was hungry and without much patience, which occurred every two hours and without fail. They could set an alarm by him.
Andy simply smirked when the baby quieted and a receiving blanket was drawn over her shoulder. "That's my boy."
Sharon rolled her eyes at him. "You are incorrigible." She curled a leg beneath her where she sat on the sofa with the baby, a pillow supporting her arm. Home almost a week now, she was mending well. She was still sore, and tired easily, but every day was better than the last. She patted her son's bottom in a slow rhythm while he nursed. Already he was growing by leaps and bounds, changing each day. She was seeing more of his father in him every day.
"I'm right." He continued to grin while he finished folding freshly washed clothes out of a basket. "How can one small person generate so much stuff in such a short time." Andy shook his head.
She laughed. "I know, I'd forgotten." Her eyes glittered with amusement. "Although it would help if you'd remember to get the diaper on him before he has a chance to—"
"Yeah, yeah," he waved a hand at her. "Give a guy a break. It's been a while. He likes it better when you do it anyway." Andy tilted his head and grinned playfully at her. "All those years in Internal Affairs, made you so good at cleaning up sh—"
"Andy." Her warning look quieted him. Her eyes were sparkling though. "Language."
"Right," he sighed. "Workin' on that." He hefted the basket off the table and carried it toward their room. On his way he tripped over the edge of the infant swing. "Damnit. That realtor is getting a bad review!"
Sharon shook her head and laughed quietly as he continued to grumble and curse his way down the hall. "Yes, that's your daddy," she told her son. "You'll get used to him." Her son's eyes were open, and he didn't seem to care about anything but getting his belly filled. He grunted while he suckled. "Oh, you're his alright," she decided. The front door opened and Rusty stepped in to the apartment, his book bag drawn over his shoulder. When he saw her, he grimaced and turned. Sharon snickered and readjusted the blanket. "I'm covered, you're safe."
"It's still freaky." He turned back around and walked toward the kitchen. He dropped his bag on the table. "What do we have to eat?"
Teenagers. Sharon tilted her head and smiled affectionately. Somethings in their life had remained a constant. Rusty was the most constant. "I don't know, honey. There hasn't been time for any grocery shopping. There should still be money in the jar, or in my purse, order something if you like."
Rusty rooted around until he found an apple that still looked crisp. "We can do that, I can go to the store tomorrow. What do you want?" He pulled open a drawer and took out a stack of takeout menus. "I think I'm done on pizza for a while."
"Hm. Me too." She rocked slowly from side to side with the baby. "I don't know, Rusty. I'm not very hungry. I'm sure whatever you pick will be fine." Her appetite was coming in fits and starts. The same had happened with her older children. She wouldn't want anything, and then suddenly she would be starving. It was just an odd side effect of the recent birth and breastfeeding, for her at the very least.
The teenager rolled his eyes and paged through menus. When Flynn appeared again he held them up. "Chinese, Thai, or Greek?"
Andy thought about it for a minute and considered his wife. The Thai would be too spicy, it would upset Ian's stomach. "Greek," he deciding, knowing that the smells from the Chinese had upset her stomach while she was pregnant, and those memories would still be too fresh. When she smiled at him, he knew he'd chosen correctly, even if she had no preference at present.
"Greek it is." Rusty rooted his phone out of his pocket and flipped open the menu. He knew everyone's preferences.
"How was work," Sharon asked. He'd taken the internship at the County morgue through the summer, and it had given him the chance for independence, but he still got to see members of the team when they dropped in to speak to Morales.
"It was okay," He shrugged. "I filed, I answered phones. Doctor Morales let me put on toe tags, it was great." When Sharon's eyes widened he grinned. "Kidding."
"Hormones are still a factor here," Andy told him. "I'm not saving you if she's provoked." He opened the sterilizer and started taking out baby bottles, lining them on the counter. Sharon preferred to nurse, but she was putting back reserve too, which allowed her to sleep, shower, or otherwise rest while someone else held and fed the baby.
"Dude." Rusty laughed at him. "You're such a house husband."
"Dude," Flynn shot back. "You're such a grounded."
"I can't be grounded for making an observation," Rusty replied with a grin. "You do laundry, you do dishes, you're like, doing things with bottles. House husband."
"You can be grounded for getting on my nerves," Andy decided, rolling his eyes. Sharon didn't like mess, she didn't like clutter, and he didn't want her up trying to take care of it while she was recovering. Although, truth be told, he didn't like the clutter either.
"I'm not sure that's an appropriate reason," Rusty shook his head. "Besides, I'm eighteen. Old for grounding."
"You're in my house," Flynn stated with a smirk.
"It's not really a house, it's a condo, more of an apartment actually," the teenager continued, eyes dancing with amusement. "It's also sort of hers, and she's not grounding me."
"She is not getting involved," Sharon said. She shifted the baby to her other side and he squawked at the interruption. "Oh, I know," she clucked her tongue at him. "You're such a Flynn." She continued to ignore the other two men in her life while she adjusted the blanket again, concealing her from Rusty's view.
"The only thing saving you right now is the fact that you've got the menus and I'm starving," Flynn decided. "Order the food and I'll go easy on you."
"We'll call it a draw for now," Rusty decided and began dialing.
"We'll call it thick in here." Sharon stood up with the baby. "Come on mister man, it's quieter in the bedroom. We'll leave them to their petty, immature squabbling." She shot a look at both of them as she left the room, but there was a smile playing at her lips.
"Busted." Rusty grinned.
"Yep." Flynn took a bottle cap and a nipple out of the sterilizer and stared at the nipple. "What the hell is up with this?"
"It's inside out," Rusty decided.
"Well, I can see that. How the hell did that happen?" He sighed. "I'm getting too old for this."
The teenager snickered. "Little late to figure that out, isn't it?"
Andy shot a look at him. "Rusty."
"I'm dialing, I'm dialing," but he continued to smirk.
The following day, Rusty and Andy took the shopping list Sharon put together for them and went out to replenish everything they'd allowed themselves to run short on. Along with a few other items they were needing, both for the baby and for herself. While they were gone, Gavin stopped by.
He texted Sharon when he arrived, not wanting to wake the baby by knocking. She had him come on back to the bedroom. The baby was laying on his back, in the center of the bed, while she lay on her side beside him. He was kicking and gurgling, pumping his little fists while he tried to make sense of the shapes and blurs around him.
"Hey sweetie." Gavin kissed her cheek before rounding the bed. He toed out of his shoes and lay down on the other side of the baby. "Wow." He'd been out of town when the baby was born, and then knowing Sharon as he did, gave her a few days before dropping by. "Well, you did it again. Isn't he a beauty." He propped his head in his hand and took a tiny fist between his index and thumb. "Hello, Ian. I'm Uncle Gavin. You and I are going to be very acquainted. I'm the one you're going to run to when your mommy is being difficult and daddy is taking her side so he can continue to enjoy her goodies."
"Gavin." Sharon rolled her eyes at him, but she grinned. "How was Florence?" He always made a trip to Italy during the summer months.
"Beautiful as always." Gavin regarded her with his shrewd, blue-eyed gaze. "It's still my second favorite place on the planet." She looked tired, but that was expected. Her body was still soft and round in its post-baby state, but the weight was dropping off rapidly. Her wildly curling hair was pulled up into a ponytail. She was wearing makeup today, he could see the faint traces of a light, careful hand. That meant she was feeling good. "Well, darling," he decided. "I don't know how the rest of this is working out for you, but you look great."
"Liar." She snorted. "But you're sweet for trying." Sharon rubbed her son's belly, smiling when he gurgled in response and kicked his legs again. She mimicked his position and propped her head in her hand. "You missed all the excitement."
"I heard." He gave her a concerned look. "I'm sorry, sweetie. Your Lieutenant assured me you'd be fine, though, or I'd have flown right back. Quite the ordeal."
"I turned out okay in the end," she told him. "Much better than we could have imagined." Her gaze drifted to her son and a soft smile curved her face. "He's perfect. I don't know how we managed to get so lucky. Gavin, it feels like a dream. Which is odd, I wouldn't be this exhausted if it were a dream. Not to mention everything else I'm feeling at the moment…"
"No details please." He made a face at her. "Well, tell me something. Does it still feel like you're living in a farce?"
Her lips pursed. She looked at the baby for a moment while she considered. "Well, if you'd met our real estate agent, you wouldn't ask that. Although that might be the price to pay for finding the perfect house. No," she said at last. "It doesn't feel like a farce. I think I'm rather enjoying it, now. I forgot how hard it was, having a new baby, and everything that went along with it."
"That's only because it has been so very, very long," Gavin teased with a grin. Her eyes narrowed at him, but with the baby between them, he knew that he was safe. "Starting over isn't easy, not at any age. It was always going to be hard. You've got help?"
She knew what he was asking and she smiled. "Yes. He's been wonderful. He and Rusty have gone grocery shopping, and they'll be back soon. He's taking very good care of me, Gavin. It's not like the others." Sharon's smile softened. "He hardly lets me lift a finger at all. House husband, that's what Rusty likes to call him. It's going to be different when he goes back to work."
The way she pouted made Gavin chuckle. "You're spoiled. That's what he's done, he's spoiled you rotten. Good," he decided. "It's about time that someone did, and that you let them. I'm glad that it's working out. Now then, I think it's time we talk about further prevention, this little darling is absolutely adorable, but I don't think he needs anymore siblings."
Sharon laughed. "You couldn't be more right. Trust me, we're being far more careful from now on." She shook her head and bent, drawing a tiny foot to her mouth. "I love them all, but I am done."
"Good to know." He smirked. "My nerves can't take it. You're horribly neurotic when you think you're pregnant."
"You're nerves can't take it?" She snorted again. "Try experiencing it from my side of things."
Gavin heaved a sigh. "This is one of the things you're going to have to learn my little friend," he said to the baby. "Your mother always thinks that she is right."
"That is because she is," Sharon appended.
"See," He shook his head. "Stick with me, my love. I'll teach you Armani, Hugo Boss, Fossil, and how to circumvent all of your mother's arguments with better summations of your own. By the time your five, you'll have a way out of timeout for every situation."
"Yes," Sharon laughed. "Because considering his parentage, that is exactly what he needs to learn."
"Ooh," Gavin's eyes lit up. "I hadn't thought of that. Hot-tempered meets stubbornly shrewd. You're going to be a lawyer," he decided. "You're going to work for me. You will be the shining star of my future successes. I love it!"
"Gavin." Andy stood at the open door, shaking his head. "Why are you always in my bed?" He walked over and placed a paper sack on the table beside Sharon.
"Now that is the question, isn't it?" Gavin flashed a wildly teasing smirk at him. "I happen to like your bed, you hot hunk of—ouch!" He winced, because Sharon had pinched him. "You're always trying to bruise me," he whined.
"Behave," she instructed with a pointed look.
"Oh, he loves me." Gavin sniffed. He pushed up from the bed and slipped his shoes back on. "I can't stay, hon. I only came to see the mini-Flynn. We'll do lunch, very soon. He needs his first shopping experience." He swept a hand down his tailored shirt and slacks. "Well, I'm off. Toodles."
"You know, "Andy said. "I'm going to get a complex if I keep coming home and finding you in bed with another man."
"I can see where that would be a problem," she smiled up at him. "Thing is, there are only a couple of guys I want in my bed, and the other one is already here. Why don't you come join us."
"Best offer I've had all day. Especially after getting kicked out of the kitchen. You've brainwashed the kid." He climbed into bed, in the spot left open by Gavin's departure. Andy leaned across their son and kissed her, before his attention was drawn to the squirming bundle. "You're wide awake, aren't you?"
"Mmhm." Sharon's lips curved. "I'm hoping that means he'll take a longer nap later. Doubtful, he does like to eat regularly, but if he takes a longer nap, then I can take a long, hot shower, and someone can scrub my back."
"Hey." Andy took one of his son's tiny feet and gave it a gentle wiggle. "Did you hear that? Help your old man out, yeah? Dad needs some mommy time." The baby made a squawking sound, waved his fist again. "Gee, thanks a lot. You know, they were mine before they were yours. Let's talk custody arrangements."
Sharon snorted with quiet laughter at the utter ridiculousness of Andy debating custody of her body with their son. She lay her head on the pillow, watching them with bright, sparkling eyes. She hugged her pillow, and against her own will, her eyes began to drift closed while she listened to the cheerful rumble of her husband's voice and their son's quiet gurgling. She was going to comment, but her entire body just felt too heavy. She quietly enjoyed the interchange while her body relaxed.
When Andy realized that she had fallen asleep, he scooped the baby up and left the bed. "Come on pal," he said quietly. "Mom needs a nap. Let's go check out the food situation." He tucked his son against his chest and carried him to the outer rooms, allowing Sharon to rest. In the kitchen, Rusty was still putting away groceries, arranging them just so. Andy lay the baby in his small vibrating seat on the table, and turned him so that he was facing the kitchen. Then he returned to emptying bags while Rusty stored everything away. "Asleep," he said, at Rusty's questioning look.
"That was quick." Gavin had only just left.
"She's exhausted." Andy knew the feeling, but could only imagine how Sharon was feeling. "It's alright, kid. We can handle it on our own for a couple of hours. What do you think, Ian?" They both glanced over and the baby was yawling widely. "See. Piece of cake."
Between the two of them they managed to get the kitchen put back to rights pretty quickly. Afterward, Rusty withdrew to his room while Flynn started dinner. It would be the first home cooked meal they'd had since the baby came home from the hospital.
It was those scents, permeating the apartment that greeted Sharon upon waking. She stretched slowly, and rolled onto her back. The room was quiet, and a glance beside her and to the bassinet indicated she was alone. She rose, ran her fingers through her hair and took another moment or two for herself before she made her way down the hall. Rusty was in his usual spot, laptop in front of him while he concentrated on an online chess game. She rounded the sofa, expecting to find the baby in the small infant swing in front of it. It was empty. She found him, instead, tucked into the crook of his father's arm. Andy had his feet up on the coffee table, crossed at the ankles, with a baseball game on the widescreen. Her fingers combed through his hair as she joined him on the sofa. "Someone looks content."
"We're watching the Giants lose." Andy grinned. "He's got it figured out already." He lifted the baby toward her when she reached for him. "You're just in time. He was just starting to squirm."
"Oh, I see." She lifted the baby to her shoulder and rubbed his back. "What do you want, hm?" He began to root and she grinned. "Ah. Yes, you are your father's son."
"Yep." Andy turned the volume of the game down and curled his arm around her shoulders. "We talked it out, though. Time management. Between the hours of six and nine, he's allowed primary custodial ownership. After nine, all bets are off. They're mine."
"I'm sitting right here," Rusty groaned. "Really? We had this talk. Sharon."
"Our apologies." Sharon smirked. "Lieutenant Flynn will henceforth refrain from such seriously grievous topics of discussion while in your general vicinity." She delivered the edict with an elbow driven playfully into his side.
"Sorry. Forgot." He grinned. "Old age, you know."
Sharon reached for the receiving blanket laying in the swing and drew it over her shoulder. She arranged the baby beneath it, while shooting a look at her husband. "Do try and remember. Stop tormenting the teenager." At his pout, she rolled her eyes. "At least with topics about my person."
"Deal." Andy kissed the top of her head. His hand toyed with the ends of her hair, twining the waving locks around his fingers while he settled back again, attention once more on the game, at least in part. "Dinner is in the oven," he told her. "Roast for you and the kid, vegetables and rice."
"Hmm. Smells good." She tucked in to his side, draped her legs over his and got comfortable. Sharon lay her head against his shoulder and sighed quietly, content herself. "I think maybe, a shower first would be even better," she said quietly, glancing up at him with shining eyes.
"That can be arranged." His thumb swept the side of her neck. A smile was playing at his lips.
Rusty rolled his eyes at them. As if that wasn't obvious. He shook his head and decided to let it go, this time. Silence descended on the room and he turned his attention back to his game. When the baby squawked, obviously unhappy, he knew better than to look. Not if he didn't want to get flashed, not that he had ever actually seen anything, but Rusty wasn't risking it. The oven dinged and he stood up. "I've got it." When he returned from the kitchen a few minutes later, the living room was empty. "Gross." Rusty turned back in to the kitchen and decided to set the table.
Ian was asleep in the bassinet, belly full, and completely content. Andy waited until he was sure that he was completely out before he eased away, toward the bathroom. The shower was already running. He left the door cracked, so they would hear the baby, and quickly disrobed before sliding into the shower with his wife. His arms curled around her from behind. His lips landed against her neck. "Hi stranger."
"Hi yourself." She leaned back into the circle of his arms. "Missed you."
"Yes." His hands were sliding up and down her arms. They were limited on time, and really he only wanted to hold her. He reached for the bottle of the lightly scented, jasmine body wash she typically preferred. While his lips moved along the graceful column of her neck, his hands relearned the contours of her body. From the heavy weight of her breasts to the remaining swell of her stomach, and the thin red line which curved across her pelvis. When she turned in his arms, his head dropped and he captured her mouth with slow, languid kisses while he soaped up her back. When her hands dipped low, below his waist, he captured her wrists and turned her again. Andy kissed the back of her neck and reached for her shampoo. He had her humming in his arms while his fingers massaged her scalp.
Afterward, when they'd both rinsed, he simply held her. Even if it was only half an hour to themselves, it was enough. They were face to face again, arms wrapped around one another. He kissed her lips, nose, and each eyelid. Both of their heads lifted, ears pricking toward the sound of a soft mewl. They looked at each other and smiled. This was their future, stolen moments here and there. Sharon lifted onto the balls of her feet and kissed him. "I'll get him," she murmured.
"No." Andy's hands swept down her back. "I've got him. Take a few more minutes." He kissed her again before withdrawing. "Too soon I'll be back at work, I'll miss out, and you'll have him alone."
"Thank you, honey." Her hand trailed across the back of his shoulders as he left the shower. Sharon tipped her head back beneath the spray and let it wash over her again. It was an interesting turn of events, the direction the year had taken. Just six months ago, she had stood in the same place, alone, as she was now, quietly sobbing tears of abject fear. Sharon drew her hair over her shoulder and tipped her head down, letting the water cascade over her back and shoulders. After only a moment longer, she reached out and stopped the shower.
From the half open door, she could hear her sons cries, and the quiet rumble of her husband's voice. Sharon pulled a towel around her body and waited, while the cries faded to mewls once more, and finally to nothing. While she used another towel on her hair, she peeked through the opening in the door. A smile tugged at her lips. Andy had managed to dry off and pull on a pair of boxers before Ian became too unhappy, and now had the baby cradled against his bare chest while he swayed in front of the bassinet with him. Ian was burrowed close and perfectly content, eyes drooping, and mouth working the pacifier. Their eyes met and she nudged the door further open with her hip. Sharon leaned against the door frame and continued to towel dry her hair. She left her hair damp, loose, and curling and walked into the bedroom. She stopped beside her husband. Her hand cupped the back of her son's head and she bent, a soft kiss placed against his brow. Then she leaned up and kissed his father. His arm curled around her, and they stood together, the three of them. They couldn't have foreseen this. They had tried, tried to look beyond the fear and the unknown.
"It's you." Andy mumbled against her ear, as though reading her thoughts. "You never give up. You never let go. You love until it tears you apart, and then love some more. It's you, Sharon. You trusted it, you prayed for it, and you made it happen."
"No," she whispered. "Don't put me on a pedestal, Andy. We did this. We believed, we trusted it, and you held me while I prayed."
"Too late." He smiled and dropped another kiss on to her lips. "I don't think you're perfect, Sharon. I think you're prefect for me."
They had made a decision and had not looked back, feared for the worst, hoped for the best. Life had taken an unexpected turn. Terrifying in its radiance. Yet somehow, strangely, unexpectedly wonderful.
~FIN
