Thank you all for the feedback! It's very much appreciated. I hope you enjoy this chapter...sorry it's shorter, but I didn't think Sharon could take anything more :)
"I'm sorry for that," Sharon offered a slight smile as she returned to the kitchen from the bathroom where she'd freshened up. In the meantime, Andy had gotten both of them another piece of cheesecake. She chuckled at the sight, "I see you couldn't resist the cheesecake."
He shrugged and offered a grin, "Well, a heart to heart like that requires some good food in my opinion. Plus, according to my watch, it's only 9:00. I'm really sorry to put you out, Sharon. I can call Nathan and tell him to cut things short this evening."
Sharon was exhausted; she was emotionally spent, but she sat back down and waved her hand, "No, it's fine. Let them enjoy their evening. From what I know, they don't see each other very much, but at the same time, what do I know?" she chuckled. "Seems as if my kids are starting to keep more and more from me."
"Oh, yeah, Ricky and the prom too? Sounds like you will be busy that evening," he offered, taking a bite of cheesecake, "Mmm, this is really good."
"I'm glad you are enjoying it," she nodded, taking a bite too. "Well, seems as if I have some shopping to do with my kids-prom dress, tux," she sighed, "They are growing up quickly."
"Don't I know it," he grunted. "Nicole is finishing graduate school now, and pretty soon, both will be out of college. Next thing, both will have kids of their own. Time flies."
"That it does," Sharon said softly, "but please don't go marrying off our kids and making grandparents out of us," she smiled softly. Andy just chuckled as he continued to eat.
"So, I have to say, I admire you even more knowing that you have raised these two completely on your own. Sharon, that's impressive, and your career is doing well, even if I can't stand the department you run," he winked.
"Well, weren't you the one who said he wasn't proud of himself? Same goes for me. I guess I'm just glad to have survived. I don't see it as an accomplishment my husband cheated, my marriage fell apart, and then he totally abandoned us. We didn't just split up; he completely left town. After I threw him out for cheating, I tried to have a discussion with him about what this would mean for the kids. He didn't want to hear it and told me that raising kids had never been something he was excited about; he wanted more freedom than that, and he left. It's one thing to destroy our marriage, but he then chose to destroy his relationship with the kids. I'm not proud or patting myself on the back. I've survived, and I guess I'll spend the rest of my life dealing with that," Sharon explained.
"Is that why you don't think you deserve to be happy?" he asked.
"I didn't say that-" she started to explain, but Andy's frown at her had her correcting herself. "Okay, fine, I do believe that yes. I had my chance, and married life is over, but I can still raise my kids."
"What then?" Andy asked. "You said raise your kids-Sharon, they are almost grown. Now, you never stop being a parent; I get that, and I agree, but what happens when both are out of the house? Are you just supposed to sit here, shrivel up, and feign to exist? That's no life. Sharon, you are so beautiful, and you are incredibly smart and talented. You need to realize that and realize that there's a lot more in this world for you if you'll just open to that idea."
Sharon looked away, not wanting to address Andy's compliment, "Why do you keep saying that?" she said quietly as she sighed.
"What? That you are beautiful?" he asked. "You are. I'm not going to hide that. I've spent way too many years trying to make up for things I've done and things I should have done. I decided awhile ago to be bold, to state what I want when I want it, and I've made no secret of hiding that where you are concerned. I like you a lot, have for a very, very long time. I've been trying to do that more with my kids too. Eventually, I hope it will work with my kids at least, but I'm not going to stop telling you I like you and think you are beautiful because you are, and the more that I am around you and get to know you, the more I want to be around you," he smiled softly at her, trying to catch her eye.
Sharon, uncomfortable with Andy's boldness, stood up and collected the plates, "Ahh, I suppose we can watch a movie or something on tv until they get back?" she offered. Andy sighed, knowing she'd ended the conversation for the time being, but stood and nodded, as he collected the coffee cups.
Andy sighed, "Sure," as he brought the cups to her in the kitchen. Sharon turned to get the cups, and Andy stopped her, "Sharon, I'm sorry if my calling you beautiful makes you uncomfortable, but I'm not sorry for saying it. I'm going to keep saying it until you believe it," he smiled at her, "I know if you were utterly disgusted with me, you would tell me off and send me to one of those seminars right now. I also know if you hated my guts, you wouldn't have sat here with me this evening talking, which I'm glad you did." He put the cups down beside her, leaned in, and he whispered to her, "Now," he said, inches from her, "a jerk would totally take advantage of the situation here, you reliving parts of your past, and make some pass at you. He'd jump on the chance to catch you vulnerable, but I'm not some jerk," he ran his hand over hers before pulling back and walking to the living room. Sharon stood there, speechless, certain that he was going to kiss her when he leaned in like that and now almost shocked he hadn't, but that was what she wanted, right? She wanted him to leave her alone. As she stood there speechless, she wasn't sure how many times Andy asked her about the tv, but she finally looked up to hear, "Sharon, you like crime shows?"
