The two sipped on their soup for a few minutes, and they talked of the weather. It really had turned into a dreary day, which almost made talking about their past, both together and separate, even more depressing. Andy's phone rang as they were almost done eating.

"Provenza," he nodded to Sharon. "We aren't on call, but let me take this." Sharon nodded and gestured to Andy. He answered the call.

"Provenza, what's going on today?" Andy said into the phone. Sharon continued to look around the coffee shop while she tried not to eavesdrop. "What if I don't want to see that movie?" she heard and chuckled slightly. She could tell Andy was getting irritated by the conversation. "Maybe you should spend the day with your kids and grandkids." He was quiet while Provenza obviously had more to say. "Fine," he sighed and hung up. He checked his watch. "Sorry," he turned to Sharon, "that was Provenza. I have been summoned to meet him for a movie in a half hour."

"Oh, sure," Sharon gave a small smile, "that's fine. I've taken enough of your time today, Andy. I'm glad we had the chance to talk."

"Me too," Andy nodded in agreement. "Look, Sharon, I hope you know if you need anything, I'm here to help. We might not have worked out, but I do still care about you; I want you to enjoy life. Dirt bag free, I might add," he threw a glance to her. She tried to hide a small smile that she eventually looked to him.

"Thank you. I appreciate that. I want the same for you. I hope I didn't take too much of your time today," she said to him politely.

He looked to her, surprised, "Not at all. This was good," he gestured to their table where they had talked the last couple hours. I still have questions. I'm sure you do too."

"Hmm," she nodded and continued, "for another day."

"That sounds like a plan," he nodded, and as she stood to clear her side of the table, Andy stood and did the same. "Well, baseball season is about to start. Perhaps I'll see you at the field."

"Yes, perhaps," she looked to him. He opened the door to leave, and he gestured for her to move ahead of him.

"You have always had the best manners. I'm sure you passed those manners along to your children," she said to him.

He shrugged as they were looking at the weather, trying to decide when to make a dash to each of their cars. "I've tried. I haven't been the dad they should have had."

"You're still their dad, Andy, and it's not too late. Instead of running away from them and starting a new life, you picked up your life and moved for them; you ran to them. That's love," she smiled.

"Why didn't I see that all those years ago?" he asked, a sad look to his face. "I should go. Bye, Sharon," he reached over and squeezed her hand as he turned to the weather. "You okay to get to your car?"

"I'm right there," she gestured to her car. "Enjoy your movie," she smiled again. As they turned to go their separate ways, she called out again, "Andy, all those years ago, it wasn't just you," she stated. He looked to her with a curious gaze, "You weren't the only one who refused to change. I was set in my ways too. We assumed love would fix it all. It didn't, and you are working now to fix things with your kids. Your love and effort, this time will be worth it. Even now, I'm still trying to teach myself that love alone won't fix things with Jack. I also know it's a two-way street, and I firmly believe your kids love you enough that one day, even if it's not right now, they will put in the effort to mend your relationship."

"Thanks, Sharon," he nodded to her. "Be careful going home."

Sharon thought about their conversation during her drive home, and then, throughout the rest of the day, she kept going over and over it. Andy did seem happy; she was glad about that. Things with them had gone so badly years and years ago. She always wondered if he'd recovered. While she hated that he'd had another failed marriage, she knew that now he seemed stronger and ready to work on repairs in many areas of his life. She hated that his drinking had been such an issue. During their brief marriage, he'd started to drink more with his work buddies, a concern she'd brought up to him on more than one occasion. He'd waved it off each time, telling her that he didn't have a problem. On that matter, she hated that she'd been right. Truly, she didn't like being right about that. Apparently, it had grown into more than a problem; it had become an addiction, one that he now had to fight each day. She thought more and more, hoping that the demise of their marriage hadn't caused him to turn to the bottle even more. She filed that away, intent on asking him at some point in the future.

She arrived home, and Sharon took advantage of the empty house; Ricky was at the mall with his friends, and she sat on the couch. She continued to think more about Andy, about how she'd met him when she was just about Ricky's age. Oh, they were young then. Sharon hadn't dated much in high school. She'd gone on a few dates here and there, but most guys didn't like that she was strong and opinionated. She'd gone on yet another campus visit, this time taking a more in-depth look at the school. He'd shown her around the department. Andy had been so handsome then, and she had to admit he still was. He'd won her over right away with his bright smile, his sparkling eyes, and his jokes. She smiled as she sat on her couch, curled up with a pillow. Oh, he'd told her joke after joke that first day they'd met, and Sharon knew before she even finished the tour of the department that she wanted to go to school there. She'd never admitted to her parents Andy was that reason, not that the school wasn't great; it was, but Andy and his personality had won her over. She could still hear him talking to her when she left the campus that day.

"So, I hope you decide to come to school here," he'd flashed a huge grin at her. "Usually, my job here is pretty dull, talking to lame students who think they are going to make some huge difference in the world, but today has been a good day," he explained.

"I've made my decision. I want to come to school here. I think it's the right fit," she nodded.

"Great, so I guess I'll see you around campus?" he'd asked.

"I hope so," Sharon had said. "I'll be here."

"Any chance I could see you before then? Could I maybe call you or something before you come to school here?" he asked with a hopeful look in his eyes.

"I'd really like that," she had smiled brightly to him. "Let me give you my number and address."

Sharon closed her eyes and sat back, getting more comfortable on her couch. There were times that day seemed like yesterday; she remembered it so well. Andy had been so kind, so sweet, and his interest in Sharon had been so genuine and natural. She thought about the first time she'd met Jack and just how different the situations had been. As she compared the two, she thought about how in meeting Jack, she'd tried to go in a different direction, the opposite direction to how she'd met Andy. She'd liked Andy from the start because he'd been sweet and kind. He respected her. Jack, at least to start, had been the almost bad boy she realized now, she'd run to because things with Andy had failed. She was trying something different, and now, Sharon could see how dumb she'd been with all her relationships at that age.

"Did you know the fire department is on the way?" she'd heard and looked up to find a stranger looking down to her. Sharon had gone out with her friends for the evening to celebrate a friend's 21st birthday. They were all enjoying dinner and drinks in a local campus bar.

"I'm sorry, what?" she'd looked to him, completely confused and not sure she'd heard what he'd come to say.

He leaned in closer and put his hands on the table for support. He spoke toward her ear, "The fire department is on the way."

"Ahh, okay, fine," she'd waved him off as she gave her friends an odd look. They were looking at him too, the four young women in a booth, all thinking this guy was strange.

"You're on fire," he'd flashed a smile to Sharon. "I'm sorry, but you're just drop dead gorgeous. The fire department needs to come. You're really hot."

"That's your pick-up line?" she'd asked and rolled her eyes as she turned back to her friends. "No thanks." Sharon turned away from him, hoping he would go away. She could tell from the corner of her eye he'd stayed.

"Look, I'm trying here," he'd pleaded. "I heard my buddy use that before, and it worked for him. Can we start again? Name is Jack," he offered his hand to her to greet her. "I know I might have sounded stupid there, but I'd really like to get to know you. I should have known a bad line like that wouldn't work on a knock-out like you."

Sharon just sat, eyes closed on her couch and thought about two men she'd married. She was glad her own kids seemed to have a better insight about relationships. She had to admit she was worried they might never have a healthy relationship, not after seeing the mess she and Jack had created over the last two decades. She sighed, thinking about what a mess if would be if either of her own kids had run off and married like she had. Oh, she knew she'd put her parents through so much, yet they still loved her. The phone pulled her from her thoughts, and she smiled when, as she answered it, she heard Emily's voice on the other end. Already, at her age, Emily was doing a better job of being an adult than Sharon had. Sharon just hoped that her own children wouldn't have to deal with the heartache she was still reliving every single day.