"Rusty, I am not joking! Do NOT go any further!"

Sharon yelled for the third time in a matter of minutes from her seated position on a colorful fold out plastic lounge chair on La Jolla beach.

She rolled her eyes as he nonchalantly waved his right hand in the air letting her know he had heard but wasn't taking her seriously. In two days, she would be returning to work and after talking to both Dr. Joe and the physical therapist, she planned a day trip to La Jolla to soak in the sun and enjoy the peace that only comes from being near the ocean. It was the off-season for tourists so the beach was deserted except for a few couples strolling along holding hands. She smiled at them remembering her and Jack's first few years together before he became addicted to drinking and gambling. She was perfectly content being separated, but there were days she longed to have someone who would romance her, take her out to dinner, and hold her hand while strolling on the sand or wading in the waves. She longed for someone she could snuggle up next to or even break down in front of on days when life became overwhelming. She was used to dealing with things on her own, but she had to admit she was lonely at times.

Breathing in the fresh ocean air, Sharon snuggled further back into the chair and with one last glance at her son, who was swimming in the waves, she opened one of the many when-I-finally-have-a-free-moment book and allowed her mind to drift into the plot of the story. Every few pages she'd bring herself back to reality to check on Rusty who was still content wading and swimming in the salty ocean. About fifteen minutes into the book she heard,

"Mom! Seriously quit reading and enjoy the waves! What is the point of taking a trip to the beach if you won't even get in the water?"

Mom.

She loved hearing that word instead of Sharon. A month from today they had an appointment with a judge and hopefully he'd legally be hers. When she had showed the paperwork to Rusty the smile that had spread across his face had told her she had made the right choice. Her children had even been excited when she had told them and asked her to bring him to their family gathering on Easter. All she had left to deal with was Jack who she swore would sign the papers or else she would send him divorce papers.

Smiling at him she shrugged and abandoning the book on the bright blue beach towel beside her, rose from her chair and walked towards the ocean. She had refused to wear a bathing suit since it was technically the middle of winter but she had worn old blue jeans, which she rolled up past her knees, and a baggy old grey UCLA sweatshirt she had in the back of her closet that she rarely wore. Her body automatically jumped when the sixty-degree water hit her shins.

"Rusty, its freezing," she complained as he waded closer to her.

"It's not that bad once you get used to it," he responded with a shrug of his shoulders.

They walked along the beach together in silence, Sharon only going to the point where the waves lapped at her knees for a few moments, before walking closer to the sand. Both enjoyed the calling of the seagulls and the roar and crash of the waves as they slid up along the shore leaving clumps of seaweed, seashells and smooth rocks behind. For the first time since she had started therapy, Sharon hadn't felt that terrifying rush of her heart or the dizziness that automatically accompanied it. She truly felt at peace.

Stopping to pick up another intact seashell, Rusty was the first to break the silence.

"How long has it been since you've been to the beach?"

Sharon quietly counted back the months before giving up.

"I'm honestly not sure. It's been at least a year if not more,"

Rusty nodded.

"I was too busy trying to survive to enjoy the beach," he admitted.

"Kinda sad since we only live a few hours away,"

"It is," Sharon murmured reaching a hand out to gently squeeze his shoulder.

"I say, no matter how busy we become we go at least once a month," Rusty replied as they left the waves and headed back towards their lounge chairs.

"That's a deal I can handle," Sharon replied and she shook Rusty's extended hand. Life really was too short to only spend it working and stressed.

Around one that afternoon, they packed up their gear and headed back to the car.

"I don't know about you, but I'm starving," Sharon said as Rusty buckled himself in the front seat and pushed back his chair to a laying position.

"How does burgers sound?" she asked as she backed out of their parking slot and merging onto the main road after a few cars.

"That sounds awesome," he replied with a tired smile.

"You feeling okay?" She asked quickly sliding into her concerned mom role. He was doing so much better and the last thing she wanted was for him to take a step back from his healing.

"I feel tired but not in a bad way," he replied yawning.

"Take a nap. I'll wake you when we get there,"

Rusty was asleep before she even completed the sentence. Smiling gently at him she focused on driving.

Thirty minutes later, Sharon pulled into the parking lot of a sixties styled diner. She had been here a few times: first with Jack and then later with her children.

"This place has amazing milkshakes and I do believe you will find their burgers presentable," she said as she turned off the ignition and they slid out of the car.

"I'll try them,"

Inside the red and white themed diner, the hostess showed them to a booth near a window overlooking the ocean. They both ordered milkshakes, Sharon chocolate, Rusty strawberry, and cheeseburgers with curly fries.

"I can't believe you ordered a milkshake with a cheeseburger and fries,"

"Why does that surprise you so much?" she asked stretching out her legs for a moment.

"Because you always eat healthy, and you always talk about the benefits of eating healthy,"

"Well, once and awhile I too like to eat junk food. It's just different when you're my age Rusty. Your body will just metabolize it without gaining an ounce, I'll gain ten pounds,"

Looking over at his mom he gave her a goofy grin.

"You could stand to gain a few pounds,"

Sharon returned the smile knowing that was the closest to a compliment she'd get from a teenage boy.

Minutes later the server brought them their food and they both dug in. Sharon was always surprised at how big of an appetite she had after being on the beach. They both polished off most of their meal boxing up the remainder and headed home.

That evening, after showering, and finishing off their leftovers, they both sat on the couch looking out the window of her condo at the beautiful sunset.

"Thank you for today," Rusty quietly said.

"Of course! I had a wonderful day with you,"

"Me too,"

"Are you feeling better?" Rusty asked after a couple minutes went by.

"What do you mean?" Sharon asked locking her green eyes with his brown ones and taking notice of his uncomfortable look.

"I mean. Well. You kept coming into my room in a panic a lot at night after I got out of the hospital. You seemed withdrawn and sad. Now, you seem calmer and not as upset anymore. I just wanted to make sure you were doing better,"

"Oh," Sharon said a flush of heat filling her cheeks. She had no idea he had known and it embarrassed her that he had been aware she was upset.

"Rusty I'm doing much better. I was just experiencing some side effects from everything you and I had been through,"

Rusty's silence and inability to look her in the eyes concerned Sharon.

"Rusty," she said after a few uncomfortable minutes.

"It was my fault. Everything that has happened to us is my fault. If I hadn't been a witness to Phillip Stroh burying that dead woman I wouldn't be testifying in court. Those letters would never have been written and Paul would never have held you hostage to get to me," he said agitation written all over his body.

"Rusty listen to me," Sharon said extending an arm out and gently rubbing his back to calm him.

"This was not and I repeat NOT your fault. I'm grateful you were a witness. Without you, we never would have gotten him off the streets and more innocent women would be dying horrific senseless deaths. Besides, if you weren't a witness I would be missing out on a wonderful, intelligent and sweet son,"

The upset look on his face vanished and he looked up at her with hope.

"You don't resent me? Not even a little bit?"

"I wouldn't be adopting you if I resented you," Sharon replied with a small smile.

Rusty cautiously returned the smile and Sharon opened up her arms to envelop him in a hug.

Just one more month and this sweet boy would be hers. She told herself as she gently held him. Just one more month.