Chapter 12

As Horatio and Sandra sat down to a gourmet pizza and a garden salad, she explained what she meant about having an interesting story.

"Okay, yesterday I'm finishing my shift and so is Anna. Out of the blue she asks me if I'm hungry as she's thinking about getting some dinner. I thought the request was a bit odd, but okay, I'm not one to turn down a free meal," Sandra said.

"I've noticed," he said, causing her to blow a raspberry at him, making him grin.

"Anyway, we're over at the Olive Garden (nice place, by the way) and we're chatting away at various topics when she suddenly asks me how I'd feel about being the manager of the store," she said.

"How did you reply?" he asked, forking a mouthful of salad.

"Told her that it was a big responsibility and why was she asking me, of all people. Turns out that, in her opinion, I'm one of the few people with any brains in that store. The regional managers don't have any other managers they can spare until they hire a new one so the obvious thing to do is train a new manager," she said. "She said she appreciated the way I stood up to her in regards to the situation with Billy, as it shows I've got backbone, and I quote."

"That's a vote of confidence."

"Yeah. Anyway, I thought about it and thought what the heck? Might as well. So, as of tomorrow, I officially start management training."

"That's good, that's really good," he said. "Congratulations."

"Thanks, I think. Next time I go grocery shopping I think I'd better load up on Rolaids or some such thing."

"What for?"

"In case my acid level goes up more than what I want it to, which is what I think may happen," she said sourly. He chuckled. "Anyway, enough about me. Besides chasing after morons, what else did you do while you were in New York?" she asked.

"What makes you think I did anything else?"

She looked at him and said, "'Cause your beautiful blue eyes are fairly screaming that you've got more on your shoulders than you want right now."

"I don't know how you do it," he said.

"Do what?"

"See right through me like that."

She shrugged. "Same way you see right through me; we've known each other long enough."

He smiled ruefully; she had a point. "A D.A. decided to try and jump me for an old homicide situation I was involved with when I was a teen. It involved my parents," he said.

Her eyebrows shot up at that. "Excuse me? Where did they find that?"

He smiled tightly. "I'll give you a hint; a certain fellow in IAB."

She groaned. "Rick Stetler. He's been nosing around again."

"Yes, that's what it looks like."

"Wonder why, unless, of course, he's just trying to make trouble."

"That would be Rick; looking for monsters where monsters don't exist."

"I don't mean to pry," she said carefully, "but you never really talk about your parents." The look he gave her spoke volumes. "Touchy subject, huh?" He nodded. "That's okay; I apologize if I brought up any bad memories."

Horatio thought for a moment, trying to gather himself. Sandra had told him quite a bit about herself, things she had probably told no one else. He owed it to her to try and explain.

"Umm, my father, he, he was not a nice man," he began. "He had a temper and I saw it often."

"Oh no," she breathed. "No kid deserves to grow up like that."

Seeing that she was genuinely sympathetic, he found the courage to continue. "He lost his temper one day, when I was sixteen, and beat my mother to death. I came home and he tried to go after me. He didn't survive the encounter."

"Damn," she whispered. She stood up and went around the table and put her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "You once told me that doing the right thing wasn't always easy. Now, I know that and I know you know that, but it doesn't make things any easier, does it?"

"No, it doesn't," he admitted, leaning back against her, finding comfort in her scent and her warmth.

"It looks like you've been trying to right the wrongs of the world for sometime."

"Feels like forever. Sometimes I wonder why I even bother."

She kissed his temple affectionately and whispered, "I looked at all the caged animals in the shelter, the cast-offs of human society. I saw in their eyes love and hope, fear and dread, sadness and betrayal. And I was angry. 'God,' I said, 'this is terrible! Why don't you do something?' God was silent for a moment and then spoke softly. 'I have done something,' was the reply, 'I created you.'"

"Hmm?" he asked, puzzled by the statement.

"Figure it out, sweetie, figure it out." She placed another gentle kiss on his forehead before returning to her seat, an affectionate smile on her face.