"Charlotte put the candy bar back." Andy warns, not even turning around to the cart to see that she had plucked it off the shelf. Charlotte did this every time they walked along the cashier side of the supermarket, it didn't take a genius. She sympathizes with the temptation, she has that struggle with the display of magazines.
"Mom-eeee." She whines, sliding around back and forth atop the child's of the cart.
"No Charlie. We are here to get chocolate chips to make cookies, and cake mix for your birthday cake." She smiles, trying to remind Charlotte that some sweets will soon be coming her way.
She grumbles, and folds her chubby arms over her chest and Andy can tell that she's got a half hour before a tantrum erupts from the grumpy toddler. Not even plans for her party coming up would settle the mood.
Andy sighs and places a package of chocolate chips into the cart next to the other necessities they needed to stock up on and continues down the aisle, going through a mental checklist of all the things they have stocked up and what they're running low on.
"Charlie, want nuggets for dinner?" She says, wondering if it's worth it to wander through the frozen foods section without her jacket on.
Charlotte just 'humphs', still upset about the candy bar, but Andy looks down and sees her eyes get a little bigger, then sadder. Her pride is bigger than her desire for chicken nuggets, but Andy's not in the mood to teach Charlotte a lesson right now, so she turns them down the aisle and grabs the box as fast as she can.
She wheels them, probably too quickly, through the remainder of the aisle trying to get them out of the cold. And when they're nearly in the clear, Sam crosses their path and she runs the front of the cart over Sam's feet, and causing Charlie to get jostled around in her seat.
"And that's why you shouldn't run in stores Charlotte," Andy says, avoiding Sam's irritated look.
Charlotte doesn't. She pulls her legs through the holes of the cart, causing both adults to look at her curiously. Once they're through and she's standing on wobbly legs, Sam reaches for her, afraid that she'll lose her balance and fall. But judging by the way she jumps at him when he's close, Andy figures that was always her destination.
Sam makes a face at Andy and Charlotte rests her head on Sam's shoulder sticking her thumb into her mouth.
"She's mad at me because I wouldn't let her have a candy bar." Andy explains, tilting her head to look at a diagonal Charlotte. Charlotte frowns again, but she seems too tired to hold it for very long.
"But someone's getting birthday cake next week!" Sam says, as cheerily as Sam can muster, jostling her a little, hoping for a smile. However Charlotte is just not having it anymore, and turns her head, facing away from them both.
"You guys can go to the car while I checkout okay?" Andy suggests, thinking that the more they provoke her the worse the afternoon will be. And this way she's likely to get through her list a little more quickly.
Sam offers an 'okie doke' and heads towards the exit, walking slowly with Charlotte in his hold.
After dropping Sam off at his place and hauling the groceries and a whining and whimpering Charlotte into the house, she sits herself down at the kitchen counter and wonders exactly how the following night will go.
"So, your house?" Andy asked, as soon as she slid into the driver's seat of her car, wondering if she would be dropping him.
"Yeah, Sarah's getting in late." Sam answered, looking over to Andy as she started the car and pulled out of the lot. "But you guys should come over for dinner tomorrow."
Andy smiled, pressing her lips together, and nodded, trying to keep cool about it. She'd been curious about Sarah from the second she found out she existed. It was also when she started thinking about Sam. Thinking more about Sam.
"Yeah?" Andy asked, making sure he knows exactly what he asked.
He smiled to assure her that he's sure and she just faces the road again and let's it sink in.
"Okay."
This is the first member of Sam's family that she was going to meet.
He's told her a little about his dad. In and out of prison, which meant they were back and forth between him and foster care. By the time he was a teenager he was starting to follow in his dads path. Until Charlie.
Huh. How fitting.
Charlotte was in her room napping while Andy unloaded the groceries, heavy thoughts leering over her like a personal storm cloud. She wondered if Sarah would like her. She wondered if Sarah would be as much like Sam as she's always imagined.
She's seen her photo, eons ago in Sam's house when he had a whole bunch of old things lying around. Neighbourhood kids had been doing some kind of drive...
The photo fell out of a box and she saw it for a minute before he picked it up and placed it on his dresser, to remind himself to put away for safe keeping when he came back. Black curly hair with a little frizz, deep and soulful eyes. She didn't smile in the photo, but the smooth surface of her olive-y cheeks looked like they could be a home for a set of twin dimples.
Closing the fridge, she grabs a glass and fills it up with water and makes her way over to the kitchen table and falling heavily onto the wooden chair.
She wonders exactly what she's going to be walking into, but having a kid there should help. Fine, back handed remarks would go unrecognized, as would sarcasm... If Sarah wanted to make comments on the fact that she has had a few inter office relationships, she... could...
She forgets where she was going with that train of thought. But at least Charlotte will act as a security blanket and ease her nerves.
Blowing out a breath she reaches for her cell phone and sends Sam a text asking if he has a minute to talk. When she receives a "for you, of course", she pushes call.
"Hey, what's going on, Charlotte not over that candy bar?" He asks, trying to keep light, hoping nothing more serious is wrong. "I thought she'd forgive you for those chicken nuggets."
She laughs along, and pulls her nail from out between her teeth and stares at it in her lap while she tries to think of how to say everything she wants to say.
"Yeah, it was touch and go there for a bit..." She starts, deciding jumping right in might not be the best idea. "So, got an ETA on Sarah yet?"
"She called just before you did, said she'd be here in a couple of hours." He answers, tentatively, wondering why she's got feelers out on his sister.
"Good. Great." She says back, running her finger around the rim of her water glass.
"Andy... what's going on?" He asks. Of course he knows her too well to think she just wanted to chat.
"Is Sarah... Is she gonna like-"
"She's going to like you, McNally." He says gently, only a slight suggestion that she's over thinking it in his tone. "Believe me. Just for putting up with me, you've got an advantage. And she loves kids, so, you really can't go wrong."
Andy laughs, acknowledging that she should admonish him for thinking he's such a handful. He's not.
"So she knows about... stuff?"
"Yeah, Andy, she knows about... stuff." He says, imitating her.
She smiles to herself, feeling better about it simply because he's told her she's got nothing to worry about. She trusts that. She trusts him.
"Okay, well, I should go do... stuff." She says, trying to remember the list of things she'd set out to get done today, and admonishes herself when he laughs on the other end. Always done up in knots, that McNally.
"Sounds good. I'll see you tomorrow night?"
"Yeah, we'll be there. Bye."
"Bye."
"Is it a party?" Charlotte asks the next night, as Andy unbuckles Charlotte from her car seat and smoothes out her pink party dresses front. Lifting her down and onto the pavement, Charlotte grabs the hem of Andy's dress, trying to do the same.
When Charlotte found out they were meeting someone special to Sam, she decided they had to dress up.
"You have to be on your best behaviour Missy. Which means no funny faces at the dinner table, and minding your manners right?" Andy had reminded her, as she helped dry her off after her bath.
"Yeah." She mumbled, being very careful about not stepping off of the bath mat.
When that stage was done, and Andy was digging through the drawers for an outfit for Charlotte to wear, she asked if it was a special night.
"Yes, I guess it's pretty special." Andy agreed, pulling out a pair of Charlotte's jeans.
"Like Christmas." Charlotte said, firmly. "And on Christmas I get to wear a pahty dress."
Andy turned around to face her, and understood what she was getting at.
"Fancy night?" Andy asked, scrunching her face just a little, not certain that it won't go un-teased.
"Yeah!" She squealed, dropping her towel and racing toward the closet.
Andy smiles and waits for Charlotte to be satisfied that she too is a vision, and then grabs her sweater out of the backseat along with her handy dandy traveling back pack. Just colouring books, small toys, a couple of books in case she's bored. She almost didn't bring it tonight. Sam usually keeps her very busy.
"No, Charlie, it's just you and me, and Sam and Sarah." She explains, closing the door and locking up the car.
"Oh." She sighs, grabbing Andy's extended hand and beginning their walk up the driveway.
Andy's hand is probably sweaty, but since Charlotte's are always warm, sticky and/or are wet, she can't tell too badly. She just can't shake Sarah's hand or anything.
She takes a breath when they reach the door and when she closes her eyes to poise herself to knock, she hears Charlotte's little fists going at the door. She stops after about seven or eight knocks, and Andy figures that'll do it, so she just keeps her hand on Charlottes shoulders and waits for the nearing foot steps to open the door.
"Hey!" Sam says, as he opens the door, first leaning in to give Andy a kiss, and then bending down to unwrap Charlotte from his legs. "Hey monkey."
Sam kissed her cheek and rested her on his hip while stepping out of the way so Andy could come into the house and rid herself of her coat. As she hung her jacket, Charlotte's sweater, and placed the backpack by her shoes, she sees a woman coming toward them down the hall from the kitchen.
Her silhouette is all Andy gets until she gets to the end of the hall and she steps into the light from the living room and entry way.
"Andy, this is Sarah. Sarah, Andy." He gestures between them, avoiding labels. Mostly because he's still just mostly unsure of whether or not Andy would spook. He's not willing to let her back peddle any more than she's already tried too.
Sarah smiles, totally genuinely, glancing at her brother and the kid in his arms before looking back over to Andy and extending a hand to shaken.
"It's so nice to meet you Andy. I've been waiting quite some time." She admits, answering Andy's unanswered question of how long she's known about her.
Andy notes the dimples that are there but the photo didn't do her justice. Though she knows she's older than Sam, the woman looks about two years younger. She's put together, a nice pair of jeans and black wrap sweater. Her hair is pulled back into a bun on the crown of her head, and though there are greys, they don't age her at all.
"I know, me too." Andy smiles, shoulders relaxing visibly. "And this is Charlotte. Charlie, can you say hello to Sarah?"
She steps closer to Sam and Charlotte, and they both try to coax her out of hiding her face away. Typically the girl wasn't shy but it's been a recent phase. Even the ladies at daycare have trouble establishing eye contact.
"Hi." She mumbles, staying wrapped around Sam, and smiling Sarah's way a little.
"It's very nice to meet you Charlotte." Sarah laughs, excepting that it's not personal.
It brings Charlotte out a little bit, and Sam sets her down on her own two feet, thinking that being swarmed by adults isn't going to help put her at ease.
"I like your hair." Charlotte says, knocking her feet together and looking up at Sarah.
Sam figures that's a good start to a conversation and excuses him and Andy as Sarah leads Charlotte to the living room. Once they're in the kitchen and out of the others' view, he pulls her in for a proper kiss, taking Andy by surprise and leaving her breathless.
When he pulls back, sometime later, he's still got one arm keeping her close against him but a free hand comes up and he sweeps his thumb across her bottom lip. Her eyes open slowly, meeting his lowered lashes, and bumps his nose, wanting a little more.
He forces his hold to loosen, thinking they could themselves into a lot of trouble if it goes any further.
"Hi." She whispers, keeping her arms around his neck, just liking being close.
"Hey." He laughs, keeping her close too.
It's been a while since they've had a second alone. Not that he'd change it. She just switched shifts and he was barely seeing her at work, and there was usually a small sliver of daylight left where he could stop by before she'd have to go, or he'd tag along when she went grocery shopping.
"She's nice." Andy whispers a few beats later, trying to stop her mouth from moving back to him.
"Yeah, she likes you." He confirms. He knew it before they met.
"Wait, McNally, as in, your rookie?" She'd yelled into the phone, causing Sam to pull it far away from his ear.
"She was my rookie. We're partners now." He corrects once he's sure she's not going to surprise him again.
"And you're actually serious about her?" She checks.
"Yeah, Sar, it's... it's as serious as I've ever been."
"Oh my God." She'd sighed, getting emotional. "And she's serious about you?"
He grins, remembering the confession in the truck last week. She hadn't said it since, but he's been replaying it over and over in his head, and it feels almost as good.
"Yeah. She is."
"Good." Sarah says, decidedly. "You should bring her up next time."
He runs his hand up and down her back, over the back of her dress, bringing his attention too it.
"By the way, thanks for dressing up, but I thought I made it clear we were having spaghetti." He chuckles, pulling her away to an arms' length to inspect her outfit.
"Shut up, it was Charlotte's idea." She laughs, letting him drink her in. It does not suck to be looked at that way. "She thought meeting your sister would be a very special occasion, and I agreed."
Sam smiles, wider, because he doesn't think the smiles left his face since he opened the door to them. Looking down at his own red t-shirt, he definitely recognized that he's only one who doesn't look any different from day-to-day.
"My clothes do not reflect how special I think tonight is. In case you were wondering." He says, seriously.
Andy laughs, and finally drops his hands, thinking they've left the other two a little too long.
"Tell that to the kid." She laughs, backing out of the kitchen and rounding the corner, joining the others in the living room.