I would say my life is pretty much back to normal now, back to the way it used to be before Sharon got sick. Well, at least I would have said that until just a few hours ago, but now everything seems back to chaos. Because Andy has disappeared, like literally right out of Sharon's bed and everybody's out looking for him and Sharon is super upset, throwing up and trying to hide how badly she wants to cry and the team is in the living room trying to make sense of it all.
/
But let me start at the beginning. Because things really did get better for us. After they both came back from the hospital, they were acting all lovey-dovey like they used to and Sharon was constantly fussing over Andy and his bad hand. Sometimes she was a bit inappropriate, particularly with him. I don't think they know I noticed, but of course I did. To be honest, it was pretty funny. Like, she even made Andy blush a few times. Sharon sat me down to explain that it was a side effect of the medicines that were helping her get better – and then she changed her medicines and that stopped and she started eating a lot. She hated it, but I know Andy liked it because I heard them talk about that a lot.
Andy went back to work first, his hand still in a sling, and then it was Sharon's turn. We were all having dinner together the night before and we lingered around the table, eating the dessert Andy and I had made together for the occasion. That's new, Sharon really likes eating desserts now particularly if there's raspberries involved. Well, I think she always liked it, but it's like she doesn't stop herself from eating them now.
"So as of tomorrow you'll be my boss again, sweetheart," Andy said and touched her cheek. She smiled like she always does and turned her head to kiss his arm. Every since they've come back from the hospital, they've been very touchy. Not in a bad way, but it's certainly a change. It's like one will touch the other and then they turn to each other gaze at each other like the lovesick idiots that they are (the Lieutenant's words, not mine).
"Oh honey, being your boss is the least of my worries. I've never been off work for so long, and whatever the rules are today, I'm just concerned how people will view me, and whether they'll still take me seriously."
"Sharon, the team has been waiting for you to come back. Everyone there trusts you, and we will all support you. The team – and then I'll be there, too, and I'll have your back, sweetheart."
"I know that – and if I didn't have the team's support, I wouldn't be returning. Not after this. I'm just … with the exception of these past few years, there have always been a lot of rumours and nasty names for me going around. Those never bothered me, they were simply part of the job. But this time … Andy, I don't want our private life talked about in the LAPD. I want our life to remain ours."
"And it will remain just that. You're one of us now, Sharon, and the team will stick up for you. I will stick up for you. We will protect you."
Sharon put her hand against his chest and looked at him for a really long time. I wondered what she was going to say. I know she's not too fond of being protected, she like protecting everyone else. It surprised me when she leaned in and whispered into Andy's ear. "I think I like the idea of you protecting me from the big wide world around there, Lieutenant Caveman," and then kissed him – with me sitting next to them.
I thought that was going to settle that point and was about to get up and clear the dishes, when she continued, "But do you still trust me as your commanding officer, Andy ? Do you and the team still trust me enough to risk your life based on my command?"
"We do. Sharon, Provenza and I have talked about this with the team and he's spoken to each of them individually. Your doctor has given you a clean bill of health and the LAPD has cleared you for full duty. Even when you were sick we never had a reason to second-guess your decisions and we trusted you. Sharon, don't doubt yourself. You have done this before, and you'll do it again. We're all looking forward to having you back."
"I'm looking forward to being back. It's … well, it's been a long time."
"I think it'll be like stepping back into a familiar pair of shoes, sweetheart. You'll put on your beautiful purple dress tomorrow and that blue blazer and the shoes I gave you for your birthday and then you'll go back and at night, I'll take you out for a dinner, just the two of us, like old times."
"Italian?"
"Whatever you like, my love."
They had obviously forgotten that I was still there at the table with them. But it sounded like a good idea, dinner just the two of them and I could ask Kevin to come over and we could play that new game bought on Saturday.
/
A few weeks later I heard them argue when they came into the door late at night after wrapping up a case.
"Andy, if it is so important for you to carry a weapon, you should think about alternatives. How about learning to shoot with your left hand?" Sharon's voice followed by the sound of her heels clicking on the floor.
"What kind of alternative is that? I'll never qualify." The click of the door as Andy closed it and then the sound of the locks sliding into the place.
"You won't know until you've tried."
"I'm a lame duck." Clang, the keys landing in the bowl on the little table.
"You are not a lame duck, Andy. Please stop talking like that!" Her voice was louder now as they moved past my door.
"What kind of a police officer am I if I can't protect you, Sharon? There are so many dirtbags out there with grudges against you and I am supposed to just stand by and watch?"
"Oh honey, you forget that I am a police officer, too, and I can defend myself." I never heard Andy's response because by then they had reached their bedroom and the closed door prevented me from hearing anything more. They had talked about that earlier, about how Sharon would have to formally issue him some document and take his weapon from him because he hadn't qualified for so long. I wondered what it would be like for a police officer to not have a gun.
/
Other than that one argument - and I'm not even sure it counts as an argument because I only heard half of it – they were still always cuddling. Even when they talked about the upcoming trial.
I'm not sure I understood it all correctly, but Gavin was here several times and in the end, it was Ricky and not Sharon who 'handed over' the documents about Jack's gambling schemes. Something about Sharon being a police officer and that she would have had to inform the courts the moment she got divorced from Jack. But Rick was still Jack's son and he wasn't a police officer, so it was okay for him to do it now. I could tell Sharon wasn't happy with the solution, but in the end, Gavin and Andy managed to convince her. The actual trial was pretty uneventful compared to the Stroh trial. Andy, Sharon and I were all called as witnesses and it was over before it had even started.
The drive back to the condo was quiet and I caught a glance of the two of them in the backseat. Sharon's eyes were closed and her head rested on Andy's shoulder and he was playing with her hair and kept kissing her forehead. They looked at peace, and happy. And I guess that's what we are now. At peace. We had given our statements and Jack would be locked away. So that was good, right? And it was not like he had ever threatened us like Stroh had done. Life could finally go back to normal and maybe … well, I had never asked Sharon whether they wanted to have another baby. Maybe now they could.
/
"Rusty? I'm sorry to wake you. Rusty?" Sharon! Why was Sharon waking me up – and why did she sound so panicky?
"Rusty? I need you to wake up!" Her hand on my shoulder, the gentle touch turning into an insistent shaking. "Rusty!"
I sat up, rubbing my eyes. "I'm awake, what happened, Sharon? Did you catch another case?"
"No, Rusty, no case. Have you seen Andy?"
Why would I have seen him? "Not since I said goodnight. Sharon, what happened? Where is Andy?"
"I don't know, Rusty. He disappeared."
"What do you mean, he disappeared?"
"I woke up and … Andy was gone. I looked everywhere in the condo. Did he … did he maybe say something to you?"
"No. Sharon, what happened?"
"I have no idea, Rusty."
"Call him."
"I tried, but he left his phone and his wallet here, it's all on his bedside table."
"Car keys?"
We went to the garage, but his car was gone, too. Sharon stood there, frozen, both hands pressed to her stomach. She looked like she was going to throw up.
"Sharon? Sharon, hey, talk to me!"
"He's gone, Rusty. God, he can't be gone, not now."
"Let's go back upstairs and call Lieutenant Provenza, maybe he got called out on a case and forgot to tell you?" Not that I believed that, but Sharon looked like she was about to fall over.
"Andy wouldn't leave without telling me, and he wouldn't leave without his wallet and his phone and …"
The moment we were back in the condo she started pacing while she waited for the call to connect. It seemed like forever until she finally spoke.
"Lieutenant Provenza, this is Captain Raydor. I … no, no, this is not about a case. I mean, have we caught a case tonight? Have you called Andy out? Because he's disappeared and … he left his phone and … do you have any idea where he might me?"
I could hear the loud voice of the Lieutenant from Sharon's phone.
"We came back here after the trial and everything was okay. I just woke up and he has disappeared. He hasn't said a word to me or Rusty, he's not in the condo. His car is gone, Louie." She hardly ever called the Lieutenant Louie. So they hadn't caught a case?
"I … God, what happened? … What? … No, I couldn't possibly expect you to come over in the middle of the night, Louie."
But the Lieutenant still came, and then Julio and Amy and just after that, Lieutenant Tao. Within minutes they had made a plan of where to look for Andy, tracking his vehicle. It was just like what they did every day. Only that this time they weren't looking for just anyone, they were looking for Andy. Sharon suddenly jumped up and I could hear her throw up in the bathroom.
