She stood there holding the bag, telling herself this was a good idea. She knew it was a good idea, but that somehow didn't make her any less nervous. She heard the door being opened and looked up. They seemed to meet a lot like this, from one side of the door to the other. Her heart dropped. She could see the pain on his face and had to school herself to not get emotional herself.

"Hi," she said, her voice slightly wavering. "I thought you could use a friend."

"Hey," he nodded, his lips closed tightly. "Come in, please," he gestured. She stepped inside his plain apartment. It already looked even more empty, and that seemed almost silly. She looked around, almost hoping the kids would pop out. "Kids left a couple hours ago, off to their new life. I'm just," he shook his head as he closed the door. He put his hands in his pocket as he walked across the room toward her where she stood now near the kitchen table. "I'm lost. My heart-it left with them."

Sharon nodded and put the bag on the table. She cleared her throat, "I can't imagine, but that's why it was important for me to come by."

"Where are your kids?" Andy asked, as if just realizing she didn't have them with her. It was Tuesday now, over a week after the wedding. Sharon had been at work and was now, supposedly, on her way home. She gestured toward him, "Still at daycare. I haven't picked them up yet. This was important, and I didn't feel right dangling my kids in front of you when yours just left."

"Sharon," he sighed, dropping his head, his hands still in his pockets, "look, that's the last thing I want, you hiding your kids. This is a fact of my life, my new reality, and I have to accept it."

"Still,' she said as she stood there. The two glanced at each other. They'd been talking on the phone late in the evenings, not about anything in particular, but just talking. It felt good to talk to someone, and it felt even better to talk to someone familiar. It didn't feel strange picking up the phone and calling him; he was Andy. He'd lived at her house. She'd slept with him on many occasions. That all seemed so distant, now, though. She'd seen him at some of his worst, and he'd seen her in the same light. They could talk about their days. They could talk about being a cop, the fears of that, and the struggles with the job. They could talk about the kids, as had been a normal topic of conversation the last week while he'd had them at his place. He'd been exhausted each night, a good exhausted, he'd told her, but they'd had so much fun all together. Sharon had barely been able to stay awake to talk to him, the calls so late, but she'd also looked forward to them each evening. Now, though, here in front of each other, neither knew what to say.

"Come, sit," she said, holding out her hand, an extension, giving him the chance to slip his hand in hers or just an invitation to sit at his own table. "I brought an early dinner. I just need to get the kids by 6:30. Maybe we both need a decent meal. I brought spaghetti, salad, and breadsticks." Andy raised his eyebrows at that, and Sharon continued, "I'm guessing you haven't eaten today?"

"No," he stood there, still, shaking his head. She moved to him to his side, to nudge him to the table.

"Come," she told him again. "Don't let the food get cold. I haven't eaten either. Work today was crazy."

"Tell me about it. I could use the distraction," Andy said, taking her hand. He gave her a nod as they stepped toward the table, "Thanks."

The next 20 minutes, the two made small talk, Andy asking about Sharon's day, and the two discussing anything but the fact that Andy's kids were now on their way to their new home. When they had finished eating and were at almost a lull in the conversation, Sharon looked across the table to Andy.

"I am going to have to get going," she frowned slightly. "I need to get the kids, get them home, fed, and bathed. Are you going to be okay tonight?"

Andy nodded across the table, "Yeah, I'll be okay, promise. It helps that I'm picking up a few shifts this next week at them ball field. Remember when I told you that I was one of the backups for security at the stadium? Well, the Dodgers didn't need me right now, but I'm going to help at a few Angels games this coming weekend."

"Oh," her face lit up, "that's great, Andy. You love baseball."

He nodded, "Even if it's not the Dodgers," he chuckled. "Plus, I can do that with my ribs still so sore."

"Well, that sounds like a great way to spend your weekend, and on top of it, you get paid to be at a baseball game," she grinned.

"True," Andy nodded. "I would like this to take over a lot of my free time. I need it."

Sharon glanced down at her watch, "I really need to go." She stood and started to gather the trash. Andy waved her off.

"I've got it, Sharon. Thank you for the meal. It meant a lot," he said, walking around to her. He reached for her hand this time, and she put hers in his, the two standing there.

"Call me later if you want," she said with a single nod.

"Count on it," he nodded back at her with a wink.

"I could use your opinion," she told him.

"Oh?" Andy asked.

Sharon gestured with her free hand, "My realtor sent me some listings. I'm going to sit down on the computer tonight and go through them."

"You know, it's weird so much being on the computer anymore. I remember when Sandra and I bought our house-all in person or in the paper. Now, it's like things are going to online."

"Hmm, completely agree," she sighed. "I have to get on board. So, tonight, if you are interested, could I send you some of the listings I'm looking at? I would just like another eye on them, someone to think about anything I might be missing. I could do it alone, sure, but-" she paused and shrugged.

"Thanks for the thought. It will be good to get my mind off of the kids leaving. Sure," he said, nodding. "I'll be glad to talk through places."

Sharon shook her head and rolled her eyes, "I had no idea how expensive property in LA was becoming. My ideas of what I want versus what is available are totally off. My house isn't worth a lot, as I knew, but anything newer, even smaller, well," she sighed. "It needs to happen. The right place is out there waiting for me."

"I'm sure you will find something, Sharon," he smiled at her. "You could always find a slice of paradise like this castle," Andy gestured, waving his hand in the air at his very basic apartment. The two chuckled and let that hang in the air. Finally, Sharon cleared her throat.

"I'll get going," she said, her eyes locked on his. "The other day," she said, not dropping her gaze. She moved toward him, and the two loosely wrapped their arms around each other in a soft kiss. She pulled back and looked down briefly, "Our kiss the other day was the one thing that felt normal in a long time." Andy nudged at her head with his, and when she looked up, they kissed again, this one longer than the first.

"I'm glad you stopped by, Sharon," he said quietly. "It eases the pain today, really. Be safe going home."

She just nodded, not looking at him. Before she stepped away, she reached for his hand and squeezed it, not making eye contact until she'd walked to the door and opened it, throwing him a small wave as she stepped outside.

By Saturday morning, Sharon had gone through so many listings, her head was spinning. She had plans to look at several homes with her realtor all afternoon while the kids were with the sitter. She hated leaving them once again, but she also didn't feel like taking them was a good idea. She needed to find a new home; that was a priority, and as much as she wanted to be with her kids, she knew this was healthy for all of them. Sharon and Andy had spoken on the phone each evening, the conversations easy and enjoyable. Not much was said about any developments between the two, at least on a relationship level, but they always talked about their days, Sharon's house search, and just anything else on their minds. Most of the calls had been late, both due to work and Andy's AA meeting schedule. That was why on Saturday, just as Sharon was cleaning up lunch and getting the kids ready for the babysitter, she was surprised to get a call from Andy.

"Sharon, hey, glad I caught you before you go house hunting," Andy said, getting right to the point.

"Hi, this is a surprise," she said, drying off the last of her dishes from lunch. "I thought you were at work."
"I am at work, great job, security at a baseball game," he said. She could tell he was in a great mood. "I'm calling because they have some tickets here they are giving out to us for tomorrow afternoon's game. I wondered if you and the kids were interested? I'm working, but these are free tickets, just because. They are always giving out tickets to different groups, and tomorrow, I guess they had leftovers. Interested? I know it's the middle of the afternoon, after your church, but I wanted to check. Twinkle toes might enjoy seeing another sport, right? I mean, she's six, so there's still time to convince her baseball is the best sport on the planet, and Ricky, I know he's almost two, so about time to get that kid a glove to start, right?"

Sharon started to laugh. Andy's call was unexpected, and as much as she tried to envision Emily with a glove on her hand, playing with a baseball bat, she couldn't see it. Her daughter was tough, but she was girlie. She loved her tutus and dancing in circles. Emily often said she wanted to be a ballerina, and Sharon cringed, noting that Emily could barely spin in a circle without falling over. She didn't see that in her daughter's future, but anything was possible, right? While she finished putting the last plate away, she nodded, thinking about how nice it would be to get out a little.

"Yes, actually, that sounds really fun. I can't promise how long Ricky will be able to stand it. I could get him down a little earlier than normal for his nap, and maybe we'll get there after the game has started-I mean, would that be okay? You're right; the kids won't last the entire game, but it might be fun as long as they are enjoying it. It's not something I've ever done with them, and gosh, the last time I was at a baseball game, well, ahh," she paused. Sharon let out her breath, "Jack and I went on a date, so it's time to try baseball again, to make new memories."

"Wonderful," Andy said, happily into the phone. "I'll take care of things here and call you tonight. Good luck this afternoon. I can't wait to hear what you find."

The evening didn't go as planned; the baseball game ended up going extra innings, and by the time Andy did get home, it was too late to call Sharon. He did call her early the next morning, knowing she was headed to church first. He gave her brief details about the game situation and promised to check on her during the game.

With that, Sharon went about making her plan for taking her two small children to a game. Church went smoothly, and luckily, Ricky was usually exhausted after being there all morning. He fell asleep as soon as she changed him out of his church clothing and into shorts and a t-shirt for the game. She didn't have a game shirt or anything, but she figured a plain t-shirt would be perfect for a toddler. She'd really wanted to feed him before he fell asleep, but that didn't happen. Instead, she went about making Emily's favorite lunch-a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a banana. The two talked over lunch, and Sharon tried to explain baseball to her six-year-old. Again, she dressed Emily in shorts, jean shorts, and a simple t-shirt. Emily didn't really have anything that resembled a baseball shirt, but she didn't really care. Sharon had to talk Emily out of a wearing her ballet tutu or frilly church dress because that was the kind of daughter she had.

Finally, after Ricky had slept for over two hours, she started to the game. It wasn't exactly close, but it also wasn't a horrible drive. Ricky ate in the car. Sharon had long gotten over the idea that her new car and new car seats would stay perfect. Ricky was thrilled to eat as she drove to the game. Finally, after driving, sitting in some traffic, parking, and then lugging both kids to the proper ticket booth where Andy said the tickets were waiting, the three of them entered the stadium.

"Mommy, it's so big!" Emily had yelled, pointing up to the top of the stadium. "Is this a castle?"

"No, baby," Sharon said, making sure she had a good grip on Emily's hand, "no castle. The field is through there. Let's find our seats."

It took almost another 15 minutes for them to get to their seats. Sharon stopped in the bathroom with the kids, not wanting to get up from their seats as soon as they sat to make the trek. She had to pull Emily away from every concession stand, where Emily had eyes bigger than her stomach. It was exciting. It was overwhelming, but finally, Sharon and the kids found their seats. She let out a huge sigh of relief when she saw that their area wasn't jam packed with people.

It was almost an hour later into the game, near the top of the 8th inning because Sharon had gotten there so late, that Andy finally appeared. Emily noticed him first, as she was sitting on the aisle seat and had spent some of the game walking up and down the steps in their area. Sharon hadn't minded only because there weren't a lot of people around. Normally, she would have hated having her daughter out of her seat, but Sharon had reminded herself that this was meant to be a fun day out.

"Mommy, it's Mr. Andy!" Emily said, jumping up and down as she pointed up the steps. Sharon turned, Ricky in her arms, and she gave him a small wave. Sharon had been enjoying the game, Ricky too, and he'd spent some time in his seat alone and some time on Sharon's lap. Now, with Sharon slightly distracted, Ricky was determined to get out of his seat and go anywhere but their assigned area.

"Hey there, Twinkle Toes!" Andy said cheerfully to Emily. "Long time no see. Are you having fun?"

"Yes!" Emily said, jumping up and down. "Mommy said that Ricky is crazy climbing on her."

"Ricky," Andy grinned at the toddler. He ruffled his hair, and Sharon gave up the struggle to hold him and put him down to walk around in the area. "Sharon," he smiled brightly, "I'm glad you could come."

Andy continued to stand there in the aisle of the section, and Sharon corralled the kids into their space so she could speak to Andy briefly. He was dressed in the standard uniform the other security seemed to have. He looked good; she noticed. The sun had given him a nice tan. His face looked good with some sun, and he looked happy to be here at the game.

"These tickets are great, Andy," Sharon gestured to their seats. They were about 20 rows up in the outfield.

"Nah," Andy waved. "I mean, if I was going to a game, I'd want better seats, but I love baseball. Sorry you aren't over there on the first base or third base line."

"Really," Sharon said with a smile, "these are great. As you can see, Emily's not exactly focused on the game."

Emily was there, spinning around again like she was dancing. Sharon knew the kids' concentration was almost shot; she'd have to leave soon.

"Are you having a good time? I was worried the kids would be too crazy, and it would just be a headache for you," he told her.

"Yes," she nodded. "It's work, but I'm enjoying the day. I actually really enjoy baseball."

Andy nodded and reached behind him to an empty seat. Sharon hadn't noticed that he'd put anything in the seat because she'd been dealing with Ricky as he'd approached.

"Emily, Ricky, I thought you might like a t-shirt. I mean, it's not the Dodgers, but I didn't think it would be a good idea to get you a Dodger shirt to wear at an Angels game. Here you go," he said, handing a shirt to Emily and then another for Ricky to Sharon. Her eyes widened.

"Andy, you didn't have to buy them shirts! They really are fine. I hate you spent your money on them," she scolded.

"Believe me," he said with a soft smile, "I enjoyed it. It felt good. Besides," he winked, "I know where to get the best deals on attire. Say, my break is almost over, and I'm guessing I won't catch you after the game."

"No," she frowned slightly. "I'm not sure the kids will make it to the end of the game."

"No worries," he said, holding up his hands.

"Would you like to come over, maybe for dinner?" Sharon asked. "I mean, I don't know what time you will finish here."

"Yeah," she said rather quickly, his eyes locked on hers. "I'd like that. I can pick up something on the way over if you want. I do have to warn you it might be after 8:00 with all I have to do here. Is that too late? If it is, raincheck?"

Sharon shook her head, "No, it's fine, good actually." Her eyes were still locked on his, "I can tell you about my house hunt. The kids, I'm going to get them into bed at 7:30. I'll feed them, and maybe we can just have a normal evening-dinner and a good talk?"

"Can't think of a better evening right now," Andy said, his voice low. He looked around at the section, and then, he just reached over and squeezed her hand. "See you after the game." He ruffled the kids' hair again, and then, he turned. Sharon still had her eyes trained on him.

"Andy," she called to him, and he turned back again, "thanks for this today. It's been so healthy for all of us."