Sheridan heated up some leftovers while Katherine set the table. "Lee, would you like anything?" Sheridan asked, poking her head outside.
"No, thank you," Lee smiled. "I'll eat after you and your mother have finished."
"I appreciate that you are giving us some privacy, but are you sure that you don't want to come inside?" Sheridan asked. "I don't want you to freeze."
"Don't worry about it," Lee said. "I'm used to the cold."
"Okay, but let me know if you change your mind . . ."
"I will," Lee promised. "Just enjoy your dinner in peace."
Sheridan laughed and raised her eyebrows. "Where were you last time I needed a bodyguard? You're so much less demanding than Luis was."
"If Luis was frantic, it was because he was already in love with you, Sheridan." Lee's eyes twinkled. "My wife, Kara—who's also my partner down at the station—swore that everyone knew it but him."
Sheridan smiled. Even though Luis had long ago admitted to her that he was in love with her back then, it was still nice to hear that other people had seen it, too—that he had loved her that much.
"Thank you for telling me that," Sheridan said, "and for being here tonight. Hopefully, this will all be over by tomorrow so you can go home to your wife."
"Don't worry about it," Lee said. "Like I said, my wife is a cop, too. She understands when I take assignments like this."
"Well, it's obvious—just from the look in your eyes—that you're completely crazy about her." Sheridan smiled. "Your wife is a lucky woman, Lee."
Lee bowed his head and blushed. "Believe me—I'm the lucky one, Sheridan. I love her more than my own life."
Sheridan couldn't help but smile as she walked back into the kitchen. To know that there were other people out there that loved each other that much—it warmed her to her toes.
Catching sight of her mother laying their meal on the table, Sheridan's entire being lit up with joy. "This is going to be such a wonderful Christmas," she whispered, tears coming to her eyes as she caressed her belly. "I couldn't ask for anything more."
Looking up, Katherine smiled at her daughter and seated herself at the table. "Sheridan, if you don't mind me asking, what is all of this bodyguard business about?" Katherine cocked her head. "Why is Luis so worried about leaving you alone?"
Sheridan's smile fell. Sighing, she sat down at the table. "You'll probably be glad you're sitting down for this, Mother."
Katherine inhaled. "I don't like the sound of that."
Sheridan folded her hands in front of her. "I don't know how to explain this without upsetting you."
Katherine rested her chin on her hands. "Don't worry about upsetting me, Sheridan. I'm your mother—I want to know."
Sheridan took a deep breath in; her eyes fell to the table. "About a year ago, the FBI faked my death."
"What?" Katherine gasped. "Why on earth would they do that?"
Sheridan frowned. "Because my ex-fiancé, Jean Luc, had been working for drug dealers, and I didn't even know it. After Jean Luc and I broke up, the drug dealers killed him and his mistress—and then, they came after me."
Katherine's face filled with horror. "Oh, Sheridan—you must have been terrified!"
"I was," Sheridan said quietly. "Thank goodness I had Luis. The FBI assigned him to be my bodyguard. Even though he and I were barely on speaking terms at the time, I knew right away that he'd never let anything happen to me—I knew he would keep me safe."
"And then you two fell in love?" Katherine guessed.
Sheridan chuckled and rolled her eyes. "I think we were already in love before he took the assignment. We were just a little slow to admit it."
Katherine furrowed her brow. "Sheridan, I don't understand something, though: If Luis was your bodyguard, wasn't he in on the FBI's plan to fake your death?"
"No—and I almost died because of it."
Katherine's mouth fell open.
Sheridan smiled sadly and rubbed her belly. "Thankfully, Luis found out what was going on at the last second and was able to rescue me."
"Oh, thank God!" Katherine cried. "Your father didn't tell me any of this!"
"When he thought I was dead, he didn't even come to my funeral, Mother."
"Oh, Sheridan, I'm so sorry he has been so atrocious to you for all of these years . . ."
Sheridan reached across the table and clasped her hands around Katherine's. "You aren't to blame for that, Mother."
Katherine's gaze dropped.
"Mother, I know it broke your heart to leave me," Sheridan insisted. "I promise—I'm not angry with you . . ."
"On some level, it's hard for me to believe that, Sheridan," Katherine said softly. "I'm still very angry at myself."
Sheridan opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by the sound of the phone ringing.
"Hello?" Sheridan picked up the phone, her eyes still fixed on her mother.
"Hey, Sher, it's me," Luis said. "It's so good to hear your voice."
"Luis, how is everything going?" Sheridan asked. "Have you made any progress with Paloma?"
"No, but I just wanted to call and check up on you . . . find out how you and our daughter are doing."
"We're doing fine," Sheridan smiled. "We're just having dinner with my mother."
Sheridan's smile fell. "I just wish you and your father could get through to Paloma. Your mother is beside herself."
"I know she is, Sher," Luis sighed. "I just don't know what to do."
"I wish I knew what to tell you, Luis," Sheridan frowned. "I couldn't even get your mother to come home with me for the night."
Katherine looked up, her eyes meeting Sheridan's. "Maybe I can do something . . ."
Sheridan shot her mother an inquisitive look.
Katherine reached for the phone. "Sheridan, will you ask Luis if I may speak to Paloma? I want to say something to her."
Sheridan nodded and asked Luis to get Paloma.
Smiling gratefully at Sheridan, Katherine took the phone from her. "Paloma?" Katherine stood up. "I'm Katherine—the woman your father helped years ago. I wanted to talk to you. Yes . . . yes . . . I understand," Katherine said. "I know how hard this has been on you, Paloma. I just wanted to give you another perspective." Katherine glanced back at Sheridan and smiled sadly at her. "You see, I was forced to abandon my own daughter, Sheridan, years and years ago. I can't tell you how much I regret the decisions I made leading up to that—or how much I missed Sheridan every single day."
Sheridan inhaled; tears sprang to her eyes.
Katherine grasped Sheridan's hand.
"Paloma, trust me." Katherine's voice cracked. "Your mother has never stopped thinking about you—not for a single second."
