She fidged with her napkin as she awaited his arrival. Sharon had finished with her realtor very quickly; she liked a condo she saw and was set on it, really no matter the price. Of course, that wasn't something she wanted to admit to the seller or really a good business practice-she knew that, but at the same time, for the first time in her life, she was going after what she really wanted and was not going to let anything get in the way, even a few thousand dollars.
Sharon had managed her money well, and with the passing of her aunt, she had inherited all of her estate too. That was a good chunk of change now, sitting in the bank, and that would allow her to buy this condo with cash and live quiet comfortably. The kids benefited from their inheritance from their grandparents, and she was benefiting from her aunt. On any day, she'd much rather have her parents and aunt still with her, but such was life; she was grateful that she was able to live comfortably and now make some life-changing decisions for herself.
Glancing up, she noted that the hotel restaurant was filling up for the evening, but he wasn't here yet. Sharon looked back to the table, noting her glass of wine was now empty. She'd needed that, needed it for her nerves. Part of coming back here, coming home to L.A., she knew, involved seeing him, even dealing with him. She'd told herself that if he was happy and settled, she would leave well enough alone. BUT, and that was a very big but, she had to secretly admit she was glad to hear that he seemed to still be alone and single. Something about him had always drawn her to him. Obvioulsy, she'd ruined things in her past with her indiscresions, but she and Jack had dealt with that. What really irritated her the most about Jack was how he'd treated the kids. He'd bankrupted the family, and he'd taken off without a word to the kids he'd promised to love and protect. Sharon could even handle the fact she'd raised them, but he had walked away from them, only dropping a card in the mail every couple of years-always at the wrong time or date, missing birthdays and holidays. The kids didn't deserve that from Jack; they hadn't cheated on him, but he'd turned his back on them, even if he tried to act like he was still the father of the year type.
As she sat, she thought about the kids. Ricky was in college now, determined to make his video games a career in computers. He had a mind of his own, and she felt like she didn't understand anything that interested him. Well, okay, she did like baseball, but when it came to a profession, she had no interest in anything related to computers and technology. He lived for it; his eyes lit up at the mention of anything related to computer science. Emily, her beautiful ballerina, also had a mind of her own. She was tough, some of it because she'd grown up with Sharon as her mom and her great aunt as a guide. Emily knew life without a dad. Ricky did too, but Emily remembered enough to remember Jack leaving. Ricky did not. Emily carried those scars, scars that toughened her. Her kids would be okay, though. Yes, they bore scars from their childhood. Most kids did. Hers were no exception.
"Sharon," she heard and jerked her head up to see Andy standing there, next to the table. She bit her lip; he looked really good. Dark khakis, a deep blue button up shirt, and while dressy, he looked so very casual too.
"Hi," she said, clearing her throat. She gestured to the seat across from hers. He slid into it, a huge smile on his face.
"I hope you weren't waiting long. I was worried you would still be with your realtor," he told her as he placed a napkin on his lap. She shook her head at that comment.
"No, I'm at a place in my life I know what I want. I found a condo; it's exactly what I want, and I have my realtor securing that. Finally, something in my life is clear and exactly what I want right now, what I need."
Andy listened and nodded, settling in at the table as he watched Sharon express herself. He gave her another nod, locked eyes, and he asked, "So, then, what do you need from me?"
Sharon's eyes widened, and she felt her cheeks blush as she looked away from him to her glass of wine. Before anyone could utter anything further, the waiter appeared.
"I'll have a cranberry juice, and also," he nodded to Sharon, "another wine for the lady."
"Oh, I'm fine-" she started to say, but he waved her off.
"It's fine, Sharon," he said. The waiter sensing some tension, nodded, and he quickly walked away. Andy gestured to the glass of wine. "The wine doesn't bother me. I never want you to think that."
"There's no need for me to," and she paused and frowned. "You talk like-"
"That there is a future here?" Andy gestured between them. "Come on, Sharon," he sighed and gave her a small smile. "We've been attracted to each other for a really long time, almost 20 years. To be honest, I never expected to see you again, not that I didn't want to run into you in a men's clothing department," he chuckled quickly and shook his head. "That was like a dream. I guess I'd just put it out of my head I'd ever see you again. I'm still single."
"In most ways, we barely know each other," she sputtered, almost looking for an excuse.
"You're single too," he nodded. "I'd like to think that's fate; there's a reason there. We are both single, both in a good place, and you are moving back here."
The two sat silently for several seconds. Andy started to fumble with his pocket. Sharon, leaned on the table with her elbows just hanging off, perched forward slightly in her seat, her brows narrowed, trying to see what he was doing. Andy pulled out his wallet, and she gave him a perplexed look. He opened it and pulled out what appeared to be an old paper. He put it on the table, and she could see it was a picture.
Sharon studied it, an old black and white photo, and she looked up at him, wondering what he was showing her. He pointed to it with his finger, "That's me when I was maybe two." She looked up at him, still wondering what his point was in showing her a picture. He gave her a sad smile and a shrug.
"A long time ago, I asked you a question, and we both knew the answer, although, neither of us would admit it." Andy paused, and Sharon held her breath, looking to him again, a small shake to her head. Andy continued, "A long time ago, I saw a picture on your desk at work. I was pretty messed up. Looking back, you should have fired my sorry self that day, but you didn't. I asked you about that picture. If you look at this one of me, this very, very old picture, it's a striking resemblance. It about caught my breath that day, even with as messed up as I was. For a very brief split second, I had to decide. I let things go, and whether or not that was the right choice, well," he shrugged and sighed, "the past can't be changed. I guess what I would like it to move forward, with you, but with everything on the table, all cards and information," he said with a quick nod, "out there. And by the way," he leaned in even more and lowered his voice, "there's no blame or anything. I think you did exactly what needed to be done at the time and for what was best for all."
Sharon let out her breath and felt the tears welling in the corners of her eyes. She turned her head to look away, and as she did that, she felt his hand reach over and squeeze hers. She looked back, trying to wish away her tears, but she couldn't.
"You knew?" Sharon asked, her voice almost high pitched as she tried to gasp for air. "You never said."
He nodded, "Yeah, well, I was a train wreck, a total disaster back then. As you and I both know, I couldn't hold my job very well. Sandra and the kids wanted nothing to do with me. It was like thinking that I'd screwed up something else, someone else's life," he gestured to her. "In some ways, I had to just put it out of my mind. I had to let you go, and everything that came with that. I know I didn't do right by you or the situation-"
"I did fine," she said wiping one eye and looking down as she shook her head. "Jack and I decided to make a fresh start back then, everything on the table."
"So," Andy nodded, "he knew."
Sharon gave him a sad smile and shrug, "Everything on the table. People wondered why I could take him back. I knew his faults. He knew mine."
"I'm not even sure what this all means, I mean, for the future," Andy told her. "I'm still a bit stunned with the turn of events of the day. I guess I never expected to be having this conversation today, if at all. I wanted to, but at the same time, I didn't want to ruin the life you'd built. I just have wanted you to be happy, and I figured back East, you must be. It's so good to see you here. I just want to know if letting things go all those years ago was the right decision. I didn't make many right decisions back then, but I'm hoping in some twisted way walking out that door after I asked you that question, well, I'm hoping that was the right decision for you, for everyone."
Sharon let out her breath and bit her lip, looking down to try and compose herself. When she looked up to him, she gave him a small nod, "It was. I mean, I can never predict how things might have gone, might have been, but all things considered, yes, it was. He's had a good life, a very good life. He grew up on the East Coast. He played baseball and lacrosse. He's been happy. He loves computers. He's smart and has a good head on his shoulders even if he tries to not be serious."
Andy listened and smiled slightly, tapping his fingers on the table. He glanced around; thankfully, they were in the corner, and they had the area to themselves. He gestured to her, "I'm not asking for anything, at least where he's concerned. I guess I'm only asking that I'll get to meet him again, the grown-up version this time. I'm asking that hopefully he'll be okay with me in his mom's life. That's all I ask. I'll never ask you to do or say anything to him. I think things have happened for a reason. I don't want to tarnish your reputation with him. I'd just be happy knowing him and being in his life, I mean, as someone close to you."
Sharon's eyes widened, "You aren't going to run out and tell him the truth?"
He shook his head, "Enough damage has occurred all around. Knowing the truth-I mean, at this point, verbalizing it with you, with us acknowledging the truth-that's enough. Watching him become a man now, that will be enough. I'm not going to create more damage. Saying things now would, at least with you and with him. I won't do that."
"I'm not sure what to say," she said. "To be honest, I'm a little overwhelmed."
He nodded, "Me too. I will say that I am completely and utterly mad about you. Can we start with that? Can we start with dinner and two people catching up on the last 20 years or so? I'd really like that."
Sharon paused a moment, and then, she answered, "I would like that too. I've tried to let go of you, of L.A., and in the span of a few days, I'm back here, taking a new job, and I'm sitting down to dinner with you, letting out all the secrets of the past."
"Let's let go of all of it," Andy waved. His eyes sparkled as he looked to her and winked, "Let's start fresh. I'm not saying we don't have things to discuss, but I'm done going over and over my mistakes of the past. I'm done feeling hopeless and like I'm a failure. I want you to be done with any of that too. I want to just try and be the people we've become."
Their eyes met, and it was silent for a few seconds. Finally, she extended her hand, "Captain Sharon Raydor, Head of FID LA Police Department, or soon to be. I'm very much looking forward to dinner with you this evening and seeing where the future takes us."