Thanks to Dad for his idea.
CHAPTER NINE
At exactly five thirty, Sharona and her son entered the apartment and were greeted by a wonderful aroma.
"Whoa!" Benjy remarked. "What smells so good?"
"Mr. Monk made dinner for us," his mother replied, walking into the kitchen and setting the grocery bag down onto the table. "Benjy, go put your stuff in your room, okay? And wash your hands."
"Okay."
Sharona removed two cans of vegetables from the paper sack. "Adrian?" she called.
"Coming!" her boss answered from the bathroom. Seconds later, he joined his friend by the counter.
"Let me do that," he offered, taking the box of spaghetti from her.
"Oh. Thanks."
While Adrian put the groceries away, Sharona cleaned her hands. When she shut off the water, she heard humming. She listened closely. "Hey, that's the song we heard on the radio yesterday."
The detective placed the orange juice carton on the bottom shelf and shut the refrigerator. "Yeah, I-"
"So, when do we eat?" interrupted Benjy.
"In one minute," Mr. Monk replied, folding up the empty paper bag and tossing it into the recycling bin. He then washed his hands, and the trio made their way into the dining room.
Sharona gasped at the sight before her. On top of a pastel blue, linen tablecloth sat a vase of fresh flowers, two flickering pink candles, and her best dishes. "Oh, my God, Adrian! This-This looks beautiful!" she exclaimed.
Her son nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it looks great, Mr. Monk!"
"You really went all out, Adrian. I can't believe this." His assistant shook her head in awe and touched a flower petal. "Where did you get these?"
"I ordered them. I thought they'd be a nice touch," he responded, shrugging casually.
"And where'd you get the vase?" was her next question, as she ran her fingers over the sparkling crystal.
"Back of the pantry on the bottom shelf."
"Didn't even remember I had it . . . You know, you really didn't have to do all this work, Adrian," she said, refocusing her attention on him.
"You're worth it," her friend stated, pulling out two chairs and indicating for Sharona and her son to sit down.
"Ohhh. Aren't you quite the gentleman?" she commented, a broad grin on her face.
Returning the smile, Adrian pushed their chairs in and took a seat across from Sharona.
One by one, he removed the lids of the three serving dishes to reveal the entrée that he had prepared. The meal consisted of baked chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Milk served as the beverage.
"Um, Adrian, why is there milk in your glass?"
The detective chuckled. "I like milk."
The blonde's jaw collided with the tabletop. "Since when?"
"Since today. I tried it. It's . . . not so bad."
"I don't believe you."
With a smirk, Adrian picked up his glass, raised it to his lips, and sipped the cool, creamy liquid.
His assistant gawked as she witnessed the undulation of his esophagus, indicating that he had actually swallowed and consumed the beverage. "Oh, my God! Adrian, I am so proud of you!"
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After dinner, at Adrian's insistence, Sharona left the clean-up to her boss and her son and headed into the living room. Situating herself on the couch, she flipped through several programs before settling on Wheel of Fortune. Like always, she managed to solve most of the puzzles before the contestants did. "Damn. I could've won ten thousand dollars."
"Thanks for dinner, Mr. Monk," Benjy said as he handed the detective another plate.
"You're welcome, Benjy."
"So, you did all that for my mom, huh?"
Adrian's face reddened. "W-What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean. You were trying to impress her." He paused. "I've seen the way you look at her."
"Uh, thanks for your help, Benjy. Why don't you, um, go play your video games for awhile, okay?"
The boy shrugged, pretending to dismiss the matter. "Okay. Whatever."
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"Sharona?" her boss called in a shaky voice. "Could you-Could you come in here, please? In the dining room?"
"I'll be right there!" she answered, shutting off the TV and replacing the remote on the spotless coffee table.
"What is it, Adrian?" she asked upon entering.
Her pleasant tone soothed his nerves a bit. Pointing to the chair nearest him, he instructed her to sit.
Sharona eyed him quizzically but sat in the designated place.
"I'll be in the living room," Monk informed her, and was gone before she could respond.
Mystified, his assistant looked down at the plate in front of her. Staring up into her round, blue eyes were the words I AM IN LOVE WITH YOU spelled out in Benjy's Alpha-Bits cereal. Sharona nearly fell over.
She had no idea what to think or what to say or what to do. She simply stared at the perfectly arranged letters until they became one big blur.
Out in the living room, Adrian's thoughts were running amuck. I hope I didn't make a mistake. I really, really hope I didn't make a mistake. But what if I did? What if she rejects me? Or worse, what if she quits? For good. Because she can't face me anymore. Oh, God. But she promised. She promised she'd never quit again. But, then, she made that vow before she knew how I felt . . . Oh, God. I'll lose her completely. Damnit! he cursed to himself, squeezing his eyes shut.
When he opened them again, Sharona's smiling face loomed in front of his.
"Are you okay, Adrian?"
"Y-You're smiling," the detective observed, his hopes rising a little.
"That was just so touching, Adrian. And brilliant. Very brilliant."
Trembling, Monk reached out and seized her left hand in his. "The idea hit me, um, literally, when I was cleaning the pantry today."
Sharona's smile widened. "Adrian, why were you so distracted yesterday? What were you thinking about?" she queried, though she already knew the answer.
"You. I was thinking about you. About how I should explain my . . . feelings."
"You know, it was . . . really nice being in your arms. And when we were in bed together, and especially when you kissed me, I . . . I never realized how nice it would be to be so . . . physically close to you." The blonde blushed slightly and looked down at their joined hands. "And it may sound strange, but, um, when I think about you, my wrist doesn't hurt. It does when I think about other things, but not you . . ." Her voice trailed off as she tried to find the words to express herself.
"I really like that picture Benjy took," Adrian put in.
At his comment, the teary-eyed nurse lifted her head to meet his gaze. "It's under my pillow," she confessed in a whisper.
"I know. I found it when I was making the bed."
"Hmm. Adrian, um, how long have you . . . been in love with me?"
"For about a year," he responded, to which his companion looked alleviated.
"What's wrong?"
"Well, I was kinda worried that maybe you were . . . confused, I guess, about your feelings. 'Cause of your nightmare and what happened in the bathroom."
Adrian shook his head vigorously. "Sharona, I am not confused. At all."
In spite of his insistence, there remained one last thing she had to ask, one last question rolling around on her tongue.
"What about Trudy? I mean, you're still in love with her. How can you be in love with two people at once?"
"I don't know, Sharona. I really don't . . . But as much as I love Trudy and always will, that doesn't mean I'm not capable of loving you just as much."
She nodded her understanding, blinking back more tears.
The detective could stand the suspense no longer. "Sharona . . . are you . . . in love . . . with me?"
Taking a deep breath, the blonde tightened her grip on his fingers and looked him straight in the eye. "Yes," she answered. "I'm in love with you, too."
Now Adrian was the one crying. He heaved a gigantic sigh of relief.
"I tried to tell myself that I wasn't, but . . . deep down, I knew I was," she went on. "I've probably been in love with you for a long time and just didn't realize it." Releasing his hand, she embraced him tightly.
Neither had experienced such euphoria in years.
After a few moments, Sharona pulled back. "You know what we should do tomorrow? We should go on a date."
Adrian caressed her cheek. "I'd like that. But if we go back to the park, we should try and avoid the swings," he kidded.
Letting loose a giggle, Sharona moved to sit on her new boyfriend's lap.
His arms encircled her waist, and he pulled her close.
"Trying for another?" she whispered seductively, arching one eyebrow and draping an arm around his shoulders.
Adrian laughed and rested his head against hers. They sat like this for some time, simply enjoying their proximity.
"Oh, I meant to ask. Did you have a nice day?" Monk inquired.
"Nope. I had a wonderful day."
