A/N: I'd like to thank the awesome blossom-of-snow for doing exceptional editing work.
For the fifth time in a minute, Sharon checked her watch. She had a set table, cooling food, and hungry guests. They could have started dinner long ago, had element Rainie arrived on time. Now more than half an hour late for dinner, Rainie had not answered her phone.
Turning to Andy's younger sister Lisa and her husband Toby, Sharon forced a smile. "Maybe we should start without her. I apologize on behalf of my daughter. She's probably stuck in traffic."
While Sharon and their guests took their seats at the dinner table, Andy offered wine to Lisa and Toby, only to grimace at his sister's arched eyebrow. The wordless exchange didn't go unnoticed by Sharon. She knew he had disappointed his siblings, and even after twenty years of sobriety, he still felt that he needed to prove himself to them. Sharon knew that he was also happy for the chance to introduce her to his family, and she hoped he remembered the happiness more than the guilt.
Lisa accepted a glass of wine from her brother and smiled at Sharon. "So, I hear your oldest daughter is a dancer."
Sharon marveled at the similarity of Lisa's smile to Andy's. "Yes, she's with the American Ballet Theatre."
"That's lovely. Toby and I are going to be in New York next week, and we both love the ballet, so we'd love to attend one of her performances," Lisa said.
"She's currently the soloist in a new production called Wings. She's only been a soloist in classic productions before, so it's a big step in her career."
"Yeah, and she's terrific," Andy said. "I've only seen her dance at home during Christmas vacation, but she's the most graceful ballerina you'll ever see."
"Andy tells me your son just got into Harvard medical school. That's exciting," Sharon said as she passed the salad bowl around the table.
"Yes, we're very proud," Toby replied as he loaded salad on his plate. "Finally, a doctor in the family. My nana is thrilled."
Lisa smirked. "His nana is already asking Brad all those medical questions."
"Our nana would probably do the same thing had she still been alive," Andy said, and Lisa smacked his arm playfully.
"The only thing Nana would ever care about is if he has a good cooking stove in his apartment," Lisa joked.
Andy smiled. "Yes, Nana loved to cook. She taught us all her recipes."
"Except for the secret fish recipe Andy won't share with any of us," Lisa groaned. "He was Nana's favorite grandson."
"She loved everyone," Andy argued.
"But she loved you the most. She said you were the best cook out of all of us."
Across from the siblings, Sharon and Toby exchanged amused gazes.
"They always get like that," Toby whispered.
The light banter between Andy and Lisa and the pleasant conversation around the table almost made Sharon forget that Rainie still hasn't made it home for dinner. After everyone finished eating, Sharon cleared the table and used the chance to sneak a peek at her iPhone. The text messages she sent Rainie were still unread.
Andy kissed the crown of her head and took the dessert plates from the cabinet. "Don't worry, babe. She'll be here soon."
Almost an hour later, Lisa and Toby decided to call it a night. While Andy gathered the dessert plates, Sharon sat on the couch and stared at her silent phone's screen. Stroh is in Cyprus, Stroh is in Cyprus, Stroh is in Cyprus…
After putting the dishes away, Andy took a seat beside her, and his fingers curled around hers, providing silent support without forcing her to acknowledge his presence.
The sound of keys jingling outside the condo startled Sharon, and she turned her head towards the door. When Rainie stepped into the condo a moment later, Sharon's concern gave way to fury.
"Where the hell have you been?" Sharon asked, her voice shaking with an effort to withhold the wrath that boiled inside her.
"I was at Heather's," Rainie replied with a shrug.
Sharon arched an eyebrow. "And you couldn't pick up your phone to let us know that you weren't coming to dinner with Andy's family?"
Rainie groaned. "Oh, shit. That was tonight? I'm so sorry, Andy. I thought it was next weekend."
Apparently determined to stay neutral, Andy shrugged and hummed softly.
Rainie's apology did nothing to invite Sharon's usual serenity to take over. "Do you have any idea how worried I was about you?"
"Jeez, Mom, chill. I was just spending time with my girlfriend." Rainie dared take a step toward the hallway.
Sharon shot to her feet. "Oh no, you don't. You couldn't take a moment to text me that you'll be late?"
"No, actually. We were busy," Rainie said.
"Too busy to send me a quick text?" Sharon countered.
"I don't know, Mom. Do you usually text people during sex?" Rainie quipped.
The answer left Sharon momentarily speechless, but Andy couldn't suppress his cough.
"I didn't think so," Rainie said.
After she recovered from the shock, Sharon took a deep breath. "While I'm glad to hear that you and Heather had a good time together, there is still a serial killer on the loose who has every reason in the world to try to harm you, so no matter what you do, I expect you to let me know when you're going to be late."
"I don't have to report to you where I am every second of the day. I'm an adult."
"Then act like one! Recognize when you've made a mistake."
"I have. I made a mistake, and I apologized to Andy. You are the one who's acting like a child," Rainie said and stormed down the hall.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Away from a stupid fight," Rainie's door clicked shut.
Sharon let out a loud groan and buried her face in her palms. When she raised her head again, Andy fixed her with an odd stare. "What?"
Andy sighed. "Were you that uptight with your other kids when they were Rainie's age?
"Excuse me? You are criticizing my parenting skills?" Sharon recognized the malice in her words as soon as they left her mouth, but she couldn't take them back. The hurt expression on Andy's face made her heart skip a beat. "I'm sorry."
But it was too late.
"Thanks for the honesty, Sharon. Now I know what you really think about my relationship with my children." Andy gritted through his teeth.
"I don't think that at all," Sharon said, trying to control the damage she's inflicted. "Andy, I should never have said that."
"You're damn right, you shouldn't have."
She wanted to go to him, but guilt kept her feet still. "I love you," she said, hoping that her words could mend what they broke.
For a moment, his eyes still burned with rage, just as quickly as it appeared, it subsided.
Knowing this argument wouldn't go away, Sharon's heart pounded. They hadn't fought since they'd started dating. Before tonight, they expressed criticism politely. Arguing meant that they felt comfortable enough around each other not to think too hard before they spoke. But Sharon could think of other, less painful ways to grow as a couple.
Looking at Andy, Sharon wondered what else she could say to fix matters between them tonight, or if she should say anything at all. Her fights with Jack ended with tears, and not all of them sprung from Jack's words. She could be hurtful when she felt vulnerable, and she didn't want to repeat the same patterns of behavior with Andy.
She couldn't do nothing. "I was worried about her. I kept seeing Stroh. I'm so sorry I took it out on you."
Andy's sigh sounded like it held more weight than that of their argument. "Let's go to bed," Andy said and walked past her to turn off the light in the kitchen.
If this was Andy's way of expressing his forgiveness, she'd take it. She followed him into the bedroom and went through her nightly routine in silence. When they crawled into bed, Sharon's body tensed with the need to touch him and the need for his permission. As soon as she felt his hand sliding down her back, she rolled towards him, knowing what he had in mind.
Andy pushed her panties down, and his fingers found her core. He knew her body well, and within minutes, he had her writhing and biting her lip, trying to remain quiet in consideration of Rainie in the other room.
Despite her efforts, a desperate moan escaped from her lips when Andy slipped into her. Dammit, she didn't realize how much she needed his body tonight. She'd thought the carnal desire coursing through her long dead. This was not meant to be romantic, gentle, or slow. The raging current of lust drove her to insanity, released an animalistic rush that consumed her at once. By the way Andy thrust inside her, she knew he felt it too. Tension coiled inside her lower abdomen and made it harder for her to control her breath. When she felt a scream building in the back of her throat, she sank her teeth into Andy's shoulder to muffle it. He groaned and released himself inside her.
Andy rolled onto his side and looked at her. "That was the worst sex I've ever had."
"Same here." Sharon turned her head to look at him. "But I loved it."
"Me too," he groaned, skimming his fingers down her sweaty arm.
"Makeup sex is always the dirtiest," Sharon said.
"Don't think it means I forgive you," Andy said. "I'm just not that angry anymore."
"What do I need to do to make you forgive me?" Sharon asked, only half-joking. She would do almost anything to bring peace.
"You really wanna know? Andy asked. "Stop being so overprotective of Rainie all the time. It's stressful for you, which makes you get anxious and angry, and then you say things you don't mean, and you hurt the people who love you the most."
Tears sparkled in Sharon's eyes. "I really didn't mean what I said, Andy. I need you to know that."
"I know," Andy replied, cupping her cheek in his palm.
Sharon pressed into his touch, grateful for a more familiar contact. "Do you forgive me now?"
"A breakfast in bed tomorrow morning might convince me."
"How about pre-breakfast breakfast?" Sharon teased.
"Oh, I love those!" Andy smiled for the first time since their company left. "Way better than makeup sex."
"I guess we have a deal then."
"Well, there is one more thing."
Sharon arched her eyebrows, expecting a joke.
At first, Andy didn't meet her gaze, but eventually, he drew the courage to look her in the eye. "I don't want to tell you how to handle your relationship with Rainie, but I think you owe her an apology."
"That's what you want me to do?" Sharon was surprised by Andy's request.
"She had a great time with her girlfriend, such a great time that she forgot about a family dinner she was supposed to attend. Then you picked a fight with her the moment she walked through the door."
His request, following an intense skirmish, showed Sharon how deeply he cared, not only about her but also about Rainie. That conveyed more love than he knew. "I was so scared something had happened to her," she confessed.
"I know, babe. But there comes a time when a parent has to let go," Andy said. "And that time has come. So let go of Rainie, because she'll be miserable if you don't."
Sharon buried her face in Andy's chest.
"I love you, Sharon," he said, and his arms engulfed her, making her feel safe and warm. She sighed, releasing all the tension of the night, and closed her eyes. "Goodnight, my love," He whispered right before she fell asleep.
-TBC-