His intentions. Andy couldn't get that conversation out of his head, and he was afraid it was distracting him. He and Bob were back from their walk. Andy wasn't sure he'd given the answer Bob wanted to hear, but honestly, at this point, Sharon was a grown woman. He was grown. The two had grown children, and frankly, things were between them. Certainly, he wanted the fairy tale ending, but with Sharon, he wasn't sure he would get it.
"Bob, you want me to stand here and tell you that I'm going to marry your daughter and live happily ever after with her, no problem, no ex-spouses floating around, no drama, no history, but I can't promise that. I mean, let's take Hannah. She's perfect example this isn't some perfect situation. She is perfect," he smiled as he paused in his walk to look down at her. He groaned as he noticed she'd been throwing her food out while they had been talking, almost like she was leaving a bread crumb trail. He looked over to Bob and continued to walk, "Hannah is perfect. That's not what I'm saying, but you and I both know that her entry into this world wasn't in a perfect situation. Of course, it could have been worse. Sharon or I could have been married to someone else; we could have both been married when she came into the picture. We weren't in committed relationships-I mean, Jack, well, you know about that dirt bag. With us, weren't even together, and frankly, I hope I never have to explain to Hannah her mom and I were just having some good old adult fun when she came along," he sighed. "No, what I'm hoping to tell her is that her mom and I love each other. That's all that matters. Sharon has baggage; I have baggage. I can't get rid of that or excuse it. It was a lot just getting Sharon here, to this point, where she'd admit to loving me," he smiled as he said it. Bob glanced his way, raising his eyebrow slightly, but he didn't say more. Andy continued, "My intention is to love Sharon and Hannah, to call them my family because they are, to make them happy, to provide anything I can for them-whether it be money, support, love-all of it, to be there for them as much as I can until we figure out something else. Honestly, Bob, my intention is to be a dad, a partner to Sharon. Would I like more? I think I would, but I'm not going to push for that. I'll be okay if this is all it ever is, Sharon at least acknowledging she loves me. What I won't do is push Sharon. That will only backfire, and I can't have that. I've pushed enough, and it will be enough, whatever that means. Sharon and I will discuss what we want in our future, and I will be okay with that because it will include Sharon and Hannah in whatever way I can get them. I still need to explain Sharon and Hannah to people in my life, which is something I'm trying to do. After that, our future will unfold as we decide it. I can't predict the future, just as you never would have put yourself here without Sue, but I can say that my intention is to put forth 110% of my effort all the time with them. I won't walk away, ever."
"Hannah deserves a family," Bob said pointedly.
Andy nodded in agreement, "She has one. Look, I know you want the conventional family-parents married, living in a house with a dog and a picket fence. I know you want her to have siblings there with her, a perfect school, parents home by 5:00. That's not who we are, and it's not what it will ever be. That doesn't mean we don't love her. We all do. She has siblings, and yeah," he nodded, "they are 20 years older than she is, even more than that. They don't live at home. Some barely acknowledge her because they don't want a relationship with me. It is what it is because at the core, she has a mom and a dad who love her, family around her who love her too. You love her. I want her to grow up seeing her mom and dad love each other. I can't draw out how that picture will play, but it will because we do love each other."
"I know you are trying, but I'm worried that this Arizona-California nonsense will get old after awhile, that you will throw in the towel," Bob said. "I realize it's between you and Sharon, but as I said, she's my baby girl. I've watched her suffer for decades. Jack trashed her, ruined a lot of her personal relationships, and I don't want that again."
"I don't either," Andy said. "You have no reason to trust me, but I'd like you to trust we are going to do our best because we love and respect each other. Hannah is icing on the cake."
"Andy," he heard and snapped his head back to the kitchen counter where he was sitting on a bar stool watching the dinner preparations. He looked over and noticed Emily was now seated next to him, ready to chat. Ricky walked to the counter, across from Andy, and he leaned down on it so he was eye level with Andy and finished munching on a cookie.
"Sorry," Andy waved his hand. "I was daydreaming."
"Wow, we're that boring already," Emily flashed a grin. "Ricky is he always this bored by our family?"
"Nah," Ricky chewed and grinned. "He's usually very interested in the family, Mom in particular," he chuckled.
"Ha-ha, very funny," Sharon called from the stove where she was stirring something. She glanced over at them and pointed with her spatula nodding, "Be nice to him, please."
"I just wanted the dirt on how you and Mom started dating," Emily said as she rested her head on her hand. Her elbow was perched on the counter.
"Oh, well, ahhh," he said and tried to get Sharon's attention. She was preoccupied getting her dad's attention. "Sharon?" he questioned.
"What?" Sharon asked, turning toward them.
"It's contagious," Ricky started to laugh.
Andy just shook his head and turned back to Emily, "Your mom and I met at work. We've known each other a long time."
"Right, I know that much," Emily nodded and gestured, "but how and when did you start dating?"
"We started seeing each other when we had to work a case together," Sharon jumped in, and Andy looked at her and smiled. She nodded, "We've worked plenty of cases together, but this one," she nodded again, recalling it, "we just got to talking, and the rest is history."
Emily rolled her eyes, "Oh, sure," she gestured to her feet where Hannah was sitting there on the floor by the bar area on the floor. "I had no idea she's just 'history' as you say," she shook her head and used air quotes. "That's all we are going to get?"
"Emily," Andy rested his arms on the bar and smiled at her. He could see Sharon eyeing him, and he knew she was worried he'd say too much, but he gave a small shrug. "Sometimes friendships just evolve. I guess what your mom is trying to say is that yeah, we got closer working that case. Somewhere along the line, I think even things were blurred with us, and we didn't realize how much we meant to the other until it was too late. I mean," he held up his hands in defense, "it's not too late, but I suppose we were just going on our own ways, and Hannah kind of changed that. Because of our own experiences in the past, the baggage we both carry, it's just been a long road here. Just like you don't want your mom digging into every detail of your romantic lives, I'd ask you respect that with us. What's important is that she's still your mom and loves you very much," he gestured to the two of them. "She's Hannah's mom too, and I'm Hannah's dad. I know you didn't have a conventional home with your dad around. My kids didn't either. I saw them very little, even though I wanted it to be different. She's going to know her parents are both in her life."
"You live in a different state, though," Emily pointed out to him.
"I do, but I'm doing everything in my power to make things here a priority just as I drove her for the weekend," he said.
"Mom is still raising a kid on her own, though," Emily frowned. "Don't get me wrong-you see like a great guy, and I'm glad you are here. I really want to get to know you, but that's what I see. My dad lived in a different state while Mom raised us. This looks very similar."
"Emily," Sharon called out, almost warning her.
"I know it looks like that," Andy paused and let out his breath, "but let me be clear-I love them and would do anything for them."
"Andy, didn't you mention wanting to take a nap while Hannah naps?" Sharon asked. He looked up at her, and he could see she was trying to rescue him. Her eyes pleaded with him, and he gave a small nod. He glanced back at the kids, "I'd love to talk more with you, but your mom is right. Your sister needs her nap before we all eat, and I'm going on two days now without sleep. I could use a little rest, but understand I am not hiding anything from you and will be happy to talk more later."
"I'll just help you get settled," Sharon said, wiping her hands on her apron as she eyed her kids. She squeezed Andy's arm as she rounded the counter. He stepped toward Hannah, picked her up, and he looked back at the group. Bob, Ricky, and Emily were all watching him.
"This is the first Thanksgiving in years I've been with a family, people I love. I can't tell you what it means to be here, and I'm going to do my best to prove to all of you I want to be there for your mom, your sister, even for all of you. I'll see you after I get some rest," he nodded and followed Sharon back to the bedrooms.
Sharon led him into her room, and he spotted Hannah's travel crib in the corner. She moved behind him and closed the door before he could even think to do the same.
"Andy, I'm sorry," she sighed, shaking her head and crossing her arms. She started to pace the room. "You don't deserve the inquisition from my kids, my family. I'm sure my dad didn't walk with you earlier just to get into the sunshine."
"Sharon," he reached for her arm as she paced. He met her eyes and smiled warmly at her, "It's fine. It's okay. I can handle it. Sure, we raise a lot of questions. I know how we got together isn't exactly a story to sit around the table and discuss, but it's fine. Your kids, your whole family-they all have a right to be concerned. They love you."
She put her arm on him and another on Hannah, "It's my life, though. I'm the grown up here, not my kids. I mean," she sighed, "I don't need them trying to run interference for me. We'll figure this out."
"We will; we are," he corrected himself and smiled. "I pretty much told your dad the same, that we'll figure it out. They can quiz me all they want. I'm just glad to be here."
She started to draw circles with her finger on his arm and gave him a sly smile, "If I didn't have a room full of my family out there right now, I think I'd have my way with you."
Andy grinned and winked at her, "The offer is tempting. "We can' forget about the pumpkin here too," he leaned in and kissed Hannah before he continued, "no need for her to get a show from Mom and Dad."
"Later," she patted his arm, "after she's asleep, after they are all asleep."
"Really?" Andy asked. "I figured there was a moratorium on things while here at your dad's house. Your kids and all are going to be here in the same hallway."
She gave a playful shrug, "You forget about Black Friday shopping. I have it on good authority my children want to battle the crowds."
"I suddenly love Black Friday shopping-I mean, other people going out to shop and leaving us here. Hannah, I think we need to send you with them," Andy jokingly said to her.
"Okay, enough," Sharon swatted at him. "You two need to get some rest. I'm going to continue cooking this feast. I even have a vegetarian dish just for you," she leaned up and whispered in his ear before she kissed his neck.
"This weekend is getting better and better," he flashed a grin. "I'll be as good as new after a little rest, and then, maybe, I'll impress your family a little. I mean, it can't get any worse, right?"