Sharon picked the package up from under the tree and looked at Andy, then she walked over to Nicole. "This is for you."
Nicole sat up and looked at her father, then Sharon.
"Andy..." Sharon reached out her hand for him to join them, and she sat him down beside Nicole on the sofa.
Pulling the paper off, Nicole looked at the golden book in her hand, then turned is over. Her breath hitched. "The Gruff Teddybear," it read, and on the front cover was a picture of a younger Andy surrounded by teddybears.
Slowly Nicole opened the book. Sharon had written a short inscription inside the front cover which read, "A man worth knowing". Nicole wiped away the tear that had formed on her cheek and kept turning the pages.
The first thing she saw was a picture of Andy in his uniform the day he officially became a police officer. His transcript was posted on the page opposite, and she chuckled when she was how bad some of his marks were.
Chapter one began with a picture of Andy by his patrol car, grinning away, not a care in the world. There were other pictures. One of him kneeling by a girl on a bicycle, and another with him giving a teddybear to a crying child. Sharon had written pieces of information and dates beside each picture. The next two pages had the letter from the 8 year old boy who's father had been saved, and beside it a picture of that boy as a man in his military uniform. A small clipping accompanied it where the Naval Officer credited an unknown LAPD officer when he was a child, for inspiring him in his career.
Page after page had pictures of Andy laughing, Andy helping, Andy receiving awards and commendations, and people remarking on what a difference he had made in their lives. Sharon's comments continued throughout. Things like "Look over his left shoulder, that's Lt. Provenza" and "He'd sprained his ankle in that action, but was too stubborn to take his cane on stage and ended up in the infirmary again."
One page had a smiling Andy with a little girl perched on his shoulders. "I think you know who this is," Sharon's commentary read.
The letter from the grieving widow followed, along with her picture.
There were entries of Andy's promotions from Officer to Detective to Lieutenant.
One page made Nicole completely break down. Sharon realized it was the treasure Trevor had found. Stroking the page, Nicole turned to her father who was similarly crying.
"No... but Dad, why does this say you paid child support when you didn't?"
Andy stroked her head fiercely. "Sweetheart, I paid for you from the time I moved out until you and your brother finished College. I never missed a month, even when I was eating bologna sandwiches and sleeping on someone's couch. I swear to you, I always paid for you. The court didn't assign me an amount. I gave your mother what I thought she needed, and see that slip?" He pointed to the note beside it, "I gave extra in the months before Christmas and each of your birthdays."
"Mom said you always forgot our birthdays," Nicole was almost mewing like a kitten.
"Never. I know exactly when you were born, down to the minute. When I was drinking and I couldn't be with you, I always drank a toast to you. And after I got sober, I still did that. If I'm not with you on your birthday, no matter where I am, I lift a glass and thank God for bringing you and you brother into my life."
Nicole turned into Andy's shoulder and started sobbing. Josh had silently gotten up and ushered the three boys out of the room before returning to his wife's side.
When she calmed, Nicole returned to the book and kept turning the pages. There were more commendations and medals awarded. More letters of thanks and appreciation from civilians and officers alike.
Chapter two showed Andy in more casual settings with his fellow officers. He was playing poker in one, sharing cigars in another, and playing baseball in yet another. Sharon had included the rosters of whatever games she could find, with Andy's position prominent on the batter's list. Beside one set of game pictures was the trophy Andy kept in his living room.
"How the hell..." he looked at it, then looked up at Sharon. "You were in my house? That's why the pictures were a bit off?"
"I thought I put everything back properly. I'm sorry."
"Don't be..." he shook his head, and looked back at the pages with Nicole.
The pictures continued with Andy having his feet up on his desk and laughing at something, Andy working the barbecue, Andy in the boxing ring, and one more of Andy laughing with a group of people at a party. Sharon's commentary read "I told you I've known him for a long time. I have no idea when this was taken, but we were so young."
The last page of that chapter had the article about Andy and the teddybears. Nicole smiled.
The third chapter was simply titled "With Provenza." Andy laughed along with Nicole at all the pictures and baseball tickets the pages contained. It continued with trips they had taken for both work and pleasure, stubs from shows they had seen, a receipt from a restaurant where Provenza had written in big letters "You still owe me!" Nicole wiped away a different kind of tear when she saw her father in ridiculous swim shorts standing in a kiddie pool.
The fourth chapter said "Daddy". Sharon's only commentary was to say she had been in Andy's house recently, and these were all the items he had proudly on display. Nicole looked at pictures of herself and her brother at the park, swimming in the ocean, a road trip they managed one year, and other small adventures. Interspersed were the kids' awards for some activity or another that Andy had framed, and all the artwork that had been created over the years.
"That's where that went," Nicole said, pointing to a vase with dried flowers. "Mom said that broke."
"Nope, I stole it," Andy gave her a half hug.
The final chapter was the smallest, and entitled Alcoholic's Anonymous. Nicole's breath hitched again before she turned the page. There were only a few items. The receipt from the AA ring, where Sharon had explained Andy's deal with Sean, pictures of that 5th anniversary, and an envelop with a card shoved inside. Carefully Nicole took the card out and saw the date, December 10, 1995, written on the back. She turned it over and read the words.
Why do I want to stop drinking? I'm doing it for Nicole and Jeremy. I want to be a good father to my kids.
Nicole covered her mouth and started crying again. Andy looked up for Sharon, but she was gone. Turning he saw her go into the kitchen and he got up quickly. Nicole watched him and got up to follow.
"You... you..." Andy started, as he barged into the kitchen.
Sharon turned around to look at him, not knowing what to expect, and backed against the counter.
"You did..." he tried again, moving towards her.
She could feel is breath on her face when he stopped moving, then she felt him grab her head roughly and crush his lips against hers. It was a hard kiss, strong, demanding, and she felt like she was being devoured. She grabbed his collar with both fists and pulled him close. Her stomach coiled with the power between them as she met his ferocity.
After a few minutes Andy had to break away. He couldn't breath, but he tipped his forehead until it was touching Sharon's as they both gasped for breath. When he had enough air in his lungs, he pulled away from her slightly and looked in her eyes, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs. Both of them had tears falling, and he stroked as many away as he could.
Then he pulled her to him again and kissed her. It was gentle the second time, loving, two people falling into each other. Sharon's hands left his collar and reached around his back to pull him closer, while he snaked his arms around her neck and waist. As they deepened the kiss, Andy cradled her head in his hand.
Sharon moaned as she pulled him as tightly as she could, feeling his length press against her. She had never felt more complete.
Nicole watched the sight in front of her, then turned away. This wasn't about her any longer.