When a stranger comes by.
"Mommy, there is a woman at the door asking for you", six year old Grace says as she joins her mother in the kitchen while she's prepping tonights dinner.
Lasagna – her dad's favorite.
It's Friday after all, and that means dad's choice of meal. Grace has scored Saturdays as her day, and tomorrow, they're having home made pizza, and she get's to help. That means Grace and mommy time,because she is the only one out of the three McNally-Swarek offsprings that really takes an interest in cooking.
Andy let's her hand touch her daughters cheek and then, turns off the stove. "Did she say her name?"
Grace shakes her head and steals a chopped red pepper. Just for taste.
"No, she just asked if Andrea lives here".
No one calls her mother "Andrea". It was either Andy or McNally, or as her dad called her - sweetheart.
Andy puts down the knife. "Can you head upstairs and see what your brothers are up to please?"
Grace huffs. "They're just going to tell me to go away mommy... You know how the boy's are like", she says, all precocious and important. She is the only girl in the family except her mother after all.
"Then they can forget about watching that movie tonight. You can tell them I said that", Andy says to her daughter on her way into the foyer.
Being the youngest child isn't at all easy Grace thinks. Being the youngest child and a girl was sometimes the worst. William and Jacob was older and they always picked on her.
The only good thing about being the youngest, and a girl, is the way daddy dotes on her. She is his princess and if she's fighting with her brothers, her daddy always takes her side.
Grace loves it.
What greets Andy on their front porch once she steppes out into the foyer,is the last person she expected to see at their house.
"Andrea? Wow, look at you! How are you?"
"Claire...what... uh,what are you doing here?"
"I'm back in town, and I really wanted to see you", Claire explains as if it's the most obvious thing.
This is not how she wanted to start the weekend Andy thinks. Sam is probably on his way home soon, and the kids... she doesn't want the kids to know that Claire really is their grandmother is the thing here.
She is not ready for that. In fact Andy thinks that Claire doesn't deserve to know her grandkids at all.
She knows its a shitty thing to say. She takes something away from her kids, like knowing their own grandmother, but Claire is the person that comes and goes and suddenly disappears whenever it fits her schedule, and frankly, that is not something she wants in her children's life.
And, they already have a grandmother, Sam's mother who only lives a few blocks down the road with her boyfriend from six years back. Gabrielle Swarek loves her grandkids more then anything and they're all pretty lucky to have her so close. In fact, the relationship Andy has with her mother in-law is both amazing and safe. It's also much better than she would have had with Claire if she hadn't left again twelve years ago.
"Claire, what it is that you want? Because I really don't understand anymore", Andy says as she shuts the front door.
She does not want the kids to hear.
"Andrea...I told you, I really wanted to see you. And you have a daughter. My child has a child", Claire says as she takes a step further up.
"My name is still not Andrea. No one calls me that. I also have to boys upstairs, that is going to wonder why I'm standing outside talking to a stranger. Because that's what you are to them, and Sam is going to come home soon, and I would not want to be here when he gets home if I were you", Andy says all honest and a little bit upset.
It may or may not be a fair warning.
"Sam? You married Sam Swarek?", is what Claire says next.
"Look, I'm in the middle of making dinner, and my kids are going to ask questions if you don't leave soon. I don't want to explain to them why you are here now okay? I've got to go Claire, I'm sorry".
She don't mean to cry or anything, its just that she is so angry. Angry for the fact that Claire have the nerve to come by after all these years. Again.
Andy wants her gone now.
This is not how Claire was expecting this visit to go. She's surprised is the thing here. Because her daughter just told her to leave and basically never come back again.
"Goodbye Claire", Andy says as she goes back in and shuts the door, right in Claire's face.
"So how was everyones day?", Sam ask later while he's finally, finally at home, having dinner with his family. It's been a long week. Case upon case, and they're lucky to have scored a weekend off together to spend with the kids.
He feels like he haven't seen Andy all week.
Between long hours at work, dance recitals and soccer practice, PTA meetings and whatnot, there really hasn't been time to really spend with the family. So understand Sam's eager to be with the kids for a few hours until bedtime, and then, finally have his wife all to himself.
He plans to show her just how much he's missed her.
"Me and Will finished the plain dad", eight year old Jacob says proud as ever. Sam bought them a model plain a while back, kids friendly, so they could to something together.
"I cant wait to see it boys", Sam acknowledge, and fills up Grace's glass with soda. "What about your day princess?"
Grace chews her mouth empty. "I helped mommy with the dinner daddy".
Grace is proud. Because she helped with daddy's favorite.
He smiles to his wife, and then looks back at his daughter. "I can tell, it taste really good".
Grace smiles too.
"Sweetheart?", he looks at Andy.
"Mom was upset", is what their oldest says. Although William is only nine, he knows a lot more than Andy and Sam thinks he does.
Andy thought she had wiped the tears before she walked all the way inside after chasing Claire from the front porch, but clearly, her oldest son do know things. Nothing passes him.
Sam can tell that she is not exactly sure of what to say. The kids are here, and whatever has happened while he was gone, is probably not something for small ears.
Andy laughs instead. "I was not upset kiddo. Why would you say that?"
"You were crying mom. I saw".
That, um, that makes Sam raise his eyebrows.
That's when Grace jumps in. "Did that lady make you cry mommy?"
"What lady? Sweetheart? What are they talking about?",Sam wants to know.
"I didn't cry kiddo. I... sneezed,and then I got tears in my eyes because of the pressure. Everything is fine. I promise".
She smiles. Big and halfway honest. She is upset that Claire had the nerve to come here, but she's glad she got to tell her where they stand.
Sam, however knows his wife from ten years, and he knows when something is not as it should be.
"Okay bugs, it's been a long week. You've eaten every bite on your plates, so if you want, you're all excused", Sam offered his kids.
He wanted Andy for himself.
They didn't need to be asked twice. Even little Grace was eager to continue whatever she had going on in her room.
Andy was not an idiot. The only reason her husband lovingly pushed the kids out of the kitchen was because he was about to interrogate her. She cleaned the table, put the leftovers in a tupperware box and started loading the dishwasher.
Sam was leaning on the counter next to her. Staring like he was waiting for her to start talking. It was his specialty to get someone talking. A perp, her, the kids, you name it.
"You going to tell me what that was all about? Kids said you were crying sweetheart...".
Andy let the dishcloth fall into the hot soap water in the sink. Turning, she leaned on the counter too. "I...", she started, but couldn't get the words out.
She let out a deep breath and that's when Sam let his hands run up and down her arms. "Claire came by..."
"Claire? As in...?"
Andy nodded. "She's got some nerve. Wanted to see how I was. She didn't know we were married or even had kids. She left me Sam!", she said with a low voice, but still loud enough for Sam to know that she was upset.
"She left again, and now she wants to be my mother again?"
"She has no right sweetheart. What did you say to her?"
"I... told her to leave, that the kids already had a wonderful grandmother, an that she made her choice when she left me again".
"Okay, that's exactly what she deserves. You know I support you no matter what right?", he asked, pulling her right up to his chest.
She smiles. Andy knows. "I know. Thank you". She let herself fall into his embrace for a while.
"You should have seen the look on her face when I told her that you were the guy I married. It was priceless", Andy joked.
"I can imagine... She never liked me".
"Who cares... I like you. In fact...", she said, letting her hand creep up his shirt. "I looove you, and tonight, when the kids are asleep, I'm going to show you... .Much".
Sam tugged on her sweater. Kissed her, once, twice..."I cant wait". And that- well, Sam means business.
"Come on detective. I promised the kids we would watch The Zookeeper tonight".
"Again? Didn't we watch it last a few weeks ago?"
"Yeah, we did. But I told them we would... and maybe you get to hold my hand the whole time..."