"Mom?"

"Try not to sound so surprised, pumpkin."

"No, it's just that…" Angela leaned back in her chair, switching the phone from one ear to the other. "I haven't heard from you in a while."

"I know. Thanks for being patient with me, I've been dealing with a lot around here."

"How's work going?"

Sharon chuckled a little, "well, stepping into Brenda's shoes has been kind of a challenge but I believe I have won my colleagues' grudging respect."

Angela smiled, "gotta take it any way you can get it, right?"

"Would you and James like to get lunch with me today?"

"I'd love to… not sure about James though." Angela shrugged, "I haven't seen him in a couple of days and to be honest he's been a bit of a twat."

Sharon snorted, "very colorful, Angela. And, um, how exactly have you not seen him in days, he lives with you…"

"Actually…"

"James Jackson Raydor!" Sharon snapped into the phone as soon as he answered. "What were you thinking moving into that neighborhood? As if I don't have enough to worry about!"

James flushed bright red and hoped that no one else could hear his mother scolding him. "It's up and coming…" he tried to insist.

"It is not up and coming." Sharon snarled, "do you have any idea how much crime there is in that neighborhood? What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing…"

Sharon sighed heavily, "look, this discussion isn't over. I have to get back to work."

"I'm a grown man, I don't need my mother - "

"Then start acting like it!"

He stared at the phone in his hand, realizing that Sharon had actually hung up on him.

"Harsh, dude." One of his roommates muttered, shuffling by. James blushed even deeper and dialed his big-mouthed sister.

Brenda had judiciously chosen to make herself scarce during the dinner with Daniel Dunn. After dinner Sharon had made everyone tea and settled them in the living room.

"I'm sorry," Sharon said when Rusty excused himself to the bathroom. "He's usually much more talkative."

Sharon was attempting to be polite but also sizing him up.

"Maybe he's overwhelmed." Daniel suggested with a shrug. "Like me. Look, you've raised kids, how do I get him to warm up?"

"Try something positive about his mother. He won't admit it but he really misses her."

Daniel smirked, "I knew her intimately, not well."

"Think of something." Sharon pursed her lips.

Rusty came back in and sat down on the chair as far from Daniel as possible. Daniel started telling Rusty about Sharon Beck and Sharon Raydor watched, trying to remain objective.

"So, it's a school night so I think I should do my homework…"

"Look, Rusty, there's no pressure. I'll call you. If you don't want me to come back tomorrow, we'll make our visit for some other time. How's that?"

"Perfect." Sharon said, standing and ushering Daniel toward the door. "Good night, Daniel, thank you for buying us dinner."

"Yeah, thanks." Rusty said, almost begrudgingly.

Once Daniel was gone Rusty gave Sharon a pointed look. "What?"

"How am I supposed to know if I should trust anything he says?"

"You can't." Sharon said simply. "But the dna confirms he is your father, he has legal rights. We can't stall him forever. Rusty, you need to get to know this man. I know it's hard to trust him. Trust me. I'm on your side."

Rusty nodded, "I know that."

"Okay." She smiled. "Would you like to play a game of chess before you do your homework?"

"Yeah." He smiled back and she went off to grab the board.

He listened to her playful boasting of how badly she was planning on beating him and couldn't help the melancholy that settled over him. How many more nights would he have with her? How many more Hitchcock marathons? How many more ice cream sundae Sundays with Brenda?

It felt like a cosmic joke. After dropping his righteous indignation and his bad attitude he realized just how good he had it with Brenda and Sharon. Like "they" are so fond of saying 'you can't choose your family' and he didn't ichoose/i Sharon and Brenda but he got a second chance with them. Just when he was really appreciating exactly how good he had it with them the sperm donor showed up.

Brenda joined them in the kitchen a short time later. Brenda put an arm around Sharon, "your bishop's vulnerable, dear."

"I have played before." Sharon smirked.

"She knows what she's doing." Rusty chuckled, "she's trying to bait me into taking her bishop so she can take my knight."

"Very sneaky." Brenda grinned, practically sitting in Sharon's lap.

"You didn't drive home, did you?" Sharon looked over at her with a furrowed brow, "you smell like you took a bath in Merlot."

"Took a cab." Brenda leaned her head against Sharon's. "Left my car at Malloy's."

Sharon cupped Brenda's chin, "take an aspirin and drink some water."

"Kay." She kissed Sharon's temple. "You smell good."

"You're a distraction." Sharon teased.

"It's your turn, Sharon." Rusty said gently.

"Alright, let's see - " Sharon reached for one of her pieces and stopped. Rusty attempted to hold back a laugh and Sharon realized that he'd moved a handful of the pieces around. "Cheater!"

Rusty burst into laughter and Sharon reached across to tickle him. He squirmed and made a show of playfully trying to swat her away.

"Hey," Josh Lewis greeted, walking into the research room. "What are you still doing here?"

"I'm working on compiling some research for the Pullman brief." James said, not looking up from the book.

"You can pick this back up in the morning."

"I'm already clocked out, don't worry."

Josh laughed, "I wasn't worried about that. Why don't you want to go home?"

"I moved into a new place which a bunch of other guys and there's no peace and quiet in the house." James sighed, "I pissed Angela off and my mom's busy with her new job and Rusty."

"Rusty?"

"The kid from the Phillip Stroh case."

"Oh right."

"Anyway, I just want to distract myself if it's all the same." James turned the page of the book, scanning the contents.

"Come on, I'll buy you a beer."

"You don't have to do that."

Josh draped his suit jacket over his arm. "I'm not going to say it again."