Chapter 78:
Sharon looked at her daughter and wondered who she got her character from. Sometimes she reminded her of herself, but other times she was more like Richard.
"Well?!" Cat asked anxiously.
"I can't," Sharon said eventually and got up with her plate. She walked to the sink and heard Cat talking behind her.
"Is it fear or pride?" she asked, following her mother.
"I'm gonna go clear the table," Rusty placed his plate quickly in the sink and went back to the table.
"Cat, stop," Sharon whispered in anger, grabbing a towel absent-mindedly.
"No, if you don't go, I'll call him and say that you and Reyes have been locked in your room for hours," Cat whispered back.
"What?!" Sharon looked at Cat, shocked. She was definitely more like Richard now.
"You know I'm capable," Cat threatened, still whispering.
"You wouldn't."
"Yes, I definitely would!"
"Cat!"
"Sharon!"
Rusty looked at them from the table with the salad bowl in his hand and fear in his heart. He hoped they weren't going to start fighting.
"Fine!" Sharon said louder than her usual tone. She threw the towel on the counter and left the kitchen without saying a word to any of them.
"Wow, Cat…" Rusty said as he approached her and placed the bowl on the counter. "You really upset her."
"I know, but she can be so stubborn sometimes that I had to do it!" Cat sounded pretty upset herself.
Sharon grabbed her purse and stormed out of the apartment. She strode to the elevator and then from the building's entrance to her car. When she closed the car door and sat in the still darkness, she wondered what to do next. She really did want to make peace with Flynn, but, as Cat said, it was a mix of fear and pride that made her stay frozen in her car.
Her iPhone rang, startling her. On the screen she saw Provenza's name. She frowned for a moment, wondering why he would call her, but then answered.
"Yes, Lieutenant?"
"Uh… Captain, how's it going?" he sounded impatient.
"Good. And how are you?"
"Great, yeah. Look, what did you do to Andy?"
"Excuse me?"
"I called earlier to tell him to meet me and Sanchez somewhere, and he said he really needed a drink so he was going to a meeting. It has to be you."
Sharon couldn't talk for a second as her heart skipped a beat. The last thing she wanted was to make Flynn feel like he needed a drink because of her.
"I have to go," she said quickly and ended the call.
(***)
"He's in his room," Eric said when he opened the door and Sharon asked him about his father. He seemed embarrassed to look in her eyes, and she suddenly remembered the beginning of her relationship with Flynn. Eric looked like a younger version of his father.
"Do you think I can go in there?" she asked.
"I really don't know. He told me he needed to be alone, so I haven't disturbed him. But you can try," he stepped aside and she walked in.
"Thanks," she said just before going to Flynn's room. The door was closed. She knocked on it and waited for a reply, but instead she heard footsteps from inside coming towards the door. A second after they stopped. She heard the lock turning and the door opened. Flynn stood there, looking tired and surprised to see her there.
"Hi," she said carefully.
"I thought you were Eric," he turned around and went back to his bed, leaving the door open. Sharon saw it as permission to enter, and closed the door behind her. She stayed at the entrance, looking at him, and sighed.
"What?" he asked, looking back at her from his lying position.
Sharon felt like running away. By the looks of it, he wasn't going to forgive her so easily. It didn't even seem like he wanted to listen to her. She tilted her head down and regret started burdening her stomach as she wondered why she came.