A Series of Unfortunate Events

Chapter 6

Disclaimer: These are not my characters they are fully James Duffs. I just love them so much and love to play with them.

After their midnight shopping trip Sharon, Andy, Rusty, Bella and Lily arrived at The House of The Three Palms Bed and Breakfast. It was too dark to see the outside of the place; all they could tell was it was a sprawling one-story rancher and that it was huge. Since Grace was Lily's friend, she had come along to introduce them. Lily knocked and the door was opened almost immediately by a wisp of a woman, tall about 5'8 and slender with a longish shag haircut, colored with highlights and lowlights. She looked to be in her fifties but she was actually in her mid-seventies. She wore black Capri leggings and a flowing tank top of different shades of turquoise and a white lacy sweater. She had blue green eyes an aquiline nose and a nicely shaped mouth. She had a beautiful smile, which she beamed at them all. "Oh, hi Lily! This must be our guests!"

"Yes, Grace this is Commander Sharon Raydor soon to be Flynn and her fiancé Lieutenant Andy Flynn of the Major Crimes squad, in Los Angeles." Lily stood by Rusty as she introduced him, "and this young man is Rusty, their adopted son and this is Bella his sister. Everyone, this is Grace Cody my longtime friend and the proprietress of The Three Palms."

As she reached out a free hand to shake the other woman's hand, Sharon said, "Hello, Grace, thank you for letting us stay here. Lily told us that most of the hotels around here are booked up because of a golf tournament in Palm Springs. So, we really appreciate you letting us stay on such short notice."

"Well, luckily the suite you'll be staying in was the first one to be finished. Ordinarily, I would not have opened the place early, but Lily knows I can't say no to a police officer." Grace turned her head a moment to school her emotions and then finished her thought, "my husband was a police captain who died in the line of duty and my daughter was injured. Both their squads were there for us when we needed them. Their squad members and all policeman here in California are considered family, so you're welcome." Grace waved them into the foyer and indicated they should follow her, meanwhile she observed how tired they all looked. "Come, let me show you where you'll be staying, you all must be exhausted."

"Oh, we are. It's been a very long, difficult evening," Sharon said, squeezing Rusty's shoulder and ducking her head to kiss the top of Bella's little head. Bella had been fussy on the last leg of the journey, so when they had gotten out of the car, Sharon had put on the snuggly baby carrier and put the infant into it. She still carried the car seat carrier for use in the suite. When she blew out a tired sigh, Andy glanced at her. She was a little paler than usual and looked tired. He handed Rusty one of the bags from Walmart and took the baby's car seat away from her. She let go without a fight, which was a testament to how tired she really was. They followed Grace into a beautifully decorated suite full of warm colors that made Sharon feel at home right away. Rich reds, browns, yellows, eggshell and blues surrounded them in furniture, the rug and the paint on the walls. "It's lovely, Grace."Sharon said.

"Thank you. As I'm sure you can see this is the family room, the master bedroom is to the right of the hallway, the crib is already set up in there. It's already made up with clean sheets, as is of course your bed. There's a changing table in hallway leading to the bedrooms. The other bedroom is on the left of the hallway. Each bedroom has its own bathroom, and there is a half bath off of the hallway closer to the family room. We put the baby bathtub in the kitchen, the sink is bigger there." Grace put her finger on her cheek as she tried to remember everything she wanted to tell her impromptu guests. "The kitchen has everything you need, to prepare your lunches and dinners. Lily probably told you I provide breakfast, but no other meals. That being said though, since you're getting here so late I thought you might not mind if we all had brunch instead of breakfast?"

"That would be great. Thank you, Grace and thank you Lily for helping us find this place. Oh, Lily, I did want to ask how long Bella is supposed to be given the antibiotics? The normal ten days or longer?"

"The doctor said ten days but he wrote a prescription for another antibiotic if this one doesn't work and if you are still here next Friday, he'd like to do a follow up. If not, then he said she should be seen by the pediatrician you pick as soon as possible. Also, don't forget the baby Motrin and eardrops. You can get more at the pharmacy when you've used them up. It's all in her diaper bag."

Sharon nodded, "I already picked some Motrin up when we went to Walmart. I would rather have it and not need it then need it and not have it. Thanks again Lily and Grace."

"You're welcome," Grace smiled and shrugged. "Listen, my plan was to give you the talk about the history of the place but it's late so I'll save it for later."

Sharon and Andy gave a small smile, grateful for the reprieve. "Later would be better. We will be interested to hear it at a more appropriate time, maybe at brunch?" Sharon asked with a tired smile.

Grace agreed, and then said, "I'll bid you a good night. See you at around 11:30ish?" Sharon, Andy and Rusty nodded then Grace and Lily left. As they walked away Grace could be heard insisting Lily stay the night since it was very late.

Andy looked at Bella who was winding up to start crying. "Rusty, could you make a bottle for your sister? I'll be out in a few minutes to bathe her and get her ready for bed. I'm just going to help your mother get settled."

"Andy, he's had her all day and he's just lost…"

Before she could finish her sentence Rusty cut in, "It's okay, Mom. I've got this. I have had her all day so I know what I'm doing," he looked over Sharon's shoulder at Bella. "Don't I little squirt? At least I do when you're not screaming bloody murder." Rusty stopped when he realized what he'd said, then he shook it off and after unsnapping the straps on either side of the snugli he lifted her out of the carrier which was still attached to Sharon. "Looks like I'll be changing her too." He made a face at the rather nasty smell coming from her diaper. "Ewwww, that's just raunchy! Hey, little squirt, let's clean up that stink bomb that is your little butt and then we'll give you something to eat, hmmm?" The baby squirmed, seemingly uncomfortable in her messy diaper, but seemed glad to see him. She smiled at him, it wasn't the beaming smile she'd given him early that morning, but it was sweet.

As Sharon watched Rusty as he walked to the changing table. Andy helped "her get the snugli baby carrier off . Free of it she gave him a thankful peck on the cheek and walked over to the changing table. "Are you sure Rusty? I don't want you to feel like you have to…"

"Yeah Mom, I'm sure." He turned his head toward her as he placed the baby on the changing table. "I need to get out of my head and focus on doing something besides feeling sorry for myself. Besides, Andy can't be in two places at once, he needs to help you and you need to rest," he said pointing his finger at her.

Sharon let out an exasperated sigh, "Rusty, I've been putting myself to bed for years, I don't need to be tucked in or helped. I can do it…"

"By yourself. I know and Andy knows, but Mom, you've passed tired and are heading towards exhaustion. You still need help getting things over your head, because of your injuries from being slammed into the wall at the PAB after the bomb explosion ! and I know Andy gives your back a massage and palpitates your lungs before you go to sleep…" He hesitated, "I don't want to be the reason you have a relapse."

Sharon rolled her eyes. "Rusty, honey, I am tired… and I'll admit I'm sore, but I'm not heading for a relapse. I got a shower, and then got dressed on my own tonight when I realized you needed me. Without any help, I'll have you know. I even carried Bella in her snugli. You don't have to worry about me," her voice had gotten higher during this exchange.

Rusty turned toward Sharon, one hand on Bella's tummy to keep her from rolling and studied his mother's face. "If I were to ask how much pain you're in when I do this," with his other hand he took Sharon's wrist and gently started lifting it above her head. Her knees nearly buckled and she glowered at him. Andy was right behind her ready to hold her up if need be. Surprisingly he neither glowered at Rusty nor did he chastise him. He understood what Rusty was trying to accomplish and agreed with it. "What number would your pain level be, Mom 2, 3 or 4? It looks more like 7 or 8 to me." Seeing her pained expression Rusty immediately felt contrite. "I'm so sorry Mom. I didn't mean to hurt you; I was trying to make a point. The point being, that you're still in need of help because you're still in pain."

"I'll be fine, Rusty." Her voice was gravelly from pain and embarrassment from being found out by her son. His lifting her arm above her head was way more painful than she would like to admit to anyone let alone Rusty and Andy who she knew worried about her. Lifting Bella who was only 6lbs was one thing; stretching sore muscles above her head was different.

Rusty went on to say, "besides I feel bad that you and Andy's… time together… was messed up because of me." Turning back to Bella, he finished changing his sister's diaper and lifted her back into his arms. He then headed towards the kitchen to grab a bottle from the diaper bag. He poured bottled water into a bottle ran it through the microwave, and then put two scoops of formula in the water then shook it. He tested it and then put it in the baby's waiting mouth and sat on the couch to feed her.

As he did all this Sharon was standing there looking at him, her face was flaming a deep red, her mouth opened and shut like a fish. She cleared her throat and said with a dangerously brittle tone, "First of all, young man our "time together" as you call it , was not ruined because of you. That was on Gary and whoever made it possible for him to get out of jail to… to do what he did. Not to mention the bomber that caused my injuries to begin with. None of it was your fault Rusty, but the idea of you addressing Andy's and my "time together" to us! Russell Thomas Beck that is a private matter. What have I told you about that?"

Rusty rolled his eyes and recited the litany that Sharon had been drilling into him and his siblings lately. "That your sex life is a private matter between you and Andy and not to be a topic of discussion , let alone teasing , between us, or my siblings and I, but Mom it's not all that private. Not in a condo. I mean, just the other evening I was coming down the hall to get a drink of water and you guys were… kissing and... touching… in the kitchen!" Rusty made a face that was a mixture of disgust, incredulity, and wicked humor. He finished his sentence in spite of the look of embarrassment on Sharon's face, "and you were like talking about what Andy was going to… to do to you when you were medically cleared for… that, once I was in Cathedral City this weekend. Seriously? I didn't think it was even possible for people your age to do… well... that. Gotta hand it to you both."

Andy smirked and look down. Sharon shook her head and tried to regain her composure, but failing that she pointed her finger at him and said, "Uh uh uh, Rusty! Don't go there!"

Rusty decided to have pity on her and stop the teasing. His tone took on a more serious note. "Mom, listen all I'm saying is let Andy help you in whatever way he can. You can trust him Mom. He loves you so much! He won't hurt you, emotionally or physically. My… my... other mom never had that, someone who wanted to "take care of her" in a good way. Someone that she could trust not to use and abuse her."

Sharon nodded thoughtfully, "I never had it either when I was with Jack, but I do now, with Andy. I know that and appreciate that more than you or he will ever know." She reached for Andy and he moved closer to her again, having moved away once he knew she was not going to collapse. He put his arms around her from behind; she looked up at him smiling then turned back at Rusty. "Andy's a wonderful man and I trust him not to hurt me. It's just taking me awhile to get used to the idea that I have someone in my life that really loves me and is there for me. My independence was something I had to develop because Jack kept leaving and now it's ingrained in me, which makes it difficult for me to allow people to help even when I need it," she admitted in a low voice.

TBC...

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