A Series of Unfortunate Events

Chapter 40

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

Andy and Sharon got home about 9:00 that night. Her parents and the children were waiting for them. All dressed in their bedtime clothes. Seeing their dear faces full of concern for her almost broke Sharon. She wanted to go to her room to try to process the news by herself for awhile, but she knew that while she was at the hospital they'd been here caring for Olivia, and worried about her. She knew she owed them an explanation. Sharon held up a finger to let them know she was coming back to talk to them but she needed a minute. She went to her room, just to get changed into more comfortable clothing. She put on a nightgown, a robe, and slippers. Andy put his pajama pants a t-shirt and a robe on, then they went back to the family room.

"Sharon, Honey what's going on? Are you okay?" asked Richard, standing up and gathering his daughter in his arms.

Sharon leaned into him for just a moment. She allowed herself to turn her nose into the crook of his neck to catch the scent of his aftershave and let it comfort her for just a moment. "I'll tell you, Daddy, just…um... give me a moment." She turned towards her mother and hugged her too. Then she was enveloped in hugs by Ricky, Emily, and Rusty. Once greetings were over, they all went to sit down, except for Andy who went into the kitchen to fix Sharon a cup of chamomile and mint tea.

When he was finished he came into the family room as Ricky asked, "Mom, what happened? I knew I should have gone with you!"

Sharon looked up as Andy handed her the teacup. As she did so she saw Andy's face, it was impassive but she saw the sad hurt look in his eyes that he tried to hide. It felt to him like Ricky didn't trust him to take care of his mother. Sharon sensed what was behind the look so she kissed him and thanked him for the tea. Then she looked over at her son and scowled at him a little. Gesturing with a slight tilt of her head towards Andy. She patted the place beside her and Andy sat down. Ricky got the hint and said,
"Sorry, Andy, I didn't mean that the way it came out."

"It's okay, Rick, she's your Mom and you're worried about her." Andy nodded, " I understand."

Sharon hummed, "Hmmn, Ricky, what happened has nothing to do with who went with me or didn't go with me. I... fainted while I was at the lab about to get my blood test. I had a... a PTSD moment and that led to my not being able to catch my breath. My heart began beating erratically and… and I fainted. Andy was right there with me, he couldn't prevent it, but luckily I was sitting down at the time so I didn't fall and hurt anything. However...I… um… I did find out some…" her voice broke, "some rather... upsetting news. I have developed something called…" she swallowed, "Cardiomyopathy. It's a… it's a... a virus that is attacking the pericardium. Which is…"

"The outside lining of your heart," Richard, finished for her.

"Daddy, you know about this? How?" asked Sharon.

Richard shrugged as he said, "I know about it because I've lived with it for the last ten years. I didn't say anything because mine has never progressed beyond the initial stage. It was discovered during a routine exam. I guess I knew in the back of my mind that it could be hereditary, but you and your sister have always been very healthy. You both eat healthily, you both exercise. I never dreamed that it could have been passed onto you. I'm sorry daughter."

"Daddy, you don't have to be sorry, it's not like you did this to me. It would have been nice if you'd told me, so I was a little more prepared but I can understand you're not wanting to worry me. Andy and I are famous for that too. Keeping things to ourselves so we don't worry each other or our families." Sharon looked up at Andy and smiled somewhat ruefully at him. He smiled back and held her hand, rubbing the knuckles with his thumb. "So, um yours hasn't progressed?" she asked hopefully.

"No, it hasn't. I go for checkups, I take meds to manage it and my life is pretty stress-free, for the most part, but each person reacts differently. What is true for me may not be true for you, Honey. For one thing, your life is a magnet for stress. Your job is stressful. Your life, in general, has a multitude of stressors. Especially a couple of weeks ago being accidentally put in a psych ward under somebody else's name, now there is a situation bound to cause incredible stress. Then there is your serial killer, unexpected parenthood to a special needs infant, a wedding, families that stay and stay," he gestured dramatically.

Sharon snort laughed even as her eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Daddy, you're right my life is full of stressors, but… I wouldn't change any of them and as far as the family that stays and stays, I wouldn't have that any other way either. I know I wasn't very welcoming after the psych ward fiasco, but that was just me not wanting you to see me go through the after-effects of the drugs I was given. Since then, I've loved having you here. It's the most we've seen of each other at one time, in so many years and with everything that's been… happening in my life well I… we … couldn't have navigated the last several weeks with Livvie without Rusty, you, and Mama, or Emily and Ricky but…"

She looked over at Andy and back at her dad. "This brings me to something that's been worrying me. The serial killer Stroh that you mentioned, he's back in LA. He's been gone for a couple of years, out of the country but now he's back. Before everything that happened with the bomb blasts, I feel confident that I could have protected you all with the help of the LAPD but with my recovery being so slow, the PTSD, and now this diagnosis, I'm not sure you're safe here with us. "I'm vulnerable and if I am, you all are too. Stroh is cunning and very smart. If he finds out where we are and that we have a house full of people, he's not above using my loved ones to get to Rusty."

"Ahh, Sharon, Honey, don't you worry about that. I may be in my dotage, but I still have a license to carry a concealed weapon," her father said with a prideful nod of his head. Sharon stared at her father shocked. She had known that he had one before he had retired but she had no idea that he had kept it current. Feeling her stare, Richard asked, "What? I've had it for years, you know that. After all, I was the one that taught you how to shoot. Of course, you have surpassed me in skill, which is saying something. I'm a crack shot, even now at my age and even if I do say so myself."

"Richard," said Eileen shaking her head somewhat amused and a bit appalled by his lack of humility.

"I'm just saying the truth, Eileen. I've worked hard at being good at shooting a gun. It's not as easy as it looks. As you well know," he said with a pointed look in her direction. Richard turned to address Andy and Rusty. "I was a judge and before that a DA in Criminal Law. We're not always popular. I'm still very proficient at firing a gun as I was saying. I still practice, often and I've been taking Ricky, Rusty, and even Emily out to practice so they can qualify."

Sharon was stunned. She looked back and forth from her father Ricky and Rusty then settled on Emily who was having a hard time looking her mother in the eye. "You're teaching my children to qualify for a carry and conceal license? Without mentioning it to me? I mean, I knew that Rusty wanted one. After all, Stroh is after him but I had no idea about you, Ricky, and Emily. Why didn't you mention this Em , the other day while we were discussing Stroh being back?" Sharon asked. The question was for Emily but included her children collectively.

"Sorry, Mom. I wanted to, I really did but we… um… we all decided it was better to present it as a done deal rather than ask you for permission . And need I remind you that we are adults,and we don't really have to ask or even tell you at all. It's just that Rusty told us Stroh is back and we knew that you would worry about keeping us safe. So we thought that being able to protect ourselves would relieve your worry once you got used to the idea." Emily said.

Sharon sat back and leaned into Andy. She looked at her family. Still, shell-shocked at their willingness to go the extra mile to relieve her of worry. Although she wasn't sure that their intentions had achieved the result they had hoped for. The idea of almost her entire family having carry and conceal licenses, let alone the actual weapons, was enough to make her crazy, not relieve her stress. She turned to her mother. So, Mama, are you wanting to get a conceal and carry license too?" she asked with a tad bit of sarcasm mixed with affection and just a little bit of humor.

Eileen turned to her daughter and smiled self deprecatingly. She had a matching wit to her daughter's, so she answered with the same sarcastic humor, "I'm afraid not, dear. I'd be afraid I'd shoot myself in the foot. I'll admit I did try but I'm a little, well let's just say I'm too um... trigger happy to be shooting guns. However, I have taken self-defense back home. We had some break-ins in the neighborhood and I wanted to be prepared to defend myself, should I need too. I've discovered that I have a mean left hook and I can wield a heavy purse like nobody's business. Also, my purse packs pepper spray, a taser, and is weighted. I also sleep with a knife in the drawer of my nightstand. If that helps?" She gave her daughter a wink and a wicked grin.

Sharon barked a laugh and covered her face with one hand shaking her head with amusement. "Yes, it does help to know that you're prepared, Mama," she said affectionately.

Hearing baby sounds coming from the baby monitor, that was sitting on the mantle of the gas fireplace. Sharon looked at it and saw Olivia turn on her side, with both her arms stretched out before her. She smiled with tears in her eyes. She wondered if she would see Olivia grow up or even walk and talk. The baby was growing so fast, she was turning on to her side and back now. Pretty soon she'd be crawling. Would she, Sharon, even get to see that? She closed her eyes and tried to will the sadness away and think positively. Yes, she would see her grow. She would do everything in her power to make sure of it.
"How was Livvie today?" Sharon asked with forced cheerfulness, effectively changing the subject.

Eileen became animated as she talked about her soon to be adopted granddaughter. "Oh, she was an angel! That child is so adorable! So sweet, cuddly, and smart. Ricky looked up some baby sign language and we started to use the signs while we were talking to her and feeding her. She was watching us so carefully. Why I wouldn't be surprised if she was using some of the signs by the age of six months!"

Sharon looked down and blinked. That quick her mood had plummeted. She was feeling sad again and guilty. She felt as if her emotions were on a rollercoaster. So much was going on, she had completely forgotten about her resolve to learn sign and expose Livvie to it to give her every advantage to learn the language. She wasn't sure she believed the baby could catch on that fast, but who knew? "Mama, I doubt that she'll be capable of making the connection this young, but I guess it's not impossible. It's worth trying I suppose. I've heard it's important to expose deaf children to signs early on." She shrugged, "I've been meaning to learn sign, but with everything that's been going on, I haven't had a chance. Will you teach me and Andy, Ricky?"

"Sure, Mom but, maybe tomorrow okay? You should go to bed. You just got home from the hospital and you are looking very tired," Ricky said.

Sharon hated to be handled and her first impulse was to push back. "Thank you, Ricky," Sharon said her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Are you really trying to tell me to go to bed? I'm the mother. That's my job."

"Not anymore, I'm grown up. I get to tell myself to go to bed, " Ricky said. Then paused as the parallels started lining up in his head and he began somewhat slowly to realize where his mother was coming from.

Emily said with a bit of sarcasm of her own, "Wait for it… it'll come to him. It'll just take awhile, he's a little slow," she quipped. Not amused, Ricky threw a pillow at her. "Hey, little bro... watch it."

"You watch it!" he told his sister then turned back to his mother.

"Children! I thought you said you were grown up. That doesn't seem very grown up." Ricky and Emily had the grace to look embarrassed.

He didn't like disappointing his mother so Ricky tied to explain. "All I'm saying… Mom, is well, I get that you are an adult and that you raised us and the idea of being "taken care of" by your children is frustrating and maybe even humiliating. I get that, I do. I'm sorry if I upset you. I just want to… I don't know, maybe make-up for all the times Dad didn't take care of you, or us. You were always there for us when we were kids, you took care of us when we were sick, but no one took care of you when you were sick. I guess I want to make-up for that, now that I'm old enough to be aware. Part of that is realizing what a crappy day you've had, ending up in the hospital and getting this diagnosis. I was just pointing out that, you look tired after all of that. You're pale and you're emotions are all over the place. I guess I just want you to know we're here for you."

Sharon let him squirm a minute for the, "looking tired" remark and then she couldn't stand it anymore and went over to hug and kiss him. He stood up to hug her back. She placed her hand on his cheek and biting her top lip to keep tears at bay, she sighed and said, "I know you're here, both of you. I want you to know that it's not your job to make-up for what your father didn't do. Thank you, my darlings for wanting to take care of your old mother." She swallowed back tears. "If… if things pro… progress and this condition worsens," her voice became more tremulous, "I… we may need you. I hope not, I don't want you to have to rearrange your life for me, for us, any more than you already have," she amended. "However, at this point in time, I think I… we… can manage things ourselves, Andy and I. You see, Ricky and Emily although, you were right your biological father was not there for me or for you or your sister when we needed him. Andy is. He's proven that, over and over. Trust him, I do. With my life."

Ricky nodded, "Yeah, you hit the jackpot there. He's a keeper."

Andy grinned, "Thanks, Ricky."

Sharon looked up sharply at his terminology, Jack's gambling had caused her to be a bit hypersensitive to that kind of speech, but then she realized that Ricky was right. She had hit the jackpot in Andy. She hugged her son and said, "you're not wrong. He is a keeper! As are you and all my children."

Ricky swallowed a lump in his throat. He loved his mother sooo much and he was terrified he was going to lose her. He enveloped her in his arms in a hug. She hugged him back. One by one, the rest of the family as a whole joined them. Andy and Emily, then Eileen and Richard. Emily was sobbing by the time she got to her mother and Sharon wasn't in any better shape. They held each other and rocked back and forth. All the sudden Olivia who had been asleep in her new crib in her room could be heard crying.

Andy went in and could be heard talking to her, while he changed her. Then he brought her out to join the family hug fest. He handed her to Sharon and then kissed them both before he went the kitchen to fix a bottle for Livvie. The rest of the family moved back in to give hugs and kisses to their about to be newest sibling. When the bottle was made Andy came around to the front of the couch, sat down and handed it over to Sharon, who was on her way to join him with Livvie in her arms and Rusty beside her in case of a dizzy spell. Once seated she took the bottle and got settled on the couch against him while she fed their baby daughter.

In light of this new diagnosis, Sharon wondered, not for the first time, if they were doing the right thing for Olivia by adopting her. She had brought the subject up again to Andy after talking to the doctor. Andy had been adamant that they should still adopt Olivia because they loved her so much and couldn't imagine their life without her anymore. He also brought up how calming it seemed to be for her to care for Olivia and how large their support system was. Nicole and Dean had offered to take Olivia in the event that something should happen to Andy or Sharon. Ricky, Emily, Rusty, and her parents had all been there to pitch in when she was incapable of caring for the baby herself. Andy had even brought up the idea of stepping up the adoption process, to get it taken care of before plans for the church wedding were in full swing. They had , at first, decided to wait till after the wedding which was in November but since Olivia would turn six months in August and needed to have tubes put in her ears, they had made arrangements with Judge Richwood to complete the adoption process early for the sake of insurance, not to mention that the could not wait for her to be legally theirs .So ,they would adopt her tomorrow . First Judge Richwood would marry them legally , by having them sign the papers that needed signed . They would save the vows for their church wedding. And then they would adopt Olivia as a married couple and they would become a family legally. Andy would also adopt Rusty, legally giving him his name at the same time.

Judge Richwood had offered to come over to the house, since Sharon's recent health scare, had for the time being put her on house lockdown. The doctor had released her from the hospital with the understanding that Sharon would stay home and rest as much as possible. However, she didn't see the harm in having a teeny tiny celebration after signing the papers. She had agreed to let the rest of the family deal with the food and decorations. That was Andy's deal. He had told her in no uncertain terms that he would only agree to invite the team or Nicole, Dean, and the boys if she agreed to stay on the couch or in bed while the preparations were made. She could participate in the signing of the papers, have a bite to eat, but as soon as everybody left she needed to go back to bed.

Sharon had stared at him for a long moment, . She was battling within herself to keep from reacting badly to Andy's ultimatum . She knew in her mind that Andy was not trying to take away her independence , that it was his way of taking care of her , stemming from a desperate need to preserve her health, not a need to control her . She also knew that at least in this instance , her own need to maintain control of her own health matters needed to take a back seat . She decided to concede to Andy because she knew his taking control and putting his foot down at this time and in this situation, was out of his love for her. And since she had never had that kind of love or care from Jack , it felt good to be able to let go of control and let Andy take care of her , if only for a little while , until she was out of the woods and felt better . She was glad that they had decided to keep their November church wedding date ,because She and Andy both wanted their marriage to be blest and recognized by the Catholic Church

TBC...

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