A Series of Unfortunate Events

Chapter 44

Sharon waited till he was settled and then said, "thank you and yes, Judge, this is our little Livie. She's the star of the show today."

Judge Richwood looked down and couldn't help but smile at the baby. She was curled up against Sharon sucking on her bottle, her face turned toward him, watching him through strawberry blonde lashed hazel eyes. She reached out to grab at his tie with her free hand. The judge moved his tie out of her reach. "Oh no, little one, this is one of my best ties," he said taking the tie off and putting it in his pocket.

Sharon chuckled, "she loves things that dangle. Nothing is sacred. My hair is her favorite thing to grab usually."

"My children and grandchildren did the same thing when they were babies. It got so I stopped wearing ties around them." Observing Sharon as he interacted with Olivia, he noticed that she was slightly paler than she normally was. She looked just a tad delicate which is a word he never would have used to describe Sharon Raydor before the bomb blasts. "Um… Sharon, I've heard a few things through the grapevine, about your… ordeals of late. In fact, I signed off on some warrants to search for you in a hospital psychiatric ward in the desert and then I read the report your team wrote on the incident," he stated with a slight questioning lilt to his voice

"Yes, it was quite…" she cleared her throat, "an... ordeal is the perfect word for what happened, Judge." She pressed her lips together and shuddered. She decided not to elaborate, she didn't want to relive yet again the events that put her in that rather traumatic situation. "Thank you, Judge, for… for… doing that."

Understanding her reluctance to speak in depth of her ordeals especially surrounded by her guests, he went on, "No, thanks necessary and Sharon, as I've asked you many times before to please call me Craig when we aren't in the courtroom. We've been friends for years. First, your father and I go way back, then you and I as well. I'd do anything for you. You know that. Besides, it was no hardship to sign that warrant. You definitely did not belong in that place."

You haven't seen me during one of my PTSD moments, she thought to herself. Sharon smiled at him.

However, the judge noticed there was a sadness to her smile. He wondered about it. He decided not to press her to elaborate because he could tell that whatever the reason for the sadness, it would cause her emotional distress to speak about it and this wasn't the time or the place. Instead, he finished his original subject. Wanting her to be aware of what was going on with Cora he said, "Judge Grove was telling me Cora Hartley wouldn't take a deal. She wants to go to trial."

Sharon nodded and worried her bottom lip with her teeth. Mention of Cora setting her teeth on edge. "Yes, Andrea told me she asked that no bail be set because she felt that Cora was too dangerous to be allowed out of jail. Thank goodness, Judge Grove agreed," she said, sighing with relief.

"From what I've heard, Cora is very dangerous, especially to you and your family. She has a taste for revenge and I agree with Andrea she needs to be kept in jail to keep her from acting on it again. It's hard to believe that what happened to you happened in this day and age." He paused to recover from his shock. "I mean to say I believe it happened just as it was written in the report but …. "

Sharon made a noise that was close to a snort. "I know, Judge… I mean Craig, I had a hard time believing it happened and it happened to me. All that happened, happened as a result of a series of unfortunate events. It started with the bombings and went downhill from there, except for the fact that we ended up with this adorable little minx," she said, indicating Olivia.

"Wasn't that the name of a book series for kids? A Series Of Unfortunate Events, by Lemony Snicket?" he asked trying to lighten the moment with a joke. "I think I read it to my grandchildren."

Sharon gave a strained chuckle. "Yes, it was but I feel like I've been living the adult version, the last three or four months," she sighed tremulously.

Hearing the tremor in her voice, the judge's face took on a concerned look. "Sharon, pardon me but I have to ask. Are you sure you're up to raising a special needs child? I mean, you clearly are struggling to recover from everything…"

Sharon nodded. "I won't lie, it's been a… lot." She bowed her head and gathered her wits together so she could tell the judge what was going on "You see… it's actually more than just recovering from… what… happened. Craig, I was recently diagnosed with Cardiomyopathy, it is a virus attacking the pericardium of my heart. It could end up being a non-issue or it could progress, which is a concern. There are options, medication, surgery, a… transplant…"

The judges' eyes became wide with shock. "A transplant? Sharon, that's… big."

Sharon held up her hand. "We're nowhere near that Judge, but it's a possibility if it should progress. However, my family feels… given the recent events in my life, that we need to get a second opinion. So we're going to do that. Tomorrow, with my father's cardiologist. In any case, the adoption is actually only a legal formality, so that Olivia could share our name and we can have her name changed from Isa…" She choked on Olivia's former name and then cleared her throat, "to Olivia Jane Sharon Beck-Flynn. Rusty wanted to give her his mother's choice of name, since the Lewises named her what they wanted against her will while she was in a coma and he chose Sharon as her second middle name, as a tribute to her. In spite of everything, he still loves her." Sharon bit her lip in embarrassment that she was unable to say Olivia's former name without choking on it because of the memories it provoked. She was also a bit embarrassed because Sharon was also her name and she didn't want anybody to think she named the baby after herself.

"He wanted to honor you too, Sharon. He loves you more," Andy whispered.

Sharon turned and smiled at him tears of gratitude filling her eyes but she did not let them fall. He could tell she was struggling to keep her emotions in check. He could feel her body trembling with the effort it took to keep from showing her distress over the subject of their conversation. Andy took her hand in his and interlaced their fingers. Rubbing his thumb over her knuckles soothingly in an effort to keep her calm. Again, she looked over at him smiling adoringly and then back over at the judge. She took a slow deep breath so she could get control of her emotions and finish her explanation. She wanted… needed to assuage the judge's reservations about their fitness as parents. They had spoken briefly over the phone when they had asked him to officiate their legal union and the adoptions but there had been no time in his schedule to meet in person before this.

The judge watched the interaction between Sharon and Andy. He was gratified to see the calming effect Andy had on Sharon. He wasn't surprised that she was still struggling after what she'd been through. He could see the love and tenderness Andy had for her and she for him. He was glad to see how happy they were together. Both as their friend and as the Judge binding them together in legal matrimony. Their church union would be in November, to give Sharon more time to recover and because she loved the holidays so much.

"She's already part of our family, Judge. She has been since we first laid eyes on her. We signed papers making us her legal guardians the morning of the day her mother and grandparents were killed by her father. We had no idea that we would gain custody of her the very evening of the same day. We thought it was just a failsafe to keep her out of foster care if something were to happen to them while they were out of town. Believe me, we weren't looking to adopt, being so close to retirement age, it was the last thing on our minds but now we can't imagine our lives without her. I believe these things happened for a reason." Sharon looked down at Olivia, smiling at her.

Olivia smiled back at her around the nipple of her bottle. She reached up with her free hand and touched Sharon's lips, with her tiny index finger. Sharon kissed it, and then looked back at the judge
When he answered her. "I do too, Sharon and as far as I'm concerned, this little girl couldn't have better parents or a family that could love her more. I was just trying to make sure, given the circumstances with your health, you were up for all that caring for a baby, especially one with special needs."

"Believe me, Craig, I'm well aware of what caring for a baby entails. Although neither of my children had special needs per se, Jack kept abandoning us, so I had to raise them single-handedly and that had an emotional impact on us all. Jack… was usually home long enough to get me… with child and then he 'd leave. You've known me long enough to know what I went through with him but my situation has changed." Sharon paused to get memories of her ex-husband out of her mind." I now have a great support system." Now she was smiling saying, "Andy has been wonderful and it's not just him. My parents and our older children have been helping me with her and they've assured us they would help raise her, should… either Andy or I become unable to care for her."

The judge nodded. "It takes a village to raise a child and you seem to have your own little village."

"Yes… we do…" Just as Sharon was answering him, Nicole and Dean, along with the boys and little Charlotte in tow arrived. They were followed by Gavin who had brought the paperwork he'd drawn up for them, not to mention he also brought gifts. He gave them a finger wave but seeing they were deep in conversation left them alone, joining Andrea and the other ladies in conversation. Nicole, Dean, and their children disappeared to use the facilities to freshen up after being stuck in traffic for an hour and a half.

Once they reappeared Judge Richwood stood up and said, "well then, now that everybody is here, let's get this show on the road."

Everyone got into their places. Andy had intended for Sharon to sit in the chair but she was stubborn and stood facing him, after handing Olivia to Rusty. Sharon and Andy exchanged the traditional vows said in a legal union, then signed the papers binding them legally together as husband and wife.
There was laughter abound plus an eye roll from Rusty when Ricky hollered, "kiss the bride!" The newlywed couple was happy to oblige. Following the touching moment, Sharon and Andy signed the papers that changed the baby's name from Isabella Esme Beck to Olivia Jane Sharon Beck-Flynn and the ones making them her legal parents.

Rusty, Andy, and Sharon signed the papers for Andy to adopt Rusty. Then Nicole and Dean, Andy, and Sharon signed papers naming them as legal guardians of Olivia Jane Sharon Beck-Flynn, should anything catastrophic get in the way of Sharon and Andy being able to raise her. Rusty signed papers making him co-guardian with Nicole and Dean. The rest of the guests signed as witnesses.

The judge said, "I now you pronounce you man and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew and Sharon Flynn." Smiling he turned to their gathered family and friends to announce, "I would like to introduce you all to Miss Olivia Jane Sharon Beck-Flynn and Mr. Russell Thomas Beck-Flynn. Congratulations, Flynn family." Everyone clapped and gave them hugs and kisses.

Once the cake was cut and pieces were given out to everyone, Sharon made her way back to the easy chair and lowered herself into it to eat her slice. It was delicious. It was a carrot cake with cream cheese icing, her favorite.

As she ate her cake, Sharon watched Rusty who was holding his sister who had succumbed to yet another nap laying her tiny head on his shoulder, her thumb in her mouth. He swayed back and forth as he held the tiny sleeping infant, gently patting her back. She saw him kiss the top of the baby's head as she slept. Sharon smiled, with satisfied delight, thinking how far he had come. She remembered his horrified expression when she told him at Sharon Beck's request that he would be a big brother. He had vehemently insisted that the baby be put up for adoption, for her own well-being, not wanting his sibling to experience what he had while being raised by his addicted mother. Not to mention the fact that he had not wanted a child of Gary Lewis in his life. Now he loved Olivia and took care of her like a big brother should. He had grown so much since then. Of course, it helped that the baby had been adopted by her and Andy, that had helped ease his worries about the fate of his little sister. They had lost their birth mother, which would have devastated Rusty three years ago but he was taking it well now, she thought.

Sharon knew that Rusty was secure in the knowledge that he and his sister had a real family now, a relatively stable one with a mother and a father that loved them and would take care of them better than Sharon Beck ever could have. She tried not to take pride in that but it wasn't easy. Then a niggling worry came back in spite of her mother's and Andy's assurances and Nicole and Deans promise that they would raise the baby, should she not be able to. What if she wasn't going to be able to be there for them? She knew her family would step up, but she so wanted to be there herself. She bowed her head in sorrow and wiped away tears.

"Hey, Babe, for someone who just got married and adopted a beautiful little baby, you sure look sad." Said a voice behind her. A very familiar loved voice.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to spoil the mood of this wonderful day, I just keep thinking about this diagnosis and how I have everything I've ever dreamed of and some I didn't even know I wanted. I'm happier than I've ever been in my personal or professional life and it could all be taken away in a… in a hea… heartbeat."

TBC...

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