Sorry for the delay but life has been chaotic between that infection i caught and then that big paper and presentation i had to hand back for grad school. Anyway, presentation and paper were turned in tomorow so noooowwww back to writing and posting mouhahah Well until this weekend that i go in holidays ahah

Thanks for your messages that really warm my heart and your suggestions that trigger my imagination.

More than anything, Thanks to TheShadowsEdge for her help, her kindness and for betaing everything so you don't hurt your eyes too much !


Ricky

He was grumbling to himself, not really mad but quite unhappy to be spending his Saturday afternoon helping his mother's boyfriend to move in with her. He had nothing against the man, quite the contrary but this wasn't what he considered a nice weekend. At least Andy had downsized a lot and except for a few boxes and furniture, there wasn't much to move into the condo. It would only take them one trip with all their cars so that wasn't half bad either. He knew he was being a bit of a brat so he went to the garage in hope of calming himself and finding his niceness back. When he opened the door, he found Rusty there. Too bad for his very much needed solitude.

"Ah, you're here." Said his younger brother, barely casting a glance towards him. "Andy said he has a gift for Mom here and he wants us to bring it discreetly at the condo…" Started to laughed Rusty when he stopped to scream "What the Hell?!"

Undoubtedly attracted by Rusty's yelling, Andy came into the garage nearly jogging. "Shhh" He said, pointing his index finger on his lips. "Remember, it's a surprise for your Mom." He added, his eyes getting big as he tried to convey the need for secrecy and silence.

"You're not serious, right? You can't really think we're going to help you move that, for OUR MOM?!" Replied the youngest Raydor, his voice getting progressively louder until he was screaming, his face red, his gaze a mix of hurt and hate. Without even waiting for Andy to speak back, he left the room, slamming the door behind him. In the meantime, Ricky had come closer, investigating what had caused his little brother's outburst. Against the wall stood a big white box. At first glance, it seemed rather inconspicuous. Looking more closely, it displayed a photo of a macrame swing chair. There was a woman sitting in it, a man standing shirtless between her open legs. His hands were on her hips, holding her to him while she had her head thrown back, in obvious pleasure.

Ricky couldn't contain his laughter. "You're not serious, right?!" He tried to appear serious while looking at Andy. "I'm not helping you give that to my mother." His mother had, for years, told him the Tales of Proflynnza and he was quite sure that that gift had none of the sex intentions that his brother thought it held. He just wanted to have a little bit of fun at his expense.

"What? WHAT?!" Asked an agitated Andy Flynn, his arms flapping in the air like a weird bat.

"You know I don't get easily offended but that's my mother we're talking about. You can't really believe I'd help you with that?!" He demanded, trying to appear still serious.

Andy had passed the point of agitation, stopped pacing all together and seemed deflated like a balloon. "I… I don't understand." He said, letting himself fall on the two small concrete steps leading to the kitchen, his head hitting the wooden door with more noise than hurt.

Ricky took the man in pity. and certainly did not want him to have a stroke. That would not play well with his mother. He did not see himself explaining this one out : "Hey Mom, glad you're finally happy and in love. BTW I killed your boyfriend playing a bad joke on him. 'kay bye!" No, that would not do. He sat on the broken fishing chair that was still open next to the stairs. "Why did you buy it, Andy?"

"Because I wanted to give her a nice gift, something new for her to have when I move in and remind us both of the good times we spent at my place." Andy had an honest and eager smile on his face while he talked to his son in law, earning a little bit more of his gratitude. He ran a hand into his jean's pocket and pulled out his phone. He clicked a few times on it before showing it to Ricky. "Look how beautiful she is." On the screen, appeared a candid shot of Sharon. She was sitting on an old wooden swing held back to a tree by two cords that had seen better days. She was only wearing a baby blue shirt, the owner of said shirt leaving no doubts in Ricky's head. She held a mug in one hand and a book in the other, the paperback resting against her bent knee. One of her feet was on the swing, the other one was grazing the grass. Her long hair seemed even redder than usual, illuminated by a few rays of light coming through the leaves. She had pulled it over one shoulder, baring the one closer to the camera.

"She is beautiful." Said the young man at a loss of words. She truly was. She was a vision, ethereal and like out of a magazine. "Can I suggest a pair of pants the next time you want to photograph her?" He asked with a wink.

Both men chuckled. Andy got up and put a hand on Ricky's shoulder. "So, now.." He did not get to ask what the whole thing had been about when Sharon burst into the garage, demanding what was going on.

Andy's hand around her waist, her head leaning against but not completely resting against his shoulder, she looked with shiny eyes at the swing. "You didn't?!" She asked, a big smile illuminating her face.

"Are you happy? Do you like it?" asked her boyfriend, a similar dopey smile on his face.

"Oh I love it, Andy!" She planted a kiss on his cheek, mindful of her son. The young man had never seen that happy. She had been happy with them, of course, but it was a different kind of happiness. She wass practically glowing with it. He was glad she had finally found someone who saw what a wonderful person she was and who was willing to do everything he could to make her a little bit more happy everyday. She turned to him suddenly and he felt his cheek warm under her suspicious eyes. "So what was all the screaming and banging about? And where is Rusty?"

"Oh Mom, you know how your little boy has his mind in the gutter?" Asked Ricky, placing one arm around his mother's shoulders.

"Are you talking about you or your brother?" She asked with a smirk.

"Let's be honest, all of us." She tilted her head slightly, noticing him that she'd like to have the end of that story before the end of times. "Rusty thought it was a sex swing."

"A sex swing?! It's not a sex swing!" The Lieutenant nearly screamed, getting agitated once more. He paced along the garage before coming back to where his family stood. He contemplated the displayed picture on the box before adding. "Now that you say it.."

Sharon moved closer to him, snuggling into his side. She took her turn looking at it. "Oh I can totally see it. Maybe we should put it in our room instead of the terrace. That's where you wanted to put it, right?" Andy could only nod, wanting to see how far she'd go. "Plus the doctor said you had to exercise more gently. It would be good for us both, I'm kind of tired of always being on top…"

"Oh My GOOOD, Moooom!" Whined the young man, covering his ears with his palms. "I can't believe you would say something like that in front of me. Do you really want to spend all your salary on psychotherapy rather than on shopping?"

"He's right." Said the couple at the same time, looking into each other's eyes. "I guess we'll have to place it on the terrace." She said loudly. "And continue to make love everywhere except in it." She said in a low tone, meant for Andy only, who laughed out loud before going in search of Rusty.