Brenda slammed down the receiver of her desk phone, cradling her head in her hands and muttering, "Shoot, shoot, shoot!" as she tried to force the rising panic back down so she could think. Her momma had just called to inform her that she and Clay were leaving for the airport and would be arriving in Los Angeles later in the day. Brenda was grateful Willie Rae hadn't been able to see the look of horror on her daughter's face when she learned of their 'Christmas surprise.'
They'd threatened to come out last year, but she'd managed to dissuade them. Now, they'd decided it was high time for a visit. Since her divorce from Fritz, her momma seemed even more concerned about her well-being, calling to check in more frequently and asking far too many questions for Brenda's liking. Brenda not flying out to Atlanta for Thanksgiving and then forgetting to return her mother's Thanksgiving call until a day later because she'd been too wrapped up with Sharon had apparently been the final straw.
Despite her best efforts, panic bubbled up to the surface. She didn't have time for this right now! They would be landing in a matter of hours and her house was a disaster. And she had a meeting with Will that started in less than an hour, so there was no time to head home now to try and make things more presentable.
Brenda hurriedly closed her door before dialing Sharon's extension, holding her breath, praying the other woman would pick up and wasn't in the middle of a reporting cycle. Sharon answered on the second ring.
"Please tell me you're not busy right now," Brenda blurted out as soon as Sharon picked up.
"Good morning to you, too, Chief," she said, largely unphased by the blonde's total lack of pleasantries when she was after something. "And I'm always busy. What—"
"My Momma just called to tell me she and Daddy were leavin' for the airport."
"Oh, I didn't realize they were taking a Christmas trip, good for them." Sharon replied cheerfully.
"NO, Sharon, it's not good. It's not good at all! It's terrible! They're comin' here! To LA! To visit me! Today!" she said, panic causing her voice to go up an octave as she spoke. "It's their 'Christmas surprise,'" she added, her voice cracking as she choked out the words.
"Okay," Sharon said slowly, "since this is clearly not a happy surprise—"
"No, it's NOT! I don't know about you, Sharon, but I cannot for the life of me think of a time when an unexpected visit from my parents has been a 'happy surprise!' And here we are wastin' time discussin' what sort of surprise it is when my house is a mess and I can't even get home to clean up because I have a stupid meetin' with Will this mornin' that starts in…forty minutes!"
Sharon waited, but nothing further came. "So…you called to ask if I was busy because…you want me to go to your house and tidy up for you before your parents arrive?" she ventured.
"...Yes?" Brenda squeaked out, biting her lip as she waited for Sharon's response.
"What time do they arrive?" she asked.
"I don't know, exactly. Momma said she was sendin' a copy of their itinerary and they were just gettin' ready to leave for the airport. The flight itself is a little over four hours," Brenda offered.
Sharon sighed, glancing at her schedule for the day. She'd have to shuffle a few things around, but she could make it work. "Okay."
"Okay?"
"Yes, Brenda. Okay," Sharon said again.
"Really?!" the blonde exclaimed in disbelief.
"Oh Sharon, thank you so much for doin' this. I'd do it myself, but you know how Will gets when I blow him off…There's a spare key on the front porch in the windowsill."
"...on the windowsill?" Sharon asked.
"No, there's a compartment in the windowsill that slides out," Brenda clarified. "Just feel around under the edge of the sill closest to the front door and you'll find it. The key's in there."
"...Okay. I'll head over there as soon as I can. Please check your email and forward me their itinerary so I know how much time I have."
"I will," Brenda nodded to her empty office, "just as soon as it comes through. Thank you again, Sharon."
"You're welcome," she couldn't exactly say it was her pleasure. "Goodbye, Chief,"
. . .
Sharon quickly made arrangements and dropped a few things off with Sergeant Elliot, letting him know she had to step out for a bit and would check in later. She made a small detour on her way to Brenda's and then spent several minutes trying to locate and open the hidden windowsill compartment, which was jammed shut. Inside, she found not only a key, but a folding "utility tool" made up of 2 or 3 tools and roughly 10 different kinds of knives, and a sealed plastic bag containing a bank card and several hundred dollars in cash. Closing the compartment, Sharon shook her head. That would be a conversation for another day. For now, she let herself into the house and took stock of the situation.
It was exactly as she'd expected. Clothing was left draped over the arm of the couch and the backs of chairs. It was unclear at first glance whether the items were dirty or clean. An empty wine glass sat out on the counter next to the sink, and the garbage can was in its usual spot in the middle of the kitchen. She noticed that the empty takeout containers had all managed to find their way into the garbage, which was something, at least. There were a few candy wrappers littering the coffee table and absolutely no Christmas decorations in sight despite the fact that Christmas was just days away.
Doing a quick walkthrough of the rest of the house to make sure no major embarrassments awaited, Sharon grabbed a pink hair tie off the bathroom counter and returned to the living room, pulling her hair into a loose, low ponytail on the way.
Thinking again, she went back to Brenda's bedroom and slipped out of her work clothes, carefully hanging them up before pulling a tank top and shorts out of Brenda's dresser to change into. There was no sense in subjecting a perfectly good suit to the rigors of house cleaning if she could avoid it.
Sharon returned to the kitchen and cleaned up the dirty dishes, scrubbed the kitchen sink, wiped out the refrigerator, and tossed anything that looked even remotely questionable. Then, she took out the garbage, tucking the empty can back under the kitchen sink. While Brenda appreciated the ease of a mid-kitchen garbage can, Sharon had a feeling her mother would not.
Next, she stripped the beds and threw in a load of laundry before setting to work cleaning the bathrooms. She scrubbed the toilets, sinks, showers, and tubs until everything was gleaming, stopping only to switch the laundry. After making up the beds with clean sheets, she headed back to the car to retrieve the two tupperware bins she'd picked up on the way over.
She checked her phone—3 text messages from Brenda, who had apparently been kept waiting in Will's office for quite some time for him to return from another meeting. Just her luck. Of course he'd made her wait rather than rescheduling. That's what she got for actually being on time to their meeting for once...Sharon could practically hear the snark dripping from the texts as she read them.
Checking the time and choosing not to respond since it seemed Brenda was now in the meeting with Chief Pope, Sharon turned her attention to the bins. Opening them and setting the lids aside, she began carefully removing various items, laying things out to examine them, humming softly in approval and occasionally shaking her head slightly and placing something back into a bin.
. . .
A little while later, clad once more in her suit, hair smoothed back into place, Sharon turned to survey the space one last time, nodding to herself before exiting the house.
All set! - S
She texted Brenda as she eased herself back into her car, the mostly-empty bins in the back seat waiting to be dropped off at the storage unit. If her back and arms were a little sore, it was a small price to pay. She smiled to herself and hoped Brenda would be ok with the little additions she'd made to her space.
Sharon was just pulling back into the parking lot when her phone rang. It was Brenda.
As it turned out, Chief Pope had ordered Brenda and her team to help Robbery/Homicide canvas a neighborhood and interview possible witnesses in the hope of getting their case wrapped up before the holiday and avoiding overtime.
Brenda had tried to finagle her way out of it, but to no avail. She'd caught a ride with one of the guys since she had no idea where they were going and didn't want to end up getting lost, but it was all taking much longer than expected. And now, since she didn't have her own car, she had no way to leave to pick up her parents at the airport. And she was so sorry, but could Sharon please do it?
Sharon sighed heavily. She'd have to call Sergeant Elliot again. She clearly wasn't going to get any more work done today…
The new plan was for Sharon to pick Brenda's parents up from the airport and then, if Brenda and her team still weren't on their way back yet, she would swing by and pick Brenda up as well, taking everyone to Brenda's house. While Clay & Willie Rae unpacked and settled in, Sharon would take Brenda back to work so she could finish things up and then head home in her own car.
. . .
Sharon pulled into Brenda's driveway for the second time that day, this time with a car-full of Johnsons in tow. After helping Clay and Willie Rae with their luggage, she hung back allowing Brenda to lead them into the house.
The breathy, "Oh Sharon," that escaped Brenda's mouth like a whispered prayer when she opened the door went unnoticed by Willie Rae, who stepped past her and immediately began cooing in approval at the sight before her.
Soft lights and decorations dotted the space—nothing over-the-top, just enough to lend a warm, festive air to Brenda's normally sparsely decorated place. A hint of garland, a table runner and matching napkins, a candle and pine cone arrangement on the counter in the guest bathroom. Brenda even caught the faint scent of evergreen, although she couldn't identify where it was coming from.
"I hope you don't mind," Sharon said quietly as she walked up behind Brenda. "I tried not to get too carried away."
"Oh Sharon, it's perfect!" Brenda responded, blinking back moisture as she turned and embraced her girlfriend. "Thank you. How did you ever manage to do all this?"
Sharon just smiled, shrugging one shoulder, "I've been told I have a sense of occasion."
"Brenda Leigh?"
They hadn't discussed it, but based on the way Brenda lept back at the sound of her mother's voice, Sharon assumed Brenda had not yet said anything to her parents about them dating.
Brenda scurried down the hall to see what her mother needed and then popped into her own room to change into flats. She stopped for a minute to admire the small angel Sharon had placed on top of her dresser before heading back to the living room, where Sharon was now standing, her hip leaned against one arm of the couch.
"Everything alright?" she asked when the blonde reappeared.
Brenda nodded, smiling, still thinking about the angel.
"There are some groceries in the fridge, too," Sharon said, nodding her head toward the kitchen and watching Brenda's face transform from the smile to panic to relief. Groceries clearly hadn't even crossed the woman's mind. "Nothing extravagant, just the basics," she added.
"Ooh, I could just kiss you!" Brenda said quietly, glancing toward the hallway. She leaned in and gave Sharon a quick peck on the cheek, not willing to risk anything more with her parents mere yards away.
"Momma, Daddy?" She called as she stepped toward the hallway once more. "Sharon's gonna bring me back to work now. I just need to quick finish up a couple things and I'll be back home in two shakes!"
"Brenda Leigh," her mother said in a warning tone.
"I know, Momma, but I mean it this time. I just have to check in and make sure everyone's got what they need and then I'll come straight home. I promise."
"I'll make sure she doesn't stay too long, Mrs. Johnson," Sharon chimed in, smiling politely.
"Sharon, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Willie Rae?" the older woman scolded gently.
Sharon's cheeks colored slightly, "We'll send Brenda back home to you as soon as possible, Willie Rae." Willie Rae beamed approvingly at Sharon, while Brenda's smile faltered ever-so-slightly at the news she wouldn't be able to hide out at work any longer than strictly necessary this time.
Sharon hesitated, darting another glance in Brenda's direction before deciding to go ahead with what she had planned. "I would also like to invite the three of you over for dinner tomorrow night, if you're free," she said, looking from one woman to the other. "I don't want to intrude on your family time, but—"
"That sounds lovely, Sharon. Thank you for the invitation," Brenda jumped in before her mother could respond. "We can discuss the details on the way back to the office. Bye, Momma, I'll be back just as soon as I can," Brenda grabbed her bag and made a beeline for the door, hurrying Sharon along in front of her, "Bye now!"
. . .
Brenda sat in silence until they were several blocks away from her house and Sharon had turned a corner.
"Pull over."
"What?" Sharon asked.
"Pull over," Brenda said again.
"Why—"
"Here. Just do it, Sharon…Please?"
Confused, Sharon pulled the car over and put it in park. She turned to ask another question and was met with Brenda's lips on hers. She froze, surprised, but then melted into the kiss with a sigh.
"What was that for?" Sharon asked when the blonde finally pulled back.
"I've been wantin' to do that ever since you picked me up, but especially for the last twenty minutes," Brenda said and Sharon continued to fix her with a questioning gaze until she continued.
"For all of it...for droppin' everythin' to go clean up my house, for pickin' my parents up at the airport, for pickin' me up, for decoratin' and makin' my place look so nice. You even bought groceries, for cryin' out loud. You really are somethin' else, Sharon Raydor," she said, leaning in for another quick kiss before settling back into her seat and buckling her seatbelt again.
Sharon chuckled, shaking her head, and put the car back in drive. "I gather you haven't told your parents anything about…us?" Sharon asked, but it was more of a statement than a question.
Brenda turned to look out the passenger window, chewing nervously on her lip.
"It's okay," Sharon reached over and found Brenda's hand, squeezing gently. "Really. I just need to know what you've told them so I don't say or do the wrong thing."
Brenda looked over at her, still chewing her lip as Sharon continued, "Your mother was so excited she carried the conversation almost entirely by herself on the way to pick you up, which helped considerably."
"That's Momma for you." Brenda's smile quickly turned to a frown, "I'm sorry, Sharon, I really am. I just…"
"Brenda, I said it was okay and I meant it," the brunette said, her thumb running over the back of the younger woman's hand reassuringly. "This is all still very new and they just showed up more or less unannounced. What have you told them?"
"That we're…friends," Brenda said. "Close friends. I tell them about some of the stuff we do together when Momma asks what I've been up to. I've talked about you quite a bit, actually. And they know I spent time with you and your family over Thanksgivin'."
"Okay, that's helpful, thank you," Sharon paused. "I hope I didn't…overstep by inviting them to dinner tomorrow," she ventured tentatively.
"Heavens, no!" Brenda exclaimed. "What on Earth am I supposed to do with them for a whole week, Sharon?! I love my parents, but if I have to spend that much time alone with them and we don't pick up a case, your sergeant may get a call about an officer involved shootin'."
"Hmmm," she hummed, "I thought you might appreciate having a structured activity to help pass the time."
"What time would you like us there?" Brenda asked.
"Around 6:30pm?" Sharon suggested. "It won't be anything fancy. Bring a bottle of wine if you'd like. Otherwise, just bring yourselves. Oh, and while I'm thinking of it, you might want to stop on your way home today to pick up some food for you and your parents. I don't think they've eaten anything since they left Atlanta this morning and while there are ingredients in the fridge, and I'm sure your mother would be happy to cook for you, it might be a nice gesture to give her the day off from cooking. She'll have plenty of time to spoil you starting tomorrow morning."
Brenda nodded and started running through her mental list of takeout restaurants. Sharon was much better at this whole parent thing than she was…
. . .
The doorbell rang at 6:02pm, catching Sharon slightly by surprise given the blonde's normal…challenges with punctuality. Luckily, she'd gotten off work on time, so everything was on track. Still in her apron, she smiled brightly and opened the door to greet her guests. Clay and Willie Rae entered first and Brenda shot Sharon an apologetic look behind their backs.
"I'm sorry, Sharon. I tried, but Momma wouldn't stand for waitin' any longer."
Sharon smiled and reached out to squeeze Brenda's arm affectionately, "Why don't you get your parents a drink?" She turned to her guests, "Clay, Willie Rae, please make yourselves at home," she said, gesturing toward the living room, "Dinner will be ready shortly."
"Thank you, dear. You have a lovely home," Willie Rae replied.
Clay parked himself in one of the chairs in the living room, while Willie Rae made her way around the space, stopping to look at things here and there as she went. She noticed that some of Sharon's decorations looked suspiciously similar to those she'd seen at her daughter's house—almost as if they were part of the same set.
As she moved around the room, she took in the art prints, some pictures of Sharon with a young man and woman who Willie Rae assumed must be her children, and a picture of Sharon and Brenda dressed up on Halloween. She stopped when she reached Sharon's desk and her eyes landed on a picture of the two women. She glanced to see that both Sharon and Brenda were occupied in the kitchen before picking it up to examine it more closely.
It was one that Ricky had taken over Thanksgiving weekend after their brunch. The two women were clad in comfortable lounge clothes with messy hair and no make-up. Sharon had declined pie, still too stuffed from brunch, but Brenda had insisted and was trying to get Sharon to eat some too—at least a few bites, anyway. Both of them too stubborn to back down, they'd made a huge mess, Sharon ending up with pie in her lap, on her face (most of which Brenda had kissed off again aside from a small smear on her cheek), and even some in both of their hair. Brenda also had a blob of ice cream dripping down the front of her shirt. Ricky and Emily, who had been in the other room, had come running back to see what the commotion was about.
After a brief pause at being caught mid-food-fight, the two women had dissolved into giggles. There had been a moment when they'd stopped to catch their breath, their heads bowed close together, lost in each other's gaze, cheeks rosy and eyes sparkling with a combination of mirth and affection, and Ricky couldn't help but snap a picture. He'd sent a copy to Sharon later, which had gone a long way toward getting him out of the dog house. It was one of her favorite pictures of the two of them and she'd immediately printed a copy, which now sat in a simple frame on her desk.
Willie Rae raised her eyebrows and set the frame carefully back in its place on the desk, moving to the couch to take a seat and wait for Brenda to return with their drinks. She watched her daughter move around her friend's kitchen with surprising ease considering how little time she seemed to spend in her own. Watched them seek each other out, almost without thought, as they went about their tasks, hands connecting with arms or shoulders in passing.
When Brenda joined them a few minutes later, Willie Rae gave her daughter a strange smile and accepted the proffered beverage with a, "Thank you, dear." Brenda paused, perplexed by her mother's expression, but she quickly shook it off as Sharon called for her again from the kitchen.
. . .
Dinner started off fairly well, Sharon asking Clay and Willie Rae about Atlanta, laughing to the point of tears as they told a few stories about Brenda as a child. Willie Rae asked about Sharon's children, and Sharon beamed as she spoke about them, Brenda chiming in when their recent Thanksgiving visit came up.
"Will either of them be joining you for Christmas?" Willie Rae asked.
"No, not this year," Sharon replied, smiling sadly.
"That's a shame," Clay said. "Children ought to be with their family for the holidays," he added, looking pointedly in Brenda's direction.
Brenda averted her eyes, giving her full attention to shoving a hunk of buttered roll into her mouth. She felt Sharon's hand on her leg under the table and relaxed slightly, missing the warmth as soon as the hand was withdrawn to rest in its owner's lap again.
"Emily is dancing in the Nutcracker, so she's staying in New York to finish out the run, and Ricky is spending Christmas with his father this year," Sharon added by way of explanation. "I'll miss them, but I just had them here with me for Thanksgiving and it was wonderful to have them both home at the same time. I really can't complain."
"You haven't spoken much about their father, dear, are you two divorced?" Willie Rae inquired.
"Now, Momma—"
Sharon's hand landed on the younger woman's forearm, her thumb running gently across it once before she caught herself and pulled away again, the gesture not going unnoticed by Willie Rae as she waited for the brunette's response.
Sharon had never really been one for public displays of affection. It had made her self-conscious and uncomfortable whenever Jack had forced it, that part of their relationship feeling too private, too intimate for public spaces. But after the excessive PDA that was Ricky's payback, things had shifted. It was as if going so far over the top in a safe space had helped her find a better balance, a middle ground. She was trying to watch herself with Clay and Willie Rae visiting, but it was difficult now that she was accustomed to a certain level of physical contact with the blonde.
Sharon cleared her throat, "Their father and I separated years ago, but our marriage was recently annulled."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."
"Really, there's no need. It's been over for a long time, this was just a formality."
"So, Captain Sharon, here, is single," Clay said, turning to Willie Rae. "Aren't some of Brenda Leigh's detectives single, too?"
Sharon's cheeks colored and she shot Brenda a look. That wasn't what she'd said at all. She was most certainly not single and didn't want to mislead them, but she also wasn't sure how to correct them without causing more issues. The last thing she wanted was for Brenda's parents to try to set her up with someone from Brenda's squad…
"Oh, no, I'm—"
"Now, Clay," Willie Rae scolded. "It's okay, dear, our Brenda Leigh's in the same boat," she said, patting Sharon's hand. "It must be hard for you ladies, your work doesn't seem to leave you much time for…other pursuits. But it's so nice that you two have each other, isn't it Clay?"
Clay grunted agreement, only half paying attention as he tried to catch the sports scores flashing across the bottom of the TV screen out of the corner of his eye.
Sharon didn't know Brenda's parents well enough yet to say—her father certainly seemed oblivious—but the way Willie Rae was looking at her, she was starting to wonder whether the woman might be more observant than her daughter gave her credit for.
"Hmmm, yes, it can be difficult to find a balance sometimes, our jobs are demanding and unpredictable, but we do try. Speaking of which," Sharon added, seizing an opportunity to steer the conversation in a different direction, "as long as the officers of the LAPD behave themselves, I'm planning to go to a Christmas Eve church service tomorrow evening. I recently changed churches, so I'm not familiar with their Christmas service, but you and Clay are welcome to join me if you'd like."
"Oooh, that sounds lovely, doesn't it, Clay?"
"Hmmm?" Clay had been craning his head to try and see the TV and had lost track of the conversation.
"Sharon's invited us to church with her tomorrow evening, doesn't that sound nice?"
"I always like the Christmas service," he said, smiling broadly. "Usually a bit on the crowded side, though. All those people who only bother showin' up here an' there on holidays. No time for the Lord the rest of the year..." he drifted off with a scowl, shaking his head. Willie Rae waved him off.
"Wonderful," Sharon smiled at the older woman. "Why don't I plan to stop by and pick you up? I don't know whether Brenda will be able to join us or not, her division has a lot to wrap up yet before the holiday," she added, trying to give her girlfriend an out.
"Nonsense, dear! Brenda's comin' with us, too, aren't you Brenda Leigh?"
"Of course I want to, Momma. I just don't know yet what time I'll be able to get away. And I wouldn't want to hold y'all up," Brenda replied, blinking her brown doe eyes at her mother with a look of sincerity that Sharon almost believed. Almost. "I'll try to be home in time, but just to be on the safe side, I think it'd be best for Sharon to come pick us all up here. Just in case."
. . .
As it turned out, things had remained quiet in both their divisions and Brenda had been able to join them for the Christmas Eve service after all. It had been a really nice service. Different from St. Joseph's, which Sharon had expected, but familiar enough to provide comfort and help make the Christmas season feel complete.
Sharon was grateful to have found the new church. The first one she'd visited had been so new-age-y it hadn't even felt like church. The people there were nice enough, it just wasn't what she was looking for.
The second one had claimed to be open, but there didn't seem to be any same-sex couples in the congregation, and she and Brenda had received a few looks while holding hands that left them feeling less than welcome.
The third one seemed to be the charm after all. A gay couple who'd been seated a few pews in front of them had approached the two of them after the service. They'd introduced themselves and chatted briefly before Sharon had gotten called in and they'd had to make their excuses. The Christmas Eve service had only been her second time there, but it felt like a good fit and Sharon knew she would be back again as soon as her schedule allowed.
On Sunday, Sharon found herself once again at church with Clay and Willie Rae, this time without their daughter in tow. After the service, as Sharon was trying to maneuver them through the crowd and out of the building, one of the men she and Brenda had met during their first visit waved to Sharon and made his way over to say hello.
"Hey! Sharon, right?" he said, extending a hand in greeting.
"Hi, yes. Good memory!" she greeted him with a smile.
"Where's your—"
"My friend, Brenda?" Sharon interrupted, cutting him off before he got them both into trouble. "Oh, she couldn't make it today, she had to work. These are her parents, Clay and Willie Rae Johnson. This is—"
"Julian," he supplied, cutting her off this time. "Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson," he said politely, shaking both of their hands.
"Likewise," they said in tandem.
"They just flew out from Atlanta to surprise Brenda for Christmas!" Sharon said brightly, her eyebrows raised, posture stiff, giving him a look she hoped he picked up on.
"Sure did," said Clay with a broad smile. "That girl never stops workin', even when we're here, so we figured we'd just pick a time and then we called let her know when we were on our way to the airport."
"Oh wow! It sounds like it was a big surprise!" Julian's eyes flickered in understanding as he looked back to Sharon.
"It certainly was!" Sharon agreed, glad he'd caught on. Clay and Willie Rae beamed beside them.
"Were you here for the Christmas Eve service the other night?" Julian asked and Sharon nodded. "I thought I might have seen you, but I blinked and you were gone. It was so packed I thought I might have imagined it."
"Hmmm, yes, it was a bit crowded, but it was a lovely service," Sharon said with a genuine smile. "Well, we should be going. We're stopping by Brenda's work to drop off a few things," she added, looking to her companions and then back to Julian. "Please say hello to Lance as well."
"I will," Julian said with a nod before turning to Clay and Willie Rae, "I hope you enjoy the rest of your visit. And Sharon, we look forward to seeing more of you and Brenda in the new year. I'm sure Lance would love to hear all about the visit," he added with a knowing smirk.
Sharon smiled back at him awkwardly and then turned to lead the Johnsons back to her car.
"What a nice young man," Willie Rae said as they stepped outside, looping her arm through Sharon's as they descended the steps. "Easy on the eyes, too."
"Hmmm," Sharon hummed neutrally, schooling her features. She wasn't sure whether the not-so-subtle implication was genuine or if Willie Rae was fishing. "Brenda and I met Julian and his husband Lance the first time we came here," Sharon clarified, hoping to curb any potential matchmaking fantasies that might be forming in Willie Rae's mind and to gauge their reactions to the new information. "They were among the first people to introduce themselves and welcome us to the church."
Clay's expression remained rather stony, while Willie Rae responded with an enigmatic, "Oh, I see," patting Sharon's arm as they made their way to the car. Sharon wasn't entirely sure whether the gesture was meant as a consolation since Julian was out of the running to be either her or Brenda's 'beau' or if it was some sort of unspoken acknowledgement, the older woman proving much more difficult to read than her daughter.
. . .
When they arrived at Parker Center, Sharon did her best to avoid accompanying Brenda's parents to the Murder Room. She'd sent off a warning text to Brenda before they'd left the church, but it was unclear whether she'd seen it yet since there had been no response.
"Why don't you two go ahead and I'll catch up with you," Sharon suggested. "I need to go check on a few things in my own division. I can meet you back here in a bit."
"Don't be silly, Sharon," Willie Rae responded, waving off the ridiculous suggestion. "Brenda Leigh would be disappointed if you didn't stop in to say hello with us. Besides, we need your help to carry in all the presents. Here," she said when they reached the elevator, removing a headband with a miniature Santa hat on it from her own head and placing it on Sharon's, fussing with it until it sat just so. "Now, that's better," she beamed proudly at her handiwork.
Sharon's eyes widened in surprise, but she was too paralyzed by shock to say anything and then the damage was done. She couldn't take it off and give it back now even if she wanted to, her arms full of presents for Brenda's team. She glanced over to see Clay grinning ear-to-ear, before her gaze shifted to the larger, matching Santa hat covering his own head. She couldn't believe this was happening…
"Yoohoo! Merry Christmas, everyone!" Willie Rae announced as she and Clay entered the room, Sharon following reluctantly behind.
"Well, this is a surprise! Merry Christmas, Clay, Willie Rae," Lieutenant Provenza said, walking over to shake their hands. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"
Hearing the commotion, Brenda and Chief Pope emerged from her office to find out what was going on.
Sharon tried to make herself as small as possible to remain hidden behind Clay's larger form, but that didn't last long, as Willie Rae waved her forward so she could begin distributing packages. "Come here, dear. That's it, come on."
Pope's eyes widened when he saw Sharon, taking in the tiny Santa hat, the presents, and her uncharacteristic attire before schooling his features somewhat and clearing his throat.
"Captain Raydor," he said with a perplexed smile, "I didn't expect to see you here today."
Andy Flynn stifled a chuckle, almost feeling sorry for the Captain—almost—knowing firsthand what it was like to be caught up in the Johnson family's exploits. He crossed his arms and shifted the toothpick to the other side of his mouth as he waited to see how this played out.
"Chief Pope," Sharon replied, nodding curtly. The sharp movement caused her tiny Santa hat to shift slightly, reminding her of the ridiculous situation in which she currently found herself. "I'm just…uh…" she floundered, her mask slipping slightly, betraying her discomfort.
After her initial surprise, Brenda's eyes traveled over Sharon's form. The brunette was wearing a deep purple belted dress with a gentle a-line skirt, a soft cardigan, and what Brenda had begun to refer to as Sharon's "church heels," which were significantly lower than the ones she normally wore to work. Her jewelry was simple yet classy, her make-up soft, her hair falling in loose curls around her face.
Brenda's heart did a little flip when her eyes registered the tiny Santa hat atop Sharon's head. Her cheeks were slightly flushed and Brenda could tell she wanted nothing more than to shove her hands in her pockets, turn around, and leave, but she was stuck for the moment, her arms filled with wrapped gifts. Brenda was brought out of her thoughts and back to the conversation at hand when her mother replied to Will's earlier comment.
"Of course she's here, where else would she be?" Willie Rae said incredulously. "We came straight from church and like I already told her, it just wouldn't be right for Brenda's friend not to accompany us when we stopped in to say hello and drop off presents."
Looks of shock and horror passed through the group, people mouthing 'church' and 'friend' to one another while Sharon's cheeks turned a deeper shade of crimson. Brenda looked from Sharon to her mother and back, unable to meet the eyes of her team, her own cheeks sporting a similar coloration, while Chief Pope sputtered, choking on the sip of coffee he'd just taken.
"Brenda's friend?" he inquired, not quite sure whether he'd heard the older woman correctly.
"Yes, Brenda's friend Sharon," Willie Rae said matter-of-factly, placing a hand on Sharon's arm for emphasis, seemingly oblivious to the confusion her declaration had caused.
Spurred to action by the quiet snickers and pointed looks her team was sharing, Brenda stepped forward and hurriedly began helping with the present distribution.
"Well, let's not keep everyone waitin', Momma," Brenda said in a too-bright voice, a tight smile plastered on her face.
Once the presents were handed out and the unwrapping had begun, Brenda shot Sharon a look and disappeared into her office, closing the door and the blinds.
Moments later, Sharon's cell phone rang. She saw the caller ID and immediately picked up.
"Raydor!"
"What on Earth—Sharon, how did you let this happen?!"
Sharon pressed the phone more firmly to her ear and strode off toward the break room.
"What do you mean how did I let this happen," she hissed, "have you met your mother?! Can you say 'No' to her?!" When she was met with silence, Sharon continued, "I had no intention of showing up at work today, let alone handing out presents to my friend Brenda's team. Wearing a Santa hat. In front of my boss!"
Sharon was pacing around the break room now, picking up steam as she went. "When I picked them up for church this morning, they loaded everything into the car before I could even ask what was happening. And when I finally did ask, your mother informed me we would be stopping by Parker Center afterward to drop a few things off." Sharon sighed, "I tried to stay in the car, I tried saying I needed to check in on FID instead, but your mother had an answer for everything. What was I supposed to do?! There was no way out of it without being rude…" She raised a hand to run it through her hair only to drop it again in irritation when she made contact with the Santa hat. "I texted to warn you before we drove over…"
Brenda tried to interject, but Sharon continued, "I also had the pleasure of navigating the minefield of casual conversation between your parents and our new church friends after this morning's service." Brenda let out a strangled groan.
"It was a post-Christmas miracle that Julian caught on when he did and didn't end up saying anything that would lead to further questions. There's a follow-up conversation to be had with them once your parents are safely back in Atlanta," Sharon added.
"Oooh, I knew it!. We got lucky at Christmas with so many other people there, but takin' 'em twice in less than a week was pushin' it."
"What was I supposed to do, Brenda, refuse to take them even though they knew I was going? They had such a nice time on Christmas Eve, I couldn't exactly turn around and say they wouldn't like it. Since you seem to have all the answers today, please, tell me what I should have done," she snapped.
"Sharon?" Willie Rae called, knocking on the door.
"I have to go, your mother is calling for me," Sharon whispered, hanging up without another word.
"Oooh!" Brenda huffed, stomping her foot as she looked at her phone. Sharon was right, of course. She wouldn't have done anything differently herself, other than maybe not taking them to church in the first place. Still, Sharon had been nothing but gracious and helpful, extending invitations and keeping her parents occupied during their visit, which had gone a long way to keeping Brenda sane. Brenda honestly didn't know how she would have gotten through this without her. She sighed, her frustration from minutes ago waning.
Brenda opened her text messages and typed out a note.
Back in the Murder Room, Sharon watched Brenda's squad hold up various hand-knitted items, forced smiles plastered on their faces as Clay and Willie Rae beamed. Chief Pope was thankfully nowhere to be found. She looked down at her phone when she heard it ding and couldn't help the small smile that pulled at the corners of her mouth when she read Brenda's message.
You look very nice today, by the way - B
Thank you. So do you - S
That Santa hat really suits you ; ) - B
Her smile turned into a frown as she read the second message. Sharon resisted the urge to reach up and remove the offending object from her head, instead locking her phone and dropping it more forcefully than necessary into her purse.
She moved back over to where Willie Rae was talking with Lieutenant Provenza, who was holding a very…interesting hand-knitted sun hat. Stifling a snort, she joined the conversation, placing a hand on the older woman's shoulder.
"You know, Willie Rae, as fun as this has been, I think it might be time to let everyone get back to work. The sooner they make some headway, the sooner Brenda will be able to get home." A look of relief washed over the Lieutenant's face at the out Sharon was offering.
"Ah, yes, that's right, Captain. We'll do our best to send the Chief home as soon as we can. And thank you again for the hat, Willie Rae. It's…one-of-a-kind."
"Hmmm," Sharon hummed. "It certainly is, Lieutenant. I'm sure you'll be able to make good use of it when you're out in the field," she added with a smirk before turning to Willie Rae. "Why don't you go get Clay and we'll pick up some lunch on the way home, my treat. Afterward, maybe we can leave him to his TV and you and I can do a little shopping?" Sharon suggested, sharing one more look with Provenza as she steered Willie Rae across the room to where Clay was talking with Lieutenant Tao—or, rather, the other way around.
Sharon reached into her bag once more and retrieved her phone. Still ignoring Brenda's last message, Sharon sent another text off to the blonde.
We're heading out now to grab some lunch and then I'm going to take your mother shopping. You're welcome. - S
Brenda's only response was a heart emoji.
I know you're in the middle of a case, but please try to make it home at a reasonable hour. They're only here for one more day… - S
And I have to work tomorrow, so I can't entertain them, but they'll need time to pack. Can you get them to the airport this time? - S
Sharon shook her head when the thumbs up emoji was all that came back. Brenda was clearly immersed in her case and not at all focused on what was happening with her parents. Sharon resolved to call her later to remind her to go home and to make sure there was a plan to get the Johnson's safely on their way back to Atlanta...