Episode Forty Eight

Edisigns

"Oops, did I forget to tell you when they told me?" Walker asked, starting to laugh.

"Pregnant?" Ronnie repeated.

"Yes, Ronnie, pregnant," Summer said.

Ronnie turned to Toria. "And why haven't you fired her?" she asked.

"Because she's a beautiful young woman?" Toria replied. "And, in case you haven't noticed, we've done quite a bit of work these past few months. Enough to last us once Summer is showing too much. And, let's not forget, it's not up to you, who I do or do not fire," she added. "Now, let's everyone get back to work?"

Eric gestured to Jamie and Summer. "Go back to looking all cute and in love," he told them. To Walker and Nicole he said, "You think you can act like them?"

"We can try," Walker said, wrapping his arms around Nicole like Jamie's were around Summer. Nicole, for her part, snuggled back into his chest and reached her hands up to cover his.

"And you," Eric said, smirking at Ronnie. "Look like the jealous girl with no guy."

"What do you mean look like," Summer said, just loud enough to be heard by everyone.

Jamie started laughing and lowered his head until his forehead was laying on Summer's shoulder, his own shoulders shaking with laughter.

Eric started snapping pictures of the entire group, except for the outraged Ronnie, laughing.

HFPD

"This case is solid," Cliff assured Malcolm and Julian. "Powers is going to go down."

"Good," Julian said. "I want him to go away for good."

"Trust me, I intend to do just that," Cliff replied, shaking his head. "Most of the victims are going to testify, and Jamie's testimony is going to be played in court..."

"With the media there?" Julian asked. "Damn it, everyone will know!"

"I've talked to Jamie about this," Cliff replied. "He understands that we have to play it."

"Why? Why can't just the judge and jury see it?" Julian asked.

"Julian," Malcolm started.

Cliff held up a hand. "I know how your feeling, Julian. And I don't like it anymore than you do. But the fact is, even though the jury's sequestered, it'll help the case even more if we can get the public at large to turn on Powers. And..."

"And what?"

"If we keep this tape from being seen by reporters, seen by the public, it could be taken as the police and the DA's office supporting Powers. And I refuse to have anyone think I'd support that man," Cliff said.

Edisigns

"You ready to go?" Jamie asked as he slipped his cell into a pocket.

"Yup," Summer replied. "What's the rush?"

"Apparently my Gramma Isa sent use some packages that arrived today. They're waiting for us up at the mansion."

"Ooh, gifts from your rich grandmother," Summer said.

Jamie laughed and put an arm around her. "Promise you won't become a snob?"

"Never," Summer promised. "Now let's go!"

Jamie laughed again as they waved goodbye to Toria, who returned the wave, then left the offices and got into the elevator. "You need to stop and get anything from the store on the way home?" he asked.

Summer shook her head. "Nope," she said. "What do you thinks he sent us?"

"Probably my baby stuff that Mama and Dad left in Chicago when we moved here, maybe some of Mama's baby stuff because Gramma will be hoping for a great-granddaughter..." Jamie said as they stepped out into the parking garage and headed for the truck. "And probably some not so subtle hints."

"About what?"

"Let me put it this way, don't be surprised if you get a subscription toa bridal magazine," Jamie said, rolling his eyes. "Oh, and one of her many engagement rings might be in there, probably the one she got from Daniel. You'd think that she'd realize that if I was ever gonna proposed it would be with the ring Dad gave Mama."

"If?" Summer asked, stopping by the passenger door.

"What?" Jamie asked, confused.

"You said if you were ever going to propose," Summer clarified, her face showing hurt. "That sounds like you... like you don't want to marry me..."

"Well, not now," Jamie said. "Don't you think we need to deal with one thing we're not ready for at a time? And right now, I think the baby is the one we gotta deal with."

"But what would be so different if we were married?" Summer asked. "We live together, we sleep in the same bed, but we don't have sex... don't you think we're married in every way except legally?"

"Yeah, and my Gramma Isa's romances were great for ten years or more, until she married the guy. Then they always ended within 18 months," Jamie said. "I don't want that to happen to us. I love you too much to let that happen to us."

"Who says it will? You're not a rich old italian woman!"

"Well, no, not the last time I checked, but... I am her flesh and blood."

"Your parents were happy," Summer said.

"And that's why I'm not swearing off marriage entirely. Just... not now. I don't think we're ready for that," Jamie clarified. "I love you. And someday, I want to slip the engagement ring my dad gave my mom onto your finger, and then I want to slip a wedding ring on it."

Summer smiled and nodded, happy with that answer. "Okay."

Jamie kissed her. "In the meantime, I have something I've been trying to work up the nerve to give you. But I keep thinking you'll hate it, so..." he said, shrugging.

"Do you have it with you?"

"I've had it with me for a couple of weeks," Jamie replied. He reached into his backpack and dug out a small jewlery box. He held it up and slowly opened it, revealing a silver locket on a matching chain.

Summer gasped and carefully lifted it from the box. "It's beautiful!"

"You like it?" Jamie asked.

"I love it!" Summer replied, smiling as she held it. "Help me put it on?"

Jamie took the locket from her hand and draped it around her neck. After closing the clasp, he placed a kiss on the back of her neck. "There," he said, pulling back.

Summer smiled and looked in the side mirror, admiring the locket. "Thank you."

Jamie smiled. "Now come on, get in the car so we can get home and find out what Gramma Isa sent."

Grant Mansion

Jamie and Summer were let into the mansion by Miles, and were directed to the main living room, where they found Richard talking to Laurence. "Uncle Laurence?" Jamie asked, not expecting to se him.

"I wanted to warn you two that Catherine's planning on throwing Summer a baby shower in a few weeks. And since she tends to overdo it..."

"Aunt Catherine doesn't overdo it as much as my Gramma Isa," jamie said, spotting the pile of packages in a corner. "Please tell me those aren't all from her?"

"Sorry," Richard said, trying not to laugh.

"I'll help you get the stuff moved to your place," Laurence offered.

"Thanks," Jamie said, sighing and going over to see if he could figure out if anything was fragile.

Laurence looked over at Summer and spotted the locket. A slow smile spread across his face. "If I didn't allready know, I'd know now," he said.

"What?" Summer asked, confused.

"Didn't he tell you about the locket before he gave it to you?"

"No, he just said he'd been planning on giving it to me for weeks but thought I might not like it," Summer said. "Which is ridiculous because it's beautiful."

Laurence smiled again and gently lifted the locket to look at it. "You know that Mike and I are half brothers, that my dad wasn't Ian Bowen, right?" he asked, letting the locket rest between her collar bones again.

"Yeah, Jamie told me. Your father died when you were little, and your mother married Mike's father."

"Right. Well, Pop, that's what I always called Ian, since he was the closest thing I had. He gave the locket to Ma when they got married. And when Mike married Elizabeth, Ma gave it to him to give to her. From what Pop told me, it's been passed down through generations of Bowens. It's always given to the eldest Bowen son to give to his true and only love. And it actually says that insdie, True on the left, and Only on the right. So Jamie giving it to you... it says you're it for him. No one else." Laurence smiled again and kissed the top of Summer's head. "If we didn't allready know he loved you, we'd know now."

Summer gently ran her fingers over the locket, appreciating it, and loving it, more than she had before. She leaned against the door and watched Laurence walk over to help Jamie and Richard shift the boxes around to take them out to the truck.

End Of Episode Forty Eight