Beginnings
You've probably received a version of this in your in box at one time or another. A friend of mine thought it would make a perfect story and she's right! If you see similarities between this story and the Perry Mason story "How Well Do You Know Me?" and the GAMM Story Knowing Me, Knowing You, they are intentional.
The characters from The Bionic Woman belong to Universal and not me. I make no money off of them. Louise Wells belongs to Messyhead.
A loud squeak filled the air as Oscar Goldman sat down on the couch heavily, feeling frustrated that he had missed Jaime--again. He gingerly picked up the rubbery toy that he had just sat on and shook his head in amusement before laying it on the end table. It was starting to feel like a conspiracy, this being the third time he had missed seeing her in a place she had been just a few more minutes before. He looked around her small carriage apartment, soaking in the smells and sights of her things and couldn't help but smile. He had been trying to find away to tell Jaime Sommers that he loved her for the longest time but the fates seemed to be against him. This time he had actually asked for a few days off after this talk at the Mexican Summit (and had almost given Russ and Callahan a heart attack in the process) and had rented a car for the express purpose of driving to Ojai and finding Jaime. And of course, she was gone.
He had told Helen he had something he needed to leave for her foster daughter and of course the woman had let him in. But now that he was here, he felt silly and somewhat put out. Jaime had left 15 minutes before he had gotten here, to go on a recruitment weekend for the OSI. Which meant she was doing a favor for him. Oh, why had he suggested she do it? Why did everything, well, why did it have to turn around and bite him in the butt.
"Well, maybe it's better it turned out this way." he said aloud as he got up from his seat and headed for the refrigerator. "I'd just mess the whole damn thing up anyway. And what if I'm wrong? What if she doesn't feel the same way about me? Then I'd really feel stupid".
But as he got a bottle of Budweiser from the back of the frig, he knew that he had to tell her how he felt. If he didn't, then he could blame no one but himself when she eventually fell in love and married some other guy. And he for one was tired of kicking himself when it came to Jaime Sommers. But he couldn't call her right now and he didn't want to wait, so how?
Taking his drink, he walked over to her makeshift desk, meaning to take a look at the picture she had there of the two of them. But his gaze fell to a piece of paper lying on top of Science Made Easy, written in a fine hand.
"Jaime, just a little exercise in how well l you know me. I've included yours from me as well. You better not goof up too much. Love ya, M
Not being able to resist, he picked it up, seeing Jaime's handwriting and thinking not for the first time, that girl should really have been a doctor.
How well do you know me?
1. Where you and I first met: Sarah Baker's birthday party
2. Your first impression of me upon meeting me/seeing me: she's got the cutest pink shorts on, I've ever seen. (Hee Hee)
3. Take a stab at my middle name: Jane. I mean, really. How hard can that be when your name is Mary Jane?
4. How long you've known me: 15 years. Yeah, that's right, 15 years.
5. The last time that we saw each other: 6 months ago. It's your turn to come to Ojai next.
6. The biggest risk I ever took? Deciding to follow your heart and not your head and become an artist instead of an accountant.
7. The love of my life: the guy that is sitting beside you. (Love you MJ)
8. Am I funny? Yes!
9. My favorite type of music: Disco baby!
10. Can I sing? Only if I stuff cotton in my ears. (I really do love you)
11. The best feature about me: your caring heart
12. What do I want to do more than anything? Have your own gallery
13. What is one thing that you think I should do? Sketch the great buildings of Europe as you've always talked about.
14. How many places have I lived? Seattle, Ojai and Virginia
15. Would you call me prep, average, sporty, glamorous or something else? I would definitely call you something else! You are all of those MJ and you know it.
16. Have you ever hugged me? Lots of times.
17. My favorite food: rice in a bowl with butter and salt
18. If I were anyone other than me, who would it be? Norman Rockwell!
19. If there was one good nickname for me, it would be: Worrywart
20. Your favorite memory of me: the first day you came to see me after you thought I had died. The look on your face was priceless.
21. If you and I were stranded on a desert island, what would I bring: drawing pencils and paper.
22. What is one of my annoying habits? the way you twist your hair like you do.
23. Who are my best friends? me!
24. Where will I be in 20 years: living in an artist colony in Tahiti and painting hunky guys.
Thanks for the laughs MJ. Just makes me realize how much I miss you and how lucky I am to have you as a friend--J
Oscar read the paper over twice, shaking his head in laughter. He had only met Mary Jane Price once but he was glad that Jaime had the girl in her life. For someone like Jaime who didn't like change and had had so much of it in her life, to have the comfort of her childhood friend he knew was very important.
Well he might as well finish up his beer and then head on out. He wouldn't try to get back to DC tonight, even workaholics like himself liked to labor under a different sky every now and then. He rinsed the bottle out and placed it in her can of recyclables when suddenly he knew exactly how he could tell her how he felt about it. And he knew he better do it quickly before he chickened out.
******
Jaime arrived home happy but tired after three days of telling people how great OSI really was. But there some great prospects and she knew that any of the ones she talked too would be a great asset to the agency. "Just don't get me started on the retirement plan," she had teased one guy over dinner. Max was going around the apartment in circles making sure that every bone, ball and blanket he had hidden was still in it's place, a ritual Jaime thought was adorable. He seemed concerned that his favorite squeaky toy was missing from the couch and he came over to tell Jaime so. She had just taken off her shoes and was getting ready to call to DC and tell them that the mission had been successful.
"I doubt they got up and walked away, bud." she told him as he nosed in the corner of the stairs, thinking that it might have gotten down there some how. "I'll help you in a minute."
But Max would have none of waiting a minute. He came to his mistress, placing his nose under her hand and did his best whimper. He hadn't seen her in three days or his squeaky toy and he really felt he needed some gratification. "Ah boy." she rubbed behind his ears. "Okay, let me see where it might be. She walked over to the end table, where she found the mail that Helen had carefully placed there, her camera, which she had forgotten to take and to her amusement Max's toy. She reached over to pick it up, when she saw a piece of paper lying underneath it. It looked like the survey she had done for MJ only in Oscar's handwriting. She was intrigued. Picking it up to get a closer look, she saw that was exactly what it was. Almost absentmindedly she gave Max his toy, sitting down on the couch with the paper.
"How well do you know me?
1. Where you and I met: when you were in the recovery room right after surgery.
2. Your first impression of me upon meeting me/seeing me: she is beautiful, even through the wires and bandages.
3. Take a stab at my middle name: Olivia
4. How long you've known me: three years.
5. The last time that we saw each other: almost a month ago.
6. The biggest risk I ever took? Living willingly as a cyborg and making it look easy
7. The love of my life: That is something I'd like to discuss with you.
8. Am I funny? Yes! You have a great sense of humor
9. My favorite type of music: anything you can hum too.
10. Can I sing? I would think so.
11. The best feature about me: your sweet nature and how real you are.
12. What do I want to do more than anything? Be happy and content.
13. What is one thing that you think I should do? look upon this duffer as more than your boss.
14. How many places have I lived? Ojai, some other places for short periods of time.
15. Would you call me prep, average, sporty, glamorous or something else? sporty, beautiful.
16. Have you ever hugged me? Yes, but never enough times
17. My favorite food: I seem to recall it's Italian.
18. If I were anyone other than me, who would it be? You could never be anyone else than who you are Babe.
19. If there was one good nickname for me, it would be: flutter budget
20. Your favorite memory of me: I would never presume you had any, but I hope that you do.
21. If you and I were stranded on a desert island, what would I bring: anything you could fit into your pocketbook!
22. What is one of my annoying habits? being too beautiful for me to concentrate.
23. Who are my best friends? Helen, Jim, Max, Rudy, Callahan and please say Me.
24. Where will I be in 20 years: please allow me to say with me in our home, watching our oldest go off to college.
"Oh my God." she felt the excitement rising in her entire body, her cheeks flushed, goose bumps standing out on her skin like little soldiers. She read it through again, feeling weak as she did so. Oscar liked her. No, he didn't just like her-- he loved her. He was in love with her! Jaime Sommers. Oscar Goldman loved her and wanted her.
Hugging the paper close to her heart, she found she was smiling and couldn't stop. Leave it to Oscar to tell her that he loved her in such a unique way. Memories of being with him flashed through her mind. Why had she not paid attention? Every hug, every greeting, every word he said to her had met so much more to him, than just the causal way in which they had happened. He had done everything in the way she had wished he would and had been too busy wishing to notice. Oscar loved her as much as she loved him! She didn't need to hide it anymore. What joy. But how to answer him back? She would find the best way.
"How well do you know me?
1. Where you and I met: after bionic surgery, you came in when you thought I was asleep. I laid there and listened to you talk to Rudy.
2. Your first impression of me upon meeting me/seeing me: He seems nice, no wonder Steve is always talking about him.
3. Take a stab at my middle name: David
4. How long you've known me: Three years.
5. The last time that we saw each other: 3 very long weeks ago.
6. The biggest risk I ever took? Giving Rudy the okay for my bionics.
7. The love of my life: I'm open for that discussion anytime.
8. Am I funny? You don't know it, but you are.
9. My favorite type of music: Cole Porter, Miles Davis, and Benny Goodman
10. Can I sing? I've never heard you, but I'm sure you can.
11. The best feature about me: your ability to make anyone feel special.
12. What do I want to do more than anything? help me find my contentment, at least I hope so.
13. What is one thing that you think I should do? show me exactly how the old duffer wants me to look at him.
14. How many places have I lived? I really honestly don't know. Maybe it's something we can talk about.
15. Would you call me prep, average, sporty, glamorous or something else? Handsome.
16. Have you ever hugged me? Yes, but I didn't realize before how much it meant to me.
17. My favorite food: I'm not really sure I've seen you eat an entire meal. That's something we will need to work on.
18. If I were anyone other than me, who would it be? heaven forbid you were any one other than Oscar Goldman
19. If there was one good nickname for me, it would be: Sexy Legs.
20. Your favorite memory of me: now that I think about it, I have so many.
21. If you and I were stranded on a desert island, what would I bring: pile of paperwork.
22. What is one of my annoying habits? always thinking about that pile of paperwork.
23. Who are my best friends? Steve, Rudy, Louise,
24. Where will I be in 20 years: Right beside me, I hope, bawling our eyes out after Sam goes off to college.
How do you like my answers?
The envelope came on top of the huge pile of mail that Callahan had brought in for him, but it was the IMPORTANT stamped over it several times that caught his attention. Was it his imagination or did his secretary seemed relieved when he picked it up first and took a letter opener too it. Carefully, he slid the paper out and then he knew that she was watching him. "Nothing more to do today Callahan?" he asked her in a tone she knew meant he wasn't joking around.
"Plenty." she squeaked, taking out of the room like a scared rabbit. He couldn't help but smile. Leaning his chair back against the window, he unfolded the letter and started to read. With every word his heart beat faster and his palms became sweatier. She did feel the same way about him too! Oh thank God he had been brave enough to leave that silly exercise filled in. Because he knew at this moment it had changed his life. He read it over twice, then laid it down and picked up the phone. Just as he heard the 8th ring and was ready to hang up, he heard her voice with a cheerful "hello?"
"Babe."
It was the beginning of the best time of their lives.