The characters from The Bionic Woman belong to Universal and NBC and I'm sure someone else I don't know about. I make no money off of them, but just enjoy using them for my purposes. Louise Wells belong to Messyhead and is used with permission.
For Lola and Heidi and everyone at the Bionic Project.
The door to Lord and Taylor's swung open a bit too easily and Jaime reminded herself, not for the first time, that she needed to calm down. She was more than used to her bionic limbs after all this time, but when she was excited she did tend to forget to be careful. She looked around hoping that no one else had seen her almost remove the heavy door from the hinges and when satisfied moved on. She was headed for the men's department.
The directory said her destination was the 2nd floor and she made her way to the elevator, smiling at the young man who kept the door open for her. "Men's Department, please." she said in a voice that sounded to calm to be hers. The piped in music was appropriate for the coming holiday and she found herself humming to White Christmas. If everything went well, this year she might actually see snow on the day. The weatherman had been saying for a week now that there was a 40% chance of snow on the 25th.
The lift door opened and Jaime stepped out into the softly polished floor. Taking a deep breath, the smell of leather and aftershave filled her nostrils and she let it wash over her. She could still remember the first time her mother had taken her shopping for her dad in the men's department. Only seven years old, she had fallen in love with the sights and smells that were associated with the member of the opposite sex. On that occasion they had bought her father a wallet. She could still remember the look on his face when he had opened it and found her picture inside saying he was glad to see the wallet company had found out that she was the most beautiful girl in the world. She had laughed and laughed at that and he had given her such a big hug. She ran a hasty hand over the unbidden tears and headed for a display of coats. They were all wool and looked so good, like a man was already in them. But is this what she was looking for?
She had gone into this expedition with delight and trepidation. Over the years she had bought Oscar a number of Christmas gifts but this year, yes, this year it was different. Because this year the gift could be different. It wasn't just a 'you're the best boss' kind of gift or "thanks for being a friend" kind of gift. No. This year she had the right to buy him something more intimate, something a lover would give. This year the gift could tell him exactly what she thought about him. And she didn't want to blow it.
He would look good in one of the coats she thought. And he needed a new one. But would he think the gift was too personal? Or maybe not personal enough. Would it make him feel like a little boy getting a present from his mother? Or a long married man getting a practical gift from his equally long married wife? She didn't want to risk either one of those.
She moved on to the underwear section, smiling that she now knew he liked boxers. And not just boxers, but colorful ones with hearts and polka dots and green squiggly lines. She loved to think of Oscar Goldman sitting in all of those very important meetings, dressed in his gray suit with the red tie and looking so professional, all the while wearing bright blue boxers with yellow ducks on them. She giggled and moved on to socks. Underwear was not something you bought the man you loved for Christmas. It was an everyday purchase or maybe for Valentine's Day, but no, not now. She wanted him to enjoy their relationship as much as she did and not think she was trying to trap him.
She never knew there so many different kinds of men's socks. Truthfully most of the men that she had known wore the same basic $5.99 for 24 pairs of socks that you bought at the bargain bin. Roger had always fussed at her because she continually stole them from his dresser drawer. But they were so warm and comfy! Strolling through the selections, she saw wool socks, argyle socks, cotton socks--some dress, some casual. There were brown socks, blue socks, black socks, white socks and some with diamond patterns on the side. But none of them seemed right for Oscar--not now, not for Christmas. This was getting to be much harder than she had thought!
She already knew she didn't want to buy him a shirt because she wasn't sure of the measurements and they were still too young in their relationship to ask him. The last thing she wanted to do was get him a great shirt and have the collar be too tight and cut off his airflow or something. And she was pretty sure he would rather pick out his own shirts. Still there were some really nice ones, soft and good looking even without Oscar in them. But seriously, it better be a good shirt to cost $45!
"Can I help you miss?" A woman not much younger than she was, came up, her smile tired but still there.
"I don't know." Jaime sighed. "I'm trying to find a Christmas present, for my, well, I guess the best word is boyfriend, but somehow that doesn't quite seem to be the right one." Oscar most certainly wasn't a boy! But they weren't engaged or anything, so what should she call him? Friend didn't go far enough.
"I understand." the woman's brown eyes took on a warm look. "Boyfriend sounds dumb, but he's more than just a friend and if you start using the "f" word around him, he looks like a scared rabbit."
"That's Oscar to a T." Jaime laughed. "And that's why it's so hard to find him something. I want it to be perfect but not binding or like I'm suggesting something. I don't want to remind him of his mother or think I'm saying he's a great brother. I just want a gift that says, well..."
"I love you."
"Exactly."
"Well, what about a wallet? Most men could use a new wallet. They carry them until the leather is cracked and the picture holders are torn and they won't stay shut."
"And when you suggest they might need a new one, they said 'oh no, it really fits my back pocket now' Jaime giggle and the salesgirl joined her.
"You've got that just right."
Well." Jaime pushed back a piece of stray hair. "I did actually think of a wallet, but I'm still not sure. You see we knew each other for a few years before we started dating and I want to make sure I give him something that reflects that. But I have no idea what that is."
The two of them walked the distance of the department, both finding items and asking the other what they thought. Beside a display of paperweights (she had a small collection of those, it seemed they were the perfect gift to give a teacher), she found out the clerk's name was Robin and she had worked at Lord and Taylor's for five years. She had been married for three years and still had problems trying to find just the right gift. "Sure there is always underwear and socks and an occasional pair of pajamas but sometimes you want something really special. Something to tell him how you feel without whacking him over the head with it."
They finally decided on a watch. A watch was practical but special at the same time. A watch was something he would have with him all the time but wouldn't need to make an excuse for. It was perfect. And for a busy man like Oscar, it had to be the best watch. Robin showed her one that had two alarms and told the time in five countries. It also showed the date and had a smaller dial for military time. "I'll take it." she said happy to have found something so perfect. Then came the next question?
"Would you like it engraved?"
"What did you say? They had been together for not quite a year but had become serious in that time. They hadn't ever talked about marriage, but a few conservations had sort of headed in that direction. He had told her he loved her and she has assured him she felt the same. They were exclusive. They rarely spent an evening apart. She had more or less moved to DC although not officially.
"Yes." she nodded, thinking over the next words carefully. "I think it should say 'I love you all the time." It was short, sweet and to the point. Robin seemed to agree.
It was so hard to not give him the present that very night. She wrapped it in red plaid paper and put a bow on top, then hid it in the hall closet. She did that not so much so he wouldn't find it, but so she wouldn't be tempted to give it to him early. Eagerly she counted the days to Christmas, knowing that each one brought Oscar closer to the watch.
Finally the morning arrived, a bright beautiful Christmas morning, with huge sugary snowflakes falling from the sky. Oscar made her waffles with strawberries and brewed a special coffee that had a nutty taste. They sat on the living room couch and enjoyed their breakfast while they watched the twinkling lights from the Christmas tree and fed Max scraps of food.
"I know Rudy and Louise will be over soon." he got up and headed to the tree, picking up a small box and we will open presents and all, but I want you to have this one first."
"I have one I want you to have also. "She jumped up to get his watch. Finally.
"Pretty." he grinned at her, admiring the paper and bow. "But you go first."
"Alright." she nodded, anxious to see what lay inside the angel paper with the curling ribbon. Inside she opened a box to find the most delicate silver watch she had ever seen.
"It has a calendar" he told her and shows the time in five countries. And it has two alarms."
She wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry, so she did a little bit of both. "It's beautiful honey."
"I'm glad you like it babe." he leaned down and kissed her. "It took some doing to find just the right thing. Turn it over."
She flipped it over, liking the way the silver bracelet caught the light "I love you all the time." it said.
Absolutely perfect.