Happily Ever After

Chapter One - 10/14/78 - 7:30pm

Jaime gazed at Oscar's face, lit only by firelight and a half dozen candles, and thought he had never looked more handsome. She was able to forget, for a little while at least, that they had gone from blissful newlyweds, to a near-annulment, to a rocky, tentative (but very warm) reunion for one more try, all in the space of two weeks. Steve had done his best to try to win her back when her marriage appeared to be over, but Jaime had chosen to stay with her husband, not out of obligation to her vows, but because of a love stronger than any she'd ever known, that had continued to thrive in spite of the pain, anger and doubt they'd both endured in the last few days.

"Oscar, dinner was wonderful, but when are you gonna let me cook for you instead of ordering out for every meal?"

He smiled at her and angled a little closer on the futon. "When I get tired of the extra time it gives me to spend with you. I figure around 2010, give or take a year."

"And I was beginning to think you didn't like my cooking."

"I love your cooking. I'd just rather have you save your time and energy for...other things," Oscar told her.

"And...what other things might you be thinking of?"

"Come here; I'll show you." He wrapped Jaime in his arms and kissed her with a passion that left her breathless. Everywhere he touched her, his fingers traced blazing trails on her skin, and soon her entire body was on fire.

Just as they'd been 24 hours earlier, they were still awake when the sun came up.

------------

When Jaime woke up around noon, Oscar was still sound asleep. She snuck quietly from the bed and headed to the kitchen, determined to cook at least one meal for her husband. She diced veggies and beat eggs, then put the mixture in the fridge to fry Denver omelets once he was awake. She also put the making of a pot roast in the crock pot to save time. She knew that after two days of adjusting to being together again, it was time to start having the difficult conversations that lay ahead.

She was just tossing the last potato in the crock pot when she felt Oscar nuzzling the back of her neck. "Good morning," she said, turning around for the first kiss of the day. "Omelets comin' up in five minutes."

"Can I help?"

In the kitchen? This was a surprise, but a nice one. "You could throw some bread in the toaster. Thanks!"

"Any plans for today?" Oscar asked.

"I was hoping we could talk..."

"Yes - it's time, I suppose."

Jaime saw the worry lines reappear on his face, and she touched him softly, smoothing them away. "Relax; I'm not going anywhere. Unless you want me to..."

"I don't want to lose you, Jaime. But I also don't want you to stay if you're unhappy here."

"Decide how you feel after you taste my omelets," she said lightly. "C'mon - brunch is served."

------------

"Is Rudy still in Washington?" Jaime asked as they loaded the dishwasher. She hoped the words sounded more casual than they felt.

Oscar was immediately worried. "Is everything ok? You - you're not sick, are you?"

"No, nothing like that. I just need to talk to him about something."

Oscar's eyes lit up. "You need to see if it's time for the Secretary to retire you?" He'd been trying in the last two weeks to get her pregnant for just that reason.

"It'd be too soon to test for that," Jaime told him. "So - is he still here?"

"No, but he's nearby. I can reach him for you; what should I tell him it's about?"

"Subtle, Oscar - very subtle." Tell him the truth, Jaime, her inner voice insisted. He needs to know what happened. "Let's go sit down, and I'll tell you about it."

Jaime sat down next to her husband on the futon and took his hand. "You know how you wanted me to see Steve yesterday?" Oscar nodded. "Well, something - happened. Actually, it started the night you were arrested."

Oscar's heart felt like it was about to beat right out of his chest. "What happened, Jaime?" he asked, very softly.

Steve was Oscar's friend, as well as his employee, and Jaime didn't want to damage that, but she knew this marriage had to be completely truth-based if it was to survive. "He...kissed me, and something - happened. That's what I need to see Rudy about."

Oscar's focus was pretty much on the first half of what she'd said. "He kissed you. Ok; did you kiss him back?" The words were stuck in Jaime's throat and she was finding it hard to answer. "Jaime, what happened?" Oscar probed, without really wanting to hear the answer, "Did you kiss him back, or was there more than that?"

"I...I did kiss him back the first time, but that's as far as it went. Yesterday, I pushed him away."

"I see."

Tears formed in Jaime's eyes; the last thing she'd wanted was to cause Oscar more pain. "I didn't wanna hide it from you. I don't ever wanna keep things secret between us again."

"Well, you two were really close for a long time. If you'd rather be with him, please just tell me now."

"No! I'm here because I love you, and I want to be with you."

"Then why are you crying?"

"Because I'm ashamed that I let it happen; Oscar, I'm so sorry. If you want me to go, I understand -"

"We've both done things we regret," Oscar said. "The question is, can we hang on in spite of that? I never thought my heart was capable of a love this strong, and I'll do anything you need me to do to have your trust back. All I'm asking from you is you."

Jaime answered with a soft, tender kiss that seemed to say I'm exactly where I want, and need, to be.