Sue Ann almost dropped the dish she had in her hand. Scott took it from her, "Now, Mom, please don't overreact. This can't be that big a shock to you." He walked over to the small area off the living room where the dining table was and sat the dish down

"I think I'll go put on something…less comfortable." Mary said looking down at the shirt she had on, "Excuse me." She exited the living room and walked down the hall to the bedroom

"Well, I'm sorry, Scott. I should have called first." Sue Ann headed for the door but Scott stopped her

"Mom, you don't have to leave." Scott said and led them over to the sofa

"Yes, I do. I can't stay here and make small talk with you and that tramp." Sue Ann snapped

Scott's face flushed with anger and he could feel the heat in his cheeks, "Mother, she is no tramp and who are you to talk about a woman like that." Scott didn't want to hurt her but she was being nothing but hypocritical

"Scott, you may be grown but I'm still your mother." She insisted

"Well, then I suggest you accept that Mary and I are together or I don't see that we have much else to say to each other."

"Why are you acting like this over some fling?" She asked

"Mother, she isn't just some fling." He informed her, "I love her."

Sue Ann was stunned. She really had no inkling things were so serious but they hadn't been together but a few weeks, "Scott, be serious. You've only known her a few weeks and she's a nice girl, I suppose, but love?"

Mary had come down the hall and stopped when she heard the word love. She couldn't believe he had told his mother he loved her.

"Yes, mother I think I'm in love with her. She's different than anyone I've ever been with. I don't know how to explain it." He told her

"Well, if you really feel that way, I guess I'm happy for you, dear." She got up to leave. Surely Mary didn't feel the same way and this would burn itself out, she thought

Mary ran back into the bedroom and pretended to just be coming out. She was wearing the clothes she had on the day before. Scott smiled, "There you are."

"Well, I wanted to give you two some time to talk." She explained, "I thought you needed it."

"Well, Mary, I feel I should tell you, my son says he thinks he's in love with you." Sue Ann blurted out

Scott put his head in his hands, "Mother…"

Mary smiled, "No, it's okay. " She looked over at Scott, "I think I love him, too."

Sue Ann felt the room begin to spin. She couldn't believe her son had fallen for the woman she considered to be her rival at the station. They had different jobs but they were the most successful women at the station. Sue Ann had her own show and Mary was the first woman associate producer WJM ever had and she was beloved by everyone there. She was younger and whether Sue Ann liked admitting it, she was more attractive with that cute little nose and winning smile. How could Scott do that to her?

"I…I have to go." She opened the door to leave

"Sue Ann…"Mary pleaded but it was too late, she was out the door

Scott sat with his head in his hands then looked up at Mary, "That went well."

Mary smiled sympathetically, "I'm sorry, Scott. I thought she'd get over herself by now."

He got up and went over to her. He put his hand son her shoulders, "This is not your fault." He told her, "She is going to have to accept it."

"And if she doesn't?" She asked

He caressed her cheek, "Then that's her problem, not ours."

Mary smiled again slightly, "You know, we just told her we love each other and we haven't even said it to each other."

He pulled her close to him, "I do love you, Mary Richards. I think I knew it the moment I met you."

Her arms encircled his neck, "I think I knew it then, too." She kissed him sweetly, "But I'll state, for the record again, that I love you too, Scott Jackson."

He smiled a lopsided smile that she found absolutely endearing, "So I guess I need to feed my lady love. It won't take long to whip up the omelets."

A thoughtful expression crossed her face, "Hmm, what about what your mother left?" She asked

"I'm almost afraid to eat it." He quipped

She laughed, "You know what I'm really craving?" She asked, "Pancakes, do you have the ingredients for them?"

"I think I can manage." He said, "Oh, you were saying I was out of something when you came in here the first time."

"Oh, I didn't see any soap, you have soap don't you?" She asked playfully

He laughed, "Yeah, under the sink."

"Good." She said pulling away, "I'll go shower real quick and then we can talk about how we want to spend our day."

"I know how I'd like to spend it." He said pulling her back to him, his hand moving over her backside

"Hmm." She mumbled, "I'll take that under advisement." She pulled away and walked toward the hallway then turned back, "You just get those pancakes ready, I mean we probably need to keep up our strength."

A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER

It was time for the Teddy Awards again and the WJM gang was going to gather at Mary's for a little pre awards party. Mary was nominated for a documentary she produced on Chimpanzees all on her own, Ted was nominated again and he thought he'd had a fool proof plan to win, bribe the judges. Sue Ann was nominated but Mary and Scott weren't sure if she would show up for the party but there was no way she would miss the awards even if it meant seeing Scott and Mary there together. Mary, Scott and Rhoda were waiting for the others to show up. Mary was explaining to Scott why it was so much fun to see Ted lose.

"Well, it's not so much that it's so much fun, Honey." She explained, "You just have to be there. Like the first year I was there and Ted lost, he threatened to throw himself on a shish kabob sword. Then the next year when he lost, he got so upset he almost swallowed his tongue. Mr. Grant had to pull it out of his mouth."

"You're not serious?" Scott laughed,

"I am totally serious." She said

"I think this will be a fun evening." He concluded taking a drink of scotch

"Yeah and I'm gonna miss it." Rhoda complained

"Well, I'll be sure and give you all the details." Mary said as there was a knock on the door.

"Yeah, you better." Rhoda said

Mary opened the door. It was Lou and Murray, "Hi, come on in."

Lou and Murray stepped inside, looking very dapper in tuxedos, "Hey, Scott, hi Rhoda." They both said

"I'll get you guys a drink." Mary offered walking toward the kitchen

"Thanks." Lou said taking a seat on the sofa. He looked at Scott, "How are things, Scott? Do you think your mother will come tonight?" it was no secret around the station how Sue Ann had been reacting to Mary and Scott.

"Well, she'll be at the ceremony, no way will she miss in case she wins but I don't think she'll show up here."

Murray shook his head, "I just don't get what the big deal is."

Mary came out of the kitchen with their drink, "We'd like to know that, too. But I'm not going to let her ruin a nice evening."

Rhoda looked at Murray, "Hey, Murray, where's Marie?"

"Oh, she refuses to come anymore. She can't take seeing Ted lose."

"Do you have her ticket?" Rhoda asked

"Yeah, do you wanna go?" He asked

"Oh, yeah." Rhoda said, "Mare do I have time to run upstairs and change?"

Mary looked at her watch, "I guess so but Ted will be here any minute so hurry."

Rhoda made her exit quickly and a minute later Ted and Georgette showed up.

"Hey guys, tonight is the tonight." He said as they entered Mary's apartment

"He's been giddy like this all night." Georgette said, "I don't know what's gotten into this big impetuous lug."

"I told you, I'm a man with a vision." He said in his newscaster voice. There was a collective eye roll. Ted looked at Scott, "So Scott, you think your old lady will show up tonight?"

"I don't know Ted." He replied glancing at Mary

"Well, then what are we waiting for? Let's go." He insisted

"Ted, Rhoda is upstairs changing. She's going with us." Mary informed him

Ted sulked, "Great, let's just wait for Rhoda."

As if on cue Rhoda walked back in, "I just beat my record for getting ready, a personal best."

"Alright, I guess we'll go then." Mary suggested

The awards were a dull event by nature. But between Ted's antics and Sue Ann's theatrics the evening was anything but dull. Ted cried the rest of the evening after he lost and Sue Ann spent the entire evening avoiding looking either Mary or Scott in the eye. The best part was that Mary won for her documentary but everyone held their breath when Sue Ann's category was called.

"And the winner is…Sue Ann Nivens for the Happy Homemaker, thirty one ways to use tapioca."

Everyone clapped and Sue Ann made her way up to the podium, "I can't thank you enough for this award. It is a great honor and there is a special person I would like to share it with but I can't…" She said obviously referring to Scott. He immediately stood up and walked across the room to the door. Mary got up and followed him looking back at Sue Ann angrily, "So I'll just say thank you." She said down a smirk of satisfaction on her face

TBC