Chapter Three
The next evening, Jaime and Steve sat together on Steve's porch, looking at the stars. They were both in pensive, somber moods, but for very different reasons. "Do you think Oscar'll ever let me work for him again?" Jaime asked.
"Why wouldn't he? Sweetheart, you were great."
"I was insubordinate, rude - I swore at him, Steve. And -"
Steve quieted her with a very long kiss, trying to delay what he knew he had to tell her, what they needed to talk about tonight. Jaime had grown fairly adept at reading him, though, and she knew something was on his mind. She felt she could go on kissing him forever, but she just had to know.
"What's wrong?" She searched his face, but it gave no clue. His mood, though, was heavy, sad, almost morose.
"Jaime," he began, "Nothing's wrong, really. In fact, Rudy gave me some good news today - about you."
"Oh?"
"He said you're 100 percent fully recovered. You don't need a baby-sitter anymore."
"Oh." Now Jaime was sad, too. "You're evicting me from your guest room, then?"
"No! Not unless...you want to go?"
"Well, I have been wanting out of the guest room, but I don't really wanna go home. It's not my call, though; it's your house..."
Steve kissed her again, this time letting her feel all of the passion he'd been holding back for the 'right time'. She willingly melted into his arms and returned the kiss with equal vigor. Steve knew now that they were both on the same page.
Many minutes later, with both of them on the edge of hyperventilating, they paused to catch their breath. "Our moms always did say we should share," Steve ventured.
"This is true."
"Then, yes, I am officially evicting you from the guest room. And even though I know you're fully capable of doing it on your own, I'd love to help you move your things to the room down the hall."
"Can we do that tomorrow?" Jaime smiled. "I think we might find a better way to use our time tonight."
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Jaime reported for her next check-up with Steve by her side, both of them with smiles wide enough to be seen from down the hall. They had news they were aching to share, and since they knew Oscar would turn up to hear how Jaime was doing, this was the perfect day. She had been out of the hospital now for exactly six weeks, to the day. Rudy and Oscar had both figured that she probably wouldn't have gone home, but were too polite to actually ask.
Jaime held her left hand behind her back while she talked with Rudy. Steve sat beside her, letting her be the one to spill the beans. "Whatever you're doing, keep it up," the doctor told her. "You're in the best shape of your life." Jaime looked at Steve and blushed. "By the way," he continued, "I saw that videotape. Nice work."
"You - saw it? How many copies did Oscar make?"
"Not too many," came the answer from the doorway. "Only a couple of dozen." Oscar had seen the ring, but decided to have some fun with them. He winked at Rudy, over Jaime's shoulder, and Rudy knew to follow his lead.
Now that Oscar and Rudy were both there, Steve moved closer to Jaime, and she began gesturing with her left hand as she spoke, bringing it down onto Rudy's desk a couple of times, as if for emphasis but really wanting them to notice what she was trying to show them. She grew more and more frustrated as the two men appeared to remain oblivious. Rudy finished with his summary of her condition, they made small talk for quite some time, and still, no one noticed! Exasperated, Jaime stood to go, and Steve began to follow her. She'd tell them another day, when they'd actually brought their brains with them.
"Oh, by the way," Oscar called after them. They turned back around. "Were either of you planning to tell us you're engaged, or are we supposed to keep pretending it's a secret?" He flashed a semi-evil grin. "Congratulations; both of you."
Jaime laughed and gave him a light, playful punch in the arm, and then a hug. Three weeks ago, this man had been a stranger to her, but now she knew he was a dear friend, and soon he'd also be a Best Man.
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