Epilogue

The next few months after Waters's arrest seemed to fly by. Before anyone realized, the day of Duke's and Angie's wedding arrived. The two were married in the park where Mac kept his word and walked the bride down the aisle created by the two rows of seats that had been set up. Now, the wind was blowing softly through the air, and the same guests who had attended Duke's and Angie's wedding of few hours earlier started arriving once more. Jim and Jean, along with Pete were among the first guests to arrive. Soon they were talking to Duke, his relatives, Angie and her mother.

"You two make a beautiful couple." Jean was smiling from ear to ear as she looked at the newlyweds; Jim told her the same thing.

"Thanks." Angie said before looking at Pete. "I didn't see Judy at the wedding, and nor do I see her here. May I ask why? I thought she was coming with you."

Pete inwardly sighed. "She'll come to the reception if she can make it, but she's not with me." He figured he wouldn't have to say anything else for Angie, and the others who heard him, to figure out what he was saying. He was right. Neither she nor Duke were crazy enough to press for details of the break up.

"Well, stay around awhile." Duke told Pete before the three friends moved on, allowing the other guests to talk to the newly married couple.

After Pete, Jim and Jean found a place to sit down, Jim looked at Pete. "When did you and Judy break it off?"

"Yesterday and, no, I don't want to talk about it." He said as Eliza walked up and asked if she could sit down.

"Of course, you may." Jean spoke first. "Where is Robert?"

"His pager went off just as we were getting ready to come to the reception." Eliza then added she hoped she wasn't pulled away. "Today is supposed to be my day off." Her eyes added 'I know; that doesn't always make a difference." It was a silent thought her three friends could easily read.

"Tell us about it." Pete said-even as the music begin to play. It was a good thing everyone had been told the reception would pretty well be informal or they might wonder why Duke and Angie started dancing before all the guests arrived. Though-the couple would stop and say hi to anyone who walked up to them.

"Where is Mac?" Jean, who had seen Eliza arrive with Mac, looked around.

"He's helping one of Duke's and Angie's friends for a moment." Eliza replied, even as her eyes were sparkling. It would have made Jean ask if Eliza knew something they didn't only Mac was walking towards them. Less than a minute later, he was talking to Eliza. "May I have this dance?"

Eliza wasn't about to deny him. "If you'll excuse me." She looked at her three friends. Naturally, they made no objection when she stood up, took Mac's hand and then let him lead her out to the area of the park that had been set apart for the dancing.

Jean, who could see Duke and Angie still dancing, watched as Mac and Eliza start to dance as well. She was still thinking about the look she'd seen in Eliza's eyes. "As much as those two have been seeing each other, I wouldn't be surprised if we're not attending another wedding in the future."

"I hope so. Mac's been alone long enough." Jim said-even as he glanced at Pete.

"Leave me out of that pool." Pete stood up. "I'm never getting married. I'm going to go see if I can find a dance partner for the evening." He turned and walked away.

Jim grinned as his eyes went from Pete to Duke. "You know, honey. I think I've heard that phrase before." That statement had Jean laughing-and agreeing.

While Jim had been busy needling Pete, Mac and Eliza were having their own discussion.

"I feel like a monkey in this thing." Mac was talking about the dark suit he'd worn to Duke's and Angie's wedding and the reception. "Too bad I couldn't get away with wearing my uniform. At least, it's comfortable."

Eliza couldn't help but chuckle. Somehow, she wasn't surprised to hear those words come out of Mac's mouth. "Growing up, I remember my mother and grandmother always talking about people and 'their' colors. I don't know why only they were. You're most comfortable in your uniform because you're a policeman through and through. As my grandmother once said to a relative of hers who was the same way -you're forever blue. As far as I'm concerned, the same can be said about you."

"You don't mind?" Mac, who dared say he had ninety-five percent of his memories back, remembered how Mary - while extremely supportive of him-had admitted on a few occasions she wouldn't have argued if he had switched careers.

"You're living your dream. Why should I?" Eliza moved just a tad bit closer as they continued dancing.

"Woman, you're making it awfully hard for me not to announce our news before tomorrow." Mac growled low.

"Sorry," Eliza started to step back only to have Mac stop her, saying he'd said hard, not impossible.