Episode Forty Three

The Grant Mansion

The next morning, Summer woke up when Annie lightly shook her shoulder. "Miss Grant?" she said sleepily.

Annie smiled. "It's morning," she said. "I brought some of my clothes for you to change into. I think they'll fit."

"Thanks," Summer said, realizing how wrinkled her own clothes were. She took the offered clothes and went into the bathroom to change. A minute later she returned in the jeans and t-shirt. She hesitated a minute, then blurted out, "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?" Annie asked.

"Being nice to me?"

Annie looked at her, confused. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Because if it embarassed the Grants that Aaron's bi, shouldn't it completely humiliate them that Jamie got me pregnant?"

Annie sighed. "They were 'horribly embarassed' when I married a car mechanic, Mother and Daniel Jr. both refused to speak to me. Richie kept contact, and he made sure Aaron and I had contact. Father... he was upset but when I got pregnant he realized he was just going to drive me away forever, like he did Elizabeth, and he'd never know his grandchild."

"You had a baby?" Summer asked.

"I miscarried in my 6th month," Annie explained. "Then my husband left me."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know..." Summer said.

"It's okay," Annie said, smiling gently. "2 years ago I would have been upset, but after it happened I spent a year in a hospital, trying to get myself together. Now... I'm not past it, not over it, but it doesn't hurt quite as much anymore." She paused a minute. "Are you ready for breakfast?" she asked, changing the subject.

Summer nodded hesitantly. "I guess," she said. "Somehow I didn't expect you to own jeans and t-shirts," she added after a moment, trying to change the subject.

Annie laughed. "Well, I do ocasionally mingle with the poor people, I need to blend in," she said.

Summer laughed, too. "I see," she said as they left the room.

"Hey," Jamie said, pushing himself away from the railing he'd been leaning on.

"Hey," Summer replied, going over to him and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"It's going to be okay, you two," Annie said. "Father may yell a bit... or a lot, but he'll also help you in anyway you need."

"Even when we tell him there's no way in hell Summer's having an abortion?" Jamie asked.

"That's when he'll get agast that you'd ever think he'd want you to do that!" Annie said, laughing.

Summer smiled and pulled back to look up at Jamie. She frowned when she saw the bruises. "What happened to your face?" she asked.

"I'll explain later, okay?" Jamie said, trying to force a smile even though he couldn't bring himself to meet her gaze.

Heavenly Arms Hotel

Nicole walked into the dining room to get breakfast, and smiled when she spotted Walker. Her smile widened when he gestured for her to join him. After quickly getting her food from the buffet, she sat down across from him. "Good morning, Walker."

"Good morning, Nicole," Walker replied. "I'm really sorry for Ronnie. She's like that to everyone, though, so don't feel bad."

"Yeah I noticed how she acted when you guys met Jamie and Summer."

"Ronnie thinks that if she wants something, it's her right to claim it. And I'm pretty sure she decided she wanted Jamie the second she saw him."

"If she tries I'll rip her hair out by the roots," Nicole threatened. "Summer is my best friend, I've seen her through thick and thin, and no red haired slut is going to ruin the best thing ever to happen to her!"

Walker laughed. "Apt description."

"I try," Nicole said dryly.

"You made it sound like Summer's suffered. She hardly seems like it."

"Her ex was a total slimeball. He pressured her into having sex, treated her badly, hit her... I barely know Jamie, met him like twice back in Febuary. But from everything Summer's said and what I saw? He's like the ideal boyfriend. Beyond sweet, sensitive, caring, and gorgeous to boot. If only I could be so lucky."

"Someday," Walker said. "They say everyone has a perfect soulmate."

"Who says?"

"That ambiguos 'they' everyone always talks about," Walker said, waving his fork around absently. "Anyway, you'll find yours, just like I'll find mine, and if she stops flirting with everything with that fifth abendage, so will Ronnie."

"How do you know her so well? You work together before?"

"Yeah, but we also used to be stepsiblings. My mom and her dad. It didn't work out, but I like her dad better, so I stuck around."

"So 'Clueless'-like!" Nicole said, laughing. "You know Alicia Silverstone's former stepbrother hanging around..."

"Yeah, except Ronnie is nothing like Alicia."

"You've seen the movie?"

"I had a girlfriend who adored Alicia Silverstone, made me take her to it. Sadly the shallowness is almost an exact match to what the kids back home are like."

Nicole laughed. "Trust me, I know. I knew girls like that at St. Mary's, even though we were school uniforms" she said. "Summer and I made fun of them behind their backs. It was fun."

Walker grinned. "Always is."

"So, where is her royal bitchiness?"

"Getting a pedicure."

"Do you think we'll luck out and there'll be a freak pedicure accident that renders her mute somehow?" Nicole asked with a grin.

"I wish."

Grant Mansion

"Sit down," Daniel Sr. said as Annie, Jamie, and Summer entered the dining room. "We'll eat before discussing things."

"What's to discuss?" Miranda asked. "Those two will make this family look..."

"Enough Miranda," Daniel warned his wife. "After we eat."

Breakfast was even more solemn than usual, and neither Jamie or Summer managed to eat much. As the servants cleared the table, Miranda spoke again. "Now can we discuss this?"

Daniel sighed. "Yes, Miranda, now we'll discuss this."

"I'm sure we can get a doctor to take care of this problem discreetly..." Miranda began.

"No way in hell!" Jamie said. "That is the one thing Summer and I have figured out. We're not killing our baby."

"It's not even a baby yet, it's a thing that will cause this family nothing but trouble!" Miranda said.

"Really mother?" Annie interrupted. "When exactly would it become a baby?"

"This is completely different..."

"No, it isn't really. You're saying that Jamie and Summer's baby doesn't matter because it isn't a baby yet. Using your logic I had no reason to grieve after my miscarriage, because I wasn't carrying a baby, I was carrying a thing."

"That is not what I said!"

"Close enough!" Annie said.

"Enough!" Daniel said. "Jamie, Summer, do you have any idea what you're getting yourselves into?"

"We're not killing our baby," Jamie repeated. "I don't know what we're going to do, but we're not going to kill it."

"I would never ask you to," Daniel assured his grandson. "But your are children, far too young to..."

"My mom was only a year older than Summer when I was born," Jamie pointed out. "My dad was only a year older than that. And they managed."

"Until Elizabeth got herself killed," Daniel Jr. said.

For a moment there was nothing but stunned silence in the room, then Daniel stood. "Jamie, Miss Brady, we can finish this in my office," he said, pointedly ignoring his eldest son.

The two teenagers followed him into the office and hesitantly sat down in the chairs in front of the desk while Daniel sat behind the desk. "We know we screwed up," Jamie finally said quietly.

"That is an understatement," Daniel replied.

"But I meant what I said. That is the one thing Summer and I know, we're not killing our baby."

"As I said, I wouldn't dream of asking you to. That baby is my great-grandchild. It will be provided for."

"What exactly does that mean, Mr. Grant?" Summer asked.

"It means, Miss Brady, that I will do whatever I can to help you two with whatever you decide to do."

"What if we decide to keep it?' Jamie asked.

"Then I'll need to know what you need so I can provide it."

"You won't... make us give the baby up?"

"First, that would deprive me of a great grandchild, which I don't want. Second, I don't want to alienate the grandson I'm only now getting to know. And third... I'm not as big of a fool as I was 17 years ago."

Jamie sighed. "We need to think..." he said.

"Of course. But don't forget you need to give your statement today," Daniel said. "I called and Commisioner York said noon would be a good time for you to go by."

"Thanks," Jamie said. "I think we'll go get breakfast at the diner, though. Maybe we'll actually manage to eat something."

"I'll let you go, then. If you need anything..."

"We'll let you know," Jamie said.

Brady House

Matt knocked on Summer's door, and frowned when there was no answer. "Summer, please let me in," he said. When he didn't get a response, he opened the door and looked in. The first thing he noticed was the empty bed, the second was the open window and the clothes thrown around. "Damn it," he muttered. He turned and ran downstairs, glaring at his mother. 'I hope you're happy. Summer's gone. She probably left last night during the storm!"

Jamie's Truck

Summer turned to Jamie and frowned. "Does this statement you have to give have to do with those bruises?"

Jamie nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Um... last night we found out who the guy who raped me is. And he tried again..."

"What?!" Summer asked, horrified.

"I'm fine," Jamie assured her. "I hit my head pretty hard, and he hit me a few times, but I'm okay. I just gotta give the police a statement today. Then it'll be over. And actually we can find out if he has anything, and if not..."

"Then we don't have to worry," Summer said, smiling slightly.

"Yeah."

"We're gonna be okay," Summer added. "If we can figure out this baby thing."

Jamie couldn't help laughing slightly. "Yeah, if we can figure that out."

"You asked Mr. Grant what he'd do if we decided to keep it."

"Yeah."

"Do you want to keep it?" Summer asked.

Daniel's Office

After he was sure Jamie and Summer were gone, Daniel picked up his phone and quickly dialed. "Hello," he said simply. After a moment he continued. "Yes, I need you to do a background check on a young woman named Summer Brady, born in New York sometime in 1986 or 87. Her mother's name is Janice, and she has an older brother named Matt. She's involved with my grandson, and I want to know everything I can about her."

End Of Episode Forty Three