Episode Forty Five

Grant Mansion

Summer and Jamie sat on the steps of the back porch, facing eachother, but both looking anywhere but at eachother. "Tomorrow, after school, I need to go get my car from the cabin," Summer said.

"I'll drive you out as soon as school's over," Jamie said.

"And I'll need to go home... to the house to get some of my clothes and stuff."

We can go there after we get your car. Just load up the car and my truck with as much of your stuff as possible."

"Good plan."

"Yeah."

They sat in silence again for a minute, then Summer sighed. "We need to talk about what we're going to do about the baby."

"We did in the car," Jamie replied.

"But we didn't decide anything."

"I know."

"So?"

"So..." Jamie began. Then he let out a sigh. "I don't want to give our baby up," he admitted. "It's ours, and I don't want it to be anyone else's, you know? But I'm not going to make you keep it if you want to..."

Summer reached out and grabbed his hand to stop his chatter. "I don't want to give it up either," she said. "But how can we keep it? We're 16 and 17 years-old!"

"Daniel made it sound like he'd help us," Jaie said. "And we've got money coming in from EdiSigns..."

"But how can I model when I start showing?" Summer asked. "Miss Edison's going to fire me in an instant!"

"No, I won't," Toria said from the doorway, where she stood with Richard. "Richard told me what's going on," she added.

"We didn't... I mean we're..."jamie began. "We're sorry. We screwed up our own plans and now we've messed up your plans too..."

"We'll work around it," Toria said. "There's accessories for the line, shoes, purses, jewlery, Summer can model those without anyone seeing the pregnancy. And it'll be a while before you start showing, right? How far along are you?"

"A little over 2 months at this point," Summer said.

"We probably have at least 2 months before you start showing, maybe 3. We can get the pictures of you in anything slinky and tight taken before then," Toria said, quickly figuring out how the schedule would need to be rearranged.

"You're really not going to fire me?" Summer asked.

"Please! Like I'm that stupid! Sure, you won't be able to do as much modelling once you're showing, but later you'll more than make up for the lost time! Besides, if I fire oyu I risk loosing Jamie, too. And it's the two sexy guys and 3 sexy girls that drives the capaign."

"Thank you," Summer said.

"Good, then everything's cleared up," Toria said, smiling. "Now, is there anything I can do to help you guys?"

"I think we'll be okay," Summer said. "Mr. Grant sounded like he was offering to help us with everything..."

"He is," Richard assured her. "First off, he knows it'll get him more points with Jamie if he helps. And second, as 'bad' as this may make the family look, according to my mother? If he turned the two of you out on the street it would make us look worse."

"The old think of the reputation thing," Jamie said, finally speaking again.

"One of the Grant Family's guiding principles," Richard admitted.

"Miss Edison?" Summer asked.

"Yes?" Toria replied.

"Not to sound, like greedy or anything, I'm honestly just trying to figure everything out in my head, but about how much will Jamie and I earn from EdiSigns?"

Toria let out a breath and considered. "Overall it depends on how well the line does. The better sales are, the more I'll pay you. But you'll be getting at least 300 a month to start. That's 300 for each of you."

"Each? So 600 between us..." Summer said, thinking.

"Average rent of a small apartment is around 400 a month," Jamie interjected. "Add in food and utilities and we'd be broke."

Richard furrowed his eyebrows. "You're going to move out during the pregnancy?" he asked.

"Considering our options in case Mr. Grant isn't so happy to help when we tell him we want to keep the baby," Summer said.

"You're going to keep it?' Richard asked. "Mother will blow her top, but Father... he'll probably immediately start having a nursery set up."

Jamie and Summer both relaxed slightly. "You think so?" Jamie asked.

"This is his great-grandchild we're talking about. He's probably already started a college fund for it," Ricahrd told them. "Don't worry."

Jamie slowly got to his feet, offering Summer a hand to help her up. "I think we should go talk to Daniel now."

"Get it over with?" Toria asked.

"Why wait? Especially since we don't need to be worrying about this when we have school tomorrow."

"First day back, too."

"Junior year for you two, right?" Toria asked.

"Yeah," Jamie said.

Daniel's Office

Daniel quickly answered his phone as it rang. "Daniel Grant Senior."

"Mr. Grant, this is Harold Cobb."

"Mr. Cobb, it's good that you got back to me so quickly," Daniel said. "What did you find out about Miss Brady?"

"I don't think you'll like this much, Mr. Grant," Harold said. "I had an associate in New York do some snooping. She discovered that Miss Brady has something of a sketchy history. She was caught shoplifting at least twice, but her father paid the store owners off and she was never charged. Then there's an apointment she had a with a doctor a year and a half ago."

"So? What's the problem with a doctor's appointment?"

"The problem is the appointment was at an abortion clinic" Harold replied.

Daniel frwned. "What?"

"She had an abortion. Paid for by a young man named Peter Darrens, apparently the baby's father. And Darrens has an even worse record. The guy's been under pyschiatric evaluation off and on for almost 5 years. When he turned 18 last December his juvenile records were sealed, but I have a source that told me he has a history of vandalism and breaking and entering."

"Thank you," Daniel said, hanging up the phone just as a knock sounded on the door. "Come in."

Jamie and Summer walked in, smiling hesitantly. "Hey, can we talk to you?" Jamie asked.

"Of course, sit down," Daniel said.

"We made a couple of decisions," Jamie started.

"Really?" Daniel said.

"Yeah," Jamie replied. "We decided... we want to keep our baby. Raise it together."

Daniel sighed, but nodded. "All right.I certainly hope you'll accept help, though. Because the two of you can't quit school to raise a baby. I put my foot down on that."

"We'll figure that stuff out later," Jamie said. "We've got like 7 months to figure it out."

Daiel nodded again. "Right." he looked at the pair, and sighed again. "I know Miranda will make it difficult for the two of you," he said. "So I'd like to suggest you move to the poolhouse."

"Really?" Jamie asked. "That would be great."

"You could go ahead and move in tomorrow, if you'd like," Daniel said.

"Sounds good. Thanks," Jamie said. "Is there anything else we need to talk about right now?"

"Only what Miss Brayd is going to wear to school tomorrow, since she doesn't have any clothes except what she's wearing," Daniel said with a slight smile.

Summer laughed. "We're going to go get my things tomorrow after school, but you're right that I don't really have anything to wear tomorrow."

"Maybe we could go see your friend Nicole and you could borrow something from her?" Jamie suggested.

"Good idea. Nikki and I used to share wardrobe's all the time. Besides I want to tell her about the baby," Summer said.

"Why don't you two go do that? I have some calls to make," Daniel said.

"Yeah," Jamie said, smiling as he stood and helped Summer up. "Thanks, Daniel."

"Thanks, Mr. Gant," Summer echoed.

Daniel watched them go and let out another sigh, well aware that it was his 3rd or 4th of the evening. He had been going to tell Jamie about what he had discovered when the pair walked in. But then he had seen how their hands were intertwined, how despite the seriousness of the discussion Jamie had seemed happy and at ease. For now, he would keep quiet about what he had learned. But God help Summer if she hurt his grandson in any way.

Jamie's Truck

"Why don't you drop me off at Nikki's hotel, then go see Maria?" Summer asked. "I knwo you want to tell her as much as I want to tell Nikki."

"Okay," Jamie agreed. "But you'll keep your cell on at all times? And call me at the slightest sign of trouble?"

Summer nodded, trying not to laugh at Jamie' paranoia. "How about I call Nikki and have her meet me out front? So you can make sure I'm not alone?"

"That sounds perfect," Jamie said.

Maria's Room

"You havne't showed up at night and sat cross legged on my bed in like 2 years, Jamie," Maria said as she sat at the head of her bed with Jamie at the foot. "What's up?"

"Summer's pregnant," Jmaie said, not bothering to ease his way into revealing it. "And we decided to keep the baby."

"Say huh?" Maria said. "What?"

"Summer's mom kicked her out because of it. But, Daniel Sr said he'd help us in anyway we needed, and we're going to move into the pool house tomorrow after school. I was kinda hoping you'd help us get moved in? Maybe have a mini aprty? You, Me, Summer, Matt, Diego and Aaron..."

"Not those two bastardos," Maria said.

"Huh?"

"Summer didn't tell you? They're really dating now. I caught them mid-makeout. They're slime."

"I'll kill them both."

"Thank you,. but not neccesary," Maria said. "But you know you can count on me, Jamie. When have I ever let you down?"

"Does pouring green jello, among other slimy and yucky stuff, down my shirt at various points count as letting me down?" Jamie asked, laughing.

Maria threw her pillow at Jamie's head, only making him laugh harder. "Shut up! I haven't done that since we were..." she trailed off.

"8," Jamie supplied, "You stopped after my mom died. I know you. You felt bad because she died the night after the last green jello incident. So you stopped."

"You sound almost like you want me to start again," Maria said, smiling.

"I wouldn't go that far."

Both teenagers laughed.

"I should go pick up Summer," Jamie said.

"Yeah, go get your girl. I'll see you guys tomorrow at school," Maria said. "And once you're safely away I'll tell Mama."

"Thanks," Jamie said, leaning forward to give his best friend a kiss on the cheek then getting to his feet.

"Well, I don't want mama to kill you for being so irresponsible. This'll give her at least overnight to accept it," Maria said.

Jamie paused briefly in the doorway and turned back to look at her. "I don't know what I'd do without my best friend," he said before walking out.

"Be miserable?" Maria called after him, smiling.

End of Episode Forty Five