Title: Future so Bright

Fandom: Popular

Series: Scenes from an Italian Restaurant

Pairing: Nicole/Carmen

Rating: PG,  S for Sappy

Disclaimers: Not mine, never have been never will be. No profit made.  This original work of fiction is mine though.

Archiving: The most awesome webmistress in the world archives all my flights of fancy and delusion at the Realm http://www.realmoftheshadow.com/carla.htm . All others please ask; the chance that I shall say 'No' is small to non-existent.

Feedback: Well I find it helpful.  I also find that I am partial to it.  Therefor all feedback the good the bad and the ugly can be sent to me at cmfloresfd@yahoo.com

Author Note: This is totally unbeta-ed therefor any and all mistakes are mine and mine alone.  I take full faith credit for them. Thanks especially to Louise, Paul, HL and BKFaith for the encouragement, ideas and well faith.

Enjoy

Nicole watched through the hospital nursery’s viewing window as the nurse lay her son down in his crib. He was perfect, ten toes, ten fingers, deep blue eyes and an obscene amount of nearly jet-black hair. Just like his father, she thought. Already she could feel the changes that motherhood brought with it coursing through her. The overwhelming desire to love and protect this tiny, red-faced, wrinkled baby, her son. She felt a hand on her shoulder and tore her gaze away from the baby in his blue blanket.

"Did you see that?" she asked eagerly. "He looked at me. I think he knows who I am."

Brooke laughed. "Well he should. You’re his mom. Have you thought of a name yet?"

"Paul, for his father of course, Alistaire."

"Alistaire?"

"Remember Harold?"

"The gardener when you were growing up?" Nic nodded.

"Alistaire was his middle name."

"Paul Alistaire Ferrara-Julian. That’s a mouthful."

"Is Carmen…"

"She’s in recovery and asking for you." Brooke nudged Nicole with her elbow and pointed to Paul. "He’s got her nose."

"You think."

"He’s perfect Nicole. Healthy with a good strong set of lungs, you should have heard him in there." They stood marveling at the miracle before them for a few minutes before Brooke spoke again. "Stop it Nic. I know what you’re doing."

"I’m scared."

"You should be, parenthood…it’s a big step. But you are not Gayle."

"What if…" Brooke interrupted her best friend.

"You’re not. And Carmen isn’t her mother either. You two are so ready for this. I don’t think I’ve ever met two people who were more ready."

"You’re the Ob/Gyn."

"That’s right so if anyone knows it’s me."

"God did you ever think this would happen, you know back in high school."

"You always sell yourself short Nic. But no I have to admit that in high school I would never have thought we would be where we are today. Me a doctor and you…I always knew you would be successful. When all anybody else saw was a bitch I knew the truth, that there was more to you than that." Brooke took Nicole’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "So I get to be on of the godmothers right?"

"You and Lily. Leo is going to be the godfather."

"So when’s the next one coming along? Your turn right."

"Not bloody likely. I have absolutely no desire to ‘have’ a child. I don’t do pain, not to mention the bloating, the mood swings and the vomiting. No thanks I think I’ll pass. Besides Paulie might be getting a little brother or sister in the next few weeks." At Brooke’s look of confusion Nicole further elucidated. "Javier has a friend, she’s 17 and pregnant."

"Adoption?"

"If she likes us. In the meantime she’s staying with us for the remainder of the summer."

"That’s wonderful Nic I hope it works out."

"We have an appointment with you on Tuesday."

"Has she had any prenatal care?"

"I don’t think so." Nicole returned to gazing adoringly through the window at Paul. Her voice held a note of incredulity. "Do you think they’ll let me hold him now?"

"Sure. Why don’t you go see your wife and I’ll have one of the nurses bring him in to you."

"Brooke"

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to say ‘Thank You’ for everything. For being my best friend and for taking such good care of Carmen. And just generally being there you know." Nicole threw her arms around the willowy blonde and gave her a bone-crushing hug.

"You don’t have to thank me Nikki, not for that, not ever for that."

"No I do. You gave me my son, my family. You’re the only person I would have ever trusted with this whole process." Nicole wiped away tears, "For that alone I will always be grateful, always love you."

Brooke surreptitiously wiped away her own tears, kissed Nicole on the cheek and then smiling fondly down at the shorter woman said, "I love you too Nikki. Now get Carmen’s waiting for you."

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

Nicole rapped lightly on the door, waited a few moments then went in. She found Carmen asleep a line of drool making it’s way down her right cheek. Pulling up a chair she sat down to wait and think. She wanted to do something special, something to mark this momentous day. The idea came to her in a flash of memory. Reaching into her handbag she pulled out her cell phone.

"Mother?"

"Nicole darling! Tell me you have good news," Gayle said eagerly.

"A boy, Paul Alistaire healthy as an ox. He’s beautiful Mother."

"Well I’m in Atlanta on business for another few days…"

"Actually I was calling because I wanted to know if you still have Nana’s ring in the safe in your study or is it somewhere else?"

"I wanted to give it to you when you had your first child."

"What are you saying mother? Are you implying…you know what forget it I’m not going to let you ruin this day for me." Nicole sighed, pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"I meant when you gave birth honey. I know this is your child too. But if it means so much to you…"

"I don’t want to give it to Carmen. I just remembered the design, it’s so beautiful, I was going to have it copied with different stones."

"That’s a lovely idea. I’ll have Henry take it to Bailey, Banks and Biddle. You are using them I presume. They crafted it you know."

"I didn’t know that. I have to get going Carmen’s starting to wake up. You’ll take care of that for me then."

"I’ll call home right now."

"Thank you Mother."

"Nicole"

"Yes."

"Congratulations. Tell Carmen I love her. Kiss the little one for me."

"I will mother."

"One more thing Nicole." Gayle of course could not see Nicole rolling her eyes in exasperation. "I love you. I’m very proud of you. I have no doubts you will be a much better mother than I was…am."

"Thank you Mother. I love you too."

Nicole terminated the call and promptly dialed, from memory, the direct number to her jeweler at Bailey, Banks and Biddle.

"Katrina Latham"

"Katrina, Nicole Julian."

"Ms. Julian how are you?"

"Good thank you. Yourself?"

"I’m well. Let me guess…your partner had the baby?"

"Today in fact, a boy."

"Congratulations." Katrina accessed Nicole’s account information. Nicole was one of her preferred customers. Over the years, starting with the first ring she had purchased for Carmen when they were still in high school, she had spent close to half a million dollars and as such whatever Nicole wanted Bailey, Banks and Biddle would go out of its way to provide.

"Thank you. I wanted to let you know that my mother’s butler will be bringing you a ring. It was my grandmother’s. I understand that your firm crafted it for her on the birth of my mother and I wanted you to do the same for me."

"It’s for you or for Carmen?"

"For Carmen."

"So you want us to copy the design…"

"Use whatever the appropriate birthstones are for today."

"That would be ruby. Actually we just received a shipment of rather stunning rubies so you’re in luck."

"I’d like a pendant also."

"To match or some other stone perhaps."

"To match. The pendant is for myself, no reason Carmen should be the only one getting some good jewelry out of this." Katrina chuckled at Nicole’s little joke.

"Well certainly I can have the pendant ready by tomorrow but the ring…"

"I want it by Friday when she goes home." Nicole’s tone made it clear she would brook no argument.

"Friday it is then."

"I can have my assistant pick it up or can you have it delivered by noon?"

"Noon isn’t a problem."

"Thank you Katrina."

"Thank you Ms. Julian and again congratulations."

They hung up. Nicole noting that Carmen was still asleep opened her journal and began to write.

Today my son was born. Paul Alistaire Ferrara-Julian. He is perfect and I love him but for a brief moment when it looked like there would be complications and they kicked me out of the delivery room I almost died. Now that he is here there is no way I would ever wish it differently but…

The nurse should be bringing him in any minute now and I will hold him for the first time. And I am at peace at last. It feels as if this is what it’s all been leading to. My whole life, not just my life with Carmen, has been leading up to this moment. And I am ready.

The knock on the door woke Carmen, who blinked several times in rapid succession till her vision came into focus as the nurse placed the baby in Nicole’s arms. The look of adoration on Nicole’s face was one that Carmen would never forget, her heart sang and her love soared as she watched the blonde coo at their son. My life is perfect, she thought. It couldn’t possibly get better than this.