"Here you are, sir."

"Thanks, Max. You said the tailor shop was just past that little cafe and dress shop," Nick asked.

"Yes, sir. Just past the store called 'Ballistix' is the shop you want."

Nick stepped out of the Merecedes Benz Sedan into 'Salem Place', Salem's popular outdoor mall. Although he was headed to a tailor shop to be fitted for an outfit he considered about as comfortable as a suit of armour, Nick was whistling and in a particularly good mood. His meeting with Mr. Dahl went very well, as far as Nick was concerned. Whether he actually would get a job at DL&B Designs was up in the air, but at least now Nick knew that he tried.

He was walking through the small cafe when a couple at one of the tables caught his attention.

"What do you mean you're not going!"

"I mean, I am not going," said the young woman through clenched teeth. "I am not about to go to party where everyone will be treating her like she is some kind of princess. Why do you want to go so badly? She just ruined your carefully laid out plans to gain control, the plans that you said were foolproof!"

Her companions eyes blazed with so much rage, Nick was afraid that he would hit the young woman.

"Don't question me," he said menacingly. "Be ready at eight." Without another word, he stood and shoved past Nick without a second glance and left.

As Nick walked closer the young lady still sitting at the table, he saw her looking at the retreating form with unshed tears glistening her eyes.

"Is everything alright, m'am," he asked.

Her head whipped around to regard the stranger. "Just peachy," she spat out and abruptly stood, grabbing her purse, and walked away.

Nick shrugged his shoulders and looked at his watch. 'A few minutes till noon. I better get to that tailor shop. Belle probably told the owner to call her if I didn't show up on time. She knows how much I despise tuxedos.'

*************

"Well, that was interesting."

John laughed at his daughter's choice of words as they were the only ones left in the conference room. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I never thought that in your first board meeting you would have the deciding vote on such an important decision."

Belle shrugged. "Such is the life of a board member, right? That's something you've taught me even before Brady and I inherited Titan stock from Victor. And you and mom made sure I considered that fact when I turned 21 and made the decision to vote my own shares and not give you my permanent proxy." Belle looked straight into her father's eyes. "I can handle it," she said forcefully. "Mr. Gragg seemed a little annoyed with me, though," she said with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.

John gazed at his youngest daughter with pride as he remembered Belle's reaction to Hank Gragg's accusation that she was too uninformed on the matter to have her vote counted. "Of course I am uninformed, Mr. Gragg," Belle replied hotly. "How could I not be after reading your report. You state an impressive growth potential, yet cite no numbers to back it up. A plan to expand globally is mentioned only vaguely, with no specific details. While the profit margin stated is noteworthy, I am not convinced that it is a stable one. Therefore, I see no reason for Titan Industries to spend so much money on a company whose prospects for showing a gain is quite questionable, and poses no threat whatsoever to Titan. That is my opinion after studying your report and that is my vote."

"Don't worry about him," John said with a grin. " He's Rutherford's puppet, not a single thought of his own in that little head of his."

"Who said anything about being worried?" Belle shook her head. Would her father ever realize that she wasn't five years old anymore? "You are way too protective, Daddy," she sighed, knowing that to ask him to stop worrying about her was like asking him to quit breathing. "But, I love you anyway."

"I love you too, baby," John said as he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Oh goodness, look at the time," Belle exclaimed. "I've gotta run. I'm supposed to met the interviewer from Bella in five minutes. See you tonight."

************

"Can you stay for a cup of tea, Mom," asked Sami as she and Marlena entered the kitchen of the Horton house. "I'd love to," Marlena replied. When Sami turned to the stove to boil water for tea, Marlena took a moment to glance around the room. Alice Horton died in her sleep a few years earlier, but Marlena still felt her presence, especially when sitting in her kitchen at the big oak table. She could almost smell the scent of freshly brewed coffee and Alice's famous doughnuts hot from the oven. She recalled asking Alice for her recipe one time. 'Now Marlena, if I gave away my doughnut recipe, what would you all need me for,' she replied with heartwarming smile. 'Oh Alice, never ever worry about being needed. Salem wouldn't be the same with you.' Marlena remembered sitting with Alice at that table for hours, chatting about the latest hospital gossip, their gardens, and their families.

"Here you are, Mom."

Marlena looked up at her daughter and gave her a bittersweet smile. "Thanks sweetheart. So, what have you been up to? I haven't seen you lately."

"Well, let's see," Sami said, clicking things off on her fingers. "I've been here trying to make sure everyone has somewhere to spend their holidays; I'm helping Sarah and Mike coordinate the Christmas celebration for the children at the hospital; helping Will study for his Trig final, and you know how much I love math," she said, rolling her eyes. "Driving Matt to basketball practice," she continued, "trying to explain to Scott that while I love to listen to him practice playing his guitar, I prefer to do be awake when I do which means not at six o'clock in the morning. And now, they boys have decided that they want a dog," she finished with smile.

Marlena threw her head back and laughed. It still amused her to see her daughter all grown up with a family of her own. "Sounds like you've got your hands full."

"Yeah well, how about you," Sami asked. "Oh, Belle was supposed to come in yesterday, wasn't she? How is my little sis?"

"Wonderful. She did ask me to tell you hello and she'll see you tonight." Marlena leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially, "She brought a boyfriend."

Sami gasped, "That's right! You did say she was going to bring a guy out to meet the family. So, what's the scoop?"

"You know that old saying, 'Girls marry men like their father'? The old wives definitely had Belle in mind when they came up with that one," Marlena answered. "He has dark hair, gorgeous green eyes, great sense of humour, loves sports, very protective, and I'd be willing to bet he's extremely romantic. Oh, and he looks incredible in a pair of jeans."

Now it was Sami's turn to laugh. "I can't wait to meet him. Sounds like Belle has found herself quite a catch."

"Speaking of the men in my daughter's lives, how is Dave?"

Sami stood quickly and walked to the stove to pour herself another cup of tea, her back to Marlena. "Okay. Can I get you another cup of tea?"

Marlena noticed the change of subject and wondered what had happened between Sami and her husband. She wanted to ask her about it, but her gaze passed the clock on the wall and saw that it was almost one o'clock. "No thanks, sweetheart. I've got to run. I'm sorry. I need to run a few errands before my afternoon appointment. I'll see you tonight," she said, making a mental note to watch Sami and Dave at the party tonight.

*************

It was a quarter after one when Belle entered the tailor shop only to see Nick emerging from the dressing room in his street clothes. "Darn, I was hoping to catch a glimpse of you in your tux."

"Well, that's just too bad," Nick replied as he wrapped his arms around her waist, "because there is no way I'm putting that thing back on until I absolutely have to."

Belle sighed and acted disappointed. "Are you sure there's nothing I could do to convince you," she asked seductively.

The desire in her eyes was almost his undoing. Whether or not he would have given in to her request would remain a mystery though, because it was at that moment the tailor approached the couple. "Good afternoon, Ms. Black. I'll start altering Mr. Edwards tuxedo immediately and have it delivered to your house by seven."

"Thank you, Mr. Zane. I appreciate your generosity."

"After all of the business your family has done at my shop, it is my pleasure to do you this favour."

"So are you ready to eat," asked Belle as they left 'Zanes'.

"Famished," Nick answered. "I was afraid my stomach was going to start to growl when he was measuring me."

Belle laughed. "Good, because I know a great little place on the river. Serves the best clam chowder this side of the Mississippi.

"Lead the way."