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"May I help you?" asked a smartly dressed woman.

"My name is Adam Clark, and I'm here to pick up my item," explained Adam. "I was told it was ready."

The woman's face brightened into a warm smile. "This way, please." She took them to some expensively upholstered seats, and disappeared in back of the store. Soon, she reappeared with a case in her hands, and a clipboard. "I hope this meets your satisfaction," she smiled, placing the slender black case into Adam's hand. "It was precisely made to your specifications."

Adam opened the velvety case and showed it to Charlie. "I think it should do, don't you, Charlie-girl?" Inside, was a delicate diamond bracelet. "I thought it'd go well with your necklace and engagement ring," he smiled.

"Oh, Adam!" Charlie breathed in amazement. "It's beautiful!"

"She likes it," Adam smiled to the woman.

After signing some papers and paying for the expensive piece of jewelry, Adam and Charlie got back into the waiting limousine.

"Now, we can go back to the hotel," he smiled, as Charlie opened her box to look at her bracelet. "It's pretty, isn't it?"

"I don't know how to thank you," sighed Charlie in wonderment. "It's simply exquisite!"

"Charlie," smiled Adam, "you've been paying me, ever since you said you'd marry me."

Feeling tears coming to her eyes, Charlie fought to keep them back. Not trusting her voice, she smiled at Adam, and he sighed contentedly.

When Charlie reached the security of their hotel room, she climbed on the bed and closed her eyes for a nap before lunch. As she fell asleep, Charlie felt Adam lie down beside her.


The next day, Adam took Charlie and Dave to the arena where the benefit concert was going to be held. The place was huge, and as Charlie looked at row upon row of seating, she understood why Bill had said this place could hold seventeen thousand people. In the center of everything, a large stage had been constructed where sports were usually played.

"They hold tennis championships here," Adam informed them.

Cables littered the stage as Hugh Nelson took Adam and Charlie to the place their pianos would be situated. As one of the organizers of the event, Hugh was deeply involved with almost every aspect of the benefit concert.

"I can't tell you how much we appreciate you and Charlie coming," Hugh thanked them. "Many of the tickets we sold were due to you, Adam."

"I find that hard to believe," chuckled Adam. "I met Seth Harding in the elevator this morning, so you can't tell me everyone's turning out just because of Wallace Shipley!"

"Seth may be an extremely talented classical pianist," smiled Hugh, "but he's not Wallace Shipley." When Hugh saw that Adam still didn't believe him, he laughed. "The same hour it was publicized that you and Charlie were going to be here, I couldn't sell the tickets fast enough!"

Adam didn't look as though he really wanted to hear that, for it only added pressure to his already heavy burden of celebrity. "I'm glad we could help out," he sighed in a resigned voice.

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