Ok, this is PostRENT, 5 years from now, with changing perspectives. This chapter has Roger's POV.
"Rog, baby? Could you please clear the table while I get dessert ready?"
"Sure, Mark", I replied, smiling at my gorgeous Jewish boyfriend as he took some raspberries, blueberries and some plain yoghurt out of the fridge. He smiled back, blushing until his cheeks started to resemble raspberries themselves. God, how I loved making him blush.
I picked up the two plates, glasses and cutlery from the dining table and rinsed them in the sink before loading them into the dishwasher. Yes, we have a dishwasher now. It's hard to believe that once upon a time, we had none of the things that I mentioned earlier. But thanks to Mark's job at Buzzline – which he doesn't enjoy a great deal – and my gigs after the Well Hungarians back together, we managed to make enough money to buy food, clothes and household appliances, and also to pay for rent and bills, which thankfully got Benny off our back for some time. (But we still live in the loft, though. We were too sentimental about it to leave and find a new place) It wasn't easy at first. Mark hated the sleaziness and transparency of Buzzline, with their Hollywood makeovers gone wrong and pregnant teen princesses, and it was difficult for me trying to get the guys back into the band again, because they were so sure we'd fail again. But mind you, it took perseverance and hard work, two words that I didn't think existed in my vocabulary. But because I love Mark so much, I was willing to do anything in the world for him, as he was for me. So in a nutshell, my friends, we were able to build a good, strong, stable life for ourselves. One which we've been sharing very happily for the past 4 years now. But everything else in still the same. Collins still drops by to visit us or bring us things that he thinks we need. Maureen still storms in here and complains about how Joanne kicked her out again because she supposedly cheated with some hot woman in rubber. But everyone's impressed at how far we've come and how well we're doing. I for one was really happy with our relationship and how strong it was. Today was the day that I was going to make it stronger.
While Mark was busy dishing the dessert into small bowls, I quietly stuck my hand in my pocket and wrapped my fingers around the little thing that I wanted to give him. I pretend to be really clumsy and knocked over Mark's projector – which I made sure landed on the couch – and then feigned shock.
"Oh no, Marky, I'm so sorry. I shoulda been more careful", I fake-blubbered.
Mark shook his head and chuckled at me "That's okay love, I'll take care of it".
While he was busy setting his projector back up, I quickly skipped over to the kitchen, buried my little 'gift' under a large blueberry in one of the bowls, and the picked them both up. I handed Mark the one that I just 'fixed up', so to speak. He smiled at me again – fuck, I love his smiles – and we both settled down on the couch, leaning against one another, as we ate our desserts. I for one, didn't care for eating because I was so nervous and yet so excited. My stomach felt like I ate a whole family of butterflies as my watched my baby dig his spoon into his white yoghurt, which was now blue and red thanks to the berries, and raise it to his mouth. I watched as he squeezed his little eyes shut as he savoured the sweet, juicy, fresh taste on his tongue. Then I watched with bated breath and Mark picked up said large blueberry and popped it into his mouth. It only took a second until he realised what was under it.
"Roger?" His eyes popped out of his head like champagne corks as he pulled out a small hematite ring from his bowl and stared at me like a fish as he struggled to form coherent English words. "What? I mean…You.."
I silenced him with my finger, which I placed upon his lips. "Baby, there's something I want you to do. I hope you know that for these past 4 ½ years, I've done nothing but love you and cherish you endlessly, because you mean the world to me. I want us to be together until we're old, gray, toothless and possibly senile. I want you to know that you are the only person I love and ever will love, till the day I die." I felt my heart pound in my chest and my face turn hot and got off the couch, knelt in front of him with one leg bent, as I took the ring from him. I took his right hand, held it in mine, and held the ring in my other hand. I swallowed, took a deep breath, then looked deep into his sky-blue eyes and said:
"Mark Cohen, will you commit to me and be mine forever?"
Mark just sat there staring at me for the longest time, his breaths becoming faster and faster. A single tear slid spilled out the corner of his left eyes as he too took in a deep breath, then smiled and gave me the answer that made my heart explode with joy.
"Yes Roger, I will".