Summary: We all make choices, what if they chose not to come to New York? Where, Who, What would they be?
AN: Not JL. Duh.
"Where would you be if you never came to New York?"
"You are one sick bastard."
"Come on. It's a serious question. So much of who we are is because of NY. If we changed just that one decision, to never come here, who would we be, where would we be, what would we be?"
"Benjamin Lawrence Thomson I do not touch that!" In one swift movement she grabbed the four year old by the back of his overalls and dropped him swiftly into the shopping cart. "You said you were old enough, but obviously not. You will sit in the little boy's seat until you can walk without touching anything." While Benny was thinking about crying Maureen was already walking down the aisle going down her shopping list. I need brownie mix for Sara's recital, juice for breakfast, and chip and dip for that retirement party at Michael's work. As if on cue her phone rang.
"Hon? Can you pick up Sara and Scott after school? I know I said I would but we just got swamped at work."
"What? What time are you getting home?"
"I don't know. The Grey deal just fell though."
"Okay."
She checked her watch and started digging in her purse again for her phone, her neighbor would have to pick up the twins at the bus stop, and she wasn't going to make it in time.
She wasn't watching where she was going and rammed right into an oncoming cart.
"So Sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going."
"No problem neither was I." The woman smiled and stuck out her hand to shake, "I'm Joanne."
Shaking her hand, "Maureen."
"And I'm BENNY!" he yelled bouncing up and down in his seat.
Maureen laughed, "And this is my youngest Benny."
Joanne smiled "I-", her phone rang, "What now Greg?" She mouthed sorry and walked swiftly down the aisle, "What happed to the Merige case?"
As she got into her mini van and buckled in Benny she thought, not for the first time what would happen if she didn't agree to marry Michael.
She was packing up her stuff, her hair and makeup still done from graduation. She had a friend who lived in New York and had promised to get her an apartment with his older sister and her boyfriend. She had always wanted to go and be a Broadway star, and they were going to help her get a place to live and a job. Then he came in, explaining that even though he was going to college he was still in love with her. He had begged her to stay, to marry him, and not to leave. He said that if she would leave he felt that he would never see her again, that she would leave and never look back. He said he loved her and gave her a ring. In the moment she lost all reason and agreed. Now she wasn't a soccer mom, exactly. But she might as well be. She had four-year old Benny, the nine-year old twins Sara and Scott, and their adopted eighteen year old daughter Shaun. They adopted her when she was thirteen, now she was in college out-of state. Michael worked with a contracting company that was expanding into New York City, redeveloping Greenwich Village.
"Shit! I forgot to call the neighbors!"