Chapter 10

3 months later…

"Shelby, let's get going!" Sophie hollered to her sister who was still primping in the bathroom.

Over the past few months, furniture had slowly found its way into the apartment. Starting with a used, but still nice couch that Mark and Roger had found on the side of Park Avenue. After figuring out that she didn't have to pay rent, Sophie saved and bought mattresses and bed frames for Nolan and Shelby and bought more blankets and pillows. She slept on the couch; which was a big upgrade from where she was previously. She had bought a small table at a thrift store and found the cheapest chairs there, which were mismatched to say the least. Mark had "found" a TV around his work and gave it to the family, which Sophie accepted graciously.

Over one weekend, true to her word, Sophie took Shelby and Nolan down to North Carolina to visit Sonya and the rest of the family. They didn't get to stay long at all, but Sophie figured it would hold Shelby over until Thanksgiving; which had now arrived.

"How do I look Soph?" Shelby asked, biting her lower lip. Over the past few months Shelby had made a few friends and like all tweens, had a crush.

"You look beautiful Shelby Renee", Sophie gently kissed the top of Shelby's head.

Shelby smiled, straightened out her shirt and the two gathered their things.

"Nolan!"

A blonde head peered around a corner, and trudged over to follow his mother downstairs.

"So guys, Thanksgiving is coming up." Sophie said, taking Nolan's hand.

"Are we gonna celebrate with Mimi, Mark and Roger?" Shelby asked disinterested; obviously forgetting her sister's earlier promise of going to North Carolina for the holiday.

"Actually…I was thinkin' we could celebrate with Sonya, Sasha and Shiloh." Sophie said, a smile finding its way onto her lips.

"What? Seriously?!" Shelby dropped her book-bag and threw her arms around her sister's neck.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" She squealed.

"You're welcome." Sophie knocked on the door they had arrived at and entered slowly. "Morning!" She greeted.

The group was greeted with the sound of a toilet flushing, and Mimi wobbling out not looking her best.

"Hey guys." She stumbled over to the couch.

"Mimi, you look…" Sophie stumbled over what to say.

"Like shit?" The dancer offered, as Sophie covered her son's ears from the word, not wanting a dirty word to become his new fascination.

"Well…kind of." Sophie offered a sad smile.

"I feel horrible." Mimi groaned.

Sophie let go of her son's hand and felt Mimi's forehead. "Well, your temperature's normal. Would you like me to stay and take care of you?"

"No, no", Mimi waved her hands, insisting she was fine. "I'll be-" Her eyes widened and she rushed to the bathroom, hand to her mouth.

Sophie cringed as she heard Mimi emptying her stomach into the porcelain god. Then, a thought occurred, and a smile crept across her face. She went to the door of Roger's bedroom and knocked slightly, not waiting for a response before peeking her head in.

"Roger?"

"Mmph." He groaned as he turned over.

"Get up rock-star." She turned on the light.

"Mmph!" He put a pillow over his head.

Sophie smiled and ripped the comforter off of the bed, revealing Roger's dinosaur pajama pants and an old Zeppelin t-shirt on his body.

"Hey!" He finally sat up.

Sophie covered her smile with her hand. "One question Roger…if Nolan has some mutant growth spurt, could he use these?" She tugged on a pant leg.

Roger's cheeks reddened, and he crossed his arms. "No, they're mine…what do you want anyway?"

"Mimi's sick." Sophie stated matter-of-factly.

"I know, she was up half the night." Roger shrugged.

"And you didn't do anything?!" Sophie asked incredulously.

"What should I have done?" The oblivious rocker asked.

"Make sure she didn't faint? Roger you both have HIV!"

"Don't you think I know that? She told me it was nothing, that she probably ate something bad." Roger stood up.

"Roger…it's not that." She said quietly.

"Then what is it?"

"Can you watch Nolan for a few minutes? I'm going to take Shelby to school, then I'll come back here."

"You're missing work cause Mimi's sick?"

"That's what friends do. Nolan's in the living room, I'll be back in a few minutes." Sophie took one last look at Roger's pants and left giggling.

"Is Mimi gonna be okay?" Shelby asked her sister as they sped-walk to Shelby's school.

"Yeah honey, she's gonna be fine." The school was now in sight, and Sophie stopped. "Have a good day, and come to Mimi's after school, I'm going to stay with her and Nolan today."

Shelby nodded understandingly.

"Love you kiddo." Sophie kissed her sister on the cheek.

Shelby smiled and replied, "you too sis."

Half an hour later Sophie showed back up at the loft, plastic bag in hand. She found the boys on the floor watching Sesame Street, Nolan in Roger's lap looking quite comfortable, eating Cap'n Crunch. Sophie beamed at how sweet they looked. How much Nolan loved hanging out with other guys, seeing as he didn't get that a lot.

"Hi Mommy!" Nolan waved with his free hand, his other full of the sweet cereal.

"Hey sweetie. Is Mimi in the bathroom?"

Nolan nodded.

"I'll be right back guys." Sophie smiled and knocked quietly on the door of the bathroom, letting herself in.

"Hey Sophie, you should be at work." Mimi said slumped over the toilet.

"Yeah, well, I think you might want someone here with you…I think I know what's wrong with you Meems. You're throwing up and just generally feel like crap?"

"Yeah, but I'm also hungry…for cheetos and mayonnaise."

Sophie crinkled her nose, but brought out what she had purchased at the drug store. "I think you might be pregnant." She said, a grin spreading across her face.

"No! Already?" Mimi immediately brightened a bit.

"'Already'?" Sophie laughed. "It's been three months!"

"I know", Mimi murmured. "Okay, let's do this!" Mimi shakily rose.

5 minutes later…

"Jesus Christ! How long does it take?" Mimi paced as best she could in the tiny bathroom.

"In 20 seconds, we'll know." Sophie smiled with patience, knowing how anxious Mimi was.

"Ugh…what if I'm not Sophie? I mean…maybe I'm not the right person to have a kid. I mean, what if the kid has HIV? I just don't think I could live with passing on this disease to an innocent little-" Mimi set herself up for disappointment.

While Mimi ranted, Sophie picked up the test and looked at the response they had been waiting for.

"-baby, and then what if I'm a horrible mother? Roger would be a perfect father. But what about me? Do you think I can do it Soph?" Mimi turned to her friend.

"I think we're gonna find out." Sophie grinned. "You're pregnant."

"W-What?" Mimi stuttered.

"It's positive." She held out the test and Mimi gently took it, seeing that it was, in fact, positive.

"Wow…" Mimi sat down on the edge of the bathtub, dazed but happy.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Sophie took a seat next to her.

"I have a little person growing inside me…a little baby, half of me and half of Roger…"

"That's gonna be one gorgeous kid!" Sophie rubbed Mimi's back soothingly.

Mimi smiled half-heartedly. "I need to get more meds." She snapped into preparation mode.

"You're already on one of the best regiments possible." Sophie reasoned.

"I want to be on the best. This baby doesn't deserve HIV; this baby deserves the best I can give it. Do you want to go with me to the clinic?" Mimi started throwing away the test materials.

"What, today?!" Sophie said incredulously.

"Yes today!" Mimi said, as if it was obvious.

"Mimi", Sophie tugged on her arm. "Sit down. The meds can wait until tomorrow, we'll get you on the best meds, I promise. But today is your day to just, revel in the fact that you're going to be a mother!" Sophie placed her hand on Mimi's relatively flat stomach. "You have a little person in there, now relax and let him or her grow."

Mimi took a deep breath. "Okay, but tomorrow we go?"

"Definitely. Now, I think there's one other person who might wanna know about this new development", Sophie pointed to the living room.

Mimi pranced into the living room, the nausea subsiding.

"Hey babe", she kissed the top of Roger's head.

"You over your food poisoning?" He asked without looking up from Bert and Ernie.

"Nope." Mimi smirked.

"So…you have a cold?" He concluded.

"Nope."

"So, this was just a freak sickness?" He slid Nolan onto the floor and off of his lap and turned around to see Mimi.

"Roger, do you want a boy or a girl?" Mimi asked quietly.

"A boy or a gir- oh my god. You're…really?!" He now understood.

"Yeah, the test was positive!"

Roger stood up and took Mimi in his arms, spinning her around. As soon as her feet touched the ground again, she rushed to the bathroom; another wave of nausea hitting her. Roger flopped onto the couch, happily unaware of anything else going on around him.

"Wogew? Nolan peered up at his buddy. Roger however, didn't hear anything. So Nolan tugged on his sleeve. "Wogew?

Roger snapped out of his trance and looked down at the toddler. "Hey dude, guess what?"

Nolan climbed up next to Roger. "What?" He asked excitedly.

"In a few months, I'm gonna have a little baby."

Nolan pursed his lips, a look of confusion crossing his little face. He turned his eyes to Roger's stomach and poked it. "Baby?" He asked.

Roger chuckled. "Well, Mimi's actually having the baby…but well…never mind dude." Roger ruffled Nolan's hair affectionately, then placed him on his lap and continued watching Sesame Street; though his mind was entirely on different things.