Author's Note: A longer chapter to (hopefully) make up for the lapse of time...


Chapter 12

"…'Cause I love you a bushel and a peck
You bet your pretty neck I do -

Doodle oodle oodle
Doodle oodle oodle
Doodle oodle oodle, oo!"

Singing very softly, Rachel completed the song as Noah looked on from the doorway. "Good night, Baby," she whispered, kissing Max softly on the cheek. She tucked him in, turned, and joined Noah in the hallway.

"Thank you for helping with Max's bath," Rachel acknowledged as they walked toward the living room.

"It was fun," Noah admitted with a grin. "When my sister was that age, I was around 10, so either my mom or my Nana took care of her bath."

Entering the living room, Rachel sat on the sofa and Noah the chair closest to her.

"It's ironic," Rachel observed wryly, "we're Max's parents, and we barely know each other. If you don't mind, I'd like to change that."

She glanced shyly at Noah, who responded, "Sure; no problem there, Rachel. Fire away…"

"When Andi met you, you were in a band, so I assume you're a musician…" she opened the conversation.

"Well, that was the plan, anyway," Noah ruefully admitted. "Our band was good…at least, we thought so. It was fun in the beginning, exciting even, but touring gets old after a while. We never really caught on enough to become successful, and we disbanded about four years ago. I'm a music producer for Atlantic Records, now."

"And you enjoy your work?" she gently prodded.

"Yeah, I do," Noah confirmed. "Along with the production aspects, I write original music as well as co-writing with some of our artists. I get to do what I enjoy without living out of a suitcase, so it works for me."

"You mentioned your roommate earlier…Sam, I think you said…" Rachel alluded inquisitively.

"Yeah, Sam," Noah confirmed, smiling. "We've been friends since high school…actually, for a while, he was my only friend," Noah remarked.

"Why's that, Noah?" Rachel gently encouraged.

"Well, I had a rough few years," he admitted. "Went a little wild…even tried to steal an ATM when I was 16 and spent a couple 'a months in juvie. He's the only one who stood by me…outside of my family, of course." He paused, querying, "You don't seem upset by this…I mean…your son's father has a criminal record…"

Smiling softly, Rachel reassured him, "To be honest, Noah, my attorney mentioned that when we first learned who you were."

"And…you still wanted me to meet Max?" Noah hesitantly questioned.

"Of course, Noah; you're his father, after all," Rachel assured him. "Everyone makes mistakes when we're 16; unfortunately, some have more serious ramifications than others. Although I don't know you well, I can tell that you're a good man…a good person…" she affirmed.

"Thank you, Rachel," Noah humbly accepted her compliment.

"You're welcome, Noah," Rachel replied. "So...you were telling me about…Sam, is it?" she redirected the conversation. "You've been friends a long time," she acknowledged. "What does he do?"

"Sam's a teacher," Noah answered. "He's runs the music program at a middle school in Queens. And if band, orchestra, and choir weren't enough, he's also the assistant coach during football season."

"That's quite commendable, Noah," Rachel admiringly commented. "He must really like kids."

"Yeah, he does," Noah agreed. "He has a younger brother and sister and they're all close. In fact, I know he's looking forward to being 'Uncle Sammy'…when you and Max are ready, of course," he added, not wanting Rachel to feel pressured.

"One can't have too many 'aunts' and 'uncles'," Rachel acknowledged.

Turning the tables (so to speak), Noah requested, "Enough about me, what about you, Rachel? How did you decide to become an actress?"

Rachel reminisced, "For my sixth birthday, my dads took me to a local performance of 'Beauty and the Beast' and I was hooked. All of my time away from school was filled with dance classes and singing lessons and pageants. Because I was so single-minded, I lost out on a lot of what being a kid is about. Andi truly changed that for me."

"Can you tell me a little about her?" Noah requested. "I mean, I didn't really know her that well…" he hesitantly drifted off.

"Sure, I'd be happy to," Rachel complied. "Andi was one of the most upbeat people I've ever known." She paused, making eye contact before continuing, "She never said as much, but I think she had a premonition that she wouldn't live long, and she tried to make every day count."

Rachel smiled nostalgically, enlightening Noah, "As I mentioned, I was extremely focused as a kid, always thinking about my 'career'. Andi encouraged me to live in the present, rather than for the future, and we did things together I never would have on my own."

"Such as…" Noah curiously prodded.

"I would've taken summer classes after my freshman year, but Andi convinced me to travel, and we spent the summer in Europe. The next year, we went on our 'Birthright' trip to Israel. As soon as I turned 21, we drove down to New Orleans for Mardi Gras…"

"What was that like?" Noah questioned with a cocked left eyebrow and a teasing grin.

Smiling broadly (and blushing lightly), Rachel commented, "Let's say that Las Vegas isn't the only place where what happens there stays there."

After they both laughed at her admission, he inquired, "Where'd you meet her, Rachel?"

"We were assigned roommates at NYU," Rachel explained. "I was a freshman at Tisch, and she was repeating her sophomore year in the pre-law program. Andi dropped out of the University of Wisconsin after her parents passed," she informed him, "so, although she was two years older, we were only a year apart academically."

"She was a lawyer?" Noah posed.

"Yes; one of the best at her firm, actually," Rachel confirmed. "She was smart and driven, loyal and funny, honest to a fault, fiercely protective of the people she loved, and a wonderful mother in the short time she had with Max." Rachel sighed, concluding, "I think she took on too much after Max was born, and her body reacted with a major Lupus flare. Unfortunately, her heart was affected, and it happened so quickly…well, there was nothing that the doctors could do."

"I didn't know…I'm so sorry…" Noah offered his condolences.

"Thank you, Noah," Rachel accepted. "I miss her every day, and I have Max as a wonderful daily reminder."

"He's a great little guy," Noah observed. "Thanks again for letting me be a part of his life."

"You're more than welcome, Noah," Rachel graciously replied.

"If it's not too much to ask, can I see him…that is, both of you…again?" Noah tentatively proposed.

"Of course, Noah," Rachel confirmed. She paused a moment, considering possible activities. "How about next Sunday? Annie and I had planned to take the boys to the zoo then…her son, Jonathan is a little younger than Max, but they get along well…anyway, her parents are visiting and they won't be able to make it." She looked at Noah, inquiring, "Would that work for you? We can meet you around 11..."

"That sounds like fun," Noah agreed with a smile. "How about I stop by at 10 with lox and bagels, and we can leave after breakfast."

"Thank you, Noah; that sounds lovely," Rachel accepted. "That's one of Max's favorite breakfasts."

"Mine, too," Noah concurred.

Both smiling, they sat silently for a moment, each musing, "She's/he's really nice…this went better than I expected…"

Realizing the time, Noah glanced at his watch, announcing, "I'd better be going; it's getting late, and we both have to work tomorrow."

Simultaneously, Noah and Rachel stood up and walked toward the closet, where he retrieved his jacket. They proceeded to the front door, which Rachel opened.

"Thanks again, Rachel, I had a great time tonight," Noah acknowledged.

"We did, too," Rachel concurred. "Max will be so excited when I tell him about next Sunday."

"I'm looking forward to it," Noah admitted with a shy smile. "Well, good night, Rachel."

Rachel looked into Noah's eyes, and, almost instinctively, he leaned down and kissed her on the cheek.

Blushing slightly, Rachel softly stated, "We'll see you Sunday, Noah."

Smiling contentedly, Noah left the apartment, the sound of the deadbolt turning as he walked away.


Turning the key in his own lock was noted with the sound of happy barking.

"Hey, there, little girl," Noah greeted the dog, bending down to scratch her behind the ears before removing his jacket. He had finished at the closet when Sam called from the living room, "Hey, Puck! How'd it go?"

"Just a minute, Sam," Noah answered, closing the closet door. He walked into the room, dog following. Sam placed the TV on mute and Noah sat down in their recliner, leaning forward toward Sam, hands clasped loosely together. The dog jumped on the sofa and settled in next to Sam.

"So, spill, Puck; I'm dyin' here," San prodded, grinning inquisitively.

"It was…great…" Noah hesitantly confessed, adding "way better than I expected. He's a great kid, Sam…smart…figured out that I'm his dad all by himself."

"Really?" Sam responded. "How'd he take it?"

"Like it was the most natural thing in the world," Noah recalled. "Said he always wanted a daddy, and went back to eating his dinner like nothing had changed."

"And the mom…" Sam probed.

"She's really cool, Sam," Noah acknowledged. "She's done a great job raising him, and she's nice…very genuine, not at all like I expected before I met her."

"Such as…" Sam prompted.

"Such as I figured since she's an actress, she'd be self-absorbed and superficial, but she's down-to-earth and easy to talk to."

"You like her," Sam observed.

"Of course, I like her Sam…oh…jeez Sam, I barely know her," Noah countered. "Please don't go lookin' for something that's not there…"

"Protesting too much…interesting…" Sam mused. "Is she a good cook?" he good-naturedly inquired.

"Yeah, she is" Noah reported. "We had vegetarian lasagna, and I'd swear there was meat in it."

"Very nice," Sam commented. "At least, you know your kid's eating healthy."

"I'm sure he is," Noah concurred. "By the way," he continued, changing the subject, "she offered to reserve some tickets for her show for us…and Quinn."

Sam's face brightened at the mention of his former high school crush. "Sounds cool; when?" he inquired.

"Next week," Noah explained. "I'll call Quinn tomorrow and we'll figure it out, and I'll call Rachel and let her know."

"When you do, please thank her for me," Sam requested. Grinning slyly, he asked, "So, are you seeing her…I mean them…again soon?"

"Yeah, actually we're going to the Central Park zoo next Sunday," Noah answered. "Sounds like she was supposed to go with Anne Hathaway, but…"

"She knows Anne Hathaway?" Sam interjected incredulously.

"Yeah, they're in the same show," Noah explained. "You saw on YouTube, Adam Sandler's in it, too."

"Yeah, but Anne Hathaway…she's hot…"

"And married…with a kid, Sammy…chill out, already…" Noah teased.

"Yes, Dad," Sam jibed back.

"You are such a dork," Noah retorted with a grin.

"Yeah, but I'm your dork," Sam replied, smiling as well.

"Yep; you are," Noah agreed. "It's late, bro. I'm gonna head off to bed. Got a meeting early tomorrow." Noah stood up, excusing himself, "Good night, Sammy."

"'Night, Puck," Sam replied, returning his attention to the TV as he released the sound, turning it down to not disturb his roommate.


Author's Note: In case I haven't mentioned it previously, "Guys and Dolls" is an American musical comedy that premiered on Broadway in 1950. The music and lyrics were written by Frank Loesser and the book was co-written by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows.