Chapter 13

Mark wasn't that happy when Roger informed him of Benny's visit as they walked out of the building together. But he had been in such a state of euphoria ever since he got engaged that he soon got over it.

"Well I guess we do need to make amends sometime." he said practically.

"Man, your girl has got you going crazy." Roger commented. "You just let everything roll off of you now."

Mark grinned sheepishly and shrugged. "Hey I have a lot to happy about." he turned and walked towards the supermarket. Roger smiled at his good mood and turned towards the record store.

Maureen was eating her second bowl of cereal when Reg came over again.

"Hey girl. Has Roger left yet?" she asked as she closed the door behind her.

"Yeah he left a few minutes ago. Benny's coming tonight by the way. I just got done talking to him on the phone." Maureen told her.

"Wow, so he's finally back in the loop?"

"Not exactly, but this could be his start. I just don't want my children to be brought into the world with all these grudges in the family, you know?"

"That's a good thought." Reggie commended her. "So let me ask you something. I asked Mark last night but he acted like he didn't know what I was talking about, so I know he knows what's going on."

"What is it?" Maureen prompted.

"Are you and Roger going to get married?" Reg wanted to know.

Maureen sighed. "Roger is so great." she said. "He asked me if I wanted to get married last night. But I knew that he was only asking because of the twins. I mean you don't go from barely tolerating someone to wanted to marry them in a matter of months."

"Well I figured it wouldn't be right now, but I mean like are you two ever planning on it?" Reg asked.

"I couldn't say what will happen in the years to come. So much has happened already."

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. "That can't be Benny already." Maureen said as she struggled to her feet to answer it. Standing outside was Roger's little sister Lillian.

"My gosh." she remarked as she saw Maureen. "Rog wasn't kidding when he said that you were pregnant."

"Uh hi Lilly. Can I help you with something?" Maureen said uncertainly.

"Is Roger here?" Lilly wanted to know.

"No he's at work right now, but come on in."

Lilly obeyed. "No way! Roger got a job? That's incredible."

Maureen stifled a giggle and turned to Reggie. "Reg this is Roger's sister Lillian. Lil this is Mark's fiancé Regina."

"Holy crap Mark's engaged?" Lilly exclaimed. "Why am I always the last person to find these things out?"

"Roger has communication issues." Reg said dryly. "But we're working on him and trying to get him to open up more."

"Good luck with that." Lilly replied as she looked around the loft. "Rog is forever telling me that I need to move out of Mom's house. But if I do, is this all I have to look forward to?"

Then the door slid open and Collins came in. "Hey guys. Maureen you and Roger got any food around here?" he asked.

"Collins!" Lilly shrieked and ran to hug him.

"Lillian Davis you've grown a foot since I saw you last." Collins said. "And you're so pretty. I'm surprised that no one's knocked you up yet."

"Please. Everyone knows that I'm Roger's sister and they haven't forgotten all the crazy things he used to do when he was younger. All the guys are afraid to come near me for fear of him." Lilly told him.

"Well that could be a good thing." Collins remarked. "Anyway, what brings you all the way up here?"

"Roger never tells me anything so I decided to come and find out what was going myself. Plus Ma has been driving me crazy. Every five minutes it's 'Lillian what did I do to make him go so wrong?' or 'He was always so rebellious, maybe I should have been harder on him' and of course there's my personal favorite, where she walks around shaking her head and saying 'That poor girl.'"

"Am I supposed to be 'that poor girl?'" Maureen demanded.

"Yeah." Lilly told her. "I guess Ma thinks that Rog took advantage of you or something."

Collins burst out laughing. "If there's one person Roger can't take advantage of it's our Mo." he said. "She's tough as nails and much sharper. Whatever kids she and Roger have will be spitfires for sure."

"Really." Maureen huffed. "As if I can't control myself or something. Roger is not that cute." Everyone turned to look at her. "Okay so maybe he is." she continued. "But he doesn't control anything. I accept responsibility for this."

"I tried to tell Mom that, but she won't listen. I think it's because Rog looks so much like our Dad. He got Mom pregnant with Roger when she was just seventeen. I guess she couldn't control herself." Lilly explained.

"Well I'm older than seventeen." Maureen began.

"Way older." Collins chimed in.

"Oh like you're some spring chicken Collins. If you keep smoking all the time you'll be dead before you hit forty." she retorted.

Lilly giggled. "You guys are so funny." she said. "It would probably be really cool to stay here. Anyway why don't you show me what you do around here."

Maureen, Collins, and Reggie all looked at each other. "The Life." they said at the same time. They all hung out at The Life Café for the rest of the afternoon. They introduced Lillian to Sam the waiter and told her about some of the funny things that they had done. After a while Maureen looked up at the clock. It was a quarter to five.

"I'd better get home so that I can pretend I was resting before Roger gets there." she told them.

"Yeah, I told Mark that we were going to sit down and set the date for the wedding when he got home so we'd all better go." Reg agreed. All four of them got up and were headed towards their building when they saw Roger walking in the same direction. He saw them at the same time and walked over.

"Mo you know you should be at home resting." he admonished.

"I rested Roger." she insisted. "But then Lilly came over and we took her out."

"Lilly?" Roger asked. Then he spotted her trying to hide behind Collins. "What are you doing here Lil?"

"Nothing really." she said innocently. "Just hanging out with these guys."

"Yeah but why aren't you at home with Ma and Alan?" Roger wanted to know. "Do they know you're here?"

"No I just left. I couldn't take it Rog. Ma is driving me crazy and it's all your fault so you should let me stay here." Lilly retorted.

"How is it my fault?"

"All Ma can talk about is you going down the wrong path and knocking up poor girls. Alan is even getting sick of it. He stays out all night just to avoid hearing her complain about you." Lilly said. "Can I please stay here with you? Just for a little while."

Roger sighed. "We'll talk about this later Lil. Let's just go back up to the loft for now. Mark'll be home soon and we have a guest coming. But you should call Ma and tell her that you're okay. You know how she can get."

"Alright I will." Lilly acquiesced and fell in step with her brother.

When they got back to the loft Mark was waiting for them. "Hey guys did I miss a memo or something? Were we having a meeting?" he asked.

"No my sister and girlfriend just decided to conspire against me today." Roger replied as he dropped wearily onto the couch. "And then I have to make nice with that sell out tonight."

Maureen smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Oh you poor baby." she cooed. "Everyone is out to get my Roger aren't they?" They all laughed.