Chapter 21

"Honey you need to get up." Maureen said as she shook her fiancé's shoulder. "It's like four a.m. and we're still lying on the couch, butt ass naked."

Roger yawned and looked up at her. "Yeah we should move into the bedroom." he said and grinned.

"No Rog, not to do that, we need to sleep because we both have to work tomorrow silly." Maureen admonished.

"We can blow it off Mo." he told her. "Come on, we can play hooky for just one day as an engagement present to ourselves."

"You play hooky Roger." Maureen replied and got up. "I on the other hand am going to be the responsible adult in this relationship and go to my job. We need money around here, because I want an extravagant wedding."

"Whatever you want Maureen." Roger said and yawned again. "Help me would you? I'm too tired to get up."

Maureen helped Roger to his feet and they made their way to their bedroom, where they collapsed on the bed and fell asleep again.

Hours later, everyone got up and Roger and Mark did go to work after having a celebratory round of coffee with the gang. Since it was a Saturday the twins were not in school and they sat around the loft with their mother and Aunt Lilly. They were confused as to why Maureen was so giddy and kept looking at her hand and showing it to Lilly. Finally Melody got up and asked her.

"Mama can I see your hand too?" she wanted to know.

Maureen hesitated a minute then held it out for her daughter to see. "That's a pretty ring Mama. Did Daddy give it to you?" Mel asked.

"Yes he did Melody. Your Dad is a very sweet man." Maureen replied.

"Why did he give it to you? Is it your birthday or something?" Melody pried.

"Tell you what Mel, we'll talk about that when Daddy gets home from work okay?"

Melody nodded and went back to coloring with Harmony. Maureen and Lilly went back into the bedroom to talk.

"So are you not going to tell them the truth?" Lilly wanted to know.

"I am, but I'm just not sure how to say it so they'll understand. Plus Roger has to be here when I do so that he can say his part." Maureen sighed. "This is so complicated."

"Well yeah, but no one said that parenting was going to be easy." Lilly replied. "You'll just have to come up with a better, more child friendly way of saying that you gave in to a fit of passion with their father and had them out of wedlock."

"Oh shut up Lil." Maureen retorted. "I'll ask Roger how he wants to go about it when he gets home."

Maureen never did get to ask Roger because he came home late from work and she had to rush to her job so she wouldn't be any later. She and Reggie walked into the Life Café just in time to hear Al, her manager yelling.

"Where are Johnson and Cohen?"

"Chill Al, we're right here." Reggie yelled back. "It's only a quarter after, so calm down."

"That's unacceptable seeing as you both live down the street." Al replied angrily. "What's the excuse? Did you get lost along the way?"

"Shut it Al." Maureen interjected. "In case you've forgotten I am the mother of two four year olds. I can't come in to work until Roger gets home to watch them."

"Whatever, just get to work. Johnson, register. Cohen, table five is ready to order. Get to it!"

The two friends rolled their eyes and went to their tasks. Maureen had been at the register about thirty minutes when she saw Roger heading toward her. "Hello my lovely." he said with a smile. "Lilly said we needed to talk about something." he leaned on the counter. "So let's talk."

"Roger I'm working right now, and who's watching Melody and Harmony?" Maureen wanted to know.

"Lilly and Mark have them under control. What are we supposed to be talking about?" Roger asked again.

"Okay, Mel was asking about my ring earlier today and I didn't know what to tell her about it. I mean I can't very well say 'yes honey, your father and I are just now getting married, and you girls are the result of an uncontrolled moment of lust between us years ago.' That might mess them up for a while." Maureen replied.

"True." Roger agreed. "But we have to tell them something. They know what a wedding is and soon they'll know that we're going to be having one."

"Yeah I know. The problem is how do we explain our situation to four year olds?" Maureen mused.

"Johnson, it doesn't look like Roger's watching any kids to me!" Al yelled across the café. "Looks like he's keeping you from doing your work."

"Ignore him." Maureen told Roger when he turned around to glare at Al.

"Basically our situation is going to be theirs soon enough. So I say we just tell them straight out, leaving out all the sex stuff of course. Chances are they won't even understand most of what we're going to say." Roger suggested.

"Alright if you think it'll work then let's do it." Maureen replied with a smile.

"JOHNSON!" Al screamed. "No booty calls at work!"

Roger got up and walked over to him. "Yell at her one more time." he said threateningly. "Just one more time, and see what happens." he started to walk away. "Oh and in a few months her last name will be Davis. So get it right and change your attitude towards my fiancé, or I'll change it for you."

He walked away leaving Al spluttering. "We'll decide what to say when you get home and tell the girls tomorrow, okay?"

"Sounds good." Maureen told him and leaned forward to kiss him. "Have I ever told you that I love you Roger Davis?"

"You prove it everyday." Roger replied, kissed her again, and walked out of the café whistling.