A/N Okay, this is a very short chapter, but I'm trying to show the passage of time as well as how their lives have grown and changed over the years. Some of the future chapter will be short (usually not this short) and some will be longer. It just depends on what is going on in their lives at that point. Just wanted to let you all know that.


Chapter 89

"Mark. Mark wake up."

"Whatsamatter?" He mumbled, reaching over Maureen for his glasses.

"Roger's not home yet."

"What time is it?"

"A little after six. He should have been home by three. Three thirty at the latest."

Mark climbed out of the bed. "What's going on?" Maureen asked sitting up.

"Roger's not home. Go back to sleep." He kissed her forehead as she lay back down.

Mark followed Cass out to the kitchen. "Did you call him?"

"Yes. I called the bar and his cell phone. A number of times and there's no answer."

Maureen came out of the bedroom. "What do you mean he's not home yet? He should have been home a while ago." She said alarmed.

"I don't know where he is." Cass told her.

Mark could hear the fear in her voice. Three hours late for Roger wasn't that big of a deal. At least in the old days. Back then he had waited way more than just three hours for Roger to come home. Sometimes three days. But not now. Ever since Cass had gotten to New York, Roger had pretty much come home, on time. Especially the last two years since Collin was born. "He's probably passed out in the back office with Izzy." Cass and Maureen just looked at him. A pleading look on Cass' face. "Of course I suppose I could get dressed and go down there." He told them reluctantly.

"Would you?"

"I'll go get dressed. You keep calling him." Mark walked back into his room and got dressed. When he came out Cass was hanging up the phone again. "I don't suppose we have any idea where the spare key to the bar is?"

"Um, maybe. I think it's in one of the drawers." She started digging in one while Maureen looked in the other.

"Is this is?" Maureen asked.

Mark looked up. "No I think that's the old front door key."

"What about this one?"

"No that's Angel's old apartment." Mark told Cass, pulling on his shoes.

"God this is my old apartment before I moved in here the first time." Maureen said, still digging in the drawer. "And this was Benny's parent's house. We really need to clean this stuff out.

"This is it." Cass closed the drawer and handed Mark the key.

"Okay, give me my phone, I'll call you when I get there." He pulled on his jacket.

"Where the hell are you going this early?"

"Roger!" Maureen yelled.

"Where have you been? I thought you were dead in an ally someplace!"

"What are you talking about?" He yawned.

"You should have been home three hours ago!"

"I was." He yawned again. "I guess I fell asleep in Collin's room."

"You've been home the whole time?" Mark asked, starting to laugh.

"Yeah. I got home around 3:30. I was hungry so I got something to eat. I guess Collin heard me or something. He started crying so I went in to see what was wrong and to get him to lie back down. He wanted to come into our bed. I was trying to keep him from walking you up." He told Cass.


"So where have you been for the last three hours?" Maureen asked him, hands on her hips.

"Well he wouldn't lay down at first. Then he gave me the pouty face with the puppy dog eyes to lay down with him."

Mark laughed. "You know for only being two years old he learned pretty quick that he can get a lot of mileage out of that pouty face puppy dog thing."

"Yeah well, he wanted to go in our bed or me to lay down with him so I did. I must have fallen asleep." He shrugged.

"So where's your phone? We tried to call you." Maureen told him in an accusing manner.

"My phone? It's right," He reached for his hip. "Um, I think I left it behind the bar. Sorry." He got a small grin on his face.

"Now that we know he's not dead in an alley someplace, and I don't have to go looking for him at the crack of dawn, can I go back to bed now?" Mark asked, from his spot leaning against the counter.

"Oh yes, I'm sorry Mark. But thank you." Cass said apologetically.

"Oh anytime. Really." He said sarcastically, but still grinning. "Come on let's go to bed."

"Okay, but I have to get up in an hour now anyway." Maureen told him.

"Well I don't." Roger said. "Besides I only went to bed three hours ago. And I woke up when he kicked me in the head."

"Oh poor Baby." Cass walked over and gave him a kiss.


Roger wrapped his arms around her waist. "You coming to bed?"

"I might as well stay up and get some work done while everyone's asleep."

"What if I give you the pouty face with the puppy dog eyes? Will you come lay down with me then?"

"Roger I have to get him up in an hour and a half for preschool, plus I have to finish this project."

"Come lay down with me and then when I get up later today I'll pick him up from school and then I'll take him to the park. You can get all sorts of work done then. I promise. We'll both be gone. I'll even take Mark with us. And Mo will be at work still." He gave her his best puppy dog eyes and pouty face.

"That look is getting a lot of mileage today." She laughed at him.

"Please." He still has his arms around her waist so he lifted her feet off the ground, walking towards the bedroom.

"I suppose I don't have much choice." She smiled letting him move her into the bedroom.

"Nope." He kissed her ear. "I'll even go running with you later too."

"I suppose." She grinned as he set her down on the bed. "Considering your offer."

"Oh if that's all it takes, I can make you a much better offer than that." He gave her a mischievous grin.

"Go to sleep Davis! You'll need it if your taking him to the park and me running."

"Yeah, yeah." He kissed her a few times as he wrapped his arms around her, quickly falling asleep.