Chapter Four: Something of Ours

When everyone had finished dinner, Aaron helped Joanne clear the table as Roxie ran off to answer all her missed calls on her cell phone. Jason retired to his room, as did Roger, and Becky and Mark prepared some of Mark's old footage to screen as a little Christmas present to the others, and Maureen helped Collins over to the couch.

"Hey dad, why don't we show 'Today 4 U: Proof Positive'?"Becky offered. "That's one of your best, and we haven't watched it since Aunt Mimi..."Becky trailed off, as Collins sat down behind them. Mark let out a deep breath.

"Um...maybe not tonight, Becky,"he sighed. "I thought maybe we could go with something a little more...lighthearted."Becky nodded, understanding. Mark didn't want to remind Collins of what was coming. The time would come when Collins was ready to watch 'Today 4 U' again, but not then.

"Oh look! Here's some footage of you guys at the park when you were little. That should be pretty funny,"Mark insisted. Everyone gathered around as Mark set up his reel(he had never made the transition over to modern technology when it came to cameras)and began the film.

There was Aaron, about seven years old, running around, jumping all over the playground. Little five year old Jason was trying to copy him...failing miserably. Becky and Roxie were over in the sandbox. Roxie was rolling around in the sand, as Becky scooped sand into a little pink pale. Then Joanne came running over, pulling Roxie up out of the sand and brushing her off. Everyone laughed as Maureen came dashing over, obviously yelling at Joanne, and placing Roxie back into the sand. Joanne was yelling back, and pulled Roxie out of the sand. The two tossed poor Roxie in and out of the sand, arguing, as Roxie giggled.

Then Roger came over, grabbing Jason and spinning him around. Mimi walked over behind them, laughing. Roger held Jason up, and Mimi tickled him, making Jason laugh and struggle to break away from Roger, who held tight.

Aaron was sitting at the top of the slide, waving at the camera frantically, dancing around. Collins was secretly coming up behind him...and when Aaron wasn't expecting it, Collins pushed him down the slide. Collins was laughing as Aaron slid down to the bottom, landing in the woodchips on his behind. He turned around, looking angry at first...but then began laughing along with his father, who also slid down and joined his son on the ground.

Suddenly Maureen came over, and the camera was jumbled all around, with much struggling, until finally Mark came into view. Maureen's hand pointed towards Becky, who had come out of the sandbox. Mark walked over to his daughter, lifting her up and pointing at the camera. Becky giggled, waving as her father said something to her.

Then the reel came to and end.

"Wow, it feels like just yesterday you guys were playing on the park,"Collins said with a chuckle.

"Time sure flies,"Joanne agreed, stroking Roxie's curls.

"You know, I don't think you guys could be any closer if you actually were sisters and brothers,"Maureen said, which got a laugh from the group. All except Jason.

Jason had been struggling with some feelings he had been experiencing towards Becky. They lived together, they had since forever. They had grown up together. They were practically family. And yet...

They weren't family. And Jason had never felt that so much before as he did now. He was having strange feelings towards Becky, feelings he assumed a real brother would not have towards a real sister.

But of course, he knew he could never have a relationship with her, for the simple reason that he was HIV positive, and she wasn't. If they were together, there would always be the risk of her getting sick. He could never live with himself if that happened. He couldn't bear knowing he had condemned her to death. So there would be nothing between them. No risk, no consequences. But that proved to be much easier said than done.

For the rest of the night the group all just sat around talking, laughing, remembering old times. The adults got to tell stories of Angel, which always entertained the kids. And the kids could reminisce on Mimi and memories from when they were younger. It was a like a Life Support meeting, with all of them sitting together and talking. And never had the Life Support motto 'There's only us' been so properly displayed.