CHAPTER FOUR
(chapter title - Life Back In New York)

"He's so perfect." Mark whispered as he held Jason in a rocking chair. Destiny smiled and watched from the couch. Roger watched from a corner of the room, smiling at his best friend. Just then the phone rang.

"I'll get it." Roger announced, walking over to the phone. "Hello?"

"Rog - it's Joanne. Maureen just went into labor and I need you to drive us to the hospital." Joanne's voice was panicky.

"I thought she wasn't due for another week."

"She wasn't, but I think it's for real this time."

"Okay, Jo. I'll be right there, don't worry."

"You're an angel, Rog."

"I would do anything for you two."

"Just hurry up and get your ass over here!" Maureen yelled in the background.

"I'll be there soon! Bye!" Roger hung up the phone and turned to Mark and Destiny.

"What's going on, Rog?" Mark inquired.

"Maureen's in labor and I need to leave now to get her to the hospital." Roger informed him, putting on his worn-out leather jacket and grabbing his car keys.

"I thought Maureen wasn't due until next week." Destiny said, a hint of confusion in her voice.

"She's not, but Joanne's sure this is the real deal." Roger told her, heading out the door.

"Call us when you get to the hospital." Mark said, handing his infant son to Destiny. She smiled and lifted her shirt so that Jason could nurse. Caitlyn was at dance class and then was spending the night at her friend Cassidy's house.

"I will. Don't worry." Roger reassured him from the steps. Walk-running to his car, he unlocked it, got in, put it in drive and drove to Maureen and Joanne's house in Greenwich Village.

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He reached their house twenty minutes later. Joanne came out of the house with Maureen, who was sweating profusely and looked like she was in serious pain. Spotting Roger's car, Joanne helped Maureen into it as soon as he pulled in the driveway.

"Bout time you got here." Maureen growled, climbing in the backseat.

"She's a little cranky." Joanne told Roger, climbing in after Maureen.

"I could sense that, Jo." Roger muttered, pulling the car out of the driveway and drove to the hospital. Joanne was in the backseat, helping Maureen with her breathing exercises. Maureen's water broke when they were halfway to the hospital. Shit Roger thought as he continued to drive to the hospital.

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They reached the hospital ten minutes later. Roger got Maureen's bags out of the car as Joanne helped Maureen into a wheelchair. Roger followed them, trying to be supportive, even though he didn't feel like it.

Five minutes later, Maureen was in a hospital bed and in the delivery room, waiting for the birth of her new daughter. Joanne was there, holding her hand and encouraging her to push just a little harder. Roger, because he wasn't family, was forced to wait outside the delivery room, which was fine with him. He read a magazine, slept and paced all the time that Maureen was in labor. Joanne came out a couple times to tell Roger that he could go home - Maureen would probably deliver the baby within the next few hours or so. She had been in labor for twelve hours already and was getting nowhere.

"Thanks, Jo, but I think I'll stay. I don't mind." Roger said, taking a sip of his coffee.

"You sure?" Joanne asked. Roger nodded and took another sip of coffee. Joanne sighed and went back to the delivery room. As soon as she was back with Maureen, Roger decided to call Mark to let him know what was going on.

"You sure you want to stay?" Mark asked.

"It's not like I have a family to run home to, like you do." Roger answered.

"Okay, Rog. If you're totally sure you want to do this." Mark said.

"Yes, Mark. I'm so fucking sure I want to do this!" Roger growled at his friend.

"God, Roger. You don't have to get an attitude with me. Jeez!" Roger could tell that Mark was hurt by his words.

"Mark, I'm sorry. It's just that you and Joanne keep asking me if I'm totally okay with doing this, and I've told Joanne at least five hundred times that I'm totally willing to stay for as long as she needs me." Roger said. He heard Mark say something to Destiny and Destiny protest.

"What?" Roger asked.

"I'm coming, too. What hospital are you at?"

"No, Mark! I'm fine here by myself. Stay with your wife and son. My daughter's away at college and my wife is dead, so I have nothing to run home to."

"Okay. If you insist."

"I'll call you once I know more about what's going on."

"Okay. Give Maureen our support and our love, will you?"

"Sure."

"Bye Rog."

"Bye Mark."

As Roger sat in the waiting room, he wondered what Jules was doing - it was 10:30 on a Saturday night - she was probably out with friends or sleeping.

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Two hours later, Joanne came into the waiting area. She looked happy, but tired. Roger stood up as she approached him.

"She had a little girl - Sophia Maria Johnson-Jefferson. Both are doing wonderfully, but Maureen's really tired and not up for visitors right now. I'm gonna stay with her tonight, just letting you know." Joanne told him.

"How's the baby?" Roger asked.

"She's good - 7 pounds, 7 ounces and 20 inches. She's really beautiful." Joanne answered, a small smile on her lips.

"Congratulations to you both." Roger said, hugging her. She hugged him back, gripping his worn-out leather jacket in her hands.

"I'm gonna head back to the loft and check on Lightening." Roger told her, mentioning the tan two-year-old Labradoodle he had gotten the previous year as a companion. Roger loved Lightening and Lightening loved him. She was his secret keeper and canine best friend.

"Don't spoil that dog too much, Rog." Joanne teased.

"I won't, Jo. You know that." Roger reassured her, smiling at her one last time before heading back to the loft.

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Meanwhile at the movies, John, Jules, Eileen and Adam were watching Poseidon and sharing a large popcorn. Jules was in charge of holding the popcorn at the time. She had ate half of it before the movie even started. As she and John went to refill the popcorn tub, he slipped an arm around her waist. Jules had just shook her head and pulled away.

"Jules, there's something I have to tell you." John started.

"Yes?" She asked, a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

"Iloveyou." John muttered softly.

"Huh?"

"I love you." He repeated, only slower. Jules felt herself blush as she handed the popcorn tub to the girl behind the counter.

"I-I really don't know what to say. How long?"

"For about two years."

"That's really sweet, John. But I can't be in a relationship right now. School comes first - then commitment." with that, she gathered her popcorn and headed back to the movie theatre, leaving John in the dust.