Chapter 16

Every one except Darren and Sara left the hospital around nine o'clock that night. They all stood in the parking lot talking for a while.

"I can't believe Mimi is marrying someone other than Roger." Maureen said reflectively. "It's weird."

"Why do you say that?" Roger wanted to know.

Maureen shrugged. "I just always pictured you guys together that's all." she said. Mark shot her a warning look, and she hastily added, "But you and Mark are so cute together."

Roger wrapped an arm around his love. "Yeah we are." he said. "But I am really happy that Mimi has found someone. Because you are right Maureen, I always did picture myself with her. At least until Mark came back into my life."

Joanne looked over at Maureen. "Honey we need to go, Jay is practically falling asleep on her feet." It was true, both Jaylah and Anastasia were leaning against Mark's car with their eyes closed.

"I guess that's our cue too." Mark said. "It feels good to be a parent."

"Yeah it's pretty great." Maureen agreed as she led her daughter away. "See you guys tomorrow." She and Joanne walked across the parking lot to their car.

"Well I'm riding with them, so I'll see you tomorrow too." Collins said and followed the girls.

"Bye." Mark and Roger called. Then Roger picked Ana up and put her in the backseat of the car. "It feels really good to have someone to take care of." he commented.

"Parenting agrees with you Roger." Mark said. "It gives you a glow. I'm only sorry you had to wait so long to have a child." Then he got in the driver's seat of the car. Roger started to ask what Mark meant by that, but decided against it and climbed into the car as well.

Once they got back to their house Roger said that he'd put Ana to bed. So Mark went and prepared to go to bed himself. He had showered and was in the bed reading by the time Roger came into the bedroom.

"What took you so long?" Mark wanted to know.

"I called Lanna and accepted her offer and then I took my own shower." Roger answered as he got in the bed.

"Oh." Mark said without looking up from his book. "You ready to go to sleep?" he asked after a while.

"No, I thought I would try to write something before bed." Roger told him.

This time Mark just nodded. Roger looked at him. He had been rather quiet ever since they had left the hospital and that wasn't like him. Finally Roger couldn't take it anymore.

"What is wrong with you?" He demanded.

"Nothing." Mark answered, still not looking up. "I'm reading. I happen to like to read Roger."

Roger rolled his eyes. "I know you like to read Mark. I also know that you're lying, because you can never look me in the eye when you lie."

Mark turned a page. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Then look me in the eye and tell me you're not upset about something." Roger said.

Mark just continued to stare at his book. So Roger put strong fingers under his chin and turned Mark's face to his. He was surprised to see tears in his sparkling blue eyes.

"Mark?" he asked uncertainly. "Mark, what is it?"

Mark found himself unable to look away from Roger's concern filled green eyes. "Are you really happy being with me?" he asked finally.

Roger chuckled a bit a that. "It's a little late for that now that we're married with a kid." he joked. Then he saw Mark's expression and he grew serious. "Mark why would you even ask that question?"

Mark sniffed. "I don't know. I just see you with Mimi and you're so protective of her and so caring. I can't help but think that Maureen is right. You really are supposed to be with her."

"Mark," Roger said softly. "There will always be a part of me that loves Mimi Marquez. She was a very important part of my life. But you, you are my life. Of course I'm going to try to protect Mimi, hell I'd try to protect Maureen or Joanne if something was wrong with them; simply because they are my family. But you never need to worry that I'm not happy being with you Mark."

"Why?" Mark whispered.

Roger leaned down and kissed him. "Because you are the one I chose to marry. You are the one I gave up my tough guy, rock star image to be with, and you are the one I'm going to raise a child with. Because before there was a Mimi, or a Maureen, or Collins, or Joanne in my life, there was you Mark. It's always been you."

Mark smiled a little at that. "But you said that you thought you were going to end up with Mimi before I came back into your life." he protested.

Roger smiled back at him. "Now Mark, you should know by now that I'm an idiot and I don't think before I speak."

"That's true." Mark agreed. "But I love you in spite of all that."

"Good, because you're going to be stuck with me for the rest of our lives." Roger said poking him.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Mark replied.

Ana was supposed to be sleeping, but she was lying awake in her bed listening to Mark and Roger's conversation. She was happy that her new parents were so in love with each other. It was more than she could say for her old family. She didn't really remember them much, they had given her up for adoption when she was three. But she had a vivid image of her mother in her head. Her mother and her aunt. They had been so very different from each other. Her mother had short red hair and a tanned complexion. Her aunt had been a different story. She had long, golden blond hair and fair pale skin. Sadly she knew nothing of her father, and her mother had died when she was one. So the task of raising her fell upon her aunt. But after a year, she too left her and Ana was sent to the Adam Anthony State Adoption Agency and there she stayed until Mark and Roger came for her. Her aunt visited her once and that was the last she saw of her.

Ana sighed as the conversation ceased in the other room. It hurt her to dwell on these memories. She shook her head. Those days were past and now she had a family who would stay with her. Finally she yawned and went to sleep.

The next morning Mark and Roger were up and making breakfast when Ana came into the kitchen.

"Good morning Ana." Roger said when he saw her.

She mumbled a greeting and then sat down at the table. Mark slid a plate of biscuits, sausage, and eggs in front of her. "Here you go." he said. Ana perked up at the food and began to eat. Then Mark and Roger sat down and began to eat as well. Then Roger looked at her.

"Ana it's just occurred to me that we haven't really learned that much about you since you've been here. We've been wrapped up in our own drama." he said.

"What do you mean?" Ana asked him.

"We don't know anything about how you came to be at the adoption place." Mark chimed in. "All Ms. Wilson said was that you were brought there by your aunt when you were really young."

Ana lowered her eyes. "I was three when I went there." she said. "I know because my aunt came to visit me once when I was ten and she told me the whole story. She said it was her final goodbye gift to me."

Mark's eyes widened. "Wow, so what happened? If you want to tell us that is." he added quickly.

"I'll tell you guys what she said. I mean you've shared so much with me in the past couple of days. Besides that's what family does, they share things." Ana said.