Disclaimer: Characters and everything RENT belongs to Jonathan Larson
Warnings: Rated R for situations and language
Author's Note: The Joanne/Mimi explanations are coming soon! And the chapter titles are all (hopefully) going to be lines from the musical. Sorry this chapter's short. Kind of transitional.
On the way home, Mark stopped suddenly. Maureen and Roger recognized the look. Inspiration. "Hey, guys, I gotta go do something."
"You okay?"
"Yeah. Um, I've been thinking—"
"Uh-oh," Maureen said.
"I'm serious. I think you two should go to this appointment alone. Don't argue with me, please. I'm going to be the father of this baby, but that doesn't make Roger any less important. Biologically speaking, this is your guys' baby. I want you guys to share this alone."
"Mark—"
"Roger, serious. Shut up. I want you guys to do this."
"I'll be at every other appointment. And there'll be other ultrasounds. This one, though, this one's for you two."
Maureen's eyes glittered with tears. "You sure, Mark?"
"Positive."
She hugged him tightly to her. "You're really sure about this?" she whispered in his ear.
"He needs this. And so do you. And you both deserve it," he whispered back.
Maureen stepped away and turned to Roger. Her tears spilled out. "You're still coming with me, right?"
"Of course….you mind if I talk to Mark a second though?"
"Sure, sure, go ahead."
Roger took Mark by the elbow. "Why you doing this?" he whispered as they stepped away from Maureen.
"Because."
"Not a reason."
"You deserve this, Rog. That baby is yours. I'll love it like my own and treat it like my own, but when push comes to shove, that baby is your child. Your only child. Today should be you and Maureen in that room. I'm going to be the father that baby's whole life. Today's your day."
"But—"
"You remember when we met Angel?"
Roger frowned. "Yeah, but what the hell…"
"Do you remember what she said? Today for you, tomorrow for me. That's what this is. Today's you, Rog. I get tomorrow."
Roger nodded, his eyes blinking back tears. "Thanks, man."
"No problem. Just, uh, don't cry. One hormonal woman in that loft is more than enough."
Roger laughed and punched his arm.
