CHAPTER FIFTEEN
(chapter title – Happy Holidays)
"ROGER COHEN-DAVIS! STOP RIGHT THERE." Mark called, stepping into the cold winter night. He saw Roger disappear around the corner and pull out his pack of cigarettes. He took one out, put it to his lips and lit it.
"What the fuck do you want?" Roger growled, taking a long drag on his cigarette.
"Roger – I really hate it when you talk to me like that." Mark told his partner, walking over to him and taking the cigarette out of his mouth.
"Fuck you, Mark." Roger growled and walked away.
"Roger – what the fuck is your problem?" Mark wanted to know.
"Nothing." Roger said defensively.
"Nothing my ass. Something's bothering you. I know these things." Mark told him, standing next to Roger.
"It's just." Roger sighed. "It's Mimi's birthday today." Tears welled up in Roger's eyes as Mark pulled him in for a hug. Roger quickly pushed Mark away and sat down against the building, crying into his hands.
"Dad? Daddy? Is everything okay?" Sara asked.
"Yeah, Sar, everything's fine." Mark reassured her, but Sara didn't believe him.
"Baby, go back inside. You know how you almost died of phenomena in October. Please go back inside." Roger pleaded through his sobs. Without another word, Sara walked back into the Life Café and sat with her friends.
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Christmas Break arrived and that meant no school for two weeks. Sara had been invited over for Hanukkah over at Tiffany's one night. That had been so much fun – playing games and laughing until her sides hurt.
Since Mark was Jewish, he, Sara and Roger had their own Hanukkah fun – lighting the menorah, singing in Hebrew and playing dradle until it got boring – which was almost never.
"Ha! I win again!" Roger announced, pulling all the chocolate chips towards him. Sara and Mark let out a frustrated sigh. Just then, Mark got up and walked to his and Roger's room. He returned a few minutes later and presented Sara with a box.
"Happy Hanukkah Sara. This is from Dad and I." Mark told her, sitting down next to Roger. Roger smiled and wrapped an arm around Mark's waist and drew him close.
"Oh my gosh! It's beautiful!" Sara held up a gold chain with a music note charm. Mark smiled as Roger helped Sara put the necklace on.
"Thank you Daddy! Thank you Dad!" Sara thanked them, hugging both men at the same time. They smiled and hugged Sara back.
"I'm glad you like it." Mark told her, smiling.
"Happy Hanukkah sweetie." Roger said, handing Sara a square package. Confused, Sara tore the wrapping paper off and let out a squeal.
"Oh my God! Dad! How did you know I wanted this?" Sara asked, holding up a book entitled The Horse Whisperer. It was one of her favorite horse books.
"A little birdie told me that you wanted this book for some time." Roger told her, smiling at Mark.
"And I have something for you two. Let me go get it." Sara stood up and walked to her room, smiling. She had drawn a charcoal drawing of Mark and Roger the day they were committed.
"Here you go. Open it together." Sara told them, handing them the picture which was in a large yellow bag. Mark and Roger shot each other confused looks and Sara took a picture of their faces as they brought the picture out.
"Sara – this is amazing!" Mark breathed, tears in his eyes. Sara blushed and pushed a strand of blond hair behind her ear.
"It's beautiful sweetie. Thank you." Roger told her, reaching over and kissed her on the cheek.
"I'm glad you guys like it – it took me forever to finish." Sara told them, watching Roger stand up and hang the picture on the wall going up the stairs.
"Does it have a title?" Mark asked, helping himself to some chocolate chips as Roger sat back down next to him.
"Yeah – it's called Happy Memories." Sara said.
The rest of the evening was spent with a movie marathon. Sara went upstairs and took a shower before going to sleep. She wanted her fathers to spend some time together.
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Sara was sprawled on her stomach on her bed reading The Horse Whisperer. She felt her eyes well up with tears as she read the book.
"Sar, lights out." Mark called sleepily.
"Okay Daddy." Sara put in her horse bookmark and turned off her lamp, snuggling under the covers. The next day, the three of them were spending Christmas with Roger's parents. Sara hadn't seen her grandma and grandpa since she was six-years-old.
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Winter sunshine peered through the window as Sara snoozed away. She was dreaming that she had her own art gallery and that everyone was admiring all her artwork…
"Sara! Up! Now!" Roger called, banging loudly on the door. Sara mumbled in her sleep and put on the clothes she had laid out the previous night – a green sweater and jeans. She brushed her hair into a ponytail and headed downstairs.
"Hey sweetie." Mark greeted her. He was sitting at the kitchen counter, reading the paper and drinking coffee from a Santa mug.
"Morning Daddy." Sara greeted him, heading to the kitchen and got out a slice of toast and put it in the toaster.
"You excited to see grandma and grandpa?" Mark asked. Sara nodded.
"I'm glad." Roger cut in, coming down the stairs. He was dressed in a red sweater that had a smiling Santa on it and nice jeans. Mark and Sara stifled their laughter as Roger entered the kitchen and poured some coffee.
"What's so funny?" Roger asked, kissing Mark's cheek.
"Nothing." Mark was trying so hard to keep a straight face. Sara spread peanut butter on her slice of toast and poured some orange juice without saying anything.
"Sar, everything okay?" Roger inquired, walking over to Sara. She nodded and picked up the comic section of the paper. She laughed silently at her two fathers being silly. That's how they acted every morning during the holidays.
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An hour later, the three of them were on their way to Roger's parent's house for a Christmas lunch. Roger's sisters – Anne and Leslie would be there, along with Roger's brother – Jim. Roger was the oldest of the four kids and he was looking forward to seeing them again.
