Mimi sat in the hospital room. Angel was lying on the bed, pale and tired.
"You need anything, honey?" she asked.
Angel shook her head. "Just like having the company."
"We both do," Collins said.
Angel's first week of chemo had been rough. She had a hard time keeping anything down.
"So what did the doctor say yesterday?"
"Said that she's responding really well to the treatment," Collins said. He smiled and kissed Angel's temple.
Mimi smiled.
"And what's this I hear about you got a new man?" Collins asked.
Mimi blushed. "You have to tell him everything?"
Angel chuckled. "Yep."
"Is it Roger?"
"No. It's just…another guy."
"She won't even tell me who he is," Angel said, pouting.
"I told you. His name's Ben."
"Okay, fine, so she told me his name. She won't tell me anything else though."
"Because it's still just a casual thing. I don't want to jinx it."
Collins rolled his eyes. "I will never understand women."
Mimi and Angel laughed. Angel yawned.
"I'm gonna get going—"
"Oh, no. Don't go. I wasn't—"
"It's okay, Angel. I've got to run a few errands before work. And you do need the rest. I'll come by again tomorrow, okay?"
Angel nodded. Mimi leaned down and kissed her forehead.
"I'll walk you out," Collins said, standing up.
Mimi pulled her jacket on as they reached the end of the hallway. "She's doing good."
"Yeah, real good. She's…she's doing real good."
"And how are you?"
"I'm fine."
"Really?"
"Really. Thanks for everything, though, Meems. Coming by and helping out."
Mimi shrugged. "You're welcome but I haven't done anything."
"Just being able to talk to you and hang out with you makes Angel feel better. That's more than helpful."
Mimi shrugged again. She rose up on tiptoe to kiss Collins's cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."
--line break--line break--
Spring
"So when am I going to get to meet this daughter you're always raving about?" Mimi asked.
Roger smiled and gave a small shrug. "Soon."
Mimi tried not to roll her eyes. "Rog, we've been seeing each other for three months now."
"And like you said, we're keeping it casual."
"So that means I don't get to meet your kid?"
"For now."
Mimi stopped walking. "Roger, Maria's an important part of your life. I want to meet her."
Roger sighed. "Mimi, she's six. She doesn't understand dating. The last woman I dated I let meet her and you know what happened? She asked if that woman was going to be her mommy."
Mimi's mouth formed a silent o.
"Yeah. That was last fall and she still asks for that woman. She still asks me when I'm going to find her a new mommy. I'm not bringing women into her life without being able to assure her they're not leaving. You wanna know when you get to meet her? When this stops being a casual thing and gets serious."
"Is that some sort of ultimatum?"
Roger shook his head. "Just a fact, Meems. My daughter is my first priority."
"I'm not asking to…hell, Roger. What do you want from me?"
"It's not that simple, Mimi. I can't just give you a list. I have to know you're not going anywhere."
"I've been here for three months!"
"And I need to know that I'm the only one you're seeing."
"Roger—"
"Look, I know I told you I don't care if we're not exclusive, but I can't bring you into my daughter's life and then have to explain that Mimi's not coming to dinner because she's out with her other boyfriend. A six year old is not going to understand that."
"A six year old isn't? Or you don't?"
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"It means you're using Maria as a cop-out to avoid getting too close."
"Oh I'm avoiding getting too close? You won't even decide between me and this phantom other guy. That your idea of getting close?"
"You know what? I don't need this."
Roger watched as she turned on her heel and stormed out of the park.
--line break--line break--
Maureen sat in the Life Café, waiting for Joanne.
"Maureen! Hey, sorry I'm late."
"Oh, it's okay. How are you?" she asked, rising to hug her friend.
"Great. You?"
"Good. Fabulous."
"So what's the big news you had to drag me down here for?"
"I'm pregnant!"
"Oh my God! Honey! Congratulations!"
Maureen beamed. "Thanks."
"Does Mark know yet?"
Maureen shook her head. "I was hoping you'd help me out with that."
"Maureen, I don't know how great it would be for me to tell your husband you're pregnant."
Maureen laughed. "No, no. I've got an idea."
--line break--line break--
"Collins! Baby, that was the doctor," Angel said, hanging up the phone.
Collins rushed in from his office. "What? What'd he say?"
"Sit down."
Collins sat beside her, trying to read her expression.
"He said that I'm responding very well to treatment. The cancer's almost gone!"
Collins's jaw dropped. He threw his arms around her, laughing and kissing her cheeks.
--line break--line break--
"So what's this that you wanted to talk about?" Benny asked.
"I just…I don't know if it's such a good idea for us to keep seeing each other."
"Wh-why not?"
Mimi shifted her napkin in her lap. "I just…I…where's this going?"
"What?"
"Where's this going? I mean, we've been dating for, like, four months now, right?"
Benny nodded.
"So where's it going? Are we exclusive? Are we just a fling? Are we killing time?"
"Baby, baby, calm down," Benny said, laying a hand over hers. "Where's this coming from?"
"You know what? Forget it. I have to go."
Before Benny could stop her, she'd jumped up and ran from the restaurant. He tried to chase her, but by the time he reached the door, all he saw was her small frame slip into a cab. He sighed and returned to the table.
"Will the young lady be returning, sir?" the waiter asked.
Benny glared up at him. "No. Could I just get the check?"
The waiter nodded and went to get it.