Note: Finally, an update! Sorry it took so long, life happens...Thanks for all the positive reviews so far! Please keep letting me know what you think!
"Daddy?"
"Yeah, honey?"
"Is Uncle Benny comin' to visit me?"
"Yeah. He's coming in a little while."
Maria nodded.
"Um, Maria…There's something I want to talk to you about."
"Am I in trouble?"
Roger smiled. "No, no, nothing like that…Maria, how do you feel about Joanne?"
"What?"
"Do you like Joanne?"
Maria grinned and nodded. "She's real nice. And she's funny."
"Yeah…Maria, you know I love your Mommy, right?"
"Yep."
"And no matter what happens, I still do love your mommy."
"I know."
"But sometimes grownups…sometimes…just because one person…"
"You love Joanne."
The simplicity and matter-of-fact tone made Roger look up, stunned. "Ye-yeah…when… how did…what?"
"You love Joanne but that don't mean you don't love Mommy," she said.
"Right…that's…you know that?"
Maria rolled her eyes. "Course I know, Daddy."
"How?"
"Because you look at her funny."
"I look at her funny?" he asked with a grin.
"Yep. Same way Mr. Mark looks at Mrs. Cohen."
"Well, um…I…I do love Joanne. And I'd like her to be part of our lives for a long time, if that's what she wants and what you want…is that what you want?"
"I wan' Joanne to stay with us forever."
"Good…Maria, I want to ask Joanne to marry me."
"You gonna get married?"
"If Joanne says yes and if you're okay with it."
She nodded, grinning more now. "Go ask her!"
"What?"
"Go! Go! Ask her!" Maria said, giggling as she shoved at Roger with her good arm.
Mimi sat across from Benny, a cup of coffee in front of her.
"Why didn't you tell me you were dating Roger?"
"I didn't know you guys even knew each other. I just…I'm sorry."
"Me too. I still care about you."
She gave a weak smile. "I care about you too, Ben. But I need to sort some shit out before I can be with anybody."
"What?"
"Right now, I love Roger. But I don't know that I'm in the place to be in a relationship right now. I mean, for crying out loud, his daughter was in the operating room and all I could think of was how much I wanted Roger to not be mad at me."
Benny nodded.
"I know you two are friends and I would never intentionally come between that."
"I know…you do know that he's with Joanne now, right?"
"Yeah, I know."
"So what now?"
Mimi sighed. "Now…now I need to be by myself, I think."
"Okay."
"I'm staying in town long enough for Angel and Collins's commitment ceremony, but then I'm going home for a while."
"Home?"
She smiled. "Santa Fe."
Benny's smile seemed clouded with loneliness and heartache. He hadn't realized how attached he felt to her. "You, um…you ever coming back?"
"I think so. I don't think I could stay away from New York. But right now, this is what I need."
Benny nodded. "Okay."
"How about you? Are you okay?"
"Fine," he said.
Her cell phone rang and she excused herself. Benny wondered if he should tell her about the job he'd been offered and decided against it. He hadn't even made up his mind as to whether or not he'd take it.
"Joanne Jefferson," she said, picking up the phone.
"Joanne, it's Roger."
"Hi, Roger. How are you?"
"Okay, um…good. I'm good."
"How's Maria?"
"She's good. Look, can you meet me somewhere?"
Joanne smiled. "Now?"
"Yeah. Or soon as you can. Whatever time. Whenever."
"Sure. I'm supposed to be taking my lunch soon anyway. Where?"
"The hospital."
"The hospital? Is Maria—"
"Maria's fine. Just…I just need to talk to you. And I need to talk to you there."
"Sure, okay. I can be there in ten minutes."
"Great. Perfect."
Mark smiled at Roger's frantic pacing. He looked to Maria. She giggled. "Daddy! Calm down!"
"What?"
"You keep walkin' around and you're not doin' nothin'."
"Sorry, honey. Daddy's just nervous."
"Don't be. She loves you too."
Mark nodded. "Perceptive kid."
Maria smiled, then turned to Mark. "What's perceptive?"
"Smart."
"Oh. Yeah. I'm 'ceptive, Daddy."
He smiled and slowed his pacing. "She should be here soon."
"Remember, Mar, we have to be real quiet until after your daddy asks her."
"So that it's a s'prise?"
Mark nodded.
"Okay."
There was a light knock on the door. Roger took a deep breath and backed up into the bathroom of the hospital room. "Come in."
Joanne stepped in. "Hi."
Maria instantly grinned. She looked at Mark. He winked, sending her into a fit of giggles.
"Hi, Maria."
"Hi, Joanne."
"Mark, nice to see you."
"You too."
"Um…is Roger here? I'm supposed to—"
The door to the bathroom opened and Roger stepped out, a bouquet of her favorite white Stargazer lilies. He smiled shyly and handed them to her.
"Roger? What's this for?"
"Because I love you."
She smiled and leaned up on tiptoe to kiss him lightly. "Thank you, baby."
"And there's more."
"What?"
Roger glanced to Mark. He stepped forward and tapped Joanne's shoulder. "I'll just, uh, put these in water for you."
Joanne nodded, smiling, and let Mark take them. "Thanks."
Roger clasped her hands in his. "Joanne, I love you."
"I love you too, Roger."
"You've become a really big part of my life. And my daughter's life."
Joanne nodded, still confused.
"And I want you to always be part of our lives."
"What are you saying?" she asked.
Roger took a deep breath and knelt down in front of her. He slipped one hand into his pocket as he began to answer her. "I never thought I would find someone to love after I lost April. But then you came into my life and I love you more than I can even say. You're beautiful and compassionate and smart…You've opened your heart to me and to my daughter, which isn't something a lot of people could do. And I don't ever want to lose you or be apart from you…So, Joanne Jefferson," he paused to open the ring box and hold it up towards her tearful smile, "will you marry me?"
Joanne's free hand went up to her mouth as she nodded. "Yes," she choked out.
Roger smiled and slipped the ring onto her finger before standing to kiss her and hug her tightly to him. "I love you so much, I love you."
"Does that mean you guys is gettin' married?" Maria asked.
Joanne and Roger pulled apart, laughing. Joanne wiped away her tears and sat down beside Maria. "Yes, if that's okay with you."
She nodded. "But how come you cryin'? Don't you wanna marry Daddy?"
"Yes, yes, I do. Very much. I'm only crying because I'm so happy."
"That's silly."
Joanne laughed and touched Maria's cheek. "Yeah, it is."
"I'm glad you're marrying Daddy."
Joanne leaned down and hugged the little girl. "Me too, baby girl."