Disclaimer- I own Maddie, nothing else.

December 25, 9:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time

The phone rings. Roger, still really hung over from last night's proceedings, groans from the next room- he likes to sleep 'til the afternoon on Christmas Day. Thanks to Maddie's advice, I'm a bit more awake and cheerful than he is, so I put on my glasses and wait to hear who's calling.

"SPEAK."

"Hi guys, it's Maddie. I love your voice mail message! Just wanted to talk to…" I cut her off here.

"Hey Mads."

"Mark! Merry Christm... I mean, Happy Hanukah!"

"Relax, Mads. I'm not THAT Jewish. Merry Christmas."

"Thanks. Did I wake you?"

"No, but you woke Roger." He's still cursing in his room, but Mimi's getting him to quiet down.

"Tell him I'm sorry."

"Will do. When do you want to leave?"

"Around ten, I guess. It only takes a couple hours if you time it right, so we'll probably be home by lunchtime. Then we'll eat lunch, hang out, open presents-"

SHIT. I don't have a present for her.

"Mads-"

"Mark. Don't feel obligated to get me something. We met a week ago, and I know far too well that money's tight for you. If you must get something, be as cheap as possible."

"But are you getting me something?"

"I made you something, Mark. It cost me nothing, so…"

"All right. Do you still want me to meet your parents?"

"If you're up for it. I think my parents are pretty likeable, but maybe I'm weirder than I thought. They're pretty liberal and well-educated AND not wealthy enough that they'll look down on starving artists."

"Wow."

"Yeah. That's why I love them. My sister's coming too- she's just like me, except she's a sixteen-year-old blonde tomboy who's as skinny as you. Some birds have all the luck."

"What's her name?" I don't point out that she's as skinny as I am, too.

"Viv. She's pretty cool. I think you'll like her."

"One of these days, you're going to meet everyone else that's important to me. And my parents, too."

"Poor Mark. Family issues are tough."

"Yep. Hey, would you like to go up to Scarsdale before you go back to school?"

"You want me to meet your parents?"

"Yeah, I'd really like that, Mads." Actually, I'd rather not go home at all, but it would be nice if Maddie met my mom. As for my dad… I try to communicate with him as little as possible- he's the reason I haven't been back more than anything else.

"Well, great. I'd love to come. You've packed, right?"

"Yes, dear."

"OK, smart ass. I'll see you at ten."

"Alright, Mads. Merry Christmas."

We hang up, and I walk out of my room. Roger's sitting up in bed, smirking.

"Power? On Christmas? I didn't think we'd changed landlords."

"Benny's not that bad, Rog. I know he sold out…"

"-And stole my girlfriend-"

"-He didn't steal your girlfriend," I retort. "They had a thing before you two met, but he gave her up- and gave up 'Muffy.' What more do you want?"

"I don't know, man…" Roger is actually honest this time. Mimi gives him a big kiss to remind him who's her man. I smile and change the subject to something less volatile.

"Maddie apologized for waking you up." Roger grins.

"Aw. She's as apologetic and dorky as you are. Good work, Cohen. The nerd will live on."

"Thank goodness for that," I laugh. Roger forgets how I revel in my nerdiness.

"So you're going to The Dumpster today?" Roger smiles as he pours himself some coffee.

"Yeah, I'm meeting her parents at their home. Maddie wants to show me every inch of where she grew up. I'm not coming home 'til after New Year's. And then she wants to meet my mom."

"Wow, your relationship's really intense, isn't it?" Mimi says.

"We've known each other three weeks. You and Rog were making out when you'd only really known each other two hours," I point out.

"Touché," Mimi smiles at me.

"But Mads' really into that whole 'No day but today' thing, Meems. I'm not really sure how sick she really is, but still, she's very aware of her mortality. She seems to want to see it all."

"So, have you figured out how you can bring a shiksa into your mother's house?" Roger reminds me of the even bigger problem with Maddie and my mom.

"Not really. I really don't want to play the 'She's-got-cancer' card, because then she'd be even more freaked out. And I don't feel like lying about it to my mother."

"Mark, don't lie to her. If your mother disowns you over Maddie, the worst you get is a lot less messages on our answering machine."

"That's true, but she is my mother, Rog. Much as I can't stand them, I don't care to be completely disowned. But if that's what it takes…"

"My God, Mark, you're in love with her, aren't you?" Rog looks at me, amazed.

"Yeah, yeah, I am."

"Wow…." Mimi stares at me like some exotic beast in the zoo. I don't think she can believe that I actually ever could love somebody- she doesn't remember me in the Maureen days. In the beginning, I almost never came home- I followed Maureen around like a lovesick puppy dog. Then came the long nights when I'd sit by the phone, trying to figure out where the hell she was. She didn't really start screwing around until after we'd slept together- that wasn't great for my already scarred ego.

I wasn't ever really in love with Maureen- I loved the idea of her more than the flesh and blood woman. I loved her spirit, her freedom- but only in moderation. Without even realizing it, I had outgrown Maureen, and she sensed that. That was, ultimately, why we went our separate ways.

Being in love with Maddie isn't the same at all. Being in love with Maddie changes my whole perception on life. When I was with Maureen, I didn't see the world the way I do now. There's so much more beauty to appreciate now. Sounds cliché-d, but it's truer now than ever before.

"Mark- go on out, lover boy!" Mimi teases me, and begins to fake sing Les Miz as I hurry to get in the shower and on my way. "It's better than an oooo-pera!"

"Since when do you know Les Miz?"

"Since when can you recognize it?"

"Maureen," we say together, and laugh.