Chapter 17:

Back on his Feet

Mimi had been home for nearly a week when Roger had suggested that they get married right away. Their wedding had been scheduled for Halloween evening at a small Italian restaurant, but the couple opted for a ceremony at city hall with only Collins, Mark and Maureen as their witnesses. It was quiet and intimate, and Mimi wore a simple off white dress that cut off at her knees. Mark filmed as Collins held Dani, pointing to her parents standing before them. To celebrate, they watched Mark's films at the loft. Roger and Mimi smiled the entire time, never taking their eyes off one another.

They finally had made it to Halloween. Collins had been especially quiet, and Roger knew that the one year anniversary of Angel's death was going to be very hard on him. Roger's eyes fluttered open at the sounds of his daughter's cries. As if on a timer, it was time for her 6 am feeding. He looked over at Mimi, got out of bed and picked Dani up from her basinet.

Mimi felt him crawl back into bed a while later and wrap his arms around her waist. "What time is it?" she asked, stretching her arms up and yawning.

"I was just up with Dani. Shh, lay back down. I got her back to sleep," he said burying his face in the back of her neck.

"You got up with her?" she smiled. "Thank you."

"It was fine, but you know what's funny? Maureen must've gone out last night because all her blankets were still folded on the couch."

Mimi let out a little laugh. "Roger, how can you be so naïve? Maureen's blankets have been like that all week. You just don't see them because you never get up with Dani," she said playfully swatting him.

"She seeing someone?" he yawned.

"Yeah, someone in the next room," she laughed under her breath.

"Mimi, stop it. That would mean," he took a long pause, "Oh." Mimi laughed at his realization.

"Let's get some sleep," she said scooting herself closer to him. He let his eyes close and sleep set in.

Mark could tell immediately that Roger and figured out what was going on between him and Maureen. Roger had never been good at being subtle. He had been winking and nudging Mark all afternoon.

Mark looked up from his camera. "Hey Rog, why don't you let Maureen and I watch Dani tonight and you guy can go out. You still haven't celebrated yet," Mark suggested.

"You sure?" Mimi added from her spot on the couch next to Roger. Roger rolled his eyes at her.

"Mimi, they spend just as much time with her as we do. Let's go out," he smirked, leaning over their daughter to kiss her quickly.

"Alright," she smiled back at him, "You sure you don't mind Mark?"

"Not at all," he responded, "I was planning on staying in tonight."

"Mimi, we should go get ready. Join me in the bedroom after Dani's done her bottle?" he wiggled his eyebrows. Mark shot him a look of disgust as he passed him and made his way to the bedroom.

"No funny business tonight with my daughter around Cohen," Roger laughed from his room.

Mimi came into the bedroom minutes later yawning. Roger wrapped his arms around her. "What do you want to do tonight?" he asked, hoping that she didn't see his smile in the darkness of their room.

"Don't care," she laughed, "Just let me put real clothes on. I hope they still fit." Mimi slid her shirt on and gasped, "My boobs are huge. They don't even fit in these shirts anymore." She looked over to Roger, but certainly wasn't getting complaints from his end.

"I don't mind," he laughed, buttoning up his shirt and adjusting the chain around his neck.

"Yeah, but they're so sore," she whined.

"Oh, believe me, we can certainly take care of that," he said kneeling in front her of on the bed and capturing her in a kiss before she could contest.

He pushed her back further onto the bed and leaned into her. "Am I hurting you?" he asked, wondering if her stomach still hurt from the c-section.

"Roger, shut up." She brought her lips back to his and ran her fingernails underneath the back of his shirt. "We're eager aren't we?" she laughed as he kissed her neck.

His head shot up, "Hey, I've been patient for five months."

"I see you haven't been counting," she giggled as he quieted her with another kiss. He pinned her arms above her head as he showered her face and neck with kisses.

They were interrupted by Mark banging on the door, "Rog, come out here for a second."

"Go away," Roger responded, continuing what he was doing. Mark could hear them laughing quietly through the door.

"Uh, really I think you should get out here," Mark said louder, still banging on the door.

"Mark, I'm busy. Go away," he laughed from the other side of the door.

"Roger Michael Davis, get out here this instant," a female's voice called out. Roger yelped and jumped off the bed opening the door to see his mother standing in the middle of the loft with her hands on her hips.

"Mom, what are you doing here?" he asked, still a little out of breath and shirt half buttoned.

"Roger, do you know what today is?" she asked him somewhat annoyed.

He thought for a minute and scrunched his face up. "Saturday?" he guessed.

"Was there something important you were supposed to do today?"

"I was just doing it," he muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes.

Mark quickly retorted, "He and Mimi were going out for a nice dinner, Mrs. Davis, and they were just getting ready." Roger smiled and nodded, agreeing proudly with Mark's statement.

Mrs. Davis stepped closer to her son. "I see," she said skeptically, wiping the lipstick from her son's chin, "but that color lipstick really doesn't go with your eyes." Roger looked over to see Mimi peering out from the doorway.

Roger huffed, "Mom, really, why did you come here?"

"Well I appreciate the welcome, Roger. I haven't seen you in over four years and come to the city for your wedding not only to find out from an Italian waiter named Marcelo that my son has already gotten married, but that he doesn't want me there." Roger winced at her tone. It was sarcastic, but Roger could tell that she was genuinely hurt.

It was then that Roger realized that today was Halloween. He hadn't even thought to call his mother to let her know that the wedding date had been changed, as she was the only person other than Mimi's mother who would have been attending. "I didn't mean it like that Mom. Mom," he motioned for Mimi to come out from behind the door, "this is Mimi."

"Hi, it's great to meet you," Mimi said shly, extending her hand.

Mrs. Davis looked at the small girl and caught her in a hug. "Oh sweetie, you're so thin. Is my son taking care of you?" Mimi smiled back at her and nodded.

"Mom, leave her alone. She just had a baby," Roger rolled his eyes in his mother's direction.

"Exactly," Mrs. Davis said quickly, eyeing her son, "Which is why if I know my son Casanova, she shouldn't be doing anything exhausting. Roger, why don't you fill the bathtub and let your wife take a nice relaxing bath. I'll cook you both dinner here."

Mimi smiled again, looking at Roger who was shooting her looks with his eyes. "Sounds fine Mom," he finally said, realizing that he had already made his mother angry enough.

"So," Mrs. Davis started, peaking around the loft, "when are you two planning on moving?"

Roger looked up quickly, "We're not moving, Mom. We like it here."

"Roger, this is no place to raise a baby. Speaking of babies, where is my granddaughter?" It was then that Roger looked at Mark, almost asking him the same question.

Mark answered, "Maureen took Dani with her when she went to get some take out for dinner Mrs. Davis."

"You let Maureen take my two week old daughter out?" Roger yelled.

"She'll be fine, Rog. Just relax and they'll be back soon," Mimi said cooling him.

"But she's not supposed to be out until we get the test results back," he said quietly to her.

"Test results?" Mrs. Davis looked back at her son and Mimi.

"Mom, you know I'm HIV positive," he said quietly looking at his feet.

Roger looked up at the loft door where Maureen was walking in with Dani propped up against her shoulder and a bag of food. He sighed in relief that this would hopefully change the subject.

Roger rushed up to his daughter and plucked her from Maureen, kissing her head. Mrs. Davis's eyes glazed at the sight of her son holding the baby. "She's beautiful," she said looking back at Mimi.

Joyce Davis smiled at her son as she held the small bundle in her arms, rocking her back and forth. Roger wrapped an arm around Mimi's waist and kissed the side of her forehead.

She looked up from the baby's green eyes and spoke quietly, "Here Mimi, take her. I'll go to the store and get something to cook for you both. We can talk more over dinner." Mrs. Davis smiled and grabbed her purse before walking out the door.

For the next two hours, Joyce cooked and sat at the metal table with Roger and Mimi. They talked about living in New York and what Roger was like when he was a baby. While Mimi was taking the plates away from the table Mrs. Davis sighed and motioned for Roger to follow her into the living room.

They sat on the couch and Roger opened his mouth to talk. "Look, Mom, I know this is about what happened earlier. There's something that you should know about me, Mimi and the baby." He looked down, waiting his mother's response.

"Oh, sweetheart, it's ok. I understand," Mrs. Davis brought Roger's head to her shoulder. "The baby isn't yours." Roger looked up to meet his mother's eyes and he shook his head slightly.

"No, Mom. It's my baby. It's just that," he took a deep breath, "Mimi's HIV positive too. We're waiting for test results to come in about Dani."

Mrs. Davis nodded, her eyes closed tightly. "Did you give it her Roger?"

Roger looked up again, "She already had it Mom." Mrs. Davis nodded and looked as if she was going to speak but stopped.

"Roger," she paused and took a long breath, "How did you get it? I know you said it doesn't matter…but"

"You're right Mom. It doesn't matter," he replied shortly.

"Roger, are…are you gay?" Roger couldn't contain his laughter at his mother's comment. Mimi glanced over and raised an eyebrow from the sink at the sound of his laughter. Mark came over and placed Dani back into Roger's arms.

Roger brought Dani up against his chest and patted her back. "Mom, do you honestly have to ask that? Well, you know I was in a band, and I met April. We got mixed up in a lot of bad things during that time. I'm not proud of it, but we ended up sharing needles and then it was just over." Roger closed his eyes tightly, wishing that his mother never had to know about that point in his life.

"Are you talking about drugs Roger?" she asked disappointed. Roger only nodded as he watched a tear roll down his mother's cheek.

"Mom," he said reaching towards her, but she pulled herself up from the couch, clutching her purse tightly.

"Take care of yourself Roger. I'll let myself out," she offered a small smile in Mimi's direction, "It was so nice to meet you, Mimi. Take care of each other." With that the door shut and Roger was left on the couch with his mouth slightly opened. Mimi came to his side and captured him in a hug.

As they lay in bed later that night, Roger rolled over and kissed Mimi's neck, rubbing her sides suggestively. "Where were we earlier?" he asked in a low voice.

She returned his hungry kiss for a moment before pulling away, "Roger, you're angry at your mother. Maybe we shouldn't do this yet. She was right. I should be resting." He huffed and rolled over so his back was to her.

She rubbed his back and kissed the back of his head, "I love you."

"Do you have any regrets, Mimi?" he asked bluntly. His voice wasn't cold, but it wasn't soft and caring either.

"I don't regret," she replied as he rolled over to face her. "Do you?"

"No," he said quietly taking her fingers into his calloused hands. "Can I ask you something?" She nodded for him to continue, "If Dani is sick, will you blame me?" She caught his deep green eyes in the darkness and kissed him softly, not even replying to his question.

"Where did that come from?" she asked pulling away from him.

"I was just thinking. It was my fault that you got upset about what happened with Haylie. It was my fault that we fought for two weeks after that. It was my fault that you went into labor early because you were stressed," she cut him off before he could continue.

"And everything was fine," she smiled. "None of that was your fault. I'm sorry about everything. I overreacted." He pulled their foreheads together and smiled.

"I'm sorry too," he placed his lips on her forehead.

"Rog, if anything ever happens to me, promise me that you'll take care of Dani. Please don't be angry and shut yourself down," she said quickly while his mouth was pressed against her head.

"Mimi, you're fine. You aren't going anywhere."

"I know. I just want you to promise," she said, her sad brown eyes looking up at him.

"I promise."

Xoxoxoxox

Sorry it took so long to update. I was having major computer issues all last week. The good news is that I'm finished this story so it should all be up in about a week and I'll be starting a new story. I love reading the reviews and just wanted to thank all of you who have been reading since the start! Keep them coming and I'll keep posting the last two chapters.