Maureen was excited about seeing Collins again. Joanne felt like there were two kids at their apartment instead of one. Shania was excited about meeting her parents' close friend. Maureen pulled open the loft door and burst inside.
"Hey, there's my
girl!" Collins exclaimed. Maureen found herself being scooped up
in a giant bear hug. "How are you Mo?"
"I'm good. Oh
Collins, I want you to meet our daughter, Shania." Shania hid
behind Joanne at the sight of the large man. Collins chuckled as he
knelt down on the ground so he could be at eyelevel with Shania.
"I promise, I'm not as scary as I look." Collins extended his hand. "I'm Collins." Shania came out from behind Joanne and watched her small hand disappear in Collins' humongous hand. "See, I'm not that bad." Collins got up and gave Joanne a hug.
Shania caught sight of Mimi sitting on the couch with Roger's arm around her shoulders. Shania scrambled onto the couch next to the dancer.
"Hi Mimi! Hi Roger!" she chirped.
"Hi yourself. Come
here, and give me a hug," Roger said. He had unexpectedly become
close to Shania. Shania climbed over Mimi's lap and gave Roger a
hug. When the rocker kissed Shania's cheek, she giggled. "What's
so funny?"
"You need to shave."
"What if I like the way I am?"
"Well, I don't."
"Neither do I," Mimi said. Roger leaned over and pecked Mimi on the lips. Right away, Shania covered her eyes.
The Bohemians settled down after the girls' arrival and began to talk and laugh just like old times.
"Okay Collins, you've put it off long enough," Mark said. "Where's your next teaching job?" Collins took a long drink of his precious Stoli before answering.
"I've got another job here at NYU. I'll be staying here." Mimi and Maureen began to cheer. "Glad to see that I'll be welcomed with open arms."
"You're always welcome here," Mimi said. "You're just never around to realize it anymore." Collins shook his head.
"Things are going to change from now on. I'm here to stay." Shania could sense the adults' excitement, but didn't understand why they were so happy.
On the way home, Shania asked, "Why is everyone so excited about Collins getting a job here?" Joanne continued to drive down the street.
"Collins is a wanderer," Maureen replied. "The only person that could get him to stick around was Angel, but she died a year and a half ago. She was his life."
"How did Angel
die?"
"She was very sick," replied Joanne. "Let's
talk about something else." Shania yawned loudly and rested her
head against the window.
By the time Joanne pulled into a parking space, Shania was fast asleep. Maureen gently picked her up out of the backseat, and she and Joanne went up to their apartment. Carefully not to wake Shania, Maureen and Joanne worked together to change Shania and tucked her in. after they were odne, the couple stood in the doorway watching their daughter sleep. Maureen wrapped her arms around Joanne and pulled her close.
"She would have
idolized Angel," Joanne said sadly. Maureen kissed the top of
Joanne's head. "It still seems like a dream…a nightmare
sometimes, with Angel and all."
"We'll see her again, this
I'm sure of." Joanne looked up and pecked Maureen on the lips.
"Yeah, we will." The couple watched Shania sleep for another minute or so before gong to sleep themselves.
The End