Chapter 15: Boho Days

Rachael's POV

"So how is everything?" Maureen asked as the waiter brought us our dinner at the Life. She had her chin her hand as her elbows rested on the table and her eyes were bright, her never dimming smile present.

"It's good, everything's slowly getting back into routine. How about you? Are the kids ok with Joanne being away on business?"

She flicked her wrist all non-chalant, "They miss her sure, but we're surviving." Her drama queen persona seemed to want to appear strong in the absence of her very organized other.

"Well if you ever need help, just call." I said with a smile before taking a spoonful of my soup.

I looked around, wondering if I could ask her questions, but I didn't know if she'd be willing to answer. Mark had been acting so weird latly and I figured she might know what was wrong.

"Hey Mo?"

"Yeah?" She looked up from her fries.

I opened the door to the loft to see Mark, Roger and Collins huddled in a circle, chattering.

"Hello boys…" I said as I walked towards them to see what they were discussing.

The looked up in surprise and I heard a rustle of papers as they all turned towards me with me with very scared and suspicious looks on their faces.

"What are you all doing?" I asked trying to see what they were hiding.

"Umm nothing?" Mark said then gulped.

"That's weird…." Marueen said as I finished telling her about the occasion. "I don't know maybe they're scheming to rob a bank or something."

I rolled my eyes with a smile before having some more of my soup. She was so crazy and imaginative sometimes, it was nice to have a friend like her around.

"I think you two are good for each other." She said after taking a sip of her diet coke.

"Really?" I asked

"Yeah, I mean I had fun with Marky, but I'm better off with Joanne. You two are so cute. He seems really happy."

"Thanks." I smiled down at my food.

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Collins was sitting in a chair with his joint just smiling up at the ceiling. Roger was sitting on the metal table and was plucking at his guitar. Mark wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"Hey baby girl." Collins said, his voice deep and a little far off.

"Hey." I took off my coat and sat down on the coach, "What did you two do today?"

I had spent the whole day with Maureen helping her with some posters for her newest protest. "Nothing really, just the usual – Collins had some classes. I had my first band practice today."

"Oooo. How was that?"

He looked up his expression mixed of excitement and a hint of sadness. "It – it was good. They have awesome music, it was just hard to be back there."

I nodded, he had told me about April when I first got here, I remembered.

"But I'm glad to be back." He said as he began to play his fender again, staring at some sheet music intently.

I looked back over to Collins. His brown eyes were hazy. He took another drag and crossed his legs.

"Rachael…" Collins began but as he started to continue, the door opened.

Mark came in holding his camera proudly, "Guess what?"

"What?" I asked then got up to give him a hug.

"They liked it, the Martin Agency just hired me!" Roger and Collins both sat up straight and smiled at each other.

I kissed him on the cheek, "That's great baby."

Collins raised his eyebrow, "But you went to see them this morning, what took you so long?"

"I had a detour to make." Hearing this Roger and Collins looked at each other again. They certainly seemed to know something I didn't, probably had to do with whatever they've been planning.

They both stood and walked towards their respective rooms, "Well night."

Weird…they both never went to bed this early. I looked up at Mark as he wrapped his arms around me, "So can I see this mystery film?"

He kissed me softly, "Sure."

I sat back down as he set up the projector. I leaned against the pillows and giggled as I got a great view of his ass.

He finally got everything up and took out the film from his bag. It turned on as he came back over and sat next to me. I layed on him as the screen flickered.

It was a bit grainy at first then little numbers appeared on the screen, flashing a countdown 5,4,3,2,1. The words Boho Days appeared on the screen, below it "A Mark Cohen Film".

It was first a shot of Roger plucking on his guitar like normal, but this Roger seemed a little younger and his hair was shorter then it panned to Collins who was stumbling with wine his hands.

It flew to a shot from someone's birthday, Maureen and Joanne were there with the kids. Ryan was laughing as Roger held Ella who was asleep in his arms.

Next was a shot of the life café with the snow falling and suddenly I appeared on screen. My cheeks were pink with cold but I didn't look cold, only happy. I was running around in the snow. I remembered that day, we had gone to have lunch and ended up having a snowball fight. On screen Roger threw the first snowball at me and I fell on my ass.

I laughed and it switched to a scene of all of us at the Life my first night here. We were all dancing around the tables as the waiter tried to stop us.

Then a shot of Mark and I as we were kissing. We broke and my eyes came to the camera and we both smiled, me at the camera him at me. The screen slowly faded to black.

I didn't even realize tears had fallen until Mark asked, his voice quiet, "Are you ok?"

I nodded and wiped my tears, looking into his eyes. "Mark, that was amazing. Really… I loved it."

He smiled and stroked my hair as he held me close. "I'm glad."

----------- (next morning)

Mark's POV

Rachael's chest lay on my chest with a smile on her face, she was fast asleep. I thought about how her face had lit up when we watched the film last night.

She wrinkled her nose a bit in her sleep which looked so adorable. She opened her eyes slowly and yawned, pulling the covers up more over us.

I smiled down as her as she looked at me, "Morning." She whispered, her voice a little raspy from sleep.

She snuggled up further and gave me a good morning kiss. I couldn't help myself and deepened it. She replied gladly kissing me hungrily.

She giggled as I started to kiss her neck, "Marky…mark…" She rolled over onto her side.

"I love you Rachael." I whispered in her ear.

"I love you too darling." She said, her accent crisp but her voice gentle.

"These last 5 months have been amazing. I can't imagine what would have happened if you hadn't dropped that box downstairs."

She smiled bashfully, "Me neither. I'd be quiet miserable without you."

I reached over her and opened my to sock drawer and took the ring into my hand. My heart pounding a thousand miles an hour, I whispered into her ear, "Rachael, will you…will you marry me?" I felt her stiffen beneath me. Fuck. The shock was evident.

"Oh my..of course!" She said quickly before squealing, "Marky!" I slipped the ring on her finger and it was then that I noticed the tears in her eyes, happy tears.

"Mark, its beautiful. So this is what you boys have been going on about. I can't believe this. Yes yes yes!"

I pressed my lips to hers and she responded passionately.

My heart had never felt so full. She had said yes, there had been the tiniest doubt she might say no. But now I never had to worry about loosing her. She was mine and we could have kids, grow old together.

My arms went around her, keeping her bare skin close to me, intoxicated with love.

R and R appreciated.

My dad had his ring for my mom in his sock when he proposed ;)