"Marky, tell me how Roger was on our wedding day." Marty asked as Mark lay next to her looking through their wedding album.
"He was wreck. He kept messing with his tie and his cuffs. And he drove me and Collins crazy asking what was taking so long." he told her laughing at the memory.
"Really?" she asked smiling over at him.
"Yeah, I never saw Roger so nervous before. And then when he saw you, he calmed right down. He said you looked gorgeous." he said smiling down at the pictures of them.
"I remember getting to him at the alter and he was crying. I asked him if he was OK and he told me he had never been more OK and he told me he loved me." she said starting to cry.
"Marty, he loved you from the moment he met you." he said caressing her cheek.
"Me too." she said turning to him as tears fell down the side of her face. "He took such good care of me, didn't he?" she asked as he wiped her tears.
"He lived for you sweetie." he told her kissing her forehead.
"You know Mark, we weren't very fair to you. We made you film everything. You didn't get the chance to really live with us." she said looking into his blue eyes.
"I wanted to. I felt like I was living through you guys. And you guys lived a good life." she said leaning up on his elbow.
"No, it shouldn't have been like that. We should have included you more. Collins and Roger were the ones who I always went to and I'm sorry for that." she said starting to cry again.
"They were the strong ones. I was never good at being the strong one." he said looking over at her.
"But you're just as important to me as they ever were. You're my brother too." she said taking his hand.
"I know and I love you so much Marty. But you don't need to feel bad about anything. I still love you." he said taking her in his arms.
"I'm just sorry Marky." she said laying on his chest as Julia came in.
"Do you guys want anything?" she asked looking over at them.
"No Baby, I'm good." he said looking up at her.
"Marty honey, do you want anything?" she asked approaching the bed.
"Yeah, Marky can you get me a glass of water?" she asked looking up at him.
"Sure sweetie." he told her kissing her forehead before gently helping her back on her pillows and leaving the room.
"Jules, come here." she said patting the bed.
"Are you OK sweetie?" she asked sitting on the bed.
"I haven't been fair to you either. I've been so selfish since Roger died." she started taking a deep breath through her nose.
"No you haven't sweetie." she said caressing her hair.
"Yeah I have. I've been monopolizing all of Mark's time and I've been feeling sorry for myself." she said starting to cry.
"Marty, this hasn't been easy on you. I mean, I remember when I first met you and Roger. You guys were so adorable. I mean, the way Roger kept playing with your hair and he was so protective of you. At first I thought he was this possessive jerk, but then Mark explained it to me and I understood." she said laughing as she picked up the wedding album.
"Yeah, he rescued me from a dirty puddle in the alley right next to this building after I was raped and he never left my side. Ever. I mean, he slept in my room with me just about every night in the beginning because I kept having nightmares like it was happening again. And then when my nightmares went away, he stayed because we were dating and he just wanted to hold me. We were dating a month before we actually made love." she said looking up at her.
"That's what I always loved about him. He was this bad ass, heavy metal rocker and he was the sweetest man in the world with you and RJ." she said beginning to cry.
"He was always there for me. When I was diagnosed, he swore it was his fault. I caught him crying with Collins and Mark. I yelled at him so bad. The three of them. I insisted no crying in front of me. It was so stupid of me. I mean, we were hiding from each other. I was crying by myself in here after RJ was born and he was crying in the alley for years over my diagnosis." she said crying too.
"Sweetie, you just wanted to live your life without having your HIV thrown in your face." Julia said looking down at her.
"Take care of my little boy Jules. He's a symbol of mine and Roger's love, OK?" she said looking up at her as tears streamed down the sides of her face.
"Of course I will Marty. I love him like my own son." she said crying harder.
"I know you do. I love you Jules. You're my best friend. Second only to my brother." she said thinking of Mark and crying more.
"I know sweetie. I love you too Marty. He loves you so much too, you know?" she said sliding down in the bed to lay next to her.
"I know. We weren't always fair to him though and I feel like we didn't appreciate him like we should have." Marty said wiping her eyes.
"He always told me how lucky he felt to be able to witness true love." Julia said as Mark came in with the water.
"Is everything OK?" Mark asked concerned.
"Yeah big brother, we're fine." Marty said wiping her eyes. "Is my son home from his date with Jackie yet?" she asked trying to smile.
"Yeah, he just got home. I told him to give you and Jules a few minutes." he told her handing her water to Julia.
"Can you send him in?" Marty asked looking up at Mark.
"Is it time sweetie?" he asked with tears forming in his eyes.
"I'm afraid so Marky." Marty said crying again.
"No, it's not 3 months yet." he protested looking down at her.
"I know." she said as he cried too.
"I'll go get him." Julia said leaning down to kiss Marty's head before leaving the room.
"You can't go yet Marty. We need more time." Mark said laying down next to her again.
"I'm sorry big brother." she said crying as he brought her into his arms.
"Me too. Make sure you tell Roger, Collins, Angel and Mimi I said hi and I love and miss them." he said crying as he cradled her kissing her head as Julia and RJ entered the room.
"Mom." RJ called out rushing to the bed.
"Can I talk to Roger alone please?" she asked wiping her eyes.
"Sure sweetie." Mark said kissing her head again before helping her back on her pillow and leaving with Julia.
"Are you OK mom?" he asked sitting on the bed.
"Yeah baby boy. Can you put daddy's cd on for me please and just repeat the first track?" she asked looking up at him.
"OK mom." he said pressing play on the boom box.
"Do you know he performed this song for me right before he proposed to me?" she asked as he laid down in the bed next to her as it played.
"Yeah mom. You and dad used to tell me all the time." he said smiling at her.
"He was the most romantic man I've ever known. You wouldn't think so to look at him, but he was. I remember after he found me, he was cleaning off my face with a wet cloth and my vision cleared up and I saw his face. I couldn't believe how handsome he was. His voice was so kind and gentle and then I looked into his eyes and they were so beautiful." she said smiling at the pictures in the album RJ had started looking at.
"I have dads eyes." he said smiling down at her.
"Yes you do. Thankfully." she said beginning to cry. "We are so proud of you Roger, you do know that, right?" she asked looking up at him.
"Of course I do mom." he said starting to cry too.
"I'm so sorry Roger. I wasn't fair to you after daddy died." she said crying harder.
"Mom, I understand. I mean you and dad never did do well apart." he said taking her in his arms.
"I should have been more attentive to you. And then I started writing the book and I was promoting it. And I refused to call you Roger like you wanted to. But it reminded me of daddy too much and it hurt saying his name, you know?" she said crying into his chest.
"It's OK mom. Don't worry about that. I love you and I know you love me." he said holding her tight.
"I'm sorry I have to leave you. It's not what me and daddy wanted for you." she said crying.
"I know mom. Calm down, OK?" he asked kissing her head over and over.
"I love you Roger. You are my world. You always were." she told him caressing his hand.
"I know mom. You are the best mom a kid could have. You love me and my dad. A lot of my friends don't have that." he said looking down at her.
"Roger, loving you and your dad is probably the easiest thing I've ever done in my life." she said calming down.
"Mom, I'm gonna be OK with Uncle Mark and Aunt Julia. I promise." he said calmer now too.
"I know you will. They love you so much. Almost as much as me and daddy do." she said looking up at him.
"I know mom. I love you so much mom." he said playing with her long blond hair that had streaks of gray in it now.
"Can you go get Uncle Mark and Aunt Julia sweetie?" she asked still listening to Rescue Me.
"OK mom." he answered laying her neatly on the pillow.
"Roger, I'm coming Baby. Have my shot waiting." she said smiling at his picture on the wall crying.
"Marty, are you OK?" Mark asked running into the bedroom first.
"Yeah, it's just time big brother." she said still crying.
"No, it can't be. Maureen and Joanne aren't here." Julia said crying.
"I talked to them earlier. They're fine." she said as Mark laid on one side of her and RJ laid on the other.
"I'm here sis. Tell everyone I said hi." he told her kissing her head as he cried.
"I will. I love you Marky. Thank you for everything. You have no idea how important you are to me." she said leaning her head to him crying more.
"Yes I do because you are just as important to me." he said kissing her head again as Julia laid down next to him.
"I love you Jules. Take care of my boys, OK?" she said as Julia wrapped her arms around Mark and Marty.
"I will sweetie. I promise. They're my boys too." she said crying into Mark's shoulder.
"Roger, you behave for your Aunt and Uncle, OK? And do what you love baby boy, OK? It's what me and daddy always taught you." she said as RJ hold his mother crying.
"I will mommy, I promise." he cried as they laid in the bed.
"I love you." she said as he caressed her hair.
"I love you too mommy. Say hi to daddy, Uncle Collins, Aunt Angel and Aunt Mimi, OK?" he said as she fell asleep. As RJ, Mark and Julia laid next to her she slipped away peacefully in her sleep.