"Why do we have to wait to get married? I wanna marry you now Mandy." Roger said laying in bed with Charlie.
"What did you just call me?" she asked looking up at him.
"What do you mean?" he asked confused not realizing what he did.
"You called me Mandy." she said sitting up.
"No I didn't." he told her looking up at her.
"Roger, I heard you. Why did you call me Mandy?" she asked looking down at him hurt.
"Charlie, I didn't call you Mandy." he insisted sitting up and leaning against the back of the couch.
"Yeah you did. What's going on with you? You haven't been the same since we brought Michelle home." she asked quietly so Michelle wouldn't hear them.
"Charlie, if I called you Mandy I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. Nothing's going on. I just slipped. I love you." he told her caressing her cheek.
"Roger I love you too, but there's something going on with you ever since we brought Michelle home. I wish you would talk to me." she said looking down at him.
"Baby, nothing's going on. It's just that I'm not used to raising a teenaged girl. I'll get used to it. I love Michelle like my own daughter. I mean, she helps me come up with songs for the band and she's really cool. I'm just not used to having to wear a t-shirt and pajama pants to bed. But when we get our own room it'll be OK." he told her smiling up at her.
"Roger, can I ask you a question and you promise not to freak out on me?" she asked playing with his hair.
"You know you can ask me anything Baby. What is it?" he asked bringing her hand down to his lips to kiss.
"Is having Michelle here making you think about what you could have had with Mandy if she didn't die that night?" she asked as he turned away from her. "It is, isn't it? Roger talk to me." she begged craning her head to look at him.
"Charlie, why do you ask me that?" he asked getting out of bed.
"I don't know. You don't seem to sleep really well and this isn't the first time you called me Mandy and didn't realize it. If it is, it's OK. I mean, we can talk about it. I just don't want you to shut me out. I love you Roger. I'm here for you." she told him looking up at him.
"I'm not trying to replace you and Michelle with Mandy and our baby. I love you and Michelle. You are my girls. You're my family. I just can't help it sometimes, you know. I mean, I never told you this, but the first time I met you, your eyes reminded me of Mandy and then when I first saw Michelle, she made me think of what Mandy and I could've had. I know it's not fair to you two. I don't want to keep thinking about Mandy and our baby. I just can't help it sometimes. I'm so sorry Charlie." he said sitting on the coffee table at the foot of the bed.
"Roger, it's only natural, you know. That was a great loss for you at 18 years old. And I know you suffered for years after that. But me and Michelle aren't them. We're us and we love you too." she said moving closer to him.
"Charlie, why are you making such a big deal about this? I love you and Michelle. I just need to get through this. That's all." he said getting up from the coffee table moving away from her again.
"Roger, I wanna help you through it. You said it yourself. We're a family. Let me and Michelle help you throught it, please." she pleaded getting up to go to him.
"I think I need to stay at the loft for a little while. I just need to sort through some stuff." he said turning to her with tears in his eyes.
"No Roger, you don't have to go to the loft." she told him starting to cry.
"Charlie, I think I just need to sort through some stuff. Just for a few days or something. I mean, I'm still gonna pick Michelle up from school and see you at the club, but I have some Mandy issues I have to get through before we can get married." he said trying not to cry with her.
"Roger, we can work it out together." she pleaded looking up at him as he wiped her tears.
"Charlie, this is something I need to do on my own. Really. It doesn't have anything to do with you." he told her leaning down to kiss her but she turned her head.
"So go. Don't worry about Michelle. I'll get her from school." she told him hurt and angry.
"Charlie, please. I don't want her to get confused. I would really like to continue seeing her." he told her moving away from her.
"Yeah well, I don't want you to confuse her by picking her up from school and then not living her any more." she said turning away from him.
"Charlie, I still wanna marry you. I just need to do this before we do." he told her reaching out for her shoulder but he pulled away.
"Roger, please just go." she said quietly so he couldn't hear her crying.
"I'm sorry Charlie. I'll call you later." he told her getting dressed before leaving the apartment. When he left she collapsed on the bed and broke down. She tried to be as quiet as possible so she wouldn't wake Michelle up, but it seemed the almost 14 year old was already up.
"Mom? Are you OK?" she asked coming out of her room.
"What are you doing up sweetie? You have school tomorrow." she said wiping her eyes not looking at her.
"I heard you and Roger talking. Where is Roger?" she asked sitting on the bed.
"Roger had to go back to the loft for a few days. He just needs to sort some stuff out." she said turning to her.
"Is he coming back?" she asked as tears filled her eyes.
"Oh honey, he loves us you know. But he has some things he never really dealt with from a long time ago that he needs to take care of first. It has nothing to do with how he feels about us." she said putting her arms around her daughter to hold her close.
"Mom, is Roger still gonna pick me up from school? I like hanging out with him. We have fun. I help him with music and he helps me with my homework." Michelle asked looking up at her.
"If you want him to, yeah he can. He would really like that sweetie." she said kissing her head.
"Mom, do you wanna sleep with me tonight so you don't have to be alone?" Michelle asked wiping her eyes.
"I'd really like that kiddo. Thanks." Charlie answered smiling as they closed the bed and went into Michelle's room to sleep.