Charles came back the next day to visit Roger and his love. Miss Ginny stepped out of the room to go fetch another vial of medicine which was to be injected into the boy, so Charles crawled onto the bed and dug something out of his pocket. Roger drew his attention up from the teddy bear he was pretending to feed from an invisible plate and an invisible spoon. In the man's hand was a small dark blue box. He opened it. A beautiful diamond ring sparkled inside. "I'm going to do it today. I figured you'd like to see it happen. Want to hear my plan? It involves a very special little boy!" he said. Roger put down the teddy bear and crawled onto Charles' lap. The man rocked him gently, knowing that he was eager to hear about it. "I'm going to ask her to read a story with us. I already brought the book with me. I actually wrote it myself to make it sound like a children's story, but at the end it has a twist, and that's where I'll propose. Want to do it?" Roger nodded in excitement. "Now, now, now!" he begged. Charles laughed. "As soon as she gets back, alright? As soon as she gets back."
When Miss Ginny reentered the room, Roger went back to 'feeding' his teddy bear. She seemed a bit upset as she looked at the vials of liquid in her hand. "Everything alright, love?" Charles asked. She nodded absently. "I just…I just hate this part of my job. He doesn't need all this medication. It only makes him feel worse. But they don't listen to me." She was half-talking to herself, half-talking to her lover. He nodded understandingly. "Perhaps you'd like to just take a break and come read with us? Roger said he'd like to hear a story. I brought one from home." Miss Ginny sighed. "Alright. Just for a moment though. If they come in and see his medication isn't injected they'll - - "
"Dear, please. It's alright. It'll all be alright. Just relax."
"Alright. Sometimes the people here just make me so nervous. What's the story we're reading?"
"Well, it's one I wrote myself."
Miss Ginny sat on the bed with them. Roger snuggled in between them comfortably. "Darling," his nurse asked. "Did you know that Charles writes stories? He's written several. I've read them all of course. Someday we must get him to publish them, alright?" Roger giggled excitedly. Charles pulled the book out. "Here we go," he said. "Virginia, I'll start on the first page, then you read on the second one. Roger, there's a special page that I'll have you say. But I'll tell you when it's your turn. Everyone ready?"
Charles opened the cover. He'd illustrated the pages too. "Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful maiden in a faraway land. She had gorgeous honey hair and a kind heart. Everyone loved how kind she was." he read. When he turned the page, he looked to Miss Ginny.
"One day, the maiden was walking down the streets of the village, and a man accidentally bumped into her. The man dropped his briefcase and all of his important papers fell everywhere. Hey, this sounds bit familiar…" she noticed, smirking at Charles. That particular scene was how their relationship began. He turned the page.
"The maiden helped him clean up everything and asked if he was alright. They talked for a while and decided to make a date. They dated for a very long time. She took on a job that involved caring for a young little boy. She loved him very much. The world had been very mean to the little boy and crushed his spirits. Alright, Roger. Your turn," Charles whispered as he turned the page. Roger looked it over.
"But the maiden took good care of him. She made him feel better inside and out. He could talk again, and do things by himself. She brought him toys when he was lonely, bathed him when he needed to relax, and fed him anything he wanted - - even respecting how he...didn't want any…meat. He knew this woman was very special, and after meeting wither her lover, he encouraged him to reveal his secret identity to her." Roger read aloud, nice and clear.
Charles patted his shoulder. "So the man decided to make it a very special revealing. He took the little boy and the maiden together, telling them that he was actually a prince. He told them how much he loved them both, and he asked the maiden…" Charles looked to Miss Ginny as he turned the page.
She smiled. "'Will you be my princess?'" Suddenly, the words dawned on her. Her eyes widened. Her jaw dropped. She looked over at him immediately. Charles held out the box to her, opening it slowly to reveal the sparkling diamond. He took the line from the next page. "And she answered him with…?" Miss Ginny had tears rolling down her cheeks. She covered her mouth with both dainty hands. Nodding, she breathlessly whispered, "Yes…yes…yes!" Roger clapped excitedly as they shared a kiss. Charles slipped the beautiful ring on her finger, the boy watching in awe. The man shared many more kisses with her. After a while, Roger giggled at the heartfelt situation. The couple looked at him and also shared a laugh. Charles held up his finger. "Wait - - the story's not over yet." he said. He turned the page.
"After the maiden agreed to become a princess, she told them man that she was afraid she'd never be able to bear him little princes and princesses in the future, but she wanted children badly. So the prince decided to take the little boy she loved and cared for into their home. He suggested that on the day of the wedding, there'd be two celebrations - - one for the prince and princess' marriage, and the other for their welcoming a child into the family." he read. It was Roger's turn to gasp.
Miss Ginny was crying uncontrollable tears of happiness now, letting everything go all at once. She took Roger's hands into hers. "Oh, my baby. My baby is mine. Oh…" she murmured over and over. Roger suddenly felt an overwhelming happiness wash over him as he felt two pairs of adult arms wrap around him. "We're all one family now," Charles whispered. "and that's how it's going to stay forever."
Miss Ginny, Roger, and Charles all read the last line of the book together, all with tears in the eyes and choked voices of happiness. "The prince took his princess and their new son to the palace, where they lived happily ever after. The end." Roger clapped gleefully when the book was closed. The lovers shared more kisses and held the boy's hands close to them. At one point, Miss Ginny and Charles both leaned down and each kissed Roger's cheek at the same time. He was thrilled by this, squirming his little body and giggling at the feeling. Miss Ginny allowed herself to be held by Charles for the longest time. She held Roger in her lap, letting him touch the diamond and stare in awe at it the whole time. "Happily every after," she repeated. Charles kissed her cheek. "The end," he whispered. The new family stayed snuggled up, enjoying 'the end' of the confusion and heartbreak and the 'once upon a time' of the rest of their lives together.