Living room
(Gaby)
Getting into the living room, Della walked towards her young friend. Roma was standing in front of one of the big windows through which you could see the front yard. The laughing of a man mixed with the playful yelling of a child was clearly audible and Della knew what she’d find looking through that window. “That’s a sight I’ll never get tired of seeing, you know?” she offered to Roma. Lying on the grass John was pretending to have been defeated by little Reillie.
“Me too” Roma said though she didn’t sound too convinced.
“What’s wrong, baby?”
Roma turned to see her friend but when she was about to speak, she changed her mind and only murmured, “nothing, not really.”
“Roma... it’s obvious something is bothering you. You can trust me. It’s something about Johnnie?”
Roma looked at the pair in the garden again and sighed. “I may be wrong, but... I’m afraid he wants to ask me to marry him.”
“Oh, my!” Della cover her mouth with her hand but then noticed her worried tone. “And how can you be so unhappy? You love him, you’ve told me so, and he’s really in love with you.”
“Yes, yes... I know.”
“But?”
“But I’m really scared...” her voice trembled as some tears filled up her eyes. “I can’t go through all I’ve gone before again, Della, I can’t! Not with Reillie in the middle. I know Reillie loves him and I love him too, but what if it doesn’t work?”
“Now... we’re talking about Johnnie, baby,” Della said wiping her tears with her thumbs. “Johnnie who has loved you for seven years now, who has loved you not waiting in return but a smile from you and a kiss on the cheek every morning. He’s been more a father to your daughter than her real father. He’s ‘her’ uncle Johnnie for God’s sake! I know you’re afraid and I understand that you don’t want to suffer and make your daughter suffer in the process. But you should not let fear take the happiness away from you this time. You have the right to be happy, Roma, and he might be your happiness...” She stopped talking as they saw John scooping a laughing Reillie in his arms and climbing the stairs towards the main door. Roma wiped her tears quickly before the pair got into the living room.
“Mommy, Quasimodo and Esmeralda are hungry!” Reillie said struggling to free herself from John’s tickling.
“Then we have to wash Esmeralda’s hands before!” Della said taking the little girl in her arms and heading towards the bathroom.
Roma and John remained there smiling at the sight and when he turned he saw her drinking in his features as if she hadn’t seen him attentively before. “What?” he asked.
She said nothing and brought her hands around his neck pulling him down for a long, sweet kiss. It took him briefly by surprise but then he brought his hands to her waist and pulled her closer. She was smiling contentedly when they parted. “Wow! What was that for?” he asked. “I mean... I’m in no way complaining but...”
Roma stroked his cheek delicately with the back of her hand. “For being you, for being Johnnie, for being so wonderful with Reillie... and with me.”
John took her hand and kissed it before cupping her face and kissing her tenderly again. “Thank you” he murmured and added at seeing her puzzled face, “for letting me do so.”
“Quasimodo, come here!” Reillie’s voice coming from the kitchen made them smile.
“I’m coming, Esmeralda” he answered. Then he offered his hand to Roma and waited for her to take it. “Let’s go.”