ALWAYS TAKING CARE

By Deyse

John entered the room where the actors used to study their lines or just to rest and talk before they filmed the TV hit Touched by an angel. It was inside the Moon Water Studios and they only had to walk a few steps to get to the set. The blond actor had filmed some scenes and would still appear in some others, but this time with his dear colleague – who was peacefully sleeping in the couch. Slowly and silently, John closed the door behind him as he saw Roma lying there, with her head over a small pillow, and her huge belly was the most evident sign that she was in her 8^th month of pregnancy. Due to this, her "nappies" during the filming of the episodes were frequent and so was the care with which John treated her.

A few minutes earlier he had gone to the studio canteen and now he was carrying a tray with a chicken sandwich, filled with tomatoes and some lettuce, and a glass of orange juice. But seeing his dearest friend so peacefully asleep caused him to smile and he quietly put her snack on the table and kneeled in front of her. His heart swelled with love for that kind and warm-hearted creature, with which he had fallen in love since from the first moment he laid his eyes on her. She was already pregnant then, though her belly still remained unnoticed. But even now, he found her the most beautiful creature in the world. Her smile, her charming accent and her sweet manners had definitely conquered his heart forever.

John watched her sleeping and tenderly brushed away some strands of her hair off her beautiful face and tucked them behind her ear. As she didn’t move, he took the opportunity to stroke her cheek with the back of his hand; tenderly, lovingly. The only thing he regretted about meeting her was the timing: she was married and already expecting the little baby girl who was about to be born within a month. But had he met her when she was single (or even engaged), he would have definitely fought for her. But destiny had been a different one, that was a fact, and even if he had to love her only as a dear friend for the rest of his life, then he would – and with the promise to take care and protect that woman and the small baby inside her, who he had already started loving too.

Realising she had to be in scene in 10 minutes, the blond angel stopped his caresses and gently soothed her hair, "Roma? Hey, sweetie, wake up..."

The Irish actress stirred and finally opened her eyes – he could see she was tired, but not less beautiful, and an immediate smile appeared on his face as she looked at him, "Hey, Sleeping Beauty!"

"Hi..." she said, also smiling and causing his heart to skip a beat. She moved to sit up straight and he was quick to place a supportive arm around her shoulder and hold her hand, "Let me help you..."

"Thanks," Roma replied, and was suddenly worried, "I guess I overslept... What time is it?"

"No, don’t worry, you still have to film a scene but it’s not now... That’s why I woke you up, you should eat something before you go back to work..."

She saw the sandwich and the juice on the table and the smile immediately returned to her face, "Oh, Johnny... I don’t know what to say..."

"Good, cause it’s not time to speak, it’s time for you to eat!" he said, helping her up. Roma shot him a moved look – that kind man seemed to be a real angel, sent from God to watch over her especially in such an important time like that. And for all the peace, comfort and joy (as he was an eternal joker) he brought to her life in those months they had known each other she would be eternally grateful, "You take such a good care of me, Johnny. Sometimes better than..." her words died in her mouth and the look in her eyes got lost in some invisible point ahead of her. Noticing that change, John frowned with concern, "Roma? Sweetie?"

His voice brought her back and she smiled again, "I was saying that you seem a protector, you know..." she spoke, sitting on the chair he had gently pulled for her and reaching for his hand afterwards.

John sat down right next to her and squeezed her small hand, "Well... one thing you can always be sure of, Roma: I’ll always be by your side keeping an eye on you, if you let me!"

Twice moved, feeling the inexplicable presence of tears in the corner of her eyes, she looked deep inside his green pools, which brought her an incredible sensation of peace, and her smile grew wider, "I know that, Johnny... in fact..." the actress placed her hand over her belly, "WE both know that!"

Chuckling, he also placed his hand over her belly and gently stroked it, "Well, what I said surely goes for this little one here too!"

At that moment, both felt the little baby kicking her mom’s belly and were immediately enchanted with the tiny little creature moving inside Roma’s body.

"Oh my! It seems she’s awake too!"

"Yes! She sure is!" John agreed, fascinated to feel such thing, and not moving his hand from her belly, "And I bet she’s saying she’s hungry!"

They both laughed and Roma finally started to eat her snack before filming one more episode of Touched by an angel.

(END OF JOHN’S FLASHBACK)

In the kitchen, wearing a comfortable pair of jeans and a white T-shirt, the blond actor smiled as he remembered his dear wife’s first pregnancy and the early memories of the show that brought them together. He was preparing a chicken sandwich, with tomatoes and other vegetables, and a glass of orange juice, and as he finished his task, John put them in a tray and left the kitchen, heading upstairs.

A few instants later, he entered their bedroom and the slight smile on his face grew wider when he saw the beautiful Irish actress lying on their bed, peacefully sleeping, with her hand over her 8^th month pregnancy belly. John put the tray with the food on a bedside table and sat on the bed, quietly so that she didn’t wake up. Reaching up, he brushed her hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear, softly and tenderly stroking her beautiful face. She was lovely, adorable, and God how he loved her! Once he had thought she was just an impossible dream and that he was meant to love her in silence, secretly, never able to kiss her the way he wanted to kiss. Hardly did he know that things would change – drastically and, at the same time, wonderfully.

Feeling incredibly grateful for that, he lay down next to her, leaning on his elbow, and started to lay tiny kisses on her face while his hand moved down and came to stop over her huge belly. Although his caresses were always soft ones, it didn’t take her too long to wake up and as she opened her eyes a beautiful smile appeared on her face. "Hey..."

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty!"

"I don’t know about beauty at this point but I certainly could use the handsome prince that woke me up..."

"You look gorgeous, honey..." he replied, kissing her forehead tenderly afterwards. "... absolutely gorgeous..."

"Thanks for the compliment..." then, she suddenly became serious and turned to look at the clock, "Oh my! What time is it? Reilly..."

"Calm down, calm down, ‘angel girl’! Our little angel has already arrived, the school bus delivered her a couple of hours ago. I sent her to the shower, prepared her a snack and now she is peacefully taking her nap in her bedroom."

Roma stared at him with a grateful expression on her face; was always moved with the love he was constantly showing towards her daughter – "his daughter", as he used to say himself. "Oh Johnny... Sometimes I’m under the impression that you make me fall in love with you again and again as the days pass by..." she said, caressing his face. He took her hand and kissed her palm, "Then, honey, I have to inform you that this is a habit I intend to keep for the rest of my life!"

Enjoying to hear her giggling, he kissed her hand once again, "And I told you once: I’ll always be by your side keeping an eye on you, if you let me!"

"If it depends on me, this is where you’ll be for the rest of my life!"

"Good! And the same also goes to our two little angels!" he said, caressing her cheek and contemplating her face, "I brought your snack..."

Roma moved her head to see the tray with the sandwich and the juice on the side table and her smile grew wider, "Always taking care!"

"Forever..." John turned his eyes from her eyes to her lips, once again remembering the times when he had to limit himself to dreaming about her and secretly happy that now that woman belonged to him, "... but, before you eat... may I ask you something?"

Narrowing her eyes, she tilted her head questioningly, but still overjoyed by his love and tenderness. "Yes..."

"May I kiss you?"

Giggling even more, and surprised with that request, she caressed his face and looked down at her belly, "Well... considering... this... I guess that... yes, you are allowed to kiss me, Mr Dye!"

He brought her hand to his lips once again, and smiled lovingly, "Thank you, Mrs Dye!"

Then, the blond actor bent down and, slowly, they lips met in a loving, affectionate kiss; a slow and tender one, full of love. Roma wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him down as he tasted the sweet flavour of her mouth, and her fingers entangled in his short blond hair.

"I love you..." he said, in her ear, still kissing her face.

"I love you, too, Johnny... I mean... we all love you very, very much, forever..."

He bent his head and they continued to kiss each other like a couple of valentines who had found themselves completely in love with each other, with the difference that their love had started some years before, it had grown stronger each and every day and would never end.

The end