A SPECIAL NIGHT

By Deyse

It was only 9 AM when the doorbell rang in Della’s house and she was surprised to see that it was John at that time of the morning.

"Hey baby! What brings you here so early?" she greeted, receiving a kiss on the cheek.

"Hi Della! I know it’s a bit early but I had to talk to you and it couldn’t be at the studio."

"Ok, come on in, please! Are Roma and Reilly ok? Is the baby ok?"

A slight smiled appeared on his handsome face as that question reminded him of the 3 most important people in his life, "Yes, yes, they’re at home now. I’ll go there later but... what I had to talk to you had to be in private..."

Della frowned to see the tense look on his face, "Sit down here, baby, and tell me what happened."

After they had settled on the sofa, the blond actor started to talk.

"Well... I’ve been thinking... It’s been a long time I wanted to talk to Roma about something but... but I don’t know how to start... I don’t know how she’ll react..."

"And what is it?"

"I... I want to ask her to marry me, Della." he finally spoke, and a smile immediately appeared on the old actress’ face.

"Oh but that’s great news, Johnny!!! A baby and a marriage!!! Two great news in such short time!" the actress exclaimed, with the most absolute happiness.

But John’s wasn’t as enthusiastic as she was, "But I have to confess that I’m afraid..."

"Afraid? Of what? You two love each other, this is far too clear, Reilly loves you as if you were her real father and you and Roma are expecting a little baby! What could be wrong?"

"I don’t want her to think that I’m asking her to marry me only because of the baby..."

"Oh Johnny! Roma would never think something like that!"

"I’ve been in love with her for nearly 9 years... And, when we started dating and then when she told me that she loved me I... I couldn’t even believe it was finally happening."

"Anyone can see how much you love her."

"I do love her! Very much and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. There’s nothing I want more in this entire world. And I’ve been thinking about asking her to marry me even before we knew she was pregnant."

"Hum... now it makes perfect sense!"

"What makes sense?"

"Roma mentioned you had been rather distracted lately. She thought it was because the show was coming to an end, but now I see what was really going on!" she spoke, happy to be the first one to solve the mystery.

He smiled and nodded his head, "Yes, you’re right. I’ve been trying to figure out a way to ask her to marry me."

"Well, there’s only one way!"

He sighed deeply, "I know but..."

The old actress squeezed his hand, "Don’t you worry, baby. I’ll help you!"

"You will? How?"

"I’ll tell you..."

*

In front of a big mirror, inside her bedroom, Roma was finishing to get ready under the attentive look of her daughter. Lying on her mom’s bed, surrounded by lots of pillows, Reilly watched as the actress put on a pair of pearl earrings, which matched her equally pearled necklace.

"So? How do I look?" Roma asked, turning to face the smiling little girl.

"You look like a princess, mommy!" she exclaimed, loving the V necked black dress that went up to Roma’s knees, "Uncle Johnny will love it!"

Giggling, the actress grabbed her daughter’s meek face and kissed her forehead, "Oh no! There’s a princess in this house already! It’s you, sweetheart!"

"Well, you could be the princess number 2!" she replied, and then a thoughtful expression appeared on her face, "Will I be a princess after the baby is born?"

Roma felt her heart clench with that question. Ever since she had found out about her pregnancy, she and John had been very careful with Reilly’s feelings and, although she had accepted the fact rather well, the couple made sure to show her each and every minute how much they loved her.

She sat on the bed and placed the little girl on her lap, holding her tightly and kissing her head repeatedly, "Oh my little angel... you are and you’ll always be my little princess. I love you very, very much and I want you to always remember that. There’s nothing in the world that would make me stop loving you or make me love you less, you understand?"

Reilly nodded her head, still with a pensive expression on her face, "Yes... but uncle Johnny will love the baby more than he loves me cuz... cuz he’s not my real daddy..."

"Oh, sweetheart, just because he’s not your real daddy it doesn’t mean he loves you less..." a tender smile appeared on the actress face, "Have I told you how he helped me to take care of you while we were filming when you were a tiny little baby?"

"Uncle Johnny?"

"Yes! Whenever I had to film and he wasn’t on the same scene, he was the one to hold you and to give your bottle of milk. And after that, Johnny used to walk around the studio rocking you in his arms until you fell asleep."

"I didn’t cry, right?"

"Well..." Roma smiled at all Reilly’s memorable ‘performances’ crying louder than any other baby in the world whenever she had to stay away from her mom’s arms. Della even used to joke, by saying that ‘that little one has a beautiful and powerful voice’ and, many times, the filming had to be interrupted. And then the actress also remembered the one and only person who could make that crying stop, "... not with Johnny. In fact, he was the only person who could hold you without you crying!"

"Really?"

"Yes! After we discovered that, he became your ‘official nanny’, as you didn’t want anybody else to hold you! And I remember once, when you were very, very little and I had to film an important scene with auntie Della... Johnny offered to hold you while we filmed and, when I put you in his arms, you looked at his face and smiled!"

"That’s cuz I knew it was uncle Johnny!" the girl replied, smiling to hear those happy memories.

"Yes, and it was amazing considering that you were only 2 months old!" Roma tenderly stroked her daughter’s hair, "And now that you’ll have a little sister or a little brother, he will do everything all over again, because he or she will be as much loved as you are, honey."

"How come uncle Johnny loves me if I’m not his baby?"

"Because Johnny is a good man. Because he has a kind and compassionate heart, full of so much love that he can share it with me, you and the baby." There were some tears in Roma’s eyes when she said that, "And, most importantly, dear, because in his heart, you ARE his baby!"

Reilly reached out and held her mom, "I believe you, mommy. And I love uncle Johnny too, very much."

"You do, huh?"

"Yes, cuz in my heart, he is my daddy, my... ‘Papa Bear’!" now Roma had to wipe away a tear that insisted on falling from her eye, as Reilly continued to speak, "I want uncle Johnny to be here forever!"

"So do I, honey!"

"So why don’t you marry him?"

"Don’t you think you’re asking me too many questions for only one night?"

"I’m a kid, I make questions!"

"Yes, I know, but we’ll talk about this other one later, ok?"

She had hardly said that when they heard the doorbell ring.

"It’s uncle Johnny!!!"

*

Wearing an elegant black tuxedo, John was waiting in the living room. Julie, Reilly’s nanny, had opened the door for him and, although he had greeted her with the usual friendly tone of voice, the young woman could notice he was strangely nervous on that night. She left him alone and went upstairs to tell Roma he was there.

During these minutes, the blond actor paced from on side to another, impatiently. But, then, a little girl’s voice drew his attention and he looked up to the stairs.

"Uncle Johnny!" Reilly exclaimed, and ran to his open arms a second later.

"Hey little one! How is my little princess doing?"

Hearing that term of endearment, her smile became broader; her mother’s words still fresh in her memory. And she wasted no time in wrapping her small arms around his neck, "I love you, too, uncle Johnny!"

Chuckling at those unexpected words, he ruffled her hair and kissed her forehead, "Well, thanks! I love you too, honey! Very, very, very much!"

"I know!" she leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "Mommy is getting ready in her bedroom and she said that she loves you too!"

"I love her very, very much too! And I can’t wait to see her!" he spoke, also in a low voice, and, a second later, both heard Roma’s voice as she climbed down the stairs.

"I’m sorry, I’m a wee bit late!" she said, and John gasped at how beautiful she looked.

"Isn’t she pretty?" Reilly whispered in his ear once again.

"She’s gorgeous!" he whispered back.

With an amused expression on her face, she came closer to them and narrowed her eyes, "May I know what secret is it that you two are hiding from me?"

"Uncle Johnny said you’re gougeous!"

The couple laughed at her pronunciation and John bent his head to kiss her lips, "Our little one said it!" he joked, gently caressing her cheek.

"Well, I guess we can say the same thing about you, Mr!" the actress replied, not missing how elegant he always looked in a tuxedo, "Can’t we, poppet?"

"Oh, yes, uncle Johnny is gougeous too!"

"Thanks!" he replied, slightly blushed, and smiling.

Roma reached out and stroked her daughter’s hair, "We have to go now, honey. Promise you’re gonna be ok and behave yourself?"

"Yes!"

"Ok! Then give your uncle Johnny and me a hug and a kiss!"

Reilly wrapped her arms around John’s neck one more time and they shared a tender embrace. Then, she kissed him on the cheek, "Bye, uncle Johnny!"

"Bye my little angel. Have sweet dreams!" the actor said, kissing her forehead. Then, Roma took Reilly from his arms and also held her tight.

"Bye sweetheart. I love you."

*

John and Roma left her house and, before she could pull his car door, he ran ahead of her and opened it, "Thank you, sir!" she smiled, enjoying his usual kindness. The actress settled inside the car looked at him with curiosity evident on her beautiful face, "You still didn’t tell me where we’re going..."

"That’s not true, I told you we’re going to a restaurant!"

"Yes, but which one?"

He leaned and brushed a kiss on her cheek, "You know you look cute when you’re curious?"

"And you have been way too much mysterious these days!" she replied, in an impatient, anxious tone of voice. Smiling, and finding her annoyance adorable, he cupped her chin and kissed her lips, "Have I told you how much I love you?"

"Hum... not in the last hour..."

"So, I love you, honey!" he kissed her once again, and then finally put an end to her curiosity, "We’re going to Tony’s."

"Oh, that’s a lovely idea! It was there that Della celebrated her wedding anniversary!"

"Yes, and I remember how much you liked it!"

With her eyes sparkling with love for him, she placed the palm of her hand on his cheek, "Have I told you how much I love you?"

"You’re telling me now... I can read it in your eyes, honey."

They shared another long, loving kiss and John pulled away just a few inches from her, "I’d love to stay here and continue this pleasant conversation but I guess we’re gonna be late..."

Giggling, she nodded her head, "I guess you’re right. And I am... I mean, ‘we’ are hungry, you know..."

Smiling broadly, he gently stroked her belly, "Well, I cannot leave you 2 waiting, then!"

*

Despite being a famous restaurant, Tony’s was also small and cosy, and the ones who visited it were immediately enchanted with its beautiful decoration and romantic atmosphere.

"I just hope it’s not too crowded. I still cannot get used to everybody staring at us whenever we go out..."

"Don’t worry, honey, I’m under the impression that there won’t be anybody to bother us this time..."

He had hardly said that when they entered the restaurant and when Roma looked around her, she covered her mouth with her hand and gasped: inside the beautiful and cosy interior, there were only the people who worked there: John had reserved the entire restaurant only for them.

"John!" she exclaimed, completely lost for words.

He took her hand and kissed it, "This night is ours, sweetie. And I want it to be perfect!"

Still rather taken aback, Roma continued to stare at him, wondering if she could possibly love him more than she already did.

"Good evening, Mr Dye, Ms Downey. Come this way, please."

They were led to a table illuminated by candle light and, as they sat down, John reached out and took his beloved girlfriend’s hand, not missing the perplexed look on her face.

"Is everything alright?"

"I... I don’t even know what to say! You didn’t have to do it, John! It must’ve cost a fortune! I..."

He gently pressed his finger against her lips, "I did it because of us. Because I wanted this night to be special for you and me, sweetie."

She squeezed his hands and looked at him tenderly, "All the moments we’ve spent together, since the day we’ve met, are special for me."

"I can say exactly the same, honey," he spoke, smiling cheerfully, pleased to hear those words; the love both shared was reflected in the sparkling of their eyes.

The couple spent a wonderful time there: they had lunch, talked and John invited her to dance. Deep inside, however, the blond actor was getting more nervous each and every minute. Although he could feel how much Roma loved him, he was still afraid of what she would think about his proposal. What if she didn’t want to marry anybody; still with the trauma of her previous experience? What if she thought he was just interested in the baby she was expecting?

He tried to breath slowly, in an attempt to put aside the turmoil of thoughts. Roma was resting her head on his shoulder and had closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of his arm around her waist and his other hand entwined with hers, close to his heart. But the actress could feel his tension by the changing of his breath; she raised her head and stared at him, "Johnny? Is there something wrong?" she asked, with a sweet and loving expression on her face.

He tried to smile, "No... It’s... Nothing is wrong, honey." He placed some strands of hair behind her ear and kissed her lips and the tip of her nose, contemplating each feature of her beautiful face. "I guess I’ve never felt so happy in all my life... everything we’ve been sharing is so precious that... I guess I’ll never be able to thank God enough for sending you into my life..."

Deeply moved, Roma placed the palm of her hand on his cheek, "I am the one who is supposed to say that, Johnny. You’re wonderful... yes, that’s the best word to describe you. And this love you have inside your heart makes me feel so special..."

"You are special, Roma!"

"You see? There you go again..." she stared deep inside his green eyes, "God... I love you so much..."

He pressed a loving kiss on her lips and held her tightly in his arms for some time. That was the opportunity he had been waiting for and it had to be now.

"Would you like to come back to the table?"

"Ok..." she agreed, with a cheerful expression on her face, thinking that that night couldn’t be more perfect.

They sat down and John took her hand and kissed it, "I wish I could always see this smile upon this pretty face of yours! You have no idea how much I love it!"

"Oh, yes, I do. You are one of the greatest responsible for putting it on my face and here, in my heart."

"I love it... I love seeing you happy. In fact, if you let me, I wanna be responsible for making you smile every single day of you life, Roma."

The truth and love in his eyes were mixed with some apprehension, as he was about to take the most important step of his life. But the loving way Roma looked at him, with sparkling brown eyes, only encouraged him.

"Roma... my love... I..." he started to talk, but her meek smile suddenly disappeared, as well as the colour from her face.

"Oh John..." she murmured, releasing his hand and placing her own hand over her stomach, which caused him to be even more nervous.

"Roma? What... What is it?"

"Oh God... I’m... I’m not feeling well..." then, the actress covered her mouth and stood up, rushing to the bathroom.

*

One hour later, John and Roma were back to her house and, after she had changed into her warm pyjamas, the couple cuddled together in her bed, with John holding her tightly in his arms, softly running his fingers through her hair. Since she had found out about her pregnancy, she had never felt so sick. John had taken her home and pampered her so much that she joked by saying that he was not only spoiling her but also the baby. And needless to say that he had to postpone everything he had in mind.

"... I spoiled everything... I’m terribly sorry..." Roma said, with a weak voice, resting her head on his chest.

"Roma, for Heaven’s sake, you didn’t ‘spoil’ anything. You’re expecting a baby and these things are perfectly normal!" he gently admonished her, kissing the top of her head.

Still not convinced by his words, she slowly shook her head with a serious and guilty expression on her face, "No... this night wasn’t supposed to end up this way..."

He couldn’t help chuckling at that statement, "Are you saying your intentions with me weren’t good ones?!"

Pleased to hear a small giggling, he tightened his hold on her and kissed her forehead, "Rest now, my love. You’re still a bit pale and when we got here you were also a little dizzy. I want you to get better soon." He kissed her forehead and her lips, "And please, don’t you ever forget how much I love you..."

"...that is something I’ll never ever forget, Johnny... never..."

*

John was the first one to wake up on the next morning, but he didn’t move from where he was. Holding Roma tightly in his arms, he gently stroked her hair and lay a soft kiss on her temple, thinking about what he had planned for the previous night. "Maybe it wasn’t the right moment," he thought, "Maybe we just have to wait a bit longer". Although he didn’t want to wait any longer.

Some minutes later, the actress stirred in her bed and finally opened her eyes.

"Good morning sweetie..." he greeted, studying her face and looking for any sign of the sickness that had hit her on the previous night.

She smiled meekly at him with sleepy eyes, " ’morning..."

"How are you feeling?"

"... I’m... I’m fine..." she replied, and looked away from him a second later.

"Roma..."

"I... I’m just a wee bit dizzy, you know..."

"So you’ll spend the day resting and I will be the one to take care of you!"

Although she was still feeling guilty for what had happened at the restaurant, Roma really enjoyed to hear those words and to know John would be by her side. Weakly, she tightened her hold on him and whispered, "I love you so much..."

A content smile appeared on his face and he kissed the top of her head repeatedly. "Roma... you’re so precious, honey..."

"So are you..."

After another long minute, he spoke again, "Do you think you could eat something?"

"Yes... to be honest, I’m hungry, you know..."

"So I’ll tell you what: you’ll wait here and I’ll go downstairs to prepare you a big breakfast, ok?"

"There you go, spoiling me again!"

"Yes, and that’s something I’ll never get tired of!"

John kissed her lips and left the bedroom. When he was climbing down the stairs, an idea crossed his mind, and he smiled contentedly.

*

While John was downstairs, Roma stood up from the bed and headed to the bathroom, to wash her face and brush her teeth, still trying to recover from the terrible sickness. "Oh God... I look awful!" she exclaimed, looking at her pale face in the bathroom mirror. Then, she put on her robe and headed to Reilly’s bedroom.

The little girl was sleeping peacefully among lots of pillows and her mother knelt beside her bed, careful not to make any noise that could wake her up.

"Sleep my little princess... I love you very, very much..." Roma whispered, softly running her fingers on her curly brown hair.

After placing a tiny kiss on Reilly’s cheek, she returned to her bedroom, and, feeling extremely tired, lay against the pillows on her bed.

*

Some time later, Roma heard a light knock on her bedroom door and a slight smile appeared on her face, "Come in, Johnny..."

Also smiling, John opened the door and poked his head in, "Will you excuse me, Ms Downey?"

Now giggling, the actress rolled her eyes, "You don’t have to ask for permission to come into my room!"

"Oh yes, I do; I’m a gentleman and you are a single woman..." he replied, in a teasing tone of voice.

"Yes, you truly are a gentleman but, although I am a single woman, I’m also expecting your baby, so, due to the implications of that wee child, I guess we could reduce the level of formalities around here!"

"Ok, then!" chuckling, he opened the door and, carrying a trolley with a big breakfast, entered her bedroom.

Deeply moved with all his care, the actress shot him a loving look, "Johnny you didn’t have to prepare all this..."

"Of course I did! You said you were hungry and now you’re eating for 2 people!" a worried expression appeared on his face, "Are you alright? You’re not feeling sick again, are you?" he asked, sitting in front of her and taking her hand into both of his.

"No! No, I’m fine, I really am." She gently caressed his face, "It’s just that all this love in your heart never ceases to amaze me..."

Without saying a single word, but with all the love in the world evident in his eyes, he leaned forward and kissed her lips.

"... well I’m afraid you’ll have to get used to it..." John spoke, placing soft kisses on her cheeks.

Smiling cheerfully, she sighed, "... ok... I guess I won’t have so many problems with it..."

"Now, eat your breakfast. I tried to put everything you like here, so you just have to choose what you want." He spoke, kissing the tip of her nose.

"Ok, sir!" she looked at the organisation with which he had settled the small table and smiled, "You were so careful with everything! I..."

Roma stopped talking when she lifted the top of the jelly pot and, instead of finding jelly, there was a small roundish velvet box inside of it.

"... John... what’s this?"

"It came with the breakfast..." he joked, trying to hide his nervousness. Still really surprised, she took the box and, before opening it, she looked at him once more, "I’m sorry to tell you but you won’t find strawberry jelly in there..."

Lost for words with his constant demonstrations of love, Roma finally opened the little box, and covered her mouth with her hand when she saw a beautiful ring inside of it, with a single diamond on the top of it.

"... oh my God... John!"

He took a deep breath and took one of her hands, "Roma... during all these years we’ve known each other, there wasn’t a single day I didn’t think about this moment. Sometimes, when we were at the beginning of our friendship, it seemed to be just an impossible dream, something that would never happen. Anyway, just being close to you and having your friendship was enough to make me happy and it was ok for me just to keep on imagining how it would be like to sleep and wake up with you in my arms, like we did this morning. And... when we started dating, when I finally had the courage to say how much I love you, for some time I would still woke up not believing it was finally happening."

"Oh, John..." she whispered, with her eyes full of tears. He kissed her hand and continued to speak.

"By the time we were only friends I used to think that, if one day we started dating, there wouldn’t be anything else in the world I would want; I used to think that my world would be complete. But... But I was wrong, Roma. It’s been a long time since I realised that there was something else I want from you..."

Now shedding some tears, she watched as he knelt beside her bed, still holding her hand, and finally spoke the words he’d been keeping inside his heart for a long time.

"... Roma, I want to be at your side forever; I want to sleep and wake up with you in my arms on all the days of my life, just as I had imagined a long time ago. And then, help you to raise our little Reilly and her little brother or sister, take them to school, help them with their homework... I want us to be a family, a real family..."

He stopped talking for just a few seconds, enjoying the loving look in her tear filled brown eyes and the soft way she caressed his face; those small actions made his initial fears vanish completely. "Roma, will you marry me? Will you give me this honour and let me take care of you and our little ones for the rest of our lives?"

Feeling a lump in her throat and with more tears rolling down her face, she finally nodded her head, "... yes... yes, John, I will marry you!"

He sat up on her bed and gathered her in his arms, in a tight, fierce embrace, as she continued to speak, her voice hoarse with emotion, "I love you so much, Johnny... so deeply... You’re my world, my life... It’s you I want at my side forever; and it’s been a long time I realised that; it’s been a long time I realised that I just can’t stay away from you anymore because you’re a part of me..."

"That’s exactly what you are to me, honey... my everything."

He pulled away and, taking her hand, finally placed the ring in her finger.

"I guess now I can say my world is complete... First because, when I thought my love for you was a hopeless case, God gave me you. And then, together with you, He gave me Reilly as a present. And now, He gave me this little baby you’re expecting."

"Oh yes, He is always wonderful... When I was miserable and in pain, He gave me you to wipe my tears away and bring the sun back to my life..."

They held each other and John covered her face with lots of kisses, both had their hearts practically bursting with happiness, and finally, the couple shared another long loving kiss, which would seal that special moment forever.