Happy birthday, uncle Johnny!

(by Deyse)

John woke up with the noise of the alarm clock and sighed deeply when he saw it was already 7 o’clock. In another circumstance, he wouldn’t mind getting up early to go to work – he had to be at Moon Water Studios in two hours, but a quick look at the calendar clock showed that that was a special date: it was January 31, his birthday.

He pressed the stop button to silence the alarm and, a bit lazily, the actor got up from the bed, running his fingers through his disarrayed blond hair, thinking about everything he still had to do on that day. But a smile appeared on his lips when he remembered the one he would be meeting in just a couple of hours: he and Roma had been dating for only a bit more than a month and that would definitely be the best birthday of his life, as having the love of that beautiful Irish actress was the most wonderful present he could ever get.

John had a shower, shaved and got dressed, and was going to have a quick breakfast when the doorbell rang. A bit curious about who it could be at that time of the morning he walked over up to the door and opened it: it was a boy that delivered flowers and who had a bunch of carnations and a card in his hands.

"Good morning, Mr Dye," he politely greeted, and handed him the flowers.

"Good... good morning... but who sent these?" the blond actor asked, really surprised.

"Oh there is a card together with the flowers..." the boy now handed him a paper, "Could you sign here, please?"

After John signed the paper the boy bid him good morning and left a rather surprised actor behind. He admired the carnations and opened the card, which contained a single sentence, "I love you!"

Smiling, as now he had an idea of who had sent those, he went to look for a vase when the phone rang.

"Happy birthday, Mr Dye!" spoke a familiar, dear soothing voice, with the Irish accent he knew so well.

A broad, contented smile appeared on his handsome face to hear his beloved Roma so early in the morning. "Hey sweetie! Just in time, huh? I love the flowers..."

"Oh really? You know it’s the first time I send flowers to a gentleman?" she said, also loving to hear him so early.

"Oh yes? Then I’m honoured, Ms Downey!" he blushed a little with that revelation, "It’s the first time this gentleman here loves someone so much the way he loves you..."

"The feeling is mutual..." Roma’s eyes sparkled and her face softened to realise the truth of her words: she too had never loved a man the way she loved him; nobody had never touched her heart with so much tenderness and affection the way he did.

"You know what I’d like right now, as my first birthday present?" he asked, clearly smiling and causing her to smile too.

"What?"

"To be there to hug and kiss my pretty Irish angelgirlfriend!" Loving to hear her laugher, he added, "Many times!"

"Is that a coincidence that your Irish angelgirlfriend wants nothing less?"

"Well, so I have an idea to solve that problem, honey..."

*

Just half an hour later, Roma arrived at the MoonWater studios, where they would film one more episode of Touched by an angel. It was still early but soon Martha, Della and all the rest of the cast and crew would arrive – everybody ready to congratulate John but without letting him know that there would be a surprise party for him at Roma’s house.

The Irish actress went straight to John’s dressing room and knocked on the door lightly and waited for his reply to come in. He was already wearing Andrew’s clothes and had been waiting for her with a smile on his handsome face, "Angel..."

Roma didn’t waste another second and rushed towards his open arms, wrapping her own arms around his neck and giving him a tight, warm embrace, which he returned with the same intensity. They stood like this for some long moments; John gently combing her hair and savouring her sweet perfume in the nape of her neck until he decided to break the silence, "I wish I could hold you like this for the rest of the day, sweetie..."

"Me too..." she confessed, and then pulled away just a few inches, so that she could look at his face. "And I’m terribly sorry to make you hide what we share from everybody..."

"Don’t; cause the most important is what we share!" he tenderly stroked her cheek, his warm breath tickling her lips – how could he understand her better than herself sometimes? How could he be so patient and accept everything she had to give him, even if, for 8 years, all she could offer had been nothing more than a smile?

"Johnny, I promise I’ll..."

"Shh..." he gently placed his index finger against her lips to silence her, "Could you grant me a birthday wish?"

She was going to say something else but the look in his green pools was so full of love and tenderness that all she could do was to nod her head in agreement, "Of course..."

"This is my first birthday since... since we got together... May I ask you a kiss?"

Her broad smile only faded when their lips collided in a deep loving kiss. John tightened his hold around her and his fingers entangled in her auburn hair while one of her hands caressed his face; the other, permanently wrapped around his neck. Both shared a long, romantic kiss and lost track of time in each other’s arms. That sweet moment was only interrupted when they heard two familiar voices coming from the corridor and quickly pulled away.

"Wait..." Roma spoke, quickly wiping some pink lipstick from both their lips, while he tried to hold his laugher. They moved away just one second before Della and Martha entered the room and Roma turned away for a few seconds, trying to hide her smile.

"Hey, here is Lovejuice! We’ve been looking for you, baby!" Della said, holding him tight, "Happy birthday, Johnny!"

"Congratulations, Johnny!" Martha was the next to hold the blond actor, none of them aware of what was happening right before they got there.

"That’s what I call a great good morning!" he spoke, "Being hugged and kissed by three gorgeous ladies!" and secretly winked at Roma, who lowered her head and hid a slight smile. They gave John their presents – he couldn’t suspect that there was a party ready for him later on, at his secret girlfriend’s house. With a broad smile, the blond actor opened the presents one by one: Della gave him a CD box with a blues collection; Martha, a book about arts and Roma’s present was a beautiful black leather jacket, which suited him just fine and which left him incredibly charming, she secretly thought.

*

The other members of the cast and crew also wished John a happy birthday and they started filming earlier than usual, as there was a surprise party later. The only thing that worried Della and Martha was that they would have to come up with an excuse to make John leave the studio and then go to Roma’s house, but the Irish actress had a perfect idea that wouldn’t raise any suspects.

"... okay... yes, I understand, Julie... alright, see you then..." It was break time and Roma turned off her cell phone with a slightly worried expression on her face, which John immediately noticed. "Hey... is there a problem?" he asked, sitting next to her and gently rubbing her arm.

"Well... Erm... Charlie took the car to the mechanic and it seems he’ll have to stay there until late and Julie just got stuck with something else and now... There’s nobody to pick Reilly at the ballet school. I... I guess I’ll have to leave earlier to do it..."

"Oh but I can go there and pick her up!" he immediately said.

"But what about your scenes?"

"I’m almost finishing; in fact, according to the script, I only have one more to shoot!"

"Oh Johnny.... could you do it for me? Wouldn’t it be any trouble?" she asked, secretly using her acting talent.

"Seeing my little princess?! Roma, you’re kidding me? Of course not!"

Although she knew he would agree to pick Reilly at the ballet school and was just pretending not to be that interested in sending him away from there, the broad smile on her pretty face wasn’t a fake one. During all the years they had known each other, it became evident to everyone how much he loved her little daughter and, as she grew up, he became the father figure to her, someone Reilly loved dearly.

"Thank you so much, John! I don’t know what would be of us without you!" she spoke, her eyes shining brightly with the immense love she felt for him.

The smile on his face turned into a mischievous one, "Hum... I was going to say that you don’t have to thank me, that I love you and that little one deeply but... well... as today is my birthday you can give me another kiss like the one you gave me in my dressing room..." he said, in a low voice, while Martha, Della and the director of the episode discussed the arrangements for the next scene – his last one.

Giggling, she too lowered her voice and gave a step closer to him, "You wait and maybe you’ll get lots of kisses like that one, mister!"

A warning from the director interrupted their secret conversation and the filming restarted and, some time later, John left to pick Reilly up.

*

John stood by the corridor of the ballet school waiting for "his little princess" and, once in a while, a few girls passed by him and giggled – that tall, strong man in such a delicate and girlish place was such a contrast that he himself chuckled at that situation. Since Roma and Reilly had came to his life, he found himself surrounded by girl’s things; from Barbie’s accessories to Disney films and products. And the truth is that he just loved to be part of their life, being with and taking care of them, loving Reilly like a father and Roma like an eternal valentine.

Suddenly, a dear little voice took him out of his reverie and he turned his eyes to the end of the corridor, where he saw a little girl, wearing cute light pink ballet clothes and shoes, and with her brown hair tied up in a bun, running towards him. "Uncle Johnny!!!" she shouted, and, a second later, threw herself in his arms.

"Oh my little princess! I missed you, baby!" he said, raising her in his arms and kissing her cheek. Reilly’s teacher, who was brining her Barbie’s backpack, watched the scene and couldn’t help smiling.

"I missed you too, uncle Johnny! You should go to visit mommy and me more!" there was something absolutely cute in the way she said that and nodded his head.

"I promise you that I’ll do the best I can to go and see you tomorrow, ok? it’s Saturday and you don’t have school and your mom and I don’t have to work..."

"Yey!!!" she raised her little arms to celebrate it and then tilted her head with a smile, "Is it true that today is your birthday?"

"Well... yes, that’s true..." his blushing face was adorable and Reilly’s teacher didn’t miss that detail.

The little girl kissed his cheek, "Then happy birthday, uncle Johnny!"

"Well, thank you, sweetie!" he kissed her tiny hand, "It’s really a happy birthday because I have you here with me!"

Smiling with that compliment, she looked down at the floor, "Can you put me down a little?"

"Sure..." he gently placed her on the floor and Reilly took some distance from him, "Do you like my suit? You gave it to me but you didn’t see me wearing!"

Overwhelmed with tenderness, he nodded and kneeled in front of her, "You are the prettiest and most adorable ballerina I’ve ever seen in my entire life!"

"Thanks!" she replied, smiling twice more, really pleased to hear that. Then, the blond actor turned to her teacher, who was lost in admiration for that kind, tender, gentle and, especially, handsome man. "I believe that her mother phoned the school telling that I would come to pick her up..."

"Oh...Oh yes, yes, of course..." his voice took her out of her reverie, "I ... I mean, we were just waiting for you..." she handed him the pink backpack and Reilly grabbed John’s hand. "Uncle Johnny is my papa bear..." she announced, proudly.

Both adults smiled at that statement, "I know that, sweetie, you’ve just told me..." the woman replied, enchanted with the evident love between the two.

"And today is his birthday! We have to celebrate it!"

"And your teacher has to go back to the other students, so let’s say bye to her, ok?" he gently reminded her, offering his hand to the woman, "Nice to meet you."

She looked back at the blond actor and shook hands with him, feeling weak in the knees to meet ‘Andrew’ in person and impressed by how handsome he was. "It was nice to meet you too, Mr Dye..."

*

Hand in hand, John and Reilly left the school toward the parking lot, "I guess Miss Clark likes you! She doesn’t know that you have mommy and me..." the little girl said, causing him to laugh.

"She was just being kind, poppet!"

"Do you really think so?"

"Yes, you mom, auntie Della and me appear on TV and that’s why people are surprised when they see us in person."

They were going towards John’s car when the little girl looked at him, "Erm... Uncle Johnny, I have an idea..."

"And idea?" he spoke, raising his eyebrows, clearly amused by the seriousness in her face.

"Yes.... as today is your birthday, I’ll take you to have a milk shake with me at McDonald’s!"

Trying hard not to laugh and that statement, he pretended to be as serious as she was, "Oh, you will take me to have a milkshake? Really?"

"Yes!" she announced, enthusiastically.

"Well... alright, then, I’ll be glad to accept your invitation!" he picked his cell phone in his pocket and dialled Roma’s number. "But before we go, we should phone your mom just to let her know that we’re together and that you’re taking me to McDonald’s, ok?"

"Deal!"

When Roma answered the phone she and the others who would take part of the surprise party were almost leaving the studio and the actress had a worried expression on her face: there was a delay in the filming and, as a consequence, a delay in the party. "Hullo? Johnny?"

Della, Martha and the others looked at her equally worried.

"Hey sweetie! I’m calling to tell you that I got our cute ballerina right here with me!" he spoke, unaware of what was going on on the other side of the line. And That statement caused her to be twice worried. "Oh... re-really?"

"Yep! But she wants to talk to you for a second! Hold on..." then, he passed the phone to Reilly.

"Hi mommy!"

"Hi sweetheart, how was the class?"

"It was cool! I learned to make the "grand plie"! I’ll show ya when uncle Johnny and me get there! Oh, and my teacher, miss Clark, likes uncle Johnny!"

John and Roma couldn’t help chuckling at the girl’s words, "Ah... I see..."

"But uncle Johnny didn’t believe me!" she spoke, looking at the blond actor somewhat accusingly, "But that’s ok. And as today is his birthday, I’ll take him to have a milkshake at McDonald’s!"

Relief filled her soul when she heard that, "You want to take Johnny to have a milkshake with you?" she raised her voice purposefully so that the others who were near her could hear it.

"Yes! We won’t take too long, I promise!"

"Oh, no, that’s okay! That’s a lovely idea, honey! I’m sure your uncle Johnny will love to go there with you!"

"Yes, he said so himself!"

"Can I speak with him?"

"Sure! Bye, mommy!"

"Bye honey, enjoy your milkshake!"

Reilly returned the phone to him, "So, you did notice that I got a date, right?"

"Oh yes, I noticed that!" she replied, clearly amused, and then she lowered her voice, "And later you’ll explain me what is it with you and this ballet teacher, mister!"

"Hum... is it my impression or my angel girl is jealous?" he replied, also in a low voice and chuckling at her words.

"Later I’ll show you who is jealous!"

"Whoa, I can hardly wait to see it, baby!"

Giggling, she started to speak in a louder voice once again, "I have to tell you something: the filming has just finished and I’m leaving in 5 minutes. So when you and your little date finish that milkshake you can go to my house, ok?"

"The filming is over? Already? Wow, I thought you wouldn’t get of the studios before 7!"

"Me too, it’s that... we had a problem with one of the cameras and Victor decided to film the rest of the scene on Monday..."

"Oh I see. Okay then, when we finish we’ll go to your house."

"Yes, that’s it."

"Bye bye, honey... I love you..." he said, almost in a whisper, trying to hide his face from Reilly, which was not easy, once she kept on looking at him and paying attention to the conversation.

"Bye... me too, very much..." she replied, also whispering, not wanting to risk having their conversation overheard.

As he turned off the phone, John opened his car door and turned to Reilly, "So, my little one... Would you like to drive too?"

*

The milk shake at McDonald’s ended up becoming a milkshake, a cheeseburger and a Coke and that, along to Reilly’s need to go to the bathroom, delayed them for almost 2 hours. They left at 7 PM and when John phoned Roma to tell her that they were coming home, almost everything had already been set for the party.

Twenty minutes later, they arrived at Roma’s house and the actress came at the door to greet them. As soon as she got off the car, Reilly rushed to her arms and kissed her face, "So, did your uncle Johnny behave himself?"

"Yes, mommy, he did! We had a milkshake and a cheeseburger and a Coke!"

The actress looked at him with a face that was clearly telling him ‘you’ll spoil her!’ and which made the actor chuckle.

"Oh yeah, we had a great time! It was one of the best dates I ever had!" he exclaimed, and kissed his girlfriend’s cheek, "Our little ballerina is as cute and as charming as her mom!"

Hearing Reilly’s giggles, both adults exchanged a secret ‘I love you’ and Roma spoke again, "Well, mom and daughter say thank you, sir! Now, let’s go inside?"

"Yep!"

The blond actor wrapped his arm around Roma’s shoulder and the trio walked to the house but when he opened the door for them to pass, he heard lots of familiar voices shouting a single word.

"Surprise!!!"

And that was exactly what the blond actor had written on his face: surprise and astonishment to see that his friends had prepared him a party. "I can’t believe it..."

"Happy birthday, baby!" Della spoke, and was the first one to give him a big, motherlish hug. Other hugs came next; all of them wishing him happiness and joy. Roma stood away from him and watched with a proud smile how loved her boyfriend was. Only when everybody had complimented him did she walk towards John, looking deep inside his eyes, "Isn’t it amazing that that this is your birthday but I’m the one who earned the present?" she whispered in his ear, as he held her as tightly as he could.

Not fully understanding her words, John smiled and frowned a little, "You got the present?"

"Yes... you, Johnny!" her voice was a whisper, only audible to his ears.

"Oh, sweetie..." he spoke, tightening the hold on her, "... The best present here is you; it’s your love..." he pulled away and kissed her cheek, "Thank you, Roma, for everything..."

Their faces were just a few inches from each other and, if it wasn’t for Della’s voice, they would have forgotten about their little love secret and would have kissed right at that very moment.

"So when you two finish this ‘happy birthday thing’ we can cut the cake, right?" she joked, not fully aware of what was going on but finding their compliments rather long.

"Yes, we can cut it now cause I really want to feel how it tastes!" the blond actor spoke, pulling away from his girlfriend but with his arm permanently around her shoulders. "I’m sure that you, Martha and Roma made it, right? After all, I’m the only guy in the permanent cast, I deserve it!"

They laughed at those words and the three women stared at him with rather questioning faces, "Look at that! We have a rather boasted angel boy in the cast!" the oldest actress joked.

"Yeah, but don’t you love me just the same?" he replied, finding the surprised expression on her face rather funny.

*

The birthday party was a very good one and went on very fast, especially because everybody was having such a great time together. Unfortunately, by 10 PM, the group of friends had to say goodbye and go back to their houses. Della and Martha offered to help Roma to clean the little mess they had made there, but the Irish actress insisted that on the following day the maid would help her to clean it all. With hugs and kisses, they both bid their friends goodnight and went away.

After putting a very sleepy Reilly in bed, John and Roma went to the warm living room and snuggled close together in the sofa; two empty mugs of coffee were now on the coffee table.

"Now you will tell me what is it with you and Reilly’s ballet teacher, mister..." the Irish actress spoke, lying next to him and resting her head on his chest.

He started to laugh and held her closer, "The lady was just being nice!"

She raised her head and stared at him, "Being nice? I bet she kept on staring at you with a broad smile upon her face and sparkling eyes!"

Laughing even more, he cupped her chin and kissed her forehead, "You’re quite a jealous little angel!"

"Jealous? I know these fans of yours pretty well, mister!" she said, with an amused tone in her voice. Then the actress pondered about what she was saying, "But I don’t blame them, you know... You’re incredibly handsome, amazingly charming, have a kind, gentle heart..." she sighed deeply and concluded, "In short: you’re irresistible!"

He raised his eyebrows and looked at her with a pleased expression on his face, "Roma, is it my impression or you’re in love, honey?"

"I am! And it’s all your fault, mister Dye!" the actress replied, with a smile and somewhat accusingly.

"That was definitely the best birthday I ever had..." he spoke, running his fingers through her auburn hair.

"Hum... although it was not my birthday, I guess I can say the same thing..." she replied, enjoying his caresses.

John kissed the top of her head, inhaling the sweet perfume of her hair, "Remember we were all together around the table, with everybody singing ‘happy birthday’ and Della told me to make a wish?"

"Yes..."

"At that moment I realised that my birthday wish had come true a few weeks ago..." he placed the palm of his hand against her cheek and stroked it with tenderness, "... when you told me that you loved me..."

Smiling, she covered his hand with hers, "And how could I not love you if you gave me my life back? You were like a real angel who always there for me in the last few years... How could I not love you if it’s only at your side that I feel complete; that I feel happiness here inside my heart?" Roma straightened her body and looked deep inside his green eyes, "With you, Johnny, I can feel what love really means..."

Moved with her words, he took her hand and kissed her palm, "Roma... hearing you telling me this means... it means the world to me, honey..."

"And I’ll keep on telling you this for many, many birthdays..."

Saying no more, the blond actor tilted her chin up, bent his head and captured her lips. Feeling her heart beat a little faster, Roma closed her eyes and tilted her head farther back. It was a gentle, romantic kiss, softly taken, causing her to feel butterflies in her stomach, something that she was getting used to feel whenever he was close to her. Then he kissed the corners of her mouth, pressed his lips against the side of her neck and finally kissed her lips one more time.

"I love you so much, honey, so much..."

"I love you, too, John... For the rest of my life..."

He held her tightly, one palm pressed against the back of her head, the other resting at her waist. Her arms reached up and wrapped around John’s neck, drawing him closer. He kissed her eyelids and her cheeks with tenderness, and then her lips once again. After that busy but very happy day, the couple fell asleep in each other’s arms a few minutes later; John was grateful not only for that special day, but for the best present he could have ever been granted: the love of his life, his eternal valentine, right there in his arms, promising she would love him forever.

The end