Think Of Me

Bonus: Alternate Ending

When the day had finally come for Aaron to pack for D.C., Risa was inconsolable. “Daddy, I don’t want you to leave!” she cried, pulling out the neatly folded clothes Aaron had just placed in his carry-on. She tossed them on the floor.

“Hey, hey, hey!” he said, picking the clothes up. “I’ll be back before you know it!”

Risa rocked back onto her bottom and leaned against her mother. Jeanna was sitting at the head of the bed, her attention shifting between the scene in Aaron’s room and the episode of Chopped that played on the television. Though she still wasn’t one hundred percent trusting in Aaron’s fidelity, she knew she needed to give him another chance to prove himself.

 “How about as soon as I get back, we can go for ice cream. How does that sound?”

Risa grinned and flung her arms around Aaron’s neck. “Okay! I love you, Daddy!”

For the umpteenth time, Jeanna’s eyes filled with tears as she saw the love Aaron had for their daughter radiate and light up the room. She couldn’t have asked for a better life.

~*~

While Aaron was gone, Jeanna and Risa’s lives had pretty much returned to the way they were before that fateful night at the Gershwin. But that didn’t mean they didn’t miss Aaron. Unlike before, Jeanna was now thankful for running into him again.

Jeanna had begged Amy to keep Risa overnight the night Aaron came home from D.C. After a second of pleading, Amy had graciously agreed to give the two adults some alone time. Jeanna hadn’t seen Aaron in almost an entire month and it was killing her. She had always promised herself that she was never going to be that woman in a relationship, but Aaron had a way of making her change her mind.

Early the next morning, Amy brought Risa over to Aaron’s apartment. To say that she was excited to see her daddy would be an extreme understatement. Aaron was the one to open the door when Amy knocked, and Risa launched into his arms.

“You’re back!” she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Aaron gasped. “Whoa, Reese, you’re choking me!” He laughed once she had relaxed her grip around his neck. “I missed you bunches, too!”

“Are we still gonna get ice cream like you promised?” she asked, pulling her head away from his shoulder and staring at him seriously. It was funny how kids never forgot promises.

“As soon as your mama gets ready!” he said, turning to Amy. “Thanks for letting her stay with you last night, Amy.”

Amy laughed and wiggled her eyebrows at him. “Don’t mention it. John and I would do the same. It’s good to have a little alone time once in a while.”

“Yeah,” Aaron agreed with a chuckle. “Do you wanna come in for a bit? I would have asked you earlier, but this little monster ambushed me.” He tickled Risa’s sides as he spoke.

“No, that’s okay. I have to run to work. I got a new job nannying for the Upper East Side… fingers crossed this is a good kid for once!” she said, kissing Risa’s cheek. “I’ll see you later, Risa-E! Bye, Aaron. Tell Jeanna I love her!”

“Will do, Amy. Take care,” Aaron replied, shutting the door and setting Risa on the ground. “How about you go tell Mommy to hurry up?”

Excited, Risa made a bee-line for his bedroom where Jeanna was getting ready. He took a seat on the couch and switched the television onto SportsCenter. After a while of watching, he muted the sound. He hadn’t heard a peep from either Jeanna or Risa. He looked at his watch. Had it really been an hour already? What was taking them so long? Sighing, he turned the television off and stood, making his way to his bedroom.

“Jeanna?” he called out, twisting the doorknob. He opened it with ease to find Risa sitting in the floor with her mother’s cell phone in her hand. “What are you doing, Risa-E? Where’s your mama?”

“She’s putting her face on,” she replied simply, not taking her eyes off the game on the screen.

Aaron chuckled at the phrase the little girl had said. Does she even know what that means? He made his way towards the closed bathroom door. “Jeanna, what are you doing? Are you about ready?”

When Aaron opened the bathroom door, Jeanna felt like she jumped a mile in the air and hastily hid the white stick behind her back. But she wasn’t quick enough. “What’s that?” Aaron asked, raising his eyebrows into his hairline.

“Nothing,” Jeanna replied, instantly backing into the wall. “What’s what?”

Aaron gave her a cut the bull-shit look before pulling the item from her hand. He peered down at it and felt himself pale. “Is this what I think it is?” his voice was a whisper.

“Well, that depends,” Jeanna remarked. She uncomfortably rocked on her heels.

“Are you pregnant?” His baby blue eyes seemed to drill into hers, making Jeanna swoon.

“Yes.” She had barely breathed the word.

“You’re sure this is accurate?”

She nodded, taking it away from him and placing it on the counter. “I’ll need to make a doctor’s appointment as soon as possible.”

Aaron laughed awkwardly. “Well, I had hoped that I could have done this before I got you pregnant again. I was actually saving it for later today, but I guess now is just as good a chance as any.” He knelt down on the bathroom floor and fumbled with the small box in the pocket of his jeans. He wrestled it open, revealing the marquise cut diamond and causing Jeanna to gasp. “Jeanna Martin, will you marry me?”

Jeanna felt her head spin. Is this really happening? She could hardly breathe, not to mention speak. She nodded her head enthusiastically. “Yes, Aaron Tveit. I will marry you!”

Aaron grinned, feeling like he was on top of the world. He pulled Jeanna close to him and pressed his lips to hers, mustering all the passion he had. When they parted, he rested his hand on Jeanna’s flat stomach. “I love you so much, Jeanna. And this time, I’m gonna do it right.”

“Can we go get ice cream now?!”

The pair looked back, seeing their redheaded daughter standing in the bathroom doorway. She had her arms crossed and wore an impatient expression. “We sure can, Baby,” Aaron chuckled, picking her up and flipping her upside down across his shoulder. “Last one to the door is a rotten egg!”