A Convenient Wife - A Norman Reedus Fanfic Romance

Chapter 18 - I Now Declare You

NORMAN

"Ummmm, Hel....forgotten something?"

There's so much background noise I barely hear her when she answers. Probably why she hasn't heard me knocking on her door for the last five minutes.

"Hang on, Norman. I'm at the hairdresser. Give me a second."

Hairdresser?

"Sorry about that. What's up?"

"What's up? I'm here at your place to collect Mingus....remember?"

"Yes, I remember. But I take it by your questions, you haven't bothered checking your voicemail. He's at Fin's."

"When I dropped him off a couple of hours ago, she said she'll ring and let you know the change in plans"  Hel laughed at my sheepish silence.

Shit!

Yep there they are. Two missed calls and a voice message from her number. I hastily press a few buttons. Put her contact in my priority list alongside Ming, Hel and Mom.

Should've done that weeks ago, huh Daggy?

"What's the deal then, is there something wrong? Why's he at Fin's place? I could've come pick him up earlier so you could make your appoi...."  She cut me off.

"Look, I've only got a minute and I'm dripping. She's helping him put the finishing touches on his class presentation for Monday. You'll still be able to make it, won't you? He's beyond excited."

"Hell yeah, why would you think otherwise? So he's practising his People of Denmark talk with her then? Good on him."

My little man is taking this big yearly assignment very seriously indeed. And I'm beyond awed at how well the two of them were getting on with each other.

Him and Fin I mean.

***

Got them together as soon as possible. Next night actually, Knicks game at the Gardens....courtside.

Didn't want to pressure Ming one way or another. Just asked him if it was Ok, to have a friend of my own tag along just this one time. He happily consented.

I felt like a chaperone on a very successful blind date.

Fin had never been to a game before. So Ming took it upon himself to give her full tutelage with running commentary throughout. Interspersed with stories of school, his friends and things we've done together.

Would've felt sorry for her, yet she seemed to enjoy herself as much as he did. Especially when she found out that Ming goes down to the local park to play chess every weekend. She promised to take him to where Unc kicks butt.

And I was happy to simply sit back. Enjoy the game and just....listen to the two of them talk.

No one approached us in the pizza bar afterwards. Though I heard the distinctive clicks of phone cameras while we stuffed our faces. Trying to beat each other with the longest cheese stretch and giggling like five-year-olds.

Then after our feed....Fin's cabbie friend Lou picked us up. We dropped her home before heading back to Hel's.

"Dad....are you gonna marry Fin?"  Ming asked as we snuck in through the rear entrance to his building.

Nearly got crushed by the elevator doors when I stopped, dumbfounded.

That kid!

"Well I asked if she'll help us out and she said yes. But only if you  give us the go-ahead. What do you think, Mingo....do you like her?"