Author's Note - Ugh, I wish I were happier with this whole thing. It's been something I've owed a friend for a while and although I'm pleased that I've actually finished it, I don't like how I wrote Joanne at all. I just can't seem to get a feel for her and it's rather annoying.
The empty room was an odd comfort to her, all she needed were the walls for her company anyway that night. The others had left long before her, declaring that the weekend had finally came and they had no desire to spend a Friday night in a stuffy office working on case files. When they'd pass by her open door they would often shake their heads, questioning why such a young woman such as herself was spending her time in there rather than living it up on the New York streets with friends. When she would just laugh and wish them a good weekend, the thoughts would flutter away and they wouldn't think on it till the next weekend they saw her at her desk with no plans to move..
It wasn't that she didn't want to be out with Maureen and the rest of them, it was just every now and then she needed a break. She needed a break from Maureen and her wild ways, from Roger and Mimi who could become so irritating with their pet-names and sweet, loving words that she would find herself thinking twice before calling Maureen 'honeybear', even from Mark, who would watch everyone from behind that camera and silently envy each of them, although he'd never admit to it. She just needed the occasional break from the Bohemian lifestyle, to remember that there would always be something safe and stable and under her control that she could fall back on if it ever became necessary.
Tonight was different though, while she still remained for a little breath of fresh air, Joanne was finding that her mind was restless, wandering from the cases that lay spread out in front of her. She needed to move, even if it were just for a little while.
Getting up from the chair, she strolled over to the door, peering one way, then the other, to see if anyone still remained. Once she was assured that she was the only one on her floor, the young lawyer approached her radio, switching it on and fidgeting with the dial till she found what she found the station she was looking for.
The opening chords of "Moondance" filled the room and it wasn't long before she found herself dancing with an invisible partner. She moved all throughout the office, chairs and tables being no issue for her. Eventually she abandoned the unseen dancing partner and glided around the room on her own, spinning and moving with grace and ease while she lost herself in the voice of Van Morrison.
The song itself had no great significance to her; she had heard it before though and found herself falling in love with the tune. When she was younger she had told herself that when she finally found the right man (back then Joanne was still unsure of her own sexuality) she would be sure to take him on a roof on some moonlight night and dance to the song. She had never found that man, or woman for that matter. At one point she had contemplated trying her secret wish out with Maureen, even going so far as to plan the entire night candle-lit dinner included, but those plans had came to a halt as one of their fights had managed to break out over dinner. She had yet to try again.
A noise from the door pulled Joanne from her thoughts, head whipping around to see Mimi beaming at her from the doorframe. "Sorry," the smaller girl giggled. "I didn't mean to er…interrupt. I just came up here to pick you up, remember the protest rehearsal's tonight."
She blinked, a look of confusion crossing her usually calm and confident face. "Protest...Oh damn!" Her eyes went from Mimi, to the radio, to her caseload and back again. "Well I guess I should get going."
She moved to her desk, clipping things together and putting files away as Mimi watched. The young woman shrugged, "You know you've still got a little time Jo. I mean everyone'll probably be late anyway." She laughed, "Hell I bet Maureen's even late!"
Joanne looked up, a smile tugging at her lips, "Probably but I should be there, make sure that nothing goes too terribly wrong before things even get started."
"You've got time," Mimi stated again. "I'd say at least another half an hour. Actually the only reason I'm here is because Roger's off at band practice, Mark's gone filing and," she laughed a bit, "There's nobody to play with."
"Aaah I see," Joanne came around to sit on the couch next to the girl. "So you're just using me as last minute entertainment? I think I feel a bit used."
"No no!" Mimi shook her head, "I didn't mean it like that. I just figured maybe you could use a little distraction." Her eyes flickered towards the cleared desk where the files had been, "I mean you gotta get bored of all those cases and stuff every now and again, right?"
Joanne chuckled, "Well yeah sometimes." She gestured towards the radio, "As you saw earlier I was sort of already distracting myself."
A nod, "Yeah, you're good though." Mimi smiled, "You move like a real dancer."
The lawyer didn't look at her companion, "Thanks. I had wanted to become one when I was younger, as you can see things didn't work out that way." She let loose a bitter laugh. "I don't do it often now, only when I'm alone or I can pry Maureen away from the nearest set of breasts to try it with me."
"Aww, poor thing," She reached out and lightly gave Joanne's shoulder a pat. "Well if it makes you feel any better I could dance with you?" Another little giggle. Mimi may not have been what one could consider a conventional dancer, but she still knew how to move.
Joanne smirked, "That would be…interesting." She said. "Interested in giving it a go right now?" Eyes had come to meet the other woman's, curiosity and even a bit of hope hidden in them.
"I'd be honored!"
They proceeded to spend the next twenty minutes dancing in each other's arms. It had taken a while for them to get in tune with one another but eventually they had it and were gliding across the office with no problems whatsoever. The only thing that had broken the two apart was the glaring numbers of the clock, informing then that their time was up and they had a protest rehearsal to get to.
Mimi sighed almost dreamily, "That was fun." Her voice had a light, happy tone to it as she pulled on her coat and started for the door. "We should try that again sometime."
Nodding, Joanne grabbed her own coat before turning off the lights, "Agreed, except next time maybe we could have a real dance floor?"
She smiled softly, "Sure Joanne, next time around."