The three women sat at a small table under a faded umbrella outside of the Life Café.
"I can't believe he said that to you." Mimi said as she struggled to control her laughter.
"I know! As much as I love you Mimi, I didn't want to know that," Joanne paused to take a sip of her water, "But I can't say it's unlike Roger to say something as…unfiltered as that."
"Sometimes I think he says whatever thoughts pop into his head." Mimi replied as her eyes scanned the menu. "So what are you going to have Maureen…hello earth to Maureen?" Mimi said as she turned her attention from the menu to Maureen who hadn't answered her question.
Maureen jumped slightly in surprise, she hadn't even heard Mimi's question. She couldn't seem to focus on the conversation, with so many things going through her head at the moment.
"Mo." Joanne said softly as she leaned over and placed her hand over one of Maureen's that was resting on the table, "Is everything okay, you seem kind of…not here. Mimi just asked you what you were thinking about ordering."
Maureen's eyes landed on Joanne's hand on top of hers. She closed her eyes and let out a soft sigh. Before she gently removed her hand from Joanne's and placed it in her lap. She just couldn't handle that right now, she couldn't handle her heart racing every time Joanne touched her or looked at her.
"Sorry." Joanne mumbled as she leaned back in her chair.
Maureen looked up and offered Joanne a small smile before saying, "It's not you, I just…I" Maureen turned to Mimi, "I'm thinking of ordering a salad or something."
"Something must be wrong." Mimi said as her eyes flickered between Maureen and Joanne the last interaction not going unnoticed. "You think a large French fry counts as a serving of vegetables and now you're talking about ordering a salad."
"Yeah well, I have to watch what I eat." Maureen said, taking another deep breath as she prepared to tell Mimi.
"And why is that, you're about as big as the straw in my cup." Mimi said, gesturing to her cup of ice tea for emphasis.
"Well I went to the doctors yesterday, and they say that my liver is…not doing so good, so I need to take it easy with what I drink and watch what I eat. So although I'd much rather be having a large coke, double bacon cheeseburger, and a large fry. I'm going to get water and a large house salad." Maureen said in one large breath.
"Wait, what?" Mimi said few moments later.
"Don't make me repeat all that Meems. Please don't make me repeat it" Maureen said her voice catching.
Mimi glanced between Joanne and Maureen, hoping, one of them would crack a smile and say that this was all some sick horrible joke.
"Maureen is going to be fine, the doctors caught this whole thing early and it's treatable. All she has to do is stop drinking alcohol for a few months and watch what she eats and she'll be as good as new." Joanne said quickly as she saw a look of horror begin to form on Mimi's face, "Don't worry everything is gong to be fine."
"God Maureen, couldn't you have started off with that. Instead of something about a doctor and a not so good liver, especially since Angel…well you know her liver went bad near the end." Mimi said as her pulse began to return to a normal pace.
"Sorry Meems, didn't mean to scare you." Maureen said softly.
Mimi let out a sigh, "Its fine, as long as you're going to fine I'm not mad…are you going to tell everyone else?"
"Yeah I just, need some time. I've barely wrapped my mind around it myself. So I just need some time before I share with everyone" Maureen said.
"Well Maureen I'm…" Joanne paused when her pager began to go off. She reached into her purse and pulled it out. Glancing at the name she stood, "I need to call this person, I'll be right back." She said before getting up and heading into the café.
After Joanne entered the café Mimi turned toward Maureen, who was absently tearing a napkin into tiny pieces. "You still love her, don't you." She said expressionlessly.
Maureen slowly placed the remains of the napkin on the table before looking at Mimi and saying, "I never stopped, even when…even when I cheat…"
"But something is different this time." Mimi gently interrupted, "I can see it in your eyes, you…I don't know but something is different."
A painful smile appeared on Maureen's face, "I'm scared Mimi, Scared that I'll have to try and live the rest of my life without her. I was never scared before, before I always knew I could get her back, but this time… this time…" Maureen paused to blink back tears, the events of the previous nights becoming overwhelming, "You should have seen her face when she ended it, she was, she was just done, completely done."
"She's hear for you now though." Mimi said as she handed Maureen a fresh napkin to wipe her eyes with.
"Yeah, but as a friend…she's just being a good friend." Maureen said as she wiped her eyes.
"So what did I miss?" Joanne asked as she returned from inside the café and took her seat.
"Nothing, Maureen and I were just talking about her…" Mimi began, but she was interrupted by Maureen.
"We were just talking about what I was going to order, and I've decided on the salad, so that's all we talked about." Maureen said.
"Okaay." Joanne said, she sensed there was something more but she didn't want to press it if Maureen didn't want to share.
"Well lets order then if everyone is." Joanne said as she waved a waiter over.
An hour later Mimi, Maureen, and Joanne stood at the entrance of the loft, the mood considerably lighter.
"All see you soon, ok Mimi. We should make this lunch a regular thing." Joanne said as she embraced Mimi in a hug.
"Oh definitely." Mimi said as she pulled away and opened the door to the loft, "Bye Maureen, see you soon."
"Bye Mimi." Maureen said back.
Joanne and Maureen exited the large building and stopped out front.
"So where are we going?" Maureen asked excited to find out where Joanne had decided to take her.
"You'll find out." Was Joanne's reply as she turned and began walking up the street.
Fifteen minutes later Joanne and Maureen stood at the entrance to a park.
"We've been here before haven't we?" Maureen said as she and Joanne walked along one of the parks many pathways. She fought the urge to reach out and interlace their hands.
"Yeah we have, you ran over to those swings over there." Joanne said as she pointed to the playground, "and scared me to death when you jumped from the swing."
Maureen let out a laugh, "Oh yeah that was so much fun. Let's get on the swings again."
Joanne allowed Maureen to lead her over to the swing set; they both sat down and began to swing gently back and forth.
After a few moments Joanne interrupted the comfortable silence, "Maureen there's something I need to tell you."
"What?" Maureen said her eyebrows furrowing in confusion.
"I've, I've been offered a job…in Boston, the call I took at the café was them. There is a big firm there, and they're offering to make me a partner. It's a great opportunity, and well…I've accepted. They're giving me three months to get my affaires here in order. Which is long enough for me to be here for you, during this whole liver thing and since we aren't together anymore… its time…I just need to get away from New York for awhile."
"You're leaving?" Maureen asked quietly, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Joanne was leaving New York, leaving her.
"Well not for awhile, but yeah I'm leaving." Joanne replied, she nervously bit her bottom lip, this wasn't the reaction she had been expecting.
Maureen stood suddenly, "Well I guess this is goodbye then." She said she then began to walk away.
Joanne stood and caught up to Maureen, grabbing her by the elbow, "Maureen wait, I have three months this doesn't have to be goodbye, at least not today, not now. I want to be here for you, help you get through this."
Maureen pulled her arm out of Joanne's grasp, "No Joanne, this does have to be goodbye, right here right now. I'm going to walk away, I'm going to walk away and I don't want you to come get me. I need to forget you and I won't forget you if this isn't goodbye." Maureen leaned in and placed a light kiss on Joanne's lips.
Joanne watched as Maureen walked away. Every fiber in her body was screaming at her to follow Maureen. But her feet wouldn't move no matter how badly she wanted to run after Maureen. Her mouth wouldn't open regardless of how much she wanted to scream at Maureen to come back. Joanne stood there and waited until Maureen was out of sight, she then and waited a few minutes more before turning in the opposite direction and heading home.
Maureen walked quickly through the crowded New York streets until she finally returned to Alphabet City. She walked into a club, ignoring any attempts for her attention. Maureen walked over to the bar.
"Hi, can I get a beer please." She asked the bartender, not even bothering to say anything while he blatantly stared at her chest.
"Sure and this one is one the house." He said as he handed her a beer.
"Thanks, and keep em' coming." Maureen said as she took a seat on the bar stool.
Maureen knew the perfect way to forget Joanne. She didn't care if it would hurt her. Nothing could be worse then the pain she was in right now.
