Chapter 10

It was finally Friday and Joanne was getting ready while trying to reach Jessica so she could tell her where she was going. Joanne spent all of Thursday night with Jessica so she didn't feel bad for leaving her tonight.

After getting the machine for the 5th time she decided to leave a message.

"Hey babe I guess you're staying at work late again. I just wanted to call and let you know that I'm going to The Life Café tonight I'll talk to you later, don't work to hard. Bye."

After that was done, she applied the last of her make up, and then headed out the door to meet the boho's at the Life.

As Joanne was walking up to the Life Café door she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist.

"Hey beautiful." The voice whispered in her ear.

Joanne smiled and leaned into the embrace resting her head on the persons shoulder. "This is a nice hello."

"I thought so." Maureen giggled.

"Hello ladies!" Collins said while walking up the stairs with Angel on his arm.

Maureen and Joanne pulled apart and greeted them with hugs.

"I think the rest of us are inside." Angel pointed out. "Shall we?"

Maureen looped her arms with Joanne. "We shall."

Collins opened the door for everyone, being a gentleman by letting all the ladies in first.

Once inside they found Mimi, Roger, Mark, Benny and Alison sitting at a table.

"The rest of the party is here." Mark said with his camera perched up.

"Joanne you made it again." Alison said with a smile. "Now I'm not the newbie anymore."

"Newbie?" Joanne asked with a laugh.

"Yeah the newest member of the boho group." Benny explained. "It was my girlfriend turned wife, now its Maureen's…um friend you."

Mimi raised her glass of wine in the air. "To the newbie!"

Everyone clanked their glasses together and drank.

Joanne leaned into Maureen. "Is being a newbie a good thing?"

Maureen nodded. "Yeah…it means you're officially a boho…even if you are rich and successful."

Joanne stood up so everyone could hear her. "I just wanted to thank you guys for accepting me as one of you friends."

"Family honey." Angel corrected her.

Joanne simply smiled as she took her seat next to Maureen.

The night went on with a lot of partying and drinking. Maureen and Joanne stayed close to each other. At one point Joanne had Maureen pinned up against the wall to try and stop her from joining Mimi and Roger for a smoke.

"Come on Joanne I need one." Maureen begged as Joanne held her arms against the wall.

"What if someone wanted to kiss you tonight? You'd taste like smoke." Joanne said.

Maureen smirked. "I ain't dating anybody so I have nobody to kiss."

"Ain't my darling is not a word…and what if someone did want to kiss you?" Joanne asked while leaning in a little closer.

"Well the only person I want to kiss is engaged…so my chances of that happening are slim to none." Maureen boldly stated.

Joanne raised her eye brows in enjoyment. "Well what if that engaged person made an exception?"

"Well…" Maureen began with a sly smile, but before she could finish she was sadly interrupted.

"SHOTS!" Mimi shouted.

Everyone cheered as they grabbed glasses off of a tray Mimi was holding.

"Let's go get one." Maureen said.

Joanne let go of Maureen and they both headed towards Mimi.

Joanne took one, and then reached up for another.

"Taste good?" Roger asked as he watched Joanne drain another.

Joanne nodded.

"We love you Joanne, you fit in so well!" Collins said as he wrapped an arm around her.

"And so do I." An angry voice said from behind them.

Everyone turned around to face the mystery person.

Joanne gasped with surprise. "Jessica?"

"Is that?" Collins asked Maureen, Maureen responded with a head nod.

"You're coming home." Jessica said while grabbing Joanne's arm.

Joanne pulled her arm back. "I don't want too."

"I want you too." Jessica said. "I don't want you here with strangers."

"It's okay." Alison said. "Benny and I are here."

Jessica eyed them. "That doesn't help."

"Easy sugar we're not bad people." Angel said stepping in-between her and Joanne.

"I'm sorry I'm not going to listen to a cross dresser." Jessica said harshly.

"Hey!" Maureen stepped in. "Don't talk to my friend like that. You have no right coming down here to make fun of people you don't even know."

"Am I supposed to be scared of you?" Jessica asked. "The little waitress who is trying to get with a big time lawyer for support?"

"Jessica don't be so rude!" Joanne said. "What's the matter with you?"

"You are what the matter with me is." Jessica said. "Now grab your coat and let's get going. I don't want low life over there to take advantage of you."

Maureen balled her hands into fists and was ready to attack until she felt an arm pull her back.

"Don't do it." Mimi said with a firm grip on Maureen's arm. "It's not worth it."

"I'm not going." Joanne said.

"Joanne!" Mr. Jefferson called out. "Get in the car."

Joanne suddenly feeling defeated went to grab her coat while Jessica waited at the door with Mr. Jefferson.

"Don't go Joanne." Maureen pleaded as she detangled herself from Mimi, so she could stop Joanne.. "You don't have to listen to them, you're twenty three."

Joanne shook her head. "I have too."

Joanne began walking away until Maureen pulled her back. "When am I going to see you again?"

Joanne shrugged. "I can't discuss that right now."

"Joanne lets go!" Jessica ordered.

"Everyone is getting together at the loft tomorrow night…come." Maureen said as she watched Joanne walk away. "Please."

Joanne waved goodbye to everyone as she let Jessica pull her away.

Maureen turned around and sighed with disappointment. "Sorry about that…that bitch had no right offending you guys."

Angel wrapped a supportive arm around her shoulders. "It's okay chica."

Maureen slumped into a chair; Mimi took the seat next to her. "It's okay Mo she'll come tomorrow I know it."

Roger then spoke up to try and brighten the mood. "Good thing Mimi held you back; you probably would have kicked that chick's ass."

Maureen smiled weakly.

Jessica and Joanne walked into her apartment.

"What were you thinking about going down there?" Jessica asked as she slammed the door.

"I was thinking that I am twenty three and I can make my own decisions." Joanne argued. "Thanks for embarrassing me tonight by the way."

"Embarrassing you, I came to save you from turning into one of those…people!" Jessica yelled. "Call your mother she is furious with you!"

"No." Joanne said. "She can't control me…I'm allowed to do whatever I want."

"Don't talk to me like that." Jessica said. "You are going to call your mother and apologize for acting like a fool, and then you are going to apologize for making your father drive out there to get you!"

"You call them if you want me to call them so badly." Joanne fired back.

Jessica then walked closer to Joanne and pushed her against the wall, with out any warning she brought up her hand and smacked Joanne hard across the face.

"Don't you dare talk back to me like that ever again." Jessica warned.

Joanne held her face as she felt the sting set in. "I'll call her when you leave."

Jessica crossed her arms. "I'm not leaving."

Joanne held back the tears that had formed in her eyes. "I don't want to be with you right now."

"I don't care what you want." Jessica said. "Now call your mom and make everything right!"

Joanne huffed grabbed the phone and brought it into her room, locking the door behind her. She then threw the phone on the bed, and then she jumped on the bed and began to cry until she fell asleep.