Chapter Nine: Haley's Plan

"So, where are we going?"

Haley, Sophia, Jonathan, and Kim were standing outside the Life Café, discussing Haley's plan.

"We're going inside the café. If I'm right, the only way to get Maureen and Mark back together is to make Maureen bohemian again. So we're not making reservations for some ritzy restaurant that Benjamin Coffin the third would go to… we're making reservations here, at the Life!"

"But that's not very romantic!" said Sophia.

"'Romantic' has nothing to do with it, Soph. Mark and Maureen will do the 'romantic', we just have to make the reservations. And besides, don't you guys come here all the time?"

"Yeah."

"Then it's settled. We know the food's good, mom's had a protest here before, and for all we know, Mark and my mom had their first date here!"

They walked into a restaurant and Haley walked up to the greeter.

"Welcome to the Life Café! How may I help you?" he asked.

"Please, sir," said Haley. "Can I make a reservation?"

"Sorry, we don't make reservations here," said the greeter.

"But please, sir," said Haley, obviously acting. "My parents' 10th anniversary is tonight and they haven't been out on a date in ages! I wanted to make it a surprise for them."

"We don't make reservations," repeated the greeter.

Haley sighed. This one was going to be tough. "My mom's dying of a terrible disease. This will probably be the last year she'll be alive, and-"

"Look, kid, I'll only let you make a reservation if you tell me the truth."

"Well, you see, we're trying to set my mom and this other guy up. They used to be in love, and this was always their favorite restaurant in their 'boho days'. You might know them. Mark Cohen and Maureen John-,"

"Maureen Johnson?" yelled the greeter. "In that case, absolutely not. Some important people are throwing a dinner party here tonight, and last time Maureen was here during a dinner party, she flashed the whole restaurant."

Haley sighed. "Look. Maureen's changed. She won't even admit that she's BEEN to the Life Café anymore. She's more Hilary Clinton than Anna Nicole Smith."

The greeter rolled his eyes. "Well, fine. But if your mother, OR Mark Cohen for that matter, starts acting obscenely, we will not allow you, them, or anyone in your strange group of friends to come here again."

"Fine. It's a deal."

"What time do you want to set the reservations for?"

At The Loft

Mimi paced across the kitchen floor while her husband, Roger, sat at the table and read the latest edtion of The Village Voice.

"What's wrong?" asked Roger.

Mimi sighed, exasperated. "Why do you think something's wrong? There's nothing wrong!"

"You only pace like that when you're worried about something."

Mimi sat down next to Roger. "I just think that… where do you think they're actually going?"

"Who?"

"The kids."

"The Statue of Liberty."

Mimi laughed. "Well, baby, I knew you were dense, but I didn't think you were THAT dense."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't you remember being their age? At thirteen or fourteen, would you have wanted to go to the Statue of Liberty?"

"Well…no."

"And didn't Kimmy sound like she was hiding something?"

Roger's eyes opened wide.

"Oh my god, you're right. But where do you think they could have gone?"

Mimi grabbed the phone. "I'm calling Mark on his work cell. We'll ask if the kids are still there with them."