Chapter 11:
Things got awkward between Mickey and Minnie and Mortimer to say the least. They did one more cartoon with him but other times the two tried to avoid him. But that didn't stop his relentless pursuit of Minnie.
One day Mickey was having one of his meetings with Walt and Minnie had joined them that day. Walt was telling them about the next set of cartoons he had planned.
"No cartoons with Mortimer?" Minnie asked when that didn't come up.
"We'll take a break from that series for a while. After all we've got to change it up to keep our audience interested you know?"
"Good," Mickey said relieved.
"Why is it good?" Walt said.
"Because Mortimer is a horrible person," Mickey said.
"Are you still jealous Mickey?"
"No walt, he's serious," Minnie said. "He's been trying to get sigh me relentlessly. I could go on about how horrible he's been."
"Told ya I was telling he truth," Mickey said.
"Well now, this changes everything," Walt said.
"How so?" Minnie asked.
"Let me give you two a piece of advice. When you're in this business, or any phase of life for that matter, you want to surround yourself with people of good character. Not just onscreen but also offscreen. What they do behind your back says as much as what they do in front of it. If you have the choice to, never work with someone with a bad heart. Only work with people who uplift you. And for that, I must politely ask our dishonest friend Mortimer to leave."
"You're firing him?" Mickey said.
"Having him take a leave of absence," Walt said with a wink.
*WW*
They finished that last cartoon with Mortimer, the last one they ever did with him.
Mickey and Minnie were walking out of the studio at the end of the day hand in hand like they usually did. That's when Mortimer caught up with them. He gave Mickey a disdainful look then turned to Minnie.
"Wonderful work today Minnie," he said with a wink.
"Likewise," Minnie said rolling her eyes.
"So I guess we won't be seeing you around here any more," Mickey said.
"I'm off to greater things," Mortimer said proudly. "You're welcome to come with me Minnie and be my chick. Believe me I can love a woman better than Mickey Mouse here ever could."
Mickey glared at him. "You know what Mortimer…!"
"Mortimer, you're nothing but an egotistical jerk," Minnie said calmly. "And I or any woman in their right mind would never, ever, willingly allow themselves to be your 'chick'. So if you'd kindly leave me be, I'd appreciate it."
Mortimer looked like he didn't quite know what to say to that for a moment. He had the look of a man with a wounded ego. Finally he managed to pull himself together. "Alright Minnie, alright. But you don't know what you're missing out on." He turned to Mickey. "And as for you…"
"Piss off Mortimer," Mickey said defiantly. "And stay away from my girl." He put his arm around Minnie's waist and they walked off together.
They got in Mickey's car and couldn't help but laugh.
"Do you want to go out to dinner baby?" He asked after giving her a long kiss.
"Italian?" She said hopefully.
He chuckled. "Anything your heart desires, love."