Run into the loft, slam the bathroom door closed, listen to
your boyfriend yell because once again he's jealous and you
didn't do anything you swear.
The routine was almost laughable.
Mimi had learned awhile back that Roger was and always would be
the jealous type. And the easily angered type. She also knew she
could be just as possessive as he was.
Same old routine.
She would admit that, at first, she may have not had the will
power to be faithful. But she loved Roger, she knew that, and
hadn't done anything since Benny.
That time with Benny would always drive him to separate her from
any male with a wandering eye.
So much for her day job.
She sat on the edge of the bathtub and contemplated what her next
yelled response to Roger would be. She listened to the silence
that followed his last rant of "Jesus, Mimi, you weren't
exactly backing off!" It was another two minutes before she
yelled, "Not backing off doesn't mean I'm gonna fuck him,
Roger!"
Silence answered her. She waited another moment before creaking
the door open. She wouldn't open it all the way in case Roger was
standing there, testing out the silent treatment.
"He stormed downstairs," came Mark's voice from her
right. She opened the door completely and turned to find Mark
fiddling with his camera on the kitchen table.
"Probably cooling off," Mark continued, not looking up
from his work. She realized, with a laugh, that Mark had probably
witnessed close to every argument she and Roger had. He probably
had a variety of them on film. She pulled out a chair and sat
across from him.
"You think?" she pressed, wandering if Mark, too, had
the formula down.
"Sure. He storms out. You pout and come out of the bathroom.
He'll come back up. You'll make up and then make-out." He
picked up his camera. "Then I hit my room before I capture
something that could qualify as an amateur porn film." He
said the last part with a smile. He set the camera down again.
"You came out early, though. And Roger stormed out early."
A pause. "What, varying the routine for the judges?"
"Very funny," she replied and playfully hit the back of
his head. "He's really being an asshole this time."
"This time? That's what you say everytime. He's Roger."
Mark shrugged. "Protective."
"Protective's not the word I'd use," she muttered. In
truth, Mark was right. Their argument didn't differ from any
other one, save the big one after Angel's death. Still, she was
stubborn, as was Roger, and refused to lose her ground.
"It's a job. It pays bills," she said aloud. "What
does he want me to do? Quit?"
"Maybe."
She stared at Mark and shook her head. "It helps you, too,
now that I live here."
"Look, this is between you and Roger." Mark took to his
camera again. She leaned back in her chair, somewhat dejected.
She hoped she might get Mark on her side. Maybe get Roger to back
down, to trust a little more . . .
She must have looked disappointed, because Mark spoke up again.
"Look, Mimi, if it's any consolation, Roger will be back up
in a minute, you'll kiss, and things will be back to normal."
"Until the next time," she sighed.
"Okay, until the next time," he agreed. He turned on
the camera. "Patched." He pointed it at Mimi. "Close
on Mimi after her and Roger's one hundredth fight."
She covered the lens with her hand. "Not hundredth."
"Fiftieth?" His voice now held a teasing tone. She
moved her hand.
"Okay, maybe fiftieth. But I'm right," she said
directly into the camera. "In case you ever see this, Roger."
Mark shook his head, and turned the camera on himself.
"She's beautiful, buddy. Remember that."
"Hey is that a crack at me?" She popped up behind his
chair and he jumped.
"Jeez, Mimi, don't do that. I just called you beautiful."
She sensed a hint of a somewhat serious tone creeping into his
voice. She smiled and sat down next to him.
"Thanks."
He turned the camera off. "You are." He rested it on
the table. A minute of silence passed.
"So you want to time him?" Mark got up and tossed the
small clock that rested on the stove to her.
"Nah. Like you said, it's only a matter of time before he
comes back."
"Okay." He sat back down. She moved her chair closer to
him.
"Guess I can't bribe you to be on my side, huh?"
He grinned. "And face Roger? Yeah, right. You're on your own."
"Figures." She settled down in the chair.
"He'll come around, Mimi. He just takes his time. You'll
work something out. You love each other."
Mark could be so reassuring. After every fight, she talked to
him, till Roger reappeared and they made up. And he just sat
there. And then he'd witness the same thing the next time it
happened. Whether it was Roger, her, Collins, and even Maureen
who was the slightest bit upset, he'd jump in with a reassurance.
They all relied on that.
Mark was back to his camera again and she just stared at him
while he worked. Her chair was still close, close enough for her
to breathe on him. She wasn't thinking. She had no idea why or
even how it happened.
She found herself kissing Mark.
He was shocked, she could tell, but after a moment, responded.
The kiss lasted longer than it could - should -
have lasted.
He was the one who pulled away and immediately got out of his
chair and walked toward the window.
"Shit, Mimi," he muttered. "That didn't happen."
"Right," she quickly agreed. She loved Roger. They were
having a stupid trivial fight, something they did one a week.
What was she doing?
Maybe Roger was right about her wandering. But, this was Mark.
Mark. Dependable Mark. There-for-you Mark. Friend Mark. Roommate
Mark. Roger's best friend, Mark. Mark wasn't her type; Roger was.
She looked down at the table.
Mark made his way back to his chair, moving it six feet from its
original position. "That was nothing, right?" His voice
sounded unsure and weak, and when she looked up at him, she found
herself seeing someone different than before.
"Nothing," she answered
"Good." He visibly relaxed. "We don't tell anyone?"
"Right." She wished she could utter more than one word
sentences, but her brain wasn't cooperating. Suddenly the door
clicked open and Roger walked in, ready to somewhat resolve their
argument.
She tried to focus back on her "I'm-still-mad-at-you-Roger"
mood but instead wandered back to the little voice in her head
that admitted kissing Mark hadn't exactly been a bad experience.
She wondered if Roger noticed.