Chapter 4

Roger and Mimi walked through the loft door and found Mark lying on the couch. "Hey." Roger called out to him. "We brought you back food."

"Thanks." Mark mumbled.

Mimi gave Roger a look to get him to continue. "So she's still not answering her phone?"

"No." Mark snapped at him.

Mimi and Roger exchanged another look and Mimi took him over his food. "Here sweetie. Beef and Broccoli. Your favorite." She gave him a big smile.

"Thanks Meems." He told her quietly as he took the food and fork she held out.

Mimi couldn't take the hurt in his voice any long. He had been so happy. Just about the happiest she had ever seen him. "Sweetie Roger and I have to go out. We'll be back later."

"'Kay."

"We do? Where are we going?" Roger asked confused.

Mimi grabbed their jackets and her purse and pushed him towards the door. "Yes, that errand we have to do. We'll be back." She called to him as she pulled the door behind her.

"Where are we going?" Roger asked, pulling on his jacket.

"To fix this."

"Fix what? Mark? How are we going to fix this?"

"It's all my fault Roger! And I can't stand to see him like this. He was so happy with her. And now it's been over a week and she still won't even return his phone calls."

"How is this your fault?" He asked confused, following her out onto the street.

"Dah Roger! I used to sleep with her husband!"

"Do you have to remind me of that?"

"You know what I mean."

"Yes I do, and do you have to remind me off it?" He grumbled.

"I'm sorry. But I think that's the big issue. That and the fact she probably thinks you hate her too."

"Okay, but what are we going to do?"

"We're going to talk to her. If she stopped seeing him because of us, we need to find out why. We need to tell her how miserable he is without her."

"But if she won't answer Mark's calls, what makes you think she's gonna answer when one of us calls?"

"That's why we're going over there."

"Over where? Her place? We don't even know where she lives." He told her.

Mimi just looked at him. She knew this was going to start a big fight, but there was nothing she could do about it. Alison hated her. And that's why she stopped seeing Mark. Because of her. So she had to at least try and fix it. If that meant Roger throwing one of his hissy fits over the whole Benny thing again so be it. If it meant it would make Mark happy again, she could deal with Roger. "I know where she lives." She said softly.

He stopped walking and just looked at her. "What? What do you mean you know where she lives? You've been there?" He almost yelled at her.

She let out a long sigh as she rolled her eyes. "Yes Roger, I've been there. I know where they live. Okay?"

"Oh my god! You fucked him there! Didn't you? That's how you know where he lives!"

"Yes okay? And will you please keep your voice down? The entire subway platform does not need to be in this conversation with us!"

"No fucking way. We are not going there."

"Yes we are." She told him, hands on hips, standing her ground with her whole five feet five inches.

"No! You're not dragging me on Mimi's sexcapes tour of New York!"

"Oh for god sake Roger! Fine! Yes I slept with him there. But I also slept with him in my apartment, which you had no trouble moving your ass into at times. Or sleeping with me there when I still lived downstairs."

Roger knew she had a point, but he tried to get around it. "That was different."


"No it's not! Now you listen to me Roger Davis. Stop acting like a spoiled brat and just deal with it. Because my past and your past is catching up with us, and the person that is getting hurt the most by that is Mark. Your supposed best friend. Now do you want to do something to maybe help him, or do you want to stand here and pout about it?"

"Fine!" He got on the subway train that had just pulled up.

Mimi watched him throw himself down in the seat, ramming his fists into his jacket pockets. She hated it when he acted like this. And always over Benny. God Benny wasn't even involved this time. "I mean really Roger. We're not going there to see Benny. We're going there to see Alison. Besides, Collins said she kicked him out. He doesn't even live there anymore. And it's not like I ever slept with Alison for god sake."

"That's true." He said, a slight grin spreading across his face.

She saw the grin. "Oh you're sick Roger!" She smacked his arm. "And as far as me sleeping with Benny, Alison would probably appreciate it as much as you if we don't really bring that up."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Now go back to the part about you and Alison." He told her.

"Oh behave." They rode in silence for awhile. Finally the train pulled in at their stop. Mimi walked them up the steps and just stood at the corner for a moment.

"What?"

"I'm thinking. It's been awhile since I've been there."

"Well that's good to know I guess." He told her sarcastically.

She gave him a nasty look before starting down the street. A few blocks later they came up to a building. "That one. There. I remember the entry way."

"Great." He told her unenthusiastically.

She stopped and spun around, looking him straight in the eyes. "Do you want to help Mark or not?"

"Of course I do."

"Then stop acting this way! God Roger I can't take it! I'm sorry. I'm sorry I ever slept with Benny. Granted it was months before I ever even met you, but I'm sorry. For then and every other time. But Baby, I love you. I want to be with you. Which should be obvious considering I've put up with your sorry ass for over two years now. But I love Mark too. Like a friend, but I do love him, and it's killing me to see him so depressed, especially knowing this was my fault. God Roger, we have a chance to do something with our pathetic lives. To do something for Mark. Instead of letting him take care of us like he has for so long. Can't you just get over this and do it. If not for me then for Mark?

"I mean what do you think? I'm gonna walk in there and see Benny's old apartment and suddenly go running back to him? Or better yet, see his soon to be ex-wife and think, oh goodie, now that he's almost free and clear I should go after him again? God give me a little credit Roger! I want you, you big dummy! You. And I want Mark to be happy. And if that takes going over there and begging forgiveness from Alison then damn it, that what I'm going to do."

His eyes went to the ground. "I'm sorry." He said softly. "I trust you, I really do. It's just sometimes, sometimes, I'm still afraid I'm gonna lose you again. And I can't take that."

"I know Baby." She put her arms around his waist. "But you're not. I'm staying right here with you. But imagine how Mark must feel. It's not fair to him to have to lose Alison either. Do you want him feeling that bad?"

"No, I guess not." He hugged her back. "Come on, let's go." They walked over and the doorman let them into the entryway.

"Can I help you?" He eyed them up and down.

"Yes, we're here to see Alison Coffin." Mimi told him in her most serious voice.

"I see. And is Ms. Coffin expecting you?"

"Ah, no. It's sort of a surprise." Roger told him.

"It's okay, we're old friends of hers. We know the way. Apartment 8C." Mimi told him.

"Well I can't just let you go up without calling Ms. Coffin first. Whom shall I say is calling?"

"Ah," Mimi glanced up at Roger, "just tell her it's Roger, Roger Davis. And that it's really important."

"One moment please." He went back over to his desk and picked up the phone.

This better work. After putting up with all of Roger's crap from this little trip, she better let us in Mimi thought. Please, please let us in.

"Okay, off the elevator and to the left." The doorman told them, pointing towards the elevator.

They rode up in silence. As they stepped off, Mimi took a deep breath. Please let this work. She walked up to the door holding Roger's hand. With the other she knocked. She realized she was holding her breath as the door opened.

"Oh."

"Look, I know you don't want to see me, and I'm sorry. But don't punish Mark just because you hate me." Mimi spit the words out quickly before Alison could slam the door in her face.

"What?" She looked up and down the hall.

"Look Alison, can we talk to you? Please?" Roger asked, giving her his best puppy dog face.

"Come in." She told them cautiously.

"I'm know you hate me and I'm sorry. I was young and stupid and he took me out and he treated me better than any other guy ever had, which in retrospect, wouldn't have been that hard, but I'm sorry. I never really thought about it from your side. I mean I was only 18 years old when I met him. I was broke, and hungry and with a bad habit and no where to live. And yes, he got me a place to live, and bought me stuff and gave me money for rehab, and yes I had to sleep with him for all of it."

"Hmfp." Roger snorted.

Mimi glared at him quickly to shut him up before continuing. "But like I said, I'm sorry. But none of that is Mark's fault. I didn't even know Mark then, much less that Mark knew him. Not till all that other stuff happened. I mean hate me if you want, but Mark didn't do anything. And I can't stand the fact that you're doing this to Mark just because of me."

"Um, I'm not really sure what to say to all that." Alison said. "I mean I don't hate you. I guess. Not now at least. I mean then, yes, I guess I did, but I got over that. You were barely out of high school. Benny was 25. He knew better. Even if you had thrown yourself at him, he still should have known better. My god you were barely legal. And I knew you had problems. Benny likes people with problems. Especially ones he can solve. It makes him feel important."

"So you don't hate me?" Mimi asked in a small voice.

"No, I guess not."

"Then why won't you call Mark back?" Roger asked.

"I, I don't know." She moved into the living room and motioned for them to follow her as she sat down on the sofa. "I just couldn't. I'm sorry."

"Don't tell me you're sorry. Tell Mark." Roger got a little defensive.

"It's just, I liked him so much. I didn't want to hurt him."

"But honey, he's miserable right now." Mimi told her softly.

"Oh god. I didn't want that. I just thought this would be easier for him."

"How?" Roger asked sarcastically.

"Because of you two."

"Okay, now I'm lost." He told her.

"Well, you're his best friends. And I'm the woman who used to be married to the bastard that his best friends now hate for everything from kicking them out of their apartments, harassing them, and tying to destroy their relationship just for the sake of being a total ass and the opportunity to one up Roger. That can't be good for a relationship. I knew that. I never should have let it get as far as it did."

"Oh man," Roger let out a small laugh, "this is getting good. Women. And you all say we're the stupid sex!" Both Mimi and Alison just looked at him. "Hey can I have something to drink?"

"Ah, sure. Beer?" Alison asked and Roger nodded as she got up bringing back beers for all of them.

"Okay, so let me see if I got this whole thing straight. You accidentally run into Mark, while looking for Benny. You just happen to sleep with him. A few times. Meanwhile, Mark is killing himself to keep you away from us, and us away from you, but with the exception of that, having one of the best relationships he's ever been involved in. So in the end, we all see each other. And Mimi thinks you hate her because she slept with Benny. And you figure we hate you because you used to be married to Benny. When it actually looks like we were okay with you, and you were okay with us, and the only person none of us really like at this point is Benny!" He laughed. "And poor Mark is sitting home eating cold beef and broccoli all by himself, and you know who's fault this is? Benny's!" He laughed.

"God I feel a lot better." He shook his head triumphantly. "I love it when it's actually somebody else's fault other than mine for a change. But especially that it's Benny's! This is just too good." Roger realized both the girls were just looking at him when he finished. Slowly he saw them start to grin.

"Oh god, Roger's right." Mimi laughed. "It is all Benny's fault."

Alison let out a little laugh. "Welcome to my world. Everything is Benny's fault."

"See I knew I liked you back when I first met you. Never could understand what you were doing with Benny though." Roger told Alison who let out a little laugh. "But then again I could never understand what anyone was ever doing with Benny though."

"Roger behave." Mimi told him under her breath.

"Yes Roger, behave." Alison told him, running her fingers through her hair. "Oh god I'm an idiot! Here I thought I was doing Mark this big favor. Ending our relationship so as not to screw up his relationship with you guys. And he sounded so sad on my machine."

"He is sad." Mimi told her. "Pathetically sad. Do like him Alison?"

"Yes. A lot. He's sweet and wonderful and kind and funny."

"All things Benny's not." Roger pointed out before being shot with daggers that flew from Mimi's eyes. "Sorry."

"No, you're right. At least now. I mean he didn't used to be this way. But that's beside the point. What do I do about Mark?" She asked them.

"Well, if you care about him, talk to him." Mimi told her. "But first can we all just establish, for Mark's sake, that we're all okay with each other, no issues."

"Yes." Alison laughed. "Like I said, I got over blaming you a long time ago. Especially after I found out you weren't the first one he cheated on me with. Or the last. You were just the one he got caught with."

"Good. And like I said, I'm really sorry. It never occurred to me to think about it from your side of things. But as far as everything else, we never blamed you. All that stuff that happened with the building, we all knew that was Benny. And Roger and I have come to terms with our own Benny issues."

"Good." Alison said as both she and Mimi turned to look at Roger.

"What? I'm the only one here that never slept with Benny. I've got no issues."

"Oh please!" Mimi laughed. "You've got no issues!" She said in a mock tone. "But right now Roger, we're talking about Mark!"

**********

Mark was still lying on the couch flipping channels when the loft door opened. He heard Roger and Mimi come in, but didn't bother to even sit up.

"Hey Marky." Roger called to him.

"Hey." Mark mumbled back from the couch, still staring at the TV.

"So um, Mimi and I are back. From our errand."

"Great." He mumbled again, getting annoyed by Roger's overly cheeriness.

"Don't you want to know what it was?"

"Sure." He told him, but he still did sit up from his spot on the couch, facing the TV.

"Hi." She said softly.

"Alison!" He sat up, knocking over the rest of the rice from his dinner. "What are you doing here? With them? Together?"

"Roger and Mimi came to see me. We talked. All of us. And, and I'm sorry. Please forgive me?" She sat down on the couch next to him. "I just thought, never mind what I though. Just, I'm sorry."

"But, but… You, and them?" He asked confused as he turned to Roger and Mimi, who were grinning like idiots by the kitchen.

"Like I said we talked. We worked through some stuff." She smiled back at them.

"What? How? You guys? All together?" He just kept asking questions.

"Mark!" Roger yelled at him. "Shut up and kiss her!"

And he did.

The End.