CHAPTER 15
"You're late." Roger called from the chair in the living room area as Mark waked through the door with Jason. "And your mother called. Hey Jason."
"Hey."
"I just talked to her last week." He looked at the answering machine but didn't see the light blinking. "She didn't leave a message? How did you know it was her?"
"Sorry Markie." Cass' voice yelled to them through the open bedroom door.
"Your girlfriend answered the phone." Roger stated.
"She's not my girlfriend."
"I'm not his girlfriend." She yelled again from the bedroom.
"Okay, so not your girlfriend answered the phone, chit chatted with your mom, asked her how she was and told her you'd be home around four."
"Thanks Cass!" Mark rolled his eyes. "Now I gotta answer it or she'll just keep calling."
"Sorry." She yelled to him.
"Hey you never told me you took her, or anybody for that matter to the wedding of darkness."
"Wedding of darkness?" Jason asked looking from one to the other.
"My sister Cindy, the Evil Princess' wedding a few years ago." Mark explained to Jason. "And yes Roger I did tell you, you just didn't listen to me. Wait, why do you suddenly know that?"
"Cass told me." Roger got an evil grin, partly because the wedding story was still amusing and partly because he knew it made Mark nervous and that was fun sometimes too.
"Great. I see leaving the two of you alone together is more dangerous than I realized. What exactly did she tell you?"
"All about it." Roger was laughing now.
"Great! Thanks Cass!" Mark said as he walked to the bedroom.
"Sorry!" Again from the bedroom.
"So what are you doing here?" Roger asked Jason.
"I have to look at Jen's computer. Who knows what she did this time." He shrugged.
"Hey where's Collins? Is he coming over later I need to ask him something."
"Yes, he'll be here later. His last class ends at 4:30 I think. Jen's cooking spaghetti anyway. I'm assuming that dinner will include you guys. You know Jen figures you'll con her into it eventually so she'll invite you first so she doesn't feel like such a sucker."
The phone rang and Roger yelled into the bedroom. "Mark your mommy's on the phone. You better get it or she'll just keep calling."
"I know, I know." He walked slowly to the phone.
"Hey don't look at me, thank your little girlfriend for this one."
"I'm not his girlfriend."
"She's not my girlfriend." He picked up the phone. "Hello?"
"Grab a seat." Roger told Jason as Cass walked in and sat on the couch. "These calls are usually good for a laugh."
"Hi Mom."
"I know. I thought I would be home at four but I got caught up doing something. What did you need?"
"That would be because it wasn't Maureen Mom. So what did you need?"
"No Mom, she's not a lesbian. And yes I do know straight girls. And what exactly does a lesbian sound like Mom?" Mark rolled his eyes as he sat on the barstool. This was going to be a long conversation.
Roger was cracking up listening and Cass and Jason were definitely amused.
"It was my friend Cass. So what was it you needed Mom?"
"Yes Mom she's very nice. What did you need to call me about?"
"No I'm not dating her. She came for a visit. So what did you need Mom?"
"Her name is Cass Mom. You actually met her at Cindy's wedding."
"Yes Mom," Oh this was getting painful. "The catholic one in the red dress with all the cleavage."
Roger and Jason were laughing hard now. Mark had his head resting in his left hand. Even with his back to them they could tell by his ears and the back of his neck that he was turning pink.
"She didn't try to look cuter than Cindy's bridesmaids. She just is cuter than Cindy's friends are. So what did you want Mom?" Mark knew it was a losing battle.
"Yes Mom," Mark let out a huge sigh as his head dropped and his forehead hit the countertop. "The one I was sleeping with. So what did you need Mom?"
Roger was losing it at this point. "Give it up buddy," he laughed. "You're not getting off that phone till she torments you first."
Mark gave Roger the finger. "No Mom, you just kept calling her Katie. He name is still Cass. Well it was good talking to you mom. I'll talk to you in a few weeks. I gotta get going now."
"Oh sorry Mom, I didn't know you needed anything. What is it?"
"Of course I know the twin's birthday is next week."
"Yeah right he knew that." Roger laughed at him.
"Their birthday card is sitting right here on the counter." Mark lied. "They're going to be what? Five?"
"Oh yeah, eight right, I forgot." Mark rolled eyes back and gave Roger the finger again. "I know I haven't seen them in a long time."
"I know I haven't been home in a long time Mom. I've been really busy with work and stuff."
"No mom, Roger hasn't gone home to Scaresdale in a long time either."
Mark laughed into the phone then at Roger. "Yes Mom he is allowed to return to Scaresdale. He only got kicked out of his house that night, not he whole town."
"Hey!" Roger protested.
"You're right Mom, so I promise you the next time Roger goes to Scaresdale, I'll go with him."
"Well that's certainly covering your ass Marky!" Roger laughed at him.
"No he still doesn't have a real job either."
"Yes, I know we are getting too old to be acting like teenagers on a Friday night."
"No, she's got a real job Mom." Mark looked at Cass and mouthed the words 'all your fault'. He was trying to act mad at her, but watching her laugh at him he couldn't. "She does computer stuff."
"She may stay for awhile, so you're right, maybe she'll be a good influence on us." Please God, strike me down now. End this torture.
"Look Mom, I got to go. Roger needs to use the phone."
"Oh great, get me in this." Roger yelled at him from the couch.
Mark's face changed from playfully annoyed to serious. "No Mom. That's not it. Just leave him alone, okay?"
"Mom I'm not gonna argue with you about it. I told you to leave him along. Now just drop it. I really gotta go."
"Yes, I'll send the twins something. How about movie rentals from Blockbusters. I'll talk to you later. Bye."
"What now Mom?"
"No Mom," he sighed. "I am not sleeping with her. And no she's not my girlfriend."
"Really? Great Mom, thanks for that advice. That's just what I want to think about the next time I have sex. Now I gotta go. Bye." He hung up before she could say anything else.
Roger, Jason and Cass were all sitting there laughing at him. Mark just sat at the counter with his head buried in his hands for a second. "I just want it noted, there is no God, at least a merciful one, because if there was, he would have struck me down long ago."
"Unless it's a God with a sense of humor and enjoys a good laugh." Jason said, which both Cass and Roger found very funny.
"That actually would explain a lot about my life." Mark said as he turned around to face them. "But I also want you all to know that," he looked directly at Cass and tired again to be mad at her, "this was all your fault."
Cass tried hard to be serious but as the words "I'm sorry Mark" left her mouth so did a steam of giggles.
"What's so funny?" Collins asked as he let himself and Jen in with his key.
"Oh you would have loved it. We were discussing Mark's role in the universe as entertainment for some benevolent God!" Jason said getting up and kissing Collins.
"I see." Collins said as he hugged him back. "What's a matter Marky? Your mommy call or something?"
Collins statement brought extreme laugher from both Jason and Roger. Cass was laughing too. Even Mark they could tell was amused at this point.
"Okay, okay. Enough fun an games." Jen said. "So you've stolen my coffee maker, my hair dryer, my newspaper, and my food. Are you stealing my brother too Davis? He's supposed to be fixing my computer right now."
"Well you know Jen," Roger picked at her, "if you stayed out of all those porn sites, maybe you wouldn't have so many computer problems."
"Ha Ha, very funny. I also know it was you that spilled beer on my keyboard Davis." She said dryly back at him.
"Whatever." He gave her his best grin. "But you want to do me a favor?"
"You have got more nerve than anyone ever!"
"No, really. Cass needs her hair washed, without ripping out anymore stitches."
"Or super glue." Mark threw in.
"Super glue?"
"Anyway, I said I'd ask you. So will you? Please Jenny? For me?" Roger asked her all syrupy sweet and giving her puppy dog eyes. Then he added in his regular voice, "besides maybe she can fix you computer for good this time."
"I'll look at you computer Jen." Cass told her as she got up and walked over to get the Tylenol bottle off the top of the TV.
That was when Jen saw she was wearing the CBGB boxers. "Yeah, I'll wash you hair, but first girlfriend, we are gonna find you some clothes. It's bad enough I gotta see their sorry looking butts," she pointed at Roger and Mark, "constantly running around in their underwear. But I don't have to see you in their underwear too. You I can find clothes for!"
"Hey! My butt's not sorry looking!" Roger teased back at her.
"Yeah! We don't have sorry looking butts. Right guys?" Mark asked Jason and Collins.
"I am so staying out of this conversation." Jason laughed.
"Cass?" Mark asked.
"Yes Mark you've got a cute little butt." She grinned at him.
"Oh please! Let's go honey. Dinner. Spaghetti. One hour." Jen grabbed Cass' hand and started to lead her out the door.
"Hey! What about my butt?"
"Still dragging Cass by the hand and without stopping or even turning around Jen answered him. "Oh you are so completely pathetic Davis!" And she shut the door before Cass could say anything to him at all.
********
"What are you two laughing to? Mark asked Jason and Collins.
"Nothing. Nothing at all." Collins said trying to stifle a laugh but couldn't stop grinning especially when he looked at Jason who was having the same problem.
"Yes, nothing really." Jason laughed. "Just my sister's twisted sense.
"You mean sense of humor?" Mark asked.
"No, just twisted sense." Jason looked at Collins, they both looked at Roger and both started laughing again.
"Oh shut up both of you." Roger shook his head at them. "I got Cass an appointment with Joanne's doctor for tomorrow. You know she doesn't know if she has health insurance. I guess we can just pay for it with her credit card."
"Okay. What time?"
"10 am. She ever tell you about her accidents?"
"What, her car accident?" Mark asked him.
"No. When we were talking and I was trying to figure out the deal with her insurance, I asked her what happened any other time she was sick or whatever. Well she starts telling me about how whenever she had an accident, or all the other times she went to the hospital, stuff like that."
"What happened to her?" Collins asked, somewhat worried.
"I don't know exactly. She was real vague about it. She just kept saying stuff happened. What it really sounds like is her bastard cousin used to use her for party games and a punching bag. For a long time. Like since she was like 13 or something."
"God that's horrible." Jason said flopping back down on the couch.
"Yeah. And it sounds like her family knew about it too, but never really did anything about it. I think that's why she's traveled so much. To stay away from them. And him."
"That probably just makes everything that's gone on recently even worse for her." Collins said. "What about he women's crisis center? Have you been able to get her to talk to anyone over there?"
Roger looked at Mark for that answer. "No." Mark sighed. "I talked to her about it, but she said she didn't need too. That she was fine."
"Well," Collins began, "what about Elizabeth at Life Support? I don't think I told you but she used to be a regular rape counselor at some center. She moved to Life Support after they realized there was a specific need there. Now she specializes in HIV positive rape victims. But nobody really knows that except for the immediate staff there. Pretty much everyone else just thinks she's a regular counselor. They don't realize she's actually a rape counselor. She already said she'd talk to Cass. Would Cass talk to her?"
Mark began shaking his head. "I don't think so. Actually I'm sure she wouldn't. Not on her own. Not after yesterday. Especially if she finds out Elizabeth is a rape counselor. All she'd do is swear she's fine and try and get me to drop the whole subject."
"Well, she's anything but fine." Jason pointed out.
"You think I don't know that? I know her too well to not know that. But what am I supposed to do? I can't Make her go!"
"No you can't make her." Collins sighed, knowing what he was about to say could get ugly. "nobody can really make her go, but especially you Mark. She knows you won't push her to do anything she doesn't want to do. Probably one of the reasons she came here."
"He's right." Roger agreed. "She knows you well enough to know that if she stands her ground to you, eventually you'll back down. Especially if she starts crying."
"Okay," Jason began, "so we know no one can make her go, but maybe you can convince her to go, or at least get her there."
"How am I going to do that? I'm telling you she won't do it. I'll never be able to convince her. She'll just keep telling me she's fine."
There was a moment's silence after Mark's works. Collins and Jason looked at each other. Mark was still staring at the phone and playing with the cord on the counter. Roger appeared to be fascinated by something on the floor as he hadn't looked up for awhile now. Jason nodded his head at Collins.
"Actually," Collins began, knowing he opened this can of worms. He couldn't let Jason take what might be fallout for what he had began, so he started again. "I don't think Jason meant you Mark."
"Huh?"
"He meant Roger?"
"Roger?"
"Me?"
"Yes you. She can't pull the same crap with you that she can with Mark. You know that. Plus," here we go he thought, "you can do it in a way that wouldn't be forcing her to do anything."
"No way! No fucking way!"
"Come on Roger." Jason pleaded. "All you have to do is get her there. We can make something up. We could set it up so that Cass would never know."
"Wait, how? What do you mean?" Mark was confused.
"Roger you're the only one that would be able to get her there in the first place." Collins argued.
"It would never work. I barely got her out of bed this morning. I'd never be able to get her to talk to somebody about something she desperately does not want to talk about."
"Yeah," Mark looked up at him. "But you did get her out of bed though."
"Right." Collins continued. "And you can get her there too. You get her there, introduce her to Elizabeth, they start talking and I don't know, we call you over to talk to somebody else or something. We would set it all up with Elizabeth ahead of time."
"Getting her out of bed is one thing. You heard her when you tried to get her to go to the store with you." He said to Mark. "I don't know how we are even going to get her to the doctor tomorrow."
"I'm telling you she'll go with you. Will you just trust me on that. Please." Collins was trying hard to be firm about the situation, but do it in a gentle way. He loved Mark, and he would never do anything to hurt Mark. He just wasn't so sure Mark really had any clue as to what was going on around him lately. Mark often had that forest through the trees thing going.
"What am I supposed to do? Pick her up and carry her down the stairs? Kicking and screaming? Lock her in Elizabeth's office. Oh yeah, all that should be real helpful. Forget it."
"No you big idiot!" Jason was getting mad at this point. They had bigger issues to deal with than this one, simply solved detail. He was tired of everyone acting stupid. "You ask her. You tell her your going and you want her to go with you. You need her to go with you. I doesn't really matter exactly what you tell her. If you ask her, she'll go with you! God how dense can you be!"
"What the fuck are you talking about? Do you have any idea what it took to get her out here on the couch! I almost had to drag her!"
"I can imagine! And don't even try and pretend you didn't love every minute of it! Both of you! It's not like we haven't all seen it for the past four days now. My God, under any other circumstances the two of you would have been all over each other by now I'm sure!" Jason was almost yelling at him.
Well so much for diplomacy Collins thought. This has potential to go from bad to worse. Jason was mad, more at the level of stupidity this was creating than at any of them. Mark was however strangely silent. Usually things didn't escalate to this level before Mark the Peacemaker jumped in to try and calm everyone down.
And then there was Roger. Roger who was as usual, just plain angry. Angry at the situation. Angry at what they where asking him to do. Angry at what they were telling him. Angry at himself. Angry at the world. Sort of, but not really as much it seemed these past few days. But as Collins looked at him now, he could see something else, something besides anger. Something he had not seen in Roger in a long time.
"What the fuck are you talking about Jason?" Roger was yelling now. His eyes kept darting back and forth between the couple on the couch and Mark at the counter. Mark was sitting there. Just listening. Watching. Watching Roger actually. Roger was getting nervous. This was his best friend we are talking about here. The one he was going to try and do so much better by. His mouth had gone completely dry. Roger licked his lips nervously, looking for any trace of saliva so he could continue. "What do you think I am? A total ass? That's Mark's girlfriend you're talking about. Remember?"
"He says she's not his girlfriend." Jason reminded him.
"Fine. Sorta girlfriend, old girlfriend whatever. I may have been a total fuck in the past, but I'm trying not to screw over my best friend any more!" Roger stormed out into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.
Mark was still sitting at the counter staring at Roger's bedroom door when the phone rang. "Hello? Yeah, okay Jen, we'll be right down." He hung up the phone. "Dinner's ready. You guys go down. We'll be down in a few."
"Look Mark, I'm sorry." Jason started.
"It's okay. I mean you guys are right. She would never go for me. And she does need to go. And he has been acting really weird since she got here. But good weird. I mean I think I was so worried about her, and so surprised by him, I just didn't see what was going on I guess."
"Sorry we had to do that like we did." Collins told him.
"No it's okay, really. I mean it. Now go before we all suffer the wrath of your sister."
Mark sat there for a few more minutes after they left before getting up and knocking on Roger's door as he walked into his room. Roger was laying on the bed staring at the ceiling. "Hey." He sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Look Mark, I'm really sorry. Nothing ever happened. I would never, I mean I never meant anything to, I mean she doesn't mean anything to me or anything you know."
Mark grinned. "You fuck! She's one of my two best friends, and I love her. She better mean something to you! Especially if your gonna get involved with her!"
"What?" Roger sat up on the bed.
"You heard me. And don't be a jackass to her either. She's not some band groupie."
"But I thought, that you and her were, you know."
"What dating?" Davis you are such a loser some times. This just yet again proves you never listen to me! How many times have I told you that she's not my girlfriend? Jason's right you are dense!" Mark laughed at him.
"Are you sure? I mean this is like a big time friendship ending issue here. I promise I would never want to do anything to hurt you Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure. Just take care of her okay? I do love her, but that's not where we are right now. Don't let anybody else hurt her either okay? Promise me that."
"I promise. I swear."
"Okay, can we go to dinner now? So far today I've had to talk to my mother, which I know you enjoyed, had to have lunch with Maureen, which I also know you enjoyed me having to do, and lost my supposed girlfriend to my best friend, which, trust me, I know for a fact you will enjoy that. Now can we please go eat before I have to deal with Jen's shit too for being so late?"
"Okay, okay. Lets go." Roger was laughing as he started to get up off the bed, but hen he looked at Mark who had gotten a strangely serious look on his face. "What?" He sat back down in front of him. "You change your mine or something?"
"No, no it's not that. It's just," His eyes went down to the mattress. The words he had just said to Roger were stuck in his brain. They hung there. Frozen in time. Just there. Flashing over and over like a giant neon sign in his mind. Replaying themselves. Like a never-ending film. Those words he had just said to Roger. About Cass. About Roger. Words that in a single moment terrified Mark. "It's just that, well, just promise me something."
"Anything."
"Just promise me that, well just remember that, well, that Cass is different."
"What do you mean?"
"She's not like Mimi, you know what I mean?"
Roger did know what he meant. He knew very well what he meant. He had been thinking about that earlier. Earlier when it was easier because she was still Mark's girlfriend then, so it wasn't an issue.
Roger's eyes dropped down to the mattress as well. He couldn't bear to look at Mark. He knew what was coming. "Yes." He said softly. "I know what you mean."
"Just promise me you guys will be careful okay? Please?"
"Oh god Mark I would never. You know that. I could never, ever do anything like that to anyone. Especially her. You know that right? I mean I promise. Tell me you know that."
"Yeah." Mark said very quietly. "I do know that. Just be careful okay? For me? Please Okay. I couldn't take anything happening to both of you." Tears were welling up in Mark's eyes as well as Roger's at this point.
"Okay." Roger said softly as he hugged Mark. "I promise. Believe me. However I don't think it's really an issue at the moment anyway. And it won't be unless we get her in to talk to Elizabeth I guess."
"So you're gonna do it? Go to Life Support?"
"Yeah I'm gonna do it." Roger paused as he looked at Mark. "I'm gonna have to find out how she gets out of stuff with you though. Why is it you can wear me down but not her?" He lightly punched Mark in the arm.
"Talent I guess. Come on lets go eat. Besides it's really hot in your room."
"That's because the air conditioner is in your room. Dork!"
"Loser!"
"Geek!"
"Pain in the ass!"
"Film nerd!"
"Girlfriend stealer!"
"Oh shut up and go to dinner!"
"You're late." Roger called from the chair in the living room area as Mark waked through the door with Jason. "And your mother called. Hey Jason."
"Hey."
"I just talked to her last week." He looked at the answering machine but didn't see the light blinking. "She didn't leave a message? How did you know it was her?"
"Sorry Markie." Cass' voice yelled to them through the open bedroom door.
"Your girlfriend answered the phone." Roger stated.
"She's not my girlfriend."
"I'm not his girlfriend." She yelled again from the bedroom.
"Okay, so not your girlfriend answered the phone, chit chatted with your mom, asked her how she was and told her you'd be home around four."
"Thanks Cass!" Mark rolled his eyes. "Now I gotta answer it or she'll just keep calling."
"Sorry." She yelled to him.
"Hey you never told me you took her, or anybody for that matter to the wedding of darkness."
"Wedding of darkness?" Jason asked looking from one to the other.
"My sister Cindy, the Evil Princess' wedding a few years ago." Mark explained to Jason. "And yes Roger I did tell you, you just didn't listen to me. Wait, why do you suddenly know that?"
"Cass told me." Roger got an evil grin, partly because the wedding story was still amusing and partly because he knew it made Mark nervous and that was fun sometimes too.
"Great. I see leaving the two of you alone together is more dangerous than I realized. What exactly did she tell you?"
"All about it." Roger was laughing now.
"Great! Thanks Cass!" Mark said as he walked to the bedroom.
"Sorry!" Again from the bedroom.
"So what are you doing here?" Roger asked Jason.
"I have to look at Jen's computer. Who knows what she did this time." He shrugged.
"Hey where's Collins? Is he coming over later I need to ask him something."
"Yes, he'll be here later. His last class ends at 4:30 I think. Jen's cooking spaghetti anyway. I'm assuming that dinner will include you guys. You know Jen figures you'll con her into it eventually so she'll invite you first so she doesn't feel like such a sucker."
The phone rang and Roger yelled into the bedroom. "Mark your mommy's on the phone. You better get it or she'll just keep calling."
"I know, I know." He walked slowly to the phone.
"Hey don't look at me, thank your little girlfriend for this one."
"I'm not his girlfriend."
"She's not my girlfriend." He picked up the phone. "Hello?"
"Grab a seat." Roger told Jason as Cass walked in and sat on the couch. "These calls are usually good for a laugh."
"Hi Mom."
"I know. I thought I would be home at four but I got caught up doing something. What did you need?"
"That would be because it wasn't Maureen Mom. So what did you need?"
"No Mom, she's not a lesbian. And yes I do know straight girls. And what exactly does a lesbian sound like Mom?" Mark rolled his eyes as he sat on the barstool. This was going to be a long conversation.
Roger was cracking up listening and Cass and Jason were definitely amused.
"It was my friend Cass. So what was it you needed Mom?"
"Yes Mom she's very nice. What did you need to call me about?"
"No I'm not dating her. She came for a visit. So what did you need Mom?"
"Her name is Cass Mom. You actually met her at Cindy's wedding."
"Yes Mom," Oh this was getting painful. "The catholic one in the red dress with all the cleavage."
Roger and Jason were laughing hard now. Mark had his head resting in his left hand. Even with his back to them they could tell by his ears and the back of his neck that he was turning pink.
"She didn't try to look cuter than Cindy's bridesmaids. She just is cuter than Cindy's friends are. So what did you want Mom?" Mark knew it was a losing battle.
"Yes Mom," Mark let out a huge sigh as his head dropped and his forehead hit the countertop. "The one I was sleeping with. So what did you need Mom?"
Roger was losing it at this point. "Give it up buddy," he laughed. "You're not getting off that phone till she torments you first."
Mark gave Roger the finger. "No Mom, you just kept calling her Katie. He name is still Cass. Well it was good talking to you mom. I'll talk to you in a few weeks. I gotta get going now."
"Oh sorry Mom, I didn't know you needed anything. What is it?"
"Of course I know the twin's birthday is next week."
"Yeah right he knew that." Roger laughed at him.
"Their birthday card is sitting right here on the counter." Mark lied. "They're going to be what? Five?"
"Oh yeah, eight right, I forgot." Mark rolled eyes back and gave Roger the finger again. "I know I haven't seen them in a long time."
"I know I haven't been home in a long time Mom. I've been really busy with work and stuff."
"No mom, Roger hasn't gone home to Scaresdale in a long time either."
Mark laughed into the phone then at Roger. "Yes Mom he is allowed to return to Scaresdale. He only got kicked out of his house that night, not he whole town."
"Hey!" Roger protested.
"You're right Mom, so I promise you the next time Roger goes to Scaresdale, I'll go with him."
"Well that's certainly covering your ass Marky!" Roger laughed at him.
"No he still doesn't have a real job either."
"Yes, I know we are getting too old to be acting like teenagers on a Friday night."
"No, she's got a real job Mom." Mark looked at Cass and mouthed the words 'all your fault'. He was trying to act mad at her, but watching her laugh at him he couldn't. "She does computer stuff."
"She may stay for awhile, so you're right, maybe she'll be a good influence on us." Please God, strike me down now. End this torture.
"Look Mom, I got to go. Roger needs to use the phone."
"Oh great, get me in this." Roger yelled at him from the couch.
Mark's face changed from playfully annoyed to serious. "No Mom. That's not it. Just leave him alone, okay?"
"Mom I'm not gonna argue with you about it. I told you to leave him along. Now just drop it. I really gotta go."
"Yes, I'll send the twins something. How about movie rentals from Blockbusters. I'll talk to you later. Bye."
"What now Mom?"
"No Mom," he sighed. "I am not sleeping with her. And no she's not my girlfriend."
"Really? Great Mom, thanks for that advice. That's just what I want to think about the next time I have sex. Now I gotta go. Bye." He hung up before she could say anything else.
Roger, Jason and Cass were all sitting there laughing at him. Mark just sat at the counter with his head buried in his hands for a second. "I just want it noted, there is no God, at least a merciful one, because if there was, he would have struck me down long ago."
"Unless it's a God with a sense of humor and enjoys a good laugh." Jason said, which both Cass and Roger found very funny.
"That actually would explain a lot about my life." Mark said as he turned around to face them. "But I also want you all to know that," he looked directly at Cass and tired again to be mad at her, "this was all your fault."
Cass tried hard to be serious but as the words "I'm sorry Mark" left her mouth so did a steam of giggles.
"What's so funny?" Collins asked as he let himself and Jen in with his key.
"Oh you would have loved it. We were discussing Mark's role in the universe as entertainment for some benevolent God!" Jason said getting up and kissing Collins.
"I see." Collins said as he hugged him back. "What's a matter Marky? Your mommy call or something?"
Collins statement brought extreme laugher from both Jason and Roger. Cass was laughing too. Even Mark they could tell was amused at this point.
"Okay, okay. Enough fun an games." Jen said. "So you've stolen my coffee maker, my hair dryer, my newspaper, and my food. Are you stealing my brother too Davis? He's supposed to be fixing my computer right now."
"Well you know Jen," Roger picked at her, "if you stayed out of all those porn sites, maybe you wouldn't have so many computer problems."
"Ha Ha, very funny. I also know it was you that spilled beer on my keyboard Davis." She said dryly back at him.
"Whatever." He gave her his best grin. "But you want to do me a favor?"
"You have got more nerve than anyone ever!"
"No, really. Cass needs her hair washed, without ripping out anymore stitches."
"Or super glue." Mark threw in.
"Super glue?"
"Anyway, I said I'd ask you. So will you? Please Jenny? For me?" Roger asked her all syrupy sweet and giving her puppy dog eyes. Then he added in his regular voice, "besides maybe she can fix you computer for good this time."
"I'll look at you computer Jen." Cass told her as she got up and walked over to get the Tylenol bottle off the top of the TV.
That was when Jen saw she was wearing the CBGB boxers. "Yeah, I'll wash you hair, but first girlfriend, we are gonna find you some clothes. It's bad enough I gotta see their sorry looking butts," she pointed at Roger and Mark, "constantly running around in their underwear. But I don't have to see you in their underwear too. You I can find clothes for!"
"Hey! My butt's not sorry looking!" Roger teased back at her.
"Yeah! We don't have sorry looking butts. Right guys?" Mark asked Jason and Collins.
"I am so staying out of this conversation." Jason laughed.
"Cass?" Mark asked.
"Yes Mark you've got a cute little butt." She grinned at him.
"Oh please! Let's go honey. Dinner. Spaghetti. One hour." Jen grabbed Cass' hand and started to lead her out the door.
"Hey! What about my butt?"
"Still dragging Cass by the hand and without stopping or even turning around Jen answered him. "Oh you are so completely pathetic Davis!" And she shut the door before Cass could say anything to him at all.
********
"What are you two laughing to? Mark asked Jason and Collins.
"Nothing. Nothing at all." Collins said trying to stifle a laugh but couldn't stop grinning especially when he looked at Jason who was having the same problem.
"Yes, nothing really." Jason laughed. "Just my sister's twisted sense.
"You mean sense of humor?" Mark asked.
"No, just twisted sense." Jason looked at Collins, they both looked at Roger and both started laughing again.
"Oh shut up both of you." Roger shook his head at them. "I got Cass an appointment with Joanne's doctor for tomorrow. You know she doesn't know if she has health insurance. I guess we can just pay for it with her credit card."
"Okay. What time?"
"10 am. She ever tell you about her accidents?"
"What, her car accident?" Mark asked him.
"No. When we were talking and I was trying to figure out the deal with her insurance, I asked her what happened any other time she was sick or whatever. Well she starts telling me about how whenever she had an accident, or all the other times she went to the hospital, stuff like that."
"What happened to her?" Collins asked, somewhat worried.
"I don't know exactly. She was real vague about it. She just kept saying stuff happened. What it really sounds like is her bastard cousin used to use her for party games and a punching bag. For a long time. Like since she was like 13 or something."
"God that's horrible." Jason said flopping back down on the couch.
"Yeah. And it sounds like her family knew about it too, but never really did anything about it. I think that's why she's traveled so much. To stay away from them. And him."
"That probably just makes everything that's gone on recently even worse for her." Collins said. "What about he women's crisis center? Have you been able to get her to talk to anyone over there?"
Roger looked at Mark for that answer. "No." Mark sighed. "I talked to her about it, but she said she didn't need too. That she was fine."
"Well," Collins began, "what about Elizabeth at Life Support? I don't think I told you but she used to be a regular rape counselor at some center. She moved to Life Support after they realized there was a specific need there. Now she specializes in HIV positive rape victims. But nobody really knows that except for the immediate staff there. Pretty much everyone else just thinks she's a regular counselor. They don't realize she's actually a rape counselor. She already said she'd talk to Cass. Would Cass talk to her?"
Mark began shaking his head. "I don't think so. Actually I'm sure she wouldn't. Not on her own. Not after yesterday. Especially if she finds out Elizabeth is a rape counselor. All she'd do is swear she's fine and try and get me to drop the whole subject."
"Well, she's anything but fine." Jason pointed out.
"You think I don't know that? I know her too well to not know that. But what am I supposed to do? I can't Make her go!"
"No you can't make her." Collins sighed, knowing what he was about to say could get ugly. "nobody can really make her go, but especially you Mark. She knows you won't push her to do anything she doesn't want to do. Probably one of the reasons she came here."
"He's right." Roger agreed. "She knows you well enough to know that if she stands her ground to you, eventually you'll back down. Especially if she starts crying."
"Okay," Jason began, "so we know no one can make her go, but maybe you can convince her to go, or at least get her there."
"How am I going to do that? I'm telling you she won't do it. I'll never be able to convince her. She'll just keep telling me she's fine."
There was a moment's silence after Mark's works. Collins and Jason looked at each other. Mark was still staring at the phone and playing with the cord on the counter. Roger appeared to be fascinated by something on the floor as he hadn't looked up for awhile now. Jason nodded his head at Collins.
"Actually," Collins began, knowing he opened this can of worms. He couldn't let Jason take what might be fallout for what he had began, so he started again. "I don't think Jason meant you Mark."
"Huh?"
"He meant Roger?"
"Roger?"
"Me?"
"Yes you. She can't pull the same crap with you that she can with Mark. You know that. Plus," here we go he thought, "you can do it in a way that wouldn't be forcing her to do anything."
"No way! No fucking way!"
"Come on Roger." Jason pleaded. "All you have to do is get her there. We can make something up. We could set it up so that Cass would never know."
"Wait, how? What do you mean?" Mark was confused.
"Roger you're the only one that would be able to get her there in the first place." Collins argued.
"It would never work. I barely got her out of bed this morning. I'd never be able to get her to talk to somebody about something she desperately does not want to talk about."
"Yeah," Mark looked up at him. "But you did get her out of bed though."
"Right." Collins continued. "And you can get her there too. You get her there, introduce her to Elizabeth, they start talking and I don't know, we call you over to talk to somebody else or something. We would set it all up with Elizabeth ahead of time."
"Getting her out of bed is one thing. You heard her when you tried to get her to go to the store with you." He said to Mark. "I don't know how we are even going to get her to the doctor tomorrow."
"I'm telling you she'll go with you. Will you just trust me on that. Please." Collins was trying hard to be firm about the situation, but do it in a gentle way. He loved Mark, and he would never do anything to hurt Mark. He just wasn't so sure Mark really had any clue as to what was going on around him lately. Mark often had that forest through the trees thing going.
"What am I supposed to do? Pick her up and carry her down the stairs? Kicking and screaming? Lock her in Elizabeth's office. Oh yeah, all that should be real helpful. Forget it."
"No you big idiot!" Jason was getting mad at this point. They had bigger issues to deal with than this one, simply solved detail. He was tired of everyone acting stupid. "You ask her. You tell her your going and you want her to go with you. You need her to go with you. I doesn't really matter exactly what you tell her. If you ask her, she'll go with you! God how dense can you be!"
"What the fuck are you talking about? Do you have any idea what it took to get her out here on the couch! I almost had to drag her!"
"I can imagine! And don't even try and pretend you didn't love every minute of it! Both of you! It's not like we haven't all seen it for the past four days now. My God, under any other circumstances the two of you would have been all over each other by now I'm sure!" Jason was almost yelling at him.
Well so much for diplomacy Collins thought. This has potential to go from bad to worse. Jason was mad, more at the level of stupidity this was creating than at any of them. Mark was however strangely silent. Usually things didn't escalate to this level before Mark the Peacemaker jumped in to try and calm everyone down.
And then there was Roger. Roger who was as usual, just plain angry. Angry at the situation. Angry at what they where asking him to do. Angry at what they were telling him. Angry at himself. Angry at the world. Sort of, but not really as much it seemed these past few days. But as Collins looked at him now, he could see something else, something besides anger. Something he had not seen in Roger in a long time.
"What the fuck are you talking about Jason?" Roger was yelling now. His eyes kept darting back and forth between the couple on the couch and Mark at the counter. Mark was sitting there. Just listening. Watching. Watching Roger actually. Roger was getting nervous. This was his best friend we are talking about here. The one he was going to try and do so much better by. His mouth had gone completely dry. Roger licked his lips nervously, looking for any trace of saliva so he could continue. "What do you think I am? A total ass? That's Mark's girlfriend you're talking about. Remember?"
"He says she's not his girlfriend." Jason reminded him.
"Fine. Sorta girlfriend, old girlfriend whatever. I may have been a total fuck in the past, but I'm trying not to screw over my best friend any more!" Roger stormed out into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.
Mark was still sitting at the counter staring at Roger's bedroom door when the phone rang. "Hello? Yeah, okay Jen, we'll be right down." He hung up the phone. "Dinner's ready. You guys go down. We'll be down in a few."
"Look Mark, I'm sorry." Jason started.
"It's okay. I mean you guys are right. She would never go for me. And she does need to go. And he has been acting really weird since she got here. But good weird. I mean I think I was so worried about her, and so surprised by him, I just didn't see what was going on I guess."
"Sorry we had to do that like we did." Collins told him.
"No it's okay, really. I mean it. Now go before we all suffer the wrath of your sister."
Mark sat there for a few more minutes after they left before getting up and knocking on Roger's door as he walked into his room. Roger was laying on the bed staring at the ceiling. "Hey." He sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Look Mark, I'm really sorry. Nothing ever happened. I would never, I mean I never meant anything to, I mean she doesn't mean anything to me or anything you know."
Mark grinned. "You fuck! She's one of my two best friends, and I love her. She better mean something to you! Especially if your gonna get involved with her!"
"What?" Roger sat up on the bed.
"You heard me. And don't be a jackass to her either. She's not some band groupie."
"But I thought, that you and her were, you know."
"What dating?" Davis you are such a loser some times. This just yet again proves you never listen to me! How many times have I told you that she's not my girlfriend? Jason's right you are dense!" Mark laughed at him.
"Are you sure? I mean this is like a big time friendship ending issue here. I promise I would never want to do anything to hurt you Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure. Just take care of her okay? I do love her, but that's not where we are right now. Don't let anybody else hurt her either okay? Promise me that."
"I promise. I swear."
"Okay, can we go to dinner now? So far today I've had to talk to my mother, which I know you enjoyed, had to have lunch with Maureen, which I also know you enjoyed me having to do, and lost my supposed girlfriend to my best friend, which, trust me, I know for a fact you will enjoy that. Now can we please go eat before I have to deal with Jen's shit too for being so late?"
"Okay, okay. Lets go." Roger was laughing as he started to get up off the bed, but hen he looked at Mark who had gotten a strangely serious look on his face. "What?" He sat back down in front of him. "You change your mine or something?"
"No, no it's not that. It's just," His eyes went down to the mattress. The words he had just said to Roger were stuck in his brain. They hung there. Frozen in time. Just there. Flashing over and over like a giant neon sign in his mind. Replaying themselves. Like a never-ending film. Those words he had just said to Roger. About Cass. About Roger. Words that in a single moment terrified Mark. "It's just that, well, just promise me something."
"Anything."
"Just promise me that, well just remember that, well, that Cass is different."
"What do you mean?"
"She's not like Mimi, you know what I mean?"
Roger did know what he meant. He knew very well what he meant. He had been thinking about that earlier. Earlier when it was easier because she was still Mark's girlfriend then, so it wasn't an issue.
Roger's eyes dropped down to the mattress as well. He couldn't bear to look at Mark. He knew what was coming. "Yes." He said softly. "I know what you mean."
"Just promise me you guys will be careful okay? Please?"
"Oh god Mark I would never. You know that. I could never, ever do anything like that to anyone. Especially her. You know that right? I mean I promise. Tell me you know that."
"Yeah." Mark said very quietly. "I do know that. Just be careful okay? For me? Please Okay. I couldn't take anything happening to both of you." Tears were welling up in Mark's eyes as well as Roger's at this point.
"Okay." Roger said softly as he hugged Mark. "I promise. Believe me. However I don't think it's really an issue at the moment anyway. And it won't be unless we get her in to talk to Elizabeth I guess."
"So you're gonna do it? Go to Life Support?"
"Yeah I'm gonna do it." Roger paused as he looked at Mark. "I'm gonna have to find out how she gets out of stuff with you though. Why is it you can wear me down but not her?" He lightly punched Mark in the arm.
"Talent I guess. Come on lets go eat. Besides it's really hot in your room."
"That's because the air conditioner is in your room. Dork!"
"Loser!"
"Geek!"
"Pain in the ass!"
"Film nerd!"
"Girlfriend stealer!"
"Oh shut up and go to dinner!"