A/N Special thanks to Sashay and Sandy for keeping up and reviewing for me!
I live to hear from you guys! And everyone else that has stuck with me so
far! We made it through 30 chapters! Wow! And you all are still reading
! Yeah! I love you guys!
Chapter 30
"Hey." Mark said as he opened the door to let Maureen in.
"Hey. Are they gone already?"
"Yeah. They went to get something to eat before going to the Iguana. Thanks for coming to help me Mo. I really appreciate it. He really does too. Even if he never says anything to you about it. Which he probably won't."
"I know. Let's just do this okay? Do it and get it over with." She forced a smile for Mark's sake. "How you feeling sweetie?"
"Better some. I can't believe I drank that much last night. I never drink that much." Mark shook his head. "How about you? You were on your way to toasted when you got here. What' s going on Mo?"
They were sitting on the couch. Trying hard to avoid going into Mimi's room.
"Nothing."
"Liar." Mark grinned. "I've known you too long and too well. What's going on Mo?"
"We, um, well, we had a fight. Again. What did you expect?" She shrugged.
"I figured you had a fight. What about?"
"The usual stuff. Her going to Washington. Me working at the copy shop. Us. Me. Her. Us. I don't know."
"You guys will work it out, you always do."
"I know. I just kinda wish it wasn't like that. You know, the always part. I just wish we didn't fight so much. I just wish we didn't have to work it out so much and I'm just kind of tired of all that. Tired of fighting I guess." She sighed.
Mark didn't know what to say to her so he just reached over and gave her a hug.
"Thanks Marky." She said as she pulled back. "You know I'm glad we're still friends. Really good friends. After the way we started, and the way our relationship went, there was a really big potential for us to not have ended up this way."
"Yeah, really big potential." He grinned.
"Let's just go do this." She stood up with that famous Maureen determination. She held out her hand and pulled Mark off the couch.
"Okay." He said quietly as he got up.
"Come on, we'll do this together." She told him, holding onto his hand with both of her's as she walked them over to the door of the room they always refereed to as Mimi's. Maureen gave his hand a squeeze as she turned the knob and they stepped into the room.
*****
"What's the matter?" Roger asked as he took another bite of his burger.
"Nothing." Cass told him.
"You're not eating."
"Yes I am." She pushed her food around with her fork.
"No you're not, your just playing with it." Roger put his burger down. "Are you mad at me? What did I do now?"
"Nothing." She looked up in surprise. "You didn't do anything. Why would you even think that?"
"Uh, I don't know. I just figured I did something. If your not mad at me, then why aren't you eating your tofu," he made a face, "whatever that thing is."
Cass laughed a little. "It's a tofu scramble with spinach. And it's really very good." She held out a forkful for him.
"I'll pass, but thanks anyway. If it's so good why aren't you eating it?"
"I'm not that hungry. I guess I still don't feel that hot after last night."
"You okay? Do you still want to go tonight? You don't have to you known. If you want to go home I'll take you home. If you don't feel good."
"No, I want to go. I just don't want anything more to drink I think." She smiled at him. "Maybe I'll just stick to ice tea tonight." Cass scratched at her neck.
"Okay, if you're sure. You want to get something else instead?"
"No, just more tea." She grinned at him. God Cass you're grinning like a fourteen year old with a crush.
They finished up their dinner and Roger paid the check. It had cooled down and was a beautiful night out. Roger opened the door and they stepped out. He was carrying his guitar in one hand. He wrapped the other around her waist and pulled her in close. He kissed the top of her head as they started to walk toward the bar. "Last night was really cool." He told her. "Did you have a good time?"
"Yes, it was great. It was neat watching you play. You get so, intense."
"So I've been told." He grinned.
"So did you protect Marky from rats?" She laughed at him.
Roger couldn't help but love her laugh. It was incredible and infectious and it made him feel good when he heard it. Everything about her made him feel good actually. The way she laughs, and talks and moves. Even the way everybody else is when they're around her. Roger didn't mind people then. Everybody else was different then, easier to deal with. Or was it him?
Dah Roge, it's you not them. You're a little more tolerant of people all of a sudden. For years now, the person you tolerated the most was Mark. More accurately the person who tolerated you the most was Mark. Even Mark seemed different all of a sudden. At least different to him.
"Um yeah, we made it out of the basement without any incidents. And we did get the power back on. Well, Mark got the power back on. I held the lighter so he could see. That and of course protected Mark from rats." He gave her a grin. "But you guys seemed to be doing okay in the dark. Thanks to you and your little computer. Not only lights, but music. Very impressive." He teased her.
"Well, it is the computer age you know. I told you I can do about anything with a computer."
"Anything huh?" He gave her a look.
"Well almost anything." Cass could feel her face getting hot and was grateful for the on setting darkness.
"Uh huh." He was grinning at her.
"Um, I need to ask you a question."
"Okay." Roger got serious. What could she possibly need to ask? She sounded serious. Shit. This could be bad. Well Davis, just tell her the truth, no matter what. He took a breath. "Go ahead, ask me anything."
"What you said last night, were you kidding?"
What I said? I said a lot. God, how could she think I was kidding? What, what are we talking about? "What are we talking about? What did I say?"
"To Mark, about protecting him from rats. Were you kidding? There aren't really rats in the basement are there?"
Roger just started laughing. That was it? Rats? I'm worried she's thinking I was kidding yesterday and she's worried about rats. No wonder you've got it so bad for this girl Davis. "No," he was cracking up. "As far as I know there aren't any rats in the basement. I was kidding about that. The only rat that has anything to do with that building would be Benny." He laughed at his own joke. "You're afraid of rats?"
"Well, afraid would be a harsh word. More like well, okay, yes, afraid of rats." She looked up at him and saw he was going to laugh. "It's not funny, I had a really bad experience once."
"With a rat?"
"Yes."
"How do you have an experience with a rat?" He was laughing.
"I, fine. Nevermind."
He could hear the hurt in her voice and he stopped. "I'm sorry baby, I thought you were kidding around. What happened?"
"I. well there was this old barn, at the vineyard when I was growing up. It had rats, and I," her voice got softer, "I sort of got locked in it once."
"In the barn? And what you saw a rat?"
"No." Tears started to well up in her eyes.
Roger lifted her chin up. "What happened Cass?"
"Anton locked me in the barn. He dumped all this feed that had rat poison in and then locked me in there. All the rats were coming out, eating it, and just freaking out before they died. It was horrible. They were coming out of the field, and they were everywhere and I couldn't get out. And he just stood outside laughing, for over an hour." The tears ran down her face.
Okay, another reason to hate Anton. God help him if ever showed up here Roger thought. He pulled her into a hug. "Baby I'm so sorry." He leaned back and looked at her. He couldn't help it, he kissed her. Hard and long and wantonly.
When they finally broke apart Cass looked up at him. "So you'll protect me from the rats?" She asked in a raspy whisper.
"Baby I'll protect you from everything." He whispered back to her as he hugged her hard.
They walked the rest of the way in silence. Every few steps they would exchange longing glances. When they reached the Iguana they went in. "I'm warning you, it's not much of a place." He led her through the already growing crowd to a stool at the far end of the bar. "I don't see Collins or Jason yet." He waved over the bartender.
"Hey Roger. You want something to drink?"
"No, I'm good. Dave this is Cass. Give her what ever she wants and don't let anybody bother her."
"No problem. You staying for the whole show?"
"I don't know."
"Collins and Jason are supposed to meet her here. See if you can get them one of the tables."
"You got it. I heard you guys had quite a party last night. Izzy was looking a little rough earlier today."
"Yeah, last night was pretty good." Roger looked at Cass and grinned. "All of it. Hey is Krystal here? Maybe she can keep Cass company till Collins gets here."
"Oh she's here all right. And on a major war path, at least with Izzy. What did he do last night?"
Roger shook his head at Cass. "I told you he'd pay for that move." He turned to Dave. "Let's just say Krystal was ready to go and he wasn't."
"Oh he didn't throw cab money at here again?"
"You got it. Then he crashed on our couch." Roger grinned. He turned back to Cass and ran his hand up and down her back as he turned her on the barstool to face him. "I gotta go. You gonna be alright?" She nodded to him. "Okay, tell Dave if you need anything or anybody bothers you. I'll see you in a little bit." He wiggled her fingers on her casted hand and grinned at her as he picked up the guitar and started to back away. Roger took about three steps, before he stepped back towards her and kissed her. When he finally pulled away he just looked at her for a second. "I gotta go." He whispered to her.
Cass grinned at him. "I'll see you later. Go. Play." She laughed at him as she turned back towards Dave.
Roger started to back up again. He knew he had a stupid, cheesy grin on his face. He could hear Dave starting to talk to Cass.
"So, you're the girl that beat up Roger and gave him the black eye?"
"It was a lucky shot." She told him as she glanced over her shoulder at Roger walking away. "Which he leaned into."
*****
Roger set down his guitar on it's stand and hopped off the stage. "Hey guys." He said sitting down at the table with them. "Hey Krystal."
"Where's Izzy?"
"He's still in the back." Roger told her without looking up.
"Uh huh." She got up and walked towards the back without saying anything else.
When she was out of earshot, Roger reached for a glass and the pitcher of beer. "Hiding from you."
They all started laughing. "He's in so much trouble for last night." Jason said. "But on a more positive note, you guys sounded really good. Like everyone for a change, not just you."
"Thanks I guess." Roger laughed. Cass looked at him and he started grinning again. "We've got one more set and then we're done. You guys gonna hang for awhile longer?"
"No we need to take off soon." Collins told him finishing off his beer. "I've got an 8 AM class."
"You're still gonna take Cass home?" He asked as he ran his hand up her thigh under the table.
"Yeah no problem." Jason told him. "Then if the lights are on, we can stop by Jen's and find out how her date was."
"Oh you're just looking to get yourself in trouble aren't you?" Roger laughed at him.
"Uh, Jason? What if the lights are on, we stop, and he's still there?" Collins asked him.
"Hmmm, I didn't think of that."
"I thought not." Collins grinned.
"Point taken. Not up for a suicide mission tonight I guess. But yeah, we can still take Cass home." Jason yawned.
"Okay, thanks guys. We go back on in like five minutes." He looked at Cass. "Come on, you can help me pry Krystal's claws out of Izzy's throat so we can do the last set." He stood up, grabbed Cass' hand and dragged her into the back.
They took about three steps into the back of the bar when Roger stopped, grabbed her and kissed her hungrily. "God I missed you." He told her breathlessly as he started kissing her neck.
"What about Izzy?" She whispered to him.
"Screw Izzy. He's a big boy. Let him fight his own battles." He pulled her in close with both hands.
"Roger." She was fighting with herself to be able to speak. "Roger.I.Roger wait."
He pulled back from her.
"Just, I mean, not here, not yet."
"I'm sorry. God I'm such an idiot. I'm sorry Cass. I just, I mean I've been looking at you for the last two hours and I couldn't touch you, or anything. I missed you I guess. I'm sorry. Please forgive me." He begged her, still holding her tight and running his fingers through her hair.
"I'm not mad, just not ready. For that, well, here I guess." She was holding onto him tightly. "I'm sorry."
"No baby." Roger sat down in a nearby chair and pulled her onto his lap. "It's okay. I'm sorry. I should think more. You okay?" She nodded at him. "Good." He picked up her burnt hand and kissed her fingers. "So you feel any better?"
"A little. I'll be okay. What time will you be home?"
"Maybe two, two and a half hours. But I gotta look at something Mark did tonight when I get home though. So I'll be up for awhile when I get home." He brushed a piece of hair off her face. "Marky's there though. He's got to get up tomorrow and work, but why don't you sleep in there in the A/C. We can sleep in tomorrow."
"Yo Davis, get your tongue out of her throat and let's go." Izzy yelled at him from down the hall.
Roger rolled his eyes. "I gotta talk to him about his timing. It really sucks." They stood up and he kissed her again. Gently, tenderly with passion. "I'll see you later." He whispered as he hugged her tightly once more before he let her go and walked back out to the stage.
*****
Mark started to wake up. Had he heard something? It was still dark out. Must be Roger coming home he thought as he fell back into sleep. He woke up again suddenly as something hit him in the jaw. Mark realized at the last second before he made noise that it was just Cass. She was still sound asleep and must have rolled over and cracked him in the jaw with her cast.
It was still dark out. His watch said it was almost six. Mark sat up. Where was Roger? Hadn't he heard him earlier? Shouldn't he be home by now?
Carefully Mark shifted away from Cass. He didn't want to wake her up. Mark quietly climbed off the bed and opened the bedroom door.
As he stepped out into the living room he saw Roger sitting on the couch, looking at a bunch of stuff he must have taken out of the shoe box next to him. Mark realized it was the shoebox he had found earlier in Mimi's room.
"Hey." He said softly as he walked up behind the couch.
"Hey. Did I wake you up?"
"No." Mark grinned as he rubbed his jaw. "I think I sorta got whacked."
"Yeah she is kinda dangerous with that thing. We'll all be happy when she gets it cut off. It'll be safer."
"You okay?" Mark asked gesturing towards the stuff Roger was looking through.
"Yeah. I guess. I was sort of dreading this, but it's okay I guess." He paused and looked down at the small piles of items in front of him. "I went through the stuff you organized. There really wasn't that much when you folded stuff and stacked it neat and all. Was there?"
"No, not really I guess. I found some of your clothes. Mine too. Left in a bag of clean laundry. I put them on your bed. Mark just watched him for a minute or so. When Roger still hadn't spoken Mark continued. "But no, there really wasn't a lot. She got rid of a lot of stuff. After she got clean and quit her job and all."
"And right before." Roger said in an emotionless voice, without looking up. "Right before she got sick she was getting rid of stuff wasn't she?"
"Yes. I guess she was." Mark told him quietly as he sat down on the couch.
"She knew didn't she?"
"Yeah, I think she did." Mark knew she did. As soon as she found that box earlier tonight. As soon as he saw it, with Roger's name written across it in Mimi's handwriting. Mark knew that Mimi had known her time was coming near. That's why she had put those things in a box. For Roger to find and have later. After. When she was, well, gone.
"Did you put the stuff in the box or did she?" Roger asked him.
"She did." Mark told him, looking at the box. "I opened it to see what was in it, I mean to see if it was shoes, but that's all. I didn't look at any of it. Any of the stuff inside."
"It's okay even if you had. It's some pictures. And a tape I made her, with her song on it. Plus some other stuff. Sentimental girl type stuff. Movie ticket stubs, posters for old gigs, even a matchbook from the Life Café with a note I wrote on it for her. And these." He gestured at two envelopes. The one on top had been opened and had Roger's name on it. The other was still sealed.
"It took me about two hours to work up to opening that." Roger explained as he lit a cigarette. Mark knew this had been hard on him. If for no other reason then by the overflowing ashtray on the milk crate table which Mark had emptied earlier that day.
"I almost totally chicken out and woke you up to make you do it." He took a drag on the cigarette.
"You could of." Mark said meekly.
"No I couldn't." Roger explained. "I mean I know you would have gotten up and all, but I had to do this myself."
Mark nodded at him. He understood completely. Mimi wrote Roger a letter before she died. She put it and some other important stuff together for him. To let him know how much she loved him. Roger was right, it was something he had needed to do himself. And Mark was grateful for that. The last thing he wanted to do, aside from going through Mimi's room, would have been to sit there and read a letter Mimi wrote when she knew she was going to die soon. He would do anything for Roger but he really didn't want to do that.
Roger reached for the envelope and picked up the sealed one on the bottom. "This one's for you." Roger told him as he held out the envelope with Mark's name.
"Me?" Mark squeaked as he reached out for it with a trembling hand. "She wrote me a letter? Why would she do that?"
Roger just stared at him blankly. "Why wouldn't she?" He asked him. "She wrote one to me, why wouldn't she write one to you too?"
"Because she was in love with you." Mark told him. "I was just her boyfriend's best friend and roommate."
"Do you seriously believe that?" Roger asked in astonishment. "I mean you do realize that yeah, while she was in love with me, she still really loved you."
"I guess I never really thought about it that way." Mark said as he turned the envelope over in his hands. "Wow." He just sat there starting at the envelope he held.
"Well yeah, of course she did. We both did, or do or well you know what I mean." Roger said as he put the items back into the shoebox and stood up. He realized Mark was still staring at the unopened envelope. "Marky you okay with all this stuff? I kinda dumped a lot on you I guess. Having you do all that with Mimi's stuff and all."
"No it's okay. I'm just still a little surprised by this I guess." He held up the envelope. "But about Mimi's stuff. Did you, are you, um." He couldn't figure out what to say next.
"Yeah, go ahead and do whatever you need to do with it. I'm okay. I got what I wanted. Besides with all the stuff Cass ordered the other day, she's gonna need some space soon. And you're probably ready to have your room back."
"No it's okay. With the exception of getting whacked every time she moves." Mark sort of grinned.
"Maybe, um, maybe when you get Mimi's room cleaned out, maybe we should move your office stuff in there. That way, that way you'd have more room." And I won't have to walk in there Roger thought.
Mark looked at him for a second. He had a feeling there was more to that than Roger suddenly wanting to make sure Mark had enough work space. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. We can do that."
"Okay." Roger looked at his watch. "It's after six already. I gotta get some sleep. You shooting today?"
"Uh huh. I might as well stay up now. I was getting up at 6:45 anyway." Mark flipped the envelope over again.
"Um Marky?"
Mark looked up at him.
"Um, I gotta take Cass to see Elizabeth again tonight at well, at her office. Do you wanna come with me? To, a, wait with me, while she's talking to her?"
"Yeah Roge, I can do that. I'd like to do that. To go with you." Mark smiled.
"Okay. I'll see you later then. Goodnight." Roger punched Mark in the arm.
"Yeah, night."
Roger went into the bedroom and took off his jeans. He climbed into the bed in his boxers and tee shirt. Cass rolled over when she felt the movement on the bed.
"Hey. You're home? What time is it?"
"It's really late." He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. "Or really early. Go back to sleep." He told her as he kissed her on the neck a few times.
"Okay." She said sleepily as she snuggled in closer to him.
Roger silently laughed at her as he realized she was never really awake in the first place. He kissed her on the neck again as he played with her hair as he fell asleep as well.
Chapter 30
"Hey." Mark said as he opened the door to let Maureen in.
"Hey. Are they gone already?"
"Yeah. They went to get something to eat before going to the Iguana. Thanks for coming to help me Mo. I really appreciate it. He really does too. Even if he never says anything to you about it. Which he probably won't."
"I know. Let's just do this okay? Do it and get it over with." She forced a smile for Mark's sake. "How you feeling sweetie?"
"Better some. I can't believe I drank that much last night. I never drink that much." Mark shook his head. "How about you? You were on your way to toasted when you got here. What' s going on Mo?"
They were sitting on the couch. Trying hard to avoid going into Mimi's room.
"Nothing."
"Liar." Mark grinned. "I've known you too long and too well. What's going on Mo?"
"We, um, well, we had a fight. Again. What did you expect?" She shrugged.
"I figured you had a fight. What about?"
"The usual stuff. Her going to Washington. Me working at the copy shop. Us. Me. Her. Us. I don't know."
"You guys will work it out, you always do."
"I know. I just kinda wish it wasn't like that. You know, the always part. I just wish we didn't fight so much. I just wish we didn't have to work it out so much and I'm just kind of tired of all that. Tired of fighting I guess." She sighed.
Mark didn't know what to say to her so he just reached over and gave her a hug.
"Thanks Marky." She said as she pulled back. "You know I'm glad we're still friends. Really good friends. After the way we started, and the way our relationship went, there was a really big potential for us to not have ended up this way."
"Yeah, really big potential." He grinned.
"Let's just go do this." She stood up with that famous Maureen determination. She held out her hand and pulled Mark off the couch.
"Okay." He said quietly as he got up.
"Come on, we'll do this together." She told him, holding onto his hand with both of her's as she walked them over to the door of the room they always refereed to as Mimi's. Maureen gave his hand a squeeze as she turned the knob and they stepped into the room.
*****
"What's the matter?" Roger asked as he took another bite of his burger.
"Nothing." Cass told him.
"You're not eating."
"Yes I am." She pushed her food around with her fork.
"No you're not, your just playing with it." Roger put his burger down. "Are you mad at me? What did I do now?"
"Nothing." She looked up in surprise. "You didn't do anything. Why would you even think that?"
"Uh, I don't know. I just figured I did something. If your not mad at me, then why aren't you eating your tofu," he made a face, "whatever that thing is."
Cass laughed a little. "It's a tofu scramble with spinach. And it's really very good." She held out a forkful for him.
"I'll pass, but thanks anyway. If it's so good why aren't you eating it?"
"I'm not that hungry. I guess I still don't feel that hot after last night."
"You okay? Do you still want to go tonight? You don't have to you known. If you want to go home I'll take you home. If you don't feel good."
"No, I want to go. I just don't want anything more to drink I think." She smiled at him. "Maybe I'll just stick to ice tea tonight." Cass scratched at her neck.
"Okay, if you're sure. You want to get something else instead?"
"No, just more tea." She grinned at him. God Cass you're grinning like a fourteen year old with a crush.
They finished up their dinner and Roger paid the check. It had cooled down and was a beautiful night out. Roger opened the door and they stepped out. He was carrying his guitar in one hand. He wrapped the other around her waist and pulled her in close. He kissed the top of her head as they started to walk toward the bar. "Last night was really cool." He told her. "Did you have a good time?"
"Yes, it was great. It was neat watching you play. You get so, intense."
"So I've been told." He grinned.
"So did you protect Marky from rats?" She laughed at him.
Roger couldn't help but love her laugh. It was incredible and infectious and it made him feel good when he heard it. Everything about her made him feel good actually. The way she laughs, and talks and moves. Even the way everybody else is when they're around her. Roger didn't mind people then. Everybody else was different then, easier to deal with. Or was it him?
Dah Roge, it's you not them. You're a little more tolerant of people all of a sudden. For years now, the person you tolerated the most was Mark. More accurately the person who tolerated you the most was Mark. Even Mark seemed different all of a sudden. At least different to him.
"Um yeah, we made it out of the basement without any incidents. And we did get the power back on. Well, Mark got the power back on. I held the lighter so he could see. That and of course protected Mark from rats." He gave her a grin. "But you guys seemed to be doing okay in the dark. Thanks to you and your little computer. Not only lights, but music. Very impressive." He teased her.
"Well, it is the computer age you know. I told you I can do about anything with a computer."
"Anything huh?" He gave her a look.
"Well almost anything." Cass could feel her face getting hot and was grateful for the on setting darkness.
"Uh huh." He was grinning at her.
"Um, I need to ask you a question."
"Okay." Roger got serious. What could she possibly need to ask? She sounded serious. Shit. This could be bad. Well Davis, just tell her the truth, no matter what. He took a breath. "Go ahead, ask me anything."
"What you said last night, were you kidding?"
What I said? I said a lot. God, how could she think I was kidding? What, what are we talking about? "What are we talking about? What did I say?"
"To Mark, about protecting him from rats. Were you kidding? There aren't really rats in the basement are there?"
Roger just started laughing. That was it? Rats? I'm worried she's thinking I was kidding yesterday and she's worried about rats. No wonder you've got it so bad for this girl Davis. "No," he was cracking up. "As far as I know there aren't any rats in the basement. I was kidding about that. The only rat that has anything to do with that building would be Benny." He laughed at his own joke. "You're afraid of rats?"
"Well, afraid would be a harsh word. More like well, okay, yes, afraid of rats." She looked up at him and saw he was going to laugh. "It's not funny, I had a really bad experience once."
"With a rat?"
"Yes."
"How do you have an experience with a rat?" He was laughing.
"I, fine. Nevermind."
He could hear the hurt in her voice and he stopped. "I'm sorry baby, I thought you were kidding around. What happened?"
"I. well there was this old barn, at the vineyard when I was growing up. It had rats, and I," her voice got softer, "I sort of got locked in it once."
"In the barn? And what you saw a rat?"
"No." Tears started to well up in her eyes.
Roger lifted her chin up. "What happened Cass?"
"Anton locked me in the barn. He dumped all this feed that had rat poison in and then locked me in there. All the rats were coming out, eating it, and just freaking out before they died. It was horrible. They were coming out of the field, and they were everywhere and I couldn't get out. And he just stood outside laughing, for over an hour." The tears ran down her face.
Okay, another reason to hate Anton. God help him if ever showed up here Roger thought. He pulled her into a hug. "Baby I'm so sorry." He leaned back and looked at her. He couldn't help it, he kissed her. Hard and long and wantonly.
When they finally broke apart Cass looked up at him. "So you'll protect me from the rats?" She asked in a raspy whisper.
"Baby I'll protect you from everything." He whispered back to her as he hugged her hard.
They walked the rest of the way in silence. Every few steps they would exchange longing glances. When they reached the Iguana they went in. "I'm warning you, it's not much of a place." He led her through the already growing crowd to a stool at the far end of the bar. "I don't see Collins or Jason yet." He waved over the bartender.
"Hey Roger. You want something to drink?"
"No, I'm good. Dave this is Cass. Give her what ever she wants and don't let anybody bother her."
"No problem. You staying for the whole show?"
"I don't know."
"Collins and Jason are supposed to meet her here. See if you can get them one of the tables."
"You got it. I heard you guys had quite a party last night. Izzy was looking a little rough earlier today."
"Yeah, last night was pretty good." Roger looked at Cass and grinned. "All of it. Hey is Krystal here? Maybe she can keep Cass company till Collins gets here."
"Oh she's here all right. And on a major war path, at least with Izzy. What did he do last night?"
Roger shook his head at Cass. "I told you he'd pay for that move." He turned to Dave. "Let's just say Krystal was ready to go and he wasn't."
"Oh he didn't throw cab money at here again?"
"You got it. Then he crashed on our couch." Roger grinned. He turned back to Cass and ran his hand up and down her back as he turned her on the barstool to face him. "I gotta go. You gonna be alright?" She nodded to him. "Okay, tell Dave if you need anything or anybody bothers you. I'll see you in a little bit." He wiggled her fingers on her casted hand and grinned at her as he picked up the guitar and started to back away. Roger took about three steps, before he stepped back towards her and kissed her. When he finally pulled away he just looked at her for a second. "I gotta go." He whispered to her.
Cass grinned at him. "I'll see you later. Go. Play." She laughed at him as she turned back towards Dave.
Roger started to back up again. He knew he had a stupid, cheesy grin on his face. He could hear Dave starting to talk to Cass.
"So, you're the girl that beat up Roger and gave him the black eye?"
"It was a lucky shot." She told him as she glanced over her shoulder at Roger walking away. "Which he leaned into."
*****
Roger set down his guitar on it's stand and hopped off the stage. "Hey guys." He said sitting down at the table with them. "Hey Krystal."
"Where's Izzy?"
"He's still in the back." Roger told her without looking up.
"Uh huh." She got up and walked towards the back without saying anything else.
When she was out of earshot, Roger reached for a glass and the pitcher of beer. "Hiding from you."
They all started laughing. "He's in so much trouble for last night." Jason said. "But on a more positive note, you guys sounded really good. Like everyone for a change, not just you."
"Thanks I guess." Roger laughed. Cass looked at him and he started grinning again. "We've got one more set and then we're done. You guys gonna hang for awhile longer?"
"No we need to take off soon." Collins told him finishing off his beer. "I've got an 8 AM class."
"You're still gonna take Cass home?" He asked as he ran his hand up her thigh under the table.
"Yeah no problem." Jason told him. "Then if the lights are on, we can stop by Jen's and find out how her date was."
"Oh you're just looking to get yourself in trouble aren't you?" Roger laughed at him.
"Uh, Jason? What if the lights are on, we stop, and he's still there?" Collins asked him.
"Hmmm, I didn't think of that."
"I thought not." Collins grinned.
"Point taken. Not up for a suicide mission tonight I guess. But yeah, we can still take Cass home." Jason yawned.
"Okay, thanks guys. We go back on in like five minutes." He looked at Cass. "Come on, you can help me pry Krystal's claws out of Izzy's throat so we can do the last set." He stood up, grabbed Cass' hand and dragged her into the back.
They took about three steps into the back of the bar when Roger stopped, grabbed her and kissed her hungrily. "God I missed you." He told her breathlessly as he started kissing her neck.
"What about Izzy?" She whispered to him.
"Screw Izzy. He's a big boy. Let him fight his own battles." He pulled her in close with both hands.
"Roger." She was fighting with herself to be able to speak. "Roger.I.Roger wait."
He pulled back from her.
"Just, I mean, not here, not yet."
"I'm sorry. God I'm such an idiot. I'm sorry Cass. I just, I mean I've been looking at you for the last two hours and I couldn't touch you, or anything. I missed you I guess. I'm sorry. Please forgive me." He begged her, still holding her tight and running his fingers through her hair.
"I'm not mad, just not ready. For that, well, here I guess." She was holding onto him tightly. "I'm sorry."
"No baby." Roger sat down in a nearby chair and pulled her onto his lap. "It's okay. I'm sorry. I should think more. You okay?" She nodded at him. "Good." He picked up her burnt hand and kissed her fingers. "So you feel any better?"
"A little. I'll be okay. What time will you be home?"
"Maybe two, two and a half hours. But I gotta look at something Mark did tonight when I get home though. So I'll be up for awhile when I get home." He brushed a piece of hair off her face. "Marky's there though. He's got to get up tomorrow and work, but why don't you sleep in there in the A/C. We can sleep in tomorrow."
"Yo Davis, get your tongue out of her throat and let's go." Izzy yelled at him from down the hall.
Roger rolled his eyes. "I gotta talk to him about his timing. It really sucks." They stood up and he kissed her again. Gently, tenderly with passion. "I'll see you later." He whispered as he hugged her tightly once more before he let her go and walked back out to the stage.
*****
Mark started to wake up. Had he heard something? It was still dark out. Must be Roger coming home he thought as he fell back into sleep. He woke up again suddenly as something hit him in the jaw. Mark realized at the last second before he made noise that it was just Cass. She was still sound asleep and must have rolled over and cracked him in the jaw with her cast.
It was still dark out. His watch said it was almost six. Mark sat up. Where was Roger? Hadn't he heard him earlier? Shouldn't he be home by now?
Carefully Mark shifted away from Cass. He didn't want to wake her up. Mark quietly climbed off the bed and opened the bedroom door.
As he stepped out into the living room he saw Roger sitting on the couch, looking at a bunch of stuff he must have taken out of the shoe box next to him. Mark realized it was the shoebox he had found earlier in Mimi's room.
"Hey." He said softly as he walked up behind the couch.
"Hey. Did I wake you up?"
"No." Mark grinned as he rubbed his jaw. "I think I sorta got whacked."
"Yeah she is kinda dangerous with that thing. We'll all be happy when she gets it cut off. It'll be safer."
"You okay?" Mark asked gesturing towards the stuff Roger was looking through.
"Yeah. I guess. I was sort of dreading this, but it's okay I guess." He paused and looked down at the small piles of items in front of him. "I went through the stuff you organized. There really wasn't that much when you folded stuff and stacked it neat and all. Was there?"
"No, not really I guess. I found some of your clothes. Mine too. Left in a bag of clean laundry. I put them on your bed. Mark just watched him for a minute or so. When Roger still hadn't spoken Mark continued. "But no, there really wasn't a lot. She got rid of a lot of stuff. After she got clean and quit her job and all."
"And right before." Roger said in an emotionless voice, without looking up. "Right before she got sick she was getting rid of stuff wasn't she?"
"Yes. I guess she was." Mark told him quietly as he sat down on the couch.
"She knew didn't she?"
"Yeah, I think she did." Mark knew she did. As soon as she found that box earlier tonight. As soon as he saw it, with Roger's name written across it in Mimi's handwriting. Mark knew that Mimi had known her time was coming near. That's why she had put those things in a box. For Roger to find and have later. After. When she was, well, gone.
"Did you put the stuff in the box or did she?" Roger asked him.
"She did." Mark told him, looking at the box. "I opened it to see what was in it, I mean to see if it was shoes, but that's all. I didn't look at any of it. Any of the stuff inside."
"It's okay even if you had. It's some pictures. And a tape I made her, with her song on it. Plus some other stuff. Sentimental girl type stuff. Movie ticket stubs, posters for old gigs, even a matchbook from the Life Café with a note I wrote on it for her. And these." He gestured at two envelopes. The one on top had been opened and had Roger's name on it. The other was still sealed.
"It took me about two hours to work up to opening that." Roger explained as he lit a cigarette. Mark knew this had been hard on him. If for no other reason then by the overflowing ashtray on the milk crate table which Mark had emptied earlier that day.
"I almost totally chicken out and woke you up to make you do it." He took a drag on the cigarette.
"You could of." Mark said meekly.
"No I couldn't." Roger explained. "I mean I know you would have gotten up and all, but I had to do this myself."
Mark nodded at him. He understood completely. Mimi wrote Roger a letter before she died. She put it and some other important stuff together for him. To let him know how much she loved him. Roger was right, it was something he had needed to do himself. And Mark was grateful for that. The last thing he wanted to do, aside from going through Mimi's room, would have been to sit there and read a letter Mimi wrote when she knew she was going to die soon. He would do anything for Roger but he really didn't want to do that.
Roger reached for the envelope and picked up the sealed one on the bottom. "This one's for you." Roger told him as he held out the envelope with Mark's name.
"Me?" Mark squeaked as he reached out for it with a trembling hand. "She wrote me a letter? Why would she do that?"
Roger just stared at him blankly. "Why wouldn't she?" He asked him. "She wrote one to me, why wouldn't she write one to you too?"
"Because she was in love with you." Mark told him. "I was just her boyfriend's best friend and roommate."
"Do you seriously believe that?" Roger asked in astonishment. "I mean you do realize that yeah, while she was in love with me, she still really loved you."
"I guess I never really thought about it that way." Mark said as he turned the envelope over in his hands. "Wow." He just sat there starting at the envelope he held.
"Well yeah, of course she did. We both did, or do or well you know what I mean." Roger said as he put the items back into the shoebox and stood up. He realized Mark was still staring at the unopened envelope. "Marky you okay with all this stuff? I kinda dumped a lot on you I guess. Having you do all that with Mimi's stuff and all."
"No it's okay. I'm just still a little surprised by this I guess." He held up the envelope. "But about Mimi's stuff. Did you, are you, um." He couldn't figure out what to say next.
"Yeah, go ahead and do whatever you need to do with it. I'm okay. I got what I wanted. Besides with all the stuff Cass ordered the other day, she's gonna need some space soon. And you're probably ready to have your room back."
"No it's okay. With the exception of getting whacked every time she moves." Mark sort of grinned.
"Maybe, um, maybe when you get Mimi's room cleaned out, maybe we should move your office stuff in there. That way, that way you'd have more room." And I won't have to walk in there Roger thought.
Mark looked at him for a second. He had a feeling there was more to that than Roger suddenly wanting to make sure Mark had enough work space. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. We can do that."
"Okay." Roger looked at his watch. "It's after six already. I gotta get some sleep. You shooting today?"
"Uh huh. I might as well stay up now. I was getting up at 6:45 anyway." Mark flipped the envelope over again.
"Um Marky?"
Mark looked up at him.
"Um, I gotta take Cass to see Elizabeth again tonight at well, at her office. Do you wanna come with me? To, a, wait with me, while she's talking to her?"
"Yeah Roge, I can do that. I'd like to do that. To go with you." Mark smiled.
"Okay. I'll see you later then. Goodnight." Roger punched Mark in the arm.
"Yeah, night."
Roger went into the bedroom and took off his jeans. He climbed into the bed in his boxers and tee shirt. Cass rolled over when she felt the movement on the bed.
"Hey. You're home? What time is it?"
"It's really late." He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. "Or really early. Go back to sleep." He told her as he kissed her on the neck a few times.
"Okay." She said sleepily as she snuggled in closer to him.
Roger silently laughed at her as he realized she was never really awake in the first place. He kissed her on the neck again as he played with her hair as he fell asleep as well.