A/N My thanks once again to all my reviewers. It really helps keep me
typing.
To MorganaPendragon - this takes place about three and a half years after the end of the play.
The next few chapters are building up to a high point in the story. I have a few chapters already typed and waiting to be posted, so I get excited for future chapters. So stay tuned, one of my favorite Roger and Mark confrontations and moments are coming up in the next week or so. I can't wait to hear what you all think!
Thanks again! Love you guys!
Chapter 40
"Roger!"
As they came through the door of the Life Café he turned as he heard his name called followed by a whistle. Seeing Jason standing up at a table in the corner he led Cass and Mark that way.
"Okay, I gotta ask, what was all the noise this morning?" Leslie who was sitting next to Jen asked as she scooted her chair over to make more room from the two chairs Collins yanked from a near by table.
"Yeah Davis, what the fuck was going on up there this morning?" Ginny said trying to sound as annoyed as possible.
Roger smirked as he sat down next to Cass. "Ah, breakfast had issues."
"Hence the reason we're now here for food." Mark grinned, trying hard not to laugh as he sat down between Maureen and Jen. "How did all of you end up here? And I thought you were supposed to be going home and playing nice or something." He directed the last part to Maureen.
"I was, I did, and I'm back. End of story." She threw back the last of her bloody Mary and put the glass back down hard.
"Okay, well let's just hope for all of our sakes there is truth to that whole safety in numbers thing." Mark joked at her.
Maureen scoffed as she stood up quickly, grabbing her empty glass back up and headed towards the bar.
"Not a good move Mark." Jason shook his head.
"Yeah," Jen yawned, "be grateful for a change you live on the fourth floor. She would have had to bang on all three of our doors at three a.m. before she made it up to you guys."
"Then why did she start at my place? We're on the third floor." Leslie asked.
"I think she was 'confused' and thought it was my apartment." Jen said reaching for Jason's coffee when she realized her's was empty.
"Well what happened?" Mark asked concerned. "When she left she was going home to talk to Joanne. Supposedly rationally."
"Dah Mark! Obviously it didn't work! And on one of the first nights in weeks I get to sleep like a normal person." Ginny bitched.
"As opposed to hanging from the rafters as usual?" Roger joked as he lit two cigarettes and handed one to Cass.
"Fuck you Davis!"
"Oh yeah, there's that sweet nurse like disposition all you patients are gonna love. You realize Ginny that bedside manner means being nice and caring towards your patients. Not how politely you pick your money up off the side of some guy's bedside."
Ginny gave him the finger and drank her coffee. Cass could tell she was trying to act annoyed, but she could see Ginny smiling behind her cup. When Cass first met her, she thought Ginny and Roger really disliked each other, but in the few times they had been together since last weekend Cass had come to realize she was wrong. They have this weird relationship. Almost like they love to hate each other. They get this big kick out of insulting each other. Almost trying to see who can out do the other. If anyone else, even Mark, had said some of the comments and insults Cass had heard Ginny throw at Roger this last week, she would have expected major fireworks. But not Ginny. It was almost as if there was a strange kind of admiration from whoever won the so-called battle.
Cass was glad it was just playing around. She really liked Ginny. She actually really liked all of Roger and Mark's friends. Aside from Giavanna and Marguerite and Mark, she really didn't have any close friends anymore. Not even close, just any friends anymore. Between travel and work she claimed to not have time. She knew that wasn't the only reason though.
The last time she had a group of friend like this was when she was with her ex boyfriend Paulie. And even then they weren't really friends. There was Paulie and his cousin Brian and his girlfriend Renee of course, but then there was also the rest of them. The party people, the hangers on, the connections.
Most of it centering around the drugs. Rich kids with nothing better to do then shove their money up their noses. Not so rich kids that learned how to party with and like the rich ones. Everybody looking for a good time. Everybody claiming to be one of your best friends. Especially when you had the liquor, or the pills, or the coke, or the party, or the credit card or the beach house or the shopping spree.
The only ones that came to see her in the hospital right after the accident were Brian and Renee. And supposedly Paulie, but she never saw him. Whether that was his fault or her family's she would never know, and really didn't care. And by the time she got out of rehab, she had no idea what happened to any of them. They weren't her friends. They weren't even really friends with each other. Not like these guys were. Not like they all are with each other. Not like Cass wanted, and was beginning to realize she had actually found. Found with all of them, not just Mark, and Roger now too, but actually all of them. She couldn't help but smile at the thought of that while listening to all of them go on with each other.
"Well maybe I should go talk to her." Mark said.
"I wouldn't advise that right now." Collins said.
"Yeah," Jason said holding up his now empty coffee cup to get the waitress' attention. "Safest thing to do right now is live in fear of Maureen for awhile. At least till this, whatever it is, blows over."
Roger couldn't resists, he knew it would get him in trouble, but he had to open his mouth. "That should be easy," he said giving an evil grin, "Mark has always lived in fear of Maureen! How do you think they ever went out in the first place?' He started cracking up at his own joke.
Collins almost choked on his orange juice at that statement. He knew Roger was right, but the more he coughed on the orange juice, the more he and everyone else started to laugh.
"What the hell are you two laughing at?" Mark demanded from Roger and Collins. "You two never wasted anytime running and hiding in your room from her when we all lived together." Mark grabbed his coffee cup and stood up. "At least when I ran and hid in our room from her I at least got laid later that night!" He announced with a newfound sense of triumph as he walked over to Maruzen at the bar.
For a change neither Roger nor Collins had anything to say as a come back, and seeing that just made all the girls, especially Cass laugh.
Roger looked at Ginny and Jen. "What?" He barked at them before turning to Cass. "And what are you grinning at?" He said trying to sound mean, but tickling her at the same time.
"Not at thing." She laughed. "Not a thing." Which only proceeded to bring about more laughter from everyone.
After awhile Mark and Maureen returned to the table and the waitress brought their food and more coffee.
"God I'm starving." Roger commented.
"Me too." Mark agreed slapping butter on his pancakes. He stabbed one with his fork and held it up. "You might want to note Cass," he teased her, "pancakes are usually a golden brown color, not pasty white on one side and blackened on the other." He started laughing and Roger joined him.
"Yeah these don't have that smoky aroma either." Roger picked on her.
"Or accompanied by the piercing sound of the smoke alarm going off." Mark said, barely able to get the words out. The two of them started laughing so hard their faces were turning red.
"Are you two finished?" Cass asked them. "Keep it up and I'll never cook anything for either of you again."
"Promise?" Mark asked through a mouthful of pancakes, all of which brought about another round of laughter.
"Mark!" Jen scolded him. "Be nice. I swear, what are you two? Twelve?"
"Yeah Mark," Roger said between laughs, "What are you twelve?" The two of them started laughing so hard Mark was having a hard time breathing.
"Great. I can see it now. A string of fart jokes and loogie contests are coming next." Ginny said. "Think we can convince them all girls have cooties and they'll leave us alone?"
"Nope!" Roger told her as he and Mark started shooting spit balls across the table.
*****
As Roger opened the loft door, he hoped the dark living room meant Cass had gone to bed. He stepped the rest of the way in and realized no such luck. She was sitting at her computer with her feet up on the desk.
He and Mark talked about it earlier, and Mark said he wouldn't sit up with her. He wouldn't let her sleep in his room either. They'd see if they could get her to go to bed on her own. Oh well Mark, once again, you're tough love theory is blown to hell.
She didn't turn around when he came in and he thought she might be asleep in the chair. He set down his guitar and dropped his jacket on the couch as he walked over. Roger saw her head drop down then bob up again quickly. He could tell she was struggling to stay away.
"Hey Baby, you awake?" He asked her as he kissed the top of her head.
"Hey." She looked up and stretched out her legs.
Roger pulled her up out of the chair and hugged her. "What are you doing up still? You've been up since six this morning?"'
"Waiting for you." She said sleepily as she shivered. "Brrrr, it's cold in here."
He rubbed her arms to warm her up. "Come on, let's go to bed." He walked her to their room and then went to take a shower.
Roger walked back into the room in a towel. His hair was still dripping. She was sitting up against the wall with her head rolling sideways, still fighting to stay awake. Roger leaned in closer and shook his head showering her with water.
Cass' eyes popped open. "Hey! What are you doing?"
He just grinned at her as he dropped the towel and put on a pair of boxers. Roger crawled into bed and she laid down next to him. "Why are you still up Cass?"
"Because somebody just gave me a shower. Ewww, Roger you're getting the pillows all wet." She moved over as he sat up and grabbed the towel off the floor.
Roger dried his hair out and laid back down as she moved back over next to him. He had to talk to her about this not going to sleep thing. Might as well try now. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her almost on top of him. "Cass are you still awake?"
"Uh huh."
"Cass we gotta talk." He said and was surprised at how serious his own voice sounded.
"What's wrong?"
Roger could hear almost panic in her voice as she tried to sit up, but her was holding her too close and too tight for her to move like that. "Oh nothing Baby, nothing like that." He started stroking her hair.
"I just need to know why you're still up."
"Because I was waiting for you silly."
"No, Cass that's not it. It's just that, no matter how tired you are, you won't go to bed. Not by yourself. Not once since you've been here. You either stay up till I get home or lay down with Mark. Never by yourself."
"That's not true. I just, I wanted to, I have so!" She tried to make excuses but was getting upset.
"No Baby, you haven't, but it's okay. It's okay really. You just gotta remember that. Nothing is gonna happen here. I won't let it. Neither will Mark. It's okay here Cass. Really. You can go to sleep and not worry. I promise." He stopped talking to kiss the top of her head. "You gotta go to sleep by yourself one of these days Cass, but when you do, just remember we won't let anything happen to you."
They just laid there like that for a few minuets. She didn't say anything. She didn't even make any noises. Roger just held her as he felt the tears run off her cheeks and fall onto his chest.
"I just want to forget all that and move on. I thought once I got my cast off in two weeks, that would be it. The end. All that other stuff would be behind me and I'd never have to think or deal with it again. It's not going to be that simple is it?"
"Probably not. But it will definitely get better."
"Well I guess it couldn't possibly get any worse. And it already is better some. I got you out of all this didn't I?"
"Yeah Baby, you got me." He told her, running his fingers up and down her back. "You got me." Roger meant it too, with all his heart and soul. He just couldn't help but notice that bad feeling returning to his gut though as he thought about what she said about things getting worse.
******
When Cass looked at the clock she realized the alarm wouldn't go off for almost another thirty minutes. She tried to remember what time Roger got home last night. Sunday night the band played but last night he bartended. He always gets home later on the nights he bartends.
It was probably at least 3:00 am when he got home. That was a mere four hours ago. And then he lay there talking to her for awhile too. Poor baby, he's gong to be so tired today she thought. And he has to spend the entire day sitting around doctor's offices. But she had gone to bed at least last night. She didn't really sleep, not well at least, more like dozed off a couple of times while waiting for him to come home. But he did actually find her in the bed last night. And it wasn't like she was trying to stay awake. Her brain just wouldn't let her relax enough lying there by herself. It was a start at least, and he did seem really happy about that last night while they talked.
Cass decided she could at least have some coffee ready for him. She climbed out of bed quietly, but as she stood and started walking her stomach started rolling over again. She headed towards the bathroom, followed by the dog who had been sleeping on the couch.
She closed the door quietly and turned on the water in the sink. Hopefully, no one would hear her if she did actually throw up this time. Especially today she thought as she sat down on the bathroom floor, hoping the feeling would just pass. If they find out she's not feeling well again, they'll just make a huge big deal about it and Roger will make sure the doctor finds out, and then it becomes a big deal all over again.
It's just stress, that's all. She felt like she was going to drown in work trying to get caught up. Not to mention life in general had hit a new high point on the stress-o-meter the last few weeks. Why didn't anyone believe her on that? Believe that she was fine? Believe that, that, that she was definitely going to puke again.
When Cass opened the bathroom door, Roger was sitting at the counter smoking a cigarette, watching her. "Are you okay?" He asked her, never moving his gaze off her eyes. "Did you get sick again?"
"Oh no, no I'm fine." She lied. "What are you doing up? The alarm shouldn't have gone off for like another five minutes. I was going to make coffee. Want some?" Oh way to obviously change the subject Cass. Ask eighteen questions and don't wait for an answer to any of them.
"Yeah, coffee's good." He still didn't take his eyes off her. He knew she was lying about being sick again. If she doesn't say something to the doctor about it today, he will. Roger didn't care if it did piss her off.
Mark got up at the smell of coffee and came into the kitchen. When Cass went to get dressed, Roger quietly told him about her being sick again and how he was going to tell the doctor. Mark nodded as Cass came out of the bedroom. Georgio came running over to him, dragging his leash and dancing around at Mark's feet. "Okay, okay, I'll take you out. Can I put pants on first?" Mark asked the dog as Cass walked back into the kitchen. As he stepped behind Cass, where she couldn't see him, he made a motion like he was holding a phone and mouthed the words 'call me' to Roger.
Roger nodded to Mark. "You ready?" He asked Cass.
"God yes! Think there is any chance I can convince her to cut the entire thing off? Not just the part on my fingers?" She smiled at him.
"Probably not but good try though." He grinned at her. "Give me ten minutes and then we're out of here."
Cass dropped the spiral notebook with Roger's lyrics in it into her backpack along with the guitar magazine he had been reading the other day. She opened the drawer and took out the envelope that had the cash in it her father had left. After putting some more money into her wallet, she dropped it and her book into the bag as well. She figured she would bring her book, just incase he changed his mind about her going with him and Collins to the clinic.
To MorganaPendragon - this takes place about three and a half years after the end of the play.
The next few chapters are building up to a high point in the story. I have a few chapters already typed and waiting to be posted, so I get excited for future chapters. So stay tuned, one of my favorite Roger and Mark confrontations and moments are coming up in the next week or so. I can't wait to hear what you all think!
Thanks again! Love you guys!
Chapter 40
"Roger!"
As they came through the door of the Life Café he turned as he heard his name called followed by a whistle. Seeing Jason standing up at a table in the corner he led Cass and Mark that way.
"Okay, I gotta ask, what was all the noise this morning?" Leslie who was sitting next to Jen asked as she scooted her chair over to make more room from the two chairs Collins yanked from a near by table.
"Yeah Davis, what the fuck was going on up there this morning?" Ginny said trying to sound as annoyed as possible.
Roger smirked as he sat down next to Cass. "Ah, breakfast had issues."
"Hence the reason we're now here for food." Mark grinned, trying hard not to laugh as he sat down between Maureen and Jen. "How did all of you end up here? And I thought you were supposed to be going home and playing nice or something." He directed the last part to Maureen.
"I was, I did, and I'm back. End of story." She threw back the last of her bloody Mary and put the glass back down hard.
"Okay, well let's just hope for all of our sakes there is truth to that whole safety in numbers thing." Mark joked at her.
Maureen scoffed as she stood up quickly, grabbing her empty glass back up and headed towards the bar.
"Not a good move Mark." Jason shook his head.
"Yeah," Jen yawned, "be grateful for a change you live on the fourth floor. She would have had to bang on all three of our doors at three a.m. before she made it up to you guys."
"Then why did she start at my place? We're on the third floor." Leslie asked.
"I think she was 'confused' and thought it was my apartment." Jen said reaching for Jason's coffee when she realized her's was empty.
"Well what happened?" Mark asked concerned. "When she left she was going home to talk to Joanne. Supposedly rationally."
"Dah Mark! Obviously it didn't work! And on one of the first nights in weeks I get to sleep like a normal person." Ginny bitched.
"As opposed to hanging from the rafters as usual?" Roger joked as he lit two cigarettes and handed one to Cass.
"Fuck you Davis!"
"Oh yeah, there's that sweet nurse like disposition all you patients are gonna love. You realize Ginny that bedside manner means being nice and caring towards your patients. Not how politely you pick your money up off the side of some guy's bedside."
Ginny gave him the finger and drank her coffee. Cass could tell she was trying to act annoyed, but she could see Ginny smiling behind her cup. When Cass first met her, she thought Ginny and Roger really disliked each other, but in the few times they had been together since last weekend Cass had come to realize she was wrong. They have this weird relationship. Almost like they love to hate each other. They get this big kick out of insulting each other. Almost trying to see who can out do the other. If anyone else, even Mark, had said some of the comments and insults Cass had heard Ginny throw at Roger this last week, she would have expected major fireworks. But not Ginny. It was almost as if there was a strange kind of admiration from whoever won the so-called battle.
Cass was glad it was just playing around. She really liked Ginny. She actually really liked all of Roger and Mark's friends. Aside from Giavanna and Marguerite and Mark, she really didn't have any close friends anymore. Not even close, just any friends anymore. Between travel and work she claimed to not have time. She knew that wasn't the only reason though.
The last time she had a group of friend like this was when she was with her ex boyfriend Paulie. And even then they weren't really friends. There was Paulie and his cousin Brian and his girlfriend Renee of course, but then there was also the rest of them. The party people, the hangers on, the connections.
Most of it centering around the drugs. Rich kids with nothing better to do then shove their money up their noses. Not so rich kids that learned how to party with and like the rich ones. Everybody looking for a good time. Everybody claiming to be one of your best friends. Especially when you had the liquor, or the pills, or the coke, or the party, or the credit card or the beach house or the shopping spree.
The only ones that came to see her in the hospital right after the accident were Brian and Renee. And supposedly Paulie, but she never saw him. Whether that was his fault or her family's she would never know, and really didn't care. And by the time she got out of rehab, she had no idea what happened to any of them. They weren't her friends. They weren't even really friends with each other. Not like these guys were. Not like they all are with each other. Not like Cass wanted, and was beginning to realize she had actually found. Found with all of them, not just Mark, and Roger now too, but actually all of them. She couldn't help but smile at the thought of that while listening to all of them go on with each other.
"Well maybe I should go talk to her." Mark said.
"I wouldn't advise that right now." Collins said.
"Yeah," Jason said holding up his now empty coffee cup to get the waitress' attention. "Safest thing to do right now is live in fear of Maureen for awhile. At least till this, whatever it is, blows over."
Roger couldn't resists, he knew it would get him in trouble, but he had to open his mouth. "That should be easy," he said giving an evil grin, "Mark has always lived in fear of Maureen! How do you think they ever went out in the first place?' He started cracking up at his own joke.
Collins almost choked on his orange juice at that statement. He knew Roger was right, but the more he coughed on the orange juice, the more he and everyone else started to laugh.
"What the hell are you two laughing at?" Mark demanded from Roger and Collins. "You two never wasted anytime running and hiding in your room from her when we all lived together." Mark grabbed his coffee cup and stood up. "At least when I ran and hid in our room from her I at least got laid later that night!" He announced with a newfound sense of triumph as he walked over to Maruzen at the bar.
For a change neither Roger nor Collins had anything to say as a come back, and seeing that just made all the girls, especially Cass laugh.
Roger looked at Ginny and Jen. "What?" He barked at them before turning to Cass. "And what are you grinning at?" He said trying to sound mean, but tickling her at the same time.
"Not at thing." She laughed. "Not a thing." Which only proceeded to bring about more laughter from everyone.
After awhile Mark and Maureen returned to the table and the waitress brought their food and more coffee.
"God I'm starving." Roger commented.
"Me too." Mark agreed slapping butter on his pancakes. He stabbed one with his fork and held it up. "You might want to note Cass," he teased her, "pancakes are usually a golden brown color, not pasty white on one side and blackened on the other." He started laughing and Roger joined him.
"Yeah these don't have that smoky aroma either." Roger picked on her.
"Or accompanied by the piercing sound of the smoke alarm going off." Mark said, barely able to get the words out. The two of them started laughing so hard their faces were turning red.
"Are you two finished?" Cass asked them. "Keep it up and I'll never cook anything for either of you again."
"Promise?" Mark asked through a mouthful of pancakes, all of which brought about another round of laughter.
"Mark!" Jen scolded him. "Be nice. I swear, what are you two? Twelve?"
"Yeah Mark," Roger said between laughs, "What are you twelve?" The two of them started laughing so hard Mark was having a hard time breathing.
"Great. I can see it now. A string of fart jokes and loogie contests are coming next." Ginny said. "Think we can convince them all girls have cooties and they'll leave us alone?"
"Nope!" Roger told her as he and Mark started shooting spit balls across the table.
*****
As Roger opened the loft door, he hoped the dark living room meant Cass had gone to bed. He stepped the rest of the way in and realized no such luck. She was sitting at her computer with her feet up on the desk.
He and Mark talked about it earlier, and Mark said he wouldn't sit up with her. He wouldn't let her sleep in his room either. They'd see if they could get her to go to bed on her own. Oh well Mark, once again, you're tough love theory is blown to hell.
She didn't turn around when he came in and he thought she might be asleep in the chair. He set down his guitar and dropped his jacket on the couch as he walked over. Roger saw her head drop down then bob up again quickly. He could tell she was struggling to stay away.
"Hey Baby, you awake?" He asked her as he kissed the top of her head.
"Hey." She looked up and stretched out her legs.
Roger pulled her up out of the chair and hugged her. "What are you doing up still? You've been up since six this morning?"'
"Waiting for you." She said sleepily as she shivered. "Brrrr, it's cold in here."
He rubbed her arms to warm her up. "Come on, let's go to bed." He walked her to their room and then went to take a shower.
Roger walked back into the room in a towel. His hair was still dripping. She was sitting up against the wall with her head rolling sideways, still fighting to stay awake. Roger leaned in closer and shook his head showering her with water.
Cass' eyes popped open. "Hey! What are you doing?"
He just grinned at her as he dropped the towel and put on a pair of boxers. Roger crawled into bed and she laid down next to him. "Why are you still up Cass?"
"Because somebody just gave me a shower. Ewww, Roger you're getting the pillows all wet." She moved over as he sat up and grabbed the towel off the floor.
Roger dried his hair out and laid back down as she moved back over next to him. He had to talk to her about this not going to sleep thing. Might as well try now. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her almost on top of him. "Cass are you still awake?"
"Uh huh."
"Cass we gotta talk." He said and was surprised at how serious his own voice sounded.
"What's wrong?"
Roger could hear almost panic in her voice as she tried to sit up, but her was holding her too close and too tight for her to move like that. "Oh nothing Baby, nothing like that." He started stroking her hair.
"I just need to know why you're still up."
"Because I was waiting for you silly."
"No, Cass that's not it. It's just that, no matter how tired you are, you won't go to bed. Not by yourself. Not once since you've been here. You either stay up till I get home or lay down with Mark. Never by yourself."
"That's not true. I just, I wanted to, I have so!" She tried to make excuses but was getting upset.
"No Baby, you haven't, but it's okay. It's okay really. You just gotta remember that. Nothing is gonna happen here. I won't let it. Neither will Mark. It's okay here Cass. Really. You can go to sleep and not worry. I promise." He stopped talking to kiss the top of her head. "You gotta go to sleep by yourself one of these days Cass, but when you do, just remember we won't let anything happen to you."
They just laid there like that for a few minuets. She didn't say anything. She didn't even make any noises. Roger just held her as he felt the tears run off her cheeks and fall onto his chest.
"I just want to forget all that and move on. I thought once I got my cast off in two weeks, that would be it. The end. All that other stuff would be behind me and I'd never have to think or deal with it again. It's not going to be that simple is it?"
"Probably not. But it will definitely get better."
"Well I guess it couldn't possibly get any worse. And it already is better some. I got you out of all this didn't I?"
"Yeah Baby, you got me." He told her, running his fingers up and down her back. "You got me." Roger meant it too, with all his heart and soul. He just couldn't help but notice that bad feeling returning to his gut though as he thought about what she said about things getting worse.
******
When Cass looked at the clock she realized the alarm wouldn't go off for almost another thirty minutes. She tried to remember what time Roger got home last night. Sunday night the band played but last night he bartended. He always gets home later on the nights he bartends.
It was probably at least 3:00 am when he got home. That was a mere four hours ago. And then he lay there talking to her for awhile too. Poor baby, he's gong to be so tired today she thought. And he has to spend the entire day sitting around doctor's offices. But she had gone to bed at least last night. She didn't really sleep, not well at least, more like dozed off a couple of times while waiting for him to come home. But he did actually find her in the bed last night. And it wasn't like she was trying to stay awake. Her brain just wouldn't let her relax enough lying there by herself. It was a start at least, and he did seem really happy about that last night while they talked.
Cass decided she could at least have some coffee ready for him. She climbed out of bed quietly, but as she stood and started walking her stomach started rolling over again. She headed towards the bathroom, followed by the dog who had been sleeping on the couch.
She closed the door quietly and turned on the water in the sink. Hopefully, no one would hear her if she did actually throw up this time. Especially today she thought as she sat down on the bathroom floor, hoping the feeling would just pass. If they find out she's not feeling well again, they'll just make a huge big deal about it and Roger will make sure the doctor finds out, and then it becomes a big deal all over again.
It's just stress, that's all. She felt like she was going to drown in work trying to get caught up. Not to mention life in general had hit a new high point on the stress-o-meter the last few weeks. Why didn't anyone believe her on that? Believe that she was fine? Believe that, that, that she was definitely going to puke again.
When Cass opened the bathroom door, Roger was sitting at the counter smoking a cigarette, watching her. "Are you okay?" He asked her, never moving his gaze off her eyes. "Did you get sick again?"
"Oh no, no I'm fine." She lied. "What are you doing up? The alarm shouldn't have gone off for like another five minutes. I was going to make coffee. Want some?" Oh way to obviously change the subject Cass. Ask eighteen questions and don't wait for an answer to any of them.
"Yeah, coffee's good." He still didn't take his eyes off her. He knew she was lying about being sick again. If she doesn't say something to the doctor about it today, he will. Roger didn't care if it did piss her off.
Mark got up at the smell of coffee and came into the kitchen. When Cass went to get dressed, Roger quietly told him about her being sick again and how he was going to tell the doctor. Mark nodded as Cass came out of the bedroom. Georgio came running over to him, dragging his leash and dancing around at Mark's feet. "Okay, okay, I'll take you out. Can I put pants on first?" Mark asked the dog as Cass walked back into the kitchen. As he stepped behind Cass, where she couldn't see him, he made a motion like he was holding a phone and mouthed the words 'call me' to Roger.
Roger nodded to Mark. "You ready?" He asked Cass.
"God yes! Think there is any chance I can convince her to cut the entire thing off? Not just the part on my fingers?" She smiled at him.
"Probably not but good try though." He grinned at her. "Give me ten minutes and then we're out of here."
Cass dropped the spiral notebook with Roger's lyrics in it into her backpack along with the guitar magazine he had been reading the other day. She opened the drawer and took out the envelope that had the cash in it her father had left. After putting some more money into her wallet, she dropped it and her book into the bag as well. She figured she would bring her book, just incase he changed his mind about her going with him and Collins to the clinic.