Chapter 68

Frustrated, Mark moved his pile of notes and papers and got up to answer the door.

"Hey Marky! Where is everyone?" Ginny asked, walking in and setting a very large pot on the stove.

"Hey. Roger's out still and Cass is next door with Jen and Maureen. What's that?"

"Beef stew. Saw my grandma again. Figured you all could use a meal, as usual."

"Cool." Mark opened the lid. "Thanks."

"Relax, it's gotta heat up. Leslie will be down in like fifteen minutes too. What are they doing at Jen's?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. The door was open still and he could hear Jason and Collins coming up the steps. "Hey you guys, Ginny brought food." He called out the door.


"Sounds good!" Collins said as they entered. "Hey Ginny. How's school?"

"Almost over." She grinned. "Two Friday's from today is my last exam, then I just take my nursing boards. But that's not till January."


"Are you nervous?" Jason asked, looking in the pot.

"Yes and no. I mean I know I know this stuff, and I score great on my computer practice tests. But once I'm done, everything changes."

"What do you mean?" Mark asked.

"Well I go from being nursing school student stripper to just plain nurse. Hopefully at least. That's one reason I'm here. I needed contact with people who aren't either freaked out from studying or aren't sick and in the hospital. I needed a break form whining and complaining."

"Oh sorry," Mark teased, "didn't I tell you Maureen's here?"

"You're so bad Cohen." She grinned. "I'd tell her you said that but we all know you'd like the punishment she'd give you way too much." She winked at him. "I'm gonna run upstairs. Stir that every now and then." Ginny turned and headed out.

"I love her grandmother." Jason said, stirring the pot.

"You've never even met her grandmother, you're just starving." Collins laughed.

"That's true. So what's up Mark?" Jason pulled two beers from the fridge, handing one to Collins. "I called you this afternoon. My department meeting was cancelled, wanted to see if you wanted lunch. Where was everyone?"

Mark began pulling bowls out of the cupboard. "Well I was meeting with this guy about a new film, and I forgot my phone. But Roger was meeting with his new agent."

"Agent?"

"Yeah," Mark grinned. "Trey, Izzy's cousin, his manager set it up. The label Trey plays with is actually buying some of Roger's songs. It's so cool!"

Collins couldn't help but think how Mark sounded so proud and excited. You would have thought one of his films won an Oscar. "That's great. Is it really past the talk stage?"

"Yep. He was on the phone with Joanne for a long time the other day. Basically she told him some things to ask the guys and what to watch for, but she knows someone in the legal department at the label. She said he should be fine. I wish he'd hurry up and get home!"

Collins looked around the tiny apartment. He could tell Mark had been arranging and rearranging his papers all afternoon. He had to stop himself form laughing out loud. "Is Cass with him?"

"No she's at Jen's. She had to meet with Elizabeth today." Mark tried to straighten out his mess. "Maybe we should eat over there."

"Maybe." Collins agreed. "How often is she seeing her still?"

Dropping onto the mattress he looked up at Collins. "She's only going once every two weeks. Which means she's better I guess, but I would have thought she'd be done by now."

"Well it's only been what, three, three and a half months? She's been through a lot Mark. You can't just say give me ten sessions of therapy and boom you're cured."

"Yeah I guess. She just seems okay though."

"Well, she is okay. But like I said, she went through a lot. And she's got a 24-hour a day reminder of it growing inside her. She's got to learn to live with that."

"Yeah," Jason agreed. "Plus she dates Roger. That right there is enough to put you in therapy! Not to mention the fact that she lives with the two of you!" He started laughing.

"Oh you are so funny Sumner!" Mark stuck out his tongue as Jen walked in the door.

"Hey." She said to the three of them as she headed straight for the fridge. "I need a beer. Or a strong drink. Or to have my head examined!"

After the previous conversation all three guys started laughing at her last statement. "What's the matter Jennifer?" Jason asked her.

"Oh nothing, except that I'm supposedly teaching Cass how to cook. And Maureen is helping me." She rolled her eyes at that, causing the guys to all start to laugh again.

"I take it that it is not going particularly well?" Collins asked.

"Uh, no."

"Well it couldn't get worse than the other day." Mark laughed.

"This is true." Jen shook her head as she laughed. When she realized her brother and Collins had no idea what they found so funny she explained. "The other day I told her how to make a chicken. I had to go out, so I wrote what I thought were very simple, yet explicit directions. I mean it was only a roasted chicken for god sake! Chicken a few vegetables and you put it in the oven." She stopped to laugh. "So anyway, she was supposed to put four cloves of garlic in the chicken, she put four heads of garlic in the chicken."

"Really?" Collins let out a small laugh. "That must have been an interesting tasting chicken."

"Oh we couldn't eat it!" Mark roared.

"Yes well, she was also supposed to cover the chicken in olive oil."

"Which she did." Mark continued laughing.

"I suppose you could say that. What I meant was of course just pat some olive oil on the chicken so it browns nicely. She went next door, got my stew pot, put the chicken with the four heads of garlic into the pot and covered it with olive oil." She realized they didn't get it so she explained further to the sound of Mark trying to catch his breath he was laughing so hard. "She dumped an entire can of olive oil into the pot. That chicken could have done the backstroke it was floating it so much oil!"

"You did say cover it." Mark managed to say between fits of laugher.

"You're kidding?" Jason laughed, picturing the whole thing. "Did she try and cook it?"

"Well she put it into the oven, luckily Roger came home about ten minutes later, so the oil hadn't gotten that hot yet. Its scary thinking Roger knows more about cooking than someone." Jen grinned.

"This is true." Collins laughed. "So what is she cooking today?"

"Hopefully Christmas cookies. I mean their only cookies, not brain surgery. However I told Cass to separate two eggs. So she did. She put one in one bowl and one in another. And I think she may have gotten the baking soda and baking powder confused. So we'll see what happens. Oh and Maureen hasn't done a thing but get in the way."

"Shocking!" Mark roared again, holding his side he was still laughing so hard. He composed himself together enough to tell her about the beef stew, write a note to Roger and tape it to the door before they all headed over to Jen's where the smell of burnt cookies was permeating the room.

Cass was taking the tray out of the oven. "I don't know what happened. We just checked them a few minutes ago."

"You were supposed to be helping her Maureen." Jen said somewhat sternly. "Just get out of the kitchen. Both of you."

Jason and Mark tried stifling their laughter as one opened the window and the other swung the door back and forth a few times trying to air out the room. Just as Ginny and Leslie came downstairs, Roger got back, brandishing an actual record label contract for three of his songs. After all the questions and excitement over Roger's new found success they finally settled down to eat.

"How much longer till you move back upstairs?"

"Another week, maybe two." Cass told Jen.

"I don't know how you guys are all living in that apartment. Jen and I about made each other crazy when I lived with her those first six month I was in New York."

"Yeah it's a little tight, but it's only for a few weeks." Mark told them.

"Ha! That's what Jason told me. 'It's only for a few weeks Jen, really'. A few weeks turned into just over six months." She shook her head. "I don't know how you live with him Collins."

Collins shrugged then grinned. "It's easy. You have to remember, I used to live with them." He pointed at Roger, Mark and Maureen. "And don't forget Benny. After living with them Jason is no problem."

"Hey!" Maureen pouted. "I am not difficult to live with!"

"Ha!" Mark almost yelled, causing Roger and Collins to crack up.


"Is she kidding?" Roger laughed.

"Oh shut up! Both of you." She pouted taking her bowl to the kitchen. "You know you two weren't that easy to live with either."

"What?" Roger laughed. "We're real easy to live with."

"Yeah, we're no problem at all. Right Collins?" Mark asked him.

"Um, well," Collins stood up. "Anybody want another beer?" He asked to the laughter of the rest of the room.

"Hey!" Roger yelled.

"See." Maureen said smugly as everyone else laughed.

"Cass tell them." Mark whined.

"Uh, okay Sweetie." She looked at everyone and smiled. "They are not difficult to live with. Not at all." She teased.

"Hey!" Mark yelled throwing a balled up napkin at her.

Roger grabbed her. "Oh you're gonna get it now!" He started tickling her.

"Roger! Let me go!" She struggled while laughing. After a minute he let her go to catch her breath. "Just for that I should make you go shopping with us tomorrow."

"He is not going shopping with us!" Maureen announced.

"You got that right!" He told her. "What could you possibly be shopping for now?"

"Christmas silly. We have twenty five days to go!"

"Uh huh." Roger nodded, rolling his eyes.


"And we'll be back upstairs by then. And I'm cooking dinner on Christmas!" She grinned.

"You are?" Mark's head shot up, wide eyed.

"Yes I am. I mean a turkey is just a big chicken. That's why I made the practice one the other day."

"Oh God." Mark grumbled.

"Um, Babe?" Roger asked her. "Are you sure that's such a great idea?"

"Oh hush up you two! Jen's teaching me how to cook. And so is Maureen." She grinned.

"Oh God!" Mark exclaimed to the nasty look he got from Maureen.

Cass ignored him and continued. "I'm not exactly dumb you know. I think I'll be able to handle it by then. As long as I have clear instructions it should be fine. The other day was just a misunderstanding."

"Well it will be interesting to say the least." Roger grinned at her.

"Hey! I'm doing very well thank you. Just ask Jen." Everyone looked to Jennifer.

"Uh, yeah. Well, true I guess I should have been clearer on that whole chicken thing. Who would have thought you'd think I meant pour in enough oil to cover the chicken?" She let out a small laugh. "And the cookies, well the non burnt one, are well, interesting. But hey, I'm an optimist. And a miracle worker. Eh," she shrugged, "who knows, I got almost a month."

Maureen was about to ask if anyone wanted another beer when she heard a knock at the door, which was still partly open. "Yes?"

"Yeah, um, I'm looking for Cass. The note upstairs said to take delivers over there, but the note over there said she was here."

Maureen looked the guy up and down as he spoke. He was pale and thin and real tired looking. And something about him reminded her of Roger's old friends from his junkie days. "Um, hold on."

"Look is she here or not? I don't have much time." He said anxiously, and louder. Loud enough for the others to hear him this time.

Jason, who was sitting closest to the door and heard him say he was looking for Cass got up and walked over. "What do you want her for."

By now everyone's attention had turned towards the door. Everyone's but Cass, who had heard the voice and pulled her knees up to her chest, trying to disappear into the couch.

Roger got up and went to the door next to Jason. Maureen happily moved out of his way and went to sit next to Cass.

"What do you want?" Roger asked gruffly, eyeing the guy up and down. Roger could tell he was strung out immediately.

"I just gotta talk to Cass. Tell her its Brian. Tell her it's about Renee. It's important.

Roger just glared at him for a second before turning to Cass. "Let him in." She said softly.

Roger opened the door the rest of the way, letting him step in. Everyone could tell by the look on Brian's face he wasn't expecting eight people to be sitting there. Everyone but Cass was staring at him. She was staring at her knees. Brian stepped into the apartment, looking around at everyone.

Cass pulled her knees in tighter to her chest and looked at him. It had been over four years since she had seen him. She couldn't believe how bad he looked. "How did you know where to find me?"

"Um, Paulie. He, uh, found you for me. It just sort of worked out that you were in New York too." He shoved his hands in the pockets of his jacket. "Yeah so, um Paulie, he, ah, called Anton and Anton gave him your address."

"Anton?" Her voice was almost inaudible.

Mark looked up at her from the floor then he looked at Roger who had crossed his arms over his chest, looking quite mean. And big. And looking for a fight. And the opportunity to beat the absolute crap out of Anton or anyone having anything to do with him. Mark stood up incase he needed to jump between Roger and the guy, but he wasn't comply sure he would do it even if the situation ended up calling for it.

"What do you want?" Roger asked him again.

Brian ignored Roger's question as he looked at Cass. He couldn't get over how different she looked. "You, um, look real good Cass. Way better than the last time I saw you." He shifted uncomfortably as he felt every pair of eyes bore into him.

Cass stared at him for a second. She felt all the fear and anger and hatred she had pushed down for so many years start to bubble up. She let go of her legs and sat up straighter and glared at him. "When was that Brian? At the party? When they were cutting me out of the car? Because it wasn't in the hospital. And it sure as hell wasn't when they put me in that place!" Her voice had gone icy cold.

Brian stared down at his feet. When he finally spoke it was very quite. "I'm sorry Cass. I mean you're right. We should have done something and we didn't." He looked her square in the eye. "We fucked up. I fucked up. And I'm sorry. But I'm sorry about a lot of shit, and at the moment, you're not my first priority!"

The room was silent as everyone watched the showdown between the two of them. "What do you want Brian? What's so damn important that you wait four frigging years and then have Paulie of all people track me down? What?" She stood up, arms crossed.

"Fuck!" He shook his head. "Look, I said I was fucking sorry!" He yelled at her, getting in her face. He saw Roger, Mark and Jason all step closer to him and he pulled back some. "I…" He lowered his voice as a desperate look come over his face. "Renee wants to see you. That's why Paulie tracked you down." His eyes went back down to the floor. "Cass she fucked up her heart big time with the coke. They even put her on a list for a transplant. But it's too late now. She got an infection and it went to her heart. She won't live through the weekend. We came out to New York to see her dad. For fucking Thanksgiving and now she's gonna die."

No one moved. Cass stared at Brian. Brian stared at the floor. Everyone else in the tiny apartment stared at the two of them.

"I gotta go. I gotta get back. Before her father tries to have me kicked out again." Brian said softly. "Or before anything else happens." He paused, still staring at the floor. "She wanted to see you Cass. They said they'd throw Paulie in jail if we did anything. I couldn't risk that, for obvious reasons." He sighed. "I'm sorry, but please, it's not Renee's fault. She just wants to see you. I think to say she's sorry, even though it's my fault. Mine and Paulie's. She just…" His voice broke into a sob. "Please Cass. She's at Mt. Sinai. Three west. Terminal wing. They've got 24 hour visitation."

He turned around to walk out, finding Roger and Jason right in his way. Neither of them moved. Brian sighed, stepped around them and walked out the door, leaving Cass standing in the middle of the room.

Cass watched him walk out the door. She backed up and fell back down onto the couch, pulling her knees up to her chest.


"What do you want to do Cass?" Mark asked her sitting back down on the floor at her and Maureen's feet.

"I, I don't know." She finally said, looking up and seeing everyone staring at her. Suddenly the tiny apartment already quite full with nine people sitting in it started to get even smaller. The walls started to close in on her and it suddenly got extremely hot in there. She couldn't breath, couldn't get any air into her lungs. She stood up, way to quick, seeing spots before her eyes. "I… I…"

Ginny saw her sway and realized she was hyperventilating. "Come on." She stood up, taking Cass by the arm and leading her back next door. Everyone started to follow them until Ginny yelled for them all to stay there and no one moved except for Roger.

"Baby are you okay?" He asked, grabbing her around the waist, trying to support her.

"I … I can't…"

"Roger open the door." Ginny said. "Cass you're just hyperventilating. Try and relax." Roger opened the door and walked Cass to the couch, kneeling down next to her.


"Make her put her head between her knees Roger." Ginny was digging around in the kitchen.

"Come on Baby, just relax. Put your head down." He reached up and gently pushed her head towards her knees. "Just breathe Baby, it's okay." He could tell she was totally freaked out not being able to breathe right. Mark had had panic attacks and hyperventilated before. It always freaked Roger out. He knew it never helped Mark, so freaking out now would certainly not help Cass, whose face was turning bright red. "Ginny! Will you do something already?" He kept stroking Cass' hair with one hand, while Cass was squeezing his other hand in both of hers. Her knuckles were turning white she had such a grip on him.

Finally Ginny found a bag holding a few bagels. She dumped them out on the counter. "Here. Cass just breathe into this. Try to slow down."

After a few minutes Cass could breath again. Ginny left the two of them talking and went back next door.

"What's going on?" Mark jumped off the couch as she walked in.

"Is she okay?" Maureen, right by his side.

"Yeah she's fine." Ginny told them, picking up her bowl of stew. "She just hyperventilated. Freaked out a little. Said the room was closing in on her. Not surprising. Everyone staring at her and breathing down her neck."

"But she's okay?"

"She's fine. Just totally freaked out."

"Maybe I should check on them."

"Maybe you should sit down and let Collins check on them." Maureen told Mark.

Collins nodded, got up and went next door. He came back a few minutes later, carrying Jason and Mark's coats. "Come on, they are going to the hospital."

"What are we doing?" Jason asked him, putting on his coat.

"We're going to make sure Roger doesn't do anything stupid. Or get arrested."

"Got it." He downed the last of his soda and headed into the hall.

"Marky," Maureen called to him as he stood in the doorway. "Call me and let me know everything is alright. Or if you need anything. Okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks Mo." With that he left.