Chapter 77
"Okay, we're here!" Maureen called as she walked into the loft, followed by Joanne, Jen, Jason Collins, Ginny and Leslie.
"Hey." Cass smiled at them from her laptop on the couch. "Come on in."
"Where are the boys?" Joanne asked.
"They aren't ready yet. They would have been ready by now, but hey spent all afternoon playing some new video game."
"Which one?" Jason asked excitedly.
"The one that causes them to be really late!" Maureen snapped.
"Relax. They're in the shower. They'll be ready soon." Cass laughed.
"In the shower? Together? I always knew those two were like that." Ginny teased.
"No." Cass laughed. "Mark's in the shower in his fully functioning and finished bathroom and Roger's in the shower in our fully functioning and finished bathroom. We have three of those now you know." She smirked.
"Don't remind us!" Joanne joked. "Some things in life are just not fair!"
"God I remember when two people couldn't take a shower in a row, much less at the same time." Maureen said shaking her head. "Three whole bathrooms."
"Yup Cass, you've got now idea how things have changed around here." Collins commented.
Just then the bedroom door opened and Roger came out, hair dripping, wearing a towel. "Hey!" He grinned at everyone. "Cass where are my pants."
"Look in the dryer."
Just then Mark came out of his bathroom in his boxers. "Cass where are my glasses? I don't want to wear my contacts to a bar it's too smokey."
"Look in the kitchen." She laughed with everyone.
"Then again maybe things haven't changed all that much." Collins laughed.
They sat around talking while Mark and Roger finished getting ready. Izzy and Krystal got there and Maureen started to yell at Mark and Roger to hurry up because they were getting behind schedule.
"Jeez Maureen," Jason scoffed at her, "she made you maid of honor, not queen of the whole frigging world. Relax."
Everyone laughed as Mark walked up behind the couch. "But Maureen's always been queen of the world. Just ask her, she'll tell you." He joked climbing over the back of the couch, sitting behind Cass.
"I'm just going to ignore all of you." She told them.
"So where are we going?" Jen asked her.
"Well the guys can go where ever they want." She shot a look at Mark who nodded. "But I figured we could eat then start at the Clit Club and move on to a few more bars from there." She explained as Roger joined them.
"Okay, let me make sure I understand this." Ginny said with a sarcastic grin. "We're taking Cass out because her and Roger are getting married next weekend."
"Duh Ginny." Maureen told her.
"No, no, let me finish." She laughed. "We're taking out Cass, who is pregnant and can't drink, or smoke and is marrying Roger which technically should make her straight. So keeping all that in mind we're going to your favorite dark, smoky lesbian bar!"
Everyone including Cass and Roger started laughing at that. "Yeah, Mo," Jason asked her, "who's this party for anyway, you or Cass?"
"Well I didn't think of that." Maureen looked down at her feet.
"It's okay Mo. I don't care where we go, let's just go. I'm getting hungry."
"Okay, we're just waiting on one more person." She bit her lip and looked at Mark.
"Who?" Jen looked around. "Everyone we know is here."
"Okay well, now don't get upset Roger, but well, Cass is friends with her and all."
"Who Mo?"
"Well, Alison. And besides, she's bringing the company limo." She sat back waiting for the explosion that never came.
"You called Alison?" He asked amazed. "But you hate Muffy!"
"Well Roger I happen to be a big enough person to be able to put aside my petty grievances and go out and have a good time with my friends."
"That and the fact she could get a company limo to drive us around doesn't hurt either." Joanne threw in.
"Yeah well." She shrugged as they heard a knock at the door. "Everybody just behave." She told them, getting up to open the door, letting Alison and Benny in.
"Hey! Oh my God this place is incredible Cass. I never would have thought it possible." Alison said as they walked in. "Why couldn't you have ever done something like this with this place?" She asked Benny. "I mean look at this place. They have more square footage then we do."
"Yeah well, it was a dump then." Benny shrugged.
"Wow I still can't get over this place. Is it all finished?"
"Everything but the painting." Mark said, pointing at the stack of paint cans by the wall.
"Yes," Cass laughed. "We'll get that done sometimes in the next five years or so."
"I said I'll start painting. Will you two relax!" Roger yelled at them, then grinned so they knew he was kidding.
"The car is down stairs if everybody's ready." Alison told them
"Cool." Maureen said grabbing her coat. "Well, let's go! The girl said she was hungry." She tried to hurry them out before Roger could yell at her about Alison and Benny.
"Okay, okay." Cass told her, knowing perfectly well what Maureen was doing. "I need to get my shoes and jacket. Go ahead, I'll be down in few."
Taking the hint, the girls headed downstairs. Cass walked into the bedroom. When Cass was out of the room Benny looked at Roger. "Um, Rog, if you want me to take off I will. No hard feelings. Mark and Mo just thought, you know."
"Mark and Mo huh?" Roger said looking at Mark. "Yeah, I don't care. Let me get my jacket and we can go." He walked into his room, followed by Mark as Collins and Benny started talking.
"Roger I…" Mark stared.
"Don't worry about it Mark. It's okay."
"Well, we just thought, you know kinda like the old days."
"I said it's okay Mark." He told him sitting on the bed and pulling on his boots.
"Okay. As long as you're sure." Mark said stepping back out the door.
Roger lay back on the bed, watching Cass in the bathroom. When she heard Mark leave she stepped out of the bathroom. "You sure?"
He sat up and pulled her close to him. "Yeah, it's okay."
"They were trying to be nice."
"I know. It's okay. Really." He kissed her belly. "Now go before you screw up Mo's schedule. And be careful."
"I will." She smiled at him. "You too. And try to have fun." She kissed him. "And behave."
"Always." He stood up and kissed her again. "No go."
"Okay. Bye. Love you." She walked out into the living room over to Mark and Collins. She handed Mark an envelope. "Here go. That should be enough to get you started."
"Thanks Cass." Mark smiled, taking the envelope and hugging her.
"Yeah, yeah. Now listen. Don't get into any fights or any trouble. Do you hear me?" Mark, Collins and Jason all shook their heads. She turned to Collins and Jason. "And you two, don't let him get so drunk he's sick or passing out. And don't let anything happen to him. And for God sake, don't lose him!"
"Who Roger?" Jason asked, confused.
"No. I don't worry about Roger in the least. He and Izzy will still be standing when you all are out cold. I'm talking about Mark!"
"Oh that makes more sense." Izzy laughed.
"Hey! You know I'm not as much of a light weight as you all think." Mark protested.
"Right." Benny laughed.
"Bye sweetie." She kissed Mark's check. "Have fun boys." With that she left.
**************
Roger got up from his seat by the stage and went to the bar for another drink. He sat there, watching his friends for a few minutes. He hadn't seen Mark having that good a time at a bar ever.
"Damn, whatever it is she does to him, she should have come to New York a long time ago. That boy's got years of being way to serious and not enough fun to get out of him."
Roger looked up at Mark again. He knew Mark was buzzed big time. He could tell by the stupid grin on his face and the fact that Mark was sliding money into some dancer's garter. "You're right." He laughed. "I don't know if he's ever actually done that before." He pointed at Mark.
"You'd think he'd have lots of experience, having been friends with us."
"Yeah but this is Mark we're talking about here. He's more the look don't touch type. Just be glad he didn't bring the camera."
"Yeah I guess." Benny played with his beer bottle. "You know he was worried about whether or not you'd want to go to a strip club. All things considered and all."
Roger smiled, looking straight ahead. "Mark's the only person in the world who would ever even think about that."
"Yeah well, he did." Benny told him, leaning back against the bar and watching the rest of them at their table. "He called me you know. To ask me what I thought."
"What did you tell him?"
"That he needed to ask you, not me." They sat there quietly for a few minutes, looking at everything but each other. "I still really miss her you know. I loved her too Roger."
"I know."
"She was an incredible person."
"Yup."
"She would have really liked Cass."
"Yeah, she did. They kinda knew each other. Cause of Mark. They talked and wrote some letters."
Benny smiled at that. "Yeah, I can see the two of them as really good friends." He started to laugh. "And really big trouble makers. Could you imagine it? We'd be their biggest sources of amusement I'm sure."
Roger smiled at the thought of that. He could just picture Cass and Mimi as friends and causing trouble. He was right. He and Benny would have been the target of a lot. "Yeah, it's scary enough that Cass and Maureen are such good friends."
"Yeah." Benny laughed softly. "A Mimi – Cass thing would definitely have had Mo right there in the middle of it too."
They sat there again not speaking for what seemed like forever before Benny spoke again. "Rog, I'm really sorry. For everything. And I know that can't make up for all the crap I put you and Mark through, or everything with Mimi, but I do mean it. And I am sorry. But I'm glad we're sort of friends again. Or at least not trying to rip each others throats out. And I really am happy for you."
"Thanks."
They watched Izzy and Jason start laughing at something so hard Jason almost feel into Izzy's lap. "Considering they're gay, are Collins and Jason supposed to be having that must fun here?"
"You know Collins." Roger shrugged as he laughed. "Life is to be lived and fun can be found anywhere. Of course Mark and Jason being trashed out of their minds is helping I'm sure."
"I'm sure." Benny stood up laughing as he walked back over to their table.
Roger just watched them all sitting there. Laughing and joking with each other and the two girls who had been paying them attention. Izzy got up when he saw Benny come back over.
"You know you could have gotten drunk and watched the porn channel at my place for all the fun you look like you're having."
"Sorry. I'm having fun. Really." He played with his glass. "It's been awhile since I hung out in a strip club."
"Yeah. That's cool." Izzy leaned against the bar. "Hey Rog?"
"Yeah?"
"What made you decide to marry Cass? I mean what was the final thing that made you decide?"
Roger thought about it for a second before turning towards him on his stool. "I don't know. I mean I don't know if there was a final decision making thing. It just seemed right once I started thinking about it." He grinned thinking back on it.
"So what made you even think about it in the first place? I mean it's not like your being harped at every five minutes after nine years or anything."
Roger laughed at that as he signaled for another beer. "Well it was over Thanksgiving while we were at my mom's. Jack came over. I told you about that right?" Roger continued as Izzy nodded. "Well the last thing Jack yelled at me before leaving was how I could take my junkie girlfriend and my bastard kid and go to hell."
"Oh yeah, I forgot what a nice guy your father is."
"But that was it."
"What was it?" Izzy asked, confused, as he finished off his beer.
"What he said." He stared down at his beer, picking at the label. "I love Cass, with everything I've got. And she deserves way more than I could ever give her, but I got way more going for me than that bastard will ever give me credit for. "
Izzy just gave him a look as Roger continued. "Look, he's always hated me because he thinks I'm not his. And I wish to God I wasn't, but it looks pretty much like I am." He sighed. "I don't know, it's hard to explain. I just, look all I want is Cass and for her to be happy. And I would want that, baby or no baby. But considering there is one I don't ever want my kid to feel like I did around Jack."
"Even though it's not…"
Roger's head shot up and he glared at Izzy. "I love Cass. That makes it my kid. Period. You understand?" He almost surprised himself at how serious he sounded.
"Hey, relax, I didn't mean anything by it. I think it's really cool. The whole thing is great." Izzy sipped his beer. "Your lucky you know. Both of you."
Roger didn't ever remember thinking of himself as lucky. Not growing up with Jack. Or using with April. Especially after what April did and then his test came back. Even with Mimi. They were happy to have found each other. To be together. But they never considered themselves lucky. Neither him nor Mimi. Ever. Until now. Even with everything he realized finally he was lucky. Lucky to have Cass. Lucky to have the baby. Lucky to have Mark. As well as all their friends. Roger Davis, lucky guy. What a concept he thought. He looked up at Izzy and smiled. "Yeah, I know."
"Come on," Izzy stood up with his beer. "I'll buy you a lap dance." He laughed. "That is if we can pry one of those two girls off of Mark. What is it with him all of a sudden? I've never seen him like that around women before. Or them around him."
Roger grinned, trying hard not to laugh. "Well, Mark's come a long way. The fact that he's drunk is definitely helping his courage though. The fact that they know he's the one holding all the money isn't hurting anything either I suppose." He said as they walked over.
"I'm sure that's it." Izzy laughed. "Hey Marky, you having fun? You wanna share?"
"Hey Iz! Where's Roger?" Mark looked around, spotting Roger. "Hey that's Roger." He told the girls, handing them two twenties. "Be real nice to him, he's my best friend and he's marrying my other best friend." He slurred.
Roger laughed at that. "Oh thanks buddy. How you feeling?"
"Great! You like your party?"
"Yeah. How you doing Marky?"
"Nooo problem."
Roger laughed. "That's what you think." He turned to Jason and Collins. "You know you two are gonna be in serious trouble when she finds out you let him get this trashed."
"Yeah but it's fun right now." Jason laughed, clearly drunk himself. "And we don't live with either of them."
"Oh thanks so much." Roger laughed taking Mark's beer away from him and ordering him a soda as he looked around. "You know I never really thought about having a bachelor party before, but if I had, I doubt this is what I would have imagined."
"What's the matter honey? Whatcha want?" The red headed dancer asked him.
"Um, you two are fine." Roger smiled at her, sliding a bill into her garter before looking back over at the guys. "I meant you guys."
"What do you mean?" Collins asked.
Roger laughed. "I mean I never pictured a bachelor party that included Mark like he's been, Benny, and two gay guys in a strip club." He laughed.
"Hey what about me?" Izzy asked.
Roger laughed harder at that. "You I could easily picture drunk in a strip club for any bodies bachelor party!"
At that they all started laughing.