Chapter 80
Jen flipped through the pictures. "God I look fat in that dress. Jason how could you let me wear that!" It was more of an accusation then a question.
"How is that my fault?" He laughed. "Jen you looked fine. Actually you looked great. Tell her Collins."
"You were hot as hell that night Jen." Collins told her from behind his paper.
"Yeah Jen, if you don't believe your own gay brother and his boyfriend that you looked good in that dress, then no one will be able to convince you." Mark laughed.
"Oh shut up!" Jen laughed with Collins and Jason while throwing a pillow at him.
Mark ducked at the flying pillow. "No really Jen, you looked really good in that dress."
"Okay, you I'll believe. When are they going to be home?"
Mark checked his watch. "It should be anytime now. Their plane landed almost an hour ago."
"So you survived living alone for a week?" Jason teased.
Mark gave him a look. "You know I have lived here by myself before."
"Yup, the whole time Roger ran off to Santa Fe." Collins said from behind the newspaper. "And you did very well that time. Except for the not eating, not sleeping, and about worrying yourself and everyone else to death."
Jen and Jason tried to stifle a laugh as Mark picked up a section of the newspaper. "It was no where near that bad Collins."
"Uh huh. Right. Sorry. Must be my memory. But this time you did very well Mark."
"Of course he did. You two were here every day helping him. I ended up cooking you all dinner, and Mo was, well Mo was here too." Jen said.
"Oh yeah." Jason laughed. "The three of us worked our asses off all week. What exactly did Mo do when she was here? Anything productive?"
"Leave her alone." Collins told them flipping the newspaper page. "She's a drama queen without a stage. Every now and then she needs to let it all out."
"Yeah so she doesn't explode." Jason laughed.
Just then they heard the door rattle, followed by Roger banging on it and calling for Mark who hopped up and ran to the door.
"Your back!" he said opening the door.
"Isn't he cute?" Jason whispered to Collins. "Kinda like a puppy, all excited and shocked at the fact you actually came home at the end of the day."
Collins shushed him and swatted him with the paper while laughing.
"Yeah we're back!" Cass babbled, walking in behind Roger and hugging Mark.
"How was it? Was it just incredible? What did you do? Did you go anywhere neat? What did you see? Did you bring us anything?"
"Jen! Sit! Heel!" Jason yelled, laughing at the same time. "Just be grateful Maureen's not here from work yet."
Roger rolled his eyes. "Yeah I know." He walked into the kitchen, opening the fridge.
"Wait. Don't eat. I'm starving. We were waiting for you guys." Jen yelled to him.
"Okay, good." Cass took off her jacket. "I'm hungry. We'll tell you all about it over dinner. Let me get a sweater first, I'm freezing."
"Wow Cass, you got huge while you were gone." Jason said.
Jen smacked him on the head. "Oh very tactful. It's only because you haven't seen her in a week."
"No." Cass sighed. "It feels like it got bigger." Suddenly Cass looked around. "Oh my God! It's all painted. Marky you painted the whole living room!"
"Actually," Mark grinned, "we painted the whole place!"
"Wow you did!" Roger looked around. "The whole place?"
"Yup. And we got a surprise for you." Mark looked from Jen to the guys. "Collins and I got most of it painted, but wait till you see what Jason did."
Mark led her to the nursery, followed by Roger and everyone else. He flipped on the light and Cass gasp. "Oh my god it's incredible! I can't believe you guys did that!"
"Wow." Roger looked around the room. "That's so good Jason." He grinned, arms wrapped around Cass.
Mark and Collins had painted the walls a light purple color. Jason had gone back and painted a huge Winnie the Pooh mural across the one whole wall. He had other Winnie the Pooh characters on the other walls. On the ceiling he painted a sleeping moon with lots of stars and clouds all around. Coming from the ceiling and in every corner and on the trim around the floor we've little squiggle designs and patterns.
"Jason this is amazing! I love it!" She hugged him. "Thank you so much!"
"You guys did a great job." Roger grinned.
"Mo and I got the books with all the pictures in it." Jen explained
"Mo helped?" Roger asked smirking and raising an eyebrow.
"Well, she stayed out of the way, that was a big help." Jason joked.
"Behave." Jen grinned.
Just then they heard footsteps running up the stairs and the door flew open. "Are they back? Did they see it?" She saw them in the doorway to the nursery. "You're back! Did you have a great time? Did you miss us? Did you bring us anything? Did you see the nursery? Don't you love it? We worked on the whole place all week!"
Jason looked at Collins and mouthed the word "we" to him.
Collins smiled. "Like I said," he whispered, "drama queen, stage, explosion."
"We just got back Mo. And it's really cool. We're going for food now. Cass will tell you all about it."
"Yes and we love it, you guys did an incredible job!" Cass told her. She heard Jason make a noise and she grinned at him, trying not to laugh out loud.
"I told them you would! We planned it all out before you left! So it would be a big surprise!"
"Well it was. And we love it Mo. You did a great job. You guys, owe!" She grabbed her stomach. "He's doing it again." She told Roger.
Jen's eyes got wide as she hopped up. "Is he kicking? Now?"
"Uh huh." Roger said putting a hand on her stomach. "It started last Monday."
"Ew! Ew! Let me feel!" Maureen jumped in front of Cass, pushing Roger's hand out of the way.
"Relax Mo." Cass laughed. "He usually does it for a few minutes."
Everyone gathered around Cass, hands on her belly. When the baby settled back down they headed to dinner. They told them about the hotel, the beach and the swim up bar. The twenty-five dollars they won in the casino. Along with the snorkeling, shopping in Nassau, boat rides and when they rented a moped.
"It sounds incredible." Jen said. "Between the snow, freezing rain and slush around here I'd give anything to go someplace warm."
"Me too." Maureen agreed.
"Well next time we all need to go together." Cass smiled at them.
***********
"What are you doing?" Cass asked, stepping into Mark's room.
"Nothing. Just reading this stuff." He tossed the papers on the floor. "Come on in. You want to watch a movie?"
"Sure." She climbed onto the bed next to him.
"Where's Roger?"
"Taking a shower. He was cold." She pulled a blanket over her as Mark got up and dug through his movies.
"So you guys had a good time huh?"
"We had a great time. We missed you though."
Just then Roger came in wearing a pair of sweats and pulling a long sleeve shirt on over his head. "What's going on?"
"We're gonna watch a movie Baby. Want to join us?"
"Sure." Roger climbed onto the bed, sitting between Cass and the wall. "So Joanne's really gonna stay in Washington?"
"It looks that way." Mark started the movie turning off the light.
"So what's Mo going to do?"
"I don't know. They've got the apartment till the end of February. Too bad we rented the place downstairs next to Jen."
"Yeah, too bad." Roger said thinking about the whole thing as they started to watch the movie. "You want another pillow Cass?"
"I'll get it." Mark walked to their room grabbing a few more pillows and the comforter off the bed. "Here." He tossed the pillows to them as he spread out the comforter.
"Thanks Sweetie." Cass told him settling in between the two of them.
By then the opening credit were starting and Mark pulled the blanket up and started to watch the movie. So that they all fit, Cass and Roger were laying on their sides, his arm over her stomach. At a slow point in the movie Mark looked over at them. Cass was sound asleep. "Well she's out."
"Yeah she was tired." He whispered as he brushed a piece of hair off her face. "She really missed you, you know." Roger grinned at him. "My honeymoon and from Tuesday on all I heard was how she missed Mark and do you think Mark's okay? Maybe we should call Mark."
"Gee so much concern for someone who only got a tee shirt that says may best friends went to the Bahamas and all I got was this stupid tee shirt." He joked.
"Looser! You got more than that! Now shut up and watch the movie."
"But Rog," Mark gave him the puppy dog face. "Did you miss me?"
"Loser." He grinned. "Yeah I missed. You. Till the people we had been talking to asked if Marky was our kid back at home."
"You're kidding?" Mark laughed, then quieted down when Cass stirred.
"Shut up. Your gonna wake her up." He whispered, putting his arm back around her over belly. She stirred again. "Quick, give me your hand."
Mark grinned. "Roger, after all these years, you wait till your married?" He teased him.
"Shut up and put your hand right there." He grabbed Mark's hand and held it on Cass' stomach.
"That is so cool." Mark whispered as Cass woke up.
"He's doing it again. I don't think he liked the spicy hot wings we had at dinner." She mumbled, rolling over towards Mark and going back to sleep.
"Probably not." Roger laughed, scratching her back. "So what's going on with you and Mo?"
"I don't know. Nothing."
"What do you want to go on with Mo?"
"I don't know. Nothing." Mark looked at the TV, avoiding Roger. "I mean Mo's just Mo. I've been over her for years Roger."
"If you say so Mark."
"Is that polite for 'liar'?"
"Uh huh." Roger grinned. "Look I just remember how she is. And how you are with her." He whispered.
"No, you remember how she was. She's different now."
"I don't know about that."
"Come on Rog. She grew up. We all did. She's different. I'm different. Cass is definitely different. You're sure as hell different. We grew up." Mark whispered back.
Roger looked down at Cass, playing with her hair. "Yeah, I guess that's true. Especially about me."
"Uh huh." Mark said quietly, turning back towards the TV.
Roger watched the movie for a few minutes. "Mark?"
"Yeah?"
"When you say she'd different, you mean better different or just different different?"
"You mean Cass?" He thought about it for only a second. "Better different. I mean when I met her she seemed really happy. Good, you know. But I was young and stupid and in love with every move she made. It wasn't until later I realized it wasn't real. You gotta remember, we wrote a lot of letters. You think you and I talked about shit when you came out of rehab? Her being stuck in that place almost six months, we really talked about stuff. So compared to that, she's way different. Way better. And considering the hell she went through before she got here, yeah she's different. She's damn different especially compared to how she was when I met her. But she's happy. For real this time too. Maybe for the first time. At least the first time since I met her. And that's been a long time."
"Good." He ran his fingers through her hair again. "Hey Mark?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks. For everything." He looked straight ahead at the TV. "Me. Her. Everything."
Mark didn't look up from the TV. "You're welcome."
They watched the movie for another few minutes. "I hope Mo's different. I really do."
"Thanks."
***********
"Hi! I'm so sorry I'm late. I got held up at the office."
"It's okay. I knew you'd be here eventually." He said, coughing into his fist.
She sat down at the table, putting her briefcase and bag underneath. "So how are you doing?"
"Good. I was in the studio two weeks ago. That was really cool. I've been writing a lot too." He sniffed as he talked.
"That's great. You like your agent? He's got you completely covered?"
"Yeah. I'm covered. That guy you know, in their legal department, he's covering all that."
"Good. He knows what he's doing." She sipped her coffee the waitress had brought. "How's the band?"
Roger got a funny smile on his face. "Somewhat disbanded. Our drummer got a job in Florida and the other guitar player got a parole violation for buying liquor for a minor."
"Ouch. So you looking for a new band or what?"
"Surprisingly, no. Like I said, I've been writing a lot. Izzy's just plain too busy to deal with a new band. I'm still bartending, but mainly writing and hanging out with Cass." He coughed again. "Oh and get this. Ginny got a job. At St. Vincent's. In the maternity ward."
"Isn't that where Cass is supposed to deliver?"
"Uh huh." He grinned. "Ginny's a royal pain in the ass, but she's smart. Cass is really happy about it. Makes her feel a little better. Makes me feel a lot better. Like I said, she's a pain in the ass, but she doesn't take any crap. And Ginny knows us. Won't call security when me and Mark show up."
Joanne rolled her eyes at that comment. "Don't be so dramatic." She sipped her coffee again. "How is Cass doing?"
"She's great." He grinned. "You missed her birthday."
"I know. Tell her I'm sorry." She reached into her bag. "And give her this for me." She handed him a small box.
"Okay. Thanks. I will. She is doing great though. She's working too much, but she likes it I think. You know, work eighteen hours then not touch it for four days."
"How does she feel?"
"Pretty good. She's getting huge though." He grinned again, wiping his nose on a napkin. "You know how we used to lay on the couch and watch TV? Well, we both don't fit on the couch anymore." He laughed. "And he seems like he's playing one man soccer the way he's running around in there. He keeps her up at night a lot with that. Especially if we eat anything spicy."
"That's got to be hard on her. She liked hot and spicy." She smiled.
"Yeah, little bit. Plus he's jumping up and down on her bladder she says, so we know where every decent bathroom in New York is."
"Oh that must be fun." She stirred her coffee again. "So you guys had a good time on your honeymoon?"
"It was great. And the loft looks great with everything painted and all. You should see the nursery. Jason did an incredible job." He started coughing again, hard this time.
Joanne handed him a glass of water. "Roger are you okay?"
He finally stopped coughing and took another drink of water. "Yeah. I'm fine. I got a cold. It's going away though. It's only been about two weeks."
"Did you go to the doctor?" She asked skeptically.
He grinned. "Please, between Cass and Mark? Its so much easier to just give in and go then to be stubborn."
"Sounds like my father." She laughed. "One of those things you learn with marriage I suppose."
"Yeah, I guess." He laughed. "But I'm fine. I went to the doctor. It's just a cold. It's going away."
"Good. I'm glad." They sat there for a minute before she spoke again. "So is Cass mad at me?"
Roger looked down at the table, playing with his menu. "She misses you. She's not sure what to do. I mean she's really good friends with both you guys. She feels kind of caught in the middle."
"I'm sorry. I don't want her to feel that way. I don't want any of you guys to feel that way."
"Why did you want to meet me for lunch Joanne? Don't you usually have these lunches with Mark?" He finally asked the question as the waitress came over and took their order.
When she walked away Joanne looked up at him. Her tough lawyer façade fading away. "I just wanted to know what was going on, you know, with everyone." She shrugged. "I miss you guys."
"Like I said, I'm writing, Cass is great. Mark's been working a lot too. He's got a new project. It looks real promising. A money up front thing."
"How's Jason and Collins and Jen?"
"Jen's seeing some guy. He's okay." He laughed. "He doesn't understand us. He'd get along with you. And he can relate to Cass. Can't understand what she or Jen are doing with us, but he's alright I guess." He shrugged. "Collins and Jason are waiting on spring break. That's all."
"Good. Good. Tell everyone I said hello and I miss them."
"Mo's okay too." He told her. "That's what you really wanted to know right?"
Joanne could feel her face getting hot. "Yes. I guess." She said softly. "I mean, it's over. It's been over for awhile now. But I still miss her. I don't want her back. I mean we both changed and grew. And I needed this. To do this in Washington."
"I can understand that." He shook his head. "From what I've heard, Mo's saying pretty much the same thing. She's okay though."
"Good." She played with her napkin. "Are, are she and Mark…"
Finally Roger completely understood. Joanne and Mark had become close over the years, but Mark was too close to this situation. He was actually part of it. So if you can't get into Mark's head, do the next best thing, get into Roger's. "Well…"
"Look everyone knows Mark still had it bad for her."
"Not so much anymore." He tried to protect.
Joanne just looked at him. "And for all her big talk, deep down she still loved him in some way."
"Well they're not sleeping together. I mean I'd know if they were." He hoped. "Cass moved all her computer stuff out into the dining and we moved Mo into Cass' office."
"Oh. I mean good. I mean… I don't know what I mean." She shook her head. "I just wanted to make sure she was okay. Maureen's not exactly used to, well…"
"Being dumped? No she's not." He laughed. "Look, I think she knew it was coming. She knew it was over. She's just moving on. I never thought her moving on would mean moving back in, but it's okay. She's okay. She's a lot different than she was before. She misses you." He looked down at the food the waitress brought.
"I want to stay friends with her, but for years I watched her try and do that with Mark."
"Yeah that wasn't all that pretty in the beginning."
"Pretty? At times she was down right vicious. There were moments I was afraid you were going to punch her in the mouth."
Roger got a slight grin. "There were moments I wanted to punch her in the mouth. Girl or no girl. But luckily I have a lot of personal restraint."
"Ha! Luckily Mimi had a lot of restraint on you!"
"Yeah I suppose." He smiled thinking back on it. "Look Joanne, I'm not a good one for advice, that's Mark's department. But I say give it some time. Don't just drop everybody. Including Maureen. I think she can handle the friends thing better this time. I mean she's had almost five years of practice."
"I suppose. Thanks Roger."
"Yeah, yeah." He got a small smile. "Eat your lunch."