One Week—13
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A/N: Okay guys, here goes the next chapter as promised. I just got home yesterday after having this urge to write all friggen week and you have no idea how good it feels to be able to sit down, open Word, and write. Enjoy! Thanks for all the reviews.
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MONDAY MORNING
"Packing?"
Roger looked up to find Lindsay posed by the door, a mug of coffee in her hand.
"Yeah. I gotta head back. Mark's probably unable to function by himself," Roger teased. Lindsay laughed and took a sip of her coffee.
"You gotta give him more credit than that."
"I do. You don't know how much credit I give him," Roger said, getting slightly defensive. Lindsay shook her head and sighed.
"You forgot these," she added, tossing him something. Roger looked down and noticed they were his AZT pills. Not knowing what to say, he pocketed them and continued packing. "How long?"
"Lindsay…" Roger knew he was going to get the full force, Lindsay Davis temper tantrum.
"I asked how long. It's not a complicated question," she said, staring out the window.
"I've had it since April died. We got it from—"
"I know how you got it. I'm not fucking stupid, you know," she spat back at him.
"I didn't say you were!" Roger replied, his voice rising. "It's not your business anyway." Lindsay turned to leave, but Roger grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
"Look, let me just let this sink in okay? It's hard, and I'm sorry I'm acting this way. I need to deal with this, then we'll talk, just please? We'll talk later. Not now."
The timer on Roger's watch started beeping.
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TWO WEEKS LATER: FEBRUARY 22
Valentine's Day came and went. Roger had never celebrated it before, partly because April was too high to notice and Mimi didn't care for it. He'd been so busy between bartending and band practice that he was starting to get the feeling that Mimi and Mark were starting to resent him for it.
Mark had been getting into the swing of things at SFP with Jackie, and the two of them had just gotten back from a three-day film convention in Richmond yesterday morning. Considering it was Friday, and Mark didn't have to work until the following Monday, he was pretty content with lounging around the loft. Lisa was still MIA, and Mark had only spoken to her once since she left, a conversation that revolved mostly around the words "I'm fine". He knew better than to believe her.
Joanne had left for Boston the day after Roger came back from Scarsdale, and Maureen had refused to see her off at the airport. Joanne promised to visit as much as she could, but everyone highly doubted she'd be coming back for a long time.
Maureen had spent the last two weeks auditioning around town for bit parts in Broadway plays, but hadn't gotten any callbacks. Instead, she and Chad spent most of their time either having sex or out at some club in Manhattan.
Benny had kept his one night stand with Lisa completely to himself, and since the gang was still treating him as shitty as before, he figured they had no idea anything had happened.
Mimi was now eleven weeks pregnant, and other than driving Roger and Mark crazy with her mood swings, she was enthusiastically planning out exactly how she wanted the nursery to look, scaring Mark and frustrating Roger, considering he was constantly having to bring home paint samples from the local hardware store.
"What about just…white? You really can't go wrong with white," Roger pointed out, handing her another sample card. She picked it up and glared at him.
"You're kidding, right? I don't—"
"Okay! How about we get off the topic of paint samples for awhile and just enjoy the fact that it's Friday and we have nothing to do?" Mark suggested brightly.
"Sorry pal. I have to take Mimi to the doctor and then it's off to the bar for me tonight," Roger interrupted.
"Oh, well, okay," Mark answered back.
"Don't you have a date or something? With Jackie?"
"Aren't you too old to listen in on my phone conversations—and yeah I do," Mark laughed.
"Just because you know that I do now won't stop me from listening," Roger teased. The doorbell rang and since Roger had disappeared and Mimi was in the kitchen, Mark moved to get it. Maureen walked in and sat herself down without saying one word to Mark.
"Uh, hello?" Mark laughed. Mimi took her jacket from Roger.
"We're leaving," Roger said, shutting the door behind himself and Mimi.
"I'm moving to California," Maureen blurted out. Mark stared at her and laughed.
"Right Mo," he said, scanning The New York Times. When Maureen didn't respond, Mark put down the paper and looked at her. "Explain."
"Chad got a great offer to head off another advertising agency in Los Angeles. He wants me to go with him. If I do, I have to be packed and ready to go by the 1st of March," she said quickly.
"You've been seeing this guy for what, two months, and you're ready to pick up and leave town with him?" Mark questioned.
"Three months."
"You really can't be serious about this. Who else have you told?" Mark asked.
"Just you. I was thinking about having everyone else over tonight at my place to tell them," she added.
"So you're going?"
"Looks that way. I mean, I could really get my big break there. Chad's got connections. Don't look at me like that Mark. It's only 3000 miles. I'll be back for the holidays, and when Mimi and Lisa have their babies. I'm only a phone call away," she said, noticing that Mark didn't seem too thrilled with her right now.
"Okay, so first you come here, thinking that you want to go, and two minutes later it's all decided that you're going?" Mark said.
"Marky, don't sound so disappointed," Maureen joked.
"What about Joanne?"
"What about her? We're over!" Maureen huffed.
"Fine. Go. Have a great fucking time." With that said, Mark went to his room and slammed the door, leaving Maureen alone in the loft.
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"Tendu, Arabesque—good, and brush, pique—Harvey you're not getting enough extension when you lift Jackie! Again!"
Jackie groaned, running her hand up the side of her leotard. Exactly what she wanted to be doing, rehearsing for some popular ballet with hope that she'd actually get a lead role this time instead of being stuck in the corps.
"I came all the way from Australia for this, right?" she griped to Harvey.
"Hey, it's not that bad," he laughed. He let Jackie perform her three pirouettes before lifting her with ease.
"Excellent. Okay everyone—that's a wrap for today. I'll see you all Sunday at noon where I'll have the roles for this years production of Romeo and Juliet posted."
Jackie grabbed her bag and exited the studio, following the crowd of girls headed towards the changing rooms.
"Jac! Hey!"
"Hey!" Jackie reached over to give 23 year old, Natalie Murphy a hug. "I didn't know you had rehearsal tonight," she added, slipping off her pointe shoes and dropping them in her dance bag.
"Yeah. They're running some kind of homage to the 80s for the spring production. Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Boy George—We had our first costume fitting today. Electric blue toe shoes," Natalie laughed.
"At least you're not dancing Romeo and Juliet," Jackie complained.
"I heard about that. You've danced it before, right?"
"Yeah, but I was only in the corps then. I wasn't a principle dancer," Jackie said, pulling her hair into low ponytail.
"At least you'll be familiar with the music. You'll get Juliet anyway. You're the best for the part—Bertrand knows that and she'll cast you for it," Natalie said.
Jackie shrugged. "She favors Alicia Michaels."
"So what? Have you see Alicia lately? She looks like a cow in tights. There's no way she'll put her in front of packed audiences every night," Natalie whispered. "You're gonna get it."
"If I do, I'm gonna have to quit my job at SFP. I can't dance full time and produce films too." Jackie pulled her jacket on over her leotard and sweatpants. "…Especially with rehearsal twice a day three times a week leading up to the show."
"So what? If you get Juliet, you'll finally be the principle dancer that they want. Your real job will be with the New York City Ballet." Natalie slipped her bag across her shoulder. "You want to get a drink or something?"
"I would, but I'm already meeting someone," Jackie apologized.
"Ooh, Jac's got a date!" Natalie teased. "Anyone I know?"
"It's not a date, and it's just Mark, the guy I work with."
"That's always how it starts. "It's just so and so." Uh huh, sure, keep telling yourself that. It's a date and you know it. If it wasn't, you wouldn't bother to fix your makeup right now," she laughed.
"Why do you have to be right all the time?" Jackie said, rolling her eyes. "Don't answer that. I'm out of here," she added, waving before she headed out of the door and down to the subway. She had just stepped onto the train and didn't even get a chance to sit down before someone grabbed her shoulder and jerked her back.
"Hey baby." Jackie squirmed out of his grip and pushed him away.
"Get off, Josh," she spat. The train had already started to move, and the other people in the car didn't exactly look too helpful. Two of them were sleeping and the other three we on their cell phones.
"Now, is that anyway to talk to me? You know I'm really sorry about the other night. Did you get my flowers?" he asked, pulling her towards the back of the train.
"Yeah, and they were inappropriate. I don't give a fuck about you or if you're sorry. Stop following me," she whispered loudly. The train pulled into the next top and a crowd of people thundered on to it. Jackie looked over and noticed one familiar face in the crowd. Roger. It had to be close to 9, which meant he was probably going to work at the bar.
"Can you let go of me? You've already sent me to the hospital more times than I like," Jackie muttered sarcastically. Josh sharply tugged on her shoulder, which caused her to shout in pain.
"You're such a bitch, you know that?" Josh shouted at her. Sure enough, a few people in the crowd started looking up, including Roger. When he noticed it was Jackie, he pushed through the crowd and walked over to them.
"Got a problem asshole?" Roger asked.
"What's it to you?" Josh argued back. Jackie pulled her arm out of Josh's grip and rubbed it.
"Do you want one?"
"Whatever." Josh quickly walked away to another section of the train, leaving Jackie and Roger alone.
"Thanks…"Jackie said, wrapping her arms around herself.
"No problem. You know him?"
"Unfortunately yeah. Old flame, I guess," she answered. Roger nodded and took a seat next to her.
"Wanna talk about it?"
"Not really, but thanks. Did you and Mimi decide on a paint color for the nursery yet?" she asked, trying to draw the attention away from herself and change the subject.
"Not really. I got so fed up I said white. She looked like she wanted to kill me for suggesting it. We're gonna wait until we find out what the baby is before we make any big decisions like that," Roger laughed.
"You, Mark, Mimi, and the baby in one apartment. That should be interesting," Jackie teased.
"Everyone thinks this baby is gonna be born with it's head screwed on backwards. They already think my parenting skills suck," he mock pouted.
"Aww, I'm sure they don't. You working at the bar tonight?"
"Yeah, until closing. You're hanging out with Mark, right?" Roger asked. Jackie blushed a bit and nodded.
"Yeah. We're probably gonna go for coffee or something."
"That's always how it starts. Coffee or something. Then it's, oh honey, let's have sex or something," Roger joked. Jackie laughed and stood up from her seat.
"Well, this is my stop," she said, still laughing.
"Want me to walk you to the loft? I can be a few minutes late," Roger suggested.
"No, I'll be fine," she said, smiling as she stepped off the train.
"Hey Jackie?" Roger shouted over the roar of the crowd.
"Yeah?" she answered, turning around.
"He really likes you. I mean, just the way he talks about you. I don't think I've ever seen him like that in a long time. Not since Maureen at least, and we all know how that ended. So just uh, don't hurt him?"
"Don't worry, I won't. I like him too," she laughed, waving to Roger before she ran up the subway stairs.
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"Oh god, I think we've had enough to drink," Jackie laughed, poking at her vodka shot that was in front of her.
"Yeah, we should probably get going? It's what…I think 1 AM," he slurred, trying to make out the numbers on his watch.
"We are so lucky we don't have work tomorrow. Thank god for Saturday," she giggled, standing up from the table. Mark followed, stumbling a bit as they walked out of the door.
"I'm gonna pay for this tomorrow. Your place or mine?" she asked, squinting at the street signs.
"Mine's closer," he said, linking his hand through hers.
"Yeah—yeah, okay?" she said, closing her eyes and resting her head on his shoulder.
Half an hour later, Mark pulled the key out of his pocket and opening the loft door, pushing Jackie in before him. She flopped down on the couch and rested her hand on her head.
"You wouldn't have any Tylenol would you?" she asked. Mark nodded, stumbling over his own feet before returning with a bottle of Tylenol and a glass of water.
"Here," he said.
"Thanks," she added, taking the pills. Mark sat next to her and for the next few minutes, the pair just stared at each other before Mark leaned in and kissed her. Before either one of them knew it, it had progressed into a hot and heavy "Roger-and-Mimi-esque" makeout session. Mark practically had Jackie's shirt off and Jackie had her hand halfway down his pants before either one of them decided to move into his bedroom.
"You're sure about this, right?" Mark asked, breathlessly stopping outside of his bedroom door.
"Yeah, are you?" she asked.
"Yeah."
"Okay." Mark took Jackie's shirt off and stumbled into the room, kicking the door shut behind him.
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Mark woke up the next morning to find Jackie sleeping peacefully, her head resting on his chest and her arm wrapped around his waist. Mark looked over at his alarm clock and when he realized it was only 8 AM, he carefully moved out of her grasp, stood up and retrieved the Tylenol from the coffee table where he left it last night. He found Roger sitting at the counter, trying to hide his smile behind yesterday's paper.
"Must have been a good night," he laughed from the counter.
"Shut up," Mark said, collecting the Tylenol and rubbing his head.
"Ooh touchy. Considering you're too hung over to notice you only have a sheet wrapped around yourself, I'd say it was a very good night," Roger continued. Mark glared at him.
"Yeah, it was a really great night, okay? Why are you up so early? What time did you get in last night? Did we wake you up?" Mark yawned, downing the pills with Jackie's leftover glass of water.
"Okay Mom, I'm up early because I can't sleep. I got in around 2 last night, and yeah, you did wake me up. Trying to compete with me and Mimi huh?" he laughed.
"Enough. I'm going back to bed," Mark grumped before slamming the door in Roger's face. He pulled on a pair of boxers before lying back in bed. Jackie stirred and opened her eyes.
"Good morning," she mumbled, trying to sit up. "Oh shit," she added, resting a hand to her head. "God that hurts."
"Yeah, I'm sorry. We drank too much last night," he laughed, handing her two Tylenol pills and a glass of water.
"Did we, you know…?"
"According to Roger, yeah," Mark blushed.
"That loud huh?" she joked. Mark nodded as she reached over and pulled on a sweatshirt of his.
"You don't regret it, do you?" he asked hesitantly. The last thing he needed was for her to pull a Maureen on him.
"Of course not," she laughed, kissing him. "Ow." She lazily rested her head on Mark's shoulder. "What time is it?"
"Around 8."
"Come on," she said, pulling Mark up with her. She put on her sweatpants again and threw Mark his shirt before opening the bedroom door. Roger was still sitting at the counter, now shoveling cereal into his mouth.
"Why?" Mark whined. He rested his arm around her waist and the both walked sleepily into the kitchen.
"We both need coffee," she said.
"I'll get it." Jackie nodded and took a seat next to Roger on the barstool and stole the paper from him.
"Hey! I was looking at that!" Roger joked.
"Yeah, okay. More like absorbing it." She scanned the headlines before handing it back to him. Mark came and sat down, placing a mug of coffee in front of her before drinking his own.
"Get pretty smashed last night?" Mimi asked, coming out of the bedroom. She walked over to Roger and sat on his lap, curling up against him.
"Not you too. Roger already started with me," Mark laughed, massaging his head.
"Guess my advice really worked, huh Jackie? Oh honey, let's have sex or something!"
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