CHAPTER 26
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"I CANNOT believe that bastard!" Mimi yelled, slamming the door of Collins apartment.
"Whoa, pregnant woman on a rampage!" Dan screeched, ducking out of Mimi's way. He had just arrived home from work and was holding two sketches of the upstairs loft in his hands.
"I could FUCKING kill him!" she continued.
Maureen ran out into the living room from the kitchen, her heels clattering on the linoleum. "Sweetie, what happened?"
"Yeah, what?" Collins asked, bringing the newspaper with him. "What did he do this time?"
"Do I need to kick his ass?" Maureen said, resting her hands on her hips.
"Oh believe me, I'll take care of it. So I get upstairs, except I find him sitting there with the guys and a fucking girl on his lap!" she raged. "Her arm was wrapped around him and everything." Mimi slumped to the floor and rested her chin on her knees.
"That fucking bastard. You just wait until I get done with him Mimi—"
She was cut off by pounding on Collins door. Mimi looked up and stared at it apprehensively, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. "I'm not talking to him."
"No, you don't have to. Roger, take your implanted skank crack whore and go away!" Maureen yelled through the door.
"Open the fucking door, Maureen!" he yelled back at her.
"C'mon," Collins added, helping Mimi off the ground and into the bedroom. Mimi curled up on it, and both Collins and Dan took a seat on either side of her.
"Maureen OPEN THE DOOR!"
"You need anger management buddy! And a course in "How to keep my dick in my pants while my pregnant fiancée plans for our wedding 101"!" she retorted.
"Maureen."
"Roger."
"I don't know. Now everything makes so much sense. Now I know why he's been away with the band so much," Mimi said miserably.
"Honey you don't know that," Dan added. "I know he's trying really hard to provide for you."
"Yeah. I'm sure Lauren is just a friend—nothing more. I guess it would be kind of the same situation—say, if you went and sat on Mark's lap and wrapped your arm around his waist," Collins put in.
"But it's Mark," Mimi sighed.
"So what? I know it probably looked awkward, but did he honestly look like he was comfortable with her?"
"I don't know. For all I know they could have been shoving their tongues down each other's throats two seconds before I walked in," she said, resting her hand on her head.
"I don't think anyone would have allowed that, especially Wes."
"I don't know. I can't trust him."
"Don't say that. He wouldn't have proposed to you, honey, if he didn't want to start a life with you," Dan reminded her.
"Yeah, but still. Maybe I overreacted, but how would you feel finding your boyfriend sitting on the couch with some girl in a shirt three times too small?" Collins and Dan glanced at each other. "That's what I thought."
"Just go talk to him before he breaks down our apartment door. Call me later and I'll come up and tell you what I figured out for decorating," Dan smiled, kissing Mimi on the cheek.
"Thanks. Both of you," she said, retreating to the living room where she found Maureen glaring at Roger, who was shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot.
"Mimi, I—"
Mimi brushed past him. "Not here."
"Okay."
Mimi walked back upstairs to the loft, finding it empty. "They left?"
"Yeah."
"Kay." She entered the kitchen and grabbed a soda out of the fridge, placing it in front of her.
"Look, Mimi, I—"
"Let me just get this out okay?"
"Yeah." He took a seat at the barstool.
"I can't marry someone that I can't trust. Look, I know I probably overreacted today, but put yourself in my position. How would you like it if I had some random guy hanging all over me—a guy you didn't know? Or how would you like me sitting on their lap?"
"I wouldn't."
"See? I know that because you work at a bar and have gigs at a bar you're going to have girls hanging all over you—but Roger, I don't want to raise a baby on my own. I don't want to sit up all night waiting for you to come home, not knowing where you've been or who you've been with. I can't do that," she finished quietly, glancing down at her feet.
"I know baby. I promise I'm going to be there for you as much as I can," he answered.
Mimi nodded. "I just gotta know—who is she to you?"
Roger sighed. "She's my old ex girlfriend, from when I first moved to the city with Mark. Before April. Way before April."
"I see." Mimi took a sip of her soda and looked down at the floor again. "Druggie?"
Roger nodded. "Yeah."
"Okay." Mimi bit her lip as she felt a tear slide down her cheek. She carelessly wiped it away and concentrated on the soda can.
"Don't cry. Please don't cry," Roger begged her, cradling his own head in his hands.
"I don't want her around here," she said quietly, grabbing a few tissues off the counter. "Roger, I'm just warning you now—I swear to fucking god if I ever catch you shooting up—if I see the marks or anything, it's over. I can't."
"I know," he said, walking over to her and pulling her into his arms. "I won't."
If you want to sleep
I'll pull the shade
if you should vanish
I'm sure to fade
if you should smolder
I'll breathe in your smoke
If you should giggle
I'll smile and pretend that I made the joke
Mimi closed her eyes and buried her face into Roger's shoulder, his own hands placed tightly around her body. "Please Roger."
"She won't be around here baby. She just came with Evan and the guys. I'm sorry. I didn't know how much it would upset you. She just came over and sat on my lap right before you walked there. I didn't want her there, I swear," he whispered into her ear. Mimi swore she heard his voice quavering a little bit.
"It's okay," she answered, locking her fingers through his. "I believe you."
"Okay," he added, kissing her hair.
"I'm gonna go lay down. Come with me?" she asked. He nodded, and they headed off for the bedroom together.
And if you should ever leave me
I will crumble
That's just the way I am
I hope you never leave me
That is to say
I will crumble …
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"That's really unlike him."
"Tell me about it," Mimi scoffed, sprawling out on the floor of the loft with Maureen and Dan. "He apologized and everything, but I still feel really weird about it. I don't know, it just…bothers me."
Maureen nodded sympathetically and handed her another paint sample. "Does Lauren still like him or something?"
"I don't know. Roger told me she's with Evan now, but c'mon Maureen, if I invite Evan, then she's obviously going to show up and I really don't want that." Mimi groaned.
"So tell him that you don't want her anywhere near him or around you," Dan voiced. "Then if the bitch refuses to listen—"
"We'll take her on—" Maureen smiled.
"…with her fake silicone. Anybody up for a water balloon toss?" Dan grinned. Mimi rolled her eyes and shoved him playfully.
"Gross."
"I learn from the best," he shot back. "When's lover boy getting back?"
"Um, I don't know. He went out with Mark. Hopefully he'll talk some sense into Roger. Jackie should be home in a little bit."
Dan nodded. "Okay, so here's what I planned out. I have this friend in Brooklyn, Steve, who works for my company a few days a week. I told him how you want to redo the place, so he said just to let him now and he'll stop by sometime this week to do the measurements for the carpeting. I was thinking of a tan Berber carpet and light champagne colored walls for the living room area. This way it's not too girly, but comfortable. Unisex, basically."
Mimi nodded and looked at the samples again. "Yeah, I definitely like that."
"Good." Dan wrote his idea down on paper and turned to her again as Maureen flipped through a catalog. "I'm leaving the separate bedrooms up to all of you. I talked to Benny about knocking the one wall out. He said, and I quote, 'I don't give a shit what those bohemian rejects do as long as they pay the rent.' Nice guy."
"Oh yeah, peachy," Maureen laughed, rolling her eyes. "You're really knocking that one wall out?"
"I think so. We want to give Mark and Jackie more space that doesn't require them moving out," Mimi said. "I don't really know about the colors for the other rooms, maybe we could just paint and carpet the main area and just carpet the other rooms, minus the baby's?"
"That's fine. I could have Steve carpet the whole place by Wednesday, and the painting crew could be in here the following week."
"Okay."
Dan stood up and grabbed his things, giving both Maureen and Mimi a kiss on the cheek. "Ladies, it's been great, but I've got to run. I'll put in a call to Steve, then I'll call you and let you know when he can make it up here."
"Bye sweetie," Maureen called after him. "Aw Meems, it'll be okay." She gave Mimi a tight hug.
"Yeah, I know." Mimi stood up and grabbed a bunch of the samples off the floor and placed them on the coffee table. "How long are you in town for?"
"I need to be back in Los Angeles on Wednesday. I have an audition set up for an independent movie role, kind of. Basically the script's about this lawyer who has affairs with all these rich women, and voila, if I get the part I get to be one of them."
"The part's all you, Mo," Mimi laughed.
"Oooh Romeo and Juliet is on! You know, the new one with Leo DiCaprio and Claire Danes? Let's watch," Maureen squealed, grabbing Mimi by the arm and pulling her onto the couch.
"Wait, let me go get some popcorn, I'm starving," Mimi said, heading off to the kitchen.
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"I was thinking about doing something really nice for Mimi," Roger said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Like maybe take her out."
Mark nodded. "I think she'd like that."
"Yeah."
"She's doing one of those pregnant women things, isn't she? Nesting, or whatever? She's redoing the whole loft," Mark laughed. "I'm really not going at it with her about that. I don't care either way. The place does need some fixing up."
"Yeah."
Mark looked at him quizzically. "You okay?"
"I guess," Roger shrugged, as they continued walking towards the park. "You remember Lauren?"
Mark thought about it for a minute. "Sort of. Short red head with really huge tits?"
Roger laughed. "Yeah, that's the one."
"What about her?"
"She showed up with Wes and the guys today, then she gets all up on me and sits on my lap."
"Sleazy," Mark said, shuddering.
"And Mimi walks in."
"Oh shit. How—what happened?"
"She looked like she was about to kill me, got really pissed, and stalked off after slamming the door in my face."
"I don't blame her," Mark said. "If Jackie was sitting on some guy's lap that I didn't know I'd react the same way. I think."
"Yeah. So we talked it out, and she forgave me, but I still feel like shit about it. She started crying and everything. I think she expects me to walk out on her and the baby."
Mark nodded. "Her hormones are crazy, Rog, but I can see where she's coming from. She knows that there's gonna be girls hanging out of their shirts wanting to give it to you backstage, and that's always going to bother her, but you have to reassure her as the responsible fiancé and tell her that nothing like that is ever going to happen. She just needs reassurance every once in awhile."
"I know."
"So just remember to tell her that you love her and care about her every once in awhile. Mimi doesn't need big and fancy, she appreciates the little things. You know that," Mark added.
Roger nodded. "I love her, I really do Mark. I never felt this way about anyone but her, and I didn't just propose to her because she's pregnant. I want to spend whatever I have left of my life with her."
"I love you, man," Mark said, pretending to fake cry and clutching onto Roger's arm.
Roger pushed him away playfully and laughed. "Dude, get off. Dork."
Mark laughed and pushed his glasses up on his nose. "Sorry, couldn't help myself."
Roger squinted towards the direction of the park. "Hey, isn't that Jackie? Who's she with?"
Mark looked in the direction Roger was facing and shrugged. "I don't know. I can't see from here. Let's go over."
"Alright." Roger walked a few paces behind Mark as they crossed the street.
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"Don't be an asshole about this," Jackie shouted. "I'm happy now—let me stay that way."
"You can't possibly be happy with someone like that," Josh laughed, grabbing onto her wrist. "C'mon Jac, when are you going to wake up? You don't have Natalie to protect you anymore."
"J, let's just go."
"Fuck off, Bryan. I didn't ask for your opinion."
"Let go of me," Jackie shouted at him, grabbing her wrist away. "I told you—"
"Let go of her," Mark voiced, throwing himself between Jackie and Josh.
"Get the fuck out of my face," Josh argued with him, shoving him out of the way. Mark collided into Jackie, and Roger steadied them both before stepping in front of them. Josh tore around Roger and hooked him forcefully right in his side. A loud cracking noise was heard, and Roger winced before stumbling back a few steps.
"You fucking asshole!" Jackie screamed at him, launching herself at Josh. Mark pulled her back by the waist as his fist connected with Josh's jaw.
"Holy fuck," Roger added, holding his side as he attempted to pull Mark away from Josh by the jacket. "Just let it go Mark."
"She's not good enough for you anyway. You'll never have what me and Jackie had," Josh threatened, wiping some of the blood off his lip. "She's nothing but a whore," he added, laughing.
"Stop it Josh."
It was too late. Mark had dove again for Josh, this time pulling him down onto the ground. The two hashed it out for the next five minutes, until Bryan pulled Josh out, who was bleeding profusely from a cut above his eye, his jaw swelling as well. Roger half pulled, half forced Mark away as the two men glared at each other.
"Fucking stay away from her," Mark yelled, diving for Josh again. Josh pulled out of Mark's grasp, and kicked him as Roger wrapped his arms around Josh's shoulders.
"STOP IT!" Jackie screamed at everyone, tears falling freely from her eyes. She threw herself at Josh as well, but was pushed aside easily, her forehead scraping against the hard concrete of the park.
"Mark, let it go!" Roger shouted at him, holding his ribs with one hand and helping Jackie to a sitting position with the other.
The next minute took place in complete slow motion. Roger didn't even see Josh reach under his jacket, nor did he see him pull out the gun.
The sound echoed through the crisp March air, and as Jackie scrambled to her feet, Mark fell to the ground with a dull thud. A look of satisfaction crossed Josh's face—but then was replaced by complete fear, as he fled from the area.
"GET THE FUCK BACK HERE!" Roger shouted, pulling himself over to Mark.
"MARK!" Jackie yelled, throwing herself over him. "Mark, can you hear me? Oh god, this wasn't supposed to happen! Roger, call 911!"
Roger grabbed her purse and dumped it out, her black cell phone clattering to the ground. He picked it up and dialed.
"Can you hear me? Mark?" Jackie breathed, lifting up his shirt. "Roger."
"Yeah, we're in Tompkins Square Park. My friend's been shot, hurry, okay?" Roger shouted into the phone. "What?"
"He's bleeding out all over the place," she whispered. "I think the bullet's in the abdomen, I can't tell."
Roger glared at her. "Don't you think I fucking see that? If it wasn't for your psycho son of a bitch ex boyfriend, none of this would have happened," he argued at her. "What were you doing with him anyway?"
"I was on my way home, and he just cornered me. I'm sorry Roger, I'm so fucking sorry," she cried, covering her mouth with her hand. The front of her shirt was stained in Mark's blood. "Mark?" He opened his eyes a little. "Can you hear me?"
"Yeah," he said quietly. Jackie slipped her hand through his. "I'm okay?" It was more of a question than a statement.
"The paramedics are on their way, so just hang on, okay?" Roger said. He stared down at Mark's side and noticed there was a lot of blood staining the concrete.
"Okay," he said shallowly, squeezing Jackie's hand. "You okay…Jackie?"
Jackie nodded and rested her head onto his chest, crying. "I'm okay Mark."
Mark closed his eyes, and Roger shook him. "You gotta stay awake. The paramedics just pulled up.
"Mmhmm."
Jackie turned to Roger. "Roger I—"
He shook his head. "Go back to the loft and tell everyone what happened. I'll meet you at the hospital."
"Okay." She took one look back and started running off in the opposite direction.
"You're gonna be fine, Mark. I promise."
"Looks like a GSW to the upper right quadrant. Personal dispute?" Two paramedics hoisted Mark onto a stretcher as a third started questioning Roger as he climbed in the back of the rig.
"Yeah. His girlfriend's ex boyfriend shot him and took off through the park."
"Can you give a physical description?"
"Yeah. So can she."
"Where is she now?"
"Back at our apartment telling my girlfriend and our friends."
"A detective will need to question you both once we reach the hospital."
Roger nodded and blinked, taking Mark's pale hand in his own. "You're gonna pull through Mark."
"Promise?" Mark said quietly.
"Promise."
Mark blinked a final time before his focus faded to black.
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Jackie pulled herself up the stairs, sobbing openly. This was never have supposed to happen, and everything was her fault. Roger hated her, and Mark was dying because of her. She figured that she might as well just kill herself and save everyone else the trouble.
She shakily gripped the doorknob and pushed it open, finding Mimi, Maureen, Collins, and Dan crowded around the TV, watching what appeared to be Romeo + Juliet.
Maureen looked up and smiled, but her face fell as soon as she took it Jackie's shabby appearance. "Honey, what's wrong?"
Jackie gulped and tried to force the tears back. "It's Mark—he's been shot." As soon as she said it, everyone was on their feet, grabbing their respective coats and belongings.
"Oh my god. Where's Roger?" Mimi asked, panicking.
"He's okay. He went with the ambulance to the hospital."
"Which one?" Collins asked.
"I—oh god, I don't know," she said, the tears sliding down her cheeks again. "This is all my fault."
"No sweetie, don't say that." Maureen wrapped her arm around her.
"Yes it is! It was my ex boyfriend who shot him," Jackie said.
"Jesus."
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They reached NYU Medical Center within ten minutes, due to Maureen's ability to speed through the streets of Manhattan under pressure. So much for defensive driving.
As they all piled out of her Acura, Collins led the way to reception. "Did the paramedics happen to bring in a Mark Cohen and Roger Davis?" The charge nurse looked back at the board and nodded.
"Yeah, about fifteen minutes ago. Mark Cohen just went up to surgery, and Roger Davis is in Exam 2," she said.
"Thanks. It's this hospital guys!" Collin called over. "We'll meet you upstairs, Mimi."
She nodded as Collins, Maureen, Jackie, and Dan headed off to the elevators. Mimi walked quickly down the hallway, pausing and knocking outside the door. "Hi."
"Hey," Roger said. His shirt was off, and an ID bracelet was placed around his left wrist. A middle aged doctor stood off to the side, making some notes on his chart as Roger leaned back a little on the adjusted bed. "They were just about to send me upstairs for x-rays."
"Hello, I'm Dr. Peterson. And you are?" he asked, sticking out his hand for Mimi to shake.
"Mimi Marquez, Roger's fiancée."
"Oh congratulations," he added. A smile crossed Roger's face as Mimi nodded. "Well, Mr. Davis is very lucky that one of the ribs didn't puncture his lung."
"Are they broken?"
"Two are broken, and a third is bruised, but we're going to send him upstairs to do a full chest x-ray series to make sure everything's okay. A nurse will be right along with a wheelchair."
Mimi nodded again as Dr. Peterson left. She handed Roger the hospital gown, which he slowly pulled over his head, wincing. "You're okay?" she whispered. He nodded and kissed her lightly on the lips.
"I'll be okay. I've had broken ribs before. Do you know anything else about Mark?" he asked, trying to scoot over to give Mimi some room on the bed.
"No, I'm sorry. I just got here and everyone else went upstairs. God, what happened?" she asked, curling up against him gently and resting her head on his shoulder.
"Me and Mark were walking around and talking, and then he spotted Jackie in the park. We walked over and it looked like Josh—that's Jackie's ex boyfriend—was giving Jackie a hard time about something and just generally being an overall shit. So Mark told him to back off, and I got in the middle of it and Josh's fist collided with my left side." Mimi sighed and took his hand into her own. "Then Mark and Josh went at. I'm proud of that kid—he was really beating the shit out of Josh. I told him to let it go and pulled him away from Josh, but then out of nowhere he pulls out a gun, shoots Mark in the stomach, and runs away."
"Oh my god," Mimi said, her eyes starting to tear up. "I'm sorry—my hormones are all crazy," she said.
Roger shook his head and wrapped his arm around her, drawing her closer to him. "Shh, it's okay." He kissed the top of her head.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but Mr. Davis, Dr. Peterson sent me to take you upstairs."
"Yeah." Roger stood up and took a seat, however reluctantly, in the wheelchair.
"Mark's gonna be okay, Roger."
"I hope so."
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NEXT UP: Mark comes out of surgery.
And the moral of this chapter is: Don't antagonize psycho ex boyfriends, because they tend to get violent and shoot you when you stand in the way of something they want. Stupid Josh. You're going to jail, buddy!