Mimi's eyes fluttered open late the next afternoon. Her vision was still blurry from sleep, and she rubbed her face with the back of her hand. There was a bit of drool by her mouth that had dried during the night. Mimi groaned and stretched.
She glanced out the window, and then looked at the alarm clock. Almost five-thirty pm…no, that wasn't right.
"Roger?" Mimi called, climbing out of bed. She walked down the hall, looking for him. "Babe? You here?"
"I'm here," Roger called, from the living room.
Mimi wandered into the room, where Roger was watching a football game on TV.
"Is the clock broken?" Mimi asked, still half asleep.
"Which one?"
"The alarm clock."
"No, it works just fine."
Mimi frowned. "It says it's five thirty at night."
Roger rolled up his sleeve and glanced at the brown leather watch around his wrist. "Yep, that's right."
"Why the fuck didn't you wake me up?" Mimi exclaimed. "I had to be at the club half an hour ago!"
Roger reached for the remote and turned off the TV. "You need a break," he said, simply. "I saw how you were last night. You were tired, and you were stressed. You said yourself you've been working extra time. Take a load off."
"We're not in high school, Rog," Mimi said, through gritted teeth. "I can't just not go whenever I feel like it. It's my fucking JOB. Besides, Terry's raising my salary."
Roger stood up and walked over to her.
"Mimi," he said, cupping her face gently with his hands, "You're more important to me than money."
Mimi sighed and leaned her forehead against his chest.
"You can take one day off," Roger said softly, rubbing his thumbs and circular motions around her temples.
"No, I can't," she murmured into his shirt.
"Yes you can," Roger whispered, slowly sliding his arms around her waist.
"I can't…Roger, I really can't!" Mimi exclaimed, pulling away from him. "I have a commitment to make."
"What? Dancing half-naked in front of strangers?" Roger groaned, plopping back down onto the couch.
"It pays," Mimi said, coldly. "Baby, we need the money."
Roger was silent.
"Roger?"
"Do what you want," he said, not looking at her.
She sighed tugged at her curls; a nervous habit. "Why do you always have to be so difficult?" she complained, walking over to the table by the couch and snatching the phone from its cradle. She quickly dialed the number of the club, and tapped her foot impatiently on the cold wooden floor.
"Hello? Yes- Terry, it's me. Mimi."
Roger looked up. He saw her wince and knew it was probably because her boss was yelling at her.
"Terry, look, I'm sorry. Roger didn't wake me up in time," Mimi said into the phone, exasperated. "I know you…yes. I'll work extra hours tonight."
"What?!" Roger exclaimed.
Mimi ignored him.
"Mimi, seriously, you need a break from that place," Roger said, shaking his head. Impatiently, he tugged at the phone cord gently. Mimi gestured for him to leave her alone.
"Alright, then. I'll be there in twenty minutes. I'll see you then." Mimi hung up the phone.
"Mimi," Roger groaned, "Why are you doing this to yourself?"
"I'm doing this for us," Mimi said, in a tired voice. "We both benefit."
"It's no benefit to you if you're tired, and stressed out," Roger said, quietly.
Mimi shrugged. "I'll deal, Roger. Besides, it's my responsibility. I told Terry I'd work today, and that's what I'm going to do. I need to get dressed," she said suddenly, turning and heading towards the bedroom.
"You're going to become an insomniac," Roger said, following her into the bedroom.
Mimi snorted and pulled a tight black tank top over her head. "I'll take sleeping pills," she joked, pulling on a pair of gray tights with a run in the knee.
"I'm not joking," Roger said, as she stepped into a cutoff pair of jean shorts.
Mimi shoved her feet into the nearest pair of high heels, rushed over to the mirror above the dresser, and began to quickly put on her makeup.
"Roger, would you help me with this?" she asked, handing him one of two gold hoop earrings.
"You're going to regret it," he began again, as he struggled to fit the earring through the hole in her left earlobe. "You're going to…"
"OW!" Mimi yelped. Giving him a dirty look, she retrieved her earring, and put it on herself. She then quickly tied her hair into a loose bun.
"Roger," she said slowly, placing her hands on his shoulders. "I'm going to work. I'll be back a little after midnight. Okay?"
Roger let out a huge whoosh of air and sank down to the floor. "You win," he groaned.
"Thanks, baby," Mimi said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Don't wait up, okay?"
Roger looked at her and crossed his eyes.
"I'm gonna take that as a yes," Mimi said. "I'll see you later tonight. Bye!"
Roger watched her go out the door, and stayed put on the floor until he heard the front door open and close.
***
"Oh, God, that was nuts," laughed Forest, one of the dancers as she scrambled behind the curtain, where a few of the other performers, including Mimi lay, sprawled on the couch.
It was a quarter after midnight. Mimi could barely keep her eyes open.
"Wake up you guys- it's morning!" Forest exclaimed, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder.
"How the fuck are you so awake?" asked Roxy, from next to Mimi. Roxy wasn't even her real name. She'd ditched Marilyn and chosen Roxy once she'd gotten the gig at the club.
"It must be that new stuff she's smoking," Roxy's boyfriend teased, causing the others to laugh.
"Shut up, Kyle. You're not even supposed to be back here."
Kyle blinked. "So. Bite me."
"Yeah, Forest, lay off my man," Roxy whined, dabbing at her smeared eye makeup with a tissue.
Forest snorted and crouched down on an old crate. "Hey, guys," she said carefully, looking around her. "Boss ain't here right now…you want to?"
"Are you suggesting we take part in illegal crimes?" Kyle said, pretending to be shocked.
"Why not? Terry's up front macking it up with the ladies. He won't be back 'til next Christmas. Kiesha, do you still have some stuff saved?"
"Shit girl, I was saving that for myself," Kiesha complained.
"Aw, come on," Roxy pleaded.
"No chance. Jose gave them to me a couple of days ago."
"That's probably not all he gave her," Kyle grinned.
"Ha! Shows what you know. He's gay," Kiesha retorted.
Kyle shrugged and draped his arm over Roxy's shoulder.
"Wait- I got an idea. I may have one or two extra sharpies in my locker."
"Shit no! We're not gonna sit back here sniffing markers!" Kyle exclaimed.
"Sharpies as in NEEDLES, dumbass."
"Well, what are you waiting for? Go get them, girl!" Forest commanded, shooing her away.
Kiesha disappeared, and returned a moment later with two hypodermic needles in her hand.
"Give it here," Forest said, tugging it away from her. "I'll do it first." She rolled up her sleeve and jabbed the needle into her arm.
"Me next," Roxy said impatiently, reaching out for it.
Some of the other dancers had wandered over to see what the commotion was about.
"Here, Mimi. Your turn," Kiesha said, as Kyle handed the needle back to her.
"I really shouldn't," Mimi said, nervously, "I promised my boyfriend…"
"Promised your boyfriend!" Kyle snorted.
"Yes, I promised my boyfriend," Mimi snapped. "I promised him that I'm done with this shit."
"Oh, please. I saw you doing it the other day," Forest said.
Mimi said nothing.
"Come on, don't make us force you," Roxy said, raising her eyebrows.
"Fuck you, Roxy," Mimi snarled. "I'll pass on it."
"Aw, come on. Just hold her down and do it yourselves," Kyle said.
"You wouldn't," Kiesha said, turning her head.
"Sure I would. She's tiny. I could hold her down."
Mimi rolled her eyes and started to stand up. Suddenly, Kyle's hand shot out and grasped around her arm tightly, pulling up her sleeve with the other.
"Here, I'll do it for you," he grinned.
"Get off me!" Mimi screamed at him, kicking out.
"Christ, she's feisty. Give it here, Kiesha."
Kiesha looked hesitant, as Mimi tried to squirm out from under Kyle, but then decided against it and handed it to him.
"Don't you DARE," Mimi warned him.
"Hold tight, babe, this won't hurt a bit."
"Stop!" she shouted, as she felt the tight pinch of the needle as it broke the skin.
Finally, she was able to break away from him, yanking the needle out of her arm and throwing it at Kiesha's feet.
Kyle grinned, triumphantly. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" he asked, wickedly.
His grin faded when Mimi's hand rose up to slap him across the face.
"Bastard," she spat.
"What the fuck is going on in here?" Terry demanded, as he entered the backstage area. "What the hell are you guys doing?!" he exclaimed, when he saw the needle on the floor. "I KNEW you guys were doing something behind my back. Who the fuck brought this in here?"
No one said anything.
"Goddamnnit," he growled, clenching his fists. "You guys are going to have this club shut down and have me arrested. Fefe, clean that up. The rest of you, just get the hell out of here. I'll lock up."
The dancers began to clear out from backstage.
Kyle, who was still nursing his bruised cheek, glared up at Mimi.
"Pinche," she hissed, rubbing the spot on her arm where the needle had entered her skin. With that, she turned and quickly rushed out the door, slamming it behind her.
Everyone was quiet for a moment.
"I don't want to know," Terry said, shaking his head as he bent down to throw away the needle.
***
Roger heard the front door open and slam shut from his bed. He heard Mimi's heels clacking furiously on the ground. He then heard the sound of her turning into the bathroom, turning on the sink to wash her face, and the toilet flushing. Living with her for over a year now, Roger already knew Mimi's route when she came home from the club.
"Bad night?" he asked, as she stormed into the bedroom, throwing the covers aside as she got into the bed.
"The people I work with are assholes," she growled, turning off the bedside lamp.
"What happened?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
Roger was about to open his mouth again, but then stopped. He sighed. "See you in the morning?"
No answer.
Roger sighed again. "Goodnight, Mimi."
"Goodnight, babe. Love you."
Roger was oddly comforted by this, and a small smile came across his face as he shut his eyes, allowing sleep to overcome him.
***
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