"Karma is a bitch," Jimmy sighed.
Mimi whipped around. "Bastard," she hissed. She turned sharply and hurriedly got off the fire escape.
"Mimi, what happened?" Isabella exclaimed, as Mimi entered the room. She had seen Roger rush out of the apartment, furiously. Mimi was shaking.
Maureen also saw that something was wrong. "Is everything alright?" she asked, frowning. "Did you and Roger get into a fight?"
Mimi slowly shook her head. "I'm gonna go home," she said, quietly. She looked like she was about to cry.
"Alright, you go ahead," Isabella said, softly. "I'll take Daisha home with me tonight."
Mimi nodded, and grabbed her coat and left.
"Did they have a fight?" Jan said, frowning.
Maureen bit her lip. "I'm not sure. I didn't hear them fighting out there."
Suddenly, Jimmy poked his head in from outside.
"I didn't know HE was out there with her," Maureen said, softly.
Jimmy started to join Mark and Collins in the other room, but Maureen stopped him.
"What happened outside?" she demanded.
Jimmy blinked. "What do you mean?"
"I mean why are Roger and Mimi so upset? What did you say to them?"
"I didn't say anything at all," Jimmy said, innocently. "Mimi was giving me lip, and then Roger came outside. They had an argument and left, I guess."
"I didn't hear anyone arguing out there," spoke up Frankie, eyeing Jimmy suspiciously.
"Oh, and all of a sudden you have acute hearing senses?" he snapped.
"I didn't hear anything either," Daisha suddenly spoke up, angrily.
"Neither did I," said Isabella.
"Or me," Jan chimed in.
Jimmy groaned. "Look, if you guys are going to accuse me of things, I'll just be on my way. Mo, if you don't appreciate me booking you a place, that's fine with me. I'll just be heading out, then."
"I appreciate you booking the place. I DON'T appreciate it when you mess with my friends," Maureen fired.
Jimmy shrugged. "Tough crowd." He gathered his belongings and his wine glass, without bothering to return it and left.
Maureen groaned and settled onto the couch beside Joanne. "He's such an asshole sometimes," she moaned.
"Amen," agreed Joanne. She paused, and picked at her cuticles. "I wonder what DID happen out there, if they didn't get into an argument."
"I guess we'll have to be gilled in later," Maureen sighed.
Just then, Mark and Collins returned to the living room, both with a Noise Maker in hand.
"Well, it looks like you boys had fun," Frankie laughed.
Mark nodded. "These things are great!" he looked around the room, confused. "Where's Roger and Mimi?"
"They had to leave early," Maureen said, flatly.
"Oh . . . did Jimmy leave too?"
"He had to go as well."
"Well, there's no use crying over spilt milk," Mark replied. He rattled his Noise Maker again, before collapsing on the couch beside Jan, who giggled.
Collins stumbled over to Frankie and sat beside her.
"Baby, are you drunk?" Frankie asked him, raising her eyebrows.
"Me? Nooo . . ." he mumbled.
Frankie laughed. "I can tell, Col. C'mon, let's go home before you get any worse."
Collins shrugged, and obeyed. They both left, hand in hand.
"I think I should go with Daisha now," Isabella said, after they'd gone. "Besides," she teased, "It's past her bed time."
Daisha stuck her tongue out at Isabella.
"Alright," Maureen couldn't help but laugh. "I'll see you tomorrow. See you later, hon," she said, waving at Daisha. Daisha waved back, and then the two of them left as well.
"And then there were four," Jan declared, snuggling against Mark's shoulder.
"What?" Mark said, when he caught Maureen looking at him, "You want me to leave too?"
"Now, whatever made you think that?" Maureen joked.
Mark shrugged. "Well, actually, I DO think it's time we spent some time to ourselves, don't you, Jan?" he poked her in the side.
She giggled. "Whatever floats your boat, Marky."
Perking up to his pet name, Mark swooped Jan off the couch and started to carry her out the door, as she protested and squealed. He turned as he was about to exit. "I'll see you two later, alright?"
"Later," Maureen and Joanne said at the same time, waving him off. They could hear him and Jan giggling down the hall.
"Some party," Maureen sighed, getting up to rinse out the wine glasses.
"It WAS some party. Besides that little conflict we had with Jimmy, I'd say it went pretty well," Joanne insisted, getting up to help her.
Maureen shrugged and walked into the kitchen, letting the glasses drop carelessly into the sink. She turned on the faucet and turned to Joanne.
"What do you think he did?"
"Honestly, I don't know," Joanne said. "Knowing him, it could be anything."
"Yeah. You've only known him for two days, and already you know what a jerk he is," Maureen sighed, turning off the faucet.
Joanne shrugged. "I'm good at reading people."
"Well, of course you are. You're dating me, aren't you?" Maureen teased.
"Only you, Honey Bear," Joanne said, smiling.
They kissed, silently.
Maureen yawned. "You ready for bed?"
"I thought you'd never ask."
***
"Roger, open this door," Mimi shouted, pounding on Roger's bedroom door furiously.
"Why, so you can fuck me over some more?" he snapped from the other side of the door. "I thought you said you didn't like him."
"I don't," Mimi moaned, almost wailing with the anguish she felt. "Please, just listen."
"I'm listening," he said, coldly.
"I was out on the fire escape alone, and then all of a sudden Jimmy came outside as well. He started pulling some moves on me . . ."
Roger's fists clenched.
".and I told him to fuck off. I was about to go back outside, but then he grabbed me and kissed me. That was HIM kissing me, Roger, not me kissing him."
Roger was silent.
"Please," Mimi begged, unable to help the tears that were slowly trickling down her cheeks. "I'm telling the truth." Helplessly, she slid to the floor, leaning her head against the door, and she rapped her fist against the door weakly.
Slowly, the knob turned, revealing a sorry-looking Roger.
"Mimi . . ." he said softly, when he saw that she was crying. He knelt down beside her and gathered her into his arms, squeezing gently.
"I couldn't stop him from doing it," Mimi hiccupped, "It all happened so fast."
"I believe you," Roger said, quietly. He pushed her brunette curls behind her ear and pulled her head gently toward him.
"I think I knew there was a logic explanation for what happened, even when I first saw you two," he said, running his fingers through her hair. "But then this one side of me just felt betrayed. I was angry at YOU, even though it was Jimmy's fault." He sighed, resting his head lightly on hers. "I'll kill that bastard."
"I hate him," Mimi mumbled. "The things he said to me were so . . .DISGUSTING."
"I'm sorry," Roger whispered.
"It's not your fault. You couldn't help it."
"I know, but I shouldn't have stormed out like that. I was just so furious that I didn't take the time to process through my head that you HATE him, and that there must've been an explanation for why he was . . . kissing you." Roger stumbled over the last part.
"It's alright," Mimi said, softly.
"So we're cool now?"
"Yes."
Roger sighed with relief, and cupped her chin gently, and leaned down to kiss her.
Mimi smiled and closed her eyes.
"You tired?" he asked, as he began to stand up,
She nodded.
"I'm tired too. All those Noise Makers gave me a headache, anyway."
Mimi laughed again, and Roger was relieved to hear the sound of her laughter.
"Where's Mark?" she asked, suddenly.
"Best bet, with Jan."
Mimi smiled. "I'm glad he found someone."
"So am I. And I'll say, it's about time."
Mimi nodded, and yawned. "Let's go to bed before I fall asleep right here in your lap."
"I wouldn't mind that," Roger joked, but reached a hand out to pull her off the floor.
Roger stripped off his shirt and pants and slid into a pair of long flannel paints, and Mimi pulled on a pair of Roger's boxer shorts and one of his old T-Shirts with the words 'CBGB's' on it.
"You know, me and the guys are having a gig there soon," Roger said, pointing at her shirt as he slid into bed.
"I know," she said, sliding in beside him. She took his hand and brought it to her lips. "I'm about ready to conk out right now."
"Alright."
"Night, Roger."
"Night.
***
"Mark, are you sure you're not as drunk as Collins, if not more?" Jan joked.
They were in Jan's bedroom. Mark had become a little frisky on the walk to Jan's apartment.
They lay on her bed, Mark had his shirt off, and Jan had changed into a pale yellow nightgown.
"Nice PJ's," he commented.
"Don't make fun of my Jammie's," she replied.
"I'm not. They bring out the color in your hair."
Jan laughed and laid back among the pillows.
Mark rolled over and placed his hand on her bare leg. "The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout," he said, stupidly, walking his finger down her thigh.
"Stop! That tickles!" she exclaimed, pushing his hand away.
Mark groaned and rolled over onto his stomach. "I think I might have drank too much," his muffled voice came from the pillow.
"Lucky for you I was here."
"Yup. I had a designated walker to take me home."
"This is MY home, silly," Jan laughed.
"Home is where the heart is," Mark replied, reaching out awkwardly for her hand.
Jan smiled. "Welcome home then, Mark."
Mimi whipped around. "Bastard," she hissed. She turned sharply and hurriedly got off the fire escape.
"Mimi, what happened?" Isabella exclaimed, as Mimi entered the room. She had seen Roger rush out of the apartment, furiously. Mimi was shaking.
Maureen also saw that something was wrong. "Is everything alright?" she asked, frowning. "Did you and Roger get into a fight?"
Mimi slowly shook her head. "I'm gonna go home," she said, quietly. She looked like she was about to cry.
"Alright, you go ahead," Isabella said, softly. "I'll take Daisha home with me tonight."
Mimi nodded, and grabbed her coat and left.
"Did they have a fight?" Jan said, frowning.
Maureen bit her lip. "I'm not sure. I didn't hear them fighting out there."
Suddenly, Jimmy poked his head in from outside.
"I didn't know HE was out there with her," Maureen said, softly.
Jimmy started to join Mark and Collins in the other room, but Maureen stopped him.
"What happened outside?" she demanded.
Jimmy blinked. "What do you mean?"
"I mean why are Roger and Mimi so upset? What did you say to them?"
"I didn't say anything at all," Jimmy said, innocently. "Mimi was giving me lip, and then Roger came outside. They had an argument and left, I guess."
"I didn't hear anyone arguing out there," spoke up Frankie, eyeing Jimmy suspiciously.
"Oh, and all of a sudden you have acute hearing senses?" he snapped.
"I didn't hear anything either," Daisha suddenly spoke up, angrily.
"Neither did I," said Isabella.
"Or me," Jan chimed in.
Jimmy groaned. "Look, if you guys are going to accuse me of things, I'll just be on my way. Mo, if you don't appreciate me booking you a place, that's fine with me. I'll just be heading out, then."
"I appreciate you booking the place. I DON'T appreciate it when you mess with my friends," Maureen fired.
Jimmy shrugged. "Tough crowd." He gathered his belongings and his wine glass, without bothering to return it and left.
Maureen groaned and settled onto the couch beside Joanne. "He's such an asshole sometimes," she moaned.
"Amen," agreed Joanne. She paused, and picked at her cuticles. "I wonder what DID happen out there, if they didn't get into an argument."
"I guess we'll have to be gilled in later," Maureen sighed.
Just then, Mark and Collins returned to the living room, both with a Noise Maker in hand.
"Well, it looks like you boys had fun," Frankie laughed.
Mark nodded. "These things are great!" he looked around the room, confused. "Where's Roger and Mimi?"
"They had to leave early," Maureen said, flatly.
"Oh . . . did Jimmy leave too?"
"He had to go as well."
"Well, there's no use crying over spilt milk," Mark replied. He rattled his Noise Maker again, before collapsing on the couch beside Jan, who giggled.
Collins stumbled over to Frankie and sat beside her.
"Baby, are you drunk?" Frankie asked him, raising her eyebrows.
"Me? Nooo . . ." he mumbled.
Frankie laughed. "I can tell, Col. C'mon, let's go home before you get any worse."
Collins shrugged, and obeyed. They both left, hand in hand.
"I think I should go with Daisha now," Isabella said, after they'd gone. "Besides," she teased, "It's past her bed time."
Daisha stuck her tongue out at Isabella.
"Alright," Maureen couldn't help but laugh. "I'll see you tomorrow. See you later, hon," she said, waving at Daisha. Daisha waved back, and then the two of them left as well.
"And then there were four," Jan declared, snuggling against Mark's shoulder.
"What?" Mark said, when he caught Maureen looking at him, "You want me to leave too?"
"Now, whatever made you think that?" Maureen joked.
Mark shrugged. "Well, actually, I DO think it's time we spent some time to ourselves, don't you, Jan?" he poked her in the side.
She giggled. "Whatever floats your boat, Marky."
Perking up to his pet name, Mark swooped Jan off the couch and started to carry her out the door, as she protested and squealed. He turned as he was about to exit. "I'll see you two later, alright?"
"Later," Maureen and Joanne said at the same time, waving him off. They could hear him and Jan giggling down the hall.
"Some party," Maureen sighed, getting up to rinse out the wine glasses.
"It WAS some party. Besides that little conflict we had with Jimmy, I'd say it went pretty well," Joanne insisted, getting up to help her.
Maureen shrugged and walked into the kitchen, letting the glasses drop carelessly into the sink. She turned on the faucet and turned to Joanne.
"What do you think he did?"
"Honestly, I don't know," Joanne said. "Knowing him, it could be anything."
"Yeah. You've only known him for two days, and already you know what a jerk he is," Maureen sighed, turning off the faucet.
Joanne shrugged. "I'm good at reading people."
"Well, of course you are. You're dating me, aren't you?" Maureen teased.
"Only you, Honey Bear," Joanne said, smiling.
They kissed, silently.
Maureen yawned. "You ready for bed?"
"I thought you'd never ask."
***
"Roger, open this door," Mimi shouted, pounding on Roger's bedroom door furiously.
"Why, so you can fuck me over some more?" he snapped from the other side of the door. "I thought you said you didn't like him."
"I don't," Mimi moaned, almost wailing with the anguish she felt. "Please, just listen."
"I'm listening," he said, coldly.
"I was out on the fire escape alone, and then all of a sudden Jimmy came outside as well. He started pulling some moves on me . . ."
Roger's fists clenched.
".and I told him to fuck off. I was about to go back outside, but then he grabbed me and kissed me. That was HIM kissing me, Roger, not me kissing him."
Roger was silent.
"Please," Mimi begged, unable to help the tears that were slowly trickling down her cheeks. "I'm telling the truth." Helplessly, she slid to the floor, leaning her head against the door, and she rapped her fist against the door weakly.
Slowly, the knob turned, revealing a sorry-looking Roger.
"Mimi . . ." he said softly, when he saw that she was crying. He knelt down beside her and gathered her into his arms, squeezing gently.
"I couldn't stop him from doing it," Mimi hiccupped, "It all happened so fast."
"I believe you," Roger said, quietly. He pushed her brunette curls behind her ear and pulled her head gently toward him.
"I think I knew there was a logic explanation for what happened, even when I first saw you two," he said, running his fingers through her hair. "But then this one side of me just felt betrayed. I was angry at YOU, even though it was Jimmy's fault." He sighed, resting his head lightly on hers. "I'll kill that bastard."
"I hate him," Mimi mumbled. "The things he said to me were so . . .DISGUSTING."
"I'm sorry," Roger whispered.
"It's not your fault. You couldn't help it."
"I know, but I shouldn't have stormed out like that. I was just so furious that I didn't take the time to process through my head that you HATE him, and that there must've been an explanation for why he was . . . kissing you." Roger stumbled over the last part.
"It's alright," Mimi said, softly.
"So we're cool now?"
"Yes."
Roger sighed with relief, and cupped her chin gently, and leaned down to kiss her.
Mimi smiled and closed her eyes.
"You tired?" he asked, as he began to stand up,
She nodded.
"I'm tired too. All those Noise Makers gave me a headache, anyway."
Mimi laughed again, and Roger was relieved to hear the sound of her laughter.
"Where's Mark?" she asked, suddenly.
"Best bet, with Jan."
Mimi smiled. "I'm glad he found someone."
"So am I. And I'll say, it's about time."
Mimi nodded, and yawned. "Let's go to bed before I fall asleep right here in your lap."
"I wouldn't mind that," Roger joked, but reached a hand out to pull her off the floor.
Roger stripped off his shirt and pants and slid into a pair of long flannel paints, and Mimi pulled on a pair of Roger's boxer shorts and one of his old T-Shirts with the words 'CBGB's' on it.
"You know, me and the guys are having a gig there soon," Roger said, pointing at her shirt as he slid into bed.
"I know," she said, sliding in beside him. She took his hand and brought it to her lips. "I'm about ready to conk out right now."
"Alright."
"Night, Roger."
"Night.
***
"Mark, are you sure you're not as drunk as Collins, if not more?" Jan joked.
They were in Jan's bedroom. Mark had become a little frisky on the walk to Jan's apartment.
They lay on her bed, Mark had his shirt off, and Jan had changed into a pale yellow nightgown.
"Nice PJ's," he commented.
"Don't make fun of my Jammie's," she replied.
"I'm not. They bring out the color in your hair."
Jan laughed and laid back among the pillows.
Mark rolled over and placed his hand on her bare leg. "The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout," he said, stupidly, walking his finger down her thigh.
"Stop! That tickles!" she exclaimed, pushing his hand away.
Mark groaned and rolled over onto his stomach. "I think I might have drank too much," his muffled voice came from the pillow.
"Lucky for you I was here."
"Yup. I had a designated walker to take me home."
"This is MY home, silly," Jan laughed.
"Home is where the heart is," Mark replied, reaching out awkwardly for her hand.
Jan smiled. "Welcome home then, Mark."