MAY 1ST

"What is it you want to show me?" Mark asked as he stepped into Maureen's apartment.

Maureen grinned at him, as she took his hand. "You'll see," she said, leading him into their bedroom. "Close your eyes," she instructed him.

Mark eyed her suspiciously, then did as he was told. He could hear Maureen fumbling around with something.

"Okay…open."

Mark opened his eyes to see…himself. Maureen was holding out a canvas with his face painted on it.

"It's not the best I've ever done," Maureen said, embarrassed. "I've been working on it for a while."

"Maureen, that's great," Mark exclaimed, leaning forward to get a better look. "It really does look like me."

"You think?" Maureen glanced at the painting.

"Why didn't you tell me you were working on this?"

Maureen shrugged. "I wanted it to be a surprise."

Mark stood up and kissed her on the cheek. "It was a nice surprise," he smiled.

She giggled. "Thanks. I was afraid you wouldn't like it."

"Of course I do," Mark said. He grabbed her hand in his. "I'm taking you out to dinner tonight."

"God, Mark, you don't have to do that, it's just a painting," Maureen giggled.

"No, I want to," Mark insisted. "My treat."

Maureen sighed. "Well, that I can't resist." She grinned at him.

"Get your coat," Mark said, as she laid the canvas carefully against the wall. "I'll make reservations."

Mimi was downstairs in the lobby, preparing to go out to the drugstore to restock on some things that she and Roger needed. Roger had protested on her going out alone, but she made it clear that she wanted to go out alone to clear her head.

As she came down the stairs, she saw a familiar figure standing by the front desk.

Mimi tried to make herself discreet and walk quickly by, but it was too late. He'd seen her.

"Why, if it isn't the fabulous Mimi Marquez!"

"Hi, Benny," Mimi said, glaring at him.

"I've been out of town for months now and that's all you have to say to me?" Benny laughed. He looked like he had gained more weight since Mimi had last seen him, and he hadn't shaved for at least a week.

"What are you doing here?" Mimi asked, standing on the opposite side of the desk to hide the fact that she was pregnant.

"Me? Well…it's over. Alison and I, I mean. Good riddance. She turned out to be a real bitch," he laughed, and scratched at the back of his neck. "How've you been? How's the old depression case doing?"

"Roger is fine, and he's not a depression case," Mimi snapped at him.

"Jeez, calm down. That was the problem when we were going out, Mimi. You were always such a bitch. What are you, on your period or something?"

Mimi almost laughed. "No. I'm most definitely not on my period," she said, flatly.

Benny eyed her carefully. "You gain weight or something?"

Mimi blushed as he frowned at her.

"You look a little…Jesus," he exclaimed, as he walked to the other side of the counter, seeing Mimi's stomach. "What the fuck…you're pregnant?"

"No, I swallowed a watermelon. Yes, I'm pregnant."

"Why were you trying to hide it from me?" Benny demanded.

"Because I knew you'd make a big deal. Which you are." She said, looking the other way.

"Are you…sure it's Roger's?"

Mimi spun around. "Fuck you!" she snapped, nearly shouting.

"Calm the fuck down, Mimi! I was only asking."

"How dare you ask me that? Yes, it's Roger's."

"Well, as we know from when you and Roger were first going out, you did have some slutty tendencies," Benny laughed.

Mimi shook her head at him. "Asshole," she hissed. "You know what your problem is, Benny? Why you can't have a girl for more than a month before having her leave you? It's because you're an ignorant prick. You're a creep, and you always have been. Roger says you used to be a nice guy, but I can't believe it."

Benny's face grew red with anger. "Bitch. I'm not going to have you talk down to me. What are you? You're a whore. You messed around with me while you and Roger were dating. Don't try to deny it! And what were you doing besides that? Dancing half naked, if not completely, in front of a bunch of strange guys you don't know? That's how I first met you, isn't it? Isn't that how everyone meets you," Benny sneered at her.

Mimi clenched her fists and shook her head, "Leave me alone," she growled. She tried to walk past him, but Benny stepped in front of her.

"Don't try to deny it," he said, coldly. "You know it's true. You did like me at one point. I fucking loved you at one point, Mimi!"

Mimi could see how frustrated he was getting.

"I could've had you. But it's so hard for you to keep track of all the guys you meet, isn't it?" He raised his voice, almost shouting. "I'm surprised you've stayed with Roger this long. Who are you fucking behind his back?"

"Fuck you!" Mimi screamed at him, and was shocked to see Benny's right hand all of a sudden shoot up and backhand her across the face.

Mimi stumbled back a few steps, startled, and then caught herself. She brought her hand up to her stinging cheek. She slowly looked back up at him, shocked.

Benny stepped forward and grabbed her wrist, tightly, causing her to whimper with pain. "You know you're a slut, Mimi. I'll bet you anything that that baby comes out and Roger will know it's not his. What did you do, tell him it was something that was planned?"

Hot tears stung the corner of Mimi's eyes, from both hurt from his words, and the pain of his nails digging into her wrist. "You're hurting me," she whispered.

"Admit it, Mimi. We had something great, once. You're just too fucking stubborn to see how good you had it." His grip on her wrist tightened.

"Benny, let go of me," she hissed through the pain in her arm. "I swear to God, I'll scream so fucking loud…"

"You'll regret it," Benny warned her. "Just admit it. Is it really that hard to?"

"I have nothing to say to you," Mimi said, through clenched teeth.

Benny shook his head, infuriated. "Stubborn bitch," he growled, shoving her hard back against the desk, causing her to cry out in both pain and alarm, before slowing sinking to her knees on the floor. Then, he turned and rushed out of the building, just as Mark and Maureen were coming down the stairs.

"Was that Benny?" Mark asked, puzzled as they reached the bottom step. "I think it was…"

Maureen's face turned pale. "Mimi…" she said softly, seeing her huddled next to the desk, cradling her wrist and shaking. As Mark and Maureen rushed over to her, it became apparent that she was crying.

"Mimi? My God, what the hell happened?" Mark exclaimed, placing a hand on both her shoulders.

Mimi shuddered and shook her head, as he helped to her feet.

"Sweetie, tell us," Maureen pleaded with her.

Mimi took in a sharp breath. "Benny," she whispered, weakly as she tried to hold back tears.

"Benny? We just saw him. What did he say to you?" He then saw that she was wincing, and looked down at her arm that she was holding, and saw that her wrist was bright red, and had deep scratch marks around it. "What the hell did he do!?" Mark exclaimed.

Mimi turned to Maureen, shaking. "He saw that I was pregnant…and he asked if it was mine. And I got mad, and it turned into this argument…and I said something…he hit me."

Maureen gasped, as Mark, next to her, turned red with anger.

"He tried to get me to admit I was a slut…and that I had loved him," she said, in a choked voice.

"That bastard," Maureen hissed. 'You didn't, did you?"

Mimi shook her head, and wiped at her eyes with her sleeve. "No. And so he threw me against the desk."

"No…," Maureen whispered. "Are you okay, do you need to go to the hospital…"

"No, Mo. I fell against it backwards, not forwards," Mimi said, knowing that Maureen was frightened for the babies.

"Thank God," Maureen breathed. "Are you alright…besides that?"

Mimi nodded, shakily. "I think so. I'm just a little sore."

Mark swore. "Son of a bitch. Fucking coward. I swear, if he hadn't of run out of here before I knew what happened…"

"Mark, please," Maureen said, quietly. "Let's just get her upstairs."

Mimi pulled her hand away. "Mo, I'm fine…I'm just shaken up," she said, weakly.

Maureen shook her head. "Come on, Meems. You need to lay down. Besides, if he's still around out there, I don't think you should be going out alone." She turned to Mark. "Sorry, babe, looks like you'll have to cancel those reservations."

Mimi groaned. "I'm sorry," she said, sniffling.

"Sweetie, don't worry about it. It's that bastard, Benny. Come on, you need to lie down or something…"

"Back so soon?" Roger said, when he heard the front door open and close. He went to the door to greet Mimi, and found her with Mark and Maureen. It looked like she'd been crying.

"My God…what happened?" Roger exclaimed, gently pulling her towards him, concerned. "What's the matter?"

Quickly, Mark told him what had happened.

Roger's jaw dropped and he glanced down at Mimi, putting a hand gently to her face. "He hit you?"

Mimi turned away from him, embarrassed, and wiped at the fresh tears that had come into her eyes.

"I'll kill him," Roger swore. "That bastard better not think of coming back here…I swear to GOD."

"Just leave it alone, Roger," Mimi sniffed, in a tired voice.

"Leave it alone? Mimi, he fucking hit you and threw you into the desk, he's crazy!"

Mimi sighed, and Maureen knew that she was thinking of what Benny had said to her.

"Don't think about what Benny said, Mimi," Maureen told her. "He's a pretentious asshole. A self-centered prick, is all."

"Who happens to be a fucking psycho," Roger spat, putting his arm around Mimi's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Meems."

"I hate him so much," Mimi said tearfully, through gritted teeth.

Mark came forward with an icepack. "Thanks," Mimi said, holding it gingerly against her cheek.

"I'll kick his ass," Roger said again, shaking his head.

"Well, at least we know one thing," Mark sighed. "I think he'll think twice to come back here, knowing all of us are looking to kill him."

A/N: Sorry, that ending sucks. What did you think? Review, brother.