AN: Crazy week! Had a bit of writer's block for a while, too.
And good news! I made my friend MidnightStar a Rent-head! YAY!
And now responses from the previous chap:
Liv: First of all, you're steadily becoming my new Constant Reader (not dissing u BohemianCane, I still love you too). And yes, I think you got all the Benny occupations! Although I was leaning more toward Malibu's Most Wanted with the bodyguard thing...I don't know, I haven't seen the movie yet.
Oh, and anything in italics is a flashback...I own nothing copyrighted!
September:
"You really think it should be this soon?" Tara wrung out her short reddish-brown hair. Although she had just gotten out of the shower, she was at least dressed. She did have her standards. "Dave, come on. It's September 5."
"And it's not for another month. We can manage it." Dave opened up his notebook. "Look, we've already got the dress, the place, and the reception booked. If I can get the orders for the wedding party, the invitations, and the flowers, we'll be able to pull it off by October 15."
"Dave's got a point," Mimi said, "Especially about the dress orders."
Tara did a double take of Mimi's stomach. "No way. No way there's a baby in there."
"Hello? You haven't noticed?" Tara shook her head. "Look at what I'm wearing, chica."
It finally dawned on Tara. Although Mimi didn't dress like a stripper every single day, her outfits tended to be on the skimpy side.
But Mimi was wearing jeans today. Low riders, sure, but still they were jeans.
"At least it's better than that S & M crap," Dave added.
"Okay, you win," Tara sighed, "I just don't think it can be done on time."
"Why not? Look at the guest list." Dave pushed the notebook over to her.
"Mark's mom, Cindy and her husband, Joanne Jefferson-why are we inviting her?"
"I still consider her a friend," Mimi said.
Tara continued, "Aunt Vanessa? You invited Aunt Vanessa?"
"Oh, come on," Dave said, "You were always her favorite."
"So were you."
"Um, I wonder why. I mean, I'm the one who Mom hauled over ever holiday to help decorate."
"Look, my point is that this isn't even a big wedding. Just a few close friends, okay? Besides, our closest friends are in the wedding party-Bel and Maureen are bridesmaids, not to mention you and Collins are ushers." Tara snapped the book shut. "This is going to be extremely tough to pull."
"Just remember, sis, never fear, Brother Dave is here. I'll have it all figured by then."
Tara and Mimi just looked at each other.
"Dave," Tara sighed, "you know, when you say that, I don't find it exactly comforting."
Roger scribbled out yet another bad line. God, no wonder he went on year and half writer's block period. Ok, he had been doing smack for half of that time, but still. The Beatles, he considered, did half of their best shit on LSD, for Chrissakes'.
Mimi stormed in, and threw her flimsy jacket across the floor. "God damn him! God fucking damn him!"
"What happened, babe?" Roger put down his pen and rubbed his temple. Please, please let this be the hormones talking.
"I got fired."
Roger gaped up at her. "You just didn't say that."
"Oh, yeah. I did. Because I was late. 'Cuz, you know, it wasn't like I was puking my brains out..."
"Mimi?" She pulled her head away from the toliet. Annabeth, a fellow stripper the same age as Mimi, just with another two years' experience in her fishnets, stood at the bathroom door. "You okay in here?"
"Yeah... I'm fine." Mimi grasped for the roll of paper towels most girls left in there. "Just baby troubles, that's all."
"Isn't it morning sickness? I mean, it's after one and all."
"I'll be okay." Annabeth helped her friend up from the floor. "Steve wants you," she told Mimi after they had straightened themselves out.
Steve's office had changed little the two times Mimi had been summoned there previously- when she first started, and an "incident" with a Wall Street businessman. The cigarette ashes piled up on the little plastic ashtrays scattered everywhere, the room decorated in minimal pornographic fare.
Everything about Steve Lillerio was smarmy- perfect for a strip-club manager. His greasy smile when Mimi came in matched his already greasy body.
"Mimi, long time, no see."
"Yeah, what is it?"
"You've been putting on some baggage, ya know? Ain't a good thing for a working girl. Plus, some of the girls have been telling me you've been throwin' up every chance you've got."
Jesus, was he really that dense? "Christ, Steve, I'm pregnant. Shit like that had to happen."
"Girl, I'm running a strip joint, here, not a whorehouse-"
"It's my boyfriend's. God, get over yourself."
"He fired you because of that?" Roger felt like going down to the Cat Scratch, and stabbing the guy.
"He does have a point, but come on!" Mimi sighed. "People in this world..." She shook her head.
Only Mimi had told him the first part of what happened on her last day in S & M.
She stormed out of the Cat Scratch. "Good fuckin' riddance." Mimi spit on the filthy back door.
"Hey Cutie Pie, how've you been?"
This was the last thing she needed. "Listen, fuckface, I want you to get away from me. I'm through with that shit."
The Man smiled at her. "I ain't pushin' you, Cutie Pie, this is strictly causal. But man, you and your sister, you're feisty girls, aintcha?"
He didn't just- "How the fuck do you know my sister?!?"
The Man's brown grin grew even wider. "Same curls, Cutie. She looks a lot like you. A real Sweetheart, girlie."
Mimi's mouth opened. How in the world did Bel know the Man?
Or how did the Man know her?
Dave walked into the kitchen, holding a the phone underneath his arm, talking wildly in it. "Yes, Ms. Estrin. I know your company's history with the party. But I'm just saying that it'll be a small affair. No crazed protests, I promise you...Okay, I'll be touch soon." He looked up and finally noticed Collins sitting there. "Aren't you supposed to be down at NYU?"
Collins opened his mouth, starting to say why he wasn't pumping the couch potatoes, but instead delivered a strong string of hacking coughs. After the little episodes, he managed to croak out, "Not feeling too good."
"Did you take your AZT?"
"You're turning into your sister," Collins managed to laugh out.
Dave almost smiled at that, but somehow he couldn't. "I'm just worried about you, Tom."
"Dave, I'll be fine. My immune system having a bit of an off day."
Your immune system is always having an off day, Dave thought, I just wish that it wasn't.
"Tara, how do you stand it?" Mimi was sprawled out on Tara's couch. "Doesn't it get boring?"
"What gets boring?" she said, flipping through a copy of Bridal magazine.
"Not working."
"Mimi, you've been unemployed for one day. You'll get used to it."
"Ha. Easy for you. You just sit around and write poems all day."
"No, I don't."
"Well, something's gotta be-" Mimi was interrupted by a harsh knocking at the door. Tara threw aside her magazine and got up to answer it. "Who is it?"
"Roger! Let me in!"
He burst in, looking all excited. His hair was a bit messed up, and his shirt was crumpled.
"Someone steal the hotplate, hon?" Mimi said, dripping with sarcasm.
"Nah, nothin' that exciting. Guess who just called?"
"Mr. Hamilton Grey, demanding his way overdue rent?"
"Why, do you still need help paying that off?" Tara asked.
"Are you really dense, or is the lack of sex dumbing you..." Roger trailed off. Bad idea to say that, as Mimi's eyes held nothing but pure murder. "Nah, it wasn't the Greys. Tara, you ever hear of Jeff Kristal?" She looked like the name was in Latin.
"Jesus, Rog, what the fuck happened that got you all worked up?" Mimi said.
"I got a gig. Next Tuesday. I'm headlining down at CBGB's."
PS: YAY for Roger and CBGB's!!!!!!! The wedding's closing in, and what's Collins hiding from Dave? I know, and you will if you please REVIEW!!!!
PPS: Well, the weather's getting nippy outside, and the stores are pushing copyrighted bookbags and lunch boxes. This can only mean one thing: IT'S BACK TO SCHOOL TIME! While usually this does dampen my fanfic writing schedule, it'll be even tougher this year, as I am moving to higher educational institution. (In English: College!) I might be taking the next week or so off to write the next couple of chapters before I go. So, NO FLAMING ABOUT UPDATES!!!