As always, thank you guys for continuing to read! It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. (Stats page- uber addictive.)

goddessofwisdom: Joanne will make an appearance in the Christmas chapter! (Mostly because everyone's invited to the loft that night. Heehee. And no, she's not too happy with Maureen and Benny.) And as for the trailer...I'm in a literal Hicksville. Which means NO Rent until the 23rd for me either. :cries:

Yet another song in this chapter. Tom Waits's "Jersey Girl" (but mostly inspired by teh Bruce's version). Heehee. Roger gets to "La!"

Yet another week had gone by, and Rog and Mimi STILL weren't talking. Mostly because Mimi would flat out hang up whenever Roger called. The girl knew how to hold something against someone. She also wasn't speaking to Bel...

Enter Maureen's "Foolproof Everybody's Happy Plan!" Mo would invite Mimi out to the club were Roger had his next gig, where he would touchingly get back together with Mimi. Bel was also to come, to apologize, as was Benny for mostly the same reasons. (also for the fact that Maureen fully planned to get him in the ladies' room)

The reactions?

Roger- "Mo. Give it up. NOW."

Bel- "Do you really know my sister?"

Dave- "It's worth a shot...it did work that other time, right?"

Collins- "(shrugs)"

Benny- "Anyone every tell you that you HAVE LOST YOUR MIND?"

The place? Gaines's, an old club that Rog used to play WAY back in the day. Even before the Hungarians. (In fact, the current manager was in A/V club with Mark back at Scarsdale High. "Talk about a small fucking world," Roger mentioned later.)

Mimi refused to go in, however. "No. I am not going in there and falling for his "I'm an idiot, take me back" thing again. No fucking way."

"Oh, COME ON." Maureen dragged her into the club...which was only successful until they got to the designated table, where at the moment, Benny and Bel sat. Mimi glared at Mo. "You're really trying to piss me off, aren't you?" she growled.

"I'm just here for alcohol," Benny offered. Thus, turning all hatred at the moment to Bel, who sighed and said, "Look, Meems- I didn't know. I've dumped the ass, by the way, and I do NOT do smack." Mimi sighed heavily. "Have I ever lied to my big sister before?"

"No, because when you did, I would bitch out the truth from you." Mimi blew a strand of loose hair off her forehead. "Sorry I blew up at you too."

"Hey!" Benny interjected. "What about me?"

"You, I'm not even getting into. And I so know you're not here for the drinks." Benny and Maureen looked at each other really quickly. "Wait-no. NO."

"What's the big idea?" Maureen shrugged and then smiled. "You didn't mention how fine he was under the sheets, either." Mimi's head made contact with the table top. "Don't wanna think about that..."

"Hey, what's wrong with Mami Mimi?" Dave asked as he and Collins came up to them, having just arrived.

"Don't ask," Mimi muttered.

Roger's set started a half-hour later. Unfortunately, the stage lights made it impossible to seen beyond the first couple of rows, so he couldn't tell if Mimi (and company) were there or not. Gut reaction, though? It said that she was, and she was still pissed. Don't start with something like 'Your Eyes'... he thought, as the band's drummer counted off.

He and the band did some old Hungarian tunes, two or three new songs, random covers of bands Roger had always liked. Quickie intermission, time for the solo part of the show.

Rog sat down on a stool with a guitar in his lap. He strummed it a few times. "How are you guys tonight?" Obligatory screams. "Huh. Well, what's going on in my life...my best friend got married last week, but he couldn't make it tonight. He's in Maui, on his honeymoon. Can't wait for his return. Um, what else? Been feeling great. Not too sick lately. And... Well, um...I don't really talk about this sorta thing up here, but, um. I've got some trouble with my girl lately." (Mimi: "That...BASTARD! Private shit!") "But, um...I've been trying to say I'm sorry. And, for one thing, she's originally from Jersey, plus she's got our baby to worry about." Louder screams. Mimi was getting a little more pissed. "So...this one's dedicated to Mimi. I'm sorry, and this isn't much of an apology, but it's the best I could do:

I got no time for the corner boys

Down in the street making all that noise

Or the girls out on the avenue

'Cause tonight I wanna be with you

Tonight I'm gonna take that ride

Across the river to the Jersey side

Take my baby to the carnival

And I'll take her on all the rides

'Cause down the shore everything's all right

You and your baby on a Saturday night

You know all my dreams come true

When I'm walking down the street with you

Sha la la la la la la

Sha la la la la la la la la

Sha la la la la la la la

Sha la la la I'm in love with a Jersey girl


You know she thrills me with all her charms

When I'm wrapped up in my baby's arms

My baby gives me everything

I know that some day she'll wear my ring

So don't bother me, man, I ain't got no time

I'm on my way to see that girl of mine

'Cause nothing matters in this whole wide world

When you're in love with a Jersey girl

Sha la la la la la la

Sha la la la la la la la la

Sha la la la la la la la

Sha la la la I'm in love with a Jersey girl

I see you on the street and you look so tired

I know that job you got leaves you so uninspired

You're lyin' all dressed up on the bed, baby, so fast asleep

Go in the bathroom and put your makeup on

We're gonna take that little baby of ours

And drop her off at your mom's

I know a place where the dancing's free

Now baby won't you come with me

'Cause down the shore everything's all right

You and your baby on a Saturday night

Nothing matters in this whole wide world

When you're in love with a Jersey girl...

Mimi just stood there with her mouth open. Well. Just...huh. (Damnit, that man did it AGAIN! WHY did she fall for it, WHY?) But, as she was listening to the song about Jersey ( which, really was a true fact- Mimi and Bel lived on the north Jersey shore until Mimi had started middle school, when Mami married Curtis and they all uprooted to Brooklyn), it seemed like...she didn't know...did Rog just fucking PROPOSE to me?

Of course, she couldn't find out the answer to that question until after the show. But she still moved as fast as she could, being out of breath as she reached the backstage door.

Roger did automatically notice her, but the A/V dude was still trying to rehash some not-too-fond (on Roger's part, anyway) of Scarsdale High. "So, you remember Mr. Tase, right, man?" he kept going on.

"Dude," Rog said, "I gotta go talk to someone."

"Well, okay, just say hi to Cohen for me and all-"

Mimi looked at A/V Boy. "And that is?"

"Don't ask. I thought we weren't speaking."

"Well, um..." Mimi looked down. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you earlier."

"Sorry..." Roger mumbled, "Sorry I flipped out on you. I didn't mean it."

"So, um, the song." Mimi started playing with her hair. "Were you trying to say something?"

"Huh? No. It's just a song that reminded me of you."

"Oh. I just thought..."

Roger smiled, and kissed her. "It doesn't matter. At least we're speaking." They kissed a little while longer. "You need to meet Mami," Mimi said at one point when they were apart.

"Do I have to?"

"Yes..."

The next day found Bel, Rog, and Meems at the hospital, waiting for Curtis to finish visiting Mami. (Dave and Collins headed to the airport to pick up Mark and Tara from their flight home, and God knows what Maureen and Benny were doing.) All, however, seemed not peaceful at the hospital.

"So, this guy's your stepfather and he kicked you out?" Roger asked.

Mimi nodded. "I try to avoid him as much as I can."

"You never told me what happened to your real dad, huh?"

"He's off in Key West, last we heard," Bel said, "last time being when we were still living across the Hudson and Mami had just gotten engaged to Curtis."

"Should I ask?" Roger whispered.

Mimi shook her head. "Bel...never got over Papi leaving. She despises Curtis more than I do."

"I can hear you," Bel taunted.

It was at this point Curtis stormed out with a string of Spanish insults pouring out the door. "Oh great, it runs in the family," Roger muttered, as Mimi pulled him in.

"Hi Mami!" Bel flounced over, and pecked her mother on the cheek. Mami smiled and turned her gaze on Roger. "Mimi, chica, this is he?"

Mimi nodded, and her mother gave him the once-over. "Ah, so you are Roger the cabron. I'm happy to meet you finally."

"Pleasure's mine...um." Roger paused. "Sorry, I kinda flunked Spanish. What's 'cabron' again?"

"Goat," Mami said, matter of factly, causing Roger's eyes to bug out. "Say what!"

"Omigod!" Dave squealed. "They're docking!" He and Collins were waiting at the airport gate as the 1.35 incoming flight from Maui began unload its occupants. Five minutes passed and then... "MARK! TARA!"

The two of them walked out with the rest of the crowd, Tara nicely tanned and highlighted, laughing at something, Mark looking even redder WITH his sunburn. "It's not funny," he kept saying.

"Hey, little bro!" Tara ran up and hugged Dave. Collins looked at Mark, and smirked. "Should I ask...?"

"NO." was all Mark said.

"So, how was the sex-filled honeymoon?" Dave said, as they headed down the concourse.

Mark and Tara looked at each other. "Well..." Tara started...

:Hmm. Alison hasn't bugged me yet. WHEE:

Little authoress's note concerning the next few chaps: The next chapter will be in two parts, dealing with the Maui honeymoon (and we will find out why Mark is so red-even though that really doesn't need an explaination and also Tara's obsession with hot tubs and TPing). After that, we jump straight ahead to the Christmas chapter (which I haven't written yet- almost finished with Maui), and then jump another couple months to March. (Yeah, I'm desperate to get this AS quickly as possible before the movie comes out But, also, it's a little hard to keep up with BIG storylines. January & February will be their downtime. )

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