Chapter Six
The gang all turned to the door to see Benny standing there, arms crossed, glaring furiously.
"...fuck,"Roger and Mark said simultaneously.
"I want both of you out of here by tomorrow,"Benny growled.
"What!"Mark cried.
"You can't do this!"Roger added.
"I can, and I will,"Benny assured them. "I told you my rules, and you blatantly ignored them. That's a cause for eviction."
"Look Benny, this was all my idea!"Collins interjected. "I brought the dog in here. Mark tried to talk me out of it!"
"Well it's too bad no one listened,"Benny scoffed. "You have until noon tomorrow to get everything out of here. And this time, I'm not moving it for you!"
"Benny! Stop this!"Mimi cried suddenly. "It's just a dog."
"This is between me and them, Mimi. Stay out of it,"Benny warned.
"No! I was just as much a part of this as they were,"Mimi pointed out.
"Mimi please..."Benny sighed.
"I'm not going to let Mark and Roger take all the blame for this!"Mimi said.
"It's their apartment. They're getting kicked out,"Benny explained.
"Mimi, come on, there's no use arguing..."Roger said, putting his hand on her shoulder. But Mimi shook him off, glaring at Benny.
"Fine. If you kick them out, you're kicking me out too!"she declared.
"Mimi!"Roger and Benny both yelled.
"You go, honey!"Maureen cheered.
"Maureen! Don't encourage this!"Mark snapped.
"Why? It's about someone stood up and gave that scum a piece of their mind!"Maureen sneered.
"Maureen, don't go sticking your nose into other people's arguments. You have nothing to do with this!"Joanne snapped.
"Mimi, I will not evict you,"Benny said calmly.
"Then you're not evicting Roger and Mark either,"Mimi insisted.
"Look, they disobeyed me-"
"So did I!"Mimi cried. "I deserve to be evicted just as much as they do!"
"Me too!"Collins added.
"Collins...you don't live here."
"...well if I did, I would deserve to be evicted too!"
"Mimi...I can't evict you,"Benny said suddenly.
"Why not?"Mimi demanded. Benny hesitated, opening and closing his mouth several times...
"Be careful, Benny. You've got a wife,"Maureen warned. Joanne elbowed her, but she continued to glare at Benny. He sighed.
"You're sick, Mimi..."Benny began. "I am not going to throw a sick girl out on the street like that."
"Oh, but you'll throw two starving guys..."Roger muttered.
"Roger-"Benny began.
"Benny, if you care for me at all, you will let us keep this dog,"Mimi said suddenly. Benny stared at her for a moment.
"What do you-"
"They got the dog to help me,"she said, picking Jesse up carefully, and stroking his head. "This dog helped me last night when I was sick. He comforts me. Collins read somewhere that sometimes animals can help people with addictions or diseases...they got it to help me while I'm getting off my vices,"Mimi explained. Benny paused, thinking about that.
"Why didn't you just tell me that in the first place?"he asked.
"Because you'd flip out,"Mark replied.
"No I wouldn't!"Benny insisted.
"Oh, just like you didn't flip out right now?"Maureen snapped.
"Look, you could have told me what was going on! You didn't have to hide it from me if you were helping Mimi. I admit, I overreacted but Ithink I deserve a little more trust than that!"Benny said.
"Well, you haven't exactly been the most reliable of friends over the last few years,"Collins pointed out.
"I know I've made mistakes, and I've done some bad things in the past...but I want to be able to put that behind us,"Benny said.
"Oh, so you just want us to forget everything you've done over the last two years?"Roger demanded.
"I didn't say that. I just hope that over time you guys will be able to forgive me for the things I've done,"Benny said. "It's not the building that brought me back, you know. It's you guys. All of you."Benny grinned a little as the gang stared at him, wide-eyed. "You guys were my friends. And in my eyes...you still are."
"Well gee, I can't think of any better way to show that than by threatening to evict us!"Mark snapped sarcastically. Benny sighed.
"Okay...I've obviously still got some issues to work out myself,"he admitted. "But that's what I'll be working at. I don't want to be the bad guy any more."
"And we don't want you to be,"Mimi assured him.
"Yeah..."Maureen said, staring at Benny, as if in a whole new light. Benny smiled.
"I'm glad to hear that,"he said. "Because I think my building might be needing a lot more checkups over the next year."
"And...maybe the pet rule will change?"Collins asked, taking Jesse from Mimi and grinning hopefully. Benny laughed.
"Does it matter if I change it? You'll keep the dog anyways,"he pointed out. Collins shrugged.
"True. But it would be a change to actually not be breaking a rule for once,"he replied.
"Keep him,"Benny said. The gang all cheered, as Jesse panted happily.
"You're staying with us, buddy!"Collins said to the dog. Then Maureen grabbed Jesse, wiggling him around.
"Maureen! Stop that!"Mark cried.
"No! He's happy, his tail is wagging!"Maureen declared.
"Because you're shaking it!"Mark pointed out. Then Mimi grabbed Jesse from Maureen, hugging him close to her face, as Roger rubbed his head, grinning at his girlfriend and the puppy.
"He's gonna take good care of me, Roger,"Mimi said.
"He's not the only one,"Roger promised her. Then Mark came over.
"Do you mind?"he asked, motioning to Jesse. Mimi shoved Jesse into Mark's arms, and Jesse snuggled up against Mark. The whole group let out an 'awww!'
"He's still annoying!"Mark insisted, handing the puppy over to Roger quickly, as he grabbed his camera. "But this just might be the perfect subject for a new documentary!"
"'A Dog in La Vie Boheme',"Maureen said dreamily. "I can see it already!"
"You know, we could probably even show this documentary at school, to show that study of animals helping people with addictions,"Collins pointed out.
"Ooh, more money!"Maureen squealed happily, as the group all laughed.
"Well, I'd better get back to Westport,"Benny announced suddenly. "Alison will be waiting...I'll be back soon though."
"We still want to be your friends, Benny,"Mimi assured him. Benny nodded.
"I still want to be your friend too,"he replied, as he headed for the door. Before he left, he turned back. "Er...just friends, Mark."Everyone burst out laughing as Mark frowned, and Benny walked out the door, laughing.
Not only was dog man's best friend...dog could also bring man back to his best friends.
And that is the end! I'm sorry it's not really a big, dramatic ending or anything...but that's not the kind of story this was. I knew I wanted Benny to come back into their lives and Jesse to stay with the gang, and that's been accomplished...so it's done! I've already started working on my newest story, I can't wait to post that. Thanks for all your reviews and feedback! You guys make writing so much more fun for me!