No Day But Today
DISCLAIMER: I do not own RENT or anything affiliated with it.
A/n: Dangit. I just found a typo in chapter 7. I'm too lazy to fix it.
"Oh God, what's he on?" Maureen asked, looking at Mark's giddy smile.
"He met someone," Mimi told her. "Some reporter who, according to Roger, is hot."
"Liz Gordon?" she asked.
"How did you know?" Mark asked.
"She's the only hot reporter on your show," Maureen said, raising her eyebrows. "Oooh, Marky, the two of you will make such a cute couple!"
"No, we won't, because we're just friends," Mark replied. Joanne crossed her arms.
"That means don't get involved, Maureen," she said, sensing her partner's desire to find a girlfriend for their friend.
"You two never let me have any fun," she said, sulkily. Joanne just rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"You'll have to excuse her. She's having her psychotic mood swings again," Joanne explained. Mark smiled, remembering well from his days as Maureen's boyfriend.
"Have fun with that," Mark said. He poured himself a bowl of Cap'n Crunch and began to eat. "Roger, if you buy another box of Cap'n Crunch, I'm going to kick your ass."
"Duly noted," he replied, walking into the room and collapsing onto the couch next to Mimi. Mark leaned back against the metal table in the "kitchen" and looked at the others.
"Okay, so someone want to let me in on why we're all here?" he asked.
"It's a secret," Maureen said, walking over to Joanne and wrapping her arms around the black woman. Mark shook his head and rolled his eyes.
"I hate secrets," he replied. Maureen smiled.
"You'll like this one. Trust me," she said. Mark rolled his eyes once again.
"I think that's the most dangerous thing you've ever wanted me to do."
"Come on, Mark," Maureen urged. She'd taken his glasses and covered his eyes with a blindfold. Roger and Collins were leading him to their destination.
"Mo, this isn't funny," he said. Of course, it seemed funny to everyone else. Finally they stopped, and Maureen pulled off the blindfold while handing over his glasses. He put them on and looked at what they had all been so excited to show him. A car. His father's old car. "This really isn't funny," he said, turning and walking away from the group.
"Mark, it's yours now," Joanne told him.
"I don't want it. Roger, why don't you take it and sell it to the guy who bought your car… we can use the money for doctor's bills," Mark said, not turning around to look at it. The five watched as he walked away, back towards the loft.
"I told you that was a bad idea," Roger said, turning to Maureen. "We should have just sold it to start with." He shook his head and began running after Mark.
"I'll take it to the car lot," Joanne said, taking the keys from Collins.
"You're going to the doctor, Mark. End of discussion," Roger said, throwing him his coat and scarf.
"Kiss my ass."
"If it'll make you go, gladly," Roger said. He pushed Mark out of the loft and drug him down the stairs.
"Roger, I'm fine, and if you don't let go of me I'll be late for work," Mark reasoned.
"I already called your boss and explained. She said that if you didn't go, she'd fire you," Roger replied. Mark stopped in his tracks.
"I can't believe you! Why the hell would you do something like that?" Mark asked.
"Because I know as well as you do that that's the only way in hell I was going to get you to go to the fucking doctor," Roger said. "Now come on."
"You're such a fucking ass," Mark muttered. But instead of resisting he followed Roger willingly.
Roger watched as Mark went into his room and slammed the door. According to the doctor, he had bronchitis. Which meant he would have to miss work… again.
"He's still pissed at you?" Mimi asked.
"Well, if the silent treatment is any indication, then I would have to say yes," Roger replied, sighing.
A/n: That's all for now. I've got some other things to work on for a while. Oooh, and if you liked the book Born Blue, you should totally check out The Copper Elephant by Adam Rapp. Once you get used to the vocabulary and grammar, it's really good.