Andie was thrilled beyond belief that she got to stay in Bohemia. She would go around everywhere with a giant smile on her face, happy and cheerful. Mark was thrilled that Andie was acting like this. She was normally only worried about school, but now that summer was approaching, the load was being lifted from her shoulders. One morning Saturday morning, she was especially cheerful, but things would change by that night. Mark was sitting at the counter, eating lunch, when Andie finally came out of the shower.
"Morning Uncle Mark," she said as she planted a kiss on his cheek. Her wet, blonde hair was in a single French braid down her back.
"What's put you in such a good mood today?" Andie shrugged.
"I dunno. Can't I be in a good mood for my favorite Uncle in the world?" She sat down, and began to dig into a plate of left-over spaghetti.
"How much money?" Andie rolled her eyes.
"Not a lot. Mimi, Maureen, Angel, and I want to go shopping today. Just for the afternoon. I'll be back in time if you all are going to the Life tonight or something."
"You girl, are burning a hole in my wallet. It's a good thing I have a good paying job, and that child support is coming in. We're not going to the Life tonight, but I want you back by 9:00. You've been staying out way too late at nights. I would like you in bed before midnight at least once this week." Andie pouted. Mark was being unfair, but when he handed her $60, she quickly forgot her frustration.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she screeched as she jumped up and down, and threw her arms around Mark. Mark returned the hug, and chuckled.
"For my sanity, don't buy a lot of stuff. Your closet is already running out of room, and I don't know where I'd put any more of you clothes." Andie stuck her tongue out.
"You suck the fun out of life sometimes."
"Then I'll just take back my money."
"No, no, no, that's okay. You're okay I guess." Mark gave her a look. She rolled her eyes. "Fine. You're the best. Happy now?" Mark nodded with a pleased look on his face.
"You bet. Now, go get something nicer on." Andie had pulled the first thing she could grab in her room, which consisted of a solid gray t-shirt, and baggy, plaid, pajama pants.
"Aww…I was thinking of wearing this. Don't you find this fashionable?" Andie strutted up and down the loft, spinning like a model.
"Very fashionable, my dear. It'll be the next biggest hit in Paris. Right now, however, people don't dress like that. So go get some real clothes on."
Andie sighed as she listened to her Uncle…for once in her life. Fifteen minutes later, she appeared back in the kitchen wearing jeans, and a form-fitting green tank top.
"Aren't you going to be cold?" Mark asked, looking up from cutting his latest documentary. Andie shook her head.
"I'll bring a sweatshirt or something." She rummaged around in the closet, and produced an old tattered red sweatshirt that used to be Roger's before he loaned it to her two years ago, and she never gave it back. "See?" she said as she pulled it over her head. Mark rolled his eyes, and went back to his cutting.
"What time are you going?"
"As soon as someone calls here to tell me that they're ready. We'll probably be waiting on Maureen for another hour or two, so I'm stuck here with you." Andie sat down on the couch.
"Just my luck. I wanted to have a party without you, but I can't get you to leave!" Andie smacked her Uncle playfully.
"You wouldn't be able to get anyone to come, because I'm the life of any party you have!"
"You wish, girl!"
An hour and a half later, Angel called, and told Andie that they were ready to go, and that they'd meet her downstairs on the stoop. Andie hung up the phone, gave Mark a hug, and began to climb down the fire escape.
"Why don't you use the main hallway like everyone else does?" Mark called after her.
"It smells weird!" Andie yelled. Mark shrugged, he really couldn't argue with that statement there.
After wandering around the loft aimlessly for nearly an hour, Mark called Roger to see if he wanted to come over and hang out for a few hours. Roger readily agreed, and was over in a matter of seconds.
"Hey man, so all the women have ditched us for the day?" Roger asked as he climbed over the window seat, and into the loft.
"Yeah, all except for Joanne, she had to work today or something. We're not going to the Life today or anything, are we?" Roger shook his head.
"Not that I know of.
Why?"
"I would actually like Andie to be in bed before
midnight tonight. I know it's a lot to ask for, but it would be
nice."
"Andie's right. You do suck the fun out of life. Why bother going to bed before midnight if you don't have to get up for school the next day?" Mark smacked Roger upside the head. "Hey! I just call them as I see them!"
"I can't help thinking about what kind of life Andie would be living if she had gone to live with Becky."
"She would have gone to a stuck-up all girls' school that kept her away from the guys like me that she'll end up dating no matter what." Mark groaned. "Don't worry, if anything goes wrong with the guy, we can always sic Maureen on them!" Both men laughed. "She would be living like Naomi, the life that the both of them hate."
"True. Very true." Roger and Mark talked all afternoon, and ended up ordering a pizza, and pigging out with Collins.
Around 9:15, they heard singing from the street, and recognized the voices as Andie's, Angel's, Maureen's, and Mimi's.
"Our women are back," Collins said.
"And Maureen," added Mark.
"And Maureen."
"Hey Mark, you remember that first time we all went to the Life? Back after the riot?" asked Roger.
"Yeah. What about
it?"
"I keep remembering all the good times we used to have.
We used to get drunk every weekend, and do nothing all day long.
Andie came along though, and things changed." Andie, who had been
standing out on the fire escape, came inside, hiding her hurt
feelings.
"Hey Andie! Have fun shopping?" Mark asked. Andie seemed almost distracted to him, but he couldn't figure out why.
"What? Oh, oh, yeah. I had a pretty good time. I have a really bad headache, so I'm going to go to bed now." She came over, and gave Mark, Roger, and Collins each a hug. "I'll see you in the morning."
"Night honey," Mark called as her bedroom door closed. He sighed. "All those good times were fun, but I wouldn't trade Andie in for the world. She's the one that convinced Mimi to go back to school, and whether or not you'll admit it, she's the reason you got a real job, Roger." Roger rolled his eyes. Mark was right, he wouldn't admit it, even though it was true. Roger looked at his watch.
"I should be going," he said. "Mimi wanted to hang out just the two of us tonight." Collins stood up too, saying that he should be going also. Mark was alone, something that he really didn't get to appreciate that much anymore.
Roger and Mimi were having ice cream when Roger noticed a flash of red on their fire escape.
"What is it baby?" Mimi asked.
"I just saw something red on the fire escape. Like a person or something."
"Well, the only people that use the fire escape are you and Andie." Mimi paused to think. "And Andie was wearing red today, so it was probably her."
"But where is she going? She said that she had a really bad headache, and went to bed right when she got home."
"A headache? She never told us. She said that she could go on shopping all night. She must have gotten better already or something." Roger shook his head.
"No, no, something's not right here, I have a feeling that something's not right. I'm going to go talk to Mark.
Mark was sitting on the couch watching the TV Benny had gotten him and Andie for Christmas a few years ago, when he heard a knock on his window. He turned around, and saw Roger standing there, and motioned for him to come in.
"What's up?" he asked.
"Where's Andie?" Roger asked.
"In her room, with a headache. Don't tell me that you've forgotten that. Why? Does Mimi need her or something?"
"No, I saw someone wearing a red sweatshirt climbing down my fire escape. Are you sure she's in her room?"
"Roger, do you doubt me or something? I've been sitting here since you left, channel surfing, and I can tell you that Andie hasn't left her room." Mark stood up. "I'll prove it to you. One second." He went over to Andie's room, and gently knocked on the door. When no one answered, he tried to open the door, but it was locked. Sighing, he slid his hand along the top of the doorframe until he found the key. He unlocked the door, and returned a couple seconds later with a note in his hands. All the color had drained from his face, and he was shaking. He looked at Roger. "Andie, Andie's gone," he said quietly.
A/N: And that's where I end my story! Ha! Two more chapters! There's a bit of information that you need to know, but if I tell you, it'll ruin the story, and I'm too lazy to figure out if I can fit it anywhere in this chapter (I realized like 2 seconds ago that I forgot to add it), so yeah. Now's the time when I start asking my readers what they want to read next (story-wise), so here's two choices. 1) Heavenly Reunions- title is pretty basic, and explains the story; Rent fic. 2) Road to Recovery. Sequel to Her Story (High School Musical fic). More drama to follow Gabi as she recovers from Ian. Let me know what you want to read next! Oh, thanks to all those wonderful reviewers who have been reading Off-Camera. If you haven't…WHY? Here are the contest winner(s): AdamsAngel (who got the answer without help), and ickle-s-10 (who had to google the answer!), so they get about 50 of the credit. Until next time…two more chapters left!
Tina101