So here is a longer chapter. Please review and give me your imput. I have most of the story finished, but reviews give me the motivation to post it. Thanks guys.

Countless Forgiveness

"You can sleep here sweetie," Maureen cooed. She tucked Maya onto the couch. "Tomorrow I think you are going to get some furniture."

"I thought you needed the money for rent," Maya pointed out.

"Well, actually this is money from Collins old boyfriend, Angel," she sighed. "She gave half of her money to Collins and the other half is to help us with the rent. It wasn't much, but it should get you a couple pieces of furniture."

Maya smiled. She loved the name Angel. She also loved the fact that everyone referred to Angel as a she, even though Angel was a guy.

"I guess I have an angel looking out for me," she thought as she closed her eyes.

o o o o o

Roger, Mimi, Collins, and Maya ran to the station. They were late. Roger jumped over the bar, which led into the station. He pulled Mimi over. Maya ducked under and Collins leaped over it, laughing.

The train in the subway was waiting. The doors were closing slowly. The four of them took off and got in, just before the doors closed. They heard shouts from security behind them, but the train pulled away.

"We made it," Mimi laughed.

Maya felt uncomfortable with all the people staring at the group of them. Half the people looked amused and the other half were giving them dirty looks. She saw a lady in the corner, wearing a fur coat and reading a magazine, her daughter was sitting next to her. There were about 5 shopping bags around them. Maya sighed. She remembered when she had her first adopted parents. She was about 8. They lived in a huge house on the east side of town. Her mother would take her to the stores every day and buy her ice cream. Sadly, her mother divorced her father and went into a state of depression. She was in no condition to take care of Maya, so the orphanage took her back. She stayed there until she was 13 when Dale and Allah took her in. Then she went straight to Tom. She never knew her real parents. Her earlier years were spent with a nun named Sister Mary Fay. Maya zapped out of memories when she saw Mimi looking at her quizzically.

"Have you?" Mimi asked.

"Have I what?" Maya said.

"Decided on colors you want for your furniture," Mimi said matter-of-factly.

"Nope," Maya said. "I guess whatever we can find."

The rest of the ride was mostly quiet. When the subway pulled to a stop, everyone began to get up very quickly and rush out. Maya was pushed along the crowd, up the stairs, and into the bright lights of the city. She was shocked at the size of it.

Collins led the way through some alleys and they eventually were in front of a giant blue building.

Maya smiled and followed her family inside.

"Family," she thought. "That sounds good."

o o o o o

"Mark," Maureen yelled. Mark was looking through the lens of his camera. He cringed when he saw Maureen, storming toward him, holding her favorite pair of white boots.

"What is this?" she cried.

"Your boots," Mark said trying to sound innocent.

"NO," she screamed. "THIS! WHAT IS THIS, THIS LARGE UGLY BLACK STAIN?"

"A large ugly black stain," Mark laughed nervously. Maureen lowered herself until she was an inch away from Mark's face.

"Do you really want to be laughing right now?" she hissed.

"It kind of looks like grease," Mark said quickly. Maureen backed off and began pacing.

"Now we are getting somewhere," she glared at him. "What kind of grease?"

"It kind of looks like"- Mark gulped.

"YOUR FUCKING CAMERA GREASE LENS THING," she roared. "THE DAMN GREASE YOU ARE ALWAYS USING ON YOUR CAMERA. IT IS ON MY FUCKING BOOTS. MY FAVORITE PAIR OF WHITE BOOTS HAVE GREASE ON THEM. ARE YOU CRAZY? DO YOU KNOW HOW EXPENSIVE THESE ARE? HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN HOW ANGRY I GET WHEN MY THINGS BECOME DESTROYED?"

Mark shook his head. He remembered quite well. "Calm down Maur. It is a little grease. I am not sure how it got there-"

"DO NOT CALL ME MAUR! YOU LEFT YOUR DAMN CONTAINER OF GREASE OPEN IN THE CLOSET. IT FELL FROM THE DAMN SHELF THAT YOU KEEP YOUR DAMN EQUIPMENT ON AND-"

Mark got up and kissed her. She pushed him away vigorously.

"Is this really the time?" she cried.

"Well," he thought, "it works when Roger uses that move on Mimi when she is angry."

Maureen glared at Mark.

"I have tried everything to get them off," she cried. "Nothing is working!"

"Sorry Maureen," he said.

"Nothing is ever going to make up for this. No matter what you do I will never forget this Mark Cohen," she yelled. "Never!"

Maureen was always being dramatic when it came to little things. Mark tried to shrug it off, but he found himself thinking about ways to make it up to her.

"Snap out of it," he told himself. It was useless. He was under Maureen's spell. Nothing could get him out of it. The more he heard her yelling at him, the more he felt himself wanting her. It was like in elementary school when you made fun of the person you liked. Mark sighed and followed Maureen's sobs into the bedroom. He prepared himself for an hour of him begging Maureen for forgiveness and saying sorry more times than he could count.

o o o o o

"Maya do you like this set?" Collins asked. Maya gasped. It was an adorable little bed with a matching wardrobe set. The wardrobe opened up and inside was a mirror.

The four of them were in the "as is" section. It was the section of reject furniture. This particular set had a large scratch on the side of the bed and the mirror was cracked. One of the drawers was missing too, but Maya loved it. It was a pale purple with a hint of pink around the edges. It was a $100 piece set, but was on sale for $85. Maya smiled when she saw the price. Roger went to get a manager, to help them get the set.

"How are we getting this home?" Mimi asked.

"Damn," said Collins. "I didn't think of that."

"The amazing Collins didn't think?" Mimi gasped. "It's okay. I will call Benny. He will give us a ride."

Collins nodded, but glanced in the direction of Roger. Mimi sighed. Roger was going to have to deal with it.

"Do you guys want to look at couches while we're here?" Collins asked.

"What is the point?" Mimi laughed. "We barely have enough money for food."

Collins laughed. Roger came back.

"Shipping it home will take 10 bucks, but they can only deliver it to the closest business building, because they cannot put their employees "in danger" by sending them to "our side of town," Roger said irritably.

"It's okay," Mimi said slowly. "Benny is going to give us a ride home."

"No he's not," Roger laughed.

"We have to get the set home," she said. "The shipping is expensive. We are going home with Benny. I am going to use a payphone and call him."

"Mimi," said Roger slowly, trying to get her to come over to the corner with him so they could talk about the situation in private.

"My mind is made up Roger," she said, holding her ground.

"We can go home on the subway if it is easier," Collins suggested.

Mimi put her hand up to him, silencing him.

She strutted away, in search for a pay phone.

Roger followed after her, leaving Collins and Maya alone. Collins turned to Maya and smiled. "Are you happy with your furniture?"

"I am so happy," she squealed. "I cannot believe how cheap it is, too!"

Collins laughed. His daughter had so much to learn about himself and his Bohemian life. He gave her a quick hug and went to go pay for the set.

Maya sat down on a nearby couch. She was swinging her legs back and forth. A tall man passed her and signaled her to follow him. She looked around and followed him around the corner.

"You're Maya," he pointed out.

"And you are?" Maya asked slowly.

"Gordon," he said. "Just Gordon. I noticed you looked upset. Is Roger or Mimi ruining the ABC city fun?"

"How do you know Roger and Mimi?" she asked in awe.

"Let's just say we are old friends," he coughed slightly. "Have you ever heard of smack? D? C? X? Horse? Joogie Boogie Boy? Blow?"

"Nope," she said. "Are they drugs?"

"Yes," he laughed. "But they aren't the bad kind. They are the coping kind. Many people took them to cope with the Alphabet city drama and pain. Mimi Marquez was my biggest customer after Roger went into withdrawal."

"Mimi?" Maya gasped.

"Yep," he said. "I just wanted to let you know that I am here to help you if you need anything."

Maya smiled. He seemed so sweet and he definitely came out of his way to see if she needed anything.

"I will let you know if I do," Maya laughed, leaving Gordon.

"I can usually be found in the main alley. If you hop the fence at the end of the alley by your house, and make a left and continue going straight, that is where I am, at the very end of that alley." He waved to her and walked away.

"Maya," Collins voice called out. Maya turned to find Collins, Mimi, and Roger standing around the corner. She went over, scared that they were angry, but they hadn't seen Gordon. Maya wasn't sure if they were friends with him, but the way he stayed secretive, she doubted he wanted to see her Bohemian family.

Her thoughts changed when she saw Collins paying for her furniture. She ran over to gaze at it. She didn't know why, but she thought it was the most beautiful thing in the world. Anyone else would look at it and think, "What a piece of crap," but Maya was just in awe at its beauty.

Mimi came to stand next to her. She looked like she was trying to decide whether to pout, because Roger disagreed with her or to smile, because she had won the fight. To make things more complicated Benny walked in.

Collins, whom wanted to keep things with Benny calm, gave him a big "hello." Benny returned it and helped him carry the set outside.

Benny's Range Rover was parked in the corner. The three men carried over the furniture. Roger had not said anything to Benny, nor had he even looked at him. They got the set into the car, leaving no room for them to sit.

Mimi ended up sitting on Roger's lap, which she wanted to do, but everyone could tell she thought she had given in and let Roger win. Maya sat squished next to them. Collins got into the passenger seat and they drove off.

"Whose furniture set is that?" Benny asked, pointing to the set in an attempt to start a conversation.

"Mine," Maya said dully.

Benny could tell that no one wanted to be with him. Mimi noticed the uncomfortable air that hung in the car. She started rambling on about how much she liked Ikea, in her attempt to start conversation. She was successful for the most part, as Collins joined her.

Roger just stared forward and watched Benny's every move. He saw the way his old friend would glance in the mirror and stare at Mimi. The more his old roommate gave her looks of admiration, the more he held Mimi closer. He couldn't stand the looks Benny kept giving her. His temper was rising, he could feel it. He-

"Ow," Mimi cried. Roger looked at her. She was staring at him.

"You're squishing me," she said. She had her hands on Roger's, trying to pry them apart. It was no use, because his grip was so tight.

"Sorry," he mumbled, easing the grip on her. Benny pulled down, the run down street that was home to the loft. Benny got out of the car, to help Roger and Collins carry the set up the stoop. Roger grabbed the front half of the wardrobe, while Collins grabbed the bed. Roger felt the other end of the wardrobe lift up. He heard Benny's voice on the other end. He was talking and laughing with Mimi. Roger was trying to look over the furniture to catch a glimpse of what they were doing. He didn't notice how close he was to the stoop. He tripped over the first step, sending him backwards with the wardrobe on top of him.

He heard Mimi scream and everything went black.

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