Death of a Muse
Legal Disclaimer-Zoom in on the empty wallet. I have no money.
Author's Note-Like I said sweetie pie, it's a deal. Everyone else, what can I say, thank you. Your reviews have kept me going. Yes, it will get darker. Yes, it will have sad parts. No, it's not what you think. That's why I like writing this. And yes, there will be fireworks eventually. Between whom? Not going to tell you….going to show you. Oh yeah, a moviola is an editing machine used by filmmakers to splice film together. It's actually more like a device that sits on a wall and the film is cranked through, usually by hand. Mark has one, you saw it in the movie. Also, I have theorized that he develops his own film to save money. Filmmakers have no money, I know, I am one.
The morning light came early into Mark's bedroom. Mary had crawled out from beneath the comforter, after taking a long moment to remember exactly where she was. Mark had curled up next to her and had stayed most of the night. She was warm, but sadly alone.
Mark had woken up about three a.m. and worked on what he had previously shot during the day. The edits and cut frames had filled the floor as he tried desperately to recapture the magic. The film itself was coming together. He would every once and while look up at his bedroom door, a smile lightly crossing his face, knowing that Mary was asleep inside. It made him feel so alive.
He didn't hear her as she wandered into the bathroom, only the later sound of the plumbing. She sleepily looked at him as she walked out.
"Morning," she said softly, "How long have you been up?"
"Since about 3," Mark admitted, "You okay?"
"Yeah, what time is it?" she asked, smelling the coffee that Mark had made earlier, "This fresh?"
"6 and yes," Mark replied, splicing the edits together and running them back through his moviola, "I remembered that you were a coffee drinker. You sleep well?"
Mary found a broken mug, washed it out and poured herself a cup of the steaming brew. One thing that Mary didn't know was thatMark was more of a tea fan than she was, while he didn't want it, he always made coffee for Roger.
"Best sleep in a long time," she smiled, finding milk in their small refrigerator and pouring it into her coffee, "Thank you."
"What time is rehearsal for you?" Mark asked, "I thought you might want to do breakfast."
"9," Mary replied, "I should have enough time to get home, shower, get changed and head to the hall."
"How long should rehearsal be today?" he continued to ask her as she sipped her coffee, "You want to get together afterward?"
"About 5 hours, but it should go longer," she replied, "They're going to want us to practice a little harder till opening, Mark. I think the next time we can get together is after opening night."
Mark sighed. It wasn't what he wanted to hear, but she was being very firm. She looked at him sympathetically. She wanted to spend more time with him as well. The moment was broken as Roger opened the door to his bedroom and sleepily stumbled toward the kitchen. Mark mouthed coffee to her and she grabbed a mug to hand to him. He sleepwalked as he grabbed the carafe, filled the mug and added sugar. Sipping it slowly, he turned to face Mary.
Gently, and surprisingly, he kissed her on the cheek and headed back into his bedroom.
Mary's gaze followed him and she meet Mark's look.
"Don't tell me does that with you," she said, laughing.
"He doesn't, but he is particular about his coffee," Mark had gotten back into his editing, "He likes you though, he wouldn't do that otherwise."
Mary came up behind him. She put down her coffee mug next to his tea and put her arms around him, looking over his shoulder at his edit.
"Thank you for being a perfect gentleman last night," she whispered into his ear, "Thank you so much."
Mark turned around, gathering her into his arms. He found himself kissing the top of her head. The simple act of sleeping with her last night had left him refreshed as well. He woke up to her sleeping face and felt like he was in heaven. Here now, he could just simply hold her and feel the same way.
"You sure you don't want to do breakfast?" he asked after a moment, "I actually do have money, and I can pay."
"I would love to, but I can't," Mary answered, "I better get moving as well. Though I don't want to leave this. I have to concentrate on the ballet, Mark. The dance deserves me focused completely."
"Yes, it does," Mark admitted, "But I will miss you."
"We can celebrate after opening night," Mary offered, pulling back to look into his eyes, "This I do promise you."
She kissed him on the lips and pulled away, heading into his room to gather her shoes and bag. Mark sat back down, ran the shot he had just edited back through the moviola, smiling at the shot of Mary and Mimi pirouetting for the camera. Together the women looked amazing.
Mary came back with her stuff and pulled her coat on. Mark got up and followed her to the door. This time, he gathered her into his arms, kissed her passionately, and then stepped back.
"You're making this very hard for me, aren't you?" she said, "I have to go to rehearsal, but I will call you afterward."
"And I'll be waiting for your call," Mark replied, "Have a great rehearsal."
"Work on your movie, Mark," Mary said, heading down the stairs, "I want to see what you have worked on after opening, ok?"
"Yes maam," Mark laughed, watching her walk down the stairs.
As she left the building, Mark walked across the loft to the windows to watch her head for the subway. It was hard to miss her red hair in the morning light. She took a moment, turned and looked at the windows, and waved.
"Mary leave?" Roger asked from behind him, shattering the silence.
"Yeah, she has rehearsal at nine," Mark replied turning around to face his friend, "She wants to stay focused on the ballet, so we won't see her until opening night."
"That means you'll see her when, tomorrow?" Roger teased, heading back to refill his coffee mug.
"I'm going to respect her wishes, Roger," Mark replied, "She's a hell of a ballerina. If my keeping away from her keeps her focused on the job at hand, so be it."
Roger stopped and turned back to Mark. It was surprising to hear him say that.
"Who are you and what have you done with the loner Mark Cohen I used to know?" Roger asked mockingly, "She spends the night with you and you're willing to do anything she asks of you? You're whipped boy."
The frustrated glare he got back spoke volumes. Mark was going to speak, stopped and glared at Roger some more.
"You guys didn't…." Roger asked, "Wow."
"It's not like that," Mark said, sitting back down at the moviola, "You have to understand how tired she was. She slept. I slept. It was just so damn cool to wake up in someone's arms, listening to their heartbeat, sharing their warmth…"
"Dealing with their breath in the morning," Roger added, "Go on."
"Hey, it was perfect," Mark continued, "She has…"
His thought was interrupted by a knock at the door. Mark jumped up to grab it, instantly thinking that she forgot something as Roger beat him to the door. He pulled it open to reveal Collins.
"Good morning my brothers," he said, bag of bagels in his hand, "I hope this is not too early."
"Nah, Mark's just mooning over Mary," Roger said, hugging him, "Bagels? What's with all the food, Collins, you trying to fatten us up or something?"
"No, was going to ask you a favor and I thought this would help," Collins said entering the room.
Mark hugged Collins as well.
"Ask away," Mark said, returning to the moviola, "What's on your mind?"
"I need a place to hang my hat for a few days," Collins began, taking a spot at the small table that they used as a desk/table/workspace, "The landlord wants to spray for roaches by chasing us out of the place. Chang is going to stay with his folks while this happens, they don't know about me, so, I need a place."
"The couch is yours my friend," Roger said, taking a bagel, smearing it with cream cheese and starting to wolf it down, "Whenever, you know that."
"My thanks to you my friends," Collins said, walking up to where Mark was working, "What you working on? The stuff you shot yesterday with your woman?"
"Mary is her name," Mark smiled, "Not my woman. Geez, you think it would have been eons since I dated, or even had a girlfriend."
"It has been, but this one I like," Collins said, "She doesn't seem as into herself as Maureen. I love Maureen, don't get me wrong, but Mary's enchanting."
"Thanks," Mark said, running another spool of film, "You still coming to the ballet? Going to bring Chang?"
"He's got to work at the family restaurant, but I am going to try and convince him," Collins replied, "He's still not used to dating, but, his family is beginning to figure it all out."
"Drama, drama and more drama," Roger said, "Mary stayed over last night."
"Mark! You didn't share," Collins patted the younger man on the back, "Good for you."
"All we did was sleep," Mark muttered, "Why do you guys want to know about my sex life?"
"It's nice to hear when one gets restarted, Mark," Roger grinned, "We're not talking about your sex life, we're cheering you on."
"I want to take this slow, okay?" Mark stopped for another moment, ran the film back through the moviola's hand crank, "This is a relationship that I don't want to mess up."
Collins raised an eyebrow.
"You guys that serious?" he asked.
"I would like it be," Mark said, "She makes me happy. She's helped me on this project and given me other eyes to see things through, Collins. There's nothing wrong with that."
"She's your muse man, and that's cool," Roger said, "My muse found me on the fire escape."
"And now she's in your bed," Mimi said, coming out of the bedroom, "Save me a bagel will you. Morning Collins."
"Morning Mimi," Collins replied, "We're just discussing Mark's sex life."
"What? Mary stayed over?" Mimi asked, "Good for you, Mark!"
"They slept, but not together," Collins replied, "Mark, Mark, Mark."
Mark turned back around and tried desperately to not blush. He didn't like the attention, but if he got upset, they won.
"This conversation is over guys, I gotta work," Mark said, pulling another frame onto the reels of the moviola, "You guys don't mind, do you?"
Collins laughed.
"Mark, will you see her today?" Mimi asked bringing over a mug of tea for Mark, "I wanted to thank her again for the Nutcracker tickets."
"Actually we'll see her on opening night," Mark replied, "She's wanting to concentrate entirely on the ballet right now."
"Fair enough," Mimi put a hand on his shoulder, "You should get her roses for opening night."
Mark turned and looked in his roommate's eyes. She meant well.
"Thanks, I was thinking the same thing," he said, "But what color, what is the right thing to do?"
"Plum colored," Mimi suggested, "She is the Sugar Plum Fairy."