Chapter 6

"Hello Sara," Mimi greeted. "I'm Maria Marquez, but everyone calls me Mimi. I'll be the one instructing you."

"Wow," Sara said, her eyes widening. "They told me that I was going to be instructed by a senior dancer. I thought they meant a senior, senior. Like an older person. But you look so young."

"Thank you." Mimi accepted with a grin. "I am a senior dancer though. I've been with the company for almost eight years. So let's go in and get started."

Three hours of dancing and sweating later, Mimi smiled at Sara. "You're good." she said.

Sara was breathing hard and staring at Mimi. "You're so tiny. How do you dance like that? I've only seen strippers dance that hard and fast."

Mimi laughed at that. "Well then, it helps that I used to be a stripper, doesn't it? You're looking at a veteran dancer from the Cat Scratch Club sweetheart."

"Okay, now you're my hero Miss Mimi. I have to get to know you better. What are you doing later tonight? We should go get some dinner or something." Sara said grinning.

"I'd love to, but I have to meet my friends later tonight." Mimi said with regret. Then she got a wonderful idea. Mark was most likely still single and Sara probably was too. "Why don't you come with me? I have a friend that might be perfect for you, if you're single that is."

"Um, I am single, but blind dates aren't really my thing." Sara said reluctantly. "I always end up with some loser who's two feet shorter than me."

Mimi nodded her understanding. "I know, but Mark Cohen's a really great guy. He's sweet and kind and really fun once he comes out of his shell."

Sara's eyes widened. "Did you say Mark Cohen? As in Mark Cohen from Buzzline? That really cute guy with the pretty blue eyes?"

"That's the one!"

"Okay then I'm definitely coming. Just let me go home and get cleaned up first." Sara decided.

Meanwhile, Roger was in his hotel being berated by his agent Lanna. He had calmly explained that they would have to reschedule the sound check for his concert, because he'd made plans with his friends.

"Davis we don't have time for this." Lanna had yelled. "This trip is not about you having fun and taking strolls down memory lane. This is about us getting your name out there. You're not a superstar yet you know."

"I know." Roger countered. "That's why I'm taking some time to go back to my roots. I'm not nearly famous enough to always be on schedule. So just let me have today off and tomorrow you can do what you want with me."

Of course he hadn't meant that in a sexual way and Lanna knew it, but she couldn't help adding before she hung up, "Fine but I'm going to hold you to that Davis. You're mine tomorrow."

Roger hung up shaking his head. People said that agents made things easier, but what did they know? He sank down on the bed wearily as the phone on the night stand rang.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Yes, Mr. Davis? There's a Mark Cohen here to see you with a little girl. Should I let them up?" the hotel security wanted to know.

"Uh, yeah send them up. Oh and could you also have three steaks and two baked potatoes sent up as well?"

"Of course sir."

Roger hung up the phone and leaned back against the pillows, some times it was good to be famous. Before he knew it he was sound asleep.

Ten minutes later his eyes sprang open and he was face to face with a pair of eyes greener than his own.

"Shit!" he exclaimed. Then the face backed up enough for him to see that the eyes belonged to a young girl with long red hair. Roger looked around the room and saw Mark smirking at him from a chair in the corner.

"Hello Sleeping Beauty." he said grinning.

"Hey Mark, who let you in and who is this kid?" Roger asked.

"The room service people got worried when you didn't answer the door and I told them if they gave me a key I'd handle it. And this is Maureen and Joanne's daughter Jaylah." Mark answered.

At the words "room service" Roger had bolted from the bed to the covered trays on the cart by the door. He uncovered them with a grin and began to eat quickly.

Then the girl spoke up. "You're Roger Davis." she said.

"Yeah, I am." Roger responded thickly, his mouth full of steak.

"You're cuter in person, but better mannered on T.V." Jaylah said matter of factly. In the corner Mark snorted out a laugh.

"Thanks I guess." Roger said back.

"How old are you Mr. Davis?" she asked next.

Roger stopped eating and focused on the girl. "Uh, thirty-five." he answered her. "and since your mothers are two of my best friends you can just call me Roger or whatever."

"Okay Roger or whatever." Jaylah said with a smirk. "Will you sing something for me? I told Mark that you had the best voice ever, but he said that was only a matter of opinion, and that after listening to you sing in the shower for five years, he didn't share my opinion."

Roger glared at Mark. "Well you shouldn't listen to Mark when he's being a prick Jaylah, I'm a good singer. Certainly not the best, but still pretty great." he said modestly.

"Yeah, yeah. I guess you do have your glory moments Rog." Mark agreed.

"Okay so let's stop talking about me." Roger suggested. "What have you been up to in the past ten years Mark? I mean besides Buzzline. Any love interests out there?"

Now it was Mark's turn to glare at Roger. "You're prying Roger." he declared. "And as you once told me long ago, I don't see how that's any of your business."

"Jeez" Roger said taken aback by Mark's tone. "Sorry for thinking my best friend might want to catch up after ten years. My bad."

"Roger." Mark said harshly. "You can't leave, and then after ten years of no contact, miraculously show up and think every thing is going to be the same. Thing aren't the same. I've changed, even if you haven't. I'm not up for letting people walk all over me anymore."

Roger just stared at the man he used to think of as a brother. "I never tried or meant to walk all over you Mark." he said softly. "I just thought-" Then he stopped. "You know what? Forget it. I've got things to do, so I'll see you later tonight."

Mark got up and walked towards the door. "Come on Jaylah, let's leave the super star to answer his fan mail or stare at his reflection." Jaylah got up and obediently followed Mark out the door.