Mark waited until Maureen had gone to the store to say anything to Roger. The songwriter sat on the ledge by the window, penning new lyrics into a beat-up notebook. Mark filmed him for a minute before setting the camera down.
"Roger, we need to talk."
"Why? You breaking up with me?" he teased.
Mark gave a small smile. "Very funny. I'm serious. There's, um, look I'm just going to say this. You and Maureen should be together."
Roger's eyes flicked around the room nervously. He dropped the notebook. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about you and Maureen. You both deserve to be happy."
"Mark, she and I aren't—"
"Aren't what? A couple? May as well be. In love? Yes, you are. You're both just too damned stubborn to admit it."
Roger blushed and backed away from Mark. "We're not. We're just friends."
"Roger, I'm not trying to start a fight, okay? I just want to say that I'm okay with it. You and Maureen should be happy. And before you even bring it up, use a condom or don't have sex, but admit that you love each other."
Mark picked up his camera and moved past Roger to the door. "I'll be back."
When Maureen returned, Roger helped her with the groceries in silence. He didn't know what to think of Mark's words. Sure, he was falling for Maureen. It never occurred to him that she could fall for him. Women like Maureen didn't fall for men like Roger. Then again, Roger usually didn't fall for women like Maureen.
"Rog, you okay?"
"Huh?"
"I asked you where Mark is, like, four times and you've just got this weird look on your face. Are you okay?"
"Oh…um…yeah, yeah I'm okay."
"So where is he?"
"Who?"
Maureen laughed. "Mark. Skinny blonde guy, glasses, carries a camera around everywhere."
"Oh. Sorry. He, um, he didn't say where he was going. Just said he'd be back."
"You two get in a fight?"
"No. What makes you think that?"
She shrugged. "Seems like Mark always tells us where he's going unless he's pissed. Since I wasn't here, process of elimination leaves you."
"No, no…at least I don't think so. We, um, we were just talking. Well, it was more like Mark talking and not listening to me. And then he grabbed his camera and said he'd be back and left."
Maureen frowned. "Weird. I'm sure he's fine though."
"Yeah…" Roger picked up the notebook and pen and went to his room.
Maureen continued to empty the bags, wondering what had gotten into the two of them. She answered the phone on the second ring.
"Hello?"
"Maureen, hey. Did you talk to Roger?"
"Yeah, I guess. I mean, he didn't seem to want to say anything. What happened? Where are you?"
"Nothing happened. I'm on my way to Scarsdale to visit the parents until you two get your heads together."
"About what?"
"Ask Roger."
Mark hung up before Maureen could ask anything more. She turned over the conversation in her head a few times before deciding both men had definitely lost their minds. Crossing to Roger's room, she was glad to see it open. He was sitting on the bed, one knee bent, hunched over his notebook. He looked up when she came in. She smiled and resisted the urge to brush his hair from his eyes.
"That was Mark."
"Oh. What, uh, what'd he want?"
"To see if you told me what you guys talked about."
Roger shifted uncomfortably. He slipped the notebook into the nightstand and shrugged. "He say where he was?"
"Yeah. On the way to visit his parents in Scarsdale. And staying there until you and I, in his words, get our heads together."
"Scarsdale?"
"Yeah and Mark hates visiting his parents, so you have about five seconds to start talking."
Roger hesitated. "He said, um…he said that, uh, you and me…that you and me should-should be happy."
"Okay…"
"And that we should be together," Roger said, blushing as soon as he'd said it.
"We should…as in you and I…"
Roger tried to ignore the stab of pain in his heart. "I know, stupid, right? Mark's idea. He wouldn't drop it. I tried to tell him it was stupid but he just…I know you don't feel that way so I…fuck, nevermind, okay? Forget I said anything."
Roger jumped and ran to the staircase, reached the rooftop before Maureen processed what he'd said.
