Roger stumbled into the loft. He stopped when he saw Benny and Maureen.

"Roger, you okay?"

"Yeah, just, uh, not feeling so hot," he mumbled.

"How'd the interview go?" Benny asked.

"What?"

"You said this morning that you had a job interview. Isn't that where you were?" Maureen asked.

"Oh, yeah…Um, position's filled."

Roger stalked into his room before they could question him further and shut the door behind him. Maureen frowned.

"Wonder if I should bring him some aspirin or something."

"I'm sure he's fine. He, um, he been okay since you guys got him home?"

"Yeah, for the most part. I mean he argued with the guys a few times and stuff but it's okay."

Benny nodded and took the sandwich Maureen offered him. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

Maureen made herself a sandwich and joined Benny at the table. "So how's Allison?"

"Um, okay, I guess."

"That's convincing."

Benny rolled his eyes. "She's fine. Just…she's just a pain in the ass sometimes, you know?"

"Yeah, well, you're the one who decided it would be so great to live together."

Benny gave a small smile. "You love reminding me of that, don't you?"

"Always," she said with a laugh.

Benny checked his watch and jumped up. "Shit. I'm late."

"You've been here, like, ten minutes."

"Yeah and it takes fifteen to get here," he said, dumping his plate in the kitchen. "Thanks for the sandwich, girl. Tell the guys I said hi."

"Okay. Bye, B."

After Benny had left, Maureen finished her own sandwich and started cleaning up the kitchen. If she didn't, nobody would. At least not till things started growing on the dirty plates. She sighed and realized she hadn't heard a sound from Roger. Maureen poured a glass of water from the tap and grabbed a couple of aspirin from the cabinet. She knocked on Roger's door.

"What?"

"It's just me, Rog. I wanted to check on you and make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine."

"I've got some aspirin. Might make you feel better."

She thought about opening the door but Roger yanked it open first. "I said I'm fine."

"Okay, sorry. Forget I mentioned it. Just take your AZT."

Roger saw the flush of embarrassment creeping up her cheeks. "Sorry, Mo. I just, I'm fine. Just…the interview didn't go so well."

"You said the position's filled."

"Hence a bad interview," he said.

She gave a sympathetic smile. "It's okay. You'll find something. You sure about the aspirin?"

"I'm sure."

"Well, um, you want something to eat or anything?"

"Nope. Fine. Just fine."

Maureen opened her mouth to say more, but Roger retreated back into the room and shut the door again. She frowned and brought the water and aspirin back to the kitchen. Sighing, Maureen went to the window sill. It was her favorite seat in the loft. She curled one leg under herself and leaned her head against the cool window.

Mark found her sitting there an hour later. "Hey, Maureen."

"Hey, baby."

He kissed her forehead and glanced around the loft. "Where's Roger?"

"Room. He's been in there all afternoon."

Mark frowned. "All afternoon?"

"Yeah. Well, I mean, he went to some job interview while I was at work so I got home first but yeah, he's been in there since he got home."

"Job interview?"

"Yeah but he said that the position was filled."

The door to Roger's room opened loudly. She wondered if he'd heard them.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Nothin' much. I was just going to see, actually, if you guys wanted to go for dinner at the Life."

"That sounds great!" Maureen said, clapping her hands together.

"Sorry, Marky. No can do."

"And why not?"

"Because I, um, I'm broke."

"My treat, then," Maureen said. "Got paid this afternoon anyway. Just let me freshen up a bit, okay, Pookie?"

"Okay."

"You in, Roger?"

He hesitated but nodded. "Sure."

Mark groaned when he heard the shower start. "Great, hope you're not starving."

"What, you mean just 'cause she takes three hours to get ready?"

Mark laughed, glad to see Roger in such good spirits. He tried to push any suspicions from his mind.

"Hey, you know, you were talking before about needing some sunset shots for that film of yours."

"Yeah, well, Mo's not ready yet—"

"Well, why don't you go shoot on the roof? I can wait for her. I wanted to jot down some lyrics anyway."

Mark stood and went for his camera. "You don't mind?"

"Not at all."

When Mark had gone, Roger listened carefully for the shower. Still going. He slipped into Maureen and Mark's bedroom. Rummaging through her purse, it took him only a minute to count out a handful of bills. Not all of it. Just enough for a quick hit. He'd pay her back before she noticed it was gone. Roger jammed the money into his jeans pocket as the shower stopped.