Mark wrapped his scarf tighter around his neck as he walked down the street. He was tired of watching Mimi and Roger make out on the couch. He was going to film, but it was too cold, so he was on his way to the Life for some tea. The filmmaker ignored the looks he got from the waiter, and made his way to the back. Suddenly, he froze. Sitting at one of the back tables reading a book was Joanne. Mark walked over to the table.
"Joanne?" he asked. Joanne gasped and looked up. "Hey stranger." Never taking her eyes off Mark, Joanne closed her book.
"Hey yourself," she replied in a slightly cold tone.
"May I, uh, may I join you?" Joanne shrugged.
"Doesn't matter to me." Mark slid into the seat across from the lawyer. An uncomfortable silence settled over the two friends. The waiter brought Joanne her food, took Mark's order, and left. Joanne was the first to speak. "So, uh, how have you been Mark?"
"Pretty good. I'm living at the loft with Roger, Mimi, and Collins still." Joanne bit her bottom lip.
"What, umm, what about…" she trailed off, but Mark knew what or rather who she was talking about.
"Maureen hasn't been the same. Every once in a while Collins and I will suggest that she moves in with us. She always refuses; she's afraid that you won't be able to find her if she moves. There's something missing from her, that sparkle in her eyes that makes her Maureen is gone." Joanne sighed and stared at her food. Mark put his hands on hers.
"I can't believe this. I thought that this was for the best."
"All do respect Jo, but how was this for the best? You left Maureen completely heartbroken."
"I know, and I'm not proud of my decision!" Joanne cried. "I thought that I couldn't take the Bohemian life, but I've learned otherwise over the past two years. I never meant to hurt Maureen. I thought that she'd bounce back like she normally would." Mark shook his head.
"Maureen thought the world of you. No matter what anyone said, she blamed herself for you leaving."
"I never thought that things would get this bad." Joanne wiped away a stray tear. "I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize to me; apologize to Maureen. Go see her, talk to her." another silence enveloped the table. Joanne picked at her food, and Mark glanced at his watch. "Shit, I have to go before they get worried at home."
When the filmmaker got
up to leave, Joanne said, "Wait, let me give you my cell phone
number." She scribbled her cell phone number down on a napkin, and
handed it to Mark. "The number for the loft's still the same
right?"
"Yeah, but don't call it. Someone will recognize
your voice." Joanne nodded, she hadn't thought about that. Mark
got up, and gave his estranged friend a warm hug. "It's great to
see you again Jo." Joanne returned the hug.
"It's great to see you too." Joanne watched Mark leave. In the back of her head she was tempted to just pack up and leave again, but she wanted to make things right in her life again.
When Mark returned to the loft, Mimi was busy painting her nails, and Roger was strumming away at his guitar.
"Hey, how was filming?" Mimi asked. Mark pulled off his scarf and jacket.
"It got too cold out, so I went to the Life for some tea." The filmmaker sat down on one of the chairs. "I was thinking of inviting Maureen over later maybe." Mimi shook her head.
"Don't even bother. Joanne's birthday's coming up, and she's in one of those moods." When Mimi mentioned Joanne's name, Mark shifted uncomfortably. Roger noticed this, but didn't say anything. Mark stood up, and grabbed his camera bag.
"I'm going to go edit some film." Mimi watched as Mark retreated to his room. The dancer curled up next to Roger, and rested her head on his shoulder. Roger stopped playing. Something was up with Mark, and he was going to figure out what.
A/N: There you go, chapter 3. I haven't started chapter 4 yet, so I'll probably update in a few days. Much love!
Tina101
