Maureen had been living in the loft for three months. Benny got engaged and Collins was hired on at M.I.T.

One afternoon, Mark asked if she was seeing anyone.

"No, you know I'm not."

"Why not?"

"What?"

Mark shrugged, blushing. "I mean, you're young and beautiful and I can't imagine you'd have trouble finding a date."

"Last relationship I was in ended pretty bad."

"Sorry," he said.

"It's okay…why aren't you seeing anyone?"

"Well, I was kind of hoping I could be."

Maureen gave a small smile. "Oh really?"

"Yeah…see I was thinkin' I'd like to take you out tonight."

"Like on a date?"

"Yes, like on a date."

Maureen hesitated and Mark's smile dimmed.

"It was just an idea," he said. "I mean, if you don't want to or whatever…"

"No, no it's not that. I just…After my last relationship…"

Mark put a hand on hers. "Maureen, I'm just asking you to dinner. If you don't want to, that's fine. But I want you to know that I'm not going to rush anything even if you say yes. I'm just talking dinner, maybe a walk around the park. That's all."

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Have to start dating again sometime, right?"

Mark laughed. "Gee, thanks."

"I'm sorry. That came out worse than I meant…I mean, I do like you. And I'd like to go out with you," she said with a smile.

"Good."

The next day, April came home. She'd been crashing at her boyfriend's apartment for a few weeks. Maureen hadn't seen much of her and still didn't know her too well. Apparently the boyfriend was in a band and they shot up together.

Maureen was making coffee when she saw her come in. One look and she knew April was high. The redhead had the same glazed over, dazed look that Maureen had seen so many times on Roger.

"Mo? Girl, you home?"

Maureen came out of the kitchen. "Over here."

"Oh good!"

April turned to the doorway and yelled down the stairwell. "Baby! Come up here a minute! I want you to meet Mo!"

Maureen heard heavy footsteps pounding up the stairs. She rolled her eyes. Great. Another junkie to meet. Maureen sighed and turned to get a mug for coffee.

"Hey," a male voice said.

Maureen froze. There was no way…She turned to see April, her boyfriend's arms wrapped around her waist.

"Roger?"

She barely recognized him. He'd lost weight. His hair was now bleached and cropped shorter than usual. His casual jeans and tee-shirt had morphed into torn jeans and a sleeveless shirt. His eyes held the stoned gaze she'd hated so much.

"Maureen."

"You guys know each other?" April asked, smiling.

"Yeah, we—"

"Went to school together," Maureen said. It wasn't a lie. Just not the full truth. "I, um, I was just on my way out though. I'll see you guys later."

"Out where?" April asked.

Maureen pulled her jacket on. "Told Mark I'd meet him."

Another lie. Mark was filming somewhere, Maureen wasn't sure where. Still, she needed to get out of there. To get away from Roger. Besides, he'd moved on from her. Shouldn't she make it clear she'd moved on too?

One week later…

As the sun set over the city, Maureen sat on the roof alone. She heard the door open and shut. She heard the door open and shut.

"Maureen," Roger said.

She turned to him. "What?"

"I didn't now…I mean, April just refers to you as Mo. I didn't think…I didn't know that meant…"

"I didn't know you were the boyfriend."

"I'm sorry. It's just—"

"Don't apologize. We're divorced, remember? Not like being married stopped you."

"Don't be like that," he said softly.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. Besides, I'm seeing someone too."

"Yeah, April told me about you and Mark. He's a good guy."

"I know."

"Have you told him about…us?"

"No. Have you told April?"

Roger shook his head. "I thought I should talk to you first."

"I don't want to tell them."

"What?"

"I don't want to tell them. They know we went to school together and that we lost touch. That's the truth."

"So we just pretend we weren't married, that Aaron—"

"You want to tell them what happened? You want to tell them that you got hooked on drugs and cheated on your wife and that your son died when she tried to leave you?"

Roger flinched. "Don't. Don't blame me."

"I know. It's my fault anyway."

"That's not what I said."

"You didn't have to."

Roger sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Fine. We won't tell them. But what if they do find out?"

"How would that happen?"

"I don't know. I'm just trying to think ahead."

Maureen rolled her eyes. "Fine. If they find out, we'll tell them everything. Together."

"Promise me that, Maureen."

"I'm not the one who needs to make promises, Roger."

She knocked past him and stormed back down to the loft.