YAY an update! And this one is alonger ch...so hope you all appreciate it and like it! Enjoy!
(Maureen's POV)
"Mark…Cara…you guys here?" I worriedly asked as I walked into their apartment finding the door slightly opened. "Hello?" I questioned again as I continued searching their apartment for any sign that they were home. I was starting to get worried now…I had been here what seemed like at least ten minutes searching their apartment, now screaming for them to answer me, yet no response.
I literally jumped as their phone began ringing. I stood there for a second just looking around as if making sure no one would catch me in their apartment if I stood real still. I honestly just stood there contemplating whether or not I should answer the phone. I guess I took to long to decide because I heard the answering machine pick up from the living room.
"Hello you've reached Mark and Cara. We are not here right now, but if you leave us a message we will get back to you at our earliest convenience. Thank you." Cara sounded way too cute on that machine. The voice I heard come over the machine though, froze my thoughts.
"Hey Mark," it was Joanne, "just calling to check on Cara...and well…" there was a long pause, my heart stopped…could Joanne be keeping tabs on me via Mark. "How is she Mark?" Joanne's voice was much softer now, almost pleading him to answer the phone somehow. "Mark…" I heard her take a deep sigh; a dead giveaway Joanne had more important questions she wanted to ask him but wouldn't dare over an answering machine. "Call me." And she hung up.
My heart was pounding. After, of course after, I realized I could have so easily picked up the phone and talked to her. Do exactly what I've wanted to since I left Chicago a little over two weeks ago. I was now mentally kicking myself for not doing so. But had Joanne really been keeping tabs on me…calling Mark to see how I was doing…could there still be a chance?
But then again I don't want to get my hopes up; I couldn't go through hearing her say she's choosing Kristin, or anyone else, over me again. Maybe it was just wishful thinking. Maybe it was just Joanne feeling sorry for me; feeling as though she had some kind of responsibility to make sure that I was ok and being watched over.
I collapsed down onto the nearby chair, thinking about Joanne…thinking how much I truly did miss her. And for some reason all of a sudden I remembered that I still didn't know where Mark or Cara was.
I fumbled through my purse until I found my cell phone calling Mark…why I hadn't thought of this earlier who knows. I have too much drama in my life right now to think rationally.
"Hello," I heard Mark finally answer on the other side of the line.
"Mark, where the hell are you?" I scolded him as if I were his mother.
"Maureen?" he questioned.
"Yes!" now I was really starting to sound like his mother; the anger entering my voice. "Where the hell are you?" I repeated.
"Cara started having contractions so I took her to the hospital."
"Oh Mark," now I felt like an idiot yelling at him like I had, "is she ok?" I had now become panicked…damn who knew a girl could go through so many emotions in such a short period of time.
"Umm, yeah she's fine. The doctor said they were just Braxton Hicks." He seemed rather calm so apparently it really wasn't such a big deal because I know Mark and if anything was even slightly off with Cara or the baby he'd be panicked right now.
"So are they keeping her or what?"
"Oh no, we are actually in a cab now. You at are place?"
"Yeah," I sighed, "I've been worried….oh yeah by the way Joanne called."
It seemed as though Mark had quite breathing. Silence had come over both ends of the line. Finally though, Mark spoke…but not about Joanne calling.
"Well, we will be home in about fifteen minutes if you want to wait and we can go do dinner like we planned."
"Oh no Mark," he sounded relieved that I wasn't wanting to go out, "Cara needs to get some rest."
"Yeah you're probably right," he was trying to act as though this was news to him; he wasn't fooling me though. "Well hang out with us tonight then?"
"No Mark, I'm ok. I'm actually just going to head home. But hey my birthday dinner with the three of us is this weekend, so we can hang out then right? I'm sure Cara will feel more up to company then anyway."
"Are you sure Maureen?"
"Positive. Tell Cara I said hello and that I'm glad everything is ok. I'll see you guys Saturday."
"Alright, be careful going home. Bye Maureen."
I had decided to walk to twenty blocks back to my apartment. It was a nice night and I had a lot to think about. I had actually gotten to the point that Joanne didn't consume every thought of every moment of my day…and of course now she calls Mark and I have to hear it. I just had to hear her asking about me…giving me some sort of hope, even if it is a false sense of hope, that she still cares about me. But then again, should I expect her not to care about me? I still care about her…but then again I'm still in love with her. She didn't sound like the old Joanne that I knew though…she sounded, dare I say depressed. Depressed over not choosing me maybe? Maureen damn it, quit it. Quit getting your hopes up she chose Kristin not you. My heart and my mind were at war when my phone started ringing…a ringtone I haven't heard in a while…Lady by Lenny Kravitz…it was Joanne's personal ringtone.
I quickly had the phone in my hand, watching as Joanne's name flashed on the screen and hearing Lenny blare out, "I'm crazy for this little lady"…how perfect.
"Hello," I shyly answered the phone.
"Maureen…is that you?" she questioned. She sounded so…so…perfect.
"Yea," I was trying to act almost annoyed that she dare call me; I knew Joanne though, she knew me well enough to know I wasn't the least bit annoyed.
"Um, well," she sounded like maybe she really thought I was annoyed, "sorry to call you but I was trying to get a hold of Mark and he didn't answer at his apartment or his cell phone…you talk to him?"
"Yeah, he had to take Cara to the hospital…just Braxton Hicks," I quickly realized when I heard her gasp on the other end of the line. "They are on their way home now."
"Oh wow that's good news then," she sighed. "Well…thanks…" she trailed off. "Thanks Maureen."
"Oh your welcome…" I wanted to keep her on the line, I wanted to talk to her, I didn't care about what, just anything. "So how have you been?" it was all I could come up with.
"Um, pretty good…working that's been about all really," she sighed, "and yourself?" there was that depressing tone again.
"I'm doing good," trying to act like I hadn't been thinking of her every moment of every day. "Just hanging out, auditioning…you know the same old stuff." I nonchalantly replied.
"Oh that's good….ummm Maureen…" she cautiously continued, "can I ask you something?"
"Of course Joanne you can ask me anything, you know that?"
"Maureen…I think that I…well you see I can't….well…Kristin and I….I wanted to tell you….well that I…Maureen," she was stumbling over her words, trying to formulate some sort of English. It was actually rather cute; I was smiling ear to ear as I walked up the stairs to my apartment.
"Joanne, just say it," I giggled.
She let out a little nervous laugh, "sorry…you see Maureen I just wanted to let you know that" and then she was cut off.
"Joanne where are you baby?" I heard Kristin screaming in the background. I cringed hearing Kristin call Joanne baby…Joanne was my baby not hers.
"In the kitchen," I heard Joanne yell back to her. She then turned her focus back to me, "sorry Maureen I need to go, Kristin's home. But it was nice talking to you…can I call you sometime soon maybe?" she nervously asked me.
"I'd love it if you did," I replied without missing a beat.
"Good," I could literally see her smiling that gorgeous smile of hers. "Bye."
I had sat down on my bed, still holding the phone to my hear listening to the dial tone, part of me wishing that Joanne would somehow get back on the other end of the line. But of course she didn't. She was in Chicago, with Kristin's lips on hers I'm sure…I cringed again getting a mental picture of Kristin kissing my Joanne. But then why wouldn't she want to kiss Joanne, she's a damn good kisser…the best I've ever had…but then again Joanne is the best of anything I've ever had.
I finally closed my phone laying down on my nightstand, falling back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. But then a great thought entered my mind…Joanne asked to call me again…maybe just maybe…no I have to quit getting my hopes up…Joanne might just want to talk, to see how I am, maybe just invite me to the wedding…but then again, I'm going to be optimistic about this...it was Joanne who asked to call me back.
(Maureen's POV)
It's Saturday morning…the day of my birthday dinner with Mark and Cara….Joanne hasn't called yet.
Thanks for all the reviews from last ch and please remember to review this one! Next ch is probably going to be just good ole fun with Maureen, Mark, and Cara...after all it is Maureen's birthday party. Hope you enjoyed. Thanks for reading!