Joanne sat on the couch next to Dani. They were taking a second crack at trying to figure out where Zia was. Mimi was in the kitchen doing dishes.
"Now Dani, what did Zia do for a living?" Joanne asked. Dani stopped to think.
"She danced, at a place with loud music and a big colorful sign about a cat or something." Dani giggled. "She would dance in her bathing suit." Mimi stopped. she dried off her hands and began to dig through a junk drawer for a picture. Finally, she found it.
"Dani is this Zia?" she asked as she showed Dani a photo of her and a few other dancers. Dani nodded.
"Yeah, that's her!" Mimi handed the photo to Joanne.
"Where did you get this?" Joanne asked.
"Zia had the vanity next to mine. She worked the shift before me, so we saw each other as we were changing. I should have put two and two together sooner!"
"Meems, it's fine. Do you know where to find Zia now?"
"Yeah; give me the papers, and I'll get them signed." Dani's head whipped around to face Mimi.
"Can I go with you to see Zia?" she pleaded hopefully.
"No sweetie, you'll have to stay here with Mark and Roger." Dani scowled. "I'm sorry honey." Dani crossed her arms over her chest. She wanted to see Zia.
Roger didn't get home from work until nearly eight o'clock that night. Mimi was sitting on the cough braiding Dani's wet hair.
"Oh good, you're home," she said as she finished up Dani's hair and stood up. "Where's Mark?"
"He went to Life Support with Collins, I think. Why?" Mimi dragged Roger into the kitchen and lowered her voice.
"I know where Zia is, and I need you to watch Dani for about an hour." Roger shook his head.
"Oh no, Meems, I can't." Mimi crossed her arms over her chest.
"Why not?"
"I don't know how to take care of her," Roger replied quietly.
"Don't you worry about that, it's easy. I've already fed and bathed Dani. I'll be back by nine thirty, and I'll put her to bed then. Come on Roger, please?" Mimi pouted and batted her eyelashes. Roger sighed. "Please?"
"Fine."
"Thanks, Rog. You know, once the papers come through, you'll be Dani's Dad." Mimi went to go find her shoes. Roger rushed after her.
"Wait, Meems, we've gotta talk about this!" he called. Mimi grabbed her boots and sat on the edge of the bed. "I don't know shit about raising a kid!"
"Which is why you're staying with Dani for a little while." Mimi slid on her boots, stood up and patted Roger's cheek playfully. "Don't worry, you'll be fine." Mimi grabbed her coat and went out to the front room where Dani was doing a puzzle. "Okay Dani, I'll be back around nine thirty." Dani stood up.
"Why?" she asked.
"I've gotta go run an errand." Mimi kissed the top of Dani's head. "Be good for Roger, okay?"
"I don't want you to go!" Dani cried. Mimi picked her up. Dani clung to her neck.
"I'll be back in time to tuck you in," Mimi promised. "Now, go to Roger." Dani shook her head.
"Come here, Dani." Roger gently pried Dani away from Mimi.
"I don't want Mimi to go!" she shrieked. "Mimi!" Mimi gave Roger an apologetic look and left.
Roger sat on the couch with Dani on his lap and handed her her teddy bear. Dani continued to cry for about ten more minutes before finally calming down.
"There you go," Roger said. "I promise, no matter what Maureen and Mimi told you, I'm not that scary." Dani cracked a smile. She slid off Roger's lap and stared at him with her almond shaped eyes. "You feeling better now?"
"Yeah," Dani replied quietly. Roger leaned back on the couch.
"So…what do you want to do?" he asked. Dani shrugged. "Come on, Mimi, the strict one, is out. What do you want to do?" Dani giggled.
"Can we play a game?"
"Sure. What game?" Dani scurried off to her room. She returned a minute later with a box hugged to her chest.
"This one!" she exclaimed happily as she handed Roger the box. Roger looked at it.
"Perfection? Okay, this looks easy enough." Roger slid onto the floor and set up the game for him and Dani to play.
Meanwhile, Mimi walked into the CatScratch Club. Already, there were men waiting for the first shift of dancers to start.
"Hey Mimi, what are you doing here?" one of the bartenders called.
"I've gotta talk to someone," Mimi replied before continuing on her way back to the dressing room. In her purse were the guardianship papers for Zia to sign.
Mimi entered the dressing room. Sure enough, Zia was sitting at her station putting on make-up like she didn't have a care in the world. Mimi leaned against the wall by Zia's station.
"I need to talk to you," she said firmly. Zia didn't stop what she was doing.
"About what?"
"Dani." Zia shrugged simply.
"Not my problem
anymore." Zia looked up. "I'm free to live my life however I
want without being tied down by that little whiny brat."
"She's
your sister!"
"And she required twenty-four/seven care. I'm glad she's gone. This past week and a half have let me live me life how I like it."
"You mean as a crack whore?"
"You work here too, honey." Mimi got in Zia's face.
"The only difference between me and you is that I'm trying turn my life around," she growled. Zia stared at Mimi.
"Is there a reason you're here?" she asked as she went back to her make-up. Mimi pulled the paperwork out of her purse.
"I need you to sign this."
"Why?"
"It's so my
boyfriend and I can become Dani's legal guardians."
"Give
me the pen." Mimi handed Zia a pen. "And she won't be my
problem anymore?" Mimi nodded. Zia couldn't sign the papers
fast enough.
"Thank you, Zia."
"No, thank you." Mimi put the papers in her purse and left to go back home.
As Mimi walked down the street, she couldn't help but feel spite for Zia. She didn't give a damn about Dani.
"Mimi!" Mark called from behind Mimi. She spun around to see Mark running up the street towards her. "Hey, where're you going?"
"Home, I found Zia." Mark fell into step next to Mimi. "The bitch could hardly sign the papers fast enough." Mark sighed.
"I just can't
believe some people. How'd you find Zia?
"She was a coworker
of mine. I never liked her." Mark and Mimi entered their
building.
"Is Dani with Roger?" Mimi nodded.
"Yeah, she threw a fit when I left. I felt kinda bad for Roger for leaving her with him like that."
"He'll get over it."
Mark slid open the loft door and stopped. Roger was lying on his back on the couch, fast asleep. Lying on top of him, with her teddy bear, was Dani.
"Oh, look at them," Mimi whispered. Mark whipped out his camera. How could he pass up a moment like this? Mimi went to go pick Dani up and put her to bed.
As she put her to bed, Dani mumbled, "Goodnight, Mommy." Mimi kissed her cheek softly.
"Goodnight, mija." Mimi tucked Dani in, turned off the light and left the room.
Roger was sitting on the couch, stretching, when Mimi came out of Dani's room. Mimi went over and pulled the half-asleep Roger to his feet.
"Come on baby, let's go to bed," she said. She gently pulled Roger to their room for the night.
Right away, Roger lay down on the bed and draped his arm over his eyes. Mimi got changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed next to him.
"Looks like someone had fun tonight," she commented. Roger groaned.
"We played that damn game, Perfection, for nearly an hour." Mimi laughed.
"Did you win?"
"No," Roger snapped. Mimi nuzzled his neck.
"I'm sorry, sweetie. Did you have fun with Dani though?"
"Yeah, I guess so. She's a sweet kid and everything." Mimi grabbed the blanket on the bed and pulled it over her and Roger.
"So, you think you can do this; take care of Dani and all?" she asked hopefully. Roger stopped to think.
"Yeah, I think I do this. That is, if you found Zia and got her to sign the papers." Smiling, Mimi sat up to face Roger. "You got the papers signed?" Mimi nodded.
"I got the papers signed!" Roger sat up and pressed his lips against Mimi's. "Can you believe it? Dani's as good as ours now!" Roger pulled a giddy Mimi into a warm hug. Things were finally looking up for them.
A/N: Next chapter is the last.
Tina101