Chapter 5
Chapter 5
When Roger woke up he couldn’t help but smile for there on his chest sleeping was Mimi. He then stroked her hair gently trying not to wake her. But in is efforts to let her sleep her beautiful brown eyes popped open and a sweet smile showed on her face.
“Morning Roger. How’d you sleep?” Mimi asked as she snuggled closer to Roger.
“Well for the first time in a long time I actually got a goodnights sleep. And I believe I owe that all thanks to you.” Roger said wrapping his arm around Mimi’s shoulders and gently hugging her.
“Aw really? Is it really thanks to me? Cause all that I recalled was us talking last night. Wait did I bore you with our conversation? Is that why you got a good night’s sleep?” Mimi asked starting off sweet then going into being serious.
“Mimi no you didn’t bore me. I want to know everything about you once again like I did when we were younger. Man you can’t imagine how much I missed you. And now one of my wishes comes true. For here I am with you.” Roger said sweetly kissing Mimi on the forehead.
“Well its Christmas day. Should we get up and get something to eat and then see Mark, Maureen, Joanne, Collins, and of course Angel?” Mimi asked as she attempted to get up, however Roger pulled her closer to him and said, “No let me have you to myself for just a little bit longer. Mark and the others can wait.”
“Roger are you being selfish in wanting me all to yourself?” Mimi asked in a joking manner.
“Color me selfish if you wish. But since last night I haven’t seen you in a long time and well it’s been lonely without you.” Roger said with a very little pout in his voice.
“Oh ok. We can stay here for a little bit but you do realize that we will have to see them eventually, right?” Mimi said giving into Roger’s wish.
“I know. And we will see them…”
“Preferably before I have to go to work.” Mimi added, now wishing that she could take off.
“When do you have to go to work?” Roger asked.
“Not until 8 tonight.” Mimi looked in Roger’s eyes and saw relief in them for he knew that he had most of the day with her.
“Oh well that’s good.”
“Yeah it is. However you can’t be selfish all day now you hear?” Mimi asked in a playful tone.
“But why not?” Roger joked with a hint of seriousness. He then began to pout a little bit like a little child who didn’t get the toy he wanted.
“Roger. Stop that. You know I can’t resist your puppy dog eyes.” Mimi said laughing as she closed her eyes to avoid Roger’s.
“Oh really?” Roger asked mischievously. He then sat up and began tickling Mimi all over the place.
“Roger. No.” Mimi said laughing uncontrollably.
~Mark and Roger’s apartment~
“Roger stop.”
“Well it sounds like those two are getting along.” Collins said as he smoked a joint.
“Yeah it’s been like this for the past hour.” Mark said with a hint of jealousy, for he knew that Roger wasn’t the only one who missed Mimi all these years.
“Is that a hint of jealousy I hear in your voice, Mark?” Maureen asked with laughter in her voice.
“What? No.” Mark said lying through his teeth.
“I think it is Mark.” Collins said catching Mark’s denial.
“Ok maybe a little bit of jealousy. It’s just that Roger’s not the only one who missed Mimi when she moved away and well I have yet to really see her and talk to her and well catch up.” Mark said as he sat on the couch next to Angel and Collins.
“We all missed her Mark. But the good news is that she’s home with us and well we have all the time in the world with her now.” Maureen said trying to cheer Mark up.
“I know your right Maureen.” Mark said reluctantly.
Just then the door opened and in with big smiles on their faces walked in Roger and Mimi. Roger’s hand was protectively around Mimi’s shoulders.
“Hey sorry we’re late. Roger wanted to be selfish this morning.” Mimi said as she walked over to where Angel, Collins, and Mark were. “Did we miss anything?”
“Not much. Just Mark here was pouting over the fact that you were spending so much time with Roger and not with him.” Maureen said.
“Maureen.” Mark said with embarrassment.
“Well I’m here now. Mark do you want to go to the fire escape and talk for a little bit?” Mimi asked trying to spend time with all of her friends.
“Sure, I’d like that.” Mark said with a smile on his face.
Once they were out on the fire escape Mark closed the window and sat down right next to Mimi.
“You know I’m glad your back Mimi. You can’t imagine how lonely it’s been.”
“Oh I think I do. I mean without Angel I didn’t have anyone. No one would talk to me for my cousin Allison spread rumors about me being a slut and a whore. So needless to say I was alone apart from Angel that is.”
“Well why didn’t you come back to us right away. I mean you could have written us or called.”
“Mark I did write to you. Every day for a whole year. But when you didn’t write back I thought that you all had moved on and didn’t want to hear from me. So I stopped.”
“Wait you wrote to us? None of us got any letters from you.” Mark said with shock.
“But my mother… oh that bitch. She said that she mailed my letters when in actuality she didn’t. God I hate her so much.”
“Man Mimi I’m sorry. I wish I had gotten your letters. I mean without you I had no one to talk about my scripts or videos that I recorded with.”
“Well Mark I’m here now.” Mimi said with a smile on her face.
‘Beep. Beep.’ Went Mimi’s beeper.
“Oh man.” Mimi said taking out her pill container that contained her AZT.
“You mean you have…”
“Yeah Mark. I was going to tell you when my beeper went off.” Mimi said as she took her pill.
“How long have you had it?” Mark asked with a serious tone.
“Two to three years now. That’s why I live by Angel’s saying, ‘No Day but to Day’.”
“Does Roger know?” Mark asked digesting this new information about his friend.
“Yeah I told him last night. He was as shocked as you are.” Mimi said remembering Roger’s reaction.
“Man Mimi I’m sorry. Do you mind if I ask you how…”
“How’d I get it?” Mimi finished. “Well I got it but doing smack.” Mimi said honestly.
“Wow you and Roger really do have a lot in common.” Mark said as he thought back on when Roger found out that he had aids.