InsaneJournal

Happy New Year
December 31st 1989/January 1st, 1990, The Loft...


Mimi wrapped her coat more tightly around herself. "How long till next year?" she asked excitedly. They were having a party of sorts, mostly on the street, but hopefully they could move it inside if they got the door open. Once again, she cursed Benny, and vowed that as soon as she got in, she was calling Muffy. He'd been warned enough.

Roger checked his watch luckily on the arm not wrapped around Mimi "Three and a Half Minutes" he informed her

She leaned against him, feeling excited despite the cold and the homelessness and the breaking an entering. She'd never really done the whole New Years thing, parties and resolutions. She giggled.

"I'm giving up my vices," she said, but couldn't keep her face straight. "Going back to school," she went on, but couldn't hold back her laughter, or even feign seriousness...

She spun around and wrapped her arm around Roger.

"Eviction or not, this week's been so hot," she told him, meaning it this time, as her hand traced along his jacket. "As long as I've got you I know I'll be cool." She stood on her tiptoes to give him a quick peck on the lips...

"Coast is clear," Mark said, coming back around. "You're supposed to be working," he said accusingly, but Mimi just shrugged in response. She wasn't missing this party, or the chance to get back home for the first time in a week.

"That's for midnight," he said, grabbing the bottle of truly hideous champagne and scowling. Mimi raised an eyebrow.
Where are they?" he continued. "There isn't much time..."

She reached out and patted his arm. "Maybe they're dressing?" she suggested. "I mean what does one wear that's apropos for a party that's also a crime?"

Maureen appeared at the door dressed in a skintight catsuit and grinned holding a bag of salted chips.

“Chips Anyone!” she offered.

"You can take the girl outta Hicksville, but you can't take the Hicksville outta the girl," Mark said, and Mimi almost giggled at how high his eyebrows had actually climbed. And how he was being sure to capture every second of this on film.

Maureen stuck out her tongue playfully, loving the expression on his face and playing up to his camera as she always loved to do “My Riot got you on TV, I deserve a Royalty” she said only half joking. And Hicksville…That from Mr Scarsdale Jewish Community Center.

"Be nice you two or no God-awful champagne," Mimi called over, waving the bottle she'd picked up again while Mark was distracted.

“Don’t mind if I do” she said with a wink to Mimi taking the bottle and turning to an annoyed looking Roger “No Luck”

Roger shook his head “Bolted, Plywood, Padlocked with a chain” It wasn’t gonna work “A Total dead end”

Maureen rolled her eyes moving to the phone “Just like my EX Girlfriend”

But she wanted her back. Voicemail. God Dammit.

“Honey I know your there…Please pick up the phone” She hated begging “Are you okay”

Why was she even doing this? “Its not funny, Its not fair, How can I atone…are you okay?”

Sure she was mad but “I loose control but I can learn to behave….gimmie one more chance…Let me be your slave! I’ll kiss your Doc Martens, let me kiss your Doc Martens…Your every wish I will obey!” she said over dramatically

"That might be okay," Joanne said from the corner. "Down girl. Heel. Stay." Mimi giggled. Joanne looked over at the rest of the group.

"I did a bit of research with my friends at legal aid," she said. "Technically, you're squatters, there's hope. But just in case," she said, pulling her hand from behind her back, "Rope!"

"We could hoist a line..." Mark said, excitedly.

Joanne nodded. "To the fire escape," she added.

"And tie off at..." Mark went on.

"That bench!" they finished together.

Maureen looked incredulous at the whole debacle and watched Joanne and Mark plan and scheme....Kinda disturbing really "I can't take them as chums" she insisted

"Start hoisting, wench," Joanne ordered, and Mimi laughed, more so when Maureen obeyed her.

Roger watched the scene and for a moment felt strangely detached from it all, “I think I should be laughing. Yet I forget…forget how to begin…I’m feelin something inside and yet I still can’t decide, If I should hide or make a wide open grin”

He looked over to Mimi and to Mark, the two people that meant so much to him “Last week, I wanted just to disappear, My life was dust”

He met Mimi’s eyes “But now it just may be a happy new year…” he turned back to the group “A Happy new year”

Mimi pulled him close and kissed him, hard. She really couldn't remember ever being this happy. She didn't know how long passed before she heard someone clearing their throat. She pulled back to see Collins and Angel, in costume.

“Bond, James Bond," Collins said, suavely, and Mimi giggled.

"And Pussy Galore, in person," Angel continued, with a little twirl. Mimi caught a glimpse of what she was carrying. A blowtorch?!

"Pussy, you came prepared!" she said, impressed.

Angel winked. "I was a Boy Scout once," she said. "And a Brownie," she added, as an afterthought. "Until some brat got scared."

Collins walked over to them. "AHa! Moneypenny, my Martini," he said, and Mimi held out the bottle.

"Will bad champagne do?" she asked.

Roger couldn't help but laugh at this "Thats shaken...not sturrred" he joked to Mimi as she poured

"Pussy, the bolts!" Collins commanded, as Mimi giggled.

"Just say the word," Angel said, and stepped over to the door.

"Two minutes left to execute our plan," Mimi said, glancing at Roger's watch.

"Where's everyone else?" Collins asked

"Playing Spiderman" he whispered over dramatically

Angel went to work on the padlock, and they stood around, passing the bottle. Mimi kissed Roger again, pulling back as Collins started a countdown...

She grabbed his hand and ran up the stairs, straight to his apartment, not hers, bursting into the room with another "Happy New Year!" and pulling Mark and Maureeen and Joanne into hugs.

"Happy New..." she trailed off, looking at the door. Benny.

Shit.

Benny held in his hand the lock from the downstairs door and looked up with a smile when they burst in "I see that you've beaten me to the punch"

Roger wrapped a somewhat possessive arm around Mimi "How'd you know we'd be here"

Again the smile this time directed at Mimi.. "I had a hunch"

Fuck fuck fuck. Roger was holding on to her tightly, and she squeezed his arm reassuringly. She should have told him about going to see Benny. This is going to look bad if he brings it up. And he will.

Ass.

"You're not mad?" Mark was saying.

"I'm here to end this war" he told Mark "Its a...shame you went and destroyed the door"

"Why all of a sudden the big about face?" she asked, not able to hold it back.

Oh Mimi, he thought amused "The Credit is yours you made a good case"

Roger dropped her arm "What case!"

"Mimi came to see me and she had much to say" said Benny still amused

She shot an apologetic look at Roger, begging him not to jump to conclusions, though she knew it would be pointless.

"That's not how you put it at all yesterday!" she yelled at Benny, really pissed now.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about the whole mess” he said sympathetically “Mark, You wanna get this on film”

"I guess..." Mark said, looking totally confused

“I regret the unlucky circumstances of the past seven days.” he said as if from a script

Roger snorted “Circumstance – You padlocked our door.”

Benny, always happy to ignore Roger continued. “And its with great pleasure on behalf of CyberArts that I hand you this key”

She rolled her eyes along with Mark at the speech.

"Golf claps," Angel sighed.

“I had no juice in my battery," Mark spat.

"Reshoot?" he offered

"Oh I see this is a photo opportunity" said Roger, hardly surprised

Maureen eyed Benny with distaste "The Benevolent God ushers the poor artists back to their flat, were you planning on taking down the barbed wire from the lot too"

"Anything but that" replied Roger in mock horror

"Clearing the lot was a safety concern, We break ground this month but you can return" he replied

"Thats why your here with people you hate, instead of with Muffy and Muffy's estate" continued Maureen moving further into the room

Benny shook his head "I'd honestly rather be with you tonight than in Westport."

"Spare us old sport, the Soundbite" interrupted Roger and Benny snapped
"Mimi since your ways are so seductive, persuade him not to be so counter productive" he snarled with a glare .

"You came on to me!" she protested. She was going to kill him, she really was.

Sure Mimi. "Why not tell him what you wore to my place"

"I was on my way to work!" she said, looking at Roger, not Benny. Please, please, he had to believe her.

That's all she'd worn all week, she had no clothes...

"Black Leather and Lace" he said with a leer remembering the outfit "My desk was a mess, I think I'm still sore" he pressed

She couldn't believe this. "Cos I kicked him and I told him I wasn't his whore," she scoffed.

"Well does your 'boyfriend' know who your last boyfriend was?" he finished with the biggist kick in the teeth to the pride of someone like Roger Davis.

And it worked, Roger looked from him to Mimi in utter disgust and shook his head pushing away from the group "I'm not her boyfriend, I don't care what she does!"

She felt tears sting her eyes at this, and turned away.

"People!" Angel said. "Is this anyway to start a New Year?" Mimi wiped her eyes. "Have compassion, Benny just lost his cat."

Fuck his stupid dog. She wished he'd fall from a 23 story building. She bit her lip, looked over at Roger, who wouldn't meet her eyes.

"My Dog, but I appreciate that.." he said absent minded watching Roger and Mimi

"My cat had a fall, and I went through hell," Angel continued.

That was nice of him, "Its like loosing a..." Wait. Something was.... "How'd you know she fell?"

"Champagne?" Collins cut in, clearly biting back a laugh, and trying to ignore the other sniggers.

"Don't mind if I do" he said and lifted the glass in a toast "To Dogs!"

"No, Benny, to you!" everyone but Mimi and Roger said.

He's walked away, to another corner of the room. Mimi wanted more than anything to go over to him, but knew she shouldn't...

"Lets make a resolution," Angel said.

'I'll drink to that," Mimi sighed.

"Let's always stay friends," Collins added.

"Though we may have our disputes," Joanne put in.

"This family trees got deep roots" said Maureen moving across to Joanne

"Friendship is thicker than blood," Mark said, looking across at Roger.

Roger couldn’t look at any of them, God he needed a hit, He especially couldn’t look at Mimi

“That depends” he eventually settled on.

Depends on trust," she said, willing him to meet her eyes. She knew that this was hard for him, but he had to trust her.

Trust was fine he supposed but that wasn’t the issue “Depends on true devotion” he wouldn’t be second best to Benny, he just wouldn’t.

That stung. Why would he think he didn't have that?

"Depends on love," Joanne said, simply, looking between the two of them.

"Depends on not denying emotion," Mark said, pointedly, looking at Roger.

"Perhaps" he said coldly, meeting Mark's gaze but unable to look at Mimi.

Angel took her arm and led her over to them.

"It's gonna be a Happy New Year," she said, looking between them, and Mimi couldn't help but smile at how much like a threat it sounded

"I'm sorry," she said, ignoring the smug look Benny was shooting her.

He shook his head and stalked off into the room, Maureen shooting a death glare at Benny and looking to Mark particularly, both having seen Roger like this before.

Mimi followed him, slipping in and closing the door behind her.

"Roger, please, I know I should have told you, but I swear, nothing happened, he's just being an ass," she said.

Fuck, she wished he'd look at her.

He'd already gotten out the gram or so he'd had left and was getting together what he needed to melt it down.

"Nothing happened huh? Benny out of the goodness of his heart just let us back in"

She sighed. "I threatened him, told him I'd tell Muffy about what happened between us," she said.

"Which was months ago," she added quickly. "It's over, Roger, it is."

She'd been with Benny though, even if it was months ago which he still wasn't sure about. "Uh huh, Fine" he said bitterly

She sighed, and walked over, standing right in front of him.

"Roger, why would you think I'd go back to Benny?" she said, angrily. "After the week we've just had - I mean, I'm not an idiot. This-" she said, indicating the space between them, "-us, it's amazing. Best sex I've ever had, and to risk it for sex with Benny, which was the total opposite, would just be idiotic."

Roger looked at her, all earnest. She didn't look like she was lying and...had she said... "Best you've ever had?" he asked, he shouldn't fall for flattery, He was still pretty mad, but...best ever.

She smiled. "Hell yeah," she said, kneeling in front of him and reaching for his hand.

God dammit. "Mimi..." he tried, how could he possibly explain. "Since April...I need to know I'm the only one y'know. Benny hates me, I know he does, he always has, but he hit me where it hurts most y'know"

"I'm sorry," she said. "You are, the only one. And I should have told you I was going to see him, I'm sorry. But all that happened was that he came on to me, and I threatened him, then kicked him. Pretty sure I hit him where it hurts too," she said, with a smile. She squeezed his hand. "I'm not going to do that to you. I-"

Shit. Could she say it? It had only been a week, would it scare him? Or did he want to hear it?
"I'm happier than I've been in a long time," she said. "I don't want to lose this."

What was it Maureen called it, Leap of Faith. "Okay" he said, feeling suddenly vulnerable and not sure he liked the feeling but willing to try. "Okay..." he said again, easier this time "I'm Sorry I got jealous...Can I go punch him now?" he asked her pulling her into his embrace

She hugged him back, and laughed.

"Well, you could," she said, pulling back and looking at him mischievously. "But I know he's waiting for me to run out upset cos we haven't made up..." She bit her lip and glanced at the door.

"Are your walls as thin as mine?" she asked, with a wink.

Roger grinned "Paper thin...." he said liking the way her mind worked, Mark and the others were well used to them. And the fact that it'd annoy Benny was added incentive "Wafer Thin" he said with a smirk...

She grinned, and kissed him, slowly. She was pretty sure it'd only entertain the others. Well, Mark would be a bit uncomfortable, but even he'd appreciate it pissing off Benny.

"Mmm," she said, pulling back. "Then make me scream," she said into his ear. "Do what he never did."

Maureen and Angel had been exchanging glances for the last few hours...yes hours. Benny had made his excuses ages ago but no one had the heart to tell Roger and Mimi...Eventually the noise stopped.

"...Guess they're good" she said giggling

"Very good," Angel replied, giggling too. She extricated herself from Collins' arms, and picked up the bottle of champagne and two paper cups.

"What are you doing?" Mark asked, looking at the door warily.

"They need to hydrate," Angel said simply, grinning widely, skipping towards the door.

Maureen followed amused and turned to Angel before she knocked "Remind me again why I never hooked up with him?" she asked smirking impishly at Joanne and Mark

"I'm asking myself the same question," Angel said. "You two still alive in there?" she called.

Inside, Mimi giggled. "You get it," she said, kissing him.

Roger rolled his eyes and slipped on his jeans remaining topless and opened the bedroom door. Maureen's eyes didn't leave his chest as she spoke, "Congratulations you broke him" she told them

Mimi grinned as she pulled on his shirt, rolling over on the bed to peer at the door.

"Thank you," she said, proudly.

"Hey you," Angel said, peering around Roger. "Wow, you two. Seriously." Mimi giggled, and slid out of bed gingerly, tugging the shirt down and stumbling over to Roger, legs still very wobbly.

"Thank you," she said, proudly.

Roger would normally have been somewhat embarrassed but he was proud. He took her arm
and led her in a bow. "So seriously he left...How long did it take him?"

"About thirty minutes," Angel said. "At first, we just turned on some music, but he was so mad. I think it was after the third or fourth time you screamed really loudly. Didn't appreciate Collins asking him if there was any difference, funnily enough," she finished, with a smirk.

Roger's eyes widened and he peered round the door to Collins "Thanks Man" he called,

Maureen smirked "He got all flustered and said he hoped we were happy with the situation now....I took the opportunity to point out how thin the walls were...and said I'd take him out in the hall to hear from there too...He declined for some reason"

Mimi giggled, almost doubling over. "That's amazing," she said.
"So does this mean things are okay with you two?" Angel asked. Mimi giggled.

"Nah, we're still mad, couldn't you tell?" she joked, but nodded, and rested her head against Roger's shoulder

Maureen shrugged, "Hey it could be angry sex. Angry Sex is the best"

Roger rolled his eyes "We're fine Maureen, I apologised for being a jerk and we're fine"

"Yaaay," Angel said, bouncing a bit. "So happy. Here, we brought you champagne," she said, handing them the bottle and the paper cups. "Enjoy. Have fun, well, more fun, if you can..."

Mimi grinned.

"Thanks," she said, pulling her and Maureen into a hug. "It’s going to be a happy new year…" she said, grinning at Roger.