A/N: Hello, people! Well, I randomly felt like writing today and this is what I came up with! It is also an attempt to appease those waiting for the next chapter of Today Me, Tomorrow You, which won't be up until winter break :S. Sorry! Oh, and this is dedicated to my friend Anna, happy birthday, honey! Anyway, I hope you enjoy the story!
"Ms Grey? There's someone on the phone for Mr Coffin. They say it's urgent."
Alison 'Muffy' Grey of the Westport Greys glanced up from her magazine. Charles, the family butler, was holding out the telephone receiver, a rather uneasy look on his face.
"Oh, who is it?" Alison cocked her head to the side, trying to remember if Benny was doing anything particularly important today.
"He – uh – she said her name was Angel Dumott Schunard." The name sounded vaguely familiar. "Shall I tell... ahem... her to call back?"
"Oh no." Alison shook her head, laying her magazine aside. "If it's urgent, I will speak to this, uh, Angel."
Charles sighed and Alison picked up the phone, gesturing for the butler to leave.
"Hello?" she asked politely.
"Hi! Is that Alison?" an overly cheery voice asked.
"Yes, this is she. My butler said your name was... Angel?"
"Yup, that's me! How are you, honey?"
Alison, taken aback by Angel's forwardness, struggled to keep her polite demeanour. "I am... quite well, thank you. Um... how are you?"
"Well, my T-cells are critically low and I'm probably going to die in a few weeks, so I'm not too good, actually," Angel replied happily – much too happily for someone talking about their impending death.
"I'm... I'm sorry to hear that," Alison said, wishing she had told Charles to get rid of this peculiar woman after all.
"Aw, that's sweet of you, sugar. Anyway, I was calling Benny to talk about his ex girlfriend, Mimi. She's a good friend of mine."
Mimi? Benjamin hadn't mentioned anyone called Mimi before. Alison was intrigued. "I haven't heard about her. Were she and Benjamin close?"
"Oh, yeah! They had a major relationship about three months ago. Now Mimi's dating my friend Roger, and I'm so glad Benny's found a new girlfriend too –"
Girlfriend?! Benjamin called Alison his girlfriend?! They'd been married for over a year and her referred to her as his girlfriend?
Not only that, Benjamin had cheated on her? How dare he! With some girl named Mimi, no less. Was Mimi even a real name? She probably worked at some vulgar dance club and went around seducing innocent men.
"Alison? Are you there?"
"What? Oh! I – yes, I'm here. What were you saying?" Alison ran a hand through her hair in an attempt to calm herself down.
"I said that I was really sorry about your dog, sweetie," Angel said sympathetically, her tone tinged with what sounded almost like guilt.
Evita. Alison momentarily forgot about her husband and shed a tear for her poor dog. "Thank you...Angel," she said, sniffing heartily. "I miss Evita very much."
"Well, maybe you should get a new dog," Angel suggested brightly. "One that doesn't bark as much and that appreciates good music."
Alison opened her mouth to ask what Angel meant when another voice issued through the receiver, slightly distant.
"Hey, Angel," the deep voice greeted, tone ragged with what sounded like pain.
"Hiya, baby!" Alison heard Angel squeal, and her greeting was soon followed by slurping sounds that could only mean passionate kissing.
Suddenly, Angel spoke into the phone again, rushing over her words. "Sorry, honey, I have to go. It was great to talk to you!"
"Um... it was... lovely to talk to you too." Alison couldn't deny it had been an interesting conversation. "I will... tell Benjamin you called. I... uh... hope you get well soon."
A pause. "Thank you," Angel said softly. Alison heard her take a deep breath, and then she reverted to her previous bubbly manner. "Bye, bye, sweetie." The phone went dead.
Alison took a moment to absorb the very strange conversation that had just unfolded, before picking up the phone once more, smiling grimly.
If Benjamin thought she would allow him to stay in the East Village location after this, he had another thing coming.
"Collecting the rent," Alison scoffed. "Yeah, right."
A/N: I adore reviews with a passion ;)! Tell me what you thought about this!