I stepped out into the sunlight. After being cooped up in the tiny apartment on the corner of Avenue B during the brief snowstorm, the sun felt good on my face.

As my eyes adjusted to the light, I saw a familiar figure walking down the street. The figure was wearing a brown sweater coat and knee high boots. It was Mimi, coming home from work.

"Mimi!" I called. "How are you?"

She gave me a weak, sleepy smile. She was clearly tired after dancing all night. "Hey, Maureen. I need to sleep, or I'm going to fall asleep right here." Without another word, she went into the apartment building. I watched her advance towards the stairs...

And then she collapsed. I ran over to her. This was her third collapse this week. "Mark! Roger! Collins! Anyone, come help!"

I heard movement upstairs, then all three of them ran down to her. It would probably only take Mark and myself to get her up the stairs, but they were all there.

"Oh my god," Roger breathed, "not again!" He gestured to us to get out of the way, and scooped up Mimi in his arms. "We need to get her to a doctor."

"And how do you propose we pay for that?" Mark asked.

Collins had an idea. "I think I have some friends at NYU who will help us. I'll ask them as soon as possible, but for now, I'm staying with you."

Roger nodded, and carried her up to his room, with Collins right behind him. Mark put his arm around me.

"Don't worry, Maureen. She'll be okay. Roger will make sure of it." He then followed his friends.

I knew he was right, but I wasn't so sure. She has such a stressful job, and this cold weather wasn't helping that. And not to mention that her disease adds to that...

"Moooooo!"

I turned around, and there was Benny, the landlord, and sort of friend. He was a yuppie scum, but I kind of liked him, but not now. After Mimi's fall, the mooing jokes aren't working with me today.

"Benny, thank god you're here! Mimi just fainted again. She's upstairs, where..." I had to stop my sentence. Why was I down here talking to Benny? Mimi was one of my best friends, and I needed to be there with her.

I raced up the stairs and into the apartment, which was almost dark, considering there was electricity. Mimi was lying on the couch, covered in Roger's sweater, wrapped in Mark's scarf, and wearing Collins's coat. Roger was pacing around the room, looking more worried than ever before.

I pulled him aside. "How is she?"

He shook his head and looked at the floor. He was scared for her, because she's slowly getting worse.

I went over to her. If I hadn't witnessed this before, I would have mistaken her for dead. But, thank god, she was breathing, though heavily. Her eyes were closed, and she was shivering slightly.

"Will she be okay?"

Collins nodded unsurely. "I think so, but we can't be too careful. If I had money right now, I'd call a doctor."

Benny piped up from the back of the apartment. "I'll pay."

He whipped out his cell phone and dialed a doctor. "Hi. It's Benjamin Coffin the III. Can you come to the corner of 11th Street and Avenue B? I'll be there.... Yes... My friend is very sick." He shoved it back in his pocket. "I'm going to go wait out there." He left, having an odd look on his face.

I held Mimi's limp, cold hand. "You'll be okay, honey. Benny has things under control." Well, I think he did, at least.

After what seemed like hours go by, Benny walked in, accompanied by a doctor. He took one look at Mimi and said, "Just keep her warm and let her rest." Then he walked out.

I couldn't believe it. "Excuse me, but we already figured that out! What kind of doctor are you?"
"Maureen, calm down," Mark whispered.

"No, Mark! This is Mimi's life we're talking about! She'll die if she doesn't get proper care!"

The doctor looked at Mimi again. "Keep her in the house. Don't let her go out, and make sure she eats." Then he looked at Roger, who was in tears at Mimi's side. "And take care of her. Don't let her do something that you wouldn't do." He left, with Benny tagging behind him.

I could not believe these people! That wasn't medical help! I'm not a doctor, and I knew that!

But, he was right. I couldn't do anything about it. I took off my coat and put it on Mimi. "We need to take action right now." I snapped my fingers at Mark. "Make a fire. We need to get this place warmed up."

Mark looked at Roger. Roger nodded. Mark went over to the wall and ripped off posters from CBGB's, the Pyramid Club, and the Well Hungarians, and threw them into the garbage. He then took a stack of papers, which I knew were his screenplays, and put them with the posters. He took out a lighter and burned the posters and screenplays. They've done this a lot before, but every time it makes me upset.

As the fire burned, I clearly saw how worried everyone was. Mimi had brought life into Roger's life ever since that night that the power blew. If she was taken away from him...

I couldn't think that way! "She will get better," I said to myself. She would, right? I couldn't convince myself, as much as I wanted to. She might not recover. But then again, she just might.

Oh, who was I kidding? I was no optimist! Tears were going to burst from my eyes any second. I grabbed Mark's hand and squeezed it tightly. I blinked back my tears, but I wasn't reassured. Mimi was in such a bad condition, that any little thing could trigger something bad.

"Wha-What happened?"

Roger jumped. "Oh my god, Mimi!" He looked so happy, that his face broke into a smile. I was happy for him, and for the sake that Mimi was okay.

I squealed. "You're back! We were so worried!"

Mimi tried to sit up, but didn't have the strength. She immediately lay back down. "It's so cold in here."

Mark took off his coat and handed it to Roger, who put it around her shoulders. I think he was still a little shocked that she was okay. It had been over three hours since the incident at the bottom of the stairs. At least Mimi was alright, now.

It was cold in the room. There was no heat, the fire wasn't exactly helping, and none of us were wearing coats. Mark's hands were freezing, as were mine. But I was well, and Mimi needed all the warmth she could get. I pulled my hand out of Mark's, and went over to her.

"Mimi, you collapsed at the bottom of the stairs after you came home from work. How are you feeling?"
"I'm freezing, weak, and tired."

If she ever faints again, I'm calling in a real doctor. Maybe Joanne would know one....but I'm not on speaking terms with her. We broke up after New Year's.

"You're drenched," I heard Roger tell Mimi.

"She must have had a fever, which broke. We should have checked for a fever," I declared.

He was right. She was drenched. I watched him use Mark's scarf and wipe her face. He lifted her into sitting position and put his arm around her. She looked so young and helpless there.

I only wish I could do something for her. I found a candle and lit it, to put more light into this room. I needed something to eat, and I'm sure everyone else did, too, especially Mimi. I said I'd find something to eat, then left the apartment.