Almond Crescent Cookies Are Magical
Summary: Just a really long drabble about our Rent peoples. The Christmas after the play/musical ends. By the way, I'm not trying to make Maureen ditzy, just silly.
"Are you sure they're supposed to look like this?" Roger asks me.
"I'm sure, now stop worrying!" I instruct him.
"Yes, mother," he mutters. He can be so stubborn sometimes. "Now, what are these called again?" he asks.
"Almond Crescent Cookies," I say for the umpteenth time.
"I've never heard of them," he says for the hundredth and umpteenth time.
"You know what Roger…never mind. I'm going to put on some Christmas music," I say and I turn on the ancient radio.
"Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer," it sings.
"What the hell is this?" he asks.
"You're kidding, right? You don't know who Rudolph is? I bet you Mark even knows who Rudolph is!" I exclaim.
"I bet not!" he insists. "If this is Christmas a song…" he says.
"Don't insult Rudolph! That's like insulting the Pillsbury Dough Boy!" I scold him. "Roger honey, you're making the cookie wrong. First of all, it's got to be smaller, that cookie is huge. Secondly, it looks more like a boomerang than it does a crescent," I say.
"Well, we should rename the cookies Almond Boomerangs!" he says, giving up.
"Patience Roger," I say.
"I don't have patience!" he yells. He starts to back way giving the cookies a dirty look when I realize there's a huge spot of water on the floor.
"Roger, look out!" I call, but it's too late. He slips on the spot and falls forward. I place my cookies down and catch him, but he's just a bit too heavy, and we both fall. I look at him. "You need to be more careful!" I scold him.
"Shut-up Mimi," he mumbles.
"It's okay, I might not tell Collins," I say evilly.
"Don't you dare!" he warns me. I start to laugh at him. "You've got some flour on your face," he says. "and unless you want your cookies to burn, I suggest we get up now," he says.
"Right," I say. Roger's pushing himself up when Mark walks in.
"You know, if you wanted some alone time, all you had to do was ask. You didn't have to make up some excuse about me getting eggs," he says with a smile.
"Well, in that case, Mark, go away," Roger says, plopping back down and kissing me.
"Ooh, cookies!" Maureen squeals, and runs in, stealing one of my finished cookies. "What are you two doing on the floor?" she asks.
"Trying to have a private moment," Roger grumbles.
"Well, not right now. I want more!" she demands.
"Yes ma'am," we chorus. Roger gets up reluctantly and we start on another batch.
SPEAK!
"Have a holly jolly Christmas," Collins sings.
"It's the best time of the year," Joanne sings.
"Pookie!" Maureen runs to the phone and picks it up. "Pookie, Mimi and Roger are making cookies!" Maureen squeals.
"That's wonderful," Joanne laughs.
"Pookie, I missed you," Maureen whines.
"Honey Bear, I was gone for twenty minutes…but I missed you too," Joanne admits.
"Oh, did you two get the eggnog?" Maureen remembers.
"Yes, now would you two stop flirting and throw us the key. It's freezing out here!" Collins yells into to phone. I grab the key off the table and run out to the balcony to throw down the key.
"Thanks," they call up to me.
"Mimi! Get in here, you'll catch your death!" Maureen scolds.
"Ouch!" Mark yells.
"What's wrong Marky?" Maureen asks.
"Don't-"
"Mark, remember it's Christmas," Roger whispers.
"Right, um…I burned my finger on a cookie," he mumbles.
"Well then don't touch the my cookies!" I tell him.
"But they look so tasty," he says. I remember something Roger and I discussed earlier.
"Hey Mark? Do you know who Rudolph is?" I ask. Roger looks at me.
"Rudolph as in Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer? Or Rudolph as in Rudolph Green, the guy in my 8th grade P.E. class who still owes me twenty bucks?" he asks.
"The first one," I say.
"Of course. Who doesn't?" he says. I look at Roger.
"Don't say it Mimi, just don't say it," he warns me. I just smile at him.
"Ho ho ho!" Joanne sings.
"POOKIE!" Maureen yells and runs up to Joanne to give her a kiss.
"Eggnog!" Mark yells.
"What, nobody loves me anymore?" Collins asks.
"Collins!" I squeal, running over to hug him.
"That's more like it!" he says.
Joanne's cell phone goes off.
"Hello?" she asks. She switches the speaker on.
"Hi Joanne," Benny's voice comes out.
"Benny!" she says in a falsely cheery voice.
"Shit," I whisper.
"Is that Mimi I hear? Hey Mimi!" he yells.
"Hi!" I shout. "Fuck!" I whisper.
"Would any of you mind if I sent over a Turkey for Christmas?" he says.
"Send it over!" Collins yells.
"Alright then. I'll be over in about an hour. Traffic is horrible. Take care," he hangs up.
"What was that about?" Joanne asks.
"Well, we've got something worked out," Collins says with a smile.
"Have I mentioned you're my favorite?" I say.
"I thought I was your favorite," Roger says.
"Not including Roger, Collins is my favorite," I edit for Roger's sake. He smiles. He seems to like that arrangement. I walk back to the oven, put on some gloves and pull out my cookies.
"Yay! More cookies!" Maureen screams. She pulls Joanne over to the table to get some Almond Crescents. I slap her hand.
"They're not done yet!" I say.
"Humph!" she whines.
"Mark, get some cups. Let's pour the eggnog," Joanne says. Mark gets some cups and Joanne starts to pour the eggnog.
SPEAK!
"Mark? Are you there? I just wanted to say Happy Christmas," a voice says. Mark runs over to the phone.
"Hey Lanesha...Merry Christmas to you too…What?…Yeah sure…I'll see you then. Bye," he says.
"Who's Lanesha?" Maureen asks.
"Just someone," he mumbles.
"Mark's got a girlfriend," Collins sings.
"Buzz off Collins," he says.
"Whatever lovebird," Collins teases.
Mark gives a dirty look.
"The moon is right, the spirits up. We're here tonight, and that's enough," the radio sings.
"That was Angel's favorite Christmas song," I say. "She said she loved it because it was playing when she met me," I remember, feeling the tears coming on.
We all sit in silence for a bit, thinking about her while I put the powdered sugar on the cookies. To all the girls in my class, they think I should get over it, but losing your best friend isn't something you forget quickly. I love that girl with all my heart.
SPEAK!
"Mark? Mark? Are you screening your calls? It's your mother. I love you dear. What's that honey? Your dad loves you too! I…what?! Oh, okay. I'll talk to you later dearie. Oh, and good luck with your new girly friend Lanesha. Hopefully, she won't turn out lesbian, like Maureen did. With your luck she might, but anyway, Happy Hanukah!" Mark's mom says, and hangs up.
"Wow," is all I can say. Everyone starts laughing except Mark who is red in the face. It's times like these that I pity Mark.
"Can I eat your cookies now?" Maureen whispers to me.
"Yes," I say.
"Finally!" Everyone digs into the Almond Crescents.
"Were they worth the pain Roger?" I ask.
"I guess," he mumbles, taking another one.
"Merry Christmas!" Collins yells.
"Merry Christmas Honey Bear!" Joanne says. Maureen kisses her.
"Merry Christmas baby," I say to Roger. He smiles and kisses me.
"Happy Hanukah!" Mark yells to no one in particular.
"Do you think your Almond Cookie Thingies are magic? We haven't had a happy Christmas in a long time," Maureen asks me.
"Yeah, Maureen, they're magic," I say smiling at Roger.
"I knew it! Pay up Collins!"
"Damn it!"