Chapter 3: Christmas Bells

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The street. Cars rushing by, people making up their own rules of traffic, rushing to meet their destinations in time. People shouting, trampling beating one another over the last new video game, the latest computer. The park. A group of people gathered around the Man, waiting in line to sell their souls.

Mark looked around in confusion, struggling to spot Angel in the crowd of people.

No sooner had Mark started to look, the crowd parted and Angel was standing there in full Santa drag. Mark was flooded with memories of the first day he'd met Angel. She was wearing that same outfit.

Angel chasayed up to Mark and gave him a peck on the cheek. Mark could feel the sparkly glitter on his unshaven cheek.

"Well, Marky, are you ready for some more holiday cheer?"

"This is hardly what I call holiday cheer." Mark replied looking around at Mother's scolding their whining children, druggies with their holiday "gifts," and homeless people shivering under a trash bag on a Central Park bench.

"Well...well...well...if we aren't STILL Mr. Scrooge himself!" Angel shot back looking a little hurt

"I'm sorry Angel I will try to look at the happy things now." Mark said, playing damage control.

"Good. Now watch." Angel pointed back to the crowd of junkies.

Mark looked around, puzzled.

"What am I supposed to be watching?"

"There, look," Angel pointed again, and Mark suddenly caught sight of Mimi, walking through the park on her way back to the loft. He watched as she stopped and looked intently at the crowd of junkies, shifting her weight uncomfortably. For a moment Mark thought she was about to go and join them, but then she shook her head and walked away toward home.

"Okay. . ." Mark prompted, "What are you showing me?"

"You influence," Angel answered simply, "It was because of you that Roger quit, and because of him that Mimi did too. You saved them both. Now come on, let's go for a walk. I have more to show you."

As Angel guided Mark through the streets, a change seemed to occur inside the filmmaker's frail body. Mark stood up straighter and didn't stare at the ground. Mark noticed the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center and he seemed to start to see the happiness on everyone's faces. This was the one day a year when everyone had a smile on t heir face and a friendly "Hello," or "Happy Holidays," on their lips. Maybe Christmas isn't so bad, Mark began to think.

"You're right, Marky," Christmas isn't so bad. I'm glad you're starting to see it my way."

They continued to walk down the New York City blocks. They were all decorated with lights and garland. Mark was sure that not smiling was near impossible, and at the point he was beaming from ear to ear.

"Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas!"

"That voice is strangely familiar," Mark said.

"HO HO HO! MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

Angel and Mark looked at each other and began to giggle uncontrollably.

"Maureen." They said in unison.

They turned to see Maureen standing in front of a store front in full Santa garb, ringing a bell and collecting donations in a red kettle.

"Maureen!" Mark yelled, running toward her and waving his arms.

"Mark, Mark, *wait*!" Angel called. "She can't see you."

"What? Why not?"

"Because—well, I can't really explain it to you. But you're not ready to go back yet."

"I'm not ready to go back where?"

"To the—oh, nevermind!" Angel threw up her hands in frustration.

"Hey! Hey, lady!" Maureen's shrill voice interrupted them. They both turned to watch. An old woman stood staring angrily at Maureen.

"You can't just put a penny in there! How's that supposed to help anyone?"

"Look, miss," the woman answered, "You're lucky I don't have you arrested for disturbing the peace. For a woman dressed up in a Santa suit, you sure aren't very jolly."

The woman huffed and walked away. A little boy walking by stopped and looked at his mother.

"Mommy, what happens when *Santa* acts naughty?"

The woman looked at her son in puzzlement.

"Well, honey, I'm sure Santa doesn't act naughty."

The boy pointed at Maureen.

"That one does."

By this time Angel and Mark were laughing so hard that they were crying.

"They should NEVER let Maureen be Santa…EVER!" Mark gasped.

"You're right! However, Marky, you started it." Angel replied, wiping her smudged smoky eyes

"What do you mean?" Mark asked a little confused

"Well, you gave her the performing bug with your film making." Angel explained

"Oh my- I have created a monster!!" Mark cried, his voice cracking in exasperation

"But look at how much entertainment you have provided us." Angel interjected patting Mark on the back

"You're right. I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Well, it looks as if we are done here. I think we better get out of here before the NYPD arrive and take Maureen downtown." Angel said in her thickest New York accent

Mark and Angel continued to walk down the busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style. Suddenly Angel was aware that Mark was humming a Christmas tune. Angel smiled to herself as they came upon a dilapidated building with scarce lights decorating the door and balcony.

"Where are we?" Mark asked looking up at the sign on the building. The sign read "Life Support"

"We are at a place for healing and growing." Angel touching the sign with a tenderness that Mark had never seen before. Angel looked as if she was about to cry. However, she pulled herself together and walked through the door. Mark followed, not knowing that he could walk through walls. Once they were in the building Angel seemed to know exactly where she was going and led Mark through the hallways and finally stopped at a door that read "Paul".  The two friends then walked into the room and stood in the corner. Mark observed a group of people sitting in a circle and holding hands. There was someone in the center of the circle of love crying in spite of himself.

"…does no one understand that I should have died three years ago?" a man asked his group of friends

"Gordon, we understand. We are here for you. We are all in this together."  reassured a man that Mark could only guess was Paul.

"Thank you Paul. And I'm sorry. It's just that it's especially hard around the holidays. I feel that the only gift that's good enough for everyone is life. And they already have that." Gordon smiled wiping his tears away. 

"You're right. Life is the best gift anyone could have. That is why we have this group. We have to keep telling each other that we haven't died yet. We have to keep living our lives to the fullest and-"

"That's what Angel did," a familiar voice rang and the room fell silent. "Angel always lived life to the fullest and told me that we were living, not dying, from disease. She was the best example of life. She loved life more than anyone that I know. She wasn't afraid. She wasn't afraid of dying because in her heart she wasn't dying. She wasn't afraid of dying. Oh no- she was just afraid of leaving us all behind. She was afraid that she would be forgotten and that we would hate her for leaving us. Well, she didn't leave us and we love her as much as we did when she was alive. Angel will always live here." Collins pointed to his heart, "Angel will always live in my heart." At that, Tom Collins stood up and patted Gordon on the back. "Don't be afraid, any of you. There is nothing to be afraid of. As long as you have love and as long as you have good friends like mine you will live on forever."

Mark looked over at Angel, his eyes full of tears.

"See, I told you we wouldn't forget you. Can we go back now?"

Angel nodded slowly and grabbed Mark's hand.

"Brace yourself, this is gonna be rough."

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