CHAPTER TWO
(chapter title – Walk With Mark)

"Hey, Mary. Wanna go on a walk with me?" Mark asked me the next day. I was in the middle of putting up a poster covered in flowers.

"Sure. Where are we going?" I inquired as I brushed the sweat off of my forehead.

"The Food Emporium. We're out of paper towels, bananas and Captain Crunch." Mark told me, coming into the loft.

"Okay. Just let me jump in the shower really quick. Make yourself at home." I said, coming out of my bedroom and heading to the bathroom to take a shower.

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Twenty minutes later, Mark and I were on our way to the Food Emporium. As we walked, we talked about everything and nothing.

"Where did you grow up?" I asked him.

"Scarsdale. It's about a five hour drive from here." He answered, smiling.

"Any brothers or sisters?" I inquired.

"Yeah – a sister, Cindy." He told me, still smiling. We had reached the Food Emporium and stepped inside. Together, he and I shopped for Captain Crunch, paper towels and bananas.

"Don't mind me asking, but are you seeing anyone?" he asked as we made our way to the check out line.

"No, I'm not. I never had a boyfriend or a husband." I answered, looking down at the floor.

"Oh, Mary. I'm sorry." Mark apologized. I looked up and smiled slightly at him.

"It's okay. You didn't know." I told him, looking at the candy display. I didn't want him to see me crying.

"Well, we're all done here. I just need to go to the pharmacy and pick up Mimi and Roger's AZT. Wanna come?" Mark inquired as we stepped out of the Food Emporium.

"Sure." I answered, smiling.

"So, what do you want to know about us?" he asked.

I pondered for a minute before asking, "What are your guys' backgrounds?" Mark smiled.

"Well, as you know, I'm from Scarsdale. I moved here when I was twenty-two and roomed with Maureen, Benny and Collins. After Benny moved out, I met Roger at a bar downtown…" he then went on to tell me about April – Roger's old girlfriend. I couldn't think of Roger's reaction of finding April's body in the bathtub. Poor guy.

"…Then along came Angel, Mimi and Joanne. They're the ones that you met yesterday." Mark finished, startling me out of my thoughts. I smiled and waited for him outside the pharmacy. Just then, my cell phone started ringing. Sighing, I answered it and looked at the number – it was the loft.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Mary? It's Roger. I need you and Mark to come home now." Roger's voice sounded scared and sad at the same time.

"Why? What's wrong?" I inquired.

"Angel was just rushed to the hospital." He informed me. I drew in a sharp breath just as Mark exited the pharmacy. I mouthed Roger to him. He nodded and waited for me to finish my conversation.

"Okay, Rog. We'll be there soon." I told him, hanging up my phone. Taking one look at Mark, I buried my face in my hands and began to cry.

"Mary? What's wrong?" Mark asked, setting the prescriptions down so that he could hug me.

"A-Angel was just r-rushed to the hospital." I sobbed. He hugged me tighter as if he would never let me go.

"Did Rog say what hospital he's at?" Mark asked after a while. I slowly shook my head and hiccoughed a couple times. Mark pulled a water bottle out of his bag and handed it to me. I took a long sip and put the cover back on.

"Let's just go back to the loft." I told Mark, not really wanting to go to the hospital. I had only known Angel for a day and I didn't really want to see what condition she (or he) was in. I'm sure Mark and the others would understand.

"Are you sure you don't want to come? Angel would be so happy to see you…" I cut him off by shaking my head.

"Do you want Joanne or someone to stay with you?" he asked. I slowly shook my head as we entered the building. I fished my keys out of my purse, my hand trembling and my vision becoming blurry. Mark had to help me because I was shaking so much. I thanked him and walked into my apartment. As soon as he was out of hearing range, I let out a loud sob and ran to my room where I stayed for the rest of the day.

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Meanwhile at the hospital, Angel was getting worse. Collins was sitting on the side of her bed, cradling her, telling his beautiful drag queen that she would get better soon. Angel just let out a little cough and looked up at Collins, her soft brown eyes glazing over.

"C'mon baby. Ya gotta make it…" Collins sobbed.

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It was ten thirty that evening. I was watching an episode of The Golden Girls when I got the call that Angel had passed away. I cried and cried and cried, not knowing if I would ever stop.