CHAPTER THREE
(chapter title – The Funeral)
"What is there to say about Angel?" Joanne started. "She was the most kindest person I had ever met. Even though he was a drag queen, every one of us called him a 'her'. It felt weird sometimes, but that was okay with me. She's gonna be missed by everyone, I know that for sure." With that, she looked at Angel's coffin and went to sit back down. Roger stood up and walked up to the stage, hands in his pockets.
"Angel was one of my closest friends. I will never forget the first time I met her – it was Christmas Eve…" he then went on to say how Collins had brought her to the loft and she danced for them and gave them money. I smiled slightly as I pictured it in my head. As soon as Roger finished, I felt Mark get up from beside me and walk up to the stage.
"I don't know what to say without repeating what's already been said." Pause. "He…she, was always there for us, no matter what kind of trouble we were in. She loved to make new friends." He smiled at Collins and I. "And she designed her own clothes, which I found truly amazing." He looked at the coffin and sat down next to me. I listened to Mimi, Benny (they had invited him. I don't know the reason) and Maureen give their praises about Angel. Before I knew it, it was my turn. Sighing, I stood up and made my way to the stage, everyone's eyes on me.
"Hi, I'm Mary Sheppard and I wrote a poem for Angel, called Angel." I cleared my throat before speaking.
"A – Always there for us. N – Never frowning or crying. G – Gonna be missed a lot. E – Everyone's friend, no matter the circumstance. L – Loveable, laughter and lovely." I finished my poem and sat down next to Mark, but not before getting a hug from Collins. I hugged him back and sat back down next to Mark.
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After the funeral, Roger, Mark, Mimi, Maureen, Joanne and I headed back to the loft. Collins was going to stay behind so that he could talk with Benny and the funeral director about something.
"That was lovely." Maureen told me, putting an arm around my shoulders. I nodded and took Mark's hand in mine. He and I had gone on a couple dates – just to the movies and out to eat, nothing too big. He smiled at me and squeezed my hand a bit. Before long, I felt the sting of tears in my eyes and was crying like a baby a few minutes later. We stopped walking so that Mark could hug me and stroke my hair. Mimi had started crying, too, so Roger pulled her into a hug. Both Maureen and Joanne had started crying. I laugh/cried and pulled them into the hug that Mark and I were sharing.
"I'm gonna miss her so much." Mimi said through her sobs. Roger nodded and ran a hand up and down her back. I knew that Angel had been Mimi's best friend in the whole world. My best friend, Rose, had died in a fire when she was eight-years-old, so I knew what it felt like to lose someone so close to your heart.
"We all are, Meems." Joanne piped up, brushing the tears out of Maureen's face. Maureen smiled slightly and took Joanne's hand in hers. Together, the two of them walked away from us. I looked up at Mark to see tears in his eyes.
"It's okay to cry, Mark. You don't have to hide it." I told him, sounding exactly like my mom. She had died when Erick was twenty and I was ten. It wasn't easy for us to get over her death, but our dad was always there for us.
"I know, Mary…" he started, tears streaming down his face. I felt tears stream down my own cheeks as we walked to the loft.
"Instead of going to the loft, why not go to the Life Café?" Mimi suggested. Roger and I nodded and started to follow her. I looked back to check on Mark – he looked so handsome standing under a big oak tree, orange, red and yellow leaves falling around him. It looked like a picture, so beautiful and still. After a while, I heard him sing.
"How did we get here?
How the hell...
Pan left - close on the steeple of the church
How did I get here?
How the hell...
Christmas
Christmas eve - last year
How could a night so frozen be so scalding hot?
How can a morning this mild be so raw?
Why are entire years strewn
On the cutting room floor of memory
When single frames from one magic night
Forever flicker in close-up
On the 3D Imax of my mind
That's poetic
That's pathetic
Why did Mimi knock on Roger's door
And Collins choose that phone booth
Back where Angel set up his drums
Why did Maureen's equipment break down
Why am I the witness
And when I capture it on film
Will it mean that it's the end
And I'm alone?" I walked up to him after he finished singing and hugged him around the waist. He put his hands on my back and held me close to him, too afraid to let me go.
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Two weeks later, I was out job-hunting with Roger. He wanted to something with music, but any job would do for him. I told him that I wanted to be a writer.
"Really?" he inquired. I nodded and smiled.
"When did you get interested in writing?" he asked.
"Ever since I was five-years-old. I would write stories about a horse named Hattie and her adventures. Sounds stupid, I know." I told him sheepishly.
"No, that's not stupid! I think that's wonderful that you wrote at a young age." He told me, smiling. I sighed and stopped as we passed a booksellers.
"What?" Roger inquired, standing next to me.
"This could be my calling!" I told him, excided.
"Huh?" Roger asked, confused.
"I love to read, so maybe I could get a job here!" I told him, pointing at the Help Wanted sign. I left Roger outside and came back ten minutes later, grinning like an idiot.
"Well?" Roger asked, looking at me.
"I got the job!" I squealed.
"Way to go, Mary! Mark's gonna be so happy!" Roger said, imitating me. I laughed and punched him lightly on the arm. Together, we made our way back to the loft, laughing and joking all the way there.
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We reached the loft fifteen minutes later. As we entered, I saw Mark setting up his projector and putting a reel of film in. Looking around, I didn't see Mimi or Collins anywhere.
"Hey Marky!" I greeted him, knowing how much he hated the pet name. At least it's better than 'Pookie' I told myself, laughing at the thought.
"Hey Mar!" He greeted me, smiling. I didn't mind if he called me Mar.
"What the hell are you doing/Where are Mimi and Collins?" Roger and I asked at the same time. Mark burst out laughing.
"Roger, to answer your question, I'm setting up Tomorrow 4 Me: Proof Positive. Mary, to answer your question, they're visiting Angel's grave, but they should be back shortly." Mark told us.
"What the hell is Tomorrow 4 Me?" Roger asked, taking a seat on the couch and picking up his guitar.
"It's the new documentary I've been working my ass off for." Mark informed him, taking a seat next to him. I sat in the armchair because there wasn't any more room on the couch.
A little while later, Maureen and Joanne entered the loft, carrying bags from the little Italian place down the street from the loft.
"Thanks you guys!" I thanked them as Maureen handed me my order of spaghetti and meatballs.
"You're welcome, Mary." Maureen said, smiling. Mimi and Collins walked in a little while later, both their faces covered in tears. Roger went to Mimi as I went to Collins.
"Hey." He greeted me, his voice hoarse.
"Hey." I echoed, hugging him around the waist. He smiled slightly and hugged me back. I looked over at Mimi – she had her head buried in Roger's shirt and was crying her eyes out. Roger just soothed her and held her close.
"Wanna see Mark's new documentary?" I asked Collins.
"Sure." He answered. I smiled slightly and walked him over to the couch. I then pulled up the chairs from the kitchen counter, just in case anyone wanted to sit in them. We watched the documentary in silence. As I watched the documentary, I felt Mark slip an arm around my waist and hold me close.
"I love you." He whispered in my ear. I was too engrossed in the documentary to even hear him.
A/N: don't own the lyrics to Halloween. belongs to Jonathon Larson (RIP). 'nuff said.
A/N 2: got questions or comments about this story? you can review or PM me, i don't care.