Disclaimer: Don't Own RENT

Ch. 14

Marie did very little anymore. She was nine months pregnant and was due within the week. She spent a lot of her time on the couch watching shows on the second hand TV set they had or reading. Lorana and Mark spent a lot of their free time talking with her and keeping her sane. Periodically others stopped by. The most frequent visitors were Joanne, Maureen, and Angie.

"So, what name have you chosen?" Lorana asked one lazy afternoon.

"We aren't saying until he's born," Marie said firmly. Lorana pouted. "You've been spending too much time with Maureen."

"Have not." Marie raised her eyebrows, Lorana sighed. "Okay, maybe I have." A few seconds passed.

"So how's work?" Marie asked, desperate for information on the outside world.

"Shitty, that pretty much sums it up."

"It beats this place I'm sure." Lorana's watch chirped, signaling it was time for her to leave. "Go ahead; I don't want you to be late." Lorana stood to leave, Mark entered right before she opened the door.

"Bye guys!" Lorana called.

Mark set his camera down and joined his wife on the couch. "How was filming?"

"You truly are desperate for the outside world." Marie nodded, and looked longingly over at the window.

"What do you want to do on one of our very last nights before we have a son to worry about?" Marie asked; eager to do something other than sit on the couch.

"Do you want to go out to diner one last time?" Mark asked giving in. Marie nodded enthusiastically.

"I'll go get changed." Marie hobbled over to their room. Marie went to find a maternity shirt large enough for her belly. She had just grabbed one out of the drawer when a searing pain tore through her lower abdomen. "Mark!" she screamed.

Mark stopped polishing his camera and immediately rushed into the bedroom. Marie sat on the bed, rubbing her stomach in small circles. "What, what's wrong?"

I think we're going to have to forget about eating out; unless you consider the hospital "out". We're going to have a baby."

"What should I do?" Mark asked.

"Get a taxi or something," Marie said as she cringed.

"What about the others?"

"Call Lorana's work, after you get the cab. She'll know to call everyone else." Mark went to call for a cab. Marie fumbled around in the closet until she found the hospital bag Lorana had packed for her. "Cab's on its way, and Lorana's calling everyone else, then she's heading to hospital." Mark grabbed the bag from Marie, and they started making their way outside. After several minutes, and a couple stops, they reached the outdoors just as the cab was pulling up. They got in, and Mark gave directions to the hospital.

Lorana was waiting for them. "How did you manage to get off work so quickly?" Mark asked.

"I told my boss that my sister was in labor."

"You two aren't sisters though, doesn't he know that?"

"Sisters by bond if not by blood," Marie informed him.

"Can I help you?" the secretary at the information desk asked.

"Yeah, I'm going to spew forth a human being soon, can you help me with that?" Marie said somewhat sarcastically.

"Form of Insurance?" Marie drew out her health insurance card. The secretary smiled, "I'll have a room for you in a moment."

Marie almost flipped the secretary off for being so damn perky. "Don't Marie," Lorana said as if reading Marie's mind. Marie grumbled.

A nurse appeared with a wheelchair, she indicated for Marie to get in. "I'll take you to your room," the nurse said. Marie looked at her as if she was crazy, but sat down in the wheelchair anyways. She was thankful she did this as another contraction tore through her stomach.

Within the hour, all but Collins had arrived at the hospital. "I tried to call him, but he's in class right now, he'll be here as soon as he gets my message," Angie said.

The doctor entered the room, and all but Mark moved away from the bed. "Hello, I'm Dr. Thompson. Let's see how far along you are."

Collins arrived shortly after the doctor had left. "Hey Daddy," he said to Mark who was in the hallway with Roger. "Hi Roger. Why are you two in the hall, especially you Mark, shouldn't you be in there with your wife?"

"Marie wanted girl time, so we came out here," Mark informed, he was whiter than normal.

"Boy, calm down. Otherwise you'll get Marie all nervous," Collins said matter-of-factly.

"Easy for you, you aren't about to be a father."

"I don't think that'll ever happen, for Roger or myself," Collins chuckled.

"I know that laugh," Maureen said coming to allow the guys back in. "Hey girls," she hollered, "Collins is here."

"Maureen would you shut-up! This is a hospital, people might be trying to sleep," Joanne said sternly. "Hey Collins."

"How's Mommy doing?" asked Collins entering the room.

"Mommy is going through hell at the moment."

The nurse entered and was shocked to find nine people squished into the small room. "Only immediate family is allowed in the delivery rooms," she said, "I know who the mother and father are, but who are all you?"

"Well, Maureen and I are Marie's sisters, Joanne is Maureen's Life Partner, Roger is Mark's brother, Mimi is Mark's wife, Angie is Mimi's sister, and Collins is Joanne's brother," Lorana quickly said. The nurse shook her head in defeat. Lorana smiled warmly at her.

When the nurse had left, Collins, Angie, Mimi, Maureen, and Joanne burst into laughter. "How in the world did you come up with that so quickly?" Collins asked, still laughing.

"It's called Improv; Maureen should know what I'm talking about."

"What I want to know is how you made it so convincing?" Angie asked.

"I didn't do it alone. Maureen wrapped her arm around Joanne when the nurse was watching, and I told the truth about them being Life Partners. I also told the truth about Roger and Mimi being married. She also seemed willing to believe everything else."

"Ow," Mark yelped. Marie had dug in her nails, her contractions growing steadily more painful.

Several hours later, Lorana and Mark watched the birth; all others had been kicked out by the doctor.

When the doctor permitted them to return, everyone's first question was what the name was.

Mark was sitting on the bed with Marie, stroking her hair.

"Would you guys let her breathe?" Lorana asked in astonishment. "She just gave birth to a baby boy for God's sake."

"Thank you Lorana," Marie said. Mark looked lovingly into her eyes.

"Should we tell them?" he asked.

"I suppose; no, let's wait until they've met him."

Five minutes later, Marie was cuddling with her son. "Everyone, I would like to introduce you to Drake Jonathon Cohen."

The End

So that's it. I hope you all enjoyed it! There might be a sequel coming, it depends on how many people want one, and if I have enough ideas for one. I'm posting one more chapter, which is going to be a list of thank-yous. Until next time; Diva Actress