Needless to say, everyone spent the night at the loft. Mimi's back-from-the-dead experience had been so emotionally exhausting for them that there was no question as to were they would all sleep. Mimi and Roger were curled up together on the couch, arms tight around each other, faces touching gently at the forehead. Joanne leaned against one of the square concrete pillars that were stuck almost randomly in the floor of the loft. Maureen's head and torso rested in her lap. Their fingers were entwined even in sleep, and Joanne's free hand rested on Maureen's hair. Mark, after carefully turning off his projector, fell asleep on the table Mimi had only just died on. He didn't care though. To them, it had become a place of life, not death.
Collins wasn't asleep. What Mimi had said was filling his brain, swirling and churning in his mind. Angel had kept Mimi from going as she had gone; Angel had brought Mimi back, sent her back. Angel, who had been alone in her struggle to live, who had had no guardian standing over her, still helped Mimi, sacrificed joining Mimi to let them have her a little longer. But that was Angel: no question.
Collins sat on the fire escape, his knees drawn up to his chest. Gazing up at the smoggy sky, he was surprised to find that it actually wasn't so smoggy. Unbelievably, four or five stars shone clearly through the light and air pollution. He smiled: somehow, those four little stars seemed like a message from Angel. After all, why wouldn't they be?
Staring at the stars, Collins ran a finger over the cold metal of the fire escape and thought, Thank you, my Angel. Thank you for Mimi, for all the rest of us, and for what you gave us all. Thank you for loving me and being there for me to love. I still do. Wait for me, Angel. I'm waiting for you down here, girl. I'm waiting.
"Collins?" came a voice from behind him. He jumped and turned: it was mark, emerging sheepishly onto the escape.
"Sorry to bother you, man," Mark apologized, sitting down next to Collins.
"Not a big deal, Mark. Not after tonight, anyway."
"I can't believe it. It's impossible, but there you go." There was a pause.
"Collins?"
"Yeah, man?"
"Will you not get mad if I say something?"
"What are you talking about, Mark?"
I just feel like Angel had a reason to go. You know, a reason to leave before the rest of us. Maybe she had to be there for Mimi. Maybe now she's gonna feel more peaceful." Collins put an arm around Mark's shoulders.
"I know she does, Mark. I know."