a/n: this is the replace of the original chapter 3. i took Tiggpwn's advice and took out a lot ofthe lines so that it would flow better. Thanks for reading my story!
Seven very different people sat down for Easter dinner together in an Industrial Loft on the corner of 11th and Avenue B. Mark Cohen had his face pressed up against the dirty glass window.
"Mark, he's not coming." Collins said, bitterly.
The smudged window went unnoticed.
Angel looked around at all of her friends. She was right between Mimi and Collins. They were the only two who knew just how quickly she was going to die, and that this was probably her last Easter. It was ironic that her last Easter was the first where she had felt loved and wanted by everybody who sat at the table. They didn't look at her funny or make snide remarks.
"I love the bunny ears, Angel." Maureen said as she passed around jellybeans to everybody.
"Actually, you know, Roger got them for me." Angel said, winking at Roger down the table, who shook his head in denial.
"Thanks, Maureen" Mimi said as she held out her hand for some of the jellybeans. She looked in her palm and saw different flavors, but not the one she had hoped for.
"Did anybody get a strawberry jellybean? I've never had one before."
"Are you serious?" Maureen asked, a seriously shocked look on her face.
"Yeah." Mimi said, getting a little defensive.
"Even Mark's had a strawberry jellybean! And he's Jewish!"
"Here, have mine." Joanne said graciously as she handed Mimi a handful of pink. "I always preferred sour apple over Strawberry anyway."
"Sour apple? That's the most boring flavor there is! Everybody loves sour apple!" Maureen said, rolling her eyes. She grabbed some ham and put it on her platter. She was trying to keep her cool with Joanne today, they had just gotten over another fight and she didn't want to start any trouble. Well, she thought she was doinggood until the jellybean remark.
Joanne was having such a good time that night she didn't even hear what Maureen had said. For the first time in her life she didn't care what people thought of her, or what she wore, or if there was a case she had to deal with the next week. She was free to be her true self and although it was new feeling, she liked it.
"Mark, do you want some juicy, delicious Easter ham?" Roger asked teasingly as he laughed at his poor friend, who was sulking while everybody ate.
"Oh that's right I forgot he can't celebrate Easter!" Mimi said, trying not to laugh.
"Aw, come on Roger; let him join in on the fun!" Collins said from across the table.
"I don't know." Mark said, feeling guilty.
"It's alright sweetie, we won't tell if you won't." Angel said reassuringly.
"Good because I'm starving." Mark said as he reached for his first ever Cadbury egg.
Tom Collins was feeling better than he had in a long time. He was stuffing his face full of ham, potatoes, and every kind of Easter candy you could imagine. Everybody had put their money together so that they could afford this one good meal. Things were getting sort of rocky between everybody so it was good to have at least one day where they could celebrate and get along without the arguing or the bullshit or the lies. And he was especially happy to be by his beautiful girlfriend, even if she was dying.
"Roger, can you pass me some more jellybeans?" Mimi asked from across the table. She was starting to look a little bit more thin than usual, but Roger pushed that out of his mind. She looked really pretty today and he was going to forget everything that happened between them. He was going to focus on today and make sure that he didn't say anything to hurt her. Today, Benny and the heroin didn't exist.
"Okay, well, I know it's Easter but I still thought Collins deserved something a little special. One day earlier this year he told me about how one of his Easter traditions was rewiring a toy robot that his parents would get him when he was little. Well, he's a little bit above toy robots so I went and had a mini ATM machine made for him to practice on with the rest of the money I got for killing that ugly dog. I know someday he's going to figure it out and we'll be richer than rich. And then we can move to, oh I don't know, somewhere like Santa Fe. So, here you go sweetie!"
"Well, I guess since Angel got me something, I should let you guys I got Mimi something. She told me how she never got an Easter basket when she was little…so…I took the liberty of making one for her." Collins said he pulled a huge Easter basket out from under the table. Filled with a stuffed bunny and basically everything that a really awesome Easter basket entails.
"Oh my Gosh, Collins you shouldn't have! I've never had an Easter Basket before!...but I didn't get you anything! I…well I actually got Joanne a new pair of leather pants because all of her clothes are so boring. I mean I know you like to wear suits and all that but, come on, every girl needs a pair of leather pants!" Mimi said as she ran downstairs to her apartment to get them.
"…wow…leather. Actually I got Mark an Easter basket. Because, you know, it's his first time being to celebrate Easter. I mean he can't really celebrate it but here you go Mark."
Another Easter basket: filled with chalk, an "Idiots guide to Easter", a stuffed Bunny with glasses and as a joke, some Matzah. Mark begrudgingly took the Easter basket, but he was laughing on the inside.
"Well… I mean I never got to celebrate Easter so I don't think this really counts as a gift but I actually got Maureen the lot space back so she can do another protest. Well... at least I think I got it back. Buzzline had some evidence about some illegal wrongdoings the cops had done and it's funny how a little blackmail can go a long way" Mark said sheepishly. Roger and Collins exchanged knowing glances as Maureen basically mauled Mark in excitement.
"Did I miss something?" Mimi asked, handing a pair of bright orange pants to Joanne.
"Nope!" everybody said in unison.
"Roger, I know you hate sentimental gifts, so, in honor of the Easter spirit, and because you really need them, I got you new guitar strings." Collins said, tossing them across the table to Roger who said a silent thank you at not receiving an Easter basket or a plush toy. Though he had to admit, seeing the look on Mimi's face as she got her first Easter basket was enough to make him a little bit emotional, but he would never show it.
"Guys, I feel so blessed to have friends like you." Mimi said, tearing up as she looked across the table at her best friends…no, her family.
"Let's make this the best Easter ever." Angel said as she stood up and went into the kitchen to pull a bottle of Absolut out of the cupboard.
"Amen to that." Joanne said as she followed Angel into the kitchen.
As everybody else left to go get wasted, only Mark and Roger were left in the dining room of the loft.
"This really was the best Easter ever." Mark said.
"Actually, this was your only Easter." Roger said, shaking his head and laughing, leaving for the kitchen.
Benjamin Coffin the third stood next to his wife at the Coffin family Easter dinner. They were getting ready to say grace.
"And thanks be to God for all of our friends and family on this special day." Mr. Grey said, his voice was putting everybody to sleep.
He felt a pang in his heart at how his poor friends were probably having the worst Easter ever, freezing in the loft. He was so glad he had moved on from those people who were less than he was.
The party in the loft was going on til 2 in the morning.
It really was the best Easter ever.