"Come on, Maureen! We're going to be late!" Joanne called as she grabbed her coat. The prominent lawyer hadn't aged a day, just like Maureen, even though they had been together for quite some time. Today was their twentieth anniversary, and they were going to a nice dinner in New Jersey.
"Must you be so loud, Jo?" Maureen demanded as she came out of her room. The diva still kept her same style of clothes and principles, despite her age.
Mark looked up from editing his latest film, and replied, "If she's not loud, you ignore her; it's been done." Maureen rolled her eyes, and stuck out her tongue.
"Real mature," Benny said.
"Okay you guys, we'll be back around midnight," Joanne said, and she began to shove her girlfriend out the door. "Try not to have too much fun." Benny nodded and Mark waved.
"Come on, pookie, it's late. Let's get a room for the night somewhere, and go home tomorrow," Maureen pleaded from the passenger's seat of the small car the couple shared.
"Maureen, we're fifteen minutes from the city." Joanne took her eyes off the road for a second. "If you're so damn tired, then close your eyes right now!"
"Joanne! Look out!" Maureen announced pointing out the windshield. Joanne's attention flew directly back to the road. Driving down the wrong side of the road was an eighteen-wheeler. Joanne swerved to the left in hopes of getting into the other lane, but it was too late. The truck hit the car, and sent it tumbling off the road. The driver honked his horn, shouted a few cusswords out the window, and kept going. Luckily, another driver wrote down its license plate number before calling 911.
It was well after midnight back at the loft, but Benny and Mark weren't all that worried about Maureen and Joanne. They figured that they got a room somewhere to spend time together. Around 2:30, the phone began to ring. Confused, Benny answered it, allowing Mark to finish his movie.
"Hello?"
"Is
this the home of Joanne Jefferson and Maureen Johnson?" a lady on
the other end asked.
"Yes, but they're out for tonight. If this is one of Jo's clients, I'll tell her that you called when she gets back later."
"That won't be necessary. This is Dr. O'Neil from the hospital. Ms. Jefferson and Ms. Johnson were in a car accident about an hour ago." Benny nearly dropped the phone.
"A car accident?" he repeated. Mark immediately stopped editing, and stood next to Benny. "One second, I'm going to put you on speaker phone so my roommate can hear." Benny pressed a red button, and asked, "Okay, are Maureen and Joanne alright?" Dr. O'Neil sighed.
"Ms. Johnson was killed upon impact," she said slowly. The color drained from Mark's face, and he slowly sank down onto the couch.
"Maureen, Maureen's dead?" he asked.
"I'm afraid so. I'm very sorry."
"What about Joanne?"
Benny asked. "Is Jo safe?"
"Ms. Jefferson is in surgery,
but there's only a small chance of her making it through."
"Okay, we'll be right down." Benny hung up the phone, and he and Mark rushed down to the hospital.
Dr. O'Neil was a tall young woman in her mid-30s with auburn hair in a simple French braid, and wire rim glasses perched on top of her head. She met Mark and Benny at the nurses' station as they came rushing into the E.R.
"Ms. Jefferson is still in surgery," she said. She paused to produce two crumpled envelops out of her file. Benny's heart skipped a beat. He knew that they were. "These were found clutched in Ms. Jefferson's hand. Do you know what they are?" Mark nodded.
"Yes," he replied. "Do you mind if we take them?" Dr. O'Neil handed him the envelopes.
"Here. You can go sit down in there. I'll let you know when Ms. Jefferson is out of surgery." Benny and Mark thanked the doctor, and took a seat in the waiting room.
Mark sat in the waiting room staring at the two letters for nearly an hour. Benny was becoming restless. Already, he had gone to the bathroom twice, and gotten himself three cups of coffee. Whenever he looked at Mark, he was in the same position; eyes fixated on the two envelops he held in his hands. Benny sat down next to him, and offered him some coffee. Mark shook his head, and remained silent. Maureen's dead. Maureen's dead kept playing over and over in his head. Benny placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Mark, are you going to open those letters?" he asked. Mark looked at Benny with a pained face.
"That would mean that Maureen's really gone," he replied.
"She is though. I know you cared very deeply about Maureen, but the only way to get over this lies inside that envelope with your name on it." Mark gave Benny Joanne's letter, and they each began to read.
Hello Marky (and I guess Benny too)! I guess things are going to get pretty quiet in Bohemia now that I'm gone. Mark, keep Benny in line. Oh, and if you don't detach that damn camera from your fucking hand, marry it, reproduce. Have little mutant babies that will be hideous, because they'll have you for a Father. I'm just kidding. Listen, I'm sorry. Sorry I cheated on you, sorry I left you for Joanne, and sorry I didn't apologize sooner. I know everyone says that Joanne's the only one for me (because she can keep me in line, and keep up with me too), and even though I agree with that, it doesn't stop the guilt that's been eating me up inside. I'm sorry, Mark. Love, Maureen.
Dear Mark and Benny, wow, I don't really know what to say. You two are some of the strongest men I know. You've both been through so much. Keep strong, and remember, "Viva la vie bohemé!" Well, I guess this is goodbye, but not forever. I'll see you both soon. Love, Joanne.
Dr. O'Neil stood in the doorway to the waiting room with her hands folded neatly in front of her. Benny and Mark immediately stood up.
"Ms. Jefferson died on the table. They tried to bring her back, but she lost too much blood. I'm very sorry."
All Maureen saw was a blinding light as Joanne swerved to miss the eighteen wheeler. Maureen was about to scream when she felt herself being hit with an enormous force. Her head flew back against the seat before hitting the side of the seat. Everything went black. Maureen fell through darkness, and landed with a thud on the wooden floor. She laid there for about thirty seconds before she felt a pair of strong arms lift her up onto her feet from behind.
A/N: Read "Off-Camera" enough said!