Yeah, I don't own RENT…most unfortunately cause it's awesome! My friend is helping me write this (anomaly124 on I'm pretty sure). And I kinda forgot to mention this, but this is postRENT, so no Angel, sorry. Enjoy!
We got to Life Café right on time. However, everyone else was already there, making it seem like we were late. Anne and I were swamped with people as soon as we walked in the door.
"Pookie," Maureen said, pouting her lips, "Who's your friend?"
"Everyone," I said, forcing my voice above the roar of the crowd (which only consisted of Collins, Maureen, Joanne, Mimi, Anne and me), "This is my friend, Anne."
Luckily, Maureen didn't try to start flirting with Anne- or at least overly flirt- and the ambience of everything was so carefree and happy. I constantly had one eye on the door. Roger and Morgan still hadn't shown up, and I was worried about what might happen. Morgan was so, well, out there, and I feared the atmosphere would change drastically with her arrival.
"Hey Mark," Mimi asked, her face paler than usual, "Where's Roger?"
"He's with my sister. She hurt her-" I mumbled, but I didn't have a chance to finish.
"A SISTER?" Mimi shrieked and the entire restaurant became dead silent.
As if on cue, Roger and Morgan walked into the café just at that moment. All eyes flew off of me and landed on the girl being held bridal style in Roger's arms. "Hi everybody!" Morgan said enthusiastically, "I'm Morgan!"
They were mobbed, just as Anne and I were, but Roger fended them off. "She's hurt!" he said, "Be careful! And give her some space." He carefully placed her in a chair and came to greet me. I nodded hello and we watched the interesting introductions each friend was making.
As each person said their hellos, the volume of our talking grew louder and louder, until Collins, last in line, said something I will never forget.
"Hi there," Collins said cheerfully, "I'm Collins. Tom Collins."
"I'm Morgan!" she said, looking up with her lovely green eyes.
The whole thing seemed to go in slow motion. As soon as their eyes met Collins gasped. He got down on his knees and held Morgan's head between his hands. "She has Angel's eyes." He muttered.
The room seemed to gasp and then grew silent. All eyes flew back to Morgan, who was still looking Collins straight in the eye. He was biting his lip to stop the tears I saw welling in his eyes.
Everyone ogled her, including me. I was dumbstruck. She had no idea who Angel was, yet it seemed like Angel was right there in the room with us. Not just in spirit and in our hearts, but actually there, just invisible.
Then, breaking the eerie ambience she had just set, Morgan said, "Um, who the hell is Angel anyway?"
Collins laughed, as did nearly everyone else. "Morgan," I said meekly, "Don't swear."
The 'party' continued, and soon everyone forgot about what had just happened. I wanted to know how Morgan had done that. How she had known. But I didn't want to ruin her fun, so I kept my mouth shut. However, I couldn't look at her quite the same way as before.
"Mark, what's wrong?" Anne asked me. Apparently my lack of movement gave something away.
"Nothing" I mumbled, "Its just… my sister…" I trailed off, and the demonic 'what-ifs' entered my head. What if we ran out of money? What if she begins to hate me? What if…. What if I really can't keep her alive?
"Your parents left you and her in about the worst part of America to be raising a child in." She said matter of factly, "I would know, I have been a squatter since I was twelve."
I didn't know what to say, and I stared at the now-fascinating floor. I shifted my gaze to Morgan, who was smiling widely. Somehow they had started a game of truth or dare, except it seemed more like truth AND dare.
"Hey Roger," Collins said, "Which do you want first, truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"If April came back right this instant, alive and well, would you dump Mimi and go out with her?"
Roger looked stunned, as well as Mimi. She tried her best to give him the evil eye, but it looked more like a face a constipated seal would make.
"I'd tell her to fuck off and go find someone else to get high with!" Everyone laughed and cheered as Mimi jumped on Roger's lap and kissed the living daylights out of him.
Morgan had since separated herself from the party and was calling for me. "Can we go home?" She asked keeping her eyes on the floor. I reached out for her but she moved. I suddenly remembered something.
"Did you bring your pills with you?" I asked crossing my fingers that she did.
She nodded. I sighed in relief "Stay here. I'll tell everyone that we're leaving."
"Alright," she mumbled, looking at the floor.
"Hey guys!" I said, "Morgan and I are gonna head out. Thanks for inviting us, we had a blast."
I was swept away by a flood of 'good-byes'. Roger and Mimi even took a break from their make out session to bid us farewell. I scanned the group for Anne, but I couldn't see her anywhere. Morgan remained near the door, looking at me with curious eyes.
"Mark," she whispered, "Can we go home?"
I nodded and walked with her out the door. I told Morgan to wait right where she was while I fetched my bike. When I pulled it out of the bushes, I saw a piece of paper on it. I quickly skimmed it and learned that it was from Anne. Luckily, she'd had a good time. At the bottom of the note, she left her phone number.
Smiling, I quickly made my way back to Morgan. Her lips were blue and she was shivering, but she was grinning widely. "Finally!" she muttered, "I thought you were going to leave me to fucking freeze to death!"
"Morgan, don't swear," I said, "Anyway, I'd never do that!"
A sly smile grew on her face. "Someone doesn't remember," she said in a singsong voice, "But I won't go into detail. Let's just say I'm still cold in ninety degree weather."
I mentally slapped myself. I really was a bad brother. The memory flooded back to me. It was December, and I'd taken Morgan ice-skating. As she strapped on her skates, I went to buy some hot chocolate. However, when I reached the booth, I remembered that I had a date with Maureen. I didn't realize I'd forgotten nine-year-old Morgan until after midnight. She nearly had died. It took Mom and Dad years to allow her to come back to visit.
As if sensing my pain, Morgan gave me a hug. "Don't worry about it," she said, "I'm right here, right now, and very much alive!"
I laughed and helped her onto the handlebars of my bike. She was right. Why brood over the past when you can enjoy the present! As if to unnerve me even more, Morgan took her hands off the bike and spread her arms out.
"Look Mark!" she stated, "I'm flying!"
"Just be careful," I mumbled.
