Same old stuff. I don't own RENT. My friend is helping me write this. Again, postRENT story. Enjoy much!
As soon as we got home Morgan and I flopped onto the couch. "Off my bed" she mumbled, yawning and stretching out so her feet were on my lap. She rolled over onto her side and fell asleep.
I reached in my pocket to make sure Anne's number was still there. Morgan must have heard me because she opened one eye and slurred "Wazzat?"
"Just something from Anne." I said "Now, go back to sleep."
"I didn't see you say good bye to her when we left, did you two have fun together?" She asked, now wide awake and sitting up.
"Yeah, she left before we did. Why the sudden interest in my social life?"
"No reason." And with that Morgan fell asleep again.
Roger came home very late that night. I hadn't been able to sleep, so I was up getting myself some tea when I heard the door open. It was too dark to see his face, but I could tell there was something wrong. I watched him enter the kitchen and make himself some coffee. He sat down next to me and sighed.
"What's up?" I asked, knowing all to well what the answer was going to be.
"Mimi is getting sick…" Roger trailed off and looked down at his mug. Roger has been denying the fact that there was anything wrong with Mimi since the night we almost lost her. We all knew not to bring it up because if we did, we would get the same answer. "There is nothing wrong with Mimi! She's fine!" He would yell, holding her tightly. Every now and then he would have to reassure himself of that, mumbling "she's fine" to himself when he thought no one was listening.
"Collins and I had to take her to the hospital. Oh, that reminds me. Morgan told me to give you these." He reached into his pocket, searching for something.
"It wasn't her pills was it?" I asked, hoping they weren't.
"Yeah, prescription." He mumbled standing up and searching his back pocket.
I sighed and held my head in my hands. "Shit," I mumbled, obviously annoyed, "Could you have left them at the Life?"
"No… she gave them to me when you left, and I'm sure I put them in my pocket!" He looked around the table to see if he had left them there.
I let out an angry sigh. "What about the hospital?"
"No. What are you getting all bent out of shape about? I mean, you have the prescription right? She can go a little while without them."
"That's like you missing a dose of AZT, Roger! It just fucking can't happen!"
"Oh…"
We searched for about half an hour, me suggesting places that he could have left them and him dismissing all of them. I was starting to get very annoyed with Roger about losing something as important as Morgan's medications.
"I found it!" he sang, holding his jacket in one hand and the small orange tube in another. I breathed again.
"Thank god…"
Roger forked it over and I securely tucked it away in my jacket pocket. I tried not to think about what could have happened if he hadn't found the medicine, and concentrate on how lucky we were that we did.
"So," Roger said, "What's it for?"
I opened my mouth to tell him, but abruptly shut it. In my heart I knew that Roger should know. It would probably turn out to be important that he did. On the other hand, this was Morgan's secret, and I had no right to tell him. "That's not for me to say," I muttered, "Morgan will tell you."
Roger nodded and glanced at Morgan who was still sleeping soundly on the couch. "It's hard to believe you two are related, "Roger said, smiling, "She's so cute and you're, well, NOT!"
"Oh shut it. Morgan's rubbing off on you way too fucking much…and she's only been here a couple of days." I groaned.
Roger's smile faded not long after. I could tell he was still upset about Mimi. "Listen, Roger," I whispered, "If you ever need to talk…"
"What's there to talk about?" he snapped, "April and Angel were snatched away, and now the same thing is happening to Mimi. If I were you, Mark, I'd head for the hills. Everyone I care for is leaving me alone. It was a bad idea bringing Morgan here. Death is in the air Mark. She's young, and could really be traumatized. I don't want to lose anyone else."
His words were followed by an awkward silence. I wanted to say something, ANYTHING, but I couldn't find the right words. Taking a final gulp of coffee, Roger headed to bed, his hand momentarily resting on Morgan's cheek along the way.
I held my breath, trying to keep the words from coming out; Morgan needs to tell him, not me. It's affecting her, not me. But before I could swallow the thoughts, the words came bursting out of my mouth. "Roger, Morgan is autistic."
"What?" Roger asked, turning to Morgan and looking at her for some sign of a problem.
"She has a mental disability called autism; it affects the way she does things. Like thinking, and speaking and socializing and stuff. She doesn't have it as bad as some kids, but she still needs meds."
"Oh, so that's what the pills were for?"
"Yeah, she's really screwed over when she misses a dose. She's been taking them since she was a baby"
"I'm really sorry Mark."
I smiled. One of the things that's the most fun about living with Roger is making him guilty. "Sorry? For what?" I asked.
"For almost losing Morgan's meds."
"Its ok," I laughed, giving Roger a hug, "G'night."
I looked down at Morgan and smiled. What she didn't know wouldn't hurt her. "I'm sorry," I whispered and began walking away.
"That's alright Mark," she replied.
I turned back around, wide-eyed. Had she really heard the entire conversation? "What now?" I asked.
Morgan shifted on the couch and mumbled, "I'm not mad that you ate the last Twinkie. I kinda wanted it though. Um, ew, no. I don't want it NOW!"
I laughed to myself. I hadn't been home for so long, I'd forgotten that she occasionally talked in her sleep.
To be continued…
