An awkward silence followed Mark's revelation. Mark couldn't believe that he had just told Felicity that he was her Father out of the blue, and over the phone!
"Wow," Felicity said. "I didn't think it would be that easy. My foster parents thought that you were a distant cousin or something."
"Foster parents? We were told that you were adopted."
"I was, but they changed their minds or something when I was two. I've been in foster care ever since."
"I'm sorry. We weren't told about that."
"I'm cool with it. I was actually wondering if I could ask you a few questions."
"Of course."
"Would you mind telling me why you gave me up? I don't eman to be rude or anything, but I'd really like to know why." Mark leaned back slightly.
"Our lifestyle isn't highly looked upon, Felicity," he said. "We live in Alphabet City in the East Village a.k.a. Bohemia. We don't have electricity most of the time, and half the time we don't have enough food. I'm a filmmaker, and your Mother is an activist and performer."
"An activist for
what?"
"This month its gay and lesbian rights, but she'll
basically protest anything she can, usually to piss off our friend
Benny." Felicity laughed.
"You guys are still
married right?"
"We were never married to begin with, which
is another reason we gave you up. Maureen, your Mother, dumped me
about two months later, but now she's in love with Joanne."
"Joanne's a girl's name though. So she's a lesbian?"
"Yes. You know what? How about we meet up sometime next week? Just us."
"I'd have to check. One minute." Mark heard Felicity put the phone down. A few minutes later, she picked it up again. "Just us?" she asked.
"Just you, me, and Maureen."
"Okay, how about next Friday at the Silver Diner off Broadway around 6?" (A/N: There is a diner off Broadway, but it had really crappy service when I was there the day before the Rent reunion show…which I didn't see)
"Umm, Maureen has a
show that night at 9:30. what if you came to the show after dinner,
and crashed here for the night?"
"I don't know if my
parents would feel comfortable with that. Let me ask." A few
minutes later, Felicity picked up the phone. "They said okay.
They'll drop me off at six."
"Okay, we can bring you back to Manhattan on the subway if they want. We'd drive you home, but none of us own cars."
"It's cool." Mark was about to hang up when Felicity said, "Oh, Mark, there's one more thing. My foster parents are about to give me up. It's the fourth time this year. I don't mean to sound outgoing or anything, but I was wondering if you could do anything about it."
"Joanne's a lawyer, and we'll ask around."
"Thanks."
"Felicity?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't be a stranger. Feel free to just call to talk. You know, about school, friends, boys maybe." Felicity laughed.
"No, no boys yet."
"Your Mother would be disappointed in you young lady. Make sure you call!"
"I will. Bye."
"Bye."
Mark hung up the phone, and immediately called to Joanne and Maureen's apartment to tell Maureen about the conversation her had had with Felicity.
"Hello?" Maureen said.
"Mo? It's Mark. I just got off the phone with Felicity. We're getting together before your show next week."
"Okay I guess. I'll tell Joanne so she knows."
"So everything's cool between you two?""I guess so. I think she's more in shock right now more than anything. We haven't had much time to talk though. She was in the shower when I got home, and I was asleep when she got out and when she left for work this morning. But yeah, we're cool. I didn't have to sleep on the couch or in the hallway or something like that. What's Felicity like?"
"From what I can tell, she's outspoken like you. She's been in foster care since she was two, and her current parents are about to give her up; it's the fourth time this year. She asked if I could help, so I said I'd talk to Joanne." A gently breeze ruffled Mark's hair.
"Mark, what if we got her back?" Maureen practically shrieked into the phone causing Mark to hold it at arm's length.
"I don't know. We don't have any money to pay for food or rent. This is pretty far fetched; even for you."
"Come on Marky, please?" Mark could tell that Maureen was pouting, even though he couldn't see her. "You have that big loft all to your lonely self. If you don't mind, Joanne and I could move in, and help pay for food and the rent. Come on, please? Think about Felicity." Mark sighed. Maureen was using his argument from the day before against him.
"Talk to Joanne. Maybe she could come with us next week to talk to Felicity and get the details."
"Thank you Mark! Everything would have to be set up and ready for my show that night. I'll see what Joanne can do about the adoption papers."
It was after midnight. In less than 17 hours, Maureen was going to meet Felicity with Mark. She hadn't told Joanne that they wanted her to come with them. She had seemed reluctant to adopt Felicity, but agreed to it in then end. Maureen rolled onto her back, and stared at the ceiling for nearly twenty minutes. After that, she rolled out of bed. she grabbed her black see-through robe, pulled it on over her shorts and tank top. She went out to the front room, and curled up on the couch. Maureen draped her arms over the back of the couch, rested her chin on her arm, and stared out the window. She was so deep in her own thoughts that she didn't hear Joanne join her. The lawyer sat behind her lover, and wrapped her arms around her waist.
"Come here, Mo,"
she said quietly. Maureen leaned back, and Joanne began to entwine
her fingers in her soft hair. "What's wrong baby?"
"I'm
nervous about later. What is she doesn't like me?" Joanne
kissed the top of Maureen's head.
"That's not
possible. She's your daughter, and Mark said that she's
outspoken like you. You'll get along fine."
"Hey
Pookie?"
"Hmm?"
"Mark and I want you to come with us
to meet Felicity. You're my partner, and we only thought it would
be fair."
"Oh no, it's not my place. This reunion is for you and Mark, not me."
"Come on, Pookie. It's not going to be all dramatic and shit like you see on TV. Please won't you come? Maybe you could bring us up to speed on all that legal stuff for the adoption." Joanne sighed.
"Fine, I'll come with you guys." Maureen rested her head on Joanne's chest. Her soft breathing and gentle heartbeat quickly lulled the diva off the sleep.
At exactly six o'clock (thanks to Joanne who insisted on being on time), Mark, Joanne, and Maureen walked to the small diner. Standing in front of the building was a girl who appeared to be about 12 or 13. Her dark hair fell past her shoulder in delicate waves, exactly like Maureen's. The young girl turned around, revealing startling blue eyes like Mark's. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that that was Felicity.
A/N: If anyone has any ideas for the sequel to Off-Camera (anything you think would be cool to happen), PLEASE let me know! I only have small, random ideas, not nearly enough to start writing yet! Thanks, much love!
Tina101
