Disclaimer: if you're reading RENT fanfiction, I should hope you know that I don't own the rights to the characters. I do however own the situations I put them in
Within the week, just to show everyone how responsible she could be if she wanted to, Maureen got a job. It wasn't much, just a day shift at one of her favorite thrift stores that offered a 25 employee discount. The catch? She wasn't going to tell anyone about the job until she brought home her first paycheck.
"Hey sweetheart, I'm going to work now. Are you doing anything for lunch? I thought maybe we could check out that new Thai place you were talking about the other day." Joanne called, pouring coffee into her travel mug.
Maureen came out of the bedroom. It wasn't even eight am and she was fully dressed, hair done and make up on.
"Sorry Pookie, I've got an, um, appointment today with a manager. Maybe we could go out for dinner instead?"
Joanne was taken aback. It had been a long time since Maureen had done anything to bring in some money. Not that they needed it on her lawyer's salary, but that was beside the point. It was a welcome change, let's see how long it lasts, she couldn't help but thinking.
It didn't take long for Maureen to realize how much work it was to, well, work. With the persistence we all know and love she stuck with it.
"I'm never going to be good enough for you, Joanne." Maureen whined, sitting at the kitchen table after a late shift.
"You'll always be just right for me, darling. I need someone to help me relax at the end of the day."
"But you're a big shot lawyer. You should have kids and a dog and a life. All you've got is me."
"You're all I need. Besides, I'm so proud of you for getting a job. Nobody was expecting that out of you."
"I'm just full of surprises. Are we ready for a baby then, if I'm so good?"
"Let's not push it. We can check out that adoption agency today though."
"Really?"
"Yes."
Maureen actually wore a suit. Granted, it was a black suit with gold stars speckling it, it was a suit.
"You look great."
"I feel like a Barbie doll." Maureen hissed as she opened the door.
"Most people would agree that today, you look less like a Barbie than usual."
"I guess."
The women took a taxi to the adoption agency Joanne had chosen. The lawyer took the lead after they'd opened the glass-paneled doors.
"Joanne Jefferson and Maureen Johnson Jefferson, we have a ten o'clock appointment."
"Of course, go right in." the secretary said after checking the schedule.
"Thank you."
The caseworker they were assigned to, Alice Carpenter was a kindly older woman who smiled warmly while stress lined her face.
"Have you been thinking about adoption long?" she asked first.
"About a year now." Joanne said, rounding up to make them sound less spontaneous.
"Great, what age groups are you looking for?"
Maureen jumped in, unable to keep quiet for so long.
"Newborn to about three."
"That's our most popular group, but from the preliminary file we have on you that shouldn't be a problem. I'm sure we'll find the perfect child for you."
The women toiled through months of paperwork, interviews, classes and waiting. Finally the agency deemed them ready to adopt.
"Marky! Guess what? Joanne and I are going to be mommies!" Maureen screeched into the phone when they first got the news.
"Okay, Collins is there too? Great, tell him and Roger for us okay? Love you."
She hung up the phone and twirled around the apartment, she looked like a ballerina on overdrive.
"Come on baby, we gotta go. Our appointment is for noon."
When they arrived at the agency, Alice had a stack of folders with information about several children for their consideration.
"I wanted a baby." Maureen pouted looking at the photographs.
"Ms. Johnson." Alice said calmly.
"It's Johnson-Jefferson." Maureen interrupted
"Maureen let the woman speak."
"Fine."
Alice continued.
"With your history, though you've been well behaved recently, puts you in an at risk for recklessness category. We cannot allow you to have a baby in your care. An adolescent however is a bit more independent and we feel better suited to your situation."
Maureen stood up.
"Are you saying that I'm incapable of taking care of a baby?"
"Maureen, sit down." Joanne muttered.
"I'll go out and have my own kid to prove that I can." And with that, she stormed out of the office.
"I'm sorry to put you through this. Thank you for all your help." Joanne said sincerely, shaking Alice's leathery hand.
"Maureen!" she called, after exiting the building.
The redhead turned around.
"Can you believe that shit?" she exclaimed.
"I think that they had their reasons to be concerned…"
"You too?" the diva had tears in her overemotional eyes.
"No. I think that you could handle it, but a teenager would be a lot of fun. You'd get to skip diapers and go straight to teaching her to put on makeup."
Maureen pondered that.
"Sounds better than trying to seduce Mark."
Seeing the expression on Joanne's face she clarified.
"I mean he wasn't bad or anything, but he's with Roger now and…"
Joanne just shook her head and wondered what the hell they were going to do now.