Note: The stage version of RENT hints at Maureen having an eating disorder. This is my idea of how it would've played into pre-RENT events. Please note if you have an eating disorder, or know someone who does, you should seek professional medical attention immediately.
Maureen went to the cafeteria while Mark and Collins talked to the doctor. She didn't want to talk to the doctor. Her stomach knotted and twisted with the thoughts of what was happening. She stopped at a payphone to call Benny.
"Hello?"
"Allison? It's me. Benny around?"
"No, no. He's at the office. Is everything okay?"
"Um, yeah….did he tell you about Roger?"
"Yes. How is he?"
"Okay. Do you know when Benny might be back?"
"He's working till five or six and then he wanted to stop by the hospital to see Roger."
"Okay. Thanks."
"No problem."
Click.
She headed to the cafeteria, but couldn't bring herself to buy anything but coffee. Maureen doubted she could stomach anything else. Sitting at a table in the corner, Maureen started to look over the pamphlets and papers from the nurse. The Facts About Drugs. The Truth about Heroin. When Your Loved One is an Addict. Recovering from Addiction. Maureen didn't realize she was crying until her tears blurred her vision, the titles blending together. She put her face in her hands, crying softly.
After a moment, Maureen sat up, new determination setting in. She stuffed the pamphlets and papers into her purse, not caring that they bent and crumpled. As she stood up, she wiped her tears from her face. Maureen headed straight to the bathroom, pausing only long enough to toss her coffee into the garbage can.
In the bathroom, Maureen rummaged through her purse for a hair tie. She locked the door, glad that it was a single occupancy. Kneeling down, Maureen set her purse against the wall and leaned over the toilet. She took a deep breath and slipped one finger, then two down her throat.
A few minutes later, Maureen wiped her mouth and stood up. She hated throwing up, but at least she felt in control of something. The bitter acid taste in her mouth wouldn't go away even after she'd washed out her mouth in the sink.
She fished a few quarters out of her purse and went to the vending machines she'd passed on the way to the bathroom. The mint-flavored gum took away the flavor. Maureen sucked on one piece to rid her mouth of the taste and then tossed it for another to freshen her breath. She headed back up to the waiting room, feeling more composed. Mark and Collins were waiting when she got there.
"Thought you were going to get food?" Mark asked.
"Yeah, didn't have anything good though."
"Oh…well, the doctor said that Roger can go tomorrow."
"Go where?"
"Rehab or home. Wherever," Collins said.
"He needs rehab."
"Mark's right."
"Mo, you got those pamphlets I gave you?"
"Yeah, right here," Maureen said, digging them out.
The trio spread them out on the low coffee table. Mark and Collins sat in the armchairs facing it while Maureen sat on the floor. They poured over the packets and went over each one. One by one, they tossed the pamphlets into the discard pile.
"Guys, we can't afford this."
