Rent Continued: Part 2
Collins, Roger, Mimi, and Mark all stood at Tony's bedside. They felt very helpless, and as Mimi watched Collins leaning over him, she was reminded of Angel's death, and how they had been in this same hospital, on this same floor, almost three months ago.
"Someone should call Maureen and Joanne," said Mark. Mimi pulled out her cheap, knock-off cell and dialed her home number. She answered.
"Hello?"
"Maureen, hi." She paused. She wasn't sure what to say or how to explain this. "Maureen, Tony had a stroke.
"Oh my God, that's horrible! Is he okay?"
"He's fine, but you and Joanne need to come down here right away."
There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Well, Joanne stepped outside for a cigarette, but I'll get her and we'll be there in fifteen minutes."
"See you here," said Mimi, closing the phone. As soon as she slapped it shut, she remembered Joanne didn't smoke.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maureen stood in her apartment, panicking to herself. She obviously couldn't call Joanne; she didn't want to talk to her at all. She decided to make up a story of why Joanne couldn't come.
After deciding to simply go with, 'she got called into work' Maureen left the apartment and headed for the hospital. As she walked down the street, a black sedan pulled up alongside her. She quickened her pace, but the car stayed with her. Slowly, the window rolled down and a gun barrel poked out.
Maureen screamed and ducked as the gun fired just above her head. Staying low, she ran behind the sedan and crossed the street, to the safety of a stairwell. She broke in through the glass door and ran down the corridor of an abandoned building, her footsteps echoing. She ran and ran until she reached the back door. When she bolted out, a cab was luckily rolling by. She threw open the the driver's side door, climbed inside, and said breathlessly, "St. Lucas Peace Hospital."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Miss? Miss? Are you alive?"
Joanne struggled to open her eyes and looked up. She saw a gorgeous woman, no older then 25, with short, curly red hair, and the most beautiful green eyes. Joanne coughed. "Oh, Jesus," she moaned.
"I'm calling an ambulance," she pulled out her phone and dialed 911. After she explained to the dispatcher what happened and where they were, she hung up the phone and held onto Joanne. "Help is on the way, baby."
Joanne managed to smile through bleary eyes.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maureen walked through the doors of the emergency room to hugs and kisses from her friends. They were still sitting around an unconscious Tony. "How did this happen?" Maureen asked Collins.
"Stroke," he said, looking out through the window, down the hall where Maureen had just come from. "Where's Joanne?"
"She got called into work," said Maureen fiddling with her hair. She suddenly realized what a horrible lie that was.
Everyone knew instantly, but Mark was the one to vocalize it. "Or, you guys had a fight and she walked out," he said, rolling his eyes and smiling.
Maureen confessed. "She's such a bitch! I tried to help her, but all she does is feel sorry for herself."
"Do you know where she is?" asked Mimi.
"She probably went to the office, that's where she usually sleeps when we have a fight."
"Go find her," said Collins, pushing her out the door.
"Oh, come on, she'll be fine!" Just then a stretcher was pushed down the narrow hospital hallway. On it, bloody and unconscious, laid Joanne. She looked like had been shot in the stomach.
"Good God," said Roger, running out the door after her with the others.
Maureen looked at Collins nervously. "Found her."
AN: Hope I didnt scare you there! Don't worry Joanne is safe for now. REVIEWS!
