Mark POV
I sat there in shock. I couldn't even form a sound. I just watched as she rambled on about having AIDS and how she got it from using her mother's needle. How she's been taking her parents AZT. Tears started to take over her eyes.
"I can't tell them" she said. Lena, little Lena who at the age of nine was still calling me Uncle Marky, here telling me she was sick. "I didn't know where else to go." I walked over to her and gave her a hug. "You can't tell mom or dad or anyone." "Lena" I got out "You have to tell your parents, they can help you." "I can't that's why I came to you" Oh great I thought. "Please" she begged. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't say anything?
"Lena, I have to at least tell your dad" "No!" she yelled "I saw what I did to him with mom." I sighed, tears coming down my face now. I looked at her skinny body, and her blue eyes that looked like Roger's. "Lena…" I started "Please, I'll check in with you everyday." Shit how do I say no to that? I wiped a tear from her cheek. "I'm not thrilled with that idea but if you promise" she nodded.
She was true to her words. Always checked in with me, but I felt awful not saying anything to Roger. Especially when he said that she was sneaking of in the middle of the night, or so he thought. So when he called me last night I told him.
"Roger" I said "I…Lena she came to me last month" I confessed. "Roger, I promised her don't be mad" "What?" he asked "She's in trouble, she has been using". I was glad this was over the phone because I'm sure he would have hit me. "What?" he sounded confused.
"She found Mimi's needle and over heard you guys a few years ago" I explained. "The thrill" he said "She was the one talking your AZT because…" I got worried. There was no sound on the other end "Rog?" I asked. It was silent. Oh great I killed him. "Sorry" I heard him say "I was making sure she was asleep in her room". His voice got sad. "I'm sorry, I should have told you" "Better late then never" "I'll talk to you tomorrow". We hung up, and that's all I know.