I DO NOT OWN RENT (MR. LARSON DOES, REST HIS SOUL). I ONLY OWN THE ADD ON CHARACTERS. HOPE YOU GUYS LIKE THEM!
ITALICS ARE THOUGHTS AND MEMORIES
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Chapter Eight
With Maureen, Sunday, Roger, Mimi
As they all sat in the subway car Maureen couldn't remember for the life of her the last time she and Joanne rode on the subway. It had always been with Mark.
Damn, have we ever ridden on the subway? God I miss her…my pookie…
Maureen glanced over at the girl who has been her companion for half the day and whom she still didn't too much about.
Note to self: ask this girl more about herself.
"You okay? I'm sorry that I had to drag you through all of this."
The young woman looked at her "Yeah, I'm fine. A little tired though, so much going on you know?"
Maureen placed her arm around her "Well you can sleep a little, we won't be there for a good while."
Sunday yawned and leaned her head on Maureen's shoulder "Thanks." Soon after she quickly fell asleep.
Roger looked at Maureen with a huge smirk "What are you going to do with her, take her home to mother?"
Maureen snapped her neck towards the guitarist "Shhh Roger. I'm just trying to help her that's all. Geez. Chill."
Roger pulled Mimi closer "Yeah well, if and when Joanne sees you she's going to freak out."
Shit, they don't know.
"Well I'm sure she would be after what happened earlier this afternoon."
This time Mimi's attention was caught. Roger looked at the performance artist "What did you guys fight about now?"
Mimi was really concerned now "In front of the kids and everything?"
Maureen looked down embarrassingly "I got mad at her for not kissing me."
Roger and Mimi said simultaneously "WHAT!"
The sudden burst of voices woke Sunday "What happened?"
The three of them replied, "Nothing."
"Hell, I'd be mad at you too after what you got mad at Joanne for." Mimi nudged Roger at this. "Baby, don't." Roger shrugged at his girlfriend "It's true!"
Maureen ignored what Roger said and lifted her head "Well I'm sorry Roger but the priority is to get to Angel, not whether or not Joanne gets mad at me."
Maureen looked away from couple and stared at the opposite window. She hated that she said that because that's not how Maureen really is. She's was very sweet and kind among others things, some of those things she had learned from Angel. Even though Maureen was extremely concerned about Angel, she wondered whether or not Joanne would actually forgive her. She had gone off on Joanne on the worst places you could go off on someone…
Maureen sat in the apartment that her and Joanne shared, bored. She looked at the clock, 12 noon.
"Yay! I think I'll go and surprise my baby at work!"
Maureen touched up her make-up, packed the lunches she made for Joanne and herself, grabbed her purse and walked out the door.
When she got to the building where Joanne's firm was she went straight for the elevator knowing exactly where she was going. She'd never really been to Joanne's work before, but it's better late than never!
Maureen looked around at all the people coming and going.
Muttering under her breath "Uhh, uptight bulldogs. Benny's kind of people."
Finally Maureen stopped in the middle of the lobby, raised her arms as if she was on stage and yelled "JOANNE JEFFERSON! WHERE ARE YOU MY BABY, THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE IS HERE!"
Suddenly all who were surrounded her turned around to look at her with the most shocked looks on their face. One face is one that Maureen recognized, it was Joanne's. The lawyer's face scrunched up as if she was going to cry right then and there. She probably would have if she didn't have any pride, but this is Joanne we're talking about. Slowly Joanne's co-workers turned each person staring at her, waiting for her to react. Quickly she rose to her feet and walked over to her girlfriend.
Joanne looked at her girlfriend in horror "Maureen, honey. What are you doing?"
"Hi baby! You look hot today! I came to surprise you! Surprise! I brought you lunch! I even tried a new sandwich recipe Angel and Mimi told me about. It's really good!" Maureen shoved brown bag into the lawyer's hand not even slightly noticing the expression that was plastered onto her face.
Joanne grabbed the bag and pulled Maureen by the arm down the hall of the firm. Like it was normal the performance artist waved and spoke to the people. Joanne pulled her faster.
"Hi!"
"Hey there!"
"Cute jacket!"
"I love your shoes!"
Joanne threw the door open to the ladies room, letting all who were inside out. She flung Maureen inside closing the door.
"Woah! Calm down pookie!"
"Maureen Johnson, if my boss was here I would be out of a job and we wouldn't have a place to go home to. I can't believe that you just burst in here like that thinking that everyone is alright with a lesbian couple. We're not in Alphabet City Maureen! Not even there is everyone alright with it. You of all people should know that!"
"Oh pookie, don't start. I just came to spend time with you and bring you lunch."
"Maureen, I know and that's fine. I appreciate it. But you can't just burst in here yelling what you did!"
"I thought you were happy to see me. And why not! I want everyone to know!"
"I am happy to see you Maureen, but like I said not every-"
Maureen threw her hands up dramatically "Oh! I know what this is about! You're mad at me because I was talking to that bartender guy at the Life yesterday right!"
"What bartender were you talking to last night?"
"Never mind that! I'm sick and tired of you being mad me for the STUPIDEST REASONS!"
Joanne watched her girlfriend in disbelief.
"I make an effort to come up here and spend time with you, and what do you do! You get mad at me for some DUMB ASS REASON! You know what? Fuck it! I'm leaving!" Maureen, beginning to stomp pushed passed the lawyer making her hit her back on the paper towel dispenser.
"OW!" Joanne howled.
Part of Maureen wanted to stay and check to see if her girlfriend was alright but the stubborn part of her was in way to heavily now.
Joanne rubbed her back and reached out "Maureen, honey wait!"
"Go to hell Miss Ivy League!" The lawyer's head fell, that was harsh.
Maureen strutted down the hall of the firm and turned around "Why am I even bothering with you! YOU'RE NOT EVEN THAT GREAT IN BED!"
But of course Maureen was lying. Joanne was wonderful. As much as Maureen hated to admit it, Joanne was one of the best lovers she had ever had.
Joanne's face went from horror to hysteria in a matter of seconds.
And with one last dramatic flip of her hair Maureen made her grand exit.
Yeah, not the best place to do that to anyone.
I've really got to talk to Joanne.
Sunday looked up at Maureen "Hey, umm Maureen?"
"Yeah?"
"Look, I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate you doing this for me."
"No prob bob." Maureen chuckled feeling silly at the moment.
Sunday smiled.
"But honestly Sunday, I really want to know why you were in Avenue B with no coat on. You could have gotten so sick."
The young woman looked down at the ground.
I have to tell her something, she's done all this for me. It would be wrong of me not to.
"Well I, I had just found out something from my boy-, my ex and I was so upset that I ran out of the building and just began to walk."
Sounds familiar.
Maureen was really interested now. She was afraid at first to ask, I mean she barely knew the girl. But she couldn't stand not knowing about things.
She said as gently and as quietly (within reason) as she could "What did your ex tell you?"
Any other time Sunday would have kept her mouth completely shut and would have uttered a quick "Nothing." But she couldn't keep it bottled in her any longer, she had to tell someone and Maureen was as good as any.
Sunday took a deep breath "Well he was actually a secret from everyone but my best friend for a while still is. I didn't want my parents to know, they would be so pissed. As far as they know I've been going to work at a boutique that my best friend works at. She's been covering my ass since I first started dating him. Sam. That's his name, Samuel Stevens. God I was in love with his name, my love started with his name. Why, I don't know. I thought our names were even cuter together, Sam and Sunday…Geez…Anyway-"
Maureen cut her off "I know this is random, but what's the name of the boutique?"
Sunday gave her a funny look "Street Chic"
One of Angel's favorite stores, I knew it sounded familiar.
"Sorry, go on."
"Earlier this morning he came, picked me up and we came back to his place like I've been doing every other day…and he…and he…"
Maureen looked at her.
"He told me that he was having a baby with his high school sweetheart whom he was seeing while we were together and that she was moving in with him so they could be a real family."
Maureen gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.
Oh my God, this poor girl.
"I cursed him out and just walked until I found my hopelessly lost. I didn't have my car because my brother had it, so I had no way of getting home. I took a very wrong turn in my anger and eventually bumped into you."
A huge feeling of relief came over Sunday's shoulders and instantly she felt a million times better.
Maureen hugged her "Well I'm glad we did. I'm so sorry that that happened to you sweetie, some dumb shit happens to the best of us."
Sunday chuckled "I guess so. So why were you walking around crying when we met?"
"I yelled at my girlfriend for something stupid, completely embarrassed her, cursed her out and broke up with her."
"Damn."
"Yeah, I know." Maureen eyes began to well with tears. "I didn't even give her a chance to depend herself; I'm such a fucking idiot! Joanne is one of the best things that have ever happened to me."
Sunday rubbed her back, "Shhh. It's okay. Well get through this together."
Maureen wiped away her tears and smiled at the young woman "Yeah, we will."
The subway grinded to a hault which woke Mimi and Roger who conveniently were asleep the whole time. Groggy, Roger turned to Maureen "We here?"
Maureen checked the sign, "Yep. Come on let's go."
The four got up and walked out of the subway car. As they climbed the stairs that let out of the subway Mimi whispered to Roger "I love you." Every time Mimi said that to him, his heart burst into a pace of excitement, yet gratefulness. He was so glad he had her. Roger pulled the dancer closer to him "I love you too baby girl." The guitarist gently grabbed Mimi's face and kissed her.
Once they reached the top they looked around for the hospital or a sign that says one was on the way. Finally Roger let his gaze go from his girlfriend and spotted it two blocks down the street. He pointed "There it is guys come on!"
With Joanne
Angel's name had never looked more beautiful. She admired it for a moment as if it was a brand new pair of Doc Martens. She touched it and smiled at the thought of Angel being Angel. Angel had brought so much joy and peace to all of their lives. There never was dull moment with him; he was the life in all of them. They were connected through him. Joanne shuddered at the thought that one day their joy would leave their realm to go to another. Surely the whole group would fall apart.
The lawyer shook her head and massaged her temples. It had been an extremely tiring day. Even though Maureen had hurt her with the things she said, there was no doubt in her mind that she didn't love Maureen. Joanne put her heart and soul into their relationship, always determined to make it work. She wasn't about to give up on it now.
I just hope she's okay…and warm.
Joanne smiled warmly "My crazy honey bear."
The lawyer sighed and opened the door to Angel's room.
She glanced around at everyone in the room, there was a nurse talking to Angel as Collins was sitting next to him. By the look on Collins' face she could tell everything was in fact, alright. Collins looked up and a smile so bright it would make the sun jealous came across the professor's face "JOANNE!"
She gladly returned the smile walking towards her friend, hugging him "Hey Mr. Collins!"
"What are you doing here? What about the show? I know how important it is to you."
"I got someone to cover for me, I had to come and see about my girl Angel." Joanne walked over to Angel's bed and grabbed his hand. She kissed it "How are you babe? I was so worried about you."
Angel smiled that classic smile "I'm fine Jo. Thanks hunny for coming."
Angel still didn't get why everyone fussed over him so, even though he didn't mind it one bit. Maybe he would never truly know why.
"Of course I came baby doll! Anything for you!"
Angel blushed "Thanks Jo. Where's Maureen?"
Joanne's smile faded.
"I, I don't know Angel."
The street drummer looked at her like she was crazy "What do you mean you don't know!" Angel looked at Collins who slightly shrugged and then to Mark who took his camera away from his eye for once "When she stormed out, no one went after her."
"WHAT! Since when doesn't someone go after her!"
Angel hated arguments even though he could be in them to defend himself, Angel still hated them. He grew up with arguments; they were a way of life a way of communicating in his house. Angel hated to see people that he loved and cared about doing it. He felt like they were a waste of precious time that a lot of them didn't have much of left. Arguing brought Angel back to a place that he didn't want to be in. That's why he was so glad that he and Collins rarely had fights.
Mark sensed the concern in Angel's voice "When I talked to Roger earlier he said that Maureen was on her way to the loft. They were waiting on her and you Joanne to get there so they could leave. I'm sure they're altogether and on their way up here. Mimi sounded really upset though."
Now Angel was really concerned Mimi was his best friend "What? What's the matter with my Mimi-Chica?"
Collins came over to Angel rubbing his soft face with his finger "She was upset about you babe."
Angel looked down, "Oh."
Joanne sighed; a much welcomed calm came about her body.
Maureen's alright. Good. She's alright.
Angel looked around at his friends "Well I'm glad everyone's alright. But when I get out of here, we're all going to have a serious talk."