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CHAPTER 27 - BERATING AND EXPLAINING

 

BEN

 

I am reeling, just reeling. “He said what?!”

 

“Florence at Brian’s bedside.” Justin growls. “Ben was watching his best friend almost fucking die, and that fuckhead was complaining about it?!”

 

“Ooh wait till I see that...that...douchebag!” I snarl.

 

“Um, I do have a question; how the hell did you kiss a guy with a mouth like that?!”

 

“That’s a good question and one he can formulate an answer to on the way to your house,  Mercy!” Justin snaps. “No shitting way is he getting away with saying that!”

 

She grins and gestures for cigars. “We can have a post-beatdown suck and blow after, as, judging by that remark, we’re going to kick some Mikey butt! But then we must head to the Old Smoke, which is what they called London.” She explains and then titters. “Start to think and rev your engines, boys and girls, he’s arrived!” We all rise and then she stops Barney from moving. “But before we go, I think he needs a little thing to focus on…”

 

Five minutes later, we are all laughing as we head to our cars.

 

OUTSIDE MERCY’S OLD HOUSE - AN HOUR LATER

 

MICHAEL’S CAR

 

MICHAEL

 

I toss in the back seat trying to get comfortable as I wait for an explanation as to this ludicrous way that Mercy has taken to behaving! Going on a date with Caleb is one thing, but doing that with him and Barney is taking it too far! This is not the behaviour I expect in my best friend, she was not brought up that way!

 

The first car to pull up is Ben’s. He gets out with Brian, and behind him is Brian’s toy and his friends. I wait for a bit and finally she steps out of a pile of junk then holds the rear door open for Barney. Caleb gets out of the driver’s seat and they all wait for her.

 

“Wait, Mercy!” I get out the car. “I need to talk to you about a few things!”

 

“And they would be?” She leans against Barney and hands Caleb the keys, presumably, to the front door.

 

“You do not want this discussion on the front porch. Let’s…”

 

“I do not want this conversation at all.” She interrupts. “I have things to do, one of which is not explain myself to you.”

 

“You father would be ashamed that you have turned out to be…” My eyes widen as I catch the enormous hickey that is on Barney’s neck. “...so you’re a vampire, are you Caleb?” I sneer at him.

 

“Nope, that would be me, I do like to leave my mark on everything I touch.” She smirks, and then her face falls. “So what would he have been ashamed that I turned out to be? Before you answer that, remember that he instilled in me the belief that I could be anything I wanted, as long as it wasn’t illegal or immoral.”

 

“You don’t call having a threesome with a gay man and your boyfriend immoral?!” I demand hotly.

 

“You don’t call having a threesome because your boyfriend was at the bedside of his best friend, who almost died, like Florence immoral?!” Justin gets in my face. “Or don’t morality rules apply to you when you want your needs to be met?!” He shoves me in my chest. “Especially when you have a hankering for him, which he would never return, and that is the main reason that you despise him!”

 

“He what?!” Brian twists his face in disgust. “I would rather suck snatch!”

 

“Be careful how you respond to that!” Justin growls before turning to Brian. “Yeah, he wants you. I could see that straight away, but knew it would be me and only me for you.”

 

I take that moment to step back a bit further and decide on a different approach.

 

“Mercy, please, can we just talk privately? You have to see it from my point of view…”

 

“Why?” She sighs as she inspects her nails. “You haven’t had a point of view on my life for the last 16 years and I have happily lived without it.”

 

“I just want to be back to being your best friend again. I know what’s best for you, I always have. Caleb is not best for you. This tawdry threesome is not something that you should’ve done, and you know I am right! After all, I was right about Billy Horace. He dumped you the next day!”

 

“That’s what we wanted you to think. We dated for 3 years after I moved to London. And this threesome is what we wanted you to think happened. It didn’t. And you are no longer my best friend after you offered me bupkus when my parents were killed and then had the callousness to call up to speak to dad after he won his Oscar!”

 

“You did what?!” I jump at the incandescent voice of Ma in the doorway, but that is nothing compared to the expression on Uncle Vic’s face. He pushes past her and starts to storm up to me. “No, Vic! Vic, come back inside!”

 

“I never did that! I would never do that! Who said I did that?!”

 

“My Uncle.”

 

“Your Uncle?” I repeat, and to try to quiet the voice in my head that tells me that this is the end for us. “Mercy, I would never do that to you. I would not be so…”

 

“It went like this: Hello? This is Michael, the best friend of Mercy, can I speak to Charles or Celine, please? Oh, is he out partying? I wanted to congratulate Charles, or should I say Nathanial, on his Oscar win for Balls, I mean Balloon on the Water. I know he’s going to crash out with Celine later, so I will call tomorrow.” All around is silence and looks of contempt. “And, of course, when we were at Aunt Debs, I did hear you say what you said about them. And the reason I know you made that phone call is because nobody but someone very close to me knew their given names. They only told a few people, among them Aunt Debs, Uncle Vic...and you.”

 

“Mercy, I…” I try to find an excuse but know there isn’t one. “...what if I apologised? What do I need to do.”

 

“Take the watch and go.” George steps towards me and hands me the box; judging by their expressions I am not the only one that is surprised. “Don’t come back.”

 

“Michael, go to your house and stay there!” Ma orders. “I mean it, stay there! You do not want us to come hunting for you!”

 

“Merc…”

 

“And not another word.” Uncle Vic grits out. “Or you will be spitting teeth!”

 

I head back to my car, determined to be in Mercy’s life once more!

 

VIC

 

“Come on, you lot!” Debs calls out. “Come on inside!”

 

As soon as Mercy is within hugging distance, I reach for her and she sighs while the rest look on.

 

“He thinks a simple apology is enough?! Why would he think that?!” Daph is pacing angrily. “I can’t believe how calmly you repeated it though.”

 

“Because you said it calmly, correct?” Brian rubs her back. “I am exactly the same when it comes to him, the calmer I am the angrier I am feeling.”

 

“Mmm.” Is her muffled response.

 

“Are we going to...oh sorry, didn't realise you had guests!” I smile at Rodney over Mercy’s shoulder. “Is everything okay? Should I...Barney my boy, how are you? You are next on my list, I promise!”

 

“List? What list?” Debs frowns.

 

“I am doing him a favor, but I...uh...got distracted for a few days.” Rodney blushes.

 

“Am going to go with Uncle Vic.” Mercy grins and then steps towards him with her hand out. “Hi, I am Mercy. And you are? And how do you know Barney?” He, like most people, is just staring at her. “All real, and you are leaving me dangling.”

 

“Sorry! Uh, Rodney and I am an ex…” He trails off still staring. “...real? Your eyes are that green?”

 

“Rodney, you said ex?” I question, and look at Barney who is just smiling. My heart sinks.

 

“Colleague. I was in forensics before I retired, he needs a favor.”

 

I almost do a jig of joy. “What favour? Now come on, we have food thanks to Debs. So what favour?” I repeat as I shepherd them to the kitchen.

 

“Why are you here, Debs?” Brian frowns as he takes off his jacket and then helps Justin out of his.

 

“Was driving her car around, especially around Liberty Avenue and the film district. He wouldn't believe it if the car just sat there. He knows how busy she is.” Debs explains as she checks the roast chicken, then does a head count. “I can bulk it up with pasta and…”

 

“No we can eat at the airport.” Mercy interrupts and then stares at Barney. “Rodney is looking at the bullet?”

 

“What bullet?” Debs demands. She and I look at each other.

 

“The one that they dug out of the wall where Brian...hang on, George…” Ben turns to him. ...where’d, no when did you get the watch?”

 

“I didn't. That's not Brian's watch, it is mine.” He smiles and then holds up his hand as we all start to speak. “When Michael gives it to whoever, he will either say it is not his watch or keep it.”

 

“Is that a Belgink?” Chris asks.

 

“It is, but is completely different to Brian’s. And I will say I realised my mistake and want it back, or I will have him arrested for being an accessory after the fact…”

 

“Everyone stop!” Debs slams the ladle on the table. “What the hell is going on?!”

 

Twenty minutes later we are closing the house up. Debs, Rodney and I are in slight shock, but going with them to London, so they are going to pack, and I am on my way to speak to Michael.

 

MICHAEL’S HOUSE - FORTY MINUTES LATER

 

LOUNGE

 

MICHAEL

 

He is just pacing and not saying anything, finally he stops. “This is where you provide an explanation that I will believe and understand!”

 

“I know it was cruel, but I was upset. And you know how I get when I am like that.”

 

“What did you have to be upset about?!” He steps back, clenching his fists. “It was her that lost her parents! It was her that was abandoned in her hour of need by her not-best friend!”

 

“She abandoned me first! And it was their fault! They took her away!”

 

“Took her away?! She is not a possession, and you are the worst kind of bandolero!” He steps back further.

 

“A what?”

 

“A marauder, a thief, a common thief but instead of taking possessions you plunder emotions! You resented Ben being there for Brian in his hours, days, months, hell years, of need because that would bring them closer than they were. Not a word! You sanctimonious little pri…”

 

I have had enough of this! “What about you two?! Why didn’t you bring her back where she belonged?!”

 

“Mercy belonged with her family!”

 

“And when they died, which was their fault, you should've brought her back!”

 

PITTSBURGH AIRPORT - THREE HOURS LATER

 

DEPARTURE LOUNGE

 

BEN

 

Everyone is at the bar except Uncle Vic and me. He's not said much since he met up with us. “So how'd the chat go?”

 

“I left him spitting teeth.” He replies, and searches my face for censure.

 

“Good.”

 


Chapter End Notes:

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