J.B. Mercer

Stranger

Kelly wasn't sure she was making the right decision. Maybe she should have stayed in New Jersey, but Jack wasn't answering his phone. It took courage and determination to track him down. Kelly knocked on the small white door. A tall bald black man answered the door. "Can I help you?" He asked.
"I'm here to see Jack." She said rocking on her toes as the baby kicked her hard.

Angel stepped back. He arched a brow at the pale Amazon standing before him. "I'm sorry, who are you looking for?" Angel didn't have time for someone to be playing jokes with them. Not when the family was deciding the next move with the Ramirez family.
"Jack Mercer, you can tell him that Kelly is here to see him." Kelly didn't notice that Angel became so angry with her one request. She only came to talk to Jack and then she was heading out. Where to? Not even she knew, but at least Jack would know about the baby.

Angel glared at her. "Come inside."

Kelly became wary. "It's alright. I can wait for him out here."

Angel opened the door wider.
"You can either come in or you don't see him at all." He spat at her.

Kelly stepped into the Mercer home. She heard voices. She heard plates being put on a table. Soft jazz music played. Kelly looked around seeing Jack's home for the first time. She thought his home was really warm.

She stepped in the kitchen. There was a pregnant Latino woman sitting at the table. A black couple was cooking. Two girls sat down playing cards. And there was a white man getting juice out of the fridge. The man that answered the door walked over and sat down in the sit next to the Latino woman. He pulled her feet up and begin to rub her feet. The Latino woman pointed to Kelly and asked..."Who's this?"
Angel didn't look up too angry to face the heathen that entered their family home. "She says she looking for Jackie." The old insulting nickname rolled from his tongue. Everyone froze. Bobby sat the juice jug down hard.

Seeing everyone's reaction Kelly finally realized something wasn't quite right.

"Is that so?" Bobby asked deadly.

Kelly tried to shrug it off. "If you tell me where he's at. We can talk and I'll be on my way." She said. Each male in the room glared at her.

"Girls, go in the living room." The black woman commanded the young children who promptly got up and left but stood at the edge of the opening to listen in.

Bobby laughed harshly as he looked at the young tall Amazon before him. He walked around the table until he was standing directly in front of her. "You'll find Jackie at Charles Baptist Cemetery six feet under." He watched and waited for the girl to end the charade. Instead she crumbled before them.

"Jack....Jack's..... Jack's dead?" She asked in choked gasp. Kelly felt dizzy and wobbled. She nearly fell to her knees.

Camille reached over and caught her by her stomach. When she felt the hard bump on her stomach her eyes widen. She helped the girl sit back down in a chair. "Girls, go sit in the living room and watch tv." She commanded her daughters once more. 

Kelly took deep easing breaths as the Latino woman handed her a cup of juice. After she swallowed it down. "When did he ....pass away?" She asked. 

"You honestly didn't know?" Angel asked harshly not believing her one bit. Sofi smacked him on the back of his head.  Angel glared at her. Sofi mouthed 'embarazada' and pointed at the girl. He shook his head but when he looked at the rest of his family who all had the same shocked looks on their faces. Then he looked at the girl who was trying her best to hold herself together. Was this girl really pregnant?

"When?" Kelly demanded looking up at Bobby. She had figured him for the leader since he was the one that had spoken to her.

"A little over six months ago." Bobby said softly.

Tears begin to flow from Kelly's eyes. She touched her stomach that safely held her child. A child that Jack would never get to meet. Kelly stood up. "Then there is no reason for me to be here. Apologize for the intrusion." Kelly wiped her eyes and made a move to leave.

"You're pregnant right? That's why you wanted to see Jack to tell him about the baby." Camille asked moving to stand before the girl. Kelly sniffled but did not say anything. "So why are you just leaving like that?" Camille asked as she placed a hand on the girl's shoulder.

Kelly shrugged her hand off angrily. "Yes, I came here to talk to Jack BUT HE'S BLOODY WELL DEAD AND I AM ALONE TO RAISE A CHILD BY MYSELF!" Kelly just went off. The Mercer family let her scream it out and then Bobby stepped up.

"You're not alone. You can stay here. Jack may be gone, but the Mercer family lives. And we will have your back." Bobby said. Kelly looked around at them. He was right. Jack wasn't here and she couldn't go to her parents so maybe the Mercer's were her new family. She smiled weakly at him.

"Dinner should be done soon. Why don't you sit down and we can all talk. Get to know each other." Jeremiah said as he move back over to the stove.

Kelly sat down and did just that. Before she even finished her plate she realize that Jack had left her two presents. His child and his brothers. She had a home and family now. She was no longer a stranger to anyone.