A Little Mad

Chapter 58

Ecco watched furiously as Jeremiah carried Mercedes into the house. He helped her stand, and she instantly fell into him.

"Miah... I'm going to be sick again..."

Jeremiah scooped Mercedes into his arms and carried her to the bathroom. He rubbed circles on her back as she let everything fall into the toilet. She set back and Jeremiah handed her some toilet paper to clean her mouth. He was sitting on the side of his tub. He gently touched her shoulder.

"Mercedes... should we be worried about the baby...?"

Mercedes flushed the toilet and set in silence for a few moments. Jeremiah knelt beside her. Mercedes sighed.

"You don't know..."

Jeremiah became worried and gently placed his hand on her cheek.

"What is it? What do I not know...?"

Mercedes closed her eyes and leaned into his hand. She placed her hand on top of his. She opened her eyes slowly and let out a heavy breath.

"Miah... I lost the baby... I bled badly... they had to rush me to the hospital so I didn't die too..."

Jeremiah set back in shock.

"And no one told me?!"

Mercedes tilted her head.

"I'm sorry... I should have.. you know your brother wouldn't have thought to tell you... it's just..."

Jeremiah gently grabbed Mercedes's hand and rubbed the back of it with his thumb.

"How are you....? Are you... okay...?"

"No..."

Mercedes fell into Jeremiah's arm and buried her face in his neck. She cried what seemed to be the hardest any human had ever cried before. Jeremiah instantly wrapped his arms around her and Mercedes returned the gesture. He gently placed his chin on her shoulder and leaned his head into hers. Jeremiah didn't speak a word. He held her close and let her cry. Ecco entered the room some moments before and was staring at the whole situation. This time she felt sad for Mercedes. Mercedes started to catch her breath and slow her crying. Jeremiah's button-up shirt had a small fist size tear stain just on his left shoulder. Ecco quietly left the room. Mercedes snuggled her head deeper in the crook of his neck and sighed. Moments later she set up. She noticed his shirt.

"Oh, I'm sorry... Your shirt..."

Jeremiah slightly smiled and shook his head.

"It will dry. Do you want to talk to me about what's been going on...?"

Mercedes looked away and finished cleaning her face. She turned to face Jeremiah and felt completely comfortable to tell him everything.

"I miss my baby.... every day... I wouldn't get out of bed for three days after what happened... Jerome and everyone else tried to get me up and feed me.... I just wanted to be left alone... and I have been feeling so lost lately... Like I'm not sure who I am anymore... my parents are still alive... they cloned themselves when I was young... I tried to go out with Jerome and got my leg shot.... I made some choices in that situation he didn't like... we got in a fight and..."

Mercedes studied Jeremiah's face. She couldn't find any signs of judgement or anger. He looked at her as though he was really listening to what she had to say.

"Jerome... he grabbed my face..."

Mercedes ran her fingers across the exact spots where the bruises were.

"He grabbed me so hard.... he left bruises... Then... maybe a couple of night after that... he came home drunk and... he wanted sex and I didn't... let's just say... I didn't win the argument about sex... Jerome doesn't understand how hard it's been on me lately... he tries to... he really does try... but I just don't think he knows how to understand..."