A Little Mad

Chapter 84

Mercedes slowly opened her eyes. She was lying in their bed. Someone had tucked her in. She didn't remember falling asleep. She set up and rubbed her eyes. It took her a minute to realize she was no longer handcuffed to the bed and her wrist was bandaged. She touch her cheek and felt a band-aid. A few feet away from the bed was the bag Jerome had brought home. She saw a sticky note on the bag. It read her name in Jerome's scribbled writing. She knelt in front of the bag and began to open it. Her smile grew with everything she pulled out of it.

"I had those ordered not long after you left... I figured you'd like something that was your own... And they're yours completely.. You never have to give them to me..."

Mercedes carefully placed everything back in the bag. She never turned her head to look at him. There was nothing Jerome could do in the immediate future to fix what he had done. He knew he was angry at her, but even though she cheated, he knew she still didn't deserve what he did to her.

"Um... Bailey made some food.. If you're hungry..."

Mercedes walked by the closet and slipped on some flip flops. She grabbed one of Jerome's large t-shirts. When she left the closet she removed her shirt and bra before playing on his shirt. She never made eye contact with Jerome. He stared at her knowing she was ignoring him on purpose. He stepped to the side when she walked out the bedroom door without a word and glance in his direction. Mercedes walked into the kitchen with a smile.

"Mercedes?!"

Ed's outburst caused Bailey and TaTyana to stare. TaTyana stood ready to kill Jerome. No one else was home when Jerome abused Mercedes and when they got back he told them she was taking a nap. No one bothered to go check on her. Bailey gave her a sympathetic look.

"Hungry....?"

Mercedes smiled.

"Starving."

She set at the table next to TaTyana. TaTyana set down and gently grabbed Mercedes's hand. She stared at her wrist and gave Mercedes a sad, worried look. Mercedes her hand away and shook her head.

"I'm fine."

Suddenly the air felt colder than before. Bailey's hand set close to a knife on the counter. Ed and TaTyana were ready to stand up at any moment. A warm hand gently laid on Mercedes's shoulder. She didn't move.

"I'm.. Doing a store run.. Anything you need...?"

Mercedes didn't speak for a moment. She stared at the other people concerned for her safety.  She took a small deep breathe and turned around smiling.

"Actually.. I needs some more pads... It's coming any day."

"The purple package with the stripes right? Or do you want that red package you had once?"

Mercedes shook her head.

"No. The Red package ones are like diaper thick. I only used them because the other ones were gone. Unless that's all they have. Then yes the red ones."

The awkward and uncomfortable stares were making the tension worse.

"Do you want that Arizona grape drink you love and the spicy peanuts or anything else?"

Mercedes knew he was being overly accommodating out of guilt. That wasn't the love she wanted from him.

"No I'm okay. Maybe next run."

Jerome nodded and looked away. 

"When will you be back?"

Jerome returned his gaze, making painful eye contact.