Save Me (12 page)

Ace began to raise the gun toward Marc, but Marc caught him with a right cross and took the gun from his with ease. 

“There’s only one person I’m indebted to and it sure as hell isn’t you.”  Marc took the clip out of the gun, then dismantled it tossing the pieces on the floor.  The other gang members watched in shock.

“I’m done,” Marc repeated and walked toward the door.

“Stop him!” Ace yelled, but no one listened.  Marc held the gang members respect more so than Ace.    Marc climbed into his Porsche and left before Ace could come at him again.

Marc drove back to his house, packed a bag, and grabbed his passport.  Hopefully he wouldn’t get stopped at customs with his history.  All of it was driving related anyway.

*****

Mercy

Mercy had taken the day off to help her parents settle into their new abode, but wasn’t quite feeling up to it.  Marc still dominated her mind.  The asshole. 

Knock, knock, knock.

Mercy crawled off the couch and walked to the door.  She didn’t want company.

“Hi Mom, hi Daddy,” Mercy said as she opened the door.

“How are you feeling?”

“Just tired, that’s all.  I think once I get some rest I’ll feel better.”

“We brought you lunch.” Cora held up a plate with a sandwich, potato salad, and cucumbers.

“Thanks Mom, but I’m really not hungry.”

“You need to eat.  Not just for you, but for our little grandson.”  Cora put her hand on Mercy’s stomach.  “I’ll just put this in the kitchen.”

The two of them walked into the house uninvited.
  Kent took a seat on her couch beside Lego and Mercy sat with him.

“Take the rest of the week off and recuperate.  The move took a lot out of you.”

“I’ll be fine, stop worrying.”  Mercy smiled weakly to her father. 

Another knock came from her door.

“I’ll get it.”  Kent patted her knee and walked to the door.  Mercy wondered who it could be, her other friends were at work.  Maybe Carrie checking up on her.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Kent said loudly full of anger.  Mercy heard a scuffle outside and jumped to her feet running to the door.  What she saw when she got there had her in shock.  Kent
threw a closed fist at Marc’s face and Marc tumbled onto the ground.

“You have
a lot of nerve showing up here!  Call the police Mercy.”

“Daddy!”  Marc’s lip was split wide open.

“Sir, I just need to talk to Mercy, I didn’t come to cause any trouble,” Marc said as he rose to his feet.

“Go in the house Mercy, I’ll take care of him.”

“Daddy, stop.  Let me talk to him.” 

“Go in the house.”

“Sir, please.  I’m not here to cause any problems.”

“Too late.  You have problems now.”

Kent took another shot to his handsome face.  Marc made no attempt to stop him or fight back.

“Daddy!”  Mercy stood in front of him and tried to push him back.  “Go inside.  I’ll be okay.”

“I’m not leaving you alone with him.”

“You don’t understand what’s going on here.  I’ll explain it later, okay.”

“Perhaps you should explain it now.”

Kent waited.

A wave of panic washed over Mercy.  She would have to tell them at some point.  Her lie of a one night stand at a bar was easier than the truth, but she didn’t want to lie anymore.

“He’s the father Daddy.”

“What?”  Kent looked at her in shock.

“He’s the father.  I didn’t know how to tell you.”

“This piece of filth is the father?  Mercy?”

“Dad, go in the house.  We’ll take about this later.”

“I’m not leaving you alone with him!  He nearly killed you and you—you—”

“Daddy, go inside, please.”
  Mercy put her hand on her father’s.  “Please.”

Kent’s look implied the death he wanted to inflict upon Marc.

“Call the police Cora.”  Cora stood with her mouth agape at the door.

“Daddy!  I’m not a kid!  I can take care of myself!  Go inside!”

Kent crossed his arms and obviously didn’t plan on going anywhere.

“Please, sir.  I just want to speak to Mercy, if she wants me to leave, I will with no questions asked.”  Marc looked to Mercy hopefully.

“Give us five minutes Daddy.  And don’t call the police.” 

Kent took a step toward Marc.

“You’ve hurt her enough.  Hurt her again and you won’t be walking out of here on both your legs.”

“The last thing I want to do is hurt her again.”

Kent inhaled deeply, walked to Mercy, and kissed her forehead. 

“I’ll right on the other side of the door.”

“Thank you Daddy.”

Kent walked inside the house and pulled the door to.

“Why are you here?” Mercy broke the lingering silence.  She felt a mixture of emotions at his presence.  A little bit hopeful, a little bit shocked, a little bit angry.

“I choose you,”
Marc said breathlessly.

The words sent a shockwave through Mercy, but she still was racked with emotion.

“Maybe it’s too late.” 

He took a few steps toward her and took her hands.  Mercy pulled back.

“The life I want is with you and our son.  I know I don’t deserve you and it’s selfish of me to want you for myself, but I can’t help it.”

“What assurance do I have that you won’t go back again?”

“I want to be the father I never had.  I want a life with you.  I choose you.  A thousand times over with no looking back, I choose you.  I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough yesterday and sent you away.  I was a fool.  I wish I could change that, but I can’t.  But give me a chance and I’ll make it up to you for the rest of my life.  Please Mercy.”

“You don’t deserve a second chance.”

“I know.”  Marc invaded her space.  He rest one hand on her stomach, the other on the side of her neck.  Mercy didn’t move.  “But I’m begging you for one.  I love you.  I love him, even though he’s not here yet.  You said you saw the man I
could
be.  I’m standing before you trying to be that man.”

Mercy closed her eyes and though she tried to remain strong, her pregnancy hormones kicked into high gear and she began to cry.

“I choose you,” she said through tears and met his eyes.

Marc smiled like a child on Christmas and pulled her into a tight embrace.

“Thank you.”  Marc placed a gentle kiss against her lips, then flinched in pain.

“My father was a boxer in his younger days.”  Mercy wiped the blood from his mouth.

“A good one.”  He kissed her again ignoring the pain.

“My father’s going to kill you.”  She laughed.

“I’ll take as many punches as he throws.  I deserve them.”

“Yes you do.”  She wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I’ll never let you go again.”

“I won’t let you.”

“I love you,” Marc said sweetly.

“You’ve told me that.”  Mercy curled into his embrace.

“I’ll tell it to you for the rest of my life.  I love you.”

Mercy believed the words he said to her.  Truly believed.  And felt his love.

“I love you too.”

Maybe Mercy could have happily ever after.
  She already had her white picket fence surrounding her yard.  She was pregnant with a child she was told she could never have.  And she had her unconventional Romeo.  This was her fairytale.

EPILOGUE

Marc cradled
Sarah, Mercy and Marcs’ one week old daughter, in his arms.  He could look at her peaceful face all day long.

“Daddy, can I see?”  Marc Jr., their four year old son, watched curious over Sarah.
He was quite taken with her.

“She’s sleeping,” Marc whispered, but turned so he could see.

Marc Jr. sat down in a rocking chair by the nursery’s window.  Mercy came into the nursery quietly and rest her hand on Marc’s back.

“She beautiful.”  Marc looked down upon Sarah.  “Just like her mother.”

“She’s got her father’s bright eyes though.”             

Mercy kissed his cheek.

“I never knew I could be this happy.” Marc turned to her and Mercy reached her arms out for Sarah.  Marc passed her gently to Mercy and she cradled her lovingly in her arms.

“Me either.”

“You told me years ago that I saved you.”  Marc held her loosely by the waist.  “It was you who saved me.”

Marc met her lips and was on cloud nine.  It was her who had saved him from the only life he’d known.  A sad existence.  And now he was married to the woman of his dreams with a family he only fantasized was possible.  As he reveled in his happiness, he felt arms wrapped around his leg.

“Daddy,” Marc Jr. whispered.

“Come here big guy.”  Marc picked up his little boy. 

“I got my happily ever after,” Mercy kissed Sarah’s forehead.

“Me too.”

THE END