Misty Blue
UPDATED
Mercy had always wanted to sing, from as far back in her life as she could remember that was what she was going to be about, singing beautiful ballads that people were going to remember her for, she didn't want much that was all. She'd grown up in some back of the bush village in Lima known only to the people that actually lived there, it was the kind of town people who were on the run from the Feds, or such, might be glad to have found, because very little traffic went through it. Nothing extra ordinary happened there, they had one juice bar which came to life on Thursdays, if she was lucky enough to get out the house at 19, she'd sit across the river from it listening to the sweet music coming from the wooden hut, or peep in on risk taking days. Church on Sunday and Choir practice almost every other day except Tuesday which was store day. There were two white families in the vicinity one owned the grocery store and the other ran the small branch of the bank in the town. Mercy was glad she didn't belong to any of the two families because although there was nothing much for anyone to do in the small town for white folk there was even less. Living there you could have easily been excused for thinking you were living in the 1930s or there about life was slow and simple, people didn't have much and they still shared.
After choir practice, while the adults were doing prayers to a small group of people requesting it, she would get together, with some like minded friends and talk about their dreams and maybe sing a little sometimes, not too loud, trying to make good of an already impossible situation
One Sunday during service Mercy got terrible stomach cramps and her Mom agreed for her to make her way home to lay down "Straight home now girl, anyone you should be scared of is in Church right now" she said looking around as she spoke. Mercy didn't need telling twice she was in serious pain she left directly for home. As she got to the river, she was just about to run across the make shift bridge when she heard singing going on at the hut "I didn't know they sang on Sundays" she said out loud diverting and making her way there. She sat closer than she'd ever sat to that hut she could see inside easily and marvelled at all the colourful dresses and free talk that was happening in there
"You're Pastor Jones' daughter" a voice came from nowhere saying to her
"Yes Mam" she said to the slender, light skinned woman standing in front of her, covered in green glitter from head to shoes, she'd never seen her before
"You sing yeah?" she asked
"In church, yes Mam"
"Hut's like a church only sermon's are through the music, your Dad does comedy in here every month" the lady said "Come with me" she instructed, Mercy didn't ask any questions she just followed. The woman brought her to the back of the stage as she stood behind a curtain looking at a sea of, mainly men watching someone on stage "I'll be back in a minute" the lady said leaving her right there as she went on stage. Mercy stood back stage feeling the urge to go forward and sing her heart out, having that spotlight on her was what she'd always dreamed of and no way was she going to get that feeling in Church she dared to close her eyes and imagine this lady was her living her dream. Mercy opened her eyes eventually to see the lady looking down at her "You could get the bug yeah?" she asked
"I got the bug Lady" Mercy said
"You want to try?" she asked
"I don't know"
"Life ain't waiting, make your mind up, how old are you?"
"21" Mercy lied
"Make your mind up" the lady told her again
Mercy closed her eyes for a second opening them saying "Yes I want to sing like Etta James" with a smile on her face
"Go out there and do it girl"
Mercy's feet felt like led initially but as she got closer to the light she shed that heavy skin and started to feel like she was coming alive. She got out on stage fumbled with the mic for a short while, closing her eyes and thinking 'What would Etta do?' before delivering her version of 'Misty Blue' by Monica for her audience, she felt elated when she got her very first standing ovation
"Millie" someone shouted as the Lady walked her off the stage "Millie" she heard again "Wait up" the man shouted, Mercy stopped, and looked up at the lady pulling her with her
"Are you Millie?" she asked
"Shit" Millie said looking down at her before spinning round "Yes Sam how can I help you?" she asked putting on a false smile
"You know how you can help me Millie" he smiled looking down at Mercy "Hello Pretty" he said as Mercy delivered the biggest smile having never been called that before and by a white man "How old are you?" he asked
"21" Mercy informed him
"My name's Sam" he said holding his hand out "Sam Evans and I'd like to have words with your Manager about getting you signed up"
"Signed up for?" Mercy asked
"Making records Miss ..."
"Jones, Sorry Miss Mercy Jones" Mercy said offering her hand "I don't have a manager just parents and a Church choir I'm supposed to be with right now" she smiled
"I could come speak to your parents tell them about this great opportunity you're being offered"
"Are you for real" Mercy laughed "You wouldn't even get past the church door let alone our house"
"At least let me try, I could really do things with your sound" he said enthusiastically
"Do things with my sound?" Mercy mimicked "Is this guy serious?" she asked the lady standing with her she now knew to be Millie
"I'm afraid he might be but you, seriously, don't have to do anything you don't want to do here, he doesn't own anything right now"
"She's right I don't but if you really want to sing I'm the man that can help you" Sam told her
"Man you don't look a day older than me" Mercy laughed
"I'm 22, and my Dad owns a record company, but I'm just breaking in and with a sound like yours I'd be well on the way to earning my stripe as a legitimate contender in the business" Sam said
"But can he be trusted?" Mercy asked Millie
"Well he's never asked me to sign with him, but I know his company signed Amy Green about a year ago and look where she is" Millie replied smiling
"I can't say anything you need to come speak to my parents if you really mean this" Mercy informed him
"Give me an address, it won't be today because of church but it will happen" he smiled taking a pen out for Mercy to give him her address "You do understand that I'll need you to come to Los Angeles with me?" Sam asked her
"Los Angeles where's that?" she asked
"Where people who really want to sing need to be" he replied giving her a smile
Two days later he arrived at her parents home with his stories of stardom, his mouth full of sincerity and money for the start up fees that would be coming to her family every month until she got back safely.
Saturday
Saturday morning Mercy's worldly belongings were packed into a backpack and she became a singer for Stardaz Record Company signed up by Sam Evans
The first 6 months were hard work, she'd been given a room in a building that was almost managed by Blanc, who acted like a chaperone for the girls, no men, alcohol or drugs allowed those were her only rules and Mercy was fine with that, she had no time for any of it anyway. The house was respectable and close to the Studio she frequented every day, she'd got her routine going and she could almost time it.
"Morning Mercy" Sam would say, he was always the first person to speak to her, like he was waiting at the gate or something
"Morning Sam" she'd reply
"Doing something special for me today?"
"Very I'm here" she'd reply cheekily as he walked her to the sound room where they'd sit for most of the day talking about music, sounds and then late afternoon she'd sing him a song just how he'd want to hear it, he'd smile kiss her cheek and she'd leave for home, depending on the time sometimes he'd walk her home. They'd actually become friends over the months and a trip to the local cafe during dinner time turned from once a week to every day and sometimes after studio
"Sam" his Dad had called him one day as he went to go fetch Mercy to get lunch "I know you're friendly with that black girl son but people are starting to talk, you have to promise me this friendship will go no further than friends I don't think the business could take such a knock" he asked
Sam lived for pleasing his Dad, he was his hero, there was only one answer he could give and that was "Dad I promise, she's a friend, she's all alone in LA she knows no one and I promised her parents I'd look out for her" he said smiling with his Dad "Trust me I know what I'm doing"
"I think you maybe need to let her know that too son" he advised him
"I will" Sam said walking away from his Dad "At some point" he finished once out of ear shot "Mercy Lunch" he called as he walked past her recording booth
"Coming" she replied smiling as he gave her his full on into you smile
Lunch
They ordered and went to their usual seats, said hello to the locals and got into their usual music orientated conversation, Mercy had made a decision about something she was singing with one of the writers and she was in full blown wow about it she was just chatting away about the whole experience and her feelings and stuff and Sam sat listening excited for her.
He watched as her mouth moved rhythmically with periodic smiles producing cute dimples in her cheeks, the way her eyes flickered nervously when she caught herself staring at his lips, the glisten in her eyes when he bigged up her achievement. He smiled at her passion that was present in her voice when she spoke of her music, she had a happy spirit but knew how to sass with the rest of the women and took no shit when the time called for sternness. He looked into her eyes and smiled yes she was comfortable with him and he was proud, very proud of the almost single handed fight she'd had to get her style kept at the forefront of everything she did, she was so in love with Etta James, obsessed almost
"Do I have food on my face?" she asked
"What; no" he replied taken out of his thoughts
"You were staring, I thought you were trying to tell me I had food on my face or something" she smiled wiping her face anyway
"No sorry I was listening and then I must have drifted off into work stuff"
"Am I boring you Sam Evans" she smiled
"No, No your not I've just got a lot on"
"Don't let me keep you if you have stuff to do" she replied concerned
"No carry on"
"As I was saying Joe, you know the drummer asked me out and well I didn't say no but I wish I had now"
"What, who, Joe?" Sam asked puzzled "You said no right?" he asked obviously not hearing the whole sentence
"I didn't say yes but I didn't say no either" she laughed "He's cute though" she added
"No you can't see Joe what the hell would I tell you parents, no tell him no when you get back" Sam shouted at her as Mercy looked at him shocked
"Sam are you okay?" she asked "You're as red as blood"
"For all the trouble you're bringing on me Mercy, your Dad wasn't joking"
"I know, but I have no intentions past food and maybe a goodnight kiss" she laughed "You should know by now I don't really do the boyfriend thing"
"I still say no" Sam said in spoilt child mode
"It's up to me Sam and I'm sure my Dad would prefer me to find someone out here than to go back home and marry one of the regular guys we have up there, he's always said that" she corrected Sam
"So are you going to do as I ask?" he came back with like he wasn't listening to a word she'd said
"Does our friendship depend on it?" she asked smiling
"No" he smiled back
"So I'll think about what you want before I give him a real answer" she giggled "But I'm gonna say yes" she stopped to say "A girl needs attention"
"Don't I give you attention every damn day?" he asked
"Yeah you do but Sam, we're friends" she reminded him
"What if..." he said lingering off when he remembered his promise to his Dad
"What if what?"
"It doesn't matter" he said lowering his eyes to the drink getting cold in front of him, grabbing his sandwich and taking a violent bite
"I thought I was the Diva" she said rolling her eyes at him making him laugh
The next 6 Months
Sam had been pursued by a girl called Gwen for the longest time and they'd had conversations about his situation on various occasions
"I don't know why you'd want to go against anything your Dad asked you to do" Mercy had said to him one lunch time when he'd informed her of the pairing by his Father "You know he wouldn't do anything to hurt you, just see how you get on" She'd encouraged him. Resulting in a first date and within the month Gwen seemed to become a permanent fixture at the studio, first Sam was saying "I'm off to lunch with my friend Mercy" and she'd just look in Mercy's direction wanting to say something but not able to for whatever reason. Then lunch took on a three seat situation where Mercy sat watching Sam and Gwen make out for most of her meal and eventually she left them alone, Sam wasn't happy about it but he had this girl now who monopolised his time in the biggest way
"Hi Sam, Gwen" Mercy walked into the cafe one lunch time saying, with Joe in tow
"Mercy" Sam said his eyes lit up but quickly turned a dark green when he saw Joe "Joe" he said much flatter
"We started stepping out so I guess we'll see you in here on a regular" she said her usual bubbly self walking off to find a quiet corner to sit in. "Is here alright?" she asked Joe, he nodded and pulled her chair out for her, the meal was filled with laughing and chat while Sam's meal sat on the table while Gwen ate his face off at every opportunity, him getting angry with every giggle he heard coming from Mercy's mouth.
"Don't you two have work to do?" he finally asked when he couldn't take it any more almost pitching Gwen off his lap when he got
"Yeah but we got ten minutes left" Joe informed him, Mercy, whose back was to him anyway, didn't react
That lasted for about 4 days before Sam followed Mercy into the bathroom and demanded she not see Joe any more "Why? What's it got to do with you who I see?" she asked stunned at his request "And excuse me but don't you have Gwen sitting out there waiting on you Mr Evans?"
"I do and please" he said banging the sink "Don't tell me what I have, I know what I have, it's what I want that's causing me the problem"
"I don't understa..." Mercy got out before Sam grabbed her face and pulled it to him kissing her hard and deep, Mercy took the kiss she really didn't know what was happening all she really knew was that she wasn't offended by it
"We need to talk, I need time, can we make that happen later on?" he asked when he finally let her lips go
"Sam this can't happen" she said holding onto the sink to steady herself "We can't do this"
"Just meet me later, after studio, we can talk" he ordered "Will you, meet me I mean?" he said holding her face again, softer this time
"Sam" She said defeated "We can't do this, we come from different lives, it's an impossible situation"
"Please just meet me later and I'll explain everything to you" his eyes begging, searching, longing for her to say yes "At the cafe please" he said as she stared at him willing herself to say no
"An hour, I'll give you an hour later" she finally said walking out of the bathroom leaving him standing there with his thoughts
That afternoon Sam finished lunch with Gwen and Mercy with Joe but there was no talking or making out in public, both were quiet as their other halves did all the talking and Sam spent most the time pushing Gwen off him
"Honestly Gwen I'm not really into all this PDA could you stop please" he eventually said pushing her off him one final time, looking across the cafe to see Mercy watching them
"You distracted by all their PDA?" Joe asked Mercy as he watched her watching them"I usually sit that side do you want to swap it doesn't really bother me" he suggested
"You're fine I just think it's a bit full on you know" she said unlocking eyes with Sam to pay attention to Joe
Eventually lunch was over and they returned to the studio did their thing and left for their secret meeting back at the cafe
The Meeting
"Hi, thanks for coming" he said as he pulled the chair out for her to sit in
"An hour" Mercy reminded him as she put her bag on the table and pulled her chair in
"Well as I said earlier" he smiled nervously "Sorry do you want a drink or something?"
"Usual please" she smiled as he got up to go get her order and come back
"As I was saying" he said as he placed the drink in front of her, and took his seat "I know this is an impossible situation but I'm well; let me start at the beginning" he said taking a sip of his drink before rubbing the back of his neck nervously as his face changed to serious and he grabbed Mercy's hand "I like you Mercy a lot and I know there are a lot of things stopping us from happening but I need it to happen so bad" he said, looking at the table as Mercy pulled her hand away from him
"Sam don't do this, it's an impossible situation, we can't be together ever" she said tearing up
"I know not while my Father's alive anyway"
"What do you mean?" she asked quickly wiping her eyes looking around to see if they were drawing attention
"I sort of promised my Dad, a while ago, that I wouldn't get involved with you, romantically that is, and I guess Gwen was a consequence of him seeing that this was happening" he said looking at Mercy for his last few words
"You should listen to your Dad" she chuckled nervously "Look Sam, I'd be lying if I said the thought had never crossed my mind at one time or another, your a good looking guy, for a white boy" she smiled "but you know outside of the music business I can't think of anywhere else our kind mix with your kind, don't tell me you don't know what I'm talking about" she thinned her eyes to say to him.
"Don't think I haven't had that conversation with myself several times Mercy but the heart wants what the heart wants and mine wants you" he said bringing those puppy eyes out again, as Mercy rolled her eyes for his constant use of emotional blackmail
"Sam think logically, you work in your fathers business, I sing in your father's company, my record hits in three weeks. I've worked for over 7 months to get this one record on the selves, I left my family to follow my dream and as cute as you are, your not part of that dream" she half smiled
"I'm not asking to be a part of your past dreams Mercy I'm asking to be a part of your future ones"
"Sam" she said deflated "Your going to go against everything your Dad asked of you, for what?" she asked blowing hard, grabbing her head with her two hands
"For you Mercy"
"We want different things in life Sam, I need my music, it's what I live for, your Dad puts a block on that and my life is over in the music world and you know this"
"I need you to come away with me Mercy" he said grabbing after her hand frowning when she pulled away "Choose me before he makes me marry this damn woman!" Sam shouted as Mercy looked around the cafe as the few people present looked at them shaking their heads in disgust
"This just gets worse" she said grabbing her bag and getting up from the table
"Mercy please" he grabbed after her but missed she turned to glance at him before replying
"Sam you just told me your getting married for God sake, have some respect for yourself, if not then for her" she said and she was gone
The Studio
The next day Sam turned up at the studio after Mercy there was no usual banter, no smile, as his Father strolled in behind him, hands in the air "Celebration today guys my son is getting married" he announced as Sam stood looking the saddest Mercy had ever seen him and everyone clapped and congratulated him. He wasn't in the booth either all morning, which made Mercy sad for the sudden change his revelations had brought to their relationship that had been going so well.
"Mercy" Sam almost shouted across the small room, as he walked in to find her sat on Joe's lap, listening to her latest take on her finished first single "A minute please" he said a bit calmer as Joe let her go to get to him. Surprisingly he walked her away from the door and a way down the corridor before speaking "You need to get rid of Joe before I do it for you" he spun her round saying
"What?" she asked shocked
"You heard me, get rid of him by the end of the day or he'll have no job, who the fuck are you telling to try you"
"But Sam tha..." she shook her head saying
"I really don't care what that's not, I asked you to be with me and you blanked me for him, I'd prefer him gone but I'll settle for split for now and you stay friends with him and he will be gone"
"Sam" she said through clenched teeth
"You want music stick to music, and make him the very last one everyone you even look at from today will get the sack and" he said lifting her head up to look into his eyes "I love your angry face" he smiled "but I mean every word I say, you will be mine"
"What if that's not what I want?" she asked too angry to really speak but she wasn't going to let him go away thinking he'd got her where he wanted her
"Tell me, tell me now that this" he said pressing up against her "Is not what you need"
"Sam" she said pushing him off her
"Tell me"
"I, I"
"Everything alright there Mercy" Joe shouted up the corridor
"Yeah just coming" Mercy shouted back down to him
"You were weren't you?" Sam smiled at her "Remember get rid of him" his face straightened to say "She'll be in in a minute" Sam called down to him as Joe stepped off back into the sound room "Tell me"
"Sam" she said unable to look into his eyes "It's not what I want" she said
"Look at me and say that"
"Sam your Dad just announced less than 4 hours ago your getting married leave me alone" she said deflated
"I'm waiting" he smiled "So is Joe" he added looking back down the corridor
"Okay Sam I like you too is that what you want to hear, was I really going to leave my home town and come all the way here with strangers if I didn't? But the situation is you are who you are and I am who I am and never the twain shall meet. 6 months ago this might have been a chance I would have considered taking, but there is no future for us and I've accepted that even more so after today's announcement and I need you to please leave me alone" she said looking at him
"So your not saying you don't feel the same your saying I'm with Gwen?"
"You are Sam and it's not fair for you to almost ban me from seeing men because you like me, I like you but your marrying Gwen and I've said nothing bad about that or forbid you to do it, have I?"
"There's a difference" he said looking at her deep in the eyes "I love you"
"Sam" she said moving his arm that stopped her from getting away with ease and walking away
"I want him gone Mercy, I mean it" he shouted after her as she looked back at him with pain on her face
Sam stood in the corridor for a while thinking about what he'd just done instinctively, he knew he was being unreasonable asking this of Mercy but seriously he felt fit for bursting into some dangerous beast every time he saw her talking to anyone male, female, young, old anyone because it wasn't him. He'd kicked himself less than a week after making that promise to his Dad about keeping away from her. He knew there was something there that first time he saw her but it was well into the fourth month of working together before he realised what that feeling was and yes, his dad was right, he was about to act on it. It hit him like forbidden fruit syndrome, everything she did turned his buttons on and she quickly became a craving he couldn't shake, when his Dad introduced Gwen to him he was about to bare all to Mercy and ask her to leave everything and run away with him, he was that serious. His Dad seemed to always be one step ahead of him as the night he'd planned on telling Mercy his plan his Dad announced Gwen as his girlfriend and after Gwen must have mentioned to his Dad, what had been said in the cafe about her providing to much PDA his Dad told him it was time for marriage and grandchildren. His insides were screaming no god no externally he was lifting eyebrows like he was on the same page and listening to suggestions from his parents on how to pop the question. The next day he'd took the bull by the horns and told Mercy they needed to talk, "seems like an age ago" he said to himself "But that was yesterday". He'd got home after his meeting with Mercy to find Gwen at the house
"Hope you don't mind son we took the liberty of inviting Gwen after our little discussion yesterday" his Dad said "Why don't you two go out on the balcony" he said showing them to the door, and as Sam passed he pushed his Grandmother's wedding ring box in his hand raising his brow at him telling him to get the job done in his usual non-verbal way. He loves his Dad and wrongly or rightly he wanted him to have everything he asked for, so he asked the question, got the answer and informed the parents. Now he was standing looking at the one person in the world he really loved, not explaining himself very well, using threats to keep hold of the one constant that he enjoyed having in his life and feeling like crap for doing it. "This is the 1980's colour shouldn't matter" he told himself banging his hand on the wall before walking off back to his Dad's office
Mercy went back smiling "I think my song's ready" she announced when she got back to the sound room, not having told anyone that Sam had given her a release date a while back
"Great news" Joe said picking her up and spinning her round as she laughed "when is it?" he asked
"Three weeks today" she said proudly
The Cafe
Lunch went through in a daze for her, Joe might have thought it was because she was in seventh heaven for her song coming out, and she was but revelations with Sam earlier had her brain in a spin
He'd had her from the hello pretty he'd said back in Lima, swept her off her feet and straight into LA, she'd begged her parents just as much as he had and she was so wrapped when they finally said yes, she knew it was the money thing that swayed them but did she care, no. That first month was spectacular Sam was with her every waking second and they became really good friends, the second month was sensational and from there things just got better, she was in love, infatuated, Swept off her toes everything and they couldn't do enough to please each other about month five she had a really weird conversation with his Dad, that she really didn't understand. Joe found her crying in the cafe one morning and she told him everything about the conversation
"Don't worry about that" Joe had said "He's just marking your card he thinks your sweet on his son" he assured her "You stick with me you'll be alright"
"So he wants me to stop talking to Sam, why didn't he just say that?" she asked Joe
"Because white folk never want to appear to be racist" he smiled "I'll go to lunch with you, leave him to his girl" Joe had suggested
So they started a new friendship that quickly turned to a casual walking out and before it could get anywhere near serious Sam reared his head again, she loved his your mine behaviour found it sexy even and that kiss she thought rolling her eyes at the memory, she remembered walking out of that bathroom feeling so sexy, she smiled. She'd throw Joe away a the blink of an eye had Sam not been engaged to Gwen, but, could she bank on him not going through with his threat to get rid of Joe if she didn't finish with him tonight? Was she willing to find out? Did she really have any feelings for Joe? "Yes, No and No" she said out loud before looking at Joe who was watching her think
"Joe" she smiled "I don't want you to get any ideas about what this isn't so can I make it clear, we're friends right?" she asked
"Yeah any way you want it remember" he replied
"Friends then" she said "No more kissing, hugging nothing just friends" she said holding her hand out for him to shake
"Whatever you say" he smiled picking his drink up to sip as he watched her from above his cup rim
"You're a good friend Joe" she smiled at him before taking another sip of her drink
"So your song hits the stands in three weeks how do you feel?" he asked
"Elated"
"And how does Sam feel?"
"Happy with it I guess, he's too engrossed in his wedding to spend time with anyone right now Gwen's a nice woman" she said her usual happy self
"I really wouldn't know" Joe said suspect
Three Weeks Later
"Mercy" Sam shouted from out of his office as she ran past "Here a minute please" he smiled as she came back into view for him "You're just in time, come on in, shut the door" he ordered not looking up from the note he was reading "I have something for you" he said smiling at her before getting up to turn his radio on "In about a minute" he said going to stand closer to her
"What?" she asked as she heard her name on the radio and her song started playing "A Sunday kind of Love' by Dinah Washington, Mercy was uncontrollably screaming "My song, My Song" as Sam grabbed hold of her and started slow dancing her around his office. Eventually she calmed down and started dancing with him resting her head on his chest as she relaxed into her song "All that hard work" she smiled up at him when it finished as they looked into each others eyes for the longest time
"I want that kind of love too Mercy"
"Sam" she said attempting to pull away but he grabbed her harder
"Mercy" he said in a tone she'd never heard before "I love you, I can't help it, I don't want to help it please love me back" he said looking at her with those sad eyes again
"I love you too Sam" she said a single tear falling down her cheek as they stared at each other for the longest time
"Did you just hear Mercy's song on the radio?" his Dad came into the office saying
"Yeah" Sam said removing his hand from Mercy's waist "We just danced to it and she got a bit emotional" he smiled
"So you should girl, it's you're first song" his Dad informed her "A word please son?" he asked dismissing Mercy as she left the office, wiping her tear away "Mercy celebration later, on me, get your friends together" his Dad told her before she closed the door after her
Three Months Later
All the girls at the house were buzzing one of them had been invited to a high society wedding Sam Evens was getting married to Gwen Meade, and Mercy Jones was this months it girl "How did you bag that invite" Wendy; one of the house mates, asked
She told the truth "He scouted me and we worked closely on my record"
"So lucky" they echoed around the room "Such a hunk"
"Are you going to the hen night?" Wendy asked
"No"she replied her tone telling them she was offended before she remembered they didn't know the history. Truth she was mega pissed Sam had even invited her, she felt like he'd waited for her to reveal her truth and then proceeded to rub their relationship in her face. They hadn't really had the chance to speak outside of hello since her record had been released, the following day Gwen showed up at the studio and again she'd become a permanent fixture, almost like a second coat for Sam. He walked round with a face like a wet weekend and mouthed "sorry" a lot as Mercy smiled sarcastically. She'd take the scenic route home, through the park, and kick everything in her path "How dare he make me feel like this"
Two days before the wedding, hen night day, and Mercy got the shock of her life when Gwen walked into the studio and conversed with her "I know we don't really talk and maybe that's a fault on my part, but you are Sam's best friend, so I feel I need to extend my hand in friendship and invite you to the hen do later tonight" she said
"Wow" Mercy smiled "What an honour, is that the done thing?" she asked
"if I do it it is yes" Gwen replied
"Thank you for inviting me"
"But will you come?"
"Yes I'll come" she smiled after some consideration, she didn't really have friends except the house mates, there were mainly guys in the studio and Sam had already made his stance clear on her making friends with them, she didn't want to be responsible for anyone losing their job. She had no intention of calling Gwen a friend ever, but it wouldn't hurt to see how that lot partied something to tell her grandchildren about she smiled
"Good 6pm At Miguel's" Gwen said flipping her hair off her shoulder and walking away from a smiling Mercy
The Hen do was very civilised with cocktails, that Mercy didn't drink, stories from married women about married life in general and some girl on girl dancing once the drinking got out of hand, everyone left at around 10pm air kissing each other, but Mercy wasn't that familiar, she hadn't really been included, she just said goodnight and left in her taxi for home and bed
"Don't say my name please, Mercy can we talk" Sam said down the phone as she stood with her night clothes on in the hall of her residence, having been told by Blanc it was some sort of emergency.
"What's happened?" she asked
"Just come to the park I need to talk to you I'm in the park across the way"
"Sam you're getting married tomorrow, what do you want?"
"Don't say my name" he reminded her "Just come now, please Mercy"
"Mercy went up to Blanc's room to inform her she was going to be out but would return shortly as there was a wedding emergency that needed taking care of before the morning
"Don't let that girl become your friend to use you Mercy" Blanc warned, Mercy didn't say anything she didn't want to start a series of lies to Blanc. She got dressed and wondered over to the park as requested to find Sam sitting on the bench under a tree, he got up as she approached for her to sit down and then sat back down himself
"What's up Sam?" she asked as she sat down "You do know I'm friends with your wife to be now don't you?" she smiled
"What?" he asked shocked "Friends?"
"Yeah she invited me to her Hen night and I went" she informed him
"No I didn't know but, don't make that practice she's not your friend"
"Is there anybody you actually approve of that I can be friends with?" Mercy asked
"Sorry but she really isn't your friend, and no there isn't I want to be it for you" he frowned "I guess she knows I have a thing for you"
"What do you want Sam?" Mercy asked rolling her eyes
"We just haven't spoken since the record landed and I needed you to be clear from our last conversation, you know when we told each other we loved each other that I'm still there"
"It's still there Sam and I'm destined to sing songs about the love I lost for life about you" she smiled
"We'll be together I know we will one day Mercy"
"Sam it's never going to happen, you've told me I can't date anyone in the business and for you I won't but I will date, I'm a woman and I have needs just like anybody else" she said grabbing his hand
"Don't even joke that way Mercy, I told you you're mine"
"Gwen is yours Sam I'm destined for someone else" she giggled
"So you're telling me we're never going to happen" he stood up almost shouting
"Sam" Mercy shout whispered as she got up looking around to see if anyone was watching or listening to them "We've had this damn conversation so many..." she got out before his lips were on hers again taking her back to that familiar place she visited about 6 months ago she was falling and had nothing to grab hold of this time so she grabbed him and he hung on to her for dear life too as they drunk each other in "Sam" she said breathlessly when he finally let her up for air as his breath hit her face hot and fast, his eyes searching her face for permission to go in again all she could do was close her eyes and he took that as permission as her mouth opened to invite him back, he smiled and took her lips into his mouth again
"Tell me Mercy" he said as he kissed her neck "Tell me"
"God I love you Sam" she said surrendering to him as her mouth began sucking in his lips, it was a while before they came to recollection of where they were and Mercy pulled away from him "Your getting married tomorrow Sam" she said tears in her eyes
"It's a marriage for my Father Mercy it means nothing to me" he said pulling her back in
"Sam" she said forcing herself out of his grip "She'll be your wife, you'll be sleeping with her for God sake" she said pushing him away
"I won't not if you don't want me to" he answered trying to pull her back "Mercy please don't fight me, I need you"
"I refuse to be the other woman, that's not me Sam you really can't ask that of me" she cried
"She'll be the other woman" he said "You have my heart, soul, body if you want it, she'll just have my name"
"That's an important thing to have Sam" Mercy said finally pushing him away and walking back towards her home
"Mercy don't make me follow you over there and blow up our business please stop" he asked which she did turning round exposing the tears down her face "Don't cry, please don't cry" he said running to her and wiping her tears away "I have to marry her, my Dad would just drop down and die if I did anything else, I'm caught between my heart and my allegiance to my family, this is a really hard thing for me"
"He told me he wanted grandchildren Sam" she told him "How the hell you gonna give him those if you don't sleep with her?" she asked
"I really haven't thought that far ahead Mercy please just say you'll wait, I'll figure it out I swear"
"Sam you're asking me to put a hold on my whole life for you while you go about getting your life started, to what, fit me into it, no I can't do that" she said shaking her head "Sorry I just can't" she said backing away as Sam watched her walk
"Mercy give me a chance to prove it to you, I'll work something out I promise" he shouted after her
So the wedding went on, a very nice affair, as Sam smiled, laughed, kissed and everything people do on their wedding day. Who was he kidding Mercy thought as she watched him with his new wife, she was all over him no way was that not going to happen, and no way was she sitting around waiting for him to come back with a knocked up wife. They were walking to the wedding march she was singing 'All I could do is cry' by Beyonce Knowles in her head, crying for a completely different reason to the joy everyone else was feeling. So as soon as Sam went off on his honeymoon she made her getaway plan and went in search of 'Mr Right Now' who came in the form of Neville a pleasant young man maybe a year or so older than her blue eyes, brown hair and killer kisses. When Sam returned from his honeymoon he came directly to the studio to see how things were he claimed making eyes at Mercy until she gave up and left the room with him following her out and into his office
"What?" she asked "Why do you keep looking at me?"
"I needed to tell you something" he said rubbing the back of his neck like a schoolchild
"What do you need to tell me Sam" she asked rolling her eyes for what she knew he was going to say
"There's no fancy way to say this so I'm just going to say it" he said as he pulled her over to his desk and he perched on the end of it holding her hand "I slept with Gwen, more than once while we were away and I'm sorry"
"That's fine Sam she's your wife you don't have to tell me that stuff"
"But I still want us to be together" he said pulling her to him
"I knew you were going to come back and start with this again, I'm seeing someone and he's not in the business so you won't be sacking him from anywhere so please leave me alone"
"But I asked you to wait and you made me believe you were going to"
"I asked you about sleeping with your wife and you told me it would never happen but hey" she said flippantly
"Get rid of him Mercy" he said through thin lips
"No" she said walking away
"You better not let me find him before you get rid of him" Sam shouted after her as she purposely slammed his door on her exit "And don't let him touch you" he said going to the door and opening it to shout after her "I will kill him if he touches you" Mercy just held her hand up at him and carried on walking
Three Months Later
Mercy was still seeing Neville, Christmas celebrations were exciting, she'd called her parents and told them work was heavy because she wanted to spend it with her new man, regardless of Sam's threats. Neville didn't know where she lived and didn't really know she was a singer of any sort as she called her self Emily out of area, she'd thought of everything. She met him after work, but went home first just in case Sam was lurking and as far as the house knew she was good friends with Gwen who was taking up her time nowadays. She'd got another song coming out soon and was in the studio late one night doing final touches ready for release in 2 days when Neville walked in
"Emily is Mercy I found out" he walked in saying shocking Mercy
"What are you doing here?" she asked looking around "Where's Sam?" she asked Delrose one of the backing singers
"He's gone home" she replied as Mercy took a breath
"How did you find me?" she asked Neville as he came towards her for a kiss and a hug, which she gave "I don't need you to be in my place of work" she told him
"I was talking to my man Jimmy who was going wild about this new song coming out in a couple of days, he's doing the record sleeve for, and when he turned it over you were smiling at me, I noted the company and hot stepped it over here to call you out on it" he told her as he held her close
"I wish you hadn't you have to leave like now my boss doesn't like visitors at the studio"
"I will, but you'll have to leave with me I need an explanation" Neville informed her
"Sorry guys can we make this an early start tomorrow instead I really have to deal with this?" she asked everyone as they nodded in agreement while she grabbed her coat and made for the exit with Neville in tow "We'll walk through the park but then you have to go home" she said as they entered the park. She told him about her dream of being a singer, how her opportunity came about, her bosses promise to her parents to look after her, where she hoped the dream she was slowly turning into her reality was going to take her
"I guess I understand why you did what you did" he said when she finally came to the end of her explanation
"I need to be this for my parents" she smiled, a smile that covered a whole load of issues, there was no talk of her being in love with her bosses son, kisses she'd shared with him, threats he'd made about beating to a pulp any man she was ever interested in, him being recently married, her being totally in love with him 'you forgot to mention all of that Mercy Jones' she said to herself
"We're here" she said turning and kissing him lightly "Goodnight Neville" she said as he pulled her in for something deeper "Neville" she said pulling away before his tongue invaded her mouth "We're in the street and I'm not that kind of girl" she said walking away
"Emily, I mean Mercy I'm sorry" he said grabbing after her
"Bye" she turned to say as she quickly walked away, way past her house feeling like she'd betrayed Sam's trust in her by letting Neville do that there in front of the studio, she walked round the block and returned home 25 minutes later checking the area before entering her house and getting a very restless nights sleep
The next day Mercy was at the studio for 8am ready to finalise the song before Sam got there "Right people lets catch up wi..." she stopped as she stood faced with Sam leaning against the piano
"The girls tell me the night was cut short yesterday" he announced
"Yeah" she said looking around "But everyone agreed to come in early this morning to catch up"
"Okay catch up" Sam said moving to the side for her to get by, as he stood watching her with a smile on his face. Mercy had gone way past nervous after an hour of his constant stare like he was planning something in his head to do to her, did he know about Neville, did he see them together, had he done something to him, what in hells name was he smiling about
"Stop, Stop, Stop" she finally said to the band "I need some air" she announced as she walked towards the door
"I'll take you to the park" Sam said still smiling
she knew it he'd seen them and he'd done something to Neville, why else would he be suggesting the park "Okay" she said thinking he might as well get over what he had planned for her. From what she could make out her record was going to make a lot of money for the company so, would he dare hurt her, 'No' she told herself smiling back at him as she walked through the door he held open for her
The Park
"So" he said still smiling "What was so urgent you had to stop work last night?" he asked
"Tired needed to get to bed"
"Oh so it wasn't Gwen, your best friend nowadays, who just happens to have been in New York for the past five days?" he asked
"Gwen, my best friend?" she questioned
"Well yeah according to Blanc, I spoke to her last night" he smiled "That was were you'd more than likely be" he laughed "So I walked away from your house thinking why would she say she was friends with Gwen" he said thinking
"I didn.."
"No you don't get to speak just yet Mercy" he said threat in his voice "Because I just gave you the opportunity to come clean with me but you chose your yarn" he said looking at her with his last few words "So I stood outside wondering even went as far as to sit in the park last night for well over an hour when who should I see walking through the park with a man, I might add, well I thought, it is late so I would have stood on heads at work if one of those guys hadn't offered to walk you home, and something happened to you" he said looking at her "Then tell me the rest Mercy?" he said stopping in his tracks to look at her "You can speak, anytime now" he told her
"We're frie..."
"Don't come at me with any crap Mercy, it will make me want to kill him some more"
"We've been seeing each other for a while but it hasn't gone anywhere we might as well be friends" she said not taking her eyes off him
"We had a conversation about men friends didn't we?" he asked as she nodded "So you know what happened to .."
"Neville" she answered
"Yeah him you know what happened to him yeah?"
"Sam" she burst out crying saying while hitting him twice in the chest
"You did this Mercy not me, I told you already what was going to happen did you think I was playing?" he said holding her hands as she tried to hit him again "Be with me Mercy please be with me" he begged "I'm turning into this dark person that I don't even recognise because of you, you tell me you love me then do things like this, your sending me crazy" he shouted letting her hands go
"I'm sending you crazy" she laughed almost hysterically "Sam you told me you loved me then got married, as if that wasn't bad enough you get married have sex with your wife then come back again and tell me you love me again, your driving me crazy, and if you keep pushing me I will give everything up and go back home I really can't take much more of this"
"What are you saying you want me to do bad things to people?" he asked
"What, no I'm saying leave me alone to get on with my life"
"I really can't do that Mercy, I wish I could, things would be so much easier" he said walking up to her "But my heart needs what my heart needs" he said looking into her eyes as they begged him to take her in his arms "I love you so much" he told her taking her in his arms right there in the park, kissing her deep "God I've waited so long for that" he gasped, letting air get in between them for a second "I need you to be mine Mercy please tell me you'll be mine"
"Sam" she got out before he attached himself to her lips again, Mercy couldn't help falling she'd been lifted off the floor with passion, she grabbed hold of him and went in to take what he was giving her 'Is this really enough' she asked herself before she went over the edge, feeling his urgency for her as she pressed against him hard "Sam" she mumbled through the kiss as she attempted to pull herself away "Sam" she said when she finally disconnected them "We're in the park" she smiled as he looked around and let her go
"Sorry"
"Okay I promise, for now, no more male friends" she smiled "but please promise me something" she said looking at him nervously
"Anything" he said grabbing for her and pulling her into him "You got me like that right now"
"No more fighting people I speak to" she said looking at him seriously
"Promise" he said without hesitation "Can I get a kiss to seal the deal?" he asked looking around
"One kiss" she said pulling him into her as they both took what they needed at that moment before walking back to the studio
"I'll give you till the end of the day to answer my question" he said as he pushed the door open for her to go in
The Studio
Mercy was floating around trying to get her body to do what she wanted it to do 'what the hell is this man doing to me' she asked herself as she sat cross legged on the stool in front of the mic watching Sam as he went around talking to the band telling them what he wanted to hear and setting up beats. 'Concentrate' she told herself as she moved her head to stop her eyes following him around the room
"Right" he eventually said standing front centre of the room "I want perfection this is the very last take I expect to do on this and if that happens everyone gets a well-deserved day off tomorrow" he said clapping his hands for them to start as Mercy sung a more than usually soulful version of 'My Man' by Diana Ross "That's a take" he shouted as everyone cheered "Mark get this one rolling I want it up and ready for 2pm tomorrow, get the sellers ready I need this to go as far as we can get it going"
"Well done" he said to everyone as he walked towards Mercy "I'm talking to everyone except you" he whispered in her ear as he hugged her saying well done "Everyone get going" he said waving them all off as the backers stood talking to Mercy for a while "Get going before I change my mind" he said as even Mercy went to grab her coat
"Gwen's away" he told her, when they were alone
"And" she said looking at him suspiciously "You seriously are not telling me what I think you're telling me Mr Evans" she said her face as serious as he'd ever seen it "What has your wife being away got to do with me?" she finally asked
"Nothing deep just some uninterrupted privacy" he smiled "We need to talk" he added "Dad's out of town for the week it's perfect" he said still smiling
"You want an answer?" Mercy asked rolling her eyes "Sam you're a married man tell me you want more for me than that?" she asked
"I can't see past needing you for myself Mercy, I'm sorry if that wasn't what you wanted to hear but it's true I breathe when I'm around you, I'm fed up of living this fake ass life, I need to be with you" he said walking towards her again "Say you need me back" he begged her
"So what if I did need you Sam what sort of life are you offering me?"
"I've thought about it and I guess I'd give you everything but, I'd have to attend like formal things with her and stuff and family things of course, but all my other time would be yours"
"I need you to be specific Sam what's this other time you're talking about?"
"When I'm not scouting for new talent, out at family functions, representing my Dad or being Mr to her Mrs"
"Okay, so when are you not scouting?" she asked
"Like now I'm not scouting now"
"But that's because you're trying to make this into something it really can't be"
"Mercy stop looking for excuses, I know you need me like I need you, I can tell when I kiss you, why can't you just let this be what it needs to be?"
"Obviously this is about the chase for you" she said sitting back down on the stool she was on earlier "I really don't need it, I'm better than a mistress you shouldn't be asking me to be one and, I want marriage, babies, family I want the lot, you can't give me any of that so, let's stop this here, now. Sam I love you I'm not even going to hide that but this" she said pointing between them "Can never go anywhere. Have you thought about her having your children, how that would make me feel, kissing her in front of me, her touching you in front of me, have you for one second stood and thought how the hell I'd get through a situation like that?"
"We won't have children" he blarted out
"Sam your Dad wants grandchildren, how the hell are you not going to have them?"
"Mercy I can't answer any of it, all I know to be true is that I love you, I need you totally to be in my life and I'll kill anyone who tries to take you away from me" he shouted at her as Mercy sat stunned at not being able to get through to him
"Sam I gi…" was all she got out before she saw Sam rushing towards her and that feeling of need came over her as they impacted on each other with the same force finding lips and sinking into them, Sam's hands wondered as his lips made light work of opening hers and searching her mouth for hidden corners as Mercy found herself sinking deeper and deeper into him "Sam" she muffled through the still hard kisses they were giving "Sam" she said again muffled as he found her neck and she lifted her chin offering it up for him as he kissed down her neck line, his hands wonders around her body
"Tell me you need me?" he asked her as he licked, sucked and kissed his way down her neck and back to her lips "Tell me Mercy" he said as Mercy closed her eyes tight somehow hoping that would stop her from hearing and responding to his request at her most vulnerable to date. She must have been over concentrating because the next thing she felt was the absolute pleasure of having her nipple sucked making her head fall back in ecstasy and a cry of pleasure come from her mouth as her eyes closed tighter and her hand grabbed his head asking him to stay there
"God" she finally got out when her mind stopped spinning, bringing a smile to Sam's eyes
"Tell me you need me Mercy" he asked again, Mercy was already too high to speak, although she heard what he asked and would, at this point, have said I need you, her experience was so great she didn't feel like interrupting it for anything she just held his head as she felt him pulling away "Come with me" he said pulling her up from the stool, she jerked up and went with her hand to where he was taking her, ending up in his office
"What?" she asked "Sam I'm not having sex with you" she informed him "And definitely not in your damn office"
"We're not going to have sex Mercy, but you're going to tell me you need me back" he said spinning her round and locking the door as he took her by the face and gently pulled her to him "I love you Mercy Jones, please love me back" he asked going back in to kiss her again reaching her breasts faster than he did the first time but the feeling, for her, was just as intense. She became aware at some point that they were moving and opened her eyes for a split second to see the couch nearby as Sam pulled her down onto it "Comfortable?" he asked
"Yeah"
He went about undoing her button down dress exposing her bra with protruding nipples, suspenders and matching knickers all in Purple lace "Wow" he said when he saw her full glory before he went in like an animal learning about its new habitat touching, tasting every inch of her unclothed skin as Mercy lay back experiencing the pleasures of having a man touch her body for the first time. "Remember I said we're not going to have sex" he reminded her as his hand caressed her body
"Sam" they heard in the building, they both froze
"Who is that?" Mercy whispered
"I don't know" he whispered back signalling for her to be quiet
"Sam" the person said trying the door "It's Jeremy, Gwen said you'd be at a loose end and asked me to pop round" he said trying a few more doors before wondering down the corridor "Why would he leave the front door open?" he asked himself as he obviously flicked off the safety catch and locked the door
They lay there for about a minute making sure Jeremy had gone before Mercy pushed him off her "And now you have Jeremy monopolising your time" she said doing up her buttons "The answer is no Sam no, please leave me alone"
"Mercy" he said going after her "Please Mercy, I'll sort all this out, honest I will, just give me a chance"
"How many chances do you need Sam?" she said rolling her eyes as she walked out "That was the very last time" she warned slamming the door
"You can resist me all you want Mercy but I'm not letting up on you and I will kill anyone I see you with and please don't test me on that" he shouted after her before slamming himself back down and covering his face with his hands