TITLE: The Easy Things
CHAPTER/TITLE: Prologue
RATING: T (language and mature content)
SUMMARY: Pre-Movie.
A/N: So, as stated, this is sort of a "sequel" to "The Little Things." I have an entire series in the works for "The Little Things" (The Easy Things, The Hard Things, The Impossible Things, etc) Some are shorter, like The Little Things, and this one, The Easy Things. I think of them more as preludes or prequels to a big story or two to come that are almost already done. This story is very Bobby-heavy. Sorry for the lack of the other brothers, especially Jack, but this little chapter in Bobby's life is important for the next story. I will warn you that there is an OC, but she does NOT take center stage. This is about BOBBY. Actually, all of this started by going to "Johnny Mercer's Pier" in North Carolina. Well, you'll see how later. If it doesn't make sense with the ending of The Little Things at first, just keep reading. Enough of my nonsense.
DISCLAIMER: .Nothing (sad sigh)
I love reviews like Bobby loves new hockey skates.
Prologue
All difficult things have their origin in that which is easy, and great things in that which is small.
- Lao Tzu
Bobby Mercer never wanted to leave. He didn't plan on it. Just one winter's day he found himself gone. He had stayed to help his brother's fix their mother's home. He had been there for Daniela's sixth and Amelia's third birthdays. He had gone to Evelyn's grave on her birthday and had downed quite a few shots at Johnny's in honor of Jack's. He had stayed long enough to no longer notice his mother's familiar scent. Jack's room went closed and untouched, while Bobby did little more than sleep in his mother's room. He even held down a steady job at a local bar until Jeremiah got his own business up and running and Bobby took that offer that was made what felt like years ago.
Bobby Mercer never meant to leave. Yet winter came, and with it, memories. Memories Bobby Mercer thought he had locked away for good. That first snowfall had been unusually heavy, on the ground and on Bobby's heart. He had stepped out the front door and been met with a blinding vision. The snow pile underneath the light post was stained crimson. Gunshots echoed in his ears. He felt his pulse quicken to an unnatural rate and he nearly dove behind the front porch in the sudden panic attack. Of course, it wasn't a real panic attack. It was a vicious memory assault. Bobby had witnessed the true nature of panic attacks when Jack had first entered their lives.
The thought of Jack had pushed Bobby over the proverbial edge. He simply couldn't take it all. He had tried so hard to put on his eldest brother face, stiffen his upper lip and keep moving forward. In that one moment, it was as if everything Bobby had done to overcome the tragedy was blown away with the echoes of the gunshots in his mind.
It didn't take him long to turn around, head upstairs and pack his things. Bobby slung his bag over his shoulder and headed down the hall, pausing, as he always did, at that closed door.