Disclaimer: For now you all should know I don't own crappola. Besides Lucia. Her I own. But that's about it.
The Mercer boys. They changed my life. You could say they saved my life so many times over. I fell in love with each of them in my own way. I married one of them and I couldn't picture my life without him, or the two wonderful kids we brought into this world.
I have Evelyn to thank for that.
I threw myself onto my bed closing my eyes and remembering my life. Who knew Evelyn was going to be the one who showed me everything I was missing?
I was five, toughest little girl you could know. I had taught myself if I was going to cry, only one tear was allowed. The previous year Anya, my best friend at the time, and I were playing in her front yard. It was snowing and we were building a snowman under the watchful eye of her older brother and his friends. They were playing football in the street and just looked over every few minutes to make sure we were behaving. It was a regular Detroit winter. Back then, I referred to it as brain freeze for the body. Later on I would learn to use the term 'cold as fuck'.
Anya and I were decorating the snowman now. She was having a hard time getting the carrot nose to stick but it finally did. There was a hell bound noise from the end of the street and a car came flying down. Anya's brother and his friends all jumped the front yard fence pushing us onto the porch.
Shots were fired and my best friend fell into me covered in blood, her brother's body falling to the side still shielding us from the bullets.
Within two weeks, Anya and her family found their way out of Detroit. I never heard from her again, but I'd never forget how much she howled or cried as her brother used his last breath to tell her everything was going to be okay.
The worst part was that later in my life I found out the shootout was a mistake. The assholes who shot up my best friend's brother were at the wrong house. But that was how life goes I guess. I taught myself after that never to shed more than a tear because you had to remember someone else was still alive. Someone was protected, and the dead wouldn't want you to waste all your tears on them. They'd want you to be happy they got the hell off the earth are were someone better.
But that wasn't the story. I still remember to this day walking on the front porch to go visit Miss Evelyn.
I ran down the front steps, my brother grabbing me from behind holding me above the ground by the straps of my overalls. "Rob, put me down!"
My big brother just shook his head and laughed. Rob was the best brother I could ever hope for. There was just a three-year difference between us but it never felt like it. It was summer, Rob was ten and I was seven. Miss Evelyn had told us there was a new boy coming to her house. She had foster kids for a long time, but she said this one would be staying with her.
Bobby Mercer. The first of Evelyn's four boys we would meet in our life. He was sitting on the front porch scowling slightly. Evelyn was just coming out of the front porch giving us a wave.
I climbed up the porch railing looking over the grumpy boy and up at Evelyn. "is he always going to sit around like this?"
Evelyn grabbed the straps of my overalls lifting me to stand beside her. "He just needs a nice welcome. Do you think that was a nice welcome?"
I hung my head. "Sorry Miss Evelyn." I sat down beside the boy giving him a smile. "Hi. I'm Lucia, this is my brother Robert but everyone calls him Rob."
The boy looked up at my brother. "My name's Robert. Everyone calls me Bobby."
My brother stuck out his hand and Bobby shook it.
Amazing that in that one moment, those two would form a friendship that would last forever. Even after Rob had died, Bobby still watched out for me as if I was his own little sister.
Years went by and I had met Bobby, Angel, and Jeremiah. It was summer again, this time I was thirteen. I was getting ready to start the eighth grade, but something more important was going on. Evelyn was adopting a new boy. I was waiting on the porch while she talked to all the boys, my bother included. I sat on the front porch picking at a hole in my jeans letting my hair fall around me.
I was going through that small brooding phase. I was going into the eighth grade and semi-happy about it. I'd be moving up in the world, but this age also meant my body was changing. And mine wasn't changing too kindly. I had been the only girl in third grade to need a bra, and I thought I was going to stay a B forever and stop getting attention, but no. Genetics were against me and this summer I was suddenly a DD. My mother screamed and tried to figure out how the hell that had possibly happened. So maybe I had decided to cover myself up with baggy shirts and sports bras. Apparently, I couldn't cover it too much anymore. Of course that goes to show how much attention my mother paid to us. I think Rob noticed, but I know he would NEVER say anything to me about it. Evelyn tried touching on it a few times, but apparently my pathetic looks got her. I think I was the only person that could get away with something when it came to Evelyn. Maybe it was because a girl, or maybe it was because she told me I reminded her of her when she was a girl.
Anyway, my mother had dragged me out to get new bras and proper shirts. She sighed and told me something I already knew. It would be easier to get through the next couple of years if I just accepted myself instead of dressing like a bum. I knew it but I wasn't happy about it. Although new clothes were nice. Plus my mother was so happy to get me to agree with her she let me pick what I would wear. Mainly I was let to keep most of my ripped up jeans, results of jumping over fences with the Mercer clan, but I had to have 'decent' jeans for school. Well, they'd last about a month, maybe. I kept the tops simple. Lots of long sleeve, with the color spectrum of black, blue, and green. Simple and it received minimal eye rolls form my mother. Rob found this whole thing highly amusing. He said he thought all girls wanted big boobs. I proceeded to punch him in the face.
I lifted my head up as the boys slunk out of the house. Bobby ruffled my hair and pointed toward the house. "Hey Trouble. Ma wants to talk to you."
I gave him a little salute and headed inside to where Evelyn was sitting. "You wanted to see me? What'd you say to that lot? They look like they lost a hockey game."
Evelyn gave a sigh as I sat down. "I want to talk to you about the little boy coming into the house. Lucia, he's not like the other boys. He came from a lot of bad places, worse than any of the others. He was abused in a different way. I found him in the hospital and now he's going to be coming here. I want you to watch him closer than the others."
I looked at her curiously. "I'd do anything for you Miss Evelyn, but why me?"
"I think he's going to take to females better than males. I think he's just going to be more comfortable with you than the boys for a while. He needs to be with someone who's gentle." She rethought that sentence with a smile. "I mean, someone who is a little bit gentler than the boys. Plus, you two are the same age. Speaking of do you mind running down to the store to get balloons. It's actually his birthday today, I wanted to do something special. I thought you and your brother would come over for a small little party. Maybe you can-"
"Make a cake?" I smiled. I loved baking, especially with Evelyn. She let me go wild and make everything from scratch. My mother couldn't understand why I couldn't just use that prepackaged stuff. She just didn't understand that it took all the fun out of baking. I took the money from Evelyn and ran out the door heading to the corner store where I could get balloons.
Angel caught up with me first plucking the money out of my hands. "You may be his new best friend, but you are not picking out pink balloons for him."
I crossed my arms sticking my tongue out at him. "I know that much thank you. So what do you think he'll be like. Jack, right?"
Angel nodded picking out a few balloons and turning back to me while they were filled with helium. "Yeah, his name's Jack. I think he's going to be okay." Angel pinched my nose with a sad smile. "I think he's going to be in bad shape for a while, but Ma makes everyone better. I don't know how she does it, but Bobby, Jerry, and me were the worst kids in the system and she made us better."
I nodded taking the balloons and walking back outside with him. Jerry came running around the corner waving at us. "He's here."
Angel ran after Jerry and I followed, making sure I had a good hold on the balloons. Evelyn was shaking hands with a woman who was restarting her car. She gave a wave goodbye and drove off leaving us all to look at the boy standing in Evelyn's arms.
He wasn't like the others that was for sure. He was taller than the rest and less muscular. He had dirty blond hair that looked like it was permanently messy and startlingly bright eyes. His hands were shoved into the pockets of his jeans while an oversized sweatshirt drowned the rest of him.
Angel and the others looked to Evelyn then to me for a sign on what to do. I looked over at Evelyn and she nodded slightly over Jack's head.
I walked forward with a small smile. "Hi. I'm Lucia. Happy Birthday Jack."
Jack looked at me carefully before sticking out his hand. "Nice to meet you."
I smiled a bit more easily shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you too. I should probably introduce the statues behind me. You must be pretty intimidating they're usually not this scared of people. But, I mean they are pansies anyway."
Jack cracked a smile and stood next to me while I introduced the others.
Evelyn stood behind me and gave my shoulder a squeeze letting me know I had done well. "They're going to make you pay for that comment later."
I gave her a wide smile. "I just got away with calling them all pansies and not being beaten up within three seconds. I think that's a win for me."
It would take all of three months for Jack to get comfortable with us. From what I found out about Jack later, I was shocked he took to us so quickly. Then again, we were friendly people. Like that as Bobby and Rob became close, Jack and I were inseparable. We were crazy protective of each other. Of course, we had our own friends, but we always had each other. Of course, there were guy issues and girl issues we needed to sort out. When it came to that Jack had his brothers and I had Kathryn, or Ryn as I called her, to talk to. Rob liked Ryn, but always rolled his eyes when we were together. He said it was like two of me out in the world, and that was the most dangerous thought in the world. I was happy, this was my family and no one could take that away from me. Ryn hung out with the boys too, but she was never as close with them as I was.
My mom and I got along well enough. I know it was hard for her raising me and Rob. She didn't see us as much as she wanted and I knew she loved us. She didn't always say it, but we always knew. She works long hours at the hospital and prayed every night thanking god for the two smartest children anyone could ask for. She knew we weren't dumb enough to get into stupid gang banger shit and get rolled into the ER riddled with bullets. Of course, it didn't help her.
She was wheeling in two gunshot victims into the ER when one jumped out of the stretcher and started shooting at the other. The shooter apparently was covered in blood and had been shot only twice, but he looked a lot worse. When he heard his victim would pull through he decided to finish business. How none of the EMTs noticed he still on a gun on him was beyond me. The problem was nurses, EMTs, and police tried to intervene. Two nurses and an EMT were killed. Three others were injured before the shooter was killed by one of the policemen. My mother was one of the two nurses trying to roll the victim out of range. The victim miraculously pulled through and sent Rob and I a touching letter after my mother's funeral.
The day after the funeral was a very bad day. Rob was pacing the living room, his Mercer brothers standing around the room talking to him. Because Rob was already eighteen, he wouldn't have to go into foster care. I was another problem. We had some family, third cousins, but they lived all the way out in Connecticut. That would mean Rob would have to leave the job he already have and take me, or lose me.
I sat on the couch next to Jack, scared for the first time in years.
Bobby threw a pretzel at Rob. "Man, I don't see what the big deal is. You're eighteen; you can just take care of her."
Rob stopped pacing. "Bobby, you know what my problem is. Hell, we might as well just get it out in the open Lucia knows too. She could have one hell of a better life in Connecticut. I mean hell, what's she going to do here?"
I squeezed Jack's hand finding my voice. "I don't want to go to Connecticut, Rob. I want to stay here. This is my home. With you, all of you. I mean I'll get a job, I can help with the bills. Please, don't send me away Rob. I know you don't want to separate us, so don't. You don't want to go out there anymore than I do. Our home is here, are life is here, out family is here. Right now, we're all here."
Rob watched silently as Jack pulled me back toward him protective arm around my shoulders. If there was one thing Rob knew, it was separating Jack and me would do a lot of damage. We'd been good for each other just like Evelyn had thought. I was the one who had gotten Jack to finally lighten up around everyone, it had taken these few years for him to really relax, sending me away could do damage. And not for him. Jack was my best friend and I trusted him with my life. Rob knew that. Rob knew that Jack and I cared about each other more than we would ever admit. Around here it was better I found someone who cared about me properly then moving on and falling in with the first person who told me they loved me. That was how you ended up with three kids and a gang banger boyfriend around here.
Angel ruffled my hair from his spot behind the couch. "The girl's got a point Rob. I mean, you gonna up and leave us? Plus, hell, if there's a serious problem Ma can take her in for a bit if the government gives you a problem."
Rob nodded with a smile. That was his version of approval on the idea. He could have just asked me straight out, but this was a family matter. We needed to be here together. He walked over and sunk into one of the living room chairs. "Yeah, yeah. Just as long as your ma doesn't adopt her. That'd make things weird when Jackie finally gets down to business and marries Lucia."
Bobby groaned. "Man, let it be. Fairy doesn't like girls."
Jack flipped his brother the bird. "Man leave it alone." He gave me a wink and cleared his throat. "Actually I don't like girls." He laughed at the silence and pulled me into his chest in a cheesy embrace. "I loveee them."
I smacked him in the chest still laughing.
I was going to find out later on these were the days I was going to cherish. When every bad moment could be changed with a stupid joke.
We partied a lot, all of us and usually ran in similar crowds. So it wasn't a big surprise when we all went to a party in the middle of summer. It was a year after mom had died and a lot had changed. I got a job working at the bar and a lot more attention had come my way. I went with it. Only a few years ago I had fought with my mother to keep attention off me, now I was playing it up. I learned people gave better tips if you looked good. I was getting paid under the table to begin with, but tips helped with everyday things. Everything was going well with Rob, work was going really well and he was one of the best mechanics at the shop. Everyone was growing up in their own way. Angel was going out to join the Marines, go figure. He was going to be leaving us in a few weeks, so we were getting in as much partying as we could. Jerry was taking night classes to do something with himself, and Bobby was doing his own thing. Like me Jack was coming into who he was. He had turned to music and everyone knew him as a musician, future fucking rock star. Girls started really noticing him too. Jack had shot up a few more inches meaning there was now no one taller then him around. He wasn't beefed up like the other guys around, but that didn't hurt his looks. The girls saw him as something different, that you only see on TV. Jack belonged on the east coast as some laid back rock star, yet here he was winning over every skirt he came across. That didn't mean Jack was a man whore, but he never needed to stay home alone on a Friday night. Or any night of the week for that matter. That never changed things between us though. We knew no matter what happened we'd always have each other.
It was the same with tonight. One of Angel's friends was throwing a huge bash. He joked it was going to be Angel's going away party. We were all there, and I decided to ditch the guys and hang with Ryn. Rob was grinding with some girl and glared at me pointing his beer in my direction. Go figure, he could grind with someone, but I couldn't. I gave him a wink and pushed closer to my partner, moving deeper into the crowd.
Ryn came to me as the song changed with a dark look on her face. "We have a little problem…" Her eyes feel over my shoulder and her lips grew tight. "Shit."
I looked over my shoulder and groaned. My ex, Rudy, was coming toward me with a big smile. Not someone I wanted to see. We'd broken up a few months ago, but suddenly he wanted to get back together. I dumped him after finding out he'd never broken up with his ex. She found out about me last month and left his sorry ass. He wasn't a good of a player as he thought. Apparently between myself and his other ex no other girl would touch him now, knowing how he played.
"Hey beautiful."
I could already smell the beer on him and held up my hand as he opened his mouth. "Just back away. I don't want to hear it again."
His face violently changed and he shook his bottle at me. "You know. You are such a slut. You won't come back to me, but you'll fuck any guy here. Always a slut, with your little rock star white boy."
I laughed in his face. "White boy? Have you looked in a mirror Snow White?"
A few people around us gave appreciative whoops at my words. I turned sideways kissing two fingers and placing them on my ass before laughing and moving away.
That's when things went bad.
Rudy grabbed my wrist yanking me toward him. I turned backhanding him and struggling out of his grip. He stumbled into a table, shattering his bottle and took another swing at me. I let out a cry as the glass ripped through my shirt and sliced my skin. Jack had appeared when he heard Rudy's voice and suddenly launched himself at my attacker. The rest of the Mercers and my brother followed. Ryn grabbed me and got me to an open space checking the wound. Jerry's girlfriend, Camille, came over pressing a towel to my side. She'd been taking nursing classes at night and probably knew what she was doing compared to Ryn. If I wasn't in so much pain I probably would have checked myself out.
I leaned my head back as we all heard sirens. If you want to know the best way to evacuate a house, have a siren sound. Apparently, some neighbor got tired of the party noise and called the cops.
Ryn pulled me up as the others came to find us. "Rob, we can all go to my house, my parents are gone for the weekend and Danny probably beat us there."
Rob nodded and swung me over his shoulder fireman style, hitting me when I struggled. "No complaining, it'll be faster this way."
I don't know how the hell we made it to Ryn's house so fast. Everyone knew how to run, you couldn't not know. But I swear one second we were running out the door and the next second I was on Ryn's couch.
Ryn dumped all her medical supplies next to me ignoring my laugh. She couldn't put on a band aid without her hands shaking.
I selected a few antiseptics and looked down at myself. "Damnit."
Rob turned around with a sudden jerk. "What? What?"
I lifted my shirt and put my fingers through the holes. "I loved this shirt, it was my favorite."
Rob blinked a few times and sat down next to Bobby. "I am going to kill her. I swear to god, I am going to kill her."
I stood on my tippy toes giving Jack sad eyes. "Please?"
Jack covered his eyes with a hand. "I'm not looking at you. I know that look. You know how I feel about that look."
I grabbed his hand and took the other for good measure pulling them to his sides and leaning in closer. "But Jack…it's prom. Come on, it's our last year. Even Bobby went to his prom."
Bobby had been gone three years already, but still showed up for the holidays. Since then Jack and I had gotten a lot closer. Without Bobby and Angel, Jack could really be himself, without getting shit from the others. And this let Jack open up a lot. Rob was always pretty happy with the idea of Jack and me. Bobby hated the idea, thus the Fairy jokes. Without a Bobby, Jack decided to try things out with me.
Jack looked down at me eyes trying to stay with me, but sliding to my lips. "You are a very hard person to argue with."
I smiled sweetly. "I know. So….?"
He sighed wrapping his arms around me. "If it's really going to make you happy then fine. We'll go to prom this year. One condition."
I raised my eyebrow hovering inches from his lips. I hated it when he did something like that. "What condition?"
"The dress must be black. I am not going to prom with you if you wear some red or pink poofy dress."
I laughed knocking him into the couch and kissing him. "You're such an idiot."
Jack laughed kissing my lips and throat. "And it has to be sexy. And make everyone jealous. And cleavage is a must."
"You are such a perv."
"Jack. You need to give up for a second." I closed my eyes as he proceeded to nibble at my neck. "Jack I'm serious. I can't get the key in the door."
Jack's hand roamed over my body, brushing any bare skin ever so lightly. "I can't help it." He took my hand and aimed it at the lock finally getting the key in.
I turned it and we stumbled inside, hands all over each other. Jack grabbed my butt lifting me in the air. In seconds, my back was pressed against the wall, legs wrapped tightly around his waist. "I'm not having sex in the stairwell Jack."
Jack groaned low in his throat and pulled me closer to him as he headed up the stairs, stumbling slightly. "Yeah, well I'm having a hard time concentrating with you doing that thing."
I grinned nipping his ear again. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Jack's strides lengthened until he laid both of us on top of my bed, limps tangled. His fingers slid up my sides before ending just under my breasts. Jack moved one hand against the mattress to steady himself as the other snaked behind me to undo the knot that tied the halter together.
Jack sat up slightly, and I followed, legs still wrapped around his waist. I unbuttoned the last button on his shirt sliding it off his shoulders and tugging at his undershirt. Jack realized he couldn't take off his shirt and still hold me, so he leaned forward pulling his shirt off and keeping as much physical contact as humanly possibly. Jack pulled me back up against him, hands at the back of my dress. His lips were moving around my throat when he let our a low growl.
I pulled back slightly looking at him with half a sober mind. This close to being with Jack was intoxicating. "What?"
"Where the hell is the zipper?"
"There isn't one. The dress pulls over my head."
We stared at each other for a few moments and just started laughing, falling back onto the bed, a hopeless mess.
I moved Jacks hands to help him pull off my dress and smiled at his frame leaning over me on the bed. "Just like a guy."
He cocked his head looking confused. "What do you mean?"
"You never ask for directions."
Jack's face split into a wicked grin, slowly lowing his body down to mine. "Babe, for this, I don't need directions. I know exactly where I'm headed."
Jack twitched in his beat up suit at the dinner table. A bunch of us had gotten together to celebrate graduation. Graduation had been yesterday, and now we were free. No more high school, just the rest of our lives to plan out.
I smiled at Jack and twined my fingers with his. I leaned over to his shoulder whispering in his head while the others were making fun of the speech the class president had made. "Jack, you okay? You've been acting funny all night."
He turned to look at me, but never fully met my eyes. "Nothing, I just have news for everyone."
I raised and eyebrow, but he shook his head and dropped my hand.
Around the table presents were passed, mostly little photo albums filled to the brim with memories and little stuffed graduation animals. I gave Jack a quick kiss on the cheek as I unwrapped his present to me. It was a stuffed teddy bear with a graduation cap and robe. In it's cap was a picture of Jack and I at prom in one of our stupid poses.
Jack rose his glass of water and hit the side a few times with his ring to get everyone's attention. "Hey, dumbasses, give me a second okay? I have news."
Travis laughed, arm wrapped around Ryn's shoulders. "Please don't tell me you and Lucia are expecting."
Jack's face lost a shade of color, but he shook his head. "No. I have music news."
There were a few appreciative whoops and whistles. I watched confused. Not that I wasn't happy for Jack, but he usually told me any new news before he told everyone else. This wasn't like him.
Jack looked around the table and let out a long breath. "So I've sent out some demos and a record company wants to buy one of my songs. They're not sure if they really want me yet, but they definitely want my lyrics."
Ryn raised her glass in a toast. "Sweet deal Jackie, I hope they're giving you big bucks. Hell knows someone here needs to become rich."
Jack gave a sad little smile. "It's enough to get me settled."
I blinked looking at him. "Settled?"
It was as if a vacuum had sucked all the air out of the room. Every smile at the table vanished and it seemed as though people were wishing themselves to disappear. In that second everyone realized Jack hadn't told me. That was never a good thing.
Jack turned to me slowly, unsure. "I'm going to New York."
"New York."
"Yeah."
My fingers were curling into fists in my lap. "When were you planning on telling me?"
"Later."
"Later."
"Damnit, Luce, don't just repeat everything I'm saying."
"Well, fuck you Jack. I'm not exactly sure how I'm suppose to respond to this news. You didn't tell me."
"You're not my mother. I don't have to tell you everything."
I stood up feeling hurt. Jack had never gotten that defensive around me before. It hurt. "When do you leave?"
"Tomorrow."
Tomorrow. He was going to leave tomorrow and he hadn't even told me. No clues or hints. Things had been fine funny until today. I just figured that it was just some kind of post-graduation nerves.
I bit my lip and shook my head forcing a smile holding my hands up. "That's nice to hear. You know what? Good Luck Jack. And you know what? Fuck you. I hope you're happy in New York."
I walked out toward the door and never looked back. I wouldn't let him see that he had done it this time. He'd managed to hurt me so bad there was no turning back.
I stood in front of Evelyn's yard a bottle of vodka in one hand and threw the graduation bear on the sidewalk. Taking another swig of the bottle, I baptized the bear and flicked a match onto it.
I heard a car approach and turned to watch Ryn pull up in her car and come stand beside me watching the bear burn. I had gotten up the morning after the dinner to apologize to Jack when I found out he had left already. So now in the middle of the night I was standing in front of Evelyn's house burning the teddy bear her youngest boy had given me with what I thought were prefect intentions.
We stood there for a few moments in silence before she spoke. "You know burning the bear won't bring him back right?"
I nodded taking another swig. "Yes."
She slid her eyes to me. "You also realize the little bear does not work as a voodoo doll correct?"
I passed the bottle to her nodding slightly. "Yes, but a girl can dream right?"
"I don't think I've ever seen you look this hurt."
"Ryn. He didn't tell me."
"Luce, his timing wasn't good I'll admit, but he said it in front of everyone. He did say it."
"No, Ryn you don't understand. He didn't tell me. He never told me he was leaving at all. Not one clue." I let out a breath and finally met her gaze. "Ryn, he never said it."
"Said it?"
"He never said goodbye."
She motioned to the burning bear that was now just a bit of fluff and the crinkling photograph. "You think maybe it was because he knew you'd do something like this?"
"Maybe." I looked up to where Jack's room used to be and flipped his window the bird. "Bye Jack."
Ryn wrapped her arms around me and led me back into the house, the teddy bear still burning softly behind us.
"Please Evelyn."
"Lucia, I don't think that's such a good…"
"Please Evelyn. You asked how you could help. Please call the boys. I just…I can't do it. Not this time."
"But dear, don't you think it would be better for them to hear it from you?"
I raised my head from the tabletop looking at Evelyn with bleary eyes. "How do I go about telling Bobby that his best friend died? Not just died, but was murdered? How do I ask Angel to stop at home for another funeral? I'd ask Jerry, but I think he only knows how to get in contact with Angel lately."
"What about Jackie?"
"Not someone I feel like talking too. He can be called, but Evelyn, I can't deal with the boys right now. I love them all, you're all my family, but I just can't do it."
Evelyn brushed my hair out of my eyes and cradled my face in her hands forcing me to look into her eyes. "Darling, you are one of the strongest people I have ever met. If you feel overwhelmed I will do it, but you need to take a break from everything for a moment. Don't have me do something you feel you should do yourself."
I gave her a sad smile. I was nineteen and lost my mother and my brother within a few years of each other. I was now all alone without anyone who was blood left around. I wasn't going to risk leaving Detroit now. This was where my entire life was. This was where my family was buried and I would be damned if I ever left the only place I actually could call home.
Evelyn stood me up and planted a kiss on my forehead. "I'll make the calls. Just remember, you won't be able to avoid the talk with all of them forever."
"I know, but it doesn't mean I have to look forward to it either. I just…I can't believe he's actually gone."
"I know baby."
"Twenty-two. He was twenty-two Evelyn."
"Justice will come, Lucia. I promise."
I gave her a smile. "The only question is when."
Jack hadn't shown up. Now I was three sheets to the wind and Bobby had me backed up into the wall.
It was when I realized it was Bobby I started shouting for help. It wasn't Jack. Jack wasn't this rough. Jack wouldn't try to hurt me or stop me from calling for help.
I don't remember much aside from Angel and Jerry pulling Bobby off of me.
I slumped angst the wall and I think I was there all night.
Morning came and I blinked my eyes slowly and stood up from the floor then sinking back to my knees clutching my head.
Bad Lucia. Over drinking again.
I groaned. My inner voice. The one that came up in times of over the top stress. Or an over the top hangover.
"Go away."
Oh no. You should know better by now.
"I think I'm allowed to get drunk every once in a while."
Yes, BUT do you remember what happened last night?
"I remember…shit. I remember hitting Bobby…I don't remember why. I remember Jack wasn't here."
Useless asshole.
"Finally we can agree on something."
Yeah well, I am a part of you after all.
"So chocolate milkshake?"
Hangover cure 101.
"Yay. Then when my head isn't throbbing I'll go talk to the guys and see what happened. The question is Evelyn's or Jerry's."
Try Evelyn's first. This'll be the only time she probably won't yell at them for being drunk. Jerry might be holed up there too.
"Good point. Now. Where are my keys?"
I rested my forehead on Jerry's door. I was on milkshake number two. I had gone to Evelyn's after my first small milkshake with new eyes and was told no one was there. Apparently the boys hadn't stayed another night. Huh. Interesting. That made the minimal headache worse and now I was waiting for Jerry to answer the door.
The door slowly opened causing me to jump back as Jerry answered. "Well I'm glad I was right. Come on in. Camille and the girls went grocery shopping."
I followed him and fell into one of the kitchen chairs. "Right about what?"
"You don't remember shit about last night."
I narrowed my eyes at him. "Jerry. I don't remember certain parts. There's blank spaces, I didn't go into a damn coma. Not that anyone cared apparently. I woke up on the floor and no one was in the house."
"Camille sent everyone home when she was Angel and I take Bobby…"
"Out. I remember punching Bobby, but I don't remember shit after that. I remember you and Angel Grabbing him, but…it's blank."
"Oh. So you don't remember talking about Jack?"
I put my cup down and crossed my arms. "Don't you dare play that game Jerry. I know Jack wasn't there. THAT I remember."
"No I mean talking about…this isn't easy." He sighed nad rubbed his head. "I'm not making excuses for everyone, but we were all way too drunk last night. Listen. Bobby tried to get with you-"
"HE WHAT?" My mind started reeling.
So apparently, your shirt wasn't messed up just because of the way you were sleeping.
Jerry held up a hand. "Lucia, wait. You were both really drunk. Plus, Bobby's been taken care of. Trust me. Listen you started calling for Jack. You knocked over a lamp and Angel and I came to see what had happened. You started asking where Jack was and some other shit. Angel wasn't paying attention because he was too busy pulling Bobby off of you."
I shook my head. "I wouldn't ask for Jack."
Liar. Yes you would and you know it.
Jerry raised an eyebrow. "Luce, don't lie. Come on I know about you and Jack. Don't forget, I never went far from here. I remember about the two of you. It's only been a year."
"A year is long enough to get over someone."
Jerry opened his mouth but closed it and shook his head.
We sat like this for some time before he started talking again. "Listen Bobby's been taken care of. He sent word how sorry he is, trust me."
"What'd you do?"
"Me? Nothing. Angel and Jack took care of it." His eyes widened. "Oh shit."
"Jack?"
"Lucia, breathe for a second. Jack was outside city lines when he met up with Angel and Bobby. They took care of it. Bobby didn't really remember what happened. It's been taken care of."
"Jack was in Detroit."
"No. Jack was not in Detroit. He never got into the city. He just met up with Angel. They took care of it."
I took that in for a moment and nodded. "He's not coming."
Jerry moved uncomfortably in the chair. "I don't think so."
I stood and raised my cup to him. "Thanks Jerr. Tell Camille I said hi."
"Lucia…listen."
"Jerr. It's okay. Plus I don't think I can deal with another, 'Jack WILL come back' speech. I already got one form Evelyn this morning."
Jerry smiled. "You stopped there first?"
I nodded. "Well I figured if you guys were any where near as bad as I was last night, you wouldn't have gotten far."
I sat at the kitchen table with Green having a stare down. "I know the rules just as well as you do Green. I'm not family. I don't make the call."
"Oh hell no Lucia. You're not making me do this."
"Green! You're a cop, this is your job. You're suppose to tell the family."
"You are family."
"Not my blood, not by paperwork."
"I'm not going to be the one to give Bobby the news."
"You want to talk to Bobby about as much as I want to talk to Jack."
I pulled a quarter out of my pocket. "I'll flip you."
Green stared at me when his face paled. "Luce. We forgot something."
I sucked in a breath. "Jerry."
Green had come into the house about twenty minutes ago and found me looking through the cabinets. He sat me down and even he couldn't be calm about telling me that Evelyn was dead. How could you be? She was with me not even an hour ago laughing and joking, saying how she was going to go look at turkeys for Thanksgiving. After our small grieving time it turned into the blame fest of who was the one who should call next of kin. It was late at night and Green knew I was the only one who probably knew of any way to reach the guys.
Suddenly it dawned on us that Jerry was still here. Here we were being selfish about who was suppose to break the news to Bobby when Jerry was still in town. Jerry was sleeping soundly thinking that his mom was still alive and we were being childishly selfish. That made both of us feel stupid.
I pushed the telephone near him and his hands seemed to slid back into his body. I shook my head. "I'm not being funny. It's just I think it should come from the police first. I don't think a lot of family members would appreciate if they found out they weren't informed first."
Green sighed. "I know you're right. This is something I hate. I hate it even more when it's someone I know."
I gave him a sad smile and squeezed his arm. "I know. Don't forget you called me too. Jerry will appreciate it more coming from you than someone else. I can promise you that much. It means a lot."
He sighed dialing the number. "I'm still going to say you're here though. He knows you're over here all the time anyway. Out on the coffee he's going to have to come over anyway, might as well be as comfortable as possible."
Stop swearing and just walk.
"I don't want to just walk."
Oh just stop your bitching. You know you're not going to NOT show up.
"I know." I was mumbling to myself and stood in the back of the crowd gathered around the grave. I held the four roses in my hands and silently cursed Evelyn for giving me this job.
It was a few months ago when she had sat me down. She had told me there was something important she wanted to discuss. She had taken out a new insurance policy so that Jerry's girls would be taken care of, just incase. To add to the just incase she made me promise if she died while the boys were away I had to do something at her funeral. Under penalty of death I would make sure they all made it to the funeral and to give them each a rose and a message. I still got a funny feeling thinking about that day.
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Evelyn smiled at me from across the table. "Listen darling, I know you don't like to think about the whole death thing when you don't have to, but I need you to do this for me."
"Evelyn you know anything you ask I'll do."
"Good. I want you to make sure my boys give me a proper goodbye. They all have to be together for this one, at the same time Lucia, remember that. You give each of them a rose, because that's what they are. They're my roses. Thorny and tough, but they're still beautiful and delicate." She grinned and gave me a wink. "And I know they're something a woman can't resist."
I gave a groan. "Evelyn, please no more Jack talks."
She took my hands in hers and gave me a smile. "The boys may be the roses, but you have a part in the bouquet. You're like the baby's breath. You're that little bit of softness that comes of out them when it comes to you. They all have that soft spot when it comes to you and you know it. You're that one breath of innocence they need."
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
That's what killed me. It killed me thinking about Evelyn and everything she made me promise and wanting to walk out on it. But I would go through with it because I promised. Didn't mean I had to like it. And it didn't mean I didn't want to punch Jack in the face, but I wouldn't. Part of me was afraid Evelyn would rise from the dead and yell at me for punching someone in a cemetery.
That gave me a little smile and enough courage to run forward before the four of them vanished.
I grabbed Jack's hand and let out a little scream. "Jack. I swear, I don't…AHH…want to do this again."
Jack smiled and kissed my hand, squeezing back. "I love you, you know."
I growled at him as another contraction came. "I love you too, just not right now."
I gave the doctor a cold look. "Do you think they're not coming out just to piss me off? Because then they defiantly take after their father." My head fell back onto the pillow. "Twins. I can't believe it."
Jack gave a little laugh. "Well if it makes you feel any better two is enough for me. You're getting two for the pain of one."
"Jack. I will kill you if another stupid joke escapes your mouth."
One of the nurses gave us an odd look. "You know, most couples usually have this fight, but I've never seen any guy look this calm."
Jack grinned at her. "We grew up together, there's nothing she can say anymore that scares me. I know her scary side, this is nothing."
I let out another scream. I've been stabbed and have had more injuries than most people I know. How is it giving birth to a child could be so painful? Oh yeah. Something that large should not be pushed out of…never mind. The image made me want to cringe. It could happen to me as long as I didn't think about that image. When I went to those birthing meetings they showed us a home video of a birth. I attempted to gouge my eyes out and even Jack looked a bit weirded out.
I moaned again. "How can something that causes so much pain come from something that gave so much pleasure."
The nurse gave an appreciative laugh. "Oh I think we'd all like to know that."
"Lucia?"
I turned my head from the pillow watching Jack walk into the room. "Hey, when did you get home?"
"Just a second ago." He sat on the edge of the bed running a hand through my hair. "It's late what are you still doing up?"
I smiled and rolled to the side pulling him next to me. "Waiting for you to come home. The kids are sleeping so I was just doing a little bit of cleaning. What time are we going to the cemetery tomorrow?"
Jack smiled and wrapped his arms around me. "Early, we're going to spend the day together, all of us. I saw you got the roses already."
I nodded and snuggled into his chest. I don't know what it was, I didn't have a problem sleeping alone, but I always slept better when Jack was home.
"You forgot something though."
I moved my head to look at him confused. "What'd I forget?"
Jack grabbed a small cone of paper you usually see holding a bouquet and handed it to me. "The most important part of the bouquet. Baby's breath."
I took the baby's breath with a smile and placed them on the other side on me before pulling Jack into a long kiss.
A/N:
Hey all. Hope you had fun with my little one-shot.
I know I broke my code! Oh well, when it comes to one-shots I guess it's not really breaking it.
Anyway, I always wanted to show a bit more about growing up with Jack and Lucia so I thought about this.
Still amused about the messages and hits the story gets, really surprised people don't want to kill me for all the grammatical mistakes I made over a year ago.