Bobby's voice pulled me out of my memories. I knew there was going to be a get together at Jerry's house I just hadn't decided if I wanted to go or not. I started to think about the past and all the memories that I shared with the Mercer's. I thought about how we use to joke around with each other and how we always had each other's back no matter what. I thought about the one time I stood up for Jack and how Bobby gave him shit about it ever since. I smiled and made my decision, I just had to grow a pair of ovaries to do it.
Other POV (3rd person)
Green and his partner watched the gathering outside of Jerry's house, not everyone had arrived yet. He watched the brothers from a distance and began to spout out all he knew about them to his partner, Fowler as he looked at their files. He saw the oldest get out of his car
"That's Bobby Mercer. Heavy weight champion fuck up of the family, and that's a well defended title. Would've made his daddy proud if he ever had one. I use to know him, played hockey with him as a kid; the man got kicked out of 60 something games before the league through him out. They called him the Michigan Mauler." Green explained. Fowler flipped to the other case file.
"Who's the kid?" he questioned while reading his record.
"Oh that's Jack, he's the youngest, First class fuck up, third class rock star." Green explained
"He doesn't look like trouble." Fowler said while examining how thin his file looked compared to his older brother Bobby's.
"He's a mercer, don't let him fool you." Green warned. He watched as Jerry was talking to a group of women outside of his house. Jerry smiled and laughed, but he couldn't tell if it was real or not.
"What do we have here another model citizen." He said with a hint of sarcasm. He saw Green watching the man, Jeremiah, was what his file said.
"No Jeremiah's alright. He was a rising star in the union for a while. Man found a cause." He said with a slight chuckle. A figure past Fowler's peripheral vision, he let out a low whistle.
"Who is she?" he asked while admiring the woman's figure, Green's eyes widened in shock.
"The last person I expected to see here. Her name is Devan Sanders, Detroit's best beauty queen and ass kicker, used to be best friends with the Mercers." He said while looking at Devan, she paused for a moment looking at the house and the group of people Jerry was talking to.
"Used to be?" Fowler question still looking at the girl. Green handed him her case file.
"Yea, she and Bobby dated for a couple of years. They were the Bonnie and Clyde of Detroit back in the day, a real power couple. That was until Bobby up and left her with no explanation or goodbye. Tore her up pretty bad, not to mention what happened to her baby sister, Issi." Green said while looking at the woman with pity, she crossed the street finally, after Bobby and Jack entered the house of course.
"What happened to her?" Fowler asked. He didn't know what it was about this girl, but she had him hooked without even saying a word to him.
"They grew up in an abusive home. Devan took most of the beatings to spare her mother and sister the pain. She came home one day to find her sister dead and had to watch her mom shoot herself. She is the strongest woman I've ever had the chance to meet and know, but everyone has their limits." Green explained while watching her talk to Jerry and enters the house.
"Damn" was all that Fowler could manage. Looks like the enchanting woman had more baggage than the eye could see. He looked down at the last case file in his lap
"Where's the last brother?" Fowler said looking around the street.
"Angel? Pretty boy, ex- hustler, soldier, guess he's a no show." Green said with a sigh.
Normal POV
I watched Bobby, Jerry and Jack hugged and pushed each other around, I couldn't help but smile. I made my way across the street. Bobby and Jack just went in the house and Jerry took a glance in my direction. My presence made him take a double take.
"Devan! Is that you?" he questioned with a smile. I walked up the drive way toward him.
"In the flesh baby." I said with a smirk. He pulled me into a hug and spun me. I let out a laugh.
"I haven't seen you in a month. The girls have missed you." He said while putting me on the ground again.
"I've missed them. How are you?" I asked with a look of concern. He let out a sigh and shook his head.
"I miss her" he finally said while shifting his weight from foot to foot.
"Yea, we all do." I agreed. I looked down at my feet. How many more people will I lose? What did I do wrong? I asked myself. Jerry pulled me out of my pitiful inner thoughts
"Come on inside, its cold out here." He said while ushering me into the house. I laughed
"You don't have to tell me twice" I said while walking into the house. I walked out to the back to let Jerry play host to the other guests. I walked out back to see Bobby and Jack make their way to Daniela and Amelia. I hung back to listen.
"Hey there, you must be Daniela" Bobby said while shaking her hand.
"Look how big you guys are" Jack butted in. he also shook her hand and Amelia's. Bobby began to pet the dogs.
"You must be Amelia" he said to the dog. I smiled
"No I'm Amelia" the little girl shouted with a laugh
"I know" he said sweetly. They smiled back at him
"You guys probably don't remember us, but I'm your uncle Bobby and this is Cracker Jack." Bobby said. Jack gave Bobby a look
"Don't teach them that man." He said. Daniela looked at the men in front of her
"You can't be my uncles, you're white." Dani said. I shook my head at the girl. I told her about it before, but I guess it's just the way life is
"Grandma Evey is white." Amelia rationalized. I smiled at the girl
"That's right; we are a different kind of uncle. Grandma adopted me and Uncle Jack like she did your daddy." Bobby explained. I decided to walk a little closer to the group and this caught the girls' attention. They ran towards me and I swept them into a hug.
"Auntie! We've missed you." They said while I hugged them. I held the close to me and smiled
"I've missed you girls too." I replied honestly. I tickled and joked with them until I caught Bobby's eye. I stood up straight to greet them. I stopped in front of the two.
"Jackie." I said while holding out my arms. He grabbed me into a hug and lifted me off the ground. I laughed at him.
"How've you been, short stack?" he asked with a smile. I smiled back
"I've been good, you?" I asked
"Good" he said. I looked over at Bobby. To be honest I didn't want to talk to him at all.
"Devan" he said with a nod of his head. I gave him a guarded look.
"Bobby." I said with attitude oozing out of my every nerve. God! He just got under my skin. I wanted nothing to do with him. I was going to walk away, but then I heard Amelia shout
"You're a police man!" she said while pointing at Green and another detective.
"That's right and you're all under arrest, so don't anybody move" Green said while fake chasing the girls around, until Bobby caught his attention
"What about me Green? You gonna arrest me too?" Bobby asked with a look in his I that I knew too well, but I said nothing
"All depends Bobby, You keeping straight?" he asked
"Straightish" Bobby replied. Green just rolled his eyes and turned his attention to me
"What about you Ms. America" he joked. I laughed and rolled my eyes
"You can say that." I said with a coy smile. He laughed and pulled me into a hug. He and Bobby then bro hugged. Jack was next.
"Thanks for coming Green; Mom would be happy that you made it to the funeral." Bobby said.
"Shit, your mom would've been happy that you made it back for the funeral." Green said smiling.
"I didn't come back for no funeral." Bobby said with a serious tone. Green's smile fell. I rolled my eyes.
"Well boys, I loved the reunion, but I have to go." I said. The cop with Green looked me up and down.
"Leaving so soon?" he asked. I saw Bobby tense and shift towards me a little. I shifted towards Jack instead.
"Yea" was all I told him. I was going to walk away again, but he kept talking
"Well maybe I could get your number. You know just in case we have any questions." He said with a smirk. I shook my head at him.
"I don't date cops. To dangerous." I replied sarcastically. Jack and Green laughed loudly, but Bobby looked pissed, which pissed me off. I mean it's my life I'll do what I want and who I want. Jack grabbed my arm and gave me a look I understood immediately
"Please stay." He whispered so no one else could hear. I gave him a smile and agreed. The guys kept talking and the creepy cop gave me creepy looks, but I zoned out completely. It wasn't until I heard Bobby say
"Come on Green. Devan and I made a good living around here cause cops like you couldn't fine tits in a strip joint." I knew the conversation was coming to a close. We stayed at Jerry's for a while, until it got dark. Jackie and I mainly stayed together all night and after another pleading conversation I agreed to go back to the house with the brothers. I drove to the house and arrived just as soon as Bobby and Jerry pulled up. We all began to walk into the house when Jack spoke up.
"So what've you been up to Bobby?" he asked.
"I'm a freaking college professor Jack, what do you think I've been doing." Bobby replied sarcastically.
"Same old Bobby." I commented with an eye roll and smile.
"What about you Jackie? You still sucking a little cock left and right?" Bobby asked with a smile.
"Fucker" was all Jack said, but I punched Bobby in the arm.
"Knock it off" I warned him and gave him my famous glare. Bobby just shrugged it off. We all walked into the mudroom when I voice startled me
"y'all ain't right leaving me out in the cold like this" Angel said. I let out a small scream
"Dammit Angel! You scared the hell outta me!" I said with my hand over my heart. He just smiled, then Bobby walked around me and his hand brushed the small of my back. I immediately tensed, but he just acted like nothing happened.
"yo, little brother you asshole." Bobby yelled at Angel
"You ought to be ashamed" Jerry commented
"I missed my flight." Angel tried to explain
"You also missed your mother funeral you jarhead." Bobby said while pulling him into a bro hug. Jerry was next to greet him and then Jack.
"I haven't seen you in a while, bro." Angel said while pulling him into a hug. Jack smiled at him
"Did you get your teeth whitened?" Jack joked at him. His smile disappeared
"Shut up Jackie-Poo." He said. I stepped out from behind Jack and gave Angel a smile. He returned my smile.
"Hey beautiful." He said while pulling me into a hug I laughed
"Hello to you to handsome." I say. We both walked into the house after the reunion
Once we entered the house the mood changed. The air became heavy and a thick silence filled the room. I looked around and recognized everything Mama Mercer didn't change a thing. Angel finally broke the silence.
"I'm getting something to eat. Anyone want anything? He asked. I declined as well as everyone else.
"No I'm gonna get some sleep." Jack replied. Bobby stepped forward
"Jack and Devan, you can take Jackie's room. Angel take yours. I'm gonna sleep in Mom's room" Bobby said. I gave Bobby a look.
If he expects me to stay here it's gonna be a long night.