Disclaimer: I don't own a thing. Mkay?
Harley followed Ms. Mercer out the front door into the terrible Detroit winter and to the shabby little car. She waited quietly for Ms. Mercer to unlock the doors so she could get it and with much difficulty Ms. Mercer managed to unlock the stubborn car door. Once inside Harley couldn't contain her questions much longer.
"Ms. Mercer," she started.
"Please, Evelyn or Mom, either is better then Ms. Mercer. That makes me feel old," she laughed.
"Oh, alright, um Evelyn, are you really thinking about taking me in?" she cautiously questioned.
She waited for the answer with bated breath. She wanted to know straight up if this was for good or just a joke. If it was a joke then she'd keep up her bad attitude and make this women regret ever messing with her, and maybe if by chance this woman is for real about her, she might just let down her guard a little bit, but not too much.
"Of course I'm going to give you the opportunity to stay with me, but that's only if you want to," she smiled looking over at Harley.
"Yea, I'd like that," Harley said slightly smiling.
"Well, Harley, that's quite an interesting name. What's the story behind it?" Evelyn said, not taking her eyes off the road.
"I don't know, I guess my dad," Harley said her voice reverting back to its usual attitude at the mention of her family.
"Oh," was all Evelyn said.
Harley sank very quickly back into her anger and decided to just try not to think about it. She hated talking about her family. She loathed anyone discussing HER father and mother. They meant the world to her, they had given her everything and she still ran away, but not because of some stupid pussy reason like other girls, but because, they died.
It was any other day and her dad just turned around to smile at her, but when he looked back he saw it. A semi-truck barreling down the middle of the road. He swerved, but it was too late, they fishtailed on the ice and slammed into a building. They died instantly, but Harley knew after seeing they're dead bodies, what was going to happen to her. She would be thrown into an orphanage and spend her life being moved from house to house. So she ran. No one ever looked for her or cared. So she never got caught.
Evelyn's calm voice brought her back to reality as she pulled up in front of a small shop.
"Well, Harley I noticed you really didn't have too much with you when you first arrived , so how about you go in and pick some things out and I'll wait for you here?" Evelyn said looking at her.
"No, it's fine, really," Harley countered.
"No, go the shop will be closing soon," Evelyn said firmly. She handed Harley the money and smiled, "Now I have some other things to do and then we'll hit the store on the way home, ok?"
"Uh, sure," Harley said, "Oh and thanks,"
"No problem, Honey," Evelyn said as Harley got out of the car and shut the door.
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Harley stood outside the shop with a few bags in her hands. The bitter wind bit at her face and she buried herself in her black leather jacket. She looked down at her attire, the ripped jeans and black k-swiss sneakers along with her pink halter and black zip up Hoodie, made her look pretty tough. She smiled and felt the warmth of the grey and black striped scarf she just bought.
Evelyn pulled up to the curb and Harley jogged over and tossed her bags in the back and got in the passengers seat. Then she did something that she hadn't done in a long time. She reached over and hugged Evelyn Mercer. Evelyn gladly accepted it and returned it.
"Thank you so much, it's been a while since anyone was around to care," Harley whispered.
'You're a Mercer now, you'll always have someone around," Evelyn smiled.
Harley smiled back and settled into her seat and waited for the car to pull up to the store.
"Now you just stay in the car, I'll only be a moment," Evelyn said as she opened her door and stepped out, leaving the car running.
Harley certainly didn't object and she waited patiently. She watched the little old woman go inside the store and she settled into her seat patiently. She flipped the radio around, but a black van pulling up behind the car made her look up in surprise. She watched it intently as two men exited the van, she vaguely made out the shape of a gun in one man's coat and she sunk low into her seat thinking they were going somewhere else. She watched until to her horror they ran inside the store where Evelyn had just gone in moments before. She hastily jumped out of the car, leaving it running as she ran for the door. She heard the first shot and then the second, she kept running until she reached the door and just as she jerked it open, the men ran out, pushing her down in the process. She watched as they just jumped in the van and drove off.
"Evelyn!" Harley shouted as she ran into the store
That's when she saw her, just laying there dead. Harley hurried over to where the desk was and quickly discovered the phone, she dialed 911, all she said was the address and that there had been a shooting. After that she bolted out the door and straight to the car. She jumped in the driver's seat and took off. She took the car straight back to the house, luckily she paid a little attention to where they had gone during the first car ride. She found the house after little trouble. She parked the car and grabbed her things out of the back, she walked up to the house and found the door was locked. She tried several different keys before opening the door and letting herself in.
She set her things down and just walked through the house. She felt hot tears start to spill down her cheeks. For once she thought she'd found something worth staying off the streets for, but she was wrong. She stood in the dining room and stared at the photos of the boys and Evelyn. She silently mourned the loss of someone she almost could call a mother.
"You're a Mercer now you'll always have someone around," she whispered to herself quietly.
She wandered if those four boys would be coming back, she wasn't sure if she should be happy or afraid. She wandered when any funeral would be held and when. She didn't really care because no one would notice if she wasn't there. So she just sat there, waiting. Waiting for what, she didn't really know. She ended up sleeping on the couch that night.
For the next few days, she just sat around, unsure of what to do, she ate a little food from the kitchen, but she mostly stayed inside the house just watching television. Then one day to her surprise she woke up to the sound of voices and a door being opened.
