Shadow's Memories
Chapter Twenty-One
Vanessa stood before the stove, waiting for her water to boil so she could have her morning coffee. Having only woken half an hour ago, the young woman made a mental note of what was needed to buy at the groceries. To Vanessa, it seemed as though the day, or at least the morning, couldn't get any worse. She woke to a splitting headache, having left her hair up in a ponytail the night before and nearly slipped on the tile floor of the bathroom after showering.
But at the moment her mind was blank as she put her hair up into a ponytail, going over her mental list of things to get. She was then reared out of her thoughts as she heard footsteps going down the stairs and though it was Sophie coming down to make breakfast for Angel.
"I'm going to the groceries, Sophie, you need anything?" Vanessa asked out loud. "Besides condoms?" She added as an after thought.
"Knowing them, they probably do." A familiar voice said behind her.
Vanessa tensed at hearing Bobby's voice. She didn't dare turn around or say a comment back, angered and hurt by what happened yesterday. Seeing the water boiling, Vanessa turned off the stove and took hold of the pot. She poured the water into her thermos cup. Bobby leaned against the doorframe that led into the hallway and the kitchen, watching his younger sister stir her coffee before placing the top close. She walked over to the sink with the pot and washed it off with cold water, the steam rising a bit.
Bobby walked into the kitchen in hopes to speak with her but Vanessa merely walked passed him and down the hall. She put on her gray sweater, grabbed her purse, and walked back into the kitchen without as so much a glance towards the older Mercer. Vanessa took hold of her coffee and walked out the back door. Bobby watched his baby sister through the window, watching her get in and driving away.
He swore under his breath, slamming his fist on the sink. Bobby knew that he hurt Vanessa yesterday but she made foolish decisions in the past and had hoped that she learned from them. But after what she announced yesterday, he could see that Vanessa didn't.
"Still mad about last night?" Angel asked as he walked in to the kitchen, having seen what happened.
Bobby turned around, glaring at Angel before walking over to the fridge and opening it. But as he looked inside, he remembered the reason Vanessa went out so early was because there was no food. Bobby slammed the door and walked out of the kitchen. Angel shook his head, sighing. Sometimes they were all too protective over Vanessa because of her past but out of all the brothers only Jack was able to see her point of view before any of them could get over their hotness and stubbornness.
'The calm and collected wannabe rock star.' Angel thought with a shake of his head and a smile.
Angel only figured that Jack understood Vanessa more was because of their close age and for the fact that Jack stayed long enough after everyone left the house to do their separate things. Vanessa had no one else to be comforted by when Bobby left, only Jack. If only the three other brothers had the same cool minded while their baby sister did something foolish there wouldn't be so much anger between any of them.
But as it is, Vanessa is giving the silent treatment to the three oldest brothers while she talked freely to everyone else.
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—Vanessa—
The youngest Mercer was look through the cereals, trying to keep her mind and anger away from her brother so she wouldn't snap on some poor unsuspected person.
"By the way you're scolding at the poor cereal," a voice said amused, "that it didn't go too well with your foster brothers?"
Vanessa grabbed Lucky Charms and Special K, throwing them into the cart.
"You guess right, Lobo." She turned and started pushing the cart down the aisle, Dario walking next to her. (…Wolf.) "They can never see my reasons to what I do. They always think that my reasons are stupid. Jack is the only one who saw why I want you and Terence to meet them."
Dario hugged her shoulders and kissed her hair. "They're just protective of you since Diablo is working with dad. I would be protective too." (…Devil…)
Vanessa growled at the back of her throat and walked down another aisle, looking at the different meat. She stopped nearby and reached into the cooler, pushing aside the top meat packets.
"I know they're protective but I'm getting sick of them not trusting me or my judgment." She told her brother seriously and annoyed.
"It's not that we don't trust you, Nessa," A voice said behind them.
Vanessa dropped the ribs and turned to see Bobby standing a few feet away, his hands in his sweater's pocket, glaring at Dario, who was glaring back.
"We just don't want you to get hurt again, that's all." Bobby explained.
Vanessa cleared her throat, feeling uncomfortable at the moment. Her heart was racing as she looked back and forth between her brothers.
"Bobby, this is my older blood brother, Dario. Dario," Vanessa squeaked, gulping nervously. "This is Bobby, my older foster brother."
The two shook hands, pressing down on each other to show their strength. Vanessa only shook her head and continued walking down the aisle to finish grocery shopping. Bobby sees this and lets Dario go, walking after Vanessa on her left side.
"Nice to meet you too," Dario muttered, walking on Vanessa's right side.
"Are you guys done playing the macho man?" Vanessa asked, pointing to Dario to get the pork chops.
"Why exactly are you here? How'd you fine Vanessa?" Bobby demanded.
Vanessa looked over to her brother. "Not here, Bobby." She hissed, looking around.
"I'm here because I wanted to see my baby sister again." Dario told him angrily. "And I went to the Foster program in Texas, asking them where they took my sister."
"Why did it take you so long to find her?" Bobby asked.
"Because our father had spies all over Houston and Santa Maria, Texas, Terence and I had to be careful with who we spoke to and when." Dario told him in a low voice. "Plus Vanessa changed her name to Mercer."
"Terence is the youngest of the three boys, older than me." Vanessa informed Bobby. "And Zamora is our surname."
Bobby narrowed his eyes. "So neither you or… Terence is on your father's side?"
"No, just Leon," Dario said with much hatred. "Although he's our brother, we don't care what happens to him."
Bobby opened his mouth to say something more but Vanessa interrupted.
"Look, let's do this at the house, please!"
Dario and Bobby glared at each other before looking over to their sister who was pleading them. They both sighed, glaring at each other once more.
"Fine." They said in unison.
Vanessa smiled. "Good, now take this list and go get what we need." Vanessa told them, handing the piece of paper to them. "Be nice." She added, walking away.
The two men looked at each other then down at the piece of paper that Bobby held. They quickly scanned over the list and nodded in unison.
"I'll get all the dry products." Dario said, walking down the aisle in front of him.
"I'll get all the liquid products." Bobby said, walking down the opposite of his sister.
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—Outside the supermarket—
"Where exactly did you leave Pollito, Toro?" Vanessa asked as she and her brothers put the groceries into the trunk of her car. (…Chicken, Ox?)
Dario took hold of the empty cart as Bobby closed the trunk, staring at Dario expectantly.
"He's at the hotel we're staying."
Vanessa nodded and looked over to Bobby, giving him her best pouting look she can muster. Bobby sighed in annoyance and nodded, Vanessa hugging him. Bobby hugged her back, looking up at Dario.
"You and Trent—"
"Terence." Vanessa and Dario corrected.
"Whatever, you guys can come by the house today. We'll talk then." With that said, Bobby kissed Vanessa's head. "See you at home, I'll call Jerry."
And he walked away towards his car. Dario smiled down to his grinning sister.
"Just tell me how to get there and we'll be there as fast as we could."
Vanessa nodded, hugging her brother, happy that all her brothers could finally meet and hopefully get along for her sake. After giving him the directions, Vanessa watched her brother take the cart over to the returns and got into her car.
"Diosito mió, por favor ayúdame este día. Que mis hermanos se llave bien." Vanessa prayed underneath her breath. (My God, please help me this day. That my brothers get along.)
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A/N: Short, I know but next chapter will be longer and full of drama, trust me! I hoped you all liked this chapter! Please review!