Family Matters Chapter 6
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, except for Mercedes.
I sat across from Faith, running my finger around the edge top of the mug. The steam rose from the coffee. I was trying to figure out where to start. I could tell Faith was waiting for me to talk, she kept lookin' at me. Finally she broke the silence.
"So Bosco what was it that you wanted to talk about?" She asked, thank God too otherwise we would have sat there all night not sayin' anythin'.
"She's gettin' worse Faith." I said softly not lookin' at her.
"Who? Who are you talking about Bos?"
I look up at her and sigh. "Mercedes, she's gettin' worse and I'm afraid if I don' do something an' don' do it soon, she's goin' to die." I look back down at my coffee and take a sip. "I stopped by my Ma's today and saw her, and all she had for breakfast was a small carton of orange juice. She so thin Faith ya can see her ribs, and her spine. She skin bones literally."
"Bos." She says. "You know what you want to do?"
I nod. "Yea, I want to bring her to live with me. She'll have to eat with me 'round, and she ain't goin' to be able to throw it up if she does. My Ma jus' puts a blind fold on to it, like it's not really there. If I mention she makes me out to be the bad guy. Mercedes she's dyin' - an' my Ma jus' ignores it."
Faith reaches her hand out and gently rubs the top of mine with her index finger. "I'm sure you can get her some help, will she let you help her."
I shrug, cus' I really don' know. See things with my sister have always been different. I've always treated her differently then I treat the rest of my family. She's my baby sister an' she always will be. So I'm a little more over protective with her, she's gotta softer spot in my heart. Her an' my Ma do that is. Mercedes means the world to me, she actually as no idea how much she means to me. I'd walk across rusty nails, broken glass, and hot coal jus' for her. An' Faith she knows this; she knows jus' how much Mercedes means to me. I mean there probably ain't been a shift thats gone by, where I haven't said somethin' 'bout her. Faith cares a lot 'bout her too. Mercedes is like a second daughter to her. If she takes Emily to the mall or somethin' she always invites Mercedes. I look up at Faith an' finally answer her question. "I dunno, I don' wanna approach her with it ya know. I'm thinkin' I'll ask her if she wants to move in and live with me, an' go from there."
"You know Bosco if you need any help...."
I smile and nod at her. "Thanks Faith, I have a feelin' I'm goin' to. I don' think gettin' Mercedes well again is goin' to be a walk in the park." I sip my cup of coffee again. "I'm goin' back to my Ma's tonight, cus' I promised her I would. It's goin' to be hard though, cus' I can't even hardly look at her. Every time I do my heart breaks even more seein' her like that."
"I'll come with ya for a little bit, haven't seen her in a while. Plus Emily wants her to come to the mall with us next week." She says with a smile still rubbin' my hand.
"She'd like that, her birthday was a while back. I still haven't found anythin' for her. She told me not to get her nothin' anyways, but I'll let her take my credit card, get somethin' she likes. A new outfit or somethin' moneys no object. Jus' as long as she doesn't go out an' buy a Dodge Viper or somethin' like that." I said with a small laugh.
"Wow the credit card Bosco, you sure ya feeling alright, giving a 22 year old a credit card?" She asks me.
"Yea, I'm fine. It's her birthday present. She ain't goin' to go and max the card out or anythin'. I know Mercedes she'll buy some jeans an' thats it. Even though I tell her she can buy more, or somethin' else she never does." I said with a little laugh. "We better go, Mercedes is goin' to think I feel in a hole."
"Okay let me pay for me coffee." Faith said to me.
"Faith it coffee I got it, I asked ya so I should pay. Right?"
"Fine Bos you can pay." She said laughing.
We drove back to my Ma's place. We didn't talk about much really. Nothin' important, jus' some chatter so it wouldn't be a borin' ride an' all.
I walked up with her to my Ma's apartment. I unlocked the door, my Ma was at work already since it was after 11. I could hear the TV on I quietly opened the door and peaked in. seein' Mercedes asleep on the couch. "Merc." I said softly. "Mercedes."
She slowly opened her eyes. "Mo?" She says rubbing her eyes.
"Yeah it's me." I said sitting down next to her on the couch.
She looks over and sees Faith. "Hey." She says with a smile. Gettin' up and givin' her a hug.
"Hey you." Faith says back. "Sleeping?"
"Naw, more like dozed off, waiting for this Johnny Depp movie to come on."
"Oh yeah?" Faith asks. "Sitting down next to her. "Which one?"
My sister looks at me then back at Faith. "Blow."
I shake my head. "Johnny could be in Barneys play land, and this girl would watch it. She loves him."
"So." She says in defense of him. "Wanna stay and watch Faith?"
Faith pushed her hair behind her ears and smiles. "I'd like to but I gotta get home. I jus' stopped bye to say hi to you and see if ya want to come with Emily and me to the mall next week?"
Mercedes smiles a little. "Sure that would be cool."
"Okay." She says standing up. "I'll see you next weekend then. Okay hun."
"Sure." My sister says with a small smile.
I walk Faith to the door and stand with her in the hallway.
Faith looks at me. "Oh my God Bos, she's so thin, I mean I could feel her ribs. Jesus Bosco, she's really bad."
I look down and try to hold back the tears. "God Faith I'm so scared to lose her. I don' want her to die. I have to help her. I can't lose her Faith." I say almost breakin' down. "She's my heart an' I can't live with out my heart." I feel Faith pull me in for a hug.
"Bosco." She says to me pullin' back out of the hug. "Bosco, she's got you. Mercedes has a big brother who won't quit on her. Bosco if anyone can help her. I know you can."
I nodded. "Yea, yea I guess your right. So I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah tomorrow." She says to me.
I watch her walk down the hall before I go back in. My sister was still lying on the couch watching her movie. "Hey brat, move over a little so I can sit down."
She sits up a little so that I can sit down, then lays her head down on my lap.
I look down at her, she has the same eyes as me. It's kinda creepy sometimes. "So I was thinkin'"
"Ya didn't hurt ya self did ya?" She says with a small smirk.
"No - jus' listen Merc" I say to her as I run my fingers through her hair, holding some of it in my hand. "How 'bout you come an' live with me?" I ask her lettin' her hair fall from my hands to her face.
She turns herself around so she can look up at me. "Really." She asks me with a huge smile on her face.
I nod. "Really." I could tell by the look on her face that she was goin' to go for the idea. "I've been workin' so much. Ya know since 9-11 an' all, an' well I don't get to see ya that much anymore. So I thought maybe, if you wanted too. You could come stay with me an' I'd be able to see ya everyday."
She laid there still smilin'. "Yeah! Yeah! I like that idea. How soon can I move in?"
"I have Monday and Tuesday off next week, how 'bout then?"
She jus' nod.
"Good then it's set, after your all moved in an' what not, we'll go shoppin' get ya some Johnny Depp posters or somethin' to make the room like, I dunno girlish." I say to her pulling the pillows from behind my back an' puttin' 'em on my lap so she can lay her head on them.
"Sounds cool. THanks Mo." She says still grinnin'.
"Hey anythin' for my baby sister, even if she is a brat." I tell her kissin' her forhead. Before I know it she sound to sleep on my lap. I take the throw off the couch and cover her with it, turnin' the TV off. "Sweet dreams brat."
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, except for Mercedes.
I sat across from Faith, running my finger around the edge top of the mug. The steam rose from the coffee. I was trying to figure out where to start. I could tell Faith was waiting for me to talk, she kept lookin' at me. Finally she broke the silence.
"So Bosco what was it that you wanted to talk about?" She asked, thank God too otherwise we would have sat there all night not sayin' anythin'.
"She's gettin' worse Faith." I said softly not lookin' at her.
"Who? Who are you talking about Bos?"
I look up at her and sigh. "Mercedes, she's gettin' worse and I'm afraid if I don' do something an' don' do it soon, she's goin' to die." I look back down at my coffee and take a sip. "I stopped by my Ma's today and saw her, and all she had for breakfast was a small carton of orange juice. She so thin Faith ya can see her ribs, and her spine. She skin bones literally."
"Bos." She says. "You know what you want to do?"
I nod. "Yea, I want to bring her to live with me. She'll have to eat with me 'round, and she ain't goin' to be able to throw it up if she does. My Ma jus' puts a blind fold on to it, like it's not really there. If I mention she makes me out to be the bad guy. Mercedes she's dyin' - an' my Ma jus' ignores it."
Faith reaches her hand out and gently rubs the top of mine with her index finger. "I'm sure you can get her some help, will she let you help her."
I shrug, cus' I really don' know. See things with my sister have always been different. I've always treated her differently then I treat the rest of my family. She's my baby sister an' she always will be. So I'm a little more over protective with her, she's gotta softer spot in my heart. Her an' my Ma do that is. Mercedes means the world to me, she actually as no idea how much she means to me. I'd walk across rusty nails, broken glass, and hot coal jus' for her. An' Faith she knows this; she knows jus' how much Mercedes means to me. I mean there probably ain't been a shift thats gone by, where I haven't said somethin' 'bout her. Faith cares a lot 'bout her too. Mercedes is like a second daughter to her. If she takes Emily to the mall or somethin' she always invites Mercedes. I look up at Faith an' finally answer her question. "I dunno, I don' wanna approach her with it ya know. I'm thinkin' I'll ask her if she wants to move in and live with me, an' go from there."
"You know Bosco if you need any help...."
I smile and nod at her. "Thanks Faith, I have a feelin' I'm goin' to. I don' think gettin' Mercedes well again is goin' to be a walk in the park." I sip my cup of coffee again. "I'm goin' back to my Ma's tonight, cus' I promised her I would. It's goin' to be hard though, cus' I can't even hardly look at her. Every time I do my heart breaks even more seein' her like that."
"I'll come with ya for a little bit, haven't seen her in a while. Plus Emily wants her to come to the mall with us next week." She says with a smile still rubbin' my hand.
"She'd like that, her birthday was a while back. I still haven't found anythin' for her. She told me not to get her nothin' anyways, but I'll let her take my credit card, get somethin' she likes. A new outfit or somethin' moneys no object. Jus' as long as she doesn't go out an' buy a Dodge Viper or somethin' like that." I said with a small laugh.
"Wow the credit card Bosco, you sure ya feeling alright, giving a 22 year old a credit card?" She asks me.
"Yea, I'm fine. It's her birthday present. She ain't goin' to go and max the card out or anythin'. I know Mercedes she'll buy some jeans an' thats it. Even though I tell her she can buy more, or somethin' else she never does." I said with a little laugh. "We better go, Mercedes is goin' to think I feel in a hole."
"Okay let me pay for me coffee." Faith said to me.
"Faith it coffee I got it, I asked ya so I should pay. Right?"
"Fine Bos you can pay." She said laughing.
We drove back to my Ma's place. We didn't talk about much really. Nothin' important, jus' some chatter so it wouldn't be a borin' ride an' all.
I walked up with her to my Ma's apartment. I unlocked the door, my Ma was at work already since it was after 11. I could hear the TV on I quietly opened the door and peaked in. seein' Mercedes asleep on the couch. "Merc." I said softly. "Mercedes."
She slowly opened her eyes. "Mo?" She says rubbing her eyes.
"Yeah it's me." I said sitting down next to her on the couch.
She looks over and sees Faith. "Hey." She says with a smile. Gettin' up and givin' her a hug.
"Hey you." Faith says back. "Sleeping?"
"Naw, more like dozed off, waiting for this Johnny Depp movie to come on."
"Oh yeah?" Faith asks. "Sitting down next to her. "Which one?"
My sister looks at me then back at Faith. "Blow."
I shake my head. "Johnny could be in Barneys play land, and this girl would watch it. She loves him."
"So." She says in defense of him. "Wanna stay and watch Faith?"
Faith pushed her hair behind her ears and smiles. "I'd like to but I gotta get home. I jus' stopped bye to say hi to you and see if ya want to come with Emily and me to the mall next week?"
Mercedes smiles a little. "Sure that would be cool."
"Okay." She says standing up. "I'll see you next weekend then. Okay hun."
"Sure." My sister says with a small smile.
I walk Faith to the door and stand with her in the hallway.
Faith looks at me. "Oh my God Bos, she's so thin, I mean I could feel her ribs. Jesus Bosco, she's really bad."
I look down and try to hold back the tears. "God Faith I'm so scared to lose her. I don' want her to die. I have to help her. I can't lose her Faith." I say almost breakin' down. "She's my heart an' I can't live with out my heart." I feel Faith pull me in for a hug.
"Bosco." She says to me pullin' back out of the hug. "Bosco, she's got you. Mercedes has a big brother who won't quit on her. Bosco if anyone can help her. I know you can."
I nodded. "Yea, yea I guess your right. So I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah tomorrow." She says to me.
I watch her walk down the hall before I go back in. My sister was still lying on the couch watching her movie. "Hey brat, move over a little so I can sit down."
She sits up a little so that I can sit down, then lays her head down on my lap.
I look down at her, she has the same eyes as me. It's kinda creepy sometimes. "So I was thinkin'"
"Ya didn't hurt ya self did ya?" She says with a small smirk.
"No - jus' listen Merc" I say to her as I run my fingers through her hair, holding some of it in my hand. "How 'bout you come an' live with me?" I ask her lettin' her hair fall from my hands to her face.
She turns herself around so she can look up at me. "Really." She asks me with a huge smile on her face.
I nod. "Really." I could tell by the look on her face that she was goin' to go for the idea. "I've been workin' so much. Ya know since 9-11 an' all, an' well I don't get to see ya that much anymore. So I thought maybe, if you wanted too. You could come stay with me an' I'd be able to see ya everyday."
She laid there still smilin'. "Yeah! Yeah! I like that idea. How soon can I move in?"
"I have Monday and Tuesday off next week, how 'bout then?"
She jus' nod.
"Good then it's set, after your all moved in an' what not, we'll go shoppin' get ya some Johnny Depp posters or somethin' to make the room like, I dunno girlish." I say to her pulling the pillows from behind my back an' puttin' 'em on my lap so she can lay her head on them.
"Sounds cool. THanks Mo." She says still grinnin'.
"Hey anythin' for my baby sister, even if she is a brat." I tell her kissin' her forhead. Before I know it she sound to sleep on my lap. I take the throw off the couch and cover her with it, turnin' the TV off. "Sweet dreams brat."