Family Matters Chapter 8
I watched my Ma kiss Mercedes forehead. "I'll miss you baby, I'll miss you so much." She says kissing her again.
Mercedes rolls her eyes. "Ma, I'm only movin' 15 minuets away. Geez, it's not like I'm leavin' the country or nothin'."
"I know but now all my babies are gone, they all moved out. First Maurice, then Michael, and now my youngest." She said tearfully.
"Ma." I say to her tryin' to calm her down. "She's still goin' to be workin' with ya at the bar, you'll still see her. Mercedes is right, she ain't leavin' the country or nothin'"
My mother sighs. "You call me every day you're not working. Okay Hun?"
My sister nods her head. "Yes Mom, I will. Now can we please go, before Mo changes his mind."
"I won't change my mind silly." I said rufflin' her hair. "C'mon you little brat let's go." I give my Ma a hug and kiss goodbye, and take the last of Mercedes boxes. Faith hugs my Ma as well. She was able to get the pickup and help us with the move.
"See ya Rose." Faith said hugging her.
My mother nodded. "Maurice, you take care of my baby okay!" She shouts at me, like I already didn't know.
"I will Ma, don' worry. Merc will be safe, I'll take good care of her." I say as I hear my sister already downstairs honkin' the horn and yellin' for me to hurry up. "I better go before Mercedes wakes the dead. I love ya Ma."
My Mom smiles at me. "I love you too Maurice." She says to me as I close the door behind me, then walks down the stairs.
Faith is waitin' in the pickup and Mercedes is sittin' in my Mustang, honkin' the horn like mad. I put my index finger up to tell her one minuet as I walk over to the pickup. "Let's stop at Manny's grab somethin' to eat."
Faith nods. "Sounds like a plan to me." She says with a smile.
"Okay I'll meet ya there, I gotta go before my sister drives the car away herself." I walk to the car. "Would'a cool it already." I say laughin' as we get into the car.
She laughs. "Well I wanna go already get to ya place."
"Well we're goin' to go get somethin' to eat with Faith." I tell her.
She sighs and rolls her eyes. "I'm not hungry."
I look right at her. "Well ya goin' to eat somethin' Got it Mercedes! As long as you live with me - ya goin' to be eatin' somethin'. Ya ain't goin' to go on starvin' ya self no more. Also no goin' into the batnroom and thwoin' up after ya eat."
"So the truth comes out, that's all this is you ridin' in on your white pony again, tryin' to save the world." She snaps.
"No Mercedes, this isn't what this is."
She stares. "This is why you asked me to live with ya, huh? This is you ridin' ya white pony."
I look at her for a few before watchin' the road again. I slam my fists against the steering wheel. "Damn it Mercedes! This isn't why, it's part of it. I jus' don' want ya to die. Can't you see what ya doin' to yourself. I'm watchin' you die. I love you Mercedes, so much an' I'm watchin' you kill yourself. It's killin' me too Merc, it's tearin' me up inside." We come to a stop at a traffic light. I look over at her as she stares out the window. "Mercedes - ya my heart and soul." I tell her as she still stares out the window bitin' her nails.
She sighs. "Maybe me movin' in with ya isn't such a good idea after all." She says.
"No it's a great idea, c'mon Mercedes, jus' give me a chance. Please. I ain't givin' up on ya, I never will." I say to her as the light turns green and I make a left drivin' another block an' stoppin' in front of the diner. I turn the engine off and look over at her. "This is what big brothers are for, to annoy little sisters an' make their lives a livin' hell." I say to her reachin' over an' givn' her a hug. At first she jus' sits there finally she hugs me back. I give her a wet willie. "I love ya brat, wit' all my heart." I tell her still holdin' on to her.
"I love ya too butthead." She says with a little laugh. "Even if ya do smell funny."
We walk into the diner, where Faith has already gotten us a table. I sit across from Faith an' Mercedes slides in next to me. The waitress comes up and gives us each a menu. After a few minuets of readin' over then menu we were ready to order. "Ya give me a double cheeseburger, fries and a coke." I tell the waitress.
Mercedes sits there and stares at the menu. "I guess I'll have a Garden Salad and uhm iced tea, no sugar." She says.
"What kind of dressing?" The waitress asks her.
"Anythin' fat free."
Faith looks over at me, then over at Mercedes. I give Faith a sad look. Yea, least Mercedes is eatin' but it's rabbit food, and I know where its most likely goin' to end up.
Faith lets out a small sigh. "I'll have a turkey sandwich with some fries and a Sprite." Faith says handin' the waitress all of our menus.
Faith and I talk, as Mercedes sits starin' out the window. She does that when we eat out. She doesn't like eatin' in front of people much, it's harder for her to hide the fact. Theres somethin' wrong, that she has a problem. Our food finally comes. I dive into my cheeseburger, I'm starvin' Faith starts on her turkey Sandwich, Mercedes picks at her salad. Takin' a few bites, then jus' movin' the rest around to make it look like she's eaten it. She pushes the rest of it to the side and finishes her ice tea. She ate five bites, that's all five bites. I look at her, her thin boney body, then I look at her plate of salad and my heart again breaks. Knowin' how hard this is for her and knowin' the road ahead of me is goin' to be bumpy. But I know if I don' do this, if I don' help her, I'm goin' to be plannin' her funeral.
"I gotta go to the bathroom, I'll be back." She says gettin' up from the table.
When she's out of eye sight and ear shot I look over at Faith, my eyes sad. "Faith...that's all she ate, Was that little bit of salad, now she's goin' into the bathroom, and she's goin'" I blink tears back and try and hide 'em from faith. So she doesn't have to see it, but it's too late. I feel them fall. "She's goin' to throw it all up. She's 98lbs Faith, 98lbs and gettin' worse everyday. I'm afraid that one day I'm goin' to wake up an' she's goin' to be dead. My baby sister will be gone, an' it's goin' to be all my fault, cus' I didn't do anythin' soon enough. I let her die. I'm lettin' her die" I say still a little teary eyed.
"Bosco." Faith says softly. "If it's that bad, you should get her professional help, they have excellent places for these kind of things." She says taking my hand in hers. "They can do so much for her. I can even help you find a place Bos."
I look at her and take my hand back as I rub the tears away. "I wanna try it myself first. Ya know, I don' wanna jus' give up on her yet. I promised I'd be there for her an' I'm goin' to keep it. Least for now."
Faith nods. "I know Bosco, but if it stays this way, you'll have to get Mercedes professional help."
"Faith. Thanks." I say with a small smile
"No problem Bosco, I'm your partner, I'm here for you." She says smiling at me.
"Yeah." I say shakin' my head tryin' to act cool as Mercedes slides back in next to me.
"You two almost ready?"
I look over at Faith again and smile. "Yea. jus' 'bout."
I watched my Ma kiss Mercedes forehead. "I'll miss you baby, I'll miss you so much." She says kissing her again.
Mercedes rolls her eyes. "Ma, I'm only movin' 15 minuets away. Geez, it's not like I'm leavin' the country or nothin'."
"I know but now all my babies are gone, they all moved out. First Maurice, then Michael, and now my youngest." She said tearfully.
"Ma." I say to her tryin' to calm her down. "She's still goin' to be workin' with ya at the bar, you'll still see her. Mercedes is right, she ain't leavin' the country or nothin'"
My mother sighs. "You call me every day you're not working. Okay Hun?"
My sister nods her head. "Yes Mom, I will. Now can we please go, before Mo changes his mind."
"I won't change my mind silly." I said rufflin' her hair. "C'mon you little brat let's go." I give my Ma a hug and kiss goodbye, and take the last of Mercedes boxes. Faith hugs my Ma as well. She was able to get the pickup and help us with the move.
"See ya Rose." Faith said hugging her.
My mother nodded. "Maurice, you take care of my baby okay!" She shouts at me, like I already didn't know.
"I will Ma, don' worry. Merc will be safe, I'll take good care of her." I say as I hear my sister already downstairs honkin' the horn and yellin' for me to hurry up. "I better go before Mercedes wakes the dead. I love ya Ma."
My Mom smiles at me. "I love you too Maurice." She says to me as I close the door behind me, then walks down the stairs.
Faith is waitin' in the pickup and Mercedes is sittin' in my Mustang, honkin' the horn like mad. I put my index finger up to tell her one minuet as I walk over to the pickup. "Let's stop at Manny's grab somethin' to eat."
Faith nods. "Sounds like a plan to me." She says with a smile.
"Okay I'll meet ya there, I gotta go before my sister drives the car away herself." I walk to the car. "Would'a cool it already." I say laughin' as we get into the car.
She laughs. "Well I wanna go already get to ya place."
"Well we're goin' to go get somethin' to eat with Faith." I tell her.
She sighs and rolls her eyes. "I'm not hungry."
I look right at her. "Well ya goin' to eat somethin' Got it Mercedes! As long as you live with me - ya goin' to be eatin' somethin'. Ya ain't goin' to go on starvin' ya self no more. Also no goin' into the batnroom and thwoin' up after ya eat."
"So the truth comes out, that's all this is you ridin' in on your white pony again, tryin' to save the world." She snaps.
"No Mercedes, this isn't what this is."
She stares. "This is why you asked me to live with ya, huh? This is you ridin' ya white pony."
I look at her for a few before watchin' the road again. I slam my fists against the steering wheel. "Damn it Mercedes! This isn't why, it's part of it. I jus' don' want ya to die. Can't you see what ya doin' to yourself. I'm watchin' you die. I love you Mercedes, so much an' I'm watchin' you kill yourself. It's killin' me too Merc, it's tearin' me up inside." We come to a stop at a traffic light. I look over at her as she stares out the window. "Mercedes - ya my heart and soul." I tell her as she still stares out the window bitin' her nails.
She sighs. "Maybe me movin' in with ya isn't such a good idea after all." She says.
"No it's a great idea, c'mon Mercedes, jus' give me a chance. Please. I ain't givin' up on ya, I never will." I say to her as the light turns green and I make a left drivin' another block an' stoppin' in front of the diner. I turn the engine off and look over at her. "This is what big brothers are for, to annoy little sisters an' make their lives a livin' hell." I say to her reachin' over an' givn' her a hug. At first she jus' sits there finally she hugs me back. I give her a wet willie. "I love ya brat, wit' all my heart." I tell her still holdin' on to her.
"I love ya too butthead." She says with a little laugh. "Even if ya do smell funny."
We walk into the diner, where Faith has already gotten us a table. I sit across from Faith an' Mercedes slides in next to me. The waitress comes up and gives us each a menu. After a few minuets of readin' over then menu we were ready to order. "Ya give me a double cheeseburger, fries and a coke." I tell the waitress.
Mercedes sits there and stares at the menu. "I guess I'll have a Garden Salad and uhm iced tea, no sugar." She says.
"What kind of dressing?" The waitress asks her.
"Anythin' fat free."
Faith looks over at me, then over at Mercedes. I give Faith a sad look. Yea, least Mercedes is eatin' but it's rabbit food, and I know where its most likely goin' to end up.
Faith lets out a small sigh. "I'll have a turkey sandwich with some fries and a Sprite." Faith says handin' the waitress all of our menus.
Faith and I talk, as Mercedes sits starin' out the window. She does that when we eat out. She doesn't like eatin' in front of people much, it's harder for her to hide the fact. Theres somethin' wrong, that she has a problem. Our food finally comes. I dive into my cheeseburger, I'm starvin' Faith starts on her turkey Sandwich, Mercedes picks at her salad. Takin' a few bites, then jus' movin' the rest around to make it look like she's eaten it. She pushes the rest of it to the side and finishes her ice tea. She ate five bites, that's all five bites. I look at her, her thin boney body, then I look at her plate of salad and my heart again breaks. Knowin' how hard this is for her and knowin' the road ahead of me is goin' to be bumpy. But I know if I don' do this, if I don' help her, I'm goin' to be plannin' her funeral.
"I gotta go to the bathroom, I'll be back." She says gettin' up from the table.
When she's out of eye sight and ear shot I look over at Faith, my eyes sad. "Faith...that's all she ate, Was that little bit of salad, now she's goin' into the bathroom, and she's goin'" I blink tears back and try and hide 'em from faith. So she doesn't have to see it, but it's too late. I feel them fall. "She's goin' to throw it all up. She's 98lbs Faith, 98lbs and gettin' worse everyday. I'm afraid that one day I'm goin' to wake up an' she's goin' to be dead. My baby sister will be gone, an' it's goin' to be all my fault, cus' I didn't do anythin' soon enough. I let her die. I'm lettin' her die" I say still a little teary eyed.
"Bosco." Faith says softly. "If it's that bad, you should get her professional help, they have excellent places for these kind of things." She says taking my hand in hers. "They can do so much for her. I can even help you find a place Bos."
I look at her and take my hand back as I rub the tears away. "I wanna try it myself first. Ya know, I don' wanna jus' give up on her yet. I promised I'd be there for her an' I'm goin' to keep it. Least for now."
Faith nods. "I know Bosco, but if it stays this way, you'll have to get Mercedes professional help."
"Faith. Thanks." I say with a small smile
"No problem Bosco, I'm your partner, I'm here for you." She says smiling at me.
"Yeah." I say shakin' my head tryin' to act cool as Mercedes slides back in next to me.
"You two almost ready?"
I look over at Faith again and smile. "Yea. jus' 'bout."