Missed Call
LOS ANGELES
Sam stood looking down at Mercy hoping that something could change, he'd sat for months listening to her go on about the constant pressure she was under to make music, produce hits, travelling all over the world at the drop of a hat, missing him "All this was part of what you wanted" he'd say making her laugh. He'd noticed, through her calls, text's and face time communications that his bright bubbly girlfriend was changing from this, outgoing, fearless, confident proud to be black woman to an introvert, self-conscious over the top Diva of herself and he did nothing about it. Guilt was the only emotion he could describe should anyone take the time to ask him what he felt right at this moment.
"Mercy will you please come with me and get some help?" he'd asked for the hundredth time that morning
"Are you still fucking here" she said without raising her head to look at him
"You can't stay here babe, there's nothing here" he said looking around the empty room with just the couch she was sitting in and a small table with an empty bottle sitting on it beside her
"I got what I need" she said grabbing the empty bottle and draining whatever it was, only she could see, out of it before putting it back, apparently not finished
Flashback
Everyone had thought Mercy was the self-sufficient one, she was the one who always built confidence into everyone, she gave guidance, advice and hugs and she was always okay, always around to help in a crisis, never really moaned about her lot just got on with it and constantly thanked God. When her Agent had announced that he was dropping her from the label, due to a disagreement, everyone got on their phones and tried to contact her, Mercy managed to assure them, via social media, that she was fine a week later.
Six weeks later and they'd heard nothing from her "I don't like what I'm feeling about Weasie" Santana had mentioned to Tina in a conversation, it took about 3 weeks for that conversation to be relayed to Sam and he acted on it.
Sam was an Electrical Design Engineer on the rigs, he was based in Bedford, having recently gained more qualifications, he attended an interview, impressed the panel and started his new promotional role four weeks ago. He was new blood and although at first he thought going in with all these old heads might bring a defensive front the opposite happened, he'd been accepted wholeheartedly into the fold. Everyone liked him and he liked everyone and that always made for good working conditions. He was working two weeks on and two off in his old post but now he'd been promoted he was doing two on and three off with a £25K raise to support his free time. He'd got lots of free time because Mercy was just getting into her music hard, they didn't keep contact every day any more but when they could catch up with each other they really did. The last time they'd spoken she was mad because he'd been shipped to Inverness up in Scotland and he hadn't told her. He'd had no reception for about two weeks and couldn't be contacted and when he finally went back to Ohio and called her she flipped her lid at him, even he thought she went a bit over the top but, he knew how to handle her and by the end of the conversation she was fine. He left the conversation with a promise to get something a bit less remote where she could contact him if she needed to hence his move to Bedford. The evening before he was due back on the rig he heard the news about her being dropped by her agent and laughed thinking about her super flip on him and shrugged his shoulders at it because that wasn't the first time and they usually worked through that shit.
He'd promised to call her every Thursday when he got back to the rig and they were supposed to be talking about plans for their wedding they were hoping to happen next year. He'd took a back seat in all that so far, left it to Mercy and the Mom's, but she wasn't happy with that any more and he'd promised to be more involved. When he got to Bedford he was told about these exams he needed to do and with his study issues he requested extra support and got the Thursday slot for the next 4 weeks right bang on the same time as he'd planned to face talk with Mercy, he needed her but he needed the job too, she understood work so he missed the calls.
So he'd finished his 4 week induction in Bedford, and was ready to start his three weeks off, as always, he went back to Ohio, to his parent's home, and straight up to his room to listen for Mercy's fuck you messages, concerned to find none. "Mom has Mercy called?" he shouted downstairs and got back a muffled no, as he took his phone out, to call her mobile, disrupted by him getting a call from Mike
"Dude what's your girl playing at?" Mike asked
"What do you mean?" Sam asked looking at his phone
"Satan's having unnerving feelings about her and, she ain't contacted anyone in about a month or maybe two"
"I ain't heard from her I was just getting, ready to call her" Sam relayed to Mike "Mike I'll get back Dude I got to go" Sam said obviously concerned and made his calls.
He called her Mom who informed him she'd been to LA a few times looking for her, had the police on the case but no joy, she told him how 2 weeks ago, Mercy's Ex-Agent had called her saying, he'd called the company phone, to get it back or something, and someone answered and said he was on San Julian and had brought the phone local about a month ago. "Okay Mom I've got to do some investigating I need to find her" he said to her Mom
"Sam let me know if you find her won't you?" her Mom asked
"Of course I will Mom speak soon" he said clicking the phone off wondering if he should be panicking of not as he called Blaine for a heads up from New York the only other place he could think she might possibly be
"Dude" he'd shouted down the phone when Blaine answered "Mercy's off radar and nobody thought they should let me know?" he asked
"Hello Bro" Blaine replied "She is for us but I didn't know that was the case for you"
"Her Mom said she ain't seen her for like a month to six weeks has anyone else heard from her or even seen her?" he asked
"She hasn't been to New York Dude so that's a no from us down here you could try Tina & Mike in Dubai" Blaine suggested
"It was Mike that slipped to me about the conversation between Tina and Satan about 4 weeks ago, I just got off the phone with him "Okay I got to go" Sam had said closing the call down with Blaine, sitting on his bed wondering what to do next.
Putting the phone down on Blaine he didn't waste time he jumped in his car and went to LA to find her, he'd met up with and spoken to her old agent, who had informed him that Mercy really wasn't being very cooperative, when they last spoke and how he really did have to let her go.
Over the next two and a half weeks, after asking a lot of questions and searching for her he ended up paying detectives for checking a lot of addresses he'd been given. He'd finally been signposted to this small room above a shop in LA and following his two weeks on Rig he'd caught a flight to LA to found Mercy living like a tramp, for want of a better description, with just a couch as her belongings.
End of Flashback
"Mercy" he said again his impatience showing a bit
"What!" she shouted looking up this time "What the fuck do you want?" she asked, he was shocked at the sight of her.
"Mercy" he gasped at the almost unrecognisable person he saw before him, checking himself quick and stepping back in towards her "Mercy it's me it's Sam" he said bending down to look at her better, gently holding her hand. Her face blotchy, her lips cracked, she looked an unwell shade of grey, she had no emotion in her face in fact, if he had to describe her look he'd have called it frightening
"Who?" she asked looking back down making him actually hold her hand tighter to get her attention
"Mercy" he said tugging her hand, making her look up at him "It's me Sam" he said finding her eyes trying to let her see him but there was nothing there, she looked away as if he was a stranger "Okay don't leave I'll be back in a bit" he said getting up
"Bring a drink" she shouted after him
Sam went out, not wanting Mercy to see that he had tears in his eyes, he sapped the group to let them know things were bad but they shouldn't all flock over as he needed to get her sorted and he'd keep them posted, he walked to the corner shop and got her a small bottle of drink, got himself some thinking time, took a deep breath and went back.
"Here you go" he said when he got back giving her the small bottle of brandy, she snatched it and took a swig, the smallest swig he'd ever seen an alcoholic take, before looking up at him
"Thanks" she said looking like she wanted to say something else but couldn't find it "Sorry what was your name again?" she asked eventually
"Sam" he said smiling "Now will you come with me?" he asked again
"Where you want to go I'm fine right here" she said smiling her eyes looked like eyes that should be on the face of a forty year old instead of her 23 year old body and her smile was nowhere near Mercy's genuine wide one
"You do tricks?" he asked trying not to sound shocked
"No I fucking don't" she said making a crying noise as she slapped out at him missing "Do I know you?" she asked as she looked at his face again
"You going to come with me?" he asked again
"Is this about sex?" she asked
"No" he laughed "I just want you to come with me" he held his hand out saying, she stared at it for a while before eventually taking his hand as he pulled her up to follow him
"Am I coming back home" she said looking around the empty flat she called that
"If you ever want to" he said leading her out and into his car as she clasped her bottle of Brandy to her like a baby, they stopped at a small boutique and brought her some stuff, she grabbed another bottle of drink and they made their way to her apartment.
Once in Sam set her a bath, threw some smells in it and put her in as he sat outside the ajar door "I think I know you" she said looking up at the door as she picked water up and threw it down the parts of her body that wasn't under water
"You know me, you just don't remember me that's all" he said smiling at her
"Did you just smirk at me?" she asked
"No" he said surprised at her comment and sudden movement, which meant she was now exposing a nipple
"You don't know what I go through you don't have a fucking clue" she blurted out clearly upset "My job for one, the girls and running this place and I know a lot of women go through the same thing but their husbands aren't gone for half the time" "I miss you, when you go" she cried "And what are you supposed to do with all that?" she looked up at him saying with her tear drenched face before breaking into a smile "I got that off a film" she said good ain't it?" she asked standing up in the bath as Sam stood up with her
Sam was puzzled by the way she'd acted, but he couldn't show it, he couldn't show her that she was doing anything wrong to make her close down again so he chose to ignore it "How would you like for your life to change?"
"I'd like you to get me another drink instead of bugging me about it" she snapped
"I've not mentioned your drinking except to buy you that bottle" Sam said as calmly as he could "I'm waiting for you to remember me" he said as she looked into his eyes before turning away obviously not understanding what he was asking and sitting back down in the bath
"Do you want something to eat?" he asked a while later, as she held the towel around her just standing looking
"Yeah I'll have another one of these" she said holding up the bottle of not even half-finished brandy
"I'll buy you one more when that's finished but then you have to promise to try and remember me" he said walking away from her, trying to focus his mind on the task at hand instead of his girl standing there waiting for him
"Why is remembering you so fucking important?" she asked but before he could answer she carried on "I'm not asking you to be my fucking friend you joined this party I make the rules it's my fucking life get in and play or get the fuck out" she stood in her apartment, with a towel wrapped around her shouting
"Do you want to eat food?" Sam asked again ignoring her outburst, trying to think which film that came from
"Yeah" she shouted still mad before calming right down "Whatever you're having" she said smiling at him as he looked and saw just a trace of Mercy in that smile.
"Your bedclothes are on the bed" he said pointing to her bedroom
She looked round to see the pyjama's laying there and surprised him by saying a very nice "Thank you"
"Your welcome" he said this time she'd brought a smile to his face
They ordered in Pizza and Mercy didn't seem to drink or sleep as much as Sam had expected she sat quietly for a lot of the time just looking out the window slowly sipping her one glass of brandy
"Tell me about yourself?" Sam asked once he'd cleared up and sorted the sleeping arrangements, he usually slept in Mercy's bed when he visited but on this occasion as she didn't even know his name he thought it best he bunk on the couch
I drink to sleep and drink to wake up, and then I wake up because I remember I need to drink to go back to fucking sleep" I drink to function and drink to stop functioning, I drink to be brave I drink cos I'm not brave and, fuck it I drink" she said looking out the window again "Straight forward really" she giggled "What about you?" she asked
"I don't drink" Sam replied "And if I say anything else you'll know who I am and that won't help" he smiled
"Are you a fucking Doctor?" she asked "Because I'm not sick I just have a drink and sit, I don't hurt anyone" she warned
"No I'm not but I do need to help you, as your friend" he said not going near her as she rubbed her hands together and looked around obviously looking for her drink he'd sneaked and put in the little fridge in the kitchen "It's in the fridge" he said nodding towards it as she bounced off the chair and over to the fridge to retrieve it and poured a drink "How did this all start for you Mercy?" he asked as she calmed with the alcohol running down her throat
"Like it starts for everyone I suppose, drinks to release stress of not knowing, then I'd carry it on at home then I decided I needed it to get through the day and then the story got to here I'm sweating, shaking, swearing and craving that fucking shit and all of a sudden it's all I want to think about" she laughed stopping the dramatics "I'm lying that's off the TV as well, I don't know how this whatever you're on about started" she said before going quiet again for a short while as Sam sat wondering what she was going on about. He was just about to ask another question when she started talking again "I mean I live on money from my parents now and I haven't spoken to them in fuck knows how long" she laughed but Sam could tell it was in a sad way
"You okay?" he asked when she stared into space again for the longest time
"I just want it to stop you know, I want my life back but I have no idea how to do this, or what's on the other side" she said pushing the glass away from her
"Do you think you'd be better off without it?" he asked nodding at the glass
"I sit sometimes trying to remember what my life was like before this you know, I know I went to school maybe in Ohio or somewhere remote like that and Kim downstairs tells me she hears me singing sometimes so I guess I could have done that or do that, honestly, I only know my money is from Mom and Dad because that's what it says on my transactions but where that is, not a fucking clue"
Sam sat listening alarmed but unable to show it, what was she telling him; that she'd lost her fucking mind, that she really had no recollection of who the fuck she was, that Cory had just wrecked her mind and thrown her out with the dirty dish water, his fists balled as he considered what he was dealing with "Have you spoken to anyone about this Mercy" he asked as calm as he could
"About what?" she spun round to ask him
"Seriously what school did you go to?"
"I just told you I don't know I imagine Ohio, wherever that is, because I saw my Passport once, when they told me my name was Mercy something" she wondered off in thought saying
"Jones" he said
"What?" she asked
"Did they tell you your name was Mercy Jones?" he asked
"I don't know, I really don't know" she said looking at him for a while before asking "What did you say your name was again?"
"Sam" he smiled "Will you come to the doctors with me in the morning?" he asked
"Why what's wrong with you?" she asked concerned
"I want the doctor to have look at you, just to tell me you're alright so I don't worry" he smiled
"Why are you worrying about me you just met me?" she said taking another sip of her drink
"I always worry about my friends" he said looking at her for a long while "We should get some sleep" he suggested getting up and waiting for her to get up to direct her to her bedroom "You'll sleep in there" he pointed to the room she got dressed in earlier
"So I'm not going home?" she asked
"Do you want to go home?"
"Not really I'd prefer a bed to that couch" she laughed as she walked into the room "Goodnight" she spun round to say
"Goodnight Mercy" he said as he went back to the couch and sat heavy on it, just reflecting on the day knowing he'd have to report back to the families about this and stop them all from rushing over to see Mercy at her worst, "she would hate that" he said as he got up to go check she was asleep. About an hour later he was still trying to properly word his message 'Mercy's not too well, she'll need plenty of rest and I'll bring her back with me in a week or two, she said hello' he wrote adding all the families in one Sapp and made a call to Cory her agent
"I've found Mercy, she's not in a good way, she seems to have lost her memory any idea how she got that way?" Sam asked him "I should be in front of you asking these questions so I could knock the shit out of you when you come at me with your bull shit but, I'm looking after Mercy right now and seriously I need answers" he said his voice level with no emotion except anger in it
"Dude she came in and blew off at me in front of everyone, I just couldn't let that ride I had to do something and she pushed until I told her we were over professionally, and that's all I know" Cory said
"So she didn't seem strange to you at that time?"
"Dude she seemed strange all the fucking time, she's a diva"
"Come on Cory there's a difference between Diva and Memory loss, did she call you by name that day? How did she get to work that morning? Anything" Sam asked still no emotion except anger in his voice
"She'd got some names coming in that morning to do demos for one of her tracks and she didn't turn up I sent Jake in the car to get her, he came back saying she'd slammed the door in his face telling him to leave her alone. We'd had to pay out about 20K on her cock ups already that month and now she was fucking about like this, I went extreme. I went to the flat, carried her out then carried her into the studio, she just stood there, like she didn't know what was happening and when she refused to sing we had it out, she told me she didn't want to sing and I asked her to leave"
"So you never in your mind questioned why Mercy, who sings a good morning every fucking morning, never wanted to sing at all on that day?"
"Course I questioned it and she came back at me with some bull shit answer Dude, I was looking at a 70K lost hell I lost it, so she owes me that as well as the 20K she paid back with her sub at the end of that last month"
"There are so many kinds of wrong in those last few answers you just gave me we are going to roll on that Dude make no mistake" Sam finally replied with some feeling in his voice, revenge
"Look Dude I got no beef with you, I don't need it, why don't we just call it quits, she's out of the contract debt free and let's make that the end of it"
"First off Dude, I'm not your Dude, second you put your fucking hand on her and third you took 20K off her and then you get all fucked up telling me, like you forgot who I was to Mercy, that she gave you a bull shit answer, which straight up lets me know you knew something was wrong and you just didn't care enough to even make a call, you just sent her out to the wolves"
"She's a grown woman, why is everything coming back on me all of a sudden?" Cory asked
"Cory, I found Mercy in a room above a shop sitting on a fucking dirty couch with an empty Brandy bottle in her hand, she doesn't know the time of day, someone told her that her name was Mercy and truth that's all she's fucking got, I left her here with you; who the fuck am I going to come back to?" Sam shouted down the phone calming down when he remembered Mercy was in the room next door
"I really didn't know any of that Sam, I made a call and got some stranger a while back and I contacted her Mother that's what you told me to do if anything was ever wrong" Cory said trying to get reason across to Sam
"I told you to get in touch with my Mother Cory, if you'd have been bothered enough to read the notes you'd have seen that" Sam said clench fisted down the phone "We'll speak later" he said cutting the phone off without giving Cory a chance to respond
"Fuck" he said throwing the phone down pissed at the whole situation before picking it back up again to call the doctor to make the appointment for the morning, just catching the receptionist before she left and making the appointment for 10 am the following morning
The Doctor's surgery
"Hi Dr Lin" Sam said as he walked into the surgery
"Morning Sam, Mercy" she said back making Mercy's head shoot up
"You know me?" Mercy asked
"Yes I do I'm your GP" Dr Lin informed her
"We'll talk after just observe her for a while please" Sam asked as Mercy looked about the surgery
The doctor sat and listened to Mercy's account of her life which seemed to start a day before Sam came to find her and ended at her sitting there not knowing why she was there "So your name's Mercy?" the doctor asked
"Yeah you just called me that" she said getting agitated
"Mercy what?"
"Like what?" she asked looking at her trying to make sense of what she was saying
"Like my name is Shirley Lin, yours is Mercy?" she said pointing to Mercy for a response
"Mercy, I don't know" she said turning to Sam "Didn't you tell me that the other day?"
"Yes I did" Sam simply said sending her attention back to the doctor, as she sat there thinking about the question she'd been asked
Repeating the conversation word for word in her mind before coming out with "Jones, I'm Mercy Jones" she said smiling as Sam did a fist punch in the air for the breakthrough
"How did you get to be in your new flat?" the doctor asked
Repeating another conversation word for word, in her head finishing with "Sam, took me"
"Okay what's the very first thing you remember?"
"Smell of cookies fresh cookies cooking" she smiled
"You bake?" the doctor asked as Sam shook his head saying yes
"No I've never baked that must have been my Mom or something" she said coiling back into herself "What was that I don't even know who Mom is" she laughed nervously
"So you were smelling cookies the very first thing you remember?" she asked
"Yeah I was laying on the floor smelling cookies" she said as Sam signalled to the Doctor there was more to that conversation
"OK Mercy I'll need a urine sample will you go do one for me please?" he asked
"A what?"
"Sample, you need to pee in this pot" she said holding a small bowl up "And put it in here" she signalled holding the vile up "Okay?" she said holding the two items in one hand and guiding Mercy to the bathroom with the other
"Doc" Sam said as soon as Mercy left the room "I found a load of rotten cookies on the floor in the kitchen when I got home I just cleaned it up thinking she'd just threw everything in the air and left but she could have fell or something" he said taking a breath before carrying on "I thought she'd become an alcoholic when I first saw her yesterday but I brought her a small bottle of brandy and there's still at least half of it left, thing is she didn't drink at all before so I don't know" he said looking at the door for her return "She gets her feelings from TV shows or at least the few that she's showed me and" he said seeing the door move
"Mercy" the Doctor said as she came back in "You did it already?"
"Yeah" she said looking at Sam suspiciously
"What's up? He asked
"Were you talking about me?" she asked
"Yes I was saying I was worried about you why?"
"I don't know your face just said you were" she said smiling at him "Sam" she added shocking him
"That's the first time you've said my name" he said smiling
"Mercy I need to send you for further tests I think your suffering from Memory Loss that could be caused by a few things, you could have been taking a wrong mix of medications, your new found use of alcohol, depression, stress, bad eating habits, head injury even a stroke. We need to find out the cause, then we can start looking at ways to make you feel better" the doctor said
"Is there any way we can get a rush on that Doc I only have three weeks before I'm back on the Rigs and right now is not the time to have time off for me?" Sam asked
"How soon are you talking?" she asked
"Within a week, is that possible?" he asked
"Yeah it's possible but that would be expensive" She replied as Mercy sat listening to a conversation she really wasn't understanding
"Okay" he said taking out his medical card "Take whatever you need off that but I need it done as soon as possible, I need her back home with family before I have to take off again, her living in that room with a couch is not acceptable for me" he said as he passed his card over for the treatments to be booked.
So on Tuesday Mercy's week long health investigation started with blood and more tests, to establish if any medications were in her system, nutritional supplements were introduced into her diet just in case the cause was bad diet, she was asked to stop using the alcohol which with Sam's help she did for 48 hours. She was tested for depression, to see if she had undergone a stroke even Alzheimer's through blood pressure, nerve tests, CAT and MRI scans were done to get a fuller picture of what was wrong with her.
"I feel like I'm back in Daddy's dentist chair" Mercy said as she sat in the chair to take her bloods
"Your Dad's a dentist?" Sam asked
"Yeah he's the best in Lima" she smiled
"What does he look like?" Sam asked sounding un-phased but inside he was jumping for joy
"Like me everybody says he's like me" she laughed "Imagine a man's body on me or is he gay?" she laughed before sobering up "I want to go home Sam" she sulked
"Where's home?" he smiled at her asking
"I don't know but when I get there I hope I know" she replied staring into space for a while before Mercy was lost again
The doctor, informed him that it was looking more like head trauma, with her remembering things in her past gradually, and it was hoped that with some care and support she'd get her memory back
So the following week, they set about Sam making subtle hints about things back in Lima and Mercy still saying phrases from the TV but she remembered Sam's name and even took to sleeping in his arms on the couch in the evenings, saying she felt at home there. Friday Morning they got a call from the GP to say the results were back and later that morning they visited the surgery
"Well you had a nasty bump on the head so you've got some serious swelling going on in there, I need you to take another Scan just to see the rate of shrinkage and try to judge when this will be over for you
"Am I going to die?" she asked looking at Sam who saw the scared in her eyes
"No, you're not but we do need to have another look at your brain" the doctor said
"Can she travel?" Sam asked
"Yeah sure" she said making Sam smile
"I got to get her home this week settle her in with the family before I go away for two weeks, she's grown so attached I really don't know how that's going to pan out"
"Do it sooner rather than later give her time to settle you know?" the doctor advised
"Can you send everything to Doctor Jacobs in Lima so he knows what he's dealing with?" he asked
"Will do" Doctor Linn said shortly before Sam and Mercy left the surgery
Sam spent the rest of the night talking to Mercy getting her prepared for their trip in the morning taking about his parents, telling her she was going to meet them and get used to a slower pace of life for a bit, he didn't tell her he was going away he needed to build her some bridges before dropping that on her. So while she was sleeping he contacted home told both sets of parents what to expect and prepared her belongings for a long stay in Lima. The next morning they got up got dressed and left of Lima, Mercy very agitated with Sam having to keep a firm grip on her at times, there was a scary moment when she threatened to kick off with the shouting and stuff but Sam dealt with it. The ride home was a bit loud everything was said loudly Sam was unsure if it was the engine noise or her hearing that had triggered her loud speaking but he didn't want to shush her in case that got blew out of context so he just joined in shouting loudly, at least the conversation was neutral
LIMA
6 hours later and they were stepping on Ohio soil in Lima at Sam's parents home"I know this place" she said looking around
"Do you, what's it called?" he asked
"I don't know I know the smell" she laughed
'Okay' Sam thought 'time for some reality checks short sharp shocks' as he saw his parent's walking towards them
"Mercy this is my Mom and Dad Mary and Dan" he said as Mercy went forward and meet them shaking their hand, taking time to look back at Sam at every opportunity, Sam hugged his parents and after unloading their bags they went to the house. He gave her a day to settle in before having the conversation with her about her parents and by day three she wanted to meet these people that Sam talked about. Sam wasted no time Mercy hadn't remembered anything in four days and he needed to get her back on track quickly the longer she forgot the more damage it created and he knew she'd be angry with herself if she knew things could have been better and he'd be mad with himself if he felt he didn't do everything to help her get back to herself. So that afternoon he called her parents and they came over to be reintroduced to their daughter.
"Hello Mercy" her Mom said trying hard not to cry as Sam had updated them on her condition but, she filled up and tears did leave her eyes for that moment she looked into her daughter's eyes and saw nothing no recollection of anything
"So Mercy we're going to stay at your parent's house tonight and then I'll be with you for two nights and then you'll stay there until I get back in two weeks' time remember?" he asked at intervals making sure she understood what was happening over the next three weeks
"Yeah" she smiled at him before turning to her parents to say "Is that alright with you both?"
"Yes" they replied almost fast enough to scare her
So that evening they went back to her parent's house and when they took her to her bedroom she seemed to find things easily but made no mention of anything familiar. Things went smoothly with Sam constantly reminding her that he was going away for a while but he would be back and when he left there was no drama
Saturday night her parents had their usual BBQ family get together, Mercy seemed a bit edgy but when her Dad put on 'Missing you' by Pam Hall she got up and danced around with everyone and even mentioned to her Dad that this was his tune, even more breakthrough when they went to church the following morning and she sang 'Holy One' by Anaysha with the choir
"Mary" Her Mom said in calling Sam's parents to tell them about the connection "I think the music will bring her back she knew her Dad's favourite song last night and she got up and sang with the choir at church this morning" she said excitedly
"Remember Sam said let her remember at her own pace and don't feed her memory just let it happen naturally, she picks everything up" Mary reminded her
They cooked her favourite meals, went to some of her childhood places, the dentist her Dad ran and they could see the questions on her face but she didn't ask anything, it was so frustrating.
Two Weeks Later
Sam was back and Mercy was as clingy as ever, he didn't mind who else was she supposed to cling to? And he loved the feel of being needed by her, he really needed for them to be in their place, but with this going on hugs were all he could ask and he wasn't even asking she was giving as if even with her loss of memory she knew they needed contact.
"Can we go stop at your house tonight?" she asked out the blue as they sat in the garden just taking in the sun and listening to the radio his first night back
"I guess so" Sam said somewhat surprised
"Great" she said jumping off the chair "Mom we're staying at Sam's parents tonight" she announced as she walked through the patio doors, making her parents and Sam pay attention
"That's fine baby" her Mom said with more joy than she cared to sow right then
"Did the Doctor get back to you?" Sam asked getting up giving her parents a celebratory smile for the breakthrough
"Yeah, she went for another scan and there was shrinkage which they said was improvement so she should get back to normal and we should keep doing what we're doing " her Dad informed him
"I was thinking of introducing the glee family to her later on see if they can jog anything and get that network set up take some of the pressure off"
"Great idea" her Mom said as Sam got his phone out to make the arrangements for it to happen at his house later on that night
The Glee Family
"We couldn't wait Trouty" Santana announced as they frog marched into his den
"Mercy this is Santana & Brittany, Tina & Artie, Rachael & Jessie, Quinn & Puck and Blaine & ..."
"Kurt" she said walking towards him "My best friend for life" she smiled as she hugged him, eventually standing back to acknowledge the others as she went forward and shook their hands smiling kindly ad saying hello
"So where do you all know Sam from" she asked as they all looked at each other
"School" Rachael replied looking around
"We all went to school together" Tina added "Kurt as well"
"Oh right" she said smiling up at Sam as she spoke "I went to school with Kurt too"
They spent most of the night treading on egg shells until, uncharacteristically, it was Santana that thought something else should be done "Do you want to help us sing a song Mercedes?" she asked
"I don't know I can sing really but I'll try" she laughed
"What do you fancy?" Rachael asked
"I reckon we should do some memory joggers if she gets it fine if she doesn't we march on but we need her to at least have the opportunity to remember and we need to create that" Brittany suggested and nobody said anything against that it was obvious Britt was concerned she was thinking logically
"Not to much school guys" Sam asked not wanting Mercy's first memory to be of him with someone else
'Paradise by the Dashboard Light' Tina suggested "Everyone was more or less with there other halves at that point" she said looking at Artie knowing they weren't
Kurt cranked up the song and at first Mercy looked lost in the trail of things but she soon found her voice and yes she got back there "Kurt" she said at the end "You got married" she announced at the end of the song as he hugged her
"Yes Mercy I did to Blaine" he said grabbing Blaine's hand and pulling him forward as Mercy willingly hugged Blaine
"I know I love you" she whispered in his ear as she hugged him
"I guess we could sing maybe 'Want to want Me' by Jason Derulo I remember her busting out big time to that at your engagement party she made them play it about 4 times remember?" Puck said
"Maybe, play the song and bust out, what to you think?" Jessie suggested as Mercy looked around wondering what was going on
"Sam" she said looking confused
"They want to dance" he informed her as she went to him, bringing a smile to her face, the music started and she was out of his arms and dancing
"I have to dance every time I hear this song" she announced as everyone else got to dancing trying to help her bring her memories back, but actually enjoying the song too "I know I love you" she said to Sam as the music finished and she settled back in his arms again "Let's have something from the Unholy Trinity" she announced as everyone turned in surprise. The girls got up as requested and sung a version of 'Bang Bang' by Jessie J, Ariana Grande Nicki Minaj as everyone including Mercy jumped about dancing and acting out bangs, all laughing at the end of the song
"Mercy could you do a version of 'Don't you Remember' by Adele" Tina suggested as everyone semi-froze as Tina asking Mercy to do one of her own songs
"Remind me how that goes T" she asked as Kurt set up the track
"You'll get the hang of it once it starts" Tina replied looking around the room, proud Mercy had remembered her name, the track started and Mercy sat at Sam's side holding on until she heard the first line of the song and she took it over singing as she always did
"Shit was that me?" she asked everyone when she'd finished as everyone clapped her performance
Things got a little more relaxed after that and Mercy called a few more names as the night went on. Sam finally called time at 10 pm saying Mercy had, had a long day and needed time to make sense of what has happened for her today, everyone said their goodbyes and left shortly after his announcement
That Night
"Sam" Mercy said looking at him questioningly "Can I sleep in your bed?" she asked "Nothing naughty I just feel like that was something we used to do" she smiled "We were good friends" she said
"Yeah sure" Sam said rolling his eyes as she turned back around, thinking about the sleep he wasn't going to get with her so damn close to him, and God was he tired. In his bedroom he sat around watching her do her familiar night things, rolling his eyes as she creamed her body, done her usual check my boobs thing, put her teddy boy PJ's on and jump on his bed 'You coming in' he said in his head, something she always said
"You coming in?" she asked with a smile
"Yeah in a bit" he said going to get his PJ bottoms on standing just as half naked as she was just a while ago
"Something about this is familiar to me" she sat up saying "Is it familiar to you?" she asked
"You need to remember Mercy" he replied
"Don't you mean babe?"
"What?" he turned to ask
"You mean you need to remember Babe" she smiled "That's what you call me"
"Yep it is, but not until you remember everything"
"I was sitting here wondering why you'd stand up naked in front of me like that, and I realised I did it too, without thinking, and that's what came back to me, you call me babe, are we more than friends Sam?" she asked
"I guess I'm waiting for you to tell me that" he smiled walking towards the bed, getting in and sharing a very sleepless night with Mercy for the first time in months. That became a regular thing for them sharing a bed and Sam learned to get familiar with the bathroom again.
Two weeks and a few days later
About two days before Sam was due back on the rig Mercy asked him "Can we get another night with the Glee family before you go back?"
"Back where?" Sam asked aware he hadn't even broached leaving again yet with her
"To the rig" she replied looking at him like he'd forgotten where he worked
"Oh yeah" he said surprised "We can do that" he smiled grabbing his phone to send the message
"Oh yeah and last night I sort of remembered that you went out with most of those girls" she announced as Sam rolled his eyes ready for it "And for some unknown reason I was upset when I remembered, but, I woke this morning, not even bothered about that" she smiled when she saw his face finally telling her she'd done something good
"We have your doctors appointment this morning, remember?" he asked as she sat looking over his shoulder at the message he was writing to the guys "Is that alright?" he asked her before sending the message
"Sorry" she said moving away
"What for?"
"Being nosey" she said looking at him for his reaction
"You're not, and I've got nothing to hide from you" he smiled all he could think about right then was kissing her for how cute she looked. She was back to Mercy 1.0 all the moves were there, she was singing on a whim again, she recognised her parents and his and called them Mom or Dad whichever she was addressing, she still had issues with strangers, as she called them and he'd just set up for her to visit their old school. Sam had suggested that the Glee family take her to the school to see what they could conjure up in her mind and they all thought it was a good idea, he just needed to run it by the doctor this morning before going ahead. News from the Doctor was good the swelling had reduced significantly, Mercy was getting her personality back, the doctor ok'ed the school visit and Sam was shocked when they came out of the surgery and she gave him a kiss on the lips, he was getting his Mercy back.
That afternoon they met everyone at the school, went in met some teachers of old, visited some old haunts and made music in the choir room like old times, at 6 pm when the teachers were leaving Mercy just wanted to keep on going, eventually Kurt suggested they go to his for drinks and to carry on the party and she agreed to that
"God" Rachael said flopping on the couch, after dancing to Mercy's third hit on the stereo at Kurt's house "This is so like old times" she laughed
"Old times back at school you mean?" Artie corrected
"Please don't remind anyone of the ageing thing" Puck asked pointing at Quinn as everyone laughed including Mercy
"I love you Quinny" she said, knocking head with her endearingly "And it's scary that I know all these songs" she smiled looking at Sam before turning to Quinn to say "Got to go looks like Sam's missing my hugs" she giggled as she made her way back to him "I missed you" she said
"I miss you too" he replied knowing Mercy didn't really understand how he meant that as he pulled her in
The night was fun filled again and everyone went home laughing "We'll stay at my parents house tonight it's closer" Mercy announced as they got in his car
"Okay" he smiled "You alright staying there while I'm away?" he asked
"Yeah but I'll maybe just flit between them" she said as Sam smiled, it was something they both done when they were home, especially if the other wasn't there, alternating for meals, sleeps or even TV programmes. Just having that someone there to talk about her for him or him for her helped with the distance thing sometimes
So they had their time and Sam eventually left for his two weeks away making sure Mercy had his contact details imprinted on her brain, she was remembering enough now for that to happen
1 Week & 4 days later
Mercy had been doing her random thing since Sam went back, she was even getting up in the night to go home or back to Sam's bed, the parents were getting worried but, during the day she functioned well and she knew what she'd done the night before or during the night, explaining her behaviour as just needing to be near Sam or the parents "I mega missed you guys and I really don't know what that's about yet but when I do I'll let you all know"
1 Week & 5 days
Mercy had been out picking apples with Dad Evans for the pie Mom Evans was going to make for Sam's return, he loved his sweet stuff with healthy in it so fresh Apple Pie just as Mom makes it fitted the bill. They walked into the kitchen to deposit the apples and was surprised to see her Mom sitting talking to Sam's Mom looking through something
"What you all doin?" she asked, making her way over to them not giving the chance for them to be subtle about anything as her Mom dragged the magazine off the table "Come on I saw that" she laughed as the Mom's looked at each other before putting the book back on the table
"Oh" she said flipping through the book "Wedding dresses" she said walking off to go help with the apples again
Mercy felt something, she wasn't able to say what she felt but it was something, she went to sit out on the veranda and at that precise moment everything started to go in slow motion for her as she reached the swing couch, what felt like hours after she started towards it. She just about flopped onto the chair as her legs gave up on her along with all her other motor skills, 'What's happening?' she was screaming in her head but nothing was coming out and she was aware nothing was coming out 'Sam' she kept repeating as her vision went white before showing her flashes sharp, vivid flashes of thoughts, events, activities until she wasn't scared of where this was taking her somehow she knew she'd already experienced these things it was her memory doing a fast forward while her body had gone into meltdown to allow it to happen. Sam had read her something about this a few weeks ago and he'd told her it could happen any time and she wasn't to be scared it was everything coming back. She felt herself relax with that knowledge, thinking it must have been her heart and other internal organs that had to relax because she had no control over any of her external limbs right now.
She was unaware of how much time she was sitting on the veranda but it couldn't have been long because there was no concern from the parents. What she did know when she sat up was that her name was Mercedes Jones, she was getting married to the love of her life Sam Evans in July 2021 and he hadn't called her for the longest time
"How did I get here? she asked when she went inside
"We brought you here" her Mom replied
"No I mean to Lima"
"Sam" her Mom smile "You were lost he went to LA and found you and brought you back here for us to help him look after you" she finished
"Where is he?" she asked looking around
"He's on the rig" his Mom informed her
"Silly question yeah?" she asked rolling her eyes "We're getting married soon yeah?" she asked before they could answer the first question
"Yeah" her Mom's smiled
"He was supposed to phone me on Thursday, he didn't and I was cussing standing on the kitchen ladder without putting the cookies down first, and I fell" she said laughing at her angry
"Are you back?" Sam's Dad asked
"I'm back" she smiled as the Mom's went towards her and she hugged Dad Evans
"Its been a long 16 weeks" her Mom said still hugging her
1 week & 6 Days
Sam had kept his cool for well over 9 weeks since finding Mercy in that shabby whatever with just a dirty couch to call home, he'd got that conversation on his mind that he'd had with Cory and he sat getting riled with not having dealt with it. Now Mercy was getting better he felt he could maybe take the time to do that promised visit, he jumped on a plane straight after his shift instead of waiting till the next morning like he usually did and landed in LA at 11 pm
"Cory" Sam said when he picked the phone up "It's Sam" he said waiting for his response "We have unfinished business" he said revenge in his voice "Where are you?" he asked and stood listening to instruction "fifty minutes" he said putting the phone down
45 minutes later Sam was stepping out of the taxi and into Jimmy Mac's nightclub to see Cory, getting past the guards with ease, he found out why when he finally got to the small room Cory was in with three body builders standing round him
"I'm glad you think this is about a fight we're about to have" Sam smiled as he sat in the chair that was obviously waiting for him "Look Mercy doesn't work for you any more I get that, and truth I really don't want her working with someone like you ever again" Sam said leaning on the desk that separated them "I want you to put that 90K in her account before I get back to her, do you hear me?" Sam asked "Mercy's given you well over 3.7 M since she started singing for you and you have the damn cheek to tell me she owes you? no way, we want that money back" he said banging the desk making Cory jump
"I.."
"No excuses Cory I will jump this fucking table, I'm not scared of your army, in fact I bet I could pay them to do the damn job for me" he said without looking up at them "And" he said punching Cory in the face as the men moved forward "Never put your hand on my lady again, next time I will kill you" he smirked as Cory's nose dripped blood
"You've broken my fucking nose" he shouted getting up to get tissue
"Remember before I get to her, I want that money in her account" Sam reminded him getting up as he walked past him "Are we understanding each other?"
"Yes" Cory said flinching as Sam passed him
"Hopefully we'll never have to have this conversation again" he said throwing the chair aside and walking out
Sam's back
That morning Mercy woke up in Sam's bed smelled the sheets and pottered around in his room playing his music, putting his shirt on as she always did to go down for breakfast and booking a hotel for the night "Would you mind if I collect Sam from the airport this afternoon?" she asked his Dad
"I'm guessing this is going to be one of those scenic route collections" his Mom laughed
"You guess right" she replied with no shame
"Too much information" his Dad said "I don't mind" he said waving Mercy and Sam's Mom off as he left the room to them laughing
Her parents were round before they finished breakfast everyone celebrating again for Mercy's memory coming back "I think we need to get you in to see the doctor this morning Baby Girl" her Dad suggested "Just to be safe" he said as she nodded in agreement
They all five went to the Doctors surgery, went to Starbucks for a celebratory drink and back home in time for Mercy to pack a few things, throw them in the back of Sam's car and head to the airport
"Sam" she said running to him, when she caught sight of him "I missed you" she said as he caught her
"I missed you too babe" he replied as she pulled up off him and looked into his eyes for the longest time
"You never called me" she whispered "And I cussed you and fell off the damn chair"
"I know, sorry, I was studying for exams" he said looking at her mouth as it begged him to take it
"Yep" she said in answer to his unasked question as he dived in to kiss his girl again for the longest time "Wedding still on the cards?" she asked when he finally let her up
"I should be asking you that" he laughed
"Yes" they both said full laughing in the airport arrivals lounge, finally making their way out and into the car
"I know you went to visit Cory" she looked at his slyly saying "That's why you did it yesterday to stop me from saying anything" she giggled starting the car for their journey
"I didn't hurt him" Sam said shyly as Mercy looked at him "Watch the road" he said trying to deflect "Where are we going?" he asked when he noticed the car going in unfamiliar territory
"Hotel Mr; we've got some work to catch up on" she laughed
"I'm glad you said we" he said grabbing her hand "Welcome back" he smiled at her
"It's good to be back, thanks for not giving up on me"
"Never gonna happen" they both said
"I know" she smiled
"Yep we're back" he laughed sending a Sapp out to the Glee family to let them know
The End