So I wrote up to chapter 20, and I'm trying to space out updates. This chapter like the others are Mercedes centric, but more of Mercedes finding out how strong she is. No matter who she is with or how she feels about someone, Sam will still be a quiet presence in her life. And this show a little of that. As far as a flashback goes, I have almost finished this story, but I will see if I can just write a filler chapter of a flash back of the readers choosing. Just leave a review of what you want to see. You already saw her first time, and her honeymoon, so tell me what else would you like to see. Anyway, enjoy! This was a tough chapter to write, but Cedes is one strong female, no matter the wrong choices she keeps on making. Remember people do crazy things for love.
All kinds of blessings were coming to Mercedes all at one time. Sandra returned the Benz that she had taken over three years ago from the apartment as she wanted to start with a clean slate. She realized that Mercedes had Sam best intentions at heart. With the 300 Benz, part of the money from the savings bond her grandmother had left for her, and the help of Drew and Tank, Mercedes was able to get her a black Bentley.
Things were going well between her and Drew. They actually clicked as well as complimented each other. They liked a lot of the same things. They both liked to travel. They went everywhere together. Any time she had a break from school or long weekends, they would always be off out of town exploring or relaxing.
They went on a Carnival Cruise. He would take her to Las Vegas to go to any of the fights that were there. She absolutely loved Vegas. He'd send her flowers for no reason. He'd take the initiative to plan scavenger hunts for her. The way he treated her reminded her a lot of Sam. She never had to tell him what to do because he just did it. He had a way of looking at her. It could be a room full with beautiful, exotic women and he would only see Mercedes.
This was the first man besides Sam that she'd ever genuinely cared about. They were tight as jeans. They communicated well. Communication is the key to any relationship. The sex was good. Now that they were in a deep relationship Mercedes had no desire to go out to the clubs anymore. Drew didn't tell her to stop going. He wasn't the going out type, just more of a homebody. They found things for them to do at home, or outside of the club scene that were worthwhile.
Though Drew and Jamal were slightly similar in the method of operation, there was a difference between them. Drew was eight years older than she was and more attentive with anything concerning her. Drew definitely wore the pants in their relationship. Mercedes could not just come with some lame excuse and expect Drew to accept it. He was sterner with her than Jamal ever was. She respected him as well as his wishes. He made it clear that she was not to go see Sam in prison. She would not disobey, but she still stayed in contact with Sam via letters.
Sam had been transferred to a prison nine hours away from Richmond. Norfolk, where Mercedes attended ODU, was two hours outside of Richmond. Sam was considerate enough to tell Mercedes that eleven hours was too far to drive to see him. He was more worried about her safety when driving the distance and through the winding country roads to the facility. Just corresponding on a regular basis until he was moved from up there, would suffice in his eyes. In all actuality, Drew's demands never affected the relationship with Sam and Mercedes.
During the weekdays when she was attending classes in Norfolk, Drew would be there at least two of the four class days. She would stay with him when she was in Richmond on the weekends. She had keys to his house. He was becoming a permanent part of her life. After attending three years in Norfolk at ODU, she transferred to the University of Richmond. When she moved back to Richmond, she moved in with Drew. This was the first time in her adult life that she had actually lived with a man. One summer night, right before Mercedes's senior year at The University of Richmond was to begin, she and Drew were riding down Azalea Avenue. The cops pulled Drew over for no apparent reason. In reality, the reason was they were DWB— Driving While Black. The typical situation: the police spot an 850 BMW with rims on it and see a young black man driving and automatically think, drug dealer! The cop put the blue lights on them. Drew pulled his BMW into the Brookhill Azalea shopping center. The officer approached the back of the car and broke the tail light. He went around to the driver's side of the car. He looked down with his round, shiny, mirrored reflected sunglasses and big brim hat while chewing tobacco.
"License and registration please?" The officer said with a deep down south accent, Drew cooperated. The officer studied Drew's license hard. "Mr. Whales, do you have any drugs or weapons in here?" The officer asked while pointing his flashlight around the car.
"No," Drew politely responded.
"Then you shouldn't mind if I search your vehicle, right?"
"Sir, I apologize, but you can't search anything of mine," Drew said in a firm tone. He knew his rights.
"We'll see about that, Mr. Whales. We'll just see, won't we?" The officer said as he spit his tobacco.
The officer walked back to his squad car, sat in his car for twenty minutes and returned to Drew's car when another police cruiser rolled up. The other cop proceeded to Mercedes's side of the car.
"Mr. Whales, please step out of the car," the younger cop demanded.
"For what?" Drew asked. He ignored Drew. The officer opened Drew's car door while spitting his chewing tobacco.
"Mr. Whales, I said, step out of the vehicle."
As soon as Drew proceeded to put one foot on the pavement the officer grabbed him, literally pulling him out of the car, and slapped handcuffs on him. Mercedes could see something out of the corner of her eye on her side of the car. She called out to the police,
"What's going on?" When she looked to her right, there was another police officer standing there with a loaded shotgun pointed at her.
"M'am step out of the car." Mercedes slowly got out of the car. "Mr. Whales, your license is suspended." The first police said to Drew.
Drew knew for a fact he had a valid driver's license. Taking his lifestyle into consideration, he'd never let his license get suspended. At this point, two more police cars rolled up. The second police immediately removed Mercedes out of Drew's sight. She was placed in a mini-van while they searched the car.
"What's your name?" The police asked in a calm voice. Mercedes ignored him. "Is that your boyfriend?" Mercedes only moved around the back seat to try to get out of the van. They had her locked in. A lady cop entered the van wearing some black jeans with a white Polo style T-shirt and some combat looking black military style boots. "Hi, are these guys giving you a hard time?" Mercedes only looked at her, as if she was crazy. Oh, they trying to play good cop bad cop, huh?
"You mean to tell me y'all don't have anything else to do, but harass me? Why don't y'all go try to find some child molesters to catch? Listen lady, I haven't done anything." Mercedes complained to all who would listen.
"I know you haven't, but it's just standard procedure," the lady interrupted. "What's your name, honey? Whose car is that?" Mercedes never responded to any of her questions. "That's some nice jewelry. Did your boyfriend give them to you?" Mercedes ignored the lady cop as she moved around the van trying to see out of the windows that were taped up.
The male police said, "Yeah, her boyfriend gave it to her because you know he's a drug dealer." As he opened up the door to get out of the van leaning back in, shaking his head at Mercedes, "But sweetie, you can kiss that big nice rock on your finger good bye because my wife's going to be wearing that soon and very soon," pointing directly at the cluster ring that Drew had given Mercedes just a few weeks before.
"I kinda figured your boyfriend sold drugs just by your jewelry. How else would you be able to afford such extravagant pieces? I wish I had somebody to buy me some nice presents." The lady cop said in a sarcastic tone, but trying to make Mercedes comfortable so she could loosen up.
I betcha you do. Don't try to act as if we're really friends and I don't know what's going on here. Shit, you ain't no friend of mine and can best believe I'm not muttering a word.
"Look, you need to talk to me. I can help you." Mercedes rolled her eyes and laughed. Everything else the woman cop said Mercedes continued to laugh at in a cynical manner, even when the male cop entered the van with a 9mm in his hand.
"Laugh now, but cry later," the officer said. "Mercedes Jones, you are under arrest for possession of an illegal firearm. Now, I bet you want to talk to us, huh?" Mercedes continued with her sarcastic giggle.
"Do you really think a ride downtown is going to scare me? Oh, I'm shaking in my boots! Mercedes said as she continued laughing on the outside, but crying on the inside. She'd never been inside a police car before or been to a jail, other than to visit. She was fully aware of the notion that they were only taking her to jail out of spite. The police knew that gun wasn't hers, but since she didn't utter a word, they gave her the gun charge too.
Before they took her in front the magistrate to get a bond, they made her sit in a cold empty room for about three hours before anybody came in. She couldn't fall asleep because the room temperature was so uncomfortable. Her nipples were hard, and chill bumps were all over her body. When the interrogation officer entered the room, the first thing he asked was, "Are you cold? Would you like me to adjust the temperature to make you more comfortable?" He banged on the door, "you guys ought to be ashamed of yourself. It's freezing. Cut the air down, and get me some hot cocoa or coffee in here right now!" Mercedes didn't budge neither was she impressed.
"Ms. Jones, this is how it works. One hand washes the other around here? See how I got you instant results with the heat, coffee, hot chocolate and all? That's how I work. Instant gratification. You give me some instant info and I will give you on the spot results. This little fiasco that you had earlier can all be erased." Mercedes just stared at him with a timid expression on her face. He pulled up a chair beside Mercedes, "do any of these people look familiar to you?" He started spreading pictures all across the table of the city's neighborhood drug boys from all over Richmond. Some she knew, or had seen around, and some she didn't. She studied the photos and what she found interesting was the fact that the photos were not mug shots. Most were taken at clubs, some at car lots, the mall, Summer League, shows, the block , just anywhere the ballers were subject to be found. Mercedes didn't allow her astonishment to show as she stared at the photos of the players and pimps from all over the communities of Richmond, from the "358", the "804", the "643" and the "321". Still she maintained her silence. The interrogator observed her looking, so that's when he started laying more photos on the table, "Who's car is this?", "What about this car?" Damn these people ain't joking. They taking pictures of cars and everything.
"Mercedes, if you can give me some info about any of these people, I can make your little charge disappear as if I was David Copperfield. Poof, be gone. Just like that."
"Just like that huh? That easy?" She finally broke her silence. The detective got happy as he grinned, "Just like that!"
Mercedes looked as serious as she could. The detective moved the photos around on the wood table. "See, I know that gun wasn't yours. I can persuade the right people of it. What do you say, Mercedes?" He asked as if he knew he was just about to hit the jackpot. He was certain she was about to spill her guts on everything she knew or heard of on every nickel and dime hustler to the big time dealers. Oh, Ms. Mercedes Jones was going to be his Christmas bonus, his raise, and that promotion he'd been looking for.
Mercedes looked in his face and made direct eye contact with him, and fell into laughter. "Poof, be gone? Disappear like David Copperfield, right?" She asked as she held her stomach with rays of laughter roaring out. He shook his head and started laughing too, "Just like David Copperfield." Mercedes seized her giggles and got serious as she paused and looked into his eyes. "David Copperfield works with illusions, and that bullshit you talking is nothing but a mirage, a fallacy, a hallucination! You understand? Now, get me a lawyer, and while you're doing that, realize that I walk with two legs. I don't lay on my belly and slither around on the ground. I'm no snake, rat, snitch, informant, mole, or spy, understand that. Oh, and one last thing, never ever compare yourself to David Copperfield. One thing is fo sho, and two things for certain, you're not Houdini, or David so you can't make jack disappear."
Both Mercedes and Drew posted bail that same night.
A lot of sleepless nights followed. She had a lot on her plate. Every time she closed her eyes to sleep she thought about the pictures that laid on that table. What's her responsibility here? Does she warn the hustlers of the fact the police are asking questions and they better prepare themselves for what is about to come. She was fully aware of the fact that it doesn't take much to convince a weak individual of treason, especially when they are under the gun. The rules to the game change in their eyes.
Is it fair to let innocent people fall victim? Granted they all breaking "the law" but certain people possess these get out of jail free cards. I mean, these people in the photos, they shouldn't be sacrificed, to save somebody else, who simply got caught up. O.K. I wanna approach each and every face I remember in those pictures and just put them down with the conspiracy, but at the same time, where does that leave me? People will get suspect, think I got ulterior motives, and I'm the one trying to play fair.
Mercedes knew that Drew already had 22 years suspended time over his head. Plus, he'd be violating his parole if he got that new conviction. After constant persuasion from Drew, she ended up taking the charge. Drew hired her a lawyer, Mr. Plucktime. The lawyer assured her that the state would dismiss the accusations or only knoll process the case, and the worst that could happen is that she'd get probation, and after six months of good behavior, they'd bring the case up and dismiss it.
Drew asked her not to tell anybody. She didn't tell a soul, especially her mother or Sam. She knew it would break Gina's heart. She also felt ashamed that she had let Drew talk her into this. This was really putting her career on the line, her schooling, her life, her everything. She loved him and knew that he'd never steer her wrong. So, she just believed in him.
While all this was going on, she still went back and forth to school maintaining a high grade point average. When she went to talk to the presentence officer, she said that she'd recommend to the courts no jail time, and assured her that everything would be fine.
The court date came around fast. When she woke up, Drew said that he was sick and he couldn't go to court to with her because he thought he had a stomach virus. She ended up driving herself to court. As soon as she pulled in the court parking deck she called Gina. She told her she had to go to court and she didn't want to go by herself. Gina had arrived right before they called Mercedes's name. She knew that Mercedes was in serious trouble due to the fact that she was not in General District Court, but Circuit Court. Gina was furious because she knew Drew was the masked man behind all of this madness and now he was nowhere in sight.
Mercedes was sentenced in Henpeck circuit court. Henpeck County was very strict. The judge who presided over the case was a real redneck. The irony of it was, his name was Judge Redneck. He was old and should have retired fifteen years ago, when he was seventy or so. He made an example out of Mercedes. He looked dead in Mercedes's face and asked her, "Do you expect me to have some sympathy for you? You're in undergrad school. You should know better." He looked at the paperwork, page after page, with his ink pen in hand and asked the commonwealth attorney, "Did she cooperate with you in questioning and turning state's evidence?"
The commonwealth attorney laughed as he said, "Judge, she didn't utter a word and simply turned her back to me the whole time I was trying to question her."
The judge shook his head in disgust and interrogated her, "I've looked over your letters from your professors, your grades as well as your pre-sentence report, and how could you possibly have all this book sense and not an ounce of common sense to speak up and save your own butt? I'm looking around the courtroom, and the male whose gun it really was, isn't even here to show his support. You young girls better wake up and smell the coffee because it is definitely perking. I've never wanted to send someone to jail, until now. I really don't feel you deserve to be sentenced to jail time. However, I feel obligated to sentence you to one year in jail, simply for being a fool for love."
In Virginia, one year was equal to ten months. Mercedes would have to serve ten months in the Henpeck County Jail. With good behavior she'd be released in nine months and fifteen days. Mercedes was devastated, and was outdone with the outcome. Gina jumped up in court and yelled, "You prejudiced MOTHERFUCKER!"
The bailiff marched over to Gina to lock her up for the profane outburst, but the judge simply said, "I am going to let you get that one for free. After all, I am having a good day and I've been called worst behind my back, but never in my face." He added, "Remove this woman from my courtroom!"
Mercedes walked slowly out of the courtroom in disbelief. Her attorney approached her, smiling at her, "I think the outcome went very well, considering the guidelines for this type of case." Mercedes exploded, "You never mentioned anything about any guidelines to me. You promised me no time, you sell-out motherfucker!" She walked up to him, got face to face with him and spit. "You're fired and I am reporting you to the bar association."
She called Drew at the house since he was supposed to have been so sick. She didn't get an answer. She called his cell phone. He answered.
"Oh, you've recovered huh?" Mercedes said in a sharp tone. "No, I just had to go meet somebody real quick. I am on my way back to the house now," Drew explained quickly.
"You sold me out, Drew. You got me that bullshit ass lawyer who you claimed was top of the line. He really was the bottom of the barrel! You better go get your money back. You knew that those white folks were going to give me some time, didn't you? That's why your stomach was hurting this morning, huh?" Drew hung up in her ear.
The judge did give her work release. She'd lied to him, telling him that she did bookkeeping at a daycare center. She neglected to mention that it was her Aunt Millie's daycare center. He gave her until the following Monday to turn herself in. She hired another lawyer to work on an appeal, sentence reduction and home incarceration.
Mercedes told Santana what had happened and expressed to her friend that she was going to need to call her collect as a backup in case she couldn't reach Drew or her mother. Santana said that her phone was about to get cut off from dudes calling her house from the penitentiary. Mercedes paid Santana's phone bill, $ 536.00, so she'd be able to call her collect. She also told Santana that she would get Drew to give her the money to pay her phone bill for the months to come.
Monday rolled around and Mercedes turned herself in. She kept telling herself it wasn't going to be that bad because she got to leave during the day. All she had to do was sleep there. When she left for work during the day, at Aunt Millie's daycare, she'd go check in, then leave and go to her classes at U of R. There was no way she going to let any of this stand in the way of her graduation. She had promised Sam and her grandmother she was going to graduate and she meant it. She would go back to the daycare for the rest of the day when her classes were done. Two months into the work release it was running smooth and one day, the work release sheriff showed up at the daycare center looking for Mercedes. They tried to cover for her and said that she was gone to the bank. Millie ran to the back office and tried to call her on her cell phone, only, she had left her cell phone at the daycare center. She was up the creek with no paddle. When she returned to the jail that night they removed her from work release. She had to do the remainder of her six months straight jail time. This was the greatest difficulty she'd had faced yet.
When they first put her in population, she cried every day. Not because she was scared of being in jail, but simply because she wasn't used to jail life or the mentality. Having to eat what was chosen for her to consume, was hard enough and the food was disgusting so she wouldn't eat. She lost about twenty pounds in a four-month -time frame. When she went into the jail population some of the girls knew her from the streets. Or, if they didn't know her personally, they had heard of her by tying her to Sam, Jamal or Drew. Some gave her the utmost respect on the strength of Sam or Drew, but some of her fellow inmates were jealous of her. They were especially envious of the way she lived out of jail as well as in confinement.
Sometimes when a person goes to jail, they are forgotten about. People on the outside world think, out of sight, out of mind. So, they forget all about the inmate. What they don't realize is unless a person was sentenced to death or has consecutive life sentences, and even so, convictions are overturned every day, which means they are not going to be confined forever. And one day, they'll meet again.
This wasn't the total case for Mercedes. First of all, she only told a selective few that she was in jail. The people she did inform showed her love. She got mail on a regular basis, and even though she didn't want any visits, Gina visited every week. Whenever she made a phone call, the charges were always accepted. She could call as much and talk as long as she wanted. Her inmate account was always stacked. She continued to get yellow money receipt slips even though she already had hundreds of dollars in her inmate account.
She also ran a store in her dayroom. In jail, inmates only get to go to the canteen once a week. At the end of the week, some of them may run out of certain products. So, an inmate would allow that person to get an item from them, providing when they go to the store, they give them two items back. It is called two for one. Mercedes only provided one for one; whatever was gotten from her was just reversed with that item.
Most of the girls in jail were there because of some crime they committed for drugs. The majority of them were conniving on the streets and shiesty in jail. They may have done so much low down dirty stuff that when they got to jail, nobody thought enough of them to send money or any expressions of love. So, naturally, when they saw somebody like Mercedes, one of two reactions happened: They either tried to befriend her to get whatever they could from her, or they just envied and hated her, and tried to give her a hard time. They'd send trouble her way anyway they could.
Mercedes had never thought about breaking the law before in her life. The lifestyles of the men she dated caused her to know the hustles of the world , such as buying clothes hot from a booster, buying food stamps for half price, dudes getting robbed, people selling drugs , or whatever crime that's been committed. She was aware of all these offenses and personally knew people who did all of the above plus some but she never thought of ever committing a crime.
Overall, Mercedes was a good person. She would help anybody. Girls would come in going through withdrawals from heroin. That was a sad sight. They would shake, sweat, and vomit, just be sick desiring chocolate to ease their urge. She would give them a couple of chocolate candy bars and some Ivory soap to help clean up the vomit, not looking for anything in return. Her heart was compassionate. She looked out for anybody in need, but don't get it twisted, Mercedes was no fool or no lame for anybody.
The first two months were the hardest for Mercedes to adjust to. She stayed in some type of trouble. She got into two fights back to back with girls wanting to try her. She knew if she didn't straighten the situation out, things would go from bad to worse.
Mercedes had picked up a lot of her jail survival skills from Sam and unknowingly, her father. For instance, she told the deputy who processed her in, that she'd just gotten her ears pierced and was afraid if she'd removed her diamond studded earrings her ear may close or worse, get infected. The deputy allowed Mercedes to keep her earrings, because the jail was awful when dealing with medical incidents. They hated the hassle and were shorthanded on medical staff.
Mercedes also removed the under wire out of her bras so she wouldn't have to wear the county issued underwear. She was allowed to have eight T-shirts, soft bras, socks, and panties. She instructed Gina to bring her all colors of T-shirts with socks to match, not any white, because she could buy white T-shirts and socks from the jail canteen. Her mother also brought her a Guess watch. These things were nothing to Mercedes. She was only trying to make the best out of a horrible situation. Having these belongings made Mercedes stand out, so there was a lot of jealousy surrounding her.
Although Mercedes had a good heart, she wasn't going to let anybody take advantage of her by any means. This dirty, junkie girl, Key-Key, she knew from the street, was locked up too. She was light skinned, shoulder length curly hair and had a petite frame. Pretty she wasn't, but her complexion, clothing, and cute shape attracted the men.
One day Key-Key walked over to Mercedes when Mercedes was leaving out of her cell to go play spades.
"Can I get a honey bun and a baby Ruth from you? I'll pay you when we go to canteen on Tuesday. I'm supposed to get a money slip on Monday," Key-Key asked.
"Hold up, Key-Key," Mercedes said as she went back into her cell. She returned with a honey bun and a Milky Way. "Here you can have this. Don't worry about giving it back to me when your money slip comes. Just get stocked up on your personals. O.K.?"
"Thank you, Mercedes." Key-Key was more grateful than her stoic face would show.
Mercedes went to the card table with three bags of potato chips in her hand. She had to use the chips to put up to bet in the spade game. She played spades for the next two hours. When the game was over, she ran up to her cell to get her a Baby Ruth she looked in her box where all her snacks were, but there were no chocolate bars left. She knew she should have had at least seven or eight left because she never gave them away, as they were her favorite. Mercedes flipped out. She ran out of the cell.
"Who been in my cell?" Nobody said anything. "Well, if anybody saw anything, oh, I got a $ 10 reward out to know who been in my cell." Mercedes knew money talked, even in "da clinker". She went back in her cell and took off her gym shorts and her tank top she'd been walking around in. She replaced it with her sweat suit and her tennis shoes, and went back to play cards.
A girl approached Mercedes. The girl didn't want to get caught up in the hype, so she just passed Mercedes a note. Mercedes put the note in her pocket. Later that night, she read it. "Look in Key-Key's cell."
Mercedes waited until Key-Key went to take a shower. Mercedes snuck into her cell, and there it was. Seven Baby Ruth's, dry Roman noodles, two Secret deodorant sticks and the Victoria Secret's underwear that Mercedes had on the day before, that she had washed out by hand and had hanging up in her cell to dry. A Dirty Bitch. She had the nerve to steal my drawers! How trifling can you be? I gave to this broke down ho and she gonna steal from me. I can't believe this!
Mercedes walked fast with her hands swinging by her side. She had a one-track mind and was in a trance trying to get over to the shower. She opened up that shower door and pulled Key-Key out, buck-naked. "Oh, you wanna steal from me?" Big, bad, bully Key-Key who had so much mouth, didn't try to fight back while slipping and sliding all around the dayroom. It only made Mercedes madder, because she had to chase her around the dayroom. The deputies came in and broke up the fight, but they only locked the both of them in their cells for the rest of the night.
After the fight, Mercedes didn't have anybody else trying her. Thirty-eight days of her jail term was spent in the hole, in solitary confinement. Most people would have gone crazy having to be locked away twenty-four hours, seven days a week, but Mercedes handled solitary well, better than the average inmate.
In the dungeon, the lights were very dim, and the female isolation was located over one of the male pods. Mercedes kept hearing vague voices carrying on conversations. At first, she thought the solitary confinement was getting to her, but then she realized that wasn't the case. She wasn't losing it after all. While she laid on her cot, writing a letter to her father, she heard a voice that sounded like it was somewhere near.
"Hello, Hello, Hello. I'm talking to you down there in cell block two or three."
Mercedes jumped up and ran to the door to respond through the slot in the door that the guards used to hand her mail or meal trays through. "Hello, back. Where are you? And who are you?" Mercedes replied
"This is Natalie and I am down here in cell six. What's yo name?"
"Mercedes," She was as happy as a kid in a candy shop to finally hear a friendly voice.
"What you doing in here? And didn't they just let you out a few days ago?"
"Yep. How you know?"
"Because I was back here then too."
"For real, well why you didn't say nothing then?" She asked suspiciously.
"I don't be fuckin wit these broke down chics in here. I don't be trying to make friends wit none of them. They all fake as hell. These bitches in here is just like the hoes on the street: backstabbing, throat cutting, larceny-jealous hearted, snitching bitches, who don't mean themselves no good, so how could they possibly mean me some good?"
"I feel you gurll! You ain't never lied!" Mercedes felt a little comfort to finally be talking to someone who could actually feel her struggle. "Too bad it caused me to come in here to figure that shit out."
Natalie said. "What are you in here for?"
"In jail period or back here in the dungeon?"
"Both? If you don't mind telling me, I know it's kind of personal." Mercedes didn't mean to pry. She knew how she felt when people tried to inquire about her situation.
"I don't usually tell anybody, but for some reason, you seem cool. I am in for worthless checks. And back here in the dungeon for a variety of things, except for dyking, you name it. Cussing out a few deputies, arguing with these broke down chics, not following direct orders, blah, blah, blah, and the list goes on."
"Oh, O.K." Mercedes smiled to herself because she could tell that Natalie was a bit ghetto, but cool.
"You got kids?" Natalie asked.
"Nope, thank God for that. You?"
"I got three."
"Oh, my God, who got them while you're in here?"
"My family."
"Well, that's good."
Natalie and Mercedes talked all day and night. Natalie was impressed with Mercedes, as Mercedes was intrigued with Natalie. She learned all about Natalie's struggle as a single mother. When Natalie started thinking about her children, she got depressed and Mercedes comforted her. She felt it was God who put them together because time really flew by. When she was released from isolation to go back into jail population, she was sad because she realized she wouldn't be able to talk to Natalie anymore. Natalie had to be in the dungeon for the rest of her time in the jail. She promised Natalie she would write her through the mail and they would always keep in touch, no matter what the storm in each other's life was.
Another issue that annoyed Mercedes was the women guards. They were so disrespectful. They thought that all females in jail either got high or were tricking when they were on the streets. They tried their best to humiliate the women inmates as much as they could.
There was one female correctional officer who processed her the first day she'd turned herself in. Her name was Officer Rita Plenty. She recognized that Mercedes was different from the other girls who'd came through the jail. She was certain that Mercedes had been "caught up". Mercedes's mannerisms, the clothes she wore in and the way she spoke, was confirmation. Once Mercedes was removed from work release, Deputy Plenty would observe her actions. One day she accompanied Mercedes to the nurse and they spoke briefly.
"Why were you removed from work release?" She interrogated Mercedes.
"Before I was arrested, I was in the process of finishing my last year in undergrad school. I wanted to finish, so when I left the jail in the mornings I'd attend my classes." Mercedes shrugged her shoulders and said in a nonchalant manner. "Somehow they found out."
"I am not mad at you. I would've done the same thing." Deputy Plenty said in a sincere tone. Later that day, Deputy Plenty was escorting a male inmate, who was Puck's homeboy, to the nurse.
"Could you give a kite, (a note folded up real small, inmates usually throw them to the recipient) to Mercedes Jones for me?"
"How you know Ms. Jones?" She reached out her hand to get the kite from him.
"Yo, she's good peoples. She goes all out for the people she loves that's why she's in here now." He explained the lifestyle Mercedes lived on the street and that Mercedes was "real". He had only good things to say about Mercedes.
Deputy Plenty felt compassion for her plight and they became friends. She made Mercedes's stay at the Henpeck County Jail a little more comfortable. She was concerned that Mercedes had lost too much weight. She'd bring in food from home to Mercedes. She'd pass messages between Mercedes and Puck. Mercedes never asked Deputy Plenty to do any favors for her. She respected the fact that, that was her job and her livelihood. Although the circumstances they met under was odd, they turned out to be genuine friends. Deputy Plenty would tell Mercedes of problems she was dealing with in her own life. Mercedes was a good listener, and she offered the officer some good advice.
When Puck heard that she was being housed on the other side of the jail, from where he was, he got one of the trustees to pass her some food, toiletries and some cigarettes. Mercedes didn't smoke, but she could sell them. The facility she was being housed at was smoke-free. Cigarettes were sold for $ 4 per cigarette. Everybody wanted cigarettes. They were hard to come by. Whenever a female acquired cigarettes, the smokes were treated if it was dope on the streets.
She hung as tough as she could, but jail eventually corrupted Mercedes. Her attitude was so bitter. She wasn't afraid of anything. There was no fear in her heart. She developed a jail house mentality, and learned to master the ins and outs of jail. She realized if she socialized with one of the guys who worked in the kitchen she could get extra helpings of the food she liked. She also flirted with some of the male deputies. Mercedes learned to manipulate while she was in jail. She once stopped up her commode, so the deputy on duty had no choice but to call the Plummer, who was a trustee. When the trustee came into her cell, he passed her a package full of cigarettes and marijuana, which she, of course, sold. She would have never touched marijuana, tried to sell it, or experiment with it on the streets.
Jail introduced Mercedes to a world she'd never known and if she had never experienced confinement, she would never be able to relate to anyone else who'd been there and done that, to the extent as her being locked up had. Maybe her incarceration made it just that much harder to walk out and turn her back on Sam. Her imprisonment may have been a factor as to why she never stopped fighting for Sam' release upon her discharge. Or maybe her own incarceration was the reason that she always dropped a card in the mail to other inmates she knew, and never seem to forget anybody dear to her in prison, as the average person may have.
"MAAIIIILLLLL CALLLL," yelled the high pitch voiced deputy. She called out Mercedes's name.
My Dearest Mercedes,
What have you let that guy get you into? Why didn't you let me know what was going on with you? I am crazy worried about you. Please don't shut me out. I know you need me right now. I am here for you, baby. I love you unconditionally. That will never change. This wasn't in my plan for you. I know that you are definitely a warrior. You'll be O.K. and no storm lasts forever.
You have got to cool down. You can't allow them broke down hos to run up your time. You only have to be there for a few more months. Don't put yourself in a situation that could get you a street charge and add more time to your sentence. I know you ain't accustomed to this jail shit, so focus on what you going to do when you get out of there. Them hoes going to be there when you leave.
One thing to think on, if somebody controls your emotions, they can control your attitude. If they can control your attitude, then they control your actions. If someone can control your actions, then they control your destiny. You do the time, Baby, don't let the time do you.
Let me know what the hell is going on with your case!
Much Love,
Sam
It took her two weeks to get up the nerve to write Sam. Let the truth be told, she knew Sam was the only one, besides God, who could carry her through this whole ordeal.
Once Mercedes got Sam' letter, she turned her focus elsewhere. She started doing the time, not allowing the time do her. She signed up for every recreational activity the jail offered. Every opportunity to get out of the dayroom she participated in. She wrote the sheriff, the judge, as well as the governor, one letter a week, asking for a sentence reduction or to be placed on home incarceration. They wouldn't respond, but she diligently wrote them.
Whenever Drew knew that Mercedes was going to call, he would be at Gina's house to talk to her. He'd send cards, letters and money, even though he knew that she had money already. He never visited her. He claimed "visitors made prisoners." That was just an excuse.
Mercedes had mixed feelings about Drew. She never totally grasped the concept of exactly why "she" was sitting in jail. Was it because of the fact that she was loyal to Drew and the principles she'd been taught about the people she loved? Was it that she knew her mother was very submissive to the man she loved? Or, was it because she loved Drew?
She sat Indian style on her 3inch thick mattress trying to make since of the trial.
Mercedes sobbed. This was the first time in her life she'd regretted not consulting her mother. My mother would have never let me get myself into this mess.
Even though Mercedes felt like she was at her lowest point in her life, she never thought for one minute that God had left her or forsaken her. She never knew why going to jail had to be her destiny. She never asked God "Why me, Lord." She only asked God to make her stronger and asked what was it that He wanted her to learn from this experience? Every night before Mercedes would go to sleep she would pull out her Bible and read Psalm 23, or Matthew 11: 25-30. She'd also pray that God remove her from that situation. Mercedes thanked God in advance for removing her from jail. She didn't know how exactly God was going to pull it off, but she knew and believed, with all her heart, that she wasn't going to do the full ten months.
One day, a girl named Cyn came in the dayroom. She knew Cyn from the street.
"Girl, not trying to piss in your cheerios, but Drew has gotten Bucckkk wild since you left the streets. He is always in the clubs balling out of control, buying three and four buckets of Moet at a time. And to top it off, my man told me that Drew be having strip parties on a regular. Mercedes, Drew is out of control."
"Oh, for real," Mercedes said in a calm tone showing no emotion. Then Mercedes continued to carry on the conversation. "How's your daughter, Cyn? I bet she's gotten big, huh?" Anything to dilute a conversation about Drew.
"Girl, she has! She weighs one-hundred and four pounds, and is only nine years old." Cyn answered Mercedes while searching her face for some kind of sentiment. Cyn couldn't believe Mercedes wasn't upset about the news she'd just given about her man. She just had to let her know that her man was out of control. Cyn knew it was bothering Mercedes. She thought Mercedes would go to her cell and cry, or at the very least call Drew and cuss him out.
Mercedes's feelings were hurt. She didn't know if she should take what Cyn said into consideration or not. Chics were always trying to kick a sister when she was down, this she did know. And Cyn wanted to see her break. She was yearning for her to crumble, but Mercedes continued the conversation like the news that Cyn had just given, didn't mean anything. They sat and talked for the next hour, and Mercedes didn't return to her cell until the bell rung at 11p.m. for lockdown.
The next day, she tried calling Santana's house collect, for the first time since she'd been locked up. She heard Santana's voice when she picked up the phone and said "Hello." Santana didn't take the call. She thought that maybe Santana hit the wrong button or something. She knew that there had to have been some mistake. She tried two more times and Santana still rejected the call. She couldn't believe it. Santana had been her ace since sixth grade and now she wouldn't even take a $ 1 phone call. That just intensified the whole situation.
THE NERVE of Santana, I never knew just how petty she was. She doesn't know if it's an emergency or what. Dag, I thought we were better than that! The sound of the dial tone in her ear from Santana hurt Mercedes's feelings. Was she concerned that Mercedes was going to run up her bill? That couldn't have been the circumstances because Drew or Gina would've taken care of the bill. Why would the bill even been an issue?
Mercedes remembered something Gina once told her a few years ago. "You'll always find out who your true friends are when you're down and out." The whole time Santana and Mercedes had been friends, this was the one time she ever needed Santana for anything at all. Santana had forfeited her friendship with Mercedes at that very moment. To comfort herself, she simply looked at it as it only cost out $ 536 to find her that my so called friend wasn't worthy of my friendship.
She didn't want to call Gina to involve her in what was going on. Gina couldn't find out any of these things about Drew because she knew if she let Gina know anything bad about Drew, Gina would always harbor ill feelings towards Drew. When mothers and family members get involved in a couple's relationship, they'll still hold a grudge, even if the couple gets back together. She knew that she couldn't let Gina know anything until she was sure it was completely over between them.
After a lengthy deliberation, Mercedes decided that she wouldn't mention to Drew any of the rumors she'd heard. She'd keep them to herself for now, but prepare herself in case the rumors were true.
After being in jail for exactly five months, a total of seven months counting the two that she was on work release, Mercedes's lawyer came to visit her. He told her that she had a court date scheduled for the next day. The judge agreed to hear argument for her alternative sentencing. He told her not to get her hopes up too high because he was going to take into consideration that she had gotten removed from the work release program. Not one ounce of doubt set in, for she was certain that she was being released. This was only God working on her behalf. She knew the judge didn't have any jurisdiction over God. That night was the first night that she had actually slept for the entire seven months.
When they called Mercedes, she only had fifteen minutes to get ready for court. While she waited in the holding cell she wasn't a bit nervous. She had a sense of peace and security that she was about to be released.
She overheard the judge having very little sympathy for the defendants before her, but when she was called to go in front of the judge, she could feel that she was walking on still waters. The judge had a sense of compassion for her, she could sense. It was almost as if he wasn't the same person who had sentenced all the people in front of her too harsh sentences.
He reviewed her letters of character from her minister, a U of R professor, and her mother. He allowed her to explain why she was taken off of work release. Mercedes explained to the judge that she simply wanted to get the degree that she had worked so hard for. She made it clear that what she did was wrong, but that she felt it was what she had to do, as she knew now, she was a convicted felon. She may never be allowed to make her dream come true, so she thought at least she could finish out her classes. But she was unable to because she was removed from work release.
Mercedes went on to tell the judge that no matter how much jail time she has to end up doing, no time could ever outweigh the punishment of her not being able to complete her studies. The judge took all these things into consideration. He suspended the rest of her time providing she volunteer one hundred hours of her time mentoring teenagers, report to a probation officer for the next year and not write the judge any more letters.
Mercedes was released from jail that same day. Before she left, she asked the deputy to take her to isolation to see her friend, Natalie. She hugged Natalie, gave her all the canteen she had left over, covered T-shirts and socks along with Gina's address, and phone number. Natalie was happy to see Mercedes leaving and told her she would be going home in a couple of months. Mercedes had written over twenty letters to the judge and now that chapter of her life was closed!