Day 7
Sam
Day 7 and Sam woke up feeling lighter he even had a smile on his face as he thought about the prospect of being able to come to Mercy on another level this time, he was convinced she hadn't taken him seriously because he'd always had Jane in the background, well now she'd gone and he was free to pursue who he wanted, and he wanted to pursue Mercy.
Just two days before their party on Saturday night and they'd opted for, of all things, a boat party, in line with Sam's life. It was Mercy's idea they do that, so he'd pulled some strings and got it sorted for a sub just for 6 hours. They'd agreed just 6 friends each for a small affair along with parents, and partners making a grand total of 20 people, mostly couples and now he was a single, a concept he hadn't dealt with since school, he was oddly optimistic about his life
He was in the mess with the rest of the guys, just chatting and doing much of nothing when he heard 'Mercy Jones' on the radio and stopped the entire hall shouting "This is Mercy, my girl" as everyone looked at him with doubt "The girl that sang here with me a few months back" he reminded them as they stated nodding their acknowledgement
"You never said she was a real singer Dude" one of the guys said
"She's a real singer" Sam said making everyone laugh as he sat to listen to her song, the words piercing into him as she asked him about Jane, told him she wanted things to go to that next level, smiling at the end when she almost told him she was ready to go there with him "Yeah I'm ready" he told her as the song finished "I need to speak to my Dad" he jumped up saying as he left the mess hall, phone in hand
"Dad" Sam said as soon as he answered "I have a dilemma" he laughed telling him
"A dilemma?" he asked
"It's a problem of the heart" he told him
"Yeah Jane did say you were having one of your lets end it moments" his Dad laughed
"Believe me when I say this Dad" he said looking at the phone before carrying on "Jane and I have finished"
"Seriously?"
"Seriously Dad, so listen" he said taking a breath before he went into the whole eye contact, touching, electricity, friendship, emotional tie, caring, feeling and melted down into the love talk his Dad had never heard from him before "So I finished with Jane to show her I was serious about this thing I feel for her, and I intend on doing something about it at our party" he finished taking a breath
"Son I don't think the party will be the right place, do it after, and I know I used the wrong words when I was talking to Jane but, they do have a hold over us, I fell in platonic love with Pattie, she's like my sister now and how the hell did that happen in a few days" he laughed "And son please don't go into all your damn extra-terrestrial stuff about this just be sensible and careful"
"Dad I've been careful three years and I'm still feeling like this, that's careful" he paused rolling his eyes "I know you guys had life planned out with Jane at the dinner table and all that stuff, but Dad she's not the one" he sighed agitated that his Dad wasn't listening to him
"Son I'm hearing you, I really am, but do you think all this might just be because of the name sake thing and all the romance around your Granddad and stuff?" he asked "Take a day Son think it through properly and if you still feel that way on Saturday then I'll support you"
"Thanks for the ear Dad" he said putting the phone down with enough to think about 'Mercy's record' he thought as he walked back into the mess hall 'I didn't even phone her' he thought as the guys cheered for him entering the room obviously thinking he'd just been on some sort of booty call 'And she'll be thinking of me right now in the worst way, absence makes the heart grow what?" he laughed as he walked straight through the room to get to his cabin to write his letter
Sam started his letter so many times and ended up ripping the note to shreds, he really couldn't find the words, he was so frustrated he threw the damn lot against the wall and left it to itself. How could he be finding what he actually knew he wanted to say, so hard to put down on paper "Dear Mercy, Tiny, Hey, Hi" he laughed at that last start "I don't even know how to start
Mercy
As soon as the new song hit, Mercy was getting calls from everyone and she was happy about that, but Sam hadn't called to even say boo let alone anything else, even Michael, as angry as he must have been, sent a congratulations message. She was so mad but she wasn't about to start smashing her own things up "Fuck you Sam Evans" she said "Now you made me swear" she said as tears came to her eyes starting slowly and then suddenly she was flooding, crying for herself, her Grandma, Mr E, Sam everything the whole sorry mess. She lay for a while feeling sorry for herself as her phone rang and she grabbed at it knowing it was a family member and just the distraction she needed right now
"Sweetheart" her Dad screeched over the phone as her Mom screamed in the background "We had to listen to the very last drop before we called" he laughed "Brilliant, we are so proud" he said as Mercy imagined him standing there with the biggest grin on his face making his eyes glisten
"Thank you Daddy" She replied a cry in her voice
"Tiny you did good, so proud" her Mom echoed in the background "I love you Baby" she said hoping Mercy could feel the love in what she was saying
"How do you feel?" her Dad asked before she could respond to her Mom
"I feel fine, happy, I mean it was one of my goals and I've achieved it, the kids will be glad it's all over and they don't have to put up with my moods for a while now, until I get the bug again or a new song" she giggled
"What did Dot say?" her Mom asked
"He hasn't called yet" she said a cry in her voice that she tried to cover up because right now she didn't need the interrogation
"What do you mean he hasn't called yet?" her Mom asked
"He hasn't called yet" she spat out with just the right amount of leave it alone in it
"Don't Sass me girl what do you mean" her Mom said much sterner
Mercy felt the banks breaking, she didn't need to be thinking about this right now and 'Wait didn't you guys call to talk about my much awaited single' "Sorry Mom" she got out before she lost all control of her emotions and the world and it's lack of love came out of her mouth again and laid itself at her parents feet
"I thought we agreed all this wasn't real?" her Mom asked
"Come on Pattie, you just listened to her right?" Neville asked "The girl just told you she was in love with Sam"
"I heard her but she's been here before and I just wondered"
"Support would be a good word to think about right now Pattie" he told her
"I've been trying to write him a letter but I get stuck, I've got so much to say to him and I guess I'm scared it's all too late" Mercy said wiping her eyes and nose trying to stop the sobbing
"Don't think about the words baby just start writing and something will come, that's what I do" Pattie finally said
"Okay, I got to go clean up bye Mom, Dad" she said as they echoed that back before she put he phone down, staring at it for the impossible task she'd set herself. She could command silence from a classroom of rowdy 12 year old children, tell a bitch where to get off if she needed to, slap one even, Sass her Mom but she couldn't put a few words down on a bit of paper for Sam "Dear Sam, Dot, Hey, Hi" she giggled at the face he made whenever he said that "Get it done girl" she told herself grabbing the pad
Day 8
Breakfast
The night had passed and Mercy was still sitting with paper all over the floor but she had finally decided her first line, corny as it was, it was how she'd heard these things were started for maximum effect "My Beloved Sam" she read out her masterpiece that had taken the whole night to put on paper. She went to the kitchen made herself breakfast and coffee and went back to the desk "You know what I do better with typing" she told herself scraping up all the paper she'd used and binning it all, opened her laptop and wrote her opening words again, sitting proud for having made that judgement.
Sam had been inspired by 00.20 he'd found his opening words, he'd written them down and then decided to put it all on his laptop and send an email rather than go the romantic letter route, he needed this done by the birthday party because he needed his girl in his arms all night. At 00.22 he was still sitting looking at the three words he'd written on the screen "My Beloved Mercy" he read over and over again trying to get the next line out of his head "I need food" he said getting up when he realised it was morning to get himself some breakfast
Lunch
Mercy was still walking around in her night clothes, thinking about getting her hair done and trying those shoes on one more time before lift off, she was going to look hot, so if Sam Evans thought Jane Mint was anything to write home about he was going to drop to his knees when he saw what Mercy Jones could offer. She ate her small lunch, mindful that her parents were rocking up tonight ready for tomorrow and they'd probably want to go out for some big slap up meal or something, before jumping in the shower. As she stood with the water hitting her skin a light came on "I got it" she said jumping out the shower and firing up the laptop "Your love letter Mr Evans" she smiled as she typed her heart into the electronic device
My Beloved Sam
We both know what this is, and yes I've been fighting it for so long, I guess I might have talked you into believing what I tried to get myself to believe, one thing is true I love you with everything I am, I feel it in my soul, every time we touch
I guess I get my stubborn streak from my Grandma (Rest her Soul) but the one thing I learned from her is to never put off today what you have no business doing tomorrow, and I have no intention of making work for myself
So here's the deal will you just make me one single promise, that I can hold you to for the rest of our lives
Love me back
and I will love you forever
Mercy
Mercy read the letter through ad saved it in her documents, waiting now for the courage to send it off
Sam had been on duty all morning, his hands were cold and his heart was heavy along with his eye lids, he'd had no sleep and right now he was no way nearer to getting the woman of his dreams into his arms because he was lame "You have no game Evans" he told himself kicking the air as he stood on guard. His parents were coming down tonight and he was sure they'd want to see the sub and all sorts of navy things before he could sit down and think about his letter "I need to get it done" he told himself almost angry
"Sam!" he heard someone shout as he turned to see something coming towards him and he hit the deck
"What the hell" he said laying on the floor looking up at this stray electrical cable that was swinging across his face as he lay waiting for someone to take control of it. Some 10 minutes later he was being helped up by his crew members as he shook himself off
"You're freezing" his colleague said guiding him towards the door "Go get something hot inside you and some food" he said letting him go as he got inside the door
Sam stood in the cue got his food and drink and sat thinking about what had just happened "I got it" he said throwing the sandwich down and heading for his cabin to get his laptop as he started typing
My beloved Mercy
Do you remember that first time we touched, the electricity that passed through us as if we had passed through time, space and crazy
That first kiss how our bodies fell into each other until it was impossible to tell where you ended and I begun, for me all that stuff told us we were meant to be together
When I'm around you my true self comes out and that excites me, you're important to me, you have become a part of my life that I somehow always knew existed but I just didn't know where
Like Granddad (Rest his soul) I've found my one true love and I ask one thing to seal this thing between us please
Love me back
and I will love you forever
Sam
"Thanks Granddad" he said as he saved his work and took a deep breath
"Evans, visitors" he heard at his door and he closed his laptop and went to meet his parents
Dinner
"Mom, Da... Jane" he said aghast "What are you doing here?" he asked Jane as his Dad hugged him
"We'd already told her to come and it didn't seem fair to not bring her" his Mom answered
"But I told you to..." he said shutting himself down not wanting to spend any time giving this girl any sort of ammunition to gain power over him "Just remember we're not together" he told her as his Mom looked on disgusted
"Lets go get dinner" his Dad said "Or do we get the tour first?"
"I don't even want to give you the tour now" he said looking at them seriously as they stood waiting for him to make a decision 'He was super annoyed at the fact that he'd only ever took Mercy inside his work, and all his team thought she was his girl. To introduce Jane as what now was just all kinds of wrong for him' "We'll do it later" he decided "Come on lets eat"
"Where do you want to go?"
"Maginty's" Jane piped up
"Maginty's it is" His Dad agreed as they got in his parents car and went to the restaurant, Sam paying no mind to Jane as she tried everything in her power to make him notice her
"You staying with us at the hotel?" she asked him as they made ready to leave the restaurant
"No I'm due back on barracks" he lied looking at his Dad, telling him with his eyes he knew the reason why that had to happen
So many times this afternoon Mercy had to close her eyes and talk herself into pressing send, she was still contemplating what to do when the door knocked and she knew her parents had arrived she pressed save and closed the laptop before rushing to open the door "Mom, Dad" she said hugging them as they walked into her flat
"Tiny" her Mom almost shouted "Dinner in about an hour and you're standing there in your dressing gown"
"I just need to drag my dress on, I'm good" she laughed
"Hurry up I booked at Ragga Geoff's for 7 pm" her Dad said
"Okay" she said running off to get dressed
Everyone's night going well as her parents went back to their hotel and Mercy went home, with a promise of being there for breakfast in the morning
The Parents
It was 11.30 pm and Sam was back on barracks, Mercy was asleep having not had much the night before and Jane was in her room. Michelle called Pattie
"Hey girl" Pattie said when she answered her mobile after seeing Michelle's name come up
"Hello Pattie" she said sounding concerned "Is Nev there?"
"Yeah" Pattie said questioningly
"Could we have loud speaker, It's not an intervention, we just all need to know" Michelle told her as Pattie flipped the phone on speaker
"What's up?" Neville asked slamming down on the couch next to Pattie
"Sam and Mercy" Michelle said "Dan tells me Sam's sweet on her to the point that he's kicked Jane to the curb, and that's fine if that's really what he wants, but I'm not convinced"
"Why not?" Neville asked
"Because she's been the one for over 8 years, then suddenly Mercy comes along and suddenly the grass is greener and all that, I don't believe in that stuff"
"Maybe you don't, but they do" Pattie told her
"But do they?" she asked
"They love each other" Daniel said looking at Michelle
"How do you know?" she asked
"Because he told me, he's been seeing Jane for 8 years and he's never mentioned like let a lone love and the other day we talked about Mercy and he told me without shame he loved her" Daniel informed them
"Mercy told me the day after Mr E's funeral that she loved him and I dismissed it too, but it's 3 years on and well I believe that Mom and Mr E found it eventually why could it not be possible for them?"
"Jane's here with us, not here, I mean she's in Ohio, she's coming to the party and there's nothing we can do about that right now" Michelle told them
"So what are you saying?" Pattie asked
"That I want, sorry we want what's best for our son" she told them
"Which is?" Pattie asked
"Jane" She said
"You too Dan?" Pattie asked
"It's more than my life's worth to go against my wife on this, and that's not saying I agree" he laughed
"Well we go with Mercy and Sam so I guess it's a tie" Neville said "Except" he said looking at Pattie "Listen to this" he whispered smiling at Pattie "As her Lawyer I always carried Ma Mercy's vote when she was here and she didn't tell me different" he laughed "She trusted my judgement in everything and so for her I vote Sam & Mercy" he said a definite smile in his voice "So I guess you have it, that's the deciding vote" Neville laughed "Four against two"
"Four?" Michelle asked
"Yep" Pattie laughed "If husbands don't go against their wives, Sam voted them too"
"This is going to end badly" Michelle said "And no help from us leave them to it totally" she said with everything crossed
"Totally" Pattie said with everything crossed
Birth-Day
"Morning" Jane said walking into the dining room at the hotel for breakfast, looking around for Sam "No birthday boy?" she asked disappointed, after his parents, she'd been the first person he'd kissed for nearly 9 years and today because of some bitch that had changed, she wasn't in a good place
"He'll be here later, but I'll tell you this for nothing, you have a fight on your hands so bring it" Michelle told her
"I don't intend on losing him, I've invested" she said grabbing Michelle's hand across the table "I sent Michael a text asking him to meet me this morning so it's kind of good he's not here" she said grabbing some toast as she got up to go sort her business out
"Weren't you the one that asked for no help?" Daniel asked Michelle when Jane left the table
"I did but, what the eye doesn't see" she smiled
"What the eye doesn't see" Daniel repeated feeling a rush of betrayal towards his sister in her doing that
"Michael" Jane was shouting across the mall 30 minutes later "Good to see you" she said as she got to him hugging him as if they were that familiar "So" she said looking around for somewhere to sit, finding seats under the fountain "What's up with Mercy and you?" she asked as they sat
"She kicked me to the curb, said she was in love with Sam and although she thought it was too late she was going to try, and truth I've left her alone, I don't roll nasty past that"
"But do you love her?"
"I like her, a lot, but the love thing, seriously, we could have gone there but not now"
"You going to the party tonight?"
"I was invited, but I don't know we're done now you know"
"And what you just gave up?"
"She walked out, I'm not gonna be a bitch about it" he laughed
"Be my plus one?" she asked
"I'm not into you though" he laughed louder
"Mercy, Sam remember?" she told him getting up "See you at 6 at the venue, I'm with his parents"
Sam had got up and started instructing on the design of the hall, his only input in the whole of the party apart from getting the venue and he was out to make an impact with it. He was pissed that Jane had turned up and even more pissed at his parents and they'd know that by now because he'd usually have breakfast with them but he purposely didn't. He didn't know if Mercy had done anything about Michael, but he intended on doing something about him, tonight he was going to eat dust, there was everything to lose if he didn't let Mercy know how he felt tonight, and somehow Jane crept back in there and he knew she was going to be trouble. He called his parents about 4 pm told them to be ready for 5 pm he was sending a taxi to pick them up, there was no laughing in the conversation he was still pissed
Mercy had breakfast, had the longest soak and in the afternoon, went to the hair dressers with her Mom, two hours later they had their desired do's and had something to eat before she returned home to get dressed, picked up her parents in her taxi and made their way to the venue
5.45 pm and everyone that needed to be there was at the venue, Mercy with her girl friends and their partners in the cloak room area and Sam and his friends in the bar waiting for the 6 pm meal. While the parents were in the hall, getting the video men set up and locating the photo booth. The hall looking beautiful in Purple and Green, with two large cake's on one of the tables, a full table set for dinner for 20 people and a stage for whatever the drink dictated by the end of the night. The clock sounded 6 pm and everyone made their way to the main hall
"Hi" Jane said as she went running up to Mercy with Michael not far behind her "Great to see you and Michael again" she said pushing him forward as she spoke
"Michael I didn't expect to see you" Mercy said looking at her parents as she said it
"I was invited" he smiled going in to give her a kiss on the cheek "Happy birthday" he said in her ear as Mercy took the opportunity to look around the room "What's the matter?" he asked pulling away from her as he felt her heart beating through her chest
"Nothing" she said as she looked across the room into Sam's eyes cutting into her, their stare cut by Jane jumping at him as he caught her and looked down at her as he did that. Mercy looked away quickly for the pain he was destined to see in her eyes and no way was she showing weakness tonight as she focused on Michael again
The evening was spent with everyone being civil to each other, of course Mercy and Sam where coaxed into singing a song together for their birthday, Sam at a loss asked their guests for a song, which turned out to be a song they really needed to sing to each other. They stood on the stage while Michael and Jane stood false smiling, watching all the devious games they had tried to play throughout the evening fail, as neither Mercy or Sam took the bait, getting egg on their face when the two eventually sang, as requested, their version of 'Almost is Never Enough' by Ariana Grande & Nathan Sykes to a captive audience. Even Michelle clapped as they finished with an embrace that for them could have gone much further as Mercy counted to three and they let go, smiling awkwardly at each other as they stood forcing themselves not to touch each other again
Cakes were cut, speeches were made, dancing happened for a short while, the party could have been in two separate venue's for all the interaction that took place between the two and the parents sat around like they were waiting for some sort of revelation, finally it was time to say goodnight, Mercy being civil to Jane and Sam being civil to Michael as they bid each other goodnight
Mercy and her parents got into their taxi while Michael got into his car, as Mercy stepped into the car she heard Sam shout and stood still listening to him
"Mom can you guys drop Jane off on your way" Sam said as they left the venue and he stood waving everyone off
Mercy jumped into the car "Drop Jane off?" Mercy asked her Mom
"Yeah they split up ages ago" Patrice told her
"Pattie" Daniel said looking at her "No help" he reminded her
"What the ears don't hear" she said narrowing her eyes at him with a smile on her face
"We'll see you guys tomorrow" Daniel shouted to Neville
"Sure thing" Neville shouted putting his thumb up as a signal
Daniel took the signal as the code being broken on their side too and quickly turned to Sam hugging him "You know Son, they're not together any more" he whispered in Sam's ear smiling as he came out of the hug "goodnight" he said as they shared a knowing look
If he could have he'd have jumped out of his skin, right then as he looked past the crowd and saw Mercy looking at him smiling "It's going to happen" he said rushing the good nights on to get back to his cabin. Twenty minutes later he was sitting in front of his laptop waiting for it to fire up "Here starts my life" he said punching a message into his email box and sending it to Mercy
Mercy grinned for the whole of the 20 minute drive back to her flat, said a very quick goodnight to her parents, as they sat watching her enter her building before they went to their hotel. She almost ran through the door, not waiting for it to fully close before she found her room, opened her laptop, fire it up and pressed send on her love letter to Sam
She wasn't sitting for long when a message came from Sam as she opened it up to read his message 'Turn your radio on, our station' she read as she jumped up to switch the radio on and sat listening, a few minutes in and she heard "This next request is for that new tune by Miss Mercy Jones and the sender want to sent this as not a love letter, he states there ain't no situation, he's not got any reputation and he definitely need to go there with you, no buts" the radio presenter chuckled saying "This guy's not at all romantic is he" he laughed saying "And it's to Tiny from Dot ha Tiny Dot" he laughed before Mercy's version of 'Before I Do' by Sevyn Streeter started playing
"Dot" she said smiling into her now wet cushion as the door knocked making her jump as she rolled her eyes for the Jane or Michael drama that was about to happen "Dot" she almost screamed when she opened the door to see him standing there, she didn't hesitate she jumped at him as they stood there in the doorway falling into each other again
"There were no buts" he said when he came up for air
"What?" she asked
"In your letter there were no buts" he got out before she connected with him again
They fumbled their way into her apartment, the urgency so intense for them Mercy was crying , when the tear hit Sam's face he pulled back "What's up Tiny?" he asked
"I guess it's the anticipation for this next level coming over me"
"I love you you know that right?"
"I love you back" she smiled as they fell together on her couch and Sam's hands searched her body removing items of clothing as he went, suddenly Mercy sprung up realising this was going to go much further than she'd initially prepared, and getting to grips with how she felt about that "Okay" she said as Sam sat watching her go through her internal conversation
"Are you sure about this?" he asked
"I'm sure" she said grabbing his hand and leading him to her bedroom
Sam didn't waste time getting back to business, he'd needed this woman for nearly three years, and all that stopped that happening now was a few pieces of clothing and a Durex, his eye was on the prize they could talk till tomorrow afterwards
"Sam" she said through the kisses and him sucking on every part of her body that he uncovered "Sam" she said again and he carried on giving her such pleasure she was finding it hard to speak "Dot" she said a bit louder, in a last attempt while she still had some control, making him look up
"What?" he asked as he eased up to sit beside her still kissing on her neck and doing his thing
"I'm a virgin" she said
"What?" he backed off her asking
"You heard me, I'm a virgin" she said
"Okay" he said a smile forming on his face "Are you sure you want this, we can stop at any time" he said moving slower than he would have normally taking time to remove the remaining items looking at each piece of skin he revealed as they smiled at each other and kissed lightly "We can stop at any time" he kept reminded her as he kissed on
"Don't hurt me" she begged him as she melted underneath him, wanting this maybe more than him right now
"I won't" he said as he went in for a kiss and the familiar feeling of electrical charge as they fused into each other from the tips of their heads to the soles of their feet as they finally became one together. The electricity passing through them went to new heights, but no one called it just stared, smiled and carried on making no attempt to stop until they reached a place where letting go would have meant the end of pain but it would have also meant a lack of fulfilment and they needed to be one. Suddenly pain and shock disappeared and they were finally one as they looked into each others eyes the only evidence of anything else happening was their bodies shaking, searching for their end
"God" she said smiling as she lay in his arms afterwards
"What?" he asked laughing at he way she'd said that
"That must have been one hell of a love letter" she laughed
"It said everything I needed to hear" he laughed "Will you marry me now Tiny?"
"Where did that come from?" she asked looking at him shocked
"Looking back at nearly 80 years of wasted life, and a voice telling me that when you know you know"
"No buts" she said
"What kind of an answer is that?"
"It's a yes Dot"
"One promise?" he asked, kissing her head
"What?" she said turning to look at him
"Lots of Tiny Dots" he laughed
"So Romantic" she laughed "I hated being an only child too" she said as the night was spent getting familiar and preparing to break the news to their parents
They were up for breakfast the next morning meeting their parents at the hotel "We have news" Sam said standing next to Mercy at the head of the table they were all sitting at, Jane included "I asked Mercy to marry me last night and" he said looking at her
"I said yes" she told the table as everyone clapped and hugged
"I have an announcement" Neville said, quietening the group "We all know Ma Mercy was all about the letters and this occasion is not without it's share" he said getting his wallet out to produce a neatly folded envelope he carefully unwrapped "She gave me this, for this occasion about 23 years ago, so here goes" he said as he started reading the letter to everyone this time
My Beloved Family
If I had one wish for this lifetime it would be that our souls meet, in the form of Mercy and Sam, and have the love and the life that we were denied, I pray that they do not meet the obstacles that we faced, I pray they know love when they find it and against everything it prevails,
I believe God could be so gracious
as always
I will love you all forever
Mercy
"We were meant to be Mercy" Sam said smiling at Mercy before going in to kiss her "Thank you for finding those letters"
"Wow" Mercy said laughing "Powerful and now predictive love letters" she said to Sam "You better watch out" she laughed looking at Jane "Is there an X on that Dad?" she asked as Sam laughed and his Dad went red
The End