Lawd... it's a trip!

The Bar: Part Five

Mercedes looked on in a daze while Sam asked her again if she was okay. She wasn't even sure how her mother found her or what they were doing here but she knew she had to leave now. She would have to tell Sam goodbye and never look back which hurt because she was just starting to feel free.

"I have to go…" She said softly, staring at her mother.

Sam looked at her confused. "What was that?" He asked and she finally looked at him.

"I have to go, thank you for… everything." Mercedes replied and he shook his head.

"Why do you have to leave?" He asked, turning her to face him before she was pulled away.

"She has responsibilities and I don't know what lies she told you but she is also engaged." Her mother said and Mercedes shook her head, yanking her arm away from her mother's grasp.

"No… no, it's not… I'm not… " She stammered looking at Sam. "I was never going to marry him."

"Please, he's waiting for you to come home as we speak." Angela said to her daughter.

"Yeah sis, how do you think we found you?" Her brother asked and Sam scuffed.

"Engaged? Wow… I guess you got what you needed then." He said shaking his head and storming off.

"Sam! Wait… it's not like that! Ugh, why did you have to come here!"

Angela rolled her eyes. "Go pack your things, I'd much rather not be here any longer."

"THEN LEAVE! I didn't ask for you to be here! I left to get away from you all and you come here and demand that I leave because you don't want to be here, well I do!" Mercedes snapped before going after Sam.

"Jamal, see that she's checked out." Angela said to her son before walking out of the BnB.

"So… does that mean we're not going to the festival?" Stevie asked, earning another hit from his father.

Mercedes went after Sam, finally catching up to him as he reached the barn. Mercedes reached for him, stopping from continuing to move.

"Sam please…"

Sam yanked his hand away from her. "Please what Mercedes?" He shook his head. "You know you really had me fooled. Here I am thinking you are this amazing woman who just needed to loosen up. And now I see you were just using me."

Mercedes shook her head. "No I wasn't. Sam, everything I told you was true. I left because I needed to learn to live my life and not the one my family wanted for me." She reached for him, again. "Sam, you gave me a peace that I have never felt."

"No, I gave you orgasms." He said bitterly.

She laughed, turning him to her. "Yes, you gave me those too. And they were, woo the best I have ever experienced. But you were more than just some way to get off. I like you Sam. I really like you. You brought me back to the person I want to be, gave me my muse back."

Sam looked away from her but she pulled his face back to hers. "Sam, please, you have to believe me."

Sam moved her hands from her face. "No, I don't. You have a fiance and lied about it… you used me for perfect moments to put in some novel you're probably already writing. I was honest with you, I let myself be free with you and forget to mention that when you left you'd be going home to another man!"

"But I'm not! Sam just because my mother and Theo think that we are going to be married, doesn't mean that I do! That's what I am trying to tell you, I broke it off before I came here. Gave him back his ring, even if you weren't in the picture I would not be going back to him."

Sam shook his head. "Please just… just go."

She sighed. "Sam if you don't believe a word out of my mouth believe that I never set out to hurt you, ever. And that everything I sais I meant." She looked at him one last time before turning and walking away, feeling a piece of her heart leaving her body with every step.

When she got to her room and saw her brother packing her things she lost it. "What the hell do you think you are doing!" She said, grabbing her bag from him.

"Mom said it's time to go." He said reaching for it back.

"Yeah well last I checked I was a grown ass woman who can make my own choices. You can leave now. And take your mother with you."

Jamal sighed. "You know she won't be happy. You need to come home. Theo is only still around because mom promised him she could talk some sense into you." He sat on one of the chairs looking at Mercedes. "How could you just walk out on your own engagement party?"

Mercedes sighed. "I wasn't happy and marrying him is a trap to keep her in control of my life. He's controlling just like her so I had to go. You're my brother, you should be on my side!"

"Don't you understand that there are no sides, not when it comes to her! She is the head of this family and we owe it to her to listen and give back the way she sees fit. All you have to do is marry Theo, a man who adores you, and keep him happy by doing what he says, you won't have to work ever again Mercedes. Where is the bad in that?"

"WE DIDN'T ASK TO BE HERE! God she has you so damn brainwashed that you actually believe we owe her anything! She wants to keep her close because of daddy… I don't want to marry Theo because I don't love him and he only wants me because he thinks I'm a virgin that will pop out his perfect little kids but I don't want that with him! I don't want to be perfect… I just want to be me and I'm not going back."

"God why are you so selfish! You want to leave us just like dad did!" He stood up and moved over to her. "Get your head right Mercedes! Don't let these temptations take you away from your family! These people here don't even know you!"

Mercedes moved away from him. "You sound just like her… Dad left because he wasn't happy! You're wanting me to stay because of family? A family that has used me since I got my first hit novel? Theo was picked for me, he didn't even ask me to marry him, he asked mom and then she TOLD me I was getting married. You and her are the selfish ones especially since I know for a fact that dad left both of us a trust fund but she won't let us access it until after she dies!" She spat back, snatching her bags from him.

"Don't make me drag you out of here Mercedes. Mom wants me too but I told her you could see reason. Told her you would come back on your own." He said hovering over her.

Mercedes stood firm, staring her brother down. "I might be small but I will fight you every step of the way and we both know I fight dirty"

Jamal shrugged. "Please don't make me do this."

Mercedes balled up her fists. "You were never good at beating in a fight." She said preparing herself

Jamal shook his head with a sigh. "Alright we will do this her way." He said, pulling a small case out of his back pocket. "I told her I didn't want it to come to this but mom knows you. She knew you would try and fight me. So here we are." he said pulling out a needle.

Mercedes looked at him stepping back. "What the hell is that?"

Jamal looked at her taking the top off of the needle. "This will…how do they say…take the edge off, it will stop you from fighting me and get you home and married before it actually wears off." He said with a shrug.

Mercedes took another step back as he moved closer. "It will only sting for a second." He mused.

"Hell no! You're not sticking me with that thing! Have you lost your fucking mind! Hell to the damn no!" She said looking around and trying to figure a way past him without getting shot up with God only knows what.

"What are you gonna do little sis?" He said taunting her.

Mercedes narrowed her eyes at him and made a run for it away from him faking left and jumping on the bed. Jamal went right thinking she was and almost toppled over but regained his composure running after her as she made it to the door.

Mercedes opened the door, but as she exited Jamal lunged and stabbed her left thigh with the needle. Mercedes screamed out as he grabbed her, already feeling woozy but not going to go without a fight.

"Come on Merce it's already starting to work." He said as she wobbled away from him.

Stevie and Mary had been walking up the path and stopped as Mercedes tumbled out of the room with a needle in her thigh and her brother attacking her. Stevie ran to her as she started to fall backwards and caught her.

"What the hell did you do to her?!" He said looking at Jamal who stepped back as Dwight came out to see what the commotion was. Mary moved to Mercedes side as she tried to speak but was unable to, her eyes fluttering open and shut.

Angela walked over to Jamal and frowned seeing Mercedes on the floor. "Jamal grab your sister so we can go."

Mary shook her head. "I don't think so, what did he give her?"

Angela laughed. "Mercedes is just being dramatic, that's what she does, now move aside so we can collect her and go. The longer we stay here the more I am convinced I am getting hives."

Mary stood in front of Mercedes who was still laying on Stevie's lap. "Dwight honey, please go get Sam."

Dwight looked at her but she shrugged. "Don't worry we will be fine."

Angela looked Mary up and down. "You don't know what you are getting involved in. That man she was with earlier, it's clear he's your son, my daughter will only bring him misery, why allow that, when you can just let us collect her and be on our way. Everyone wins."

"It doesn't look like your daughter wins, now you have a few choices here and I will lay em real pretty for ya. You can stay here and fight it out with me, but I must warn ya I used to cattle brawl and yeah it is what it sounds like. What can I say I was young and dumb. But that also means I can kick your little miss priss ass. So you don't want to go that route I am sure. Then you can try and reason with us, but that won't work because I can spot bull shit a mile away, I am a farmer now. And honey you reek."

Angela gasped, stepping back. "How dare you!"

"Not finished darlin' see option C, now that one is a little better for you, you can take your belongings minus your daughter because that ain't happening and you can leave never to return. I like that cause then I won't have to do Option D which is call the Sheriff, my baby brother who loves his big sister so much he would arrest you just for looking dirty at me. But I am sure it won't come to that since that needle was used to illegally drug this poor girl."

"That is my daughter! And you have no right-"

"I am gonna cut you off cause blah blah whatever. Listen here, this is America and last I checked drugging someone to do your bidding was all kinds of wrong if not illegal. She is a grown woman who made a choice. A choice I get after only a few minutes of dealing with you!"

Angela was about to say something when Dwight came back with Sam in tow. Sam froze for a moment seeing Mercedes on the ground then ran to her, checking for a pulse.

"She's alive Sam, just drugged." Stevie said as Sam stared at Mercedes' mom and brother.

"Get off of my property now." He said, his voice deadly calm. "I will give you five minutes to grab your things before myself, my brother and dad escort you off of it personally."

Jamal took a step back as Angela cut her eyes at Sam.

"Fine, we will come and collect Mercedes in the morning." She turned to walk away.

"If you step foot anywhere near here, you will be arrested. The police will be notified of what you have done." Sam said, turning to Mercedes and bending to pick her up. "Stevie, please call Quinn, explain what happened and ask her to come and check Mercedes out."

Stevie nodded standing as Sam carried Mercedes to his room while his parents watched after him. Mary sighed. "Let's go make sure they actually leave. Sam's got it from here."

"So are we just going to let them keep her?" Jamal asked as they drove away from the BnB.

"No, she'll come… but I do plan on sending Theo to get her. She won't resist him." Angela replied, sending Theo a text. "Besides, I think we should throw our weight around since they wanted to throw theirs… they are not the only ones connected."

Jamal looked at his mother before sighing. "Maybe… maybe we should wait until after Theo tries before doing anything that drastic."

Angela snorted. "Ha! She's the one that caused all of this! She's always been causing problems ever since she was born… that's why your father left! He was tired of dealing with all the problems she kept causing, you remember how reckless she was."

"I don't remember her being bad ma… besides she was eleven when he left."

Angela looked at him enraged. "She is the reason everything fell apart! She just wouldn't listen! He wanted to be with us but she kept pushing him away, she kept disobeying me and that made him angry."

Jamal nodded. "Then maybe we should just let her stay… we're fine without her." He suggested.

"She has to marry Theo… she owes me and you that. She took away everything from us and it's time she pay us back."

I'll be there by nine am.

Sam paced back and forth outside of his room while their family doctor checked Mercedes out. He was still angry that she lied about being engaged but he never wanted any harm to come to her and he was pissed that it happened at the hands of her own family.

"Anything yet?" Stevie asked, stepping in his path causing him to stop.

"No, Quinn said she needed to make sure no other harm was done then kicked me out of the room… I forgot how damn bossy she was."

Stevie chuckled. "Yeah, that's Quinn for ya." He leaned against the wall looking at Sam. "You know, I think you should take what her family said, with a grain of salt."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Sam said, folding his arms across his chest.

"It means, that woman came here for a reason, and seeing her family, I get it. But if she says she isn't engaged, then maybe you should believe her and not some crazy woman who literally drugged her daughter."

Sam ran his hands through his hair. "She lied to me."

"How exactly did she do that? Because last I checked if you call off your engagement then you aren't engaged anymore, because if that's not true then me and Marley would still be engaged."

As Sam was about to speak the door opened and Quinn walked out. Sam stood looking at her. "How is she?"

"Groggy, but she's gonna be okay, they gave her a sedative called Midazolam, it's used mostly for outpatient procedures, whoever gave that to them, has to be a doctor because you can't just get it off the streets. The effects last up to six hours so just keep an eye on her."

"Thanks for looking over her Q." Sam said.

She smiled. "She's asking for you. Wanna tell me what's going on between you two?"

Sam cut his eyes at her. "Go home to your husband and stay out of my business."

"He likes her and doesn't want to like her anymore, it's a whole thing." Stevie said laughing.

"Ah well I think every woman around here has been on that side of your brother before. I really should start a club." Quinn teased.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Sam said.

"Sam, I know you think you are God's gift to women, and while I don't know what happened here, I do know that woman in there is taken by you, so if there is a chance you are taken by her too, then don't screw this up." Quinn said, patting him on the back. "I will be back in the morning just to make sure she's okay."

Sam shrugged at Quinn. "I am though."

Stevie turned to go into Mercedes' room but Sam stopped him. "Where do you think you are going?"

"Oh I figured since you walked away I could try my hand, I mean what woman can resist a man who takes care of her in her time of need?" Stevie said grinning.

Sam pulled him away from the door. "Go check on the front Stevie."

"Go check on the front Stevie." Stevie said, mocking him as he walked away. "Screw it up and see if you get another chance to fix it."

Sam hesitated for a moment before walking into the room to see Mercedes groggily grabbing her things. "What do you think you are doing?"

She looked at Sam and turned back to her bag. "I ne-need to go."

Sam took her bag out of her hand and picked her up taking her over to the bed.

"Oh look, I'm flying." She said as Sam put her down.

"Mercedes you were drugged, you need to sleep it off."

Mercedes looked at him confused before giggling. "I was drugged! Holy crap… are you trying to get into my pants?"

Sam sighed. "I've already gotten into them, your brother did this."

Mercedes stood up on the bed looking at him before shaking her head. "Nahhhhh, Jamal wouldn't do that! Wait… how do you know my brother?"

Sam grabbed her hand, slowly sitting her down so she didn't fall off the bed and hurt herself. "Merce what's the last thing you remember?"

She looked as if she was thinking about something really hard before she fell backwards onto the bed, eyes closed.

Sam smiled, shaking his head as he got her comfortable. "What the hell am I gonna do with you Mercedes, and why'd you have to be engaged?"

She gasped as her eyes opened. "Engaged? But Sam it's so sudden! But I don't care, you are amazing and my mom didn't have to trick me or anything-" She stopped talking and looked at him. "Wait a minute, you know Jamal and if you know Jamal then…how much?"

Sam looked at her even more confused. "How much?"

"How much are you paying her! Come on, don't be a coward like Theo at least tell me." She said.

"Theo?" He questioned unsure what was happening.

"My no good ex of a no good man! He's just no good at all…did I mention he was no good?"

Sam laughed softly. "Yeah you mentioned he was."

She looked at him. "Who was I talking about?"

"Umm Theo?"

"Ugh my no good ex of a fiancee Theo?" She ran her hands through her hair trying to sit up but falling back. "Did ya'know he paid my mom $100,000 just to marry me?" She giggled shaking her head. "But jokes on him, he only paid that much cause he thinks I'm a perfect lil virgin."

Sam moved her hair out of her eyes. "Oh really?"

"Uh huh, but shhhhh jokes on him, I broke it off and had lots of sex!" She said, like it was a conspiracy. "Had lots and lots of sex…with a man who looks just like you!"

"Oh? Well how was the lots and lots of sex with him?" Sam asked amused.

Mercedes looked at him dreamily. "It was…soo soo very…" She fell back with a happy look on her face and a soft snore.

"You drive me crazy, you know that?" He whispered, leaning over and kissing her forehead. He sighed getting up to move but she grabbed his shirt pulling him closer to her.

"Come back to bed baby, I need your warmth."

Well.. now we gotta jump her moma!