Black Dahlia (20 page)

“You okay, boss?” Mercedes heard a voice ask. Despite her haze and confusion, she could make out Lorenzo’s voice.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” That was Raul. Mercedes felt a hand grip hers, pulling her up to stand. She blinked a few times, turning in search of Raul. She first saw Ron standing behind his desk with a weary look on his face. He was fine. She found Raul standing a few feet from Ron’s desk, leering over Rochelle, who was now sitting on the floor with her arms handcuffed behind her back. She appeared to be dazed.

“Raul!” Mercedes shouted taking the few steps over to him and reaching out to throw her arms around him.

“Are you okay, querida?” he asked her as she buried her face into the crook of his neck. She breathed deeply, caught between never wanting to leave his embrace and wanting to get answers to her remaining questions. The next words she heard caused her heart to leap into her throat. 

“Shit, boss, you’ve been shot!” Mercedes’ head popped up from Raul’s neck as soon as Lorenzo’s words registered.

“What?” Pulling back, Mercedes saw the red stain that was growing larger by the second on Raul’s white shirt.

She gasped, her voice thick with fear and emotion. “Oh my God, Raul! You’ve been shot!”

Two weeks later

“Thanks for coming, Jamal. I’m excited for you to get to know Raul,” Mercedes hugged her brother as they prepared to sit down in her living room. Jamal, having heard about everything Mercedes had gone through in the last couple of weeks, finally took his vacation time and came for a visit. Mercedes insisted he stay in her apartment, which she’d gotten newly refurbished, while she continued to stay at Raul’s. The trio had had dinner the previous night at Raul’s home.

“Speaking of, how is he feeling? I’m surprised you left his side for this long. You’ve been attached to that man’s hip since he left the hospital,” Jamal joked. It was true. Upon learning Raul had been shot, Mercedes felt fear unlike any she’d ever felt before. He suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Luckily, it wasn’t life threatening, but it had done some damage to his muscle and arteries, so he required surgery, and there would be months of physical therapy to get him back to 100%. Mercedes had taken off the first couple of weeks of the school year, given what happened, and in order to tend to Raul. He’d been home for the last two days and she was so grateful to have him home.

“Shut up,” Mercedes playfully swatted at her brother. “He’s doing well. His parents and Iris are with him at the house now, which is why I decided to come check-in with you. I really appreciate you coming to visit,” she told Jamal sincerely.

“Oh, please. You think after I heard everything that happened that I wouldn’t get on the first thing smoking to make sure you were all right?” He asked almost affronted.

“No, I knew you would and I still appreciate it. I love you, bro.”

“I love you too, sis. So, tell me how you’re really doing? It had to be a trip learning our father had an illegitimate daughter like that, and realizing that’s who’s been stalking you. That had to be hard,” Jamal said sympathetically.

Mercedes thought about it. “Truthfully, what was hard was, not knowing who was stalking me all these months and why. I mean, I was shocked of course to learn the truth, but once it all settled in, I was over the shock. It’s not really a stretch to believe our father had at least one illegitimate child. As much as he’s been stepping out on mama over the years. I actually feel sorry for Rochelle,” Mercedes said shaking her head. She’d developed a sense of sympathy since finding out the truth. The younger woman had had a hard life, growing up in Chicago with a sick mother. She directed her pain and resentment at Mercedes instead of the father her mother had taught her to hero-worship. Since that day in Ron’s office, Rochelle had been arrested, and then taken to a mental institution after an evaluation found her incompetent to stand trial. Rochelle had been spiraling out of control for months, trying to sabotage Mercedes’ life. Once Raul thwarted her attempt to end Mercedes’ life she just continued to rant and rave about her life being Mercedes’ fault. Rochelle would probably spend years in that institution, if not the rest of her life. Mercedes was grateful it was all over with, but she still felt sympathy for the woman, and her anger with their father only grew.

“Yeah, I don’t know about that, but I’m glad Rambo was there to save you.” Mercedes laughed. Jamal had taken to calling Raul, Rambo after learning his background and hearing he’d taken a bullet for his sister.

“You know mama is moving in with Aunt Sheryl?” Jamal asked.

Mercedes nodded. “Mmmhm, we talked a couple of days ago. She’s going to come out for a while to visit once she gets settled in,” Mercedes confirmed. She’d had a long talk with her mother, who’d apologized for allowing her father to treat her so harshly growing up, and not being strong enough to leave him when she and Jamal were younger. Mercedes heard the pain and anguish in her mother’s voice as they talked. She’d finally had enough. It was one thing to have women confront her over the years, but now to have an illegitimate daughter threaten the life of her own daughter. Linda was done putting up a front for other people. Mercedes was proud of her.

“Yeah, I helped her move. After I cursed dad out.” Mercedes could hear the thread of anger in Jamal’s voice.

“You did what?” she asked surprised.

“You heard me. Fuc-forget that man. What? You think you were the only one who heard mama crying alone in her room all those nights? Nah, you weren’t. I promised myself I’d never treat my woman like that,
if
I ever get married-and that’s a big if. Anyway, after what happened to you and mama telling me what he said to you in New Orleans I lost it on him. I would never put my hands on my father, but after seeing the way he hurt the two most important women in my life, I was tight. I’m sorry I never said anything sooner, Mercedes. I wish I had stood up to him about this years ago,” Jamal admitted, looking down at his hands as if he was ashamed.

Mercedes’ heart swelled with love and gratitude for her younger brother. “Jamal, listen to me. You have nothing to apologize for. That was all dad’s doing. He made his own bed, let him lay in it alone. You don’t place the burden of shame on yourself.”

Jamal continued to look down for a few moments, taking in what Mercedes just told him. Eventually he lifted his head looking at Mercedes and nodded. “Okay, so tell me about this Raul, cat. You love him don’t you?” Jamal asked not even trying to beat around the bush.

“Damn, just dive right in, huh? What makes you think it’s love?” she asked.

“Oh, please, sis. I saw you doting all over him last night. You were acting like the man had just had major heart surgery or something. I’ve never seen you that way over anyone. So tell me, when’s the wedding?” he asked laughing as he dodged Mercedes playful punches.

****

“Raul, where are you?’ Mercedes called as she entered the house. She’d just returned from her visit with her brother.

“I’m here, Querida,” she heard his sexy voice as he bounded down the steps dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a t-shirt. Her heart raced as he approached her with that sexy glint in his eyes. With his good arm he pulled her into a warm kiss. She allowed herself to get lost in his kiss as their lips got reacquainted with one another.     

“How’s Jamal?” Raul asked when they finally broke apart.

“He’s good. He told me he likes you,” she told him.

“I’m sorry, Querida, you’ll have to tell him I’m flattered, but I’m taken,” he joked. Mercedes laughed and playfully slapped his arm.

“Anyway, smartass. Where are your parents and Iris?” she asked, looking over his shoulder to see if anyone was still around.

“They left. I had to shoo them out of here. I needed some time alone with my woman. Come,” he said tugging her hand and walking towards the back patio. Mercedes stepped out to see a candlelight dinner had been set up on the table.

“Raul, you didn’t do this yourself, did you?” she turned and asked.

“I had some help. Both mamas and even papa helped,” he told her. Mercedes was relieved to hear he hadn’t done all this by himself, and risk further injury to his hurt shoulder. As it stood now, he often refused to wear the sling the hospital had given him, which he wasn’t wearing now.

“And before you ask where my sling is, it’s in the room. The doctor said I could spend a few hours a day out of it. Sit,” he said pulling out a chair for him. Mercedes eyed him suspiciously.

“I just want to make sure you’re okay and not overdoing it,” she defended of her sometimes overprotective ways.

“I know, Querida. That’s just one of the reasons why I love you,” he said casually, placing a kiss on her forehead. The day Raul had gotten shot, was also the first time he’d told Mercedes he loved her. It was on the way to the hospital in the ambulance as she held his hand. He’d managed to tell her every day since and Mercedes still hadn’t gotten tired of hearing it. Mercedes hadn’t said the words yet, but she was ready to change that, after she confessed something first.

“What is all this for?” Mercedes asked.

“A token of my appreciation...and a little something else. You’ve barely left my side since I was in the hospital and I am grateful.”

Mercedes’ heart smiled at his admission, but she felt a little guilty. “Well, I mean, it was my fault you were shot,” she grabbed his hand across the table, “There’s so much I want to say. When I saw you had been shot and were bleeding I nearly fainted. I was so scared you w-were…” she trailed off not able to bring herself to say the words that she feared he could have died. Raul consolingly, brought her hand to his lips.

“Just please don’t ever do that to me again. I need you around for a long time,” she told him. 

“How long?” He asked.

“As long as you’ll have me,” she answered sincerely. By the sexy smile that formed on Raul’s lips she knew her answer satisfied him.

“I need to tell you something about me that’s important for you to know,” she paused waiting for his response. When Raul nodded, she continued, “I don’t know where to start. I mean, you’ve met my parents and you were nearly killed by my illegitimate sister, so you know how fucked up my family is. But I wouldn’t be surprised if I had more siblings out there I don’t know about. When I was eight years old, I remember being in a grocery store with my mother and a woman came up to us. I can’t recall the entire conversation, but I remember the woman taunting my mother about how my father didn’t love her and how he only stayed with her to keep up appearances. I mean, this woman was bold enough to do this right in front of me. My mother hurried us out of the store. Later that night, it was one of the only times I heard my parents argue. After all the yelling, my father hurried out of the house, barely looking at me. I remember going to bed to the sounds of my mother crying that night. After that, I promised myself I would never let myself fall for someone who could treat me the way my father treated my mother. I spent most of my life avoiding serious relationships because I didn’t want to be vulnerable and then you happened.” Mercedes stopped to catch her breath and let her words settle around them. “I don’t want to be that way with you. You make me want more. What I’m trying to say is, I love you, Raul,” she said with tears in her eyes. She barely registered Raul’s movement, before he was pulling her up out of her seat and into his arms. After a few heartbeats, Raul took a step back.

“I’m glad you said that, finally, because I have something I want to ask you.” With his good arm, he reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a ring box. Mercedes’ eyes widened at the realization of what he held.

“Raul,” she whispered, as he dropped down to one knee and held up the open ring box.

“I want you for as long as I have breath in my body. I promise to be faithful, loving, and to cherish you for as long as God allows me to. Marry me, Querida,” he asked, his voice thick with emotion. Mercedes looked at the sincerity in Raul’s eyes and was reminded of how safe she always felt around him. How caring and loved she felt in his embrace. She knew she could trust Raul with her heart, for a lifetime. She knelt to the ground in front of him and nodded, too overcome with emotion to speak. She held out her hand as he slipped the cushion-cut Tiffany diamond onto her left ring finger. Mercedes threw her arms around his neck, making sure to be careful of his injured shoulder. She pressed her lips to his meaning for the kiss to be brief, but Raul had other ideas. He instantly deepened the kiss. Pulling back he stood, bringing Mercedes with him.

“Come with me, Querida,” he said, pulling her into the house and up the stairs. They spent the next few hours showing each other exactly how they felt for one another, having forgotten all about their uneaten dinner.

“Do you prefer a fall or a spring wedding?” Raul asked Mercedes that night as they lay in bed.