Twins of Empire

Prince vs Princess

Episode 2-The Outspoken King

Mercedes walked out from the bathroom connected to her room.

Dressed in night shorts and tank top.
A satin red bonnet on to protect her hair—she pats her face with a towel.

Picking up song book, she laid on the couch, propping her feet up on the table in front of her.

Opening it up, she slides out the pen humming to herself.

"Dancing with the devil...." Mercedes sings low. "Out of control. Almost made it to heaven, it was closer than you know...."

Writing it down, she heard the tune so clearly.

"Playing with the enemy. Gambling with my soul..."

A few tears slipped out when she thought about her uncle. Using the back of her wrist, she removed them and sniffles up the rest, still humming the song.
Normally she would call him so he could hear the new tune she had or text it to him. But even if she did.....he'd never answer.

A knock on the door made her look up.

"Come in."

Lucious walked inside, still dressed from work. "Baby girl, I got some mail for you. Juanita got it mixed up with mine." He waved it.

Mercedes looks back and reaches. "Oh, thank you." She takes it from him. "I been waiting on something."

"A check?"

He motions to the chair, Mercedes moves her legs so he could sit.

"Haha, I'm not a fool. Called direct deposit."

Lucious chuckles. "Taught you well."

"Of course." Mercedes looks at him. "How you holding up?"

Lucious rubs his hands together, looking ahead. "You know me and your uncle were close. Hell without him and Carol, I don't know who would have helped me get through raising you."

"It takes a village." Mercedes smiles a bit. "I'm going to miss him."

"I know," Lucious nods. "Anika told me you don't want to perform anymore at Laviticus."

"Just don't feel right." Mercedes shrugs. "I'm not Hakeem."

"I know, do you think you would want to perform at his funeral?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, I was talking to Vernon about it." Lucious sits back. "Your uncle is one of the reasons you got your nickname. Remember that?"

"I remember." Mercedes smiles. "He asked what type of car I would be."

"Your crazy butt said a Charger because you be charged up." Lucious says making her laugh as he joined in. "Bunkie said you would be a Mercedes. High matience, untouchable, and spoiled."

"I see no lie." Mercedes shrugs to his chuckle. "After that I just stuck to it. That name just bought something different out of me, made me more confident. More powerful in who I am." A look down. "Mariah wouldn't have survived in Empire."

Lucious looks over when she said this, he nods. "So you became Mercedes?" A nod from her made his eyes soften a bit. She hated to know how much of him she was like but little did she know. "You know," he rubs his hands together. "Dwight didn't make it either."

Mercedes head tilts. "Who's Dwight?"

"Me," Lucious says, he saw the shocked look on her face as Mercedes looked at him like he was playing a joke. "I found my name when I was young, just like you. I knew that he wouldn't make it either so I had to become somebody that would."