Esther and Mercy

Part 13

Meanwhile, Kate is dropping Daniel off. He's about to exit the car, but she stops him.

"Wait, Daniel. How are you two getting along with Mercy and Esther?" 

"Fine, I guess."  

"But have either of them ever made you feel, I don't know, uncomfortable. Or have they done anything that they're not supposed to do?" Danny thinks back to the incident in his room. He's too scared to say anything. 

 "No."

"Like, did they ever hurt either of you?"

"No." 

"You sure?" He nods. 

 "Okay. All right."

John is working on a work project while the girls are drawing. "I like it when it's just the three of us. You don't know how long I've waited for a daddy just like you." 

"Mommy too, right?" 

"I don't think Mommy likes me very much." Mercy agrees sadly. "She's been acting odd lately." At first, Kate really took to Mercy. The little girl would help her with dinner nearly every night. "Hey. That is not true. Mommy loves you, both of you."

"It's all right. It must be hard to love an adopted child as much as your own." Mercy drops her lap easel. "How could you say such a thing?" Apparently that comment struck a nerve. "I didn't mean it like that, Mercy." Esther appears genuinely sorry. "It's ok. I guess I always kind of worry about that, you know?"

"Mommy and I love both of you very much. You're just as much a part of this family as Danny and Max. Okay? Do something nice for Mommy. Show her how much you love her."

"That's a wonderful idea." They say in unison. "Can you help me, Daddy? Mommy told me once that she really likes cookies with M&Ms in them."

"How do you know we have those?"

"You just told me." She gives John a cheeky smile.

Kate comes into the kitchen. Mercy is there, wearing a frilly apron over her pink dress. Kate can't see what she's doing. "I have a special surprise for you, Mommy."

"You do?" Mercy turns, revealing that she'd been transferring cookies from the sheet to a plate. She even went to the trouble of arranging them in a pyramid shape. "Mercy, did you make these?"

"Daddy helped of course. And he gave me the recipe. Try one!" Kate is immediately flooded with nostalgia. It's her mom's recipe. "Thank you. But why did you do this?"

"Just to show how much I love you." Esther comes in with one hand behind her back. l have a surprise for you too."

"Oh really? Kate is hoping this one will be pleasant too. Oh how wrong she is. "I picked these flowers just for you." She'd picked the roses from Jessica's memorial. "Esther, what did you do?" She sees red. Without thinking, Kate grabs Esther by the arm and drags her across the floor. "My arm!" 

"Why did you do this?"

"Daddy, my arm!" John hears the commotion and rushes to the kitchen. What he sees leaves him stunned. Kate is holding Esther by the arm, the only thing keeping the girl from falling to the floor. Roses were scattered all over the floor. And Mercy is huddled in a corner, horrified. "Hey. Stop, stop. Why did you do this?"

"Oh, God. God, she did this on purpose."

"No, no, no."

"Yes, she did. She knew what these roses meant to me." 

"It's my fault, Hon. I told her to do something nice for you."

"I can't believe this."

Later that night, Esther puts her arm in a vice located in the garage. Mercy tightens it until the former is satisfied that her arm is broken. Then she helps her sister get up the ladder and into her bed. "Daddy! Daddy!" John is there in a flash. "What is it, Honey?" 

"My arm still hurts." John climbs a few rungs so he can better inspect it. "Can I have a look at it? I'll be gentle. It's all right, Honey." There's clear evidence of a break. "Oh, my God. We need to take you to the hospital." Mercy looks up worriedly. "Is it bad?"

"I don't know, Sweetie. Try to get some sleep ok?"