SHE

|twenty|

Thanksgiving week: Day 5: November 25, 20XX

"Mercy, are you awake?" Staci said as she stood over Mercy. After Mercy left, it took about twenty minutes for everyone else to disperse as well. It was awkward after and no one really wanted to deal with the awkwardness.

"Yeah, I'm awake. I can't sleep" She said as she sat up in the bed. She scratched the back of her neck and swung her feet over the edge of the twin bed she was sleeping in.

"Come downstairs, we need to talk" Staci told her. She left the room and went downstairs where they can have privacy. Mercy sighed and searched her bed for her fuzzy socks she took off when she got in her bed. Her feet feel suffocated when she tries to sleep in socks.

Three minutes later, Mercy walked downstairs and sat on the couch next to Staci who was blowing in her tea to cool it down. Mercy saw that Staci made her a cup of tea and dropped an ice cube in it to cool it down a bit.

"Are they still here?" Mercy asked. Staci nodded.

"They're sleeping in the extra room" Staci put her cup of tea down and stared at her niece. "Do you care to explain to me why you did that? That's your sister. And you know it is. You two have a lot of the same facial features, both smile the same, both short like your mama"

"I know she's my sister, I felt it. I'm just frustrated. More so with my mom than anyone. Like why would you do that? Give her away to have a better life but leave me with him" Mercy broke down.

"Don't do that. She didn't know he was going to send his goons to kill her. It was out her hands. Blame him. And if all of that didn't happen, you wouldn't be the woman you are today. You wouldn't have that beautiful daughter upstairs. You wouldn't of met King, Darnell, Lexi, or anyone else for that matter. Because you would've been here in Long Island". Mercy continued to silently cry in her lap. Staci comforted her niece and rocked back and forth.

Simone heard her grand-daughter crying from upstairs and walked downstairs with a piece of folded paper in her hands. She tucked her lips in and looked at the paper. Simone walked downstairs and saw her daughter and her grand-daughter rocking back and forth. Staci saw her and made a confused look.

"Mercy?" Simone said. Mercy lifted her head and looked at her grandmother. "Don't be upset with Journey, be upset with me. I shouldn't of sprung this on you all random. I know you're not a fan of surprises and you don't like family secrets. And that's why I want to give you sheet of paper" She handed the paper to Mercy and put her hand on her knee. "That's the address to Vanessa's house. She has a lot more answers for your questions than I do. She'll tell you the full story"

Mercy looked at the paper and looked at the address. "She lives in Rochester?" Simone nodded. "Thank you Grandma" Mercy said. She hugged Simone and let her go once she saw Journey come downstairs.

Both Staci and Simone left and Journey sat down next to Mercy. They sat in silence for a moment or two until both decided to speak at the same time.

"You can go first" Journey said.

"I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable or make you feel as though it was your fault. I apologize if I made you feel as though. I'm just frustrated. Our family has so many secrets and issues that it's crazy. And you were one of those secrets. I hope we can become closer and actually get to know each other and become sisters for real"