#Skype Call: Otis Jones

[amiyahsoul]

Skype Call 💻: Mercedes & Otis Jones

INVOLVED: Mercedes Jones & Otis Jones TIME FRAME: Wednesday April 11th, 2017. LOCATION: Mercedes Condo . L. A. NOTES: As Mercedes attempts to bury herself in idle prep for the baby’s arrival she has a surprise Skype call with her father. 

Mercedes hummed along with the music that filled the room.  She was in a cleaning frenzy. The bathroom sparkled and the beds in her condo had fresh, crisp, clean linens. Now she was freshening the kitchen. Her hand circled across the counter wiping down the surface. The house wasn’t messy, just a little dusty from being left vacant for so long.  She blew slightly, starting to get tired. Her exertion was to be expected, but she still wanted to shop for a few extras before heading home for the day. Her hand went to the small of her back, as she was startled by the Skype chime. Seeing Her father's face pop up she rushed to answered the call. as quickly as her short legs could carry her.  She answered the called. Then squinted as a huge teddy bear dominated the computer screen. “Hello, I’m teddy the bear. And I can’t wait to meet my new friend!.” Mercedes snorted, staring at the screen.  “Daddy, that bear is huge. That thing will only scare the baby.”

Otis’ head popped out from behind the bear, huge grin on his face. “You have no proof that it will scare her. She’s going to love it and name him Otis. -I’m having him shipped tomorrow. Your mother would kill me if I tried to bring him on the plane.” He hefted the huge bear moving him off screen.  “Speaking of… tell me you’re having a contraction. Something." He said rubbing his hands together. "I’m excited. A new little girl to spoil and this time I get to do it right.”

Mercedes shook her head. “And she’d be right that thing is ridiculous.” She chuckled, “Sorry," She sung out, "but since last week, I’ve only had some pain but nothing significant enough to go back to the hospital.  She’ll come when she's ready." She smiled.

“Don’t talk about O like that. I know he’s huge but this is my first grandchild.  I am shooting for completely rotten.” Otis raised his eyebrow. “Have you been walking.  It’s what they made your mother do when she was in hospital having you guys.”

“The fact that you have already named him. -DADDY.” She laughed, holding her stomach as she did so. “So you are going to spoil her and leave me with a bratty child. No sir, that is out of the question.” She shook her head no, “Not as much as I should. But she is coming, of that I have no doubt.”

“Spoil completely... Yes, it will happen. It’s my prerogative as a grandparent.  Listen, Mercedes I'm going to give you and her till the end of the week, then I am going to come to L.A. and just wait it out.”  Otis moved closer to the screen. “Umm, Baby…  Why are you in your condo.”

Mercedes raised her hands, “Go right ahead and spoil away. A few days of grandparent over kill shouldn’t do too much damage.” She looked around, the space. “I was cleaning it up for you and mom. I thought you might want more privacy when you’re here.”

Otis smile faltered, “Mhm… well if you want us to stay there we can…” Otis leaned back in his chair staring at his daughter. Since her engagement party this young woman had been on cloud 100 and now her expression was different. “What’s wrong? And before you give me the nothing is wrong cover up, remember I know you better than you know yourself. Even now…”

“Don’t sound like that that. You don’t have to stay here it’s only a suggestion.”  Mercedes shrugged his words off “but there is nothing wrong with me, Da…”

“Bup.. bup.. bup …”  Otis cut across Mercedes. “Don’t hand me that landfill of lies.  You have been a hundred watt bulb for literally months. Now you look like someone snatched all the cheer from you. WHAT IS WRONG?

“I don’t want to talk about it… so can we just leave it. I’m fine, the baby is fine. That’s the focus right now. When she comes and i’m not a human incubator, then I’ll deal with what’s bothering me. It’s private dad. So just leave it.”

Otis sighed, and leaned back in his chair.  “I remember when you lost that little bald headed doll you had as a girl. You stood there with your little arms folded and told me you were fine. But for a week, you barely smiled, and went to bed early and whimpered in your sleep.  Baby girl, you weren’t fine then and you are not fine now.”

Mercedes smiled softly at her father’s little story. “And what did Mom, do to pull me out of my funk?” She asked. She didn’t remember this story at all and was curious.

“Your Mama?” Otis snapped back, shaking his head. “I’ll have you know.  I am a capable parent.  No matter what you and your sister seem to think. “  He told her pointedly. “I took you for ice cream. Double fudge chocolate chip.” he said accenting each word as he went.  “I got you on a sugar high, then took you to the park… I went down the slide with you just the way you used to do with that bald headed doll… What was her name, anyway.” He thought crossing his arms eyes wandering to the ceiling.

“And that worked I talked to you after that?” Mercedes chuckled. “I was a cheap  date.” She grinned.  

“You are my stubborn baby.  Who always takes everyone of your short falls and coming, on yourself. You bottle it all up so tight, trying to figure it out, on your own.  I’ve never understood why you do that. Family is about support. But no one can help you if you don’t open yourself too it.  And the truly messed up part is you want someone to care enough to ask how you feel, while at the same time pushing everyone away.  You were one hell of a maddening teenager I tell you.” Otis told her.

“I’m not a little kid anymore dad.  Aren’t I supposed to figure things out for myself. In less than 15 minutes I’m going to have a baby of my own. I can’t depend on you or mom to order my steps for me.”  Mercedes countered.

Otis snorted, “You and your sister are lucky Mercedes.  You have me and your mother to talk to. You don’t need us to tell you what to do.  Hell, you don't listen anyway, but talking isn’t making a decision, it’s sorting out how you feel.”

Mercedes rubbed her hands over her face. “Not this… Not now. You’ll never understand it will taint my daughter's birth. I don’t want that. I want everything to be perfect when she comes. Not people side eyeing each other. And definitely not your renewed hatred of Sam.”

Otis nodded, “Mhm…” He rubbed his hand down his face and groaned.  “Mercedes I know when I have been defeated.  Now I can kick and scream for days, but you ain’t going to be done with Samuel Evans, especially now.” he said pointing to her stomach. “Until the throw dirt in one of your faces. “As long as he isn’t laying hands on you,” he shrugged. “I’m fine.”

Mercedes wiped at her face, determined to hold herself together. “No, he’d never do anything like that. He’d never hurt his baby…  I’m just kidding. She sniffed. “It’s so much happening in such a short period of time.  I can’t get my footing.” Finally breaking down. “I’ve created a mess. Now I have to live with it.”

“What the hell are you talking about? Leaving that man when you were younger? Mercedes, you have GOT to forgive yourself for that. There was nothing wrong with you deciding not to get married. Do you truly think, that single solitary action created all this.  I don’t know what’s going on NOW  but, I assure you all this is not your fault.” Otis sighed. “I will say this, it was a bad idea not to just leave that man alone.”  He closed his eyes, blocking the protest he knew was about to come, “Nope, hold up. I’m not saying you couldn’t have found your way back to him, but you muddy the water because you didn’t let go. Completely. So now you don’t know if what you are seeing from him now is real, or fake or whatever. Unfortunately, for you, the only person who knows for sure is HIM. And the only way for you to find out  is through time.” He stopped and rubbed the side of his eyes.  “Time I wish you two fools had taken before my grandchild. Or getting engaged for that matter. You needed to feel secure in his changes and him in yours.

Mercedes listen to her father layout her pitfalls. Each lash a whip of truth that that highlighted her real pain. “I know… I just don’t know what to do now. But wasn’t it you who always said a little bit will tell you what a whole lot means? It’s been more than a little bit. And now..." She lowered her face, not wanting to see his I told you so expression. “He already has a son.” She cried “From the woman right before me.”

Otis blinked, and all he could do was shake his head for his child. His poor foolish child. “You still half protecting him so I assume, this child was conceived before you and he were official.”

Mercedes just looked at her father. Even pregnant these types  “Yes, He didn't cheat or anything. but, I… I just… I’ve always wanted what you and mom have and now.” She button her lip and dropped her head again.

Otis thought about explaining his past to his child, all of it. But this wasn’t the time, she was going to have to decide if she loved Samuel enough to stay on her own. That was the only way. It was only luck that kept this situation with Samuel from being himself. But even then building what him and his wife had was hard work. Very hard work. “So… You’re upset there is a living reminder.  I’m sorry baby girl.  This is a less than ideal situation.” He told her, pinching  the bridge of his nose.  “Oh Mercedes.”

“We were building it. Since I’ve been pregnant he has been perfect. I couldn’t ask for anything more or better. He was actually getting on my nerves, he barely left the house.  Then the other day, he just up and left. -Stayed out all night and then he told me about being stress by work, and needing a pacemaker. I was upset he just didn't tell me...  And then he told the rest. Why couldn’t he be more careful. I was.”

Otis could kill Mercedes for not listening to him the hundreds of times he’d tried to steer her towards other men. He held his breath. No father wanted to be in this position. To have to brake his own child's heart.  “He tried to bury that information didn't he." he sighed "You know why.” He said simply. “You made a choice months ago. And up until that little party that young man through for you, I was skeptical. But I don’t think any man would go through all that for some one he doesn’t care deeply for.”   

“It just makes me question everything.  I’m I being a fool, dad? I hurt because, I’m not the only mother of his children.. Because I believed that if I could come home and he’d be there, that I was most important.  You know the other day, he told me how hard he tried to replace me. It’s like I’ve heard the words and been looking at the evidence for so long… What if I am being a fool for  continuing to do so?” Mercedes covered her eyes, wiping at her face. “Am I going to teach my baby to be a fool too.”

“Baby, I don’t know.” Otis full lips pressed together, and he looked back up to the display. “Now you want this guarantee?  With him?” He chuckled. “I think you know better then that. Forgive yourself Mercedes for the past. Once you do you’ll be able to make better choices for your future.  And remember that not even your mother and I have a perfect relationship. And as hard as it is to believe. Even if you had married Sam years ago, It would have never been easy. No matter what you want believe. Just think about it. I love you baby girl no matter what you decide.”