Cash
C ash and Callan watched Mercy get into her old beat-up Toyota to head to work. had made a few phone calls and with a little help from her friends, he and Callan knew just about everything they needed to initiate their plan. didn’t care if Mercy wanted to keep him and Callan a secret. A part of him felt bad outing her to her friends, telling Regan and Emily about their night together and the baby but he had a feeling that they both already knew the whole story. Emily told him that she guessed that Callan and he had a threesome with Mercy the night they were all at his bar. She also reminded him that she was an OB doctor and could pretty much guess that Mercy was about six months pregnant. He laughed at the thought of his little girl trying to cover her tracks and hide what the rest of the town already knew—she was pregnant and now, she was theirs.
“How long is her shift?” Callan looked at him and could see the worry on his friend’s face. He saw what was seeing every time he looked at Mercy—she was tired and that worried them both.
“Twelve fucking hours,” grumbled. “This has to stop. Emily said that Mercy is taking care of her grandmother, and she suspects that our girl is taking extra shifts to save money before the baby comes.”
“Fuck,” Callan spat. “If she’d just fucking let us in we would help her.” nodded.
“I know man, but I don’t think that she’s ready to accept our help or let us in. But we’re going to change all of that, starting today. Let’s go meet Mercy’s grandmother,” barked. They both got out of his truck and walked across the street to Mercy’s house. hoped that her grandmother had an open mind because what they were about to tell her might come as a shock.
Mercy’s grandmother answered the door after his second knock. She opened the door, and he had to admit, she looked surprised to see the pair of them standing on her front porch, who wouldn’t be? He suspected that he and Callan were quite a pair judging by just their size alone. Add in his long hair and tattoos and Callan’s boy next door charm and good looks, anyone would be stunned to find them at their front door.
“Hello, my name is Harrington and this is Callan McAllister. We are—” wasn’t quite sure what he should call himself and Callan, concerning Mercy. Mercy’s grandmother seemed to be enjoying watching him squirm. She stood in the doorway with a knowing smile on her face, waiting him out.
Callan barked out a laugh, “Man, I think she’s screwing with us. You know exactly who we are, don’t you?” Mercy’s grandmother’s smile broadened, and she nodded, even giggling as she ushered them into her home.
“Sorry boys, I like to have a little fun. I’m Mary and my granddaughter has told me all about the pair of you,” Mary motioned to the back of the house and they both followed her. could tell that Mary was making breakfast and his stomach growled.
“Well, it sounds like I’m going to have to make some extra,” Mary clapped. “Oh, it’s been so long since I’ve had good- looking boys around to feed. Make yourselves at home and I’ll make you some breakfast.” and Callan sat down at the kitchen table not arguing about the fact that they were both hungry. They skipped breakfast to get to Mercy’s house before her grandmother headed to the senior center. Emily was like a walking personal assistant, even knowing Mary’s weekly schedule.
“You boys are just in time. I was going to get ready for my date, but I have a feeling that you already know my plans. You’ve been talking to Mercy’s friends, haven’t you?” nodded. He caught some shit from his friends for interrupting their time with Emily last night. Travis and Jack gave her exactly ten minutes to talk to him and then they confiscated her phone and told him to fuck off. He couldn’t say that he blamed them. If it was him he wouldn’t untie his new wife from the bed. A picture of Mercy tied to his bed flashed through his mind and he almost groaned out loud. He needed to cut that shit out, now wasn’t the time or place for his dirty thoughts.
“Yes, they were quite helpful. Although, I don’t think that Em’s new husbands were too happy with me interrupting their evening last night.” Mary laughed and flipped the pancakes.
“No, I would think not,” she piled the pancakes onto a plate and set them on her kitchen table next to a plate of bacon that was already there. Mary grabbed the fresh pot of coffee and poured them both a cup. From the looks of it, Mercy’s grandmother was expecting company, and he wondered who tipped her off that he and Callan were going to visit her.
“So, who tipped you off that we were coming?” asked.
Mary’s sly smile was back in place, “Well, no one. Mercy came home last night after you dropped her off and told me the whole sorted story. I’ve been around the block a time or two boys. When a beautiful young woman tells her guy or in this case—guys, that she is pregnant they usually need to take a minute to sort everything out. I figured that if the two of you were as smart and caring as she makes you out to be you’d be here bright and early this morning. We have some work to do boys. My girl is a stubborn one.” Mary nibbled at her toast and couldn’t help his smile. He liked Mercy’s grandmother and from the way Callan was fawning all over her, he did too.
“Eat up now and after, we can put our heads together and come up with a plan. You two are going to make my granddaughter very happy, she just doesn’t know it yet.” shook his head at how brazen Mary was. Mercy must have gotten her sass from her grandmother.
They ate breakfast talking, laughing, and getting to know each other, and with every passing minute, fell even more in love with Mercy’s grandmother. Mary was a very special lady. She shared with them that she had been seeing some guy named Joe from down at the rec center. She and Joe had plans to get married, but she felt bad leaving Mercy all alone. She told them that if things worked out between them and Mercy she would like to marry Joe next month since they both weren’t getting any younger.
’s wheels were turning, and he knew that if Mary wanted to marry Joe in a month, that didn’t give them much time to claim Mercy and move her into his house. Callan had agreed to give up his shitty apartment and move into ’s house. They even had plans of tearing down a wall between two bedrooms to make one big master suite for the three of them to share. knew that for their plan to work they had to present a united front. He wasn’t sure if he and Callan would be able to do that, but his friend reminded him that they had each other’s backs and that was all that mattered. had forgotten what it was like to have a friend. Allowing someone back into his life who could easily break his heart scared the shit out of him. Here he was letting two people in and soon, a third. But he knew that it would be worth it in the end. At least, he hoped that would be the case. He was ready to let go of the past and move on because he wanted Mercy, the baby, and now, Callan to be his future. He decided that much last night.
They finished breakfast and he and Callan did the dishes while Mary got ready for her date. When she returned to the kitchen, she told them that her ride was there and to lock up on their way out.
“But we don’t have a plan yet,” Callan said.
Mary smiled at the two of them, “You boys seem to have good heads on your shoulders,” she winked at them and couldn’t help his smile. “I think that between the two of you, you’ll figure it all out. I’m putting my trust in you both to take care of my granddaughter.” She pointed a finger at them, waggling it between the two of them, “Don’t fuck it up, boys,” she barked. Mary turned and left the room, grabbing her handbag on the way out.
Callan looked at and they were both grinning like fools again. “I like her,” whispered as if he didn’t want Mary to hear him. chuckled.
“I like her too, man,” slapped Callan on his shoulder and they got to work finishing up the dishes. They had a full day ahead of them if they were going to convince Mercy to give them a chance. He wanted to pack her shit and move it into his house, but he knew that bullying her into moving in with the two of them wasn’t the way. Emily warned him that Mercy was stubborn. If they pushed her, she’d push back. He was starting to see that their girl was going to give them trouble at every turn, and he couldn’t wait.
Mercy was just what he needed and everything that he didn’t know that he wanted. He had spent the last five years haunted by the ghosts of his past. It was time to move on and let go of everyone that hurt him and everyone that he hurt. It was time to forgive himself and find happiness and he was betting he’d find it with Mercy and Callan. If he and Callan could convince her to be between them, they’d both be the luckiest guys on the planet.