16. Chapter 15 #3
Mercedes looked at him with disgust. “At least Marcus is honest about being a piece of shit.”
Ohaji had no more words after that.
By the time Mercedes got to Heaven’s Door, her eyes were still swollen from crying and her nerves were shot.
Marcus stood in the office going through receipts when she walked in. He grimaced when he saw her face. “The fuck happened to you?”
Mercedes tossed her bag onto the chair. “Can we just do inventory?”
Marcus replied back. “Nah. Cause you look like shit tonight.”
Mercedes cheeks turned red from embarrassment. Especially since bartenders and dancers kept coming in and out the office.
“Can you just let me do my damn job?” Mercedes muttered keeping her tone even.
Marcus jerked his head toward her. “Nah. Cause what the fuck is this?” He motioned toward her face. “Your makeup is all smeared and ya eyes is puffy as shit. I've never seen you come to work looking this fucked up."
Mercedes rubbed her temples. “Marcus…”
“I got girls in this club making less than three hundred a night looking more put together than you right now.” Marcus stated.
Mercedes felt her throat tighten as her eyes watered again. A bartender nearby looked down awkwardly pretending to count bottles. Marcus kept going hard with the insults, he was too irritated to notice what he was doing. “You're part of management Mercedes. Pull yourself together.”
“Fuck this shit.” Mercedes threw the clipboard on the desk before storming out of the office.
“Mercedes,” Marcus called out annoyed. “Don’t start being emotional and shit.”
She stopped walking but never turned around. “You know what?” she said sounding completely fed up. “I’m getting really fucking tired of you talking to me any kind of way.”
Out of nowhere came a voice from the doorway. “She's right.”
Marcus looked toward the door. Steelo stood there holding inventory sheets against his chest.
Marcus frowned. “What now?”
Steelo stepped inside. “You ain’t gotta tear her down every time Marcus, you can clearly see she already going through something.”
Marcus cocked his neck to the side. “Since when the fuck you become Dr. Phil?”
A couple dancers snorted trying not to laugh.
Steelo ignored them. “Fuck all that Dr. Phil shit man. I’m just saying that sometimes people need support, not another person making them feel like they ain't worth shit.”
Marcus looked at Mercedes then back at Steelo. “I’m running a business Steelo. Not a fucking daycare.”
“But she's still a human being with feelings, my nigga,” Steelo shot back. “You can correct somebody without humiliating them in front of everybody. Since you running a business, go about it in a business typa way. Handle it professionally and treat it as a private matter."
Marcus gave a mirthless laugh. “You really pressing me over this?”
“Nah. I just hate watching good people get treated like shit.” Steelo answered.
Mercedes stood there stunned. Steelo had no idea how close to home that hit.
Marcus looked between both of them before finally waving his hand dismissively. “Aight man. Whatever. Mercedes just count the damn inventory.”
Mercedes shook her head. “No.”
Everybody looked at her. She wiped under her eyes quickly before grabbing her purse again. “I can’t do this shit tonight.”
Then she walked off. Steelo watched her leave before tossing the paperwork onto Marcus desk. “I’ll finish it.”
Marcus sucked his teeth. “You doing a lot over a female, nigga.”
Steelo looked toward the hallway where Mercedes disappeared. “Maybe cause everybody else keep doing too little.”
Then he walked out after her.
Mercedes sat outside on the back steps behind the club with tears running down her face. A few seconds later, the back door opened again. Steelo stepped outside quietly before sitting beside her.
Mercedes laughed bitterly while wiping her face. “I probably look pathetic as hell right now.”
“You don’t.” Steelo reassured her.
“Yes I do.” She shook her head. “I’m crying over a no good nigga that cheat on me and beat on me every other week and another man embarrassing me at work in front of everybody.”
Steelo gave her a long look. "Can I be honest with you?"
Mercedes rubbed her eyes. "That depends on what you about to say."
“You keep accepting shit you don’t deserve and you don't have to." Steelo said gently.
Mercedes rested her head in her hands. “I’m just tired, Steelo.”
“I know.” Steelo replied softly.
“I’m tired of being the woman men play with.” Her voice cracked. “The woman they lie to. Cheat on. Put second.”
Steelo stayed quiet letting her get it out.
Mercedes continued to hang her head down in shame. “I just wanna be the woman somebody choose for real.”
Affection glowed in Steelo's eyes as he reached over to hold Mercedes' face in his hands to wipe her tears. “I been chose you.”
Mercedes looked at him and Steelo held her eyes the whole time. “I just been waiting for you to choose yourself.”
Mercedes felt something soften inside her. Surprising herself, Mercedes leaned forward and kissed him before she could even think herself out of it.
And Steelo kissed her back like he been wanting to do that shit for years.