Mercy's Debt

FIFTEEN



The cell phone sitting by the door lit up once again, disrupting the atmosphere with its shrill melody. It was the fifth time that it had sounded that evening, and just as before, it clicked over to voicemail on the third ring.

Liz, incensed by the continual interruptions, snapped up the remote and paused her favorite tearjerker. Letting out an aggravated breath, she hopped up from the couch and shuffled over to the side table where the relentless noise-maker was sitting. She snapped up the phone, intending to place it on silent, but then noticed that all the missed calls were from the same number. Robert’s number.

Her eyebrows knitted together as she speculated about the numerous calls; could there be some sort of emergency?

She was contemplating returning the call on behalf of Mercy when the phone lit up in her hand. She hit “answer” and lifted it to her ear.

“H-hello?” She felt rude, answering a phone that didn’t belong to her.

“Mercy?”

“No, Robert, this is Liz… Mercy’s roommate.”

“Oh, yes. Hello Elizabeth. How are you?”

“I’m okay.” She waited, but he said nothing more. “So, I’m guessing that you’re looking for Mercy?”

“Yes.”

“She’s out, actually, and I believe that she’ll be gone for at least a few more hours. Funny, I thought you were the one she was out with.”

“I am afraid not.”

“Oh. Well, she left her phone behind. Again. She’s always forgetting the thing. I’ve been listening to it ring all evening,” she said with a curt emphasis on the last two words. “I saw all your missed calls. Is everything all right?”

“Well… Yes and no.”

“Oh? Is there anything that I can help you with?”

Robert sighed sullenly. “I do not know if you can help me, Elizabeth.”

“Try me.” Now she was curious.

“I do not know where to begin,” he said. “I have upset Mercy in a terrible way, and now she is refusing to return any of my calls. It has been over a week since I last spoke to her.”

“What did you do?” Liz asked pryingly.

“She did not tell you?” He was taken aback.

“No,” Liz said carefully. “Mercy can be quite… secretive about her personal affairs. Sometimes she has just a little too much pride for her own good.”

“Yes,” he agreed.

“So, what did you do?”

He exhaled again. “Too many things to recount, Elizabeth. The worst of it is that I… I punched this Mathew person in the face.”

“Whoa! You socked Mathew?” she shrieked. “Awesome!”

“You know him?”

“Well, I used to. I can’t stand the guy. He totally broke Mercy’s heart. He…” She stopped, worried that she’d said too much already.

“I see.”

“So, what do you need?”

“I do not know, Elizabeth,” he said sadly. “Perhaps I require some advice on what to do about Mercy. She is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I cannot bear not having her in my life.”

Liz placed a hand over her chest, touched by Robert’s words. “Well, you can talk to me,” she said.

“Can I?”

“Of course,” she said. “I only want what’s best for Mercy. She deserves to finally have a bit of joy. You obviously make her very happy.”

“I do? Are you certain?”

“I’m positive. I’ve never seen her as happy and relaxed as she is with you.”

“I am very pleased to hear you say that.” He paused for a moment. “Would you…”

“Would I what?” Liz asked.

“Would you like to come to my home tonight and provide me guidance about Mercy?”

“Now, you mean?”

“Yes. If you are not busy. I can send a car for you.”

“Well…” She thought for a moment. “I don’t know. The thing is, I don’t know if Mercy would be too happy about me going over to your house in secret.”

“I see.”

“But,” Liz continued on, “you do seem to genuinely care for her.”

“I do. With my entire heart.”

“And she does seem to care for you.”

“I hope that is true.”

“Hmm.” She chewed on the side of her cheek, undecided. “Did you really punch Mathew?” she asked, unable to hide the smile from her voice.

“I did. Right in the jaw.” His voice contained a bit of a smile, too.

“You know what, Robert? Send your car. I’m coming over.