This Life I Lead

Chapter 1

Mercedes Jones stretched as the morning sun hit her in the face. She sat up in bed and looked around her room, trying to wake up. Once she had a bleary eyed assessment of her bodily functions, she climbed from the bed and got on her knees to pray.

When she finished, she made her bed and exited her sleeping quarters to go to the bathroom. Ozzie barked at her roughly as if he'd had a hard night sleeping. "Good morning, Ozzie baby!"

Ozzie yipped and followed her into the bathroom. She checked her reflection in the mirror and frowned. She had sleep running down her face from the corners of her eyes but it didn't matter. She'd wash her face soon.

She grabbed her toothbrush from its holder and applied toothpaste. She mentally sang a song her father taught her as a child. When she was finished, she spat and rinsed out her mouth and toothbrush before putting it away. She swished mouthwash before flossing.

She grabbed her Dove soap and turned on the sink to wet it before rubbing it briskly. She applied her wet soapy hands to her face, making sure to apply the suds to her neck as well. She let it dry somewhat before using a face towel to wash it away before using an exfoliating scrub to repeat the process.

She eyed herself in the mirror again but this time smiled. She went to the shower and turned it on. As the water warmed, she stripped off her nightwear and began singing one of her grandmother's songs to herself softly.

When the temperature was right, she stepped beneath the stream and closed the glass door behind herself. She used a pouf and her favorite burnt brown sugar body wash to bathe. She sang louder and even gave an encore performance as she cleansed herself.

When she finished, she turned the water off and exited the shower. She walked to the closet and grabbed a body towel to dry off. She wrapped the towel around her body and led Ozzie from the bathroom.

She went to her walk-in closet and looked over her multitude of clothes. She felt like being flirty but wearing pants that day so she chose a butter yellow pair of overalls. She paired them with a black shirt with silver cutout holes in the long sleeves.

She put on lavender underwear and slipped into her clothes after applying her special body cream (each of her sisters had their own blend), deodorant and her signature perfume at her pulse points. She pulled on black dress socks and brown ankle booties with a 2" heel and curved sides.

She put on her bracelet from Mike along with the daisy necklace he'd given her. She put in hoops and applied Proactiv to her face before putting on makeup. She kept her look fresh and appropriate for her light clothes and such a beautiful July day.

Finally she used a brush to take her hair down from its wrap. She brushed it up into a high pony and plugged in her curler to curl the ends.

Ozzie yipped and growled.

"I know you're hungry, Ozzie. Mommy's almost done." She hummed to herself as she waited for the tool to heat. Once it was hot to the touch, she wrapped sections of her hair around the barrel and curled.

When her ponytail was in loose curls, she turned the curler off and got up. "Come on. Time to eat."

Ozzie barked as if cheering.

Mercedes left her closet then the suite of rooms to go downstairs. She began opening the shades downstairs and the curtains. It was one of the first things she and Quinn had done when they got to Italy in June; buy curtains, blinds and shades.

She made her way to the kitchen and started the coffee Keurig. She went to the pantry to get Ozzie's dog food and poured him a bowlful. He happily got down to the business of eating.