This Life I Lead

Chapter 41

"You're going to church?" Mercedes wasn't sure if she was more surprised, worried or excited.

"Yeah." Marcy finished packing the diaper bag.

"You don't have to go back so soon. I'm sure you'll be forgiven for missing a few-"

"Eight."

"Or eight meetings. Wait. Why eight? Rye's seven weeks."

"Remember I had Braxton Hicks contractions and went to the hospital the Sunday before she was born?"

"Oh right!" Mercedes remembered. "Okay. Eight weeks isn't bad. Your faith isn't shaken. You just need a break."

"I have to leave this house. I don't care if I have to just go outside to the post."

"Then go to the post! I'll hold your hand!"

"I don't want you to hold my hand. I want to go to church. And I'm going."

"Good girl." Rose spoke up. "We'll be there for her every step of the way but I think this is the right thing to do. She needs to know God will lead her through this."

"She doesn't need a building to tell her that." Mercedes was uncharacteristically stubborn.

"The building has added support."

"Where were they when she needed them?"

"Where were you?"

Mercedes pouted.

"Look, honey," Rose hugged her. "She needs to do this for her. This is her decision. Let her make it."

"I'm not going to be nearly this stubborn when I give birth." She broke away from her mother.

"You're stubborn now..." Marcy muttered. "Let's just go. There's a tonne of other things to do today and I don't have time to waste."

"Other things?" Rose, Mercedes, Jeanette, Judy, Laura and Quinn echoed.

"Yes."

"What other things?!" Laura demanded.

"Grocery shopping for one. Cleaning for two. I can't go without food like that again and my house is not about to be an episode of Hoarders again."

"What are you talking about?"

"The house was a disaster when I showed up." Rose sighed. "Marcy, going to church is one thing but shopping and cleaning is another."

"I'm not an invalid! There's nothing wrong with me!" Marcy grew upset.

The women were quiet.

"Whatever." Marcy walked out.

They hurried behind her. "Marcy, no!"

"You know, just because you're not as messed up as I am, doesn't mean that you get to treat me like I'm not human!" She whipped around.

"No! Of course not!" Jeanette soothed her. "We know you're human!"

"I need routine." She wiped her nose. "I do better with schedules."

"Okay." Laura raised her hands. "We understand."

"I'm going to church and shopping then I'm coming back to my home to clean."

"At least let us help you." Judy begged. "You know I'm quite the cleaner."

"I never said I was doing it alone. You all have jobs." Marcy went to the playroom.

They stared in shock before chuckling in disbelief over their disbelief.

M&MC