Who I Am Now

Of Dogs & Shopping Part 1

Mercedes: POV

I woke up in a sandwich. Noah was on his back nearly in the middle of the bed, snoring to high heaven. Annie was in a line, her head on my pillow and her feet hanging off the bed.

I took a moment to look over my bedmates. Yeah, they slept wild.

I pushed the covers back and climbed over them before climbing over Noah. Once my feet touched the floor, I tiptoed out and to Rae's room with my cell phone.

Rae was crying softly so I picked her up and sat in her rocking chair. I set it in motion and hummed as I lifted the top of my night shirt. I began feeding her and once I was sure she had a good latch, I texted Marcy.

I didn't expect a response; it was six in the morning. But that would have made sense. She texted me back less than a minute later. So I called her, taking care to whisper. "Hey?"

"Sup."

"Why are you awake?"

"Why are you?"

"I'm feeding Rae. Your turn."

"I'm brushing my teeth."

"At six in the morning?!"

"I can't brush my teeth in the morning?"

"Of course you can. But this is your first morning of freedom. Why aren't you sleep?"

She grunted.

I rolled my eyes. Talking to her was like trying to get blood from a stone. "Are you going to church?"

"Hell no!"

I giggled. "Swear jar. Why not?"

"Fuck that jar."

"Marcy!" I giggled.

I heard water running. "You're the one who said it was my first day of freedom. I'm not sitting in a hot building all day when I could be out doing stuff."

"What do you want to do?"

"Let's go to brunch."

I adjusted Rae to be over my shoulder and burped her. "I like that idea. What time?"

"Hell if I know. You know we have to go shopping."

"I want to hope against hope that you mean for clothes."

"There's no way under the sun."

I made a small sound of displeasure. "It should have been!"

"It was not. I know it wasn't. You know it wasn't. Stop fooling yourself."

"You're a dream killer."

"Didn't we just go shopping for clothes?"

"That was weeks ago!"

"Like two; don't trip."

I sulked as I patted Rae's back. "You never gave me a time."

"Ten o'clock, heifa!"

"Don't call me names!"

She didn't say anything and the water got louder before it was shut off. "Get bent."

"Rude little thing."

"Whatever. Just call your friends and tell them the news."

"One, they're your friends, too-"

"Shut up."

"Two, you want me to call them right now?"

"If you do, keep me on the line. I want to hear you get cussed out."