Jim had insisted Lance have Mercedes stay at his house after the concert. Lance was blown away by his Father’s radical turn around. "You probably should wake her up every few hours to make sure she’s okay. I know what the Doctor said, but just to make sure. If you’d like your Mother and I could take a shift."
"No, no Dad that’s alright. I’ll get up."
Diane made Mercedes comfortable and said good night. "Jim and I will be leaving in the morning for Memphis, but I’m sure we’ll be able to have breakfast together. Stacey and Ford are taking a flight back home."
"Thank-you, Diane. I appreciate your concern."
"Lance told us your parents died a long time ago. You were only ten? I’m sure there have been times when you’ve missed them a lot. If you ever need a mom substitute, call me. Okay?"
"Thank-you."
"Lance?"
"Um?" he answered sleepily, his feet shuffling along the floor.
"What are you doing in here?"
"Just making sure you’re conscious. My Father’s orders. Honest." Lance sat on the edge of her bed, leaned over and kissed her mouth.
"You need to get a good night’s sleep. Don’t worry, I’m alright."
Lance nuzzled closer to her and whispered in her ear, "I’d rather check in on you, then lie awake wishing I could come in here and kiss you."
"I dreamt about you."
Lance smiled and laid beside her, touching her face with his hand, "Was it a nice dream?"
"Uh huh." she said.
"What was I doing, darlin?" he asked her as he played with her hair and laid on his side, resting his head on the palm of one hand.
"You were making love to me."
Lance paused for a moment. "Ooo, that really WAS a nice dream then."
"We were in my loft and I was cold and you kept me warm. You said, ‘give me some sugar.’ It was a wonderful dream."
Lance leaned over and kissed her curls. He closed his eyes and pressed his head against hers for the longest time. ‘She’s remembering.’
Lance felt movement in his room. His Dad tapped his shoulder, "Son."
Lance had been face down in his bed with a pillow over his head. "Dad? Is something wrong?" He checked his watch on the night stand. ‘3:45’
"Your Mom and I heard crying. It’s from Mercedes’ room."
Lance rolled over and sat up. His feet hit the floor and he grabbed his terry cloth robe.
"Thanks for getting me, Dad."
As he approached the bedroom she was staying in, he could hear faint whimpers. Some moaning. Lance entered the room and sat by her. Mercedes was asleep! It must’ve been some awful dream. Lance rubbed the sleep from his eyes and yawned. He ran his hand through his mop of hair. His other hand was on Mercedes’ arm. Lance leaned over and kissed her forehead, "Mercedes?" he whispered, "Mercedes darlin’?"
She opened her eyes with a look of confusion. Lance turned the night table lamp on dimly.
"Lance?"
"Yeah. It’s me." he took his hand and gently rubbed her arm. "You must’ve had a bad dream this time."
"How did you know?"
"I could hear you." Lance put an arm underneath her, climbed in under the covers with her and held her. "Do you want to tell me about it?"
"I can’t remember it." Mercedes paused, "Well, I can remember it made me feel all alone."
"You’re never alone any more. Even if I’m out on the road, you’re still gonna be in here with me." He took her hand and placed it on his heart.
"I’m sorry the noise woke you." Mercedes said.
"What’d I tell you about apologizing for things we can’t control?"
"Maybe you ought to think about that statement, in light of what happened last night."
"You’re talking about Mike and Tim."
"Yes, I am." Mercedes said patting Lance’s chest and listening to his heart beating.
"They ARE ultimately responsible, darlin’."
"But, they can’t control every situation and every person."
Lance shifted his position on the bed to get a better look at her face. "So, you’re aware that you shouldn’t have gone off without Wes."
"Yes, I understand that."
"But, if you hadn’t it might’ve been much worse for that young girl."
"I think that’s probably true."
"That guard would have gone on abusing kids."
"True again." Mercedes said.
"Sometimes it’s not easy to know the right thing to do, Mercedes."
"You mean if I had done the right thing it would‘ve been the wrong thing at the time?"
"Well, yes. But, I don‘t want you to pull anything like that again."
"I promise, sir."
"I‘m serious." Lance said.
Lance took her hand and tried to broach a similar subject. "Mercedes do you know how sometimes the right thing for you to do is going to hurt somebody and you’d do anything NOT to hurt this person, so you don’t say anything. It’s a real dilemma."
"I may be a little too sleepy to catch on to what you’re trying to say here."
"I’m just jawin’" he said reluctantly.
She reached her hand over and touched Lance’s face. The prickliness of his face before a morning shave made her grin.
"I can see you grinning. You know I’m going to apologize, don’t you?"
"Ah huh."
"But, you’re never going to go off without Wes again, even backstage. Understand?"
"Yes, I do sir."
Lance grinned. "Feeling better now?"
"Yes, I do sir."
"Geez. Get some sleep." Lance quietly chuckled.
Lance awoke to the sound of thunder clapping. He rolled over and put his arm around Mercedes’ waist. He had fallen asleep and didn’t return to his bed after he had last checked in on her. Lance kissed the back of her head.
He stirred, "Mercedes?"
"Umm?" she said.
"Just checkin’ Darlin’"
"Umm."
Lance held her tighter.
The sound of the Ferry boat woke Lance. But, it only seemed that way. He laid there next to Mercedes and wondered why the dream had come back. ‘Surely it had something to do with last night’s incident.’ Lance rolled to his side, propped up his head and watched Mercedes sleeping there, peacefully. He gently kissed her shoulder. ‘I know I am frightened over the thought of her being hurt. I’m also frightened by the thought of her finding out and hating me for keeping these things from her.’
‘But, HOW can I tell her? How could I hurt her that way? God, please help me. Tell me what to do, what to SAY! God, you know how precious she is to me. I believe you’ve brought us here to this place in our lives. So PLEASE help me.’
Lance put his head back down onto the pillow. He debated whether or not he should get up and return to his own room. Lance had on his boxers and a t-shirt that he normally slept in, but he had thrown on a terry cloth robe over that. It shouldn’t shock his family too much to find him in here once morning came. Still his head rolled from side-to-side as he mentally debated the issue with himself. His exhaustion took over and he fell back to sleep.
When he awoke the next time, the issue was moot because he could hear his parents in the kitchen and smell the coffee brewing.
Lance turned to Mercedes lying there still peacefully asleep. He kissed her shoulder and rose quietly from the bed. He paused at the doorway and smiled at the sight of her. Lance ambled down the hallway and went into the kitchen.
"Good morning." Lance said to his parents.
"Good morning, honey. How much sleep did you manage to get?" His Mother asked.
"Well, I fell asleep when I went in to check on Mercedes at 3:45 when Dad woke me. So, mostly I slept all that time."
"Was she crying from the incident last night?" His Dad asked.
"Actually, she was asleep. It was a nightmare she was having." Lance poured a cup of coffee, "She said she couldn’t remember it, though. I’m going to hit the shower. When does the car come to take you to the airport?"
"Another hour."
"Okay, I’ll be right out." Lance kissed his Mother’s cheek. "In spite of everyone being upset last night. I just wanted to tell you that your visit worked out much better than I had originally thought it would. I’m glad about that."
"Me, too, Son." Jim said.
Lance winked at his Mom. Diane smiled.
