Page 80 of Finding Mercy

He rolls his eyes but says, “Fine.”

I tap his leg, “Alright kiddo. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Bye,” he says.

He’s annoyed with me, but I will not take the risk of him over-exerting his heart and something terrible happening. I say goodbye to his parents, who will undoubtedly be here when I see him next.

I say goodbye to Nurse Gloria after asking her to get Michael a tablet. Then I head out to meet with Xander, who I’m hoping will help me make sense of my head.

Traffic is light, so I make it to the bar in less time than expected.

I walk in and head straight to Xander’s favorite booth, which is strange because who has a favorite booth?

I slide in on the other side of him.

“Hey asshole,” he says.

“Sometimes you hurt my feelings.”

He chuckles, “Oh Jesus. What has she done to you Doc Delicious?”

“One of these days I’m going to hit you. And the Doc Delicious thing. Yeah, even less funny with Stephanie.”

I tell him the entire story about Stephanie and her brother Shane. How everything went with Mercy, and what happened in the consultation room earlier today. As always, he mostly sits and listens attentively.

“You’re angry that she didn’t just take you at your word, immediately?”

I take a deep breath, “She didn't take my word for it. It wasn’t until she saw it in Stephanie’s own words that she believed me. I’m supposed to forget the rest and I can’t.”

He shakes his head, “You’re a fucking idiot.”

“Why thank you,” I reply dryly.

“She found you in bed with a naked woman.”

“I didn’t fucking touch her.”

He rubs the scruff on his chin, “Liam, I fucking know that man. Settle down. But think from her perspective. You walk in and find her shirtless with a naked man next to her. She swears it’s not what it looks like. Are you telling me you would just believe her?”

“No,” I hang my head down. This whole situation has me feeling like absolute shit.

“Of course, you wouldn’t. She reacted the way any other woman would. If she hadn’t, then she wouldn’t be the woman I know. She may be submissive in the bedroom, but she’ll never be walked all over.”

“I’ve never tried to walk all over her.”

He sighs, “I’m going to cut to the chase.”

I nod, and he asks, “Do you want to be with Mercy?”

“Obviously.”

“Then cut the fucking shit, asshole before you lose her.”

“I have no right to be mad, then?”

“At Mercy? Nope. At Stephanie hell-fucking-yes you do.”

“Alright.”

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