Mercedes' Dirge
Page 22
“I wonder why Mercedes wanted me to go through that box that had the fake security report about you, Bryan.” She pondered aloud.
“I looked through that box and there were all of Alexa’s papers relating to her stay in the mental institution all those years ago.” He answered quietly.
Ella knew then that Mercedes had kept her locked in the attic not out of spite, but because Ella had not found what Mercedes had so desperately needed her to find to really piece together the puzzle.
As for Alexa, she was facing a hearing to determine if she was mentally competent to stand trial. While they knew she was insane, the outrage at the crime and the seedy details made it so that Alexa would be lucky to go to an institution, though she feared it above all else. She stood to face life in prison if found sane and guilty. Ella knew that it all depended on what Alexa ultimately wanted, for she was smart enough to play sane or insane to get the better of the two options. As one would imagine, her parents were beside themselves when the details came out, and they were so distraught at effectively losing both their daughters that they weren’t even present for the opening of the bed and breakfast.
Alexa’s hate for her sister, even after killing her haunted Ella as much as Mercedes’ ghost had. Mercedes had had some real problems and issues, but Ella knew that she’d had the best intentions for Alexa. She’d been right to try and get help for Alexa’s eating disorder, even if it had turned out badly by things completely out of her control. Mercedes could have buried Joel for repeatedly spying on her, but clearly didn’t want to drag her younger sister into it and kept quiet to protect Alexa, never knowing that her attempt to protect would ultimately kill her. How Alexa didn’t take responsibility for the sick things she did and somehow twisted it to be Mercedes’ fault was a testament to how mentally ill she really was. She’d truly had no remorse and still believed that Mercedes had deserved to die.
And in a chilling twist, Joel had taken one of the auto shop’s client’s cars for a drunken spin the night that Alexa had threatened them. They found him dead at the bottom of Sunset cliffs the next morning. They said that he’d probably tried to avoid something in the road, but in his drunkenness had over corrected and lost control, plummeting to a quick death below on the rocks. He’d broken his neck.
He hadn’t been mourned by them, and she knew they all wondered what or who he’d seen in the road to make him swerve.
“Well, Bryan,” she said with a smile. “Do you believe in ghosts now?”
“Why would I?” He said as he shook his head.
“You had a full fledged conversation with one in the middle of a crisis.” She pointed out incredulously.
“I don’t remember that at all.” He told her with a straight face.
“Later we all saw you, completely aware and talking to her!” She partially yelled.
“I had a head injury.” He said with a shrug.
She lightly punched his shoulder, but she saw the glint in his eye and she hoped it to be one of acceptance.
“Do you still think she’s here?” Mira asked.
“I guess it depends what you believe in,” Ella answered. “I feel like she’ll always be here.”
“I prefer to think she’s at peace.” Nick said.
“Maybe she can be at peace and still come back for visits.” Troy suggested.
“I guess we’ll find out when the reviews roll in and they start talking about an uninvited guest in their room.” Ella said with a smile.
“She chose you, Nick.” Troy suddenly said, without moving his intense gaze from the ocean. “You should know that.”
“How do you know?” Nick said.
“Alexa said so, and I believe it. You were always the one she was going to end up with, and I’m sorry that I stood in the way of that. If I hadn’t I can’t help but think she may still be alive.”
“It’s no one’s fault but Alexa’s, Troy.” Bryan interjected seriously. “She absolved you, and you have to be OK with that. It’s what she wanted.”
They all nodded in agreement. “Let’s get some of the food at this shindig. I’m starving.” She said as she patted Troy on the back.
They all shuffled towards the house when Ella stopped Bryan on the way. “How do you know Mercedes absolved Troy?” She asked.
He shrugged and she shot him a frustrated look. “Has anyone ever told you for someone so smart you’re kind of stupid?” She said to him.
“That was really an ugly dress she was wearing.” He said suddenly before turning on his heel and walking away without her.
She smiled at the meaning of it and suddenly thought she could never be more satisfied in her life.
“I’m still waiting for those lottery numbers, Mercedes.” She said into the air before happily following Bryan.
The End