The Mercer Men and Their Women (Part 3)
No Escape for Angel
Angel Mercer sat on the plane and glanced out of the window. It felt good to be going back home.
After returning from Iraq, he had decided to stay in Philadelphia. He didn't go home to Detroit for several reasons. He needed a new beginning. He needed to get himself established. He needed to be on his own away from the controling had of his brother Bobby!
It had been several years since he had been home and he was surprised that his mother had requested that he return for a family reunion of sorts. It would be good to see his brothers and his mom Evelyn. He had to admit that he missed them terribly.
He then thought of Sophie, the love of his life. Truth be told, she was more trouble than she was worth and he knew that he needed to just leave her alone. Yet everytime they were in each other's presence, the chemistry was unmistakeable. He couldn't stay away from her, which is why he decided to settle down in Philadelphia. He leaned back in the seat as the plane sped down the runway.
Sophie...his La Vida Loca as Bobby called her. She was nothing but trouble and drama. Bobby and Jerry had told him time and time again to just leave her alone and he did try to, but somehow they always ended back together. Sophie was wild and crazy and way too possessive.
Bobby started calling Sophie that after the Ricky Martin song, La Vida Loca which translated in english meant "The Crazy Life". That's exactly what his life had been like since he'd fell for Sophie.
It started when they both were in the tenth grade. Boys were always trailing after her but when their eyes locked, he knew that she'd be his. He had never pursued a girl like he pursued Sophie. He wrote her notes, gave her candy and other small gifts.
She ignored him at first, cursing at him in Spanish whenever he would try to talk to her. He was about to give up his pursuit of her and put all his efforts in getting another girl's attention, when she confronted him.
"Why are you talking to her when it's me you want?" she asked shoving him in the chest in the hallway one day.
Angel was startled. "I didn't think you were interested. You hardly even talk to me."
"I'm interested" she snapped "And I'll cut any bitch that tries to move in on my territory! I just didn't want to appear too easy, that's all!"
Thus, the drama began. Sophie liked to fight, and fighting was something she did on a continuous basis. Fighting made her horny which led to sex; which led to them making up and then they'd end up fighting again. It became a vicious cycle. She'd pick a fight with him or with some woman that she felt wanted him or some man that she felt disrespected her. Angel had been in more fights over her than he could count and his brothers had come to his aid more than once. She was crazy as hell and always stirring up trouble. He had vowed again and again to leave her alone, but they always ended back up together in the end. His brothers had tried to convince him too and he had agreed to date someone else, but it never worked out that way. Truth be told, he only wanted Sophie!
Now he was headed home and once again he made up his mind to avoid her like the plague even though he wasn't exactly sure how he was going to accomplish that feat.. He got off the plane determined to just enjoy the cookout and spend some time with his family. He was not under any circumstances going to look for La Vida Loca! He hoped that his mother hadn't told her about the cookout.
He walked out of the airport towards the waiting taxis trying to decide how he was going to get to his mother's house.
"Angel! Angel!"
He heard someone screaming his name at the top of their lungs. He looked around to see Sophie parked illegally in the taxi cab stand waving frantically. Several cab drivers were there arguing with her demanding that she leave. Sophie would call out to him and then proceed to argue with the cabies. Angel walked slowly over to where she was. How did she know when his plane was coming in?
"Sophie! What the hell-" He was interrupted by another string of curses that she was delivering to the cab drivers.
Sophie broke out in a big grin as he approached.
"Angel, I wanted to surprise you, but these pricks are trying to make me leave. I told them I'd only be here for a minute, that you'd be coming out of the airport shortly but they wouldn't listen!" She turned and looked at the two men standing by her car. "Assholes!"
She got out of the car and began cursing at the cabbies in Spanish. Angel quickly grabbed her arm.
"Sophie! How did you know-"
One of the cab drivers pointed his finger in her face. "Look lady, you've got to leave! You're ruining our business with all your screaming! We asked you nicely to leave and if you don't we're going to call the cops! In fact there's one right over there watching this scene right now!"
Angel tried not to panic. He didn't want trouble before he could even set foot on Detroit soil. "Look sir-"
Sophie got in the cabbie's face standing on tip toe.
"Get your finger out of my face, asshole" she snapped smacking at his finger.
Angel looked up to see a policeman headed their way. He had to get her out of the airport before the both ended up in jail! How in the world did she find out when he was arriving?
"Lets go Sophie!" he said dragging her by the waist to the car as she continued to curse at the cabbie. Angel quickly opened the door and shoved her inside. She leaned out the window still cursing as Angel got in the drivers seat.
"I'm not afraid of them!" she snapped. "In fact, I'll have them arrested for verbal abuse!"
So much for staying away from La Vida Loca he thought as he sped off.