The Wedding Shop
'We're getting Married' Mercy wrote to her select group of friends excited that this day was finally in sight. She'd waited, prayed, cried, laughed and even sang about this day and finally it was here, the question had been asked and she was taking it upon herself to make sure that everything was planned down to the last detail, this had to be perfect, just like she'd envisaged in her dream. 'Wait did I ask him or did he ask me?' she thought, her mind wondering back on the previous night
"You know we've been playing at this for a while now and well I'm invested I hope you are" he told her
"I hope your invested because..."
"Will you..."
"Marry me" they'd both said looking at each other before saying "Yes" at the same time hugging to seal the deal
"We asked each other" she smiled
"We're getting Married' Sam wrote to his select group of friends excited that their day was finally in sight. He'd never have dreamed this could happen to him, he wasn't even thinking on that level but then the questions was asked and he was ecstatic, this was going to be the day she'd dreamed about, he was going to plan every little detail, it had to be perfect just like she'd always wished 'Everything is still such a daze did I ask her or did she ask me?" he thought as he looked back on the events of the previous night
"We need to stop playing at this I need to ask, I've invested in this I hope you have too?" he asked her
"I am invested" she replied "Will you"
"Marry me" they both said looking into each others eyes "Yes" they gasped before falling into each other
"We asked each other" he smiled
The Venue
Sam
Sam worked in the local garage, his friends father owned it, but Kurt had no interest in that sort of thing, so from an early stage it was apparent that he was going to be partner in the outfit, his life was set. He'd more or less kept his group of friends since school, grabbing the odd girlfriend here and there but settled quickly and after 3 years of courting, he'd plucked the courage up and it was finally happening
"I'm taking some time today Bert" he said as he threw his overalls on the car bonnet "Got a wedding to plan" he said walking out the yard and into his reconditioned jeep "Venue" he told himself as he turned the key to go in search of
He went to a few, for price comparisons and although he'd wanted the best in his head, his pocket was dictating right now and she'd understand that. He finally found a small club that looked alright in the daylight, that he thought might be the perfect place, they were marrying each other not the venue anyway
"Babe I found us a venue today" he told her later that night
"Great but did we agree a date?"
"I thought we could discuss it before I actually booked" he smiled
"How do you feel about 10th August this year?"
"What 4 months time" he asked alarmed
"Yeah we can do this, we both have small families"
"Okay 10th it is" he smiled kissing her "I'll book the venue"
"I trust you" she laughed, knowing she'd have the last say anyway 'That was too easy' he smiled to himself as he watched her walk into the bedroom "You coming?" she asked, he sprung up
Mercy
Mercy worked as a backing singer, she'd teamed up with her nemesis' Santana and Rachel from school and they'd become very well known in the business as Glitz, in the 5 years they'd been together they'd become serious about their business, they were all over the place with big name stars.
"I've seen the perfect venue, we've agreed the 10th August so put that in your diary" she told them as they stood waiting for instruction for the rehearsal of the next song "It's this beautiful Manor house type building in Florida" she smiled "I saw it when we were singing with Celine remember?" she asked them
"God yeah, great place" Santana told her
"Can you guys afford that?" Rachel asked
"It's my wedding day, he'll have to"
"Knowing him he's thinking about some pool BBQ, naked girls running around and hip hop" Santana said as they all laughed
"Leave him alone you guys are just jealous" she laughed
"We're not" Rachel laughed saying "Mercy seriously we're not" she looked at her saying
"Ladies" they heard as they paid attention to the set director
"Jealous" Mercy said smiling as they stood listening
"I want to see you get this manor thing off the mark" Santana laughed
"I have ways" she giggled
Catering
Sam
"Morning babe" he smiled two weeks later 'she thinks she winning this fight' he thought as he jumped up and out of bed "I've got a classic coming in this morning I need to be there for it" he told her running to the bathroom
"So we agreed then?" she shouted after him 'No' he laughed thinking but didn't answer her
"I'll see you tonight" he came out of the bathroom dressed saying, kissing her and leaving the bedroom and the house
"I'm taking this afternoon Boss I need to sort something out" Sam told Bert again when he got to work
"This wedding is taking over your damn life, are you sure about this?"
"Absolutely" he laughed tapping Bert's back "Look at this baby" he said as the classic 1961 Chevrolet Impala SS drove in "Thousands of work hours ahead" he laughed rubbing his hands, the morning was taken up just looking at it once the owner left "Okay, I'm going" he said throwing his overall on top of the bonnet of the nearby car
"Its just about touched afternoon" Bert shouted after him shaking his head "That boy" he laughed as he watched him drive off
"Mike" he said when he got to Earl's Grill and Fry
"Hey" Mike replied hugging him "Earl's round back, you're early"
"Do me a grill while I wait, usual" he smiled looking around for a vacant seat "Over here" he said going to sit in the seat middle window. He was half way through his lunch when Earl finally joined him
"So Sam I hear you want my guys to cater your wedding?"
"Yeah we love eating here, the food never disappoints and it's cheap" he laughed "10th August, how you fixed"
"I'm fixed, consider it booked" he said as Sam threw his last rib bone on his empty plate and wiped his hands before shaking his hand
"We can talk costs closer to the time for about 20 people tops"
Mercy
"Rachel, Santana I need your help on this" Mercy told them as they'd finished the gig for the night "In the morning I have tasting sessions for the caterers and I need you guys to come taste with me, I need to get this done"
"What the hell is that damn man of yours doing for this wedding?" Rachel asked
"It's a surprise, I just want to get everything in place for us as his present" she smiled "And he don't need to do anything but look good and want me"
"Wants you alright" Santana smiled "I'm up for food any time of the day you know that, I'm in"
"Yeah me too" Rachel laughed "Crash at yours tonight then?" she asked looking at Santana
"Yeah sure" she replied "We'll meet at yours in the morning" Santana said looking at Mercy
"No we'll meet at the studio I don't need him knowing anything is going on, tomorrow" she said jumping in her car
"Look at her running back home, to bed, with her damn fiancé" Santana shouted after her as she made for her car waving her hand at them as she went
"Jealous" she shouted back laughing
The next day they went to Compton Hall where Mercy had five caterers doing their four course taster they got it down to two and finally bargained on fineries until she got a price she wanted from one and went with them, provisionally booking them until she'd spoken to her other half "That's taken a morning" Rachel informed them as they walked to the car stuffed
"Please tell me you're not thinking about lunch" Mercy laughed as they got in Rachel's car
"I was thinking pamper" Rachel informed them
"Now that's what I'm talking about" Santana laughed
"Let's get to talking" Mercy said to Rachel as they drove to the spa
The Dress
Four weeks later and Mercy's plans were almost air tight, she'd booked the local church, provisionally booked the venue, caterers, invites had gone out and RSVP's had come back they were expecting more people than they'd bargained for and she'd been going to the gym four times a week and felt like she was in the right place to get fitted for her dress.
"Are you going to get your dress?" Quinn asked when they met for lunch one afternoon, Quinn worked abroad and rarely came home, let alone to venture up to California to see the crew and with her boyfriend Noah's band moving all over the place, she generally went where he was, she met him at some gig, how they got serious was a puzzle but they did, so this was a treat to have her lunching with an overnight stay
"Yeah when I feel I'm in the right place" Mercy smiled
"There's like five weeks to your wedding, I think you're cutting it fine"
"I'll get it done don't worry" she giggled "Hi girls about time" she said as Quinn looked round to see Rachel and Santana coming towards them she jumped up to get hugs
"I was just ragging Mercy about her dress" she told them as she came out of the hug
"She's waiting till she's a stick insect" Rachel told her
"That's so going to happen" they laughed at Santana's comment, Mercy laughed too but she didn't like it
"I have my doctors appointment this afternoon, so I'll see you guys after that yeah?" Mercy told them as they left the restaurant
"Sorry Brittany's coming in tonight I'm out ladies" Santana announced
"Rachel and I will see you after your, am I baby ready, consultation Mercy we're still your friend" Quinn said hugging her
"About nine" Mercy waved as she walked away, she didn't have her appointment until five but she really wanted to throw eggs on her laughing friends face, so she was going to get her wedding dress today, it was going to be the best dress ever and while she was at it she'd get his suit to make sure they matched. She knew where she was going, she'd passed it so many times since they'd lived there, it had become part of her dream wedding, she started the car and headed over to The Wedding Shop, she stood outside looking in as if it was a candy shop, the biggest smile on her face because now she actually had a reason to go inside, she was buying her wedding dress
"Can I help you Miss?" a man came towards her asking
"I need a wedding dress" she smiled "And a suit for my husband to be, to match, nothing crass, just sweet"
"I can help you with that, my name's Tony" he said holding his hand out for shaking "We can cater to all your needs here" he looked around the shop saying "Do you have any ideas?"
"Lots of ideas" she smiled "But I want something that really suit me you know?"
"Browse while I get some pieces set up"
She walked around looking in the large store at dresses, grabbing hold of them and spreading them across her body trying to see what might suit her as she waited for Tony to come back with a miracle "Sorry" she said as she grabbed a dress someone else was grabbing from the other side, looking over the rail as she spoke, into the greenest eyes she had ever seen, their eyes flirting
"Miss, we're ready for you now" Tony said grabbing her attention before leading her towards the changing rooms
"Thank you" she smiled following him, looking back to get a look at the green eyed man, he was standing looking at them walking away
The Suit
"The stress of this shit is really getting to me we need to have a plan Sam, the wedding is in five weeks and you haven't lifted a finger to help with anything" she walked around the living room shouting as Sam held his head in his hands
"Everything will be fine" he jumped up saying, thinking the next thing to come was a call off "I'll get my suit today and..."
"Yeah the rest is a fucking surprise I heard that, it will be a surprise if I don't feel it on the day" she waved her finger at him saying
"You didn't get your dress yet, you didn't book your GP visit, your more behind than me" he laughed
"I'm doing all that today, I want my dress at the last minute, you know I want to be as curvy as I can and I'm waiting till the last possible minute before I do that"
"This is the minute babe"
"Okay we agree everything gets done today yeah?"
"Shit I'm in LA at 10 tonight for three days, I mentioned that didn't I? I..."
"There are shops in LA babe" he smiled "Yes you mentioned it, everything done today, I don't need you stressing" he hugged her saying "I'm going this morning, to get my suit I mean" he told her as he went to the bathroom coming out dressed "Have a good trip, I might not get back before you leave, I'm on the Chev..." he said kissing her as his phone rang, he left the house grabbing for his phone
"Sam" he heard when he answered
"Bert, what's up?" he asked
"Someone's taken the car" he shouted down the phone
"The Chevy" Sam screamed down the phone starting the car to make his way to work quick time "How the fuck" he said through clenched teeth "Bert, what the hell happened?" he asked running through the yard over to where the car used to be "This could put us out of damn business"
"You don't need to tell me that, I'm fully aware of the consequences of losing a fucking 60K car"
"Sorry Bert I'm panicking here" he said looking around the yard "Where's Kurt?"
"What?"
"Where's Kurt" Sam asked again
"He's gone to town why?"
"Have you called him, found out if he's got it?"
"He wouldn't dare..."
"If Blaine was here he would" Sam said taking his phone out to call Kurt, establishing he had the car and relaying the information to Bert
"I'll kill him when he gets back" Bert shouted
"You won't" Sam laughed
"I won't" he laughed "Three cars came in last night they want two back this morning so it's all hands on deck till we get those two done"
"That's fine" Sam said rolling his eyes he'd got out of so much work over the past few months he couldn't say anything else. So it was afternoon before he got away from the yard enough to scrub clean and jump in his jeep to go find a suit, he knew where he was going there was this shop he'd passed so many times, when he'd first thought about getting married he'd stood outside the shop just looking in picturing his day, looking at the suits, dresses, cakes. He spotted a dress and he just had to go in and have a look at it
"Can I help you Sir?" the voice asked
"Yeah I'm looking for a suit for my wedding, black is good but I think her colour might be mauve or something like that, is there such a colour?"
"Yes Sir there is, my name is Tony by the way" he offered his hand saying, Sam took the shake with a smile "I'll be back in a short while Sir feel free to browse"
Sam walked around the shop looking at the cakes first there were some magnificent cakes on display with some eat every fucking crumb prices, eventually he got fed up of swearing in his head and moved over to the suits, leafing through to see what was in fashion just now and finding nothing that felt like him, he was about to get depressed about the shop being overreaching for him when he spotted a dress he liked and wondered over to it, pulling it towards him he tugged harder to get it out and heard someone say 'sorry' he looked over the rail to see smiling brown eyes staring back at him "Sorry" he smiled letting the dress go, and their eyes flirted
"Sir" he heard and looked towards Tony walking to him "I'll be with you in a moment"
"Thank you" Sam said as he watched Tony move across the shop talking to the brown eyed lady, she turned to look at him and for everything in him that wanted not to be rude, he couldn't move his eyes or his feet until she let his eyes go
Mercy
She tried on those two dresses and looked at a dozen more before she decided, today was not the day to buy a wedding dress, she made her excuses, asked them to keep aside two dresses until she had someone come in with her and left for her 5pm appointment at the clinic. She was going to be late she'd spent far too much time at the wedding shop, she'd promised she was going to get this test done and now because of dresses she was breaking a promise, she sped along the highway using her knowledge of the backstreet routes to get to her appointment and made it with only minutes to spare "Mercy Jones 5pm" she almost shouted at the receptionist, who looked up at the clock before agreeing to book her in "Thank you" she breathed before looking round to find a seat
She went in and did her tests, relieved that at least one thing she'd planned to do today got done "Quinn" she said down the phone as she sat in her car "I've got to pop home and get changed, I'll be there, don't start without me" she laughed closing the call
It had been a funny afternoon, she hadn't felt right since she'd walked into that wedding shop, she was on such a high before she went in all ready to get a dress for her dream wedding and some of those dresses were really nice, perfect at least one of them, but the heart had gone out of it, she didn't need a dress just then "Maybe you do need your friends around you for stuff like that" she surmised as she made her way home "He's working late" she rolled her eyes saying when she walked into an empty flat. She got dressed, wrote him a note and left to meet her friends as planned for food, fun and maybe some pre-marital frolic, smiling at she called a cab
"Hi" she walked into the bar saying waving across at Quinn and Rachel waiting
"Hi" they said
"Apparently Santana and Brittany are turning up, she wants to blow out"
"I could do with one of those" Mercy laughed "I've had a really funny day today"
"Hi guys" Santana came up to them saying "How did things go?" she asked looking at Mercy
"Really, you need me to talk about that right now?" she asked looking around the bar
"Sorry"
"Britt" Mercy said getting up to hug her as everyone else followed
"Right, food" Brittany said as everyone grabbed the menu to order "Anyone want to wet the pipes while we wait?" she laughed calling the waiter over without waiting for a reply and ordering four shots
"Blow out" Quinn reminded Rachel and Mercy after shot 7
It was a while later when they all piled into a cab and headed for Rachel's place that being the closest and everyone needing the bathroom, they piled into her flat and used the bathroom sitting down to chill for a few seconds before they went home "Everyone knows their stopping here" Rachel laughed "Who's going to grab the cab?"
"We're staying here" Quinn agreed
"You were staying here anyway" Santana told her
"Oh yeah" she laughed as Rachel came in with a bottle of whiskey and five glasses
"Nightcap?" she asked holding the bottle up as everyone cheered
Two hours later and only Santana had fallen by the wayside everyone else was enjoying the last dregs of the second bottle of whiskey and Rachel was fighting to get up to get another
"Mercy" she shouted across the room "Did you get your damn dress yet?"
"Not yet" Mercy replied
"Damn girl, there's like four weeks to your damn wedding and you ain't got a dress yet, that's telling you something" Quinn said
"I've got to pick from two" Mercy said in her defence
"You've already picked if you ask me, someone asks a girl to get married and the first thing she sorts is the damn dress, making it feel real you know" Quinn carried on
"I wanted to lose some pounds before I committed" Mercy told her
"Girl he asked you with those damn pounds on, you can always get it altered you don't have to wait" Quinn sat up saying "Just saying Mercy, tell me to mind my own if you think I'm wrong"
"I don't know what you are" she looked at Quinn saying "I...I went to the wedding shop today and I met this guys eyes and ….. I don't even know, I've been in a funny mood since, I don't even know why I just told you guys this"
"Met his eyes?" Brittany asked "Where was the rest of him?"
"He was all there and I don't know what happened, I just had to take another look, I'm not supposed to be doing that shit if I'm in love, am I?"
"Sure you can look, you just can't think, touch, feel" Quinn said laughing
"I thought" Mercy confessed
"So hold up" Rachel finally came back saying "I've brought a fucking dress, booked my hairdresser, ordered my damn shoes, what's happening here?"
"A wedding on the 10th August" Mercy told her, smiling
"So get the damn dress" Santana woke up saying making them all laugh as Rachel filled glasses up again
The next morning everyone had a hangover "I've got to go home" Mercy told them as everyone held their heads for her talking "I've got a day of grovelling ahead" she tried to laugh but her head was banging so hard
"There are cabs about now" Rachel told her as she grabbed her bag, put her shoes on and made for the lift
"Babe I'm so sorry" she rushed into the flat saying, expecting him to be eating breakfast in the kitchen, and found no one "Oh" she said making her way to the bedroom "Ba..." she trailed off when she saw the bed hadn't been slept in either, she grabbed her phone to contact him "Babe" she got out before she realised it was his answer machine 'Sorry babe spent the night at Rachel's where are you, no message?' she asked clipping the message off. She got in the bath, did her hair, oiled her skin and sat eating a very late breakfast "still no reply" she looked at her phone saying, leaving half the cereal in the bowl and heading back out, she drove around town for a while before she found herself back at The Wedding Shop "I'm going to have good news if it kills me" she said jumping out her car and heading to the door "How do I look?" she looked down at herself thinking "Maybe I'll see …." she looked up
Sam
Sam stood in the changing room wondering what the hell just happened, he knew what had happened, he'd been struck by lightening, thunder, love but why? He wasn't thinking about anything or anyone else just focused on getting his suit for his wedding to the woman he loves and for that second, that was not his main focus. He looked at the suits hanging waiting for him to try them on and he couldn't get the spirit to be enthusiastic about it, something had definitely changed in those few seconds but he didn't understand what. He brought the suits back out front "I'll need to bring someone with me I think, everything looks good on me" he told Tony as he handed them back
"Any one of these in particular Sir?" Tony asked
"These two" he said tapping two random suits before leaving the shop
"Sam" Bert said as he walked into the shop "We had another car in can you try and get that done before you go?"
"Yeah" he said his mind only half there as Bert rambled on about what he needed to do to the waiting car "I'm going to work on the Chevy for a bit after, think time"
"What's happened to love time with that bride of yours?" Bert asked
"She's off on her travels again tonight for three days"
"That girl travels too much for someone who's thinking about settling down"
"I guess" he said taking his phone out as a message alert buzzed "Shit" he spat at reading it
"What's up, please don't tell me you need time again" Bert laughed
"No she hasn't found time to get her dress again today" he told Bert sitting on the car bonnet they used as a bench
"It's what four weeks to the wedding and she hasn't even looked at a damn dress yet?" Bert asked
"No she's too busy"
"She wants to get married but she's too busy? I don't get it, weddings are every girls dreams aren't they so you'd have thought that would have been top on her list of things to do, just saying" he looked at Sam saying, he could see he wasn't too happy with what he was hearing "Look Sam, I know you love her but seriously, if she's not returning the love, I think you need to sit with her and have a talk, before the wedding, you never know it might just be jitters"
"But what's your gut feeling?" Sam asked him
"Never mind my guts talk to her" Bert said going back to work
"I think I met someone today" he blurted out making Bert look round at him "Well our eyes met but for me it was deep, I lost the will to find a suit for my own damn wedding" he looked at Bert saying "I wasn't … I mean I'm not looking for anyone else I love her, you know that, but I saw some eyes today that made me stop, I mean I couldn't move even though I wanted to and I have to take notice of that"
"Why do you" Bert asked "Everyone's head gets turned every now and again, it's what you do about it that makes it cheating"
"In that case I cheated, I looked into her soul, she looked into mine for a second and I wanted her to see me"
"Right now I need you to look into the soul of that engine" Bert said pointing at the car that needed Sam's attention, he spent a few hours getting the car sorted before he had something to eat "Midnight" he looked at his phone saying before he carried on with the Chevy. It was 4 in the morning before he finally gave up and went home to get a minutes rest before getting back to it, he was back up at 7 looking at his phone for messages "No messages" he said getting up to visit the bathroom. He got dressed had breakfast and sat around for a while before he decided to go get his suit, if this thing was going to fail it wasn't going to be because of him, Bert was right everyone looks.
He jumped in his jeep and made his way back to The Wedding Shop, got to the door and for some unknown reason he had to take a breath before he pushed the door open
The Wedding Shop
Sam
Sam had gone first thing this morning, he'd given himself the whole day to make this one decision, if he sat and studied himself, he knew something wasn't right Bert had been right about a lot of things last night, she hardly talked about the wedding except to rag him about something that wasn't done right or add more guests to the list, she was actually the man in the situation. All she had to do was buy a dress and yesterday he'd found himself having to actually rag her about doing that, even down to getting her tests done she was dragging her feet and for her instead of winding down on the work she seemed to be stepping it up, but there must be a logical answer to all of this he thought "You've been thinking that for months Evans get a grip"
So here he was at the shop again hoping to find that suit for this hopeful wedding on the one hand, but praying hard to see brown eyes again on the other
"Morning Sir" Tony said smiling "Back to make a choice on the suits?" he asked for confirmation
"My mind's still open" Sam laughed "I've set the day aside it has to be right"
"Indeed" Tony smiled
Sam went about trying suits on looking at cakes and dresses, coming back to two particular suits he really couldn't make his mind up about "Seriously I'm stuck" he laughed with Tony saying "I'll get some lunch and be back in a bit" he said leaving the dressing area, heading for the door
"After lunch Sir" Tony said as he grabbed the door
"In a bit" Sam replied pulling the door open to walk out to see a lady standing there "Sorry, come on in" he told her as she looked up "Hi" he smiled recognising brown eyes standing in front of him
"Hi" she smiled
"I snatched the dress off you yesterday" he told her
"Yes" she smiled "No problem I was looking for a wedding dress anyway"
"Sorry" he said still holding the door, she was inside the shop by now
"No problem, it's forgotten" she turned to say
"Ahh Miss nice to see you again" Tony said as he walked towards her "Back to choose your dress" he said walking her to the ladies changing area
Sam watched as she walked off with Tony, she stopped at the bottom step and looked at him, but this time he was gliding towards her, his mind was saying something but he couldn't make out what, he just stood dry mouthed and sweating, suddenly all he saw in front of him was the shop door shut and he was outside it "Oh" he said looking in to see she'd gone before he walked off to find a cafe for some lunch
Mercy
'Why did you have to do that?' she walked into the dressing room thinking, 'You had to take it that step further and look back at him, and he saw you, you have no shame girl and your buying your damn wedding dress, to marry the man of your damn dreams' she threw her purse on the couch thinking
"I'll bring the two dresses Miss" Tony told her as he closed the curtain
"Thank you" she smiled, she tried the two dresses on but again her mind wasn't in it, she sat thinking was this wedding really what she wanted, she had no drive for this damn dress, the last time she came she told them she needed someone with her yet she still insists on coming alone, were these all signs of resistance "Sorry Tony I'm still torn" she finally told him "I'll be back on Monday about 11 with a decision"
"It's an important day, important dress, take all the time you need" he smiled back at her as she grabbed her bag and made to leave the shop "Oh" she said as she walked out to see green eyes standing in the foyer "We must stop meeting like this" she laughed
"Must we?" he smiled "Did you get what you needed?" he asked
"No maybe Monday" she giggled as she stepped past him "Happy shopping"
"Yourself" he grinned back at her before she turned and left the shop
Sam
Sam went back to shopping for his suit, he knew in his heart he had no intention of buying it right now, brown eyes had just told him she was going to be back in the shop on Monday and he wasn't going to miss that, something was happening for him, he still didn't know what but he knew for sure he needed to follow it up, he left the shop still undecided "I'll be back on Monday Tony" he smiled
"Yes Sir around 11am" Tony smiled at him
"Yes 11" he said grabbing his piece of cake he'd been offered and leaving the shop jumping in his jeep his phone rang out his girls tone
"Hi Sam sorry I haven't called or picked up, things got really busy here, how are things"
"Things are fine, have you got your dress yet?"
"Sorry no babe I said things have been …."
"Busy yeah, babe it's like three weeks to the wedding and you haven't done the one thing you've been tasked with yet, what is that telling me?"
"I didn't call to argue babe, I just wanted to touch base..."
"Tell me are you in this or not?" he shouted over the phone
"I asked you didn't I?"
"No actually I asked you" he blew out saying "You didn't answer me"
"I'm not having this conversation over the phone Sam, we'll talk when I get back" she told him putting the phone down, he sat staring at his phone unsure what to make of the unanswered question
The Friday and Saturday seemed to rush along as he made himself busy in the yard, hearing from his so called fiancé just once via text, suddenly it was Sunday and she was due back, hopefully with dress in hand after their last conversation, he'd done some lunch and was sitting waiting.
"Hi" she walked in saying no love you, missed you, kiss just hi
"Hi" Sam said back getting prepared for this confrontation he knew was about to take place "What's up?" he asked as she sat on the chair at the table, the furthest seat away from him she could find
"Sam I heard, well Joe told me actually that you've booked him for the food for the wedding"
"Yeah we love Joe's food"
"Not for a fucking wedding we don't, I want somewhere upmarket, a hotel or something not Joe's food in some club house fit for rats my family are expected to turn up, yeah?"
"We can clean it if we need to"
"No we can't, you get somewhere else or it's off"
"So where we get married is more important to you than actually getting married?"
"Well I didn't think so but yes it is"
"And that's the reason you're dragging your heels on buying a dress?"
"I hope so"
"Babe we're three weeks away from a wedding here, I need straight answers"
"You promise to change the food and venue, if it's in a club and we're getting married in three weeks" she smiled walking over to him and kissing him
"Finally" he pulled her in saying "I missed you babe"
"Bed" she pulled him up saying, he got up without question
He was there he knew he was there but his mind was elsewhere, he was kissing brown eyes, feeling on brown eyes 'Shit' he said when he opened his eyes and saw his girlfriend 'this is not supposed to be happening' he closed his eyes harder thinking as his mind refused to move away from the image of her. "I'm not in the mood for this babe" he jumped up saying "I think maybe I expected a fight, I'm just not in the mood sorry" he got up and left the bedroom saying 'What the fuck' he thought as he went to the kitchen to finish preparing their lunch, they sat in silence for most of the day, him wondering how brown eyes found her way into his bed and her wondering if he was having second thoughts
"Are we alright Sam?" she asked when he turned his back to try and find sleep later that night
"I'm fine maybe wedding jitters" he laughed "Goodnight" 'Wedding jitters my foot, it's Monday tomorrow and I can't wait for it to get here, I need to be at the wedding shop for 11' he closed his eyes trying to get rid of the thought
"Goodnight babe" she said kissing his cheek
The next day he was up too early, he left and was at the yard before 8, he'd got two cars done before he left at 10.30 for his visit to The Wedding shop
Mercy
The weekend was set, they'd got a gig with Lionel Richie for his best of show, and rehearsals were starting on Friday night for a Sunday Evening live show, Quinn had gone back home after an extra evening of drink and free talk on Thursday only this time Mercy went home, they were all excited about meeting the man himself and the buzz was that he was doing a duet with Diana Ross at some point.
"Hi babe" she walked into the flat to see him sitting on the couch "I called you this morning you didn't reply"
"Hi babe I lost my damn phone, sorry" he smiled "And I don't know your number by heart before you ask, I sent an email"
"I didn't check my mail today, I was busy" she smiled going over to kiss him "Just what I needed" she told him as he pulled her down onto him
"And your off for the weekend with Lionel, should I be jealous?"
"Should you?" she laughed "Give me some credit, Lionel, he's my Grandfathers age"
"Yeah but he's a brilliant artist"
"I agree with that, so grab that jealousy" she looked at him saying before she kissed him again
"Bed?" he asked "I got four days worth to catch up on and three days grace" he laughed "And I want to give Lionel something to live up to"
"I'm sorry, I'm not up for that tonight and I know that sucks with me going away tomorrow and stuff but slap me for being a woman" she told him "I've got to pack and I have an appointment in the morning before we meet up to get off"
"You usually leave the day free, what happened?"
"A wedding babe are you ready?"
"Yeah I'm ready, everything sorted your end?"
"Nearly" she smiled "So you got your suit already?"
"The day after you buy your damn dress" he shouted after her as she made her way to the bedroom to pack
"Goodnight babe, I'm in the bath after this and you know how that goes" she said running back to kiss him before finally disappearing into their bedroom, while he settled into the game, she really didn't need to get into that dress conversation
"Babe, Babe, I've got to go, I'll see you on Monday" she called to him as she was leaving the next morning
"Monday babe miss you already" he said pulling her to him for a kiss "Miss me back?" he asked letting her go
"We'll see" she laughed walking away from him, out the flat and about her business
"We're agreed on dresses" Mercy asked Rachel as they ran thought the studio towards their changing room, for the last fitting before they went off for the weekend, they had three changes for the show and everything had to be perfect
"We agreed three" she confirmed
"Where the hell is Santana?"
"She's here" Santana said as they burst through the changing room door to see her sitting waiting "I need my third dress" she smiled "Which brings me nicely to you Mercy, did you get a dress yet?"
"I'm thinking about two over the weekend, so I'll have one on Monday" she smiled
"Hoo fucking ray" Santana shouted rolling her eyes at the ongoing saga "When are we going to see this damn dress?"
"When I'm ready" she laughed "Now we're Glitz" she announced as everyone switched to work mode. The travel, rehearsals and event went well in fact they got another gig off the back of it right there, Brittany had turned up for the show, which made Santana preform that much better, they were on a roll
"I'll be glad to get home, it's been none stop" Rachel said as they sat on the plane back
"Yeah" Mercy found to say, she didn't remind them that it was dress day and she didn't tell them that all she had on her damn mind all weekend was Mr green eyes, with the sexy voice and the drop dead sexy grin, worse, she was hoping he'd be visiting the shop today so she could actually talk to him
"I'll see you guys tomorrow" she said as they walked out of the airport, finding her car and making her way to the wedding shop
The Wedding Shop
"Morning Tony" Mercy walked into the shop saying "I'm determined today is the day or it's off, so don't let me leave without a dress"
"I won't Mercedes" he laughed taking her to the changing room
"And I promise to let you help today too" she told him drawing the curtains to be left alone, she put the first dress on so many times she'd lost count, before braving it out telling herself she was dressing for a performance and finally came out to get Tony's opinion "What do you think?" she spun round asking
"That the dress is really nice" Sam answered smiling
"Sorry I thought you were Tony" she smiled back
"Sam" he said holding his hand out, shocked when she grabbed his hand and burst out crying "What's wrong?" he asked stepping towards her
"My dress, my life" she sobbed "Your name, everything" she burst into a wet giggle saying "Sorry" she looked up at him saying "We say that a lot to each other, don't we?"
"I guess, we've had three conversations and all of them have had that word in yes" he laughed
"Shit you counted our conversations?" she looked at him asking "Sorry I can't believe I just said that, shit I mean"
"That's fine so" he looked at her for a while before speaking again "What do they call you?"
"Never mind what they call me, you can call me Mercy, please"
"Well Mercy you seem like you've reached a familiar block in your shopping, do you want to pop across the road and get drink and something to eat or just chat, get rid of some of this stress"
"That Sam, is a plan" she looked down at herself saying "Give me a minute"
The Cafe
"After you" he pushed the door open saying as she stepped past him and walked in with a smile on her face "What can I get you?"
"I'll have a cappuccino and maybe a club sandwich please"
"Fine go find a table I'll get these ordered" he smiled at her, standing at the counter feeling pleased with himself, he hadn't planned on going this far with this but he felt alright at the pace. He'd told himself he was going to talk to her, his body was telling him all kinds of different things right now, but if she was in a wedding shop there was a significant other which meant his feelings needed to stay way under his skin
Mercy found a table, her insides were floating, she'd gone way past the my name is stage, which is where she'd planned for today, but this was cool. She sat trying to get her body under control, why was she thinking all this stuff about the man, she met him in a frigging wedding shop, obviously he's found the girl of his dreams, so this was going to be a social meeting to chill, as he'd said, because she needed to get a dress today
"Gosh I've never had a year like this one so far" he sat down saying, pushing her drink across to her "Food's on it's way" he looked back at the counter saying "Since she proposed I've been at it nearly every day getting stuff sorted but I'm stuck on the suit of all things"
"That's me, everything and I mean everything else is done paid for even, except my dress and I know he's waiting for me to buy the damn thing before he commits to a suit"
"So what's the hold up, with the dress I mean?"
"Truthfully, I'd always imagined that would have been the first thing I'd have brought after he proposed but, I guess now it's just so final actually getting the dress you know, I mean I love him and everything but is that enough?"
"Enough for?"
"To build a life on, we really don't spend that much time together, he's a pharmaceutical salesman all over the country sometimes out the country, and I love that he's ambitious and everything, and sex is good but I struggle for anything outside of that, I sing, I'm a backing singer so I go where the work is too"
"I guess you don't get much time together then, but if it's worked till now surely there's something?" he asked
"Something but is it enough?" she smiled "And I don't need to be spending my hard earned cash on something if I'm never going to wear it"
"When's your wedding?"
"10th August this year 2 weeks away actually" she laughed
"Mine too" he laughed "Same day" he said looking past her to see the food coming "lunch" he told her nodding at the waitress coming
"Oh I love James Bay" she said as his song 'Hold Back the River' whistled through the cafe
"Me too actually" he told her as he grabbed his fork to start his meal
"So why are you still looking for a suit?" she asked
"She hasn't brought a dress yet either, I'm not even sure I know her, want to know her even, she's just announced she didn't want to have her reception at the club I chose, and she no longer likes the food our favourite cook makes she wants to go upmarket or it's off" he looked up as he paused "I'd have liked to have thought she'd marry me in underwear in a barn, but I think she's a slave to the day"
"What's wrong with wanting the day to be nice?"
"She's a assistant choreographer, and I'm a mechanic, that brings in limited funds so I'd like to not be in debt to start our life together, just struggle up, romantic like" he laughed "The more I try to find what it is I found in her that night she asked me to marry her the harder it's becoming for me to see it, hence the hesitation"
"So what are you going to do?"
"Change the venue, chef and pray she turns up on the day" he said "What are you going to do?"
"Find a dress, turn up at the church and marry the man of my dreams" she said as quiet fell for the first time since they'd started their meal James Bay's song still going
Lonely water, lonely water, won't you let us wander? let us hold each other?
Lonely water, lonely water, won't you let us wander? let us hold each other?
Hold back the river, let me look in your eyes, hold back the river,
So I, can stop for a minute and see where you hide, hold back the river, hold back
He looked up from his meal "Do you know that as you get more used to your partner your ability not to hear them heightens?"
"Is that true?"
"I don't know I heard it somewhere, I think I'm going to test it out, tonight before I commit to that suit" he looked at his plate saying "Because..." he stopped eating, thinking, feeling and just sat still, trying to find the words that were jumbled up in his head "Because I need to be in love with my wife and since I saw you" he looked up at her saying "I look for you, I came here looking for you, I think about you, I hope that maybe I'll get to see you and every time I do I have to catch my breath, my hands sweat, my motion stops, I can't think, seeing you talking to you" his eyes begging her to understand what he was saying "I think about touching you, you touching me, I live in this world of anticipation, is that normal"
"Wedding jitters" she looked at him saying, scared to tell her true feelings "That's what this is, you love her and Sam I love him" she touched his hand saying "Lets not complicate this" her eyes begging him to stop
"Yeah lets go choose your dress and my suit" he half smiled, they finished their meal and went back to the shop. They seemed to just pick any old thing up and say yes, paying and leaving The Wedding Shop with their wedding clothes in hand "If you ever want to be in love" he smiled as they hugged and parted company
"What?" she pulled away asking
"James Bay my favourite song from him" he smiled "Remember me"
"Oh I will" she smiled as they left the shop for the last time
10th August
10am
Mercy
The day had come and Mercy was running around the flat looking for her keys "What?" she shouted down the phone to maybe the twelfth call this morning "I know I'm fine, I'll be there" she shouted down the phone slamming it off as she carried on the search for her keys "There you are" she breathed as she looked on in the fridge and found them, grabbing her dress before leaving the flat
Sam
Sam sprung out of bed and took in the air, he'd had a night last night and his head took a while to lift itself up off the pillow and follow him to the bathroom "Mike" he said as he walked into his living room "Didn't know you stayed"
"Yeah, I'm your wing man where else would I be, are you fit?"
"I'm fit thanks Dude you can get off"
"Yeah I will now I know you're alive, I'll grab my stuff and see you there"
"Yeah I'm grabbing a clean up, later" he said seeing him out the door before showering, shaving and grabbing his suit to leave the flat
12 noon
Mercy
"Hi Tony" she said as she walked into the shop, dress in hand "As we discussed on Wednesday" she said handing the dress bag back to him "Thanks for everything, you've been so patient" she smiled as he frowned and put the dress away
"Thank you Mercedes" he kissed her hand saying
"Hopefully, we'll meet again" she smiled
"Just pop in when you're passing we'd love to see you, catch up"
"Will do" she said finding the door and exiting the shop
Sam
"Tony" he smiled
"Sorry Sam" Tony said his face sad
"No problem, my choice" he said giving him the suit bag back "It really wasn't the right fit"
"Well we have other things so please feel free to pop in any time, have some cake" he smiled
"Will do" he laughed "Bye Tony" he waved as he left the shop
The Coffee Shop
2pm
Mercy sat in the shop thinking on her so called wedding day, everything had gone wrong since she'd brought that damn wedding dress into the house, how did she get from excited, through upset, into heartbroken and right down to depressed in two weeks?
She'd walked in with her wedding dress draped across her arms "Babe" she called through the house hoping he was out so she could hide her dress "Babe" she called again to make sure as she made her way to the bedroom, hung her dress in the back of her wardrobe and came out smiling. "Babe" she said again walking towards the kitchen to find he really wasn't there. She sat in the kitchen looking around thinking she might cook tonight, everything was ready and now they only had two weeks of them to look forward to after the wedding 'Have you booked the time off?' she sent him a message asking
'I've got two weeks' he sent back almost immediately
'Where are you, I'm home'
'Work'
'What time you getting home?'
'Soon' 'I'm in a meeting' he wrote meaning for her to stop chatting
It was way past 11pm when he finally got home, she was about to go to bed when she heard the key in the door "Hi Babe" she jumped up saying going to meet him at the door "You hungry?" she asked as she kissed him
"No babe, I ate already I had Chinese with the team"
"So what, I'm sitting here waiting and you're socialising with you work crew?"
"Problem?"
"Well yeah, when we haven't had time together for nearly four weeks"
"Apparently we've got the rest of our lives together in less than a fortnight" he snapped back
"What's that supposed to mean, have you brought your suit?"
"No, have you brought your dress?"
"Yeah today" she smiled "So there's no reason for you not to get your suit now is there?"
"I'll take a rain check on that" he sat beside her saying "Babe I know I asked, well we asked and everything, and I don't know if this is jitters or whatever they call it, but right now, I'm not feeling it" he looked at her broken face saying "I'm not saying it's not going to happen I'm just saying today I'm not feeling it"
"Why?"
"Well I guess the doubt came in when you didn't jump up to get your damn dress, everyone I spoke to said that would have been the first thing and, I guess all this time I've just been waiting for you to use that get out clause but you haven't"
"But I've brought the dress" she looked at him saying "And I guess somewhere in there some of that was going on for me, but I'm certain about this, I've brought the dress"
"Yeah you brought the dress" he kissed her saying bringing a smile to her face "But I still haven't brought the suit" he looked at her saying watching a tear fall down her face "I just need some time" he wiped it away saying
"I'm going to bed" she got up saying more upset than she cared to show right now
Three days went by and she was still no further ahead with their nearing wedding day, she hadn't said anything to Rachel, Quinn or Santana about the conversation she'd had with him, truth be known she didn't know what to say about it, he'd left her in limbo. Finally she'd managed to get everything ready for a wedding they'd paid for and he was standing on the side lines, a position she'd never seen herself being in "Babe, I'm in Cali for the weekend, I should be back on Tuesday" she shouted through the house as she head him come in the door "Adele's regular backers aren't available and Rachel knows a man who knows a man and she got us in"
"That's good, you like Adele" he shouted, she could hear him coming closer
"Then it's four days to our wedding" she smiled as she saw him standing in the doorway
"About that Babe can we call it a day on that?" he asked
"Yeah Friday" she laughed looking at him to see he wasn't joking "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying it's off babe officially, and I haven't thought as far as splitting up, I just know I don't want marriage" he told her watching her fall to the bed and cry like a baby "Sorry babe are you okay?" he went towards her asking
"Yeah" she sprung up saying "I'm great" she looked at him saying "I just don't have any idea what the fuck it is we're actually arguing about here" she wiped her eyes saying
"We're not arguing babe I just made a decision"
"Okay" she smiled water still rolling down her face "Decision, either you move out or I will"
"I don't have any..."
"Fine I'll move out when I get back" she said jumping up off the bed fanning him away as he came towards her "And I'm fine I don't need you clinging onto me, I'm a big girl" she didn't have time for this, they were singing behind Adele for crying out loud she needed to be at her best, Glitz needed to be at it's best. She got dressed while he sat watching "You're gonna miss this shit" she flashed her ass at him saying as she left, mini case in tow, signalling she wasn't going to be back until she was back from California
She didn't tell anyone about her new situation all over the weekend, they needed head space for this mega show they were involved in, Adele was as usual brilliant, they had the best time and on Sunday evening as they made their way home Mercy filled them in on the events of the past two weeks before telling them the wedding was off
"Are you alright?" Rachel asked as they both hugged her all three crying
"That bastard" Santana spat, five minutes later they were all still very upset "Blow out tonight?"
"Blow out" they agreed
So Sunday night she stayed at Rachel's at 7am they were still drinking, cussing and crying about the situation "You booked a honeymoon what you going to do?" Rachel asked
"I'm still going" Mercy laughed
"You know what, stay here forever" Rachel told her seriously "Please stay here forever"
"I guess I need to tell our guests and families" she said getting her phone out and making the tearful calls to her parents and his, which he hadn't spoken to before sending a mass message out to all their guests "Done" she said wiping her eyes some two hours later. "Shit" she said looking at her hand where her engagement ring lived "I don't need this any more" she took it off and threw it in her bag
It was Thursday before she went back to the flat to find a message saying he'd be out of town for three weeks so she could stay if she wanted and he hadn't got the guts to tell the family so could she do it "Wimp" she said throwing the note down after screwing it up, now she was depressed, she grabbing a bottle of wine, with glass to find the couch. She didn't know how many drinks she actually had, she wanted to drown everything out, she didn't know how she'd made it to her bed, or when she'd fell asleep but she woke up to her phone ringing "Yes" she answered it saying
"I know it's a bad day for you today and you may want to be alone but, I'm here, we're here if you need us" Santana said
"Thanks, I got to go pee" she said cutting the call off, and she'd had so many of those calls this Friday morning she just needed to get out. She started packing, planning on leaving anything he'd ever brought her, told her she looked good in, ripped off her, in the flat, raking through her wardrobe she came up on her wedding dress, she cried forever before deciding to take that damn dress back. She got washed dressed and spent another twenty minutes looking for her damn keys
"Mercy" Santana said when she answered her phone "Don't forget we booked that spar for tonight"
"I know I'm fine, I'll be there" she said putting the phone down "There they are" she said some twenty minutes later when she opened the fridge to put the left over wine back, she grabbed them, grabbed the dress and left the flat