Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 15th cycle. Now cycle 16!
"Begin With Thank You"
Quinn & Mercedes/the Joneses
A/N: Yes it's kind of early, just after midnight, but we won't have power most of tomorrow
and I'm staying home sick, so this was my only shot ;)
Once she'd known she was going to move back home, Quinn knew she wanted to make sure to give thanks where thanks were due – to the Joneses. They had done so much for her over the last few weeks, and she couldn't go without letting them see that.
She'd let Mercedes know first, of course. She'd become a friend, confidant, ally, and sister… so fast. In that capacity, she'd rightfully assumed she would both understand and have some regrets for losing her. All the same, she would help her pack.
She'd look to all the maternity clothes she had, some of them having been her old clothes, taken out by Mrs. Jones. Looking at them now though, she didn't know what to do with them. Keeping or parting with the clothes, she knew she'd just end up with these memories, and she had no idea which one would be easier to deal with. Mercedes had thus offered to hang on to them for her, until she could decide.
She'd gone to Mr. Jones next. He always knew how to get her smiling, always so kind and attentive. He was not anything like her father, and she could never express how much having someone like that, a father like that, in her life. Even if she couldn't get it into words, she knew somehow he'd understand.
When she told him she was moving back home with her mother, he got up and hugged her almost instantly. She smiled, welcoming the embrace. As they pulled back, she thanked him, for everything. He assured her that she was welcome to return at any time, whether she needed something, for advice, or just a hello. He also insisted she could come to him for any 'dental needs,' if she ever needed them, which made her smile.
She'd kept Mrs. Jones for last on purpose. Much like she had been thankful for the role Mr. Jones had been able to fulfill, she had been so very thankful for what Mrs. Jones had given her. Quinn had been carrying the disappointment she'd been, in one way or another, to three different mothers. She had disappointed her own mother when she'd both gotten pregnant, and shattered her perfect world. She'd disappointed Mrs. Hudson when she had been revealed as the liar who had betrayed and hurt her son. She'd disappointed Mrs. Puckerman… well, probably for not being a good little Jewish bride for her Noah… It had just been one and then another.
Mrs. Jones had nothing to do with this whole mess she'd created, and so she had nothing to be disappointed about. She'd had everything within her that Quinn had needed from the others… acceptance, kindness, shelter… To some extent it made her miss what she'd lost, but she could forget, too. She could be at peace… She needed it.
She'd told Mrs. Jones she was moving out, and she knew even more there why she'd had to keep her for last… She wasn't just thinking of her gratitude to them, she was sad to leave… scared of how it would be. Now she had found a safe haven and she was actually leaving it…
She gave Mrs. Jones great thanks, got more hugs for it. Before Quinn could go, Mrs. Jones had asked if she'd be alright. She'd stopped and thought about it… Then she smiled. Yes, she supposed she would be.
THE END
[A/N: This is a one-shot ficlet, story alert won't get you anything! ;)]