So this is the third installment of That's Just Not Me. It takes place in New York and over the course of a year. There's about 37 chapters so it's not as long as my other stories but it's far from being a one shot. More things are coming out and some things are getting cleared up.
So enjoy and review!
NJPNJPNJP
Mercedes Jones yawned, rolled over and stretched in one fluid motion before blinking open her honey eyes. She lifted her head slightly and took stock of her surroundings. Puck was snoring to her left and Anna was curled up to her right.
She pushed back the covers a bit and crawled out from under them to get out of bed. Once her feet were on the floor, she tiptoed out to Raven's room and changed her daughter's diaper. When that was finished, she breastfed her.
She hummed lightly under her breath until the baby ate her fill then burped her before putting her back in her crib. She left the room to go back to her own and woke up Anna. "Annie?"
Anna stirred. "No." She whined.
Mercedes kissed her cheek before singing to her softly.
"MercyCat?"
"Yeah, honey. Wake up."
Anna's grey eyes opened and searched out her girlfriend's. "Good morning." She stretched.
"Good morning to you, too." She smiled.
Anna pushed back the covers and stood up. "Oh, I have to pee so bad!"
"Go pee." Mercedes stood aside.
Anna kissed her cheek before rushing off to the bathroom.
Mercedes followed at a sedated pace and went to the two sinked vanity. She turned on the water in one and ran her favorite Dove bar soap under the stream. After lathering up, she began applying it to her face.
Anna left the water closet and came to wash her hands.
Mercedes rinsed her hands and turned on music before readying her tooth supplies. She wet her toothbrush and layered on a strip of a deep cleaning toothpaste and brushed for exactly two minutes like her dentist father taught her.
Then she rinsed her mouth and brushed with a whitening paste followed by baking soda and flossing before using mouthwash.
Anna brushed her teeth with a whitening toothpaste twice before flossing and using mouthwash.
Then Mercedes washed her face off before applying her special facial wash that cleaned her pores and removed dead skin while hydrating it. Anna washed her face with soap and water.
In unison, they turned off the water and split up, Mercedes going to turn on the shower, Anna going to grab two body towels.
When the water was warm enough, they disrobed and went inside the shower to wash, Anna with her strawberry body wash and Mercedes with her burnt brown sugar body wash.
Once clean, they wrapped up in the towels and took their dirty PJs to their closet, where they dumped them in the hamper.
They went to their drawers and began picking out underwear.
Anna chose a grey bra and white panties while Mercedes chose a deep red set. Both pulled on white socks before going to their vanities.
Marcy had kept to her vow and decorated Anna's vanity for her. The backsplash had every positive affirmation the others had but in pink and the lightbulbs were pink in the shape of a smiling face with a big "A" in the center.
Both Mercedes and Anna slathered on lotion. Anna used Jergen's while Mercedes had a special mix. She and her siblings had special skin (everything, really) so the eight mixed up their own batch of lotions specifically tailored for their skin.
The girls even added glitter to theirs for an extra pop.
After lotion was deodorant and fragrance. Mercedes had a strawberry-lemon perfume while Anna had a "sea breeze" scent.
When they were done, they went to their racks of clothes to find outfits for the day.
"What do you want to wear?" Anna asked.
"I have no idea. It's getting really warm." Mercedes ran hangers over the racks. "Ooh! I like this skirt!"
Anna came over to inspect it. "It's cute. Are you going to keep your same socks?"
"No. I want knee highs." Mercedes threw the short frilly skirt over the seat of her "high heeled shoe" chair and went back to her dresser to find knee high stockings that matched the dark blue skirt.
While she was doing that, Anna was looking through her shirts. "What about this?"
Mercedes looked back. "Ooh! I love it!" She came back and took the grey long sleeved shirt with peekaboo shoulders. "Now I have to figure out what shoes I'm wearing."
"Do you feel like being tall?" Anna went back to her own side.
"I should. Donovan at work keeps teasing me about being able to fit in his pocket." Mercedes changed her socks.
"How old is Donovan again?"
"Thirty."
"And he's definitely married?"
"Babe." Mercedes smiled.
"Just checking." Anna raised her hands.
Mercedes pulled her skirt on and walked across the expansive space to hug her. "You don't have to worry about me. Besides, he has Sunshine."
Donovan and Sunshine were the married interracial couple that owned the coffee shop that Mercedes worked at. He was a blonde, laid-back, charmer white guy while Sunshine was earthy and very pro-Africa with dreads and a nose ring black girl.
"We already know his type." Anna teased.
"I love Sunshine but I'm never getting dreads. No way. Momma drilled it into our heads that they were dirty and it stuck. People talk about having clean dreads but I just can't see it."
Anna giggled. "Every time I think about dreadlocks, I picture Johnny Depp."
Mercedes laughed. "He's as good-looking as can be but I still wouldn't touch his hair."
Anna smiled. "What about this?"
Mercedes cocked her head before taking down another dress. "Floral looks so good on you."
"Thank you."
Mercedes grabbed a periwinkle crochet cardigan. "Here."
Anna tunneled into the short, short sleeved dress then shrugged into the jacket. She sat at her vanity as Mercedes went to put on her shirt. The blonde went through her jewelry before making a few selections.
Mercedes put in her own jewels before going to her shoes. "These should be good, right?"
Anna laughed. "Who are you trying to impress?!"
"You." Mercedes winked.
Anna smiled shyly. "Then I approve."
Mercedes took the black knee high heeled shoes. "You should get flats. I want to be taller today."
"Okay, MercyCat." Anna grabbed white ballet flats.
Together they took the shoes and went to their vanities to put on makeup. After decorating their faces, they did their hair. When done, they left the closet and saw Puck was still snoring to high heaven.
They giggled before slipping out to go to the door, their dogs on their heels. They grabbed leashes and put on their shoes at the door before grabbing keys and plastic poop bags.
Mercedes opened the door and they left.
"Good morning!" Brittany shouted.
"Good morning, Britt!" Mercedes and Anna chirped. "Good morning, Marcy, Ellen!"
Marcy yawned. "What up?"
"Good morning, guys." Ellen smiled.
"Let's go." Marcy walked forward.
The four with their dogs (or teacup pig in Brittany's case) followed.
They rode the elevators down to the lobby, where they met up with Sam and Karou and their dogs. They greeted each other before leaving the apartment building.
Marcy and Karou started stretching as soon as they got to the sidewalk. "Are you ready for this whipping?"
Karou scoffed. "I'm so ready! Wait!"
Marcy snorted. "Go!" She took off running down the street, her two dogs behind her until they pulled in front.
"No fair!" Karou ran behind her. "You cheater!"
"Oh my goodness, they exhaust me!" Mercedes groaned. The others chuckled as they all set off walking. The group walked their animals together around a few blocks for exercise and business doing. Marcy and Karou had bigger, more energetic dogs so they ran.
"Cupcake can run." Brittany cooed down to her pet pink pig. "Can't you, boy?"
"It's a nice enough day." Sam shrugged. "Why run when you can walk? Take in the sights?"
"You're type B, baby." Mercedes put a hand on his shoulder. "Your Batman Buddy is type A."
He chuckled.
"So how did everyone sleep?"
M-A-P
Mercedes set Raven in her high-chair and began rummaging through the fridge for foodstuffs for breakfast. She danced around a bit, singing under her breath as she found food to cook.
"Hi, Tia Me! Good morning!" Beth ran in.
Mercedes caught her and lifted her high. "Good morning, my special girl!"
"Good morning, Anna." Beth hugged Mercedes.
"Good morning, Beth." Anna sipped her coffee.
Mercedes put Beth down and returned to cooking.
Beth joined Anna at the table and sat on her knees. "Good morning, Sissy."
Raven gurgled.
Beth giggled.
Anna stood up and went to help Mercedes. She didn't know much (anything) about cooking but her love was showing her, teaching her things. "Want help?"
"Sure. You stir this while I make Rae's breakfast." Mercedes handed her a spoon.
"What is it again?"
Mercedes pronounced it slowly. It was a simple breakfast pasta dish that Mercedes made a lot in the two weeks since they'd come to New York.
Anna nodded, saying the word to herself.
Mercedes made the baby's cereal and set it on her tray, hoping Raven didn't upset it before she got to feed her.
"I help!" Beth stood in the booth and began feeding her sister.
Quinn and Rachel walked in. "Good morning!"
"Morning!" Mercedes and Anna waved.
Quinn poured her and her girlfriend coffee. "Did you tell Tia Me your dream, Beth?"
"No!" Beth brightened. "Tia Me, I dreamed that trees were candy!"
"Really?!" Mercedes teased.
"Uh huh!"
"What do you know about candy?"
"It looks good and Finn eats a lot."
"He does, doesn't he? Finn's silly."
"Ouch!" Finn joked as he walked in wearing his garage's jumpsuit.
Puck laughed, following him in his pajamas, not having a uniform.
"Morning!" The girls chirped.
"Mornin'!" The boys sat at the table.
"How'd you sleep?" Mercedes asked.
"I slept like a log." Puck waited for her to come by so he could kiss her.
"You snore like you saw them."
Finn laughed. "I had a good night."
"Good. Breakfast is ready. Dig in."
M-A-P
Mercedes let herself in across the hall. She shut and locked the door behind herself then slipped off her shoes before going further into the home. "Marce?! Are you here?!"
"I gotta work. Where else am I gonna be?" Marcy walked out of the library.
"Stop scaring me!"
"Stop being scary."
Mercedes narrowed her eyes. "Where's the twins?"
"Watching Maya and Rio. You know they're stuck on them."
"Well I'm here for their lesson." Mercedes taught the twins piano every morning from eight to nine.
"I figured." Marcy went through the papers in her hands. "I won't be in your way. Just getting a cup of tea."
"I love your outfit." Mercedes touched the hem of her sister's skirt. "Reminds me of your outfit when you came back to school after having the twins."
Marcy looked down at her outfit. She was wearing a short white skirt with ruffles, a white camisole and a blue jean vest. "Thanks. When I leave, I have these strappy white heels that are cute."
"When you leave?! Where are you going?!"
"I work from home; I ain't gotta be stuck here all day!" Marcy had landed a chemist job on their third day on New York.
"I know, I'm sorry. I just meant, you keep saying you're going to visit me at work but you haven't been by yet. I'm telling you; you'll love my co-workers!"
"Doubt it." Marcy began walking to the kitchen.
"You will!" Mercedes followed. "I promise. If you don't, I'll do your laundry for a month!"
"That's hilarious." Marcy set aside her work to make a cup of tea in the microwave, preferring the kettle but definitely not preferring kettle time.
"I'll even cook for you."
"Now we're talking. So what do I have to come off if by some miracle I don't hate these hippy dippy people right off the bat?"
"You have to straighten my hair."
"Ugh!" Marcy groaned.
"It's what I want." Mercedes smiled and held out a hand. "Do we have a deal?"
"Fine. Whatever." Marcy shook her hand as the twins ran in.
"Tia Me!"
M-A-P
Mercedes wiped down the counter before leaning against it. "She's the cutest baby in the world."
"Your baby sounds downright adorable." Sunshine told her.
"I should check on her." Mercedes pulled out her phone.
"I can't wait to have kids." Jade, a coworker, sighed dreamily while sending longings looks to another coworker.
Her best friend, Khandi laughed. "You need a boyfriend for that."
"You don't have one either!"
Sunshine and Mercedes giggled.
Khandi stuck her tongue out. "That's cuz I haven't met anyone yet!"
"And you never will! You're so shy!"
"You're not…"
Mercedes shot off a text to Puck before focusing on Khandi. "There is not a thing wrong with being shy. I got my boyfriend and I'm shy."
"You had to tell him you liked him at one point, didn't you?" Jade sassed.
"I know you're not talking when you won't tell Jude-!"
"Shhh!" Jade shushed Khandi. "He's coming over!"
The girls shut up and posed like they weren't talking about anything.
Jude walked over. "Hey, brahs. Everything okay?"
"Yes, Jude!" They chorused.
"Hey, Jude." Khandi leaned over the counter. "You don't have a girlfriend, right?"
"Correcto. I'm flying solo on this missionary trip of life." He folded his towel and set it on the counter.
"I swear my family would love you." Mercedes adored Jude. "My sister is coming in sometime today and I swear you're going to hit it off."
"You said that yesterday." Sunshine leaned against a backing counter.
"She's really coming in today. I made her promise and she never breaks a promise."
"Which sister is this?" Khandi asked.
"She's a year younger than me."
"Do you look alike?" Jade asked with a grin.
"She's definitely going to hit on you." Mercedes booped her nose.
The pretty Vietnamese seventeen year old grinned. "I might have to flirt back."
Khandi rolled her eyes. "You a mess, Jay."
Mercedes looked towards the door then grew excited. "There she goes! Marcy! Over here!"
The others turned to face the open doorway and saw two blondes walk in. It was Marcy alright, with Sam. They were talking until Marcy heard her name.
She looked over, her eyes adjusting to the dimness of the cafe behind her sunglasses, with a slight frown before her eyes widened. "Jude?!"
Jude straightened, his arms falling to his sides in astonishment. "Marceline Anne?!"
Marcy started screaming and both ran towards each other. She leapt into his arms and he hefted her high and spun.
Jade, who had a huge crush on the eighteen year old Canadian, frowned. "What's this?!"
Mercedes was confused herself. "I don't know. But I'm going to find out." She went to the hugging pair and tapped Jude on the shoulder. "Hi. What's going on?"
"Mercy, this is Jude!" Jude set Marcy down and hugged her. "My very best friend in the whole world!"
"I think Mal and Karou would be upset to hear that." Mercedes pointed out before she frowned. "Wait? Jude Nixon?! The guy you met as a baby?!"
"Yes!" Marcy held onto Jude before letting him go to punch his chest. "Dude! How are you?! Where have you been?!"
"Me?! How have you been?! Where have you been?! I saw you in Scrotia and then you disappeared!" Jude framed her face.
"I had a movie and after that accident, I had to leave the country! I came home and never went back!"
"You went home?" Jude's eyes widened.
"Dude, you don't even know! Shit jumped off and it was crazy! My parents got divorced and I stayed with my dad."
"Really?! I got shipped off to 'Nam and spent a year in a real unpleasant place then got sent here. My host family was really nice so I stayed."
"I'm so happy. Did your parents die?"
"Dude…"
"Just hoping."
Jude hugged her again. "Look at you! I barely recognized you! You have blonde hair and you're wearing a skirt and heels! Who are you?!"
"I'm a girl now! Traded my chucks for slingbacks but you know I still get down!"
"Let's go surfing down in Jersey!"
"You're on!"
"I'm happy for you both but I'm still confused." Mercedes stuck her bottom lip out.
"Why didn't you tell me you were working with Jude?!" Marcy accused.
"I didn't know it was the same one! Plenty of people are named Jude!"
Marcy eeked. "I can't wait to catch up!" She suddenly started speaking Russian.
Jude responded and kissed her head.
"We've lost them." Mercedes told the others. "I can't understand Russian."
"Russian?" Sunshine whistled. "And I thought I was fancy because I studied Latin."
Mercedes clapped her hands. "Hey! Stop that! You're leaving everyone out!"
"Our bad." Jude smiled.
"Whatever." Marcy didn't care.
Mercedes rolled her eyes. "Marce, meet Sunshine, Khandi and Jade, if you don't already know them that is."
"Shut up." Marcy nodded at the others before she saw Khandi. Her eyes lit up. "Look at you! Pretty as a picture!"
Khandi's eyes widened.
"You must taste like candy. Do you like long walks on the beach?"
Khandi blushed. "I'm- I'm sorry. I'm not into girls."
"What a coincidence! Sam's not into boys! As cute as he is, you'd think he should be but nope. He's likes girls. Pretty, beautiful girls."
Sam's eyes widened and he blushed.
Khandi ducked her head. She didn't even know how to respond.
Marcy elbowed Sam but he was so embarrassed, he begged her optically to leave him alone but of course she wouldn't. She got behind him and shoved her arms through the holes created by his arms and deepened her voice. "Hi, my name is Sam Evans and I like Sci-fi media, fantasy, comic books and country music.
I'm impossibly sweet, kind and generous. I have a younger brother and sister and two great parents. I go to church most Sundays and I try to do the right thing even when other people make it hard.
I can sing and I think I can dance, I make macaroni art and can draw really well. I'm not much into theater or literature but I'm willing to learn if you're the right girl for me.
I have dyslexia but I'm far from unintelligent. I will add to your life and be the best human being I can be towards you while remaining true to myself.
May I take you out this Friday?"
All of their mouths were hanging open (except Jude, who put nothing past Marcy) but none moreso than Sam's. He was mortified and felt like crawling under a rock.
Jade got behind Khandi and spoke for the beautiful African American. "My name is Khandace Johnson and I'm extremely shy. I'd rather stay in with a good book and a mug of tea on a Saturday night but I'm not boring.
I'm outdoorsy and love hiking and biking and fishing. I go to church and I'm the youngest of three sisters with a widowed father.
I'm caring and kind and secretly funny with a sassy streak. I'm very smart and smart enough to be kind about it. I have a type of dyslexia myself so I know about overcoming odds.
I'm a really great, true friend and anybody with sense loves me. I haven't had much experience with boys but I promise not to play games or break your heart.
I would love to go out with you this Friday."
"I thank you for your company, Ms and I'd like to extend the invitation for a picnic in the park, say around one?" "Sam" said.
"One would be perfect." "Khandi" answered. "Should I bring anything?"
"An appetite and sparkling conversation. Do you have any food allergies?"
"I do not."
"Everything will be homemade. Prepare to be loved down so tough, you'd think our love was foretold."
Jade giggled before assuming Khandi's voice again. "I'll take you up on that and raise you a white picket fence and two point five children and a dog in the future."
"We're on the path. I already have a dog and he'd love to meet his new mommy. I'll bring him on the date."
"Perfect!"
Khandi broke away from Jade and ran to shut herself in the bathroom while Sam dragged Marcy out, super embarrassed.
Mercedes chewed on her bottom lip. "So that's Sam and Marcy."
M-A-P
Mercedes took her makeup off with makeup remover then took off her jewelry. She set her boots back in their proper place before going to the bathroom to wash her face.
Anna walked in and began washing her face as well.
When both girls began brushing their teeth, Puck walked in stark naked to use the shower.
The girls washed in the sinks while he washed in the shower then all three left to go to the closet. They crawled into their night attire then turned off the lights to go to bed.
Mercedes made them pray with her at the side of the bed before getting in. She tied her hair up and put a cap on before kissing both. "Good night."
Anna lay next to her. "Good night."
"Night." Puck turned on the television and turned it down low.
Mercedes closed her eyes and was drifting off faster than expected. She'd had a filled day and it had been very pleasant.
She liked days like this. Today was a good day.