Author's Note: Thank you all for your reviews. I laughed so good and took everything into consideration. Whoknowstv, I always look forward to your reviews. You don't sugarcoat anything, and as a writer who is acceptive to criticism, I appreciate that. Also, this one Guest reviewer for chapter 6 who created an entire scenario for how he/she felt about Sam and Mercedes' relationship. I thought that was hilarious. Lol, thank you for that. And to all of you who read and review my fic, you are definitely appreciated, so please stay tuned. :)
*Please forgive any errors and enjoy*
Quinn wasted no time getting full detail of Mercedes and Sam's night together the next morning.
She listened, with a bright smile and sounds of approval, causing Mercedes to blush in the process.
And before Mercedes could get to the end, Marley was at the door.
"Miss Jones, someone is here to see you."
"What's the name?" Mercedes looked back and towards her who was blocking the way of the door.
"Mr. Walker." Marley responded. "He has gifts."
"Mr. Walker?" Mercedes turned her eyebrow as down, making her way up from her seat and towards the door unaware that Quinn was close behind her.
"He insisted on seeing you."
"Thank you, Marley."
When they reached the front desk, she could see the back of his head and the balloon that hovered just above it, tied to a purple string.
"Marcus?" Mercedes called, and he turned around. He held a red heart shaped balloon in his right hand and a bouquet of roses in his other.
"So that's Marcus?" Mercedes turned around to see Quinn who was standing directly behind her.
"Quinn." She chastised, although her tone was soft.
"I'm going." The woman turned away and headed back to her office.
"Hey, Mercedes." Marcus smiled, displaying his pearly whites.
She didn't respond as she made her way past him and to her office.
"Why are you here?"
"You won't answer my calls or my text, so I decided to pay you a visit." Marcus closed the door when he followed her into the office.
Mercedes looked towards her office door before proceeding to take a seat.
"You look nice." Marcus sat down on the chair in front of her desk.
"I'm aware." She grabbed a pad of sticky notes and pretended to write something down.
"Oh. I brought you this." He leaned forward to sit the gift on her desk, and she shook her head.
"Don't bother. I don't want it."
Sighing heavily, he placed the gift on her desk anyhow and then leaned back in his seat. "Still mad?"
"I'm definitely not mad."
"Then what's the matter?"
"Marcus, why are you here?"
"I can't stop by your office to check up on you?" He asked, "At least I didn't stop by your house."
"You better not ever come by my home."
"What did I do to you that was so bad that you have to treat me like this every time you see or speak to me?"
"Are you really asking this question?" Mercedes gawked. "Are you serious?"
"Yes!" Marcus exclaimed. "Ever since you found out I was married, you've been holding that against me."
Mercedes laughed a throaty laugh. "And I shouldn't?" She dropped her pen. "And please don't tell me that you two were separated because I don't care."
"Then I won't."
"What?"
"I won't tell you again." He nodded. "But can you at least let me prove myself?"
"Prove yourself?" She laughed again. "How exactly are you going to prove yourself?"
"I wanna show you that I am a better person, since it's obvious that you see me as this horrible person now. And maybe you should. Maybe you shouldn't, but I just want to be given a fair chance to prove myself to you."
"I think it's a little too late for that." Mercedes stood up from her seat. "You should have thought about that before you went keeping secrets." She started towards the office door.
"It was no secret that I was married." Marcus' gaze followed her.
"It's just that I was one of the only people who knew nothing about it?" She opened the door. "I don't need you to prove anything to me. You've proved yourself enough."
He stood up from his seat then and made his way towards the opened door as she stood there, looking up at him as he approached her.
"I'm sorry." Was the only thing he said before exiting her office.
She closed the office door and walked back to her desks.
"Who does he think he is to barge up in here looking all good, trying to win my attention?" She spoke out loud as she sat at her desk. "And he does look good."
She thought about the full blue suit he was dressed in and the way his hair and beard were always trimmed. Then she thought about his caramel completed skin and the way it glistened under any beam of light, big or small.
Reaching for the roses and the balloon, she sniffed the roses before tossing them into her trash can. And used a pen to pop the balloon, squeezing the air out of it before putting it into the trash as well.
0
The day didn't seem as long, and before she knew it she was heading out of the firm and to her car, checking her phone on the way.
Surprisingly, she hadn't received any messages from anyone except for Marcus.
She rolled her eyes, opening the thread.
Marc: He's a very lucky guy.
Marc: and maybe you're right. Maybe I was wrong.
She quickly messaged him back.
Mercedes: he is, and he appreciates it too. And yes, you were.
Marc: well if you were to ever reconsider, please think about me.
Mercedes: I don't think I'll be reconsidering. Unlike you, he's a good person and he's honest.
Marc: I understand. I do. And I'm sorry the trust was lost. I hope you can forgive me.
Mercedes: Yea Marcus.
As soon as she made it home, she showered and then went to the kitchen with hopes of finding something to eat.
With only her towel wrapped tightly around her frame, she searched the cabinets and the fridge before finally settling on popcorn.
She knew it wasn't the best choice, but she also knew she didn't feel like fixing anything else for herself.
After popping herself a bag of microwaveable popcorn, she opened the bag as she made her way back into the loving room.
Plopping down on the couch, she sat her phone on the arm of it, replacing it with the television remote.
She flipped through the channels, only stopping to laugh at an old episode of Martin before deciding upon The Parkers, one of her favorite television series.
Eating her popcorn, she placed the remote back on the arm of the couch and then picked her phone up and sent out a group message.
Mercedes: I'm extremely bored.
Santana: not me.. :)
Tina: me too. Josh is away.
Santana: away? Where?
Quinn: hey. I'm with Kurt.
Tina: the store. I wanted pickles.
Quinn: he said hey.
Mercedes: lol, hey Kurt.
Santana: lol, I thought it was something serious Tina. Tell him I said hey Quinn.
Tina: hey Kurt. :/
Quinn: lol, we could come by Mercedes.
Mercedes: I wouldn't oppose.
Santana: I would if I could. (: but yea...
Mercedes: lol, I hate you, Tana.
Quinn: lol, we'll be there. We're getting Sonic.
Tina: ugh. I hate that stuff.
Mercedes: me too.
Quinn: he loves it for some reason. And I'm not picky.
Tina: Mercy, I would come over but I was too lazy to go out for my own pickle so I think y'all get the picture. Lol
Mercedes: definitely.
Quinn: it's like that sometime which is why I'm in the car with Kurt right now...didn't sang to drive myself. plus he lives right down the street from me.
Tina: I know that's right, Quinn. No use of wasting gas. Lol
Quinn: lol, what you say. He does the same to me.
Mercedes: real friendship. Lol
Tina: you know it.
Quinn: where's Santana?
Mercedes: you don't wanna know. Lol
Quinn: Oooh. Lol
Just then a knock came at the door, startling Mercedes. Standing up from the couch, she quickly informed the gang that someone was at the door. She checked the time: 7:23, and then placed her phone back on the arm of the couch.
"Who is it?" She spoke loudly as she approached the door, her heart rate speeding up slightly as she was aware it could not be Quinn and Kurt so soon.
"Sam."
She immediately felt a load of relief when she heard his voice. And then she panicked again as she remembered she was only wearing a towel.
Quietly backing away from the door, she yelled out, "Just a minute." before quickly making her way to her room where she grabbed the oversized tee that she'd laid out on the bed.
She pulled it over her head and then grabbed her panties before leaving the room.
She stumbled as she attempted to pull the panties on and up her thick thighs as she went to unlock the door.
"Coming!" She spoke loudly.
When she finally unlocked the door, Sam looked her over as he usually did. But this time, she felt uneasy about it. She felt as if she weren't ready for him to see her in this state yet, although she was the least bit self conscious about her body.
"You look beautiful." Sam stated as always as she moved aside to allow him inside.
"I-uhmm. I'm sorry." She closed the door and turned to him. "I just got out of the shower, and I was getting dressed when you knocked." She could hear the nervousness in her voice and she knew he could hear it as well."
"It's okay." He shook his head. "I should have called before showing up anyhow."
"No, no." Mercedes shook her head as well then. "You-you're fine."
They only stood there then, looking one another in the eyes as Mercedes' breathing began to slow down a little more.
"Say something. Anything." Mercedes thought as she tried not to look away from his green orbs to show just how uncomfortable she was at the moment even though he gave her no reason to be.
"Yea." He finally broke the silence, responding to her silent request. "I came over to take the trash out." He turned away from her and started towards the kitchen. "I remembered as I was pulling into my parking lot that I didn't take it out last night since you came over to my place yesterday."
"Oh yea." She followed his tracks. "I honestly didn't even think about it."
She watched him as he took the lid off of her garbage to pull the heavy duty trash bag out of it before tying the bag and picking it up.
She moved aside as he approached her. "You okay?" He asked, looking down at her.
"Y-yea." She nodded.
"You sure?" He narrowed his eyes. "You look a little flushed."
"No, I'm okay. Really."
Without another word, Sam exited the kitchen and she leaned up against the doorway as she watched him make his way out of her front door.
She thought about going to put some pants on or maybe some shorts even though the long shirt she had on revealed nothing. It was just the simple fact that she was aware that she was half naked and standing directly underneath his gaze.
She shook her head at the ridiculousness. There was no reason for her to put on anything more. After all, he hadn't even looked at her.
"Did he even want to look at me?" She thought about how his gaze had remained fixed on her face and how it only traveled down her body when she first opened the door for him. And that was normal as he always checked her out the first few seconds of being in his presence.
She looked up when the door opened and he entered her home again.
"Well, I just came to do my part." He was walking in her direction now, so she pushed herself from the frame of the door.
She felt her cheeks grow warm with embarrassment when he walked past her and into the kitchen to place another trash bag into the garbage.
"There ya go." He smiled when he was in her personal space again.
"Thank you." She smiled up at him.
"No problem." He leaned down to kiss her forehead. "See ya tomorrow."
Her heart fluttered as she watched him turn away from her and start towards the door, and everything in her wanted to call him back, but she didn't.
She simply watched him leave her home, and then went to lock the door behind him.
Before she could even walk away from the door, a knock came again. And without asking who it was, she opened the door only to be met with an expressionless Kurt.
"Why is that fine specimen of a man leaving?" Kurt pointed at Sam who was climbing into his car.
Mercedes chuckled. "He just came over to take the trash out, that's it." She moved aside so that he and Quinn could enter.
"He takes your trash out?" Quinn asked, sitting down on the couch.
"He insisted." She didn't want to sound as if it had been her idea.
"How long has he been doing this?" Quinn asked, flipping her long blonde hair out of her face.
"About two weeks now." She watched Kurt make his way into the kitchen with two small sonic trays. "Every Monday and Friday."
"Wow. And you haven't kissed him?" Kurt laughed, returning without the trays. "I would have hopped him as soon as he offered to do such a thing."
"Everybody's not like you." Quinn reminded him.
Kurt ignored her as he took a seat next to her. "Are you always dressed this way when he come around?"
"I had just gotten out of the shower." Mercedes laughed. "I actually had to run and put this on when he knocked at the door."
Kurt smirked. "Walking around naked?"
No." She blushed.
"Don't be ashamed, girl. I do it all the time."
"I'm not ashamed." She laughed. "I had a towel wrapped around my body."
"Okay." He gave up. "But if I were Sam and if I were straight, I would have definitely still been here."
"Okay Kurt." Quinn warned her best friend. "Mercedes, do not pay attention to him. He can be very blunt sometimes."
Mercedes smiled. "It's okay. He's no worse than Tina and Tana."
"Santana and Tina both seem so happy in their relationships." Quinn smiled at the thought of the two women who were always bringing up their relationships.
"They are." Mercedes assured her.
"That's good." Kurt nodded his head.
"I just cannot wait for Santana to stop playing around and go ahead and propose to her Hunny."
"Propose?" Quinn asked.
"Yes. She's been dating Brittany for almost two years now."
"Brittany?" Quinn looked shocked.
"Wow." Kurt's eyes were wide. "I would have never taken Santana as the relationship type."
"Santana's-?"
"A lesbian?" Mercedes nodded her head on a small laugh. "Yes. I thought y'all would have caught on by now."
"Oh, I knew." Kurt spoke up. "Just didn't want to say anything."
Quinn looked over at him. "How?"
"I'm gay, Quinn." He chuckled. "It's almost never hard for me to realize when some is a member of the LBGT community."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Quinn asked.
"You never-" Kurt paused. "Wait a minute. You like her?"
"No." Quinn answered quickly. "I just thought we told one another everything."
"You're lying." Kurt smiled slyly. "You like Santana."
"I don't even date girls." Quinn objected.
"It's not like you haven't before." He teased, and Mercedes only watched the conversation between the two friends.
"Kurt, I do not like Santana."
"And you wouldn't date her if given the chance?"
Quinn was quiet then.
"See!" He exclaimed. "I always knew it. After you dated Lauryn, I knew you weren't through with that lifestyle."
"I was fourteen." Quinn stated dryly.
"And you never said you disliked it."
"Because I didn't." She replied. "I just realized that it wasn't for me."
"What?"
"Dating girls."
"Santana's a woman."
"And she's in a relationship." Quinn regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth. "Which does not matter because even if she were not, I wouldn't date her."
"Whatever." Kurt rolled his eyes, smiling widely. "I'm your friend. You are not fooling me."
Mercedes laughed softly, shaking her head as she rolled the bag of popcorn up that she had not gotten a chance to finish. "You don't have to be ashamed."
"Huh?" Quinn turned her attention to Mercedes who sat the bag of popcorn on the table in front of them.
"You don't have to be ashamed of your sexual preference." Mercedes shrugged. "It's okay to like what you like."
"Oh, I know." Quinn nodded. "But I don't date girls."
"She hasn't dated a girl since the age of fourteen is what she means." Kurt corrected the girl. "But let the right woman walk up."
"Kurt, seriously." He could tell that his friend was getting more serious now. "Let it go."
"Okaay." He sang, throwing his hands up in defeat. "I'm done."
"Thank you." She rolled her eyes, and Mercedes could tell she was annoyed.
"So I never got a chance to ask you the other night," Quinn started. "But can you see yourself with Sam, say, five years from now?"
Mercedes shrugged her shoulders at her question. "I honestly don't know."
"That's definitely something to think about." Kurt nodded.
"Yep." Quinn agreed even though she'd posed the question. "Because if I were to ever get the feeling that someone was not right for me, I would dump him before even allowing him the chance to hurt me or mislead me. Not saying you should do that, Mercedes. It's just me."
"And that's the problem." Kurt spoke before Mercedes could say anything. "We don't truly know who is right or wrong for us until we give them that chance to prove themselves. Say I had decided in my mind that Melvin would be no good for me a year ago. I would have never known what an amazing person he could have been over two years later." Kurt crossed his legs. "We gotta stop always listening to that voice in our heads because sometimes it's just us deceiving ourselves out of fear that another person is out to get us."
Mercedes thought about Kurt's words before speaking up. "God forbid it, but say that voice did speak to you in the past though Kurt. You ignored it, everything has been perfect, and then one day everything change?"
Kurt nodded. "I think about that all the time. But I take chances all the time as well. And if anything like that were to happen. God forbid it, but I would just take it as a life lesson."
"But how many life lessons does one need before he or she finally finds that one person who is for them or before they give up on love all together?"
"I don't know." Kurt shrugged. "I guess it all depends on the person and just how in love they are or thought they were."
1 Month Later
And nothing ever changed.
Sam remained the perfect gentleman, spoiling her and treating her like every woman longed to be treated.
He listened to her, and she had to admit that he was one of the best listeners she'd ever come across. He listened to learn and not to respond like some other people she knew.
"Every time you feel a tug, jerk the line." Sam was currently teaching Mercedes how to fish, and after nearly two hours, she was finally getting the hang of it.
"I feel it." She whispered softly as if not wanting to scare the foul off.
"Okay." Sam was speaking lowly as well as he sat directly behind her with his legs on either side of her. "Tug just a little."
She did as he requested, tugging the line and hooking the foul onto her line. "I think I got it."
"Now reel it in." He watched her as she began to reel the fish in, struggling a bit to do so. "Stand." He quickly stood to his feet, and placed his strong hands around her waist. "Don't let the reel go." He said as he pulled her up from the ground with a soft huff. "Keep reeling."
She reeled, "think it's big?" Her eyes were wide.
"Seems like it." He nodded proudly.
"Uhm, Sam?" She reeled slower.
"Uh huh?" He looked at the way her hand was moving slower now.
"I don't think I wanna do it anymore."
"Aw, you got it." He placed his hands over hers and began to reel faster, completely unaware of how fearful she was.
"Sam..." She backed up as much as his firm body would allow until her backside met his front, and she feared for what might come out of the water. "I'm not really an outdoor kind of girl. I just wanted to-Ahh!" She shrunk away when Sam managed to pull the line out of the water almost completely.
With her head turned away from the hook, she released the fishing pole as soon as Sam's hands were no longer covering her own.
"This is a big one." Sam was now holding on to the pole while removing the hook from the fish's mouth, and she slowly uncovered her eyes to look at her catch. It was pretty big, must have been something over twelve inches.
"You did good for your first day of learning." Sam started towards her with the fish, smiling slyly as he was now aware of her fear.
"Sam..." She backed away, a look of warming on her face.
"You don't wanna touch it before I throw it back?" Sam laughed, approaching her even faster now.
"Oh my God." She turned around and began to run towards his car.
"Okay, okay." He laughed, throwing the fish back into the water. "I threw it back."
He made his way to his car where she had locked herself inside, and he could not help but to smile at her who was now staring at him from the window.
"Unlock the door, Mercedes." He laughed as he watched her eyes as they searched him for the foul. "I threw it back."
She unlocked the door then, and he quickly reached towards the ground before lifting back up and throwing an imaginary fish at her, "Rawr!"
She screamed, and he laughed.
"It's not funny!" She pouted as he used his strong hands to gently pull her from the car.
"I'm sorry." He was trying to calm his laughter as he admired her pout. "You were perfectly fine with learning to catch fish, but as soon as you got one on your line, you panicked."
"I've never done anything like this before, that's why." She was still pouting. "My daddy and I did other things together. He knew I hated the outdoors. I was just pretending to be all brave for you."
Sam pulled her to him then. "You don't have to pretend to like something just because I like it, Mercedes."
"I know. But we have been doing everything I wanted to do for the past two months, and when you finally chose a place, I didn't want you to feel like I was being selfish by saying no."
"If you would have told me you didn't like fishing, I would have been fine with that."
"I didn't know I didn't like it until I felt the jerk of that line." Mercedes chuckled a bit although she was still uneasy about what had just taken place.
"You were so scared." Sam laughed again, causing Mercedes to pull away from him and give him a soft smack across his chest. "You were runningggg."
"You're not being very nice." She moved to get back into the car, but he caught her hand.
"But you were cute." He smirked, raising an eyebrow.
"You're still not nice." She smiled softly.
"I'm sorry?" He tried to apologize then.
She kissed her teeth. "I guess I can accept your apology." She saw the excitement in his eyes when she said that. "But!" She spoke again. "Under one condition."
"Name it." Sam was ready to hear what she had to offer.
"You join me for dinner tonight."
"What are we eating?" He asked, "Fish?"
Mercedes thought about the wiggling foul that Sam held in his hands only moments ago and shook her head. "Definitely not."
He laughed then.
"Maybe some other day, but not today." She added. "I was thinking Chinese."
"Takeout?"
"Nooo." She smiled. "I'm gonna cook for you."
Sam smiled as he looked down sat her. Her smile was gorgeous, and it was all he ever thought about and he almost hated it. He hated how perfect she was and how everything about her made him want to give up every bad habit he'd ever had just to become a better man for her.
"Are you listening to me?" He heard laughter and snapped out of his thoughts of her magnificent beauty.
"Yea." He nodded.
"What'd I say?" She twisted his mouth to the side to let him know that she caught his bluff.
"You said that I was a handsome mister and you couldn't wait to cater to me." He joked.
"I knew you weren't listening!" She laughed. "Come on. Let's go. We could both use showers."
After mocking Mercedes about her fear for nearly thirty minutes, Sam was finally pulling into his parking lot.
"I thought you were going to take me home to shower?" Mercedes looked over at him who was now turning the car off.
"I was going to until I thought about it. You have clothes here from when we went swimming in the backyard sometime back."
"Oh yea, I do." She watched as he climbed out of the car and then waited for him too open her car door, since he always insisted.
"I'll go get the food while you shower and then I'll come back and shower while you start dinner."
"Okay." Mercedes was standing close behind him as he unlocked his front door.
"You can use the upstairs shower or the downstairs shower, either one." He let her in. "Text me the items, and I'll get everything."
"Okay." She nodded.
"Your things are in my room in the dresser to the left."
"Okay." She nodded again.
"Don't forget the list. I'll be right back."
As soon as he closed the door, she dropped her things and then located her phone to send a list of everything she would need to prepare dinner for the night.
After texting him the list, she made her way to his room.
He obviously trusted her to leave her in his home alone, so she smiled softly at the fact of the matter.
She walked over to the dresser to he left of his room and pulled open the top drawer. To her surprise, there was nothing in the top drawer but the clothes she'd left over the day they'd gone swimming in his built-in swimming pool.
After taking the items from the drawer, she opened the other drawers, finding that they were completely vacant.
Since she'd never been in his room besides the time he'd shown her around the house and the time he'd allowed her to get changed there, she decided to explore.
She opened drawers and his walk-in closet to find that everything was neat. His suits were hung up and nicely pressed and he even sorted his clothes out by color.
She smiled at his organization.
Then she made her way to his bathroom. She'd only been in there twice before as well.
Locking the door behind herself, she walked over to the fairly large walk-in shower to start the water.
The steam immediately began to fill the restroom, so she twisted the cold water handle just a bit to be careful not to scar herself as she'd almost done the day after the pool.
Closing the door of the shower, she walked over to the sink where she began to undress, laying particles of clothing above the counter as she admired the parts of her that she could see in the steam covered mirror.
Locating towels, she made her way to the shower where she stepped in, hanging her dry towel in arms reach.
She cleansed herself thoroughly wanting to get all of the days stink off of her. Wanting to completely rid herself of the foul, she took the small band off of her hair and allowed her hair to fall past her shoulders.
She placed the band around her wrist, and then located some shampoo. It was men's shampoo, but she would wash her hair again once she was home.
Pouring a very small amount in her hand, she rubbed it through her hair enough for it to lather and then she stepped further underneath the shower head, allowing the water to make music above her head. And then she cleansed herself again before turning the water off.
She dried herself and her hair almost completely before stepping out of the shower with the towel wrapped around her frame.
Placing her clothes in the dirty clothes hamper as she had done before, she made her way over to the sink where she found some lotion. She took her time, rubbing it all over her body before dressing in the pink fitted top and blue jeans.
The cool breeze felt good as soon as she exited the restroom, and she immediately wondered if Sam had made it back yet.
Making her way out of his room and to the kitchen, she smiled when she saw him placing bags onto the counter.
"Thank you." She spoke softly, causing him to look up and at her.
He didn't say anything as he stared at her, and she remembered that she'd washed her hair. She could only imagine the type of lion she must looked like at the moment.
Remembering the band on her wrist, she quickly removed it and started to pull her thick curls back.
"No." Sam spoke suddenly, not able to take his eyes off of her. "Your hair is really pretty like that."
He walked over to where she was standing.
"Stop staring." She ducked her head.
"I'm sorry." He apologized sincerely. "I just really love this look. You know, you should wear it like this more often."
"You told me that before." Mercedes smiled shyly.
"And I meant it." He reached out a hand but remembered the stench he was supposed to be washing away. "Don't pull it back, please?"
"I won't." Mercedes laughed softly. "I'll leave it like this even though I can only imagine how I look right about now."
"You look beautiful." He responded. "Everything you asked for is on the island. I'm going to go shower."
"Thank you." She smiled as she watched him walk away.
"No problem."
As soon as he was out of sight, Mercedes went straight to work. She seasoned, boiled, broiled, baked, and sautéed everything into an entree that even she could not wait to dig into.
Before she finished everything up, Sam was back in her presence. He stood in the doorway of the kitchen with hair that stuck to his forehead as he watched her with a smirk.
"Don't do that." She smiled as she stirred something in a pan.
"What?" Sam asked, still smirking.
"Stand over there, smirking like that. You make me nervous."
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
"It's an uncomfortable thing." She stated honestly. "And surprisingly I like it, but you make it hard for me to concentrate."
"Well, is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
"It depends." She shrugs. "And in this case, it's a little bit of both."
"Tell me." He smiled widely, walking into the kitchen and taking in the fumes. "Start with the good."
"Well," she started. "It's good because I like the way you look at me. You make my feel wanted." She turned the stove down. "But it's also bad because I can't focus, and if I can't focus, I just might burn this beautiful two story home down."
Sam laughed softly. "Well we definitely don't want the bad. But the good-" he walked over to her and placed his hands on her hips. "The good is definitely true."
Mercedes shivered slightly underneath his touch, and Sam smiled softly at the reaction. When she didn't move, he took advantage of their closeness and gently touch her curls, loving the softness.
"Uhmm." She cleared her throat and moved away from him, using a cloth to take the pan with her.
"Why are you always so timid around me?"
The question definitely caught Mercedes off guard as she was hoping he wouldn't notice although she knew it wouldn't be long before he realized it.
She poured a sort of meat over some brown rice that was already on a large oval shaped plate. "I just-I don't want to do anything I might later regret."
"Regret?" Sam questioned, lifting an eyebrow.
"Yea." She nodded and then stopped speaking, remembering his asking her to stop comparing him to those of her past. Yet, she wanted so badly to compare him right now. She wanted desperately to tell him that she was still afraid to take that extra step with him because the thought of Marcus and the heartbreak he'd caused was forever in the back of her mind. But she didn't. She wouldn't.
"What do you mean?"
"I meant nothing by it." She shook her head, silently praying that he would forget about what she'd just said.
"Oh." Sam was hurt by her words, and she could tell even though he didn't say anything. She could see the hurt in his eyes, or was it anger?
After pouring the last of the meat over the rice, she walked back towards him with the pan in her hand. "I meant nothing by it, Sam. Really."
"It's okay." He shrugged. "We can eat now."
Dinner was awfully quiet. It was so quiet that it was almost painful to sit through and Mercedes wasn't used to it at all.
"I don't want you to be upset." She broke the silence only for it to be continued when he didn't respond. "I really meant nothing by what I said earlier."
Sam forked some of his food into his mouth. "This is really good."
"Sam..." She sighed siftly. "Are you hearing me? I'm trying to apologize."
"So that you can do it again two weeks from now?" Sam swallowed. "It's okay, Mercedes. I get you by now, and I'm okay with it."
"Don't be like that." She sat up straight.
"Let's just finish our dinner."
Sighing softly, she stood up from her chair then.
She felt absolutely horrible, and he was making the issue no better with the way he was responding. And maybe he had every right to respond the way he was responding, but she knew she had to get out of his presence if she were going to contain her emotions.
She started out of the kitchen despite his calling after her, and when she felt a strong hand grab her wrist, she turned to look at him.
Sam felt a sharp pain shoot through his body as soon as he saw her eyes. They showed every sign of her wanting to cry, and that was something he'd never wanted to see of her.
"I was calling you." He gently pulled her to him. "Come here."
"I'm sorry." The tears began to fall, and she wanted to wash every last one away before he could see them but it was too late. He lifted her head to look into her eyes, and it only made her cry harder as she placed her head against his chest. "I feel like such a horrible person."
"You're not a horrible person." He stroked her hair as he ran a hand up and down her back. "I don't think you are."
"That's because you're sweet." Mercedes looked up at him. "You're actually too sweet. Because if I were dealing with someone like myself, someone with all of these emotions pent up inside of them, I probably would have given up a long time ago."
"That's the thing though." Sam shook his head. "I'm not going to give up on you. Because I see more than that, Mercedes."
"How?" Her voice was soft as she looked up at him. "How when I no longer see the good in myself?"
"It just needs to be brought out of you, that's all." Sam looked down at her. "Sometimes all we need is for someone to bring out the very best in us. My wife did that for me. And you are the only woman other than her who has even made me consider being a better me. So no, I'm not giving up on you." He shook his head. "And like I told you before, I'll be waiting until you're ready to set aside all the past hurt and allow me to fill that void."
Mercedes blink her eyes rapidly, trying to fight back the tears that were threatening to fall again.
"Don't you cry." He wiped the tears from her face. "Don't you ever cry."
After the little pep talk, Sam and Mercedes finished their dinner and were now in the kitchen washing the dishes together. He washed she rinsed and dried them.
"That meal was delicious." He handed her a plate. "I'm glad there was some leftover."
Mercedes smiled softly, placing the dish where it belonged. "And I'm glad you liked it."
"I loved it." Sam clarified. "It was almost better than my cooking."
"Almost?" Mercedes laughed. "Hasn't anyone ever told you that almost doesn't count?"
Sam shook his head. "That's actually brand new information."
"Well, it doesn't." She giggled. "So it was either better or it wasn't."
"Can my answering get me into trouble?"
"It depends on how well you answer it, Mr. Evans.
"Well, it was better." He nodded. "Even better than my mama's collard green and cornbread." His southern accent slipped out, and he blushed softly as he hated it sometime.
Mercedes couldn't help but to laugh at the Fantasia Barrino song reference Collard Greens and Cornbread. "What you know about that?"
"I know a lot about that." Sam assured her. "My older sister loves Fantasia and John Legend."
"She definitely has taste."
"She's the families' musical guru." He nodded on a small smile.
"Who are some of your favorite artist?" She asked, interested in where the conversation was going since she was a huge fan of music.
Sam handed her the last dish as he thought. "I wouldn't say they're my favorite artist, but they are definitely some of my favorite voices." He spoke, watching her complete her part. "Lisa Steinsfield, Michael McDonald, Bobby Caldwell, Sam Cook-"
"Oh my God, yes!" She hung the dish rag over the sink after she finished washing the counter down. "I love Sam Cooke!" She turned towards him, her back up against the counter. "I was born by the river, in a little tent..." She hadn't even realized that her eyes were now closed as she softly sang the words to the song. "Oh, and just like-" She opened her eyes to find Sam staring at her in awe.
"Please..." He nodded once. "Keep going."
"N-no." She smiled shyly. "I just really love Sam Cooke. He was my mother's favorite."
"You really have a beautiful voice, Mercedes."
"Thank you. I used to sing in my church choir when I was younger. It was the one thing my mother always wanted me to do."
"Sing in the choir?"
"Sing period."
"What happened?" Sam asked.
"You're gonna be a star one day," Judith was plaiting the last of Mercedes' long curly hair. "and everyone's gonna love you."
"Even you, Mommy?" Mercedes asked, worry across her face.
"Even me." Her mother smiled. "As a matter of fact, I promise that your father and I will be your number one supporters."
Mercedes smiled proudly then. "And you'll love me even more than you love Sam Cooke?"
"Even more." She gently brushed her finger across Mercedes' button nose, causing the young girl to giggle.
"I love you, Mommy."
"I love you more, Baby". Her mother stood up from her place on the bed. "Now come on so we can get to Church on time for the opening selection."
"And now, she doesn't even remember." Mercedes snapped out of the vision.
"Have you sang to her since the disease?"
"All the time". Mercedes nodded. "I used to sing every day with hopes that she would remember and come back to me, but..." She shook her head. "Nothing. Sometimes she wouldn't even look at me."
"And then you stopped?"
"I-well, yea." She answered on a small nod.
"Why?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. I guess because it was too hard for me."
"Sing to her."
"Sing to her?" Mercedes turned her eyebrows down.
"Yea, every time you get a chance. Sing to her."
"There's no purpose."
"There's purpose." Sam shook his head. "You may not realize it at that very moment, but there's purpose in everything we do. You just have to believe it."
Mercedes shook her head. "I don't know." She started past him and into the living room.
"What don't you know?" He was close behind her.
"I don't know if that's true." She took a seat on the couch. "I mean, sometimes I don't know my purpose at all. I just feel like I'm living. It's like one day everything made perfect sense, and then the next day I was trying to put the puzzle back together. And I'm still confused as ever. There are too many pieces."
"I could help you?" Sam offered, sitting next to her now. "God knows I'm not perfect either, but I could help you. Like how you've helped me."
"I haven't done anything."
"You gave me your attention." Sam replied. "And you continue to show me how wonderful you are. You see-" he turned towards her. "I was convinced that I wouldn't find anyone who could make me feel alive again. After my wife died, I was searching. I was searching for myself, for love, for closure, and then you came alone. And from the moment I saw you, I knew I had to have you." He paused. "And it was different this time."
"How so?"
"It started off as a chase." He admitted. "Almost like a challenge for me and my ambition, but as I got to know you better, I realized that I was in it for way more than just what you could offer to me. You have this vibe about you that makes me want to be around you. It makes me want to open up."
"A challenge?" Mercedes asked, ignoring everything else.
Sam nodded his head.
"So what? You started off pursuing me because you expected sex?"
"If you want me to be honest, yes." He nodded. "That's exactly what I expected."
Mercedes frowned. "And then what?"
"That's it."
Mercedes stood up from her place on the couch. "I should have known."
"Mercedes?" Sam called, watching as she located her things. When she didn't respond, he stood to make his way over to her. "Stop."
"Get-" She snatched away from him before he could even reach out to touch her.
"You know, this is the third time you've tried to run away from me today." Sam took a step back, not wanting to be in her personal space. "Why are you running away from me?"
Mercedes only walked past him to retrieve her phone, and Sam watched her as she approached him without even looking up at him. "Take me home."
"Are you-" He paused. "No."
"No?" She looked up at him then.
"I refuse to let you run." He shook his head. "After what we just talked about, we're going to sit back down, and I'm going to explain to you my way of thinking before you came into the picture." He gently took her things from her hand. "Come on."
Mercedes clenched her jaw when he placed her things back down.
"You can't just stop or give up every time something doesn't sound right to you." Sam lead her back to the couch. "You'll be running forever."
They both took a seat.
"Look at me." He spoke softly, and Mercedes lifted her head to look at him.
"You're more than just a chase or a challenge, Mercedes." He started. "And don't think it had anything to do with you as an individual. It was just me and my way of thinking. I was selfish, yes. I thought I could have anyone I wanted whenever I wanted them, and then you came alone." He looked in her eyes as he spoke. "You were more than just a chase. You were a catch, and a very hard one." He smiled, thinking about the past two months. "I had to put on my full armor to be able to even understand your game, and I still don't have it figured out completely yet."
"And that's what you like?" Mercedes finally spoke up. "A challenge?"
"Yes." He answered honestly. "But only because no girl has ever challenged me like you have or for as long as you have."
"Then you enjoy the thrill of the chase, Sam." Mercedes clarified, annoyance clear in her tone as she tried to get him to realize where she was coming from.
"You're not hearing me." Sam shook his head.
"Then make me understand." She rolled her neck. "Because I'm not some damn toy that you're just going to put a battery in, get me going, and then when you get tired of playing with me or carrying me alone, you rip the batteries right out of me. I'm not here for that."
"Do you really think I would go two months without receiving as much as a kiss from you just to get you to open up to me so that I can send you off?" Sam was a bit annoyed as well now, but he tried not to show it. "I can go out there-" he pointed towards the door. "And find a woman right now who'll be willing to sleep with me, Mercedes. It's nothing. But I'm not going to do that. And why? Because I want you. And it should be obvious that I want you for more than what you have to offer."
Mercedes only looked at him as he spoke.
"I could have come on to you many tines before, but I didn't. I wouldn't dare because I don't see you as I see those other broads. You're better-" Sam stopped as Mercedes burst out into a fit of laughter. "What?"
"I'm sorry." She held a hand up. "I just cannot believe you referred to women as broads."
He laughed too then. "Yea, I guess that is funny. But what I'm trying to get you to understand is that you mean a lot more to me than that."
"Even though I started off as just someone you could potentially sex and leave."
Sam nodded truthfully. "And many women do start off as just that. And for some women, some men do too."
"Well, I'll have you to know that I never looked at you as just someone I could have a one night stand with only to never see you again." She stated.
"I wouldn't have minded much. It happens to the best of us." Sam laughed, and Mercedes narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm only joking. I wouldn't trade this or any of the time we have spent together for the world."
00
"Another day, another dollar." Sam exhaled heavily as he threw himself into the chair of his office. Nothing in him wanted to attend work today like any other day, but he was there.
Booting his desktop, he dialed an extension before propping his feet up on his desk.
HIs office phone rang once before someone picked up. "Yes, mr. Evans?"
"April, I'm going to need you to handle today's work load." He leaned back. "I'm going to visit my mother today after lunch."
April sighed softly, not caring if he heard her or not. "Don't I always handle the work load?" She asked rhetorically, and it was true. She was definitely one of the companies finest women. She knew everything Sam didn't know and more, so he definitely felt safe in his decision every time he left the company in her hands.
"Just do it," He fussed before leaning over to hang the phone up.
"My man!" Sam looked up to see an enthusiastic Devon entering his office.
"What's up?"
"Sidney is pregnant." The young man was smiling widely as he looked down at Sam.
"Congratulations." Sam smiled too then. "How far along?"
"A month and two weeks." The man sat down on the chair in front of Sam's desk. "She's not even showing."
"I'm glad for you." Sam nodded.
"We went to the doctor because she hadn't been feeling too good lately."
"Well, Ms. Love." The doctor walked back into the room. "I have bad news and I have good news."
Devon smiled softly even thought he still didn't know what was to be expected.
"The bad news is that you're probably going to be experiencing morning sickness for quite some time." The woman couldn't help but to smile at what she was about to say next. "The good news is that you're pregnant. You two are having a baby."
Sidney was extremely quiet as she watched her fiancé fist pump the air. "I knew it!"
He walked over to her who was seated on the bed. "Baby, did you hear her?" He asked. "We're having a baby!"
"Y-yea." Sidney smiled then, hoping that he would not notice how forced it was. "I heard her, Baby. This is...great."
"I don't know, man. She just seemed unsure about it all."
"Does she not have every right to be?" Sam questioned. "I mean, it is her body that's about to go through all of these sudden changes."
"But she already knew these things." He replied. "We've discussed getting pregnant before. Now it's liked she's shocked or something. I don't know."
"Maybe it's the hormones kicking in already?" Sam chuckled.
"May be." Devon laughed a little too. "Hopefully it's just a phase."
"It is, man." Sam assured him. "My younger sibling tried to commit suicide when she was pregnant."
"Aw man!" Devon scrunched his face. "Why would you tell me something like that? Now I feel like I need to call and check in her."
Sam laughed as he watched the man get I from his seat and leave his office. And it wasn't long before he was leaving his office in the responsibility of April.
After meeting up with Mercedes for lunch, he was on his way to his mother's house who lived almost an hour away from his own home.
She knew he was visiting today, so he knew she would have something for him when he made it.
And have something, she did.
As soon as he pulled up to her small home, he could see her smiling down at him from the porch. She was short and stout and held a plate in her hand, and Sam couldn't help but to wonder up if the plate held his favorite peanut butter cookies. Cathy Evans, she was definitely one of the best cooks he'd ever known in his life.
Parking his car, he climbed out of it and he could see his mother's smile grow wider.
"Hey, lady." He smiled as he made his way over to her.
"What are you wearing?" She chuckled a bit as she took in her son's attire.
He had on a full gray suit, but his undershirt was untucked and his tie was missing.
"I got uncomfortable on the way here, so I took my tie off." Sam answered, making his way up the stairs of the porch. As soon as he reached her, he reached out for the plate.
"I wish you would grab this plate." She snatched the plate back. "You better hug me first."
Sam laughed softly before giving his mother a hug, being extra careful not to bump the plate of treats.
"Now here ya go." She offered him the plate and he took it, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies.
Sam didn't know which treat he wanted to bite into first as he followed her into the house, closing the door behind himself.
He decided on his favorite, a peanut butter as he took a seat in the living room. "Where's Brandon?"
"He went out to the back to clean the stable."
"Still love those horses, huh?" He placed the plate of cookies on the small table beside him.
"He's the youngest and the only child left in this lil old house," Cathy answered. "So I let him enjoy his freedom."
"Does he help out around the house?"
"Oh, a lot more than any of you ever did." His mother laughed. "He works harder in this house than any daughter I've ever raised, and I raised three."
Does Ann, Henry, or Taylor still come by?"
"Taylor was here last night actually." She mother answered, referring to her youngest daughter who had recently turned twenty years old. "She loves the college she's attending. Says she wants for Brandon to attend the same one, but Brandon has his mind set on becoming a veterinarian."
"Well, he's only a Junior in high school." Sam chewed slowly. "He has time to figure it all out."
"He does." She nodded. "Ann is still trying to figure out if she wants to quit nursing and be a stay at home mother to the twins. And Henri is still teaching at the high school, so they rarely get a chance to come by, especially with Ann having to look out for Stacie and Stevie and with Henri raising Laura all alone."
"I still can't believe Laura's mother just left him like that."
"She was on drugs, Sam." Cathy shook her head. "What did you expect?"
"Well, you're right about that?" Sam nodded. "When was the last time you heard from Samantha?"
Cathy look away then. "Over a month ago." She spoke softly. "She asked me to tell you that she forgives you."
Sam tapped his foot against the floor. "And Elizabeth?" He asked, referring to his oldest niece.
"Elizabeth's fine." Her voice was still soft, "Tells me she misses me every time I speak to her over the phone."
Sam could see the sadness in his mother's eyes as she attempted to look away. "Three years ago, Sam." She shook her head, thinking about the chaotic event. "I always told you to control that temper of yours."
"Still blaming this on me." He sank back in his chair.
"You could have been the bigger man, Sam. That's all I'm saying."
Sam shook his head. "What good is it to be the bigger man when you still get no respect?"
"It never should have gone down-"
"Ma!" Sam was glad to hear the yell of his younger brother as he was already done with this conversation.
Cathy fell silent as she watched her son through the screen door. "Ma?"
"Yes?" She answered him, watching as he sat a saddle on the porch before opening the door."
"I think Storm may be pregnant." The boy was smiling as he entered the house.
"That's wonderful." Cathy smiled, aware of how long her son had been waiting for the moment. "But your brother is here."
Brandon's eyes lit up as soon as he saw his oldest brother. "Oh, hey Sam!"
"What's up?" Sam stood up to hug his youngest brother. The boy had definitely grown from the last time he'd visited which was only about two months ago. "I guess you grow an inch every month?" He teased the boy who was built and rather tall for his age.
"I'm just always on my toes." Brandon took the compliment. "But I'm trying to get to your size and you and Henry's height."
"Why not Henry's size?" Sam asked, sitting down again.
"Henry's not a built as you anymore." The young boy replied. "Ma said he's stressed out or something, but he's definitely gotten smaller."
Sam looked at his mother for conformation.
"It's just tough on him having to care for Laura alone and then having to work." Cathy clarified. "But he'll be okay. He always manage to make a way."
And Sam knew she was right about that. Henry, the fourth child and second son, was one of the bravest and strongest individuals he'd ever known.
"No one hardly ever come around anymore." Sam looked up at his brother who was speaking again. "You guys are always busy with either work, school, or children."
"Well, look on the bright side." Sam replied. "I can't remember the last time I've seen all of them together in the same room."
"That's because you never show." His mother stated dryly.
And she was right again. He never showed up when his siblings got together. Not because he didn't want to see them, but because he felt that every time he decided to show, there was drama involved.
"They never want to see me anyhow." He sounded ridiculous, and he knew it. But he really did feel that way most of the time.
"That's a lie." Brandon spoke up before his mother could. "They ask about you all the time."
"Everyone?"
"Everyone." The boy nodded.
"Even Samantha?"
He thought for a minute then. Come to think of it, Samantha doesn't. But everyone else does."
"Well, I guess I'll just have to find a way to see everyone else then."
"Sam..."
"No, ma." He cut her off. "If she hasn't forgiven me in all this time, she won't. And I refuse to kiss her ass just to get along with her."
"Forgive you?" Brandon was confused. "What happened?"
"Nothing." Cathy spoke up. "It's grown people's business. Go finish what you were working on outside."
"But-"
"But nothing." She cut her eyes at him. "Go."
"And you..." Her attention was on Sam as soon as the boy left the house again. "Control your temper."
He started to speak, but she held a hand up. "I don't want to hear another word of it."
And Sam did not speak another word of it.
"What have you been up to lately?"
"Other than trying to keep up a company that I never wanted to be apart of?" He questioned rhetorically. "I've been seeing a girl...well a woman."
His mother looked down at her feet then.
"What?" He asked, sensing another confrontation. "I've been treating her right."
"I'm not sure I know what right is when it comes to you." She looked up at him again.
"I like her. A lot."
"You liked Molly a lot. You know, your wife? But that didn't stop you from-"
"Look!" Sam cut her off. "You asked me what I've been doing, and I'm telling you. Don't patronize me, Ma."
"Sam, I'm not patronizing you."
"You always do. You and dad always have." He shook his head. "It's always been me that you two have expected the most out of. And why? Because I'm the oldest? Well guess what. I never asked for any of this. I never asked to be the oldest son, I never asked to be a role model to my brothers and sisters, and I definitely didn't ask for that damn company."
"Sam..." Cathy shook her head.
"What?" He jerked his head. "If he cared that strongly about the damn company, he should have just taken it to the grave with him."
"Don't you dare speak about your late father that way!" Cathy warned him. "He wanted nothing but the best for you!"
"He wanted what was best for his reputation." Sam argued. "He cared nothing about what I wanted."
"Okay." His mother held her hands up in defeat. "I don't want to do this with you every time you come over."
"Then don't." Sam responded coldly.
"Tell me more about the girl."
"She's beautiful." He stated calmly. "And I like her a lot. I want you to meet her."
"You're serious?"
He nodded. "Just say yes you will meet her or no you won't."
"Are you planning to keep this one?" She asked. "And by keep her, I mean no problems, no issues, nothing. Just a happy woman and a man who will treat her with all the respect in the world. Nothing less."
"I have every intention."
Cathy shook her head then, "That's not enough." She stood up from the couch, and started away from Sam. "I refuse to watch you hurt another one, Sam. I won't."
Sam stood up too then, following his mother into the kitchen. "I won't!" He spoke louder than he intended to. "I am going to treat her right."
"And you're not just saying this like before?"
"You know what." He shook his head. "You don't have to meet her."
His mother sighed heavily, leaning against the counter top while shaking her head. "I'll meet her."
"Good." Sam nodded before starting back out of the kitchen and into the living room. "Oh and ma?"
"Yea?"
"Promise not to say too much to her?"
"I promise not to say anything to her that she doesn't need to be aware of."
Goal: 95 Reviews.
Did you enjoy this chapter? It's longer. :)
What did you think about all of the character interactions?
Did you like the small insight into Sam's thoughts and life?
What do you think about Devon? What about Kurt/Quinn?
lol, I just wanna know.
What would you like to see in the next chapter?