Sam was busing tables at Breadstix. At first it had been awkward, cleaning up after this classmates and their parents, but he'd quickly realized there were plenty of kids working here. Of course, most of the McKinley guys working here used their money for gas and girls, not paying the rent, but clearing tables at Breadstix was common enough that nobody wondered why he was doing it. And that's what he was doing now, setting up for dinner service, when he bumped into Mercedes. She was carrying one end of a large box when she literally backed into him.
"Sorry." she turned around. "Hi Sam" she said smiling. "You work here?"
"One of my many jobs. What are you doing?"
"Working. We're playing here tonight. We're setting up early."
"We?"
"Hello." It was her constant companion, or at least it seemed that way to Sam, Tim. "Where can we put this keyboard?"
Sam led them to the area in front of the restaurant the manager had set aside earlier. deCastro Jones the sign said. He didn't know Tim's last name was deCastro. He didn't know they played together. Seems like he didn't know a damn thing.
The Hudson-Hummels had reservered a table for ten, which was good for tips, friends tend to over-tip. The table was full of Hummels, Hudsons, Andersons and Berrys. At 9 the manager took the stage. "Last month we started having live music once a month. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome deCastro Jones."
It was a busy night, live music seemed to attracted a heavier than average bar crowd. If the bar crowd overflowed into the dining room that also increased tips. Sam was busy, it was going to be a good night, so he only heard bits and pieces of what they played but in his mind they were describing their future life together.
Mercedes was playing the keyboard, playing a I don't wanna fall in love song.
Oh no not now
Please not now
I just settled into the glass half empty
Made myself at home
And so why now
Please not now
I just stopped believing in happy endings
Harbors of my own
But you had to come along didn't you?
Break down the doors, throw open windows
Oh if you knew just what a fool you have made me
So what do I do with this?
Then Tim sang a falling in love with my best friend song.
If we kiss
If we touch
All of this
Could get rough
Ain't no thing
Ain't no strings
Ain't no "I love you, you love me"
We won't get caught up in the stuff that brings
You don't really wanna fall in love
You don't really wanna mess this up
You don't really wanna fall in love
'Cause fallin' in love just breaks your heart
Fallin' in love just broke my heart
Then he sang an I'm out of here song.
This youthful heart can love you and give you what you need
But I'm too old to go chasing you around
Wasting my precious energy
Give me one reason to stay here - and I'll turn right back around
Because I don't want leave you lonely
But you got to make me change my mind
And she sang a I can't believe he left song.
Wonder this time where he's gone,
Wonder if he's gone to stay
Ain't no sunshine when he's gone
And this house just ain't no home anytime he goes away.
Then a duet on a happy traveling song, probably their honeymoon.
Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express,
they're taking me to Marrakesh.
All aboard the train.
I've been saving all my money just to take you there.
I smell the garden in your hair.
"Thank you everybody." Mercedes said. "For this next song we need an assist from the finest guitarist we know. Please welcome Ali McKenna!"
Tim sang a please forgive me baby song.
Sometimes a man gets carried away,
When he feels like he should be having his fun
Much too blind to see the damage he's done
Sometimes a man must awake to find that, really, He has no one...
So I'll wait for you... And I'll burn
Will I ever see your sweet return?
Oh, will I ever learn?
Oh, Lover, you should've come over
Cause it's not too late.
"Be back in 15 minutes." Tim announced.
Sam was definitely reading too much into this. They probably arranged the songs that way just to keep them organized. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Santana used to say that, usually when he wanted to talk about their relationship. She refused to explain what it meant but he quickly learned to drop the subject if he wanted to have sex. That was the only thing she ever kicked him out of bed about, talking about their "relationship". It always sounded like she was using air quotes when she said the word relationship.
She looked so pretty when she was performing. So happy that she practically glowed. She was never going to sing lead for New Directions, everybody knew that, but it looked like she'd found a way to be happy. Sam should be happy for her, Mercedes was probably the nicest girl he knew. Not saying much, considering. But still, she was a nice person. They used to have actual conversations. She listened to what he said and they both talked about how they felt. He missed that, talking. Quinn only talked about rebuilding her image, Santana talked about sex, Samantha talked about shopping.
Sam was refilling water glasses when they started the second half of their show. Mercedes was singing and playing the guitar. She must be practicing for hours, she was a much better player than she was months ago. She was singing a maybe he's not coming back this time song.
It ain't gonna stop the world If you walk out that door
This old world will just keep on turning 'round
Like it did the day before
'Cause see to them it makes no difference
It just keeps on keepin' time
'Cause it ain't gonna stop the world
But it'll be the end of mine
What can I say
What can I do
I'm still in love
So why aren't you?
Will Schuester looked across the table at his pretty new bride. It had been a risk marrying Emma. What if she couldn't get over her OCD issues, at least the ones relating to sex? How her first husband lived with a woman as sexy as Emma without having sex with her was incomprehensible to him. However, that was all behind them now, which was why they were eating dinner at 9:30 and sitting in the back of the crowded restaurant. Once they got home it was hard to get out the door again.
"Doesn't Mercedes sound good?" Emma said.
"This isn't Mercedes." Will said chuckling. "She sings R&B."
"It's Mercedes all right. I recognize her voice. Singing Garth Brooks."
"Garth Brooks, as if." he laughed.
"What are you going to do for me if I'm right?" she smiled wickedly.
This was the kind of bet Will liked, win-win.
"Whatever you want!"
"Sam?" she address the blonde boy filling water glasses at the adjacent table. "Who's singing right now?"
"Mercedes, Ms. Pillsbury, I mean Mrs. Schuester. And Tim, he plays the guitar for us when we practice and he also sings."
"Thank you Sam. " she said sweetly.
"Garth Brooks - In The Life Of Chris Gaines, 1999. You owe me, Will."
"My pleasure."
Tim was singing a why do we keep doing this song.
Just once I want to understand
why it always comes back to goodbye
Why can't we give ourselves a hand?
And admit to one another
We're no good without the other
Take the best and make it better
Find a way to stay together
Mercedes was singing a we've worked it out song.
you make me feel so young the way we laugh and play
like a child in the sun
you know I wanna stay
in love this way
how do i feel when i feel like praying, feel like saying
it feels so good so right to be with you tonight
Another in love with my best friend song. Lucky. He sang that with Quinn once.
I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
Lucky we're in love every way
Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed
Lucky to be coming home someday
"Thank you everybody." Tim said. "Last song. Awwwww, I know, and you guys have been great. So we have a special treat for you. Kurt?"
Kurt walked up to the sage "Ladies and gentlemen, Kurt Hummel!" Mercedes announced. It was something from the Beatles.
But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new
Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more
Mercedes pointed at him "Tim deCastro."
He held up her hand, "Mercedes Jones."
"Thank you." They said together, holding hands and bowing to applause.
Sam felt ill. His stomach hurt and he was having trouble breathing. He needed air, desperately and now. He asked one of the other busboys to cover for him and went outside. He was standing beside the dumpster, trying to catch his breath, when suddenly he started crying. That's the life he wanted, and the girl he wanted it with. How stupid would a guy have to be not to have not seen that? Was it too late now?
Someone was touching his arm. "Are you okay?" Mercedes asked.
Stray Italian Greyhound – Vienna Teng
Falling In Love - Matt White
Give Me One Reason - Tracy Chapman
Ain't No Sunshine – Bill Withers
Marrakesh Express - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Lover, You Should've Come Over - Jeff Buckley
It Don't Matter to the Sun – Garth Brooks (also Rosie Thomas)
Just Once – James Ingram
So Good, So Right – Brenda Russell
Lucky – Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat
In My Life - Beatles