Doctor's appointment tomorrow so I'm updating today.
Enjoy and review!
NJPNJPNJP
"This is so exciting!" Mercedes was so excited.
"Mercy, calm down!" Quinn giggled. "You're about to explode!"
"You guys are doing a major interview." Anna was excited, too. "That's so big!"
"It is." Rachel admitted. "You guys are everywhere. It makes sense that Seventeen wants to do an article on you."
"What if you guys become supermodels?" Finn's eyes widened.
Mercedes giggled. "No way, Finn."
"I think you could, Mama." Puck kissed her cheek.
"No!" She blushed and hid her face.
"Stop bein cute."
"I can't stop being cute!"
Quinn cheered. "Yay, Sissy!"
Mercedes beamed.
"I can't believe you said that, Cedes!" Rachel laughed.
"MercyCat, you're naughty." Anna teased.
"No!" Mercedes giggled.
"Tia Me not naughty!" Beth yelled.
"You tell her, baby!"
"Mama know she take after that evil sister she got." Puck's lips twitched.
"Don't talk about my baby!" She hit him.
"Ow! She is evil!"
"I dare you to tell her that." Quinn batted her lashes.
Puck dropped his gaze and eyed his breakfast plate fearfully.
"I thought so."
"That just proves how scary she is." Finn gulped, taking up for his best friend.
"I'm telling her you called her scary."
"No! She gets mad when we say that!"
"Please don't have her hurt Finn." Rachel begged.
"Well I do love him." Quinn supposed.
Mercedes checked the time. "Ooh, Lucy! It's time for us to go! Noah, make sure when you take Beth and Rae to their playdates, you do not leave! They're at different times for a reason!"
"Mama, I got it!" Puck got over his terror to bluster. "Gimme a kiss!"
She kissed him before kissing Anna and Raven. She kissed Beth quickly.
Quinn kissed Rachel and Finn before kissing Beth and Raven. "Bye, guys!"
"Bye!" Mercedes took her arm and led her out as everyone else said their farewells.
The duo went to put on their shoes at the door then collected their things before leaving the apartment. They saw Marcy about to get on the elevator. "Hey!"
She stood in the middle of the opening. "Hurry up!"
They ran down the hall and joined her. "Hi."
She nodded and pressed the button for 5.
"Aren't you excited?" Quinn asked.
"I hate interviews." Marcy sulked.
"Come on! This has to be great! There's no movie to promote so you don't have to worry about saying the wrong thing! It's just about us!"
"Yeah and what the hell is this chick gonna ask?"
Quinn gave her screw face. "You suck the fun out of everything."
"Who does cuz it's not my twin!" Karou's voice was the first thing they heard as the doors opened.
Marcy pulled her inside. "She's about to get suckerpunched. I'm fun incarnate!"
"Damn straight, Cuz!" Karou punched for the lobby. "We get the party started."
"Oh please! You clear the party out!" Quinn snapped. "You're both bad!"
"I'm sorry? Who's your baby daddy? Is it your boyfriend?" Marcy put on a thinking face.
Quinn screamed in frustration as Karou laughed. Mercedes wrapped her arms around the blonde. "You get on my nerves!"
Marcy stuck her tongue out.
"She's got you there, Uptight!" Karou laughed.
Quinn swiped at her but Mercedes held her back.
"Oh! The kitty wants to play?"
"Rou? Don't make it weird." Marcy murmured.
Karou stilled. "Fine. But she's eaten up inside and we all know it."
Quinn swiped at her again.
M-A-P
"Here's your first looks." Samantha King took the four through their first outfits of the day. "We're going to get you against the grey background first and together then one at a time in the same clothes before we switch. We'll do that for the first few changes then you can break for your interview. Sound good?"
The girls nodded and gave affirmative answers.
"Good. Let's go." Sam walked off.
The girls got ready then sat through hair and makeup before going in front of the camera. Sam posed them the way she wanted then had the photographer take photos.
The girls got into the groove and made the shoot go even better. They went through three changes before they were able to put on robes and get food from crafty.
Carla Jenkins was excited to sit down with them. "Do you mind if I record this?"
"Not at all." Mercedes shook her hand. "How are you?"
"I'm great." Carla was surprised by her warmth. "You're so nice."
"Aww! Thank you! I bet you're really nice."
Carla smiled before squealing a bit. "I can't believe I'm sitting down with America's new it-girls!"
"We're it-girls?" Marcy didn't say it with gratitude.
"Of course! You exploded on the scene overnight. You've done spreads and catwalks and a lot of ad work. You four are the best modeling has to offer right now."
"We've been modeling for a very long time." Quinn said. "We've been doing it since we were toddlers."
"Really?!" Carla was all ears.
"Yes. We've always been in things so it was a no brainer to continue as adults."
"What was your first ad?"
"I think it was Baby Gap."
Mercedes and Marcy laughed at the fuzzy memory.
"So it's all you've ever wanted to be is models?" Carla asked.
"No, we've had different dreams. I certainly never thought modeling would be my final career but MercyCat always wanted to sing, MarcAn wanted to dance and Karou wanted to act. I just wanted to rule the world." Quinn smiled.
Carla laughed. "Do you think a career in modeling will lead to these other things?"
"I can always hope but I don't plan on it." Mercedes shook her head.
"We have different plans to achieve our dreams but we're not using modeling as a gateway." Karou added.
"Have you been noticed on the street yet?" Carla really wanted to know.
They all looked towards Marcy, who blushed. "Yeah."
"What happened?"
"This little girl recognized me from a candy ad and wanted me to give her candy. Her mother recognized me, too and screamed so loudly, the boy putting up the orange display fell face first into the pyramid and all the oranges fell. A woman's cart overturned into a cube of cans, which also fell. It was a giant mess. I ended up buying the kid candy, just so her mother would just stop apologizing."
Carla laughed loudly. "Oh no!"
"Yep."
"What about you guys?"
"We got recognized in class." Mercedes pointed to herself and Quinn. "We were supposed to be listening to a lecture and the people behind us kept whispering then they wanted us to sign their magazines."
"That had to be cool. How do you stay grounded?"
"It's a job. It's an amazing job but it is a job." Marcy said. "Other people can, will and have done as good a job as me at this job so I can't get a big head about it."
"Besides, if we concentrate on just ourselves, we can't help other people and we were always taught the importance of giving back." Mercedes added.
"That's such a beautiful way of thinking. Now I heard you're all related." Carla nodded.
"We're sisters." Quinn pointed to herself and her sisters. "And Karou is our cousin."
"You're sisters?" Carla looked skeptical.
"Yes, ma'am." Mercedes nodded.
"So it's the three of you-?"
"No, there's eight of us."
"Eight?!"
"Laura and Marc are the oldest." Marcy said. "You might recognize Marc by the last two Rams games he's played in."
"Wait! MarcD Jones is your brother?!"
"Yes, he is." Quinn nodded proudly.
"Who else is there?"
"Our big brother, Mike." Mercedes recounted. "He's going to be a big shot dancer one day."
"Then it's us three." Marcy hooked a thumb to indicate them all.
"Then it's Mal, who's a brilliant photographer." Quinn smiled, still flowing with pride.
"And then there's Maddie. If anyone is going to make a career out of modeling, it's her."
"Wow!" Carla blew out a breath before clapping eyes on Karou. "What about you?"
"There's four of us but my siblings are back in Japan." Karou explained. "I have an older brother and my younger siblings are twins, Karan and Kari."
"What about your older brother?"
"Kerani? He's a stock broker."
"Oh wow. Where do you guys draw inspiration from?"
"Mostly our family." Mercedes said. "We're very family oriented."
"Does this family include boyfriends?" Carla asked slyly.
The girls giggled.
"I think that's a yes! Dish!"
"We have girlfriends." Marcy spoke softly.
Carla's face was a study in shock.
"I think you've broke her." Quinn whispered.
"Oops…" Marcy watched her carefully.
"So you're all gay?" Carla sputtered.
"None of us are gay."
"But you said you have girlfriends though?"
"Rou and I are bisexual, MercyCat is pansexual and Quinn is mostly straight. She just happened to fall in love with a girl."
Carla nodded. "Oh wow. How does it feel to be a part of that community and be in the limelight?"
"Actually the community doesn't accept us wholeheartedly."
"Really? Why?"
"We're bi. Bis aren't taken seriously in either community. Pan is a new label but they're not taken seriously either. We're often told to pick a side."
"That's awful. Have any of you ever been with men? Romantically?"
"Are you asking if we've ever had sex with a man?"
"No!" Carla blushed.
"We all have boyfriends, too."
"Wha- what?"
"We're in thruples." Marcy enunciated.
"Thruples? That's-?"
"Three way couples."
"My goodness! How do you juggle two relationships?"
"It's actually four relationships. My relationship with her, my relationship with him, their relationship with each other and all of our relationship together."
"That's a lot. How do you maintain it?"
Marcy looked at Mercedes. She was sick of talking.
Mercedes went next. "It's just like any other relationship. You have to communicate and listen and be honest. You have to be supportive and really want to make it work."
"Can I get any names?" Carla hoped.
"My boyfriend is Finn Hudson and my girlfriend is Rachel Berry, who's playing Fanny Brice in next week's premiere of Funny Girl on Broadway." Quinn boasted.
"My boyfriend is Puck Puckerman and my girlfriend is Anna Picos." Mercedes announced.
"My boyfriend is Mal Chang, who works for Antoll Anelli, and my girlfriend is Ellen Majors." Marcy ran her thumb over her index nail.
"My boyfriend is Arnold Abrams and my girlfriend is Yuria Parker." Karou bragged.
"Now onto some fun questions." Carla smiled. "What's your favorite foods?"
M-A-P
Anna wrestled with Raven. "Come on, sweetie! Put your socks on!"
Raven kicked her feet.
Anna sighed. "Okay, forget it. You'll have cold feet and catch a cold and Mama will hate me."
Raven stared at her before sticking her feet out.
Anna brightened and hurried to put the socks on the infant. She kissed her cheek repeatedly. "Thank you, sweet girl!"
The doorbell rang and Anna thought it could have been Ellen. Both freshmen were taking their daughters to see Marcy at a photo op scheduled during the week.
Usually Anna had class but she'd taken it off so she could take Raven to the doctor later. All of the little girl's parents would have taken her but both Mercedes and Puck had quizzes they couldn't miss (but totally would have had it been serious).
Anna picked up Raven and strode to the front door. She opened it. "Did you lose your key?"
"No, I don't have one."
Anna gaped and almost dropped Raven. It wasn't Ellen who stood there but her own father, Cole Picos. "D-daddy?"
"Hello, Anna." He drank her in before clapping eyes on the baby, who stared back. "Is this her? Is this your daughter?"
Anna's eyes widened. Her father was admitting Raven was hers? She nodded dumbly.
"Can I see her?"
Anna was blown away. "Come- come in."
Cole moved to come inside.
She shut the door behind him. "Shoes."
"Shoes?" He looked down.
"We don't wear shoes in the house."
"Oh." He toed off his loafers.
She led him to the front room and took a seat. She was wildly uncomfortable. "Would you like something to drink?"
"Not yet." He stared at the baby.
Anna sat there for a moment, in shock, before she ruffled herself. "This is Rae. She's 10 months. She can feed herself and likes having her hair brushed."
"She has a lot of it." He swallowed thickly. "Can I hold her?"
"Um… sure." Anna handed Raven over.
Raven took one look at this man and began crying.
"Oh, Rae!" Anna reached to take her back but Cole held her off.
"I know how to calm a baby. I used to soothe you." He rocked her gently. "Where's her pacifier?"
Anna got up to find one. She came back and Raven was quiet. "How'd you do that?"
Cole took the binky and stuffed it in Raven's mouth. She blinked before closing her eyes.
"You're really good at this."
He lifted a shoulder as he continued to rock Raven. "It never really leaves you."
She sat across from him. "What are you doing here?"
His eyes shifted before he looked up. "I'm here to apologize."
"Apologize? For what?"
"For not thinking of you. For not putting you first. When we found out your news, I reacted terribly. I thought about how you were so young and how it could have been you. I didn't want your life to be so hard.
But I was wrong. I should have been there, helping you through it instead of pulling you away from who you love. I was so wrong. I hope you can forgive me."
"Daddy…" Anna didn't know what to say and then she burst into tears.
Cole got up and went to envelope her awkwardly in a hug while trying not to squish Raven. "I'm sorry. I did this. It didn't feel right to make you cry last year but I stood by my decision, thinking you'd get over it.
But you didn't. I saw you getting sadder and sadder but I was convinced you'd snap out of it. But you didn't. And then you left. I was devastated. I knew you'd be back but then you weren't. I had to face the facts that I had to be a man and let you know you were right.
I didn't even know where to look at first. I had no idea where you were but I ran into Mrs. Chang at the dry cleaners and she gushed about how well you all were doing.
I told her I'd forgotten your address and she gave it to me. For an attorney, she's massively trusting. I thought about sending you a letter but I wasn't sure you'd read it. Besides, this is something to do in person."
"What about Mom?" Anna asked.
Cole made a face. "She will come around."
"She's still angry?" It was barely a question.
"She will get over it. When you all go home for the holidays, I want you to come home to us. I love you, Anna. I don't want you to ever think I don't."
Anna sniffled. "I love you, too Daddy."
"Anna?! Are you here?!" Ellen's voice called out.
Anna cleared her throat. "I'm in the living room!"
Ellen came into the room carrying Mickey. "Hey. Hi, Mr. Picos."
"Hello, Ellen." Cole stood.
"Hi, Ellen." Anna stood, too. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yeah." Ellen drew out the word. "Are you?"
"Our stuff is by the door. I'll meet you there."
"Okay." Ellen eyeballed both before tickling Mickey. "Come on, Mickey! Let's go wait by the door!"
"Door!" Mickey called out.
Ellen left.
"You're on your way out?" Cole asked.
"Marcy has this photo thing. We were going to see her before Rae's doctor appointment." Anna shrugged lightly before taking a dozing but not fully asleep Raven from him.
"Photo thing?"
"It's not exactly a photo-shoot but they'll take pictures of her there. I don't understand it but it's supposed to be easy."
He nodded.
"Would you like to come with us?"
He brightened. "I wouldn't want to impose."
"I'm sure she wouldn't mind."
"Alright. I'd love to come."
Anna smiled. She was going to have her father back in her life. It was what she'd wanted since he started drifting away from her in high school. Everything felt right now. "Let's go."
M-A-P
"You are just happy, aren't you?" Marcy raised a brow.
"Yup!" Mal beamed.
Ellen giggled. "Are you that unhappy, Marcy?"
"I don't know how you two keep talking me into going outside." Marcy groused.
"Because you really want to be outside anyway?"
"That's not it."
Mal laughed. "Come on. This is my birthday dinner. Don't make that pouty face or else someone's gonna think I'm torturing you."
"I don't care what other people think. I am being tortured." Marcy frowned.
"Do you really want to go? We can go."
Marcy waved him to sit before he even finished speaking. "Calm down. I'll get over it."
"With a smile?"
"Don't push it."
M-A-P
Rachel was so nervous. She knew she'd driven everyone crazy with how freaked out she was but the girls had pried her out of bed and Finn had given her one of his famous pep talks.
Now she was backstage in her first costume of the night with her friends and parents out in the audience along with every major newspaper in the tri-state area.
She took a deep breath. She could do this. She could do this. She couldn't do this.
The lights went down and the music started. Holy crap! the play was starting! She could feel herself moving but she might as well had been in a tunnel.
She stared out into the bright lights and gulped. Some way, somehow she found Finn and Quinn in the crowd. Both were beaming. Her mouth opened in an excited breath as if she were going to call out to them and her voice raged out of her.
Before Rachel knew it, she was into the song, pouring her heart and soul into it. Euphoria filled her and made her lightheaded but she couldn't stop singing if she tried.
And just like that, everything clicked into place. Her life was complete.
M-A-P
"Thank you for coming, Mr. Shue." Rachel said again.
"I wouldn't have missed it, Rachel. I always knew you'd achieve your dreams." Mr. Shue smiled.
"Come on, Rach!" Mercedes ran into the kitchen. "We're gonna go out and buy a paper to see reviews! It's been long enough!"
Rachel accidentally took a deep breath in a panic. "I don't know."
"Come on, girl!" Mercedes shook her. "You were amazing! Everyone's going to love you! I promise!"
Rachel took her hand. "Thank you so much, Cedes."
"Of course." Mercedes tucked hair before the younger girl's ear.
Mr. Shue's phone rang. "I'll be there in just a few."
"Okay, we'll gather everyone together and wait in the lobby." The two left.
Mr. Shue answered his phone. "Hello?"
It was his pregnant wife. "Will?! It's time!"
"Time? Time for wha-? You're in labor?! You're in labor!"
"Yes! Come home! I'll try to wait for you but it hurts so much!"
"I'll be right there! Hold on, honey! I'm coming!" He hung up, excited beyond measure. He ran out and almost left the apartment without his shoes.
He hurried to stuff his socked feet into his shoes then locked the bottom lock on the door before running to the elevator.
He could hardly wait for it to come before he jumped on and rode to the lobby. His kids were standing in a giant group, waiting for him.
"Emma's in labor!" He shouted.
They began screaming and shouting at him.
"I have to go! I have to go! But Rachel, I am so proud of you! I'm proud of all of you! I wish I could stay-!"
"Go, Mr. Shue!" Finn waved him on. "We'll see you soon! Go have your baby!"
Mr. Shue was humbled by his kids but hurried to hail a cab to take him to his hotel then the train station.
The group waved him off before setting down the street to find the first vendor that sold newspaper.