*HI guys, ok first things first a massive heartfelt thank you, over a 100 reviews. WOW. I am so chuffed. Thank you so much. Honestly this put a spring in my step. I love reading all the responses. And generally just a huge thank you fro reading in the first place. Now for the boring stuff: I own nothing from Glee, and I also own nothing from any other Tv show/Movie/Book/Comic or it's characters mentioned here. BUT above all do enjoy!*
Chapter 24: Dinner for two
"Confession."
Sam and Mercedes had been driving back from the matinee show of Macbeth.
"I actually felt some sympathy for Lady M." Mercedes admitted.
"I know I know, she was a right old witch in every sense of that word and give and take a letter too, but honestly, in the end; when she hopelessly tried to 'wash her hands' of the blood. I couldn't help myself from feeling for her."
Sam had said anything.
"Ok go ahead; tell me I'm going soft." Mercedes rolled her eyes.
"You know I blame you and all those movies you forced me through."
"One I didn't force you, you loved it and two I why would I say that when I agree."
Mercedes gaped at Sam, who in turn chuckled adding:
"I agree about the sympathy, not the soft part, although, Mission Mercy seems to be..."
Sam felt Mercy playfully slap his arm.
"Honestly Mercy I agree. I know the Bard was writing in a different time period under a dissimilar contextual era, but really how different was she or Macbeth for that matter from people today. Deep down aren't we all as fickle and weak in the face of craving success, status, power and money? I'm not even talking about money-hungry tycoons, or shady politicians, but the average guy or girl out there. People who live to work, those who surround themselves in the false sense of security from status and class systems, and those who comfort themselves through the materialistic goods of this world. Isn't that all really what Lady Macbeth wanted herself. To be a somebody. She was just another person who succumbed to the mistress that be greed. I doubt there is anyone in this world who has not been tickled by her yet."
The lights turned red. Sam braked and then upon not hearing Mercy he turned to look her at her. Her eyes were wide, searching his face, her mouth hung open. Sam couldn't help but laugh.
"Sam, it's like you're in my head. And not in the good way, but the freaky kind."
"What?" Sam added laughing.
"No seriously, I swear I wrote something similar for my final thesis at college on English periodical literature. Throw in the scene of her asking her breast-milk and by extension maternal instinct to be substituted with ruthless unfettering determination and you have the bulk of my essay in a nutshell."
"What can I say mercy. I am just that good." Sam added winking, as Mercy shook her head, rolling her eyes.
"Right, so that's what it is." She finished, while suppressing a growing smile.
Sam had wanted to take Mercedes out for dinner that night. But Mercedes had other plans.
"I have just not had the chance, ever since April has been here. Honestly now that we don't live together I forget how bossy she can be. It is a welcomed break that I have the kitchen to myself tonight!"
Sam was laughing.
"So, 6p.m?"
"Sounds great, Mercy, but can we push it back to 7? I don't know how long I'll be in the office. I don't want the food to get cold."
"Sure no problem, just text me when you set off."
"Ok" Sam responded as he leant in to kiss Mercy goodbye.
Mercedes had gotten home for 4.30p.m after having gone grocery shopping for dinner tonight. In reality although the idea of Sam taking her out sounded very tempting Mercedes had other plans. For some reason she really wanted to show off her culinary skills. Partly it was because she actually loved to cook, and ever since April had been around, Mercedes had not had the chance to-put it simply-get creative. There was no denying that April was the better cook, but one thing that Mercy enjoyed which April absolutely despised was experimenting. Mercedes hated following a recipe through. Exact measurements, restrictions on flavours, choices and combinations, sorry but nothing made her feel as constricted. What was wrong with a pinch of salt? Or a dash of honey? And why for the love of baking did everything have to be in whole numbers? Would the chemical reaction not work if she used 274.5 grams of flour instead of 275?
But mainly, Mercy actually wanted to cook for Sam. A proper home-cooked meal from scratch. Yes they had baked together and as much she had enjoyed it, this was something she just wanted to do. She had come to learn that Sam was very traditional and somehow she felt this, sitting at home eating, rather than in some fancy restaurant, would be more personal.
It would be more intimate.
Either which way Mercy felt in her element as she donned on her apron and got busy.
It was 6p.m when she had finished and realised that she needed to get changed.
Now that was another issue entirely. Tonight Mercedes had ulterior motives. Technically she had those motives for a while now, but tonight she was going to put them into fruition. So as to speak. And quite surprisingly Mercedes found herself to be rather calm. She didn't even fret about her outfit, having already decided on a simple black dress: classy, elegant and sexy; her hair already done, she decided when it came to makeup she would accentuate her best features: her eyes and lips. Simple. She was done.
And just on time too, as she saw her phone vibrate. It was a text from Sam.
'Just leaving the office now, be there in 20. Xxx'
Mercedes was taking the potatoes out of the oven, when she heard the bell. Placing the hot dish down carefully Mercedes made her way to the door, checking herself quickly in the mirror, she turned to open the door, only to be greeted by what she could only describe as a Greek God.
Sam was dressed in a simple white shirt, jeans and a black balzer. Yet he managed to put a whole new spin on that classical outfit.
'Damn, I'm going to have to add this shirt to his black top as items that should be illegal.' Mercy thought to herself as Sam greeted her with a kiss.
'The same goes for this cologne.'
"You look stunning." Sam marvelled looking at Mercy with utter glee.
"You scrub up pretty well yourself, Mr Evans."
Mercedes gestured for him to come in and smiled to herself thinking about Sam in actual scrubs and liking that mental image.
"Bottle of Red." Sam pointed as he handed Mercedes the wine he was holding.
"Thank you, I'll add it to the collection: otherwise known as 'stuff that will give us a hangover tomorrow."
Sam chuckled:
"Speak for yourself. I can definitely hold my liquor."
"Oh can you now? Are you seriously going to tell me that you did not wake up with a little bit of headache this morning?"
"Yeah, but I don't think that was from the drink, it was Puck and Jack's singing."
Mercedes laughed recalling how the two had quickly disintegrated into howling cats, by the end of the night.
As Sam entered the kitchen he couldn't help but inhale the heavenly scent of cooking, and smile to himself, it indeed felt like he was back home.
"Wow, Mercy that smell's great. I apologise in advance if my stomach decided to growl."
"Oh no, please let it, it's very flattering."
"Well you know what they say, half of the taste is in the smell."
"Who say's that?"
"I dunno, people, the food channel." Sam responded.
"The food channel?" Mercy repeated snorting a little.
"Oh Mercy are you telling me you have never lounged on the weekend watching the food channel?"
"No Sam. I don't think anyone does that?" Mercedes laughed.
"What?! You don't know what you're missing out on."
"I'm missing out on sitting there and feeling unnaturally hungry all the time."
Sam was shaking his head in disagreement.
"Oh come on Sammy are you seriously telling me you can sit there and watch it and not feel like constantly eating?"
That instant Sam's stomach decided to growl.
"Like music to my ears. Dinner is served." Mercedes smiled.
Without even exaggerating Sam had to admit it was one of the best meals he had ever eaten. And that in itself was an amazing feat: his grandmother and mother were a hard act to follow, which Mercy seemed to effortlessly have done.
"The trick is to just glaze it in honey slightly, to which I added some orange zest."
"That's what it was. WOW. Honestly Mercy I think you just put me in a food coma."
They were now eating the dessert: strawberry cheesecake when Sam suggested it:
"This or that."
"Wait that's the name of the game?" Mercedes asked, her eyebrow raised, as she suppressed a grin.
"Ok so maybe the name could use some inspiration. But yeah. Come on Mercy it'll be a lot of fun."
"Fun?" Mercedes repeated, clearly unconvinced.
"Yes!" Sam responded, looking rather excited.
Mercy was still frowning at Sam, but couldn't help but smile at how bright his eyes shone.
"Really?"
"Yes Mercy really, trust me it's a great way of getting to know another person and yourself I suppose."
"But Sam you already know a lot about me."
"Ok I'll go first then! Please." Mercy could see Sam's pout and she couldn't help but give in.
"Ok so I just ask you to choose between two options?"
Sam nodded excitedly.
"Ok GO." He practically screamed.
"Ok, so Night..." Mercy began before Sam interrupted her:
"Just remember take no time to think."
"Ok Sammy."
"No pauses."
"Ok Sammy."
"No take-backs."
"Ok Sammy."
"No passes."
"Sam sweetie."
"Yes Mercy?"
"Can we just get on with it?"
Sam nodded his head sheepishly, but at noting Mercedes smile he too grinned back broadly flashing his perfect teeth.
"Ok so ready?" Mercedes asked;
"Yup." Sam responded.
"Right then, here we go: Night or Day?"
"Day."
"Summer or Winter?"
"Summer."
"Cars or Bikes?"
"Bikes. Hey I never knew that, guess I have get a Harley at some point."
"Sam, no pauses."
"Sorry."
"Ross and Rachel or Monica and Chandler."
"Mondler." Sam winked grinning.
"Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality or While you were sleeping?" Mercy wiggled her eyebrows,
"Hey, that's not fair."
"No time to think remember Sam?" Mercedes warned.
Sam furrowed his eyebrows.
"Pass."
"No passes Sammy." Mercedes grinned wickedly.
"Miss congeniality. No wait While you were sleeping. No Miss. No..."
"No take-backs Sam!" Mercedes interrupted:
"Come on, tick-tock, tick-tock."
Mercedes mocked as she tapped her watch.
Sam screwed up his face in concentration.
"The proposal." Sam responded back with pride.
Mercedes coked her head to the side; her eyes narrow as she added seriously:
"That's cheating, Sammy."
"What?" Sam gasped, playing along.
"Yes you circumvented the question inventing another option." Mercedes added sternly.
"I don't remember anything in the rules stopping me from 'inventing another option,' now." Sam responded back cheekily.
Mercedes all too wisely noted the change in his voice, it was definitely huskier and Sam had quite obviously closed in on the gap between them.
'Oh hell to the no, Sammy. You are not getting away with this.' Mercedes thought to herself.
"You cheated. So now you pay the price."
Mercedes deliberately pretended that she had noticed how close Sam was to her now, nor that he was pushing her closer to his chest.
"Is that how we're playing it Storm?"
Mercedes nodded her head, leaning back folding her arms;
"I now get to ask you a personal question and you have to answer honestly."
Sam didn't respond.
Mercedes snapped her fingers;
"Sam!"
"Sorry I just thinking should I kiss her now, or mid sentence?"
Mercy opened her mouth in shock at Sam's response who in turn exploiting the opportunity, cut across her crashing his lips onto hers.
They had finished eating, and despite Mercedes telling him otherwise, Sam was insistent that Mercy let him wash up:
"You cooked, so I'll clean. It's only fair." He reasoned, taking the plate from Mercy's hand.
"Sam!" Mercy warned.
"You're a guest in my house; I can't just let you wash up alone." Mercedes added, as she picked up a glass.
"Ok, hows about this Mercy: I wash you dry? Deal?"
"Deal." Mercedes responded, taking the washed plate from Sam's hands.
"Admit it; you just want to help so you can check me out." Sam cheekily coaxed.
"Check what out exactly Sam? You're as flat as paper from the back." Mercedes responded grinning equally as cheekily.
Sam turned to look around, mouth open.
"Why Miss Mercedes Jones." He gasped.
Mercedes just stared at him challenging him to disagree. Sam tried but couldn't hold back his growing smile.
"Ok so maybe you have a point." He conceded.
"Maybe?" Mercedes smirked.
"Yes maybe, but just so you know, if checking out is what you want to do then I'll happily take my shirt off, just say the word." Sam nonchalantly finished as he felt Mercedes playfully slap his shoulder while laughing.
"Duly noted Mr Evans. Duly noted."
"Ok I hope you have room in there." Mercedes poked Sam's stomach and then turned around, while adding;
"Because you left in such a hurry on Thursday that you forgot to take these..."
Mercedes turned to produce the brownies they had baked together and laughed when she saw Sam's eyes light up and his hands reach out for the plate.
"I also baked some fresh ones this morning and added something extra to them."
"What?" Sam added as he hungrily wolfed down the first piece of brownie and went to take the second.
"You'll just have to taste it and find out." Mercy responded.
"You know I had a lot of fun baking. And that Lamb was incredible. You're going to have to show me how to make it."
"Well since Sammy you've already proved to be quite the kitchen assistant. It would be a pleasure."
They had settled themselves on the couch, Mercy was resting her head on Sam's chest who in turn was playing with her hair as they watched: upon Sam's insistence the food channel.
It was then when Mercedes first heard Sam speak:
"Mercy." Sam had whispered it softly;
"Hmm?" Mercedes responded,
There was pause, Mercy turned to look up towards Sam, shifting so she was now sat beside him. Sam had paused, his face serious but soft. It was as though he was contemplating something; his eyes were now very dark, the green almost vanishing.
"It's just, I, you..." Sam paused again and this time when he spoke his eyes locked into Mercedes. He placed his hand carefully on Mercy's, lifting it, he placed his other hand below it, squeezing it gently he added:
"Last night you were incredible." Sam waited, noting that Mercy's full attention was upon him, he continued;
"I know it couldn't have been easy and well honestly I'm so proud of you." Sam was smiling widely now:
"I couldn't believe it when I heard your name; I actually nearly literally fell in shock." This elicited a small laugh from Mercedes who recalled how quickly Sam had turned upon hearing her name last night, just as she took to the stage.
"I just want you to know that you're amazing. You really are. Naturally I totally fanboy over your voice. But what you did it just..." Sam sighed as he finished.
"Thank you."
Mercedes took a deep breath, she looked down at her hand which was still in Sam's grasp and got up, to sit on Sam's lap. Resting her head on Sam's shoulder, Sam in turn leant forward to kiss her tenderly on the forehead as he heard her whisper into his ear:
"No Sam. Thank you."
Mercedes closed her eyes.
"It felt so liberating to be able to do that. To sing. You have no idea how much I missed it. I had no idea how much I missed it."
She was now smiling as she continued:
"If it hadn't have been for you, then, I may never have been able to do that. You've been so supportive and patient, you gave me the courage I didn't even realise I had lost, Sam."
Sam kissed Mercy on top of her head as she continued:
"Singing meant everything to me at one point in my life, and for me to have shut it out so easily for so long, it...it amazes me."
Mercedes lifted her head, locking her eyes into Sam's she spoke once again, meaning every single word:
"So, thank you."
Sam smiled back before Mercy felt his lips on her own.
In that moment both Sam and Mercedes had said much more to each other, than they had quite realised. It was no shock that both had felt something, something more than they quite possibly had ever done before for one another. Yet neither one of them had quite said those three words to each other. But that is not to say that they didn't feel that way.
When they broke apart, Mercy got up, Sam was about to follow suit, when Mercedes said:
"Wait, I'll be right back."
As Mercedes exited the room, Sam sat there, smiling like a fool after her. It's weird, for a guy like Sam, a thorough romantic fool; he had never quite felt the way he was doing now.
And all this for a girl who quite simply was the exact opposite of him.
Or was she?
So true, Mercedes wasn't a romantic, but she was still very warm, welcoming and sincere. Yeah she hated the idea of candle lit dinners, but that had all changed with Sam in fact today as Sam noted Mercedes had actually lit candles. For someone who generally disliked flowers too, Mercedes found that each time Sam bought her flowers, she would internally melt. Heck Mercedes also realised (earlier that day in fact) that she had looked at an older coupled and smiled, just as Sam had said she would, and for some reason even the rain-which she had also loved-somehow now felt more romantic and instead of putting her off it made her smile.
Mercedes made her way back to Sam, her right hand behind her back, while she extended her left before her, taking Sam's hand, she turned it over so as to expose his palm;
"Mercy?"
"Shh." Mercedes responded, as she placed a toothbrush (white) that had been wrapped up in a red bow in his hand.
Sam looked at it a little confused, before he heard Mercy:
"You'll need it..." She now took Sam's hand into her own, while adding
"...In the morning."
Sam saw colour rise to Mercy's cheeks, as she tugged slightly at his hand, Sam got up as Mercedes looked at him with her 'come hither' eyes. Tightening her grip on his head, she wordlessly led him to her room.
*I hope you enjoyed it. I usually update weekly, but next weekend is my 21st Birthday so I probably won't get a chance to up date. Added to that since I am now mid my final semester of Uni, workload in building. That does not mean I am abandoning this fic or going on a hiatus, but it does mean that the gap between updates will be reasonably longer. I will keep you guys in the loop, but for now, it shouldn't be too much of an issue. Anyway as ever please have a lovely weekend folks and until next time ;) *