Ugh! I am not in a good place right now. I wish I were and I could tell you guys that I'm happy and writing and will update every time I say I will but unfortunately I can't.

Thank you for understanding about Wednesday but I can't promise it won't happen again… and probably soon.

Anyway, enjoy and review!

NJPNJPNJP

Mercedes opened the door and Mike set her luggage on the ground just inside the door. "Sure you don't want me to take them upstairs?"

"No." She assured him. "I got it."

"You can take mine." Quinn offered.

Mercedes hit her arm. "He's not a pack mule!"

Quinn pouted and sulked.

Mike kissed her cheek. "Call Puck."

"You want me to leave my things down here until he gets back just to avoid picking them up myself?" She twisted her lips. "Okay."

Mike was tickled but he said nothing as Mercedes groaned. "Quinn!"

"It's the least he could do. I've been traveling all day. He should be delighted to see me and do this little thing."

"I don't know what to do about you." Mercedes shook her head.

"Love me." Quinn moved into the apartment and shoved her luggage to the chaise before taking Fluffy from her pet carrier.

Mike hooked his chin at the white kitten. "How's Ozzie going to take her?"

"Ozzie's going to love her." Mercedes sniffed.

"Just like he'll love Harmony?" Quinn nuzzled Fluffy.

"I know he will."

"Okay, I gotta go." Mike didn't want to be privy to this fight. "I'll see you later. Wanna do dinner?"

"You don't have to go to sleep early for rehearsals tomorrow?" Mercedes twisted her fingers up in his coat.

"I'm young." He shrugged.

She smiled. "Come down here and I'll cook. We'll go to bed early."

"Okay!"

"We're going to sleep!"

"I don't wanna do that."

Quinn laughed as Mercedes slapped his chest. "We're going to sleep. You're getting paid to be sharp during your dances."

He wiggled.

"You get on my nerves. Go and unpack."

He kissed her before walking out. "See you, Q."

"Bye, Mikey!" Quinn wiggled her fingers.

Mercedes closed the door behind him and blew out a breath. "I guess we should get started."

"Are you doing laundry?" Quinn ran a hand over Fluffy's eyes.

"Yes. All of my clothes are dirty."

"I don't want to but I should bring my clothes upstairs."

"Come on. Might as well get started. I still have to go get Ozzie from the kennel."

Quinn set Fluffy on her feet and picked up a bag. "Where is Puck when you need him?"

"He's not a bellhop." Mercedes deadpanned.

Quinn smirked. "I guess I'll just have to make multiple trips."

"Yes, you will."

Quinn picked up another bag and hefting both, walked to the staircase with Mercedes on her heels. "You know Grandmom wants to see us tomorrow for brunch."

"Yeah, I know. Aunt Marigold thought we were in trouble so she delighted in telling me."

"She's the meanest woman on Earth and we knew Sue Sylvester."

"Completely true." Mercedes kissed her teeth.

"Did you hear that her divorce is finalized?"

"Yes."

"Aunt Daisy told me. She couldn't stop laughing about how he ran for the hills."

"Aunt Lily told me and she laughed long and hard about that, too."

"What'd Aunt Violet say about it?"

It made sense for Quinn to ask how Violet felt about the situation because more than likely Violet was with Lily when Lily said what she said. The two were always together. "She said it wasn't nice for Aunt Lily to laugh and that it was sad that Aunt Marigold's marriage ended."

"Of course. Angel Aunt Violet."

"She is an angel." Mercedes admitted as they reached the second floor.

"And you're just like her." Quinn teased.

Mercedes wiggled her nose at her to show her displeasure. "I am not just like her!"

"What is it that Marcy calls you? Saint Mercy?"

Mercedes narrowed her eyes but before she could say anything, Santana's door opened. "Finally! Where have you been?!"

Mercedes blinked. "Hey, Tana-"

"Don't "hey, Tana" me! I've been waiting on you for hours!"

Quinn rolled her eyes. "You act like we ran off and left you-"

"You did!"

Quinn set her mouth. "Stop complaining and help us. We have more stuff downstairs."

"Of course you do." Santana crossed her arms.

"That's why I'm taking back your present!"

Santana's lips twisted. "I guess I'm sorry."

"Deep remorse." Mercedes quipped.

"I'll help you. But you have to listen to me complain because I was here all by myself and so bored!" Santana bargained.

"As long as we can ignore you." Quinn rolled her eyes again.

"Fine. But you have to cook me something as soon as we're done. And you guys got a lot of packages while you were gone."

"I'm not cooking you nothing." Quinn snapped.

"Like I'd hold my breath for that." Santana waved a hand. "I want my Wheezy's cooking. And some of Patti's cookies."

"It's January." Mercedes lifted her shoulders. "Marcy's not going to bake anything."

"What?!"

Quinn grinned. "She only bakes for December. We told you that."

"She could break out of that!"

"She's not going to. Marcy hates baking as much as she hates cooking."

"She owns a bakery." Santana deadpanned.

"And she has a head baker so she won't have to."

"This is ridiculous!"

"You'll have to go to the shop to get some cookies for another ten months."

Santana groaned. "I got used to cookies everyday."

"Me too." Both Mercedes and Quinn admitted.

"We'll have to trick her."

Mercedes and Quinn looked at each other. "Trick her?"

"Yeah. Tell her there's a new recipe or something that she should use at the bakery and she should try them out on us first."

"Then she'll actually have to try out cookies on us." Mercedes said slowly.

"It takes a while to perfect a recipe." Quinn narrowed her eyes. "She could be feeding us poison cookies until she gets it right."

"But-" Santana pouted.

"That's if she goes for it."

Santana sighed. "Where's your bags? Let's get started."

Mercedes wrapped an arm around her. "I'll bake you a pie. All for you and then I'll walk with you to the shop and buy you cookies."

"I like the cookies regardless but Patti has a special touch. Her head baker doesn't match."

"I think we all know that." Quinn supposed. "There's more customers when she's working."

"Maybe if I cry, she'll bake you some cookies?" Mercedes suggested.

"You think so?" Santana didn't want to get her hopes up.

"Sure."

"And you can cry on cue?"

"I'm not as good at it as she is but I'm pretty convincing."

"Yeah, didn't you see how fast she started crying when Mrs. C tried to guilt trip her?" Quinn grinned.

Mercedes smirked. "She's good."

"And pregnant." Santana pointed out. "You're willing to emotionally manipulate your pregnant sister for me?"

Mercedes hugged her. "It's just over cookies. That shouldn't be bad. Right?"

Quinn shrugged.

Santana grinned. "Right! Let's get your stuff and we can go beg!"

A sound on the stairs had them turning around but it was only Fluffy.

"Am I going crazy or is that a dropped cotton ball?"

Quinn glared. "That's my new kitten! Our cousin, Timmy got her for me!"

"Why?"

"He got nearly every female a pet. I have a bird." Mercedes explained.

Santana linked arms with her. "Besides the bird, what all did you guys get?"

Mercedes smiled as the three passed Fluffy to go down the stairs. "Let me tell you!"

MMC

Mercedes, Quinn and Santana went through the house looking for Marcy. They found Mal first. He told them to look in the laundry room.

They found her there, sorting clothes to be washed. "Hey!"

"Sup?" She threw in two pods and shut the washer.

"Are you completely unpacked?" Mercedes asked.

"Yeah. I'm just washing now."

"You're so fast." Quinn complimented.

"What do you want?" Marcy asked suspiciously.

"Why would I want anything?"

"I know you, Fabray."

She pouted.

"It's not what she wants." Mercedes blinked a lot to get started crying. "It's me. I know it's January but I have a craving for fresh cookies. Your fresh cookies. Will you please bake me some?"

"Sure." Marcy nodded.

Mercedes was shocked. She didn't even get to cry yet. "Sure?"

"Yeah." Marcy washed her hands at the sink and walked out.

They followed her. dumbfounded. "Really?!"

"What part of yes aren't you getting?" She went to the kitchen.

Quinn spoke first. "Why? You don't bake in January."

"I don't have anything to do while I'm washing clothes. Might as well."

"Well then we can tell the truth!" Santana rubbed her hands together. "I wanted the cookies!"

"Really? Then I'm not making anything!"

"Marcy!" Mercedes poked her.

Marcy giggled. "I'm kidding! Chill out!"

"You're so mean sometimes!"

"Keep talking and you'll actually talk yourself out of cookies."

"Hush, Wheezy!" Santana waved her hand.

Mercedes gave her a sour look. "I see I'm not wanted!"

"Of course you are, Mercy." Marcy got the ingredients together to make coconut mandolins.

"I love you pregnant!"

"Me too!" Quinn sat on a stool. "Where's Rou and Yuria?"

"At the movies." Marcy measured things.

"We should go to the movies." Mercedes said. "When's your movie coming out?"

"April."

"Before or after the wedding?"

"Before."

"That is insane. So close to the wedding?"

"It's more than three months away." She shrugged.

"What are you thinking of planning?"

"The ceremony will be easier. But I need a headcount and church."

"Shouldn't you ask Mal who he wants to invite?" Quinn pressed.

"I caught that, Q. I just didn't want to dive right in."

"You might have to. Churches book up fast. Like you said, it's more than three months away."

"Ugh!" Marcy's head fell back. "You're right. I need to start calling churches today."

"What about getting Secret and Smith from the kennel?" Mercedes asked.

"I should do that now. The sooner they get used to Shaggy, the more I can concentrate on other things."

Santana scoffed in hurt. "What about my cookies?!"

"I'll finish when I get back." She started putting away the batter she'd made.

Santana glared at Mercedes and Quinn. "This is all your faults!"

"You'll get your cookies." Quinn rolled her eyes.

"Are you at least going to get started cooking me something?"

"I have to get Ozzie with Marcy then do laundry when I get back." Mercedes declined. "How about I make you dinner tomorrow?"

"Why not today?" Santana sulked.

"I'm making Mikey dinner."

"What?! You just saw him for like twelve days!"

"Tana!"

Santana grumbled.

"I will make you dinner tomorrow. Now stop pouting."

Santana crossed her arms.

"Let's go, Mercy." Marcy finished cleaning up her mess. "Let me just tell Mal what's up and we can leave."

"You check in?" Santana gave attitude.

"They're in a serious relationship!" Mercedes couldn't believe her.

"We have kids." Marcy raised a brow. "I can't just take off. He needs to know just in case he thinks he can leave for a moment or go to sleep or just needs to check on them."

"Maturity. Consideration."

"Communication." Quinn quipped.

"Yeah, whatever." Santana rolled her eyes.

"And goodbye." Marcy rolled her own emerald orbs.

"I have unpacking to do." Quinn said smugly as she left.

"Yes. Put all your dirty clothes in the laundry room." Mercedes commanded.

"I meant unpacking my presents. And unwrapping the rest." Quinn grinned.

Mercedes swatted her. "Silly girl!"

Quinn raised her shoulders slightly. "I think I'll call Puck to help me."

"He'll love that. He's like Mikey. They like playing with the wrapping paper like the twins."

"They're so weird."

"But we love them."

"That says more about us then it does about them."

Mercedes laughed. "Quinn!"

Even Santana cracked a smile.

Marcy walked back in. "I checked on the laundry and the twins. Mal's going to watch both and write down a list of who he wants to invite to the wedding."

"Who are you thinking of?" Mercedes wanted to know.

"I know a lot of people." She slid her purse over her shoulder. "Let's go."

"I gotta get my purse and coat."

"Well come on. We're just standing here getting older."

Mercedes poked her. "Stop it!"

Marcy poked her back. "You stop it!"

"You both stop it." Quinn waved her hands. "You're both pretty."

"We're not you. We don't need to be constantly told we're pretty."

Santana fell out laughing.

Quinn clenched her fists. "You're as annoying as Jr.!"

"Is that why he loves me?" Marcy asked.

Quinn screamed lowly.

Mercedes let out a giggle. "Marcy, stop teasing Quinn."

"You won't come on!" Marcy complained.

"Fine! Let's go!"

"Thank you! And you got to get out."

Quinn stomped out.

Santana followed, laughing hard.

Mercedes finally moved out of the kitchen with Marcy on her heels. "Why'd you do that to her?"

"If I didn't, she'd think I didn't like her." Marcy blinked innocently.

Mercedes threw up her hands.

MMC

Mercedes unlocked the door and led Ozzie inside. "Mommy has a surprise for you!"

Ozzie yipped and danced a little, excited to be home.

She took off her coat and stuff and hung them up before taking him off his leash. He spun in circles as she giggled. "Come on, boy! Let's go upstairs so you can see your new sister!"

Ozzie barked.

She led him upstairs and to her suite of rooms. She opened the door to her bed and let Ozzie hop up on his favorite chair. "Look, boy! See the bird?"

Ozzie turned to view the bird and barked again.

Mercedes picked him up and put him right in front of the cage. His legs pumped, trying to get away.

Harmony eyed him then Mercedes before squawking.

"This is your brother, Ozzie." Mercedes said. She shut the door and opened the cage. The bird stayed inside. "Come on, Harm. He's a good doggy."

Harmony hopped over before peeking at Ozzie. She kept coming closer until she rested on Mercedes's hand. She rubbed her tiny head against Ozzie, who stopped trying to get away.

"Aww!" Mercedes cooed.

Harmony began singing.

Ozzie yipped before licking the nightingale.

Mercedes put her back in her cage before setting Ozzie down. He jumped back up into the chair that was right by the table the cage was on.

Mercedes left them alone to go do laundry.

MMC

"I can't believe we're really going to sleep." Mike complained.

Mercedes reached back to swat him.

"You're already pregnant. What's going to happen?"

"Stop it, horndog! We can be together and not do anything!"

"Where's the fun in that?!"

"How about we talk then?"

"All you had to do was say, "Go to sleep"."

She hit him harder.

MMC

"You must be wondering why I called you here for brunch." Christina wiped her mouth on a napkin.

Mike, Mercedes, Quinn, Marcy and Mal nodded. "Yeah."

"I want young people's opinions."

They stared at her.

"It's nothing bad!" She laughed. "I know I told Mikey but I want to have a family reunion."

"A family reunion?" Quinn questioned.

"Whose family?!" Marcy demanded.

Christina laughed. "Our family!"

"You want us to get together for more than Christmas?" Mercedes loved that.

"And weddings and funerals. We don't see each other nearly enough. I live in the same city as most of my children and I never see them."

"Well I think it's a great idea, Grandmom!" Quinn smiled.

"Thank you, Quinnie! Now I want your opinions on what country to hold it in."

"Where haven't we been before?" Marcy asked.

"Ooh! We can go to Beijing!"

"Haven't been there." Mal smirked.

"Thanks for the idea, Marcy!"

"Glad to help." Marcy muttered.

"Now what week do you have off this summer?"

"Week?!" They all gasped.

"I was thinking two weeks but we all work so much. Summer is perfect because it'll be sunny wherever we have it and the kids will be on break."

"Aren't you going on tour this summer?" Marcy pressed.

"Yes but I can move some things around." Christina waved that away. "It's my tour."

"Grandmom, we might be going on tour this summer." Mercedes protested lightly.

"And I have to find a new show to do." Mike brought up.

"I should stay close to Antoll this summer." Mal added.

"I have a bakery to run and three kids." Marcy frowned.

"Modeling is tough in the summer." Quinn went on.

Christina waved her hands. "It'll be a week this summer. Don't make me make it two."

They stopped protesting.

"I thought so. Now what week is relatively open for you all?"

Next up on This Life I Lead… Mal's show takes a disastrous turn.