Here is another Chapter! I hope you guys enjoy it!
Mercedes mixed another drink and passed it to the man sitting in front of her. It had been three months since she started working at the bar. Three months since she moved out of Mike's place, she found a small one-bedroom loft that was gated and right next to the bar she was working at.
Mike hadn't wanted her to move out, but she needed to protect him and Sam. She was so worried her family would hurt them; it was making her sick; the stress had started to manifest itself, in ways of nausea and stomach pains, to the point where she figured she was growing an ulcer.
With the season underway and her place about 20 minutes from theirs, she didn't have to worry about seeing Sam that often since they didn't visit that bar that much. Sam was mighty pissed that she was ignoring his calls, so bothering her once a week became a thing.
As she turned to grab another customer a beer, she felt eyes on her, one that couldn't have been anyone but Sam. He walked to the bar with Mike and Tina and smiled. "Can I get a beer and a minute with the beautiful bartender?"
Mercedes laughed, rolling her eyes as she grabbed two beers for Mike and Sam and then made Tina a cosmo, which she eyed and shook her head.
"Can I get you guys anything else?"
"You can give me your time," Sam said, and Mercedes rolled her eyes. "I am working, but good game tonight."
"I hit a few home runs, dedicated them to you." He teased, and Mercedes raised her eyebrow.
She shook her head, laughing and walking away as Sam started to talk about the game. Mercedes heard her name being called, so she moved down to the man calling out for her but immediately felt sick as he breathed on her; his breath smelled like hot garbage. "OH God!" She whimpered, covering her mouth. "Marls, can you-" She couldn't even finish as she ran to the back towards the bathroom, barely making it before upchucking her entire week's dinner.
It took her a moment to realize that Tina, Mike, and Sam were there. Sam moved towards her pulling her hair back as she puked again.
"Cedes? Are you okay?"
"Mercy?" Mike asked as Tina grabbed a paper towel and wetted it, putting it on Mercedes' neck.
"Merce, are you okay? Did you eat something bad?" Tina said, not moving closer to her but concerned.
Mercedes shook her head. "I think…I think it's just stress; I'm okay; it doesn't last long."
"It doesn't?" Tina asked. "So it's happened before?"
Mercedes sighed. "Yeah, all month, actually."
Tina side-eyed her. "Hey Mike, Sam, can you give us a minute? One of you maybe get her some Ginger Ale?"
Sam nodded. "I can get the drink, no problem."
Sam moved out of the room, and Mike leaned against the door. "Don't mind me."
Tina shook her head, looking at Mercedes and leaning in and whispering. "Are you sure it can't be…well, you know?"
Mercedes got up and went to the sink. She rinsed her face off and sighed. "I don't…T you have to have sex to get pregnant, and I haven't had sex since…Oh no…no no no…."
Mike moved close to her. "No, no, what?"
"It's not possible," Mercedes said, running her hands through her hair.
"What's not possible, Mercedes?" Mike asked, concerned. Mercedes frowned, turning back to the toilet, feeling sick as Tina moved closer to Mike. "Mike, can you get us a couple of pregnancy tests?"
Mike's eyes widened, but Tina shook her head. "Tell Sam to wait at the bar, and you go get us a few tests, now."
Mike hesitated before heading out.
Tina looked at Mercedes. "What happened?"
Mercedes sighed. "Leaning her head against the wall. "I had sex with Sam like three months ago…."
"Was he wearing a condom?"
Mercedes shook her head. "No, but we are both clean, and I was on the pill at the time."
"Was? You aren't anymore?" Tina asked.
"Like a month and a half ago, I started feeling really bad. I thought it was from the sinus infection I had a few weeks prior, and my doctor said to stop taking all prescriptions until I came in and see her. My appointment is tomorrow. But I was on the pill when we had sex, so I am good."
"Merce, did you get antibiotics for your sinus infection?"
Mercedes nodded. "Yeah, so?"
"And was that before or after you were with Sam?"
"Before…why?"
Tina shook her head. "You do remember why you don't have sex while on antibiotics, right? Because of what happened to Millie?"
Mercedes looked at her for a long moment, then frowned. "Well, shit."
"Yeah, shit, but don't worry, Mike will bring us the tests, and we can find out for sure," Tina said, chewing her bottom lip.
"We?" Mercedes asked.
Tina sighed. "I think… well, I don't know because my period is late, so I wonder if I am. I am on the pill too, but I'm really late…like a few months too."
"Why did you wait so long to test?" Mercedes asked.
"Why did you think it was stress? Denial."
Mercedes reached out and took her hand; Mike chose that moment to show up with a bag of four pregnancy tests.
"I didn't know how many to get, so I got four," Mike said softly.
"Thank you, um, let us have some privacy, baby; I am sure Mercedes doesn't want you watching her."
Mike nodded. "Okay, just… okay."
Mike walked out, and Tina and Mercedes looked at each other. They both took two boxes and went into the stalls. After they both peed on two sticks, they came out and placed them on the sink, washing their hands.
Mercedes chewed her bottom lip nervously; she wrung her hands out as she paced the floor.
"Mercy, you are freaking me out here, and I am trying my best to not freak out."
"T you have Mike, you guys are in love, engaged…, so if you get pregnant, that's fine. But me… can't be…."
"Are you worried Sam won't take care of the baby?"
Mercedes shook her head. "No, I'm worried he will want to be involved." She said honestly. "And Lord, if my parents find out! I can't be pregnant." She breathed.
Mike and Sam knocked on the door before they opened it. Mike walked in first. "Okay, what do they say…." He looked at the four tests, confused. "You took all four?"
Tina sighed. "No. Um, I took two, too."
"Pregnancy tests? Wait, who is…." He looked at Mercedes, who was trying her best not to look at him.
Mike shook his head, confused. "Tina, why didn't you tell me?"
She shrugged. "We just got engaged… It…"
Mike ran his hands through his hair. "Okay, well, what do they say?"
Tina closed her eyes before leaning over and picking up one of the tests and staring at it. She blinked and grabbed the second one, then stared at Mike. "I uh."
Mike looked down and smiled brightly. "We're having a baby."
Tina nodded, and Mike lifted her in the air pulling her closer and kissing her forehead. "I'm gonna be a dad!"
Mercedes stared at the two of them and smiled, walking closer and hugging them as Sam smiled.
"Congratulations, guys! But T, did you have to take all four?" He moved closer to the other tests. "If you were wondering, these are positive too."
Mercedes froze, and Tina looked at her. "Oh my God! Are you-are we?"
Mike went from happy to angry in one swoop and turned to Mercedes. "Merce! Are you serious? You let some guy knock you up?"
Sam looked up. "I'm sorry, what?"
Mercedes placed her hand on her stomach, feeling sick all over again. "Oh my…oh."
Mike shook his head. "Who is it? Who got you pregnant? I'll kick his ass!"
Mercedes looked at Sam, and Sam moved closer to her. "Merce?"
Mercedes swallowed hard and exhaled heavily; she chose to ignore Mike and answer Sam. "The other two are mine; I'm pregnant."
Mike moved in front of Sam. "Mercedes, tell me who the father is!"
Tina pulled him back. "Mike, stop."
Sam stared at her. "How far…did you… am I?"
"I've felt sick for a while now, but I never thought…I was on the pill, but I had also taken antibiotics…I didn't…I didn't mean for this…." She said, starting to ramble on, feeling tears well up.
Sam pulled Mercedes into his arms, holding her close. "I'm gonna be a dad."
Mike stared at the two before reality hit him. "You? Sam, you had sex with Mercedes? After I told you and everyone else to stay the hell away from her!?" Mike yelled, and Sam moved Mercedes behind him and turned to Mike.
"It happened, and we can't take it back; even if we could, I wouldn't."
Mercedes moved in front of Sam. "Let's get back to this thing where you told the guys to stay away from me! I mean, it's my choice who I spend time with!"
"Merce, I was just looking out for you after what happened to you…Mercedes, I didn't want you to get put in this situation." Mike defended.
"Like I am a damn pod person? A user? Manipulator? Because I wouldn't want to take care of Mercedes and our child? Because I am one of these losers who gets multiple women pregnant and leaves them?" Sam spat sadly. "That's really how you see me?"
Mike immediately stepped back, feeling guilty. "Sam, you know that I don't think of you like that! But Mercedes is my sister, and I have to protect her, and we all know how you used to be."
"Used to be, doesn't mean I am that way now, and it doesn't mean that I won't be there for her. And it's none of your business anyways."
"The hell it's not! You got my sister pregnant, and she doesn't need this!" Mike yelled.
"She doesn't need this? Or me?!" Sam volleyed back.
Mercedes shook her head and turned away from both men as they continued to fight, grabbing her pregnancy tests and leaving them to themselves. She needed to figure out what she was going to do.
Mercedes had gone home, threw up a few more times, then laid on her sofa, not wanting to move from that spot until she was sure what she was going to do. After Sam and Mike got into it a few days ago. Mike called, and what started as a call to try and see if she was okay turned into him calling her irresponsible and her hanging up on him.
Three Days Ago
Mercedes grabbed her cookies and cream Ice Cream and plopped down on the couch, eating a spoonful as her phone rang. Seeing it was Mike again, she was tempted not to answer it, but she knew that he would continue to call her and maybe even show up if she didn't answer.
"Can I help you?"
"I'm sorry, Merce, I was an ass, but you have to understand I was shocked. What were you thinking?" Mike breathed.
"I was thinking that I was attracted to Sam, and one time wouldn't hurt."
"Yeah, well, how did that work out for you?" He bit.
Mercedes rolled her eyes. "And that is why I didn't want to answer, and why would I when all you are gonna do is judge me."
"Mercedes, you know the kind of man Sam is! He's a player!"
"He was Mike! But he's changed, and you should know that! You have seen how different he is, how sweet; he's not a bad guy." Mercedes said, defending Sam.
"He's not the guy for you."
"Yeah, that isn't your call to make now, is it?" She said harshly.
"Mercedes, after everything you have been through, after all the pain your family caused me when we first became close, how could you be so irresponsible with your life, with his?"
"Wow, Mike, I went to bat with you, I stopped them from using you, helped you build a case against them, and you still hold that against me? I thought we were past that, but I see we weren't. I gotta go." She said softly, hanging up.
Mercedes closed her eyes; she hadn't brought friends around because her family used them to get what they wanted. But they had a project due. The moment her family met Mike, they pried information out of him, including the fact he had two very wealthy parents and an inheritance.
After they failed to convince Mercedes to go after him, they got her sister to do it and almost convinced his parents to give them $100,000 for a "Charity" they ran. It was pure luck Mercedes overheard them and warned Mike; she also threatened to go to the police if her parents didn't tell the Chang's they had all the "donations they needed. Mercedes explained everything to Mike, and he graciously accepted her apology; he was so kind and caring.
He convinced her it wasn't her fault, and he supported her when all she wanted to do was run away. She felt powerless in the situation, but Mercedes found the strength to leave.
Her phone rang again, and she knew it was Mike or Sam, but she wasn't taking that bait this time. She didn't want to talk to either of them. She even had to call off early last night and the night before because Sam kept showing up.
Hearing someone buzzing to come up to her place, she groaned. It was getting to the point that she felt the buzzing in her head…and it was giving her a headache.
Getting up, she shook her head, hitting the button. "What?!"
"I brought you pizza." She heard Sam say through the buzzer.
"Sam, why are you here?"
"I didn't want you to be alone." He said softly, and she sighed heavily, letting him up. She didn't want to, and if she could ignore it all, she would have, but Sam was sweet, and they did need to talk.
As he knocked on her door, she pulled her blanket over herself and opened the door revealing Sam in what looked like his practice uniform. She tugged her blanket closer; she knew she looked a mess, her hair was thrown in a messy bun at this point, and she wore a long T-shirt and a pair of boy shorts.
Mercedes locked the door as Sam came in and moved back to the couch, laying back down. She watched as Sam stared at her for a moment, then moved around her kitchen like it was his. He returned with two plates of pizza and two cans of ginger ale.
She turned towards him and frowned. "I didn't mean to just leave, but I couldn't face it all, you know? You and Mike fighting; it shouldn't be that way."
"Mike and I will be okay; I am more worried about you, Mercedes; why didn't you come to me? Do you feel like Mike does that I am irresponsible?"
Mercedes shook her head. "Sam, being pregnant at all would be difficult to hide from my family, but being pregnant with your child…I can't do that to you."
"Do what?!" He said, taking her hand. "Mercedes, you aren't making any sense."
She shook her head. "Nothing, Sam; now that you know I am pregnant, what do you want to do? I can't…I can't think about not having it."
Sam smiled. "I want you to have this baby and be in this child's life."
Mercedes chewed her bottom lip nervously. "Sam…I don't want you to think I want anything from you. I can make my own way and take care of this baby."
"You may not want anything from me, but you will get it. But that being said, we will work at your pace, and I won't push."
Mercedes nodded. "I understand. And I appreciate that."
Sam kissed her forehead. "I want you to come to my game."
"Sam, I don't know."
Sam smiled. "Please. My family will be there, and I would play better with you there."
"You want me there, with your family?" She asked, confused.
"Yes, we may not be telling people we are pregnant yet, but I would like to at least have you meet them."
"Why?"
Sam took her hand and kissed it gently. "I like you, Mercedes, and I think you know that. And I think if you give me a chance, we can make something really special here."
"Sam, I don't know what you think will happen, but I am willing to be friends."
Sam gave her a lopsided grin as he wiggled his eyes. "Okay, for now, just come to the game. Please."
Mercedes rolled her eyes, blushing. "Fine." Sam hugged her, moving to grab a piece of pizza and handing it to her. "Eat. With you carrying my child, I am sure they are very demanding." He teased.
Mercedes was nervous, Sam wanted her to go to the game, and she was just not sure it was the right move. Sam had sent her his jersey to wear, said it was tradition, and he would appreciate her wearing it like his family did. And since she wasn't showing, she didn't mind wearing it. Plus, a part of her that she didn't want to admit to liked that Sam wanted her to wear his jersey.
As she finished dressing, Tina walked into her room. "Are you ready? The game starts soon."
Mercedes held her stomach and sighed. "I'm okay, just feeling off, you know? I think it's just because of Sam and his family."
"They are pretty awesome; I sit with them a lot. Mary, Sam's mom, will love you."
"Until she learns I am pregnant," Mercedes sighed. "I think maybe I should sit this game out."
Tina took her arm and shook her head. "Oh, you are coming. I will not be the only pregnant one there. Look, I have the same jitters as you do. At the end of the day, we can't run away, and we have to just keep swimming."
Mercedes snorted. "Okay, Dory."
"Now come on, and let's talk about how I am having a boy, you a girl, and they will grow up, fall in love, and live happily ever after."
"What if we both have girls?" Mercedes asked.
"Same thing," Tina said, smirking as they left Mercedes's place.
Once they arrived at the Stadium, Mercedes couldn't even hide her grin as Sam and Mike walked toward them.
Mike started at Mercedes and folded his arms across his chest. "You still mad at me?"
Mercedes tilted her head to the side but didn't say anything.
"I didn't mean to bring up the past; I was just…I was wrong. Please forgive me." Mike said sincerely. "I won't make that mistake again."
Mercedes sighed. "Fine, I guess."
Mike smiled as he pulled Mercedes into his arms, hugging her. "You're my sister, and I love you. And I will do my best to respect what you and Sam decide to do."
Mercedes nodded. "Okay. I mean, if we are gonna be inlaws, we need to get along."
Mike pulled away from her. "What?"
"Ask your wifey," Mercedes said, looking at Sam as he walked towards her with a smile.
"You look beautiful in my jersey; gotta say you wear it better than I do." He reached out to hug her, and she gave in, feeling calm for the first time that day when his arms wrapped around hers.
"You are just saying that." She mused.
"No, I'm not. How is baby Evans doing?" He asked, running his hand over her stomach.
Mercedes inhaled at his touch. "Baby Evans is doing okay. How is baby Chang doing over there?" She asked Tina who was hugging Mike.
"Baby Chang wants some nachos," Tina said, smiling. "I'll take Mercedes to the box and introduce her around.
Sam stared down at her. "I was hoping that we could talk later…maybe grab something to eat, unless you have to work?"
She chewed her bottom lip. "Sam, I think I would like that."
He leaned in and kissed her cheek. "Mike and I gotta go; cheer loud so I can hear you all the way in the dugout."
Sam and Mike started to walk away as Tina linked her arms with Mercedes. "You both are adorable, and he's falling really hard for you if he hasn't fallen already."
"Yeah, I just have to tell him about my past, my family, and that's, that's not easy. He might just hate me." Mercedes said, sighing.
Once they reached the door, she hesitated. "I can't believe that Sam is just okay with me wearing his jersey and walking in there."
"If he wants to show you off, he should. But look, I am right here beside you." Tina squeezed her arm, and Mercedes nodded with a deep sigh. "Okay, let's do this."