DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN GLEE NOR ITS CHARACTERS BUT THIS STORY I DO!
The governor is issuing a state emergency as well as mandating a statewide curfew this evening. Please stay safe, wear your masks and wash your hands thoroughly.
"Great, this is just great." Mercedes mumbled as she pushed the basket down the aisle way, looking at the empty shelves with the shake of her head. This whole thing was unexpected. Who knew that they were going to be in the midst of a pandemic like this? Restaurants, schools and jobs had been closed down and they were forced to be quarantine, along with making sure to keep a mask on their face every time they left the house.
"This is the third store we have been in. No disinfectant spray and no tissue." Her fourteen year old son, Kaiser, spoke as he looked around before he straying away for a moment.
Clover, her twelve year old daughter, walked closely with her as she scanned the shelves, "Dad said he had some extra we could get if we ran out and couldn't find anything."
Mercedes glanced over to her curiously, "When did you talk to him?"
"Last night before he went in for work." Clover responded as she looked at her before grabbing a box of cheese crackers when they passed by, "I got a feeling that we're not going to be able to see him."
Before she could respond, Kaiser reappeared with two boxes of cereal and a gallon of milk, "It was the last one."
"I think we're good for now. We still have a good amount of stuff at home." Mercedes commented as she looked at the items in the basket, "Y'all get everything you need and want?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Good, let's pay and get back home. I don't want us to be out longer than we have to." After Mercedes paid for their items, the trio headed to the truck and loaded it up before getting in. They all took off their masks once they got settled, cleaning their hands off with some wipes then using sanitizer before heading home.
Sam removed the mask from his face, wincing in pain as he threw it in the garbage, going over to wash his hands for the literal hundredth time today. He grunted in frustration as he grabbed the paper towel and dried his hands, heading to sit on the couch in the lounge. He was an internist, meaning he was a doctor that specialized in internal medicine. These past few weeks...scratch that, just this day alone, been the worse he has ever experienced in his whole career. He pulled his phone from his pocket, unlocking and dialing a number, holding the phone out as he waited for the person on the other side to answer.
Kaiser had just came back into his room when he heard his phone ringing. He looked down and saw that it was his father FaceTiming him, a smile present as he slid the answer button and held the phone up, the man's face popping up soon after, "Hey Dad."
"Hey son. How are you doing?"
"I'm fine but I never thought I would ever miss school the way I am right now ."
Sam laughed at him when he took in how serious he was being. One thing about his son, he dreaded going to school, so seeing him actually missing it was amusing to him but he sober up so he could address him seriously, "Yeah, but with the way things going, I don't believe we're going to be clear from this for awhile."
"Yeah." Kaiser took time and scanned his father's face, wincing a bit, "I can tell it's ruff."
Sam ran his hand through his hair and nodded, "It is but we're doing everything we can."
"I know you are, Dad." Kaiser sent his father a reassuring smile, "We miss you a lot."
"I miss you guys too." Sam responded with a sad smile as he looked at his face in the camera, "Let me talk to your Mom for a second."
"Okay, hole on." Kaiser headed out of his room and down the hall, finding his mother sitting on her bed, he held it out the phone to her, "Dad wants to talk to you."
Mercedes grabbed the phone from him and watched as he walked out. She lifted it up and looked at him. She hadn't seen him in a few weeks, not only because of this pandemic but also due to them being separated. He looked tired, wore down and his face was all scarred up from the mask. She could easily tell that this was taking a toll on him, "You getting any sleep?"
"Barely. I tried calling you."
"Phone's dead." She said as she continued to stare at him, "You really do look exhausted."
"I am but I can't do anything about it. We're understaff and I'm helping where I can. I've been here since Monday." He tried to stifled a yawn but failed miserably, excusing himself, "That's why I was trying to get ahold of you. I won't be able to get Clo and Kai this weekend. I have to work overtime then go into quarantine for two weeks before I can see them."
"Sam, it's Thursday. Are you telling me you haven't been home in four days?" She didn't even give him a chance to answer, shaking her head, "This is a mess. How can they expect you to continue working like this? You're only one person and your health is at risk too. I hate this."
Sam was leaned against his hand as he looked at her through the phone, seeing the worry etched across her face. They have been separated for five months, but they were still married. There was no discussion of divorce and he was hoping that it wouldn't come up. He had that little taste of hope confirmed just now, "You still care about me?"
"I always will, regardless if we're together or not." She admitted matter of factly as she stared at him, hearing the noise in the background, followed by a voice.
"Dr. Evans, they need you on the COVID floor."
"On my way." He told the nurse, sighing deeply before running his hand over his face, looking back at Mercedes, "I have to go."
"Take care of yourself and stay safe."
"I will, you do the same. Tell the kids I love them and I'll talk to them as soon as I can. Goodnight."
"Night." She hung up the phone, closing her eyes as she laid back on her bed, letting out a prolonged breath.
2 Weeks Later...
Clover was sitting impatiently in the living room, looking out the window as she waited. She got up from the couch and headed to the door when she saw the truck pull up in the driveway. Opening up the door, she ran out with the biggest smile on her face, jumping into the man's arms when he got out, almost knocking him over, "Daddy."
Sam smiled as he picked her up and swung her around, stopping as he just held her in his arms, "I've missed you so much, Bug."
"I've missed you too, Daddy. You have no idea." She mumbled as she pulled back with a smile, grabbing ahold of his hand, "Come on, Mom made your favorite."
"Did she now?" He watched as she nodded before pulling him up to the house, stepping in, he was greeted by the delicious aroma in the air, closing and locking the door behind him.
Mercedes had came out of the kitchen when she heard the voices, stopping at the threshold as she looked at the duo. In this moment, she realized how much Clover looked like him. The only thing she did take from her was her height, but that was probably going to change because she wasn't done growing yet, "Hey."
"Hey Mercedes." He greeted with a smile and nod in her direction. Even after all this time apart, it was still so weird that this was how they were with one another. No pet names, no greeting with kisses and hugs, just a formal but genuine hello. He hated it. He came out of his thoughts when their daughter pulled him over to table, where he sat down and watched his little girl disappear into the kitchen, his eyes going to his wife when she spoke again.
"She's been waiting for you all day." She stated as she leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms over her chest, hearing movement coming from upstairs, "She convinced me to cook your favorite. They both missed you a lot."
"Did you?"
Mercedes wasn't caught off guard by the question as much as she thought she would've been. Giving him a look before her eyes focused on the girl coming back in with a bowl in her hands.
"Just like you like it, Daddy. A sprinkle of cheese with a little extra hot sauce."
Sam smiled as he kissed her cheek, "Thanks Bug."
Clover smiled before going back into the kitchen, Kaiser making his appearance as he went over and greeted him with a hug.
The interactions with their children always warmed her heart. One thing he was for sure, he was damn good father. She watched as Clover came back with her and Kaiser a bowl and three bottles of water, taking a sit beside him. She backed up and went back in the kitchen to give them some time together.
"Catch me up on everything." He regretted it as soon as it left his mouth, both kids speaking fastly for the next couple of minutes, which prompted him to chuckle and attempt to keep up. He filled his spoon with chili as he listened, placing it in his mouth and closing his eyes almost immediately. Its been so long since he has had a home cooked meal and even longer from his wife.
"Do you have to go back to your apartment?"
"I do, Bug." Sam gave the girl a sad smile, watching as she sighed and moved the spoon slowly in the bowl.
"I wish you could come back and live with us and I wish that you and Mommy would get back together. I don't want y'all to get a divorce."
Sam saw the sadness in them both and it hurt him to the core that this was the consequences for his actions. They didn't deserve this, none of them did, "Even though we're apart, Mommy and I still have a lot of love for each other.
"Then why can't you be together?"
"It's not that simple, Kai." He watched as the two let out defeated sighs once more, "I love you two very much, that for sure will never change."
Clover distinctively wiped the tear from her eye as she pushed her bowl back, her appetite now gone. She didn't understand why her parents couldn't get back together and she didn't understand why they were apart in the first place when they were so happy. She looked over at her father, speaking lowly, "Can we at least come stay with your for awhile?"
"Or you can stay here." Kaiser turned his head when he saw the kitchen light turn off, his mother coming through the threshold, "Can Dad stay for a few days, Mom?"
"Please?" Clover added, looking at the woman with a pleading look, "He can sleep in the guest room."
"Guys." Sam started but was interrupted by Mercedes.
"It's fine." Mercedes looked at them, eyes wondering to Sam's. She wasn't going to deny them this. To be honest, she had a feeling that this was coming after the past few weeks and she had prepared herself for it.
Sam was for one in shock that she agreed, their kids smiling as they picked up their bowls and exited out the room, "I have to run to my apartment to get some clothes then."
"You still have some things here. I'll let you finish your dinner and I'll just sit then on the bed." She made her quick exit too as headed for the stairs and her bedroom. She went over to the dresser and placed her hand on the handle, taking a deep breath as she opened it.
Sam closed the drawer, placing the last shirt in the bag before he zipped it up. He threw the duffel bag on his shoulder, looking over at his wife with a sad expression, "I wish this wasn't happening."
Mercedes could barely look at him as she stood in the corner of their bedroom, eyes puffy and filled with more tears, "It's for the best."
About thirty minutes later, Sam came out of the shower, grabbing a big towel, he ran it through his wet hair before wrapping it around his waist, stepping out. He found that she had left him a set of pajamas on the sink, along with a toothbrush, toothpaste and some antibiotic cream for his face.
After getting dressed and taking care of his face, he had decided to make a trip upstairs to see if the kids were still up. It was after ten, so he highly doubt they were. He went to Kaiser's room first, finding the boy spread out diagonally in the bed. Chuckling quietly, he turned off the light before stepping back out. He went across the hall and found Clover sleeping soundly. He smiled as he backed away before heading back down the stairs.
Mercedes had fixed her a cup of hot tea before sitting in the chair in the living room, answering back some emails from her students. She was a college Anthropology professor and they had officially made it mandatory for every student to head back home and continue with the rest of semester virtually.
"Kids are down for the count."
She lifted her head when she saw him come into the room, watching as he sat on the couch with her, leaving the cushion space in between them open, "You should be doing the same."
"I will soon." He reassured her, watching as her eyes went back to her laptop as she began typing again, "But I want to talk to you about something."
Mercedes pressed send and shut down her laptop, moving it to the side of her when she heard the familiar tone of his voice, "I'm all ears."
"These past couple of weeks have been hard. Like, harder than normal. We're dealing with the unknown, trying to figure this all out and it's hard because we're losing people in the process. Going through all this and seeing people lose their love ones and them not being able to to say goodbye, it's taking a toll on me. It made me realize how much I don't ever want to be without you." He stared at her, reaching over and grabbing ahold of her hand, thankful that she didn't pull back right away, "I am going to do everything I can to make this right. I want our family back together and I want my wife back."
Mercedes stared back at, wiping the single tear that slid down her cheek as she took her hand away from his and stood up, "You should get some rest."
"I should but I feel that me wanting to fix us is way more important." He argued as he stood up too, going to where she was, stopping himself from taking ahold of her hand once more, so he wouldn't feel rejection, "I love you."
"And I love you but just because we love each other, doesn't mean we need to get back together."
"Why can't we, huh? Mercedes, I made terrible mistakes and I can't change the past but I sure as hell want to make sure the future is straight."
Mercedes felt the full blown tears starting to form as she stepped away from him, "Goodnight."
Sam watched as she went up the stairs, sighing as he headed to the guest room, plopping down on the bed and laying out. He wanted so badly to fix them, has since the very day they separated. It was his fault that they were in this mess, but he was damn sure adamant on getting out of it. He couldn't let himself think more over it before the heaviness of his eyes finally won the battle, the exhaustion taking over as fell asleep quickly.
A/N. Before y'all ask, yes there will be continuation but why do you think Samcedes is separated? Btw, First Daughter was updated, if you're following the story, there's only one chapter left!
