DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN GLEE BUT THIS STORY I DO!
STOP RIGHT THERE! IF YOU HAVE NOT READ PART ONE, GO READ CHAPTER 7!
ENJOY:)
Time Frame: Sunday, February 6, 2021
Where: Destin, Florida
We're in a pandemic.
Everyone was tested, I promise. You know I wouldn't put any of our health in jeopardy, especially Gia's.
"I'm so sick of Tom Brady."
"He's the GOAT."
"These refs are clearly on his payroll."
Sam came out of his thoughts when he heard his friends talking about the game. He haven't seen them in months due to the pandemic. He thought that it would be a good idea to have a little get together with them and his sister, Maci, who had came to visit him. Due to the coronavirus, business had slowed down for him but he didn't mind. He actually appreciated the break to put his time and attention elsewhere. He now had extra time to help out at the family restaurant two or three days out the week, but one of his main attention grabbers was coming through the door at that very moment he thought about her.
"Daddy."
He titled his head back and saw the little girl running his way, a smile wide and bright. He sat his bottle down and smiled when she came and climbed in his lap. He kissed her cheek then looked back up, watching as the woman came in and spoke to everyone before disappearing into the kitchen. He turned his attention back to his daughter, who went to his sister as soon as The Weeknd started his halftime performance. He took that moment to go check in on her. She was mad. Once he made it to the threshold, he watched her closely as she started to straighten up the containers, "I was going to get that later."
"I got it."
Sam caught the snippiness in her tone and he sighed, "Don't be mad."
"I'm not mad."
"Mercedes."
Mercedes lifted her head and looked at him seriously, "I'm not."
That's right. He had found out who she really was. Thing was, her name really was Karley...it was her middle name though. Mercedes K. Jones, a meteorologist. That's why she looked familiar to him. She had been in Destin for a wedding. How did he find this out? Well, she told him, along with some other news that she had that day. After leaving him high, dry and suffering that morning three years ago, Mercedes returned back to Destin at his front door steps the next month with a huge and shocking revelation. She was pregnant and he was without a doubt the father. The two individually had done some pretty crazy things in their lives, but this was the icing on cake. He definitely was in shock because he has never been so careless before. And holy shit, his family truly had a field day with that news. They weren't a least bit upset as he expected them to be. Instead, what caught him off guard was the fact that they laughed at him, more his sisters and friends than anyone. This was so unlike him, that's why it was so comical.
Even though Mercedes lived twenty minutes away from him, he wanted her closer. He asked her to move in with him. Yes, under normal circumstances this would be considered quick, but she was carrying their baby. One thing for sure, he was most definitely not going to abandoned his responsibility. He was going to make sure that he was there for everything and he was. She was hesitant at first, but gave it some thought, the whole summer to be exact. Not only did they have to get ready for a baby that was due in nine months, but they had to get to know each other as well. It was a friendship at first, but the talks about a relationship came about six months into the pregnancy. The reason why they waited until then? They didn't want to force it just because they were bringing a life into this world.
On February 15, 2019, Gia Evans was born. Sam and Mercedes fell in love twice that day; with their beautiful daughter, and with each other. A year and a month later, they only became closer when they were forced to be sheltered when the coronavirus came. Even though the situation was horrible, they both were grateful for it because they learned so much about one another that they didn't know.
With Mercedes being considered an essential worker, she still had to go in from time to time later on in the year. She was a worry wart, something that has been so unbearable these past couple of months, but Sam understood and learned how to deal with it.
Sam went over and grabbed ahold of her hand and led her out the kitchen, stopping to where they both could see the people in the living room, speaking to where only she could hear him, "Everyone's six feet apart from each other, masks on when not eating, disinfected sprays and wipes are out, and the clean air cycle is circulating. Everything is fine."
"I'm just so over this whole ordeal." She admitted, her eyes glancing to the TV then back to him, "I didn't mean to be so bitchy but I just want to make sure we're doing everything to be safe."
"There's nothing wrong with that."
Mercedes grunted lowly as she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, laying her head down on his chest as she mumbled, "I'm sorry."
Sam wrapped his arms around her too, dropping a kiss to her forehead, "This will all be over soon."
Mercedes scoffed, "I highly doubt that. People won't do right for nothing, especially down here." She leaned back and looked at him, "I know you're not for this type of stuff and I'm not going to pressure you, but can you please just think about the vaccine."
"Yeah, no. I'm getting it. I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure I protect you, Gia, and myself."
It wasn't a secret that Sam didn't believe in vaccines, it was just his beliefs. It was really a struggle for him to accept Gia even getting all her shots but he learned quickly that he had no chance of ever changing Mercedes' mind about it, "I know how you feel and you know I'm not going to change your beliefs."
"I know, but this something I didn't have to think twice about." He said honestly as he stared down at her, "We're a unit now and sometimes, we will have to compromise to things."
"I agree." She gave him a kiss before going over to the veggie tray and grabbing a celery stick, gliding it through the ranch before biting into it.
"Are you still working from home this week?"
"Yes." Mercedes responded as she swallowed, "I have Dean's morning segments since he's sick. I'm going to do a test run to make sure my equipment is working right, take a bath and get some sleep."
"You don't want to watch the second half of the game with us?"
"You know damn well I don't." Mercedes grunted, knowing that he was instigating on purpose, "My team was snubbed."
"Your team just single handedly got their ass best." Sam chuckled as he crossed his arms over his chest, watching as she rolled her eyes, "Brees had no chance. Not. A. Chance."
"Bye Sam."
"It's true." He called behind her, watching as she waved him off before going into the other room. He snorted as he turned and headed back into the living room.
The next morning, Mercedes stopped the alarm, rising up from the bed as she let out a big yawn. The only good thing about this was that she was able to do her job at home this week. There was an outbreak of cases two weeks ago, and she refused to go back until every ounce of that building had been clean. She moved the covers off her body, careful not to wake Sam up, and got out the bed, slowly making her way to the bathroom so she could get ready.
Sam wasn't too far behind her, his own alarm vibrating on the table. He wiped the last of his sleep from his eyes before getting up, heading to guest bathroom down the hall. After he got himself freshen up, he headed down the hall and made his way to the kitchen to fix Mercedes some morning brew and a quick breakfast. He loved doing that for her. Quite honestly, he never thought that he would ever be here again after the last experience with his ex. A relationship was nowhere near what he wanted, but he got that and more...and he was thankful.
Mercedes was in the middle of adjusting the lights when she saw him out of the corner of her eye, turning to him fully with a smile. She had came down about ten minutes ago after checking in on Gia, who was still sound asleep, hearing him moving around in the kitchen. She watched him came in with a coffee cup and a small plate that contained a bagel, "Thanks baby."
"You're welcome." He said as he sat it on the table that was next to her chair, "You need help with anything?"
"Yes actually. Can you make sure that camera Z..."
"Is angled, while camera D is centered and camera H is zoomed out for the green screen." Sam finished, giving her a smug lopsided grin, "I'm the best at home crew ever, admit it."
Mercedes giggled as she shook her head at him, teasingly speaking as she picked up her bagel, "You're decent."
Sam smacked his lips before he adjusted the middle camera, looking at her on the little screen, "I'm superior, Karley. Superior as well as you're looking very, very sexy right now."
Mercedes rolled her eyes, fighting a smile as he smirked. In all seriousness, she loved when he helped her. That's one thing that he made sure he did every since they met. It started with her car then giving her somewhere to stay that night then being their during the pregnancy. One thing for sure, she never thought that this would be how she bring a child into the world but she wouldn't change it for anything. Sam was such a wonderful dad to Gia and he was an equally amazing boyfriend.
After finishing her breakfast, Mercedes made sure she was connected to her producers by placing the ear piece in her ear and clipping the mic onto her shirt. She glanced at her watch and noticed she was on in five minutes. She yelped when she felt the chair spin, Sam's face now invading her space as he kissed her gently, only to pull back when her computer dinged.
Sam looked at the weather tracker, mumbling against her mouth, "Looks like it's going to be cold. Real cold."
"You know it's only a prediction, but I've noticed there's a winter storm brewing for next week for the south."
"Even Florida?" When she nodded her head, he stood up straight as she grabbed her clicker, "Don't forget to tilt your head to the left on your outros. Your smile is ten times beautiful when doing so." He gave her one last kiss before sprinting out the room, heading to go get Gia up, fed and dressed so they could head out for a minute.
After doing three back to back hour segments and two hours of additional work on the laptop, Mercedes was finally finish. She made sure she straighten up and grabbed her dishes before leaving out of the room. The bed was calling her name and all she wanted to do was be in it for the rest of the day. Hearing the voices of Sam and Gia as she walked to the kitchen, she stopped short when she saw all of the grocery that was taking over her counters, "Umm..."
"Meats, snacks, cases of water, juices, can goods, flashlights, candles, lighter fluid, charcoal. I even spotted some alcohol, rubbing and drinking, and spray too." He answered her unasked question as he stared a her, "I refuse to be in the midst of any other chaotic grocery runs during this pandemic, especially when there's a winter storm coming."
Mercedes snorted as she continued to look around, her eyes then settling on Gia, who was sitting in the middle of the counter, her hand in a big bag of Cheeto puffs, "Sam..."
"Your predictions are always right, shut up."
Mercedes giggled at him, walking over to put the dishes in the sink then making her way to seat on the barstoolS He hated when she doubted, or even attempted to, herself, "Why is my baby eating Cheetos before lunch?"
"We had breakfast before we went on our quest."
Gia looked at her mom, leaning over and placing a puff to her mouth, "There go."
"Thank you, sugar." Mercedes smiled at her, pressing a kiss to her cheek before biting into the cheesy puff. She looked at her daughter and couldn't help but smile. She was truly her mini-me. The only thing she took from Sam was his nose, eye color and shape, everything else was all her.
"The next one will look like me without a doubt." Sam commented, already know what
Mercedes raised her brow as she looked at him, trying to keep a straight face, "The next one?"
"If you want to, of course. It's your body and your choice, however, just know a ring will be on your finger either way."
"Smooth with Evans." Mercedes smiled as he sent her one back, "Maybe when all this is over with, we can work on it."
"This day next year, of course. Preferably in the evening, I have a love-hate relationship with the mornings."
Mercedes giggled as she threw her head back, knowing exactly what he was referencing to, "Let it go."
"I literally can't." He stated with a smirk and gestured to Gia, "She's my reminder, a good one though, so it's not all bad. I got two amazing gifts out the whole ordeal."
Mercedes smiled at him, tilting her head to the side, "Me too."
Sam came over to where she was and bent down, kissing her lips softy before letting go, patting her thigh gently, "Now come help me."
