"Sam, can I talk to you for a second before I go?"
Sam turned around and was surprised to see that it was Mason asking to speak to him. All of his family members were getting ready for bed and Mason and Devon, all who were left of Mercedes', were heading out as well. He was cleaning the kitchen and getting ready to hunker down himself after he checked on Mercedes. "Yeah, sure." Sam got his coat and led them outside.
"Okay, look. I just wanted to say that," his eyes darted around as he talked, clearly trying to avoid eye contact during his confession, "I haven't been treating you the best lately and that's my bad." With that part done, he could look at him. "You and my sister have got something real and while I was pissed that you did what you did —still am— you're family. Can't be mad at family forever."
Sam nodded, glad to hear that. "Thanks. I promise, Mason, nothing like that will ever happen again. Mercedes and I are turning over a new leaf. So thanks, seriously. And I'm not gonna lie, I thought it would've taken you another month at least to come around." he laughed.
"Yeah, no, that was about right," he chuckled along with him and scratch the back of his neck. "Mercedes talked some sense into me."
Sam shook his head upon hearing his girlfriend ignored his advice. "I told her not to do that."
"When have you ever known that woman to listen to anyone other than herself?"
"Touché." They both laughed again. "Well, if there's anything I can do just to officially smooth things over, let me know. I'm not afraid to kiss up a little."
"I'm glad that you said that." Mason gave him a mischievous smile. "Dev and I were thinking of getting away for our anniversary the week before Christmas. You know, because it's our last one before two kids including a newborn. Only problem is, it's going to be such a pain to set up childcare for an entire week—"
"We can keep Aubrey if that's what you're asking."
He frowned, taken aback. "That's it? No resistance? No need to ask Mercedes?"
"It'll give us a chance to try our hand at the whole parenting thing. She'll love the idea."
He smiled satisfyingly. "Alright then. Nice doing business with you." He went to leave, but Sam stopped him.
"Have you talked to your mom?"
"Not since she left. Why?"
"Something happened between her and Mercedes today. Mercedes hasn't said anything about it, but it seems like it might be pretty bad."
Mason sighed. His mom and sister were most definitely bickering over something again. "I know how this goes. Just give it a few days and everything will be back to normal."
"Mason, I don't think you understand. Mercedes was on the verge of tears and shut herself up in our room. I'm usually the first person she tells when she and her mom have an argument, especially in the last few years. This feels… different."
"Okay, well, maybe just check in with Mercedes. I'll do the same and we'll keep each other posted, cool?"
"Sounds like a plan," he said as the two men went back inside.
With all of the Jones guests gone and all of the Evans guests in bed, Sam went back into his bedroom, where Mercedes was sleeping… peacefully? Considering her normal sleeping position would include her making some sort of wild shape with her body and she currently lay in an almost straight line on her side, Sam took that as a sign that something was definitely wrong.
He took a shower to wash the day off and when he got out, she was awake. "Hey, you."
She offered him a small, close-lipped smile. "Hey."
He got under the covers and put his arms around her as she turned to face him. "Feeling any better? Any less tired?"
"Not really," she said softly.
"Maybe now you want to talk about it?"
"No."
"I don't know. I mean, if it were me, I'd want to—"
"It's just a lot, okay? I don't want to hash that out right now."
"But that's one of the things I'm here for, babe. And that's what the past couple of months of therapy have been about; reminding us that we can lean on each other when things get to be a lot."
"Can you please just drop it?" She asked, her voice slightly louder. "I don't need for you to push me right now. I just need some space."
His heart hurt for her as he ran his thumb across her cheek. Space it is. "Do you need anything? Some water or something?"
"I'm going to get it myself, but thanks."
"Okay. Come here," he said.
She lay there both expressionless and motionless. She didn't feel like playing whatever game he was up to.
"Come here," he said again, this time as the smallest of smiles appeared on his face.
"Sam, what are you doing?"
"You would find out if you came over here."
Begrudgingly, she closed the space in between them. "What?"
He answered by giving her a gentle kiss. When she didn't look totally uninterested, he went right back in for another, another, and another as he snaked his arm around her waist to pull her in closer. "I love you," he said without pulling away from her.
She tried to fight her grin. "I love you, too."
"We were pretty damn great hosts today."
"Were we?"
"I know you may not agree right now, but we were."
"If you say so."
"I do. And we get the chance to do it all over again tomorrow."
She moved her head back. "What was that?"
"I may have invited your family back over tomorrow…" he winced, saying the next words quietly, "and every day until my family goes back to Kentucky."
She stared at him for a moment, trying to make sure she understood what she said. She removed his arm from her and rolled onto her back. "Sam," she groaned. Before, she wouldn't have minded this. She would've actually loved it. But word about what happened with her mom was going to get out fast and now, she was going to have to hear about it much sooner than anticipated.
"Look, I know you're not too keen on seeing your mom right now, but when she comes, you two can—"
"My mom's not coming."
"Okay, maybe not tomorrow, but during the weekend when you guys get over whatever is going on,"
"My mom isn't coming period. Not tomorrow or Saturday or Sunday or any other day because she's not welcome here anymore. And we're not speaking."
Sam sat up at this. Apparently, the situation was much worse than even he thought. "Mercedes, what happened?"
She shook her head, refusing to answer. She went to the dresser to throw on some sweatpants.
"I asked you a question," he said with a sense of urgency he hadn't had before.
"Sam, it's not—"
"I'm gonna stop you right there and say that whatever you're about to say, you're wrong. It is. Why would you tell your mom she's not welcome back when you don't even live here?"
"Well, I've decided to move back in this weekend." She offered him an explanation. "Does that make you feel any better about it?"
As glad as he was to hear her say that, it didn't answer his question. "That makes me wonder why you would tell your mom she's not welcome at your house."
"I already told you to drop it."
"You can't just say that and tell me to drop it." He got up. "What is going on?" She left the room without saying a word, but he wasn't going to let her go that easy. "We're not done here. I need to know what happened, Mercedes," his tone grew even more urgent as she kept her silence and walked toward the back door. "Mercedes. We need to talk about this. Merce-"
He was cut off by her shutting the back door in his face. He huffed. He wasn't fancying the idea of giving her space anymore, but there was no matching her energy and dedication when she was intent on giving him the silent treatment. He decided to go back to bed and call it a night.
Out on the small deck, Mercedes sat bundled up in front of the fire pit. She alternated between being upset with her mom for her actions, upset with Sam for pushing her to talk, upset with herself for how she handled things with both of them, and generally upset that this was happening at all. With everyone gone to bed and her finally alone, Mercedes let herself do what she had been fighting off all night. As she cried, her mind continued to run over her and Michelle's argument. There was something her mom said that she just couldn't shake.
She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear Mary walk onto the deck from inside the house. "What are you doing out here all alone in the cold dark night? Seems a little ominous if you ask me."
Mercedes quickly wiped her tears and turned to look at her. "Mary. What are you doing up this late? Shouldn't you be asleep by now?"
"You sound like my mother." She joked. "There's no way I could sleep when Dwight snores like a freight train."
The younger girl laughed half-heartedly. "I can get some blankets and make the couch for you if you want."
"No, no, don't worry about it." She waved her off and sat down across from her. "I came out here thinking I'd be alone to wind down, but here you are."
"That makes two of us."
"So are we going to talk about why you're sitting in the backyard crying at almost midnight?"
"I'm not crying." she lied.
Mary wasn't buying it. "Mercedes, it may be almost pitch dark out here, but I've been a mother for 25 years. There's no fooling me." She watched Mercedes cast her eyes downward and decided to try a different approach. "How about this? Why don't you get the fire started and I'll make us some tea to help us relax?" She left without waiting for an answer.
Mary smiled when she came back to a warm, blazing fire. "Chamomile or Lavender?" She offered the cups to Mercedes.
Mercedes took the lavender cup. "Thanks."
"No problem. Now, let's talk. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that this is about your mom," she said.
"What tipped it off?" Mercedes asked sarcastically. "If you want the full story, I'm going to have to go further back than tonight. And I'm also going to have to tell you about what's been going on between her and Sam."
"I'm all ears and I've got all night." Mary sat back and took a sip of her tea.
Mercedes then proceeded to tell her everything. From the first dinner at her parents' house when she got back, to her and her mom almost coming to blows at the hospital, to Michelle telling Sam to break up with her, to how she got her to move back into her childhood home after the Dani debacle. Everything up until their argument a few hours ago. She even told Mary about the fleeting engagement. Mercedes had no intention of talking about what happened tonight with anyone yet, but Mary made her feel safe. She knew she could share any and everything without being judged, something she hasn't been able to say about her own mom for a while.
When she was finished, Mary took a deep breath. "Wow," was all she could say at first.
Mercedes nodded, accepting her perceived fate. "Yeah, I know. You can go ahead and tell me that you're disappointed in me and that I'm not the woman you thought I was. Hell, you'll probably even tell me you don't want me to be with your son anymore."
Mary frowned. "Are you crazy? I would never tell you something like that."
"I find that hard to believe. With everything that's happened, I haven't done a good job of protecting Sam. I've let my mom be so rude to him. And today, I said things I didn't even know I felt," her voice grew shaky. "I'm an awful person."
"Okay." Mary sat her tea down and sat on the end of her chair, leaning toward Mercedes. "You stop that right now. You are far from awful. And it's not easy to protect the love of your life from the woman who gave you life. I've always believed that you and Sam were made for one another and this does not change that. And lastly, sweetheart, you could never disappoint me. Not over something like this."
She refused to believe it and tears appeared in her eyes for the third time that night. "What kind of daughter says those things to her own mother? How could you not see me differently?"
"I do, but not in the way that you think. Before today, I saw you as this intelligent, fierce, beautiful, talented force of a woman. I still see that," she gave her a sad smile, "but I also see the pain that you've endured. That you're still enduring. Mercedes, I am so sorry."
With that, the dams broke. She didn't know what came over her, but Mercedes started crying like a baby.
Mary shifted into mother mode, sitting beside her, bringing her into her side, and consoling her for as long as she needed.
"Can I make a case for your mother?" Mary asked cautiously as Mercedes calmed down.
"After the things she's said about Sam today alone, you want to defend her?" She genuinely wanted to know.
"Not defend her, no. Just give you some possible insight from a mother's perspective."
Finished crying and eager to hear this, Mercedes sat up and nodded for her to go ahead.
She smiled a little. "Do you know I remember the day that Sam first met you?"
"Really?"
"Oh yeah. I mean, I don't remember the exact date at my old age." She chuckled. "But I remember watching my eldest transform in front of my eyes. See, a little thing about young Sam is that he was this super bright super bubbly blonde kid. Anytime he entered a room, he would speak to everyone in it." She smiled fondly as she pictured him 10 years ago. "Even if he just went to the mailbox and back. 'You've got mail' is what he'd say, completely neglecting that that was for emails."
Mercedes smiled hard. "He still does that."
They laughed aloud together.
"But when we relocated to Lima, it was like a switch flipped. Sam was having an insanely tough time, what with the move, having to make new friends, and our finances completely going to hell. He wasn't even 16 and he had already been through so much. Things were all over the place for us and eventually, Sam stopped speaking when he entered a room. Then he became withdrawn. He didn't speak unless spoken to and was just a shell of the boy he had been before. But out of nowhere, he walked into the house one day, and Dwight and I got a wave. It was no puppy seeing his owner after being home without them all day, but it was something. Something that turned into 'hey' which turned into him being more talkative at the table, which got us to him coming in from the mailbox with 'the pony express has arrived',"
Mercedes laughed at the reference.
"Which landed us right back where we started at 'you've got mail'."
She smiled. "Quite a journey."
"Oh, yeah. Over just a few short weeks, but it was a sight to see. At first, I thought it was Quinn because they started dating so soon. But that next spring, he told me that he had been asked to the prom by two girls."
"Oh, god." She put her hands in her face to hide her embarrassment. "That was so cringy!"
Mary dismissed her with a smile and a wave. "It was cute. So Dwight and I were asking him about these two girls who had invited him to prom. And first, he told us about Rachel in all of her glory, but then he told us about you for the first time. Mercedes, I had never seen him light up like that. Ever."
She gushed hearing this.
"That's when I realized that it was you. The reason for the wave. When we took your pictures before you all left for the dance, I had the ultimate epiphany that my boy had started to become a man because he was woefully in love. Also, he wasn't mine anymore at all." She shook her head. "He was yours."
"Why are you telling me this?" It was a lovely story, but Mercedes was unsure of what it had to do with her and her mom.
"Because while I don't know you as well as I know Sam, I know that if you were half as crazy about him as he was about you back then, your mom likely noticed. She realized, just as I did, that you weren't hers anymore. As mothers, we are usually the first people that our babies fall in love with and we fall in love with them right back. We form this bond that our baby will probably never have with anyone else. But that bond shifts and changes as we shift and change and as a parent, you quickly come to learn that parenthood is about adjusting to those shifts and changes."
She watched her uneasy, still not knowing where this was going.
"The day that you met Sam, your heart officially belonged to someone who was not your mom. Now, some of us are able to cope and adjust. We loosen and tighten the reins where we need to and help you figure out what it means to love someone in this new and strange way. Luckily for me, I caught on pretty quickly, but everyone isn't as graceful as I was. Maybe the issue with Michelle is that she struggled with the pain of watching someone else fill a space in your heart that she couldn't. So instead, she loosens and tightens in the wrong places and she says the wrong things not because she wants to hurt you, but because she thinks that she can help both of you with what she's doing."
"That makes sense, but what do I do with that?" Mercedes asked, now lost again. "Now I just feel even worse for kicking her out and telling her I didn't want to hear from her."
"Well, hold on. I told you I wasn't defending her. You can't take responsibility for anyone else's actions, only yours. Michelle's actions have been less than compassionate, so it's understandable that you're feeling and saying these things because you feel hurt and betrayed. Plus, you're still in a really tough space emotionally. The most I would do with this right now is just take some time to reflect and process. If cutting your mom out of your life is what you need right now or even forever, no one can fault you for that," Mary said sympathetically. "If you decide to cut her out, that's fine. If not, that's also fine."
"But I just can't stop thinking, what if she's right?" Mercedes sniffed. "What if I can't have it all? I can't choose between singing and Sam. I need both of them. But what if my only options are to bulldoze my dream or lose the love of my life?"
"That won't happen," her voice was reassuring and soothing.
"You don't know that."
"I may not be able to see into the future, but I know everything I need to know to figure out if this is going to work. After the engagement, what did Sam do? He gave you your space. Even though I know it hurt him like hell to let you go like that, especially when he didn't know if you would be coming back. But you needed time to process and he gave you that no questions asked. And you've done it, too. Do you know Sam told me earlier that the only reason he felt comfortable taking up those classes at OSU and that coaching position was because you were going to stay and coach those glee kids? And I'm sure that prolonging your hiatus wasn't exactly easy for you. But that's what he needed, so you did it. Now, do you know why all of that is?"
"Why?"
"That's what you do when you're in a partnership," she said simply and smiled. "It's give and take. Sometimes, you do things that hurt or take something from you because you know that your partner needs something more than you need something else. When it comes down to it, you do what the other needs because you want them to be happy and you want your partnership to work. So, whatever it is that you need for your personal and your professional life to peacefully coexist, Sam'll do that because he knows how important both he and your career are to you. And it'll be challenging at some points and both of you may very well lose something in the process, but it'll work."
"Thank you, Mary. I wasn't sure how I was gonna make it through whatever this is until now."
She hugged her. "Of course. Anything for my future daughter-in-law," she sing-songed the last four words.
Mercedes laughed into the hug. "I only hope that I can be as good of a mother as you are."
Mary separated them and smiled, surprised. "So you are pregnant?"
Her eyes widened. "No, no, no! I'm not pregnant. God, no."
"You can't just go around saying stuff like that, girl! I thought you were getting ready to finally give Dwight and I some grandchildren!"
"Trust me, I'm 26. I don't think I need to be giving anyone anything like that at the moment. I was just saying that in the distant future when I am pregnant, I hope that I'm able to be a mom like you. That's all."
Mary was touched. "You'll be better than me, I'm sure of it."
They continued talking, abandoning their now cold tea, as Stacy appeared on the deck. "Mooom," she groaned.
"Yes, darling?"
"Dad's snoring again."
Mercedes snickered. Stacy and Stevie's room was down the hall from mary and Dwight's. Was Dwight's snoring that bad?
"Come on over and have a seat," Mary beckoned. "I'm trying to get away from it myself."
While the three women were talking, Stevie made an appearance next. "I'm pretty sure the man formerly known as Dad was swapped out for a sleep-deprived King Kong. I don't think he's ever snored this loud."
"Join the party," said Mercedes.
Sam, with his blanket, was the last of the awake Evanses to join them. "Sounds like you guys are having fun out here."
"Well, first, it was just Mercedes and I," Mary pointed out, "then came your sister, then your brother, and now you."
Sam went over to Mercedes, glanced at her, down at the empty spot beside her, then back at her. He smiled when she silently told him to have a seat. He wrapped them up in his blanket and when she snuggled into him and laid her head on his chest, he kissed her. "You seemed to be in a better mood," he said just loud enough for her to hear.
"I am," she responded.
He kissed her again. "Good. Great. Hey, I forgot to tell you earlier, but I think your dad left something for you in the kitchen. A note or something."
"I'll go read it and be right back." She got up from her warm spot and found her way into the house.
With her gone, Mary briefly took a spot beside Sam. "Hey, son."
"Hey, Mom," he said. "What were you and Mercedes talking about?"
"I think you know. I also think she could stand to talk about it with you."
He shook his head. "I tried. She wants space so I'm giving it to her."
"Sam, there's a difference between giving someone space while also being there for them and attempting to accost them into telling you what's wrong," she said, sneakily chastising him.
He looked down, aware of which one he was guilty of.
"Mercedes is hurting something bad right now. As her partner, it's your job to let her know that she has you and that you are prepared to help her through this without any judgment or unnecessary rushing. You just have to tell her that she has you. Everything else will fall into place. Go and talk to her. And take our tea with you."
Sam did as instructed and met his girlfriend in the kitchen. "I love you," is what he started with.
She looked up from the note. "I love you, too."
"No, Mercedes, I love you," he repeated. "And all I want in this world other than for my family and friends to be happy is to protect and love you. But I can't do that if—" he stopped himself from making it about him. "I shouldn't have tried to push you so hard to talk about you and your mom and I'm sorry. You don't have to tell me what happened. But I want you to know that whatever you're feeling and whatever you're facing, I've got you," he held her hands, "no matter what. I'm still learning how to be the man you need me to be, but if nothing else, I'm going to love you, I'm going to protect you, and I'm going to fight for you. Always."
Mercedes embraced him.
Sam kissed the top of her head, returning the embrace.
"I read my dad's note," she said as she pulled away from him. "Looks like we didn't do such a horrible job of hosting after all."
"See? I told you. We're tremendous hosts." He put his arm around her shoulder.
"I keep thinking about what he said at dinner today." She snaked her arm in between them and around his waist. "About cherishing something even more when you've nearly lost it. We've lost each other many times."
"We have."
"I don't want to lose you again, Sam."
"You won't," he said it in the most gently reassuring way, much like his mother. "You'll always have me, baby."
"I think I figured out what my non-negotiable is going to be," she said, briefly reminding him of their assignment from the therapist.
"Already? You just learned about it a couple of days ago."
"Well, we both know I'm an overachiever."
He smiled. She was right. "Lay it on me."
"I want you to come with me whenever I go back to California." She knew she was about to start rambling, but that didn't stop her. "To live or whatever. It doesn't have to be now, but we have to figure out a way to make it happen. I need the life that I have and the life that I want to make sense together and I can't do that here. I just can't."
"Okay," he said simply.
She poked out her bottom lip confusedly, not expecting this. "Are you sure? Because I know it's a lot to ask, considering that you have a house, a job, and the kids. You have the kids! Your whole life is here."
"You're right. My life is here." His arms found themselves around her waist as he pulled her to him. "Right here. I love the kids, but I always knew I wouldn't be able to teach glee club forever. Plus there are homes and jobs in Cali. Give me until the end of the school year? I want to get them to Internationals one last time. Then, I'm all yours."
"Sam, are you sure you're sure?"
"As many times as distance has ripped us apart, you think I'm letting that happen again? We're adults now, not fresh out of high school, free to make our own decisions and go wherever we please. Let's do it."
She squealed quietly and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him. "Okay, wait," she said in her excitement. "You're sure that you're sure you're sure? I know this is a big step."
"You're starting to sound like me now." He was smiling, but it was true. "I'm ready to take this step with you. I want to."
She took his hands in hers and looked down at them. "I want to tell you about what happened with my mom. Now, if that's okay with you. I'm not ready, but I can't keep something this big from my partner."
His smile softened and a protective spirit found itself in his heart. She was trusting him. Really trusting him, not just telling him because he had asked over and over. She was afraid and was leaning on him. Maybe the therapy was working for them after all.
The rest of the holiday weekend actually went fantastic. Mercedes' family sans her mom came back each day for more food and fun. They talked and laughed. They played games, sang songs, and Sam even got Mercedes to play football, which she swore never to do again. Upon hearing that Mercedes was moving back in, Dwight got everyone to pitch in for an impromptu move and they helped her bring all of her things back to Sam's house. They were all one big happy family. Her brother and dad knew that there was a rift between her and her mom, but she asked them not to talk about it until after the weekend was over and they respected her wishes. That Sunday, Mercedes was making sandwiches for the Evans clan for them to eat on the road.
Sam walked in and smacked her on the butt. "Have I ever told you how good you look—"
"You better not finish that sentence with the words, 'in the kitchen'." She squinted her eyes at him.
He froze for a second, caught, but recovered quickly. "…in purple. Those leggings are doing it for you, babe. I mean, what is that? Lilac? Lavender?"
She responded, her eyes still squinted, "Mauve."
"Mauve! Oh!" He threw his hands up in his eureka moment. "Mauve is your color. Honestly and truly."
She rolled her eyes at him, laughing. "If I didn't love you and these weren't my favorite yoga pants, I'd be throwing you out of our house right now."
"But you do, and they are, so you won't." He winked and picked up one of the sandwiches, taking a bite.
"Those are for your-"
"Oh, god, what is this?" He ran over to the trash can and spit it out. He looked at the counter. "Mayomust?! Oh, ew." He then raced to the sink and started rinsing his mouth out.
Mercedes couldn't stop laughing, even once her sides started hurting.
He stared at her, hurt that she was finding joy in the pain of his taste buds.
"Stevie was in charge of the menu," she said when she could finally breathe. "And here I was thinking you two were one and the same."
"Well, obviously, Stevie and I don't share taste buds."
"What was that?" Stevie strolled into the kitchen and leaned up against the counter beside Mercedes. "Someone call my name?" He took another one of the sandwiches and bit into it, smiling at the taste. "You're amazing, do you know that? Great in the kitchen."
She shook her head and chuckled. "Between stealing food as I'm making it as well as the irresistible urge to compliment me whil e I'm making you food, maybe you two are so different after all."
"I would agree with you, Mercedes," Stevie said, "except for the fact that people actually like my haircut."
"Hey!" Sam was quick to defend his hair that he recently started growing out once again. "People like my haircut. They love it."
"Hate to break it to you, bro. But no, they don't."
"Well, who cares what they think? I only need one person to like my haircut. Right Mercedes?"
Mercedes' head shot up from her sandwich making. "Huh?"
"You like my hair, right? When it's longer like this?"
She looked at his hair that stopped at his chin and tried to find a nicer way to say what she wanted to. "It's not the Bieber cut, so I definitely like that."
Stevie winced. "Yikes. Sounds like a no to me."
"Babe," Sam said, shocked. "You said you liked it when I grew my hair out."
"I do! When it's, like, just above your ears. You just don't have the luscious locks to pull off mid-length, baby."
He looked hurt and she couldn't tell if it was faked or not.
"Aww," she said pitifully. "I love your facial hair though!" She affectionately rubbed his extended goatee.
"That's not the same," he said.
"I'm sorry, love. I'll make it up to you, okay?" She kissed him.
"Promise?"
"Mmhmm," she hummed softly, kissing him again. "Promise."
A few kisses later and Stevie was officially weirded out. "Okay. I'm going to go and throw up this sandwich I just ate now, so thanks for that."
As the Evanses were preparing to leave, Mason and his wife and daughter pulled into the driveway and Stevie quickly took Mason up on his challenge for a last-minute football game in the front yard. Mary and Devon watched on from their cars, Sam and Mercedes sat side-by-side on the steps, and everyone else had found themselves a spot on the "field."
Stevie was using Aubrey to his advantage, using her to guard the ball so Mason couldn't take it from him, but Stacy had other plans. She called the child over, picked her up, and spun her around, leaving Stevie defenseless and Aubrey squealing with joy as Mason took the ball and scored a touchdown.
Mercedes laughed at them with her head on Sam's shoulder. "Who knew your siblings were so good with kids?"
"I did. Stevie volunteers at the Boys and Girls Club and Stacy's always been dying to be a big sister ever since she found out it was a thing."
"Do you like them? Kids, I mean."
"Are you kidding? I love them. You know that."
"So I'm assuming you still want them?" They hadn't really talked about it.
"Oh, totally. You?"
She hummed affirmatively.
"How many? Let's say it together on three." He smiled, excited to share his response and hear hers. "1, 2, 3!"
"2."
"5."
Mercedes lifted her head off of him and looked at him like a madman. "Five kids?"
"I like a big family! 2?"
"Just enough for us to have a nice-sized family and not have to get a freaking mini-van with 3rd-row seating. Besides, my parents had two kids and we turned out just fine," she said.
"One of you did, anyway." He gestured to her brother, who was now quite literally wrestling the ball from Sam's 16-year-old brother.
"Yeah. I turned out just fine. 5 kids is too many, Sam."
"But look at her." He nearly swooned at their niece picking up the football and running away, giggling as everyone chased after her.
"But look at her." Mercedes pointed to Devon. "6 months pregnant and always exhausted. That's what it is," she said as she poked Sam. "You guys don't have to do anything. You just knock us up and kick back for the next nine months while we have to waddle around with bowling balls making a home out of our abdomen. That's what that is. And then, you're not the one who has to practically rip yourself open when it's time to pop those bowling balls out. We're going with two."
"Oh, come on! How about 4?"
"2."
"3?"
"2."
"2 1/2?"
"Sam."
He chuckled. He was going to get more than two out of her, that he knew for sure. "We'll put a pin in it. But we are doing this kid thing, right? So when are you thinking?"
Mercedes looked at her feet and mumbled, "I mean, we have to have sex first."
Surprisingly, they never talked about sex. Ever. They'd already established that their first time was in her hands and neither of them had brung it up since. Until now.
"That's true."
"I don't know, I still think I'd like to be married when I have my first child. Other than that, I guess I'm ready whenever you are. What do you think?"
"How about I let you know the second I'm ready?"
"I'm gonna hold you to that," she said.
He put his arm around her and leaned them up against the column beside him. "Please do."
Hey, y'all! So this update took a lot longer than expected! I recently graduated (woo!) and I'm getting ready for grad school (ugh) AND I'm in the process of moving out of state, so updates might be a little scattered for a while. Just bear with me y'all. The next chapter will see a milestone for our couple. Also, we're closely approaching yet another time jump! Hope you enjoyed this update.
