The Family
6 p.m.
Sam was meant to have driven down to California State University in Long Beach last night for an interview in the morning but, Mercy was having one of her neglect moments and he quickly opted to leave at 4 a.m. in the morning drive from their home in Malibu to LA International and get the plane over to Long Beach then a taxi to the University, he couldn't lie he needed to be with her too.
Mercy had just finished an 18 month long world tour two weeks ago, Sam had met up with her when he could but, with his modelling kicking off big time, those had been few and far between. They'd been married for nearly 5 years but, in honesty, if they' spent a year together out of that they might have been happier. He'd done Modelling for 4 years now and he was seriously thinking about what to do next, he wasn't trippin he knew this modelling thing could only last so long and, he didn't want to be doing it for life anyway. He'd done his Degree at Open University and he was trying to get some experience as a qualified teacher, hence this trip to Long Beach for his interview.
Mercy wasn't happy about the interview she thought it was too far away from home meaning more time apart, Sam's argument was that she was hardly ever there anyway so did it really matter where he worked and he could maybe work it for her to come down to him when she could.
So again they'd argued about quality time, neglect, relationship quality, mistakes, and everything else that comes with not having time to build on a relationship. There'd been crying on both sides before they agreed life without each other would be meaningless and a promise to work things out. They were both exhausted by the end of the evening and fell asleep wrapped up, about 8 p.m. Mercy was woken up by Sam tasting her and welcomed it, after that everything was good in the Evans household for now.
3 a.m.
So at 3.30 a.m. Sam was up getting dressed and Mercy was checking his luggage, she gave him his watch, phone and keys as she backed him out the bedroom kissing him and putting them in his coat pocket. 4 a.m. Mercy had seen Sam off after the usual banter and went back to bed
"What time's your flight again" she'd asked
"You never listen to me I said 5.45 a.m. for 3 hours and then I have 40 minutes to get to the University and an hour to check myself" he replied walking towards the door
"I do babe I just like to hear you talk" she said laughing making him smile
"I'll be back for like 9 p.m. ok babe?" Sam said as he kissed her for the twentieth time at the door "I really hate this, you've been around for two weeks and I've been working and the two days we could have I'm out for the day but I need to fit this in I need to change my life" he said to Mercy nodding agreement
"I might take a leaf babe, I need my husband and my life style doesn't work either" she said kissing him again "Go" she said shewing him off "and hurry up back safe journey"
"I love you" he said with his last kiss before turning to walk away
"Hey" she said making him turn round as he got to the car "I love you more" she said with a smile
"You gave me my smile babe" he said holding his heart "Tomorrow's all ours yeah"
"Yeah" she said as he jumped in the car and drove away then Mercy went back to bed
7 a.m.
Mercy woke up to her phone alarm going "Shut up" she said banging the phone to stop and putting her head under her pillow "Sam tell it to shut up" she said about the still ringing alarm, lifting her head when she didn't get a reply "Sam" she shouted and got up before she remembered that he'd gone out of town and turned the alarm off herself. She sat on the bed for a while wondering exactly what to do with herself today.
Picking her phone up she went to the bathroom before going through to the kitchen to make herself some breakfast, putting on the radio on her way through the lounge. She sang along merrily as she heard Santana's new record on the radio "that girl is flying" she said as she abandoned the toast and danced around the kitchen to the catchy tune.
'Listening to my Girl Satan on my radio, girl made me not want to eat, you go girl' – she sapped to the family as she danced. When she checked her phone 15 minutes later everyone had replied except Sam "Unusual" she said but put her phone away and carried on, cross legged on the couch, eating her toast, drinking her juice and reading the spread vogue magazine had just done on Sam "You are so hot hubby" she said kissing the page he was splashed across. Looking at her phone again thinking it's been 30 minutes and he still hasn't answered
"Sam" she wrote on their private Sapp account and waited for his response but, none came. Looking at the time she surmised that he was maybe in the air and if there was turbulence he would have difficulty getting signal so she'd leave it till he got off the plane at 8.45 a.m.
Mercy got dressed read the mail and looked at her Twitter page before going into the office to look at her business emails and answer some, she was hoping to finish everything work before 10 a.m. She looked at a song she'd started writing before going on her tour and thought she could maybe put some work into it and have it ready for when Sam returned later. A few minutes turned into hours and when Mercy finally thought she felt hungry it was 1 p.m. by the clock on the wall, she couldn't believe it she grabbed her phone to check for her missed calls and found none.
"Where are you Sammy?" she asked the phone
This just wasn't them they called every four hours, before and after takes, performances everything they'd never gone over 6 hours without speaking "Something's wrong" she finally surmised. Mercy turned the radio up and turned the TV on for the news something must have happened, she got on the internet to check the flight schedule
2 p.m.
The flight Sam had gone on had taken off and landed safely, no public transport incidents in California, no bomb scares or anything at the University and still no contact from Sam. Mercy went into full panic mode calling hospitals, police stations and prisons for whatever reason before sending a sapp out to the family 'have you heard from Sam?' she asked
'Why is he here in New York' Blaine asked
'Why?' Santana asked
'Are you two arguing – unheard of' Quinn asked
'No he's not been in contact for over 6 hours and I know something's wrong' Mercy wrote back fed up of the silly answers
'No; so where did he go?' Artie asked
'California for an interview at the University' Mercy wrote
'Silly question but has he got his phone on him' Kurt asked
'Yeah he's done that before and had us all worried remember' Brittany wrote
'Yeah he has I put it in his coat pocket' Mercy said
'Not in his hand?' Mike asked
'Definitely his coat pocket' Mercy replied
'Did he drive or fly' Mike asked
'Both drove to airport' Mercy replied
'100% sure phone is in coat pocket in the car at the airport, it's sunny in California no coat needed' Mike wrote
Just then Mercy's phone went off, it was Sam's Mom calling her so she answered it unsure what to expect from the conversation
"Mercy sweetheart Sam asked me to call you and tell you he's ok, he's left his phone in the car at the airport and he's just come out the interview, it went well, he thought you'd be past panicking now and he's sorry"
"Oh thank God I've been on to all the hospitals, police stations and prisons between here and California, I've got the Glee Family about to go out and search for him, it's my fault I put his phone in his coat pocket instead of his jacket pocket but, thanks for that Mom"
"He'll be home an hour earlier, he said too ok? I'll speak later" his Mom said
"That's fine thank you Mom, speak to you soon I got to stop this search party; Mom why didn't he call me direct?" she asked
"He couldn't remember the number" she laughed saying their goodbyes before closing the call down
'Mike was right panic over thanks all' she sapped
6 p.m.
Mercy was getting on with her song when her body disowned her and just collapsed on the floor, it took her a while to sit up but when she did she knew something was wrong she was sweating her heart was beating too fast and she was crying, all these emotions together had never happened before, she sat thinking the worst about what illness she could have and how it was going to change her life, who she needed to call and what she needed to do next. Suddenly she needed to be sick violently sick, she willed herself to get up and get to the bathroom, there was nothing worse than having to mop up your own sick or anyone else's for that matter, she pushed herself off the ground back to her feet and grabbed the chair as she found things to support her in getting out of the room, but vomited anyway. It seemed like an age before she got to the buzzer to call someone to assist her but she got there and Alfred, the Butler and Milly, the Maid came running to her aide called an ambulance for her and Milly attended with her until family could get there
"Just a few more tests Mrs Evans and then we'll be able to hopefully shed some light on things" The consultant said as he looked at her charts
Mercy went about explaining to the Consultant in detail about the events of the evening explaining that her husband would be there any time after 8 p.m. as he was away but on his way back. The Consultant nodded appropriately and eventually left the room when Mercy felt she had finished talking "He wasn't even listening was he?" she asked Milly when he'd left
"I'm not sure Mrs E he didn't appear to be, maybe he's more interested in the condition than all your social stuff" she replied
"You might be right Mil" she said flatly "Will you call home and find out if Sam's arrived home yet please?"
"Yes Mrs E right away" she said leaving the room to make the call
7 p.m.
It was 7.15 p.m. Sam had just gotten off his flight and was past dying to hear Mercy's voice, they had hardly ever spent more than 6 hours without communication or connection of some kind and his anxiety had come back with a force really he'd vomited on the plane and hadn't been able to face eating anything, he'd felt dizzy too and he was sure if he hadn't been already sitting he would have fell because of how quickly the feeling came on. He'd convinced himself that he just needed to hear her voice and everything would be fine, he got to his car opened the boot threw his case in and grabbed his coat finding his phone he breathed a breath of relief it actually being there before dialling her number, it rang out and his stress level went through the roof. He was panicking much too much to concentrate on what he was supposed to be doing he was making mistakes on his phone and felt like throwing it on the floor but called her again for the same thing to happen "I'll call home" he stopped himself from panicking to tell himself as he found the detail and pressed call "Alfred" he said relieved someone was there "Where's Mercy?"
"Mrs E is in hospital Sir she collapsed and we called an ambulance"
"What do you mean Alfred, where did she collapse? Which hospital? What time?" he asked
"She collapsed at home Sir, she's at Urgent Care Sir and she went in about 6.25 p.m.
"Ok" Sam said throwing the phone down as he got in the car, his eyes blurred with tears for what could be happening with his wife, driving along at high speed suddenly the sickness feeling came back "What's wrong Mercy" he asked to hear 'Stop Sam' come back at him "What?" he asked knowing there was no one else in the car with him, wiping his eyes as he pressed down on the gas to get to Mercy "How come she's talking to me like she's gone" he whispered to himself for fear of it being true 'stop Sam" he heard again "What, are you not going to wait for me to talk you out of this?" he asked putting his foot down more on the gas
"Sam Stop Now!" Mercy shouted out as she lay in her hospital bed so loud she frightened herself
Sam heard the scream in the car and stopped the car frightened for Mercy, for himself, as he stopped the car holding onto the wheel breathing heavily he heard a bang just ahead of him and looked up to see a car exploding in the distance "What the fuck" he said under his breath as he saw something flying through the air. He recognised it as the car that had passed him about a minute before he stopped at Mercy's command "That could have been me" he said to himself getting out of his car to see if there was anything he could do for the people in the car that had just fell to the ground in front of him a few hundred yards away along with a few other people.
The police were on it in minutes and the road was closed off apparently lots more people hurt in the shops and surrounding areas, Sam sat in his car just looking at the devastation and thanking God and all the angels for his safe delivery through it all, while the fire services ambulances and investigative agencies got started in solving the crime of this mass murder of innocent people. It must have taken 10 maybe 15 minutes for the shock to wear off before Sam remembered that Mercy was in hospital and he carried on making his way there.
"Could you direct me to the booth my wife's in please" he said at the Nurses desk where he was instantly recognised
"Your wife Sir?" the head nurse asked puzzled
"Yes Mrs Mercy Evans she came in with Milly our Maid about 6.30 p.m." he informed them
"Oh Sir Mrs Evans is your wife?" another nurse asked
"Is she here?" he asked getting a bit agitated at all the second questioning
"She is Sir we were just sorting out to move her to A wing Sir" the head nurse commented
"She's been here for like 2 hours and your just thinking about putting her in the wing that we pay for?" he asked
"Sir we'll call the Consultant to come and speak to you both and sort the move out quickly; sorry Sir" the head nurse announced, he could see the nurses were already running at her instructions
"That's more like it" he said "So where's my wife?" he asked again as the head nurse directed him to her room
Sam walked in the room to a sleeping Mercy, said hello to Milly and told her she could go home now as he pulled up the chair and made ready to watch his wife sleep for a while
"Mrs E had a bit of a turn a while ago she shot up out her sleep and shouted 'Stop Sam Now' and, went back to sleep crying but she settled down quickly Sir" Milly reported before leaving the room
"Milly" Sam said as she reached the door "Call Alfred and have him send a car for you, I don't want you out on your own tonight, lots of stuff going on out there"
"Yes Sir" she said as she closed the door after herself
9 p.m.
About two hours later the Doctor came and told Sam they had her bed ready and apologised for their tardiness, he said they had taken all the main tests and found nothing so they had to investigate a bit deeper "Looking at the symptoms there's a possibility of low blood sugar levels, hypoglycaemia generally presents as blackouts, sweating, anxiety and vomiting" the Consultant stated "We'll need to get a complete blood count done along with a fasting blood sugar level test and, maybe to rule out heart rhythm problems we might do a ECG and a Thyroid function test"
"That's all good and well Sir" Sam said as Mercy stirred "But how do you explain me more than 600 miles away having the exact same symptoms?" he asked
"I can't Mr Evans maybe a pregnancy test needs to be done do you want me to get you one?" he asked
"No, we'll do that thanks and I'll get back to you whichever way but I'm taking her home" Sam informed him
"That's fine, she has a clean bill of health otherwise"
Sam sat back in his own little world, 'a baby' he thought to himself 'we'd always said we wanted children, it was just the jobs stopping us from saying the when but if it's being dictated I don't think we can argue with that. I'm willing to stop it fits in with my life just sweet, I won't be able to get a job outside of Malibu but, hey so what I'll have a family, we'll have a family and, that trumps everything for me. I hope Mercy's pleased about this if that's what we're dealing with, I'm into family life already, spending more time with Mercy, having a little one that looks like us with her brains, voice, not the body that belongs to me. She can have a body like mine so that no boys will like her, but then she'll like girls does that matter, it's up to her. God what if it's a him I'm gonna have to tell him about football, girls, STD's as long as our child is happy I'm gonna love them anyway,. Wake up Mercy we need to talk' he thought excitedly looking at her to see she was awake watching him think
"Hi Babe you gave me a scare" she said "thinking of leaving me were you?"
"I thought you were thinking that when I found out you were in hospital and then shouting at me in the car" he said
"Yeah what happened?"
"Bombing just in front of me" he said grabbing her hand, she knew he had to hear everything so he could assess the situation and come up with the resolve Sam was good at doing that, so she told him everything
"So what do you think it is?" she asked "Bearing in mind I'm super fucking worried Sammy" she reminded him
"Let's go home I think better there" he said "The Consultant has said you can" he added
"Did they say what was wrong?" she asked concerned
"They're going to do more tests later on for further investigation but that's not happening right now you're fit right now" he said helping her up and out of bed, she got dressed with the door open so he could see her and, they left with him almost carrying her out.
'I wonder what the doctor said to him' she thought as they drove the short distance home, trying to work out if the look on his face was happy, concern or just at peace with his lot "Are you happy Sam?"
"I'm very happy Mercy; my wife saved my life from her sick bed, you're coming home tonight after some freak sickness, I didn't get that job in California and I love my wife" he said stroking her face as he said the last few words
"I love you too Sammy more than you'll ever know"
"How much do you love me Mercy?" he asked "I'm not questioning it I'm just asking I mean what would you give up for me?"
"Everything Sammy absolutely everything including my life; sorry there may be one exception" she said looking at him but he wasn't fazed in fact he was hoping she was going to say what he was thinking "Our children I maybe wouldn't give up Sammy sorry"
"That's fine Babe I just need you to know I would, give up our children I mean for you"
"Really?" she asked
"Yep no question laying on that table with a choice of you or the child I wouldn't bat an eyelid you win every time" he said looking at her for a second "Sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear babe but it's my truth"
"I love you Sammy, in that situation truth; I'd struggle with what society expected and what my heart would tell me to do"
10 p.m.
"Here we are" Sam said as the gates to their home opened for them to enter. He got Mercy inside and upstairs in bed, ordered their hot drinks and cookies before starting his conversation "I had the same symptoms as you today babe, as I said before" he smiled "Dizziness, vomiting, sweating everything while I was on the plane on my way back about the same time too" he added waiting for the light to come on for her but it didn't "Babe when was the last time you had a period?"
"About 4 weeks ago when you came to Greece for two weeks that night you left I had one then" she said
"Babe I came to Greece seven weeks ago and you'd just finished your period before I got there not after I left. Five weeks ago I'd been in Paris and you'd been in England for three weeks and you've been back for two weeks now; by my calculations that makes it at least 8 weeks since your last one" he smiled as Mercy's face changed colour all sorts of emotions going on through her face as she dare not say the words, she looked at him for a long while before she smiled
"Sammy" she said, asking all her questions with that one word
"Let's do the test and see" he said
"Let's" she said jumping out of the bed and heading towards the bathroom
Sam grabbed the box and gave her the test stick, she grabbed the stick off him and sat to wet the stick "Let me hold it" he said as she handed him the stick as she wet the stick "Two minutes yeah" he said looking at the box
"Sammy this is life changing stuff you know that yeah?" she smiled nervously "I'm ready for this I'm so ready I know we said we'd wait but life's just passing us by and we need our babies" she said "I pray I am I can feel love for it already"
"Me too" Sam said kissing her nose as he stretched behind her to put the stick down and wait in silence, just smiling and looking at each other.
Mercy couldn't help it her face told everything as she burst into tears at the anticipation of it all "I'm sorry babe I'm too on edge I need this to happen I never realised how much I needed this to happen I'll be so upset if it's negative" she said as Sam wiped her tears and kissed her forehead
"I know babe, if it's negative I think we'll need to have a conversation because it's everything I want too, and like you I've just been too busy to think about anything like this but now it's slapped us in the face I need it to happen too" he said holding her head against his so they were looking in each other's eyes "Two minutes" he said looking at the stick behind her head.
"Do it" she said without losing her stare
Sam picked up the stick "Are we looking for two stipes?" he asked
"Yeah" she said her tone telling him not to play any sort of game at this point
"There are two babe" he said holding the stick for her to see the results
"Two stripes babe" she said faintly before bursting into a fit of laughter until her belly cramped "We're having a baby Sammy a baby we made a baby" she jumped around saying it was about a minute before she realised Sam was sitting very still with his head in his hands "Babe" she bent down to say as he grabbed hold of her and pulled her down to him on the bathroom floor "Babe" she said again wrapping her arms around him as he cried uncontrollably in her arms.
"I'm sorry babe it's just been a rough 48 hours; we started with an argument and talked about splitting up, panic day for no contact I thought I was going to burst, hospitalisation, near death experience and baby hell of a day babe" he said hugging her back "And to think I might not have been here for this"
"But you are, we are, we're starting our family babe" she smiled
"Well we wanted a change and we've got one" he said looking at the stick again "There's a seven here what does that mean?" he asked showing Mercy the stick
"Oh I'm seven weeks pregnant, you were right" she said kissing his forehead as she got up "Can we keep this to ourselves until we get past the first trimester?" she asked
"Why?"
"Because there's still a risk until then and I don't want everyone knowing if anything goes wrong" she said "Not that I hope or wish for anything bad but you never know"
"Ok" he agreed getting up himself to follow her out of the bathroom
Sam made the call back to the Consultant to inform him of the outcome and was advised to visit the clinic at 12 weeks to monitor progress. They went through the morning sickness, mood swings for both of them, Night visits to fast food services, high and low sex drive phases and growing body syndrome issues over the next few weeks. They had conversations with their bosses and Sam was later actually offered the job in California but now their priorities had changed he turned it down and started looking closer to home. Mercy had one gig she had to attend in two months' time she couldn't get out of but they were preparing for it and had agreed with her agent that she would take two years out to look after their family
12 weeks pregnant
"Sammy" Mercy shouted from the music room "Why are you not feeding me grapes?" she asked
"What was that about grapes babe?" he asked as he entered the room
"Nothing just sassing; I found you the perfect song babe and I want to sing it to you"
"Go for it" he said jumping into the coach
"Thank you for putting up with my Diva babe" she said as a cry started "I love you" she said wiping it away before she started singing 'No Sleep' by Janet Jackson as Sam went to sit with her as she sung and did some moves
"That's a good song babe" he said kissing her forehead "We ain't your right" he smiled "Long winded way of asking me to make love to you babe"
"Is that all you heard in that song?" she asked laughing
"No babe you just sung it the loudest" he laughed "but it's going to happen" he said picking her up and bringing her upstairs to put his hands on her skin "You're not doing that rap bit thought are you?"
"No" she laughed and then words weren't necessary as they got to their place of contentment
"Come on Babe it's nearly time for the Doctors visit" he said some time later, opening the bathroom door to look at her standing there naked
"You did this to me" she shouted at him as she looked at her baby bump in the mirror
"You knew I was an artist" he replied walking into her "Cover my girls" he said putting his hand in front of her wet "Smile" he said and took a picture of his handy work "I'm going to see if anyone will buy my prize possession" he said leaving the bathroom as Mercy shook her head smiling
"Sam" she said after him
"What?" he asked in his don't even ask tone "Get dressed" he ordered
20 minutes later Mercy was sitting at her dresser doing the finishing touches and Sam was doing his best to distract her "Babe" he finally said as Mercy rolled her eyes for him finally getting to the point "I need to go to Mexico on a shoot for 2 weeks I tried everything to get something closer to home but until I can get a teaching job I have to grab what I can"
"Its fine Sammy you have to work" she said getting up from the dresser with such force Sam knew it wasn't alright she just didn't have an argument just now "Do we need to get to the surgery?" she asked stepping past him
"Yeah" Sam said unsure how to take this particular brand of Mercy she usually either shouted, cried, laughed or went orbital but quiet sulk was new to him that was his game. He played the game and said nothing until they were in the surgery and sitting in the doctor's office
"12 weeks scan sort of firms everything up doesn't it?" the doctor said as they sat waiting for instructions "I'm going to do a scan just to see what baby is doing and get a better idea of delivery and everything nothing scary so don't worry and you'll have a pic of your little one to take home you can have more than one if you want" he said preparing the bench for her to lay on "Mrs Evans I just need the clothes off your tummy and to put this just in there" he said tucking the surgical tissue just past her knicker line and switched the machine on. He listened attentively before commenting "I think I hear more than one heartbeat"
"I have twin siblings" Sam offered with a smile as the doctor turned up the scan machine volume
"Can you hear that?
"Yeah" Sam answered
"Two heartbeats" Mercy smiled
"Listen" the doctor instructed turning the volume up
"Yeah two hearts" Sam repeated "Three if you include Mercy's" he said trying to be clever
"If you include Mrs Evans' there'd be four on a professional count" the doctor said "Makes sense with the growth rate and everything you've explained to me"
"What is it?" Mercy asked getting seriously pissed for the lack of information being passed over
"You have triplets at the moment Mrs Evans but it's early days yet we could lose one or even all of them so we need to monitor you very closely" he smiled "We'll assign you a Consultant Obstetrician to make sure your monitored very closely and give you peace of mind that you're in safe hands. I suggest you take it easy and don't be shocked if you slow down a lot quicker than Mom's having one child. I don't mean to scare you just giving facts about your situation, I'll give you leaflets but High blood pressure, diabetes and premature labour are all possibilities but taking care of yourself will help to prevent those developing"
"Did you say you had all this in writing?" Sam asked
"Yes I did and the usual delivery date is generally 34 weeks so prepare early" The doctor said leaving it there seeing they were totally overwhelmed with the news
Sam and Mercy left the surgery in shock but happy no one talking as they got in the car and drove home, they sat of the couch and breathed "Triplets" Sam finally said
"You heard that too" Mercy replied
"Maximum 22 weeks left, did you hear that?"
"Yep"
"We need a bigger house, nursery, three babies, nanny everything in 22 weeks maximum" Sam said dazed
"Nannies" Mercy corrected
"Hey I know this is going to be tough the toughest thing we've ever done but I want us to always remember first we love each other"
"Got it" Mercy said as they both laughed
"Seriously babe Mom said this was nearly the end of her and Dad having me" he added looking very serious
"Never going to happen babe" Mercy said grabbing his face for a kiss
30 weeks
Finding a new home, Preparing for Triplets, Sam constantly going off to work all over the world and Mercy's hormones had taken their toll on their relationship as they had expected but, Sam was at the point where he was almost wishing for work away just to get a break from Mercy's constant ragging. Somehow in all this he'd become the enemy and in part he understood that or at least he did at first now he just wanted to stand there when she started and shout 'shut the fuck up' in the most disrespectful way he knew how. He held on only to the knowledge that somewhere in all this they loved each other and when they took the time to look deep into each other's eyes they actually saw that.
Mercy was totally pissed off with herself she could feel herself turning into the diva from hell but she just couldn't or sometimes wouldn't stop. She'd said the most hurtful things to Sam sometimes she wondered what he was still doing there because she knew had the shoe been on the other foot she'd have long gone for so much disrespect. They'd brought the house not long after finding out about the triplets and although they'd started furnishing it and getting things ready together she quickly got too heavy to carry the weight about and so everything was left up to him. She'd stopped the album and cancelled tours which had cost them money and Sam had to take on extra work to keep things ticking over and her taste wasn't getting any cheaper although she knew they needed to pinch on pennies for a while. Sam's time away became a welcome break for her she was less stressed, she hoped he was too and they communicated better by phone, strained but somewhat better.
Sam was in Canada doing some shoot for Flame and Mercy had said a sober bye no kiss, hug nothing just bye she was pissed he hadn't discussed this trip he'd just booked it and told her in conversation the night before, so the fact that he was on the phone now seriously pissed her off and he knew it
"Just thought I'd let you know I've got here" he said on the phone
"Fine"
"I'll be back in four days"
"Fine"
"Mercy can you st… forget it bye I'll call …" Mercy didn't hear the rest she'd put the phone down
Sam stared at the phone for a while before he slammed it down mad 'I could easily slap her right now' he thought
"What's up Sam?" Dean, his Co-Model, asked
"Nothing I'm dealing with it" he said stepping off before the conversation could carry on. He was noticeably quiet for the rest of the shoot calling Mercy only once more during that time and when he received the same treatment he just decided to not call her any more for now. She was 31 weeks and to put stress on her on top of the move and everything might bring the babies on. He understood her frustration being cooped up in the house after being so active for five years and not being able to perform must be a killer, but was that really all his fault?
Sam got back home to find the house empty, he dropped his bags in the middle of the music room and sat at the piano desperate for some normality in his life and started playing 'Mad' by Ne Yo wishing but knowing at this point there was nothing he could really do to help, it was all Mercy's call and if the last 19 weeks were anything to go by nothing was going to change anytime soon until the babies made an appearance. Sitting there singing he seriously wondered why he expected anything different they had always argued they were on the verge of splitting up the day before they found out about the babies, is that it did he need to "leave Is that it?" he asked himself as he finished he song
"What?" he heard from behind him spinning him round "You're leaving?" she asked unable to catch her breath
Sam didn't know why but he didn't jump up and take it back or anything he just looked at her hyperventilating and almost turned back to the piano before he remembered the babies "This whatever we're doing isn't healthy Mercedes, I don't know what to do to make you happy anymore, this just isn't working" he said Sam didn't know who this man was, sitting there telling his truth, it was his truth but not to be said out to his heavily pregnant wife, but his mouth just wouldn't stop "It's like you don't remember, don't care or don't want to remember that I have feelings too, that I'm becoming a parent too, I don't feel a part of this anymore and I just wondered if that's what this was, you pushing me out because you want me to leave"
"And you don't want to go to bed mad with me?" she asked building up to her diva explosion
"You see, it's just this kind of shit that makes me want to go back out and get fucking laid by some trick to give you a reason to dog me like this"
"What?" Mercy said she couldn't believe what Sam was saying to her
"You Mercedes you think it's just you that can say hurtful things well it's not and God knows I don't mean them but they still hurt don't they?" he said as Mercy nodded "So I want you to remember what your feeling right now and imagine how I've been feeling for the last what, 21 weeks or so, and that's on you" he said walking way 'No stress Evans well your making sure of that aren't you? I mean she might be back there in labour right now and you would have done that' he thought 'But hell it needed to be said and it felt good'
Mercy sat on the piano stool thinking on everything Sam had said, he was right she had treated him disrespectfully so long she'd made it a habit and, she was being a bitch mega bitch most of the time she always knew that and, yes she needed to change. After about 15 minutes she decided to break the ice between them but, he didn't bite the bate which upset her but she knew as did he they still loved each other and how could they be mad at each other for sharing their truths.
33 Weeks
They were on semi-speaking terms again and Mercy was cooling her diva as best she could and although Sam could see she was trying he still had his guard up. Sex had become difficult at 22 weeks and impossible at 29 weeks so there was now the added tension of restricted bedroom activities now down to hugs and pecks and the odd oral sex sessions, which were few and far between, which usually ended up being moan and groan sessions at week 33 Sam finally got Mercy to agree to knock it on the head until after the babies were born.
Mercy was kind of pleased she had an inducement day because for an ambulance to be called to carry her and three children out she saw that as more of a fire brigade job and, with the bags they might need, two minibuses to follow. They'd just about moving into the new house, the cook, nannies, and butler were in place, the nursery had been tastefully done in pastel blue, pink, green and yellow everything was in place one week before due date.
Mercy hadn't seen the end result being too pregnant to visit the building site but now they were moving in she was getting her chance. Sam had taken pictures for her but nothing prepared her to the full effect she got from seeing everything first hand, she loved it.
"Sam" she said as they entered the day room "I know this is" she said pointing to her baby bump "Is hard and I know what I've been but babe you know I will always Lo…."
"Mercy can we leave this just now please, I'm still not there yet and I don't need another argument as to why I'm not just now" he said walking away
"Ok" she said standing there thinking all I wanted was a hug, she really couldn't say anything she'd actually caused this whatever it was that was happening between them and, there was no way she was going to be able to fix anything in her current condition. Sam listened to physical contact, he craved it, she knew that was half his problem right now, she could feel him pulling away from her not in a bad way, just because he didn't know how to touch her and not be about making love. That was the way they'd always solved their arguments and it worked for them so now to be faced with this, no wonder he thought they were still in argument mode nothing had happened to make him think any different. Mercy sat at her piano the only company she'd had in a week and decided to focus on her new album, she'd been doing that for some time now while Sam was away, at the studio or just not home
"I Miss You Now" by Ledisi (Adapted)
[Verse 1:]
Lately it's been hard for me to get to fall asleep, cause when you walked out, you walk into my dreams
Hearing these memories all in my head, was it your voice that said? Come back to bed
I know there was a reason that you had to walk out, but now I can't remember what the fight was about
I know I was mad, said you was pissed, but it wasn't so bad, not worse then this
[Chorus:]
Cause I miss you now (Cause I miss you now) I miss you now Maybe we deserve another chance
Maybe your my man, Maybe we should try again
Cause I miss you now (Cause I miss you now) I miss you now Maybe it really wasn't our fault
Wasn't so bad at all Maybe you should come back home
[Verse 2:]
Yo mama keep calling me, phoning my house, Asking me why you sleeping on her couch
How could we give up on something so good, I tried not to call, maybe I should
I don't wanna be the reason that it didn't work out, We put too much into it just to give up now
Let's call it a truce, got nothing to prove, Been gone for too long and I'm missing you
[Chorus:]
[Bridge:]
Maybe we can solve it by saying I'm sorry Maybe we can take it back to where we started
I miss your kiss Long for your love One month without you, is more than enough
Maybe I just needed to breathe I walked away now I can see I'm lost without you
Don't know what to do I called just to say That I'm missing you
[Chorus: repeat until fade]
"Mercy" Sam said as she finished her song "I don't think this is working I don't feel the same and I need some time to think about this, whatever this is"
"What!" she said praying she wouldn't go diva on him right this minute
"I'll stay till the babies are born but I need some time after that and, I know this is me being selfish right now but uncertainty has crept in and I need to deal with this" he said walking away leaving a very teary Mercedes at the piano. After crying for about twenty minutes she grabbed her purse and left the house, she couldn't fit behind the wheel of her car so she called a taxi to pick her up, not wanting to use any of their drivers for him to check up on her and get her back home, she ended up at the studio to everyone's surprise. There was a bit of a celebration as they sang, drank and danced calling it a baby shower and suddenly it was 11 p.m. 7 hours since Mercy left the house
"I've got to get home" she told the guys easing herself up out the chair with help, as she checked her phone to see calls from Sam and some of the Glee Family "Shit it's been 7 hours, Sam will be worried"
"I'll take you" Daniel offered
"Have you been drinking?" she asked, not bothering to make the call to him knowing he'd want to come fetch her himself and make a scene
"No" he replied
"Ok" she said thinking Sam would prefer her going home with someone she knew rather than a taxi driver at this time of night. She got in the car with Mark, Lucy and Martin in the back, Daniel was doing a round trip. Everyone was laughing, singing and some even still drinking as they drove along
"Mercy Stop" she heard Sam say as plain as day
"Sam" she said out loud but before she could think anything else she heard him again
"Mercy stop now"
"Stop the car!" she shouted as Daniel slammed on the breaks "Just pull in there" she said pointing to the layby
"God you're not about to have the babies are you?" Daniel asked ready to panic
"No" she said as a lorry came swerving past them using both lanes as it came round the bend too fast "I'm going to be sick" she said as everything she'd eaten that day threatened to come up
"Please not in the car" Daniel begged as she grabbed her belly
"Did you see that lorry?" Lucy asked "We could have been killed if we hadn't stopped" he gasped
"Did you know that was going to happen Mercedes?" Daniel asked
"Not that specifically but I was told to stop" she replied not giving any more away "I think I need to go to the hospital" she said looking too serious for Daniel to question her, he just turned the engine back on and drove carefully to the hospital
Sam was already there when she got there "How did you…" she said remembering the warning a few minutes ago
"I said I wanted to split; don't know where that came from, I was mega worried when I came downstairs and you'd gone I sent a sapp out to every one looking for you; strike two, then I just collapsed, wet myself woke up shouting for you to stop it was all too coincidental I just knew it was time"
Delivery day
The team was waiting for her and everything just went into, what seemed like, automatic pilot as the professionals took over making the experience safe and enjoyable for the family. Mercy lay looking at the ceiling mirror with Sam sitting next to her holding her hand the whole time through for a long while until they heard "Baby 1 Boy" and a cry, then it seemed like seconds later "Baby 2 Girl" followed by a cry so now they had two crying babies then in the mix of that "Baby 3 Girl" they didn't hear any crying which alarmed them
"Is she alright?" they asked together, Mercy looking in the mirror while Sam left her to go behind the screen protection
"She's fine, just quiet" the Midwife finally said smiling
"OK can I see my babies?" Mercy asked
"Just cleaning them up a bit" the midwife announced "Do you have names for them all?" she asked
"We will do by the end of the day" Sam assured her as the cribs came round with the little ones in "Their going to be king and queens babe" he said to Mercy as he looked in the cribs at their children with Beautiful Dirty blond curly hair and light tanned skin as Baby 2 opened her eyes revealing deep green eyes making him jump at the suddenness of her movement "You're the one to watch" he laughed as the other two slept soundly "Do you want one of the babies Babe?" he asked as Mercy nodded "Could you sit her up a bit please?" he asked the nurse
"Baby can lay on her chest for now we need things to settle a bit just now" the Midwife said as another nurse came round and took baby 2 up and lay her on Mercy's chest making Mercy cry
"She has chubby cheeks already she's definitely me" Mercy laughed
"She's the one I need to look out for I knew it as soon as she looked at me" Sam laughed as the Nurse offered him Baby 3 who had just started being restless, as he held her up for Mercy to see
"She's you look at that long face and her fingers" Mercy laughed
"Thank you" Sam said pleased with himself "And our eldest" he said as the Nurse put the boy in his right arm
"OMG he's both of us" she said looking at him "They all look like us but their all different how did we do that?" she asked
"Really?" Sam asked "You really want to know how we did this?" he laughed
8 Weeks Later
Shaka, Amina and Makeda had grown into their individual selves, Mercy and Sam had quickly fell into parenthood, night feeds, nappy changing and winding were part of their family make up and there was enough of it to go round when family and friends came to visit. Sam had constantly gone on about the children becoming king and queens that they'd gone for names of ancient Nubian kings and queens in the end Shaka after the Zulu king of Africa, Amina after the Queen of Zaria in Nigeria and Makeda after the Queen of Sheba, apt names they were living like kings and queens being waited on hand and foot.
"Babe what did the doctor say?" Sam shouted as he heard Mercy coming up the stairs
"Impatient much" she said popping her head round the nursery door
"We're talking nearly 7 whole month's worth here babe, what did he say?"
"Everything is fine I'm good to go" she laughed "and I'm almost back down to my weight maybe two more weeks and I'm back" she smiled
"Mercy's back tonight for me babe, if you want to wait for your Mercy to come back for you that's fine but, I'm taking mine as soon as" Sam said as he laughed with Amina his one to watch out for in his arms. Mercy picked up Shaka and signalled for Sam to pick up Makeda as she turned to make her way out of the nursery and down to the music room "Treat" he said to the girls as he followed her
She got in the room and put Shaka in his mobile cot as Sam did the same for the girls before they went to sit by the piano "I've got a version of a song I want to sing for our family" she smiled "I never said thank you to you for the last 9 months and stuff. I know you put up with a lot and we both said things, and I really don't want to get into all that, I just need you to know that it's all over now and I'm back and I'm still loving you, all of you" she said finally looking away from Sam over to the cots as he hugged her in "So here it is!" she announced as she started to play 'I got you' by Ciara
"That was beautiful babe but I'm having you tonight" he said kissing her neck
"I think you'll find I'm having you tonight babe" she said laughing as she got up, for him to drag her back down
"You know who always wins these fights babe give in while you can" he laughed in her ear
"Never" she laughed
"Mercy's back" he said jumping up excited for the night grabbing for her as she walked
"Babe" she said fanning him off "Not in front of the children we're a family now"
"Family are going to have to learn to live with this babe" he replied kissing her neck as she turned round to grab his lips "children" he said when she let him up
"It's practically tonight" she said suggesting they go upstairs "Call the Nanny" she requested laughing
"It's 4 in the afternoon" Sam laughed
"We've got blackouts"
"Ok" he said as they called the Nanny before going to find their place again, now Mom and Dad a family.
THE END