Hug It Out
I'm sure I'm not the only one that's ever got in their feels at the hugs shared between Samcedes, this fic brings them to life again with a bit of a twist of course, the only thing that connects the stories is somewhere in there, there are Samcedes hug
1. The Prom-pt
Rachel and Brody had been married for seven years, they'd moved to New York just a year into their marriage both of them ready to get serous about their music, they'd worked at the same club for the past five years straight, Brody was a brilliant musician and Rachel sang to his music.
Rachel had grew up on California and had a group of friends that had over their teenage years become her ride or die crew, she'd met Brody while she was in college they gelled instantly, she was super scared to bring him home to meet the crew, they could be a harsh lot, but against the odds she'd given herself, he'd won them over
Her best friend Sam, who she'd thought would be the worst, turned out to be on her side first, he'd taken Brody under his wing and helped her to settle him in. They'd spent that summer getting to know each other as a crew and by the end of summer he was in for life, she went back to college on cloud nine, they'd had some disruption in their relationship during college, but by that last year they'd found their way back to each other and then stuck like glue.
They finished college and against his parents advice he asked for her hand in marriage, they got married that summer, his parents didn't attend but they weren't missed if truth be told, they had the best day ever. Two days later they were on their way to New York for Brody's audition, they got there to find they could audition together, they quickly put something together, she was always prepared, Brody killed the music while Rachel killed the lyrics on 'Moon River' by Mary Nelson of course they got the gig, and suddenly it wasn't too hard to talk her into moving to New York after all. So just before their first year anniversary they'd moved found an apartment and started a new life, with no view of returning to California
Life in New York proved harder than they'd expected, the savings soon went on rent when work dried up within three months, they fought daily to find themselves another gig but they eventually lost their up town apartment, ending up in a smaller second floor brownstone apartment. Seven months in they were out one Saturday night drinking, feeling sorry for themselves when Rachel took to the empty stage, Brody grabbed his drink and took to the piano, they sat entertaining the punters, they left there that night having found themselves a job
Two years later and they were feeling more like themselves when Rachel announced she was pregnant, life changed for the better, there was a new light at the end for them, eight months later their daughter Kayleen came into the world, they wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but all they could do was share garden pictures of the little dark haired pale skinned rosy cheeked girl, that had become their light.
Just after Kayleen's fourth birthday Brody started complaining of headaches, he'd refused to go to the doctors because he wouldn't miss work, so he was taking pain killers in threes for the pain
"Somethings wrong Brody, we need to see a doctor" Rachel shouted at him, watching him throwing up in the sink "It could be serious"
"I'm just stressed" he fanned her off "I can't see us go back to how we were before Kay, I just can't"
"Please Brody for me, just see them, you don't have to do what they say"
"I'm fine"
It all happened so quickly, by the time she could think about it he was forgetting stuff, shouting a lot, having incohesive conversation, she finally drew the line when he collapsed in a heap in the kitchen while he was playing with Kay and called an ambulance before he got back to himself. She sat as his bedside while the doctor informed them that Brody had a mass on his brain, they'd have to do tests before they could come up with anything firm, but they were to prepare for the worst
She was on the phone to her friends back in California letting them know what was happening, she knew Brady didn't like them knowing they weren't coping and she wasn't telling them any of that, she just needed to vent and get some support from real friends. Of course everyone was in shock, especially her parents who demanded they come straight home, so they could be cared for and supported through all of it, Rachel didn't need asking twice, she knew without his income they'd hit bottom fast.
The results came back within twenty four hours, the words Glioblastoma multiforme bouncing around their minds everything else paled into non-existence "What do you mean?" Brody finally asked gripping Rachel's hand, both of them trying to compose themselves with Kay in the room "I don't understand what you mean"
"We can wait if you need Mr and Mrs Weston" The surgeon told them
"No, I want to hear it all now" Brody told them banging the bed
"Brody" Rachel gasped, she was still in shock, but she wasn't going to be rude about this
"This is the most aggressive and usually hard to treat, even with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatment, we might still be looking at 10 months or just a bit more" he told them
"Are you saying he's going to …" Rachel couldn't help it, she burst out crying "Can he travel?"
"Travel?" the surgeon and Brody asked at the same time
"We need to get home..."
"Oh yes" the doctor told her
"I mean to California, where we came from, can he travel?"
"If he does it as soon as possible"
"Okay" she smiled squeezing Brody's hand "We'll get you home, there are people to help us" she burst out crying again squeezing Kay this time "What are we going to do?"
"We'll figure it out" Brody told her, it really hadn't hit him yet
Three days later they'd got back their deposit on the apartment, packed everything they could in cases, packed a removal van to get some things across land and got their flight back to California. Everything was as they'd expected except quieter, all their friends had moved on, visited for holidays and sometimes special occasions, there was nothing to do in the old town anymore, her parents came to collect them from the airport and Brody was put to bed, they were going to see specialists in the morning.
The second opinion confirmed the first, voicing their surprise at the rapid growth of the tumour in a week, that really wasn't what they wanted to hear, but it was what they got, life quickly became centred around hospital visits, sick buckets with very few smiles. It was subtle but Brody adjusted well to the situation, in fact he spent the time he wasn't being ill or taking treatment to make sure Rachel and Kay were alright
"Hey" he held his hand out for his wife to grab and pulled her to sit on the bed "I want you to carry on with your life, don't waste it, find someone else and love them like you love me"
"I can't do that" she pulled away from him
"Rachel" he called stopping her from walking away "I love you, you know that right?"
"And I love you" she turned to tell him "I'll never love anyone else the way I love you"
"Almost then" he laughed
"I'll try" she smiled
That was the last time she say him smile with his mouth, his eyes were always smiling at them, three weeks later he wasn't talking and they one morning just six months after he was first diagnosed he was gone. Every emotion came out of her that morning, she knew it was coming, she thought she was prepared all cried out even, but there was so much more left in her, she was in physical pain, she couldn't think of anyone else she wanted around, she called Sam, her best friend from school
"Sam" she cried down the phone "He's gone" she sobbed
"I'm sorry Rachel, when?"
"This morning, I need my best friend" she wiped her tears "Can you come?"
"I'll be there tonight"
"Just come round, I don't care what time it is, just come"
"Okay" he told her closing the call
Sam turned up at around nine that evening, the knock on the door bringing screams as he heard Rachel running to open it "Sam" he screamed diving into his chest, grabbing him with both hands "Oh" she looked up to see what was obstructing her
"Rachel, this is Mercy my fiancé" he smiled with his arms the women and Rachel attached to his chest
2.
The First One
It was that time in their lives again, Sam had been on the road for nearly seven weeks, they were used to it now this had been the third year he'd done the winter Olympics and his team had got some great publicity from it, not that they needed it, they'd gone big league about five years ago and was confident in their place in the League. The kids they trained were enthusiastic about the game, keen to learn and even more so to win, there were four teams, two coaches to each team and after the first three weeks of training the competition started, he'd won the last two years and was keen to make it a triathlon.
His head was firmly on the game but his mind was on his wife, she hadn't taken this trip too well, his phone had been off the hook the past three nights, she didn't actually cry, but she was getting close, he couldn't make out what it was about and couldn't get any privacy enough to ask the right questions
"So what are you saying?" he asked concerned that she was asking about time out, changing focus
"I don't know what I'm saying, God Sam, you should be hearing me" she huffed
He rolled his eyes at this conversation that wasn't happening, she was leaving the bomb out, but what was the bomb "Mercy I hear you talking but I don't.."
"Forget it, maybe it can't be said over the phone"
"Has something happened babe?"
"It's all come out wrong, forget it" she giggled "How was today, did you win?"
"Of course we won" he laughed, their conversation still on his mind "Don't I always?"
"I'm not even surprised" she giggled
"Did you finish the chorus?"
"Sort of" she giggled
"Let's hear it then" he sat on the wall outside the dormitory
"Okay" she giggled "Be honest" she told him singing the third version of the chorus to her new song 'No Options' by Justine Skye
Settle down now, little loud now, shaking tables, I won't wild out like a child now but I'm able
Eyes wide like a fiend, making a scene, now you're friends gonna see what I mean
You got me sick, you're so toxic, our love blew up, catastrophic
I feel like we have no options, want something real but it's not this
"So" she chuckled "What did you think?"
"It's sad" they stood listening to the silence "But good, I like it, you're right you can't always sing about being in love"
"Hurry up home"
"Two days" he liked this conversation, it was a bit up and down but it had been a lot calmer then yesterdays "I love you"
"I love you back, just hurry home"
Mercy would have said the days went slow, but Sam was home in no time, he jumped off the coach, made sure all the parents had turned up for their children before dropping his bag in the trunk and setting off for home. Happy but scared for what this conversation she couldn't have over the phone was going to reveal, he got on the drive and rolled his eyes at seeing Finn's car on the drive, he was an alright guy, they got on, but sometimes he felt like the man thought Mercy was with him. He'd had to deal with his jealous feelings over time, the man was his wife's best friend, but he was pissed that he'd have to live through their insignificant drama before he could hear anything about his life.
"Hi" he opened the door and dropped his bag "I'm home" he smiled his eyes searching the room for Mercy
"Hi" Finn jumped up "She's in the kitchen doing us something to eat"
"You alright?" Sam asked him giving him a hug, wondering why this dick had chosen today to come visit knowing he'd been away for a while, he was sure he'd seen a smirk on the chumps face
"Fine, you?"
"Yeah" he smiled looking over Finn's shoulder at Quinn sat smiling "Quinn" he went over for a hug "I'm exhausted" he sat in the vacant chair, Quinn and Finn were sprawled across the couch "Babe" his eyes lit up at her coming through the door, jumping up to grab one of the plates in her hand and kissing her lips quickly "Missed you" he put the plate on the coffee table
"Missed you too" she smiled
"So" Finn's voice echoed in the silence "I was telling you about the classic mustang that came into the garage the other day"
"Oh yeah" Mercy sat in the other chair tucking the feet up under her ready for the story, Sam shook his head, if there was ever one thing Mercy wasn't interested in it was cars, as long as it got her around, she didn't give a shit about what it dragged, dropped or drank. They sat listening to Finn's cars, Quinn's book and then Finn's cars stories again before the food finished,
"I guess we should let you two get a minute" Quinn looked at her husband, telling him
"Yeah, I've been away the whole of winter" Sam told him, it was clear Finn wasn't listening to Quinn
"Backed up?" Finn asked laughing, finding the situation funny, Mercy looked at Sam, he wasn't smiling, and she really wasn't impressed with Finn at that comment
"Am I fucking backed up" Sam smirked, sarcasm in his voice
"Sam" Mercy looked at him disapprovingly
"What?" he asked "He started it"
"Play nice" she begged him, looking at Finn "You're worse than him" she told Finn
"Come on it's time for us to get home" Quinn saw the opportunity to break things up before they got serious
"We'll pass by tomorrow" Finn got up announcing
"You won't" Mercy told him "I mean it, you won't" she got up to see them out, Sam following
They stood at the door for the usual ten minutes having conversations that seemed like part of their leaving routine, before Quinn finally dragged Finn off to the car. They stood watching the car get small, until he was confident they weren't coming back "He's such a dick" he flung his arm around Mercy's waist
"Maybe but he's our dick" she laughed
"I hope not" he looked at her
"Don't be so nasty" she grabbed his hand and walked back into the house
"I just want to do it, fuck talking about it, it's been seven long weeks, I really am backed up" he grabbed her waist pushing her off towards the bedroom "You got the bowl ready" he laughed seeing it sitting on the side table next to their bed, with lots of paper water "Great minds" he dipped in to get started "Legs in the air" he smiled, backing her across the room onto the bed "Ready?" he laughed, they were wrapped up in each other for the rest of the night
Sam was woken the next morning by Mercy playing a familiar song on the piano, he grabbed his shorts and went to listen, he stood at the door watching her when she started singing
Whoever said I need a halo, to make it out alive, don't think I'll ever be an angel
I'm floating in the sky, I might have never been this high, paradise ain't for, when you got someone who lights your dark
You make me feel like heaven all the time, Both: All the time, all the time, all the time, yeah... 'Heaven' by Justine Skye
"You woke up" she stopped singing, laughing at hearing his voice "I should have told you last night"
"Where did that old gem come from? he laughed "Hold up, told me what?" he leaned up off the door frame
"We're pregnant" her face broke into a smile, watching him rush across the room to scrape her into his arms, hugging her tight, her arms wrapped around his neck "I guess you're happy?"
"Ecstatic" he let her go "We've been trying for over year" he giggled "Fuck Mercy, we did it" he punched the air "We fucking did it"
3.
She Bites
They'd just booked into the hotel, it was the middle of the night and they were tired, they'd left Washington straight after Sam's concert and took a flight to Miami for his two night gig. They'd had fun this time around, there was a competition prior to the tour which meant three lucky fans won tickets to every concert along the way, they'd met some crazy people but it was all fun.
Sam and Mercy had been together for just over a year, it was a whirlwind romance, they'd met in an STI clinic, he'd been careless the week before and was nursing an itch that was alien to him, while he was in California he stopped off to get checked out, he didn't know anyone there and thought it was safe enough not to get his name on national TV.
"I'd like a test please" he walked in smiling with embarrassment at the receptionist
"Fill this out, take a seat over there and someone will call this number" the girl threw a card in his hand, swiftly moving on to the next customer
He sat down to fill it in suddenly realising he didn't want to give any details "Sorry" he smiled when he finally stood in front of the receptionist again "I'm not comfortable filing some of this in, can they not just see me?"
"Just put your contact number down" she smiled at him
"And that would be enough?"
"I'll find the rest out when I call you" she smiled, watching him write his number down before snatching the board off him "Thank you"
He sat waiting for twenty minutes checking his phone, playing a game, listening to some music and even a bathroom break before his number was called and he made his way to cubicle eight as instructed "Hi" he smiled catching his breath at the woman stood in front of him "Are you doing the test?" he asked embarrassed
"Yeah, problem?" she smiled "Just to confirm, name and date of birth please"
"Sam Evans 18th July 1996" he smiled back
"Well Sam, you know the drill, pop your pants off and jump on"
"I don't actually, this is the first visit, I can't believe I've been so stupid"
"Okay" she smiled, her tone changing, she stood walking him through everything she was doing, while he felt the need to tell her how he came to be in this predicament. "It's done" she smiled at him
"Already?" he looked down at himself still in tact "I thought it was really going to hurt"
"It usually does, you kept yourself occupied, and me" she laughed, moving away, signalling for him get up
"I feel like I'm at a disadvantage here" he laughed, buttoning his trousers "You know a lot of personal stuff about me and I don't even know your name"
"Mercy" she giggled "My name's Mercy and an STI check is maybe as personal as you can get" she looked at him "There is a bit of discharge that suggests something, we'll know more when the results come in"
"A week I read, is that accurate?"
"Very"
"So I just happen to have a week to spare" he walked over to the sink to wash his hands "Can you suggest anywhere half decent to stay?"
"The Crown, it's in the middle of town, night life, bars, everything on the doorstep, popular with young people"
"I was thinking something more hidden, quiet, cosy" he laughed
"The lodge?" she looked at him "Have you been around here before?"
"No" he laughed "I've been on the road for nearly three months, fans shouting, music blasting, people shouting orders, I just want everything to stop for a bit you know, set myself straight again, why would you ask that?"
"I know the people at the lodge, they have rooms, actually it's empty, might be just the right pace for you" she smiled "Home cooking too"
The Lodge turned out to be Mercy's Grandma's place, where she lived, they spent a week together becoming friends, there was no way he was going to make a move on her while he was waiting for results. But on night eight they became more than friends after his results came back clear, she was possessive as hell, and he liked it, once she opened up to him she was like a drug, they quickly fell in love, he talked her into traveling with him, being his own personal groupie and for the last eleven months they hadn't been separated.
Tonight was a bit different, she was meeting one of his friends for the first time, she was excited to get to know a bit more about him, they'd lived in their own little bubble all this time. Apparently it was a school friend, he'd been more around her older brother, but she was always hanging around enough for them to have become friends, she was dying to meet this girl Brittany
"Sleep" she fell on the bed exhausted, Sam laughed threw the bags on the floor where he stood, and dived on the bed with her, 'I'm so tired, yeah, I'm so tired, yeah, I'm so tired, yeah, I'm so tired' he hummed her favourite song until they fell asleep fully dressed not waking up until the next morning 'Tired' by Cody Lovaas
"Morning" she woke up with a smile "Your friends are coming today"
"Yeah" he smiled "Morning" he kissed her nose "Hey" he pulled her back "You were tired last night, not this morning" his lips covered her. The day was usual, sound testing, backing tracks, band practice, vocalists and food, she knew the routine and got on with it, this was one of the bigger shows so there were a lot more people back stage, more lighting, security, seats, everything. They sat looking out at the empty stadium, wrapped in each other having their moment before the show "Okay" he finally jumped up ready for the hype "Don't go far" he kissed her before letting her go
The first half had gone well the crowd was warm and he was hyped, his voice could hardly be heard above the screams every time he started a new song, the crowd were singing more than him he was in a zone. He ran side stage and grabbed Mercy swinging her round, he had the strength of a hundred men right now he was so high "Sing that song for me" she shouted at him as he walked back on stage, he pointed at her and strummed his guitar
…..I'm so tired, yeah, I'm so tired, yeah, I'm so tired, yeah, I'm so tired
And I say, and I say more than I do, yeah I learn in my head but my feet still don't move, but can I look, give me a break, there's the same look on every face, cause we all want change but don't want to be no part two...
He was taken aback by some girl running onto the stage and grabbing his neck, it had happened before, and while he was free and single he didn't give a shit, but Mercy was standing on the other side of the stage and she was fuming nearly as much as him. He looked at the guard stood there his eyes telling him to sort this bitch out "Who the fuck is she, how did she get up here?" he asked the guard as he came close, the crowd cheering so hard they couldn't hear a word he was saying
"She said she was a friend" he told him "She's got a pass" he needed to finish the show, but his vibe had gone, wiped out at the thought of spending he rest of the night arguing about what had happened. It was inevitable, he knew that because he would be thinking the same thing had the shoe been on the other foot, the last song came, but by then Mercy had already walked away
"Sam" someone stood side stage shouting him "It's me" she waved he looked smiling at seeing Brittany standing there
"Britt" he laughed walking towards her "Great you could come"
"Sorry about earlier, that was my girlfriend Santana"
"Why did she come running out on stage like that?"
"Excitement I guess" she laughed
"It's not even a joke" Sam huffed "Not impressed Britt"
"Go get changed lets hang out" she laughed
"Back I bit" he walked off remembering Mercy was in his changing room waiting "Mercy" he opened the door to find an empty room "Puck" he turned to his guard "Where is she?"
"She told me to get the fuck out her way and left" he told him
"Fuck" he dragged his top off and put a dry one on, rushing out to go find her in the strange town "Where did she go?" he asked the guard standing at the gate, he pointed left and Sam just moved
"Sam" Brittany shouted after him
"Sorry Britt, I'll call" he ran off
"You finally realised I was gone then?" Mercy's voice startled him as he rushed past the back stage door
"Why the fuck did you do that?" he stopped, grabbing hold of her as he spoke, squeezing her so hard she thought she was taking her last breath "Don't fucking scare me like that" he rested his head on top of hers "Apparently she'd Brittany's girlfriend"
"Well I don't want to meet her" she looked up at him
"Sam" their heads turned at the voice, Brittany was stood watching them
"And who the Fu..."
"Mercy please" he begged "Can we do this back at the hotel, too many people" he looked around, she didn't say anything, she stood watching Sam invite them, grabbing her hand and walking the short distance to their hotel, up in the escalator and into their room in silence
"Mercy" Santana looked at her "I'm really sorry about jumping out on her guy like that, I was just so excited for meeting him" she sat watching Sam come into the room with eats, put them on the table and sit next to Mercy
"You better be sorry because this bitch bites" she snapped at her "Please" she warned "Don't let that shit happen again"
"I won't" Santana held her hands up "Friends?"
"Nearly" Mercy giggled hugging Sam as they laughed
4
Extension Classes
"T" Sam called down the phone when she answered "Is Mercy with you?"
"No I haven't seen her today" Tina giggled "What you stressing about Evans?"
"I'm not it's just she's been gone for like four hours and I can't reach her" he huffed "I'm worried"
"She can look after herself"
"I know that, but I can still worry can't I?"
"I'd be worried if you weren't" she laughed
"Oh, I think she's home, bye" the phone went died before Tina could say anything else "Hey" he smiled at her walking through the door "I was starting to worry"
"I'm fine" she giggled walking over to him for a kiss "Bushed" she dropped her bag at the side of the couch and kicked her shoes off, just about pecking his lips as she took her jacket off "I'm exhausted, I might just jump in the bath and get to bed"
"Not hungry?"
"No I ate on the move again" she smiled "Goodnight" she grabbed his hand attempting to touch her ass
"Goodnight" he sat watching her walk across the room and into their bedroom
This was the third night running she'd dismissed his advances, his mind was trying to take him there, it was on the tip of his tongue to call her out on where she'd been, everyone knew extension classes finished at 8pm so where she was until after midnight for the second Wednesday running was anyone's guess. Their relationship had never needed to go to that place, they trusted each other so, even though everything was telling him to ask, to ask would be destroying the trust they'd worked so hard to build between them. If he didn't know anything else he knew he was going to be the happiest man in the world in three months time when these damn classes ended, he sat wondering what excuse she was going to use then. He was last to bed but first up in the morning, breakfast was on the go, coffee aroma around the house telling them it was a great day and he sat strumming his guitar trying to get another song down, Mercy woke up to his voice, she lay listening to him singing 'Gone Again' by Kevin Garrett
Can we cut to the chase here, cause we've both been there before, where do you wanna take it, I can deal with the tension
Enough with the maybes, say the word, I'll be at your door, pretty sure you could save me, did I forget not to mention, I'm okay but afraid I might fade away
And you'll stay if I say that I'll never change, but I'll be calling you mine by the end of the night….
He looked up at the opening door "Morning" he smiled "I made breakfast"
"Morning" she walked towards him "New song?" she kissed him
"Just started it" he grabbed her waist as she walked past him "You haven't let me touch you for days, what's up?"
"Nothing" she smiled bending to kiss him "Well maybe it is something, but I'm dealing with it"
"And you don't want to talk about it?"
"Not yet" she kissed him and walked across to the kitchen
Breakfast happened and Mercy quickly got ready for work, she worked at a Solicitors office while he was a budding musician with no hit song or label and not even a decent guitar to sound a decent note out on. He sat scanning through the papers looking for more auditions, but his attention was drawn when she walked across the room in her grey pinstriped trouser suit, blouse buttoned down revealing too much cleavage for a woman walking the streets alone, heels sharp enough to stab a man if he even tried, hair up and neat make up immaculate and nails a modest chocolate brown to suit the tones on her skin "Eatable" he smiled
"Only by you" she threw back, he was glad to hear it, but his reaction wouldn't have told her that
"Have a good day babe" he leaned up to kiss her
"And you have a productive day" she smiled "Oh" she stopped at the door "I'm going to be a bit late home tonight"
"Again?" he got up to walk towards her
"Three hours tops" she smiled grabbing his neck as he got to her "I promise everything will be back to normal tonight" she kissed him and let him go quickly
"Bye" he stood at the door watching her walk away, it felt like the last time, his heart sank that much, he still didn't know what she was up to, didn't want to ask and stood wondering if he'd ever want to know, as long as she was coming back to him, did it even matter, he was sure the alternative would kill him.
She came back more than three hours later, smiling as she walked through the door "So I know you have that audition coming up and well.." she showed him the brand new guitar case "I didn't want it to let you down, so I got this made for you"
"Mercy" he gasped
"I had to go clear across California to get it made, do you like it?" she opened it to show him
"I don't know what to say" he laughed jumping up to hug her as he took the guitar out the case
"I figured if your going to be a star by Christmas you'd need to at least look the part" she giggled
"Best present ever" he hugged her
5
Colour Blind
"Are you sure?" Mercy asked, packing her case before he changed his mind
"Of course I'm sure, we can get a break afterwards maybe travel a bit further north"
"I've never been to West Virginia before, it might be fun"
"Me neither" he laughed
He'd was on his first world tour and she'd taken some time out from her magazine to go along with him, eleven months was much too long to be alone out there. They were just six months into things and already it wat taking it's toll, they were tired, Mercy's mood had worryingly changed leading Sam to make the final decision to send her back home to California to spend some time with her family, in the hope of her at least getting some chill time. She'd agreed to two weeks and finally she was meeting back up with him in West Virginia, she didn't really care if she was ready or not, seeing someone, especially someone you love, every day for eight years and then not at all was hard
"So I'll meet you at the hotel?"
"Yeah, I've booked your ticket so be a the airport in an hour, and I'll see you in about eight hours"
"Can't wait" she giggled
Even after eight years together, six of those married, they were still the centre of each others universe, life had been good to them, Mercy had became financially stable almost straight out of college, it was a sad but exciting time. Her Dad had been ill for a while, he hadn't said anything to the family until he knew he'd explored every avenue in getting a cure for the cancer that had taken over his blood. Apparently after he'd passed they learned he'd been fighting the disease for nearly three years, pumping a lot of money into research himself to try and stay with his family.
The day he told them was sad Mercy had cried with anger for hours on Sam's bed, everyone was her enemy and she wouldn't let him touch her for comfort, he slept on the couch that night his eyes finally closing at the steady flow of her whimpering. The next morning he woke up and she was laying beside him, he hadn't even felt her climb on the couch, she must have heard him move and whispered a sorry, he didn't know what for and he didn't want to asked, he hugged her and fell asleep again and they never talked about her Dad again until the day of the funeral.
It was a morning funeral and by the afternoon the solicitor was on the phone to her Mom talking about reading the will, it was the last thing on everyone's mind but her Aunt Patty convinced her Mom to go, so they went. She came back blown away "He's given everything except the house to me" she sat telling him, unsure if she believed it herself
"What everything?" Sam asked knowing she was talking about the Magazine, the family's holiday home and a shit load of money
"You can go to college Sam, finish your music, whatever you want" she smiled at him
"Mercy this isn't about me" he looked at her "Listen to what you just told me, you've got everything" he laughed "Take some time to sink that in" he got up to leave her alone
"Sam" she called after him "I can take all the time you need me to take, but in whatever decision I make, you're there" she held her hand out for him to grab "You're my husband"
"I know but..." his words stopped by her finger across his lips, and that was their start, whatever he needed she gave it to him and whatever she needed he'd give it to her, now four years on, they were on almost a level pegging financially, he was making his way in the world of music and she'd moved the business away from paper magazine's and onto the world wide web
Eight hours later Mercy was standing in the lobby of their hotel in West Virginia "Sam what room is it?" she asked when he picked up
"516" he told her
"I'm in room 516" she told the porter
"Excuse me Miss" the Light skinned black receptionist called to her
"Yes" Mercy walked towards her smiling
"I'm afraid" she looked around embarrassed "You can't stay here Miss"
"I am staying here, my husbands upstairs" she laughed
"No Mam, there are no...… blacks here Miss"
"What?" she laughed, upset and anger bursting out of her at the same time "This is the 21st fucking century are you for real?" she asked the girl stood in front of her, looking ashamed at the conversation
"It's the rules Miss"
Mercy took her phone out and called Sam to let him know what was happening "What?" he shouted "Hold on" he told her appearing minutes later with his bags "I'm checking out, and I won't be paying for any of that shit you sent upstairs" he grabbed Mercy's hand and walked out "How fucking dare they" he hissed as they stood waiting for a cab "Why aren't they stopping?" he snapped after the third cab drove past them
"It's because I'm black" Mercy told him
"Don't be ridiculous, it's the 21st century" he laughed
"Not in this little town it isn't" she looked at him getting mad "Sam" she called pulling his top "It's because I'm black"
"How is this happening, aren't there laws against this shit?"
"Not here" she smiled, "It's no biggie"
"No biggie?" he huffed "This is racism in the purest fucking form I've ever seen it, of course it's a biggie, I'm cancelling the show"
"If you went around cancelling shit, every time one of those bigots got to you, you'd do nothing, just what that want you to do, do the show Sam, make a statement out there if that's what you want, but don't be spiteful to yourself because of them"
"Not because of them Mercy, because of you, you're my wife" he grabbed her hand "I swear, I would never have brought you here if I'd known these people" he looked around the busy street
"I'll get us a cab" she waved her hand and watched a car spin around from the other side of the road to pick them up, she made sure Sam got in first
"Ain't seen you round these parts before" the driver looked in his rear view at her
"We need a hotel, anyone" Mercy told him
"Turning tricks you can do that..." he looked around "Across there fifty bucks for half hour
"He ain't no trick, he's my husband" Mercy told him
"Seriously?" the drivers eyes widened "You need an out of town motel, if you want to stay alive through the night"
"Motel then" Sam told him, they sat in silence the whole journey, Sam trying to get his head around what just happened and Mercy giving him the time to step into her real life for a hot minute "Sorry isn't enough" he looked at her, calling his agent to confirm this was going to be one show, the rest needed to be cancelled, no way could he produce his best work here, where people didn't even accommodate the other half of him
They stayed in the hotel all day Sam going out to buy food for the day, at six he went to the venue to get ready, calling Mercy when she didn't turn up like she said she would, to learn his agent had suggested she stay put, he was mad as hell, he sung one song 'I Won't Go Quietly' by Jason Walker, called them out on their racist actions, dropped the mic and left, if the world saw him do that, he really didn't care, what they needed to see, in contrast to their privilege, was his wife, sat in a motel room crying her heart out because she couldn't support her husband
"That was the worst feeling in the world" he rushed over to her sitting on the stool and hugged her "Sorry really isn't enough"
"Can we go home?" she hugged him asking
"I don't know about home, but we're getting out of here" he grabbed her chin "I understand what it means"
"What?"
"Black lives matter" he smiled "And I hate that I've been forced to see colour as difference"
6
Old Dog
Mercy
"What does it say?" Tina and Kurt stood asking excited for the prospect of Mercy finally fulfilling her dream by getting a contract from Mo-Town Records
"Give me a chance" she stood holding the envelop
She'd been in fantasy love with Sam through junior year, he hadn't shown any interest until near the end of their senior year when they got thrown into a production of Romeo & Juliet together, by the end of the performance they were friends. They went off to UCLA separately but together, worked at keeping the friendship alive for a while, then one day just four weeks before end of their first year they were a couple.
They'd sailed through the program, everything made that much easier with their relationship being part friendship, and now the time was here, they needed to put everything they'd learned on the table. Mercy had got out there in her last year and managed to get herself an agent, the woman claimed to be working tooth and nail to get her a contract for six dry months straight, but today was the day, she stood holding the envelop she'd given her with hopefully a recording contract in it.
"Mercy" Tina hissed "Just do it"
"I will just..." she slapped Kurt's hand off the letter "I hope this is the one I really want"
"It's yours diva, just will it" Kurt told her grabbing her hand
"Maybe I should wait for Sam" she looked down the corridor
"He said... just do it" Tina snapped
"Okay" she smiled, ripping the envelop open to read the letter "It's..." she read it again "It's...I'm signing up with Mo-Town Records, they said yes" she screamed hugging her friends
"You'll be near home" Tina screamed just as happy, grabbing Kurt to join in the madness
"I got to find Sam" she broke away from them "I'll catch you guys later" she walked away excited to let him know
Sam
"So" Mike stood waiting for the answer, Blaine stood next to him just as nervous as Sam
"I wished I'd have opened it with Mercy now" Sam told them
"But you promised she could do it with her friends" Blaine told him
"I know, but I don't know whether to be happy or sad when I find out now"
"Come on dude, she'd want what you want, you know that, and if it doesn't work out, plenty more fish and all that" Mike told him
"So you and Tina are splitting up?" Sam looked at him concerned
"I don't know, we haven't talked about it, but if she takes the contract with Memphis and I'm with Chicago it's not going to work is it?" Mike told him
"We're not splitting up" Sam told him "Mercy and I are forever"
"We're not either" Blaine told them "I go where Kurt goes"
"You know that" Sam laughed knocking fists with Blaine "Here goes" he opened the envelop "They offered me a six month contract at Come Country in Texas" he laughed, country music was his first love "I got to go find Mercy" he hugged the guys and went in search
Sam & Mercy
"Hi" he pushed the door open to their usual meeting place, the disused store cupboard near the old library they'd found that first year
"Hi" she looked up from her letter smiling at him "Mo-Town" she held it up for him to see
"Come Country" he held his up
"Shit" she hissed "Are you happy about it?"
"It's what I want, but if you're staying in Cali..."
"It's a six month contact Sam, we can do this"
"We agreed we wouldn't have to do anything if we didn't want to, you need to do an album, I'll stay"
"Stop with the fucking pressure" she stood up "Nothing will stop us being who we want to be, remember?"
"Yeah but..."
"No but's Sam" she walked out the room
He knew she was mad because she desperately wanted to ask him not to go, but their promise wouldn't allow her to ask. They'd had this conversation once already, just last year when he actually had the opportunity to go to Dallas for a recording contract, he was ready to give up on college and get on with his life, but she didn't want him to marginalise himself like that and argued for him to stay in college, which she won.
"Mercy" he stepped off after her "You're just mad because it's my turn to win"
"You're making a mistake Sam" she stopped to tell him "Let me win this one" she begged "It's six months"
"You know me babe, six months is too long"
"We're talking about the rest of your life here Sam" she huffed "Please just do the six months, I'll come down at least twice"
"You want me to go that much?"
"I want you to be the best you can be" she stood in front of him resting her hand on his chest "And I can't be what I want to be, if I leave you behind"
"At least twice?" he looked down at her with mixed feelings
"At least" she agreed
"I'll go" he hugged her
"Thank you" she looked up at him, kissing his lips "See that wasn't that hard was it?"
"New tricks" he laughed
"You implying I'm an old dog?" she slapped his chest laughing
"Remember our first year song?" he smiled at the memory
"Not really we've sung so many"
Sam: I know that every things changing but don't hide away from life, your not falling apart your just shaping, growing wings like a butterfly, Sam & Mercy: Spending days, getting by, feeling lost, in the tide, don't pretend that you'll find that my love make it right, darling come rest your head on my shoulder, while we wait for the stars to align if we fall least we're falling together, Sam: cause your hand is safe in mine. Sam & Mercy: We can walk, we can walk on the wire, if we both put it all on the line, if your sacred then I'll hold a bit tighter, Sam: Cause your hand is safe in mine, yeah your hand is safe in mine
They didn't notice anyone else come into the room until their friends voices sang out to them
All: Oh oh, oh, oh, oh, Mercy: Darling come rest your head on my shoulder, while we wait for the stars to align if we fall least we're falling together, cause your hand is safe in mine. All: We can walk, we can walk on the wire, if we both put it all on the line, if your sacred then I'll hold a bit tighter, Mercy: Cause your hand is safe in mine, Yeah your hand is safe in mine 'Your Hand Is Safe In Mine' by Blush
"We can do this" he smiled grabbing her round the shoulders, stood watching their friends coming towards them
"You're going?" Mike knocked fists with him, happy
7
Apart - ment
"Sis, you need to come home, as quick as you can" Unique's voice soft on the phone, trying to hold it down for her sister
"What's happened?" Mercy asked
"You just need to get home" she told her before the line went dead
Mercy sat wondering what could have possibly happened now, she really was fed up of being used as the local bank by her family, it was like she got her big break and they lost their hands and feet and couldn't do a stitch of work anymore. She'd already bailed her sister's hair and nail salon business out of a hole this year, after their Mother made her feel like shit for not willingly throwing 45K at some godforsaken dump she wanted to set up in, when the last location didn't work for her. She was willing herself not to go but her hands were packing a bag while she failed miserably to talk herself out of it, by the time she'd finally said no to herself she was on the flight home.
She lived in California now, she'd left home with her small case attached, jumped on the red eye, determined she wasn't coming back unless she'd made it, it took three years of bars, strip clubs, back singing and a few choice bed swops, but she'd finally made it. She'd been noticed by D'Mill a dreadlocked, serious looking brother that didn't stand for shit, he saw something in her and, patiently waited for her to get it all out before her album was put together and suddenly she was on the radio, in a music video and then performing at the BET Awards and it took off from there. It was about that second the family got in touch again and she'd been their meal ticket for the past three years, now she was just plain fed up of it
She got off the plane and looked around tired old Lima, it had been a while, she didn't go back home for fun, there was no fun left there, she brought the food, cooked, washed all the dishes, everything she used to do when she was Cedes Monica Jones back then. She wondered sometime how they knew it was her singing, she'd never heard them call her Mercedes, let alone Mercy, C as in Cinderella, the reasoning behind that messy shit. "Deep breath" she huffed stepping off to find herself a cab
She got to the house and stood watching the house, all lit up with the money she was paying, "Sis" Unique came out smiling with her arms open "You're here" she stated the obvious
"Hi" she smiled watching her fly down the front steps, for a hug, trying to reserve judgement until they came out with their shit "What's the urgency?"
"Mom wants to see you"
"So she couldn't call me herself?"
"Not really" she took the small bag off her "We need to..." she wondered off without finishing the sentence
"Where are we going?" she spun round fast at her sister grabbing her arm
"To see Mom, we don't have much time"
"What's going on, where's Mom?" she asked looking back at the house, it wasn't very often their Mom left the house, church mainly and it wasn't Sunday, and nearly 5pm
"She's in hospital"
"What's wrong with her?" she rolled her eyes, the look on Unique's face telling her they needed the hospital bill paying, she was mad as hell, the rest of the journey took place in silence
They got to the hospital and everyone was calling Unique by name while she introduced her long lost sister to them, walking through "She's determined not to close her eyes until she seen you" she told her seconds before pushing the door open
"What?" Mercy didn't know if she was angry at her sister or shocked at seeing her Mom laying there half the size of the woman she knew "What happened?"
"She's been sick for a while, she didn't want you contacted, didn't want you stressing, but the doctors advised her to say what she needed to say, and she asked for you" Unique touched her Mothers hand and smiled when she woke up "Cedes is here" she kissed her cheek, smiling at her mother's eyes lighting up at the sight of her older daughter
"Mom" Mercy couldn't help it she grabbed her mother's hand and cried until she was ready to stop, her Mom patting her head for comfort
"I didn't want to worry you" she told her daughter "I'm glad you're here" she smiled when Mercy looked up at her "And we've spent money getting second and third opinions so don't start all that" she laughed, her voice sounding like pain as she answered all Mercy's questions in one go "Listen" she squeezed her hand "I know you always thought I didn't love you, but I do, maybe a bit too much, and I treated you different because I didn't want it to show, you know how Unique is" she giggled "And I know you hated the name Cedes, but it was what I called my Grandma, I loved her with all my heart, and you were so much like her I couldn't resist" she squeezed her hand "I want you to know how proud you make me, all of us, doing what you do and I didn't want to leave this place without telling you that" she closed her eyes and took a deep breath "You were always destined for bigger things Mercedes, Cedes, Mercy Jones, you've evolved just like your namesake"
"I love you Mommy" she cried
"And I love you child" she smiled "Tell your sister to come in before she gets mean" she coughed, while Mercy did as told, they sat until their Dad turned up and all three sat watching as five hour later, their matriarch took her last breath
Mercy couldn't cope she got outside the hospital and called Sam, they were on a break, no contact for three months, some sort of test to their stale relationship, cried down the phone to him telling him what had happened "Give me a couple of hours" he told her ready to get on a flight
"No" she snapped "We agreed three months please don't" she told him "I don't want to start this all over again, it's hard enough as it is"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I just needed to hear your voice" they talked for a while longer before closing the call
The day of the funeral soon came around, the family had grown some since the passing of their Mother, it was like the feeding of the ten thousand in their house very night, the blessing was actually getting the funeral done to save them some money. Everyone dressed in Black and white stood waiting on the steps of the house for the hearse to turn up any minute when a cab pulled up outside the house "Sam" Mercy ran down the steps and into is arms happy to see him
"I had to be here, I've had enough time apart"
"Me too" they stood hugging as the hearse turned up
8
New Start
"This is it" she pointed at the stereo in the car
"But I liked that second one anyway" Sam laughed
"But I think this one's the best one, please just listen to it"
"Okay" he focused on the road ahead of them while 'Stay Were You Are' by Yuna blasted out
"I admit, that might be the best one" he laughed when it finished
"I knew it" She slammed the dashboard "That's my first ever hit song"
"Undisputed" he laughed "I'm glad we decided to go on this road trip, what do you think our parents are thinking right now?"
"That we're not at home" she laughed "It's just great to be free, on the open road just driving"
"Yea" Sam shouted putting his foot down on the gas
They'd struck up a relationship three weeks ago, against their parents wishes, for the devout religious folk, nothing was ever going to be right, and to make it worse Mercy was from a Penticostal church while Sam was of the Mormon faith and the two really didn't mix in their parents eyes. But just like age, gender, colour of your eyes and foot size, religion really didn't matter to them it was all about love, of course they knew that behind all that strict talking they'd had to endure, there was common old racism on both sides, neither family wanted the blood mix, and that was what the resistance was all about.
Well it seemed that both families were about to learn that above all the other rights they were trying to take away from them was free will and at 19 years of age they were exercising it. They'd had to wait until Sam's birthday because he knew he was getting a car, and that was going to be their escape transport. They hadn't even given the keys time to land in his hand, he'd said his thank you and took it out for spin, his clothes were in Mercy's back yard from the night before and when he pulled up around the corner and called her she came running round with their luggage, jumped in the car and laughed at his parents stood waiting for him to get round the block
They'd cleaned out their bank accounts and put it all in a new one, brought new sim cards for their phones and took all their ID with them, they were off to Los Angeles, Mercy wanted to be a singer while Sam hoped to try his hand at acting, life was going to be good. They'd been driving down the highway for three hours, the chatter had stopped, the music humming along with the engine making Mercy's eyes close, as the air swept her hair off her face, the night drawing in brought a chill so they stopped to put the hood up and grab something to eat
"It's getting dark, do you think we should find somewhere to stay for the night?" she asked
"No, my parents will be on the road already we need to keep going"
"What if they find us?" she stopped eating to ask
"LA's too big, we can get lost once we're there" he laughed "Come on, let's carry on" he wiped his mouth and got up to leave, holding his hand out just to piss off the eyes watching them, she giggled and grabbed it, they were up for changing the world
The night drew in fast and soon the once busy highway was exchanged for a quiet country lane "This is creepy" she looked around at the grass lines road with nothing to see but trees and grass with the odd shack dotted here and there "Are you sure we're going the right way?"
"I've been studying this route for nearly a month, it's the right way" he looked at her for a second "We're lucky there are lights"
"Don't say that" she giggled, thinking that could be he worst thing that could ever happen right now "Shit" she gasped looking ahead of them "There are no lights up ahead are you alright to drive through that?"
"I'm fine" he grabbed the wheel tighter, he had no idea if he could, he'd passed his test, but his Dad's car had never gone out at night with him driving, he was in strange territory. It seemed like just seconds after Mercy had said it, the grass seemed to close in, it felt like they were brushing the strands as they drove, Mercy couldn't take her eye off the road, waiting for the crash, while Sam was trying to keep focused on the centre of the road "I think I need to stop" he finally said after the third jump of his stomach
"Yeah" she quickly agreed "There's a gate coming up, maybe we could just park in there"
"Yeah" he quickly pulled in "I need to get through the gate the backs sticking out" he jumped out the car to force open the rusty gate over the overgrown grass, before driving the car in "We'll be safe here until daylight" he turned the engine off
"This is someone's property, you know that right?" she giggled settling in
"We have a whole night to get through, what are we going to do?" he looked at her knowing what was on his mind
"I think we should hit the back seat and celebrate" she laughed
"Mind reader" he laughed "But we can't afford for my phone to die, we need to know where we are"
"Do you think there are any animals around?"
"No" he laughed "They'd all be locked away by now"
"So alfresco it is then" she pushed the door open and jumped out, grabbing the two blankets they had to their names out the back to spread on the floor
"You sure about this?" he got out taking his top off as he spoke
"We're only young once" she giggled grabbing his belt to pull him into her
"There's a shack over there" he looked behind her "We might be able to get some shelter"
"I'm fine here"
"Come on" he pulled her with him dropping his top by the car to pick up a blanket
The shack, stood at the top of stone slab, had three sides and half a roof, some rusty tools and an old bike with an old leather bag on the back or it "A candle" she pulled it and a metal tin out the bag "That's the romance sorted" she giggled at the flickering candle, pulling him to her again, she'd always been the lead in sex, and he sort of got off on the fact that she needed him "Make love to me" she demanded
When they woke up the sun was shining in through the missing roof and side of the hut "Mercy" he nudged her "We need to get out of here" he smiled as she stood up "Get dressed" he passed her dress
"Sam" she grabbed his arm "Last night was..."
"I know" he turned to watch her quickly getting dressed
"What do you know?" she grabbed her underwear off the floor
"That it was nearly as good as hearing you sing" he grabbed her across the shoulder and pulled her to his chest
"Liberating" she laughed
"We're really doing this" he laughed