Chapter 10

Mercedes looked over to her mother with knowing eyes. "Mom you didnt! Why did you call him over here? He's the last person I want to see." Mercedes questions went unanswered momentarily while her mother and father greeted their son in law.

"Sam, come in and have a seat. Mercedes is in the living room already." Sam nodded and headed further into the house. Mr jones called out behind him "when you are done in here come around back and help me put these things away." sam offered an "of course" before he continued on his journey into the house.

He reached the entryway and stared at his wife as she stared out of the window. In that very moment she looked to be in the most peaceful place she's been since he ruined her. He wondered what she was thinking about. Sam continued to admire his wife's beauty from afar in silence, just taking her all in. Both parties were startled out of their thoughts when Momma Jones entered the room " So. Let's talk! " Momma Jones said with the clap of her hands. "Ma, I don't to talk about this. why did you even call him?" Completely ignoring her daughter for the second time, Momma Jones turned to sam. "Honey can you please go in the kitchen and turn down the flames please." Mercedes and her mother sat in silence while Sam completed his task.

"Now look, You two are a very much adults and your marriage is none of my business but today is a special occasion and my business I shall make it. Sam when I spoke to you this morning you told me that you were unfaithful for an ongoing period of time. When i asked you what made you stray you surprised me and told me that you're actions had no excuse so you weren't going to try and give me one. I also asked you if you still loved your wife and if you were still in love with her and you assured me that you were. finally I asked you two more very important questions and I want you to answer those in front of your wife in just a moment." Mamma Jones shifted in her seat to face Mercedes. " Mercedes is there anything you think you should say to Sam? Let us start with how finding out about his affair made you feel. "

" Mom, I was serious about not wanting to talk about this or to him. I'll deal with this in my own time."

"Honey from what I understand it has been two months months since you found this out and i don't want to rush you into anything but it is time to start thinking about what you are going to do. especially since the girls will be coming home soon."

Mercedes looked back and forth between her mother and her husband. finally, she settled on her husband's face. Without warning she blurted out " I want a divorce" and with that Mercedes walked to the front door, retrieved her car keys and exited through the front door without looking back.

"What just happened?" Sam stared at his mother in-law in disbelief. She stared back in with sadness in her eyes. n either of them expected for the morning to start and end so abruptly. Sam ran out the house trying to catch Mercedes before she pulled off but it was too late. She was already backing out of the driveway when he exited the doorway. Sam stood and watched her drive down the street until he could no longer see her white Lincoln Navigator truck in the distance. At this point he wasn't even sure if he should or even wanted to follow her. She had dropped the "D" word on him. He sat down on the wooden porch swing he had built with her father many summers ago and his mind began to drift back to the week leading up to the day he proposed to her.

He had already asked her father for his blessing, now the only thing left to do was plan the perfect proposal. They had numerous talks during their courtship about how it should not happen after seeing so many hilarious fail videos on youtube. there would be absolutely no putting her ring in food, no flash mobs, no huge announcements on the giant screen at Yankee Stadium and most importantly no singing waitresses. He knew that she didn't mind an audience considering how much she loved being on stage and he knew it had to absolutely involve her family. sam sat for hours thinking up and shooting down all ideas that came to his head then out of nowhere it hit him. Every few weeks Mercedes Family had game night at her parent's house. There was going to be food, music, games, laughter and family. it was everything that Mercedes loved.

In the days leading up to game night Sam made sure to only tell one person about his plans for the evening. He worked extremely hard to keep this secret from Mercedes, something they never did but he knew the payoff would be worth it. At this particular game night the family would be creating vision boards on preparation for the new year. it was a family tradition the family had be doing it since Mercedes and Sydney were able to read. While at work Sam would make mock versions of what he wanted his board to look like. He practiced his penmanship, bought specific magazines to make sure all the things he needed were available, he had their favorite picture restored after a coffee accident ruined it and the ring had been polished three times this week alone.

The night finally arrived. Game night. "I hope she loves this" Sam said to himself in the mirror. he finished getting ready so he could meet his fiancee to be in the lobby. Mercedes was in her apartment two floors up also getting ready for the evening. She and Sam would meet in the lobby at 7 pm sharp.

The night went along normally. Charades, card games, music, food, laughter and fun filled the house. The last thing to do that night was the vision boards for the new year. Everyone gathered on the floor of the family room around the massive pile of art supplies. Sam purposely sat further away from the rest of the family so no one would see what he was doing. He was almost busted when one of the children stopped behind him trying to read what he had written in cursive with the gold glitter pen. Luckily Mercedes' father saw the youngster and shooed him away before he could completely make sense of the writing.

The time of the night when everyone displayed their work had come. everyone's vision board was great and really a reflection of themselves. Mercedes stayed true to her vision board from the last few years. Her board was always so simple but yet perfect. Win a Grammy, be with Sam and travel the world. a few more people took their turns presenting their boards and then it was Sam's turn.

Mercedes smiled as she watched Sam take his place in the center of room. Every year he delivered a vision board full of outlandish ideas and Mercedes could not wait to see what he had in store for this one.