Disclaimer: None of the story is original except for my OCs so I can't take total credit for it if you are enjoying it. The idea for the story is solely JT Schultz's, and you can read Tickled Pink on Kindle Unlimited for free if you enjoy the story and of course RIB owns Samcedes and the Glee peeps mentioned in the story. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews and favorites and follows that hit my inbox as a response to reading Chapter One of this story. I hope you enjoy Chapter Two…
Chapter Two
Thursday night before they were due in court the next day, Sam had agreed to meet with Mercedes and Mike to discuss the details concerning the wedding that they were going to present to Judge Washington. They had agreed to meet in neutral territory which was the Changs' home located in an upper middle class neighborhood of Lima. Although Sam was still incensed from having to enroll in and take a driver's education course, he could tell Mike was good people and had taking a liking to the guy.
Sam got out of his car grabbing a bottle of wine that he had remembered to bring and stared at the cars in the driveway and was instantly depressed when he noticed his father's Jaguar XJ parked near an Audi A8 which had a license plate that said #1ToothDoc which he assumed was Mercedes' dad vehicle. The only other car in the parking lot was a candy apple red 1961 Ferrari Modena Spyder that he assumed must have belonged to Mike Chang since Mercedes Jones was against speeding and probably sports cars of any kind.
He wondered if Mercedes was even at the Changs' home yet. His bride to be was many things and unlike any woman he had dated in the past. She was his complete opposite, and he wondered how his mom thought that she would be a good match for him when she thought of this preposterous sentence with Mercedes' mom. Mercedes did not deserve his lousy attitude towards their pending nuptials. She was just a victim like him, and they would both be able to tell the tale of how their year and a half marriage began with the two of them being arrested together.
Sam rang the doorbell, and was not surprised to see Mike Chang opening the door. After exchanging greetings, Sam acknowledged the obvious addition of both sets of parents being invited that night.
"Yes, my wife Tina thought it was best to invite them because Mercedes is no longer speaking to her mother. She is hoping that tonight will provide some kind of reconciliation between the two. Her mother addresses Mercedes, but Mercedes sends her responses back to her mother by another person in the room. The two of them are both at their breaking points, and Tina wants to reduce the amount of collateral damage that could result if the two break out into a shouting match. Both of them are stubborn and have to have the last word, but according to the two of them, they are nothing alike.
Sam looked at Mike with his mouth hanging open. "I guess Mercedes is really something, she is sounding more endearing by the minute." Sam said with sarcasm.
"She is actually more than words can express, but the term something else is just a minor description of the one and the only Mercedes Jones." Mike said after chuckling at Sam's response.
Sam didn't want to disagree with his host, so he decided to change the subject. "I couldn't help but notice your 1961 Spyder. That car is absolutely gorgeous."
"Oh, that car isn't mine; it's actually your future wife's." Mike said laughing thinking he wished he could call Cedes' Baby his.
Sam entered into the Changs' home and as an interior designer noted the décor had a slight Asian influence and was very nice and classy as he followed Mike further into his home. "I called several lawyers about the case, and they…"
"Hung up on you." Mike finished before adding, "I did the same thing with judges as well and as soon as they heard Jones and Evans they hung up the phone on me as well. No one is willing to go against your mothers and especially Judge Washington and ADA Sylvester. These are four of the most feared ladies in the Ohio judicial system. An ADA Sylvester is known for being less scrupulous and holding a grudge forever." Mike noticed the bottle of wine in Sam's hand and thanked him before commenting that he didn't think Sam was much of a wine drinker.
"I am more of a hard liquor and beer man myself." Sam admitted before being led into the great room where the parents were seated.
"There is my son the last to arrive as always." His mother commented looking at him with disapproval in his eyes.
"And my future son-in-law, I have known your mother for years with the various trials we have worked on together and the charities that we both are part of. However, I am sure you haven't met my husband. Honey this is Sam Evans, and Sam this is my husband Dr. Malachi Jones. He is a dentist here in Lima." She said watching the two men shake hands. Dr. Jones was the complete opposite of his wife. He was a quiet man, about six feet and built like a linebacker. His handshake was firm, and although his wife was obviously the bulldozer in the relationship, Dr. Jones was obviously far from being a weak man.
After greeting the Jones and his mother, Sam went to give his own dad a big hug. After he finished greeting his dad, his mom told him that he was just in time to hear the details that she and Melanie were putting into the wedding. Sam quickly corrected her telling her that there was not going to be a wedding.
"Well according to Judge Washington, there will be a wedding son whether you like it or not." His mother replied her aggravation towards him returning.
"Since it's not going to be a real marriage there is no need to plan a fancy catered affair."
"This is the first wedding for both our families' children, and I don't know about Mary, but I was beginning to wonder if Mercedes would ever settle down long enough to marry with all that singing and touring around the world the girl has never stayed in one place long enough to have a relationship nevertheless get a chance to become somebody's bride. We have been looking forward to this day for years." Judge Jones responded in umbrage to Sam's lack of regard towards his pending wedding.
"I know that Mrs. Jones, but we don't have time to plan a fancy wedding. We want to be married as soon as possible, so we can have the marriage annulled as quickly as we can."
"Sam, we are not stupid. It would take at least 6 months to arrange a fancy society wedding, but that doesn't mean we can't take the time to give you a nice wedding." His mother responded ready to chew Sam up and spit him out.
As always Sam couldn't keep his mouth shut and continued. "I don't care what you would like to do mother, but I refuse to have a huge fiasco consisting of parties, a big tent, doves, bows on pews, and a big cake taking up half a table. There is no way in hell that will I participate in such a grandiose affair when this marriage is not about love but about being court ordered to marry."
"Samuel James Evans, watch your mouth!" His mother scolded him looking at him while shaking her head in disgrace.
Mike seeing that things were about to escalate between Sam and his mother decided to interrupt reminding Sam of the wine in his hands and urging Sam to go to the kitchen with him to get a drink and to be introduced to his wife Tina.
Sam followed Mike into the kitchen and noticed the bridal magazine in his mother's hand. "You will need to throw that magazine in the trash while I am gone." He told her as he exited the room. He turned towards Mike and told him that he wasn't going to survive this sentence.
As soon as Mercedes saw Mike and Sam enter into the kitchen. She asked Mike had he mentioned the prenuptial agreement that she had him draw up to Sam.
"Yes, Mercedes, Sam and I discussed the prenup when I gave him directions to the house this afternoon. Sometime before you guys wedding, you will both need to sign it, and I will make sure that everything is in order. Sam has assets to protect as well with his comic books, and so the agreement will protect the both of you. Now let me introduce you to this lovely lady who I love with all of my heart, Tina this is Sam, and Sam this is Tina."
Tina stepped forward and shook Sam's hand telling Sam it was nice to meet him and welcoming him into her home. Sam looked at Tina and exchanged pleasantries thanking her for having the get together, but he didn't look at her long because he couldn't keep his eyes from being drawn to Mercedes who was standing next to Tina in a printed black dress with silver words written all over it. The dress was accentuating her hourglass shape. Her hair which had been in a curly ponytail when he first met her was now straightened and fell down her neck past her shoulders. Sam couldn't believe he had forgotten just how gorgeous she was.
Mercedes noticing Sam staring at her greeted him. Her fun and laughter that she had been previously experiencing with Tina evaporated from her face when she realized he was just going to stare at her and say nothing which prompted her to be the bigger person and ask how was he doing.
Hearing Mercedes' voice brought Sam out of his daze. He could tell she was forcing herself to be polite, so he decided to be honest as possible and tell her he was doing the best that he could, considering their situation. Sam could feel Mercedes' gaze on him as she finally focused on his appearance perusing his body from head to toe, and the light that briefly lit up her dark gaze turned him on.
Mercedes turned her attention to Mike, and she asked, "Is my mother behaving?"
"If looking at wedding magazines with Mrs. Evans and planning the social event of the year for Lima means behaving, then yes, she is being impeccable."
"Oh hell to no! Has my mother lost her ever loving mind or Tina have you spiked the lemonade and gotten her drunk?" Mercedes planted her hands on her curvy hips drawing Sam's attention to her small waist and the hips that those tiny hands rested on. Sam tried his best to keep his eyes above her neck but he couldn't stop his eyes from staring up her body and stopping at her breasts which the material of the dress clung to. Mercedes Jones was what his dad would call a 'brick house' and her hourglass figure was built for sin. He had to get all of his thoughts off of that hot body, so he looked at the glass of wine that Mike had poured for him and began to drink it.
"Yep, Mercedes I think she was talking about letting you wear her old wedding dress which was passed down to her mother from her great grandmother. She is just hoping that you will still be able to wear white" Mike said teasing Mercedes. He had known her throughout law school and he knew how serious Mercedes Jones was about her clothes.
"Oh double hell to the No! Tina, you better keep me away from that woman." Mercedes started to count down from twenty a coping mechanism she had to use often when dealing her mother the Honorable Melanie Jones.
"Is hell to the no some sort of catchphrase or something for you?" Sam asked Mercedes realizing that this wasn't the first time that he heard those words come out of her mouth. When they were being arrested was the first time he had heard her whisper the phrase, when she found out her mother was the judge was the second time, and when they were sentenced was the third time he said reminding her of how often she said the words.
"Oh, if you knew my mother, then you would now why I say those words. She used to wash my mouth out with soap because I apparently had a potty mouth when growing up, and I try not to curse too badly in public because I can still remember the taste of soap in my mouth, so I say that phrase to keep me from saying other four letter words that according to my mother are impolite for a lady to say in public." Mercedes threw her hair over her shoulder and giggled causing Sam to be even more turned on by her. She was not flirting with him but her girlish giggle was sexy as hell, and Sam began to wonder how he was going to last eighteen months living with this woman. Oh well, cold showers would definitely be a reality in his future.
Sam's focus for the rest of their respite in the kitchen away from their parents consisted of him finally being able to take his eyes off of her chest, and he was now busy looking at her plush lips that her pink gloss emphasized the softness and fullness of. Sam could picture himself kissing her lips and removing all the gloss so he could see what her lips looked like without any color added to them. If his attraction to Mercedes continued to grow every moment he spent with her then he was going to be a walking a hard on. He needed to get laid because all he could think of right now was sex with Mercedes which they had both agreed was not happening because they wanted to get the marriage annulled as soon as possible.
Mercedes tried to enjoy the Changs and Sam's company, but as Sam continued to talk about his comic book side business, Mercedes couldn't keep herself from teasing him about his interests. She was an accomplished actress because living with her mother for eighteen years and pretending to care about being a lawyer for six years had given her much practice in the art of deception. When Sam finally figured out Mercedes was joking, she had succeeded in stopping him from eye sexing her up in her friends' kitchen of all places. She finally decided to step outside and get some air to clear her thoughts and to dispel the feeling of upcoming chaos from her mind.
Mercedes didn't know what she had done to make God punish her with Sam Evans as her future spouse. Sure Sam was gorgeous but just because he was hot didn't mean she wanted to spend a year and a half of her life with the goofy playboy. She hadn't wasted time after their sentencing to go home and Google Sam Evans, and what she found out hadn't surprised her at all.
According to the information online, his mother's side of the family was from old Southern money, and Sam was now a sought after interior designer having won the coveted American Society of Interior Designers "Design Innovation Award" two years ago which was impressive because he wasn't a full time designer. According to his website, Sam worked 30 hours of week for his father and 30 hours of week on his comic books. His work in comics kept him on the road traveling to San Diego, Denver, and New York, and other places where comic conventions were held. He worked hard and played hard according to the social pages which had him pictured with beautiful tall white women at various events which had given him the reputation of playboy by gossip columnists and were the only images she could find of him on the internet. She was obviously not his type, but that hadn't kept his eyes from devouring her figure earlier.
Mercedes was jostled out of her thoughts by Tina's appearance outside bringing her a glass of the wine from the bottle that Sam had brought. "I thought you might need a drink to help you deal with Sam and your mother." Tina said as she handed the glass to Mercedes.
"Well thanks for having us over, but I really can only deal with one of the two without losing my temper, and you invited not just my parents but his as well." Mercedes said with a grin slowly slipping the wine.
"Alright, I agree that that may not have been the wisest decision on my part, but I can't say I am upset about inviting your future husband because he is one gorgeous, hot, and sexy man; you have to admit that if you were forced to marry someone at least he is not a troll."
"Well, I was doing okay with his attractiveness until he start looking at me with bedroom eyes. I swear if eyes could shoot sperm, I think I would be six months pregnant with twins now. Seriously, I can't believe I am attracted to him when we have agreed to no sex so we can have the marriage annulled."
"I am sure something good is going to come out of the situation Mercedes. His mother and your mother have a crazy, illogical, and demented reason for doing this, and you two are just going to have to hope that it's worth it because I can't be visiting you whenever I want to see you in jail; furthermore, I don't doubt that your mom would stop Judge Washington from having you put in there so that it could damage your singing career."
"Tina, I just feel like all of this is my fault. That Sam is being punished because I decided that I didn't want to go into law. My mother is such a control freak, and any way that she can get back at me, she will. Also, I can't imagine living with Sam; we are complete opposites. I can only see us being miserable together which to my mother would be a fitting punishment. I have made her life miserable by being a singer and not a lawyer, and she is going to make my life miserable by punishing me into marrying a man whose car window I burst out with a softball, caused to go to jail, and to go to driver's education which he sorely needs anyways."
"Mercedes, you are way too hard on yourself. You can't shoulder all the blame for this fiasco. I don't think your mother was the only one behind this marriage idea. It seems as if Sam's mom is more into the planning of your wedding than she is. I think they want to see their children settled and figured this was the only way they could get the two of you to settle down."
"Oh so being court ordered to marry is the new way to go about arranging marriages?" Mercedes asked thinking what Tina was saying made sense. Her mother and Sam's mother were friends, and she couldn't help but to think that Tina could be half right.
"Come on Cedes show me that million dollar smile that lights up a room. You know this marriage will be over before you know it. And look on the bright side at least your dad didn't have to pay the dowry of silk, livestock, and cash to seal the deal."
Mercedes burst out laughing. "You are one twisted woman Tina Chang, and I love you. I don't know what I would do if you were not in my life." Mercedes sobered up when she realized how close she was to losing her best friend to cancer. Tina was a fighter a true survivor, and when Mercedes thought of all her friend had gone through the chemo, the radiation, the matching pink wigs they wore to support and recognize breast cancer victims and survivors, Mercedes knew her life could be worse than being force to marry Sam Evans for one year. "Thanks for being the best friend a girl could ever dream of having." Mercedes said already filling a little tipsy for drinking a glass of wine on an empty stomach.
"Don't thank me yet, I didn't give you the message that I originally came out to tell you which was Sam and Mike are both waiting for you in Mike's office." Tina told her friend with a grimace.
"Thanks for spoiling my appetite then friend. I don't want to think about this marriage any more, but apparently I am not going to be able to escape my reality."
"Don't worry, we have wine to drink tonight, and you are welcome to stay the night or we can force Mike to be your designated driver, so let's turn up if things get too messy."
"Don't you know that according to my mother 'messy' is my middle name? Please tell me that we are having some chocolate to go along with the wine. I need something to boost my mood."
"I have a chocolate cheesecake for dessert with both of our names written on it." Mercedes followed Tina back into the house and overheard Mike and Sam talking about football a sport that she had absolutely no interest in whatsoever. "Am I interrupting?" Mercedes asked the two as she entered into the office stopping to stand in front of Mike's desk beside Sam.
"No, of course not," Mike replied as he motioned for Mercedes to have a seat.
"Okay Mercedes, Sam has looked over the prenuptial agreement and has already signed off on it. It is basically stating that you two will leave the marriage with what you brought into it, and that neither one of you will sue for intellectual property or gains that were made during your marriage. Since the marriage will not last over two years, I don't think we need to worry about adding custodial arrangement for kids and the division of property."
"You are right about the kids there will be no kids because we will not be consummating the marriage."
"Mercedes is right, having kids will be impossible because instead of going through a divorce we are going to have this marriage annulled."
"Well, you two don't need to wait, you can go ahead and read and sign off on the prenup. Have you two decided on a wedding date yet?" Mike asked as he handed the copy of the prenuptial agreement that Sam had already signed over to Mercedes.
Sam answered Mike's question. "No we haven't even seen or spoken to each other since that mockery of an arraignment until we met up in your kitchen this evening."
"Do I have to remind you that we meet with the judge, who has the least bit of patience, no sense of humor, and has the reputation for not tolerating bull, tomorrow morning, and if you don't have a wedding date, the both of you will be facing a jail sentence of 30 days? Do you understand that you two are going to have to communicate with each other, make decisions, and live with each other for over a year? This is a serious situation that is not to be taken lightly."
"None of this is our choice Mike. It's our parents and their cronies' fault. I don't want to marry Sam, and I am sure he doesn't want to marry me either." Mercedes said tired of having to defend her attitude towards this court mandated travesty of a marriage.
"The both of you need to understand that this marriage will be what you make of it. It could be an okay time or the worst time of your lives, but only you two have the power to make it be something undesirable. It's not like you have both been sentenced to death." Mike's words were falling on deaf ears. He could tell both Mercedes and Sam were too stubborn to realize that their marriage sentence was not the end of the world for either of them. He couldn't help but utter out the words 'unbelievable' after looking at the two.
Sam couldn't help but ask, "What's so unbelievable?"
"You two because I feel you haven't even looked at the judge's official ruling that smells of both of your mothers' influences. You two are to be married for exactly 548 days. During these 548 days you must live together and have no more than three consecutive days a part. You two are not allowed to spend three days together and then three days apart because you are only allowed the maximum of twenty-two days apart during the entirety of the marriage. You two are not allowed to conduct extra marital affairs, and if you are caught cheating or breaking any of the terms of the marriage, you will have nullified the judge's order and will end up back in court in front of the judge who is known for not having any mercy."
"So, much for any tours that my management team have booked for me that are overseas. I will have to cancel them and pretty much be stateside and work around Sam's schedule for any engagements that involve lengthy travel." Mercedes hadn't toured since Tina's diagnosis, and her management team were busy trying to get her on the road as soon as possible to promote the upcoming release of her sophomore album.
"I am sorry Mercedes. You two are going to have to decide on a residence and a wedding date before leaving here tonight."
"I would prefer that we live in my house since I have a home studio downstairs in which I record in. I don't think it is far from where you live since you drive by my house daily on your commute to work." Mercedes could picture Sam's bachelor's pad in her mind and knew that she would have to leave every day to visit her home to get the creativity needed to write her songs and that she would end up spending more time at her house than his house and if her mother found out, she would threaten to send them back to the judge.
"Well, I guess it would be easier to move my art supplies and my home office then to try to move your studio, so I am willing to move in your house since I already know where it is located. What do you have four or three bedrooms?" Sam asked her looking perturbed at having to be the one to give up his home for over a year.
"It was initially a four bedroom home, but I use one of the bedrooms as an extended closet for my entertainment clothes. My studio is located downstairs, and you are more than welcome to use one of the bedrooms to sleep in and the other to use as your office or you can use the small study as your office if the space is sufficient. When do you think we should tie the knot?" She asked since she decided their living arrangements, she thought it would be only fair for him to decide when they get married.
"As soon as possible, the quicker we get married, the quicker we can have it annulled and get back to our lives."
"Finally something we agree on. If we are going to do this, then we are going to have stand firm and be united against our wedding crazy mothers."
"The two of them are acting as if this is a love match made in heaven and not the courtroom, but I don't care what they say or how they act, I am free this weekend except for Sunday night. My mom makes all of us come to her house for a family dinner preferably after church, but church attendance is not required.
"Well, I am an only child, so we don't do big family meals. I am only required to show up at the dinner table on Christmas, or if she does some fundraising gala throughout the year that doesn't conflict with my schedule. Although she hates my career, she doesn't mind using it for her advantage for her many charities. My weekend is clear except I need to be in Vegas on Monday to discuss a possible show that I can't cancel at this late date." Mercedes grudgingly admitted.
"You have to be in Vegas on Monday. That's perfect. We can move my stuff in your house over the weekend, and on Monday I can fly to Vegas with you and after your meeting we can get married there."
Just like that Sam had organized their future, and Mercedes couldn't stop the sinking feeling that she felt in her belly. Her whole world was being turned upside down, but at least she would be able to gain a little control of her life over her mother and rob her of the wedding that she was busy planning with Mrs. Evans. "Okay," she said looking at Sam before looking to Mike. "I guess we have everything that you need to present to the judge tomorrow." She told him as she finished reading the prenup and signed it; somehow feeling as if she was sealing her fate.
Tina came back in while Mercedes was signing the prenuptial agreement. "Excuse me for interrupting but dinner is ready." Mercedes looked at her friend and gave the paper and pen to Mike and got up telling Tina that she would help serve since they were all finished.
Sam had to admit that the five course meal that Tina had put together was incredible. The starter, soup, salad, and meal were mouthwatering, but he just couldn't find his appetite to enjoy any of it even the fabulous looking dessert served with coffee. He spent the majority of the meal sneaking looks at Mercedes than he did focusing on the conversation going on around the table. His mother's grating voice soon captured his attention when she said his name.
"I am just saying as horrifying as it would be to have Samuel as a jailbird ex-con being known as my son; it would be just as awful as having the true state behind his marriage being revealed to society. This could negatively effect Mercedes' singing career and both my and Melanie's careers in law and our future careers in politics if we decide one day to run for governor or become a federal judge."
"Mary you are absolutely right. Sam and Mercedes, it is imperative that you make everybody believe that this marriage is for real. It will be bad enough when your divorce comes through, but I am sure Hollywood is used to celebrity marriages ending in divorce. It is always a surprise when those marriages last." Melanie Jones added looking at her daughter with judgmental eyes.
"Annulment you mean," Sam corrected Mercedes' mother. "We have both agreed to have the marriage annulled not that it is any of your business." Loose lips Sam was back at it again. Mercedes may be hotheaded, but Sam's impulsiveness was equally as exasperating to the mothers.
"Oh it will definitely be everybody's business. You keep forgetting Mercedes is a celebrity, and her marriage to you will pique the media's attention whether you both want it to or not. Plus, Mary and I are well known throughout this great state of Ohio. What our children are doing will be of interests. And if you two cannot pretend to be happily married, then I will let Judge Washington throw the book at the both of you and blame Hollywood on Mercedes' erratic behavior tell everyone she is having a Britney Spears' meltdown, but you I am sure I will leave for your mother to handle. If you make my daughter a laughingstock, then I will hope she will deal with you appropriately, or I will not rest until you feel the weight and wrath that accompanies going against Melanie Marshall Jones."
"Sam, how could you be so disrespectful? Dwight, you see we should have sent him to military school. The boy has no manners or Southern gentleman decorum. I am sure my grandparents are rolling over in their graves to think that a son of ours would not mind being arrested or publicly embarrassing our names by admitting to be in a fake marriage by confessing that he was sentenced to be married. I just don't know. I am about to wash my hands of him and prevent him from being around his younger sister and brother. He truly needs to realize that his actions are the reason why he is in the situation he is today."
"You two need to stop jumping down Sam's throat when he is only guilty of speaking the truth, and mother I am so tired of you looking down your nose on me because I am a professional singer. Sam and I are being punished because you two can't seem to fucking let go. We are adults. We are going to make mistakes but that doesn't give you two the motherfucking right to dictate what we do, when we do it, or even how we do it!"
"Mercedes, that is enough I know you are upset, but we are guests in the Changs' home, and I will not tolerate you speaking to your mother or Mrs. Evans in this manner. If you could pretend to go to law school and waste all that tuition money for a degree you never used, then I know you can pretend to be happily married to Sam for less than two years." Mercedes' heart broke when she heard her daddy take her mother's side.
Her dad always supported her when it came to her mom, but now it was like even he thought faking wedded bliss was her best interest. Mercedes counted down from twenty before addressing her father. "Sam and I both have professional careers that we have been recognized by our respective industries for our accomplishments. Even though we are 100% sure that our mothers convinced Judge Washington to order us to marry, we have done what we have been legally ordered to do even though I am sure that they are all involved in violating the Civil Liberties Act as well revoking the concept of freedom that this country is based upon, we have not made a big stink, but in the privacy of our friends' home we are entitled to voice our opinions, and if you don't like it, then stick it up your ass. Not that any of you care, but I have to put off tours overseas for this marriage to work and I have accepted a Vegas act that will be a bitch to commute to, but none of you seem to care about my career at all."
Mercedes' mom looked at her daughter with no compassion or even shock. "You wouldn't have these problems if you would have pursued a normal job."
"Don't pretend as if I would have decided on being a doctor or a dentist like dad that you would be any different. You are just pissed off that I decided not to follow in the long line of Marshalls that descend from Thurgood Marshall who had the audacity to decide not to be a fucking lawyer like you and the rest of your bourgeoisie family."
"Mercedes you are my baby girl, but I will not tolerate you speaking to your mother like this." Mercedes' dad could tell that both the women in his family were at the point of throwing words like daggers and this was not the time or the place.
Sam was enjoying seeing the spitfire that his future wife was. She was intelligent, passionate, and obviously a lot more than the sexy body and beautiful voice that he initially thought she was. Tina fortunately got up to diffuse the situation before it became more volatile and began clearing dishes with Mercedes quickly volunteering to help her. Sam hadn't thought of all Mercedes was giving up to being his wife, and he stopped Tina from going into kitchen, but chose to grab the dishes out of her hand and join Mercedes himself.
As Sam entered the kitchen he was not prepared to see that ass as she was bending down placing dishes in the dishwater. He had to stop himself from cursing out loud as he let out an internal wolf whistle at his appreciation of the ass that could launch one million ships. He couldn't help the strong surge of arousal that poured through his veins as he appreciated every facet of his future wife's killer shape. The only thing that stopped him from licking his lips and standing their appreciating the view was the faint sounds of sniffling he heard coming from her direction. Her muffled cries lured him to come closer to her to comfort her not to just hand her the dishes.
Without turning around, Mercedes heard Tina enter the kitchen. "I know what you are going to say, and I know I was wrong for losing my cool and showing my ass off at your dinner table."
"Hell no, I agreed with everything you said and more. If I could have co-signed while we were out there I would have, but neither you nor your mother or father would allow anyone else into the conversation."
Mercedes turned around in shock when she heard Sam's voice saying the words that she needed to hear being said. "You are not Tina," were the only words that Mercedes was capable of uttering.
"No, I am about a foot taller than she is. Not to mention that I don't think I have the legs to carry off her dress; look at my legs and see if you don't agree."
Mercedes appreciated Sam's attempt at humor. "I usually never cry, my mom convinced me as a child that it was a sign of weakness." She admitted to him as she dried the tears from her face and eyes.
"Believe me I understand completely where you are coming from. My mom hated the fact that I didn't go into law like she wanted me to do, but I followed more in my father's footsteps, and when I didn't even want to become a prestigious architect but wanted to design the interior of buildings instead you should have been around for the fight, and when I earned enough to write and publish my own line of comics, the shit really hit the fan then."
"It seems we have more in common than I initially thought which has equipped us with an automated response to defend and comfort each other against those two women out there who think they should be Mother of the Year." Mercedes looked at Sam for the first time and didn't see the irresponsible jerk but a man who grew up in a household similar to hers.
Sam looked at Mercedes and nodded his head in agreement. This was the first time he had seen Mercedes in make-up, and even crying hadn't disturbed her beauty it was if possible her enlarged dark eyes made her look even more beautiful. "I think we should pretend that this is the first time we have met and start over. Hi, my name is Sam Evans, and I enjoy fast cars, drawing, and watching movies with heroes."
"Hello, Sam Evans, my name is Mercedes Jones, and I enjoy writing and singing songs that bring people hope, inspiration, and joy. I also enjoy watching superhero movies as well, and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." She said reaching out her hand to his.
Sam couldn't believe the heat that traveled through his skin on touching hers in the innocent hand shake. It was if a short burst of electricity traveled throughout his body. He couldn't stop the smile from appearing on his face as he told her it was nice to meet her as well.