Fun fact: I'm sick right now. It definitely is not fun and I feel bad for Marcy, even as I blow my nose.
Enjoy and review!
NJPNJPNJP
Mercedes: POV
I was so happy to party! Classes have been going strong and I'm making good grades (duh!) but I need to unwind. It's nearly Halloween and we're having our annual party again (trick-or-treating was way out) so we'd get to see Mikey, Marc and Laura.
Maddie was excited because we haven't really seen much of her since we're all in the winds. She usually only sees Mal when they're both at home (church doesn't count) so she's been talking about it nonstop.
Plus she just got a cell phone and is completely on the phone calling us all the time. She's so happy to be twelve. She can't wait for next year so she can finally be a teenager like the rest of us.
I'm happy for her. There's nothing like growing up.
I know I can't wait for next year. We all finally told our parents about our plans for next year and they've mostly climbed down from the roofs. It helps that Marcy found such a great place to live. Daddy, Ms. Judy, Papa Mike and Mrs. C were shocked and I think a little hurt by us wanting to leave but Marcy told them we were leaving; period.
Her mean self could have said it better but she was right. We were ready to leave Lima. We had to get outta here.
Speaking of the devil; she's sick. With anyone else, it wouldn't be a problem but Marcy is sickly. When she gets sick, she stays sick for months. I was not looking forward to sharing a house with her.
Since she's so sick, she packed Mickey off to stay with Mal. One might ask "why just Mickey" but then they'd have to realize that Marcy got her own son sick.
Yep, poor Mally is sick as a dog with his first cold. He just looks at you so miserable and all he wants is for someone to hold him and Marcy mean body won't do it.
She says he's too hot and she's hot enough without his sweaty body on her. So I hold him even though I can't afford to get sick. Marcy stays upstairs with him while Marionette takes care of Mickey and Beth downstairs until Lucy and Mal pick them up.
All this talk of bonding with your children (not really but really) makes me think of my own baby. I have finally stopped resenting her and I'm no longer mad at Noah. I guess I had to work through that.
It helped that I talked to Dr. Jackson about it. He swore up and down that it was normal and that people should do more studies on pre-partum depression.
I didn't even know that was a thing.
He said to talk to the women in my family about it and I opened up to my moms and sisters. Marcy and Lucy reminded me about the conversation we had during the summer about how they took being pregnant.
My moms blew me away by talking about how they felt when they were pregnant.
Apparently Ms. Judy felt really resentful. She loved PR but that didn't mean she wanted to have his baby. At least before they were married. Her dad wouldn't let her get married without all of her family surrounding her and of course that took time to plan so she had to wait until after Laura was born to get married.
Mrs. C said she felt happy to be pregnant; at first. She had tried for two years to get pregnant but nothing happened. Then she got pregnant with Mikey. She said she had every pregnancy mishap known to man with him.
She said she was actually mad at him until he was born. Late at that. Then she got pregnant with Mal a mere year later. He gave her heartburn something terrible and she had morning sickness until she went into labor, which took days.
Marcy was so rotten! She asked if she could tell Mikey and Mal they were horrible babies. We all laughed but I knew she was serious.
When we visited Momma, I asked her how her pregnancies went and she told us. Apparently she had easy pregnancies like I'm going through. We all gave her heartburn and her feet swelled but other than extreme cravings, she was good.
But that didn't mean she didn't have intense mood swings. She said she felt so many emotions all the time that she felt she was losing her mind. She said she was freaked out with Marc then just assumed it was natural with me but really felt down by Marcy cuz she had us back to back.
Marc was uncomfortable the whole time, especially when Mrs. Rodriguez chimed in that her kids were a trip.
But I think I'm getting a handle on being pregnant though. It's definitely not the worst thing that ever happened to me and I have dreams about Rae. Holding her and watching her grow up. I can't picture her face but I imagine she is a mix of me and Noah.
I dream about rocking her to sleep as a baby, her first steps (especially since the twins were walking now), her first words, her first day of school, her prom, her wedding day. I dream about all of it.
And those are the nights where I don't wanna wake up.
MAP
Puck: POV
I opened the door. "Sup?"
"Hey." Jake straightened.
I opened the door wider so he could come inside. "Why you wanna skip school?"
"Just wanted to talk." He came in.
"About what?" I was skipping class for this so it better be something good.
"You know how I'm with Marley now, right?"
"Nope." I gestured to the couch so he'd sit down.
He did. "Well we're not technically together. We've been out a few times and I think she's close to dropping hints for me to make us official."
I sat next to him and resumed playing video games. "So?"
"I don't know what to say or do to make her gon head and drop those hints. I pay her compliments and pay attention to her. What more does she want?"
I handed him another controller. "It depends. She might not be like other girls. Mama's not. When I first asked her out when I was your age, she laughed in my face. I was talking to her like she was everybody else and that shit just ain't true."
"So you're saying I have to read her mind?"
"Nope." I answered a text. "You have to find out what's important to her and figure yourself in there."
"I know she wants friends. But good friends. Kitty pulled this messed up stunt on a girl at Breadsticks and Marley freaked."
The doorbell rang. I got up. "Get her friends." I opened the door. "Hey, Mini Mama."
"Sup, son." She sneezed.
"Aw really?!" I wrinkled my face.
She ran her arm over her face. "I'm sick. What do you expect me to do? break out in song?"
She even sounded sick. Really stopped up and her voice was shot. But she was still hot. Maybe literally? I could have sworn I saw steam rising from her chest. "You look hit, bro."
She narrowed her eyes. "Are you gon let me in or do we have to stand up here being ghetto?"
I opened the door wider. "What's with Little Dude?"
"He's too stubborn to go to sleep." He was blinking a bunch of times as he kept pulling on her sweater.
"What up, dude?" I held my fist out. I've been trying to show him how to hit knuckles.
He let his mom go to wave his fist at me. I smirked before just touching it. He made a high-pitched noise.
She slid the diaper bag off her arm and rooted through it for a binky and stuffed it in his mouth. He sneezed on her. "Thank you." She grabbed one of those wet towels and wiped his face.
"Sit down, Mini Mama." I dropped onto the couch. "We're just playing video games and shooting the shit."
She kicked me softly.
"Sorry. We're just talking."
She sat between me and Jake (there was a ton of room between us) and folded her legs. She put Little Dude in the middle of the space created and took off their jackets.
"Hot?" I asked.
She wiped her nose on her arm. "Yes!"
I laughed. "Do you know Jake? Bro, this is Mini Mama. She's the dopest dude in the world. Mini Mama, meet my lil brother, Jake."
"Sup?" She jerked her head and blinked a bunch.
"Hey." Jake looked her over.
"Something in your eye?" I elbowed her.
"It's just cold." She wiped her whole face on a baby wipe.
"Wanna play?"
"I guess I could smash you in a couple games."
"Mini Mama boss at video games. She kicks all our butts at boys night. Wheels is still pissed she creams him at Mario Kart." I told Jake.
She grinned. "I also whip him like a dead horse at Call of Duty."
Jake grinned. "So you're a mom. You never told us that."
"Who's us and why would I?" She pressed a couple buttons.
"The glee club. Why not? Seems like something to tell people. You have a kid."
"I have two. A boy and a girl. His twin." She peeked at her son and saw he was focused on the screen. "Besides, everybody knows. I got pregnant in high school."
He looked over her legs (she was wearing shorts). "Aren't you cold? You're wearing a sweater and shorts. Doesn't seem to make sense."
"I'm hot. The sweater is so I don't catch pneumonia."
"That would be bad."
She looked at him and caught him staring at her chest her Batman shirt wasn't hiding. "See anything you like?"
He looked up at her face. "Um…? Well, yeah."
"Slow yo roll, junior." She turned back to the TV.
"I like older women."
"And I like younger men but I have a man."
"Yeah and I'd rather he not kill you." I snickered.
"I can protect myself." Jake swore.
"Not from him." She won the game that only she was paying attention to.
"So he's jealous?"
"He's a freak." She looked at me. "What was that? Can't you put up more of a fight than that?"
"You know I'm not playing. I'm just waiting for him to say something and for you to break his hand." I was waiting, too.
"Oh please." He smirked. "She's too soft to hurt anybody."
I laughed. Hard.
She hit my arm. "Let him think that. It's funnier this way."
I couldn't wait for her to get him. That made me a terrible big brother, didn't it? Mike always said that Marc was awful to them. Was I trying to be like Marc? Probably.
"Whatcha gon do to me, Ms. Lady?" He asked.
"I ain't no lady." She had this really amused look on her face.
"You look like a lady. Except you got some major tats. I haven't seen too many kids with tattoos. And so many."
She looked down as if seeing them for the first time. "Hmm."
"You know?" He slid closer to her as she raised a brow. "You look smokin, I'm hot, we should hook up."
She grabbed his chin between her fingers. "I'd hurt you."
"Hurt me!"
I laughed.
She shook his face then slapped him lightly. "You ain't ready."
"I'm ready!" He promised.
She looked down and prodded Little Dude. He looked up at her. "Want Daddy to go to prison?"
I damn near giggled. "I do!"
She hit me before kissing his cheek. "We not gon play with Daddy's future."
"Darn it!"
She laughed. Usually her laugh was light like Q's. It was like a bell ringing and sounded like singing like Mama's but this cold had her sounding like a damn sex kitten. I looked at her in shock.
"So that laugh?" I elbowed her.
"Don't talk about me. I'm sick."
"It was sexy." Jake leaned on her and wrapped his arm around her.
She looked at me. "Do you want your brother broken?"
"Yeah, dude." I shook my head. "You don't touch Mini Mama."
"But she's so soft." He squeezed her.
Before I could say anything, she took his hand and unwrapped his arm from around her and twisted it behind his back. "What was that?"
"Ow! Ow! Ow!" He yelped. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
She yanked on his hand before letting him go. "Do not touch me."
He held his arm to his chest. "You are dangerous!"
"Yep." She picked up her controller again.
He shot her a look but I think he a freak cuz it wasn't a bad look. "I heard you were dating a girl."
"You should see someone about hearing things."
He blinked as I laughed. "No! No, I mean Artie said you were dating that redhead."
He knew damn well I said it but I'm glad he didn't dime me out.
She nodded. "What's your point?"
"You know Marley, right? I'm into her but she's not really paying me any attention."
"Have you told her you were into her?"
"Define told."
"She can't read minds, genius."
I smirked at his face. "Okay. I should tell her. But I don't want her to clip my wings. I gotta fly."
"Do you wanna fly solo? Play games and you'll be playing them by yourself."
He grimaced. I told him. "So I have to be a puppy dog for her?"
"You have to be real with her. Marley is innocent. She doesn't know mind games and she doesn't deserve it. Either be with her or leave her alone."
He nodded. "What are you guys doing for tomorrow?"
"I'm going to their Halloween party." I restarted the game. "I don't know why your dad won't let you go trick-or-treating again."
"To be fair, we're old as freezing under cold knickers." Mini Mama shrugged.
"Wait! What?!" We both looked at her.
"Think about the first letters." She rolled her eyes.
We thought about it. Oh! She was spelling fuck. I grinned. "You're amazing, Mini Mama. You know that?"
"Duh."
Jake nodded. "So you're having a Halloween party because you can't go trick-or-treating?"
She took a deep breath. "We eat different. Daddy's a dentist. We don't have sugar. Last year was our first and probably last time going trick-or-treating. We have a party every year and it's pretty choice."
"Who's all invited?"
"It's always just been family but since Mikey's been gone, Tina's been in a bad way. He'll be home so she's invited so she can be with him. Tana's coming back to see Artman so they're invited and we don't want Blaine to feel left out."
"Finn, Elle Woods, Kick and I are going because we're spouses." I put in. "And I'm bringing Nic."
Mini Mama looked at him. "Would you like to come? You could bring Marley and actually tell her how you feel."
He blinked. "Really? You want me to come?"
"Would that make you feel good?"
"Yes."
"No."
I laughed.
"Do we have to wear costumes?" He asked.
"Yes." She turned back to the game.
"It's the day before Halloween. How am I going to find a costume the day before Halloween?"
"I'd advise you to shop around."
The way she said that was weird. I looked at her. "Huh?"
She set the controller down. "Before you take a girl and say "I do" now
Make sure she's in love with you now
My mama told me
You better shop around"
"Who was that?" I had to know. That was really good.
"Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, you infidels." She pursed her lips.
"Who's Smokey Robinson? That name sounds familiar."
"Mercy hasn't introduced you to Smokey yet? Shame on her."
"I know Smokey Robinson." He chimed in. "My grandma listened to him when I was little. She used to say we didn't have good music anymore. Well except for Gerald Levert but then he died."
Mini Mama sniffled. "Broke my moms' hearts when that man died. We were upset, too but they cried for days."
"Who's Gerald Levert? And they actually cried over him dying?" I lifted a brow.
"Yes, they did. Mercy is really slacking on showing you good music."
"You know we haven't really seen each other the past few weeks." I sulked. "We've all been busy with school and clubs and stuff."
"Yeah, I can't believe she rushed. I think I lost my mind by following her and Lucy."
Yeah, Mama's in a sorority. The same one their moms were in. "I like it."
"And she's on the cheer team. The fact that they have her out front cheering like a twelve year old."
"She said Q didn't want to cheer by herself and she promised us that she wouldn't do anything that'll hurt the baby."
"She gon get enough of listening to Lucy."
I grinned. "She can't listen to her sister?"
"It's bad enough she listens to Laura like she do."
"Yo, man. Laura is hot."
"Really?" She looked at me.
I raised my hands. "She is!"
"You can't tell your girlfriend's sister that their other sister is hot."
"You're hot."
"Sho you right but you can't say it."
I laughed. "You hungry?"
"No."
"Come on. You girls eat like birds."
"I'm sick, idiot. I don't eat when I'm sick."
"Why not?" Jake asked.
"I don't have an appetite."
"Well eat something small." I tried to sway her. "I'm sure I can find a candy bar."
"What? Why would you give me a candy bar?"
"You can't eat a candy bar?" He snorted. "All girls are really the same. Worried it'll break you out?"
"All guys are really the same. Chocolate doesn't break you out, numbskull. I can't eat candy at all. We don't eat sugar."
"Come on, Mini Mama." I poked her.
"I'ma hurt you."
"Please?" I pulled my finger back. "It's just one candy bar. Your dad will never know."
"I can't believe I'm giving in to peer pressure." She pursed her lips.
"Yes!" I cheered before getting up before she changed her mind. I grabbed a candy bar from the pantry and came back. I handed it to her. "Here."
"If you went trick-or-treating last year, what did you do with your candy if you can't eat it?" Jake asked.
"We gave it to Nic." She looked it over. "Wow, this has a bunch of sugar in it."
"Come on! Eat it!" I really wanted to see her eat it.
Little Dude noticed she had something she wasn't sharing with him and reached up for it.
She moved it away from him. "Not even. It's bad enough I'm eating this."
"Can I record this?" Jake grinned.
"You two are lame." She unwrapped part of it and just looked at it. Then she sniffed it.
"Come on, Mini Mama!" I groaned. "You're stalling!"
"Alright! Alright!" She moved Little Dude's hand away from the bar and opened her mouth to take a bite.
Why Moms have to ruin it?! She came in the door just before Mini Mama bit down. "What are you doing?"
"Ma!" I threw myself back.
"Hi, Ms. Nadine." Mini Mama said.
"Hello, Marcy. Mercy told me you were sick. Why are you out of bed?"
"I'm tired of being in bed. I'm going to school tomorrow, I'm so sick of sleeping."
"So you came over to spend time with this knucklehead? What are you eating?"
"'Zilla gave me candy."
She glared at me. "Give me that!" She snatched it away from Mini Mama. "Noah, why would you give her candy?!"
I sulked. "It would have worked if you were still gone. Why are you here anyway? Don't you have work?"
"Don't you have class?!" She put her hands on her hips. "Why are you sitting here during the day?!"
"Jake wanted to talk."
"Hello, Jake." Moms glanced at him.
"Hello, Mrs. Puckerman." Jake nodded to her.
"Marcy, if you're hungry, I'll make you a sandwich."
"I'm not really-"
Moms cut her off. "Ooh! Mally!"
Little Dude turned to Moms and opened and closed his hands.
Moms picked him up. "Hi, Mally! How are you?! Mommy got you sick?"
Mini Mama pouted.
Moms kissed his cheek and his binky fell out. She caught it and stuck it back in his mouth. He tried to kiss her back but just headbutted her. She smiled and laughed a little. "Come on, Marcy. I'll make you a turkey sandwich."
"Thank you, Ms. Nadine." Mini Mama stood and followed her into the kitchen.
Jake waited until they were gone before leaning over. "I think I should leave-"
"Nah, nah, it's fine. She huffs and puffs but she's all bark." I waved a hand. "Just stay until you wanna leave."
"Cool." He looked toward the kitchen. "She's really going to make her eat?"
"Yeah. That's a lost cause." I paid attention to the game that nobody was really playing anymore. "Ma is going to stuff her til she throws up then gon stuff Little Dude."
MAP
Anna: POV
I was so excited for tonight. I loved Halloween but haven't been trick-or-treating in years. I loved parties but I rarely get to go. Mom is a master at saying no.
But since it's at a house with parental supervision, she's letting me go. huffSix months and a week to go until graduation…
Ellen and I were talking by a bank of lockers after first period about it. I was saying how much fun we were going to have while Ellen was worried about her costume.
Marcy walked up to us. She had her uniform on and a high pony up but she didn't blend in. She was too sick for that. She was really red and kept wiping her nose on a tissue. "Hey."
"Hey." I was shocked she came to school.
"Hey, baby." Ellen touched her hand. "Wow! You're burning up! Should you be here?!"
"I don't want to miss too much school." She sniffled.
"Yeah but you're spreading your germs to everyone."
"May they have better constitutions than I." She swiped at her watering eyes.
Ellen took her hand and played with her fingers. "Well I'm glad you're here. It wouldn't be the same without you."
"What wouldn't? School? Still seems like prison to me."
"No!" Ellen giggled. "Today wouldn't be the same. I know the party's tonight so we won't celebrate normally but I'm still excited."
"For Halloween? Yeah, it'll be awesome. I can't wait."
Ellen frowned a little. "Not just Halloween."
Marcy just wiped her nose.
"Marcy, you do know what today is, don't you?" Ellen stepped away a touch.
"Halloween."
"No."
"The end of October?"
"No!"
"It's not autumn yet." Marcy was confused.
I grimaced. She really forgot.
"Marcy!" Ellen screeched. "You forgot our anniversary?!"
Marcy looked really confused at first then her eyes widened. "Crap! Elle-!"
"I can't believe you!" Ellen burst into tears. "We've been together a year and you can't even remember it?!"
"To be fair, I just learned it's Friday." She was not helping herself…
Ellen glared at her. "That's not funny! How could you?!"
Marcy grimaced. "I'm sorry."
"Do I mean anything to you?! Do Mal and I mean anything at all to you?! Why?! Why would you forget?!"
"It's not like I forgot on purpose. I don't pay attention to dates that don't matter to me."
My mouth formed an "o". Ooh! She actually said that.
Ellen screamed loudly. "Our anniversary doesn't matter to you?! Well happy anniversary to you! Now I know how you really feel!"
We watched as she ran off. "Elle!"
I turned to Marcy. "How could you forget?"
"I'm really bad at dates. I forget my own birthday." She looked really confused.
I facepalmed. "You have to fix this."
"She probably won't come tonight if I don't apologize…?"
I gave her a look. "Does she mean anything to you? I know you say you don't love her but do you care at all?"
She stuck her bottom lip out. "Why is that called into question?"
"Because if you cared, you'd do a better job of not hurting her feelings."
She blew out a breath and looked down the hall. "I guess I gotta put in more effort. Great."
"You can even sing to her." I grinned slyly.
She looked at me quickly. "Say what now?!"
"Doesn't Mr. Shue encourage you to sing your feelings?"
"Mr. Shue's not here."
"Sing anyway. I'm sure she'll love it."
"What could I even sing? Oh. Got it." She bit her bottom lip with a frown. "Could you help me?"
I grew excited. "Yes!"
MAP
I opened the doors to the cafeteria and strolled in with four other Cheerios and Marcy. No one paid us any attention until music sounded.
Marcy went to Ellen and turned her around before going to a space that was open enough for all of us and began dancing. Me and another Cheerio danced with her as she sang Ne-Yo's One in a Million and the other three came in at the end as needed.
Ellen had started crying as soon as she recognized it as a love song and waited for Marcy to come back to her before throwing her arms around her neck.
"I am sincerely sorry for forgetting our anniversary. You're very important to me and I don't want you to ever feel like you're not." Marcy said clearly. "If you can forgive me for being thoughtless, I'll try to do better in the future."
Ellen hugged her again. "I forgive you!"
The whole cafeteria clapped. Some guys were so gross! They started chanting for them to kiss.
Ellen did kiss her but I doubt it was because those pervs wanted her to.
I was just proud of Marcy for being emotionally open for once. I like to think I helped make it happen. Yup, just call me the relationship whisperer.
MAP
Mercedes: POV
Last night was so much fun! Our parties usually were but to open them up to our friends was really great.
It was good to see Tana for a while. She complained so much about her roommate. Lucy rolled her eyes so much, I thought they were going to fall out of her head.
Jake was there with Marley and they were so cute together! She was a sweet, shy thing and he was a Puckerman alright. I always liked the shy girl getting the hot guy. I got mine…
Speaking of my hot guy, he and our equally hot lady were adorable in our thruples costume. We were a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I was jelly, Noah was peanut butter and Annie was the bread. We even won best costume.
Annie told me about yesterday morning and what happened between Marcy and Ellen. I was so glad Annie was there to talk to Marcy and help her realize she hurt Ellen's feelings. Marcy wasn't in touch with feelings and was very careless about other peoples.
She didn't mean to be but she lived in her head a lot (I suffered from it, too) and forgot other people exist regularly.
I just liked that the two were getting so close. I want my sister and the second love of my life to get along and not just get along but have a strong connection and bond.
Other things that went on during the party was Maddie brought a boy! Marc, Mikey and Mal were awful about it and was constantly around them. That put a damper on Mikey's and T's reunion.
Another thing that happened was I invited Gomez and Lila to come cuz their siblings would be there and I genuinely liked both and I truly loved seeing them together. Both were outrageous flirts but were still a bit shy with each other even though they'd been together over a year.
What killed me was Marcy invited Elliot while Lila had begged me for Sara to come. We didn't know about each other's inclusion so to see them face to face again was a treat. Ellen had a meltdown…
Marcy and Mal had to calm her down. I didn't blame her one bit and in a mood swing I would never admit to aloud, I started hogging Mal's attention.
Laura realized what I was doing and made me let him go. She lectured me on babying him but I pointed out how he was my baby; just like Mikey was hers.
She flipped her hair, rolled her eyes, crossed her arms and said he was not her baby and she definitely could live without him. I brought up all the nice stuff he's done for her over the years and I could visibly see her softening.
She went over to Mikey and wrapped her arms around him. He was so bemused, he could only stand there for a while.
Marc and Mal teased him about his sister "loving" him. He tried to get away from Laura when Noah and Artie chimed in. But Laura wouldn't let him go. Until he showed his devil. She smacked him and stomped off, cursing all brothers.
Everyone seemed to get a kick out of that and laughed.
But the best part was that Marc finally gave us more information about the NFL recruiting him. It seems the Los Angeles Rams, the Baltimore Ravens and the Seattle Seahawks wanted him. They were falling over themselves trying to get him but he was still on the fence about playing ball professionally at all.
It was a conundrum. He was graduating this year. What about graduate school? He had his own business. What about KimchiStarz and his partners? He had a lot to think over.
He said he wanted our opinions but Laura kept saying it had to be his decision. He had to choose what he wanted to do with his life.
It certainly wasn't easy but it made me want to think about my choices. I loved to sing and I wanted to do it professionally but I did need a backup plan. Waitresses were great but I didn't want to be one. Especially not for my whole life.
I really couldn't stand dentistry but I could still be a doctor. It's a solid plan and I'd be making a difference in the world, one way or another. I was thinking of going for pediatrics since I was having a baby after all.
I mean both Marc and Marcy had plan Bs. Marcy was never going to let science go and was going for another degree at Cornell for biochemistry while Marc majors in computer engineering and minors in sports medicine. I figured I could go to two schools like Marcy was.
I talked it over with Lucy this morning and she said she agreed. Since we're going to New York, we can follow our dreams. She'd still go for entertainment law but she wanted to go to an arts school for violin.
We went to see Mikey to bug him to death over our newfound direction and he actually agreed with us. He said that one of his classmates went down with a career ending injury and didn't have a backup plan. Said it scared him to death.
We asked him if that meant he was giving up dancing or was he going to double up like us. He said he would never stop dancing and he was going to double up. That being a heart surgeon could be cool.
I just knew Papa Mike would love that…
While we were over, Mrs. C asked us to run a few errands for her. She had to go back to her office and really needed to get through her to do list. So we split it up and headed in different directions.
At the moment, I was at the dry cleaners. I made sure I had the ticket stub and got out of my car. I crossed the parking lot and opened the door to the store when lo and behold! it was Mrs. Picos! "Hi!"
"Mercedes Catherine." She nodded slightly.
Just as pleasant as ever… "How are you doing?"
"I'm well. And yourself?"
"Well I've stopped throwing up."
She made a little face. "Really?"
"Yes. I'm so glad. I didn't think I could stand it anymore. It's cutting it close though. I'm due next month."
"Excuse me?"
"Yeah, I know. I can't believe Rae will be here in exactly thirty seven days."
"Uh huh."
Well sorry if my baby bored her! "Would you like a sonogram from the last doctor's visit?"
"A sonogram?"
"Yes. I have a bunch. Annie and Noah have a lot but I pay for extra so I can give everybody one."
"Yes." Her face pulled tighter. "I would care for a sonogram."
I dug through my purse. "I'm still sorry you couldn't make it to the baby shower but Annie insists you were otherwise engaged. Did you get the pictures my mother sent?"
"I did not."
"I'll have my mom make another set." I found the picture and handed it to her. "Well I have to go. My mom needs me to finish these errands."
"Of course." She stared hard at the sonogram and me.
That was uncomfortable. "See you later."
"Goodbye." She put the picture in her purse and walked off.
That was weird but that woman was weird. I shrugged it off and went inside to get Mrs. C's dry cleaning.
MAP
Anna: POV
I shut the door behind myself. "I'm home!"
"Anna?! Come to the dining room!" Mom's voice rang out.
I went to the dining room to see her and Daddy at the table with a bunch of baby stuff. Familiar baby stuff. "What's going on?"
"Where were you?" Mom demanded.
"Studying with Marcy."
"Really? Not with her sister and that ne'erdowell?"
"Noah's not- that! He's a good man!"
"Calm down, Anna." Daddy spoke. "Don't get so excited."
Mom talked right over him. "You lied to us!"
"What did I lie about?" I was getting a bad feeling.
"Mercedes Catherine is pregnant!"
I know what you're thinking. I told my parents in May like MercyCat and Noah did. But I didn't. I know my parents. They would have flipped out. Like now… "How did you find out?"
"That doesn't matter! What matters is you thought you could keep this from us! She's due next month!" She threw down a sonogram.
"How could you, Anna?" Daddy looked sad.
"The pregnancy was unplanned!" I cried. "We were careful!"
"Not careful enough." Mom glared at me. "What if it'd been you?"
"Rae is my daughter, too!"
"Oh, Anna." Daddy said quietly.
Mom drew back. "That- multi-racial child is not yours!"
"She is mine and there's nothing you can do about it!"
An unholy light came into her eyes. "Nothing I can do? There's plenty I can do. For starters, you're grounded. You are not to leave this house unless it's for school or cheerleading."
I didn't care. I would see my loved ones anyway. "For how long?"
"The foreseeable future. Secondly, you have to get rid of these atrocious items because thirdly, you're breaking up with Mercedes Catherine and Noah."
I gasped as my world pitched. "No!"
"You're too young for this, Anna." Daddy said.
"And how would it look for you to trot that- child around?" Mom sneered. "We could never been seen with it-!"
"She's not an it! She's my daughter and she has a name!" I sobbed.
"She is not your child! I refuse to allow this! Do it now!"
I got up and ran out. "No! No! No!"
They ran out after me and Mom grabbed my arm and shook me. "Yes! You will! This sideshow has gone on long enough! Your father and I never wanted this from the beginning. I should never have agreed. This has brought us nothing but trouble! You shamed us!"
"But I love them." I couldn't get all of it out, I was crying so hard.
"Tell them now." She didn't care.
"I'll go-" I had a plan.
"No. Call them. Right here, right now. I never want you to see them again."
"Mom, please!"
"Do it now, Anna!"
I took my phone out with shaking hands and three-wayed MercyCat and Noah.
"Put it on speaker." Mom was cruel.
I put it on speaker as my hopes were dashed. They both picked up at roughly the same time, exclaiming my name. "Hi, guys."
"What's wrong, Annie?" MercyCat asked immediately.
"Whose ass do I have to kick?" Noah demanded.
"Do it!" Mom hissed.
"We have to break up." I said in a rush.
"What?!" MercyCat and Noah yelped.
"We have to break up." I repeated as I felt like my heart was literally breaking. There was an actual pain in my chest.
"Why?!" MercyCat sounded so confused.
I looked at Mom, who crossed her arms. "I just don't think it's working out anymore."
MercyCat stared crying. "But, Annie-"
"I'm sorry, MercyCat but it's over."
"At least tell us why. Don't we deserve that?"
"Yes." I pushed out.
"Well?! Is it us? Is it our situation? Is it Rae-?"
Mom pointed so I said, "It's Rae. I'm not ready to be a mother."
"Are you kidding?!" Her breath hitched. "You were so excited for this!"
"I was wrong." My heart dropped to my shoes. "I can't do it."
"Annie, please! We love you." Her voice grew soft.
"I-" Mom cleared her throat so I had to lie. "I don't love you. I can't. I'm sorry."
A line clicked off but it must have been Noah because MercyCat was still crying. Mom waved for me to wrap it up.
"Please never contact me again. I won't answer. Goodbye, MercyCat- I mean Mercedes Catherine." It killed me but I hung up.
Mom nodded, satisfaction written over her face. "Yes. Now how about some dinner?" She walked off.
Daddy put his hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Anna but it's better this way."
I tried to glare at him but my vision was hazy from crying so much. "How could you let her do that? You know how much I love them. Now my daughter is going to grow up without me. How could you?"
I couldn't look at him anymore as I broke out in fresh tears. I ran up to my room, slammed the door and threw myself across my bed to cry myself to sleep.
Today was the worst day of my life…