Mercedes: POV

I cried all night. I didn't even go down for dinner. I just stayed in my room crying and listening to sad music.

Marcy knocked on my door Sunday morning and barged in anyway. "What's up, Sis?"

My eyes were nearly crusted over and my face was sticky. I knew I looked a fright but she just climbed in the bed next to me. "I- Anna broke up with us."

Her eyebrows shot up. "What?"

"Anna broke up with us."

She grimaced. "Why?"

"She said she doesn't love us anymore and that she couldn't handle being a mother."

She wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tight. She began humming and rocking slightly.

I can admit; this made me feel better. But I was still incredibly sad. "What if Noah is next?"

"No way. 'Zilla is not going to leave his kid."

"You think so?"

"I know so. You know how he was about Beth. He's not going to give up another kid voluntarily."

I relaxed a bit. "I want him around now."

"Hmm?"

"Like you had Mal? I want Noah. I need Noah." When Marcy was in her last two weeks of pregnancy, Mal lived with us because she said she couldn't go a moment without him. I thought it was cute at the time but I'm starting to see she was right.

"Ask him."

"What if he says no?"

"Don't let him say no. Beg and plead and use cheap shots to get him to agree."

"I have to demean myself to get a guy to live with me?"

"If you want Daddy to say yes, you might have to."

"Daddy?" I looked at her.

"Who are you talking about?"

"Noah!"

She lifted her brows. "Who cares what 'Zilla wants?! Tell him he's moving in!"

I giggled. "Thanks, Marce."

"Things seem bleak now but I assure you, they will get better. We don't have all the pieces to the puzzle but it will get finished and you'll have a beautiful picture."

Who was she? Confucius?! "Thanks, Marcy."

"No problema, mamacita." She let me go.

I sat up and we both climbed out of bed. "I guess I should get dressed for church."

"I'll wait for you." She left.

I guess she meant she'd wait in her room…

MAP

I waited until after brunch to ask Daddy about Noah moving in. I went to his office and knocked.

"Enter!"

I came inside and saw him working at his desk. I went to the couch and sat down.

"What's going on, Princess?" He still glared at the papers before him.

"Come sit, Daddy." I could do this better when he was right in front of me. Yes, I was prepared to cry.

He came over and sat next to me. "Is something the matter?"

"Not exactly." No need to belabor this. "I want Noah."

"Don't you have him?" He looked really confused.

"No, I mean I want him to stay here."

His eyebrows rose. "No."

"Daddy, please?! Just for a few months! Marcy had Mal and Lucy had me! I need the father of my child to give me emotional support in these trying times!"

"Princess,-!"

I started crying. "I need him! I'm upset all the time and I need someone to rub my belly and cut my toenails and watch old movies with me! I need him!"

"Princess, stop." He patted my shoulder awkwardly.

"Annie broke up with us!"

He started. "What?!"

"Annie broke up with us. Last night."

He hugged me. "I'm not sure Noah moving in is such a good idea."

"Daddy, I need him!" I sobbed on his suit.

He rubbed my back. "If I do this for you, you must do something for me in return."

"What is it?"

He set me away from him. "I have a new lady friend."

"What?!" My tears dried instantly.

"Yes, her name is Colleen. She's a very nice woman."

"What?!"

He sighed. "I need you to prepare your brothers and sisters but most especially curb Sweetpea. You can tell Puckerman he can move in and I'll invite Colleen over for dinner tonight."

My mouth fell open. What kind of compromise was that?! I didn't want to meet a new woman! It was bad enough we had to run that last one off!

"This is what you want, correct? You said you needed him." He challenged.

Noah better be glad I love him… "Yes, Daddy."

"Ah! Good girl! Run along now. I expect for your sister to be on her best behavior." He went back to his desk.

I stood up and went to the door. This blew.

"Oh? Princess?"

I turned around.

"I'm sorry Anna broke up with you. Things will get better."

I smiled. "Thank you, Daddy."

MAP

Puck: POV

I opened the door. "Hey, Mama. What are you doing here? Are you okay?"

She waved me away and came inside. She took off her coat and hung it up before taking my hand and leading me up to my room.

"What's up?" I sat her in my bed.

She pulled me down beside her and put my arms around her. She leaned her head against mine. "We need to talk."

I hated that. "You're here to break up with me, too?"

"Noah, we should talk about Annie leaving us."

"I don't want to talk about it." And I didn't. Did it hurt? Yeah but I've been dumped before. Three times in fact. I was a man. I wasn't goin to let that shit get me down.

Even if I stayed in my room all night and didn't speak to anyone…

She patted my hand. "Okay, we don't have to talk about that now. But I can't go through this alone. I need you with me."

"I'm with you, Mama."

"I mean all the time."

"What do you want me to do? move in?" I snorted.

"Yes."

I turned to her quick. "Huh?!"

"I want you to move in."

I was shocked. "No, you don't!"

"Yes, I do. Marcy had Mal 24/7 and I was with Lucy night and day. I need someone."

"Couldn't you have your sisters now?"

"You don't want to be there for me after you knocked me up?" Her voice was scary quiet.

I grimaced. "That's not what I'm saying, Mama."

"Then what are you saying?"

"I'm saying- what about Moms and Nic?"

"You can visit. They can come over."

"What about Beth? I have her on the weekends."

"She'll stay with us."

"And your dad is cool with this? He doesn't like me anymore." Not that I was still butt-hurt over that…

"Yes, he is and he'll like you again. Besides, this will give us a chance to see how we'll get along in New York."

I was blown away by this. On one hand, this was crazy but on another, I was going to live with her anyway. Who cares when? "I guess I gotta tell Moms I'm moving out."

"You'll be back soon enough."

I raised a brow. "I'll be back?"

"Yeah. It's only necessary while I'm pregnant and about a month after Rae's born. That way we'll get into a rhythm."

That sounded stupid but she was pregnant and she wasn't about to kick my ass. "Okay."

"Good. Pack you some things and I'll go find your mom." She hefted herself up and waddled out.

She a bossy little chick when she wanna be…

MAP

I had some stuff packed and figured I could get anything else I needed later. I went downstairs and saw Moms and Mama were talking over tea in the kitchen. Nic and Beth were playing in the living room.

I went to the kitchen. "Hey, Ma? What's up?"

"Hi, Noah." Moms looked at me. "Mercy says you have something to tell me."

I glared at Mama, who just smiled at me. "Well yeah. I think I should be with Mama."

"Aren't you?"

"Yeah but like all the time."

"And how are you going to achieve that?" She lifted a brow.

"By living with her."

"In New York."

"In Lima Heights Adjacent."

I waited but she just looked at me until… "What are you saying, Noah?"

"Mama-" Mama glared at me. "And I think I should move into her house for a few months."

"Really?" Moms sat back.

"Yeah, it'll be what's best for us and Rae."

"And what does Marcus think of this plan?"

"Mama said he was cool with it."

"Humph!" She looked at Mama. "You really want him around you?"

"Yes." Mama smiled.

"Why?"

"Ma!" I snapped.

"What's Anna think of this or is she moving in, too?"

I scowled as Mama's eyes filled. "Annie broke up with us yesterday afternoon."

Moms clutched her heart and grabbed Mama's hand. "I'm so sorry! You poor things! No wonder you want to be together! Go! Go, Noah!"

Maybe we should have led with that?

"How did your father agree to this anyway?"

Mama stuck her bottom lip out. "He has a girlfriend and I have to be nice."

"You're always nice."

"I have to keep Marcy nice."

"Dear heavens…"

I laughed. "I'm not goin nowhere! That's not about to happen!"

Mama swatted me. "I'm going to invite Mal and Ellen. We're having dinner tonight."

I couldn't wait for this! "Come on! Let's go!"

Moms giggled. "I'll see you back tonight, Noah."

Mama pouted. "She'll be good! I just know it!"

MAP

Mercedes: POV

I pushed open Marcy's door after giving over parts of my closet for more of Noah's stuff. Marcy was sitting in her window seat, reading while opera played on her turntable. "Hey?"

"Hey." She flipped a page.

"What are you reading?"

"T.S Eliot."

Oh great! She was in a mood! I moved in further. "I have good news and bad news."

"What's the bad news?"

"I'll start with the good news. Noah is here. Daddy said he could stay."

"What'd you promise?"

"Why do you think I promised something?"

"Because you wouldn't give me the bad news."

Darn it! "I have to keep you good at dinner tonight."

She lowered the book. "Why wouldn't I be good?"

"Because Daddy's inviting his new lady friend over." I waited for her to explode.

She just looked at me.

"You're not going to say anything?"

"What's to say, turncoat?"

"Marcy!" I whined.

"I'll do what you can't."

"Marcy, you have to be good so Noah can stay!"

"He can call you on the phone. He doesn't need to be here in person."

"Marcy, please!"

"Get out, traitor."

"Marcy!"

"Out!"

I threw up my hands and left. I went to my room and saw Noah was still putting things away in the closet. "She didn't take it so well."

He looked back at me. "Can't say I'm surprised."

"Noah!" I whined.

He opened his arms and I rushed into them. He rubbed my back. "I shouldn't even be unpacking. I'm going home."

I hit him.

MAP

I was so thankful Mal and Ellen were able to make it. Ellen could keep Marcy sweet while Mal would keep her fair. And the twins were there which would keep her PG-13.

Mrs. Gonzales made a gorgeous three course meal and she and Marionette would be eating in the den to give us privacy. I think they knew Marcy was going to show out and wanted to be a few rooms away.

We were in the den at the moment while Daddy finished up work in his office. We were watching a cartoon in Japanese in hopes of getting the twins to talk when the doorbell rang.

I looked at Marcy, who looked to the door. Noah grinned. "Showtime!"

I elbowed him. "Noah!"

"Be calm, Marce." Mal put a hand on her arm.

"I am calm." She stood up with Mickey and walked out. We hurried to follow her out.

Mrs. Gonzales let in a woman in her forties. She wore too much makeup and her clothes were loud and her hair was wild. She looked like a clown. This is who my Daddy picked?!

"Hello!" She said loudly. "I'm Colleen! You must be Marky's children!"

Marky?!

Daddy came from his office and kissed her cheek. "Hello, Colleen. I'd like you to meet two of my daughters, Mercedes Catherine and Marceline Anne and one of my sons, Malcolm. These are two of my grandchildren, Malcolm Jr. and Mikayla. This is Mercedes Catherine's boyfriend, Noah and Marceline Anne's and Malcolm's girlfriend, Ellen. Children, meet Colleen McGinty."

"It's so nice to meet you all!" She glowed.

At least she was nice…

She pinched my cheek. "Yer dad tells me ye have a bun in the oven! Did this handsome fella do it to ya or is he the poor git that's stuck wit ya?"

I don't like her… "My boyfriend is the father of my child."

"Where's Cookie?" Daddy asked after Beth.

"She's with my moms. I wanted them to spend some time before I went to go get her." Noah told him.

"Cookie's my other granddaughter that he had with my other daughter, Lucille." Daddy explained.

"Ooh! Sharing boyfriends?!" Colleen's eyes widened. "Naughty girls!"

Marcy looked at me and I saw a sparkle in her eyes. She was enjoying this! "Please tell us all about yourself, Ms. McGinty."

"Please call me Colleen. I'm just a chum of your dad's. We can all be real friendly like."

"Let's get friendly." I could see the horns growing atop Marcy's head.

Mal grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "McGinty sounds like a Scottish name."

"Ah, right!" Colleen nodded. "Me family's from the motherland. I'm second generation American but we've been back and forth so much, me accent's a bit thick."

"Well we have that in common." Mal at least tried. "We were born in other countries as well."

"Marky told me he was an alien!" She laughed. "I thought to meself I was getting a African American and I could write to me family back home but alas he's German."

"You have a beautiful necklace." Ellen said in the ensuing quiet.

"Thank you, doll!" Colleen patted it gently. "You look a mite Scottish yerself. Where do you hail?"

"I don't think I'm Scottish. We're originally from Cleveland."

"Ah! We Scots get around, we do. Ye never know."

"Why don't we move into the dining room?" Marcy asked. "That is an interesting yet comely arrangement of robes you're wearing."

"Ah, thank ya, doll!" Colleen ruffled herself like Harmony does.

"Sweetpea is right." Daddy waved his arm. "Let's eat."

MAP

Marcy was a demon. She kept up a steady stream of chatter with Colleen. She asked her detailed questions and had the woman going on and on about herself. On the surface that sounds nice but Marcy was just illustrating all the reasons why Daddy has lost his mind in choosing this woman.

In between letting Colleen talk herself hoarse, Marcy would get in all these tiny digs like about how Colleen playing the banjo was perfect entertainment for a backyard barbecued wedding to marry off a relative or how her fashion sense was enough to make RuPaul retire in shame.

Fortunately a lot of those things went over Daddy's head (he doesn't really keep up with pop culture) and Colleen just laughed it all off.

Mrs. Gonzales just served dessert when Marcy was going on and on about how it feels to date her own brother. She said that Colleen could "assuredly understand how it feels to feel the forbidden flame of incest licking at ones earlobes".

Colleen laughed uproariously and said she understood indeed and how her brothers used to take peeks at her in the shower growing up. That it was a sort of rite of passage for the McGinty boys.

I was horrified. For a thousand reasons! I couldn't take much more of this! I made a comment about how much of a perversion that household must have been.

Daddy glared at me as Colleen looked hurt. "May I see you in the other room, Mercedes Catherine?"

I stood up and followed him. As soon as we got to the kitchen, I crossed my arms. "How can you stand to listen to her?! That's so gross! Her brothers peeked at her in the shower?! Who does that?!"

"Princess." Daddy clasped his hands together. "Sweetpea is making an effort-"

"No, she's not!" I sneered. "She's talking about that woman to her face but she's too dense to realize it!"

"I would like for my children to get along with whomever I decide to spend my time with!"

"You don't do it with us! Ever since I got pregnant, you haven't said two words to Noah!"

He breathed deeply. "I suppose that is fair. Forgive a father for wanting his children to grow and thrive. I mistakenly thought you were throwing your life away with this singing business and now motherhood but you've shown me that you have your head on straight. I suppose I can find it in my heart to forgive Noah. If you can see some good in Colleen."

I didn't know if I could. "Why her? What could you possibly like about her?"

"She makes me feel good about myself. She makes me feel not quite so alone."

I grabbed his hands. "Daddy, you're not alone. You have us!"

"Marcus is going to play for the NFL. He's made his decision to accept an offer. You and Sweetpea are going to New York. I will be here alone for the first time since I left home for college."

I realized he was right. "I'm sorry, Daddy. You're right. You deserve to find love again."

"I never thought I'd find someone after your mother."

"If you love Colleen,-"

"Love?! I just met this woman!"

I giggled. "If you like Colleen, I suppose I can like her, too."

"Thank you, Princess." He kissed my head. "Now let's go in there and save Colleen from Sweetpea."

MAP

I knocked on Marcy's door before just coming in anyway. "Hey?"

"Hey." She looked over from the cribs. Mal left the twins instead of bringing them back in the morning.

"So dinner was…-?"

"A disaster?"

"Yeah." I sighed. "But we have to let Daddy have this."

"Why?" She straightened. "Give me one good reason to not get rid of this boil on society's ass."

Imagery… I shuddered. "Daddy is going to be alone next year. We're all leaving. Only Maddie's going to be here. Daddy is going to have empty nest's syndrome."

She sighed. "He'll have his friends. Mrs. C, PM, Ms. Judy. He won't be all alone."

"But he needs companionship. Love."

"But we love him." She pouted cutely.

"I know, sweetie but we'll be so far away. He needs this. He's always been supportive for us. We need to be supportive for him."

"You're right." She sighed again. "Not many men would go against their wives and take up for their mentally unbalanced children. Not many men would accept their daughters getting pregnant in high school. Not many men would accept their children's unorthodox relationships. Daddy's a real man and he deserves all he wishes."

I was proud of her. "So whenever we see Ms. Colleen from now on?"

"Civility. I know." She threw herself on her trunk.

I hugged her. "Hopefully he'll come to his senses and find someone more suitable before we leave for New York."

"We can introduce him to someone!" She popped up.

"Like who?"

"What about your German professor? Isn't she single? They're both German. They'll have loads to talk about!"

That was actually a great idea… I grinned. "I'll ask her tomorrow!"