Finn lies in a hospital bed with a cast on his foot. He looks down at his injured ligament and can't help but feel a pinch of sorrow at how old and brittle he is now. He's in his 60's for crying out loud, and his body won't let him get away with foolish behavior anymore.
But then she enters in the room.
The woman who has been by his side through everything from depression, to alcoholism, to erectile dysfunction (don't tell Puck). His wife, his love, Mercedes Hudson.
Wait a minute, her face; it's not filled with pity. She doesn't have on her "poor baby I'm going to do everything I can to make you feel better" face. It's the other one, the bad one. It's her "I'm going to smack you in the head" face. Thankfully, the doctor was coming in right behind her.
"I am already in the hospital, so it's illegal for you to smack me in the head," Finn stated in an unsure tone. "That's the rule, right Doc?"
The young doctor nods and gives a warm smile.
"You are absolutely right Mr. Hudson. Mrs. Hudson, you are not allowed to harm my patient."
Mercedes does not take her eyes off her husband as she speaks.
"Kima, can I have a mmoment alone with my husband?"
Finn looks to the doctor with pleading eyes.
The doctor must think this some kind of game they play, she is wrong.
"I don't know Mrs. Hudson. Don't you think he's been through enough today?"
Mercedes turns to the Doctor and gives her a fake, bright smile.
"You have my word as a fellow health caretaker. I swear by the dentist's oath that I shall do no harm."
"She's lying; the dentist's have no code. They are an evil tribe of blade wielding masochists," Finn exclaims.
Mercedes and the Doctor exchange a look.
"Fine, half off on your kid's braces," Mercedes says as she reaches out her hand.
"Done," says the doctor. And with a quick handshake, she is heading towards the door.
"Kima, don't abandon me, I taught you in high school," Finn pleads.
"That was a long time ago Mr. Hudson," the young doctor laughs as she closes the door behind her.
Finn looks back to his wife.
"Not in the face," he says.
"Boy please, aint nobody gonna hurt you," Mercedes says as she takes a seat next to his bed.
"Then what's with the angry face?" Finn asks.
"Because you scared me today, fool. The way you were wailing I was worried that you may never walk again. Your grandkids thought you were going to die."
"Football is a dangerous game Mercy," Finn says with a serious face.
"I know that baby. But you damn near destroyed your ankle today in a flag football game at the family reunion."
Finn's cheeks start to get very red.
"Still, there was a lot of athleticism and physical exertion," he was trying to use fancy teacherly words to to win the argument.
"Finn, you got injured during the touchdown celebration when you were trying to do the cat-daddy."
"I'm bringing it back," the old man replied.
"No you aren't. And when you collapsed out there, I felt so guilty because I had just prayed to god to make you never cat-daddy again."
"But I'm stackin krabby patties," Finn replied.
"No, you aren't stackin krabby patties and old geezers like us are the only people who get that reference. We're old folks now Finn, we're grandparents, and we need to be more careful."
Finn turns his head away from his wife.
"Well what if I don't want to be a lame old dude."
"You won't be doing it alone. I know that's your fear, to lose your family. And to be honest, there were times when you were really close, but not now. You're sober, and jovial, and I would not want to live with any other man. We'll adjust like we always do, because we're Fercedes."
Mercedes uses two fingers to gently turn Finn's face back toward her. She then wipes away some tears forming in his eyes. She bends over and kisses him lightly on the lips.
"You combined our names? No who's old," Finn teases.
Mercedes lightly hits Finn on his head.
"Whatever fool, I'm going to get our lawyer in here so we can discuss our wills. You know…just in case."
Finn nods as Mercedes gets up to open the door.
"Oh, and by the way, your son-in-law wants your old Undetaker lunch box when you die."
Finn's eyes widen with anger.
"No way, you tell him it's going into my casket with me."