Hey hey guys! Sadly this story is starting to wind down and the end is near, but not yet so here's another chapter lol. Thank you for waiting, being patient and enjoying my works. Stay blessed and safe!

Sam wasn't sure he was doing the right thing, Mercedes had reached out to help him with his family, and he wanted to do the same for her. So when he convinced Dave to have Kurt meet him at his office, he grew nervous that he was making a mistake.

When Kurt walked into his office, Sam smiled. "Kurt, they have a seat. Thanks for coming."

"Well, Dave said you had some questions?"

Sam nodded. "I want to reach out to Mercedes's family."

"Um, in the words of my best friend Slash sister. Oh, hell naw! Sam, do not open that door."

Sam frowned. "What happened? If you don't mind telling me, Mercedes told me most of it; they were upset with her when she returned without her brother."

"Upset? Sam, they were downright horrible to her; if it weren't for the fact she was young and couldn't take care of herself, they would have kicked her out. I mean, she left home at sixteen and became emancipated."

"They let her?"

Kurt sighed. "Look, San and I were just like you when we first learned about what happened. We wanted to know what kind of parents would treat someone as amazing as Mercedes that way."

"And what did you learn?"

Kurt ran his hands through his hair. "Her parents blamed both Mercedes and Kenneth for what happened. Kenneth for leaving them at the park and Mercedes for leaving without her brother. She was nine, but they made her take responsibility. They made her feel guilty for something totally out of her control."

Sam shook his head. "Seriously? Was she a kid? Why?"

"We asked the same thing, and they never answered. Before he kidnapped them, it was a loving family—one where Mercedes was happy and loved. But after Jamal disappeared, everyone just felt off. When she moved out, her parents didn't even call to check on her. She started doing hair to pay for her apartment and things that she needed."

Sam ran his hand through his hair. "Wow…damn, I can't believe they would do that."

Kurt frowned. "Sam, that woman has been through so much; she deserves to be happy; inviting her family won't make her happy. They haven't spoken to each other in years; please don't bring it up now. You want her family there, have the girls, have San and me; we are her family."

"I am glad I talked to you before I reached out."

"Reached out? How did you find their information?"

Sam smiled. "I hired a private investigator because Mercedes didn't say anything and didn't have their information."

"By design. Kenneth is a functioning Alcoholic, been in and out of Mercedes's life. She gives him money when he needs it and helps him, but they aren't close. And her parents, she went to see her dad when he was in the hospital a few years back, and he told her it should have been her they kept. She never looked back after that."

"Yeah, I am not bringing that back up again."

Kurt nodded, standing. "Well, I have to go, but between you and me, Dave and I would make amazing God-parents. We are fun and strict, and we will do right by that baby."

"You do know Santana gave us her pitch the other day, right?" Sam teased.

"Yeah, well, tough, she is not gonna beat me out of Godparent," Kurt assured him.

Sam laughed as his phone dinged.

MJ: Emergency!

"Oh, I think somethings wrong with Mercedes?"

"What do you mean?"

"She said there was an emergency…" Sam said as he typed her back.

SE: What's wrong? Is it the baby?

MJ: Yes! The baby needs cookies and cream ice cream!

SE: Are you serious? Girl, I was about to have a damn heart attack!

"False alarm. I swear she can't be texting me emergency. We gonna have to come up with something else."

Kurt laughed. "Look, the other day; she told me it was an emergency, and all it was, was she wanted a cheesesteak sub."

"Have you seen what happens when you tell her no or something isn't available?"

"Oh, don't get me started; I had to hide at Dave's yesterday because I put mustard on my sandwich, and she just burst out crying."

Sam sighed as his phone beeped again.

MJ: You there?

MJ: Are you mad?

SE: I'm here, baby, not mad

MJ: Good, so Ice cream?

SE: I will pick some up as soon as I leave here.

MJ: Okay. I love you.

SE: I love you too.

MJ: Even though everyone says I am annoying the hell out of them?

SE: Yes, even then. I will see you soon.

Sam put his phone down, running his hand over his face. "She is only three months…how am I gonna survive six more?"

Kurt laughed. "Suddenly, I am relieved I am gay."

"Oh no, you want to be Godfather? You get to be a part of this too."

"That's just not fair."

Sam shrugged. "That's life. Now I have to go grab some ice cream for my soon-to-be wife. And you can go enjoy the beginning of the end because if I am going down, so are you."

Kurt shook his head. "I am gonna go finish what I got to do 'cause I have a feeling she's gonna make me do more things before the wedding."

"Yeah, we have to finalize that food and cake this week, and I still have to pack before our flight."

"Still can't believe you'll be chartering a plane."

"Uh uh no, that is all your girl. She said one of her clients offered it to her as a wedding gift."

Kurt laughed. "That girl makes friends just walking down the damn street. I think it's really cool, though…so are your parents flying with us?"

"Yes, the entire wedding party will be on the plane, and then other guests will join us that weekend. Everything with the resort is set up, and everyone gets discounts in their room. Being pregnant did not stop that woman from making everything work for us."

"No, it just made her crazy." Kurt teased. "Let me get going, but I will see you later. Probably getting cussed out again."

Sam laughed as Kurt walked out of the room. Sam gathered his things as his phone rang. Answering it as he walked out of the office, he braced himself since it was his dad.

"Hey, Dad, what's up?"

"I was hoping I could stop by your place and talk to you?"

"I am grabbing some ice cream for Merce and then heading home. Can it wait til tomorrow?"

"It can, Sam. I owe you an apology."

Sam stopped as he unlocked his car. "For what?"

"For how everything went down. I know your mom apologized, and she is trying, but I didn't handle that situation well at all. It took so long to get into a good place with your mom that I froze when all that stuff happened. And I didn't even talk to you about what happened."

"Ah, Dad, I really would rather not talk about it."

"Okay, well, I just wanted to give you an apology, a heartfelt one. I can't express enough how happy I am that things are better; I just wish we were the ones who reached out. You really do have a good one, Sam."

Sam smiled, thinking about Mercedes and their future. "Yeah, she knows what she wants and fights for what and who she loves. I love you guys, but Dad, I will be honest. If it ever comes to her or you, it's her."

"I get it. And I love you, son."

"I love you too, Dad."

"Just remember one thing for me, okay?"

"Why's that, Dad?"

"Happy wife, happy life. Your mother, when she was pregnant with you, ate everything in sight, like everything. I caught her eating iced tea powder mix, and I asked her why she didn't just make the tea, and do you know what she told me?"

"What?" Sam asked curiously.

"That she wasn't thirsty."

Sam laughed. "Yeah, that is definitely Mercedes. She yelled at Kurt for eating mustard, though she loved it just a week ago."

"Look, just remember, happy wife, happy life, and a pregnant wife is always right. And you will be good."

"Thanks, Dad. I'll see you guys at the airport."

"Oh my, mmmm, this is the best thing I have ever tasted." Mercedes moaned.

Sam laughed. "Can I try it? I mean, it's our reception meal."

Mercedes cut her eyes at him. "Mine!"

Jodie, their wedding planner, laughed, shaking her head. "Mercedes, you do need to share. So Sam can give his opinion."

Mercedes sighed, passing over the stuffed mushrooms. "Fine, you get one. But the rest are mine, and even if you don't agree, we have them at the ceremony."

Sam shook his head with a smile. "They are delicious; you were right."

She smiled. "Okay, you get one more."

Jodie laughed, handing them the pulled pork plate. "Now these are pulled pork sliders with a dry rub honey barbecue sauce, so no mess."

Sam watched Mercedes's eyes widen as she took a bite. "Ohmigodthisisamazing!" She said, mouth full of meat.

Sam leaned over and wiped a flake of bread off her lip. "Good then."

She nodded, rolling her eyes in pure enjoyment.

Sam took a bite and nodded toward Jodie. "This is a winner too. I am surprised you have it on the list, though."

"Your bride-to-be told me you loved pulled pork with barbecue sauce, but she didn't want the mess, so the chef whipped these up."

"She was right. And it makes me love her more."

Jodie checked her list off and nodded. "Okay, so you have pulled pork sliders, stuffed mushrooms, and spinach cheese dip for appetizers."

"Whoa, who agreed on spinach?"

"I did." Mercedes sang as she dipped the bread into the spinach and handed it to him. "It's really good; you can't even really taste the spinach."

Sam shook his head. "Nah, um, I'll pass."

Mercedes shrugged. "Your loss." She said taking a bite. "But these need to be in individual cups so that people don't double dip."

"Smart, okay. How about one more appetizer."

"Let's do steak kabobs. They are always fun."

She nodded. "Okay, so entree, I know we need a separate food station if you are doing fish."

Mercedes shook her head. "No, no fish. Not at all. I am allergic to seafood, and I am pregnant, so I don't care if it is Hawaii. If I see fish, I will scream."

"No seafood, no fish, got it."

"You can't go wrong with chicken and beef. Give them those options, and then do a side, and it will be good. Now can we please try those cakes?" Mercedes said, already reaching for the buttercream.

Jodie smiled. "We already know your colors, so that the trim will be lavender with silver decals in edible glitter."

"Three tiers should be enough. The wedding is only 50 people or so."

"That is more than enough. You can keep the top tier as per your request."

Sam looked at her. "Keeping a tier?"

"Yes, so on our one-year anniversary, we can eat it."

"But won't it taste bad a year later? Can't we do something else?"

Mercedes looked at him like she was about to cry, but Jodie smiled. "We can make a recreation of that cake. So instead of saving it, we recreate a smaller version of your cake, and it will mean the same thing."

Mercedes took a bite of the cake as she thought about it. "Okay, as long as I get cake, I am good."

Sam leaned in, licking the buttercream from her lips. "That's really good!"

She smiled. "I like it too. Can we get one level with chocolate icing and yellow cake? Then the vanilla and buttercream?"

She nodded. "Well, it looks like you all are done. Only left is drinks, and that's not hard to figure out."

Jodie gathered her things, and Sam escorted her out as Mercedes sat back and enjoyed the cake.

As he walked back in, he smiled, going to the couch, picking her up, and putting her into his lap. "Hi, beautiful."

"Mmm, open up." She gave him a forkful of cake.

Sam licked his lips before he nuzzled her neck. "I can't believe in two weeks, you will be Mrs. Mercedes Evans. Then a few months later, we will be parents."

"I know." She said, dipping her finger in the remaining frosting. "I'm excited. And hungry. Why and I soooo hungry all the time?"

Sam smiled. "Sorry about that; apparently, Evans's babies make you feel like you are starving. All the time…at least that is how my mom told it, and she felt like she could never eat enough with me and Stevie."

Mercedes looked at him. "Is that your way of saying you think I am carrying a boy?"

Sam looked at her and took her finger, licking the frosting off her finger. "Baby, let me put it this way, I'd put money on it."

She sighed. "Well, we are just gonna have to try again for a girl because me being outnumbered is just unacceptable."

Sam placed the plate on the table and laid her back onto the couch as he began to kiss down her neck and to her breast. "Mmm, I missed you.'

"Sam, I didn't mean we should try it right now!"

Sam laughed, moving between her thighs, wrapping them around his waist. "How was your day?"

She smiled. "It was okay; I mean, Kurt apologized for the whole mustard thing…I still can't believe he put mustard on his-" She shook her head.

"So we don't like mustard anymore?"

She looked at him as if he had two heads. "Mustard is the work of the devil, and we will have none of that in this house!"

Sam nodded. "I get it. No mustard. Does that include honey mustard?"

"Why would it include honey mustard? Baby, you need to think about things before you speak."

Sam sighed; he was not going to win and was okay with that. "You are right; what was I thinking?" He nipped at her lips. "What do you say, we go have some fun with the rest of that buttercream frosting?"

"Or…" She leaned up and kissed him. "We are getting married soon…like super soon, so why not have sex until our wedding night?"

"Because we have already had sex, like a lot of dirty, sexy sex. So why stop?"

"Because I want it to be special. I've made up my mind, and we aren't having sex."

Sam sat back on his heels. "So I just don't have a say here?"

She shook her head. "No, not really. Now, I am starving. Can you hand me the rest of those sliders?"

"Are you serious?"

Mercedes nodded, moving from under him. "Those sliders are amazing; Hell, yes, I want the rest."

"Mercedes, are we really just not gonna have sex?"

"Yes. Now do we have any more of the sauce cause momma wants barbecue sauce?"

Sam stared at her as she grabbed the plate and walked towards the kitchen. "Well, shit!"