June 12, 2023 (Monday)
The past month gradually got better for Mercedes. She wasn't one to dwell on the negative, but Bobby Jones always had a way of getting under her skin. Despite this, she was surrounded by an abundance of love to keep her head up; most of all, she had Sam—her rock—and their two children—her pride and joy.
Her progress on her album was stinted twice. The first followed the call from Bobby. He had thrown her off her game but she found her way back after a few days. The second occurred when Lauren Zizes' temporary management contract was extended. While she was thrilled to get to work closely with her old friend for a longer amount of time, Mercedes also grew frustrated and worried with not knowing what was going on with Trisha. After signing off Lauren's extension, however, Mercedes plugged on and had half of her album recorded. She, Rick and Lauren agreed to a week-long break by mid-June; it was well-deserved and Rick and Lauren knew that Mercedes and Sam would be celebrating their very first wedding anniversary.
The morning of their anniversary, Mercedes awoke to a vase of purple calla lilies and a card addressed "Benz" on her nightstand. Her lips spread into a sleepy smile as she reached for the card and pulled her nightcap off, but a floating ribbon caught her eye. She turned her head while sitting up and gasped loudly. Sam had covered their bedroom ceiling in foil and latex balloons—all of which had long, curling purple ribbons attached to them. The space above her head looked like a jungle of purple vines. Covering the surface of their bed, as well as the entirety of their floor were hundreds of white rose petals. For a brief moment, Mercedes wondered how she slept through his preparations of all this, but the greater part of her was overwhelmed in joy and amusement at what her husband had done for her.
She got out of bed to quickly brush her teeth and find him but she didn't have far to look after leaving their bathroom. Sam entered the bedroom with a small five-inch round cake and a spoon in his hands. He wore a nose-crinkling smile, along with a pair of black pajama pants and his dog tag necklace. His sage hues took in Mercedes' happy expression while he crossed the room with her. Before reaching their bed, he scooped a bit of cake from the top, set the rest of the cake beside her lilies and sat with her on her side of the bed.
"I can't believe you did all this," she told him.
Sam was offering her the spoonful of cake but he stopped and gave her a disbelieving stare, "What—seriously?"
"No," she giggled, "but I was still surprised. And a cake too? You like spoiling me and the kids, don't you?"
Sam chuckled softly, "I do. But I didn't buy the cake."
Still smiling, Mercedes arched a brow, "Oh no?" Her eyes went to the cake on the nightstand and realization crept across her face. Before she could say another word, Sam playfully pounced, pinning her to the bed with the majority of his body. He offered her the cake again, chasing her mouth with the spoon—all the while grinning down at her.
"Oh hell no—I'm not eating that!"
"Oh no?" mocked Sam. His free had crawled along her sides while his spoon-wielding hand continued chasing her mouth. "Open up, Benz!"
Mercedes giggled and squirmed beneath him, "Uh-uh! I'm not eating that—it's disgusting!"
"No it's not. It's good luck! Means we'll be together forever, so eat up!"
She laughed harder to the point where tears started to collect in her eyes, "Okay, okay!" She caved, allowing him to feed her the bite.
"Yummmm…" Sam said for her and moved off her hips to get his own bite of cake.
"I hate you," she muttered around the cake while finally catching her breath.
"Well here's to many more years of false hatred," Sam raised the spoon in the air and then stuck it in his mouth as his wife giggled at him. The next thing he knew, his lap was occupied. Her hands came around the nape of his neck, which, after eleven years still sent a tingle down his spine.
"Happy Anniversary, Evans," she murmured against his lips.
"Happy Anniversary, Benz." His hands slipped under the hem of her baby doll top to cup the familiar curves of her backside during their kiss. His fingers curled into the cotton fabric of her booty shorts when she moaned against his lips. Unfortunately their fun stopped there, when the sound of overlapping coos filled their ears.
The passion behind their kiss lessened and Mercedes muttered, "Damn." She chuckled softly and got up from his lap, leading the way to the nursery where their four month-old children were impatiently waiting.
Sam went to Ariesa while Mercedes walked to the far crib to get Dante. "Aw, well look who's happy to see me," said Sam. He lifted Ariesa high in the air as her coos faded. She looked down at her daddy with a large, toothless smile that made Sam respond with a soft, masculine giggle. When he lowered her to his chest, his lips found the top of her head and he toted her to her changing table.
"Good morning, Son!" Mercedes softly cheered, causing Dante to giggle. Of the two Evans children, he was definitely seen smiling more often than his sister. His features were a bit chubbier, and his hair had begun to curl a tad, where Ariesa's bronze-brown tuft remained fair and straight. They both still shared Sam's smile and Mercedes' button nose, but their personalities were beginning to differ.
Dante loved bath time but hated when it ended; that meant enduring being dried off and dressed again. Ariesa on the other hand, fussed through her baths but calmed down once she was dry again. Dante was becoming a clear Momma's Boy while Ariesa basked in her daddy's arms. Both babies were undeniably in love with both their parents, especially when both or either adult would sing to them. And both of them loved car rides.
"Oh, I got bottles ready for them by the way," Sam said as he finished changing Ariesa.
Dante let out a babbling squeal and Mercedes laughed, picking him up from his changing table. "I think that was a 'thank you, Daddy!'" she giggled, nuzzling the side of his face.
As they left the room, Mercedes spoke to Dante, "We need to get you and your sister ready, so Daddy and I can get ready too."
Behind her, Sam arched a sandy brown brow, "Ready for what, Momma?"
Mercedes gave a fleeting glance over her shoulder, casting a knowing smile at him, "Your anniversary surprises."
Sam grinned and looked back to Ariesa to playfully whisper, "Do you know what it is, Princess?" He turned an ear to Ariesa, but his daughter's response was to grip the chain of his dog tag.
Mercedes laughed, watching Sam carefully pry her fingers off the chain. "DJ and Ariesa are sworn to secrecy, Babe. But don't worry—good things come for those who wait."
After breakfast, bath time and alternating turns in the shower, Sam and Mercedes, along with their children were ready for the day. With Ariesa dressed in a red onesie and a denim dress and matching hat, and Dante clad in a white onesie with Looney Tunes short-alls, Sam and Mercedes strapped them in their car seats of Sam's Tahoe.
Mercedes drove while Sam sat in the passenger's seat, striking up a game of 20 Questions to figure out his surprise.
"Is it bigger than a bread box?"
Mercedes pursed her lips and briefly eyed him out of the side of her sunglasses, "If it weren't, do you think we'd be driving to go get it?"
"…You know, you're only supposed to give 'yes' or 'no' answers," he replied with a poke at her nose.
Mercedes giggled softly, "Alright."
Sam went on, "Are we going far?"
"Nope."
"Can I eat it?"
"No," she answered with a scrunched up nose.
Sam chuckled, "Okay um…am I going to like it?"
She rolled her eyes, "Yes."
His expression grew dark as he started noticing the freeway signs for the LAX. "We're not getting on a plane, are we? 'Cause I didn't bring any Dramamine, Baby."
"No, we're not getting on a plane. If we were, I'd have your Dramamine."
"Good…" he pursed his lips thoughtfully and then asked, "Are we picking someone up from the airport?"
Mercedes smiled and shrugged. Sam's excitement grew but he mocked her shrug, telling her, "This," shrug, "is not a 'yes' or 'no' answer. We really need to work on your way of playing 20 Questions."
His wife simply shrugged again and he groaned, "Okay, okay. Is it Puck?"
"No."
"Mike?"
"Nope."
"Artie?"
"No! Why am I gonna give you a bro's day with our friends for our anniversary?" She shook her head at him while exiting for the arrival/drop off lanes. As they approached, Mercedes smirked, "Okay close your eyes."
"But—"
"Sam…"
"Alright." To reassure his wife, he placed both hands across the bridge of his nose.
Mercedes pulled up to the curb and parked. He heard her door open and shut, and soon after his door opened, he heard her say, "Okay…open!"
Sam removed his hands and grinned. His sister and brother were standing directly behind his wife. It was the first time he had seen his sister since February, when she and his parents had flown out to meet the twins. As for Stevie, he hadn't seen him since the wedding.
"Surprise!" Stacy squeaked and threw her arms around her sister-in-law and brother. She was quick to get her hugs out of the way so she could tend to her sleeping niece and nephew.
Sam then went to hug his brother, who had been out of his dress blues and into a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His bag was on one shoulder and a short, rectangular box was tucked underneath his other arm. "This is from Mom and Dad, for you guys."
"When did you get home from Key West?" Sam asked, accepting the box.
"Two nights ago. I'll be home through Christmas this time. By the way," he looked to his sister-in-law, "Thanks for sending me those pictures of the twins, 'Cedes." He smirked at her, not unlike the way Sam would.
"They are sooo cute!" squealed Stacy from the back seats of the Tahoe.
"Hey Twerp!" Stevie sternly called, "Come get your bag before it gets left behind.
Stacy balked and called back, "You wouldn't do that!"
"Wanna bet?"
"Ohh boy," interrupted Sam. He looked to his wife, "Two minutes off the plane and they're already at each other's throats." He picked up Stacy's suitcase and wandered to the rear of his car with his brother to put their things in the back. Stevie and Stacy continued to bicker their way to the rear bench seats, until Dante and Ariesa woke up from their car ride nap.
Both younger Evans siblings buttoned their lips as their niece and nephew began to cry.
"Good job, Stevie!" hissed Stacy.
"Me? You're the one that was yelling like a drill sergeant," he replied in a cool tone. He ignored his sister's gawking expression and muttered, "Sorry Sam, 'Cedes."
"Yeah, sorry," Stacy echoed sadly.
Mercedes shook her head chuckling, "It's okay you guys. They'll calm down once we get back on the road."
Sam had resumed his spot in the passenger's seat but twisted around to slip Dante and Ariesa's pacifiers back in their mouths. Sure enough, both children settled down as the SUV peeled away from the curb, heading back to Beverly Hills.
Splitting this chapter in 2!