Hello! so yeah surprise...I just want to say thank you so much for all of your prayers and support during this crazy time in my life...I've been responding well to my treatment and I'm on the road to victory! So I've decided that I'm going to try to write a bit while going through this to try to get my mind off things. I won't be updating a lot but just when I feel the need to write. This a pretty short update but i think it gets pretty good :) I hope you guys enjoy. Again Thank you so much for reading and for all of your prayers- Candace

Sam's initial thought was to panic, but then realized that there was really nothing to panic about.

"I've been tutoring Landon Williams after school as well as giving him some guitar lessons. You know this Sue."

"That still doesn't explain why you're spending time with him outside of school."

"I'm dating his mother." Sue's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Oh?"

"Yeah I take it that's something whoever informed you failed to tell you."

"I-well-how long have you been seeing his mother?" She sputtered.

"For a few months...shortly after starting his tutoring. May I ask who informed you?"

"That's...hardly the matter...what matters is that your relationship with Landon outside of the classroom shouldn't coincide with the fact that you are his teacher."

"If you're insinuating that I'm playing favorites, that's seriously not the case."

"I'm not insinuating anything, Sam...Just...keep it professional." Before Sam could say anything else, she turned and exited the class room. Sam let out a frustrated sigh as he ran his hand over bearded face. He really had no clue who could have informed. He never talked to anyone he worked with about what he does outside of work. Unless...It was someone he doesn't work with at all. Sam made a mental note to talk to Mercedes when he dropped Landon off at the house. While the thought was in the back of his mind, Sam seemed very distracted throughout the day. He didn't neglect any of his classes or students, but his students could tell something was up with him. When it came time for Landon's tutoring session, Landon wasted no time to ask what was up; to which Sam tried to reply nonchalantly.

"I guess I'm just realizing that the weekend it is over...bad case of the Mondays, I guess."

"Okay, I'm gonna grab my guitar out my locker." He started for the door when Sam stopped him.

"I actually need talk to you about that." Landon slowly turned from the door and faced Sam.

"oh..kay."

"I think that now that you've got all the basics to playing the guitar down, we should probably start doing your lessons at home. While you're doing a lot better at the chemistry, I just think we should stick to school work after school and have guitar time at home. I'll even cut the time we spend on chemistry...Is that cool?." He expected Landon to be very inquisitive about why he wanted to change his plans for after school but was relieved when Landon just nodded and said,

"Okay, that's fine." They both went about the going over the chemistry and then packed everything up for Sam to drop Landon off at home. Sam sent a quick text to Mercedes asking if she had planned on making dinner. When she said no, he then decided to pick up a couple of pizzas before making his way over to her house. When they pulled into the driveway, Landon handed Sam his house key, while he handled the pizzas. When he opened the door, he found Mercedes descending down the stairs, smile bright as ever. He could seriously get use to coming home to that smile ever day if he could.

"Hey!" He met her at the end of the stairs and leaned down to greet her with a kiss.

"Hi, I hope pizza is okay."

"Of course...No mushrooms right?"

"Is the earth round?" He joked as he headed for the kitchen. Before he was out of her sight, she playfully swatted him on his butt.

"Smart ass." He quickly tried to guard his ass with both hands.

"Baby, please save that for later." They both shared a laugh as he went into the kitchen and Mercedes set the dining room table. Sam had sat the pizza boxes on top of the stove when he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist. He smiled and turned around to face Mercedes. She looked up at him, reached up and gently pulled at the hairs on his face.

"Have I told you how much I'm beginning to like this beard?"

"Not in so many words." Confusion came across her face as she asked,

"What do you mean?" He leaned down and rubbed his face across the side of her face. The feel of his ruggedness on her body made her body tremble.

"Because every time I do that, your body lets me know how much you like it." He said in a low grumble, causing her to feel the vibration from his chest. Only making her body tremble even more. She let out a soft squeal as she wrapped her arms around his neck, reached up on her toes to pull him into a kiss. When she slipped her tongue into his mouth to massage his, he moaned against her mouth and deepened the kiss. He backed her up against the counter next to the stove, picked her up and sat her on the counter top. They almost forgot they weren't alone until they heard the thunder of Landon and Amaya's steps coming down the the stairs. They pulled away from each other just before the kids walked into the kitchen.

"Hi Sam!" Amaya sang as she came from behind Landon. She came up to him and hugged his waist and he thanked the heavens he didn't get too excited from the steamy kissed he shared with her mother.

"Hey Amaya, how was your day, sweetheart?"

"It was good. We're going on field trip to the science museum on Friday."

"That sounds fun! You're going to enjoy it." Mercedes hopped down from the counter and lead the kids into the dining room. Sam carried one of the pizza boxes behind them and sat it in the center of the table. Sam listened as everybody went on about how their day went.

"So ma...am I going to be able to take driver's training this summer?" Landon asked as he put another three slices on his plate after have four already. Sam looked at Mercedes and could immediately see the panic in her eyes.

"I don't know, Lan. I've got to talk it over with your father." Landon smacked his lips and slouched down in his chair.

"Why do you have to talk to him? It's not like he cares anyway."

"Landon Christopher, I will not have that kind of talk from you."

"I'm just sayin Ma. I have better chance at Sam teaching me how to drive." The look on Mercedes' face let Sam know that she was about five seconds away from losing her cool with Landon, so he turned to him.

"Landon...just drop it okay? What you mother said is final. Talking back won't do any good." Landon looked at Sam as if he betrayed him. Betrayed that Sam had sided with his mom. His nostrils flared as he looked back at his mother.

"May I be excused?" Landon asked in a tight voice. Mercedes let out a heavy sigh.

"Wrap your food up and put in the fridge and go on to your room. I'm not finished talking to you, young man." He quickly stood up and stomped out of the dining room and into the kitchen. The tension in the room was so thick, it almost surprised both Sam and Mercedes when Amaya spoke up.

"Mommy I'm done too, can I go?" Mercedes gave her daughter a sad smile and nodded.

"Go ahead. Work on your homework before getting ready for bed." Once she left the dining room, Sam and Mercedes proceeded to clean up in silence.

"You alright Mercy?" Sam asked finally as he put the rest of the pizza in the fridge and she put the dirty dishes into the dishwasher.

"Yeah, I'm fine...it's just that boy's attitude is starting to wear my down. He's been alright lately but when it comes to his father...he's got all this pent up anger towards him."

"Well I mean can you blame him, though?" She looked up at him as she closed the dishwasher.

"Not really, I guess I figured he'd be over it a little bit. I don't hold any bitterness towards David anymore."

"Baby, his father left his mother for another woman. Another woman who;from what he's told me; isn't quite step mom material."

"He talks to you about David and Olivia?" She asked, surprise in her voice.

"Sometimes, only when he feel like he can't say anything to you about it."

"Oh." Was all she said before she walked past him and out of the kitchen. He quickly followed behind her and asked,

"Does it bother you that he talks to me about them?"

"No...not really. I don't know. I just don't get why he hasn't come to me about his feelings about his father. I don't have a problem with him going to you. That's great, but as his mother I can't help but be a little disappointed that he hasn't confided in me about it." They entered the living room and stopped in front of the couch.

"Mercy, honey, I wouldn't sweat it. He's a teenage boy who's full of pride. There were lots of things I talked about with my father that I didn't with my mom." She began to gnaw on her bottom lip.

"So I'm just being an overbearing mother?" Sam laughed has he took hold of he waist.

"No, just a mother who wants to be there for her son no matter what." Mercedes exhaled as she relaxed into Sam's arms.

"It has been a long damn day."

"Yeah Mondays definitely suck."

"What made your day suck?" It was then when he decided not to tell her about what happened with Principal Sylvester earlier. Not yet at least.

"Ah...just sucked going back to work after an awesome weekend."

"Yeah tell me about it."

"How about I draw you a bath while you go talk to Landon?" She smiled as she reached up to plant a soft kiss on his lips.

"God I love you. Thank you baby." They both headed up the stairs and parted ways as he headed for her room and Mercedes went to Landon's room. She stood in front of the closed door for a second before knocking lightly.

"Come in." She heard him say quietly. She walked in and found her son on his bed, with his guitar on his lap. Sheet music was on the bed in front of him so that told her had been playing before she came in. He moved the music to the side and made room for her to sit at the edge of the bed.

"Hey."Mercedes said as she took a seat in front of him. Landon kept the guitar in his lap, his fingers danced across the frets but no music was being played.

"Hey."

"You wanna talk about what happened at dinner?"

"Not really."

"Why not? Obviously you're feeling some type of way about your dad. What's going on? Why did you say he doesn't care?" His fingers stopped moving and he sat his guitar on the side of his bed.

"Because he doesn't mom. The weekends we are there, he's always working and we're stuck there with Olivia. I swear it's like having another sister being there with her."

"Landon, baby. Have you talked to you father?"

"I've tried! All he says is that I just need to stop acting like a kid and start treating his girlfriend with respect because she was going to be around for a long time. She's always mean to Amaya, she doesn't cook...if dad makes her my stepmother, I'm not going over there anymore, Mom. I can't do it." He wasn't crying, but his face was starting to get red from anger. She reached across and took both of his hands into hers.

"Sweetheart, I'm sorry. I am going to have to have a long talk with your father if he intends on marrying that woman. But as far as not staying with your father...it's not that simple baby. You're under 18 which means you are still under the custody of the both of us. I am going to talk to your father and I may have to discuss somethings with Olivia as well. I will not stand by her disrespecting my kids and I will NOT stand by letting your father let her. So let me handle it okay?" Landon ran his hand over his face, exhaled and nodded.

"Okay...I'm sorry for blowing up at dinner. Please tell Sam that." She stood up and leaned over to kiss him on his forehead.

"Tell him yourself, he'll see you before he leaves. I love you, alright?"

"Love you too." She closed the door behind her and headed towards her room. She found Sam sitting on the side of the tub, his fingers through the running water. He turned to her and gave her a smile.

"Everything all good?"

"Between us, yes, but I'm going to have a serious talk with my ex-husband and his girlfriend."

"That bad, huh?" She just rolled her eyes and shook her head. Sam stood up and made his way over to her by the sink where she was putting her hair up, removing her jewelry and makeup. He stood behind her, reached around her and began to unbutton her blouse with one hand. She closed her eyes as she felt the tips of his fingers brush against her skin.

"Are you staying the night?"

"I shouldn't...I don't have any thing to change into tomorrow." When he got the last button, he removed her blouse from over her shoulders and let it drop onto the floor. He spun her around to face him. His eyes never left hers as he continued to undress Mercedes. With all of her clothes in a pile by her feet, Sam took her hand and led her to the tub. She stepped in and felt that the water was perfectly warm,the scent of her favorite bubble bath tickling her nose.

She lowered her body into the water and sat at the bottom of the tub.

"I think you should join me Mr. Evans." He grabbed her loofah, lathered it up with her body wash and began to wash her shoulders. She twisted her body to where she could wrap her arms around his neck, pressing her wet breasts against his chest.

"Pretty please?" Sam tried his hardest not to notice the feel of her hard nipples against him.

"If I get in with you...I'm staying the night."

"And that's a bad thing because?"

"It's a school night babe." She poked her bottom lip out and pouted. He then laughed.

"Oh don't you dare give me that face."

"What face?"

"You exactly what face I'm talking about. 'The Landon' face." She frowned and began to sink back into the water.

"You did not just say my son's name while I'm trying to seduce you." All he could do was laugh.

"I'm sorry baby...Really though, I gotta get home and finish grading more papers. I promise to make it up to you this weekend." He stood up from the edge of the tub, leaned down and kissed Mercedes tenderly on the lips.

"Relax, I'm gonna say bye to Landon and Amaya and lock up. I'll call when I make it home."

She sighed and nodded.

"Okay." He chuckled at her still pouting but knew she wasn't REALLY upset. He'd never tell her but he know she was hooked just as he was hooked on her. He kissed her one more time before leaving the bathroom. He stopped in Amaya's room first, kissed her good night quickly and headed to Landon's room. He quickly thanked the good Lord that he had on a black shirt otherwise, Landon would probably wonder why he had two wet circles on the front of his shirt.

"Hey I'm heading out." Sam said after he knocked quickly and poked his head inside.

Landon was still playing his guitar when he looked up and smiled at Sam.

"Okay, hey I'm really sorry about dinner."

"Don't sweat it. I get the frustration. Just...try not to talk back to your mom like that again, alright?" Landon let out a sheepish laugh and nodded. He tossed his guitar to the side and slapped hands with Sam.

"Alright, Lan. Get some sleep and I'll see you in the morning." Sam slipped out of the room and quickly let himself out of the house and locked it up for Mercedes. When he got home, he send Mercedes a goodnight text before getting started on the papers that needed graded before he actually turned in for the night.

After thinking about it for a few days, Mercedes decided to pay her ex-husband a visit on her lunch hour. Since she was still cool with the older secretary at David's firm, she just let Mercedes right on through.

"Thank Addie." Now that Olivia had become David's "live in" girlfriend, she hardly worked. Mercedes walked into David's office to find him on the phone with his back turned.

"I don't care, just get the fucking paperwork together for this Goddamn account, Johnny. I want it by the end of the day." When he turned around as he ended the call, he jerked slightly and sighed.

"Mercedes, you can't just walk in here."

"Why, Don't wanna get caught fucking another secretary?" She said casually as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"Oh you're really funny. So what do I owe the pleasure this afternoon?" She took a seat in front of his desk.

"We need to talk about our son and hour your little girlfriend is treating out children."

"What the hell are you talking about? Liv loves the kids."

"Well, Landon begs to differ." David shook his head as he took a seat behind his desk.

"Mercedes, Landon is just still upset about the whole divorce."

"If that was the case, he'd have a problem with me dating Sam." He narrowed his eyes and pointed his finger at her.

"That's complete bullshit and you know it. As far as I can see, he worships the damn ground that dude walks on." There was no doubt that Mercedes could hear the jealousy in David's voice and she'd be lying if she said it didn't amuse her a little bit.

"Maybe it wouldn't be like that if he had his father around."

"The hell are you talking about? Do I not pick the kids up when it's my weekend?"

"Picking them up and spending time with them are two totally different things, David. Landon claims that all you do is work when they're over there." He looked at her with hesitant eyes before running his hands over his face.

"Mercedes, I...I'm really trying. It's just this big account-" Mercedes slammed her hand down on his desk.

"It's always some damn big account David! Some big account that's more important than your kids. You leave them at home with a woman who in my eyes, isn't what one would consider mother material. You need to talk to her about she treats my children or I will." David leaned back in his chair and flashed a cocky smirk.

"IS that suppose to be some type of threat?" Mercedes sighed heavily.

"Your son says that Olivia is always mean to Amaya. If I find out she's mistreating my children I'M going to have to sit down and talk to her as well, so for right now I need you to handle your girlfriend. I do not play when it comes to my kids, David."

"Okay, Okay Mercedes I will talk to her...Anything else you want to discuss?"

"Yes...Landon wants to take driver's training this summer." David threw his head back and shook it.

"Now that you say that I do remember hearing him say something about that the last couple of weekends he was at the house.

"And what did you tell him?"

"That I'd talk to you about it." She scoffed and shook her head.

"Which explains why he blew up on me last night...you need to fix this David. If we're going to do this joint custody thing, we have to work as team. As much as we don't like being around each other at the moment, we still have two kids to raise." She glanced down at her phone and saw that she had a half hour left of her lunch. She slipped it back into her purse and stood from her seat.

"What do you expect me to do Mercedes?"

"You're a smart man David, and you've always been a great father...you'll think of something."