"You're going to love him." Quinn sighed. "He's husband material."
"I can't wait to meet him!" Mercedes squealed as she packed some schoolwork in a bag.
"We're going to be the couple to beat Mikecedes in the cute department."
"I doubt that. Mikecedes is the truth!" Mercedes zipped up the bag & set it aside. She picked up her phone & turned off speakerphone.
Quinn laughed. "Okay! Okay! You two are ultra-cute."
"Better believe it! These six weeks have been the business."
"I'm so happy for you guys. Have you told our parents yet? Mom hasn't mentioned it."
"We're going to tell everyone when we get home." Mercedes made sure she had everything.
"I can't wait for the reveal! Papa Mike & Pop are going to be happy as larks!"
"Daddy says he's happy Mike's down here so he probably will be. Weird man."
"Who's all going to be there?"
"Me, you, Mikey, Finn, Santana & Puck." Mercedes counted. "Are you going to talk to Tana again?"
"Of course I am." Quinn lied.
"You're lying."
"Of course I am." Quinn told the truth.
"So you had sex at the wedding? We've all done things we didn't think through. She's still your best friend."
"No. You're my best friend. She was a booty call."
"Quinn!"
"Fine! I'll talk to her. But I don't know what we'll talk about."
"Talk about your boyfriend. Talk about her girlfriend."
"She has a girlfriend?" Quinn perked up.
"Yes! Her name is Dani. She's blonde-"
"What's with her & blondes?"
Mercedes snickered. "I don't know but Dani is blonde. She's totally nice & can sing. She's a catch & is taking her mind off Brittany."
"Can you believe she's a math genius?"
"She needed something to be good at other than sex & dancing. I'm happy for her."
"Really? No bitter feelings about her & Sam?"
"Sam & I aren't together. We aren't meant to be. He's free to do whomever he wants. I just thought Britt & I were tighter than that."
"Although we've all dated each other's exes. You've dated mine, I've dated yours. We're bad friends."
Mercedes laughed. "From now on, no more dating exes."
"I could never date Mikey. He's too dark for me."
"Dark?" Mercedes checked the time & saw it was time to go. She picked up her bag, purse & jacket before locking her dorm room door.
"Yeah. He's as dark as Jr. is wild."
Mercedes bent over to laugh. "You did not!"
"They're both crazy."
"I haven't heard anyone call Jr. wild since Marcy called him a lion. Remember she said he was Scar from the Lion King?"
Quinn laughed. "I remember that! He was so confused; he had to watch the movie over again. Then he got offended."
"I miss her." Mercedes pouted as she went outside & walked to the bus line. She would be taking it to the airport, where she would meet Mike & they'd fly out together.
"Me too. I can't believe Marcy of all people is a nun!"
"Me either! She should be able to visit though. I'm going to see if I can get in contact with her. See if she can visit or if we can visit her."
"Scotland would be beautiful this time of year!"
Mercedes stopped at the bus stop & sat down. "Does Ms. Judy know about the boyfriend?"
"Yes, she does. He's staying with us."
"Really?!"
"She's trying to be young & hip. Her exact words." Quinn scoffed. "Moms!"
Mercedes giggled. "Have you talked to anyone lately?"
"Family wise or friend wise?"
"Friend."
"I've talked to Finn, you & Mikey. Oh & Rachel a couple times."
"So you know Finn's in school?"
"Yeah. What's he going for again? I forgot."
"Education. He wants to be a teacher." The bus came & Mercedes got on & paid her fare.
"I can see that. He'd be a good teacher. What's up on the music front?"
"I'm supposed to be doing my music video soon. I can't wait. It's going to be so great. I was thinking of having Puck's little brother help Mike choreograph it."
"He's a good dancer. Can I be in your video?" Quinn asked slyly.
"Of course you can!"
"Yay! You're going to be a superstar, Sissy!"
Mercedes laughed before a beeping cut her off. "Hang on. I got another call." She clicked over. "Hello?"
"Wheezy!"
"Hello, Santana."
"What's up? I haven't spoken to anybody but the Dwarf & Fairy for days now! I even miss talkin to Puckerman!"
Mercedes smirked. "Say it isn't so! Look, I'm on the other line. I'll have to call you back."
"Who could you be talking to that's better than me?"
"Quinn."
"Oh. Brumhilda? Tell the chicken I said eat me."
"Didn't she already?" Mercedes couldn't resist.
"Good one, Aretha. Hit me back!" Santana hung up.
Mercedes clicked over. "Guess who that was."
"The devil?" Quinn asked.
"Yup. Satan herself."
"Oh wow! I was just joking! Did you tell her you were talking to me?"
"Yes. She says hi."
"Really? Maybe this week won't be so bad?"
"I keep telling you! Now tell me. Who have you talked to family wise?"
Quinn groaned sharply. "Joanna!"
M&MC
Mercedes let herself into the quiet house. "Hello?!" There was no answer so she came inside fully & closed the door behind herself. She set her bags down on the staircase & went throughout the lower level of the house looking for someone... anyone.
She came upon the backyard & opened the glass sliding door. Ozzie came running up, barking. "Ozzie! How's Mommy's baby?!"
The dog yipped happily. He jumped around her legs.
She shut the sliding door & went to put her stuff away in her room. Then she called Mike to let him know her parents were gone.
After, she did something that was considered a big no-no. She went in her sister's room. She went by all the cool exciting things & went straight for the desk. She tried all the drawers but only one was unlocked. The top one that was long & narrow.
Mercedes slid it all the way open & checked through the papers there, hoping to find something that would tell her how to get in contact with her sister. She lucked out & found an address book. She tiptoed out & shut the door as if someone would know she'd been in there.
She went to her own room & sat on her bed to go through it. She didn't know most of the names but the inside cover said 2010-2011. She figured it was all the people her sister had met in those years.
Choosing the first person, she picked up her cell & dialed the number, hoping this would work.
M&MC
Mike looked around the park & saw who he was looking for. He went up to them. "Hey! Why are we meeting at a park?"
Finn slapped him five. "It was all Puck's idea."
"Don't say that like it's a bad idea." Puck frowned. He gave Mike a "guy" handshake.
"It's certainly weird. We're grown men at a baby park."
"It is weird." Mike agreed.
"I just wanted to pick some place that wasn't a house & you didn't have to buy nothing." Puck said.
"How's school been, man?" Mike shook his head as he turned to Finn.
"Good. I like it more than I thought possible." Finn stuffed his hands in his pockets. "What about you? You're in two schools. I couldn't do that!"
"I'm tired all the time but it's working for me." Mike shrugged.
"You're both making me feel lazy." Puck deadpanned.
"You are."
Finn laughed before clapping Puck on the back. "You could always go to school with me."
"I don't think so!" Puck shook his head.
"How's Mercedes been?" Finn asked Mike.
"Why are you asking me?" Mike glared at Puck.
"Because you're out in Cali with her…?"
"Oh. Yeah. She's got a music video shoot coming up."
"Aw man! That's awesome! I knew she was going to be the next big thing!"
"Yeah, Mama's got it goin on. We all know it." Puck agreed.
Mike sat on a nearby picnic table. "Her manager gives me the creeps though."
"The guy with the hair piece, right?" Puck asked. Mike nodded. "Yeah, he's a snake oil salesman if I ever saw one."
"Is this guy really that bad?" Finn asked as he sat on the bench.
"He seems like the type of guy to roofie a girl at a party." Mike said.
Finn made a face. "That is creepy. Why is he her manager?"
"It's who the label gave her."
"I hope she doesn't trust that slimeball." Puck put in.
"I hope not either." Mike rubbed his hands together. "Who's excited for Quinn's surprise?"
"I don't know. When we were dating, surprises were never a good thing." Finn shuddered.
"That chick can give totally bad surprises." Puck said flatly.
Mike, knowing her better than the other two, agreed wholeheartedly. "She promised it would be good. Especially after what happened at the wedding reception."
"What happened after the wedding reception?" Finn wanted to know.
"You know how everybody was hooking up?" Both nodded. "She & Santana got down."
Puck fist-pumped as Finn's mouth fell open. One said "Yeah!" as the other said "What?!"
"Yeah. Quinn says she was really drunk but I think she just wanted to see what all the fuss about Santana was about."
"I don't know who to be more proud of." Puck wiped away a fake tear.
"I don't know who to be more surprised at!" Finn was lost.
"Don't tell them I told you. Quinn would kill me." Mike said.
"She'll live." Puck waved a hand. "Did she tell you how it was?"
Mike looked at him like he was crazy. "No!"
Finn punched Puck in the shoulder. "That's so wrong!"
"You two are sissies! I need real friends." Puck scoffed.
Finn rolled his eyes. "Kurt's coming home tomorrow."
"Why?" Mike asked.
"Besides being break, Burt isn't doing so good. We're all trying to be there for him."
"That sucks. I'll pray for him."
"Thanks, man."
"You know I will, too." Puck hit him.
Mike & Puck looked at each other before gazing at Finn, who got suspicious. "What?"
"You & Rachel." Mike started gently.
"What about me & Rachel?"
Puck got bored with the niceties. "We know you hooked up at the wedding. Are you two back together or are you endgame in the future?"
Finn flushed. "I don't know. She's got that boyfriend. I want to say we're endgame but I'm young & in the world."
"Always leave the door open for trim."
Mike wrinkled his nose. "You're disgusting, you know that?"
"What?! I'm just saying what we all know."
Mike rolled his eyes. "As much as I don't agree with how he said it, Puck's right. Don't bog yourself down. You're too young for marriage & commitment."
"I feel free. This is the first time since middle school that I've been alone." Finn admitted.
"See?" Puck tapped his arm. "Be wild & free."
"What time are we meeting with the girls for Quinn's surprise?"
Mike made a face. "Four."
"We got hours to kill, boys!" Puck slung an arm around each of their shoulders. "What are we gonna do?!"
M&MC
Mercedes hung up. She was halfway through the address book & was no closer to finding her sister. She got up & went down the steps for something to drink.
She grabbed grape juice from the fridge when it hit her. Her parents' office! There was bound to be papers in there that had to do with the convent! She set the bottle of juice on the counter & skipped out to the study, excitedly.
She went inside & looked around, confused on where to start. She thought about it. Files belonged in a file cabinet. So she checked the first file cabinet she came across.
She wasn't sure exactly what she was looking for but rummaged for a file, a brochure, a slip of paper, anything! She skipped over files until one caught her eye. It was the name of the convent!
She picked the file up as she heard someone calling out. She didn't want her parents to know what she was doing (they told her to let her sister do her holy work & to not bother her) so she stuffed the file up her shirt & closed the cabinet.
She ran from the office & ducked into the den, the closest room. She hurried to turn on the TV & sat like she'd been there the whole time. "In here!"
Her mother walked into the room a few seconds later. "Mercy! I'm so glad to see you!"
"Hi, Momma!" Mercedes hoped she didn't look guilty.
"I'm happy you came home for break! Unlike your abandoning brother!" Rose waved a hand. "Have you been here long?"
"Nope. Not at all." Mercedes smiled. "I was just going to get some juice. Want some?"
"Yes. I'm so thirsty. Better make it wine."
"Gotcha." Mercedes got up & carefully made sure not to make noise. She ran upstairs & put the file under her pillow then went downstairs to get her glass of juice & pour her mother a glass of wine.
Rose entered the kitchen as she was leaving. "Oh! Thank you! I need this! I have a bride that changes what flowers she wants every week! Her wedding is in a month!"
"Ouch!" Mercedes sipped her juice daintily. "Don't you hate bridezillas?"
"Yes!" Rose heaved a put upon sigh. "So what are you up to today?"
"Uh… nothing much. Did you hear about Quinn's surprise?"
"Yes. A new boyfriend. Judy said we'd be getting to meet him tonight."
"She's showing him off to the gang at four."
"Well you better get ready." Rose looked at the clock on the wall. "It's three forty-five."
Mercedes looked at the clock. It was three forty-five! She chugged her juice before racing upstairs to put on her jacket & find her purse. Then she hightailed it down to her car.
She made it to Breadstix with a few minutes to spar. She parked & went inside. She spotted Quinn with a young man in a booth near the back. She walked over. "Hey."
"Hi!" Quinn slid out of the booth immediately & gave her a hug. "I can't believe you made it."
"I said I would."
"Merce, meet Biff. Biff, this is Mercedes." Quinn introduced the two.
Biff stood up & took her hand. He bowed over it slightly. "A pleasure to meet you, Mercedes."
"Wow. Manners." Mercedes was impressed.
"He's a keeper?" Quinn whispered quietly.
"Give me a minute." She hissed back. She turned back to Biff. "Do you go to Yale, too Biff?"
"Yes, I do. I'm studying political science." Biff extended his hand to gesture for the women to sit before him.
"That's ambitious. I couldn't get into politics. Too much fighting."
"Let's just say it's in my blood to live for the fight." He chuckled. "So you're a school chum of Quinn's?"
"Sort of." Mercedes smiled. "We go way back."
"What's up, bitches?!" A loud voice yelled.
"Why does she have to announce herself that way?" Quinn scowled.
"It wouldn't be Santana if she didn't." Mercedes slapped on a bright smile as she rose to greet their animated friend. "Hi, Satan."
"Look at you! That Chang lovin is agreeing with you!" Santana held onto Mercedes's hands & looked her over.
Mercedes tried not to but she couldn't help blushing. "Shut up, girl!"
"Say I'm wrong!" Santana dared.
Mercedes rolled her eyes. "Say hello to Quinn's surprise. Her new boyfriend, Biff."
Santana gaped before pasting on a fake smile. She turned to Ronald. "Hey. I'm Santana."
"Nice to meet you." Biff shook her hand.
"How'd you meet our Tubbers here?" Santana used her hips to bump Mercedes over as they sat down.
"Tubbers?" He raised his brows.
"Q." She crossed her legs.
"Oh. At a table for campus activities." Biff smiled. "Young Republicans."
"You're not- ow!" Mercedes frowned as she rubbed her sore shin.
Quinn smiled sunnily like she hadn't just kicked her best friend. "It was fireworks from first sight."
"I can't wait for what the guys will say." Santana smirked as she waved to an incoming trio.
Quinn huffed. She just knew somebody was going to say something out the way & that somebody was named Puckerman of course.
Mike, Finn & Puck walked up all smiles. "Hey, guys!"
Santana moved out so she could hug Mike while Mercedes went for Finn. "Hey!"
Puck batted his long eyelashes. "Can I get a hug, Q?"
Quinn pursed her lips before getting up to hug him. "Be good!" She hissed in his ear.
He grinned. "Aren't I always?"
"No." Mercedes slapped him upside the head. "Give me a hug, boy."
He let Quinn go to pick her up & swing her around. "I missed you, Mama!"
"I missed you, too fathead."
"I don't know why you would." Santana said as she let go of Finn & approached them to hug Puck.
"I missed you, too Satan." He said flatly.
"I know you did."
Quinn hugged Mike. "Can we go somewhere & leave the two of them?"
"We've been stuck with him all day." Mike replied as if to say he was ready.
"Hey!" Puck snapped as the others laughed.
Mercedes pushed him to the table. "He didn't mean it like that."
"Yes, I did." Mike whispered.
Mercedes swatted at him. "Stop it! Now sit down for Quinn's surprise. You won't believe it."
"Is the stiff going to tell us?" Puck hooked a thumb at Biff, who was watching them all with vague amusement.
"He's not a stiff." Quinn heaved a long suffering sigh. "He's my boyfriend. That's the surprise."
Mike, Finn & Puck gasped. Santana cracked up. Biff stuck his hand out to the closest person to him (Finn). "Nice to meet you."
Finn shook his hand. "Yeah. Same here."
"What kind of surprise is this?" Puck snapped.
Mercedes kicked him under the table. "The good kind."
He glared at her. "I thought I'd be getting something."
"You're gaining a friend."
Biff shook Mike's hand. "I look forward to engaging with you all further."
Mike raised an eyebrow. "Where did you two meet?"
"At the Young Republican's table for campus activities." Santana grinned.
"For what?! Quinn can't-!" Mike bent over suddenly before straightening. "I mean that's a lovely story to tell your future children."
Quinn's quick frown melted. "Thank you."
Puck snickered. "Yeah. Future children."
M&MC
Quinn was still fussing as she got out of her car. "They get on my last nerve!"
Biff was unused to seeing her like this. "What's wrong? They told a few stories."
Stories Quinn didn't want him knowing. "I just hope you meeting my family goes over better than meeting my friends."
"I had a good time." Biff followed her to the front door, which she unlocked.
Quinn calmed down. It couldn't get worse.
M&MC
Mercedes looked on as her & Mike's fathers grilled Biff about his education, background & health. "I'm so sorry, Q."
"I should have known." Quinn just felt tired.
"Do you want help?" Mike asked.
"Would you please?"
Mike nodded & went over to help the poor young man out.
"So when are you telling everyone about your surprise?"
Mercedes shrugged. "Maybe when the fuss about Biff dies down?"
"Our moms are feeding him to death, our dads are grilling him to death & Maddie is talking him to death. The fuss will never die down."
Mercedes giggled. "Calm down, Sissy. If Biff is the one for you, he'll be able to survive them."
Quinn said nothing but she was thinking that Biff might not be the one. The one she wanted yes but not the one she needed.
"You know? I think we should tell them now."
Quinn smiled. "Let me get my camera ready. I have to record this."
Mercedes bumped her shoulder. "Stop that!" She whistled sharply. All activity in the living room ceased as she waved Mike over.
"Oh. We're doing it now?" He whispered.
"No time like the present." She braced herself. "Mike & I have an announcement."
"You made the dean's list?" Michael guessed.
"No. I mean yes but that's not it." She shook her head as she took Mike's hand. "We're dating."
It was quiet for exactly two seconds before noise rushed back in like an exploding firework.
Rose, Judy & Jeanette rushed over to congratulate Mercedes while Michael & Marcus clapped Mike on the back. Maddie hopped around Mercedes & hugged her while Mal slapped hands with his brother.
Marcus held out his hand for Michael to shake. "In-law."
Michael laughed as he shook it. "In-law."
"I'm so happy for you guys!" Maddie couldn't stand still.
"Thanks, little one." Mike put his big hand on her head & shook it.
"I don't know why you would want him though…"
He picked her up. "What was that?!"
"You can't pick me up anymore, Mikey! I'm almost thirteen!"
"Who said?" He swung her around.
"The age police!"
"I'm a rebel." He put her down.
Mal snorted. "Since when?!"
"Since you decided to forgo a haircut. What's up, shaggy dog?"
Mal punched him in the arm before hiding behind Mercedes. "He's being mean to me, Mercy!"
Mercedes swatted him. "Stop being bad!"
He pouted. "I never thought I'd see the day where Quinn was the nice one."
Quinn's jaw dropped before she pushed him. "Hey!"
He laughed. "Hey, Biff! Did you know you're involved with a demon?"
M&MC
"It was nice to meet your family." Biff said softly as he looked through the pictures on her dresser.
"I wish you could have met Laura, Marc & Marcy but they're not here right now." Quinn sighed. "Did you really like my family & friends?"
"They're eclectic." He nodded.
She watched him for a moment. "I should say goodnight."
Biff straightened. "Goodnight, Quinn."
"Goodnight, Biff." She let him kiss her before shutting the door on him. No. He was not the one.
M&MC
"Hey, Mama!" Puck picked Mercedes up & spun her around.
"Hey, Puck. What are you doing here?" Mercedes had just finished breakfast when the doorbell rang.
"I need a favor & there was no one I thought of first." He put her down.
She ushered him into the house then went into the kitchen to put her dishes in the dishwasher. "I'm not being your alibi."
He grinned as he sat at the island counter. "I don't need an alibi."
"Good. The last time was enough. What do you want?"
He drummed his fingers on the countertop before asking a question. "What do you think of Biff?"
She shrugged as she shut the dishwasher. "He's nice enough."
"That's it?"
"He's a little stuffy for my tastes."
"That's it?"
"What do you want me to say, Puck?!"
"That you don't like him & Q's makin a horrible mistake being with him!"
She looked at him. "Oh no! You're back into her!"
He grinned. "You know me so well. C'mon. Help me out. Seeing you & Mike all hugged up made me want somebody of my own."
"Couldn't you get your own? Why do you have to take somebody else's girlfriend?"
"I like Quinn. I really do. I had other motives back then but I still genuinely liked her. I think I could love her like I love you."
"If you think sweet-talking me is going to get me to help you-"
"You know I got love for you but Mike got there first. Literally. Our time is up so I gotta go for the next best thing."
"Don't talk about my sister like that! She's nobody's second choice!"
"That's not what I meant & you know it." He gave her a look. "My moms & Nic are still stuck on us being together so if you endorse Q, they'll lighten up."
"So I have to break up a successful relationship, get her to like you then get your family to like her? That sounds crazy! Just go back to that kindergartener you were with."
"Hey! She wasn't that young!" He was offended.
"I have shoes older than her."
"With the way you are about your shoes, I believe you." He muttered with an eye-roll.
She pursed her lips. "Why do you want to be with Quinn?"
"Because it feels right. We didn't get a real chance all those years ago & I think we can do it better."
"You are adults now." She conceded before widening her eyes. "Oh no!"
"Oh yeah! You're team Quick!"
She whined. "Fine! But I'm going to be the godmother of your next kid & if you dare give it away-!"
"Wasn't even my fault last time & you know it, Ms. Do-What-You-Think-Is-Right."
"I meant what I said! I just didn't think she'd give her up." She looked at him. "Are you hungry?"
"Always." He shrugged.
She rolled her eyes. "Hey? I need your help." She went to the fridge & took out breakfast ingredients.
"Anything." He leaned back in the chair.
"I'm trying to find my sister."
"Is she lost?" He frowned.
"No. She's at this convent in Scotland but I haven't talked to her in a year."
"A whole year? I couldn't get away from Nic for six months!"
"Stop that!" She glared at him. "You love your sister!"
"I do but that doesn't mean I didn't need a break."
She huffed. "I don't know why I'm helping you."
"Because the best thing after having me is having me for a brother."
"I don't want you for either." She raised an eyebrow.
"Ow, Mama! Aim a little lower & you'll completely de-man me!"
"Are you going to help me or not? I want to talk to her soon."
"I'll help you." He leaned forward. "Come on. Give me more bacon than that!"
M&MC
"Okay, this is the file that has to do with her convent." Mercedes handed it to Puck.
"& why is this an undercover mission?" He laid back against her pillows & crossed his legs.
"Because around this time last year, Momma told us that Marcy was becoming a full-fledged nun & that we couldn't contact her or it would disrupt her holy work."
"But you don't care about her holy work?"
She slapped his arm. "That's not it!"
"Sounds like you don't care if she's workin miracles or not." He teased.
"Shut up! I do so! I just want to talk to my baby sister. Is that so bad?"
"I guess not, Mama. What are we looking for exactly?" He opened the file.
"A phone number or address."
"Got it." He flipped through some papers but couldn't make heads or tails of it. "This isn't in English."
She took the top paper from him. "It's Italian."
"You can read Italian?"
"I'm Italian, Puck." She read over the page but it wasn't what she was looking for.
"Since when?!" He leaned back.
She picked up the next page & looked at him. "Since I was born. You know that."
"I do?" He knew he had a shoddy memory but he'd think he'd remember something like that!
"Yes!" That page had no valuable information on it either. "There has to be a faster way of doing this."
"So if you're Italian, why doesn't your mom or dad speak it?" He was stuck on this.
"They do. Just not around other people. Momma wants to seem American."
"Isn't she though?"
"Not really."
He put his hand over the paper she was looking over. "Break it down for me. What are you?"
She sighed heavily. "I'm a French citizen. It's why I'm still in school."
"Those two things don't seem to add up." His head reeled.
"I'm here on a student visa."
"& a visa is?"
"A card that says I'm allowed to be here." She tried to pry his hand away.
He took the paper from her. "So your whole family is just Italian? & you never told anybody?"
"No, my whole family is not Italian. My mother is half Italian & half African American. Granddad is black. At least we assume. He's never said & he won't, no matter how many times we ask."
"Why would your mom not think she's American?"
"Because she's an Italian citizen. She came here for college in the eighties & loved it so much; she came back in the nineties."
"& your dad is?"
"German & Native American. His mom is Indian & his dad is an old school German."
"You're really mixed, aren't you?"
"Yes."
"Why are you a French citizen again?"
"It was where I was born."
He jerked back when she tried to grab the file from him. "No, you don't! Why were you born in France?"
"Because that's where they were living!"
"This is insane! I can't believe we had someone so cool at our school & we didn't even know it! Do Q & Mike know?"
"Of course they know. We all came to America at the same time."
"You're doing this on purpose. Just tell me the whole story." She just stared at him. "I'm not going to help you with this until you do."
She huffed. "Fine! Momma likes Italy well enough but she wanted to go somewhere for college where people didn't know her mother-"
"Why?" He interrupted.
"Because my grandmother is a popular singer overseas!"
His jaw dropped. "Is that why you want to be a singer so bad?"
"Kind of." She'd never thought about it that way. "I guess so. She touches peoples' hearts with her music like all my greatest idols do. She's always broken new barriers & did things she didn't think she'd do. I wanted to be just like that."
"That's really nice. What does your mom's dad do?"
Mercedes gulped but figured Puck would never meet the man. "He has a few businesses. One that includes a racing team."
"That's cool!" He frowned at her. "Why haven't you told me before?"
"I didn't know you would want to know." She really didn't.
"Okay, tell me about your dad's parents."
"Um… Grandpa is a doctor but the family business is a farm. It'll go to Marc one day. Well, all of us but you get it. Grandma owns a few shops where she sells her homemade crafts. Her tribe was big on that so that's what she did after high school. She went to Germany to study & began selling her crafts out of her dorm room. That's where they met."
"In her dorm?"
"No. He was picking up fabric for his mother & she was at the store picking up her own fabric."
"Romantic."
She hit his chest. "It was. Just like Grandmom & Granddad. She was on tour in America & one of her stops was New York. She met Granddad & they married before she left the state."
"How did your parents meet?"
"In college. Daddy was the first in his paternal family to come to America since Poppy."
"Poppy?"
"You'll never meet him."
Puck grinned. "Come on! Tell me about Poppy!"
"If I do, you have to promise to not get mad."
"Why would I get mad? It's not like he was a Nazi."
She cocked her head.
He stared at her. "He was a Nazi, wasn't he?"
"Yes."
"Oh." He blinked twice. "He's not anti-Semitic, is he?"
"Depends on the time of day."
"Are you joking?"
"No. When he gets tired, he says some pretty terrible things. He's easily irritable."
He blinked again. "I asked."
"You'll never meet him." She repeated.
He sighed. "So racist Poppy was the last to come to America?"
"No. His father was. Technically he came when he was a little boy to see the ranch we have in our family but he didn't stay or anything."
"You have a ranch in your family?!"
"Poppy's father worked the farm for years but when he became of age, he wanted to do something else with his life. So he came to America, they changed his name to Jones & he bought a patch of land. He didn't know anything but farming & medicine so he started farming his land. One day he hit a rough patch & something black bubbled up."
He leaned away from her. "Ugh!"
"It was oil, genius."
His brows lifted. "Black gold?"
"Black gold. He bought the surrounding land with the money he earned & became an oil baron. But he ended up missing his homeland & family. So he left the ranch in the care of people he trusted & went home. He found a woman & married her but he couldn't stay long. World War I broke out so he was enlisted."
"Damn!"
She slapped his hand. "Stop cursing! Anyway, he fought, came home & raised his children. He worked on the farm til his dying day. He came to America a few times to keep up with his ranch. Poppy never came but he gets reports every month."
"So get to the part about mean Poppy hatin my people."
She pursed her lips. "He doesn't hate Jews. He just got caught up. He was a young man when WWII came around. He was impressionable. Easily influenced. He was a proud German. So he became a Nazi. It wasn't until after the war that he realized that it might not be the best thing."
"Does he really feel like that or are you just trying to make me feel better?" He raised a brow.
She sighed. "Fifty-fifty."
"It's alright, Mama. It's not like I need his permission to date Quinn."
"Permission, no. But he might not come to your wedding."
"What? Why would he?"
"Okay, I'm only going to tell this story once. All our parents met in college. Quinn's dad is from England, where she was born. Her mom is from Sweden, where her sister was born. Mikey's parents are from Japan, where he & his siblings were born-"
"Mike's Japanese?! I thought he was Chinese!"
"I should slap you!"
"What I do?!"
"You don't know your good friend's nationality?!"
"I didn't know what you were til a couple minutes ago! & most people don't know what the hell I am."
She pinched him. "Yes, Mikey is Japanese. Though Mrs. C is one eighth Korean."
"Wow. So all your parents met in college? How did people from all these different countries end up in little old Lima?"
"Like I said, my momma wanted a fresh start. She wanted to be in a place where no one knew her mother. Daddy was the same way. He wanted to be independent."
"I get that. I didn't leave the country but going to California was my way of trying to make it on my own. It failed."
She took his hand. "You'll get your second chance. & your mom will be so proud of you."
"Thanks." He squeezed her hand. "Now tell me about the others. Why'd they parents come here?"
"Well Papa Mike came because he heard about the medical fields & wanted to excel here. Mrs. C came because her father came to Lima in the sixties."
"Why? He came exactly to Lima?"
"Yeah. Ever hear of Po Seon?"
"The guy from history class. The one who build Lima into an actual city."
"We call him Grandfather."
His jaw dropped. "You're joking!"
"Nope. He's as mean as the books say."
He frowned. "Mean?"
"Legend has it, he's only smiled once." She giggled. "Actually I saw it. He smiled at my sister for kicking this one little boy's butt for telling her to stay in her place."
Puck fell out laughing. "Two stories in one! I love it!"
She giggled again. "It was bad. He was this haughty thing that told her he liked her. She couldn't care less so he got mad. She told him she didn't care for his tantrum & he told her to stay in her place. It got ugly! She whooped a fit on him."
Tears were running down Puck's face. "Ahaha hahaha!"
"That's my sister." She smiled.
Puck got a handle on himself. "No wonder he smiled!"
"He's a really stern man. Really serious. Extremely old school. The only person he likes is Marcy. Not his wife, not his mother, not his kids. Just Marcy."
"That's… different."
"Yep. I'll tell you more about that later. Anyway, Ms. Judy came to America because she thought it would be more relaxed than her home. Her dad is an Olympian athlete."
"For real?!"
"Yeah. His whole family has been in them & they're all really competitive & crazy about winning. Her mom's family was the first to sell family recipes from their farm to a big company so they have money from that. She just wanted to go to school & have fun."
"I can get with that! Me & her got more in common than I thought."
"She & I." She corrected.
"Whatever. What about Q's mean ass dad?"
"PR isn't mean. I mean there's no way around what he did but he wasn't always like that."
"PR? What's that?"
"Stands for Papa Russ. Marc said calling men papa was old country so he calls Papa Mike, PM & PR, PR."
"You have names for each other?"
"Yes. Ms. Judy is Ms. Judy. PR is PR. Mrs. C is Mrs. C. Papa Mike is Papa Mike or PM. Momma is Momma Rose & Daddy is Pop."
"I like those. They sound badass. Why'd PR come to America?"
"Believe it or not, the Beatles. He loved the Beatles & they came to America."
Puck fell out. "That's awesome! Followin a band!"
"Yup. So they met in college. They became friends but lost touch after they graduated. They all returned home but somehow the couples ended up married. Ms. Judy was afraid to live with PR's family (I'll tell you why) so they lived in Sweden until she got pregnant with Quinn. PR wanted a child of his born in his homeland so they moved to England. They lived there for three years before moving back to Lima."
"I got to mock her about this."
"Leave Quinn alone."
"Tell me about Mike."
"His parents lived in two different areas of Japan but they settled in the town where Papa Mike was born. Grandfather was upset about not being around when his grandson was born so when Mrs. C got pregnant with Mal, they moved to her hometown. They stayed for nearly two years before they moved to Lima. There was a big blow up but nobody knows what happened."
"There was a fight so they moved here? I wish I knew what it was!"
"You & me both." She snorted.
"So your parents?"
"When Momma & Daddy married, they moved to Germany where Marc was born. He's named after Daddy & Granddad, which is why his name is Marcus Donald. His middle name is after Grandpa's middle name. He's the third generation Marcus."
"Really? That's kinda cool. I'm glad I'm not named after my dad but being a junior is cool."
"Mikey is the fourth generation Michael."
"Fourth? Damn!"
"Stop cussing. Anyway, they lived in Germany but Momma always wanted to live in France. It was her second language & everything so before they moved, they went on vacation in Brazil. That's why my name is Mercedes. It's where I was conceived."
"You're not named after the car?"
"No! I was conceived in Mercedes, Brazil."
"That's kinda gross. Why do you know that?"
"Because my mother didn't want me thinking I was named after a car!"
"I guess."
She rolled her eyes. "I was born in Versailles, France. We lived in Paris but before we could even enjoy it, Momma & Daddy went to Italy for some reason they won't tell us about & Marcy was conceived. In the grossest way possible."
"What's grosser than anything a parent having sex does?"
"A restaurant bathroom. A little cafe called Marceline's."
"That ain't right! Ugh!" He clapped his hands over his ears.
She giggled. "Stop being a baby!"
"I'm not being a baby!" He lowered his hands.
"Marcy & I are also named after our grandparents. I have my grandmothers' first names while Marcy has their middle names. But like Marc, we have two first names."
"I thought you had two middle names?"
"Nope. I just dropped my second name because I was sick of being Mercedes Catherine all the time."
He laughed. "Mercedes Catherine?!"
She punched his arm. "There's nothing wrong with my name!"
"I didn't say there was!"
"Why are you laughing?!"
"It sounds so proper! It matches you." He stopped laughing.
"I'm not proper." She sniffed.
He snorted & rolled his eyes. "Yes, you are."
"Ugh!" She rolled her eyes & sat back.
"Okay, okay. How long did you stay in France?"
"From the time after I was conceived til I was about four months. Then we moved to Greece. Momma was pregnant & she couldn't stand France anymore but while on a trip to Greece for a girls weekend, she found the waters calmed her.
So we moved to Greece. Grandma's family wanted to see us so we were on a trip to America when we were trapped in Ireland. There was a flashflood & we got stuck in this convent. Marcy was a week late but she decided a natural disaster was the perfect time to be born."
She ignored his laughter. "After a week there, we finished our trip then went back to Greece. Marcy really liked it there. Momma says she was the perfect baby. Even after me!"
He really started laughing. "You can't share the perfect baby title with your sister?"
"Momma always talks about how she never cried unless she was hungry or wet & even then she wasn't loud & it was over quick. She always talks about how she was such a good baby."
"I bet you were a good baby, too."
"At least I smiled! Marcy didn't want people touching her, holding her, looking at her, nothing! They said they thought she was mute at first because she wouldn't cry. If you left her in her crib, she was fine but as soon as you got near her, she'd start fussing. I was her happy baby but Marcy was the calm one."
Puck laughed. "She likes to be left alone, huh?"
"Even now. Don't touch her or she will hurt you."
"Noted." He cleared his throat. "Why'd your family move to America?"
"I think Momma missed all the fun she had in college & Daddy liked America enough. The Fabrays moved here in June. We got here in July. & the Changs came in August. All of 1997."
"How did you all meet up again? High school?"
"Preschool." She corrected. "On the first day, I met Mikey & Quinn & when we went out at the end of the day to tell our parents, they realized they knew each other."
"That's crazy! Preschool?!"
"That weekend, all our families met up & it was a little touch & go for a while. Our parents were talking & we were getting along but Marc & Laura weren't even talking & Marcy was too busy playing in mud to notice Mal, who was too shy to talk to anybody.
Then the strangest thing happened. Marcy noticed Mal. She ran over to him but slid into him. Boom! They fell over & rolled around in the grass. Momma had just fought to get Marcy in a dress & now she was dirty.
Momma asked her why she was dirty & Marcy said she was playing with her new best friend. It was hilarious! Momma didn't know what to do with herself then Marcy topped herself & dragged Mal to the pond in the park at City Square. Neither one knew how to swim."
Puck almost fell off the bed, he was laughing so hard. "Why?!"
"I don't know. She says she wanted to be clean but I think she just wanted to do something else to give Momma grey hair."
"I bet she did! Your mom hates dirt!"
"Marcy does, too. It's why her "I wanted to be clean" story wasn't a bad one."
"What happened after that?"
"There was no way we weren't family after that. Luckily, Momma brought us all changes of clothes so once Marcy was changed, she was let loose again."
"Why do I feel like this is gonna be good?"
"Papa Mike introduced Mike & Mal to her. Mikey bowed & kissed her hand. Marcy looked at him for the longest time before looking at Mal & kissing him on his mouth!"
Puck fell out laughing. "I love this girl!"
"Mal could have lit up the solar system, he turned so red! Mikey offered to push her on the swings but he only got one push in before Mal pushed him away. He started pushing her & the two have been thick as thieves ever since."
Puck laughed harder. "That's awesome!"
"I know it's wrong but I wished she hadn't taken a vow of chastity. Her & Mal were always supposed to get married."
"Vow of what?!" He laughed. "Why would you say that? She's a nun. Aren't they like the best people on Earth? Why are you wishing that on her?"
"Because they were meant for each other. You have to see them together. I didn't look to my parents on what true love looked like. I looked to Marcy & Mal."
"Wow. You girls are serious about that true love crap."
She slapped his arm. "It's not crap! It's the whole reason for being bothered with other people!"
"Okay, I'm sorry." His lips twitched mercilessly "Why'd she become a nun if they were so good together?"
"I don't know. I don't know why Marcy became a nun at all."
"Is that why you want to find her? Because you don't know why she chose to stay away from you?"
She blinked back tears. "Yes. I think that really is it. We're really close. I can't just not talk to her. Not have her in my life anymore."
"I think if I had to stop talking to Nic, I'd be pissed, too."
"She's my best friend."
"I thought I was your best friend!"
She smiled. "Thanks, Puck."
He swiped a finger down her nose. "Anytime, Mama. Now let's get to these papers. You have a sister to find."
M&MC
Quinn answered the door. "Hey? What are you two doing here?"
"Came to see how you were." Mercedes smiled brightly. "We're on our way to meet with Kurt & Blaine."
Quinn ushered them in. "Why didn't you use your key?"
"I can't find it. I have too many keys on my keyring."
"I didn't feel like taking my hands out of my pockets." Mike shrugged.
"You are so lazy." Quinn rolled her eyes. "So what's up?"
"Where's Biff?" Mercedes asked instead.
"He went for a walk around the neighborhood."
Mercedes looked up the stairs. "We can't stay but I was just thinking that we should have a little girl time while we're here. How about you & Santana come over tonight?"
"That'll be fun. Does the she-devil have to come?"
"Be nice."
"She wasn't! All that Tubbers talk. I could kill her!"
"I know but you gotta let stuff go."
"You know Nana would say it was your Allen genes." Mike smirked.
"Ugh!" Quinn huffed. "That woman! Well I'll be good. You know I can be. But what about Biff? I can't just leave him here."
"Just come after you say goodnight & come back in the morning." Mercedes thought up.
"Okay. I'll see you tonight."
Mercedes waved as she pulled Mike to the door. "See you!"