Mercedes adjusted her blouse once again as she waited on the steps. Mike had called to say he was on his way with Marcy & the twins & she wanted to be the first person they saw.
Breakfast had been an… event. Rose cooked breakfast like she always did but Marcus was no longer thankful & the children had nothing to say to her. Before she left for work, Rose reminded her spawn that she loved them.
Marcus had said there was a family meeting when he got off work.
Marc came into the foyer. "Still waiting?"
"It's been ten minutes! Are they walking?!"
"Chill out. They'll be here." He leaned against the wall.
"We just had breakfast. Why are you eating?" She eyed the pear in his hand.
"I like fruit."
She groaned with an eye-roll before eyeballing the door to death. "Open!"
"That's not going to work."
The front door opened. She smirked at him. Marcy let the twins in before her. She stopped when she saw her siblings. "Oh. Hey?"
"That's all we get? Where have you been?" Mercedes looked over the children, who were looking back at her.
"I was getting my stuff from Alan's, Laura!" Marcy said with attitude.
"I'm not Laura! I've been waiting for ten minutes!"
"He lives ten minutes away."
"I called you when we left." Mike said as he brought two bags inside.
"Well you're here now." Mercedes stood up. Mally raised his arms. She smiled & awed at him. She picked him up. "Hi, baby! Aren't you so cute?!"
Mally beamed.
"Can he talk?" Mercedes asked as she bounced with him.
"Italian." Marcy walked closer. "I need to get changed. I'm grimy."
"Don't let us stop you." Marc joked.
"Don't get beat up." She picked up Mickey. "Give him up or follow me. They need to get clean, too."
Mercedes wasn't giving Mally up for anything. "I'll hold him. In fact, I'll give them both a bath while you shower."
"Uh…"
"I got this." Mercedes promised.
"Alright." Marcy took a deep breath. "Can you bring our stuff upstairs, Mikey?"
"Sure." Mike hoisted the bags up higher on his shoulder.
The trio went upstairs to the first door on the right, painted green. It was Marcy's room.
Marcy put Mickey down on the floor & turned to Mike to get their bags. She set them on the floor & knelt in front of them to rifle through them. She began pulling clothes from one bag. "Here."
Mercedes took the stack of clothes. "What are these?"
"Clothes for Mally." She began pulling out other clothes but laid them out on the bed.
"Why are you putting those clothes on the bed?" Mike asked.
"Mickey picks out her own clothes. She's a fashionista."
Mercedes made a happy noise. "My girl!"
Marcy picked Mickey up again & pointed to the different outfits. She asked the little girl what she wanted to wear.
Mickey pointed to a blue polka dot dress with endless ruffles.
"She's a girly girl, huh?" Mike smirked.
"So much. She even picks out my clothes." Marcy picked the dress up & gave it to Mercedes. She gave her frilly white socks & an undershirt to go with it.
"We have to go shopping!" Mercedes wiggled in place.
"Not even." Marcy knelt by the bags again & picked out an outfit for herself. She picked striped blue short shorts with a light green Oscar t-shirt. Then she got underwear for all three of them.
"Please? I can think of so many cute things for them!"
"You go shopping."
"We're going to go shopping."
Mike laughed. He'd pay to see that. "I'll be downstairs."
"Good luck. Mally splashes & Mickey hates getting her hair wet." Marcy waved as she took her clothes to her bathroom.
"Mikey? Can you help me?" Mercedes begged.
"Sure. How hard can it be?"
M&MC
Mike stuffed his arms through the hoodie & pulled it over his head. He was never gladder to keep clothes at the Jones' than he was at that moment.
Mercedes twisted her lips as she let the kids out of the bathroom. "I am so sorry."
"It's okay. It's instinct to duck when a wave of water comes at you."
"I didn't know he was going to splash like that."
He raised a hand. "Seriously, it's okay."
The twins were tear free (now) & looking up at their aunt & uncle with matching smiles. They were dressed & waiting to go back to their mother.
Mercedes led the way to Marcy's room. "Marce? Why didn't you warn me?!"
"I could have sworn I did." Marcy came from the closet
"Well! Why didn't you warn me to listen to you?!"
Marcy smirked as she pointed the brush in her hand. "I'm going to bed."
"You can't go to bed! It's nine o'clock in the morning!"
"Yes, I can. It's my room."
"Then why'd you get dressed?" Mike asked.
"I can leave the house, can't I?"
"So you plan on going somewhere today?" Mercedes wanted to know.
"To the park maybe."
"Ooh! I have an idea! If you don't want to leave the house but want something to do."
"You're easily excitable."
Mercedes glared. "We can go in the attic & get all your presents."
"What presents?"
"You missed two Christmases & a birthday! You don't think people just didn't send you stuff, do you? The attic is full of them."
"Wow. Really?" Marcy never thought about it.
"Yes! Let's open your presents!" Mercedes sat on the bed.
"Okay. Where's Quinn & Laura?"
"Don't know." Mike shrugged. "When did Laura even get in?"
"How did you get hooked up with Marc?" Mercedes asked.
"I saw him while I was waiting for the bus." Marcy lifted a shoulder as she brushed out the tail of her ponytail.
"We can ask them to come over." Mercedes took out her phone & called Quinn. She put it on speaker. "Hey? Come over."
"Mercy?" Quinn asked.
"Yeah. Marcy's going to open all her gifts from the past year & a half. Come over."
"Puck's with me."
"Bring him. Where's Laura?"
"She left early. She's being so secretive. I was going to tell you she was home yesterday but I forgot until I saw Marcy. She just showed up while Mom was at work."
"That's so weird. Well hurry up & come over so we can get started. Then you can see the twins again. They're def. her kids."
"Hey!" Marcy snapped.
Mercedes waved her away. "Well come on over. We'll be up here."
"Okay. We'll be right over." Quinn hung up.
"Will you & Marc bring down the gifts?" Mercedes asked Mike.
"Sure." He left the room.
Mercedes smiled before noticing Marcy's raised brow. "What?"
"Are you two sleeping together again?" Marcy said bluntly.
"We're dating." Mercedes wondered how her sister would take the news.
"We are an incestuous bunch."
"That's what Marc said last night."
"I'm a little surprised you're leavin Quinn out."
"She has a boyfriend. Remember Puck?"
"Your first true love?"
Mercedes gasped. "He was not & don't say that in front of Sonny!"
"You forget that Mal stole your diary & read it to me. You talked about that Mohawk for three years straight."
Mercedes blushed. "I'm going to kill that boy!"
"He does it because he cares." Marcy watched her kids play with her old stuffed animals.
"Well our time has passed. I'm really happy with Mikey. It feels right. Besides he's happy with Q & they look right."
"Don't oversell it." Marcy went to the bed & sat down. "If you're happy, I'm ecstatic."
"Thank you?" Mercedes wasn't sure it was a compliment.
The door opened & Marc came in with a stack of brightly wrapped presents. Mike was on his heels as he set them in the middle of the floor. "I should get paid for this crap."
"You're getting paid in gratitude." Marcy set the brush down.
"Not what I had in mind." He left.
Mike chuckled as he followed behind.
"Hey! Want to help Mommy open her presents?" Marcy asked her children in Italian.
The twins ran over at the mention of gifts.
She sat on the floor & opened the present nearest her. She tore off the paper neatly & opened the box. "What is this?"
Mercedes looked over. "A double sided waffle maker. Aunt Gretchen gave that or a double pancake maker for Christmas last year."
"Really? Why?"
"Most of us are adults now starting out. Most of the adults got us stuff for our first homes. Mine's in the attic & my room right now."
"So I'm looking forward to more of this stuff?"
"Yes. But it's actually good stuff."
Marc & Mike came back in with more stuff before leaving.
"Can you make a list of everything so I can send thank you notes?"
"Sure. Where's your stationary?"
Marcy got up & unlocked a drawer on her desk. She retrieved a note pad then grabbed a pen from the desktop. She left the drawer unlocked as she came back.
Mercedes waited for her to sit down before scrawling down the item & who sent it. "Next?"
Marcy unwrapped a peculiar gift. "Is this-? What is this?"
"That's that carbon machine Ms. Judy got everyone. It makes bubbles in anything so you don't need to drink soda."
"I'll try that out soon."
Mercedes wrote it down. "Next?"
M&MC
Quinn opened Marcy's door. "Hey. Anybody here?"
"In here!" Mercedes called out.
Quinn walked in with Puck on her heels. "Hey, Marce. You look so cute."
"What have I ever done to you?"
"Is that a question you really want me to answer?" Quinn took off her jacket & set it on the bed with her purse.
"Good point." Marcy opened a box. "This is from Aunt Cora."
"She gave out Panini makers." Mercedes said.
Marcy lifted out the appliance. "Yes, she did."
"Incoming!" Marc yelled. He & Mike came in with more boxes. Once he set them down, he turned to Puck. "Puckerman! You can help!"
"Uh… sure." Puck shrugged.
The trio left the room as Quinn sat down on the floor by her sisters. "You're opening all your presents? There's going to be a lot."
"I'm opening a few big things, most of the smaller things & all of the envelopes. I'm sending everything to my house in Italy. In fact, I'm going to start packing the stuff in this room. That'll keep me busy this week." Marcy told her.
"Where do you live?"
"Lémon Ave."
"Do you see Grandmom & Granddad a lot?" Mercedes asked nicely.
"I haven't seen them at all."
"That's going to hurt them."
"Why?"
"Because you've been living in Milan without visiting."
Marcy shrugged. "Am I the only one who knows what disowned means?"
"How's your house? Is it beautiful?" Quinn changed the subject.
"It's actually a condo duplex. There are four fully functioning apartments with two levels each."
"That sounds amazing."
"Mal's moving in." Marcy said in a peculiar tone.
Mercedes twisted her lips as she thought.
Quinn looked at Marcy. "Really? When was this decided?"
"Last night. It was one of the things we talked about."
"That'll be good for the twins." All three looked to the duo, who was playing with discarded wrapping paper.
"I suppose." Marcy turned back to the pile. "I'm tired of opening this big stuff. This is my last one."
"It's really big." Mercedes noted. "Who sent it?"
"China."
"What did China give us?" Mercedes couldn't remember.
Quinn snapped her fingers as she thought. "It was something I used. I know it."
Marcy just opened the package. "It's a mini fridge!"
"Oh right! I used mine at school!" Mercedes remembered.
The guys came in with more gifts.
"Just leave anything big up there, guys. I'm only opening little stuff now." Marcy told them.
"What? You're tired?" Marc teased.
"I'm bored opening a thousand appliances."
"Well this box has all your cards & envelopes." Mercedes held up a large cardboard box.
"That's going to be a pain." Marcy could tell.
"We'll help you." Quinn vowed.
"Okay. Let's get this over with."
"You still want the little stuff?" Mike asked.
"Nah. I gotta see what I'm going to do with the stuff already here. I can't keep it in my room."
"Good point. What are you going to do with silverware up here?" Marc leaned against a wall.
"I repacked everything in their boxes. Can you take them back upstairs?"
"Come on, Marce!"
"Please?! Please?!"
He sighed. "Fine! But only the big ones!" He began stacking boxes in his arms.
Mike & Puck followed behind.
"Thank you!" Marcy called out.
Quinn grinned. "So what are you going to do after this?"
"See if one of you will watch the twins so I can buy boxes. I want to get started packing."
"I'll watch them." Mercedes offered sweetly.
"You're not running after bath time with them?"
"I didn't get wet up. Mike did."
Marcy & Quinn laughed.
"We'll help you pack." Quinn told Marcy. "How much can it really be in here?"
"A lot. I promise." Marcy reached for the box of cards. "Ready, Merce?"
Mercedes held up the pen & pad. "Ready."
Marcy opened the first card. "It's a check. From Grandma & Grandpa. From Christmas."
"The bank will still cash it." Mercedes was sure.
"Why'd they send a check instead of a present?" Marcy laid the paper in her lap.
"They actually sent both." Quinn said.
"Oh. How generous."
"That's what we said." Mercedes finished writing. "Next?"
"It's a gift card from Joey. That's weird."
"What?" Quinn asked.
"It's for a store I've never heard of before."
"It's here." Mercedes peeked at the card. "It's at the mall."
"Is it cool?"
"Totally. We should go later." Quinn said.
"We're packing remember?"
"Packing what?" Marc asked as he walked in.
"My room up. I'm sending my stuff to my house."
"You're really leaving when you turn eighteen?"
"Really really."
He shrugged as he grabbed more boxes. "Can't say I blame you."
Mercedes glared at his retreating back. "Don't listen to him! You're going to want to stay!"
"I doubt that severely." Marcy opened another card.
Mike & Puck walked in for more boxes.
"This is from Joanna."
Mike shuddered. "Don't speak its name or it will come!"
Marcy & Quinn fell out laughing.
Mercedes tried to tame her smile. "Stop it!"
"Who's Joanna?" Puck asked.
Mike pretended to die as Marcy & Quinn continued laughing.
"She's our cousin." Mercedes explained. "Remember? Angelica?"
He nodded in remembrance. "I remember."
"Now that's Cruella de Vil!" Mike picked up boxes.
Mercedes laughed. "You're so mean!"
"He's so honest!" Marcy waved the card. "She gave me a subscription to a fashion magazine."
"What's wrong with that?" Puck asked.
"Nothing. If I was her." She pointed to Mercedes. "I don't do fashion. I don't care about clothes. She's also telling me I have horrible style & need help."
"You got all that outta magazine subscription?"
"You don't get how our family works."
"Really well. I like your family."
"Who all have you met because I can guarantee you don't like us all."
"Just your parents."
"That's nothing. They're as normal as we get."
"Says you." Mercedes moaned.
"Good point but there's def. crazier people."
"Like Aunt Carol?" Quinn supplied slyly.
Mike nearly dropped his boxes, he was laughing so hard. "Def.!"
"Aunt Carol's not crazy!" Mercedes set her hands on her hips. "She just has issues."
"She's a mini G-Ma." Marcy rolled her eyes.
"& what's wrong with that?!"
"G-Ma's mental."
Mercedes gasped in outrage as Mike & Quinn gasped for breath. "She is not!"
"She's the one who has you calling your period "lady days"."
"You don't have to be vulgar."
"What about sending food back at restaurants? She's bad about doing that."
"She's exact. You're exact!"
"I don't send the food back!"
"You just pick at it."
"That's better than eating it when it was completely different from what you ordered because you don't want to make a scene!"
Mercedes's mouth fell open. "I'm not rude!"
"Neither am I!" Marcy put her index finger in her mouth. "Wait a minute. Yes, I am."
Quinn wiped tears from her eyes. "I like the faces you make when something's wrong! You're trying not to but it's there like a billboard reading "You Messed Up!"!"
"& the way you just look at people is hilarious." Mike added. "You give people low self-esteem without a word."
Marcy sniffed. "That's really hurtful."
"There's nothing wrong with you." Marc came in.
"You don't know!"
Puck laughed. "You guys are funny."
"Aw thank you!"
"Silly girl!" Mercedes pushed her over.
"Ah!" Marcy gave a low scream.
"Come on, guys. These are the last boxes." Marc hit Mike on the back. The guys took the last boxes up to the attic.
"What are you going to get Joanna for her birthday?" Quinn asked Marcy as she sat up.
"Bridal subscriptions."
"She doesn't have a boyfriend." Mercedes pointed out.
"I figured."
"Oh. Mal got you this for Valentine's Day." Mercedes went over to the window seat & raised it. She took out a giant stuffed frog.
"Why didn't Mikey get Laura that? Seems more his speed."
There was laughter at the door as Marc came in with Mike & Puck. "I would pay to see that!"
"She'd kill me." Mike looked away as the wheels turned in his head.
"It'll be worth it." Quinn said.
"No, it wouldn't!" Mercedes hit her. "Come here, Puck. I want you to officially meet my sister."
Puck came forward & stuck his hand out. "I'm Puck."
"I know who you are, Apache." Marcy eyed his hand. "I don't really touch people."
"Apache?" He dropped his hand.
"She has a thing about germs & touching." Mercedes explained.
"Why'd you call me Apache, Mini Mama?"
"Why'd you call me Mini Mama?" Marcy shot back.
"Cuz you're a little version of Mama."
"Little?!"
"Though she's little on her own-"
"Hey!" Mercedes snapped.
Mike laughed. "You might want to run."
"What I do?" Puck was confused.
"My sisters hate being called little. They're going to kick your butt." Marc clapped him on the back.
"Come on, Mama. You know I don't mean you're a shrimp. You're just a little- okay, I'm going to stop now."
Quinn caught the giggles. "You should have been stopped."
"I realized I was not making this better."
"Offer to make them a drink & you will be good." Marc said.
"I'll make you a drink?" Puck raised his hands.
"We're not drunks!" Marcy snapped.
"But if you're going down, I want some wine." Mercedes said.
"Bring me whiskey."
Puck was shocked by her choice. "You don't want wine?"
"Bring that, too."
Mike, Marc & Quinn started laughing.
"I'll go down with you." Mercedes offered with a smile. "You guys probably want a beer or something."
"Red." Quinn called out.
"White." Marcy said.
"Why are you calling out colors?" Puck asked.
"Wine, dude." Marcy told him. "We are talking about wine."
"I never saw the difference."
Her mouth fell open. "Well!"
Quinn giggled. "Marcy has rules for drinking wine."
"That's not true!"
"She's truly exact." Mike told. "Her food cannot touch unless it's specific food that has to touch, red wine is for drinking with food while white wine is for anytime & she hates using silverware. She eats with her hands all the time!"
"Keep it up & I won't fix lunch!"
"She's the best person in the world."
"You're so fat!" Mercedes fell out in giggles. "How are you going to fall for that?!"
"I want to eat!" He shrugged.
"What are you thinking of making anyway?" Quinn asked.
"Not you, too!" Mercedes's mouth fell open.
"Are you going to cook?"
"I could."
"But you're not." Marcy raised a brow.
"I will. I say you make your lunch & I make mine. We'll see who likes what more."
"Or you could just cook?"
"I thought you wanted to cook?!"
"No, I want food. I gotta make it for it to exist."
"I like my idea. So what are you going to make?"
"I was thinking tomato soup & grilled cheese." Marcy shrugged.
"That's it?" Puck was dubious.
"Tell him how you make it." Mike smirked.
"It's Tomato Saffron Soup with saffron, Rosemary & basil. Then I make my grilled cheese with gruyere, Swiss & cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, bacon & sliced tomatoes." Marcy said.
"Never mind. Make that."
She laughed. "Okay."
"So Mercy?" Mike bumped Mercedes's arm. "What are you going to make?"
"I was thinking chicken salad lettuce cups, stuffed chicken sausage bites & a cucumber broccoli salad." Mercedes thought up.
"Should I make you tator tots?" Marcy joked.
"Don't play with me! Either you're going to make me some tator tots or you're being mean!"
Marcy laughed. "I'll make you tator tots."
"Well with all this food, I'm ready to eat!" Marc rubbed his hands together.
Marcy stood & clapped her hands. Mally & Mickey ran over to her. "We're going to make lunch!" She told them.
They all went downstairs & to the kitchen. Quinn rolled up her sleeves. "I'll be your sous chef."
"For which one?" Marcy asked as she picked out tomatoes.
"Both."
"Cool. Pick out fifteen great tomatoes for me while I find good potatoes."
Mercedes went to the freezer. "We don't have the chicken I want so, Marc? Will you go to the store for me?"
"Sure. Write down what you need. I'll get it for you." Marc picked up Mickey.
Mercedes grabbed the magnetic notepad from the fridge & wrote down the foods she needed. "Marce? You need anything?"
Marcy went through the cupboard. "Yeah." She took the pen & wrote a few items down.
Mercedes gave Marc the paper. "Thank you!"
He waved before leaving. Mike & Puck took seats at the island to watch.
"Okay, I'm done, Marcy." Quinn put the last tomato into the sink.
"Q, I need wine." Mercedes said.
"I'll pour us all a glass." Quinn went back to the fridge. She pulled out a bottle of white & poured three glasses. "You guys want a beer?"
"Sure." Both Mike & Puck answered.
She gave them each a beer before giving her sisters their wine. "What else do you need?"
"I need a bowl." Mercedes looked through the cabinets. "A big bowl."
"On it." Quinn set down her glass.
Marcy washed the tomatoes off then sliced them in half. She took out all the middles then placed the fruits open side up before pouring olive oil, salt, pepper & sugar over them. She slid the pans into the oven.
Mike & Puck clapped. "Did you see that spin on the pans as she put them in the oven? Brilliant!"
Marcy's lips twitched. "You're both idiots."
Mercedes chopped celery, grapes & onions into the bowl Quinn gave her. She set it aside then picked out a giant broccoli stalk. She began cutting it into strips before doing the same to two cucumbers.
Marcy peeled five potatoes & one sweet potato before grating it all in one bowl. She added salt, pepper & shredded cheese. "Quinn? I need sour cream."
Quinn retrieved it for her. "Sour cream."
Marcy mixed it in then added Italian seasoning. She mixed it all together before forming little logs, which she rolled into a mixture of panko & Parmesan cheese.
"Look at the way she forms the logs for the tots." Puck said in an announcer's voice. "These are no ordinary tator tots! They're deluxe! What was the inspiration for these tots, Mini Mama?"
She smothered a laugh. "Why are you two so weird?"
"It's fun." Mike shrugged.
Mercedes shook her head as she put her broccoli cucumber salad in the fridge to chill. She took out the apple chicken sausage, phyllo dough & Havarti cheese. She used a knife to slice the sausage into two to three inch slices.
"Look at the precision!" Mike used his announcer's voice as he spoke to Puck. "She's cutting them all in uniform!"
"Look at what she's using! Chicken sausage! Now that's good eatin!" Puck answered.
Mercedes gave in to her giggles. "Shut up!"
"What else do you need?" Quinn took a sip of her wine.
"Wrap each piece of sausage with a piece of cheese."
Quinn got started.
Marcy finished cleaning up her area before taking a sip of her wine. She started frying bacon.
"Man! Is that bacon?!" Puck turned to Mike.
"Yes, Puck, it is!" Mike used his beer bottle as a mic.
Marcy let the bacon fry as she took the tomatoes from the oven. "Nutballs." She placed the tomatoes in a big pot & added herbs & spices, including saffron, Rosemary & basil. Then she added garlic & scallions.
Marc came in with two bags of groceries. "I'm back! What I miss? It smells good in here!"
"You're just in time for bacon!" Mike told him.
"Why are you talking like that?" He handed the bags off to Quinn.
"It's funny."
Marc shrugged before going to the twins, who were playing at the table with the stuffed animals they brought down from their mother's room.
Mercedes brought out the two rotisserie chickens she had Marc buy. "Quinn? You're going to help me shred this chicken."
"Okay." Quinn was okay with that.
"Shredded chicken! Always a plus & very appreciated!" Puck announced.
Marcy brought out the immersion blender & a carton of heavy cream. She poured the correct amount into the pot of tomatoes before blending the soup well.
Mercedes sniffed the air. "It does smell good in here."
"Can I taste?" Quinn asked Marcy as she finished blending.
Marcy grabbed a spoon & dipped it into the pot. She handed it to Quinn, who stuck it in her mouth. "What do you think?"
"Delicious." Quinn put the spoon down to return to picking chicken.
Mercedes finished with her chicken & threw the bones away. She went to cut the phyllo dough in squares then wrapped the cheese wrapped sausage in a little jacket of puff pastry. Then she used the pans Marcy used for the tomatoes to put them in the oven.
"Chicken sausage is in the oven! I repeat, the chicken sausage is in the oven!" Puck said.
Marcy took the bacon out of the pan & put in rings of onion. She made sure to get all the little bits from the bacon.
"That's going to be so good." Mercedes threw away the bones from the chicken Quinn was shredding.
Marcy danced in place. "Bacon flavored onions, yo!"
Mercedes added the chicken to the bowl of chopped grapes, celery & onions. She mixed in curry powder, mayo & Miracle Whip. She put the bowl in the freezer before looking at Marcy. "What are you up to now?"
"I need oil, Q. To fry these tots." Marcy told Quinn. She looked to Mercedes. "I'm making these sandwiches." She layered cheese on slices of seven grain bread with slices of tomato & bacon then put them on the griddle.
Quinn brought over used vegetable oil & a pot. "Here you go."
"Thanks." Marcy filled the pot with oil & turned on the eye. She turned the sandwiches over then dropped a tator tot in the oil. It sizzled immediately.
Mercedes went to the oven to take the sausage out. She let them rest for exactly sixty seconds before plating them on a beautiful platter. Then she took the salad out of the fridge & put it in a pretty bowl.
Marcy took the sandwiches off the griddle & cut them in half before setting them on a nice platter.
"Want me to take these tots out?" Quinn asked.
"Yes, please." Marcy burned her finger & waved it around. "Ow!"
"Hot plate! Hot plate!" Mike joked. She used a ladle to pop his hand. "Ow!"
"Say something else!" Puck laughed.
"Want a sauce to go with the tots?" Marcy ignored them both.
"We can just use ketchup." Mercedes ripped off big leaves of lettuce. She spooned heaps of chicken salad into the cups & placed them on a platter. There was a bowl in the middle & she spooned more chicken salad into it while leaving some lettuce cups empty.
"Marc?" Marcy called. "Can you make us a cocktail?"
"Heck yeah!" Marc stood up & went to grab ingredients.
"You have wine. Why do you need a cocktail?" Puck wanted to know.
""Need" is such a strong word. "Want" is much better." Marcy grinned.
"What's wrong with cocktails?" Quinn demanded.
"It's noon." Puck pointed out.
"So?" Marcy led.
"I thought you shouldn't drink before five?"
She looked at him like he was a strange creature. "That's stupid."
"I don't drink much cocktails. I'm a beer kind of guy."
"Don't forget wine coolers." Mercedes had to tease.
"Aw, Mama! Really?!"
Quinn slapped Mercedes's arm. "That was mean!"
"What's mean is the way you thought we were stupid enough to believe you got drunk off wine coolers." Marcy crossed her arms.
Quinn gave a low scream as the others laughed. "Marcy!"
"Plus you're an angry drunk. If you were really drunk, he would have put you out."
Mike & Marc fell out laughing.
"You're so annoying!" Quinn glared.
"You know? I think she's right." Puck said slowly. "I remember junior year when we got drunk at Rachel's & you cussed me out for ruining your body."
Mercedes facepalmed. "Can we move on?" Mike & Marc were laughing like hyenas while Marcy had a brow raised smugly.
Quinn took out the last batch of tator tots. "You get on my last nerve!"
"I adore you." Marcy batted her eyelashes.
"You're such a pain." Quinn threw the strainer in the sink & turned off the stove.
"I'm lovely."
Mike & Marc laughed louder.
"Stop it, you two!" Mercedes set her hands on her hips.
Marc rubbed a hand over his face. "Man, that was good!"
Mike held his stomach. "Our bad, Mercy. We'll be good."
Marcy snorted. "Like you know how to be good." She finished cleaning off the stove.
"I'm extremely good!"
"At being bad."
Marc snickered. "Don't talk about my brother."
"Who did he learn it from?" She rolled her eyes. "You bugged Laura & any older girl in the family like some trouble finding missile."
He grinned. "I had fun."
"Yeah!" Mike high-fived him.
"He picked up all your rotten ways & you couldn't have been prouder. The nerve of you." Mercedes shook her head.
"Then Jr. followed in your footsteps!" Quinn grabbed plates for them all.
Mercedes shuddered. "I'm still waiting for him to outgrow it."
"Last night he told me something I was not expecting about you, Sis." Marcy said.
"What? How?"
"Apparently he has your diary."
Mercedes frowned. "He can't. He's bluffing."
"Go look." Quinn commanded.
Mercedes ran out the room as Marc served up the first cocktail.
"Does your brother really steal her diary?" Puck asked.
Marc snorted. "Yep."
Marcy took a sip of her cocktail. "This is good. What is it?"
"Heck if I know. I just poured a bunch of stuff in the shaker."
"I could have died." She took another sip.
"I doubt it." He gave Quinn her drink.
"You can't kill evil." Quinn sipped her cocktail.
Mike fell out laughing. Marc nearly spilt Puck's drink on him.
Marcy stuck out her tongue. "You would know."
A scream ripped through the air as feet pounded on the stairs. Mercedes came running in. "He stole it! He stole my diary! That little freak!"
Mike & Marc laughed loudly. Puck was surprised. "He really stole your diary?"
"I am going to kill him! You're goin to be a widow, Marcy!"
"We're not married." Marcy took her glass away from her mouth.
"He's such a pain!" Mercedes paced.
"Here, Sis." Marc handed her the last drink.
She took it & downed half of it before actually tasting it. "Wow. This is good. What is it?"
"I call it, Jr.'s a Deadman!"
She gripped the glass tightly. "He gives me such a headache!"
"You can get him afterschool." Quinn told her.
"We should eat before this food gets cold." Marcy smirked.
"See the way she's unconcerned with his safety?" Mike laughed to Puck.
Puck grinned. "Mama wouldn't hurt a fly."
"Too bad Mal's not a fly."
"Come on, Mama. You're not gon hurt him."
Mercedes gave him a dark look as she took a platter to the table & sipped her drink. The girls finished putting the dishes on the table & brought over their wine.
Mike, Puck & Marc went over to the table & sat down. Marc served everyone soup in a bowl. "Who wants to pray?"
"You do." Marcy said. "Hop to it."
"Rude devil." He took the hands of the people closest to him & bowed his head. He said a quick prayer.
"So what are you going to do to Jr.?" Quinn asked as she blew on her soup before taking a bite.
"Beat him with a branch." Mercedes said immediately.
Mike snickered. "You can't take him out. He has kids."
Mercedes looked to the twins, who were munching happily. "They'll always have his memory."
"They're 18 months. They don't have their own memory." Marcy sassed.
"Whatever. I'll get him. It'll be brutal. Tell us more about your place."
"What do you want to know?"
"How big is it?"
"It's pretty big. It has six bedrooms, five bathrooms, dining room, living room, den, playroom, office, studio, kitchen, laundry room & sunroom."
"How'd you get a place like that?!" Puck gaped.
"The owner bought the place after it was condemned. The foundation was sound so he brought people in to fix it up. He plans on selling all the condos for a tidy profit & retiring."
"How'd you get it?" Mercedes asked. "How could you afford it?"
"I had money with me. I never leave home without it. But I made money fighting. I spent most of my money on buying it but I own it & it's all mine. I'm lucky my job pays enough but my bills aren't that high."
"You always could spot a deal."
"How much was it?" Mike asked.
"In the millions. Low millions but still a lot. After buying it, I had to buy baby stuff, kitchen stuff & a washer & dryer. Everything else I had to save & scrimp for."
"Do you have neighbors?" Mercedes wanted to know.
"In the neighborhood or the building?"
"Both."
"Yes, the neighborhood, no, the building. I live in the metro district. There's a couple other apartment buildings but there's mostly shops, restaurants, bakeries, businesses, theaters & museums. Everything I need is right on my street. Even the farmer's market is down the street."
"That sounds amazing." Quinn sighed. "If I want coffee, I have to have Mom make it for me or go to a coffee shop in Lima. I'm so used to having a coffee place on campus that's right next to my dorm that I've gotten spoiled."
"Aren't you already spoiled?" Marc grinned.
"I wonder who made her that way. Hmm?" Mercedes teased.
Marc lifted his nose in the air. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Sure." Mercedes finished her soup. "Why don't you have any neighbors?"
"People have come by to see it but they talk about loans & stuff & he just wants to unload them & be done. I had a small discount for being the first person in. No one wanted to stay in a dilapidated building. But a lot of people have been by."
"So if someone was to come with cash or a check for the full amount, he'd sell?"
"In a Polynesian minute."
Puck was stuck. What the hell is a Polynesian minute?! "Do you even want neighbors?"
"I wouldn't mind. The neighborhood is young & funky. What's wrong with getting more neighbors that are just as fun?"
"I love these tator tots, Sis!" Mercedes wiggled in her seat.
"I figured you'd like them. I made them with you in mind." Marcy laughed.
"You must be really busy if you work & go to school." Mike said. "What do you do with the twins?"
"They have daycare but I don't use it all the time. I bring them to rehearsals & I go to the library for class or stay home. I get a babysitter if I have a show."
"You said you were a dancer. Is it true? What dancing do you do?" Quinn asked. "I can't believe you followed your dream. Is that why you've lost so much weight?"
"Yeah. I still eat healthy & I practice every day. It's actually ballet. But it's a new show that has some hip hop & jazz to it. It was really fun."
"It's over?" Mike was sad for her.
"Production ended. But others are going up for the summer. I plan on auditioning once I get back."
"I feel so connected in Italy." Quinn sighed.
"You know I think I'm going to see about getting back into modeling. I need money & I might not get anything this season."
Quinn's eyes lit up. "Yes! You should get the twins in it! That way they have a college fund!"
"That's a good idea, Q." Mercedes said. "I forgot we had money from that. You should totally do it, Marce."
"Modeling?" Puck asked.
"We used to model as kids." Marc told him. "We even did appearances on shows or in movies."
"Really? Anything I'd have seen?"
"We don't know. A lot of stuff was for overseas but we were in some stuff here." Mercedes said. "We have copies of stuff if you want to see."
"Completely."
"Hey, Marc? Can you get me packing boxes after lunch?" Marcy asked. "I want to start packing up my room."
"Sure. I have to do my own packing." Marc finished a grilled sandwich.
"Why are you packing?" Mercedes stuck her bottom lip out.
"Well I was going to tell you when Dad called his meeting but I'm moving to England with Joe."
"I can see that." Marcy said instantly.
"Me too. You two sharing a flat is as natural as breathing." Quinn agreed.
"Yeah, it makes sense." Mike went on.
"I'm going to miss you." Mercedes reached out to hug Marc.
"I'm not going yet. I figured I'd stay until after the festival." Marc patted her arm for her to let him go.
"Good. We can spend time together."
M&MC
"I've got an idea." Mercedes said as she, Marcy & Quinn were in Marcy's room opening more envelopes.
"What?" Marcy set cash on the stack.
"I don't want to let you go."
She raised a brow. "Excuse me?"
"You're going back to Italy after your birthday & it's like I'll never seen you again-"
"Visit." It was simple for the blonde.
"When will I have the time? I was so busy with school & working in the studio-"
"Working in what studio?"
"I was on a label. I had to have told you."
"No."
Mercedes explained how Sam put her video on YouTube & how a label saw her & wanted her. "But my manager was a total creep so I quit."
"Wow. What a dink."
"I think Mercy's right. About being super busy?" Quinn said. "I didn't have time for anything & I rarely came home."
"I just got you back & this month will fly by." Mercedes went on. "So I've made a decision."
Marcy waited. "&?"
"I'm moving to Italy with you!"
Marcy's jaw dropped. "What?!"
"Obviously not in your condo. It's going to be enough with you, Mal & the kids but one of the others. The owner wants to sell anyway."
Marcy just gaped.
Quinn frowned. "You're leaving, too?!"
"I missed you more than you'll ever know, Marce." Mercedes didn't like that she wasn't talking.
Marcy shook her head. "I'm surprised. I just felt like the odd one out. But if you really think you want to move there, that'll be cool. Yeah. We'll have fun."
Mercedes reached over to hug her. "Yay!"
"No!" Quinn exploded. The Jones girls looked at her. "You can't leave me!"
"We'll visit." Mercedes promised.
"Oh bull!" Quinn spat. "I'm not going to be alone! Do you have any idea how hard it was to be away from you & Mikey this year? I felt like I was missing my arms!"
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"Because I'm supposed to be an adult! I'm supposed to be on my own! I shouldn't need my family around me! But I do! If you move to Italy then so am I!"
Mercedes gave a low scream & took her arms to wave them. "Yay! We're moving to Italy!"
"I missed my family. I'm such a loser." Quinn pouted.
"I missed you guys, too." Marcy said quietly. Quinn & Mercedes hugged her. "I didn't say touch me."
Mercedes laughed. "It's so good that you haven't changed."
"I've grown up." Marcy lifted a shoulder. "I think I'm calmer now. I have better priorities. I've gained a little patience."
"Because you're a momma." Mercedes cupped her sister's chin. "I'm so jealous."
"You can have them. Mally is already picking up flirting & Mickey is in love with men."
Quinn laughed. "Is that why she's glued to Puck?"
"He is attractive. No wonder you broke your first love's heart for him."
"Marcy?!"
"What?"
Mercedes broke out into giggles. "How do you know about her first love?"
"Mal read it to me five years ago."
Quinn slapped her hands over her mouth & screamed.
Mercedes turned to Marcy. "Why do you read it?!"
"He's going to tell me either way. Might as well read what it says verbatim." The green eyed sister shrugged.
"Why don't you tell him to stop?!" Quinn moved her hands.
"He doesn't listen to me. I told him plenty of times that he was invading your privacy but he does not care."
"I'm going to kill him! He better not tell Puck anything!"
"Forget Noah! Mikey's über jealous! He's already insecure about the other relationships in my life!" Mercedes fretted. Her diary was full of secrets that would make Mike crazy.
"I would say he wouldn't do that but he's a butt when he wants to be." Marcy tapped her bottom lip.
Mercedes sighed. "Can't wait for him to get home. I'm beating him black & blue."
Marcy grinned. "I can't believe you guys are going to uproot your lives. It's crazy."
"It's going to be an adventure." Quinn said. "You're always having an adventure."
"Won't you miss your parents?"
"They're your parents, too!" Mercedes stared at her.
Marcy rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean."
"Sure but we all know we need a break from them." Quinn said.
"I miss Maddie." Marcy nodded slowly. "She's going to have-"
Mercedes screamed.
Marcy & Quinn looked at her like she lost her mind. "What are you doing?!"
"Mikey!"
"Yes!" The girls didn't even hear him run up the stairs. He was breathing hard as he came in to look over his girlfriend. "Are you alright?!"
"No!" Mercedes wrapped her arms around him & pulled him down to her level.
"What's wrong?" Puck asked as he made it up the steps.
"I can't leave you!" Mercedes wailed.
"Where are you going?" Mike asked as his heart calmed. "Why'd you scream?"
"You have to come, too!"
"Come where?"
"Yes!" Quinn shouted. "You have to come!"
"That'll be so amazing!" Marcy added.
"Can somebody tell me what's going on?" Mike demanded.
"We're moving to Italy & you're coming, too." Mercedes let him go slowly.
"Whoa! Wait! What?!
"Quinn & I decided to move to Italy to be with Marcy & Mal."
"Wait! Mal's moving to Italy?! You want to move to Italy?!"
"Yes. We're going to get a place together. There's three empty condos where she lives. Come with us. I'd miss you too much & I don't want to break up." She held his face in her hands.
He blinked a few times to catch all that. "Okay."
"Okay?" Mercedes didn't think it'd be so easy.
"Yeah. I don't want to break up or be half the world away."
Mercedes made a shrill happy noise. "You can go to school & dance! Just like Marcy! Papa Mike will be happy & so would you."
Puck raised a brow. "Really? You guys are just going to move? Like that?"
"Come too." Marcy shrugged.
Quinn grinned. "Yeah! We've been doing really well & you'd know us & it'll be amazing!"
"I can't-! I can't move to Italy! I don't know Italian!" He sputtered.
"You know they speak English?" Marcy pointed out. "& you can learn Italian."
"I don't have a job."
"Isn't that a reason to go? You can get a job there. Or go to school."
"If I'm not smart enough for school here, why would it be any different there?"
"You didn't apply to any schools here!" Mercedes snapped. "You said you wanted a change. To do something. This is doing something. We can start that band we were talking about. Your mom will be so proud!"
"I can't leave my mom & Jake & Nic!"
"Didn't you leave them to go to California?" Mike pointed out.
"That's different!"
"How?"
Puck glared as he couldn't come up with anything.
"Visit or have them visit." Marcy said. "Not that hard."
"I can't afford a condo in Italy."
"Live with me." Mike hit his arm. "I don't want to live alone & I'll just put it in my name. We'll split the bills down the middle once you get a job."
"I don't know." Puck was very reluctant. He was unused to doing things this big.
"Stop being a girl." Marcy sniped.
"I'm not being a girl!"
"Are you that afraid to live away from your mommy that much?!"
"I'm not afraid!" He was offended.
"I dare you to stop being a chicken & tell your mom you're moving to Italy!"
"Oh yeah?!" Puck took out his phone & dialed his mother's number. When she picked up, he nearly shouted, "I'm moving to Italy!" at her.
They could hear her exclaim, "What?!"
"Mike, Mama & Q are movin to Italy to be with their sister & I'm goin, too!" Puck realized what he said. His eyes widened & his jaw dropped.
Mercedes & Quinn was giggling up a storm, Mike was out & out laughing & Marcy simply raised an eyebrow.
Puck listened to his mother rant & rave for a few minutes before setting his brows. "I want to do this. Because. They're my friends. It's not just her. Well it was Mini Mama. Mama's sister. It was surprisingly easy. Okay. But I won't change my mind. That won't work on me! Bye, Ma." When he hung up the phone, he looked at the room's occupants. "I don't think I like you anymore."
"& I didn't think it'd be so easy to trick you into saying yes." Marcy smirked.
"How'd you do that?"
"I'm magic."
Puck was going to say something but felt something on his leg. He looked down to see Mickey attach herself to his limb. "This is yours."
"She likes you." Marcy just looked.
Puck patted her head. "She's adorable."
"I have some pictures of my place on my phone. & I'm sure the listing is on the Internet." Marcy told Mercedes & Quinn.
"Look it up." Quinn insisted.
"Let me see your computer."
Mercedes left to get hers. When she came back, she sat in her old spot & opened it. She put in her password then gave it to Marcy.
Marcy clicked on the Internet icon then went to the address bar to type in a search engine. She typed in her condo's owner's name. Results showed up & she clicked on the best choice. It took her to a different domain.
She found what she was looking for then turned the computer to Mercedes. "Here. Pictures."
Mercedes took the computer & nearly fainted. "Hardwood floors! I love it already!"
Quinn got behind her. "That's a closet! Yes! I get to go shopping!"
"Your closet's already big!" Mike rubbed a hand over his face.
"My closet's a small room. This closet is a real room!"
Mercedes clicked through more photos. "This is an amazing place! Where do you live, Marce? Top or bottom?"
"Top. Def. top." Marcy blinked pointedly.
Mike & Puck laughed as they caught on. Mercedes blushed. "Stop that!"
"I'm serious, yo. I live on the top level on the left."
"Oh." Mercedes blushed harder. "Leave me alone."
Marcy took the computer from her & started clicking keys. "Here are the stats."
Mercedes read them over. "I can't wait to get to that tub! It's huge! Look, Q!"
Quinn curled her arms around Mercedes. "It's so big! How many can fit in that thing?!"
"I don't know but I take baths all the time." Marcy said.
"I'm going to love this place."
"Me too. This kitchen is amazing." Mercedes clicked through more pictures. "The sunroom is nice & spacious. I can't wait to fill this space. We've got to go shopping! What do you have in your sunroom, Marcy?"
"Plants. A lot of plants. I also have a garden in the backyard, too. It's not that big but I have some trees & a small garden." Marcy said.
"What do you have in your garden?"
"Lettuce, green beans, tomatoes, spinach, strawberries, potatoes & cucumbers. I grow herbs in the kitchen."
"We have to have an herb garden. Can't cook without one."
"I'm not going to be cooking." Quinn snorted.
"I wish I could say the same." Marcy moaned. "They're eating solid food now so I have to cook."
"They're so cute! He looks just like Mal & she looks just like you. She even has your eyes."
"Yeah, I noticed that."
"What are their full names?"
"Malcolm Ikito Chang Jr. & Mikaela Akiko Chang."
"That's so cute! I love Ikito!" Mercedes squealed.
"& Akiko is so sweet!" Quinn gushed lowly.
"How'd you come up with those names, Sis?" Mike asked.
"I didn't know what I was having so I picked one of each. I liked Ikito from jump street & I always thought Akiko was a good name to live up to." Marcy explained.
"Why Mikaela? Why name Mally after Mal?" Mercedes wanted to know.
"You know what Daddy says. A firstborn son automatically has the right to his father's name. I kinda believe in it. I've always liked Mikaela so that was an easy choice."
"Were they good babies?" Quinn asked.
"Pretty good. They didn't cry that much but I was so thankful to have them, I wouldn't have cared. I'm still like that, I think."
"Well you have them & they're not going anywhere." Mercedes said. "We're a family & we'll keep them safe at all costs."
"I know. I'll never let anything hurt them. & I know you won't either, which is why I trust you with them. Thanks for that by the way."
"Is there anyone you wouldn't trust with them?" Mercedes led.
"Don't ask asinine questions. You know very well I don't trust your mother around my children. I have to protect them more than spare her feelings."
"I know what she did was wrong. I'm not defending that. It's hard to come to grips about it & that's knowing that I kept my own illness a secret for years for fear of what happened to you happening to me but…"
"But?"
"I don't know. I was going to say she's still our mother but can you really call yourself a mother if you traumatize your kids?"
"I know you're not a mother but you're very empathic. You know how I feel."
"I can guess."
"I'm not being mean. I don't want her alone with them. I'm only staying until I legally get the hell away from her."
"It won't be that bad." Quinn promised. "We're here & she works all day. A lot of nights. You won't see her all that much."
"But I'm going to be so bored!" Marcy fell backwards. "There's nothing to do in lame Lima!"
"There's always shopping."
Marcy lifted her head & stuck out her tongue. "Have we met?!"
"Dude, you have something on your leg." Puck pointed out.
Marcy popped up & slapped at her legs. "Where?!"
Puck laughed. "It's not moving."
She rubbed at her legs harder. "I hate stuff touching me!"
Mike facepalmed. "They're your tattoos, Marce. He can't see."
She stopped freaking out. "Oh. Get some glasses, dude! I almost rubbed them off!"
"Wait. You have tattoos? You're a good girl, aren't you?" Puck asked in shock.
Marcy started laughing. "I'm good at a lot of things but being good is not one of them!"
Quinn giggled. "You're good at being bad."
"Completely."
"How'd you get tattoos?" Puck came closer to look.
"Some I did myself. I learned how to tattoo in India. That's why they have tattoos."
"I know Q has the one of Ryan Seacrest-"
"Don't remind me!" Quinn moaned. "I'm going to have to get that lasered off."
"Why'd you get it in the first place? & a tramp stamp at that!" Marcy rolled her eyes.
"I lost my mind." Quinn drolled.
"I'm never tattooing my lower back like it's the 1980s."
"But everywhere else is game?" Mike mocked.
"I got a new one." Marcy moved her hair from her neck. "It's a trail of butterflies like Queen Latifah has."
"How many do you have?" Puck looked at the blue, green, purple & red tiny butterflies spreading from her neck to her right shoulder.
"I have the butterflies here; I have this rainbow & dove here on my right wrist. Kinda. Does it still count as my wrist if it's all the way down there?"
"I don't think so." Mercedes said.
"Anyway, I have this one on my right calf, this one on my left calf, this one on my right thigh, this one higher up on my right thigh, this sun & moon on my upper left thigh.
One on the inside of my upper left thigh. I have a musical score on my love handles. I have the Gemini sign at the base of my neck by my left shoulder blade. I got a rainbow peace sign on my ribcage. I have a double M on my left shoulder.
I have a one on my arm by my elbow. I broke down & got a tattoo of Mal's name on my right hip. I have a pair of ballet slippers. Then I have the infinity sign on my left wrist under the thumb. I have a gingerbread man tat on the other side by my pinky.
Then I have "freedom" in Celtic written down my left arm on the seam so it's hard to see from the front. I have an open heart on my toe on my right foot. A tat on my left ankle. An open star on my right wrist by the pinky. & lastly a bunch of sweetpeas on my clavicle."
"That's… 23! How can I still see skin?!" Puck gaped.
"Because they're little. I want decoration, not submersion. There isn't one tattoo that's bigger than my palm. Except the writing but that's not all that big either."
"It's so cool. They're all spaced out & look nice. You'd think a tatted up chick would look dangerous but you're adorable!"
"What?!"
Mike & Quinn fell out laughing. Even Mercedes giggled. "She's not adorable!"
"Thank you!" Marcy sniffed.
"You're adorable." Puck insisted. "I know adorable. I've got a little sister that knows she's cute."
"I am not your little sister. I'm not adorable."
"What's wrong with being adorable?"
"I'm a grown woman!"
"You still have twenty-five days." Mike pointed out.
"Fine. I'm a mostly grown woman & I am not adorable." She stuck her nose in the air. "I gave Quinn that ladybug. What artist you know is adorable?"
"The fact that you gave her a ladybug means you're adorable! Where is it? I've never seen it."
Quinn pulled her shirt off her right shoulder. A tiny red ladybug sat facing the room.
Puck covered it with his index finger. "I can't believe you have another tattoo."
"I have another one, too."
"I've seen Mama's. What about you, Mike?"
"I got a few." Mike said mysteriously.
"How'd you get all these tattoos?" Puck wanted to know.
"I've been to some shady places. There's even a place in Lima that does it for anyone thirteen & up." Marcy told him.
"I got my brother one in LA at Christmas so I guess I know how easy it is."
"Do you still like the same stuff?" Mike asked.
"What do you mean?" Marcy didn't understand.
"You've obviously grown in the last year & a half. Do you like the same stuff or are you completely different?"
"I like the same stuff. I like playing music, dancing, playing sports, my art. I'm just a better person."
"Do you have any instruments?" Mercedes asked. "You kinda left everything here."
"I took my flute with me when I left for the convent & a pair of sticks but other than that, no. I'm trying to save up for a piano. I never thought the day would come when I would miss it."
"I knew I drove my roommate crazy playing my violin." Quinn said with a grin. "She didn't understand why I played everyday."
"Karen understood why I played my clarinet." Mercedes figured she had the best roommate ever.
"My roommate called me boring for playing the cello." Mike frowned. "He was a slacker anyway."
"I've never seen you play anything." Puck frowned, too.
"Remember than weird shaped case I brought to your house when I was pregnant?" Quinn asked.
"No! That was years ago!"
Quinn rolled her eyes. "You never heard me playing at night?"
"I sleep at night."
"With the way you snore, no wonder you didn't hear anything." Mercedes sassed.
He glared. "I don't remember you playing either!"
"You were always working. I can't help that you missed the free concert."
"I want you to play something right now."
"Right now?"
"Right now." He crossed his arms.
"Can I use your keyboard, Marce? He's nerve-wracking."
Marcy laid back. "Go ahead."
Mercedes went to the keyboard & turned it on. She began playing a song Puck didn't know.
"Antonin." Marcy smiled.
"I always loved his work." Quinn swayed slightly.
Mike picked up Mickey, who was wrapped around his legs so he could sit down. "I haven't played in a long while."
"Sometimes I would go to the music building & play." Quinn took a deep calming breath.
"Who wants tea?" Marcy caught Mally as he crashed into her. She tickled him.
"Tea sounds good. When is Marc coming back? He's been gone for an hour!"
Puck looked at all of them. "You're really going to ignore the fact that she can play like that?!"
"We all can. It was the first instrument we learned." Quinn stood up. "We can go through the rest of these cards later."
"I feel like we keep putting them off. & I'm okay with that." Marcy stood, too. "Do we have tea already made? I feel like iced tea. I'm really thirsty."
"I feel like I don't even know you guys sometimes." Puck blinked.
"Don't worry. You'll get to know us better, living with us." Mike stood.
"Hey! I'm back!" They heard Marc's voice.
"It's about time." Quinn took Mally from Marcy. "You'll never get packed this way."
Mercedes came from behind the keyboard. "I don't know how to tell him he has to go back out & get more."
M&MC
"Let me get this straight; you want us to go back to school with you? Why?" Marc didn't get it. "We couldn't have made a good impression yesterday."
"We can come up with something. No worries." Mercedes swore.
"Who will? Cuz you can't lie." Marcy pointed out.
"I lied to Tina & said we just got close this year. We can think of something just as good."
"Yeah, what's that about in the first place?" She folded her arms.
Quinn huffed. "It's all my fault, okay?! I didn't want anyone to know about Lucy Caboosy so I made them promise to act like we didn't know each other when high school started!"
Marc & Marcy looked at her like she was crazy. "What?!"
Puck, who didn't know how it all started, gaped. "What?!"
Quinn crossed her arms. "I was sick of being a loser & I hate to say it but I felt like a freak because of how we were. So I made them promise. It wasn't easy but I was cool so I was happy. Even when we joined glee, I asked them to still pretend. So no one but Santana knows that we're how we are."
"Why can't you tell them that you're a lying sack of-?"
"Marcy!" Mercedes slapped her arm. "Swear jar!"
"I didn't swear so no swear jar for me."
Puck snickered. "You have a swear jar?"
"It's unbecoming of young ladies & gentlemen to use unclean language." Marc recited.
"Where is it?"
Mercedes stood from her seat at the kitchen table to retrieve the large, clear plastic tub from a shelf. It was low on funds.
"It doesn't have a lot in it."
"We don't curse really."
"You say hell to the no all the time." He pointed out.
"& I put a quarter in every time."
"What do you do with the money? I hope it's something fun."
"Just buy stuff for the house." Mike shrugged.
"Let's get back to that you making them promise to ignore each other thing." Marc told Quinn. "Did that Lucy Caboosy stuff really mess you up like that?"
"Yes!" She hissed. "I went through two years of crap!"
"Why didn't you tell anybody?!" Marcy demanded.
"What could anyone have done?!"
"Got you counseling. Gave you thicker skin. Told you to fight back. Switch schools. A plethora of options, Blondie!" She listed.
"Well I was fourteen & I hated myself."
"But that's over!" Mercedes came back to the table & put her hand over Quinn's. "Right?!"
"Mostly."
"As long as it gets you out of bed, I'll take it."
"Why in the hell-"
"Noah!"
"Why on Earth-" Puck rolled his eyes. "Would you two agree to that?"
"Do you not know Quinn?" Mike gave him a droll look. "She gets her way."
"It was important to her." Mercedes swatted Mike. "She needed for us to do one little favor for her."
"At the expense of your soul & future relationships." Marcy added.
"You really know how to make me feel good about myself." Quinn muttered dryly.
"You would think you'd know by now, family is everything. You can make it through anything with love on your side."
Mercedes beamed. "She's right!"
Quinn made a noise of annoyance under her breath. "I know that. Now! I was insecure then."
"Then?" Marcy raised a brow.
"I'm mostly secure in who I am now."
"Then why don't you tell your friends the truth now?"
"That's Mercy's hang-up."
"I don't want them to think our whole friendships have been a lie. Why can't anybody understand that?!" Mercedes moaned.
"I don't see why it's anybody business to outright tell it but I don't see keeping it a secret either so I get not wanting to hurt someone's feelings but if they stop being friends with you because you didn't tell them your whole life story, you weren't really friends in the first place."
"I don't think we should hide it either. We're adults now & don't need anyone's permission to be what we've always been." Mike said.
"Remember Sam?" Mercedes asked Marcy.
"Gotta give me more than that." Marcy shook her head.
"Remember last year when you told me I was an idiot for dumping Sam?"
"I don't recall ever telling you, you were an idiot."
"Not in so many words though you used others but that was the gist. You didn't understand why I broke up with him. Right after you called Shane Biggie Smalls."
Marcy grinned as Mike & Puck laughed themselves silly. "Oh yeah. I remember. What about Sam?"
"Well he is one of Mikey's best friends & he's my ex-boyfriend. Tina is one of my best friends & Mikey's ex-girlfriend. I know they both are going through something but I don't want to hurt either one of them."
"& they might be hurt if they learn that you two have been friends since you came to America? Even worse to find out you're dating?" Marcy guessed.
"Yes! Somebody who gets it!"
"You are St. Mercy."
Mercedes's jaw dropped as the guys laughed. "I am not! Why are you calling me that?!"
"Mercy, you owe the world nothing but you are always sacrificing yourself. I'm big on friendship but I'm also big on being honest with myself. You've already broken girl code by dating each other's exes in the past, what's the matter with doing it now?"
"Because we should be better friends now. After everything we have been through, we should be better friends than dating each other's exes. I was hurt when I found out Sam & Brittany was dating & I'm willing to bet Tina will be upset if she finds out Mikey & I am dating."
"Didn't you get over it?"
"What?"
"Sam & Brittany. Didn't you get over the fact that they're dating?"
"They broke up."
"Would you still be hung up on that if they were still together?"
"No. I was so over it before they got married."
"They got married?! I know people called Britt a dumb blonde but I've never believed it."
"It really was stupid." Puck snorted with an eye-roll. "They thought the world was ending so they got married."
"Wow. Just wow."
"The point is, I'm over it." Mercedes said.
"& my point is, Sam & Tina will get over it, too. Especially if you're really good friends. Relationships come & go but friendships should prevail. They'll be mad for the moment but they'll get over it. Unless you aren't really good friends."
"That's all you have?! They'll get over it?! That's how you justify hurting people?!"
"I justify hurting people by not caring. Sociopath remember? I've never cared about other people's feelings." Marcy raised a brow.
"That's not me!"
"I know. You have to do things your own way in your own time with your own conscious. But can you honestly tell me you'd rather not be with Mikey & keep your friendship record spotless or would you hold onto whatever this is & go through a rough patch that you won't remember in your golden age?"
"I'm happy with Mikey." Mercedes took his hand.
"It's an either or thing, Mercy."
"You really think we should tell them?"
"I think you shouldn't hide something that makes you happy. But what do I know? I'm just a mentally ill seventeen year old."
"She's right." Marc said. "If it makes you happy, it shouldn't be hidden like a dirty little secret."
"You guys are making me feel as though I'm ashamed of my stable relationship." Mercedes frowned.
"Your words; not ours."
Mercedes huffed. "I'll think about it. I still don't want to hurt anyone & I won't if I can help it. But until then, we need a lie to tell everyone about what happened yesterday."
"Luckily, you have a great liar in your midst." Marc spread his arms wide.
"Q." Marcy said at the same time Mike said, "Puck."
"Me!" Marc snapped.
"You shouldn't be proud of that." Marcy twisted her lips.
"Ugh!" Marc threw up his hands. "Just tell them that there was a big misunderstanding. That there was a mixed signal somewhere & we got our wires crossed."
"How does that explain what happened yesterday? That doesn't explain why we were all yelling at each other in several different languages they didn't even know we speak." Quinn was confused.
"Do they know you speak any other languages?"
"We all took Spanish."
"Too bad you can't say we were all just speaking Spanish."
"I didn't say they all aced it. Mr. Shue was a terrible Spanish teacher."
"Then go with that. It'll cover why you all know it."
"Okay, why were we arguing with each other?" Mercedes wanted to know. "We have language covered & that it was crossed wires but why were we arguing with each other?"
"& why were our parents there in the first place?" Mike brought up. "Tina asked me & I said that I didn't know but they would have told us by now."
Marc groaned. "We weren't fighting. We were excitedly talking & it sounded like fighting cuz they don't understand Spanish. Our parents showed up cuz one of us called our parents & for some weird reason they called you guys' parents."
"& what reason would that be?" Mercedes twirled a hand.
"Because they wanted them to meet Marcy!" Marc clapped once in excitement.
Mercedes grinned. "I like this! Why did Marcy slap Mal?"
"That misunderstanding. She thought he was someone else. Someone who owed her money."
"& which person will be telling these helacious lies?" Marcy wanted to know.
"Me of course." Quinn sucked her teeth. "You know these two can't lie to save their lives."
"What about whenever you do tell your supposedly good friends the truth about you? Think they're not going to feel betrayed that you blatantly lied to them even after you had the chance to be honest? The longer you lie, the longer it's going to take for them to forgive you. If that's what you want."
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Mercedes promised. "So let's go over it again. It was all just a big misunderstanding…"
M&MC
"Really?" Mr. Shue was unsure.
"Yes." Quinn replied smoothly. "She apologized & everything for mistaking him for someone else."
"We're just here to smooth things over & to let you know we're not crazy." Marc swore.
"Who were you on the phone with though?" Tina asked Marcy.
"None of your business." Marcy didn't miss a beat.
Tina was taken aback & her mouth fell open.
Mercedes facepalmed. "She doesn't mean that."
"It's a sin to tell an untruth."
"Don't listen to her, Tina. She really doesn't mean to be so rude & mean!"
Marcy rolled her eyes.
"Can I just ask about your tattoos, Ms. Lady?" Jake grinned, looking over her in her outfit with jean jacket & brown fringe booties.
"What about them?"
"Did they hurt?" Ryder asked.
"Painfully so. I thought I was going to die." She said with a completely straight face.
"Really?!" Blaine leaned forward. "Did you get all these done at once?"
"No."
"Then why did you get them done if they hurt so much?" Kitty didn't get it as she crossed her arms.
"Pain turns me on."
Puck tried not to laugh but he couldn't help it. "She was joking!"
"What?" Ryder was lost.
"When she said it hurt to get the tattoos, she was joking." Mike explained.
Jake laughed. "You are amazing!"
"I like to think so." Marcy said.
Mr. Shue hid a smile. "Well now that yesterday is explained, how about we show our visitors what we're all about?"