I should have said this years ago but I see Wayne Brady as Marcus & Vanessa Williams as Rose.
NJPNJPNJP
"Are you going to eat today?" Rose asked Marcy.
"Yes, I am." Marcy finished pouring the twins juice before floating out to get dressed.
Rose blew out a breath. "Does that mean I made waffles for nothing?"
"We like waffles." Marc tried to make her feel better.
Rose set a platter on the table. "I suppose."
"Is this a raspberry?" Marcus demanded as he picked a red fruit out of his waffle.
"Yes." Rose sat down.
"I don't like raspberries."
"Since when?"
"Since always. They have the little seeds."
"Then eat around them, Marcus." She was tired of the complaints.
"No, thank you. The whole waffle's tainted. I'll just have toast."
"Daddy, you don't know how to make toast." Mercedes frowned a little in worry.
"I can make toast, Princess." Marcus stood up.
"Don't burn down my kitchen, Marcus!" Rose warned.
"Calm down, woman. I can make toast."
M&MC
"Don't put it in the sink!" Marcy yelled.
"We can't leave it in here!" Mercedes protested.
"Just tell me where to go with it!" Marcus snapped.
"Take it outside!" Rose pointed.
Marcus ran for the sliding door.
"Not the backyard! There's grass out there! Flammable grass!"
Marc climbed down from turning off the fire alarm. "Where's the broom? We need to get the fire out."
Marcy ran to get it then followed her father out the front door.
Rose rubbed her temples. "He's never making toast again."
Mercedes went to the twins & hugged them. "Are you alright?"
Mickey nodded but Mally wanted to know something. "Why did that shiny thing be on fire?"
"Gramps doesn't know how to make toast." Marc snorted.
"Now I have to buy a new toaster. Great." Rose drank her coffee.
Marc started fanning the putrid air with the dish cloth Mercedes had had. "Let's just be glad the whole kitchen didn't catch on fire!"
Marcy ran in. "The broom's on fire!"
"Why?!" Rose gave up.
Marc threw the dish towel back to Mercedes. "Call the fire department. We're not handling this well."
"I don't know the fire department's number!" Mercedes caught the rag.
"Call the police then!" He turned & hustled Marcy out.
Mercedes grabbed her phone off the table & dialed 911 as she fluttered the towel in the general area of the smoky area. "Hello? I need the fire department to come to 1916 Oak Ridge Dr. There's a fire."
Rose sipped her coffee as she listened to her daughter give details on what happened. She couldn't believe her husband was that bad a cook that he set the toaster on fire making toast.
Mercedes hung up. "They'll be here soon."
"The whole neighborhood is going to be talking."
"At least we'll be alive to talk, too."
"I suppose." Rose put her empty cup down. "Would you like more coffee?"
"Sure. How much worse can it get really?"
Marc ran in. "How soon will they be here?!"
"Why?" Mercedes started. "What happened?"
"We might have to leave. We set the lawn on fire."
M&MC
Laura found a parking spot & got out of the car. "What's going on here?!"
Quinn gaped as fire trucks & the people they belonged to were stationed outside of the Jones' residence. "Was there a fire?!"
"Come on." Laura beckoned her sister on & they went to the front of the house. They gasped as they saw the charred mess on the walkway & the burned patches in the grass. "Pop! Pop, what's going on?!"
Marcus finished talking with a firefighter. He walked over to the blondes. "Be careful. We had a little mishap."
"We see." Quinn looked around. "What happened?"
He set his mouth. "Go in the house."
"But Pop-"
"House!" Marcus cut Laura off.
The two hurried inside & saw more firefighters inside, taking pictures. They tried to stay out of the way & get answers at the same time.
Quinn went to Mercedes's side. "What on Earth happened?"
"Daddy made toast."
"What?!" Laura turned around.
"Dad tried to make toast & the house exploded." Marc taunted.
"Does this mean we're not going to the beach?" Quinn asked.
"Quinn!" Laura admonished.
Quinn shrugged. "What?"
"We're totally going." Mercedes shook her head. "I just have to get dressed."
"Marc, you're watching the kids." Laura bossed.
Marc glared at her. "I have stuff to do today!"
"Too bad! We're going to the beach."
"Take them with you!"
"I want Marcy to relax. She can't do that if she's scared that they're going to drown!"
"What?! they've never been to the beach before?!"
"No! They're a year & a half!"
"Right."
"Stop fighting." Rose sighed. "Marc, can you just watch the kids? Just reschedule what you were going to do."
"I don't have nothing to do."
Laura glared at him. "You're a rotten human being!"
"& you're boring."
"Children!" Rose raised her voice.
Mercedes gripped Quinn's hand. "Come with me. They're enough to drive anyone crazy."
"They're just enough." Marcy took each of her children's hands & led them out.
"Agreed." Quinn squeezed Mercedes's hand & led her out. They went upstairs & to the brunette's room.
Mercedes shut the door. "I don't know what to wear."
"It doesn't matter right now. We're only going to the store."
"But I don't want to mess up a bunch of clothes."
"Wear a sun dress. It'll be easier to take off & put on." Quinn advised.
"Good idea!" Mercedes had already washed her body so she just went to find a sundress. She looked through her bags of clothes until she found a black one with cutout designs. She knew it'd attract heat but it was so cute.
She found underwear & quickly slipped into them. She pulled the sundress over her head & exited the closet.
"Do you have any flip-flops?" Quinn asked. She kicked her feet as she sat in the window-seat.
Mercedes saw her white open-toed shoes. "No. I packed away nearly all my shoes."
"No wonder you've been shoe shopping so much!"
"We'll just have to go to a shoe store & find some." Mercedes smiled as she picked up her purse & beckoned Quinn on. "Let's go."
They exited the room & went downstairs, where they saw Marcy sitting on the bottom steps. "Hey? What are you sitting here for?"
"Waiting for you." Marcy stood up.
"We have to go to the store to find flip-flops." Mercedes got right to it to get the fight over with.
"Whatever." Marcy shrugged. "I can't exactly go to the beach in chucks."
Mercedes was thrilled at the easy victory. "Okay! Where's Laura?"
"Messing with the twins. She keeps kissing them & telling them she's going to miss them."
"Why?" Quinn wanted to know.
"Because she's weird." Marcy walked away.
"Hey, the firefighters are gone." Mercedes noticed. "I wonder what happened?"
"I don't know. Want to find out?" Quinn asked.
"I don't know. That seems like a lot of trouble."
"Some of those firemen were cute."
Mercedes laughed. "Quinn!"
"What?! They were! Don't act like you didn't notice!"
"I liked the one with the wavy hair. He was really cute."
"Shoulda seen the one with the scar." Marcy piped up.
"Ah!" Mercedes & Quinn jumped.
"Sorry. Laura is right behind me."
"& wondering why you're all checking out firemen!" Laura chided.
"Because they're hot!" Marcy duhed.
Quinn pointed to her. "Right. The one with those blue eyes was amazing to look at."
Laura blew out a breath. "Have I taught you girls nothing?!"
"I wasn't trying to pick up a grown man. I have a man." Mercedes said.
"Good girl." Laura pinched her cheek affectionately.
Quinn & Marcy gave each other telling looks. "Let's go."
"Okay. We'll go to the summer shop then come back for everything else we need." Laura got her keys out of her purse.
"We'll need to wash our bathing suits." Marcy reminded them.
"Oh yeah. Who knows what's been happening with those suits before we get there?!" Mercedes waved her hands.
"Thank you. I don't want anyone's skid marks on me."
"Gross!" All three yelled.
"But I'm right."
"Marcy, if you keep it up, you're going to have your mouth washed out with soap!" Laura warned.
Marcy groaned. "Can we just go?"
"Yes. We're losing sunlight." The four left the house & got in Laura's car. The blonde drove to the mall. They got out & walked inside to a shop that sold beach wear.
A perky tanned blonde bounded up to them. "Hello! Welcome to Sun Shack! What are you looking for today?!"
"You exhaust me." Marcy said at once.
Laura elbowed her. "We're looking for swimwear."
"& flip-flops if you've got them." Quinn put in.
"Okay?" The woman blinked, not used to the attitude. "We've got a nice selection of one pieces & bikinis. We even have tankinis."
"Good." Mercedes smiled. The woman smiled back, now at ease. "Do you have animal print?"
The saleswoman beamed. "Yes, we do. I love animal print-"
"Surprise, surprise." Marcy muttered.
"I uh- I know we have a new shipment of leopard print one pieces that'll look great on you!" The woman regained her enthusiasm.
"Can you show us please?" Mercedes was pleasant.
"Yes. This way." The clerk led the way to a rack that had bathing suits. "This would look great on your figure."
Mercedes loved everything about the suit. It was black with a built in bra & waist thinner. It had a skirt to go to it in leopard print & would skim her upper thighs. "I want it!"
"Anything for me?" Quinn asked.
"Sure." The older blonde led them to another rack with bikinis. "What color would you like?"
"I want a bright color." Quinn looked through the rack. The bikinis were different colors with different colored straps.
"Chose that one." Marcy pointed. "That's sure to get you attention."
"Exactly what I want!" Quinn snatched up the peach suit with turquoise straps.
Laura rolls her eyes. "I want a one piece."
"What kind?" The saleswoman asked. "We have one pieces with cutouts."
"Sure." Laura shrugged.
The woman led them to a section with one pieces with the sides cut out in triangles.
Laura picked up a bright neon pink one. "I'm in love!"
"What about you?" The woman asked Marcy. "Want a two piece?"
"Do I look like I should be in a two piece?" Marcy cocked her head.
"You could be proud of your body. Some curvy girls wouldn't mind showing off what they have."
"I'm not an idiotic slutbomb."
"Excuse me?" The woman's eyes widened.
"Marcy's a kidder." Laura smiled to cover up her anger. "She would like to be modest & go for a one piece."
"Any preferences?"
"Wow. A three syllable word." Marcy blinked.
"Such a kidder!" Laura laughed falsely.
"I can find my own bathing suit. Just show my sisters the flip-flops. I'll see you." Marcy walked off.
"She's funny. So funny."
The saleswoman grinned. "Oh! Is she professional?"
"Professionally something." Quinn muttered.
Mercedes elbowed her. "No. She's a dancer."
"Is she good?" The woman asked.
"Very. It makes up for her sense of humor." Laura blinked.
The woman nodded. "Would you follow me to the sandals?"
M&MC
Mercedes put the green one piece with a black jungle scene in the washing machine & poured in a bit of washing powder. "This shouldn't take long."
"Yeah. About twenty minutes." Laura checked the controls.
"Are we going to dry them or wear them wet? We are going to the beach." Marcy asked.
"Yes, we're going to dry them. It shouldn't take long." Laura led the way to the living room. "What do you want to watch?"
"What's on TV?" Mercedes sat on the couch.
"TV? I don't know. It's nine o'clock in the morning."
"Let's watch the View." Quinn suggested.
"Aw geez." Marcy rolled her eyes.
"What's wrong with the View, Marce?" Laura turned the TV on.
"We're not little old ladies or bored housewives."
"What you're saying is you want a drink?" Quinn guessed.
"You know me so well." Marcy faux teared up.
"You have to drink to watch the View?" Mercedes shook her head.
"Not have to."
"Do we have to talk about your alcohol consumption?" Laura demanded.
"Not even." Marcy sat down.
"Just bring a bottle of wine, Quinn. We might as well all have a glass. But only one. We have to drive." Laura scolded.
"We? We're not going together?" Mercedes was confused as Quinn left.
"I have a meeting today & I have to leave early to make it on time."
"What kind of meeting? If you don't mind me asking."
"It's a meeting with my lawyer. I just need to make sure my assets are still just mine. Robert didn't fight me on anything but I want to make sure there are no surprises. You never know."
"Good idea." Marcy commented.
"Thanks." Laura flipped through the channels until she found the iconic program. "I'm just glad this is all over. The last year has been a complete hassle."
"When did you ask for a divorce? You did ask, right?" Mercedes wanted to know.
"Yeah, I asked. It was after the summer. I was at camp again & I just didn't know what to do. I'd graduated college & needed to know what to do with my life. I did not have a clue. I thought the summer would tell me what I wanted but it just told me what I didn't."
Quinn came back with a tray holding four glasses of wine. "Here we are. What's happened so far?"
"Laura thought camp would tell her what to do with her life but it told her that Robert was dead weight." Marcy said.
"That is not what I said!" Laura snapped.
"It's the cliff notes version." She lifted a shoulder.
Laura sighed as she took a glass. "Whatever. By the time Halloween rolled around, I gave him the papers."
"Camp is over in August. Why did it go all the way to October?" Mercedes didn't get it.
"I wanted to make sure everything was the way it was supposed to. & I needed to make sure I wanted to end four years of marriage. It was a difficult decision."
"Because you were attached to him?!" Marcy couldn't believe it.
"Because I enjoyed being married. I liked being a wife. I just didn't like being his wife."
"We could have told you that." Quinn set the tray on the table as they all took a sip.
"We did tell you that." Marcy reminded her.
Laura sucked her teeth.
Mercedes took her hand. "She wanted what she wanted."
"& it wasn't Robert!" Marcy made a displeased face. "She wanted the jackass that refused to say a word all the way to the altar."
Quinn clinked glasses with her. "I know! He just sat there with his mouth all poked out!"
"Men have their pride." Mercedes rolled her eyes & sighed. "& Marc more than most."
"Well his pride cost him five years with his one true love so let's see if it's been worth it." Marcy bit off.
"I'm so glad you don't think it's my fault!" Laura was relieved.
"I didn't say all that."
Laura gaped.
"I'm just saying it wasn't all your fault. It's fifty-fifty."
"& you think you're not doing the same thing with Jr.?"
"Why does every conversation lead back to me & Mal?" Marcy groaned.
"Seriously, why are you kissing him?" Mercedes turned to her. "Is it really because he's ambushing you?"
"Yes!" Marcy snapped before rolling her eyes. "No!"
"Then why are you all over him like a cheap suit?" Quinn asked.
"Thank you." She deadpanned.
"Marcy." Mercedes said.
"I can't exactly help it. He gets in my face & my instinct is to press my mouth to his."
"It's just instinct?" Laura questioned. "If it were instinct, then I'd be all over Marc."
"You have that verbal foreplay so I think I proved my point."
Mercedes & Quinn snorted with laughter as Laura's eyes grew. "Excuse me?!"
"You're not fooling anybody. I bet that you're going to hookup again before this year's out."
"Never!" Laura swore.
"Guaranteed."
"Mrs. C said the same about you." Mercedes reminded her.
Marcy thought about it. "I bet I win before she does."
"So you think you will end back up with Jr.?" Quinn pressed.
"I don't know the future. I don't know if this thing with Pierre will work out. I don't know if I'll ever forgive Mal. I don't know anything but I'm trying to do what's right for me."
"You don't owe it to us to be with him." Mercedes was going against the plan. "You have to be happy in your relationship & if you're not happy, you shouldn't be in your relationship."
"I don't know about making me happy but I know Pierre makes me feel better. Like how you feel when you have an itch & you scratch it?"
"Literally?" Laura questioned doubtfully.
"Literally."
"That's different."
"I know."
"How does being with Mal make you feel?" Mercedes had to know.
"It's crazy."
"Tell us." Quinn was right there with her. She just had to know.
Marcy sipped her wine. "You know how when you have a big cry? the kind where you have the hiccups & you can't breathe & you have to hold onto something so you don't fall off the planet? He's the thing I hold on to. Like aloe on a burn. Like a sweater & hot chocolate on a snow day. Like an Outshine bar in ninety degree weather. Like a shower after being dirty all day. Like doing charity work."
"These are good feelings, yes?" Mercedes was slightly confused.
"Yes. It's like relaxation & comfort with a dash of self-worth all mixed together for the cocktail to happiness."
"& you don't want to feel that?!" Quinn didn't understand at all.
"I don't feel it at the moment. Since all that stuff went down with the convent & the twins being born & stuff, I'd been feeling icky. Especially towards him. I haven't gotten over it. Being with him now feels like poison ivy being scrubbed into my skin. Like some person is drawing on me with mud or oil. Like being sick in July. It's awful."
"I think I understand." Laura said quietly. "I felt like that with Marc. The good stuff? But after we cheated, I felt the ickiness. It's been like that ever since. But it's different now that I'm divorced. It feels like I'm alive now. Like the first day of spring when you open up the windows & doors."
"I like how being with Sonny makes me feel." Mercedes pursed her lips consideringly.
"I like how being with Puck makes me feel, too." Quinn said. "I feel accepted."
"Yes!" Mercedes lifted a fist. "Mike knows everything about me. We even played a game on our first date where he answered every question I threw at him. Being with someone I can't hide from & have no secrets from is liberating. I can be me without having some person judge me when they don't even know me."
"Exactly! Finn was always trying to make me into someone different. Someone who wasn't me & I couldn't stand that. He wanted someone who wore her heart on her sleeves & that just wasn't me. We fought about that."
"Sam put me on a pedestal & panicked every time I tried to climb down." Mercedes rolled her eyes. "He was convinced I was this perfect person & it was difficult to live up to it or live it down. Mikey knows I'm not perfect & the doofus points it out."
"Puck has no problems pointing out when he thinks I'm wrong." Quinn said flatly as she sipped her wine.
"Jr. is always picking at me." Marcy said irritably.
"Marc points out my shortcomings like it's a paying job." Laura went on.
"They suck!" Quinn drank the last of her wine.
"They have a lot of nerve!" Marcy upended her glass. "They're no princes!"
"I kind of think Mike is." Mercedes said meekly. The blondes gave her dirty looks. "Nevermind."
"I should check on the swimsuits." Laura took the glasses to the kitchen before putting the wet suits in the dryer. She came back & sat on the couch. "I just want an afternoon with my sisters, ogling cute men."
"Amen!" Marcy rolled her eyes. "I just want to relax."
Mercedes high-fived Quinn. "& you will!"
"Did you have fun with Marc yesterday?" Quinn asked.
"Yes. I got to ride a bunch of rides & didn't have to wait in big lines. It was fun but I couldn't relax. You know me." Marcy lifted her shoulders carelessly.
"You can't relax on a rollarcoaster! It's impossible!" Mercedes proclaimed.
"Exactly. But it was still fun."
"Today's going to be way better." Mercedes promised.
"Of course! Beach bods."
M&MC
The girls finished drying their clothes before packing Laura's car with beach items like towels, sun lotion, umbrellas & lunch.
Laura slipped her suit on then put a dress on over it. She wore pink flip-flops & packed fancy shoes for later.
Quinn put her suit on then blue jean shorts & a short sleeve button up shirt. She wore orange flip-flops.
The foursome rode to the Jones', where Mercedes put her suit on under her sundress, grabbed a sarong & her towel. She wore purple flip-flops.
Marcy changed into her suit then put on blue jean shorts with a plaid red short sleeved button up shirt, green flip-flops, straw hat & sunglasses. She grabbed a beach towel, a book & a radio on her way downstairs.
They loaded Travis up before putting apple & strawberry juices in the picnic basket & loading it in the car. They kissed the twins goodbye (with Mercedes kissing Mike, who'd come over to help watch the twins & the blondes messing with Marc) before getting into the cars & driving off, music blasting.
They made it to the beach in one piece.
They picked good spots & set up blankets & umbrellas before putting the baskets between them & laying their stuff out. Then they got undressed & slathered on sun lotion.
"Take a picture of me." Quinn shook her hair out as she reclined on her blanket with a knee cocked up. "I want Santana to suffer."
Mercedes took a picture on the blonde's phone. "Stop competing with her. It's not healthy for your relationship."
"Competition is good for every relationship." Marcy denied.
"Not the way you are with Jr.!" Quinn sent the photo. "You two are downright scary."
"Are not!"
"Yes, you are. Add Sonny to the mix & we have trash talking, body contact & hurt feelings. You're all crazy." Laura stretched out on her blanket.
"I sometimes think you're not going to be good after your famous rows & I hate that." Mercedes laid on her stomach.
"You're all so wimpy." Marcy laid on her back & put her arms behind her head. "Competition is the foundation for every great empire."
"I can't with you. Just go to sleep, silly girl."
"Why in the world would I go to sleep in public?"
"You need sleep." Quinn said.
"She told you. Should have known."
"Told what?" Laura sat up. "What's going on?"
"No! Nobody tell her!" Marcy turned so her back was facing them.
"Mercedes Catherine Victoria Taylor-Jones & Lucille Quinn Fabray, you have exactly two seconds to tell me what is going on!"
Mercedes cringed. "What did I do?"
"Tell me right now."
Mercedes sighed. "She's not sleeping. She reads, writes & plays the flute at night instead of sleeping."
"Why?" Laura demanded.
"I'm supposed to be relaxing!" Marcy shouted.
"Why, Mercy?" Laura ignored her.
"Because of her nightmares." Mercedes told.
"You're still having those?!" Laura turned to Marcy.
"Wait! You knew about this?" Mercedes was in shock.
"Of course I knew! I was eight when it started happening. I can remember her whimpering in her sleep during naptime."
Mercedes frowned. "I don't remember that."
"Me either!" Quinn snapped.
"You were kids." Laura waved them away. "She would refuse to go down because she was so scared."
Mercedes didn't like this. "Why didn't anyone ever tell us?!"
"You were kids." Laura repeated. "She needed help. I thought she got it."
"Just because we were kids, didn't mean we couldn't help." Quinn was just as upset. "Just like we can help her now."
"What can you do?" Laura wasn't trying to be mean. She was asking because she wanted to help, too.
"I don't know! But we have to try something! When was the last time you've gotten any real rest, Marcy?"
"When I was two." Marcy bit off.
"That's sixteen years of bad rest. We have to do something."
Mercedes felt Quinn was right. "We can stay up with you at night. So you don't be lonely."
"Lonely?!" Marcy squeaked. "Who said I'm lonely?!"
"You're up night after night by yourself. You're lonely."
Marcy just rolled her eyes hard.
"We could watch movies at night." Quinn suggested. "You like movies. We'll even watch the black & white ones."
"We can make up new routines. I know how much fun that is for us." Mercedes added. "We can put music to your lyrics. Lyrics to your music. Ooh! You could draw us!"
"You know I can't draw people." Marcy mumbled.
"Besides the point, Marce." Laura sighed. "We're going to help you through this."
"It's not the common cold!" Marcy sat up. "I've been dealing with this for sixteen years! Having you give up your sleep is not a cure!"
"Why are you so prickly?! We just want to help!"
"I have meds but I can't take them. Every time I try to swallow them, I choke."
"What? Why?" Mercedes asked.
"I don't know. They just won't stay down. My gag reflex is workin overtime. I don't know what to do."
Quinn caught the quiver in her voice. "I'm so sorry, honey."
"It's not like it's your fault." Marcy frowned as she looked away.
"But we're your sisters. We feel your pain." Mercedes said. "We go through what you go through."
"We're going to help you through this." Laura promised. "You won't be alone."
"I'm not lonely, dammit!" Marcy growled.
"Then what are you?!" Mercedes pressed.
"I'm bored! I'm bored & sleepy & tired & pissed! I'm exhausted &- &- & I'm scared." Marcy flopped down on her blanket & buried her face in her crossed arms.
Mercedes scooted over & wrapped an arm around her sister's back. "Oh, Marce."
"Stop it."
Quinn hated hearing the tears in her soft voice. "It's okay to be scared, Marcy."
"Not for me."
"Why not?" Laura asked.
"Because I'm always afraid." She sniffed. "Do you know how stupid is it when you can't trust your own eyes & ears? I've been in & out of imaginary worlds for so long that when the curtain was pulled back, I was still confused."
The others were dead quiet as she spoke.
"I had no peace during the day or the night. It's why I was always sleepy. Why I have puffy eyes. Why I'm so jumpy. I haven't had a moments rest until I started taking my meds regularly. But I still can't rest at night. These nightmares are driving me crazy."
"What do you dream of?" Laura asked.
"Lots of things. Monsters, people, death, it doesn't matter."
"Do you have nightmares every night?" Quinn questioned.
"Yes. Multiple times a night. In the day, too if I fall asleep."
"How about you wake us up when you have a nightmare & we'll sit up with you?" Mercedes suggested.
"What would that accomplish?"
"You can tell us about your dream & maybe it'll be less scary?"
"I don't think it works that way." Marcy was unsure.
"How do you know if you don't try?"
"Because waking up is hard. I just turn over & fall into another nightmare."
"Well whenever you do wake up, let us know."
"I'm supposed to walk around the corner to the Fabray house?"
Laura pursed her lips. "We're going to be staying with you some nights & you'll stay at our house."
"Yay."
Quinn got up & went over to Marcy to hug her. "You know you love us."
"This isn't going to work." Marcy dislodged both Mercedes & Quinn off her.
"Be optimistic for once in your life!" Mercedes forced enthusiasm into her voice. "This is going to work!"
"No, it won't." Marcy sat up.
"Yes, it is & we're going to find a way for you to take that medicine. There's no reason for you to suffer if you don't have to." Laura decided.
"Can we get in the water? This is a depressing way to spend beach day." Marcy hooked a thumb to the lake.
"There are more people here." Quinn said. "They should see us looking so good."
"Did you just channel Santana?" Mercedes giggled.
"Maybe?" The blonde shrugged then pulled Marcy up. "Race you to the sea?"
"It's on!" The dancer hip-checked Quinn before running for the shore.
Quinn fell in the sand & crossed her arms angrily. "Ugh!"
Laura & Mercedes laughed. "You know she was going to do that."
Quinn got up. "I thought I'd at least have a chance!"
M&MC
"You could help me, you know." Marc snapped.
Mike grinned. "Nah, you're good."
"You're a pain." Marc looked under the couch but couldn't find Mickey nor Mally.
"& you suck at this game." Mike continued videotaping on his phone.
"I do not!" Marc sprouted irritably.
"It's been twenty minutes & you haven't found either twin."
"I will! I have to. Marcy'll kill me!" Marc checked the curtains then behind the chairs. He got the bright idea to look in the fireplace but it was empty.
"Do you need help?" Mike teased.
"No!" Marc growled.
"Alright." Mike hunkered down on the couch to watch.
Marc sighed before running his fingers over his braids. "Where could they be?!"
"Are you wanting my input now?"
Marc threw a dark glare his way.
Mike shrugged. "Well this has been fun but I gotta go."
"Where are you going?!" Marc set his fists on his hips.
"I'm taking Puck & Finn shopping with me."
Marc made a perplexed face. "Huh?!"
"We're going to the store. I need their opinion on something."
"More shoes? You & your girlfriend with your shoes!"
"Shut up." Mike got up.
"You're seriously going to leave me with the disappearing duo?"
"Yup. I'll be back." Mike walked out. He went to the kitchen & to the pantry. He opened the door & said, "See you soon."
"Bye, Tio." Came whispered words.
He shut the door before going to the fridge & getting a bottle of water.
"You're still here?" Marc walked in.
Mike shook the bottle. "I'm leaving. I'm leaving." He walked outside & around the corner to his house. He jumped in his car & drove to a store outside of town.
He parked Rhonda & got out. He saw a truck & walked to it before knocking on the window when he got there. The door opened & he backed up. "Hey."
"Hey." Finn got out. They slapped hands. "Why did you want to meet here?"
Mike was about to answer when a horn cut him off. It was Puck. He waited for the rocker to park & exit his truck & walk over before saying, "I want to buy Mercy something."
"Here?" Pick slapped hands with his boys.
"Yeah. I kinda owe her."
"Well let's go." Finn led the way. "What is this place?"
Mike looked up at the squat, dark red, nondescript building. "You'll see."
They went inside & immediately noticed a difference. It was wall to wall women's lingerie.
"I've come home!" Puck wiped away an imaginary tear.
"You're sickening." Mike walked in & tried to find an attendant.
Finn, bright red, followed closely as Puck drooled over every article they passed.
There was a counter with a woman standing behind it not far in the store & it was there Mike & the guys went. "Hello!"
"Hi." Mike waved. "I'm looking for something for my girlfriend."
"Lucky girl." She winked.
Mike brought out his phone. "I need a night dress. Silk."
"What kind are you looking for? Long? Short? Sleeves? Details?"
Mike gaped. "I don't know."
"How about I show you some stuff & you tell me what she'd like?" The woman came from around the counter.
"Who cares what she likes; buy what you want to see her in!" Puck muttered.
Finn elbowed him. "Act right."
"I am! We're in heaven, boys!"
Mike pinched the bridge of his nose. "Thank you, Miss."
The woman blushed as she led the way to the night-rails. "Here we are. These are sleeveless, long & have decals. & they're silk."
Mike picked up a hanger & examined it. "What do you think?"
"It's hot. Red hot." Puck said.
"Finn, you tell me if you think Mercy will like it."
"I haven't ever seen her nightwear so I don't know." Finn shrugged.
"I have & I know that'll look good on her!" Puck snatched the hanger.
Mike snatched it back. "I know it'll look good on her-"
"You want to know if it'll look better on the floor?"
Puck had said it so seriously, the saleswoman blushed. Mike narrowed his eyes. "It was a big mistake asking you for help."
"Come on. You know why you wanted me here. This is my area. Just let me take over."
"Why would I do that?"
"Why are you buying her a nightgown in the first place?" He asked instead.
Mike blushed & ducked his head. "I ripped one."
"What?" Finn didn't hear.
"I said I ripped one!"
The saleswoman gasped as Finn's eyes widened & Puck fell out laughing.
Mike sighed. "I accidentally ripped the one she was wearing last night."
Puck was leaned over laughing. "I can't believe it! Mild mannered Mike got it in! Did she freak out?"
"She wasn't exactly thrilled."
"I can just see it! If she doesn't like hair pulling, I know she ate you up for ripping her dress!"
"Actually I can pull her hair now. Now that she's wearing her hair, I can pull all I want." Mike was happy about that. He really was a hair puller.
"You lucky son-of-a-bitch. Every time my hands got near her head, she'd cuss me out!"
Mike grinned. "She likes me better."
"We've got to switch! At least once!"
"I'll think about it." Mike held out the hanger. "Try to find one better than this one."
"I wonder if she'll wear it?" Finn pondered.
Puck snickered. "Not for long if Mike has his say…"
M&MC
"I wish I had brought my swim cap! This is ridiculous!" Mercedes complained.
"Your hair will be pretty. Mine will look like I stuck my finger in a socket." Marcy reasoned.
"You both have pretty hair & this is natural water so you don't have to worry about chemicals." Laura settled their fears. "Are you going to get back in any time soon?"
"No, I'm eating." Marcy bit into a cucumber slice.
"I'm fine lying here." Mercedes was texting Santana.
"Yes, you are." A deep voice said.
The four girls turned to see a group of young men standing to the right of them.
The one who had spoken took off his shades & put them in his wavy brown hair. "Excuse me, Miss but I have just got to learn your name."
Mercedes gaped, unable to say a word but Quinn could. "It's Vic. Her name's Vic."
He made a considering face. "Cool name for a woman. Hello, Vic. It's nice to meet you. My name is Aaron. These are my friends, Dominic-" He pointed to the Latino by Marcy, who kept winking at her. "Johnny." He pointed to the Asian by Laura, who was blushing. "& Craig." He pointed to the African American by Quinn, who was flexing his muscles.
"Well you know Vic. I'm Que. This is our sister, Evie & our oldest sister, Liz." Quinn introduced them by the names Michael called them.
"Que's a funky name. I like it." Craig wiggled his eyebrows.
"I like Evie. It's soft." Dominic lifted an unimpressed Marcy's hand & kissed it. "Like your skin."
"Liz is a nice name." Johnny blushed darker.
"What would you ladies be doing all by yourselves?" Aaron never took his blue eyes off Mercedes.
"Breathing." Marcy snapped. "We can manage it just fine without male intervention."
"Feisty!" Dominic approved.
"Deadly!" Marcy corrected.
"Evie! Be nice!" Quinn hissed.
"I am. There's no pepper spray in his eyes." Marcy rolled her own sage orbs behind her glasses.
Dominic laughed. "You're funny."
"You're unimaginative."
"It's good for a hot girl to have a sense of humor."
"Dial it back, Dom." Aaron hit his back. "You're pouring it on a little thick."
"Listen to your friend. He obviously got the sense God tried to give you." Marcy lifted a brow.
"Ignore her. She needs someone to rub sunscreen on her back & the heat from the sun is aggravating her." Quinn said.
"I can totally rub you down." Dominic volunteered.
"I can totally put you in the hospital." Marcy said with a grin.
"Hurt me!"
"Why do boys keep saying that?" She didn't get it.
Quinn rolled her eyes. "So what are four guys doing at the beach in the middle of the week?"
"Well we just graduated from school & we thought we could use a bit of fun." Craig told her.
"What school?"
"OSU." Aaron said. "Do you go there?"
Laura snorted. "I already graduated. From a different school."
"We go to Yale & UCLA." Quinn pointed to Mercedes & herself.
Everyone turned to Marcy, who frowned. "I'm not telling you anything about myself!"
"She graduated from Harvard." Quinn said for her.
Marcy gave her a dark glare.
"A smart chick. I can get with it." Dominic grinned.
"Gag me with a spoon."
Mercedes finally found her tongue & whispered, "I'm sorry for my sister. She's not one for new people."
"That's alright, Ms. Vic." Aaron took her hand. "Dom's not every person's cup of tea."
"Def. not mine!" Marcy bit off.
"Girl, you know you want me!" Dominic boasted.
"You're cute but not that cute."
"I see you think I'm cute."
"Barely."
"Come on. Why won't you give me time?"
"I don't like you."
"You don't know me."
"I'd like to keep it that way."
"Is it because I'm Dominican?"
"It's because you're not Italian."
"Evie!" Laura was appalled.
"Are you Italian?" Dominic asked.
"Amongst other things. Sorry." Marcy shrugged. "You don't make the cut."
"So if I was Italian, you'd go for me?"
Marcy told the truth. "No."
"What do you like in a man?" He pressed.
"A bit of bad boy would be nice. A touch of wildness." Marcy's sisters def. heard that part. "A scar or two."
"How about some tattoos? You got a lot, babe."
"Don't call me babe."
"He's right though. You all have beautiful tattoos." Johnny said.
"Thank you." Laura smiled at him & he melted.
"Would you like to sit down?" Mercedes offered. "We have plenty of food & we're not doing anything."
"We wouldn't want to impose!" Johnny shook his head.
"No imposition." Laura told him.
"You can share our blankets." Quinn offered.
"No, you can't!" Marcy burst out with.
"Evie!"
"Where are your manners? Act like you were brought up a lady." Laura said in Swedish.
"This guy is a slime ball. The only one I like is yours." Marcy responded in kind.
"He's not mine. I'm too old for him. He's totally sweet." Laura smiled softly.
"He's the perfect person to screw to get back in the swing of things."
Laura's eyes widened dramatically & her mouth worked. Mercedes & Quinn giggled. "Shut up!"
"I don't know why you're all being so nice to them anyway. You both have boyfriends, I have a boyfriend & a baby daddy that can't understand "get away from me" & you just got out of the most serious relationship ever. We need to send them away."
"No way!" Quinn refused to hear it. "We came here to ogle guys & that's what we're gonna do! We need male attention & we're going to get it from these very sexy men! Now be nice! You start talking." She pointed to Mercedes. "& you seriously think of getting with the shy one!" She pointed to Laura.
Mercedes blushed as she noticed Aaron was completely focused on her lips moving. "I think Quinn's right. We aren't doing anything wrong. Just sharing a meal with another human being."
"Tell that to Mikey." Marcy lifted her brows.
"He'll understand." Mercedes hoped.
"Sure."
"What's it going to take for you to play nice?" Quinn demanded.
Marcy thought about it. "I'll let you know."
Quinn gulped. "So you'll be nice to Dominic?"
"Nice as pie."
"Why does that sound like a threat?" Laura wanted to know.
"Please sit down." Mercedes said in English.
The guys sat down on the girls' blankets. Aaron looked at Mercedes. "Was that Italian?"
"Uh… no." She smiled. "Swedish."
"You sound nice. How many languages can you speak?"
"Just me or all of us?"
"You." He showed off his perfect teeth.
"I think seven or eight."
"Wow! I know three. English, Spanish & French."
"I know all those!" She giggled.
"Well then there shouldn't be a language barrier!" He laughed.
"How many languages do you speak?" Johnny asked Laura.
"About seven or eight." She answered.
"Is any of them Chinese?" He asked hopefully.
"I'm sorry, no. But Evie does."
"Oh she does? That's nice. I like it. It's my first language."
"Swedish is mine."
"It sounds beautiful."
"Thank you!" She really liked him. He wasn't boring like her ex or argumentative like Marc.
"How many languages can you speak?" Craig asked Quinn.
"Seven." The blonde flipped her drying hair.
"What about you?" Dominic tried.
"About eleven." Marcy said.
He brightened. "That's a lot!"
Marcy shrugged.
"We all can speak at least English & Spanish." Craig said. "What do you girls like to do for fun?"
"We sing." Quinn told him. "We also model."
"I can believe that. I bet you're really good."
"We are." Quinn played with her hair.
"What else do you do for fun?" Aaron watched Mercedes avoid his eyes.
"A lot of stuff." The brunette said softly. "Do you like chicken salad? It's what my sandwich is."
"Chicken salad is amazing."
Mercedes opened their picnic basket & rummaged around for one of her sandwiches. She found it & gave Aaron half. "I made it."
"You can cook?"
"We all can."
"Really?" Craig was pleasantly surprised. "What do you like to cook?"
"Ice cream." Quinn said instantly.
He frowned & raised an eyebrow. "Ice cream?"
"Yeah. I can turn nearly anything into ice cream."
"What are your favorite flavors to make?"
"Banana for our brother. He eats it like I can't make more."
"I've never had banana ice cream before. Is it good?"
"It really is. We all like it. Except for our younger brother. He's allergic to bananas."
"Aww! That's too bad. I'm not allergic to anything."
"We are. But we deal with it."
"Aww! You're allergic to stuff, sweetness?" Dominic asked.
Marcy gave him a look that said exactly how she felt about him. "Yes."
"Would you like a carrot, Craig?" Quinn held up a bag of baby carrots.
"Sure. I like carrots." The dark-skinned man affirmed.
Mercedes leaned over & took Marcy's hand, squeezing it hard to get her to remember her manners. "Maybe Dominic would care for refreshments?"
Marcy gave her sister a telling look before snatching her hand away. "Would you like half my sandwich?"
"I don't want to put you out." Dominic shrugged.
Marcy stared at him for a while before saying. "I'm offering."
Since that was said in a somewhat pleasant tone, he agreed with a grin. "I would love half your sandwich. I don't have any allergies either."
"I don't think any of us have any." Aaron said.
"I'm susceptible to garlic." Johnny put in.
"So is Vic." Laura pointed out.
"It's awful, isn't it?!" She giggled.
Johnny smiled. "Everything is flavored with the stuff!"
"Would you like a strawberry?" Mercedes asked Aaron.
"Yes, I would. I think they're the best fruit on the planet." The slightly tanned graduate gushed.
"Never!" Quinn & Marcy snapped their gazes to his.
"Cherries are!" Quinn held up a bag of cherries.
"No! It's apples!" Marcy fumed.
"Pears are good." Laura slid in.
The guys chuckled. "They're all good."
"Do you disagree often?" Aaron bit into a ripe strawberry.
Mercedes did the same. "No. We usually get along."
"We don't agree on anything." Marcy gave her sister a look that clearly said to stop lying.
"Yes, we do." Mercedes could kill her.
"We're disagreeing now!"
"Only because you won't admit to us being close!"
"Being close isn't the same thing as having the same mind."
"You're just difficult."
Marcy grinned & spoke in Swedish. "You said I had to be nice to him."
"Minx!"
"Minx?" Aaron caught Mercedes's gaze.
"Sorry. She's a crafty one." She blushed brightly.
"Can I have some juice?" Dominic asked.
"Not if you were on fire…" Marcy blinked.
"Here!" Quinn thrust out her sweetened cherry juice. "Have some of mine."
"Thank you." Dominic was starting to think Marcy hated him.
"She doesn't really share apple juice." Mercedes tried to find a way to soften the blow while making sure it didn't sound crazy.
"Oh. Why?"
"Because it's mine." Marcy held on to the bottle.
"We don't know why." Quinn took her bottle back. "I have another one. You can keep this one."
"I don't want to take all your juice." He declined.
"You're not. I promise."
He took the bottle back. "Thank you, Que."
Marcy unstiffened. "Do you like radishes?"
He blinked. This woman is bipolar! "I've never had one."
"It's like a red cross between broccoli & onions."
"To tell the truth, I've never had broccoli either."
"It's good." Marcy held out a red veggie by the green stem.
He took it & bit into it. "Not bad."
She smiled before taking one for herself.
"She can eat a whole bag of radishes by herself." Laura told. "I like sugar snap peas."
"Me too!" Johnny grinned.
Laura rummaged through their picnic basket for the bag of peas. "I have some!"
"What's your favorite veggie?" Aaron asked Mercedes.
"Celery. I know it's not very glamourous-"
"I love celery! Especially with peanut butter!"
Her face lit up. "So good!"
Marcy stuck her tongue out as Dominic grimaced. "Gross!"
They looked at each other as she put her sunglasses in her dry hair. "So you do have taste…"
Dominic was struck. "Are those your real eyes?"
"There's a no refund policy on them." She was uncomfortable with him watching her so.
"Your eyes… they're so green. Like a forest." He breathed. "They are so beautiful."
"Really?" She cocked her head before smiling widely. A true smile that she rarely gave out. "Thank you."
Quinn & her sisters giggled at her melting. "You've got a new best friend, Dominic!"
"I'm just being honest. They're the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen in my life." He seemed struck.
Marcy grinned. "I have some grapes. Do you want some?"
"Sure." He held out his hand.
She broke a branch off & put the grapes in his hand. "They're seedless."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
She looked through the basket as he stared at her. He looked at his friends & grinned.
Craig laughed. "She's complex, isn't she?"
"You have no idea." Quinn stressed. "So tell us more about you. What do you like to do for fun?"
"Well we're on the basketball team or at least we were."
"We went to the playoffs three years in a row." Aaron told Mercedes.
"We watch college basketball. We might have seen you." Mercedes was more interested than she was prior & she had def. been interested before.
"You should have come to a game. We could have met up sooner." Craig said.
The girls exchanged looks. "Yeah. We could have."
"Do you play any sports?" Dominic asked, more confident in getting a non-snippy answer now that she had defrosted.
"You have no idea." Marcy giggled at the thought.
"Yes, we play sports." Laura added. "I play tennis, racquetball, track & cheerleading."
"I play tennis, basketball, softball & volleyball. I was even a cheerleader for a while." Mercedes listed.
"I play tennis, softball, cheer & we all took gymnastics." Quinn went on.
"I play soccer, basketball, softball, football for a while & I was a cheerleader before, too." Marcy said. "I also play hockey, skateboard, snowboard, surf & we all ice skate."
"Wow. I've only ever always played basketball." Craig was impressed. "This was just in the last four years?"
"This is a lifetime achievement thing." Marcy joked.
"Okay, give us a break down. When did you start… softball?" Aaron asked.
"We all actually played Little League." Laura corrected. "We tried softball when we no longer could but I'm the only one who stuck with it."
"I don't think it's fair that we have to play softball but guys can still play baseball." Marcy stated.
"It does seem rude." Johnny put in his opinion.
"You know, I've never understood that either." Dominic said. "What's the point?"
Marcy defrosted even more. "Thank you! It's not like they still had to be mixed if that's what they were worried about! They're could be like it is with the WNBA! Has no one seen A League of Their Own?!"
"I love that movie!"
"No way!"
"Yeah! Geena Davis is a babe!" Dominic thought about what he said & realized he could have put his foot in his mouth.
"Totally!"
His mouth fell open.
She giggled. "Even if I wasn't, I'm not so insecure that I can't notice & appreciate another woman's beauty but I'm bi."
"Well!" He lit up.
Aaron laughed. "What about your other sports?"
Mercedes thought about it. "I started playing basketball in elementary school but I quit in middle school to play volleyball. I was a cheerleader in high school & never stopped playing tennis though I wasn't on the tennis team in high school. We learned to ice skate when we were little. At the same time, we had dance class & gymnastics but I stopped going in middle school."
"I tried softball in middle school but I only lasted a month." Quinn said. "I was never on the high school tennis team either but I played up until yesterday." She gestured between Mercedes & herself. "We played at the club."
"Club?" Craig asked.
"The William Hamilton Country Club."
"You belong there? That's an uppity place."
"They're nice to us." Marcy pointed out.
"I bet." Dominic spoke slowly.
"I continued gymnastics & dance until high school when I joined cheerleading. Liz, Vic & I ski. I haven't been ice skating in months. We should do that for your birthday, Evie." Quinn went on.
"Is it your birthday?" Johnny asked.
"In about ten days." Marcy replied.
"How old are you going to be?" Aaron wanted to know.
"Eighteen."
"But didn't you graduate from Harvard?" Craig was confused.
"We're all geniuses. Prodigies. It's why we do so many things. We can." She explained. "School comes easy to us & I took my GED test early & went to college."
"Wicked smart girl!" Dominic was suitably impressed.
"What about you, Liz? When did you play what?" Johnny got the conversation back on track.
"I was a cheerleader in high school & college. I was on the track team in high school & I played softball through middle & high school. Like Que said, we haven't been skiing or ice skating in months. I play tennis occasionally & I stopped gymnastics & dance class in the eighth grade. I play racquetball whenever I'm at the club." Laura answered.
"What about you, Evie?" Dominic asked.
"I've been playing soccer since I was a baby. I had this soccer ball I would roll all over until I learned the game when I was about two. I've played every day since but the last couple years. I've been dancing since I was an embryo. I stopped dance class two years ago. I actually have a job dancing so it works out.
I stopped going to gymnastics in high school & I stopped skateboarding a couple years ago. I didn't have my board. I haven't done any winter sports in two years. I tried softball for a day & got pissed. I played basketball in elementary school & football in middle. They let five girls play. Only five. I played hockey then, too. I also played lacrosse in high school. I was a cheerleader a couple times & I haven't surfed in three years." She said.
"So you're a dancer? That's cool."
"Thanks."
"You said you were prodigies. What else can you do?" Aaron asked.
"We can play several instruments. I play the piano, clarinet & the harp." Mercedes said.
"You can play the harp? Like an actual harp?" Dominic gaped. "Are you an angel?!"
She giggled. "No! I can just play."
"I can play the piano, the organ, the triangle & xylophone." Laura said.
"I can play the piano & the violin." Quinn added.
"I can play the drums, the piano, the flute, the guitar & the saxophone." Marcy said.
"You play so much! Can you read music?" Craig asked.
"Yes." Quinn responded. "We can even compose."
"& Evie & I write lyrics." Mercedes said.
"Song lyrics? That's cool. I can't write anything. My English grade almost kept me from playing this season." Aaron shook his head.
"We're great writers. We write songs, poetry, short stories, long stories. Evie even writes plays."
"But she's also an artist. She can draw these amazing pictures & paint the best things." Quinn bragged.
"Yeah but Vic makes clothes. & not like we can. She makes clothes people want to wear." Marcy threw the spotlight at Mercedes.
"We all know how to sew & mend so we know how to make clothes but Vic's the fashionista." Laura explained.
"Really? What else can you do?" Aaron smiled.
Mercedes thought about it. "We can act. We're very clean. We can cook & bake-"
"Wait a minute! You can cook?! No further questions, you're perfect!" Dominic joked.
The girls giggled before Mercedes went on. "We like movies. We like music. We like art. We like sports. We like books. We can make jewelry & blankets. Evie even made a pillow once!"
"It was totally cool. It's purple with dogs on it." Marcy grinned.
"We're hard workers." Laura said. "We have farms in our family & we totally know how to do farm work. Have you ever been to Color Me Mine? We're really good at painting pottery & we can throw it, too."
"We go to church, don't swear & attend all our classes." Quinn went on. "We like shoes. Jewelry. Bags. We garden. Evie is the science girl so she makes things we use like shampoo & lotion."
"You make your own shampoo?" Dominic asked. "Is that why your hair is so luxurious?"
"It is. It took me my whole life to grow my hair this long & I think it's because of my shampoo." Marcy ran a hand through her curls.
"That's your real hair?" Dominic wasn't sure if he was surprised.
"It has to be. What other black woman will get her hair wet?" Craig duhed.
"I thought she was Italian?"
"I can't be both?" Marcy teased.
"Can I ask what you are? I don't want to be rude."
She pointed to Mercedes & herself. "Our biological mother is half Italian, half black. She was born in Italy like her mother. Our father is half Native American & half German. He was born in Germany like his father. I was born in Ireland & am a Greek citizen."
"I was born in France & I am a French citizen." Mercedes said.
"Our biological mother is Swedish & that's where I was born & am a citizen." Laura went on.
"Our biological father is English, which is where I was born & am a citizen." Quinn finished.
"So you were all adopted?" Craig asked.
"No." Quinn giggled.
"We're extremely close. Close enough that we call each other sisters." Laura explained their family & how they were.
Leaving out her relationship with Marc & Marcy's relationship with Mal (though leaving in all of their first meeting)…
"You might as well be sisters." Aaron was convinced.
"We think so, too." Quinn laughed.
"What else can you sisters do?" Craig wanted to know.
"We can speak different languages. As you know."
Mercedes went down the list. "& we all speak English, Japanese, Swedish & Italian."
"I wish I could speak all those languages. I'd def. be talking about people in front of their faces." Craig swore.
"That's unladylike." Laura said. "& we're nothing if not ladies."
"We have afternoon tea, keep daily journals & are utterly polite." Mercedes said crisply.
"I bet you can shop." Dominic teased.
"Yes, we can!" She laughed.
"Not me. I hate shopping & I hate trying on clothes." Marcy shook her head.
"A girl after my own heart. You must be good with money." Dominic approved.
"She is. Unless you're in a book store." Quinn taunted.
"Did Que tell you we're skilled in arts of self-defense?" Marcy threatened.
"So you know karate?" Dominic asked.
"There's more to self-defense than karate, Dom." Johnny told him.
"There is & we know at least two." Laura agreed. "Though Que & Vic do know karate."
"So you can kick butt?" Aaron was impressed.
"Yes. But I'm a pacifist." Mercedes made sure he knew.
"Me too. There should be more to conflict resolution than the use of violence."
Dominic & Marcy snorted then grinned at each other.
"We see who the violent ones are." Craig joked.
"It's been more than thirty minutes. Want to get in the water?" Quinn suggested.
"Who wants to play horse?!" Dominic yelled.
"No." Marcy raised a brow before getting up. "But I'll race you to the shore."
"Okay." Dominic stood but was suddenly on his back. "What happened?"
"She's kicking your butt." Craig pointed to Marcy's decreasing figure.
"She cheated." Quinn got up & pulled Craig to his feet.
Dominic grinned. "What a woman!"