Mercedes awoke slowly & rubbed her eyes. Where was she? She felt comfortable but also a little lumpy. She opened her eyes & looked around the den. She'd fallen asleep in the den!
She popped up & threw off the afghan covering her. She remembered coming home from the Puckermans' & waiting for her sister in the den. She must have been waiting a while because she clearly fell asleep.
She stood up & stretched before traveling out to find out what had woken her up. She wondered what time it was when she passed the stairs.
Marcy was coming down. "Hey. You're up."
Mercedes yawned. "You came home?"
"Yeah. It was late & you were sleep so I covered you up & went to bed." Marcy made it to the ground.
"Thanks." Mercedes took her arm. "How was your night?"
"Good. Yours?" They went to the kitchen.
"Fun. Nic is so silly." They took their seats. "Where are the twins?"
"The Changs'. I'm picking them up after breakfast."
"Oh."
"Laura wants to take them to a concert in the park."
"That's gotta be nice. Maybe I'll go with? Oh shoot! I'm working on my car today."
"How are you coming along, Princess?" Marcus asked.
"I'll be done this weekend. It's kind of exciting."
"I wish I could check on your progress but I have business."
"That's okay, Daddy." She was used to it.
"No, I mean it's out of town. I'll be gone all weekend. Including your birthday, Sweetpea."
"But my birthday's on Tuesday." Marcy protested.
"I know. I won't be back until Wednesday."
She pouted.
"But you'll get your present today." Marcus handed over a box.
Marcy took it excitedly. She opened it to reveal a necklace & earring set in diamonds & emeralds. "Thank you, Daddy!"
"You're very welcome."
"I have some news, too." She closed the box & took a deep breath. "Pierre is here."
They all turned to look at her in varying degrees of shock. "What?!"
"He flew in last night. He won't be able to see me on my birthday so a visit is my present."
Mercedes was the first one to regain her senses. "Where's he staying?"
"At the Hilton."
"Wow." Was all that she could come up with.
Marc raised a question. "What are you going to do with him? How long is he here for?"
"He'll leave Monday. We'll just hang out. Sorry, Merce. I can't really leave him by himself."
"I understand." Mercedes was reeling.
"You should invite him to dinner." Rose said.
"I won't be here for dinner. Maybe tomorrow?" Marcy was thinking up escape routes in her head.
"Okay. Maybe tomorrow."
"Do you have to be with him all day?" Mercedes asked. She still had her problem.
"I'm not having dinner with him. We can get together later. Maybe before glee? We can have tea at the house."
"Good." Mercedes breathed out heavily. She cocked her head to the side with a curious frown. "Did any flowers come today?"
Marcy blushed.
M&MC
Mercedes had just gotten to work on her engine when her phone rang. She wiped her hands & went to see who it was. It was Laura texting that she had to talk to the sisters.
Mercedes invited her & Quinn over for tea. She told her that she had to tell them something, too & needed their help. Laura expressed her relief then said she had to go because Mally found a girl (grown woman) he liked & was trying to flirt.
Mercedes laughed before going back to her work but her phone rang again. This time it was a call. "Hello?"
"Hey, Mercy? What's up?"
"India!" Mercedes was surprised. "What's up?"
"Nothing much. I know we talked a little yesterday but I'm still concerned over your text. What's going on?"
Mercedes touched her radiator & sighed. "So much. I'm going to hell…"
"Mercy!"
"I am! I messed up, I messed up bad!" Mercedes proceeded to tell her everything, leaving no little detail out. By the time she was done, her engine was fixed.
"Oh my goodness, Mercy!"
"I know, I know. I'm a horrible person." Mercedes was on the verge of tears again.
"Oh, honey. You're not a horrible person. But you do have a decision to make."
"I wish I knew how this was gonna play out. I hate being in the wind."
"You said you're meeting him tonight? Just hold on a few more hours. You'll have your answer soon."
"What do you think I should do?"
"I can't tell you what to do."
"Please!"
India sighed. "I hope you pick Mikey."
"Me too. I'm scared of what will happen if I don't."
"As much as I think Mikey is the one for you, you have to make the right decision for you. If this Aaron is what your heart is pining for, you have to choose him."
"Mikey will hate me forever."
"No, he won't. He'd never hate you."
"I keep doing these things!"
"What things? Is Aaron not the first?"
"Yes but…" Mercedes told her all about how she ran from Mike in the beginning.
"It'll all work out, Mercy. I promise."
Mercedes hoped so. "Hang on. I have an incoming call." She switched over. "Hello?"
"Mercy!"
"Maddie? Are you okay? What's wrong?" Mercedes was alert.
"Nothing. I just wanted to go out to lunch with you."
"But you're in school." Mercedes was confused.
"I know. You have to pick me up."
Mercedes smirked. She deserved that one. "What's the sudden need to have lunch?"
"It's not sudden. I made Marcy spend time with me last night & it's your turn."
Mercedes was back to confused. Was that why Marcy had been late coming home? "Okay, hold on. I'll be there soon."
"Okay." Maddie hung up.
Mercedes clicked back over. "India? I have to go. Maddie wants to have lunch."
"Okay. I'll talk to you later. Call me tonight! I want to know what's going on."
"I will." Mercedes promised. She got off the phone & cleaned up before getting in her car & driving to Maddie's middle school.
M&MC
Mercedes set the cheese board on the coffee table alongside a pot of tea & four teacups. It was one thirty & her sisters would be coming soon.
Having lunch with Maddie was good & took her mind off this conversation but now that it was over, she was back to mulling over her decision.
She sighed. Tonight was too far away & too soon.
She heard the front door open & walked out to see who it was. "You're here."
"Yup." Marcy held Mickey while Laura had Mally. "We're just gonna put them in the den with a movie & be right with you."
"I'm in the living room." Mercedes took Quinn's arm. "What have you done all day?"
"I was with Puck, to make sure he was who I really wanted then I had lunch with Craig to tell him about Puck." Quinn rolled her eyes. "It could not have gone worse! He wants me to dump Puck!"
"Holy crap!"
Quinn rubbed her temples. "I don't know what to do! How did this happen?!"
"It's not fair! Where were all these guys in middle school?!"
Quinn laughed. "They were high schoolers & would be going to jail."
Mercedes cracked a smile. "I'm glad you have a sense of humor."
"I have to. I feel like I'm going to scream." Quinn sat down.
Mercedes sat beside her & poured two cups of tea. "They're not making it easy, are they?"
"No, they are not."
Marcy & Laura came in, stripping off their jackets. "Hey!"
"Hey!" They greeted.
Marcy & Laura sat down & helped themselves to tea. "So what's going on?"
"I have news." Laura blurted. They all looked at her. She took a deep breath. "I slept with Johnny."
"You win!" Marcy's eyes widened as she & the others sat up quickly.
Laura continued taking breaths as it became apparent that she was panicking. "Yesterday. We hung out all day. I'm sorry I didn't ask you if he could be around the twins, Marce. It just happened."
"It's alright. Maybe if Dominic knew I had kids, he'd leave me alone?" Marcy shrugged.
The corner of Laura's mouth kicked up. "I waited until you took the twins to the Changs' before I went back upstairs. Things led to another & we ended up having sex."
"Damn." Mercedes couldn't find anything else to say.
"I can't believe this." Quinn was in shock.
"Was it good?" Marcy asked.
"Marce!" Quinn & Mercedes yelped.
"What?! You know you wanna know!"
Laura burned. "It was nice. Def. nicer than Robert but it wasn't like it was with Marc."
"At the risk of bashing my head in, how is it with Marc?"
"It's… natural. Like the most natural thing in the world." Laura bit her lip. "I drop all my guards & it's just me & him."
"So you didn't like having sex with Johnny?" Mercedes asked.
"No, I liked it. But Johnny was getting to know me. Marc knows everything about me & it shows."
"Are you going to see him again?"
"I don't know. I honestly don't know." Laura took a sip of tea. "I have a lot to think about."
"Can I go now?" Quinn bit her lip. "I had lunch with Craig to tell him I had a boyfriend & he told me he wanted me to break up with Puck! Can you believe that?! I don't know what to do!"
"What do you wanna do?" Marcy asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Do you like Craig more than Puck?"
"I don't know about that. I like talking to him & he makes me feel like the most interesting person on the planet but Puck & I have history & a daughter together."
"That doesn't mean you have to be with him. I have history with Jr. & two kids but I'm not with him."
"Yeah but you should be." Quinn waved her away.
Mercedes giggled at Marcy's outraged face. "Quinn, you have to make a decision on who you can be happiest with."
"I don't want to have to make this decision." Quinn admitted. "What if I choose Craig?"
"That's how I feel. I talked to Aaron yesterday & told him about Sonny & he wants to have dinner tonight to get me to choose him. I don't know what to do. I really like Aaron."
"What about you?" Quinn looked to Marcy. "Have you told Dominic about Mal?"
Marcy closed her eyes as if that would make it all better. "I haven't told him about Mal, the twins or Pierre. We were hanging out the other day & we almost kissed. It was so weird. I couldn't stop it, stop myself. A part of me wanted to see what it was like."
"What "what" was like?" Mercedes swallowed.
"Being with someone who only saw the good parts of me. Then I remembered that I did have someone like that. Pierre. He has never seen my ugly side. He only knows me as this mild mannered lady. We haven't been together a month & I'm already showing my ass."
"Marce." Laura took her hand.
"& the worst part? I didn't even picture his face when I realized what I'd almost done. I saw Mal."
"What are you going to do with that?" Mercedes asked. "He's sending you all these flowers & sweet notes."
"That's a problem, too because I'm not just messing around with one guy but two. & things haven't changed between me & Jr. It's all this big mess that's going to blow up in my face because Pierre is here!"
"Here?" Quinn was confused. "Where here?"
"Here as in Lima. He got in this morning. I was just with him. He knows nothing about anything & I don't know what to tell him, if I should tell him."
"Lie."
"What?"
"If you decide to stay with Pierre, lie to him. Don't admit to anything. He'll never know."
"What about Jr.?" Laura questioned. "She's going to have to do something about him & his intentions. He's not going anywhere."
"What the hell could I possibly tell Pierre about Mal?" Marcy was appalled by the very thought of having that conversation.
"Nothing!" Quinn enunciated.
"Tell him the truth." Laura advised.
"Mercy, you're the tiebreaker." Marcy looked to her quiet sister.
Mercedes worried her lip. "I don't know. Who do you want to be with?"
Marcy swallowed hard. "Can I be alone?"
"Marcy." She chided gently.
"I can't make that decision."
"You're going to have to. We all are."
M&MC
Mike backed away slowly & went out the front door silently. He'd come over to see if his girlfriend wanted to spend time together when he'd overheard a most disturbing conversation.
He didn't know what he was feeling but it conjugated heavily in his chest. He stood on the front porch for a moment to get his bearings before calling four numbers & setting up a meeting.
Then he walked back home to get in his car & drive to Puck's. He parked on the street as Finn & Marc pulled up. He walked to the front door & knocked calmly. He was doing everything deliberately & calmly. Like the eye of a storm.
Puck opened the door. "Sup?"
"Hey." Mike's voice was eerily calm.
"What's up?" Marc asked from behind him.
"Hey, dude." Finn greeted.
Mal, who Marc picked up from school, waved. "Hey."
Puck led them to the living room & turned off the TV. "So what's up, Mike? Why'd you call an emergency meeting?"
Mike stood & paced, rubbing his hands together slowly.
"What's wrong?" Marc caught on first.
"Puck, do you know a Craig?" Mike asked instead.
Puck's eyebrows moved. "Uh… no, not really."
"Mal, do you know a Dominic?"
"Nope." Mal was confused.
"Marc? Do you know a Johnny?"
"Our cousin." Marc lifted his hands in confusion.
Mike nodded to himself before addressing them all. "Do you know an Aaron?"
They all looked confused, except for Puck. & Mike saw.
"You know. Tell me."
Puck looked uncomfortable. "I don't know him personally but I saw Mama get a phone call from some dude named Aaron yesterday. She swore up & down he was just a friend."
"Well she lied!"
Puck leaned back at the venom. "What's going on, Mike? She said she was going to tell you about him. Did she? Is that why you're mad?"
"Mad?" Mike sounded confused. "I don't know what I am."
"You're acting like a bear with a thorn in its paw." Mal said.
"I went to see Mercy today & I overheard a conversation between the girls. Turns out they have secret boyfriends that want to become only boyfriends."
"What?" The guys were confused.
"Laura had sex with some guy they all know named Johnny."
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! What?!" Marc accidentally leapt to his feet.
"Yeah. Yesterday."
"She can't do that!" Something akin to panic was in his voice.
"& someone named Craig is pressuring Q to leave you." Mike turned to Puck, whose mouth fell open.
"What?! No! What the hell?!" He sat up straight. "She's playin me?!"
"& Marcy is wrapped up in some guy named Dominic. She's with two other guys that's not you." Mike told his brother. "& Pierre is here. In Lima."
Mal's face went through a ton of emotions before settling on anger. "She can't do that! It's bad enough she's got him but another one, too?! & he's here?!"
Finn grimaced. "I'm guessing Mercedes is seeing someone named Aaron?"
"Yeah, apparently they're having dinner tonight to discuss their future." Mike spat.
"What are you gonna do?"
"Kick their asses!" Puck roared.
"Or the less violent approach?"
"I'm down for kickin ass!" Marc snapped.
"She's always doing something!" Mal fumed. "It's like she won't be satisfied until she ensnares the entire male population!"
"Is this about Sam?" Finn asked.
"How do you know about that?" Mike asked in surprise.
"He told us yesterday that he had a crush on her." Finn shrugged.
"They went out Monday. At least they were supposed to."
"They did. I remember her dropping him off."
"So four guys?!" Mal set his hands on his hips.
"Damn Mini Mama a pimp." Puck blinked.
"That's not a good thing!"
"For you."
Mal glared.
"Sorry. I guess we got a problem, boys. What do we do?"
"I want Mercy to go to that dinner. I want to know what's going to happen." Mike began pacing again. "I just wish I knew where it was."
"Maybe you can get it out of her?" Mal suggested.
"Trick her into telling me then surprise the both of them at the restaurant? I like it!"
"You're scaring me." Finn said. "You're all red faced & angry. It's creepy."
"It's going to get worse." He vowed.
"I gotta get back to school." Mal hooked a thumb towards the door.
"I'll take you." Marc said.
"What are you going to do about Laura?" Puck asked.
"I'ma bust her."
"I think we should wait." Mike said quietly. "If they're meeting with these guys tonight, we can get them together."
"Just call me." Marc & Mal left.
"Seriously. You're freaking me out. I've never seen you plot before." Finn was unnerved.
"It's about to go down." Mike sat down.
Puck rubbed his hands together. "I knew we were friends for a reason!"
M&MC
"Is it just me or is Mikey glaring at you?" Marcy whispered to Mercedes.
Mercedes turned around to find Mike's hot stare on her. "I think so. But why?"
"Puck's glaring at me, too." Quinn leaned over.
"Why does Finn look sick?"
"They're all weird." Marcy rolled her eyes.
"Agreed." Quinn straightened.
That was all as class continued. When it was done, Mike, Puck & Finn drifted over. The latter was terrified of the confrontation about to take place.
"Mercy." Mike stuck his hands in his pockets. "How are you today?"
"I'm okay." She raised a brow.
"I was thinking. We should hang out tonight. Maybe curl up on the couch with a movie?"
She shushed him. "Not so loud! & I can't. I have plans."
"Really? With who?"
She fidgeted. "A friend." Quinn & Marcy looked away.
"Do I know her?"
Mercedes was quiet for a moment. "It's a guy."
"Oh. Cool. Do I know him?" Mike shrugged lightly.
"No. He's new."
"Maybe we should meet? I like new people."
"Since when?" Marcy whispered to Quinn, who shushed her.
Mike ignored that. "What do you say, Mercy? We can do something tonight."
Mercedes's eyes widened. "No!"
"No?"
She looked around. The remaining people in the choir room were looking at her strangely. "I mean, it's a private thing."
"Private?"
"Yeah!" Quinn jumped in. "He likes to talk to her about his personal life & he might not open up if you're there."
"Yeah." Mercedes nodded. "Right."
"Mmm hmm." Mike looked at Puck & Finn.
"We should go." Marcy pointed to a clock. "I drove & I have… plans &… stuff… to do."
"Really? What kind of plans?"
Marcy was quiet a minute. "With the twins!"
"Maybe we can hang out with you then? You know Finn's never met them."
Finn gaped at being thrown in.
"Well you can't. You can't because- because…-"
"Because it's a mommy & me class." Quinn came to her rescue.
"Right! What?! Right." Marcy shut up before she dug herself in further.
"A mommy & me class in the late afternoon?" Mike pursed his lips. "A little strange, don't ya think?"
"Nope." Quinn shook her head.
"Then we'll hang out with you."
"Oh no, you don't. I'm meeting with an ex-cheerio for dinner so don't get any bright ideas." Quinn returned smoothly.
"We can't see this female friend?" Puck asked between gritted teeth.
"No. It's someone you've already slept with." Quinn crossed her arms across her chest.
Puck looked down in surprise. "Oh."
"Come on, girls. We have to go. We have plans." Quinn led them out.
Finn blinked. "Maybe they're not doing anything?"
"Oh please, she was lying!" Mike burst out with.
"Are you sure?" Puck got over his slight embarrassment.
"I know Quinn & she was lying."
"How do you know?"
"Because she looked you in the eye & said it! It's her specialty!"
Puck narrowed his eyes. "Fuck!"
"What are you going to do?" Finn asked. "Mercedes didn't tell you where she was going."
"She's got til morning to tell me something or we're having it out!" Mike started for the door.
"What if she calls you tonight to break up with you?"
"She's got another thing coming."
M&MC
Mercedes stood in her closet at a complete loss. She had no idea what to wear! Should she dress nice like it was a date or dress casually like she was breaking up with him? It would be so much better if she knew who she wanted to be with!
She ran a hand over her roller covered hair before grabbing a soutache lace sleeveless A-line knee length dress with matching jacket in navy. It was classy yet sexy. It wouldn't give false hope but was still nice to look at.
She sprayed herself with her signature fragrance before stepping into lavender underwear. She put on lotion & deodorant before pulling on the dress. She found black 2" heeled rhinestone sling-backs & put them on.
She put on mascara & navy eye shadow with light foundation & rose pink lipstick. She put rosette diamonds in her ears & looked at her daisy necklace. Should she wear it?
She couldn't make up her mind so she threw it in her purse & continued dressing. She put on a gold link bracelet & statement ring before taking the rollers out of her hair. Using a brush, she lightly disrupted her curls & made herself a side bang.
Satisfied with the way she looked, she grabbed the jacket & put it on before turning out her lights, grabbing her purse & walking downstairs.
Marc was leaning against the front door. "Wow, look at you."
Mercedes was nervous enough without Marc's teasing. "Thank you."
"Got a hot date with Sonny?"
"No."
"Then why are you so fancy?"
"I'm not fancy."
"Hey, Ma!" He called out. "Come look at your daughter!"
"Marc, I don't have time for this." Mercedes wished he'd move.
Rose came into the foyer. "Oh, look at you! You look so beautiful! Where are you going?"
"Just to dinner." Mercedes was severely uncomfortable.
"Tell Mike I said hello." Rose gave her a hug.
"It's not Mike." Marc said, boring holes into his little sister.
"It's not?" Rose cocked her head.
"No." Mercedes looked down.
"Well whoever it is, I hope you have a good time."
Mercedes felt like throwing up. "I will. Thank you."
They just stood there for a minute in awkward silence.
"I- I have to go." Mercedes told Marc.
He glared at her for a long time before moving off the door. He twisted the doorknob & held the door open for her.
She felt his judging eyes on her all the way to her car. She pulled away from the house & drove to Breadstix, where she & Aaron agreed to meet.
She sat in the parking lot for five minutes, getting the courage to get out & do this. She felt like running away. Just driving back to LA, where things hadn't been nearly so complicated. When did her life become a soap opera? Again?!
Once she got her breathing under control, she exited her car & walked inside. She spotted Aaron immediately & walked to him. He stood. "Hi."
"Hey." He gestured to the other side of the booth & she slid in. "I'm glad you could make it. How are you?"
"I'm good. You?" She set her purse beside her.
"I'm good. I'm good." His eyes raked over her greedily. "You look amazing."
"Thank you. You look nice, too."
He looked down at his black shirt with grey slacks. "Thanks."
It was quiet until a waitress walked over. "Would you like to order?"
Aaron gestured to Mercedes. "Go first."
Mercedes couldn't eat a bite. "I'll take a side garden salad with Italian dressing & strawberry tea."
The waitress nodded as she wrote it down. "& you?"
Aaron flipped through the menu. "Lasagna & a Dr. Pepper."
"Any sides?"
"No thank you."
"Okay. I'll be right back with your drinks." She walked away.
Mercedes breathed deeply as she looked around the noisy eatery.
Aaron watched her. "I'm not trying to make this difficult for you."
Her gaze snapped to his. "This?"
"You & your boyfriend? I just really like you."
She swallowed. "I like you, too."
"I don't want to demand you break up with your boyfriend but can you give me a chance?"
"I don't know. He doesn't deserve this." Her eyes filled.
"I wouldn't want to do this to anyone but I feel like you're a good match for me. You're sweet, intelligent, talented. & we can talk. It's really hard to have a good conversation with women sometimes. At least for me. You're unlike anyone I've ever met."
Mercedes felt the butterflies in her stomach act up. She thought back to the last time she'd felt like this about a boy & realized it was two summers ago. Sam. She felt like this about Sam. Did Aaron remind her of Sam?
She frowned a little as she considered him. He was white, muscular & had southern manners that made him adorable. But she was over Sam & anything that reminded her of him. So why exactly was she floundering over feelings for his double?
"I can't do this."
He barely heard her. "Excuse me?"
She licked her lips. "I can't do this. I have a boyfriend. A good boyfriend that I love. I'm sorry, Aaron but I can't leave him. I don't want to."
M&MC
Quinn waited for what Craig would say anxiously.
"I get it. It was a long shot anyway." He smiled brokenly.
She felt bad. "It's just I love him & he's put up with a lot from me."
"I get it." He repeated. "Can we still be friends?"
"I'd like that." She smiled warmly. "& if we ever break up,…"
He smirked. "I'll be a phone call away."
"Thank you for understanding."
"No problem. Want to get out of here?"
"Yes." She stood.
He walked her out to the parking lot & to her car. "Call me."
"I will. Friend." She smiled.
"Friend." He helped her inside then waved as she drove off.
She drove straight to the Jones' & went up to Mercedes's room to wait for her. She texted for Laura to come over & for Marcy to come home. Then she waited.
It didn't take long. Laura got there before Mercedes but they got there at roughly the same time. They both came upstairs.
"Where's Marcy?" Laura asked.
"I texted her but she never texted back." Quinn made room on the window-seat.
"We gotta get chairs up here." Mercedes murmured.
"I'll sit on your pallet." Laura sat down & crossed her legs.
"Do you think we'll need wine?"
"I'm hungry. I didn't eat much with Craig." Quinn rubbed her stomach gingerly.
"I didn't either." Mercedes admitted.
"Well let's get stuff." Laura got up.
The trio went downstairs & raided the pantry & fridge for food then went back upstairs. Mercedes had grabbed a bottle of wine on the way.
Less than five minutes later, Marcy walked in. "Hey."
"Hey." Quinn looked up from nibbling on shortbread with jam. "Why didn't you text back?"
"I had to convince Blaine I wasn't disgusted by his presence when I left. I had to promise to come back for movie night Monday." She took her sweater off & sat on the pallet.
"Where are the twins?" Laura asked.
"Downstairs with Marc. What is his problem anyway? He gave me this dirty look like I pissed in his Cheerios."
"Lovely." Laura bit off the tip of her red vine.
"I don't know. He was acting weird when I left tonight, too." Mercedes said.
"So?" Marcy grabbed a cracker & some cheese. "What happened?"
Mercedes lifted her daisy necklace. "Mikecedes all day."
Her sisters squealed in delight & all rushed to hug her.
She giggled in joy. "Don't mush me!"
They moved away from her & continued eating.
"I'm so proud of you, Merce." Laura opened the wine. "How'd it go?"
"Well we were talking & he was saying all these nice things & I felt these butterflies in my stomach." Mercedes started. Laura passed her the bottle & she took a sip from it. "I realized the last time I felt them was before."
"With Mikey?" Quinn asked.
"No. Sam. When Sam & I first started dating."
"You haven't felt butterflies with Mikey?" Marcy frowned.
"No. I feel very sure of myself with Sonny. Like Laura said, it's the most natural thing in the world."
"So what happened?" Quinn urged.
"Well I realized that what I feel for Aaron is what I felt for Sam. & I was over Sam. I don't want anything he has. I had my chance to go back to him & I chose Mike. If I didn't want the original, why would I pick the clone?"
Laura, Quinn & Marcy clapped.
Mercedes giggled. "We agreed to be friends. It's for the best. I'm just so glad this is over! I'm going to call Mikey tomorrow & see if he wants to have dinner. I just want to spend every second with him."
"Awww!" Laura teased.
"I feel so free now!"
Quinn took the bottle of wine from her & took a sip. "Well I have news, too. I had dinner with Craig & I told him I was staying with Puck. The truth is I do love him & after all the crap I've put him through, he doesn't deserve this."
"It's good to see someone picking him first." Mercedes beamed.
"Well I am."
"I'm so happy for you guys." Marcy said.
"What are you going to do with Dominic?" Quinn passed Laura the wine-bottle & grabbed a cracker.
"I'm inspired by you guys. I don't know what I'm going to say but I know I'm going to be honest. With him & Pierre."
"About everything? Even Mal?"
"I don't know. Maybe? He has been really sweet to me lately."
"Have you talked to Mal about the notes & flowers?" Mercedes asked.
"I still haven't seen Mal. I looked for him tonight but Mrs. C said he was out."
"Maybe you should talk to him tomorrow?"
"I'm already full on talking to people tomorrow. I'll talk to him Sunday."
"As long as you two talk. It's long overdue." Laura said.
"What about you? Gonna see Johnny any time soon?"
Laura pursed her lips. "I'll invite him to lunch tomorrow & explain everything. Tell him I've just got out of a serious relationship."
"& about Marc?" Mercedes led.
"Maybe." Laura was making no promises. "He deserves the truth. I don't want to trick him."
"Are you two staying the night?"
"I said we'd spend some nights here, didn't I?" Laura looked at Marcy, who was nibbling on more cheese. "We'll get to see what you do all night."
"Joy." Marcy rolled her eyes.
Mercedes giggled. "I'm so proud of all of us! I can tell; things are going to go awesome."