A/N: I was chatting it up with three of y'all yesterday shouts out to monni2215, Sweetiedee85 and myhiggins25 (she's going to be appearing in upcoming chapter be on the lookout for that) Two of y'all were already were in a chapter [inquiring minds want to know Sam's POV Grammy chapter 63] not only do I use your reviews/comments I put you guys in my story. I am so nice! Oh I said in a previous chapter that y'all could face claim either Patti LaBelle or Loretta Divine as Mercedes mother forget that it's officially Jenifer Lewis [suggested by monni2215 who also help in face claiming y'all favorite] Omari Hardwick is Tank.
Let's go!
Happy Reading (: Do not throw y'all devices at me once you get there.
TJ's POV
"You off the phone already with your daddy."
"Yeah." I climbed on my bed kicking off my shoes.
"Did your mother say she was giving you a bath?"
"No."
"Well come on you're just in time I was about to put Logan in the tub. Y'all both smell like the outdoors. What did your father want talk to you about?"
I took off my shirt and tossed it on the floor. "My dreams that started back up again about Tank they started when Uncle JJ got shot."
"Have you been saying your prayers before you go to sleep?"
"No, I got my guardian angels Uncle Finn and MeeMaw."
"Well you need to say your prayers at night. You want Aunt Santana to pray for you. I can call her." She laughed. "You know she's always ready to drop down on her knees to send one up."
"I love Aunt Tana but I'll just get mommy to pray for me besides I don't want mommy talking to her she's trying to pawn Gabby here for a week. I don't need that. Gabby and Granny I'll be climbing the walls."
Mercedes POV
"That night when you and I were supposed to meet up for dinner that's when he hit you?"
I nodded my head. "Yeah, that was the first time."
"Did he hit you again after that? What was the reason?"
"Y-Yes, he did. He saw you kiss me." I was looking past Sam I couldn't bring myself to look at him in the eyes.
"I thought he went to go get some food. He saw us?"
"Yes, Sam, he did. He told me about that night at the Grammy's I was pregnant with TJ then."
"Wait…Tammy said that you looked pregnant. I told her that you weren't active in that way. That's why you weren't dancing a lot? I have it recorded it. Where did he hit you if you can remember?"
"The first time he hit me he gave me a black eye the second time he hit me he punched me I think it was on my arm or stomach some area that you could be easily covered up."
"Do the boxes down in the basement of our house have pictures showing any of your bruises?"
"Yes." I blinked my eyes a few times to stop the waterworks from starting.
"Mercedes why did you lie and say that it was going on for only 6-8 months when it was going on longer than that?"
"Well it started back up again so it had been going on for 6-8 months."
"No, it was still going on! It never stopped! He may not have been hitting you but he was abusing you with his mouth and the treatment he was giving you. I'm your husband you're supposed to be open with me with all things!"
"I'm sorry baby I am. I didn't think Puck and JJ, were going to go over there and find boxes and bring them back here and they go through it. That stuff is personal to me."
"It's personal to me too. I asked you this question before; I'm going to ask you this again. Did Tank hit you while you were pregnant with my son?!"
I wiped my face of the tears that had fallen. "Y-Yes."
Shaking phone and clenched jaw I knew Sam was angry with me. "Why did you say no the first time?" He banged on the table.
I jumped dropping my phone on the floor. I waited a minute before I picked it up off the floor. "I-I didn't want you to know that Tank did that to me while I was pregnant bad enough he beat me when I wasn't I just wanted to give him a little compassion towards me."
Sam's demeanor changed his face was contorted in fury like a raging bull. "Compassion?! Forget his compassion! He didn't care about you the first time he hit you or the last time he hit you and you up here trying to protect the man that got you pregnant by getting you drunk? he is a No! i hate him so much! so DAMN much!" He tossed his phone down the next thing I heard was Sam punching the wall he returned 5 minutes later red in the face. "Just no! Worry about you baby! I can't believe this I mean I had a feeling but the pictures confirmed it." His face softened with a concernthat had not been present before. "I'm sorry for getting upset. Just…" He wiped his tears away. "I'm sorry I'm just pissed off that. I'm not mad at you. Don't cry baby."
"Sam t-that's all I c-can d-do a w-w-wound has b-been open a-a-again s-s-seeing those p-pictures takes me back t-to a t-t-time w-where I was in a place, place of un-unhappiness. I c-can't g-go through those boxes baby it's too p-p-painful."
"You don't have to go through those boxes alone I'll go through those boxes with you when I come home next week."
"W-What y-you mean next? S-San Diego is off this weekend?"
"No, it's still on just that the next time I'll be home to do that. Like I told you before your stress is my stress the wound that's opened is our wound I wasn't there but I'm not going to let you relive those horrid memories alone. How many boxes are down there?"
I shrugged my shoulders shaking my head. "T-Too m-many to c-count I haven't been back down there s-since I was d-down there around dinnertime. It c-could be more s-seeing as Puck and J3 t-took forever to g-get here."
"Okay. I'm sorry for raising my voice I just love you baby. I love you so much I know you are probably thinking I'd shut down on you and turn my back on you because you didn't tell me all that happened and I'd get in my feelings and be an ass this weekend. Not answer when you call me. No, I can't do that we're going to talk through this. Wipe your tears baby if I were there I'd wipe them myself." I gave a small smile. "See there goes a smile. Give me just once chance cause I believe that I can make you smile I know a thousand times, you sat alone and cried, you don't deserve it cause I believe that I can make you smile. I never, never make you cry I promise baby you're too precious so pretty baby just dry your eyes forever and ever oh yeah I believe...Oh yeah I believe that.."
"Sam. Why are you singing that song?" I reached over and grabbed me some Kleenex.
"It just popped in my head a little 112 for you I know that I can make you Smile and I'm going to make you smile this weekend. Want to tell me about your day today?"
"Yeah Santana and Kurt were here. Kurt wasn't too bad, neither was Santana, they're actually planning a BBQ."
"A BBQ for what?"
"Our baby they were outside planning a menu while Azimio and Ray were playing with the kids."
"They were playing with the kids. Awww…that's what I like to hear. You're okay with them?"
"Yes, I am. Azimio and Ray they know their place and job. I had a talk with my mother about her spilling the news of our baby news. Also I showed TJ the sonogram of his sibling."
"How did that go?"
"The talk with my mother it didn't go too well I'm going to talk to her tomorrow about everything I told her that she could go home and what TJ said about his "brother", "It's small! That don't look like a baby it looks like a dot. Mommy are you sure you're pregnant because if not you and daddy got to try again"."
"That's my son! I wouldn't mind going at it again especially with you." He blew me a kiss. "So you think your other is going to go home?"
"She's not going home saying that I need her TJ suggested that I call daddy and tell her that he'll carry her purse without no fuss."
He laughed. "What's wrong with that? Is she stressing you out? Did Stacey get you your Advil?"
"Sam I can't do that. Yes, she is TJ and me. TJ said his brother is stressed out she did I have a good supply I'm all set for a few months."
"That's good although you have some pills you should try something 9 months is a long time and we're only 5 weeks in I don't want AJE coming out cranky. I think I asked you already but have you been experiencing morning sickness?"
"I had a little bout with it this afternoon the first of many to happen."
"Hope it's not too bad. So, what's going on with your interviews?"
"I reschedule them well the ones I had for this month JJ said that I couldn't tell half my story in hopes to help someone else unless I be true with myself."
"He's right. So when did you reschedule them for?"
"The end of September my shows at the El Rey aren't until November and October is Domestic Violence Awareness month so I know the NFL has something don't they."
His wiped his eye. "Yeah, October is breast cancer awareness month and the players wear pink cleats but I think this year they'll do pink and purple also they're having a forum I think I can pull some strings and get my wife to do that. You can be one the speakers and share your story."
"That would be awesome that's a great platform to talk about it."
"I know. Our court dates for our RO's is coming up. You think Tank and Sarah going to show."
I rolled my eyes. "No, I don't think they will. I hope not because that means we'll have full protection although I still don't trust that paper. It's just a piece of paper."
"We can put it in TJ's school information so they'll know he's not supposed to be near TJ or his school. Now that we're on school talk when is TJ's orientation?"
"September 1st the information came today and school starts after the holiday which is good. I never understood why they started school at the end of August only having them out that week for a 3-day week."
"That's good. I'll be home then. Will your mother still be there?"
"That I don't know. We'll have to see. Baby I just want to say I'm sorry again."
"Baby it's okay I wasn't in your shoes I'd probably do the same just a long you tell me everything from here on out we good."
"We good baby so what you have planned for me when TJ and I visit you in a few days."
A huge smile spread across his face. "What do you think I have planned?"
"I'm asking you. I don't know I'm trying to figure out why you want me to ask my mother to join us."
"Mercedes I just want to spend some time with my wife alone. It's been awhile since you were on the tip of my tongue."
"I'm always on the tip of your tongue." He licked out his tongue doing different tricks. I crossed my legs. "I wonder how long I'll last on the ride dubbed The Chameleon."
"I hope you last for a while just want your hands rubbing through my head you can hit me too when the ride is about to be over and you want to get off."
"What if I don't want to get off I'll just hold onto your head for dear life."
"I know you will and you can do just that. Let's pray baby we haven't prayed in a minute. I'll lead. Dear Lord we ask your blessings for our family that we love and cherish. Protect us from harm, shelter us from evil. Teach us kindness. Show us compassion. Guide our steps and we will follow the path of goodness and light forever more. Amen."
"Amen. Haven't I told you that I find you sexy when you pray?"
"Yes, you did. Well baby I got to go I have a long day tomorrow. I'll call you tomorrow. I love you always."
"I love you too. Bye. God I love that man!" I left the bedroom and headed to the game room the race tournament between nephews and uncles was finally underway. "Munch auntie gave you a bath?
"Yup."
"Auntie is you team old or team young and cute?" Logan asked me.
"I'm team young and cute! Mommy gotta support her babies."
Sam's POV
Just ended the last FaceTime of the day back home a lot went down but I'll sum it up as pretty good day they're safe and all in one piece despite their stress from my mother in law all is well I was about to hop in the shower when my phone rang. It was Kurt.
"Hello Kurt. What you need my address for? It's 524 Meadow Street, apartment M. Okay bye." I tossed my phone on the bed removing my shirt when the doorbell rang. "Who is this?" I looked through the peephole. "Kurt what are you doing here?! I thought you were going to call me tomorrow."
He welcomed himself in I closed the door. "I was but I'm going to be with Mercedes all day tomorrow just picking her brain so that's why I'm down here to pick your mind well to tell you that Mama Jones and I are planning the proposal."
"You guys are planning my proposal to my wife?"
"Yeah, you need our help. Do you have anything planned?" He pulled out his planner.
"Actually I have something planned."
"What?"
"You know the group Train." He nodded his head. "Well, I got them to serenade Mercedes on the beach."
"So you're proposing on the beach beautiful!"
"Yes, I am. I want a nice setup on the beach with a candlelight aisle with purple or lavender rose petals, a table with a white table cloth, the chairs can draped in white as well with a lavender or purple sash with lighted torches." Everything I said he wrote down.
"I can do that have you thought of a meal and the time you want to propose. Will the weather cooperate?"
"I want it early enough that it won't interfere with TJ's bed time well it's summer he stays up late but he's usually out around eleven or midnight."
"You want your mother-in-law to be here."
"Someone's got to watch TJ because after Mercedes says yes we're getting it in and I don't want or need any interruptions I might take her there on the beach."
"You wouldn't besides sand in her hair." He shuddered. "That's a no."
"I'd have a towel a few towels. So, did she tell you anything about the ring?"
"Yes. Princess cut, anything from 2.5 carats to 5."
"I say 5 carats anything for her I want this to be special this will be one of her memorable days from the birth of our kids, to our wedding day and first mother's day it starts with this. Now Kurt you're going to have to leave because I have a long day tomorrow. I just want to say this, I thank you and Mama for jumping over me and planning this but this is my proposal you and my mother-in-law will not push me around with this run ideas by me before y'all confirm on something. Let her know that money isn't any option but I would like enough money left to take a honeymoon. Understand? Also don't spoil this surprise let her talk freely about this and go from there. I want this to be a secret."
"Okay. I'll let her know that." He packed up his planner. "I have enough information to bounce off Mama Jones. Have a good night's Sam." I opened the door.
"I will." I locked the door. "Let the countdown begin hopefully Kurt and Mama do as I say and Mercedes doesn't lose her mind tomorrow. I fear she may snap. Glad I'm not there. They'll learn." I turned off the light and went to the bathroom for my shower.
JJ's POV
"I didn't know Sam had a guest house here! This is a big ass house! What happened to the door?"
"Puck kicked it in instead of using his key. That's how pissed off he was we got the door to replace it just haven't did it yet." I knocked on the door. "J3 this is Azimio and Ray guys this is my cousin he's taking Shane spot."
"Good. Wassup man."
"'Sup. What y'all didn't like Shane?" He asked them sitting on the edge of the couch.
"Shane ass was creepy. I'm glad his dusty behind got kicked to the curb. Shane had a program. How'd you sniff it out?"
"TJ he recognized Shane, Shane is tangled up with Tank and I can't have that, my brother can't have that we acted quick and got him out."
"I'm not prying or anything but what did Tank do to your sister?" Ray asked.
"He abused her, verbally, sexually, physically, TJ, he got her pregnant by getting her drunk and doing that to her and now his ass is going above and beyond to get her back. His mother got Stevie shot, thank God he survived, I myself was shot myself twice in the chest." I lifted my shirt showing my bruises. "And he ended up killing the two guys who he got to do that to me. This man doesn't care about the law he thinks he is above the law."
"Does she have a restraining order?"
"She does but it's only temporary she has a court date in a couple of weeks to get the full restraining order but I don't trust that it took the police two times before they got it right. J3 stay chill around here talk to the guys you're going to be rotating with them."
"Okay."
I left the guest house making my way back to the main house and Stacey was sitting there writing. "Stacey what are you still doing out here?"
"Planning the menu for the BBQ next weekend."
"That's really happening Cedes agreed?" I asked sitting down.
"No, we're just having it just because like Stevie and that XBOX ONE. You won't believe who I ran into at Target earlier today."
"Sarah, Sam's last ex. She's the thirstiest of them all that her mother should have named her Sahara she must be dry on the inside she sucks them up. Anyway I'm in the baby section just talking to myself and she popped up saying that I'm buying for Tank's seed."
"You didn't tell her that his seed didn't win the race."
"I'm not that crazy. I let her foolish ass believe that Cedes was still pregnant with Tank's baby. She also got this big ass knot on her head." She showed the size with her hands.
"Where she got a knot on her head from? You think Tank is hitting her?"
"No, she got it from TJ and Logan."
"What?"
"Yeah, she said that Sam's bad kids did it to her. Let's go ask TJ and Logan what they did." We entered the house and to the game room we went.
"TJ, Logan I ran into Sarah."
"Oh you mean Ashy Felicia."
"Who is Ashy Felicia?" Puck asked pausing the game. "I thought her name was Sarah."
"Her name is Sarah but when you don't care for the person you can call Ashy Felicia. Yes, I did she has a big ol' knot on her forehead. What did y'all do to her?"
"She was getting buck in daddy face and she called mommy the b-word so Logan and I went over to the fruit section and stuffed our pockets with fruit and, I didn't even count to three."
"TJ's right we ducked behind this thing and TJ just yelled "three", and we started throwing the fruit at her. We popped her good. Uncle Sam was happy but auntie wasn't. She was talking about giving us a part 2 but Uncle Sam made a promise with us."
"What's the promise?"
"If we get in trouble with mommy he'd find a way to get us out of trouble just like the ice-cream. You got a photo?"
"You know I do baby." She pulled out her phone and that knot was huge! "I zoomed in."
"Damn that's a big ass knot! Hi-five TJ and Logan! Good job!" Puck said giving them hi-fives. "This is beautiful." Puck wiped his tears.
"Puck is you crying?"
"No, just some water in my eye. This is beautiful! They learning from us we are defending our family on all fronts. I'm proud!"
Mercedes POV
"You're proud of what?" Stacey showed me her screen. "Wow that's a huge knot! TJ and Logan see what y'all did?"
"Yup! We're proud!"
"You should not be that's wrong what the both of you did." I glanced down at my phone it was getting close eleven o'clock "Make this the last lap. It's bedtime."
"One more race! Please!"
"Fine last race and it's over." TJ picked his favorite track Rainbow Road and off they were after 3 laps it was over and TJ and Logan won Puck and Stevie were arguing over what went wrong.
"You hit me!"
"You flew off the road! I'm on your team!"
"Say good night to everyone."
"Night Uncle Puck, Aunt Stacey Uncle JJ, and Uncle Stevie." TJ and Logan said in unison.
"Night guys see y'all in the morning." Logan and TJ ran out the room running up the stairs. I heard laughing when as I made my way to his room. "Hey it's too late for y'all to be pillow fighting. Did y'all say y'all prayers?"
"No."
"Say y'all prayers. Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, thy angels watch me through the night, and keep me safe till morning's light. Amen. God Bless my brother Logan and my baby brother, mommy, daddy and conniehey. PS. Let granny go home. Amen."
"God Bless my brother TJ, my baby brother, mommy and conniehey."
"In bed sweet dreams." I gave each a kiss I hit the light and retired to my room. "2 more weeks and then Sam is home." I changed into my pajamas catching up on a few shows I DVR'd when TJ's knock came at the door. "Yes, TJ." I said as he walked in.
"Mommy, I haven't said my prayers in a few nights although I said them tonight can we say our family prayer together. You can never be too prayed up."
"Yes, we can. You want to lead it." I paused the video.
"No, you can lead it."
"Okay let's bow our heads. Yes, come on. Heavenly Father, Please shine your light upon my family. Give us strength to overcome all of the difficulties that we are dealing with now and protect us against any and all problems we may encounter in the future. O Lord, please bring us together as we are meant to be. May the love that binds us only grow stronger as we fulfill the destiny you have laid out for us. Grant my family forgiveness for any sins we have committed. May we also forgive one another Lord, as it is sometimes difficult to do. Bless us Lord, in your name I pray, Amen."
"God Bless mommy, daddy, me, and my baby brother. Amen."
"Amen you're gonna sleep with me tonight or you're going back in you room with Logan?"
"Back to my room. Night mommy."
"Night baby."
The next day…early morning.
Mercedes POV
It's 4 o'clock in the morning which means my mother is up she's still on Lima time I would wait to have this talk with her later in the day but Kurt is coming back later and I want to get this off my chest.
"I knew you were up. Mom, you and I need to talk."
"What? How I am smothering you? I heard you say that yesterday."
"No, not that although you kind of are." I got in her bed. "Um about my relationship with Tank I didn't tell you. Actually I didn't tell you all that happened."
"More happened."
"Yes, the abuse wasn't for 6-8 months"
"Okay did it last a year?"
I swallowed hard. "More than a year…remember when I was on tour opening up for Bey."
"Yes….it started then?! How did it all happen? Tell and don't leave not one detail out."
I chewed on my lip. "I invited Sam to see me perform and Tank was just a little bit extra I picked up on him being jealous but I didn't say anything. Sam had come to my dressing room and Tank asked me if I wanted something to eat and I said no he left Sam and I alone to talk, Sam kissed me Tank saw it. That night I was going to meet up with Sam and he hit me that night he gave me a black eye."
"Why didn't you share that with us while your father and I were here I would have put that broom stick up this asshole? Did he do anything else?"
"Yes, he hit me the next night too saying to me "don't you ever think of looking at another man I'm the only man for you, you belong to me I'll fuck you up."
"Why did you stay so long baby?
"Mom, I thought it would stop, I wanted to prove you and daddy wrong that he'd hit me once and that would be the end of it but it continued until I got pregnant and when I was at a safe mark in my pregnancy he hit me."
"What?! I know that man didn't lay his hands on you while you were carrying TJ!?" I nodded my head. "Why did you stay with him if a man hits you once he's bound to do it again? He didn't love you then you should have known that. So thankful TJ wasn't severely injured or you and we wouldn't have known. Why did you keep this away from us?" She asked pulling me into a hug.
"I didn't want to dwell on it. It's like opening an old wound that's trying to heal. I'm trying to heal but Tank keeps reappearing and ripping off the scab."
"The only way you're going to heal is if you talk about this. Don't you have interviews?"
"I do I was going to drop it that I was in an abusive relationship but JJ said if I wasn't going to drop it all what's the point if it's not going help someone."
She pulled back looking down at me. "He's right. I agree with JJ, don't share if you are not going to open up all. Anything else going on that I need to know about."
"TJ is still having his dreams about Tank."
"I thought those dreams stopped?"
"They started back up when JJ got shot so Sunday stopped one day and picked back up on Tuesday."
"How did they stop and resume?" I sat up and she wiped my tears.
"Sam was home. Last night Sam and I talked to him about his dreams and he knows to talk about them."
"Good he can talk to me too I'm here for a long time. I wish you would have left after he hit you the first time. Why did you stay? You don't have to answer. I mean the only good thing that came out of that was TJ, you can thank him for that."
"TJ was conceived out of being drunk and being taken advantage of I'm not thanking him for that. I love my son I'm thankful for him every day but all thanks go to God."
"What about his mother? Did she know of the abuse you went through?"
"Yeah I told her but she didn't believe me. She told me that I brought this on myself she's in Tank's corner."
"The bitch. Where is she?"
"She was arrested for conspiring to kidnap TJ."
"When did you find this out?! Who told you?" She got off the bed and started pacing back. "Why did you tell us then?"
"Quinn, the day y'all beat him and his cousin up she wondered where his crusty mother was and we found she also was behind Stevie being shot."
"I know it! I knew it! Is she out?"
"No, she's gone for good."
"Better be hell because if she not I'm going to beat her ass myself let her see how it feels to be punched in the eye. What kind of a mother is that?! Let me calm down." She inhaled and exhaled a few times. "Now, what about Shane, I thought he was a fine gentleman."
I titled "That was a put on for you. Shane knew Tank, TJ recognized him the first meeting when we introduced him to Azimio and Ray on Sunday."
"Why didn't he say anything?"
I rubbed my hands across my stomach. "ND family showed up and he wanted to play with Logan so he got sidetracked when Stacey, JJ, Stevie, Puck, and myself were in the office we were talking about Shane and how'd we deal with him. They wanted him to stay longer to hang himself and that didn't take long. He gave Tank my number and he called me. He blocked his number."
"Child you got to stop answering blocked numbers. Did you change your number yet?"
"No, I'm going to change it later today."
"Okay. Are you going to the store to do it?"
"No, I can call them and have the do it. It's a $15 charge that's nothing." I sighed. "Mommy…" I had something else to say but AJE had other things. "I got to go."
Bernice's POV
"So, the charges against me are dropped."
"Yeah, you're free to go there are no witnesses besides Vito and he has other charges against him but you're free."
"Like I should have been all along! I can't believe y'all did this to me! Where is my shit at?"
"Right there!"
"About motherfucking time! Shit!" They handed me my clothes that they took from me when I first got here and went to change back into them. "Where is my cellphone?" I pulled it out the bag and turned it on. "This still works." I dialed Tank's number. "Sarah! What are you doing answering Tank's phone? Where is he? The hospital! What happened to him?! What?! Look come pick me up they let me out. Yeah. Bye." I started dancing and singing. "I'm coming out! I'm coming! Remix. Oh no, not I! I will survive! Oh, as long as I know how to love I know I'll stay alive! Hey! Hey!"
A/N: SHE'S BACK! We still good? What is gonna happen now?! We'll see tomorrow. (: JLS Off to feed my rabbit.