Chapter 55
"Does Sam know you're here?" Mercedes asked without looking up. She continued to focus on the twinkling lights like the stars on Beth's ceiling polka dotting the dance floor in a random pattern hypnotizing her the longer she stared.
Dwight Evans sunk his large frame into the seat across from her. "No I thought it best to not disturb them now that everything is finally coming out."
"You were the one that insisted he not be told in the first place."
"I wanted to make sure he was ready to handle it. The timing was key."
"What makes you think now is the time?" Mercedes finally looked over at him, impeccably dressed in a navy suit, showing no signs of rumples or wrinkles from his flight. "He's been pretty emotional all night, not to mention the passing out part."
"I know my son."
"I hope so because Sam doesn't need to get hurt over this."
It was hard to believe that just an hour ago Sam was happier than she'd seen him in a long time, since before the accident, since before their marriage fell apart. After she had agreed to help him keep up his father's deal, Sam's whole demeanor changed, it was as if a weight had been lifted and a sense of peace had settled over of him. They'd come in from the cold, emerged back into the grand salon, like a very different couple than they had been when they left. Well Sam was very different, Mercedes was being pulled along for the ride. He never dropped her hand, dragging her through the party until they reached his mom and Will at the far end of the dance floor by the stage. Stevie, Stacy and Maria were there, so excited to see their uncle, throwing themselves at him with that boundless little kid energy, and Sam couldn't get enough. He twirled and spun, hair and ribbons flying, giggles filling the air, almost louder than the music. And that smile, Sam's face was glowing with his full grin that caused the corners of his eyes to crinkle and his ears to point up ever so slightly. Sam managed to get that dance, not with her, Mercedes still wouldn't allow that, but with his mom, his eager partner, swaying in time to "Oh Mandy" by Barry Manilow, while she looked up adoringly at her son.
Mercedes couldn't help but smile as she watched Sam dance, he was so handsome and alive, doing things she had only dreamed he'd be able to do again. Everything about him being able to celebrate his birthday with such enthusiasm and joy was a miracle. The problem was that all of it was based on lies and deceptions. Sam was happy because she agreed to pretend, to keep up a charade, to be his accomplice in duplicity. That was a place she had been before and had no problem occupying again, she'd do anything for him, always had, and probably always would, but this time there was a marked difference. This time she wasn't really doing it for him. She was doing it for her. All of this was about Quinn, helping her stay out of the hospital, supporting her efforts to win back custody of Beth. It might have been Sam that made the request, but when she looked past his pink lips and pleading eyes, all Mercedes could see was Quinn, and that was very hard for her to swallow.
"Sam is free to react how he sees fit. His family is here to support him, and once Kurt clears all these people out of my house, there will be no audience to broadcast his reaction to the world."
"I am just scared to think about what that reaction might be."
A part of her couldn't stop thinking about him on the floor of the nursery, as he had been earlier in the night, unresponsive, blood pooling above his lip, so very pale. Even if it had been a reaction to alcohol, and she wasn't fully convinced of that, seeing Sam that way had unnerved her. Mercedes wasn't sure if she could deal with another incident like that tonight. Then there was that other part of her, the more cynical side, her realistic side, the part of her that kept her from dreaming and stopped any of her hopes from getting too carried away. That part of her knew that she shouldn't fear for Sam's health, there would be no more passing out tonight, because whatever Quinn told him about Beth would never be enough to impact his feelings for her, to get him to turn away from Quinn in anger or hurt, and definitely not pain. Mercedes hadn't known much about Sam and Quinn's relationship before the crash, it was only while they were trapped in the car that Sam became so free with his stories about his ex-girlfriend, but that conversation in the car, combined with all she had pieced together since, made it very clear that there was pretty much nothing Quinn could do to get Sam to stop caring about her. Not even hurting their baby.
"I know you must be worried about what's going on in there with them, but I assure you if Quinn doesn't tell him the truth I will," Dwight stated, his mouth stretched into a tight thin line. Mercedes could tell that the situation behind the closed doors of his study was worrying him far more than he was letting on.
"Oh I know," she said with a slight raise of her shoulders. "I'm not worried about that. Sue is camped outside the door right now just waiting for the chance to pounce with the truth. My thoughts about Quinn are more complex."
"Please explain."
Mercedes uncrossed her legs and leaned forward toward her father-in-law. "I'd like to know what in the hell you were thinking letting a crazy woman loose on Sam, on Beth, on my marriage."
"Sam was the one that made that decision," said Dwight his expression never changing. "If you have issue with it take it up with him."
Mercedes rolled her eyes. It was an Evans trait to deny and shift the blame whenever possible. Direct was never their style, not when they were guilty. "Cut the crap Dwight."
"Excuse me young lady." Dwight raised an eyebrow, but allowed no other expression to disturb his carefully crafted mask of indifference. "Watch how you speak to me."
Dwight no longer intimidated her, maybe he still should have, after all his reputation was deadly, but after seeing him break down at Sam's bedside, it became clear he was mortal like everyone else. He wasn't made of steel, there were definite vulnerabilities in his body armor, and his love for Sam was one of the biggest.
"Sam told me all about that little deal you made with him to get Quinn free."
"He told you?" Dwight sat up more erect, hands on his thighs, as if he were ready to spring into action, yet he didn't move from his chair. "So soon? I explicitly told him not to involve you in this."
"Well he did. Turns out my husband still has some respect left for me. Unlike my father-in-law that used me like a bargaining chip."
Mercedes felt her emotions rising and she fought to keep them in check. There was no way in hell she was going to lose it in front of Dwight Evans, he obviously viewed her emotions as weakness, her sadness as a sign she was incapable of running her own life. Why else would he step in and do this act of charity forcing Sam to stay married to her as if she were too pathetic to keep him interested on her own without resorting to bribery? The simplest answer was that her own father-in-law didn't think she had what it took to keep Sam away from Quinn.
"I was merely trying to ensure that Sam took the time to get to know you before running off with that slut. He had these ideas in his head about becoming a family with Quinn and Beth."
If Dwight only knew what his son was up to tonight, he wouldn't be so calm right now. Sam wasn't letting any deals hold him back from the life he wanted, a life with Quinn.
"He still has those ideas. Your arrangement with him hasn't changed that. He still wants to be with her and not me." Mercedes almost choked on that last sentence, hating to admit the glaring truth of her situation out loud. Sam might be giving her attention at the moment, at times being flirty, sometimes turning up the heat, but none of it was about her. It was all an act to keep her appeased so she would help him with Quinn.
"I wouldn't jump to that conclusion yet. Everything is working out just as I anticipated." Dwight leaned back in his seat, looking more relaxed than ever.
The more relaxed Dwight became the more agitated Mercedes grew. What the hell was going on with the man? He was acting like everything was normal and completely ignoring the fact that Sam was locked in a room with Quinn receiving the worse news of his life, on his birthday no less.
"So you anticipated Quinn crashing this party, and Sam blacking out?" asked Mercedes her voice rising. "Oh and did you anticipate Quinn trying to leave the house with the baby?"
"Sam has always been a bit high strung and Beth was never in any danger." Dwight lowered his voice as he observed a handful of stragglers slowly leaving the room. "The guards were watching Quinn all night. She wouldn't have made it past the front steps with the girl. Just like when Sam let her hold the baby in the nursery. They were being watched the entire time."
"Sam let her hold the baby?" Mercedes's throat went dry. Quinn had gotten close to Beth twice in one night.
"Yes earlier this evening, but it wasn't the same as when she broke into Beiste's house and got to Beth. Sam was with her the whole time."
"She broke into our house?" Mercedes asked her eyes widening in shock. "How come you never told me about that?"
"We didn't want you to worry. I had handled it. I made sure she went upstate so she wouldn't get that close to Beth again."
This must have been the night they found Quinn wandering the streets of Lima. She hadn't been lost at all, she knew exactly where she was going, right to the house to steal Beth from them. Fear gripped Mercedes as her mind replayed all the ways Quinn had hurt Beth in the past, like a slide show in rapid motion, now she had a new image to add, Quinn getting to Beth right under their noses.
"It was you that sent her up there?" asked Mercedes still trying to process everything. Beiste, Dwight, even her dad had neglected to tell her about Quinn's little break-in.
"It didn't take much. All I did was report that she escaped from the hospital and broke into the house in an attempt to kidnap my granddaughter. Judge Leery was more than eager to send Quinn to a more secure facility."
"So why the hell did you let her out now? She's still a threat. Her actions tonight proved it."
Mercedes hadn't been witness to Quinn's episode in the foyer, she had only Sue's teary account of events to go on, but she didn't need to be there to understand the fear Sue must have felt. Seeing Beth in intensive care, hooked up to machines, her little body clinging to life, all because of something her own mother had done, those were the images that kept Mercedes up at night, silently blaming herself for not protecting Beth, for not preventing Quinn from hurting her. Both she and Sue had been concerned about Quinn, had discussed just how unstable she seemed, but neither of them did anything about it. The sad results of her inaction were something she would have to live with. She'd spent each day since Beth was discovered in the woods trying to make it up to her, make her feel safe and loved. Having Quinn back made all of that harder, because Mercedes wasn't sure what she was capable of. All she had was her gut, and it was telling her to protect Beth at all costs, even from her own mother.
Dwight signaled to Figgins with a wave of his hand. "Sam is awake and able to keep her in check now. She's his problem."
Beth was easier to handle, she was small, immobile for the time being, but Sam was a whole different matter. He was a fully functioning adult with a mind of his own. There was no way that Mercedes could control his movements, keep him safe from Quinn, or even from himself. Since he woke up, Sam had been fixated on Quinn and renewing a relationship with her, as far as Mercedes could tell there wasn't anything she could do to stop him from following that road.
"No, she's my problem. Sam has no objectivity when it comes to Quinn. Do you really think he'll keep Beth from her?"
"Once he knows the whole story, he will do what needs to be done." Dwight assured her.
"You have no idea how important Quinn is to him do you?" she asked almost laughing. Dwight was totally underestimating Sam's feelings for Quinn. "The lengths he'll go to for her? He asked me to play along with his charade, keep up appearances with him, so he could fool you into thinking that he wanted to be married to me."
"And I take it you turned him down? Since you are divulging all of this to me right now."
"Actually no." Mercedes paused. "I told him I would do it," she added quietly.
"I see." Dwight said watching her as Figgins handed him a glass of scotch.
Mercedes reddened under his dark stare. "What choice did I have?" she asked defensively. "He was giving me the hard sell about Beth needing her mother, and he was being honest with me, completely, and he started talking about anam cara…" Her list of excuses faded on her lips, too weary to keep up the pretense.
"So you agreed to help him save Quinn?"
"In a sense, yes."
He was so upset when she turned him down looking so lost and alone, like she was his last hope and now he was left with nothing. Mercedes never could handle seeing Sam in pain, especially not when it was so blatantly displayed on his face. When they had first broken up last year, Sam had kept showing up at the door, with the very same pained expression he wore tonight in the pool house, slamming the door in his face day after day was all Mercedes could do to stop herself from reacting to his feelings, to prevent herself from caring about a man that had devastated her so completely. She had tried to slam the door on him tonight, turning down his request to help him keep Quinn free, for once putting her own feelings above his, and it had worked, until she looked over at him and saw his face. After that she knew it was hopeless, she would do whatever he asked.
"I can't help but think back to that time when you helped Sam with Rachel."
Mercedes groaned. "Don't remind me that I'm being the same fool twice." The parallels between her past and present were really starting to unnerve her. It felt like she was trapped in some endless loop of all her misdeeds, forced to relive them over and over again with different players in the role.
"I don't think you're being foolish," said Dwight as he took a drink from his glass. "I think you are looking out for Sam's best interest, that you care about his wellbeing, and that you're incredibly loyal. I always knew Sam got it right when he married you."
Mercedes shot her father-in-law a disbelieving look. "You thought I was a gold digger."
"True, but I also thought you were smart and tenacious. You've got backbone and heart. You're exactly the kind of woman Sam needs.
Totally surreal to be sitting in the middle of an empty room with Dwight Evans as he plied her with compliments, something he had never done before. Mercedes suspected it had more to do with who she wasn't, than who she was. Dwight would have wanted Sam married to a serial killer, as long as she wasn't Quinn Fabray.
"I knew Sam was up to something all night, trying to pull one over on me, I just didn't know what. And there were times when I almost believed that some of what he was saying and doing could be real, but it was all to keep Quinn free and hold up his end of the bargain with you. The only reason Sam needs me is to keep Quinn out of the psych ward. He doesn't really care about me," she said sniffing back tears.
Dwight handed her a handkerchief, silk, monogramed with an E. Mercedes dabbed at her eyes, disgusted with herself for showing weakness in front of Dwight. She didn't want to cry over this, not anymore. This was her life now and tears would do nothing to change it or make it better.
"My son botched a multi-million dollar deal because of you." Dwight grimaced. The loss clearly still pained him. "He had that deal sealed tight and it all came apart because he couldn't handle his feelings for you."
"That deal fell apart because I double crossed him and passed info to competitors." Something she wasn't proud of, especially since it cost the company millions, but back then it felt like the only way to get Sam's attention.
"Something that never would have happened if he hadn't been acting like a six year old with a crush. Sam is a shrewd business man, intelligent, forward thinking, perceptive, and don't you ever tell him I said any of this, he's not ready to hear it, but I thought he had the makings of a damn fine CEO," he said gruffly. "I see so much of myself in him, but he has this other side, led by his emotions that cause him to be irrational, impulsive, and downright stupid, clearly all traits he inherited from his mother."
"What does any of that have to do with the fact that you set Sam up to use me to get to Quinn?"
"He had a choice Mercedes, then and now. He didn't have to take my deal, he could've found another way to help Quinn. Just like back when he was dealing with you and your antics at D&E, he had options to handle you, hell I told him numerous times to sue you, have you jailed, shipped out of town, you name it."
"I'm so touched Dwight," Mercedes said dryly, not surprised that he had encouraged Sam to run her out of Lima.
"It wasn't personal, merely business. Sam wouldn't hear any of that though. He rather you stay in town making him miserable and his job so much harder, jeopardizing his company and his relationship with me, all because he was attracted to you."
"Sam and I have always had an attraction, but so what? It's never been enough."
He had wanted her even while he was with Rachel, they had an almost instant connection and attraction. Sam tried to downplay it, but Mercedes could always see the feelings he tried to conceal. In the end it just didn't matter much, Sam chose Rachel over her, leaving Mercedes to spend many months coping with the fact that she wasn't good enough for someone like him.
"Sam no longer works for D&E, Rachel is gone, and you're the one he married. I think that attraction proved to be more than enough. He's forgotten you, and yet here you are, still very much in his life."
Mercedes couldn't be fooled. Still being married to Sam had nothing to do with their enduring connection and everything to do with Quinn.
"Only because you forced him into it. I deserve better than to be his obligation."
"Family is not obligation. It is responsibility. He is a husband and a father and he can't just run away from that. I just helped him remember his priorities," Dwight stated resolutely, as if no fault could be found with his reasoning.
"I have a responsibility too as his wife wouldn't you say?"
For weeks people had been trying to convince her that Sam felt more than he let on, that his memories of her and his feelings were lurking just beneath the surface and patience and understanding would lure them out and she'd have her husband again. Back and forth she swung between clinging to those hopes and being completely disillusioned by them. Walking away from him made the most sense. He didn't want her, definitely didn't love her, what was she hanging on for? Then Emma, of all people, pushed her toward sticking it out, hinting that she would be quitting if she gave up so quickly, but it wasn't until Quinn confronted her in the middle of the hallway, throwing her feelings for Sam around, making declarations about second chances and having a future with Sam that Mercedes dug her heels in and decided to fight. Maybe there was nothing left between her and Sam, their marriage erased forever from his mind, but Mercedes wasn't just going to hand her husband over to another woman, especially not Quinn. If in the end Quinn ended up with Sam it would only be after a long hard battle.
"Indeed, that's why I was certain you would stay with him and not divorce him. I knew you would support him."
Dwight seemed so proud of himself, though his facial expression hadn't changed very much. Mercedes still could sense the satisfaction exuding from his pores.
"There are limits to how much a person is willing to take."
"Understood, but you have not reached that limit. Before his accident when you two were contemplating divorce for the first time, I encouraged my son to fight for you, to do whatever it took to keep you in his life and now that he can't remember his fight or even what it was he was fighting for, I am picking up the slack for him, I am helping him keep the life he wanted."
There was that crack again, a bit of humanity slipping through the armor. Dwight honestly seemed to believe that he'd done all of this for Sam and that one day when his memory returned he would actually be grateful. Mercedes almost felt sorry for the man, so much money and power and yet he didn't have a clue about the human heart.
"And that life can't happen if I don't cooperate?" asked Mercedes playing along, despite feeling queasy that her father-in-law thought it was okay to wheel and deal with human lives.
"Yes, but you just said you agreed to stand by Sam, so everything is going according to plan," he said with a hint of a smile.
"Beiste doesn't know what you've been up to does she?" asked Mercedes observing him closely for any tells.
"Shannon doesn't have anything to do with what we are talking about here."
There it was a little twitch around his lips. Finally Mercedes had something she could use.
"I know Beiste very well and I know with the most certainty that she wouldn't like you playing God with our lives like this."
"Shannon will be thrilled Quinn is no longer upstate. She never wanted her there in the first place." Dwight tried to maintain his façade of calm but his mouth's little twitches continued to give him away.
"You're probably right," said Mercedes rising to her feet. "I think I'll just give her a call and tell her about Quinn being back in Lima and how that miraculous feat came to be." She started to move away from the lounge area, onto the dance floor and towards the door.
"You're lucky I like you," Dwight called out from his seat.
Mercedes smiled. "I'm lucky you like Beiste," she said as she walked back over to him.
"What are you getting at?" asked Dwight.
"I need to know my family is safe. One of the reasons I agreed to go along with helping Sam was because I needed to be in the loop to look out for him. He has no idea what he's getting himself into with Quinn."
"I'm not going to penalize him for telling you about our agreement, if that's what you're concerned about. I knew he would end up doing it anyway."
Dwight stood up in front of her, a visual reminder of his size and strength. Mercedes was not going to be deterred, she dug her bare toes into the plush carpet and continued.
"I need you to do the exact opposite. I want you to penalize Sam to the max," she said twisting the silk handkerchief in her hands. "There's a picture of him and Quinn together at a hotel last night. And he's admitted to me that they were physically intimate at that hotel. I think both of those things plus the fact that he told me about your deal is enough to make your plan null and void."
For better or worse she'd done it. There was no other choices, the matter had to be handled.
Dwight shook his head. "I gave Sam my word. I'm not going back on that."
"Quinn is after my husband. Do you want her as your new daughter-in-law?"
This was what she feared most, not Quinn hurting Beth, although that concerned her too, but Quinn getting intertwined with Sam, sucking him in and destroying him in the process. Her dad was still a wreck hiding behind work and random women because he felt like he lost a daughter, Mike fled the country, and Puck had lost the ability to commit, all because of Quinn.
"That won't ever happen," he scoffed. "Quinn will find a way to muck things up, like she always does."
"And what if this time she gets it right? I'm not willing to take that chance. Are you?"
"Things are fine, you have nothing to worry about. I promise you," said Dwight patting her on the shoulder.
"Everything's not fine!" Mercedes yelled jerking away, all the emotions she had tried to hide from him spilling out in a warm gush of tears. "I feel like I'm being attacked from all sides, by Quinn, by Sam, by the reporters, I need to get some control over my life."
"Calm down girl. I told you I am handling things."
"The way you handled tonight? Quinn got into the house, into Beth's nursery, she and Sam had some emotional exchange, and things were said. Things that Quinn later threw in my face."
A shiver ran down Mercedes' spine as she recalled the smug look on Quinn's face as she told her about Sam wanting to be with her and wanting to marry her one day. Quinn had been very pleased to stab Mercedes with those particular truths. There was no compassion for their long medical ordeal, no respect for their marriage, Quinn seemed only to care about finally getting her shot with Sam. Someone that focused and determined could be dangerous, Mercedes knew from personal experience, as she had been in a similar position when she set out to steal Sam from Rachel.
"What kinds of things?" asked Dwight.
"It doesn't matter." Mercedes tried to pull herself together, wiping her face with Dwight's handkerchief. "I just need you to help me get rid of Quinn."
"Mercedes, I told you I made a promise to Sam," said Dwight, turning his back to signal the end of the conversation.
Mercedes wasn't about to give up so easily. She had to see this through for Sam.
"What about the promise you made to me?" she asked rushing in front of Dwight. "When Sam was first in the hospital, you promised me that he'd come back to me. You told me that I'd have my husband again."
"That's what this is all about," he said opening his arms wide for emphasis. "This is me keeping my promise."
"But don't you see? I don't have him back, she does. I need you to fix this for me. Get Quinn away from Sam and Beth. Send her upstate, to prison, wherever. I don't care how you do it, but I want her gone from our lives."
"You agreed to help him. Sam is counting on you. I'm sure you don't want to go back on that."
For a moment, Dwight reminded her of Beiste, a small sign that the pair weren't so mismatched after all. Beiste had employed similar tactics before, in an effort to push Mercedes toward making morally acceptable decisions. Sometimes it had worked, Mercedes wanted to be a better person, to do the right thing, but not tonight. The right thing might seem wrong to some, but it was what she needed to do to put her family back together.
"I'm doing what I have to do."
"You could lose him over this," said Dwight in almost a gentle tone.
"I can't lose what I don't have," she said tears welling in her eyes. "At least I'll know he's safe."
Mercedes looked across the now empty room, only the remnants of the party remained, the debris from what was supposed to be a happy night. One thing was still intact, undisturbed by the partygoers. The gift table she didn't want to have, overflowing in a corner of the room, a rainbow of packages he never even opened. Sam probably hadn't even thought twice about them all, since the only gift he truly wanted, Quinn back in Lima, had been delivered to him wrapped in a shiny bow.
What Sam didn't know, and she hoped he never would discover, was that what she was asking of his father right now was a gift too. A present she was sure he didn't want, but one he desperately needed.