Surprise! The Christmas Matchmaker is BACKKKK!
Chapter One: A Royal Mess
"Izzy, we don't have all day!" Mercedes shouted from the bottom of the stairs. "You will be stuck in this house if you're not down in three seconds!"
"I CAN'T FIND MY TOP!" Izzy shouted back, as she ran around her bedroom, frantically searching for her top. It was the perfect shade of royal pink that matched her make-up, but it was nowhere to be found.
She had just about given up hope when she spotted it, tucked away in the far corner of her closet. With a relieved sigh, Izzy snatched it up and quickly pulled it on.
Sam stepped forward and draped an arm around his wife's waist. "Teenagers are fun, right?" He joked, nipping at her neck and earning a soft groan from her.
"I would lie and say yes, but we have three other kids, and I am tired of arguing with them all."
"I know, but Kurt and Blaine are taking the kids this weekend, and you get three blissful days of no talking back, no fighting, and no mommy calls." Sam reminded her.
"Oh, that sounds amazing. I can't remember the last time I had some alone time."
"Well, with all the Penny stuff and you having to restructure your company, it's been a rough few months."
Recently, her life had been in upheaval for the past few months due to a lawsuit brought against her by Penny. Since Mercedes had married Sam, Penny used her business to sue her for revenge. Penny used her influence and money to bring the case to court.
She leaned into her husband, feeling her body relax against his as he put his arm around her. "Well, with all the Penny stuff and me having to restructure my company, it's been a rough few months."
He nodded. "I know. We'll get through it."
At first, Mercedes had been confident the case would be thrown out, but it persisted. Now that trial was fast approaching, she felt like she could barely breathe. Their first day in court was ridiculous. Every part of the experience made her feel small and helpless - forced on the defense from the beginning. Penny was not only suing Mercedes for breach of contract, but she wanted her business. She wanted to take everything from Mercedes since she felt Mercedes took everything from her.
Izzy came dashing down the stairs, bag in hand and a bright smile on her face. "Ready!" She announced.
Sam and Mercedes exchanged a glance of confusion as they took in their daughter's appearance. Izzy had donned a bright pink crop top, which hung loosely on her slim frame, and a pair of low-slung jeans. Her long hair was pulled back into a high ponytail with some clips adorning the sides, and her delicate features were highlighted with a bold black and pink make-up look.
Mercedes pulled away from Sam; her jaw clenched so hard she thought her teeth might shatter. "Oh hell to the no, you have lost every brain cell if you think you're going anywhere looking like that."
Izzy looked down at her outfit before looking back at her parents, confused. "What's wrong with this? I'm just going to Chloe's?"
"Exactly, you're going three minutes down the road, not to a Dua Lipa concert! You need to go change." Mercedes replied.
The young girl rolled her eyes. "Seriously, ma, I don't even listen to Dua Lipa, and you said I could express myself, so that's what I'm doing. No biggie."
Sam saw the vein about to burst from Mercedes' forehead and quickly moved in between them. "Izz, your mom is right. You need to change; you're just going over there for a few days."
Izzy huffed, tossing her bag down. "But why! There's nothing wrong with what I have on, and it's not like I can't just put it back on once I get there!"
Sam felt Mercedes start to lunge and quickly moved so that he could wrap his arms around her. "Isabella Grace Evans, I am only going to say one more time. Go change, now." He warned sternly.
Mercedes stepped back and crossed her arms over her chest, still silently fuming from Izzy's defiance.
Izzy turned to face them both again, her expression mixed with confusion and anger. "Just because she's being sued doesn't mean I should have to be treated this way! You both have been so mean since Penny showed back up!" She spat before stomping up the stairs towards her bedroom.
Mercedes frowned, her hands visibly shaking. "And I want that outfit in hand when you return back down here so I can burn it!" Mercedes yelled after her. "Sam…"
"I know, baby, I know. No one prepared us for raising teens."
"This isn't about raising teens! Sam, this is about Penny. Ever since she showed her overly botoxed face back in our lives." Mercedes said, moving to the twin's room.
"Merce, please, I know that Penny returning has screwed things up, but you know she can't win," he said, following her.
"You really think that matters? She's calling my character into question. Losing the trust of my clients is not something that can be won back. I already had two clients fire me. Don't even be subtle about it. They told me it's because of Penny."
Sam moved in front of her. "I know Mercedes."
"No, you don't!" She stared at him. "Sam, three generations of Jones women ran the Matchmaking Service. That's almost forty years of service. And I didn't even do anything wrong, but because Penny is bitter and petty and I am the one who is suffering. Not you, not your business."
"What do you want from me, Mercedes? I didn't bring her here!"
"Didn't you? You were still married to her when we met! And I forgave that; I forgave it all. But dammit, Sam, she is like a disease with no cure!"
Sam opened his mouth to speak, but he knew he didn't have a leg to stand on. "Mercedes… I don't know what you want me to say. I've been trying to be supportive and understanding, but I can't keep fighting about this. If I could make Penny go away, I would, but I can't."
Mercedes' face twisted into a mask of disbelief as she heard Sam's words. "I'm not fighting with you; I'm just expressing how I'm feeling," she muttered through gritted teeth, shaking her head in disbelief.
"It doesn't feel that way," he shot back before turning away from her.
"Hey, what is that supposed to mean?" She demanded, stopping him in his tracks by grabbing his arm.
Sam looked upon his wife with anger blazing in his eyes. "It means that Izzy isn't completely wrong… you have been mean; granted some of it is just parenting, but not all of it. We have our really great moments then… you just go to a place, and it's hard to get you out of it."
The heat of the moment rising, Mercedes' temper flared and tears threatened to fall. "Well… I didn't realize I was being a raging bitch. Excuse me for trying to deal with being sued, being a mother and a wife, and trying to keep whatever sliver of business I have intact," she ground out before storming away from him.
Sam watched her retreating back, "IZZY, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES THEN I'M LEAVING WITHOUT YOU!" He roar, berating himself internally as he slammed the door shut behind him.
Izzy's heart felt heavy as she stood in her bedroom doorway, her arms wrapped around her body in a protective gesture. For months now, the sound of her parents' arguing had filled the house, and it only seemed to be getting worse. They never openly fought, but the words they exchanged had the same cutting impact as a sword's blade.
Izzy could feel her anger rising, anger directed at her parents for not taking her feelings seriously, for not understanding how their bickering affected her and her sister and brothers. She was scared of what might happen if they kept going like this, terrified they might eventually decide to split up.
Tears streaming down her face, Izzy took a deep breath and spoke in a soft voice. "Please," she said, her voice wavering ever so slightly, "please try to be nicer to each other. I'm worried about us."
She quickly wiped her eyes and grabbed a pair of sweatpants and one of the shirts she'd gotten when they went to Disney World. She changed as her parents told her. Not wanting them to know she'd been crying, she rushed into her bathroom, grabbed a make-up wipe, and cleaned her face.
Taking a deep breath, Izzy walked out of her room and down the stairs, steeling herself when she spotted her mother before offering a half smile. "Better?" She asked, handing over her previous outfit.
Mercedes looked at her and nodded, offering a smile back. "Much better…"Mercedes exhaled. "…I hope you have fun at Chloe's."
Izzy nodded. "Yeah, see ya, ma." She said, grabbing her bag before walking out the front door.
Mercedes quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her into a tight hug. "I love you so much, sweetpea, and I will try to be nicer…"
Izzy smiled back, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. "Love you too," she replied, breaking away from the embrace and walking towards Chloe's house with her father in tow.
Sam and Izzy walked in an awkward silence before he finally spoke. "You know your mom is just stressed, right? She isn't trying to be mean."
Izzy sighed, kicking a rock as they continued to walk. "I'm not mad at Mom for being mean; I'm mad at you for letting her do this to Mom." She answered, feeling her anger rising again.
"Hey." He said, stopping them. "I didn't know Penny was going to do any of this. I didn't know she even could sue because of us getting together. I'm really trying here…"
"Are you? Because Penny is destroying our family, Dad."
"No, she's not; it won't get that far. Just, Izzy, let the adults handle this; you try not to worry so much, okay?"
Izzy looked at her dad, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. She took a deep breath and nodded. She knew he was trying his best to keep them all together.
"I know, Dad," she said softly. "But Mom needs a break too. She has Issac and the twins always clinging to her; you work literally all day… she needs a break."
Sam sighed, rubbing his forehead in exasperation. He could tell that Izzy understood, making him feel guilty for not giving her mother the rest she deserved.
"I'm going to give her a break, I promise," he said finally. "But I can't do it while the trial is starting. I want to take us all away for a while, but she has to be here."
Izzy nodded again in understanding. "Okay, I'm trusting you." She said before they started walking again. "Besides, if you lose Mom, Uncle Stevie will literally kill you." She teased.
Sam chuckled. "And Auntie Jane and Quinn and both sets of your grandparents." He added with a smirk.
Sam and Izzy walked up the driveway to the Quinn's house, a sense of calm washing over them. Sam stopped for a moment to take it all in. He turned to his daughter with a reassuring smile on his face. "You know, no matter what happens, Mom and I will always be here for you, right? We'll get through this together, okay?"
Izzy smiled back at her father, understanding what he was trying to say, before nodding and giving him a hug. "I know, Dad. I'll see you guys in a few days!" She said before opening the door and going inside.
Sam watched as she disappeared into her aunt's house before turning and heading back down the driveway towards home. His phone chimed and he quickly pulled it out immediately frowning when he saw it was a message from Penny.
PO: I would wish you and that wife of yours luck in court tomorrow, but by the time I am done with you, you both will need more than help. And once I have taken everything from Mercedes. I am coming for my daughter.
"What the hell am I gonna do?" He mumbled to himself.
We hope yall enjoy thisss! Also it was Tora's birthday a few days ago! So wish my girl a HAPPPPY BIRTHDAY!