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Mercedes grabbed her phone and sat cross-legged on her bed. She pressed the phone to her ear and stared out the window.
The soft purple glow of her bedside lamp cast a warm light around her room, calming the jealousy that was reluctantly growing inside her. "Hey, JJ. Happy Thanksgiving!"
"Happy Thanksgiving, Sis!" Her brother's cheerful voice brought a smile to her lips. "How are you holding up? Not too lonely in that big apartment all alone, right?"
"I'm good, and no, I'm not," she said, leaning back against the pillows. You know, I'm just trying to make the most of the day."
JJ chuckled. "That's code for staying home and working, isn't it?"
"Not exactly," she replied, toying with the corner of her comforter.
"Then what exactly had my little sister gotten herself into?"
Mercedes chewed her bottom lip. "My neighbor—who also happens to be my client—had a little kitchen mishap, so I helped him cook dinner. I offered them my apartment, and it was a nice family dinner."
There was a pause on the line before JJ's teasing voice broke through. "Oh, so you like him."
Mercedes groaned, flopping onto her back. "JJ, no. Please don't start."
"What? I'm just saying. You're over there cooking for this man."
"Correction! We cooked together! I didn't cook for him."
"Okay, whatever, you cooked with him and broke bread with his family? Sounds like one of those Hallmark movies you used to make me watch with you."
She let out a long sigh, staring at the ceiling. "First of all, you quite enjoyed those movies! And the lifetime ones! And second...Sam is... kind," she admitted quietly. "He's smart, talented, and, yes, he's gorgeous. But he's my client. Helping him cook dinner is one thing, but being with him? That's a line I can't cross."
JJ smacked his teeth loudly. "Mercy, that's the lamest excuse I've ever heard. If you like him, you shouldn't let him go."
"It's not just that," she said, her voice dropping.
"Okay, so make me understand."
She sighed heavily. "Quinn is practically in love with him."
"Quinn?" JJ's disbelief was palpable. "Mercy, Quinn is practically in love with everyone. That girl would flirt with a lamppost if it gave her attention."
Despite herself, Mercedes laughed. "JJ, I'm serious."
"So am I!" he shot back. "Quinn doesn't matter. What matters is what you want. If you like this guy, don't let her—or anyone else—get in your head."
She sat up, her voice wavering. "You weren't here tonight. She stood up in front of his whole family and asked him out."
JJ whistled low. "Bold move. But so what? If he's into you, none of that matters."
Mercedes shook her head. "JJ, you out all people know Quinn is... irresistible to men. I don't stand a chance."
"That's not true, and you know it," he said firmly. "You've got a lot more to offer than she ever could."
She hesitated, her fingers curling around the edge of her comforter. "It's not just that," she admitted softly. "My diagnosis means my life span is short. How could I do that to someone? How could I ask them to love me when I know they'll lose me?"
JJ's voice softened. "Mercy, none of us know how long we've got. Only God does. Isn't it better to love while you can instead of shutting yourself off?"
"No," she said firmly. "If we date and fall in love, then he has to live with losing me. Too many people have that burden already."
There was a pause before JJ spoke again. "You're wrong, Sis. Love isn't a burden. It's a blessing. You deserve it, just like anyone else."
Mercedes didn't respond. The weight of his words pressed down on her, but she couldn't let herself believe them. There was a soft knock on the door, and she sat up straighter. "I've got to go, JJ," she said, her voice quieter now. "I love you. Call me later so I can talk to the kids."
"I will. Love you too, Mercy." His reluctance was clear, but he hung up anyway.
Taking a deep breath, she stood and smoothed her clothes before crossing the room to the door. When she opened it, she was surprised to find Sam standing there, a hesitant smile on his face.
"I was just coming out," she said quickly, brushing past him and into the hallway.
Sam followed, his expression curious. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah," she said with a faint smile. "Just catching up with my brother."
Mercedes stepped out of her room, still mulling over her conversation with JJ, when she heard a high-pitched squeal from the living room. Stacey was practically bouncing in place, clutching a sleek, wicked case in her hands.
"Oh my God, Mercedes!" Stacey exclaimed, holding up the case like it was the Holy Grail. "How?! Wicked?! This isn't even out yet!"
Mercedes chuckled, leaning against the doorframe. "I'm blessed to know someone on the editing team," she said with a grin. "He owed me a favor and did me a solid."
Stacey's excitement grew tenfold as she clutched the case to her chest. "I danced to I'm Not That Girl and No One Mourns the Wicked in college. This is EVERYTHING!"
Mercedes laughed, her eyes lighting up. "I'm Not That Girl is my absolute favorite. Such a gorgeous song."
Stacey clasped her hands together dramatically. "You have to watch this with me. Please! It's Thanksgiving, and this would be the perfect end to the day!"
Mercedes glanced around the room, her smile widening. "As long as no one else minds, I'm down."
The rest of the family had begun gathering up to-go plates from the containers Mercedes had Kitty buy earlier. Dwight raised an eyebrow at Stacey's enthusiasm. "Wicked? Isn't that the one about witches?"
"Yup," Stacey replied cheerfully, already queuing up the movie. "But it's so much more than that."
The men in the room exchanged skeptical glances. Silas crossed his arms. "I'm not doing Wicked."
Stevie smirked and gestured toward Sam and Dwight. "Yeah, count us out."
Yet within ten minutes, Mercedes and Stacey convinced them to watch it, and everyone had settled into the living room, surrounded by blankets and pillows.
The seating arrangement fell into place naturally: Stevie sprawled out on a plush bean bag chair Mercedes had kept for her friend Artie, who hated the firm grey recliner sectionals, with a fluffy pink blanket.
On one side of the sectional, Mary, Dwight, and Stacey huddled together under a shared blanket. On the other side, Mercedes found herself sitting between Sam and Silas, with Quinn on Sam's other side.
And while Sam and Quinn shared a blanket and MErcedes and Silas did, she and Sam were almost so close they were cuddling.
As the opening notes of the musical began, Mercedes and Stacey immediately started singing along softly.
As I'm not that girl played, Mercedes could feel Sam's eyes on hers, and when she looked his way, she blushed, looking back to the screen.
By the time Defying Gravity rolled around, they were both fully invested, with Mercedes belting out notes in perfect harmony.
By the end of the film, the entire room sat in stunned silence, the closing chords leaving a lingering awe. Silas stood first, clapping his hands together. "That was... amazing," he admitted with a laugh.
Mercedes smiled at him. "Right? The plays are good, too."
Silas turned to her, his expression warm. "You have a beautiful voice, Mercedes. Seriously."
A faint blush crept up her cheeks. "Thanks," she murmured.
Sam, watching the exchange, stood abruptly and stretched. "It's getting late," he said, his voice even. "We should probably head to the hotel."
Dwight checked the time and nodded in agreement. "He's right. We don't want to overstay."
As everyone rose, there was a flurry of hugs and farewells. Mary held Mercedes tightly. "You were an incredible hostess."
Mercedes beamed. "Thank you; I really enjoyed spending time with your family."
Mary eyed Quinn, who was lingering next to Sam and turned back towards Mercedes, leaning into Mercedes. "We should do this again before we leave, " she whispered.
Dwight patted her shoulder, promising they'd be in touch soon.
"Why don't you all come to Fabray Management on Monday?" Quinn suggested brightly as she adjusted her scarf. "I can give you a tour of the company. You'll love it."
Dwight smiled. "That sounds great. We're staying in town for the week anyway."
As the others filtered out, Silas lingered behind, taking Mercedes' hand in his. He bent slightly, pressing a light kiss to her knuckles. "I'll see you soon," he said, his tone playful.
Mercedes laughed, pulling her hand back gently. "We'll see."
Standing by the door, Sam watched the exchange with a clenched jaw but said nothing. Once everyone had filed out, leaving Silas to follow last, he shot Mercedes a lingering glance.
"Thanks for tonight," he said, his voice soft.
"Anytime," she replied, closing the door behind him.
She stood in the quiet of her living room for a moment, her heart and mind racing with a tangle of emotions she wasn't ready to name.
She looked up, seeing Sam staring at her.
The apartment was quieter now, the lively energy from earlier replaced with a stillness that felt almost too loud. Mercedes smiled at him, walked to the kitchen, and began cleaning. Sam moved next to her without saying a word. It wasn't until Quinn marched next to them that they realized Quinn was still there.
She turned to Sam with a bright smile. "Tonight was so much fun. I can't wait for our date tomorrow." She stepped closer to him, her hand lightly brushing his arm.
Sam hesitated, glancing at Mercedes, who was focused on wiping the counter, her back to them. "Yeah," he replied awkwardly.
Before he could say more, Quinn's phone rang, the sound breaking the moment. She pulled it out of her pocket, checking the caller ID. "Ugh, it's my mom. I've gotta take this," she said. Then, with a quick glance at Sam, she added, "But I'll see you tomorrow, right?"
"Sure," he said.
Quinn leaned in, clearly intending to kiss him, but Sam turned his head at the last second, feigning a cough. "Sorry," he mumbled, stepping back.
Quinn frowned but quickly masked it with a smile. "Okay, goodnight! Night Cedes." She waved, grabbed her coat, and headed out the door.
As soon as the door clicked shut, Sam released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Turning back toward the kitchen, he noticed Mercedes had disappeared. He found her in her bedroom, sitting on the edge of her bed, folding one of the throw blankets from earlier.
He knocked lightly on the open doorframe. "You okay?"
Mercedes glanced up, startled. She nodded. "Yeah. Just cleaning up a little. Besides, I figured you two wanted to be alone."
Sam hesitated, then stepped inside. It struck him immediately how much the room reflected her. The walls were painted in varying shades of purple, creating a cozy, serene atmosphere. Shelves held books, framed photos, and little trinkets that seemed deeply personal. The faint scent of vanilla and lavender hung in the air, making him feel strangely at home.
Mercedes watched him, unsure why she'd let him in. No one came into her room—this was her space. But something about the way he looked at her, concerned and open, made her hesitate to push him out.
"You sure you're okay?" he asked again, offering her a small smile. "After everything you did for me today, I just wanted to check in."
She nodded, folding the blanket in her lap. "I'm fine. My brother was just doing the same thing. He worries, too."
Sam stepped closer, rubbing the back of his neck. "Can I ask you something?"
Mercedes tilted her head, wary but curious. "Sure."
"Are you... okay with me going out with Quinn?"
Her heart sank, but she kept her expression neutral. "Of course. It's none of my business."
Sam frowned, moving to sit beside her on the bed. "It kinda is," he said quietly. "We have this... thing between us."
She laughed, shaking her head. "Thing? Sam, you agreed to go out with Quinn. There's no 'thing.'"
He turned to her, his expression serious. "There is. You feel it, too. Don't tell me you don't."
Before she could respond, he reached for her, gently turning her to face him. His lips found hers, and the kiss was deep, passionate, and filled with everything he hadn't said out loud. Mercedes froze for a moment, but then she kissed him back, unable to resist the way he made her feel.
The world seemed to melt away, leaving only them in this perfect, stolen moment.
But reality came rushing back, and Mercedes pulled away abruptly, her breathing unsteady. "What are you doing?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Sam cupped her face, his green eyes searching hers. "I've felt something for you from the moment I met you," he admitted, his voice low and earnest. "Sam." She said barely, above a whisper.
He took her lips in his, pulling her closer as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Sam's tongue danced with hers as his hands held her close.
She didn't know if Sam laid her back or if she pulled him on top of her, but the way this man made her feel was that of romance novels and movies.
Sam's lips moved to her neck, sucking on her pulse before moving to her ear. "Give me a reason not to be with Quinn. Please."
Mercedes shook her head, tears pricking her eyes as she stared up at him. She gently pushed him off of her. "Sam, you can't just... You agreed to date her. This isn't fair."
"Fair?" he repeated, his voice rising slightly. "It's not fair to pretend I don't want you, Mercedes. You don't want me to be with Quinn, and I know it. Just say it."
She looked away, her heart hammering in her chest. "I can't."
"Why not?" he pressed.
"Because," she said softly, her voice breaking. "You deserve more than what I can give you."
Sam stared at her, his jaw tightening, but before he could respond, she stood and walked to the door, effectively ending the conversation.
"Goodnight, Sam," she said, her voice firm despite the ache in her chest.
For a moment, he stayed seated, his hands clenched into fists. Then, he reluctantly stood and walked out of her room, leaving her to wrestle with the feelings she was determined to deny.