Mercedes came back from answering the door with calla lilies. "You've got another one!"
Marcy blushed. "Joy."
"Let's see what this card says."
Marcy jumped up. "That's not funny!"
Mercedes ran from her as she read the card. "He's poetic!"
"Stop it!" Marcy chased her around the kitchen. "No, he's not!"
"Actually it has poetry on this one. See?" Mercedes stopped and Marcy plowed into her. "Oof!"
Marcy snatched both the bouquet and the card up from the floor and hopped up. "What is with you?! Every time one of these things pop up, you turn into a four year old!"
"You're just upset that your love has school or else you'd be able to thank him properly." Mercedes climbed to her feet. She went to the table and took her place.
Marcy burned. "Shut up!"
"Have you thanked him at all?" Rose asked.
"I haven't seen him since Saturday." Marcy disappeared upstairs to put away her new card and flowers.
Marcus shook his head. "What could possibly be on those cards? She's right. You get extremely happy."
"Cuz it's so romantic!" Mercedes had stars in her eyes. "He copied down poetry today. Robert Burns."
Rose smiled. "I wish I knew what he was saying."
"It's really romantic. I can't remember everything but it made me melt."
Marc made a face. "I'm tryin to eat!"
"We know you don't have a romantic bone in your body!"
"He gets it from your father." Rose whispered.
Marcus glared.
"Men." Mercedes continued eating as Marcy came back down.
The blonde sat down and began eating as if nothing happened.
Mercedes couldn't stop smiling at her.
"Quit it." Marcy didn't pause.
"I can't! He's just so sweet and cute! Adorable!"
"Remember that the next time he takes your diary."
Mercedes frowned. "He's trying, Marce."
"Yeah, my last nerve. Let it go."
Mercedes huffed. "You're hopeless."
Marcus looked between his children. "What are you doing today?"
"I'm going to hang out with a friend." Marc wiped his mouth. "I haven't seen her in a year."
"Her?" Rose eyed him suspiciously. "Do we have to have the talk again?"
"Ma, I will leave and never come back." Marc was dead serious.
Rose sighed. "Promise me no more grandchildren out of wedlock."
"I protect myself."
"That's not a promise."
"Yes, I promise!" He huffed.
"Mercy?" She raised an eyebrow.
"I definitely want my kids in wedlock." Mercedes said instantly. "I promise."
"Good girl." Rose turned to her youngest with trepidation. "Marcy?"
"I'm not having any more kids." The seventeen year old muttered.
Rose wanted to object but knew she really had no leg to stand on.
Marcus cleared his throat. "So, Princess? What are you doing today?"
"Working on my car. I should be done by next week." Mercedes waited for what he'd say.
He brightened. "I'm glad you're finishing. It's taken you long enough."
"I know, Daddy but I took a four year break."
"Don't take any more."
"I won't. I just have to fix some stuff under the hood and attach my doors and windshield."
"I'm proud of you."
"Thank you, Daddy." Mercedes beamed.
"What are you doing, Sweetpea?"
"Shopping. I've made a list of some things for the house and I want to get it all before I forget." Marcy wiped Mickey's face.
"Is it stuff I'll need?" Mercedes asked. "Could you get two of each for me and Quinn?"
"It's personal stuff but yeah. Just little touches."
"Have Quinn go with you."
"That'll be better."
"Well I have work while you all have fun." Marcus said with a straight face.
"You're the one with the busy schedule, Daddy."
"I still never see my children."
Marcy sighed. "I'll bring you lunch today. How does that sound?"
He beamed. "Are you going to make it?"
"I can."
"Make soup."
"Okay, Daddy."
"I can bring you lunch tomorrow." Mercedes offered.
"Make those chicken sausage bites." Marcus requested.
"I will, Daddy."
"We can go to BDubs for lunch Friday." Marc offered.
"I'd like that." Marcus was satisfied with his children making an effort.
Rose sat back, upset that they weren't with her. She'd never felt more out of place in her own family in her whole life!
M&MC
Mercedes had just finished attaching the rear left door to her car when her phone went off. She wiped her hands on a rag then answered it. "Hello?"
"Hey, it's me." It was Puck.
"Hey, what's up?" She took a seat on a pile of tires.
"Nothing. Just bored. Never thought I'd say I was tired of video games. But if Mike kills another one of my avatars on purpose or Finn on accident, I'm going to kill both on purpose!"
She chuckled. "I'm so sorry!"
He groaned. "It's not you, Mama. What are you up to?"
"Fixing my car."
"Can I swing through and see? I've never seen you do actual work."
"Shut up!"
He laughed. "Come on. I want to see."
"Fine. I'm at the junkyard."
"Why are you there?"
"Space, quiet, privacy." She listed.
"Okay, okay. I'll be there soon. Do you have any food on you?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"I'm hungry."
"Bring your bald-neck self on!"
He laughed again and hung up.
She set her phone down and stood up again. The song on the radio coming from her car was terrible so she changed it. Then she went to work on attaching the rear right door.
By the time Puck made it, she'd finished. She heard him before she saw him and waited for him to call out for her. It didn't take long.
"Mama!"
"Follow my voice!" She shouted.
"Shouldn't you say more stuff?!"
She facepalmed. She loved him. She swore she did but he was too much sometimes. "Keep walking!"
It took a while for him to find her (he had a poor listening ear) and she had given up hope on him when he appeared from behind a pile of crates. "Hey!"
She gave him serious side-eye. "Hey."
"This car is the sh-!"
"Hey!" She snapped.
"Well it is!" He walked around it a few times. "I've never seen a car being put together before. It's crazy."
"Surreal. The word you're looking for is surreal." She went about attaching the passenger side door as he continued to gawk.
"Whatever you say. I just know I'm in a dream."
She worked in silence for a while before he broke it.
"Why'd you paint it like that?"
"Puck."
"I just wanna know." Puck looked for a place to sit.
"Marcy gave me the idea. It's like a colorblock dress."
"I don't know what that means."
"A dress with blocks of different colors?"
"Eh." He sat on the pile of tires.
She rolled her eyes. "I need the socket wrench."
"Where is it?"
"Behind me."
He walked behind her and saw it in the dirt. He picked it up and put it in her waiting hand. "Here you go."
"Thanks." She worked in silence again but he couldn't let that fly.
"What are you getting your sister for her birthday?" He'd sat down again.
She was confused. "What?"
"Mini Mama. What are you getting her for her birthday?"
"Why?"
"I need ideas."
"You're getting her something?" That was nice of him.
"Yeah. She's my friend and we're already super close."
"It doesn't matter what you get her. She'll like anything."
Puck, who couldn't see Mercedes for the car, strained to peer over the hood while still being seated. "I want to get her something great. Even Nic has something for her."
"She does?! That's my baby!" She smiled.
"Moms was thinking of getting her something, too. She likes her. I was talking to Finn and Mike yesterday and both of them have gifts already."
"I figured Mikey would but Finn? That's nice of him."
"He said he didn't know her well but he saw something that he knew she'd like."
"That's really kind of him."
Puck scoffed. "Mike wouldn't tell me what he got her. Just said he got it weeks ago."
"I bet he got it the same day she came home. He's always prepared."
"Whatever. I'm the one who's gon end up lookin like a cheap jackass if I can't find somethin!"
"Get her anything." She grunted as she pushed the door into place better.
"What's anything?"
"She likes shiny stuff."
"I'm broke."
"Get her a piece of glass, Puck! She likes anything shiny!"
"So if I get her a shiny penny?"
"She'll put in it a jar."
Puck didn't believe her. "I could knock her up."
"There's five things wrong with that. One, Mal would kill you. Two, Quinn would kill you. Three, she doesn't want any more kids. Four, your mom would kill you. And lastly, five; you're full of crap."
He grinned. "I was just throwing it out there."
"Well throw it back in. Get her a real present. Stop being weird."
"Does she like animals?"
"Yes."
"Cats or dogs?"
"Dogs."
"Dogs like Ozzie or-?"
"She told me she has an English mastiff at home."
"Real dogs. Does she like clothes like you do?"
"No."
"Shoes?"
"Just chucks." She blew hair out of her face. "Her Chuck Taylor game is sick."
"I see! The ones she wore yesterday had a guy crowd surfin on them!"
"See?"
"Does she like candy?"
"We can't eat candy."
"You can't eat candy?!"
"Father's a dentist?" She looked at him like he was stupid.
He wondered how she was able to give him the side-eye from around the large car when she was much smaller than him. "Oh yeah."
"It's a lot of stuff we've never had."
"Like?"
"Like..." She stopped to think. "I've never had a Skittle."
His mouth fell open. "Never?!"
"No." She continued working.
"What about when you went trick-or-treating?!"
"We didn't go trick-or-treating. We had a party at the house with food, decorations and costumes."
"Really?" He felt bad for her.
"Yeah. And the best part was the one doughnut we were allowed. Marcy hates doughnuts but I really enjoyed our one doughnut a year. And we have apple cider we get every year from Apple Town."
"That orchard?"
"Yep." She tucked a piece of fly away purple hair behind her ear.
"You know I've never seen Mike or Q at Halloween."
"At the party."
"Do you have other holiday stuff?"
"Christmas. Marcy bakes cookies the entire month of December. We go on our annual family trip to wherever the elders send us-"
"Elders?"
"The old people of the family." She rolled her eyes.
He grinned. "They send you places?"
"It's like a family reunion. We all go to somewhere warm one year then cold the next. Whenever the elders can't agree on a place, we stay home and spend time together. We do charity work, play together, watch movies together, go sledding."
"That sounds like fun. We watch the same stupid movie and order Chinese food."
"Traditions are traditions. We have a New Year's party every year."
"A New Year's party?"
"To watch the ball drop? We usually get back from vacation a couple days before New Year's so we're still in a partying mood."
"What else?"
"We're always each other's Valentines."
He scoffed. "Valentine's Day?"
"Yeah. The boys always get us cards and flowers and sometimes stuffed animals."
He said nothing else about that. "What else?"
"All major sporting events. The SuperBowl. The World Series. The Play-Offs. The World Cup. We always have a party. Even the Olympics."
"You do too much. What else?"
She thought about it. "Just our birthdays."
"What about the Fourth of July? Thanksgiving? Even we do stuff for Thanksgiving."
"Those are American holidays."
"Yeah?"
"We're not American, Puck." She stopped working to peer at him.
He scratched his head as he thought. She waited for it to click. "Whoa! You wouldn't celebrate those!"
She went back to work. "No."
He was reeling. It was sinking in that they were in fact, not American. "Wow. So no other holidays? What do you do during the summer?"
"Go to camp."
"Camp?!"
"Yeah. A place you spend your summer?"
He glared at her. "Why didn't you go last year?"
"I haven't been since the summer before Beth was born. Quinn was in no shape to go and I didn't want to leave her or you and Mikey didn't want to go without us so he went to Asian Camp."
He digested that. "Wow."
It was quiet so she continued working. It shattered quickly...
"How many people do you have in your family?"
"About five thousand."
He nodded. Mike had told him that. "Do you really see all those people?"
"Try buying them all Christmas and birthday presents."
He gasped. "Why aren't you broke?!"
"Because I take a page from the elders and give out a lot of gift cards."
"That makes sense. That way you can give people the perfect gift, even when you don't like them."
"Nope. Marcy came up with the perfect cover for that one. Just make a charity donation in that person's name."
He was confused. "How does that work?"
"You spent money but it goes to help someone who really needs it. It makes the both of you look good because you gave a good gift and the gift getter looks like a hero to the charity."
"Slick!"
"It also works for new members of the family. Like when people marry in?"
"Don't people usually have a list of stuff they want?"
"It's called a registry and that's not what I meant. If you married Quinn today, no one would really know you so when Christmas came, they'd give you receipts for charity donations. Because you're new and they don't know you."
"Ah. That's a good thing, I guess."
"Yeah." Mercedes swung the door to and fro before slamming it closed. It was on. "It's amazing to wake up to a boatload of presents on your birthday."
"Do you get all those presents at Christmas?"
"No. You just take what you can carry or what you want to see them open and mail the rest to them beforehand."
"That's really crazy." He watched her come around to the driver's side and begin attaching the door. "What else do you have to do?"
"What?" She was distracted.
"On your car. What else do you have to do?"
"Oh. Attach this door, attach the windshield, fiddle with the engine then get with the fuel source."
"What's wrong with your fuel?"
"Nothing. I just want it like Marcy's. She invented a setup that would allow her to use tap water as fuel."
"Water?! She doesn't use gas?!"
"She does but she can go a month without filling up."
His jaw dropped. "She gotta help me out!"
She giggled. "She might. Ask her."
"I will." He sat quietly watching her work. This time he was in no rush to fill the silence.
But it was broken anyway when her phone went off...
He checked it. "Who's Aaron?"
She dropped the tools in her hands. "Nobody! Wrong number!"
He looked at her bizarrely. "What? It has his name and face."
She ran to him and snatched the phone from his grasp. She turned it off and stuck it in her pocket. "It was nobody."
"Mama." He was not stupid.
"I'm serious. Drop it." She went back to work but he could tell how tense she was.
He stared a hole into her back. "When was the last time you and Mike hooked up?"
"That's none of your business!" Twins spots of red showed up on her cheeks.
"Do I need to have a talk with him? Help him out?" He was half joking.
"He doesn't need your help!"
"Obviously he does if you have side dick."
"I don't-! Shut up!" She was embarrassed beyond belief.
"So if we were to call that dude back?"
"It'll be a guy. A friend. Like you."
"Oh we're more than friends. We family."
"Whatever. He's just a friend."
"So Mike knows about him?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"I don't know all his friends!"
"Mama!"
"What?!" She whipped around. "What do you want me to say, Puck?!"
"Tell Mike about him." He looked into her chocolate eyes.
She narrowed them. "Fine. I have nothing to hide."
He sat back. "Okay."
"And just think, I was going to do something nice for you."
"Wait, wait, wait! Why is that off the table?!"
"Because you pick too much!" She turned around and began working again.
"Hey, I'm sorry. I know you'd never cheat on Mike. After Evans and Tinsley, I know you're up on your morals."
She stopped working and stared at her hands as he blithered on.
"You're the best person that I know. You make me want to be a better person. Plus Mike told us about you and Sam. How you talked and got shit cleared up? Even about how he snuck that kiss on you. He was happy you were upfront about it. He said he knew he could trust you but that since you told as soon as it jumped off, that he really could.
I admire that about you."
Tears sprang in her eyes. Oh my goodness, I'm cheating on my boyfriend... Her breath caught in her throat.
"Other girls you gotta watch out for. They're sneaky and underhanded. Hell! I don't trust Q but seeing the two of you and knowing how close she is with you and how you rub off on people makes me."
Mercedes felt rotten. Worse than she did when she kissed Sam when she was still with Shane. She knew better this time around and she didn't even love Aaron! She could lose someone really important to her and for what? some college guy that she didn't even know?!
Puck was still talking.
Mercedes sniffed then blinked away her tears before getting back to work. She would make this right. She wouldn't lose Mike. She refused to.
M&MC
"Why are you cleaning it?"
Mercedes sucked in a breath. She knew Puck could talk but he hadn't taken a breath in an hour. "Because I want a clean car."
"Isn't that what the wipers are for?"
"No."
He grinned as he munched on some of the food she'd brought. "I can't believe you put that big old windshield in by yourself."
"How else was it going to get in?" She bit off quietly.
"What else are you going to do today?" He went on, not hearing her.
"Nothing. I'm done for the day."
"That's it? It doesn't seem like it took that long."
"Felt like forever for me."
"What?" He was confused.
"Nothing. Are you about to leave now?"
"Nah, I'll hang around while you clean up."
"Perfect." She finished wiping the windshield and threw the rag on the ground.
"What are you doing after this?"
"Probably going to read then go to glee."
"Reading's boring."
"Puck!"
"I know, I know. I'm spittin on your name. I'm still not into reading."
"Whatever. Your loss."
He shrugged. "I'll live. Nic has been up my ass for when you were coming back over. She misses you."
Mercedes softened. "I miss her, too. I'll tell you what, I'll come over and cook tomorrow."
"Really?" He perked up.
"Yeah. Marcy's going over to the Hudson-Hummel's so we can go to the store together."
"Why is she going over there?"
"To cook for Sam."
"Why is she cooking for him?!"
She squinted. "Are you jealous?"
"Hell yeah! I want her to cook for me!"
She giggled. "I'm cooking for you."
"I know but the two of you in the kitchen is porn."
"Why do you have to ruin things?"
"I meant it in the most respectful way possible."
She set her hands on her hips. "Right. Marcy's forming a friendship with Artie, Blaine and Sam."
"What's that got to do with her cookin for Big Lips?"
"Stop it!" She laughed. "She's going over to Artie's for dinner tonight, going to cook for Sam tomorrow and her and Blaine are gonna cook together Friday. Just don't tell them she can cook. She told Sam she was making cereal."
Puck laughed. "I bet you he was happy anyway!"
"He asked her out." Mercedes started putting things away.
"Out where?" He started eating again.
"To the movies."
He stopped eating, his mouth hanging open. "What?!"
"Yeah."
"When was this?!"
"When did he ask her or when was the date?"
"Both!"
"He asked her Friday and they went out Monday."
"What the f-?!"
"Puck!"
"I can't believe this! She has that boyfriend! And what about Mal?!"
"They agreed to be friends. Sam and Marcy, I mean. Jr. is sending flowers every day."
"What? Why?" He made a face as he went back to eating.
"I don't know but if I were her, I'd dump Pierre and go for Mal. He's sending these really wonderful notes along with the flowers and I know they're touching her."
"In her happy place?"
She looked at him with a disgusted look on her face. "Stop it!"
"I just wanna know. I've never sent a girl flowers before."
"You've given me plenty of flowers over the years."
"Yeah, in person and they were always stolen."
"What?!"
He laughed. "I'm joking. They were freely given."
She narrowed her eyes. "Don't play with me!"
"But I like playing with you..."
She gave him serious side-eye.
He grinned. "I'll be good."
"You're bad for no reason." She went back to cleaning up.
He shrugged. "That's the tale."
She rolled her eyes. "What time is it?"
"One thirty something." He'd checked his watch a few minutes ago.
"Good."
"So you don't have much to do with this?" He gestured to the car.
"No. I'll work on my engine tomorrow morning then go have lunch with Daddy."
"Lunch with Daddy? You have lunch with your dad?"
"Not a lot. But we promised him we'd spend some time with him so we're taking turns bringing him lunch this week. I have tomorrow."
"Who had today?"
"Marcy."
"Marc had yesterday?"
"Marc has Friday."
"Who had yesterday? Your mom?"
"We decided on this today!"
He chuckled. "I should spend lunch with my moms."
"She might like you better."
He scowled. "She's never gonna like me as much as she likes you!"
"Stop giving her grey hair!"
He rolled his eyes. "What are you doing tonight?"
"I don't know! Probably spending time with Mikey. He's coming over for dinner."
"What are you having?"
"You're eating now! Why are boys always hungry?!"
He merely shrugged.