Mercedes pulled her shirt down and reached for her shoes. She was excited for today. They were going to the zoo!
She hadn't been to the zoo in years and was eager to go back. She tied her laces and grabbed her purse before going downstairs.
"You guys ready?!"
Marcy walked in, adjusting her plum colored jeans. "Yeah. I think these jeans go with this top. Right?"
Mercedes looked over the raspberry tee. "Yeah but that's a long scarf."
It went passed Marcy's knees and was multi-striped with reds. "I have one in nearly every color."
"Ooh! Do you have one in purple?!"
"Yes, I do!"
"I might have to borrow that. You like those shoes, don't you?"
Marcy looked down at the booties she wore Friday. "I don't have many shoes here. These, the ones from yesterday, my chucks and a pair of wedges."
"Ooh! What kind of wedges?"
"Blue jean material. Kinda shapely. Not too high."
"We should go shopping and I can get some wedges. I like wedges."
"You can go shopping when we go home."
"Why can't you go shopping with me?!"
"I'm sick of shopping!"
"We went like four times!"
"That's five too many!"
Marc walked in. "What are you arguing about now?"
"She wants me to go shopping!" Marcy spat.
Marc laughed. "Leave her alone, Merce. She doesn't want to go shopping."
Mercedes folded her arms across her chest. "Fine! Let's go. You've ruined everything!"
Marcy stuck her tongue out. "Come on, babies!"
Mally and Mickey ran in.
"We're going to the zoo." She took each of their hands and walked them out.
Marc put them in their car-seats and got in the far back with them. Mercedes sat in the back by herself, still upset her sister wouldn't consent to a shopping spree with her.
Marcy drove to get Laura and Quinn first. The blondes climbed in the back.
"What's wrong, Mercy?" Laura could read her sister like a book.
"She won't go shopping with me." Mercedes put her head on Quinn's shoulder.
"Who? Marcy?" Quinn was confused.
"Yes, that mean selfish fat face!"
Marcy stopped the car and turned around to hit Mercedes. "You can get out and walk!"
"Ow! Laura!"
"Girls, stop it! Sisters do not fight. Sisters are kind to each other. Sisters-" Laura started.
Marcy turned back around. "You can stop now!"
"Sisters listen to each other!"
Marcy ignored her as she drove to the Chang residence. She honked the horn.
Mike and Mal came outside and got in the car. "Hey!"
"Don't leave me with these people anymore." Marcy snapped.
"Hey!" Marc was offended.
"I didn't do anything!" Quinn yelled.
"They're nerve-wracking!" Marcy went on.
Mal chuckled. "I'm sorry."
Marcy began driving towards the zoo. She turned on the radio. Counting Stars by OneRepublic came on. She turned it up higher.
Mercedes smiled and leaned up against Mike. "I love this song."
"Yeah, it's nice." He tapped his fingertips against her arm.
Quinn leaned on Mercedes. "Who is this?"
"OneRepublic." Mercedes told her.
"Like Marcy's and Mikey's song?"
"Yup. I love that song, too. You should dance to that song again. I love your routine."
"Maybe." Mike shrugged.
"This is a good day." Mercedes reached across Mike and rolled the window down.
"All because you're hearing your favorite song?" He teased.
"Hush!"
M&MC
"We're here!" Marcy pulled into the parking lot and found a space. She parked and unlocked the doors.
"I can't wait!" Mercedes pushed at Mike so he'd get out.
"Alright, quit pushing. Quit pushing." Mike got out slowly.
"You are a nuisance." Mercedes got out.
Marc and Laura unbuckled the twins and let them out before getting out of the car.
Marc stretched his back. "Let's do this!"
The nine walked to the front gates and paid to be let in.
"Where to first?" Marcy picked up Mally.
"Monkeys!" Quinn pulled at Marc.
"No, elephants!" Mercedes pulled his other arm.
"Let's see the seals!" Marcy liked the dark underground enclosures.
"I want to see the lions." Mike grinned darkly.
Laura glared at him.
"How about we just start here?" Mal pointed to the llamas.
"Good idea. We'll just go in a big circle." Laura pulled her purse up higher on her shoulder and walked to the fence.
The others followed.
Mal picked up Mickey. "Look, Mick! Llamas!"
"Llamas." She squeaked.
He kissed her cheek. "Llamas. They spit."
"They're not camels." Marcy said.
"Llamas spit!" He argued.
"Do not!"
"Do too!"
"Do not!"
"Do too!"
"Yes, they do, Marce." Marc pointed to a plaque. "They spit to discipline lower ranking llamas in the herd."
"That's gross." Marcy back up a few steps.
"I win." Mal poked her cheek.
She forced her tongue out of her mouth.
"What are you doing?"
She blew.
"Are you trying to spit on me?!"
She blew again.
"Stop it! That's gross!" He walked away from her.
She followed him and blew again.
"Stop it, nasty girl!" Laura pulled her over.
"I don't know why I want to kiss that mouth!" Mal stood next to Quinn, who was laughing.
Marcy blew again. Mally stuck his tongue out and blew.
"You're a bad influence on my kid."
Marcy lifted her nose.
"Bad girl."
"You like it."
Mal blinked. She was right.
M&MC
"See, Mally? They swim like this all day." Mercedes giggled at the little boy pressing his face against the glass.
"Swim?" He exhaled on the glass.
"Swimming, yeah."
"I wanna swim."
"You can't swim right now, sweetie pie."
He lifted his face from the glass and looked at her. "Swim now?"
"No. No swim."
"Please?" He sat on the ground.
"No, baby."
He started crying. "I wanna swim!"
She picked him up and danced with him. "I'm sorry, sweetheart but you can't."
"Why?!" He wailed.
"There's no water for you to swim."
He pointed to the glass. "I swim there!"
"That's for the fishies. You can't really swim yet."
"Uh huh!" He wrapped his arms around her neck and buried his wet face in her chest.
"No, you can't. If you were to get in that water, they'll eat you right up."
"Eat me?!" He stopped crying.
"Eat you." She poked his nose.
"No!" He clutched her harder.
"So you don't want to swim anymore?"
"No."
Mercedes looked at Marcy, who was fighting back laughter. She smiled. Kids were work!
M&MC
Mike pointed out the lion. "Rawr!"
"Rawr!" Mickey snarled.
"Rawr!"
"Rawr!"
"Lion."
"Lion."
"Lion goes rawr!"
"Rawr!"
He chuckled. "Look. He's coming near."
Mickey hit the glass.
The lion came close to the glass and sat in front of it and yawned.
Mickey gasped.
Mike squatted beside her and pointed. "See all his teeth?"
"Teeths." Mickey was in awe. She jumped then hid her face in Mike's chest. "Scary!"
"No, no, you're safe. He can't get you." Mike soothed her.
Mickey peeked out and saw the lion was getting up. She reached up for Mike. "Scary!"
Mike picked her up. "He's just going away. See? Don't you want to wave bye-bye?"
"Bye-bye?" She looked up at him with large green eyes.
"Wave bye-bye." He waved to the lion.
She turned in his arms and waved her hand. "Bye-bye!"
"Say "bye-bye, lion!"."
"Bye-bye, lion."
Mal smirked from where he was leaning against the fence. "Let's go see the cheetah."
M&MC
"We are so lost." Marcy noted.
"We're not lost." Laura denied. "We just don't know where we are."
"Which is lost in every language on Earth!"
Laura waved her away. "Let's see the owls. Maybe that's the way out?"
Mike rolled his eyes. "You never know where you're going!"
"Yes, I do! Come on!" Laura started walking.
"We're going to die here!" Mal dragged his feet.
"Shut up! You are not!" Laura looked at the map.
"The owls are that way." Marc pointed to the right.
"They're this way." Laura frowned down at the paper.
"No, the monkeys are that way. The owls are this way."
"Marc, I know where the owls are. They're this way." Laura went to the left.
"Laura, listen to me. For once! It's this way."
"I know where I'm going."
"Just follow me, woman!"
Laura sighed deeply. "Fine! But we're going to get lost."
"No, we're not." Marc pointed to the path he wanted to take. "Go."
His siblings marched past him, Laura with her nose in the air.
They were still walking five minutes later.
"I don't see any owls, Marc." Laura folded her arms.
He sighed. "Give me a minute."
"Maybe we can ask somebody for directions?" Mercedes suggested.
"What people do you see out here?!" Marcy waved a hand.
"Somebody has to come this way. Something has to be out here."
"What if there's not?" Quinn panicked. "What if we're going towards the back of the zoo and no one will ever find us?!"
"Guys! Calm down!" Marc whistled. "We can just keep going!"
"Ugh!" Mike and Mal groaned.
"Just come on!"
They trudged further.
Finally they spotted a family walking down the path.
"Told you!" Mercedes sniped.
"After how long?!" Marcy bit off.
"It doesn't matter!" Laura wanted them to stop fighting. "We can just ask them for directions."
"No, we can't!" Marc refused. "I know where we're going! Just go straight!"
"Marc, that's not working!"
"It will!"
"We're just getting more and more lost!"
"I thought we weren't lost?" Mike said tongue in cheek.
Laura growled at him. "We're asking for directions!"
"We're not asking for directions!" Marc snatched the map from her. "My father didn't ask for directions to come to this country!"
"He came on a plane!" Laura was close to losing it.
"I didn't need directions to come to this country."
"You're not Lief Erickson and you were five!"
"Just goes to show I know what I'm talking about." He shifted the map in his hands.
She screamed lowly. "I'm asking!"
"Don't you dare!"
"It doesn't matter. They're gone." Marcy hooked a thumb behind them.
"Dammit, Marc!" Laura held her fists at her sides.
Marc raised a brow. "Swear jar."
Mike caught her as she jumped at him. "How about we just follow those people?"
"If we can." Quinn worried. "How long have we been standing here while they've been going down the path?"
"How about we go down?" Marcy suggested. "We're going up a mountain and that's never how you get out of something. Let's just go down."
"Can we decide something before I sit down and never move again?" Mal was tired.
Mercedes cupped his cheek. "Tired, huh?"
"So much!"
"Fine!" Marc folded the map. "We'll go down the mountain. But that's not the way out!"
M&MC
Marc looked around the entrance. "I guess it was the way out."
"I'm never coming here again." Marcy swore.
"Worst idea ever." Mal agreed.
"Anyone else feel like they had a heat stroke on the path?" Quinn fanned herself.
Hands went up.
"Good. It's not just me."
"Let's get the hell out of here and never come back." Marcy walked forward. "Ever."
Her siblings followed behind.
A mascot waved. "Did you have a good time?!"
The Fabangeses growled at him.
M&MC
"We should go to the park after this." Mercedes sipped her tea.
"And get robbed by a hobo?" Marcy quipped.
"One, there are no hobos at the park on Main. Two, cheer up! I know the last part was bad but the trip to the zoo wasn't all terrible."
"That last part made all the difference."
Mal was laid out on the table they were seated at, at Sally's. "My feet hurt. I don't want to move."
"The kids can run all over and you can take a nap in the grass." Mercedes soothed.
"Done!"
"La knows they have energy. They didn't walk an inch." Marcy glared at her son, who was chewing on his straw. "I'm never carrying you anywhere again!"
Laura sighed. "My feet hurt so much!"
"Stupid us wore heels."
"Why did I wear heels?"
"I don't know but I say we switch shoes." Quinn rubbed her feet against each other, trying futilely to gain some relief.
Mabel walked up. "Hello, all! You look beat!"
The Fabangeses groaned.
"What's wrong?"
"We went to the zoo. Wearing heels. And got lost." Mercedes said.
"You had a morning." Mabel smirked. "Did you order already?"
"Yes." Laura fanned her face. "We gorged yesterday so we're back on the bandwagon with salads today."
"Do you need anything while you wait?"
"Another tea, please?" Marcy held up her empty glass.
"Sure thing, sweetness." Mabel left.
Their salads came out and they began eating.
"Do you really want to go to the park?" Marcy asked.
"We don't have to but I think it's a good idea." Mercedes said.
"Why? Are you really too tired to go?" Laura wanted to know.
"I was thinking we visit Mr. Herbert and go to the park a little later." Marcy shook her head.
"I'd like that." Quinn ate what was on her fork. "We haven't seen him in a while."
"Good idea, Marce." Mal stabbed at his salad. "We can sit and talk."
"Or just read." Marcy ate a crouton.
"I can do that." Mike said. "Getting in a book sounds kinda great right about now."
Marc raised his fork. "Sounds like a plan. Here's to As the Page Turns!"
M&MC
Mr. Herbert smiled at seeing his favorite customers reading in his back room. It was nice and sunny back there and they had plenty of space to just veg out.
Marcy was reading Mal and the twins Dr. Seuss books, Mercedes and Laura were reading poetry, Quinn was reading a crime thriller and Marc and Mike were reading biographies.
Mr. Herbert made another sale and went to check on them.
Marcy and Mal were hip to hip with the twins on their laps, Mercedes had her head on Quinn's legs while Mike's head was in her lap and Laura had her legs on Marc's lap.
"Need anything?" Mr. Herbert asked.
They looked up at him and smiled.
"I'll just be up here." He took his glasses off and traveled back to the front of the store, leaving them in peace.
M&MC
"What? no good?" Marcy asked.
Laura snickered. "Why did you want to come here?"
"It's the aquarium!" Marcy waved her hands.
"Fishy." Mal told the twins.
"Fishy!" They jumped around.
"You and water." Laura rolled her eyes before sighing lightly. "Come on. We might as well join a tour."
They went inside and found a tour that was just starting. The guide was telling the group about hammerhead sharks.
Mickey was afraid and clutched her father's legs.
Mal picked her up. "What's wrong, Mick?"
"Scary." She wrapped her arms about his head.
He couldn't breathe and tugged her arms down so he could pull in oxygen. "They're in the tank. No one can get you."
She whined.
"It's okay. Let's go check out the octopus." He walked off.
"Sissy scared?" Mally played with his fingers.
"Yeah, Sissy scared." Marcy bit at her bottom lip.
Laura took her hand. "She'll be alright."
Marcy was worried Mickey was becoming like her. Would she be having nightmares soon?
"Relax." Laura could tell it was bothering her. "She'll be fine."
Marcy sighed. "Let's go look at the octopus."
M&MC
Marcy parked in a spot near the park. There weren't many people out at two thirty. "Look, guys! Helado!"
"Look!" Laura pointed out the window. Mickey's eyes followed her finger. The ice cream cart was pushed by an elderly Mexican man up and down the paths of the park.
"Helado!" Mickey screeched.
"She has your lungs." Mike got out.
Marcy got out just to hit him. They had stopped at the house for blankets and to switch shoes and now were ready to relax before picking up Maddie.
They all clamored out of the car. The twins took off. Since the park was nearly empty, Marcy didn't call them back.
Mally climbed onto the merry-go-round while Mickey tried to go up the slide.
"I want my nap." Mal told Mercedes.
"Go lie down. I'll watch the twins." She replied.
"That means I'm taking my own nap." Marcy laid down a few blankets.
"We got this." Mike assured her.
Marcy and Mal dropped onto the blankets, cuddled up and were fast asleep in seconds.
"She must be exhausted." Quinn sat next to their prone figures.
"Yeah, she usually fights sleep until it's time to wake up." Marc commented.
"Quinn, you stay here and watch them. Marc and I will help Mikey and Mercy take care of the kids." Laura directed.
Quinn didn't care. She was sick of being on her feet. She laid back and rested her head on her arm. "Have fun."
Marc smirked. "You're going to sleep, too."
"I'm not sleepy."
"Bet you'll be asleep when we come back."
Quinn wiggled her nose at him.
Laura pulled his arm so he'd follow her. "Do you want to split up or-?"
"We're not together." Marc was confused and slightly jumpy at the question.
"Split up to take on a twin!"
"Oh!" He blushed. "It doesn't matter."
She huffed and rolled her eyes. "Mercy and I will take care of Mickey. You and Mikey will take care of Mally."
"Bossy." He muttered.
"I heard that!"
"They're so going to be together by the end of the year." Mercedes whispered to Mike.
Mike smirked. "They're never getting back together."
She gasped. "How could you say that?!"
"They fight too much."
"We fight." She pouted.
He kissed her gently. "No, we don't."
She kissed him back. "Yes, we do."
"No, we don't." He kissed her again.
She pressed her mouth to his. "A lot. Yes, we do."
"Hardly at all." Kiss. "No, we don't."
"We're fighting now."
Mike blinked. "We're disagreeing. They bicker and argue. We're cute."
She gave him an Eskimo kiss. "Yeah, we are."
He pecked her lips then looked down. Mickey was standing at their feet, smiling up at them. He crouched down. "Want to know a secret?"
Mickey nodded.
Mike kissed her cheek.
She giggled and ran away.
Mercedes laughed. "She's as silly as her!"
"She didn't have to run away." Mike smirked.
"Aww! Feeling abandoned?"
"Yeah!"
Mercedes made him stand up. "I'll never abandon you."
He wrapped his arms around her. "Good. I'll never abandon you either. In it forever?" He held out his pinky.
She looped hers through. "Forever."
"Are you two done yet?" Marc demanded. "I feel sick over here."
Laura pulled a long suffering expression and sighed.
M&MC
Maddie waved goodbye to her friends and approached her sister's car. She opened the back door and got in. "Hi!"
Her siblings greeted her and the twins screamed at seeing her again.
She laughed as she put on her seatbelt. "Hi, babies!"
"Okay, where we goin, Mad?" Marcy asked.
"To the movies!"
"What do you want to see?" Mercedes reached for her hand.
"Rio!"
"Why are you yelling? The movie can't hear you." Quinn raised a brow.
Maddie stuck her tongue out. "That's why your hair is sticking up all over the place!"
Quinn smoothed down her hair as Mike and Mal laughed. "No, it's not."
"Then stop preening." Marcy mocked.
Quinn sat back against the seat. "You're so annoying."
Maddie leaned against Mercedes and stuck her tongue out.
"Ugh!"
"Be good." Mercedes pushed Maddie's head back.
"I've been good all day! I want to mess with Quinn now." Maddie rubbed her cheek against Mercedes' arm.
"Don't mess with me! Leave me alone!" Quinn glared.
"You are alone." Marcy commented dryly.
"Why are you always against me?!"
"Why are you so paranoid?" Mal laughed.
"Laura!" Quinn stressed the name.
Laura rolled her eyes and wished she was an only child. "Stop arguing."
"Tired?" Marc leaned against her.
Laura blinked as she took that the wrong way. She hoped she wasn't blushing. "I'm fine."
"They're enough to give you a headache." He grinned.
Laura looked at the front of the car and heard the sheer noise level of her younger siblings bickering. "Yes!"
M&MC
"Okay, I want to go to laser tag!" Maddie threw away her popcorn bucket.
"I haven't been to laser tag in a while." Marcy picked up Mally after throwing away their trash.
"I think the last time I've been is a couple months." Mal walked with Mickey attached to his leg.
"I haven't been in a year." Mike topped that. "I say we go."
"I don't know." Mercedes was worried. "This isn't war."
"Nobody called it war."
"I know you." She poked his chest. "You get too competitive."
He scoffed in hurt. "I do not!"
Everyone looked to him.
"I don't!"
"You're crazy." Laura threw away her cup.
Mike growled at her.
"And doing things like that only confirms it."
"Ribbet!"
Marc couldn't help it. He burst out laughing. Mal was right behind him.
"You're so annoying!" Laura hit Mike's shoulder.
"Stop it, Mikey." Mercedes scolded.
He lifted his chin. "Humph!"
"Let's go." Marcy refused to laugh but her eyes were shining extra bright.
They walked outside and climbed in Travis before Marcy drove to the laser tag place. They got out and went inside.
They stood in line to pay and get their equipment. Then they suited up.
"Okay, the trio and Maddie against the four of us. Mally's on your team; we got Mickey. Last guy down wins." Marcy directed.
"Oh, we're going to win." Marc grinned.
"I know who I'm going for first." Mike pointed his laser gun at Laura.
"I can't stand you." Laura glared.
"Hey, hey, hey! Save it for the game!" Marcy waved a hand. "Let's do this!"
They scattered and found positions. The lights went off and it was on.
The blue team (Marc, Laura, Mal, Marcy and Mickey) advanced deeper into the maze, trying to blend in with their surroundings.
The red team (Mike, Mercedes, Quinn, Maddie and Mally) followed.
Mike was tasked with looking after Mally so he had the little boy trail after him as he hunted for someone from the blue team. He slunk around corners and dodged spotlights. "Alright, Mally. You're going to see how it's done."
Mally was totally confused and couldn't see anything. He kept his hand fisted in his uncle's jeans. "Otay."
Mike spied someone up ahead and moved quickly to see which team they were on. It was someone from the blue team. Judging by the hair, it was Laura.
He grinned. He was going to enjoy this. He let out a war cry and began shooting.
The figure moved but he'd gotten her. He celebrated but soon stopped when a ringing sounded after his. He looked down. He'd been shot!
"No way!"
"No." Mally looked up at him.
"I've been hit!" Mike couldn't believe it.
"No!" Mally twisted from side to side.
"Yes!" A joyful voice cried out.
Mike turned around. Marcy gave a jaunty wave. "You shot me! How'd you shoot me?!"
Marcy smiled before firing a shot at her son. "Booyah."
"Did you just say "booyah"?" Mike stared at her.
She giggled and ran away.
Mike took Mally's hand and led him from maze. He took a seat and started taking off his equipment. It was hot.
"We done?" Mally struggled into his seat.
"Yeah, we're done, buddy." Mike sighed.
"Fun?" Mally looked up at him with a smile.
Mike smiled, too and rubbed his head. "Yeah, it was fun."
"Mommy?" Mally kicked his legs and looked around the dark space.
"Definitely. Next go round, Mommy's getting it!"
M&MC
"Can we go home now?" Marcy stripped off her gear.
"I don't want to go home!" Maddie whined. "Let's go out to eat."
"Where?" Marc wanted to know.
"The Olive Garden." She grinned.
"I can go for that."
"Fine. Whatever. But I'm going to the house after this." Marcy pointed to Maddie.
"Okay." Maddie sulked.
The group returned their laser tag equipment to the front counter and exited the building.
They got in Travis and Marcy drove to the Olive Garden. She found a space and parked before they got out and went inside.
"How many?" The hostess asked.
"Ten." Laura told her.
"It'll be a bit of a wait."
"Okay." Laura turned towards her family. "We can entertain ourselves until they're ready for us."
"Joy." Marcy sat on a bench and pulled Mally onto her lap.
"We need to get food in you soon. You're cranky."
Marcy threw her a dirty look.
"How about we play a game?" Mercedes suggested.
"Are you sure you want to do that?" Mike wanted to make sure. "Last time we played a waiting game, you got squeamish."
"Not that kind of game." She spat waspishly.
"Then what kind?" Quinn sat next to Marcy and tickled Mally.
"I don't know. Anybody got any cards?"
"And you think cards are a good idea?" Marc smirked.
"Why are you guys shooting down all my ideas?!" Mercedes wanted to stomp a foot.
"This is why apps were invented." Marcy brought out her phone. "Human contact is outdated and stupid."
Mercedes sighed. "I guess I could text."
"Text who?" She eyed her suspiciously.
"Santana and Brittany, if you must know!"
"I do. Those two are on the no fly list."
"For how long?" Mercedes pouted.
"A week." Mike grinned.
Marcy smiled.
"How do you know, Mikey?" Laura wanted to know.
He rocked on his feet. "Oh. Lucky guess."
M&MC
Mercedes put on her night shirt and came out of her bathroom. She felt fresh and ready to go to sleep.
She put away her clothes from the day and looked over her shoes from earlier. They were black, cutout heels with laces. What a bad idea.
She chuckled and turned out her lights before going to her sister's room. "Hey?"
"Hey." Marcy finished tying up her hair.
"What are you doing?" Mercedes sat next to her on the pallet.
"Just getting ready for bed. What's up?"
Mercedes didn't know how to start this conversation so she just blurted it out. "Thank you."
Marcy blinked. "For what?"
"I know what you're doing. With Kurt and Rachel. I've told you how left out I felt with those two even when I was in the same room. I'm not the best at standing up for myself and you're making sure I'm not being taken advantage of. So thank you."
"You're a great person, Mercy. One of the greatest I've ever known. You deserve people in your life to make you a priority and care about you as much as you care about them. Don't accept anything less than the best cuz you are not the rest."
Mercedes blushed slightly. Warm feelings evaded her and she couldn't help what she did next. She hugged Marcy.
Marcy sighed heavily and patted her back. "Okay, alright. Get off me."
Mercedes kissed her cheek then got up. "I'm going to pray that you get everything you want."
"Don't forget to mention sleep!"
Mercedes smiled on her way out. She wouldn't.