A WHAT for Christmas?!

Chapter 5

Sam helped Mercedes out of the taxi then helped Clark collect their bags. He ushered both up to the house he'd bought for his parents the moment he'd been drafted.

The door opened before he even was able to knock (though he had a key). His little sister was there, vibrating in excitement.

"Hey, Stace." Sam eyed her suspiciously. "Were you waiting on us?"

She nodded.

"Are you going to act weird?"

She shook her head.

"You're going to be a grown up?"

"Sammy!" She rolled her blue eyes in exasperation.

He smiled deeply. "Where's my hug?"

She hugged him tightly.

"Stacie?! Are you making them stand on the porch?!" Mary's voice came from inside the sprawling house.

Stacie jumped. "Come in!"

Sam laughed. "Stace, this is Dr. Mercy Jones and her security, Mr. Clark."

"Hi!" The blonde waved.

"Mercy, Mr. Clark? This is my little sister, Stacie Evans."

"You're so cute!" Mercedes blinked in surprise.

"Thank you!" Stacie beamed.

"Hello." Clark looked for possible escape routes.

"Stacie?!" Mary's voice called again.

"They're inside, Mom!" Stacie was disgruntled.

"Sammy?!"

"Hi, Mom!" Sam pointed to the rug they were standing on. "You can take your shoes off here."

Mercedes nodded as Sam ushered his baby sister forceably to another room. "This is going great. You think?"

Clark grunted.

Xish

Sam went to the kitchen. "Mom."

Mary turned from mixing mashed potatoes. "Ah! Sammy!"

"Mom..." He let her hug him. "I want to tell you before I go get her that she's a little different."

"Different?" Mary let him go.

"Yeah. She's got money."

"I imagine if she sings, she's got some type of wealth."

"No." She didn't understand. He didn't understand. "She's got old money. Like really old."

"I'm sure she's like us. Puts shoes on one foot at a time."

"People put her shoes on for her."

Mary twitched a bit. "Really?"

"Really?" Stacie thought that was strange but cool.

"Yeah." Sam spoke quickly. "She's not snobby or anything but I don't think she knows what any of this food is."

Mary was horrified. "What am I supposed to do, Sammy?! Food is in short supply now as it's Thanksgiving!"

"I know! I know! I knew she was rich but when we were on the way here, she explained how rich."

"How rich is she?"

"She could probably literally buy her way into heaven."

Mary paled. "And you brought her here?!"

"You wanted me to!"

His father, Dwight Evans walked into the space from the back staircase. "Hey? What's with the whisper yelling?"