Forever (sequel to The Hostage)

16

Santana's POV
I follow the sounds of laughter to the kitchen, where Mercedes is trying to cook while Sam does all he can to distract her. I almost don't want to disturb them; they're so happy, and I don't want to pester them with questions.

But that floorboard by the door creaks, signalling my presence, and they both turn.

"San, hey" Mercedes says, swatting Sam away as he tries to tickle her.
"I'm just making dinner for us two, but I think I'll have leftovers. You want a portion?" She offers. I shake my head.
"I'm good, thanks. I'll probably get something later with Britt."
"Cool. Is something up?" She asks, already trying to get Sam out the door.
"He can stay. It's fine, I just needed to-I wanted to ask you guys something."
"Ask away."
"See when the baby is born, or as you get closer to that. Will you move out? I mean, this place isn't exactly baby-proofed, and it might be a bit dangerous for a kid to be here." I ask, sitting down at the table. Sam sits down beside me, eating garlic bread that's literally just out the oven. How that boy hasn't burned his fingers is completely beyond me. He offers me the tray, and I shake my head.

Mercedes sighs, and turns off the stove, coming to sit beside Sam.

"If I'm being honest, I'm not sure. We've talked about it a lot, but it's hard to decide what's best. Moving out would make sense, but there's not exactly space at either of our families houses, and the last thing they need is a screaming child. We have money saved, we could put it towards our own place, but I'm not sure where to go. Lima Heights isn't the safest place, we've all experienced that first hand, but it's my home. And I don't know if I could leave."
"We want our kid to have the best opportunities" Sam continues on, when Mercedes stops. "But the education system in Lima Heights is pretty shit, just because there's no money to put into it. If we were to send them to a different school, with better facilities, then they would have better chances of going to college, something neither of us ever had. But then they might find it hard to bridge the gap between here, if we stay, and their fancy school."
"Would you have wanted to leave here, when you were a kid?" I ask. All of the people in this house, apart from Brittany and Tina, and me obviously, grew up in Lima Heights.
"No. It was like my playground. And my nieces love it here. They live in the safer area, and they have all their friends nearby, and there's a lot of community. When I was in high school, we had parties nearly every weekend, since there was nothing else to do. We were all at the bottom, but we made the most of what we had." Mercedes explains as she stands back up and finishes cooking. Sam nods.
"I'm the same as Mercedes. I mean, I didn't leave Lima Heights until I was fifteen. And I don't really want to leave for good, but I want our kid to have a good life." Sam accepts the plate given to him by Mercedes. Despite my rejection of her offer, she still places a small portion in front of me, then takes her seat.
"We got lucky. Having the gang, and someone like Brittany to restore order and give us a lifeline. Our kid might not get that."
"I never thought of it like that. The way Brittany talks, it sounds like you guys saved her."
"I think, we all helped each other. This is my family, my closest friends. This is where my heart is. And this is where I, deep down, want to raise my child. But if I can't do that, I'm taking it as God's sign to move on."

I leave shortly after finishing my food. Mercedes and Sam went on to talk about other things, but I couldn't stop thinking about what she had said.

I don't want them to leave. What Mercedes said, about this being her family, that's the same for me. I've known these people for less than a year, yet I can't imagine not having them in my life.

I wonder if Brittany has ever thought about the possibility of people leaving. It would make sense, since she always plans ahead, and for any outcome. But there's a part of her that likes to be in denial, and pretend that everything is fine. I want to ask her, but I don't want to upset her.