The Way We Were

The Way We Trim Trees PT1

"I can't wait to go home." Mercedes vibrated.

"Ooh!" Santana teased. "Sexy times with your husband and wife?"

Mercedes didn't know how to answer that.

Quinn laughed. "We're picking out Christmas trees."

Brittany stopped cheering and clapped. "Yay!"

"What are you doing?!" Coach Sylvester yelled.

The whole team groaned at Brittany.

"Sorry!" Brittany pouted.

Her friends chuckled.

"Do it over!" The cantankerous coach screamed.

The large group groaned before doing the cheer over.

Brittany made sure to keep moving. "Are you guys having a tree trimming party?"

"It's our first year on our own and we still went home for Halloween." Quinn was unsure.

"Bump that! I am!" Marcy added extra rhythm to her moves. "I can't wait!"

"You're going to be drinking!" Quinn gasped as the reason to her sister's excitement popped into her mind.

"Ya damn right!"

Kurt and the girls giggled. "Can I come?!"

"You come, you gotta work."

"That's not fair!" Quinn groaned. "We want to have a tree trimming party!"

"We're doing this shit right after school. We're going to pick up the kids and going straight to a tree farm."

Quinn frowned. The Trio wouldn't be starting early because Mike had a doctor's appointment. "That's not fair. We wanted to party."

"How about this? You go to Mikey and after, you come to our house. With all this help, we should be done in two hours tops then we can help you guys."

Mercedes hip-checked Marcy. "Thank you!"

"Uh huh. Be prepared to work."

W.W.W.

Marcy found a beautiful evergreen tree. It wasn't technically a Christmas tree but she saw it and she wanted it.

"Miss, this isn't for sale." The man told her.

Marcy looked at him with heartbreak in her eyes. "But it's with the rest of the trees."

"See down here? It's still got roots and it's going to be replanted."

"But you can cut that off."

He blinked, completely taken aback by her. "Miss!"

"Please?" Her voice sounded hurt.

He almost bent. "No."

Her bottom lip trembled.

Mal walked over with the kids. "Did you find one?"

"Yes but this man won't give it to me." She took Riley from him and put her on her hip.

The man frowned and cocked his head. Marcy looked twelve to him. But these kids looked exactly like her and Mal, who she did not resemble. "Alright. You look like a nice family. I'll give you a discount and I'll even saw off ‪the roots‬."

"Really?!" Marcy grew happy.

He blinked. She's gotta be old enough. I wonder if they're married? He checked her hand but she was wearing gloves. Damn! "Yeah. $5,000."

"Really?" Marcy knew he was trying to gouge her but it was an evergreen tree. She knew she wasn't supposed to have it so she would pay what this swindler wanted.

"Yup." He knew they couldn't have that kind of money.

"Cut the roots off first."

His brows lifted. "No can do."

"Then I guess you don't want to get paid."

He laughed. He knew damn well she didn't have five thousand dollars to spend on a tree!

She gave Riley back to Mal and pulled $5,000 from her purse. "I guess some other tree farm will get this."

He nearly swallowed his tongue.

She was used to that face. The face that realized that even though she was young, she had money. She waved it in front of her face. "Smells like the bank."

"Maybe I can cut the roots off?" He grinned sheepishly.

"Maybe?" She hunched her shoulders.

He got to work sawing off ‪the roots‬, hoping the owner didn't see him. "Need it delivered?"

"Nope. Just strap it atop my car. Thank you." She pointed to Travis.

His jaw dropped when he saw it. Who are these kids?! "Yes, ma'am."

Marcy gave his back a look as he tied up the tree. Now that he realized she was wealthy, she was a ma'am?

Mal snickered. "You should stop waving money at problems."

"But it goes so much faster when I do." She fanned him with the crisp bills.

"Fan us, Mommy!" The twins yelled.

Marcy fanned their tiny faces.

Mal shook his head. "Somebody's going to rob us."

"If they want this smoke,-..."

W.W.W.

Mal answered the door for the guests. It was mostly the glee club, some cheerleaders, some basketball players and their friends. He had them take off their boots (even though it hadn't snowed yet) and follow him to the living room.

Marcy was still unpacking ornaments and decorations. The twins were playing in the tinsel. Riley was in her playpen with Secret laying in front of it. Music played gently.

"I love coming over your house, EmJay." Karen sat close to Marcy on the couch and hugged her.

"Thank you." Marcy ran hot and welcomed the cooling touch, which she knew was why Karen hugged her.

"You're welcome."

"Where are the drinks?!" Santana demanded.

"Kitchen. And you bet not spill it anywhere!" Marcy narrowed her green eyes on her friend.

Santana pulled Brittany to the kitchen. "There's food!"

"Yeah!" The boys led a stampede to the kitchen, including Kurt and Blaine.

"Fat!" Marcy didn't know why she was surprised.

"Come on." Mercedes knelt down by a box of blue raspberry candy canes. "Let's do this!"

The girls giggled.

W.W.W.

In the end, the house looked beautiful. The outside was enrobed in white lights while the inside had Christmas decor to make Santa feel at home. The tree was exquisite as it had silver tinsel, white lights and sparse ornaments with a star at the top.

"Is it Christmas now?" Mickey asked.

The teens chuckled.

"No, it's not, my bomboloni." Marcy kissed her cheek. "You have to wait weeks and weeks."

Mickey gasped, hurt. "Forever?"

"It's going to feel like it but just think. You get Mommy's cookies and hot chocolate until then." She handed her a gingerbread man.

Mickey bit the head off like Marcy usually did. "Yummy."

The girls cooed and looked at their boyfriends.

"Alright!" Artie snapped. "Your kid is too cute! Make her stop!"

"Hear that, Mick?" Mal teased. "You're so cute that everyone wants a kid just like you."

Mickey cheered. "Yay!"