The Way We Were

The Way We Clean Our Mess

Marcy was really tired. It was the last day of school before winter break and she was exhausted.

Artie rolled up to her. "Hey."

"Hey." She yawned as they did their complicated handshake.

"Want a ride to jazz band?"

"Sure." She sat on his lap and let him wheel her to their class.

He felt the stares and heard ‪the whispers‬. Everyone in school knew about his approaching fatherhooddom and it was not fun. Either the guys were mocking him for "ruining his life" or they wanted to praise him on the guaranteed sex while girls either sided with Anna or were trying to sleep with him, too. It was a mess.

Marcy patted his shoulder. "You're in a new relationship. Who cares what other people say?"

"Is this how you felt when everyone found out about the twins?"

She was quiet a moment. "Yes."

"And now?"

"Boys still think I'm easy."

"You're pure. You've only ever had sex with one person."

"But I keep getting pregnant."

"By your husband!"

She made a face that said that was what she thought, too but apparently they were alone in their thinking. "Not only will the gossip die down but we're graduating in six months. We can do it. We can outlast them."

He smiled briefly. "You know I love you, girl."

"You better." She kissed his cheek. "So you're best man for your cousin?"

W.W.W.

Karou pouted. "I want to see you!"

"I don't care." Marcy replied. "I'm getting Yuri ready."

"You're my cousin!"

"I'm her best friend."

Karou growled.

"You stop all that. I'll see you when you walk down the aisle."

Karou began crying.

Marcy hung up.

Karou screeched loudly and threw her phone (luckily on a chair).

Paris hugged her. "Don't be mad."

"I think you should be." Quinn instigated. "She's your best friend and she won't see you. You've known her since you were babies and she's only known Yuria for a few years."

Mercedes gave her wife a terrible look. "Stop that!"

Quinn smiled sunnily.

Laura shook her head with a heavy eye-roll. "Finish getting ready, Karou. We're already late. Arnold's got to be wondering if you're going to show up at all."

Karou made a face. She didn't care about Arnold waiting on her.

Mercedes sighed heavily. "Oh Rou."

W.W.W.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife and wife. You may kiss the brides." The clergyman said.

Arnold kissed both Karou and Yuria. They walked down the aisle to the beginning of the receiving line. Family from all three came to wish them luck on their new journey.

Even though this had been forced upon them, they were happy.

W.W.W.

Marcy rubbed Paris' back as she threw up, not from morning sickness but nerves. "Would you calm down?"

"He's not going to show up!" Paris wailed.

"Stop treating my dude like he's some Bankhead!"

"He's too nice to say he doesn't want to marry me!"

"Even if he wanted to skip out, he'd tell you to your face and not have you plan this wedding then run off. Jude is a man. Besides, his dad really likes that they're marrying into our family and he'd hunt J down and drag him back by his vans."

Paris giggled.

"Now dry your eyes and wash up. Brush your teeth. We've a wedding to put on!"

W.W.W.

"Are you mad?" Mal asked.

Marcy looked at him as they sat in front of the fireplace with mugs of hot chocolate and piles of blankets. "Mad? About what?"

"You're six months pregnant. It's winter. You can't do all the sports you love during the time you love."

She smiled at him thinking about her and her needs. She set aside her mug and crawled into his lap. "We're at this beautiful resort with our family, I'm pregnant and we're all healthy. I'm great. But there is one sport I can participate in."

His eyes darkened as her breasts pressed against his chin. "What sport is that?"

She waited until she leaned down and his eyes closed and lips puckered before bringing a sofa-pillow down on his head. "Pillow-fighting!"