And I'd Do It Again

Wallowing

Puck opened the front door. "What's up?"

"You're mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you." He moved out of the way so she could come in.

Mercedes walked passed him and went up to his room. He followed behind silently. She sat on his bed primly. "I know you're mad."

"I'm not mad." He repeated.

"Yes, you are. You won't look at me." She pouted.

He sat on the bed next to her, leaving plenty of space. She crawled closer and laid her head on his shoulder. "You messed up, Mama. You was wrong."

"It wasn't even like that." She sniffled, her tears coming back quickly.

"Then how was it because it looked like you had a relationship going on behind Mike's back."

She whimpered at his rough voice and wiped away a stray tear. "It was not a relationship."

"I told you to tell Mike about that guy but you were gonna lie, weren't you?"

"No!" Her head popped up.

"Yes, you were!" He sat away from her. "You were going to lie to his face about your boyfriend and he would have been a bigger fool than he already is! How could you do that to him, Mercedes?!"

He never called her Mercedes. She blinked at him in shock. "Puck, I-"

"There's no excuse! And I know Quinn's trying to find all of them in the world! But it won't work! I thought you were better than that! Since when are you like every other girl?!"

She swallowed hard to try to speak but couldn't handle this. "I have to go." She got up and tried to walk out but he grabbed her arm.

"Tell your soul sister that she's got a lot to answer for."

She ripped her arm from his and ran out. She jumped in her car and went straight home, straight to Marcy's room without knocking and plopped onto her sister's pallet.

Marcy came in seconds later. "What happened? Did you see Mikey?"

Mercedes sat up. "I went to see Puck. I thought he would understand out of everybody but he yelled at me!"

Marcy's mouth formed an "O". "Rude!"

"He said to tell Quinn she had a lot to answer for. I don't know if they're even going to make it."

Marcy got down on her knees on the pallet. "I'm sorry. Do you want to go back to church and pray?"

"Who's going to watch the kids?"

Marcy thought about it. "I guess Momma can."

Mercedes loved her sister. She was willing to go against her instincts and leave the most precious things in the world to her with someone that deeply scarred her, for her. "Thank you."

"Come on." Marcy stood up and pulled Mercedes to her feet.

The two went downstairs to find their mother reading a book in the living room.

"Hey? Can you watch the twins while Mercy and I go back to church?" The words felt like wet cement on Marcy's tongue.

Rose was surprised as she sat up straight. "You want me to watch the twins?"

"Yes."

Rose grew excited. "I can do that. Where are they?"

"Playing in the den."

Rose set aside her book. "Have a good time at church."

"Thank you." Mercedes, who'd been hiding from her mother since the woman came home from work the day before, stayed in the doorway.