Princess + Santa

Chapter 1

Mercedes Jones cocked her head as she perused the racks at the store in the mall. She loved shopping so much that she even did it in public even though she didn't have to.

It's also how she met people.

As she went to grab a shirt that'd look great on her sister, someone else reached for it. She smiled brightly. "Excuse me. But I was going to get this."

The tall pretty girl scowled at her. "Well get something else!"

"See but this would be the perfect gift for my sister. I can't get something else."

"Does your sister look like you?" The girl set a hand on her hip.

"Not really, no."

That shocked the girl. "Oh. Well I'm still getting this shirt."

"No." Mercedes was used to getting her way. It was a reason her daddy called her Princess.

The girl looked Mercedes over. She was wearing jeans with a black and silver top and purple Jordans. She had jewelry on, real jewelry. Altogether she looked nice and well put together. "Name is Santana. Santana Lopez."

Mercedes was shocked that she'd introduced herself but she herself had manners and had to do the same. "Mercedes Catherine Taylor-Jones. "

"That's your whole name?"

"Just first and last." Mercedes was used to this. Having five names was a pain in the butt sometimes.

Santana appraised her again. "You know? I think I see a top for you. Way over there."

"That would be great but I'm not shopping for me. It's my sister's birthday and I need to get her this shirt."

"Really? It's your sister's birthday?"

"Yes. Well it's the day we celebrate her birthday." Mercedes had to be honest.

"Why can't you celebrate it on her actual birthday?"

"That'll take too long to explain and I need this before the party tonight. Can I just have this?"

"Oh no, you don't, Wheezy."

Wheezy? Mercedes cocked her head.

"How about we both find something different while you tell me about your sister?"

Mercedes looked at her phone with a huff. "Fine! I only have an hour!"

"An hour? Why are you rushing?"

"Because I have an hour to find something and have it giftwrapped before leaving, going home and getting ready then heading to the party."

Santana grimaced. "Alright. Let's get to searching. What's your sister's name?"

Mercedes began looking through another rack. "Quinn."

P.S.

"Let me get this straight." Santana leaned onto the table they were at in the food court. "You're a doctor? A real doctor? At 17?"

"Uh huh." Mercedes sipped her coffee.

"You liar." Santana narrowed her eyes.

Mercedes went into her Marc Jacobs bag and rifled through for her hospital badge. She showed it off.

Santana gasped. "How does it work?"

"The ID?"

"You bein a doctor!"

Mercedes smirked. "We did extra schooling ever since going to school. Graduated high school while we were still in primary then graduated college while still in primary. Graduated medical school by the time we graduated junior high.

Now we're doctors. Except Laura is an art buyer and interior designer and Quinn is a lawyer and Jude owns his own company and Yuria does, too and Maddie is still in medical school but she's already declared and she's doing residency at our hospital. Lisa is a baby."

"Do you own the hospital?"

"No." Mercedes giggled. "But we are there enough to make someone think so."

Santana was impressed but didn't want to show it. "How much is the pay?"

"I don't know about the others because we don't talk about money in my family but I make eight figures."

"Eight?" Santana squeaked.

"I'm really good with kids." She was a pediatrician/pediatric surgeon after all.

"What do you do exactly?"

"It's mostly removing objects from kids. They stuff things up their noses or swallow things they have no business eating or sometimes fall. Poor babies."

"Is that how you can afford diamonds and rubies?" Santana pointed to her jewelry.

"Oh no. I mean I could but no. I got these from Daddy."

"Your dad bought you that? What is he?!"

"A doctor. A dentist. Also a businessman."

"And your mom?"

"A singer, a businesswoman, an actress, a florist, a scientist, a doctor."

"What?!"

"My mom was a teen singing sensation when she was fourteen and an actress but she got her doctorate in botany. That's why she's a doctor/scientist. But she's a florist by trade and has flower shops all over the world. Ever hear of Rose's By the Dozen?"

Santana's mouth fell open. "That's your mom?! My Papí gives my Mamí flowers from there for every holiday and every Sunday!"

"That's so sweet!" Mercedes gushed. "I want a man to be nice to me like that!"

Santana beamed. She loved her parents' displays of love. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

"I have a brother." Mercedes rolled her eyes.

"Your brothers block you, too? My little brother is a menace but I guess I love him."

That wasn't what Mercedes meant but she giggled anyway. She checked the time. "Oh shoot! I've gotta go! I'm so late!"

Santana stood up, sad this was coming to an end.

"Give me your number and we can go real shopping one day."

"Don't you have to work all the time?"

Mercedes laughed. "No. I get time off. I'm still only seventeen."

Santana smiled a rare real smile. "Cool."

They exchanged phones and put in their contact information before leaving.

Santana went to where she'd left her girlfriend more than an hour ago and saw the blonde was still taking pictures in the photobooth.

P.S.

Mercedes hurried to dress before her limousine pulled up. She hurried to get her gift and jumped in. The car took her around the corner and stopped in front of a lavender house.

A blonde girl walked out and got in. "Hi, Mercy!"

"Hi, Q!" Mercedes hugged her twin.

Quinn Fabray put on her seatbelt and set her gift on her lap. "You'll never know what I got you."

Mercedes squealed. She loved sharing a birthday with her sister. "You either!"