Life (and Other Things Like It)

Chapter 37

"Please?!" Santana begged.

"No!" Marcy refused.

"But-!"

"No!"

"But-!"

"No!"

"How long has this been going on?" Mercedes whispered.

"Fifteen minutes." Brittany hissed back.

"Please?!" Santana clasped her hands together.

"No!" Marcy didn't want to hear it.

"What are they fighting about?" Quinn wanted to know.

"You know how Santana wanted to have this Cinco de Mayo party? Well she doesn't want to cook for it." Ellen explained. "She wants Marcy to do it."

"Does she even have a menu for this thing?" Mercedes wondered.

"No." Brittany shook her head.

"Is anything prepared?" Anna asked.

"No. I bought the decorations but we've just been watching them argue."

"I'll do the cooking for a month!" Santana bargained.

"You're going to be gone next month and I'll be gone after that! Nope!" Marcy shook her head.

"This month!"

"Today is in this month!

"Well when we all get back!"

Marcy took a deep breath. "Fine! But I want all my favorite foods!"

"What if I don't know how to cook all your favorite foods?!"

Marcy leaned close. "Learn."

"Fine." Santana muttered bitterly.

"Get out. Go decorate."

Santana happily left.

"Do you want our help?" Rachel asked.

"I have to figure out what to cook first. That heifa invited people over and I'm not having people leave my house thinking I can't cook." Marcy tied on an apron.

"We'll help in any capacity." Mercedes promised. The other girls chimed in, agreeing.

"Thanks. Wash your hands. It's going to be a long day."

M-A-P

Mercedes shook her hips and tossed her hair as she let out a big note. She posed with Santana and Brittany behind her.

"That was great, Cherie! Just great!" Their pseudo French choreographer clapped his hands. "You are picking this up in no time and I am so proud of you!"

"Thank you, Jean!" Mercedes ran a hand through her hair. "How do we look together?"

"Manifique!" He kissed his fingers.

"Does this mean we can take a break now?" Brittany loved dancing but even she was tired.

Jean thought about it. "Oui. A small one. Then we are back to work, yes?! Yes!"

M-A-P

"This is a great party, Marce!" Mercedes bit into a fried snack.

"Thanks!" Marcy moved a little as if dancing but was really working off nervous energy.

"What possessed you to have a Friday Fry Day party?" Quinn wanted to know.

"You know I like a play on words and I wanted us to have a party before we left."

"What about you guys birthdays? You, Rou, Sam and Artie and Arnold are turning 19."

"Going out drinking isn't exactly a party. I've mostly been prepping for the tour and getting the house used to Jerrica. I needed a break."

"You have a month before you leave." Quinn frowned.

"But I need them to mesh and we're still doing press."

"Our press is after the tour." Mercedes reminded her sisters. "I can't believe we both get off for the reunion. Grandmom knows she's so-"

"Inflexible?" Quinn raised a brow.

"Spoiled?" Marcy muttered.

"Inflexibly spoiled." Mercedes giggled.

The girls clinked cups of punch.

M-A-P

"I'm going to miss you." Anna said softly.

Mercedes kissed her gently. "I'm going to miss you, too."

"Do you have to go?"

"Yes, I have to go."

"This blows." Puck opened up.

"I'm sorry, baby." She kissed him next.

"What are we gonna do without you for two months?"

"You won't even notice I'm gone. The house will be in shape cuz of April and Marionette will care for Rae during the day. You'll forget all about me."

"That's not true!" Anna denied. "We love you so much!"

"It'd be pretty hard to forget about you, Mama." Puck lifted his head off the pillow to look her in the eye.

"Thank you, No-No." Mercedes leaned over to kiss him. "Just make sure your sign is bigger than everyone else's at the first venue."

"Oh, no doubt! You'll see us from the stage!"

M-A-P

Mercedes felt the rush of the crowd and couldn't believe this was her life now. Suddenly she couldn't wait to leave after the show. This tour was going to be epic.

She, Brittany and Santana sang nearly every song from their album, along with a few covers. They had streamers, they had balloons, they had fireworks. They had it all. Even their background singers and dancers were outrageous.

Soon their set was over and they headed backstage after their encore. They went to a room backstage and grabbed bottles of water.

Their manager, Cookie West gave them a rundown of their first show and offered her opinion but the girls were too excited to take her seriously.

Their friends came to see them and they all visited nicely until it was time to go.

Artie, who'd been given more producing opportunities, hugged his girlfriends. "Go out and make this money."

Santana hugged him hard. "Keep track of our kids! We get this paper and you hold down the fort!"

"No doubt!"

Brittany hugged him and kissed him. "I'm going to miss you and the babies!"

"Don't cry, Britt!" He wiped away her tears. "We'll be here when you get back. Promise!"

Brittany buried her face in his neck.

Anna was doing her own share of hugging. "Don't forget us!"

"Don't forget me!" Mercedes laughed.

"Never!" Puck wrapped around both.

Cookie clapped her hands. "Okay! Let's go!"

The group's loved ones hugged them tightly and waved them off. The TroubleTones went outside and to their rented tour bus. The inside was luxurious and had neat fixtures for a comfortable stay.

Fans littered the sidewalk, taking pictures and screaming. The girls opened windows to wave back.

Mercedes couldn't believe this was her life. After everything she'd ever been through and all her doubts about making it; she loved life and other things like it.