Prompt idea I received on Tumblr that I decided to turn into a mini story.
Santana happily tied her apron around her soft red cashmere sweater and jeans, she stood in front of the mirror making sure her hair was pulled into a high bun, wanted to avoid the risk of even the tiniest strand of hair falling into the food. She doubled checked her makeup, opting for a light layer of very natural shades before smiling and leaving the bathroom.
"I love that you do this every year." Rachel, Santana's best friend of twenty years, smiled as the Latina walked in the kitchen.
"I'm super blessed in life, Rach, my album has been number one on the charts for weeks, I can afford to buy whatever I want, I'm healthy, I have a roof over my head every night, warm clothes, and more. There's no reason for me not to give back." She smiled, she washed her hands and slipped on a pair of plastic gloves before lifting a tray of green beans to carry to the table where the huge spread of food for her weekly Saturday afternoon meal for the homeless and less fortunate was set up.
"Super proud of you." Rachel smiled before kissing her on the cheek and heading to grab a pan of food herself.
An hour later, tons of pans have been emptied as Santana's staff of chefs continued cooking more when a tall blonde caught Santana's eye as she hands a plate to a gentlemen. She watched the woman lift a smaller blonde, no older than two or three years old in her arms and rub her back as the little blonde clutched to her and looked around with big blue eyes. Santana's face softened when she saw the woman whisper something to the little girl, causing her to smile and giggle before kissing her on the forehead and walking up to the table.
Santana took in her appearance, the dingy grey tshirt, worn out zip sweatshirt over, and dirty jeans the woman had on; old dirty backpack on her back. The little girl was wearing a pair of jeans that looked a little cleaner but not much, a sweatshirt, that was a few sizes too big for her, and a dirty pink jacket. She had on boots, that were worn to the sole, and Santana swore she spotted her socks; but with as down trodden as they looked, they both had warm smiles when they reached the table.
"Hi, can I have the ham, the green beans, and the potatoes please." The woman smiled.
"Of course, is that it?" Santana asked while making the plate. "Nothing else?"
"Cake." The little blonde smiled.
"We have to eat food first." The woman replied. "This is Kenadee, and I'm Brittany. Kenadee is obsessed with cake." She laughed.
"Nice to meet you both." Santana smiled while continuing to pile food on the plate, giving Brittany extra servings. "I'm Santana and I love cake too." She winked.
"I've seen you before, you volunteer here every week, right?" Brittany asked.
Santana winked at the little girl while setting a piece of cake on the plate. "Yes, I do."
"It's so nice of you, I'll speak for everyone and say we really appreciate it." Brittany told her sincerely. "Can I have an extra fork for my daughter, she likes to be a big girl and feed herself."
"Sure, do you want an extra plate for her to eat out of, sorry I didn't ask before.?" Santana replied before chastising herself inwardly.
"No, we can share." Brittany told her. "She'll only eat the ham and beans anyways." She laughed.
"Cake." Kenadee smiled.
"And the cake." Brittany laughed while shifting her to her other hip, and grabbing the plate from Santana.
"Okay." Santana smiled. "Bye sweetheart." She waved at the little girl who smiled at her as Brittany carried her and their plate to a table in the corner and handed her a fork to eat. Santana stared at them and smiled as Brittany talked to her daughter in between scarfing down food, making Santana wonder when the last time she ate was.
Santana continued to serve the the busy line, keeping one eye fixated on Brittany as she talked animatedly to her daughter, she then watched Brittany wipe her little hands and mouth and offer her the rest of the bottle water they were sharing. Brittany lifted her up and set her on the floor, holding her hand tightly as they walked to the garbage can and threw their empty plate and bottle out. Santana grabbed two pieces of cake and wrapped them up in a napkin and ran after Brittany, who was headed towards the door.
"Brittany!" Santana called after her while jogging to catch up to her. "Here's some cake for you and Kenadee later." She offered while holding it out to her when Brittany turned around.
A huge smile crossed Brittany's face as her eyes twinkled. "Thank you, what do you say Kenadee?" She asked her daughter, picking her up in the process.
The little blonde clutched to Brittany's sweatshirt, and hid her face slightly, suddenly becoming shy. "Thank you." She blushed just above a whisper.
"You are so welcome cutie." Santana replied, watching Brittany stuff the cake in a pocket of the backpack. "Do you want me to call you a cab?" She asked as she looked out at the quickly accumulating snow.
"No thank you, we can walk to the shelter." Brittany shook her head. "We better get going so we get a bed, right honey?" She asked the little blonde, who yawned and nodded before resting her head on Brittany's shoulder, staring at Santana with a small smile. "Thank you for the dinner, and the extra treats, this will come in handy for breakfast."
"You're welcome." Santana smiled.
"Come on baby." Brittany shifted her daughter to straddle her from the front, "hide your face." She whispered to her, she waited for her daughter to wrap her legs tightly around her, hooking them in the straps of the backpack and nestle her face in her chest, Brittany held her tightly around the waist and covered her face with her other hand as she stepped out in the snow. "Keep your face hidden, it's really cold out." She told her daughter as they began the long two mile trek to the homeless shelter they stayed at.
Santana stared at her from the doorway until she couldn't see Brittany anymore and finally went back instead, unable to get her out of her head.
The next week
"Looking for someone?" Rachel asked Santana as she set the pan of chicken on the rack.
"Yeah, remember the blonde with the little girl? Her name was Brittany." Santana asked while looking around the room, scooping macaroni on a plate and smiling at the woman, who graciously told her thank you.
"No, sorry." Rachel shook her head.
"Nevermind." Santana told her when she spotted Brittany walk in. She immediately noticed the dried blood on her face and the bruise on her cheek bone. "Oh God." She set down the spoon she was holding and ran over to her. "Hey, are you okay?"
"Hey Santana." Brittany smiled slightly.
"What happened to your face?" Santana asked while reaching up and gently touching the bruise with her thumb.
"Momma got hit." Kenadee whispered.
"It's nothing, a small scuffle over a bed a few days ago." Brittany told her.
"Can I clean it?" Santana told her, noticing how dirty Kenadee's face looked as well.
"We just came to eat." Brittany told her quietly. "We haven't eaten in a few days, well I managed to get food for Kenadee, but…"
Santana blinked and looked away as tears formed in her eyes. "Come with me, please." She whispered while extending her hand to Brittany, she reluctantly took and allowed Santana to lead her to the table Rachel was serving at. She grabbed two rolls and made them ham sandwiches quickly, handing one to Kenadee who immediately took a big bite, while Brittany took smaller bites, wanting to save it. "Rachel, I need to go, can you handle this tonight?"
Rachel took in Brittany and her daughter's appearance, and the tears in Santana's eyes. "Yes of course."
Santana grabbed her coat, keys, and purse leading them to her car in the parking lot, she opened the door but Brittany refused to get in. "Not the hospital, they'll take her away from her." She cried quickly, tears springing to her eyes.
"No, I'm taking you to my house, you can get cleaned up, and have dinner." Santana explained.
"We have to get a bed." Brittany took a step back nervously.
"I swear you can trust me." Santana told her. "I have an extra guestroom, you and Kenadee can stay there, it's warm it's quiet…please let me help you."
Brittany finally nodded and sat in the backseat, holding her daughter tightly the short ride to a tall apartment building. Santana hopped out and handed her keys to a valet driver, who opened Brittany's door and helped her out.
"You live here?" Brittany asked as they walked in the marble foyer.
"Yes, on the top floor." Santana smiled keying in her password when they reached the elevator. Brittany, held Kenadee, who fell asleep tightly in her arms, glancing at Santana, who kept glancing back at her until the elevator stopped, Santana opened a large wooden door to an incredible penthouse apartment.
"Are you rich?" Brittany asked in awe as they walked in the penthouse.
"I'm blessed." Santana smiled. "I want to share my blessings with you, let me help you and Kenadee." She stated quietly.
"Why?" Brittany asked, rubbing Kenadee's back.
Santana bit her bottom lip, not expecting Brittany to challenge her generosity. "Don't you want help?"
Brittany looked around at the marble floors, dark red leather furniture, lined in a darker red suede, the high ceiling with crystal chandelier, the expensive artwork on the walls, the massive flat screen TV over the fireplace and finally back at Santana. "I don't know how to repay you."
"Knowing you and your daughter are warm and safe tonight is payment enough." Santana told her. "I can show you to your room."
Brittany nodded and followed Santana down a long hallway, she opened a door and Brittany's jaw dropped open. The room had a king sized bed, a fireplace, floor length windows, another big screen TV on the wall. The moldings were all a deep cheery wood, and the walls were once again lined with amazing artwork.
"There's a bathroom right through this door." Santana told her, opening another door. "There are fresh towels, and unopened toiletries under the sink, if you want to freshen up."
"We don't have clothes, but I'll wash my face and Kenadee's." Brittany shook her head.
Santana smiled and walked to a different wooden door. "Clothes, I donate clothes year round, but you can feel free to wear any of these. I have some children's clothes in the back, undergarments are still in packages. Make yourself at home, I start dinner."
"You cook?" Brittany asked her with a smile.
Santana smiled. "Of course."
"I mean, you're rich, no chef?"
"Nah, I can call one if you want something specific." She then replied. "I can make a mean burger, I use three cheeses."
"Whoa, thanks." Brittany laughed.
"Should I make Kenadee a little one?" Santana asked when she saw the little blonde open her eyes and clutch to Brittany.
"She can share mine, so you don't waste food." Brittany shrugged. "We are used to sharing meals."
Santana shook her head. "Tonight, you each get your own meal." She winked before leaving the room, closing the door behind her.
Brittany went to the door and locked it. "We get to take a bath tonight." She told her happily.
"With soaps?" Kenadee asked shyly.
"Yep, this time the McDonald's workers won't throw us out either." Brittany added, she set Kenadee down and stripped her clothes off of her. She led her daughter to the bathroom and stared in awe in at the huge tub. She ran a bath for them, using vanilla bubble bath and stepped in, lifting Kenadee in with her. She kissed her daughter on the cheek and began to sing quietly to her as she washed her up, trying to ignore how dirty the water was turning, due to neither of them having bathed in a weeks.
Kenadee smiled and splashed in the water, running her fingers through the bubbles. "Pretty."
"You like the bubbles?" Brittany asked, soothingly running the warm towel over her daughter's back.
Santana was in the kitchen, patting hamburgers, when her phone rang. She cradled it between her neck and shoulder after answering.
Hey Rach
Hey, what hospital did you take Brittany to?
I didn't, we are at my house. She's worried that if I take her to the hospital that they'll take her daughter away.
Oh, you're going to let her stay there?
Yes, I live here alone, well Quinn stays here when she's in town, I have the room, I have more than enough room.
How do you know she's isnt dangerous?
She has a two year attached to her hip. Santana laughed. Something in her eyes let's me know I can trust her, Rach.
Okay, do you need me to bring anything over?
Santana set the burgers in the skillet and walked to her freezer, pulling out a bag of frozen fries. Yeah, stop and pick up some footed pajamas for her little one, some really nice warm ones, and a teddy bear. I want her as comfortable as possible.
Okay, give me an hour.
Santana busied herself in the kitchen, making sure everything was perfect. She then lit her fireplace with one of the duraflame logs that had bright colors and opened her blinds, so the bright lights of New York shined in her penthouse. She jogged back to the kitchen and flipped the burgers over, she waved her hand over her deep fryer and placed the fries in.
"All clean?" Brittany asked her daughter.
"Clean." Kenadee nodded.
Brittany dug in the closet and found a pair of pants and a sweatshirt that fit her daughter, and sweats and a long sleeve thermal that fit herself, she brushed Kenadee's hair and put it in a ponytail, opting to leave her own hair down, in big wet curls on her back. "Miss Santana is making us dinner."
"This our bed?" Kenadee asked pointing to the large bed with gold, black, and white sheets.
"For tonight." Brittany nodded to her. "Latch on." She extended her hand to her daughter and led them out of the room.
She walked down the long hall, staring at the family pictures Santana had on the wall, some where clearly her, but she didn't know if others were of family members or maybe her own kids. As she got closer she heard Santana singing from the kitchen.
You can say whatever you like
As long as we just say goodbye
BLAME IT ON ME
Say it's my fault
Say that I left you outside in the cold with a broken heart
I really don't care
I ain't crying no more
Say I'm a liar a cheater
Say anything that you want
As long as it's over
Brittany froze. "You're Santana Lopez, the singer." She whispered.
"Yes." Santana smiled shyly setting plates at the counter in her kitchen.
"I've heard that song before." Brittany swallowed thickly. "How didn't I recognize you? I'm so embarrassed."
"Don't be." Santana laughed. "Hi sweetheart, you look nice and warm." She winked at Kenadee, who nodded in reply. "Umm, burgers and fries."
Brittany sat at the stool, Kenadee in her lap, the little blonde immediately grabbed a handful of fries and began to eat them. "Slow down." Brittany whispered to her.
"I made plenty." Santana smiled. "It's okay." She set out an array of condiments.
"I only count two cheeses." Brittany teased while squirting ketchup on her burger.
Santana laughed. "You got me." She blushed. "I only had two kinds of cheese in the fridge."
"I'm teasing, this is perfect, I haven't had a burger I didn't steal in forever, this will taste so amazing, even if it was just the patty." Brittany said quietly.
Santana nodded and smiled when Kenadee lifted her burger and took as big a bite as she could. She fixed her own burger with lettuce, tomato, and mustard, sitting down next to Brittany.
"No ketchup?" Brittany asked.
"Not a fan." Santana shrugged. "Are the clothes okay, I mean did you find everything okay?"
"Yes, I feel like such a whole new person now after the bath." Brittany replied shyly.
"Good." Santana nodded.
The two ate in a comfortable silence, when they finished Brittany laid Kenadee, who was fast asleep, in bed and helped Santana clean up, against the Latina's protests. They moved to the living room and were sitting on the couch, Santana watching TV, Brittany looking out the window.
"I know I keep saying it, but thank you." Brittany told her, turning around.
"It's my pleasure, I live here alone, it's no big deal." Santana smiled. "Let me finish cleaning your face." She ran quickly to the bathroom and grabbed a first aid kit. She came back and patted the couch, inviting Brittany to sit down, which she did. She carefully cleaned around her cuts, locking eyes with her occasionally. "Can I ask you a sort of personal question?"
"You can ask whatever you want, you've done so much." Brittany nodded.
Santana placed a small bandage on her and leaned back. "Why are you homeless? What happened?"
Brittany sighed and closed her eyes tightly.
Thoughts?
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