A/N: Thanks for the reviews, fave and follows on this so far.
This story won't be an incredibly long one, but then again with me who even knows how true that will be as I tend to just keep writing and writing. The chapter here is more establishing the town in which Juanita has moved to and who lives there; since there really wasn't a need to do that in the story that spawned this, since it would be kind of already known to Seb what people did and all that, except really for that of the ones who he'd grown up with since they obviously have had things happen since he left. But for Juanita, who is new to the town; it's more her getting to know those who she is going to be spending at least the next year living among and working also with, and also too developing close relationships with as well.
As always any characters you recognize from Glee do not belong to me. But those who you don't know from the show, being that of the majority of the parents, Juanita, Mikki, Hannah and Joey - all belong to me and cannot be used with out my permission.
Love,
KJ xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Chapter 2 –
Having lived in the small town that he still called home, ever since he'd been born; the one thing that Nick Duval knew was that a lot who lived in the town very often ended up marrying someone who like them were from there as well; and whilst there wasn't a shortage of girls his age in the town, they were more so only that of some of his closest friends who he could never imagine himself ever being with.
Taking over the town book shop, whilst his grandmother was still alive, and keeping it going when she had passed away last year when cancer finally took that of her life; Nick knew it was something he would never want to walk away from, even though there was now more of a demand for the electronic book and other ways to read novels, he truly believed though that there was still a place in society for that of books, how he had grown up loving them, and would do anything to see that continue in the small town and also beyond that too.
And after what he could say was a chance meeting earlier that day, although really it wasn't that at all; since he knew he would ultimately meet her anyway, since the town was that of close one and there wasn't anyone who was a stranger to the people who lived there; he couldn't however wipe the smile from his face as he tried to search for the books that she was looking for, hoping that he could get them in for her.
Hearing the door open, and the little ringing of the bell that also signaled entry; he glanced over and saw one of his oldest and best friends walk in and head towards him, she giving a laugh as she neared him.
"Okay and why now are you grinning like that?" asked Mikki Kapowski, with a laugh and smile of her own. "You look like a cat who has found a mouse to play with"
"The only mouse, I know is you" replied Nick, with a small laugh as Mikki frowned ever so slightly. "And I don't fancy Kitty Kat either" he continued, referring to that of one Mikki's younger sisters Kitty. "So, I'm just going to reply with can't a guy be happy and smiling now without getting asked that of why it could be he is"
"Hmm, okay" said Mikki, looking to him. "But don't forget I know you Nicky, and know when there is something you're not telling me"
"Uh huh" replied Nick, with a laugh. "So you're here for that book I got in for Joey that you ordered"
"I am, yes" said Mikki, with a nod, as Nick knelt down behind the counter; grabbing a book that he'd ordered through one of the many websites that he had connections to, and then stood, placing the book to the counter.
"I got to say I'm always so worried about getting out of print books" said Nick, with a small sigh. "But this one is in really good condition now" he continued, with a nod. "So I was quite pleased with that"
"Yeah, and thank you again" said Mikki, as Nick turned the large complete illustrated edition of Hans Christian Andersen stories around for her. "With Joey getting into reading like she has been" she continued as she opened the cover and flicked through to the first few pages. "I want her to know where the fairy tales came from, and they're not as sweet as Disney often make them seem to be"
"Well if you're interested, in my search for that one I saw also a Brothers Grimm in the same size and edition print" replied Nick, as Mikki looked to him with a nod. "So I can order that for you if you want"
"Yes, please if you can" said Mikki, with a smile to him as she pulled her purse from her handbag. "So how much I owe you for this one"
"No charge" replied Nick, looking to her and shaking his head; as Mikki looked to him.
"Nicky, come on" she said, with a small sigh. "You know I'm not going to agree to that" she continued, as Nick looked to her with a small laugh. "So how much"
"Thirty, and that's all I am going to charge you for it" he replied, as Mikki looked to him.
"It cost more than that" she said, shaking her head and Nick looked to her with a small smile.
"Yes, but it's for Joey" he said, with a smile to her. "So of course I am not going to be charging you a fortune for it now" he continued. "Especially when it's something that I know as well, she will really love"
"Just as long as you don't keep doing this Nicky" said Mikki, with a small sigh as she took the money from her purse and handing it over to him. "I know you want to keep this place going, and honor your grandmother" she continued, looking to him. "But also as well, you have to make sensible choices as well; and discounting books for all of your friends in the long run, isn't going to be that at all"
"I know" replied Nick, with a small sigh as well. "I barely stay afloat here as is" he continued with a nod. "It's just lucky I got the contract with the school and book supplier for all that, otherwise I'd be in a lot of trouble"
"Well you know we will all support you here, no matter what" said Mikki, with a smile to him. "I for sure will not get my books for me, or Joey anywhere else" she continued as Nick looked to her with a nod and smile. "But you got to stop offering me discounts, 'kay"
"Okay" replied Nick, with a laugh. "From now on what the book costs me" he continued. "Is what I will charge you"
"Right" replied Mikki, with a nod and looked to him with a smile. "So therefore how much more for this one"
"Umm, all books after this one" said Nick, with a smile to his friend, and seeing that Mikki was going to protest this held his hand up to her to stop her. "All books after this one, I will charge you the standard price for them"
"Fine" replied Mikki, with a sigh and looked to her watch. "I've got to go and get Joey from school" she continued as Nick looked to her with a nod. "See you later"
"Uh huh" said Nick with a smile. "See you later" he continued, and Mikki then uttering a quick bye, left the store and he then got back to the search for the other books that Juanita had requested earlier that day.
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With her remaining stuff coming in from Alabama on the Tuesday, and having on the Monday shadowed Hannah and got to know the teachers and the students who she would be teaching from the next week, when Hannah went on her leave. Heading back on the Wednesday, after getting the okay from Simon to finish up setting up her home the day before and not having gone in, so she would be able to move from the inn, to her rented place.
That night she went around to Blaine and Hannah's home, after the soon to be on maternity leave teacher, invited her around to give her some more of the resources that she had at home to further prepare her for the upcoming teaching assignment.
"Thank you so much for all this" said Juanita, as she placed the folder she'd been looking at with worksheets and activity plans into the box that Hannah was also giving her, with even more folders in it as well. "It's going to help so much, and with all that I have as well" she continued looking to Hannah, with a smile. "I think it's going to be quite a good year for me"
"It's not a problem at all" replied Hannah, looking to her with a smile as they sat on the sofa in the living room; whilst Blaine was in the kitchen cooking dinner for him and Hannah. "And you know where I am also" she continued. "If you have any questions"
"Well I hope I won't be coming to disturb you when you have had your little one" said Juanita, with a smile to her. "As I think you will be wanting that time for yourself and also them"
"I won't mind though" said Hannah, with a small laugh. "I will probably be glad for adult conversation other than that of my husband"
"Probably" replied Juanita, with a laugh as Blaine came out from the kitchen of the house he and Hannah lived in.
"Dinner" he said, and Hannah looked to him with a nod as she stood from the sofa and also Juanita stood as well, and leaning down to pick up the box of resources from Hannah.
"So I'll let you have dinner" said Juanita, looking to them both. "And Hannah I will see you tomorrow at school"
"We have more than enough, if you'd like to stay for dinner" said Blaine, as Juanita looked to him as Hannah did also, giving a small nod.
"I wouldn't want to impose on you" replied Juanita, giving a small smile to them both. "But thank you for the offer"
"You'd not be imposing at all" said Hannah with a laugh. "We always make more than needed and keep for lunch or just leftovers" she continued. "So there is plenty to go around"
"Are you sure it's not going to be an inconvenience now" said Juanita, looking to them both. "I do have food in my place now and am quite able to cook myself"
"It's not that at all" said Blaine, shaking his head. "And besides it will give us both a chance to get to know you a little better, since you are going to be in town for the next year and be one of us"
"Okay, I'll stay" said Juanita, feeling as if it would be impolite to refuse their offer of hospitality extended to her. "Thank you" she continued, as she placed the box down that she still had a hold of. "However I do insist that you come around to my place one night before your baby is born and you let me cook for both of you"
"Done deal" said Hannah, with a smile and small laugh as the three of them headed into the kitchen; and going to the table where Blaine had two plates and was proceeding to get a third from the cupboard along with some more cutlery and another glass for Juanita. "Take a seat"
"Thanks" said Juanita, with a nod as she sat in one of the chairs that didn't have a plate and all that in place, as Blaine bought it over to her and passed it over.
"Hopefully you're not allergic to anything" said Blaine, as Juanita looked to him as he too sat at the table, she shaking her head. "Okay, yeah good" replied Blaine as he gestured to the rice and salad as well the meat dish in the center of the table. "Please help yourself"
"Okay, what is it the meat dish?" asked Juanita, as Blaine placed some to his dish and Hannah passed the rice over to her and then went to put some of the salad on her own plate.
"Lechon Kawali" replied Blaine, and Juanita looked to him with a small laugh and placing a small amount of rice to her plate.
"I've got to say I have never heard of that at all" she replied, shaking her head as she passed the rice over to him.
"Yeah, not something many may have heard of" replied Blaine shaking his head as he took some rice, and Juanita got some of the pork dish from the dish in the centre. "It's a Filipino dish" he continued with a small nod. "My mother's family is from there"
"Oh, that's really cool" said Juanita, looking to him with a nod. "You were born here though?"
"I was yes" replied Blaine, with a nod as he passed the rice to Hannah, as she passed the salad over to Juanita. "My parents both are essentially American, my dad's family are all from here for generations, although can date back to Italy for his family" he continued. "It was my mother's parents who immigrated out to America from the Philippines"
"That is very cool indeed" said Juanita, with a nod and smile. "I thought maybe when I met you earlier that you might have some mixed ethnicity about you" she continued, as Blaine gave a nod. "But didn't pick it to be that"
"So what about you Juanita?" asked Hannah, as she started to eat. "Tell us some more about you"
"Hmm, well where to start" said Juanita, with a laugh. "I guess firstly, is that I am one of eight kids"
"Eight kids" said Hannah, looking to her eyes widening, as Juanita looked to her with a nod. "Wow your parents certainly had their hands full there with all of you"
"They did, yeah" replied Juanita, with a laugh. "Four boys and four girls, one of them being a set of fraternal twins"
"Yeah, that's just insane" said Blaine, looking to her and shaking his head. "That many kids, and having a set of twins in all that lot. Agree with Hannie, wow"
"Yes it was insane growing up definitely" replied Juanita, with a nod. "But it's probably why I like being a teacher so much, as I was always surrounded by children when I was younger"
"And you're from where, like what state?" asked Hannah, looking to her as the three of them continued eating.
"Georgia, a place called Dahlonega which is about an hour away from Atlanta" she replied, looking to the both of them. "Not as small of a country town as this, but still a really beautiful place to grow up" she continued, with a nod. "What about the two of you? Has this always been home for you?"
"It has, yes" replied Hannah, with a nod. "My family has lived her since my great grandparents, and they started up the local convenience store which my parents still run now and my older brother will be the one to take that over from them later on"
"And my parents moved here before my brother and I were born" said Blaine, with a nod also and looking to Juanita. "They both wanted a change from the big city life, and saw an opportunity here when the bar was up for sale and bought it, and never looked back"
"Okay, yeah" replied Juanita, with a nod. "So you've known one another a long time then"
"We have" said Hannah, looking to Blaine with a small laugh and smile. "But we didn't always like one another when we were kids"
"Really" said Juanita, with a laugh also and looking to her with a smile. "So what happened then for that to change?"
"Went to the same college" replied Blaine, with a nod. "And one night at a frat party this guy was hassling Han, really bad. So I went up and said for him to step away from my girlfriend"
"And since he didn't leave the party after that, we sort of had to keep the charade up so he wouldn't know it wasn't true" said Hannah, giving a small laugh. "But by the end of the night, Blaine and I kind of realized that we had a lot more in common than we thought did, and things just happened from there"
"That's actually really sweet" said Juanita, a nod and smile to them both. "Know one another your whole lives and then to find that love with each other, is really nice"
"Yeah, I can say it was a definite shock not only for us" said Blaine with a laugh. "Realizing that we like each other" he continued and looking to Hannah with a smile. "But our friends back here too, as well as our parents"
"Yes, but still really so sweet" replied Juanita with a smile.
"So what about you?" asked Hannah, looking to her. "Is there someone in your life?"
"Not at the moment, no" replied Juanita, shaking her head. "Moving as much as I do" she continued. "It's hard to have those sorts of relationships with someone, because I'm not sure as to where I will be after that particular substitution has finished"
"Well you're going to be here for a year" said Blaine, looking to her with a laugh. "Plenty of time to maybe strike up some sort of relationship with someone"
"Yes, it's possible" said Juanita with a nod as she thought back to Nick in the bookshop and how sweet and also quite cute as well, she had found him. "But if I fall hard for someone" she continued with a sigh. "Then the leaving is hard"
"I guess, that would be the not so good side of what your job is" said Hannah, as Juanita looked to her and shaking her head.
"You know, since you are going to be in town for at least the next year" said Blaine, looking to her with a smile. "You should come by the bar on Friday night and hang out with myself and Han, as well as our other friends too"
"And Blaine and a few other people from the town" said Hannah, and Juanita looked to her. "They will be playing there, since they have a little band and do that occasionally"
"Sure, that sounds like it could be kind of fun" said Juanita, with a nod. "I just might come along" she continued, and stayed talking with Hannah and Blaine as they finished up dinner and then left their house to go back to where she would be calling home for the next year; and wondering if maybe this time she would have the courage to start a relationship with someone, knowing that she would not although be around the small town forever.
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With Friday, finally coming around and it being Hannah's last day at the school where she taught, with the next year that of a maternity leave for her as she had her first child.
Juanita was fully prepared to from Monday, take over the role of third grade teacher; whilst still also finishing setting up the place she would be calling home for the next year.
Taking though the night off from doing that, and heading to the bar to meet the friends of Blaine and Hannah; after finding a car space for her car, took the short walk to it and walked inside, and was greeted by that of the sound of music playing, much like Hannah had said there would be in the form of a band, and seeing Blaine on keyboard. She looked over to a group of tables and spotting Hannah sitting with a group of people, headed over.
"Hi" said Juanita, as she approached the table and Hannah looked to her with a smile.
"Oh hey" she replied. "So glad you could make it" she continued with a nod. "Come sit, and I'll introduce you to the others"
"Sure" said Juanita, with a nod as she took a spare seat at the table and looked around and then noticed Nick sitting with that of the group. "Hi, again"
"Umm, yeah hi" said Nick, with a small laugh as the others looked to him and then to Juanita.
"Do you two already know one another?" asked Hannah, with a small laugh and pointing between the two of them.
"Yeah, I went into the book shop a few days ago and I met Nick there" replied Juanita, with a nod to Hannah and then looked to him. "So you're friends then with Hannah?"
"Yep" said Nick, giving a nod as Mikki who he was sitting next to him gave a laugh.
"I'm Mikki" she said, looking to Juanita with a smile. "It's nice to meet you"
"You too" replied Juanita, giving a nod and then small sigh as she noted in her mind that it looked like possibly that Nick was in fact taken by that of the other brunette woman and she would have no chance with him now. "Juanita"
"Lovely to meet you also" said Mikki, who then turned back to Nick and looked at him, he in turn shaking her head at her.
"Right, so yeah that's Nick" said Hannah, as Juanita looked to her. "Who you know already" she continued as Juanita gave that of a small nod. "Miks is next to him, again know that she introduced herself"
"Uh huh, yeah" said Juanita, looking to her with a smile.
"And then that's Dani, Jeff, Britts and Kurt" she said, pointing to the others seated around the table; with a chorus then of "Nice to meet you" and "Hi" echoing from them all.
"Hi" said Juanita, with a nod as she looked to them. "So nice to meet you all as well"
"Yeah" said the blonde hair guy at the table, who she knew now to be called Jeff. "And you know Blainers up there already too, he's playing the keyboard"
"I do yes" said Juanita with a nod. "The others are local to town as well?"
"Yes" said Mikki, with a nod and Juanita looked to her. "On drums is Finn and he works over at the garage as a mechanic there" she continued as Juanita looked to her with a nod. "And then on the guitar is my little brother Rod"
"Okay yeah cool" said Juanita, with a smile to her and looked to the others at the table. "So you all live in town then?"
"We do yes" replied Kurt, and Juanita looked over to him. "My mum owns the little cafe just up the road and I also work there"
"And my parents own the inn" said Dani, and Juanita looked to her with a small laugh.
"I didn't see you there, when I was staying there" she replied, shaking her head as Dani gave a laugh also.
"Mostly I'm out back when people are there for meals" she said, with a nod. "And when I'm not there, I'm back home with my kids"
"And when Dani's at work, I'm with the kids" said Jeff, with a laugh and Juanita looked to him.
"You two are married also then?" she asked, as both Dani and Jeff nodded.
"We got married a year out from high school" said Jeff, with a smile to the new addition to their table. "And now have three kids"
"Okay, yeah wow" said Juanita, with a small smile to him. "And Brittany, isn't it" she continued looking to the blonde at the table.
"Yes, that's me" she replied, with a smile. "And I own the flower shop in town, but also as well hold dance lessons too at the local town hall for kids on weekends"
"Oh, that's cool" said Juanita, with a smile to her and then looked to Juanita, who she noticed was having a small quiet conversation with Nick, who in turn was looking at her and shaking his head; and who then poked the other brunette and she looked to her with a smile.
"My business is just down the road, opposite the book shop in fact" said Mikki, with a nod to her. "Tie the Knot, it's a wedding planning business, but I also do other parties also as well"
"I saw that, the other day" said Juanita, with a nod and Mikki looked to her with a smile. "I thought it was quite an interesting business for a small town"
"Well Mik's drummed up a lot of local business with the weddings here" said Hannah, and Juanita looked over to her. "We all thought at first that it would never last, but she's made it work"
"Hmm, well granted it was not my first choice of a career now" said Mikki, giving a small laugh. "But I had to do something after my plans unexpectedly changed" she continued and Juanita looked to her, giving her a small smile as Mikki looked to her with a small laugh. "Don't be thinking it's anything bad now, because it's not"
"No, I just didn't want to pry that's all" replied Juanita, giving her a small smile also. "I wasn't fishing as to why you would choose that as a business" she continued. "I just thought it was a rather, interesting one for a small town that's all"
"Yes, but you will find out anyway as to why I do" said Mikki, looking to her with a smile. "And that's because I have a six year old daughter, which therefore saw me dropping out of college and not doing my teaching degree because I was pregnant with her"
"So you're married also then?" asked Juanita, looking to her in return, and thinking to herself that she was going to hear that the brunette girl was married to Nick, and therefore her thoughts of their possibly being something there between them was all in her mind.
"No" replied Mikki, giving a laugh and Juanita quickly looked at the others around the table and noted that they seemed maybe just slightly uncomfortable with the topic of talk. "I'm raising Joey, essentially on my own" continued Mikki, as Juanita looked back to her. "Not that I am fully alone, since my parents and grandparents, plus sisters and brother are also in town. But the father, he's not around"
"Because you refuse to tell him, Mik" said Kurt, and Mikki looked to him in a rather glaring manner.
"Shut up Kurt" she said, as he and the others looked to the two of them. "You know as to why that is, so just stop now"
"Umm yeah" said Juanita, with a small laugh. "So I might just go and get myself a drink then"
"Sure yeah if you see the older woman up there on the bar" said Hannah, and Juanita looked over to her. "That's Julia, Blaine's mom" she continued. "Tell her who you are, and she said drinks for you tonight will be free"
"That's very kind" said Juanita, with a smile as she stood up and went to head over to the bar, giving out a small sigh as she did; scared now that she might have ruined any chance of friendship with the others, since it looked to her as if she maybe possibly had put her foot into in a big way with the talk of what the others did in town, and after getting her drink from Hannah's mother in law; who did indeed tell her no charge for it, headed back over to the others in the hopes that she could get to know them and hadn't ruined any chance of potential friendships or maybe even relationships either.
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Having gone to the toilet, and stepping over to the sinks to wash her hands; she noticed the other toilet stall door open in the rest room, and Mikki walking out of it and over to the sinks also.
"Hi" said Mikki, looking to her with a smile, and Juanita turned and looked at her with a small smile of her own.
"Hi" she replied, with a small sigh as she grabbed some paper towel to dry her hands. "I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable earlier" she continued, as Mikki looked to her also as well grabbing a paper towel to wipe her hands. "It was never my intention to do that"
"You didn't" replied Mikki, with a small laugh. "Don't worry about it" she continued as she discarded her used paper towel into the waste basket. "Kurt was just trying to push me that's all. He knows that it's something that will get me annoyed"
"Okay" said Juanita, with a nod as she too threw her used paper towel into the bin. "I can't imagine it's easy being a single mom though"
"It certainly has its moments" replied Mikki, looking to her with a small smile. "But the good ones definitely outweigh the bad" she continued. "And my friends, think I should have told Seb who is Joey's father about her. But it's all complicated as to why I haven't"
"So she doesn't know who her dad is either?" asked Juanita, looking to her and Mikki shook her head.
"And if you could keep to you also" said Mikki as Juanita looked to her. "About who it is also" she continued. "Then I'd greatly appreciate it"
"Sure, of course" replied Juanita, with a nod. "I get that there is obviously a reason as to why you'd not have told him about this" she continued, as Mikki also gave a nod. "And for which I won't pry into either"
"I don't mind you knowing, as to why it is and it's something all that live here know" replied Mikki, shaking her head and giving a small sigh and then leaning against the sink counter. "And that reason being, Seb was always the one of our group who was destined to get out of the town" she continued, looking to Juanita. "He got accepted to Yale, and he wanted to study law. So it was like the perfect college for him, and he was so smart too; that I felt it would be unfair of me to tell him, that I had gotten pregnant shortly after he left for college. As I know he would forget all about himself and come back here to help me raise Joey, and I couldn't let him do that"
"That was very selfless of you" said Juanita, and Mikki looked to her with a small nod. "But I can see you've got a good support base, with your friends out there and also I'm sure with your parents and family too"
"I do yes" replied Mikki, with a nod also. "I don't know what I'd do without them all"
"And you and Nick seem close" said Juanita, and Mikki looked to her with a small nod.
"We're good friends" she replied, giving the other brunette woman a small smile, who was a couple of feet shorter than her. "Nothing more than that, and it would be so weird if they ever were to be. Since it would be like dating my cousin or something like that"
"Oh, he and you just seemed really close back outside though" said Juanita, as Mikki looked to her shaking her head.
"Just purely that of friends" replied Mikki, with a nod, thinking that she might be reading a little too much into it but Juanita seemed also clearly interested in Nick, and if his happy attitude the other day was anything to go by; then that also may have been caused now by who she think could have been Juanita stopping into the book shop. "Let's go back out to the others, huh" continued Mikki, giving her a smile. "They'll want to know what gossip I've been giving you in here"
"Sure, yeah of course" replied Juanita, with a small laugh; and left the bathroom of the bar with Mikki, now feeling just that little bit more confident that she was actually going to really like living in the small town for the next year, among the people who she could hopefully maybe be able to soon call friends.
End Note - The next chapter will further delve more into setting up Juanita and Nick as a couple; so there will be a smallish time jump - with this at the moment being set around that of April 2016. So I have to do some timeline calculations, as at the moment my notes for this verse are a mess, and then will get writing it.
Thanks for reading, and catch you all again soon.
Love always,
KJ xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo