A/N: Ah lots of Mama Pierce love. Glad you dig her. Fear not, she shall return!
Mrs. Lopez locked the doors and drew the curtains as she closed up the house for the night. She put Santana's discarded flip flops in the coat closet, and refolded the afghan and draped it on the back of the living room couch. She entered the laundry room to check on her final load of laundry for the day, and to make sure Santana had made room for Lord Tubbington's litter box like she had asked. Maribel found a new litter box, with litter mat and scoop tucked in the corner. In the opposite corner was a new cat bed with a toy mouse inside. Mrs. Lopez closed the door and went into the kitchen to set up the coffee for the morning. Next to the counter, near the back door were two ceramic bowls decorated with cartoon fish and mice sitting on a plastic mat full of cartoon cats with napkins tied around their necks. Maribel smiled and shook her head lightly. "That girl," she said to herself. Santana's preparations for Lord Tubbington rivaled getting ready for Brittany's stay.
Maribel made her way upstairs and opened Santana's door to check on her. Santana was sitting up in her bed, MacBeth open face down on her chest, and Santana was fast asleep. Maribel walked in, took the book from Santana and placed it on her nightstand. She kissed her daughter's forehead and smoothed over her hair, shut off the light and retreated to the hallway. Mrs. Lopez opened the guest room to make sure everything was set for Brittany's arrival. She flipped the light switch and saw that it looked just as she had left Santana in it earlier that the evening with one exception. A bright, white, fluffy stuffed unicorn sat on the pillows of the guest bed. Maribel shut off the light, closed the door and turned her head to gaze over Santana's bedroom door. She closed her eyes, sighed, and retired to her bedroom for the night.
The sun woke Maribel at 6:30 Saturday morning. "So much for sleeping in," she grumbled to herself. She pulled on her robe, slid her feet into her slippers and made her way out of the bedroom and toward the kitchen.
"Ow! Fuck!" Santana yelled from the kitchen.
Maribel quickened her pace and arrived to find Santana with her wrist under running water in the kitchen sink and a cookie sheet of biscuits steaming on the stovetop. A torn box of Bisquick sat on the kitchen island, and its contents were scattered from the counter to the floor. Mrs. Lopez rushed to her daughter's side.
"Let me see," Maribel commanded, grabbing Santana's left arm.
Startled by her mother's sudden appearance, Santana jumped and banged her wrist against the faucet. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" Santana chanted, holding onto her forearm.
Mrs. Lopez ignored Santana's swearing and inspected Santana's wrist. A small red welt formed on the side of her wrist. Maribel reached for the aloe plant in the kitchen windowsill and snapped off a stem. She gently retrieved Santana's wrist from the running water, patted it dry and rubbed the aloe over the burn. Maribel blew over the welt, and Santana's face relaxed with the soothing balm and cool air.
"Okay?" Maribel looked up into her daughter's eyes.
Santana nodded, "Thanks Mama."
"Now," Maribel stepped back, letting out a steadying breath. "Why on earth are you up at this hour of the morning baking biscuits and burning yourself?"
Santana surveyed the mess she made in the kitchen, but smiled at the perfectly golden brown biscuits on the stove. "Brittany's going to be here soon, so I thought it would be nice…like a housewarming…or something," Santana shrugged. The realization had set in that from her mother's or anyone else's point of view, this looked a little strange, or crazy.
Maribel turned to the coffee pot to pour herself a cup of coffee and hide her smirk. At this moment she was certain her daughter epitomized the definition of "head over heels in love" and "trying too hard".
"That's sweet, Santana. It's very thoughtful of you," Maribel praised.
Santana nodded to herself and grinned in self-satisfaction.
Mrs. Lopez walked away and retrieved the morning newspaper from the front steps. She walked back into the kitchen, picked up her coffee cup and opened the back door and turned to Santana.
"This better be cleaned up by the time I've finished my coffee," Maribel warned as closed the door behind her. Santana looked around the kitchen and her shoulders slumped.
The doorbell pulled Maribel's thoughts away from the business section of the newspaper and wondered if she had given Santana enough time to clean up the kitchen mess. Mrs. Lopez let the newspaper fall flat on her lap and she leaned back to listen. She heard Santana's footsteps down the stairs and the front door unlocking.
Brittany gave Santana a tired smile when she opened the door. Her eyes were red from crying goodbye to her family earlier and her arm ached from carrying Lord Tubbington In his cat carrier. She set the carrier down and adjusted the straps of her backpack. Santana drew her into a soft hug.
"It'll be okay Britt," she whispered in her ear. "It'll be okay."
Brittany let out a little sigh of relief and nodded into Santana's shoulder.
"Come on, let's get you and the big man into the house," Santana said as she pulled away and grabbed the cat carrier.
"Jesus!" Santana grunted, as she strained with the carrier. It bumped against her calf and the hard plastic scraped her skin, as she limped into the house.
Brittany wasn't sure for whom she was more worried, Santana's strained shoulder, or Lord Tubbington getting sloshed back and forth with Santana's struggles. Santana made her way to the laundry room, mumbling about putting him on a diet or a treadmill or both.
Brittany stepped into the house with her suitcase and backpack. She dropped them at the bottom of the stairs and followed Santana into the laundry room. Brittany shut the door behind her. She noticed the new litter box and cat bed and smiled. Her heart warmed at Santana being so thoughtful about Lord Tubbington as she is with her. Santana opened the cat carrier door and stood back with her hands on her hips. Brittany sidled up and slid her arm around Santana's waist, resting her head against Santana's.
"He's not coming out," Santana complained. "Why isn't he coming out? You're free from your cage Tubbs! Come on. You're sprung from kitty jail."
"He's just scared Santana. Leave him alone. We'll check in on him later."
Brittany and Santana emerged from the laundry room and met Maribel in the kitchen. She had set the biscuits on a serving plate and put out an assortment of jams and jellies for them to choose from.
"Wow, these look great and smell even better," Brittany praised. "Thanks Mrs. L." Brittany sat down and turned the jars to read the labels.
"Oh don't thank me, dear. Thank this one," Maribel nodded her head toward Santana. "She was up before me baking these and burning herself," Mrs. Lopez smirked.
Santana rolled her eyes at her mother, then turned and gave Brittany a small proud smile, and quickly shrugged it off.
"What do you mean you burned yourself?" Brittany asked.
"It's nothing, just a little burn. My wrist hit the oven rack when I was taking the biscuits out," Santana waved it off.
Brittany got up and took Santana's left hand in hers, turned it to see the small red welt just below her thumb. Brittany looked to Santana with a sympathetic pout. Santana rolled her eyes and smiled.
"I'm fine," Santana assured her.
Brittany leaned down and put a light kiss on Santana's burn. Then stood back up and gave her a peck on the lips.
"Okay, I'm better now," Santana smiled.
Brittany grinned back and sat back down and picked out a biscuit. Maribel served up the coffee, and they all enjoyed their simple breakfast.
Brittany and Santana got up a started clearing the breakfast plates.
"Hold up, not you," Maribel said to Santana. "You cooked, we clean, those are the rules. Finish your coffee. Brittany and I've got this."
Santana gave a little celebratory fist pump and sat back down. Brittany and Maribel did the dishes. Brittany returned and sat next to Santana, and inspected her burn again.
Maribel turned to the girls as she wiped her hands on a dishtowel. "So, why don't we get Brittany settled in upstairs and then we'll go over the house rules, then we'll make a shopping list for the store tomorrow."
Santana gave Brittany's shoulder a little nudge. "Come on. I got your room all ready."
Brittany watched as Santana picked up her bags and walked up stairs.
"What are you waiting for Brittany?" Maribel teased.
Brittany got up and quickly stepped up to Mrs. Lopez and gave her a crushing hug. "This. Thank you so much."
Maribel rubbed Brittany's back and returned the hug, "Oh sweet girl. You know you're always welcome here." Maribel pulled out of the hug. "Now go upstairs and get settled in," Mrs. Lopez said, giving Brittany a gentle shove. "Go on."
Brittany climbed the steps two at a time and met Santana at the threshold of the guest bedroom.
Santana spread her arms wide to her side, "Ta daaaa!"
Brittany took in the cleared out drawers, the half empty closet and the neatly made bed. She jumped on the bed and grabbed the unicorn.
"Awwww," she cooed and cuddled it. "Did you get this just for me?"
Santana smiled and nodded a bit shyly.
"I'll have to think of a name for him," Brittany said as she looked closely into his face, trying to decide what name would fit him.
"We have time for that Britt. Let's get you unpacked."
Santana helped Brittany put her clothes away. When they were finished, they both flopped down on the bed. Santana scooted up to the pillows and sat up. Brittany crawled up and snuggled into Santana's chest. Santana wrapped her arms around Brittany and smoothed her hair.
"Is this okay?" Santana asked.
Brittany gave Santana a gently squeeze and looked up at her, "It's perfect," she smiled.
Santana leaned down and pressed a light kiss upon Brittany's lips. Brittany's hand slid to the back of Santana's neck and pulled her into her lips. Santana smiled and slid down and on her side. Brittany parted her lips and teased her tongue in between Santana's lips. Santana let out a soft moan and slid her leg in between Brittany's. Brittany's reply was to slide her hand up Santana's shirt, feeling the warm skin of her stomach as her hand moved up and gave Santana's breast a gentle squeeze. Santana let out another moan, and pressed into Brittany's hand and sweeping her tongue deep into Brittany's mouth.
"Looks like it's time for the house rules," Mrs. Lopez suggested, leaning up against the doorjamb.
Brittany withdrew her hand quickly from under Santana's shirt, and sat up. Santana stayed lying on the bed, covering her face with her arm.
"Fuck," Santana whispered in frustration.
"Not if I have anything to do with it," Maribel dryly replied.
Santana pulled her arm away from her eyes and appraised her mother. She couldn't tell if she was angry or being sarcastic. Mrs. Lopez's face was stern with authority, but there was a mischievous look in her eyes. Or was it a knowing look? Santana knows they crossed a line, she just wasn't sure how far they went passed it. She looked over at Brittany, who seemed to have found the unicorn to be the most fascinating thing in the room at that time. Brittany sat there, petting the furry stuffed animal in her lap, wondering how much she screwed up and she hadn't been in the Lopez's home more than two hours.
"Come on girls. Kitchen," Mrs. Lopez commanded.
Brittany got up quickly and gave Maribel an apologetic smile as she slinked past her. Santana soon followed with a mix of sulking and embarrassment on her face. As she passed by her mother, Mrs. Lopez caught her arm.
"Watch your language," she reminded Santana and added a smack on her backside. "Kitchen. Go. Now."
Santana hopped forward with the smack and walked quickly enough down the stairs to satisfy Mrs. Lopez. Maribel huffed out a breath, shook her head and made her way to the kitchen.
