December 10, 2011
It's that day most people dread. But Brittany loves it. Every year her family keeps up the tradition of doing a family portrait; and for the past three, Santana has come to help her get ready. What could be keeping her?
She's already called Santana five times but she hasn't answered which is not normal. Either way, Brittany has to get ready now. Today the family is going to the studio as usual and she has three hours to get ready. Brittany used to think that was a long time, way too much time to slip in a dress, do simple make-up and curl her hair. She remembers when she hadn't hit her teen years yet; she used to whine about how long her mom took. Now her mom whines about her finishing at the last minute.
Brittany looks through her closet and decides that it's an inefficient way to find the perfect dress. She takes all her best clothes in a bundle and disposes them on the bed, and then she splays them out so she can see everything clearly.
This is going to be hard. Her family is never picky about what she chooses to wear; they aren't those families that have a certain clothes theme or whatever. Her dad picks a studio arrangement before hand and tells everyone what this year's set looks like then everyone comes as they want. That's why the Pierces have the craziest family photos ever; no one matches.
What does one wear to an 'Avatar' set? Her dad is obsessed with that movie but now Brittany is obsessing over which of the twenty outfits will the right one. If only Santana was here. Last year Brittany was in the same position and couldn't find something to wear to an 80's set. Santana helped her mix and match her clothes so she looked uber Chic sexy and almost too inappropriate. "Honey, you know we are sending these photo's to your Grandma in Holland right?" So her mom was a little concerned, but Brittany talked her way out of changing her fabulous costume.
Turns out Oma Christine liked that years shoot more than any other year. She wrote in her letter how she was happy to see her granddaughters embracing the culture. But that's the past; right now Brittany has a real situation, if only her girlfriend will call her back? Did she forget about the "Pierce Picture Day"? Santana never forgets, it's one of her favorite days.
In the middle of putting a flowery dress into the 'keep' pile and a pink party dress into the 'cut' her phone starts to sing her favorite Christmas song and she just hopes that's her savior on the other end of the line.
A smiley picture of Santana wearing reindeer antlers on her head and a red dot on her nose assures her that salvation has come.
"Sannnnnnnnnnn!"
"Britt, I'm so sorry I didn't pick up. Huge drama at home."
"Awww, that's too bad San, but can you come already? I've made like no progress the past half hour."
"Wait, omg today is Pierce Picture Day isn't it? This is so Jinxed. Mom and Dad just had this massive argument over – you're not going to believe this, taking a family photo!"
"So you can't come over?" Brittany's hopes deflate, she's so gonna be stuck doing this alone.
"No, no I can! We're taking the photo this afternoon, and seeing as mom and dad can barely be in a room for more than two seconds without shouting at each other, it should only take like ten minutes."
"Ok, well hurry than, I'm running on a tight schedule. Two and a half hours left San! How am I going to pull this off?"
"Ok, give five minutes Britt."
Brittany has made a bit of progress, sorting two more clothes items into the 'keep' and 'cut' piles. Her girlfriend comes barging through her door just as she's putting another dress into the 'cut'.
"My life is a crazy mix of fruit-loops and ….and diet coke right now! I'm pretty sure it's that bad because I'm starting to talk like you Britt!"
Brittany grabs Santana and hugs her, not letting go until she's calmed down.
"Hi, thanks for coming."
"Anytime Britt, sorry about that… I'm just all over the place today. But we gotta focus."
"That's my girl." Brittany smiles and turns serious again.
"So what is it this year? I hope it's not motor-cross. Even though I'm sure your Oma would love to see you holding your giant Ohio Motor-Cross Champion Cup, there's not much we can do to dress you other than stick you in that bulky suit of yours that is only sexy when you take it off."
"Well it's not San, its worse; actually, the worst."
Santana doesn't believe there's a worse at least not worse than three years ago.
"Britt nothing can beat 'go green for the earth'.
"Well how about blue? It's 'Avatar' San!"
Ok, so it's not necessarily worse than 'go green for the earth' but it's definitely just as bad.
Santana puts on a resolute face and nods to Brittany, "ok, we're going to do this."
The first things to go are all the party dresses; one cannot pull off a 'prom in the jungle of an unknown land' look. And that's saying a lot; Brittany can do almost any combination but this is just impossible.
"Britt, I'm telling you fur is the only way to go."
Wanting for time, both Brittany and Santana practically dive back into Brittany's closet flinging out anything that has fur on it or that is of rough material. By the time they are done, according to their disheveled appearances and panting breaths, they might as well have been making out in there.
The not so small pile of clothes they've rooted out sit's roundly in a pile. Santana sorts through it quickly and comes up with a collection of items.
"San, are you dressing me up as a Wookie? Because I think that's from Star Wars."
"This Britt," Santana lays the full costume out on the bed, "…is what I call 'hot Na'vian human avatar'"
To Brittany it looks like a bunch of random pieces of clothes.
"Ok, put this on." Santana throws her a pair of plain brown shorts. Then Santana puts a mid-stomach cut off, sleeveless top with the words 'freedom fighter' ironed on over Brittany's head. It's not looking like much yet, what she's wearing is barely covering anything.
"I love those abs baby," Santana stops to appreciate her girlfriends banging body midway of draping a brownish shawl over Brittany's shoulder. It reaches all the way to her knees.
"I know you do, your tongue tells me every day."
"Don't go there Britt, or I may not finish dressing you before I rip everything off."
Santana is not above doing that even on their tight time schedule.
"Ok, so what next San?"
"This" She straps on a wide leather belt low around Brittany's waist effectively keeping the shawl in place, "and this," a short brown-gray furry jacket.
"You can wear the knee high black boots I left here." Santana leads Brittany to the long mirror so she can look at herself.
"This is super hot." Santana whispers from behind Brittany, wrapping her arms around her girls visibly ripped stomach and trailing the curves and indents of her skin with a single finger. It makes Brittany shiver.
"San I still have to do my hair," Brittany's voice comes out slightly shaky.
Santana looks at the 'Penguins of Madagascar' clock on Brittany's wall and sees they only have an hour and a half left.
An hour later, Brittany is ready. She has her hair tied back in Cheerio style, her forehead is adorned with a braided head band, and her make-up is hot and smoky with platinum colored lipstick as the highlight. After seeing the finished product of her 'hot Na'vian human avatar' look, Santana can barely keep her hands off Brittany. In the end, she had to reapply some of the metallic gloss to Brittany's lips.
The rest of the Pierces are crazy lookers too, not bad – just crazy. Santana thinks about how fun it would be to dress up like this for professional pictures.
Right on the dot, the Pierces haul themselves into Arthurs Station Wagon and drive off to the studio; Santana with them.
They are all excited to see the set; they can't stop talking about it the whole way there. Santana fits right in with the Pierces which is really odd because she is nothing like them, her family is nothing like them, she usually doesn't even like people like them; but it's all Brittany's fault she rationalizes. If she didn't fall in love with Brittany, she wouldn't have taken to her family so well; on top of that the Pierces have been so welcoming of her from day one. They never bat an eyelash when they found out she was dating Brittany. They and all their crazy ways are what made Brittany who she is; she'll always be grateful for that.
When they get to the studio, the quirky family and the awkward teen are directed to studio number eight.
It's a beautiful set, the first moment you step in it feels like a whole other world. Everything looks real. There are several different backdrops complete with props in different corners of the spacious room.
Brittany has to hold Santana's hand to make sure it is real.
For the next two hours the Pierce's pose for the camera in a hundred different ways but all Santana can see is Brittany.
Brittany doing a sexy pose, Brittany being adorable, Brittany smiling so big her teeth may all fall out, Brittany doing her trademark wink, Brittany leaning on a tree, Brittany WITH A GUN! In a playful moment she points the hefty prop at Santana and pretends to shoot. The faux bullet along with Brittany's surreal smile goes straight to her heart.
Time passes quickly for Santana. After watching Brittany being herself and living happily in the moment, she thinks she could write a book about a million ways to fall in love with a smile. It's over within a blink of an eye.
Santana hugs her girlfriend lovingly and tells her that she'd buy all 2000 photo's the photographer took just so she could cut out Brittany in all her poses and stick them on her wall.
While Arthur and Abigail select a few pictures and decide which ones to print large and small, Santana gets a phone call from her dad telling her to be ready for their family photo at three – which is in two hours.
"Was that your dad San?" Brittany plays with her fur coat hoping she's not intruding on something by asking.
"Yeah, he wants me to be ready at three."
Santana is having a battle in her mind, Brittany can feel it. Her girlfriend always gets a hard stare when she's thinking.
"It's all so stupid Britt, why can't they just decide if they want to break up? I mean, of course I don't want them to, but it's not like they live together anyways. They don't even know what they're putting me through. I have parents but I don't have a family."
Brittany reaches out to soothe her girlfriend who leans her head into Brittany's neck and continues to share what's been bothering her.
"I really lost it this morning when my dad said we were going to take a picture as a family. Why do that when it's a fake portrayal of something that is nonexistent? I wish it was more than just something we have to do to please my abuela."
A heavy sigh escapes Santana's chest as she closes her eyes and thinks of how bitter the word 'family' tastes when she thinks of her father and mothers relationship and how they completely ignore her except for when her name is on their list of bills to pay.
"I have to go Britt, my mom gave the tailor my measurements and picked out an 'appropriate' dress for me to wear, and I have to pick it up."
Santana gets up but doesn't go of Brittany's hand. The look on her face is pleading for something, perhaps a little support.
"Do you want me to go with you San? It's none of my business to be there but if you want me to, I'll go."
A small smile creeps onto Santana's weary face.
"I'd love nothing more than for my girlfriend to help me make it through this afternoon's sure to be drama."
Brittany's face lightens up, she's glad Santana is finally letting her in and letting her share the bad things as opposed to before when Brittany would only ever know about the good things in her girlfriends life, which were not many. It feels like their relationship is going to another level where they are learning to rely on each other for more than just physical things.
"I'll just go tell my parents," Brittany rushes off.
After Santana explains to the Pierces why she has to leave and apologizes for stealing Brittany from them, they wave her off - understanding her situation and wish her all the best.
Brittany and Santana get a cab back to the Pierce's house where Santana's car is parked. Brittany gets changed quickly into more normal clothes while Santana warms the car engine and waits for Brittany to come down.
She asks Brittany a final time if she's sure she wants to come along and most certainly witness a cold war. Brittany nods her head firmly and looks into Santana's eyes, letting her know she's going to be there for her.
At the tailor, Santana goes to try on her custom made dress. Brittany thinks it's beautiful when the seamstress shows it to them but when Santana makes a grand reentry from behind the trying room curtain, Brittany thinks it's perfect. It's like seeing an angel; Santana has never looked more stunning.
Santana sees the goofy smile on her girlfriends face and loves how in-love Brittany looks. She twirls around for her girlfriend who never lets her smile drop.
When they both are satisfied with how the dress looks on Santana, the bride like girl disappears once again behind the curtain and emerges again carrying it on her arm.
Santana takes the dress and deposits it on the back seat of her car as they make the dreaded drive to the Casa de' Lopez.
Inside, the girls find Mr. Lopez dressed to perfection in his crisp suit and tie. Brittany greets Martin like she has before with a hug; Martin seems to hold on a little tighter and a little longer. At least someone in the family is still huggable, even if it's his daughter's girlfriend. He greets Santana in a warm tone, before he watches his grown daughter walk up the stairs to her room followed by Brittany who gives him a sweet smile and tells him he's going to love Santana in the dress.
Santana gets dressed up and Brittany helps her put on her make-up. Where Santana wants to paint her face a shade of anger, another of disappointment, and still add one more tone of hurt; Brittany reminds her that today they are doing something as a family.
She tells Santana to forget that it's fake, because maybe this is what they need to feel the sense of closeness they all lost from drifting apart and doing their own thing. Brittany takes her time to touch up Santana's face to display the young, brilliant, beautiful girl that she is to cover the girl who is torn, bitter, and devastated.
Downstairs, Santana and Brittany are greeted by a welcoming sight of Mr. and Mrs. Lopez looking spotless and perfect. Brittany smiles to them both as she presents to them their perfect daughter.
Brittany watches as the three of them stand by the fireplace and pose for the camera. It's only a few minutes but it's a short time - framed forever in a picture that will grace the empty walls of the Lopez house. For one short moment, Santana has a family again, for one short moment they are smiling together all at once, and for one short moment Santana feels that there is hope for all this not to be just an act for a camera for a minute.
Just like Santana told Brittany, the pictures take less than ten minutes to be taken before the magic is gone and everyone goes back to being normal. The house has turned Santana claustrophobic in a matter of minutes and she relishes escape, anywhere; she just wants to leave and focus on the only family she has that she can trust and rely on – Brittany.
Before she can make it out of the door though, Martin asks Santana if they can talk. She wants to say no so bad. She doesn't want to know what he has to say; that he and her mom both have decided to divorce, that he wants her to understand, that she should try to be ok with it; maybe, that he will try once again to be the father she once had – the one she could hug and kiss and talk to and hang out with.
She turns to the door, deciding it's too much for her to hear today but Brittany doesn't let her walk out. Her eyes speak something to Santana; that Santana has been brave before, she stopped running before, and she can do it again now.
Santana faces her father again and sits down opposite of him at the dinner table that hadn't been used for ten years. Once Santana is seated Brittany makes a move to leave and let the family sort out what they need to but Santana holds her back. If Brittany is making her do this, then she has to be there to support her.
Martin starts to explain to his daughter how sorry he is for leaving her life the way he did. He's not asking for forgiveness, just another chance at being her father. He tells Santana that after he left her and Brittany at the airport a few days ago he couldn't get the guilt out of his mind that he'd chosen his work over his daughter. The few days he spent with the girls at the ski resort made him think twice about what he was giving up for all the success and achievement and if it was worth it.
Santana stay silent through the whole speech, she misses her dad and she wished he'd never left. But as always Santana is afraid to be broken; her dad did it once, how can she know he won't do it again? She's been second choice almost all her life and she can't comprehend how being first choice would be.
If she does forgive him and gives him another chance, Santana wants to know what will change. Martin smiles, he is happy that his daughter is reconsidering. He tells her he'll quit his job and get one in Lima so he can see her every day. He says he'll make time for her and make up for all the times he wasn't there, which is a lot. He promises he'll be the dad she's always wanted, he has it in him.
Why should she say no to that? Santana thinks. Her father is willing to be everything she's wanted for so long but she can't just say yes. She's trained herself to believe good things don't happen to her because all her life has been a shit filled experience; she got lucky with Brittany, but what her father is saying sounds like one of those miraculous tales you want to believe are true.
So they leave it at that, Santana asks for time to think about it and Martin is satisfied she's doing as much. He tells her he'll be home for a week and after that he'll fly out to quit his job as surgical trainer and medicinal developer. He'll look for a new one in town during the week. Santana acknowledges his decision and his words feel a bit more genuine now that he is acting on it without knowing what Santana will decide.
The girls step outside into the cold that instead of freezing them makes them feel less rigid.
"Thank you for being here for me Britt," Santana holds Brittany's hands and looks into her blue eyes. Brittany is her pillar and where she draws her strength.
"That's why I'm your girlfriend Santana; I know it comes with a responsibility." They both chuckle at how serious Brittany takes the title.
"But thank you San for giving your dad another chance. He loves you, and he's really tried. I think he could use a hug right now."
"Do you think so Britt?"
She nods her head.
Santana begins to ask if maybe she should, but Brittany bobs her head up and down solidly before she can finish.
Martin is surprised to see the two girls enter the house again and is almost shocked when his daughter marches right up to him with no hesitation and throws her arms around his neck, squeezing lightly to let him know she means it when she whispers "I forgive you," in his ear.