A/N: Yep, once again it's taken forever to update…and I apologize again. My case load almost suffocated during the last part of April and the first part of May. But on the bright side, I was finally able to take my kiddos on a vacation! They had a blast at Disney Land and it was so fun watching them experience the ocean and run away from the waves as they rolled in. It's a blessing to watch your children learn and grow and experience new things, so I am very thankful for that…however, kids are smarter and more perceptive than you sometimes give them credit for. Hence this chapter…
Additionally, I know the next update for Be All That You Can Be is taking forever. Truth is, that story is my baby and I have re-written this particular chapter about 3 times to get it right, and I'm still not 100% happy with it. It's a lot to think about… but on the bright side, I'm updating this story and have a few more chapters waiting in the wings on this one, plus I'm almost done with the next chapter in Our Best Friend's Wedding! Additionally, thanks to QuickFan (x2!), CAS, Shananigan, zozo42, msdiannaagron (x2!), MsKylie93, Marine04, cpfalmeida, gleeothfriends90210cccjsdAMD, FinchelQuickFan101, I'm a gleek 1994, andsoitis2, and Ellii51 for your awesome reviews! This chapter is a little different than the ones before it, so I hope you like it and feel free to let me know what you think!
Let's Talk About Sex, Baby...
"Higher daddy, higher!" their five year old daughter Riley squealed as Puck pushed her on the swings. The little girl burst into a fit of laughter as she watched her dad perform an "underdog", pushing her swing and ducking under her as she flew into the air.
"Puck, please be careful," Quinn called from her spot near the picnic table she was setting up at the other end of the playground.
"She's fine, babe. I've got her," Puck replied making a goofy face at his little girl, "Besides, you like it when Daddy pushes you high, don't you, Princess?"
Riley simply replied with a giggle as the swing continued to fly back and forth, her auburn colored curls twisting in the wind behind her.
"Fine, but you've got about two minutes until lunch is ready. I need to run to the car to grab the drinks but would you be a dear and call the other kids in for me, please?" Quinn asked sweetly.
"Sure thing, doll," Puck replied, giving her a cheeky grin before slowing Riley's swing (much to the little girl's dismay) and whistling over to his other kids, yelling "lunch" across the open field.
Ella and Danny raced across the green expanse toward the food, arguing over who beat who when they both reached the table. Beth brought up the rear, lightly jogging and looking rather winded as she took a seat next to Riley, who had been saving her big sister a seat on the bench.
"You look a little winded there, champ," Puck smirked over at his nineteen year old first-born, "The munchkins wearing ya out? I thought you were a college athlete now."
Beth raised her eyebrow at her father and gave him the death glare he had seen so many times from Quinn, the two women almost identical in all of their mannerisms. Like mother, like daughter.
"I play volleyball, not soccer," she said, continuing to playfully glare at Puck, "I'm in shape, just not running around after a ball kind of shape."
"Well, I'm glad you don't like chasing after balls," he replied, smirking at his own little innuendo, "Otherwise I may have to get my shotgun out."
"Really dad? In front of the kids? Shame on you!" she mocked playfully before she was cut off by Quinn, who had re-emerged from the car with their drinks.
"Puck, please be appropriate. I know that's hard for you at times, but please try," she chided, signaling to their other three kids.
"Yes ma'am," he replied, before winking at his oldest.
Quinn took her seat on the other side of Riley and the family began to dig into their picnic lunch, everyone catching up on their lives as she watched her three youngest children dote on their older sister. She and Puck both felt incredibly blessed to be able to see and spend time with Beth, Shelby being so gracious as to allow them to be a part of her life from a young age and continuing it on through the present day.
However, it was a little hard to swallow that the mature, intelligent, beautiful woman sitting at their table munching on carrots with their other children was actually their own little girl. Even though Puck and Quinn made a point of making a trip out to watch Beth play volleyball at Ohio State University and had watched her grow up right before their eyes, it was a little tough to adjust to the fact that their first-born was now a young woman, wise beyond her years at nineteen.
Granted, Quinn and Puck were still quite young, as thirty five was hardly old these days, and usually they felt quite young running after their young children. But being around Beth and seeing how mature and grown up she was really made them both feel extremely old. Puck even joked around with Beth about it, but she was always putting it back into perspective, reminding them they had her when they were only sixteen years old and that they still were young. But it was always so surreal to be around her, let alone have her visit once a summer for a few weeks at a time.
Quinn thought she had shot her chances of having a relationship with her oldest daughter to hell after what went down between her and Shelby their senior year of high school, but surprisingly, the raven-haired woman came back and offered them a second chance, one that neither Quinn nor Puck could refuse. They loved her and wanted to be a part of her life, no matter what role they had to take. They were willing to do whatever it took, and surprisingly, after all this time, plenty of tears and lots of questions and explanations, Beth's relationship with her birthparents and her siblings was as strong as ever. Sure, she still called Shelby mom and Shelby would always be her mom…but she was comfortable enough referring to her birthparents as mom and dad too, especially around the little kids.
Eventually, Quinn and Puck would have to explain the entire Beth situation to their kids, as Danny was the only one who really knew what was going on while Ella and Riley already questioned why their oldest sister was away most of the year, but for right now Quinn decided it was perfectly fine the way they were.
She smiled as she watched Danny tell a very animated story about a baseball game to Beth, who was rapt with attention as she giggled right along with her little brother's story. Puck was listening to Riley rattle on about her friends down the street, while Ella simply stared off into the distance, her face scrunched in contemplation as she munched on a cracker.
Quinn furrowed a brow as she studied the small blonde across the table from her, "Is everything ok, sweetie?"
Ella looked up at her mom before tilting her head to the side and scrunching up her nose.
"Mama, what's sex?"
The question startled Quinn, the sandwich she was about to take a bite of falling out of her hands as she stared at her eight year old daughter, her eyes wide with shock. She heard Puck choke on the bite he was chewing as well, her husband pounding back water as he tried to swallow. His eyes too were wide as saucers as he stared at the little blonde.
"Oh, this is gonna be good," Beth snorted, breaking the silence that had settled over the table. The older blonde crossed her legs dramatically and leaned forward on the table, finding pleasure in her parents' obvious discomfort. It usually took a lot to ruffle their feathers, and Beth wasn't about to miss this rare opportunity to see her parents struggle through this conversation.
"Um, sweetheart, where did you hear that word?" Quinn asked cautiously, looking over at her daughter, who was now absentmindedly twirling a carrot on her plate.
"Some kids at swim team were talking about it the other day," she replied, flipping her hair.
"Sex is what mom and dad are really doing when they say they're play wrestling," Danny chimed in nonchalantly, stuffing another Pringle into his mouth.
Puck choked again, this time on the water he was drinking, forcing him to stand up from the table and lean over as he tried to cough it out. Quinn shifted her gaze to her twelve year old son, her mouth opened in shock as he continued to stuff Pringles into his mouth like there was no tomorrow.
A slight cackle escaped Beth's mouth from the other end of the table, the older girl trying to contain her mirth as she watched the train-wreck unfold right before her eyes, "Oh good Lord, this keeps getting better and better!"
Quinn swallowed hard and glanced back over at Ella, who was staring at her waiting for an answer to her previous question. If Ella was one thing, she was persistent.
"Mom, you never answered my question. What is sex?"
Puck continued to cough as Beth laughed her ass off at the end of the picnic table, tears running down her face as she watched her mom and dad stumble for words, waiting to see how they handled the big sex question.
Quinn took a deep drink of her water before turning toward Beth, "Beth, would you please take Riley to the playground again. I know she wants to play on the slide."
"Twisty slide! Twisty slide!" the little brunette began to chant, easily sliding herself off of the bench and making a bee-line for the slide.
"What? Are you serious?" Beth asked incredulously, "You're seriously going to make me sit this one out? This is hilarious! I wanna see this one!"
"Please," Quinn asked, her eyes pleading with Beth's as they stared each other down.
"Fine, but you owe me," she grumbled, standing and tossing her napkin on the table as she walked after Riley.
"Oh, don't you worry, you're next," Quinn called out, earning her a confused look from the retreating blonde before looking back over at her daughter.
"Can I go play now?" Danny asked, looking bored.
"Not right now, bud. I'm gonna talk to your sister and your dad is going to have a little heart to heart with you."
"It's called man to man, not heart to heart, mom," Danny groaned.
Puck sucked down another water before glancing at his wife, "Divide and conquer?"
"Yes please," she replied, "But Puck, try and take this seriously. It's about time we have this conversation."
Puck leaned over and kissed the top of his wife's head, "I know, we better start early. Especially considering he is my son," he murmured before leaning in toward her ear to whisper, "And sex shark genes run in families."
Quinn reeled back and slapped him on the arm, Puck giving her a playful smirk as he jumped away, "You know you like it, Mrs. Puckerman."
"Eww, didn't need to hear that!" Beth called from across the playground, her arms folded and a scowl on her face as she glared at her parents.
Puck just grinned at her before leading Danny toward the ledge near the basketball court, leaving Quinn alone with Ella at the picnic table.
Once Puck and Danny were seated a good distance away from the girls, Quinn turned back to her feisty eight year old, placing both of her elbows on the table and turning her undivided attention back to Ella.
"Sweetie, where did you learn about that?" she asked again.
"I told you already," Ella said, rolling her eyes, "Some kids at swim team were talking about it."
"And what were they saying?"
"They said that's what you did when you liked someone. You know, like show them your privates."
"Ok, hold up," Quinn stopped her daughter, "Were these older kids you were talking to?"
"No, it was Kenzie and Brian Green, the kids from down the street. They said they saw their mom and dad doing that one night."
Quinn let out a snort before covering her mouth, trying not to crack up at the fact that the Green's had totally been caught in the act by their nine year old twins who were now telling the whole neighborhood. She pretended to cough so her daughter wouldn't see how funny she found this, taking a sip of water to collect herself.
"Why are you laughing?" Ella asked incredulously, "This is a serious question!"
"I know sweetie, I know," Quinn recovered, "And that's something very important I need you to remember about sex. It is a very serious thing. It's not a joke and it's not something people your age should be worrying about yet."
"I get it, I get it, but that doesn't answer my question. What is it?"
Quinn glanced over at her husband, deep in conversation with their son, before standing up and making her way around the table to sit next to her daughter.
"Well, you were mostly right in your description of what sex is. Think of it as the very grown up version of a cuddle," Quinn explained, throwing her arm around her daughter, "When people get old enough and love each other very much, that's what they do to show each other that they love one another."
"Is that how babies are made?" Ella asked, her face serious as she looked up at her mother.
"Yes, that is how babies are made. That is why people wait until they are older and they love someone very much to have sex."
"So, is that what you and dad did when you had me?"
Quinn wanted to laugh at her daughter's keen sense of observation, but looking at her inquisitive face, she knew she had to tell the truth.
She simply smiled down at Ella, "Yes sweetheart, that's what dad and I did when we had you."
"Ohh," Ella replied, staring up at her mom. It was like a little light bulb went off in her head as Quinn could see her processing what she just said.
"But see, your daddy and I waited until we were twenty-eight years old to have you. That's twenty years older than you are right now. We love each other very much and we already had Beth and Danny, but we wanted another baby and we had you!"
"If you had Beth, why is she so much older than us?"
Quinn swallowed hard, wondering how in the hell she was going to explain this one to Ella.
"Well, that's a good question," she stalled, trying to think of something to say, "Your dad and I were very young when we had Beth, and while we both loved each other and your sister very much, we were too young to realize how serious it really was. Now that we're older and wiser, we know that it's very serious and that we should have waited until we were older. I want you to know that no matter what the neighbor kids say or do, I will always answer whatever questions you have, but I also want you to know how serious it is and that you should wait until you get older and love someone."
"Ok mom," Ella sighed exasperatedly, "I get it. Wait until I'm old."
"And do us a favor, please keep your clothes on," Quinn sighed, "Don't go showing other little boys…well, you know."
"I won't! Boys are gross," Ella retorted, scrunching up her nose, "Can I go play with Beth?"
"You keep thinking boys are gross for a while," Quinn smiled before handing Ella a napkin to wipe her face off, "And yes, you can go play with your sisters. Just be nice to Riley."
Ella rolled her eyes and slid off of the bench, racing across the playground until she caught up with Beth and Riley. Beth glanced back over at Quinn and grinned, raising her eyebrow in question as her mom simply shrugged and smiled back before standing up and making her way toward her girls.
Beth opened her mouth to say something, but Quinn beat her to the punch, her line of sight never leaving her youngest two on the playground, "I'll tell you later."
Beth merely giggled and looked back toward her younger sisters, "Looking forward to it."
x-x-x-x-x-x
Puck glanced up when he noticed movement near the picnic table, watching as his wife and middle daughter both got up and walked toward the playground. That was fast, he thought to himself as he sat there still trying to figure out what to say to his son about sex.
He didn't have to wait much longer though, as Danny went ahead and broke the uncomfortable silence that had settled around them after Danny finished telling him a story about his baseball practice the other day.
"Dad, you don't need to talk to me about sex. I already know what it is."
Puck quickly turned his attention back to his son, "Oh, you do now?"
"Yeah, it's when you get a girl to take all of her clothes off and you get to see her boobies," Danny grinned, smirking back up at his dad.
"Funny, but not quite," Puck replied.
"Fine, it's when a guy hooks up with a girl…you know, like when they're both naked and rub up against each other."
"And where did you come up with that?"
"I saw it on TV."
Puck bit his lip, briefly wondering if he forgot to turn on the child-lock on the cable box and running through the barrage of crap he would receive from his wife if that was the case. He glanced back over at Danny, "Where on TV?"
"Um, pretty much every TV show or movie has sex in it now. And I can still see it, you trying to cover my eyes during a movie doesn't work, dad."
Puck grinned back at his son, "You got me there, Bud. But uh, sex is a lot more than just getting naked and rubbing up against each other."
"How? It looks pretty easy and both people look like they're having fun."
"Yeah, that's somewhat true, but there is a lot more to it than just that."
"Really? Some of the older kids on the block say it's not a big deal."
Puck stared at his son for a moment before answering, "Ok, who is telling you that?" he asked before changing his mind, shaking his head before continuing, "You know what, never mind. I don't want to know who said that. I want you to listen to me right now though, ok?"
"Ok dad, chill out."
"No, I'm serious. This is serious. Sex is kind of a big deal. Some people don't treat it that way, but it is. Sex can be fun and all, but it is serious business. There are some big consequences if you don't take it seriously."
"Consequences? Like what?"
"Like you could catch a disease, which are all gross by the way, or the girl you're with could get pregnant if you're not careful."
"So was that how you and mom ended up having Beth?" Danny snarked, staring at his dad.
"Watch your tone, young man," Puck warned before glancing over at his wife and oldest daughter as they watched the two little girls squeal with delight on the playground. Beth had her head resting on Quinn's shoulder, his wife rubbing soothing circles on their daughter's back as they stood there and chatted. "But the answer to that question is yes. Your mom and I cared about each other very much when we were younger but we weren't careful when we were together. We forgot to use protection and now you have an older sister. But then again, that's also how we had you and your sisters too, for that matter."
Danny just stared up at his dad, a look of confusion on his face at how honest his father was being. Puck ruffled his hair before continuing.
"Look pal, I know you're not a little boy anymore. You're becoming a man and you need to learn how to act like a man. I love your mother and I love your older sister too, but your mom and I were too young when we had Beth. That's why she lives with Aunt Shelby. Aunt Shelby is her mom too; she adopted Beth when your mom and I were too young to take care of her."
He waited a moment to let that sink in before continuing, "It was a very hard decision to make, but Shelby was in a better place in her life to take care of Beth. After all, your mom and I were only sixteen when we had her. That's only five years older than you are now, and that may sound grown up to you since you're able to drive a car and you're in high school at sixteen, but it's not old enough to take care of a baby. We love your sister but dealing with all of that while we were in high school was a lot and we had to make the hardest decision we've ever had to make when we gave her up. It took years to convince Aunt Shelby to let us see Beth and it was a very hard time on your mom and I. Just imagine if we couldn't see you every day, Bud. That would be miserable." He paused again before finishing, "You need to understand how serious sex is, because honestly son, I used to not take it seriously. I used to think it was fun and it was no big deal, but when you're sixteen and your girlfriend is about to have a baby, it's very serious."
"Why are you telling me all of this?" Danny asked, his eyes glued to his father as Puck struggled to explain his past.
"I'm telling you this to appreciate what sex really is."
"So sex always leads to babies?"
Puck looked over at his son, "No, not all the time, but that doesn't mean there's not a chance it may happen. My point is sex isn't just for fun. It is a big deal, and as a man you have to be ready to deal with the consequences of your actions if you choose to have sex. You're only twelve, but I think it's important that you understand that you're going to go through a lot of changes soon and you're probably going to start realizing how hot girls really are and you're going to want to act on that. But I want you to remember that it is a pretty serious thing and you should treat it that way."
"But, I mean," Danny stuttered, trying to figure out a way to ask his dad, "Don't you and mom 'do it' for fun?"
"Ok, lil man, here's the deal, your mom and my sex life is nothing you should concern yourself with. All you need to know is that I love your mom very much and she loves me too so it's ok for us to do that for fun. Plus, we're smart and safe when we're together and that's all you need to know," Puck replied, trying to keep his cool after his twelve year old son just called him out, "But you also need to keep in mind that your mom and I have been together for a long time and we're much older than you. That's the difference."
"Gross, never mind. I don't want to hear about you and mom…So, I can have sex when I get older?"
"Um yeah, you need to wait until you're older. Several years older. I know it's going to sound fun soon but you need to take a step back and be a man about the whole thing when the time comes. You need to think about the consequences of your actions and how it will affect the girl you're with. It's not just about you, there are two people involved. You have to be the man and make sure you care about that girl and want to take care of her first and foremost, because without that everything will be meaningless. I learned my lesson when I met your mom."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, let's just say I wasn't the nicest guy," Puck explained, patting his son on the knee, "I was throwing kids into dumpsters trying to be cool and was an all around bad dude."
"You were tough, like me! That's awesome, dad!"
"Yeah well, things aren't always as awesome as they seem, son. I was a badass, don't tell your mom I used that language, anyway I was awesome in high school. I didn't care about anything except showing people how tough I really was. And you know what? I almost didn't graduate high school. I almost lost your mom for good. I took a lot for granted but when it came down to it, being the badass wasn't all that it was cut out to be. I ended up joining the Marines because no college or university would take my bad grades or my attitude. But they straightened me out and gave me a future and that's when I realized how much I missed your mom and needed her in my life. She gave me a second chance and here we are, with an awesome family and a bunch of awesome kids like you."
Danny continued to stare up at his father, barely blinking as Puck ran his hand through his cropped hair.
Puck paused, letting that sink in a bit before continuing, "I know I'm totally overloading you with stuff but I want you to know that it'll be your job to grow up and be a good man, not some tough guy because that really won't get you anywhere, trust me. It'll be your job to look out for your sisters and it'll be ok to be tough every once in a while, especially when your sisters start to date, but otherwise my hope is that you grow up into the guy I wish I would have been in high school. I want you to respect girls and treat them well, be nice to them and always remember your manners, no matter how much they will probably piss you off. That goes for sex too. When you're older, much older, and actually ready for that, the number one thing you have to remember is that it is a serious thing, it's not a joke, so respect that it's serious and respect the girl you're with."
"Dad," Danny replied, "I get it. Can we talk about something else now?"
"How about I'll stop talking and you prepare yourself to lose to your old man in basketball?" Puck asked, quirking an eyebrow, thankful for the change in subject as he really wasn't sure how to have "the talk" with his son on such short notice before remembering one thing he did want to let him know, "But Danny, if you have any other questions in the future or whatever, you know you can ask me, right?"
"I know, I know," Danny groaned before popping up and grabbing the basketball lying off to the side, "Now can we please just play basketball, Old Man? I'd like to beat you while I'm still young."
Puck shot up from his spot on the ground and chased after his son, stealing the ball before grabbing him and hoisting him over his shoulder, the young blonde boy bursting into a fit of laughter as Puck teased him mercilessly for calling him an old man.
x-x-x-x-x-x
After an exhausting day at the park followed by dinner and a family movie, the Puckerman children were down for the count. Puck grabbed a beer and kicked back in the living room, hoping to catch the rest of the baseball game, while Quinn snuck back upstairs to check on the kids before she planned on settling down to finish reading her book.
She passed each door quietly, listening for signs that her kids were still awake but none were. At least, none of the little ones were. She glanced down toward the end of the hallway, noticing the light spilling out underneath Beth's door. Quinn moved quietly through the hallway, avoiding all of the creaky spots she knew existed before softly knocking on the door.
"Come in."
"Hey sweetheart, you're still awake," Quinn murmured before quietly shutting the door behind her as to not disturb the other kids, "I would have figured those three little tornadoes of energy would have worn you out by now."
Beth set her phone down and scooted over to give her mom space to sit down next to her on the bed, "Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm exhausted. I'm a college athlete and I'd like to think I'm in shape, but holy cow! How do you do it?"
"Lots of practice," Quinn admitted before settling back against the headboard, "And a lot of lost sleep."
"I bet," Beth replied, glancing at her phone as it buzzed again on the night stand before looking back at her birth mom, "So, gimme the dirt. What did you tell Ella when she asked you about sex?"
Quinn let out a giggle before launching into the story about how Ella told her about the neighbors and how their kids knew they were doing the dirty and talking about how she reiterated that it was serious stuff that only grown-ups who love each other should do.
"And then, I basically equated it to a grown-up's version of cuddling," she concluded, both girls breaking out into a fit of laughter over the interesting and unexpected events that transpired earlier in the afternoon. "I just wish I could have been a fly on the wall to listen to your dad and Danny's conversation. Puck said he just started rambling about being a good man and doing the right thing when he didn't know what to say."
Beth leaned her head back and let out a hearty laugh, "I bet that would have been hilarious. Dan's probably scarred for life now."
"Oh God, tell me about it. Poor kiddo," Quinn agreed, wiping away a tear that had escaped during their giggle fit.
"Though, thinking of it now, it sounds like it went a lot more smoothly than when Mom gave me the sex talk when I was thirteen," Beth admitted.
"Shelby had the sex talk with you when you were thirteen? Wow, that seems young."
"Um, dad just gave "the talk" to Danny and he's only twelve," Beth replied glancing over at Quinn.
"True. I guess my parents really never gave me the sex talk."
"Obviously," Beth replied, gesturing up and down at herself before giving Quinn a cheeky grin.
Quinn smiled back at her before nodding her head in agreement, "Ok, you got me there. But I guess I mean, they never really told me what to expect or what it was about besides just telling me that I had to wait until I got married or else I would go to hell."
"They seriously told you that?"
"Pretty much, but they used a whole lot of Bible verses to try and back it up too."
"Grandma Judy doesn't seem that hardcore though."
"Well, she's not anymore," Quinn murmured, "But she pretty much always followed whatever my dad said or did and my dad is a completely different story."
"Yeah, from what I've heard, he sounds like an asshole," Beth offered.
"Language, young lady! And you're probably right on that one," Quinn replied.
Beth already knew all of the details of her birth and how tough it was on Puck and Quinn for those few years, the stories of how they persisted and stayed together through it all always amazing her every time she heard their story. She always felt terrible for her birth mother too, as she had a teammate in college who had a baby and gave it up for adoption. The girl was never the same after that, always seeming somber and depressed all the time. She ended up quitting the team and Beth had no clue where she ended up after that, but she knew it must be rough. She knew how much Quinn struggled after she gave Beth up for adoption and Shelby had always been honest with Beth, letting her know all about her family and her birth parents, even encouraging them to be a part of the family once they both got their acts together a bit more.
That's why she loved the visits with her second family. Shelby would always be Mom to her, but Quinn was also her mom and Puck was her dad and her siblings rounded out their somewhat unconventional family…but she wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. It was so much fun to be around them and it was different yet amazing to have two different environments to call home. Her true home would always be in Lima with Shelby, but Puck and Quinn had made a point to turn their guest room into her room, allowing her to decorate it however she wanted so she would feel at home whenever she came to visit.
She loved playing with her younger siblings too, as it was a bit lonely growing up as an only child. But what was even better was that she had two sets of parents who loved her and cared about her, and watching several of her friends grow up in broken households and holding a lot of resent toward their own parents made her so thankful for everything she had in her life. Plus it was also kind of fun to have two young parents to give her advice or relate to her at this age a little better than her own mom could.
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, all my mom told me was to make good choices and not to do dumb things. I think she felt that pretty much encompassed everything regarding sex…or life in general. It was rather vague advice," Beth joked.
"But solid advice none-the-less," Quinn added. Beth's phone buzzed again and she glanced over at it, observing her daughter's expression as she leaned over to check who the text was from. "Am I bothering you? I didn't mean to intrude," Quinn offered, making like she was about to get up and leave.
"No, you're not bothering me," Beth replied, holding Quinn's arm so she couldn't get up and leave, "Those texts will still be there later."
"Ah, so are they from your friends or a gentleman friend perhaps?" Quinn asked, raising one eyebrow and smirking at her daughter as she waited for an answer.
"They are from a nice young man I go to school with. Mom seems to like him so that's a plus. I think you and dad would really like him. He's studying to be an engineer and he's on the baseball team. He's pretty hot too. Six foot two, dark hair, green eyes. I dig him."
"He sounds like a keeper," Quinn smiled, "And I'm sure your father and I would get along nicely with him." Quinn thought about it for a moment before adding, "But you may want to leave out the baseball player part."
"Really? Why?" Beth asked, "Or do I want to know?"
Quinn laughed before she answered, "Let's just say the only other person I dated in college besides your father was a baseball player…and they didn't get along so well when they finally met one another. It kind of turned into a contest to see if your father could "one-up" this other guy. You know boys and their egos."
"Especially dad's. Eesh!"
"Very true. We may have to ease him into the idea of you and this boyfriend…and we'll probably have to make sure he leaves all of his guns at home. I'm sure he would love to scare the hell out of that boy with the whole "cleaning the gun" routine."
"That sounds just like him too. Maybe I'll wait to introduce him to Jason."
Quinn's eyes grew huge as she stared at her daughter, "Wait, his name is Jason? And he plays baseball?" When Beth nodded in the affirmative to both of those questions, Quinn let out a humorless laugh, "Please tell me he's not from Australia."
"What? No, he's from Denver, Colorado. Why?"
Quinn just smirked back at her daughter, whose mouth gaped open as she processed the whole thing, "Wait, so you're telling me the baseball player you dated before you and dad got back together was named Jason too? And he was Australian? No wonder dad hated him. I bet he was hot too! I mean that accent alone would have made my panties drop."
Beth immediately regretted the words that left her mouth, her lips curling inward as she bit them in embarrassment and prayed that Quinn missed that last part. Unfortunately for her, Quinn heard every word, whipping her head back around to stare wide-eyed at her daughter, whose cheeks were bright pink with embarrassment.
"I mean, I didn't mean to say it that way," Beth fumbled for words, "I just meant I bet that accent was pretty hot. And you know, being a baseball player, he was probably all in shape and good looking and such. I didn't mean it like that, I just…. I mean…"
Quinn recovered from her initial shock, realizing that it was probably just a slip of the tongue, despite how surprising it was to hear that come out of her mouth. Recognizing her daughter's discomfort and embarrassment, Quinn decided to bail her out a bit.
"Oh, he was pretty attractive and the accent really did help too. But he wasn't your dad," Quinn responded, giving her a wide grin, "Plus, while the baseball uniforms are hot, military uniforms are even hotter in my opinion."
"They are pretty hot," Beth replied quickly, thankful for the change in topic.
"Beth, can I ask you a serious question?" Quinn asked, not sure if she really wanted to know the answer, "Are you and this boy… I mean, have you ever… did you… You know what, I don't really know how to ask that question and I'm not sure it's really my place to even ask. All I will say is if you ever need anything or whatever, anything at all, you know I'll always be here to answer any questions or help you out in any way. You know that right?"
Beth gave her mom a soft smile in return, "Thanks mom. I appreciate it."
"No problem, sweetheart," Quinn replied, leaning over and kissing her daughter on the top of her head, "I should probably let you get back to your boyfriend anyway."
Quinn went to move off of the bed again when Beth's hand stopped her yet again. Quinn paused and looked back at her daughter, Beth focusing on a spot on her bedspread.
"We haven't, um, done that yet, to answer your question. I've actually never…" she replied softly, trailing off at the end, "Mom, can I ask you something? And will you promise not to judge or tell my mom?"
"Sure, what's up?"
"How did you know you were ready, you know, for that?"
Quinn sat back down and took Beth's hand, the younger blonde still refusing to make eye contact with her as they sat there. Quinn took a deep breath and tried to think of the best advice to give her. This sex talk was a lot different than the one she gave her eight year old earlier in the day and she hoped she didn't screw it up too badly.
"Honestly, and I know you may not want to hear this and all, but I wasn't ready my first time. I was sixteen and dating someone other than your father and the timing was all wrong. My boyfriend at the time, your Uncle Finn, started showing interest in your Aunt Rachel and I thought I was losing him to her and to the Glee club, cheerleading sucked and our coach told me lay off the Twinkies since I was looking kind of fat that day, there was alcohol involved and everything was a mess, but your father was there and it just kind of happened. I know that's a bad explanation and it's hard for something like that to just happen, but that's how it went," Quinn explained, hoping the honesty policy was the best decision. "Don't get me wrong, I was very attracted to your dad and I really did care about him too. We didn't even really drink much, but he was there for me when I was feeling at my worst and he helped me feel better about myself that night. He was patient and gentle and very sweet, all the things I could have asked for, but the timing and circumstances surrounding it all were totally wrong."
"As grossed out as I am over you telling me about you and dad, I'm interested. Please continue," Beth interjected, a sarcastic smirk crossing her features.
Quinn poked her in the ribs once, earning her a light giggle before continuing her story. "All of the timing was wrong and it started a lot of fights when I found out I was pregnant with you and when people found out Puck was your father instead of Finn, but we worked through it and we became stronger as a result."
"Didn't you and dad break up after that though? I mean, I know things weren't always good between you and you ended up getting back together in college right?"
"Right, but we fell apart because of you," Quinn replied, watching her daughter's face fall before quickly trying to fix what she had just said, "That came out completely wrong. What I meant to say was that we knew that we were too young to keep you and we wouldn't have been able to give you the life you deserved. Giving you to Shelby was the hardest decision we have ever made and it killed both of us inside knowing that you would be growing up without us. We love you very much and wanted what was best for you, but without you, it felt like a part of us was missing. We didn't talk the whole next year and then there was some drama our senior year when we first got to see you again."
"You mean when you came up with that crazy-ass plan to steal me back?" When Quinn gave her a shocked and horrified look in return, Beth simply shrugged, "Mom told me."
"Yes, when you came back to town, I went a little crazy and there was some drama, but after we worked everything out with Shelby the summer after my freshman year at college, it's been smooth sailing ever since and we get to see you all the time," Quinn replied, wrapping her arm around her daughter's shoulders. "I guess my point is, that at the time, everything was wrong or it should have been wrong. The fact that I wasn't dating your father at the time, the fact that I was always told to wait for marriage, everything about it was supposed to be wrong. But at the time, and even for a while afterwards, being with your dad just felt right. It should have been wrong, but it felt right, if that makes any sense."
Beth simply nodded, "Yeah, that makes sense. But how did you know it was right to be with him after all of that went down. How did you know he was the right one when you got back together in college?"
"You know, I've had several people ask me that and all I can really say is that it felt right being with him. I know, great advice right? But I mean, I dated a few other people in high school while your father and I were still working through things and I even dated a few other guys my first year of college too. But it always felt like something was missing, and I'm not talking about sex really. It was his presence when he was with me. Your dad always put me at ease whenever I was around him and I know I can be myself when I was with him, which was a huge deal coming from someone as shallow as I was in high school. He made me feel safe and comfortable and loved and despite trying to play the badass, he was never afraid of telling me how he felt or expressing how much he loved you when we got to see you again. It was all of the little things that I felt for him that I never felt with anyone else and he was truly the only person I ever said 'I love you' to and meant every word."
"I don't know how much you've dated around before this Jason boy, and I'm not really sure how much that matters either. I saw what else was out there and knew hands down that your dad was the only one for me, despite the fact that it took forever for him to seal the deal and propose, but that's a different story," Quinn joked, trying to lighten the mood a little bit, "The point is, there is no secret to knowing when it's right. You'll just feel it and if it doesn't feel right, it's not the right time or the right guy. Don't let anyone pressure you into anything you don't want to do and it is ok to wait for as long as it takes until it feels right. There is nothing wrong with that. Just remember, you only get one first time and you will remember it forever so make sure it's with someone you care about and who cares about you."
Beth swallowed hard as she quickly glanced over at her phone on the night stand again before focusing on the spot on her bedspread again. "That…sounds like a lot. I just… I mean other girls on my team sleep around and it's not a big deal to them but it kind of is for me. And I like Jason a lot, I really do, but I'm just not sure."
"Then I would say you're not ready yet. I know, I know, easier said than done, but you can always say no and if he doesn't want to wait until you're ready, he's not worth it. It is a big deal, trust me. Find someone who you care about and who loves you too and that will make your first time that much more special. I got somewhat lucky at the fact that there was already a spark between your dad and I and that we did care about each other quite a bit. My own stupid pride stood in the way for a long time, but I got lucky and I treasure my first time with him despite the circumstances. Plus we got you out of the deal, so that was a double bonus!"
Beth gave her a weak smile before focusing on that spot again, "You're right. Maybe I'll just have to wait and see where this goes with him before making any big decisions regarding that part of our relationship."
"I think that sounds like a good plan. And just know that people see sex differently and some of the girls on your team may not appreciate it as much as you do, but don't let them bully you into something you don't want to do. You're a strong, smart and beautiful young woman who knows what she wants. Don't let them dictate what you do, ok?"
"Got it," Beth replied, "So, since this conversation has been extremely awkward, yet informative mind you, I may as well ask now so I can avoid another convo like this for a while. Any other advice I should know about?"
Quinn let out a soft chuckle, realizing that she probably went a little overboard on the stories. "My advice to you would be to: number one, always be safe. Condoms, birth control, whatever, just be safe. Number two, avoid alcohol when it comes time for that. It clouds your judgment and the whole experience ends up being a disaster usually. Plus, alcohol really impairs men's performance, which is never good for anyone," Quinn joked, laughing when her daughter finally cracked a smile, "And number three, respect yourself and make good choices. Shelby's advice was pretty good so take heed. And just know that I will always be here if you need anything."
Beth smiled and quirked an eyebrow at Quinn, "Is that all?"
Quinn made a show of thinking hard about what to say next, deciding to tease her daughter a bit more, "Oh, and number four, reverse cowgirl is not for the faint of heart or for beginners. That move is hard, let me tell you."
"Eww mom! Gross," Beth exclaimed, swatting Quinn with a pillow as she stood to go.
"I'm just saying, someone can get hurt if you're not careful," Quinn smirked as she dodged a pillow Beth threw at her as she made her way toward the bedroom door.
"Now I'm the one scarred for life. Thanks a lot!" Beth replied, flinging another throw pillow at her giggling mother.
Quinn opened the door and looked over her shoulder, "Good night, Bee. Sweet dreams!"
"More like nightmares now!" Beth called out as Quinn grinned and quietly shut the door before making her way toward her bedroom.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x
"Mmm, hey there, Hot Mama," Puck purred as he slid into bed behind Quinn that night, wrapping his arms around her waist as he snuggled her close.
"Hey there, I was wondering if you had passed out on the couch earlier," Quinn replied, snuggling backwards into her husband, "And if you had, I was totally going to sprawl out and take over your pillows."
"You would," Puck retorted kissing the back of her neck as his fingertips caressed the smooth skin of her stomach under her t-shirt. He allowed his hand to wander a bit, teasing her skin as he caressed her hips, gently easing his hand inside of her pajama shorts and stroking her a few times, "Wanna wrestle for a little bit?"
Quinn sucked in a sharp breath at the contact, her husband's touch intoxicating as he seemed to know every little spot on her body that was guaranteed to drive her wild. However, after the day she just had, she wasn't exactly in the mood to "wrestle" that night, especially after giving not one but two children the sex talk. She slid her own hand down the front of her pajama shorts and grabbed his wrist, halting his movement and withdrawing his hand from her pants before she rolled over to face him.
Puck frowned, "You don't want to wrestle? But it's a Saturday night! We always wrestle on Saturday nights," he whined. Quinn shook her head again and he groaned, "That's a first."
Quinn simply laughed and pushed him onto his back, snuggling into his side before kissing his chest, "After today's events, I think I need a night off."
"Ohh, right. You had a double whammy today, huh? How did your talk with Beth go?"
"Good. Really good, I think. I don't know actually. I hope it helped."
"I'm sure it did. She listens to every word you say. You're like her idol."
"Well, I did give birth to her…"
"Good point."
"Besides, I think it was a good conversation considering she has this boyfriend now."
As soon as the words left her mouth, Quinn instantly regretted letting Puck in on that little tidbit. His entire body went stiff as he processed that information.
"Boyfriend? Who is this boyfriend and when do I get to meet him? I have to approve."
"She goes to school with him and she says he's a good guy. Engineering major, athletic, the whole nine yards."
"She's too young. I don't like him."
"She's nineteen, almost twenty. And you've never met him. You didn't even know she had a boyfriend until tonight," Quinn sighed as she rolled her eyes at her husband's antics.
"Still don't like him."
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, things aren't that serious between the two of them, if you catch my drift."
"Good," Puck grumbled, "Cuz if it was, I would have to hunt him down and shoot his nuts off for even thinking about doing that with my little girl."
"And just imagine, you have two younger ones to worry about after Beth too," Quinn chided, chuckling when Puck simply groaned.
"You sure we can't wrestle tonight? I need a little stress relief after today."
"Speaking of which, we need a new codeword for sex now that Danny figured it out."
"Hmm," Puck replied, tapping his chin with his forefinger while he thought about it for a moment, "How about 'morning shower?'"
"For a codeword or for what you want to do tomorrow?" Quinn asked.
"How about both?"
"Yeah," Quinn replied before leaning forward and kissing his lips, "That'll work."
"Well then, you better get your sleep now cuz I plan on giving you a workout during our 'morning shower.'"
"Yes sir!" she mock saluted before snuggling further into his side.
Overall, despite the awkwardness and not quite knowing what to say when asked the big sex question, Quinn thought the day went pretty well…but she couldn't help but cringe at the thought of rehashing all of it later on when their younger girls had grown up a bit and needed it again. It probably wouldn't get any easier, but for now, it would do.
A/N: I figured I should take a one chapter break from the smut…plus my own 6 year old just asked me about sex the other day and let me tell you how fun that was. However, it wasn't nearly as funny as when my sister told me about my brother-in-law having "the talk" with my twelve year old nephew…hilarious! I just had to put it in there somewhere...
Next up, smut returns in either "Ultimate Cure for the Baby Blues" or the untitled chapter I have for an engagement? I'll let my wonderful fans decide! (And this also means I have each of those chapters, plus a wedding chapter almost finished, so hopefully I'll get to updating a lot faster!) So let me know what you thought!