A/N: Hi. The rating changed. Bye. :)
CHAPTER 10
Summer 1944
Santana and Mercedes sat by the fire, smoking cigarettes, drinking beer and reading their letters over and over again. Two letters written in April arrived from Dr. Lopez. He was still safe. His letters talked less about the battles and more about the places he had been. They described the Italian countryside and cities. Santana closed her eyes and attempted to paint a picture in her mind. She tried to see what her father saw. She hoped she got it right. Santana folded her letters and carefully slipped them back into the envelopes. She looked over at Mercedes, who smiled and sighed as she read her letter for the tenth time. Santana studied how her lips curled in a permanent small smile, trying to hold back the toothy grin Santana knew was in there. Mercedes' hand had a permanent place over her heart, and her thumb absentmindedly rubbed over the same top button on her shirt. Santana watched as Mercedes' face went through subtle changes; concentration, concern, devotion, happiness, and love. Everything on Mercedes' face, in her body language, in her breathing, said she was head over heels in love with Sam.
Santana smiled and returned all the sympathetic and supportive words as Mercedes recounted parts of Sam's letter to her. Santana was genuinely happy for Mercedes, and glad Sam was still safe on his ship in the Pacific. But she worked hard to keep her welling jealousy at bay. Santana didn't recognize it as jealousy at first. It felt like an odd pain in her chest and stomach, as she watched the love and happiness spread across Mercedes' face and lace her words. At first, she didn't put two and two together, but once Mercedes left her by the fire, with her empty beer and her half pack of cigarettes, it slowly dawned on her. Mercedes could talk about and dream about and swoon over Sam. She talked about how Sam courted her and their plans to live together when he came home. Mercedes had such a clear vision of her life with Sam, she had the pattern of bed spread picked out, and which side of the bed she would sleep on. Mercedes was happy. Mercedes was in love. Mercedes could talk about it.
Santana felt a two-fold ache inside. The pressure of keeping secret, her growing feelings for Brittany, combined with the envy that she could never plan for a future like Mercedes, gnawed at her gut and burned her chest. The more time Santana spent with Brittany - the more they shared and kissed and touched - the more Santana wanted to express it. She wanted to let it out. Let it go. Keep the grin that made her face ache at the waterfall, all the way back to camp. Could suppressing all that happy energy physically harm her, she wondered. If she wasn't thinking about being with Brittany, she was thinking about how not to show it to everyone else. Her stomach felt acidic. This couldn't be healthy. She feared she was developing stomach ulcers. Santana seriously considered talking to the doctor next time he was at the mill.
After breakfast Saturday morning, Tina returned to the bunkhouse and found Santana in front of the mirror, styling her hair. She wore a frustrated frown.
"Got a hot date?" Tina asked jokingly.
Santana coughed on her stolen breath.
"What? No! No. I'm just...I'm just trying a new style," Santana stammered.
"Okaaay," Tina replied. "Just haven't seen you do that since we all got dressed up to go the bar last year."
Santana shrugged, "I got bored."
"Well Burt dropped Quinn and Rachel off in town already. I'm heading up to the house with Mercedes and Marley. Don't forget, dinner's at six," Tina reminded her.
"Kurt and Blaine still up river?" Santana asked, trying to appear nonchalant.
"Yeah, they won't be back until late this afternoon. How they can sit and stare at the water all day is beyond me," Tina replied.
"Some say fishing is very relaxing," Santana explained.
"That's just a nice way of saying 'boring'," Tina replied.
Santana chuckled and nodded.
"Remember," Tina said as she left the bunkhouse. "Don't bring her back until at least five. No, 5:30."
"Got it," Santana said with a firm nod.
Santana heard the door latch and she let out a relieved breath. Santana was not thinking about the surprise party the crew was putting together for Brittany that evening. She wasn't interested in cake baking, beer drinking, meat roasting or present buying. No, she was much more concerned about how her hair wouldn't style right, how none of her underwear was "good" underwear after a year in the woods, and no matter how often she patted dry with a towel, the panic sweat was unyielding. Santana was taking Brittany horseback riding today for her birthday, and she already decided she was Brittany's present.
Santana didn't know what Brittany was doing with Burt in the workshed. All she heard was banging, swearing, then laughter. The sound of Brittany's laugh made Santana grin to herself as she walked to the stables. She saddled Buster and Charlie, fed them carrots, and packed the saddle bags with everything she thought they might need for the day. Santana checked everything twice, then ran through her mental checklist again on the walk back. She checked her look in the mirror once more, applied lipstick, then rubbed it off. It looked like she was trying too hard.
Brittany walked in covered in grease. She kicked off her boots and tossed her hat on the sink counter next to Santana.
"Hey," Brittany greeted with a bright smile.
"Hey grease monkey," Santana replied as she leaned against the counter.
"I know, I have to wash up. I'm a mess," Brittany explained.
She stripped off her dirty clothes, slung her towel over her shoulder and walked passed Santana into the shower room. Santana felt the sweat return. Brittany was naked. Soon they would both be naked. Together. Having sex. Would Brittany want to? Of course she does, Santana thought to herself. But how about if she didn't want to? Santana envisioned standing naked in front of Brittany and being turned down. Oh god. Wait, maybe that wouldn't be so terrible. Santana's mind reeled and spun with every fact and crumb of knowledge she had about sex. It was everything to do with reproduction and nothing to do with her situation.
"Shit," Santana muttered with panic.
Santana came to the resounding conclusion that she had no idea what she was doing.
Halfway up the trail to the waterfall, Brittany was still recounting her work with Burt. They fixed chains for the saws, lubed and oiled the yarder, conducted inventory of their supplies and planned orders.
"You okay?" Brittany asked.
"Fine," Santana replied.
"You sure? You haven't said much," Brittany pressed.
"Just listening to you, that's all," Santana clarified.
Brittany shrugged it off and decided to be content with the quiet ride up the mountain and the view of Santana in front of her. When they arrived at the falls, Santana quickly dismounted and took herself, and the saddlebags to their spot under the tree, near the pool. The midday sun was hot and high. Brittany wiped the sweat from her brow as she watched Santana unpack, arrange and rearrange the blanket and saddlebags.
"You sure you're okay?" Brittany asked as she approached Santana on the blanket.
"Yeah, fine," Santana replied with a nervous smile.
"What's with all the extras?" Brittany asked, eyeing the folded square of sheets. "Is this part of my birthday present?"
Santana paused and nodded, "That's later."
Brittany pulled off her button-down shirt. "It got hot fast," she huffed, looking up at the sun. "Want to go for a swim?"
"I don't have a bathing suit," Santana protested. This is not how she planned it at all.
Brittany shot Santana a playful smirk and started to strip.
"Britt…"
"Who's going to see us? Come on. I see you sweating," Brittany coaxed.
She dropped her bra and stepped out of her underwear and walked to the water's edge. Brittany was so casual about it, Santana thought she could've been walking down the street in town. Santana touched her hard-won, perfectly coiffed hair. She didn't want to ruin it.
Brittany swam to the middle of the swimming hole and watched Santana undress. She licked the water from her lips and watched Santana tentatively approach the water and dip her toe in. Santana squeaked. In that moment, Brittany was sure she'd never seen anyone or anything as beautiful as Santana.
"It's cold," Santana complained, covering herself up as best as possible with her arms.
"It's refreshing!" Brittany argued.
"To you maybe," Santana replied.
Brittany swam closer to Santana. Santana stepped back.
"It's freezing Brittany," Santana protested again.
Brittany swept her arms along the top of the water and splashed Santana with a giddy, child like laugh. Santana recoiled with a squeal and dashed back to the blanket. Brittany pulled herself out of the water and gave chase. Santana sat on the blanket, with her arms clutching her knees to her chest. Brittany dropped down onto her knees in front of her, grinning and panting. Santana watched the droplets of water peel from her hair, down the middle of her chest, her stomach and run in between her legs. Santana gulped, then remembered her manners, closed her mouth and met Brittany's eyes once more. They were sparkling. Just bright blue happiness. They'll never not give Santana's heart a start.
Brittany caught her breath and caught Santana's wandering eyes. Brittany knew, for sure, that Santana wanted her. Wanted to be with her. She just wasn't sure how to start. Brittany thought it was a little backwards to already be naked without even kissing yet.
"You're cold," Santana whispered, and handed Brittany a folded white sheet.
Brittany took the folded sheet from her and dabbed some of the water off her body. She opened the sheet and draped it behind her like a cape. Brittany knelt in front of Santana expectantly. Neither of them had a clue what to do next. Brittany leaned over.
"Wait! Wait," Santana protested.
Brittany sat back on her heels. Santana sat up and shooed Brittany off the blanket. Santana was going back to her original vision. She unfolded another sheet and laid it over the flannel blanket. She rolled up a second blanket and placed it against the saddle bags propped up against the tree. Santana then turned to Brittany and held out her hand, silently requesting the slightly damp sheet. Brittany shyly smiled and handed it to her. She sighed at the sight. Santana was attempting to make a bed. In the woods. Brittany thought it was adorable and sweet, and then thought about what might possibly happen between those sheets and blushed.
Santana slipped under the sheet, and, lying on her side, held up the edge for Brittany. Brittany crawled in next to her, and heard Santana's shaky breaths.
"You okay?" Brittany whispered as she tucked a stray hair behind Santana's ear.
Santana shyly nodded.
"You?" Santana asked.
"I don't know what I'm doing," she confessed in a whisper.
Santana let out a relieved chuckle. "Me neither," she smiled.
"Phew," Brittany smiled. "Hey, I got an idea," Brittany said and gave Santana a soft kiss. "What do you say we figure it out."
Santana nodded and smiled and kissed Brittany. They kissed slowly, tracing each other's lips and tongues. Settling back into the familiar tastes and motions. Brittany loved kissing Santana's full, soft lips and slipping her tongue into her mouth to graze and tease Santana's. She moaned in appreciation when Santana returned the favor. Kissing Santana was always wonderful. Always right where she wanted to be. Brittany slid her hand down from Santana's neck, along her back and settled on her warm, smooth, bare hip. Her fingers teased the edge of Santana's backside, and her thumb rubbed over her hip bone. She felt Santana's breath hitch, and Brittany pulled away from their kiss.
"Is this okay?" Brittany asked as she gently squeezed Santana's hip.
"Feels good," Santana breathily replied.
Santana dared her hand to do the same, and marveled at how soft and perfect every inch of Brittany's skin seemed. Brittany watched Santana's face as her hand moved down her body. It was this wonderful mix of joyfully nervous that melted Brittany's heart over and over again. Brittany smiled.
"Yeah, it does."
Brittany kissed Santana again, with sloppy enthusiasm, and Santana couldn't help but smile into their kiss. She loved that Brittany had no pretense. She also loved the moment when Brittany ran her hand up from Santana's hip to her breast and thumbed over her nipple. Santana pulled Brittany's hip to her and reached her tongue deeper into Brittany's mouth. Brittany felt too far away. She needed Brittany closer. Brittany shifted closer, and that's when Santana felt soft curls of hair brush against the top of her thigh and a new reality sunk in. It was new and scary and wonderful, all at the same time.
Brittany pressed Santana onto her back and kissed down her jaw and neck. It was slow and methodical, as if Brittany was making sure she kissed every inch of skin. Santana closed her eyes and turned her head so Brittany could kiss anything she wanted. Brittany happily obliged. She kissed Santana's collarbone, then down the plane of her chest. Santana tasted salty with sweat, but clean and new as well. Brittany peppered the top of Santana's breast with light, soft kisses, then tentatively placed a kiss to her nipple. Santana gasped, clutched the back of Brittany's head, and arched into her. Brittany grinned and kissed and licked and sucked Santana's nipple, teasing out new reactions with each touch. Gasps, moans, whines, whispers, the tightening grip on the back of her head, the canting hips next to her own.
Santana felt like she had lost control over her body in the best possible way. Her breast tingled with an ache that didn't hurt, and she felt that sensation matched between her legs. Everything Brittany did to her. Every kiss, touch, breath and moan rang Santana's body like a tuning fork. All the bragging she'd heard from men about sexual conquests started to make sense. This was the most amazing feeling in the world. If she could, she would shout it from every rooftop.
Brittany kissed back up Santana's chest and her neck. She kissed her chin and the dimple in her cheek, then kissed her soundly on the lips. Santana's arms looped around Brittany's back and pressed her close. She knows she will always love how it feels to have Brittany skin sink into hers. Santana didn't know how something so simple could give her so much pleasure and peace. Brittany pushed up on her arms and shifted her weight, and her right leg over and in between Santana's. Santana stopped and looked into Brittany's eyes. The were all dark from desire, but warm at the same time. She had the most gentle, lustful eyes. She reached up and tucked Brittany's impossibly messy blonde hair out of her eyes and behind her ear. Her face was flushed and fresh and open and happy. Santana ran her hands up Brittany's muscled forearms and biceps, and marveled at their strength in someone who was so gentle. She also wanted Brittany to feel as good as she felt. Santana ran her hands down Brittany's chest and cupped both her breasts, and thumbed over both her nipples. Brittany's arms shook as she gasped. Santana propped herself up and tilted her head, just enough to kiss and lick and suck Brittany's breasts. The noises Santana hands and mouth elicited from Brittany were a better gift than any Christmas or birthday she had ever had. Her heart swelled with pride, and her ego had never been so bolstered. She was making Brittany feel this good. At this moment, the only fear in Santana's heart was that she would wake up. That this was only a dream.
"Jesus," Brittany gasped.
She pressed down onto Santana's thigh and pressed her leg between Santana's legs. Brittany sunk down her full weight onto Santana. Santana gasped at the sensation.
"Jesus Britt," she whispered shakily in her ear.
Santana felt Brittany wet, warm and slick against her. Oh god.
"You're…" Santana started to say, but couldn't. She couldn't say 'turned on', 'aroused', 'wet'. But they ran through her mind and she couldn't believe it.
"You too," Brittany whispered in Santana's ear, and pressed her leg more firmly between Santana's.
Santana's first instinct was to feel embarrassed, but that soon gave way to the good ache Brittany's leg was now tempting. Her body had betrayed all sense of modesty, and replaced it with need.
Brittany slid one hand from Santana's shoulder and gripped her left hip.
"You feel so good," Brittany mumbled against Santana's lips.
Santana kissed her sweetly.
"So do you," Santana replied.
"Yeah?" Brittany asked with a little grin.
"Most definitely yes," she answered and gave her a peck on her nose.
Santana's hand traced Brittany's back down to her rear, and smoothed over her backside.
"You're beautiful," Santana confessed.
Brittany's eyes brightened, then she responded with a kiss, and her tongue and her hand and her hips. Slowly, very slowly, they started pressing their hips and thighs into one another. Their kisses became sloppier as the tempo increased and their breaths more ragged. Brittany could feel Santana's left leg raise and widen to give her more room. Santana felt Brittany's muscles clench and twitch under her strong grip. Brittany was having difficulty keeping her focus on Santana and her own needs. She was chasing her own pleasure while trying to make sure Santana felt hers as well.
"You okay?" Brittany asked.
"Yeah," Santana whined in her ear.
Brittany felt Santana press up into her leg harder and faster, and now her focus was only Santana. Santana felt Brittany's body slip back and forth on her, slick with sweat and wet. She whined and gasped and moaned in Brittany's ear without thought and without embarrassment. It mixed with Brittany's pleas for more, yes, more. It was just more, faster, yes, yes, yes. Then everything went white, gray, silent and stiff. Her body shuddered and shook and stiffened and relaxed all at once. Her mind was blank and her heart was full. It was the oddest, most heavenly sensation she had ever known. Santana slipped back into consciousness as Brittany stiffened, yelled, and collapsed on top of her. Santana felt loose and warm and sated all over. Her legs were flopped lazily open, her arms weak against the ground. Brittany was sweaty, dead weight, gasping damp, hot breaths on her neck. There was no place she would rather be.
"Wow," Brittany said with a laugh once her breath calmed.
Santana smiled and ran her hands up and down Brittany's back.
"Wow is right," Santana replied with a gravelly voice.
She kissed Brittany's ear and nudged her until Brittany propped herself up on her elbows. Brittany looked down at Santana's hair, stuck to her sweaty forehead, her rosy cheeks, her bright, glossy eyes and felt a warm contentedness she had never known before. She wondered if this is what love was supposed to feel like.
"Thank you," Brittany whispered.
Santana nodded and smiled, "Thank you." Santana shifted her legs.
"Sorry," Brittany said, and slid off Santana onto her side.
"No, it's okay," Santana replied.
She pulled up her legs then stretched them out again.
"My legs feel...funny," Santana explained.
Brittany smiled and nodded, "Mine too. And a little sticky."
Santana blushed and turned her head away. Brittany gently coaxed Santana's face back to hers.
"Don't be embarrassed," Brittany comforted and kissed Santana on her nose and cheek. "I like that your...you're on me. And, I'm on you. I like it," she said with another kiss. "A lot."
Santana liked it a lot too. She loved that Brittany, and her body, were just like her own. Happy, sated and yes, wet and sticky.
"I don't want to move," Brittany admitted, nuzzling into Santana's neck and hugging her closer.
"You don't have to," Santana replied, absentmindedly running her fingers down Brittany's side.
"I should wash up. I don't want us to be late for my party," Brittany grinned.
"How did you? Britt, it's a surprise," Santana whined.
"I knew you've been planning all week. Mercedes and Rachel, especially Rachel, are terrible liars," Brittany chuckled.
Brittany feigned her surprise well at the birthday party. There was a generous spread of food, beer and Brittany's favorite strawberry shortcake. They all sat down to eat, when Alex Pierce drove up to camp. Brittany watched as he stepped out of his truck, walked around the passenger side, opened the door, and helped Hazel out.
"Hazel!" Brittany called with a giant smile.
She got up from the table, knocked over the salt, dropped her napkin and jogged over to greet Hazel with a bear hug.
"Lord child, you're gonna break my ribs," Hazel said with a laugh. "Let me look at you."
Hazel gripped Brittany's arms, held her at arms length, and studied her. Brittany smiled down at her and waited for her assessment.
"Do I pass inspection?" Brittany asked with an impish grin.
Hazel tapped the side of Brittany's cheek with her palm.
"You look good kid," Hazel complimented. "You look good."
Brittany introduced Hazel to Quinn, Rachel, Tina and Mercedes. When she approached Santana, Hazel gave her a wry smile.
"See you stuck it out," Hazel said with a satisfied smile.
"Told you I would," Santana replied proudly.
"Mmhmm," Hazel nodded.
"Thanks for bringing her up Pop," Brittany said with a hug.
"Been awhile. It's long past due for us to have Hazel grace us with her presence," Alex smiled.
"When you going to grace me with your presence Alex?" Hazel teased.
"I have to be in the city next month. I'll stop by then?" Alex suggested.
"Mmhmm," Hazel agreed.
Mercedes got up from her seat, "Miss Hazel, won't you have a seat?"
"Only if I can sit next to my girl Brittany," she said holding Brittany's hand.
Everyone scooted down the bench and made room for Hazel to sit next to Brittany. Hazel sat and took in the seating arrangements.
"You look well Miss Hazel," Burt said. "How's business?"
"You're a terrible liar Burt, but I thank you anyways," Hazel smirked. "Business is booming. Working my fingers to the bone over there."
"As long as there's more money coming in than going out, right?" Burt commented.
"That's for sure," Hazel nodded. "I just need to keep hiring new people. Soon as I get some, they're off overseas, or their sweetheart came back and out the door they go," she complained.
"War will be over soon," Blaine said optimistically.
"I pray you're right," Hazel sighed.
After dinner, everyone sat around and sang, drank and smoked. Alex stood by the fire with his arm around Brittany, and watched as Mercedes and Hazel chatted, Kurt said something to Santana to make her smack him in the arm, which just made Kurt laugh. Blaine and Tina stumbled through the lyrics of a song and Rachel tried to convince Quinn that George M. Cohan was the greatest gift to American theater. It didn't look like Quinn was arguing, more like she just didn't care.
Brittany gave her father a squeeze, "Best birthday ever, Pop. Thanks.
"You're welcome," he said as he smiled down on her. "You have a good crew here," he commented, almost to himself.
"The best," she said with a grin.
"Someday, this will all be yours," he sighed.
"Yep," she said with a proud nod. "You just let me know when you want to retire."
"You let me know when you're ready to get married," Alex replied
"What does getting married have to do with it?" Brittany asked with surprise.
"You need someone to help you run the business. Would be good to marry someone who knows logging," Alex explained.
"I have Burt. And do you really want me to marry a logger Pop? I mean, you've seen the guys you hire right?" Brittany said as she poked him in the ribs with her elbow.
"You have a point. How about a nice banker?" Alex suggested.
"You know any?" Brittany asked.
"Not nice ones," Alex frowned.
"I have an idea Pop. You let me worry about my marriage prospects, and you worry about your retirement."
"We'll see," he said with a small smile. "We'll see."
Hazel approached them and put her hand on Alex's arm, "Can I steal her away for a bit?" she asked.
"Of course. Quick, before she forces me into retirement," Alex chuckled.
Hazel looped her arm in Brittany's and walked her away from Alex and the crew to the back of the pick up truck.
"Have a seat," Hazel offered as she tapped the bed of the truck.
Brittany obliged and sat with her legs swinging from the bed.
"You look happy," Hazel observed.
"I am," Brittany replied. "It's been a great birthday."
"So it has nothin' to do with Santana?" Hazel asked with a smirk.
"Why would you say that?" Brittany asked nervously.
"Do you even read the letters you write me?" Hazel admonished. "It's Santana this and Santana that. You're sweet on her," Hazel accused.
"Am not," Brittany half heartedly denied.
Hazel chuckled, "Brittany Susan Pierce, are you lying to me?"
"Yes ma'am," Brittany whispered, not looking up.
"She feel the same way?" Hazel asked gently.
Brittany nodded, still looking at her stomach.
"She's not using you as practice for boys?" Hazel prodded.
"Girls do that?" Brittany asked with a disbelieving look
"Been known to happen," Hazel said with a solemn nod.
"No, no she's not like that," Brittany said firmly.
"You can't go on like this you know, " Hazel explained.
Hazel lifted Brittany's chin with her hand and met her eyes. "When the war is over, your boys will be back and your girl will be gone."
"Who says?" Brittany asked, hurt at Hazel's matter-of-fact tone.
"That's just the way it is Brittany."
"But I…" Brittany stopped her thought. "I'll think of something."
"You always do," Hazel smiled and held Brittany's hands.
"You, you don't think it's wrong?" Brittany asked, barely above a whisper.
"It's not normal, that's for sure," Hazel said with a smile. "But, it's not my place to judge you, you know that. I love you. I just don't want you to get hurt. This world is not always a kind place, now is it?"
"No ma'am," Brittany replied with a sad smile.
That night Brittany woke up with a stomach ache.
"I knew I shouldn't have had that fourth piece of shortcake," she thought to herself.
She sat up and looked over to find Santana's bed empty. Brittany slipped on her boots, grabbed a lantern and assumed she would see Santana coming back from the outhouse. She was wrong. So Brittany climbed the ladder at the side of the bunkhouse to see if Santana had escaped to the roof.
"Santana?" she whispered, as she ascended the ladder.
"Yeah?" she heard in return.
"What are you doing up here?" Brittany asked as she climbed onto the roof.
"Can't sleep," Santana sighed.
"You haven't been up here in a year. What's wrong?" Brittany asked as she sat down beside her.
"Nothing," Santana replied with a smile. "Absolutely nothing."
"Then...why can't you sleep?" Brittany asked with a curious smile.
"Can't stop thinking about today," Santana confessed into her lap.
"Yeah? Anything in particular?" Brittany teased.
"Everything in particular," Santana smiled.
"So, party preparations, and your Dad's letters and cake, and Hazel…"
Santana gave Brittany a light shove.
"Stop teasing. You know what I mean," Santana shyly smiled.
"Yeah, I do. I can't stop thinking about that either," Brittany said, and softly kissed Santana's cheek.
Santana inhaled sharply, "Britt…Not here."
"Where?" Brittany asked with a kiss to her neck. "When?" she asked again with a kiss to her lips.
"Ungh. Soon. Needs to be soon," Santana said between kisses.
"I want to now," Brittany pleaded with another kiss.
"I don't want to get caught," Santana said as she pulled away. "And neither do you," she said more firmly.
Brittany relented and nodded, "I'll think of something."
If Brittany was being honest with herself, she would admit that she wanted to be with Santana as soon as possible. Not only because she wanted Santana, in every way, but she could also prove Hazel wrong. Santana wasn't practicing for boys. She wanted to erase the thought of war ending and Santana leaving. If Santana were to leave, Brittany thought she might actually die. But that thought did give Brittany a renewed determination to spend as much time alone with Santana for as long as she could. War, and end of war, be damned.
"How did you get fireworks?" Quinn asked over the pop and bang of the mortars.
"I know a guy," Burt simply replied.
"Are we going to get in trouble?" Rachel worried.
"Out here?" Brittany scoffed as she handed Rachel another beer. "Shut up. Drink this, and enjoy."
"Who does Burt know?" Santana whispered in Brittany's ear during a lull in the pyrotechnic display.
"A guy he served with. Works at a fireworks company in upstate New York. Burt had something he wanted, he had something Burt wanted. Simple as that," Brittany explained.
"What did Burt give him?" Santana asked.
Brittany shrugged and took a swig of her beer.
"It's funny," Quinn remarked to the group. "Growing up, my father always told me the fireworks displays were for my birthday. It wasn't until I was 10 did I find out they weren't for me."
"Mad you had to share your birthday with America?" Brittany teased.
Quinn rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"That was mean," Santana chastised with a chuckle.
"That was true," Brittany smirked.
"Well Quinn gets to share her birthday with America and there's one more reason to celebrate tonight," Burt said.
"You want to tell them Santana?" Burt asked with a conspiratorial air.
"No, no, you go ahead Burt," Santana demurred.
"Apparently Santana here, is a much better accountant than Mrs. J. So, ladies, you're all getting raises, and you'll see that in this week's pay," Burt announced.
"How much?" Tina asked.
"50 cents a day. I was trying for a dollar, but couldn't make the math work. Not with the new equipment we've needed for the mill," Santana explained with a small frown.
"Girl, you did good," Mercedes said and clinked her beer bottle with Santana's. "A raise is a raise in my book."
"Here here!" the crew cheered and raised their drinks in Santana's honor.
The next morning, Santana greeted Mr. Pierce at the office and settled into her work managing the books.
"Did you tell the girls you got them their raise?" Alex asked at lunch break.
"No, Burt did," Santana replied.
"Any reason you didn't?" Alex asked.
Santana shrugged, "It's better coming from Burt."
"Well, good job, by the way. I'm happier you found that $1,000 hidden in all those receipts," Alex complimented.
"That's what's paying for the new timber saw?" Santana asked.
"Yes it is, and then some" Alex said with a smile.
The town doctor entered the office from the mill floor.
"Hiya Doc," Alex greeted. "Charlie still able to work?"
"Yep. Not that he should. I had a mule that wasn't as stubborn as he is," the doctor complained.
"Can he keep doing his job?" Alex asked.
"No. I switched him with Joe. Joe's job doesn't require as much shoulder movement. Charlie needs to keep that sling on for at least another three weeks," the doctor explained.
"Appreciate that Doc," Alex replied.
"Here's your pills," the doctor said as he rooted around his black bag and procured a bottle.
Santana kept her head down in the ledger, but could feel Mr. Pierce's eyes on her. The doctor handed over a bottle of pills and excused himself from the office. Alex pocketed his pills.
"It's nothing," Alex said to Santana with a reassuring smile.
That night after dinner, Santana asked Brittany about her father's pills.
"Oh yeah, he's taken them for...oh five years or so now," Brittany said nonchalantly.
"What are they for?" Santana asked.
"His heart. He had a bad fever when he was little. It messed up something in his heart. Started giving him trouble a while back. Doc finally convinced him to take some medicine for it. Seems to be working," Brittany said with a smile.
For the rest of the month, Santana and Brittany only had their two weekends of horseback riding to get away from the crew. They savored every minute of those days together. They made love under the tree by the waterfall. They were eager and giddy and reckless at first. Then afterwards, they were slow, and careful, and attentive. Each time they discovered something new about each other; a ticklish spot on Santana's hip, the place below Brittany's ear that would weaken her knees when Santana kissed it. By the end of July, the swimming hole water was warm enough for Santana to finally take a swim with Brittany. She was so glad she did. The feeling of their hands slipping over each others skin in the water was another little slice of heaven. Santana loved wrapping her arms around Brittany under water. It was like running her hands over warm satin. Brittany's favorite thing was to watch Santana just float on her back and just drift around the pool. It was like her own private show of a real life water nymph from those old bathing beauty movies. Except her water nymph was naked. And hers.
Brittany leaned her elbows against the rocks behind her, and watched Santana loll around the swimming hole. She thought about the day she first met her, the day she first kissed her, the day they first made love. Brittany knew it wasn't normal, but it wasn't wrong. Moments like these were everything that was good and right in this war weary world. To think that the war would end, and with it, these moments, this relationship; hurt like pressing on a bruise in her chest. Brittany shook her head. No. She'll find a way. And until then, she was bound and determined to make every moment count. Because, if it were up to Brittany, she would marry Santana, not some smelly logger or stuffy banker. She wouldn't give her up for any boys coming home from war. She wanted to keep Santana forever. She hoped Santana wanted to keep her too.