A/N: Alright, so this update didn't happen in the time frame I was hoping for but here it is. Hopefully the next one will be up in a shorter amount of time. Life just got a little busy there for a bit.
As always, thank you all for reading and especially thank you for the reviews and messages. It always helps to hear what you all think about the story. I am writing it for you after all. lol
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"So why are we packing now? We don't leave for six days. We could have just booked the next cruise if you're worried about not having time. We would have had plenty of time then."
Rachel dropped the empty luggage bag at Quinn's feet who was sitting on the edge of what was left of their bed. Piles of clothing nearly as tall as the blonde took up the rest. "Because... I'm me. And you married me knowing these things so why even ask the question?"
The blonde smirked as she looked her wife over. She was standing there, hands on her hips in short shorts and one of Quinn's tee shirts. "Because it made you stop so I could stare longer."
"You are ridiculous."
"No. No." Quinn grabbed Rachel by the wrist as she tried to walk away and pulled her to her. She nuzzled into the brunette's neck, smiling a devilish smile that gave her away. She was going to be late to work and there was nothing Rachel could do to stop her. Not that she would. The blonde's hands glided effortlessly over the most sensitive parts of her torso, lifting her shirt up as they went. "You're wearing the shirt I want to take with. I need to pack it."
One hand aided Rachel in the removal of the garment, blindly tossing it into one of the piles of clothing while the other hooked around the brunette's waist and pulled her crushingly close. "The door." The whispered warning almost went unheard, cut off by an intoxicating gasp when Quinn mouth attached itself to her breast. She flicked her tongue over the quickly hardening nipple before pinching it lightly between her teeth only to sooth it again. She looked up into Rachel's lust filled eyes, her hands roaming up the back of the actress' thighs and ass and the brunette groaned out another warning. "The door."
Rachel called out in surprise when Quinn grabbed her legs and stood, wrapping Rachel's legs around her waist and carried her to the door. It shut roughly as the two crashed against it and their lips met in deep, passionate kisses. The brunette tightened her grip with her legs as Quinn removed her hands so they could feel every inch of her lover's exposed skin and Rachel groaned in need.
"This is when I wish you had the strap on. So you could keep your hands on me while you fucked me."
Quinn bit down hard on Rachel's shoulder at the thought. She could feel her need for her wife growing, pulling, pulsing relentlessly. She needed her now. Once more she carried Rachel back towards the bed, pushing the piles of clothes to the floor and throwing her wife down on the mattress. The actress grinned and tore at the blonde's clothes, running her hands over any exposed skin and tugging roughly at her belt, wishing she hadn't already gotten dressed for work yet. She struggled blindly with the buckle and button of the pants until they finally released and she pushed her hand lower, her middle finger effortlessly sliding into place.
The connection cause Quinn to pause in her own actions in an attempt to regain her composure but Rachel wasted no time, pushing her jeans and underwear down over her hips. Quinn stepped out of the material and re-positioned herself to hover over her wife, closing her eyes as the diva's fingers explored her folds, hitting all the right spots with just the right amount of pressure.
She didn't stay idle for too long though. Roughly she pushed Rachel's thighs further apart and just briefly ran her middle finger through the pooling wetness before inserting it deeply into her wife.
"Oh, fuck." Rachel panted, screwing her eyes shut and fighting to keep her own pace as Quinn's fingers pulsed in and out of her a few more times before the blonde added a second.
Quinn lowered her mouth to Rachel's ear, panting a few hot breaths and uncontrollably moaned before she swallowed hard. "I don't know how, but I always forget how good it feels to be inside of you."
"You feel so good inside me, Baby. So good." She mashed her lips between her teeth and threw her head back into the mattress in an attempt not to call out. Rachel quickened the tight circles on Quinn's clit, desperate in her own need for a release. The blonde was nearly there. Rachel's well trained fingers always knew just what to do. Just the right speed, the right pressure, the right spot. Quinn screwed her eyes shut and bit her bottom lip trying to keep herself from coming so quickly. She wanted to savor the moment.
She turned her attention to Rachel's mouth and initiated a slow, sensual kiss that set the new pace and she matched it with deep pulses with her fingers, forcing Rachel to follow her lead. Slow and deep but still hitting that spot she had put to memory long ago caused a catch in Rachel's labored breathing each time. She pulled away to watch, taking in each change in facial expression, each bit of her lip... she was close and so was Quinn. She kept the same depth but increased her speed incrementally with each pulse. Rachel's breaths grew more and more audible, gasping as she arched off the mattress. Her free hand slapped over her mouth as she cried out. Seeing her wife struggle to control herself paired with her never faltering fingers set Quinn over the edge of her own climax, panting in time with the actress as they rode them out together.
"Oh... god... Mmmm..." Rachel laughed between gasps for breath as she retracted her hand from Quinn. "I cannot wait for this cruise."
The blonde smiled before she placed light kisses on Rachel's neck, allowing herself a few moments to recover before taking her second shower of the morning. "I've never had sex on a boat before."
"So I finally get to be one of your firsts after all."
"You've actually been a lot of firsts for me."
"Oh, have I?"
"Yeah." Quinn assured her, rolling over to lay next to her wife. She took her hand and entwined their fingers as they stared at the ceiling smiling. "You were my first female crush. You were first to make me consider marriage. You were the first, and only, woman I will ever marry. You... were the first person I ever gave up control to."
"That's a big one." Rachel admitted with pride.
Quinn's smile faded from a playful grin to a gentle and genuine smile as she turned her head and waited for Rachel to look at her as well. "You were the first person I ever let in. First person that I gave the power to potentially hurt me to."
Rachel stayed in the moment for awhile, understanding the power behind the statements. These firsts were more important than any of the others she lost out on. She rolled on to her stomach, never breaking eye contact with her wife before leaning down and placing a gentle kiss on her lips, lingering in the contact. "And I never will."
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When Beth walked in to the coffee shop Lauren was leaning against the counter taking with a male coworker in hushed tones. The two seemed immersed in their discussions until she approached. "Good morning."
"Good morning." The brunette straightened her posture and smiled widely before taking a step back.
The coworker stopped her quickly though, placing a hand to her back to keep her from continuing. "No. I've got it."
"You sure?"
"Yep."
Beth arched an eyebrow questioningly as Lauren returned to her place hunched over the counter, a posture Beth mimicked. "Everything okay?"
The barista nodded and her smile grew. "Yeah. He knows."
"He knows?" Lauren nodded and dropped her eyes in an attempt to keep from blushing. "Oh! He knows- us. Got it. That's good, yeah?"
Lauren and the coworker exchanged quick smiles. "Yeah. It's nice to have someone else to talk to. He's of the alternative type too, so... yeah. Baby steps first."
"Can he replace Heather then?" Beth wouldn't complain if he did. She had yet to meet the girl but really never cared to either. She wasn't sure why she bothered her so much but she didn't feel the need to hide it either.
"Shut up." Lauren scoffed and took the card Beth slid to her.
A comfortable silence fell between them but Beth began worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as she watched the brunette ring up her order. The woman seemed to become more and more attractive daily, always something more that Beth noticed. Today it was the freckles that speckled her nose and cheeks. They were light but there. The realization caused Beth to smile. "Hey. I'm about to say something stupid. So, if it doesn't pan out the way I hope, make a mental note of this moment so we can reverse back to it. Okay?"
Lauren cautiously handed the business card back to the blonde, looking her over for any tells. "I promise nothing."
"Right. Okay." Beth tucked the card in her pocket and leaned all of her weight onto the counter, closing as much distance as she could between them. "If it's too weird, feel free to say so, but would you come to dinner one night before I leave? Meet Quinn and Rachel?"
"You want me to meet the parents?" Lauren's eyes went wide and she stood up straight again, but Beth just bounced her head between her shoulders.
"They aren't really parents. It's one of those complicated things that I think is easier to experience and understand than just be told about. Like I said, it's okay if you don't. I don't want to put any pressure on you or anything."
The barista looked to the door and stared for awhile as she processed. She had never met any of her... friends' parents before, but she knew that Quinn and Rachel were different. Was she really considering this? She was normally a causal, discreet, and elusive individual. The fewer strings and attachments the better. She looked to Beth who was waiting patiently. Those hazel eyes silently pleading. "I mean, yeah. Okay. I've sort of already met Quinn. Can't be that weird."
Beth beamed and bounced on her heels. "Awesome."
Lauren took a deep breath and ran her hands over her hair. "When are you wanting to do this?"
The blonde's mind raced at the possibilities. She hadn't actually planned on asking Lauren this morning but the opportunity and desire was there. It had been a risk but paid off. "Um, well, what about tonight?"
"So soon?" The response slipped out quickly, giving away some of her concern but Beth didn't seem to worry over it.
She nodded curtly. "Well, I'm leaving in four days."
"I thought it was six." Confusion and panic washed over the barista as she began to feel more out of control than when Beth originally told her that she would be leaving in the first place.
"Quinn and Rachel are six. I'm four. I have the joy of driving all the way back."
"That's right." Lauren bounced her finger as the memory of the details returned. "And then Quinn and Rachel will meet you in Ohio because Rachel's parents are still there and they want to visit."
"Awe, you remembered."
Lauren smiled at the approval and leaned closer. "Well, I've never actually been someone's girlfriend before so I figure I may as well start this off on the right foot trying to be a decent one. But... I will meet the folks on one condition."
"What's that?"
The barista stood up as another coworker entered the shop to start their shift but went straight to the back. "There's a party Friday. I want you to go with me."
"As a couple or as a friend?" The question was cautious and drawn out.
"Well, I very much expect to be able to dance really, really, really close to you when we're there."
Beth's seemingly permanent smile widened more than she thought it could. "Then I'm in."
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It had been a calm morning in the studio, just what Quinn had been looking for after her time with Rachel. With her vacation rapidly approaching the causal atmosphere reminded her of the final week of school before summer. Everyone was there but there was nothing to really do. Little odds and ends maybe.
"Hey, morning sexcapades... Heads up."
Quinn lifted her head from her work and glanced to Adrianne. The brunette jerked her head towards the door and returned her attention back to her papers.
Dressed in yet another perfectly pressed and perfectly fitted Sunday dress was her sister, stride for stride all the self-assured cockiness of a Fabray. The older woman waltzed right in to the studio waving gingerly as she passed Kim's office and right into Quinn's.
"What are you doing here?"
"Oh, nothing really. I was just in the neighborhood and thought I would drop by again. I remembered that your... office manager said you had a light load at work the rest of this week." She stated in a questioning tone, pointing to the absent woman. "Figured I could stop by and chit chat with you for a bit."
The older blonde set her purse on the ground as she took her seat. Her eyes drifted to Adrianne desk where the brunette was showing Beth some lighting diagrams.
"I really just wanted to stop by and thank you for that quaint little get together the other night. It was lovely to get to meet your children." Quinn smiled lightly from her desk. It wasn't a smile of effort. It was simply a lack of a frown. A waiting, expecting smile. "And of course Rachel too. And Madeline. She's a cutie that one. Looks just like her mother."
Adrianne had stopped talking and Beth had stopped listening but both of their heads remained down. The brunette's pencil, still pointing to the paper, as they lingered in the growing tension. Adrianne had done really well holding back her protective instincts the few times she had encountered Christina but her patience was beginning to wear thin. Dangerously thin.
Quinn still didn't say anything but her bottom lip grew taunt. A change Christina must have noticed, prompting her posture to straighten and her lips to curl in a smug smirk that she fought hard against. She wasn't even looking at Quinn anymore. She was looking at her own hands, twisting her large wedding ring around her finger, admiring the tension and settled in for the duration.
"And then there's Beth, of course. Sweet Beth." The teenager didn't look, pretending she didn't hear her though it was clear that was impossible with them sitting no more than five feet from each other. She knew it was bait. "I keep forgetting about her for some reason and I don't know why she keeps slipping my mind. You think she'd be on the top of my list with how much our family life changed around her."
"Okay, Christina. Look." Quinn interrupted, setting down her pen and discarding her glasses onto the desk as she sighed in annoyance. The action was clam but forceful enough that Beth and Adrianne lifted their heads and met each other's eyes, waiting for the other to be the first to look at the sisters, but neither did. Shit was going to go down and everyone in the room knew it. "I'm going to stop you right there because you seem to be under the illusion that I'm actually trying to close this gap between us and will therefore cater to you and your ways. That I will take the crap that you're giving as if I have no choice. But what you don't seem to understand is that I told Daddy I wouldn't interfere with his attempts at restoring a relationship between you two. And I haven't. When he asked me and Rachel to give you a chance, we did. My obligation to Daddy is now fulfilled. So, if you wish to continue to visit my place of business, speak to my friends and coworkers, or even look in my daughter's general direction... you better watch your tone, your word choice, and your intentions."
"Oh, really?" Christina reclined back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest in defiance of the threatening tone. Daring her sister to continue. Which she gladly did.
"Make no mistake. I am still the exact same person I always have been. But instead of cowering and hiding in fear of what you might say about me or how it will use it against me, I frankly don't give a shit anymore. My days of subtleties are over. I have no problems throwing you out of this studio in front of everyone, making a scene, and I wouldn't even hesitate to pick up the phone and have the cops escort you off of the property if you so wished to refuse. I don't care if you cry to Mom and Dad about how I was mean and insensitive or that I refused to listen to your side of the story. I don't care if you try and twist everything, telling them that I convinced everyone around me that you're a horrible person and that it's just not true. I don't care what you tell everyone when you go back home about your queer of a sister who is willfully living in sin. I. Don't. Care."
The office fell into silence except for the ticking of the clock and the clicking of Kim's keyboard in the other office. Adrianne and Beth's eyes were still locked and their breaths had been nearly held. Christina hadn't moved either. She was worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as she remained unblinking in front of her younger sister.
Quinn debated on what to say next. "I don't, Christina. I really don't. Whatever issues that have always been between us... competition, jealousy, hate. Whatever they are, I'm over them. I have no place for them in my life and no place for you if you attempt to bring them back in with you. If you can get over yourself enough to be a decent human being who is at least respectful of the differences we have, then I welcome you. Otherwise," she pointed. "There's the door and have a safe trip back home in a few days."
The eldest Fabray stayed motionless except for the occasional bounce of her shoulders as she huffed a few laughs. "You have changed. You're more arrogant now than ever before. The worst part is that, in the past, it was because you were supposed to be. Now, it's because you choose to be. You're so above me." So mused with a sarcastic tone.
"I'm not above you." Quinn shook her head and smiled lightly to herself. "I'm just not going to deal with you if this is how you're going to act. There's a difference."
"How did it become so easy for you to just cut everyone out of your life when they didn't fit into your little box?" Christina asked sitting forward abruptly, the aggressiveness catching Quinn off guard. "How do you do it? Because I've tried. I've tried not thinking about you or the shit storm you caused, but I can't. I can't forget the phone calls from Mommy, crying over you. Crying because you wouldn't return her phone calls, crying because she didn't know where you were, if you were even alive. I listened for hours upon hours of her drunken sobs until she fell asleep... still on the phone with me. But for you... just like that." She snapped her fingers and the noise echoed in the silence. "You can just walk away. And then, magically, walk right back in whenever you wanted and have everything given right back to you. Mommy left Daddy for you. Walked away from her marriage, her home, her whole life... gave it all up for you. Someone who couldn't even be bothered to send her a card on her birthday."
Quinn looked away, struggling to regain her composure. "You almost got me there." She confessed with a shaking voice and a smile. "You've mastered your tactics. Your emotional manipulation is far above anything I remember from childhood."
"Oh, please. You don't like the truth so now it's all lies."
"I never said it was lies." The younger countered with a shrug of her shoulders. The truth of it was something she and Judy had already addressed and dealt with years ago. Quinn still carried around the guilt though. It had always been there. But the distance was necessary for her to heal. She and Judy both agreed. The hurt it caused was regrettable though. "I said it was manipulation. You deflected away from your inappropriate and unacceptable behavior to mine. My ghosts aren't up for conversation today."
"But they are the cause of my issues."
"No." Quinn shook her head and Christina countered with a forceful nod.
"Yes. I have always had issue with how you were able to get away with so much and walk away with even more."
"Are you serious?" Quinn sat forward, anger all over her face that Christina matched with her own.
"Come on." Adrianne whispered to Beth as she stood up and moved around her desk, guiding the teenager out of the office by the arm.
"I am completely serious. Even with the baby. You shamed the family, ruined your reputation, nearly destroyed your future, damn near tore this whole family apart... and in the end... what? Look at you. They love you. Everyone loves and adores you. You have a successful career with accolades adorning the walls. And your family... Mommy, Daddy... your adoring children and loving marriage... even the damn baby hugs you as if you bled every day for her instead of pawning her off on someone else to take care of. You have it all." A stray tear fell from the stoic woman's eye. "I was everything I was supposed to be. I followed the rules, I surpassed all expectations placed upon me, I did everything I was supposed to do and lived my life the way I was supposed to live it. But here I am... barely hanging on to anything I value." The older woman stood and grabbed her bag as she prepared to leave. "I admit I have issues. I admit they still get the best of me... maybe they always will."
Quinn sat in the silence left as her sister walked away without so much as a glance back. Christina said what she needed to say and had clearly been hanging on to for years. There was no reason for her to stick around now.
~/~/~/~/~/~
Beth was waiting outside of the coffee shop just after six. She had taken a seat at one of the tables and spent her time people watching. Quinn had stressed the importance of the process. Posture, body language, facial expressions... all of it was important in understanding people and their emotions and how to convey them. She was thankful for the calmness though after the events at the studio.
"I'm sorry, these seats are reserved for customers only."
Beth squinted in the slowly setting sun, looking up to Lauren's silhouette. "I'm a regular here. And I know one of the owners. I think she even wants to date me."
"You think, huh? Maybe you should try and get that clarified." Beth stood up and the two stayed there silently, each wanting to act on the tension between them but knew they couldn't. "My brother is in there, so... should we head on out?"
The blonde jerked her head in her direction and the pair left. As soon as they rounded the corner Beth side stepped a pedestrian, moving closer to Lauren and taking her hand as she moved away again.
"That was really smooth."
"I've got some skill." Beth bragged with a wink.
"Okay, you can't do that." Lauren ordered, squeezing Beth's hand tighter. "You can't wink at me."
The blonde laughed out loud. "And why not, exactly?"
Lauren turned her head away as they entered into the subway terminal, trying to distract herself with the crowd of people going about their evening. "Why do you think?"
"I think... it's a confirmation that you want to date me. Although..." she stopped and turned to face Lauren on the platform. "I think there could be a less vague way of confirming it."
The barista bit her bottom lip while staring at Beth's. It's like the blonde had been reading her mind. "To be honest... I didn't sleep very well last night."
"No?" Beth questioned moving ever so slightly closer. "Why is that?"
She could see Lauren swallow roughly as the distance between them shrank. "I was... trying to, um, remember how it felt when you kissed-"
Her words were cut off by Beth's lips and she instantly brought her hands to the girl's face as the wind was sucked from her lungs. Beth tentatively placed her hand on Lauren's hip, relishing the sensation as the brunette kissed her back with a matched eagerness.
The blonde's heart flew up into her throat and she pulled the girl closer to her, her other hand now on her lower back. She didn't even care if anyone was looking as the kissing continued on and on and on, never losing that excitement and spark.
"Okay," Lauren pulled her head back and panted. "We need to stop." She meant it but she didn't take a step back right away. She slowly peeled her body away from Beth's but lingered in the blonde's hold on her waist. The blonde didn't want her to step away. This closeness was what she was looking forward to most today. "How was your day?"
Beth relented and let the barista step back but held firmly to her hand. "It was... interesting, but over now. What about you?"
"Well, I got hit on today. Twice actually."
"Oh, really? Male or female?" Beth asked playfully. It was a standard event for the attractive woman but Beth was intrigued by this new sensation hitting hard in the pit of her stomach. She knew what it was too.
"Both male so nothing to worry about."
"But if they were female... then I should totally worry, right?"
Lauren smirked a smug smirk and stepped closer. "Not if you keep kissing me like you do."
Their lips brushed one another, Lauren looking for another perfect kiss, but Beth turned away at the last second as the line approached and stopped. "I do believe you said we needed to stop kissing."
The brunette hesitated following her girlfriend on to the car, causing Beth to come to a halt, restricted by their conjoined hands. "Are you always going to do everything I say?"
Through a beaming grin Beth shrugged. "I haven't decided yet."
This trip to the Fabray residence was one of Beth's favorites. She didn't know if it was because the other girl was nervous or because they were officially dating or simply because Lauren knew that Beth would be leaving soon, but the barista never let go of her hand. They had moved from the playful flirtations that they had relied so heavily on in their first weeks of getting to know each other and a sense of comfort was beginning to set in. They discussed more than just favorites and basic get-to-know-you type questions. Now their conversations were more detailed with questions for a greater understanding of facts they already knew and filled the trip with ease.
"Wait." Lauren tugged Beth's hand as she reached for the door knob to the Fabray house, pulling the brunette down one step. "What should I expect?"
Beth took another step down on to the stoop so she was eye to eye with Lauren. "What do you mean?"
The brunette screwed her eyes shut tight and fought her brain for the words. "In my mind... albeit anxiety fueled, I'm piecing together a famous photographer, a luxurious studio, a Broadway star, and a fancy and huge expensive house... I'm just a barista from a family owned coffee shop that manages to stay open but not much else."
Beth understood what she was getting at and pursed her lips to keep herself from smiling. She could see where the assumption was coming from. "Okay. Let's start with where I come from. My mother is a single mother and a high school teacher at that. We lived in a tiny apartment for years until she was able to save up for a down payment on a small two bedroom house. She did odd jobs and singing lessons on the side to pay for any clubs or classes or lessons I went to. And this..." she waved her hand towards the door, "Is a financial commitment that scared the shit out of Quinn. But the people that live inside it are down to earth people who value others above anything else. They're good people and you have nothing to worry about."
Lauren mashed her lips in embarrassment but nodded her head. She released Beth's hand but the blonde only took hers back in turn, gently pulling her to follow.
The house was different this time. When Lauren first met Beth and visited her at the house, there was no one else home. It had been a vast, empty building that echoed with her footsteps. But now... the lights were warm and welcoming. The smell of home cooked food wafted all the way to the door and children's laughter filled the air. This was a home. A real home with a family in it.
"We're here." Beth called out as they stepped in and closed the door behind them. The boys instantly came running down the stairs and wrapped themselves around Beth. The blonde looked to Lauren with a huge smile of pride. "These are my brothers. The one with the longer hair here is Julian. Super shy and normally quiet so don't take offense. And the one with the faux hawk is-"
"Gabriel James Fabray. " He introduced himself, moving over to Lauren and extended his hand in greeting. Julian stayed firmly attached to Beth, and Lauren shook Gabe's tiny hand in return.
"He's not shy." Beth added. "At all. Ever."
"It's nice to meet you Gabriel James Fabray. And you, too, Julian." She tilted her head to peek at the boy as he disappeared behind Beth further. "Okay. So, I'm not one for kids," Lauren admitted, grabbing Beth's arm and resting her chin in the blonde's shoulder. "But these two are adorable. And clearly you all got those beautiful eyes from your mom."
"Just wait until you see the smallest one." The two girls turned their attention to the living room where Quinn was pushing some of the kids' bigger toys back into place. "She takes cute to the next level. Hi. We've never officially met. I'm Quinn."
Lauren stepped forward and accepted the smiling older blonde's hand. "Lauren." The barista took the moment in. She had only seen Quinn at the shop for a brief period of time and rarely at that. Normally it was Beth or Kim who did the coffee run. But there was already something familiar about her. Her presence was similar to Beth's. The way she carried herself, her perfect posture, her controlled but expressive smile and of course the eyes. It was all calming to her. "Thank you for having me over for dinner. Especially on such short notice."
The older woman waved her off. "No, we've been wanting to meet you sooner but didn't want to invade on your time together. I'm glad you came though. Boys, go clean up your room. Grandma's on her way to pick you up. Grab your overnight bags." She led the teenagers towards the kitchen, looking up the stairs as she went to make sure the boys were actually doing what they were supposed to do. "Rachel's just finishing up and then we can eat."
When they walked in to the kitchen Rachel was pulling part of the meal out of the oven and smiled widely. Being away from work had her feeling more and more out of any social circle so the fact she once again was able to play hostess in such a short amount of time was just what she was wanting. She set the baking dish down and removed her oven mitts before approaching Lauren with her hand stretched outward. "Hi, Lauren, I'm Rachel."
The barista nervously accepted it and Beth bit back her laughter. Lauren may not be a fan girl for Rachel's, but she was clearly a fan and was left standing dumbstruck and at a loss for words. "Here, let me get that." Beth interrupted, taking the hand towel off of Rachel's shoulder and making her way to the stove to stir a boiling over pot.
"Thank you, Beth. You two have a seat and we will finish up from here." The actress shuffled Quinn and Lauren to the table and returned to her work, playfully nudging Beth in the process. "Okay, she's beautiful. Sort of reminds me of Adrianne but with blue eyes."
The awkwardness was starting to set back in with the distance between her and Beth, the blonde was her emotional safety net awhile they were still in the same room... there was enough distance there. Especially because she could see her talking with Rachel but had no way of knowing what was said. Her time as a barista had helped her become an expert at small talk though. "It must be nice to have so many women in the house to help with cooking. It's just Mom and me for our family so it always fell to us."
Quinn smiled, understanding the awkwardness as it was nearly strangling her as well. This was her daughter's girlfriend. Not just a date. Not a guy. But a girlfriend. Her first. She couldn't quite sort out her emotions. Was she going to be protective like family or more judgmental like a mother? Judgmental didn't really suit her though, especially not after the kind of day she had had. "It's very helpful for Rachel." Quinn answered, pointing at the pair. "I'm not allowed to cook. Ever. Except for breakfasts. I'm allowed to make pancakes. You must come from a traditional family?"
The barista nodded. "And all that comes along with it."
"I can relate to that. Do you want a drink?" Quinn asked standing up and walking towards the fridge, disappearing behind the door only to reappear suddenly with a dropped brow and a bottle of wine. "How old are you?"
"Only 19. So, how about some water?"
"I can do that." Quinn noted, reaching for a glass.
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
Beth pulled the pot off the stove and Rachel took it from her, waving her away to go sit with her girlfriend. "You can sit there and look pretty. Which seems to be effortless for you." The blonde leaned over and kissed her lightly but Lauren pulled her head back and shot a quick glance to the older couple who were preoccupied and unaware of the show of affection. "They aren't going to care." Beth whispered but took her seat.
"She's still your mom. Even if she isn't 'Mom'. Some things are just inappropriate to do or discuss in front of family."
Beth's smile slowly spread wider and wider and she began to vibrate with laughter. "Oh, your eyes are going to be opened so much as you get to know everyone."
"What does that mean?" Lauren was suddenly nervous again, especially because she never got an answer to her question.
Lauren spent most of the evening trying to figure out how to feel about this 'tribe' Beth had. She realized early on that the blonde was accurate. They weren't parents. They talked with Beth about things, not at her like parents would. When they gave their advice it was presented as their thoughts and opinions, not instructions to be obeyed. No topic of conversation was off limits either. Yet again, there was that deep love between the older women and the younger blonde. The level of love that parents would have for their children. It was undeniable. The looks in their eyes, their smiles, the time and effort they took with her.
"So are you excited to see your mom again, Beth?" Rachel asked as she took another bite of her meal. "I haven't heard you talk about the trip at all."
"That's because I'm dreading it." Lauren tilted her head in curiosity. "Don't get me wrong. I love my mother and miss her dearly. It's weird to go from seeing someone every day to only being able to communicate over the phone. You miss out on things."
"You know, you're really selling me on these two weeks apart." It was a tease but there was truth behind Lauren's words. "I'm going to be glued to my phone."
Beth smiled as much as she could and the two leaned towards each other, bumping shoulders. "Me too. But with Mom..." she sighed and played with the food on her plate, pushing it around. "Mom rules the roost and that is very different from the independence you two have allowed me. It's going to be a struggle to walk back into a place where I'm just a kid in everyone's eyes. Especially because of all the things I want to tell her that I know she's not going to want to hear."
Rachel nodded while Quinn stayed uncharacteristically quiet. They had already had that conversation. "I'm sure it will be fine. She loves you." Somehow Rachel felt that her words were lacking the finesse of anything her wife would have come up with and looked at her again, hoping she would step in, but there was nothing. "Speaking of family, what about yours, Lauren?" The two teenagers exchanged looks, suddenly feeling as if they were actually sitting down to meet the parents. "Are you close with them?"
She nodded quickly. "We are. All of us, really. I think that's a side effect of a family business though. You spend so much time around each other and are so dependent on one another that it forces you to learn how to get along with everyone."
"It's like the studio." Beth added, looking to her girlfriend. "There is such a collection of relationships between everyone, yet it still manages to function with ease."
"Most days." Quinn added, pointing her fork at her daughter.
Beth nodded. "As long as Kim and Adrianne aren't having marital disputes." Rachel laughed throatily, gaining a glare from Lauren.
"I take it that is a normal thing for them? Rocky marriage?"
Quinn shook her head and fought to swallow her bite of food. "No. They have a very solid marriage. They are both just very... strong willed and at times, opposites."
"Adrianne runs head strong into things and reacts in the heat of the moment while Kim is all structure and has things planned days in advance." Beth added.
Lauren nodded her head slowly and leaned back in her seat. She looked to Quinn. "So what is it like working with a married couple? Must be awkward at times."
The married couple exchanged quick glances and then looked to Beth. Quinn arched an eyebrow. "I haven't told her much about the studio. Just a little bit about what I do there. I've left the messy details out. Though, that does bring a question up I've been forgetting to ask you. What was the issue with the portrait model? Something about her being a harlot?"
Quinn spit her wine back into her cup and proceeded to choke on her shock while Rachel burst into laughter, thankful that the children weren't here this evening. That's a word they had managed to eliminate from their vocabulary after a few awkward appearances. "I'm not telling you about that." Quinn finally managed to say between sputtering coughs.
Beth rolled her eyes. Adrianne and Kim wouldn't either when she asked after overhearing them discuss it. "Fine. I'll just text Santana."
"Hey." Rachel pointed to the phone as Beth pulled it out of her pocket. "No phones at the table."
Beth ignored her. "Sure, just after I send this-"
"Nope. Nope." Quinn stood up and approached her daughter quickly, reaching for the phone but Beth instinctively stood from her chair and moved around the table, her fingers still quickly typing away.
The seated brunette's laughed hysterically as they watched the two circle each other around the table laughing at themselves as well. Quinn stopped and covered her face with her hands when she heard the text send. "You had your chance to tell me." Beth reminded her, still making sure to keep her distance from her mother.
Quinn's hands slapped down on to her thighs as she grinned. "That's not something I ever want to tell you. It's embarrassing."
"How is a model embarrassing?" Rachel lifted her wine glass to her face and chuckled deeply into it. Beth pointed to her. "Okay, that laugh piques my interest even more. Why is she a harlot?"
Beth's phone dinged with a notification and the two blonde's eyes met instantly. Each searching the other, waiting for one to make the first move. Without breaking the eye contact Beth swiped her thumb across the phone, unlocking the screen. Suddenly and unexpectedly Rachel grabbed the phone from Beth's hand a quickly deleted the text before pocketing the device. "There. Like I said, no phones at the table."
Quinn let out a sigh of relief and approached to hug her wife in appreciation while Lauren laughed hysterically at the shock on Beth's face. She liked this family.
