Chapter 37
I'm sorry these updates are taking longer. I've suddenly started working 30 hours a week and I work with kids and don't sleep enough. Therefore…takes me a bit longer. Thanks for sticking with me—your support is so appreciated.
Rachel walked into the doctor's office without the child she left the house with. Abby refused to go with her and Blaine offered to take her back to their place for dinner and some more time with Trevor before the two of them and Kurt went on a vacation for a few days.
"Hello Rachel." The voice from the kind front desk secretary rang out behind the counter. Rachel flashed her winning smile as she approached the desk.
"Hi Darlene," Rachel began. "Is Quinn available?"
"She is," Darlene replied. "Go on back, she should be in the office." Rachel thanked the woman and briskly made her way into Quinn's office, thankful that the other doctor that shared the office was with a patient at that time. Rachel knocked twice on the door but didn't wait for a response before walking in.
"Hey babe," Quinn said briefly looking over her shoulder as she typed up something on the computer. "What's up? Where's Abs?" Rachel walked over and propped herself against the desk.
"We need to talk," Rachel said jumping straight to the gun. Quinn stopped typing and pushed slightly away from her computer, leaning back in her chair.
"Okay," Quinn said hesitantly.
"I sort of told Abby about her camp." Quinn raised her eyebrows.
"Thanks Rach. Normally things like that we would do together."
"I know, I know," the brunette said quietly. She jumped off the desk and began to pace around the office. "I'm sorry I just… let it slip… I didn't mean to." Quinn let out an eye-roll but spun around to face Rachel and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Well I'm imagining it didn't go well if you came to my work to talk to me." Rachel could sense Quinn's annoyance but wasn't lacking any herself. "And you didn't answer my question, where is she?"
"She's with Blaine. And she's furious with me. With us really." Quinn bit her lip, pondering a thought.
"Alright," Quinn began. "I'll try to make something work…somehow. We'll figure this out. It's unfair she's having to make sacrifices for something Lily wants." Rachel pursed her lips and nodded. It was unfair that any of them had to make sacrifices for anything. Rachel and Quinn had decided that when they brought their first child into this world that they were going to give her as many opportunities as possible. The same went for Abby and Lily. It was just proving very difficult to find where to draw the line at how much you could do in one summer. And what sort of activities take priority over others.
. . . .
Rachel stood idly at the stove, stirring some of her famous vegan chili. Blaine had texted her about 20 minutes ago that he was feeding Abby dinner and then he would bring her back home. Ella was up in her room cramming for her last final and Lily was in the practice room practicing music. Quinn was doing laundry. The only thing Rachel wanted at this moment was for her family to all be loving and happy together. However, she was pretty sure when Abby and Lily got in the same room for the first time today since the news broke, all hell would break lose. The chili was done. Rachel just kept stirring. All the ingredients needed to just…sit a little longer and everything would work out in the end. Rachel was jolted out of her daze when the handle of the spoon began to burn her hand. She had just compared her life to a pot of boiling chili.
"Girls," she called. "Dinner's ready." A few moments later Rachel could hear a few doors open and movement come from all directions of the house. Quinn brushed past Rachel in silence, grabbing 4 bowls from the cabinet and setting them next to Rachel by the stove. She then turned around to the refigerator and got some drinks out for everyone. Rachel began to pour the chili into bowls and handed one to Lily as she walked past. Ella walked into the kitchen soon after and made a b-line to the stove.
"Can I eat in my room? I really need to finish studying before 2 AM."
"As long as you are studying and not talking to Chloe," Quinn replied from the table. Rachel rolled her eyes and handed Ella a bowl.
"Go," Rachel said winking. Ella silently thanked her and headed back up to her room. Rachel poured herself a bowl before joining Lily and Quinn at the table.
"How is your music going?" Quinn asked after a few silent moments of everyone just eating. Lily looked to her after a sip of her juice and smiled.
"Good! I think. Nana helped a lot."
"Do you need any help from me?" Rachel asked. Lily shook her head.
"No I think I'm fine." Rachel deflated slightly. The world was against her today.
"That's nice," Quinn replied. "Excited for rehearsals in a few weeks?" Lily nodded eagerly.
"I'm really excited to meet all the other girls and work with the DOG! I hope it's a cute little puppy." Rachel smiled at Lily's excitement and looked over at her wife.
"How was work today, love?" Quinn's temporary scowl softened before she looked up to respond.
"It was fine, how was your day?" Rachel let out a sigh of relief at her wife's temporary mood change.
"Dramatic," Rachel replied dryly into her bowl.
"Why?" Lily piped up.
"Your sister can't go to her gymnastics camp this summer and she's more than upset about it. As she should be," Quinn answered.
"We shouldn't have promised her anything," Rachel added.
"Why can't she go?" Lily asked after a few moments of silence.
"Your rehearsals and mommy's performance's combined with Ella's camps just don't really give me enough time to jet down to Texas with her," Quinn replied. "Which is unfortunate, because I know how much she was looking forward to it. But you can't do everything." Rachel watched Lily absorb Quinn's words and nod once to acknowledge them before looking a little solemn and staring against the wall.
"Is she mad at me?" The young brunette asked.
"No."
"Yes."
"Rachel!"
"But it is no way, shape, or form your fault," Rachel added trying to aid Lily's immediate worry. "This is a mistake that your momma and I made."
"No, just you," Quinn muttered jokingly. Rachel's eyes darted to her wife but Quinn let out a little smile. The family finished their dinner and not too soon after a knock at the door rang through the apartment. Quinn went to greet Abby and Blaine at the door and the little girl sulked as she walked inside.
As the end of the evening approached Quinn and Rachel did the usual chore of trying to get the girls into bed at a decent hour. While it was still summer they didn't like them staying up until the late hours.
"Abby. Teeth. Brush them. Now," Quinn called for what she thought was the 5th or 6th time.
"Sorry, sorry!" The little blonde voice rang as she ran from her bedroom into the bathroom. Lily stood at one of the two sinks in the bathroom flossing her teeth and glanced over to Abby as she entered the bathroom, noticing the smaller girl glare up at her.
"Are you going to say anything to me at all tonight?" Lily asked, grinning to the mirror to check her teeth. Abby looked over with a pointed stare and her toothbrush in her mouth. She turned to the sink to spit out her toothpaste.
"You are just ruining my summer," Abby replied. Unlucky for her, Quinn walked by the door at that time.
"I'm sorry that I just wanted to do a show!" Lily yelled, her voice beginning to raise in volume. "I didn't know it would make you miss your camp."
"Abigail I told you we were discussing that as a family in the morning," Quinn said entering the archway of the bathroom. Abby looked back at her mother and huffed before turning back to the sink to finish brushing her teeth.
"Lily lets go, your teeth are beautiful," Quinn said trying to get the girl out of the bathroom. Lily hopped off the counter and went over to her mother at the door.
"I didn't finish flossing," Lily muttered as she walked down the hall.
"I think you'll be okay Miss-Floss-After-Every Meal," Quinn replied leading her into her bedroom. After getting her situated with a book and under the covers Quinn went back towards the bathroom. Seeing Abby was nowhere in sight she assumed Rachel was with her in her bedroom. But that was empty too.
"Rach?"
"In here," the voice called from their bedroom. Quinn entered the room and found Abby curled up in Rachel's arms as the two looked through one of Abby's books.
"I told her she could sleep with us tonight," Rachel said quietly before Quinn could even question. It was the least they could do considering they sort of crushed a part of the girl's heart today. Abby was asleep after a few minutes and in an event not to wake her, Quinn and Rachel decided any discussion would be saved for the morning.
Rachel awoke the next morning shivering. She looked to her right and saw two beautiful blondes. However, those two beautiful blondes were hogging all the covers and she was cold. She carefully but quickly got out of bed to put a robe on before going and turning off the AC. She heard voices in the kitchen and completely forgot that Ella had school. But wait. There were more voices than people in the house. Rachel made her way into the hall and down towards the kitchen before releasing a sigh of relief at the familiar voice.
"Auntie Sanny pass the chocolate chips," Lily said.
"You've already put in like 5 cups Lil, these pancakes are practically all chocolate and a little batter."
"Ew that just…sounds too sugary for 7:30 in the morning," Ella said. Rachel entered the kitchen.
"Morning sunshine!" Santana said from the stove as she flipped pancakes.
"What are you doing here?" Rachel asked, heading straight to the coffee maker.
"I was just in the neighborhood," Santana replied. Rachel took a long sip of her coffee that had been made, courtesy of Santana, and raised an eyebrow.
"Really?" Santana winked and flipped some pancakes onto a plate and handed them to Lily who smiled with wide, excited eyes.
"Thank you," She said rushing to the table to eat them. Santana made Ella a plate and went back into the kitchen to pour herself a cup of coffee.
"No but really, why are you in my kitchen at 7:30? I love you but I don't let most people see me at this hour," Rachel said while trying to fix her hair in the microwave door. Santana laughed and led Rachel a few steps away from the dining room table where the girls were eating so they could talk quietly without most of their conversation being heard.
"Ella texted me last night and said things were a little crazy right now. So I thought I'd come over and take some stress out of your morning by making you guys breakfast!" Rachel watched Ella's eyes shift slightly into the kitchen at the mention of her name but once Rachel caught her eyes Ella looked back to her food and the history book she was reading. Rachel smiled while she stared at her eldest daughter's head.
"Thank you for doing this San," Rachel whispered leaning into the slightly taller girl's figure. Santana hugged Rachel back with one arm and kissed the top of her head.
"What's all this?" Quinn asked walking into the kitchen. "Morning S, what brings you by here at this ungodly early hour?"
"Can I have more pancakes?" Lily called from the table.
"Wait 10 minutes," Rachel replied. Santana poured Quinn a cup of coffee and the three leaned against the kitchen counters.
"Just trying to keep your home at peace," she whispered. Quinn seemed to immediately understand and quietly thanked her.
"Are you done studying? I heard you running the sink in the bathroom at like 1 AM." Ella looked up at Quinn's words and sighed.
"I'm so bad at history," she whined, laying her head in her book. She turned her head so she was looking into the kitchen. "Why does it matter when the Cold War was and why it happened? I'm here on earth and that's all that's important." Rachel scoffed and Quinn made her way over to the table.
"Clearly she didn't inherit your study skills Quinn," Santana called from the kitchen. Quinn walked behind Ella's chair and began gently massaging her neck.
"She has a 4.0 right now," Quinn began. "And she will hopefully have it after this final, right Eloise?"
"Right," Ella muttered from her face in the book. "Can we leave now? I want to meet Chloe before school."
"Sure honey," Quinn replied. "Take your dishes to the sink and thank your aunt profusely and I'll be ready in a minute." Ella followed the orders and disappeared into the hallway.
"Okay I waited," Lily announced from the table. "I'm ready for more!"
. . . .
Abby stumbled into the kitchen about 20 minutes later clad in pajamas and a messy head of hair.
"Good morning sweetie," Rachel called as Abby walked over to the table and demanded to be lifted into Rachel's lap. Whenever that girl was tired she turned into a 4-year-old.
"Hi," she said with a yawn as Rachel adjusted her on her lap. "Hi Auntie Sanny, what are you doing here?"
"Just coming by to make you your favorite breakfast cutie," Santana replied sipping her second cup of coffee.
"Hi Abby," Lily spoke up quietly. Abby looked down the table with a tiny glare and huffed.
"Hello Lily." Rachel rolled her eyes.
"That's enough of the attitude," Rachel said into Abby's ear.
"What's wrong lil A?" Santana asked standing up to make the girl a plate of pancakes.
"I can't do my gymnastics camp in Texas anymore because Lily has rehearsal and mommy and momma can't be in 4 places at once." If the girls response had been any more dramatic-sounding Rachel would have given her one of the Tony's on the fireplace. Rachel had to hold back her laugh at the absolute devastation filled in the answer. It was a camp. She was going to be fine.
"That's too bad," Santana said frowning to Abby who nodded in response.
"And Lily's rehearsals always make me miss gymnastics," Abby added.
"I'm sorry! How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?" Rachel held up her hand to Lily's outburst.
"None at all. Abby remember what we said how this was not Lily's fault, but mine and momma's?" Abby nodded slightly.
"It's just not fair, why does she get to do everything?" Quinn walking through the front door at that moment allowed Rachel to let out a sigh of relief. There was no way she was having another one of these conversations without her.
"I see we have already started the discussion," Quinn said coming into the kitchen. Rachel simply shrugged as Santana placed a plate down in front of Abby. Quinn sat back down at the table next to Lily and took a deep breath.
"Abby," she started. Abby glanced up from her pancakes she was currently eating to listen. "I know it seems like it isn't fair and you may not like the reasons that we are going to tell you why Lily gets to do things and you don't. But Lily right now is doing some once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that don't come around very often. You will always have a chance to do a gymnastics camp. And it kills me that we can't let you go."
"Me too," Rachel said hugging Abby tightly around the waist. Quinn gave a soft smile before continuing.
"Lily will always have a chance to do a musical," Abby replied quietly.
"Not really," Rachel said. "She's going to have to go to middle school and high school soon and have a lot less time to do these huge big shows. And she knows that." Lily nodded in acknowledgement. "I'm sorry Abby. I know this isn't fair but its just about the only solution right now. We have already filled out your application for next year and we have put it on the family calendar." Abby let out a small huff and set down her fork. Quinn could see from across the table tears welling up in the her eyes. She felt so bad. And the excuses she and Rachel had come up with in the late hours of the night weren't coming off as well as she had hoped.
"Wait," Santana called from the kitchen. "You said this camp is in Texas?" Quinn nodded.
"Dallas. 2 week sleep-away camp."
"When?"
"Last two weeks of July," Rachel replied.
"You guys, I'm going to Houston then. I'll take her! I'm going to visit my aunt and cousins with B and Maddy." Abby's eyes lit up.
"REALLY?" She screamed jumping off Rachel's lap.
"San we don't want you to feel obligated to take her," Rachel said standing up quickly.
"YES WE DO!" Abby exclaimed.
"Abigail," Quinn whispered sternly.
"No, its my pleasure! I'll change my plane so I can drop her off at the camp and everything." Abby let out a scream of delight and ran over to Santana, throwing her arms around her legs in a tight hug.
"Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!"
"Are you sure?" Quinn whispered going into the kitchen.
"Absolutely. Consider it done. You guys are always there for us. This is just another way of me repaying you."
"Thank you," Quinn said placing a hand on Santana's shoulder. "Seriously." Abby was still latched onto Santana's legs and the Latina looked down to ruffle her blonde hair.
"Seriously S," Rachel said. "This isn't like a favor
"Happy to help." Abby let go of Santana's legs after a few more minutes of embracing in how awesome her aunt was and walked over to Lily who was watching the scene from the table.
"I'm sorry I was mad at you," Abby muttered. Lily smiled.
"It's okay," she replied. "I'm glad you get to go to your camp!" Abby grinned and looked over to Rachel who had an equal grin. Lily embraced her smaller sister in a hug
"I think this calls for more pancakes," Abby declared. The adults and Lily all burst into laughter as Santana poured the rest of the batter into the pan.
Thank you for your support and I'm sorry if this was kinda boring. Had to close some doors before I open some new windows, you know? ;) I will have the next one up MUCH sooner! Also fanfiction . net wrote my Tumblr URL incorrectly (and I changed it)… its easilywonderstruck. Follow me! I'm always online. And please leave a review if you'd like :)