"Thank you." Brittany smiled, handing her keys to the valet and accepting the ticket, handing it to Santana right away when she reached the sidewalk. "Can you stick this in your purse?"
"Sure." Santana replied, slipping the ticket in her wallet and accepting Brittany's hand.
The two were at a gala for Santana's hospital, and with her being chief of surgery she was expected to attend a number of events. Even though Santana wasn't in the mood after a long day of surgeries, she got dressed and did her hair and make up with a smile. After cooking dinner for Taylor and Skylar, not wanting the babysitter to order them a pizza, she patiently waited for Brittany to come home from her own work happy hour and quickly change and freshen up her make up before heading out.
"It's so warm out tonight." Santana smiled as they followed the signs and walked over the small bridge and through the garden to the Esquire Center ballroom.
Brittany, who was in a red dress that stopped mid way her calf, a pair of black pumps, and had her bone straight nodded and squeezed her hand. "Yes it, I hope my hair doesn't curl up." She giggled softly.
Santana laughed. "Your hair, I'm worried about mine becoming an afro in this humidity." She sighed, lifting her hand and gently patting the big loose curls in her hair. She opted against a dress and was wearing a tailored black suit that had red stitching and white lapels on the blazer. The suit pants were cropped and hugged her leg just above her ankle showing off her black patent leather peep toe bumps and her bright pink pedicure. "Thanks for coming with me tonight, I know you had your own work thing, but with this being my first work event I really wanted you right by my side as my wife."
"I wouldn't miss this for anything." Brittany assured her with a smile. "You stopped going to work events back in New York, so I'm happy you're back in the swing of things down here."
Accepting a glass of champagne from the server by the door and nodding a thank you Santana shrugged. "I didn't stop, they just all seemed to mesh together, and with Sky being so young I didn't want both of us gone so much."
Brittany accepted her glass and nodded. "I hear you, so Dr. Lopez-Pierce, I'm exited to see you work this room." She teased as Santana led them over to the sign in table to find out which table they were seated at. They followed the host to their table and noticed they were the first people there so picked seats facing the stage.
"Is it just people from your hospital coming or?" Brittany asked, glancing at her cell phone and quickly replying to an email from her assistant, before slipping it back in her purse.
Santana smiled a few of her colleagues before shaking her head. "No, a few other hospitals in the city I think, and some donors."
"Okay."
"So, that's my assistant chief of surgery." Santana gave Brittany a heads up as a tall gentlemen walked over towards them, Santana and Brittany standing up right away.
"Dr. Lopez-Pierce." He smiled, extending his hand to shake Santana's. "This must be Mrs. Lopez-Pierce, I recognize you from the pictures in Santana's office."
Brittany blushed slightly and nodded. "Good eye." She smiled. "Call me Brittany."
"Brittany, this is Dr. Marcus Fisher, assistant chief of surgery, he's a neurosurgeon." Santana introduced them, "Marcus, this is my wife, Brittany."
"Flying solo tonight?" Santana asked, wrapping her arm around Brittany's waist and resting her hand on her hip casually.
"Yeah, my wife is out of town on business." Marcus nodded. "My mom has our kids, so I was able to sneak away." He teased.
Brittany smiled as Santana and Marcus chatted for a few minutes before a few other doctors came over and greeted the Latina, Santana proudly introducing Brittany to each doctor individually every time, never doing a lazy group introduction, no matter how many people approached their table. After meeting close to 10 different doctors they finally had a moment to themselves and were able to sit back down.
"Are you having an okay time?" Santana asked. "I know it's a lot of medical talk."
Brittany finished her champagne and set the empty glass down. "I'm fine, I love seeing you in action, and in doctor mode. I can tell everyone here really respects you and admires you."
Santana shrugged. "They fear me still. I'm still looked at as the boss, I don't think I've broken that barrier yet."
"Well, do you hang out with any of them, I know you have some downtime, skip a lunch or two with Sky, who won't care anyways, and go to the cafeteria, walk up the street to a cafe for lunch, go to a happy hour after work. You have to interact with them so they know you on a more personal level."
Santana thought for a moment. "I guess you're right. I did have a more personal relationship with the staff in New York." She sighed. "They are all really cool, always asking about you and the kids. They were so concerned about Sky after the daycare incident, they ask how Tay is adjusting in school and everything."
Brittany took a sip of her water and nodded a thank to the waitress that walked around with appetizers and offered her some, taking a few on a plate and setting it in front of Santana, who was busily talking to a hospital donor, before grabbing a few for herself. Smiling and nodding a thank you to the server that handed her another glass of champagne and set a new bottle in the ice bucket in the middle of the table.
"Brittany, honey, this is Carlton Michaels, he just donated the 2 million dollars for the new wing of the hospital." Santana smiled, introducing the gentlemen quickly.
Brittany wiped her hand off and quickly stood up, shaking his hand. "Hi, really nice to meet you, Santana showed me the rough drafts of the new wing and they look gorgeous."
"Brittany Lopez-Pierce?" Carlton smiled.
Brittany nodded, glancing at Santana.
"You are handling my company's account at your firm, you're in marketing right?" He pressed.
Brittany nodded. "Yes at Ledelman and Winster." She answered. "What's the account? I don't remember you and I don't forget a face."
Santana looked between the two but remained silent, and took a sip of her champagne, waving across the room at someone.
"I'm the CEO and owner of Michaels Imports." He smiled.
"Oh, yeah." Brittany nodded. "I was just meeting with someone from your company for drinks right before this." She blushed.
"I know." Carlton nodded. "I've heard you're the best at Ledelman and Winster, I requested you personally."
"Whoa," Santana beamed proudly.
"Well, thank you." Brittany blushed before shaking his hand again as he walked away.
"Nex up is the new chief of surgery at Lutheran Lincoln Memorial Hospital, Dr. Santana Lopez-Pierce. Dr. Lopez-Pierce just joined us roughly a month and a half ago New York where she was the Assistant Chief of Surgery at Mercy Grace Hospital. Let's give her a big round of applause."
Santana kissed Brittany on the cheek before standing up with a smile and walking towards the stage. "Good evening." She stated, looking around the room. "I'm Doctor Santana Lopez-Pierce, chief of surgery at Lincoln Lutheran, which was stated already." She laughed. "I am a cardiac surgeon, and not to toot my own horn but I'm one of the best in the business." She smirked. "I want to start by thanking Lincoln Lutheran, when i first moved to Phoenix, it was because my wife accepted a position down here, so I quit my job and followed her. People thought I was crazy." She laughed. "I have some former colleagues that thought I lost my mind because I didn't try to line up a job before leaving, but I knew in my heart that I would find my way."
"When I began to looking for hospitals Lincoln Lutheran was the first to contact me, and after touring the facility and meeting some of the staff I know that this was the best move for me, I truly feel at home here, so thank you to everyone for your hospitality and your patience. I was asked to give a speech about what it means to me to be a doctor." Santana licked her lips slowly and locked eyes with Brittany who nodded and winked at her. "When I was a teenager, my now wife, girlfriend at the time, was in a terrible car accident, I vowed that day that I would be a doctor since I felt so helpless in that moment, I couldn't fix her, I couldn't help her, and it broke me. Now, being able to fix a heart has as much weight to me as when I put a bandaid on my 2 year old daughter. I love helping people. I love the feeling that I get when I can tell someone that their loved one made it, that they are alive. See, a successful surgery isn't a win for me, it's motivation to do it again, and again, and again. We are in the business of saving lives, and I make it my business to do just that."
Brittany stood up and led the room in a round of applause, Santana blushing and shaking her head before continuing. "So what does it mean to me to be a doctor?" Santana shrugged. "I've been in this field for over 10 years and I still don't know what it means, and that's what is keeping me going. I'm on a personal quest to discover that, by helping patient after patient." She took a pause and looked around the room. "If I'm honest...I don't want to find out either, see, it's the hunger inside of me, I'm still waiting for that one surgery to put it all in perspective for me, and I'm scared that when I reach it, when I get to the pinnacle...poof." She paused and smiled. "It'll be gone." She shrugged. "So if you are a doctor, look deep inside yourself and ask yourself, what does it mean to be a doctor, if you don't know the answer just yet, you are on the right track, keep searching, keep that drive to find ut inside of you. If you are to answer that, dissect your answer, see if you can get to the root of it, you'll find that you have more searching to do. Thank you." She nodded.
The room erupted in applause as Santana made her way back to her seat, Brittany clapping loudly for her and hugging her right away. "Amazing speech."
"Was it okay?" Santana blushed.
"Perfect." Brittany nodded.
The two spent the remainder of the night mingling with everyone in the room, Santana always making sure to introduce Brittany to every single person before they danced the evening away before going home and making love all night.
Brittany good by her printer while she waited for her document to print and quickly grabbed it out, carrying it over to the couch in her office and sitting down, lifting her coffee mug and taking a sip while reading the proposal. She picked up her red pen and began to write corrections on the page, narrowing her eyes at the page before tossing it down and pinching the bridge of her nose.
"This isn't working." She groaned before going to her desk and calling a coworker. "Hey Xavier, did you eat lunch yet? Let's grab something quick, this campaign is killing me. I'll meet you in the lobby." After hanging up she grabbed her cell phone and called Santana while saving the document on her computer.
Hey B, I'm headed to a surgery in a few minutes, I can't talk long.
It's okay, just wanted to let you know that I'm going to lunch with a coworker, his name is Xavier, just in case you were going to call me.
Okay, I met him, right?
Yes you did.
Cool, pick somewhere you haven't gone yet so you can tell me about it.
Okay
I just talked to my parents they are headed to Phoenix before going to California, my mom wants to visit Uncle Ramon.
That's actually perfect because I need you to come with me to a work event tonight, will your parents mind watching the girls?
Are you kidding, they will love the alone time with them. Santana laughed. I gotta, B, love you
I love you too, good luck
Thanks
Brittany hung up the phone and set her auto alert her email that she was at lunch before leaving her office and heading down to the lobby, where Xavier was waiting.
"So...you do leave your office sometimes?" He teased with a big smile.
"Oh stop it." Brittany rolled her eyes playfully. "Is there somewhere close that we can walk to? My car is charging."
"You and your fancy ass car." Xavier laughed. "Yeah, there's a number of places around, I know you don't leave your office so you wouldn't know that."
Brittany playfully punched him in the arm. "Stop it or I won't hook you up with Angela, I see how you look at her. "
"Word...wait? She's single?" Xavier asked.
"Yes." Brittany nodded, slipping her phone in the back pocket of her jeans and following Xavier out the office.
Xavier, who stood 6 foot 5, had smooth chocolate skin, a bald head, and a salt and pepper goatee, having greyed early for his age, was in his late 20s and one of Brittany's protege's on the job. She'd quickly become his mentor once she transferred to the Phoenix office. He often came to her with questions and would use her as a second eye for his campaigns.
"How is Santana?" He asked as they walked down the street.
"She's good headed to a surgery right now." Brittany nodded.
"Did you ask her to hook me up with someone from the hospital yet?" He grinned.
"No." Brittany laughed. "She'll want to sit down and have a conversation with you first, she takes match making super serious, so if Angela doesn't work out I'll set up a happy hour so Santana can vet you out for a date."
Xavier smiled. "Cool, so I'm thinking of barbecue."
"Sounds good." Brittany nodded.
Once they were seated at the bar of Rib Shack Brittany checked her phone and ordered a beer, Xavier ordering one as well, before they quickly order appetizers and their lunches. She took a long sip and leaned the counter looking over the menu "So, I need your opinion."
"Shoot."
"I want to take Santana on a quick two day trip, I'm thinking LA, what do you think?" Brittany asked, smiling happily when her fried pickles came out right away.
"Nah, take her to Vegas." Xavier shook his head.
"Vegas?'
"Vegas." He repeated. "Cali is cool, but the trip is to let loose right, take her to Vegas, just for the weekend."
Brittany thought for a moment before nodding. "Well, we are taking our daughters to Disney in another week, should I plan something right after or wait a bit?"
"Don't plan it." Xavier shook his head. "Just surprise her."
"Thanks, I'll try to figure out a way to get her off of work completed for a weekend, where she isn't on call either." Brittany decided.
Wednesday 6pm
"Mami?" Taylor asked softly, walking in the kitchen as Santana was sitting and doing some paperwork for work.
"Yes, baby." She asked, glancing up and taking her glasses off.
Taylor set her math book down on the table and leaned into Santana's open and waiting arms, the Latina kissing her daughter the temple. "I need help with math, are you busy?"
"Never too busy to help you, Tay." Santana reminded her, rubbing her on the back. "You've been quiet today, is everything okay?"
Brittany walked in the kitchen after taking the puppies for a walk and grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge. "What's going on?" She asked with a smile.
Santana leaned up and kissed Brittany when she leaned down and connected their lips. "Taylor needs some help with her math, so I'm going to run through a few problems with her before we leave for dinner." Taylor nodded, leaning more into Santana. "But, I was asking Tay if everything is okay, since she's been a quiet today."
Brittany sat at the table and nodded. "Everything okay, honey?"
"I feel bad for feeling how I feel." Taylor shrugged. Santana rubbed her back soothingly and encouraged her to continue. "Well, I kind of like that Sky is gone with Buela to California because I get more time with you both, and I shouldn't be happy that Sky is gone."
Brittany cleared her throat after locking eyes with her wife and smiled, reaching out and grabbing her daughter's hand, squeezing gently. "You don't have to feel bad about that, you had us two all to yourself for a long time, then when Sky came you had to share us."
Santana lifted Taylor in her lap and hugged her tightly. "If you need more time with us, honey, you just have to ask. Come and talk to us, say mami or momma I need you and you have us. We know with the move and everything that's been going on lately, we might have been spread thin, and we apologize for that."
"Yes we do." Brittany nodded.
"Okay." Taylor sighed, leaning on Santana's chest. "So I'm not a monster."
"Well...you're my cookie monster." Santana laughed, tickling her daughter. "No, you're not a monster baby, the way you feel is perfectly normal, and you shouldn't feel bad."
"You have us all to yourself tonight, so how about you pick the restaurant and then after some homework the three of us will cuddle and watch a movie?" Brittany suggested.
"Sounds good." Taylor nodded.
"Good." Santana smiled. "Why don't you go get your backpack and your notebook so we can do at least two problems before leaving."
Once Taylor left the kitchen Santana turned to face Taylor. "Everyday we realize something wrong we are doing." She laughed while shaking her head.
Brittany nodded in agreement. "Well, we are going make a more honest effort with the girls, we are settled into our work schedules now, your parents will be moving here in another month or so, so thing will get better."
"Did you see how Sky grabbed her little suitcase and Snoopy and followed my mom to the car." Santana laughed.
"I just hope she's behaving." Brittany laughed.
Santana smiled. "My mom is a pro, but I'm sure Sky is loving all the attention she's getting, Uncle Ramon has grandkids her age so she's probably having the time of her life."
Taylor can skipping back in the kitchen with her materials and climbed the chair next to Santana, opening her matchbook right away. "Ready."
"Why doesn't momma do some problems too?" Santana smirked.
Brittany looked up quickly from her cell phone as Taylor slid her a piece of paper. "We can learn together."
"Oh dear." Brittany laughed, accepting the paper and a pencil.
