I'm somehow back here again. When in quarantine, am I right?
A looong long time ago, I got a request for a letter on Beth's wedding. You ask and I deliver... even if it's years later.
Enjoy!
...
Beth's wedding day. She was marrying Griffin. Of course.
"Knock, knock."
At the sound of her father's voice, Beth darted into the bathroom and shrieked, "Daddy! You can't see me yet, I'm not ready!"
Puck walked into the room and smiled as he shrugged, "Hey, I'm just the messenger. Literally. I have something for you, squirt."
"The messenger," Santana rolled her eyes from where she was sitting in a chair, sipping champagne. "Why Q chose you to deliver all her letters over me or Britt or literally anyone else on the planet still flabbergasts me."
"Little early for bubbles, San, don't you think?" Puck snarked back.
"What can I say? Our girl is getting married. I gots to get my drink on."
"Santana, did I just hear you say the word flabbergast?" Rachel walked in from her conjoining hotel room in her bridesmaid dress and smirked.
"Whatever, midget."
"San, be nice," Brittany scolded as she, too, joined the others. "Where did Shelby go?"
"Some old relative crisis. She'll be back in a few."
Puck looked around the room and grinned at the sight he saw. His best girls. All there for Beth. "This is all she wanted, you know," he said quietly, lowering his voice so Beth wouldn't hear. "Once Quinn realized how bad she was getting, all she wanted was to make sure you could each be a part of Beth's life."
"She would have loved this day," Rachel said wistfully.
The four adults sat with that for a moment before Santana nodded towards the envelope in Puck's hand. "Is that her letter?" she asked.
"Whose letter?"
They turned their heads at Beth's question as Beth emerged from the bathroom. Rachel gasped and immediately started crying, Brittany and Puck not far behind her. Beth had gone for the simplest of wedding dresses, nothing showy or fancy. Long lace sleeves, a plain bodice, and a train that trailed just a foot behind her. Her dark hair had been done up in a braided bun, loose strands framing her face and a soft, nearly transparent veil was held at the back of her head. She wore almost no makeup – she truly didn't need it.
"Wow, squirt. Look—look at you," Puck said, choking back his tears.
"Oh Beth, you look so beautiful!" Rachel squealed.
"Killer dress, Baby B," Brittany grinned and held out her fist, which Beth laughed and bumped with her own.
"Thanks, guys," she smiled, going around the room and kissing all of them on the cheek before bouncing over to Santana. "S? Do I look okay or is my fan club lying to me?"
Santana hoisted herself up from her chair and gave Beth a once-over with her eyes. Visions of Quinn danced in her head and her heart ached as she pulled Beth in for a hug and sighed, "You are my heart. Do you know that?"
Beth squeezed her, "I do. You know you're mine." She released Santana and twirled, "And I'll take that as a yes to the dress?"
Santana laughed, "Abso-fucking-lutely. Griffin is about to get lucky—I mean, Griffin sure is lucky."
"Santana! Not! Appropriate!"
"Again, I say? Whatever, midget."
Beth rolled her eyes as she walked back to her father. "Do I look pretty, Daddy?" she asked, just as she had on her prom night.
"With mine and Q's genes? You know you do, kiddo."
Beth snorted and shook her head, "Speaking of, did I hear there's a letter here?"
"Over there," Puck nodded to the table.
Beth picked up the white envelope and her heart clenched at the sight of her birthmother's handwriting on the front. It had been 15 years since she had read her first letter from Quinn and still, it never got easier.
"Give me a minute, you guys?"
The adults murmured in understanding and began to make their way out of the room, giving Beth her privacy. Santana found Beth's eyes as she left the room, a silent question, and walked out only after Beth had nodded.
Beth plopped herself down in the chair Santana had been occupying, the comforting scent of her godmother's perfume lingering on the fabric, and gently opened the envelope in her hands.
...
To my angel girl on her wedding day,
What I wouldn't give to be saying these words out loud to you right now instead of writing them down. What I wouldn't give to be with you, Beth, even just for a second. To see the amazing woman you have become. To watch you marry the man or woman of your dreams, someone I can only imagine must be worthy if they've managed to convince your dad and Shelby and Santana and Brittany and Rachel to let them marry you.
You know, true love isn't as rare as people say it is. True love is everywhere, not just in lovers, but in parents and children, brothers and sisters. Friends you meet on the playground. Teachers who change your life. What's rare isn't finding true love; it's figuring out how to keep it. How to hold onto it for a lifetime.
Santana taught me that true love is accepting. That I was enough. She was the first person I ever felt truly loved me, the first person in my life who didn't need me to be anything but myself. Even at age five, I was enough for her. She loved me from the very first day, and Brittany wasn't far behind.
Rachel taught me that true love is forgiving. That I was worthy of being loved. She saw me at my very worst, my very lowest and darkest point, and loved me hard enough to bring the light back in. It never mattered to her who I had been or what I had done. She loved me anyways. She forgave me.
Puck taught me that true love is unconditional. No matter how many times I tried to push him away, no matter how many times I ran away, he was always there, waiting and ready for me to come back to him and let him love me. He never pushed me to make a choice, never gave me an ultimatum. His love for me was a constant, one that I found myself returning to again and again, no matter how hard I tried to fight it.
Above all, my sweet girl, you taught me that true love is infinite. When I looked into your eyes for the first time, I felt my heart break open with a love so fierce I couldn't breathe. And I knew in that second, no matter what happened, I would have you and you would have me and we would be okay.
You have me, Beth. You had me the day you were born and you've had me every single day since. No matter what. Feel me, baby girl. I'm here. I'm right here.
Happy wedding day, Baby B. I hope you've found your own infinite love.
Infinitely,
Quinn
...
As she reached the end of her mother's letter, Beth did nothing to stop the tears from falling down her cheeks, curling her fingers around the paper and holding it to her heart.
Feel me, baby girl. I'm here. I'm right here.
"Mommy," Beth whispered, closing her eyes, and for a moment – just a moment – she felt a warm presence embrace her.
"Beth? Are you ready?"
Beth opened her eyes at Santana's voice and blinked up at her mother's best friend. Santana walked over to her and planted a kiss on her forehead, "You okay?"
"Yes. She's with me, San. She's always with me."
"I know. Go on, Britt and Rach are waiting for you out there."
Beth walked out of the room and Santana sighed, watching her go. She had just begun to follow her when a scent caught her attention and she froze in her tracks.
She inhaled deeply. Gardenia.
Santana closed her eyes, letting the sweetness wash over her until it was all she could smell. "I've got her, Q," she murmured. "We all do."
I know. I love you.
"I love you, too."
...
Voila. Finito.
Send me a request if you're still around! Quarantine has left me with nothing but time to write.
Mucho love to anyone still reading this. Stay safe and healthy, my dudes, xoxo
