After three minutes of awkward silence Madison cleared her throat and stood up, "hi, I'm Madison, Ashton's sister in law." She smiled, shaking Blaze's hand. Blaze was wearing a red Off White hooded sweatshirt, with a pair of black leggings, that were sheer on the sides, a pair of red and black Jordans 11s on her feet. She had her long auburn hair in a big bun on the top of her head. She had three karat diamond stud earrings in her ear, and a black mask over her mouth. She had a prominent red birth mark that stretched from under her left eyebrow, surrounding her eye, and down to the top of her lip, that covered half of her face.
"Hi, nice to meet you." Blaze nodded since her smile wouldn't be noticed behind the mask.
"When was your last covid test?" Santana spit out quickly, placing her hand over Raven's mouth and using her other hand to cover her own mouth.
"Santana..." Brittany said harshly.
"Yesterday, it was negative. When was your last negative test?" Blaze asked, cocking her head to the side.
Madison raised an eyebrow quickly and walked over to Raven, "come on sweetheart, let's go take a nap." She smiled to herself as she walked up to a guest room to lay her daughter down, happy she never had to endure Santana's wrath when she first met the family.
"Excuse me?" Santana snapped quickly.
Brittany cleared her throat at Ashton, who quickly shook his head, coming out of his fog. "Blaze, these are my moms, Santana and Brittany."
"Nice to meet you both. " Blaze nodded, "is it okay if I take off of my mask?"
"Sure." Brittany nodded, "have a seat, sweetheart." Santana scoffed as she glared at Blaze before standing up and storming out of the room. Brittany exhaled deeply as she stared in the direction her wife went, before turning back to Blaze. "Can I interest you in water or anything?"
"Water is fine." Blaze replied.
"Ashton, get your guest a bottle of water." Brittany told him, "excuse me a minute." She winked at her, hoping to relax her a little. She turned to go after Santana, who came storming back in the room, now with one of her custom Louis Vuitton masks on.
"One...show me respect in my house, two...cute leggings, three...you are simply gorgeous, four...I like that you can hold your own with me, but don't get beside yourself, five...we haven't been tested, but we also haven't been out of the house or around anyone else, and six...I hear you are pregnant with grandbaby number 6 for me, so welcome to the family." She winked, before walking over and extending her hand to properly greet her.
Blaze laughed softly, slightly confused before nodding and exhaling in relief, a smile crossing her face when Santana smiled brightly at her. "Grey said you didn't like push overs so I wanted to show I wasn't scared, even though I can't believe I'm in front of Santana Lopez Pierce, and I can't believe I actually said that to you." She rambled out quickly.
Santana laughed softly. "No, I don't like pushovers, but Ashton should have also told you I don't tolerate disrespect either. I'm very big on respecting elders at all time."
Brittany raised an eyebrow at her wife and sat down next to her on the couch as Ashton came back in the living room with a picture of water, slices of lemon floating near the top.
"Relax, honey." Santana told her, patting her thigh softly, and taking off her mask, tossing it on the table. "Tell us a little about yourself."
Brittany continued to stare at Santana, noticing her left hand slightly twitching, and how tense her jaw was. She could tell Santana was being genuine with the girl, but the sudden mood swing had her extremely concerned, given how Santana's anxiety had been the past couple of days.
"Well, I'm 21, I actually met Grey at my birthday party last year." Blaze smiled at the memory. "I'm from New York, my parents still live there, I have a twin sister, identical, same birth mark and all, she goes to USC, and majors in chemistry. Two brothers, one plays basketball for Duke, and the other just turned 15 years old. I'm pre=med as well, and terrified that my parents are going to freak out and make me move back home when I tell them I'm pregnant."
Brittany immediately froze, "oh honey, your parents don't know?"
Blaze shook her head, taking a sip of her water. "They know I'm dating Grey, he met them a few months ago in New York, we took a weekend trip there."
Santana raised an eyebrow as she darted her eyes at her son. "How long have you two been together?"
"Almost a year." Blaze blushed. "We met at my party, and the rest is history. We became official a few weeks after my party."
Santana choked on her water. "A year." She repeated while nodding her head. "Well, it's unfortunate we are just now meeting you dear."
Blaze chanced a glance at Ashton, who was turning a deep shade of red. "I've been nervous to meet you, but absolutely did want to. Grey kept saying you both were busy with work projects, and I totally understand that."
"He did, huh?" Santana smiled. "Well, I'm glad we are able to finally meet you honey." She then turned to Brittany, "Brit, babe, want to help me put together some apps and snacks?"
"Sure." Brittany nodded.
"Oh, you don't have to go through any trouble." Blaze stated quickly.
"No trouble at all. Not having anything prepared for a guest is far from our style here. Any allergies, or anything not agreeing with you or with the baby?" Santana asked as she stood up.
"No...no allergies," Blaze shook her head. Once Brittany and Santana left the room, she turned to Ashton and let out a deep sigh. "Why do I feel like your moms don't know anything about me?"
Ashton cleared his throat, "I just told them about you a few days ago."
"What?!" Blaze snapped.
"What are you thinking?" Brittany asked as they both walked to the large farmhouse sink in the kitchen and began to wash their hands. Santana pulled out a handful of tomatoes and began dicing them.
"Salsa, gauc, spinach dip?" Santana suggested. "I'll make some homemade chips, can you make a charcuterie board?"
Brittany leaned against the kitchen counter and nodded. "Sure." She replied quickly. "We need to talk to Ashton."
"Yes the hell we do." Santana nodded. "I don't mind that we haven't met her until now, my problem is that it's seems like he was keeping her from meeting us intentionally, and that pisses me off."
Brittany pulled out a large circular wooden board, setting it on the kitchen island before pulling out several different blocks of cheese and starting to cut them in cubes. "Well..." She shrugged. "Well, we have been kind of busy." She added softly.
"For a damn year, B?" Santana turned and deadpanned. "Come on, babe...why what until she's pregnant?"
"Well, he's not embarassed by us, maybe he just..." Brittany trailed off. "I don't know, Sanny."
Madison walked in the kitchen and washed her hands quickly before raising an eyebrow at Santana, a silent way of asking what she should help with.
"Can you make spinach dip, sweetheart." Santana told her. "Okay, truth moment, how long have known about Blaze?"
Madison laughed softly, "You never truly meet people, do you?"
Brittany smirked at Madison's wordplay before locking eyes with her wife, who had a hardened glared on her face but rolled her eyes. "Damn you kids for all being so loyal to each other." She finally laughed. "Ashton is gentle, and sweet, and deserves more than this world can offer, if she good to and for him?"
Madison stopped chopping the spinach and nodded. "Yes, his eyes light up when he talks about her in a way that they never did when he was with Noey."
Brittany looked up with a big smile. "I know how protective you are of Carter and Ashton, do you approve?" She asked.
"Yes, while I've never met her per se, I have talked to her on the phone, and I really do think she's good for Grey." Madison nodded. "She's not after him for his money, or your money, she understands his determination and focus since she's premed as well, and she seems down to earth."
Santana narrowed her eyes at her daughter in law before sighing and nodding. "Fine, I don't have the energy to fight about this right now."
Brittany looked up at her wife quickly, knowing that Santana was really struggling if she gave that easily.
"Okay, so your mom is kind of scary." Blaze laughed softly.
Ashton laughed loudly, "she's harmless, trust me." He replied while shaking his head. "She's a big teddy bear, trust me. The tough exterior is definitely real, but she's honestly the most giving and sweetest person in the world. My mom has taken her shoes and clothes off and given them to fans before. She volunteers at hospitals to help take care of sick babies while their parents get rest, and she thinks no one knows but volunteers at an animal shelter and plays with puppies and hangs out with older dogs before they are put down."
"Okay, that's incredibly sweet." Blaze nodded, "but why did you tell me to be rude to her?"
"I didn't, I told you to stand up for yourself." Ashton shrugged. "I didn't think you would say that back to her."
"Fuck..." Blaze groaned, leaning forward and hiding her face in Ashton's shoulder.
"Yo, Grey, want to get this Madden in, I haven't spanked your ass in a while." Carter smiled, walking in the room, dressed in a pair of distressed jet black motorcycle jeans, black Gucci hightop sneakers, and a white Gucci polo. "Oh, sorry." He smiled when Blaze sat up.
"Blaze, this is my younger brother, Carter." Ashton stated.
Carter wiped his hand on his pants and extended it to her. "What's up, nice to meet you."
"Hi, nice to meet you. I feel like I know you the way Ashton has been talking about you nonstop since I met him, if you were ever looking for your biggest fan, he's right here." Blaze laughed.
Carter blushed slightly, glancing at his brother. "Well, let me make you a swag bag really quick." He replied, jogging out of the room to put together a goodie bag from his sock line.
"Just an FYI, there are hundreds of us here for quarantine." Ashton laughed, "so unless we are in my wing of the house, that I share with Carter, you will see tons of people in and out of here."
"Oh dear."
"Just be prepared to meet a bunch of people, if you survived Santana, you are in the clear." Ashton assured her as Madison walked in with bowls of salsa and guacamole.
"So good to see you again sweetheart." Madison winked at her. "I covered for you Grey, you owe me." She added. "They don't know Noah and I went to New York with you to meet her family, or that we've had you two over for game nights and dinner. Don't cross me."
Ashton nodded, knowing he owed Madison big time. He was reluctant to introduce Blaze to Santana because he knew she was still holding out hope for him and Noey, and by default, if Santana couldn't meet her yet, then neither could Brittany.
8pm
"Blaze is actually pretty amazing." Santana sighed as she sat down on the couch in their room. "She easily goes from conversation to conversation, she got along well with Mack, which I know Ashton was happy about, hell...she blended right in with the family." She shrugged. "Oh! She kicks ass in Uno too, so she's solid with me for now."
Brittany laughed and lifted her wife's legs, laying across her lap, taking her sneakers off and starting to rub her feet. "She did get along great with everyone, and Ashton looks smitten with her, completely smitten."
"Whew, that feels amazing." Santana moaned as she leaned her head back against the arm of the couch and got more comfortable. "You are the best foot rubber ever, baby. Seriously."
Brittany laughed as she lifted Santana's foot and kissed it gently. "Remember that night in Tokyo, I had three shows that day, which was crazy to even begin with. I could barely walk from all the dancing and stuff, and even though it hurt for you to even rub my feet, you found a way to do it so gently that you worked out ehe muscle spasms and found the perfect spot to massage out of the soreness."
"I certainly do, you were practically in tears during your last song from pain, but you powered through." Brittany winked at her. "You're tough, babe."
Santana blushed. "I had Tom carry me straight to the tour bus to go back to the hotel."
Brittany nodded that she remembered as Santana's phone rang, the Latina saw it was Noah and answered, she had a brief conversation before hanging up the phone and sitting up, kissing Brittany softly on the lips. "Noah needs my help down in the studio, want to come?"
"No thanks, I'm going to hang out up here, don't take too long." Brittany replied as Santana stood up and left the room.
"The last fuckin thing she needs is to start singing right now." Brittany snapped, standing up and walking to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.
Santana walked in the studio and sat down on the sectional she had in there, "okay, what are we doing?"
Noah took his headphones off and turned around in his chair, a huge smile on his face. "I wrote a smash mom, a fuckin smash!"
The latina stared at him blankly, "ummm, congrats?"
"For you."
"Noah...I'm retired, honey, you know that, and you mom would kill me if I resurrected my my singing career." Santana shook her head.
"No, you retired from touring and performing, not from singing." Noah corrected her with a smirk.
Santana laughed, "Noah..."
"Will you at least listen to the song, and help me tweak the lyrics before you say no." Noah asked, "please mommy?"
Santana blushed slightly, "I can't resist when you all call me mommy at your age...fine. Play the reference." She stated, standing up and grabbing a bottle of water and sitting back down. Noah cleared his throat. "You want me to sing the reference?" She rolled her eyes initially and groaned, debating what she should do in her head, before walking to the Keurig in the corner and making a mug of tea. "Start with the instrumental first while I get my throat ready."
Noah nodded excitedly and got the track ready to play.
Brittany smiled as she knocked on her mom's front door and walking. "Hey mom."
Mrs. Pierce, who was sitting in a large chocolate brown recliner, reading a book, a glass of wine on the table next to her, looked up and smiled. "Hey Brittany, everything okay, honey?" She asked, looking over at the time, knowing Brittany didn't come visit her this late in the evening unless something was bothering her.
"I just wanted to check on you." Brittany smiled, walking over and kissing her mother on the cheek. "How is the book?"
"Good, excellent read, you'll enjoy it." She replied, lifting her glass and taking a sip as Brittany sat down on the couch across from her. "Join me for a glass of wine."
Brittany nodded and went to the kitchen, pouring herself a glass and rejoining her mom in the sitting room, she felt her mother's burning gaze so sighed. "I'm worried that Santana is going to start singing again and really do some serious damage to her throat."
Mrs. Pierce frowned but quirked an eyebrow while taking a sip of her wine. "Santana retired, is she thinking of coming out of retirement?"
"She hasn't said anything, but she's down in the studio with Noah right now, helping him on a song. Noah has been in a slump with songwriting, and you know Santana will do anything Noah asks her to. He's always had her in the palm of his hand, always."
"You know your wife, you know that Santana doesn't do anything she doesn't absolutely want to do." Mrs. Pierce sighed. "Talk to her, Santana was kind of forced into retirement for health reasons, it's not like she retired because she was ready to." She reached over and grabbed Brittany's hand, holding it tightly between hers. "I can see the agitation all over your face, don't turn this into a huge argument, you don't know if she's recording a song, or just helping write lyrics. You know that singing and music is an outlet for her, and a way for her to deal with her anxiety. Santana is spiraling, honey, if I can see her anxiety starting to get out of control, I know you can."
Brittany sighed. "Why is marriage so hard?"
"It's not, our egos make it hard." Mrs. Pierce winked at her while lifting her hand and kissing her calm. "The pandemic is taking a toll on everyone, if she wants to sing in the studio with Noah, let her. You have to learn to compromise with your wife, that is the biggest hurdle you two still have after 20 years, and it's getting ridiculous, Brittany. Compromise and communicate."
"I hear you mom." Brittany nodded. "Well since I'm here, fell like a game of chess?"
"Always."
2am
Santana tip toed in the bedroom and sighed softly in relief when she saw Brittany was fast asleep in bed. She quickly hopped in the shower before tossing on a oversized tshirt to sleep with a pair of orange boy shorts and slipping in bed, leaning over and placing soft kisses all over Brittany's face before ghosting her lips and closing her eyes herself.
Brittany opened her eyes and stared at her wife. "Are you coming out of retirement?"
Santana's eyes opened quickly. "Huh?"
"It's after 2am and you are just now coming back up to bed from being in the studio for over 5 hours with Noah." Brittany stated softly. "Are you coming out of retirement?"
Santana licked her lips slowly before she shrugged. "I don't know..."