Chapter 23 – My best friend's wedding

Sometimes fate took it upon itself and solved her problems. At least she pretended it did.

James her boss called her on Sunday morning to let her know that their production was going to be on hiatus due to money problems. She didn't know what to say. It came very unexpected. On one hand she was sorry for James and the whole crew but at the same time she couldn't help but feel relief. Even if it meant she wasn't going to get paid any time soon, either.

Her boss sounded tired and crestfallen but told Brittany that he was going to do everything in his power to get the project back on track. Before they hung up he said something about how they all should use the time to figure out what they wanted in the future. The tone in his voice let Brittany know that he was referring to her insecurity about whether she really wanted to play the lead or not.

She didn't dare to ask further questions and wordlessly nodded when he let her know that he was going to call her again as soon as he had better news.

After that phone call she sat in her kitchen for a couple minutes in complete silence. Then she hurried to her bedroom, packed a travel bag and left a quick note for her roommate on the kitchen counter.

Went to visit family. Will be back in a couple days… B.

p.s. there's lasagna in the fridge.

Just the day before she had told aunt Patty on the phone that she wished she could have visited and attend her upcoming wedding, but it wasn't possible because of her job. Now Brittany was going to surprise her and stay for the wedding. Aunt Patty really wanted Brittany to be there now that it was finally happening, but also understood that it wasn't that easy to get away for a couple days.

Excitement filled Brittany's chest when she reached the station to get on a bus for the next seven hours. She hadn't seen her aunt ever since she left. Talking on the phone was great but it wasn't the same thing after all. And now she was getting married. How weird and wonderful was that…

Brittany hadn't talked to anyone else in person. Not Quinn, not Blaine, not Santana… she had started a new chapter in her life which asked more of her than she had ever expected, including leaving behind her loved ones and the one place that had come closest to the term "home".

She missed everyone so much… but at one point she had to turn off those longings to go back in order to focus on her passion for dancing.

Brittany closed her eyes once the bus started moving. She didn't know what was lying ahead, what to expect. Whether it was a good idea or a bad idea to go back.

She didn't really care. All she knew was that it felt right.

/

She had almost forgotten the ugly sensation of sitting in one of aunt Patty's plastic chairs wearing shorts and about a hundred degrees outside. She was already sweating after only sitting there for a couple minutes.

Nothing much had changed in three years. Aunt Patty still looked the same, except there was now a big engagement ring on her finger. There was more stuff in the trailer, because her fiancé had moved in but she still had the same furniture, the same fruit bowl on the kitchen counter and the same sticky plastic chairs they were sitting on while sipping lemonade.

Only then Brittany realized that the cigarette in her hand was missing. She proudly explained that she and her fiancé had decided to quit together.

"Wow… he's really making you a better person, huh?" Brittany said and they both chuckled. It was almost like no time had passed.

It had indeed been a surprise when Brittany arrived an hour ago. Aunt Patty dropped the laundry she was about to hang up when she saw Brittany walking towards the trailer in order to hug her tightly.

Then they sat down on the chairs and talked about everything although they had only just talked on the phone the day before.

Patty told her about how the proposal went and the plans for their upcoming honeymoon. Brittany listened with a big smile on her face until Patty suggested something she never expected.

"Now that you're here - would you be my maid of honor?" Brittany blinked several times, not knowing what to say. "I asked my future sister-in-law because I didn't know who else to ask but she doesn't actually want to do it. We're not close."

"Oh wow… I mean – yes! Yes, of course, I'll do it. Wow…" Brittany was sincerely touched when her aunt looked so happy. She had no idea what it all meant. She had never been anyone's bridesmaid, let alone a maid of honor.

Aunt Patty ensured her that she didn't have any responsibilities, as everything had already been taken care of and because it was a small wedding after all. It was going to take place on Friday evening where they were going to sign the official paperwork and afterwards have barbecue with their neighbors.

Brittany still felt a certain pressure because suddenly she wasn't sure if she had packed a dress that was nice enough for the new role she was going to play at the wedding. Also she had a sudden idea of throwing her aunt a surprise bachelorette party but there were only five days until the wedding which meant she had to be super fast in order to pull something off.

Brittany stayed up till late that night, wondering how she could do it. She wished she could have just called Quinn and Santana, pretending that she had never left. She imagined what the wedding would have been like if she hadn't left.

Barbecue with friends and family… sitting outside till late at night. It was a picture that gave her a sore feeling inside her chest.

Sometimes she didn't know how she was able to leave her friends behind. She just did it. But now that she was here, knowing that Santana and Quinn were out there, it almost broke her heart all over again. She could have gotten into aunt Patty's truck, driven a couple minutes, knocked on Santana's door and… see her face.

She had no idea if Santana wanted to see her, too. If she really wanted to, then she wouldn't have walked off that evening a couple months ago.

Brittany held one of the couch pillows close to her chest. The couch was so uncomfortable and tiny… now that Patty's fiancé was living there, they had turned Brittany's former room into a storage room for his guitars and all the cool stuff he owned.

The thought of spending several nights on that couch made Brittany's back hurt even more. She had to think of another solution. There was no way she was going to sleep on their couch during their wedding night.

/

She slept almost until ten o'clock the next morning which had been a first in the past couple years. Her back nearly killed her when she got up but at the same time she felt rested and relaxed. Maybe it was because she knew that she didn't have to go to rehearsals anytime soon.

Brittany pushed the thoughts about her job aside. After a quick look into the fridge, she decided to pay a visit to the store where aunt Patty was a cashier and Brittany used to work shifts, too. She wanted to make a big pile of pancakes but there was only one egg left.

Since aunt Patty had taken the truck, Brittany hopped on the old bike and couldn't help but grin when she pedaled down the road like she was eighteen and about to go to school again.

Her grin lasted until she realized she was approaching The Schuester's which happened to be on her way. Brittany thought about making a detour in order not to drive by what used to be Santana's workplace and might have still been.

She was so not prepared to run into her. What would they talk about? Would they hug each other? Wave awkwardly?

Brittany's thoughts vanished as soon as she saw the building from afar. She must have been mistaken. But her legs became weaker at the realization that her eyes didn't deceive her.

The Schuester's wasn't there anymore. Well, the building was still there but it was completely empty and the big sign above it was gone. There were scaffoldings at the front and pretty much everything was wrapped in plastic.

Brittany wondered if The Schuester's was getting renovated or if it had closed and someone else bought it to start a new business.

Something pierced Brittany's heart at the thought. She kept riding the bike and didn't stop until she reached the store. She couldn't believe what she had just seen.

When she entered the store, she absentmindedly waved back at Patty who was sitting behind the cash register.

Brittany grabbed a shopping basket and randomly started putting items in it. She only came for the eggs but she decided that she could also get some more stuff now that she was there.

Maybe Will Schuester had to sell his restaurant for whatever reasons… or they were making it bigger and fancier?

She grabbed a bag of chips and tried to find out what flavor they were when she noticed something in the corner of her eye. A teenaged boy wearing a baseball hat was standing by a rack with chocolate bars. His face was hidden but Brittany could tell that he was making sure no one was watching. He obviously didn't know Brittany was standing behind him and the next thing she knew was how he let a chocolate bar disappear in his pocket.

Brittany's jaw dropped. She didn't know what to do. It was only a chocolate bar but it was so not ok. Before the boy could walk off, she stepped forward.

"Hey you" She said and waited for the boy to turn around. "Did you just put something in your pocket?" When he did show his face, Brittany felt her own eyes widen. He looked so familiar.

The boy looked around. Brittany could tell his mind was racing.

"No."

"But… I just saw you."

Brittany waved aunt Patty over who was now looking at them from across the store. She seemed to roll her eyes when she approached them, as if she already knew what was going on.

"Mr. Lopez, this is already the second time." She greeted him and put her hands on her hips. Brittany's mind was now racing, too. Did she just catch Santana's brother stealing? But she remembered how Tony was quite tall and lanky. This one was rather short.

In that case it must have been I-

"Iker!"

Brittany swallowed. Her heart started throbbing and clenching at the same time. Two seconds later and without an actual warning, the visuals completed what Brittany had painted in her head after hearing that voice.

"I leave you alone for one freaking minute only to find you stealing things? Again?"

Santana was standing next to her brother, pure disappointment written across her face.

She was so so achingly beautiful, Brittany thought. It was the only thought she was able to produce.

"I was going to pay for it!" Iker tried to defend himself. Brittany couldn't believe the boy standing there was actually him. He must have been around twelve now.

"Then why was it in your pocket? Iker, don't you try to fool me. Do you have any idea how…" Santana trailed off. Brittany's eyes wandered in order to find Santana's.

They cut her like a knife and mended her within the same moment.

"Brittany… what… what are you doing here?"

They stared at each other. Brittany's mouth was so dry, she feared she wasn't going to be able to form a sentence.

"Hi Santana. I'm…" She searched every inch of her brain for words. "...looking for eggs." Her tongue felt like styrofoam. What did she just say?

Santana still held her gaze. Then she could hear her aunt clearing her throat.

"I think she meant what you're doing back in town" aunt Patty explained. Brittany felt like the dumbest person on earth.

"Oh I'm… sorry – I'm on a break. Money problems. Not me! The dance company I work for. Well… eventually me, too because I won't get paid, I guess. But right now I still have money."

Brittany's cheeks were literally burning. She had never felt this incompetent in her whole life before. She couldn't look into Santana's eyes anymore. It was too embarrassing.

"Wow…" She could only hear her say. What in the world did that mean?

Another few seconds passed where Brittany wanted nothing more but to vanish into thin air or rewind the past ten minutes and just walk out of the store in order to prevent this uncomfortable encounter.

"Can I go now?" Iker's voice cut the silence.

"No!" Santana and aunt Patty both yelled.

"Ok… jesus." The boy mumbled and for a split second Brittany felt bad for him.

"This behavior is not ok, young man. I'm not going to call the police because of one lousy chocolate bar but this can't become a habit. You're coming with me now in order to find a date where you come here and help out on a weekend. If that is ok with you?" Aunt Patty looked at Santana expectantly.

The brunette seemed to get pulled back from whatever thoughts she was having.

"Oh – definitely! And you're grounded."

Iker gave her a mad face.

"You can't do that anymore. You're not my mother."

Brittany bit her tongue. She felt like she was invading something she wasn't supposed to witness at all.

"Iker – I'm this close to calling the police myself on your sorry little ass! Once you and Ms. Pierce have found an appointment, you go wait in the car while I pay for the rest. I don't want to hear a word from you for the rest of the day."

Brittany watched how her aunt walked off, followed by one dejected teenager.

She shook her head in disbelief. Then her eyes went back to Santana's face. Even after all this time it was still like a magnet to her.

"This is not how I pictured us meeting again." Brittany mumbled and scratched her forehead.

Santana exhaled with frustration. She must have been truly upset about her brother.

"Yeah… me neither. I wasn't sure we'd meet again ever."

The way she emphasized the last word, made Brittany feel like somebody was squeezing her still throbbing heart with bare hands.

The night from a couple months ago came to her mind. When she fled from the solo she was supposed to dance and overcame an anxiety attack by using that breathing technique. The moment she recognized Santana in the distance but couldn't be one hundred percent sure if it really was her.

She wanted to ask her. She wanted to ask so many things. It just wasn't the right moment to do so.

"Do you want to go for a drink or something? Maybe later?" Brittany dared to ask. She had no idea she had the courage in her.

Santana put a strand of silky dark hair behind her ear. She took a look at the shopping list in her hand.

"Oh uh… I'm not finished with the groceries and… there's still so much to do for the wedding."

Brittany frowned.

"The wedding? You're in it, too?"

Santana seemed to be caught off guard.

"Of course. I'm the maid of honor", she explained like it was the most logical thing in the world.

"What? I don't understand – why would she… she asked me to be the maid of honor. Just last night."

Now it was Santana's turn to stare at her in disbelief.

"What? That doesn't make any sense. She hasn't seen you in forever."

"Well yeah but we talk on the phone."

"You do?" Santana's voice sounded like a child's.

"Uhm yes."

The brunette slowly shook her head.

"I can't believe she asked both of us. I don't get it…"

Brittany chuckled bitterly.

"Me neither. Just like I don't understand how you were there in L.A. a couple months ago. I mean, you saw me, right? And then you took off?" Brittany couldn't hold back even if she tried.

Santana stared at Brittany, obviously at a lack of words. She raised her hands but nothing came out of her mouth.

Moments later Iker came back from talking to aunt Patty. He looked like he had just been sentenced to three hundred hours of community service and left the store without being able to look Santana in the eyes.

"I have to go." She said and started pushing her cart into the other direction.

"Wait, Santana – don't you think we should talk about… stuff?"

Santana turned her head.

"No…" She shrugged. "Not now, ok?"

Brittany swallowed. There was no point in trying to convince her otherwise. Santana had other things to worry about so Brittany nodded.

The brunette started walking but eventually turned around once more to face Brittany.

"The eggs are in the next aisle." She said with a voice that Brittany remembered so well. It was the gentlest voice she knew. There was something like regret in it but also affection.

Brittany tried to smile at her. She didn't know if it worked but she let Santana go, hoping that this wasn't going to remain their only interaction during her stay.

Later when aunt Patty scanned the items Brittany wanted to purchase, she filled her in on what happened with The Schuester's.

"Didn't I tell you on the phone that it's getting renovated? They're turning it into a karaoke diner. Next to serving yummy food it'll be a karaoke bar. Everyone in town is eagerly waiting for the reopening in a couple of weeks. Apparently Santana had a say in it, too."

Brittany was amazed at that news. The thought of Santana doing something so big was impressive.

She had always wondered what Santana was going to do after high school. She couldn't picture her doing anything other than college because she knew that was what she wanted but Brittany also knew that it might have never been an option.

With the groceries in a bag, she drove back to the trailer one-handed. She wasn't up for pancakes anymore though.

Instead she pulled her discman from the bottom of her travel bag and fell onto the couch. For the next hour she listened to songs that had always connected her to the carefree time she spent in this town together together with her friends.

/

Santana…

She rang the doorbell for the fifth time, not caring that it was already late. She was so mad. Furious.

Mostly she was confused. How could Quinn do this to her?

After her encounter with Brittany at the store she spent her day at home, doing all the things she had successfully pushed aside for way too long. She did the laundry, cleaned the kitchen until it sparkled all over everywhere, vacuumed and mopped the floors in every single room and swiped the front porch.

It usually worked perfectly fine to get her mind off things that stressed her. Like the countless evenings she spent with Will after hours in order to help him plan the renovations, or the trouble Iker got himself into.

Never in a million years did she think that Iker would give her more sorrows than Tony once he reached puberty. Tony was an angel compared to the version of their stupid little brother had become.

She was clueless how to handle him. In times like these she wished her mom was still alive. It was her job and her dad's job to show Iker his boundaries. He was testing her to the limits!

She couldn't believe Iker had tried to steal again that afternoon. It wasn't like he tried to steal money or something more valuable than a chocolate bar but if he already did that so ruthlessly then it was only a matter of time he'd try something bigger.

Usually she was able to keep her cool but when Brittany showed up out of nowhere – she hardly knew how to function.

Finally the door got opened and one sleepy Quinn was standing there in her nightgown.

"Santana? Did something happen?"

Santana stepped inside without waiting for Quinn to ask her in. She was mad at her friend and she couldn't wait until the next morning to get the answers to all of her questions.

"Why did you ask her to be your maid of honor? Seriously – I don't get it. Did you know she was coming? Why didn't you tell me? And you guys talk on the phone? How could you do this to me, Quinn?"

Santana stared at her friend. The way she looked absolutely innocent made Santana wonder if maybe she had gotten something wrong. But then why would Brittany say those things?

"First of all… why don't you come inside, Santana? And second… what the hell are you talking about?"

Santana followed Quinn into the little kitchen. Sometimes she was still jealous that Quinn and Jake had found their own little place. It was a very small house that Quinn's parents had bought. They let them live in it for a generous rent. It hadn't been an option anymore to live with either of their parents and now Quinn, Jake and Addie were so happy.

"I'm talking about Brittany!" Santana exclaimed. Quinn shook her head.

"Why would I ask Brittany to be my maid of honor. You're my maid of honor. I didn't even invite Brittany to the wedding because I've never spoken to her again."

"Well… then I don't get it!" Santana was beyond confused. "She shows up out of nowhere, telling me that her fancy new dance show is on a break and poof – she's back. Then we find out that we're both your maid of honor which I don't understand. Why would she think she's in your wedding when you didn't even ask her?"

Quinn shook her head.

"I have no idea Santana. Maybe she read it somewhere? Or her aunt told her- oh… now I know."

Santana narrowed her eyes.

"What? You know what?"

Quinn started laughing.

"Santana… did Brittany explicitly tell you that she's my maid of honor? Did any of you mention the name of the bride?"

Santana had no idea what her friend was talking about. She was about to lose her patience. Quinn seemed to read her mind.

"Her aunt Patty is getting married, too. We talked about it one day when Jake, Addie and I went to the store together. She asked why we all looked so happy and so I told her about how Jake had proposed just the day before and then she told us about her own engagement. I think she's getting married one day before our wedding which is a huge coincidence, I guess. That must be why Brittany showed up out of nowhere, right?"

Quinn made quotation marks with her fingers and grinned mischievously which made Santana want to poke out her tongue.

But she realized her mistake. She wondered if Brittany had the very same conversation with her aunt after she'd left her in that aisle.

"So…" Quinn said with a wink. "She's back. What are you gonna do?"

Santana rolled her eyes.

She still couldn't believe this. What were the odds that Brittany's aunt and Quinn were getting married on the same weekend… and the fact that Brittany actually came - it was almost too much to grasp.

More than that she was confused by what was going on inside her chest. She thought she had gotten over Brittany. She always considered the possibility that they'd meet again but apparently she never thought it through.

She didn't know her heart would still beat like that. Or that her legs would nearly give in.

She was so screwed… how was she supposed to get through the week? Nothing had prepared her for this task. She had organized a bachelorette party for Quinn, helped her choose the perfect wedding dress, helped Quinn's parents plan the wedding, she wrote a speech she was going to make and offered to do the table decorations for the big dinner. She liked doing all those things because Quinn was her best friend. But now that Brittany was back in town, Santana suddenly didn't know anything anymore.

She especially didn't know the answer to Quinn's question. With a big sigh she hid her face in her palms. She listened to her friend preparing them a cup of tea. Luckily they both didn't have to get up early in the morning which gave them a couple hours to find out what to do next.