A/N: So much happens in this chapter, FYI it took 9 rewrites to get it the way I wanted, so hopefully, you are a scunch satisfied because I am. Thanks for riding with me!


Slow Dancing In a Burning Room (John Mayer)


Santana's POV


THE LONGEST WEEK

DECEMBER 19th

AFTERPARTY


I laid in bed after Britt passed out, taking a moment to enjoy seeing her at peace.

It had felt like she was outside of herself and so far from the girl that I fell in love with for months.

But I loved her.

Every freckle, wrinkle, and curve were my favorite things.

And her eyes, God...those eyes and the way they sparkled just for me.

I owned some of the blame for what my wife had become.

My addiction, my lying, cheating, and manipulation had been red flags for an eternity.

In the five years since we had become something more than friends, I had put a ton on her shoulders and expected her to be able to carry it as easily as I could.

And now that she had some time for herself to figure out who she was outside of me, all the first and second-hand trauma that she'd gotten as a result of being with me had turned her into someone unrecognizable.

She shouldered some of the blame, but I couldn't put it all on her; that would be irresponsible of me.

I caressed her cheek, and her eyes fluttered open, glazed but somehow still focused.

"I'm sorry." She whimpered, "I am so sorry."

She closed her eyes and let the tears flow, and my heart ached for her.

That job had been a dream, one that she wasted and took for granted because she forgot that she wasn't the only great dancer.

On her show, she had been the lead choreographer, creating and training.

She'd been bored but secure in who she was...now, she was just another dancer, disposable.

"Shh, rest." I said, leaning in to kiss those beautiful lips. Something about it felt like a goodbye; only I wasn't ready to acknowledge that.

The idea scared me.


DECEMBER 20th

Daniela's 4th Birthday


I'd been smart to hire people to handle the setup for Daniela's birthday party because the night before, I was so focused on making sure Britt was okay and that the kids didn't absorb any of that heaviness.

And the next morning, I even let her sleep in, knowing that from that day forward, our family would be around and in her face.

For a little longer, I let her ignore reality because I owed her that much.

"How old are you today?"

"Four!"

My baby girl looked at me with so much happiness as I swung her around, and I vowed to myself at that moment that I would make sure that smile stayed.

She didn't give over her emotions easily, just like me, so I knew to appreciate when she showed her joy.

Angie had left to go pick up her daughter and pick up Daniela's gift.

Which gave me some one-on-one time with my little monsters since Britt hadn't moved from the bed when I got up.

"Yes! Are you excited?"

"Yes! You excited, Mami?"

"So excited!"

I buried my face against her neck and blew a raspberry until she shrieked.

I kept the kids quiet all through breakfast, but I stopped caring once it was past 10.

But I still flinched when I heard her footsteps slapping the floor moments after Daniela let out a string of crazy giggles.

Britt was dressed and had Isaac in her arms with a wrapped gift in his hands. He had wandered back to our room when I was cleaning up the kitchen, which I didn't bother stopping because he was good about letting you sleep as long as he could lay with you.

I figured waking up to her little buddy would ensure that Britt was in a good mood for Daniela's birthday.

And I was happy that it worked.

"Sorry about the noise, B." I said as she stepped beside me and dropped a kiss on my cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. Smells good in here."

"Thanks, made sprinkle pancakes for the birthday girl." I said, tickling Daniela, and she giggled again.

When I looked up at Britt, her eyes were crinkled, and she was smirking.

Good.

All seemed to be well.

Isaac was nudging B, so she looked at him and nodded. "Go ahead and give Dani her gift, Izzy." She said as she steadied him.

He thrust the gift at his little sister, looking impatient.

"Here...happy birthday, Dani." He said before kissing her cheek. "I love you." Then he patted Britt. "Down, Mama."

"Not yet. We need to see her open it."

Isaac sighed and rested against B, "Okay."

Daniela smiled at him and began to rip at the paper.

This gift was a surprise to me, which meant that Britt had stopped drinking long enough to remember a gift. I kept seeing hope in her actions, but that seed of doubt was still in my gut.

We hadn't talked about anything yet, and I knew we wouldn't have time before things got hectic.

"Sparkle!" Daniela shrieked as she shook her pink glitter ballet slippers in the air. We'd discussed putting her in ballet once she turned four, but we hadn't settled on it, but now that Britt had given her that gift, I knew there was no way to convince her ballet wasn't happening. "Thank you, Izzy!" She hugged him, and I was just entranced with the cuteness between them.

"Can we talk about stuff?" B asked after putting Isaac down. I watched in awe as he climbed up onto the couch and turned on the television.

Seeing him being so independent was still odd to me, but he was almost 5...how on Earth had that happened so fast?

I put down Daniela, and she ran to the couch, climbed up, and cuddled next to her brother, all while clutching her sparkly shoes.

"We can, B...just not today. I only want good vibes today. She doesn't get as much attention as Isaac...and she deserves to get it, especially today."

"Are you mad at me?"

"Not today, B."

Her mood shifted, and she smiled all saccharine-like, but I could see that she was mocking me.

Or maybe that's just what I perceived; either way, she spent the rest of the day being her old childlike self, and I tried not to be annoyed.

I'm not sure it worked, though.


Rob and Susan had come to the party and asked to take the kids for the night, I usually never turned them down, but at that moment, I was leery about it because I didn't want to have to deal with the aftermath of Britt's job loss, her drinking, and the fact that I still hadn't talked to her about the tour.

But Britt answered for me.

She asked them to keep them the next night, too, because we could use the break.

When she said that, there was a look in her eyes that I couldn't name, and a million alarm bells went off in my head.

The party had been in a roller skating rink, and everyone showed up for my baby girl.

It was everything I had wanted for her, which should have made me happy, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was marching to an end as time went on.

"Hey, are you okay?" Angie asked me when I took a moment to myself behind the skate counter. The owner had been back there, and I paid him extra to let me be alone, but Angie still found me.

"Yeah, I'm good. Thanks for coming while you're off the clock; it was great to meet Mia." I tried to seem upbeat, even though I wasn't feeling anything at that moment.

"Do people actually believe you when you lie so terribly?"

"Actually, they do, jerk." I teased, and she smiled, but not with her eyes.

"I know you're my boss, but I want you to know that I also see you as a friend; if you ever need me, I got you, okay?"

Something about the way she said reminded me of Carmen and the lengths she would go to protect someone.

And I realized how much I missed having someone that was lowkey crazy when they needed to be.

"Thanks."

"Hug?" She asked, and I nodded.

I didn't move from my perch against the wall, so she came over to me and wrapped me up tightly, resting her chin against my shoulder.

She held on for longer than I expected, and it seemed to glue me back together until it didn't.

"What's going on in here?" Britt asked, her voice cool. Angie stepped away without a word and left me alone with Britt.

My wife looked me over, annoyed about my outfit choice, but I wouldn't let her bully me about my bodycon dress like she had the day before.

"Chill B, it was just a hug." I said. "Don't get your panties in a twist."

"At least mine aren't so easy to get to."

"If I were going to fuck Angie, it would have happened already. Relax, B. Fuck, you used to be fun."

"And you used to be only mine." She said, trying to wound me with her words, but that was something I was always better at.

"I still am yours, unless you don't want me to be. Say the word, and I'll go do what you're always accusing me of, just for shits and giggles."

"Watch yourself." She said with a raised eyebrow before turning and leaving.

Even though she didn't lay a finger on me, the hold on me that she had was strong enough to knock the wind out of me.


DECEMBER 21st

The Punishment


After we got home, Britt gathered an overnight bag for the kids and left.

She didn't come home that night, and instead of spending the night stressing, I enjoyed the time to play my music.

I felt peaceful for the first time in too long. Even when I was in the studio, I was always worried that I'd come home to Britt being a drunken mess.

That night though, I was still riding the high of the party's success.

Early the next morning, Britt called me and explained that she stayed with her parents because she missed them.

Then she said that she had a few Christmas errands to run and would be home for lunch.

I went for a run on the beach that morning until the rain came pouring down.

There was a chill in my bones.

So, I made myself a cup of tea, then took a long shower.

My body felt like it was vibrating, with energy or fear; I wasn't certain.

But why was I afraid?

My wife hadn't gotten violent with me in years, but my body seemed to sense the danger before I did.

I had my back to the bathroom door and was nearly shocked out of my body when a sharp sting went across my ass.

"What the fuck?!" I cried out, and when I turned, there was Britt with a belt in her hand.

"You've been on strike 3 for a long time; I thought one good one would be more than enough." She was smirking with glassy eyes, and the smell of cigarettes and vodka drifted towards me.

I wiped the tears that had sprung from my eyes. "I'm red, B. Bright fucking red." I snapped at her.

Her smile dropped, and so did the belt as she stripped out of her clothes.

She put on a whole show that I watched in part awe and part confusion.

"How about now?" She asked, trying to be seductive, but she was drunk and uncoordinated.

"Still red." I said, stepping around her to grab my towel, forgetting the piece of advice that I had learned from dealing with Marco.

Never turn your back on a potential threat.

Never turn your back on an inebriated person.

Never turn your back on someone unhinged.

But I trusted Brittany implicitly, even after all those years.

She shoved me forward, my chest against the wall, and began to slap my ass, her hand gripping the back of my neck.

I knew what she wanted at that moment, but I refused to give it to her.

Marco had taught me to be silent, and I had never forgotten how to be.

I filled my mouth with my tongue and clenched my teeth. My breaths were sharp as I breathed through my nose.

When I didn't make a sound, she growled in frustration.

"Stay." She said as she let go of my neck, not wanting to piss her off further, I didn't move. I heard the belt buckle clink against the floor and knew that she was picking it up. I closed my eyes and braced myself.

But the pain never came. Instead, I felt her hands on my thighs and then she ran her fingers over my ass.

"What are you doing?" My voice sounded otherworldly as if I had already gone to another safer place in anticipation of her beating my ass.

"Apologizing. I...should have stopped after you said red."

I allowed myself to relax.

"Yeah, you should have." I said cautiously, "I like what you do to me, B...just not like that." I reached back and rested my hand on the top of her head as she kissed the welt.

"I'm sorry...I keep...fucking up. Let me make it up to you." She said. "Turn, please."

When I was leaning against the wall, with my legs spread and she buried her face between them, all was forgiven.

Because even half-drunk, she still was a fucking magician with that tongue.

Fuck.


DECEMBER 22nd

The Talk


Britt made love to me the night before, no strap, no spanking, and no control...just love.

She'd dropped my defenses easier than anyone ever could manage, even Marco.

I fell asleep with her spooning me, making me feel safe.

And I wished like hell that I could have stayed there but instead, I woke up to her murmuring on the phone.

When I sat up and turned towards her, I could see her pacing at the end of the bed, her body tense as she talked sweetly.

I hated that voice.

She ended the call and tossed my phone at me.

"Talk." She said, still sounding semi-sweet.

"Now?"

"Yes. That was Mercedes; she says her manager needs confirmation about your travel details and needs."

The fear that had left me sometime in all of our lovemaking was back with a vengeance.

"But I never said yes to it." I said, wrapping the sheet around my naked body a little tighter as she watched me. "It's not even a big tour, just eight cities in two weeks, beginning on New Years' Eve. The one on New Years' Eve is in Beverly Hills, which is where we'll already be. I told her that I wasn't sure if I wanted to do the rest...maybe just New Years' Eve."

"How long have you known?" She asked, moving around the bed towards me.

"A few weeks, but I don't think I'm going to say yes; Isaac is just getting settled that I'm not leaving. It's not a good time." I said, feeling like I needed to move but not wanting to.

She wanted me to be afraid of her, but I was Santana motherfucking Lopez; I had to be stronger than I had been.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I wasn't sure about it. My album isn't close to being finished, and I know that this could make or break me before I'm ready."

She held up 1 finger.

"Strike 1." She said.

"Britt...seriously, don't do that right now."

"Why not?"

"You haven't been coherent enough to punish me for a long time...I don't trust you to know how to take care of me." I admitted.

She looked stunned, and I used that moment to roll to the other side of the bed to get closer to the door and further from her.

"Don't you run from me, Santana!"

But I didn't stop; I grabbed my phone and then ran across the hall and locked myself in the laundry room.

She banged on the door only twice, then growled in frustration.

"You're not level, B." I said as I rummaged through the clean laundry; I hadn't folded yet.

"I...I'm trying to be." She sighed. "I took my meds. I have for the last week; please don't shut me out. Open the door."

I managed to find a complete outfit and began getting dressed while she pleaded with me.

"If I come out there, I need you to promise that you will keep your hands to yourself." I said, trying to sound firm.

"I promise."

"Swear it on Court's grave, Britt."

"What?"

"Do it, and I'll come out."

"Fine. I swear...on...my sister's...my sister's grave that I will keep my hands to myself."


When I opened the door, she was standing against the opposite wall, picking at her cuticles. "I want you to follow your dreams, Baby. This is the city of angels...but also dreams."

"Okay, so why are you always making me feel like a shit parent when I'm at the studio?"

She looked up at me, and her eyes weren't glassy, just sad.

"You stopped making time for me. I was always at mixers by myself, and when I'm home, you're either stuck to Angie's side or with the kids. I'm supposed to be your best friend, but you always seem to find other people that you like more."

I stepped into her personal space and cupped her cheek.

"But you know that I'll always love you the most. This situation, with you drinking every day, was triggering me. I've had less studio time in the last few weeks because I've been at meetings twice a day and on the phone with Amy every other day."

"Amy?" She looked confused.

"My new therapist was immediately judgmental about my past. I didn't have time for that shit, so I have phone meetings with Amy instead."

"Oh."

"When I came back from rehab, you begged me to help you. All you wanted was me to be sober and be a good mom, so that's what I've been doing every single day. Am I wrong?"

"No, you've been amazing."

"I can't do things other people, our age can do. My body is predisposed to alcoholism, and being a coke addict isn't going to make that go away. I love being out with you, but I have to draw the line for my own sanity because if I'm drunk, I'm going to get high, and then I'm going to fuck up everything. Is that what you want?"

"Of course not."

I dropped my hands and shoved them in my pockets.

"I'll help you however you need, B. If it's rehab, I'll support you, or if you need space, I'll take the kids and let you do you."

"You would?"

"Yes. Even if you went on a tour, I'd be okay with it because I can follow you wherever visit you whenever because I can afford to. It's not the end of the world like it felt back in high school."

"It's not?" Her voice squeaked.

"No, but you have got to meet me halfway. I can't live like this, not again."

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry. I regret leaving Broadway and our family. The kids are so isolated here, all they really have is us, and I don't like it."

"Me either."

"Then why did you let me do this?"

"Let you?"

"Yeah, if you knew this was a mistake, why didn't you stop me?"

"Because, B, you needed to figure that out for yourself. If I had stopped you, then you would have resented me even more than you already do."

She didn't respond to that, which made me realize that the words rang true.

My wife resented me.

And it was my own damned fault.


DECEMBER 23rd

An Impasse


We talked for hours about everything she was feeling.

Then I told her how much I hated L.A., the vanity, the snobbery, and the heat.

She looked shocked, but I shrugged.

"New York is where I was conceived, it's where I learned some of the hardest lessons, and it's where I got sober. It is where I have overcome my demons; it means something to me."

Then she said the words that I knew were coming.

"I want to drop out of school."

Not that she had a plan.

But I mean, who was I to tell her not to drop out of college? I had done the same thing the year before.

And I had a perfect average.

She was failing hard in life and school, so I wouldn't stop her if she wanted to leave.

After ordering dinner, we cuddled up on the couch like old times, and I twisted my fingers in her hair while she purred right alongside Snix.

When we went to bed, and I held her while she cried against me.

So when we woke up the next morning, one day before Christmas Eve, I felt like we had made progress.

I had stopped talking about the tour, and she seemed happy with the knowledge that I was turning it down, but then Mercedes called.

"Girl, so tell me. Please?"

Britt went back and forth from our room to the living room with our suitcases and the gifts we had for my family.

I told Mercedes the truth.

"It's not the right time." I said as Britt coming back into the room. She stopped short and blatantly stared at me. "But, I am still going to do New Years' Eve."

Which I thought was fine, I mean, I'd only be gone a few hours, but the hurt on Britt's face told me differently.

Fuck.


Britt didn't speak to me as we packed the car, no matter how much I tried to get her to talk.

"Why are you mad? You said you wanted me to follow my dreams; I agreed to not go on tour...but can't I just have this one night?"

She closed the trunk and then turned towards me, held up 2 fingers, and went inside.

The fuck?

I climbed into the driver's seat of MY car, and she knocked on the glass a second later as I started the car.

"I'm driving!" She yelled, and I shook my head.

Then she held up three fingers, and I rolled my eyes, turned up my music, and began to shift into drive, letting the car roll, but she apparently thought I was leaving her.

She was quick as she ran to the passenger side and wrenched the door open.

I was laughing as she climbed inside completely out of breath.

"Why'd you do that?" She said, her face looking murderous.

"I was just fucking with you since you're in the mood for jokes. I already told you we aren't doing this striking system because you aren't level, B."

"I am!"

"She yells, obviously not leveled out." I muttered, then I took a deep breath and sighed. "Look, B, you and I both know that it takes two weeks for those drugs to work; it's barely been one. You are not level, end of discussion." I turned the music even louder and began the drive with a fuming Brittany at my side.

Oh well.

I figured she'd relax once she was around her parents again.

And I assumed that the holiday would make her feel light and airy.

But she didn't speak, sing, or dance...instead, she stared straight ahead at the road for the thirty-minute drive to my sister's house.

I didn't let it phase me, but I probably should have.


DECEMBER 24th

Christmas EVE - Noche Buena


Britt and I were sharing a room with Celia and Quinn.

Thankfully their son was sleeping through the night because, by the time I got to Mari's, all of the exhaustion of my last few days came crashing down.

I greeted my nephews with hugs and early gifts, then cooked for hours with my sisters, not once thinking about the fight with Brittany.

And that night, when we went to bed, she wrapped her arms around me like everything was good.

We had a busy day ahead, with family visiting and the kids all wanting to swim because it was impossible to do in New York.

Isaac forgot that we existed, as he came alive with his primos. Daniela kept disappearing with Norah as they hid from all the boys with their dolls.

There was so much distraction that it was easy to let the fight with Britt go, and her parents being around made that easier.

My gut, though, never let me get too comfortable.

"So, I have news." Quinn whispered to me when my sisters were distracted. "Lots of news. Can we sneak away?"

"Duh." I took her hand and pulled her across the house and into the room we were sharing. "Spill."

"We are expecting." She said, rubbing her flat stomach. "We just passed the danger zone, and I wanted you to be the first to know." Quinn was glowing as she told me about her news, and I felt tears prick my eyes.

God, I was getting soft.

"That's amazing, Q." I pulled her into a hug and then pressed a kiss to her cheek, knowing better than to resurrect our old quick pecks on the lips. My sister would have my head, and I knew better than to cross any lines. "I'm so happy for you two."

The door banged open, and Britt stormed into the room with Isaac right behind her.

I barely had time to separate from Quinn when I was being yanked from her and slammed against the wall, with Britt's hands clamped on my upper arms.

"What the fuck, B?!" Quinn yelled, and then I heard more footsteps, but the only person I had my eyes on was my son, who was looking at me with tears in his eyes.

"Look at me!" Britt growled, but I wouldn't, so she yanked me forward and slammed me back again harder.

"Mami." Isaac squeaked, and I finally looked straight at B.

"I will NEVER forgive you for this." And from the look in her eyes, I knew that even drunk, it registered. "I'm done, Brittany. You've hurt me for the last time."

"We are never done." She said as she slammed me back again; this time, my head hit the wall, and I saw stars. "Do you hear me? WE ARE NEVER DONE! You are mine!" She yelled in my face, and when I heard my son cry for me, I lifted my leg and kneed her in the side. She flinched but just squeezed tighter.

I wanted to claw her fucking eyes out. "Stop it, Brittany!" Quinn yelled, but she only had eyes for me.

"Brittany Susan!" Rob yelled and then grabbed her ear.

She let go of me and started swinging at her dad's hand, trying to get him off, but he was taller and stronger.

I slid to the floor and stared straight ahead; I had no tears.

"Come here, Papa."

And that's when Britt looked down.

She hadn't known he was following her, watching the whole thing, but now she understood.

"I'm sorry...crap. He wasn't supposed to see...Ana, we can't be done." She was crying now, but I didn't fucking care.

I cradled Isaac and glared up at her. "I want a divorce. I can't belong to you, B, because I belong to our kids, and I love you, but I will choose them every single time."

She shook her head. "I can't lose you too. You don't mean that. Take it back!"

But I didn't; in fact, I didn't even look back up at her.

I was focused on the little boy in my arms, rubbing my sides, trying to protect me from his Mama.

And that isn't the way it should ever be.

I would NEVER forgive her for hurting me in front of our son.


When Britt had first yanked me, she'd made Quinn stumble, but she'd managed to catch herself on the bed.

Even though Q insisted she was fine, Celia made Mari check her out even though Mari was a cardiologist.

They all had questions, but I just sat there holding my son and shaking my head anytime they came near me.

He was all that mattered at that moment.

Norah and Daniela came in holding hands a few minutes later and curled up on either side of me.

My body relaxed in their comfort, and pretty soon, the tears that I had been holding back carved down my cheeks.

Quinn sat there in shock, refusing to leave me, and I smiled through my tears.

"I'm fine." I said, but she shook her head.

"You can't stay with her."

"I know."

"You know, but will you do it?"

"It's time." I said, but I knew she didn't believe me.

Rob and Susan took my car and drove Brittany back home; they weren't going to take any chances that she'd attack me again.

And I was grateful for them.

I'd finally reached my limit; it'd only taken extreme measures for me to acknowledge it finally.

That night, my sisters honored my desire not to make Noche Buena about me.

Even though my arms and back were aching, and they kept shooting looks at me, we still broke bread and opened gifts as a family.

And I kept my chin up, knowing that, at least for the next little while, I was safe.

I could breathe.

That night, after tucking my kids in the room with the other kids, I went back to my room and walked past the bed that Britt had cuddled me in the night before.

And I crawled in between my sister and my best friend; there in their arms, I let all of the sobs come as I remembered the look in Britt's eyes when she slammed me against that wall.

"I would never cross that line again, Ceily...I need you to know...we weren't doing anything." I said to Celia.

"I know, Ana. I forgave you a long time ago. What's past is done." Ceily said before kissing my forehead and rubbing my arm.

"We love you, San, and we will help however you need. You can stay with us if you need."

"No. I can't go back to that building...not yet."

"But you can't go home, S...please?" Q's eyes were intense.

"I won't go back to that house...no...but I am going home."


DECEMBER 25th

CHRISTMAS


We'd opened all of our gifts the night before and woke up and made Christmas breakfast that was ready nearly by lunchtime.

The kids were having their food in the den while watching television and ignoring us.

When Rob and Susan showed up, all the laughter died.

They both looked exhausted.

"Santana, can we talk to you in private."

"No." Quinn said. "With all due respect, after yesterday, none of us want to leave her alone."

Rob nodded.

"We took Brittany to Crisis last night. She continued to drink after we took her home and tried to harm herself."

I nodded, feeling a lump in my throat because even though she'd hurt me, I still cared.

"Is she okay?" I asked, and everyone groaned. I glared, and they wouldn't meet my eyes. "She's still my wife."

Susan seemed to perk up at that as if she hadn't expected me to be concerned.

But hadn't I always shown concern when it came to Britt?

Had no one seen the way I basically prostrated myself at her feet willingly?

"She'll stay on 72-hour hold and then stay for 7 days. We told her that she needs to stay there, and she agreed. If you are going to leave, now would be the time." Rob said, and Susan glared at him.

I looked over at Celia, and she nodded. We'd come up with a plan of our own that we hadn't discussed with anyone else.

Which was how I needed it to be for just a little while.

"I'm not leaving. I have a show next week, but thanks for the update. Did you two eat? There's plenty of food."

They both looked surprised that I invited them to eat, but they hadn't done anything wrong.

Even Britt, for all the pain this situation was causing, hadn't really hurt me.

The bruises looked worse than they felt. What drove the wedge in the coffin was her doing it in front of Isaac.

Papi had hurt me for years, and Mami barely did anything. I would never let that happen to my kids...or in front of them.

"How are you feeling?" Rob asked.

"I'm fine. Can you pass the jam?"

"Robbie, let's not rehash it. She'll talk if she wants." Susan said.

"Of course. So, are you guys over opening gifts, or are you up for a few more?" Rob said, and the breakfast stopped being tense.

Thank God.


Mercedes flew into LAX that Christmas evening at my request, looking refreshed, and I threw myself into her arms the first moment I could.

"Well, hello to you too!"

"I talked to Malcolm." I said as I took her suitcase from her.

"Okay...is that why I have been summoned because you really cut in on some cuddles with Z."

"I'm sorry. Is he treating you well, though?"

"Yes, girl, he understands that I have priorities. He had me for 5 days. That's just going to have to be enough. We are getting serious though; I think he wants to marry me."

"Good, you both deserve the best."

"Don't I know it! So, tell me what this is about; I've been so anxious to know."

"Well, I convinced my Nanny to come with us on tour."

"Us? Wait, you're coming on tour?"

"Yes, as long as you approve of two kids tagging along."

"Of course! Is Britt okay with it, though?"

I sighed, "You've missed a lot."

While we headed towards her house, I filled her in on everything she'd missed.

She didn't ask if I was okay like everyone else.

There was no placating or taking sides.

"I thank God that you both will have time away to gain some perspective."

"Me too."

"Merry Christmas, Satan."

"Merry Christmas to you too, Aretha."

"We're going to show them who the best singers from Ohio are...I'm so excited!"

"Thanks for this."

"He may not come when you want him, Santana, but God will be there right on time. You'll see, after this tour, there won't be any stopping you."