Hope you enjoy.
Next chapter is in the works and it will probably be the Christmas chapter.
Let me know what you think.
Thanks,
Lauren.
Monday again, but the weather had become a little colder, and Quinn thought about how underrated Fall in New York was. Everyone was so obsessed with Christmas time in the big apple, that hardly anyone ever mentions how beautiful it is when the leaves change and fall on the busy sidewalks, and Central Park becomes covered in a mix of yellow, red and brown. The air is a little crisper, and the city seems a little more like home.
It was still early morning when Quinn and Rachel decided to go for a walk. Beth was in school, and they had until 3'oclock to spend alone. The two women strolled hand in hand, stopping occasionally to window shop.
"Have you given anymore thought to my idea about Beth's birthday present?" Rachel asked Quinn hopefully
"Yeah, Ray I'm still unsure, a dog is a big responsibility" Quinn answered
"O come on, I promise I'll take really good care of it, I'll feed it and walk it..."
Quinn pulled her girlfriend closer to her, wrapping her arm around Rachel's waist as they continued walking. The blonde let out a small laugh.
"What is so funny?"
"You. It sounds like YOU want a dog for YOUR birthday"
"Well, I'm certainly not opposed to the idea... okay, fine, I want one, but so does Beth!"
The blond just smiled at Rachel adoringly.
"What time is it?" she asked
Rachel glanced at her watch. "Almost eleven, why?"
"I think there is an animal shelter not far from here, it couldn't hurt to look"
"REALLY?" Rachel nearly knocked her girlfriend down as she jumped into her arms.
"Yes, come on, lets go diva Doolittle"
"I'm so happy I'm going to pretend you didn't say that" Rachel said playfully.
It was only a few blocks over, and Rachel was giddy the entire walk there. The shelter was a little dark, a little noisy, and very depressing. Cages lined the wall, and barking could be heard in the small shop. The woman at the counter was disinterested with the two women's presence.
"Dogs are in the cages to the right, Cats to the left. Adoption fee is $50 dollars, shots are included, you spay or nueter it yourself" She called from behind her magazine.
Rachel gave Quinn a concerned look, but they continued towards the dogs, to take a closer look. Some were laying down quietly while others were jumping at their cage door begging for attention.
"This is so sad" Rachel leaned in and whispered to Quinn
"Yeah, there are so many of them" Quinn replied.
They kept walking down the line of dogs, stopping to pet a few through the metal barrier.
"Oh Quinn come look" Rachel said pointing to a pair of small light brown puppies.
"Those are beagle hound mixes" A soft voice came from behind them
The girls turned around to find a petite blonde woman. "They are brother and sister, they just came in last week, someone found them living around a dumpster" the woman continued. "They are pretty calm actually, and very attached to each other. They can hardly stay in separate cages, so I put them together"
"How old are they?" Quinn asked sticking her hand in front of the two puppies and letting them lick her.
"They aren't more than a few months. I'm Theresa by the way, I'm the vet who volunteers here. They need all the help they can get" she said "do you want to hold them?"
"YES" Rachel answered quickly and Theresa opened the cage carefully picking up each dog and handing one to Rachel and one to Quinn.
The puppies seemed happier now that they were being held, and Quinn could tell that Rachel was now attached, and it would take a miracle to get her to leave without them.
"Rach, we need to go if we are going to get Beth from school" Quinn said
"Okay, can we come back though?" She asked hopeful
"Sure" Quinn said, thinking that Rachel was adorable.
They handed Theresa the dogs, and Quinn thought that Rachel might cry when the heavy metal door to the cage was closed and shut loudly.
"Come on sweatheart, lets go get Beth. We have a whole week to figure out what to get her for her birthday" and with that Quinn grabbed a hold of Rachel's hand and led her outside, and into, what now seemed like a somber Fall afternoon.
It was finally here, Beth's birthday, and the now eleven year old was searching around the house, looking for any clues of what her birthday present might be.
Quinn was finishing her coffee at the kitchen table, watching the little girl search under the couch. When she caught her eye she signed "what are you looking for?"
Beth paused, clearly searching for an excuse. "My hat" she signed back. Quinn gave a knowing smirk.
"Let's go, it's almost time for school" Quinn signed and then got up to put her cup in the sink.
"I don't want to go, its my birthday" she signed, a small frown crossing her face.
"I know but its also a Monday" Quinn countered and handed the girl her bookbag.
Quinn felt bad dropping the sulking girl off at school, but Beth perked right up when she saw a group of her friends.
When she got back home, Rachel was in the kitchen already baking the little girl's birthday cake. She was wearing a light blue dress and a frilly white apron.
"Smells good in here" Quinn said coming up behind the brunette and wrapping her arms around her.
"Are you talking about me, or the cake?" She asked playfully, both.
"Both. Did you pick up Beth's present?" Yeah, they guy assembled it, and I put it in her room. A bike was a much more practical idea, you were right"
"Yeah, I think she'll really like it. I'm going to run a few errands, get some decorations, do you need anything?" Quinn asked
"No, I would come with you, but I can't leave the cake in the oven" Rachel said
So out the door Quinn went to set up her big surprise.
The time had finally come, Rachel and Beth were coming in the door, and Quinn was sitting quietly on the couch.
"Quinn, you're back!" Rachel said "Did you finish all of your errands? you were gone for a while"
Quinn just smile and nodded, walking over to give her girls a hug and kiss hello.
"Do I get my present now?" Beth signed.
Quinn looked to Rachel for a sign of approval, and when the brunette nodded yes Quinn signed "It's in your room"
Rachel watched as Beth ran to her room and then said to Quinn "She's going to be so surprised"
"She's not the only one" was the sneaky reply she got from the blond
Rachel gave her a confused look, and then she saw Beth run out of her room holding a familiar puppy with a pink bow on her collar. Rachel mirrored Beth's look of surprise and excitement
"A DOG!" Rachel and Beth signed almost in sync.
Quinn could only laugh as the Rach and Beth were petting the new addition.
Rachel stood up, wrapping her arms around the blond, and pulling back to kiss her "I thought you said no to the dog idea."
"I wanted it to be a surprise for you too" Quinn admitted
"This is wonderful, but Quinn what about the brother puppy? I thought the vet said they were inseperable"
Quinn smiled and walked over to her and Rachel's bedroom door and when she opened it, another small puppy came running out.
"QUINN! This is amazing!"
Beth looked up, and the smile on her face when she saw the second puppy running towards her was priceless.
"What are we going to name them?" Quinn signed to the little girl who now had a thoughtful look on her face.
"Honey and Bear" she signed, and let the two puppies climb on her and lick her face.
Quinn had always felt that she had missed out on so many things in Beth's life, but it was moments like these that made her feel like she was making that time up.