This is just a small story to help me in my current writer's block for my other stories. So for those reading 'Is Love Enough' and 'No Way' I shall work on them as well as 'Never Alone' and Love Lost Then Found.' Bare with me please.
A/N: I own nothing. but two OCs Joanna and Liv.
Enjoy :)
CHAPTER 5
Santana watched Puck and Rachel leave together. She had noticed something about both of them that day. She had passed Puck in the crowded hall and had gotten a whiff of something that was not Puck. He smelt like flowers. Then in Glee when Rachel was dancing around the room she caught a whiff of the exact same smell. And Rachel had just broken up with Finn and Puck performed that song with her. The gears were turning.
Brittany had blown her off that afternoon because her mother asked that she show Rory around more of the town. So Santana had free time.
She got in her car and trailed behind them. She was shocked when they parked in front of the local flower shop. It was the popular one in town. Mr. Hadley was the best when it came to flowers and the language of them. He passed away two years ago and left the shop to a girl he thought of his own. The rumor was that the girl's family kicked her out for being gay. Another rumor was that her parents just dropped her on him.
She watched as Puck and Rachel walked inside and hugged who she presumed was the owner. She got out of her car and walked in.
"Satan?" Puck asked.
"Nice to see you too Puckerman." Santana huffed.
"Dr. Lopez's girl?" Joanna asked as Rachel and Puck nodded. "Well then welcome, I'm Joanna Hadley." Joanna said. "But if you treat my cousin with any kind of disrespect here I will kick you out." Joanna warned.
"Your cousin owns this place?" Santana asked.
"Yep." Rachel answered. "Mr. Hadley was her paternal grandfather. It was some big family scandal when my uncle found out."
"Dad wanted nothing to do with him and mom thought it would be nice for them to get to know each other. They fought then work started stressing them out and the next thing you know I'm in the crossfire of a bad divorce. Gramps pulled me out of it by taking me in, I even took his name." Joanna finished grabbing a box from under the counter. "Your dad had this called in. I'll let him know you picked it up." Joanna said as Santana picked up the card hanging from the ribbon. She smiled.
'To my wonderful and beautiful wife. Te amo.'
"Your father is a wonderful man. Most men send roses to the ones they love. But your father got her lilies of the valley."
"Aww…" Both Rachel and Puck smiled.
"What's so special about them?" Santana asked and the three frowned.
"The lily of the valley means sweetness, tears of the Virgin Mary, return to happiness, humility, and you've made my life complete." Puck and Rachel recite at the same time.
Joanna sniffles and wipes an imaginary tear from her eye. "I taught them well. I am so proud."
Santana raises and eyebrow at them.
"Oh stop being dramatic babe." They turn to look at a beautiful blonde leaning against the door frame to the back room. She walks over to Joanna and kisses her cheek. "And you wonder where Rachel gets it." She teases before kissing Joanna sweetly and softly.
"Hey." Joanna pouts. "You know Uncle Hiram is the one to blame. He got Rachel obsessed with all things theater and performing."
"You're so cute." Liv giggles tapping Joanna's nose.
"Who the hell are you?" Santana asks then realizes how that might have sounded. "I mean who are you?" She asked more politely.
"Olivia Jenkins. You can call me Liv." Liv smiled.
"Santana Lopez."
"Dr. Lopez's little girl?" Liv asked and Santana nodded. "Well, I got called in on his service tonight. Should I tell him you say hi?" Liv asks and Santana nods.
"Yeah." Santana nods.
Liv kisses Joanna one more time before waving and heading to her car.
"Did you need anything else Santana?" Rachel asked.
"Yeah, A dozen of those lilies you were talking about." Santana said as Puck smiled and went to get them while Rachel grabbed the wrapping paper.
"I'm going to go get dinner, anything you two want?" Joanna asked while pulling her keys from the drawer under the register counter.
"The regular." The two answer as Joanna nods and leaves.
"You two work here?" Santana asks once Joanna is gone.
"Yes we do." Rachel smiles as Puck hands her the flowers and begins to wrap them together in a bouquet with white and yellow wrapping paper.
"Why?" Santana asks. "Your dads work at the hospital with my dad and make the same money."
"Yes, but she needed help after Liv finished med school and started her internship." Rachel said finishing the bow. She handed the flowers over to Santana.
"How much do I owe you?" Santana asks.
"We'll put it on your father's tab." Puck answered as Rachel picked up the phone and dialed.
"Hi Mr. Lopez, this is Rachel Berry, yes, Hiram and Leroy's daughter. Joanna told me to call you and let you know that Santana had come in and picked up your order. Yes, I'll tell her. You too. Goodbye." Rachel hung up.
"She didn't ask." Santana said.
"Yeah, but Joanna has memory problems." Rachel shrugged. "He told me to tell you he loves you and thank you." Rachel said.
"Got it. Thanks for this." Santana said lifting the flowers. "But if you tell anyone…" Santana trailed off as Rachel held up a hand.
"Noah and I promise not to tell anyone. And tell Brittany hello for me when you see her." Rachel smiled.
The look on Santana's face was priceless.
Rachel and Puck arrived early like they always did since Rachel hatched up this plan and Puck agreed to help. Rachel asked because she knew nothing about breaking and entering.
Puck picked the lock in no time and he placed the daffodil inside. He shut it and he and Rachel left. Right on time too. Because once they were around the corner people started arriving.
Rachel had walked with Puck to the field for his football practice and headed back to her locker. She opened it and nearly jumped out of her skin when two strong arms wrapped around her. Before she could start panicking a voice made her calm. Or at least assured that she wasn't going to be harmed.
"Britt, put her down, she looks ready to have a heart attack." Santana said as the dancer placed Rachel back on her feet.
"Sorry if I scared you. I just wanted to thank you. I love the flowers you guys gave San." Brittany said as Rachel nodded.
"She chose them. I just wrapped them." Rachel said and Brittany hugged her properly this time.
"You still helped and I love them." Brittany beamed. "When are you going to tell Quinn you're the one leaving flowers in her locker?"
Rachel paled.
Rachel fidgeted in her seat as she watched Santana pace and rant.
"How could I not see this?" She shouted throwing her hands up in the empty choir room. "It was so obvious. She kept picking on you and shit and you never held a grudge. You dated her boyfriends because it was the closest thing to her. How could I not see this?"
"Awe this one's sweet." Brittany smiled pointing to the list.
After explaining to the two the plan Santana asked (demanded) that Rachel make a list of what flower she sent, their meaning and whatever else she had said to the now pink haired girl.
Santana read it. 'The variegated tulip. It means beautiful eyes and for you that meaning rings true.' She wrinkled her nose. "Barf Berry. How did you know Q likes that mushy stuff?"
"I don't. I was being romantic. Every girl deserves to be wooed Santana." Rachel said as Puck walked in.
"Why is it important that we are missing class? You never miss class." He points out looking at Rachel then at Santana defensively.
"Chill Puck. We know about what you and Berry here have been doing and we want in." Santana said as Brittany nodded enthusiastically and Rachel looked at her with wide eyes. "Yeah. We all want the old Quinn back. Well the one before the pink hair and smoking. Yeah she's badass but this is Quinn we're talking about. and why are you looking at me that way?" Santana demanded crossing her arms.
"I'm surprised that you actually care about someone other than yourself and Brittany." Rachel said.
"Yeah, well. I care. But if you tell anyone no one will ever find your body Berry." Santana said and Rachel nodded. She had no doubt that Santana could manage that. "The same goes for you Puckerman." Santana warned and Puck just smiled.
They all stuck their heads around the corner as Quinn opened her locker. Class started in five minutes and the blonde was running late. They watched as her smile lit up as she picked up the note.
Quinn's small smile flew into a full blown one. 'The daffodil has four meanings but the only meaning I want you to know right now is that the sun is always shining when I'm with you. You may not know it but even just being in your presence makes me feel that way.'
The bell rang and Quinn decided against going to class. She hadn't received a text message since the dandelions.
"She's not going to class." Santana frowned. "I thought she always goes to class when you send her one of those. I mean she went to glee."
"She usually does, but I also text her." Rachel said waving a phone that was not her own in the air.
"Whose is that?" Santana asked.
"Joanna's, she got that buy one get one free if you open a new service plan and open two lines. She was going to keep one as a personal and the other for the flower shop. And she does." Rachel said. "She lent it to me to do this though." Rachel said as she sent the text and they watched Quinn pull out her phone.
"What did you send?" Brittany asked taking the phone. "'Class is the other way.'"
"How do you avoid launching into Berry speak?" Santana asks and frowns when she doesn't get a reaction from Rachel.
"Noah checks it and revises it." Rachel answers.
"I was expecting her to tell me how good grammar is important and text speak is barbaric or something like that." Santana said.
"I've been helping her out." Puck says as a message pops up on the Blackberry screen.
"She replied." Brittany squealed and the three brunettes of the group snapped their heads up and ducked around the corner when they saw Quinn tense up and turn. Santana grabbed Brittany and they pressed their backs flush against the wall.
Rachel looked at the message. 'Yes, it's not every day someone leaves you flowers and cute notes. It is also kinda scary since I don't know who you are or how you get them into my locker.'
They hear footsteps approaching and run into the closest bathroom.
"Ewww!" Brittany, Santana and Rachel groan as they realize they ran into the boys bathroom.
"Does it always smell like this here?" Santana asked and Puck nodded.
"This is why I use the girls' bathroom. It doesn't smell and it's cleaner." Puck said as they pulled open the door a crack and checked to see if it was clear.
"We're good." Santana said.
"But where will we hide till class gets out?" Rachel asked.
"Follow me." Santana said leading them out.
They ended up in the tech booth of the auditorium.
"No one comes in here unless it's one of us practicing or if it's the band." Santana said shutting and locking the door.
"So how do you usually do this?" Santana asks.
"We get a flower, Noah breaks into the locker places it and the note inside and we leave." Rachel says. "But I also send messages to help get her back to the Quinn we know and love." Rachel said. "Getting her to class is the start. I don't know how many times I can get her to glee." Rachel frowned.
"Is that why you work at the flower shop?" Santana asked.
"No. Liv finished Med school and moved out here to be with Joanna and once her internship started Joanna needed help so Noah and I offered and she pays Puck full time and me part time." Rachel said.
"I can see the family love." Santana muttered.
"I don't need the money Santana. Shelby however offered to let Puck and Quinn be a part of Beth's life. Quinn refused but Noah has decided to shape up and getting a real job was part of it." Rachel said.
"Lima doesn't have that many pools." Puck adds. "Plus she was really cool about it. I get paid full time when we only work part time." He grins. "And we were working at the flower shop long before Rachel hatched up this plan." Puck said.
"Ducks hatch." Brittany put in and Brittany smiled at her. "Ooh! Does your cousin have ducks?"
Rachel gave her a small smile. She didn't know what went on in Brittany's world and it sounds crazy half the time but other times it sounded nice. "No, she has a bunch of flowers though."
After school was over Rachel, Brittany, Santana and Puck were in Joanna's flower shop putting together the next part of the plan.
Joanna was going back and forth from the backroom to backyard and to the shop.
"What other cutsie thing do you like about her?" Santana asked wrinkling her nose. She wanted her friend back and if it meant having to play nice with Rachel Berry she would.
"I complimented her eyes, smile, told her how I feel through different flowers." Rachel mused.
"Well we can find some that compliment her even more, like her voice and hair right?" Puck asked.
Joanna walked back into the shop and rolled her eyes when she saw Puck leaning against the register counter and the two cheerios sitting on the counter with Rachel sitting on the stool in front of them.
"She draws really well." Brittany pointed out.
"Yeah. We rarely get a peek into her sketch book but Britt found one while we were at a sleepover and the things she draws are perfect." Santana said.
Rachel scribbled in her notebook.
Joanna walked back in and threw her hands up before turning and leaving.
"Ok, well Joanna has a list of what flowers are here and…" Rachel was cut off by two aprons flying past her face and hitting the two cheerios.
Joanna shoved a bucket of flowers into Puck's arms and held a clipboard out at Rachel. "I pay you two to work, not chat. So if you plan on doing that for the rest of the afternoon you guys could at least work." Joanna said.
Brittany beamed as she put the apron on. "What can I do?"
"I have some orders that need to be put together." Joanna said handing the list to Brittany. Brittany smiled and went to work on them.
"What am I supposed to do?" Santana asked as Brittany helped her into the apron.
"You can help Brittany or lift inventory and sort with Puck or clean with Rachel." Joanna answered.
"Why am I cleaning?" Rachel asked sweeping up leaves and petals.
"Because I said so." Joanna said. "Now you have some choices. There is the Primrose. That means I can't live without you. A hibiscus rose, which means delicate beauty. Or a white or blue violet." Joanna said.
"Which mean?" Santana asked and Puck answered as he carried in a pine.
"The white means let's take a chance." He grunts placing the pine down.
"And the blue means watchfulness, faithfulness and I'll always be true." Rachel finished as she swept up the pine needles that fell.
"Why do you have a pine tree?" Santana asked.
"Christmas!" Brittany beamed looking up from her work.
Joanna smiled. "The pine stands for hope or pity. It depends on the occasion really." Joanna looked at the bouquet Brittany just wrapped up. "That's beautiful." Joanna said inspecting the wrap and bow around the dozen of red and white roses mixed.
"I just made it look like our school colors." Brittany shrugged as Joanna tapped the red and white paper and they were all held together by a thin black piece of silk tied into an intricate bow. Brittany had even cut the paper so it fit like a pattern. Red then white and it continued.
"Thank you." Brittany looked at the flowers. "What does it mean?"
"Unity." Rachel, Puck and Joanna answered in unison.
"They're for a wedding." Joanna said. "The maid of honor is supposed to pick them up."
"So which flower are we giving her?" Puck asked.
"I say the rose." Santana said as Puck plucked it from the bucket. "She's delicate right now but beautiful." She shrugged as Rachel pulled out the note card and wrote the note.
"What does it say?" Brittany asked picking it up. "'The hibiscus rose means delicate beauty. You're as delicate as you are beautiful. I wish to be the one to keep you safe and remind you how beautiful you are every day.' Awww!"
Rachel blushed.
Review please.
I promise to get back to my other stories. This is a short one. Only a few chapters long. Eight to Ten at the most.