Chapter Six
First of all an apology- this chapter was supposed to be up last week but I forgot and kept forgetting until I was in a place where I couldn't update and then I remembered only to forget when I got home- so sorry! Thank you for all the support you guys have given me- you guys are the best!
Enjoy
"When did you open this shop?" Puck asked accepting the mug of hot chocolate Quinn offered him; the others had all retired to bed early leaving the two to enjoy the evening together.
"Rachel and Santana forced my parents to buy this for me when they threw me out when I was pregnant with Beth when I finished college." Quinn sat down next to him crossing her legs under her. "I had no idea what to do with my life so I temped in café for ages where I met Tina and we decided that we could do this. Tina's always been good at the business side of things and I've been making chocolates since about eight when my mum taught me."
"Why did your parents throw you out?" He was treading on dangerous ground he knew and wasn't sure how she would react.
"They're very Christian." Quinn explained sipping her drink although he didn't fail to see her grip on her mug tighten. "And being pregnant outside of a marriage was about the biggest sin I could commit especially as I wasn't even in a relationship."
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault." She waved it away effortlessly clearly having heard this many times before. "You're Jewish aren't you?"
"Yeah but not a very committed one." He admitted slightly sheepishly. "I guess I kind of gave up on all that when my dad left us; didn't seem very fair and I kind of stopped believing, my mom and sister are though."
"I didn't know your dad left you?" Quinn sounded surprised but was evidently feeling comfortable with the situation and leant her head against his shoulder.
"When I was seven…"
"Beth's age." Quinn breathed softly out of instinct more and waved him on as he paused.
"He left to go and try and be a rockstar and never came back; mom never heard from him again." His voice hardened at the end and she squeezed his hand gently.
"So when did you meet Finn?" She changed the subject to a lighter one and was rewarded with a genuine grin.
"When we were ten, he was new to the area and he joined my class. And my friend Sam dragged him along to football and we were partnered together."
"And the chaos began." Quinn teased; he gave her an innocent look. "I've heard stories from Rach; paint on top of her front door so when she opened it she was coated in green."
"And she didn't talk to Finn for a week." Puck snickered as Quinn smacked his arm. "What a drama queen!"
"She's not that bad." Quinn defended her before erupting into giggles as Puck gave her a pointed look. "Ok she is; a week's nothing; she and Santana didn't talk for a month in senior year over a song choice in glee club."
"You were in glee club?"
"Yeah; losers of the school but we loved it, especially Rachel well only when she got the solos."
"You were losers because you were in glee club?" Puck sounded surprised. "They were like top of the food chain in our school."
"Yeah got slushied everyday for it, only recognition we got. Where you in glee club then?"
"Yeah, how did you know?"
"You look someone who would be at the top of the school." She snorted.
"Thank you." He took on a posh tone and bowed his head at the compliment as they both laughed. "What do you mean slushied?"
"We got slushies in the face every day, you know the ice drinks. Just a status of our loserness."
"You're not a loser." Puck changed to a more serious voice. "You're beautiful, a wonderful mother and person and a great singer."
"Thank you;" Quinn blushed shyly at the compliment and ignored his attempts to catch her eye until something about what he had said had caught her attention and she focused in on that. "When have you heard me sing?"
It was Puck's turn to blush. "I heard you singing to Beth when you put her to bed; you've got a beautiful voice."
"Thank you." she smiled at him meeting his eyes shyly. "Do you still sing now?"
"Yeah; often Rach drags the four of us into rehearsing with her for her shows and Finn and I started a band with our friends Sam and Artie."
"Wow." Quinn sounded impressed. "Do you play anything then?"
"Guitar; so do Artie and Sam, Finn plays the drums."
"Do you do gigs and things?" She asked curiously curling into his side as her exhaustion hit her, she was too tired to care about the fact she had only known him for a few days.
"Yeah; whenever we can in bars and places; you'll have to come up and hear us."
"That'd be great; we're coming up to stay Rachel, and I guess now Finn, in the summer to see her in her new show." She yawned again and felt her eyelids drooping.
Five minutes later they were both asleep.
"Do you think we should wake them up?" Beth whispered loudly while Rachel shushed her. The five stood in front of the couch where Puck and Quinn were still asleep. Beth had woken up and decided to go and get her mother up too when she had spotted the two and woken the other four instead.
"No; they look cute and I think they both need some sleep too." Rachel whispered as Puck shifted slightly but stayed asleep. He had slumped into a lying position and Quinn had gone with him, using his shoulder as a pillow, and both his arms were around her.
"I'll get you ready for school and we'll all go out for breakfast and then go onto school. Go and get changed and we'll buy you lunch. Is your bag packed?" Beth nodded as they scattered to get themselves sorted.
The two must have been tired as in ten minutes the door was closed behind them a note left on the table and Beth took Finn and Kurt's hands and dragged them down the stairs while Blaine and Rachel set a more gentle pace, Blaine carrying the school bag.
"Where are we going for breakfast?" Beth asked as they stepped out into street.
"Emma's?" Rachel asked receiving an enthusiastic nod. It was only a short walk away and also on the way to the school and so it was an ideal location and Emma knew them both well.
"Emma!" Beth burst into the café and was swept into a hug by the ginger.
"Beth." She greeted. "What have you done with your mother?" she asked straightening back up and taking in her company mouthing a hello at Rachel.
"She's sleeping with Puck?" Beth informed her while Finn and Blaine stifled their laughter as Emma's eyebrows shot up.
"Just sleeping." Rachel reassured. "Puck's Finn's best friend." She gestured to the tall man laughing. "They were up late last night talking and fell asleep on the couch."
"Aww." Emma smiled. "Do we think something's going to happen?"
"We do." Kurt stepped forward and so the introductions began while Beth wandered over to a table, choosing her seat and then started to read the menu to make her choice for her breakfast. Eventually the five were seated around the table.
"How can you eat such a lot?" Kurt shook his head in exasperation at his brother who was shovelling mouthfuls of pancake into his mouth with a stack on his plate.
"How can you eat so little?" Finn countered casting a dark look at Kurt's fruit salad and then stealing a piece of Blaine's bacon who shook his head smiling at the brotherly banter.
"Every time." Rachel sighed laughing with Blaine while Kurt accused Finn of having a bad influence over Beth who was chewing happily on chocolate chip pancakes. "You think they'd have learnt to let it go by now; every meal time they try to understand the other's eating habits."
"It does get a bit repetitive." Blaine agreed and then smiled sweetly at Kurt who glared at him having heard the comment.
"Why were Mommy and Puck sleeping on the couch?" Beth interrupted before an argument could break out.
"They were talking there last night and probably just fell asleep." Rachel replied taking a sip of coffee.
"Do you think Puck will become my Daddy?" The others looked up sharply surprised that she had taken that much notice of the flirting between the two and their own side comments and conversations.
"Why do you say that?" Kurt asked carefully.
"Cos Mommy loves him and he loves her back." Beth explained in the tone of someone speaking to a three year old. "It's the same way you and Uncle Blaine and Aunty Rachel and Uncle Finn look each other. And Aunty Brittany and Santana and Uncle Mike and Aunty Tina."
"How many Uncles and Aunts does she have?" Finn whispered to Rachel.
"Anyone who is close to her." Rachel whispered back.
"You're very observant for a seven year old." Blaine commented to the school girl who shrugged. Being an only child and with a very busy mother she was often content to just watch people especially those she knew.
"We should get you to school?" Rachel broke up the conversation sending a proud look Beth's way. Beth smiled at her and bounced off her seat as Rachel went to pay the bill.
"How can she like school that much?" Finn muttered to Kurt as Beth grabbed Blaine's hand dragging him out the shop meeting up with Rachel at the door, the two brothers following at a more leisurely pace.
"It's because she's clever." Kurt smirked. "Not all of us struggled with the five times table." Finn scowled at him and jogged to catch up with people who had yet to hear one of his mother's favourite embarrassing stories.
The sunlight bouncing off the ceiling awoke Puck and he attempted to sit up but was prevented by the body curled up next to him. Quinn's head was lying on his shoulder her hair streamed out around her head and in his opinion had never looked more beautiful.
The slight movement of his own awakening led to Quinn waking too and her eyes flew open blearily gazing at Puck. "Morning." She mumbled sleepily.
"Morning." He smiled back releasing her from his grip so they could both sit up.
"Shit!" Quinn yelped as her eyes fell on the clock. "Beth's late for school." She attempted to scramble to her feet but ended up sprawled across Puck's chest who was now regarding her with an amused look on his face.
"I think they've taken her; it doesn't sound as if anyone else is in." Quinn stopped, listening and then nodded. She finally managed to get off the couch and wandered over to the kitchen.
"You're right." She called as he stood up stretching. "Rach left a note; they took Beth out for breakfast and to school."
"You see you can relax."
"Not really; I've got a shop to open." She told him rolling her eyes. "I'm going to shower and change."
"Me too." Puck agreed gathering things and moving in the direction towards the bathroom that Finn and Rachel were using. "Then we can have breakfast and I'll open the shop while you start in the kitchen."
Quinn stopped at her bedroom door and smiled at him. "Thank you."
"We're back." Rachel sung bursting into the shop earning a rolling of the eyes from Puck who was serving a customer who gave her an odd look.
"Morning." Finn smirked at his best friend stepping aside to let the customer pass out the shop. "Sleep well?"
"Fine thank you." Puck chose not to rise to the teasing. "Now get your ass over here to help me. Quinn's out the back." He told the others.
"Good morning." Rachel grinned at her best friend.
"Morning." Quinn ignored the teasing look on Rachel's face and slung an apron at her instead. "Thank you for taking Beth to breakfast and school."
"No problem." Blaine shrugged. "What can we do to help?" The kitchen already looked chaotic with ingredients and equipment everywhere but in reality it was incredibly organised. Quinn smiled gratefully at him and set the three of them to work.
"So what was up with you and Quinn last night?" Finn asked hoisting himself to sit up on the counter. In the middle of the morning of a weekday the shop was hardly busy and so he was taking the opportunity to question Puck over the night before.
"Nothing." He waved the question away pretending to be very interested in the newspaper Blaine had bought earlier that morning.
"So why are you blushing?" Finn refused to comply his with his friend's obvious wish to drop the subject instead opting to question more.
"I'm not." Puck denied weakly turning his back to Finn so his red cheeks could no longer be seen.
"You like her." Finn crowed triumphantly while Puck rolled his eyes.
"Haven't we been over this?" He snapped.
"Not in so many words." Finn was used to the tone of voice and let it slide. "I'm just a very observant person; it's obvious even Beth's realised."
That got his attention and he lowered the paper and whipped his head round to face Finn. "Beth?"
"Yeah she said this morning at breakfast. You're not exactly subtle when it comes to falling in love."
"I am not falling in love." Puck glared. "I just like her." There was an expectant pause in which Finn raised his eyebrows and folded his arms. "A lot." Puck sighed relenting. "Not that she feels that way."
Finn gave him an exasperated look wondering if their roles had been reversed not being used to being the more intelligent one. "Are you blind?" He demanded. "She's so obviously falling for you; every conversation you have is a basically flirting, she trusts you, you've gone to sleep together twice. And Beth thinks she likes you. That girl is way too observant." He muttered as an aside.
Puck remained silent mulling things over and slightly unused to being the one receiving advice on girls. "So are you going to do something?"
"Do something about what?" Quinn appeared in the doorway through that linked the kitchen and the shop.
"Nothing." The two answered together and then Finn sniggered as the two met each other's eyes and blushed. "What have you got there?" Finn asked looking at the box in Quinn's arms.
"Raspberry Truffles." She answered setting it down on the counter and nudging Finn off. "Can you shelf them over there." She nodded her head in the direction she wanted.
"Sure." Puck ripped the box open and taking several bags over to the shelves walking past Quinn without even a glance in her direction. She looked hurt as he passed, sent Finn a small smile in response to the concerned look he sent her and disappeared back to the kitchen.
"What was that about?" Finn snapped once the door had shut behind Quinn.
"Nothing." He replied sharply shoving chocolates onto the shelf with more violence than necessary. Finn rolled his eyes but let the subject drop resolving to bring it back up if Puck continued with the temperamental behaviour.
"I still need a costume for Alice's party." Beth reminded her mother that evening as she sat around the table eating dinner. They had all squeezed round the table and scheming on Rachel and Kurt's part had forced Quinn and Puck to sit next to each other in such close proximity that their elbows brushed every time they moved.
While Quinn had tried to make conversation with him he had shot down all attempts with one word answers refusing to meet her eyes until she eventually gave up and ate her chicken in silence. The tension between the two had grown increasingly so that the others were finding it hard to keep the momentum of the conversation.
Quinn's head snapped up and she broke away from her internal monologue discussing Puck's sudden shift in behaviour. "That's tomorrow isn't it?" She groaned. "I completely forgot about that."
"What are we going to do?" Beth was starting to panic now. "We need to buy her a birthday present too."
"And all the shops are closed on Friday night now." Quinn sighed glancing at the fridge where the invitation was casually stuck. "Although we can get her something tomorrow morning; you don't have to be there until two."
"What are you going as?" Finn asked through a mouthful of food earning a disgusted look from Rachel and a kick under the table from Kurt.
"I don't know." Beth wailed swallowing her last mouthful and dropping her cutlery down on her plate with a loud clatter. Quinn sent Rachel a desperate look and she quickly stepped in.
"How about you go as one of the Disney princesses."
"But everyone's going as one of them." She protested looking on the verge of tears.
"Someone from Harry Potter?"
"What about someone from the Narnia series." Her mother suggested as Beth pulled a face at the Harry Potter suggestion; although she loved the series none of the characters were very exciting to dress up as.
"I could go as Mrs Beaver." Her face lit up at the thought.
"I don't know if I can make a Mrs Beaver costume." Quinn bit her lip not wanting to disappoint her but seeing no other way; her creative skills were not that good and no shop in Lima would sell a beaver costume.
Beth's face fell immediately until Kurt spoke. "I can."
"Thank you Uncle Kurt." Beth squealed throwing her arms around him knocking a glass of water over at the same time which Finn caught effortlessly before it hit the floor and smashed.
"Are you sure?" Quinn asked quietly standing up to get a cloth to wipe away the water.
"I'd love too." Kurt assured her laughing as Beth rambled on to thin air about how amazing it would be.
"You should see him with a sewing machine." Blaine laughed. "Sometimes I think he loves it more than he loves me." Kurt raised an eyebrow while Puck snorted quietly.
"I don't think you'll love mine; it's ancient." Quinn sighed. "You might not get far."
"So is mom's." Finn added. "And Kurt made his prom outfit on it."
Rachel and Quinn stared at him impressed. Kurt merely shrugged waving off their amazement. "What can I say I'm a man of many talents."
Thanks for reading- hope you're all having a good beginning of summer (or whatever season it is where you are). Please leave your thoughts and I will do my best to have the next chapter up next Sunday- it's written.
Thanks- Tacxxx