A/N: Hi readers! Have I told you lately how much you rock? No? Well you do. Very much so. Not much Mama Lopez in this chapter. Fair warning, but I think you'll dig her hubby. Don't worry though, Mama Lopez will be back in full force next chapter. She can't stand to be on the sidelines too long. She's bossy that way :). Thank you again for all your reviewing, but a special shout out to all of you that just quietly set alerts and favorites. I see you and I thank you very much. Big thank you to my beta Slayhue! Give her love on Twitter yo!
Santana's knuckles whitened in Brittany's hand as the plane took off from Columbus. Her father sat on her left, stretching his legs down the aisle and placed his hand over Santana's on the armrest. Santana felt the sweat forming between her and Brittany's clutched palms, and her father's thumb graze over the back over hand. Brittany watched Santana close her eyes and silently mouth a prayer. Brittany asked her what she was saying on their New York trip the prior year, but Santana wouldn't say. So Brittany just watched her lips slightly move as she repeated a phrase over and over as they ascended into the evening sky.
Santana's grip loosened as the plane leveled off, and she could smell the coffee brewing for the refreshment cart. Brittany eyes were gazing steadily upon Santana's face and Santana could feel it. Santana turned to see Brittany with a smile on her lips and concern in her eyes.
"Better?" Brittany whispered.
"Yeah," Santana nodded.
"Good, because look," Brittany said, as she tugged Santana's hand across her lap, forcing her to look out the window.
"Have you ever seen fireworks from the sky before?" Brittany asked, her mouth agape as her breath fogged up the window.
"Wow. That's amazing," Santana gasped. "Papi, come look," Santana pulled at his hand.
Dr. Lopez switched seats with Brittany and he watched city fireworks from 30,000 feet.
"And you were mad we were missing the fireworks back home," he smiled and returned to his aisle seat.
He watched and smiled as Santana leaned over Brittany to see the fireworks below. Brittany ran her palm slowly up and down his daughter's back. Brittany was always gentle and soothing to his too-wound-tight daughter, and he appreciated that. He could do without the leering, but it wasn't a bad trade off to see Santana happy and calm, and he knew Brittany was a big reason for that.
The fireworks died down by the time they made their descent into New York City. Even the lights of Manhattan couldn't distract Santana from the dips and turns the plane took, as it followed its flight path into LaGuardia Airport. As the wheels hit the tarmac, Santana let out a breath of relief, and whispered, "Thank you."
As the taxicab wound its way through the city streets, Dr. Lopez couldn't help but worry. He watched the neon lights reflect on Brittany and Santana's awed faces. They both craned their necks to look up at the skyscrapers. Dr. Lopez looked out the window, then back at his daughter and then back out the window. His thumb worried his wedding band around his finger. She was so young. New York was so big. So unforgiving. He wondered if he could convince her to stay in Lima. Or even just Ohio. He tried to think of the state theaters he had been to with his wife. They were good shows, he mused. Santana could act in those, or sing near home, couldn't she?
When they reached mid-town, the crowds got bigger, the lights were brighter and his hopes deflated. Santana's face lit up at the Broadway lights. He saw Brittany pull her bottom lip into her mouth as she looked in between Santana and the passing Manhattan streets. Dr. Lopez wondered if Brittany was scared of the big city. Or was she scared of failing? Maybe he could convince Brittany to stay in Ohio, and then she would convince Santana to stay. Dr. Lopez mulled over his possible powers of persuasion over his daughter's girlfriend. He wavered between intimidation and concerned cautionary tales.
Dr. Lopez picked a hotel away from the main tourist hub. One of his colleagues recommended a small boutique hotel in a more residential neighborhood. Close enough to all their appointments but far enough away from the hustle and bustle. Dr. Lopez always liked visiting New York, but he preferred peace and quiet, especially at night. He wondered how Santana would adjust, after growing up in sleepy Lima. He added earplugs to the mental list of things he was going to buy her before she moved.
Two blocks from the hotel, they passed a line of cafes, restaurants and bars. Diners sat outside on wrought iron chairs in the warm July 4th night. The sidewalks bustled with diners, drinkers and passersby. Santana nudged Brittany and pointed out the window. Dr. Lopez turned his head, just enough to follow Santana's eye line to the rainbow flags swaying in the light breeze. There were three of them hanging outside a café, a bookstore and a bar all on one block. Brittany's smiled and gave his daughter a slight nod and squeezed her hand.
Dr. Lopez returned his gaze out his own window and his thumb returned to spinning his wedding band. He let out a sigh through pursed lips and nodded to himself. New York City may be big, and scary. Santana may fail at acting or singing and come home with her tail tucked between her legs in defeat. But he couldn't make her stay in Lima. Santana might not be good enough for New York, but Lima would never be good enough for Santana. Or fair enough. At least in New York, his daughter could be herself fully and freely. Part of Dr. Lopez saddened at the idea that she would leave him. But the other part was really looking forward to meeting his daughter when she is everything she is and everything she is supposed to be.
Santana opened her and Brittany's hotel room to find two double beds. Brittany followed behind her a let out a giggle.
"Your dad's cute," Brittany smiled.
"My dad is…" Santana shook her head.
"He's your dad. He means well," Brittany said.
Brittany took Santana's bag and threw it on the bed near the door, followed by hers unceremoniously tossed next to it. Santana pulled the curtains back and looked out the window. She could see into apartments in the next building and looked up to the tree filled balcony of a penthouse.
"I wonder what kind of job you have to have to live there," Brittany mused as she snaked her arms around Santana's waist from behind, resting her chin on Santana's shoulder.
Brittany looked over to an apartment window across the alley.
"You can see what show they're watching," she observed. "I like their couch."
"We're going to need good curtains," Santana decided.
A knock at the door pulled Brittany away from Santana.
"Who is it?" Santana called.
"Just me," she heard her father from the hallway.
Brittany opened the door and showed him in.
"Room okay?" he asked, seeing the suitcases all on one bed. His eyes quickly darted back to his daughter.
"Yeah, it's great. Thanks Dad," Santana replied.
"Where's your room?" Brittany asked.
"Across the hall, two doors down. Room 1515," Dr. Lopez answered. "I'm going to head down to the lobby bar. They have snacks down there. You girls want to come? Are you hungry?"
Santana looked at Brittany, and Brittany simply shrugged. "I'm okay. Big day tomorrow," Santana replied.
"Yeah, me too. I need get through a couple more chapters of Lord of the Flies," Brittany added.
"Okay. If you need anything, you know where I am. How's 8 for breakfast tomorrow?"
"Sure thing Papi. Thanks," Santana said, ushering her father out to the door.
"Night girls. See you in the morning," he replied with a weak wave as the door shut on his face.
Dr. Lopez returned from the bar with his scotch in hand. He paused in front of his daughter's room; then walked quickly to his own. He didn't hear anything and didn't want to.
"How was your flight," Maribel asked over the phone.
"Good. No turbulence. Everything was on time. Which is a first for me, in at least a year," Dr. Lopez chuckled.
"How did Santana do?"
"Better than last time. Brittany helped. She held her hand and then they spent a good hour watching the fireworks out the window," Dr. Lopez replied as he kicked off his shoes and relaxed on his king-size bed.
"Did you take my advice?" Maribel asked with a tone of doubt.
Dr. Lopez sighed, "Yes dear. My room is across the hall, two doors down, not next door or adjoining."
"Good boy," Maribel chuckled.
"Got them a room with two double beds though," Dr. Lopez admitted proudly.
Maribel laughed. "I love you. You sweet, naïve, silly man."
"Couldn't hurt," he shrugged.
"Well it's always nice to have an extra bed to put all your luggage on," Maribel said.
Dr. Lopez paused. "How did you know?"
"Two 18 year olds, in love, in a hotel room of their own. Do the math sweetheart."
"Can we stop talking about this now?" Dr. Lopez whined.
"Absolutely. What's the plan for tomorrow?" Maribel agreed.
"Breakfast. Brittany has her interviews in the morning and Santana's is in the afternoon. Then dinner. Then Brittany has study time," Dr. Lopez listed off.
"So what are you going to do while the girls are interviewing?"
"I'll figure something out," Dr. Lopez replied.
"You're not allowed to go with them you know," Maribel warned.
"I know, I know," Dr. Lopez sighed. "I called a car service. We're all set. I'm just going to ride along. Check out the neighborhoods they might be working in.
"Okaaaay," Maribel hesitated. "But just to see the neighborhoods."
"Just to see the neighborhoods," Dr. Lopez agreed.
After breakfast, Dr. Lopez, Santana and Brittany met the town car driver outside the coffee shop near their hotel. Brittany smiled as the old man tipped his black cap to her and held the car door open.
"It's funny," Brittany said, turning to Dr. Lopez.
"What's that Brittany?"
"Everything in New York is just like on TV. Doormen at fancy hotels, the blue paper coffee cups, and drivers in suits and caps. It's cool," Brittany shrugged, amused at her own observations. "I wonder if it ever gets old," she asked herself.
"You ready for today?" Santana asked quietly, placing her hand on Brittany's knee.
Brittany nodded. "Yeah, I've been emailing back and forth with the cheer coach and the shelter supervisor. So, I feel good about it."
Santana smiled and sat back. She was proud of how well Brittany was doing. Studying hard and the grades were proof of that. She seemed a shoe-in for the jobs. Santana just hoped her interview would go just as well. She didn't have a good back up. Or any back up. Yet.
Santana and her father saw Brittany off at the steps of the private school in the Upper West Side. With an hour to kill, Dr. Lopez motioned to an entrance to Central Park across the street. Santana smiled, nodded, and joined her father on a walk into the park. He bought her a pretzel and himself another coffee.
"Nervous about today?" Dr. Lopez asked.
Santana shrugged.
Dr. Lopez nodded in understanding.
"Ill take that as a yes," he said
"I just want to do well," Santana replied
"And Brittany?"
"I'm more nervous for her than she is for herself I'm sure," Santana sighed.
Dr. Lopez nodded again. They walked along the paved paths and sat on a bench near a duck pond. Santana tossed a few pieces of her soft pretzel to the ducks. Dr. Lopez sipped his coffee.
"I almost took a job here," Dr. Lopez said.
Santana looked over at him, surprised.
"Why didn't you?"
"I was scared," Dr. Lopez said with a little chuckle.
Santana furrowed her brow in confusion.
"What's there to be scared of?"
"It's a big city. One of the biggest. All the people, the traffic, the buildings, the noise, the crime," Dr. Lopez explained. "I like our quiet little town on our quiet little street. I like that if I forget to lock the door when I come in at night, our TV will be there the next morning, and so will we."
"You're worried about me," Santana concluded.
"I always worry about you," Dr. Lopez said with a weak smile and a shrug. "You're my only child. My smart, beautiful, talented daughter. I want your life to be easy. I want your life to be happy and full of success after success."
"What makes you think I can't have all those things in my life?" Santana asked.
Dr. Lopez spun the ring around his finger, searching for his words, or rather the right words.
"I think you can have all those things. I think you can and will be happy. I think you will have success in your career and life. But it's not always going to be like that. Jobs don't always work out how we want. Landlords don't fix your broken locks. You get sick and your mother and I aren't there to take care of you. Life's already harder for you, because, of…because of who you love," Dr. Lopez said, staring at his hands.
"It'll be easier here," Santana quietly replied.
Dr. Lopez nodded. "It will be. And I'm happy for that. For you. And Brittany."
Santana smiled, leaned into her father, and nudged him. "I can nurse a cold or flu too you know," Santana replied.
Her father nodded with a weak smile and sighed. "Let's start walking back and see how Brittany did."
Brittany sat on the steps of the private school talking with the town car driver.
He was showing Brittany pictures of his grandchildren in his wallet. He saw Dr. Lopez approach and quickly stood and donned his cap.
"To the next appointment sir?" the driver asked.
'Please," Dr. Lopez replied.
Once all three were in the back of the car and headed to the lower east side, Santana pounced, "So, how did it go?"
"Well the job part went well. I mean, the cheer coach and what I'd have to do, and the school is super nice, but I don't think I want it," Brittany sulked.
"Why not?" Dr. Lopez asked.
"What did they do?" Santana asked more pointedly.
"Nothing. Not really. When it was time to meet the girls at their cheer camp. Well, we didn't really get along," Brittany shrugged.
"What. Did. They. Do?" Santana repeated.
"Nothing. It's just that, well, you know that movie Mean Girls?"
"Of course," Santana said.
"No," Dr. Lopez replied at the same time.
"Awful bitchy girls in high school," Santana explained to her father. "Were they mean to you?" Santana asked Brittany.
"Not all of them," Brittany pouted.
"How many were nice?" Santana asked.
"One, but that's because she has a crush on me," Brittany smiled.
Santana rolled her eyes. "Britt, she's what, 12?"
"It was still cute," Brittany grinned. "She's like a little baby gay and doesn't even know it yet."
"Then how did you know she had a crush on you?" Santana asked.
"Because she kept staring at my ass," Brittany explained.
"You were showing them a routine, right? I'm sure she was just trying to learn your moves," Santana reasoned.
"No, she stared at my ass like you do," Brittany grinned. "Oh, sorry, Dr. Lopez, I didn't mean…I forgot you were here…"
Dr. Lopez waved Brittany off with an uncomfortable smile, "It's okay Brittany." It wasn't okay, but Dr. Lopez promised himself he'd work on it.
Santana tried to sink into the back seat and disappear. She huffed. It wasn't working. They soon pulled up to the animal shelter, and Brittany jumped out of the car before the driver could open the door for her.
"Come on, we're like a half hour early. Let's look at kittens!" Brittany grinned as she pulled Santana's hand and Santana out of the car.
The driver held out his hand for Santana to take, which she did and she smiled at him while being yanked by Brittany to the curb.
Santana heard the dogs bark from the front door; as they entered the animal shelter. The shelter was bright and clean. There were three rooms for cats to play and live openly. Down the hallway there was a room for puppies, a row of indoor/outdoor runs for the dogs and some roomy cages for small dogs. A roly-poly tabby kitten waddled up to a food dish inside the first cat room
"Look, a baby Lord Tubbington," Dr. Lopez chuckled. They watched the kitten nibble on some food, then clamor its way up a soft chair. "Yep, just like Lord Tubbington," Dr. Lopez said under his breath. He felt like he was losing his battle for his favorite chair with Brittany's cat. He was right, as well. He was losing it.
"Don't get too excited Britt. Most of the places we're looking at don't allow pets," Santana warned.
"Are you Brittany?" a 40-something man asked.
"Yes, I am," Brittany replied.
"Oh great, I'm Nick. Charlie's friend. I'm the guy in charge," he said holding out his hand.
Brittany shook it and introduced Santana and her father. Then followed Nick into an office.
"Want to look for a lunch place?" Dr. Lopez asked.
"Definitely. If I spend much more time here, I'm going to want to adopt a cat," Santana smirked.
When Dr. Lopez and Santana returned from their walk, they found Brittany again sitting on the steps with the driver. This time Brittany was holding a manila folder and showing the driver paperwork.
"You got the job?" Santana asked.
Brittany grinned and nodded. "It's perfect really. I'm going to be helping out around the shelter like I did back home, but they're going to train me to work with the adoption people, so I get to see and help all the cats and dogs get good homes," Brittany proudly smiled.
Santana fixed her lipstick after lunch, but checked it again and touched up her hair in the car on the way to her interview. She pressed her lips together as they pulled up outside the building.
"Good luck sweetie," Dr. Lopez said, as she reached for the door handle.
Santana nodded and gave him a closed lip smile. "See you in an hour," she said and gave Brittany a wink.
Brittany rearranged herself in the backseat of the car, stretching out her legs now that Santana was gone. Dr. Lopez fidgeted with his wedding band and let out a breath.
"Where to sir?" the driver asked.
Dr. Lopez looked over at Brittany and raised his eyebrows in question. He was hoping she would suggest something that didn't require a lot of talking. He couldn't remember a time he'd been alone with Brittany for more than a few minutes. Brittany gave him a half smile and shrugged. She was going to be alone with Santana's father for an hour, and that's never happened before. She wasn't really sure where to start. Or finish. Or Middle. Or anything. Last time she had a significant interaction with him, she was eyeing Santana's ass and he threw a dirty rag in her face. Brittany clasped her hands on her lap and looked out the car window. She was hoping he would do the grown up thing and make a decision.
"Pier 62," Dr. Lopez answered.
Brittany looked at him sideways. "Are you gonna make me walk the plank?"
"Walk the…? No, no Brittany," Dr. Lopez smiled. "The pier isn't the plank, but you'll be able to see ferries and other stuff."
Brittany got out of the car and saw the park and pier. There was a dog park, batting cages and in the distance she saw it: a carousel.
"New York does have it all, doesn't it," Brittany said in wonder.
Dr. Lopez chuckled and shook his head. "Seems like it, doesn't it?"
Brittany and Dr. Lopez walked along the pier, taking in the sights and sounds. Brittany walked over to watch the dogs in the dog park.
"So good job? At the shelter?" Dr. Lopez asked.
Brittany nodded. "It's bigger than the one back in Lima. It's nicer too."
"Good salary?"
Brittany nodded. "It should pay the bills. If I'm careful."
Dr. Lopez shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels as he watched the dogs.
"I always wanted one, when I was a boy," he said.
"A dog?" Brittany clarified.
"Yep. Begged my mother for one. She didn't think I could take care of it," Dr. Lopez smiled with resign.
"But you take care of people," Brittany replied. "You save their lives."
Dr. Lopez shrugged. "She didn't know that then, did she?"
"You showed her though, huh?" Brittany said with a grin.
Dr. Lopez laughed quietly. "Yeah, yeah, I guess I did."
Dr. Lopez cocked his head to the side, gesturing for them to walk down the pier. Brittany silently followed. She looked out across the Hudson River to New Jersey. She watched a ferry slowly approach a neighboring pier.
"Why don't you get a dog now?" Brittany asked.
"Not home enough. And now with Santana leaving…" Dr. Lopez faltered, then quickly righted himself. "There won't be anyone around to take care of it."
Dr. Lopez walked a few steps ahead of Brittany, but Brittany soon matched his pace when they neared the carousel.
Brittany had a gleam in her eye, watching the children on the ride. She looked up at Dr. Lopez and there was something else in his eyes she couldn't quite place. Regret? Sadness? Fear? Fond memories?
"You're gonna miss her," Brittany said as matter of fact as she's said anything.
Dr. Lopez paused and walked to the railing. He propped his foot up, leaned on the railing and looked out over the river and sighed.
"Wouldn't you?" he asked back.
Brittany nodded quickly and with vigor. Dr. Lopez gave her a sad smile.
"So you know how I feel," he said. "But you don't know either, because you don't have a child. You haven't raised a child. Fed her. Clothed her. Taught her. Protected her. Felt sick to your stomach when she left for her first day of school. Or her first sleep away camp. Or her first date. You haven't seen that amazing transformation they make, from child to adult. It happens so quickly, but at the same time, it doesn't. And just when you think you have all the time in the world, you don't."
Brittany watched the river waves lap at the posts near the pier, stunned into silence. Never, in all her life, had she heard that many words come out of Dr. Lopez's mouth at once. She's not sure Santana had either. But she had heard him. Brittany stood up straighter and gently clasped his hand, and pulled him towards the carousel. She paid for two tickets and coaxed Dr. Lopez onto the ride. He smiled shyly, but gingerly mounted the horse next to the one Brittany gracefully climbed upon. The ride started, and the music began, and they sat in silence, bobbing up and down, and around. When the ride slowed, and soon came to a halt, they clamored off and stepped back onto the pier walkway. They walked toward the car.
"I'll take care of her," Brittany assured.
Dr. Lopez's steps faltered and looked over at his daughter's girlfriend. She spoke with such confidence and her gaze was steady.
"I'll take care of her. I will." Brittany said again.
Dr. Lopez dipped his head and smiled. He was pretty sure Brittany will get lost 100 times on the New York City subway, but at that brief moment, he was also pretty sure she'd do exactly what she said. Not only for Santana's well being. But for his as well.
He reached out his arm, wrapped it around Brittany's shoulder, and pulled her in for a quick sideways hug. He let go, straightened up, and looked straight ahead, with a simple nod.
"Let's go see how her interview went," he said.
The car ride to meet Santana was silent, but with a little more understanding, and a lot more respect.
Brittany and Dr. Lopez both received a text. Dr. Lopez directed the driver to a new address. After a few minutes, the car pulled up in front of an old art deco theater several blocks away from Broadway. Santana was not out front.
"You want to go in and get her?" Dr. Lopez asked.
Brittany hesitated. She thought maybe he should go. He was the one running out of time, not her. But he smiled and nodded to the open car door.
"Go on," he encouraged.
"I'll be right back," Britt said with a reassuring smile.
Brittany walked into the theater and across the sawdust-covered tile lobby floor. The steps leading to the balconies were scraped of their old finish. She could hear the buzz of electric screwdrivers and table saws through the doorways to the seats. Brittany followed the sounds through the doorway and saw Santana on the stage looking at blueprints laid out on a door held up by two sawhorses. A tall, slender man with dreadlocks down to his waist, dressed in a light gray suit stood next to her. Brittany walked down to the stage and waited quietly near the orchestra pit.
Dr. Lopez stood at the back of the theater and watched his daughter talk with the theater owner. She was talking animatedly, her hands gesturing to the stage and the wings. He watched the theater owner's expressions as he nodded and participated in the conversation. He looked down at Brittany, sitting in one of the few rows with seats still bolted to the floor. She turned around and saw Dr. Lopez leaning against the doorframe. She smiled and gave him a wave. He gave her a little wave back and looked up to see Santana shaking hands with the theater owner.
Santana spent the entire car ride and most of dinner talking about the job. Dr. Lopez smiled and chuckled to himself. It was an assistant job. A glorified gopher. But Santana talked about it like she was running the place. After dinner, Santana and Brittany went to their room, and Dr. Lopez went to his. Brittany and Quinn Skyped their chemistry study session and Santana helped Brittany with her literature review.
"Room service!" Santana heard faintly through the door. It was followed by a few sold knocks. "Room service!"
Santana's eyes opened, to see a fuzzy view of Brittany's breast just at the end of her nose. Santana lifted her head off of Brittany's chest and slipped out of bed. She pulled the covers over Brittany and slipped on a hotel robe to greet room service. The young man with the rolling cart, topped with silver food covers and a coffee urn tried to push into the room.
"No really, I got it from here," Santana smiled firmly.
Santana rolled the cart in, shut the door and set up breakfast for herself and Brittany. Brittany's eyes opened at the smell and sound of coffee pouring near her head. Santana placed the cup on the nightstand and kissed Brittany's forehead.
"Breakfast is served," Santana smiled.
"You ordered breakfast?" Brittany asked.
"No," Santana scrunched up her face in confusion. "I thought you did."
Brittany smiled, "Your Dad."
"You think?" Santana asked.
"Definitely," Brittany nodded and sat up in bed.
Santana went to the bathroom to freshen up and opened the door to see Brittany sitting up in bed with nothing but a sheet pulled up to her waist. She was sitting there, drinking coffee and reviewing her study notes. Santana leaned against the door, arms crossed, and just took her in. It was in that moment that it hit her. This could be their life. Waking up, everyday, next to Brittany, drinking coffee she brought her in bed. This could be their life in less than six weeks. This could be their life for the next 60 years.
Brittany looked over at Santana and matched her smile.
"You wanna eat?" Brittany asked.
Santana licked her lips and slipped her hands down to her robe's belt, "Yeah."
"Food? Because I have a chemistry test," Brittany smirked.
"Sure," Santana replied with a shrug, trying and failing to disguise her disappointment.
Brittany just shook her head and chuckled at her girlfriend.
After Brittany took her exams online, they met up with Dr. Lopez in the lobby to go get lunch. Santana felt the buzz of her phone in her pocket.
"Who is it?" Dr. Lopez asked.
"Kurt," Santana said absentmindedly, scrolling through the text. "He's looking at apartments and wants to meet up. He's got some addresses on here that are close to ours. Wait, two of them are the same as ours. I'm telling him we're going to eat, then we'll meet him at the first address," Santana explained, typing into her phone.
After a lunch at a pizza parlor, Santana, Brittany and Dr. Lopez met up with Kurt at the first address.
"Ladies!" Kurt squealed as he pulled Brittany and Santana into a hug. He pulled away and held out his hand to Dr. Lopez.
"Good to see you again sir," Kurt greeted.
Santana couldn't figure out how Kurt could go from ear piercing squeal to calm, almost guy voice in less than a second.
The first two apartments were busts. The outside door didn't lock. One apartment had been cleaned, but nothing was getting the smell of a chain smoker who lived there for 40 years out of that place. The other apartment was nothing but cracked torn linoleum flooring and the windows were painted shut. Both were tiny, dark, smelly and they all decided, unsafe. Santana and Brittany felt they could put up with a lot, but they wanted all the locks to work.
The third apartment was better. The lobby door locked. It was sunnier, with newer appliances. The refrigerator was circa 1990 instead of vintage like the other places. A clean carpeted bedroom and wood floors in the living area. The bathroom, however, was a disaster. The landlord made some vague promises to clean it up, but it really needed to be gutted. There just wasn't enough bleach in the tri-state area to make Santana feel like she would be clean after a shower in that bathroom.
Brittany kept a hopeful disposition, but Santana could see the disappointment on her face. It felt like their hopes were dashed before they even got started. Brittany steeled herself for the fourth and final apartment. She grabbed Santana's hand and approached the door.
"This could work," Santana mused as they stood in the center of the barely one-bedroom apartment. There were bookshelves built into the walls, and the layout was more open. The bedroom was tiny. Not big enough for Santana's bed, but Brittany's would fit. Kurt looked through the cabinets while Santana and Brittany checked out the bathroom. Dr. Lopez successfully opened a window and popped his head out to the fire escape.
"Oh my God!" Kurt screamed.
Brittany and Santana ran to Kurt from the bathroom and Dr. Lopez smacked the back of his head on the half opened window trying to stand up.
"What?!" Santana yelled.
"Oh, none of us are staying here. There was a rat the size of Lord Tubbington in there," Kurt panted, and pointed to the cabinet under the sink. "And he brought all his cockroach friends."
"Wow, it's like we have our own gang," Brittany whispered.
Santana slowly stepped behind Brittany for protection. Dr. Lopez rubbed the back of his head and sighed. "We can talk to the landlord about an exterminator.
Santana nodded, but was hesitant.
"Come on, let's get out of here," Dr. Lopez suggested and ushered them all to the door.
They sat outside on the stoop and talked about their options. This last apartment was certainly the best, but with the pest issue, they were all uneasy.
"Let's go for a walk," Dr. Lopez suggested.
They walked down the tree-lined sidewalks and talked about their New York City dreams. Kurt had met with the costume shop owner, and liked that he'd be able to work on a variety of shows. Kurt was convinced his new boss was crazy, but to him, New York crazy was alluring, not scary like Patches back in Lima. Dr. Lopez bought them all coffee from a food truck and they took a turn down a quiet block and Dr. Lopez sat on a stoop and sipped his coffee.
"Papi, why are we stopping here?" Santana asked.
"There's one more place to look at," Dr. Lopez explained and sipped his coffee again.
Santana pulled out her phone and checked her list. "No Papi, that was it."
"I did a little looking on my own," Dr. Lopez smirked.
A doorman greeted them in the small, simple lobby. He led them up three flights of stairs to a newly replaced apartment door. Dr. Lopez pulled a key out of his pocket and slipped it into the deadbolt. Inside, the hardwood floors were worn, but warm. The small kitchenette appliances were new, if not small in stature. Large windows let the afternoon sun in. Bookshelves lined one of the walls from floor to ceiling. Two old steam radiators stood silently collecting dust on two of the living room walls. The bathroom was small, but clean. Santana frowned at the pink border tile behind the sink. Brittany gave her a nudge. There were two bedroom doors, side by side, separated by a narrow wall.
"When the owner bought it the previous tenants had taken a one-bedroom and made it into two. So the new owner made it a real wall," Dr. Lopez explained.
The bedrooms were tiny and an odd shape, since it was really one bedroom cut in half. But both had a small closet and with some maneuvering, Santana figured out they could fit Brittany's bed and her bureau in and still have a little room to move. A little.
"This place is great," Kurt smiled, closing the kitchen cabinets after finding not one unwanted four or six-legged squatters.
He moved over to the hall closet and was mentally sizing up storage space, shelving and most importantly, where he could store his ever-growing hat collection.
"Papi, this is wonderful, but we can't afford this," Santana whined. "Why show us something, we can't have. It's 10 times better than the last place and 100 times better than the first places and we could barely afford those."
"I haven't told you how much it is yet," Dr. Lopez smiled.
"Papi, it's not nice to tease," Santana pouted. She knew they could never afford a place that was clean, safe, and had a tiny bit more room to breathe. "Doorman Papi. We can't afford a doorman," Santana complained.
"$1500 a month," Dr. Lopez stated.
"Britt and I can't afford that Papi," Santana replied with frustration that she had to explain that to her father.
"But you and Brittany and Kurt could," he suggested.
Santana and Brittany looked at Kurt. Kurt looked back at them with a shy smile. He reminded Santana of that kid that was hoping he wouldn't get picked last for the kick ball team. She was sure he had that look down, and knew what it was like first-hand.
"But how can this be $1500. It's at least a $2500 apartment. At least," Santana asked her father with suspicion and ignoring Kurt.
Dr. Lopez saw his daughter cross her arms in defiance and distrust. He smiled at her arched eyebrow. He was going to really miss Santana's "I know better than you" look.
"I know a guy," Dr. Lopez shrugged.
"You've been in the city two days. Don't go all New York on us with 'I know a guy'," Santana complained. "Seriously Papi, how can we rent a place like this for $1500?"
"You know my anesthesiologist friend I had brunch with a few weeks back?"
Brittany nodded, Santana didn't.
"Well he owns a few apartments in the city, and this one was his daughter's while she was here for med school. She just graduated. He was going to rent it out to new med students, but when I told him that my daughter and her girlfriend were going to try to make it here in the big city? Well, he cut me a deal. He's into real estate as an investment. He just needs to take the edge off the taxes. Electricity, cable and internet are included. Heat is not. You have to pay the gas bill for heat and the stove. And rent of course."
Santana stood stunned. Kurt's mouth was agape. Brittany just walked over and gave Dr. Lopez a hug and bounced up and down, shaking the man.
"Okay Brittany, okay," Dr. Lopez laughed. "You're welcome."
Santana snapped out of her haze. "Really Papi. Like, this is for real?"
"If you want it, it's yours," Dr. Lopez smiled.
A smile slowly spread across Santana's face and her eyes glossed with tears of relief and disbelief and shear happiness. She sank into her father's open arms and gave him a muffled thank you from against his chest. Santana pulled away and kissed her father on the cheek. She kept one arm around her father and one around Brittany when she looked over and saw Kurt running his hand along the side of the built in bookcase. He turned his head and gave Santana a small smile.
"If you think you're going to decorate this place like your God-awful bedroom you have another thing coming," Santana sniped.
Kurt's eyes widened.
Santana rolled her eyes in impatience. "If you're going to be our roommate, you're going to have to tone down your cutting edge decorating compulsion to just edge. Got it Lady Lips?"
Kurt skipped across the room and bounded into the arms of Santana, Brittany and Dr. Lopez.
"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you," Kurt repeated.
Santana gave an awkward chuckle and a pat on Kurt's back. Brittany looked over Kurt to Santana and gave her a nod and mouthed "Thank you" with a smile. To Santana, it was Brittany's way of saying, "You did good" and "I'm proud of you". Santana patted Kurt's back again and extricated herself from the group hug.
"Who's ready for dinner?" Dr. Lopez announced.
Santana opened the door and let everyone out in front of her. She took one last look at the apartment and closed the door.
"We get the bedroom with the bigger closet Kurt!" she yelled ahead of her as they walked out and onto the New York streets.