A/N: Dearest unicorn readers. First I'd like to thank you for your patience. This update is a lot later than I wanted. A combination of work, life, holidays and writer's block prevented me from getting this to you sooner. Maybe I just didn't want to let go yet. We're coming to the end. Next chapter is the last chapter. One more, and we'll close the book on Mama Lopez and her lovable, wacky, wise adventures with Brittana. Shout out to slayhue for being my badass, kickass beta. Big hugs and a cuddle puddle of love to all your readers. Mwah!
For the second night in a row, the Pierce and Lopez parents sat on the Pierce's patio with their wine and beers, and talked about their daughters, work, family and the local news.
Dr. Lopez and Mr. Pierce moved to the driveway, when their conversation turned to cars, leaving Maribel and Susan to continue their discussion.
Both fathers stood in front of the open hood of the car, silently admitting they had no idea where most parts of the engine were anymore.
"Remember when you could open the hood of a car and see everything?" Dr. Lopez grumbled.
Mr. Pierce nodded and sighed. "Brittany used to be my little helper when I worked on my old Chevy."
Dr. Lopez smiled sadly, "Sometimes I wish my job allowed more of that kind of time when Santana was little."
"You made up for it in different ways," Mr. Pierce replied.
Dr. Lopez nodded, not necessarily convinced, but appreciative of his friend's assurance.
"I got Brittany a little tool box for their new apartment," Mr. Pierce announced.
Dr. Lopez perked up.
"Come see if I missed anything," Mr. Pierce offered, walking towards the garage.
"What are the guys up to?" Maribel asked as Susan returned from inside with a fresh bottle of wine.
"Arguing as to whether or not the girls need a monkey wrench in their apartment repair tool box," Susan said, shaking her head.
"I didn't get around to teaching them household plumbing repairs," Maribel chuckled.
"Brittany told me Santana and Kurt got the moving vans," Susan said, sitting down again.
Maribel nodded, "Yes. They've lined everything up. I think they're making the reservations this week."
"Ugh, I don't know about them driving all that way in those big vans," Susan worried.
'"I hadn't even thought about that," Maribel frowned. "I was still stuck on how I'm going to hate seeing that moving van outside the house in a couple weeks."
"Okay, we need to stop," Susan protested. "New subject. What's Santana up to this evening?" Susan asked.
"I thought we were changing the subject?" Maribel teased. "She's packing boxes for storage and boxes to take to New York. It's taking forever, because it seems like she spends 10 minutes with every single picture, glee program, and cheerleading keepsake," Maribel sighed.
Susan arched an eyebrow with curiosity.
"She's very sentimental," Maribel explained. "She's a secret sap."
Susan smiled. "Well, to the untrained eye, yes, very secret. Brittany though, she's at once sentimental and at the same time, seemingly rolling with it quite well. She doesn't seem half as stressed as I'd be."
"Good thing she takes after her dad a little?" Maribel asked.
"A very good thing," Susan replied with a smile. "Isn't Quinn leaving soon? Brittany said they had a fun time last weekend with her. Girl bonding day or something."
"Why they had to bond over tattoos I'll never know," Maribel complained, emptying her wine glass with a swallow.
"What tattoos? Who got tattoos?!" Susan asked, sitting up with concern and a little panic. "Brittany got a tattoo?"
"Uh oh," Maribel whispered, setting down her wine glass.
"What oh?" Susan pressed. "What did they get?"
"Well," Maribel started, gathering her now wine-hazy thoughts. "I knew the girls were going with Quinn, as she was getting a tattoo on her accident scars. I didn't know they made a plan for all three of them to get tattoos."
"They told you?" Susan asked.
"No, not at first. I found the tattoo appointment card. I confronted Santana and she showed me. Her father doesn't know yet," Maribel confessed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. It's not my place. Damn this wine!" Maribel complained.
"No, no," Susan protested. "Don't apologize. We haven't been home hardly a whole day yet. I didn't expect Brittany to show off a tattoo she knows I wouldn't like when we were still unpacking."
"My husband doesn't know yet. He's not going to like it either," Maribel added.
"I need more wine," Susan said, picking up the new bottle. "More?"
"What the hell, I don't have any more secrets I wasn't supposed to tell," Maribel smiled with her glass raised for a refill.
"Beer?" Mr. Pierce offered as he opened the spare refrigerator in the garage.
"Sure," Dr. Lopez replied.
His phone buzzed in his pocket. He opened it to read the text.
You're driving – Maribel.
"On second thought, better not. Maribel beat me to it," Dr. Lopez smiled and shook his head.
Mr. Pierce tossed Dr. Lopez a Diet Coke. "With all the work they do, they deserve to have fun."
Dr. Lopez smiled and tapped his can of Coke with Mr. Pierce's bottle of beer, "Yes, yes they definitely do."
Quinn looked up when she heard the bookstore front door swing open Monday morning. Santana walked in with her hair in a messy bun. She didn't even have her travel coffee mug.
"You're late," Quinn stated.
"No shit," Santana answered.
"What happened to you?" Quinn asked.
"My parents were partying with Brittany's parents last night," Santana complained.
"What does that have to do with you?" Quinn asked, pouring Santana a cup off coffee in the biggest mug she could find.
"Mama came home drunk and woke me up, and I couldn't get back to sleep."
"Like wasted?" Quinn asked.
"No, more like happy tipsy, which is super annoying at two in the morning," Santana replied. "Then Papi woke me up before his god-awful early morning shift at the hospital as more punishment, to confront me about the tattoo, because Mama and four glasses of wine means she can't keep her mouth shut."
"Was he mad?" Quinn asked with genuine concern.
Santana shrugged, "At first he was, then after I gave him all the information on all the 'It's medical-grade equipment and sanitation and certified by the state' crap he eased up a little. Then he insisted on seeing it and checking for infection, which, hello it's healed perfectly. Then he complained about me ruining my flawless skin and wished I hadn't done it and regrets and whatever," Santana sighed. "Needless to say, I got about three hours of sleep last night, so excuse me if I'm an asshole."
"I'm used to it after all these years. It's only lately I've had to get used to you not being an asshole. So we're good," Quinn said with a sympathetic smile.
"Bite me Fabray," Santana sighed and sipped her coffee.
Quinn decided to change the subject. "Last week of Brittany's summer school. We still studying at your place, or Britt's now that her family is home?"
"It's up to Britt, but I think she wants to study at mine since her little sister's been all up her ass since she got home," Santana explained.
"She missed her," Quinn sympathized.
"I know," Santana softened. "Britt missed her too. But it's tough studying Chemistry and Lit around a needy 11 year-old."
Quinn nodded. "Any thoughts about a graduation party?"
"I emailed her dad while I was up, not sleeping, to see what their plans were. I assume they want to do something, invite family and all that, so I'm leaving it to them mostly," Santana explained.
"Is everyone else coming from Glee club?" Quinn asked.
"No one's around," Santana said with a defeated sigh. "Sam went back to Kentucky to help his parents out with his little brother and sister. Puck took off for LA last week. He said goodbye with a text," Santana complained.
"Mass text to the group. Stay classy Puck. Stay classy," Quinn commented shaking her head.
"Everyone else is still out of town or gone already, except Blaine and I'm not sure if him and Kurt will come up for air long enough to come to Britt's party," Santana frowned.
"They'll come. They like Britt and they put up with you, so they'll be there," Quinn assured her.
"They like me. Don't they?" Santana asked.
"You tell me. You spent the morning with Kurt all by yourself the other day. How was it?" Quinn asked.
"Well it was eight in the morning on a Saturday," Santana explained.
"So you were your ever-charming self," Quinn teasingly replied.
"Yep. But he was really nice and had fresh coffee in a French press and he made this whole elaborate breakfast spread with a quiche. A quiche," Santana said.
"Wow, he really wants to get on your good side," Quinn replied impressed.
"I guess," Santana said with a small smile. "Anyway, it was fine. He pushed a little about the whole 'gay thing' but other than that, he was fine. He was Kurt."
"What 'gay thing'?" Quinn asked.
"Basically how I'm doing and adjusting and me being all good with me and my gayness and how that somehow translates to me liking him more," Santana said with a roll of her eyes and a dismissive wave.
"You seem fine to me," Quinn offered.
"Exactly. I'm fine. I'm good. I don't like it when Kurt or other people want to talk about it. I'm me. No different. I like to keep it that way, you know?" Santana explained. "And Kurt is, well, Kurt, and I don't need to have some deep analytical discussion about whether I like him more because his flaming fashions and personality no longer freak out my closeted self or the fact that I'm just used to him now. Under all those hideous layers, he's a decent guy."
"Well you are different," Quinn suggested.
Santana scrunched up her face in confusion.
"You're nicer," Quinn smiled.
"Whatever," Santana answered with a relaxed smile, and walked away.
Maribel came home from work Monday to a familiar sight. Quinn and Brittany at the kitchen table reviewing for her Chemistry final. Santana sat in the living room, organizing her English Literature notes for her review session with Brittany after dinner. Maribel's heart warmed at the sight, and clenched with the realization that this would be all over after this week. Brittany would take her final, and graduate and they would be gone in an overstuffed moving van. Away from her watchful eye, and into the start of a life on their own. Maribel's pride and sadness battled each other for much of the summer, but this week, the battle raged stronger. She could not push it aside as she had so often before. Her urge to just hold Santana tight to her chest and never let her go crossed her mind more often than not.
"How was work?" Maribel asked as Santana looked up to greet her.
"Good, how's your hangover?" Santana teased.
"Don't have one," Maribel replied smugly. "What's for dinner?"
"Tarragon Baked Chicken with red potatoes and braised spinach," Santana replied equally smug.
Maribel raised an eyebrow. A mix of impressed and surprise. Santana simply smiled back with sweet triumph.
"Dinner's at six," Santana stated, returning to her notes.
Yes, Maribel was really going to miss her.
Brittany and Quinn finished up their finals review and helped Santana with dinner preparations. Dr. Lopez came home to find his wife with her feet up, reading a magazine and his daughter and her friends making a dinner that smelled wonderful.
"You sure we have to let them leave?" Dr. Lopez asked as he kissed Maribel hello.
"Nice isn't it?" Maribel replied.
"Smells great girls!" Dr. Lopez announced greeting Quinn, Brittany and Santana in the kitchen.
"Ugh, you smell like hospital," Santana grimaced after kissing her father hello.
"Do I have time for a shower before dinner's ready?" he asked.
"We'll make time," Brittany offered with a smile and scrunched up nose.
After dinner, Santana went with Brittany to her house, to start their English Literature review.
"Have you told your sister yet?" Santana asked during a study break.
Brittany smiled, "Nope. I'm going to surprise her this weekend. She hasn't left him alone since she got home. It'll be good for her. A little bit of responsibility, and a little bit of company."
"There's nothing 'little bit' about Tubbs, Britt," Santana remarked. "It'll be nice though."
"Since I can't be here, the least I can do is leave her Lord Tubbington. Plus, I'm not sure how Kurt feels about pets," Brittany explained.
"He probably has more problems with pet hair than actual pets Britt. I mean, Blaine's already got those puppy dog eyes. Kurt's one step away from getting a Labrador," Santana joked.
"Blaine has nice eyes, and I think a Labrador would be too big for the apartment," Brittany replied.
"As long as he doesn't insist on one of those weird hairless cats, I'm fine with talking about a pet for the apartment," Santana agreed.
Brittany entered her summer school classroom for the last time. Armed with a week's worth of review, a summer's worth of work and a 3"x5" index card full of Chemistry formulas her teacher allowed as reference, Brittany was ready to take her finals. She sat down, placed her lucky test-taking Koosh pen on her desk, and waited for an exam copy to be passed to her. She looked around, and took in the faces of her summer school classmates. Most looked nervous or stoic. Legs bounced with extra energy under the desks, pencils tapped desktops, bubblegum snapped, cell phones were powered down. It all felt very serious in that room. All of them had reasons for being there, and Brittany realized, she didn't know what any of those reasons were. She was so focused on succeeding for herself, for Santana, for her future. She didn't want to let Quinn down after she put so much effort into tutoring her. She didn't want to let down Dr. and Mrs. Lopez, as they were so generous to take her in for the summer. She wanted to prove to her parents, that yes, she could make her own plans, work hard and succeed without their oversight. She never wanted to repeat the disappointment in Santana's face and voice, when Santana found out she didn't graduate and she lied about it. She worked so hard to prove to herself that she was smart enough get out of Lima, Ohio, and start anew. New York felt like a fresh start for her.
Her classmate shook the exam copy and shook Brittany out of her thoughtful daze. She took the papers, passed another copy back to the person behind her, laid out the paper on her desk, took a breath, picked up her pen, and began.
Quinn, Santana and Brittany went out for ice cream for the last time that Friday afternoon. They celebrated a long summer full of hard work. They celebrated Brittany completing her final. They celebrated Santana's last day of work at the bookstore and celebrated early for Quinn's last workday the following week. They talked about moving and classes and their fears that they couldn't voice to anyone else.
They went home to their own families that night and spent the weekend apart. Quinn had more freshman orientation information to review. Santana was still packing and organizing and unpacking and repacking. Brittany surprised her sister with the job of taking care of Lord Tubbington when she moved to New York City.
Monday morning, Brittany closed her bedroom door and logged onto her summer school online grade book to see if her final exam grades were posted. She held her breath as she clicked through to see her Chemistry and English Literature scores. A smile grew as she saw a 72 for her Chemistry final and a 78 for her English final. Graduation was guaranteed. She felt light-headed from holding a breath she didn't realize she hadn't released yet. She printed out her grades and quietly put them on the refrigerator. Her parents were already at work, and her little sister was at her summer recreation art program. Lord Tubbington wound his way through her legs and meowed.
"I did it Lord Tubbington!" she proclaimed as she scooped him up and gave him a spinning hug. "I'm going to graduate!"
But it wasn't satisfying to share this accomplishment with her cat. It wasn't the same as before. She always shared her grades with Santana and Quinn. She stood in an empty house, in a quiet kitchen, finally reaching her goal, with no one to jump up and down and hug and squeal with her. Brittany wasn't having it.
Brittany started to send a text to her parents, but decided to wait. She went back up stairs, printed out two more copies of her grades and the graduation ceremony information. She stuck the graduation information on the fridge next to her grades. She stuffed the other copies of her grades in her pocket, grabbed her car keys and left the house.
Brittany drove to Santana's house, excited to share her good news, but the driveway was empty. Where could Santana be, Brittany wondered? She didn't have work, and Santana leaving the house before noon on a day off was weird. Brittany drove over to the bookstore to see Quinn and show off her final grades.
As Brittany pulled into the nearly empty parking lot, she saw Santana's car. She parked next to it, and peeked inside. It looked like Santana's car, but it was immaculately clean inside and out. Not one speck of dirt, not one empty Starbucks coffee cup or fast food wrapper or three pairs of sunglasses in the center console. Brittany checked the license plate and sure enough, it was Santana's car.
Brittany startled Quinn when she slapped her final grades onto the counter with a smile. Quinn looked down at the paper, then looked up at Brittany with a bright proud smile.
"Santana! Come here!" Quinn called to the back of the store.
"It's still too early to yell Quinn!" Santana replied.
"Brittany's here with her final grades!" Quinn called back in a sing-song voice.
Brittany heard a scuffle of books and a chair hit the floor, and then the soft pounding of her girlfriend's feet as they ran closer. Santana bounded up to the counter and snatched the paper out of Quinn's hand. Santana's eyes focused on the passing grades, threw the paper back at Quinn, wrapped her arms around Brittany's neck, and kissed her. Brittany stumbled then smiled into the hard kiss and tight squeeze Santana had her wrapped in. Santana pulled away from the kiss with a loud wet smack, her eyes sparkling with pride and happiness for Brittany's success.
"Surprised?" Brittany smirked and giggled, still buzzing from Santana's reaction.
"No! No. I always believed in you. You know that. You're a genius Britt," Santana replied. "Just seeing it all official. It's, well, official," Santana beamed.
"So you'll be at graduation Saturday?" Brittany asked.
"Front row," Santana replied, then looked at Quinn.
"Front row," Quinn affirmed with a nod.
"What's with your car?" Brittany asked Santana, turning to lean on the front counter.
"What? Did something happen to it?" Santana asked, worried, glancing out the window into the parking lot.
"Yeah, it's spotless. The last time I saw it that clean was the first day you got it," Brittany teased.
Santana rolled her eyes and smiled with a little huff. "My parents made me clean it, since I'm not taking it to New York. They might drive it, or store it, or god forbid, loan it to my cousin."
"My parents are keeping mine at the house," Brittany said. "You're driving in your car to Yale, right Quinn?"
"Yeah, already got my parking spot bought and paid for," Quinn said with a smug smile.
"How did you pull that off? I thought Freshmen got last pick?" Santana asked.
"My roommate's uncle works in Parking and Transportation services. He hooked us up," Quinn replied.
Brittany gave Quinn a high-five. Santana rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Not even at Yale yet, and you're already getting the hook up. Nice Fabray," Santana complimented.
"What are you ladies up to this week?" Quinn asked.
"Packing," Santana said.
"Packing," Brittany replied.
"And more packing," Santana added with a tired grumble.
"Aww," Brittany cooed, tilted her head and gave Santana a soft sweet kiss. Santana hummed into the kiss and slid her fingers into Brittany's belt loops.
"Ahem," Quinn coughed. "Bookstore. Customers," Quinn reminded them.
Brittany and Santana pulled away from their kiss and Santana looked around. In a nearby, overstuffed chair, an elderly woman sat, looking at them over her "Family Circle" magazine.
"Don't mind me honey," she said, with a little shake of her head, and returned her gaze to the magazine.
Santana looked back with a little smile and shrug.
"Better get going. We still have a ton of shit to do," Santana suggested.
"Can we get together later this week?" Quinn asked with a little more pleading tone than she meant.
Brittany nodded with a big smile.
"Sure Q," Santana said. "Text us when your mom loosens her grip," she teased.
"I'll text you anyway," Quinn replied and waved goodbye as Brittany and Santana left.