"So," Santana says slowly as she sits back into the couch, glass of wine in hand. "What kind of wedding are you having?" She asks, quirking an eyebrow in Quinn's direction. Of course, the couple is all smiles at the newest development in their relationship, but this not so subtle dig does not fly over Quinn's head.
"We haven't really gotten that far yet." Quinn replies as she pulls Rachel's hand into her lap.
"Actually, I've been preparing for this day since I was seven and used my Barbie dolls as bridesmaids, wedding planners and florists." Rachel chimes in, the cheer and absolute glee oozing out of her. Santana looks over at Brittany who is sitting on the arm of the couch beside her and widens her eyes in faux excitement.
"Why am I not surprised?" She mumbles to her girlfriend who gently taps her shoulder as if to tell her to keep her little jabs to herself.
"Are you going to have a summer wedding?" Brittany wonders and takes a quick sip from her glass.
"Guys, it's not like we're getting married tomorrow." Quinn interjects, quickly growing tired of the third degree. "Right now we're celebrating this big step." She clinks her glass to her beaming fiancé and they share a sweet kiss before sipping their wine.
"Yeah," Brittany drawls out as she pushes herself from the side of the couch. "I'm gonna finish dinner." She tells the group before she vanishes into the kitchen.
Santana twists her lips as she watches Brittany move about the kitchen and then turns her attention back to her friends who she assumes she's supposed to entertain. Instead, she crinkles her nose and jerks her head back at the sight of her friends practically making out on her couch. She clears her throat and quietly excuses herself to go and help Brittany in the kitchen.
"Brittany." Santana whispers to get her girlfriend's attention.
Brittany looks up from the salad bowl in her hands and gives Santana a look. It's a look Santana has seen a bunch of times. It's the one that tells her that Brittany is thinking exactly what she is thinking, but that it's better to slap on a smile right now. Her eyes widen a little, her lips are slightly pushed together but not pursed. Then, to end their silent conversation, she breathes out through her nose and goes back to placing the salad bowl on the table.
Since she now knows that she and Brittany are on the same wavelength, she follows suit and slips oven mitts on to move the tray of eggplants parmesan to the table. Brittany had been thrown completely off track with the news of their friends' impromptu engagement. She'd wished she didn't make Santana run to the store when she did.
When they shared the news, which was instantly, her shock dragged the apartment into complete silence. There were so many things on the tip of her tongue, but instead of saying any of them she smiled and acted excitedly happy for them. How was she supposed to come out and tell them they were making a colossal mistake? Surely she is in no place to tell them how to have a stable and functional relationship. All relationships are different. But, theirs had been skating on thin ice as of recent and a diamond does not a rocky boat steady.
"Are we ready?" Santana asks, leaning on the back of one of the chairs that Brittany is standing beside. She watches her girlfriend take in a few breathes, letting them out slowly as though preparing herself for the rest of the evening. "Here." Santana grabs Brittany's wine glass and hands it over to her. "Toss this back." She rubs Brittany's back as she does indeed throw back the rest of her wine in one swift move. "Okay bitches, dinner's ready." She hollers from the kitchen and turns towards the spot beside the refrigerator to grab a new bottle of wine.
"It smells even more delicious than it did in the living room." Rachel comments with a giddy smile. She pulls out Quinn's chair for her and sets a sweet kiss to her cheek before taking her own seat beside her.
"Santana's been planning on eggplant parm all week." Brittany mentions while she provides everyone's plate with a nice helping of the night's dinner. "Ever since the last time we went to LaRocco's she's wanted to try it out."
"And hopefully it's just as good." Santana chimes in, enjoying her meal at sight before jumping in to devour it.
"It looks amazing." Quinn points out before reaching to the middle of the table for that organic salad dressing she's obsessed with.
"Oh, honey." Brittany turns to Santana and presses her fingers gently to her forearm. "I forgot to tell you that I have to go into the studio earlier than usual tomorrow. Something about a meeting." She shrugs her shoulders and shakes her head realizing she doesn't quite remember what it is she is going in early for. Santana smiles and nods regardless of the reason, appreciative of the heads up.
"Did you guys hear about Mercedes?" Rachel asks the couple and Quinn turns wide eyes to her friends awaiting their response. Both Santana and Brittany shake their heads, scooping food into their mouth.
"She got a record deal." Quinn blurts out in excitement. Santana coughs with a full mouth and pulls her hand up to keep any bits of food from popping out. Brittany squeals as she swallows her food and taps the table with her hand.
"Wow." Santana manages to get out before reaching for her wine glass to help the eggplant go down smoother with the surprise stuck in her throat.
"Yeah, apparently she's working on putting together a video." Rachel explains. "Kurt found out last night. She called him to see if he was interested in doing the costume designs for it." She beams like a proud mama at the thought of her two high school friends coming together to make both of their dreams come true. Brittany eyes Rachel, wondering if perhaps all the diva-like things she's pulled lately that maybe these years away from trying to be the only shining star in the New Directions has made her actually grow up and be genuinely happy for others. "Of course I was a little shocked when I wasn't asked to take part in the video. But, I'm sure it's because we would have creative differences on how she would want it to go. No hard feelings." She flicks her hair to the side and continues to eat her dinner. Well, Brittany is obviously wrong because there's always going to be a way for Rachel to bring everything good that happens to other people back to her. It only reminds her more of how her friend has been behaving this past year.
"Well, maybe it's not that. Maybe it's because this is supposed to brighten her star and not yours." Brittany points out and Santana doesn't even try to hide the grin that creeps up. Rachel's head snaps up in Brittany's direction and tilts to the side in confusion. "Besides, aren't you trying to be a big Broadway stat? Surely a music video wouldn't do much for you like it would for someone who is in music."
"Broadway is music too, Brittany." Rachel defends.
"I don't think that's what she meant by that sweetie." Quinn says as she affectionately pats her girlfriend's hand.
"It's a different kind of music." Santana pipes in and leans back in her chair, wine glass in hand. "Show tunes aren't exactly in the iTunes top ten." She explains and slowly sips her wine, staring at Rachel over the glass.
"Broadway shows have some of the most well known songs in the world." Rachel tells the entire table, even though after years of being in the high school glee club, none of them really need to be told this. "Show tunes are highly popular."
"Name the last time a show tune has been played on Z100's top forty." Santana challenges with a smirk.
"I think we can all agree that, although show tunes can be popular, they are not the kind of songs that are on the radio." Quinn tries to defuse a tense situation before it gets taken to the next level. After a few moments, the other three shrug and get back to their dinner, agreeing to disagree.
"Anyway," Santana drawls out as she pours Brittany some more wine as per requested by hand gestures. "Brittz and I are going to visit my brothers at school next weekend. They invited us to some party."
"Yeah, and it's been a while since we've been to a college party." Brittany jokes with a giggle and nudges Santana's shoulder with her own.
"We were gonna invite you guys to come, but now that you're all old and engaged…" Santana mocks with a playful eye roll as she sets the nearly empty wine bottle down to the table.
"Very funny." Quinn counters with that sweet sarcasm of hers.
"Jell-o shots, kegs, beer pong and you two dry humping on some frat guys' couch? Where do we sign up?" Rachel asks with her own version of dry humor.
"Nic and Manny aren't in a frat." Brittany tells their friends and Quinn chuckles.
"Oh, well then, all of that other stuff except you guys are dry humping on someone's futon." She jokes.
"I'm beginning to think they just want to see us dry humping." Santana tells Brittany and wriggles her eyebrows suggestively at her girlfriend.
"Please," Quinn holds her hand up as though to stop the conversation from going any further. "If I never walk in on you two doing ungodly things to one another again, I will surely die of shock and pure happiness."
"Perhaps you should start knocking." Santana points out, getting a devilish grin from her girlfriend who leans over and rests her hand to her thigh.
"Or maybe you two should start locking the door." Quinn suggests.
"Or, I don't know, have sex in the bedroom like normal people." Rachel adds as she pulls her salad bowl to her plate. Santana and Brittany's laughter slowly fades and they send one another one of those silent conversation looks.
Santana had told Brittany about the sex conversation she'd had with Quinn outside of Mick's last week, the night that it had happened. And while the retelling of the conversation revved up their engines to the point that they were practically naked before they even got into their apartment, apparently it did not work for the other couple as it had been intended. Not that Santana was trying to turn Quinn on by explaining the sexual escapades she and Brittany get involved in. But, surely she had expected them to venture outside of their comfort zones. Clearly, there was no venturing which only makes this whole engagement even stranger.
"Oh come on." Santana clears her throat and shuffles her chair closer to Brittany's and drapes her arm around her shoulders. "You can't tell me you two haven't had a quickie in the car when you first got together." Judging from the looks she's getting from the couple, she doesn't need much of an answer. She figured making light of public sex might help her best friend get some outside of Rachel's comfort zone which apparently is strictly in the bedroom.
"Remember that time at the movies?" Brittany coos in her girlfriend's ear and she smiles at the shy smile she gets in response.
"You guys had sex in a movie theater?" Rachel blurts out in shock and a small tinge of disgust. Not disgust for them really, but for the fact that so many other people's body parts have been on those chairs.
"No one else was there." Santana explains, as if that makes it okay. "It was a matinee."
"You guys have no shame." Quinn laughs out before finishing her drink. Brittany and Santana smirk at one another while Rachel looks on pretty much mortified.
"Rachel," Brittany calls to her friend when she finally tears her eyes from Santana. "What are you gonna do if you have to do a sex scene on stage?" She asks, actually curious for what her friends answer is going to be.
"Well, Brittany." Rachel dabs the corners of her mouth with her napkin and adjusts in her seat. "If I were to do a sensual scene on stage, I'm sure it would be choreographed tastefully."
"A choreographed sex scene?" Brittany crinkles her nose. "That sounds super boring." Quinn coughs into her freshened glass of wine, and it goes unnoticed by Rachel and Brittany, but not Santana who holds her laughter back in a tight lipped grin.
"Yeah," Santana agrees, leaning her head comfortably into Brittany's. "Imagine having to perform the same sex scene over and over again, night after night?" She shoots Quinn a knowing, wide eyed stare before turning to press her lips to Brittany's temple.
"Is Kurt going to L.A. to meet up with Mercedes?" Brittany wonders, realizing she'd forgot to ask that question before.
"Oh," Rachel finds herself backpedalling in her brain, going through the conversation she'd had with Kurt yesterday. "I think she said she was coming to him. Which, I think, we should definitely have a little gathering for her visit."
"I'm so very down to catch up with Wheezy." Santana raises her glass at the suggestion. "As long as it doesn't involve having to listen to you begging her for a part in her video and or an undeserved shout out in a song or in the jacket of her yet to be produced album."
"I'll have you know that my voice and Mercedes' mesh so very well together. Looking back on it, I'm sort of surprised that she and I never had the chance to duet more." Rachel sighs out dejectedly. Santana furrows her brow and jerks her head back and away from Brittany's.
"Umm, maybe that's because anytime anyone else wanted to sing, you challenged them to a diva-off and, oddly enough, even when you didn't win that you still managed to get the solos." Santana spits out with some reserved animosity.
"That's probably because Mr. Schu realized what a star Rachel is." Quinn explains with ease and tucks some of Rachel's hair behind her ear. Brittany looks to Santana as if asking if this is real life.
"Here's a reality check and I'll make it out to the both of you," Santana interrupts their sweet little stare down with each other. "This isn't high school anymore. The only reason Mr. Schu gave Rachel anything was because if he didn't, then none of us would ever hear the end of it." Brittany nods along, agreeing with everything thus far. "Also, your delusional attempt at reeling us into this Team Rachel Takeover is not going to happen. You're talented Rach, I'll give you that. But at least make it on your own and be happy for Mercedes."
"There's nothing wrong with getting help from friends who are doing well for themselves." Rachel defends.
"No, but there's also something to be said about stealing someone's thunder." Brittany points out and this is when Quinn's head tilts to the side and she turns her focus to Santana.
"What about Kurt?" Rachel goes on, both she and Brittany unaware of their girlfriend's glaring at each other. "He gets to get recognized by helping Mercedes, but I can't?"
"No." Brittany replies without hesitation.
"What's going on?" Quinn mumbles over at Santana who just shrugs her shoulders and shakes her head.
"And why's that Brittany?" Rachel challenges.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Santana says under the loud voice of Rachel Berry and Quinn just huffs out in defeat.
"Because, she didn't ask you to be a part of it." Brittany tells her honestly.
The room falls silent and they all stare back at one another. Rachel breaks the quiet by shifting in her seat, then by Quinn who clears her throat and moves her hand down to her girlfriend's thigh, giving it a light squeeze. Santana clicks her tongue and tickles her fingers down Brittany's arm that is lifting her wine glass to her lips.
"Who wants dessert?" Santana asks, using her upbeat let's-just-drop-this-shit voice. Quinn nods, figuring it's also in the room's best interest to move on with the night. There's no use getting into a tiff about any of this stuff right now.
"Let us clean up." Rachel offers as she pushes her chair back and slaps on a smile, also thankful for the change in subject. When Santana and Brittany don't fight her, she begins to collect the dirt dishes from the table and sets them into the sink to soak. "I have to apologize for my behavior." Rachel sighs and her tone tells the group that this is hard for her to do. "I guess the frustration of unaired commercial gigs and constant 'we'll be in touch' comments from casting directors is getting the best of me." She explains. Santana and Brittany exchange glances, obviously feeling bad for having said everything they've just said now. "I am happy for Mercedes, there's no question about it. I guess I'm a bit jealous as well. I've been dreaming of my Broadway debut since before I could speak. You know, I was singing by the age of two." She reminds them.
"They understand. Right guys?" Quinn looks to her friends as she hands Rachel some of the pans and utensils. Both Brittany and Santana hum out responses which are accompanied by nods.
It is understandable, they get it. They lived with Rachel for a while so they know her passion is hard. Hell, they've known this since high school. It is no surprise to them how badly Rachel craves to be something in the entertainment world. They've walked in on her practicing her Tony Award acceptance speech more times than they can count. So, her ambition towards stage stardom is not lost on them.
"Why don't we do cake and coffee in the living room?" Brittany suggests as she settles her now empty glass of wine down to the table and pushes her chair back.
"That's sounds perfect babe." Santana smiles and grabs onto Brittany's hand as a way to pull herself up from her seat. "You guys go inside and I'll set up the coffee maker." She shoos the three of them out of the kitchen and is not very surprised to find Quinn doesn't budge. "If you're gonna stay, you're gonna help."
"Why are you guys acting weird?" Quinn asks, her voice low enough to only be heard by Santana who looks over her shoulder at her friend as though she's crazy.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Santana says, sending a quick glance over her shoulder and into the living room where Rachel and Brittany are chatting animatedly on the couches. "We're having a fun night. We're all friends here." Santana explains as she scoops some coffee into the filter.
"You know what? I'm gonna accept that." Quinn almost breathes out and sets her hands on her hips. "I'm here with my best friends, my fiancé and even your attitude can't ruin this perfect thing." She spins around and soon it's just Santana standing alone in the kitchen filling the water into the coffee maker.
Dessert goes better than dinner had, probably because all of the wine is flowing nicely through their systems at this point and they are all too tired to use it as angry fuel. Their conversation jumps from school to Halloween and then to Thanksgiving which Santana and Brittany are contemplating having family over. Of course, Santana points out, they will have to move a few things around to have so many people over for a Thanksgiving dinner, but that they can turn their living room into the dining room easily enough.
With full bellies, the foursome decide to call it a night after the fourth time Brittany yawns and complains about having to go into the studio at six in the morning. Quinn laughs, commenting on how Brittany is the one who is old and not them. Santana of course rolls her eyes at her friends attempt at humor and basically leads them to the door as her response. They all hug one another, which they always joke is silly because they are going to most likely see each other the next day anyway.
When Brittany closes the door after Rachel and Quinn leave, she spins around and lets out a loud sigh. Santana leans in the doorway of the kitchen and the hallway and quirks an eyebrow in her direction. She watches the way Brittany dully cleans up the coffee cups from the table and moves from her spot to grab the plates, seeing as her girlfriend needs help.
"So?" Santana says in a questioning manner as she cleans up. After setting the cups into the dishwasher, Brittany puts her hands on her hips and tilts her head to the side.
"What is Quinn thinking?" She blurts out after holding it in for hours.
"Right?" Santana sighs out and it's like all the tension she'd been holding in the past couple of hours has come out in that one word.
"I really hate to say this, but this is the worst idea ever." Brittany shakes her head and leans her hands on the counter top behind her.
"I know." Santana nods in agreement and gnaws on her bottom lip as she replays everything that has transpired this evening.
"I feel like all this time we've been in New York, we've all grown." Brittany starts, but pauses as she twists her lips, thinking of how to express her thoughts. "And even with all our twists and turns, we've grown together. But, it feels like Quinn and Rachel have been growing apart." She looks up at Santana to gauge her reaction to such a statement. It's obvious that her girlfriend too feels the same. Brittany lets out an unamused laugh and turns back to the sink to grab the soaking dishes to put into the dishwasher. "You'd think they would have learned from us. I mean, we didn't just get engaged after everything that happened." She comments and Santana moves to stand beside her at the sink. "I know it's different, but…"
"This is such a big step and not in the right direction for either of them." Santana continues for her, figuring she was thinking on the same level. Brittany pauses her motions at the sink, her shoulders slump and she looks to her left where Santana is. She smiles softly at her girlfriend and leans over, puckering her lips. Santana grins and presses her lips to Brittany for a short but sweet kiss.
"Are we supposed to say something?" Brittany asks, turning her attention back to the few dishes in the soapy sink. Santana sucks in her lips and reaches her hands in to grab a plate to give to Brittany.
The next day, Brittany is rushing to Nelson's to meet with Santana and Rachel for a Berry-vention. Well, that's what Santana has been calling it all morning. Her early morning meeting was a wonderful surprise and as much as she can't wait to tell Santana her big and pretty amazing news, she has to think of the task at hand.
All day she has been going over what she is going to say to Rachel. There's no way she or Santana can just come out and tell her that she and Quinn are making a mistake. There's also no way that they can tell her that she is too young, especially because of the ring that is sitting in Brittany's bedside table. She and Santana have been together, officially, about as long as Quinn and Rachel. So, any of their arguments are almost invalid based on those details.
But, she's pretty confident that honesty is always the best policy. With that in mind, she figures that is exactly how she is going to go about this. And with someone like Rachel, sometimes honesty is best served straight forwardly. It's how most people communicated with Rachel in high school and she turned out into a pretty decent human being, for the most part. But this past year has managed to turn Rachel back into the star hungry, self obsessed, McKinley Rachel from their high school days.
When she walks through the doors at Nelson's, she quickly spots her girlfriend walking from the kitchen towards a table. She sees Rachel sitting down at said table and makes her way over. Santana smiles when she notices Brittany walking towards her and reroutes her body to head to her instead of Rachel.
"Hey." She purrs and pulls Brittany in for a kiss by her sweatshirt. "How was your meeting?" Santana asks excitedly and rubs her thumb across the bottom of Brittany's lower lip to wipe away her smudged lip gloss. "You said it was really good." Brittany smiles and grabs Santana's hands then squeezes them gently.
"I'll tell you later." She whispers and then nods to Rachel who is keeping herself busy with her phone. "Hey, Rach." Brittany brushes past her girlfriend and over to the table her friend is sitting at. Rachel looks up from her phone and smiles, leaning over in her chair as Brittany bends down to place a friendly kiss to her cheek.
"Hello." Rachel replies and places her phone back into her bag. "Sorry in advance if my phone goes off, I have been talking to my dads all morning." She beams up at her friends and wriggles her ring finger. Santana and Brittany look from the ring and to each other, both wondering how the Berry men have taken the news.
"Oh, what'd they have to say?" Santana dives right into it.
"They are most definitely pleased with my choice in life partner, though they are a bit worried that we're far too young to make such a commitment to one another." She explains in only the way Rachel Berry can. "Of course I reminded them that Quinn and I have been together for a while now, and although marriage is a huge step it does not at all diminish the love and commitment we have." Santana does her best to not gag and or roll her eyes. But before she can even come up with a response to all of this, Brittany beats her to the punch.
"Rachel," Brittany interrupts before Rachel can continue on her own little rant. "I'm gonna give you some tough love right now." She begins and Santana's eyes widen because she's heard Brittany start a speech like this before. "I think that there are a lot of things in your relationship that need attention other than Rachel Berry." Rachel jerks her head back, not at all expecting lunch to go in this direction. "I mean, can you honestly say that what you and Quinn have is a stable, understanding and mature partnership? Sometimes, I forget that you're even dating Quinn because all you talk about is yourself and how the world affects you." Santana leans back in her chair, confident that Brittany pretty much has this handled.
"I don't understand." Rachel stammers, looking back and forth between the two girls sitting across from her. "Is this why you invited me for lunch? To sit there and tell me that mine and Quinn's relationship isn't like yours? News flash, nobody's relationship is like yours." She desperately defends.
"Be that as it may, do you really think jumping into an engagement is the way to revive your otherwise dull relationship?" Brittany counters, leaning her elbows onto the table and rests her chin in her hands.
"Who said my relationship is dull?" Rachel asks, looking from Brittany to Santana and then back to Brittany. "Did Quinn say our relationship is dull?"
"No." Santana laughs and shakes her head, hoping that by playing aloof will bring them back to the original point of this conversation.
"Yes." Brittany instantly retracts Santana's 'no' with a confident nod of her head. "She said your sex life is dull."
"That's not exactly what she said." Santana defends, leaning forward before the lid blows of this boiling pot.
"See." Rachel looks to Brittany but motions towards Santana. "You obviously heard wrong."
"I thought Quinn asked you for tips in the bedroom." Brittany says between her and Santana, but of course since Rachel is sitting right across from them she hears her and her eyes widen in horror. "Look Rachel, we love you and care about you." She reaches her hand over and taps her friends hand with her fingers. "It's just that… maybe you guys are rushing in to things." Rachel stares at her friends.
"I get it." Rachel chuckles out after a few seconds of gaping at Brittany. "Okay, okay. You guys," She points to the couple. "I'm so sorry. You two are probably upset and feel like we took it away from you." Rachel sighs and her shoulders relax feeling as though she's figured them out.
"Umm," Santana shifts in her seat. "Actually Berry, we're upset because you don't get it." She says.
"What Santana means is that, your dads are right." Brittany vaguely explains. "You are too young and we don't think you truly grasp the concept of commitment." Rachel's eyebrows shoot up to her hairline and her eyes flicker over in Santana's direction. "In high school before you and Quinn started dating, I used to pretend that you were together. Ya know, all those times you and Quinn were at Breadstix with me and Santana or went to the movies with us." Brittany bites on her bottom lip and sends a quick glance over at Santana before continuing. "Now, I pretend you guys aren't dating. I feel like me and Santana are your totally non-related children who have a lot of sex and you and Quinn are our parents who are sexless and on the brink of divorce."
Rachel looks down at the table and lets out a long sigh. She bobs her head up and down a few times and watches the way her thumbs fumble over one another. The ring on her finger sparkles under the bright lights of Nelson's and quickly catches her eye. She tilts her head to the side, admiring the newest jewel in her collection.
"Did Quinn say something to you about this?" Rachel asks, finally looking up to find her friends shaking their heads almost in unison. "So, she didn't come to you with concerns or complaints about me or even ask your advice about us getting married?" She questions further, already knowing the answer, because it's the same one they had for the first question. Brittany and Santana look at each other and then shake their heads again. "I get that you two have your own way of doing things in your relationship and that works for you. But, my relationship with Quinn is different. Not only is it different but it's mine. And the next time I want your opinions I'll ask for it." She grabs her bag and jacket and swiftly gets up from the table. The couple watches her until she fades into the traffic of people on the sidewalk.
"I did not foresee this." Brittany whispers to herself, but Santana hears and shakes her head, agreeing at her assessment.
"Were we mean?" Santana wonders, imagining rage filled phone calls and texts she may receive through the day from Quinn.
"Baby, it's called tough love for a reason." Brittany tells her, even if she's also trying to make herself feel better for being brutally honest with Rachel.
"Do you still wanna eat here?" She asks with tired uncertainty.
"Sure." Brittany reaches out for one of the menus sitting in the middle of the table, even though she knows the menu inside and out and gets the same thing every time.
"Grilled cheese with fries and bleu cheese it is." Santana says, already knowing her girlfriend's order and she goes to one of her coworkers who is their server for the afternoon. Brittany giggles at the way Santana knows her so well. "Okay, it's in. Now, tell me how the meeting went."
"So," Brittany can't control her smile, because this is definitely some exciting and uplifting news especially after the horrible way the conversation with Rachel went. "I didn't want to tell you over the phone or through text and definitely not until after we talked to Rachel." She explains why it has taken her so long to share the fantastic that was her morning. "The meeting this morning was my own personal meeting with an agent." Santana smiles, already loving the news. "He represents an artist who is interested in me to choreograph their new music video." Santana's eyes grow as wide as saucers and her jaw drops. "We were in my office and then guess who walks through the door?"
"No." Santana breathes out in disbelief.
"Mercedes Jones." Brittany tells her, only putting fact to her already wild running thoughts.
"No shit!" Santana shouts and gets a few odd looks from the patrons in Nelson's.
"I guess when she talked to Kurt, he told her where I work and what I've been doing these past couple of years. She actually said even if I wasn't doing anything with dance, she would have found me and begged me to take the job." Brittany explains in some detail as to how her not so little meeting went this morning. Santana can only stare at her, still dumbfounded. "Also, the reason she came here to meet with Kurt and obviously me, is because she's shooting the video here. Which is great because it would mean I don't have to leave you." Santana scoffs and rolls her eyes.
"Baby, even if you had to fly across the world, I'd want you to take this job. This is a crazy opportunity." She beams, unable to hold her joy. "Please tell me you are gonna do this."
"Well," She starts slowly, tilting her head from side to side. "I'd have to take some time off from the studio." She explains with a twist of her lips and a dash of uncertainty in her eye. "Plus, there are all these legal papers I have to go over before I can even begin to really think about it. I mean, I'd have to get an agent and all this other stuff."
"What about Mercedes' agent? Obviously he's an agent in the entertainment industry, so wouldn't dance be considered entertainment?" Santana wonders if there is actually a difference when it comes to being someone's agent.
"He said he might be interested in taking me on as a client and that if I sign on to take this job, he'd take me on as a temporary client, just until the video comes out." Brittany's happiness is fiercely pouring from ever part of her being and Santana can't find it in her not to mirror it all. "Then after, it'd be official."
"My beautiful lady is having all of her dreams come true." Santana muses with a slight shake of her head. It's absolutely incredible to her how everything Brittany has been dreaming of is coming her way. She sincerely couldn't be prouder. "And I will personally look over all of that legal crap. How does that sound?"
"Thank you." Brittany says sweetly and leans over to press a soft kiss to Santana's lips.
"Mmm." Santana hums onto her lips before pulling back. "While you were having life changing meetings, I was talking to my mother all morning." She raises her eyebrows and slaps a fake smile, which Brittany can't help but laugh at. "She said that she and my dad are happy to come here for Thanksgiving."
"Really? Even though they're coming here for your graduation in December?" Brittany asks with controlled enthusiasm. Santana nods, this time smiling for real.
"Plus, my brothers are closer to us anyway and they've been dying to get their NYC nightlife on." She explains.
"They do know we're gonna drag 'em to a gay bar right?" Brittany slyly asks, as though Nic and Manny are sitting across from them.
"For straight boy reasons I will never understand, they are more than excited to be taken to a gay bar." She rolls her eyes, still not quite sure how her brothers get through this crazy thing called life. "I think they think it's gonna be all hot girl on girl."
"They do understand their sister is gonna be there, right?" Brittany points out in confusion.
"Who knows? They are gross college boys. I expect nothing less of them." She comments as their food finally arrives and she eyes up her cobb salad is if it was Brittany naked on their couch at home. "What about your side?" Santana questions, wondering how these Thanksgiving plans are panning out.
"Oh, my parents were in as soon as I brought it up." Brittany exclaims as she digs into her grilled cheese. "And I told them that Jaime can stay with us." She adds after her first bite.
"I can't believe she's a teenager." Santana's eyes widen at the thought of Jaime Pierce infiltrating their old stomping grounds.
"It's gross." Brittany hums out between bites.
"What about Laurie?" Santana asks through her own delicious lunch.
"Mhmm." Brittany nods and covers her mouth with the back of her hand. "Laurie, Brady and Mr. Jacobs." She jokes, poking fun at how Santana still calls her brother-in-law Mr. Jacobs because he was once their substitute Math teacher at McKinley.
"When are your sister and the sub having more kids anyway?" Santana wonders as she moves her fork around her salad, looking for her next bite. Brittany shrugs her shoulders, turning her hungry attention to her fries and dipping them into the bleu cheese. "I mean, Brady's almost five now."
"Well, Jaime's eight years younger than me and Laurie's eight years older than me." Brittany reminds her girlfriend about the age difference that is in her immediate family. Santana nods as she rummages through her salad for the good stuff.
"I sometimes wonder if my parents had my brothers first if they would have even considered having more children." She sighs and shakes her head at the thought. "I mean, if that were the case, who knows? I may not even be here right now."
A comfortable silence falls between them, both taking a little more interest in their food now that Thanksgiving plans are pretty much settled. Since freshman year they have been dreaming of hosting a holiday at their own place. Sure, they had Kurt and Blaine over last Thanksgiving, but the idea of having family over makes everything a bit more real.
Brittany grins as she chews her food, imagining them preparing for the holiday. She's in the kitchen with her apron on, ordering Santana around to dice something and then take the garbage out. Then Santana taking over to bake pies and begging Brittany to make her pecan pie that she always bakes. Brittany remembers back when they were still in high school when the idea of baking and cooking was something they had sort of thought was beneath them and something they would never truly use. Usually, the most they would have ever cooked was tossing in some cookie dough that was already made.
It's funny how things turn out. Of course Brittany and Santana had always hoped that they would end up with each other. But, hopes and dreams seldom come true. It's kind of a breath of fresh air to have something so real and attainable and it's what they've always wanted.
Brittany is pretty sure she is still drunk from last night. She, Santana, Quinn and Rachel had taken Nic and Manny out for Thanksgiving eve. They bounced around from bar to bar to club to bar again. Of course they ended their night down at Mick's, where Santana acted like she was in the movie Cocktail and was flipping bottles around as she made drinks. She would have been impressed had she not spent most of her Tuesday nights sitting at the bar watching her girlfriend practice for this very occasion. Santana wanted to impress her brothers with something.
But even with her hangover slash drunken haze, she has a day to prepare for. Luckily, they weren't too far off when they got back home last night and dragged the turkey out of the freezer and set it into the sink. Sure, Jaime woke up when they got back at four in the morning and made them feel like bad parents for being completely wasted, but she sort of helped them with the frozen bird.
The first thing she's thankful for on this holiday is that they live in a two bedroom apartment and that their entire families aren't here. It makes it a little bit easier to move around the apartment in nothing but underwear and a long t-shirt.
Santana isn't far behind her, although she groans as she makes her way down the hallway and into the kitchen. Her eyes are tired but still beautiful and Brittany smiles when she spots her girl. Santana shuffles across the cold tiles of the kitchen floor and puckers up for her morning kiss. She yawns as she pulls away and asks Brittany if she wants coffee, already grabbing two cups down because the answer is going to be a big 'yes'.
"I think I'm still drunk." Santana grumbles, suddenly remembering all of those shots her brothers bought them last night. "How the hell did we get home?" She asks as she fills the coffee filter.
"Umm," Brittany hums as she preheats the oven. "I think Garrett walked us home." She laughs out as a vague memory flies through her brain of Garrett the bartender and owner of Mick's walking them home flashes through her mind.
"Did I sing Salt-n-Pepa's 'Shoop' last night?" She wonders; random memories coming back to her.
"That was Rachel." Brittany reminds her. "Honey, can you go run down and grab some chocolate chip muffins?"
"I guess I should probably put on some clothes then." Santana says, looking down when she realizes that she has no pants or a shirt on.
Before she can head back to their bedroom, she is distracted by a knock on the door. She looks over her shoulder and sends Brittany a curious stare. Brittany shrugs her shoulders and nods towards the door for her to just answer it. She grabs one of her sweatshirts from the coat rack, at least covering her top half up, before she answers the mysterious knock.
"Quinn." Santana is surprised to find it's her best friend standing on the other side of the door. Quinn half smiles, as though happy that Santana sees it's her and also because it's something one does at the sound of their name. But, Santana can sense something beyond that half and mostly faked smile. "What's up?" She asks, because it's late and Quinn looks tired.
Without saying anything, Quinn lifts up her hand and between her index finger and thumb is the engagement ring that once sat on Rachel's finger. Santana's eyes widen and she moves her focus from the ring to her friends face. Her mouth opens, trying to get her voice to work except words aren't coming out.
"You guys were right." Quinn croaks out, once more flashing that forced, sad smile. As much as Santana loves to hear those words, she can't find it in her to cheer about it.
"So, you're not engaged anymore?" Brittany comes out from behind Santana and stands in the doorway with them. Quinn's bottom lip quivers and her eyes flicker from browns to blues.
"Umm," Quinn hums out in an uneven tone and clears her throat to steady her voice. "Actually, we broke up."
Even if this was something they had been hoping for, Brittany and Santana shoot each other unsure glances. It's not like they want their friends to be hurting, but they also don't want them to be doing things that are not in their best interest. Unfortunately, words fall short on the couple and they turn their attention back to Quinn, waiting for more information.
"You guys aren't just great girlfriends to each other, you're really good friends to one another too." Quinn tells them. Her voice is soft, low and sad. "Me and Rach, we haven't been good friends to each other, for a while now. I think that's a step we kind of leaped over." Her eyes are glassy and look down for a moment to gather herself. "We both feel like that. So, we decided that for now, we're only friends. Because if we can't even be friends, then, well…" Quinn sniffles and flips her short, pink hair to the side. "I think that we'd been together for so long, we fell into a routine. There are so many things that I wanna do and being with who Rachel is right now, it wouldn't work. I'm not blaming Rachel or saying she's a bad person, she's not. Her focus is on her career… not me. It's not fair to be second best." She shrugs her shoulders and that sad smile comes to her lips once again.
Brittany swallows hard, feeling a bubble growing in her chest and she wants badly to reach out and pull Quinn into a giant hug. But, she's learned from Santana that just like her girlfriend, sometimes Quinn needs her own, self time to deal with not so happy things. So, she restrains herself and bounces on the balls of her feet as she wracks her brain for something comforting to say.
"Do you wanna spend Thanksgiving with us?" Brittany finally comes up with and gets a nod of approval from her girlfriend. Quinn smiles, even through her sadness and looks down at the ground.
"Rachel, went home to Lima this morning." She tells them. "I'd really like to be with you guys today."