This chapter is for K. Hope everyone likes it. Sorry no sexy times and its rather shorter than my normal posts; all plot but it moves us on to what part 2 is really about. I look forward to hearing everyone's thoughts and requests. Enjoy.
She sat there stunned. What her boss just told her, she was not prepared for. How does one prepare for this of all things? She figured he was going to chew her out for missing a week of work but that was weeks ago. She caught up easily on their paperwork and no one had called out that week to warrant her to be in big trouble but this? Nope, never expected it. That's why she continued to sit in her chair and stare dumbfounded at her boss.
"Any thoughts at all?" Taylor asked. He looked weathered. His dark hair was starting to gray out in places and the laughter lines in his face were more prominent. His eyes looked tired but his smile was still strong.
"I'm just shocked. I wasn't really expecting this," She shook her head trying to snap herself out of this silence. Not saying anything at all in response wasn't going to help matters.
"I wasn't either but when your wife gives you an ultimatum and you love her, you do what you have to," Taylor sighed and leaned back in his chair. As soon as he said the word wife her mind immediately went to the drawer in her bedside table. One day she would finally get the nerve to propose to Brittany.
"But me?" She asked having to pull herself out of her daydreams of Brittany in a white dress.
"Yes. You are the most qualified and well frankly this bar has been around since the boom of this town. We've rebuilt many times just to keep it alive. I know you won't be leaving here and I trust that you will keep it a part of this towns history. I trust you with this," Taylor smiled softly while leaning back in his chair. He was right seeing as she would never leave this town. She it's protector until one of her children takes over as Alpha. Of course he wouldn't know that's why she would never leave.
"But sir, to give me the bar?" She asked still not believing him at all.
"My health is failing and I just can't keep running this place and all my other businesses. You've poured your soul into here since I hired you all those years ago. You practically run this place since I promoted you to manager. The place is yours, just don't ever sell it. Keep it in the family, that's all I ask," Taylor pushed the paperwork towards her and she fell back into a shocked silence. Taylor was serious and all she had to do was sign on the dotted line and she would own her own business. Of course their was more legal business to it that they would have to attend to but for the most part, this was it. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly before sitting forward in her chair and reaching for his pen.
She felt horrible. She was meeting Quinn for lunch since Santana was called into a meeting this afternoon. It was a good chance to catch up with Santana's pack mate since she hadn't seen any of them in so long. It had been rough being forced apart from Santana for so long but it had been for the best. They'd needed their space to forward their lives, she understood that but it had still been so hard. Especially when she'd come home for the holidays or summer vacation and Quinn would keep Santana locked up where Brittany couldn't come see her. She'd hated Quinn for awhile but after the brutal gut wrenching pain of being apart from her mate dimmed some, she'd come to thank Quinn for it. After the first year and a half passed she only physically felt pain for her mate during their mating cycle. That never went away.
But now that she was back with her mate and they were mating again it was as if their was no time lost. It was magical and she would never be parted from her mate again. And since she was no longer pissed at Quinn she figured it would be nice to have lunch and catch up on Quinn's life events since she's been away. Of course it would be easier to have lunch if she wasn't currently in the bathroom puking her guts out.
The bathroom door opened and soft feet padded in, "Brittany? Are you in here?" Quinn called out.
"Hey," Brittany answered before coughing and dropping back over the toilet.
"Are you okay?" Quinn asked coming to stand in front of her stall door.
"I think I may have a stomach bug. I've been feeling sick to my stomach for days," Brittany answered without trying to whine. She was really tired of feeling so sick. She couldn't remember eating any bad food or being around anyone sick but that didn't mean she avoided getting the flu or something.
"Want me to call Santana or take you home?" Quinn asked.
"No, it's okay. It wouldn't hurt to try and eat something," Brittany muttered as she stood up and unlocked the stall door.
"But you're sick?" Quinn asked giving her a soft apologetic smile as Brittany stepped out.
"I think so but I'm still kinda hungry," She shrugged going to the sink to wash her hands.
"If you say so," Quinn shrugged. Brittany absent mindingly rubbed at her boobs before washing her hands. Quinn cocked her head and starred at Brittany for a good long minute before shaking off whatever thoughts she was having.
"Let's eat," Brittany turned to Quinn and smiled. They left the restroom and took a seat at a table. Brittany starred at the menu for a long second before realizing she had a serious craving for steak. She snapped the menu closed and smiled at Quinn who was again looking at her with a curious expression. "What?"
"Oh um, it's nothing," Quinn shook her head and closed her menu as well. They used to come here all the time and they always ordered the same thing but when they ordered this time and Brittany asked for a steak as rare as they would cook it Quinn really did look at her strange. "Steak? You never order steak. You always get turned off by it because Santana can't eat it like a normal human being."
"Just had a craving for it I guess," Brittany shrugged and sipped on her water.
"Somethings up. Anything you want to tell me?" Quinn asked with raised eyebrows.
"Nope. Just lunch among friends," Brittany smiled and bounced in her seat a bit.
"Oh. You don't have any news?" Quinn asked curiously. Brittany just looked at her and couldn't figure out what Quinn was trying to say.
"Do you have news?" She asked thinking maybe Quinn was trying to be sneaky about it.
"Nope. Same old with me," Quinn sighed while toying with the wrapper from her straw.
"What kind of news did you think I would have?" Brittany asked intrigued by her friends weird behavior.
"Nothing. Just thought something big might have happened," Quinn shrugged again.
"If Santana finally proposed don't you think I would be wearing the ring," Brittany grinned thinking she'd figured out what information Quinn was fishing for.
"What makes you think Santana's going to propose?" Quinn asked with shock as she looked at Brittany's hands just to make sure she hadn't missed anything.
"San isn't the best at hiding things. I found the ring a few weeks ago in her drawer by the bed," Brittany shrugged.
"Oh crap. Does she know you know?" Quinn asked leaning forward with an eager expression.
"Nope. I put the box back and I'm just waiting for her to ask," Brittany answered with a smile.
"Uh okay. Are you ready for her to ask?" Quinn leaned back in her seat and watched again as Brittany absent mindfully rubbed a breast.
"I've felt like we've been married since high school. Whenever she asks I'll say yes," Brittany answered.
"I don't know why she's waiting," Quinn shook her head and wadded up the straw wrapper before flicking it to the corner of the table.
"She's nervous because of how long we spent apart and that's okay. I'll be ready when she's ready," Brittany looked up and clapped in excitement as their food was delivered. She breathed in the smell of her near rare steak and hummed, "Oh man, this smells great. I was craving this." Quinn once again looked at her strange before trying to hide it by starring at her food. "Okay you've been acting weird since the bathroom. What's up?"
"Nothing," Quinn quickly shook her head and continued picking through her salad to find all the bits of chicken.
"It's not nothing Q. What is it?" Brittany pressed as she carved into her steak.
"Well, um. You've been throwing up and you're craving meat which you rarely ever eat. Plus you keep rubbing at your boobs. Are they hurting you or something?" Quinn asked.
"They're a little sensitive. Why?" Brittany asked confused to what Quinn was trying to get at.
"Well...um, you see..."Quinn tried but just stuttered over her words.
"What is it Quinn?" Brittany asked again her mind going to horrible answers. Was she dying? Did she have some rare sickness that only Quinn knew about?
"When was your last period?" Quinn asked while wincing slightly at the topic.
"Oh," She breathed while thinking over that question. Actually, she was late. It was suddenly like dominoes through her mind as everything clicked into place. "We should probably go shopping."
Santana was trying to keep calm. This was it. She was ready, Brittany was ready. It was pointless to keep wasting time. They were already spiritually married. It wasn't like Brittany was going to say no. She fumbled around the apartment and kept a tight grip on the ring box in her hand. She was going to do it. Brittany would get home from work and she was going to propose. Right there on the spot. No, that wasn't romantic enough. Should she order them dinner and set up a romantic setting? Brittany would probably not be hungry since she hadn't been feeling so well. Besides Brittany would chuckle and say the food wasn't the one proposing. It would be all about the words. What the hell was she going to say?
She paced, stopped and would try a phrase out before stopping and calling herself stupid and then pacing again. It was starting to become maddening but no way was she going another day without making Brittany officially hers by the state. After all she was a business owner now and after Taylor put the thought into her mind she wasn't able to stop thinking about it. It had been silly of her to not go ahead and do this. Hell, anything she would say or do and Brittany would say yes. They were mated, bound together for life and this was the next step to that life. This was meant to happen. Destiny.
She jolted as she heard the keys jingle in the door. She quickly shoved the box into her pocket and rushed around their new couch to meet her mate at the door. Brittany stepped in and the happiness across her face took her breath away. Her mate was so beautiful she doubted she would ever not be stunned by it.
"Hey babe. How was work?" She asked coming to take Brittany's light jacket and hang it up in the closet.
"It was good. Dad and I got a lot done today," Brittany leaned in and gave her a quick kiss. She hummed as their lips parted. Their kisses were never long enough, even when they would make out for long hours.
"That's awesome. Are you tired? Want to just stay in tonight?" She asked while trying to keep from bouncing on her heels.
"Are you okay?" Brittany asked while cocking an eyebrow at her.
"Yeah. It was just a good day and I'm ready to spend some time with you. You know; cuddle and talk about stuff," She shrugged.
"Did Quinn tell you?" Brittany asked.
"Huh? Was Quinn suppose to tell me something?" She asked surprised by the quick moment of upset that flickered across her mates face.
"No. I wanted to tell you," Brittany beamed with a huge smile. "But first how did it go at work today?"
"Oh!" She dragged Brittany over to the couch and helped her sit down before she came back to stand in front of her mate. She was just going to tell Brittany all of this. She didn't think she could keep it in any longer without bursting into flames or something. Just how was she going to say all of this? "Taylor gave me the bar!" Sure, she was going to blurt it out just like that.
"Wow! That's awesome San," Brittany bounced and clapped before reaching up to pull her down for a kiss. Their lips molded together and she collapsed onto the couch next to her. Their lips pulled apart with a wet pop and Santana took a deep breath, "It got me thinking today. Some of the things that Taylor said and things that I've been thinking for a long long time now. I just, I'm so happy with you. So in love with you. I know we will spend the rest of our lives together. We're meant to be and we've both known that for awhile now but I want the world to know. I want to celebrate this with you. I want to promise you that I will always love and cherish you for as long we both live," She reached into her pocket and pulled out the ring box, popping open the lid. Brittany gasped and smiled as tears pooled into the corner of her eyes. "Will you marry me?" Santana asked.
"Yes," Brittany breathed and grabbed Santana by the cheeks and kissed her hard. When Brittany pulled back she kept nodding her head yes. Santana reached up and took her left hand, sliding the ring into place. Santana couldn't help the huge smile on her face as she leaned in and kissed her fiance. They kissed for long minutes until their lips were swollen and breathing hard. "Taylor gave you the bar?" Brittany asked amazed.
"Yeah. His wife told him he needed to start taking care of himself and he felt that I would be a good choice to take over. We're sorting out all the paperwork and the financial but its official. We own Murphy's." Santana beamed and bounced a bit with Brittany on the couch. Brittany swung a leg over her waist and straddled her on the couch. Brittany leaned down, kissing her deeply.
"This is amazing," Brittany said after pulling away from Santana's lips effectively taking Santana's breath with her. Santana's arms snaked around Brittany's waist, her fingers dancing under the edge of Brittany's work shirt. "I have some news of my own."
"What is it babe?" Santana asked, eyes hooded and breathing deeply.
"I'm pregnant."