Chapter 27 – Work and Family
"It means the world to me that you went and picked up my mom and you brought your niece in just to see that." Naya said from where her head was resting on Heather's chest. Heather's fingers were running lightly through her hair.
"Have you not figured it out yet? I would do anything for you."
Naya looked up at Heather and smiled, placing a soft kiss on her girlfriends lips. "How did casting go?"
"Good, you and James are perfect in this and I think we've finally casted some of the smaller parts." Heather looked down at the woman in her arms who was giving her an weird look. "What?"
"I don't think James is right for the part."
Heather was suddenly very awake as she sat up a little. "What do you mean? I thought you were okay with it."
"I am, if you are. I can't imagine its easy for you to watch me kiss my ex fiancé."
"I'll admit there are times when it's hard but I know its just work. It's just that he's this amazing guy and he does all the right things. I mean he flew in to see you perform tonight and he calmed you down when I wasn't there too. I trust you, I trust him, I guess I just don't trust myself."
"How so?" Naya asked as she ran her fingertips up and down Heather's side.
"I hurt you and I'll never forgive myself for that, I'll never be done making up for it. You were right in front of me for so long and I didn't see it."
Shaking her head Naya pushed herself up so that she could look Heather in the eyes. "You have to let the past go or we're never going to be able to move forward."
"When did you get to be so smart?" Heather joked as she kissed Naya's forehead.
"Late night coffee sessions with Lea, it's amazing what you can learn when your brain is too tired to fight you. Before we call it a night though there is something I want to talk to you about."
"Trying to make babies? Because as much as I would love to it's a little weird with your mom and my niece in the house."
Naya let out a loud laugh before covering her mouth and pulled the covers up a little higher. "No!"
"Oh okay, then what?"
"Did you really go to Lea's party because you want to see me?"
Even in the dim light Naya could see Heather's cheeks turn a crimson red. "It was one reason, one of the main ones."
"Why didn't you just call me?"
"You were this big movie star and I hurt you, I felt like I didn't have the right to call but if I ran into you then that was okay."
Naya leaned up and kissed the tip of Heather's nose. "You're adorable."
"You're beautiful but we should probably try and sleep since we have screen tests all day tomorrow."
"Yes boss." Naya laughed as she laid her head down onto her pillow, as Maurice got comfortable at the foot of her bed.
Two Days Later"James could you tilt you head a little more to the side so we can get both of you in the frame?"
Take after take Heather had been watching James kiss her girlfriend and she couldn't help but feel a little pang of jealousy. It wasn't intentional and James was being as professional as he could given the circumstance.
An hour later Heather walked into Naya's trailer and sat down on the couch. "This brings back memories." She laughed as she watched Naya change her shirt. Her breath hitched as she watched Naya's hands move up toned caramel skin as she raised her shirt over her head. Sure they had made out and it had gotten pretty heavy but aside from that they hadn't gone further.
"Hemo, are you listening to me at all?"
"Hmm?" She looked back up and smiled.
"I said I can't do dinner tonight since I have a meeting with head office but I promise I will make it up to you, Abi and my mom tomorrow."
Heather's heart sank as she heard the news and she wished that she could just go back to the blissful state she had been in before she clued back into reality. "Can you reschedule it?"
Naya shook her head. "I'm sorry, I tried I really did but there's only so much I can do."
"Why didn't they tell me about the meeting, I'm the director!" Heather said as she started to rub her temples.
"I don't know but I'm sure it'll be fine. Tell you what, as soon as I get home we'll have family game night or something really lame that Abi will never live down."
Heather nodded, the sad look on her face was breaking Naya's heart but there was only so much she could do. She understood that Naya had to work and that with her tour coming up and her show starting filming again there was probably a lot that people needed to talk to her about. "How long do we have until we need to be back?"
"I'm not sure, but I need to change these pants."
"I can help you with that." Heather went to reach for Naya but the other woman slapped her hand away.
"Working here, what has gotten into you?" Naya laughed as she moved away from Heather to change.
Heathers eyes scanned up and down the woman's body. It was so hard for her to be upset when Naya, especially when she was looking like that. "You're beautiful, and sexy as hell and it is so hard to keep my hands off you because I've had to for so long."
Smiling seductively Naya walked back towards Heather and straddled her lap on the couch, brushing her bangs back behind her ears she leaned forward. Ever so lightly she bit the blondes earlobe. "Mmm, maybe later." She whispered in her ear before getting up and walking out of the trailer.
"Damn you and your sexy ways Rivera!" Heather yelled as she leaned her head back with a loud groan. This was definitely payback for her not being around for so long.
After a long day of work Heather was glad to be home in her apartment, even though she'd much rather be at Naya's. Walking into her living room she smiled as Mrs. Rivera and Abigail sitting on the couch watching t.v.
"Hey, what are you two doing here?"
Naya's mom was about to speak when Abigail jumped up off of the couch and towards Heather who picked her up, spinning her around. "Naya called and she said she was sorry that she had to miss dinner but that we should all go out anyways."
"Oh so now you actually want to spend time with me?"
The little girl shook her head. "No I want to hang out with Yolanda, I know where Naya gets it from now." Heather laughed as she watched Naya's moms smile grow.
"I've found a good shopping partner, and she's right just because Naya is working shouldn't mean that we have to stay in. Besides I think it'd be nice to spend some time together without my daughter giving me dirty looks every time I bring up how adorable you two are."
"Abi, go get changed." Raising an eyebrow at her aunt the girl went upstairs to pick out an outfit.
"How are we adorable?" Heather asked as she sat down next to Yolanda on the couch.
"You're the perfect couple, your mother agrees." Heathers eyes nearly popped out of her head at the mention of her own mother. "She called earlier to check in on Abigail and I happened to answer the phone. We're thrilled that you two are finally together, it was starting to give all of us headaches."
"I, but, we're, it's not…" She tried to come up with a good explanation for how and what they were but the look on Yolanda's face told her that it was pointless. "Okay, so we are."
"We know sweetie, we've all always known. You know what else I know?" Heather shook her head no in response. "I know that James shouldn't be Naya's costar for this movie, it should be you. It's your story about the two of you, so you should be in it."
Sighing she leaned her head back on the couch. She knew that the older Rivera was right, she had always been a wise woman and her mom away from home when they had been in L.A. so it was nice to finally get to see her again. "It's too late to change it now. We've already pitched the idea and hired James. They have great chemistry and that will sell movie tickets."
"Except you two have amazing chemistry, you always have. Especially when you were on this little show called Glee." All Heather could do was nod, she knew that the other woman was right.
After dinner the two older women let Abigail pick where she wanted to go for dessert. Without hesitation she picked Serendipity, which made Heather laugh at the irony of her niece picking the place that her and Naya loved so much. They walked into the patisserie and Heather hoped that they'd be able to get a table since, like always, the place was crazy busy. The server told them to head upstairs and find a table and that someone would be with them shortly.
Yolanda and Abigail walked in front of Heather who was busy sending a text message to Naya to let her know where they were and that she hoped that the other woman would be able to make it out. When she looked up her heart stopped and the tears started to well up in her eyes. In the corner of the restaurant was a table with a few small candles on it, the lights were dimmer but all Heather could focus on was Naya in a skintight red dress. It wasn't until Abi tapped her hand that she noticed her mom sitting down next to Naya.
"You surprise me, I surprise you." Heather smiled at Naya as she moved forward and gave her mom a giant hug.
"Is this why you've been acting weird all week?" Naya smiled as her answer as Heather wrapped her arms around Naya's waist and brought her in for a hug. Once Naya's arms were around her neck she was sure that there were no better hugs in the entire world.
After dessert, the women headed back to Naya's since Mrs. Morris had insisted on seeing it. It turned out that the two moms had gotten along splendidly which only made Naya and Heather happier. Abigail, like always had talked to Naya most of the night and it made Heather feel amazing to know just how much her family loved Naya. Abigail had always liked Taylor but she always felt as though something was off. As young as Abi was the girl had always been a good judge of character and the fact that she had picked Naya over Taylor spoke volumes. It gave Heather the extra bit of a confidence she needed, knowing that she had made the right decision.
Looking over at Naya as they walked home she smiled when she saw Abigail holding onto her arm as if they had been the best of friends. Without thinking she reached down and laced her and Naya's fingers together and though no one else would have noticed she felt Naya lean into her slightly.
Naya walked up the steps of her house and unlocked the door. She pushed it open to let everyone in first and stole a soft peck from Heather as she walked by. "I'm going to take Maurice for a walk if you want to show mom around." Heather said as she insisted that Naya go in before her. "Mrs. Rivera did you want to come with Abi and I?"
"That sounds nice, it's not often I get to walk around in Central Park."
"Thanks for abandoning me momma."
Her mother turned around with a laugh. "Your welcome."
Shaking her head Naya took Elizabeth's coat and hung it up for you. "So this is the 'family room' she said in imaginary quotation marks. Basically Maurice and my hang out when we're not in the kitchen." Elizabeth laughed as she looked around the room.
"Can I just say it's more beautiful in person than it is over the phone."
"You're too sweet." Naya said a bit bashful as she led Elizabeth through into the dinning room and kitchen.
She watched as the woman gasped slightly. "I love these floors and that the cabinets match."
"It's not quite as big as the house in the L.A. but for New York it's pretty big. I think in a few years I might buy something outside the city that's a little bit bigger, I'm starting to want another puppy. Follow me, I'll show you upstairs."
Naya led the tour of upstairs and after the first room Elizabeth let you a laugh. "I don't know how my daughter didn't figure out that her place used to be yours, it has you written all over it. This place is the same, and I absolutely love it."
"Thank you so much, that's too kind of you." Maybe it was the compliments or maybe it was whom they were coming from but Naya couldn't help but blush.
Outside Heather and Yolanda kept a watchful eye on Abigail as she held Maurice's leash a few feet in front of them. "I'm really glad you're back."
Heather was taken a little off guard by the comment but she smiled. "Me too. I really, truly am."
"I just want you to know that the past is the past and Naya is a big girl but you have my blessing."
Stopping Heather turned and looked at Yolanda, a tear threatening to fall from her eye. "Thank you." Was all she said as she wrapped her arms around the older Rivera woman.
"Sweetie you have always had her heart so thank you for making her happy and reminding her that work isn't everything." All Heather could do was nod as Abi and Maurice walked back towards them.
Heather's Apartment – Two Hours LaterHeather and her mom were sitting on her couch with their feet up, glasses of wine in their hands. The tv was on but it was more there for background noise than it was for entertainment. They had left Naya's to make sure Abigail got enough sleep so that she wouldn't be a cranky teenager on the flight home though it was a struggle to get her to leave. The only thing that worked was Naya telling her that she'd take her out for a light breakfast early in the morning and then they'd meet everyone else for brunch later on.
"You better not screw this up again Heather. As much as I love you, she is perfect for you and I hope that you see that." Sure, it was blunt and bold but it was exactly what Heather needed to hear.
"I'll do my best, I really do love her and I think I always have. It took so long for me to figure it out that I missed out on so much time."
Elizabeth shook her head. "You both needed the time to find yourselves. You had to know that this was what was right, I've always known that Taylor wasn't it for you the minute I saw you with Naya but you had to see that. Life has a way of always working out the way that it was meant to."
"Fate." The older woman nodded with a smile.
"Life gives you opportunities but it's your job to make the most of them. I'm very proud of you, you aren't my little baby girl anymore." Leaning over Heather laid her head on her mom's shoulder as the woman rubbed her back slightly. "It's been a long day you should head back over to bed." Heather looked up with a confused look. "We both know you'd much rather be over at Naya's, especially with how busy her schedule is about to get."
"No I don't get to see you very often."
Elizabeth shook her head. "I lived with you for 18 years, I've seen you enough. Now go, we'll see you over there in the morning."
Naya's HouseIt had been such a long day that Naya hadn't noticed just how tired she was. She was curled up in bed with Maurice reading a book when the thunder and lightning started. It seemed to be the summer of thunder storms and that was okay with Naya, for whatever reason sometimes they helped her sleep. Putting her book down she turned the light off and got comfortable as she looked out her bay window. She had chosen not to pull the blinds down so that she could watch the storm over the park. Thoughts of her and Heather filled her mind as she watched the rain fall and the lightening strike. She was so deep in thought that when she felt the bed move she thought it was just Maurice so she didn't bother to take her eyes off the window. That is until a warm, soft palm caressed over her stomach and the familiar smell of vanilla took over her senses. Before she could turn her head she felt Heather's lips kiss her jawbone then her cheek.
"Hi beautiful, whatcha watching?"
"The storm, what are you doing here?"
Heather laughed. "I can leave if you want?"
Naya shook her head vehemently. "Stay." She smiled, knowing that Heather wasn't going anywhere.
"My mom sent me over, clearly my want to be with is transparent."
"Only sometimes."
They both laughed as Heather rolled them over so that Naya was laying on her chest. "Don't look at me like that, I just like to hold you, I'm trying to make up for lost time."
Naya adjusted so that she could still look out the window. "I'm glad you came over, I was missing you." Leaning up she kissed Heather slowly, enjoying the way it made her lips tingle and released butterflies in her stomach.
"Mmm, I love kissing you, did you know that?" Heather asked with a smile the size of Texas on her face.
"Maybe a little but I think you should tell me again, better yet you should show me."
"Do you know how hard it is to keep myself from jumping you right now, especially since you don't have shorts on and your wearing a tiny tank top. The only thing stopping me is the fact that you're mom is right now the hall." Naya laughed with a raise of her eyebrow. "You're evil."
After that they laid in silence for a while, watching the storm as it roared throughout the city. "Will you go on a date with me?"
"Of course, we've been on dates." Naya answered as she rested her chin on Heather's shoulder, looking up at her.
"I mean a real date. A full blown romantic first proper date. You chased after me for so long so it's my turn to chase after you and put you first and just so you know I'm never not going to chase after you. Incase I didn't make that clear before."
Naya bit the corner of her lip lightly. "You are the sweetest person ever, do you know that?"
Heather shook her head and kissed Naya's nose. "That's you."
