Thanks for the feedback as always on the last chapter.
The usual disclaimer applies
Chapter 10
"Black is too harsh for you and white is too wedding dress. I think maybe powder blue or yellow perhaps." Rachel flicked through a rack of dresses at the only decent dress shop in the mall. "Maybe we should have gone somewhere with more choice, like Columbus or Dayton."
Quinn rolled her eyes. "Just let me pick something and try it on so I can get out of here."
"Blue, definitely," Santana agreed with Rachel. "Or maybe green?"
Quinn didn't like the sound of green. "I'll look like a bush parked in the corner, no green."
"But you have green eyes," Rachel nodded. "I think green would look nice, not like emerald or anything, but paler, softer."
Quinn thought about it for a moment and then sighed. "Maybe you're right." She pointed to a pale green dress. "That one actually looks okay, grab it for me please?"
They took their choices and went to try them on. Quinn glanced at the queue. There was a long line of McKinley juniors waiting to take their turn; it seemed the entire year had turned up at the same time.
"Excuse me, miss?" The assistant called out twice before she got Quinn's attention. "The accessible changing room is free right now, would you like to follow me?"
"Awesome," Santana started to follow, glad to be skipping the line.
Quinn shook her head and apologetically made her way past the others. There could have been some negative comments but as most knew her, they stayed quiet or just nodded to her as she passed by.
"I feel bad for skipping the line," the blonde mumbled as the three of them went into the large room.
"Why? I would milk it for all its worth, just like the parking," the Latina hung Quinn's dress and then her own.
Quinn's raised eyebrow was followed by a small grin. "I think maybe I should get one of those T-shirts with 'I'm only it for the parking' on the front," she joked, causing the other two to chuckle, both relieved that she had taken Santana's thou-away line in the spirit it was intended.
Quinn waited for the other two to change quickly. Santana unsurprisingly chose red and looked amazing in it, while Rachel had a black dress and similarly looked fantastic, and much older than usual.
The blonde glanced down at herself and wondered how much she would even be able to do on her own. She couldn't even reach the damn dress because Santana had hung it on the high peg; the lower one would have had the dress dragging on the floor.
"I'm just going to slip it on over my clothes," she sighed as Rachel took it down for her.
"Why?"
"Because it's a pain to get undressed. I usually do it on the bed."
"There's a bench that's big enough," Santana nodded.
Quinn bristled slightly. In truth, she didn't want them seen her without much on. She was worried about her appearance.
The blonde sighed, her eyes firmly fixed on her fingers, which were crossed in her lap. "Okay, just… I'll need help."
Rachel dropped her hand on Quinn's shoulder and squeezed it. "Why do you think we're here?" She staved off the blonde's attempt at arguing by shrugging and pointing out just about everyone needed help getting into a long dress for a special occasion anyway.
—
Quinn nervously tugged at the dress. "Mom?"
A few moments later Judy appeared with Beth in her arms. "Oh, honey, you look beautiful." Beth reached out towards Quinn, so she held the wheel of her chair with one hand and reached out to pull her into her lap. "Did you need something?"
"Can you pin my hair up please?"
Judy took the decorative grip from Quinn and fastened her hair back on one side while her daughter and granddaughter had a conversation, though in terms of anything meaningful, only one of the two produced a coherent sentence, the younger just babbled happy noises and stuck her fist in her mouth.
It wasn't long before there was a knock at the door and Sam's grinning face appeared. Judy liked the young man, though he was hardly the intellectual type, he was nevertheless good-natured and polite.
"Wow, Quinn you look amazing and you too Beth," he grinned at them. "The other guys are going to be so jealous, I get to have the two best looking blonde's in Lima on my arm for the evening. Scratch that," he looked at Judy with a cheeky grin. "Make that the best three looking blondes."
Judy gushed, a little embarrassed but enjoying the flattery.
Quinn gave him a quirky smile. "I doubt that, dragging me around the dance floor, but thank you."
"Quinnie, don't say things like that." Judy didn't like her to sound so disparaging about herself. She was still as beautiful as she had always been.
She shrugged and handed Beth back to her mom. She knew that Sam was a sweet guy, but they weren't the most compatible pair in the world. Everyone thought they were a great looking couple together and that was true, but Sam was like an eight year old boy; it was like dating a puppy dog. He was all eager and excitable, but not really charming beyond the obvious swagger and lame impressions; he didn't really present much of a challenge.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to put a downer on things." She glanced him up and down. "You look really handsome in a suit," she smiled. "I'm proud to be going with you."
"Your chariot awaits Miss Fabray," he pointed to the driveway. "Actually its just my truck but I cleaned and polished it especially for tonight."
Totally puppy dog.
—
Artie was leading the Glee guys in a party song, something by One Direction. The girls were gathered on the edge of the dance floor. Rachel was having some kind of moral dilemma, which she did on a fairly regular basis, because 'Jesse the douche' was back in town and he and Finn were almost brawling over the brunette until Sue threw the both of them out. She looked bereft as if it was the end of the world.
Quinn hadn't met Jesse before, but the others had filled him in. Santana had described him as a pretty boy with great presence, but about as real as an artificial Christmas tree. Quinn got the idea he was as shallow as a puddle. Finn at least, though a little thoughtless and occasionally selfish, was a good guy with some morals. She hoped he and Rachel could work out the kinks in their relationship. They both seemed to rebound more often than a trampoline.
"Maybe Coach Sue will let them back in after they cool off," Santana placated Rachel.
Quinn gave a wry smile that suggested she doubted that, but gave Rachel's hand a little squeeze of sympathy.
"We're all in the same boat; Sam has spent more time on the stage than he has with me. I think I'm just cramping his style."
"You're really not. I think that's his dad's suit," Santana countered. "He's like a pre-pubescent kid."
Quinn elbowed her in the side.
"What? It's true I swear." She just looked at the blonde and then started laughing. "Hey at least you have a date for the evening."
"Rach had two but they're both off cooling their heels; we're all just losers."
"Screw that. Let's dance anyway," Santana shoved the back of Quinn's chair forwards. "Come on Fabray, show me your moves."
Slightly caught off guard, Quinn grabbed the wheels but lost balance with Santana pushing her from behind and had to push herself upright again. "Jeez, San. You keep forgetting."
A small grimace crossed the Latina's face as she recognised her faux pas. "Sorry, but you shouldn't have slammed the brakes on, Q."
"You should be more careful when you shove me," a half laugh bubbled up.
"Oh for goodness sake," Rachel intervened. "The pair of you bicker like a married couple. Come on, let's go sing something instead. Show the boys how it's really done."
A strange look crossed Santana's face at the diva's words, but she masked it quickly and plastered a big smile back on her face as she moved to the backstage area.
As she always did, Quinn filed that bit of information for later when she could talk to Santana alone.
—
2020 Riverside, Connecticut
"I just know you want to plug your phone into the stereo," Quinn gave Rachel a wry grin and watched as she eagerly accepted the invite.
"Oh I love this one," Rachel cooed as one of her recent favourites played through the speakers. "Do you still sing?"
Quinn shook her head. "Not these days, unless you count singing in the shower or the car."
"That's really sad, you have a lovely voice."
"I'm out of practice," Quinn admitted. "Beth's not really musical, more athletic so I guess we just don't have as much interest as we used to in performing."
"Santana?"
"Same really, she works a lot and we tend to go to the tennis club if we have spare time."
"I think I might cry," Rachel seemed sad. "You loved to sing, Santana too."
"I guess. Things just got away from us. Our friends aren't really so musical either."
"Do you still play?"
"Guitar?"
Rachel nodded.
"I do actually, but only for my own enjoyment when I have a little time to myself. Beth asked me to teach her, but she's impatient still and fidgets too much. Until she's a bit more mature its pointless."
Rachel was quiet for a while. I loved listening to you play and sing. When we get home tonight, do you think maybe we could have a little music after dinner, perhaps perform something together again. I miss singing with you and Santana."
Quinn was thoughtful. She didn't know why they didn't do that anymore. "That actually sounds nice," she grinned. "I think Calvin is coming over actually."
"Does he sing?" Rachel perked up at that.
"I actually have no idea, you'll have to ask him."
—
May 2011
New York City
"I can't believe we're finally here," Rachel breathed in the warm city air as though it was nectar.
"I cant believe someone hasn't punched you yet," Santana muttered under her breath and then caught a look of disapproval from Quinn.
Mercedes and Kurt were equally excited and staring at everything and everyone around them. Brittany sat on the bottom step looking confused at the schedule she had been given. Quinn glanced and had to look twice to figure out why Brit was perplexed. She didn't even say anything to the other blonde, simply pulled the schedule out of her hands, flipped it up the correct way round and pushed back into her friend's hand.
"Thanks, I wondered why it was so hard to read."
Quinn shook her head with a half smile and roll of the eyes. She had her doubts about her presence in the contest but kept it to herself for now. The others were just so excited, she didn't want to spoil things. She had intended to stay home and let them go without her, but the truth was that they needed her, crazy at it seemed; she was a liability in the dance parts but they needed twelve members and she made them twelve. That said, she always had the feeling that their regionals victory could have been on the back of the sympathy vote and she doubted that would work at nationals from what she'd heard about the judging. Still they had Rachel and that counted for something.
"Cat got your tongue?" Puck sat on the steps beside her chair.
"What?" Absent minded, she hadn't been listening to him.
"You haven't said much today," Puck met her gaze.
She shrugged. "I'm just nervous about performing at such a big competition. I've never been on stage in front of this many people before."
"Don't sweat it, I actually think we have a chance with our secret weapons."
"Rachel and Mercedes?" Quinn glanced over her shoulder at her friends whose nervous excitement was making them a little hyper.
"Nah, the guns," Puck replied with a grin and flexing his biceps for emphasis.
Quinn just laughed at him. He may be an ass some of the time, but he also knew how to make her laugh with some well timed, self-love.
She punched him lightly in the arm. "You're a total jerk sometimes," she grinned at him.
"But a loveable one, right?" He held his arms out for a quick hug.
Shaking her head with a chuckle, she reciprocated and they shared a squeeze. As she let him go, Quinn noticed a look of concern on Santana's face and she once again had the feeling that the Latina had a flash of jealousy wash over her.
—
Quinn emerged from the bathroom into the bedroom. She had a towel draped over her legs and dropped her washbag on the bed.
"I'm all done. Sorry I hogged the bathroom for so long."
Santana passed her and waved away the apology. "Don't sweat it."
Rachel watched as Quinn self-consciously removed the towel. "Everything okay?" They all still worried about her, even if they didn't voice it often.
Quinn nodded. "It just still takes a while. I should have arranged a room on my own maybe," she scrunched her nose in thought.
"Why?" Rachel didn't care that things took a little longer with Quinn around.
She shrugged in reply. "I just always feel like I'm holding everything up. We'll be the last to arrive everywhere and the first to leave. I feel bad that you guys always have to put up with that." She slid over to the bed and lifted her legs up until they were stretched out in front of her. Taking the cropped linen pants she had lined up for the evening, she started to dress her lower half.
"Quinn, can I ask you something?"
The blonde nodded.
"Why don't you wear skirts or dresses?"
"I do occasionally," she looked up, but continued hitching the pants higher.
"I know but you used to wear them more often…" Rachel avoided adding 'before the accident.'
Quinn just raised her eyebrows to acknowledge that.
"Do you worry about it now?"
"Maybe, a little. I've stopped thinking about what I used to do and how I used to do it, if possible. I guess I just got out of the habit." She glanced down at her legs and frowned.
"Are you embarrassed about them?"
Quinn liked Rachel's directness usually but she had perhaps touched a raw nerve, if that was even possible. A small grin suddenly appeared on Quinn's face.
"What's funny?" the brunette asked, confused at the sudden change of emotion.
Quinn shook her head. "I just thought of a funny turn of phrase and it made me smile. It's not important," she sat upright, balancing on her hands. "Do they look awful? I think they look awful now, but maybe it's just that I'm always comparing before and after."
"They don't look awful. A little pale maybe, but you shouldn't be worried about letting people see them."
"I think it's because I had the bag when I first got hurt; I was so ashamed about it that I kept them covered all the time and I guess it just became a habit. They are really pasty white," she poked at her thigh with a frown. "I should get some sun on them, but they said in rehab to be careful that I don't burn because I'm pretty fair and I wouldn't be able to feel myself frying."
The frown fell away and she sighed. "I wish this was less complicated." She pushed forwards and her hips slid into the pants.
Rachel watched and grinned. "That's a neat trick."
Quinn gave a little smile. "I've learned a lot I guess." She folded one leg up so she could put on her flat ballet pumps. Once she was done, she shoved her nearest leg off the mattress.
Santana arrived back in the room and Rachel moved towards the bathroom.
"Tell Quinn she needs to let people see her legs more often," Rachel mentioned to the taller brunette as they passed by each other.
Santana looked bemused and turned to Quinn. "What's she talking about?"
Quinn shrugged.
"Why does she want you to wear a dress?"
"She thinks I shouldn't be embarrassed to show my legs."
"She's right, but if you tell her that I said that I might have to kill you," the Latina replied half-joking as she dropped into an armchair and watched Quinn get back into her chair. "So why don't you?"
"I'm not a cheerleader," Quinn quipped.
Santana just laughed. "No but you were pretty happy to let everyone see a bit of skin before your accident. Why not now? You're still hot."
The blonde glanced up and blushed, but noticed Santana had also done the same.
"Look, we've been dancing around each other for a while now…." the Latina glanced up through her lashes, not quite believing she had finally dared to let the idea out of her mouth, "don't you think its time we did something about that?"
Quinn met the steady gaze. She slowly released the breath she was holding and scrunched up her nose.
"I'm gay, Quinn. I have known that for a while and wouldn't let anyone see, but I decided to be braver about it and so I'm asking you to do the same. You've toyed with me and I am tired of the innuendo. I think you're about the bravest person I know, so are you willing to take a chance as well?"
Quinn shook her head. "I'm really not brave… and surely you can't be interested now?" She glanced at her legs as if it was obvious.
"Please! You took on those bitch Cheerios and me; never even flinched when the slushy hit, plus you befriended Berry and that is more courageous than anything else I might have witnessed."
Quinn smiled and shrugged.
"So how about it? Ready to be brave?"
"Santana, I'm not sure about any of this, really. I don't even know what I'm doing anymore. Why would you possibly be interested in me when you could have anyone you wanted?"
Santana stood and paced a while. "Everyone else worries when I'm around. They think I will fly off the handle and lose it with them. I know I can be a little fierce but it's hard when you have something you want to tell everyone and can't." She turned back and stared at Quinn. "You just look me in the eye and call me out. You do that because you aren't afraid of what I might do."
Turning away again, her voice dropped a little. "I liked you from the first moment I saw you walk into Glee at the start of the year but I didn't think you would be interested. I thought you were straight because the boys all flocked around and you talked to them, but then I noticed how you always turned them down and I began to hope."
Quinn followed Santana's pacing but waited for her to finish. It was about the longest, most honest conversation they'd had.
"When I found out about Beth, I figured you were just off boys because you got knocked up, but then you kissed me."
"You slapped me," Quinn chuckled.
"You slapped me back," Santana grinned.
"I am a genius slapper."
"You really are," the Latina put her hands on her hips, growing slightly more serious. "Are you messing with me because you get some sick pleasure out of playing mind games or were you actually interested?"
"I wasn't messing you around," Quinn's eyes narrowed. "I don't ever want to talk about Beth's father okay? I always had older friends in San Fransisco; maybe because I was an only child, or was tall for my age, but people treated me like I was older. Then I realised that my friends were all doing it with boys; they used to kind of tease me a little because I was a virgin and they weren't. So I went to this party and there was booze. I hadn't really drunk before, or even made out much with guys, so add the two together and a desperate attempt to catch up with the other girls; it was a total mess. I don't even remember much about it."
"You weren't, you know?"
"Raped?"
Santana nodded with a pained expression.
Quinn shook her head immediately. "No I was all too willing to let loose. My friends tried to stop me going off with the guy, but I wouldn't have any of it and that was that. Stupid attempt to persuade myself that I was really interested in boys."
"But you weren't?"
Quinn shook her head and caught her lip between her teeth. "I can't believe how ridiculously foolish I was now. I look back and think it must have been temporary insanity. I guess I was just desperate to fit in and feel like the other girls and …" a small sniff was followed by a few tears. "I'm paying the price in all kinds of ways now though." She shook her head and wiped the wet from her cheek.
Santana approached. "Don't beat yourself up about it. Beth's really cute. I wouldn't ever be embarrassed to admit she was mine if I were you."
"Really?" Quinn had half a smile.
The Latina nodded. "For sure."
"That's probably one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me."
Santana shrugged and sat on the edge of the bed. "She's cute … but you're much more my type."
Tentatively, the Latina reached out and placed a hand on Quinn's knee. "If you're willing to take a chance with a coward like me, I'd be honored."
That got a smile from the blonde, remembering the insults the pair had thrown at each other after slushies were thrown. Quinn looked at the hand and placed her own on top so she could feel it. With a shy smile, she met Santana's gaze. "I want to say yes, but I really don't know if I can trust myself anymore. There are things you don't understand about my disability and it's not very nice."
Santana made a dismissive noise. "I don't care about that."
"No, Santana listen to me. I haven't told anyone, but there are things that I wouldn't ever want you to see and don't you get how awkward that would be?" Quinn was pleading with the other girl. "Plus, I have a baby for God's sake. How awkward is that?"
Santana continued to shake her head at the protests. "I still don't care about those things. I get that it's not going to be easy sometimes, but you can't stop living just because of this." She nodded down at Quinn's legs and took her hand. Turning it over she ran her fingers over the hardened skin at the base of the fingers.
Quinn frowned again, but found the Latina lift the hand gently to her mouth and kiss it. "I don't care about the things you think I should care about. I want to be with you; I have for months and you've avoided this talk. I let you because I knew how much crap you were dealing with, but its time to move forwards now and that means resolving whatever it is between us. It's been there since we met and it's not going to go away anytime soon."
Quinn took a deep breath. "I can't have an audience for this. Whatever it is you are planning has to be just the two of us."
Santana smiled and nodded. "Okay then. You can feign exhaustion and I'll offer to stay with you while the others go to dinner. We'll get room service or whatever and eat here."
"Do you think Rachel will buy that?"
Santana shrugged. "We could just tell her I guess."
Quinn eyed the other girl. "You understand that she admits to a complete lack of discretion?"
"I don't care anymore," Santana squeezed the hand she was still holding. "I am tired of hiding who I really am."
Quinn smiled shyly and nodded. "Me too."
—
Rachel's face had the most satisfied grin imaginable as she listened to Santana's explanation.
"I knew it," Rachel sighed with satisfaction. "I knew at the party when we played spin the bottle. I could tell something was up and your face went purple on finding out Quinn had a daughter."
Quinn's face darkened at the memory of that night and the after effects she was now living with. Rachel noticed and immediately became apologetic. "Quinn, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up like that."
"Save it, Rach. It's fine. I need to move forwards, right?" She took Santana's hand and gave it a squeeze. "But I don't want to be the subject of idle gossip. You are the only person who knows anything and we don't even know ourselves if this is going to work, so until we do, you need to keep it to yourself."
Rachel batted her eyelids. "I know I can be a bit indiscrete but I won't tell anyone about this until you're ready for people to know. I give you my word."
Santana actually gave Rachel a hug, startling the shorter girl, then shooing her out the door to meet the others with a plausible explanation.
—
"What do you mean, Quinn's taking a nap?" Mercedes looked a little surprised.
Mr Schue glanced at the girls with concern. "Is she alright? Do we need to get a doctor?"
"She's just a little tired and didn't want to go out to eat dinner. Santana offered to sit with her and said they would either get take-out or room service to bring something." Rachel wasn't a good liar but found she was at least telling the truth in that part.
"I'm going to go see her and make sure she's alright," Mr Schue announced. "Wait here and I'll be back shortly." The teacher left them behind and went to check, reappearing a few minutes later.
"Is Quinn alright?" Kurt looked concerned as well.
"She's absolutely fine guys. We covered some ground sightseeing and she said her arms were aching a little and she was going to rest up so that she was fully recovered for the show tomorrow. Santana is with her and they have my number if there is a problem." He encouraged them out of the door towards the restaurant.
Rachel heaved a sigh of relief that she hadn't had to lie to protect her friends.
—
"So what would you like to order?" Santana passed the menu to Quinn who was lying on the bed in a relaxed state.
"I guess something light. I'm not that hungry. Maybe a salad."
"You can't exist on salad, order a steak as well."
Quinn looked uncertain. "I'd prefer chicken or salmon maybe."
The Latina nodded. "Anything else?"
"A bottle of water. Maybe some bread?"
Santana made a note of what they wanted and called to room service. After the phone went back in the cradle, she came and sat beside Quinn on the bed.
"This kind of feels grown up, ordering room service and staying in together instead of going out. Do you want to watch a movie?"
"Maybe later," Quinn fiddled with her fingers nervously.
Santana put her hand on top, her darker skin contrasting against Quinn's.
"Are you hungry for something other than food?"
Again the blonde looked nervously and shrugged, chewing her lip slightly.
Before she could worry the skin, she found Santana's lips pressed against her own.
—
2020, Stamford, Connecticut
Quinn pulled into the handicap parking space and turned off the engine. Rachel decamped and pulled out the frame of her wheelchair and deposited it so Quinn could reassemble it.
As she reached out to attach a wheel, her phone buzzed.
"Rach, can you just put that on without breaking a nail while I check my phone?"
Rachel rolled her eyes at the witty remark and started to assemble the chair while Quinn pulled her phone from the cradle on the dash.
"It's just Santana asking how we are. She wants to know if we'd like to meet her for lunch?"
"Sounds great," Rachel grinned as she set the chair back beside the car door, complete with wheels, cushion and backrest now in the correct place. "Where shall we meet her?"
"I'll tell her to find us in the mall. Her office is just a block away."
"I've never seen her office."
"We just drove past it, the big tall building. Her office is on the fifth floor. She'll meet us here though."
Quinn fired off a text and then slid into the chair.
"So I was thinking of asking Calvin to dinner again at the weekend. Is that alright with you?"
"It's not up to me who you ask to dinner; he's your friend." Rachel had a little smile on her face though.
"I know, what I really meant was, would you like me to invite him?" Quinn gave her a look that said there was an ulterior motive.
"You don't need to try and fix me up with a friend because I'm single right now."
"He likes you, Rach. Does that seem such a difficult concept?"
Rachel paused for a moment. "It's nice of you to ask but if the only reason is to get us together, please don't. I'm not in the right place for it."
Quinn sighed. "God, you're hard work sometimes, Berry!" She was a little exasperated with her oldest friend.
"I'm going to channel my energy into my work instead."
It was a very Berry-like thing to say, only it sounded empty to the blonde. Rachel had done a lot of talking but not a lot of singing since she'd arrived and that wasn't like her.
—
Calvin arrived a little before seven, pleased that he'd arrived on time for a change and he thanked the careful drivers of the region for not getting themselves smashed up that afternoon to spoil his dinner plans.
"Hey, Beth." He gave her a hug as the girl let him in. He had a key but always knocked and waited to be let in.
"Hi Calvin. Did you save anyone today?" She always asked him that. He wasn't sure if it was to do with her mother's accident but he often lied and said he did even if someone hadn't made it just in case.
"Actually we had a quiet afternoon with no major trauma today. I did get someone with a serious case of food poisoning though. Very messy," he pulled a face that suggested it hadn't been pleasant.
"Yuck!"
"Exactly," he nodded.
Beth dragged him in by the hand.
"Mom, Calvin's here," the girl yelled.
Quinn was wearing an apron as she rolled out to meet her dinner guest. "Beth, indoor voice please," she rolled her eyes as he leaned down to kiss her cheek.
Beth apologised and then dragged Calvin off to see Rachel and Santana in the kitchen. He was gracious as Santana gave him a hug and then he cautiously approached Rachel to greet her. He wasn't sure if their previous meeting meant he could get away with a little kiss or the more formal hand shake. He decided that she might appreciate a little flamboyance as she was in the theater.
"Ms Berry," he took her hand and raised it to his lips for a kiss. "A delight to see you again."
Rachel actually blushed.
"You're so old-fashioned," she smiled.
"In a good, chivalrous kind of way rather than behaves like my dad kind of way, right?"
"Oh, absolutely," Rachel's grin persisted until she saw Santana wink at Quinn.
—
"So feeling energetic ahead of our game tomorrow?" Calvin had smug grin across his face.
"I am and I have no idea why you're smiling like a fool because you are going down." The blonde motioned with her hands to suggest Calvin didn't stand a chance.
"Hey if you didn't get two bounces before you return the ball, there's no way I'd lose," he defended himself.
"Yeah and if I had working legs, you wouldn't even be able to return my serve," she produced a dry laugh.
"No fair, pulling the paraplegic card," he sulked.
"You started it," she waved at him. "Coffee everyone?"
"Ooh, I'll make it," Rachel jumped up.
Santana raised an eyebrow. "Really? I thought you were allergic to the kitchen."
"Santana, I'll have you know that I can cook."
"You can?" Quinn did a double-take.
"Yes, well there was some advantage to dating a celebrity chef for a while." She moved towards the kitchen. "And I do make good coffee."
Calvin sipped the hot liquid.
"That is good coffee. I feel like I could be a better doctor if I got that to drink instead of the sludge in the hospital cafeteria."
Quinn raised an eyebrow. "Glad we can trust the medical profession to stay awake without drugs," she mused, half-teasing. She had decaf and was allowed to be sanctimonious.
"Funny," Calvin turned to Rachel. "Would you like to join us for a game of tennis tomorrow?"
Santana spluttered. "Son of a …"
"Tana!"
"Sorry, but did you need to make me laugh when I had a mouthful of hot coffee."
Quinn just looked bemused. "Rachel is not really a fan of tennis, Calvin."
"I am in the room you know," Rachel bristled slightly. "Maybe I learned to play since we last talked, like I learned to cook."
"Did you? You always hated it at school."
Rachel couldn't keep up the pretence. "No, I'm terrible at tennis," she patted Calvin on the arm. "Thank you for asking but I think I'll pass."
"Aunt Rach please come with us," Beth pleaded. "You'll really like it."
Rachel couldn't really resist her goddaughter.
"Pleeeeeeeeease," Beth asked again. "I can show you how good I got."
"Okay, I'll come with you, but I am just going to watch. I satisfy my exercise requirements at the gym." The self-depracating tone drew a chuckle all round.
—
"You're staying, right?"
"If you'll have me. I don't want to impose when you already have one house guest."
Santana waved to suggest it was fine.
"Come on Beth, bed time."
A pout fell on the girl's face.
"Don't pull that one on me," Santana wrapped an arm around her. "Kiss everyone goodnight."
She did as Santana asked and then ran upstairs.
"I'll check on her in a little while," Santana motioned.
"It's okay, I'll go," Quinn went towards the elevator in the hallway beyond.
"Beth has you totally whipped, Rach."
"You say that as though you aren't wrapped around her little finger."
"Touche," Santana acknowledged.
"So tell me about how you met Quinn," Calvin insisted Rachel finally tell him.
A smile spread across the petite woman's features. "She saved me from being slushied by some cheerleaders one day and refused my suggestion that she ignored me afterwards if she wanted to avoid the same treatment herself."
"Wow, you were bullied?"
"I was for a while, but it stopped after Quinn befriended me."
Calvin shook his head. "I bet those girls feel pretty dumb now for what they did," he complimented her.
Rachel met Santana's apologetic gaze and winked at her. "I suppose they might. Water under the bridge."
TBC