Santana stood next to Denise as the last painting was loaded into a black Escalade. It was Monday morning and Santana had came down to the art gallery to see if there was anything left from the show on Saturday. Turns out, there wasn't. Denise had held true to her promise and opened the gallery Sunday morning for anyone who had missed the show and every last painting had now been sold. Santana couldn't be more proud of the children and everything that they accomplished.
After they got past all the bumps at the beginning of the night things really started to run smoothly. Santana and Rachel along with their parents, had stepped up their game and really worked the floor, selling paintings and talking to people about the children's homes in New York. Some of the kids including Ashley and Rj had met various people who now had them on their radars looking for new paintings. They had far surpassed their goal for the night and Santana was more than glad that every child in a home this year was going to have an amazing Christmas thanks to the art show.
Santana crossed her arms over her chest as she turned around to walk back into the gallery. Being here made her miss the twins after all the time they were able to spend together Saturday night. Santana really really missed her girls. She and Rachel had a meeting with the twins social worker and a doctors appointment Wednesday, it was just easier to get everything done in one day. Hopefully they would get some good news about the adoption. Maybe, if it was even possible, they could get an overnight visit. Santana didn't have high hopes for anything like that yet, they had to have their first home study before that could happen.
Santana wandered through the art gallery a moment before she found Denise in her office sorting checks and making a note of the final money count before the lawyers showed up to collect it all. "What's the final total, boss?" Santana asked as she sat down in a brown leather chair across from Denise's desk.
"Well, total earnings from the paintings is three million, four hundred fifteen thousand, eight hundred, fifty two dollars and zero cents. Donation totals is an even six million, five hundred thousand. So, all together, almost ten million dollars." Denise replied while looking at her calculator.
"So that means that St. Lawrence gets roughly six million and the rest of the homes will get about one hundred, thirty thousand a piece?" Santana thought out loud as she tried to figure out just home many children's homes there was in New York.
"Something like that." Denise nodded her head. She wasn't sure on the exact numbers, the lawyers were going to be the ones to figure all of that out. "Do these other homes even know they are receiving a donation like this?"
"Not that I know of. It's supposed to be a surprise early Christmas present for them." Santana grinned. "If everything clears in time, they may get it early enough for Thanksgiving."
"That would be great for them. Speaking of the holiday's, are you and Rachel doing anything for Halloween? It is next weekend you know."
Santana thought about it for a moment before she answered. "Rachel and I haven't even talked about it. I don't know if Puck is doing his annual Halloween party and trunk or treat at the studio this year. They've been just enjoying life with a new baby."
"Oh my, yesss. I seen Davis at the art show Saturday night. He was so cute. I only seen them once though, I don't think they stayed long." Denise gushed as she thought about seeing Davis in his little make-shift suit and tie. Seeing these babies lately was really starting to give her baby fever.
Santana leaned forward, grabbing a tissue and waving it in Denise's face. "Here, your baby fever drool is about to get all over your desk." She laughed before sitting back into her chair.
"Oh hush you. I can't help it. Seeing Davis and the twins and all of the other babies from the home was cuteness overload. I just wish Evan was home so we could talk about kids again." Denise sighed sadly. Corporal Evan Sanders was her husband of three years now. He was the most amazing man that she could ever ask for, however his career kept him away from home a lot, especially at the moment.
"How long until he comes home this time?" Santana asked as she looked over at one of the pictures of the couple on Denise's desk. It was a picture of Evan and Denise kissing on one of his welcome home days after a six month tour in Iraq.
"Two months. I told him I didn't want anything for Christmas other than him coming home." Denise smiled, she was so excited to have her husband back in her arms soon.
"So you've got to speak to him lately?" Santana knew that sometimes Denise had to go days and even weeks without talking to Evan.
"Yeah, he was able to call last night actually. I don't know his exact location because of security, but I know he's okay and doing good. When he gets home, we are going to be having a long talk. We've been together four years, married three and we have really only spent about two and a half years of that being physically together. The first time I met him, he was about to go to Afghanistan." Denise laughed at herself. "That was the first time I ever gave a guy my phone number and email address."
"I know one thing, if a job is something he is worried about if he comes off active duty, I will talk to some of my security and help him find something. All of Duncan's guys are former some type of military." Santana shrugged her shoulders. She knew that a lot of men and women stayed on active duty for that little bit of a pay raise, if she could help she was going to.
"You would really do that for him? I know that is a real fear of his, especially if he was to get hurt and was discharged." Denise honestly had tears in her eyes.
"Of course I would." Santana furrowed her brows like what Denise was asking was ridiculous. "I consider you to be family and that makes him family too. I'll talk to Duncan, Sue, Puck, whoever I can to get him something. I can see it in your face how much you miss him and wish he was here with you so you two can start your family and just be together. When you speak to him again, ask him if he's interested. We can set something up for him as soon as he gets home."
"Thank you Santana. I just...thank you. I don't know what else to say."
"You don't have to say anything." Santana reached across the desk and placed her hands on top of Denise's giving them a firm squeeze.
Santana pulled up in front of her cabin at around three in the afternoon, she was excited to be home because Rachel was due home at any time now. Santana had waited around with Denise until the lawyers showed up to pick up the donation money. Being the spearhead of the event meant that Santana and Denise both had to sign off saying that the amount of money on the deposit slip was the exact amount collected from the event and that it was all there in full. The lawyers didn't have anything to worry about anyway, Denise was one of the most honest women that Santana knew especially when it came to handling money at her art gallery. Never once in the time that Santana and Denise had been working together did the woman try to cheat her out of any profit. She would even offer Santana a higher percentage of her earnings after every show. Santana would politely decline, stating that Denise had done the set up, the programs and the after show clean up, she deserved every bit of the thirty percent that Santana paid her. Denise had joked one time that she didn't need that much because she was still living off of her cut from a previous shows earnings. Santana had joked right back telling her that if she didn't want the money then she could give it to her staff by raising their pay again...and she did. Let's just say that Denise's staff was well taken care of, even if they only worked part time.
Climbing out of her jeep, Santana noticed several large boxes sitting on her front porch. What in the world..she thought to herself as she slowly walked up the steps. It took her a moment to realize that it was the girls bedroom sets. They had came way earlier than she had expected! Duncan must have received them at the gate and then brought them up one box at a time with his golf cart. This was one of the many reasons that Duncan was a great guy. When they were expecting deliveries of any kind they would give the information to Duncan so that he could accept them if they weren't home.
"Guess I know what Rachel and I are doing tonight." Santana mumbled to herself as she unlocked her front door and stepped inside. She was immediately love attacked by Dax and Dahlia. They were both ready to play now that their master was home. Santana dropped to her knees laughing as she was smothered in doggy kisses. It didn't matter how long she or Rachel was gone, the dogs always acted the same when they came home. "Guys, guys, guys, calm down. I will get you some food and we can go outside and play until Mama comes home." Santana said as she tried to keep her mouth shut since Dax was determined to lick her face. Dahlia was getting bigger, however she was still in her clumsy puppy stage and was struggling to climb up Santana's front.
After a moment, Dax and Dahlia finally settled down enough so that Santana could stand back up and make her way into the kitchen. She walked over to the pantry were she kept the dog food and dished out two portions, she laughed as Dax and Dahlia both attacked their bowls like they were starving. After both dogs were on the better part of being almost done eating, Santana walked back out into the living room before making her way into what would become the twins bedroom. She sighed as she looked around, there was still several things that needed to be moved out of here. Thinking quick on her feet, Santana grabbed her phone and dialed Puck's number. She and Rachel were going to need help and Puck was the perfect guy.
What's up LB?
"LB? What's that?" Santana asked puzzled, she hadn't even had a chance to say hi yet and Puck was already being his usual self.
It's your new last name. I was testing it out. Anyway, what's up?
"Listen, the twins beds and dressers came today and I need help. I'll pay you with dinner if you and Quinn aren't busy this evening?" Santana bit her lip as she waited for Puck to answer.
Uhhh, I don't think we have anything going on. But, let me call and find out and I will let you know. That cool? I know Beth asked just this morning if she could come down for a while sometime this week and Quinn and I would both be relieved to have a night off from cooking.
"Hey, I told you that if you needed anything to let me or Rachel know and we would get some more stuff together for you." Santana frowned into the phone even though Puck couldn't see her.
You know I hate asking for help San.
"I know, but you're not asking this time. I am telling you, I will get some more stuff together for you guys. Just have Quinn bring me a list tonight if you can make it."
Okay. Let me text her real quick and I will let you know.
"Alright, I suppose I should check in with Rachel too, but I know we don't have any plans tonight, at least none that I know about." Santana probably should have checked with Rachel first, but she knew it would be okay. Rachel was always down for spending time with the Puckerman-Fabray's. Santana waited a moment before she and Puck exchanged goodbye's. Before doing anything else, she called Rachel and asked her about having dinner guests tonight, of course Rachel was immediately excited and offered to pick up anything that they might need on her way home.
Santana assured her that they had plenty of stuff at the house to choose from, just as her phone beeped alerting her to a text message. 7 okay? I think Q was about to cry tears of joy, she's really looking forward to some hangout time with you and Rach.
Sounds perfect. Santana texted back before she laid down her phone on the kitchen island. She bit her lip in thought, she had to take the dogs out and get them settled before starting dinner. The only issue she had now was deciding what to make.