Santana woke up to rain tapping against her window, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she glanced at the dreary weather outside. As she got ready for the day, the rain continued to fall steadily outside, a constant reminder of the gloomy weather that awaited her. Puck knocked on her door, his voice muffled by the rain as he called out. "You ready, Santana?" he shouted. "Yeah, just give me a second," Santana called back, quickly pulling on some warm layers to shield herself from the chill of the rain.
Puck raised an eyebrow at her as she emerged from her apartment, his expression a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "We're going to a park, not some fashion show," he remarked, earning a playful glare from Santana.
Rolling her eyes, Santana joined Puck in Quinn's car. The warmth of the vehicle provided a welcome respite from the cold rain outside. Quinn gave her a sympathetic smile as they set off towards their destination, the sound of raindrops drumming against the car's roof.
As they arrived at the park, Santana's mood continued to sour at the sight of the rain-soaked surroundings. She grumbled under her breath as she followed Puck through the muddy paths, her shoes sinking into the wet earth with each step.
Suddenly, Puck let out a loud whoop, drawing Santana's attention towards the sound of cheering in the distance. She squinted through the rain, her gaze landing on a group of people huddled together on the edge of the field.
And then she saw him – Brett, standing tall and proud under an umbrella, a smile lighting up his face as he spotted them approaching. Santana felt a rush of warmth flood through her at the sight of him, her earlier frustrations melting away in an instant.
As they reached him, Brett stepped forward to greet them, his umbrella held aloft to shield them from the rain. Santana felt a surge of gratitude towards him as he pulled her into his embrace, shielding her from the relentless downpour.
"Hey there," Brett said, his voice soft and comforting as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Glad you could make it." Santana smiled up at him. He glanced out onto the field, where James was darting across the grass with all the energy and enthusiasm of a child lost in the joy of play.
"There he is," Brett said, nodding towards James with a fond smile. "He's going to be thrilled to see you here." Santana returned his smile, her eyes bright with affection as she watched James weave through the other children.
Turning to Puck and Quinn, Brett offered them a grateful nod, his appreciation evident in his voice. "Thanks for coming, guys" he said, his tone sincere. "I know this isn't exactly the most exciting way to spend a rainy afternoon." Puck grinned, his enthusiasm palpable as he glanced out onto the field. "Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss mini Brett's first soccer game for anything" he exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Besides, it's the perfect excuse to break out my lucky jersey."
As they watched James dart across the field, Brett couldn't help but feel a swell of pride in his chest. He knew that win or lose, James was giving it his all out there, and that was all that mattered.
As the game continued, Brett found himself caught up in the excitement of the moment, cheering alongside Santana, Puck , and Quinn as James scored his ffirst-evergoal. The joy on James's face as he celebrated with his teammates was enough to make Brett's heart swell with pride, his love for his son shining brighter than ever before.
Brett was suddenly brought out of his cheering by the sound of approaching footsteps. Turning, he saw Carol and Brian, Emily's parents, making their way towards them, their expressions bright despite the dreary weather.
"Hey!" Carol exclaimed, her voice cheerful despite the rain. "Sorry we're late – traffic was a nightmare." Brian nodded in agreement, a warm smile on his face "Looks like we missed all the action" he said, his eyes scanning the field for James. "How's the game going?"
"James scored a goal," he said, unable to keep the pride out of his voice. "He's been giving it his all out there." Carol and Brian both cheered, their excitement evident as they glanced out onto the field. "That's fantastic!" Carol exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "We're so proud of him."
As they chatted about the game, Brett couldn't shake the nervousness that gnawed at him, the weight of introducing Santana to Emily's parents hanging heavy on his mind. He knew that Carol and Brian were open-minded and welcoming, but he couldn't help but worry about how they would react to Santana – to their relationship, to the fact that she wasn't Emily.
Feeling Santana shift beside him, Brett turned to her, his heart racing with apprehension. He knew that the moment of truth had arrived – it was time to introduce Santana to Emily's parents, to see how they would react to her, to their relationship. Brett's stomach churned with anxiety as he gestured towards Santana. "Um, Carol, Brian, I'd like you to meet Santana," he said, his voice slightly shaky. "Santana, these are Emily's parents, Carol and Brian."
Santana smiled warmly, her eyes shining with kindness "It's so nice to meet you" she said, her voice soft but confident. "Brett has told me so much about you."
Carol and Brian exchanged a glance, their expressions warm and welcoming as they shook Santana's hand. "It's lovely to meet you too, Santana" Carol said, her voice filled with genuine warmth. Brett felt a wave of relief wash over him at Carol's words, grateful for her easy acceptance of Santana. He knew that he had been worried for nothing – that Emily's parents were just as open-minded and welcoming as he had hoped they would be.
The halftime whistle blew, signaling a brief break in the action on the soccer field. Brett watched with pride as James sprinted across the grass towards him, his face flushed with excitement. With a wide grin, James launched himself into Brett's legs, wrapping his arms around him in a tight hug.
"Hey there, champ," Brett said, tousling James's hair affectionately. "Great job out there."
James beamed up at his father, his eyes sparkling with pride. "Did you see my goal?" he exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Brett nodded enthusiastically. "I sure did! You were awesome, Jay."
James's eyes widened with excitement as he caught sight of Carol and Brian next to Brett. "Grandma!" he shouted. Brian chuckled as he scooped James up into his arms, lifting him high into the air. "Hey there, little man!" he said, his voice filled with affection. "Are you having fun playing soccer?" James nodded enthusiastically, his face beaming with joy. "Yeah! Can we go for ice cream when it's time to go home?" he asked, his eyes shining with anticipation.
Brett chuckled and shook his head "Absolutely not" he said, ruffling James's hair. "It's too cold for ice cream today." Carol smiled at her grandson. "How about we go and get some hot cocoa instead?" she suggested, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
James's face lit up with excitement at the prospect of warm, chocolatey goodness. "Yeah, hot cocoa!" he exclaimed, bouncing in Brian's arms. Brett glanced over at Santana, who had been watching the exchange with a fond smile, "Sounds like a plan."
The final whistle blew, signaling the end of the soccer game. Brett watched as James flushed with excitement from the game, and ran over to him, his little face beaming with pride. Brett crouched down to James's level a wide smile spreading across his face. "Great job out there today Jay," he said, his voice filled with pride. James grinned up at his father, his eyes shining with excitement. "Thanks, Dad!" he exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of his feet.
As James turned to run back to his teammates, Brett glanced over at Santana, who was standing a little ways off, watching the scene with a small smile. He walked over to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Hey," he said softly, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "You okay?" Santana nodded, though there was a hint of nervousness in her eyes. "Yeah, just a little nervous about spending time with Emily's parents" she admitted, biting her lip anxiously.
Brett smiled reassuringly. "Hey, you'll be fine," he said, giving her a playful nudge. "And what's the worst that could happen, anyway? Other than Emily haunting you, of course." Santana rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "That's not funny," she said, though there was a hint of amusement in her voice. Brett chuckled. "Come on, lighten up," he said, squeezing her shoulder affectionately. "Besides, Emily told me she'd be haunting her math teacher, so you're safe." Santana couldn't help but laugh at that, shaking her head in amusement. "You're ridiculous," she said, though there was warmth in her eyes as she looked at him.
The bell chimed softly as Brett pushed open the door to the cozy café, the warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee enveloping them as they stepped inside. Brett glanced around, his eyes quickly scanning the room before settling on an empty table near the window. With a nod to Santana, he headed towards the counter to place their order.
Santana felt a surge of nervousness as she watched Brett walk away, leaving her alone with Emily's parents and the boys. James was deep in conversation with Brian, his animated gestures drawing a smile from the older man, while Oliver sat quietly in his chair, his eyes fixed on Santana with a curious intensity.
Feeling the weight of Carol's gaze upon her, Santana shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "So, Santana" Carol said, breaking the awkward silence, "are you from Columbus?" Santana shook her head, her nerves causing her voice to come out a little shaky. "No, I'm actually from Lima" she replied, her eyes flickering nervously between Carol and Brian. Carol nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Ah, I see," she said. "We're originally from Virginia, but we moved here about twenty years ago."
"Virginia? That sounds lovely," Santana replied, offering Carol a genuine smile. "It must be quite different from Ohio." Carol nodded, a fond smile lighting up her features. "It's different, but we've grown to love it here," she said. "Columbus has become our home over the years." Santana nodded in understanding, her curiosity piqued by Carol's mention of her Thanksgiving plans.
As Santana and Carol continued to chat, Brett returned to the table, carrying a tray of drinks for everyone. Her heart swelled with affection as she watched him interact with Emily's parents and the boys, his easy charm and warm smile putting everyone at ease.
Santana felt a rush of warmth spread through her as Brett settled into the seat beside her, his familiar presence comforting and reassuring. The sight of the cookie in his hand brought a smile to her face, "I brought us a little treat."
"Thanks, Brett" she replied, reaching out to take the cookie from him. She felt a jolt of electricity shoot through her at the touch of his hand on her thigh, her cheeks flushing pink as she met his gaze. Before she could say anything else, Brett leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek, his lips warm against her skin she couldn't suppress the blush that spread across her cheeks.
As they enjoyed their snack, Santana couldn't help but bring up the conversation she had with Carol earlier about Thanksgiving plans. "So, Carol was telling me about their Thanksgiving plans with the boys" she began, glancing over at Brett with a curious expression.
Brett's eyes lit up at the mention of James and Oliver. "Yeah, I'm sure the boys will have a blast," he remarked, a warm smile gracing his lips. Carol turned to Brett with a curious expression. "And what about you, Brett?" she asked. "What are your plans for Thanksgiving?"
Brett shrugged, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "I'll probably just do some things around the house" he replied casually. "Oh, and I'm thinking of moving Oliver into James's room. He's been sleeping through the night anyways, so it just makes sense."
Santana couldn't help but feel a pang of curiosity as Brett mentioned his plans for Thanksgiving. She watched him carefully, taking in the way he sipped his coffee and avoided her gaze. "You're not spending the holiday with your family?" she asked, her voice filled with genuine concern.
Brett shook his head, his expression somber. "No, not this year," he replied quietly. Santana felt a twinge of sympathy for Brett as she processed his words. She knew how important family was to him, and the thought of him spending Thanksgiving alone tugged at her heartstrings. She reached out and squeezed his hand gently, offering him a reassuring smile.
As they continued to chat, Carol turned her attention to Santana, a curious glint in her eye. "So, what do you do for work?" she asked, her tone lighthearted. Santana chuckled at the question, taking a sip of her coffee before replying. "I work in marketing" she explained, her voice tinged with amusement. "It's pretty boring, to be honest. Lots of calls and emails."
Carol laughed at Santana's candid response, a warm smile spreading across her face. "Well, it may not be the most exciting job, but someone's got to do it," she remarked, her eyes twinkling with amusement. Santana grinned in agreement, relieved to have lightened the mood with her self-deprecating humor. She found herself enjoying Carol's company more and more as they chatted about work, family, and everything in between.
Santana watched as Brett bid farewell to Emily's parents, a warm smile on her lips as she exchanged pleasantries with Carol and Brian. Once they arrived at his house, Brett turned to Santana with a playful grin. "Would you mind watching Oliver for a bit? I need to bath James – he's muddy" he explained.
Santana nodded eagerly, her heart swelling with affection for Brett and his boys. "Of course, I'd be happy to" she replied, her voice filled with warmth. As Brett disappeared upstairs with James, Santana followed Oliver into the sunroom, which had been transformed into a colorful playroom filled with toys and games. She settled onto the floor, surrounded by a sea of stuffed animals and building blocks, and watched as Oliver busied himself with his toys.
After a few moments, Oliver glanced up at Santana, his eyes wide with curiosity. Santana smiled at him encouragingly, her heart melting at the sight of his innocent expression. "Hey, Whatcha got there?" she asked gently, reaching out to him.
Oliver hesitated for a moment, his small hands clutching a toy car tightly. Santana could sense his nervousness, but she refused to let it deter her. With a reassuring smile, she leaned forward and gently plucked a toy car from the pile, wheeling it over to him.
"Here, why don't we play together?" she suggested, her voice soft and soothing. "I'll race you!" For a moment, Oliver seemed unsure, but then a spark of excitement lit up his eyes. With a shy smile, he slowly made his way over to Santana, squatting down beside her. Santana's heart swelled with affection as Oliver tentatively pushed his toy car forward.
Oliver giggled and raced his toy car around the room, Santana couldn't help but join in the laughter. Brett returned downstairs a short while later, he grinned at the sight of Santana and Oliver playing together, a warm glow of pride in his eyes. "Looks like you two are having fun", he remarked, his voice filled with affection.
Santana glanced up at Brett and nodded, a wide smile spreading across her face. "We are indeed," she said, her tone playful as she nudged Oliver gently. Brett chuckled and made his way over to them, kneeling beside Santana and Oliver. He reached out to ruffle Oliver's hair affectionately, eliciting a giggle from the young boy. "You're lucky to have Santana to play with, Ollie" Brett said warmly, his gaze meeting Santana's.
"What's the dinner plans" Santana asked, turning her attention back to him. Brett shrugged, his gaze fixed on Oliver. "I haven't thought about it," he admitted. Santana rolled her eyes playfully. "You need to start meal planning, you know," she teased, nudging him gently. Brett sighed, leaning back against the wall. "I know, I know," he said, his tone resigned. "But I hate cooking. It's just not my thing."
Santana shook her head, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Well, lucky for you, I happen to love cooking," she said, reaching over to tousle Oliver's hair as he raced past her.
Brett grinned at her, a hint of relief in his eyes. "You do, huh?" he asked, his tone teasing. Santana nodded, her smile widening. "Yep. And I'm pretty good at it too," she replied, her voice filled with confidence. Brett chuckled, reaching out to take her hand in his. "Well, in that case, I guess I'll leave dinner up to you," he said, giving her hand a squeeze Santana grinned, squeezing his hand back. "Deal."
As dinner time approached, Santana found herself standing in front of the open fridge, surveying its contents with a mixture of disappointment and frustration. "Brett, you're not giving us many options here" she called out, her voice echoing through the empty kitchen. Moments later, Brett appeared beside her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I told you, I hate cooking" he admitted, resting his chin on her shoulder.
Santana sighed, leaning back against him. "But this isn't healthy" she protested, gesturing to the processed foods that filled the fridge. Brett nodded, acknowledging her concern. "I know, I know," he said, his tone apologetic. "But cooking just isn't my thing." Santana sighed again, feeling a pang of frustration. "Well, what are we going to do for dinner then?" she asked, turning to face him.
Brett shrugged, his expression resigned. "I guess we could order pizza," he suggested, a hint of reluctance in his voice. Santana nodded in agreement, realizing that it was probably the most practical option given the circumstances. "Fine," she said, reaching for her phone. "But tomorrow, we're going food shopping. I'm not letting you three live off junk food any longer."
Brett chuckled, his arms still wrapped around her. "Sounds like a plan," he said, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "But you know I'm not going to enjoy it, right?" Santana rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh, I'm well aware" she replied, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "But it's for your good." Brett grinned at her, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "yay" he said sarcastically, making her laugh.
With the remnants of their pizza consumed and the boys now tucked into bed, Brett ambled into the living room, cradling two glasses and a bottle of red wine in his hands. The soft glow of the lamp cast a warm hue across the room as he settled back onto the couch beside Santana. He offered her a gentle smile as he clicked their glasses together in a silent toast.
"I hope your day wasn't too boring," he remarked, his voice tinged with genuine concern. "It was very kid-based." Santana chuckled softly, taking a sip of her wine before replying. "I had fun, actually" she admitted, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Your boys are sweet." Brett nodded in agreement, a look of gratitude flickering in his eyes. "Yeah, they keep me on my toes" he confessed, pouring himself a glass of wine. "But I appreciate you making an effort with them. I know children weren't exactly on your radar."
Santana shrugged, reaching for her glass and taking another sip of wine. "Well, I figured it's all part of the package deal" she replied, her tone casual. "They're a part of your life, so they're a part of mine too." Brett smiled at her words, feeling a swell of affection for the woman sitting beside him. He knew that Santana had never imagined herself being a mother let alone a stepmother, but he admired her willingness to embrace the role nonetheless.
He reached out to brush a stray lock of hair from her face, his touch gentle against her cheek. "Thank you, Santana," he said softly. Santana met his gaze, her eyes shining with warmth and affection. "You don't have to thank me, Brett" she replied, her voice just above a whisper. He leaned in to press a tender kiss to her lips, savoring the taste of her against his own.