Chapter 13
Disclaimer: I don't own glee or this story
"Hola Santanita." Mrs. Lopez stated, narrowing her eyes at her daughter.
"Hola." Santana stated quietly as Taylor came running back in the living room, a bottle of water in her hand, Skylar running to keep up with her.
"Here buela." Taylor smiled happily.
"Gracias." Mrs. Lopez smiled, glancing at Skylar who was hugging Santana's leg, peeping at her grandmother. Santana glanced at Skylar and ran her fingers through her hair. "Taylor, take this to the kitchen please, place it on the table."
"I want to talk to buela." Taylor stated.
"Taylor." Santana stated sternly, locking eyes with her. "Take Skylar with you."
Brittany cleared her throat. "Taylor, when you're done in the kitchen, go and change the sheets in the guestroom, remember when I showed you how to get the guest room ready?" Taylor nodded. "Please get it ready for buela."
"You're staying here?" Santana asked quickly.
"Of course she is." Brittany nodded as Taylor ran out of the room, with Skylar debating on staying or following her before she finally gave in and ran after Taylor.
Mrs. Lopez stared in the direction her granddaughters ran. "That little one reminds me of you, I can tell she's trying to feel me out, you did the same thing to your Uncle Ramon."
"What are you doing here?" Santana asked. "Is something wrong with papi?"
"Your father is fine, you would know that if you answered my calls." Mrs. Lopez stated. Santana's jaw clenched as she stared at her mother, who's glare didn't falter at all. Brittany shifted uncomfortably, looking between the two women, completely confused as to what the issue was.
"I'm going to help Taylor and check on dinner." Brittany stated, standing up and walking over to Santana, she kissed her softly on the lips, cupping her face and running her thumb over her cheekbone, Santana locked eyes and noticed the angry unshed tears pooling her wife's eyes and tried to figure out what was going on. She continued to stare in Santana's eyes, searching for answers but Santana broke their gaze and looked down. Brittany sighed and glanced at her mother in law, who was watching their interaction. "We are having roast for dinner, is that okay?"
"Of course." Mrs. Lopez stated, finally taking her coat off.
Santana grabbed the coat and hung it in the closet silently, she then grabbed her mother's luggage and carried it upstairs to the guest room, where Taylor was taking the sheets off of the bed.
"Buela came!" Taylor exclaimed. "It's like Christmas came early!" She beamed.
"Cool, right?" Santana replied softly.
"Yep, I have so much to tell her." Taylor added. "Is your homework done?"
"Not yet." Taylor shook her head.
"Go finish it please, I'll finish the room for Buela." Santana stated, once Taylor left the room, she closed the door before running in the attached bathroom and vomiting her nerves up.
Mrs. Lopez looked around the living room, smiling proudly at how elegant the space was even with the pile of legos and huge floor puzzles scattered around, along with other various toys and belongings to Skylar and Taylor. She picked up a tiny purple Ugg boot from the side of the couch and smiled before setting it back down. Her eyes scanned the family picture over the mantle when she heard a soft sucking sound. She turned to look behind her and saw Skylar peeping at her from the side of the couch, a pacifier in her mouth.
"Hola mi amorcita." Mrs. Lopez smiled when she locked eyes with Skylar, who disappeared back behind the couch out of her grandmother's view when she was spotted. She laughed softly, when Skylar's little fingers danced on the corner of the couch and her big brown eyes appeared again, peeping at her.
"Come to your Buela." She asked, extending her arm.
Skylar shook her head no as Brittany walked in and handed her daughter a breadstick, pulling the pacifier out of her mouth.
"Do you need anything Maria?"
"No, dear. I'm fine. Thank you."
"Okay, ten minutes and then we eat." Brittany smiled, glancing at Skylar, who was holding her breadstick tightly, as she took a small bite, still staring at her grandmother.
Skylar watched Brittany walk out of the room and back into the kitchen before staring at her grandmother again. "I see your mami at least accepts the gifts I send you." She noted smiling at Skylar's sweater, a gift she sent last month. Skylar looked down at her sweater, following her grandmother's gaze and back to her face. She leaned on the edge of the couch and ate her breadstick again, a small smile on her face when her grandmother smiled at her.
"Hmmmm, Espanol?" Mrs. Lopez questioned.
"Si." Skylar whispered.
"Well, well, well." Mrs. Lopez smiled. "I'm your Buela."
Skylar stared at her and took another bite of her breadstick, almost shrugging in the process.
"What's your name?" Mrs. Lopez prodded.
Skylar looked down, staring at her little feet, covered in bright yellow socks. She ran her left foot back and forth slowly before looking up at the woman with a smile. "Sky Sky."
"Nice to meet you Sky Sky." Mrs. Lopez smiled. "You are so cute, I hate that I've missed so much of this." She began to dig around in her purse, Skylar's eyes perking when she set down the cookie from her flight on the table and continued to dig for what she was looking for.
"Cookie." Skylar whispered and took a step forward, setting her breadstick on the table, completely forgetting about it.
Mrs. Lopez smiled and glanced at the cookie. "Your moms are going to have a fit, but that's what buelas are for, right?" She set her purse down and picked up the cookie, unwrapping it, and breaking a small piece off, extending her hand to her granddaughter.
Skylar took a step forward and grabbed the cookie quickly, stepping back two steps as she smiled brightly and began to eat it. Skylar stared at the cookie in her grandmother's hand and reached for her hand out to accept more. "More."
"Oh my God, Santanita used to say that too." Mrs. Lopez beamed, picking up her phone and taking a series of pictures of her quickly. "Here's a little more, sweetheart." She stated, breaking off more of the cookie and handing it to Skylar, who smiled happily and quickly grabbed it as she walked closer to her. Mrs. Lopez opened her arms, hoping for a hug, but Skylar turned and ran away. "Yep, Santanita's daughter." She repeated with a smile.
Santana lifted another spoonful of mashed potatoes to Skylar's mouth, sighing when the baby turned her head and stared at her grandmother, causing Santana to smear the food on her cheek.
"Sky." Santana whispered. "Come on and eat baby." She added, wiping her face off and tapping her little hand to get her attention. Skylar turned and ate the spoonful with a smile, reaching down and picking up a piece of meat that Santana cut for her.
Brittany stared at her wife, noticing how quiet she'd been since coming home and seeing her mother. Santana focused on Skylar solely, glancing at Brittany occasionally but not making eye contact.
Once dinner was ready, Santana finally came back downstairs and fixed Taylor and Skylar's plates, she moved her chair to face Skylar's highchair and tried her hardest to keep the baby focused on dinner, but she instead kept peeking at Mrs. Lopez with a shy smile, so Santana finally turned her to face her grandmother.
Brittany set a plate in front of Santana, even though the Latina told her she wasn't hungry.
"Santana, your dinner is going to get cold." Brittany stated. "Sky can feed herself a little, you know that."
"I'm not hungry." Santana mumbled. "And I don't want potatoes in her hair again."
Brittany sighed and added another scoop of potatoes to her plate before speaking. "Tay, why don't you tell Buela about the spelling bee."
Taylor, who was attacking her corn on the cob, looked up and nodded quickly, wiping her mouth. "Buela I got a red ribbon, that's almost first place."
Mrs. Lopez smiled and turned to face her, tearing her eyes off of her daughter for a moment. "That's great honey, maybe you can teach me a few words during my stay."
"Tay?" Skylar said through a yawn as Santana wiped her mouth.
"You must be tired sweetheart, it's already way past when you should be in bed." Mrs. Lopez stated, smiling softly at Skylar, who was rubbing her eyes. "I mean, you're still fully dressed, you need a nice warm bath."
Santana cleared her throat and kissed Skylar's eyelids, moving her hands from them.
"Do you always eat dinner this late?" Mrs. Lopez asked.
Brittany took a sip of her water and shook her head. "No, time got away from us today."
Mrs. Lopez winked at Skylar, who blushed and shook her head at her. "Your mommies should have you in bed by now."
Santana rolled her eyes and cleared her throat again. "Brittany had an MRI today that took almost three hours, then she had to get blood work done, we had to then pick up Taylor from the afterschool program, and come home to cook dinner, since we don't give them fast food." She snapped. "It's not an everyday thing and we aren't bad parents because one day out of their lives they are half an hour off schedule."
Taylor frowned and stared at Santana, before glancing at Mrs. Lopez's face which was hardened at her daughter. "Buela, it's okay if we eat late today. We don't always."
"Come on Sky, let's go get our bath." Santana stated, picking her up and leaving the kitchen.
Brittany exhaled deeply and ran her fingers through her hair. "So Maria, how's Lima?"
She asked, glancing at Taylor, who was pushing her food around her plate.
Santana was in Skylar's room, rocking her as the tiny Latina, who was extremely tired from her long day, cuddled in her lap fast asleep. Santana pulled her pacifier out of her mouth, clipping it to her pajamas so if she woke up in the middle of the night she could soothe herself, and began to hum to her, pressing her lips all over her face.
Brittany stood in the doorway and knocked lightly on the door. "I put your plate in the microwave, I know you're hungry, you haven't eaten tonight."
Santana looked up at her. "Sorry for leaving the table, that was rude, and you didn't deserve that. I'm sorry." She stated sincerely.
Brittany nodded and walked in closer, grabbing Skylar out of Santana's arms and kissing her on the forehead, laughing at the frown that formed and smoothed back out when Brittany kissed the same spot again. She laid her in the crib and checked the thermostat in the room, as Santana turned on the mobile, setting the timer for thirty minutes.
"Good night Sky." Santana whispered as she walked out of the room, following Brittany, and bumping into her mother.
"Santanita, would you like to keep avoiding me or can you speak like an adult?" Mrs. Lopez asked, walking out of Taylor's room.
Santana sighed, refusing to look at her, and instead stared straight ahead at the wall. "I'm going to check on Taylor and make sure she's taken her bath." Brittany stated. "Maria, I'm going to grab some fresh towels for your bathroom."
"I already did that." Santana stated quietly.
"Oh, well then I'm going to do a little work afterwards in the bedroom." Brittany stated, kissing Santana on the cheek.
"Downstairs, now." Mrs. Lopez stated before turning and walking down the hall.
Santana groaned and followed her mother downstairs. "My office." She nodded towards the door to the left of the living room.
Mrs. Lopez nodded and walked, she looked around at Santana's diplomas, plaques, and different certifications that hung around the room. She took a seat on the couch in the corner, crossing her legs and staring at her daughter. "How would you feel if Taylor or Skylar kept their child away from you, for over a year. I shouldn't be meeting my youngest granddaughter when she's fourteen months old."
Santana stood by the door and stared at her. "Why are you here?"
"Santanita, show me some damn respect. I am your mother!" Mrs. Lopez yelled in Spanish getting in her daughter's face. "I have not disrespected you and you will not disrespect me, I raised you better than this, you know it. The way you're behaving is childish and inconsiderate."
Santana blinked, trying to hold in the angry tears in her eyes. "You don't even want Brittany and me married again, why are you here?" She asked in Spanish.
"When did I say that?" Mrs. Lopez asked, taking a step back.
"Don't mami." Santana shook her head. "I don't want your toxic or negative energy around my daughters or hindering my marriage, I need this to work with Brittany, and if you can't be supportive of us then you need to leave."
Mrs. Lopez switched back to English. "What are you talking about?"
"Brittany and I flew to Lima after we got remarried and your face said it all, you questioned us, you made a number of comments that made it very clear you didn't agree with us being married again." Santana hissed, choosing to stay in Spanish.
Mrs. Lopez closed her eyes tightly and opened them slowly. "I didn't question Brittany's love for you or your love for her, Brittany has always been a second daughter to me, that has and will never change. I wanted you two to be sure you were making the right decision, you moved back in and got remarried in under a year. I wanted you to be careful with your hearts and with Taylor's heart."
"I know how to raise my daughter." Santana hissed.
"You're so defensive mija." Mrs. Lopez sighed. "Remarrying is a big step, are you sure the old wounds were healed properly? I'm not saying you two shouldn't be married, I'm saying..."
"I'm saying, I don't care what you're saying." Santana snapped. "You don't get to show up to my house and turn my world upside down. I'm married, I have a household to help run, and..."
"You're stressed." Mrs. Lopez stated. "I can tell in your posture, your speech is labored."
"I'm fine." Santana snapped. "Just, if you're here for your grandchildren, spend all the time you want with them, that's fine, but stay out of my way." She added before leaving the room, slamming the door behind her.
"Santanita!" Mrs. Lopez yelled before sighing. "That damn daughter of mine."
11pm
Brittany sat in bed, patiently waiting for Santana to come out of her two hour long bath, she kept herself busy by doing some online shopping for the girls, only stopping when Santana finally emerged, wearing a pair of flannel shorts and a long sleeve t-shirt, her hair in a messy bun on the top of her head. She watched her get in bed and lay down quickly.
"Oh no, we need to talk." Brittany stated.
"I'm asleep."
"Well, wake up." Brittany told her. "Now Santana."
The Latina groaned loudly and sat up. "What?"
"You need to tell me why you've been lying to me about your mom, she said she hasn't talked to you in months, you told me you've been talking to her and that she's just been busy when we invite her here to see the girls, have you ever been inviting her at all?" Brittany asked.
"No." Santana stated, staring at her.
"Why are you lying to me?" Brittany questioned.
"My mom made some comments about us after we got remarried that I didn't care for, so I cut her off." Santana stated. "I send her birthday cards, and tons of pictures and videos of the girls, I send her gifts, and I help Taylor email her, but do I talk to her? No."
Brittany stared at her and shook her head. "What kinds of comments?"
"Does it matter?" Santana snapped. "If I say they were out of line, then take my fuckin word for it."
"Whoa...let's not go down this road with you swearing at me." Brittany stated sternly. "That will not travel from our first marriage into this one."
"Whatever." Santana rolled her eyes and laid back down.
Brittany turned her over. "I'm not done talking."
"I am." Santana snapped.
"What is with you?" Brittany shook her head. "You snapped at Taylor tonight, you're freaking out about your mom."
"Taylor has gotten three notes home about her damn talking in class." Santana sat back up and stated. "She needs to learn to sit in class and learn, pay attention, and not run her damn mouth to everyone in the classroom."
"I agree, so we talk to her, you don't scream at her, what is that solving?" Brittany asked.
"A spanking will solve it the next time she gets a note home." Santana snapped.
Brittany sighed. "You were fine this morning, all day, and now that your mother is here you're a different person, where is my wife at?"
"Some people bring out the fuckin worse in you." Santana shrugged. "You want to sit in her face and laugh and talk like she's this magical person, go for it."
"She's my mother in law, and the girls abuela, what do you want me to do?" Brittany asked, getting upset and more confused.
"Nothing at all." Santana snapped. "I'm going to my office to work."
"It's almost midnight." Brittany stated as Santana left the room.
Brittany walked into Santana's office, put a sandwich from the roast she made for dinner on a napkin with a glass of water and set them on the desk, she then laid behind Santana, who was on the couch, asleep and kissed down her neck, while rubbing her stomach.
"I'm sorry." Santana stated just above a whisper.
"What's going on?" Brittany asked, resting her chin in the crook of her neck.
Santana turned in her arms and faced her. "My mom kept asking me questions when we were in Lima. Remember they threw us a reception party and all our family was there?'
Santana was dancing with Brittany in Lopez's backyard, the two exchanging chaste kisses while singing along to music, when Mrs. Lopez walked over and interrupted them. "Santanita, a word please?"
Santana nodded and kissed Brittany again as Mr. Lopez came over and twirled Brittany around, as he began to dance with her. "Si mami."
She followed her mother to the house and upstairs to her old bedroom, sitting on the bed when her mother motioned to it.
"Santanita, are you sure about this?"
"About what?" Santana asked.
"The marriage, you had a rough divorce and you two just started seeing each other again, it's only been a year."
"Mami, I love Brittany."
"Si, but love isn't always enough, you loved Brittany the first time. Taylor is older now and she understands more, you both have more demanding jobs..." Mrs. Lopez sighed. "There's nothing wrong with the two of you just dating again for a while, you don't have to rush into marriage."
"We didn't rush."
"You said you woke up and decided to get married, and you did!" Mrs. Lopez shook her head.
Santana stood up. "Look, if you don't support us then fine, you won't have to see us."
"I didn't say I don't support you." Mrs. Lopez stated quickly. "I'm saying I think you two are moving a little fast."
Santana stared at her and left the room quickly, she went down to the yard, hugging Brittany tightly. "Let's get out of here baby, we can go back to the hotel, so Tay can swim a little and we can relax."
"We don't have a hotel room." Brittany frowned. "We stayed with my parents last night and tonight we're staying here I thought."
"Let's get a hotel so we can..." She then whispered in Brittany's ear, causing the blonde to look around and blush.
"Okay." Brittany nodded happily.
"Santana." Brittany sighed. "My parents asked me the same thing, they just want to be sure."
"Our marriage, and what we do, or how fast we decide to move is no one's business." Santana shook her head. "I don't want toxic people around us." She blinked and let the tears she'd been holding in for the past hours slide out. "I can't have toxic people around us. I can't lose you again."
Brittany hugged her tightly and kissed her on the forehead. "You won't lose me, and nothing and no one will break us up. Your mom was just being a mom."
Santana let out a shaky sigh while holding Brittany tightly and choking on a soft sob.
Brittany kissed all over her face. "I won't say you're being over sensitive, but you know your mom loves you, so much, and she loves her granddaughters, don't deprive her of that."
Santana sighed and closed her eyes.
"I made you a sandwich, eat a little and come up to bed." Brittany told her. "You know when you don't eat dinner and go to bed hungry you have nightmares."
Santana nodded and sat up as Brittany reached over and handed her the napkin as Santana cuddled by her side and ate slowly. "I can't lose you again."
"You won't." Brittany assured her. "We have more to talk about tomorrow about this whole situation, but you won't lose me. Talk to your mom and get these feelings out."
5:45am
Santana kisses Brittany on the cheek and quietly left the room, heading across the hall to get Skylar ready for daycare, she glanced in the room and saw she was awake and standing up waiting for her.
"Good morning Sky." She smiled while dancing her way to her daughter, who jumped up and down in her crib excitedly. "Let's get dressed for the day."
After getting Skylar dressed in a pair of purple corduroys, a blue jean shirt, and a cream cardigan with her brown Uggs, she walked downstairs with her, pausing when she smelled breakfast cooking. She picked her up and carried her to the kitchen where Mrs. Lopez was cooking breakfast.
"Buenos dias." She stated, staring at her daughter. "Chorizos, eggs, toast, and fresh muffins...sit down and eat."
Skylar stared at her grandmother, resting her head on Santana's chest, clutching tightly to her. "Not mami."
Santana laughed softly. "She knows we look alike."
Mrs. Lopez nodded. "You said the same thing to your abuela." She explained to her daughter, before quickly sneaking a kiss on Skylar's cheek, laughing when the baby frowned at her.
"You didn't have to cook breakfast." Santana stated softly, setting Skylar in her highchair.
"You have a surgery today, you need a good breakfast and si, I know you're a great surgeon and don't need me to tell you what to do, but I just thought..."
"Thank you." Santana nodded as Mrs. Lopez set a huge muffin in front of Skylar, her eyes widening with a big smile.
"Does she have allergies?"
"No." Santana shook her head. "What kind of muffin?"
"Apple cinnamon."
"That's good, she'll like it, and those are Taylor's favorite." Santana told her as her mother handed her a plate.
"I know." Mrs. Lopez winked. "Brittany loves my chorizo and you love my eggs, something for everyone."
Santana glanced at Skylar, who lifted her muffin, which was huge and covered half of her face and took a bite, laughing as she chewed while smiling at Mrs. Lopez.
"I would offer to let Sky stay home with you today but..."
"She wouldn't be comfortable." Mrs. Lopez stated. "I know...I'll get my time with her."
"Why don't you come to the hospital around noon, I have lunch with her in my office, you can come then, and maybe take her home for the rest of the day?" Santana suggested quietly.
"I would love that." Mrs. Lopez nodded.
"Should I drive you to work?"
"Yes, please." Santana nodded. "That way you can use my truck during the day if you want to go do stuff."
Mrs. Lopez smiled and kissed her on the forehead, before blushing when Skylar held out a handful of muffin to her.
Thoughts?
