Chapter 33
Disclaimer: I don't own glee or this story
"Taylor, seriously, stop the whining right now." Santana told her sternly, lifting Skylar out of her truck, grabbing her diaper bag quickly. "You aren't going to get something everytime we go to a store, your mom and I have bought you a ton of things for Phoenix already, you'll survive without..." She continued before stopping abruptly, not feeling the need to explain herself to her 9 year old daughter. "Just stop whining." She repeated, glancing at her oldest daughter while Skylar began to wiggle angrily in her arms.
"Mami." Skylar grabbed Santana's coat and wiggled to get comfortable.
"Yes, Skylar." Santana sighed, fixing the baby's hat as she laid on her shoulder and looked up at her sadly.
"Home."
"Si, baby, we'll go home, I know you're tired. Mami has to stop here first." Santana nodded to her kissing on the top of the head "Wipe your face, Taylor." She then instructed before she grabbed Taylor's hand and made her way into the pharmacy. Setting Skylar in the cart and glaring sternly at the baby, who began to kick her, not wanting to sit in the seat part. "Damn it, Sky." She mumbled before setting her in the big part of the cart instead, using the seat to put her purse in.
"Can I push?" Taylor asked, looking up at her mother.
Santana nodded and stepped aside, she grabbed a babywipe out the bag and wiped Taylor's face before kissing her on the forehead, Taylor blushing at the simple action, which let her know that her mother wasn't mad at her. Santana placed her hand on Taylor's shoulder as they walked through the store casually, before moving to her back and rubbing there absentmindedly as they walked.
"Stay seated." Santana told Skylar in Spanish, when the tiny Latina stood up. She grabbed the cart so Taylor would stop pushing it and shook her head at her daughter and pointed for her to sit down, Skylar frowning but sitting back down, crossing her little arms angrily, mumbling under her breath.
"Momma!" She then demanded loudly.
"Hey." Santana shook her head at her daughter. "Relax." She added in Spanish, before turning to Taylor, who reached in the cart and rubbed her little sister's back, the baby glaring at Santana, but leaning into her sister's embrace as she stuck her hand in her mouth. "I just need a few things, Tay, mainly your prescription, then we can stop and get a burger for dinner, okay?"
Taylor nodded as Santana stood behind her and tapped her back, letting her know she could stand on the bar and Santana would push her. She kissed the top of Taylor's head as they walked through the store, Santana quickly grabbing the few items she needed, and handing Skylar a pack of Twizzlers to hold, Taylor's eyes lighting up quickly, before Skylar threw them down, still angry at her mother and crossed her arms again.
"Skylar Reese." Santana warned, having a stare down with the baby, who gave up and laid down in the cart as she began to pout.
"She's cranky." Taylor looked up at her mother. "And she misses momma, I think." She added, chewing on her bottom lip.
"Si, I'm cranky and I miss your momma too." Santana laughed softly.
As Santana approached the register to pay, she noticed Skylar fast asleep so she knew she could grab a few more things quickly without the baby starting to fuss. She quickly went up and down a few aisles, Taylor leaning back into her embrace, tired as well, her eyes fluttering close, which Santana noticed and walked closer so Taylor could relax more on her, which she did.
"Mami is going as quick as I can, baby, then I need to stop at the bank quickly to deposit something." Santana told her softly, kissing the top of her head and moving her hands to rest on Taylor's small ones.
"Okay." Taylor nodded. "Can we watch a movie tonight?" She asked, looking up at her mother.
"We need to do some more packing since a truck is coming in the morning, but how about you sleep with me and we can watch a tv show or two before bed, then tomorrow after the truck leaves and you are officially done with school we can watch a movie before I leave." Santana compromised. "How does that sound?"
"Sounds like a plan." Taylor nodded.
Midnight
Santana stared at Skylar and Taylor as they laid next to her in bed, fast asleep. Skylar's bedroom was all packed and ready to be picked up in the morning, so was Taylor's, Santana planning to just let her daughter sleep with her their last remaining days in New York. She kissed them each on the cheek, smiling at Skylar, who was clutching to Taylor in her sleep, before getting out of bed and going down to the kitchen. She looked around at the numerous boxes, all marked and ready for pickup and hopped on the counter to look around the kitchen.
"I love this house." She smiled. "But it's time to move on, we got a great house in Arizona, the weather is amazing, Brittany has the job of her dreams, we found a great school for Tay...life is going to be good for us down there."
She did a few things around the kitchen before turning out the light, she then tripled checked the doors and locked them, double checking the alarm before going back upstairs and getting in bed with her daughters. She was flipping through the channels when her cell phone rang, Brittany's name appearing, putting an instant smile on her face.
Hey baby
Hey Santana, how are you honey?
Good, missing you like crazy, of course, but good.
You know I miss you too, and the girls. I got the alert from the bank that you transferred close to 100,000 to my personal checking?
Yeah, I was moving some things around at the bank today, I know you are going to pay for some more things for the house, so I just moved over some money.
I don't need that much, but okay. It just threw me off a little. Brittany laughed. I didn't expect that much money. I thought maybe you hit the lotto.
Sorry, I was going to text you but both girls were cranky this evening so I didn't get a chance to, Sky keeps asking about you, so she'll be ecstatic when we get there tomorrow night. The movers are picking up the living room and the girls room tomorrow, they said it should arrive in Arizona in a few days.
Sounds good
Okay, How's work going?
It's a lot of work, I'm more settled in the position now, and they are really sticking it to me. I'm actually up working right now, but I wanted to call you and hear your voice.
Don't stay up too late. Santana stated as Skylar stirred and started to wake up, she quickly rubbed her back before smiling when the baby's eyes popped open. Sky just woke up, baby, let me get her back down. I'll call you right back.
I know how late it is there, I'll call you before I leave for the office in the morning. I love you, can't wait to see you tomorrow.
Bye B, love you too, baby. Good night.
Santana set her cellphone and reached for Skylar, kissing her on the forehead and checking her diaper. "Why are you awake?" She asked her daughter, who shrugged and cuddled close to Santana's chest, she began to rock her slowly while watching the nightly news, Skylar falling back asleep right away.
Santana was just about to turn the TV off and slide down with Skylar on her chest when the doorbell rang. She frowned and sat up quickly, walking to Skylar's room, which faced the front of the house. She saw Quinn's car and carried Skylar back to her bedroom, setting her back in bed with Taylor, before jogging downt he stairs and opening the door.
"Hey." She frowned slightly when she opened the door. "What are you doing here?" She asked, stepping to the side and letting Quinn in, since it was snowing.
"I know it's late, and the girls are probably asleep." Quinn rattled off quickly. "I can't keep Taylor while you're gone this weekend. I'm sorry." She sniffled as a few tears pooled in her eyes.
Santana stared at her and nodded. "Umm, okay." She took a step forward and stared intently at Quinn. "I can just take her with me, did something happen?"
"I thought about having a drink today." Quinn shook her head. "I lost my case in court and of course the family of my client freaked the fuck out and screamed at me and all the other stuff, and I drove straight to the liquor store afterwards."
Santana nodded. "Did you buy anything?"
"No." She replied quickly. "You can smell my breath if you want, to prove it."
"I believe you." Santana assured.
"I sat in front of the damn liquor store for close to 5 hours, just staring at it like a creep." Quinn sighed, sitting on the floor.
Santana kneeled down in front of her and grabbed her hands. "I don't care if you sat outside for 5 minutes or 5 hours...if you didn't buy any liquor or even go in the store, that's progress."
Quinn exhaled. "I can't keep Tay for you, what if I get another craving?"
"Then you're human." Santana replied. "No one is expecting you to go cold turkey and never have another drink again, that's tough, but you're doing great so far." She sighed and stared at her former friend. "I trust you, and I know that Brittany trusts you with Taylor, we know that you won't drink in front of Taylor, or get drunk while she's there. It's just for one night, and I really think she should stay with you, it'll help you."
Quinn wiped her eyes and nodded. "I'm trying."
"I know." Santana assured her. "Why don't you stay here tonight, the guest room isn't packed up yet so you can stay there."
"Thanks." Quinn nodded.
"There's leftovers in the fridge from the other day, some lasagne or there's deli meat to make a sandwich, the pots and pans are all boxed and leaving tomorrow, sorry." She added before standing up and walking towards the stairs. "Good night."
Quinn nodded a good night and watched Santana walk back upstairs before exhaling deeply.
"Mami." Skylar frowned as Santana climbed back in bed and snuggled close to her.
"Go back to sleep, baby girl." She replied in Spanish, kissing the top of her head and rubbing Taylor's back as she closed her own eyes.
7pm
Brittany waited anxiously for Santana and Skylar to get off the plane, ready to see her wife and baby girl again. She spotted Santana in the crowd and smiled when she saw her set Skylar down and whisper in her ear, pointing at Brittany. Skylar initially shook her head and laughed, not seeing her mother until Brittany locked eyes with her.
"Sky Sky." She waved happily, causing the little Latina to jump up and down happily in place before she took off running towards her mother, Santana walking close behind her to watch her.
"Momma!" Skylar screamed as she ran in Brittany's arms, the blonde hugging her tightly.
"Hey Smiley!" She beamed, kissing all over her face. "Hey sexy." She then winked at Santana, who blushed and kissed her quickly.
"Hey Britt." Santana replied, hugging her. "You look tired."
"I've been up since around 5 to get ready for a conference call over in New York at 8am, their time, so yeah I'm exhausted, but I want to take my girls out to dinner." She smiled as Skylar began to smell her hair.
"What are you doing loca?" She laughed.
Santana laughed and led them to baggage claim. "She keeps smelling my hair, she has been all week."
After getting their luggage, most of it being Skylar's clothes, since she was in Phoenix for good, Santana only packing a small carry-on for herself, planning to just use Brittany's lounge clothes and pajamas. They made their way back to the condo and unloaded the car quickly, Santana looking around the bedroom Skylar would be staying in.
"Have you gone by the house?" Santana asked Brittany, who was walking Skylar around the condo again, letting her familiarize herself with the space once again.
"Yes, yesterday actually." Brittany nodded. "I have a lawn service treating the grass and the bushes, and they did some work on the pear and apple trees towards the back of the yard. Our yard gets some of the peaches from the yard behind us, they said. How cool is that? Tons of free fruit." She smiled happily.
"Tay loves peaches, so that's awesome." Santana nodded. "Do you want to start moving some stuff in there tomorrow?"
"Nothing to really move in until the trucks get here, but we can definitely do a few things while you're here this weekend. The painters are starting tomorrow morning in Sky and Taylor's room, then they'll move on to our bedroom and the guest rooms." She continued to explain, Skylar patting her leg and pointing out the window.
"Momma?"
"Yes?" Brittany smiled.
"Sky's?"
"No, that's not your bike, sweetheart. Momma will get you a bike, okay?" Brittany told her, glancing out and smiling at the kids riding their bikes up the street.
"Sky bike?" Skylar asked her, looking up at her mother, her big brown eyes fluttering.
"Yep, momma will get you a bike." Brittany repeated, Skylar smiling happily when Santana poured out a bucket of blocks and laid down a blanket for her to play on.
"Do you mind if we just order in tonight?" Santana asked, walking over to Brittany, and wrapping her arms around her.
Brittany hugged her back. "Sure, I know you're tired from traveling, I can cook if you want."
"Let's order in, you're tired too, and we have a lot to do this weekend anyways." Santana sighs, closing her eyes and melting into Brittany's embrace.
"What do you have a taste for?" Brittany asked, rubbing her back, inhaling her wife's scent. "I can order a pizza, there's a really good spot pretty close, or Chinese?"
Santana leaned back and looked up at Brittany. "Pizza would be good, go ahead and order, I'm going to take a shower, and give Sky a bath."
"Can you just give Sky a bath, then after she's asleep we can take one together?" Brittany asked.
Nodding quickly Santana smiled as she kissed her quickly. She walked over to Sky and picked her up. "I didn't really pack too many clothes, or pajamas, mind if I bum off of yours?" She asked.
"Yeah I mind." Brittany teased. "I don't want your germs." She laughed, Santana sticking out her tongue at her and carrying Skylar to the bathroom. "Bath time."
"No bath."
"Yes, bath." Santana replied, smiling at the shelf of stuff Brittany had set up in anticipation of Skylar's arrival. "Look, momma got all your favorites." She pointed to the stack of Sesame Street towels, shampoo, soap, and lotion.
"Elmo." Skylar smiled when Santana handed her a bottle of soap to hold while she rolled up her sleeves and kneeled down to run a bath.
"Si, that's Elmo, he's your favorite, right?" She asked, smelling the bubble bath before pouring some in.
"Sky friend." Skylar nodded, staring at the bottle before jumping around with it.
"Si, he's your friend." Santana smiled as Brittany walked in the bathroom to help with Skylar''s bath, kneeling down and starting to undress the baby, who kept staring at her mother with a big smile. "She really misses you when you're gone, baby, look how she's staring at you now."
"I really miss her too." Brittany blushed, kissing Skylar on the forehead and handing her a rubber duckie to play with in her bath as Santana stuck a basketball hoop to the wall and dumped in more toys. "I miss all three of you, but with Sky being so small and you know how fast kids grow and change, I swear she looks different now, I just can't wait until you all are down here for good."
"Well, Sky Sky is officially a Phoenix resident now." Santana smiled, lifting Sky in the bathtub and laughing when she reached for her toys right away.
"Okay, why am I nervous about just us being down here?" Brittany admitted as Santana moved to the side and allowed her to give Skylar her bath.
"Nervous about what?" The Latina asked, running out of the bathroom and coming back with a diaper, wipes, and powder, setting them next to the footed pajamas Brittany brought in for her.
"I don't know." Brittany rolled her eyes at herself. "It's stupid."
"No it's not." Santana replied. "Let's talk later." She smiled, kissing Brittany on the temple. "I'll let you spend some time with her." She winked, Skylar blowing bubbles at Brittany.
11pm
After taking a long hot bath together the two cuddled on the couch, Brittany laying between Santana's legs, leaning on her chest. "How's your back been?" Santana asked, massaging around Brittany's scars.
"I used a heating pad the other day after I left the house, but other than that it pretty good." Brittany replied.
"Wait for to do any heavy lifting down here, baby, or have the movers do it." Santana told her. "Can we talk about why you feel nervous?"
Brittany shifted so she was straddling the Latina, wanting to look her in the eye. "I think it's just the new environment, and me juggling a new job. We'll be fine."
Santana nodded and rested her hands on Brittany's waist. "Do you want me to take Sky back with me?"
"No."
"Okay, just wanted to check." Santana replied softly. "I know the two of you will be fine, you're an amazing mother, and Smiley loves you so much. It's just the excitement of everything going on right now."
"I think so too, this is huge, San." Brittany blushed. "In just a few days we'll all be here for good. I'm excited, nervous, anxious...a mixture of everything, a good mixture, but definitely a mixture."
"This is a really good move for us, B." Santana smiled. "Just think, this time next week we'll be in the new house, I'm going to cook you the fanciest dinner ever, make ice cream sundaes with the girls for dessert, then once they are in bed we are going to open a bottle of expensive champagne and take a walk around our yard, thanking God for all of our blessings, before we make love and christen the house." She beamed. "Then the next morning you are going to wake up and head to work, Miss VP, and our new life will begin. I'm excited, andI know deep down you are too, don't worry about anything else, this is the best move for us."
"I love you." Brittany smiled.
"I love you too." Santana kissed her softly. "How about we head to bed, I have that meeting at the hospital down here tomorrow and I know you have the conference call in the morning."
"Mami!" Skylar screamed.
"She's not used to the room yet." Brittany stated. "I'll grab her, meet you in the bedroom?"
Santana nodded as Brittany stood up and headed to grab Skylar. She cleaned up around the living room, taking their glasses to the sink and glancing out the window before going to the bedroom where Brittany was laying down with Skylar on her chest, rubbing her back and talking quietly to her. She slipped in bed next to them, kissing Skylar on the cheek before exhaling and yawning.
"Night loves."
"Night, baby." Brittany replied, turning her head to kiss her wife.
1pm
"You were so good today while momma had her phone call." Brittany told Skylar, walking the baby into the toy store. "Mami is still at the hospital, so how about we get a new toy to celebrate?" She suggested.
Skylar looked up at her with a big smile and nodded, her big puffy ponytail bouncing when she started to jump. "Toys!"
"Toys!" Brittany nodded with a smile as they walked around the store, her waiting for Skylar to see something she really wanted. Whenever Brittany took the girls to the toy store she allowed them to pick out what they wanted, and she would buy, within reason. Skylar looked around with wide eyes and big smiles as they walked up and down the aisles, Brittany suggesting toys, but the baby shaking her head no toy after toy. Brittany reached an aisle full of Sesame Street toys and knew that Skylar would definitely find something she wanted so she led her over to a section full of Elmo.
"No Elmo." Skylar said quickly, shaking her head no when Brittany picked up a new Elmo toy when the red puppet danced with you and sang the alphabet song.
"You love Elmo." Brittany frowned, kneeling down. "No." Skylar shook her head.
"You don't like Elmo anymore?"
"No."
Brittany raised an eyebrow and poked Skylar's stomach, "He's on your shirt, and now you don't like Elmo?"
"No." Skylar repeated sternly.
"Okay..." Brittany set the toy back on the shelf. "Who's your friend now?"
"Big Bird."
Brittany laughed softly. "Big Bird?"
"Big Bird." The little Latina jumped up and down happily. "Big Bird!"
"Okay." Brittany nodded firmly. "Let's find some Big Bird." She pulled out her phone and quickly called Santana, while Skylar smiled at the shelf of Big Bird toys she could see.
Sorry it took so long B, I'm headed back to the condo right now. I saw an old colleague from medical school.
It's okay, Sky was so well behaved during my conference call that we are out shopping for a new toy.
Fun! Doesn't she have everything Elmo related already?
That's why I'm calling, she just said she doesn't like Elmo anymore, she only likes Big Bird. Is this new?
She just said last night Elmo was her best friend, she's never even liked Big Bird. Santana laughed.
Well we are getting Big Bird toys right now. Brittany laughed at Skylar trying to pull a huge stuffed Big Bird off the shelf and falling back on her butt. Brittany scooped her up quickly before she could start crying and kissed her on the cheek and the arm.
Hmmmm, okay. I'll order some lunch or do you want to go out to lunch?
Let's go out, I want to show you some more restaurants in the area, they have some stuff Sky Sky would eat.
Okay, my Uber just pulled up, see you soon.
"Okay, which Big Bird do we like?" Brittany kneeled back down and asked Skylar.
"All the Big Bird." Skylar told her.
"Well, we can get 2." Brittany smiled.
"Tree Big Bird." Skylar shook her head.
"Okay, we'll get three Big Birds." Brittany agreed, caving for the little Latina as usual. "Momma is so happy you're here." She hugged her tightly as she started to point out the toys and explain what each one did.
Thoughts?
