CHAPTER 60
A/N: Hello! Many thanks for all your reviews - which still make my day - and special thanks to pjay413 for proofreading my content. This new chapter (the 60th already!) covers almost an entire year of Santana and Brittany's lives. Lots of things happen, so I accelerate the timeline a bit. Enjoy and watch the POV! Thanks!
JANUARY – IN LOS ANGELES – BRITTANY's POV
"So, I was thinking we could use this entire space here and turn it into your new dance room…" Santana tells me in an excited voice as we stand in the neighbors' empty living room. Megan and Sean officially moved out this morning, but it's still hard to believe that we own their house now.
"Personally, I wouldn't touch the kitchen or the bathroom." She adds. "We could turn the three rooms upstairs into guestrooms for family and friends, but we have time to discuss that… The first thing we must do though is take out the fence outside, so we can have one big garden!" She says with a smile, holding my hands in hers. "What do you say, wifey?"
"I… um…" I stutter nervously, still struggling to keep up with her newfound eagerness to move forward.
"What's troubling you?" She asks, reading me like an open book.
"I just…" I trail off, sighing. "What if… we don't get pregnant, and we end up having bought that house for nothing? I mean, if we don't have another kid, there's no reason to even move the dance room…" I shrug.
"Brittany, darling… why are you worrying like that?" She asks in a compassionate voice. "We haven't even tried to get pregnant yet. And if –"
"Because given my history, you know that we don't have the best odds, San." I cut her off in a sad voice.
"Well, I believe in miracles." She says, squeezing my hands. "After all, if someone like you fell in love with me, anything is possible."
"Except that it's very easy to fall in love with you." I argue. "I'm not even the only one who did."
"Who else?" She frowns, as if that was crazy.
"Well, Julia is the first coming to mind, but there was also Dani, and –"
"Julia is not in love with me!" She interrupts me, laughing. "She just wants to sleep with me, that's different. And that certainly doesn't make me special, considering the number of women she has sex with."
"Actually, I think she is a little bit in love with you, given the way she talks about you. You clearly fascinate her!" I say in a jealous tone while she rolls her eyes.
"I think we're getting a bit off topic here, honey…" She says, caressing my cheek. "I meant that I have faith we're going to have our baby…" She adds, placing a kiss on my lips. "But even if we don't, buying Sean and Megan's house was still a good idea. You know how much we will enjoy a bigger garden and need the second garage. And at least, it will no longer be a mess to find room for everyone when we have guests over."
"Maybe so, but should we really move the dance room now? I don't know, San… Maybe we should wait for me to actually get pregnant and complete the first trimester, just to be sure."
"But why wait?" She shrugs. "Brittany, no matter what happens, in a few years, we'll have at least three teenagers here. And you know how they are at that age, they will spend hours styling their hair! So, believe me, we need another bathroom in the house. Otherwise, we'll be late everywhere." She raises her hands. "And even if we end up not needing an additional bedroom, we could use the remaining space as a playroom for the kids, or as a dressing room…" She argues and somehow, it makes me feel a lot better. Less pressured, I guess.
"And let me remind you of what a very wise person once said…" She adds. "The universe brings us what's best for us." She says and I know she's quoting me, because I used to tell her that all the time. "And I'm sure that in the great scheme of the universe, there is a little soul out there who desperately wants you to be their mommy, and who is going to come to us." She smiles, caressing my cheek.
"How come you always know exactly what to say…?"
"Oh, well, it's a skill that I learned from my lovely wife." She smirks, and I smile back, pulling her into a kiss.
A FEW DAYS LATER – AT THE GOLDEN GLOBES AWARD CEREMONY – SANTANA's POV
"Do you feel nervous?" Quinn asks me, as we're sitting together at our table. "I feel nervous." She immediately adds, without giving me the time to answer.
It's the very first time that Glee is nominated at the Golden Globes Awards, and we only have one nomination: Naya, in the category "Best Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy".
"No." I eventually reply. "As much as Naya deserves to win, I don't think we stand a chance."
"Why not?" Brittany asks me, frowning in confusion.
"We're up against Julia Peterson." I shrug. "She's the 'it' girl, there's no way."
"Right…" Quinn says, realizing that I have a point. "Well, even if Naya doesn't win, being nominated is still a huge achievement for her. And it's good publicity for us too. Besides…" She trails off, looking at the stage. "Oh, I guess it's the moment of truth… It looks like they're ready to announce her category."
LATER THAT NIGHT – AT HOME – BRITTANY's POV
Without surprise, Julia won the award for Best Actress, and even though we all expected it, it cast a chill over our evening. Santana barely talked for the rest of the night, and left our table only once, to go comfort Naya.
The journey back home was very quiet too and by the time I got out of our bathroom, Santana was already in bed, typing on her phone.
"Who are you talking to?" I ask, curious.
"Naya."
"Oh, how is she doing?" I ask, getting under the sheets.
"Well, she's still pretty bummed…" She sighs. "I don't blame her, really."
"Me neither…" I confess. "And how are you doing?" I ask, pressing my lips against her bare shoulder.
"I think I am as down as her." She admits. "Which is silly, because I knew we wouldn't win, but you know… I have been running that show for five years already! It's so much work, and not just for me… Quinn, Artie, the crew, the cast, they all work so hard! It would have been nice to be acknowledged for once…" She says in a sad tone.
"I know…" I nod, caressing her cheek. "I'm sure you will some day, honey. Honestly, I don't even know why people make such a fuss about Julia."
"That's because you don't like her, but she's a big deal in the industry, Britt. As a matter of fact, we're lucky we got her on Glee early on, I don't think we could afford her now! She's been on TV, in movies, and she always kills it, whether it's comedy, romance or thriller! Plus, she has the looks." She shrugs. "Everyone desires her. Men, women…"
"I don't." I frown while she gives me a dubitative look.
"What? She's not my type." I shrug. "Sexy Latinas are my type…" I whisper in a flirty way, making her smirk. "And for what it's worth, you're my winner." I confess, placing a soft kiss on her lips.
"Thank you." She says as I cup her cheek, to kiss her some more.
"Don't stop…" She pleads against my mouth as I eventually pull away.
"Don't stop…" She repeats, her brown eyes locked with mine, and I immediately reunite our lips.
ONE WEEK LATER – AT PARAMOUNT – SANTANA's POV
"Okay, so… Heather, you sit here." I say, pointing at the chair. "And Naya, you stand on your mark, over there. We're going to rehearse with the music first, to double check the camera movements and your lip-synch."
"San, I'm sorry to interrupt…" Quinn suddenly says, holding my phone in her hand. "But I have Brittany on the line."
"Thanks, Q." I say, grabbing my phone. "Could you oversee the rehearsal while I talk to Britt?"
"Sure!" She replies while I walk away for privacy.
"Hi, honey!" I eventually say, once I'm alone.
"Hi, San… Sorry, I know you're busy, but Dr. Wilson just called, and I didn't want to wait until tonight to tell you."
"You did good, Britt! So, what did he say? Did he have your last test results?" I ask, impatient to know more.
"Yes, and he confirmed I'm eligible for the procedure."
"Oh, that's wonderful news, honey!" I say, smiling big.
"It is…" She agrees and I can hear the relief in her voice.
"So, what now?"
"Well, the next step is harvesting your eggs." She says. "He gave me the prescription for your hormonal treatment, so we just need to decide when to start."
"Right… I was thinking that I could do it in April?" I suggest. "We'll be pretty much done with shooting Glee by then, and I won't be much needed after that. Artie does most of the editing by himself anyway. And that should also give me enough time to recover before the promo starts."
"Sure, it's all fine with me."
FEBRUARY (EVENING TIME) – AT THE PUB – BRITTANY's POV
"To regionals!" Santana says in an excited voice, raising her glass of champagne.
"To regionals!" I repeat alongside Mike and Tina, as we all clink glasses.
"I can't believe we're qualified…" I say, my hands still trembling from excitement.
"Oh, I can." Santana smiles, gently rubbing my back. "You guys are amazing teachers and seriously, your students were really impressive tonight!"
"I agree, there's a reason why they got a standing ovation, you know!" Tina adds.
"I'm just so happy for the kids!" Mike admits, exchanging a proud look with me.
"Me too." I smile. "They worked so hard for this! And after what happened last year, I'm really glad they get to experience regionals…"
VALENTINE'S WEEKEND – IN THE MOUNTAINS, CALIFORNIA – SANTANA's POV
"So… what do you think?" I ask Brittany, upon entering our cabin for the first time.
This year, I was the one in charge of planning our Valentine's weekend, and since we had never rented a cabin before, I thought it would be nice to try.
"Oh, wow… It's beautiful!" She says in disbelief, looking around. "And it looks so cozy!"
"Yeah?" I ask, so relieved that she likes it.
"Yeah." She smiles, wrapping her arms around my waist. "That was a great idea, honey!" She adds, kissing my lips.
"We're lucky Quinn agreed to watch the kids for the whole weekend…" I say.
"True. How come she was free, by the way?"
"Puck is on a mission for a couple of weeks." I shrug.
"Over Valentine's day?! That's sad..." Brittany says. "Q must feel lonely."
"Well, she's not alone, she is with our three little monsters and the dog, so… it clearly worked out for everyone!" I argue, making her chuckle.
LATER THAT DAY
After unloading the car, Brittany and I decided to go for a little walk, to explore our surroundings. It's a bit chilly but also pretty romantic to stroll along the cute pathways amidst the trees.
"It's really a beautiful area!" Brittany says while we're walking hand in hand.
"It is." I confirm. "It's funny how each cabin looks so different." I eventually add, looking around.
"And yet, out of all the ones we've seen, I still think ours is the cutest." She smiles. "You have great taste."
"I'm not surprised you think so, because I applied the good old 'wwwd' rule when picking the cabin."
"The 'wwwd' rule?" She frowns in confusion.
"Yeah. 'What Would the Wife Do'?" I clarify, making her chuckle.
"Aww, you really did that?"
"Of course! You know, my dad always says that 'jumping on any little occasion to make the wife happy is the secret of a successful marriage', so…"
"Well, you don't have to worry, because this is a very successful marriage…" She says, cupping my cheek to place a tender kiss on my lips.
EVEN LATER
While Brittany walked back to the cabin to take a shower, I went to the top restaurant of the area, to pick up our dinner. Everyone recommends this place, so I hope the chef is worthy of his reputation…
"Britt, I'm back!" I shout as I return to the cabin, placing the food on the counter. Soft jazz music is playing and as I look around, I realize that the fireplace is lit and the table is already set, decorated with rose petals and candles.
"Hey!" I suddenly hear Britt say behind me.
"God…" I let out as I turn around and take in her appearance. "Brittany… you're absolutely stunning!"
"Thanks…" She says in a shy whisper.
"And the table is beautiful too by the way… Where did you find all this?"
"Oh, well… There were candles in the kitchen cupboards, and I picked up wine and a few roses for the table on my way back. Except for this one that I kept for you…" She says, revealing the rose she had been hiding behind her back all this time.
"God, you're so cute…" I admit, grabbing the rose before kissing her lips. "And I guess great minds think alike, because… I also brought you one." I say, picking it up off the counter.
"Thank you…" She chuckles at the coincidence, bringing my hand to her lips.
"So, was everything ok with the food?" She asks.
"Yeah, all good. The guy recommended to heat it up though, to keep it nice."
"Well, I can do that while you're getting ready?" She suggests and I nod in approval.
A WHILE LATER
After a succulent dinner and a long talk around a bottle of wine, Brittany pushed the furniture away and invited me to dance on a romantic playlist she prepared herself.
I rest my head on her chest as we slowly sway together in the middle of the dimly lit room. I always feel so at peace when it's just the two of us… And there is really nothing better in this world than the warmth of my wife's loving embrace…
"It's past midnight now, so happy Valentine's day, honey…" She suddenly whispers into my ear and I slightly pull away, to be able to see her face.
"Happy Valentine's day!" I smile, pulling her into a tender kiss.
She progressively deepens the kiss and I can't stop humming at the feeling of her velvet tongue swirling with mine, until the first notes of You Can Leave Your Hat On make us both part our lips out of surprise.
"Oh my God, I'm sorry!" She says, apparently embarrassed. "I don't even know how that song got into my playlist…"
"Right." I chuckle. "You know, Britt, if you wanted me to get undressed, you could have just said it." I add, laughing.
"What? No!" She says, making me raise an eyebrow.
"I mean, yes." She adds quickly. "Of course, I want to see you naked, but I didn't mean to pressure you with a song. I seriously don't know how it got into my Valentine's playlist!"
"Relax, I'm not complaining." I smirk and immediately kiss her some more, to make it clear we're all good.
MUCH LATER THAT NIGHT
"You're so beautiful…" I say, looking at Brittany's pretty face illuminated by the glow of the fire.
"Right back at you…" She smiles, her fingers gently grazing my bare back.
"So… now I can cross 'sex by the fireplace' off my list." I smirk proudly.
"Do you actually have a list of places to have sex in?"
"No." I chuckle. "But if I did, I would definitely have the fireplace on it, because it was amazing…"
"Mmh, it was." She agrees with a smile, lifting the blanket to cover my shoulders.
"I hope the owner won't realize that we dragged the mattress all the way here." I chuckle.
"We'll put it back." She shrugs. "Anyway, I'm pretty sure other people did that before us, so…"
"Most likely." I laugh. "Should we put it back now, or do you want to sleep by the fire?" I ask.
"I'm really comfy right now, so I don't mind staying here. But I don't want to sleep…" She confesses. "I want to talk, and make love again, and then talk some more, just like when we were teenagers. Do you remember all those nights we stayed awake the entire time?"
"I do." I smile, nostalgic for the past. "But you know, back then, we would talk about the future for hours. There's a lot less to plan now that we've built a whole life together… That leaves just our future baby, maybe."
"What…?" I ask, concerned when I see her look away.
"I'm scared…" She eventually admits in a whisper.
"Of what?" I ask, caressing her cheek softly.
"I'm scared it won't work." She shrugs. "Every failed attempt before I got pregnant with the boys was so hard on me, San… I don't know how many times I can go through that again… And what if I end up wasting all your eggs?"
"Honey… No matter what happens, you're not going to waste anything. I can't carry a child, so my eggs are condemned to die in me anyway." I argue. "But thanks to you, they have a chance to make it into this world. And if the procedure doesn't work, nothing bad is going to happen. It will just be the same as now, that's it." I say, but her blue eyes look so sad that I feel the need to add something.
"You know, Britt… If you have changed your mind and don't want to go through with this procedure, you don't have to do it."
"I want to." She's quick to say. "I want that child so bad. I just… I don't trust my body."
"You should, because your body is doing amazing things." I say. "First, it dances like a boss, and it does stuff in bed that are out of this world!" I add, making her chuckle. "And above it all, it gave us the most adorable boys in the whole universe! I love your body so much that I'm ready to build a temple to praise it!"
"You have to stop worrying about this, honey." I say in my softest voice, adjusting my position so she can lay her head on my chest and I can caress her hair. "We're just going to try. If it works, great. If it doesn't, it won't be anybody's fault, okay?" I insist. "Besides, if we still want a child, we can always go for adoption."
"Yeah, I know…" She whispers against my chest, holding me tighter.
A FEW WEEKS LATER (MARCH) – AT HOME
"So, what do you think?" I ask Brittany, as we stand in the new dance room with our kids.
"It's much bigger than the previous one!" She says in disbelief while the boys run around laughing.
"Why do we have two houses now?" Sofia suddenly asks, looking confused.
"It's not exactly two houses, mija…" I reply. "You remember Sean and Megan, right?" I ask, and she nods in response. "Well, they had to move to another city, and –"
"They took Roger with them." My little girl cuts me off in a sad voice, pouting.
"Roger?" I frown. "Who's that?"
"Their pet rabbit." Brittany says.
"Oh…" I let out. God, how come I never noticed they had a pet rabbit?!
"You know, peanut… If you like rabbits that much, we could –"
"No, mommy, we can't." I immediately interrupt Brittany, knowing all too well what she's about to say.
'Why not?' Britt's eyes are clearing asking me, even though she remains silent.
'Because we already have a dog, and that's more than enough!' I argue in one of our telepathic conversations, and judging by her sigh, I know I don't need to say it out loud for her to get me.
"Anyway, mija… We bought Sean and Megan's house, so we could have more space and a bigger garden too. But it won't remain two separate houses, at some point we will attach them to each other."
"Okay…" Our daughter says, shrugging.
"So, should we christen the new room with some dancing?" I suggest.
"Oh, what a great idea!" Brittany replies with an enthusiastic smile.
A WHILE LATER – IN THE NEW DANCE ROOM
We've been dancing with the kids for a while, enjoying the ample space as well as our new sound system. Now that the dance room is equipped with an acoustic door and acoustic windows, we can turn up the volume without disturbing the neighborhood, which I absolutely love!
"Oh my God, I didn't even remember I had this in my playlist!" I suddenly say, checking my phone.
"Which song?" Brittany asks.
"You'll see…" I reply with a mischievous smirk, hitting "play".
"Nooo?!" Brittany eventually says upon hearing the first notes, opening her eyes wide at me.
"What song is that?" Sofia asks, curious.
"That's an old one, peanut. It was very famous before mama and I were even born." Brittany replies. "And I had not listened to it in years! How long has it been?" She asks me.
"I don't know exactly, but I'm pretty sure we haven't listened to it since we moved to L.A. Maybe even longer than that!"
"I like it!" Sofia screams in an over-excited voice, swaying to the music while the boys laugh.
"Oh, you think it's funny?" I smile at my sons. "Wait until you see the silly choreography that mommy and I created for that song."
"Oh, San… It's been so long, I'm not even sure I still remember it."
"Come on, we've done it like a thousand times, I'm sure we remember it!" I argue, doing the first moves while singing out loud "Shake your groooove thiiing".
"Oh, right!" Brittany says with a big smile, reproducing my moves with assurance, as if the whole choreography had now come back to her mind.
"Ok, I think I've got it!" She says. "But wait, I used to be up front and you were behind me." She adds, gesturing for me to stand a couple of steps behind her. "Yeah, there."
"All good for you?" She asks once I'm in position.
"Oh, more than good…" I smirk.
"I see some things never change…" She chuckles, not even needing to turn around to know that I'm looking at her swaying butt, just like I used to every time we danced to that song.
"Can I do it too?" Sofia asks eagerly.
"Of course, baby!" Brittany replies. "You can all dance with us, just stand between mamma and me."
Even though it's completely surreal, we end up teaching our kids the dance moves we made up when we were barely 16. And before I know it, wonderful memories sneak up on me: how much Britt and I laughed when creating the choreography, us swaying together in a much more inappropriate way than now, and all the making out that would follow…
Back then, I was far from imagining that one day, Brittany and I would have children together…
ONE WEEK LATER – AT PARAMOUNT – BRITTANY's POV
"Quinn, hi!" I say as I spot her in the hall.
"Britt!" She says, pulling me into a warm hug. "It's so nice to see you! How are you?"
"Oh, I'm fine." I smile. "How are you? Not too busy?"
"Well, you know… It's always busy here! But I like it, so…" She shrugs. "Does San know you're here?"
"Um… no, she doesn't. It wasn't planned." I admit. "But I had some time and… well, I'm really curious to see what you're shooting these days."
"Oh, I get that. I love to be on set too!" She smiles. "And I think you're going to have a lot of fun, because we're about to shoot the scene where you and Mike buy the dance school." She says, making me smile big in excitement. This is what I love the most about this show, it brings back so many happy memories!
"Well, if Santana makes it on time that is." She adds, checking her watch. "She had a video conference with investors but it should be over by now…" She says and right at that moment, I spot Santana a few feet behind Quinn, with a woman I have never seen before.
"Who's that?" I ask, as I watch Santana burst into laughter, playfully punching the unknown woman's arm.
"Oh, that would be Monica." Quinn says with a large smile. "It's our new adviser, and she's amazing! She has incredibly innovating ideas for the show!"
"Adviser?" I repeat, surprised. "I thought Patricia Miller said Netflix wouldn't meddle with the scripts or the shooting?"
"Oh, she's not from Netflix." Quinn says. "She's an independent adviser whose ideas significantly increased the ratings on another show, so… San decided to hire her. Patricia Miller strongly supported her decision though."
"Hey!" Santana says, now a lot closer to us. "I didn't know you were here." She tells me with a smile, placing a chaste kiss right next to the corner of my mouth. I would have preferred a kiss on the lips but I guess she wants to keep it discreet in front of her new colleague.
"I was hoping I could hang out on set for a while, if that's okay…" I shrug, making her smile.
"Of course! And you picked the perfect day! But before we join the others on set, let me introduce you to Monica here, our new adviser." Santana says. "She's wonderful!" She adds in a whisper, pretending it to be a secret, even though she purposely said it loud enough for Monica to hear.
"Lopez, you know flattery is not how you'll persuade me to suggest a budget increase to Patricia Miller." Monica warns, making my Latina laugh.
And what else is Santana supposed to do "persuade her" exactly?!
"Damn, the lady is a tough negotiator!" Santana "complains", though her smirk betrays her. "Anyway… Mon', this is my wife, Brittany."
"Oh wow, the real Brittany!" Monica says, as if I was some kind of celebrity. "Lovely to meet you!" She adds, shaking my hand.
LATER THAT DAY – (LUNCH TIME) – IN SANTANA'S OFFICE
After a few hours of shooting, Santana sent everyone on their lunch break, which she and I are spending alone in her office.
"So, tell me…" I say in between bites, as we're sitting on her office couch. "Is being good-looking and smoking hot a requirement for people working for you?"
"What?" She frowns, obviously surprised by my question. "Who are you talking about?"
"I don't know… Julia, Monica… And God knows who else I haven't met yet."
"Well, there are lots of good-looking people in the TV industry, that's just how it is." She shrugs. "And you're one to talk! You're a dancer, there are always people with unreal bodies around you."
"That's not true! I'm a teacher now, I spend most of my time with kids." I argue.
"Really? Because last time I checked, there are also other teachers around you. And when you work on artistic projects as a choreographer, you're surrounded by nothing but sexy dancers. And you know it."
"So? Are you jealous?" I ask her.
"Yeah! All the time." She immediately replies, without any embarrassment. "Are you?"
"Yes." I admit.
"Well, it's settled then. We're both jealous." She shrugs.
"It kind of looked like you were flirting with her though…" I eventually find the courage to say.
"I wasn't flirting!" She frowns in objection.
"Really? Then what was up with all the laughing, the compliments… the touching?"
"The touching?" She repeats. "What touching?!"
"I saw you punch her arm… playfully."
"Oh, come on, Britt… It doesn't mean anything! You know I also do that with Naya all the time…"
"It's not the same." I immediately object, knowing that Santana and Naya don't see each other in that way.
"It's exactly the same, nothing more." She replies. "What should I say about your dance partners who put their hands on your hips or caress your cheek, uh?"
"It's not like I have a choice if it's part of the choreography!" I argue.
"Does it bother you?" I eventually ask.
"Well, I surely don't like it, but I know it's your job, so… whenever that happens, I just tell myself they're gays." She shrugs. "Except those days in New York when you were rehearsing with James." She adds. "That guy, really… He purposely kept missing a step so you would have to do it again and he could caress your thigh over and over. What a fucker!"
"He did?" I frown.
"Of course, he did, Brittany! God, you were really blind around him… How come you catch me innocently punching someone's arm but you don't see the guy who kept trying to feel you up every chance he got?"
"I don't know… Maybe because I couldn't care less about him, but you… I love you." I shrug.
"Honey…" She eventually says, locking eyes with me. "There is nothing going on between me and Monica. We just get along and we joke around, that's it. And it's in my best interest to keep it that way, because she has a real influence on Patricia Miller. But it's basically as innocent as when I smile and bat my eyes at Andrew at the garage shop."
"You do that?" I ask, surprised.
"Why do you think I always get a discount?" She shrugs.
"Great…" I sigh, rolling my eyes.
"Look… yes, sometimes, I charm my way out of things, but I would never do anything wrong."
"Yeah? Did you also 'charm your way' with Julia?" I ask in a jealous tone, using air quotes.
"I didn't have to. First, she was actually my employee, so she had to do what I said. And second, well… you of all people know she would do anything to please me, so…" She shrugs.
"Oh, don't I know that…"
"But you really have nothing to worry about, Britt… I don't care about TV 'good-looking people'! I have my own beautiful lady at home, and I'm very much in love with her." She says. "Besides, you're the only one I do 'real touching' with…" She says in a flirty voice, grazing my thigh with her fingertips, before capturing my lips in a long kiss.
"So…" I eventually say, pulling her onto my lap so she straddles me. "I hope you mean I'm the only one that can do this…?" I ask before kissing her neck, slowly sliding both of my hands up her thighs.
"Mmh, definitely…" She whispers, her breathing getting heavier.
A WHILE LATER – AT PARAMOUNT – IN SANTANA'S OFFICE
"How do I look…?" Santana asks me, running her fingers through her hair.
"Absolutely beautiful." I reply, placing a soft kiss on her lips.
"That's not what I meant, Britt…" She says, making me frow in confusion. "Do I look fine, or will people be able to tell I just had sex?" She sighs. "Once again in my office, during working hours…" She mumbles to herself, shaking her head in disbelief while double checking that her shirt is well tucked into her pants.
"No one will be able to tell." I reassure her. "Except for this maybe…" I smirk, rebuttoning the top button of her shirt. "There, now it's perfect."
APRIL (EVENING TIME) – AT HOME
After putting the kids to bed, I return to the living room but Santana is not there. I can hear her voice from afar, coming from the small room we use as a home office. It seems she's talking on the phone, so I decide to check my emails and see that we've been invited to regionals in San Diego.
The sudden creak of the door pulls me out of my thoughts, and my blood runs cold when I see Santana's distressed face.
"What's wrong?" I ask in a worried tone, rushing to her side.
"It's… Abuela…" She says in a cracking voice, her eyes getting watery. "My mom said she um… she had a stroke, and… they had to rush her to the hospital…"
"Oh my God, honey…" I say, pulling her into my arms. "I'm so sorry… Is she going to be okay?"
"I… I don't know…" She shrugs sadly. "She's in the ICU and apparently, it's very serious… My mom even said I should take the first flight to Lima, in case she…" She trails off and bursts into tears before finishing her sentence.
"Sshh…" I whisper, holding her impossibly tight in my arms. "She's in good hands now, okay? And we all know she's tough!" I argue, rubbing her back as she nods against my shoulder.
"You should go to Lima, like your mom said." I say, pulling away to look into her sad eyes. "I know you, and if you stay here, you'll be a wreck, constantly wondering what's going on and feeling helpless." I add, my hands resting on top of her shoulders. "But if you go there, you can talk to the doctors yourself, and you'll be able to see your Abuela."
"But the kids…"
"I've got the kids, don't you worry about that." I say in a reassuring voice. "Go pack, I'll book you a seat on the next flight."
A WHILE LATER – SANTANA's POV
While I packed the essentials, Brittany managed to find me a seat on today's last flight to Ohio, which leaves in about 3 hours.
"It feels like I'm abandoning them…" I confess in a sad voice, after giving the kids a goodbye kiss in their sleep. "What will they think when they notice I left without a proper goodbye?"
"I will tell them you had to leave in a hurry, because Nana Alma needed you. They will understand." Britt says, taking my hands in hers.
"The cab is here…" I sigh, checking the notification on my phone.
"Just focus on Abuela and don't worry about the rest, okay? Quinn confirmed she can replace you at Paramount and I'll take good care of the kids." She says, and I nod in silence. "Call me whenever you need to talk, day or night." She adds as we walk together towards the front door.
"I love you so much." She eventually says, pulling me into a loving kiss.
"I love you…" I manage to whisper, placing a last kiss on her lips before leaving the house.
THE NEXT AFTERNOON – IN LIMA – AT THE HOSPITAL
My plane unfortunately got delayed and I could only get to my parents' house at 9:00 AM. I was so exhausted that I went straight to bed to get some rest, since the hospital only allows visitors in the afternoon anyway.
After a few hours of terrible sleep, my mom drove me to the hospital and agreed to give me a moment alone with Abuela, even though she's unconscious.
"I'm not ready…" I eventually break the silence, after looking at Abuela for a couple of minutes. "You can't leave us, okay? Because if you go, who is going to ask inappropriate and uncomfortable questions about my marriage? Who is going to read the Bible to my kids behind my back? Or teach them you can save money by not turning the lights on until it's pitch dark outside, even if that's completely insane?"
"God knows you drive me crazy, but… I need you. We all do." I shrug. "And I know you would argue you're old and half your body is damaged, but you still have so much to live for! You don't even know…" I say, shaking my head in despair.
"You see, I'm not supposed to tell anyone, but I think Brittany will forgive me, given the circumstances. Besides, it's not like you will remember this conversation anyway, so… here it goes. Britt and I, we… we want to have another child. As a matter of fact, I was supposed to start my hormonal treatment tomorrow, but you went on having a stroke, so… that's off for now. It's alright though, I can do it after my promo tour." I nod. "But I don't want my child to miss out on you, so you have to live, okay? And I don't want to break the kids' little hearts by having to tell them that Nana Alma is gone. So, please, don't make me…"
LATER THAT DAY (EARLY EVENING) – AT SANTANA'S PARENTS'
I'm sitting at the kitchen table with my mom, my hands wrapped around the warm cup of tea she just served me. We sit in total silence for a few minutes, not knowing what to say anymore, when someone suddenly rings the doorbell.
"I'll get it." I tell my mom and cross the living room, to open the front door.
"Britt…" I say in disbelief, seeing my blonde standing in front of me. "But… what are you doing here?"
"You didn't think I would let you go through this by yourself, did you?"
"God, wifey…" I manage to say in a grateful voice, pulling her into a tight hug. Only Brittany would go to such great lengths for me... "But what did you do with the kids?"
"I took them with me. They're at my parents' right now, because given the circumstances, it didn't seem like a good idea to barge in here with three overexcited kids… But I can bring them over later if you want." She says as I nod. "How are you holding up, honey? How is Abuela?"
"She's stable but still in a critical condition…" I shrug sadly. "They can't even tell us if she will wake up, and if she does, she might face long-term issues…"
"Brittany?" My mom suddenly says in a surprised voice, interrupting our conversation. "I didn't know you were in Lima!" She adds, pulling her into a warm embrace.
"Well, it was not planned, but I wanted to be with the family…" Britt says, hugging her back. "Is there anything I can do, Maribel?" She asks, rubbing her arm to comfort her.
"Thank you, dear, but you being here is plenty already…" My mom says with a sad smile.
MUCH LATER THAT NIGHT – AT SANTANA'S PARENTS' – IN BED
"Are you ok…?" Brittany suddenly breaks the silence, her hand tenderly caressing my cheek. I lean into her gentle touch for a brief moment, closing my eyes.
"I'm scared she's gonna die…" I eventually admit in a barely audible voice.
"Oh, honey…" She says, grabbing my hand. "This is not the moment to lose hope… She's still here. And like you said yourself, she's stable. So, we're going to send her plenty of strength and giver her time to recover. And we'll only worry when we have to, if we have to. Okay?"
"Okay…" I whisper sadly, nodding.
"You should try to get some sleep, it's been a tough day…" She advises, adjusting our position so she can spoon me.
"Thank you for coming here…" I whisper, finding much needed comfort in her embrace.
"There's nowhere else I would rather be." She replies, nuzzling her nose into my hair.
A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER (MORNING TIME) – AT SANTANA'S PARENTS
Every day, we have the same routine: the kids stay with us in the morning, and they go spend the afternoon with Britt's parents while we go to the hospital, to visit our fallen soldier… Unfortunately, Abuela's condition remains the same.
Since it was sunny today, we decided to spend some time in the garden, and as I watch the kids play with my dad, I can't help but think that having them around has brought a much needed breath of fresh air to everyone. Nothing can lighten up the heavy mood like my little ones…
"I know it delays our plans a little bit…" I suddenly turn to Brittany, as we're sitting together on the bench. "But with everything that happened and is yet to come, I don't think I can start my hormonal treatment before June…" I say in an apologetic tone.
"It's totally fine, San!" She says, intertwining our fingers. "There's no rush, and you have bigger fish to fry right now. Let's wait until Abuela is better and you're done with the new season of Glee…"
ANOTHER COUPLE OF DAYS LATER – AT SANTANA'S PARENTS
"There's nothing to feel guilty about, mija…" My mom tells me, sitting on the edge of my bed while I pack. "You have your own life in L.A, and Abuela wouldn't want you to put it on hold for her anyway."
"I know…" I whisper, picturing all too well what Abuela would say. 'Why would you stay just to watch an old woman sleep, day after day? You and Brittany have jobs, mija. And your kids should be in their own home, not shuttled from house to house like this.' She would argue. And then, I probably would try to squeeze in a 'but…' and she would just tell me 'go' with that famous scolding look in her eyes.
"I just wish she knew I came to see her." I sigh.
"She knows." My mom nods.
"And I don't want to leave you and dad dealing with this on your own…"
"We'll be fine, mija. You don't have to worry about us." She says, squeezing my hand. "And you know we'll call you the minute there is news."
LATER THAT NIGHT – AT SANTANA'S PARENTS' – IN BED
"I know we have to go back, I mean we can't keep the kids here forever…" I admit, lying in Brittany's arms. "Besides, you have to get your students ready for regionals. And they need me in Paramount too… Quinn and Artie have been postponing the shooting of our wedding scenes as much as they could, but we don't have much time left, now that the first half of the season is already on Netflix." I say. "I just can't believe that with their restricted visiting hours, I won't even get to see Abuela before our flight…"
"Actually, you will." Brittany says.
"What?" I frown.
"I called in a favor…" She shrugs. "There's this girl who was in the same dance class as me here in Lima, and she's working as a nurse in Abuela's hospital now. She said she could sneak you into her room tomorrow morning, before we leave for the airport." She explains while I look at her in disbelief.
"You know, if we were not already married, I would marry you right this second." I say, holding her face between my hands, pressing my lips hard on hers. But I pull away when I hear someone knocking on our door.
"Girls, are you still awake?" We hear my mom's voice say, much to our surprise. It's pretty late, I thought she was already asleep.
"Uh... yeah, mami, you can come in." I say, and she immediately opens the door.
"I'm sorry, I know it's late, but I thought you would like to know, mija. The hospital just called to say that Abuela woke up."
THE NEXT MORNING – AT THE HOSPITAL
"You scared the hell out of us, you know…" I tell Abuela, holding her hand in mine.
"Language." She says in a weak voice, but her reproachful eyes are as alert as ever.
"Sorry…" I eventually say. "I'm so happy you're ok…" I add, bringing her right hand to my lips.
"I am okay." She confirms. "Even if I can't move much my left hand or my left leg, but the doctor said that with physiotherapy, I should be able to walk again."
"I'm sure you will. You're an unstoppable force of nature!"
"Ah, may the Lord hear you…" She says. "How are the kids?"
"They're fine." I smile. "They gave me all these drawings for you." I add, showing her the sheets of paper.
"Aww… Give them a kiss for me." She pleads.
"Will do." I nod. "I'm so sorry, Abuelita, I really wish I could stay longer with you, but I have to go… I have a flight to catch."
"That's alright, mija. You shouldn't even be here. You're beautiful, you're young, you should be living your life to the fullest! So, go… Go make your TV show, raise your kids, and have sex with your wife." She adds, pointing the only index finger she can move at me, while I roll my eyes.
"Mom and dad will come see you in the afternoon, and I'll call you tomorrow, okay? Make sure you do everything the doctors tell you to do, you hear me?" I ask, placing a kiss on her forehead.
"Yes, mother…" She says ironically, making me smirk. The old woman is back.
A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER – IN LOS ANGELES – AT PARAMOUNT
We're finally shooting the Brittana wedding today, which is probably the most important moment of the entire season. Since it's a special occasion, I even invited Brittany to join us on set.
"You're directing these scenes yourself, right?" Brittany asks me, while Naya and Heather take their place.
"Yep, just like every Brittana scene." I confirm proudly. "But this time, I have asked both Quinn and Artie to assist, because… this is too important."
"I can't wait to see it!" She says, smiling at me.
"I'm excited too!" I admit, smiling back. "I really want these scenes to stand out and be perfect, because there are people for whom it will mean everything…"
"It will." She nods, squeezing my hand.
"Were we ever this cute?" I eventually ask, looking at Naya and Heather laughing together in their wedding dresses.
"Oh, yeah, we were!" She nods enthusiastically, before kissing my lips.
MUCH LATER THAT DAY – AT PARAMOUNT
"I do." Naya says in a sure voice, eyes locked with Heather's.
As I watch the scene behind the main camera, with Brittany's fingers intertwined in mine and her head on my shoulder, I can't help but feel emotional. Saying "I do" that very day has proven to be the best decision of my entire life…
"CUT!" I eventually shout, once they've shared their first kiss as wives. "Thank you, girls. That take was perfect! Let's take five and then, we can move on to the next scene."
A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER – AT HOME
"It looks like you guys are having a lot of fun!" I tell my laughing boys, as they splash in the tub. "But mama needs you to stay still for a minute so she can wash your hair." I say with a smile. But before I can grab the bottle of shampoo, my phone suddenly rings.
"Hi honey!" I say upon picking up. "So, how did you do at regionals? Do you have the results yet?"
"Hi, San. Yeah, we got the results about half an hour ago…We didn't make it, unfortunately. We ranked third."
"Oh, Britt, I'm so sorry… But being the third best school in all of California is still a fantastic result!"
"That's exactly what I told our students, but they're still pretty bummed. They really wanted to go to nationals…"
"I can imagine… But now, they have more experience and they can always try again next year."
"Yeah, exactly. Anyway…" She sighs. "How are you? How are things at home?"
"Oh, everything is fine here." I smile. "Sofia is sleeping over at Charlotte's tonight, so it's just me and our little men. They're making a mess in the bathroom right now but they're having so much fun that I don't have the heart to stop it." I say. "Oh, and you know what I've discovered? Diego can sing!"
"What? How so?"
"Well, I was singing earlier and he kept reproducing the same melody after me, regardless of what I was singing. I'm telling you, that boy has a good ear for music! And that's something I'm definitely planning on nurturing."
MAY – AT THE THEATER – BRITTANY's POV
"Excuse me…" Santana says, as we're trying to get to our seats. Even though we showed up early, there are already a lot of people and it's not easy to move through the rows with three young kids.
"Keep walking until you see the number 16, mija…" Santana tells Sofia and gently pushes her to move forward, while carrying Diego. I follow them closely, with Gabriel in my arms.
"16!" Sofia suddenly stops, pointing at the seat.
"Finally…" Santana sighs. "Wait right there, baby. I'll help you in a second, okay?" She warns our daughter as she sits down, placing Diego on her lap. While she pushes down the seat next to her for Sofia, I sit on the other side of Santana, with Gabriel on my lap.
"But I want to sit between you and mommy…" Sofia complains.
"Well, you can if you want. But I thought you would want to sit with Alex?" Santana says with such patience that it surprises me.
"But he's not here…" Sofia pouts.
"Not yet, but he will." Her mama says. "You see the three empty seats next to you? That's for Alex, Uncle Mike and Auntie Tina."
"Okay…" Sofia says, obviously not fully convinced. "When are they coming?"
"Soon, I guess. They probably just left a little later than us."
LATER – AT THE THEATER
Mike and Tina got stuck in traffic but fortunately, they arrived just in time. The show should start in about 5 minutes.
"How is your Abuela, San?" Tina asks while helping Alex taking off his jacket.
"She's ok, thanks." Santana says. "She can stand on her own now, but she still needs a walking frame to move around. Doctors are optimistic though, they think she should be able to walk autonomously in a few weeks, she just needs to continue her physiotherapy."
"Mommy, it's starting!" Sofia suddenly screams in excitement, pointing at the stage.
"I know, peanut, I see it!" I smile, trying not to laugh.
This kids' show is so popular that I still can't believe we managed to get tickets, let alone to sit all together. But I couldn't be happier! Santana and I really wanted to share this moment with our children because the show has everything: music, texts with beautiful meanings, choreography, and plenty of cute characters wearing masks and fun outfits.
EVEN LATER – AT THE THEATER
The show started one hour ago but Sofia is still over-excited! I even wonder why we paid for her seat since she's been standing up in front of it the whole time. She keeps jumping up and down with Alex, while singing at the top of her lungs. At least, she'll sleep well tonight…
Diego is obviously having a great time too, shaking his arms and gesticulating on Santana's lap. He has always enjoyed musical shows, but that's not surprising, considering how much he loves music.
I take a quick look at Santana, and a chuckle escapes my lips. She's so into the show right now, singing as loud as all the kids around, if not louder. It's funny how strongly she radiates "mama vibes" for someone who used to be so reluctant to have kids… She definitely has changed.
Before we know it, it's already the end of the show, to which our children react in very different ways. Sofia is in tears, disappointed that it's over, while Diego keeps looking at the stage, even though it's now empty. As for Gabriel, he is fully asleep in my arms, despite all the noise around him.
ONE WEEK LATER – IN NEW YORK – SANTANA'S POV
Just like last year, I kick off my promo tour in New York. Fortunately, this time, it will only last one week for me, because Netflix allowed us to split the talk shows between me, Quinn and Naya. And it's probably for the best, because Brittany gets very nervous when I travel for work now.
"Santana, we're absolutely thrilled to have you!" The host tells me as I take a seat on set.
"Thank you, it's great to be back!"
"So, we're going to talk about the new season of Glee, obviously." She says. "Everyone has seen the first half of the season by now, but the second part will be released on Netflix soon, is that right?"
"Yes, 8 brand new episodes will be released all at once, on May 15th." I nod.
"I watched the first part, and I absolutely loved it!" She confesses, making me smile in gratitude. "What can you tell us about the second part?"
"Well, the storylines will mainly take place in Los Angeles, where Brittany and Santana have recently moved. Of course, there will be new personal and professional developments for all characters, regardless of their location. And we were lucky to have some exceptional guest stars, but… you will have to watch to find out who!" I say, while the audience cheers in excitement.
"Come on, you know I won't let you go unless you give us something juicy!" She insists.
"Ok… one thing then." I chuckle. "There will be a wedding, but that's all I'm saying." I add, and I have barely finished my sentence that the audience screams even louder.
A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER (JUNE) – AT HOME – IN BED
"So, when do you have to start?" Brittany asks me, as I get under the sheets.
"Tomorrow morning."
"Already?" She asks, clearly surprised. "I thought you had to wait for your next period?"
"Well, Dr. Wilson said I actually have to start taking hormones around five days before my period, so that's tomorrow." I shrug.
"I see…" She says, and I can tell she's getting nervous. Brittany may not be concerned by this part but me starting the hormonal treatment is making it a lot more real. She knows that she's next and that she might possibly have to go through failed attempts again.
"Hey…" I say, caressing her cheek. "I know you're scared, but you know Lopezes are pains in the ass, right? It's very hard to get rid of us! So, there's a pretty good chance that once you're implanted with my embryo, they will take a firm grip and settle their kingdom in your uterus." I argue, making her chuckle.
"I really hope so…" She says with a timid smile.
"Look, in an ideal world, we would just make love and we would get pregnant." I say. "And I know that's not how nature works, but this is actually the closest we'll ever be to making a baby together… Because this time, it requires both my eggs and your uterus to make it work. It's a team effort! And honestly, I love that…" I confess, making her smile.
"Me too…" She whispers, nodding.
"And I know that taking hormonal treatments and going to the fertility clinic is not fun." I admit. "So, how about we make it fun?"
"What do you mean?" She asks, confused.
"Well, we could make a baby 'old school', and decide that's the official kick-off of our baby adventure…" I suggest in a flirty voice, kissing her neck.
"You mean making love?" She asks.
"Why not? That'd be the perfect way to show the universe that we love each other more than anything, and that any child would be lucky to have us." I argue. "So, what do you say, wifey? Do you want to make a baby with me?" I ask, looking into her beautiful blue eyes.
"You know I do." She says in a heartbeat before pulling me into a kiss, making me smile against her lips.
A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER (EVENING TIME) – AT HOME – BRITTANY's POV
"Ready?" I ask Santana.
"Yeah…" She sighs.
I know how much she hates hormone injections but Dr. Wilson said she was required to take one every evening.
"Ok, it's going to pinch a little bit but… you know it goes fast." I warn, carefully injecting the product into her belly skin while she grits her teeth.
"Here… it's done." I say, disinfecting the injection spot.
"Where's my kiss?" She pouts while I put the cap back on the syringe, and I can't help but chuckle. She sounds exactly like Sofia when I have to disinfect a wound after she fell in the garden.
"Right here…" I whisper, cupping her cheek to press my lips on hers tenderly.
"By the way… I read an article that recommended 'talking' to follicles." I say.
"Talk to my follicles?" She frowns, as if that was crazy. "To say what? It's not like it's a baby yet."
"Not yet, but our future child is in there, somewhere…" I shrug. "The article explained that positive talking can help them grow, so… do you mind if I try?" I ask timidly. "I mean, we have nothing to lose…"
"Okay…" She eventually says, lying on the bed while I take the spot next to her.
"Hi guys!" I say close to her body, my hand gently caressing her lower belly. "I'm your mommy…"
"I just wanted you to know that mama and I can't wait to meet you!" I add. "And I wanted to explain to you what is going to happen… At the moment, your mama is taking hormone injections to help you grow and get strong. And I know this might sound confusing, but in a few days, Dr. Wilson will come get you, to keep you in his clinic for a few weeks. It won't be long, we just need you to wait there until you can be implanted in my belly, where I'll keep you warm and safe for the next 9 months…" I say while Santana smiles at me, her hand resting on top of mine. "And then, we'll bring you home, to live with us, your brothers and sister."
"And I promise we'll give you a very nice life." I continue. "We have a big garden, and a pool… Oh, and a dog!" I say enthusiastically, while Santana rolls her eyes. "Seriously, you're going to love it here! First, your mama is a great cook. Her food is absolutely de-li-cious! And she has the most beautiful voice in the whole wide world! She'll sing you wonderful lullabies to get you to sleep, and she'll teach you Spanish, and even how to fight 'Lima Heights' style… And she'll always be there for you."
"And you lucky little ones will have the best mommy in the universe." Santana adds, looking at her stomach. "She smiles all the time, and gives the sweetest kisses you can ever dream of! Everyone loves her!" She shrugs. "And you'll do fun things with her: she'll take you to the zoo, to the pound to feed the ducks… She'll teach you how to ride a bike, and dance…" She says, making me smile.
"You'll be more loved than you'll ever know…" I add. "So, please, hang on tight when Dr. Wilson implants you into my body, okay?" I plead, placing a kiss on Santana's belly.
A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER (JULY) – AT THE PUB – SANTANA'S POV
"I'm so happy we can finally meet!" Naya says, clinking her beer against mine.
"Me too." I smile. "I'm sorry, I know I was off the grid for a while, but there were a few things I had to take care of at home." I say, keeping it vague on purpose.
I wish I could tell her about our baby plans, but Brittany and I agreed to keep it secret for now, even though I'm dying to tell everyone! Dr. Wilson managed to harvest 18 of my eggs, and assured us that although we'll lose a few of them at every step of the process, it should be enough for us to have a child. Since Brittany also has to undergo a hormonal treatment, we agreed to schedule the embryo transfer for August, after a short holiday in Hawaii.
"Yeah, I can imagine that with the house renovations, it was pretty busy for you." Naya says. "Are they done now?"
"Uh, yeah, they are." I nod. "The dance room was moved, and the second bathroom has been installed."
"That's great!" She smiles.
"But enough about me!" I say. "What have you been up to?"
"Well, I'm going to star in a horror movie this summer." She says, much to my surprise.
"Really?"
"Yeah…" She chuckles. "I had never thought about this genre before, but… it's a lead role, and they're ready to accommodate the schedule for me, so it will be finished by the time we start shooting the new season of Glee."
"That's really great, Rivera! It's the beginning of your career in the cinema, I can feel it."
"I hope so." She smiles. "Although I must confess that I really love TV as well!"
"Well, there's no reason why you couldn't do both… Look at Julia Peterson." I shrug.
"You're right." She nods. "Anyway, that's my summer plan. What about you? You're going to Hawaii again, right?"
"Yeah, we're leaving in two days actually, just for a couple of weeks."
"Lucky you! Are you going with the whole family?"
"No, just Britt's parents this time. My Abuela can walk now, but she still has a few weeks of physiotherapy ahead of her. So, my parents decided to stay with her, in Ohio."
A FEW WEEKS LATER (AUGUST) – LOS ANGELES
As I pick up Sofia from summer camp, I find her in tears, standing alone in a corner.
"What's wrong, mija? Why are you crying? Are you hurting?" I ask in a concerned voice, kneeling down to her level.
"I had a fight with Charlotte…" She pouts in between sobs.
"With Charlotte?" I repeat, surprised. "What happened?"
"She didn't want me to play with her new toy, and she got mean to me when I took it."
"Oh, mija… If she doesn't want to give you her toy, you can't just take it."
"But you and mommy always say I have to share my toys with other kids!" She argues.
"Yeah, to be fair, mommy says that, not me." I correct her, knowing that I've never been a sharer for anything. "Although she has a point." I eventually add. "You and your brothers have a lot of toys, but it's not the case for all children, you know. So, if you can make someone happy by sharing your toy with them, why wouldn't you?"
"Then why Charlotte didn't share hers with me?"
"I don't know, mija… Sometimes, people just don't want to share, and we have to respect that. Do you understand?" I ask and she nods silently.
"What if she doesn't want to be my best friend anymore?" She asks with a trembling bottom lip.
"Oh, baby… She's still going to be your best friend, don't worry! Sometimes, friends fight. It happens. But then, they make up." I say in an optimistic tone.
"Do you have a best friend?" She eventually asks me.
"Yeah! Mommy is my best friend." I smile.
"Did you ever have a fight with her?"
"Yeah…" I nod. "Sometimes."
"How did you make it better?" She asks, and I don't know what to say, since Brittany and I usually end our fights by having makeup sex.
"Um… Well, I take her for ice-cream and we both say how sorry we are." I reply. After all, that's not a lie because it has happened a few times, usually when we're not alone and can't have makeup sex.
"Where is Charlotte now?" I ask my little girl.
"She left with her dad." She shrugs.
"Well, how about we drive to her house, and I ask her dad if she can come eat an ice-cream with us?" I suggest.
"We can?" She asks with hopeful eyes.
"Of course, we can!" I say, caressing her hair. "And don't worry, I'm sure that by the time you finish your ice-cream, Charlotte and you will be best friends again."
A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER – AT THE FERTILITY CLINIC – IN BRITTANY'S ROOM
The day has finally arrived! Later this morning, Brittany will be implanted with my embryo… The nurse said she would come get her for the procedure in a few minutes, and I can tell she's getting nervous, even though I know she's more anxious about the outcome than the procedure itself. So, I gently rest my forehead against hers and squeeze her hand tight, to give her strength.
"Whatever happens, it's going to be okay." I say, looking into her worried eyes, while she nods silently. "But here… for good luck." I add, lifting her hospital gown to place a tender kiss on her belly.
"Thanks…" She smiles, squeezing my hand.
"Are you ready to go, Ms. Lopez-Pierce?" The nurse asks, upon entering the room.
"Yeah, I'm ready." She sighs, nodding.
"I love you, wifey." I whisper, kissing her lips.
"I love you too…"
A FEW DAYS LATER – AT HOME
"How are you feeling?" I ask Brittany, as she's waking up from her nap on the couch.
"I'm okay, just tired…"
"Do you need anything?" I ask, gently brushing the hair away from her face.
"Just you." She says, pulling me close to spoon me.
"This is pretty nice…" I whisper, enjoying the warmth of her embrace.
"Mmh, it is…" She agrees, nuzzling her nose in my hair.
We still don't know if Brittany is pregnant or not, because this time, she refused to buy a pregnancy test. She argued they were not reliable and she didn't want to have false hope. She rather wants to wait for the results of her blood test, 'to be sure'. I understand her choice, even though I also know that not knowing is really tough on her.
A FEW DAYS LATER (SEPTEMBER) – AT HOME
I'm reviewing one of the scripts that Quinn wrote for the 6th season of Glee when Brittany joins me in the living room.
"Honey…" She says, making me look away from the computer to set my eyes on her.
"I just had Dr. Wilson on the phone…" She sighs.
"Did he call about your test results?" I immediately ask, and she nods in confirmation.
"Well…?" I ask, my heart racing.
"I'm pregnant…" She says with a beaming smile.
A/N: So, lots of things happened: Glee-related stuff, home renovations, Valentine's day, Abuela, and… Brittany getting pregnant! What did you think of this chapter? And what do you think they will have: a boy or a girl? If you want to suggest baby names, go for it! Thank you for still being there after all this time (I started this story 3 years ago!) 😊