Brett took a deep breath and adjusted the rearview mirror before starting the car. "Does everyone have everything?" he asked, looking at the three women in the back seat. "Yes!" came the chorused reply from Santana, Judy, and Marabel.
With a nod, Brett shifted into drive, and they began their journey down to the Florida Keys. The morning sun was already high in the sky, promising a warm day ahead. The anticipation in the car was palpable as they embarked on their quest to find the perfect wedding venue.
Marabel leaned forward, her curiosity evident. "How are you both feeling about today?" Brett glanced at her through the rearview mirror, a small smile on his lips. "A little nervous, to be honest. It feels like such a big decision."
Santana, sitting next to him, placed her hand on his thigh, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Don't be nervous" she said with a bright smile. "I can't wait to become a bossy bride," she added playfully, making everyone in the car laugh. Judy chuckled softly. "I have no doubt you'll be an amazing bride, Santana."
The car ride was filled with light-hearted chatter as they made their way through the scenic route. The turquoise waters of the Atlantic on one side and the Gulf of Mexico on the other created a stunning backdrop for their drive. The closer they got to the Keys, the more relaxed Brett seemed to become, the natural beauty of their surroundings having a calming effect.
Their first stop was a luxurious resort that boasted sprawling lawns, elegant ballrooms, and breathtaking ocean views. The venue coordinator, a polished woman named Olivia, greeted them warmly and began the tour.
"This is our grand ballroom," Olivia said, opening the doors to a vast, opulent room with crystal chandeliers and floor-to-ceiling windows. "It can accommodate up to three hundred guests."
Santana looked around appreciatively, but Brett noticed a slight furrow in her brow. He knew that while the place was beautiful, it wasn't quite what they were looking for. The atmosphere felt a bit too formal for their tastes.
They moved on to the second venue, a charming boutique hotel with an intimate courtyard garden. The coordinator here, a cheerful man named Daniel, showed them around with enthusiasm. "This courtyard is perfect for an outdoor ceremony," Daniel explained, gesturing to the space filled with lush greenery and twinkling fairy lights strung overhead.
Santana and Brett exchanged glances, silently communicating their thoughts. It was lovely, no doubt, but it still didn't feel quite right. As they drove to the third and final venue, Santana leaned back in her seat, gazing out the window. "I hope this next one is the one," she said softly. Brett reached over and took her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Me too," he replied. "But if it's not, we'll keep looking until we find the perfect place."
When they arrived at the third venue, a secluded beach resort, they were greeted by their wedding planner, Kate. The moment they stepped out of the car, Santana felt a shift in the air. There was something special about this place.
Kate led them on a tour, showing them the various amenities and options for their wedding. The resort had a relaxed vibe that immediately resonated with Santana and Brett. The highlight of the tour was the beach ceremony arch, set against the backdrop of the endless ocean.
As they stood under the arch, with the sound of waves gently crashing on the shore, Santana turned to Brett, her eyes shimmering with hope and excitement. "This is the one, isn't it?" she asked softly.
Brett took a deep breath, letting the salty sea air fill his lungs as he looked around. The cerulean waters stretched endlessly before them, the white sand beneath their feet felt like a plush carpet, and the gentle breeze carried the faint scent of tropical flowers. He felt a profound sense of peace, a certainty that this was the place where they would begin their married life together. Pulling Santana into a tight embrace, he gazed into her eyes, his own reflecting the same excitement. "Yes," he said softly, nodding. "This is the one."
With their decision made, they walked hand in hand back to Kate's office, their hearts light and their minds buzzing with possibilities. Santana squeezed Brett's hand, sensing the slight tension in his grip. She knew this was as important to him as it was to her, and she wanted to reassure him that they were making the right choice.
Kate greeted them with a warm smile as they entered her office. She motioned for them to sit down and began to spread out various wedding packages and pricing plans across her desk. "I'm so glad you found a place you love," she said. "Now, let's talk about the details. When do you want to get married? Do you have any specific dates in mind?"
Brett shook his head, his nerves evident in the way he ran his fingers through his hair. "Any time is great for us," he said, glancing at Santana. "We just don't want to wait years."
Kate nodded, understanding the urgency in his voice. "I understand completely," she said. She flipped through her planner and then looked up with a thoughtful expression. "We have an opening on March 8th, which is about nine months away. It's perfect for a three-day weekend wedding."
Santana and Brett exchanged glances, a silent conversation passing between them. Santana's eyes sparkled with excitement, and she nodded, turning back to Kate. "That would be perfect," she said, her voice steady.
Brett smiled, the tension in his shoulders easing. "Yes, March 8th sounds perfect," he echoed.
Kate beamed, marking the date in her planner. "Great! I'll make all the necessary arrangements and start preparing the contracts. We can go over more details in the coming weeks, but for now, let's get you two officially booked."
As they left Kate's office, hand in hand, the reality of their decision began to sink in. They had a date, a venue, and a plan. The next nine months would be filled with excitement, planning, and anticipation. Santana couldn't help but feel a rush of joy. This was happening. They were getting married.
They found Marabel and Judy waiting for them outside the small office building, the Florida sun casting a golden hue over everything. "Did you guys set the date?" Marabel asked eagerly, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Santana nodded, a wide smile spreading across her face. "Yes! March 8th. It's perfect. A three-day weekend wedding." Judy clapped her hands together in delight. "Oh, that's wonderful! We have so much to do. We should celebrate. How about we grab some lunch before heading back home?"
"Sounds like a great idea," Brett agreed, slipping his arm around Santana's waist. "Let's find a nice spot here in the Keys."
They walked through the quaint streets, finally settling on a charming beachfront restaurant. The atmosphere was relaxed and inviting, with gentle waves lapping at the shore just beyond the patio. They found a table with a view of the ocean, and soon, they were sipping iced tea and enjoying the sea breeze.
Over lunch, the conversation was light and filled with excitement. They talked about the venue, the date, and the plans for the upcoming months. Santana and Brett shared their vision for the wedding, and Judy and Marabel offered their support and suggestions. The anticipation and joy were palpable.
After a leisurely meal, they headed back to Brett's parents' house. Marabel and Judy decided to relax by the pool, their conversation drifting into wedding plans and memories of their special days. Brett and Santana, however, retreated inside to the living room, eager to dive into the leaflets and brochures they had collected from the venue.
Sitting on the couch, they spread the leaflets across the coffee table. Each one detailed different aspects of the wedding packages, from catering options to decoration themes. Santana picked up a brochure showcasing floral arrangements and began to flip through it, her eyes lighting up at the vibrant blooms.
"Look at these, Brett," she said, holding up the leaflet. "Aren't these flowers gorgeous?" Brett leaned over to look, nodding appreciatively. "They are."
As they continued to peruse the brochures, Santana's phone pinged. She glanced at the screen and saw a notification from her health app, reminding her that she was ovulating. She felt a surge of mixed emotions, a blend of hope and anxiety. The reminder was timely, given their recent conversations about starting a family.
Brett noticed the change in her expression and reached out, placing his hand on hers. "Everything okay?" he asked, concern etching his features. Santana nodded, showing him the notification. "Just a reminder from my health app," she said, trying to keep her tone light. "It says I'm ovulating." Brett squeezed her hand gently. "That's very good to know," he said with a wink. Santana laughed softly, leaning in to kiss him.
Later that night, after saying goodnight to Marabel, Judy, and Steven, Brett and Santana headed upstairs to their room. Santana began to change out of her clothes, slipping into a pair of comfortable pajamas. Brett watched her, a puzzled look crossing his face. "Why are you putting on pajamas?" he questioned, genuine confusion in his voice. "Shouldn't you be naked since you're ovulating?"
Santana paused, looking at him with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "Brett, your parents, and my mom are in the same house" she reminded him gently. "We'll have to wait until next month."
He stared at her, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "We can be quiet" he suggested, his tone hopeful. She shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. "It's weird knowing they're downstairs."
He laughed, moving closer to her "I've had sex loads of times in this bed when I lived here" he admitted with a smirk. Santana scrunched her face in mock disgust. "That's nice to know," she said sarcastically. "Come on" he persisted, "Just one time, and then we'll wait until we're in our apartment properly."
Santana rolled her eyes, but couldn't deny that she was tempted. It had been over a week since they last had sex. She sighed, giving in to his pleading look. "Fine," she relented with a small smile. "But we have to be quiet." He grinned triumphantly, pulling her into his arms for a deep kiss.
They made their way to the bed with Brett climbing climbed on top of Santana, kissing her neck as she moaned softly with his hands moving down her body until they reached the waistband of her pajama pants. He hooked his fingers in the elastic and slid them down her legs, leaving them discarded on the floor.
Santana couldn't help but let out a small laugh at the sight of herself in a t-shirt but no pants. Brett grinned mischievously, grabbing onto Santana's hips and pulling her closer to him. She could feel his arousal pressing against her thigh and she couldn't deny that she was just as turned on.
Their lips met in a passionate kiss as their bodies melded together on the bed. Santana wrapped her legs around Brett's waist, allowing him to slide inside of her with ease. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her as their bodies moved in perfect sync.
Brett's fingers pulled at the fabric of Santana's t-shirt as his hands explored every curve and contour of her body. "You look so hot" he whispered in her ear, causing shivers to run down her spine.
She pulled him closer to her, deepening their kiss as their bodies moved together. Brett reached down to tease Santana's clit, she couldn't hold back her moans as Brett continued to tease her clit. Her whole body was on fire with pleasure.
To keep her moans from being overheard, Brett covered Santana's mouth with his hand which only added to the excitement, making Santana feel like they were doing something forbidden and naughty. She loved it.
Brett's quickened his pace, determined to push Santana over the edge. He kissed her deeply, their tongues dancing together as her body trembled with pleasure. She could feel herself getting closer and closer to the edge, her moans growing louder and more urgent.
His fingers never stopped teasing her as he continued to slam into her, driving her higher and higher towards her release. Santana could feel the familiar tingling sensation building in the pit of her stomach, spreading throughout her entire body.
Her walls clenched tightly around Brett as she reached her peak, riding out her orgasm with loud moans that were muffled by Brett's hand over her mouth. He kept thrusting into her until she had completely come down from her high.
Santana was still catching her breath when Brett finally let go of his control and reached his own release. He let out a deep guttural groan as he spilled inside of Santana, his movements becoming sluggish as they rode out their orgasms together.
The only sounds in the room were their heavy breathing as Brett kissed the top of Santana's head before speaking up. "We need to get those swimmers moving and make my girl,pregnant," he said, catching his breath. Santana couldn't contain her laughter as she pulled him down into a kiss, "I love you," she whispered against his lips. "I love you too," Brett replied before planting another kiss on her lips.
After a few minutes of lying in each other's embrace, Brett finally pulled out of Santana and went to clean up. He grabbed a towel from the bathroom and handed it to Santana before heading into the shower.
It turned out that getting pregnant was not as easy as Brett had assumed. Five months had passed since they started trying, and still, every test came back negative. With the holidays around the corner, Quinn came home early to spend time with Santana. This morning, they decided to head to a local ccoffeeenjoyenjoying a quiet moment away from the holiday preparations.
Quinn, always the observant one, noticed the faint lines of worry etched on Santana's face. "Are you nervous about the wedding?" she asked, breaking the silence as they sipped their lattes. "It's only four months away now."
Santana smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "It's happy nerves," she replied. "But it's going to be a great weekend. We've got everything planned out, and I can't wait to see it all come together."
Quinn nodded, sensing there was more on Santana's mind. After a few moments of comfortable silence, Santana took a deep breath. "I need to tell you something," she began, her voice quieter. "I haven't told anyone else, but I need my Quinn. Not Brett's sister, but you."
Quinn's expression softened, and she reached out, taking Santana's hand in hers. "Of course, San. You can tell me anything."
Santana hesitated for a moment, then said, "We've been trying to get pregnant for seven months". Quinn's eyes widened in surprise and excitement. "Oh my god, that's amazing! I'm so happy for you guys."
But Santana didn't meet her excitement, and Quinn quickly stopped, sensing something was off. "Is that not a good thing?" she asked gently.
"It was," Santana said, her voice tinged with frustration and sadness. "But now I'm not sure. We've tried and tried, like to the point where sex has become almost a daily chore, and nothing. Every month, I think maybe this is it, and then it's not. And it's starting to wear on both of us."
Quinn squeezed her hand, her expression turning serious. "I'm so sorry, Santana. I can't even imagine how hard that must be. Have you talked to Brett about how you're feeling?"
Santana nodded. "Not really, it's different for him. He's hopeful and positive, always saying 'tonight feels like the night' or 'this month is the month.' And I don't want to bring him down, but I just knew this would happen. It's why I said all those years ago about us having a blookaook now I'm older now, so of course it's harder. And it's stressing me out."
Quinn nodded, understanding the weight of Santana's words. "I get that. It's hard to balance supporting each other and also dealing with your own feelings. But you don't have to do this alone. Have you considered talking to a doctor?"
Santana shook her head, her expression troubled. "No, we really talked about it in depth. Brett is always so positive and hopeful, and I don't want to dampen his spirits. But you're right, I can't keep pretending everything is fine."
Quinn squeezed her hand gently. "You need to talk to Brett. You both need to be in a good headspace, and the stress of this isn't going to go away if you don't address it. Maybe you could have a month of not trying, just to have a break mentally and physically."
Santana looked thoughtful, considering Quinn's words. "I hadn't thought about that. A break might be exactly what we need. Just to relax and focus on us for a bit." Quinn smiled encouragingly. "It could be really good for both of you. Remember, this journey isn't just about the destination. It's about the two of you, together."
Santana nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. She knew Quinn was right. She needed to have an honest conversation with Brett.
The following day, Quinn could sense the tension as the Pierce family gathered at the table for dinner. Sitting next to a strangely quiet Santana, she felt Brett's eyes burning into her from across the table. Quinn repeatedly asked Santana if she was okay, receiving only a nod in response. Each time, she reassured Santana that she could talk to her, but Santana quietly said, "I know." Quinn looked up to see Brett's glare intensify with each attempt to connect with Santana.
Throughout the meal, the atmosphere was thick with unspoken words and heavy emotions. The usual light-hearted banter was replaced by a strained silence. Quinn's concern for her friend grew with each passing minute, and she knew something had to give.
Excusing herself, Quinn got up to use the bathroom. She closed the door behind her and took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts. Suddenly, the door was pushed open with such force that it made her jump. Brett walked in, closing the door behind him with a thud.
"What the hell are you doing? I need to pee," Quinn snapped, annoyed at his intrusion. Brett let out a frustrated sigh. "Quinn, stay out of our business," he said sternly. She looked at him, confused. "What are you talking about?"
He threw his arms out in frustration. "You've gotten into Santana's head" he accused. "Everything was fine until you put your nose in our business—something that does not concern you." Quinn saw red. "Who the hell do you think you are?" she shot back. "My best friend came to me, not you. ME. Because she needed support. If you took your head out of your ass and stopped being so self-absorbed, you clearly see that Santana is exhausted and stressed."
Brett bit back, "Leave us alone. Santana is fine."
"Is she, Brett? Really fine? Or are you too happy getting laid on the daily to notice that you've put so much pressure on her that trying to get pregnant has become a chore?" Quinn retorted, her voice rising.
He laughed mockingly. "You know nothing."
"Really?" she challenged, putting her hand on her hip. "Open your eyes, you asshole" she shouted, just as a knock on the door interrupted their heated exchange. They turned to see Steven standing there, looking exasperated.
"Can you both stop, please?" Steven said, his tone tired and frustrated. "We're trying to enjoy our food, and all we can hear is you two screaming at each other. Santana is upset, and so is your mom."
Brett looked at Quinn, then slowly clapped his hands sarcastically. "Well done, Quinn. You should have kept your opinions to yourself" he said before storming out of the room.
Quinn stood there, fuming and trying to process the confrontation. She took a moment to calm herself before returning to the dining room. Santana looked at her with worry, and Quinn tried to offer a reassuring smile, but it felt hollow.
The rest of the Thanksgiving meal continued in a strained silence. Quinn couldn't shake the feeling of anger and frustration. After dinner, she finally found a moment alone with Santana as they both dipped their feetparent's parents pool.
"I'm so sorry, Santana," Quinn said softly, breaking the silence. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble." Santana shook her head, a small, tired smile playing on her lips. "It's not your fault. Brett is just... He thinks everything will be fine if we just keep trying."
Quinn nodded, understanding the underlying frustration and exhaustion in Santana's voice. "I take it he didn't take you asking for a break or professional help well." Santana laughed, a sound that was more bitter than amused. "Quite clearly not. Look at what happened tonight."
They both started laughing, the tension breaking for a moment. The absurdity of the situation provided a brief respite from the heaviness of their earlier conversation. "Thankfully, Sam is distracting him; otherwise, he'd probably kill me for talking,g to you" Quinn said, her tone lightening as she rolled her eyes.
Santana rolled her eyes too but with a hint of affection. "I love him, but you're always my, day one" she said with a smile. "Good" Quinn replied, squeezing Santana's hand. "I'm here for you, no matter what."
The following days were a mix of tension and attempts at normalcy. It wasn't until two weeks later that Santana and Brett finally had a breakthrough. They were sitting in their living room, the light of the setting sun casting a warm glow around them. Santana decided it was time to address the elephant in the room.
"Brett, we need to talk," she said gently, breaking the silence that had settled between them. He looked up from the book he was pretending to read, his expression guarded. "About what?"
"About us. About everything," Santana replied, taking a deep breath. "I know this isn't easy, but we need to be honest with each other." Brett closed his book, setting it aside. "I'm listening."
"I love you, Brett. I love you more than anything," Santana began, her voice trembling slightly. "But this... this trying to get pregnant thing has become too stressful. It's not fun anymore; it's not joyful, and it's taking a toll on me."
Brett's expression softened, but he still looked unsure. "I just want us to have our own little family, Santana. I thought you did too,."
"I do" she said quickly. "But I can't keep doing this. We need to steand p back, take care of ourselves first. And I think we need to talk to a professional, get some help." Brett ran a hand through his hair, sighing deeply. "I guess, I just wanted to stay positive, to keep hoping."
Santana reached out, taking his hand in hers. "I know, and I appreciate that. But we need to do this together, and that means acknowledging when things aren't okay."
He nodded slowly, squeezing her hand. "You're right. I'm sorry."
"It's okay" Santana whispered, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. "We'll figure this out, together."