Romance in the Rain (Quinntana)

Ch. 16 Revelations

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Fabray Ranch

"Is your mood better after going a few rounds?" Russell asked.

The horse steps slowed to a gradual walk. Quinn looked off to the side, although she had put on the riding suit and agreed to go to the stables with her father, she didn't want to forgive him that easily.

"I admit that I owe you and your mother a lot," Russell said, letting out a deep sigh. "Your personality is just like mine when I was young. Stubborn, willful, straightforward, and hot-headed. If you were a boy, you'd be a second me."

"I don't want to be a second you," Quinn countered.

"I know, neither do I want you to be a second me." The horses stopped moving and Russell turned to study Quinn's face. "Although you're my daughter, given my age, I'm old enough to be your grandfather. The age gap is like a deep groove between us; it becomes especially wide when I talk to you and I'm too old to jump across it."

"I don't think this is an age problem. It's a matter of whether or not you're magnanimous."

He chuckled. "You're so arrogant and you still expect me to be magnanimous? My magnanimity is far beyond your imagination."

Quinn said nothing, opting instead to slowly continue on the track. Her father followed suit and rode alongside her.

"Every time after talking to you, I'll ponder a lot," he admitted. "Like when you went on and on about making concessions and the time you asked me whether I was a good or a bad man. Even today when you stood up for your mother. I may be old, but I'm not senile, I will admit that you do make sense sometimes."

A look of surprise flashed on her features. "You admit when other people are right?"

"I can judge who's right and who isn't."

She nodded, that statement played over in her head several times. She recognized it was one of her flaws she needed to work on and as much as she didn't want to accept it, she had a hard time admitting it when other people were right.

"Let's not chat anymore, let's have a race," Russell smiled for the first time that day.

Quinn responded with a tiny smile of her own.

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Streets of Tribeca

Quinn and Santana walked along a small alleyway as they headed toward Grand McKinley. Santana looked over at her girlfriend, noting that she was in deep thought, this happened a lot since that day of Russell's visit to the cottage.

Without realizing it, Quinn wore a small crease between her brows and her lips pursed. A part of her still had so much hatred for the other side, but another part wanted to forgive and reminisce on her childhood years when her father was kind and loving. Since the whipping, she never considered there to be a possibility of salvaging their relationship. But since their talk on the racetrack, their relationship had begun to improve. She felt herself giving in and she didn't know whether to encourage that feeling or to shut it down.

As if sensing her thoughts, Santana reached down and gave Quinn's hand a comforting squeeze. Quinn looked up to see Santana's smile and for a moment, her worries washed away.