Chapter 18
Santana was in Newark Airport to say goodbye to her family, who was going back to LA that Monday afternoon, and she couldn't help the foul mood that had overtaken her. She tried to call Brittany all night until she fell asleep at around 3 A.M., and the fact that her mother called at 7 A.M. to wake her up for breakfast with the family did not help matters at all.
Her mother asked about Brittany but a pointed look from her Dad silenced her, and Santana was glad that she had talked to her father. Santana stayed quiet all throughout breakfast and lunch while Maria occasionally shot her daughter a worried look. Scenarios of a bleeding Brittany lying somewhere, or Brittany in a hospital somewhere with amnesia, or maybe Brittany running back to Jackie after the whole Allison episode made Santana want to punch something.
Even her siblings made no attempt to tease her sensing that Santana was definitely pissed off about something. Finally the boarding call for her family's flight was announced.
They took turns hugging Santana and when it was her Dad's turn he whispered, "Everything will work out Santana. You just have to believe that."
Santana gave her father a small smile and after a few more goodbyes and see you soons they all boarded the plane and Santana was left alone thinking of her next move. She decided to call Quinn to see if she had any luck getting in touch with Brittany. After a few rings Quinn finally picked up her phone.
"I haven't heard from her, Santana, and yes I've been trying to call her every hour." Quinn said knowing immediately what the call was about.
Santana sighed and said in a defeated tone, "I don't know what else to do Quinn, earlier I gave in and left her a message asking her to call me back and she still hasn't called."
"Look Santana, stop the pity party, maybe Brittany just needs a little time to sort things out. Why don't you try going to her apartment? She's probably inside moping around." Quinn said, trying to make sense of why Brittany had suddenly gone MIA.
"What if she's avoiding me because of the whole Allison shit? I wouldn't blame her for not wanting to see me right now, I mean, after being burned by Jackie she must have.." Santana said before being cut off by Quinn.
"First of all, you are not Jackie. That bitch doesn't even deserve to breathe the same air we do. Do me favor Santana, just check her apartment while I try to think of something else. We're gonna find her." Quinn said, reassuring her friend.
Santana sighed dejectedly and ended the call. She then headed to her car trying to muster up the courage to show up at Brittany's doorstep.
xx
Brittany was watching her nephew while her Mom and sister were with her father at the hospital. Despite her protests, they told her to go home to get some rest and she finally relented when her sister said that she needed to watch Andrew. After an hour of instructions on how to take care of her nephew, her sister finally left to join her mother at the hospital while Brittany was thrilled to have some alone time with her nephew. In no time at all he had his aunt wrapped around his chubby little fingers and Brittany was glad for the reprieve. As much as she loved her dad she hated the over sanitized smell of the hospital. After feeding and bathing her nephew she put him down for a nap, smiling as his thumb automatically made its way to his mouth. She made sure that the baby monitor was working before making her way into the kitchen to make a cup of green tea. All the caffeine she had ingested was making her jittery and after the emotional roller coaster these past few days she desperately needed a long hot bath and tons of sleep. But since she was watching her nephew, the green tea would do for now.
For the first time in 2 days Brittany allowed herself to take stock of the events that transpired. From her father's heart attack, to their talk yesterday which surprised Brittany and her mother embracing her with tears in her eyes after talking to her father, and for the first time in years she felt a heavy burden lift from her shoulders. It felt good to have her parents finally come to terms with her sexuality and she knew that deep inside she still craved their support. She then allowed her thoughts to wander to Santana. The whole thing felt like a dream now as if everything only happened in her mind. Brittany winced thinking about Santana and Allison together but decided that she would at least tell Santana how she felt. Her flight back to New York was the following day since her father was going home in the morning and she would call Santana as soon as she arrived in her apartment. She had been fighting the urge to call her and it was a good thing that in her hurry to go to the airport she forgot to bring her charger. She forgot to ask her sister for one and she figured that at least she got to focus on her Dad more.
