Push to the Limit (the sixth book in the Glee series)

Chapter 19: Somewhere in Indiana

Part Three. 
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"I can't believe you guys released an album just weeks after the lead single and didn't give it any promo but you still debuted at number two," Santana said.

Sam nodded. "We would've debuted at number one if they hadn't released that stupid David Bowie Greatest Hits album with the previously unheard bonus track. It was a good track though."

As the two grabbed their drinks from the Lima Bean counter and headed to a table up front, Santana said, "I'm happy for your success either way. I'm sorry I couldn't make the party but at least we're all here for Christmas. Well, almost all of us."

"Yeah..." Sam agreed. "It kind of sucks I don't get to have a Christmas with the twins. I missed it last year for reasons beyond my control. But Julie really wanted both girls to spend Christmas with her and her parents in Colorado so I guess I'll just have to miss them."

"Who else is going on that trip?" Santana asked curiously, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Uh..." Sam racked his brain for the answer. "Julie and her parents. Dan, Cory... I think they're taking along Amity, John and Lyric, too, last I heard. She sent me a text a few minutes ago mentioning it."

"Interesting," said Santana, looking into space blankly.

"What?" asked Sam, wondering what was going on in that twisted brain of hers.

Her lips curled into a smile as she said, "Well, I want to do something special for my fiance and you want to spend your first Christmas with your daughters so... Why don't we join them?"

Sam sighed. "I wasn't invited. It was a family trip."

"John and his girl and Amity aren't even family," Santana said. "You're the father of her children—you're family for life whether they like it or not. And I'm sure they do! So it's settled. We're crashing their little Denver cabin trip, ok?"

"Ok..." Sam mumbled, as Santana was already starting to make plans on her phone and he saw that he had no other choice. "I guess we're joining them then."

***

"What's taking her so long?" asked Sam as he pulled up in front of Shana's house. "Didn't you tell her to be out here on the curve on time?"

"I did," Santana told him. "But she probably wanted to make sure she had the right outfits. Get out of the car."

"What? I'm driving."

"Yeah, I know," she rolled her eyes. "I meant to help her with her bags, Trouty."

"Oh," responded Sam, getting out of the car nervously and rushing to the house. When he knocked on the door, he could hear shuffling inside, and then seconds later the door opened.

"Hi babe!" exclaimed Shana, her radiant smile fading away when she saw who was at the door. "Oh... It's just you."

"I'm here to help with your bags," he said.

"My bags?" Shana asked him, confused. "How did you—"

She looked out the door and saw that Santana was waving from the passenger seat of Sam's car and the back was almost completely filled up with Santana's suitcases. "Don't worry," Sam told her. "There's plenty of room for your things with mine in the back."

"That's not what's worrying me," mumbled Shana as Sam began collecting her baggage. When he was out the door and she only had one suitcase left to carry herself, she locked the door and said, "So you're coming with us then?"