Our Life Together

19

"I hope you're hungry." Noah said as Quinn let him in. He put the bag of bagels down on the counter as Quinn closed the door.

"Mom, this is my boyfriend, Noah." Quinn introduced the pair. "Noah, this is my mom, Judy."

"Nice to meet you." Noah said as he shook Judy's hand. "And Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." Judy echoed.

"Thank you." Noah replied politely.

"Noah celebrates Hanukkah, actually." Quinn informed Judy.

"Oh." Judy muttered.

"Why don't we sit down and have breakfast?" Quinn suggested as she and Judy took their seats at the kitchen counter. "Beth! Breakfast!"

Beth's door opened and she walked out of her room. She smiled when she saw Noah. "Hi, Noah."

"Hi, Beth." Noah replied as he picked her up and put her on a stool at the counter. "Hungry?"

Beth nodded.

"Alright." Noah said as he opened the big brown paper bag. "What does everyone want? Mrs. Fabray?"

Judy looked into the bag and pulled out a seeded bagel.

"Beth?" Noah asked.

"Plain!" Beth exclaimed.

"Please." Quinn added.

"Please." Beth repeated as she looked at Noah.

Noah put the plain bagel on a plate in front of Beth. He looked at Quinn. "Q?"

"Plain, please." Quinn requested.

"I should've known you'd want the same thing as your five-year-old." Noah teased as he gave Quinn the bagel. "Picky."

Quinn shook her head. "I'm not picky. I just know what I like."

"Mhm, right. And does that include cream cheese or butter?" Noah wondered.

"Cream cheese." Quinn said as she pulled out the container. "I got it. Eat."

"Mrs. Fabray?" Noah asked, turning to the oldest blonde.

Judy was already buttering her bagel.

Noah sat down and helped himself while Quinn made Beth's bagel and her bagel.

"So, Noah." Judy began. "What do you do for work?"

"I'm a musician." Noah informed Judy. "I moved to L.A. right after high school, and I finished my album a few months ago."

"And what are you doing now?" Judy wondered.

"Working on my next one while I wait for my label to put it out." Noah shrugged. "I've been writing and re-writing songs."

"When are you going back to L.A.?" Judy wondered.

"Well, I was planning on going back in September, but I met someone over the summer and decided to stick around." Noah answered, smiling at Quinn. "So I'll fly back and forth or record here or whatever. I'll figure that out for the next one."

Judy nodded. "Well, I can't wait to listen to it."

"Thank you." Noah said. "Hopefully soon."

Quinn nodded.

"What about you, Quinny? Are you booking anything?" Judy asked.

"I've been going on auditions, but I haven't really found a project I wanna do yet." Quinn shrugged.

"What about musicals?" Judy suggested. "You have to keep those singing and dancing skills tuned."

"Yeah, we'll see." Quinn nodded.

When the four finished breakfast, Quinn and Noah cleaned up while Beth and Judy excused themselves to go to the living room.

"I think I'm gonna take off." Noah decided when they were done cleaning up from breakfast in the kitchen.

"I'm really sorry about her." Quinn apologized softly. "I know she can be really judgmental and nosy, but you don't have to go."

"No, it's okay." Noah said. "I have to take care of a few things anyway."

"Everything okay?" Quinn asked.

"Yeah." Noah promised.

"Alright." Quinn replied. "I'll see you later."

"See you later." Noah echoed as he kissed Quinn.

Quinn smiled as she watched Noah leave.