After Deployment

35

The next day, Quinn and Puck headed to the Hudson-Hummel house. Carole greeted them at the door with smiles as she let them in.

"Hi." Quinn said as Carole hugged her. "It's good to see you."

"Hi, Quinn. You look good." Carole noted, smiling as she and Quinn parted. She eyed Quinn's small, round belly. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm good." Quinn nodded. "How are you?"

"I'm good." Carole smiled as she looked at Puck. "It's good to see you, too. Safe and sound and home for good."

Puck nodded. "Yeah, I'm surprised Quinn isn't sick of me yet."

"Give it a few more months." Quinn said with a smirk. "I'll be wishing you were back overseas."

"No you won't." Puck shook his head. He looked at Carole. "How are you?"

"I'm good." Carole nodded. "I'm really glad to see both of you. Why don't you have a seat? You must be tired from the train ride."

Quinn nodded slowly and squeezed Puck's hand as she sat down on the couch.

Puck sat down beside her.

Carole sat down on the other couch, looking at Quinn and Puck. "So when did you get in? This morning?"

"Last night." Puck answered.

"Yeah, we stayed over by my mom's, but we're gonna spend time with everyone while we're here." Quinn added.

"How are your moms?" Carole wondered, looking at Puck. "And your sister?"

"Everybody's good." Puck said. "Mom's always working and Sarah's staying out of trouble, which is good."

"Yeah, and my mom's good. She's alone in that big house, but she has dinner with Sam's parents twice a week and she visits my sister a lot so..." Quinn shrugged as she trailed off.

Carole nodded.

"So." Puck began. "Did we tell you that the baby's a boy?"

Carole smiled. "You didn't, but that's great. Do you have any names picked out?"

"Not yet." Quinn answered. "Both of us have a few names we like, but we can't agree on one."

"Well, you have time." Carole nodded. "And when you see him, you'll know. Are your moms excited for their first grandson?"

"We actually haven't really told anyone it's a boy yet." Quinn responded. "But my sister has twins, so this will be my mom's second grandson."

"We're gonna tell them it's a boy when we see them." Puck added. "My mom's really excited about the baby though."

Carole smiled. "Me, too. He'll be good for you two."

"Yeah." Puck agreed. He paused for a moment and looked at Quinn.

"Noah and I also wanted to tell you that we're engaged." Quinn told Carole.

"Finally!" Carole exclaimed with a laugh. "Let me see that ring."

Quinn smiled as she held out her left hand to show off the ring.

"Beautiful." Carole noted as she looked at Puck. "I'm proud of you. You did a good job."

"Thank you." Puck smiled.

"When's the wedding?" Carole asked.

"It's not really planned yet since we're focusing on the baby and everything else, but..." Puck looked at Carole. "We were hoping you would come."

"Burt, too." Quinn added.

Carole smiled. "I would love to."

"Really?" Quinn smiled happily.

"Are you kidding me?" Carole asked. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you." Puck smiled as he squeezed Quinn's hand. "You've always treated me like one of your kids, and it'll mean a lot to have you there."

"You're family." Carole reminded Puck. "You, too, Quinn. Finn always used to say that."