Shelby was in a car accident six years ago when Beth was two. I was on the peak of my Broadway career. I was only a freshman at NYADA but I already had made a name for myself. I lived with Beth and Shelby, but Shelby spent most of her time at the hospital being admitted again and again. Something was wrong; the doctors could never find what was wrong. It wasn't until Beth was four that Shelby died. She died of a small abscess in her brain that popped. I was a senior at NYADA graduating a year early. I officially adopted Beth a year before. I didn't think Shelby would die. It didn't occur to me until it was too late.
When Beth was three she started to have hearing problems. She needed a hearing aid and we both learned sign language. Beth continued having trouble with things. She was then diagnosed with ADD and Asthma. I was happy nothing was severe though. Her ADD was mild and so was her asthma. Beth was soon back to normal and happily running around being a kid. Beth was five and half when she called me mom. I was sad but happy at the same time. I thought about telling Quinn and Puck so I started to look for them. I couldn't find them. They weren't in Lima and they weren't in the states that they went too when we left for college. Beth asked about them once, but soon after when I was starting to tell her about them she said that she just wanted to know if she was one of those hated babies. I told her that they loved her and they loved that Shelby took her. She said she was happy that Shelby took her and that she was with me. She loved us and us we're her family no matter what.
A lot's changed since Beth was four. For one I won two Oscars, and was the lead in five Broadway plays. I have a fiancé Luca Brady he's also on Broadway. We met when playing the parts of Wendla and Melchior in Spring Awakening. I bought a condo in Manhattan and was a bit of a soccer mom. Beth loves soccer. Beth's eight years old now almost nine. She's shy, but once she knows a person and comfortable around them she talks a normal amount. Beth's not a chatterbox, but she's not so timid either. She's very comfortable around and Luca. She really likes him. She loves science and singing. She's been in three of her schools plays and one musical. My costars say that she's going to be on Broadway by the times she's thirteen. She can be on Broadway now if she wanted to, she says she's not ready for the big stage yet though.
I looked at Beth as she was dribbling the soccer ball and she passed it to a team mate. The team mate then passed it back to Beth and Beth kicked it and it when in the goal. I cheered and Beth looked at me. She waved and then continued running. The game ended with the other team winning. I hugged Beth when she was done playing and helped carry her things. She wasn't saying anything. She's just being her normal non-talkative self.
"It's okay to lose. You guys did great and that's all that matters," I said and hugged her close to me and kissed her head. We put her things in the car and got in. when we got home Beth ran in and dropped her bags on the side of the door. I sighed and picked them up and put them in the room. I walked into the kitchen and saw Beth on a bar stool looking at the mail while drinking apple juice.
"Mom, where's McKinley High School at?" Beth asked. I looked at her and she showed me and envelope. I took it from her and opened it. "What is it?" she asked as she saw me pull out the red invitation.
"My eight year high school reunion," I said and put the invitation down.
"You gonna go?" she asked me and I looked at her and smiled.
"I don't know sweetie," I said and started to prepare dinner.
"We should go. Luca and I'll be your date," she said and I smiled softly. Luca and I haven't really been as close as we use too. I'm sure we're on the verge of ending whatever relationship we have. I just don't want Beth to get hurt which I know she will. Beth left to take a shower and change. As she was gone I thought of the reunion. Who would be there? Should I even go? What about Kurt? What about Finn? Will Finn be there? Most importantly if I go I have to take Beth. Will Quinn and Puck be there? I don't want her getting hurt.
I finished the dinner still deep in thought. When Beth came back into the kitchen she was cleaned up and in her pajamas. She finished her homework by the time dinner was ready. She looked at me while we ate.
"you going?" she asked me with small smile on her lips.
"Maybe, I have to find a nanny for the week," I said and she looked at me shocked.
"Mom, I can go with you. Please, you can't leave me behind. Mommm," Beth whined.
"Beth, I don't want you getting hurt. I'm not going to put you into a situation you're not ready for or will be okay with," I said and she looked at me.
"They'll be there?" she asked me getting a bit quiet.
"I don't know," I said and she looked away.
"We can look at houses while were there. You've always wanted to move back," Beth said making a great point. I've been looking at houses in Lima online with Luca. He like me wanted to live somewhere where it wasn't always busy. We both agree that it would be better for Beth too. Instead of a busy life style that we have. I would like for Beth to have a front yard and a back yard like Luca and I did growing.
"Hey, I'm home," I heard Luca say. He came into the kitchen and kissed Beth on the head and then me on the cheek. "How was the game kiddo?"
"lost," Beth said. Luca looked at her as if she was going to say more.
"Beth scored a goal," I said and he smiled. He kissed Beth on the head again.
"So it wasn't a bad game at all. Great job Beth! Seriously, losing isn't important at all," Luca said and winked at me.
"Mom got invited to her high school reunion, Luca," Beth said. She didn't think we noticed her slip, but we did and it just made Luca smile wider.
"I think we should go, don't you?" Luca said sitting down and grabbing a plate to eat for himself. I looked at him and he just shrugged.
"Yeah, but says she doesn't know," Beth said. Great they're ganging up on me.
"Really come on Rachel. We'll go three days later look at the houses there and then go to the reunion. Who knows you may like something…you can't keep putting moving off. I mean if you don't want to fine, but it's worth looking around. Kill two birds with one stone," he said, Beth looked at him.
"Is it really possible to do that?" she asked and we both looked at her.
"It's a saying sweetie," Luca said and we both laughed. Soon Beth was done and rinsed her plate before putting it in the dishwasher. She went to the bathroom and brushed her teeth. I saw her come into the living room with a blanket and curl up on the couch. Luca looked at me with a smile.
"Fine," I said and he smiled wider. "Smile wider and food is going to start coming out of your mouth." He hid his laugh. We soon joined Beth on the couch and watched Criminal Minds. Something Beth shouldn't even be watching, but insists on. I'm just happy she falls asleep halfway through the show and never see's any of the horrible parts.
Luca carried Beth to bed and then we talked while watching the rest of the show. We basically multitasked. We got on the computer and bought three round trips ticket on the train. We were going two weeks before the reunion and then the week of the reunion we'd just drive. We finally went to bed around eleven at night. I kissed Luca and the thoughts I had of Finn earlier disappeared.