Shelby set her purse down on the black table by her door and closed it with a snap. She walked two steps into her apartment before blindly reaching for the light switch, and flicking it to the on position. Her up to date apartment was illuminated. The light caused her many plaques and trophies to shine, and made the black leather sofa look even more inviting. Shelby didn't spare the familiar room a look, just walked over to the stainless steel refrigerator and opened the freezer door.
She cast a critical eye over her dinner choices for this evening.
"Panini or Seafood pasta?" She examined that back of the Lean Cuisine boxes without really seeing. Shelby held on to whichever one was in her right hand, and spun around to the microwave. She busied herself grabbing a glass to fill with ice water. Vocal Adrenaline was on its singular month long summer break. Shelby knew her kids were enjoying the rare absence of four days of practice a week, and she knew she should be too. Somewhere behind her, the microwave beeped. She grabbed a square dark purple plate, and spooned the microwaved pasta on to her plate. Shelby carried her dinner over to the couch and turned on the television, content with her plans to curl up on the couch and watch Rent. A smile graced her face as she watched the opening scene and Mark turn the camera on Roger. The sun began to set as the familiar story unfolded in front of her. Shelby wrapped her thin blanket tighter around her when Roger and Mimi began to sing. When the harsh sound of a cell phone ring echoed from the table, she jumped about a foot of the couch, before pressing the pause button and unhappily rolling off the couch.
"Who would be calling me…" She muttered to herself grabbing the phone off her desk and answering.
"Hello?" She answered in her typical clipped voice. There was a pause on the other end of the line, and a sniffle. "Hello?" she asked again, this time just confused.
"Mom?" The voice on the other end of the line sounded so small and lost, Shelby felt like ice had been shot into her veins. She immediately held the phone tighter to her ear.
"Rachel? Baby, are you okay? What's wrong?" She asked quickly. There was another pause. Shelby could actually feel her heart speeding up.
"Mom. I need you to pick me up." Rachel's voice came form the other end of the line. It was breathy and broken. Shelby already had her purse and keys in her hand, and she was desperately searching for shoes. She jammed her feet into something and basically sprinted to the car.
"Okay, Rach. Where are you?" She asked, cursing that the engine of her red Range Rover wouldn't start faster. Her daughter's voice was still very uncharacteristically quiet, but it was less breathy when she answered.
"I'm at my dance studio." Shelby felt a pang of some emotion- was it guilt? She didn't know where her own daughter danced. She knew that she practiced there four or five times a week, but had no clue where it actually was.
"What's the address?" She asked again, already ten miles over the speed limit, on her way to an unknown destination.
"Riverside and Seventy-Second." Shelby thought to herself quickly, getting her bearings as she sped through a not quite green stoplight.
"Alright baby, I'll be there in-" She glanced at the clock, "six minutes." Rachel confirmed this and they both hung up. Shelby drove what she considered safely, but was actually manically all the way through the half lit up town of Lima. Shelby was concerned. Horribly and dramatically freaked out might have been a more accurate description, as she swerved dangerously around corners and sped up through what seemed to be a ridiculous amount of yellow lights. Somewhere in front of her, she spotted a lit up sign reading "Ohio School of Dance" and the word 'Lima' in smaller letters underneath. Shelby pounded on the brakes, and flew out of the car, remembering to regain some of her composure on the short walk from the car though the door. Shelby blinked when she entered, momentarily overwhelmed by the all to familiar dance studio smell. She looked around. There was a changing room adjacent to the lobby, a staircase, and three doors leading to the separate polished wooden dance floors. She turned to the receptionist, a red headed lady who was smacking her gum. Shelby resisted the urge to wrinkle her nose and walked over to the desk.
"Excuse me, do you know where I could find Rachel Berry?" She asked crisply. The receptionist popped a bubble, making Shelby cringe, and nodded.
"Middle door." She answered. Shelby nodded curtly and walked, rather quickly, but still walked, through the door and cast her gaze around. She felt her heart clench when she spotted her daughter. Rachel was sitting in the corner in a black leotard, propped against the wall, one leg extended with a bag of ice on her right knee. Her eyes were closed, and her well worn pointe shoes still adorned her feet. There were tear tracks evident on her face. Shelby walked over slowly, and rested a hand on her daughter's shoulder.
"Hey baby." She said quietly. Rachel opened her eyes and looked up at her mom.
"You came." She said, responding in the same soft tone. The older women nodded as she crouched down next to her. "Of course I came. What happened?" She asked, trying to get straight to the point. Rachel let out a little hollow laugh. "I'm an idiot who messed up is what happened." She paused before explaining further. "I was doing a tour jete, and landed wrong. Next thing I knew, I was on the floor." She looked over at her mom, who looked sympathetic, and just for a moment, rested her head on Shelby's shoulder. "It hurts mommy." Shelby played with Rachel's dark hair, and on impulse, kissed the top of her head.
"I know sweetheart, I know." They sat like that for a moment, until Rachel moved her head, ending the moment. Shelby cleared her throat and stood up. "Can you stand?" She asked her daughter, who was looking at the ground, shaking. For one moment, she thought that she had started crying again, until Rachel looked up, laughing. Shelby was thoroughly confused. Rachel nodded to her feet. "Nice shoes Mom." Shelby looked down and began laughing as well. In her hurry to get out the door, she had managed to put on one white running shoe, and one black flip flop. "I was in a hurry." She shrugged sheepishly.
Rachel's giggles began to die off. She took a deep breath and leaned her head back before pushing up off the ground with her other leg. Shelby pushed her arm under her for support. She heard her daughter's breath catch as she stood up. Shelby looked over to check she was okay. Rachel gave her an abrupt nod, and together they limped to Shelby's car. Rachel pushed off her good foot, and laid down in the back seat. Shelby nodded in approval, and then walked to the drivers seat. "Hospital" She stated, ignoring Rachel's protests that really, she was fine. Shelby was driving much more carefully now, and they both sat in comfortable silence.
"You scared me, you know." Shelby said carefully, keeping her eyes on the road. Even so, she could hear her daughter shift in the backseat. "I don't think I've been that worried in my life." She continued, glad that she couldn't see Rachel's face. Rachel looked down at her abnormally swollen knee, trying not to think of the implications of this injury. "I'm truly sorry, I promise that wasn't my intention." She apologized to her mom. Shelby shook her head vigorously. "No, I'm glad you called." There was warmth in her voice. Rachel began to play with her fingers. "Both my dads are out of town again. And.." She continued in a more careful voice "And I really wanted my mom." Shelby smiled, and flicked her signal for the turn to Lima General. She pulled in, and together her and Rachel limped to the front desk.