Hey guys! Welcome to week 1 of being Glee deprive. What we have here is a Quick story, involving Shelby, Beth... Maybe even Finchel later on! A new part will be coming out soon. Thanks for reading, and enjoy.
Note: I don't own Glee (sadly). If I did, it'd keep airing without breaks. :D
"Puck?" Shelby whispered, tapping the sleeping sixteen year old on the shoulder. Puck's brown eyes opened slowly, and once he realized he was on Rachel Berry's mom's couch, he jumped. A sigh escaped his lips as he looked down at the baby, wide-awake in her car seat that sat on the ground next to him.
"How long was I out for?" Puck asked, sitting up and holding his index finger out to the baby, and she grasped it with a chubby hand.
"Twenty minutes." Shelby answered, smiling down at Beth. "She fell asleep too, but she actually woke up without crying." she noted, "I figured you should head home soon. You've been here since three. It's six now." she told him.
"Oh, sorry..." Puck murmured, leaning so he was closer to Beth. His smile was so sincere when he looked at his little girl.
"You know, she's a lot calmer when you're around." Shelby added softly. Puck glanced up at her, then turning his focus on the baby.
"Don't tell anyone I come here." Puck requested. "Quinn specifically told me she didn't want to keep the baby. She'll think I'm, like, clingy or something." he muttered, sighing as he stared lovingly at the baby. "But yeah, I'd better get home."
"Where does she think you are? Doesn't she live with you?" Shelby asked, picking Beth up and bouncing her softly.
"No, she, uh... Moved back in with her mom. She doesn't know I'm here. So, don't tell anyone. Like..."
"Rachel?" Shelby guessed, and an awkward silence followed, except for Beth making noises. Puck smiled at the little girl and took her from Shelby for a moment.
"Yeah..." Puck exhaled. Beth's big eyes were looking all around the room as she grabbed the collar of Puck's shirt. "I'm- sorry, she just can't really... Keep a secret."
"It's fine, I understand. I used to be the same way when I was her age." Shelby reassured. "You're secret's safe with me."
"I'm so sorry I'm late again. I had to stay after school to take a test that I missed, and I had work and..." Quinn listed, placing her coat on the stairway and turning to Shelby, who was holding a very sleepy Beth. Quinn's face softened at the cute little bundle of joy.
"It's fine." Shelby replied, looking down at a plate in Quinn's hands.
"Oh, I brought you some pasta. I figured that you'd need a break from making dinner for us every night." Quinn said, walking to the kitchen and setting it down on the counter. She walked back over to Shelby and smiled at the baby, and Shelby handed her to Quinn before microwaving the pasta. Quinn looked down at Beth, whose eyes struggled to stay opened, as much as she wanted to continue looking up at her mother.
'She looks like you.'
That statement rang in Quinn's ear like an echoing bell. The baby did look like Quinn, but Quinn saw mostly Puck's features.
Puck.
It was weird that she was here, visiting her tiny baby daughter without Puck knowing. But she specifically told him she didn't want to keep the baby. He'll be heartbroken if he found out Quinn made a mistake. And she couldn't live with that.
Beth's eyes watered and her lip quivered, as if she were trying to say that she was way too sleepy to stay up any longer. Quinn shushed her and followed Shelby, taking a seat at the dinner table and attempting to get the baby to sleep.
"She's been okay?" Quinn whispered as the sobs slowed to a halt.
"Yes, she's been fine." Shelby replied, stirring the pasta. "You've been here every day for the past few weeks, Quinn." she laughed lightly, turning to face Quinn.
"I know, I'm just... Concerned that I'm missing out." Quinn muttered, "Is that.. Bad or something?"
"Not at all." Shelby smiled, taking a seat next to the teen and handing her a bowl of pasta. "Its like an instinct. I wanted to do the same thing when I gave Rachel away." she informed her. Quinn swallowed hard and looked down at Beth. "Will you be honest with me, Quinn?" she asked. Quinn looked up and nodded slowly. "Do you regret giving her away?"
Quinn pondered for a moment, biting on her lower lip in consideration. "I... Yes and no." she sighed, "I mean, I wish I kept her, but... I'd be in horrible shape right now. I guess I thought life would, you know... Go back to normal after I gave her away. But that's not the case." she murmured, taking a bite of pasta.
"Doesn't Puck want to keep her?"
"He did, yeah. We haven't talked about her at all. It's not that we're fighting... We both know that we want to avoid the topic." Quinn stated, her fingers playing with the tiny curls of dark brown hair on Beth's head.
"You have to be honest with him, Quinn." Shelby said, nodding. "Obviously, if he wanted to keep her in the first place, he might still want to..."
"What are you saying?" Quinn asked, arching an eyebrow at the woman, who laughed quietly in reply.
"I'm saying that you two should both come over here. You know, stay after school. Be with her. Spend time with her... You guys could still be parents to her. Even if she's not legally yours, she'll always be your daughter." Shelby informed her, grinning at Quinn. "Just try."