A/N: hello! This is a story I can't get out of my head! I'll be working on this story as well as my other story, show me. If you haven't already, check it out! I'll be updating both stories regularly! I hope you all enjoy this story. Let me know what you think!
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Rachel Berry wasn't your average eighth grader.
At thirteen years old, she still stood as tall as the sixth graders. She always wore plaid and sweaters, something she was constantly picked on for. She was a straight A student, and didn't have very many friends. She had big dreams for her young age, and that intimidated a lot of people.
Rachel usually didn't mind the teasing or name calling. She liked being different. It meant that she was unique.
But one thing that Rachel couldn't stand that made her stand out from everyone else was that she didn't have a mom.
Rachel loved her dads endlessly. She really, truly, did. But she often found herself wondering about her surrogate mom, and what she was like. Her dads had told her that her mother was a beautiful woman, with a voice to match, and Rachel often found herself day dreaming of singing duets with her mother that she didn't know.
Rachel was pulled out of her thoughts when one of her only friends, Quinn, came and sat across from her at the lunch table.
"Hey Rach! Are you getting excited for the trip? I can't wait!" Quinn squealed.
Rachel smiled and nodded. Of course she was excited.
Rachel and Quinn were both in the eighth grade choir. Their director, Miss. Rhoades, had a friend who lived in New York City and had finally made her big break, she was the lead in a new show called Wicked, and April had somehow managed to get tickets to opening night for the choir.
So in just three days, the choir was headed for the big apple for a week, and Rachel was ecstatic.
"Of course I'm excited! I've been packed for a week! We're going to the opening of a new broadway musical, Quinn. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity." Quin rolled her eyes at Rachel's theatrics, which Rachel ignored. "And I'm sure because the lead is friends with Miss. Rhoades, we'll probably get some sort of tour backstage."
Quinn nodded along while taking a bite of her sandwich. "Have your dad's calmed down about the trip?" She asked, swallowing.
Rachel shrugged her shoulders. "They seem fine now. I just think they were worried about twelve kids going and only one chaperone. But, I think they realized they were being over dramatic."
"How have things been with your dads?" Quinn asked softly.
Rachel put her head down and tried to keep her lip from trembling. "Okay, I guess. Daddy still wants to move to California for the job he was offered and Dad wants to stay because of me. I think he would go with Daddy if it weren't for me." She sniffed. "But they aren't fighting as much. They're just trying to figure out what to do I guess."
Quinn nodded sadly. "I don't want you to move."
Rachel smiled. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."
Quinn nodded before she stuffed the rest of her sandwich in her mouth, much to Rachel's disgust, before getting up from her seat. "I have to go meet Santana. I'll see you after school." Quinn said with a full mouth.
"Okay. See you later." Rachel said.
She wanted until Quinn was gone before dropping her smile. She loved her Dad's, but sometimes, a girl really needed a mom.
ooo
The rest of the week surprisingly flew by. And before Rachel knew it, she found herself dressed up in a hotel lobby, waiting for the rest of her classmates to make it downstairs.
Their flight had been delayed, so they had just landed in time to check into their hotel, get dressed, and head to the Gershwin theater for the opening of Wicked.
Rachel was ecstatic. Miss. Rhoades had told the kids on the bus ride from the airport to the hotel that after the show, they were going to take a tour backstage and meet some of the actors. Rachel thought she might burst from the excitement.
Half an hour later, and they had finally all made it to the theater. Rachel was squirming in her seat, taking in the sights around her. There were celebrities everywhere!
"Woah." She heard one of her classmates, Finn, say from a few seats down. "Rachel! This chick looks just like you! Only older and way hotter." He said, pointing to a photo in his playbill.
Rachel rolled her eyes, but opened her playbill to see what he was talking about.
Rachel blinked a few times in shock, Finn was right. The lead who was playing the role of Elphaba, Shelby Corcoran, looked just like Rachel. Big brown eyes, striking cheekbones, and a long nose.
Rachel read her biography underneath the picture and noticed that Shelby was also from Lima. She was thirty five and had moved to New York thirteen years ago at the young and of twenty two. She had been in a handful of off broadway productions, but Wicked was her big broadway debut.
Rachel hoped it didn't take her that long to make it.
"Miss Rhoades." Rachel said, turning to her teacher sitting next to her. "How do you know Shelby?"
Miss Rhoades smiled at her and got a far off look in her eye. "We grew up down the street from each other. She was my first friend when I moved here from Texas. We roomed together in college too at Ohio State." Miss. Rhoades sighed. "Then she turned twenty one and was off to New York. I didn't hear from her for almost a year before she called. But we picked up right where we left off." She said.
"The playbill said she moved here when she was twenty two?" Rachel said, confusion laced in her voice.
Miss. Rhoades shrugged. "Must be a misprint." Her eyes lit up and she put a finger to her lips. "Shh. It's starting."
Rachel turned and faced the stage, letting the overture light excitement in her eyes. She was ready to be blown away.
ooo
Shelby quickly scrubbed at her face with the orange neutrogena, washing away as much of the green as she could. She knew she didn't have much time before April came back with her choir students.
Her entire body was buzzing. She had finally done it. She had performed in her first broadway show and she nailed it. She had worked for this her entire life. And she finally made it. She finally had something else she could be proud of.
Shelby's mind wandered to her daughter, like it often did. Wondering what she was doing, if she was a singer, or a dancer, or if she played sports. She missed her. Shelby never knew you could miss someone who wasn't yours, but then again, her daughter was technically hers. She was her flesh and blood. But that didn't matter in this situation.
Shelby was counting down the days until her daughter turned eighteen so she could contact her. She had been putting money away from every production she was in, big or small, and saving it up to give to her daughter one day. She wanted to provide for her. And she would, eventually.
Two sharp knocks at her dressing room door pulled her from her thoughts.
"Shelby, April's here with her choir kids. Are you ready for them, or do you need another minute?" One of the security guards asked her.
"No, I'm ready. Go ahead and send them in." She answered smiling. She couldn't wait to see April.
Before she had a chance to get up out of her chair, she felt the force of a petite blonde pull her up into a bone crushing hug. "Oh Shelly, I've missed you!"
Shelby laughed, scanning the group of kids behind her. "I've missed you too!" She said while releasing her. "But, I think you have some introductions to make."
Before April could open her mouth, a short brunette pushed her way to the front of the group, and Shelby did a double take. It was like she was looking at a younger version of herself.
"Miss. Corcoran, you were absolutely unbelievable up there! I will say I was hesitant at first, seeing as you're already thirty five and this was your first ever broadway show, but I was pleasantly surprised. You're very talented." The girl said, finally taking a breath. "I would know, I'm also very talented and I'm also going to be on broadway one day."
Shelby cocked an eyebrow in amusement. This girl was a riot, it reminded her of herself when she was younger.
"Rachel!" One of the other kids hissed.
Shelby felt her heart drop. Her name was Rachel? That had to be a coincidence, right? Plenty of people named their kids Rachel. Sure the girl looked like her, but that didn't mean anything.
Shelby shook her head to clear her thoughts. She was trying to make connections that weren't there.
"Well thank you, Rachel." She said calmly, even though her heart was racing. "I'm going to run to the bathroom really quick, guys! Feel free to look around." Shelby said. Needing a quick moment to try and collect herself.
When Shelby emerged from the bathroom, she saw all of the kids had scattered themselves around the dressing room. Three girls were standing around her witches hat admiring it, a group of boys were checking out her costumes, and April was over with another group of girls trying to explain why they wore the mics on their head.
That just left Rachel, standing over by her vanity, standing perfectly still.
"This is where all the magic happens." Shelby said walking up to her. "Although I don't know if I'd call sitting in a chair for three hours magical." She joked.
But Rachel didn't laugh, Shelby wasn't even sure if the girl had actually heard her, she was staring at one of the many pictures that were scattered around the perimeter of her mirror. Shelby followed her gaze, and her eyes landed on a picture that she hated to look at, but couldn't throw away.
Shelby was sandwiched between LeRoy and Hiram. They had just found out she was officially pregnant, the treatment had worked. The men were ecstatic and wrapped Shelby into a bone crushing hug.
"This is the best day of my life." Hiram said through tears. "Thank you so much, Shelby."
Shelby smiled at them. "Anything for my two favorite gays." She joked.
They all laugh and LeRoy pulled out a camera. "Come on, I want to remember this moment forever. Everybody in."
Shelby immediately stepped back. "No. This is about you guys. I can't be in the picture."
LeRoy waved his hand and pulled her back in. "Shelby, none of this would be possible without you. I insist."
She smiled. "Okay. But only if I can get a copy!"
"Deal!" The men said in unison.
"Those are some of my friends from college." Shelby said, the lie coming easily. It was the lie she always used whenever someone would ask about the picture.
Her speaking seemed to break Rachel from a trance and she turned her head slowly to make eye contact with Shelby. She seemed to study her for a second before turning back towards the picture and reaching for it, carefully removing it from the vanity. Shelby watched as Rachel studied the picture closely before she finally looked back up at Shelby.
"These men aren't your friends from college. Because they went out of state for school, and Miss Rhoades just told me before the show that you two roomed together at Ohio State." Rachel said loudly, causing a hush to fall over the room. "These men in the picture, they're my dads." Rachel said, more frantically. Shelby felt the air leave her lungs. "They always told me my mother was strong and smart, and that she had the voice of angel. They told me I'm beautiful just like my mom." Rachel was crying now and Shelby was frantically looking around, unsure of what to do. "The playbill said you moved to New York when you were twenty two, but Miss Rhoades said you moved when you were twenty one and went almost a whole year without talking to her." Shelby didn't know what to say, so she just nodded dumbly. "You were my dad's surrogate. You're my mom."
Shelby's whole body went numb at the word mom. Something she's wanted to be called for thirteen years.
But not like this. This wasn't right. This wasn't how it was supposed to go, not at all. She was supposed to have some sort of slow motion hug and everything else would just fall into place. Instead she had twelve teenagers and her best friend all staring at her in shock.
Shelby swallowed the lump in her throat and shot April an apologetic glance. "Yes." She said, her voice coming out hoarse. "Yes, I was your dad's surrogate. But I don't think right here, or now, is the right time to talk about it."
Rachel didn't say anything, she just stared at her with glassy eyes.
"Alright." April said. "Everyone on the bus, we have a busy day tomorrow." She said sternly, starting to push the kids towards the door. "Rachel, that includes you."
But Rachel still didn't move. Shelby watched as the girl studied her face intently, then looking at her own face in the mirror.
"Rachel. Now." April said sternly.
Rachel looked back and forth between Shelby and April. "But, I, I just. I need." The girl stuttered. Struggling to get her words out.
"Here." Shelby said, quickly grabbing a piece of paper and pen, scribbling down her phone number and email address. "I know you're probably really confused. But here's my number and my email address. Whichever you prefer you can call me or email me, if you want to." Shelby said, handing her the paper, which Rachel greedily clutched to her chest.
"Come on, Rachel." April said, more softly this time.
Both Shelby and April watched as the young girl slowly made her way out of the dressing room and towards the bus, throwing Shelby one last glance before doing so.
"Okay. What the fuck?" April said once the door had shut. "Seriously Shelby, What. The. Fuck."
"I-" Shelby started.
"No." April said, holding her hand up. "I don't have time right now. I have a bus full of kids waiting." She said coldly. "We're staying at The Park Inn on Madison Avenue. I'm in room 108. Get cleaned up and then come over."
Shelby nodded and watched her friend walk out the door, towards her daughter.
And for that, Shelby envied her.
ooo
A few hours later and Shelby found herself sitting on the small sofa in April's hotel room, the short blonde staring at her expectantly.
"Well?" The blonde asked, taking another sip from her wine.
Shelby sighed. She had never shared her story with anyone, she wasn't sure if she was ready to face it.
"Rachel was right with what she said earlier, I didn't come to New York until I was twenty two." She said, swallowing the lump that was already starting to form in her throat. "When we graduated, I knew I didn't have enough money to move to New York. But it's what I wanted to do." Shelby sighed, knowing she wasn't going to make it through this without crying. "I saw an ad in the paper, a couple months work and I could live in New York easily for two years. I called and met with the Berry men. They wanted a surrogate for their baby. I figured, why not. I didn't want kids. I could easily have a baby and pick up and leave." Shelby said, her first round of tears making their way down her face. "I was wrong, April, I was so wrong. The second I heard her heartbeat I wanted her. But they made me sign a contract before the first round of IVF. I couldn't contact Rachel until she was eighteen, I signed over my rights as a parent." Shelby paused, trying to recompose herself. "I spent my entire pregnancy trying to figure out how to get out of that contract, but there was nothing any lawyer could do." Shelby didn't even try to hide her sobs anymore, and they were coming full force. "When she was born, I didn't even get to hold her. But when the nurses took her to clean her off, she looked over with her tiny eyes, and the second we made eye contact she stopped crying." She sobbed. "She was so beautiful. So perfect."
"Oh, Shelby." April said sadly, coming over to sit next to her.
"But it didn't matter. She wasn't mine. So the next day, I got up and left. I came straight to New York, and I've thought about her everyday since." Shelby finished bitterly. "I had no idea she was one of your students, I swear."
"Shelby, I know." April said, pulling her in for a hug. "I wish you would have told me. I wish I could've been there for you." April said sadly.
Shelby sniffed and nodded in agreement before looking back up at her friend. "What's she like."
April laughed and gave Shelby one more squeeze. "Honestly, She's just like you. I don't know how I didn't see it before. She's smart, she's strong and driven. And my god can she sing. She's so talented and she knows it. She is your mini me." April said honestly. "She doesn't have very many friends because of how strong her personality is. But Shelby, she's amazing." April said, causing Shelby to beam.
April smiled at her, but it quickly started to falter. "These past two years have been a struggle for her. Her father's are fighting at home, and her friend Quinn has been coming to me because she's been worried about her." April said. "Shelby, she's been looking for you, she's been trying to find her mom."
Shelby's stomach did somersaults at the thought of her daughter wanting to find her. But the feeling faded quickly knowing there was nothing she could do.
"It doesn't matter." She said bitterly. "I signed a contract."
"Well, you technically didn't break that contract. Rachel found you by accident, you didn't go looking for her. And if I were to invite you to hang out with us while we were on this trip, that isn't you seeking her out." April said hopefully.
"I don't know. I don't want to risk it, but I would love a chance to get to know her, if that's what she wants." Shelby said. "Let me call my lawyer and see what he thinks. If he thinks it's okay, maybe I'll come hang out with you and the kids one day."
"Okay. Just let me know." April said, standing up from the couch and climbing into her bed. "I'm always here for you."
Shelby smiled at her and headed towards the door. "I know. I'll call you tomorrow." She said before saying her goodbyes and heading home.
The entire way home, all Shelby could think about was the possibility of spending a couple hours with the daughter she longed for. The daughter who, according to April, was just like her, which made her heart burst with joy. It may not have been the slow motion running into each other's arms that she had always pictured, but Shelby didn't care. She could finally put a face to her daughter's name, and she was more perfect than she could have ever imagined.
Shelby was unsure about a lot. But one thing she did know; if Rachel wanted her in her life, she was going to fight for her.
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A/N: a short little chapter to get the ball rolling!! Let me know what you think!