Hello readers! =) Sorry about the delay. I had moved across the state just two... three weeks ago? Eh, the days have more or less just strung together. finally had my internet installed today so I figured i should upload this. Enjoy!
Chapter 4
The first thing Shelby noticed when she saw Quinn was the worn look on her face. The smiles were well practiced and she could see how the blonde was drained. She kept a happy face for the younger girls sake.
"Hi, Shelby."
"Hi yourself, kid." Shelby smiled. "I thought I would swing by."
Quinn sat down opposite her and thanked the server with a small nod and whispered something in the girls ear. When she finally settled Quinn noticed the smirk growing. "What?"
"Something you wanna tell me?" Shelby asked nodding in the waitresses direction.
"Now Shelby, you know I do not have any relationship beyond employee/employer with people here."
"Yeah, yeah I know. I was simply hoping you had begun dating again. You know I worry about you, Quinn." Shelby stated taking the younger girls hand in her own. "It's been almost three years honey. You know how she is."
Quinn looked down, smoothing the table cloth. "I know. You say it like I haven't dated anyone since then…"
"Have you?"
Quinn snapped up. "Of course I have!"
"Quinn like I said I'm just worried. You have done so well for yourself and I can't help but think that maybe you are holding onto my daughter still."
The two sat in silence after this, Quinn picking at the table cloth once again and Shelby eyeing her.
Shelby watched as the younger woman's hand tightened into a fist. "Honey, you need to move on. My daughter has… she isn't…"
"I get it." Quinn interrupted, not wanting to hear anymore.
The sound of her phone broke her train of thought as Shelby was writing a letter.
"Hello?" She answered without checking the caller id.
"Mom?"
"Rachel? Honey are you okay?"
The younger girl laughed. "Of course silly! I'm just soooo happy!"
Shelby chuckled at her daughter's enthusiasm. "Want to tell me why?"
Rachel huffed. "Well now I don't! Your obvious lack of excitement is completely putting off my ecstatic mind set! I call you to share some news and all you give me is 'want to tell me wh-"
"Rachel!" Shelby screamed, not willing to hear the rant she knew she was due for. "Sorry baby, I didn't mean to damper your mood. Tell me now what is it… Wait is it Quinn? Did she propose?"
"No mother she didn't propose! If that were the case I wouldn't be calling you, instead I would be spending this time with her and you know I would prefer to show you the ring and I do believe you would know because Quinn had voiced her opinion about getting permission from you and my fathers! Hold on! Did she say something? Why else would you think that? Did she ask you? Oh my goodness she asked didn't she? When? Did she say when?"
Shelby face palmed. "No sweetie she didn't ask. I simply assumed-"
"If she didn't ask how could you ask me that? You know how traditional Quinn is and if she had made any inclination toward the possibility of marriage she would go that route to ask-"
"I know sweetie she would ask permission."
"You of all people should know I do not take it kindly when someone interrupts me. The first time I let slide on the basis that I had made the assumption that you weren't happy to hear from me, and now you do it again when I am giving you viable information that may affect my future. Rude mother just rude."
Shelby had been looking over her nails questioning to herself if a manicure was in order.
"Mom?"
"Oh sorry sweetie…so. What is the news? That is not a proposal."
"Okay. Are you ready? Tell me you're ready. Oh you should be sitting while I tell you this. Are you sitting? Are you ready? Sitting? Sitting and ready?"
Shelby glanced around. "Yes."
"Yes what?"
"Rachel."
"Yes what Mom?"
Shelby rolled her eyes. "Yes I am sitting."
"Are you ready too?"
"Rachel!"
"Okay, okay! So as you know I have been teaching."
"Yes the Vocal and piano lessons. Quinn told me last year during your birthday brunch, after which the two of you had mysteriously disappeared."
"… Yes well that's beside the point."
"Am I ever going to hear the good news? Shall I call Quinn to get the details?"
She heard her daughter scoff. "Fine. If you would rather hear your own daughters' good news from her girlfriend then that is exactly what you are going to get! Goodbye mother have a good day!"
"Wait, Rachel."
Nothing. The younger brunette had hung up on her.
"That girl."
Shelby tried calling back only for it to ring twice and go straight to voicemail.
After several tries Shelby had resorted to texting the blonde she had met only a year ago.
Quinn, Rachel won't talk to me. –Shelby
A few minutes later her phone beeped.
Did she hang up on you? –Q
Yes, it's rather childish how my twenty year old daughter has come down to the silent treatment. – Shelby
Hey you have known her longer. =) –Q
Not nice Quinn. –Shelby
Ok sorry. Not really. Ha. So why come to the girlfriend for info?-Q
She had some news for me and I "interrupted" her twice too much.- Shelby
Oh no Shelby you didn't.- Q
I know I'm sorry. She went on and on about stuff that. Anyway care to fill me in?-Shelby
Oh no. you know her. If I tell you she will have me on the couch and hide all the meat in the apartment.-Q
Well she did say to ask you. –Shelby
Also I thought you had convinced her out of the vegan fetish she had going on?- Shelby
I am sure it's all a test. She loves to test me. I will not fail this one. *fist in the air*-Q
I had. She's not a vegan anymore simply an animal friendly vegetarian, aka expensive ass organic crap. Seriously cheese is cheese! = -Q
A test? Fine, is it okay if I join you two for dinner tonight? And thank god that vegan food was only a bit tasteless.- Shelby
Yeah, we had actually planned to go out. I will call you with the details when we decide on a restaurant.-Q
Thank you, Quinn. Also please tell me you won't be overly lovey on this outing. I love you both I really do but there is only so much I can take.- Shelby
I make no promises. =) call you later the professor is getting that high school attitude about my phone.-Q
Later that night Shelby walked into the crowded restaurant Quinn had messaged her about earlier that evening and was lead to a booth in the back room. She spotted her daughter and pseudo daughter-in-law cuddling on one side of the booth, candle lit in front of the pair and a small vase of flowers on one edge of the table. Their hushed whispers and stolen touches almost made her want to turn around and walk out, making her feel like an intruder.
"Mom?" Rachel practically yelled, standing from the booth. "Did Quinn invite you? Is that why she has been buttering me up all day?"
Shelby stole a glance at the blushing blonde. Quinn began picking at her napkin with one hand while the other gripped the glass of water.
"Maybe sweetie, or it could be that I am dying to know this news of yours."
As they took their seats a young man appeared and took their orders, giving Rachel special attention.
"Asshole." Quinn muttered to herself as the waiter walked away to fetch their drinks.
"Sweetie be nice."
"Rach, he was totally oogling your goodies." Quinn snapped back.
"Oogling my goodies? Really Quinn?" Rachel questioned.
"Yes. It's obvious we are together and he completely brushed it off and flirted with you right in front of me."
"Ookay. Girls." Shelby said clapping her hands. "Rachel. How was your week? Your lessons?"
Shelby's eyes shifted to and from the couple in front of her as they continued their silent argument.
When the waiter returned, it was as if he could feel the tension and quickly took their orders before running off.
Shelby sat in silence. Then began clicking her tongue, then started to tap her fingers nodding her head and hummed quietly.
She was expecting the happy couple she had came to. Not the brooding, quiet, arguing couple she had never seen before. Not to say she knew they argued. Every couple did, it's just she never saw it happen before.
Soon a badly masked giggle came from across the table. Shelby looked over to see her daughter trying very hard not to smile while Quinn had a small smirk on her face. She couldn't stop her own full blown smile when Quinn took a rose from the vase and brushed it against the brunettes cheek before gently guiding Rachel to look at her.
"You are such a dork." Rachel whispered.
Quinn smiled wide. "I'm your dork though, baby." The blonde seemed to seal it with a kiss. When the two pulled away Rachel leaned her forehead against her girlfriends.
"You are the only one for me. Even if you ever left me I don't think I could move on."
Quinn smiled a sad smile. "I won't leave you, Rach. If we ever ended up not together, I couldn't be the one who had left."
Rachel pressed another chaste kiss to the blondes. "The past two years, you are the only one I see."
Shelby couldn't help but snap a picture with her phone, effectively ruining the moment between them.
"Mom!"
The older brunette shuddered at the harshness of Quinn's tone.
The waitress returned with a glass of wine. "Thank you, Sarah."
The blonde quickly downed the glass before she chanced a look at Shelby.
Again Shelby saw the worn down look on the younger girl. With a sigh she knew, she could see it all on her face, she knew Quinn still loved her daughter. With the same love she saw four years ago. She wished more than anything that Rachel would wake up and see what she threw away but she knew she couldn't.
As broken as the young restaurant manager was, Rachel was seemingly happy with boyfriend number three since the break up.
Should I bring in Rachel now? or do you want more of Quinn? Im not trying to make Rachel out to be the bad guy in their break up or anything it's just how it happened. [^_^]