In my daughter's eyes everyone is equal
Darkness turns to light and the
world is at peace
This miracle God gave to me gives me
strength when I am weak
I find reason to believe
In my daughter's eyes

1995-1997:A moment full of firsts.

1995:

"Happy Birthday dear Rachel, happy birthday to you!"

As the singing came to an end Rachel just looked at everyone in confusion before trying to wiggle her way out of my arms to the cake whining a bit and scowling at me as if to say 'you've kept me from that cake long enough!' when she realized I wasn't letting her go.

"hold on sweetie we have to wait for daddy to cut the cake first." I tell her.

As I feed her some cake to which she happily hums every time she gets a piece in her mouth (her little way of letting me know she enjoys what she's eating) I think back on the past year it's crazy to think it's already been a year since I've give birth to Rachel. So many milestones were crossed like the first time she crawled, her first steps(although she still preferred crawling or if she wanted to walk she held onto either Dustin or mines fingers and did a little tippy toe kind of walk), her first word, which had been mama closely followed a week later by dada. And there are still so many first yet to come.

And now here we are celebrating her first birthday with my family; Dustin's had visited two weeks ago. Currently my father was holding Rachel in his lap while 3-year-old Matthew played peek-a-boo with her, which was making her smile and giggle like crazy and in turn made him laugh as well. I saw my sister snap a picture of the two I'd have to make sure I got a copy, that picture was bound to come out ridiculously cute. After a few more minutes of the game I could see that Rachel was getting bored and fussy telling me it was time for her nap. I was about to get up when Dustin stopped me saying he'd take care of it, knowing that my family was here for so long and he knew I wanted to spend as much time with them as I could before they went back to Boston.

Dustin was really an amazing dad. He adored Rachel, she had him wrapped around her little finger(well then again anyone that had met Rachel was wrapped around her finger) on most of his days off he'd take care of her for the day giving me a little brake or we'd go out into the city and just spend the day together as a family. Rachel just seemed to make our lives so much brighter.

1996:

"hmm I wonder where my little star can be?" I sing songed while playing a game of hide and seek with Rachel before I had to leave for work. I hear a giggle and see two little feet peeking out from behind the window curtain; her favorite hiding spot. "oh well I can't find her guess I'm just going to have to give up."

"Boo! Here am mommy!" she says jumping out of her hiding spot.

"Ah! There you are come here you the tickle monsters been looking for you!" I tell her as she starts to run around the living room. I catch her and bring her to the couch where I start to tickle her all over.

"hahaha mommy, stop no more tickles."

"say the magic words."

"Pweas!"

"Alright come on now little star let's go see what your daddy's doing." I tell her as I set her down on the ground letting her scamper ahead of me to the master bedroom, where I know Dustin is pretending to sleep.

"Mommy we have to be shhh!" she tells me as she brings her finger to her lips to make the shushing sound.

"But why?" I ask her.

"cause daddy is sleeeeping" she says dragging out the es.

"Are you sure?" I ask her as she turns her whole body to look at me so she doesn't see Dustin 'wake up' behind her.

"yes…ah!" she shrieks as Dustin grabs her from behind tossing her in the air before cradling her to his chest.

"Daddy you up!"

"I am. Now come on love bug let's go make mommy a lunch so she has something to eat at work." He tells her as they walk out of the room together leaving me to finish getting ready. I had recently been hired as a music teacher at a local middle school it was only 3 days out of the week for two hours but the pay was good and I enjoyed teaching. It had been hard at first on both Rachel and I who were used to being with each other 24/7 basically. But we got used to it eventually. And this job was only temporary I still planned on going back to the stage and auditioning for shows but not until Rachel started school at least.

"bye honey and thank you for lunch." I tell Dustin as I grab my lunch and give him a kiss.

"Alright Rachel come give your mama a kiss good bye." Dustin calls to her. She comes running at me arms stretched out so I can pick her up.

"mmmwaaa! Bye, bye mommy I love yous."

"love you to little star be good for daddy ok?" I tell her as I hand her back to Dustin.

"otay! Bye!"

As I walk down the sidewalk I turn around and can still see her waving to me from the window waiting for me to wave back and of course I do like I always do.

1997:

Let's see the house is clean, errands are done, dinner is in the oven but I still feel like something's off. I take a seat at the dining room table just soaking in the silence that is so rare to come by sometimes. Wait a minute, it's quiet too quiet! "Rachel!" something tells me that little girl is up to no good. "What are you doing sweetie?" I call out to her getting up from my spot at the table.

"uhh coloring?" she says but more as a question.

As I make my way to the hallway I find my little artist drawing a sun…on the walls.

"Rachel!" she stops what she's doing and turns to look at me with some of the biggest eyes I had ever seen, trying to act innocent because she knows I've already reprimanded her for drawing on the walls before.

"Yes mama?" I know she knows she's in trouble

"What is this?" I ask her pointing to the wall.

"My dwaing, see see dats me and you at the park and, and over dere dats daddy he's singing the Maria song on bwoad" her eyebrows scrunch up a bit as she tries to pronounce the word "bwoadway. Mama, we go to the park today? I want to go on the swing! I be back I needs my shoes." She tells me starting to walk to her room hoping that she's distracted me enough that I've forgotten about the wall art.

"Rachel Elizabeth you stop right there." I tell her in I mean business voice. " now turn around and come back here." She walks back slowly with her head down little crocodile tears at the corners of her eyes already. Oh yes my daughter at the age of 3 already knew how to cry on demand, she would definitely make an excellent actress when she got older.

"yes mama?"

"what have I told you about coloring on the walls?"

"Not too."

"so you knew what you were doing was bad but did it anyway?" She nods her head some tears trickling down her face.

"I sowy mama."

" I forgive you" I tell her bending down and wiping her tears "but you still need to go sit down in the time out corner for three minutes."

"but I say sowy!"

"I know you did but that doesn't mean you don't get a time out. Now go on you know where to go." I tell her giving her a little nudge in the direction of the living room where there was a little chair in the corner for when she misbehaved and lately you could say that little chair and her had become best friends with the amount of time she spends over there. From what my mother and sister had told me she was just testing my limits seeing how much she could get away with, and not to worry it's just a phase and it should pass soon. I walk to the bathroom and grab the cleaning supplies but not before taking a quick picture of the drawing because it was too cute not t take a picture of.

"I'm home!" I hear Dustin yell as he walks through the front door. I walk over to the living room to greet him.

"daddy!" Rachel yells running and giving him a hug I let her say a quick hi before telling her to go back to the corner.

"humph! You so mean mommy!"

"come on now Rachel you only have one more minute."

"One minute that's forever!" she says as she sits down sulking staring at the wall. The rest of the evening passes by like normal dinner, a bath for Rachel, and then tucking her in for the night after Dustin reads her a story and I sing her a song.

Finally Dustin and I were laying down in our bedroom, I started to kiss him along his jaw line hoping he'd get the message of me wanting to be intimate with him tonight. It had been a while since we had been together as husband and wife.

"Not tonight Shelby besides Rachel's asleep right across the hall."

"you know she sleeps like the dead come on it's been forever since last time. And between work, your musical and taking care of Rach I just miss being able to do this with you." I tell him while climbing over him and delivering kisses to chest and face.

"I'm just not in the mood Shelby."

"you never seem to be in the mood anymore." I say as get off of him and lay back down on my side of the bed, turning away from him.

"Awe Shelbs I'm sorry I'm just tired come on how about this Saturday we get a sitter for Rachel and we go out just the two of us?"

"really?"

"yes just the two of us." I give him one more kiss before snuggling up to him and falling asleep next to him a little while later.

"You look extra pretty mommy. Like a princess!" Rachel tells me as I walk out of my room all dressed up and grab my purse getting ready to head out the door.

"Thank you sweetie. Now you listen to Kelly and be on your best behavior for her. Ok?"

"Don't worry Ms. Corcoran Rachel and I will have loads of fun tonight I even brought some fancy hats and necklaces so we can have a tea party later."

"yay! Otay mommy you can go now. Come on Kelly lets go play tea party now." She tells the 16 year old as she starts to drag her down the hall to her room.

"hey don't I get a kiss and hug good bye first?"

"oh!" she exclaims before running back to give me a hug and a kiss. I turn to Kelly and remind her where the emergency numbers are and what restaurant Dustin and I would be at, and that we'd be home by nine.

"And remember Rachel needs to be in bed by eight ok?"

"Got it! Now go have good time everything will be fine here."

Fifteen minutes later I was sitting down at the restaurant where Dustin had gotten us a reservation, waiting for him. He had told me he'd meet me here right after his show had ended, which was a little over an hour and a half ago. Where was he? I figured he'd be at the most 20 minutes late but an hour and thirty minutes? The restaurant was only like a ten-minute walk from the theater. I was now waiting outside the restaurant about to walk over to the theater Dustin preforms at to see if he was still there. Right when I turned to start walking in the direction of the theater I bump into someone causing me to lose my balance thankfully they catch me before I hit the ground. When I straighten myself out and look up to thank who ever caught me I see it's actually Dustin.

"Shelby, sorry didn't see you there. Where are you going?"

"Home now I guess. Where the hell were you? I've been waiting here for over an hour and a half!"

"I'm so sorry, the director wanted me to meet some friends of his and we started talking about this new project he's working on and…"

"Is that lipstick on your cheek?"

"Huh? Oh uh yea must missed that from when Sarah [his co-star who plays Maria] kissed me in the last act." He says quickly rubbing off the make up stain.

"So what you couldn't say excuse me but I'm standing up my wife by staying here and talking."

"Shelby we were discussing the possibility of me originating the staring role in his new project you know original roles are harder to come by!"

"Yes but if he really wanted you he would've understood that your family comes first! You said tonight it would just be us! I just feel like you're pulling away from me but I don't know why."

"Shelby you know I love you and your right you and Rachel come first. How long do you have the baby sitter for?"

"Until nine."

"We still have a little over an hour why don't we go dancing or something?"

"Ok but you still owe me a date."

That was one of my other mistakes I made excusing Dustin's pulling away from me as a result of being tired from work.

It's the age of princesses and pirate ships
And the seven dwarfs
Daddy's smart
And you're the prettiest lady in the whole wide world
And I know I had the best day
with you today

1998-1999: A moment full of fairytales.

1998:

"Rachie wake up! It's Christmas!"

"No I go back to bed!"

"But Rachie don't you want to see the presents Santa left there's like a hundred down there!"

"Presents! Why didn't you say that first! Come on Mattie we have to go wake everyone up!"

"Ok I'll wake up my mom and dad and you wake up your mom and dad and I think grandma and grandpa are awake already."

"Ok race ya!"

"Winner gets to open the first present!"

"Ready..."

"Set…"

"Go!" I ran down the hall to where mommy and daddy were sleeping and started to jump up and down on the bed yelling for them to get up.

"Wake up! Wake up! It Christmas!" Mommy just turned over on her side and told me "just 5 more minutes little star please?"

"No now! Mattie and I are racing and I have to win so, I can open my presents first!"

"Hmm a race you hear that Dustin? You better get up so Rachel can win"

"Why me?"

"Because nobody can get Julie out of bed before noon. So I can sleep in for 10 more minutes and still win."

"Then so can I"

"Nope you're still racing against Michael."

"I'm gonna win!" I hear Mattie yell from down the hall.

"Oh no come on daddy lets go we can't let Mattie and uncle Mike win!" I tell him while trying to pull him out of bed.

" Come on love bug climb on my back." I climb up onto my daddy's back and yell, "go!" we see Mattie and uncle mike come running up ahead of us and I yell for daddy to run faster.

"And the winner by a hair..." my grandpa says as we get to the living room. "Is Matt and Michael!"

"Awe no fair!"

"Sorry sweet heart looks like we lost this time."

"That's ok daddy I still love you. We win next time. Mommy you awake so now we can open presents right Grandma?" I ask grandma as I run to give my mommy a hug.

"Nope were still waiting for your uncle David to get here."

"Did someone say my name?"

"Uncle David you're here now we can open presents!" Mattie shouted as uncle David walked through the door.

"Nope not until your mom wakes up Matthew. Hmm but I'll tell you what whoever wakes up Aunt Julie first will get to have a cookie before breakfast."

"aunt Julie!"

"mom!" we both shouted Matthew running up the stairs before me because mommy wouldn't put me down.

"Mommy let me go! I needs to wake up aunt Julie!"

"I know that's why I'm going to tell you the trick to waking her up." She said before whispering in my ear what to tell aunt Julie.

When I walked into the room Mattie was jumping on the bed but Aunt Julie was still asleep.

"we'll never get her up and then we'll have to wait till were like 20 to open our Christmas presents!

"I know how to get her up watch!" I went next to aunt Julie and whispered what mommy told me to in her ear and then stepped back pulling Mattie with me so we wouldn't gets runned over by aunt Julie.

"David! You're so dead!" aunt Julie shouted as she ran out of the room and down the stairs.

"what did you tell her?"

"that uncle David threw all her clothes in the mud."

After grandma told aunt Julie to stop chasing uncle David [mommy was just laughing the whole time but grandma gave her an angry stare so she stopped] we opened presents and then ate some chocolate chip pancakes that mommy and aunt Julie made (but grandma let me eat a snicker doodle that I shared with Mattie first).

After breakfast daddy and uncle mike called Mattie and I to the living room.

"ok so we have one last Christmas present for both of you." Uncle Mike said as him and daddy pointed to the Christmas tree where there were two boxes with holes in them. When we got closer the top of box with my name moved. Mattie and I counted to three and opened them at the same time and when we did out jumped a puppy!

"A puppy! Mommy look, look I got a puppy." I told her as I picked up the puppy and ran to her.

"I see both you and Matthew did what are you guys going to name them?"

"We get to keep it for reals?"

"yes its present from me and daddy for being extra good this year. So think of a name for her so we know what to call her ok?"

"hmm that's hard. I'm going to see what Mattie calls his puppy."

"I named mines Charlie what are you naming yours Rachie?"

"I no know."

"here maybe eating another snicker doodle will help." He says giving me half of his cookie. Right when I grab the cookie my puppy starts to jump on me trying to eat my cookie!

"hey no you can't eat my snicker doodle! Mommy daddy I know what I'm going to names her!"

"what's her name love bug?"

"Mia Snicker doodle the four! But I call her Mia for short."

"why is her name Mia Snicker doodle the four?" mommy ask me.

"Mia cause it's pretty, Snicker doodle cause she keeps trying to eat mines and she's the four in our family. Daddy's number one Mommy's number two, I'm number 3 so Mia's number 4!"

"oh well that's a very pretty name sweetie now why don't you go play with her before it's time for your nap."

"Mommy I too big for naps!"

"Mia can sleep on the bed with you."

"really? Ok."

"come on Mia lets go play with my toys I got!"

This is the best Christmas ever!

Early 1999:

"mmmwwwaaa! Have fun at the zoo with daddy." mommy tells me as she gives me a kiss.

"why can't you come too?"

"because I have work today but when you get home I want to hear all about it so you try and remember everything ok?"

"ok bye mommy I love you! Daddy I'm ready to go!"

At first it was only me and daddy at the zoo but when we got to the monkeys this lady with short brown hair and a short dress came up to my daddy and hugged him and then they kissed each other on the lips! What? Why did they do that? Only mommies and daddies are supposed to kiss on the lips!

"Daddy!"

"oh Rachel come here love bug I want you to meet a friend of daddy's."

"hi Rachel it's very nice to finally meet you! My names Amy and your daddy's told me so much about you he says that you're an amazing singer, you know I sing on Broadway with your dad."

"Why did you kiss my daddy on the lips?"

"oh! Well ummm…"

"Daddy why did you guys kiss on the lips? I thought only mommies and daddies can do that."

"well you see love bug that's just the way some grown ups say hi to one another."

"But…"

"why don't we keep this a secret though if you do I'll buy you two toys from the gift shop ok?"

"umm ok."

"now how about we go see some tigers!"

"So how was the zoo yesterday with daddy?" mommy asked me while I was eating my coco puffs.

"it was ok."

"why only ok?"

"cause daddy's friend Amy came and daddy talked to her more than me. And she was holding daddy's hand but then I would get in the middle so daddy couldn't hold her hand but then she'd just hold his other hand! And I don't like her mommy! it was supposed to be me and daddy's day not daddy, Rachel and Amy day! And you know what else she did mommy? Her and daddy kissed on the lips three times! I asked daddy why and he said that's just how some grown-ups say hello. But I never see you say hello like that with your friends afore!"

"they kissed?"

"yup on the lips it was gross! Oh no I was supposed to keep the kiss a secret! Do you think daddy will be mad?" when I looked up at mommy her face looked really white like when she gets sick.

"mommy? you look sick are you sick? Maybe you need a nap."

"what? Umm no sweetie I'm not sick but you know what mommy is a little tired so I'm going to go lie down for a little while why don't you go watch a movie in the living room ok sweetie?"

"ok mommy! when you wake up we can watch little mermaid together!"

What the fairytales never told me was that not all kisses brought happily ever after, some kisses compelty destroyed the happy endings.

A/N#2: so thoughts? Questions? If you're confused or see any mistakes let me know I finished this at 1am so I might not have caught all my mistakes. Umm when Rachel's talking or it's in her POV and words are misspelled etc. that's jus because it's the way she says a word/her grammatical level. And btw the dogs Matthew and Rachel got were a clavier king cocker spaniel(Matthew's) and a yorkie (Rachel's).

So what do you think is going to happen with Dustin and Shelby? And how's Rachel going to handle being in the middle of all this drama that is going to come? Review and let me know what you think! Lyrics from "in my daughters eyes" by Martina McBride and "the best day" by Taylor Swift. I'll respond to reviews next chapter I'm way too tired to do it now so good night/morning or whatever time it is where you are! :)