Rehearsal was terrible. Mr. Goolsby had no say in what we did and Shelby was a dictator. I think that she was still not over everything that happened with the party and all of the kids that were drinking because she worked us until we could barely stand and then she pushed us harder.

At the end of rehearsal I waited for Kennedy to finish talking to a few people and then we walked out to the car together. Shelby was waiting for us when we finally got there and then it was a fight to see who had to sit in the front seat. Shelby rolled her eyes as we argued and finally I gave up and sat in the front while Kennedy took the back seat.

It was a quiet ride back to their house and when we got there we all got out and walked to the door and then paused. I saw that there was a different car in the driveway and I guessed that it was Shelby's parent's car. We all took a deep breath and then Shelby opened the door and we all walked inside.

I could hear their voices coming from the kitchen and Shelby walked into the room while Kennedy and I hung back and waited a minute before we walked into the kitchen. When we did I felt their eyes divert from Beth and Shelby to Kennedy and I. Kennedy took a deep breath and then spoke.

"Grandma, Sargent, this is Rachel. My sister." There was a brief silence before the man Kennedy had addressed as Sargent spoke.

"So you are the girl my daughter gave away. It's nice to finally meet you." He shook my hand and then he turned to Shelby and gave her a disapproving look.

"Sorry about him he isn't the loving type." His wife joked and then got up and took my hands. "Let me get a good look at you." She looked at me and smiled. "You look exactly how I imagined you. Strong yet very feminine..."

"She looks exactly like Kennedy, she wasn't hard to imagine."

"Oh shush will you?" She scolded her husband and then turned back to me. "You are different from Kennedy, your eyes don't have the same feeling behind them and I can tell that you listen unlike your sister, or mother for that fact."

"Hey. I listened." Shelby was defending herself to her parents.

"Oh you listened like a brick wall. I don't know how you can get mad at Kennedy when you did things that were much worse at her age."

"I made my mistakes and I want to keep her from making the same ones..."

"Like being a surrogate mother so you can get enough money to get away from your parents and try to make it big on broadway? How did that work out for you?" Shelby's eyes went cold and she didn't respond to her mother's attack she just sat there and took it much like Kennedy did when Shelby did that to her.

"So grandma what brings you here?" Kennedy was trying to change the subject.

"Your mother called and told us about the little party you had this weekend and she asked if we would be willing to set you straight. Apparently you haven't been listening to her have you?"

"No ma'am."

"Any reason in particular?" Kennedy looked at me and then back to her grandparents.

"I don't think I should have been grounded the first time..."

"Why not?"

"She lied to me for years about having a sister. I was in shock when Rachel showed up here and I couldn't deal with it. I couldn't trust her and I didn't want to be around her so I left."

"Shelby what do you think?"

"She skipped school and I told her what happens when she does not attend her classes."

"Do you think that you could have talked to her about everything instead of punishing her? I mean it was your fault that she didn't attend classes..."

"Are you siding with her?" Shelby was becoming defensive. She stood up and placed Beth on her hip and faced her mother with her cold eyes.

"I am not siding with her Shelby. I am clearly stating that your father and I always told you not to lie, especially to your daughter. That being said." She turned to Kennedy. "Your little party was uncalled for. You broke the law by drinking and we will not tolerate that from either of you." She looked at both of us with disappointment. "Now I think your mother has punished you for your actions but lets make it clear that if anything like that happens while we are here your mother will not be punishing you. That will be left to the Sargent and I. Am I clear?"

"Yes ma'am." We said in unison.

"Alright now I am sure that you are all hungry. I have some dinner set aside for the three of you." She walked over to the microwave and pulled out a plate and handed it to me. "Shelby told me that you were a vegan. I hope you like it."

"Thank you I'm sure I will." She turned from me and then walked to the oven and pulled out some food for Kennedy and Shelby and put it on plates and handed it to them.

We ate at the table and when we were done Kennedy and I washed the dishes and then went up to her room to work on some home work.

When Kennedy closed her door and walked over to the bed I turned to her and smiled.

"I thought you said that they were mean?"

"You have no idea. They were on their best behavior with you."

"Really?"

"Usually they don't think my mother has punished me enough."

"What do they make you do? I mean she makes you run what can be worse?"

"Lashings."

"What?"

"Sargent is hard core. You screw up you get the switch or the belt depending on what is closer."

"And I thought Shelby was tough."

"Yeah you will never make that mistake when they are around."

"How often do they visit?"

"Not often. My mother can't stand them for longer than a week."

"So why did she invite them?"

"She knows I won't act out when they are here. She figures that them being here for a week is better than trying to keep me in line for a week. Plus it's free babysitting for Beth."

"How are they with Beth?"

"Fine. I mean when I behave they are fine with me too. They love their grandkids. Why do you care about Beth so much? If you don't mind me asking."

"I know her mother."

"Friend of yours?"

"I wouldn't quite say friend but she was in my glee club."

"Wait so she is our age?"

"Yeah why?"

"My mother said that Beth's mother was like twenty."

"She lied to you about Quinn?"

"Quinn is her mother? She was the blonde right?"

"Yeah. Puck is her father, the one with the mohawk."

"I can't believe my mother."

"She might think that not telling you the truth is helping you..."

"How? I don't know anything about my own sister. How does that help me?"

"Maybe there is a reason..."

"Yeah something else to keep from me. Another part of her life that she wants to cut me out of."

"That is not it..."

"Really? That is what it feels like. She hates having me as a daughter. I can't be good enough for her. She wants me to be perfect and I can't be that daughter. That was why she wanted Beth. She wanted a second chance at the perfect daughter. She couldn't raise you being as you were already the person you were going to become so she had to find a replacement. Why not find a pregnant teenagers daughter to raise? I mean someone did that with you and you are all that I never was, maybe that is the key. If you raise a daughter that isn't yours they turn out great. Not like me, something better..."

"Kennedy calm down! You think that you have it so bad but at least she wanted to be your mother." Kennedy calmed down and sat on the bed next to me.

"I'm sorry."

"No it's fine. I mean up until last week you had no idea and I get that you aren't used to sharing her with someone. I mean Beth requires a lot of attention but not the same kind you need."

"You know that she loves you..."

"No I don't. She told me that she doesn't want me at Carmel. She has told me that she doesn't want me in her glee club, that doesn't sound like love to me."

"She doesn't know how to express her feelings..."

"Yeah but at least when you get in trouble she cares enough to make sure you don't do it again. With me she just punishes me as a front to you."

"What are you talking about?"

"She gave you the real punishments and she gave me the simple tasks that would make you mad that she was treating me nicer than you."

"I wasn't mad..."

"I know that but she doesn't. She thinks that it is some type of phycological war fare."

"I mean I am a little jealous that you have a better relationship with our mother than I do."

"You're jealous of our relationship?"

"Yeah I mean you don't fight, that much. And you should see the way she looks at you. It's like you are giving her what I couldn't be..."

"But I am not you. I am Rachel, her other daughter that she doesn't want. She looks at me like I am you but I'm not. And for the point of argument you aren't you either. She sees something that isn't there and I am tired of trying."

"So does that mean you are done with Carmel?"

"No. I might be done trying with her but I am not done with getting to know you. We have quite a few years to make up for and I want to spend all the time with you that I can."

"I think you are making a mistake."

"What you don't want to get to know me?"

"Not that. Don't give up on her, she doesn't know how to deal with a good daughter. I mean all she had was me and well you can see how I tried her often. Give her one more chance." I was quiet. I knew that me trying a lot didn't mean that much to me but it seemed to mean a lot for her.

"I don't know..."

"Please." Her eyes pleaded with me and I couldn't say no.

"I'll give her one more chance, but it is going to be on my terms."

"That is fine."

"I'm still going home."

"I figured."

"You won't tell her?"

"Of course not. There are somethings that we have to stick together on and lying is one of them."

"Thanks."

"You're family that is sort of what we do."


After they went up to Kennedy's room I excused myself to go and talk to them about today. I wanted to make sure they knew that I was not mad about the songs Dustin chose for them to sing, I was just shocked. I was about to knock on Kennedy's door when I heard them talking.

"Really? That is what it feels like. She hates having me as a daughter. I can't be good enough for her. She wants me to be perfect and I can't be that daughter. That was why she wanted Beth. She wanted a second chance at the perfect daughter. She couldn't raise you being as you were already the person you were going to become so she had to find a replacement. Why not find a pregnant teenagers daughter to raise? I mean someone did that with you and you are all that I never was, maybe that is the key. If you raise a daughter that isn't yours they turn out great. Not like me, something better..." I was shocked by what Kennedy was saying. I didn't want her to be perfect I just wanted her to do the best that she could. I wanted her to have all the opportunities that I never had. I loved her just the way she was, and yes I pushed her but I did it with the best intentions.

"Kennedy calm down! You think that you have it so bad but at least she wanted to be your mother." I backed away from the door. I had forgotten that Rachel came to my door the day that all of this went down. I don't think I even asked why she came.

"You know that she loves you..." I really did and I was glad Kennedy knew that and was trying to tell her.

"No I don't..." That was all I needed to hear. I backed away from the door and went downstairs to where my parents were playing with Beth.

I grabbed Beth from them and then walked to the stairs and took a deep breath. Rachel really thinks that I don't want her and that's not true, I just don't know how I can be her mother. She has a life already and I just don't fit into that life, not in the way that she wants me to. I took Beth into her room and then set her in her crib while I got the stuff ready for her bath. I walked into the bathroom and got all of that ready and when I turned to go back into her room my mother was standing at the door.

"What's wrong." I pushed past her and went into Beth's room and grabbed her. My mom followed me and stood at the doorway waiting for my answer.

"Nothing that concerns you." I walked past her again and carried Beth into the bathroom.

"If it concerns you it concerns me, you're my daughter."

"Why do you think something is wrong. Maybe I just want to give Beth a bath."

"You went upstairs to talk to Rachel and Kennedy and you came down too quickly to have talked to them."

"Maybe I changed my mind."

"You don't change your mind, like I said you're my daughter."

"Kennedy thinks I want her to be perfect and Rachel thinks I don't love her."

"They told you this?"

"Not to my face. I heard them talking through the door."

"And that stopped you? Do you think that I never heard you and your sister talking about what a horrible mother I was? Did that ever stop me? It hurts don't get me wrong but you need to take the night and then put on your strong face and in the morning act like you heard nothing. If they see that their words hurt they will take you down when you can. Take my word for it." I looked down at Beth in my arms and then back to my mother.

"I'm sorry for all the hurtful things that I might have said when I was younger."

"I know you are. In fits of anger people say things and while you can never take back what you said your apology says a lot about how you have changed."

"Would you like to help me give Beth a bath?"

"I would love to." She helped me undress Beth and then get her into the water.

Beth laughed as I washed her with the wash cloth. My mom helped keep her occupied as I washed her hair and when I was done we wrapped her in a towel and brought her into her room. My mother took over changing her and then we put her to bed. When that was done my mother went back down stairs and I went into Rachel's room seeing that the light was on.

She was packing her suit case when I came to the door. I knocked on the door frame and saw her turn to me.

"Ready to go home?"

"Yeah, speaking of which I need to talk to you about that."

"You do?"

"Yeah. My dads just called and they aren't going skiing."

"Why not?"

"They got into a fight and they decided not to spend the money on a couple's get away when they were fighting."

"Oh."

"So I won't be coming back."

"I see that. So what are we going to do about your punishment? I mean you still had the party and I was planning on you carrying out your full punishment."

"Yeah well, I will still come to the lunch rehearsals but I think that my dads will have an opinion on how to punish me."

"You're going to tell them?"

"That was my plan."

"Alright. So do you need some help?"

"I think I have everything."

"Okay. Well good night."

"Night." She turned from me and then went back to packing her suit case.

I walked from her room and then went to Kennedy's room and knocked on the door and waited.

"Go away." She called from the other side and I rolled my eyes and opened the door and walked in.

She had her feet up in the air supported on her wall with her back on her bed. She turned to me when I walked in and glared.

"I guess go away means come in to you."

"No go away means that you are up to no good. That and I don't care if you want me to come in, it's my house." She threw her legs over her head and flipped off her bed and then walked over to her dresser.

"So you came in here for a reason which is?"

"To talk to you."

"About what?" She turned from her dresser and looked at me.

"Things about today."

"Like what? I am pretty sure we covered everything that we needed to talk about."

"Will you cut the attitude?"

"Why does it make me seem like I don't want to talk to you?"

"Yeah..."

"Good, at least you're getting the point."

"Kennedy!"

"Is something going on in here?" My dad stood at the door waiting for an answer.

"No sir." Kennedy straightened up when she answered him and then we walked into her room.

"Good. So you wouldn't mind if I sat in here and listened while your mother talked to you."

"Not all all sir."

"Go ahead Shelby ask her your question."

"Let's talk about where all this hostility started because up until last week we were fine."

"Have you not listened to me any other time we talked? We have gone through this many times..."

"Don't talk to your mother that way." My dad snapped at Kennedy and she didn't respond well to that but she didn't talk back.

"Take me through it one last time will you?"

"I am mad that you think that you had the right to keep Rachel from me. I am also mad that you have this need for me to be perfect. I know that you think that you don't do that but you do. I hate it. You have this need to control everything in my life and you can't. This is my life and I have to make my own mistakes."

"I get that you feel like I want you to be perfect but I push you because if I don't no one will..."

"I will. You have to trust that I will push myself if it is something that I want to be doing. Like I said I have to make my own mistakes..."

"Like drinking?"

"If that is what I have to do then yes." I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.

"As your mother I can't let you make that mistake. That is not something that I will stand by and let you do. I'm sorry if you think that I am a horrible mother but I will not let you break the law."

"It's my life..."

"That I am responsible for. I'm sorry that you feel the way you do about me but I'm not going to let you ruin your life. Good night."

"Night." I turned to my dad and we left the room closing her door behind us.

"So what do you think?"

"She has your attitude."

"I know and that is what worries me."

"I think that the harder you push her the harder she will push back."

"How do you know that?"

"I raised you didn't I? And sometimes I wish I hadn't pushed you so hard."

"Is the Sargent going soft?" I nudged my dad and he smiled.

"I just might be, but don't let your mother know." He smiled and then walked into his room.

There were a lot of similarities between Kennedy and I. Maybe my dad was right, I had to stop pushing her so hard.

A/n: Two POV this chapter but I wanted to get this out. I hope you like it please review ! Oh and does any one know a good song that Shelby should make them do as a group number?

-Katie