Chapter 10
Shelby tightens the hold on Rachel hoping that the closeness of her touch will calm her daughter down. Shelby plants a few quick kisses on her daughter's cheek. "Mom, Dad, make a wall" Shelby instructs her family.
And as if they've done this several times before, Matthew, Deborah, and Emily stand side by side in the entry way that is connecting the elevator area to the lobby of the apartment building. Their bodies form a make-shift wall to prevent the noise and flashing lights of the paparazzi.
Shelby lowers a clinging Rachel to the floor but squats down to be eye level with her frightened daughter. Shelby notices Rachel's yes are squeezed tightly shut and begins to rub soothing circles on her back. "Bug, can you look at me? No one is around us. It's just mommy." Shelby lightly caresses away her daughter's tears and gently pushes Rachel's chin to look up at her. "Please baby, look at me."
Rachel pushes out her lower lip that makes Shelby's heart flux. Rachel opens her eyes and finds her mother's beautiful hazel eyes adoringly staring at her. "Hi Mommy."
Shelby smirks, "Hi Rachel. Can you listen to Mommy for a second?"
"Yes, I can." Rachel heavily nods while she wraps her tiny arms around her mother's neck still unsure of the entire situation. Rachel wanted her mother's comfort but she mainly just wanted to go to the zoo with her family. She really didn't understand all the people yelling hers and her mother's name.
Shelby sits on the title floor and places Rachel in her lap, so she can talk with her little tike but still hold her. "Okay, so the people that are crowding around over there aren't trying to hurt us. They just like to take a lot of pictures."
Rachel quickly chimes in, "of us?"
"Yes, of me and you."
"Why, Mommy?"
"Well, they think you are so pretty and special that they want some pictures."
"Then why are they yelling?" Rachel frowns looking upon her mother with puppy dog-like eyes that make Shelby willing to do anything for her.
Shelby half smiles upon her daughter and gently pushes hair behind Rachel's ear. Shelby isn't sure if Rachel will understand the idea of fame, but now is the best moment to try and explain it to her. She wished she had thought to discuss this before they left their home. She also wished she had already figured out what to say because she doesn't want to put more fear in her daughter, but she also wants her to understand that strangers will be approaching them at some moments while they are out in public.
"Honey, it's their job to get pictures of people who are famous. Do you know what famous means?" Rachel shook her head quizzically at her mother. "Well I am a bit famous because of my job. And that means a lot of people want to see what I do and where I go outside of my job. And since you're my daughter, they also want to know what you're doing. Mommy doesn't like that part, but we will have to deal with it." Shelby stops talking for a moment not sure if anything she said made sense to her little tot.
Rachel turns her head still looking a bit perplexed, "Mommy?"
"Hmm?" Shelby stares at her daughter in earnest.
"What's your job?" She shrugs her shoulders not knowing.
Shelby genuinely smiles at Rachel, "Well I am a performer. I'm an actress and a singer. I do that in the theater."
"And a loooooots of people watch you?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Shelby chuckles and looks up upon hearing her family's laughter as well. The trio have been listening to every word Shelby has spoken. Deborah gives her daughter an encouraging nod wanting her daughter to keep answering questions that her granddaughter has.
"Well, honey people enjoy listening to me sing and act."
"Are you good at it Mommy?"
"Yes, she is!" Matthew, prideful of his daughter's accomplishments, jumps in the conversation and smiles down at his daughter and granddaughter.
"Ohhhh. Okay." Rachel shrugs off the new found information.
"Okay?" Shelby wasn't sure if Rachel still had more questions or if this would be enough for now.
Rachel leans forward into Shelby's chest. A muffled, "Mommy?" comes out of the tiny four-year-old.
Shelby plants a few kisses a top of Rachel's head and mumbles out a "Hmm?"
"What does actress mean?"
Shelby smiles at her kid knowing that Rachel has some more questions. She doesn't even care that her family might look ridiculous sitting on the floor at this moment. Shelby only cares about Rachel's well-being. It's a new feeling for the young mother, but a delightful one needing to care for someone more than herself.
Shelby ponders Rachel's question for a moment before responding, "Well, an actress is a lady who pretends to be different people, different characters like from a book. And Mommy has played characters on TV shows and movies and right now in the theater."
Rachel sits up like a shot as if a lightbulb actually went off, "Oh! Mommy! Like Sofia? Like Sofia on TV, Mommy? You can be her?"
Shelby laughs, "Well yes someone, an actress, plays her part and does her voice. But, I haven't done cartoons yet."
Rachel beams up at her mom. She thinks she's getting this whole job thing. "Momma?"
"Yes, Rachel?"
"I want to see you do your job, okay?"
Shelby laughs and hugs her daughter, "I think that can be arranged." Shelby pulls Rachel up off the ground along with herself and picks her up to place her on her hip. "Okay my bug, so we are going to walk out there and those people are still going to want to take pictures of me and some of you. I don't want you to be afraid. If you want, you can squeeze me tight. I will not let go of you, okay?"
Rachel smiles at her mother, "Okay, Mommy but I want your picture too." Rachel snuggles into her mother's neck and clasps her hands around her mother.
Shelby smiles and shakes her head at the sweet innocence of her daughter. Shelby's parents and sister remove the make-shift wall and follow the elegantly poised Ms. Shelby Corcoran through the empty lobby but awaiting Paparazzi stalking the glass windows and entry doors.
Charlie, the doorman, immediately runs over towards the family. "I'm so sorry about all of this. I called the police, which finally got them out of the lobby. They won't be back inside ever again, Ms. Corcoran."
Shelby smiles at Charlie, "Thank you, Charlie. It's not your fault."
Charlie runs ahead to grab the door, "I think you might need a bodyguard for a while, Ms. Corcoran. I don't want to scare you, but these people are a bit aggressive." Charlie moved to hold the door open for the family.
Shelby just smiled and nodded toward Charlie, put her sunglasses on, and tightened her hold on her daughter who was not crying but in fact looking around mystified at the chaos in front of her. Shelby's father quickly moved in front of Shelby and began to push back some of the screaming photographers with his body. Emily and Deborah were doing the same and shaking their heads in disbelief. They had been to many events with Shelby and had witnessed a few paparazzi that had followed her, but had never seen the likes of this mayhem.
Shelby quickly climbed in the back of the SUV with her child in tow as her driver, George, held the door open for her. Shelby sucked in a breath at the chaos of this moment and only exhaled after all of her family made their way into the vehicle. "George, please just drive away quickly." Shelby begs as soon as George sat in the driver's seat.
"Of course, Shelby. I'll take the long route to the zoo." He smiled through the rearview mirror feeling bad for the star and her family.
Shelby still had a firm grip on Rachel who had been quiet through the final part of the ordeal. Her eyes were still bulging and Shelby was worried that her daughter was in shock.
Deborah gently questions her daughter, "Honey, shouldn't you put Rachel in her car seat?"
Shelby shook her head like she was shaking away her thoughts and immediately moved Rachel into her seat and began to buckle the tiny four-year-old in her new pink seat. "I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry." Shelby says to no one. Shelby kisses Rachel's cheeks and sits back to put her own belt on. "Sweetheart, are you okay?" Shelby questions Rachel who seems eerily quiet.
Rachel smiles when she turns her head towards her mother, "Yes. Mommy, you must be really good cause there were a lot a lot a lot of those people wanted your picture!"
Shelby laughs and sighs in a bit of relief that her daughter does not seem upset by the events but rather is taking them all in stride. Thank goodness, Shelby thought, for the innocence of children. Rachel didn't really grasp the maliciousness of the paparazzi, which was fine by Shelby for now.
The family drove mostly in silence for the next twenty minutes through busy New York City until George pulled over at Central Park near the zoo entry. Shelby smiled at their arrival hoping the family could just enjoy each other and their outing at the zoo with no more distractions.
Matthew, who had been sitting in the front with George, exits the vehicle first and in a lackluster manner looks around for any sight of lurking photographers. Much to his delight, he does not see anyone but tourists and locals making their way through the beautiful, yet chilly, Central Park. Matthew silently nods to his family in the SUV as a notion that all is clear.
Shelby removes her own buckle and begins to unbuckle Rachel who is quietly humming a song from Annie "okay, baby are you ready to see some animals?"
Rachel plasters an enormous smile and claps and kicks her feet simultaneously with a "YES!"
Shelby lightly laughs and pulls her baby out of the car and places her down on the cement and grasps a firm hold of her hand. "Hey bug, what do you want to see first?"
"I want to see bears, Mommy! PLEASE!" Rachel hops up and down as the mother and daughter duo walk to the front gates of the zoo.
"Bears, huh? Okay, we can head towards the bears." Shelby searched the area wondering if there were even bears at this particular zoo. She inwardly prayed there was but if not, she'd b-line it for the monkeys. Kids always loved the monkeys.
Rachel got her wish and saw the bears first even naming one Edward Bear, before heading to the elephants, the monkeys, the lions, zebras, and rhinos before needing a bathroom break. After Shelby and all of the ladies took a restroom break, the family retreated under a tree for a moment to make their next plan.
"We haven't seen the penguins yet. I would like to take Rachel to see the penguins." Matthew stated looking down at the zoo map he picked up on the way in.
"Only if Mommy goes too," Rachel immediately made known.
Shelby gently rubs Rachel's back to ease her fear, "of course I'll be there. We are all here together. And I love the penguins." Rachel grabs a hold of Shelby's arm and grips it like she's never going to let it go.
The four adults look at one another, none of them saying anything but all feeling pain for the tiny fearful girl. Shelby quickly picks up her little tot and nods her head towards the penguin area to get her family to move. Before they make it to the penguin area, Rachel spots a gift shop and a café with good smelling food inside. Her stomach was growling and she could use a snack. Although, she wasn't sure if she should ask her mother because she was told it was rude to ask for food. She inwardly sighed and lays her head on her mother's shoulder.
Shelby places her head on her daughter's and whispers, "are you tired?" But, Rachel shakes her head. Shelby can tell Rachel needs something, but is not telling her. Shelby turns Rachel to get her to lift her head. When Rachel does, Shelby puts her forehead on Rachel's forehead, "well I think my silly girl wants something but is not saying. Should I guess?"
Rachel smiles at her mother. She loves that Shelby seems to know exactly what she needs. "I love having a mommy." Rachel's thoughts extend outwardly.
"Well, I love having a daughter. Now what is it, baby?"
"I hungry, mommy."
Shelby stops in her tracks. She closes her eyes and realizes that she did not think to pack a snack or even a drink with one of Rachel's Sippy cups in her purse. She seriously needs to get herself together for Rachel. "Okay, bug. Let's get you some food."
Deborah can tell her daughter is mentally beating herself up and she closes in the gap as the group walk towards the gift shop and the attached café. "Honey, you're doing a great job. This morning has been hectic."
Shelby slightly turns towards her mother, places Rachel on the ground, and whispers, "but I should have known to pack her a snack." Deborah goes to say something more, but Shelby stops her, "please don't mom. I know, I know I'll get the hang of it. I just- I want to be the best for her. It's what she deserves." Shelby sighs as she walks her and her daughter over to the café counter.
Matthew places a soft hand on his wife's shoulder. "Let her find her place as a mom. We will talk to her about her need to be perfect, but right now she is overly worried and rightfully so about a lot of things she can't control right now. We know that feeling and it's tough. We just need to love and support her how she wants us to right now, Deb."
Deborah places a quick kiss on her husband's lips, "you are truly a wonderful man."
Emily smiles at her parents overhearing the conversation and walks past them to be with her sister. "I hope you're going to order something for me too, Shelbs. I'm starving."
Rachel looks up at her Auntie glad someone else is hungry. Emily looks down at her niece and winks. Rachel loves the feeling that her aunt understands her and grabs a hold of her aunt's hand.
"Of course I'll get you something. I wanted to go have lunch when we were done here, but do you think we should eat now? Or should we just have a small snack? Or a big snack? Or…"
Emily places her free hand on her sister's shoulder, "calm down, sis. I think just a quick snack for everyone is a good idea. It's only 11. We can eat, then finish up the zoo and head to a restaurant to eat. You're doing great. Don't over think things."
Shelby had tears in her eyes but nods at her sister. She didn't want to make a big deal about things, but she wasn't feeling like a good mother today- with the paparazzi scaring her daughter and forgetting to pack a snack- she was losing the mother battle today. Rachel sensed her mother being upset and tangles herself in her mother's legs and holds tight. Shelby smiles down at her daughter's action and abruptly lifts her daughter into her arms to hold her close.
Rachel kisses her mother's cheek whispering, "I glad you my mommy!"
It's as if Rachel knew Shelby needed to hear this to snap her out of her self-pity moment. "I love you my little, love bug. Let's get you a snack, okay?" Shelby turns her attention to the café counter and places a few snack orders for her family.
The Corcoran family finishes their snacks sitting at picnic table right outside of the entry of the gift shop. Matthew had noticed Rachel's attention had been going between her snack and the merchandise in the store over yonder. Matthew couldn't stop smiling at the similarities between his daughters and his granddaughter, but maybe it was just a kid being called home by the mother-ship anytime toys were in view.
Matthew decides to get the attention of the three ladies carrying on a conversation about redecorating Shelby's guest rooms. Clearing his throat, Matthew speaks up, "so would you ladies mind if I took Rachel in the store over there to check out some of the toys?"
Rachel's ears perked up at the mention of toys and the store. She had wanted to go in since the moment she saw the place. There were so many toys that looked a lot like some of the animals she had seen all day.
"I think that would be a great idea, Dad. Go ahead and take her." Shelby happily complies with her father's request.
"Wonderful, let's go little one." Matthew stands next to Rachel and holds out his hand.
Rachel frowns towards her mother when she notices she was not getting up to go with them. Rachel shakes her head looking up at her grandfather and folds her arms to her stomach as if she's protecting herself.
Shelby frowns upon seeing her daughter's reaction and bends forward to be closer to her face, "Rachel, don't you want to go see some of the toys? I bet your grandpa will even buy you something." Shelby tries to entice the little girl, but Rachel merely shakes her head not saying anything.
Shelby looks up to her father apologetically but Matthew shakes it off not wanting his daughter to get overly upset or worried over Rachel's reaction. "Hey Rachel, what if we brought your mother with us too? She might want a stuffed animal. I know she likes monkeys."
Shelby laughs at her father and notices that Rachel is smiling between her grandfather and her mother. "What do you say, Rach? Want to come with me and grandpa?"
Rachel jumps up from her seat and hangs on her mother's already outstretch arm, "yes please, mommy. Let's go see the toys!"
Matthew leads the way for the three of them knowing that Rachel's need of her mother goes deeper than just wanting to spend time with her mother. Shelby knows it as well and is hoping the psychiatrist appointment that coming Tuesday would supply them with some answers and guidance. But, until then Shelby decided that she wasn't going to press Rachel to be independent from her if she didn't want it.
Deborah shakes her head in disbelief and turns towards Emily, "what is it about gift shops?"
Emily shrugs and gets up to throw the trash on the table away. "I don't know, mom. But, if dad is buying Shelby something then he better buy me something. See ya!"
Deborah laughs at her daughter and decides to follow everyone in her family into the store.
Rachel hadn't let go of Shelby's hand but was pulling her in every direction she wanted to in order to see all of the plastic animals, stuffed animals, t-shirts with animals on them. She even found a section of books with animals in them, which was currently where she sat on the floor with her mother.
Rachel handed another book to her mother, so the duo could look through it. Shelby happily complied while Matthew stood not far taking a few photos with his point and shoot. A few customers of the store began to quietly whisper, point, and stare at the tot and her mother. Matthew annoyingly sighed hoping they would leave his daughter alone. One took out her phone and snapped a picture of the mother and daughter before Matthew was able to step in the way. He shot them a death stare and the two women quickly exited the shop.
Matthew felt the need to move on and finish up their day at the zoo before they were discovered by paparazzi. He bent down towards his daughter quietly, "Shelby, let's get going."
Shelby stopped reading from the book to turn and look up at her father panicked and looking around the store after hearing the serious tone in her father's voice.
Matthew places a comforting hand on Shelby's shoulder, "nothing's wrong peanut, but people are noticing you are here."
Shelby nodded and gathered the books and Rachel to a standing position, "Hey Rach, how about Mommy buys these books for us to take home? I can read them to you tonight."
"Really, Mommy?"
"Yes, baby. I'd love to buy them for you."
Rachel runs into her mother's legs and wraps her arms around them, "thank you, Mommy." She looks up at her mother, "I love you more than there are stars in the sky."
Shelby lifts her daughter up to her and squeezes her close, "Well that's good because I love you more than anything."
Emily walks towards her sister and niece holding a fuzzy and adorable stuffed monkey. "Hey Rachie, look what I found. I think she wants to go home with you."
Rachel's interest is perked and she eyes the cute, salt and pepper grey monkey. Rachel reaches for it, "thank you, Auntie."
Emily smiles, "you're welcome, niece."
Rachel wiggles out of her mother's embrace and rushes towards her grandfather, "could you help me take her home Pop Pop?"
Matthew melts at his newfound name and bends down towards his granddaughter, "Yes, Rachel I would love to help you bring her home. Will you walk with me over there so we can pay for her?" Matthew points towards the register only 10 or so feet away from Shelby. Rachel smiles, nods, and grabs a hold of her Pop Pop's hand. Matthew leans down questioning Rachel, "so, Pop Pop is my name huh?"
"Yes!" Rachel responds excitedly.
"Well, okay then." Matthew smiles with pride at his new nickname.
Once they found the aquarium, Rachel and her family found themselves watching the penguins slide, dive, and swim around the murky tank. Rachel was laughing every time the penguins came close to the glass. Matthew had picked her up so she could see better but Rachel kept looking back for her mother every few seconds. Shelby was just feet behind and would give a reassuring smile and wave every time Rachel turned around.
Twenty minutes later, Emily pulls herself away from the group to make a quick phone call. As she walks up a grassy hill she notices a wall of photographers clearly waiting for Shelby and Rachel to surface the aquarium area. Emily clenches her fists and wants to run over shouting threats and profanity at them, but she knows that will just make it worse for her sister. Instead, she turns on her heel and rushes back towards her family. Emily sends a quick text to George asking him to have the car ready in the same location as soon as he can.
Shelby's laughter at her enjoyment of her daughter and the penguins quickly evaporates at the sight of her frazzled sister. "Em, what's wrong?"
Emily out of breath clutches her phone that's still in her hand to her chest, "Shelby, I'm sorry. They found you. There's a whole bunch of paparazzi up on the hill near this buildings exit."
Shelby fumes and moves to head towards the exit wanting to see the sight for herself. Deborah inwardly sighs and follows her daughters out the entry of the building.
Rachel hadn't looked behind her to check for her mother for a few minutes but turned just as she saw her mother leave the exit of the room. Rachel's breathing increased rapidly and she wanted to yell out for her mommy but nothing escaped her lips when she mouthed the words "mommy."
Rachel began to cry and Matthew quickly averted his eyes from the penguins to his anguished granddaughter. "Rachel, shh it's okay. What's wrong?"
"Mommy, left. She left-left me." Rachel barely made out to her grandfather.
Matthew quickly turns both himself and his granddaughter in a half circle wondering where his family went and hugs Rachel a bit tighter trying to calm the preschooler down a bit. "Rachel, listen to me. Your mother has not left you. She will never leave you. She must have stepped outside for a moment that's all."
Rachel rapidly shakes her head not believing her Pop Pop and tries to wiggle out of his arms.
"Rachel, stop. What are you doing?" Matthew tries to keep his grasp on Rachel, but the girl's tiny figure slips through his embrace and she finds herself on the ground and turns to run away with her monkey in her grip.
Rachel sobs out an awful cry and unbeknownst runs right into the legs of her mother. Shelby immediately takes hold of her sobbing child and looks up to her father for some answers.
Matthew looks to be on the verge of tears hating that he almost lost his granddaughter and the anguish she appears to be in. "Shelby, I'm so sorry. She got upset when she couldn't find you."
"Oh Dad I'm so sorry. We just went outside real quick because the paparazzi found us." Shelby calmly places kisses on her daughter's cheek who almost seems unaware that Shelby has a hold of her, "Rachel, Mommy is right here. Baby please."
Rachel's cries become incoherent and Shelby looks to her family for some guidance.
"Sing to her," Deborah suggest giving her daughter a sympathetic nod.
Shelby nods and sits on one of the many cemented benches in the room. She rubs circles on her daughter's back while holding her close and begins to sing "Tomorrow" from Annie since Rachel appears to enjoy that musical. After a few lines into the song, Rachel begins to relax in her mother's arms and her crying subsides. But, Shelby keeps singing to her daughter wanting her completely calm. Rachel falls asleep in her mother's arms by the end of the song and Shelby stands up holding her sleeping beauty.
"Let's go guys. I'll talk with her when she wakes up. But, it's almost better if she's sleeping while we get to the car."
"Right, let's head out. Want us to walk in front of you?" Deborah questions her daughter.
"Uh, no just walk beside me and George should be there by now since Emily texted him."
"He is. I just got a confirmation text." Emily quickly informs her family.
They all head out and are instantly bombarded with journalists as well as paparazzi. Shelby keeps walking hoping the noise won't wake Rachel. The family makes their way over the icy, snowy hill and spots the SUV in the distance. Shelby feels as if she's going to be swallowed by the crowd of press. She really needs to speak with her publicist and figure out a game plan to prevent this from happening every time she leaves her house.
Shelby looks up ahead and notices Detective Banks moving aside the paparazzi making a small path to a black SUV parked on the curb by one of Central Park's exits. "Oh thank God." Shelby exasperates and she moves quickly towards Brain almost happy to see him. Her family quickly pick up their pace to follow Shelby's.
"Well, hello there Ms. Corcoran. I see you are causing a lot of trouble at Central Park today." Brian smiles at Shelby and motions her to get in the vehicle.
Shelby smiles back and shakes her head at the detective. Shelby places Rachel in her car seat overjoyed her toddler did not wake up during the ordeal walk to the SUV. Matthew sits up front again, while Deborah and Emily make their way to the third row. Detective Banks takes a seat on the other side of Rachel's car seat and quickly closes the door.
George takes off as soon as the door is closed, "Where to Shelby?"
Shelby buckles herself in, "Um let my dad decide, he's treating us all to lunch anyway." Matthew laughs from the front and mumbles something to George that Shelby doesn't hear because she adverts her attention to the Detective next to her. "So, thank you! And what are you doing here?"
Brian smiles at Shelby, "you're welcome. And I was trying to get a hold of you and Karen told me you were here. I saw the trouble with your public from earlier this morning. I thought you could use the help. Shelby, I think you need a bodyguard for a bit. I have the perfect guy who is great with kids if you're interested."
Shelby stares down at her peacefully sleeping daughter. She never would have thought she would need to walk around with a bodyguard. That wasn't who she was- she liked to be as normal as possible. But, things have changed so quickly with her daughter, and Rachel is her first priority. She needs to keep Rachel safe. "Okay, I'll speak with your guy. I think after I do an interview, things will come down a bit. Until then, I'll happily have someone walk around with me to help me protect this little one." Shelby kisses Rachel's head a few times and looks up to Detective Banks knowing he was probably not just with her to discuss a bodyguard. "So, what's going on? You said you were trying to get a hold of me?"
"Yes," the Detective inwardly sighs not ready for the next conversation he has to have with the young mother. "Shelby, I have some news about Rachel."
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I am not thrilled with this one, but I wanted to get in some important interactions between mother and daughter and their family. I know this is a crappy place to end this chapter, but I am hoping I'll have another chapter out by next weekend. Thank you so much for all the reviews and PMs I have received- they're so sweet and encouraging! Have a great rest of your Super Bowl weekend!