"Well?" Santana asked as Rachel emerged from her bedroom, dressed in a red dress, that flared out at the bottom. "How does she look?" Santana pointed to Beth, who was spinning around the living room in a pair of jeans, a solid white t-shirt and a yellow cardigan. Her hair was in two pigtails, high on top of her head.
"Beth, you look so cute," Rachel said as Beth ran towards her. Rachel scooped up the girl in her arms and gave her hug.
"Auntie Tana did my hair," Beth said reaching up and winding one of her pigtails around her finger.
"I see that, that was very nice of her." Rachel gave Santana a smile and turned her attention back to Beth. "Why don't you go grab your bag and your shoes?" Rachel said putting Beth back down and walking over to Santana who was standing at the kitchen counter. "Thank you Santana," Rachel said leaning her head on the girl's shoulder.
"No problem Berry," Santana said turning around and giving the smaller brunette a hug. "Are you sure you don't want me to go with you today, I'd be happy to blow off work."
Rachel shook her head, a grateful smile on her face. "That's not necessary, I don't even know how long this meeting with Mr. Delheim is going to be," Rachel said with a shrug. "I have classes to go to after anyways."
"What time does Beth need to be picked up?"
"I'll be picking her up around 4 o'clock and taking her with me to my rehearsals."
"I can pick her up if-"
"No thank you, really Santana, you've done so much already and I'm sure Dani misses you and would like sometime with you, so take advantage of the empty apartment," Rachel said nudging Santana knowingly. "Are you off to work now too? If you'd like you can walk with us."
"Yeah, sounds like a plan, let me just grab my purse," Santana glanced towards the door and smiled. "Her shoes are on the wrong feet."
Rachel laughed and grabbed her purse from the counter before making her way over to Beth. "Here let's fix those," Rachel said as she picked up Beth and set her on the couch.
Rachel, Santana and Beth stood outside of the Pre-School, Beth nervously standing between the two. "Do I have to go?" She asked, Rachel and Santana both nodded. "I'm scared," the child whispered.
"I have an idea," Rachel said with a smile as she dug through her bag for her phone. Beth and Santana watched as Rachel dialed a number and held the phone to her ear.
"Rach?" Quinn said her voice sounding rushed. "What's up, I'm just on my way to class, is everything okay? Is Beth okay?"
Rachel let out a small laugh. "She's fine, just a little scared to start her first day of Pre-School."
"Let me talk to her?"
"That's why I called," Rachel said as she handed Beth the phone. "Hey Bug, someone's on the phone for you."
"Hello," Beth said taking the phone and putting it up to her ear.
"Hey Baby."
"Quinn!" Beth exclaimed happily.
"I hear you're a little nervous."
Santana and Rachel watched as Beth nodded, listening intently to the words being spoken to her, a large smile building on her face. Beth let out a laugh. "Promise?" The little girl asked, squealing at the answer she was given before passing the phone back to Rachel.
"What did you say to her?" Rachel asked curiously earning a laugh from Quinn.
"That's between me and Beth," Quinn said. "I have to go though, I'll call you tonight?"
"Yes please, have a good day Quinn."
"You too Rach."
Rachel hung up the phone and looked at Beth. "Are you ready now?"
"Yes."
As they headed into the Pre-School, Santana pulled out a camera and it to Rachel. "Why did you need me to bring this?" She asked as she watched Rachel flip to camera mode.
"I didn't want Quinn to miss this."
"Hi, I'm Rachel Berry, I have a meeting with Mr. Delheim, I'm a little late, I apologize."
"That's quite alright Miss Berry," the lady at the front desk said checking the appointment book. "Go on in, he's waiting for you."
Rachel knocked on the door and opened it slowly, "Mr. Delheim?"
"Miss Berry, please come in," the man said looking up from the pile of paperwork on his desk. "It's good to see you again, how was your first weekend with Beth?"
"It went well. She's adjusting quickly."
Mr. Delheim was a short man, plump around the middle, with salt and pepper hair and small circular glasses. He had a friendly smile and crystal blue eyes that were the most expressive part about him.
"That's good to hear, shall we get started?"
Rachel nodded and sat down, "I've never done this before."
"Have no worries Miss Berry, I will be gentle and if you need me to explain something, just let me know and we'll go over it until you do."
"Thank you."
"First order of business, Shelby took care of most of her estate before her passing, she sold her condo and set up account in your name and in Beth's." The man said handing Rachel a yellow envelope. "Take these documents to the bank and they will give you what you need. Shelby had a life insurance plan set at one million, that money has been divided in the following ways."
"A million dollars?" Rachel asked her jaw slackened in surprise.
"It's a lot of money for someone your age, isn't it?"
"It's just a lot of money in general, Sir."
"There's a trust fun with $250,000 in Beth's name, it will be available to her the day she turns 18 or the day she gets into University, which ever comes first," Mr. Delheim told her. "Shelby wanted to be sure that Beth was covered for her tuition, a car, whatever it may be that she needed come that time in her life."
"Another $200,000 was put into a savings account in your name, it can't be touch for the first 5 years, it will accrue interest at 9% a year over that time."
Rachel nodded, her eyes scanning the documents in her hand as the man spoke.
"The rest of Shelby's life insurance money is available to you, minus $50,000 dollars that I was told by Shelby has been paid to the New York Academy of Dramatic Arts, covering the rest of your tuition, I assume that is where you are studying? I hear it's a wonderful school."
"It is," Rachel answered. "She paid my tuition?"
"She did."
"Oh."
"There will be more money coming to you once the sale of her condo goes through, that money will be sent here to me and I will contact you and let you know that you can come and pick up the sum of that money." He continued. "Shelby mentioned to me that you are friends with Beth's biological mother, Miss," Mr. Delheim searched his papers and adjusted his glasses. "Oh yes, here it is. Miss. Quinn Fabray, is that right?"
"Yes, I am, she's a very close personal friend." Rachel said wondering what Quinn had to do with the conversation they were having.
"Shelby told me to give this to you," Shelby's lawyer handed Rachel a DVD and Rachel took it, her eyes not leaving the man's face.
"I'm not really sure what this has to do with Quinn."
"Neither do I to be honest, she just asked me to give this to you if you were in fact in contact with Miss Fabray."
"Well thank you," Rachel said putting the DVD in her purse.
"Now I gave you all of Beth's medical records last time we spoke, did I not?"
"Yes Sir, you did," Rachel answered.
"Oh good, in my old age it's hard to remember things sometimes."
Rachel smiled sadly at the man and nodded her head.
"I assume you were sent Beth's things?"
"Yes, they came Friday night."
"Good, good."
"I just need you to sign here," Mr. Delheim said handing Rachel a stack of paper and a pen. "It's just a document saying that you received the papers for the bank as well as the DVD, I can give you a minute to go over them."
"Thank you," Rachel said letting her eyes scan the words, before signing.
"I know this is a hard time for you Rachel and the next part of our conversation may be a little more on the difficult side," he said taking the papers back from Rachel and placing them in a red file folder. "Shelby made all the arrangements for her funeral ahead of time, including the guest list."
Rachel swallowed thickly and willed the tears not to come, she knew this conversation was going to be had sooner or later.
"The funeral is set for this coming Saturday, the guests, the music, aside from one song, the food, the casket, the flowers, everything has already been taken care of, all you need to do is show up."
"Mr. Delheim?" Rachel said looking up. "You said the music, all but one song, what did you mean?"
"Yes," the man said clearing his throat. "Shelby was adamant that I convince you to sing one song."
Rachel nodded and took a deep breath.
"Here is Shelby's obituary, they will be handed out at the funeral." Rachel took the paper from the Lawyer and let her eyes rest on Shelby's smiling face that graced the cover. "The address and time and all the information you need is on the inside."
"Thank you." Rachel whispered quickly wiping a tear from her eye.
"I think that is all that is needed right now, if I have anything else that comes to my attention, I will definitely call you immediately." Before Rachel had a chance to stand up, Mr. Delheim spoke again. "Oh wait, there is one more thing, here are Beth's custody papers. They need to be signed and dropped off at the courthouse to be notarized by a Judge by the end of next week, so be sure to do that."
"I will, thank you again." Rachel put all the papers in her bag and shook the man's hand, before making her way out of the office.
Rachel barely made it to the Diner, bursting through the door, her eyes frantically searching for Santana. The restaurant wasn't busy, a few tables had customers, but the majority were empty. A typical Monday morning.
"Rachel?" Dani said looking up from her spot behind the counter. "Oh honey, come here." Dani wrapped her arms around the smaller girl and made quick eye contact with their manager who ran off to the back room to get Santana.
"Rach?"
"Oh Santana," Rachel cried turning from Dani to Santana and falling into the girl's embrace.
Santana and Rachel got back to the apartment an hour later, their manager sending Santana home to take care of Rachel. The two girl's sat on Rachel's bed as Rachel told her what the Mr. Delheim had told her.
"She left you that much money?" Santana asked. "Rachel that's-"
"A lot."
"Yeah."
"She paid my tuition for NYADA."
"Wow."
"The funeral is Saturday, she took care of all the arrangements. She wants me to sing." Rachel whispered handing Santana Shelby's obituary. "Will you come?"
Santana nodded and reached up to tuck a strand of Rachel's hair behind her ear, "I'm here, no matter what, I will always be here."
"He asked me if I was still in contact with Quinn."
Santana's face scrunched and her eyes narrowed slightly. "What does Quinn have to-"
"I don't know, he gave me this," Rachel said pulling the DVD from her bag. "And these, I have to bring all these to the bank and I have to take these to the courthouse, it's the custody papers for Beth."
Santana still had her eyes on the DVD. "Where's your laptop?"
Rachel pointed to her dresser and Santana got up off the bed and grabbed it, coming back to sit next to Rachel on the bed. Rachel pulled the DVD from the package and inserted it, taking a deep breath as she prepared herself for what was to come. Santana could feel Rachel's nerves, so she positioned herself behind Rachel, her arms wrapped around the girl's middle. Rachel leaned back against Santana's chest and pulled the laptop onto her lap, pressing play.
"Hey Rachel, Sweetheart." Shelby said when her face came on to the screen, Rachel letting out a hiccupped cry as Santana tightened her grip around Rachel.
"If you have this DVD that means you've spoken to Evan, he's a great guy, thank him for all his help for me?" Rachel nodded at the computer and Shelby took a ragged breath. She looked thin and pale, Rachel had noticed. "I paid your tuition at NYADA, I'm sure Evan told you this, it was the least I could do for you." Shelby's words were honest as she closed her eyes and took another breath. "This is a very hard video for me to make, I didn't want to have to make a video like this, I was hoping I would have years left to watch Beth grow, to make things right with you. My biggest regret is that I won't get to see you in your first Broadway starring role, but when it happens, know I am with you every step of the way."
Rachel was full on sobbing in Santana's arms by this point and Santana couldn't help the tears that were escaping her own eyes.
"If you have been given this DVD, that means Evan asked you about Quinn. Rachel, Quinn gave me a gift, a beautiful, wonderful gift. She gave me a second chance and this video is me giving her, her's. I won't tell you to keep Beth from Quinn, instead I will ask you to keep me in Beth's heart. Beth will need a Mother and I think she will need not only you, but Quinn too. One day she may even want to call Quinn Mom," there was a sadness in Shelby's voice and eyes, but she continued on. "I don't want you to discourage this, but I do want you to make sure that Beth doesn't forget me. Keep pictures of us around the house, talk about me often."
Rachel nodded at the screen and bit at her lip as she watched Shelby start to cry. "Please keep Beth in your custody always. She is a part of me and you are a part of me, you belong together. You're a lot like me Rachel and I want your influence, your passion and determination to be instilled in Beth, as I'm sure it will be. Please take care of her, please take care of yourself. I love you Rachel, more than you will ever know. I love Beth too, so much, please remind her of this whenever she is sad. I don't have much time left and the time I have I want to spend with Beth, I have tried my best to prepare her for what's to come."
Shelby looked into the camera and adjusted it, zooming in on her own face.
"I heard that Finn passed away and I'm sorry, I know he meant a lot to you and I'm sure the news was hard for you to take. Rachel, one day you will get the chance to be happy, to have a family, to love with all of your heart again and I want you to promise not just me, but promise yourself you will take that chance, because you deserve to be happy."
Shelby readjusted th camera and smiled. "Thank you Rachel for being there for Beth, for growing into an amazing young woman as I had always hoped for you to become and I want you to know that even though I was not in your life, I love you every bit as much as I love Beth. I am so proud of you Rachel."
The screen went black and Rachel doubled over in hysterics, Santana holding her tight and rocking her softly.
"It's okay, I'm here, it's okay Rach."
R+R, please?