Guest prompt: okay maybe this could take place when Rachel thought she was pregnant briefly and talks to Shelby about it and kinda breaks down?

Bookworm0485: Shelby's reaction to the pregnancy scare and how she helps Rachel through it.

Thank you all so very much for all of these amazing prompts! I'm having a blast working on all of them. I just ask that you all be patient with me, if that's possible- it is summer and I don't ALWAYS have to time to write, plus, i'm still gladly taking prompts as you think of them but recognize that that means between all of the prompts for this story and my Singer Dancer Little Star series, my writing schedule is like BOOKED.

xD So if you'll have patience and understanding with me, I promise to work on all of the prompts and get them all done as I can get to them.

I love you all and thank you so much!

Love always, hayleynymphadora


Young and Foolish

Shelby met Rachel for lunch one Saturday when Cass insisted on taking Beth to the park for the day. That was fun Aunt Cassie for you. In any case, now that they were in the same state and city, Shelby and Rachel could spend a bit more time together. Get to know each other just a little more.

Rach walked into the restaurant and sat down in front of Shelby five minutes after the two said they would meet. She ordered an iced tea with lemon.

"Hey, Rachel," Shelby smiled to greet her. Rachel didn't smile back. Instead she glanced up at her birth mother, nervously. She looked about ready to cry and Shelby raised a concerned eyebrow. "Are...you alright, sweetie?" she wondered.

"I'm late," she replied, her eyes wide.

Confused, Shelby laughed lightly. Why was she so concerned that she was late by 5 minutes? "You're fine, Rachel, really. 5 minutes is nothing-"

"I'm LATE." Rachel over pronounced the second word. "I called you to lunch because I really need to talk to you. I'm scared because Brody and I have been-and I'm late-Mom, I'm too young to-I don't know what to-what do I-"

"Woah, woah, woah, Rachel, honey, calm down." Shelby widened her eyes. When Rachel had asked her to lunch, she'd had no idea that anything was wrong. The waitress came and set Rachel's tea down in front of her and Rachel sipped at it in a panic.

"How late?" Shelby asked after they ordered. If it was only by a few days then maybe it was just school stress or something close.

"Three weeks." Rachel nearly whispered.

Three weeks. Shelby looked into Rachel's eyes and didn't think she had ever seen her daughter so scared. She knew Rachel really needed her. Shelby took a deep breath and cleared her throat. It was time to be a mom...and hope that Rachel wouldn't have to.

"Three weeks doesn't necessarily make you pregnant." she reasoned. "Have you had any other symptoms?"

"I was sick yesterday morning." Rachel shot back immediately.

Slowly, Shelby nodded her head, taking in information. She decided she had to start asking the uncomfortable questions. That's something moms do, right?

"Are you and Brody... being safe?"

With a blush, Rachel looked down at the salad she had hardly touched. "There was this once, about a month ago...we just got so caught up in the moment, and-"

"Oh, Rachel," Shelby put her head down into her hands. She was too young for grandchildren. Rachel was too young to be a mom. Shelby realized that coming from her that might seem a bit hypocritical, but the situations were completely different. "Well, have you taken a pregnancy test?"

"It said yes," Rachel's eyes were wide and she said it like someone would announce a death sentence.

Shelby had so much sympathy for her daughter-even if she had been completely foolish and irresponsible-along with a slight twinge of guilt. She couldn't help but wonder-maybe if she had raised Rachel, they wouldn't be in this situation now.

"Did you take more than one? Maybe it was a false positive-those can happen...sweetheart," Shelby said, gentle but stern. "This isn't something you can run and hide from. You made a very grown up decision and now you have to deal with the consequences like an adult. If you really are pregnant, you need to start treating your body like you are. This is very serious. Do you want me to take you to the clinic so you can be sure?"

Rachel shook her head quickly. "No, thank you, but Santana already swears she's going to...I just...this was something I needed to talk to my mom about, you know?"

"I'm glad you decided to talk to me," Shelby said genuinely. It felt like a huge honor, really, that Rachel had bothered to tell her at all, after all the years Shelby hadn't been there for her daughter. She really hoped for everyone's sake that this wasn't happening. She didn't want Rachel's dreams lost because of one night she'd had with Brody. Which led Shelby to another point entirely.

"What the hell were you thinking, having unsafe sex with Brody? How long have you been with him? How well do you even know him?" her mama bear instincts started kicking in. She knew that if Rachel really was pregnant, all of these questions were sort of late but better late than never...right?

"I don't know!" Rachel jumped at the sudden change of direction of the conversation. "I wasn't thinking. I know it was a bad idea..."

"That's an understatement." Shelby agreed.

"I don't know what to do." Rachel sighed.

Shelby sighed, too. Rachel was too young to be having this conversation with her. But she needed her mother's advice.

"Well the first thing you need to do is take a deep breath and calm down. If this is really happening, the extra stress isn't good for you or the baby."

"It's really weird to hear you say that," Rachel shivered.

Shelby nodded. "It's really weird to say it," and terrifying.

"Thank you," Rachel blurted suddenly. "For listening and-helping me. I know we're not very close, but-"

"You're welcome, Rachel. I'll always be here if you need my help."

For the first time that day, Shelby saw Rachel smile.

. . .

For days, the two didn't speak. Rachel never called and Shelby didn't want to seem too pouncy about the subject. Rachel would talk to her when she was ready.

Shelby's cell rang. She guessed Rachel was ready sooner than later. She answered, hesitant. She wasn't sure she was ready to know if this was true or not, but at the same time, the suspense was killing her.

She dry swallowed. "Rachel?"

"It was a false alarm," Rachel rushed her words together, her voice jubilant. "I'm not pregnant."

"Oh thank god," Shelby put her hand over her heart.

"I know," Rachel said. "I know...thank you so much, Shelby. For everything."

Shelby smiled. "You're welcome, Rachel. But I really didn't do anything."

"Are you kidding? Talking to me and calming me down meant the world to me. Anyways, I'm going to be late to class, I have to go. Thank you again."

"Do well in class, okay? You're welcome."

"Bye, Shelby."

"Goodbye, Rachel."

Shelby couldn't be more thankful.