Hello Lovely Readers!
I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season and merry-whatever you celebrate! Here is the next update to the story! I've been so excited to share this chapter with you! This is leading off into a bigger storyline I have planned over the next few chapters!
Please review and let me know if you are enjoying the story, any changes I could make, and any ideas you may have!
Chapter 22: An Audition for Trouble
Susan looked up from her morning coffee as she saw Rachel and Shelby burst into the kitchen.
Shelby slightly pushed past Rachel, almost holding her back as she hit the counter.
"Woah... Where's the fire!" Jack said looking up from the morning paper.
"WINNER!" Shelby announced towards her defeated looking daughter with her arms folded.
"Whatever. You cheated and you know it." Rachel defended.
"Hmm... That sounds like the talk of a sore loser." Shelby laughed.
"I am not!" Rachel defended stomping her foot. "You pushed me!" She attempted to say seriously, but Shelby's laugh caused her to crack a smile.
"Rach, what's this?" Shelby asked holding up her hand while rubbing her index and thumb together.
Rachel looked at her mother with confusion.
"It's the worlds tiniest violin." Shelby said slyly.
"Mom!" Rachel exclaimed. "That's not funny." She said with an eye roll.
"Let that be a lesson to you, never challenge your Momma to a race. I'll always win." Shelby said with a wink.
"Clearly all those years of reminders not to run in the house did you good, hmm?" Susan said clearing her throat.
Shelby smiled nervously under her mother's glare. She was a grown women for gods sake, and now a mother herself. But that look. It could send a shiver down anyone's spine.
Susan gave a sly smile and headed over to Rachel.
"Hello Baby.." She said wrapping her arms around her granddaughter.
"Hey Nana." Rachel said returning the hug.
"Hey Sweet Pea." Jack said also greeting his granddaughter.
"Hi." Rachel smiled.
"Well. This morning we have vegan blueberry pancakes, with a side of fresh fruit and orange juice." Susan smiled handing Rachel a plate followed by Shelby.
"Nana, you know- we have an extra room. You could always move in?" Rachel said seriously, admiring the food in front of her.
Susan laughed.
"Rachel!" Shelby said in offence. "My cooking is not that bad.." She defended.
"Yeah, but it's not as good as Nana's." Rachel said honestly.
"Plus, your pancakes are always so watery..." Rachel laughed.
"Huh! I'll remember that." Shelby said eyeing her daughter as she filled her plate.
"Anyways-" Susan said. "Rachel what happened to your forehead?" Susan asked with concern.
"Oh. I was in a car accident a few days ago.." Rachel said taking a bite of her pancakes. She had explained the story so many times that it was normal for her to explain so casually.
"A car accident!" Susan gasped.
"Yes. With Quinn." Shelby added. "They are okay, only minor injuries, and a few stitches." She said reassuring her mother.
"With Quinn? But isn't she 15 as well?" Susan asked. "Was she driving?" Susan asked.
"Mhm.." Rachel nodded. "She had just gotten her permit that morning." She explained.
"And you decided it would be a good idea to drive with someone who had not driven before?" Susan asked in Rachel's direction, and then turned to her own daughter. "Shelby!" Susan added with a stern look.
"Oh. Don't look at me. Ms. Rachel had been told not to drive with Quinn, and to wait for me to pick her up at the mall- but chose to ride home with Quinn instead." Shelby added with a questionable look towards her daughter.
"I see." Susan said shooting Rachel a disapproving look.
"Well you were the one who didn't answer your phone..." Rachel mumbled under her breath feeling ganged up on.
"Rachel.." Shelby with warning. She wasn't interested in talking about this topic further, or arguing about the logistics of that day- but she would if she had to.
"Sorry." Rachel said following her mothers raised eyebrow in her direction.
"Well, I'm glad you are okay Rachel." Susan added.
"Okay, well we should probably get going- your dads got an appointment this afternoon at the hospital." Susan said.
"Everything okay?" Shelby asked.
"Oh yes, just a check in with his knee surgery." She responded.
"Suzy, just worries too much.." Jack laughed. "I'm just fine." He said.
"Hey!" Susan snapped. "They said every 6 months Jack." She said.
"Yeah, yeah." He said waving it off.
"Dad, you need to take your Heath more seriously." Shelby laughed.
"I do." He defended. "I just like to live for today." He pointed out. "Without all of the worry." He added.
"Okay." Shelby laughed.
Susan rolled her eyes. "I swear he wouldn't make it without me nagging him about these things."
Jack shrugged.
The family laughed as they finished up their breakfast.
*****Glee*****
"Rachel, did a bomb go off?" Shelby asked stepping into her daughter's bedroom.
"I can't find my sheet music!" Rachel said.
"Well... I don't think it's going to be in your laundry basket." Shelby pointed out looking at the clothes all over the floor.
Rachel continued to rummage through her things.
"Mother, I've been slacking off too much lately. School starts in less than 2 weeks and I have to prepare for glee and get my voice back in check." Rachel pointed out.
"Rachel, you do vocal warmups every morning. Your voice is just fine." Shelby laughed.
"Mornings are not enough!" Rachel said.
"Honey, it's called summer vacation for a reason." Shelby laughed.
"A star doesn't simply." Rachel paused to find the correct word. "vacate..." She said.
"Whatever you say." Shelby said.
Rachel sighed as rummaged through some more things.
"Have you checked your desk drawer?" Shelby offered.
Rachel turned back dramatically.
"No, I hadn't thought to look in the most obvious places Mom.." She sassed.
"Okay then..." Shelby said backing off. "Just trying to help honey." Shelby smiled sweetly at her Daughter's sass.
"Ugh. Whatever." Rachel said giving up and joining her mother on the bed.
"You know. Andrew called this morning..." Shelby said.
Rachel looked off to the side seemingly uninterested in the topic.
"Rach..." Shelby said guiding her chin back to face her. "He is leaving tomorrow morning and wanted to know if you wanted to see him one last time." Shelby said.
"I'll think about it.." Rachel said quietly and quickly changed the topic.
"Mom?" Rachel asked.
"Mhm.." Shelby said.
"Can we get a cat?" Rachel asked.
"No." Shelby said.
"But I'll take care of it.." Rachel whined.
"Mhm.. I'm sure you would." Shelby said. "For a week maybe." She added.
"No! I promise!" She said.
"Rachel, I said the very same thing to my mother and sure enough. She was the one taking care of it." Shelby said reflecting back on her own childhood.
"But Nana still let you get one!" Rachel said.
"Why do you want a cat Rachel?" Shelby asked.
"Because! They are cute! Quinn just got a kitten!" Rachel pointed out. "His name is Montee." Rachel said.
"Oh, so because Quinn got a kitten, now you need one." Shelby said with a laugh.
"Well, Montee has a sister who is up for adoption." Rachel said. "Come on Mom..." Rachel whined.
"Hmm..." Shelby thought. "No." She said with a wink.
"Mom..." Rachel whined.
"I'll think about it.." Shelby said.
"We could name her Barbra!" Rachel said excitedly.
Shelby laughed.
"We'll see..." Shelby said.
"Is that a yes?" Rachel asked with big eyes.
"That's a very distant maybe." Shelby laughed.
"Fine..." Rachel sighed sitting up from her bed.
"Where are you off to?" Shelby asked.
"I'm going to watch TV.." Rachel said.
"Ha! Not before you clean this mess up little lady." Shelby said standing up and looking around at the tornado that was Rachel's bedroom.
"I'll do it later..." Rachel said waving Shelby off and continuing down the hallway.
"Um, Rachel?" Shelby said in a confused tone that the girl actually thought she wasn't going to make her clean up.
"Later!" Rachel called from the bottom of the stairs.
Shelby rolled her eyes and walked down the stairs taking the remote from Rachel's hands and turning the TV off.
"Mom..." Rachel whined.
"Good God Rachel, do you need some cheese with that whine today?" Shelby asked. "Now..." She said pointing to the stairs.
"No..." Rachel said with a smirk.
Shelby stood in shock. Had her child lost her mind. No? Did she just say no to me? Shelby thought.
"Not until you agree to Barbra.." Rachel added with a smile.
"Ha! Nice try little girl." Shelby laughed. "Go clean up please." She said setting the remote on the table and walking into the kitchen.
Rachel still sat on the couch.
Shelby eyed her daughter from the kitchen with a raised eyebrow.
Rachel felt her mothers glare and simply smirked.
"Rachel..." Shelby warned.
"Barbra belongs with us..." Rachel added. "It's not fair." She said.
"I'll show you unfair in a minute if you don't do as I have asked." Shelby said with a slight grin.
Rachel rolled her eyes.
"Do I need to count to three?" Shelby asked.
Rachel still had a mischievous grin on her face that was breaking Shelby's attempt to be stern.
"I don't know, do you?" Rachel sassed with a laugh.
"One." Shelby said eying her daughter.
Rachel didn't move.
"Two." She said crossing her arms.
"Rachel, you are cruising." Shelby said beginning to become slightly annoyed. Up until this point it had all been fun and games, but she really needed Rachel to clean up as they were leaving soon to have dinner with Quinn and Judy.
"Three." Shelby said walking towards Rachel who jumped up and over the back of the couch laughing.
Shelby fully broke her serious resolve as she watched Rachel dodge her from each side of the couch as she tried to reach for her.
"Too slow." Rachel laughed loudly running into the kitchen with Shelby chasing behind her.
Just as Rachel turned the corner Shelby caught her arm as they were both laughing.
"Get upstairs and clean your bedroom. Now." Shelby said guiding Rachel to the stairs.
"I don't want to." Rachel said in defeat.
"I don't care. Enough games. Go." Shelby said sternly.
Rachel rolled her eyes and walked up the stairs.
"If it's not cleaned up in 20 minutes you are going to be sorry young lady." Shelby called as she walked into the kitchen.
"Whatever, old lady..." Rachel called back.
"Geez, you really don't want that cat do you?" Shelby smirked as she opened the fridge.
Silence.
"That's what I thought." Shelby laughed closing the fridge.
*****Glee*****
About an hour later Shelby headed upstairs to get ready for dinner and peaked into Rachel's bedroom as she could hear the Barbra Streisand album blasting and wondered if she has actually made any progress on the tornado she had created earlier that day.
Shelby walked in to find Rachel curled up on her bed with her phone and not a single thing picked up in the room.
"Rachel!" Shelby abolished. "You've been up here for an hour!" She said with frustration.
Rachel jumped at the sound of Shelby's voice and broke the trance she was in with her texting.
"I'm sorry. I lost track of time." Rachel lied.
Shelby placed her hand out in front of Rachel. "Phone, now." She said sternly.
"No. I'll clean it all up now. I was just on Pinterest getting ideas for vocal warm up routines and new sheet music." Rachel lied.
Shelby raised her eyebrow and didn't budge.
"You want to lose it for the week?" Shelby added.
Rachel quickly locked and handed her phone over, to that no so empty threat.
"You will get this back tomorrow. Depending on how fast you are able to clean up this mess." Shelby said as a final point as she left the room.
"Mom..." Rachel whined.
"Keep it up Rachel. I dare you." Shelby warned.
Rachel decided it was time to give in and start cleaning, for her own good.
*****Glee*****
"See, that wasn't so hard was it." Shelby said walking back into her daughter's room to find it spotless.
"Whatever." Rachel mumbled. "Can I have my phone back now?" Rachel asked.
"No. You will get it back tomorrow." Shelby said.
"Mom. Please, I cleaned up.." Rachel said.
"Mhm.. Maybe this will teach you that you need to listen the first time I ask you to do something." She said with a smirk.
"You're mean." Rachel pouted.
"Oh I know. I'm the mean ol' wicked witch my pretty.. I'm as mean as they come. Mwahaha!" Shelby said imitating her previous role in Wicked.
Rachel couldn't help but smirk.
"Ready to go to Quinn's?" Shelby asked on a lighter note.
"Yeah I just need to change." Rachel nodded.
"Okay then." Shelby said leaving Rachel's bedroom. She walked into her bedroom and put her phone in the side drawer of her bedside table and headed downstairs.
*****Glee*****
Rachel emerged from her bedroom and noticed Shelby drawer was vibrating.
She looked down the stairs to ensure the coast was clear before walking into her mother's room and taking her phone from the drawer.
She had a text from Andrew.
Text: Are we still on for tonight
"Yes." Rachel texted back.
After their dinner Andrew had contacted Rachel through her Facebook page. She did want to meet with her father, but not for the reasons you may have thought. The truth was that he had an 'in' with a new Broadway show in NYC who was looking for a lead role to cast. Andrew had arranged a private audition for Rachel at a local theatre club downtown.
Andrew thought this would be a way for them to bond, and a sure way that Rachel would respond so when she got in contact with him the night before, she of course bought into the idea.
Text: Great, see you there.
Flashback:
"Mom. It was the hardest thing I've ever done. Seeing him, just made everything come back." Shelby cried.
Rachel sat at the bottom of the stairs and listened to the conversation happening in the kitchen.
Rachel had come back downstairs after storming off when they had returned home, she had heard from Andrew on her Facebook page about this audition and wanted to talk to Shelby about it, she knew it would be a long shot, but she still wanted to talk to her mom about it. Rachel stopped when she heard her mothers cries.
"I know Honey." Susan said.
"I know I need to do this for Rachel. But it's ripping my heart out." Shelby said as tears were freely flowing from her eyes.
Rachel looked down at the floor. She didn't realize that meeting with Andrew had caused her mother so much pain. She felt terrible.
She headed upstairs and thought about what to do. Rachel knew that she wanted to go to this audition, but how could she if it hurt Shelby too much. I can't tell her, she thought. I'll just go myself.. She said convincing herself.
End of flashback.
Rachel jumped as she heard her mother clear her throat from the doorway.
"Surely you aren't using your phone that I just took away." Shelby said sternly.
"I'm sorry! I heard it ringing and I thought it may have been important." Rachel said. Not a total lie. She thought.
Shelby walked closer to her daughter as Rachel quickly locked her phone with the hold button ensuring that Shelby wouldn't see the messages.
She wrapped her hand around Rachel's arm and sent a stinging swat to her daughter's backside.
"Ow!" Rachel cried. It shocked her more than anything. Her mother had never swatted her before, other than when they were fooling around. This wasn't something that Rachel was used to. Nevertheless, clearly Shelby had, had enough for one day from Rachel and needed to send a message.
"If I catch you using this phone again until it is returned to you, I will be taking it away for a week. Is that understood?" Shelby said sternly as Rachel reached back and rubbed the sting out.
She nodded and handed the phone back to her Mom.
Rachel stood in front of Shelby awkwardly for a moment, she wasn't sure how to react in this situation. She certainly wasn't expecting that swat and from the look on Shelby's face she seemed completed unaffected.
"Don't look at me like that. We both know you deserved that swat." Shelby said breaking the silence and pulling her daughter in for a hug.
"Thank you. We are leaving for Quinn's, are you ready?" Shelby asked.
Rachel nodded and headed out of the bedroom and down the stairs.
*****Glee*****
"Dinner was lovely Judy." Shelby said helping clear the table.
"It was my pleasure." Judy smiled.
"Montee! Here Montee!" Rachel called as she and Quinn were playing with the new kitten on the floor.
"Girls, can you take care of the dishes please?" Judy asked.
Quinn stood up as Rachel continued to play with the kitten.
"Rachel, Judy asked you to do something." Shelby said breaking Rachel's trance with the new kitten.
"Sorry." Rachel said under Shelby's glare and ducked into the kitchen to help Quinn.
Shelby rolled her eyes as Rachel scurried by her.
"That girl.." Shelby said with a laugh as her and Judy sat on the couch. "She's obsessed with the idea of this kitten now." Shelby said eyeing Judy. "Thanks for that." Judy laughed.
"Oh, you have to admit. He's too sweet." She said lifting Montee on her lap.
"Yeah, yeah." Shelby said as they kitten jumped onto her lap and looked up at the women to be pet.
"Oh, don't you try to convince me too.." Shelby cooed at the animal.
Judy laughed.
*****Glee*****
"How are things with Andrew?" Quinn asked as she handed Rachel a dish to dry.
"Oh, they're fine. I guess." She said.
"That's not what I heard after you called me the other night." Quinn said.
"Yeah, I was just upset.." Rachel admitted.
"He sounds like an ass.." Quinn said.
"Quinn!" Rachel snapped back.
"Sorry." Quinn said not realizing that Rachel was going to take offence to the statement with what she had said about him on the phone. "You're the one who called him an incompetent idiot." She said quoting Rachel from their phone call.
"Well, things may have changed.." Rachel shrugged.
"How so?" Quinn asked with curiosity.
"It's nothing.." Rachel lied.
"Oh come on. I know you better than that.." Quinn said.
"I have to talk to you." Rachel said. "But not here." She said looking into the other room at her mother.
"Okay." Quinn said drying the last dish and heading upstairs to her room with Rachel.
*****Glee*****
"Seriously?!" Quinn said in a shocked tone referring to one of the most popular Broadway shows in the making. It was a star studded cast and would be held right on Broadway in NYC.
Rachel nodded with a smile.
"They looked at my head shots and I sent a clip of my signing to Andrew and he showed them, and they are interested. They came all the way out here to see me tonight." Rachel explained.
"Are you going to go?" Quinn asked.
"Yeah.. I have to." Rachel said. "Will you come with me? I'm nervous." Rachel admitted. "I need moral support. This is a huge opportunity." She said filling her head with the idea that she would be cast as a lead role in a leading musical before the age of 16. It was her dream come true.
"Rachel, Shelby would never let you move to New York for this role..." Quinn pointed out.
"I know, but she will understand, she was on Broadway! She will know how big of an opportunity this is, like once in a lifetime!" Rachel said.
"Then why didn't you tell her?" Quinn asked.
"Because! I told you, it upsets her to much to see Andrew." Rachel defended.
"I don't know Rachel.." Quinn said.
"Quinn, please.." Rachel begged. "I can't do this without you.." She said.
Quinn considered her options a moment. There's no way she wanted Rachel to go alone to this audition, especially with Andrew. There was something about him that Quinn just didn't trust. She weighed her options for a moment.
"Alright. I'll go." Quinn said.
"Yay!" Rachel said jumping up and down. "Broadway here I come!" She sang quietly.
"I'll go tell my mom I'm staying over. Then we can go?" Rachel asked.
Quinn nodded nervously.
*****Glee*****
"Okay, we're here." Quinn said putting the car in park. "We can't be too long. My mom will kill me if she notices we took the car." She said.
"Not to worry Quinn, I'm sure once they see me walk through those doors, they are sure to see that I am the next Haley Fields!" Rachel said referring to the lead role she would be reading for.
They headed inside.
"Rachel!" Andrew called ushering her over to meet the casting directors.
"Ralph, Andy- this is my daughter. Rachel Berry." Andrew said presenting Rachel.
"Hello." Rachel said shaking each of their hands. "Shall we begin?" She said taking her place on the small stage.
"Well, she sure doesn't lack in confidence." Ralph laughed.
Rachel cleared her throat.
"I will be reading for the part of Haley Fields." She began.
Quinn said a few rows back from Andrew as she watched Rachel's audition.
Quinn tapped her foot nervously as she heard Rachel's final song. She already could sense that she was a perfect for this part, and could read from the casting directors reactions they thought so as well.
Once Rachel finished the song and received a standing ovation from all three men.
"Excellent Rachel. Please give us a moment to discuss." They said.
Rachel nodded heading off stage meeting Quinn.
"How was I?" Rachel asked. "I mean I know the second verse was a bit flat, but I wasn't given that much time to prepare..." Rachel said quickly. "But the ending had to have saved it right?" She added.
"Relax, you were perfect." Quinn smiled.
Quinn noticed that Andrew step out of the room for a moment to take a call. She decided to follow.
"I have to go to the bathroom." Quinn lied.
"Okay." Rachel nodded. "Hurry back!" She said.
Quinn smiled and walked out of the audition room as she noticed Andrew off to the side.
"Babe. They bought it. They are so in. They loved her!" He said.
Quinn moved off to the side so that Andrew couldn't see her.
"No, I mean It. They are in. She's going to get an offer. Once that happens I am in!" He said. "The deal was find them a star, for the temporary lead and get a secondary role. They have no idea she's only 15." He said. "Babe, were in the clear. I told you, that you could trust me." He said.
Quinn's mouth dropped.
She turned back to tell Rachel what she had heard but paused out of panic. What was she going to do. It's not like Rachel was going to believe her! Her mind was racing as she saw Andrew turning around to walk back into the audition room.
*****Glee*****
"Well Rachel, we are happy to offer you the role without a call back." Andy said as Rachel attempted to remain calm.
"Yes!" Andrew called loudly.
"Thank you!" Rachel squeaked. "I assure you, I won't disappoint."
"We have the contract all ready for you." Ralph said handing Rachel a pen.
Rachel took the pen from him and was about to touch it to paper as Andrew watched from behind her anxiously.
Quinn froze, she didn't know what to do. Rachel couldn't possibly sign those contracts. She was about to step up and say something before both of the audition room doors blew open.
In walked a fuming Shelby Corcoran.
"Thank god..." Quinn sighed in relief.
"Rachel Barbra! Drop that pen! Now!" Shelby yelled.
Rachel jumped.
"Shelby!" Ralph said. "I haven't seen you in years!" He said moving toward her.
"Your going to wish you hadn't in about 5 minutes..." She growled.
Both men turned towards each other with both confusion, and fear. If there was one thing anyone knew, it was not to piss of Shelby Corcoran.
*****Glee*****
Uh oh! Shelby is sure upset with this situation. That could have been bad! How do you think Shelby will handle this situation? Slow and painful death of Andrew? I think so. (kidding).
Poor Rachel. Obviously if she had any chance at Broadway she was going to take it! And she wanted to tell Shelby in the first place, but then didn't want to upset her Mom even more with Andrew. Will Shelby see it that way? Or will she feel completely betrayed by her daughter?
We will have to wait and see!
Please review with ideas for the next chapter and I will do my best to include them! I love hearing your thoughts!
-Sam