Little Girl Lost
By:LockedSoulsAM
Summary: Every year on December 18th, Shelby Corcoran rides around aimlessly lost in thought, mourning the death of her baby girl. The little girl that three years ago she was supposed to give up for adoption. It hits midnight and Shelby runs into something she thought she lost forever.
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee and any of the characters. I do own this story line and the ideas and new characters that come with it.
A/N: Thanks for all of your reviews and to a new reviewer MaddiLynn I love the super long reviews . Chemistry is really kicking my butt so I've been busy with that.
Anyway if the details are too violent or graphic please tell me. Your opinions matter and I would love to know what I can do to make my story better.
Trigger Warning: Mentions of Physical abuse
Enjoy =)
Chapter 36 A Happy Healthy Child
"Mommy?"
Shelby groans as she feels tiny hands tugging at her hair. She reaches a hand up to her head to remove the tiny hands.
"Mommy…"
Shelby peeks an eye open and looks to the digital clock on the nightstand to see that is says '2:00' a.m.
What could Rachel possibly want?
"Mommy." Rachel pulls Shelby's hair harder. "Mommy lay your head on me."
Shelby does not move but at one particularly hard tug on her head, she lifts up to look at her daughter.
"Mommy lay your head one me." Rachel pouts.
Shelby raises a brow at her daughter.
"C'Mon Mommy." Rachel whispers.
Shelby groans 'It is too late for this."
But Shelby obliges and lays her head into Rachel's lap as the little girl lays back and begins to rub her hair.
Shelby does not have time to question what just happened before she is asleep again.
"Mommy" Rachel pats Shelby on the arm. "Mommy wakes up."
Shelby groans either this was a dream or Rachel was trying to wake her up again.
"Momma?" Rachel whines. She has been patting her mommy's face, arms, and tummy for the last ten minutes and the woman has not stirred. "Mommy me hungry."
Just at that moment, Rachel's stomach decides to growl.
Rachel looked down at her tummy and then to her Mommy.
"Mommy peez?"
Shelby tiredly lifts her head and sighs deeply.
"Okay sweet pea I'm up."
Shelby sits up on her bottom this time and takes another breath.
"What do you want to eat baby?" Shelby runs a few fingers through her hair and looks over to the digital clock.
'6:30 a.m!' Shelby's eyes go wide as she drops her hands into her laps and looks over to Rachel who is still watching her closely. Did her child ever sleep past seven?
"I want Yucky Charms mommy." Rachel climbs into her lap.
Shelby looks down at her daughter who is in nothing but a diaper and fuzzy socks. "Baby when and why did you take off your clothes?"
"I too hot Mommy." Rachel tugs on her diaper a little. "Me want Yucky Charms Mommy."
"Yes I heard you." Shelby stands up with the little girl in her arms. "But there is one thing that I want and didn't get yet?"
"What?" Rachel furrows her brows.
"My morning kisses silly." Shelby musses her daughter's hair.
"Oh." Rachel gasps.
Rachel leans up a little to land kisses all over her mommy's face and one final kiss to her Mommy's lips.
"Mornin' Momma." Rachel's smiles and bats her long and dark lashes.
"Awe baby thank you. Now it's my turn." Shelby growls.
She kisses Rachel's face and neck much to the little girl's delight.
The toddler's giggles fill the hallway as the two make their way down the stairs that lead to the kitchen.
"Mommy okay." Rachel attempts to push Shelby's face away from her cheeks.
"But I love you." Shelby pretend pouts. "Don't you like my kisses?"
"Nope." Rachel cheekily smiles.
"If that's the case I guess I can't carry you anymore." Shelby pretends to drop Rachel but catches the little girl at the last minute.
She lets Rachel down gently so that the little girl can run to the pantry and grab the cereal. Shelby is exhausted but she would do anything that made her little girl happy. Even if that meant waking up at odd hours to nurse her or make her favorite cereal.
"Momma me gots it." Rachel yells as she runs back into the kitchen with a box of Lucky Charms in her arms. She drops the box a couple times before finally reaching the counter where Shelby was preparing her bowl and spoon.
"Can have my princess bowl Momma?" Rachel stands on the tip of her toes to set the box on the counter.
"Elsa or Ariel?" Shelby looks down at her daughter.
"Elsa…no Ariel, Mommy."Rachel scratches just below the scar on her belly. It itches sometimes and Shelby has noticed the little girl was always touching it or scratching at it at some point.
Shelby grabs the bowl and spoon and takes them over to the table.
"Me want Mommy milk too Momma." Rachel climbs into the chair, her little diapered butt in the air.
Shelby already knew what the girl would ask for before she said it.
There were days when Rachel would want to drink the breast milk with cereal. It started when Rachel wanted to see how it would taste and on occasion, the little girl would ask for it again.
Shelby continues to make Rachel's breakfast and finally sits at the table across from her little girl. She leans her head against her hand and watches Rachel eat her cereal. The woman is close to falling asleep again but she knows that once her coffee is made she will be okay.
After taking a few spoonfuls of her cereal, Rachel sets her spoon down and brings the bowl up to her lips, where she begins to drink the milk.
Shelby rolls her eyes.
Why couldn't Rachel just ask for the milk?
With a loud exhale Rachel slams the bowl to the table and wipes her mouth with a tiny arm.
"Me done."
"Do you want more?" Shelby asks.
Rachel shakes her head.
"Okay then, we have to brush teeth now. So up we go little girl." Shelby cleans the table off.
"Clean me too momma." Rachel points to her bare chest that has spilled milk all over it.
"I swear sometimes I think you have a hole in your chin." Shelby mutters. She grabs a small towel from the counter and proceeds to clean off the small girl.
"No hole Mommy see." Rachel lifts her head up and shows her Mommy.
"I know baby girl It was just a …." Shelby stops talking at the look of confusion on her daughter's face.
"Mommy can I put paste on my toothy brush?" Rachel wraps her arms around her mother's neck and leans into her.
"Yes baby you can." Shelby wraps her arms around Rachel and lifts her up. The little girl is practically weightless in her arms.
Rachel leans into her Momma and begins to talk about how she loves Doc McStuffins and wants to watch it all morning.
Shelby shakes her head and has to wonder how in the world her daughter is so loud and cheery in the morning.
"Up and down
Round and Round" Shelby sings to Rachel as they brush their teeth together.
"I brush my teeth to keep them sound," Rachel sings back around her toothbrush.
"To keep them sound and clean and white
I brush them morning, noon and night" They both sing together.
"Make sure you get the back baby." Shelby turns towards Rachel again to make sure the little girl is doing her part.
"I do Mommy see?" Rachel takes the toothbrush from her mouth and opens her mouth wide.
Shelby nods her head.
"Mommy we go to Chuck E. Cheese today?" Rachel spits into the sink.
"Not today baby. I'm thinking we can stay home and just play." Shelby puts their toothbrushes away to grab the mouthwash. "How does that sound?"
"No Mommy me want to go to Chuck E. Cheese."
"How about this Rachel. When we go with Granddaddy and Nana we can go to anything you want kay?"
Rachel nods her head. She is just excited to hear that she will be seeing her grandparents again.
"Now blue mouthwash or would you like to try mine again?"
Rachel looks at each bottle and then points to her own bubblegum mouthwash. Her mommy's mouthwash was too hot and it burned a lot. Shelby had let Rachel try once, insisting to the little girl that she would not like it. However, Rachel continued to beg until the mother gave in.
It was a funny sight to see, as Rachel did not have the mouthwash in her mouth for more than 2 seconds before spitting it out.
Shelby pours them each a small cup and then hands Rachel a cup.
"No swallowing remember Rachel."
"I know Momma."
"Momma what's this?" Rachel touches the scar on her tummy for the hundredth time that day.
"Rachel that's a scar remember we talked about it?" Shelby comes out of the closet with clean clothes for Rachel to wear.
Shelby sets the clothes down and kneels down in front of the little girl.
Rachel is pulling the skin of her tummy to see if the scar would move along with it.
"Do you remember how you got it?"
Rachel shakes her head. All she can remember is that her stomach felt really sore and itchy and it was a sort of hot feeling. Soon enough the cut turned into a scar.
Now Shelby was using ointment and a little bit of cream the doctor prescribed to make it go away or at least appear softer and lighter.
"Does it itch baby?" Shelby gently removes Rachel's hands away from her tummy.
"Yes Mommy. Itch so much." Rachel is close to tears. She does not want this to be on her tummy at all. It does not feel right and it makes her think sometimes.
"Okay baby one second." Shelby kisses the top of Rachel's head and goes to get the ointment that relieves the itching and softens the scar.
Shelby hates that they could be having a wonderful day and there is something there to remind them what has happened. Something that reminds them Rachel has not always lived with her. That she was not the one to hold her baby girl when she was just a newborn.
Her thoughts always lead to new thoughts.
Another thought that had been in her head for a while is that a few months back on her confrontation with Leroy the man confessed that Hiram hit Rachel when she was only six months old.
Shelby grabs the ointment but gets lost in thought as she thinks of a confrontation with someone from a few weeks ago.
"Momma?" is what brings Shelby out of her head.
The last 6 months has been a big giant puzzle piece full of hurt, what ifs and if then. Shelby did not like that at all but she knew now that her little girl will always be safe with her.
Shelby closes the medicine cabinet and looks into the mirror.
She has to be strong for the little girl in the other room, Her beautiful and happy little girl, named Rachel; her healthy and beautiful happy little girl that she loves so much.
"Hey Pookie?" Shelby gives a kiss to her sister's cheek as she welcomes her older sister and nephew into her home. "Where's David?"
"So that's the nickname we are going with Pooh bear?" Mary teases. "And he had an emergency meeting at work."
"Hi Aunt Shelby where's Rachel?" DJ takes his shoes and jacket off immediately.
"She's upstairs in her room playing with her dolls. You can go on up." Shelby takes her nephews things and sits them on the table.
They watch as the little boy runs from the foyer and up the stairs to Rachel's room.
"So how are ya sis what's new with you?" Mary follows her sister in the den.
Shelby plops onto the couch and folds her legs underneath her.
"Nothing much just taking care of a very busy three year old.'
"That's a lot of hard work." Mary takes a pack of skittles out of her purse. "Has she been sleeping?"
"For the past few nights yes." Shelby thinks about it. "There's the occasional flashback or nightmare but she has been doing pretty well."
"Do you miss it?" Mary asks.
"Miss what?" Shelby holds her hands out signaling to her sister that she wants in on the skittles.
"Working? The school year is almost over and I know the kids miss you there."
"I'm sure they do." Shelby pops a skittle into her mouth. "And yes I miss it sometime but I want to spend the most time with Rachel as I can. I have so much to learn about her and we are only just getting comfortable. I think we can start fresh next school year."
"That's so great." Mary admires her younger sister. "It's amazing how much of a mom you are. You're so young and you have your whole life ahead of you to have fun and yet you gave that entire life up to be with your daughter."
"It's the same with what you did. You and David got married and then had DJ." Shelby speaks. "I would drop everything if I could for Rachel. She's my life and I know she still has things that she is holding in but I just want to always be there for her when she's ready and able to tell us what is going on."
"It will be a relief for all of us when she's does." Mary scoots closer to her sister. "I will be so happy when we all can be just happy and free of drama."
"Speaking of drama did you hear that Eric has a date for when he's coming home? It's Christmas but mom and dad don't know yet so you can't spoil the beans." Shelby speaks up about the email she got about their older brother.
"Considering that's a little while away I'm thinking I will forget before I can tell." Mary leans her head on Shelby's shoulder. "But on another good note tomorrow is DJ's first fitting for his cochlear implants."
"Really that's great." Shelby looks down at her sister. "Are you nervous?"
"Nervous, scared and worried all rolled into a big pile of excitement and nausea."
"Oh."
"Yep but he'll be happier. Plus my bank account doesn't have to suffer since his insurance is paying for it."
"Ah how I wish I had a husband that made six figures."
"Well how about Finley I mean I'm sure he doesn't make six figures but he's hot. Have you two gotten anywhere?"
"No at least I don't think so. He should be calling me later on in the day to talk. But guess what happened when we met his niece the other day."
"Quinn the little one?"
"Yes. Apparently she and Rachel didn't start off on the wrong foot and Rachel ended up smacking her twice." Shelby tells her sister.
"Way to go Rach." Mary murmurs.
"No it's not way to go. They were fighting over Lucy." Shelby playfully smacks her sister. "I want her to know that it's not okay to hit people when you're angry."
"Well you just hit me so that's kind of hypocritical." Mary commented.
Shelby raises a brow at her sister.
"But I mean why were they fighting over Lucy?"
"Rachel did not want to share her toy with Quinn and they began to fight over it. I just don't know what came over her."
"She was angry I can understand that." Mary looks up into her sister's eyes. "Lucy was the first gift you ever gave the little dude. Have you ever thought that Rachel was thinking that if she loses Lucy and or something happens to the stuffed animal that she will be losing you too? I mean she's pretty attached to the thing and she associates it with you."
Shelby pauses to think about this.
She admits she never thought about it this way but she would have a talk with Dr. Brown about it later.
Sometimes she had to think why Mary didn't study to be a therapist.
"And don't think I didn't notice you trying to change the subject from you and your new beau." Mary tells her sister.
"I wasn't I just wanted to tell you."
"Unhun but seriously Shelby try and see where it goes. It's obvious he likes you and what's the worst that could happen?" Mary quiets as she realizes she just jinxed the inevitable.
Shelby does not even answer this question as the scenarios all show up in her mind at once.
"Look mommy bought me the light up shoes." Rachel shows her older cousin the shoes that her mother bought her the other day.
"Cool I stepped in the mud and mommy has to clean them." DJ sits on Rachel's bed.
"Oh you want mine?" Rachel offers.
"Nope they're too girly. I'm a boy." DJ scrunches his nose up at the shoes. "Do you have any ninja turtles? Or batman?"
"No Tana has batman but her not here." Rachel drops the shoes and runs into her closet. "Me have Legos?"
"Even better." DJ helps Rachel take the legos out of her closet.
"Anyway about this trip…"Mary trails up to the counter of the kitchen. "How long do you think we will be staying? With work and everything, we have to figure it out somehow."
"I don't know but I'm thinking a few days in the least. Carmel's graduation is on the 5th and I know Amanda' Lopez's sister Carmen wants me to attend. I don't even know why because I'm like her least favorite teacher in the whole school."
"Is Carmen the one who gave you a tough time your first year teaching?" Mary crunches on a chip.
"Yes don't remind me." Shelby hands a napkin to her sister. "It seems that all of the Lopez kids are feisty trouble makers. I can see it in Santana already."
"Well maybe she wants to thank you. You pushed the girl hard enough and you saw the potential in her when no one else would."
"That maybe it." Shelby came around the counter to stand next to her sister. "You are so right."
"You know it's been scientifically proven that the oldest is the smart one." Mary looks over to her sister.
"So maybe I should e-mail Eric and congratulate him." Shelby teases and dodges a swat from her older sister.
"Rachel you want to draw a picture?"
"Yes but me not know how." Rachel stands up a little straighter.
"It's okay I'll show you. Do you have any papers?"
Rachel pulls her chalkboard and whiteboard from the corner of the room. "No me got this."
"This is cool." DJ looks at the easel in awe. "Who bought this for you?"
"My mommy?" Rachel looks at her cousin as if he is crazy. Who else would buy it for her?
"How about me on one side and you on the other."
"I want the chalk." Rachel picks dibs.
DJ hunches his shoulders and picks up a dry erase marker.
"Auntie Shelby!" DJ yells as he runs down the backstairs that lead to the kitchen.
"What is it?" Shelby stops the little boy and his yelling. "Where's the fire."
"No fire." DJ catches his breath. "But Rachel is writing on the wall and we're not upposed to."
Shelby sets her dish towel down and looks at the little boy.
"She has to get in trouble right?" DJ looks over to his mom. "Daddy always gives me swats."
"No sweetie Rachel won't be getting swats. She does not understand that writing on the walls is wrong. So I have to explain to her and if she does it again that's when she gets in trouble." Shelby explains to her nephew.
"Oh Mary, could you watch the pizza so I can go ahead and get Rachel?"
Mary nods.
"Rachel baby what are you doing?" Shelby comes in to see that Rachel has used green marker to write all over the pink walls. "You are not allowed to write on the walls.
"Mommy why DJ go?" Rachel asks. "See I make picture."
Shelby sighs knowing that Rachel cannot get in trouble for this because she does not know that it is wrong.
Shelby takes the marker from Rachel's hand and turns the little girl into her more fully.
"Baby listen we are not allowed to write on walls and that is a pretty picture but I'm sorry but I have to wash it off." Shelby tells the little girl.
"Why?" Rachel's eyes fog up when she hears that her momma is going to remove her picture. "Not like it?"
"Rach baby I love it but once again we are not allowed or supposed to write on walls." Shelby takes Rachel's tiny hands into her own. "The walls are for pretty paintings and pictures but not for crayons and Marker's and Rachel's creations."
"But mommy picture for you." Rachel tells her.
"I know baby and you can draw me another picture on a piece of paper of your easel but not on the wall do you understand?"
Rachel nods her head.
"Now let's go and get something to clean this off."
Rachel nods again and looks sadly over to her scribbles on the wall. She thought it looked pretty on the walls but of course, her Mommy would not. There were many things she was not allowed to do and Rachel wondered what she was allowed to do.
"Hey after my shift tonight I would like to call you would that be okay?"
Shelby smiles as she gets an incoming text to her cell phone.
"Someone's got you smiling like a maniac so who is it?" Mary steps over to her sister.
They have migrated to the backyard and away from walls where Rachel and DJ can play catch. The giant backyard had enough space and grass so that they could play comfortably and still have room left over. There was also a tree in the far back of the yard, which could hold a tree house when the kids were a little older.
"Let me guess his name starts with a Fin and ends with a ley?" Mary leans over her sister's shoulder and tries to catch a glimpse of what her sister is texting about.
"Yes it's him but that doesn't mean anything." Shelby pulls away from her sister.
"Wait are you guys sexting already? You never hide your texts from me." Mary asks bluntly. "Don't you think it's a little too early for that? I mean unless you two are already…"
"Mary!" Shelby blushes at her sisters words. "And no we are not already doing anything. We have not even started dating yet and we are just friends for the time being; now if somewhere along the road we can turn that into a relationship, then we can but for now my focus is Rachel and his is work. Just friends and nothing else"
"If you say so." Mary puts her hands up in surrender. "But I'll just say no guy has put a smile on your face since Bobby Landon 5 years ago. Hey whatever happened to him?"
"He didn't really support my decision on Broadway or being a surrogate for the Berry's I guess he was right for both." Shelby sinks into a lawn chair.
"No that dude was borderline OCD and I believe he was right about nothing." Mary sinks into the chair next to her sister. "You had your time on Broadway and if it wasn't for the Berry men, no matter how horrible they were, you probably wouldn't have Rachel."
"True." Shelby murmurs. "How come it seems that with you we are always talking about dating?"
"I should be a matchmaker." Mary smiles.
"Nah stick to your day job it suits you sometimes."
"Are you saying I'm not a good lawyer?" Mary pout
"No you are the absolute best but sometimes your personality isn't serious enough for it." Shelby explains.
"I get that a lot." Mary dramatically leans her head against her arm on the table.
"Incoming!' DJ yells as the ball flies past Shelby's head and into the flowerpot sitting on the patio.
"Ohh you broke it." They can hear Rachel say in the distance.
"He's your kid for sure." Shelby stands up to go and find a broom and dustpan to clean up the mess.
Mary looks back at her son and then over to the flowerpot.
Man, her kid had a hard kick.
She remembers those days and just thinking about it makes her organs hurt.
"How to potty train your child in 7 days"
"How to potty train your stubborn 3 year old"
"Step by step guide to getting your kid to park and pee."
Shelby's eyes scanned over the several books on her nightstand in her room. This week coming up would cause for a challenge and she doesn't know how Rachel will react in the process of potty training.
The little girl was curious about it that what she knew for sure.
Rachel always insisted coming into the bathroom and sitting with her while, she used it. When Shelby was finished, Rachel would flush for her. Yes, it may be weird but at least Rachel was interested in it.
Shelby also knew that there is a chance that Rachel's memories of Hiram's potty training could scare her and she did not know about that either. They did not know what the exact potty training consisted of but it could not be good.
But the mother would go at Rachel's pace and help the little girl in anyway she could.
"Mommy …" Rachel's voice begins to get louder as she arrives into her mother's room. "Mommy me want Spisghetti O's."
Shelby stands up from her bed and follows her little girl to the kitchen.
Rachel watches her Mommy's every move and goes to sit at the table just like this morning.
Mary and DJ left a few hours ago and now it was just back to mother and daughter.
Once the food is heated and served Shelby sits across from Rachel and begins to dig into her own bowl of ravioli.
"Mommy this not right." Rachel frowns.
"Why what's wrong with it?" Shelby looks up from her bowl.
"Me wanted ravioli Momma not these." Rachel points to the spaghetti o's into her bowl.
"Baby you told me you wanted Spaghetti O's."
Rachel shakes her head. "No me want ravioli."
"Well baby I'm sorry this was our last can and I'm almost done eating mine." Shelby puts her fork down.
"Me want ravioli Momma." Rachel whines and pouts.
"I'm sorry Rachel but I already said we don't have anymore and you asked for that." Shelby gets up to clear her spot leaving Rachel to her own plate.
"No me not gonna eat it." Rachel frowns.
She pushes the plate away, along with folding her arms and throwing her self into the chair.
"Well I could make you something else?" Shelby steps back over to the table.
"No me want ravioli Momma." Rachel wiggles in her seat and whines again.
"Baby we don't have anymore now you could pick something else or I pick for you?" Shelby is somewhat annoyed with Rachel's whining.
Rachel does not say anything but pushed the bowl away farther.
"No!" She yells and picks up her spoon to throw it at Shelby.
Luckily, the three year olds range and aim is off and it lands just 2 inches from her feet.
"Rachel this is your first warning and right now I'm telling you that it is not okay to throw things."
Rachel grunts a few times and whines a little more.
She is upset that her Momma has eaten the last of the ravioli.
Her mind it set on that food and she does not want anything else.
She picks up the bowl and drops it to the floor two inches away from the spoon. This causes all of her spaghetti o's and spaghetti sauce to spill all over the floor
"No Rachel we don't throw things."
Shelby helps Rachel out of the chair and into the time out chair in the corner of the room.
She sits Rachel into the chair.
"We don't throw things, especially not to hurt people and especially not at Mommy. You have 3 minutes and I warned you twice do not get up from this chair."
Rachel bursts into a brand new set of tears and stays in the seat.
Shelby only intends to keep her in the timeout until she can clean up the mess.
However, Rachel doesn't get this and she stands up to follow Shelby back onto the other side of the kitchen.
"Rachel stay in the seat. You are in time out for throwing your bowl and spoon at Mommy. That's not nice and it is hurtful." Shelby redirects the little girl to the chair.
Shelby is only able to get a few feet before Rachel gets up again.
Her time out at Finley's house she only stayed in the seat because she did not understand what was really happening, she was angry and confused.
This time she understood that she could get up from her seat at her own will even though her Mommy told her to stay.
"No Mommy." Rachel cries and clings onto shelby's legs. "No timeout."
Shelby gently removes Rachel's arms and sits her back into the chair.
"I know sweetie time out sucks but that's what has to happen. Throwing stuff at people is right there with hitting and it will get you a time out every time."
Rachel cries louder.
She kicks her legs against the wall in front of her and sinks out of the chair.
There are 2 more times where Rachel gets out of the chair and Shelby helps her back into it.
She does not want to be in this chair at all and she does not want to be in trouble. She crawls back over to where he Mommy is and sits next to her. She looks up to Shelby and has to wonder why her mommy is not comforting her like usual when she cries.
Shelby continues to clean up the mess and ignores the fact that Rachel has gotten out of the time out chair.
Rachel sniffles and watchers her mother's every move.
Shelby knows that if she ignores all of the crying and whining Rachel will figure out and understand that was not how she got her way. After trying to keep the little girl in the chair she decided to let Rachel figure it out on her own for a little bit.
Shelby gently walks over to Rachel and picks her up aging. She sets her in the chair and Rachel looks up at her with sad eyes.
No matter how much it is tearing her up inside she ignores it and continues to go about her day.
Rachel sits in the chair and continues to stare at the wall as she thinks about why she is in time out. Now that she thinks about it she doesn't really know and for whatever reason throwing things at her Mommy isn't good at all.
From the other side of the room Shelby hums a little so that Rachel know she is still there.
"Okay Rachel come here."
Rachel calmly walks over to her Mommy and sniffles a little.
Shelby uses the sleeve of her shirt to clean the girl's face and hands.
"Baby do you know why you go into the time out?"
Rachel shakes her head.
"Rachel you were in time out because you threw your bowl and spoon at me. I know that you were angry and frustrated but baby girl that is not okay. Do you understand? We do not hurt people because we are angry." Shelby tells the little girls. "What's the rule for hitting?"
"No hit and hurt." Rachel speaks out quietly.
"Right." Shelby takes Rachel's hands in hers. "I gave you the option to choose another food but you refused and you threw something at me. Something that could have hurt me. We do not throw because it hurts people. Do you understand?"
"Yes no throw and hurt." Rachel mumbles.
"Good girl now your time out is over and you are forgiven." Shelby tells her daughter. "I know we all get mad sometimes and we don't know how to communicate it but you never hurt people when you are angry, ever. I do not like punishing you Rachel but it has to be done. Now can I have a hug?"
Rachel looks into her mother's eyes surprised.
Her Mommy still wanted to hug her after what she did?
"Yes baby I will never keep my love and hugs and kisses from you. No matter what you do I love you." Shelby knows exactly what Rachel is thinking.
Rachel falls into her mother's arms and squeezes her tightly, this was another thing that her fathers did not do; they never forgave her for when she did something that they thought she did wrong.
"Mommy can have food now?" Rachel pulls back and asks.
"Yes you may." Shelby leads Rachel over to the fridge so Rachel can start fresh and choose her food.
"So how is my little star?" Finely asks as Shelby picks up the phone.
"She's fine. Testing the limits but all in all she's fine." Shelby sits in the rocking chair in the corner of her room.
Rachel had fallen asleep a few hours prior and Shelby occupied her herself by texting back and forth with the police officer.
"That's good. I think she and Quinn started off on the wrong foot but they'll be good friends like we are." Finely speaks. "In a few years I can hopefully make detective and we could still be friends. Would that be good?"
"It'd be wonderful Shelby smiles again."
"Good because I don't think I could ever live without seeing that smile again."
Shelby breathes out.
"I'm sure you'll live."
"I feel like an eight grader again." Finley nervously chuckles.
"Why?"
"Because I'm on the phone with an incredibly gorgeous woman and my flirting skills suck so badly that I don't know what to say."
"Is that what we're doing? For the last twenty minutes we've been flirting?" Shelby asks slyly.
"On your part yes but on mine it's been incredibly cheesy and nerdy." Finely replies." Speaking of eight grade let's play twenty-one questions. You up to it?"
"That's really taking it back there but sure I'll play your little game. 1 question until we get to twenty one." Shelby curls into the chair and pulls a blanket over herself.
"Okay since I suggested I'll start." Finley begins. "I'll start off nice. What's the worst pickup line that someone ever said to you?"
"Um there are a lot. But I guess it would be….Are your legs tired because you've been running through my mind all day." Shelby chuckles.
"Wow that is something." Finley chuckles too. "But I guess I win in that department. Your turn."
"Um okay. Let me see…" Shelby licks her lips and scours through her brain to see what she can ask. "What's one thing no one knows about you?"
"It's embarrassing but I'm a huge fan of Rizzoli and Isles and I totally think they should be together. I mean the chemistry is undeniably great and I mean I notice the lingering looks." Finley answers.
"I haven't watched much TV that hasn't been full of Disney and singing lately. I'll have to check it out." Shelby tells him.
"Good because they are great together."
Shelby leans back in her chair and listens as he goes on and on to tell her about the plot of the show but she does not get bored with it not one bit.
Through the rest of the phone call they played 21 questions and got to know each other a little better after each question.
A/N: So a simple chapter. It took me some time to write because I was stuck but I made it. I have been feeling a little iffy about having Shelby spank Rachel because of her past but I will find an alternative and whatnot.
In the upcoming chapters you will see more family, more play dates, more of toddler Rachel misbehaving, more Shelby/Rachel moments and more development of your ship name also known as Shelley?
Bye for now
-LSAM