To the guest reviewer who asked for Rachel and Shelby to have a missunderstanding, I'm drawing a blank right now as to how I'd fit something like that into the story right now, but if you have any ideas as to how it would happen, feel free to let me know, either in a review or drop me a PM. Otherwise I'll keep your idea in mind and try and fit it in later in the story.
I had someone PM me asking for Rachel to get her period when she's with Amy, that happens in this chapter, I tried to make it different to the last time, so I hope it doesn't seem repetitive!
Shelby thought nothing of the fact that Rachel was spending more time with Amy, in fact she was glad about it, happy her sister and daughter got along so well, and slightly reassured that Rachel wouldn't be sat at home alone during the times when she wasn't at school.
She wasn't even bothered by the text she'd received from her sister, telling her not asking her, that Rachel would be having dinner with her and her kids once a week. In fact, Shelby was glad of the opportunity to stay late at school and get her marking and planning up to date without worrying about Rachel.
Although she'd not pushed for details, Amy was aware that Rachel's fathers had relied on her to take care of their house, so she was careful about the things she got Rachel to help her with. It started off with Rachel helping Max with his homework at the kitchen table as Lily coloured happily beside her and Amy made dinner, but soon Rachel was helping with dinner too, Amy making sure she was teaching the girl, that they cooked together, that she explained what she was doing and why, helping Rachel develop skills she'd find useful instead of making her feel like she 'had' to cook because it was expected of her.
She made sure that she was never far from Rachel when she was doing other chores either, choosing instead to help her niece with whatever she was doing, whether it was folding laundry, emptying the dishwasher or helping in the garden, Amy stayed with Rachel, the pair getting lost in conversation as they worked.
Together they'd even worked to redecorate Amy's dining room, Rachel over the moon to have been the one to help her Aunt pick out new accessories for the room, her face lighting up when she was asked for her opinion and realised that Amy actually wanted to hear it.
A problem with the school's boiler had seen Lily and Max home from school one Thursday, so Amy got everyone outside, announcing that Lily and Max could help her and Rachel wash the car. That had been the plan, but Amy wasn't surprised when, less than ten minutes after stepping outside, the car had been forgotten as the four of them chased each other around the yard in the midst of a huge water fight.
"Go shower in my ensuite" Amy wrapped her arm around Rachel's shoulder as they traipsed back into the house a while later, all dripping wet, "the towels in there are clean and you can use whatever you want. Get warmed up and grab something from my dresser to wear, I'll bath the kids to get them warmed up and then stick your clothes in the dryer for you."
Rachel did as Amy asked, showering quickly before wrapping the towel around her body and walking back into the bedroom, her hands shaking slightly as she opened the dresser. She knew Amy had told her to get something to wear but at the same time she still felt like she was doing something wrong, like she was about to get into trouble for snooping so she quickly grabbed a pair of ripped skinny jeans and a tank top, slightly surprised to find that her Aunt wore the same sized clothes as she did.
Rachel took her damp clothes downstairs once she'd dressed, towel drying her hair and leaving it lose around her shoulders. She threw the clothes into the dryer but didn't turn it on, not sure if Amy wanted to add anything else, and then made her way back into the kitchen, deciding to start making lunch for everyone.
She didn't know what it was, but Rachel liked wearing Amy's clothes, despite the fact that she had more clothes of her own than she could ever have imagined owning in the past, there was something comforting about being in her aunt's clothes. Shelby had stopped buying pyjamas for Rachel, knowing the girl would never wear them, within a few days of moving in, Rachel had started sleeping in leggings and a tshirt of Shelby's, and now she preferred to pair Shelby's tshirts with the pyjama pants Amy had 'lent' to her when she'd been ill, Amy knowing full well that she wouldn't be getting them back. She didn't mind though, in fact Amy was happy to know that she'd done something, no matter how small, to provide comfort to the teen who'd been through so much.
It didn't take long for Rachel's clothes to dry once Amy set the dryer going, but she saw the look on Rachel's face when she handed the clothes back to her, "you can change if you want" she told her, "but if you don't want to change then that's fine too." The look on Rachel's face said everything and Amy couldn't help but smile, correctly guessing that she wouldn't be getting either the jeans or the tank top back from her niece.
Rachel began to feel a little 'off' as she and Amy made dinner after spending the afternoon painting with Lily and Max, the two kids now watching a DVD until dinner was ready. She couldn't quite put her finger on what was wrong so she excused herself for a moment and made her way to the bathroom, wondering if it was just the heat from the kitchen making her feel ill.
"Aunt Amy" Rachel said quietly as she walked back into the kitchen a few minutes later.
"Yes Pretty Girl" Amy put down the vegetable peeler and turned to face her niece, frowning when she saw the terrified look on the girl's face, "is everything okay?"
Rachel's stomach was in knots as she whispered, "I think I might be getting my period and I haven't… I haven't got anything" she blushed.
"Oh Darling" Amy wrapped her arms around Rachel and kissed her head before taking her hand, "come with me." She led Rachel up the stairs and through the master bedroom into the small ensuite where Rachel has showered earlier that day, "here" she opened the cupboard under the sink, gesturing to open packets of both tampons and sanitary towels. "You never have to ask okay" she told Rachel, "if you're here and you need anything, you just come in here and help yourself, there might be a few things in the main bathroom or the downstairs washroom but there will always be something in here, and you can use whatever you need, whenever you need okay?"
Rachel nodded," thank you."
"You don't need to thank me" Amy kissed Rachel's forehead, "I'll let you get yourself sorted out, I'll be downstairs if you need me."
"Okay" Rachel nodded, closing the door behind Amy and taking a moment to get herself together. Everytime something like this happened, she couldn't stop herself thinking how different things would have been with her fathers, the men probably wouldn't have bothered to buy her sanitary products and if she'd have dared ask for anything, they'd probably have laughed at her and probably reminded her how stupid and useless she was, and then scolded and punished her for making a mess, despite having no other option.
"Are you okay?" Amy asked as Rachel walked back into the kitchen, "do you want a painkiller or anything?"
Rachel shook her head, "I think I'm okay for now".
"Okay" Amy nodded, "but don't be afraid to ask if that changes okay?"
"I won't" Rachel promised, "what would you like me to do?" she gestured to the food Amy was preparing.
Amy smiled, "I think this is just about ready to go in the oven, so why don't you set the table for the four of us and I'll tidy up here?"
As always Shelby came to pick Rachel up after dinner and she frowned slightly as she saw her daughter, not recognising the outfit she was wearing," I erm… "Rachel was sure Shelby was going to be angry with her.
"They're mine" Amy told her sister, "we had a water fight with the kids, someone helped Max throw a bucket of water at me, not realising I had the hose" she smirked at Rachel.
Shelby rolled her eyes, "I don't know which of you is the biggest kid" she laughed.
Amy just shrugged innocently, seeing Rachel enjoying something as simple as a water fight with her cousins was more than worth a little teasing from her sister. "I've dried her clothes, they're on the side for you to take home"
"Thanks" Shelby smiled before holding her arms out to Rachel, "have you had a good day then?"
Rachel nodded as she allowed herself to be held by her Mom, "I've never had a water fight before" she admitted, Amy and Shelby making eye contact, both of them shocked by the confession.
"Well I'm sure Lily and Max will be happy to make sure this wasn't your last." Amy said as she walked over to her sister and her niece, gently stroking Rachel's back. "Just you wait for summer."
"Will you come over too?" Rachel asked Shelby, "in the summer? And help me get Aunt Amy?"
Shelby laughed and made eye contact with her sister, "oh, absolutely!" she chuckled.
Amy rolled her eyes, "I'd like to see you try" her tone of voice reminding Rachel just how competitive Shelby and Amy had been when they'd played board games together, and suddenly she found herself excited about the summer for the first time in her life.
Rachel and Shelby stayed chatting to Amy for a while before saying goodbye to her and the kids, but Shelby had noticed that her daughter had barely left her side since she'd arrived, and she wondered if something had happened to upset her. "Are you okay?" she asked gently once they were in the car.
"Yeah, Rachel nodded, fiddling with her fingers before deciding to just say it, "I erm, I got my period earlier" she whispered, "my back hurts and I, I feel a little queasy from the cramps."
Shelby leaned over and kissed Rachel's forehead, "thank you for telling me" she told her, "did you ask Aunt Amy for a painkiller?"
Rachel shook her head, "she offered me one earlier when I… I had to ask if she had anything I could use" she blushed. "But I was okay, I only started feeling bad about half an hour ago."
Shelby took Rachel's hand and squeezed it gently, "I know that can't have been easy for you, but I am so proud of you for asking for help, for knowing you can trust your Aunt" she smiled, "but for now, let's get you home, we can get you a painkiller and a heat pad for your back if you think that might help, and we can curl up with a movie and some ice cream, sound good?"
Rachel smiled and nodded, "sounds great. Thanks Mom"
Shelby kissed Rachel's temple as she started the car, "there's nothing to thank me for Baby."