11-year-old Maya Hummel-Anderson was as focused as she had ever been. It was Saturday afternoon, and she was spending the weekend at the home of her biological mother Rachel Berry St. James, Rachel's husband Jesse, and their 10-year-old daughter, Olive. Maya's dads, Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson, were good friends of Rachel and Jesse and were spending the weekend in the Hamptons.
Maya knew it was important for her dads to spend some one-on-one time together, but boy did she wish she was in the Hamptons and not doing homework. She was seated at the St. James family kitchen table and trying to write an essay for her English class. Maya had written out everything she had wanted to say, but wasn't sure if it sounded okay and flowed properly.
Just then, Olive entered the room. Maya and Olive had grown up together, with their parents being good friends, and Rachel having been both Maya's egg donor and surrogate. Maya was aware of the girls' biological connection, while Olive was still a little too young to understand, so she really only thought of Maya as a good friend. However, their friendship was only about a year in the making, as for a most of their childhood they couldn't stand to be in the same room together. Last year though, when Maya had stayed with the family for five days, something shifted - and the pair were growing closer every day.
"Hiya Maya," Olive giggled at the rhyme. Maya couldn't help but smile - Olive did that every time.
"Are you doing homework?" Olive sounded absolutely disgusted as she emphasized the word homework.
"Yep," Maya nodded as she wrote something then quickly erased it.
"But it's Saturday!" Olive sounded genuinely shocked that anyone would do homework on a Saturday. Olive had a math worksheet and two chapters to read in Johnny Tremain - but she was perfectly fine waiting to do that all until tomorrow evening, thank you very much.
"Well, I'm in middle school now," Maya replied. Olive and Maya attended the same all-girls private K-12 school where Maya was in sixth grade and Olive in fifth.
"And?" Olive asked.
"There's more homework in middle school," Maya explained. "And I try to get it done early on so that I have the rest of the weekend for fun - like, for spending time with you. Wanna watch a movie later? You can pick."
Olive grinned. "I'm holding you to it, Maya Hummel-Anderson," Olive skipped away, nearly running into Rachel.
"Goodness. You seem happy," Rachel smiled and squeezed Olive's shoulder.
"Sorry, Mom," Olive apologized before making her way upstairs.
"How's it going, Maya?" Rachel asked. "I mean, I know the last thing you need after having Olive talk your ear off is me distracting you."
Maya laughed.
"That's okay. Actually, maybe you could read my essay and tell me what you think," Maya said.
"Well, sure," Rachel smiled and sat down next to her. "I've never been much of a writer, but would love to help if I can." While Rachel wasn't the traditional mother to her, Maya definitely saw Rachel as a mother figure and enjoyed spending time with her. The feeling was mutual.
"The question we have to answer in our essay is 'if you could meet anybody in the world - living or dead, who would you choose and why?'" Maya explained. She slid her essay over to Rachel
Narrative Essay
By Maya Hummel-Anderson
Period 2
If I could meet anybody in the world - living or dead, I would choose to meet my Uncle Finn, who passed away eight years before I was born.
Uncle Finn was a football player in high school and he loved to sing in the glee club. My dad, Kurt, was also in the Glee club. They didn't always see eye to eye, but eventually, Finn's mom and my dad's dad got married. I know them as my Grandma Carole and my Grandpa Burt.
It was hard for everybody to adjust at first - especially for my Uncle Finn. But he and Dad got closer and Dad says he will never forget the day that Finn stopped calling him his stepbrother and started calling him his brother.
My grandparents and dad don't really talk about Uncle Finn too much - I think it's too hard for them - especially for Grandma. But they've told me a little bit about him and I've seen a picture of him, too. My dad says Uncle Finn would love that I like to play sports and sing in the school chorus.
I know they named Uncle Finn's high school auditorium after him, so it sounds like he really had a positive impact on the people who knew him. I just wish I could've known him, too.
Rachel swallowed. She had felt the lump form in her throat the moment she read the first sentence but had been trying to keep it together long enough to finish the essay, excuse herself temporarily, then come back once she had pulled herself together to help Maya with the assignment.
"What do you think? Rachel…are you okay?" Maya noticed Rachel was tearing up.
"I'm…I'll be back," Rachel stood up and started to leave the kitchen, just as Olive and Jesse entered.
"Hey, we're gonna go to the store -" Jesse started. "Rach, are you okay?" He asked after noticing the tears rolling down his wife's face.
"Mommy, what's wrong?" Olive sounded equally as concerned.
"I'm going to go up to our room for a while," Rachel told Jesse, as she hurried out of the kitchen and up the stairs.
Jesse turned to Maya.
"Maya, do you know why Rachel is upset?" He asked gently.
Maya shook her head, near tears herself, as she was afraid she had done something to make Rachel cry.
"She had just read my essay for school," Maya handed the essay to Jesse, who quickly read through it.
"Oh," Jesse said, more to himself. "I'm gonna go talk to her really quick, okay girls?" He turned to leave.
"Jesse…did…did I do something wrong?" Maya asked quietly.
"Oh, no honey," Jesse answered, going over and giving Maya a quick hug.
"Rachel and I will be back downstairs in a little bit, but right now I need to talk to her alone. Olive, why don't you and Maya find something to watch on TV?"
"Okay," Olive said slowly. She was upset at seeing her mother cry, as well as the fact that Maya and Jesse seemed upset, too. But she wanted to make Maya feel better and get both of their minds off things, so she led Maya into the family room, turned on the TV, and the pair settled on a marathon of their favorite cartoon.
Meanwhile, Jesse had reached him and Rachel's bedroom. He knocked on the door.
"Rachel? Can I come in?" Jesse asked softly. Rachel didn't answer, but Jesse could hear her sobbing. Slowly, he pushed open the door and sat down next to her on the bed. Tenderly, he put his arm around his wife.
"I'm…sorry Jesse," Rachel choked out.
"For what? For grieving?" Jesse asked.
"I just don't want you to ever think that I'm not grateful for the life that I have with you and Olive," Rachel turned to him.
"God, of course not," Jesse said. Maya's essay had certainly brought up some complicated feelings for him, too. The thought of Rachel being with anybody else did make him uncomfortable, but he knew that Rachel had been in love with Finn - they had even talked about getting married at one point. He also knew that Finn had loved Rachel at a time when Jesse couldn't, and he was glad that Rachel had had that happiness.
Jesse also knew that it ultimately didn't change the love he and Rachel had for each other or their daughter. Rachel had every right to grieve the loss of someone she had cared about regardless of how much time had passed. The loss of a loved one is a terrible thing.
"Thanks, honey," Rachel leaned her head on Jesse's shoulder, and he rubbed her back. The two were quiet for a few moments and then Rachel spoke again.
"I feel bad for leaving Maya like that. I'm sure it scared her and Olive to see me so upset," she added.
"I told them we'd talk to them when you were ready. Right now they're watching TV," Jesse explained.
"Do you think it will bother Olive?" Rachel asked suddenly.
"The fact that you had a boyfriend before me? I think she's old enough to understand - and we do a good job of showing how much we love each other so I don't think she'll have any doubts about that. But if she and Maya have any questions - we'll just have to answer them as best we can," Jesse replied.
"Are you ready?" He asked after another brief silence.
Rachel nodded. "Yes. Let's go talk to them."
Rachel and Jesse stood up and made their way downstairs to the family room.
"Hi girls," Rachel said. Olive and Maya looked up.
"Oli, could you please turn off the TV?" Jesse asked.
"Sure," Olive did so and Rachel sat between the girls. Jesse took a seat in a nearby armchair.
"Are you okay, Rachel?" Maya asked quietly. "Did…did I make you upset?"
"No, sweetheart," Rachel brushed some hair out of Maya's eyes.
"I'm sorry for running off like that," Rachel continued. "It's just that…well, before I dated Jesse I actually dated your Uncle Finn."
Olive and Maya looked at each other then back at Rachel.
"Really?" Maya asked.
"Yes," Rachel said. "His death was very hard on me - just like it was on everybody else. He was a good person and I'm sure you two would've gotten along very well - he'd be so proud of his niece."
"I think he'd also be very happy that Rachel of all people helped his brother and brother-in-law have the family they always wanted," Jesse added.
Maya and Rachel smiled at each other.
"Maybe tomorrow you could share some stories about him or things that he said so I could include them in my essay? If you'd be comfortable with that," Maya said.
"Absolutely!" Rachel replied. "It was a very good essay and a great tribute to him. I would love to contribute anything I can."
"Great - thanks, Rachel," Maya said, giving Rachel a hug.
"You're welcome. I love you, Maya," Rachel replied.
"I love you too," Maya smiled.
Rachel noticed that Olive had been pretty quiet.
"And I love you too, Olive Maria. Come here," Rachel gestured for her daughter to come over. Olive slowly smiled and got up to where her mom and Maya were and joined them in the hug.
When the three pulled away, Rachel got up and went over to Jesse.
"And I love you too," Rachel kissed the top of Jesse's head. He pulled her in for a hug and she looked from him, to Olive, to Maya.
"I don't know what I would do without you three," Rachel said. "Your dads too of course, Maya. I still miss Finn and I always will - but I'm so grateful for the memories I have of him and for the people I am surrounded by every day."