Author's note – Hello, everyone! I wrote this up the other day. As the title suggests, this takes place in the universe I created for my Changed for the Better story. I'm creating one main story and will update it when I can with different glimpses into the lives of our beloved characters. I had a lot of fun writing this and jumping back into that world for just a brief look. I hope to be able to do more in the future and when I do, I'll add them here. I don't plan to go in any particular order so in one case Rachel may be in college and the next she may be in her 30's. I'll let you know at the beginning of each chapter how old everyone is so you know where they're at in their lives. So I hope you all enjoy and I'll add more just as soon as I can.
Shelby – age 47
Rachel –age 26
Beth – age 11
The Brightest Light
Shelby was sleeping. Deeply. She'd started a new book while sitting on the couch in the screened-in porch out back. She'd added it two years after the pool. The warm breeze and soft quiet of the early evening that July 3rd had been too cozy and she drifted off. Her phone rang four times before she realized what was happening. She'd been sleeping so deeply and been jolted awake so suddenly that she didn't even know what day it was, much less what time.
She didn't know why but her heart started to race when she looked at the screen of her phone and saw the name 'Beth' staring back at her. Beth was in New York staying with Rachel and Jesse. She had another week to go before coming home to enjoy the rest of her summer vacation by the pool. Beth usually called in the morning and texted throughout the day.
"Beth?" Shelby said as she answered her phone.
"Mommy!" Beth cried, so relieved to hear Shelby's voice. The longer the phone had rang, the more worked up she became.
"Baby?" Shelby said, her mind suddenly clear as a bell. It was dark out. A clock on the well told her it was just after midnight, now July 4th. "What's wrong?"
"Mommy, you gotta come quick," Beth said. "Rachel. The baby." Beth started to cry harder.
Shelby felt as if time stopped. She could hear her heart pounding and her eyes welled with tears. "Beth, what's wrong with Rachel?" Shelby asked. The book fell from her lap as she stood up and raced inside and up the stairs. "Sweetheart?"
"She—she—" Beth's tears were coming fast now. Shelby grabbed a small duffel bag from her closet. It was green, grass green, but it was what Beth had wanted last year for her first time at an overnight camp. It was the first bag Shelby saw. Her suitcases were in the basement. She put it on the bed before stopping and focusing on the phone.
"Beth, kiddo, breathe," Shelby said calmly. She was anything but calm, but her baby needed her to strong. Beth was 11 and as different from Rachel as one could be. But the girl worshipped her older sister. "Beth, I need you to calm down. Where's Jesse?"
"He's with Rachel," Beth said. She was desperately trying to follow her mother's instructions and breathe. She knew all of her mother's breath tricks for being calm and steady. She knew they helped Rachel before she performed. They also worked for Beth before stepping onto the soccer field or into the batter's box. Beth couldn't sing in tune and she had two left feet but she could hit a home run and had scored more goals this season than anyone on her soccer team.
"Where are you?" Shelby asked. She was back in motion and pulling clothes from hangers and throwing them in the bag.
"At the hospital," Beth answered.
Shelby's heart raced again. That's what she assumed but she still didn't like it being confirmed out loud. She grabbed a handful of socks and underwear from a drawer and put them in the bag. Shelby's mind raced with the worst. Beth saying 'Rachel. The baby,' echoed in her brain. Rachel was pregnant. She was due in the middle of August. Not July 4th. She and Jesse married two years ago, a year after Rachel won a Tony. Jesse was workshopping a new show but it was a couple years off from actually making it to the stage. Rachel finished her Tony run a year ago and they decided it was a perfect time for a baby. Rachel was 26 and Jesse was 27 and they loved the idea of starting their family. When Jesse and Rachel told them they were having a baby Shelby and Beth had been ecstatic. Beth knew she'd be the coolest middle-schooler ever because she'd had a niece or nephew by the time school started.
"Elizabeth, I need you to tell me what's going on," Shelby said. It wasn't her stern voice, but more of a no-nonsense tone and she hoped Beth would respond.
"There was a car accident," Beth said. "Rachel was hurt. The baby is coming now."
"Oh my god," Shelby said. "Oh my god. Is she? The baby—Beth, are you ok? Were you hurt too? Jesse?"
"We weren't in the car," Beth said.
"Where was she?"
"Shelby?" It was a new voice. A pleasant, deep voice.
"Jesse?" Shelby asked though she knew it was him. She'd always be able to recognize his voice.
"Yeah, it's me," Jesse said. "Rachel is going to be okay."
Shelby breathed out for what felt like the first time since her phone had woken her up. What was it, an hour ago? A look at the clock told her it had been four minutes. "Jesse, what's going on?" Shelby asked.
"Rachel was in a taxi this evening and it was t-boned," Jesse said.
"Oh my god," Shelby said as tears finally made their way down her cheeks.
"She was knocked unconscious," Jesse continued, "so it took them a few hours to contact me. She doesn't have any internal injuries beyond some bruising and no broken bones. But she started to go into labor. They're doing everything they can to stop or slow her labor."
"Jesse, I'm so sorry," Shelby said.
"Whether or not they can stop the labor or the baby is born soon, Rachel will be in the hospital for a day or two. They want to monitor her and the baby since she lost consciousness," Jesse explained. "Beth and I got to the hospital about 40 minutes ago. I kept calling her and she wouldn't answer and—" his voice broke and Shelby could tell he'd started to cry.
"Jesse," Beth said and her tears started again. She hugged him around the middle and he put an arm around her shoulders and held her tightly.
"Jesse, I'm on the way," Shelby said. For just a moment she pictured the 14-year-old boy who'd walked into her class his first day at Carmel High and declared he'd be the new male lead of Vocal Adrenaline. That was before his growth spurt and his voice dropped completely and he still looked like more like a little boy than the man he grew into over his high school years. "I'll be there as soon as I can."
"I'm sorry we didn't call you sooner," Jesse said, trying to get his emotions under control. "Beth didn't even realize she had her phone until a few minutes ago. She has to stay in the waiting room. I go and spend a bit of time with Rachel and then check in on Beth. My parents are trying to get a flight from London. I—"
"Jesse, it's ok. I'm leaving my house now. I love you. I love you all so much. I'll be there as soon as I can," Shelby said. Shelby left her house two minutes later.
It was just after 11 that morning when Shelby pulled into the parking garage of the hospital. When she left her house, she made a few calls to find some flights but none of them would get her to New York faster than she could drive it. The last call she'd received said that Rachel was sore and tired but resting comfortably. They'd been able to stop the labor for now, but the doctors didn't know how long that would last. The baby was still had a strong heartbeat so they were hopeful. As Shelby worked through the maze of hallways and an elevator ride, she thought about the baby. Jesse and Rachel wanted to be surprised so the gender wasn't known yet. Her own pregnancy had been so different. Scott and Henry had wanted to know. They bought every pink thing imaginable. She spared a thought for if they knew what was going on, but didn't dwell on it. Rachel hadn't spoken to either of them in years.
"Mommy!" Beth cried and leapt up from her seat and ran to Shelby when the woman rounded the corner into the maternity ward waiting room.
"Beth, sweetie," Shelby said as she picked Beth up and hugged her tightly. "Shhh, it's okay." Shelby sat down in the chair Beth had just vacated and put the girl on her lap. Beth clung to Shelby and the woman let her cry while she held her. "Have you had anything to eat?" Shelby asked.
"No," Beth said.
"I was just coming to take her to get some lunch," Jesse said as he entered the waiting area.
"Jesse," Shelby said as she maneuvered Beth off her lap and stood up.
"I'm so glad you're here," Jesse said, letting out a ragged, teary sigh. He hugged Shelby tightly.
"Oh Jesse," Shelby said. "It's gonna be okay."
Jesse spent a few minutes talking with Shelby and explaining that they didn't know anything new since the last time the spoke. Rachel was anxious but sleeping a lot. The baby seemed strong but it would take days of more monitoring to know if it was safe to let Rachel leave and go home. Shelby assured him she would be there in New York for as long as they needed.
Shelby tried to give Jesse her credit card to buy lunch but he refused it and left with Beth so they could go to the cafeteria. They promised to bring something back for Shelby. The woman knew she was hungry and knew she had to eat but honestly didn't think she'd be able to stomach anything until after she'd seen Rachel.
Once she was signed in as a guest on the maternity ward Shelby made her way to Rachel's room. She stood in the doorway and watch for a few moments as Rachel slept. Her baby. Her tears came freely now as she surveyed her daughter. She was as tiny as ever with a bruise on the right side of her head. She was hooked up the an IV and monitors and had an oxygen cannula in her nose. There was a quick but steady beep and Shelby watched the screen that was registering what she assumed was the baby's heart rate.
"Mom?" Rachel's raspy, tired voice interrupted the beeping and Shelby turned her eyes to her daughter. "Mommy?" Rachel started to cry and reached for the woman who immediately dropped her purse into a chair and went to her girl. Her daughter.
"Mommy's here," Shelby soothed, gently cooing and shushing as she held Rachel as close as possible as the young woman cried into her mom's chest. The beeping began to speed up as Rachel continued to cry.
"I was—I—I was—" Rachel tried to talk and explain but she couldn't seem to catch her breath.
"Sweetie, you gotta calm down," Shelby said. She glanced at the monitor. "Shh, it's okay." The door opening caught their attention and they looked up as two nurses hurried into the room.
"Rachel, deep breaths," a nurse named Maggie said. "The baby's heart rate is going up."
"Rach, shhh," Shelby soothed.
The second nurse, a woman named Cathy, spoke next. "Remember, the baby is already stressed and if you get worked up it's going to make it worse."
"Rachel, look at me," Shelby ordered, taking her daughter's hands in her own. Rachel did so, more on instinct than actually obeying the words. "Take a deep breath. In. And out. Good girl," Shelby said when Rachel complied. "Again, in and out." It took a couple minutes but Rachel's breathing evened out and the baby's heart rate went back down to a still high, but for the moment, acceptable range.
"Mom, I'm scared," Rachel said once the nurses had left.
"I know," Shelby said. She pulled a chair as close to the bed as she could get it. "But you're in the best place you could be and you just need to do what the nurses and doctors tell you."
"I was in a cab and a car ran a red light," Rachel said. "I remember screaming and then waking up here."
"Oh kiddo," Shelby said. She stood again and kissed Rachel's head and soothed her hair back. "All that matters right now is that you're okay. You and the baby. We don't need to go over the details right now." After seeing what just happened Shelby was afraid that Rachel would just get worked up again if she tried to give an account of the accident.
"When did you get here?" Rachel asked, working to keep herself steady. She was grateful her mom didn't want to talk about the accident.
"About 15 minutes ago," Shelby said.
"Did you fly?"
"No, I couldn't get a flight that would get me here faster than me driving," Shelby said. "Beth and Jesse called me just after midnight."
"You drove all night?" Rachel asked.
"Yeah," Shelby answered.
Rachel smiled at her mom. She knew Shelby would have driven to the moon to get to her and she would never ever take that for granted. Rachel was acutely aware of the love her mother had for her and she knew how lucky she was. Beth had it too, of course, but Rachel was so thankful that Beth would never really understand how lucky she was to have a parent like Shelby. For Beth it was just normal life but for Rachel it would always be a bit of a miracle and she hoped with all her might she could be even half the mother her mom was. Wonderful, caring, strict, doting, no-nonsense, affectionate, spank-your-butt-if-you-need-it Shelby Corcoran would always be the greatest person Rachel would ever know.
"What are you thinking about?" Shelby asked with a chuckle at the smile and far off look on Rachel's face.
"You," Rachel answered honestly. "I hope I can be as good a mother as you are."
"Oh Rach," Shelby said and tears pooled in her eyes. "I love you so much. You will be a wonderful mother."
"I worry I'm going to fail," Rachel confessed.
"Me too," Shelby said. "All the time." She'd failed Rachel in the biggest way possible once upon a time and she didn't know if she would ever really forgive herself.
"You shouldn't," Rachel said. She yawned then and held her hand to her head. "Ohh, my head hurts."
"Rach?" Shelby was on her feet in an instant. "Are you okay? I'm going to get a doctor."
"Mom, it's okay," Rachel said. "It's been like this since I woke up. The doctor said it would probably be a few days of this. It makes me so tired." She yawned again.
"Get some sleep, baby," Shelby said. She kissed Rachel and rubbed her head. "Mama's right here."
"Will you sing?" Rachel asked wearily.
"Of course," Shelby said. The mother started a soft and sweet rendition of You Are My Sunshine and Rachel was asleep before Shelby even got to the chorus. Shelby sat back down and watched over Rachel and the heart monitor for the baby, her eyes going back and forth between the two as if she was watching a tennis match on a very small court. It was another half an hour before Shelby was able to pull herself away. She got to the waiting room just as Jesse and Beth got back. Jesse was carrying a to go box and a drink for Shelby.
"We got you a chicken Caesar salad," Beth said. She knew her mom liked those.
"Thank you, sweetheart," Shelby said as she took the box. "Rachel is sleeping," she added to Jesse. She relayed what had happened when Rachel got worked up. Jesse ran a hand through his hair and sighed. He met Shelby's eyes and they shared an unspoken concern over the health of the baby.
"When can Rachel go home?" Beth asked.
"Don't know yet," Jesse answered.
"When can I see her?" Beth asked.
Jesse and the nurses had thought it best if Beth wasn't in the room all night with Rachel. Rachel had been having bouts of panic ever since she woke up and it wasn't good for her or the baby. And Beth didn't need to see it either. When Jesse had gotten the call from the hospital that Rachel was there the night before it hadn't occurred to him to leave Beth at home. He roused her out of bed and helped her put clothes and shoes on and hurried to the hospital.
"I'll tell you what," Shelby said, "let me eat this and then I'll take you back there to say hi to Rachel and then how about you and I go back to Jesse and Rachel's and wait for news there."
"But I don't want to leave," Beth whined. "Please Mommy."
Shelby wouldn't have much resolve when it came to this. She didn't want to leave the hospital either, but she had to do what was best for Beth too. "We'll see," Shelby said.
"Mom," Beth whined again but Shelby hushed her with a look.
As promised, when she had finished eating Shelby took Beth back to see her sister. Jesse had given Rachel a heads up so she was awake and smiling when Beth came into the room. "Mach?" Beth whispered when she saw Rachel. Tears spilled down her cheeks. "Mach, are you okay?"
"Of course I am," Rachel said to her baby sister. "Just a bad headache is all."
Beth was nervous by all the sounds and the machines and oxygen in Rachel's nose and she timidly made her way over to the bed.
"When can you go home?" Beth asked.
"Soon, I bet," Rachel said. "But not today. We gotta make sure your little niece or nephew is happy to stay put for a little while longer first."
"Is it a niece or nephew?" Beth asked. She'd been trying to get this information for months. Shelby couldn't help herself and leaned closer in case the answer came out.
"You know we don't know yet," Rachel said, laughing lightly and then tried not to grimace.
Beth's visit lasted about 20 minutes and she was chagrined to be ushered out so soon. But Jesse could tell Rachel was drifting off again and the best thing for her and the baby right now was rest.
"Mom, please let's stay here for a little while longer," Beth said when she and Shelby got to the waiting room. "Please."
Shelby sighed and looked at the clock. It was 3:45 in the afternoon. She was exhausted. She knew Beth was exhausted. She knew they couldn't do anything else for Rachel right now beyond letting her rest. But she didn't want to leave.
"We'll stay until 6," Shelby said. "Then you and I are going back to Rachel and Jesse's. We'll have some dinner and maybe watch some fireworks and then we'll both get a good night's sleep."
"Okay," Beth said.
Mother and daughter settled down on a couch. Within half an hour Beth had stretched out and was sleeping with her head in Shelby's lap. Shelby played a mindless game on her phone while her thoughts were on Rachel and her recovery. A notification of a text message from Jesse brought her thoughts right back into focus.
C-section now. Baby in distress. Already took Rachel back. I'm in protective gear and waiting for them to get me. More when I know.
Shelby's heart started to race for what felt like the thousandth time in the last 24 hours. She hoped and prayed to all that was good for the safety of her daughter and grandchild. Shelby immediately started to google for information about babies born at 34 weeks but eventually had to stop because her mind was overloaded with what-ifs and she was working herself up.
An hour and 15 minutes passed before Shelby gently shook Beth's shoulder's and woke her up.
"Mom?" Beth asked blearily. "I don't want to go home."
"We're not," Shelby said. "Jesse texted a little bit ago and said that the baby was in distress and they were going to do a c-section."
"Rachel's having the baby now? But isn't it too soon?" Beth asked, getting worked up.
"Yeah, but the doctors know what they're doing and the baby should be fine," Shelby tried to assure Beth and herself. "Rachel too."
"When will we know anything?" Beth asked.
"How does now sound?" Jesse asked as he walked into the waiting room. Shelby and Beth jumped to their feet as soon as Jesse spoke. Shelby visibly relaxed when she saw Jesse was calm and smiling.
"Jesse, is everything okay?" Shelby asked.
"Yep," Jesse said. "Shelby, you have a beautiful little granddaughter. She looks just like Rachel."
"A girl!" Beth squealed, jumping up and down.
"Oh my," Shelby said breathlessly. "And how is Rachel?"
"She's fine," Jesse said. "She's in recovery right now. And they can actually give her better pain medicine now that the baby is out."
"Is the baby okay?" Shelby asked. "It's early."
"She's small, for sure," Jesse said. "She weighed in at 4 pounds 2 ounces and is just over 18 inches long. But she's breathing on her own which is the best-case scenario. She's in the NICU and she's got supplemental oxygen like Rachel does but they told me that's just a precaution. She does have a feeding tube because the nurse said that eating can take a while for a preemie to figure out. The doctor said she'll probably be here at least three more weeks in the NICU."
"That's wonderful," Shelby said. She was so relieved to hear that despite being premature, the baby was doing as well as could be expected. "I can't believe it. I can't believe she's here."
"She's the most incredible thing I've ever seen," Jesse said. "She's got a head full of dark hair and blue eyes. Rachel was amazing. I'm so proud of her."
"What's the baby's name?" Beth asked.
"That is still being worked out," Jesse said.
"Seriously," Beth whined. "Haven't you guys been thinking of a name all this time?"
"Elizabeth!" Shelby scolded and popped her child's rear in warning.
"We have been thinking of names," Jesse laughed. "But Rachel only saw her for a few seconds before they whisked the baby away. I'm not saying anything until Rachel has a chance to meet her and hold her. In meantime, how about a picture?" Jesse took out his phone and showed Shelby a Beth a couple pictures of his daughter.
She was tiny and her eyes were open and Shelby felt as if the baby was staring at her. In an instant Shelby saw newborn Rachel looking over at her. "She's wonderful!" Shelby gushed.
"She's so cute," Beth squealed.
"Will you send us that?" Shelby asked.
"Of course," Jesse said. "But you can't tell anyone yet. Not even Quinn and Judy. Rachel wants to do that."
"I won't," Shelby said. "Neither will Beth."
"But why not?" Beth asked. "Don't you want people to know?"
"Of course we do," Jesse said. "But not until Rachel is ready. Elizabeth, I'm serious. If you can't promise not to share it, I won't send it to you."
Beth was caught off guard at her brother-in-law's use of her real first name. She'd known Jesse forever and she couldn't remember a time he'd ever been stern with her, even when she got up to mischief when staying with him and Rachel.
"I promise I won't," Beth said.
"Okay," Jesse smiled. "I'm gonna go back and check on Rachel and then the baby. I'll text you."
Their phones chimed a couple minutes later and Shelby and Beth stared at the baby on their screens. Shelby was over the moon. Her granddaughter. When they'd found out Rachel was pregnant Judy had teased good-naturedly and asked Shelby how she felt about becoming a grandma before 50. In this moment, at 47 years old, Shelby couldn't think of anything better in the world.
"Mom, how come we can't tell anyone?" Beth asked.
"Because Jesse and Rachel asked us not to," Shelby said. "Like or not, kiddo, it's their news to tell, not ours."
"But if the baby—she—had been born when she was supposed to Quinn and Judy would be here with us," Beth said.
"But she wasn't born when she was supposed to be born. Rachel's been through a big trauma," Shelby explained. "Jesse too. And the baby. Rachel has barely seen and hasn't held her baby yet." Shelby's voice suddenly cracked and she choked back tears she could barely stop.
"Mama?" Beth asked, concern etched all over her face.
Shelby took a deep breath and looked at her little girl and tucked a loose strand of the bright blonde hair behind her ear. She gave the girl a small smile to try and reassure her.
"Rachel deserves a chance to see and hold and talk to her baby before she tells anyone anything," Shelby said. "Nothing happened like normal so they're not getting the normal time they would have just the three of them before they let the world in. The baby is one place and Rachel is another and Jesse is going back and forth. It's hard. Can you understand that?"
"Yes ma'am," Beth muttered as she sat down next to her mom and leaned against her side. "I hope they tell us the name soon though."
"Me too, sweetheart," Shelby said. "Me too." She put an arm around her daughter and felt the girl settle against her. Shelby picked up her phone again and looked at the baby once more.
At 9:04 that night Shelby was pacing the waiting room. Jesse had texted them an hour ago and told them not to leave. He wanted to talk to them first. Shelby hoped to see Rachel before they left as well. She didn't dare hope to see the baby because she didn't know the NICU rules and didn't want to get her hopes up.
"Hey," Jesse said a few minutes later when he came in the room. "You wanna meet your granddaughter?"
"Can I?" Shelby asked, excited and nervous.
"Can I?" Beth asked, jumping up.
"Sorry kiddo, you can't tonight," Jesse said.
"But—"
"They have certain visiting hours where children are allowed in the NICU and it ends at 6," Jesse explained. "You can meet her in the morning. Your mom can go in now because she's an adult."
"But that's not fair!" Beth said while doing a perfect impression of one of Rachel's infamous foot stomps.
"I don't make the rules," Jesse said with a shrug. "I thought you and I could go and see the fireworks." Jesse picked up the pouting Beth and shook her a little to make her smile. "Come on, I'll tell you your niece's name when we get outside."
"Okay," Beth relented, not that she really had a choice.
As soon as they were gone Shelby did her best not to run at full speed back to the NICU. She thoroughly washed her hands as instructed and then entered the room and immediately saw Rachel sitting in a rocking chair by a window, a small bundle in her arms. Shelby went to them and kissed Rachel on the head.
"How are you doing?" Shelby asked her daughter.
"I'm fine," Rachel said. "Still have a headache but it's not as bad as before. Look at her, Mom." Rachel was beaming with pride.
Shelby looked down at the small baby in Rachel's arms. She was more precious than even Shelby could have imagined. "Wow," Shelby said with awe. "She's perfect."
"Sit down," Rachel said indicating the rocking chair next to her. "I want you to hold her."
Shelby sat and carefully took the baby in her arms. She'd never held a baby this small. She held her reverently and said, "Hi, little one. I'm your grandma."
"Do you want to know her name?" Rachel asked.
"Yes, I do," Shelby cooed to the little girl in her arms. She wasn't able to take her eyes off the baby.
"Mom, say hello to Shelby Garland St. James," Rachel said.
"Hi Shel—what?" Shelby looked up at Rachel. "Did you—Is she—You named her Shelby?"
"Of course we did," Rachel said. "Naming our daughter after the most important woman in both our lives was a no-brainer. She was always going to be Shelby if she was a girl."
"Rachel, I—I don't know what to say," Shelby said. "I'm so honored." She couldn't stop her tears and she held the baby close and rocked her.
"I love you, Mom," Rachel said as she carefully stood up and kissed Shelby's head.
"I love you, Rachel," Shelby said. "Where does Garland come from?"
"Well technically the Garland is after Jesse's mom. It's her maiden name," Rachel said. "But of course, we love the obvious tie-in to Judy Garland and will probably not correct anyone that makes that assumption when they hear our daughter's name."
Shelby laughed lightly and looked down at her granddaughter. "I hope you like showtunes, Shelby. We've got so much to teach you."
As Rachel sat back down the Independence Day fireworks started outside. The younger Shelby opened her eyes for the first time since her grandmother got there.
"You want to see the show?" Shelby asked. She was quiet for a moment and then laughed.
"What?" Rachel asked.
"Leave it to the no-doubt sassy, over-dramatic, spotlight seeking kid of Rachel and Jesse to be born on a day that guarantees her a fireworks show every year for her birthday," Shelby said.
Rachel laughed and looked out at the bright colors lighting the sky. "She deserves nothing less."
"Absolutely," Shelby said. She barely even saw the show because the brightest light in the room was her beautiful namesake tucked safely in her arms.
Author's Note – That's all for this one. I hope you all enjoyed it. I'll be back with more when I can.