"So have you had any auditions lately?" Shelby Corcoran asked 25-year-old Rachel Berry St. James. It was a beautiful summer's day, and just a month earlier, Rachel, who like Shelby was a successful Broadway actress, had won a Tony Award.
"No," Rachel smiled. "Jesse currently booked a short film, though," Rachel said, referring to 27-year-old Jesse St. James, her husband who was also an actor.
What was funny was that if it weren't for Jesse, Rachel wouldn't have gotten to know Shelby and vice versa. Rachel and Jesse attended high school in Ohio, and both were involved in their school's respective glee clubs (or, in Jesse's case "show choir").
Shelby had been Jesse's show choir coach and had encouraged him to get to know Rachel, despite her glee club, New Directions being rivals of Jesse's show choir Vocal Adrenaline. It wasn't to get "the inside scoop" however. It was because Shelby knew something about Rachel that Rachel hadn't been aware of.
Rachel had two dads, Hiram and Leroy Berry, and had been conceived with the help of a woman who had been both her egg donor and surrogate. That woman was Shelby Corcoran.
Shelby had wanted to reach out to Rachel herself, but because Rachel was a minor, Shelby couldn't be the one to do that. So she enlisted Jesse's help and it resulted in Rachel getting a mom and eventually…a husband.
"Jesse in a film?" Shelby asked, genuinely intrigued. Rachel had attempted a TV career which hadn't ended well. Shelby had always seen both Jesse and Rachel as strictly theatre kids (and yes, they would always be kids to her.)
"I know," Rachel laughed. "It's only going to be ten minutes and it's about old friends reconnecting in a coffee shop. He was really excited about the audition, though, and I ran the lines with him and if I do say so myself - he's pretty good."
"You guys will have to give me info about where to watch it," Shelby said. It should be interesting, that was for certain.
"Hey, Shelby," Rachel said suddenly.
"Yes, dear?" Shelby asked, taking a cracker off the charcuterie she had prepared.
"Do you remember Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson?" Rachel asked. She had something very exciting to tell Shelby but was trying to figure out when and how to say it. She finally decided to just…say it.
"Oh, yes - your classmates? I met them at sectionals I think. Two very talented young men - and I think we all knew they would end up together," Shelby laughed and Rachel did, too.
"Yes. They're married now - have been for quite some time and they're going to have a baby!" Rachel exclaimed.
"Oh, how wonderful! Did they use a surrogate?" Shelby asked.
"Yes," Rachel replied.
"I love to hear that. The best decision I ever made was to be a surrogate and donor for your dads. It's hard work but such a beautiful thing," Shelby said, taking Rachel's hand.
"I know," Rachel replied, tearing up. "Which is why I offered to be the surrogate for them."
Shelby froze.
"Rachel Barbra Berry St. James," She began. "Are you telling me that you're pregnant with Kurt and Blaine's baby?"
"Yes!" Rachel was letting the tears flow freely. "I wanted to do it, of course - but I also felt like I just had to. And now it's another connection you and I have," she smiled at the older woman who squeezed her hand.
"Have you told anyone besides Kurt, Blaine, and me?" Shelby asked, now in tears herself.
"Well, Jesse, of course," Rachel laughed.
"What does he think of all this? I was single when I was pregnant with you, so I didn't have to consider a spouse's thoughts on the matter."
"He's so supportive. He's been taking me to all the appointments, he held my hand during the insemination - and I know he'll be holding my hand during the delivery, too. I told him I wouldn't do it if he didn't want me to, but he just wanted to make sure I was okay with giving birth and watching the baby go home with somebody else," Rachel said.
"For some women, that's easy to do. For others, not so much. As you know, I was part of the latter category," Shelby said.
Rachel nodded. "I know Jesse and I will have our own children when we're ready. I'm happy to do this for Kurt and Blaine."
Shelby smiled. "Good. I might be overstepping my boundaries here, but is there any way you could get me in touch with Kurt and Blaine? I would like to see the baby sometime if they are comfortable with it. I mean technically this baby is my -"
"Grandchild?" Rachel finished. "And, way ahead of you. Here's Kurt's phone number. He and Blaine are hoping you will come meet the baby when their parents do. They are excited to have me be involved in the baby's life, too. Jesse and I have already offered to babysit and asked to go to birthday parties. I'm sure they would love for you to be a part of that, as well. Also, I hope you know that when Jesse and I do have children of our own, we want you in their lives, too."
Shelby swallowed a happy sob.
"And I hope you, Jesse, Kurt, and Blaine are fully prepared for Grandma Shelby to spoil every single one of them, too."
Rachel laughed. "Of course."