A/N – Here is the next chapter! Thank you all so much for your reviews and messages. I appreciate them more than you can know. Your feedback is so important to me. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer – I don't own Glee. Or anything about The View.
Rachel was barely listening as her dad rattled off instructions to her from the front seat of the car. Hiram was driving and LeRoy was the passenger while Rachel sat in the backseat on their way to Columbus early Friday morning. LeRoy was making sure she knew everything about the flight and when she'd be landing and all things in between. Rachel was attempting to tune him out because they'd been over all of this before. She was just ready to get on the plane so she could get there.
But they hadn't even made it to the airport yet. Rachel sighed as she looked back down at some of the papers they had printed off last night for her. Much to her chagrin she was considered an unaccompanied minor by the airlines and would have to wear a special lanyard the whole flight. She didn't need this. She'd flown before and had been in airports before and considered herself to be much too old and responsible for this. Everyone but Rachel agreed that it was for the best because this way Shelby could pick her up directly from the gate at the airport and not have to wait for Rachel to make it out to her in the baggage claim area. Rachel had argued that she was 15 and she could go on her own, but the men told her it was the airline rules and not theirs. Hiram also reminded her that she'd only been 15 for less than a month and she had pouted and said she was different now and not a kid like she was when she was 14. The Berry men had gotten a big laugh out of that after she'd gone to bed that night.
Rachel was ecstatic for the interviews she was going to be a part of. Shelby's interview with the New York Times had been well received and people were sympathetic to her story. The Berry fathers were also getting a ton of praise. They had answered questions over the phone for the reporter and were, for the most part, seen as good men and good fathers. Along with praise and the loss of a little privacy also came hate though. They changed their number to an unlisted one right away and also changed all of their cell phone numbers. They'd been dealing with small-minded people who didn't agree with their "lifestyle" for years and knew they would have to continue to do so.
"Ok," Hiram said as he pulled Rachel into a hug. Her flight had just been announced after what seemed like forever at the gate. "Have a great time, sweetheart."
"I will, Dad," Rachel said as she held on tightly.
"And behave," he added.
"Listen to your mother," LeRoy said when Rachel moved to him for a hug.
"I will," Rachel said. Did they have to go through this again?
"And don't try and sweet talk her into anything, you hear me?" LeRoy asked. "Don't take advantage of her."
Rachel resisted the urge to roll her eyes so as not to get into any trouble right there in the terminal. She had been lectured about this, with the dress as an example, the day Shelby left. She was not manipulating her or taking advantage of her; she'd just asked for the things her mom bought her. She couldn't help it if the woman said yes. Maybe she naturally pouted like that. LeRoy had been quick to shut down that excuse and reminded her that she didn't have to go to New York this weekend. So therefore, no Rachel did not roll her eyes and instead nodded sincerely.
"I won't, Daddy, I promise," Rachel said.
"Good girl," Leroy said and then kissed her head. "I love you."
"I love you too," Rachel said.
"Call us the minute you get there," Hiram said. He kissed her head as well. "Love you."
"I love you too," Rachel said again. Geez, it wasn't even a two hour flight. They were acting like she was flying to Australia or something. Oh my god, she'd love to go to Australia! She was going to have to talk to her mom about that at some point.
The fathers said one last round of goodbyes before letting her go to board the plane. The watched her all the way down the ramp until she disappeared from view and then waited for the plane to take off before leaving the airport and heading home.
Shelby was up early and having breakfast in her kitchen. She was already working to readjust her internal clock so that she was used to being up earlier now that Rachel was in her life. But that didn't stop her from yawning as she looked over her some messages on her phone. There was a text saying that Rachel had taken off safely and would she please let them know the minute she landed. She responded that she would and then got up so she could get down there. She still had a few minutes, but she wanted to already be there when the plane landed. The 5am flight would be in at 6:22 and she hoped that was early enough to beat a lot of the photographers.
Shelby was just about to walk out the door when her phone started to ring. Who would call her this early? It wasn't even six for crying out loud. She stopped long enough to dig it out of her purse and then groaned when she saw the word on the screen: Mom. She still hadn't called her parents to talk to them about Rachel. She knew this whole thing would come as a shock to them because they had never known she was pregnant in the first place. At the time, it had been so much easier to lie and tell them she was in New York when she was really with the Berrys in Ohio. Her parents just wouldn't have understood and they certainly wouldn't have liked Hiram or LeRoy. And now, fifteen years later, Shelby knew that none of that will have changed.
Shelby took a second to debate answering it and as much as she didn't want to, she knew that she'd have to do it sooner or later. Now that her mother was calling she was going to keep calling until she got an answer and Shelby would rather not have Rachel around when she talked to the woman.
"Hello," Shelby answered her phone.
"Shelby," was the stiff reply.
"Hi, Mom," Shelby sighed. She locked her door and then headed for the elevator. "How are you?"
"Is that really all you have to say right now?" Evelyn Corcoran asked.
"I was going to call you soon," Shelby said. "Everything happened so fast."
"It seems to me you've had fifteen years to call and explain this," Evelyn said.
The elevator doors opened and Shelby stepped out and headed towards the entrance of her building and smiled at the doorman as she passed. "I didn't say anything because I knew you would act like this."
"Like what?" Evelyn asked. "Like a woman who isn't told the most important things about her daughter's life? Like a woman who didn't know she had a grandchild until she saw it on the news? Do you know how that makes you look? Do you even care how that makes your father and I look?"
Shelby didn't care how they looked or what their judgmental, bigoted friends said. "I'm sorry if this has been hard for you, but it's hard for me too. And yes, I have a 15-year-old daughter and I am part of her life now as her mother." Shelby got into the cab that was waiting for her smiled apologetically at the driver and told asked him to take her to JFK.
"What do you know about being a mother?" Evelyn asked.
"I know that I love her," Shelby said. "I'm learning."
"You must not have loved her that much when you decided to hand her over to two queers," Evelyn sneered. "And you took money for it. That doesn't make you much of a mother."
"You know what, we're not going to do this right now," Shelby said as she allowed her anger to mask the hurt. She refused to let any tears fall because of her mother. She was used to it by now. Her mother's words were hurtful more often than not. "Yes, you have a granddaughter. She just turned 15. Her name is Rachel and she lives in Ohio with her two wonderful and loving fathers. And I am thrilled right now because I'm on my way to the airport to pick her up so we can spend the weekend together. So I will talk to you later." Shelby ended the call with satisfaction. Whereas Hiram and LeRoy's parents made her nervous, she had been dealing with her own parents for years. She had come to terms with the fact that they would never be close or loving. It made her crave that close and special relationship with Rachel all the more. She used the ride to the airport to shake her mother's words from her system.
Evelyn was livid when Shelby hung up on her. She had no idea how they had raised such a willful and obstinate child with what seemed like no real values. Even as a little girl, Shelby had been off in her own world that didn't include her parents. She sought attention and comfort from other adults and there was always a distance that was never bridged. But none of that mattered right now. What mattered was that she was not going to be treated in such a manner by her daughter. No, Evelyn was going to make sure of that.
The plane seemed to take forever to taxi from the runway to the gate. Geez, did they land in New Jersey and drive the rest of the way? Rachel was sitting in the front where one of the flight attendants could keep an eye on her and she jumped up when the seat belt sign finally went off.
"You have to wait, sweetheart," the flight attendant spoke to her like she was four. "I have to escort you off. Sit back down please."
Rachel stared at her like she was crazy and then huffed as she sat back down. It took forever for the plane to empty and Rachel was more than annoyed by the wait. This was ridiculous. Rachel sat up on her knees and silently cursed the old guy at the back of the plane. Sometime today, old man.
"Ok, come on. I'll walk you out," the flight attendant said.
Finally. Rachel grabbed her carry-on bag that housed her laptop and her purse and followed the woman up the walk to the terminal. She saw her mother standing there waiting and smiling and Rachel waved back when Shelby waved at her. Rachel made her way around the flight attendant and rushed to greet her mother.
Shelby gathered her up in a tight hug and picked her up slightly. Rachel held on and placed her chin on Shelby's shoulder. Just like when she was in her dads' arms, Rachel felt secure and loved. She was so happy to be here and getting her mom to herself for the next couple of days. Plus she was doing the interviews and that was awesome!
Shelby put Rachel down and went through the process of providing her ID and signing the paper so Rachel would be free of her unaccompanied minor status.
"You just signed for me like I was a dog," Rachel said as she scrunched up her nose at it all.
"A cute little puppy," Shelby said as she reached over and pinched Rachel's cheek.
"Mom," Rachel whined and backed away. "Stop that."
"Come on," Shelby said with a smile. She took Rachel's bag to hold and then secured the girl's hand in her own. Rachel didn't even feel like a little kid holding her mom's hand in a crowded airport.
They weren't able to avoid all of the photographers as they waited to get Rachel's suitcase and Shelby just smiled and went about her business. Rachel was taken with them, but tried to follow her mom's lead and not engage them. But she was glad she had brushed her hair one more time right before they landed.
Rachel called her dads during the cab ride back to Shelby's place. She was trying to talk to them and take in some of the sights and talk to Shelby all at the same time. She eventually ended the call and looked over at Shelby and gave her mother an eager smile.
"How's it going to go today?" Rachel asked. "On The View? Who are some of the other guests? Will Barbara Walters be there?"
"I don't know," Shelby shrugged. "It was kind of last minute."
"What are you wearing?" Rachel asked. "Kurt told me I couldn't wear any of my normal clothes. I brought a bunch of stuff so maybe you can help me pick something."
"I've got hair and make-up people that will come over in a few hours and help us get ready," Shelby said. "They'll bring outfits for both of us."
"Really?" Rachel squeaked. She squealed some more when Shelby nodded and then proclaimed that, "this is going to be so cool!"
Shelby didn't say anything to burst her bubble and smiled at her enthusiasm. Appearing on talk shows could be tedious and there were only a couple that were really a lot of fun. The View was not one of them.
Shelby was happy to finally be back at her apartment and making another cup of coffee. Rachel had been talking nonstop since she picked her up and now was putting her suitcase in her room. Shelby had mentally made the switch from calling it the guest room to Rachel's room a few weeks ago.
"Can I have some coffee?" Rachel asked as she walked into the kitchen carrying a large book. Shelby assumed it to be an album.
"Umm… sure, help yourself," Shelby said after some hesitation. Was Rachel allowed to have coffee? "There's some sugar there and milk and creamer in the fridge."
Shelby watched as Rachel poured a mug full and then put five spoonfuls of sugar in it and then poured some creamer. It looked gross, but she didn't turn her nose up at it when Rachel looked over at her.
"What have you got there?" Shelby asked of the book.
"It's a photo album," Rachel answered. "There wasn't much time to look at pictures while you were at my house so Dad and Daddy said I should bring some along to show you. They're planning on sending you electronic copies and stuff too. They actually said it's a good thing because they've been talking about scanning all of our pictures so they can be saved digitally for years and haven't gotten around to it. Wanting to send you pictures is the perfect excuse."
Shelby grinned and took the album from Rachel. "Come on; let's go sit on the couch. I can't wait to see these."
"It's just one album," Rachel said as she followed. There are lots more, but I didn't have room for all of them because of all the clothes I packed. I wasn't sure what all I would need."
"Well one is great for now," Shelby said. "And I've got you here to tell me all about them."
Rachel sat down next to Shelby and the woman watched in amusement as Rachel took a sip of her coffee and scrunched up her face at the taste of too. Shelby was going to assume that there was too much sugar in there. The girl set her mug on the coffee table and scooted close to her mother and Shelby opened the album so that it rested on both their laps.
"Oh god," Rachel groaned when the book was opened to reveal a naked almost two-year-old Rachel standing in her back yard. The picture is from behind and Rachel is holding her hands out like she's talking with someone that isn't there. The sun is setting in the distance. Rachel didn't know they sent this album. It was like her dads had gathered up all of her most embarrassing pictures from childhood and put them in one book. They all have the same cover and Rachel had been too busy to stop and check which one they were sending.
Shelby laughed at her reaction as she looked at the picture. "Look at that cute little tush."
"Mom," Rachel whined in embarrassment and turned the page.
Rachel took her time explaining the stories about the pictures in the album. There were a few more naked ones including her sitting in the mud. There were funny faces and pictures of a little Rachel clearly throwing a tantrum. Shelby was enjoying the album immensely and getting a kick out of Rachel's dismay with each passing page.
Shelby turned the next page and had to use her hand to keep it where it was when Rachel reached over and tried to keep going.
"Wait," Shelby said. She looked down at the picture of a younger Hiram sitting on the couch with a five or six-year-old Rachel across his knees and clearly getting a spanking. "What'd you do?"
"I went through this phase where I liked to collect rocks and I would pick them up from all over and take them home," Rachel said. "I never could bring them inside though and so they had to stay on the porch. I named them and talked to them and used to make up stories for them. One afternoon I decided that we all wanted to play out in the yard instead of on the porch. So I made a few trips and created a pile in the yard. I made up in my head that the rocks loved to fly. So I told them I would play a game with them and see how far I could throw them."
Shelby nodded for her to keep going when the girl looked over at her mom embarrassed.
"I thought maybe I could get it all the way across the street, but I threw the first one and he landed in the middle of the street and so did the second. Dad saw me throw the third and told me not to throw the rocks in the street. Then he told me again after the fourth and fifth. I sat back down with my remaining rocks to work out a plan because I still couldn't get them all the way across the street. And don't worry, I planned to go and get them all back when I was done. But it became a challenge because I wanted to get a rock to the other side of the street. So I looked through them until I found one I thought was big and heavy enough. His name was Gumpy. I threw him just as a car was coming by. The windshield broke when Gumpy hit and the guy in the car screeched to a halt. He was really angry and Dad told me to go and wait on the porch while they talked."
Shelby wanted to laugh at her little daughter's predicament.
"I knew Dad was mad at me and that I was in trouble, but I was also really worried about Gumpy," Rachel continued. "I was afraid he got hurt when he hit the car. I didn't get much time to worry about that though because Dad came back and marched me into the house and you can see what happened next. That was a new camera and Daddy had it set up on a tripod and was playing with the timer when we came in. He went into the other room but the camera went off during the… you know."
Shelby gave her a sympathetic smile and brushed some hair back from her face and tucked it behind her ears. She thought about what she had would have done if faced with the same naughty child and she honestly wasn't sure. That brought to her mind the question of what she would do if Rachel got into trouble while staying with her this weekend, or any time actually. Shelby didn't know. She'd never punished another person her life. She had been the coolest babysitter ever because she let the kids get away with murder and never told their parents on them. But it was different with Rachel. This was her daughter. She set aside her thoughts when Rachel pointed out the next picture on the page. The little girl was standing in the corner.
"Daddy told me a couple years ago that since he had a picture of me being punished he wanted to get the whole thing so that fifty years from now there wasn't just a picture of me being spanked," Rachel said.
The next picture was Hiram sitting on the same couch and holding Rachel on his lap. She was facing him and her cheek was resting against his chest and his arms were around her. He was clearly trying to soothe her and LeRoy had captured a moment of Hiram kissing her head. Neither Hiram nor Rachel knew their picture was being taken in any of the photographs.
"That's a sweet picture," Shelby said of the one of Rachel sitting on Hiram's lap. To be honest, she wasn't sure what to say about the story, but she was glad to know it. She wanted to know everything about her daughter. A spanking for throwing rocks when you're five becomes cute after a while, but she wasn't sure if Rachel would think so.
"Yeah," Rachel sighed. "I had to get rid of all of my rocks after that. But they let me pick up all of the ones out of the street, including Gumpy, and take them to the park so I could leave them all together and say goodbye. Don't tell my dads, but I saved Gumpy and snuck him back home. We'd been through so much together and I couldn't just leave him there."
Shelby laughed and her eyes danced with merriment when she saw how serious Rachel was. "And where is Gumpy now?"
"I hid him in an old shoebox in my closet," Rachel answered. "He's still there and I've added some other knick knacks and stuff over the years."
"You're adorable," Shelby laughed some more and Rachel rolled her eyes good naturedly.
They were just finishing looking at the book when Shelby's doorbell chimed and the woman got up to answer it. Rachel stood up and went back to her room to return the album to her things because she was under strict instructions not to forget it. When she walked back out there were two women and a man talking with Shelby.
"There she is!" the man, Raymond, said. "She's just beautiful Shelby."
"I agree," Shelby smiled. She walked over and took Rachel's hand and led her over to the group. "Rachel, this is Raymond, Ashley, and Lucy. Raymond always does my hair for me. Ashley is a phenomenal make-up artist and Lucy has brought some clothes for us to wear today. Guys, this is my daughter Rachel."
"Hi," Rachel said. "It's nice to meet you."
"You guys look so much alike," Ashley said. "Trust me, Rachel, you're going to look great."
Rachel nodded eagerly and wished she had a moment to call Kurt. He was going to flip out about this.
By the time they finished Rachel was in a pretty green dress and Shelby was in a pair of dress pants and a blue top. Rachel stared at herself in the mirror in awe and couldn't believe how great she looked. She got Shelby to take a picture of her on the girl's phone and Rachel quickly sent it off to her dads and to Kurt. This was amazing. She also sent her dads another reminder to record the show today. She'd reminded them about a thousand times already.
Meredith showed up at Shelby's apartment as they were finishing up and Shelby explained that she would be going with them. Meredith was happy to finally meet Rachel. She felt like she knew her already because of the information she had been allowed to reveal.
There was a car waiting downstairs to drive them to the studio and Rachel got in the back like she was the biggest star in the world. Shelby watched her with a smile on her face. She wished things like this still excited her that much.
There was a small group gathered when they got there and Shelby took a little bit of time to sign autographs and take some pictures. At Shelby's instruction, Rachel waited by the door and watched. Just as she had done that first night she'd seen her while waiting at the stage door, Rachel tried to emulate her mother. She stood up straighter and let her confidence shine through. She even waved at a few people who had waved at her. This was it. She was making it.
After a few minutes, Shelby ushered her inside and back to a green room where they were met with a producer who started to explain to them how the show would go. Shelby was given a full list of questions that might be asked which was part of the deal of her showing up here with her daughter. She was going to go over them with her before it started because she didn't want to put Rachel in a position to have to discuss anything out of the blue or too serious.
A few minutes before the show started, Barbara Walters came in and talked with them. Rachel stared at her in awe. For an old lady, Barbara Walters was pretty cool.
"We're very glad to have you both here," Barbara said. "Are you nervous, Rachel?"
"Kind of," Rachel admitted.
"Don't be," Barbara said. "We're all right here for you and we're just going to have a nice talk. And it's great to have you back, Shelby."
"Thank you for having us," Shelby said.
They got through the pleasantries easily enough and an assistant came and spoke quietly to Barbara to let her know the show was about to start.
"Ok, just relax and we'll see you in a few minutes," Barbara said. "And Rachel, we have a surprise for you."
Rachel's eyes lit up and her grin grew wide.
Shelby looked over at Meredith and the woman shrugged. There weren't supposed to be any surprises today. It was supposed to be tame and sweet and generic. She quickly cast a questioning glance at Meredith and the other woman just shrugged, though she looked equally concerned.
"Uhh…"
"Really?" Rachel cut Shelby off to ask excitedly.
"Yes," Barbara said.
"What?"
It was too late because Barbara was gone and Shelby was left questioning the air. The opening theme music started and Rachel was practically jumping in her seat. Shelby hoped Rachel's grandparents weren't watching because god knows what she had gotten their granddaughter into now.
A/N – That's it for this chapter. I didn't mean for it to stop here, but I needed it to. I'm sorry if it seems kind of slow. Rachel's only in NYC with Shelby a couple days and I don't want to skip anything important. Thanks for reading and please leave me a review. I really appreciate it.
P.S. – I don't know how anything about backstage at The View would work so I hope that all made sense.
