I do not own Glee or any of the characters created by Ryan Murphy. If I did we would see way more of Shelby. This story will contain spanking of a teenager. If that's not your thing stop reading now and go read something else.
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Chapter 26
Rachel frowned as she watched Shelby finish getting dressed. "I still don't see why you have to have this VA practice," the teen protested. "It's still summer vacation and we've barely spent any time together."
Holding in her sigh Shelby sat down on the bed next to her daughter, "Rachel, we have been together every day for the last two weeks. We have gone to the mall, out to eat, we saw that movie you wanted to see, hell, we even cleaned the house together. I'm sorry that you aren't happy about this, but I have this summer practice day every year. It's when I let my VA kids know what I expect from them when we start up practices again before school starts. You know that. In fact, I remember you making fun of the, what was it, oh yes, soulless automatons and their need for practice before school."
"Why?"
"It's what I do," Shelby replied kissing the top of her daughter's head as she pulled her into a side hug.
"Well it sucks," Rachel whined as she reluctantly followed her mother down the stairs.
"You'll live," Shelby deadpanned. "Just think you can watch movies all day, go back to bed, pig out on chocolate, catch up with your friends. You could ask Kurt to come over if you want."
Rachel crossed her arms over her chest and huffed, "No thank you. I am currently taking a break from those that insist on coming up with ideas that get me grounded, thrown into boot camp, spanked, or all of those things. I suppose I can just hang out and have a Barbra movie marathon today. Perhaps I'll start with something uplifting, like Yentl."
Shelby smiled at her daughter's dramatics, "See I knew you could find the silver lining in this black cloud." Pulling Rachel in for a hug Shelby pushed back and kissed her forehead. "Have a good day and I will be home by five."
"Bye Mama," Rachel sighed heavily as she watched her mother head out the door from the kitchen into the garage. Standing still in the kitchen, Rachel listened as the garage door went up and Shelby pulled her car out. Hearing the door close again Rachel made her way to the freezer and pulled out the gallon of chocolate ice cream. "I am so glad I decided to drink milk again," the teen muttered as she placed the ice cream on the kitchen table followed by chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and hot fudge from the refrigerator along with chocolate chips, and peanuts from the pantry.
Rachel had just sat down with her jumbo sundae and turned on Yentl when the doorbell rang. "That had better not be Santana and one of her brilliant plans." Rachel muttered placing her bowl on the coffee table. Reaching the door she opened it and stopped short, "Coach?'
"Move aside Ethel Jr," Sue Sylvester commanded as she entered the house. "Where would you like me to put the junk food for our day of movies and bonding?"
"Um, what, huh?" Rachel finally stammered.
Noticing the chocolate sundae on the coffee table as she headed to the kitchen Sue gave Rachel a rare smile. "Nice, chocolate starts things out right for sure. Now, come help me unload this junk, I'll make my own plate of non-nutritional items and we can pick a movie and have a day of fun together."
"Us, day of fun?" Rachel asked wondering why she had suddenly lost the ability to form complete sentences.
"That's what I said, Rachel. Keep up." Sue then proceeded to dump all off the items she brought with her on the table. Grabbing a bag of orange cheese balls Sue moved the fridge and grabbed a can of soda. "Ah, nothing better than fake orange that stains and caffeine. Let's go see what you have in DVD player and then take it out and move on to something that we can both enjoy. Maybe that show about the teacher who uses dodgeball as a motivational tool, can't go wrong with that."
Following Sue into the living area Rachel picked up her bowl of ice cream and sat on the couch once more. Taking a large bite she watched as the tall woman sat down in the arm chair by the window and put her feet up on the coffee table before opening the soda and the bag of cheese balls. "Coach, why exactly are you here?"
"Told ya, Yentl, we need to get to know each other on a basis that isn't school related. After all, if your mom and I continue dating we need to have a relationship outside of our friendly Cheerio versus New Directions rivalry."
"Friendly rivalry?" Rachel asked. "You tried to get Mr. Schue arrested the last week of school because he parked too close to your car."
"I knew the charges would never stick," Sue waved a cheese covered hand in the air. "Had I truly wanted to be more than a casual annoyance to brill-o head I would have planted something in his car."
"So what made you come over here today?" Rachel asked.
"I figured since your mother had to spend this day giving her VA kids a well-deserved fear of the hell she's going to put them through in a few short weeks it would be a perfect time for us to spend together. After all, we've never really spoken unless it's slushy or punishment related."
"If you don't count all the taunts and put downs," Rachel mumbled.
"Exactly," Sue agreed crumbling up the now empty bag in her hands and tossing it on the coffee table. "As fulfilling as that relationship is for the both of us, it's time we develop another one. One not based on mutual loathing of one another's chosen activities."
"Oookay?" Rachel finished up her ice cream and stood, bowl in hand. Grabbing the empty bag of cheese balls from the table Rachel shoved Sue's feet onto the floor. "At least take your shoes off before putting them on the table. Mama would have a cow."
"True, your mother does like things neat." Sue finished the can of soda and let out a large belch. Pulling herself to her feet Sue followed Rachel into the kitchen. "Phase two of loosen up Rachel Berry is about to commence." Sue announced grabbing the dirty bowl from Rachel's hands and dumped the bowl into the sink before throwing the empty bag and empty can of soda into the trash can.
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Getting ready to turn into her drive Shelby gulped noticing Sue's car parked in the drive. Opening the garage door Shelby pulled into the open space and turned off the car before closing the door. "This can't be good," the woman commented as she left the car and headed inside.
Kicking off her heels as she entered the house, Shelby took in the kitchen. "Did they invite the football team over today?" she mused as she noticed the empty cans of soda, chips, cheese balls, cheese curls, salsa containers, and chocolate wrappers littering the table and counters of her once pristine kitchen.
"Come on, Rachel, come out. I promise you don't have to chug again."
"Chug?" Shelby whispered following the panicked yelling and pounding through the house.
"No!" Rachel's voice was firm. "I am not coming out! I've had enough bonding time, Coach. In fact, I've bonded so much I think I'm going to be sick."
"All part of the fun, Babs Jr," Sue responded. "Means you ate just enough junk and drank just enough soda."
"Billie Jean?" Shelby's voice caused the tall blonde to turn her way and smile.
"Ethel, good to see you made it home. Hope you gave those little namby-pambies hell today. Your offspring and I spent the day pigging out, watching movies, and basically forging a relationship outside of school."
"Good?"
"Mama, is that you?" Rachel screeched from the bathroom.
"Yes, Rachel."
The bathroom door was quickly unlocked and flung open. "Thank all that is Barbra that you are home!" Rachel shoved past Sue and into her mother's arms. Make her go away. Please. I can't take anymore bonding with her."
"Bonding?" Shelby asked holding the shaking girl.
"Yup," Sue smiled at Shelby. "Told ya that, Ethel. We had a great time today. Got your kid to loosen up and she actually got me to watch a musical. Nothing better than orphan girls having a hard knock life even if they do win in the end."
"Rachel, are you okay?" Shelby asked.
"I think so, Mama. My tummy hurts but Coach says that's from the unwise decision to drink a Yoohoo immediately following a soda and bag of cheese curls."
"You let her eat all that junk at once?" Shelby rounded on Sue.
"Of course not." Sue followed as Shelby walked Rachel down the stairs and to the living area. "We spaced it out between movies, board games, and the occasional prank call from a burn phone."
"Burn phone?" Shelby asked.
"Yeah," Rachel looked up at her mother from where they had sat on the couch. "That way your number doesn't come up on caller ID and can't be traced. After all, you don't want to make prank calls if the person can nail you for them. That takes the fun right out of it. Right Coach?"
"Well said, Rachel," Sue acknowledged. "I knew you had great potential."
Rachel gave a wry smile, "Thanks. I've learned a lot from you today."
"I knew we'd have fun," Sue stretched her long frame in the chair she had claimed. "Just remember that when we get back to school…"
"I know, I know," Rachel interrupted. "When we get back to school nothing changes. You hate glee, we hate cheerleading. Sounds good to me."
"Ethel, you got one great kid here." Sue smiled at the duo as they sat on the couch.
"I know," Shelby agreed. "One very great, albeit sick kid."
"She'll be fine. Comes from strong stuff," Sue grabbed a half-eaten bag of chips from the coffee table. "Endured years of taunting for having two dads, her fashion sense, and her lack of humility. A little junk food isn't going to kill her."
"Mama, I don't feel so good!" Rachel ran from the couch and towards the downstairs bathroom before Shelby had a chance to react. The sounds of Rachel were heard loud and clear and Shelby winced at a particularly loud moan.
"Sue," Shelby's smile was tight. "How about you clean up the mess that you helped create while I go make sure Rachel hasn't hurt herself."
"Sure thing, babe." Shelby then watched as Sue crumpled the now empty chip bag and threw it on the coffee table. "Step one. Get all the crap off the floor and onto a central location before coming by with the trash bag."
"It seems you have this under control…." Shelby trailed off moving to check on Rachel as the girl's voice calling for her was heard from the bathroom.
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"How's the kid?" Sue gently kissed the top of Shelby's head as they snuggled on the couch.
"Asleep. Finally."
"Good. A good night's sleep and she'll be back to herself tomorrow."
"I suppose," Shelby agreed. "Billie Jean could we agree on something?"
"Don't know, Ethel. Throw it out there and we'll see if it's something I can agree to."
"Promise me you won't fill my kid up like she's spending the day at a two bit carnival the next time you want to bond with her. I know you meant well, but I've never seen that amount of junk come out of someone that small."
Sue chuckled and hugged Shelby tighter. "She is old enough to say no to certain food intake, Ethel. The kid's a vegetarian after all, she could have said no."
"She could have and should have," Shelby sighed. "But she didn't. Sometimes common sense and Rachel are not on a first name basis which is why we need to be the ones to force common sense on her."
"I did warn her about the Yoohoo and what would happen."
"So she said." Shelby said dryly. "Please just promise me that the next time you want to bond with Rachel you let me in on your plans."
"That I can do, Shelby." Sue ran her hand up and down Shelby's back in a soothing motion. "You know, I did have fun with Rachel today. Surprised myself a little bit. She's got one hell of a sense of humor. Some of those prank calls…" Sue began to laugh. "I don't think brill-o head is ever going to figure out the call she did to him. Almost made me shoot a skittle out of my nose."
"Who else did you call?"
"Let's see, I'm sure I still have Puckerman trying to figure out the call, Principal Figgens may be out searching for a rabid cat all night, and let's not forget the call to April Rhodes."
"At least you didn't get her to call the president of the school board," Shelby quipped.
"Give me time, just give me time," Sue responded before bending down to quiet Shelby's retort with a kiss.
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I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Sometimes RL gets in the way of writing.
To all the PMs, favorites, follows, and reviews…. Thanks so much.
More to come….