Chapter 4: The Choices We Make
On Monday, everyone was annoyed with Mercedes. The girl tried to defend herself.
"I didn't make you guys go, I didn't make the rest of you drink, and I didn't call the cops! Maybe if you hadn't all left me behind, I wouldn't have gotten caught!" The frustrated girl snaps.
"Maybe if you had had less to drink, or none at all, you wouldn't have gotten in trouble and then neither would we!" Quinn argues.
"Or, if you had stayed with us instead of constantly walking away to flirt with Shane, you would have been with us when we escaped. We didn't leave you behind, 'Cedes. You walked away from us repeatedly." Tina challenges her.
Mercedes huffs and turns away. All of Glee was grounded, ranging anywhere from a week to a month. They begged Mr. Schue to extend rehearsals so they could have more time to hang out before having to go home alone and be bored. Instead, their teacher lectured them on the perils of alcohol. Word of the party, and the aftermath, spread quickly. Mr. Figgins decided an assembly was in order. He asked the glee club to perform. They were hesitant, since the only numbers they could find were all "pro" alcohol and drinking. Despite this, he approved their song choices "Blame It On the Alcohol" and "Tik Tok". Puck tried to convince them to drink before the performance, to make it seem more realistic, but the others shut him down. Holly had pulled Rachel and told her she should have called her. Holly then joined them in Glee and talked to the entire Glee club.
"You all have my phone number. If you find yourself drunk or not even drunk, but drinking anything alcoholic at all and you need a ride home, call me. If you're at a party and you're uncomfortable but don't want to say anything, text me. I can come pick you up. I'm not going to lie to your parents for you, but I can be your designated driver." She informs them.
The kids smile and thank her. Then Mr. Schue stands up and says he agrees 100% and they can call him for a ride, too. Holly stays to help them choreograph the songs for the assembly. When Glee ended, Holly held Finn back. Curious, Rachel waited too. So did everyone else who noticed.
"Hudson, what I'm about to do has nothing to do with my role as an educator. Do you understand that?"
"Uh…..sure."
Mr. Schuester and Coach Sue turn their backs on them and start a loud conversation that makes zero sense. Rachel understands why when Holly suddenly slaps Finn. Not really hard, but it was still a slap. He stumbles back out of shock.
"What? What was that for?"
"You asshat! If I ever hear about you driving after drinking again, then this will feel like a love tap. And if you ever endanger Rachel's life again, you and I will never again be seen in Lima, Ohio. Do you understand me?"
Finn straightens up and responds fiercely "I would never put her in danger. Ever!"
"But you did! You drove a car, with her as your passenger, after drinking a beer."
"One beer! And I was eating while drinking and I spread that beer out over the entire night! I love her, I wouldn't ju—je—jeopardize her."
"You felt fine to drive. That doesn't mean you actually were. Alcohol impairs your judgement, dumbass." She jabs one of her nails into his chest. "You put yourself, your girlfriend, and everyone else out on the road in danger with your recklessness. Luckily, you actually were fine and not impaired at all. What if next time you're more impaired than you think? You won't know until your car is wrapped around a pole and your passenger—" she points to Rachel "—is dead."
All color drains from his face. Holly grabs his arm and guides him to a chair. "I wouldn't—I wouldn't—I swear, I would never knowingly put her in danger."
"I believe you. We all believe you. But when drugs and/or alcohol are involved, never trust your own judgement."
He nods miserably. Rachel runs a hand through his hair and he wraps an arm around her waist and buries his head against her stomach. "I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry."
"I know. Finn, I gave you a hard time, remember? I didn't let you get in the car until I was satisfied that you were good to drive. You willingly handed over your keys until I felt safe to get in the car with you. I trust you. But Holly is right, too."
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The Glee kids weren't the only ones who got in trouble. It turns out a bunch of kids did. While complaining about being grounded at lunch, the kids came up with an idea. Their coaches may not be willing to extend rehearsals and practices to give them more time together, but what if they had a specific reason to have more, longer practices? Excitedly, they put their heads together to come up with a project that would benefit all of them. Halloween may be over, but they decided it's still "spooky season". With that in mind, they approached their respective coaches with a project; at half-time at an upcoming football game, the football team, cheerleaders, and glee club would all perform one big number. The song? A mash up of Thriller and Heads Will Roll. Their coaches were amused, hesitant, and intrigued. In the end, they decided they wanted to support the group effort and gave their approval. They even got the marching band to join in so they'd have live music. The band kids were thrilled to be involved.
Every day they worked out choreography and practiced vocals. They alternated working in small groups and larger groups. They were even given permission to work on it during gym class. They happily stayed after school every day to rehearse. It took a lot of practice to get it everything ready in less than two weeks, but they felt they were successful. The parents hadn't been thrilled at first; they'd seen right through the ruse, after all. But they, too, were intrigued. The kids worked on their zombie costumes and practiced with make up, laughing the entire time. What had started out as a ruse to be able to spend more time together to get around their grounding ended up being a real performance. Every member of every team was dedicated to it going well. Rachel didn't even mind that she won't have a solo. Santana, Artie, and Finn will be the soloists. Finn is going to use a voice changer to deepen his voice and make it sound monster-like. They're all very excited about it.
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Being grounded was boring, but not as bad as she'd expected. Her mom had grounded her in the past, but that was when she was sick. She spent a lot of time sleeping and wasn't going out much anyway. Now, fully healthy, the only reason keeping her home was being grounded and she hated it. But it wasn't completely awful. Her mom sometimes let her watch whatever she was watching and the two of them talked and still sang together. She hadn't used her Gameboy in months, but she dusted it off and went back to using it. She also plans to use the time stuck at home to work on writing a song and train Yero some more. The dog can follow common commands: sit, stay, come, lay down, roll over, beg, etc. He can go get his leash. He can fetch toys. He can fetch water bottles, phones, and remotes, though he sometimes gets confused and brings the wrong item. Now that he's big enough, Rachel is training him to turn on and off the lights.
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"I'm really excited to audition for Maria! I'm perfect for the part." Rachel is telling the others. She is practically bouncing in her seat just at the thought of playing such an iconic role.
"Yeah, but there will be open auditions. And Mercedes Jones is feeling pretty this year." Her friend announces.
Rachel is mildly startled. Is Mercedes a fabulous singer? Absolutely. Could she give Rachel a run for her money? Yup. But is she right for the role of Maria in West Side Story? Rachel personally doesn't think so. Her fellow diva reads the look on her face. Unfortunately, she doesn't read it correctly.
"What? Your don't think I'm good enough?" Mercedes challenges.
"Of—of course you're good enough, Mercedes. You're incredibly talented. I just…don't think you're right for this particular role. I don't think you're as good a fit as—"
"Not as good a fit as you? Listen to me, little Miss-thinks-she's-better-than-everybody, you are not better than me."
Rachel leans back, confused and alarmed. "I didn't say I was better. I said I'm a better fit for the role. There's a very big difference."
"It's true. It's a big difference." Kurt chimes in, his eyes jumping warily between them.
"Not you too, Kurt!" Mercedes huffs angrily. "Of course you'd side with your sister!"
"I'm…Mercedes, calm down. You're not hearing us. This is a common problem on Broadway. Amazing performers are turned away, not because they're less talented, but because they're not as good a fit for the role as someone else. And that's all this will come down to, 'Cedes."
"Well, I happen to think I'd bring a new life to the role. So you'd better bring it, Ms. Berry. You won't just be handed this role."
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"I don't understand why she didn't understand what we were saying." Rachel admits quietly.
Her mom sighs. "Mercedes is very talented. But she's not as familiar with how this type of thing works as you are. She's also gotten used to largely taking a backseat to you, Rach."
Rachel frowns. "That's not my fault! If I get a solo, it's because I earned it or was the best fit! I don't think I've ever 'just been handed' a solo like she accused me of."
"I know that. But for several years, she has watched you get more solos than her. Obviously it has eaten away at her. And now, in the unfamiliar environment of preparing for a musical production, she's feeling uncertain and lashing out. I'm not saying she's right. I'm just trying to help you understand where her attitude may be coming from. And I'm just speculating."
"What do you think I should do?"
"I think you should be a supportive friend to her. But I also think you should do your absolute best at your audition. What song were you thinking of auditioning with?"
Rachel slides to the floor so she can play with Yero while still talking with her mom. "I was thinking of singing 'I Feel Pretty,' which I'm amazing at."
Her mom chuckles, though Rachel's not sure what's so amusing to her. "I played Maria 18 times. 'Somewhere' is the perfect audition song for you. You should do it."
"Well, I was considering it, but it's a very challenging song. Besides, I absolutely loved singing it with you at the benefit. Singing it alone for my audition wouldn't be as fun. And it wouldn't sound as good."
"Be that as it may," Her mom says with a grin, "I think you should go for it. You'll never become a star or get the lead by playing it safe. Let's go downstairs and try it. I'll help you."
Rachel really loves voice lessons with her mom. She truly knows her craft and pushes her to do better. She excitedly hops up. Yero immediately does the same, doing his little excited dance beside her.
"Beat you down there!" Rachel calls, already taking off for the basement with Yero hot on her heels.
Her mother's laughter follows her down the stairs.
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"What songs are you auditioning with?" Kurt leans into his boyfriends side as they walk down the hall. Auditions are soon. They want the cast set up and rehearsals started quickly, so it's all happening pretty fast.
"I can't decide between 'Maria' and 'Something's Coming'."
"Those are, uh, Tony songs. You auditioning for Tony, too?"
Blaine looks at him a little worriedly. "Would that be weird?"
"No, no, not at all," Kurt is quick to reassure him. Then, after thinking about it for a moment, adds "You'd be a great Tony. A perfect Tony in some respects."
Shit. Kurt wants to be a supportive boyfriend. However, he not only really wants to land the leading male role, just for fun, he's going to be applying to NYADA in a couple months. Being the lead in the school musical would look good on his application. His stomach squirms uncomfortably. All he has on it so far, for extracurriculars, is Glee. Granted, being on a National Champion team looks very good. And there's an excellent chance they'll win the title again this year. Regardless, it would still look better if he had more things to show off and help him stand out. He's not sure his fashion ideas will cut it. Or his vlog. Rachel will definitely get the role of Maria, that's a given. He debates what would be better; accept that Blaine would make the better Tony or fight for it.
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Shelby rings the doorbell and waits. Beside her, Rachel is curiously taking in the outside of the townhouse. It's Rachel's first time visiting. It's nice. Small, but Scott had said he hadn't needed much for just him when he bought it. Scott opens the door and smiles when he sees the two of them.
"Ladies! Come on in! And Rachel, welcome to my humble abode."
"Thanks! You have a very nice home, Scott."
They walk inside and he gives Rachel a brief tour. When they finish and return to the first floor, Scott insists she can make herself at home and grab whatever food or drinks she'd like.
"Minus the alcohol, little miss." He teases, wagging his finger at her.
Rachel blushes and rolls her eyes. "Of course Mom told you."
Shelby eyes her daughter carefully, worried she's upset about this. Thankfully, Rachel shrugs it off with a smile and wanders into the kitchen. As she goes, she casually calls to them over her shoulder.
"It's a nice place, Scott. A bit small for more than one person, though. So whenever you and Mom get married, you'll have to sell this place and just move in with us."
The adults freeze. Stunned, Shelby turns to look at Scott's reaction.
"Well, I guess that answers that." He rubs the back of his neck bashfully.
Shelby laughs and leans into him for a hug. She'll still talk to her daughter about it, but she's relieved Rachel seems at least okay, possibly even happy, about the idea of them getting married. She and Scott have only lightly touched on the subject. Mostly, they've agreed that it's a possibility in their future and they've discussed whether they think Rachel would be happy about it or not. It's definitely the direction they're heading and they're both happy about it. Scott cooks them dinner and they eat together like a family. They've done this many times before, but this is the first time at Scott's house. It's also the first time since the topic of marriage was addressed by all three of them, even as offhanded as Rachel's remark had been, making it clear that all three are happily on the same page. Shelby takes a sip of her wine and listens to Scott and Rachel carry on a friendly conversation. Conversations between those two have always come as easily as the conversations between Scott and Shelby. It's always simple and comfortable. She wonders if it's because he is easy to talk to or if it's more than that. She smiles, deeply pleased with how well things are going. Life is good. Finally. She is finally starting to feel like she can relax and just enjoy her life. Better than that, she's doing it with a wonderful man at her side. And best of all, she can enjoy watching Rachel live her life.
"Wait, you've seriously never heard of Firefly?" When Rachel shakes her head in the negative, Scott leans closer and speaks with enthusiasm, his eyes lighting up at the prospect of introducing her to a new show. "Rach, if you liked Buffy the Vampire Slayer, then I'm positive you will love Firefly! It's by the same creator, too!"
He turns to Shelby. "I don't suppose—"
"Nope. Sorry. I've never even heard of it."
The man heaves a dramatic sigh and slaps his hands on the top of the table. "Well, that settles it. We're watching the first episode of Firefly tonight."
He is such a dork. She can't believe how much she loves him.
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A cloud of dust forces a sudden sneeze from her. She irritably wipes her nose, wondering if she should suggest wearing some sort of mask while they do this. Her mother looks over at her to check her progress.
"We're almost done."
"I know. These are the boxes of stuff you want to donate. Think we can get Scott to bring them down for us?"
The steps leading to the attic are more like a nice ladder. It won't be easy to lug boxes down from here. Her mother stops shifting boxes and eyes her curiously.
"You seem happy to have him around more."
Rachel bites back a smirk, wondering if her mother is finally going to just flat out ask. "I am. He's nice. Weird, but in a goofy way, not a creepy way."
Her mother chuckles. She sits down cross legged, going through the next box while her mother carries a new one over. Once she sets it down, she starts going through it, but her eyes jump between the contents of the box and Rachel. The teen wonders if she should let her mother squirm or help her out. Finally, her mom takes the plunge.
"You like Scott, I know. But how would you feel having him around more?"
Rachel smirks. "Didn't I just say last night that if you two get married, he should move in with us?"
Her mother smiles. "Yes, you did. But I want to be completely sure that—"
"Be completely sure. I really like Scott. I'd be happy to have him around more. I'd even be happy to have him as a stepfather one day." She rolls her eyes. "Even if that possibility sort of ruined an idea I'd had."
"What are you talking about?"
Rachel closes the box and wipes her dusty hands on her pants. "I had been thinking about changing my last name to Corcoran."
Her mom's lips part slightly in surprise. "Really?"
The teen grins bashfully. "Yeah. I talked to Uncle Burt, Kurt, Nana, and Grandpa about it."
"And? What'd they'd have to say about it?"
"That it was a sweet idea and you'd be thrilled. But that if you marry Scott in the near future, then you'll be changing your last name and once again, we'll have different last names. Nana also pointed out that when I get married I'll be changing my last name again. Basically, everyone agreed that while it's a nice idea, my last name doesn't matter. I'm still your daughter and we're still family. And that you wouldn't care what my name was."
Her mother shoves the box out of the way and scoots closer to pull her into a hug. "They were absolutely right. It's very sweet and I would be thrilled. If you'd like to do that, I will happily help you with the paperwork." She kisses her cheek. "They were also right that I don't care about your last name. I just care that I have you in my life. You are my daughter. Your last name, whatever it happens to be, will never change that."
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"Okay, that guy." She uses her fork to point discreetly. "This is clearly not their first date and yet he's still nervous. Look at the way he keeps patting his jacket pocket. I think he's got a ring in there."
"Yeah, but this isn't exactly a fancy restaurant. Is this really the place to propose?" Finn challenges.
Rachel shrugs. "It may not be a fancy restaurant, but maybe it's where they first met or had their first date. And not everyone can afford fancy."
"True. Maybe he's going to propose later in the night? After they leave."
"Maybe," Rachel concedes the point, "or maybe he's so nervous that he can't wait and will pop the question while they're still here. Now it's your turn."
For a little longer they eat their dinner and play their game of coming up with stories about the other patrons. Technically, their grounding isn't up yet. But their parents had decided that they'd been very good about following the rules of their groundings without complaint, so halfway through, they have been given a one night reprieve and are allowed to go on a date. Kurt was jealous. He'd told his father he needed to get music for Glee, so he'd been allowed to go to the music store. And only the music store. He was told to grab what he needed and go home. Instead, he met up with Blaine and they went on a short date. Uncle Burt found out and was pissed Kurt lied and tricked him. Rachel was honestly a little surprised with her brother. Finn asks for the check. Before the waitress brings it to them, the guy two tables over gets down on one knee.
Rachel grins and whispers "I knew it!"
They applaud along with everyone else when the woman says yes and tearfully accepts the ring. Rachel wiggles in her seat, pleased she was right and happy for the couple. When she looks back at Finn, he's watching her with a soft smile.
"What?"
He shakes his head slowly. "Nothing. You're just…adorable. And beautiful. And wonderful."
Smiling brightly, but knowing she's blushing, Rachel thanks him. Then, she decides to tease him a little. "I definitely appreciate hearing that, but just remember…you promised not to propose until after college."
He laughs and takes her hand, rubbing his thumb over the promise ring he'd given her so many months earlier. He gave it to her at the worst time of her life. The fact that he'd been sincere and is still intending to fulfill his promise warms her from within. "I know. And I'll keep that promise, assuming you keep yours." He kisses her hand.
Tears leap to her eyes. The waitress brings the check, interrupting them. Rachel clears her throat and sips her water. They leave the restaurant and get in Finn's car.
"So…..you and your mom are heading to Columbus tomorrow, right?"
"Yeah, Ollie is turning 6. I can't believe it! Well technically he turned 6 yesterday, but it was a Thursday. He had a party with his friends after school today. Tomorrow is the family party. It'll be…boring. But it's family."
Finn laughs. "Rach, admit it. You may be bored at times, but you're happy to go. You love your family."
"Yeah, you're right."
"You're not leaving early, right? And we have two more hours until curfew."
"What are you getting at?"
He looks over at her. "We don't have to go back right away."
"We probably shouldn't take advantage of our parent's leniency. As long as we don't stay out too much longer, I guess it's fine. What did you have in mind?"
"I was thinking we could park somewhere and….look at the stars."
By 'look at the stars' she knows what he really means. More like 'make their own stars'. She grins and agrees. Finn drives them to a park and finds a deserted place to park. He turns the headlights off but keeps the car running for warmth and music. They move to the back seat and make out for a while. After a while, he slowly slides his hand south. Before making contact, he pauses and looks her in the eye questioningly. She bites her lip, but then nods and kisses him. His hand slides under her skirt. He spends a minute caressing the skin of her inner thighs, then moves up. The first brush of his fingers makes her jump a little.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, just…..yeah."
"You sure? You can stop me at any time. I won't get mad or anything."
"I know." She kisses him deeply.
This is as far as she has let him get before. Now, she lets him slip his fingers into her panties and stroke her. Her breathing picks up. She can feel her face flush; from both nerves and excitement. He kisses down her neck. Her hands slide behind his neck and hold on to him. For the first time, he enters her. She gasps. He waits patiently, watching her carefully. When she kisses him, he resumes his ministrations, getting faster and faster. Over the summer was the first time she'd felt something low in her belly tighten. Now, it's stronger. Better. He brings her to the brink and then holds her close as she tumbles over edge breathlessly. After, she curls against him. He runs his (now clean) hands gently over her back and arms.
"That's the best way to become breathless." She is completely relaxed and happy. She also feels a little closer to him than ever and it thrills her.
He laughs. "So far. I think sex will be even better when get there."
She agrees. One day they'll get there. But not yet. She's not ready and she doesn't even think Finn is ready for that yet. Until then, they have learned several ways to make each other feel good.
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On Saturday they head to Columbus. Shelby and Rachel sing the whole way. When they arrived Rachel walked straight into the house, calling out a greeting to her grandparents. Shelby walks in behind her, seeing her dad already wrapping Rachel in a big hug. He lifts her off the floor and she squeezes him back with a laugh.
"Grandpa!"
"Hey there, darlin'! It's been a month since I've seen you."
He sets her down. She opens her mouth to respond, but is interrupted by her grandmother grabbing her in a hug from behind. "Hi, Nana!"
"Hi, pumpkin. It's good to see you!"
Shelby's heart swells while watching her parents and child interact so warmly. Two years. They've known each other for just shy of two years. At this point, an outsider would have absolutely no idea if they weren't told. Rachel has been so fully embraced by the family, and returns the sentiment in kind, that all of their interactions are natural, relaxed, and loving.
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Oliver is thrilled to be celebrating his birthday with everyone. Shelby laughs at how adorably excited he is. She loves that he had leapt into Rachel's arms as soon as he'd walked into the house. Her daughter had held him tight and spun him around, peppering his face with kisses. The six year old had giggled, then jumped down to hug Shelby. She had teased him about not greeting her first.
"She's cooler than you." He'd shrugged.
Shelby put a hand on her chest, acting hurt by that announcement. Rachel had stuck her tongue out at Shelby, then laughed. They play a few games with the little boy, then had sloppy joes for dinner (Ollie's favorite). The younger boys were disappointed that they didn't bring Yero with them.
"How come you didn't bring Yero?" Dylan asked with a frown.
"Yero has become friends with my friend Sam's dog, so Sam offered to watch Yero when we go out of town. That way we don't have to worry about him and Sam's dog gets to play with Yero." Rachel explains. "But I kind of miss him, too. I've gotten to always having him around."
They decided to spent the night and head home on Sunday. This will give them more time with their family. With school back in session, they don't have as much time to visit as they did over the summer. Even Tyler and Abby were able to come for the weekend. Shelby loves when everyone gets together. Especially for happy reasons.
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The happy six year old is sitting amongst a pile of torn wrapping paper. Knowing he takes great joy in unwrapping things, even stupid little things, his family had accommodated him. They wrapped each of his gifts separately. Even the batteries. Then they wrapped small snacks, candies, and even fruit. The giggling boy eagerly tore into his gifts, tossing every handful of colorful paper above his head. Rachel had gotten him a CD of the Wiggles. At first, the boy had been thrilled and thanked her gleefully. Later, after he finished opening all of his gifts and the euphoria of it all was starting to wear off, he took a different approach to her gift to him.
"Rachie? I like the gift."
"I'm glad."
"But can I have something else?"
His parents make sounds of irritation and disappointment. "Ollie, that's not polite. You should be grateful for the gifts you got and thank people for them, not ask for something different."
"I'm grayful!" The boy insists. He turns his attention back to Rachel. "But….can I have a CD of you singing instead?"
That stopped his parents from berating him. They stare at him in surprise, then their expressions soften. Rachel is surprised to feel her eyes sting with the start of tears. She swallows, then pulls the boy into a hug.
"Absolutely."
He jumps up. "YES!" He does a happy dance, making everyone laugh. Then he stops and spins back to face her. "When?"
She laughs. "I'll bring it when I come for Thanksgiving, okay? It's just a couple weeks away."
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"—cops came? Seriously?" Andy sounds amused.
Rachel scowls lightly and Shelby has to fight back a laugh. "Yes, really. But I didn't do anything!"
"Other than drink alcohol underage."
"Sip! I took a couple sips! I doubt it even added up to a normal sized gulp."
"That doesn't change the fact that you drank. Underage. Meaning you're too young for that. There are certain things you just don't do until you're older."
"Says the man who taught me poker when I was 15."
Shelby narrows her eyes at her brother-in-law. He quickly glances at her, then glares half heartedly at Rachel. "You weren't supposed to mention that."
Rachel grins in response. The grin leaves her face when her grandparents start lecturing her for her actions. Shelby reminds them that she already lectured her daughter and she's been dealt a punishment.
"Ah yes, the classic grounding. How is that going?"
"Boring. But not last night."
"Oh?"
Shelby sighs quietly, wondering if she's going to get yelled at by her parents for this. "Rachel and Finn have been very good about their grounding. They've followed all the rules and haven't complained. Both even used their time wisely, putting it to good use in some way. Finn helped his mom with her gardening, mostly the heavy lifting, and spent more time with Burt in the garage. Voluntarily. Rachel has been training Yero some more and helped me clear out the attic. Also voluntarily. From talking to the other parents, I learned that most of the other kids are still moping about or even trying to find ways to get out of or around their punishment. So Burt, Carole, and I decided they deserved a little reward. Their two week grounding still stands, but last night they were allowed to go on a date."
"Oh, how nice! I think rewarding them was a great idea." Amy agrees. "And how was the date, Rachel?"
Her daughter's cheeks take on a rosy hue. Interesting. She'll have to question her further about that. Later. At home. Not here, when they're surrounded by nosy (but well meaning) relatives.
"It was a lot of fun. We went out to dinner, then walked around a nearby park for a while."
"That sounds like a nice date."
"It really was."
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That night, as usual, Rachel spent time in the attic room catching up with her older cousins. They laughed and teased her about the party being broken up by the police and her subsequent grounding. They shared stories of times they've gotten in trouble from parties they'd gone to. Or thrown. They also tell her more about their jobs and life as adults. Rachel tells them about the Thriller/Heads Will Roll half-time performance coming up and they get excited. Her cousins promise to check their schedules to see if they can come watch it. The three of them talk well into the night.
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The boys were taking this far more seriously than the girls. Abby and Rachel share an eye roll, standing side by side watching. The two youngest had challenged their three older cousins to….some sort of basketball game. They're not playing by normal rules. She thinks. To be honest, she doesn't really know the rules. Of a real basketball game or of whatever they're playing at the moment.
"You're supposed to be helping me!" Tyler calls to them.
"It looks like you've got it covered." Rachel replies with a smirk. Abby nods her agreement, grinning at her twin.
He shakes his head, then refocuses on the task at hand. Rachel watches Tyler get the ball away from Dylan, then spin and take his shot. The basketball bounces off the backboard and Dylan starts teasing his older cousin for missing. Oliver, happy to copy his big brother, starts mimicking him, much to the girl's amusement. Dylan bounces the ball in their direction.
"Get it, Rachel!"
Rachel reaches for it but misses, causing her cousins to burst out laughing. All except Dylan, who looks appalled. "How did you miss that?!"
She watches in defeat as the orange ball bounces behind her, losing momentum until Abby snatches it and starts dribbling it.
"I'm not sport oriented." She defends herself.
Abby jogs past her, showing off her dribbling skills, then passes the ball to Oliver. The now six year old boy excitedly bounces it twice, then holds it in both hands. He crouches down, eyes up on the basketball hoop. His tongue sticks out in his intense concentration, which Rachel thinks is adorable. She watches him jump up and throw the ball upwards with as much strength as he can muster. He misses and his shoulders slump. Tyler places a hand on his shoulder, trying to cheer him up before giving him some pointers. She wanders closer to where Dylan and Abby are discussing the possibility of lowering the hoop so that its not as high. It sounds like they agree it's a good idea, but neither know how. She passes Tyler and Oliver and overhears Tyler cheering up the youngest cousin.
"You still did better than Rachel did at her one attempt." Tyler tosses a wink and a grin over his shoulder, so she knows he intended her to hear it. She grins and rolls her eyes. It's true, after all.
Rachel hates to admit it, but she's bored. Her extended family is more interested in sports than she is. Even Abby. She stands in the driveway between her cousins and folds her arms. She likes some of the physical games they play as a family, but just shooting hoops or trying to play an actual sport game is not as fun to her. She's not sure if it'd be rude to go inside with the adults. Maybe not rude, but she doesn't want her cousins to be disappointed that she's not spending time with them. Ever since she entered remission and she's returned to being healthy, they've been eager to spend more time with her. She gets it. She's even happy about it. When she was sick, a lot of the time they spent together was just talking, watching movies, or playing games that didn't require a lot of movement. Now, they can play more active games and she can not only participate, but keep up. Unless it's a sport, clearly. She hopes they do something different soon. She looks up at the house and wonders if the older women are still just chatting or if they're doing something interesting. Then again, 'just chatting' would still be more interesting than basketball. Rachel's eyes slide to the open garage doors. Her uncles and grandfather are looking over Dylan's bike and trying to determine if they can fix it themselves or if they have to take it to a bike shop for repairs.
"Rachel, come on! It's your turn." Abby calls, getting her attention.
"Try to get it in the hoop this time." Dylan says, trying to arrange his expression into one of support. She bites back a smirk.
"At least throw it in the right direction this time." Tyler's face is completely neutral. Rachel gives him an irritated look and slaps his arm while passing him. He laughs and hands her the ball.
She tries to remember what Finn showed her. He's on the basketball team in the spring. Or, he was, anyway. He was on the team freshman and sophomore year. He decided not to join junior year. She didn't have to ask him why. She was equal parts touched, thrilled, and guilty that her boyfriend gave up being on the team to be able to spend more time with her while she was sick. She wonders if he'll play again this year. She may not like sports, but she likes watching Finn play them. Plus, it makes him happy, which makes her happy. Rachel holds the ball the way he showed her and tosses it up. She actually manages to hit the rim, causing her cousins to cheer. It's the best she's done yet. She shrugs. She doesn't particularly care. Abby tosses an arm around her shoulders.
"We'll stop soon, I promise. Even if the boys don't get bored of it soon, I'm starting to and I know you've been bored from the start."
Rachel grins guiltily. "A little. I like spending time with you guys, but…."
"Not when we're playing basketball in the driveway? Gotcha."
"I'm glad you were able to come." She tells her older cousin sincerely.
Abby smiles. "Me, too. I wasn't sure my current project would wrap up in time but I'm really glad it did."
"Abby!" The girls turn towards the garage. Uncle Andy is walking in their direction. "What was the name of that shop we got your bike from a couple years ago? Do you remember? I think they did repairs, too."
"How should I know?" Abby walks up to her dad, arguing that she has no reason to remember this information while simultaneously trying to pull up any detail she can recall to help him remember.
Rachel turns to look at the boys, hoping this means basketball time is over. Tyler is showing Dylan how to lower the basket. Oliver is diligently practicing dribbling the ball. He misses and the ball bounces merrily down the driveway. Good riddance. She hopes it goes missing until after she and her mom leave. The door leading from the garage into the house opens and she hears her grandmother ask the men about dinner. She turns to look, wondering if she should offer to help Nana with the cooking. She's helped a few times and they usually end up having fun conversations at the same time. It beats the hell out of playing baske—
The human race has survived for several reasons. One of those reasons is the human brain's ability to both recognize and predict patterns. It has helped humans with avoiding danger, planning traps and crops, and hunting for food. That ability has evolved along with other abilities, and is now applied to many different areas of life. But avoiding danger is still a major use of this ability.
Rachel's body is moving before her brain has fully finished making the connection. She spins on the ball of her foot and takes off towards the street. A child playing in a driveway. A ball bouncing towards the street. It's classic. She'd hoped she was wrong, but as soon as she was facing him she saw Oliver running full tilt after that stupid basketball. She hurries after him, knowing full well that he's going to be in trouble with every adult here for being so reckless. He and Dylan have both been told repeatedly that people tend to speed on this street, despite it being a residential road. A distant rumble reaches her ears. Rachel pumps her legs, pushing herself to sprint as fast as she can. The growl of the engine gets louder. From her peripheral vision, she spies a vehicle heading in their direction.
"Oliver!"
From Uncle Mark's yell, she determines that he's still a ways behind her. Meaning she's still the closest person to Oliver, by far.
"Ollie, stop!"
"Rachel!"
"Stop!"
Panicked voices cry out, but Rachel ignores them all. Her sole focus is getting to Oliver before the truck does. The pickup truck is going too fast. It's too close. Ollie is already in the middle of the street, bending to pick up the ball that has slowed to a roll. Rachel's foot lands on the paved street. The truck is here. Oliver's head snaps in its direction, finally aware of the danger but far too late to do anything about it. Rachel doesn't think she'll ever forget the look of abject terror on his little face. For a split second, she wonders about the expression on her own face as her body slams into his.
She had known the moment she'd committed to the action that she would either have precious seconds to get them both out of the way, or none at all. She's a bright girl. She'd known all possible outcomes. In the instant they had crossed her mind, she'd known that the one outcome she would not be able to live with was Oliver getting hit by the car because she did nothing.
So she lunged.
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