Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Glee or any of its characters.
Chapter 63
They all sat and started eating, talking about plans for the day. Everything was normal until Santana sat forward abruptly pointing. "Is that what I think it is?"
Shelby grinned nodding, Sue smirked and the others looked on confused as Santana stood and rushed to pull them into a bear hug.
Rachel and Quinn shared a look. "Um what is she talking about mom?"
Shelby just laughed and held up her hand to show them. All the occupants of the room gasped then Rachel and Quinn were squealing running over to hug them too. Judy just smile and leaned into Fran who was just staring at Coach like she grew another head.
She was really seeing a different side of coach lately. It was weird to see her in a relationship and getting married like a human being and not the robot she always saw her as but it was nice.
As the girls finally released them Judy stood as well and hugged Sue then Shelby tightly. "I am so happy for you two."
Shelby hugged her close. "Thank you."
Rachel was bouncing in her excitement. "Oh my goodness, we have to plan. When are you getting married?"
Shelby laughed as she sat back down. "We haven't talked about setting a dated yet. She only just asked last night."
Sue just sat with a smile bigger than any of them had ever seen on her face except for Shelby. "I would marry her today if I could but we will have to at least wait until summer. We will have to travel to a state that will allow it and get as much legal paperwork as we can in Ohio."
Leaning in and kissing her lightly Shelby smiled. "I'd marry you today as well my love but it isn't legal here."
Santana thought for a moment then smiled. "We can go to Massachusetts after school lets out and do it on the beach there or at one of the lighthouses or something. I've heard it's beautiful up there that time of year and it's legal."
Sue and Shelby shared a look and smiled before looking back to the others. "Oh I think I like that. We'll do some research and let you guys all know where and when then you can help with the rest."
They all smiled nodding happily and settled back down to finish their breakfast that was now filled with talk of the wedding as well as plans for the day.
Once they all finished eating they cleaned up and headed out for the day. They arrived at the Clearwater Center a little later then Sue had wanted but still in time for their private tour. The others still didn't know that she arranged for them to get a private introduction to see Winter and Hope. After she heard the girls talking so excited about it she called in a few favors.
She parked and smiled as all the girls piled out of the van talking animatedly about what they hoped to see, heads together looking at the brochure they printed off. She met Shelby and Judy at the front of the car and they followed the girls in.
When they were all inside, the girls turned to the moms awaiting instructions. Sue smiled, "We are going on a tour in 30 minutes so let's stay together and just take a look around until my name is called."
They all nodded and moved to the exhibits around them. Remembering Rachel telling her to use her detective skills she stayed close and just observed Rachel and Fran. Rachel would ask question and Fran would excitedly tell her everything she knew about what they were looking at.
It was almost time for their tour and they were heading over to that area. Fran was explaining to Santana and Rachel why Winter needed a prostetic tail when a voice behind them startled them. "I better watch out or I'll have to worry about you taking my job."
They all turned and Fran squealed. "Michael!" She flung herself in his arms and he caught her laughing and spun her around. "Oh my god you never told me you worked here."
He put her and just smiled. "I just work her part time giving tours for extra money and experience. I actually have an internship starting here in June after school lets out."
She slapped his arm playfully. "I can't believe you didn't tell me you worked with Winter and Hope."
He shrugged. "I just got the job recently and when you told me you were coming I wanted to surprise you. I made sure I was made guide on your family's tour."
She was about to say more but turned as Judy cleared her throat. Fran blushed and pulled Michael closer to them. "I'm sorry. Everyone this is my friend Michael Wells. We met at the beginning of freshman year before he got a scholarship to study down here and moved right after Christmas. We were in all the same classes before he transferred."
Michael leaned in and shook Judy's hand. "You must be Fran's mother. She looks just like you ma'am. It's nice to meet you."
Judy smiled. "The pleasure is mine Michael. It's nice to meet any friend of Franny's."
Introductions were made all around then Michael directed them to follow him. He looked at Sue and smiled. "I'm not sure what you have on Harvey but to get this kind of tour you have to be pretty special."
Sue smirked and the others just looked confused. Fran looked back to him. "What kind of tour are we getting?"
"You are getting a full behind the scenes on how the place runs and the animals we have here right now. After that you get to meet and swim with Winter and Hope in a private viewing."
The girls all shared a look and squealed jumping up and down. Shelby and Judy flanked Sue. "Ok lady how did you do this?" Judy asked as Shelby nodded beside her.
Sue shrugged. "Harvey is a friend of mine. I give a rather large donation to the center every year so I asked for this favor for the girls. I saw how excited they were getting to just come here so I thought that if they got to swim with Winter that it would make it all the more special."
The girls had calmed to listen to her explanation and swarmed her pulling her into a group hug then each girl hugged her fully. When it was Fran's turn she had a tear in her eye, "Thanks coach."
Sue smiled cupping her face. "Your welcome, now let's get to this tour."
The girls cheered and followed Michael as the moms followed and laughed at the girls' excitement. He took them to all the animals that were being treated and not on display at the moment explaining what had happened to all of them and what was being done to make them better and be released back into the wild.
Fran asked more questions than anyone and was totally engrossed in all of it. Rachel nudged Sue and smiled nodding slightly toward Fran then moved back to the other girls. Sue watched her walk back then refocused on Fran who was now being allowed to hold a baby sea turtle that was almost 100% better but would probably be kept there or adopted out due to not being in the wild with his mother to teach him how to survive.
When the tour was over they were taken to change into wetsuits and get ready to see the dolphins. Michael took them to their pools and one by one they were able to meet and get in the water with them. They were all having a blast. Hope took a liking to Rachel and would nip at her hair trying to get her attention away from Winter. Winter was enamored with Fran and followed along the pool when she got out and walked along the edge. She almost didn't come back to meet Santana. Shelby was scared and almost didn't get in but Sue talked her into it and she actually loved it once she was in.
After they all had a turn they headed back to change but stopped as a call came over the speakers for all available workers to come to the receiving area. Michael turned to them. "Ok, follow me but stay against the wall when we get in there. I need to see if they need me. We may have to call off the rest of the tour."
Sue waved him off. "It's fine if you are needed. The animals come first."
When they entered they were met with a lot of shouting and animals being moved from area to area. Michael told them to stay where they were and moved off to ask if he was needed. He came back with a man following behind. "There was a small oil spill and they are bringing in a lot of the animals that we can take to us and the rest to another center. I need to help clean them up."
The man came to a stop behind him and Michael turned to him pulling Fran up beside him. "This is Fran, my friend I told you about."
He shook her hand. "Hello young lady, I'm Harvey." He turned to Sue. "I hope you're tour was ok up until this happened?"
Sue smiled. "It was excellent and was almost over anyway. Take this young man to help if he is needed."
Harvey nodded and turned back to him and Fran. "Well young lady, if you have time we could you an extra set of trained hands. Michael tells me you helped with the spill on Lake Michigan with him last year."
She looked up excited to help, "I would be happy to help," She turned to Judy and Sue. "Can I stay and help."
Harvey looked back to Sue. "I can put you all up in the observation room and get you lunch while she works with us?"
Judy just looked shocked and shrugged looking to Sue. "That's fine. We were supposed to have lunch here anyway. Just make sure she gets some food at some point."
Fran lit up and hugged her mom and Sue quickly then followed Michael to the animals. The moms and the other girls were taken to an observation room and were able to see all that was going on with the clean-up of the animals. Fran and Michael were given a mother sea otter and her babies to take care of. As they watched all but Rachel were shocked to see the efficiency and skill at which Fran cleaned and cared for the animals.
After they ate they continued to watch as she and Michael finished up with the four animals they had and took them to a vet to be checked medically now that they were clean. They grabbed a sandwich and were given another set of animals when they got back to their area. This time they were given some turtles.
Eventually they left the observation room and finished seeing the rest of the exhibit areas. They were finishing up with the final exhibit when Fran and Michael found them. "Hey guys." Fran said as she approached them then looked to her mom. "Is it ok if I stay a while more? Michael said he would bring me home after we are done but they are about to bring in another load of animals and asked for volunteers to stay."
Michael stepped up beside her. "I'll bring her home, it's not a problem and I'll make sure she gets dinner."
Judy looked to Shelby and Sue who just shrugged then back to Fran. "Ok honey if that's what you want. Just remember we are getting up really early so we can get to the Seaquarium when they open."
Fran rushed forward and hugged her. "Thank you mom, we won't stay too late. Michael gets off at 6:00 so we are going to grab dinner then head to the house after."
Sue handed Michael a small card. "This is the address to the house. Fran knows the gate code to the neighborhood."
He nods taking the card and putting it in his wallet. With a few goodbyes they head back to meet the next load. Sue turns to the others. "Ok, how about we head to the house and just lounge around until dinner then order some pizza?"
They all agreed and headed out the door. Sue hung back a little and pulled Rachel back with her. "Is that what you wanted me to see?"
Rachel shrugged. "That was an unfortunate accident that showed you a skill no one knew she had. I cannot say any more then that but I think if you think on it a little more you will figure it out." With that she hurried to catch up with her girls.
Sue shook her head not liking the cryptic crap but she's pretty sure that Rachel is trying to tell her something without breaking Fran's trust or something so she understood it was up to her to figure it out.
Shelby turned and waved her to hurry so she shook out of her thoughts and headed over to them. Once they got to the beach house they sat out on the patio just talking until they got hungry and ordered dinner. Now that they were through the girls decided to take a walk on the beach together. Judy sat in her lounger across from Shelby and Sue snuggled in theirs.
"I'm telling you I knew that she knew a lot about sea animals but I had no idea that she knew that much. I mean she jumped right in today and started cleaning those poor creatures like it was her job or something." Judy sipped her wine trying to puzzle it out.
Shelby smile. "She was very good at it wasn't she and Michael did say that she helped with a spill last year on Lake Michigan. I think I remember that. It was a cargo ship that was transporting these oil drums and the engine exploded or something. It was on the news and they had people combing the site trying to find as many animals as possible and contain the spill."
Sue leaned her chin on Shelby's shoulder holding her close still trying to puzzle out what Rachel was trying to get her to see. "Is she studying this kind of stuff in college? Didn't she say that she and Michael had the same classes before he transferred? He told us he was studying marine biology."
Judy sighed. "Not that I know of, Russel chose her schedule for her so I doubt it." She looked out to the water deep in thought. "She doesn't talk to me about things so I'm just not sure. I don't think she would go against him though."
Shelby watched her for a moment before remembering something. "I overheard Fran telling Rachel that Russel was mad at her and wasn't speaking to her."
Judy shrugged and looked back to them. "I'll talk to her later and see what's going on with them if I can get her to talk to me. I think she tells Rachel more than she has ever confided in me. I'm glad she had her to talk to."
They all looked up as the girls came back on the porch. Quinn walked over and sat with Judy. Santana and Rachel pushed another lounger up against Sue and Shelby's and crawled in next to them. They started up conversation again changing the subject until the girls headed off to bed. Judy decided to head up herself and just wait for Fran while she read before bed. Sue and Shelby were talking debating heading that way themselves when Sue's phone rang.
She looked at the caller id confused and slightly concerned then answered. "Hello Harvey, I'm surprised to hear from you."
"Hello Sue, I was actually calling to see if you could do me a favor?" He replied happily.
"I'll do what I can Harvey, what is it?"
"I was hoping you could help me get in touch with Fran. She and Michael left so fast I wasn't able to talk to her myself. I need to talk to her because I wanted to offer her an internship for this summer. Michael is in that same program and has told me all about her and the things that did together in their studies when he was still in Ohio and after today I would like to have her here as well. I only have one opening left and I want to offer it to her."
Sue was shocked by most of what he just said. "I can talk to her when she gets home."
"That's fine Sue. Just tell her I need an answer by the end of the week. If she can't take it or just doesn't want it I need to choose another student for it."
"Of course, I'll let her know and have her call you as soon as possible Harvey."
They said their goodbyes and Sue hung up looking to Shelby. "He wants to offer her an internship this summer." She explained all that he said and sat back a little stunned.
Shelby shrugged. "Well, all you can do is talk to her and let her make that choice."
Sue nodded and pulled her close. "I'm not sure if I should tell Judy first or talk to Fran first. From the sounds of what he was saying I think Fran is in the same kind of classes that Michael is in now. I'm not sure why she isn't telling Judy but I think this is what Rachel was trying to get me to figure out, but why?"
Shelby looked thoughtful for a moment "I don't know honey. Marine Biology isn't exactly a practical career path where we are from. Maybe she is scared of Judy's reaction. Maybe that is why Russel is mad at her and she didn't want Judy mad too."
Sue sighed kissing her shoulder. "Maybe, I guess I'll wait up for her and talk to her first. If she is afraid of Judy maybe I can talk her down and get her to talk to her mother. I don't think Judy will be upset with this at all. She just wants the girls to be happy."
Shelby kissed her softly and agreed. A few minutes later Fran came out on the porch and smiled. "Did everyone else already turn it for the night?"
Shelby stood and kissed Sue's forehead. "Yes and I think I'm going to head that way too. Goodnight sweetie." She kissed her forehead and walked into the house.
Fran looked back to Sue who motioned her forward. "Have a seat."
She looked at her apprehensively then moved to side on the chair in front of her. "What's up coach?"
Sue leaned back. "I received a phone call this evening and I think we need to have a talk."
A/N: Ok up next Sue and Fran have that talk. Let's see how she reacts to it all.