Sorry for the long wait. I'm back. My chapters seem to jump scenes a lot mostly because of my ADHD, the fact I'm able to sit and type for long periods of time surprises me in general lol. Anyhow Il let you lovely humans read this update.
"Rachel! Get back here." Shelby shouted from the kitchen.
Signing Rachel made her way back into the kitchen. She knew she was on thin ice as it was but couldn't help it. Though she assumes pissing off her mom before she had her morning coffee was a bad idea.
Walking into the kitchen she stares at her mom with a lifted eyebrow. "Yes, mother." She replies, crossing her arms. She really didn't want to do this again. She had already taken all her medicine and wasn't hungry.
"Rachel, watch your attitude." Eleanor scolded lightly as she walked into the kitchen.
"But Grams I'm not hungry.." She pouted.
"Okay well then just have one of these Halo's. Your grandpa loves them." Her grandmother suggested with a kiss to her head and grabbing her coffee and heading out to the garage to check on her husband, god knows if left up to him to pack they would have no essentials.
"Fine. But I'm only eating one." Reaching over the counter she grabbed a small orange and sat down next to her uncle. She was just finishing her last bite when her mother came over and leaned close to her ear. "Your lucky Grams came in when she did." She kissed the top of her head before leaving the kitchen.
"Don't worry kid. Her bark is worse than her bite." Her uncle said dismissively, popping a piece of fruit into his mouth.
"Yeah you can say that, but I'm the kid in this scenario, not to mention I have to go back home with her." The small girl mumbled with a frown.
"You want to know a secret." He replies, changing the subject.
"Is it about my mom?" The small girl asked, lifting an inquisitive brow.
"Sure is." He said with a twinkle in his eyes.
She loved hanging out with her uncle. He was so cool and never judged her. It reminded her of all the early years she spent with her dads. Before they picked up more hours that is.
She spent a half-hour listening to her uncle describe one of the most over-the-top things her mother ever did at her age.
"No way?"
"Oh yeah, she wanted to go to a party one of her friend's cousins was throwing and she knew that both Grams and Pop were going to say no,"
"So she just stole Pop's car and left?" She shook her head in astonishment. Her mother seemed so put together. "Well, I guess a person learns something new every day." She smiles hopping off her chair.
"I agree, now let's go and see what is taking Pop so long in the garage."
"Broadway."
"Emo from the 2000s."
Both Shelby and Ephraim argued as they made their way to the lake.
"Okay how about we all take a vote," Rachel suggested from the backseat. On any other day, she would be amused at her uncle and mom's light bickering but it was honestly way too early for any of it in her opinion.
"I agree, your constant bickering is giving me a headache," Maisy whined.
"Fine," Shelby nodded her agreement.
"Okay all for emo, raise your hand," Ephraim said.
All the kids raised their hands. Smirking, Ephraim pressed play on his phone. Shelby just rolled her eyes. Little did they know she was playing what she wanted on the way back.
The car soon began to fill with songs from Blink 182, 3 Days Grace and more.
Ephraim glanced at Shelby and smiled when he heard his niece singing Emergency from Paramore from the back seat. He knew she was going to go far. Especially If she was as driven as her mom.
The trip seemed to blur with a quickness. The kids sat happily singing and laughing in the back. Before everyone knew it they had arrived at the lake.
Rachel was ecstatic and could barely keep still in her seat. She hadn't been to the lake yet this year. Unable to control her excitement she ran through the sand and into the water. It was really cold. But not completely unbearable.
"Rachel Barbra, get back here." Shelby scolds. What was her kid thinking running off like that?
"Mama." She whined. "I just wanted to feel the water on my toes." She exclaimed with exasperation, wiggling her toes.
"We have the rest of the day for that. Now go help your cousins unload the stuff and help set up." Shelby ordered gently, though she rolled her eyes at her child's small display of displeasure having to help set up.
Scowling the small girl stomps her foot before marching past her mother.
Sighing she turned to glare at her brother. "Stop laughing E."
"What? It's like watching a mini version of you at that age." He laughed.
"Ugh. Shut up."
"Hey, you two. Stop messing around and help the kids." Eleanor yells.
Rolling their eyes, both compiled and made quick work of setting up the tables and food.
"Mama, can I go into the water now?" Rachel asked impatiently.
"Yes, just please be careful." Rachel jumped in excitement and ran off with her cousins. Shelby shook her head as she watched her overly excited child run off.
Shelby sat next to her brother and sister on some chairs they had set up and were talking and joking around until Shailee screamed and jumped from her seat.
"Ephraim I'm going to kill you." She shouted, dumping the water with a fly in it on the ground.
"How do you know it was even me?" He countered, though the twinkle in his eye was a dead giveaway.
Shelby was watching her siblings arguing when she felt something on her shoulder and saw it was a large spider. She screamed and jumped much like her younger sister had done.
"Damn-it E." She said, panting. Her heart was racing. She hated bugs.
"What? You guys can't take a couple of pranks." He says mockingly, but soon regrets it, and begins to run because the looks on his sister's faces were scary.
Dean shook his head as he watched his girls chase after Ephraim. His kids never seemed to change. But he wouldn't change all the chaos in the world. He loved seeing his kids and grandkids run and play. It was never a dull moment with the Corcoran clan, that's for sure.
"So you guys want to dive off that tree branch over there?" Mikie asked them, pointing to the large tree.
"Sure it looks fun to me." Rachel said with a large smile. She was game for anything. Sitting in the water and talking was getting boring anyway.
"Um guys, I don't think that's a good idea," Maisy said. She knew their dad would be pissed.
"Well, then don't come," Mikie replied, standing up and pulling Rachel up with him. Sighing with a shake of her head, Maisy followed her brother and cousin. Nothing good ever came out of one of her brother's ideas.
The kids all dived a few times off the branch and then began to have a water fight, they were in the middle of splashing one another when they heard one of the parents call for them.
Shelby handed them each a towel as they came out of the water.
"Rachel, I don't want you diving off of that tree and into the water," Shelby stated firmly.
Pulling the towel closer to her body. She pouted, "But-"
"But nothing," Shelby said. "Now come on, we are going to eat then Grams asked for you to sing her happy birthday."
"Fine." Rachel said reluctantly. She wanted to argue but didn't want to risk getting into trouble again.
Everyone was gathered by the food table serving themselves. Rachel looked at the food, she was kind of hungry but not really. She just wanted to go back out and play in the water.
"Do I-"
"Don't even finish that sentence Rachel," Shelby said seriously. "You didn't really eat breakfast, there is no way I'm letting you not eat lunch right now."
"Ugh, fiine." Rachel replied in a dramatic way. She was stomping away from her mom when she felt her arm being pulled.
Shelby tugged Rachel back and pulled her to the side. "You need to stop with the stomping and the attitude." She lifts up her hand to silence any arguing. "I'm serious Rachel, if you continue I will make you sit next to me the rest of the day." Shelby watched as Rachel narrowed her eyes at her and glared.
She knew this could go either way and hoped that her kid would just listen. She had been testing her since they woke up this morning. She now assumed the honeymoon period was over much to the taller brunette's dismay.
The look her mother was giving her was intimidating, but at the moment she couldn't be bothered by it she was annoyed. But knew if she didn't listen then Shelby would make good on her word and the last thing she wanted was to sit with the adults. She wanted to go out and play in the water with her cousins.
"Fine." She says and walks away before her mouth gets her in any more trouble.
Ugh why were teenagers such a pain, Shelby thought. Was the word Fine all they knew how to say? Shaking her head she heads over to the table and makes her plate.
Rachel was sitting next to her cousins with a plate of food when Mikie spoke up.
"Okay, so I was thinking that we should film some TikTok videos in the water?" Mikie said after taking a large sip of his soda.
"Yeah, maybe." The small girl shrugs. "Depends on what it consists of. I don't want to do anything that will get me in trouble with Shelby." Rachel said. Taking a bite of her hot dog.
"Yeah, I'm with Rae on this one Mikie. You always manage to get us in trouble." Maisy says with a frown.
"I do not." He grumbled.
The kids all talk and come up with something cool to do later. Mikie insists that whatever it is, needs to go viral.
"Rach baby, did you get full?" Shelby asked, sitting next to the smaller brunette.
"Yes mama I did. Mikie gave me some kind of dip with Jalapenos in it for the veggies and I loved it." She said with a content sigh leaning on her mom's shoulder.
"Good, I'm glad you ate."
"You just want to fatten me up for the holidays so you can bake me like a turkey." Rachel says with a playful smirk.
"I do not." Shelby says offended and lightly shoves her kid.
"Well, it could be worse. You could want to fatten me up to bake me in the oven like the witch in the Hansel and Gretel fairy tale." She says with a shrug.
"Are you implying I'm a witch?" Shelby said, standing up and looking at her daughter.
"What? No. I-" Before she could finish she is tackled to the ground and tickled.
"M-Mama! O-okay you are n-not a witchhhh."
"Good," Shelby said, standing up and pulling a disheveled looking Rachel up with her.
"I'm telling Grams," Rachel says, sticking out her tongue.
"I'd like to see you try a little one." Shelby says in an eerie calm voice. Shelby then laughs when Rachel's eyes bug out and then morph into a pout. "Come on, it's time to sing happy birthday to Grams." She says putting an arm around the smaller girl.
"Really?" Rachel asked elatedly, and Shelby just smiled with a nod. "Then let's go." She said tugging Shelby by the hand and leading the way to the table that housed the cake.
Rachel was a few feet away from her grandmother. Everyone gathered around and waited with bated breath for her to sing.
They watched on in awe as Rachel sang. She was amazing and so very talented. Her grandpa smiled and teared up some. He loved how much she sounded like Shelby.
"Thank you, that was absolutely astounding my dear grandbaby," Eleanor said, tugging the small girl into a tight hug.
"You're welcome." She said snuggling into her grandmother.
"Okay let's eat some cake." Shailee states dramatically.
"Oh hush you," Eleanor says. "Now hand me the knife so I can cut into this cake."
"Mmmm this is the best cake I have ever had." Rachel says almost done with her slice and fully intends to get another.
"Oh, this you will eat with no fight?" Shelby comments with a lifted brow.
"What? It's cake. Need I say more." Rachel replies with a large smile.
"Yeah Shell, it's cake." Ephraim says winking at his niece. She smiles and takes another slice of cake from her aunt who is also smiling at the scene in front of her.
"Okay, so Rach you will start from here and then do those fancy cartwheel thingies you do and in the water." Mikie explains.
"Um, guys? Do you think this is a good idea?" Maisey asked.
"Stop being a baby. We are not doing anything bad. Aunt Shell said we couldn't jump off the tree branch." He says trying to reason with his overthinking sister. "So we are technically listening to what she said." He says with a shrug.
Before Rachel has a chance to do the routine for her cousin's TikTok she hears her name being called from afar. "Who's that guy with the mohawk Rach?" Maisy asked, walking beside her.
Squinting her eyes Rachel attempted to see who the person was. A large smile spreads across her face when she notices that it's Noah.
"Noah!" She shouts running at lightning speed in his direction.
"Shelby, who is that boy with a mohawk Rachel is running to?" Her mother asked suspiciously.
"What?" She says looking up and sure enough, her little spitfire is running off to the other side of the lake and into Noah Puckerman's arms.
"Can I go over and beat him up?" Ephriam asked, popping his knuckles.
"Gross E. stop doing that," Shailee says with a scrunched face. "Besides, it looks like they know each other." She replied with a small knowing smile playing on her lips.
Puck catches Rachel mid-air and spins her around a few times before putting her down. "Oh my god, Noah. What are you doing here." She asked him.
"I am here with my aunt. You?"
"It's my grandmother's birthday weekend."
"Cool, want to hang? I'm kind of bored hanging out with Bex." He asked hopefully. He loved his little sister but playing barbies for any amount of time bored him to death.
"For sure, come meet my cousins." She says excitedly. He puts an arm around her as she leads the way.
"Look how close he is to her." Shelby's dad says, just as suspicious as his wife.
"Now he has his arm around her." Ephraim rants pacing.
"Shelby, why are you so quiet? Aren't you going to do something about this?" Her mother scolds.
"Is everyone done talking?" Once she receives nods she continues. "First of all she knows him, they are really good friends."
"Friends don't touch like that," Ephriam argues. "I should know. I was a young teen once." He rants in a high pitch.
"And you're okay with this?" Her father states disbelieving.
"Hey guys, I want you to meet a friend of mine," Rachel says to her cousins.
"Noah, this is Mikie and Maisy, my cousins." She says with a large smile.
"Hi," Maisy says shyly.
"What's up?" Mikie says.
"So what were you doing before you saw me?" He asked.
After they all explained to Puck what their plans were he jumped on board. His time of playing barbies was over and now time to have actual fun began.
"Okay, so I have another idea if you are all interested." Puck suggests.
"Noah, nothing ever suggested out of your mouth ever ended well," Rachel says doubtfully.
"Oh c'mon Rae." He says pulling her in close and giving her his big wide brown eyes.
"Ugh, fine." She relents. He jumps in excitement and then leans in to kiss her nose.
"If I get in trouble for this I will kick your ass." She said pointedly at the tallboy, emphasizing her point with a finger jab to his chest.
"As you wish." He bows dramatically.
"Stop it. You're making people look with all your ridiculousness." She says laughing while shoving him lightly.
"You love it."
"Yeah don't hold your breath." She mocks.
"Okay I'm sensing this bickering can go on for hours." Mikie interrupts. Both brunettes shrug in response but not as all disagreeing in the slightest.
"Okay tell us what you have planned. I have many viewers waiting." Mikie asked with excitement.
"Shit Noah I'm not sure this is a good idea," Rachel says, turning to him with a worried expression.
"Don't worry if your mom flips I got you." Nodding her head she turned and faced the opposite direction.
"Maisy you okay?" Rachel asked.
"Yup."
"On the count of three." Mikie says.
"One"
"Two"
"Three"
Shelby was trying to reason with her family when she heard screams of laughter.
Turning around she sees Rachel and Maisy inside an empty grocery shopping cart being pushed by Noah down a hill and into the water. Mikie is running along with his phone capturing the whole thing.
Not even thinking she takes off running after the kids followed by her brother.
She doesn't make it in time to stop the cart. She watches in horror as Rachel flies out of the cart and into the lake. Maisy is not far behind.
All the kids remained oblivious to the pack of angry parents marching in their direction.
Popping up out of the water Rachel looks around for Maisy. "Omg, that was so much fun," Maisy says from behind her.
Both start laughing and are helped out of the water by the boys.
"Wow, just wait till the video uploads." Mikie exclaims in excitement. Of course, he needed to edit it and glam it up a bit before posting. But for sure it was going to go viral.
"You okay Rae?" Puck asked, concerned.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little winded is all." Her chest hurt a little and felt kind of tight, but she didn't want to say anything and worry him.
"Okay just making sure." He says gently, holding her up.
"Aww, you're so sweet." She grins knowingly.
"I'm not sweet. I'm a badass." He says flexing his arms.
Before she can reply she is yanked out of the water by her arm.
"What on earth were you thinking?" Shelby says firmly. "You could have been hurt."
Sighing inwardly Rachel could hear her uncle Ephraim scolding his kids as well.
"Mama-"
"No. Rachel. I want you to go sit down on the chair next to mine." Shelby said sternly. Rachel glared and crossed her arms definitely in response.
This was so unfair. She just wanted to have fun and her mom was ruining it. To top it off she was yelling at her and scolding her in public.
Shelby pinched the bridge of her nose. "Rachel, do not test me," she says in an icy tone.
"Ugh, fiine-ah." The small girl snaps and stomps away, not at all heeding her mother's earlier warning. The last thing she expected was to be pulled back by an angry Shelby whose glare could melt an iceberg.
"Mama-" She tried to explain before she felt herself pulled close to her mom and shifted to the side.
Shelby was not happy with her child and not going to put up with her defiance. So reacting on instinct she turned her child to the side and placed four swift but hard swats on her daughter's wet bikini-clad bottom. She ignored the cries and told herself she needed to remain strong. She was the Mom after all.
She turned a teary-eyed Rachel and began to wipe her face. "I told you not to stomp your feet. Now you will go and walk to the chair next to mine and sit until I tell you otherwise." Shelby ordered.
Sighing, with a sniffle she did what she was told, but not before taking one more look to Noah. He got the silent message and left.
As she made her way to her mother's chair she heard her cousins getting swatted as well. She guessed she wasn't the only one in trouble. It was embarrassing enough to be swatted at the lake for all to see so at least she wouldn't have to be embarrassed alone.
The closer Rachel got to her dreaded chair the more upset she got but then she spotted her Grams and made a beeline to her instead. She wanted to be cuddled and at the moment she was mad at her mom. So the next best person was her grandmother.
The small girl plopped herself gently on her side and leaned into her grandmother. Her butt hurt and all she wanted was to be held.
Eleanor sighed. She pulled the small girl into her close and rubbed her back as Rachel sniffled. "Shh baby girl." She saw what happened and would have reacted the same as Shelby would have. She knew the small girl just wanted to be loved on and held. She would gladly hold her granddaughter for as long as she needs it.
"Rachel, I thought I told you to come and sit next to my seat." Shelby scolded. Her kid was really testing her today.
Eleanor felt the small girl burrow even closer to her at the sound of Shelby's voice. "Leave her be Shelby."
"Mom." Shelby huffed.
"Stop. You handled her defiance already, let her be cuddled." Her mom said in a tone that left no room for argument.
Sighing, Shelby relented and walked back to her seat.
"Wow, you got a little firecracker for a kid Shelly," Shailee says sitting next to her sister.
"You have no idea." She sighed again, laying her head on her sister's shoulder.
"What possessed her to do something like that?" Shelby asked out loud.
"It wasn't her idea. Shell." Ephraim says sitting on the ground in front of his sisters. "From what I understand It was that Puck kid's idea."
"What?" Shelby snaps.
"Hey don't kill the messenger," Ephraim said, lifting his hands in surrender. "Besides it wasn't just his idea, Mikie had a hand in it too." He sighed. "His need for a funny video to go viral overtook the rational side of his brain."
The three older siblings talked and enjoyed the weather for another 30 minutes before their father came over.
"Hey Shelly, I hate to interrupt. But your mama said that Rachel fell asleep about 15 minutes ago."
"Did she need help moving her?"
"No, but she said she can hear a whistling sound when she breathes." He said in alarm.
"Crap, it was probably all the playing in the water." She said getting up and walking to grab her bag and pull out Rachel's inhaler.
She then walks over to her mom and takes a seat next to her and motions for her mom to hand the small girl over.
Once Rachel is situated comfortably she moves some slightly wet hair from her face. "Time to wake up baby." Shelby said, kissing the top of her head several times.
Everyone watched as Rachel stirred and then burrowed into Shelby's neck.
"Mama." The small girl sniffled. Her lungs ached and felt super tight.
"Shh baby girl." Shelby cooed.
Once the small girl calmed down enough Shelby helped sit her up.
"No." Rachel shook her head.
"Come on love, you need a treatment. I can hear you wheeze." She coaxed gently.
All the while her parents and other family members watched on in awe. Shelby was being so patient and so loving and gentle.
"Do I have to?" She asked her mom with watery eyes. Clearly wheezing as she breathed.
"Yes love you do. Now let's just get this over with and we can sit and cuddle as long as you want." Nodding Rachel let her mom give her a treatment and when it was done her mom held her just as she promised.
"Are you sure you feel better? Maisy asked with concern. As she sat down on a blanket they had laid on the ground.
"Yes, I'm fine." At the look of disbelief, "No really I'm feeling better, thank you for asking." She says with a grateful smile.
The kids played card games and joked around. They were to be within eyesight of an adult and were grounded from all their devices for the rest of the weekend. Rachel honestly felt like she got off easy. Had she been with Maribel things would have been different.
It was getting late and almost dark when Shelby came to get her and her cousins. "Okay, kids it's almost 8 o'clock. Go help pack everything up.
"Mama do I have to?" Rachel pouted. She was tired but didn't want to admit it.
"Yes but don't lift anything heavy. You can grab the blankets and fold them." Shelby instructs.
Just a little under a half-hour and everything is packed up.
Rachel is sitting in the back but sitting by the window this time around. She was moments from falling asleep when she felt her leg being taped. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she gazes at her mom quizzically.
"You need a snack. You didn't eat very often today." Shelby said, handing her some crackers and some grapes.
"Okay." Rachel didn't even fight her on it. Soon after all her snacks were consumed she along with her cousins passed out in the back seat.
"So today was eventful," Ephraim said with a smile.
"You're telling me. Rachel kept me on my toes that's for sure." Shelby said with a shake of her head.
"She's definitely your kid."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Shelby asked with a lifted brow.
"Nothing really." He shrugged. "Just that you were just as much a handful."
"Whatever," Shelby grumbled, crossing her arms but she knew it was true.
"Is she always this active?" He asked curiously.
"Most of the time, yes. I think that's why Mari had the girls in gymnastics and cheer. To keep them busy."
Both siblings spent the rest of the drive back home talking about Rachel and what Shelby was planning to do once she got a call back from her lawyer.
Rachel scrunched her nose when she felt her mom try to wake her up. "Mama I'm tired." She pouted. "Carry me please."
Sighing Shelby knew the girl didn't weigh much but she didn't want to force her to walk either. "Okay baby." She lifted her up and held her effortlessly.
Shelby carried her up the stairs and into their room. She helped her get changed for bed and her teeth brushed before giving her her nighttime medicine. She tucked her into bed and smiled as Rachel looked up at her.
"Mama, are you gonna come to bed with me?" Rachel asked sadly. She wasn't feeling well and just wanted to cuddle.
"Yes, baby I am. Let me go help the others unload and then I will be back to hold you until you fall asleep. You just rest until I come back." She says kissing Rachel's temple. The small girl nodded and laid down.
Shelby went downstairs to help, but when she walked into the kitchen she found everyone there chatting with cups of tea in their hands already and had finished unloading.
"Hey honey, want a cup of tea?" Eleanor asked, already pouring Shelby a cup.
"Yes please," Shelby says sitting down next to her siblings on the island.
"Where are the kids?" She asked her brother.
"Getting ready for bed."
Shelby nodded. She knew that had Rachel not been as tired she would still be getting her ready for bed just like her niece and nephew.
"So want to explain to me why my granddaughter needed an inhaler?" Dean Corcoran asked, taking a sip of his tea.
Shelby went on to explain how Rachel has asthma and hypoglycemia. And that playing in the water today was most likely the reason why her asthma flared.
"Do you think she is okay? I thought you said she takes her inhaler every night before bed?" Her mom asked.
"She does, but I think tonight I'm going to give her a breathing treatment with her Nebulizer."
After another ten more minutes of talking Shelby excuses herself. She wanted to tend to her kid and set up the Nebulizer for Rachel before they went to bed.
Eleanor and Dean were washing and drying dishes side by side. Both lost in thought. Sighing Eleanor dries her hands and then excuses herself to go check in on the two brunettes. She was worried and needed to see for herself that her grandbaby was okay.
She slowly peeks her head into Shelby's old room and sees Shelby holding Rachel who has a mask on and is breathing calmly. She walks quietly into the room so she doesn't wake the young girl.
"Hey, baby girl." Eleanor says leaning down to kiss Shelby on the forehead. "How is she doing?" She asked, looking down sadly at her granddaughter.
"She is doing fine, she just needed a breathing treatment for tonight. If she is doing better tomorrow morning then she can just take her inhalers." Shelby explained with a tired sigh.
"Do you think she gets the care she needs when she is with her fathers?"
"To be honest, I don't think she does. I think that is why she went so many months without taking any of her medications." Shelby said, absentmindedly running her hands through dark brown locks. "She said her dad's work a lot and they leave her with her aunt. Who by the way is an abusive Bitch." Shelby said with a frown then hisses and rubs her thigh as her own mother swat her for her language. "Mom." She whined
"Watch your mouth. Did you forget what I do to those who use foul language in my house?" Her mother said pointedly.
"I'm not a kid anymore." She said with a pout.
"No, you are not, but you are my kid and I'm the mom." Shelby just rolls her eyes.
Eleanor helps Shelby undo the mask and put it away before tucking Shelby and Rachel into bed. "Good night my sweet Shelly bean." She kisses her head and then does the same to her sleeping grandbaby.
Shelby lays cuddled with her baby, thankful for everything that happened today. Even with all of the drama, it was still a wonderful day. She will be phoning Maribel in the morning letting her know what happened and if she thinks she needs to make a Doctor's appointment. But for now, she is going to hold her baby tight because tomorrow is never promised and she had no idea what the weeks ahead were going to be.
Rachel woke up, cuddled close to her mom. She laughed quietly when she heard a small snore escape her mom. Craning her neck she read the clock and it was past 8:30 so she decided to get up.
The small girl popped her morning allergy pill and then made her way to the bathroom to brush her teeth.
Once she was done she walked down to the kitchen and found her grandma standing by the stove cooking breakfast. "Hey ladybug, how did you sleep?"
"I slept well." Rachel said, standing close and leaning her head on her grandma's arm.
"Are you hungry?"
"Yes."
"Would you like to help cook?" Eleanor asked kindly.
"Um, I think I will sit this one out. Wouldn't want to poison the family or anything like that." Rachel comments with a smirk and takes a seat at the island.
"So tell me about this cheerleading you're so passionate about." Eleanor asked while flipping some pancakes.
"Well, it all started when Santana's mother signed us up for gymnastics, and then from there, coach Sue saw us on a scout hunt and asked us to join the summer of 8th grade," Rachel explains.
"Wow, It sounds fun. I would like to go and see you one day." The older Corcoran said plating the pancakes and placing them in the oven to keep warm.
"Really?" The small girl asked bewildered. No one's ever really made the effort to come and see her cheer before. Only San's mom and that was when they went to compete at a national level.
"Of course, I want to see you." She says with a large smile.
"Hey, sweet pea." Her grampa says kissing her head and then sitting next to her at the island.
Rachel gets so lost talking and joking with her grandparents that she didn't even realize it when her mom entered the kitchen.
Shelby woke up and immediately noticed her kid was missing. Groaning, she rolled over and got out of bed. Once her teeth were brushed she headed downstairs. She smiled at hearing her dad and daughter laugh. It warmed her heart that her kid was finally able to be here to meet her parents and just be around her family like it always should've been.
"So is it true mama took your car and drove across the state line with her best friend when she was my age?" Rachel asked, taking a large bite of her pancakes.
Coughing her grandfather takes a moment before he can respond. "Who told you that?"
"Uncle E did." She said, smiling.
"I'm going to kill him." They hear Shelby hiss before she makes a quick exit and heads back upstairs. Most likely going upstairs to torture her brother.
"Wow, I can't believe she did that." Rachel says with a shake of her head. "Can I have some more please?" Rachel asked, looking at her grandma.
"Of course ladybug. Here, have some fruit too," Eleanor says, fixing Rachel's plate with more pancakes and some fruit.
A few minutes pass when loud yelling and several thunks are heard from upstairs. Eleanor excuses herself and happens to take her wooden spoon on her way out of the kitchen.
Rachel continues to eat her food while her grandpa slowly sips his coffee.
She could hear yelling then it all became quiet, that is until you hear the loud sounds of anguish. Looking up at her grandpa, Rachel grimaced, "What are the chances of me getting away with not getting swatted or spanked at mama's age?"
"Slim to none kiddo." He said sipping his beloved coffee and eating his eggs. "And if you're anything like Shelby I don't think she will care how old you are either."
"Damn, that's what I thought." The small girl sighs dejectedly.
Dean gave her a scolding look for her language and went back to his breakfast.
No one mentions anything about what happened upstairs, but Shelby is pretty quiet through breakfast and Ephriam is helping the kids pack for their drive back home.
Before Rachel knows it, she is saying goodbye to her grandparents, aunt, uncle, and her two cousins. Her uncle E said that the next time she visits she will meet his wife.
Rachel is sad to leave but is excited to head back home. Shelby said she was going to stay the night with her at Santana's house and then make plans to have her stay the following week at her house.
It had been a long afternoon and Shelby was exhausted. Once they arrived at the Lopez house she opted to take a nap in Rachel's room and let the girls catch up and hang out in Santana's room. By the time night fell she was outside sipping on some ice tea and watching the girls run and play dodgeball with a group of their friends.
She wouldn't have wanted to spend the end of her day any other way.
Shelby made her way home early the next morning. She needed to get the wash going and had planned after her afternoon singing lessons to take Rachel to the mall, or Target and to wherever else the small girl wanted to go to get all the things needed to decorate her room with.
Shelby had only been home a few hours and had been downstairs in the laundry room folding clothes. Somehow some of Rachel's clothes ended up in her load of clothes as well. She didn't mind really. She just added it to the pile of growing clothes she already happens to have here.
She was on her way up the stairs with her clothes when she heard her cell phone go off. Sighing, she placed the laundry basket down and made her way to the kitchen where she had left it.
"Hey, Mari what-"
"Shelby?" She hears the stress in her dear friend's voice and immediately thinks of Rachel.
"What happened? Is Rachel okay? What's going on?"
"She- they, her aunt. She took her."
"Wait Mari how?" Shelby asks in alarm.
"Her dad's found out she has been seeing you, so her aunt came and picked her up." She says sadly into the phone. "She came while I was at the store. She- San said she practically dragged her out by her hair." She said through a choked sob.
The entire time Maribel was speaking, tears stained her cheeks. How could this happen? What was she going to do? Would they hurt her baby?
"Shelby? Shelby?"
"Yes, sorry. I, Mari what do I do?" She says as she falls to the floor and hugs her knees and cries. She hopes beyond all hope Rachel is okay.
Shout out to my lovely Beta. Thank you all for sticking with me. I hope to update soon. Life sometimes gets the best of us. Until then stay safe and stay cool I'm over this heat and ready for Fall to arrive.