Ok my lovelies, I have another chapter for you. This one may or may not have a trigger warning for child abuse (in my opinion). If the senes get too deep or trigger you please skip ahead.
Rachel's aunt is a serious A-hole. I will tell you the story jumps from Rachel to Shelby quite often. And I probably should have broken up the chapter in two, but I didn't. So now you have an extra long chapter to hold you over lol.
Maribel was digging for her keys at the bottom of her purse getting ready to head out soon. "Girls, I'm heading to the store really quick," Mari called, to Santana and Rachel who were in the living room.
"Okay mami." Both girls said in unison.
"Behave, and do not let anyone in." She stated seriously.
"Mami were not babies." Santana complained.
"Just do as you're told." Maribel scolds. Then kisses both brunettes before leaving.
After Maribel leaves both girls get up from their place on the floor and head into the media room.
The girls are so lost in playing Mario Kart that they didn't hear the door open.
"So this is what you do all day?"
Rachel immediately dropped her controller. She turned around slowly hoping it was all a bad dream.
Nope. There before her eyes stood the wicked witch in all her glory.
"Aunt Lisa?" Rachel questioned cautiously. What was her aunt doing here?
Santana was freaking out. She didn't have her phone on her so she had no way of sending a text to anyone for help. Thank God her little brother was at a sleepover. "What are you doing in my house?" Santana barks with a sharp glare. Though she was shaking in fear on the inside.
Lifting an eyebrow at the small brunette. "The door was unlocked." She said with a shrug.
"What are you doing here?" Rachel asked her aunt.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to bring you home." Her aunt said in an icy tone.
Shaking her head in disbelief. "I don't want to go back home with you."
"It's not up to you Rachel. I spoke to your fathers and it's been decided. You will come back home with me until they pick you up at the end of summer." Her aunt said firmly.
"What? Why?" She yelled. Her dads choose now of all times to want to be parents. This was ridiculous.
"Watch your tone young lady." Her aunt snapped. "You didn't think they'd find out you were playing house with that whore of a mother of yours." She sneered.
Rachel went to lunge at her but was caught by Santana. "You need to calm down." She whispered into the smaller girl's ear. This situation was escalating at an alarmingly fast rate. She needed to think of something fast.
Growing bored and tired of having to explain herself. "Grab your things we are leaving." Her aunt ordered crossing her arms.
Taking a few moments to break things down in her head. Rachel realizes that she will most likely never see her mom again, and it leaves an unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach. "I'm not going." She says stubbornly. She just found her mom. She refuses to just give her up.
"It's not up to you. Now go grab your things before I lose what little patience I have." Her aunt said in a stern tone.
Narrowing her eyes, "You can go to hell." Rachel shouts in frustration and turns to walk out of the room.
Her aunt sees red and practically tackles the young girl to the floor.
"Hey, get off of her." Santana yells yanking the crazy woman off of the smaller girl.
Rachel sees that her aunt looks ready to kill as her attention is now shifted to Santana. Thinking fast she leans over the couch and grabs the controller and tosses it at her aunt. Hitting her right between the shoulders.
Her eyes go wide at her own actions. She just wanted her aunt's attention on anyone but Santana. She couldn't live with herself if anything happened to her. But now her aunt was stalking her like a lion. She was so scared right now and really wanted her mom.
"Aunt-"
Rachel feels her hair being yanked hard and is lifted up on her tiptoes due to the tight grip, she cried out in pain. "You will regret that." She sneered. She wasted no time in slapping her hard on the face. Then pulls the tiny girl off the floor by her hair and drags her out of the house kicking and screaming.
All Santana could do was watch with tears. Sniffling, she walks to the door and watches as Rachel's aunt roughly throws the small girl into the car. Before speeding away.
Quickly running up the stairs Santana finds her phone to call her mom. She was so scared. There was nothing she could do that wouldn't have made the situation worse. Rachel's aunt was a ticking time bomb and she just hoped her mom could fix this.
Rachel lay on her bed shaking with silent tears. She wanted her mom. But had no way of contacting her. She was stripped of everything in her room. The only thing she had was a bed, and her closet was filled with the most hideous clothing anyone
could wear. All her electronics were at the Lopez residence, so any access to the outside world was non-existent. What saddened her the most was all her Broadway posters were gone, her pictures, her books, movies everything.
She eventually lost track of time seeing as she didn't have a clock or a cell phone or anything to tell her what time it was. She decided that going downstairs to maybe fix herself something to snack on would help pass the time.
Furrowing her brows, she pulled and pulled at her door. But it was no use. Her crazy aunt had locked her door. She banged and kicked at it, hoping someone would hear. After what felt like forever, the small girl leaned her face on the door, tears quickly making their way down her face. All she wanted was her mom.
She could not believe her aunt would stoop this low. Though she did say the last time she saw her that she was going to keep her in her room. But to this extent is ridiculous.
Instead, Rachel stared out her window. She watched as the skies slowly turned dark. She wondered what her mother was doing and if she even knew what was going on.
Shelby was frantically pacing in the living room of the Lopez house.
"Shelby. You need to calm down." Maribel suggested.
"Mari, that crazy woman has my baby," Shelby shouts.
"Yes I know but I can't have you losing your mind. I need you focused and our lawyers are coming up with a plan."
"Mari, she doesn't even have her medication. What if she has an asthma attack? What if she isn't being fed?" All this was too much. She felt light-headed.
"We will get through this. She is a fighter, don't forget that." Maribel says.
"I know. I'm sorry." Shelby replies, taking a seat next to her friend.
Shelby gives a small smile and leans her body against her friend in support (emotionally and physically) there was no way she could deal with all this stress alone.
She hoped it all worked out soon. She was going crazy not knowing what was going on, she just wanted her daughter safe. Who knows what that woman is capable of.
Upstairs Santana was on a video chat with Puck and Quinn. They were already working together to devise a plan.
"Okay, so I say we call Coach. She will know what to do and knows a lot of people." Quinn says sitting on the balls of her feet anxiously.
"Okay, that may work. But what do we do for her now?" Santana said, leaning against her headboard.
"We could try breaking her out again?" Puck suggested.
"She has bars on her windows now, remember?" Quinn pipes in with a sigh.
"Fuck, well what do we do?" Santana said with worry.
"I have an extra burner phone, we can slip it through the rails." He said with a shrug of his shoulders.
"How the hell are we going to slip it through the bars of her window? I'm not climbing no tree." Santana says, shaking her head.
"Quinn can do it." Puck says volunteering the blonde.
"Hey," Quinn replied, shoving Puck.
"What? I know you can do it." Watching her eyebrow lift even higher. "What I mean to say is you have like this super spider climbing ability." He says fascinated.
"Fine but I'm going to need a lift up to the branch and can do the rest myself."
They all stay on for about an hour finalizing the plan.
It was already after nightfall when Rachel heard her stomach growl. She sighed loudly leaning her head on the window. She hadn't eaten since breakfast that morning.
Usually, she is quick to complain when forced to eat… but at this moment she could really use a snack to just pacify her building hunger.
She hears her aunt unlock the door but doesn't even bother acknowledging her.
"Rachel!" Her aunt yells, after repeatedly calling the small girl's name.
Lifting her head off the window, "Yes." She responded with a blah attitude.
"I wanted to tell you your fathers will be calling to talk with you in the morning."
"Okay." She said with a shrug and continued looking out the window.
"Is there something out there that is more important than giving me your attention?" Her aunt asked in a peeved tone.
"Not really." Rachel said, never taking her eyes off the window. She really wasn't in the mood for her aunt's bipolar antics.
Rachel feels herself being pulled in a not-so-friendly manner.
She grimaced at the pain in her arm. "Do you find it necessary to drag me around like a doll?" Rachel bites in irritation.
"Watch your tone young lady." Rachel rolls her eyes. But gets slapped hard for it.
Turning to face her aunt while holding her throbbing face. She takes a moment to breathe calmly before she speaks. "Hit me one more time and you are going to regret it." Rachel said in a deadly voice.
"Little girl, being around those evil people has sure rubbed off on you." Her aunt said walking closer to her. "And not in a good way." She sneered.
Rachel finally had it and rushed at her aunt, knocking her to the ground. She quickly got up and made her way out of the room. She made it halfway down the stairs before being yanked back by her hair.
Rachel let out a scream when she felt something round and flat hit her in the thighs. "Okay stop. Please. J-just stop." The small girl wailed in agony.
She crouched down and moved some hair out of the small girl's face. "Are you going to behave and act like a civilized human being?" Her aunt asked with narrowed eyes.
"Yes." Rachel chokes out. Her mind was racing. Her aunt was insane. She needed to get out. She had a sinking feeling if she didn't find a way out she was never going to.
"Good. I want you to go up to your room and take a shower and get dressed. I will have dinner ready for you when you are done." Nodding, the small girl struggled to get up but managed even though her legs burned with every move she made.
Rachel hissed as the water assaulted her sensitive skin. She knew the welts that littered her legs were nothing compared to what she got when her aunt found her laying on the grass next to Noah at the beginning of summer. Nonetheless, she had to tread carefully. There had to be a way out. There was no way she could take this kind of abuse for the whole summer.
Deciding she needed to get out and get dressed before her aunt came up looking for her. She went and walked to the closet and found absolutely nothing wearable. Sighing she grabbed a pair of leggings and a short sleeve t-shirt that had What Would Jesus Do written on it. She was thankful there were at least some t-shirts and leggings to choose from. But there was no way in hell she was wearing those ankle-length skirts and long sleeve button-ups.
Rachel sat at the table picking at her broccoli. As hungry as she was, she couldn't get herself to eat. Her stomach felt as though it knotted up with every bite she took.
"Rachel, you need to finish your food." Her aunt said from across the table.
"Aunt Lisa, I'm sorry. But I feel full." She said quietly.
Her aunt stood up and walked to her. Rachel felt fingers under her chin. "You will finish your plate. Is that understood?" She said, squeezing the smaller girl's chin tighter.
"Yes, I understand." Rachel said frightfully. Her legs hurt like hell and now she had to figure out how to finish what was on her plate.
The minute Rachel was excused she ran up to her bathroom and threw up. Her anxiety was at an all-time high. She felt as though she could barely keep anything down. She brushed her teeth and then laid down. Her tears came shortly after, slowly drenching the pillow beneath her. The last thoughts before sleep took her were of her mom and friends and the hope that she would see them again soon.
Later the next day Santana and her friends decided to put their plan into motion.
"Shit do you think this is a good idea?" Quinn asked Puck and Santana, as she tied up her hair into a messy ponytail nervously.
"At this point, it's the only plan we have right now." Puck whispers, not wanting to bring any unwanted attention.
"Fine but after I'm done with this. We are going to go to Sue." She stated in a serious tone.
"Okay, we will do that. But first, let's get short-stack here a burner phone so we can stay in touch." Santana said, pulling out the phone and handing it over to Quinn. "Now let's hurry, mami thinks we are at the park."
"Dammit Puck, if you drop me-"
"Stop worrying Q, I got you."
Taking a deep breath Quinn made her way to the window. The roof was kind of steep. But she had amazing balance skills from being on the cheerios for so long. Which at this moment she was thankful for.
It was the middle of the day. So hopefully Rachel was in her room.
Rachel was laying on her bed upset. She had talked with her dads that morning. Apparently now they decided to be actual parents and ground her for going behind their backs and seeing her mom. They had some nerve. What pissed her off more was the fact they said her aunt could punish her any way she sees fit. Like really? The woman was insane. She had no idea how she was going to survive in this house. Her mouth tended to get her in trouble as it was. No telling how much more trouble she will find herself in if she stays locked up.
Stretching, she rolled off the bed to stand and decided she needed to grab a snack. She hadn't been eating very much and knew her aunt didn't believe her when she said her sugar was low.
She stopped mid-step when she heard a small light tap at her window. She scrunched her brows in confusion. What could possibly be making that noise? Her curiosity won over her need for a snack and made her way to the window to investigate.
Her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh my god. Quinn, what are you doing here?" Rachel said with a large grin. She was so happy to see her friend.
"Hey, Rach," The blonde says with a watery smile. She was so happy to see her friend. "I came here to check in on you, and to give you this burner phone."
"A burner phone? What-"
"So you can contact us. Puck programmed all our numbers and San put in your mom's number too." At the mention of her mom, Rachel began to cry.
"Awe Rae don't cry," Quinn said with matching tears of her own.
"I'm sorry, this is all just too much." She sobs.
Quinn reached her hand through the rails and held the smaller girls' hands. "It will be okay." She reassured her with a sniffle.
"How do you know?" She choked out disbelievingly.
"Because I do. I have a plan." Nodding the small brunette just listened as Quinn talked about her plan to get Sue involved. She knew if anyone could help her it was Sue.
Sooner than she wanted it was time to say goodbye. "Love you munchkin," Quinn said with tear-rimed eyes.
"Love you too," Rachel whispered sadly, wishing for more time, and for this whole nightmare to end.
Quinn walked down the roof. She signals for Puck and Santana to catch her. With one last deep breath, she jumps off the roof and is caught.
"So, how was she? Did she look okay?" Santana rattled off. As soon as Quinn's feet touched the ground.
Taking a deep breath, "I didn't want to ask her, but I noticed her lip is swollen and she has a bruise on her face." Quinn said sadly.
"Puck. No." Santana said firmly. Trying her best to hold him down.
"That woman-"
"I know Puck. But we have to be smart." Quinn said calmly.
Nodding even though he wanted to march inside and beat the crap out of that woman for lying even a finger on his Jew babe. But he knew she had pull with the church and some of the cops down at the station. He would be locked up in less than an hour. And he needed to be here for his friends.
All three leave and meet up with Brittany and head over to the coach's house for a visit.
Shelby was a complete mess, to say the least, she had been worrying herself sick. She couldn't keep anything down and was running on fumes as it was.
Her phone rang, and she jumped to answer it thinking it was her lawyer. "Hello."
"Shelby?" Her mother said on the other line.
"Mom? What-"
"Don't what mom me young lady." Eleanor scolded from the other end of the phone.
"I'm kind of busy right now-" She tried to deflect but her mom wasn't buying it.
"Don't even think of hanging up." Shelby let out a sigh. "Why didn't you tell me what was going on with Rachel?"
"How-"
"Your friend Maribel called me."
Dammit, she will need to talk to her friend about boundaries.
"She called because you seem to be exhibiting self-destructive tendencies." Her mother said worriedly. She wasn't there for Shelby when she needed to be after she had Rachel but she was going to be there now.
Sighing, Shelby placed her head down. "Mom. I'm fine." Right at that moment, Shelby heard the doorbell. "Mom, I have to go. I will call you later." She said hanging up.
Wiping her face quickly she went to open the door and came face to face with her parents. "Mom, dad? What are you guys doing here?" She asked in confusion.
Eleanor had been ready to scold her daughter but the tired worn out expression that was clearly noticeable made her change her tactic. "Awe Shelby." She said walking into the house and pulling her daughter into a tight hug.
At that moment Shelby lost it. She let everything she was feeling go and just sobbed. Her mother held her and somehow moved them to the living room couch. "Shh baby girl. Things will be okay." Her mom coos.
Shelby's dad excused himself upstairs to take their suitcases to the guest room.
Shelby's parents cuddled and stayed with her until she cried herself to sleep.
Back at the Berry's
The time seemed to drag in Rachel's opinion.
"Rachel?" Her aunt called from the doorway.
"Yes, aunt Lisa." Rachel responded. She didn't want a repeat of what happened the other day when she ignored her aunt and gave her attitude.
"It's time for bible studies." She said seriously.
Sighing on the inside she just nodded her head. She knew if she fought her on this topic she wouldn't be able to move afterward.
Rachel spent the next hour listening half-heartedly to what her aunt was saying. But she really paid attention when she was told there was going to be a quiz. "What? Like right now?" She asked with wide eyes.
"Yes." Her aunt said curtly.
Crap she was nowhere near prepared to take a quiz. She looks up to see her aunt place a sheet of paper on the table in front of her and gives her a pencil to use.
"Okay, you have 5 quiz questions to answer. The questions are written on the paper." She looks at her watch. "You have 20 minutes."
Rachel watched as her aunt left the dining room. Sighing, she wished for a miracle, she knew there would be consequences if she didn't complete the task correctly. So she began answering the best she could but knew it wouldn't be enough. Tears began to fill her eyes as time went by. Before she knew it time was up.
"Okay time is up." Her head popped up at her aunt's announcement and tried to swallow the lump forming in her throat.
She gulped when she saw the vain materialize on her aunt's forehead as she read her quiz. That was never a good sign.
"It seems to me, you weren't paying attention." Her aunt said in an icy tone.
Rachel cleared her throat. "I um, I can't seem to concentrate. I'm sorry." She says, bowing her head to avoid her aunt's menacing stare.
"Hmm" She took small steps closer. She lifts the small girl's chin up so she could make eye contact. "You will stay for the rest of your day in your room."
"But-" She is cut off by a hard slap.
"No. You will listen and do as you're told. If I feel you are behaving I will unlock your door and you can come out for dinner."
Rachel nods as she holds her stinging cheek. Tears slowly made their way down her face.
"You may go." Her aunt said with a dismissive wave.
Rachel doesn't waste a moment and runs upstairs to her room. She leans on her door heaving for air. She feels her lungs tighten with a slight struggle. It has been a few days since she has had her medicine and it's slowly catching up to her.
Walking on shaky legs, she manages to sit on her bed and lays down. She tried her hardest not to cry. It would only make her lungs hurt worse. She felt her phone vibrate from beneath her pillow where she had hidden it. Reaching for it she saw it was Puck.
"Hey." She wheezed out.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." She said, clearing her throat.
"You don't-"
"Noah, I don't want to talk about it." She snaps.
"Okay sorry. I just wanted to check-in." He said sadly.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap. I'm just struggling. I don't want to be here anymore." She said through a choked sob.
"I know we are working on it." He replied sympathetically.
"I hope it works Noah." She said taking small short breaths.
"Me to Jew babe."
They talk for a little while more. Rachel hangs up. She doesn't want to be caught with a phone so she places it under her pillow hoping to keep it concealed for as long as possible.
Laying down she brings her legs close and hugs them. She thinks this couldn't get any worse. But one could never know.
In the back of her head, she knew she should have told her mom how her aunt really is. But she honestly thought she was never going to see her horrid aunt's face again after she found her mom but she guessed wrong.
It was late evening when Shelby woke to rub the sleep out of her eyes, much like Rachel did. She stood up and stretched like a cat, looking for her parents who were nowhere in sight, but there was this wonderful smell permeating the air.
She walked into the kitchen. "Hey, what smells so good?" The smell was amazing but did nothing to help the anxious butterflies fluttering at lightning speed in her stomach.
"Have a good nap?" Elenor asked from her spot behind the stove.
"Yes. Thank you." Shelby said, taking a seat at the island. "I didn't realize how tired I was." She admitted though a little reluctantly.
"No need to thank me. Now eat up." Her mom says placing a plate of lemon roasted chicken and some asparagus in front of her.
Looking down at the plate and then back at her mom she sighed. She wasn't hungry, her stomach was in knots. Her thoughts were solely on her daughter's well-being, not her appetite or lack thereof.
"I'm not-"
Holding up a hand. "I'm not hungry is not an acceptable answer right now." Her mother says firmly.
"But-"
"Shelby." She turns to see her dad walk in and sit next to her. "Stop arguing with your mother. You need to eat." Dean scolds gently.
Sighing, she nods and just picks at her food. This sucked, she thought in her head.
After a few bites, she pushed her plate away. "I'm sorry I can't." Shelby said with tears in her eyes.
She felt herself being pulled into a hug. "It's okay. You can take some more bites later okay." Her dad said gently.
Nodding her head she burrowed closer into her dad's hug needing the comfort. After she attempted to eat a few more bites her mom suggested she go and watch some TV to get her mind off things.
Shelby agreed only just to appease her parents, sure they were just as much a reck as she was. As she sat next to her dad on the couch mindlessly watching TV her thoughts were consumed with various scenarios.
She was brought out of her thoughts when her mom said someone was on the phone for her. Taking the cell phone she hoped it was good news.
"This is Shelby." She replied.
"Shelby, this is Sue Sylvester. The girls' cheerios coach."
"Hello, Sue. I'm not sure what this call is about. I don't have Rachel at the moment." Shelby said, somewhat confused.
"Well, then you better get dressed and come down to the courthouse. I have a judge waiting for you to sign papers to reinstate your parental rights and transfer custody." Sue said seriously into the phone.
"What? You're kidding right?" Shelby said pacing. "How is that even possible?"
"Look this judge in particular, owed me a favor. So get down here and come sign the papers."
"Okay, I will be there as soon as possible." She said. "Wait, what about her dads?" She questions frantically.
"They are in violation of the contract. I have reason to believe your daughter has been mistreated and neglected. So their rights have been taken away. I will explain more when you get here"
"What? Oh god."
"Pull it together woman."
"You're right I'm sorry I will be down there soon." She says with tears in her eyes. "Thank you."
"No need to thank me. Had I known sooner she would have been out of that house a long time ago." Sue said with a sigh.
Shelby hung up and ran up the stairs leaving her parents in the living room staring at one another bewilderedly.
Deep in her walk-in closet, Shelby was looking for her dark purple blazer. She was dressed but needed her jacket. For the life of her, she could not find her damn blazer. She honestly felt like tossing all of her clothes on the floor but stopped to think of the mess it would leave.
"Shelby, what is going on?" Her mother asked in concern. Eleanor watched as her daughter frantically looked for her jacket but wasn't sure why or who she was on the phone with moments ago.
"Somehow Rachel's cheer coach found out what was going on and somehow convinced a judge to release her into my custody," Shelby explained, finding her jacket and putting it on.
"What? Wow, that's great." Eleanor said, following her daughter out of the closet and down the stairs. "Is that even legal? Should you phone your lawyer?" She then questioned. All of this seemed just too good to be true.
"Yes, she said she would explain more once I got there," Shelby replied, putting on her heels and grabbing her car keys.
She quickly left bidding her parents a quick goodbye and made it to the courthouse in record time.
She took a deep calming breath before exiting her car and walked into the building.
She asked a secretary in the lobby where she could find judge Harrison's office.
The elevator dinged on floor 4. She stepped out and walked down the long hall and stopped at a door that read Judge Harrison. She took a moment to steel herself for what was to come.
She knocked softly before entering the office. Inside she saw a tall, short hair blonde woman in a red and white striped tracksuit. The Judge was sitting at his desk looking over some paperwork.
"Ah, Ms. Corcoran I presume." Judge Harrison states, taking his eyes off of the paperwork in front of him and directing his attention to her.
"You presume correctly," Shelby says. "Now will someone please tell me what is going on?"
"Please come have a seat, and we will discuss what is going to happen."
Taking a seat Shelby looks at the Judge with an inquiring brow. "So as you may have heard. Sue here has told me about the situation you are in concerning your daughter."
He grabs a paper from on top of his desk and reads it. "Here it says if at any moment the child were to be neglected in any way the rights of her fathers were to be revoked and the mothers reinstated."
"What? That was on the contract? I don't remember reading that." Shelby said, sitting up straighter.
"Yes, there were two contracts drawn up. One was the one you signed and the other had your signature as well." He said placing the document down. "Do you remember singing anything else while pregnant?"
"Now that you mention it, yes. I remember Leroy telling me I needed to sing one more thing on the contract." She said recalling the event. "But I was in the middle of labor when I did, to be honest, he kept bugging me until I did it." She said in confusion.
"Ah well, then we have our answers." He put his reading glasses back on and handed over the documents which will reinstate the young mother's rights. "Now let's get down to business."
Shelby stood outside the courthouse in awe. She had just got off the phone with her lawyer and it was confirmed and legit. Her baby could come home.
"So are you going to pace the entire night or go get your kid?" Sue asked with her arms folded.
"What-"
"The name's Sue, we haven't officially met."
"Shelby." She smiled gratefully. "I did notice you were quiet during the meeting." She pointed out.
"Well, I wanted to make sure Harrison made good on his word."
"I-Thank you," Shelby said genuinely.
"Don't mention it. She is one of my top Cheerios." She said nonchalantly. "Now did you need help going to get her?"
"I'm not sure. I was just going to show up and take her." Shelby said.
"Well if the stories I heard earlier from the unholy trinity and the resident bad boy are anything to go by I will suggest you not go alone," Sue explains.
Before she can reply a police car pulls up. Walking out is a tall and stocky cop. "You in need of an escort?" He says with a crooked smile.
"Junior, nice of you to show up. And yes, my new acquaintance here is in need of your assistance." Sue said.
Shelby not knowing how this woman orchestrated this whole thing within a day looks on shocked. "How-"
"I know people." Sue shrugged.
"Okay let's go." She said hopping in her car and watching as Sue jumped in the police car.
She could not wait to finally get her daughter. She just wished it was under better circumstances.
Rachel was sitting in her room spinning around on her chair when her aunt came in.
"Rachel. Did you study as I asked you to?" Her aunt said with hands on her hips. "I need you to take this seriously. There is a test online that you will be taking."
"A test. For what?" The small girl asked, standing up slightly swaying from spinning in the chair for so long.
"I am enrolling you in the Girls Academy of Columbus." She states in a matter-of-fact tone.
Rachel stared on in disbelief. She had to be hearing things. There was no way she was going to any girl's academy.
"I understand you may be upset and somewhat confused. But I think it's the best thing for you."
"For me? Or for you?" Rachel states angrily.
"Watch your tone." Her aunt says with a glare.
Rachel took a deep breath. She was moments from exploding. "I am not going. You can't make me." She said in an even voice. Her body was shaking. This woman had to be insane if she thought she was even considering an all-girls academy.
"You don't have a choice, your parents left me in charge. They said you are out of control and need constant supervision."
"Well, the three of you can go to hell. I will not let you or Them dictate my life." She shouted. She was pissed she could not believe her dads would do this. She thought they loved her.
Her aunt pulls Rachel by her arms ruffly. "You are on thin ice. Now go downstairs and clean the kitchen." Her aunt ordered.
Rachel stared at her aunt with wide frightened eyes; she knew that if she didn't obey there would be severe consequences.
"Fine." She huffed loudly, dripping with attitude as she stormed down the stairs punctuating her displeasure with every heavy stomp of her foot. She hated cleaning the kitchen. Her aunt always made her scrub the floor by hand.
Rachel was halfway to the kitchen when she was pushed onto the floor face down.
Her aunt had her pinned to the ground with one of her legs. Her aunt's knee dug uncomfortably in between her shoulder blades effectively locking her upper body in place. "This behavior will stop. Even if I have to beat it out of you." And with that, she brought down her arm that housed a thick belt and let it fall hard onto the small girls' bottom, legs and back.
Rachel screamed she had never been hit with the belt before and she struggled to free herself. Her aunt was insane. The more she struggled the harder her aunt hit. Even her thighs were bombarded with heavy hits from the belt.
"Please stop." She begged. This hurt so bad and she was sure that her aunt had no intention of stopping. "P-pleease." She sobbed. Her body soon grew tired and went limp. She had no more fight left in her...
Shelby had arrived at the house and was going to knock on the door when she heard a scream.
"Officer Junior, something is happening in there. I can hear my daughter's plea for help." Shelby said urgently.
The officer ran and heard loud and clear for whatever was happening in there had to stop. He stood back and kicked in the door.
Everything happened so fast. Shelby saw as the officer struggled to take down Rachel's aunt.
She rushed in shortly after looking for her daughter but couldn't find her. "Shelby." She heard Sue say. "She's over here."
Shelby ran to the living room and there on the ground sobbing was her baby. She crouched down and moved some hair away from her sweaty forehead. She ignored the flinch. "Hey, bug. It's me."
Rachel was so lost in pain she didn't realize she was being lifted up. Her body couldn't take it anymore. The last thing she remembered was smelling her mama's perfume before succumbing to the darkness.
Rachel woke with a groan. Her body hurt, and she ached from the middle of her back all the way down to her lower thighs. Images played in her head like a movie. She remembers being pushed and feeling her aunt hit her with the belt then the smell of her mom's perfume then it all went black.
Shelby had gone downstairs to get some water when Rachel woke. Sue had the hospital send over a nurse to stay and keep an eye on her last night and said she was fine. She was given a treatment and a shot for any pain she would be feeling.
When she came back in, Shelby placed a water bottle by the bed and sat next to her daughter. She moved some hair from her face and leaned down to kiss the top of her head. She felt Rachel stir and let out an audible groan followed by a whimper.
"Shh baby, you are safe now." Shelby cooed, bringing the small girl in for a hug.
"Mama." Rachel cried, leaning into her mom. She felt like this was a dream. Any minute now her aunt was going to come into her room and wake her up.
"Oh baby, please don't cry. I have you now. You never have to go back" Shelby said, holding Rachel gently. Shelby cleaned the small girl's face with a wipe and tossed it into the wastebasket by the bed.
"Mama?"
"Yeah, baby."
"Am I really here?" She asked, still in a daze.
"Yup and it's time to check your sugar and refill your IV." The nurse said, walking into the room.
The small girl groaned, leaning her head on her mom's shoulders.
"Great." She said sarcastically. But knew it was necessary.
"Come on now grumpy pants, let's get this over with okay." nodding the small girl let the nurse do what needed to be done. They checked her vitals and all seemed well.
Both brunettes were sitting side by side talking softly and just enjoying each other's company when Elenor made herself known.
"Well good morning girls. I have a nice stack of french toast here for you." The older Corcoran said. She walked into the room and set up the bed tray and passed out the forks and set up the drinks.
She leaned over and placed a kiss on both her babies lovingly. "Now eat up." She said, "And don't even think about telling me you are not hungry." She said to both brunettes.
"How-"
"Because I have superpowers." Rachel's grandmother said.
"I'm fifteen not five," Rachel huffed.
"I don't care how old you are. Now eat up before it gets cold."
"Fine." Both mother and daughter say at the same time before breaking out into laughter at their shared response.
Rolling her eyes the older Corcoran woman makes her leave. Wanting to give mother and daughter much-needed space.
Rachel sat back, her tummy full and content. She hadn't had a decent meal in a few days.
"Mama? What's going to happen now?" Rachel asked nervously.
"Well from what I'm gathering we will need to go down to the station and make a report or we could have one of the officers come here and make it in person."
"I won't have to see my aunt again, will I? And what about my dads?" She asked in a frightful tone.
"No baby you won't have to see your aunt and your dads broke the contract and if they pursue any form of contact with you then they will be charged with neglect, abandonment, and some other things." Shelby said. "And I spoke to my lawyer this morning. He said everything the Judge and Sue said was true and as of last night you are officially mine." Shelby said with a wide grin.
Rachel's smile matches her mom's and leaps into her arms crying. "Awe baby, no more tears."
"It worked." The small girl whispered to herself. Or at least she thought she did.
"What worked?" Shelby inquired, pulling out of the hug.
Tilting her head to the side with a small smile. "Our plan, well Q's plan mostly. Puck was going to pull the rails off of my window with his truck and break me out."
"Wait what?" Shelby exclaimed.
"Okay, so Quinn decided that going to Sue was the best option." Rachel went on to explain. "You see, Sue knows a lot of people. What Sue wants Sue gets," She said with a shrug.
"You mean to tell me, a bunch of teenagers thought up this plan and actually had it executed in under 24 hours?"
"Yes. Technically under 8 hours." She nodded with a smile. "Besides, it's really kind of funny when adults underestimate us." She says with a playful smirk.
"Yeah well, I won't be doing that anytime soon." Shelby said. "Now let's get out of this bed and go see your grandparents,"
"Okay, do you think I can take out my IV now?"
After a few minutes, her nurse took her vitals and agreed that her IV could be removed. Once her next set of medicine was administered the nurse and her mom helped her down the stairs and into the kitchen.
There she is greeted by all her friends and family. What started out as a nightmare of a week was turning out like she always wanted. Surrounded by her mom and friends and family. She wouldn't have it any other way.
Sue to the rescue. Thank you for sticking with me. I know this chapter was a long one. I honestly went back and forth with having Rachel go to the hospital or stay at home with a nurse available. I know in normal circumstances and by law, a minor should go to the Dr, etc but I honestly began writing the nurses senes and just decided to keep it. (shoulder shrug). Anyhow hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up. so hopefully this holds you over until then.