A/N – Here's the next chapter! Thank you all so much for all of the reviews and messages and likes and follows and what not. I really appreciate it. It made my day to see that everyone seemed to enjoy it. I hope you all like this chapter just as much. I can't wait to hear what you think. Thanks, guys!
Disclaimer – I don't own Glee.
The dazed sleepiness was immediately shaken off when Shelby heard the little girl ask for her to go and get her. She glanced over at her clock and confirmed that it was a little after one in the morning. What the hell was this little girl doing out so late? Shelby got out of bed and pulled on the jeans she'd worn the day before.
"Rachel, where are you?" Shelby asked.
"In the park," Rachel answered. "Near where we met. A lady let me use her phone so I could call someone to come and get me."
"What are you doing out so late?" Shelby asked.
"I don't know," Rachel said.
"Why don't you go back home?" Shelby asked another question.
"I can't," Rachel said. "They're not there anyway."
"Where are they?" Shelby had finished getting dressed and reached for her shoes and carried them out to the living room.
"I didn't mean to," Rachel said quietly.
"Mean to what?" Shelby asked. She wrapped a scarf around her neck and then pulled on a heavy coat and a hat. She started for the door and then stopped when she remembered how Rachel was dressed the last time she saw her. They'd had a recent early January snowstorm and she'd be freezing if she was out there in just that thin windbreaker right now. She turned back to the closet and grabbed another jacket and another hat and a pair of mittens. "Rachel?"
"Brandon got hurt," Rachel said.
"Who is Brandon?" Shelby asked as she left her apartment.
"He's just little," Rachel said. "I don't think he understood."
"Rachel, what are you talking about?" Shelby asked as she hailed a cab.
"I gotta go," Rachel said suddenly.
"No," Shelby said. "Stay on the phone with me." She gave instructions to the cab driver to get her there as quickly as possible.
"I can't," Rachel said. "It's beeping."
"Stay right where you are," Shelby said. "I'm on the-" the link clicked dead- "way." Shelby lowered the phone from her ear and stared at it for a second before turning her attention to the driver. "Please hurry."
After leaving instructions for the cab to wait, Shelby hurried into the park to reach the place she'd been sitting just a couple of weeks ago. She breathed a sigh of relief when she finally saw Rachel sitting on the bench she'd occupied and talking with a woman. Shelby assumed it was the woman who had lent the girl her phone. And just as she suspected, Rachel didn't have on anymore than the windbreaker and dirty jeans and worn shoes.
"Rachel," Shelby called out as she got close.
Rachel and the woman next to her looked up as Shelby came jogging up to them. She knelt down in front of the Rachel and put the extra hat over her head.
"Rachel, are you ok?" Shelby asked. The girl was freezing.
"I saw her out here walking all by herself and I didn't want to leave her alone," the woman sitting with Rachel said. "She said she was fine, but I told her she either had to call her mom or I was going to take her to the police."
"Thank you," Shelby said sincerely. She was working some mittens onto Rachel's hands.
"It's no problem," the woman said. "My phone went dead though so that's why she hung up. She's too little to be out here by herself at night. You should keep better track of her."
It took Shelby a second to realize the woman thought she was Rachel's mother. She glanced over at Rachel who had kept her eyes down the whole time and then back at the lady on the bench.
"You're right," Shelby said. "She was with a friend tonight, but I promise it won't happen again." She was glad this woman didn't recognize her in the dim light of the park. "Thank you very much. Can I give you something? Please?"
"Nah, don't worry about it," the woman waved her off as Shelby reached for her wallet. "I like to take walks this late. I was on my way home when I saw her."
"Thanks for staying with her," Shelby said. "Come on, Rachel, let's go home."
"You listen to your mama, Rachel," the woman said when Rachel stood up and turned to her.
"I will," Rachel agreed. She liked being able to pretend, even if it was just for a little bit, that she really had a mama. It wasn't lost on her that Shelby was playing along too. Rachel didn't know much about Shelby, but she knew about parents and she was pretty certain that every parent she'd ever lived with wouldn't have come to get her in the middle of the night unless they had to. Shelby didn't have to.
"Thank you," Rachel added softly. She stood still as Shelby wrapped the jacket that was way too big around her shoulders.
"You're welcome. No go on and get warm."
"Alright, young lady, let's go home," Shelby said.
Rachel smiled when Shelby took her hand and led her down the path to where the cab was waiting. The car was warm and inviting and Rachel let Shelby buckle her seat belt for her and stayed silent as the woman gave the driver the information for her apartment. Shelby knew she was going to have to call Leroy right away, but that could wait until after she'd gotten the child out of the cold.
Rachel looked up in awe when the cab pulled up in front of the large high-rise building. She was going to get out on the street side when Shelby made her wait so she could pay. Rachel's eyes focused on the designer wallet Shelby pulled from her purse and the large sum of money she handed over to the driver. There were still more bills in there when Shelby closed it and put it away. Rachel didn't think she'd ever seen so much money at one time in her life.
"Come on, sweetheart," Shelby said.
Rachel grasped onto her hand again when they got out of the car and Shelby led her into the building. When they reached the elevator, Rachel reached out excitedly to push the button, but then quickly retracted her hand.
"Go ahead," Shelby said with a smile.
Rachel was fascinated by elevators and whenever she had to go to Leroy's office building, she tried to play in them. He'd usually indulge her for a time or two and they would ride up and down a couple of times before he made them get out. Like any kid, Rachel loved to push the buttons.
"Seventeen, please," Shelby said when they stepped inside.
Rachel smiled as she reached out to push it and the elevator started to move. Shelby let her in first when they reached the apartment and Rachel's eyes bulged again. She'd never seen anything like this. It was huge. And there were stairs. She'd never seen an apartment like this.
"You live here?" Rachel asked.
"Yep," Shelby said. "Come on in. Are you hungry?"
Shelby removed her own jacket and hat and then took them off of Rachel as well. She was finally able to get a good look at her in the light and Shelby could tell the girl hadn't had a bath in days. Her hair was matted and greasy and there was dirt on her face and hands, not to mention her clothes. She did not understand why the family she lived with would let her go without bathing and why they wouldn't wash her clothes.
"Yeah," Rachel said. "I didn't get to have my sandwich earlier because Brandon ate some of it." She seemed to realize what she said and looked up at Shelby with a scared expression. "I didn't give it to him, I swear. He found it."
"What happened?" Shelby asked, though she was beginning to understand.
"Leroy gave me my sandwich and I saved half of it because I wanted to have some for later," Rachel said. "I always hide it real good, but Brandon found it and ate it. He can't have peanuts. They had to take him to the hospital. They were so mad so I knew I had to leave. But I forgot my stuff."
Rachel started to tear up and looked at Shelby with such sadness.
"What did you forget?"
"My blanket and my animals and my doll," Rachel said alluding to her collection of worn stuffed animals. She'd also left all of her money she'd been stealing, but that was secondary to her blanket and friends. Her sorrow was quite real at having had to leave them behind.
"You'll get them back," Shelby said. "Ok? I promise."
"They're not going to let me live there anymore," Rachel told her. "Not after this."
"It wasn't your fault if he took the sandwich from you," Shelby said.
"But I'm not allowed to have them in the house," Rachel explained. "And he's only four and they like him a lot better than me."
"Honey, I'm so sorry," Shelby said. "It'll be ok."
"That's what Leroy always says," Rachel said. "But I know it's not true. It never is."
Rachel's eyes filled with tears as her reality seemed to hit her. It didn't help that it was the middle of the night and she was tired and hungry and scared. She'd stopped believing long ago that it would ever get better or be ok.
"Don't cry, Rachel," Shelby said. Shelby pulled Rachel close and held her in a tight hug. "I'll call Leroy and we'll figure it out."
"He's going to have to send me away again," Rachel said. "Back to the group home."
Shelby wanted to soothe her fears, but she didn't know what to say. All she knew for certain was that this little scamp of a girl had worked her way into her heart and she did not want to let her go.
Rachel's arms were wrapped tightly around Shelby's waist and she hung on like her life depended on it. She didn't understand why this woman was so nice to her, but right now she didn't care. Her young mind was already entranced with the idea of getting to live with Shelby and be her daughter, but there was also a pragmatic side to her brain that was telling her to get real. No one like Shelby would ever love her, even if she was getting a hug right now. Rachel knew the woman would call Leroy and she'd probably never see her again after tonight. But for right now, she would pretend, just like she had done in the park. There was no harm in pretending she had a mother, even if she knew it would be never be true.
Shelby eventually ended the hug and moved Rachel into the kitchen and had her sit at the table.
"Do you want peanut butter and jelly or something different?" Shelby asked.
"Peanut butter and jelly," Rachel answered. "But only if you have grape jelly. I don't like any other kind."
"I've got some," Shelby told her. "Grape is my favorite too."
Rachel smiled at that and never took her eyes off of Shelby as the woman prepared the sandwich. Shelby noticed the girl watching her and winked at her before setting the sandwich and a glass of milk down on the table.
"Stay here and eat up," Shelby instructed.
"Ok," Rachel said around a mouthful of her sandwich.
Shelby picked up her cell phone and grabbed her purse and headed into another room so she could call Leroy. The phone rang seven times before it was picked up.
"Hello?" came the sleepy reply on the other end.
"Leroy Carter?" Shelby asked.
"Yes?"
"This is Shelby Corcoran. I've got Rachel Berry at my house."
"What?" Leroy said as he shot up from his bed. His husband rolled over and continued to sleep.
Shelby quickly relayed the story from her own phone call to Brandon being in the hospital to Rachel eating her own peanut butter and jelly sandwich at that moment.
"Thank you for going to get her," Leroy said. "I've got to get in touch with the O'Connors and find out what's going on," he said alluding to Rachel's foster parents. "And depending on what they say, I've got to find an emergency placement for her. I'll be by to get her soon."
Leroy knew this would be easier said than done. He was worried about her having to go to a group home because Rachel never did well there.
"She can stay here for the night," Shelby blurted out. "I've got plenty of room and it's so late and I think I can get her to sleep soon. After a bath, of course."
Leroy chuckled and said, "Good luck with that. She hates having a bath."
"Is that why it looks like she hasn't had one in about four or five days?" Shelby asked
"Some people find it easier not to battle with her," Leroy said.
"Not to bother with her, you mean," Shelby said seriously.
"Yeah," Leroy said with a sigh. "Are you sure you want her for the night?"
"Absolutely," Shelby said. "Leave her here where she's safe and looked after for tonight while you figure everything else out."
"Thank you," Leroy said sincerely. "I will give you a call in the morning."
"Ok, Shelby said. "Sounds perfect."
"Ok. Can I talk to Rachel real quick?" Leroy asked.
"Yeah, of course."
Shelby carried the phone into the kitchen just in time to see Rachel wipe the milk from her lips and chin with her sleeve. Yes sir, that child was getting a bath and those clothes were going to be washed tonight.
"Rachel, Leroy wants to talk to you," Shelby said.
Rachel sighed as Shelby handed her the phone. "Hello," she said with slumped shoulders and a pout on her lips.
Shelby watched as Rachel's posture changed and her eyes lit up as she was listening to Leroy talk.
"I will," Rachel promised into the phone. She listened for a minute and then said, "Ok. I won't." Shelby couldn't help but be amused by the whine in her tone because she assumed Leroy was telling her not to misbehave. "Bye."
Rachel handed the phone back to Shelby and looked up at her in awe.
"I really get to stay here with you tonight?"
"Yes, ma'am," Shelby said. She couldn't help but feel proud when Rachel's smile lit the room. She was happy to have been able to put that smile on her face.
"And it is late," Shelby continued, "so you are going to have a quick bath and then you are getting into bed."
Just as quickly as it appeared, Rachel's smile vanished.
"I don't need a bath," the little girl assured Shelby.
"Yes you do, honey," Shelby said. "Just wash up really quick and wash your hair and you'll be out of there."
"But I'd have to put dirty clothes back on," Rachel argued. "Besides, I took a bath this morning."
Shelby just gave her a look at the obvious lie and Rachel blinked and looked away.
"I'm going to wash your clothes," Shelby told her. "I'll give you something to wear to sleep in and you can put your clothes back on in the morning. So come on, I'll show you to the bathroom and start the water for you."
"But I don't want to," Rachel whined. "I never take baths at night. I can't sleep if I do."
"Rachel, you're taking a bath tonight," Shelby said. She wasn't quite sure where this instinct was coming from because she'd never really had much to do with children, but despite barely knowing the girl, she felt comfortable around Rachel. She felt responsible for her and she refused to be like those other adults who wouldn't bother with her because she was hard work.
"No, I don't need one," Rachel whined and stamped her foot. She was used to getting her way on this issue.
"You do," Shelby said. "Why don't you like to take baths?"
"They take too long," Rachel said.
Shelby had to stifle a laugh at Rachel's excuse. She was grasping at straws.
"Well, we will make this one very quick," Shelby said. "Come on."
Shelby reached down and picked the small girl up and put her arms under her bottom to support her. Rachel was light and little and Shelby held her with ease. Rachel put an arm around Shelby's neck and couldn't help but smile. Most people stayed away from her when she was so dirty so she couldn't believe this woman had just picked her up, messy clothes and all.
Shelby carried Rachel all the way into the large bathroom that connected to the master bedroom and set her down. Rachel didn't think she'd ever seen a bathroom like this one before. The bathtub was huge and there was so much counter space that Rachel could probably lay down on it if she wanted to. There was a separate shower that looked like it was big enough for ten people and the toilet was in its own little room over in the corner. Shelby hadn't even really considered using one of her the other bathrooms in the apartment because right now this was the only one with soap and shampoo in it.
"Ok, little miss, you get undressed and I will start the water," Shelby said. "Do you need any help?"
"No," Rachel muttered as she sat down on the floor and started to untie her shoes.
Shelby leaned over the tub and turned the water on and waited until it was warm before closing the drain and letting it start to fill.
"Ok, I'm going to go and find you something to wear," Shelby said. "The water's warm so let it fill for a minute and then turn it off. There's soap and shampoo right there and those are fresh towels."
"I still don't think I need one," Rachel said.
"Rachel," Shelby said in a tone even she didn't recognize. God, she sounded like her mother. Where did that come from?
"Fine," the girl pouted.
"It doesn't have to take forever," Shelby said. "Hop in and get clean and hop out."
Shelby closed the door behind her when she left and Rachel looked at the tub filling with water and scrunched up her nose. What was so great about having a bath anyways? People never wanted to be near her anyway and at least if she was dirty, she could tell herself that was why. But Shelby had hugged her and picked her up while she was dirty. But it's not like that mattered because she was leaving in the morning and was never going to be allowed to come back. She may as well just stay dirty.
Rachel looked around and decided that there were much more interesting things to do in this bathroom anyways. She got down on her knees on the floor and opened up the cabinet and started snooping around. She wasn't paying any attention to the fact that the water was still running.
Shelby stepped into her room and took off her shoes and socks and quickly slipped into a pair of yoga pants so she would be more comfortable. She then went to one of the drawers and pulled out a t-shirt and a pair of cut-off sweats. They were cut off below the knee capris style for her so they would work as pants for Rachel. They might even be too long for the girl. But the real reason Shelby picked them was because of the drawstring in the waist. Hopefully she could make them tight enough for Rachel.
Shelby put the clothes on the bed and looked at the bathroom door and furrowed her brow. The water hadn't been shut off yet.
"Rachel?" Shelby knocked a couple of times. "Honey, are you ok?"
When she got no answer, Shelby pushed the door open and saw that Rachel was still fully clothed except for her shoes and was sitting on the countertop on her knees going through the medicine cabinet. She had stuff pulled out and everywhere and the bathtub was extremely close to overflowing.
Shelby went to the tub and stopped the water and opened the drain so the water could go down. It was only then that Rachel looked up and watched as Shelby surveyed what had been done to her bathroom. How had the little girl even done all of this in such a short amount of time?
Rachel had removed everything from under the sink. She'd created a pyramid in the corner with the extra toilet paper rolls. The cleaning supplies were pushed out of the way and a full box of tampons had been scattered everywhere. On the counter were four bottles of perfume that had cost way too much, but that Shelby loved. According to the odor in the air, Rachel had tried them all out a few times. All of her makeup was on the counter and each small container opened. Rachel had dipped her fingers in some of it because there were little multi-colored fingerprints littering the counter and the mirror, and some of it was smeared on her face. Rachel was holding a prescription pill bottle in each hand and looking at Shelby with wide eyes.
"Rachel," Shelby said with a sigh.
"I'm sorry," the girl said softly.
Shelby put her hands on her hips and raised her brow at the girl. "The bathroom is not a place to play unless you are in the bathtub and playing during your bath. Which is exactly where you are supposed to be, except there will be no playing. It's too late.
"I'm not ever allowed to play in the bath," Rachel said matter-of-factly. She missed the look of sympathy that crossed Shelby's features. "Can't I just take a bath some other time? I don't want to right now," Rachel whined. Her tiredness was starting to get the best of her.
"No. You are going to take one right now and I'm going to help you," Shelby said.
Shelby closed the drain again and checked to make sure the water was still warm. Then she turned and picked up Rachel around the waist and sat down on the closed toilet seat and set the girl on her feet.
"I don't need any help," Rachel said. "I can do it."
"I know you probably can, but I'm going to help you since you don't want it to take forever. And you need to get to bed," Shelby said. "If you had just gotten in the bath like you were supposed to, you could be almost done by now."
While she was talking, Shelby unzipped Rachel's light windbreaker and took it off. Her shirt was next followed by her jeans and panties and socks. She made a pile of the clothes and then lifted Rachel up and into the waiting water. Rachel sat down and refused to admit that the warm water felt nice. Shelby grabbed a towel and folded it a few times to give her something to kneel on and then picked up a washcloth and got down on her knees next to the tub and dipped it in to get it wet. She didn't think she'd ever seen anything as adorable as Rachel's pout.
"Can you duck your head under the water to get your hair wet or would you rather I get a cup and get it wet that way?" Shelby asked.
Rachel didn't say anything and instead just took a breath and slipped down under the water and came back up with her hair slicked back. Despite her protests, Rachel stayed still while Shelby put shampoo in her hair and lathered it up. She closed her eyes as Shelby massaged her scalp and made sure to cover every inch of Rachel's hair so she could be thorough. Rachel couldn't even really remember the last time someone had washed her hair for her.
"Sweetheart, I'm going to need a cup to rinse your hair off," Shelby said. "Can you sit tight and not move for just one minute until I get back?"
"Yeah," Rachel answered.
"I mean it," Shelby said. "Don't move and don't mess with anything else."
"I won't," Rachel said.
Shelby gave her a skeptical look, but finally nodded and got to her feet and quickly made her way out of the room. She found a large plastic cup in the kitchen with an NYU logo on and it hurried back to the bathroom. God knows she didn't want Rachel getting out and traipsing water everywhere.
Shelby was about to enter the room when she heard Rachel talking quietly to herself. She stayed back a bit and peeked in and smiled when she saw Rachel playing. The girl was using two fingers to walk along the edge of the tub and Shelby heard her say that it was a lovely day for a swim. The finger person soon jumped high into the air and splashed down in the water and Rachel laughed as the finger person swam back to the edge to get out and go again. She didn't even notice the shampoo starting to slide down her face.
"I'm back," Shelby announced. She didn't want Rachel to think she had been watching. It made her sad to see girl immediately stop her game and put her hands back in the water.
Shelby kneeled back down on her folded towel and picked up the wet washcloth and gently wiped it over Rachel's face to get rid of the shampoo so it wouldn't get in her eyes. She filled the cup with water and instructed Rachel to shut her eyes tightly as she rinsed the girl's hair. She repeated the process with conditioner, much to Rachel's chagrin.
"You've already washed it," Rachel complained.
"This will help make your hair soft and easier to brush out," Shelby said.
"I don't like to brush it," Rachel said.
"I noticed," Shelby told her. "Stop squirming please."
Rachel splashed some water with her foot which Shelby assumed was the equivalent of stamping her foot on the floor. Shelby watched as the girl yawned deeply and put her scowl right back in place when she was finished. Rachel wasn't even mad about the conditioner anymore, but she hated that she was so tired. The warm water and hands in her hair was so relaxing, but she was determined not to be tired.
Shelby scrunched her nose up at the water after she finished rinsing the conditioner from Rachel's hair. They might need some cleaner water to wash in. Or at least to rinse in. Shelby picked the washcloth and squirted a few drops of body soap into it and lathered it up.
"Ok, stand up for me," Shelby said.
Rachel stood and watched as Shelby opened the drain so some of the dirty water could drain out. While the water was going down, she started to wash Rachel's body thoroughly. She got all of the makeup and dirt smudges from Rachel's hands and face. She wasn't sure when the last time the girl had cleaned herself and so Shelby made sure to do a good job. When the water had drained out completely, Shelby started it again and let some fresh, warm water run. When she felt the girl had been lathered and scrubbed completely, Shelby held the cup under the steady stream of warm water and filled it before dumping it on the girl to rinse her off. It took several times to make sure all of the soap was gone, but Rachel was finally cleaned and rinsed and ready to get out.
Shelby lifted her from the tub and set her on the bathmat and quickly grabbed a large towel and wrapped it around the now shivering girl.
"Now… Don't you feel better?" Shelby asked as she worked to dry Rachel off.
Rachel shrugged as Shelby turned her and continued to dry her off. Shelby just smirked at her.
"What're these?" Rachel asked as she bent over and picked up one of the tampons that she'd left scattered on the floor.
"Umm, nothing," Shelby said.
"Then why do you have them? What do they do?" Rachel turned her curious expression towards Shelby.
"They, uhh… They're for when you need… to… Let's not worry about that tonight," Shelby finally settled on. "It's much too late right now for that."
"But, can I see what it looks like?" Rachel asked as she started to tear the wrapper open.
"No," Shelby said. "No. I… no."
Shelby took Rachel's hand and got her to drop the tampon back to the ground and then quickly tightened the towel around her tiny shoulders and picked the girl up and carried her from the bathroom. She took another few moments to make sure Rachel was completely dry and then took the towel off of her and laid it on the bed.
"Here, I've got a t-shirt and a pair of pants for you to wear," Shelby said as she slipped the t-shirt over the girl's head. It hung down to Rachel's knees.
"But I don't have any panties," Rachel told her.
"I know," Shelby said. "I'm going to wash yours tonight so you can put them back on in the morning. I'm afraid for tonight you're just going to have to go without."
"Oh," Rachel said. She held the shirt up as Shelby pulled the pants up for her. "They're too big."
"I know," Shelby said, "but I hope I can tie the drawstring tight enough for you. Or if you'd rather, you can sleep without them. I just wanted you to be comfortable."
Shelby tied the pants as tight as she could and they held on Rachel's waist, barely. One gentle tug or wrong movement and they would fall, but for now they would work.
"I like them," Rachel said. "I normally sleep in just a shirt, but since I'm not going to bed right now-"
"Oh you're going to bed," Shelby cut her off. "It is late and I know you're tired."
"I'm not tired though," Rachel said, but a yawn betrayed her. "I can't go to sleep."
"Honey, it's in the middle of the night," Shelby said. "You should have been asleep hours ago."
Rachel shook her head and tears formed in her eyes as Shelby worked to dry her hair with the towel.
"But I'm not tired," Rachel said. "I can't."
Shelby put the towel back on the bed and pulled Rachel to her and held her in a tight hug. Rachel rested her head on Shelby's shoulder and looked around the room. She noticed Shelby's purse tossed aside in a chair. And the woman's jeans were on the floor where she had left them when she changed. Rachel shut her eyes for a second and let herself relax in a way that she hadn't in a long time. This was the first time in a while where she didn't feel like she had to keep her guard up. And that's why she couldn't go to sleep. She knew Leroy was coming to get her in the morning and that she'd never see Shelby again because she understood that she was probably going back to the group home. She didn't want to go to sleep and miss getting to spend time with the woman who had given her more attention and care than she'd had from a foster parent in years.
Another worry gripped at Rachel. The group home was farther from the city and if she was sent all the way out there, she'd never get her goal. All the money she'd been stealing would be wasted. Why couldn't Brandon have just left her sandwich alone?
Tears made their way down Rachel's cheeks and Shelby cooed and rubbed her back to try and soothe her. This poor child needed to get into bed soon so she could get some rest.
"Come on, honey," Shelby said. "I'm going to brush your hair out and I've got a brand new toothbrush you can use."
"Will you wake me up in the morning before I leave?" Rachel hiccupped through her tears.
"Of course I will," Shelby said. "We'll have breakfast together. I promise."
"Ok," Rachel nodded.
"Good girl," Shelby said. "Come on and I'll brush your hair out."
Back in the bathroom, Shelby sat on the closed toilet seat lid and had Rachel sit on her lap while she brushed her still damp hair. She didn't want to take the time to dry it completely and figured that it would be ok tonight. It wasn't soaking wet.
Rachel sat perfectly still and smiled as Shelby brushed out her hair. Her hair was rarely brushed out. Even when she washed it, she just let it dry in tangles. She loved everything about this; she loved sitting on Shelby's lap and feeling her hair being worked through. She even loved the clean feeling that had come with the bath. It made it that much harder to know that none of this would last. Rachel felt like she was in some kind of fairy tale, but she wasn't dumb and she knew that fairy tales weren't real.
When Shelby was finished with her hair, she got Rachel the extra toothbrush and instructed her to brush her teeth and use the bathroom before bed. While Rachel was doing that, Shelby grabbed the girl's dirty clothes and some of her own to make a full load and took them to the laundry room and started the machine. She knew she would wait up for them to be finished so she could put them in the dryer before she went to bed so the sooner they started to wash, the sooner they'd be done. Her plan had been to put them in the wash while Rachel was bathing, but Rachel had changed that when she messed up the bathroom and Shelby had to bathe her. Oh crap, the bathroom. Shelby needed to clean that up before she went to bed too. Great.
Shelby got back to her room just as Rachel was walking out of the bathroom, holding up the pants as she walked. It took Shelby a second to realize that Rachel was crying again. But it wasn't like before. This was serious despair crying.
"Rachel? What's wrong?" Shelby asked as she went to her and squatted down in front of the girl.
"I can't- I don't have my blanket and my doll and animals," Rachel wailed. "I can't sleep without them. I have to go get them. What if Mrs. O'Connor throws them away?"
This was a deep and ingrained worry that had followed Rachel to every foster home and group home she went to. She loved her blanket and stuffed friends more than anything in the world and she couldn't deal with the thought of losing them. They were her only friends.
"Rachel, calm down," Shelby said and the girl looked directly into her eyes. "I promised you before that you will get them back and I'm promising again. Mrs. O'Connor will not throw them away."
"But what if she does?"
"She won't," Shelby said. "I promise." God help that woman if she did anything to Rachel's stuff.
"I've never been without them," Rachel said sadly. "They need me. I need them."
"I know," Shelby said. "I'm so sorry we can't go and get them tonight. I would if I could."
Rachel sniffled and nodded and rubbed her eyes. She believed Shelby and that was a comfort in and of itself. She believed her when she said she would get her blanket and friends back tomorrow and that allowed her to calm down. Her exhaustion was taking over rapidly and another yawn escaped through her waning tears.
"You know what though?" Shelby asked. "I've got a stuffed monkey who doesn't have anyone to sleep with tonight. Maybe he could lay down with you, if that'd be ok."
"What's his name?" Rachel asked.
Shelby paused and thought for a second. He didn't have a name. She had purchased a bunch of stuffed animals for Toys for Tots a couple years ago and he never made it to the shipment. Shelby was going to take him later, but had kind of grown attached to him and left him on the bed in one of her spare rooms. The very room she was putting Rachel in, Shelby thought with a smile when she realized it.
"He doesn't have a name yet," Shelby said. "He's been waiting for just the right person to come along and give him the perfect name. Do you think you could name him for me?"
"Yeah," Rachel said as she wiped the last of her tears from her face.
"Great. Let's go meet him."
Shelby took her hand and led her down the hall and opened the door to one of the spare bedrooms and flipped on the light. Rachel ran to the bed when she saw the monkey siting there like he'd been waiting specifically for her.
"Toby," Rachel said. "His name is Toby."
"It's perfect," Shelby said. She had to admit, now that she'd heard it, he really did look like a Toby.
Shelby pulled the covers back and Rachel looked up at her with a lopsided grin and let the pants fall to the floor and stepped out of them so that she was just in the long t-shirt. Shelby bent down and gave Rachel a hug that the girl happily reciprocated. Rachel chanced giving her a kiss on the cheek and beamed when Shelby kissed her forehead in return before letting her go.
"Goodnight, Rachel. I'm just down the hall if you need me. I'll leave my door open. There's a bathroom across the hall from you and I'll turn the light on in there and leave it on for you."
"Ok," Rachel said with droopy eyes as she settled under the blankets and clutched Toby to her. She was asleep in less than a minute.
Shelby stood over the bed and felt her chin trembling as she watched the tiny girl. She loved her. It hadn't even taken two hours and Shelby loved her. How was she supposed to just let her walk away in the morning when Leroy got there? The little imp was perfect. And the more time she spent with her, the more Rachel reminded her of someone. If she could sign the papers right now, Shelby knew that in this moment, she would keep that little girl forever.
Shelby tucked the blankets close to Rachel and smoothed them out over her. She couldn't stand there all night and think about what ifs. It wouldn't do either of them any good. Instead, Shelby went back to her bathroom and made quick work of cleaning up the mess Rachel had made. Then she waited for the clothes to finish washing and tossed them in the dryer and turned it on. She wanted them to be ready for Rachel in the morning. She looked in on the girl one more time and found her still sleeping peacefully and then finally headed back to her own bed. It was close to four in the morning by the time Shelby crawled back under the covers.
The morning came way too early for Shelby, but she wanted to make sure she was up and showered and dressed before Rachel woke up. By ten they were both up and dressed and Rachel was enjoying a bowl of cereal while Shelby ate a bagel and drank her coffee. The mood was somber because Leroy had called and said he would be there within the hour.
Rachel's mind was far away as she worried over what was going to happen and what she was going to do. She wanted to stay more than anything, but she knew she couldn't. And this might be the last time she got this chance and if she got it now, she'd never have to do it again.
"Can I use the bathroom?" Rachel asked.
"Of course," Shelby answered.
"Can I use the one in your room?"
"Yes… as long as you promise not to make a mess," Shelby said.
"I promise," Rachel told her as she got up from the table.
Rachel went into Shelby's room and didn't head towards the bathroom at all. She knew what she wanted, but stopped for a moment when she caught her reflection in the mirror. Shelby had brushed her hair out again this morning and she smiled when she realized that she liked how it looked when it was clean and brushed.
She tucked her hair behind her ear and went to the chair that held Shelby's purse. Rachel had watched her pay for the cab last night. She had seen all of the money that she had in the billfold. It was enough to help her get what she wanted and if she took it now she'd never have to steal from anyone again. She felt horrible, but she knew she'd be back in a group home soon and she had to get it now or she might never have another chance.
Rachel opened the purse and found the wallet and opened it and started to pull out the money. Just then someone reached around her and took her small hand full of money and held it in its own. Rachel gasped and turned and looked at the serious expression on Shelby's face. The stern focus of her eyes was unlike anything Rachel had seen the night before and she knew she'd made a huge mistake.
A/N – That's it for this chapter! I hope you liked it. Please leave me a review and let me know what you thought. I've got this entire little journey planned out and I can't wait for you all to see it. Thanks so much!
