I am so sorry it took me this long to update this story. My muse decided to go on vacation for a long time.
Thank you so much for your reviews and your PMs. I appreciate them so much! I really hope you enjoy this chapter.
...
Rachel was awakened from her slumber when she felt the sun caressing her face. She tried to stretch and was surprised when she wasn't able to, as she had an arm around her waist holding her tight. She smiled as she remembered she had fallen asleep in her mom's bed while watching a movie. The previous day had been a very emotional one for her and she was thankful for every minute of it. As she stared at her sleeping mom, she went through everything that had happened on Saturday and whispered a soft thank you. She knew that things had changed for the better and she was ready to start that new phase of her life.
Shelby felt Rachel watching her and without opening her eyes, she said, "Rach, go back to sleep."
"I can't, mom. The sun is out." Rachel replied.
Shelby sighed and held her daughter closer, trying to make her go back to sleep. She couldn't believe either one of her daughters liked to sleep. "What time is it?"
"I don't know." Rachel replied yawning.
"It's Sunday. You're still tired, I think we should …"
Shelby was interrupted by the sound of little feet running into her bedroom. "Mommy, Wachel, up, up, up!"
"Beth, come lie down with us." Shelby said, patting the bed with the hand that wasn't holding Rachel.
"No, mommy, I'm hungry!" Beth said, climbing on the bed and shaking her mom.
"Okay, okay, I'm awake" Shelby replied, stretching and sitting down on the bed. "There's nothing better than seeing my two beautiful girls first thing in the morning."
Shelby leaned over to kiss Rachel's messy hair and then, she gave Beth a big kiss and she tickled her. "So, you're hungry, huh?"
Beth nodded and pointed at her belly. "My tummy's talking, mommy. Listen."
"Oh yeah, I can hear it!" Shelby said, smiling. "We have to feed that hungry monster in your tummy."
"I am a bit hungry as well." Rachel added.
"Okay, then, time to wake up." Shelby said, getting up.
As soon as Shelby left the room, Beth snuggled next to Rachel and closed her eyes.
Shelby got the table set and made fresh orange juice. She knew that Rachel wouldn't eat or drink anything that wasn't fresh, so the previous Friday, she decided to go and buy some fruit and vegetables so she could cook what Rachel liked. She made a spinach omelet for her oldest daughter and a small ham and cheese omelet for the youngest.
"Okay, girls, breakfast is …" Shelby walked back into her room, and her heart filled with love at the scene before her eyes. Rachel was hugging Beth and both of them were sleeping. She went to get her cell phone and snapped some pictures, before she closed the door.
"How did I end up being the only one awake?" Shelby said to herself, glancing at the clock on the wall that read 8:12am. With a yawn, she walked to the couch and made herself comfortable, as she closed her eyes.
…
Rachel opened her eyes again at 10:08am and couldn't suppress a smile when she saw her little sister peacefully sleeping next to her. She stretched as she got up and walked to the living room, where she found her mom sleeping on the couch. Not wanting to make any noise, she went into her bedroom and got some clothes before getting into the shower.
Twenty minutes later, Rachel was getting ready in her room when she heard a knock on the door. "Come in"
"So, you couldn't sleep anymore, huh, Rach?" Shelby asked, going into her daughter's bedroom and sitting on the bed.
"I don't know what happened." Rachel answered, chuckling.
"Funny how I was the one who was sleepy and my two full of energy daughters woke me up just to fall back asleep as mom left the room." Shelby scolded, wagging her finger in a joking manner. "That was not funny"
"Sorry, mom." Rachel replied laughing.
"Do you have any plans for today?" Shelby asked, hoping her daughter would say no.
"I should call Rupert and apologize about yesterday, but I do not know if calling on Sunday would be appropriate. I might have to wait until tomorrow. He hasn't let me know if there will be a rehearsal tomorrow or not, but I am assuming there will be one, as he mentioned investors would be coming to the theater next week." Rachel replied.
Even though Shelby was also known for rambling, she didn't excel at it like her daughter did, and she sometimes found it hard to find the answer she was expecting among Rachel's words. "No plans, then. I was thinking about us all going to the Children's Museum."
For a moment, Rachel felt that pang of jealousy she had been feeling since she moved in and had seen how much her mother loved Beth, but as she remembered the events the night before, she brushed away that feeling and smiled. She was now sure her mom loved her and the fact that she wanted to go to a museum where Beth would have fun didn't mean she loved the little blond girl more than she loved her. "That sounds like fun. I read there is a new exhibit about the origins of several musical movements and you can play different instruments and participate in different workshops. I think Beth would really benefit from that. She was singing the other day and she still needs a lot of training."
Shelby chuckled as she shook her head. "She is only three years old, Rach, she will have plenty of time to train and learn if she decides she is interested in music."
"It is never too early, mom. I won my first dance competition when I was three months old and I started singing in talent shows when I was two." Rachel said.
"You were three months old? How is that even possible?" Shelby inquired.
"I've always been very talented, mom. You should know. I certainly got my talent from you." Rachel admitted, proudly.
"You're right. I am still in awe over the fact that we are so similar." Shelby said, looking at her eldest daughter with adoring eyes. "So, it looks like all we need to do is wake up your sister and get ready to go to the museum. That exhibit you were just talking about sounds wonderful. I think you will enjoy it as well."
"Too bad I am no longer a child and I can't participate in those workshops or play those instruments." Rachel said, sighing.
"Well, sweetie, I am sure you can easily pass as a fourteen year old, especially if you wear those jeans you had on the other day and a shirt." Shelby said, noticing her daughter was glaring at her. "Oh, and no makeup"
Rachel was about to protest and say that even though she was short, she did not look like a fourteen year old, but her mom left the room laughing before she was able to say anything.
…
After having eaten a quick breakfast and getting ready, they left the apartment and took a cab to the Children's Museum. Beth could hardly contain her excitement once she was told everything that she was going to be able to do at the museum.
"Remember, Beth, you have to stay by our side at all times. I need to be able to see you. No running off or hiding, okay?" Shelby said in a serious tone.
"Okay, mommy! Can we go now?" Beth said, pulling her mom towards the entrance of the museum.
"This is going to be great, Beth!" Rachel said, also excited about being there.
As soon as they walked to the ticket counter, a red-headed twenty year old smiled at them and greeted them. "Hello, my name is Laura. Welcome to the Children's Museum of Manhattan. We have a super cute exhibit called Adventures with Diego and Dora where the little one can learn all about animals and their habitat. She'll have so much fun!" she said, before turning to look at Rachel, who had followed her mother's suggestion and was wearing jeans and a red shirt, making her look much younger than she was. "And we also have a pretty cool new exhibit on the second floor dedicated to musical movements that I am sure you'll enjoy."
Rachel was about to speak when Shelby stopped her. "We are ready to have a fun day. This is our first time here as a family."
"That's super!" Laura said. "Would you like to become a member? The family membership is 210 dollars and that would give you a whole year of free admission for you, ma'am, and your two children."
"I'm not a child" Rachel said, outraged.
"Oh, I know! I'm sorry. I know you are not a child. But we use that term for everyone under 16." Laura said, smiling.
"I …" Rachel looked at Shelby with a questioning look. She had never liked it when people assumed she was much younger just because of her height and weight, but this time, she realized a white lie might not be that bad. That way, she'd be able to enjoy herself too instead of just following Beth and Shelby around.
"She's really looking forward to seeing that exhibit you mentioned on the second floor." Shelby said, smiling at Rachel. "We won't be buying that membership today, though."
"Okie dokie. It'll be 33 dollars, ma'am. Here you have a map. Enjoy your day!" Laura said in a perky tone.
"Thank you." Shelby said, taking Beth's hand.
As they were walking into the first exhibit, Shelby noticed Rachel wanted to say something, but somehow was trying to figure out how to say it. "I don't condone lying, but in this case, there is no harm and I want you to have a fun day again."
"Thanks, mom. I guess." Rachel replied.
"I know you want to be seen as an adult, Rach, and you are one. But there's nothing wrong with letting your inner child come out to play sometimes, especially when you are around us." Shelby said, taking Rachel's hand.
"Mommy, mommy! Can I go there?" Beth asked, jumping up and down and pointing at a big model of the brain that had a slide inside.
"Go ahead, baby. Just be careful" Shelby said, letting go of Beth's hand and watching the little girl run into the brain. "You can also go explore, Rach."
Rachel walked around the room, feeling very self-conscious at first about being there, but as soon as she noticed some teenagers having fun pushing buttons and being silly, she relaxed a little. She just hoped nobody from NYADA was around and saw her there. She walked to a big model of a heart and started clicking some buttons, doing everything the instructions told her to do and becoming lost in the moment.
As Shelby kept an eye on her two daughters, she felt a tear of joy rolling down her cheek. She knew that this was what true happiness meant. She could hear her youngest daughter laughing and squealing as she made her way down the slide while her oldest daughter was smiling as she was enthralled in the activity she was pursuing.
"Mommy! Come inside with me!" Beth said, taking Shelby's hand.
"I wish I could, baby, but mommies can't go in there." Shelby explained.
"Why not?" Beth asked.
"I wouldn't fit in there. You don't want me to get stuck, right?" Shelby asked smiling.
Beth shook her head and scrunched her nose.
"That model of the heart was great! Did you know your heart mimics the music you listen to? Every time I sing something, I feel the beating of my heart changing its pace, and I thought it was just my imagination, but there is scientific evidence that music has an impact on your heart." Rachel said. "Oh, and did you know vegetarians are 19% less likely to die from heart disease?"
"I did not know that. I still love meat, I'm afraid. I'm not ready to give that up." Shelby replied. She was happy to see Rachel enjoying herself.
"Can we go to the second floor now?" Rachel asked with a big smile on her face.
"Lead the way" Shelby said, holding Beth's hand and following Rachel.
"Wow! Mommy, look at this!" Beth said, in awe at the size of a piano. "Is it for a giant?"
"It must be! There is no way someone can play a piano that big!" Shelby replied.
"They have music sheets and you can use all those instruments to play songs. I wonder if they have any musicals" Rachel said, walking to the big shelf where you could select electronic music sheets from.
"I wanna play with Wachel!" Beth announced, running towards her sister. "What we playing, Wachel?"
"We are not going to play, Beth. We are going to learn about music. Look, this is a staff." Rachel explained, pointing at the five-line staff. "The five staff lines and four intervening spaces are related to the pitches of the diatonic scale. This line here is to separate measures."
"I want to play!" Beth said, stomping her foot. She had no idea what her sister was saying, but it sounded very confusing and boring.
"I am trying to teach you how to read music, Beth. This is very important" Rachel said.
"Mommy!" Beth yelled from across the room. Shelby was trying to let her two daughters have fun by themselves, but judging from Beth's tone, she didn't think it was working.
"What's wrong, baby?" Shelby asked.
"Wachel's boring!" Beth announced.
"I am not boring. I was simply trying to explain the fundamentals of music." Rachel defended herself.
"Why don't you teach Beth how to play the piano?" Shelby suggested, pointing at the big piano dance mat in the corner. It looked just like the one they had at FAO Schwartz and she knew both Beth and Rachel could have fun there.
"Okay, come on, Beth!" Rachel said, holding her little sister's hand.
Beth and Rachel started jumping and dancing on the piano, holding hands and laughing. It looked like they were having a great time until peace between them was broken by Rachel's loud voice.
"No! You're doing it wrong!" Rachel said, unable to understand why her sister wouldn't follow her directions.
"I wanna dance!" Beth replied.
"You can't just jump around like that! You are ruining the song!" Rachel argued. "Beth, stop!"
"Hey, what's going on here?" Shelby approached them putting her hands on her hips and giving them a stern look.
"Wachel's mean!" Beth said.
"Beth won't listen!" Rachel said at the same time.
"Both of you, off the piano now!" Shelby said. She was happy that they were acting like sisters, but she didn't like them arguing and fighting.
"I just wanna dance, mommy!" Beth said, running to Shelby's side and looking for some sympathy.
"You cannot dance if there is no music, Beth." Rachel explained in a haughty tone. "And whatever you were doing here was not music."
"Rachel, get off the piano. Now." Shelby said in a threatening tone. She knew what her oldest daughter was doing and she understood what was going through Rachel's head, but she couldn't allow her to be rude or mean to her sister.
Rachel sighed. "I was just trying to help her," she said as she climbed the two steps down that separated her from her mother.
"Beth, why don't you go into that bubble? You can play different instruments in there." Shelby suggested, pointing at the big silver bubble in the middle of the room, where young kids could go in and play.
"Okay, mommy!" Beth said, running inside the bubble.
"We need to talk, Rach." Shelby said as she directed Rachel to a nearby bench. It was the perfect spot, since she could keep an eye on her youngest daughter as she talked to her eldest.
"You should be talking to Beth. She is the one who refuses to take this seriously!" Rachel said, shaking her head and glaring at her little sister.
"She is too young to take anything too seriously, honey." Shelby said, trying to reason with Rachel. "We came here to have fun."
"I don't understand why you don't want her to excel!" Rachel said. "You are her mother, you should want her to be the best!"
"I want her to be happy. We don't even know if she is interested in the performing arts. She might grow up to be a scientist or a writer." Shelby replied.
"You're right. Not everyone can be talented enough to pursue a career in show business." Rachel admitted, agreeing with Shelby. "I'm going back to that shelf to see if they have some musicals."
"No, you're not. Not yet." Shelby said, stopping Rachel from getting up. "I know you wanted to teach Beth how to play the piano, but you cannot speak to your sister the way you did."
Rachel rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, mom, I won't make the same mistake again. Now I know she isn't very talented, so I won't push her."
"Rachel …" Shelby said in a serious tone. "First of all, you know I don't like it when you roll your eyes; that is very disrespectful. And secondly …"
"Mom, I get it." Rachel said, interrupting Shelby. She didn't understand how a good deed such as helping her little sister become better could be making her mother angry, but she didn't want to talk about it anymore.
"Didn't we just talk about disrespect yesterday?" Shelby asked, raising an eyebrow.
Rachel looked at her mom and squirmed in her seat. She suddenly got a flash of what had happened the previous day and she was sure she could still feel a faint soreness as she squirmed on the bench. She looked down trying to avoid her mom's piercing gaze and nodded. "I'm sorry, mom. I really wanted to help her."
"I know you did, honey, and I am sure she'll really appreciate it when she is older." Shelby said, sweetly, noticing Rachel's attitude change. "But right now, everything is a game to her. That's the beauty of being a child. She doesn't need to take anything too seriously."
"I understand. I'm sorry." Rachel said, looking up. She smiled when she saw the warm look her mom was giving her.
Shelby hugged Rachel and gave her a kiss on the head. "Go see if they have any musicals there. I'd love to hear you sing in that booth."
Rachel gave Shelby her brightest smile and walked to the shelf. Her whole life she had sung in front of the mirror imagining her mother was right there watching her perform and applauding after every song, telling her how proud she was. It was her chance to make that illusion become a reality. She browsed through the catalogue and found the song she wanted to record in the little recording booth at the museum. It was not taken from a musical, and it wasn't a song she would usually sing, but she thought it would be perfect for the occasion. She selected the song, went into the booth and started singing the perfect harmony. Once she was finished, she pressed a few buttons so make sure the song had been recorded and then labeled it.
Shelby watched Rachel go into the recording booth and started growing really curious about what her daughter was singing there. Judging from her face, she could tell it was a ballad, but she couldn't tell which one. Halfway through the songs, she noticed Rachel had tears rolling down her cheeks, but she didn't dare to interrupt her.
"Here, mom. This is for you." Rachel stated proudly, handing Shelby a CD that read 'In my daughter's eyes'
Shelby took the CD and had to bite her lip to stop herself from crying. She had never been a fan of country music, but every time she listened to that song, she would shed a couple of tears thinking about Rachel. "Thank you so much, Rach. I will treasure this forever. I cannot wait to listen to it."
"I love you, mom" Rachel said, hugging Shelby. She didn't care they were in the middle of a museum and that people were staring at them. She finally had her mom in her life and she couldn't waste a single moment to show how much she needed her and loved her.
…
"What are you doing up so early?" Shelby asked, as she walked into the kitchen at 6:15am. She noticed her daughter had already taken a shower and was ready to head out of the house.
"Mom! You scared me!" Rachel said, trying to even her heart rate. She wasn't expecting Shelby to be up. "I have to be at the theater at 7."
"Don't you have classes today?" Shelby inquired.
"My first class is at 8. I just need to see Sidney before school." Rachel explained, walking towards the living room with a bottle of water and an apple.
"Don't tell me that's all you're having for breakfast." Shelby said, glancing at the red apple her daughter had in her hands.
"I'll get something in NYADA later" Rachel said, nonchalantly.
"No, sit down. I'll make you some eggs and have some milk." Shelby instructed.
"Mom, I can't have milk. You know it's not good for my throat, and I need to make a good impression in rehearsal today. I heard we have some investors coming." Rachel said, appalled at her mother's suggestion. "I'll have some lemon tea, though. But make it to go. I can't be late."
Shelby watched her daughter leaving the kitchen and shook her head. She never thought that she'd have to teach Rachel how to say please and thank you at her age, but apparently that was a lesson her daughter hadn't quite learned yet. She made her a lemon tea with honey and poured it into a thermos.
"I need to go!" Rachel said to her mother who was standing by the door holding the thermos. She tried to take it from her, but she was met with a disapproving look.
"Here's your tea, Rach. What's the magic word?" Shelby said, raising her eyebrow.
Rachel stared at her mom for a few seconds before she realized what her mother wanted. She was usually very polite, but she was known to forget her manners when she was in one of her big star moods. "Thank you, mom."
"Have a great day, honey" Shelby said, handing Rachel her tea. "Don't forget to eat something later!"
…
"Miss Berry, we are quite concerned about your lack of commitment. This is exactly what we feared when we gave you the role. You are very talented, but we may have made a mistake when we hired such a young actress to perform such a demanding role." Sidney said from behind his desk.
"Mister Greene, I am fully committed to Funny Girl." Rachel said. "There have been some changes in my life and that is why I had to miss rehearsal on Saturday."
"You have missed rehearsal twice, Miss Berry. Do you know how much money we lose every time our star is not here to rehearse? Do you know how that makes us look? Luckily, no investors have come when you are not here, Miss Berry, but they can show up unannounced and we cannot tell them to come back some other day because our star is dealing with some personal issues," the producer explained.
Rachel was finding it hard to keep her tears at bay. She never thought she would be scolded, after all, she was the star of the show and everyone was supposed to bow down to her. But it seemed like she was mistaken.
"I am sorry, Mr. Greene. I won't miss any other rehearsal." Rachel said, contrite.
"You'd better not, Miss Berry. We really do not want to hold auditions for the role of Fanny Brice again, but we will if we have to."
Rachel nodded. "You have my word, Mr. Greene. I will prove to you and Mr. Campion that you made the right choice by giving me the part."
"I am very glad to hear that." Sidney said, smiling for the first time since Rachel walked into his office. "Rupert is waiting on stage for you. I believe you will be rehearsing with Paolo this morning."
"This morning, sir?" Rachel asked in a concerned tone. It was already 7:35 and she needed to be at NYADA for vocal class at 8.
"Do you have a problem with that, Miss Berry?" Sidney asked.
Rachel shook her head. "No, no, of course not. I'm ready to rehearse," she said, with a broad smile.
As she walked to the stage, Rachel could hear Kurt's voice in her head, "Madame Tibideaux has asked me to tell you that you need to class on Monday or you are out of her class." She grew concerned for a minute, trying to figure out if Carmen would really kick her out of the class, but she quickly brushed those thoughts aside. She was sure Madame Tibideaux would understand. She had been admitted into school even after she choked during her first audition, and she knew Carmen was a big fan of hers, so she decided not to worry about it.
"Let's start with 'You are woman, I am man', shall we?" Rupert instructed.
…
"Rachel, where have you been?" Kurt asked as soon as he spotted Rachel walking down the hallways of NYADA. "Madame Tibideaux was furious this morning."
"I had rehearsal, Kurt. It just finished." Rachel explained.
"You'd better go find her and beg her to let you stay in her class." Kurt said in an urging voice.
"I am not going to beg, Kurt. She should be proud of having such a talented student in her class." Rachel said, outraged at her friend's comment.
Kurt rolled his eyes and sighed. He knew that he couldn't really reason with Rachel in that moment, so instead of arguing with his friend, he decided to change the topic. "I'll walk with you to Carmen's office. So, how did this weekend go? What happened on Saturday? You left the theater in such a rush."
Rachel blushed as she thought about her friend's question. "I went home. Shelby and I talked and we spent the weekend as a family."
"Did she talk to you about what happened on Friday? I still feel bad about that." Kurt said.
"We talked for a little bit and then it was all forgotten." Rachel said, not looking at her friend.
"She looked very angry when she walked me to the taxi." Kurt insisted.
"She isn't angry anymore, Kurt." Rachel said, getting a bit exasperated at her friend's insistence.
Kurt recognized Rachel's tone and decided to drop the subject. He had been honest with her about his own upbringing and was frustrated that his friend refused to open up to him, but he knew better than to keep insisting.
The two friends walked in silence for a couple minutes until Rachel spotted Carmen Tibideaux talking to Cassandra July on the hallway.
"Oh, great!" Rachel said, sighing.
Kurt followed Rachel's line of sight and put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Good luck, Rachel. I'll see you later."
"What a great friend you are!" Rachel said as she watched Kurt walk away.
The young brunette waited for Carmen to finish talking to Cassandra before she approached her. "Madame Tibideaux, may I talk to you, please?"
"Schwimmer, it looks like your days as a NYADA student are counted." Cassandra said smirking, before leaving Carmen and Rachel alone.
"Miss Berry, to what do I owe the honor of your presence?" Carmen asked in a sarcastic tone.
"I am sorry I wasn't able to attend class this morning, but I had rehearsal." Rachel explained.
"Didn't Mister Hummel tell you that today was your last chance to redeem yourself?" Carmen said.
"Madame Tibideaux, with all due respect, the reason why I missed class was because I was rehearsing for Funny Girl. I did not miss class because I decided to play hooky." Rachel explained.
"Miss Berry, I know that you think that getting a part on a musical makes you better than other students here, but it does not. You need to attend classes in order to pass the semester." Carmen replied in a serious tone.
"I have only missed three classes." Rachel said, getting defensive.
"You have missed four classes, Rachel, and you have arrived an hour late to more than five." Carmen explained.
A crowd was gathering around them as they continued talking on the hallway. Some students were surprised at Rachel's gall.
"I had dreamed of being Fanny Brice my whole life and I am not going to miss that opportunity. The only reason why I cannot attend every class is because I am at the theater. You of all people should be happy for me, Madame Tibideaux. Isn't that what you want for every student here? Isn't that what NYADA strives for?" Rachel asked in a condescending tone.
"I knew you were driven and ambitious when I met you, when you begged me to go see you at Nationals. I wanted you here because I saw a great future in you. But that ambition is blinding you, Rachel." Carmen said, shaking her head. "If you want to continue being a student here, you will have to retake my class next year. You are no longer enrolled as my student this semester."
"What? You cannot do that!" Rachel said, clenching her fists to stop herself from stomping her foot. "You should be proud of me! I am giving NYADA a better name and reputation!"
"Miss Berry, I suggest you take the rest of the semester to get your priorities straight." Carmen said, walking away.
Not caring about the audience that had formed around her, Rachel stomped her foot and then walked away as well.
…
Rachel was still pretty worked up when she left NYADA and she knew that she couldn't go home feeling that way. In the short time she had spent with her mother, she had learned that Shelby had a sixth sense and could always tell when something was bothering her daughter. The last thing Rachel needed was to be lectured by her mother. Instead, she went to Starbucks to study her lines while she drank some tea.
Rachel's concentration was interrupted by the chiming of her cell phone letting her know she had a new message. She rolled her eyes as she read it was Kurt asking her if they could meet. She was sure her friend couldn't wait to her what had just happened in NYADA.
"I'm at Starbucks." Rachel texted.
Rachel didn't have a chance to go back to her lines, since Kurt appeared two minutes after she had sent that text.
"Rachel, what happened with Madame Tibideaux?" Kurt asked. He had meant to stay and watch, but he was afraid he'd be seen by Carmen and she'd ask him to leave her class as well.
"Hello to you, Kurt." Rachel said, shaking her head. Sometimes she wasn't sure if Kurt was truly her friend or if he was just interested in gossiping. "Nothing happened. She clearly feels threatened by me."
"Threatened?" Kurt asked, as he let out an unintended chuckle.
"She knows how talented I am and I am sure the reason why she asked me to leave was because she didn't want other students to feel bad about their lack of talent." Rachel declared.
"No, the reason why she asked you to leave was because you haven't been attending her class." Kurt said.
"Whose side are you on?" Rachel asked, hurt that her friend didn't have her back once again. It felt as if it had become a recurrent pattern those days.
"I don't think this is a matter of taking sides, Rachel." Kurt replied. "So, are you officially out of her class?"
"Yes. You must be very happy now, Kurt. With me gone, you can finally be the best singer in class." Rachel added.
"Oh, Rachel, do we need to talk about Midnight Madness again?" Kurt asked, wanting to bring his friend down a peg or two.
"Come on, Kurt, we both know that was a fluke" Rachel answered, confidently.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night!" Kurt replied. "So, what are you going to tell Shelby?"
"I wasn't planning on telling her anything. But even if I did, I am sure she would understand." Rachel said, trying to convince herself that her mother would be okay with it.
"Yes, she seems very understanding." Kurt added. "Well, we can see how she reacts to the news, actually. She's coming this way."
"What?" Rachel asked, turning her head to look at her approaching mother.
"Hey, Rach!" Shelby said, smiling.
"Mom? What are you doing here?" Rachel asked, surprised to see her mom there.
"I was on my way to grab some lunch when I saw you here." Shelby replied. "Hello, Kurt, how are you?"
"Hello, Ms. Corcoran." Kurt replied.
"Mind if I join you?" Shelby asked, not wanting to intrude on her daughter and her friend.
"Let me get you a chair." Kurt said, standing up and getting Shelby a chair.
"Thank you, Kurt." Shelby said, taking a seat next to her daughter. "How did that talk with the producers go this morning?"
"Good." Rachel replied, not wanting to go into too many details. That day had definitely not been her day and she didn't want her mom to know she'd gotten lectured at the theater and then she'd been expelled from a class.
"Have you been able to work out some schedule with them so rehearsal doesn't interfere with school?" Shelby inquired. She had been surprised at the vague answer her daughter had just given her. She might still be getting to know Rachel, but one thing she was sure of was that her girl never missed a chance to blow her own horn, so she knew something had happened that morning.
Kurt glanced at Rachel and with a look, he challenged Rachel to tell Shelby the truth.
Rachel ignored Kurt and focused her attention on Shelby. "Sidney was very understanding."
"I'm glad. So you will have rehearsal every afternoon?" Shelby asked, not missing the look Kurt was giving her daughter.
Rachel nodded. "And some mornings."
"But not during school hours, right? You know how important school is." Shelby insisted.
"She must really have a sixth sense" Rachel thought as she smiled at her mom. "Don't worry, mom. I won't be missing any classes."
"No, she won't be missing any classes." Kurt assured Shelby, glaring at Rachel who had just kicked him under the table.
"I'm going to get some coffee and a panini. Can I bring you anything, Rach?" Shelby asked. She could see how anxious her daughter was and she was planning on getting to the root of it, but not on an empty stomach.
"I'm okay, thanks, mom." Rachel replied, giving her mother her best showbiz smile.
"What about you, Kurt? Can I get you anything?" Shelby asked.
"No, he was just telling me he had to go to work." Rachel said, before Kurt had a chance to reply. She trusted her friend, but she couldn't risk him asking more questions about that morning's events.
"Uh, yes, I have to go to the diner. I just came in a few minutes ago to say hello to Rachel." Kurt added.
"Oh, didn't you just see each other in class?" Shelby asked, confused.
"We did, yes, but …" Kurt looked at Rachel for help, as he didn't know what to say. He was usually very good at coming up with excuses, but Shelby had always made him a bit nervous and the look she was giving both Kurt and Rachel made him want to hide.
"He meant to say he came in to say good bye, since he left NYADA in a hurry." Rachel explained. She knew it wasn't really a lie, since Kurt had in fact left NYADA in a rush.
Shelby raised her eyebrow as she looked at Kurt and then at her daughter. They were both acting very strange. "It was nice to see you, then, Kurt. Have a good afternoon."
"Thank you, you too, Ms. Corcoran." Kurt replied, politely.
As soon as Shelby got up to place her order, Kurt spoke again. "Yes, I bet she will be very understanding!"
Rachel glanced at Shelby and then shrugged, just as she watched Kurt leave the coffee shop.
"I know you said you didn't want anything, Rach, but I got us a chocolate cake to share. You cannot say no to chocolate." Shelby said, walking back to the table and sitting down.
"That looks great, mom." Rachel said smiling.
"Is everything okay between you and Kurt?" Shelby asked. She was very curious about the scene she had witnessed.
Rachel nodded, as her mouth was full of chocolate cake. "Wow, this is amazing!"
Shelby didn't know why Rachel refused to talk about her day, but she didn't push her. She had been eighteen once and she knew what it was like to have your mom give you the third degree, so she concluded that it was better not to insist.
"This might just be one of the best chocolate cakes I've ever tried!" Shelby replied, agreeing with her daughter.
Shelby and Rachel spent the afternoon talking about trivial things such as their favorite movies and songs. They both enjoyed getting to know each other even better, as they realize they had the exact same taste in music and movies.
….
The rest of the week proved to be very taxing for Rachel. She hadn't had a chance to spend a lot of time with her mother and sister, since she was out of the house most of the day. The producers had taken her promise to fully commit to the show to heart and had been asking Rachel to stay until very late at night to rehearse, just as they had been asking her to get to the theater at 8 every morning. By Thursday evening, Rachel could barely stand on her feet when she arrived home.
"I am exhausted!" Rachel announced, plopping down on the couch.
"Do you have to work this weekend?" Shelby asked, concerned that her daughter was running herself ragged.
"No, I don't think so. I have to be at the theater very early tomorrow, but I think I'll have the afternoon off." Rachel replied, yawning.
"I'm glad. You need to be able to rest this weekend. Monday is the big day, huh?" Shelby said, smiling at her daughter.
"The big day? What big day?" Rachel asked. She had no idea what her mother was talking about.
Shelby chuckled. "I've even arranged to have someone else cover for me that day, so I can go and see you."
"Mom, you're not making any sense. Where are you going to see me?" Rachel asked, furrowing her brows. She didn't know if exhaustion was making her forget things, but she was sure nothing important was happening the following Monday.
"Wait, you don't want me to go?" Shelby asked with a hurt tone. "I just thought …"
Rachel sighed as she tried to suppress another yawn. Her head was hurting and trying to guess what her mom was saying was making her feel even worse.
"Mom, what are you talking about?" Rachel inquired again.
"NYADA Spring Showcase, of course." Shelby said.
"NYADA Spring … Oh!" Rachel said, suddenly becoming awake. "How do you know about that?"
Rachel knew it was time to confess she was no longer taking Carmen Tibideaux's class, so she wasn't participating in the showcase, but her tired brain couldn't come up with anything to say.
"I received an invitation on my email since I am subscribed to NYADA's newsletter." Shelby said. "I have been looking forward to it for a couple of days now."
"Oh …" Rachel said, as she tried to break the news to her mom. "I won't be participating in it, mom."
"Why not? The newsletter says every student has to be part of it, as it is the midterm evaluation for vocal class." Shelby asked.
"I-I can't be in it, mom." Rachel replied, avoiding her mother's eyes, which were reflecting both confusion and disappointment.
"If you have rehearsal that day, you need to cancel it. This is part of your evaluation." Shelby said, firmly.
Rachel took a deep breath and said, "I'm no longer taking that class."
"What do you mean you're no longer taking that class?" Shelby asked, sitting down on the table right across from Rachel.
"I decided to withdraw from that class." Rachel explained. "It was conflicting with my rehearsal schedule and I couldn't afford to miss rehearsal, so I talked to Madame Tibideaux and well, I am no longer in her class."
"No, Rachel, that is unacceptable. You told me rehearsal wasn't conflicting with any class. When did this happen?" Shelby asked.
"I don't know. On Monday, I think?" Rachel said, becoming annoyed that her mother didn't understand.
"On Monday? Wasn't that the day you told me you and the producer had worked out a schedule that allowed you to go to all your classes? Were you lying to me?" Shelby asked in an angry tone. She was sure her daughter had lied to her and one thing that made her blood boil was being lied to.
"You asked me if I'd be missing any classes and I said no, because I'd already withdrawn from that one, so I wasn't lying." Rachel replied, getting defensive.
"Rachel …" Shelby said with a warning edge in her voice.
Rachel let out a loud huff. "I need to focus on my career as an actress, mom."
"No, Rachel, what you need to do is focus on your studies," Shelby explained. "I know this role is a dream come true, but you don't know how long Funny Girl will be on stage and once it closes, you will need that foundation NYADA can give you."
"Everyone will know my name by then. I will be famous and I won't need NYADA" Rachel said, certain that Funny Girl was going to launch her into stardom.
Shelby shook her head. She knew she needed to find a way to make her daughter realize that show business was not as glamorous as she thought it was and being successful in one play didn't automatically mean you became famous.
"Not with that attitude, honey." Shelby said.
"What do you mean?" Rachel asked.
"You are very talented and that is the reason why you got that role." Shelby started saying, as she noticed her daughter boasted with pride at being called talented. "But you also need to be humble. You need to realize this opportunity was offered to you because you are NYADA student."
Rachel couldn't help rolling her eyes. She was playing Fanny Brice because she was the best singer in New York City, not because she went to that school.
"Hey, don't roll your eyes. You know I don't like it when you do that." Shelby said firmly. "Do you think the producers and the director would've considered giving you the part if you weren't a student at one of the most prestigious schools in the city?"
"Yes, they would. Of course they would. It was an open call audition. It wasn't only meant for NYADA students." Rachel explained, growing more and more irritated every passing minute.
"I know, but I am sure that small piece of information helped them make the final decision." Shelby said.
"So you're saying I owe it all to NYADA? Come on, mom!" Rachel replied. "That school is only holding me back!"
"No, it's not, Rachel! What's holding you back is your attitude …" Shelby said, slightly raising her voice. "I know you think dropping your vocal class was a smart decision, but I'm afraid it was not. Carmen Tibideaux is well-known around Broadway. Everyone respects her and being in her class is one of the greatest honors there are."
Rachel raised an eyebrow and stared at her mother with an incredulous look. "She isn't that wonderful."
"She is one of the best vocal coaches around the country, Rachel." Shelby said. "You need to reconsider your decision to withdraw from her class."
"I cannot go back." Rachel replied.
"I know you can officially withdraw from a class three weeks after the semester has started. Once those three weeks are through, you cannot do it formally." Shelby explained. "So I am sure you can still go back. I insist, your education is very important."
"Mom! I cannot go back!" Rachel replied, standing from the couch and attempting to go to her bedroom. She was tired of talking about it, and she was planning on storming out, but she was stopped by her mother grabbing her upper arm.
"Sit back down and explain to me why you can't go back." Shelby said, still holding Rachel's arm and letting her daughter know that request was not up for discussion.
"Carmen would never allow me to go back." Rachel replied.
"Why not? She might look very inflexible, but she can recognize talent and I am sure she would allow you to go back to her class." Shelby explained.
"No." Rachel said, shaking her head.
"Why not, Rachel?" Shelby insisted.
"Because she kicked me out of her class!" Rachel said, almost yelling.
Shelby stared at her daughter with a look of confusion and anger.
"What do you mean?" Shelby inquired.
"Carmen Tibideaux has expelled me from her course!" Rachel said. "I'm going to bed now!"
"No, you're not. We are going to talk about this." Shelby ordered, finally letting go of Rachel's arm. "Sit down."
"There's nothing to talk about. I'm not taking that course anymore. End of story!" Rachel replied in a rude tone, storming off to her bedroom.
Shelby took a deep breath before following her daughter. Not only was she upset about Rachel's hiding the truth from her but also about her present attitude. She walked to Rachel's bedroom and knocked on the door before letting herself in.
"There is one thing I will not tolerate in my house and that is disrespect. We have talked about this several times before. I did not appreciate you walking away from me and deciding our conversation was over when it clearly was not." Shelby said firmly, looming over Rachel who was sitting on the bed.
"As I said, mother, there is nothing else to talk about!" Rachel replied, not being intimidated by her mother and the look she was being given. "I would like to go to bed now."
"Rachel, I thought it had become clear how I felt about you speaking to me that way. I thought that lesson last Saturday had made an impression on you, but I can see we might need to repeat it." Shelby threatened.
Rachel scoffed, dismissing her mother's threat. She was not a child and a threat of a spanking was not scary. True, she had been over her mother's knee the previous week, but she knew the only reason why her mother had done that was because she had asked her, no, begged her to do it. She knew she had forced her mom to do that and she was sure that Shelby's current threat was an empty one.
"You're the one being disrespectful, mom. This is my room." Rachel answered.
"Yes, this is your room, but this is my house and you will abide by my rules while you are living under my roof." Shelby replied. "I am your mother and you will not speak to me that way. I won't tolerate any disrespect."
Rachel let out a loud sigh. "Okay, are we done?"
Shelby shook her head. "I will let you go to bed, Rachel. But make no mistake, the only reason why you are not over my knee is because we are both very tired, and I want to believe exhaustion is what's making you behave this way. I will let you go to sleep, but we are going to talk about this in the morning, and if your attitude hasn't changed, then I'll know that last talk fell on deaf ears and I will feel obligated to repeat it."
Rachel gulped, not feeling as brave anymore and nodded.
"Good night, Rach. I love you." Shelby said, kissing Rachel on the head.
"I love you too, mom." Rachel replied, in a low voice. She was still trying to process what her mother had just told her.
Shelby left Rachel's room and rubbed her temples. She thought back on the times her own mother had had that talk with her and she felt really bad about being that hard on her mom growing up. She smiled as she thought about what her mother told her one day, "You will have a daughter one day, Shelby, and you will pay for every gray hair you gave me."