I know it has taken me almost a year to update this story. I am so sorry! I have been extremely busy with two jobs and the MA I have been doing.
Thank you so much for all the reviews and all the PMs urging me to update. I really hope this new chapter is worth it.
...
"I'll see you tomorrow." Rachel said, waving her dads goodbye. "I love you."
"Thank you for everything, Shelby." Leroy spoke, before heading down to the elevator.
Shelby closed the door with a yawn. It had been quite an eventful night and she still had to do the dishes and clean the living room. She knew she could do it the following morning, but one thing she had always hated was a messy house, so she needed to clean that night; otherwise, she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep.
"Hey Rach, can you help me bring all those dishes to the kitchen, please?" Shelby asked, referring to all the plates and glasses that were still on the dining room table and on the living room one.
"Do we have to do that tonight?" Rachel replied with a slight whine. "It's late."
"It won't take too long." Shelby explained. "And the sooner you help me, the sooner you'll be able to go to sleep."
Rachel sighed as she approached the living room table and grabbed the four plates and the four forks there. Then, she went to the dining room and got everything from the table. She walked to the kitchen with her hands full, trying to balance everything.
"Mom, help!" Rachel called out, afraid she'd drop what she was holding.
"Rachel! What are you doing?" Shelby asked, taking some dishes from her daughter's hands.
"You told me to bring all the dishes to the kitchen." Rachel answered. "That's what I did."
"I didn't mean you needed to bring them all at once." Shelby said, shaking her head. "Thank you, Rach. I can take it from here. Why don't you go and get ready for bed?"
Rachel nodded, leaving her mother alone in the kitchen. Shelby hummed as she did the dishes and put everything away. She was about to put the last glass in the cupboard when she heard Rachel grunting and stomping around the apartment.
"Rach, are you okay?" Shelby asked from the kitchen.
"Beth's sleeping in my bed and she won't wake up!" Rachel complained. "Can you take her to her own bed?"
"I will. I just need to talk to you first. Why don't we go into my bedroom?" Shelby suggested.
Rachel sent her mother a hesitant look before shrugging and walking into Shelby's room. Her mom sat on the bed and asked Rachel to do the same. "Now that your dads are no longer here, I want to talk about what happened tonight. Why were you so defiant? You know that one thing I will never tolerate is disrespect."
"When was I disrespectful?" Rachel asked, getting upset. She had worked on the presentation her mother had forcefully demanded her to do, what else did her mom want?
"You were disrespectful when I told you that you had to work on your presentation. You were very defiant about it. Do I need to remind you we even needed to have a little chat in your bedroom?" Shelby scolded. "And right after that short talk, you continued being disrespectful. You gave me the cold shoulder during dinner and then stomped into your bedroom."
"You were being unfair!" Rachel argued. "My dads were here and you had no right to talk to me the way you did!"
"I had no right? I am your mother, Rachel, and that alone gives me the right." Shelby reprimanded.
"But …"
Shelby interrupted her daughter by shaking her head. "Rachel, I am not going to argue with you. I want to know why you thought you would be able to get away with that kind of behavior."
Rachel sighed and shrugged, losing all the fight she had in her. "I don't know. My dads were here."
"Your dads were here, so you thought I no longer had any authority over you?" Shelby questioned.
"No. I just thought … well … they never tell me off and I can get away with anything when they are around, so I just thought …" Rachel started to explain.
"That's not how this works, Rach. You asked me to be your mother and that is not something I can turn off when your dads are around." Shelby explained. "I know they let you get away with almost anything while you were living under their roof, but the rules are different here."
"I know." Rachel said, rolling her eyes.
"For instance, what you just did is something your fathers would overlook, but I am not them. You know I find it very disrespectful when you roll your eyes." Shelby admonished.
Rachel looked down and nodded. "I'm sorry, mom."
Shelby took Rachel's hand and smiled at her daughter. "I know it's very confusing, honey. You lived with them for eighteen years and then you moved to New York and lived by yourself for several months. You are not used to having rules, but I want to believe that what you told your dads tonight is true."
"It is, mom." Rachel admitted. "Despite feeling like I am being treated like a child sometimes, I feel I am more mature than I used to be. I don't know if that makes sense or not. I often wonder how it is possible that being told off and uh ... other things could actually make me feel more like a mature adult. Shouldn't it be the other way around?"
"Well, honey, as I told you once, being an adult means being responsible for your actions. It means thinking before you act." Shelby explained. "And that is what you are doing now. You are no longer that kid who would throw a tantrum and would get her own way. You have grown up so much, sweetie, I am very proud of you."
Rachel smiled and hugged Shelby.
Both mother and daughter stayed in each other's arms until they were interrupted by the sound of tiny feet approaching the bedroom. "I think your little sister is up now. You can go back to your room."
Rachel stood up and yawned. "Thank you, mom."
Shelby got up and hugged Rachel again, popping her daughter on the bottom before letting her go. "Goodnight, sweetie."
"Goodnight, mom." Rachel said, rubbing her bottom.
…
The next couple of days were extremely hectic for Rachel. Not only had she had to rehearse for longer hours, since the show was opening in two months, but she had also tried to spend as much time as she could with her fathers. She had taken them to all her favorite places in the city and they had also spent some time getting reacquainted with Shelby and getting to know Beth. Those few days Hiram and Leroy had spent in the city had been special for everyone. Both men were able to witness how happy their daughter was with Shelby, while Shelby, herself, had gotten a glimpse at how wonderful her daughter's childhood had been. Rachel was the one who had enjoyed those days the most. For the first time in her life, she had been able to spend some time with her three parents without being worried about anything.
"We have to go now, sweetie." Hiram said.
Rachel gave him a hug as she smiled. "I'll see you soon, daddy."
"As soon as you know when the show will be opening, you need to tell us, okay?" Leroy added.
"Of course! You'll be in the front row next to mom." Rachel replied. "I love you, daddies."
Rachel gave her fathers one final hug and then watched them take a cab to the airport.
…
"What are you doing today, Rach?" Shelby asked, as she noticed her daughter was getting ready to leave. "Do you have any plans?"
"I'm going out with Kurt and Santana." Rachel replied. "We might go to the movies."
"That sounds like fun." Shelby said. "What time will you be home?"
"I don't think I'll be home very late. I have to be at the theater at 9 tomorrow, and my voice needs to rest, so I should be back before 10." Rachel declared.
"If you think it'll be later than 10, please call me." Shelby asked.
Rachel was about to argue, but she remembered that talk they had had about Shelby wanting to know where she is, but not restricting her from going anywhere. "I will, mom."
"Okay, honey, have fun." Shelby added, going back to the book she was reading.
…
Rachel had been sitting on Kurt and Santana's couch for an hour and she was getting restless. They had been trying to come up with something fun to do, but so far, they hadn't come up with anything. Rachel couldn't believe that there was nothing a group of friends could do on a Saturday night in such a big city.
"I don't feel like seeing any of these movies." Kurt spoke.
"What if we go to a club?" Santana suggested, browsing through a magazine. "We could go to Barracuda."
Kurt chuckled. "I don't think Rachel will ever agree to that."
Rachel had never heard of the club, but the mere idea of going to one made her shudder. "I am not familiar with that club, but I do not feel like going dancing and drinking tonight. We could go to the theater."
"Again?" Santana asked in a bored tone.
The three friends remained quiet for a couple of minutes as they tried to figure out a plan.
"Look at this!" Santana suddenly said, showing Rachel and Kurt a picture of a girl covered in tattoos. "This lady is crazy!"
Kurt snatched Santana's magazine from her to be able to take a closer look at the picture. "That is too much!"
"Those tattoos don't even make any sense. I believe a tattoo should reflect who you are. It looks as if she went into the parlor and asked the artist to draw the ugliest tattoos he had!" Rachel added. "If I ever get a tattoo, it will be something meaningful and close to my heart."
"Would you really get a tattoo, Rach?" Kurt wondered.
"Yes, why not? In fact, I've been looking at some designs online and I think I know what I want." Rachel admitted.
"That's it! That's what we're doing tonight!" Santana spoke. "Come on, let's go!"
"Hold on, Santana, where are we going?" Kurt asked.
"We are all getting tattoos, come on!" Santana said.
"No, wait… I didn't mean I wanted to get one today." Rachel explained.
"Come on! This will be fun!" Santana insisted.
"It does sound like a good idea." Kurt declared. "I've been thinking about getting a tattoo."
Rachel stared at her friends for a minute and then smiled, "Okay, let's do it!"
The three friends found a tattoo parlor within walking distance to the loft.
"I am nervous. I don't know what tattoo to get." Kurt said as they walked to the parlor.
"I'll be getting a big topless mermaid on my arm." Santana stated.
Rachel stopped walking and forced Santana to stop as well by grabbing her arm. "You cannot be serious, Santana. That is so tacky. You cannot get a mermaid on your arm. What will people think of you? I thought you wanted to clean that reputation you had, but if you get a…"
Santana covered the brunette diva's mouth with her hand, stopping her from continuing her rant. "Whoa, midget, stop it. I was kidding. I was actually thinking about getting one of those Chinese symbols tattoos. Are you okay with that?"
Rachel nodded as Santana withdrew her hand. "That is a wonderful idea. I do have to say it sounds a bit like a cliché, but it is much better than a mermaid."
"So, Miss Perfect, what will you be getting?" Santana inquired.
Even though Rachel had a clear idea of what she wanted, she decided to keep it to herself. As she had mentioned before, she thought tattoos had to be something close to her heart and the design she was planning to get certainly was.
"It's personal." Rachel simply said.
"Is this the right place?" Kurt asked, as they were all standing in front of a dark parlor that appeared to have red walls.
"Painted Skinz" Santana read. "Yes, this is it. Let's go in."
They were greeted by a woman in a tank top and shorts who was covered in tattoos from neck to toes. The music was loud and the atmosphere felt heavy.
"Are you lost?" the woman asked in a rude tone.
"No. We are here to get a tattoo." Santana replied.
The woman chuckled as she raised her eyebrows. "You do realize this will be permanent, right? I do not give cute henna tattoos to kids."
"You do realize we are paying customers, right?" Santana replied. Her two friends seemed too intimidated to even speak a word.
"I need to see some IDs" the woman emphasized.
Santana and Kurt got their IDs out of their pocket and presented them to the woman, who studied them and gave them back. Then she turned to Rachel, who was actually the one who looked the youngest. "What about you?"
"I can't find it." Rachel stated, as she continued looking for it in her purse. "It should be here. I remember I switched purses and… Oh no!"
"What's wrong?" Kurt asked.
"I know where it is. I left it on the night table." Rachel admitted.
"No ID, no tattoo. It's that simple." the woman said. "I cannot afford being sued for tattooing a minor without parental consent."
"I am not a minor. I am eighteen years old and just so you know, I am the star of the upcoming Broadway revival of Funny Girl." Rachel boasted.
"Good for you! Still, no ID, no tattoo." the woman in the parlor emphasized.
"Can't you go get it?" Santana asked, getting frustrated.
"Do you know how long it'll take me to get home and back?" Rachel replied.
"I guess we will have to come up with other plans for tonight." Kurt added.
"No. We are getting a tattoo tonight." Rachel claimed. "Let me make a call."
Rachel stepped out of the parlor and took her phone out of her pocket. "Mom, are you busy?"
"Hi, Rach, how's your evening going?" Shelby asked. "I'm just cleaning the living room."
"I forgot my ID at home and I need it to…" Rachel started to say.
"Where are you?" Shelby interrupted. "You are not trying to go into a club, are you?"
"No, mom, of course not. I'll explain it when you arrive. Could you bring my ID, please?" Rachel asked again, as she gave Shelby the address of the place where she was.
Shelby wrote down the address and went into Rachel's room to look for the ID. It was exactly where her daughter had said she would find it. "I first need to know where you are and what you need it for."
Rachel sighed and said, "I'm getting a tattoo."
The words that came out of her daughter's mouth were the last thing she'd expected to hear. She had no idea Rachel wanted to get a tattoo. She wanted to ask how Rachel had come to that decision, but she knew it wasn't the right time.
"Okay, I'm on my way." Shelby said.
Rachel went back into the parlor and smiled, "Shelby's on her way."
"You called your mother?" Santana asked surprised. As much as she refused to admit it, she still found Shelby rather intimidating.
"Do you think that was a good idea, Rach?" Kurt wondered. He had decided that he wouldn't tell his father about him getting a tattoo, and Burt was not as scary as Shelby was, in his eyes.
"She's just bringing my ID. I am an adult and she has no say in whether I get a tattoo or not." Rachel stated.
"If you say so." Kurt said, shrugging.
The three friends sat down on a red leather couch as they browsed through the tattoo artist's portfolio. Every now and then, they would point at some tattoo and they would discuss how it would look on them.
Shelby wasn't familiar with the area, so it took her longer than expected to find the address her daughter had given her. As she walked down the poorly lit streets, she held on to her purse closely to her chest as she sped up her pace. She finally arrived at the parlor where Rachel and her friends were and climbed down the three steps that led to the lounge.
"Finally!" Rachel exclaimed as she spotted her mother. She stood up and walked to the main desk. "I can get my tattoo now. Mom, do you have my ID?" Rachel asked, turning to Shelby.
"I do. But you're not getting a tattoo here." Shelby said. "Come on, let's go."
The woman at the parlor snickered as she looked at the scene that was about to unfold in her shop.
"No. I am not leaving without a tattoo on my hip!" Rachel forcefully replied. "I am an adult, and if I want to get a tattoo, I am going to get one!"
"Rachel…" Shelby started to say, but she was interrupted by her daughter.
"It's my body, mom, and I am not planning on getting a big one. I want to get something meaningful and tasteful, and you have no right to tell me I can't." Rachel continued. "I don't even need a consent form signed by you anymore. I am old enough to make this decision."
Kurt and Santana nervously glanced at one another. They knew their friend had no filter, but they didn't think she could be so foolish. To them, it was obvious that Rachel was going to lose that particular battle.
Shelby put her hands on Rachel's shoulders to stop her rant. "Are you done?"
"Mom, this is not your decision to make." Rachel insisted. "It's my body."
"I agree, but I am not going to allow you…" Shelby started explaining, but she was once again interrupted by her daughter.
"I am getting that tattoo!" Rachel exclaimed, as she freed herself from Shelby and walked towards the back of the parlor. She turned to the tattoo artist and added, "I am ready."
Shelby took a long breath as she counted to ten. She was getting angry at the defiance her daughter was showing, but she didn't want to fight with Rachel. She only wanted Rachel to listen to her.
"Okay, we are leaving." Shelby said, grabbing Rachel's arm. "Kurt, Santana, you are coming as well. You are not getting a tattoo here either. Come on."
Kurt and Santana nodded and rushed to the door, as they watched Rachel fighting to free herself from her mother's grip.
"I am very sorry if they made you waste your time." Shelby added, as she turned to the tattoo artist.
"Oh no, there is no need to apologize. I hadn't had this much fun in a long time." The woman replied.
Rachel glared at Shelby as she was forced to leave the tattoo parlor. Her mother was being very unfair. If Rachel hadn't forgotten her ID at home, she would've been able to get the tattoo without Shelby having any sort of opinion on it. She thought it was absolutely unreasonable that Shelby had made the three of them leave.
"Is your apartment nearby?" Shelby asked Kurt and Santana once they had left the shop.
"It's a couple of blocks away." Kurt replied.
"Okay. Lead the way." Shelby said, as she finally released Rachel's arm.
"Why are we going back to the loft?" Rachel complained. "Shouldn't you go and pick Beth up?"
"Beth's with Anna. There's no hurry." Shelby explained. "And we are going there, because we need a quiet place to talk."
Kurt and Santana didn't dare to say anything, so they just continued walking, leading Shelby to the building where they lived.
"We didn't know we'd have any guests, so the living room is a bit messy." Kurt started to explain. "We don't usually keep it this way, but we have been so busy this week that we haven't had any time to get around to cleaning it and…"
Shelby smiled as she put a hand on Kurt's shoulder. "It's okay, Kurt. Don't worry about it."
"I'm sorry, Ms. Corcoran." Kurt apologized.
"Shelby." Shelby corrected Kurt. "You know you can call me Shelby."
"So uh… do you want anything to drink?" Santana asked politely.
Rachel rolled her eyes as she saw, once again, how strange her friends acted when they were around her mother. "Why are you both being so weird?"
"Thank you, Santana. We won't be here long." Shelby said. "Let's all sit down. I have a few questions to ask you."
Kurt and Santana immediately took a seat on the couch, as Rachel crossed her arms and remained on her feet. "I don't feel like sitting down."
Shelby sighed and shook her head as she sat on a chair. "I know you think I am being unfair, Rachel, but I am not. Just listen to what I have to say and you will understand why you couldn't get a tattoo there… Tell me, guys, why do you want a tattoo?"
"They look cool." Santana said.
Kurt agreed as he added, "Motivation. I want to be reminded that it gets better."
"What is your reason, Rach?" Shelby asked, turning to look at her daughter, who was still standing.
"I don't know what you want to hear. Will my answer have any effect on whether I will be allowed to get one or not?" Rachel answered in a harsh tone.
"Excuse us, please." Shelby said, standing up and leading Rachel into the space between the fridge and the bathroom. "You need to change that attitude and listen to me. That place where you wanted to get your tattoo was not safe. It didn't look very clean. You could've gotten a skin infection. Did you ever think of the risks?"
Rachel shrugged, not wanting to admit that they hadn't even thought about the possibility of them catching some sort of infection from getting a tattoo.
"I know I cannot stop you from getting a tattoo, but I can take you to a clean and safe place. I know one." Shelby explained. "And I was going to take you there tonight, but I'm afraid it'll have to wait until next weekend."
"Why? It should still be open. Aren't those places open all night?" Rachel asked.
"I believe it is open until midnight, but I cannot reward that rude attitude you've shown me since I walked into the parlor." Shelby told her daughter.
Rachel bit her lower lip as she looked at the ground. Now that she knew the reason why her mother had been so adamant about them not having a tattoo done in that particular place, she felt very bad. "I'm sorry."
"Oh Rach, you remind me so much of myself when I was your age." Shelby admitted.
Rachel looked up and smiled. She liked to be reminded that despite not having been raised by Shelby, she took after her. "I really am sorry, mom. I just assumed…"
"I know." Shelby said. "Let's go back to the living room. I am sure Kurt and Santana's necks are getting tired of all the stretching to try to hear what we are saying."
"Before we go back, mom. You asked me why I wanted to get a tattoo. I have the answer." Rachel explained. "It's you. You are the reason."
Shelby looked at her puzzled. "What do you mean, Rach?"
"I spent my whole childhood looking for that missing piece." Rachel said. "And I've finally found it. I want a keepsake, a tattoo that reminds me that I am whole now."
"What kind of tattoo will you be getting?" Shelby asked.
"You'll have to wait and see, mom." Rachel replied, walking back into the living room.
"You're still alive!" Santana said, being careful not to be heard by Shelby.
"Okay. If you are all serious about getting a tattoo, I know a place." Shelby told them.
"Tonight?" Rachel asked, hoping Shelby would say yes.
"No, not tonight. We can go tomorrow." Shelby replied.
Santana and Kurt looked at each other as they had a short silent conversation.
"I… I think I'll wait." Kurt said.
"Rachel told me my tattoo would be too cliché, so I'd better wait too." Santana added.
"What? This was something we were supposed to do together!" Rachel protested.
"I know. And if we had gotten a tattoo when we first arrived in the parlor, I would've gone for it." Kurt explained. "But I am not so sure I want to have some ink on my skin for the rest of my life anymore."
"Yeah, the adrenaline rush has worn off." Santana agreed. "I will get a tattoo, eventually."
"Well, I am getting a tattoo." Rachel confessed. "I thought this was going to bring us closer as friends, but I can see that, as usual, I have been left alone. I should be used to it by now."
Santana shook her head as she listened to her dramatic friend, while Kurt looked at Shelby begging her to help them. He didn't want to lose Rachel's friendship once again.
"I am sure there are many other things the three of you can share and do together. A tattoo might not be the best bonding experience." Shelby explained. "But Rach, if you are sure you want to get a tattoo, I'd be happy to go to the parlor with you."
Rachel nodded and smiled. "Thanks, mom."
Rachel and Shelby left the apartment in Bushwick and took the subway to Midtown. On their way back to their apartment, they talked about some ideas Rachel had for the tattoo she wanted to get, but she never revealed what she was actually getting.
"What time do you think you'll be done with rehearsal tomorrow, Rach?" Shelby asked, before they went to bed.
"I have to be there at 9, so we should be done by 2." Rachel replied.
"We can have lunch and then we can get you that tattoo, if you'd like." Shelby said, smiling.
"That sounds perfect!" Rachel answered. "Goodnight, mom."
…
The following morning, Rachel woke up in a better mood than usual. She had been thinking about getting a tattoo ever since she had gotten the role of Fanny Brice on Broadway, but she knew that the tattoo she wanted to get would mean even more now that she and her mother had reunited. Rachel smiled the entire way to the theater; she couldn't wait to get a tattoo that afternoon.
"Someone's in a wonderful mood today." Paolo San Pablo said, smiling at his co-star.
"I'm just excited about this afternoon." Rachel confessed. "I'm getting a tattoo."
"A tattoo?" Paolo asked surprised. "Have you talked to Sidney about it?"
Rachel furrowed her brows as she shook her head. "Why would I talk to Mr. Greene about it?"
"You're under contract, and after that scare you gave Rupert the last time, we all agreed that any major change needs to be approved by the producers and the director." Paolo explained.
"It will be hidden from everyone, so I don't see why I should ask Mr. Campion or Mr. Greene if I am allowed to get a tattoo." Rachel commented. "Excuse me. I need to run some lines with Claire."
Rachel felt her good mood evaporate as she walked away from Paolo. The rest of the rehearsal wasn't as pleasant as she had expected it to.
As soon as the director dismissed them all, Rachel rushed through the doors to meet her mother. She was once again excited about their plans for the afternoon. Of course, she wasn't expecting Beth to join them.
"What is she doing here?" Rachel asked the minute she walked out of the theater and saw her mother and sister waiting for her by the main entrance.
"Hello to you, too, sweetie." Shelby said. "How did your rehearsal go?"
Rachel shrugged. She didn't want to engage in conversation with Shelby. She wanted to know why Beth was going with them to the tattoo parlor. Was she even allowed to go inside? Rachel felt some jealousy running through her veins. She thought she was past that feeling, but every time she saw her mother with the little blonde girl, she was hit by an uneasy feeling in her stomach.
"Wachel! Mommy said you can choose where to have lunch!" Beth announced. She was oblivious to what was going on.
Rachel ignored her little sister as she glanced at her mother. "Is she coming with us this afternoon?"
"She's only coming with us to have lunch." Shelby said. She could understand how Rachel was feeling, so she decided not to call her out for her attitude. "After lunch, we will be dropping Beth off at Anna's."
"Okay" Rachel said, smiling. "So, I can choose where to have lunch, huh?"
"No yucky food, please." Beth pleaded.
"How about Two Tablespoons?" Rachel suggested. "They have hamburgers there, Beth."
"Yummy!" Beth exclaimed.
"Do they really have hamburgers there?" Shelby whispered.
"Beet and bean hamburgers, yes." Rachel explained, smirking.
Shelby shook her head as she looked at Beth. "Beth, baby, you mentioned you were already hungry, right? Would you like a hot dog now?"
Beth nodded and smiled. "Can I order it?"
"Sure, go ahead." Shelby said, chuckling.
Beth walked to the hot dog cart on the corner and smiled back at Shelby as she asked the hot dog vendor for one with everything.
"She is going to ruin her appetite!" Rachel complained.
"That's the idea." Shelby replied.
…
"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Shelby asked.
Rachel and Shelby had walked to the tattoo studio right after they had dropped Beth off at her friend Anna's. Shelby hadn't been there in over seventeen years, but the place looked exactly as it used to when she had been there to get her tattoo. She wanted to go behind the curtain with Rachel, as she knew how much a tattoo could hurt and she wanted to be there for her daughter, but Rachel had stated that getting a tattoo was a rite of passage and she didn't want her mom holding her hand while she was getting it.
"Mom, I'll be okay." Rachel said, for the tenth time. "I want you to see the finished product."
"Okay. I'll be here." Shelby replied, taking a seat on one of the couches.
"Are you ready?" Callie, the tattoo artist, asked.
Rachel nodded and started walking towards the back of the studio, as she explained exactly what she wanted. She had a music sheet with her and as soon as she was behind the curtain, she gave the music sheet to Callie and asked to get that tattoo on her hip.
Callie carefully drew a design to show Rachel and once it was approved, she started getting everything ready.
"Will it hurt a lot?" Rachel asked, before lying down to start getting inked.
"It will hurt, I won't lie to you, but it shouldn't be too unbearable." Callie assured her.
The process from start to finish took two hours. Rachel winced every time the needle came in contact with her skin and she felt a few tears rolling down her face, but just as Callie had said, it hadn't been too unbearable.
While Shelby was waiting for her daughter, she kept wondering what kind of tattoo her daughter was getting. They had talked about some ideas the night before, but she wasn't sure what Rachel was actually going for. She kept browsing through the catalogue and kept hoping her daughter hadn't decided to get one of those awful tattoos she was looking at. She was sure Rachel wasn't getting anything flashy or tacky, but she was still worried. Every five minutes, Shelby checked her watch and sighed. She felt she had been sitting there for an eternity.
"Remove the bandage in three hours and wash it with non-scented liquid anti-bacterial soap. Don't scrub on it, just wash it gently." Callie told Rachel. "And don't forget to apply some lotion on it five times a day."
Rachel nodded as she absorbed all the information. "And it should start healing in a week, right?"
"That's right." Callie said. "I'll go see your show, for sure."
"Ready?" Shelby asked when Rachel finally walked out. "How was it?"
"I can't wait for you to see it, mom!" Rachel declared, excitedly. "You will have to wait at least three hours, though."
Rachel paid for the tattoo with the card her dads had given her before she moved to New York and smiled at Callie, before leaving the studio with Shelby. She was very happy with her newly acquired work of art, as it had a very special meaning to her.
…
"Is it supposed to itch this much?" Rachel asked, as she stepped out of the bathroom after taking a shower.
"Let me take a look at it." Shelby said.
"But it's still red, and you can't truly see what it is." Rachel replied. "I mean, you can see the outline, but you can't see everything too clearly."
"I just need to make sure it's not infected." Shelby added.
At the word 'infected', Rachel hurried to show her mom the tattoo she'd gotten.
"It doesn't look infected." Shelby declared as she stared at the tattoo of a flowing music staff with music notes written on it.
"Funny Girl." Rachel said, assuming her mother was wondering what she was looking at. "They are the first twelve notes of Funny Girl"
"It's beautiful." Shelby replied.
Rachel nodded. "I knew you were my mom the minute you started singing that song during rehearsal. And although that song had always had a special place in my heart, it became even more important to me after I heard you sing it. When I was a child, I used to wonder what my mom was like and whether we were similar or not, and the moment you started singing that song, I knew how connected we had always been despite the distance between us."
Shelby smiled and nodded, as she allowed Rachel to continue talking.
"When I was thinking about what kind of tattoo I wanted to get, I realized I wanted to get one that meant something for me. If I was going to get something permanent on my body, it needed to be something that held some special significance to me." Rachel added. "And that's when I started thinking about Funny Girl. The show is no longer about Barbra; it is no longer a mere musical on Broadway. No, this tattoo represents what I cherish the most in life, music and you. Especially you, mom."
Shelby had tears in her eyes as she listened to her daughter speak. She didn't know what to say. "Thank you, baby."
"Do you like it?" Rachel asked.
"I love it." Shelby said. "And I have something to show you. Now it's time for me to tell you the story behind my own tattoo."
Shelby lifted her shirt and let Rachel see the tattoo in her lower back.
"Is that…" Rachel started to say, as she looked at a baby's footprint with her own date of birth written below it.
"Yes. That's your footprint. When you were born, the hospital did some footprints of you, and I begged your dads to let me keep a copy. They gave me the copy right before they took you home." Shelby told Rachel. "On your first birthday, I went to the same tattoo parlor we went to today and I got that tattoo. You have always been a part of me."
Just like her mother did when she was telling Shelby the story, Rachel had some tears in her eyes. "I love you, mom".
"I love you with all my heart, Rachel. I always have and I always will." Shelby replied, hugging Rachel.