Ahh it's been forever I know! I've been crazy busy :/ Here's a super long chapter for my amazing readers though.
(please excuse any grammatical errors. I'm sure there's a few sneaky ones in here that got away from me.) Enjoy!
Shelby stormed out of the auditorium. Her heels clacked loudly against the empty halls of Carmel High School.
She pressed her weight against the metal handle and pushed open the heavy double doors that led to the back parking lot. The phone kept buzzing obnoxiously loud in her hand.
She took a deep breath, gulped down the crisp September air and pressed her thumb down over the talk button. She brought the phone to her ear and heard that all too familiar voice smile on the other end.
"What" She snapped.
"Woah." She could hear his smile. She could just see his annoyingly tanned handsome face. "Well hello to you too Shel."
Robert Corcoran, Dr. Robert Corcoran, strolled out of his much larger, much more renowned, 5th Avenue office. It wasn't the same as the one on Park Avenue. This one didn't have the cozy worn leather couches, the gold trimmed waiting room stacked with magazines and pamphlets, the young blonde receptionist behind the front desk, the carpeted halls, or the office with his ornate mahogany desk lined with pictures of the smiling faces of his wife and kids.
No.
This one was white, and steel, and industrial looking, and decorated by the cities leading interior designer who had been hired and paid a substantial amount of money to create that new modern look that reeked of "sexy", "young","hip" and "rich". Those were the words the flamboyant designer and his team had used after they tossed the old pictures claiming it took away from the office's ambiance. It worked though, the office boomed with instant success. New York's elite were actually competing for one of the highly coveted appointments. There was no price too high and no shameless connection too blase for a chance at the magic hands of Dr. C to work wonders on their aging faces. To keep them all looking young, beautiful and plastic.
Rob winked goodbye at his nurses, he nodded his head as he passed the young brunette model receptionist and smirked as he heard his ex-wife bark into the phone.
"Don't call me that."
Miles away Rob Corcoran stepped out into the busy city streets and walked over towards the parked black Lincoln town car waiting for him.
"Don't call you what..Shel?"
"Yes Rob. Why the hell are you calling back. I already told you this morning" She was dealing with a child.
"Or did you not understand what I was saying? Do I need to put it in simpler terms for you to understand and get it through your thick head?" She wasn't looking for an answer as she spoke quickly and harshly into the phone, "Well then here. Let me break it down for you again Rob. They don't. Want. To. See You!"
"But they-"
"NO." Shelby cut him off, "They don't want to see you. End of story. Goodbye Robert."
"Shelby. Shel? Shelb...dammit." Robert slowly brought the phone down from his ear. He settled back into the black leather and stared out of the window watching the city rush by.
He wasn't going to give up without a fight."Change of plans," He tore his attention back inside the car and spoke to his driver, "We're not going to Le Bernadins just yet. I need to make an important stop elsewhere."
Shelby angrily tore the phone away from her and seriously contemplated smashing it against the brick wall.
Just once she wanted to be able to understand the mind of Robert Corcoran.
How was he so relentless?
At least she didn't give him a chance to talk this time. Screw him and his ability to talk his way out of any situation.
There was a time though where she used to fall for it.
There was a time where she believed everything that came out of his mouth. Those days were done.
That Shelby was gone.
New York City 2002
Shelby Corcoran belted out the last notes of "I Dreamed a Dream." She was standing on the stage, the warm spotlight hitting her shoulders and igniting that feeling she felt whenever she was doing the one thing she loved most. She had come a long way from being the naive little girl of Lima Ohio with the big dreams of one day making it on broadway.
She had turned her dreams into a reality and now here she was, playing Fantine in Les Miserables. She had done it. She had made it. She had fallen in love all over again with the lure of the theater. That wasn't only the thing that stole her heart.
He was the son of a wealthy banker and when they first met he was only a med student who just happened to stumble upon the small cafe she had been working at to make ends meet. She was barely scraping enough money together to pay for the rent in her tiny little studio apartment in the Village. She was truly living the life of a struggling artist.
And yet here she was, after all of that hard work and a Tony under her belt, she was one of the most sought after and highest paid actresses on Broadway. Her and Rob, the love of her life had built a happy family together and lived in her dream apartment in the city, The Eldorado, overlooking Central Park. They had the most beautiful children imaginable, Her precious Noah. Her baby boy, her happy unexpected surprise. He was such a precocious child and made her truly realize how much love her heart was capable of producing. Then came her gorgeous baby Santana and her love grew even more. San was such a spitfire even at such a young age. She was definately daddy's little girl and Shelby adored the relationship the two shared. Then finally came her youngest. Just when Shelby thought her heart couldn't possibly expand more. Her sweet baby girl who had the ability to light up any room was born, her Rachel. Shelby swore she was the luckiest woman alive. She sometimes found herself pinching her arm just to make sure this wasn't all still just a crazy fantasy dreamt up by the Lima Ohio school girl .
And as she stood up on that stage, searching deep inside and loosing herself to the character Fantine, she tried her best to relate to her. To relate to that woman, coming from nothing , rising up despite the harsh society and the constant bereavement she endured. Here was a woman who had to care for a child, when a man had fooled her and left her to raise and love a child on her own. Shelby tried her best to understand where this woman came from, she tried her best to relate to her thinking how hard and difficult it must have been.
She had Rob, she had her family, she had security, her life was far from Fantine's. But she was an actress dedicated to her art and so imagining Fantine's situation and completely throwing herself in that state of mind was just another part of her job.
And Shelby was good at her job.
"That was excellent!" The director actually stood and clapped, mesmerized by the woman's ability to completely loose herself in the character and delivering such a strong and believable performance.
"Let's take ten and when we get back we can start from the beginning of Act I" The director folded his glasses into his pocket and Shelby took a moment to compose herself. That song always took her away to another place and left her emotions scattered.
She felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her torso.
"I swear I don't know how you do it B. You truly are amazing, If only I were straight."
She coyly smiled at her famous friend and spun around in a complete 180 to get a good look at him.
"Oh please don't give me that "I don't know what you're talking about John" He spoke in his best Shelby impersonation voice and the actress laughed at her friend. "You are one fierce actress and you know it!" He snapped his finger and engulfed her delicate hand in his as he led them both off stage and towards the dressing rooms.
" Your not too bad yourself J." She grinned.
"I know" John raised his shoulder and displayed his best demure look. Shelby's laugh bubbled up from her stomach as she headed for the door that had her name emblazoned on the plaque in front of it.
"Oh good Shelby, your cell phone keeps ringing, I didn't know whether I should pick it up or not?" Her make-up artist swiveled in the chair positioned in front of the vanity mirror.
"Oh I'll take it thanks Ange." Shelby smiled, and glided towards the phone.
"By the way you did amazing as usual." Angela stopped just outside the door as she gave her client her much deserved compliment, "The audience is going to be blown away by tomorrow night's performance!"
"Thanks Ange!" Shelby waved and crinkled her nose as she picked up the bulky black wireless phone and brought it up to her ear.
"Hello?" She smiled and nodded her head and waved as Angela closed the door to her dressing room.
The unmistakable voice on the other end caused Shelby's smile to widen and her heart to soar.
"Sweetheart!"
However the usual cheery voice belonging to her eight year old was no where to be heard. "Mommy you have to come home." The sound of her daughter's voice definitely confirmed that she was indeed crying. "Now!" She wailed.
The poised broadway actress felt as if she were strapped in a roller coaster. She had just delivered an emotional performance, then felt a sudden high of happiness only to have her emotions dip back down once again as she heard the fear behind her daughter's voice.
A million thoughts and questions raced through her head.
"Santana?" She heard sniffling and knew something was definitely wrong. Shelby was instantly up on her feet, already grabbing her coat off the hanger, throwing her things inside her bag and heading straight for the door. "San honey what happened? Why are you crying?"
She heard more sniffling.
Where was Grace?
"Ah Berry ..er.. I mean Corcoran. Still keep forgetting after all these years. There's a change I want to go over with you in the last line.." The Director spoke to her but Shelby held her hand up and stormed right passed him.
"I'm sorry Dave but I have to go home. It's an emergency!"
Apparently being one of the highest paid actresses in the production allowed you some leeway, because Shelby walked right out of the theater during dress rehearsal without anyone stopping her.
She made it uptown in record time. She threw a twenty dollar bill at the cab driver the minute he pulled up to the curb.
"Your change lady!"
"Keep it!" She ran right passed Joe, stormed into the elevator and rode the 29 floors in silence, combing over every possible situation. She had finally managed to get a few coherent words out of Santana, and her daughter eventually sputtered out something about Rachel and being hurt and crying and her daddy.
Shelby's feet carried her down the hall and quickly into the penthouse where she threw her things down by the foyer and headed straight for the bedrooms.
"Kids! San? Rachel! Noah! Mommy's home" She didn't even bother looking for the nanny she just walked right towards Rachel's room and felt relieved when she saw her three kids all huddled together on the bed.
Rachel was laying down in the middle as Santana had her arms wrapped protectively around her from the back and Noah just lay arms folded behind his head next to her on the other side, offering comfort.
"My babies what happened!" Shelby rushed over, the worry apparent and etched on her face.
Noah quickly jumped and ran over towards his mom as Shelby bent down eye level with her son and engulfed him in a hug.
"Mom I don't know dad came home and he was mad and he yelled at Rachy and then he just left." Noah was talking really fast.
"Slow down buddy" Shelby ran her hands gently through his soft hair.
"Dad was just real mad." Her nine year old shot his eyes over to the bed and Shelby stood up and followed his line of sight.
"Mommy." Shelby could see her oldest daughter was trying her hardest to keep a brave face on, that was her San, always competing to be the "toughest" I guess it must have been a family flaw.
Santana sniffled and reluctantly removed her arms from Rachel and brought them up and around her moms slender neck. She buried her head in her moms chest and her body shuddered.
"It's okay baby I'm here. You did good by calling me."
Santana pulled away and wiped her nose with the back of her hand, "Mom?"
"Yeah honey." Shelby wished there was more of her to spread out evenly and comfort each of her three children. She kissed Santana and moved over towards Rachel.
Her youngest was lying still on the bed, she barely even acknowledged her presence. "Rach baby" Shelby scooped up her daughter and the little girl let her head droop limply against her mother's shoulder. Shelby ran her hands soothingly along her tiny back.
"San honey can you explain to me what happened please? And where is Gracie!"
She braced herself.
"Mommy Noah and Me came home and and Rachel wasn't in the playroom like she usually is you know and I found her crying in my room and then I asked what was wrong but she wouldn't tell me. She still hasn't told me and then Daddy came and he was really angry mom. Like REAL angry and he grabbed Rachel and he pushed me and said bad words and he said she was punished and told me not to talk to her or go into her room. Then he left." Santana rushed out and started sniffling again.
"But I didn't listen to him mommy I ran into the room and Ray was crying and she has a bruise on her arm mom look." Santana walked forward and pointed at the large purpling bruise.
Her heart had been numb with worry before to the point where Shelby thought it had stopped beating. But now it was one hundred percent responsive and ramming angrily in her chest.
She was furious.
Where was her husband? What did he do? And where the hell was Grace!
"Rachel my sweet girl can you tell me what happened? Can you tell me what happened with you and Daddy? Please talk to mommy." She gently shook her shoulder and kissed the top of the tiny's girl head.
Whatever had happened had clearly left her daughter traumatized to the point where she wasn't talking.
To anyone.
Shelby had been pacing the floor, cradling Rachel and offering soothing words. She was wracking her brain with worry, trying anything to get her speaking.
The only progress she made was that Rachel had wrapped her tiny arms around her neck and gripped tight.
"Mommy I think daddy's back." Santana stuck her head in the door with a worried expression on her face.
Shelby shot up not realizing how her little girl began to tremble in fear as she quickly positioned her securely around her waist and grabbed Santana's hand leading them towards her room.
"San sweetheart, please stay with your sister and close the door." She tried her best to remain calm and not alert the kids as she walked over towards the bed and gently lay Rachel down, the little girl didn't want to let go but Santana was able to coax her to unclench her fingers, "I'm gonna go talk with Daddy kay girls."
Shelby stood up and had to forcibly pry herself away from the room, "Noah honey can you go check on your sisters please?" She cupped her sons face as he nodded and obeyed. "Kay ma."
She watched him turn down the hall and disappear behind the closed door. Only then did she let herself head over towards the main entrance, silently thanking the enormous size of the apartment and hoping there was enough distance so the kids wouldn't be able to hear anything because she was about to rip into her husband.
Rob walked into the penthouse wearing one of his classic suits, his appearance completely different from when he stormed off earlier. He had a bouquet of roses in one hand and a giant white paper bag with flaming red letters spelling FAO Schwartz in the other. He heard his wife's heels approaching him and took a deep breath just as Shelby stormed into the kitchen.
"Hi honey." He whimpered and placed the bag down on the counter as Shelby frowned and marched right up to him, her eyes ablaze with anger.
"What the hell Rob!" Her voice rose and bit angrily as Rob's jaw muscles clenched.
"Santana called me during my rehearsal today. She was hysterical on the phone! Apparently you were drunk or drugged or something! Because that's the only thing I can think of to explain why you came home punching walls and cursing at our kids!" She slammed her hands down on the marble countertop and took a menacing step towards her husband, "There's a bruise on Rachel's arm Rob. She's not talking. WHY THE HELL IS THERE A BRUISE ON OUR FIVE YEAR OLD'S ARM?"
Silence.
"AND WHY ISN'T SHE TALKING!"
Robert gulped and hung is head.
"What happened?"
"I know it was a mistake."
"What was a mistake! Did you hit Rachel?"
Silence.
"I'm trying to think of what a five year old could have possibly done for you to react that way but I'm having a little trouble coming up with something, so help me out here Rob!" Shelby looked crazed.
"I can explain." He looked terrible. He looked beat.
"I'm waiting." Shelby crossed her arms.
"There was uh an incident at work today and then Rachel stopped by with Grace..." He gripped the back of his neck, "I was just a wreck and you know how Ray can be. She kept asking for me to take her to that toy store and I yelled and got angry and I guess I took it out on her. I didn't mean to Shel." He looked right into his wife's eyes.
"Rob do you remember what we said, when Noah was born, what you told me? You told me you would never lay a hand on the kids, we agreed there would be other ways to discipline them, but never to hit them." Shelby searched his face and when he didn't answer she shook her head.
"I just can't right now." She turned on her heel and was about to storm out of the kitchen when a strong hand gripped her wrist.
"Wait."
She stared down at the vice grip he had on her, even if she wanted to she wouldn't have been able to let go of that hold.
"Please." Rob stepped closer to Shelby and loosened his fingers, leaving white finger marks momentarily blazing on her skin.
Shelby took a deep breath. Her husband looked stricken with regret, he looked hurt and she fell for his word.
"Rob...don't ever lay a hand on either of the kids like that again. Do you hear me?" Her eyes bore into his, "I don't care how angry you get or for whatever reason. If your angry then come talk to me or hell call up Len or even Rick and go to the gym or something. But don't you EVER take it out on them again."
Rob hung his head.
"I know. I felt horrible after I left. Where is she?" He looked up and Shelby could see tears forming in his eyes.
"The three of them are in their rooms still shaken up. I think it's best you give them some time."
Rob clenched his jaw and brought his hand down over to the giant bag, "I went out and bought them some things." He pulled out three shiny wrapped toys from the bag and laid them out on the table. "I even bought you flowers and a little something extra."
He tucked his hand inside his pocket and emerged a sleek red box with the word Cartier written in gold cursive across. He opened it and revealed the most beautiful diamond neckalce Shelby had ever laid her eyes on. She couldn't help it as much as she didn't want to the gasp escaped her lips anyway.
"It's a platinum and diamond necklace." He gently lifted the blinding piece of jewelry and lightly trailed his fingers across Shelby's neck, "May I?"
She hesitated.
She looked deep into his eyes and searched every crevice of his face. She dealt with actors on a daily basis and knew all of the tricks of the trade. However her husband was standing before her, genuinely looking sorry, hurt and remorseful.
She kept her eyes lingering over his as she lifted up her hair and turned, feeling his fingers fumble around for the clasp of her little star chain necklace the kids had given her for her birthday last year. She took a sharp intake of breath as she felt the cold heavy necklace coil around her neck.
"It's beautiful." She ran her fingers over the diamonds and slowly turned back around.
"But this doesn't fix things." As much as she wanted it to.
"I'm still mad at you." Terribly so.
"What you did was wrong."
"I know. I know I'm so sorry. I wish I could take it back." He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her.
Shelby tried to relax into him, she told herself that he had made a mistake. He didn't mean to loose control.
"I love you Shel. Please forgive me." Rob crushed his lips into hers and pressed his body forward.
She could smell his cologne, it was always her favorite and it masked the growing aggression behind the kiss, painting it over with what Shelby confused for passion. So she tepidly kissed back.
Rob sighed and leaned his forhead against hers, gripping her shoulders tight. "I truly am sorry. Shel please believe me. I even made reservations for us at Tavern on the Green. You know how I feel about that place, but it's Rachel's favorite. I know how much she loves it there. I blame your brother and his bad taste in restaurants for that one."
He clutched her hands and pulled away, "Come on, please. Dinner with just us five. Let me make it up to you guys." He tore away and Shelby watched as he picked up the toys and headed towards the kid's rooms.
She took a deep breath.
He said he was sorry.
He almost cried.
He outdid himself to make up for it.
He did say it wouldn't happen again.
So why was that sickening feeling settling deep down in the pit of her stomach, emitting a faint, low rumble.
Like thunder just before a storm.
Growling far away in the distance hours before the sky cries and the lightening rips it open.
Like a warning.
"Mrs. Corcoran?"
Shelby snapped out of the trance she was in. Apparently she had found her way back into the auditorium because she was standing beside her podium and that annoying kid with the mop of curly hair was asking her yet another question. She regained her composure, used all of her energy to bottle up the feelings threatening to spill out and take over her body and turned towards her student.
"Yes? Saint um...Saint ah..."
"James."
He had a lot of passion for the theater. She could see that. She could smell it. He had the same passion she had once possessed herself .
"Yes" There we go I have to stop messing up his name, "St. James?"
"Did you enjoy that rendition of the performance piece?"
They were performing just now?
"No." She noted how his face fell, but if this kid held the same passion she had he needed to work hard for it, he needed to fight for it.
"It needs work. LOT'S OF WORK!" She shouted over to the rest of her students. There was a collective groan which stopped as quickly as it started when she scolwed in their direction. She didn't have the energy to deal with them right now.
"Practice is done for today."
Whispers and murmurs shot out through the group of students assembled on the stage.
Coach Corcoran rarely cut practice early. Like Ever.
She could feel herself on the brink of exploding and all she really needed at that moment was to see her kids. For them to make her laugh and remind her again why she needed to stay strong.
"I said practice is finished now get off of my stage!" She spoke with authority and the students scrambled and jumped to their feet, all slightly wondering what could possibly be wrong, yet secretly happy to be done early.
Shelby sighed content with herself.
Rob always made her question everything, he made her question her perfect schedule, he threw everything out of whack.
Shelby didn't like loosing control so when she saw the students obey her, when she saw the authority she had on them and familiar respect they gave her she calmed. This she knew. This she still had control of.
"Mrs. Corcoran"
Again St. James? Really!
"Not now Rick James"
Jesse gulped and opened then closed his mouth repeatedly.
Shelby grabbed her oversized bag and slung it over her shoulder, pausing and pivoting on her heel.
"On second thought, we'll continue this at six am practice tomorrow morning everyone!"
She stepped down from the podium and turned away from her groaning students, only letting the smile play on her lips when her back was securely facing them.
still got it.
Sue and Will had come to an agreement after a very much heated argument over interfering practices. The Unholy trinity was allowed to attend the first half of Glee club with Will and then Sue had them for the rest of the evening till 5:30. The same agreement was made regarding the football players.
They had to divide their time somehow.
Rachel had stuck around after Glee club with Kurt, (they usually waited together for their siblings to finish) but today Carole had picked him up early for a dentist appointment.
"That was the worst practice ever."
"You said that yesterday." Rachel closed her book and collected her things. She stood up and quickly fell in step with her sister.
"That's because today hadn't happened yet. As of yesterday, that was the worst practice ever." Santana slowly shuffled forward and grimaced in pain.
The side door to the gym banged open and three girls dressed in the red cheerleading uniform walked out, immersed in a conversation.
Santana quickly straightened herself, hid the pain she felt and scowled in their directions.
"You!" She barked and marched over, her finger jamming into the face of the cowering Cheerio standing in the middle.
"Larry Curly and Moe. Thanks to you genius heffers we all had to run an extra ten sets of suicides."
The Cheerio in the middle gulped.
The two flanking her sides shrunk.
Santana snarled.
And Rachel bit her lip and hung back against the wall, trying her best to hide.
"You lard asses are going to pay." Santana snapped and her eyes roamed over the three Cheerios, a blonde trying to stand in the middle and two brunettes failing at keeping their cool cowering behind her. She recognized their stance, they may have had some sort of pull back in their little middle school but they were nothing here. They were mere freshman. They were bottom feeders. And they had to realize their dirt licking position at this school.
"Take notes!" She barked and the three quickly jumped in attention.
"Sylvester needs the trophies polished before school starts, I have a spanish paper due by 5th period tomorrow, Math homework due by 7th, and I'll take my grande chai soy latte hot please. Actually make that three of them. B and Q will want one too."
"San.." Rachel bit her lip in warning. It was then that the Cheerio in the middle glanced in her direction, suddenly aware of her presence.
"Hey! Eyes front lard ass." Santana snapped her fingers in the young Cheerio's face.
The girl's lip twitched and she felt like saying something.
"Did you get all that?" The tanned brunette sneered.
But nobody ever went against Santana Corcoran so the three younger girls kept their mouths shut and simply nodded their heads.
"Good. It better be done by tomorrow. Or best believe I'll go all New York on your asses."
The girls cowered in fear.
"Why are you still standing in front of me? Leave!" She knew she was being harsh on them. But it was a harsh world. They would just have to deal.
The three girls jumped and the one standing in the middle shot one last look in Rachel's direction before they took off running.
"Psht. Freshman." Santana grinned. She loved having that power over them. The uniform gave it to her and so did her name. She was Santana mother effing Corcoran for crying out loud. Okay so maybe the fame partially started with her brother. Whatever. She'd never admit it to his face. But technically it was him. And his friends. And his "badass" ways. And his popularity that secured Santana's social status at McKinley from the beginning. She had everything handed to her from the moment she entered the big scary halls during her first day back in ninth grade. She was "Puck's little sister", even though there was only a year difference between them. But because of that, the halls parted like the red sea and people flocked to meet her every need just so they could be in Puck's good graces.
"San was that really necessary?"
Oh yeah, there was Rachel now too.
"Absolutely." Santana turned and faced her sister, she had to make sure everything was paved perfectly for Rach now as well. She paused as she noted the younger girls nervous appearance and squinted her eyes questioningly...wait a sec.. "Why?"
Rachel shrugged, pulled her lip between her teeth and started walking towards the parking lot.
"Rachel" Santana pressed and quickly caught up with her.
"No reason." Rachel shook her head and her soft brown waves bounced around her shoulders.
"Bull. Spill." Santana stepped in front of her and quickly darted her eyes around the parking lot. There was still a certain reputation she needed to uphold at school...and "sweet mushy push over big sister" was not one of them.
The coast was clear.
"Please?" She stuck out her bottom lip and widend her eyes. "You can tell me I pwomise."
Rachel fought a smile and tucked a loose curl behind her ear. She looked down at her shoes and glanced up again at the ridiculous face the supposedly "evil" cheerleader was wearing.
"I-It's nothing San really. It happened a while back. Honest it's fine."
Santana's pout disappeared.
Evil bitch cheerleader face was full on.
"Wait is that the girl that gave you a hard time in middle school?! That's her isn't it. That stupid little Riley girl?"Santana fumed.
Rachel felt a small trickle of panic begin to swell to a full on stream. "San honest it's no big deal it's okay-"
"Oh just wait till I see that little heffer' n' company tomorrow!" Santana let out a quick laugh. " Dam. I wasn't hard enough on her. I'm gonna make that little witch pay."
"San" Rachel shook her sister's shoulder and snapped her out of her scheming.
"It's okay they don't bother me anymore. They haven't for a while. You don't need to do anything."
Santana scoffed and furrowed her brows.
"What do you mean Rachel!? If someone bothers you...you stop them. It's never okay. Ever. Nobody should ever have that right over you?! Rach there's nothing okay about it."
Of course it wasn't okay. Why was Rachel always like that? Always thinking she was a burden or something? Always trying to hide...
Santana felt a pain in her chest as she stood before the younger brunette. She was about to open her mouth and explain to Rachel exactly why someone needed to punch that estupida in the face when she felt something bounce off of the back of her head.
"Sup losers."
She dropped her jaw in shock then quickly clenched her teeth together.
She bend forward and snatched up the crushed paper cup that had just assaulted her head.
"Hello Noah." Rachel glanced in the direction of her brother as he dodged a flying object. He wasn't alone and she felt her heart start racing in her chest, "Hi Finn."
The tall football player's face split into a wide smile "Hey baby Corcoran."
Baby? I'm not a baby,
The word jumped out at her and she tried her best not to look crestfallen as she forced a smile. Beside her, her sister acknowledged the tall boys presence.
"Finessa. Must you always be up each other's ass?" Santana grumbled as she raised a brow.
"Like it's any different from the blonde bimbo's permanently glued to your side?" Puck shot back as his sister scowled in response and the two began shooting insults at each other.
Back and Forth.
"Hey isn't that your moms car?" Finn spoke and the oldest Corcorans tore their menacing eyes away from the other and glanced questioningly over at the silver Range Rover driving up towards them.
Rachel kept her eyes trained on Finn as he waved happily in her mother's direction.
"Hi guys." Shelby rolled down the window.
"Hey Mrs. C!"
"Hi there Finn. How are you honey?"
"Pretty good thanks." Finn grinned innocently.
"How's school going? Your getting good grades I hope and staying out of trouble?"
Puck bowed his head and suppressed a laugh as Finn nodded profusely.
Santana thought he looked like an overgrown child with special needs. She rolled her eyes and sneered. Pathetic.
"Hey mom how come your not coaching Vocal Adrenaline?" The Cheerio walked over and leaned into the open window as her mother placed a quick kiss on her forehead.
"Your brother's car needs an oil change and a tune-up."
"Oh yeah I forgot!"
"Oh yeah" Shelby mocked her son.
"You going over to my step-dad's shop?" Finn asked.
"Yes sir."
Rachel tore her eyes away and suddenly ran towards the other side of her mother's car. She slid into the passenger seat and swiftly clicked the seat belt in place.
"Ha! I get to sit in front." She smiled triumphantly.
"Thank God! No smelly little sisters in the backseat right San." Puck winked and Rachel stuck out her tongue.
Shelby looked over and laughed as her daughter leaned in for a hug and kissed her cheek, "Hi mom."
"Noah honey I'll follow you to Burt's shop."
"Kay."
"Buckle up Santana!"
"Uh huh."
"Bye Finn."
"Bye Mrs. C! I'll see you this weekend probably when Puck's not punished anymore." Finn leaned forward and waved with a grin, "Bye Rachel. I'll see you tomorrow around school and stuff."
"Yeah bye F-finn."
Shelby watched her daughter with an amused look on her face. She waved one last goodbye and rolled out of McKinley's parking lot.
"Seatbelt." Their was a small smile dancing on her lips.
"Got it." Rachel answered.
"Good." Shelby followed Puck's car. "So how was school today baby? Did you have a good day?"
"Yeah. It was mediocre. Nothing too interesting happened."
"Mediocre huh?"
"Mhmm." Rachel glanced out the window.
"I was thinking about you all day." Shelby lowered the volume just a little bit on the radio.
"You were?"
"Of course. I was worried about this beautiful daughter of mine that I have and how she didn't get enough sleep last night." She raised a brow and eyed the tiny brunette who was seated next to her. Shelby swore sometime she was looking right at a younger version of herself.
"Oh right." Rachel looked sheepishly down at her hands, "I was okay though." She quickly faced her mom, "Honest." She paused for a moment and thought carefully before asking the question that seemed trapped in her mouth. "Did you um. Did you get to talk to him today?"
"Yes I did." Shelby suddenly slammed her foot on the break hard and her arm instinctively shot out and held Rachel back. Puck had stopped short in front of her almost causing her to crash into the back of his car. She frowned and could see his guilty face through the mirror.
"Noah" She grumbled and brought her arm back towards the steering wheel.
"That was a close one." Rachel nervously laughed and Shelby huffed out a deep breath and shook her head, feeling her heart climb safely back down from her throat and into her chest.
"As I was saying...We spoke baby and I think he got the message this time." Shelby glanced at her daughter and watched as Rachel wrung her hands together and chewed away on her bottom lip.
"Well what if he doesn't." Rachel spoke quietly, "Get the message I mean."
"Then we'll deal with it if and when that happens." She kept a safe distance between her car and the black GT Mustang. "But it's not happening now and it's not happening today or tomorrow so you my darling have nothing to worry about." Shelby brought her free hand to cup her daughter's face gently. "Okay?"
"Yeah." Rachel nodded, "Okay." and glanced out of the window.
"So..." Shelby said the first thing that was on her mind, "Finn Hudson's kinda cute huh?" She bit back a smile as Rachel whipped her head in her mother's direction.
"Mom!" Rachel felt her face redden.
"What?" Shelby shrugged her shoulders and let her face split into a wide toothy smile. "He has a cute butt."
Rachel shrunk into the seat and buried her face into her hands suddenly wishing she had ridden in the back of Noah's car instead.
"Put it back." Santana pushed her finger on the button of the radio as the sound of her favorite song filled the car.
Puck hit his finger over the other button and the song stopped playing, "No. I'm tired of hearing them already."
He pressed the skip button and let the sounds of that one obnoxious song that was currently on repeat drown everything out.
"Seriously"? Santana grilled him.
"Yeah and don't change it unless you want to walk. My car my rules." Puck leaned back and kept one hand on the steering wheel. Santana didn't fight back.
He glanced over at her. She was staring out of the window.
"What?" She could feel him looking at her.
"Nothing." Puck kept his eye on the road.
"You better not ask me to set you up with Quinn. I don't know what's going on between you two... but it disgusts me."
Puck slammed his foot on the break. How the hell did she know about Quinn? Wait he never told anyone so she didn't know.
"What are you talking about?" He sheepishly looked through the rearview mirror and saw his mom frown at him. "Oops Sorry Mom."
Santana scoffed, "You can't hide things from me Noah. I know you. Don't deny it either. She told me you stopped by her house yesterday."
"So."
"So exactly."
"So I can't walk around the neighborhood?" He bit the inside of his cheek and Santana knew she caught him right there.
"Whatever you say Noah." She grinned slyly and then a mental picture formed in her head of her best friend and brother and she gagged.
He quickly changed the conversation, "Hey so what do you think about Dad?"
"You mean Robert?" Santana scowled and brought her gaze back out the window, "I don't know and I don't care."
"You think he means it. You think he really changed and like... wants to fix things?" Puck gripped the wheel and Santana tore her eyes away from the window.
"No!" She snapped and toned down her voice when she looked at her brother. "Noah a man like that doesn't change. He will never change."
"Yeah I guess." Puck gripped the wheel and bit the inside of his cheek and Santana fell back into her seat.
"I'm worried about Rach too you know. How this will all effect her and stuff." Puck glanced back over at his sister and Santana nodded.
"Yeah I know. We have to keep a close eye on her." Santana looked through the side mirror at her mother and sister laughing in the car behind her.
"No doubt." Puck nodded and Santana glanced in his direction and smiled softly.
"Don't go all mushy on me now." Puck warned and Santana lightly nudged his shoulder as they pulled up into Burts shop.
Both cars parked and Santana and Puck got out of the car along with Shelby.
Rachel stood in her seat.
Burt walked out to meet them and Shelby walked over and greeted her long time friend. They went over the technicalities and Santana decided to slip back into her mother's car.
"Go ahead guys I'm just gonna go pay real quick."
Puck and Santana said their goodbyes and headed towards the parked Range Rover.
Rachel saw them approaching and locked her door. Santana strolled right up to it anyway and yanked on the handle. Rachel shook her head, "I'm sitting in the front San."
"Open the door Rachel!"
Puck moved his sister out of the way, "Allow me." He smirked and Santana decided she'd rather drive home anyway.
"Hey you guys can you please leave your sister alone. Santana I'm driving home." Shelby was approaching the car when they heard a honk of a horn. All four heads turned in the direction of the sound.
"Oh look here comes Mr. Shitster."
"Santana"
Puck laughed and they watched as Will drove up and got out of his car, a giant smile on his face.
"What it's bad enough we have to see him everyday. Will Shitster."
"Santana Av-Hi Will!"
The cheerleader rolled her eyes and slid in the car, not bothering to say hi to the annoying man.
Shelby made her way over and hugged her friend.
"Hey what are you guys doing here?" He waved over at the kids and brought his hand down when he received a nod from Puck, a wave from Rachel and nothing from Santana.
"Burts gonna tune up the mustang. I think he's keeping it in the shop overnight."
"Oh. Yeah I was driving by and saw your Range Rover." Will studied his friend, her smile didn't fool him, it wasn't reaching her eyes.
"You okay Shelby?" He asked and Shelby inhaled and nodded, "Of course."
Will never dropped his gaze and he watched as his old best friend exhale and shook her head in defeat, "Well no not really."
"What do you think they're talking about?"
"I don't know."
"He's probably telling her all about his sweater vest collection and how fascinating it is."
"You spend way too much time with Coach Sylvester."
"Then ask her yourself she's walking back."
"Finally!"
"Well it's about time."
"What's so wrong with Will? He's nice."
"Says the all knowing midget."
Shelby hugged Will goodbye and made her way back over to the car. She pulled open her door and was startled when she saw Santana sitting in her seat, Puck sitting next to her on the passenger side and Rachel sitting in the back, her face flushed and her hair a mess.
"They tickled me." Her youngest humphed.
"San go to the back Im driving." Shelby motioned and Santana tried her best to stay where she was but in the end her mother wasn't budging.
"Told you she wouldn't let you." Puck grinned.
"Whatever" Santana slid in the back beside Rachel. "So what did El Profe Will want?"
"He's coming over for dinner on saturday."
"Aw man why?! We already see him everyday is it really necessary for him to come over our house too? He's gonna wanna make a lesson out of the food or something and break out into song."
Rachel giggled and Santana smiled at her.
"Guys come on. It's Will!"
"Exactly."
"Its cool mom." Noah nodded his head as they made their way home.
"It's cool mom? Really? Who are you and what have you done with Puck? First Quinn now this."
"Quinn?" Shelby glanced over at her son who whipped his head back and threw a napkin at Santana.
"There's nothing going on with Quinn!"
"You like Quinn?" Rachel asked, suddenly perking up at the idea. Let her brother go after Quinn, that would then leave...
"So! You have a crush on Finn!" Puck shot back and Rachel blushed.
"What!?" Santana stared at her sister as if she were growing another head out of her shoulders.
"There's nothing wrong with crushes." Shelby spoke as the voice of reason in the car.
"Oh so is that what your calling your thing with Will now?" Santana raised an eyebrow and Shelby opened and closed her mouth.
They had pulled up to their house and Puck quickly blurted out, "San likes that Ben Israel kid."
Santana stared at her brother and bursted out laughing, "You are seriously loosing your touch. That's the lamest comeback I have ever heard."
Santana opened the door and hopped out of the car, "Me like Jew Fro? As if!" She clutched her stomach and continued laughing as she closed the door and made her way up the driveway.
"Who does she like then?" Puck asked into the car and turned around to face Rachel, who merely shrugged.
"Okay enough come on everyone out!" Shelby locked the car and watched as Noah draped an arm around Rachel as they walked up the front steps of the house.
"Crazy kids." She shook her head just as Santana called out, "Ma hurry up I have to pee!"
"I'm coming I'm coming."
Yep. They were exactly what she needed.
a/n: So I hope I haven't lost any readers. I know I hate it when I get into a story and have to wait forever for an update. But my college apps are all done and sent out, senior week is over and I have more time to delve into these characters that live inside my head lol. I really do hope you guys liked this chapter..I'm always nervous about posting these flashbacks (bites nails) Let me know what you guys think and thank you soo soooo much for the reviews! I read and enjoyed every single one of them. I didn't have time to respond to you amazing people this time though because I wanted to get this chapter out as quickly as possible. The next one is almost done so it should be up no later than Saturday..I'm shooting for Friday but we'll see.
Again Thanks so much. Love you all xoxo
Smily face for everyone :D