Chapter 4
The pale, blue light of the early morning illuminated Shelby's bedroom. Mother and daughter had fallen into a hard, deep sleep the moment they both hit their pillows.
Rachel stirred for a few moments not wanting to open her eyes but her tiny bladder was enticing her to get up and go potty. She peaks her eyes open and found herself wrapped in the warmth of her mother's loving arms. Rachel smiles up at her mother and silently mouths the word 'mommy' overjoyed to finally be with her mother. She sashays out of her mother' s embrace and carefully climbs on top of her mother's stomach. Rachel folds herself over close to her mother's face and whispers in a sing-song manner, "Mommy, mommy. Morning, my mommy."
Shelby doesn't move but instead remains in a relaxed, deep sleep. Rachel stretches her body out flat on top of her mother and wraps her tiny arms around her mother's neck, "Mommeeee, wake up. I have to go potty." But, Shelby barely stirs and Rachel realizes she must find the bathroom on her own before she has an accident.
Rachel slides herself off of her mother and the bed with a huff. She did not like the thought of having to find the bathroom on her own in the unfamiliar house. Rachel tip toes around the rather large queen-sized bed and quickly notices the door connected to her mother's room to look like it would lead to a bathroom. Rachel reaches the partially ajar door and smirks with pride knowing she's found the potty place.
Moments later, Shelby partially rolls to her side reaching out next to her hoping she'll be able to grab a hold of her daughter and snuggle her close. Shelby frowns and begins to panic a bit realizing she hasn't made contact with her daughter. She darts her eyes open and sits up like a shot looking all over the head of her bed. Shelby frantically pulls her covers and pillows from her bed and drops to the floor looking under the bed for her four-year-old. "Rachel! Rachel!" Shelby shouts out exploding off of the floor and running from her bedroom, down the hall and towards the front door. "Rachel! Where are you? Please answer me!" Tears stream down Shelby's face. Had she really lost her daughter? She'd only been with her for a few hours and she can't even handle keeping track of her daughter.
Shelby rushes through her kitchen, walk-in pantry, large family room, spare rooms and bathrooms, library, music room and the office yet Rachel was nowhere to be found. Shelby grabs her chest sucking in deep breaths trying not to pass out wondering if she had dreamt the whole reunion with her daughter, "Oh no please, this was real. She was here. I didn't dream this. Please don't let this have been just a dream. No, no my baby. Please." She begs out to no one collapsed on the hardwood floor holding her chest.
The toilet flushes from Shelby's room and Shelby shoots herself from her floor. She turns her head towards her bedroom and Shelby's heart quickens upon hearing toddler, bare feet pit patting down the hall.
"Mommy!" Rachel screeches upon seeing her mother standing down the hallway instead of in the master bedroom. Rachel had a moment of panic when she left the bathroom and didn't see her mother lying in bed anymore. "Mommy, I went pee pee on the potty!" Rachel thought her mother would be proud of her using the bathroom without a reminder.
"Rachel," Shelby whispers out trying to contain her emotions that were no longer relevant. "Baby, you went potty?" She questions trying to be impressed.
Rachel reaches her mother and climbs on her like she's done a million times before despite this being the first morning with her mother. "Yes, yes I did. But, mommy I have an owie in my butt. Mommy, are you crying?"
"An owie in your butt?"
"Yes and it hurt. Why are you crying, Mommy?" Rachel wraps her arms around her mother's neck after Shelby crouches down so Rachel can climb on her better.
Shelby holds Rachel close and plants several kisses on her cheek and her head. "I couldn't find you Rachel and mommy was scared. I should have looked in the bathroom."
"I sorry, mommy," Rachel pouts upset that she made her mother sad.
"Oh honey, it's not your fault. How about you show me your owie, so Mommy can make it better?" Shelby carries Rachel back to her master bathroom relieved her daughter was truly with her and it wasn't just a beautiful dream.
Shelby closes the toilet lid to place Rachel on top of to get a good look of her daughter's "owie." Rachel pulls up the over-sized t-shirt her mother put her in the night before to reveal disturbingly dirty panties.
Shelby cringes at the sight of Rachel's underwear, "Rachel, how long were you wearing these?" She questions as she slides them off of her daughter and throws them in the trash.
"Long time, mommy."
"Like as long as you were with the man and the lady?"
Rachel nods her head and frowns not wanting to remember the man and the lady. "I don't like them, mommy."
Shelby caresses her daughter's arm, "You don't ever have to see them again." Shelby kisses Rachel's cheek, "now let mommy see what hurts." Shelby grew anxious, praying those people didn't harm her baby in the lowest, most evil way possible.
Rachel points to her bottom and Shelby notices a red rash all over Rachel's bottom. "Oh baby." Shelby coos at the sight of the rash. It looks to be similar to a diaper rash Shelby had seen on her friend's infant child except ten times worse. Shelby shakes her head in disbelief and anger. She's thankful she'll be taking Rachel to the doctor's today to give her daughter a complete physical. Shelby eyes the dirty panties she put in the trash and pulls them out realizing they might be an important piece of evidence. Shelby stands in disbelief wondering how the Berry men could allow this treatment of their daughter, her daughter to ever occur.
"Let's get you in the bath, baby." Shelby decides this might be the best solution for some quick relief for Rachel until she can get her daughter to the doctors. She also desperately wanted to clean her baby from top to bottom and be rid of anything connected to those people who had her baby.
Rachel wrapped her arms around her mother and Shelby pulled her up placing her on her lap while she turned on the facet to run the bath water. Shelby instinctively ran her wrist under the water to gauge the temperature of the water wanting to make sure it was perfect for her little girl.
Rachel rests her head on her mother's shoulder waiting for her bath, "Mommy?"
"Hmm?" Shelby hums.
"You take a bath with me?"
Shelby smiles down at her daughter, "do I smell bad?" Shelby jokes with her daughter.
"Yes!" Rachel quickly responds to which Shelby laughs whole-heartedly.
"Well then, yes. I don't want to smell bad." Rachel smiles up at her mother admiringly. "Should I add some bubbles to our bath?"
Rachel nods and smiles up at her mother. Shelby places Rachel next to the bath and instructs her to remove her t-shirt. Shelby grabs a few bath towels from her cupboard and a bottle of Mr. Bubbles from underneath the sink. She often uses Mr. Bubbles after a long day and soaks away the stress from her day. She's thrilled she has a full bottle to be able to share with her daughter.
Shelby moves to place the duo in the bathtub before the water fills up, so she can wash hers and Rachel's hair. Rachel laughs and squeals at all of the bubbles once she's inside of the bath. Shelby notices trails of bruises lining Rachel's upper arms and the middle of her back. She chokes back tears as she reaches for her baby wanting to inspect her further and hold her close to make all of the pain her daughter went through to disappear.
Rachel pulls away from her mother wanting to grab as many bubbles as possible. "Rachel, come here."
"But, bubbles mommy. BUBBLES!" Rachel joyfully shouts out from the far end of the large soaking tub.
Shelby smiles at her kid, scooting towards Rachel so she can clean her up and look for other signs of abuse. "Come here silly girl. The bubbles won't go away. Let mommy clean you and you can play some more while I get cleaned, okay?"
Rachel stops chasing bubbles and looks upon her mother, "Okay, my mommy."
Shelby smiles at her adorable tot and grabs a hold of her and gently has Rachel lean her head back into the faucet, so she can wash her grimy, greasy hair. Shelby notices a few more bruises on Rachel's stomach and can't help the tears that begin to flow when Rachel grimaces in pain. "I'm sorry, baby. I'm trying not to hurt you."
"It hurts on my back." Rachel responds and Shelby loosens her grip on her daughter and moves her forearm to better support Rachel's back. This motion allows Rachel to relax a bit in her mother's arms. Shelby makes quick of washing her daughter's hair and enjoying the moment. Shelby realizes she's going to need to shop for shampoo, conditioner and body wash for a little girl and not use shampoos for color-treated hair.
Shelby grabs a washcloth from the side of the tub and lathers it in Dove body wash and begins to lather up her daughter's body making mental notes of all of the marks on her baby in order to tell the doctor and the police. Shelby silently vows to never let anyone harm her daughter ever again. She was going to build up the tightest case against Leroy Berry, so he would never be able to come back and claim Rachel ever again. Shelby hopes to never find her face to face with that man or those people in fear of what she would do to each one of them.
When she's finished cleansing Rachel, Shelby allows Rachel to play about the large tub while she quickly bathes herself. Shelby hears the doorbell ring and Rachel immediately freezes in fear when she hears the unfamiliar sound.
"Mommy." Rachel hesitantly whines unsure of what to do next.
"Sounds like we have a visitor, little one. It's time to get out of the tub anyway. Mommy needs to make you something to eat. Are you hungry?" Shelby tries to change the subject hoping the young girl won't get upset about having to exit the inviting bubble bath of fun.
"Yes! I am hungreeees! I want pannycakes, please." She jumps up now ready to depart the tub at the thought of food. Her stomach was aching for food and having her mother make her something was even more appealing.
"Pannycakes, huh?" Rachel nods her head heavily back and forth. "well, good thing making pancakes is my specialty." Shelby declares as she removes the two of them from the tub and releases the lever to drain the water. The doorbell rings a few more times this round and Shelby makes quick of putting on her white, terry-cloth robe and engulfs Rachel in a fluffy, violet towel that Rachel seems to melt in while being bundled and held.
Shelby hears the doorbell again and a chime from her phone alerting her of a text, "Whoever that is really wants our attention, my little bug."
Rachel pulls her head up from her mother's shoulder where she had laid it after being held in a huff, "I no bug, mommy."
Shelby reaches the front door and turns her head towards her daughter's and kisses the tots head, "yes you are, you're my little love, snuggle bug and I love it." Rachel smiles and hides her head again in her mother's shoulder.
Shelby looks through the peeping hole and finds Karen on the other side balancing several bags and coffee cups in one hand. Shelby quickly unlatched the locks on her door, "Oh Karen! I'm so sorry I kept you waiting. We were in the bath." She states while motioning Karen into her house. "Don't you have a key?"
Karen moves towards the kitchen and places the bags on a bar stool and the coffee on the counter, "I do have a key, but I didn't want to disturb the two of you this morning. I thought I'd give you some much needed privacy."
Shelby smiles at her assistant enormously thankful she found such a genuine, kind person to work for her. "Thank you, Karen. It was much needed this morning." Shelby closes the front door and shifts Rachel on her other hip. She looks upon her daughter who attempts to hide herself deep into her towel and her mother's robe. "I was just about to make Rachel and I some pancakes. Did you eat yet, Karen?" Shelby begins to rub Rachel's back seeing she needs some extra comfort.
"Pancakes sound great! I'll help."
"Awesome. Now Rachel, hmm let me see what I can change you into." She ponders while looking at her daughter.
"I naked, mommy."
"Yes, I know sweetheart." Shelby and Karen laugh lightly.
"Well I guess I showed up at a prefect time cause I went by the store and bought a few clothes for Rachel to wear today. I hope I got the correct size."
"I'm sure we can make do with what you brought for now. Thank you so much Karen." Shelby places the bundled up Rachel on one of the bar stools while Shelby and Karen remove a pair of pants, two shirts, panties and socks, and a pink pair of converse shoes from the bags Karen had brought with her.
"I just guessed on the sizes. She's a little small, so I went with a 4T."
Rachel pushes herself up to make herself taller, "I'm not small!"
"Oh, Rachel. I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it. It's not a bad thing to be small." Rachel frowns at Karen even though she is liking the lady.
"Rachel, why don't we say thank you to Karen for bringing you some nice things to wear today?"
"Thank you." Rachel mumbles and hides her head into her oversized towel.
"You're welcome, sweetheart. OH, I also got her a coat since it's freezing outside and there's new fallen snow." Karen pulls out a light pink peacoat from the other bag she brought in and Rachel's eyes widen in delight at the sight of the coat. "Do you like it, Rachel?" Karen hopes, noticing the look on Rachel's face.
Rachel nods and reaches out for the coat. "Hold on, honey. Let's get you in clothes and we can put on your new coat when we head out for the day." Shelby interjects wanting to get Rachel in some clean, proper clothes and feed her daughter.
Shelby grabs the clothing and scoops Rachel up in her arms and politely dismisses the mother and daughter for a moment to put some clothes on in privacy. Rachel happily allows her mother to dress her and begins to comb her hair upon her mother's request while Shelby slips on a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt.
Shelby notices Rachel rubbing her ear similar to what she saw the young girl do the night before. "Sweetheart, does your ear hurt?" Shelby questions and picks Rachel up in her arms to head back into the kitchen.
"Everything's fine." Rachel gives an instant, rehearsed response much to Shelby's dismay. Shelby pauses and backs up into the room.
"Everything's fine? Nothing hurts?" Shelby pushes the questions on the four-year-old and places Rachel on her lap after sitting on a bench so she can comb the rest of Rachel's silky, brown hair.
"Everything's fine." Rachel nods and repeats.
"Sweetheart, I am your mommy and I want to know if something hurts you because I will do my best to make it better. You showed me your bottom today cause it hurt, so why do you keep saying 'everything's fine' to me?"
Rachel shrugged her shoulders, "they said say that to everyone."
Shelby continues to brush her daughter's hair hoping she'll get more information out of the tot. "The man and lady told you that?"
Rachel nods her head. "Why, baby? Did they tell you why?"
"So no one will take me."
Shelby furrowed her brows confused about this man and the lady, "Rachel, were they trying to keep you away from mommy or from your daddy Leroy?"
Rachel shook her head, "no, they take me to you. Daddy said to."
Shelby sat for a moment trying to put together what Rachel had told her last night and the information this morning, "Was your Daddy friends with this man and this lady?"
"No mommy, no. He left me there. I no talk no more, mommy." Rachel pulled her legs to her chest and crossed her arms in protective-mode not wanting to bring up being with those mean people.
Shelby put the brush down and turned Rachel to face her, "Okay, baby. You don't have to say anything else." Shelby pulls her daughter close to her, "No one will hurt you anymore. I promise." Rachel nodded her head into her mother feeling the safety of her embrace.
Shelby kisses Rachel's cheek and whispers, "let's go make those pannycakes."
Rachel pulls back and smiles up at her mother, "Yes!" She jumps off of her mother's lap and the bench they were sitting on and grabs a hold of Shelby's hand pulling her towards the door.
After fifteen minutes of a step by step how to make pancakes upon Rachel's request, Shelby and Karen stood gleefully watching Rachel shovel in mouthfuls of pancakes into her tiny mouth.
"Rachel, take smaller bites. I don't want you to choke."
"It yommy mommy." Rachel mumbles out with a mouthful of pancake.
Shelby smiles and brings Rachel a cup of apple juice, "Here baby, take a sip." Shelby assists Rachel with the large cup, so Rachel won't spill.
Rachel chugs down several sips of apple juice, "Thank you, Mommy." She exasperates after some heavy drinking. "I need a Rachel cup."
"A Rachel cup?" Shelby questions unsure of what her daughter is referring to.
"Yes, little cup."
"Ahh, yes you do." Shelby turns to Karen, "Do you know what kind of cups she might be talking about? They have some with lids, right?"
"Yes, I'll put that on the list of items to buy. My sister uses them for my nephew. They call them Sippy cups."
"Sippy Cups! Rachel Sippy cups, mommy!" Rachel gets excited that Karen understands what she needs.
"Okay, baby. We will get you some Sippy cups. Don't worry. We'll get everything you need." Shelby smiles and inwardly sighs at the amount of shopping that needs to be done. She would rather spend time getting to know her four-year-old rather than having to run errands. But running errands means she's a mother and she smiles at the realization.
Shelby moves to clear some plates and clean up her kitchen while Rachel finishes up her breakfast, "Karen, while I have Rachel at the doctors, maybe I could get you to pick up a few items on our list? Especially the ones I don't need Rachel present for?"
"Of course, that sounds perfect. I can meet up with the two of you later if you need me."
"Sounds perfect." The adults' conversation is abruptly interrupted when Rachel begins choking on her pancakes. Shelby is instinctively by her daughter's side in seconds. Shelby shoves her fingers inside of her daughter's mouth and pulls out a mound of chewed up pancake. Rachel's choking subsides a bit but not enough for Shelby's liking, "Rachel, spit it out." Shelby instructs cupping her hand in front of Rachel's mouth.
Rachel removes the rest of the pancake from her mouth and takes a few deep breaths. Shelby grabs the cup of apple juice and has Rachel take a few sips, "no more big bites, okay? You need to take small, Rachel-sized bites my little bug."
Rachel nods her head agreeing with her mother while she takes more sips of apple juice. "I all done." Rachel manages to get out. The pannycakes were amazing but the choking was not. Thank goodness she had her mother there to save her. Rachel liked having a mommy around, not just for the wonderful mom hugs and kisses she was receiving, but Shelby seemed to know exactly what to do with Rachel and she found a great comfort in that.
"Okay, baby. We need to get going anyway. You have a doctor's appointment." Shelby made quick to clean up Rachel and herself.
"No doctors, mommy. I'm good."
"Honey, you have to go. The police want you to go and so does Mommy. I want to make sure your ear is okay and your bottom."
Rachel rubs her bottom at the mention of it but stands herself up crossing her arms ready to argue with her mother, "No. I won't!"
Shelby turns to look upon her daughter surprised she's being defiant about going to the doctors. Shelby looks to Karen for an explanation, but Karen shrugs her shoulders like she has no idea and backs away from the mother and daughter not wanting to get involved.
Shelby places her hands on her hips not liking the tone her daughter has taken, but she doesn't want to scare the already wounded child. "Rachel, you will do what I ask you to." She states in a warning tone.
Rachel notices the difference in her mother's demeanor and doesn't like the authoritative tone, "Mommy, I no want to." Rachel pouts losing the attitude and walking towards her mother.
Shelby squats down to be on eye-level with the tot, "why not, baby? Tell me."
"Don't leave me, mommy." Rachel chokes out and throws herself in her mother's arms crying.
"Rachel?" Shelby rubs her daughter's back and holds her close. "Mommy is not going to leave you."
"Yes you will. You'll leave me and-and I'll never come back" Rachel sobs hysterically at the thought of being left alone again. She begins shaking uncontrollably.
Shelby scoops her baby up in her arms and carries her past a somber Karen and into the living room. Shelby sits the two on her comfy, light brown couch to be able to hold her daughter close. "I will never leave you." Shelby whispers in her daughter's ear placing small kisses on Rachel's temple.
"But, he did. They did. I –I, Mommy..." Rachel continues to cry to which Shelby rocks her daughter slowly and begins to lightly sing. Rachel slows her sobs at the soothing, comforting sounds of her mother's beautiful voice.
"Nothing's gonna harm you, not while I'm around." Shelby sings and hums parts of the song. Rachel relaxes her tense body allowing her mother to comfort her.
After a few moments of singing, Shelby stops and tightens her grip on Rachel and explains, "I am not like your daddies and I'm not like that man and that lady. I'm your mommy and I will never, ever leave you. I love you more than anything my little bug and I will forever." Rachel grips her mother shirt at her words never wanting her to let her go. "I know you don't want to leave to go to the doctors because you're afraid that means I'll leave you there, but I'm going with you, baby. Mommy will be right there with you. I'll even hold you while the doctor looks at you, so you won't be alone. You'll be with me." Shelby tries to explain hoping she's relieving her daughter of any fears she might have.
Rachel pulls herself up from mother's embrace and looks upon Shelby's sincere and earnest face, "Okay, mommy. I go with you." Rachel sniffles out but found some confidence in her mother's words.
Shelby smiles and rubs a few circles on Rachel's back still giving some much needed comfort. Shelby knows Rachel is going to need her love and attention and her assurance. She knows Rachel is going to need a large amount healing time. Shelby looks over to Karen, "Will you grab my phone?" She asks her assistant not wanting to put Rachel down just yet.
"Of course," Karen responds and moves quickly towards the kitchen to grab the iPhone off of the counter. Karen hands the phone to her boss, "I'm going to take off and run those errands. Is there anything you need me to do before I leave?"
"No, Karen. Thank you. We will be leaving in just a few minutes ourselves. But, I'll call you when we are done with the doctors so we can meet up."
"Sounds good. Bye, Rachel!" Karen calls out from the front door.
Rachel throws up her hand and waves in the direction of Karen without picking her head up from her mother's chest. Shelby chuckles at the notion, "I think she likes you, Karen! We'll see you later."
"Bye, Shelby." Karen happily smiles and exits the apartment.
Shelby picks up her phone and sends a text message to her Lawyer wanting to tell him of the bruises, rash and Rachel's fears she's presented today. Shelby looks through her contacts list and finds Detective Banks' number he put in her phone the night before. Shelby lingers her finger over the call button for a moment, but decides to hit send.
The phone rings twice before it is answered, "Hello? Ms. Corcoran?"
Shelby smiles at the detective's recognition of her phone number, "Yes, Detective Banks. This is Shelby Corcoran."
"Please call me Brian. What can I help you with? Are the two of you alright?" He questions with a sincere concern in his voice.
"Yes, we are. Thank you. I'm taking Rachel to the doctors in just a few minutes for a checkup. Is there any way you could meet us there? There are a few things I would like to inform you about and discuss with you." Shelby explains holding her breath hoping Brain would meet the two of them there. She wanted to explain the fears Rachel had and the condition of her body. She wants Brian and the NYPD to find these bastards that hurt her baby. She wants to make sure this case is not put on the back burner.
"Of course, I can leave here in five minutes."
"Perfect, we'll see you then. Thank you."
Thank you so very much for all of your continued support. I appreciate all of the follows, favorites, and reviews. I had some time to write this in between my travels, so I thought I would post this chapter. I hope you enjoy this chapter- it took a little different turn than I had planned, but I wanted to focus on the first morning with mother and daughter and some issues that will arise with Rachel. Have a Happy New Year everyone! -T