Thank you for all the support and love for this story. It means so much to me and I hope you continue to enjoy it and where the story line is going. I love to hear thoughts. They make me smile. Enough of my rambling, here is the story. :)
May 13th, 2015
Rachel woke up and went over to wake Arabella. She said, "Rise and shine, princess. It's time for pretty little girls to wake up. We have to get you ready for your day with your grandpas. You are going to have so much fun with them. They can't wait to spend time with you."
Arabella yawned. "Momma no go?"
"No baby. Momma is going to stay here. I'll be here when you get back. Your grandpas will call me if you need anything. You are going to have so much fun. You are going to get ice cream and you are going to get to go shopping, I'm sure."
"Showping?"
Rachel chuckled. "Yep. They love shopping just as much as you do. Maybe you can count and sing your alphabet for them. I know how good you are at it. They will love to hear your awesome talents."
Arabella smiled and held her arms out to Rachel. Rachel asked, "Do you want to wear your pink dress or your polka dotted shirt and jean shorts?"
Arabella exclaimed, "No dress, momma, no dress!"
Rachel laughed. "Okay. It looks like shorts for you then." Rachel went on to get Arabella and herself ready for the day.
Hiram and Leroy couldn't get over how smart and beautiful Arabella was. She was the carbon copy of her mother in her younger days, but they could still see the small things that were just like her father that she didn't know.
Arabella had come to call Hiram papa and Leroy pop pop. They loved it. Arabella said, "Pop pop, we get ice cream?"
Leroy chuckled, "Sure thing, sweetheart. Then we are going to take you to the toy store."
Arabella giggled and exclaimed, "Toys!"
Hiram said, "Inside voice, princess."
Arabella lowered her head. "Sowwy, papa."
"We are almost to the ice cream store. Are you ready? What kind do you want?"
Arabella smiled again, "Nilla and Chocwit."
The two men smirked. Leroy said, "I think we can manage that. That shouldn't be too hard to make happen for our little Arie."
The three of them pulled in the parking lot. Leroy stayed with Arabella while Hiram got their ice creams. The two of them were just happy to have some time with the little girl to get to know her better.
Finn was sitting on break at work and decided to call to check up on the Berry men. They had come to be some of his favorite people and who he was closest to in the last three years after Rachel had left the three of them so unexpectedly.
Finn dialed Leroy's number. Leroy answered, "Hello?"
Finn said, "Hey Leroy. I wanted to call and see how the two of you were doing. I feel like I haven't talked to you in forever. I miss you guys."
Finn heard Leroy whisper to someone and heard a little girl giggle. He said, "Sorry, son. We miss you, too. Quinn seems to have your attention most of the time now. How are the wedding plans going by the way?"
"That was something else I wanted to call and tell you. The wedding is off." Finn then heard the little girl whispering and Hiram laughing in the background.
Leroy said, "I can't really say I'm sorry to hear it. She wasn't the one for you."
Finn laughed. "Thanks. I feel the same way. I'm sorry to interrupt. I'll let you go."
"We are just babysitting."
"Babysitting?"
"Yes. It's a darling little girl. Her name is Arabella."
"Arabella. That was what Rachel and I were going to name our daughter someday if it ever happened. It just sounded like the perfect name for a princess and I know she would have been my little princess."
"Oh Finn."
"No, it's fine. I'll talk to the two of you soon. Have fun."
"Thanks, son." Finn then hung up.
Finn couldn't help it but picture Rachel and what their little Arabella would look like. He hated that he still thought of Rachel this way, but he had to. She was the only one he loved and believed he ever would truly love.
Leroy was sitting with Arabella on his lap. She said, "Can I sing now?"
He laughed and said, "Of course. I just had to talk to someone special on the phone first. You have all of my attention now. What are you going to sing for me?"
She smiled. "Letters!"
The older men chuckled. Arabella started to sing, "A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, Elmo, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y and Z. Next time sing wit me!"
The two men clapped for her. It was amazing to see how smart she was at the age of two. She was just like Rachel in that aspect. They could see that Rachel was a wonderful mother and sis everything she could to teach Arabella and show her so much love no matter what the situation at hand was.
Hiram said, "That was wonderful, princess. I think that deserves a special surprise. Are you finished with your ice cream so we can go to the store?"
Arabella said, "Yes. Papa. Tank you fo owce cream. It yummy!"
"You're welcome. "
The two men went to leave with Arabella. They were so happy to be able to spoil the little girl.
Rachel had seen that her fathers didn't have much food in their house. She decided to do a little grocery shopping to thank them for allowing her and Arabella to stay with them for the week. Arabella may have only been two, but she could put food away as if it was nothing. That was something she got from her father. Rachel wanted so badly to see Finn, but she couldn't explain where she had been and she knew he wouldn't take anything less than a full explanation. She was not about to do that and have something happen to Arabella in the long run. She was the only thing Rachel had had for so long and she wasn't going to let anything harm her.
Rachel walked in the grocery store only to see none other than Quinn Fabray. Rachel considered turning around and just going back to her fathers' house, but she wasn't about to let the bully from high school get the best of her again.
Rachel tried to walk past her, but that didn't go as planned. Quinn smirked and asked, "What are you doing back here? I thought I scared you away years ago. Did you get rid of your spawn?"
Rachel clutched her fist. She was not about to let anyone talk about Arabella that way. Not after she was her everything for practically three years. Rachel said, "It's good to see you too, Lucy. I don't think it is any of your business what happened. I am not here to see you. If you would excuse me I have some shopping I have to get done."
"You know if you tell Finn what happened those years ago he won't believe you. He loves me now."
Rachel rolled her eyes. "I am not planning on seeing him. I still don't believe that that is any of your business either. Good luck in whatever you do with your life. And good luck to whoever is dumb enough to be part of your life. I'll have sympathy for them." Rachel made her way from her with a smile on her face because after all of these years she finally stood up to the girl that caused her so much trouble and heartache.
She got the groceries and made her way back to her fathers' house to put them away before they got home with Arabella. Rachel didn't know that Quinn wasn't the only one that saw her at the grocery store.
Finn went back to his apartment after his shift at work. He was exhausted. All day all he could think about was Rachel after hearing Hiram and Leroy with the little girl.
Finn hadn't been home long when there was a pounding on his door. He stood up and went to the door. He opened it to see Kurt. Finn said, "Hey bro. What is up with you?"
"You need to sit down." Kurt was still trying to catch his breath.
"No, I think you are the one that needs to sit down. What is going on?"
The two of them sat down in the living room. Kurt told him, "Blaine saw someone you need to know about at the grocery store."
"Go on…"
"Quinn was at the grocery store today. Blaine happened to round the corner at the end of what looked like a heated conversation. Finn, it was Rachel."
"What are you talking about? You just said it was Quinn."
"No. The person she was in the conversation with was Rachel. Finn, she's back. I don't know for how long or where she is staying, but she is back."
"Her dads! She is staying with her dads. I know Rachel. Well, at least I used to. She would stay with her dads. I talked to Leroy today. He didn't say anything about Rach being back."
"Maybe she doesn't want anyone to know. Why did she leave for three years and come back now?"
"I don't know, but I want to find out. The day she left she took part of me with her."
"Finn, she took more than part of you with her. You haven't been the same since she has been gone. I'm just glad that you are not with Quinn anymore."
"Me too."
"I just had to come tell you."
"Thanks bro. I'll talk to you soon. I have to figure out what is going on."
"Okay. Tell the diva that I missed her."
"I will." Kurt left. Finn sat there trying to figure out what his next move would be. He had to see Rachel before she disappeared again.
Rachel was sitting on the couch when her cell phone rang. She answered, "Hello?"
The voice on the other end asked, "Is this Rachel Berry?"
She replied, "Yes."
"Miss. Berry, I am calling from Lima Memorial Hospital. We have your dads and daughter here. If you could come down."
"Of course. I'm on my way." Rachel hung up and sped to the hospital. She didn't give them a chance to tell her what was going on. She just knew that she had to go check on the little family that she had.