Just a short chapter!
Enjoy!
-Klaine2314
Chapter Twenty:
"I'll get it." Sam stated as the doorbell rang that evening. 'This is it' Quinn thought, preparing herself for the worst. She turned to watch Beth playing with Larry. If it went as badly as she was anticipating then she'd never see the two of them playing together again. The words 'It's for the best' kept floating around her brain.
The door to the lounge opened and the three of them looked up to see the face of their newly arrived guest. Quinn averted her eyes from Shelby to see her daughter's reaction. Beth's face was full of confusion and her eyes were wide with shock. Her jaw hung slightly open as she finally uttered "Mum?"
"Hi baby." Shelby replied.
"What are you doing here?" Beth asked bluntly.
"Why don't you take a seat, Shelby? Larry can you come and give me a hand at making some drinks please?" Sam suggested.
Sam and Quinn had agreed that instead of Larry sitting through all the talking between the adults that Sam would explain briefly what was happening. Sam said he'd take him upstairs and play guitar or something, just to keep him occupied. Quinn really wanted her husband there for moral support, but she knew their son would need the support of his parents too.
Slowly Larry got to his feet and followed his Dad to the kitchen. Once the door was closed, Beth repeated her question. "Well, what are you doing here?"
"Honestly? I've come to bring you home."
"Well, you're out of luck because I'm not coming with you. I'm staying here with Quinn, my mother." Beth emphasised her intonation on the word 'mother'. Quinn sat silently observing the two. It didn't even register with her that Beth had acknowledged her as her mother; Quinn soon realised the true distance between herself and Beth.
"I am your mother." Shelby simply replied.
"I mean my real one." Beth spit back.
"Shelby is your real mother." Quinn finally said, breaking her voluntary silence.
"No she isn't, I came from you."
"That's true, but I signed you away. I gave away all rights to the 'mother' title."
"I found you; I want you to have the title." Beth replied naively.
"Stop speaking like a child." Shelby interjected angrily.
"It doesn't work like that Beth. I can't just be your mother. I simply can't. I've tried, believe me. I've always wanted the chance to meet you and see what kind of person you grew up to be, and that's impossible. I'm never going to be able to know the 'real' you because you're not going to have any time to be the 'real' you. Once the little guy growing inside you arrives, you're not going to have any time to yourself. That's why Shelby's here, because I asked her to come. You need to go home, Beth. We've got to set each other free."
"You called her?" Beth uttered in disbelief. "If you wanted rid of me, you should have just said so, I would have found somewhere else to live." She continued.
"You don't need to find anywhere else, you have a home." Shelby muttered.
"I expected you to be home by now Beth. I didn't expect Quinn and Sam to open up their home to you. You've been lucky to have this opportunity; it's something I always hoped to do with Rachel-"
"Don't compare this to what happened between you and Rachel. I'm sick to death of hearing you complain about how you wasted a chance to know Rachel. I've tried so hard to live up to the hype and it's impossible. Do you want to know why I was set on meeting Quinn, once I found out about her?" Beth argued. Shelby shook her head as they waited for Beth to continue. "I wanted someone to finally accept me as their daughter. I wanted to be someone's daughter without all the expectations." She began to break down; a tear fell slowly from her eyes.
Quinn's heart broke as she listened to Beth, speaking the entire truth. Beth had never told her about the expectation and ambition Shelby had placed on her shoulders. Shelby moved to put her arm around her daughter who sobbed uncontrollably into her shoulder. "Quinn can't accept me as her daughter because she gave the title and she gave me away but you...mum...you got a second chance...no a third chance to have a daughter. I'm sorry I didn't live up to the expectations."
"Hey...Shhhh... you've never failed me or not lived up to the hype. I'm sorry I put so much pressure on you, but I just wanted you to have the best opportunities in life, like all mothers do for their children."
"She's right Beth; I gave you up, because I wanted you to have the best in life."
"Come on Beth, let's get you home." Beth tensed at the suggestion. She didn't know if she honestly wanted to go, she knew that Quinn couldn't accept her, but she still felt like there was a small chance. "That sounds great, but I think my water just broke..."