Chapter 10: Your Mommy

She was in New York. He was in Lima. It's been three long weeks since Finn and Rachel haven't heard from each other. Finn hasn't told Lauren anything about seeing Rachel. They were in the kitchen on a Sunday afternoon. Lauren requested to bake some brownies.

"Can I eat all of them?" Lauren asked getting excited for the homemade brownies.

Finn laughs. "You can have some but not all."

"Aaw man! Daddy, brownies are so good!"

"I know they are, princess. That's why we're baking." Finn says as he continued to laugh.

"Are Puck Daddy and Dad going to eat some too?"

"Yes they are. You know how your dads are with sweets."

"They're just like me!"

"You got that right!" Lauren smiles at Finn. "Daddy? Did my mommy used to like baking?" She asked concerned. She would have her moments where she would ask more about her mother. It took Finn a while to respond every time Lauren wanted to learn more information. It broke his heart to talk about her mother when it looked like she wanted nothing to do with Lauren.

"She did bake her famous banana bread. They were delicious."

"That sounds yummy!" Lauren smiles.

"It was, baby girl." Finn says kissing Lauren on her head. "Do you miss her, daddy?" Finn looked away. He couldn't stand the idea of his daughter seeing him cry. He missed her. He missed seeing Rachel's beautiful face, hearing her voice, and seeing her smile. He truly missed her.

He wipes tears away from his face. "I think it's time for your bath. How about you go upstairs and pick your favorite jammies out for bed?" Finn says. He gets her up from the high kitchen chair.

"It's not finished!" Lauren cried.

"I know. When your bath is done, the brownies will be ready."

"Are you sure?!"

"I'm positive." Finn says trying to hold on a smile.

"Okay. Bath time!" With that, Lauren skips upstairs to the room and then the bathroom. Finn walks to the bathroom near the living room. He closes it shut, stares at himself in the mirror, and covers his face with his hands. He started crying again, then his cries turned into sob. "How can I stay strong for my daughter when I'm going through all of this?" He asked himself. "Maybe it's time to tell her.." He splashed his face with water and heads up the stairs.

It turned out the brownies were delicious. Finn made sure Lauren only had one piece so she wouldn't get a stomachache at night. Lauren was in her room reading a few chapters of Charlotte's Web for school. She was in bed when she heard her dads talk in the hallway. She was always taught that listening into people's conversation wasn't a good idea. She couldn't help it this time since her fathers were talking so loud near her room.

"This whole thing with you and Rachel is eating you up.. You really need to tell Laur." She heard her father Sam say.

"I know, one day I will but not now.." She heard Finn respond.

"No, now." Sam says.

"I'm not ready.."

"I believe in you. Tell Laur." Sam says. Lauren decided to interrupt them before they could continue their conversation. "Daddy!" She cried. Finn came rushing in the room.

He sits on the edge of Lauren's bed. "Hey, baby girl. I'm here." He says kissing her cheek. Lauren's arms opened wide to hug Finn. "I did my reading!"

"That's my girl!" Finn smiles. "Can I have more brownies please?"

"I don't think so."

"How come?"

"Because I told you, you'll feel sick. And you already brushed your beautiful white teeth!"

"Oh, fine!" Lauren sighed folding her arms together. "Daddy? Can I ask you a question?"

"OF course you can. You know that." Finn stares at Lauren worriedly. She had this look on her face that she knows something she isn't suppose too. "Who's Rachel?" She suddenly asked with all her concern.

And Lauren knew. But how did she find out? That's when Finn remembers the recent conversation he had with Sam. He figured they were so close by her room that she listened in. "You heard us?" He asked.

"Yes." Lauren responds. "Is she eating you?" She asked confusingly. Finn lets out a small laugh. "No, no..Baby girl. She's not eating me."

"But that's what I heard dad say!" Lauren cries. "Who's Rachel?" She repeated herself.

You really need to tell Laur. Now. Those words from Sam's mouth kept repeating in Finn's head over and over again. He immediately thought about how Lauren's slowly knowing more about her mother each day, and how she's dying to know who she is. He then thought about Rachel who kept running from him. He remembers the very last conversation he's had.

When Rachel told him that she can't meet Lauren right now. What is he suppose to tell his beautiful little girl who doesn't deserve confusion and rejection.

"Rachel was my girlfriend..my almost fiancé, almost wife." Finn tried to hold back tears. He knew one day he had too but he wasn't expecting that day to be now. "She's beautiful. She was my everything." Lauren holds Finn's hand for comfort. "I don't want you to cry."

"I'm not going to cry."

"You will..I see it in your eyes, daddy." Finn nods looking down, trying to stop himself from letting his emotions flow. "What I'm about to tell you is that-Rachel she's..She's your mother." Finn held himself together. He stares at Lauren who kept staring back. "Is she the one that has my eyes, my nose, and my tantrum? Is she the one that likes to bake banana bread?"

Finn nods his head. "Yes." He whispers slowly.

"How come she left us daddy? Where is she? I want to meet her." Those words have crushed Finn's heart into million pieces.

He would do anything for Rachel and Lauren to meet each other. He only hoped that Rachel would change her mind.

Every girl needs a mother.

Thank you for your reviews and alert! How will Rachel come back around? Will she finally say why she left and agree to meet Lauren?