Moving On
Rachel finished rinsing the last of the lunch dishes and grumbled to herself as she begun drying. "We have a perfectly good dishwasher right there but nooo. Wash them by hand, Rachel," she mocked her fathers' stupid rule. She'd never understand why her being grounded made it acceptable to waste water—didn't they care about the environment?!
The teenager had tried to argue that point before. She'd created a PowerPoint presentation on it and everything! Still her daddies insisted she wash the dishes by hand whenever she was grounded—it was character building, they said. What good was character building if there wasn't a planet left for it to matter, Rachel countered. Her dad's palm provided more than enough reason for it to matter, she'd discovered. Thankfully, she didn't find herself in this position often.
Her task now completed, Rachel hung the dish towel over the oven door and then made her way towards the living room. She intended to go to her room and start on homework when her dad stopped her.
"Come sit down, Rach. We want to talk to you." LeRoy looked up at her expectantly and patted the spot on the sofa between the two men.
"Noo, why? We talked about everything already!" Rachel whined and stomped her foot for added effect. "Fighting's wrong; I need to use my words and not my hands to solve my problems; throwing a slushie in someone's face is beneath me—I got it." She ticked them off on her fingers. "And I'm on house arrest until next Friday to drive the lesson home—though that is an awfully long time to partake in wasteful water usage in the name of 'discipline'."
"Rachel," LeRoy said in warning.
The teenager's stomach flipped at the tone and she relented. "I know, I know…Character building," she sighed, looking down. She didn't add that she felt her character was very much built already. Moving on from that failed attempt, she tried again. "Can we at least be conscious about our water usage in other areas of daily life until my punishment is complete?"
"Yes, we can discuss that," LeRoy acquiesced with a fond rolling of his eyes. "After the one we want to have with you," he added before his child could overtake the conversation. "Now come sit, please."
Rachel pouted and gave both men her best puppy-eyes. "Do we really have to talk about the school thing again? I said I was sorry and I won't do it again."
"It's not about the school thing," Hiram said, holding his hand out for Rachel to take. Rachel only stared at it as she waited for further explanation. "We want to talk to you about Shelby, love."
The girl's heart began to thump inside her chest and she cast her eyes back and forth between the men in alarm. "What are you—You're not taking her away from me, are you? I just got her—You can't!" Tears appeared and fell from long lashes even as she squared her shoulders. She was prepared to fight her fathers tooth-and-nail if need be.
"No, of course we're not, Rach," Hiram reassured quickly, wanting to curb the girl's theatrics early. "There's so much to process from today and your dad and I just want to make sure you're okay. That's all."
"Oh," Rachel let out a relieved sigh as her shoulders dropped. She wiped at her face with the back of her hand and felt her cheeks grow warm. Her daddies were always telling her she needed to slow down and not jump to conclusions.
Sniffling, Rachel moved to settle onto the cushion between her fathers. LeRoy offered the girl the same box of tissues Shelby had used and then both men waited for their child to calm herself. When she did, LeRoy began the conversation they had planned.
"First and foremost, Rach, we would never take Shelby away from you. We've all sat and talked and are on the same page about moving forward with the two of you getting to know one another. We know it's what you want, and Shelby's made it clear she wants that too. Daddy and I won't stand in the way of that developing relationship. In fact, we've already set it up with Shelby for her to pick you up on Saturday and take you out for the day."
"What?! Really?!" Rachel exclaimed. "Even though I'm grou—I mean—Of course I'm thrilled to spend Saturday with Mo—uh, Shelby—I just didn't think I'd be allowed to so soon considering…No, this is good. Thank you, daddies!"
Hiram and LeRoy caught each other's eyes over the top of their daughter's head and had to quickly rearrange their faces. Rachel hadn't yet learned not to speak in a stream of consciousness and say everything that went through her head when experiencing strong emotions (which, for Rachel, was all the time).
"Yes, even though you're grounded," LeRoy smirked. "Time with your mom won't be affected by punishments." He used the title he knew Rachel wanted to call Shelby, knowing it would ease his daughter's worries over it. The look he received from the girl in return only confirmed he'd done the right thing.
Emotions welling up faster than she knew what to do with, Rachel flung herself forward into her dad's arms. Then she began to sob.
LeRoy reacted without thought, holding his child close and whispering words of comfort into Rachel's ear as his hand stroked her hair.
"Hey. What's all this, love bug?" Hiram asked, running his own hand in soothing circles on the teenager's back.
"I'm just…so glad…that you're my…my daddies!" the teen wailed.
The mens' eyes met and they couldn't help rolling them in tandem before turning their attention back to their sweet, overly-dramatic girl.
As Rachel calmed, she pulled back from her dad's arms. "It's just—" She sniffled and swiped the back of her hand across her face without thought. "I'm grateful for our family. And that I have two parents who love me and I never have to worry about losing my home or your love."
The teen turned to face her daddy now and hugged the man. "Thank you for—just—everything," she said.
"Oh, Rach," Hiram sighed in loving exasperation. He resumed rubbing the girl's back and placed a quick peck to the side of her face.
Rachel settled between the men again and met both of their gazes. "I know it was wrong of me to handle the situation today the way I did…but in a way, it's good—" She blushed and ducked her head at the incredulous looks her fathers gave her. "No, not like that! I meant, it led to Shel—Mom—taking the step I've been hoping for since we met in April."
"That it did," Hiram agreed, his eyebrow twitching teasingly.
Rachel grew quiet as she sorted through more of her thoughts from the day's events. They turned to Quinn and Rachel was aghast to discover she felt guilty for how she'd treated the other teen. It was no secret that Quinn had treated Rachel much worse the year before, but now that Rachel knew the full story, she couldn't help but feel…bad.
"Daddies?"
"Yeah, baby?" LeRoy answered with a small frown at the sadness and uncertainty lacing his child's tone.
"This whole time I've thought that there was something about me that—that Shelby didn't like. That I wasn't the daughter she wanted. She adopted Beth, but Beth is a baby and I've been able to accept that I can't be upset with a baby for being adopted by a birth mother who just wanted to be grateful from afar. Because she said I didn't need her and I was grown up—I have two parents. But then there were all these moments I started to notice with Quinn. At first I brushed it aside. Shelby adopted Quinn's baby, so it made sense—especially given Shelby's regrets about me—that they'd keep in touch. But those moments I noticed…I just knew there was something more there. Then this morning happened. Shelby was dropping Quinn off for school and they just looked so—familial. And then I heard it—Quinn called Shelby 'Mama'—"
None of them moved as Rachel poured her thoughts out in a steady stream of word vomit. They all knew it was better to get it out at once and then clean up the mess when it was over.
"I was so mad. Why Quinn? What did she have that I didn't?" Rachel's anger from before bubbled up to the surface. She took a deep breath and shifted her gaze to her fathers in turn. "But then I realized—it was what Quinn didn't have…A loving family—someone she could turn to and know would be there even with the big mistakes. Quinn didn't have that…but now she has Shelby."
Quinn followed her mother through the garage entrance into their house, kicking her shoes off by the door. She handed her coat over for Shelby to hang in the closet and then shouldered her bookbag to trail after the woman as they made their way upstairs. Anxious butterflies fluttered in her stomach as the kitchen came into view. The girl was sure she'd be told to head on up to her mama's bedroom to wait for her. It didn't come.
Instead, Shelby asked her if she wanted a snack. And then told her to sit at the kitchen island and start her homework! As if none of the day's events had taken place! Still, Quinn wasn't about to disobey now, so she did as she was told and spread her books and notebooks out on the island counter. Shelby came to sit next to her and together, they made their way through each one of the teen's assignments.
Quinn let out a relieved sigh as she shut her chemistry textbook with a satisfying thump. She rubbed at her eyes and had an unexpected yawn (which really shouldn't have been—she was exhausted from the emotional rollercoaster of the day). Shelby was smiling warmly at her when she finally met the woman's eyes with a sheepish expression.
Shelby reached out to caress her child's cheek fondly and then leaned in to kiss her forehead. Quinn drank in the affection like a parched desert plant.
The mother's eyes flicked to the clock on the oven and back to her child. "Okay, Quinn—"
Quinn stiffened and met her mother's eyes nervously. Was it time now? Shelby was going to tell her to go upstairs and—
"I've got to go pick Beth up from daycare. Do you want to go with me?"
Oh. Quinn's shoulders relaxed and her heart rate slowed. "Can I stay here?" she asked. It had been a long day and now that she was home, she didn't want to leave.
"Yeah, baby," Shelby agreed. "Put your school things away—and remember, you're grounded. No tv or computer while I'm gone. I'll leave your phone in case you need to reach me, but I don't want you playing games or texting anyone, got it?"
"Yes, ma'am. I won't," Quinn answered. She'd half-expected Shelby to tell her she had to go, so she would happily agree to any and all stipulations.
"That's my girl," the mother cooed. The way Quinn beamed at the praise was both sweet and sad. It only served to remind Shelby how starved Quinn was for the kind of loving attention she should have always had from a parent and didn't. Shelby had a lot of ground to make up because of that; thankfully, she was more than up for the challenge.
Quinn quickly repacked her bookbag and set it by the stairs, ready and waiting for the morning. She then followed after Shelby as the woman prepared to leave to collect her youngest daughter.
Shelby smiled at her little duckling plodding along after her. So many of Shelby's own childhood memories revolved around following her parents around the house, either in companionable silence like Quinn was doing, or, more often than not, with her blabbering on to them a mile a minute. Hell, she'd done the latter today with her dad!
Those thoughts carried her to the garage entrance in the basement. The mother stepped into her ankle boots and then donned her winter coat. Turning to her shadow, she placed a kiss to Quinn's head as she directed the girl once more to 'Be good.' Quinn's arms wrapped around Shelby's neck for a quick hug, which Shelby was more than happy to reciprocate. When it was over, the mother had no qualms about turning the teen to her side and delivering a firm pop as further incentive to mind the rules while she was gone.
Quinn hissed as the sting spread across her left cheek and trailed her hand down to rub the moment Shelby released her.
"Find something to do that keeps you out of trouble. I'll be back soon with your sister," Shelby said, ignoring her child's pout. "I love you."
"Love you, Mama," Quinn said as her mother stepped out into the garage. She waited until the door shut and she heard the jingle of keys and then the lock clicking over before giving her bottom one last rueful rub. Then she turned and went in search of something to 'keep out of trouble.'
Her search led her to the built-in shelves surrounding the flat screen. Shelby had a good selection of books and Quinn browsed them for a moment. Her eyes traveled over a photo of a teenage Shelby with her parents that made her do a double take. If it wasn't for the very 80s' hair, Quinn could be looking at Rachel Berry.
As her thoughts turned to the tiny teen, Quinn wondered how Rachel was fairing. Her dad had looked and sounded plenty upset in the office earlier—surely Rachel was in trouble as well. Was she grounded too? "She better be," the girl growled to herself.
Quinn shook her head and refocused her attention to the books on the bookshelf. She reached for the fourth book from her new set of Harry Potter books that Zayde had given her for Christmas. She'd demolished the first 3 books during the last week of her Christmas break, but hadn't yet started on Goblet of Fire. Now was as good a time as any. She removed the dust jacket and stored it atop the other books, then settled into her favorite spot on the sofa and began to read.
And that is where Shelby found her when she returned home with Beth nearly forty minutes later.
Quinn startled at the sound of the door opening and she looked up at her mother and birth-daughter-turned-sister. She met Shelby's gaze with a sheepish smile and set her book down. Thankfully, she'd just ended the chapter where Harry and his friends were at the Quidditch World Cup, so it was a good place to stop for now.
"Hey, love, come take the baby, will you?" Shelby requested as she set the diaper bag on the floor. She passed her infant daughter off to her oldest as soon as Quinn joined them and then took off her boots and coat. "I've got to call a few students and reschedule my lessons I canceled today. Do you mind putting Beth down for her nap?"
Quinn, who had been making faces at a giggling Beth, froze and cast guilty eyes towards her mother. In all that had happened today, the teenager never even thought about Shelby having to cancel the private singing lessons she taught from her house daily in order to deal with all of the trouble Quinn had caused. Rachel played a part in that trouble, it was true, but that did little to dampen the leaden weight that settled in her belly. Shelby needed those lessons—they were her sole source of income—and Quinn had cost the woman dearly for today.
Shelby frowned at the sudden and drastic shift in Quinn's demeanor and reached out to run her hand down the girl's arm. "Honey, what's wrong?" she asked, feeling Quinn's forehead next. The girl had gone pale but her head was cool.
"I'm so sorry, Mama. I—I'll make up your losses with—You don't have to pay me allowance. I don't deserve it anyway. Or—or I'll get a job on the weekends—I promise it won't affect my grades at school, and—"
"Whoa," the mother held her hand up to stop the girl's frantic ramblings. "What are you talking about?"
"Your lessons!" Quinn fretted. "I lost you money today! I'm sorry, Ma—"
"Oh, Quinnie," Shelby sighed with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "Don't be silly. That's no big deal."
"But—"
"Hush. That's not something for you to worry about," Shelby quieted. "All I want you to focus on right now is taking Beth upstairs and getting her a bottle and putting her down for a nap. Can you do that for me?"
"Yes, ma'am," Quinn said obediently. "But—"
"No buts. Go on." Shelby then turned her and sent her off with several encouraging pats. She watched as Quinn headed for the stairs, looking back over her shoulder only once. Shelby had simply raised a brow and nodded her head in a 'keep going' motion.
The rest of the evening went by just as any normal day would—much to Quinn's surprise. She'd gotten Beth down for her nap and then gone to her room, expecting Shelby to find her after she was finished with her work tasks. She expected to finally get the spanking her mother had promised. It would have been the perfect time for it, the teenager reasoned. Beth was asleep, they could get it done and over with before Shelby started on dinner—it would all be settled and Quinn could move on.
It never happened.
Shelby did come to her room, but it was to deliver her Harry Potter book she'd left on the sofa downstairs. "You're not confined to your room, you know," the woman had said lightly. "You can come hang out with me if you'd like."
So, Quinn had gone downstairs with her mama and sat and read her book while Shelby figured out what to do for dinner. And when it was time to get Beth up, Quinn had happily gone to collect the baby. She'd played with the infant until dinner was ready.
Their meal had been peaceful and Quinn loaded the dishwasher afterwards as she always did. She'd collected the trash from around the house and dragged the large brown rolling garbage can out to the curb for tomorrow morning's usual pick-up. And when Shelby had taken Beth up for her bath and bedtime routine at quarter to seven, Quinn was perfectly happy to continue reading while she waited for Shelby to return.
When Shelby came downstairs half an hour later, Quinn was feeling fairly calm. There was a tiny shred of apprehension that surely now it was time. Shelby would spank her. But her mama came and sat on the sofa beside her and smiled as she picked up her own book. Quinn had relaxed and curled up against her. The girl smiled to herself as she got lost once again in the world of Harry Potter. Clearly her mama had changed her mind about her promised punishment. Quinn was just fine with that.
Naturally, it came as a complete shock when, at 8:15, Shelby shifted and had Quinn sit up. "Alright, Quinn. Time to go brush your teeth and get ready for bed," the woman said.
"But I have 30 more minutes!" the teen whined. She was well-versed in the intricacies of early bedtime, having had plenty of practice at it during her two-week-long stint a month ago.
"Yes, but we still have one last matter to take care of and I want you in bed on time. When you're finished, I need you to head to my room and wait for me. I'll be up shortly."
"Mama!" Quinn hissed, full of outrage. How dare Shelby pull this now when Quinn had worried herself sick all afternoon and it—never—happened! And just when the girl had thought the plan had changed—SURPRISE—the plan had changed, but in a very unexpected way. "I thought you decided not to—to—" She flung an arm out to encompass…all of this.
Shelby quirked an eyebrow and rolled her lips inward as she worked hard not to show her amusement at her child's reaction. It was good to see Quinn acting her age and being unafraid to do so. Her dramatics were impressive, as well. "I didn't change my mind, love. I promised you a spanking before bed. It's now before bed. So go on," she said, nudging the teen to her feet.
"But Mama—"
Shelby shook her head and got Quinn moving with a quick swat. The girl gave her a sad look over her shoulder as she rubbed at her bottom, but headed for the stairs as directed. Shelby watched her slink off and sighed. She had to remind herself why she was doing what she had planned.
Quinn finished brushing her teeth and washing her face. Today had been a whirlwind of unexpected events and the emotions that they brought out in Quinn were draining the girl. She wouldn't ever admit it out loud, but Quinn was ready for bed. And now that her initial shock and annoyance at her mother had run their course, she couldn't bring herself to be all that upset over what was about to happen. Part of her always knew it was going to happen because, deep down, she knew Shelby would never break a promise.
Still, she couldn't stop the anxious butterflies that fluttered inside her tummy as she changed, coincidentally, into the very same outfit she'd worn the first time Shelby had spanked her. The thick sweatpants she'd donned that time had proved invaluable, and while she remembered the woman telling her that not every spanking would start that way, she was fairly confident that if her cross-country road trip hadn't earned her a bare-bottom spanking from the get-go, this one wouldn't either.
Making her way to her mama's bedroom, Quinn took up the same pacing she had the time before. She took to chewing her lip and straining her ears for any sound that Shelby was on her way. The waiting, the teen decided, was the worst part about all of this, and she hoped her mama wouldn't take much longer.
But when Shelby entered her bedroom several minutes later, the teen couldn't help it—suddenly, she wished the woman had taken just a bit longer.
Shelby picked up on the girl's nerves right away and, not wanting to drag it out longer than necessary, moved directly to her bed and took a seat. She then met her daughter's eyes and held out her hand. "C'mon, love. Let's get this done."
"Mama," Quinn pouted, but took the woman's hand just the same. "I really thought you had changed your mind or…forgot." She fidgeted as her mama drew her to stand in between her knees.
"Sorry, pal. I didn't forget either," Shelby chuckled, then gave her child a sympathetic look. She frowned when Quinn's expression spoke of more than simple teenage sulking. "What are you thinking?" the mother prodded.
Quinn let out a long sigh and chewed at her lip as she considered her words. "I just expected you to do it all afternoon and it didn't happen and didn't happen and then I thought it wasn't going to happen. Only to be told that it is, now," she revealed, looking down.
"Oh, honey, I'm sorry," Shelby breathed, tilting the girl's chin up. "I never intended this to be a big deal, just a quick lesson at bedtime—because I do think you need to be reminded about what is and isn't an appropriate way to speak to someone. And I also need you to understand that I'm always going to do what I tell you I will. I told you I would put you over my knee before bed if you gave Zayde any trouble—now it's bedtime and that's exactly what I'm going to do. But I am sorry that I didn't make that clearer, Quinnie. That part is my fault."
"Mama," Quinn said, and this time her tone was a true whine. "I've been worried all afternoon and evening about this—isn't that punishment enough? Especially if you only meant it as a reminder?" The girl's eyes were hopeful as she met her mama's gaze. "I promise I'll do better with my word choices and how I speak to others. And, don't worry, I already understand that you will do what you say you will. So—So really, we don't have to—"
"No, Quinn," Shelby answered with a smirk.
"But—"
"It's a nice try, but this is happening. I am sorry you were worried all day, but I promise you this is going to be quick and no big deal," Shelby assured, pulling the girl in closer. She easily hooked her fingers into the waistband of Quinn's sweatpants and pushed them down. Gravity took care of the rest and they fell to the floor with an audible plop. Shelby smirked at the sound and shook her head—those things were too thick if they made that much noise when hitting the floor!
"Mama!" came Quinn's shrill protest at the loss of her protective padding. She snapped her eyes up to glare accusingly at her mother, but only for the briefest of moments. Then the only thing she could stare at was her mama's expensive bedding.
Shelby adjusted the teen to her liking before tugging her panties down to rest at her knees.
"Nooo! Mama!" Quinn complained as cool air hit her bare legs. An arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her close and holding her tight—she would have enjoyed the feeling of security that gave her if it wasn't for the why of it all. She whimpered and squirmed as Shelby pushed her too-big t-shirt up and out of the way, exposing her now-bare bottom to the room. "I thought you said this was no big deal!" she accused.
Shelby rested her hand atop pale skin and rubbed briefly. "It's not a big deal. We'll be finished in a matter of minutes and then you can sleep in here tonight, if you'd like."
Quinn did like, especially after the day she had had. She needed and wanted to be near Shelby, to have that reassurance that everything between them was okay. What she didn't want or need was what her mama had planned on before that.
"Then why are we starting this way? You didn't do this last time and that was worse, right?!" Quinn demanded, kicking her legs in displeasure. "This seems like a pretty BIG deal from my perspective!"
Shelby laughed at her teen's protests, secretly happy they were laced with so much snark. That was a good thing—it meant Quinn felt safe and settled despite her outward annoyance. "I don't intend for this to be a long lesson, so I need you to feel it right away, Little Miss," she answered, unable to keep the amusement from her voice. Her hand, however, held no humor as she cracked it down across the waiting bottom. She watched as a faint pink handprint appeared on pale skin and repeated the action on the opposite cheek.
"I'd feel it plenty without you needing to—Ow! Ow, ow, Mama—No!" Quinn squealed and twisted her hips back and forth in an effort to avoid the woman's stinging hand. Her mama wasn't messing around here, it seemed—she was going for Quinn's sit-spots from the get-go! And those were no warm-up spanks, they were the real deal!
"Careful now," Shelby warned, her hand clapping down smartly twice more. "This may not be a big deal but it is still a spanking, Lucy Quinn, and I need you to take this seriously."
"Yes—Ow! Yes, Mama! Ooohhoo, I—I am!" Quinn whined, kicking her legs. "I'm sorry—Ow! Oh, ouch! Ouch, M-Mama—please!" She was seven spanks in (she'd counted) and tears were already burning behind tightly closed eyelids. She was going to cry this time for sure, she just knew it.
Eight and nine were delivered and Quinn couldn't help it. She reached a hand back to cover her burning skin. "Please, I—Owwhow! I'm sorry!"
Shelby paused before the descent of number ten in order to scoop up her daughter's straying hand and hold it securely in her own. "I know you're sorry," she said, now resting her left hand on the back of Quinn's thigh. "I hope this is enough of a reminder to you to choose your words more carefully and be respectful when speaking to others. Because if it isn't, the next time I hear of you cursing at someone or speaking the way you did to Zayde, I promise you, Lucy, I will paddle your bare bottom with a wooden spoon. Is that clear?"
"Yes, ma'am," Quinn answered, subdued. Her heart was heavy with the weight of the day's events. She wanted this day to be over now. Sniffling, she could already feel the first tears making their way down her cheeks. "Please, Mama…I'll be good," she said, her voice cracking as she tried hard to keep her tears at bay.
Shelby sucked in a breath at her child's soft words said so brokenly. She was reminded all-at-once of the way Quinn had begged her to stop at the end of that first spanking (only ten days ago, she realized with a pang). She'd said then that she wanted to be good for Shelby and so, she couldn't cry. Shelby had stopped then because she needed Quinn to know she was good. Now, she had a different lesson to teach.
"We're not finished yet, but we will be soon, Quinnie," she told the girl gently. "You go ahead and cry if you need to, baby. It's okay to cry. You're supposed to during a spanking—I promise."
"No! I'll be good, Mama. I—I want to be good," the girl insisted.
"Almost done, baby," Shelby said, hardening her heart against the quiet sniffles now coming from her daughter. She told the girl it was okay to cry and she meant it—but that didn't make it any easier to hear now. Still, Quinn needed Shelby to keep going, to show her that crying wasn't the end of the world. It was good to cry and Quinn would learn that in a safe environment.
Besides, the mother understood that most of her child's tears came not from the sting of her palm, but from the accumulation of all the strong emotions from today. A good cry was exactly what Quinn needed to put this whole day behind them.
So, with that thought firmly planted in her mind, Shelby raised her hand for the tenth time. It connected with a sharp crack that made Quinn buck and gasp. By twelve, Quinn was crying openly. Four more swats followed to finish things off and the mother took a moment to survey the warm, pink skin she'd painted. She was confident the sting she'd left was fierce but fleeting, just as she'd intended.
"There now. It's all over," Shelby said soothingly. She returned pink leopard-print panties to their proper place, then helped the girl to her feet.
Quinn's hands immediately went to her bottom, but Shelby was quick to remove them. Wet, doleful eyes met hers and tugged at mother's heartstrings. Shelby just shook her head and then helped Quinn onto her lap, face up this time. The girl clung to her and finished crying into the crook of Shelby's neck.
It didn't take long for the tears to end, and when they did, Quinn squirmed and sat up in her mama's arms. She met the woman's kind eyes with tentative ones of her own. Then they narrowed and with a quick huff of annoyance, Quinn blurted, "Mama, that hurt!"
Shelby, who had been prepared for a subdued and sorry Quinn needing more reassurance that yes, everything was fine, was completely thrown off by the quick reemergence of the girl's normal sassy self. Heart soaring at this new development, Shelby wrapped Quinn in a tight hug and planted kisses all over the girl's wet, scowling face. She laughed at the answering grunts and groans and continued her ministrations until Quinn folded.
"Maaa—ma!" the girl squealed. Her peals of laughter were music to Shelby's ears.
"Okay, okay," Shelby relented. Quinn sighed and slumped against her. "Are you feeling better?"
Quinn snapped her head up to stare incredulously at her mother. Was she feeling better? No, her butt was sore! But her heart felt lighter than it had all day. She felt…settled. And loved. She sighed. "Yeaaaah," she drawled, earning another chuckle from Shelby. Quinn rolled her lips in to keep from smiling.
"See? I told you—no big deal," Shelby teased.
"Mmm," Quinn grumbled. "It felt like a big deal while it was happening."
"I'm sure it did. But it's all done now." Shelby gave her child a knowing smirk and patted her hip before setting the girl on her feet. She didn't stop Quinn from rubbing her bottom this time, just waited for her to be done before turning the bed down. Her eyes flicked to her alarm clock to check the time. 8:33. It'd taken less than ten minutes from the time she'd entered her bedroom until now. She nodded to herself.
"In you get, sweet girl," she directed, holding the blankets up for Quinn to easily crawl in.
Quinn had also noted the time and she sighed and stopped her rubbing to give her mother a pitiful pout. "But it's still not time for early bedtime," she whined.
Shelby raised an eyebrow and tilted her head down ever so slightly—a subtle warning. "Consider this part of what happens with a bedtime spanking," she quipped.
The girl sighed heavily but didn't argue further as she climbed into bed and settled onto her tummy. She reached down to rub her bottom one last time with a meaningful look directed at her mother. Shelby simply rolled her eyes and pulled the blankets up around her girl just the way she liked. Then she bent down to pick up Quinn's discarded sweatpants and folded them neatly, setting them at the end of the bed. Quinn watched her with pursed lips.
Shelby chuckled lightly as she took a seat beside Quinn, smoothing the blankets out over the girl's back. Her hand lowered to pat the covered bottom gently. "You know, Quinn," she began, her pats turning more pronounced, "I know what you're trying to do wearing those insanely thick pants every time you're due a spanking." She smacked her hand down once—hard—and Quinn yelped and spun her head around to glare at her. "It's not going to work."
"Mama," Quinn whined, but Shelby was already leaning down to kiss her goodnight. The teen sighed again, long and forlorn and mostly for show. Shelby smirked at her and ruffled her hair as she guided her head back down onto the pillow.
Shelby didn't miss the way the girl's eyes fluttered as she shifted and settled into her spot. The mother smiled warmly at the sight, her child looking years younger in this very moment. She wondered if Rachel looked just as adorable all sleepy and snuggled up. She was sure she did and hoped she'd get to see for herself before too long.
The mother went through her usual bedtime tuck-in routine again, smoothing the covers and leaning down to kiss a blonde head. "Goodnight, Quinnie. I love you," she whispered. "Sweet dreams."
"'Night, Mama," Quinn yawned and closed her eyes. "Love you."
Shelby smiled and ran a hand through silky hair before standing and leaving her child to her dreams. Making her way downstairs, she headed straight for her tea kettle. With both of her children tucked safely away in bed, it was time for a cup of tea and a bit of television before she called it a night herself.
Over at the Berry residence, Rachel Berry (stealthy as always) hid under her blankets as she typed away on her should-be confiscated phone. She'd sent a handful of messages to her mother and her heart pounded as she waited for an answer. No amount of mindless CandyCrush could distract her from her impatience. Five, then ten minutes had gone by and there was still no response—not even so much as the flashing gray typing icon flitting across her text screen denoting a reply was coming. Nothing!
She had just hit 'Send' on her latest text when, suddenly, the phone began to ring—loudly—and the name 'Mom' popped up on the screen directly above the 'Slide to answer' bar. Rachel screamed (why—she had no idea), and then froze, waiting for one of her fathers to come barreling into her room, alarmed at the noise. Then she remembered her room was sound-proofed and they wouldn't have heard—she was never so thankful that her neighbors had threatened a lawsuit and this was her daddies' solution to the problem than she was right now.
Shaking herself, Rachel refocused and swiped her thumb across her home screen.
Carrying her tea into the living room, Shelby curled up on the sofa with every intention of enjoying her tea and relaxing with whatever was playing on HGTV. She reached for her phone that she'd left on the coffee table when she'd gone upstairs earlier, and was surprised to see multiple text messages from Rachel. She'd just clicked on the green message icon when another text popped up from the girl. Shaking her head, Shelby found her daughter's name in her contacts and hit 'Call'.
The girl answered immediately. "Mom? H-Hi!" she said, slightly breathless and full of awe. It melted Shelby's heart.
"Are you supposed to be on your phone right now, young lady?" Shelby asked, hiding her amusement under a stern mask. "I believe someone is grounded and I'm sure your daddies don't allow you to use it on restriction."
"Well…it would be impolite not to answer," Rachel replied sheepishly. She thought there was a hint of teasing to Shelby's tone despite the scolding nature of it and hoped she was right.
There was a sudden coughing fit that broke out on the other end that Rachel was sure was cover for the laugh that Shelby really wanted to express. It was followed by some very convincing throat clearing and Rachel appreciated the theatricality of it.
"Mmm. Well, I certainly appreciate your manners," Shelby said lightly, and Rachel congratulated herself on reading her mother so well. "Now—what was so important that you needed to sneakily text me, hmm?"
Encouraged by their bonding moment, Rachel dove into the conversation enthusiastically. "Are we really going out this Saturday? My daddies said, but they didn't give me any details—just that they'd talked it over with you and that you would pick me up Saturday for the day. What are we going to do? Can I drive? I have my license now! And, you may or may not know, but I follow a vegan diet, so we'll have to discuss restaurant choices beforehand; otherwise, I might not—"
Shelby listened to her daughter's excited chatter, answering her questions as best she could (Rachel wasn't giving her much time to actually respond). "Yes, I'm picking you up Saturday around 10 or 10:30. I was thinking we'd do some shopping and grab lunch. No, you can't drive—maybe another time. We can figure out a place that will meet your dietary needs, Rach, don't worry."
Their conversation turned to more general, get-to-know-you topics for a few minutes. Shelby was just as happy to chat with Rachel as the girl was, but the mother was also aware of her child's punishment. As much as she didn't want to, she had to be the adult here. Shelby was just gearing up to tell Rachel it was time to hang up the phone when she heard a firm voice boom on the other end of the line.
"What do you think you're doing?!" a deep voice demanded from directly overhead the hidden teenager.
Rachel shrieked and dropped her phone as she clawed her way out from under her blankets to meet the very unimpressed face of her daddy. Her stomach gave that dreadful lurch as if she'd dropped off the top of a very large rollercoaster.
"Just who are you talking to, young lady?" Hiram went on, completely vexed at this child's blatant rule-breaking. "You know you're not supposed to be on the phone after 8pm on a school night—and that's not even mentioning your grounding! Was it not long enough, Rach? Do you need more?"
"Daddy, it's not like that! I—" Rachel made the mistake of meeting her father's eyes and immediately regretted it. She cast her own down and glimpsed her phone, suddenly realizing that Shelby was hearing everything. Her cheeks grew warm at that.
Hiram snatched up his child's phone, continuing to grumble to himself at her behavior. But as he caught sight of the name on the screen, he felt all of his anger melt away. "Shelby?" he spoke into the phone.
"Hi, Hiram," Shelby answered glumly. "I'm sorry. I'm partly to blame for this mess—"
The father sighed and turned regretful eyes onto his red-faced child as he listened to Shelby explain the situation. "No, no—don't be silly," he told the woman as she tried to apologize again for calling Rachel. "We told Rachel this afternoon—and we should have said it to you, as well—but we won't ever take you away from her as a punishment. She may be grounded, but both LeRoy and I are more than okay with you two talking whenever you want—" His eyes met his daughter's as he said this, and he didn't miss the look of awe on the girl's face. His next words were directed toward her.
"What I don't want is a not-so-sneaky girl taking her phone from her daddy's office to call her mother. If you want to talk to your mom while you're grounded, Rach, you need to use either mine or Dad's phones. We don't mind that, okay?"
"Yes, sir," Rachel said meekly.
Hiram nodded and said his goodbyes to Shelby before handing the girl's phone back to her. "You have five minutes to finish up. It's bedtime," he said.
Rachel nodded mutely, her heart still thumping inside her chest. Her daddy gave her one last warning look and then made his leave, shutting the door behind him. The girl puffed out a breath as she relaxed her tense body and brought her phone back up to her ear.
"H-Hi, Mom," she greeted in a much more subdued voice.
"Hi, baby," Shelby returned. She didn't need to see Rachel's face to know the girl was embarrassed and unsure of how to proceed. Luckily, Shelby had an idea. "Hey, Rach?"
"Y—Yeah?"
"I've really enjoyed this chat tonight, honey. How about we do it again tomorrow? But—without the sneaking," the mother said, her tone playful.
Rachel's whole demeanor brightened and she practically vibrated with excitement. "I'd love that, Mom!"
"Me too, Princess," Shelby said warmly. "I love you, Rachel. Sweet dreams, okay?"
"I—I love you, Mom. Sweet dreams."
The following morning, Quinn rolled her eyes as her mother reminded her for the four-hundredth-and-twenty-second time to behave herself today. "Okay, Mama," the girl groaned, tossing her banana peel in the trash can on the way to collect her bookbag.
"I'm just saying, I don't want to get a call from the school today telling me I need to come collect my daughter from the principal's office," Shelby said as she and Beth followed Quinn downstairs.
"You better talk to the other one, then," the teenager quipped, tossing an impish grin over her shoulder.
Shelby shook her head and let her hand connect with a satisfying pop on a red-and-white pleated skirt. Quinn gave a squeak of protest as she jumped forward and out-of-reach, giggling madly as soon as it was safe.
"Brat," the mother grumbled fondly as she joined Quinn in front of the garage entrance and grabbed their coats.
"Ba! Ba!" Beth squealed and happily clapped her chubby little hands together.
"That's right, Bethie," Shelby cooed to her youngest as she stepped into her winter boots. "Sissy IS a brat."
"Hey!" the teen whined as she finished tying her white sneakers. '
"C'mon, troublemaker," Shelby said, opening the door that led to the garage. "Let's get you to school."
Rachel Berry walked down the halls of McKinley High mid-morning, heading to the very same alcove she'd laid in wait for Quinn Fabray the day before. She would do the same today, but this time—things would be different.
Rachel's thoughts swirled around Quinn and her mother as she waited for the blonde teenager to walk past. Rachel still couldn't believe how much had changed in a twenty-four-hour period. This time yesterday, Rachel had been ready to kill Quinn. Now, she waited with a sympathetic heart.
Her heart began to beat rapidly as she caught sight of the blonde. Adrenaline coursing through her small body, Rachel leapt out of her hiding place. She'd intended to jump out behind Quinn. Her timing was off, however, and she found herself once again tackling the taller teen to the lockers. The movement caught the attention of a crowd much sooner than it had the day before.
"Not AGAIN, Rachel!" Quinn hissed as she was pressed up against the row of lockers for the second time in twenty-four hours. "I promised Ma—Shelby—I'd stay out of trouble!"
"Sorry! I'm sorry!" Rachel blurted, scrambling off of the other girl. She then offered her hand to help Quinn stand upright. She didn't miss the look of distrust that flitted across the cheerleader's face, but Quinn took it none-the-less.
"What do you want?" the girl asked, wincing as she rubbed her side. Rachel really needed to stop ramming her into those damn lockers!
"I wanted to apologize, Quinn," Rachel began formally. "I'm sorry for yesterday and the things I said to you…and did. I understand now and I—I'm glad you have Shelby. You need and deserve a mom who loves you, and I can see that Shelby loves you very much—"
Quinn stared completely gob-smacked at the smaller teen as she offered her very long-winded apology, and wondered just what had happened at Rachel's home the day before to change the girl's mind so drastically. Quinn only realized now that she didn't actually ever ask Shelby what Rachel had said to her or what those two had decided to do. Quinn knew how much Shelby wanted to be in Rachel's life, and it was clear Rachel wanted that too.
"—She loves me very much too and we have already begun our journey to strengthen our own relationship. I won't pretend to act like you and I will manage this transition smoothly, but I promise to do my best to keep in mind that you live with Shelby and consider her a mother and just because you do doesn't mean I can't either."
"O—Okay," Quinn nodded. "I…I'm sorry too, Rachel. For all of the things I've done to you in the past. It won't happen again—I promise."
Rachel smiled broadly at the taller teen. "I'm going to hug you now," was all the warning Quinn got before she was accosted by Rachel Berry's arms around her. Rachel beamed when tense muscles loosened and tentative arms lifted to encircle her, too.
All around them (and completely unbeknownst to the two girls), students were buzzing with frenzied whispers.
Rachel Berry had hugged Quinn Fabray—and Quinn was hugging her back!
The crowd dispersed as the hug ended and brunette and blonde shared a small smile.
"Have a good day, Quinn," Rachel said. "I'll see you in detention later."
"Yeah," Quinn agreed, still processing the last few minutes. "See ya, Rachel…"