The events of this chapter take place between chapters 26 and 27 of the Berry-Lopez and Fabray sagas.

(Shelby)

"Shelby, there's a man asking for you at the door. I think he's your daughters' father."

Beth was in my arms at that moment. It was Saturday, but what time off did I have? I discovered that being a single mother was much more complex and complicated than I had imagined. I had just moved into my new house in Troy. It was a small house, with just two bedrooms, in a block of standardized houses. It was all I could afford on a salary that was only half of what I used to get in Carmel, and my expenses doubled. I got a job at a private elementary school in Dayton, where I taught introductory singing and theater to children. It wasn't my dream job, but I only worked part-time and the money paid my bills, right?

My mother agreed to live with me at least until the end of the year to help me look after Beth, because I didn't have the heart to put such a small baby in a nursery or in the hands of a nanny.

When I went to answer the door, I was surprised to see none other than dr. Juan Lopez standing next to a relatively large cardboard box, wrapped in some rather shabby cellophane. I had given him my new address, but I never imagined that he would actually pay me a visit, especially by surprise.

"Juan! What a surprise!" I said in a mixture of embarrassment and joy at seeing him. My God, I was disheveled, wearing shorts and a blouse with holes in the back. I was getting ready to give Beth her bottle. In other words, I didn't feel sexy at all.

"Hey." He smiled. "Sorry to come unannounced... I wanted to see how you were and bring Beth some gifts." He pointed awkwardly at the poorly wrapped cardboard box. "Sorry... I'm not very good with these things."

"Come in, Juan." I said, running over to the couch to take a blanket from Beth that was lying on it. "I was just getting ready to give Beth her bottle... by the way, this is my mother, Linda Corcoran. Mom, this is Juan Lopez, Santana and Rachel's father."

They shook hands. I could tell that Juan was a little embarrassed, but it only took a couple of minutes because he took off his jacket and offered to help.

"Look, I'm good at these things. I had to have strong arms to hold two at once."

"In that case..."

I put Beth in Juan's arms. I shouldn't be surprised by these things, but he cradled my daughter very well in his arms. Wow, that was a sight that made Juan very... sexy? I shook my head because it wasn't time to think about such things. My mother gave me the bottle and I sat down in the armchair, which was great for feeding my daughter.

"She's beautiful, Shelby." Juan handed Beth to me. I cradled her in my arms and gave her the bottle.

"Yes, she is." I smiled discreetly.

"Shelby, I need to go to the shop. I'll be right back." My mother said a little embarrassed, but it was her way of giving Juan and me some space. I didn't ask for it, but she sensed that maybe we'd like to talk alone.

Juan took the cardboard box and put it in front of me.

"What's in there?"

"Useful things."

"Can you open it for me?"

"It would be a pleasure."

Juan took off the cellophane, which had a sickly sound, and opened the box.

"When the girls were little, my family, Hiram's family and our friends gave the girls lots of nice gifts. Toys, shoes, clothes and all that. Nobody remembered to give what was really necessary. Disposable diapers, tins of powdered milk, pharmacy kits, cloth diapers, absorbent cotton, diaper rash cream and baby wipes!"

He showed me the contents of the box and there were all the things he mentioned inside, which were things I spent tons of money to buy. I discovered that, indeed, cute little things were nice, but it was much more important to have a stash of these everyday things for a baby.

"Juan Lopez... I love you."

He smiled a little sheepishly, showing the dimple that looked exactly like Santana's. Beth finished her bottle, and Juan promptly took a cloth diaper, put it around his shoulders and picked Beth up so that she could burp. Meanwhile, I went into the kitchen, washed the bottle and quickly looked around to see if I'd forgotten anything. As far as Beth was concerned, everything was fine, but my stomach rumbled loudly, because my mother and I were also going to make our lunch when Juan arrived.

"Wow, what a strong little girl." Juan said when he heard Beth's unobtrusive burp.

"I imagine you must be remembering a lot of things." I took Beth back. Knowing my daughter well, that was the moment she was about to do the number two. I would wait for her bowels to work, to clean her up and for her to have her first nap of the day.

"About the girls? I remember it took me a while to get the hang of it. But then I got really good at it."

"Really?"

"There were two of them at the same time, Shelby. Rachel was very sly and liked to be held. Santana was hyperactive. While Rachel liked to take a nap on my chest, Santana would crawl and roll everywhere. We had to put children's mats in every room of the house because of her. On the other hand, they had an unbelievable synchronicity when it came to soiling their diapers."

I smiled just imagining what a mess they must have been since they were babies. Hearing the stories about them as little girls was comforting and painful at the same time. Comforting because they were happy children, and painful because I wasn't there to participate in their growth. But I had Beth, and I would give my all for this little girl's comfort.

My mother came home with a bag of apples, saying she would make a pie. That was for later. She and I made an express lunch, taking advantage of Juan's willingness to keep an eye on Beth. We lined up the children's mat and he sat on the floor playing with her, fiddling with her toys. Juan seemed calm and very comfortable staying with that baby. Beth did her routine: she soiled her diapers, I changed her and put her to sleep. Juan, my mother and I had a quick lunch and then I was able to talk to him more.

Just as he'd promised, Juan and I were exchanging messages in which he updated me on things to do with the girls. It was from him that I learned that the two of them had spent the vacations in London and that Hiram and he were separated. Juan was sending me some photos of them. I saw that Rachel and Santana were very cute children, and I fell in love with a photo of the two of them in a park. Rachel was wearing a rainbow-colored coat and Santana was hugging her. It must have been windy, because their hair was loose and a bit messy. What made me most happy about the photo was seeing them with big smiles, as if they were having fun.

"Things are a bit tense at home. Hiram and I try to be civil in front of the girls, but the truth is that we don't talk any more than we have to when we're alone. I know the girls are being impacted by all this. Imagine that they already have all these teenage problems, which seems like an epic drama at their age, and they still have to deal with these family issues."

"I wish I could help, Juan."

"I also wish you could be there. Unfortunately, Hiram turns in a very negative way when he's resentful, and I would never bring that stress on you, especially now that you have to look after a little baby."

"But being absent hurts. It's hurt me all these years, even without knowing their faces. It hurts even more now that I know them. They're my kids too. I think that raising Beth has only increased my desire to get closer to them, which is why this whole situation is so frustrating."

"I know Hiram will eventually back down."

"Yes, when the girls turn 18 and leave Ohio."

"I know him, Shelby. Right now he's like a cornered animal whose only chance of escape is attacking. That's why he's so dangerous now. Time and space are things that will make him think better."

"Well, you know the guy."

"Anyway, how are you getting on with Beth, the new job and everything?"

"Every day is a battle, because I have to kill a lion every day. Being a mother is hard, but I think you know that part from being a father of two. What you don't know is the reality of being a single mother. Sometimes it's desperate, and if my mother hadn't been here, I would have freaked out. But every time I see Beth smiling, her little outfits, the way she does new things every day... my heart melts with love. I know it's a corny thing to say, but it's the truth. It's love that keeps me going, a love I've never felt before. Not like this."

"You don't have to be in this alone, Shelby. I want to help you."

"How?"

"In whatever way I can help, and however you allow me to help."

"Well, that's something we'll have to figure out how to do."

"Yes, no rush."

"I admit that the gifts you brought was a good start."

"Are you kidding?" Juan let out a laugh. "Every time a friend of mine gave me a gift for my daughters, and I saw that it was one of those cute outfits that they would only wear once or twice... it made me desperate! I wanted them to give me diapers! I remember I spent a fortune on diapers! All my expenses were doubled with Rachel and Santana."

"I understand your pain now."

Juan and I exchanged glances. It was one of those moments when we could have kissed, after all, there were no more obstacles in our way. But I let the moment pass. My mother went out onto the balcony and got my attention because Beth had woken up. Juan said he had to go back to Lima and said goodbye right there. He shook my mother's hand again and kissed me on the cheek. He went to his car and drove off, promising to exchange messages and that he would be back as soon as possible. When I went back into the house to see if Beth was all right, I realized that Juan had forgotten his jacket on my couch. I think he'd have to go back for his jacket at some point.

"That father of your daughters is really handsome." My mother commented slightly mischievously.

"Yes, he is." I picked up the box of useful gifts and took the contents to Beth's room, where I'd set aside a cupboard space to store this kind of material.

"He seems to like you."

"Maybe."

"Don't miss your chance, Shelby. Good men are rare."

I looked at my mother and raised an eyebrow. Why do mothers always try to find boyfriends for their daughters? Although, in this case, I didn't disagree with her.

...

(Juan)

I had three good friends in Lima, ones I could count on in any circumstance. The first one was my brother-in-law, Pedro, who was my main confidant. There was also Gus Rutherford, who was the best carpenter in all of Ohio, I believe. Gus and I played football together in high school. I got a scholarship to OSU because of that, and Gus went to community college and set up a first-rate woodworking shop. It was Gus who made most of the furniture in my house. He was a wood artist. Santana, Rachel and Matt, his middle son, went to school together and played soccer in the park as children. My girls weren't that close to Gus's children, but I think they were on good terms, at least with Matt. There was also Alicia, who was another friend and professional colleague of mine who went to live in Lima following Aaron Parker's team. Alicia specialized in cardiology and was a very competent professional. It was with Alicia that I talked when I needed a frank and coherent opinion. It was with these three friends that I could vent when I needed to.

There, in that rundown bar in Lima, Gus accompanied me for a round of beers. I didn't usually drink to get drunk, not least because it wouldn't be wise, as I could be called to an emergency at any time. But sometimes I liked to go to a bar and have a few pints of beer, and when I did, it was usually in the company of one of my three closest friends. That day, it was Gus who was with me, just the one who had the simplest and most straightforward view of the world.

"You mean you're really divorced now?" Gus took a sip from his beer mug. "Welcome to the club."

"It's not what I would have wanted to join that club, but it was inevitable. You know that Hiram and I were never officially married, because the law doesn't allow it. It's just that we've signed so many contracts together that untangling all these knots is complicated. All I can say is that, physically, Hiram and I are fully separated."

"These things are always complicated, man." Gus finished his mug of beer and ordered another. "I never really liked Hiram."

"You didn't like him because you're homophobic." Which was a fact.

Gus spent a long time avoiding me after I told him I was dating a man. On the one hand, it was a time when AIDS still killed a lot, and people were very prejudiced due to a lack of information and ignorance. On the other hand, there was my friend's own natural prejudice due to his upbringing. Gus was brought up by his father to be homophobic. We got closer when I moved back to Lima. To do this, Gus had to overcome his own prejudices and try to educate himself. Eventually, he understood that I was the same guy who had always been his best friend. Because I was having a sexual relationship with another man didn't change the friendship that had always existed between us. The fact that I was also a father helped. It was an interesting process for me and for Gus.

"Maybe so, but Hiram was an asshole regardless of being gay."

"Speaking of the divorce club, how's Kendra and the boys?" My friend got divorced about three years ago, but Kendra, Gus's ex-wife, recently moved out because of a new job opportunity, and the two youngest boys moved in with her. The eldest, Henry, was already in his 20s and worked in the woodworking shop with his father.

"Matt is adapting well at school. He's doing better than Jason."

"Did Matt join the football team at his new school?"

"Not at all. He preferred to join a dance group."

"You know that doesn't surprise me? From what Santana tells me, Matt was very good dancer. I saw him once at the girls' choir performance."

"I also went to one of those performances once. It was better to see Matt singing and dancing than playing football." Gus laughed out loud. In fact, compared to our high school team, that McKinley High team was a bad joke. Playing football wasn't easy, and memorizing the tactics book was no joke. I remember that the team had to rehearse a single play dozens of times. "So... what about Shelby... when are you going to end this mystery about her?"

"No more mystery." I took out my cell phone and showed him a photo she had sent me.

"Wow!" Gus zoomed in to frame her face. "Dude, so that's the source of Rachel's beauty?"

"Yes, that's the source."

"She really is beautiful."

"Yes, she is."

"And have you... do you know?" Gus made a sexual gesture with his finger.

"Yeah, that's how we made Santana." Gus lifted his beer glass and grinned, patting me on the shoulder.

"Santana and Rachel, right?"

"Rachel went through insemination."

"How is that possible if they're twins?"

"It's possible, and it's a long story."

Gus scratched his head and made an expression like he didn't understand anything. I started to laugh.

"Well... when are you and Shelby going to do it again?"

"Gus, I have a million problems to solve with this separation from Hiram and with the girls, not to mention my job. On top of that, Shelby has adopted a baby and has her hands full too. How do you think about relationships in a scenario like that?"

"My friend, you're an adult, she's an adult. If I remember correctly, you don't have to sign any paper to do these things. You both just have to want to, however busy you are. Depending on the occasion, it doesn't even take ten minutes."

"Oh, Gus, no wonder Kendra couldn't stand you."

"Am I lying?"

"It could be like this if Shelby were a random woman I met somewhere. She's not. Shelby is the biological mother of my two daughters."

"So what?" Gus patted me on the back. "I know you've been out of the game for a while, but here's the thing Juan, if you want a revival with this woman, ask her on a date and work your magic. You have the hands of a surgeon. I'm sure the ladies would appreciate that."

"That's the thing, Gus. I don't just want a revival with Shelby."

"Do you really like this woman?"

"I've liked this woman for 17 years."

"And yet you chose Hiram over her?"

"Things were a bit more complicated than that."

"If that's the case, my friend, don't let her get away this time. It's your second chance."

When I got back at the end of the night, I realized that everyone was home. Hiram's car was in the garage, as was the girls' car. I parked my car and made my way to the pool house in the light rain. It was melancholy to stay in that place, because even though technically I didn't leave my house, at the same time, I left. I knew that it took about 15 steps to reach the kitchen door of the main house, I knew that the second floor window facing the backyard was Santana's room, which had the lights off. However, I could see from the light in the window just below the second floor that there were people in the TV room. Maybe it was the girls, maybe it was Hiram, or all three. And I stood there feeling inhibited from taking part. I felt terrible about it.

I took a quick shower and went to bed. I was tired and had to work the next morning. I had a surgery scheduled and who knows what else might come up in an emergency. The other day, a helicopter crashed, and the occupants were sent to my hospital. I saved the pilot, who was bleeding internally, on a day when I thought my schedule was free just to deal with paperwork and my research. You never knew. I kept thinking about what Gus had said. As much as I wanted something more with Shelby, the beginning of any relationship was always a bit casual.

So I picked up my cell phone.

"Good night, Shelby. I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me for lunch or dinner on a less busy day? You can take us somewhere interesting in Dayton or Troy." – Juan

I didn't wait for an answer. I was sleepy and had to work the next day. I slept exhausted.

Early the next morning, I put on my clothes and headed for the main kitchen. Santana and Rachel were already awake. Santana was already in that cheerleader uniform that the coach made them wear every day at school for who knows what reason. Rachel was in her normal clothes, which were much more modest.

"Buen día, mijas."

"Buen día, papi." Santana and Rachel answered almost together.

I took a good look at my daughters, this time at their countenances. There was tension around each other and, in all honesty, I didn't even want to know what the drama was this time. Hiram came down to have coffee with us, and he was all smiles for the girls, asking what the agenda was for the day.

"Today we're going to try on dresses for Burt Hummel's wedding to Carole Hudson."

Rachel said with some enthusiasm. I knew Burt Hummel because he owns the garage where I fix my cars, and we had a cordial relationship. It was Alicia who performed the heart surgery that saved his life. I met Carole Hudson very briefly at McKinley High during a girls' choir performance. She was the mother of Rachel's boyfriend. I knew few of the parents of the girls' friends. I knew the Pierces very well, but my relationship with them stemmed exclusively from the friendship between Santana and Brittany. I knew Mrs. Puckerman and the Israels because of the Jewish community in Lima. I also knew the Fabrays because of all the trouble Russell Fabray caused us. I thought Hiram was more familiar with the other parents of the girls' friends.

"Did Carole really choose those red models?" Hiram seemed to be completely in the know, and that annoyed me.

"Yes, each dress has a different detail."

"Are you two going to this wedding?" I asked. It was only natural that Rachel should be invited because she was dating the bride's son. I wasn't sure about Santana.

"The whole choir was invited... unfortunately." Rachel replied with a grumble at the end. "We're planning to perform. Finn and Kurt are leading it."

"Are you going to this wedding?" I asked Santana.

"I have nothing better to do." Santana answered seriously, as if she was too focused to finish her breakfast.

Rachel looked at her sister as if something was very wrong between them. I knew that Brittany was dating a boy, and Santana wasn't happy about it. What I couldn't understand was why the level of animosity between Rachel and Santana was above the acceptable limit between siblings. Honestly, they were getting to the level of the Gallagher brothers from Oasis, and that was very worrying.

"Well, I have to go." I kissed Santana and Rachel on the head and nodded politely to Hiram. Whatever was going on between Rachel and Santana, I'd find out later.

I grabbed my car keys and felt my cell phone vibrate. I quickly glanced at the message before starting the car.

"Yes. I'll go out with you for dinner." - Shelby.

My heart raced and I smiled like a teenager. I was going on a date with Shelby.

...

(Shelby)

It had been two years since I'd dated anyone and just over a year since I'd had sex with anything other than my vibrator. Now I had a date with a terribly charming, professionally successful man who happened to be the father of my biological daughters. The fact that I had tried on three different dresses showed how anxious I was.

"So, Mom? What's the best dress?"

"I don't know, Shelby." She said as she cradled Beth in her arms. "The black one is nice."

"Don't you think it's too formal?"

"The red one then?"

"Red is sexy and I could send out the wrong message."

"That skirt and blouse..."

"Oh, Mom, I wear that to work."

My mother rolled her eyes, giving up on the case. I looked at the clock and it was almost time for Juan to arrive. I mentally checked my to-do list. Beth was already fed, showered and changed. All my mother had to do was put her to bed. I was the mess. I had a quick shower, dried my hair quickly, did some discreet make-up and ended up choosing the purple dress, which wasn't one of the initial options. When Juan knocked on the door, I was still putting my shoes on in my rush to answer it.

"Hello." I said, slightly freaked out.

"Hi." He smiled. Juan looked dapper in a dark gray suit, but no tie, thank goodness. He was holding a bouquet. "Wow, you look beautiful."

"And you're very kind. Do you want to come in for a minute? I need to put my earrings on."

Juan nodded and handed me the bouquet. It was small, with a variety of flowers, and I think he wasn't sure what to give me. Anyway, I thought it was cute of him. I ran up to my room, changed my shoes because I realized that pair would kill my feet halfway through the date. I put on new earrings and gave my hair one last touch-up. Shelby Corcoran, you at least looked presentable. I returned to the living room and saw Juan greeting my mother. Beth was already in her crib by then.

"Can we go?" He asked a little puzzled. I had to remind myself that Juan had spent years in a relationship with another man, and I bet Hiram wasn't so wound up or indecisive.

"Sure."

He opened the car door for me, all very romantic.

"You choose the songs or the radio station." Juan said as he got into the car. "Rachel and Santana leave a USB stick in the car's glove compartment in case they want to listen to songs from this century."

"Typical teenagers."

"I remind them that they were born in the 90s, so in the last century, and they couldn't complain about anything."

"At least it was the best decade on record."

"I don't agree or disagree. The 90s were interesting, but my youth was in the 80s, so..."

"Did you have those poodle hair too?"

"Not so much, but I had mullets haircut."

"I need to see that."

"Oh no, it was awful."

"It's okay, I used to have a haircut like Eddie Van Halen's."

"Oh... God." We laughed at these images.

Instead of choosing a radio station with the songs I liked best, we did something by mutual agreement. We put on a jazz station, which was relaxing and because it was the kind of music that didn't take our attention away from our conversation. I didn't know where Juan was taking me in Dayton. I said I'd like to be surprised and he accepted the challenge. I can tell that Juan really went out of his way to surprise me, because he parked the car in front of a casino that I didn't even know existed in Dayton.

"I don't believe it!" I said as soon as he opened the car door for me.

"Do you have something against gambling?" He was startled for a moment.

"It's not that. I asked to be surprised and I was surprised."

"It's not Vegas, but it's the best around."

"Do you like gambling?"

"I've only gambled a couple of times in Vegas. It's fun when you want to have a different date, right?"

It was really fun. Juan and I picked up some chips and took our chances at some of the gaming tables. The place also had good bars and restaurants, where we had a few drinks, me more than Juan. He was driving and practically only had Italian sodas, only sipping the drinks I tried. We lost almost all the money we'd put on the chips, but that didn't matter. The point was that, for the first time in a long time, I was laughing until my belly hurts.

When we got back to Troy, it was already dawn, and Juan still had a long drive back to Lima. He took me to the door of my house.

"It was a wonderful date." I said sincerely.

"Yes, it was."

The kiss was all my initiative. I brought my hand up to his face and pulled him slightly, so that there would be no doubt about my intentions. We kissed, and not just once, like two teenagers on a first date. That kiss grew in passion and intensity.

"Do you want to come in?" My voice came out hoarse.

"But what about your mother?"

My mother slept in my bed with me. For a second I forgot that detail, and it was a bucket of cold water. The worst thing was that I was so horny, and Juan was too, judging by his erection. I had to think fast. We couldn't do it in the car, because we'd have to go somewhere else and risk being arrested if a policeman caught us. Not to mention that doing this in the car was rather uncomfortable. So I made a silent gesture to Juan and opened the door. I was feeling like a naughty girl leading a boy into the bathroom.

"Do you have a condom?" I asked. I'd had my IUD removed and hadn't taken any contraceptives for a long time.

"Yes." He said, kissing my neck. He pulled his wallet out of his pants pocket and took out a small package.

I pulled up my dress, and he unzipped his pants. Juan fucked me against the bathroom door while I struggled to hold back my moans. I wanted to let my throat out, not hold back, but my mother was asleep in my room. So I tried to control myself while Juan fucked me in a deliciously manly way. It wasn't a night of sweet love, but it was the quickie we both needed to relieve the crazy sexual pressure that existed between us. When my body trembled, bringing a sensation I hadn't felt with another person for a long time, Juan began to move more slowly, so that my orgasm would flow better. When he put off inside me, I sighed. I wanted more. I wanted so much more. I wanted the whole repertoire that I knew that man knew, and if he had forgotten some things because of his relationship with Hiram, I wanted to remind him how to do it. But I would have to settle for that quickie for the sake of the other people in the house. Juan and I kissed while our sexes were still touching. Oh, God, I wanted so more. But Juan pulled away from my body. He discarded the condom and started to pull up his pants, while I reluctantly pulled down my dress.

"I have to go." He said in a whisper.

"Sleep here... I mean, it's late for you to go back to Lima. The couch's not bad."

"I really have to go, Shelby." He lamented.

"Are you going to work tomorrow?"

"No, but Rachel's boyfriend's mother is getting married, and I promised her I'd go. The boy, Finn Hudson, invited Hiram and me, and if I don't go, Rachel will be disappointed. I don't need to lose any more ground to Hiram than I already have."

"I see." I opened the bathroom door and Juan and I walked back out of the house, this time I followed him to his car. "See you another day?"

"Absolutely." Juan kissed me. "I'm going to try to come here next weekend."

"Are you going to tell the girls about us, or Hiram?"

"I'm not going to stir up a hornet's nest just yet, Shelby. I'm sorry, but I think it's best to keep this between us for now. I think Hiram would tolerate me dating with anyone else but you. If he finds out, he'll make my life a living hell. It's better to wait for the right moment, until I can sort this whole situation out. What do you think?"

I looked at Juan in amazement. Did he really want my opinion? Did he really want me to participate in his life in this way? I was flattered.

"I think we can wait before spreading the news to the word. After all, we still need to sort things out between us. We need to know what page we're on."

"Yes, I do agree."

"Will you text me when you get home, please? I need to know if you're going to be okay."

"Your request is an order."

I kissed Juan one last time before he got in his car and drove away. I was on the clouds and even did a little victory dance in the living room. I went back to the bathroom, this time for a quick shower. I put on my robe and before going to my room, I stopped by Beth's room to make sure everything was in order. Beth was sleeping peacefully. When I entered my room, I saw that my mother was awake and I was mortified.

"Mom?" I whispered. "Aren't you sleepy?"

"I... woke up."

"Oh... I'm sorry."

"It's your life, kid. Are you happy at least?"

"Yes, mom. Right now, I'm very happy."