"Mom, I need a huge favor please, and I really hope you say yes because Quinn doesn't have anywhere else to go. It's sorta my fault anyway I guess, but... her parents kicked her out."

Yes, those were the words I never expected (or wanted) to hear, words that had come out of my son in desperation. Even though I literally pinched myself, I knew it wasn't a (bad) dream.

"Oh my goodness! What happened Finn, and what do you mean it's YOUR fault, what did you do?"

"Well I mean, it's not something I did exactly, specifically; it's more about me, like generally... See, y'know how her parents are like super religious, right? And that's kinda why Quinn is the president of the Celibacy club at school, or part of it at least. And you know already how Quinn doesn't get along with them all the time because they always want her to do things she doesn't like but they always make her, like that party when I had to get a suit and purple tie and stuff like that, but see her dad is just kinda weird sometimes too, like OLD SCHOOL super weird, like medieval style arranged marriages kinda weird. Or something like that, and–"

"Finn, honey, you're rambling again and I have no idea what you're talking about. Just breathe and explain to me what happened."

"Okay so... Her dad has a business connection with some dude who wants Quinn to date his son. Something about creating a new company and a 'pure brand' together, like, to eventually join their families in marriage and pass this business down to them someday. I don't know, it all sounds very Romeo and Juliet, at least that's what Quinn said. Or she said something about Romeo and Juliet and she's not getting stuck with some Pistachio guy just 'cause her dad says so. I can't remember exactly how she put it ... whatever. Anyway, she said she refused to be forced into an arranged relationship with anyone because she's with me already and loves me and won't break up with me to be with this weird dude's weirder son – who she already knows and doesn't even like, because he's like got horrible acne and bad breath and makes Jewfro look like a cover boy for Playgirl magazine or something. So they had a huge fight about it and her dad lost the business deal and he threw her out because she wouldn't give me up to date this super creep. And her mom took her dad's side and now she's like homeless unless you say she can stay with us. Please?"

And that is how Quinn Fabray came to live under my roof.

I wanted to say no, really I did. The whole story sounded SO ridiculous (and dear god, I would later find out just HOW ridiculous it actually was!), but at that time, I couldn't be so cold as to put the girl out in the streets. No matter how I felt about her, my son still cared for her (why, I'm sure I don't know).

Plus, Finn assured it would only be temporary until her older sister returned from an internship she was doing somewhere in Europe, then she could go stay with her in another month or two.

Maybe I'm too soft-hearted, but of course, I caved. As long as the girl didn't mind sleeping with the spiders and centipedes in our unfinished basement on a dusty, lumpy old pull-out sofa bed, I allowed it. And well, naturally I couldn't resist my son's sweet pouting beggar's face. (Those damn Hudson eyes and dimples won me over, once again!)

It was a good thing that Noah and Finn had buried the hatchet and gotten over whatever their disagreement was that led to the paint-covered throwdown on my front lawn just two weeks prior – especially since now the three of them were at my house all the time.

While Quinn got settled into the space between the spider webs downstairs, there were so many other changes which occurred in that short stretch of time I wasn't sure I could keep pace with everything!

[I should forewarn you, the details in the next passages here should probably be taken with a grain of salt, since they came from my son in bits and pieces and sometimes in the middle of the extreme mood swings which continued to plague him. Not to mention, his penchant for recalling minute details has always been lacking; so bear with me as I recount a lot of scattered information, a lot of which made little sense to me then OR now...]

For starters, Quinn and two of her cheerleader friends, Santana and Brittany, joined the glee club. YES, after all the stress she caused my son trying to get him to quit, she had a sudden change of heart! Talk about whiplash.

I guess the three of them joining was a good thing, since there was some rule they'd just learned about stating they needed at least twelve people in the club for competitions – which sounded completely arbitrary and nonsensical to me, but I guess it was written in an official rule book somewhere, so it must've been true.

On the surface, you might assume her joining the club was Quinn's way of thanking Finn for opening our home to her; my mom-radar, however, told me it was more about Quinn keeping a closer eye on Rachel. And on Finn and Rachel.

Next up, Finn quit glee club... well, sort of. Or he almost quit? Or was going to quit?

From what I gathered, there was some dispute over their director's dancing skills, then something about Vocal Adrenaline being autobots (which is weird because I happened to know that was a Transformers reference and I doubt that's what he meant because they don't dance?), and then an argument between Rachel and Finn erupted over the subject. I'm still a little unclear on the specifics, I just know it involved hiring someone shorter than Rachel from South Dakota who insulted everyone in the club, calling Finn Frankenteen, and telling Rachel to get a nose job...?

Oh – and they had to raise a bunch of money for this short insulting person, so I was asked to help coordinate a car wash with the Cheerios. Fortunately, as it was a non-football-related event and I had to work, I got out of it. (But I did send my dirty car and $20 with Finn for the cause!)

There was also some part of the story where Rachel made some 'totally awesome cookies' (I'll attest to that – I got to try one of them and the girl really can bake!) and they fought about – something else? – but she was 'chick batty' (a term which I strongly disapproved of and told him as much) and she didn't care if he quit the club, so he did. Or sort of did.

But then after the fund raising affair and the battle between Finn and Rachel, they ended up firing this person because of Jennifer Lopez, a one armed baseball player and Barbra Streisand. (Finn talks very fast when he's stressed or excited and leaves out details sometimes but I think this was a case of you had to be there to understand what he was talking about anyway).

OH! There was also something going on involving the cheerleading coach hating their club and trying to destroy them, though for the life of me, I cannot fathom why a cheer coach cared one iota about a singing club? (Quinn once muttered something about European dry cleaning bills that I honestly wasn't paying attention to.)

At any rate, I was rather surprised to hear that Finn and Rachel ended up at odds over ANYTHING. Other than his obvious confused feelings for the girl, there'd been nothing but smiles and pleasantries discussed surrounding the girl – until this situation. I think Finn's guilt was eating at him and his confused feelings toward her were coming to a head, but he didn't seem any closer to sorting things out when it came to Rachel Berry.

Then again, maybe I wasn't so surprised. Considering my theory of Quinn joining the club for the sake of babysitting the two of them, well... I can see how that was setting up a veritable emotional powder keg (and Finn tends to have a rather short fuse sometimes, which sometimes detonates on the wrong people).

Rachel had only been to our house one other time since the WWE Throwdown lunch day, and Finn had gone to her house a couple of times to practice with the whole group, but then once Quinn moved in, I stopped hearing much at all about the tiny brunette. Finn was retreating into himself again and not even talking very much about Glee at home anymore, especially if Quinn was present.

Somewhere between Mr Schue being replaced as the club choreographer, a plate of I'm Sorry cookies and Frankenteen, Finn said he needed some extra money for a tux rental because he joined an acapella group with Mr Schue, his football coach (YES, I mean Ken Tanaka, and YES I'm sure my reaction was the same as yours), a couple other teachers – and Noah Puckerman... that boy is a genuine mystery to me sometimes. He lead the paintball assault on Finn for being in a singing club then joined a singing group with him anyway? I didn't understand. I simply handed over my credit card and didn't ask too many questions, deciding it was only going to confuse me further.

Not long after Quinn joined glee, so did Noah and two of his and Finn's friends from the football team, Mike and Matt. It was right after that ridiculous acapella group was disbanded, so Finn and Mr Schuester had returned to the club as well. Now they had twelve members for competition, crisis averted.

Even though he was back in Glee (if he'd actually quit?) I knew there was still something bothering him. I had to assume it was having Quinn and Rachel in this club together while he continued to wrestle with his feelings for both girls. I could tell he was becoming this rope in their tug of war. He wasn't sleeping well and somewhere around this timeframe he'd mentioned he was still bickering with Rachel about little things, like how vitamins were not steroids and she shouldn't be so judgmental and how if a nurse gives them to you it should be fine. I probably should have asked more questions about that statement...

. . . . .

The next part of the story I'd learned from multiple sources and pieced together to the best of my ability, and it wouldn't be until much later when I would finally learn ALL the facts.

Finn took Rachel on a bowling date. Okay, he claimed it wasn't really a DATE date. He told me he and Rachel had won a night of bowling as a prize from Mr Schue in a duets competition in Glee for their rendition of No Air (a song which I LOVE by the way!), so they were just using the free night of fun as a friends slash teammates slash co-captains meeting, therefore, Quinn was not joining them – but to please don't tell Quinn he was out with Rachel that night if she asked.

Fine. I can do that much for my loving son, even if I thought he might have been sneaking around having an emotional affair behind his girlfriend's back. (It helped that I was working double shifts and a lot of late nights during these weeks, so I was able to maintain a certain level of plausible deniability as well as my sanity.)

Well. It was fine until it wasn't... this bowling night out (under whatever label it was meant to be filed) turned out to be yet another one of those harbingers of DOOM events. (Mind you, I'd already mentally predicted that.)

According to Finn, it was a harmless, friendly night of bowling. According to my friend Ginger, however, who worked concessions at the bowling alley (as well as being a volunteer at the hospital), it was a lot more than just FRIENDLY. SO much more, in fact, that she asked me if Finn had a new girlfriend since she'd seen them KISSING at one point!

Ugh! My son was turning into this sneaking cheater, something I simply would NOT stand for! I raised him better than that. His girlfriend was living in our home which was uncomfortable enough for ALL of us at the time. But also, knowing and liking Rachel so very much as I did at that point, and knowing how fragile her little heart was, and also that my son TRULY had feelings for her but was just so stubbornly refusing to deal with them... well. As much as I'd tried not to interfere too much, I just knew I needed to say something. He was heading down a perilous path and I needed to try to right his course somehow.

So the next time the blonde-haired green-eyed monster was at cheerleading practice, I'd confronted my son about that bowling (not-a-)date again.

"Finn, there's more to your night out with Rachel than what you've told me so far, and we both know it. I just don't understand why you're hiding it from me. You've always told me everything in the past and we've never kept secrets before. So please tell me the truth."

Finn calls it my VOODOO EYES – it's this very penetrating glare I give him when I know he's been lying or hiding something from me. Sometimes I use it as a bluff, but whether I already know the answers I seek or end up learning something new, it works like a charm every time. (I won't lie; I kind of enjoy watching him squirm uncomfortably until he finally confesses... and there is almost ALWAYS something more for him to confess. Don't judge; it's in the parenting rulebook under Mom perks.)

"I don't know what you mean. . . It was just bowling and pizza . . . What do you have to look at me like that?. . . Ugh FINE! We kissed again, okay? It-it was an accident! I swear it wasn't MY fault, like she kissed me! She was just too cute and excited over finally bowling a strike after all those gutter balls she'd been throwing and.. and I just... guess I... didn't really like, stop her, or... not kiss her back. Because Mom, Rachel is an AWESOME kisser, for the record, so it's pretty hard to resist under the best circumstances with planning and preparation."

"So you do that a lot, then?"

"Do what?"

"Plan and prepare how NOT to kiss Rachel?"

"Yeah – I mean NO – I mean, I just... Mom, I feel like this is some kinda mousetrap thing."

"Mousetrap thing?"

"Yeah y'know, where no matter what I say I sound guilty and get in some kinda trouble."

"You mean entrapment?"

"YEAH that!"

Rather than lecture him about paying better attention in English class, I sighed. "Honey, how is it you keep ending up in these situations with Rachel? She knows you're still dating QUinn, right? Does she know Quinn moved in with us?"

"Um... well yeah she.. I guess she knows we're still together, but it's not like I told her Quinn was staying here, so I don't know if she knows that part or not."

"Oh Finn... This really isn't right. You already told me that you really like her, and it's clear to me that you must... and she very certainly likes you, too. Seeing you two together, it's very apparent you both have feelings for each other. Yet you're still dating Quinn. Not just DATING but now also living with – which oh god, that sounds so sordid. But sweetie, I thought we already covered how this situation is not fair to any of you, and how someone is bound to get very hurt."

This is the part where he did that thing he does, where he huffs and rubs the back of his neck and fidgets in his seat and looks at the floor or anywhere but at my face. It was always his nervous anxiety tick, and I knew he was really struggling with so many conflicting emotions, being torn between these two very different girls.

"I know I know. And I do feel like crap. I mean, not about the kiss – I liked the kiss, 'cause like I said, what's not to like? And you're right, I do like Rachel. More than I should, I guess. But it's the Quinn part. And the cheating part. I know I shouldn't be kissing Rachel or letting her kiss me for that matter, it just sorta happens. S'not like we planned it. I don't even know what it means or why it's like this, Mom. Something about Rachel, we just... there's this like, energy or... I dunno. When I'm with her, I don't even know what's happening sometimes even WHILE it's happening. I just can't resist her!"

Right. Energy. I've seen it for myself. But if he was aware of it too, then why wasn't he making better sense out of things yet? And really, how was my son SO clueless as to what he was feeling? Maybe this thing with QUINN was the real confusion. She was his first real girlfriend and the only point of reference he'd had about love and relationships until then. He'd probably been comparing the two of them – a very typical teenager thing to do.

"Then why are you still trying?"

"Well... Quinn would be pretty sore if I broke up with her, y'know? I mean, she said she loves me, Mom. Well, she said it once, anyway, and she got kicked out of her house for ME. She picked me over the Pistachio guy, so I guess that means I'm like her Romeo, right? So I don't wanna hurt her, Mom. Especially right now, since she doesn't have anywhere else to go, and I really don't think I want to break up with her and have my EX living here. But then there's prom, which I know isn't 'til next year but still... there's also our popularity and stuff and... and I know that seems crappy to say, but Mom, you don't know what it looks like when kids get slushied. And I really don't wanna be one of 'em!"

"What? What does that mean, get slushied?"

I could immediately tell by the look on his face he wished he could swallow those words back up from the air and had just said something I wasn't meant to hear.

"Oh uh, nothing. It's stupid. It's something some of the jocks do to... um, some of the kids at school. To the non-jock kids."

Ohhhh those rotten sonsabitches! I know some of those boys on that football team and I've never liked their cocky attitudes. I could imagine some of them being HORRIBLY cruel if they wanted to be. A few of those boys, like David and Azimio, I always thought they were bad eggs and hoped my Finny would either steer clear of them or somehow be a more positive influence over them, especially once he was named their captain. They'd been a pair of little shits since grade school and had already been on my LIST since the great mud pie slinging battle in sixth grade.

Finn's already said how Glee is the 'uncoolest' club, that Quinn called them losers; so if these rotten jocks are going to choose a target, who else would they pick?

"You mean kids like Rachel? You mean YOUR FRIENDS are throwing frozen ice drinks at Rachel as a prank? And are you saying YOU would get a drink thrown at you, just for liking Rachel?"

"Ye— well, I mean, they're not all my friends. It's the jerks on the hockey team a lot of the time who pull that crap. And it's not just Rachel they go after either, but.. But yeah."

"Finn Collin Hudson! Why haven't you ever told me about this before? How could you stand by doing nothing and let behavior like that happen? Especially to a GIRL, a girl who's so small and so lovely and talented and who I know you care about. Someone you consider a FRIEND. I'm SO disappointed in you!"

"Mom, what can I do about it? If I could make it stop, I totally would, I swear! But y'know, they've been doing this crap for years, and the teachers and stuff don't do anything about it! Figgins said it's not a punishable offense unless a teacher sees it and can prove it wasn't an accident. But like, I'm just one guy, y'know?"

"Please tell me YOU have never thrown a slush drink at anyone."

"I haven't, I swear. I... well, okay I almost did one time. But the dude snatched it off me and slushied himself."

"WHAT? You mean you would have– wait, why would he do that to himself?"

"Because... Well because he's kind of a friend too, or well, a teammate at least. From Glee. You met him once, that Kurt kid. He said he was taking one for the team."

"Kurt Hummel? You were going to throw a slushie at Kurt? WHY?"

"I didn't wanna do it at all Mom, but they made me! The guys on the team were threatening to kick my a— butt! They were making me prove I was still cool and– wait a minute. How do you know Kurt's last name? I didn't think I'd ever mentioned it before."

Oops. I wasn't prepared to tell him about this yet, because it had only been one date and two lunches and it was still very new and...

"Well, because I know his father, Burt. We've become friends. He's a fellow booster now, you know? You hadn't mentioned that Kurt joined the football team as a kicker either."

"Oh yeah, sorry I guess I forgot. Then again, I really don't know the kid that well, and you only met him once... But.. so wait, you know his dad now? Wh-what does that mean, you're friends?"

I could see the worry lines deepening in his brow. I knew this would be a touchy subject for Finn but it was too soon to spring it on him anyway – especially since I wasn't sure where it was headed yet. So I did what we moms do best: I turned the tables and took the power back.

"Yes Finn, friends... but don't change the subject! You just admitted to me that you've been a bully at school and I will NOT have that! No son of mine is ever going to be a bully, do you hear me? I'll be at the school next week to discuss this whole slushy matter with your principal – and with Coach Tanaka if necessary!"

"But Mom–"

"NO BUTS! Now go to your room and get the cleaning done up there that I am positive is three weeks overdue. You've been so upset and preoccupied with things and I've let it slide, but enough is enough now. I want all dirty dishes brought down here and washed, dried and put away. And I don't care how gross they are or what's stuck to them, you'd better scrub them clean. I want all your dirty clothes collected, sorted, and carted to the basement. You will DUST the furniture and run the vacuum too, Finn. SPOTLESS! And I don't care if it takes all night, but don't expect to be missing any school even if it does. And NO XBOX for a week! Bring me your controllers right now."

"Wait what? Mooom, you can't be seri–"

"Oh I most certainly AM serious, mister! I can't believe you would behave so reprehensibly to other students let alone teammates or friends... and to allow it to happen to Rachel too?! I'm just so shocked and disheartened to hear about this. Not to mention how you're stringing along that lovely girl who thinks the world of you, toying with her emotions this way. Finn, this is NOT how I raised you to behave NOR to treat girls. You know better than this! You're in a leadership role as captain of TWO clubs now; you're supposed to be a leader and CAPABLE of being better than this, of setting a better example for others to follow. Now go, get cleaning before I think of something else to extend your punishment."

"Yes ma'am. I'm sorry."

"I'm probably not the one you owe an apology to... you'd better think on THAT while you're up there, too!"

. . . . .

A week after discussing this whole bowling date debacle and slushy nonsense (which incidentally, Finn was right; that principal was absolutely NO HELP on the whole slushy thing. He just kept complaining about their lack of funding and his tight budget and said his hands were tied) came the next big eruption to our otherwise normally calm quiet lives: The Sadie Hawkins Dance.

For anyone unfamiliar, this is the dance where the GIRLS ask the BOYS to go. I always dreaded these formal dance things back in my time and never dared to ask anyone... Although, during my senior year, Christopher sort of asked me. Or well, it was more like he asked WHEN I was going to ask him to the dance. So I took that as my cue and asked him to go, to which he laughed and said "Silly girl. I'll go if you really wanna, but I know you HATE these dances! How 'bout we hit the arcade or the batting cages and get some ice cream after instead?" It ended up being one of the best dates we'd had during high school... That man knew me all too well and I miss him every single day.

But I couldn't live with just memories of Chris's ghost forever. I always wondered if that would ever change, if I'd ever even want a new man in my life, then one day not so long ago I found out the answer. It was a resounding YES.

See, something my son was still unaware of at the time (and I'd wanted to keep it that way for a little longer) was that I had been seeing Burt Hummel, romantically, for a few weeks in secret. It honestly was moving faster than either of us expected it to, but Burt was such a genuinely sweet, honest, open (and very HANDSOME) man that I just couldn't stop myself from falling for him!

He owned his own business, was also a widow having lost his wife to cancer, and also a single parent, having raised his son Kurt since he was a young boy on his own. But you know, Finn was always such a sensitive boy, and having grown up without his father and it just being the two of us – the dyn-o-mite duo for so long, I just felt like I needed to ease him into the idea of me having a new man in my life. And considering everything he was going through at the time, it just still didn't feel like the right moment to bring it up yet.

So Burt and I kept things fairly quiet and avoided going out in public too much. I'd been spending time at the Hummel's home – dinners in, movie nights, even a game night once or twice – usually on the nights Finn had other plans. I'd met Kurt in that setting a few times and we'd talked quite a bit.

Kurt was an ADORABLY charming, clever, young man – and quite a courageous one too, I'd say. He had just recently come out to his father about his sexuality and the fact that he liked boys. Now that I knew about the bullying problem at McKinley, I had genuine fear for him as well. But I also worried about his 'teenage experience' and I wondered how he would handle missing out on things like dances. Sure, he could still go to them, but would it be as magical without someone he could fall in love with? He seemed to be the only gay teen in Lima.

He told me not to worry though, that his friend Mercedes from Glee had asked him to be her date for Sadie Hawkins, and that was enough for right now. We were happily chatting about Mercedes and his plans for the dance and we got a little sidetracked into talking about OTHER Glee related gossip...

He quickly clued me in on the changing dynamics in the club since Quinn and the others joined. He said there was a lot of tension there between Rachel and Quinn. He painted Rachel in a somewhat unflattering light, referring to her as a diva – but Finn had already mentioned how strong-willed, confident and determined she was. Now that I know the girl better, I can understand how that would be ill received by a group of blase teens – particularly the more popular ones.

I'd already known that Quinn had TOLD Finn they were going to the dance (part of her early prom campaigning, I suppose). But Kurt supplied me with news which I wasn't sure my son had heard about yet: Rachel was also going to the dance! Yes, apparently she had mustered the courage and asked a boy and he agreed to be her date. I was so proud of her for heeding my advice, but then, hearing which boy she'd asked caused a number of my hairs to go grayer. You probably guessed it: Noah Puckerman.

Well... this was a shocking revelation and a stunning turn of events. One I had to wonder how much I was personally responsible for, and one I was quite certain was not going to sit well with my son.

And it certainly did NOT.

In fact, things got much, MUCH worse from there on.

From what Kurt filled me in on a few days after the dance, Finn and Rachel apparently had words that night. Very loud, very public words. Finn screamed at Noah too, threatening to knock him out if he did anything to 'screw with Rachel'. Quinn was also there, yelling away at both Finn and Rachel, but mostly Rachel. It was quite the spectacle. I'm unclear where Noah stood in all of this, because as Kurt put it, he seemed to just disappear after a little while.

The Monday after the dance though, Kurt said Rachel and Puck showed up to Glee holding hands and sat by one another, and that Finn had stared holes into them the entire time.

According to Kurt, most of the club recognized the undeniable chemistry between Rachel and my son right away. Most were convinced it was only a matter of time until the two of them gave in and became a couple – at least, that's what they thought until Quinn joined the club.

Since Quinn, there have been a number of upheavals during rehearsal, many times with Quinn calling Rachel terrible names and Rachel storming out of rehearsals. I'd asked what FInn's doing through those scenes and Kurt says he usually sits there looking like a 'gassy baby' (I think I know the face he's referring to, and while I'd have never chosen that reference myself, it's sort of fitting) or sometimes he tries to rein in Quinn to no avail and other times he's tried to talk to Rachel to cool her off but then THEY end up squabbling too.

So anyway... Considering all the 'sexual tension' as Kurt put it between the three of them, it was QUITE the scandal when Rachel and Noah were later seen KISSING at her locker at the end of the day! Kurt said my son had walked out of the room when he saw them just holding hands and didn't return for that day's practice, so he wasn't sure if Finn knew about the kissing yet, but word was already out: Puckleberry was happening. (Of course I had to have him explain what that meant... but I understood what Brangelina was, so I caught on pretty quickly.)

I immediately felt a pang of guilt. It seemed maybe I nudged a little TOO hard...? Maybe I also shouldn't have called Norah and told her what a sweet (Jewish) girl Rachel was. Of course, Norah already knew who Rachel was from temple, but she only knew of her. She'd met her fathers before – apparently our only openly gay married couple in town was well received in their synagogue. But according to Kurt, one day at football practice Noah mentioned how his mom had put pressure on him to date a Jewish girl, and Rachel was the only one he knew in their age group.

Okay look, I was NOT begrudging Rachel for having this experience; on the contrary. I think it was a good thing for her to expand her horizons and have some fun. I was just a little worried about a romantic pairing with her and NOAH of all people! They're just so VERY different from one another and not in the good balances each other out sort of way.

Also, there was the matter of my son and his heart... and the safety of the furniture in our house. (Not sure if you know, but he'd always had a problem with kicking things when in extreme distress. I thought the drums would help curb that problem, but unfortunately that's not often the case. Aside from the number of bass drum skins that have had to be replaced over the years, I learned the hard way that there would NEVER be another bean bag chair in our house again – do you know how difficult it is to clean those suckers up when ripped open? MONTHS of finding foam pellets all through my house!)

So I suppose between the fight at the dance and Quinn stirring up trouble in Glee and now Rachel dating Puck, this all explained Finn's very VERY sour mood at home. He'd either been locked in his room, out in the (newly painted) garage smashing his drums, or staying late at school to use the weight room.

Things had been strange with my son and Quinn since the dance. If they were fighting at home, they concealed it well enough from me, but the signs were there. Still, they were teenagers and I guess it was inevitable I'd walk in and catch them making out with his hand under her shirt in his room – which was strictly off limits as house rule since she moved in. Neither of them were thrilled about THE TALK I made them both sit through. (Hey, I'm far too young to be a grandmother yet, okay?)

I was sure the makeout sessions were just a matter of Quinn trying to retain control over Finn though, since I could see him actively avoiding her. If they were in the same room together, she would inevitably steer the conversation to future prom plans and I would see his eyes glaze over. They never ate at the same dinner table anymore either and the tension in our house was becoming so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Finally, the knife came – in the form of Rachel Berry. And then the entire ugly truth came to light.

I came home from work one evening to find my son sitting alone in the dark on the kitchen floor with a bruised cheek and scraped up knuckles, surrounded by four empty beer cans as he chugged from a fifth one in his hand. (I was never much of a drinker, but occasionally I kept some beer in the house since I liked one with dinner every once in a while. I'd just bought this six pack because Burt would sometimes stop by for lunch if I had a night shift. Finding my son three sheets to the wind on my kitchen floor reminded me of WHY I didn't normally keep it on hand that often.)

"Finn? What in the hell are you doing?! You better have a good explan—"

"They're LIARS, Mom! Both of 'em! ALL OF 'EM!"

"Who lied? About what?"

"They both lied, and and and, they cheated and and SHE USED ME and lied to me!"

I sat down on the floor next to him, pushing the empty cans to the side. "Finn, baby, what are you talking about? Do you mean Quinn?"

"Yeah, that SLUT!"

"Hey now! Finn, I really don't apprec–"

"But she IS Mom! She's been FUCKING Puckerman behind my back! All this time!"

"She's been WHAT? How- how do you know?"

"Because I DO! Because she's a SLUT and my so-called BEST FRIEND is a backstabbing DICKHEAD! And apparently I'm just the big stupid idiot who was too blind to see it for myself!"

"Okay Finn. You're NOT stupid, or an idiot... but I think it's time to get off the floor. How about you go sit in the living room, okay? I'll put on some coffee and make you a sandwich. Then we can talk som–"

"Nope. I'm not hungry. And I don't wanna talk. Jus' know that you don't need to worry about that bitch being here anymore 'cause I threw her lying slutty ass out of our house. Let Noah Fuckerman take care of her!"

"Finn, baby, I'm gonna forgive your language right now, because you're hurting, and you're drunk. I think you're going to have one hell of a hangover tomorrow morning. You need to eat."

"Uh-uh. Doesn't matter. Maybe I deserve to have one. Maybe that pain'll help me forget what those two assholes did to me. Or maybe I'll jus' stay drunk and forget about 'em all."

"Honey, I'm afraid it doesn't work like that. You can't drink away your problems, they will still be there when you sober up. How did you find this out anyway? And when? Did they tell you?"

"Nooope," he drawled out slowly, popping the P for effect. "Rachel did. My Rachie told me right after Glee today. And all those asshats in the club knew the truth too, and NOOOBODY told me. Just my Rach. My oooonly friend left in the whole world, the one I've been crazy about for months, the girl of my dreams... the one I shoulda been with alllll along but I screwed it all up, Mom. She probably hates me now too."

"I'm sure that's not true at all, baby. Why on earth would Rachel hate you?"

"Well, she should... she should hate me for the dance. For the terrible things I said to her. I said some stuff about her being there with Puck that she didn't like at all... then Quinn didn't like me not liking Puck and MY Rachel being there together... and I told her to stay out of it. But she kept yelling at Rachel calling her shitty names... But guess what? Turns out Q was more pissed at RACHEL because of her being there with her secret LOVER. It's just a big mess... all because I couldn't just dump that crazy chick batty blonde controlist a long time ago."

"Well honey, I'm sure you and Rachel can work things out... but you said she told you about Quinn and Noah cheating? That doesn't sound like something she'd do if she hated you."

"Yeah well, that's 'cause Rach is the sweetest, nicest person on earth. And even if she hates you, she'll still do nice things for you, like telling you the truth about your messed up life and your lying sack of shit best friend and your whore of a girlfriend. But that's not why she probably hates me now."

"Then why?"

"'Cause I quit glee today. And I'm not goin' back. Oh... and I think I got suspended for pounding in Puck's face."

tbc...