I sighed and slammed my locker shut. Quinn smiled at me encouragingly from across the hallway. Everyone had been super supportive of me as I went through my recovery; and all of them had come by the hospital at least once during my three week stay. I was off crutches now but I was still strapped into a heavy black boot, and spending every study hall period in physical therapy. Finn didn't have permission from Figgins to go with me but his parents had checked him out for my first session. I really wished he was still going thought. Physical therapy wasn't proving to be easy. I'd only been going for a week so far, but I still felt like I was getting nowhere. Quinn walked across the sea of students headed to study hall and stopped in front of me.
"Are you headed to therapy?" Quinn asked. I nodded and hugged my books to my chest. The classes I had homework in, I would leave those books in Shelby's car. That way I never left them at school on accident. Study hall was the last class of the day for me. The only reason I came back to school after physical therapy was for Glee club. "Will you be at practice?" Quinn asked. I nodded.
"If I'm not writhing on the floor in pain." I replied. Quinn frowned.
"Does it hurt usually?" Quinn asked. I nodded. Shelby came around the corner and quickened her pace a little when she saw me.
"Hey Quinn." She acknowledged Quinn. Quinn smiled.
"Hi Mrs. Corcoran." Quinn smiled back. Shelby smiled at her.
"Rachel, we're going to be late baby." Shelby told me. I nodded and shifted the weight off my bad foot.
"I'll see you at practice Quinn." I told her as I followed Shelby down the hallway. We stopped briefly at Shelby's office to grab her purse before we headed out into the parking lot. I climbed into the car and leaned back to sit my books in the backseat. Then I turned back around to face front as Shelby slid into the driver's seat and shut the door. She put her keys in the ignition and started the car. I sunk down into the passenger's seat and closed my eyes. The drive to therapy always felt like the longest drive of my life. I spent most of the ride staring out the window trying to mentally prepare myself for the next hour. It was dead silent in the car until Shelby caved and flicked on the radio. She started humming along to the first song that came on.
"I hope you never lose your sense of wonder, you get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger. May you never take one single breath for granted, God forbid love ever leave you empty handed. I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean, whenever one door closes I hope one more opens. Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance, and when you get the choice to sit it out or dance." She sang gently. I smiled and turned to look at her. How could you not sing a long when a classic like Lee Ann Womack came on?
"I hope you dance" I sang with a rare grin on my face.
"I hope you dance" Mom echoed. We pulled up to the therapy center and left the radio behind me. Mom followed me into the therapy still humming.
"I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance, never settle for the path of least resistance. Livin' might mean takin' chances but they're worth takin', lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth makin'. Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter, when you come close to sellin' out reconsider. Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance, and when you get the choice to sit it out or dance." I sang as I slid my protective boot off and slowly worked my ankle joint so that it pulled my foot up and down. "I hope you dance! I hope you dance." I sang as I stared at myself in the mirror as my therapist massaged my foot. I just hoped against hope that I would be okay to dance in time for nationals. After a grueling session of therapy, I slipped my boot back on and followed mom back out to the car. My foot ached and I wasn't feeling like going to Glee club at all. Once we were outside and standing by the car mom pulled me into a hug.
"I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean, whenever one door closes I hope one more opens. Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance, and when you get the choice to sit it out or dance. I hope you dance. Oh, I hope you dance." Mom sang to me gently and kissed me on the forehead. "Oh baby. It's going to be okay." She comforted as I started to cry. I nodded and took a deep breath.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be crying." I said a wiped furiously at my eyes. Mom smiled gently and shook her head.
"Baby you have every right to be sad. I promise it is going to be okay. You are a fighter. Do you want to skip Glee and curl up on the couch and watch Funny Girl? My mom wanted to have Beth over for a sleepover tonight. It could be just you and me and Barbara." Mom offered. I smiled but shook my head.
"I always feel better when I go to Glee." I decided. Mom nodded and opened the door for me. I smiled and slid into the passenger seat.
"Barbara and Chinese food after practice?" Mom asked as she slid into her own seat and stuck her key in the ignition. I smiled and nodded.
"Definitely." I answered.
Songs in this chapter
I Hope You Dance- LeAnn Womack
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