Chapter 1
School's Out
It was June and school had just been over for my first year at McKinley High School about a week when I got the phone call from the chairman of the National Show Choir board asking me to be on the board for the next five years besides being on the National board it also put me on the Ohio regional board. This was going to screw up my plans for Shuester but I wasn't going to turn it down.
I headed for a state board meeting in Cleveland the next week when I saw something very strange.I saw Hiram sticking suitcases in his car like he was going on a trip but I didn't see Leroy or Rachael. I made a mental note of this to see what was up when I got back and started my drive to Cleveland. I had other reasons for the trip besides the board meeting. One of them met with Shelby Corcoran, director of Vocal Adrenaline, she was also Rachel's birth mother and I hadn't had a chance to yell at her for the way she treated Rachel after they met. I know I only have Rachel's side of the story but after she cried herself to sleep in my arms the night it happened I promised to read Shelby the riot act the next time I saw her. I also needed to thank her for adopting Beth, Quinn's daughter. I know two conflicting emotions at the same time but hey I'm a complex woman.
After sitting in one day of meetings, I found out from another board member that Shelby had just resigned from Carmel High so I skipped out on the rest of the meetings, because I didn't want her skipping town before we had a chance to talk. When I arrived in Akron I called Shelby and got her to meet me for coffee at a nice diner that Shelby recommended. Arriving a short time later and believe my luck stars Shelby Corcoran was actually there with Beth. I slid in the booth and introduced myself officially. "Ms. Corcoran, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Pam Ocean, English teacher at McKinley High School in Lima. I'm also Rachel's and Quinn's teacher." Shelby's face showed shock, but her eyes showed fear and a bit of defensiveness. "I don't know what you want but first I know I was horrible to Rachael and I need to make that right." "Yes you do Shelby and you can start by moving to Lima."
"Why would I want to move to Lima," asked Shelby as she absent mindedly stirred her coffee. "So you can coach a new glee club that is going to form at McKinley in the Fall."
"Again Why," Shelby asked with her brow furrowed. "Because William Shuester is a toxic asshole."
"That we can agree on but why me?" I looked at her with a question on my face and I spoke, "I will get to that in a minute but you said we could agree that Shuester is a toxic ass. Do you mind elaborating on that for a moment?" Shelby sighed and replied, "Sure, before I broke my daughters heart and made myself the star of the worst mom's club, Will called me to meet. It was late and we were alone and he basically told me to leave Rachel alone. He said that I was confusing her and that she had two loving fathers and didn't need me. I told him that Rachael may not need me but I needed her. That's when he got really dirty. He said he would inform her fathers and they would have me arrested and sue me for breach of contract. He then went on to say that I had to do it in a big dramatic way."
I was radiating anger when she finished the story. "That little bastard. I knew he was a narcissist but I never thought he would stoop that low, to sabotage your relationship with Rachael just so he could keep his lead soloist, or worse yet to make Rachel feel she needed him more."
Shelby just glared at me for a moment then asked, "What do you have against Will and more importantly why me?" I wave for the waitress to get another cup of coffee then I start. "I taught at Chicago Arts for ten years before moving to Lima and ending up at McKinley. I witnessed bullying at a level that I have never thought possible in a public school. Even those kids who were bullied were bullies and Rachel was the target of all of them. The worst bullies, they threw slushies. I keep two changes of clothes in my classroom closet for her in addition to the change of clothes in her locker. Even the other geeks in the glee club and her own boyfriend verbally bullied her and Shuester just let it happen. That was in addition to showing favoritism to the point that he got a students grade changed to passing so he could still play football, not reporting the same student for starting a fight, and worse yet threatening to get a student suspended for no logical reason. Now the story you just told. He has to go and the answer to why you. Because I need a show choir director. I would do it but I was just named to the National Show Choir Board of Directors. I couldn't do it without resigning and I need to be visible without being seen. Teaching English and being on the show choir board keeps me visible without," Shelby finishes my thought, "being seen. I'll do it but only if Rachel agrees to it knowing I'm involved and that she is in the new choir." "Well, I guess I need to go get your daughter on board then. I'll be in touch in a few days."
I down the rest of my coffee, say goodbye to Shelby and Beth and head for my car. I have a long drive back to Lima and a lot to think about. I also have the first piece in my plan to take down William Shuester.