As she bent down to pick up the television remote from the coffee table, Shelby let out a happy sigh; the housework was done, the homework was marked and graded, and there was a new episode of her favourite true crime show available for her to watch. Life truly was good for her right now.
Then suddenly, her happiness waned a little as she listened to the sounds of her home, straining as silence met her ears. Her last foster placement had moved on last week and while Shelby was glad that the boy had found his next home, perhaps his 'forever' home, she hated the feeling of her home when she was the only one living there. It felt too big and too empty, which was one reason why she had applied to become a foster carer, she had six bedrooms, two of them being ensuites, a basement, an attic, a music room, a downstairs toilet, and a downstairs office, not including her kitchen, living room, snug, and dining room. The house was show-home perfect but without any kids, it felt a bit, well, lonely.

Just as she toyed with the idea of opening a bottle of wine, her cell phone light up with the name "Maureen".

"Hello? Shelby Corcoran speaking"

"Shelby? it's Mo. Are you able to take an emergency placement?" came the harried and overly stressed voice of the social worker.

"Sure of course I can. What information do you have? Do I need to go shopping?" Shelby asked, reaching for a piece of paper and a pen, ready to take notes.

"Fifteen year old girl. She's in the hospital at the moment, she gave birth this afternoon. Baby is almost five hours old, also a girl." Mo relayed as Shelby jotted down what she could.

"And there's no possible chance of reunification with her parents?" Shelby asked

"She's adopted and was going to have the baby adopted. When she told her parents that she had changed her mind, they told her that she was no longer welcome in their home. They'll drop off her belongings once she has somewhere to go to. It's not ideal, and the poor girl is exhausted but I think you'll be good for her Shelbs" Mo sighed and Shelby felt her heartstrings pull for this poor girl and her baby.

"I'll take her. I haven't got anything for a baby so I'll run out and get a crib, and some clothes, all that stuff. When will you be bringing her here?"

"Tomorrow morning most likely, she has to stay overnight due to her age. Mother is planning to breastfeed but maybe get some bottles and formula in case she can't or changes her mind. Also, neither of them have any clothes. She has what she arrived at the hospital in and one outfit for the baby, but that's it. I'll text you her sizes and what she needs. You're a lifesaver Shelbs, see you tomorrow morning" and with that, the line went dead.

Grabbing her keys and climbing into her car, Shelby drove to the nearest mall and began picking out baby clothes, sticking to white, grey, and yellow. She wasn't sure if the mother wanted the traditional "Girls wear pink and boys wear blue" so she thought that neutrals might work best. She also picked up a breast pump and bottles, a tin of formula, a nursing pillow and nursing pads, maternity pads, packs and packs of diapers and wipes, bibs, burp cloths, blankets and a sling as well as a changing mat to go on her chest of drawers to double up as a changing table. She bought a moses basket and a pack and play cot and a stroller, just an easy snap and go.
As soon as she got the text message with the girls sizes, Shelby bought her several pairs of maternity leggings and loose sweats, some simple T-shirts, both short sleeved and long sleeved, a few hoodies, some pyjamas, several nursing bras and underwear packs, and a few pairs of socks and simple shoes. She was on her way to the checkout when she noticed a blanket on a display bed, big enough to fit over the large double bed that Shelby was going to make up for the girl and her baby, and was a deep purple patterned with small gold stars, something about spoke to Shelby who threw it in the cart without hesitation, joined soon after by various toiletries and perfumes.

By the time she got home, she wasted no time in getting the room fresh and aired, with clean bedding on the bed and assembling the furniture for the baby. The moses basket and stroller took no time at all, and after a few clumsy moments and several curse words, the crib was also ready to be filled.
the drawers on the far side of the room were filled with diapers, clothes, and wipes and the wardrobe was filled with the mothers clothes. The star blanket was the final touch, laid across the bottom two thirds of the bed and Shelby opened the window to get some fresh air into the room and eliminate the smell of teen boy deodorant that Shelby swore she could still smell.
The bathroom was relatively clean, she just cleaned the sink, shower, and toilet, tactfully putting the maternity pads below the mirror so that the girl would spot them and not be embarrassed about asking for them; and putting fresh towels and face cloths on the toilet lid. Now, Shelby was going to her own bed, so she could catch up on some sleep and be fresh and ready for the arrivals tomorrow morning.

Meanwhile, at Lima General Hospital, a fifteen year old girl paced back and forth in her room, rocking her daughter who continued to cry softly, if she was being honest, she wanted to cry with her.
She was fifteen years old and was now a mother. She was responsible for the tiny little person who she was cradling in her arms and that thought alone scared her to death. For the umpteenth time that day, she was worried that she had made yet another huge mistake by asking to keep the baby. She didn't know that her parents would throw them both out, they had supported her throughout her pregnancy and had helped her come to the decision of having her daughter adopted, but as soon as the baby had been put on her chest, she couldn't bear to let her out of her sight.

"I'm sorry" she whispered to the baby, bouncing her gently in her arms.
"I'm so sorry that you're stuck with me. I promise I'll be a good mom, well, I'll do my best. But I need you to please stop crying"

And the baby opened her blue eyes, blinked twice, and stopped the tears.

"Did you listen to me? A-Are you going to let me put you down now? I think you need to sleep. That's what newborns do right? Sleep?" she asked, and the baby blinked at her mother again, finally seeming content to be put down and was asleep in seconds, snuffling quietly.

"Knock Knock. Can I come in?" said a voice from the doorway.

"Y-Yes. Sorry I just got her down. She's cried for most of the day" the girl replied, fighting to keep her eyes open and realising now just how much pain she was actually in.

"No problem, I'll make this quick then. I've found you a placement. It's with a single woman, but she specialises in teens in unfortunate circumstances, much like you. She's more than happy to have you and your daughter, and she's bought you some clothes and baby bits and some things for your room at hers. How does that sound?" Mo asked, watching the girl in front of her visibly relax a little.

"That sounds good. Is she, um, is she okay with me… feeding her myself?" the teenager asked, feeling herself blush.

"She is, she's happy to support you in whatever choices you make. Now, why don't you get yourself into bed and get some sleep, you've had a long day. Once your parents bring your belongings, they'll be put in here and I'll come back for you around 9am. Here's my card, if you think of anything that you need or want, pop me a text message at any time. Okay Angel?" and with a cheery wave and a happy smile, her social worker was gone and she was alone again. Well, not alone, but lonely.

Lying down in her hospital bed, the teenager finally let a few silent tears escape, not wanting to alert her midwife and nurse, who had both treated her like a silly little kid, nor wake her daughter. The tears came thick and fast, until she was forced to put her pillow over her face so as not to make any noise. Eventually, she stopped crying, perhaps from sheer exhaustion and curled up and went to sleep.

…*

The next morning found Shelby sitting in her living room, nursing a warm cup of coffee and flicking idly through the channels on her tv. She had gotten a text from Mo at half nine saying that she was just leaving the hospital with the teenager and the baby and were due to arrive any minute now. Shelby found herself a little nervous, she had nieces and nephews so was able to care for a baby but caring for a teenager who had just given birth and was likely very emotional and exhausted? That was a whole new wheelhouse that she was about to figure out and hoped that she wouldn't mess it up. This girl was going to need gentle handling, lots of love, and lots of support.
She was brought out of her thoughts by a light tap on the door.

"Coming!" she called and unlocked the door and was rendered completely speechless.

"Shelby?"

"Rachel?"

"Do you two know each other?" Mo asked, watching tears fill Rachel's eyes and Shelby's face grow pale.

"Yes, um, Rachel is…"

"She's my birth mom" Rachel finished, hugging her baby to her chest and fighting not to cry at the shame she felt.

"Oh, Rachel, I didn't know, I can try to find you somewhere else if you're not comfortable here, but it might take a few days…" Mo started to say but Shelby cut her off

"This isn't a conversation I'm having in the street, why don't you both come inside and get settled and then we can discuss this further." And she held open the door for Rachel, holding her daughter and Mo, holding a suitcase and duffle bag full of Rachel's things.

"Living room is through the first doorway Rachel, I'll fetch you a coffee Mo. Rachel, anything to drink?" Shelby asked, a little flustered and scattered, a complete 180 from Cool, Calm, Collected Coach Corcoran.

"Um, can I have a glass of water please?" Rachel whispered, still not quite looking Shelby in the eye.

"Course you can. Go in and sit yourself down, you look exhausted. Mo, milk and one sugar in your coffee?" Shelby checked as she watched Rachel taking jerky, hesitant steps into her living room.

"Thanks Shell, see you in a second" Mo smile gratefully at the promise of good caffeine as she steered Rachel towards the sofa, again bidding her to sit down and try to relax a little.

While she was waiting for the kettle to boil for the hot drinks, Shelby closed her eyes and cursed herself.
It was Rachel. The pregnant teenage girl that was abandoned by her adopted fathers after being unable to have her own child adopted. It was her daughter who couldn't part with her own baby who needed her now. If it was a mother that Rachel needed, then Shelby was going to be there for her. She let her slip away once, she wouldn't let it happen again if she could help it.

By the time Shelby was re-entering her living room, Rachel was still holding tight to her daughter as though she was frightened someone would snatch her from her arms. Mo was talking to her but even Shelby could tell that she wasn't really listening.

"Rach? Here's your glass of water. Do you need anything else? Have you eaten anything?" Shelby asked and Rachel started a little and shook her head.

"I-I couldn't face any breakfast in the hospital. I'm not really hungry." Rachel stuttered and Shelby's heart broke a little.

"If you're breastfeeding, you'll need to eat soon, once we've got you settled in, I could make you a sandwich or some soup? You need to eat Rachel" Shelby said gently and Rachel nodded a little.

"Rachel, are you happy to stay here with Shelby?" Mo asked, her front teeth catching on her lower lip.

"I-if she's happy to have me here, then yes. I-I can't face being moved around anymore" Rachel said and Shelby agreed that she was more than happy to take Rachel into her care and promised to look after both girls.

"Right. Well, I'll be back sometime this week with the paperwork. You both have my number, if you need anything, please get in touch. I'll be off." And with that, Mo left, leaving mother and daughter and granddaughter together.

"Thank you for giving me a second chance Rach, you've no idea how much this means to me" Shelby whispered, putting her hand on Rachel's shoulder.

"Thank you for agreeing to have me, well, us. I'm sorry this is how you found out about her" Rachel replied, her eyes swivelling to the baby who was beginning to stir in her arms.

"It's fine, now, let's get you settled in. both of you have been through a long and tiring few days, and Rach you need to eat. I'll get your bags and follow me upstairs and I'll show you to your room." Rachel followed Shelby who had lifted her suitcase and duffle bag without a thought and felt a sob catch in her throat when she saw the room that Shelby had pulled together for her. The moses basket next to her bed, the new clothes which were washed and ready to be worn, the baby supplies… it was all too much.

"Rachel? Are you okay?" Shelby asked and Rachel shook her head

"What's the matter?" Shelby asked, waiting for Rachel to open up a little.

"Y-You did all this f-for us. You made us a room and s-spent so much money on us. I-I don't even know why I'm crying like this" Rachel sobbed, sitting down on the armchair next to the window. The baby, seemingly picking up on her mother's emotions, also began to cry.

"Yes, I made you both a room because you deserve to feel safe, secure, and loved. I don't care how much this cost Rachel, you deserve the best. You're crying probably because you're tired, you look completely worn out sweetheart. You've had an emotional and exhausting few days, and you need some good food and some good sleep. This little one needs feeding too, have you tried to feed her yourself yet?" Shelby comforted the teen who gradually stopped crying and shook her head.

"Okay, do you need some help? Theres a cushion on your bed to help you hold her in the right position for feeding, and I've looked up some things that might help. Do you want to try or would you like me to leave to you it?"

"Can you stay? I don't think I want to be alone right now" Rachel whispered and Shelby nodded.

"Of course I'll stay. Where would you like to sit, your bed or here?"

"The bed, but I'm scared I-I might fall asleep while she's with me" Rachel said, feeling so incredibly out of her depth.

"Then I'll sit on the sofa and if you begin to get tired, you can tell me and I'll put her in the moses basket for you. Whatever you need me to do Rach, I will do it. No matter what it is" Shelby comforted her daughter who took a deep breath and nodded, starting to unbutton her top, while Shelby looked away, trying to give her daughter a little privacy.

Rachel unbuttoned her blouse and shrugged off her bra, feeling her face flush a little with embarrassment at being exposed like this in front of her mother, who was tactfully looking out the window.
She brought the baby up towards her chest, feeling her breasts throb a little and she tried to get her daughter to latch on. They had showed her how to do it in the hospital but now that she was on her own and was quite tense, she was really struggling.

"Do you need a hand Rach?" Shelby asked and Rachel felt fresh tears well up and nodded, bowing her head in shame.

"Okay, you've got her positioned perfectly, try bringing her up slowly and watch for her opening her mouth really wide, and you need to relax. Try not to tense up, that's a girl, now bring her up towards you slowly and try to latch her again." Shelby was calm and patient, talking Rachel through this what felt like a million times before the baby latched and Rachel gasped, feeling an overwhelming rush of relief and love flood through her body.
"T-Thanks Shelby, I-I'm not used to this…" Rachel started to say but Shelby put her hand on her shoulder and looked at her carefully.

"Rach, I know we've got a somewhat complicated history but not only am I your caregiver, I'm your mother. I understand you'll have questions and I'm more than happy to answer them, but first you need a nap and some food. Once little one has finished feeding, pop her in the basket and she'll sleep, I want you to try and get at least two and a half hours. If little one wakes up, I'll watch her until you're up. Then we can all have a late lunch together, okay?" Shelby stated

"Are you sure? She's my baby, not yours. You shouldn't have to feel obligated to…"

"I'm offering to watch her so her mom can have a nap Rachel, I'm not going to run off with her. She's your baby but even moms who plan to get pregnant and have a family still need some help from time to time. So let me help you sweetheart" And with that, Rachel leaned into her mother's touch and Shelby moved closer and wrapped an arm around her daughter.

"I'm sorry for leaving you Rachel, I'm so sorry" Shelby whispered

"I-I needed you back then when I found you. I-I-I had just found out I was pregnant and I needed you. I needed you to-to hold me like this. To hug m-me and tell me that everything w-would be okay. I was so a-alone and I needed my m-mom" Rachel whispered back, her voice was soft that it was almost inaudible and her eyes fluttered shut as she breathed in the comforting smell of Shelby's shirt.

"Darling, we can't have this talk now. You're falling asleep and little one isn't far behind you. So you need to unlatch her, that's it, now put her over your shoulder and pat her back gently to burp her. You're doing so well sweetheart, you're a natural at this" Shelby praised watched Rachel hesitantly start burping her daughter. Once the baby was burped, Shelby talked Rachel through putting her down and tucking her in and then encouraged Rachel to get under the covers in her own bed and Shelby tucked her in.

"Sleep well Rach, I'll see you in a couple of hours" Shelby went to flick the lights off but stopped when she heard Rachel call her back

"Shelby?"

"Yes sweetheart?"

"Stay with me?"

"Of course I will baby girl. Whatever you need from me"
And Shelby climbed onto the bed beside her daughter, running her fingers through Rachel's long hair and singing softly to her:

"Fresh cut grass, one cold beer
Thank the Lord I am here and now, here and now
summer dress, favourite park
Bless your soul, we are here and now, here and now
I'm wide awake, so what's the point of dreaming when your life is great?
Celebrate the feeling, Celebrate the feeling.

Oh, can't complain about much these days,
I believe we'll be okay

Oh oh oh, oh oh oh

Can't complain about much these days,
I believe we'll be okay

Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh."

Before the end of the chorus, Rachel was already fast asleep, her head resting on Shelby's shoulder.

"We'll be okay Rachel, I promise we'll be okay now" Shelby whispered as she watched her daughter and granddaughter sleep soundly, feeling her heart warming with love for them both.