Amelia Mae

Chapter Twenty: Dream On Part Two

A/N: I do not own anything besides Amelia St. James and any other original character which includes her parents, aunt, and uncle. 

Tuesday went on like usual, glee club time was spent rehearsing, and learning music. It was after school and after cheerios practice that was different. Rachel and Jesse had asked me to help dig through Rachel's baby things to see if there was any evidence about who could be her mom. I agreed but only after Jesse gave me a look desperation. I didn't want to help him in this situation but if I help it may turn out better.

When we arrived at Rachel's house, I went down to the basement with Rachel, Jesse went up to her room. Her basement wasn't really big, but boy was it amazing. Her basement had been turned into something like a fancy party room. She led me past the fancy room and into something that looked like a large closet. Inside there was her mini Rachel Berry museum. It took a long time to find the boxes with the earliest date, but we found three. She grabbed one and I grabbed two, then we headed back up to her room.

"What you guys so long? Her dads will be home soon," Jesse asked then stated when we entered the room. He took a box from me and sat down on her bed. Rachel and I did the same things. All three of us started going through our box. "There was so much stuff in the basement. It's like a Rachel Berry shrine," I stated. "It's creepy and flattering at the same time," She stated. Seconds later she spoke again, "These boxes had the earliest dates on them, so..." She was cut off by her own gasp, "My baby teeth, look," Jesse and I both kinda stared at her, like seriously your parents kept your baby teeth. I started going through my box again. In there I found her little newborn footprints and handprints. Jesse pulled an ultrasound out of his box and showed us. "Look," "Is that me?" Rachel asked while taking it out of Jesse's hand. "Looks like you, I think you're in fifth position," I tell her. "Makes sense, my dad says they used to play Vivaldi into my mother's belly," She explains. She then set the picture down and went back to her box. She pulls the first thing out, "My first singing competition. I came in first place," She exclaims. She handed Jesse the trophy, "You were eight months old," "I was very musically verbal," She states. I was still going through my box but then I saw Jesse grab a tape out of his flannel shirt pocket, he was making sure that Rachel didn't see him to do it.

I didn't say anything, I was gonna see how Jesse plays this out. He put the tape in his box for a brief moment. "What's this, from mother to daughter," He reads. He handed Rachel the tape, "Oh my god. She wrote this, she-she held this in her hand," Rachel was freaking out as I thought she would, she was actually really calm. Jesse practically jumped off of her bed and quickly moved to be in front of her as he snatched the tape back and went to her stereo. "What are you doing?" She asks. "Playing the tape," He states "No!" She says her voiced raised. "Why not? She wanted you to hear this," he explains. "I-I'm not ready. Look this is all happening too fast. What if she is singing on the tape? What if she's terrible? Or worse what if she's better than me?" Rachels stammers. "I can't believe we're so close to your dream coming true and you're running away from it," Jesse tells her. I can tell he is being genuine and confused about it, I think he really does want Rachel to know Shelby. Shelby is a very nice lady, a mother figure to Jesse, and she has all the right connections.

"No, it's my choice. It's-It's my life, and no, I'm-I'm not ready. Jesse, Amelia, I think that you guys should go," she says. I got up and we left. The ride home was silent, I don't think that Jesse was happy that she didn't listen to the tape.

After dinner that night, a car pulled up in front of the driveway. Jesse grabbed my hand dragged me out to it in the pouring rain. It was Shelby's car. Jesse got in on the passenger's side while I sat behind. "She has the tape but she won't listen to it," He tells her. "What? She has to listen to it. That's the point of all this," She explains. "I'm doing my best. I'm putting my relationship at risk, and Amelia's friendship with her at risk. I don't want anybody to get hurt," He states. "Look, one more week, this will all be done. You come back to Vocal Adrenaline where you belong. Amelia, there is still a spot for you if you want to come as well," Shelby explains. "Why don't you go to her dads in person," I suggest. "She has to come to me. That's why she has to listen to the tape. Once she hears it, she won't be able to sleep until she finds me," She finishes. "Shelby, if you don't mind me asking, why did you become a surrogate?" I ask. "I answered an ad in the paper. Nine months' work here would make me enough money to live in New York for two years. Her dads seemed like nice guys, so I went for it. I never got to hold her. And I only saw her for a second when they were cleaning her off. It was through a bunch of nurses but she turned her little head and she looked at me," She explains. Shelby laughed a little bit before she began again. "I failed as an actress. My walls are lined with trophies instead of wedding pictures. But through all of that, I only have one regret. You get her to listen to that tape," She states.