Rachel's Turn

Chapter 20

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Rachel's restful slumber was interrupted by the sound of her name being called and someone banging on her bedroom door. "Rachel, wake up and come to the kitchen. We need to talk to you before we leave. Hurry up!" Her mom's tone was a bit alarming. Before she could finish analyzing the situation, Rachel made her way to the kitchen.

Her mom and dad were heading to her mom's beauty shop to work on the sinks then mom had to go to the Memorial Funeral home and fix one of her customer's hairs. Mom always made sure that she was the last one to touch her sweet customer's hair because she knew exactly how they liked it. She always said that this was her way of doing the last thing she could to make them happy.

When Rachel walked in the room, her mom motioned for her to sit down, and she immediately began to try and figure out what she had done to get in trouble because she felt it coming but she was not sure why. Her mom sat down as her dad finished putting the tea into her mom's tea jug. "I do not want you to get mad and go off ok?" Her mom requested as she looked at Rachel and saw the color start to rush to her face. "I know you were planning on going to the lake with Ryan today, but..."

"Mom!" Rachel tried to stop the word but it leapt from her mouth and by the look on her mom's face she did not need to say anything further.

"Rachel, I said don't get mad and listen to me. Lana needs you to watch Jack today because the daycare is closed today. The director passed away last night. I told her you would so she is bringing him by here on her way to work."

Even though Rachel loved Jack more than anything, this was so not fair. All Rachel could manage to see was yet another time that she was unable to do what she wanted with Ryan, just like always. She knew she was being slightly irrational but at the moment she was terribly disappointed. What would Ryan think? Rachel was quiet as all of these thoughts zoomed through her mind.

Her mom continued, "Look, honey, I know you were looking forward to today, but Jack can't go with us today or we would take him. And, just because Ryan is in town doesn't mean the world stops. And, don't you be made at Lana either."

Mom was right as always and for the first time Rachel knew that this was not a battle to wager because she would lose it and possible lose being able to see Ryan at all. She hoped he would not be to upset. With a strained voice, she looked at her mom, "Yes m'am I understand. It is super disappointing, but I know I am the only option right now, but they are going to have to deal with it next week if this happens and I am in school! I will go call Ryan."

Her mom hated to see her baby girl upset, but life happens and Rachel must understand that no one comes before family, a fact she was sure Rachel knew but was not seeing at the moment. "Mom, do you think it would be ok if Ryan came over later and we took Jack swimming? You think Lana would be ok with that? Maybe we could take him to McDonald's and play or something?" Thankfully her mind was working on ways to salvage the day and after thinking about them, they actually sounded quite fun.

Her mom looked at Rachel's dad and said, "What do you think? Are you ok with Ryan being here without anyone else?"

Rachel's big blue eyes looked at her daddy and pleaded that he be ok with this and say it was ok. "As long as it's ok with Lana, I guess it's ok but you have your phone by you at all times and call us and let us know what is going on and do NOT be gone all day! Understand?" Rachel could not control her relief and excitement and ran to her daddy and hugged him in thanks and did the same to mom and she ran back to her room to call Ryan. Lana would be there in 30 minutes and she needed to shower quickly but first she needed to call Ryan.