"Rylee, come here pumpkin," Shelby called to the two and a half year old,"You gotta' get on your shoes so we can get to the airport. We gotta' pick up Rachie," she said, using the child's fond nickname for Rachel.
"Rachie!" Rylee yelled, immediately running into Shelby's arms,"Come on, mama, faster. We gotta' get Rachie!" she said excitedly as Shelby slipped her flats onto her feet, apparently moving to fast for the toddler's liking.
Will came down the hallway, carrying the newest edition to their family, who had been adopted just a month earlier,"Babe, have you seen Mia's diaper bag?" he asked, cradling the one and a half month old in his arms.
Shelby nodded,"In her closet on the top shelf. Left hand side," she said, finally getting the shoes on Rylee. Will turned around, walking back down the hallway, returning a moment later with the baby's diaper bag,"Alright, are we ready? Rachel's plane comes in from New York in an hour," she informed everyone.
Will nodded,"All ready," he said. Shelby nodded, grabbing her purse and Rylee's bag, and leading the way out the front door. Shelby got Rylee settled into her car seat as Will did the same with Mia, as had become routine, and within minutes, they were on the road. Will held Shelby's hand over the gear shift as he drove. He brought their joined hands to his lips, kissing each of her knuckles,"I'm glad she could come back for our anniversary," he said.
Shelby smiled at him,"Me too, baby," she said, leaning across the console at a red light to give him a soft kiss.
Will nuzzled her nose lightly,"I love you," he said.
Shelby chuckled, kissing him one more time before pulling away,"I love you, too,' she said as the light turned green.
"Mommy, you're gonna get daddy's cooties!" Rylee yelled from the back seat.
Shelby chuckled, turning around in her seat,"Sweetie, mommies and daddies don't worry about getting cooties," she informed the toddler.
"But why?" Rylee asked, her face scrunched up.
Shelby chuckled, and shrugged,"I don't know baby, we just don't," she replied simply.
Rylee sighed,"Ok, momma," she said simply.
The ride to the airport was fairly silent from that moment on, and when they got there they immediately began looking for Rachel, considering her plane landed five minutes earlier.
Shelby finally spotted her, standing with her suitcase, looking for them,"Rachel!" she called. Rachel's head turned at the sound of her mother's voice.
"Mom!" Rachel yelled, pulling her suitcase over to where the family was and wrapping her arms around her mother first,"I missed you guys so much," she said into her shirt.
"We missed you, too, baby," Shelby said, squeezing her tightly, before letting her go.
Rachel moved to Rylee next, mainly because the tot had hopped into her arms screaming,"Rachie!"
Rachel chuckled as she kissed the girl's forehead and hugged her tightly,"Hey sweetie," she greeted, setting her back down on the floor and moving to Will next. "Hey dad," she said, wrapping her arms around him.
Will smiled,"Rachel, meet your new sister," he said, nodding to the baby in his arms.
Rachel smiled down at the baby, wrapped in a pink blanket,"Hi Mia," she said, kissing the little girl's temple.
The baby gurgled, though she was asleep, and Rylee giggled,"She likes you, Rachie!" she exclaimed.
Rachel chuckled,"Well, I'm glad," she said.
Shelby looked at her family, beaming with joy,"Come on, guys. Let's go home," she said, eager to get them all back to the house and just relax, the first time with her whole family under the same roof. As they walked out to the car, Shelby leaned against Will, cradling Mia with one arm, and holding Rylee's hand with the other, with Rachel holding Rylee's other hand, and smiled to herself.
It had been a hell of a year, with Rachel going off to NYADA and the adoption of Mia, as well as adjusting to life as Will's wife, but she didn't regret any of it. Rachel being accepted to NYADA was a dream come true for both of them, and although Shelby missed Rachel, she was glad that Rachel had the opportunity that she only wished she would have had. Mia was simply their little blessing, and Shelby couldn't be any happier to welcome her into their family. Being Will's wife was a dream come true for Shelby, as well as for Will, and they both were working to make sure that they stayed happy in their marriage, although it honestly wasn't much work, they just clicked.
Shelby hadn't had the best life in the past, but at this point, things were going great for her, and she wouldn't change it for anything.
And that brings this story to a close. I hope you guys liked it, and keep an eye out for another Shell story from me, because I'm sure I will be coming out with a new one fairly quickly!