CHAPTER TWO

The journey up to the Geller household wasn't far, especially when Rachel was buzzing to tell them the good news. There were also some nerves in the mix.

But, as she'd told herself already, there could be no objections! She and Ross were meant for each other, anyone could see that.

Finally she arrived. The house was well-kept and pretty, she thought.

'Rachel!' welcomed Judy. 'How are you? Emma's just in the front room!'

'Well, I have something to tell you,' said Rachel excitedly.

'What is it, honey?' asked Judy, although she didn't sound too concerned.

'Ross and I are getting married!' she said.

Judy stopped and spun round on the spot. 'Really? Wow! Jack, come and hear this! Congratulations, Rachel! This is amazing!' She hugged Rachel tightly. 'Jack! JACK!'

'What is it, Judy? Oh, hello, Rachel,' he said. 'Well, what is it?'

'Rachel and Ross are finally getting married!'

'Finally! Wow! Well, both our children will be married! Do Monica and Chandler know yet?' asked Jack.

'No, I came here to tell you guys and Emma first,' said Rachel.

'Well, come on in, then. I'll make you something to drink, you can tell Emma. She's just worked out that she's nearly four,' giggled Judy.

Rachel laughed and ran into the front room to see Emma, who grinned at the sight of her. 'Emma! How are you? Have you missed me?' she joked, holding her young daughter in her arms. Sometimes, Rachel couldn't believe how beautiful Emma was.

'I'm nearly four!' Emma told her mother excitedly.

'Wow! You'll be a big girl!' grinned Rachel. 'Guess what, Emma?'

'What?'

'Me and Daddy are getting married!'

'Yay!'

Rachel held Emma even tighter. 'I'll have a nice, pretty dress and you can have one too. I'll take you to buy one!' she promised.

'Yay!'

Jack and Judy appeared in the doorway and came to sit down next to Rachel. 'So, will Emma be a flower-girl or something?'

'Something or other. We'll sort it out. She'll have a pretty dress and everything,' grinned Rachel, before turning back to Jack and Judy. 'The only problem I can see is my own parents showing up. But I'll work round it.'

'I'm sure they'll be fine,' assured Judy. 'Anyway, if you want to go and tell Monica and Chandler.'

'Ok. Can I leave Emma with you? Ross can pick her up later,' asked Rachel.

'That's fine, we love having her to stay,' Jack told her.

Rachel left, and half an hour later, she was calling Monica.

'Hello?' came the familiar voice of her high school friend.

'Hey, Monica,' said Rachel excitedly.

'Hi, Rachel! What's up?'

'I have something to tell you!'

'Go ahead, then. I have to feed Jack and Erica soon.'

'Me and Ross are getting married!'

'You what? Rachel, this is great! You and Ross are finally getting married! Yes!' cheered Monica. 'Let me just tell Chandler!'

Rachel heard the sounds of laughter and shouting down the end of the phone. 'Congratulations, Rachel!' she heard from Chandler, before Monica came back on the phone.

'Also, Mon, I was wondering if you could be my maid of honour?'

'Really?' squealed Monica. 'But wait, hang on, what about Pheobe?'

'Both of you can be maids of honour. I wouldn't want anyone else.'

'Wow! This is so exciting! We have to pack up and head back down to New York!' said Monica. 'I promise, we'll be there by tomorrow.'

'Ok, well, me and Ross are living together – maybe you guys could go in Joey's apartment together?'

'I'm sure Chandler will be fine with that,' laughed Monica. 'Get Ross to call me when he gets home from work.'

'Definitely,' said Rachel. 'I'll see you, Mon.'

'See you, future-sister-in-law,' said Monica, hanging up.

Rachel smiled. She really had missed Monica.

The next day, Monica and Chandler were waiting for the other four in the coffee house. Ross had told Ben about his engagement to Rachel and Ben was very excited. Carol and Susan didn't know yet, though. 'We'll think about whether or not to invite them,' Ross had said the night before. However, both Ross and Rachel were agreed that Emily should probably not be invited to the wedding.

As they walked into the coffee house, they were ecstatic to see their old friends again – with the two year old twins. There was a lot of hugging, laughing and crying, until finally Ross, Monica, Rachel and Chandler were all sat down together drinking coffees calmly and exchanging anecdotes from their time apart.

'I've missed New York,' admitted Chandler.

'It was probably a good decision to leave, though, for the twins' sake,' defended Monica.

'Of course, of course. But this place just brings back memories,' said Chandler.

'What happened to you, getting all emotional?' joked Rachel. 'Being a dad made you a different person, huh?'

Chandler took a second to glare at her, before asking, 'So, where are Pheobe and Joey?'

'I don't know, they're coming,' said Ross.

A few minutes later, the other two arrived. 'Monica! Chandler!' they squealed, running over to hug them. They'd been in contact and met up for a few meals but the six hadn't been truly reunited in the coffee house in two full years.

The next few hours passed like five minutes to them, chatting like they had in the old days over coffees and arguing in a friendly way. It had to be the best time any of them had had since.