Rachel opened the familiar door. She still had her keys. She spied a touching sight, Ross had Emma on the apothecary table in front of the brown leather couch. He wore a t shirt covered with a myriad of stains ,yet Mr Perfect was laughing and smiling.
"Emma, have you had enough yet?" Ross said sweetly as he held the tiny spoon in his hand. Emma lifted her arms and clapped her hands together. Her smile was enough to make him forget whatever was concerning him. When Rachel, spied him, she wanted to just melt into the woowork.It was so touching. It almost made her cry. He was the perfect father and if he wouldn't be such a jerk, the perfect husband. Why couldn't they both be in that place?
"Oh I didn't hear you come in." Ross said , grabbing a towel and wiping the food from his shirt and jeans. "I came to get Emma. She is going to my Mom's tonight." Rachel gathered the diaper bag and then went over to the table. "And how is Mommy's angel?" she cooed. Emma curled her finger around her long blondish brown hair and played with the necklace around her neck. "Gaa." She echoed.
"She'll be saying Mama, soon. She is after all my child. I mean she inherited your beauty , so the very least she could get from me , is intelligence." Ross said as he strapped her in the carrier for the trip to Long Island. "Oh and this afternoon, I met the most incredible woman. She is a new paleontology professor and she is smoking." Ross grinned. Rachel wished it still didn't bother her when he talked about a woman, but a little part of her was jealous.
"Are you gonna ask her out?" Rachel asked curiously. "I might, but she only dates guys who are smart." Ross said dejected. "And the PHd you have is what a piece of paper?" Rachel commented.
"No , her ex is Benjamin Hobart . He just happens to be a guy who just won the Nobel Prize . And another guy she dated won a Nobel Prize. What makes me think she would want to be with a simple PHd?" Ross complained. Rachel knew for all the encouragement she had been given , the least she could do is flatter her best friend.
"Why wouldn't she want to be with you? You're funny , and sweet, and damn sexy. Plus you and her have that dinosaur thing going." Rachel said as she put her arm around Ross."You always put your friends first and you are a good father. Any woman would be crazy to not want you." Rachel said . She then thought about the words she chose. Then she thought about Joey.
"You are right. I am going to ask her out. I mean she can only say no. I am a sexy guy and could hold an intelligent conversation with any of those clowns about paleontology. I am going to ask her to this play tonight." Rachel wondered why Joey would have gotten them all tickets for this play , first of all , he or no one he knew was in it. Second of all, he wasn't going to it, and he usually would have an interest in theatre. Her thoughts drifted back to Joey, then she was snapped out of her reverie. "That's my best friend. Go get that hot paleontologist." Rachel cheered and smiled. The two friends embraced each other in a friendly hug. "Ready to go , sweetie." Emma clapped her hands and yelled . "Gaa , " again. Ross bent down to give his daughter a kiss. "Daddy loves you." He said sweetly. Rachel went out the door. Maybe this thing with Joey wouldn't be so bad, after all , Ross was definteiy moving on.
Returning after the trip with Emma. Rachel came in the door and was surprised to find Joey wearing his bathrobe. "I'm sick." He announced."I still want you guys to enjoy the play tonight."Joey said with a stuffed up nose. "Oh joey." Rachel said with sympathy as she ran to the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of orange juice. "I will help you feel better." She brought him the juice and then ran to answer the phone, luckily the machine picked up. A bubbly female voice came on. "Hi Joey, this is Sandy Miller. I can't wait for your party tonight." Rachel gave an accusing eye to Joey. Something was up.
Another call came on , asking for directions to the party of the year.
"Okay Joey, what is this about a party?" Rachel couldn't believe that her buddy and roomie was keeping this great party from her and all her friends.Joey knew he couldn't keep it a secret anymore. He took off his robe and revealed his new shirt and jeans. Rachel put her hands to her mouth. "Joey Tribbiani." She exclaimed. "I am having my annual party for Days of our Lives." Joey said ashamed. Rachel began to jump up and down. "Soap opera people are going to be here. Soap actors?" she squealed.
"Yeah , when I used to have this party in the past , I wanted the actors to have a relaxing and fun evening , not be harassed by a bunch of fans. That's why in the past I never told you guys about this party and arranged that tour of the button factory and other stuff."
"Did you arrange that boring tour of the museum?" Rachel asked. "No that wasn't me, that was Ross." Joey laughed. Rachel gave Joey a big hug and then continued to squeal. "I am going to a party with Jack, and Bo and Austin and John Black." Joey took ahead of her and tried to stop her from hopping and attempted to calm her down. The last thing he needed was Monica squealing too. He didn't want to invite Rachel because she went nuts around soap people. "Okay. Okay, if you stop yelling and not tell anyone, you can go." Rachel tore herself away. "Where are you going? " Joey called as Rachel made a beeline for her room. "To find a slutty , sexy dress, silly." Joey hoped he wasn't making a mistake.
"So would you like to go to this play tonight?" Ross held the phone with his fingers crossed. He knew that Charlie was new in town, but he didn't know if she would have plans or not. Charlie took a sip from her water bottle. "Sure I love good theatre. Sounds great." Charlie took the phone in her hands and went to her closet. This guy was smart and sweet, he might make a good rebound from Benjy, or he might even be the next great love of her life. Usually men were intimidated by her intelligence, but not this one. He had just as much knowledge about dinosaurs and fossils as her.
"Why don't you come over to my place at eight and then we will go." Ross said eagerly. "Looking forward to it." He said as he hung up the phone. He went to his closet and then tried to decide what image he wanted to come across, the mature and smart college professor or the cool guy. He had pulled a brown suit from the closet and then began to get ready.
Monica cleaned her kitchen and Chandler played on his computer while they waited for everyone. Before long, Rachel and Joey showed up in their robes and holding boxes of Kleenex. They had to keep the party a secret at all costs.
"I am sorry ,I can't make the play, Mon. But I think Joey gave me what he has." Rachel said with a fake stuffed up nose. "That is too bad." She said. Rachel and Joey started to leave the apartment when Ross and Charlie entered Monica and Chandler's apartment. Joey , always looking for a new conquest, turned around and then smiled at the attractive black woman. Rachel wondered if this was the woman her friend was talking about earlier."Hey Rach. You're not going? Ross looked at her in her robe.
"Joey and I aren't feeling well." She lied. "Well that is too bad. I am sure it is going to be a good play. Rachel, Joey , this is Dr. Charlie Wheeler, she is a transfer in my department from Boston. I am showing her around New York." Ross proudly showed off the woman he was with. Partly because he wanted Rachel to think he was through mourning her. The fact that he was with another woman made Rachel not regret her decision even more. She was determined that by the end of the night, she and Joey would be together.
"Pleased to meet you." Rachel said with her fake cold as she shook the young woman's hand. "And you don't have to worry, Emma is at my mom's so she wont get sick." She assured Ross. "You guys have fun tonight." She said as Joey and her made a fast exit because Rachel could not stand to keep any secrets. Monica knew better , something was up .
NEXT The Soap Opera Party