Chapter 6
It was a busy week for Rachel, between clarifying wedding details and sending out invitations she was looking for work. There wasn't much for an actress to do given her condition considering she would have to take time off anyway no one would hire her for a long-term project, which, as disappointed as she was, she expected. The only thing she managed was a couple of hosting gigs. She had even been booked to sing at the New York Gay Pride parade, which, while not on the scale she would've liked was better than nothing. She would be close to full term by then, but as long as she could still sing that's all Rachel cared about.
Before she could clarify details about who was coming to the parade however, Rachel was accosted by another commitment, this one a bit more personal.
"My parents want to throw us an engagement party." Jesse explained one evening after he had gotten home.
Rachel smiled.
"That's wonderful."
"They said something about renting a banquet hall here in New York and inviting our friends and family."
"Do they know about…?" Rachel asked, gesturing to her growing belly.
"No, not all of them, "I figured that wasn't the type of news you broke over the phone." Jesse replied.
"Well I better start calling everybody, I hope Sam, Mercedes, and Mr. Shue can make it."
The engagement party was scheduled for the second Saturday in February, since it had been preempted by the holidays and everyone's work schedule. Finding an appropriate outfit for the occasion proved to be more difficult than expected because by the end of April Rachel was beginning to show and her clothes were just getting tight enough that they didn't fit properly or refused to go on altogether.
One weekend at the end of January, Rachel stood bedroom getting ready for the day, looking sadly at another blouse that didn't quite close.
"Oh well," she sighed, as she set the blouse aside, "I'll have to make do with tunic tops and belts for now until Tina, Brittany and Santana can take me shopping." Rachel had a few maternity clothes, things she had picked up here and there but nothing that really made a complete outfit, really all she needed was a few simple pieces and she could manage.
Jesse's parents arrived two days before the party as they wanted to spend time with Rachel and Jesse and get the lay of the land before everything was organized for the party. Also coming into town were Jesse's grandparents, they were the ones paying for most of the party, something they were more than happy to do for their only grandson.
Rachel had only met Jesse's parents briefly when they had come to New York for Sing opening night. The drinks afterwards had been a little awkward, but if Rachel had learned anything in the past few years it was grace and poise and that a smile went a long way with strangers.
Jesse's father was an older version of him, he was a little harsh at times but Rachel figured he met well and only figured out he was the reason Jesse was so driven. His mother, by contrast, was a short, but slender woman with short, wavy reddish hair. Courtney St. James had a warm air about her and shook Rachel's hand in a motherly fashion when introduced.
This had all been before Rachel had broken the news, although it wasn't hard to notice her pregnancy was getting harder to hide, and she figured a woman like Courtney St. James could probably tell.
They were sitting down for dinner when Jesse's mother spoke.
"Rachel, dear, you didn't tell me you were expecting." She looked curiously from Jesse to Rachel and back again.
"Mrs. St. James, please, it's not what you think." Rachel stammered, she wasn't quite sure what to say to the other woman who would be her mother-in-law in a few short months.
"Oh really, what is it?"
"Jesse isn't the father," Rachel hastily explained and hurried on when she saw Mrs. St. James's eyebrows raise further. "I mean, I'm not keeping the baby…"
Mrs. St. James was about to say something when Jesse spoke.
"Mom, what Rachel is trying to say is she's a surrogate for a friend of hers, they're trying to have a baby and Rachel offered to help."
Mrs. St. James nodded slowly, but Rachel could tell she was still processing the information.
"So I'm not going to be a grandmother." She finally responded slowly.
"Not yet I'm afraid." Jesse replied with a small smile, but Rachel could tell he was as rattled by his mother's inquisition as she had been.
After a few minutes Courtney St. James's expression cleared and her face brightened.
"Now, about the wedding is it going to be here in New York or…? What were you thinking about as far as color…?"
And so it went.
Saturday morning was unusually busy Jesse's parents and grandparents. They had left early to go set up for the party later that afternoon while Jesse and Rachel waited for their friends. People trickled in over the next few hours and eventually Rachel and Jesse split up, Jesse with his friends and Rachel with hers, promising they would meet at the banquet hall half an hour before the party was to start. In the meantime, Santana, Brittany, Tina and Mercedes whisked Rachel away for some much-needed shopping.
"Girl you have to find something." Santana said firmly, "I'm not going to let you walk into your engagement party looking like the pregnant women I see on movies and TV."
After scouring the racks at every available department store, Rachel finally found what she was looking for a pink maternity dress that she could wear to the engagement party. She also bought a blazer and a few more shirts and pants and she knew she would have to buy more (many more) before the baby was born.
Afterwards they all went back to the apartment to get ready when Rachel finally emerged from her bedroom shortly before 1:30 PM her friends gave her the appropriate comments and criticism before pronouncing the dress "perfect".
"Jesse's going to love that!" Mercedes pronounced nodding in satisfaction.
Rachel looked at herself in the mirror in the main part of the apartment, thinking she had to agree.
The next few hours passed in a whirlwind. By the time the doors opened it in the banquet hall Rachel couldn't believe everything had been put together in such a short period of time. Everybody who was there were all the people that cared for her most including her dads and their significant others. She didn't know how many times she and Jesse had been embraced by family, friends and strangers, but at the moment she was so happy she didn't really care.
In the center of one table was a large cake which read "Congratulations, Rachel and Jesse" in blue icing. It was after everyone had mingled for a while and hugs and kisses had been exchanged that people started talking, the conversation being started by Jesse's parents.
"Thank you everyone for coming, I'm sure none of us need to express how thrilled and happy we are for Rachel and Jesse as they start their new life together."
Similar sentiments were exchanged by everyone in the room and Rachel think everyone graciously. In hindsight it was good practice for any acceptance speech she may make in her future as an actress.
A few hours later the crowd dwindled down and people began to leave so it was only the family and Rachel and Jesse who remained. Everyone helped with the cleanup before all packing into their cars and returning to their homes and hotels. Will and Emma were one of the first people to leave. The mess was making Emma anxious and Daniel was beginning to fuss, because he was the only child there and he was bored and had no one to play with, but Rachel assured Mr. Shue she understood.
"We'll see you tomorrow." Mercedes assured her, I'm thinking before we all leave we need to see if we can find some outfits for that little munchkin." She smiled and patted Rachel's belly as she did so.
The next morning, while Jesse spent some time with his parents. Rachel went shopping with the girls. They looked at a few baby stores and other things the baby would need, Rachel only ended up buying a few things, a couple of sleepers, a hat and a blanket. She didn't want to get to specific since they didn't know whether it was a boy or a girl yet. Brittany ended up buying a small teddy bear which said I love you on a heart it held between its paws, everyone agreeing it would be perfect for the baby's crib. They all left the store with smiles on their faces.
The next stop was a surprise to Rachel. Mercedes and Santana ended up blank folding her and not letting her see where they were going until they were right in front of the store when they took off the blindfold, they were right in front of Klinfelds, one of the largest bridal salons in the country.
"We made you an appointment last week." Santana explained, "Now let's go shopping!"
They were greeted by a smiling consultant, who listened patiently while Rachel explained her dilemma, a short timeframe for her wedding and being pregnant.
"Okay," the consultant replied with a smile, "come on back, I'll see what I can do."
…
This chapter ended up being much longer than I expected, so I cut out a lot of the wedding details to put in the next chapter.
