Hello! How are we all? My concert was awesome, I was so nervous and I didn't even stuff up! I am very proud of myself. I can't believe the Julie's baby is going to be a girl! Did anyone else watch it? I was convinced it was going to be a boy, and bet my brother. I lost. I then went and bet on a family friend that is pregnant, and lost again. I am so waiting until the baby is born, though. Doctors are always wrong!
Enjoy!
"Hey Rachel", Julie said, as Rachel leaned on her shoulder.
"Mmm?"
"How's your boyfriend?"
Rachel slipped off her mother's shoulder in shock. "Excuse me? Where did that come from?"
Julie looked at her knowingly. "There is someone though, isn't there?"
Rachel turned scarlet. "Maybe..."
"Come on!"
"Well maybe possibly Jake and I have been getting on a lot better lately. A lot more than originally planned". Blushing, she turned away.
Julie shrieked excitedly. "I knew it!"
Rachel sighed and inched towards the door. "Mum, I've got to get going".
"Sammy!" Julie hollered. "Sammy!"
Sammy appeared in the doorway, a look of worry plastered across her pretty features. "Is everything okay? Are you alright? What's the matter?"
"Rachel and Jake are together!" Julie choked out. She couldn't have sounded any more thrilled if she tried.
"That's awesome!"
Sammy bounded across the room and hugged her sister in law tight. Laughing, Rachel couldn't help but hug her back. Marrying Sammy was the best decision Nathan had ever made, according to the family.
"That's fantastic!" Sammy said.
"Thanks, Sam. I'm glad I have your approval". Rachel laughed self consciously.
"Does Grace know?" Julie asked.
"No idea". Rachel shrugged.
"Hey Mrs Rafter", Carbo called from the window. "Got milk?"
"In the fridge, Nick, you know where the milk's kept".
"Thanks Mrs Rafter".
He walked into the kitchen, plucked the milk out of the fridge and continued out the door. Julie didn't even bat an eyelid. She was more interested in her daughter's love life. "So, when's Jake coming over for dinner?" Julie wanted to know.
"Mum, we've been alternating between houses since we were six", Rachel reminded her. "It's our turn to cook".
"So he's coming tomorrow!"
Rachel sighed. "Yes, Mum".
"I'm so excited! What should I cook?"
Julie was borderline hysterical.
"Mum", Rachel said, sighing again. "Jake has been to dinner here approximately eighteen million times in his lifetime. I'm sure whatever you cook will be fine".
"Are you sure?"
"Julie, I'm pretty sure everything'll be okay", Sammy assured her. "I mean, Jake practically lives here".
"Yeah, but as her best friend- not the boyfriend!"
"Mum, if you refer to him as that when he's here, I swear he'll never come back".
"Sorry".
Dave marched in the door that second. "What's happening in here?"
"Jake's dating our daughter!"
"What?" Dave shrieked.
"I knew it. Seriously. No privacy in this place".
Sammy nodded knowingly.
"When did this start?" Dave demanded.
Julie turned inquisitively to her daughter. "Yeah, Rach! You never told me".
Rachel nearly swallowed her tongue- that was the question she had been hoping to avoid. "Um..."
"I'm home!" Nathan called, strolling into the lounge room. The other three Rafters were staring at Rachel, who was blushing profusely. He turned and glanced at his wife. "Did I miss something here?"
Sammy didn't reply, she just waited for Rachel to answer.
"Sam? Sam? Sammy?"
"Wait a minute".
"Not that long". Rachel's face was scarlet. "I've got to go. I'm meeting Libby and George at the boat club".
"Sure", Julie said, nodding, as Rachel headed towards the door.
"Since when have Jake and Rachel been together?" Nathan wanted to know.
"It was pretty obvious", Sammy commented.
"Are Rachel and Jake together?" Ben demanded, coming in the door with Melissa behind him.
"Der", Melissa said.
"Why did everyone but me see it?" Dave said.
"You were choosing to ignore it", Ben said.
Julie fell to the lounge, her head spinning.
"You okay, Mum?" Nathan asked.
"Yeah... I've got a doctor's appointment tomorrow". Julie smiled. "I'm sure it's nothing".
"I'll come too", Dave decided.
"Rachel and Jake", Ben mused. "After all these years".
"Something happened a while ago, that they're not saying", Julie said.
When Dave stared at her, she grinned.
"Mother's instinct".
"Jake's here!" Ted announced.
"Hi Jake!" Julie said cheerfully.
Jake handed her a bottle of wine. "For you, Mrs Rafter".
Blushing, Rachel came out of her bedroom, wearing one of her new dresses. Jake's mouth fell open and he stared.
"You look nice", he said finally. "Mrs Rafter, how was the doctor's appointment?"
"Oh. It was unexpected. I'll tell you all about it later", she said.
"Are we late?" Melissa called. Ben followed, carrying a six pack of beer.
"No, right on time".
Julie was famous for cooking large amounts of food, for when the boys and Mel made their way to the house. More often than not, they did. Melissa wouldn't let the boys shop by themselves, for obvious reasons.
"Dave, Nathan! Sammy!" Julie called. "Dinner's ready!"
Melissa took the stack of plates, and set them on the table. Jake grabbed the cutlery.
"Oh, no, darling, you don't have to do that", Julie said. "Ben'll do it, won't you Ben?"
"Sure", Ben said. "But I don't see why Nathan couldn't do it".
"Just cooperate", Dave snapped. "Your mother has some important news to share, and she won't if you don't shut up!"
"Something's wrong", Rachel whispered to Jake. "I can tell".
He put an arm around her. "She'll be fine, I promise".
"If you say so".
"So, Mum, what was your news?" Nathan asked, as he stacked the plates. "Rachel and I can do the dishes, don't worry about it".
"Is everything okay?" Sammy asked.
"Everything will be fine", Julie said.
"So what was the results?" Ben asked.
"Well..." Julie paused, unintentionally letting the tension build up. It was so thick you could have cut it with a knife.
"Mummy, I'm scared", Rachel whispered. Jake tightened his grip on his hand. her mother was just plain scaring her- something major could be wrong, like cancer.
"I'm pregnant".
Rachel's mouth fell open. Ben nearly swallowed his tongue. Nathan almost dropped the plates. Jake dropped Rachel's hand and he and Sammy looked between the three Rafter kids.
