Hello all!
How are you this gloomy, rainy Monday afternoon?
I am very well.
Read and review please, and enjoy!
xoxox Rhyleigh
"Where did you go?" Julie wanted to know, once Rachel and Jake had entered the house.
"For a walk. We went to the playground". Rachel had her hand with the ring in her jacket pocket. "Is it okay if we invite Mrs Barton and Alex over for a drink?"
"Sure, darling", Julie said, confused. Her daughter was not looking like the poor, sad, sick little girl she had been that morning. "Is everything alright?"
"Everything's fine". She flashed them the huge, goofy, Cheshire Cat smile. She was amazed at how different she felt- that morning, she was about ready to curl up and die.
"You're looking a lot happier than you were earlier", Ted noted, from the armchair.
"I feel a lot better, too, thanks, Granddad". Rachel kissed his greying hair and took a seat at the table.
"What's the matter with you?" Sammy wanted to know, from where she was curled up on the corner of the lounge.
"Nothing". Rachel couldn't shift the smile.
"Mum?" Jake said into the phone. "Yeah, it's just me. I'm at the Rafters'. Do you and Alex want to come over? We're just having a few drinks. Okay, I'll see you in five". He hung up and grinned at Dave and Julie. "They're coming".
"Who's coming?" Dave wanted to know.
"Mum and Alex. Rachel has an announcement to make".
She wasn't planning on telling them she was pregnant. She had heard, from a friend of hers that you weren't supposed to tell anyone in the first three months, in case of miscarriage or if something goes wrong. She figured she had at least a month before anyone even began to get suspicious.
Their plan, Jake and Rachel's, that was, was to tell them about their engagement. Not even Sammy and Mel knew.
It would be a surprise for everyone involved.
"Ooh, what is it?" Nathan wanted to know. He got a bottle of wine and a case of beer out of the fridge. Julie took out the orange juice for herself- being pregnant had its disadvantages, Rachel nodded sourly.
"I can't tell!" Rachel snapped.
Sammy eyed her suspiciously, not knowing what was going through their heads.
Five minutes later, there was a knock at the door.
"It's open!" Julie called.
Grace and Alex came through the door, followed by Carbo.
"Hey Grace", Julie greeted her best friend. "Hi Alex!"
"Hi Mrs Rafter", Alex said cheerfully. He went to hug Rachel. "Hello, beautiful! I still can't believe you're going out with my loser brother".
"Hello Alex". Rachel hugged him back, laughing.
"Why's Carbo here?" Jake wanted to know.
Ted shrugged. "We're never really sure".
"When we left, you were asleep with your teddy", Ben accused his best friend. Carbo had had the teddy since he was a little boy.
"Well I woke up and the house was empty! Jeez, a bloke can't go to sleep for five minutes without everyone packing up and moving!"
"You were asleep for three hours", Melissa pointed out.
"Who wants a beer?" Dave asked, holding up the six pack.
"I do thanks". Ben took a beer and handed one to each Ted and Nathan. "Alex, want a beer?"
"Thanks, Benno". Alex gratefully took the beer and took a seat next to Sammy. "Hey, gorgeous".
Sammy laughed. "Hey, Alex".
"Stop hitting on my wife", Nathan said protectively. Sammy put her head on his shoulder and looked up into his eyes adoringly.
"How's the baby going, Julie?" Grace wanted to know.
"Kicking", Julie giggled, taking a sip of orange juice. "We had a doctor's appointment today, didn't we, Dave?"
"Boy or girl?" Grace asked eagerly.
Dave and Julie exchanged knowing looks.
"They didn't tell us", Ben said.
"Do you wanna?" Dave asked.
Julie shrugged. "You can decide".
"It's a girl". Dave and Julie couldn't contain their excitement.
"A sister!" Rachel said. "Hey, I don't know how I'm gonna feel about that..."
Dave kissed her on the head protectively. "You'll always be my precious first born daughter, baby".
"I was hoping for a brother", Ben said, dismayed and thrilled at the same time. "Then I might have got one I actually like!"
Sammy threw a pillow at Ben. "Don't be so mean!"
"Yeah, Ben!"
Nathan took the liberty of beating Ben over the head with a pillow until Ted took it off them.
Once the excitement died down and normal conversation resumed, Rachel thought over how to break it to her family. She had to do it gently and with discretion.
Rachel picked up her glass of orange juice and took a sip.
"So what was your announcement, Rach?" Nathan asked.
Nathan was thinking along the same lines as his sister.
"Announcement?" Carbo's ears pricked up.
"Yeah, darling, what was it?" Julie asked.
"Is everything okay?" Sammy wanted to know.
Rachel carelessly put her hand on the table, her brand new engagement ring shining in the light. Dave's eyeballs nearly fell out of his head.
"Rachel!"
"Yeah, Dad?" Rachel asked innocently.
Sammy and Mel were staring at the diamond, trying to work out whether or not it was real or if Jake and Rachel were playing some kind of strange, strange joke that only they could play. Like they had done many, many, many times in the past.
"Did you get engaged?"
"Yeah". Rachel couldn't hide her excitement any longer.
Julie leaped off her chair and hugged her daughter. "Oh my God!"
Grace turned to her son. "You didn't TELL me? Jake!"
"Sorry, Ma". Jake smacked a sloppy kiss on his mother's cheek and Grace wiped it off.
"Eee!" Sammy shrieked, bounding across the room to engulf her sister in law in a hug.
"Finally!" Grace said, the same time as Julie.
"Grace!" Dave said protectively. "Jules!"
Jake, laughing, pulled his blushing fiancée closer towards him and wrapping his arms around her. "Well, Rach, the golden oldies were right for once!"
"For once", Rachel giggled, leaning into Jake's chest.
Nathan laughed. "Congratulations, Rach!"
"Yeah!" Ben tore his sister away from her fiancée and spun her around the lounge room, like he had done many times before.
Ted pulled his granddaughter closer. "Nan would be so proud of you!"
Chel was smiling. "Congratulations, Rachel".
"Thanks, Chel", Rachel said quietly.
There was just one more announcement she had to make. But that could wait.