Chapter XVII
"The One With The Christmas Party"
Today was Christmas Eve, Monica and Chandler decided to throw a Christmas party at their Westchester house for the Geller and Green extended family. However, Rachel's sister, Amy couldn't make it today. As for the kids, they hired a nanny to look after Emma, Jack, and Erica upstairs. Ross and Rachel walked towards their parents who were talking to each other. Rachel hugged both of her parents and Ross' parents as soon as she saw them.
"Wow you're getting big." Judy commented on Rachel's baby's bump as she rubbed it gently
"Yep, twenty weeks now. It's getting harder to put on shoes by myself." Rachel laughed
"Well that is what Ross for." Jack blurted
"Don't worry, I treat her like a princess." Ross replied and smiled proudly while placing his hands around her waist.
"Well you better be, son." Dr. Green said in a very serious tone, making Ross very nervous.
"Relax dad. He's been nothing but good to me. Aren't you honey?" Rachel playfully pinched Ross' cheeks.
"Well I better introduce our in laws to our side of the family." Jack said as the four of them walked toward their relatives.
Jill who just came back from the restroom greeted them.
"Hi guys." Jill greeted Ross and Rachel
"Hi Jill" Ross said as he smiled at her brightly
Knowing their history, jealous Rachel elbowed him in his stomach.
"Aww.." Ross flinched
"You're getting too friendly" Rachel whispered to him while smiling as if nothing happened.
"Wow, you're fat." Jill mocked Rachel as she pointed at her large baby's bumps.
"I'm pregnant, not fat!" Rachel immediately sulked
"That's right Jill. She's pregnant. In fact, I never had seen such a beautiful pregnant lady before." Ross kissed her wife, tried to make her feel better, which he clearly succeed judging by the blush on her cheeks.
Annoyed, or more likely, jealous of their interaction, Jill rolled her eyes, "Whatever." She then left the couple alone.
"I'm going to get a drink. Do you want something to drink?" Ross asked his wife
"A glass of wine please." She casually replied.
"Rach? No alcohol, remember?" He tried to remind her that she's now twenty weeks pregnant.
"Oh right! A grape juice would be fine. Thanks." She smiled at him and then he left.
"Rachel!" A man suddenly called her name.
As Rachel turned around to see who it was, it turned out to be his cousin, Jimmy Green. Jimmy is her one year older paternal cousin who lived abroad since college. Rachel and Jimmy were like a best friend growing up, they also went to the same high school, and actually he's also a friend of Ross. She hasn't seen him a lot since then, but he managed to come to their wedding in Hawaii a few months before. As soon as Rachel saw him, she gave him a big hug.
"Jimmy! I miss you so much!" Rachel said with a smile.
"I miss you too Rach! It's been like, what, four months since the last time I saw you?" He asked
"Well, the wedding is in July, so it's almost six months now." She explained
"And you're pregnant?" He noticed her bumps
"Yes. Twenty weeks now." She replied proudly as she gently rub her bumps
"That's great! Congratulations!" He gave him a hug.
"Aww.. Thank you sweetie."
Suddenly a familiar young girl kissed Jimmy on his cheeks and Jimmy wrapped his hands around her.
"Oh yeah, I want to introduce you to my fiancée, Elizabeth. Elizabeth, this is my cousin Rachel, the one I talk to you about." Jimmy introduced Elizabeth to Rachel
Rachel was feeling oddly familiar with her, but couldn't really remember her for a moment. Then it hit her. She is Elizabeth, as in Ross's ex-girlfriend, Elizabeth, and also her ex-boyfriend's, Paul's daughter. This is going to be complicated, she thought. She tried to remain calm and keeps smiling. On the other side, Elizabeth who immediately noticed Rachel also tried to calm down. Well it's going to be complicated to explain to her fiancé how she knew Rachel.
"Alright, where's my little niece, Emma? I got a present for her." Jimmy asked Rachel.
"She's upstairs, second room from the left." Rachel explained
"Okay, I'll be back soon." Jimmy kissed Elizabeth on her lips.
"And Rach, please keep her company. She didn't know anyone here." Jimmy asked Rachel for a favor.
"Sure, no problem." Rachel smiled at him
Jimmy then went upstairs to see Emma, and not long after, Ross came back with their drinks, still hasn't noticed Elizabeth was standing there in front of them.
"Here you go, one grape juice for you." Ross handed Rachel her drink and kissed her cheeks.
"Ross? Ross Geller?" Elizabeth was in shocked. She never would've thought to meet Ross here.
"Elizabeth?" Ross smiled awkwardly
"What? What are you doing here?" Ross' voice started to become loud and squeaky just like when he is nervous.
"I'm with Rachel's cousin, Jimmy. What are you doing here?" Elizabeth asked, clearly overwhelmed with the whole situation.
"Well. I'm with Rachel. You looked great, I almost didn't recognize you" Ross said.
"We're married." Rachel added as she slightly glared at Ross'
"So Emma is Ross' daughter and the wedding Jimmy attended last July was you guys?" Elizabeth was still trying to process the amount of information she just received.
"Yes, that's it." Rachel replied
"Oh my gosh, this can't be happening!" Elizabeth started to panic.
"So I'm engaged with my dad's ex-girlfriend's cousin who ALSO happened to be married to my ex-boyfriend? O my gosh!" Elizabeth said frantically.
Ross and Rachel just stood there, unsure how to react to that.
Elizabeth took a deep breath and then asked them for a favor, "Can you guys please pretend didn't know me? Well at least until I can find a right time to tell him. Please?" She begged them
"Uh..I'm not sure. But, okay. I guess." Rachel replied
"O my gosh, thank you so much." She thanked Rachel and gave her a hug
"Well you guys getting along pretty quickly." Jimmy said as he walked down the stairs and saw them hug.
"Ross! So glad to see you again, man! You look so good! I'm sure Rachel treats you well, isn't she?" Jimmy said to Ross.
"Jimmy! Good to see you too!" Ross tried to act normal but clearly couldn't, because his voice started to get squeaky again. He then cleared his throat and tried to remain calm.
"So you're back in New York for good?" Ross asked Jimmy
"Yes, starting last week. Actually the reason I came back is because of her." Jimmy grabbed Elizabeth by her waist and pulled her closer.
"Oh Ross, This is my fiancée, Elizabeth. We met on our holiday in Bahamas last year." Jimmy explained.
"Oh, hi. I'm Ross. Uh and this is my wife, Rachel." Ross said and then they shook their hands very awkwardly, yet Jimmy doesn't seem to notice.
Rachel cleared her throat, and said, "Uh Ross, let's go check on Emma."
She tried to escape this uncomfortable conversation before Ross start to ruin everything.
"Wait, are you guys free on 27th? Let's meet up for a dinner." Jimmy proposed
"Sure. I'll give you a call." Rachel then kissed Jimmy on his cheeks and went upstairs with Ross.
"Well that was something." Ross said
"Well, something you clearly enjoyed." Rachel replied sarcastically
"What do you mean?" Ross asked, puzzled
"Nothing."
She went inside to check on Emma left Ross dumbfounded.
...
Ross, Rachel, and Emma arrived at their apartment around 11 pm. They put sleeping Emma to her bed, tucked her in, and gave her a good night kiss. Rachel hasn't said a thing since they got back from the Christmas party. As Ross closed their daughter's bedroom door, he saw Rachel went to their room and stay silent. He then followed her into the room. Rachel was changing her clothes when Ross walked inside. He wasn't sure why Rachel acted this way.
"Are you mad at me or something?" Ross asked her
She didn't reply.
"Rach? What this is about?" He asked her again
"Well, you tell me Ross! How is it feels when you're twenty weeks old pregnant and your husband who was standing beside you, started to flirt with her ex?!" She raised her voice
"Hey! I'm not flirting with her!" He defended himself
"Then what was that about 'Wow you looked great. I barely recognize you.'?!" She said it as she tried to copy Ross' way of talking.
"First of all I did not talk like that. And secondly, I wasn't flirting with her! I was just making a conversation." He explained
"Well you surely enjoyed yourself in the process." She commented sarcastically
Ross suddenly burst into laughter.
"You're laughing?" She looked at him in disbelief
"I'm sorry, it's just. Have you look yourself in the mirror? You look adorable when you're jealous." He explained
"Ross! I'm serious!" She pouted
He then walked over her, pulled her closer, and then planted a soft kiss on her lips while brushing her hair aside.
"I'm also serious." He said
"So you're not flirting with her?" She started to slightly smiled.
"Of course, why would I flirt with her? I mean I have you. Who's clearly way hotter than her. I mean look." He said it as he pointed at her naked body.
She immediately blushed.
"So are we good now?" Ross asked as he stroked her hair lovingly.
Rachel simply nodded and smiled.
"Here let me help you put on your pajamas."
Ross grabbed a set of pajamas from the closet, and started to get her dressed. He carefully buttoned up her top and as he reached her belly area, he planted a kiss on her bumps and continued to dress her.
"Here. Done!" He smiled proudly
"Thanks." She kissed him, but suddenly yelled.
"Ross!"
"What? Are you okay?"
"The baby's kicking!" She said as she grabbed his hand and placed it on her bumps.
He started to smile from ear to ear, "Aww! It's kicking for the first time and I'm here."
They locked eyes and her eyes started to get teary.
"I love you." He said then hugged her lovingly.
Even though Ross already had two children from two different women, this pregnancy was special for him, because he finally be able to enjoy it and be there for her from the start. It was something he would eternally grateful for.