::: chapter 3 :::
Rachel was having an early breakfast that day when Monica entered the apartment for her morning visits for her and Emma. Since the baby was still too young to go out much, the members of the gang went to visit them in shifts. Monica was there every morning, she would usually bring breakfast and lunch for Rachel. Phoebe would come over not so late after, sometimes she even bumped into Mon there. She always brought her guitar to play something for Emma or sometimes gave Rachel a free massage. Chandler came over on her freaklishly long break from work, he'd bring his computer and annoy Rachel with stuff on the Internet and with his never ending joke sessions. She'd still love it though, it was Chandler after all. And Joey, as mentioned before, would come before Ross got home from work.
"Goodmorning, Rachel", Monica greeted her friend as she walked through the door. "Hey, Mon" Rachel greeted back, with a mouth full of pancakes with blueberry syrup. Monica was surprised Rachel was already eating, she usually waited for Mon to come home, no matter how hungry she got. "You're eating", she commented the obvious. Rachel smiled at the table full of treats Ross had prepared for her before he left for work. "Seems like it!", she joked. "Did you cook?", Monica said as she sat down on the table and placed the basket she brought next to a bowl full of fruits. "Yeah, right", Rachel answed, sarcastically, with a huge smile on her face. "Ross made it for me"
"Wow, I didn't know he could cook this well. But, I mean, it's not better than mine, right?" Monica could become very pissy when it came to food or competing. Put those two together and you might have an idea of just how pissy she got! "Of course not, Mon! Your food is the best" Rachel replied, like a reflex response. Monica made a shy and flattered expression, almost looking like a little girl who's just being told she was pretty. Rachel smiled at Monica for a while, wondering how she should tell her about she and Ross. They had talked about telling other people on the previous night and had agreed on telling just Monica and Chandler, after all they'd need people to talk to about it. And besides, if they ever needed to leave Emma with a couple so they could go out, Monica and Chandler were surely the ones who they'd turn to, specially because they had been trying to have a baby themselves.
"What-what's that look on your face?", Monica asked, looking at Rachel pretty suspeciously. Rachel smiled more, it was impossible to hide just how happy she was, wasn't it? "Is it obvious?" "Tell me!!" Monica was getting curious and excited in advance. Rachel bit her botton lip and dropped her silverwear, resting her both elbows on the table. "Your brother and I are back together", she said simply. Monica was clearily shocked, she wasn't expecting this. Sure everyone had been praying for those two, but after a while they figured maybe nothing was really going to happen between them again. She was so happy for her best friend and brother.
"Oh my God, Rachel!" she praticly screamed. Rachel laughed and shushed her. "If you wake Emma up I'm gonna kill you!", she warned, smiling. "Oh, I'm so happy for you guys.. finally!" Monica approached Rachel while saying this and hugged her, genuinelly happy for her. "Wait a minute", she quickly broke the hug, "What about Joey?" Rachel sighed. "Yeah, about that... long night last night, you better sit down." Monica looked confused but sat down anyway. "Hm, the ring Joey proposed me with was actually your brother's, he was the one who was going to propose to me. The whole thing with Joey was a misunderstanding", Rachel explained.
"Wai-wai-wait a minute", Monica said. "Ross was going to propose?" "Aparently..." Monica was definitely surprised. "And Joey wasn't?" "Yeah, I think a little accident happened there and I misunderstood what he wanted. But now that I said yes to him, I just don't know what to do, Mon. So Ross and I decided not to tell anyone besides you and Chandler about us just untill I can solve this whole thing with Joey", she finished explaining. "Sure, alright, you don't wanna be too sudden with Joey, that really would crush him. I mean, he does love you after all" Rachel just gave her a sad smile and Monica regret saying it, of course Rachel knew it. "Hey, but you and Ross, wow, that's great news", she said trying to make it up.
"Really great news", Rachel said, smiling content again. Monica smiled at her best friend once more before moving on. "'Kay, I also brought you lunch though, as usual. My specialty: duck confit with broccoli rabe". "Aw, Mon, thanks, but Ross is taking me out today, we're going to that diner around the corner, it's always pretty calm during lunch so it's okay if we take Emma, right?" "You're turning my duck down to have lunch in a diner?!" Monica said, pretty offended, putting a lot of emphasis on the last word. "I just wanna go out, Mon...!" Rachel tried to argue. "Then have my duck at a park or something!" Rachel smiled. "That's not a bad idea, actually. Then I wouldn't have to worry about anyone smoking around Emma", she pointed it out. "As long as you don't turn my duck down for a hamburger we're fine!" Rachel laughed.
Soon Monica was out, Phoebe was in and Rachel controled herself not to let anything about she and Ross slip out in the conversation. Emma kinda helped her with that, being crabby and messy on her bath, dirtying her diapers about three times and refusing to go to sleep after Rachel fed her. Surprising considering sleeping was still pretty much all she could do all day. "That and the nasty stuff", Rachel thought with a smile. Phoebe didn't take as long as she usually did though, right after she helped Rachel bathing Emma she had to go 'cause she had a client waiting for a massage. So Rachel had spare time to get things set up for her and Ross in their little picnic.
When Ross got home he went straight to Emma's room, almost sure he'd find Rachel there. Instead, though, he found the baby alone in her crib, again, surprisingly, awake, reaching out with her tiny hands to her colorful mobile hung over her. Ross couldn't help but letting out an "aww" sound at his daughter. She noticed his presence and he could tell she knew who it was, her daddy. "Aren't you smart, Ems?" Ross whispered softly, stroking her tiny belly and leaning over to softly kiss her hair. "Aww, what a beautiful scene" Rachel said from the doorway. Ross turned around to look at her and they smiled at each other.
"And how's my other baby, did she sleep well?", he asked. She approached him and they kissed. "Really well", she replied with a smile. "So, did you talk to Monica?" "Yup" "What did she say?" Rachel smiled more, stroking his back with her arms that were still wrapped around his waist. "Really well, she's pretty happy for us" "So am I", he said. She brought one of her hands to his cheek while she approached her face next to his and they brushed their lips against each other's. "Thank you for breakfast, it was delicious" Ross smiled more. "Was Monica jealous?" "Very much", she answered, also smiling.
Rachel looked into the crib and saw Emma wide awake. "Aw, you're really not tired today, are you sweetie?", Rachel whispered to her baby. "Has she not been sleeping today?", Ross asked, turning his atention back to his daughter. "Not as much as usual. But she's being good today. Well, ever since her bath, but that's gotta be a record or something!" Ross chuckled. "'Kay, I'm gonna go get ready so we can leave. Oh, and Monica gave me a better idea. She couldn't understand how we'd turn her food down to go have a burger at the diner, so she suggested we took her food to a park or something to eat, which is actually good 'cause then we won't have to worry much about Emma, you know?" she said. "Sure, whatever you want". They kissed softly once more before Rachel went to get dressed.
She tried on pretty much everything she had in her closet but nothing seemed to please her. The clothes she used to wear before the pregnancy were still too tight around her waist and the ones she wore when she was big were indeed very big, too big for her now. Lately at home all she had worn were sweat pants, they're always so comfortable, but they're not the kind of thing she had in mind to use on her "first date" with Ross in a long time. But there was also the clothes she wore she was not yet big, around her 4th month into the pregnancy, but those were all dressed up clothes for work, nothing apropriated for a park. She sighed heavily, she hated it when she couldn't find anything she wanted to wear. "I need to go shopping", she thought to herself.
Meanwhile Ross was finishing packing Emma a bag so they could take with them, including a few diapers, some products, toys... pretty much all of her baby survival kit! He even changed her into more comfortable clothes and put her on her baby carrier, she was all set to go now. But he knew Rachel would still need some time to finish getting ready, she hadn't changed a bit. After he was done with Emma, he set her carrier on her changer table and noticed the ring Rachel had once again forgotten there. He wondered for a while before taking it. "I'm all ready to go", Rachel said behind his back and made him startle. "Okay then, let-let's go"
At the park everything was going well, Emma was being a good baby, the food was delicious, they didn't forget anything and Rachel had surprisingly forgotten the deal about her clothes. She felt so natural around Ross that sometimes she forgot how she was looking, she knew he'd love her no matter how she looked. They were sat under a big tree at Central Park, having just finished having lunch and just enjoying the moment. Ross still had a couple of hours off before he had another class to teach at NYU, so they weren't on a rush there.
Ross kept watching Rachel as he held little Emma. Rachel was just putting their things back into the basket she had brought, same one Monica took to her place that morning. If someone had told Ross a couple of years before that he'd be there at that moment with Rachel and their baby he wouldn't believe it. And yet there he was. He wondered if he should ask Rachel to marry him right there, he had put the ring quickly in his pocket before they left and this seemed like a perfect moment. The day was clear, with a perfect weather- not too hot yet not cold- they were sat right next to a flower bed, from where he had previously picked up one to give her, they were together, they were happy, she knew he was going to propose at the hospital anyway... But then he remembered technically she was still engaged, and not to him. So he dropped it and decided not to think about it for now, it would only spoil his great mood.
"Alright, all set here", Rachel said, putting the basket aside. She noticed the loving look on Ross' eyes and blushed. "What?" "Nothing. I was just thinking how lucky I am, that's all" he answered in the sweetest way possible. She blushed even more and approached them. "Ems, honey, at least for now you're gonna have to get used to this lovey-dovey stuff, alright? It's part of every beginning" she joked, looking down at Emma and then up at Ross, giving him a quick kiss. "Beginning? So you don't think I was this sweet with you after a while when we were together?", he asked. "Nope, no one can stand it, Ross. Well, I know I can't, and you knew just when to easy down on it, perfect timing"
"Okay then", he said, shrugging his shoulders in a gooffy way. She smiled more, she loved it when he did those things, he could be so cute sometimes... Yet, she remembered, he also knew when to be strong and rough. She had to stop herself from giggling out loud at her memories. They stayed there for another twenty minutes or so, both cuddling with Emma, simply enjoying that moment. They decided to stop by Central Perk after that, where the rest of the gang would most likely be, so that Emma could meet the place her parents hung out and shared their first kiss.
"Hi everyone", Rachel said in a baby voice as if it was Emma speaking when she and Ross entered the coffee house with the baby. "Aww, look who's here" Monica said already straightening her arms to hold her niece. Rachel smiled and handed the baby to Monica. "Hi Aunt Monica", Monica also mimicked Emma, smiling down at her. Chandler got closer to Monica and just watched them with a smile, lately he and Monica had realised really just how much they wanted and were ready for a child. Ross looked around and noticed Joey wasn't around and Monica noticed. "Joey's not here, he's working. Believe it not lately he's been taking some things more seriously", she mentioned.
Chandler looked up at Ross and Rachel and smiled. Since Phoebe wasn't there either they could talk about the whole thing without worries. "So I hear two people here finally stopped being so stubborn and got back together", he said. Ross and Rachel smiled at each other and quickly put their arms around each other, "Pretty much". "There you go, a couple we can hang out with! Who needs Greg and Jenny?!" Chandler said to Mon, excitedly. They were still recovering from the couple they met on their honneymoon that gave them a fake number, with whom they thought they could hang out.
"Okay, easy there, Chandler, we just got back together and we have Emma. I don't wanna start with the boring things just yet, we still have a lot to enjoy before we get to this phase, alright?", Rachel joked, her arms still wrapped around Ross' body. Ross laughed and kissed her softly. "You heard the lady", he said. "Dude, who wears the pants in this relationship?" Chandler mocked him. "Do you" emphasis on the you "really wanna start with that?" Ross laughed, Monica could be a pain when it came to just about anything, always bossing people around. Poor Chandler...! He kinda waited for a sarcastic response from his wife but got none. He turned to look at her and found her still deeply centered with Emma. "We really need a child!" he said excited at the new found utility of a baby.
Ross and Rachel laughed at his comment, Monica was still too out of it to listen. Ross set Emma's carried on the table, her bag resting in the place you put the baby in, and sad on the arm chair. Rachel sat down on his lap, like they always did when they were together. "God old times", they thought. But much better now, they had Emma and everything would hopefully work this time. Chandler looked at them and then turned to Monica. "You know, you never sat on my lap" Monica looked up at him with a funny look. "You really wanna get into that now?", she said. Chandler looked frustrated and turned to Ross and Rachel again. "Aparently I'm just supposed to stay quiet today then". "Oh, please", Rachel said, mocking.
"I don't know what you're complaining about anyway, you sat on our dad's lap", Ross commented. Chandler's eyes whidened up. "Du-ude! Is that never talking about it again- ever??", he asked while both girls were laughing so hard they barely noticed Phoebe and Joey walking in. When Rachel noticed she only had time to get off of Ross' lap and sit on the chair next to him, still pretty close though. Ross looked confused at her and then noticed Joey and Phoebe. "He-hey, guys", he said. Rachel smiled nervously and reached out her arms in Monica's direction "'Kay, come to mommy, Ems". "Hey, look who's here!", Phoebe said excited about the baby, who was now resting with Rachel and Ross.
"Hey guys!", Rachel said in a baby voice again. Joey smiled sweetly and once again stood there for a while just looking and thinking. Ross, Rachel and Emma were such a pretty family together. He felt really guilty about how she felt about Rachel everytime he realised that. But then he thought about Ross and Rachel's past and... what if they never worked again? Even when it did work they would fight a lot, that couldn't be good for the baby. So maybe it was a good thing he and Rachel were getting married, he thought. He would make sure nothing would upset her, he'd do anything for her. And Emma wouldn't be bothered with fights at home, she's be happy. "Yeah, it'll be a good thing", he concluded.