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incredible feedback. I really appreciate all of the wonderful things
you've been saying. I am open to suggestions. Believe me, writers LOVE
suggestions. We also live for feedback! Thanks again!
September 30, 2004
Rachel was standing in the back yard of her new home in Los Angeles. Ross was at work, and Rachel's company was being designed. She had turned the basement into a work room. She was creating clothes and dresses of all kinds every day. Rachel's company headquarters was being built in down town L.A. Her company name was Geller Designs. In short, in a few years, people would not only be wearing Gucci designs, but they would be wearing Geller designs as well.
Rachel was happy that she got to work at home until her building was finished. She was already being paid, and she had only been in L.A. for a week. She and Ross had taken the children back to New York as soon as they arrived at the Denver airport on the day they left for California.
Ross was getting settled in at his new job. Rachel was happy because the new home was in the country. The nearest neighbor was about a mile down the road. The country roads of California were perfect, and the children had a lot of room to play and explore.
Joey had come by as soon as they had arrived at the new house. He promised Ross and Rachel that he would come visit at least once a week. Rachel missed New York, but she knew that better things were to come in the near future.
Rachel saw Ben sitting on the slide of the swing set, staring up at the sky.
"Ben? You want to push your sister for awhile?"
"Okay." He walked over and took over Rachel's previous task. Rachel sat down on the back porch and took a sip of lemonade. Ben had been very upset over Carol and Susan's deaths, but he was holding it all together like a trooper. Rachel didn't know what it was like to grow up without a parent, but she did know what it was like to lose someone she loved. She felt horrible for the tragedy that had happened. She had been asking herself over and over again why that little boy had to be put through such torture at such a young age.
Emma began to cry and Rachel picked her up out of her swing.
"Come on, Emma. It's time for your bath," Rachel said softly, kissing her baby on the cheek. "Ben, you can play out here for another half hour and then you have to come inside."
"Okay," Ben replied. Rachel turned to go inside.
"Mom?" he asked, getting accustomed to the fact that he could call Rachel that and not feel guilty because his other two mothers were dead.
"Yeah?" Rachel asked.
"Can we get a puppy?" Ben asked.
"Uh . . ." Rachel stammered. "Well, we'll talk that over with your dad when he gets home."
"Alright," Ben said. "Um . . . do you think my other two moms would be mad that I call you mom too?"
"No sweetie. They wouldn't be mad."
"Good," Ben replied. "I like calling you mom." Rachel smiled and tousled Ben's hair. She went inside with Emma and slowly started up the stairs. It was getting more and more difficult by the week with her belly growing as it was. She felt the twins kicking all the time now, and she figured that they were going to be kicking right up until the birth.
"Alright Emma," Rachel said as she undressed the girl and gently put her into the bathtub. She ran a bit of warm water and squirted in some suds. The baby began to splash around, and Rachel sat on a foot stood while her daughter played. Rachel heard the doorbell downstairs, so she quickly pulled her daughter into a towel and carried her downstairs.
She opened the front door and saw a man of about thirty standing there.
"Hello," Rachel said with a kind smile.
"Hi," the man replied with a perfect smile. "My name is Noah Long. I live about a mile down the road. I just wanted to come introduce myself."
"I'm Rachel Geller. This is my daughter Emma."
"It's nice to meet the two of you," Noah replied with a smile. Rachel could tell that Noah was attracted to her, but she knew she had to make her status known right away.
"My husband is at work right now, but if you want to come back later and meet him, I'm sure that he'd be happy to meet you."
"Oh you're married?" he asked.
"Yes. My little boy is in the backyard, and it's about time for him to come in for his bath."
"I see. Well, if you don't mind, I'd like to meet your husband later. It's a custom around here for all of us to get acquainted with the new people in town."
"Well, you can bring your wife and . . ."
"Oh I'm not married," Noah replied with a chuckle. "But I'm looking." Rachel thought for a moment that she saw him wink at her. She cleared her throat.
"Well, I had better put my baby down for the evening."
"It was nice meeting you," the man said. Rachel nodded.
"Likewise." She shut the door and leaned against it. She shook her head and looked at Emma. "Did you see that man hitting on mommy?" Emma giggled and Rachel laughed. "Come on. Let's go finish your bath and wait for daddy to get home."
Rachel climbed the stairs again and let Emma finish playing in the bath water. She was starting to get a pain in her lower back, and she figured it was normal.
After a little while, Ben came inside and Rachel knew she had better get Emma into her pajamas. She walked down the hall into Emma's room. She put Emma into her training pants and a cute pink night gown. She brushed the baby's hair and put her into her bed.
It was only about five in the afternoon, but Emma always dozed off for the evening at about 6:00. But, Rachel wasn't feeling her best, so she wanted to get some rest herself.
As soon as Emma was tucked in, Rachel padded down the hall to Ben's room. Ben was sitting on his bed playing video games.
"Ben, I'm going to go lay down on the couch downstairs for awhile. Will you go ahead and get a bath and put on your pajamas for me?"
"Sure," Ben replied. He looked at Rachel. "You okay?"
"I'm alright, sweetie." She walked downstairs and laid down on the couch. Ross wouldn't be home for another half hour, and she started to worry. The pain came again in her back and she grimaced. She felt another horrible pain, and she knew that something was wrong. She picked up the phone and dialed Ross' work number.
"Hello?" he asked when he answered.
"Ross!" Rachel exclaimed. "Ross, it's me. Something's wrong. I'm having pains and . . ."
"Rach! Okay. Look, just lay down and I'll be there as soon as I can, alright? If the pain gets worse, call 911."
"I will. Just hurry please!" Rachel hung up and she put her hands on her stomach. "Alright, girls, you've got to listen to mommy. Just relax. Stop moving around so much and just, try not to kick a hole in anything. Just relax. Mommy's hurting here. You've got to just hold on for mommy. It's not time for you to be born yet. You've got to hang in there.
Rachel woke at the hospital about an hour later. Ross was sitting at her bedside. She felt a needle in her hand and saw an IV drip. She groaned.
"Ross . . ."
"Yeah sweetie."
"Where are the kids?"
"Emma and Ben are at Joey's. He met me here and took them to his place. He and his sister and nephew are watching them."
"Alright," Rachel replied. "Am I still . . ."
"You're still pregnant. You were having contractions, but Dr. Morgan got them stopped."
"I was so scared, Ross."
"I know sweetie. But you're fine and so are our girls. It's alright now."
"What happens if this happens again?"
"We'll get them stopped again."
"What if we don't? Ross, what if our girls are born too early?"
"They won't be, Rach. They're fighters, obviously."
"You're . . . you're right. They're going to be fine. I just have to think positively." Ross nodded and squeezed Rachel's hand. "Thank you for getting me here. I must have passed out at home."
"You were a little of it. But you're alright now. The doctor ran some tests. You were just a little over worked. She wants you to take it easy for awhile."
"But I have to keep working."
"You can rest for a couple of weeks, can't you?"
"I suppose," Rachel said quietly, gnawing a bit on her bottom lip. She closed her eyes and rested back in the hospital bed. "I can do it for our babies."
"Good," Ross replied, kissing Rachel's forehead. "I love you so much. I am so glad that you and our girls are alright."
"I can't believe I passed out while the kids were home. I feel horrible."
"Don't worry. Ben found you and sat with you until I got home."
"He's a good kid."
"Yeah he is. He's been through a lot. He's really growing up, you know?"
"I know."
Dr. Morgan walked into the room and closed the door.
"Mr. and Mrs. Geller. Rachel? How are you feeling?"
"Better," Rachel replied. "I'm not having anymore contractions."
"Good. Good. I'd like to run an ultrasound so that we can make sure the babies are alright."
"You mean they might be hurt?" Rachel asked with worry.
"I just want to be safe and make sure they handled the contractions. I'm sure everything is fine."
"Oh."
"Just relax, sweetie," Ross urged. The doctor dimmed the lights and started an ultrasound. Within two minutes, Rachel could see the heartbeats of her twin girls.
"Just as I suspected. Everybody's fine."
"Thank God," Ross and Rachel whispered in unison.
"Just relax for a few weeks, and everything should be alright. I would like to set up an appointment for a month from now. But if there are any complications before that, please come see me as soon as possible."
"I will. Thank you Dr. Morgan," Rachel replied. The doctor left and Rachel looked at Ross.
"Thank you for getting there when you did."
"Hey," Ross started, "I'll always be there when you need me. Always. Never forget that." Rachel stared lovingly into her husband's eyes.
"I will never forget . . . I promise."
September 30, 2004
Rachel was standing in the back yard of her new home in Los Angeles. Ross was at work, and Rachel's company was being designed. She had turned the basement into a work room. She was creating clothes and dresses of all kinds every day. Rachel's company headquarters was being built in down town L.A. Her company name was Geller Designs. In short, in a few years, people would not only be wearing Gucci designs, but they would be wearing Geller designs as well.
Rachel was happy that she got to work at home until her building was finished. She was already being paid, and she had only been in L.A. for a week. She and Ross had taken the children back to New York as soon as they arrived at the Denver airport on the day they left for California.
Ross was getting settled in at his new job. Rachel was happy because the new home was in the country. The nearest neighbor was about a mile down the road. The country roads of California were perfect, and the children had a lot of room to play and explore.
Joey had come by as soon as they had arrived at the new house. He promised Ross and Rachel that he would come visit at least once a week. Rachel missed New York, but she knew that better things were to come in the near future.
Rachel saw Ben sitting on the slide of the swing set, staring up at the sky.
"Ben? You want to push your sister for awhile?"
"Okay." He walked over and took over Rachel's previous task. Rachel sat down on the back porch and took a sip of lemonade. Ben had been very upset over Carol and Susan's deaths, but he was holding it all together like a trooper. Rachel didn't know what it was like to grow up without a parent, but she did know what it was like to lose someone she loved. She felt horrible for the tragedy that had happened. She had been asking herself over and over again why that little boy had to be put through such torture at such a young age.
Emma began to cry and Rachel picked her up out of her swing.
"Come on, Emma. It's time for your bath," Rachel said softly, kissing her baby on the cheek. "Ben, you can play out here for another half hour and then you have to come inside."
"Okay," Ben replied. Rachel turned to go inside.
"Mom?" he asked, getting accustomed to the fact that he could call Rachel that and not feel guilty because his other two mothers were dead.
"Yeah?" Rachel asked.
"Can we get a puppy?" Ben asked.
"Uh . . ." Rachel stammered. "Well, we'll talk that over with your dad when he gets home."
"Alright," Ben said. "Um . . . do you think my other two moms would be mad that I call you mom too?"
"No sweetie. They wouldn't be mad."
"Good," Ben replied. "I like calling you mom." Rachel smiled and tousled Ben's hair. She went inside with Emma and slowly started up the stairs. It was getting more and more difficult by the week with her belly growing as it was. She felt the twins kicking all the time now, and she figured that they were going to be kicking right up until the birth.
"Alright Emma," Rachel said as she undressed the girl and gently put her into the bathtub. She ran a bit of warm water and squirted in some suds. The baby began to splash around, and Rachel sat on a foot stood while her daughter played. Rachel heard the doorbell downstairs, so she quickly pulled her daughter into a towel and carried her downstairs.
She opened the front door and saw a man of about thirty standing there.
"Hello," Rachel said with a kind smile.
"Hi," the man replied with a perfect smile. "My name is Noah Long. I live about a mile down the road. I just wanted to come introduce myself."
"I'm Rachel Geller. This is my daughter Emma."
"It's nice to meet the two of you," Noah replied with a smile. Rachel could tell that Noah was attracted to her, but she knew she had to make her status known right away.
"My husband is at work right now, but if you want to come back later and meet him, I'm sure that he'd be happy to meet you."
"Oh you're married?" he asked.
"Yes. My little boy is in the backyard, and it's about time for him to come in for his bath."
"I see. Well, if you don't mind, I'd like to meet your husband later. It's a custom around here for all of us to get acquainted with the new people in town."
"Well, you can bring your wife and . . ."
"Oh I'm not married," Noah replied with a chuckle. "But I'm looking." Rachel thought for a moment that she saw him wink at her. She cleared her throat.
"Well, I had better put my baby down for the evening."
"It was nice meeting you," the man said. Rachel nodded.
"Likewise." She shut the door and leaned against it. She shook her head and looked at Emma. "Did you see that man hitting on mommy?" Emma giggled and Rachel laughed. "Come on. Let's go finish your bath and wait for daddy to get home."
Rachel climbed the stairs again and let Emma finish playing in the bath water. She was starting to get a pain in her lower back, and she figured it was normal.
After a little while, Ben came inside and Rachel knew she had better get Emma into her pajamas. She walked down the hall into Emma's room. She put Emma into her training pants and a cute pink night gown. She brushed the baby's hair and put her into her bed.
It was only about five in the afternoon, but Emma always dozed off for the evening at about 6:00. But, Rachel wasn't feeling her best, so she wanted to get some rest herself.
As soon as Emma was tucked in, Rachel padded down the hall to Ben's room. Ben was sitting on his bed playing video games.
"Ben, I'm going to go lay down on the couch downstairs for awhile. Will you go ahead and get a bath and put on your pajamas for me?"
"Sure," Ben replied. He looked at Rachel. "You okay?"
"I'm alright, sweetie." She walked downstairs and laid down on the couch. Ross wouldn't be home for another half hour, and she started to worry. The pain came again in her back and she grimaced. She felt another horrible pain, and she knew that something was wrong. She picked up the phone and dialed Ross' work number.
"Hello?" he asked when he answered.
"Ross!" Rachel exclaimed. "Ross, it's me. Something's wrong. I'm having pains and . . ."
"Rach! Okay. Look, just lay down and I'll be there as soon as I can, alright? If the pain gets worse, call 911."
"I will. Just hurry please!" Rachel hung up and she put her hands on her stomach. "Alright, girls, you've got to listen to mommy. Just relax. Stop moving around so much and just, try not to kick a hole in anything. Just relax. Mommy's hurting here. You've got to just hold on for mommy. It's not time for you to be born yet. You've got to hang in there.
Rachel woke at the hospital about an hour later. Ross was sitting at her bedside. She felt a needle in her hand and saw an IV drip. She groaned.
"Ross . . ."
"Yeah sweetie."
"Where are the kids?"
"Emma and Ben are at Joey's. He met me here and took them to his place. He and his sister and nephew are watching them."
"Alright," Rachel replied. "Am I still . . ."
"You're still pregnant. You were having contractions, but Dr. Morgan got them stopped."
"I was so scared, Ross."
"I know sweetie. But you're fine and so are our girls. It's alright now."
"What happens if this happens again?"
"We'll get them stopped again."
"What if we don't? Ross, what if our girls are born too early?"
"They won't be, Rach. They're fighters, obviously."
"You're . . . you're right. They're going to be fine. I just have to think positively." Ross nodded and squeezed Rachel's hand. "Thank you for getting me here. I must have passed out at home."
"You were a little of it. But you're alright now. The doctor ran some tests. You were just a little over worked. She wants you to take it easy for awhile."
"But I have to keep working."
"You can rest for a couple of weeks, can't you?"
"I suppose," Rachel said quietly, gnawing a bit on her bottom lip. She closed her eyes and rested back in the hospital bed. "I can do it for our babies."
"Good," Ross replied, kissing Rachel's forehead. "I love you so much. I am so glad that you and our girls are alright."
"I can't believe I passed out while the kids were home. I feel horrible."
"Don't worry. Ben found you and sat with you until I got home."
"He's a good kid."
"Yeah he is. He's been through a lot. He's really growing up, you know?"
"I know."
Dr. Morgan walked into the room and closed the door.
"Mr. and Mrs. Geller. Rachel? How are you feeling?"
"Better," Rachel replied. "I'm not having anymore contractions."
"Good. Good. I'd like to run an ultrasound so that we can make sure the babies are alright."
"You mean they might be hurt?" Rachel asked with worry.
"I just want to be safe and make sure they handled the contractions. I'm sure everything is fine."
"Oh."
"Just relax, sweetie," Ross urged. The doctor dimmed the lights and started an ultrasound. Within two minutes, Rachel could see the heartbeats of her twin girls.
"Just as I suspected. Everybody's fine."
"Thank God," Ross and Rachel whispered in unison.
"Just relax for a few weeks, and everything should be alright. I would like to set up an appointment for a month from now. But if there are any complications before that, please come see me as soon as possible."
"I will. Thank you Dr. Morgan," Rachel replied. The doctor left and Rachel looked at Ross.
"Thank you for getting there when you did."
"Hey," Ross started, "I'll always be there when you need me. Always. Never forget that." Rachel stared lovingly into her husband's eyes.
"I will never forget . . . I promise."