Chapter 6: The Package
It had been two weeks since Ross left to search for Rachel again. Ross had called to check in about once every other day, but he had had no luck. On this particular morning, Monica and Chandler were sitting on the couch in front of a warm fire. It was February, and the weather was very chilly outside... Jack and Judy were due back that afternoon, hopefully, because they always seemed to push their arrival date back. Monica started to think that they were avoiding coming home because they didn't want to have to see Ross suffering.
"You feeling okay?" Chandler asked as he looked over at Monica. She looked a little bit pale. Monica only nodded. She hadn't been feeling well all morning, but she didn't want to worry Chandler. She really wanted to get in to see a doctor, but she wanted to wait it out and see if her discomfort went away.
The rumble of the mail truck came up the road, and the mail man got out with a large package in his arms. He came up to the front door and Chandler walked over to answer it. He signed for it and brought it into the house.
"What is it?" Monica asked curiously.
"I don't know," Chandler replied. They sat back down on the couch and put the box on the coffee table.
"It's addressed to mom and dad."
"Well . . . what if it's an animal? Or maybe it's food. We can't keep it in there." Monica laughed a little bit.
"Let's just open it and say we were checking to make sure nothing was broken."
"I love the way you think," Chandler said, kissing Monica softly. Monica leaned on Chandler as he opened the box. He pulled out a blue photo album from the mass of packing peanuts.
"What's this?" Monica asked, furrowing her brows. Chandler handed the album to Monica and searched the rest of the box. He uncovered a letter. He pulled it out and began to read it.
"Dear Jack and Judy,
I'm sure you are wondering why I've sent you this package. Well, as you can see when you open the book, there are baby pictures inside. I wanted to let you know that you have a grandson. His name is Ryan Michael Geller Green. He was born February 1st, and he looks just like his daddy. I know you probably think horrible things about me for leaving and not asking about the funeral. I can't believe Monica and Ross are dead. I'm so sorry for bringing Todd into my life and into theirs. I deeply regret ever meeting Todd, but I'll never regret being Monica's friend and Ross' girlfriend. I can't come back to New York, I hope you understand. I just can't come back. I'm leaving my mailing address in case you need to get in contact with me. I have sent a copy of this photo album to my parents, and they have my address as well. If you would like to meet Ryan, I'll arrange it. I'm so sorry for your loss of Ross and Monica. I lost them too.
Sincerely,
Rachel Green."
"Oh my God!" Monica exclaimed, jumping up off of the couch.
"This is from Rachel! She's . . . she's got a son! I have a nephew!" Monica opened up the photo album and saw a picture of Ryan in his hospital bed. She started flipping through the book and saw pictures of the baby and his mother. Rachel looked incredible. She looked beautiful, but there was sorrow in her eyes. It was obvious that Rachel had been suffering emotionally.
Monica's heart was already breaking for Rachel. She had never been angry with her friend for leaving, even though she had wanted her at her bedside at the hospital. She couldn't blame her for leaving and not coming back. The police hadn't even caught Todd yet.
After Monica and Chandler flipped through the album, looking at the past two weeks of Rachel and Ryan's lives, Monica bolted for the phone and dialed Ross' cell phone number. After a few rings, Ross answered. His voice was full of sorrow.
"Hello?"
"Ross, its Monica."
"Is everything alright?"
"Everything's fine!" Monica exclaimed.
"What's up?" he asked curiously.
"We got a package in the mail today. It was from Rachel."
"What?!" Ross asked, almost swerving his car off the road. Once he gained control of the vehicle, he cleared his throat. "You got a package from Rachel? What . . . what was it?"
"It was a photo album."
"A photo album? Of what?"
"Just her life over the past couple of weeks. She addressed it to mom and dad. She still thinks we're dead. Ross, she left an address."
"Oh my God," Ross whispered. "Does she look okay? Does she?"
"She looks tired and sad, Ross. But she's . . . she's going to be better, I'm sure."
"Tell him about the baby," Chandler whispered. Monica shook her head. She figured that telling him about the baby would be too much information. Plus, she knew that when Ross found Rachel, the baby would be a surprise.
"What are you guys whispering about?"
"Nothing," Monica replied quickly. She went on to give Ross Rachel's California address.
"Thanks Mon. I love you," Ross said to his little sister.
"I love you too." Ross hung up and continued on the road with a renewed hope in his heart. He was going to find Rachel!
Ryan's wails woke Rachel from her nap on the couch. She looked over and saw that Ryan was squirming around in his bassinet. She picked herself up off of the couch and walked over to console her crying son. She picked him up and cradled him in her arms.
"Are you hungry? I just fed you an hour ago," Rachel said, tears forming in her eyes. She hated when she couldn't figure out what was wrong with her baby. She had had Elizabeth come over and take a look at him several times, but she just said that the baby wanted to be held. If he wanted to be held, then why didn't he stop crying when she picked him up?
Rachel put her son down on the changing table in his nursery and checked his diaper.
"So that's what you wanted." Rachel changed the dirty diaper and her son slowly stopped crying. "Mommy's little man is all better now." Ryan stared up at his mother with so much love in his eyes. Rachel felt like she was looking into Ross' eyes. Ryan's eye color had changed since he was born, and his eyes were nearly identical to Ross'. It hurt sometimes to stare at her son for so long, because the image of Ross still burned in her heart and her mind.
A knock came to her door and she walked over to answer it. When she opened the door, her neighbor Kyle was standing there.
"Hey Rachel," he said, flashing her a perfect smile.
"Hey Kyle. What's up?"
"Oh, not much. I just wanted to ask you if you'd like to go out for a cup of coffee." Kyle asked. Rachel furrowed her brows at Kyle.
"First of all, I just gave birth to my son two weeks ago. Second of all, I'm breastfeeding, so I don't drink coffee. Third of all, I don't think you want to try to get me into bed, because I obviously get pregnant easily, and plus, I still have four more weeks before I can even have sex. I'm not interested in dating you anyway."
"I was just asking you if you wanted to go out for a cup of coffee. It wasn't a proposal or anything. But we can go get tea or something. What can you drink?"
"I can drink herbal tea, but I don't really want to go out right now. My son's very fussy today."
"Okay. Well, maybe some other time?"
"I don't think so," Rachel replied, starting to shut the door.
"I just want to be your friend, Rachel," Kyle said quietly. "I have a girlfriend. I'm not looking for anything but friendship."
"Alright. Let me go put something presentable on," Rachel replied quietly.
"You look fine," Kyle said with a smile. Rachel looked down. She was wearing sweats.
"I'm not going out in this." Rachel walked back into the apartment and took the baby to her bedroom. She put him down and pulled herself into a lavender sundress. She put the baby into his carrier and strapped that onto his stroller, and she grabbed the diaper bag.
"Alright, let's go," Rachel said as she walked out the door. "I could use the exercise anyway."
"What are you talking about? You look fabulous. You're just as skinny as you were when you moved in here."
"Thanks for that," Rachel said with a smile. "Fabulous?"
"Alright. So I don't have a girlfriend. I'm gay, alright? Does that bother you?"
"No," Rachel replied. "Thanks for telling me the truth." Kyle smiled.
"No problem." Rachel smiled at Kyle as they walked down the sidewalk. She hoped that she could find a strong friendship with him. It had been a long time since she had really sat down and talked with a man before. She hoped that she could trust this man. She hoped that this man wasn't another Todd.
Ross had been near California when he got his call from Monica. Now he was driving around the block where Rachel lived. He found her apartment building and parked outside of it. He waited. He didn't know if he should go up there and surprise her. What would she do if she saw her assumed dead boyfriend standing at her door?
Ross was about to hyperventilate because he was so nervous. He didn't know what to say when he saw her for the first time in nearly ten months. He just wanted to hold her in his arms.
Before he could finish his thoughts, he saw Rachel walking up the sidewalk with a man. She was pushing a baby stroller and she was smiling and laughing. Ross felt his heart sink. Rachel had found somebody new. She had a child with that man she was walking with.
"Oh my God," Ross sobbed as he watched from his car. He shook his head and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. He dialed his home and Monica answered.
"Yeah?"
"How could you let me come see her?"
"What?"
"You have pictures, you said? You know she's with somebody new and that they have a child together!"
"No!" Monica exclaimed. "I didn't tell you about the baby because I wanted you to be surprised." She read him the letter that Rachel had sent. Ross was reduced to tears in a matter of moments.
"I can't believe this," he whispered.
"Well believe it. Now go talk to her. She can't go on believing you're dead for the rest of her life. You have a son! He needs to know you!" Ross swallowed hard.
"You're right. You're right. I'm going to see my son. I'm going to see Rachel."
"Yes!" Monica exclaimed happily. Can you keep your cell phone on so I can hear the reunion?"
"No!" Ross replied. He shut off his phone and got out of the car. His legs were a bit wobbly from the nerves. He took slow steps as he approached the apartment building. He watched as the man Rachel had been walking with walked to his own apartment. He saw Rachel's apartment door close. He slowly walked up the her door, and he felt like he was going to die. He was scared of Rachel's reaction. He knew she was going to freak out when she saw him. "Here goes nothing." Ross put his fist to the door and knocked gently. A moment later, the doorknob turned and the door began to open.
It had been two weeks since Ross left to search for Rachel again. Ross had called to check in about once every other day, but he had had no luck. On this particular morning, Monica and Chandler were sitting on the couch in front of a warm fire. It was February, and the weather was very chilly outside... Jack and Judy were due back that afternoon, hopefully, because they always seemed to push their arrival date back. Monica started to think that they were avoiding coming home because they didn't want to have to see Ross suffering.
"You feeling okay?" Chandler asked as he looked over at Monica. She looked a little bit pale. Monica only nodded. She hadn't been feeling well all morning, but she didn't want to worry Chandler. She really wanted to get in to see a doctor, but she wanted to wait it out and see if her discomfort went away.
The rumble of the mail truck came up the road, and the mail man got out with a large package in his arms. He came up to the front door and Chandler walked over to answer it. He signed for it and brought it into the house.
"What is it?" Monica asked curiously.
"I don't know," Chandler replied. They sat back down on the couch and put the box on the coffee table.
"It's addressed to mom and dad."
"Well . . . what if it's an animal? Or maybe it's food. We can't keep it in there." Monica laughed a little bit.
"Let's just open it and say we were checking to make sure nothing was broken."
"I love the way you think," Chandler said, kissing Monica softly. Monica leaned on Chandler as he opened the box. He pulled out a blue photo album from the mass of packing peanuts.
"What's this?" Monica asked, furrowing her brows. Chandler handed the album to Monica and searched the rest of the box. He uncovered a letter. He pulled it out and began to read it.
"Dear Jack and Judy,
I'm sure you are wondering why I've sent you this package. Well, as you can see when you open the book, there are baby pictures inside. I wanted to let you know that you have a grandson. His name is Ryan Michael Geller Green. He was born February 1st, and he looks just like his daddy. I know you probably think horrible things about me for leaving and not asking about the funeral. I can't believe Monica and Ross are dead. I'm so sorry for bringing Todd into my life and into theirs. I deeply regret ever meeting Todd, but I'll never regret being Monica's friend and Ross' girlfriend. I can't come back to New York, I hope you understand. I just can't come back. I'm leaving my mailing address in case you need to get in contact with me. I have sent a copy of this photo album to my parents, and they have my address as well. If you would like to meet Ryan, I'll arrange it. I'm so sorry for your loss of Ross and Monica. I lost them too.
Sincerely,
Rachel Green."
"Oh my God!" Monica exclaimed, jumping up off of the couch.
"This is from Rachel! She's . . . she's got a son! I have a nephew!" Monica opened up the photo album and saw a picture of Ryan in his hospital bed. She started flipping through the book and saw pictures of the baby and his mother. Rachel looked incredible. She looked beautiful, but there was sorrow in her eyes. It was obvious that Rachel had been suffering emotionally.
Monica's heart was already breaking for Rachel. She had never been angry with her friend for leaving, even though she had wanted her at her bedside at the hospital. She couldn't blame her for leaving and not coming back. The police hadn't even caught Todd yet.
After Monica and Chandler flipped through the album, looking at the past two weeks of Rachel and Ryan's lives, Monica bolted for the phone and dialed Ross' cell phone number. After a few rings, Ross answered. His voice was full of sorrow.
"Hello?"
"Ross, its Monica."
"Is everything alright?"
"Everything's fine!" Monica exclaimed.
"What's up?" he asked curiously.
"We got a package in the mail today. It was from Rachel."
"What?!" Ross asked, almost swerving his car off the road. Once he gained control of the vehicle, he cleared his throat. "You got a package from Rachel? What . . . what was it?"
"It was a photo album."
"A photo album? Of what?"
"Just her life over the past couple of weeks. She addressed it to mom and dad. She still thinks we're dead. Ross, she left an address."
"Oh my God," Ross whispered. "Does she look okay? Does she?"
"She looks tired and sad, Ross. But she's . . . she's going to be better, I'm sure."
"Tell him about the baby," Chandler whispered. Monica shook her head. She figured that telling him about the baby would be too much information. Plus, she knew that when Ross found Rachel, the baby would be a surprise.
"What are you guys whispering about?"
"Nothing," Monica replied quickly. She went on to give Ross Rachel's California address.
"Thanks Mon. I love you," Ross said to his little sister.
"I love you too." Ross hung up and continued on the road with a renewed hope in his heart. He was going to find Rachel!
Ryan's wails woke Rachel from her nap on the couch. She looked over and saw that Ryan was squirming around in his bassinet. She picked herself up off of the couch and walked over to console her crying son. She picked him up and cradled him in her arms.
"Are you hungry? I just fed you an hour ago," Rachel said, tears forming in her eyes. She hated when she couldn't figure out what was wrong with her baby. She had had Elizabeth come over and take a look at him several times, but she just said that the baby wanted to be held. If he wanted to be held, then why didn't he stop crying when she picked him up?
Rachel put her son down on the changing table in his nursery and checked his diaper.
"So that's what you wanted." Rachel changed the dirty diaper and her son slowly stopped crying. "Mommy's little man is all better now." Ryan stared up at his mother with so much love in his eyes. Rachel felt like she was looking into Ross' eyes. Ryan's eye color had changed since he was born, and his eyes were nearly identical to Ross'. It hurt sometimes to stare at her son for so long, because the image of Ross still burned in her heart and her mind.
A knock came to her door and she walked over to answer it. When she opened the door, her neighbor Kyle was standing there.
"Hey Rachel," he said, flashing her a perfect smile.
"Hey Kyle. What's up?"
"Oh, not much. I just wanted to ask you if you'd like to go out for a cup of coffee." Kyle asked. Rachel furrowed her brows at Kyle.
"First of all, I just gave birth to my son two weeks ago. Second of all, I'm breastfeeding, so I don't drink coffee. Third of all, I don't think you want to try to get me into bed, because I obviously get pregnant easily, and plus, I still have four more weeks before I can even have sex. I'm not interested in dating you anyway."
"I was just asking you if you wanted to go out for a cup of coffee. It wasn't a proposal or anything. But we can go get tea or something. What can you drink?"
"I can drink herbal tea, but I don't really want to go out right now. My son's very fussy today."
"Okay. Well, maybe some other time?"
"I don't think so," Rachel replied, starting to shut the door.
"I just want to be your friend, Rachel," Kyle said quietly. "I have a girlfriend. I'm not looking for anything but friendship."
"Alright. Let me go put something presentable on," Rachel replied quietly.
"You look fine," Kyle said with a smile. Rachel looked down. She was wearing sweats.
"I'm not going out in this." Rachel walked back into the apartment and took the baby to her bedroom. She put him down and pulled herself into a lavender sundress. She put the baby into his carrier and strapped that onto his stroller, and she grabbed the diaper bag.
"Alright, let's go," Rachel said as she walked out the door. "I could use the exercise anyway."
"What are you talking about? You look fabulous. You're just as skinny as you were when you moved in here."
"Thanks for that," Rachel said with a smile. "Fabulous?"
"Alright. So I don't have a girlfriend. I'm gay, alright? Does that bother you?"
"No," Rachel replied. "Thanks for telling me the truth." Kyle smiled.
"No problem." Rachel smiled at Kyle as they walked down the sidewalk. She hoped that she could find a strong friendship with him. It had been a long time since she had really sat down and talked with a man before. She hoped that she could trust this man. She hoped that this man wasn't another Todd.
Ross had been near California when he got his call from Monica. Now he was driving around the block where Rachel lived. He found her apartment building and parked outside of it. He waited. He didn't know if he should go up there and surprise her. What would she do if she saw her assumed dead boyfriend standing at her door?
Ross was about to hyperventilate because he was so nervous. He didn't know what to say when he saw her for the first time in nearly ten months. He just wanted to hold her in his arms.
Before he could finish his thoughts, he saw Rachel walking up the sidewalk with a man. She was pushing a baby stroller and she was smiling and laughing. Ross felt his heart sink. Rachel had found somebody new. She had a child with that man she was walking with.
"Oh my God," Ross sobbed as he watched from his car. He shook his head and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. He dialed his home and Monica answered.
"Yeah?"
"How could you let me come see her?"
"What?"
"You have pictures, you said? You know she's with somebody new and that they have a child together!"
"No!" Monica exclaimed. "I didn't tell you about the baby because I wanted you to be surprised." She read him the letter that Rachel had sent. Ross was reduced to tears in a matter of moments.
"I can't believe this," he whispered.
"Well believe it. Now go talk to her. She can't go on believing you're dead for the rest of her life. You have a son! He needs to know you!" Ross swallowed hard.
"You're right. You're right. I'm going to see my son. I'm going to see Rachel."
"Yes!" Monica exclaimed happily. Can you keep your cell phone on so I can hear the reunion?"
"No!" Ross replied. He shut off his phone and got out of the car. His legs were a bit wobbly from the nerves. He took slow steps as he approached the apartment building. He watched as the man Rachel had been walking with walked to his own apartment. He saw Rachel's apartment door close. He slowly walked up the her door, and he felt like he was going to die. He was scared of Rachel's reaction. He knew she was going to freak out when she saw him. "Here goes nothing." Ross put his fist to the door and knocked gently. A moment later, the doorknob turned and the door began to open.