Ch.8
Grieving
That night Ross and Nickki came home very late. He carried his sleeping daughter to her room. Rachel was sleeping on Emma's bed. It was two in the morning and it looked like she just fell asleep.
Ross carried Rachel to their bedroom and laid her down. He covered her with a blanket and went on to check the rest of the children. Zach was fast asleep, still to young to understand.
Nate was curled up in Ben's bed, Ben asleep on the window seat. Not wanting to wake him, Ross put a pillow by his side and covered him with a blanket.
After making sure the rest of his family was set he lay down in bed himself and turned off the light.
At six o'clock the alarm buzzed, it was still set for work. He didn't sleep very much anyway to begin a day of funeral arrangements. Rachel must have been up for a while; her side of the bed was cold.
Downstairs she sat at the dinning room table feeding Zach and already working on funeral arrangements. Her face puffy from crying and lack of sleep.
"Honey go back to bed, you need your rest."
"So do you. Plus the kids will be up soon."
"Let's make breakfast, eat as a family. Maybe get our minds of it." They made breakfast and then they decided to wake the kids up and take them to a movie. The boys were all gathered around the table but where was Nickki.
"Ross, Nickki isn't in her room." Rachel's voice sounded panicked.
"I'll find her." Ross knew exactly where she was. Ross walked into the attic. Nickki was asleep on the floor, Emma's favorite blanket wrapped around her. Emma's things were strewn across the floor.
"Princess wake up."
"Hi, daddy."
"Let's go get you some breakfast." He took her by the hand and led her to the kitchen.
"Nicole Rachel where is heaven's name were you!"
"Rach, it's okay. She was in the attic. I told her she could."
"Don't ever do that again. Eat some breakfast then get dressed we are going to see a movie."
"Can I go over to Aunt Monica and Uncle Chandler's?"
"After we go to the movies." Nickki ate her breakfast quickly and quietly. She then ran upstairs and pulled on her light blue jeans and a pale pink and silver stripped shirt. Still red from crying she threw her hair into a ponytail and put a hat on.
The movie like the days leading up until the funeral where all the same, Rachel watching Zach and seeking comfort in Ross. She acted like when Emma died so did Nickki.
Nickki spent many nights at Monica and Chandler's. She had babysat for them while they went to work and at night Nickki, Monica and Chandler would curl up on the couch to watch a movie. When it got late and Nickki had fallen asleep Chandler would carry her up to the guest bedroom and tuck her.
Somehow Nickki felt more at home with Monica and chandler then she did at her actual home. Her house felt empty, Emma wasn't there to have fun with, her mom had changed and didn't talk to Nickki at all, and when she walked in the door it seemed as if the world around her had collapsed. It felt as is when Emma died she took the family she had with her. The fact that her family was practically lost, made her die inside. If she was alone she was crying. It was her way of grieving.
That night Ross and Nickki came home very late. He carried his sleeping daughter to her room. Rachel was sleeping on Emma's bed. It was two in the morning and it looked like she just fell asleep.
Ross carried Rachel to their bedroom and laid her down. He covered her with a blanket and went on to check the rest of the children. Zach was fast asleep, still to young to understand.
Nate was curled up in Ben's bed, Ben asleep on the window seat. Not wanting to wake him, Ross put a pillow by his side and covered him with a blanket.
After making sure the rest of his family was set he lay down in bed himself and turned off the light.
At six o'clock the alarm buzzed, it was still set for work. He didn't sleep very much anyway to begin a day of funeral arrangements. Rachel must have been up for a while; her side of the bed was cold.
Downstairs she sat at the dinning room table feeding Zach and already working on funeral arrangements. Her face puffy from crying and lack of sleep.
"Honey go back to bed, you need your rest."
"So do you. Plus the kids will be up soon."
"Let's make breakfast, eat as a family. Maybe get our minds of it." They made breakfast and then they decided to wake the kids up and take them to a movie. The boys were all gathered around the table but where was Nickki.
"Ross, Nickki isn't in her room." Rachel's voice sounded panicked.
"I'll find her." Ross knew exactly where she was. Ross walked into the attic. Nickki was asleep on the floor, Emma's favorite blanket wrapped around her. Emma's things were strewn across the floor.
"Princess wake up."
"Hi, daddy."
"Let's go get you some breakfast." He took her by the hand and led her to the kitchen.
"Nicole Rachel where is heaven's name were you!"
"Rach, it's okay. She was in the attic. I told her she could."
"Don't ever do that again. Eat some breakfast then get dressed we are going to see a movie."
"Can I go over to Aunt Monica and Uncle Chandler's?"
"After we go to the movies." Nickki ate her breakfast quickly and quietly. She then ran upstairs and pulled on her light blue jeans and a pale pink and silver stripped shirt. Still red from crying she threw her hair into a ponytail and put a hat on.
The movie like the days leading up until the funeral where all the same, Rachel watching Zach and seeking comfort in Ross. She acted like when Emma died so did Nickki.
Nickki spent many nights at Monica and Chandler's. She had babysat for them while they went to work and at night Nickki, Monica and Chandler would curl up on the couch to watch a movie. When it got late and Nickki had fallen asleep Chandler would carry her up to the guest bedroom and tuck her.
Somehow Nickki felt more at home with Monica and chandler then she did at her actual home. Her house felt empty, Emma wasn't there to have fun with, her mom had changed and didn't talk to Nickki at all, and when she walked in the door it seemed as if the world around her had collapsed. It felt as is when Emma died she took the family she had with her. The fact that her family was practically lost, made her die inside. If she was alone she was crying. It was her way of grieving.