Chapter Four: Moving On
Ross and Rachel's (a month later)
It had finally come, the day that they were moving to California. Rachel felt horrible. She didn't want to move... actually, that was the last thing on her mind right now. She had been keeping things from her husband, and the guilt was finally piling up on her, drowning her. Thankfully, Monica and Chandler had come to help pack, so she could have some "alone" time.
"Hey, you seen your wife, also known as my best friend?" Monica asked her older brother.
"Yea, I think I saw her in Summer's bedroom, packing up the last things. Why?" Ross questioned.
"Just needed to talk to her," Monica said, rushing into the bedroom.
Rachel was sitting on her daughter's bed, wearing a saggy Knicks sweatshirt, sobbing. It pained Monica to see her in this condition, yet for the first time in years, Monica honestly didn't know what was wrong.
"Rach, honey," Monica said, hugging her friend and comforting her. "What's wrong, sweetie? You've been so depressed lately, tell me what's the matter with you?"
"I.. I've been keeping things from Ross. I can't... I just can't tell him," Rachel whispered, while Monica wiped away her tears with a tissue, just like her mother used to do.
"Tell him what, Rach?" Monica asked, worriedly.
Rachel looked down solemnly at her stomach, "I'm pregnant, Mon..."
"Honey! That's great news! Come here," Monica squealed, almost crying herself. She embraced her friend, still confused. Why was Rachel afraid to tell Ross? Her brother was a complete freak about kids. He loved them, and he was the best father a kid could ask for.
"Honey, I just don't understand why you're so afraid to tell him? You know how much he loves children, he'll be thrilled," Monica consoled her.
"I'm three months," Rachel sobbed.
"Rachel!" Monica yelled, standing up. "Sweetie, I seriously think there is something wrong with you! Three months! Holy crap, did you think you were just going to hide it from him until you went into labor! And you're moving, you still need to contact a doctor, get a local pediatrician, God, I need a pad of paper," Monica rambled, grabbing a notepad and scribbling down her ideas.
Rachel continued to cry, her eyes soon turning red and blotchy, until her friend finally noticed. Monica turned around after finishing her list, handing it to Rachel. She suddenly realized that Rachel needed help, she was a nervous wreck. She wasn't helping her friend, if anything, she was worrying her even more.
"Rach, I'm sorry, I just got so carried away. I'm worried about you, sweetie, and I think it's time you get rid of the guilt and tell him. He's not going to be upset, he'll probably be thrilled!" Monica told her, convincingly.
"I.. I.I.. g.. gu.. guess so," Rachel said, finally.
"But first, let's go into your room and get you into some nice clothes, you look terrible," Monica said, grabbing Rachel's arm and pulling her into the next room. "I'm surprised you could dress like this, you fashionista!"
This made Rachel laugh, as she finally realized how grungy she had looked lately. Then, a though occurred to her.
"Mon, if I put on something besides a sweatshirt, he's gonna notice," Rachel said, looking down at her small bump.
"If anything, that makes it easier. Maybe he'll notice before you have to tell him," Monica said, rummaging through Rachel's clothes, which all had been boxed up.
A few minutes later, Rachel came out looking like a true beauty. Monica broke away to watch, as Rachel walked over towards Ross, who was deep in conversation with Chandler. She tapped her husband's shoulders, causing him to turn around.
"Honey, what's wrong? Have you been crying?" Ross asked, obviously worried.
"I think we need to talk," Rachel said, fighting back tears.
"Ok, what about?" Ross asked.
Rachel noticed Chandler still standing behind Ross, apparently intent to listen-in on their conversation. Finally, Monica noticed her husband getting in the way. She flagged her arms in the air, signaling for Chandler to move. God, my husband can be a real jerk sometimes, she thought, laughing.
"Ross, I..I," Rachel started, but tears started to slide down her already moist cheeks.
"Honey, you look beautiful," Ross said, looking her up and down. Suddenly, his eyes transfixed on her slightly protruding stomach, and it hit him.
Ross brought his eyes back up to her face, "Rach... sweetheart, are you...?"
Rachel nodded her head in reply. Monica was right, she barely had to say anything. The hard part was getting the nerve to speak again.
"Honey, that's wonderful, come here," Ross said, embracing her tightly. He saw her start to cry again, and he gently wiped away the tears that were steadily falling from her soft, green eyes.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I was just... there were so many changes," she said, regaining her ability to speak.
"Rachel, you don't ever worry about my reactions. You know that I'll always be happy, no matter what surprises come our way. But, just out of curiosity... how many months are you?" he asked.
"Three," Rachel giggled.
"Man, you sure did learn how to keep a secret. And let me guess, I'm sure a little girl knows something about this too...?" Ross questioned.
"I'm sorry, honey, but I just wanted to see how she would react, and I can confidently say that the results were good!" Rachel replied, a smile spreading across her face.
"That's great honey, but we better hurry, we're supposed to be at the airport in 30 minutes!" Ross said, running towards the door.
After a few minutes of sentimental goodbyes, the once again happy couple raced out the door, with their beam of sunshine following behind.
Ross and Rachel's (a month later)
It had finally come, the day that they were moving to California. Rachel felt horrible. She didn't want to move... actually, that was the last thing on her mind right now. She had been keeping things from her husband, and the guilt was finally piling up on her, drowning her. Thankfully, Monica and Chandler had come to help pack, so she could have some "alone" time.
"Hey, you seen your wife, also known as my best friend?" Monica asked her older brother.
"Yea, I think I saw her in Summer's bedroom, packing up the last things. Why?" Ross questioned.
"Just needed to talk to her," Monica said, rushing into the bedroom.
Rachel was sitting on her daughter's bed, wearing a saggy Knicks sweatshirt, sobbing. It pained Monica to see her in this condition, yet for the first time in years, Monica honestly didn't know what was wrong.
"Rach, honey," Monica said, hugging her friend and comforting her. "What's wrong, sweetie? You've been so depressed lately, tell me what's the matter with you?"
"I.. I've been keeping things from Ross. I can't... I just can't tell him," Rachel whispered, while Monica wiped away her tears with a tissue, just like her mother used to do.
"Tell him what, Rach?" Monica asked, worriedly.
Rachel looked down solemnly at her stomach, "I'm pregnant, Mon..."
"Honey! That's great news! Come here," Monica squealed, almost crying herself. She embraced her friend, still confused. Why was Rachel afraid to tell Ross? Her brother was a complete freak about kids. He loved them, and he was the best father a kid could ask for.
"Honey, I just don't understand why you're so afraid to tell him? You know how much he loves children, he'll be thrilled," Monica consoled her.
"I'm three months," Rachel sobbed.
"Rachel!" Monica yelled, standing up. "Sweetie, I seriously think there is something wrong with you! Three months! Holy crap, did you think you were just going to hide it from him until you went into labor! And you're moving, you still need to contact a doctor, get a local pediatrician, God, I need a pad of paper," Monica rambled, grabbing a notepad and scribbling down her ideas.
Rachel continued to cry, her eyes soon turning red and blotchy, until her friend finally noticed. Monica turned around after finishing her list, handing it to Rachel. She suddenly realized that Rachel needed help, she was a nervous wreck. She wasn't helping her friend, if anything, she was worrying her even more.
"Rach, I'm sorry, I just got so carried away. I'm worried about you, sweetie, and I think it's time you get rid of the guilt and tell him. He's not going to be upset, he'll probably be thrilled!" Monica told her, convincingly.
"I.. I.I.. g.. gu.. guess so," Rachel said, finally.
"But first, let's go into your room and get you into some nice clothes, you look terrible," Monica said, grabbing Rachel's arm and pulling her into the next room. "I'm surprised you could dress like this, you fashionista!"
This made Rachel laugh, as she finally realized how grungy she had looked lately. Then, a though occurred to her.
"Mon, if I put on something besides a sweatshirt, he's gonna notice," Rachel said, looking down at her small bump.
"If anything, that makes it easier. Maybe he'll notice before you have to tell him," Monica said, rummaging through Rachel's clothes, which all had been boxed up.
A few minutes later, Rachel came out looking like a true beauty. Monica broke away to watch, as Rachel walked over towards Ross, who was deep in conversation with Chandler. She tapped her husband's shoulders, causing him to turn around.
"Honey, what's wrong? Have you been crying?" Ross asked, obviously worried.
"I think we need to talk," Rachel said, fighting back tears.
"Ok, what about?" Ross asked.
Rachel noticed Chandler still standing behind Ross, apparently intent to listen-in on their conversation. Finally, Monica noticed her husband getting in the way. She flagged her arms in the air, signaling for Chandler to move. God, my husband can be a real jerk sometimes, she thought, laughing.
"Ross, I..I," Rachel started, but tears started to slide down her already moist cheeks.
"Honey, you look beautiful," Ross said, looking her up and down. Suddenly, his eyes transfixed on her slightly protruding stomach, and it hit him.
Ross brought his eyes back up to her face, "Rach... sweetheart, are you...?"
Rachel nodded her head in reply. Monica was right, she barely had to say anything. The hard part was getting the nerve to speak again.
"Honey, that's wonderful, come here," Ross said, embracing her tightly. He saw her start to cry again, and he gently wiped away the tears that were steadily falling from her soft, green eyes.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I was just... there were so many changes," she said, regaining her ability to speak.
"Rachel, you don't ever worry about my reactions. You know that I'll always be happy, no matter what surprises come our way. But, just out of curiosity... how many months are you?" he asked.
"Three," Rachel giggled.
"Man, you sure did learn how to keep a secret. And let me guess, I'm sure a little girl knows something about this too...?" Ross questioned.
"I'm sorry, honey, but I just wanted to see how she would react, and I can confidently say that the results were good!" Rachel replied, a smile spreading across her face.
"That's great honey, but we better hurry, we're supposed to be at the airport in 30 minutes!" Ross said, running towards the door.
After a few minutes of sentimental goodbyes, the once again happy couple raced out the door, with their beam of sunshine following behind.