by Tina
Standing right outside the door to the penthouse, Ross and Rachel looked at each other after returning from their morning jog. There was something so provocative with the way this particular drop of Rachel's sweat rolled from her temples down her neck and into the gap on front of her zip-up sweat shirt, Ross noticed. He pulled her closer and kissed her salty neck, quickly moving down to her neckline.
Rachel giggled and wrapped her arms around him. She knew the minute those doors opened, their affectionated gestures had to cease. Much like everything that was happening with them, it was implicit. They didn't talk about it, but both just knew the kids should not aknowledge their parents' new 'relationship'.
Ross reached for the zipper and lowered it just enough to bear her black top. She contented herself with simply sighing blissfully, softly leaning against the wall behind her.
"Hm, Ross?" her voice was soft.
He looked up at her.
"What?"
"I think I can hear the kids"
"Don't worry, the nanny's in there with them"
"Okay"
Rachel smiled and he kissed her lips. She could feel his hands going down her body and shivered. Hm, maybe she was too old for this, but it felt too good to stop. So, this was a private little hall, but it still felt weird. She felt as if she was back in NY, between apartments 19 and 20, right after another date with Ross. Even though they always had their own little retreat in the safety of the 4 walls of her bedroom, they always allowed things to get a bit steamy in the hall.
But she wasn't 27 anymore.
And even though she wished that acting like things were still the same would actually make them the same, she knew better. So, with a final giggle, she placed her hands softly on his chest and gently pulled him away.
"You don't get enough, do you?"
He rested his forehead on hers and smiled.
"Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for this?"
Realising what he's said, Ross quickly went serious and pulled away. But she still kept her arms around him, not wanting to tense things up. With a weak smile, she kissed him softly.
"Not in the middle of the hall"
He weakly smiled back.
"Now, let's go in, the kids must be unpatient. I bet Ella got up right after we left"
Ross chuckled.
"Yeah, bet she did"
Later that day, Flávia and Rachel were sitting on the tanning chairs while the kids were playing in the pool with nannies.
"Should we run the basics first or do you want to skip to where we were before you quit?"
"I'm pretty sure we'll need to revise everything, my memory's not my friend" Rachel answered rubbing lotion onto her skin. "By the way, nice class!"
"Oh, isn't it?"
Flávia laid down on her own chair.
"Okay, can you still remember the personal pronouns? Or should I say pronomes pessoais do caso reto?"
"Eu, tu, ele, nós, vós, eles"
"Correct! Just remember we don't usually say, "tu"... Unless of course you're in Portugal! Or up in someplaces either up North or down South. Either way, not the case, so you-"
Rachel cut her:
"Say você instead and use the verb as if it was mean to be for ele"
"Very good. Now c'mon, to be in the present task, let's see if you still remember that"
"Eu sou, tu és, ele é, nós somos, vós sois, eles são... Only I'll never say most of these!"
"True. We should just do conversation you know, stupid grammar won't get you anywhere"
Rachel laughed.
"You're the teacher! Stuff like 'please pass the pie' or- or 'the book is on the table'?"
Flávia shot her a look.
"Yes, 'cause those are the things you need to learn! Very useful, indeed!"
Rachel laughed again.
"I don't know, it could happen"
Ross was finally finishing up a few pages of work before heading back home. He couldn't wait. He remembered the previous night and felt warm inside. The past few days have been a dream. He hoped it would all end well, but as for the moment it didn't matter.
Suddenly, without notice, the door opened and Keith walked in.
"Have you got the list of next month's events?"
"No, but they're usually faxed before the brochures arrive. Ask Gisela, she might know"
Keith sat down across from Ross on the desk.
"Yeah, whatever, that's not why I came here for anyway"
Ross shot him a confused look.
"Soooo... a little bird told me a certain someone spent the whole night with his arms and, well, other stuff all over a new girl. Up till there, okay, no big news." Keith's next words were intentionally very slow, to create greater impact "But people have been saying it was your ex-wife!" Ross rolled his eyes "Is that all you got to say for yourself?"
"Keith, not that this is any of your business, but guess what? Oh, that's right, this isn't any of your business!"
Keith shot him a serious look.
"Ross, hm, what are doing?"
Ross looked at Keith and then quickly lowered his sight.
"Have you forgotten the past few years, was this it?"
"No! I just haven't forgotten what happened before that either!"
"Well, then, good. Is she willing to work past those problems?"
Ross kept looking at Keith and didn't know what to say. Despite his ways, Ross knew Keith was just caring for him. However, at the moment, Ross just wished he didn't.
Ross' silence was more than enough answer to Keith. But the look he had on his face did anything but encorage Keith to lecture him.
"So, what are you guys going to do?" Keith asked after a long deep sigh.
Ross shrugged.
"I don't know."
"Is she leaving or staying or...? What?"
Ross shook his head.
"Don't know."
"And what if she does leave?"
"Then let it be, okay?" Ross answered, impatience rising again. Keith held his hands up, as if apologising. "It's worth it, man. You don't know her, okay? She's not just... any girl. Have you got any idea for how long I've loved this woman? And how much she gave me? She's the mother of my children and the only person out there who can really touch me, you know? Which, yes, also makes her the one with the greatest power to hurt me, but still..." Dramatic pause "It's worth it, man"
Keith kept looking at Ross in awe.
"Whoa.... Hm, okay"
Keith got up.
"I'm gonna go and see about that fax"
He walked up to the door.
"But, man..." Ross looked at him. "Goodluck with the Mrs."
The sincerity in Keith's words made Ross smile.
"Thanks"
Taking the kids to the movies turned out not to be such a great idea. All the children's movies were not subtitled, but instead spoken in Portuguese. So after the first fifteen minutes Ella was already sound asleep, while Mike looked bored. After the following 15 minutes, they left the theater.
"Can we have dinner?"
"Sure, that sounds like a good idea"
Rachel ruffled Michael's hair, but he shook out of it.
"Mo-om!"
Rachel rolled her eyes.
"Actually..." Ross began, looking down at Ella sleeping on his arms "...I think we should go home. It seems like Ella indeed stayed up late last night waiting for us, she's exausted"
Rachel looked at them and smiled. It was somehow hard for her to believe she'd been a part of Ella's creation whenever she saw her with Ross. They were so alike... And she loved them so much. She couldn't believe how someone could be so lucky to have such amazing people in her life. Instinctively, she hugged Mike while she watched Ross and Ella.
But the little boy protested.
"Mo-om! We're in the middle of the shopping mall!"
Rachel chuckled and let go of him.
"Right and you're embarassed to be seen with your old mom, I get it"
Mike just straightened up his shirt.
"Can I at least have some ice cream before we leave?"
"Sure, okay"
"I'll just sit down with Ella" Ross anounced.
Rachel watched him leave to the nearest table, while she and Mike reached the ice cream place. There was a long line.
"Sweetie, stay in line, I'll come over when your time comes up, okay?"
"Just give me the money" Mike said.
Rachel shot him a look and chuckled.
"Will you know what to say?"
"Will you?"
"Excuse me, I will!"
Mike shot her a look, but Rachel decided to ignore it. Then she approached the table Ross and Ella were in and sat down.
"That little dude is getting crabbier by the moment, I'm telling you"
Ross could easily take a guess to why that was, but decided to hold his peace and just kept on holding his daughter and stroking her hair. Rachel could tell there was something crossing his mind and wanted to tell him about her thoughts to stay. But this just didn't seem like the time. Not at all. She looked at Mike and noticed that the line before him had shortned. He was looking up at the cashier, with his back turned to Ross and Rachel.
She stood up, but before she could leave, she quickly plated a kiss on Ross' lips, taking him by surprise. She chuckled and approached Mike.
"Okay, Mikey, what flavour do you want?"
"Chocolate!"
"Oh, that's easy, chocolate in Portuguese is chocolate!" she looked down at Mike and smiled. "Just chocolate?"
"With Vanilla?"
"Alright, with baunilha!"
Their turn came and they approached the cashier.
"Um sorvete de chocolate com baunilha, por favor"
Rachel looked proud of herself and looked back at the table. However, he found that Ross was not alone. A woman was in the table with him and Ella.
"No copinho ou casquinha?"
Rachel turned around, confused, and looked at the cashier.
"Ah, huh?" she was dazed, lost.
"Na casquinha comum ou num copinho de plástico?"
Rachel kept looking at hm with a lost expression.
Blank.
I'm sooooooo tired, so pardom my mistakes... Should post another chapter tomorrow (thursday), but then I'll probably spend a while without updating. Sorry! I'm just going away for a few days (really need to!).
So... reviews, please? ;)