New York. Early September.
'Rachel, Could you please go down to human resources and ask Louisa to come and see me…She'll know what its about' Mr Zelner said. The one hundredth order of the day. 'Yes Mr Zelner…' Rachel smiled even though she was trying her very best to get out of work early for Emma's birthday party this evening. She already felt absolutely terrible for not being able to see her own daughter for her birthday, 'Oh and Mr Zelner, would it be ok for me to leave work early today?' she asked him nicely. 'Its Emma's birthday today and I haven't spent much time with her already' she explained.
Mr Zelner nodded, 'Sure…. you can go at 4oclock Rachel'.
'Oh Mr Zelner…Thank you' She smiled. 4oclock should be fine; she would have time to pick up the birthday cake and to be home in time before the party begun.
She made her way down to human resources, a small spring in her step at the thought of being home in just under an hour to spend time with her daughter, Ross, and her friends. Ross had managed to take the whole day off work to be with Emma so he had planned to take her to the park with Joey and Chandler. 'Don't let her near any swings…' was the only thing Rachel told him. 'You know how dangerous they can be…'. Ross had just laughed but agreed to keep to his promise. He knew about her strange fear of swings.
'Oh hi Louisa…Mr Zelner wants to see you in his office, he told me you would know what it was about..' Rachel said to Louisa.
'Oh right…. Thanks Rach' She smiled at her. 'Oh are you still here? I thought you were trying to get off work for 2?' she asked. Rachel sighed, 'My plan didn't work… but I'm getting out at 4oclock, better than nothing!' she laughed.
'Give Emma my love won't you…' Louisa said. 'Oh before you go…How far along are you now?' she whispered. Rachel hadn't yet got round to telling work colleagues, she had only told Louisa and Mr Zelner so he was aware of maternity leave. 'Oh I'm coming up to 6 weeks now…' She informed her; 'Going for my first sonogram on Thursday…' she smiled.
Louisa patted her gently on the stomach, 'Any idea of what the sex will be?'
'Not really…but Ross seems to think that it will be a boy' she told her, 'but I haven't had any feelings yet about the sex…I just want to make it to 3 months first, then I'll be more relaxed about things…'
'Oh of course, I was just the same..' she nodded, 'you always worry at this stage…'.
'I'm sure everything will be fine though' Rachel smiled, 'Everything feels good at the moment'.
Louisa shortly made her way up to Mr Zelner's office whilst Rachel made yet another trip to a department to collect files.
Ross entered the building where he had often come to over the years, Rachel's work. 'You guys wait here with Emma? I'll go and find Rach…' Ross said to Chandler and Joey who seemed quite happy to be looking after Emma. It reminded them slightly of the time they had offered to take care of Ben that time, thankfully this time they were much more mature so the chances of leaving Emma on a bus were fortunately low.
'Whose one today Emma wemma?' Chandler cooed to his young niece who was busy pinching Joey's arm. 'Hey…I thought you loved your uncle Joey?' Joey said, slightly hurt from the large pinches he was receiving. Emma began to giggle. 'Joeeeee!' She yelled.
Chandler and Joey couldn't help but laugh at her cute personality, which was developing each day.
They sat down by the reception, waiting for Ross to return. Hopefully with Rachel.
'Ross? What you doing here?' Rachel asked him as she saw him turning into her office.
'Oh that's the way you treat customers?' he joked. 'I'm here to take you home…' he told her. Rachel got up from her chair, 'I cant leave till 4…I have another 20 minutes yet' she sighed. 'Where's Emma?' she suddenly panicked,.
Ross greeted her with a gentle squeeze, 'Stop panicking! She's downstairs with Chandler and Joey…she wants her mummy to finish work' Ross told her, knowing that if he said this, Rachel would give in.
'You cant do that.' Rachel told him. 'I'll only be 20 minutes…maybe 10,I'll go and see Mr Zelner…' she said, 'You go downstairs and I'll be there as soon as I can.' she asked him. Ross let go of her as she released herself from his arms, 'Ok sweetie, and See you downstairs…' he agreed.
Rachel went off to her boss's office, in hope that he would perhaps let her go early. Otherwise, she would go without his permission, she could deal with him tomorrow, she would only celebrate Emma's first birthday once.
Back home. Monica and phoebe were putting decorations up for Emma's party. 'I cant believe Emma is one already…' Phoebe said, to make conversation as they worked.
'I know…' Monica said as she hung up a 'Your one today!' banner over the door of her apartment, 'Funny how we're doing all of this and she probably will be asleep the whole party…' Monica joked. Phoebe laughed, 'Your probably right..'.
Monica let out a sigh, 'Pheebs, do you think me and chandler will ever have children?' she asked her, a sudden topic change. Phoebe hated this discussion, she knew how much Monica wanted children but she never knew what to say. She decided to give her friend the encouragement she deserved, even if nobody was yet sure what would happen. 'Monica, I'm almost certain that you will one day..' she told her.
Then something happened which Phoebe feared. Monica cried. 'I don't think we ever will have children…' Monica bawled. 'I keep telling myself that we will, but we've been trying for almost a year, we've been told that we cant have children so no matter what, we probably wont ever be able to have our own child…'.
Phoebe gave her emotional friend a cuddle, it was the most that she could do, and there was nothing else to say or do. 'Have you thought about donor's?' She suggested. 'That's a way in which you could still carry a child…'phoebe told her.
Monica wiped her wet eyes, 'We talked about it, but at the end of the day, I want a child which we have both made…I don't want to be pregnant to somebody else…'.
'Adoption?' phoebe suggested again, 'I know its not going to be your own child, but it would be something that both of you would probably feel best with, it's the only other option…'.
Monica nodded. 'Adoption does seem appealing, and both me and chandler would probably agree on it…'
Phoebe smiled, 'See? I promise you, everything will work out Monica, you deserve to be a mother…'
The pair was soon interrupted by the rest of the gang, Joey, Chandler, Rachel and Ross. And of course Emma who was asleep as Monica had guessed.
'You finally got out of work then huh Rach?' Monica asked, 'I'm telling you now…That mr zelner is so unfair…'.
Rachel nodded, 'I agree…but I don't want to even think about work now, Lets begin this party…even though the birthday girl is asleep' she said, checking on Emma who was quietly snoring in her pram. 'I'll put her in the guest room in her crib?' Ross said pushing the pram inside the apartment. The rest of the gang sat down to the table and opened up a bottle of wine. Rachel was aware that she hadn't yet told anybody about her pregnancy, maybe now was the right time.
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