Rachel walked home as the rain poured. With a shaky hand, she put rested it on her now flat stomach. Life was in there. A few short weeks ago , it would have been a celebration, possibly edged on a proposal. She could just imagine how excited he would get. He would get that giddy look and then hug her and lift her in the air. This would have been their baby.
The rain poured on her hair and instead of flattening it, it curled it. With a head full of ringlets, she started to talk to her stomach. "I am so sorry little one. You deserve so much better than this. You would have loved your daddy. He was one of the most smartest men that I ever knew and he was so sweet. And I know he would have loved you." The rain disguised her tears as raindrops and she walked past a sign . "Terminations done here." Rachel would never think of that in a million years. She was going to keep this baby. Maybe someday , she would even see him again when a million years had passed.
"I am not going to tell anyone. Monica would be on the phone to her brother in two seconds if she knew." Rachel thought as she still walked in the rain. Passing a baby store, she pressed her nose up against the window and then looking down at her stomach , she walked in.
There were aisles and aisles of things, and since Rachel lived to shop, her mouth salivated at the fact that she would have a new place to use her credit card. Bloomingdales did have her employee discount , but some things were even cuter than her favorite store. She came to the aisle of stuffed animals. There were teddy bears with button eyes , and little kittens that if you pressed a button, would meow, there were even little rag dolls. Rachel walked down the aisle and then she picked up something. It was not a bear, or a cat, but a small orange dinosaur. Tears came to her eyes as she realized why this particular toy would effect her so much. Part of her wanted to put it down, but an even bigger part of her wanted to love it , for it was him. His little face wasn't ferocious in the least, he was a sweet dinosaur, a loving dinosaur, a cute dinosaur. Putting it in her hands, she walked up to the counter and took out her credit card. "I just found out today. This is a gift from its daddy." Rachel said sadly. The clerk smiled and handed her the bag. Taking it outside, she took it out again and then talked to the baby again. "This is your first present. I bought it for you because it reminds me of your daddy." It would be months before the baby would actually move and grow, but she did know that there was a new life that was going to depend on her for the next nine months. And there was no way she was going to let it down.
Ross was now putting the last touches on his apartment. He opened the box with knick knacks and put them out in an effort to give the place his own special touch. Placing the dinosaurs and then the rocks about, he stepped back to admire his handiwork. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. He went to open it. His landlady stood there with a plate of brownies.
"I know young men get hungry when they are moving stuff around." She said as she handed him the tray. "Thanks a lot ." he smiled and then he let her out. Another box caught his attention. He noticed it was filled with pictures. He saw the frame of a picture of his son , Ben. Then another one caught his eye. It was taken a few short months ago. One of the gang at Central Perk, and then he knew when it was taken. Rachel was perched on his lap in her apron and smiling as she had her arm around his neck. He took the picture and put it out , but then he put it away. He wasn't ready for it yet. With his hands on his hips and wearing his NYU t shirt and sweats, he went to the fridge and to reward himself , grabbed a beer.
Rachel kept to herself when she got home. She walked right past Monica and Chandler . Joey had busied himself with a piece of Monica's lasagna. She went to her bed and then laid down on it , she held the tiny dinosaur on her stomach and bounced him up and down. She wondered what this baby was going to be. Was it going to be a girl or a boy? Would it have brown eyes or blue? Would it have light or dark hair? Would it have the best of the Green line or the best of the Geller line? Would it be popular or would it be a brain? She closed her eyes and then began to daydream.
Rachel was laying on a bed and then Ross stood by her as she was told to push by the doctor. He would hold her hand and cheer her on as she pushed the baby out . Finally the doctor held in his hands a little red baby that was crying.
"Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Geller , it's a girl." The doctor announced. Ross took the baby from his hands and held her in his arms. "She is beautiful just like you Rach." He said as he leaned over to kiss her. Rachel covered with sweat , kissed her husband , and then took the baby in her arms. "Hi I know you." She whispered. "Thanks for coming out of me." The baby just looked at the lady who held her and then began to cry some more. As Rachel tried to calm the baby. Her and Ross just looked at each other , and then they kissed again.
Rachel woke from her reverie. She had tears in her eyes. Babies were supposed to be happy things. Another problem came to her mind, how was she going to tell her father that she was not only pregnant , but that the father had abandoned her. Any hatred for Ross would be magnified by this.
Ross saw the used book store down the street. He wanted a break from unpacking so he decided to explore his new neighborhood. He was shocked when he saw the girl he met earlier browsing through the racks. "Hi Ross." She said. "Melanie?" he said , making sure he was recognizing her. She was wearing one of her old show shirts and jeans , her brunette hair was brushed back into a pony tail. "I love this old store , you never know what you might find here." She gushed. She had in her hand an old copy of Pygmalion. "You would make a wonderful Eliza." Ross smiled. "But that is My Fair Lady, this is Shaw's Pygmalion, the purest form of the play. I am auditioning for a part in a play. Although I must admit, toothpaste ads do pay the rent sometimes."she smiled back.
"I can see why." He flirted back at her. "Tell you what. I have been unpacking all day, I am starving, why don't you join me for dinner." Melanie looked down at her clothes. "In this?" He laughed ."Okay we will stop by your place and then you can change." Melanie gave him a sweet smile. "Then lead on , MacDuff." She said as she took his arm.