Authors Note: Thanks so much for all of the great reviews. I'm really glad everyone is enjoying the sequel! Please continue to review!
Mandy didn't wake up until 10 AM the next morning. She rolled over and looked at the clock. Wow! This was the latest she had ever gotten to sleep at Ross and Rachel's. That was probably because she normally slept on the extra twin bed in Emma's room, which until the birth of Bella had been the playroom, but since Ben was in California for the summer, she was staying in his room. Her younger brother and sisters were always up by 8 AM, no matter what. She listened and could hear the voices of her family drifting up from downstairs. Mandy could also smell the faint scent of pancakes. Rachel was definitely not much of a cook, but she had really perfected pancakes! Mandy crawled out of bed and went downstairs. When she got to the kitchen, she saw Ross, Rachel, Emma, Caleb, and Bella in her high chair all around the table eating pancakes.
"Hey, did you sleep okay?" asked Rachel.
"Yeah, I slept great!" answered Mandy.
"Great, well sit down and eat. We're not going to Monica's until 2, so we have plenty of time," said Rachel.
After breakfast everyone took showers and got ready to go eat lunch at Monica and Chandler's. It always took Rachel a couple of hours to get herself and the three little kids ready. Mandy offered to give Bella her bath while Rachel took a shower. Mandy carefully washed Bella's dark brown curls. Bella was an incredibly gorgeous baby. She had Ross's dark brown curls and Rachel's big blue eyes. Mandy always thought that Bella looked a lot like her Aunt Monica. When Mandy had finished giving Bella her bath and getting her dressed, Emma came and asked her to fix her hair. "Please Mandy," said Emma. "My mommy pulls too much when she fixes my hair. You do a much better job!"
"Okay," Mandy sighed, "I'll do it really quickly because I still have to take a shower!" Mandy took the brush and slowly brushed Emma's dirty blonde hair that was the exact same color as Rachel's and Mandy's. Emma could sometimes be annoying, but Mandy loved her to death. Emma was going to be the true golden child of the Geller family: she had her mother's looks and personality but she had her father's brain. Ever since Mandy's very first visit a little over three years ago, Emma and Mandy had shared a true sister-like bond. "Okay, all done!" said Mandy. Emma then ran off to get dressed as Mandy hopped into the shower.
As Mandy finished getting ready she heard little feet running up and down the hallway. She then heard Rachel yelling for Caleb to please come and put his shoes on. Mandy quietly crept out of her bedroom door and jumped in front of Caleb, catching the little boy in her arms. Caleb shrieked with laughter as Mandy held him up and pretended to fly him down the hallway. She flew him right into his room and sat him down on his new big boy bed, as Rachel came up from behind and started putting on his shoes. "Thanks Mandy," said Rachel. "I don't know what I'm going to do with this little guy, I guess I'm just going to have to tickle him into shape!" Rachel then lifted up Caleb's shirt and began to tickle his little stomach. Caleb was laughing so hard that his huge brown, puppy-dog eyes filled with tears. Mandy then grabbed Caleb and whispered something into his ear. The brother and sister then teamed up and began to tickle Rachel. All three were laughing so hard that Ross came into the room to see what was going on. He also started laughing at the site of his wife sprawled out on Caleb's bed with Caleb just tickeling away while Mandy held her down. "Okay guys! Enough!" yelled Rachel with laughter. Rachel then got off the bed and went into the master bedroom to finish getting ready. "Come on Caleb, let's go down stairs and watch some cartoons while mommy and daddy finish getting ready," said Mandy. Caleb enthusiastically agreed.
When everyone was finally ready, they all loaded up into Ross and Rachel's Expedition and headed two blocks down the street to Monica and Chandler's house. When they walked into the front door Mandy looked around in awe as she always did. It had always amazed her how even with the twins, Monica somehow managed to keep a perfect house. Rachel's house wasn't excessively messy or anything, but with at least four kids in the house at all times, things tended to get a little cluttered. Monica gave Mandy a huge hug. "Congratulations on graduation, honey!" said Monica.
"Thank you," replied Mandy.
"I want to hear all about this cruise later too," added Monica. "I hope you kept your mom out of trouble."
"Ha, ha," said Rachel as she walked into the door with Bella in her arms.
"Well, I mean, you do tend to do crazy things when you're on vacation. I mean think about Vegas," said Monica.
"Okay, point taken, but I behaved myself very well this trip," said Rachel as she shifted Bella into her other arm. At this point Emma and Caleb came running in the door.
"Hey guys!" said Monica.
"Hey Aunt Monica," replied Emma. "Where's Erica?"
"She's up in her room waiting for you," said Monica as Emma took off up the stairs.
"Jack?" asked Caleb.
"He's upstairs too, sweetie," answered Monica as she tousled his dark brown hair.
"Is Pheeb's coming?" asked Ross as he shut the door behind him.
"No, she called this morning and cancelled," said Monica. "She said Sky had a bad ear infection."
"Oh no, I hope she's okay," said Rachel. "I haven't seen Phoebe in forever. Maybe she'll be able to meet me for lunch one day this week. I'll have to call and ask."
"Why are we all standing in the door?" asked Chandler as he walked in from the living room.
"We're not," Monica said. "We're going to eat lunch now. Kids come eat!"
After lunch was over the Emma, Erica, Jack, and Caleb all went upstairs to play. Rachel put Bella down for a nap. Ross and Chandler wanted to watch some game on tv, so Monica, Rachel, and Mandy sat at the kitchen table to talk.
"So how was the cruise," asked Monica.
"It was great," answered Rachel. "I really needed a vacation! I love my kids, but they can just be so much sometimes, you know?"
"Yeah, I understand," said Monica. "Some days I just feel like I may go insane, and I only have two! I mean, you have five!"
"Yeah, but Mandy doesn't live here all the time, and Ben isn't a lot of trouble yet. I know it's coming soon though. I mean, he'll be in tenth grade next year," said Rachel.
"I can't believe he's that old! It seems like yesterday that he was born," exclaimed Monica.
"I know what you mean! I also can't believe that Emma will be in first grade this year. Are you ready for the twins to start kindergarten?" Rachel asked.
"I'm sad that they're growing up, but it will be nice to have them in school. I can go back to working some days now and not as many nights," answered Monica.
"Yeah, I still have four years before that will happen," said Rachel.
"You mean, you're not having anymore?" asked Monica with a laugh.
"Gosh no!" exclaimed Rachel. "I actually have an appointment with Dr. Long tomorrow to see about getting my tubes tied."
"Is Ross okay with that?" asked Monica.
"Oh, he doesn't know yet!" said Mandy.
"Hey!" said Rachel. "I could have told him last night!"
"Well did you?" asked Mandy.
"No," muttered Rachel.
"I can't believe you're going to schedule a surgery like this without even asking Ross!" exclaimed Monica.
"For your information, I am planning on talking to him tonight," Rachel spat back. "I know he'll be okay with it though, because he doesn't want anymore kids either."
"Whatever you say, but just talk to him tonight Rach. He deserves to know what is going on," said Monica.
"I will!" said Rachel. "Don't worry!"
A/N: I hope you liked this chapter. I know it didn't carry the plot much further, but I really wanted you to have a chance to get to know Ross and Rachel's kids! Please Review!