Chapter2- Now I see, this is the way it should be
She woke up thanks to the irritating ringing of the alarm clock. Stretched herself and noticed that her boyfriend wasn't in bed. Unfortunately, waking up alone was routine due to their different work schedules. She made the bed and when she opened the window felt a cold wind on her face accompanied by the invisibility of part of the view due to the morning fog."Ugh". Rachel never really enjoyed autumn, she missed the warmth of summer and the beauty of spring -despite having to admit it was a great sales period at Ralph Lauren.
She went to the kitchen in her pajamas , where she saw Ross sitting, with his elbows resting on the table and staring at the newspaper he was holding, as if he were reading an article about new discoveries in paleontology (of which he could talk about for hours, even though deep down she believed he knew that none of the five were paying attention. But even so, he was always excited to tell). His gaze, however, was distant, as if he didn't even notice the paper in his hands. Distant. That's how she had felt him for the past few weeks. She talked to Monica, Phoebe and even to the boys about it but they all said it was just in her mind and that Ross had never been happier. But she knew something was wrong. He wasn't acting strangely with Emma or with the other four, just with her. Maybe that was why she was the only one to notice. Was it too hasty to move back to the apartment and because of this he is feeling pressured to make it work this time? After all, the last time they lived together things ended in a fight and now they couldn't repeat the same since their daughter is older and could possibly understand the situation. But… they had very little arguments in the last few months and they were always silly couple's arguments. So… did he regret the reconciliation? No. Impossible. He tried to pick her up at the airport. Rachel felt insecure about all this.
-Morning… -Rachel says
-Good morning, honey. Did you sleep well? -Ross answers her
-Yeah, I did. But I can't say the same about waking up. Did you see the fog? Also that cold outside. I hope Emma doesn't catch a cold again.
-Oh but this is normal. The temperatures will get even lower as the Earth is tilting in relation to the axis of rotation and with that it receives less solar radiation. You know (he says those words while picking up an apple and a fork to represent the process), equinox provides an equal rate...
-Ok, Ross. Fascinating. Are you already going?
-Hm, yeah. I was just here reading the newspaper and waiting to see you. Oh, I'm going to come home a little bit later today. Some problems with a new guy who move some species around.
-Okay, then… -she replied trying to force a smile.
They said goodbye with a simple kiss and Rachel goes to Emma's room to prepare their daughter for daycare. The restlessness remained in her mind.
(At the coffee house):
-But what happened with the planetarium, the way you look tonight and all that? -Joey asks
-No… She already knows about it. She will suspect so I want something different. -Ross replies
-You can make Rach hates you to the point she will run to Barry again. That's what I did with Monica. -Chandler jokes
-I'll think on something -Ross says as he leaves the coffee house, knowing he won't get anything from Joey and Chandler
As the days went by, Ross was thinking of nothing but how he would propose to Rachel and hoped she wouldn't notice his daydreams. Everything would have to be perfect, although their relationship has never been, shall we say, sublime. He fell in love with her while still in high school and from then on is history. Their love was never obvious. The personalities, the professional interests, the conflicts, the time it took for them to get together again… They are not the typical couple in love. But despite everything they always remained connected. After all, it was always Rachel.
At the same time, Ross was preparing for his upcoming birthday party.
-Hey, Mon- Ross says as he enters his sister's apartment- Can you help me choose an outfit for my birthday? You know how mom is like trying to impress others. I would ask Rachel but I no longer trust her taste since the restaurant incident.
-You mean the feminine shirt incident?
-You know, the restaurant's coincidence
-Sure i can help you -she says while laughing
-It has to be heavy clothing. The next few days are going to be cold and I don't think the climate changes that much on that beach.
-WHAT?
-What?
-Your birthday party will be on the beach house?
-Yeah...Mom and dad asked me to have a party there 'cause they think 35 years is meaningful and they wanna call the family. Why? You didn't know?
-No! I thought it would be at their home. I asked mom if I could do Erica and Jack's 1st birthday there but she said it is under renovation!
-...
-Wherever. I'd be very surprised if it were different.
-Very surprised?
"Very surprised" At that moment the perfect idea came to him.
Ross ran out of the apartment to meet his parents.
(A few days later...):
The birthday day came and it was all planned for him and Rachel to be alone at the venue. Jack and Judy agreed to cancel the party, but only because it was for a greater reason. Monica would supposedly drive her Porsche to the residence with Chandler and the babies, while Phoebe, who was already committed to Mike's family, would lend her taxi to Joey to take Rachel there, where he would leave her with the excuse of having forgotten something in the apartment. Ross, at last, would go earlier with Emma "at the request of his parents." The proposal would take place outdoors as Rachel is passionate about the sea. The surrounding sand was decorated with white lilies and roses, just as she liked. He chose This Never Happened Before as the soundtrack of the moment, a song that represented his feelings.
-Joey, are you sure this is the right place? - Rachel asks when getting out of the car and observing the place
-Yes, relax. They chose this place because the house is big and because his mother also likes these silly things like the sea, nature, universe ... just like you
-Hm - Rachel mumbles rolling her eyes- Well ... I wouldn't say big, but ...
- The party is in the back area, I think it must be there - points the direction -. Let's go, I think ... DAMN IT
-What happened?
-I forgot my cell phone in the apartment and I'm waiting for a call from Estelle. I'll have to go get it
-But will you come back?
-I don't know, it's a little far and I'm very weak because you didn't let me eat on the trip ...
-An one hour trip ...
- Still, it's too much for Joey!
-Okay… but… are you sure the party is here? I didn't see a car and everything is quiet. Besides, it doesn't ...
-The cars [he interrupts] must be parked elsewhere outside and everyone is in the back area, that's why there is no noise. Anyway, I'm going.
-Ok. See ya…
-See ya - he said turning back and going to the car with a big smile on his face, imagining his friend's reaction when she found out the surprise.
(A couple hours later):
Chandler enters the apartment and sees Joey attacking a sandwich as if he had never eaten one before.
-So? Did the plan go well?
-Yep, I left her there
-Cool… Can you believe that they will finally get it right? I mean, it's 7 years, man… They even had a daughter and nothing…
-Yes ... but now it will work. They are each other's lobster
Chandler laughs sarcastically because he doesn't take Phoebe's theory (or almost all her theories) very seriously and continues: -... But Ross could have chosen another date, right? I kind wanted to visit the beach house, Monica said it even has a pool
-What're you talking about? We already went there, you forgot? When Ross was going out with the hot bald girl. There's no swimming pool.
-No, this is Phoebe's friend's house. I'm talking about Monica's parents' house, where Ross will proposes
-What? -Joey asks without understanding. In the same moment Monica comes worried in the apartment
-JOEY, Ross just called me desperately saying he's been waiting for Rachel for over two hours. Why didn't you go?
-But I already went. I left her there and left
-What you mean you left her there ? She is not there. OH MY GOD SOMETHING MUST HAVE HAPPENED!
-Calm down, honey. Joey, you took Rachel to Monica's parents' beach house, right?
-Uh...No. For Phoebe's. I didn't even know your parents had a beach house.
(Meanwhile, at Phoebe's friend's beach house...):
"What the hell is happening?" There was no back area, I mean, it might even have, but the house was locked. There was also no party, there was nobody there. Not even in the neighborhood, maybe because of the time of year. Joey was already gone and, as if it couldn't get any worse, her cell phone was out of battery. She thought about going out for help but thought she might get lost if she went too far. She decided to wait and hope that Joey would come back so he could get her out of there and kill him at the same time.
Alone on the beach, she was already relatively scared when someone took one of her shoulders by behind . Instinctively, he punched whoever it was.
"OUCH" She immediately recognized Ross's voice and apologized, relieved when she confirmed that he hadn't broken anything. He explained that the party was at his parents' beach house but that Joey, for a change, had been confused "because nobody explained WHICH house it was".
-UGH...let's go to the party then?
-No, there's no party - he replied, still checking his sore nose
-What? What are you talking about?
-Well, that's not how I imagined ... but I think between us it's never how I imagine
-Ross…
He interrupts her and holds her in his hands, looking her in the eye. Without flowers, without music and in pain, but this was the moment, he couldn't wait any longer.
"When you had just moved into my sister's apartment, I remember one day when you were upset about your whole situation with Barry and asked me why love was not as simple as we imagined when we were teenagers. At that time I was already in love with you and I told myself that if you ever corresponded with me, things would be simple. There was no other way to be, we would love each other and that was enough. But it was not like that, in fact it wasn't at all like that. I never imagined that one day we would break up, divorce, make the other suffer ... But I think we don't work like the rest. Because we are different. We are Ross and Rachel. Maybe that was the way it was supposed to be. To show us how our love never died after all ... how my love for you just grew ... and that we belong to each other. Now that we know this, I don't wanna all this on and off thing, I don't want to make you suffer ever again, I don't want to risk us breaking up again... not even taking a break. I want to be with you. Forever. Be your lobster, whatever." At that moment Ross kneels in the sand and Rachel's eyes tear up and light up even more, knowing what's about to happen, but it always seemed so far away to them, at least in the traditional way, with no Vegas and no drink involved. Now it's real. And nothing would ever separate them again.
"Rachel Karen Green, will you marry me?"