A/N:- Alert! (Only for those who've read my debut story, From Friends to Joey) :- You guys may spot a repetition of a joke. Sorry, but I just couldn't help putting it back here. However, if you don't spot it... Then I hope to get away with it! Cheers! ;)
9. Thanksgiving
"Here we are, sweetie!" a woman said to her two year old daughter who was sitting atop a suitcase, taking in the view all around her as several items held her fascination.
"New York City." said her mother, letting out a puff of air as she did so.
"You looking forward to meet your Daddy?" she asked, bending forwards such that her face was placed directly besides her daughter, who nodded vigorously, bouncing on her 'seat'.
She smiled at her daughter's excitement, but it wasn't as heartfelt as it could've been. For only she knew the extent to which her child had lost her charm progressively over the past month.
'Well... it's time.' she said to herself as she begun strolling her cart towards the arrivals hall.
* * *
"Ooh! Ooh! Is that her?" Phoebe asked, pointing towards an elderly blonde who was walking towards the exit, an adolescent girl tagging along with her, whilst strolling their luggage.
They had been waiting at the airport for almost half an hour now and were obviously on edge, what with Phoebe standing up with a jolt at the sight of any blonde woman.
"She's been gone for six months, Pheebs. Not six hundred." Chandler said, rolling his eyes in exasperation.
"That's what you think. I know for a fact that time in Paris is different than the time in New York." Phoebe replied, sounding smug.
"There's a time difference Pheebs. Not a time travel." Ross said, turning to face her, amused.
"Oh really? Then how come does it take Rachel only four hours to arrive here from Paris, while it takes YOU twelve to reach there?" Phoebe challenged.
"Whoa! I didn't know that. Really?! That's so cool!" Joey exclaimed, his eyes wide as saucers.
"Now that, that's some solid evidence! That's why I'm telling you to keep your eyes open! She could look like anyone right now!" Phoebe said, saying her last few words with a whisper which were supposed to create an air of mystery and suspicion.
"On it!" said Joey, immediately narrowing his eyes into small slits, as though scanning the crowd.
"Look Pheebs, I've seen her barely a month ago and no, she doesn't look like that elderly woman, alright?! So cut it out." Ross reasoned, knowing it would take too long to explain Phoebe what a time zone actually meant.
Phoebe turned her gaze away from Ross whilst muttering something indiscernible which sounded suspiciously malignant.
As seconds gave way to minutes, the tension in the group reached it's peak and soon Monica could take it no more, becoming the first to stand up and start pacing around. She was followed shortly by others who also started looking around in all the directions, restless.
"Where is she, by the way? Her flight has been delayed by twenty minutes, but even then it should've landed a long time ago, right Ross?" Monica exclaimed, tearing her glance from the arrivals board to look at her brother.
Ross?" she asked, looking at him with concern.
It was only then when she noticed that for the previous half minute or so, Ross had frozen and his eyes had been focused on a particular subject heading roughly in their direction.
"I... I think that's her." Ross finally replied, sounding a little uncertain.
On hearing those words, everyone craned their neck to have a good look of the person Ross was looking at. Only then did they notice a woman of around Rachel's stature, with a small child atop her luggage cart, the woman herself looking like she was in her early middle ages.
Dressed in a business suit, she gave off an image of a powerful persona. At first. Though her gait and dress sense seemed to radiate energy, her face lacked that very element. For beneath that mask of a thick layer of foundation and other makeover hid a fatigued expression resembling of a person who had seen too much in too short a time. She seemed to have aged much more than the actual time period of just over six months, making others wonder whether Phoebe's absurd proclamation of a different time scale in Paris had a bit of truth to offer. For they could only stare at their once dear friend, dumbstruck, as she closed in on them.
Even though it had been only six months it felt like they hadn't seen her for sixty. Because somehow, Emma seemed way more recognisable than her mother.
Just then, her eyes found them and she let out a wide smile and waved, beginning to head swiftly towards them.
"Ooh boy, it IS her." Chandler said, not sure whether he should be happy or sad about it.
The others were completely in sync.
* * *
"So how have things been with you guys? Anything I've missed?" Rachel asked, looking at Joey as they sped down the interstate towards Westchester.
For a tight group of people who had spent ten solid years together, there was only one word which could possibly describe the current situation.
Awkward.
Because Rachel suddenly seemed like a stranger. A stand out. Sure, they had hugged, they had kissed. But everyone had a look that seemed to say...
'What the hell happened?'
They all knew that Rachel had a story to tell. And that became even more obvious when it came to Ross. For the pair simply shared a look, and barely managed a small 'Hi', their looks flowing with pages of emotions. No hugs or kisses. But a myriad to convey. The only question was... 'Would they?'
Perhaps. Now that atleast their physical distance was nullified for a few days. Not that it hadn't been the case six months ago.
As far as Emma was concerned, she had the best time of all. For she was passed around and showered with blessings and kisses, until she finally landed in the yearning arms of her father, with whom she stayed, hugging him with all the strength she had. Rachel simply looked on, her eyes a mixture of hurt and relief.
The gang had fallen silent ever since and had begun heading towards the passage leading them to the exit. In the parking lot, Rachel had barely noticed Ross's muscular SUV as she climbed into the shotgun seat. Nor had she observed the speedometer, which indicated that Ross's driving had become remarkably faster since the last time they had travelled together.
On hearing Rachel's question, everyone simply stared at each other, not knowing quite what to say. Or rather, where to start.
When nobody responded, she felt a sudden sense of suffocation that had nothing to do with the conditioner (which, by the way, was in optimum condition), and she decided to try yet again.
"Joey? How's DOOL goin'?" Rachel asked, in a way similar to Joey's 'How you doin'? .
That had apparently been a wrong question to ask as was indicated by Chandler's wincing and Phoebe's 'Oh no..' accompanied with an eyeroll.
"They killed Drake. Again. And this time, they said it was for good!" Joey wailed, while Chandler patted him on the back.
Rachel's eyes widened in surprise as she raised a hand to her mouth, not expecting it.
"Oh Joey, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, genuinely upset.
"That's okay. I'm over it now." he said, while his voice seemed to disagree.
"No you are not!" Chandler exclaimed in a high pitched voice.
"I mean for God's sake, you live on the other side of the country!" he continued.
Rachel seemed even more surprised to hear this piece of information. But before she could react, Chandler said something that rendered her speechless.
"Who the hell does that just to 'get over' thi..." he said trailing towards the end, biting his tongue as he suddenly realised it's implications, while Monica shot daggers at him, furious.
And just like that the silence regained it's realm over the gang.
'People who want to make a fresh start, Chandler.' Rachel said in her mind.
Phoebe shot a sideways glance at Rachel, feeling sorry for her. She decided it was about time that she did what she was good at. Creating a diversion.
"Speaking about missing things, I've got something very important to tell you." she said.
Everyone turned to look at her, looking expectantly.
"I'm pregnant. And this time I get to keep the baby!" she said excitedly.
There was a pandemonium as everyone seemed to speak at once, either congratulating her or asking her some leading question. Rachel suddenly found herself almost laughing in relief and happiness alike. So atleast there was SOMETHING new for ALL of them.
Amidst the rounds of 'Congratulations' Joey had a question to ask.
"Wait a second, Pheebs. How the hell is this related to missing something?"
Everyone shot an amused glance at Joey, who slowly seemed to realise what had Phoebe 'missed'.
"Oh. Sorry!" Joey said, reddening as he did so.
The atmosphere suddenly relaxed and all the tension that had hung in the air for the past few minutes dissipated as the gang began chattering, becoming it's original self. Soon, they found themselves in the driveway of Chandler and Monica's home and began stepping out of the car, eager for the festivities.
While all were busy talking, Phoebe slyly made her way towards Rachel and whispered in her ear,
"You know, I actually found out that I was pregnant two weeks ago."
Rachel looked at her with confusion.
"Then why didn't you tell us before?"
"I was waiting for the perfect time." Phoebe replied, shrugging.
Rachel smiled at her friend, who suddenly seemed to focus on Monica who was unlocking the front door.
"Plus, I really didn't want you to feel left out." she added as an afternote and passing her a brief smile before hurrying towards the door which was now open.
Rachel could only look at her as she went inside, her eyes filled with gratitude.
Perhaps it wasn't too late after all, she thought. Maybe she could still make amends.
* * *
"Hey! I've got one!" Rachel exclaimed from her seat, as they all sat enjoying a scrumptious meal, the courtesy of their all time host, Monica.
"Do you remember the time when we were all locked outside our apartment and were arguing which one of us was responsible for forgetting the keys?" she asked, as she spooned through her dessert.
There was a chorus of 'Hear, hear' and smirks were passed along the table as they all reminisced the Thanksgiving exactly ten years ago, the first they had spent together as a group of six.
After the topic of Phoebe's pregnancy had exhausted, they had begun a random round of recollecting the precious memories of their past. And that had successfully numbed the present, all the questions dissolving in a heap of yummy food and spicy gossip.
"The Turkey got burnt! And it was the first time I had made it in the apartment!" Monica exclaimed.
"And the first time I didn't get to eat it!" Joey said, with a tone that suggested that he still felt bad about it.
"The Potatoes were ruined!" said Phoebe, joining in.
"My Skiing got cancelled!" Rachel wailed.
"It was the day I found out that Ben kicked whenever Susan read stories to him. But he didn't kick when I did the same." Ross said, smiling at the memory.
Everyone now turned themselves to look at Chandler, expecting him to say something sad about the day.
"Don't look at me! It was the best Thanksgiving I ever had. Nobody got to celebrate it! What more could I have asked for?" he said, to which everyone rolled their eyes.
"By the way, who was responsible? We never actually solved the argument, did we?" Phoebe asked.
Monica and Rachel were about to blame each other, when Ross's response caught them off guard.
"I think it was Monica." he said, out of the blue.
"WHAT?!" Monica exclaimed, apparently shocked.
Rachel too raised her eyes in surprise, not quite expecting it.
"Thank you." she said sweetly, realising all of a sudden that it was actually the first time they had had an exchange ever since their arrival in Westchester.
Chandler, Phoebe and Joey shot glances at each other, waiting eagerly to see how the debate progressed.
"Can you explain?" Monica asked. "I very clearly asked her..."
"The way you asked her whether she had 'got the keys', was a bit hurried, making it sound more like a statement. You should have told her to 'Get the keys' instead. That would've been better. It had been unreasonable to assume that she would have the keys on her, seeing as she was inside her apartment, just like you. Also, you ran away immediately later, not actually bothering to listen to the answer. That does suggest a lack of responsibility." Ross rattled. By the time he was finished, Monica had no answer with the exception of a slightly slack jaw.
Nobody said anything for a while, as they all were awestruck by the response.
"Hang on! You weren't even there! How can you say all this with so much certainity?" Monica challenged.
"Yeah! She's right!" Phoebe exclaimed, while the rest let out murmurs of assent. Rachel too looked at Ross, her eyes inquisitive.
Ross blushed deeply before he acknowledged the reason.
"Well... The night when all this happened, Rachel told me everything. All the bits." he said. "Because she felt guilty of ruining not only her's but everyone's Thanksgiving. After listening to her I assured her that it wasn't her fault." he continued, flushing even more.
Rachel could only stare at him dumbstruck, as their eyes met across the table. How the hell did he remember something so insignificant that had happened such a long time ago?! And they hadn't even been dating back then. But before their moment could lead to anything substantial, Monica intervened.
"So you are going in accordance to her version? Of course she must have falsified the events!"
"Hey!" Rachel exclaimed, her trance breaking.
Chaos resumed on the table as Monica and Rachel began arguing as though that was all that really mattered, while the others simply egged them on, eager for a catfight.
"ROSS!" Phoebe suddenly screamed, amidst the calls of 'Monica', 'Rachel' and 'fight! fight!'.
"What?" Ross asked, perplexed. "I wasn't even there!" he exclaimed meekly.
Phoebe rolled her eyes as she offered an explanation
"No, it's not that! I really don't care about those stupid keys! Mike has an event in the city and I have to be there in an hour."
"And what does that have to do with me?" Ross asked, perplexed.
"You are going to drive me there, of course!" she said, as though it was obvious.
"No, I'm not!" Ross repied, annoyed. His new job gave him much less time to spend with his friends and family, and so he usually did make the most of it. And then there was Emma. And... And... Rachel.
"Do you really want to anger a pregnant woman?" Phoebe asked, annoyed.
Ross winced, more because he didn't want to annoy a pregnant Pheebs, who could be ten times worser than any pregnant woman on the planet, even when she wasn't one.
"Well... It seems like I gotta get goin'." he finally said, to no one in particular.
A round of 'Yeah' went round the table, while Monica added a 'Drive safe!'
Rachel suddenly felt an outburst of rage towards Phoebe as she had ruined their moment. So it was quite sometime before she noticed that Ross had been asking her something.
"Huh?" she asked, snapping out of her trance.
"You coming, Rach?" he repeated politely.
Rachel's brain seemed to be in a dizzy as she analysed several aspects at once.
1. She wanted to talk with Ross. Alone.
2. She also had to chat with Monica and the rest and make up for her absence.
3. Both her heart and her brain knew that they wanted No.1 much more than No.2.
4. But they also knew that No.1 was going to be much more difficult and could go either ways. Whereas No.2 had a guaranteed safety net, a casual, comfortable exchange. Or so she thought.
5. So which one to pick? Her brain said No.1, while her heart said No.2
"Errrmm... No. Mon and I have got a lot to catch up on." was what she ended up saying.
6. In a fight between the heart and the brain, the latter rarely wins.
If Ross felt disappointed by her response, he surely didn't show it, as he simply shrugged and asked.
"Okay... You will be coming at my place tonight though, right?"
Maybe tomorrow?
"Actually, you know what? I might stay here for the night." she said. Her decision took everyone by surprise as they had expected things to become smoother after that trip down memory lane. Perhaps not. Perhaps it ran much deeper.
"No problem, right?" she asked, looking at Chandler.
"Oh no. WE have no problems with that!" he replied, emphasing on the 'We'.
This time Monica did not admonish him, as she stared at Rachel as though trying to figure her out.
"Okay. If it's fine by you guys, it's fine by me." Ross replied.
Yet again, his body language was oddly neutral.
Phoebe rose from the table, and so did Ross, picking up Emma from her chair as he did so.
"Hey... Whoa... What do you think you are doing?" Rachel asked, a bit of a panic obvious in her voice.
"Going home?..." Ross stated, looking at her curiously.
"Yeah. But Emma?" asked Rachel.
"Of course she's coming with me!" he said, sounding just a tad annoyed. "Daddy has missed you so much!" he added in a baby voice to Emma, who had zoned out, obviously tired out by the long flight and the heavy meal.
"Leave her here with me tonight Ross. Please!" she pleaded.
Ross simply looked at her before saying,
"No."
Rachel was shocked by his response while the others seemed mildly alarmed at his tone.
"You are going to have her for the next few months, Ross. It's the least you can do." Rachel said, sounding a bit bolder this time.
Ross's 'cool guy' attitude seemed to thaw with every word he said.
"THE LEAST? Really?" You've already had her for five months Rach, all by yourself! Don't be so unreasonable!" he replied, displaying a hint of his anger for the first time.
"Unreasonable?! Since when does asking to be with your daughter for just one night sound unreasonable? The last time I checked it was a perfectly reasonable request." Rachel said, standing up from her chair.
"Reasonable would've been you coming with me to my place so that Emma got to be with both of her parents, Rachel." Ross replied, glaring at her.
"Oh really? Well, seeing that Monica and Chandler have kindly accepted my request to stay over, I really don't see that happening." Rachel said, folding her arms against her chest as she did so.
"Hey! Don't pull us into your argument!" Chandler said, panicking.
"And hold on! Stop this right now, I say!" shouted Monica.
Both Ross and Rachel turned to look angrily at her.
"WHAT?!"
"If you two are going to fight yet again, then the first thing you do is get out of this kitchen. The last time this happened, we were stuck in the bedroom the whole time and were reduced to eating wax. I'm not going to let that happen again!" she admoinshed, receiving support from the others.
"And also the bathroom. Because I'll be needing access to it every half hour. And I DO NOT want to hear a shouting rally everytime I do so!" Phoebe exclaimed.
"What? Phoebe, you don't get bladder problems until you reach second trimester. And you must be at what, eight weeks?" Ross asked.
"Oh shut up! You are not even a real doctor, anyways!" she retorted.
"She does have a point." Chandler said, before he got the death glare from Ross.
"I'm not going anywhere until this is sorted out!" he exclaimed.
"Neither am I!" Rachel said, shortly later.
"Oh look! You two finally agreed on something. Isn't that great?" Joey asked, only to receive another glare, this time from Rachel.
And with that, the gang was reduced to watching their argument like a Tennis rally, simply looking from one person to the other.
"Why do you wanna stay here anyways? Why don't you just go to some hotel instead, huh?!" Ross asked, getting back to the topic.
"I want to catch up with my best friends, for God's sake." Rachel replied, fuming.
"And WHAT?! Why the hell would I go to some hotel?" she added, confused.
There was a detectable pauss before Ross replied in an eerily composed voice,
"Because New York isn't your home anymore."
The gravity of the statement was profound as was indicated by the facial expressions on the rest of the group, all of which indicated varying levels of shock and confusion.
Rachel, in the meanwhile had suddenly reduced to tears, which were threatening to flow from the eyes.
"Isn't that right, Rach?" Ross asked, in that same quiet whisper.
"Ross... I..." Rachel started, but found herself at a loss of words.
"Rachel Karen Green, the woman who always wears her heart on her sleeve didn't think twice before applying for a job thousands of miles away. Nor did she comprehend the finality of buying a house. She even discarded her friends, disowning her own town in a matter of months. And now, here she is, telling me what is reasonable and what is not." Ross said.
Monica was about to intervene upon seeing Rachel's state, but something made her refrain herself. For even she couldn't deny that Ross did have a good point.
"Have you got any answer to that, Rachel?" Ross asked.
Rachel begun shaking as the tears finally began to flow.
"Have you?" he asked again, in a much softer voice, the voice that he had always reserved for her and her only.
Rachel's frame grew smaller and smaller and everyone begun feeling sorry for her, including Ross.
"I thought so." he said, sadly as he continued looking at her almost pitiably.
To everyone's surprise, he gently placed a sleeping Emma besides Rachel and then, passing a final look at the pair, he headed out of the kitchen.
Ross had almost reached the main door, until he became aware of the fact that Rachel had followed him into the living room. Hand on the knob, he had opened the door halfway through before her reply practically paralyzed him.
"It's because I still love you" she said, in a quiet whisper which was barely audible.
"What?" Ross asked, refusing to believe his ears.
"It's... bbecause I love you.." she repeated, breaking down.
Slowly, Ross closed the door before he turned to Rachel and said,
"Well... You've got a strange way of saying it, Rach. Because guess what? I love you too. But I didn't moved four thousand miles away to prove it. Quite the contrary, in fact. I let you go instead." he said, his eyes finally finding hers.
To her and everyone's (heads had begun poking from the wall seperating the two rooms.) surprise, Ross opened the door yet again and quietly left the scene, leaving behind a broken Rachel.
Still reeling, the gang entered the living room, hesitantly at first. As all gathered around Rachel, Phoebe voiced everyone's thoughts.
"What just happened?"
There you go! :)
In case you got a bit confused, the parts in italics were actually excerpts from Rachel's mind. Except for the first scene.
By the way, I know that 'the brain' and 'the heart' thing does sound cheesy, especially when it comes from a person like me, who is a medical student by profession. I should know better than that, right? Anyways... thought that went well..