Finally I found some time to write and update this story! I am loving your reviews. Keep them coming, please! :)
Previously on 'Never Too Late'...
Ross wants to know if she needs someone at home to help her and calls Nolan when he is closing the door. At the same time, the doctor remembers something.
"Doctor! I need to know something."
"Oh sure! I almost forgot to tell you two that your baby is fine."
They look at the doctor with complete surprise expressions on their faces.
"Uhm...you guys knew about the baby, right?" Dr. Nolan slowly asks.
"Actually no..." says Rachel.
"Well, according to your exams, you're six weeks pregnant. I'm sorry for telling you this way."
"Yeah...it's ok, thanks for everything, doctor."
"You're welcome, I'm just doing my job. You should schedule an appointment with your regular gynecologist, ok?" he says while heading to the door.
"I will."
"Good. Have a nice day you two, and congratulations."
"You too."
And with that he closes the room's door.
Ross remained quiet since the doctor brought the news, and Rachel is surprisingly calm, he thinks. Suddenly he hears her calling him.
"ROSS!"
"Wh...what?!"
"I'm calling you for hours!" she exaggerates. "So...apparently we're having a baby..." she says getting up from the bed and grabbing her clothes from Ross's hands and looking into his eyes.
"Yeah...about that..."
"What, Ross?"
"Uhm...is it mine?"
"WHAT?!"
"You know...the baby. Is it mine?"
"I cannot believe I'm hearing this from you..." her eyes already filling with tears.
"Well, we broke up and..."
"Shut up..." she says in a low tone.
"It's not that impossible to..."
"I said SHUT UP! WHAT DO YOU THINK I AM?!"
"Rach..."
"Get out of here!"
"Rachel, I have to take you home!"
"NO YOU DON'T! I can take care of myself! Now, get out. You can be a total jerk sometimes, Ross."
Ross arrives at Monica's home exhausted.
"Hey, Ross! How's Rachel?"
"She's great. So great that she kicked me out of the hospital."
"Pardon me, what? Why?"
"She's pregnant!"
"OMG! She told you today?"
"No, the doctor told us."
"The baby is yours?"
"I asked her this..."
"How come?!"
"Actually, we slept together a few weeks before Christmas."
"And even then you asked her if the baby is yours?! You were a complete idiot, Ross!"
"Now I think so too. You should've seen her. She was really mad!"
"And I totally understand her! You offended her big time!"
"How can I make it up to her?"
Rachel is at home, Edward and Lauren are at the movies with Anitta and Henry. Monica is there helping her. She's still feeling pain on her shoulders and head.
"So, you're having a baby! This is exciting!" says Monica handing her friend a cup of apple tea.
"It would be even more exciting if this had happened when we were actually trying you know? But our attempts failed..."
"You don't have to remember that now, sweetie."
"I would be happier if Ross didn't act like a jerk!"
"I know, Rach. But I'm sure he wasn't being serious."
"Well, but he did ask me if the baby is his. Who does he think I am? If he thinks I'm the kind of woman who jumps into bed of the first man she sees, he could not be more wrong!"
"I know. I understand you."
"Good..."
"And the kids? Did you already told them?"
"Not yet...I'll..." Rachel is interrupted by the doorbell and attempts to get up from the couch to see who is.
"I'll get it. You stay there." Monica says walking towards the front door. When she opens it she sees a bunch of flowers, a little bag and a card with Rachel's name on it.
"Rach, there are something for you here."
"Oh, could you bring it here, please, hon?"
"Sure!" she put the flowers on the center table and hands the bag and the card to her friend.
"Rach, I'm so sorry for being such an ass some times. I know that you're not 'easy to buy', but I really am sorry and I hope you like this gift. It means so much to me. With Love, Ross." says the card.
As soon as she reads Ross's words, her eyes are already filled with tears, again. She has been so emotional lately due the pregnancy. Then she grabs the little bag. When she opens it, she sees a little piece of clothing that says "My daddy loves me." Now her tears are freely streaming down her face.
"Oh my God." says Monica sweetly.
"I know..."
"You need to talk to him and fix things."
"What things? Our marriage?"
"Maybe..."
"No, Mon...I'm gonna have this baby alone. He's the father, but our marriage is over."
"Sadly..." says Monica. "When are you gonna tell the kids?"
"I don't know how I'm gonna tell them. I think I'll need Ross with me when the time comes."
"Yeah...oh look at the time. I have to go, but please, promise me you're gonna talk to Ross about all of this."
"I promise."
"Good. And congratulations on the baby."
"Thanks, sweetie. I don't know what I would do without you." Monica hugs her saying goodbye.
Two weeks later, Ross and Rachel are leaving the medical building. They just saw their new baby for the third time and this is always a special moment for them. They are heading to the car when Ross's cellphone rings. It's Edward.
"Son, everything's ok?"
"Yes!"
"So, what's up, buddy?"
"Me and Lauren want to know about Disney!"
"What about Disney?"
"You'll take us there, right?!"
"Sure I will. I had promised you guys, remember?"
"Well, yeah. But there's a condition." Lauren laughs and Edward reprimands her. "Shut up, Lau!"
"Hey, Ed, don't talk to her like that." Ross says while Rachel looks at him. He's such a good father, she thinks. Their kids and her are so lucky to have him in their lives. He sees his ex looking at him with a little smile.
"What condition, Ed?"
"Uhm...We'll only go to Disney with you if mom comes with us too!" Ross suddenly stops and looks at Rachel with his eyes wide open.
"What?" she whispers and Ross doesn't say anything.
"Edward, we'll talk about it later, ok?"
"Promise, dad?"
"I promise. I gotta go now."
"Bye, dad."
"Bye."
"What was that all about?"
"Ed and Lau told me they'll only go to Disney with me if you come with us."
"They're crazy."
"I know..."
Ross and Rachel arrive at Rachel's apartment with bags from a baby's store and this didn't go unnoticed by the kids, who are there just waiting for them.
"Finally!" they say seeing their parents entering the living room.
"Hello to you too, my little rascals. Are you insane?" asks Ross.
"No! We're just...mom, dad, what are these?" Lauren says pointing to the bags.
"Uhm...this is for our friend..." Ross starts answering, but looks at Rachel, and noticing her facial expression, he knows that she's ready to tell the baby news to them.
"Uhm...go ahead, Rach."
"What's goin' on?" asks Ed.
"Please, kids, just take a seat."
When they're confortable enough at the couch Rachel starts talking.
"Well, I'm...you're already big enough so I'll be direct with you..."
"YES, PLEASE!" they say together. Ross is right beside her and gives her an encouraging glance.
"Well, the thing is I'm pregnant. I mean we are..." she says pointing at herself and Ross.
"OH MY GOD, MOMMY!" screams Lauren.
"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" asks Edward.
"Yes, we are serious!" Rachel says smiling from ear to ear.
"Are you...uhm...are you back together?" Lauren slowly asks.
"Uhm...no, darling." answers Ross putting her on his lap.
"But, but..."
"No 'buts', sweetie."
"OK! This is so nice, so special, we are so happy cause we'll have another sibling, but our condition is still maintained.
"Sweetie, I can't do what you're asking me to do...sorry."
"But mom! This would be like the baby's first family trip. If you don't go, maybe he'll never have one."
"Pleeeeease, mom! Lauren's right!"
"I'm gonna think about it."
"YAY!" they scream. "Can we tell about the baby to our friends and cousins?"
"Yes, yes you can."
"Woohoo!" they head upstairs and Rachel and Ross are left alone in the living room.
"So...are you really gonna think about going to Florida with us?"
"Yes. Lauren did an excellent speech. Maybe she'll be a lawyer someday..."
"Yeah...really impressive, maybe she'll follow my footsteps and be a teacher." they smile at each other.
"Oh, please Ross..."
"I gotta get going now. Take care, Rach."
"I will."
"Bye." he kisses her on the cheek and she closes her eyes for a moment.
"Bye, baby, daddy loves you so much already." Ross says touching Rachel's still flat stomach and then heads towards the front door.
At Disney World - Orlando, Florida...
The family is on the 'happiest place in the world'. They arrived two days ago. There are five more days for them to have fun and enjoy the presence of each other. At night, they are enjoying a wonderful dinner at Planet Hollywood. The kids are in the gift shop. They planned everything to just to leave Ross and Rachel dinning alone, and there they are, talking about everything and nothing when an attractive woman approaches their table.
"Doctor Geller?" she says touching his shoulder with her hand.
Rachel analyzes at her from head to toe and Ross look to see who she is.
"Melissa, hi." he says smiling and standing up to greet her.
"Hi. I'd never imagine to see you here, and alone..." she responds as if she didn't notice Rachel there.
"Actually, I'm not..." before he finishes his sentence, Melissa interrupts him.
"You owned me a drink, remember?" she flirts. "Before the University Christmas party you promised me you'd buy me a drink and introduce me to everyone else...but you never showed up." she says touching his arm.
Rachel cannot stand this bitch hitting on her ex-husband right in front of her and suddenly, stands up throwing her napkin on the table.
"Well, I'm going! Good night, Ross!" she left without giving Ross a chance to talk.
"What was that all about?" asks Melissa laughing.
"Uhm, actually, she's..."
"She's what?" Melissa says while leaning onto him mischievously.
"You know what, Melissa. I gotta go. Here's 50 dollars. Go get that drink.
Ross knocks at Rachel's door and Ed opens it. He doesn't say a word to his dad.
"Your mom is here, buddy?"
Ed remains quiet.
"C'mon, Ed. Stop it. I didn't do anything wrong!"
"Then why mom was crying when she came up?"
"Ed, look...here's my room card. Go there with Lauren. I really need to talk to your mom."
"Can we watch a movie and eat ice cream on your bed?"
Ross take a deep breath and smiles.
"Ok..."
"YAY! LAUREN! Let's eat ice cream at dad's room!" and with that, they leave.
Rachel is coming out of the bathroom and Ross just glances at her, thinking on how gorgeous she looks while pregnant even in her PJ's.
"Rachel, what happened at the restaurant?"
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be sipping champagne with that Melissa?"
"She's a co-worker..."
"That's all? Did you have an affair with her, am I wrong? I can tell by the look in your eyes when you saw her."
"No, no..."
"Somehow I don't believe you."
"You're being unfair now. And you know what?! What if I did had a fling with her? What do you have to do with it? We're separated, remember, Rachel?
"Nothing..." she says looking down.
"Are you jealous?" he asks.
"Are you out of your mind?! Me? Jealous? Good joke!"
"Oh my God!"
"What?"
"You are completely, 100% jealous of me!"
"No I don't!"
"Yes, you do! And it's fine, cause it's normal feel a little jealous when we are in love."
"Yeah..." she whispers.
"I KNEW IT!"
"HEY?! Ok, ok, ok...maybe I'm a little bit jealous, but just because you are my children's father and all, not because I'm in love with you."
"You keep telling yourself that. I'm going now...good night.
"Yeah, you go! Night!"
Ross stops in front of his bedroom door and knocks. Lauren attempts to get out of the bed to open it to her father, but Edward stops her.
"No, Lau! Let's pretend we're already sleeping."
"Why?"
"Because if dad doesn't have a bed to sleep, he'll come back to mom's room and they'll share her bed."
"Oh right..."
"Then shhh."
Ross knocks one more time and since there aren't noises he comes back to Rachel's door.
"Rachel...Rach, open up!"
"What do you want now, Ross?" she asks opening the door to him.
"The kids are asleep..."
"So?"
"So...I don't have a bed to sleep tonight..."
"And what do I have to do with this?"
"Maybe...maybe we can share your bed. I promise it won't be weird..."
She sighs and then let him go inside...
-END OF THE FOURTH CHAPTER-