I've decided to fast forward this story so that I can focus on Campus Visit and Charades. Too Much will likely only have a couple of chapters left.
She spends the next two weeks personalizing her sublet, buying framed copies of posters she already has in New York and building an Ikea bookcase she really doesn't need.
She includes Es in most of her decorating choices and shopping trips, and it's the perfect sister bonding opportunity, except that Es doesn't actually know that Rachel is her sister.
All that is going to change on Saturday, when she has the official unveiling and Es and Jesse will see the completed apartment for the first time.
She and Jesse have decided that it will be the unveiling of a lot of things.
For now, it's Friday and she and Jesse are in his kitchen making brownies, impatiently waiting for Es to get home from school.
Jesse 'accidentally' smears cream cheese frosting (Es' favorite combination, and one that Rachel is learning to embrace) on Rachel's cheek, and is about to lick it off when the doorbell rings, signaling that Es is finally here.
"Hold that thought," he whispers quietly, kissing her on her clean cheek. It's been like this since the first night, obvious flirting with little to no payoff. There seems to be some unspoken rule between them that they are taking things as slow as humanly possible.
She's never really done that with him. Before, it had always been intense and rushed. She's more than enjoying this new dimension to their relationship.
Es bounces into the kitchen with her friend, Violet, making her way for the canister of frosting, and Rachel holds it over her head so she can't reach.
It occurs to her that in a couple of years, holding something over her head won't likely be an effective means of keeping things from Es.
Es is attempting to negotiate release of the canister while Violet giggles like a maniac, watching. Jesse enters the kitchen with a woman who Rachel can only assume is Violet's mother. She looks a bit frazzled and is dressed in mom jeans and a college t-shirt. Audrey and Jesse seem to be having an animated conversation until the woman spots Rachel laughing with the girls in the kitchen.
"Hi," the woman says, extending her hand, and Rachel can hear the surprise in her voice, "I'm Audrey, Violet's mom."
"This is Rachel," Es answers on Rachel's behalf, while making one final leap for the frosting. "She's my dad's friend from high school and she's famous and a Broadway star and she sings in Nancy Drew and she does concerts…"
Rachel is slightly embarrassed and is about to cut Es off, when Es turns to Violet and proclaims, "She's the one I told you about! I'm helping her decorate her apartment," she finishes proudly.
Rachel smiles at Audrey, "Rachel Berry. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Audrey Taylor and likewise," Audrey responds, unconsciously trying to smooth back her hair from her forehead. "You have a bit of icing on your cheek," the older woman points out, gesturing to the corresponding spot on her own cheek.
"I wonder how that got there," Rachel jokes, shooting an obvious glare at Jesse, who has the common sense to look chagrined. He tosses her a dishrag to wipe off the frosting.
Rachel sees Audrey watching the exchange with interest and senses that there is more going on here.
"Audrey works from home too," Jesse explains, grabbing the brownies from the oven, "We switch off bus pick up duty during the week."
"That's great," Rachel replies awkwardly, not knowing what else to say.
The two women stand in uncomfortable silence while they watch Jesse put the brownies on a plate and get plastic knives for the girls.
"Let's take yours to go, Vi," Audrey says, grabbing the backpack her daughter had discarded on the floor.
"But why?" Violet whines, taking a gigantic bite of her brownie, "It's Friday. We always hang out on Fridays."
"We don't want to interrupt. It looks like Jesse and Es have company."
"Please don't leave on my account," Rachel states out of courtesy. "Definitely," Jesse adds, "Rachel's not company, believe me."
"Either way," Audrey replies, eyeing Rachel's skinny jeans and flowy tanktop, "We're both a mess, and we should be going. We'll see you tomorrow, Es. It was nice to meet you," Audrey finishes, addressing Rachel, who smiles.
The girls say a dramatic goodbye to each other and Jesse walks Vi and Audrey to the door.
When Jesse re-enters the kitchen, Es is reaching for her second brownie. "Only one constitutes a snack, young lady. Go and get in the shower. We're going to watch movies this afternoon."
"Rent?" Es asks Rachel excitedly, and then squeals when Rachel nods. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Es runs off to prepare for her shower, and Jesse hits Rachel teasingly with the end of a dishtowel. "I'm holding you accountable if she has nightmares because Angel dies," Jesse states seriously, "It took her a year to get over the first five minutes of Finding Nemo."
Rachel shrugs, ignoring him in favor of something she would prefer to discuss. "Thanks for giving me a heads up about Audrey."
Jesse hears the sarcasm in her voice, and steps back, injured.
"I'm not sure what you're accusing me of, but I can assure you there is nothing going on between me and Audrey."
Rachel feels the truth in his words and the fight leaves her. "She likes you," she insists, stubbornly refusing to give up the point.
"I'm a likeable guy," he jokes, "But seriously, she has a crush, she always has. I'm not about to get involved with my daughter's best friend's mother." He grimaces, imagining it. "That can only end in disaster."
He sticks a finger in the frosting and brings a glob to her lips, then smears it around. "Anyway, I'm sort of looking to get involved with this famous Broadway star who sings in Nancy Drew and does concerts. Care to tell me what are my chances with that?"
"If you would stop mocking her, I would say your chances are pretty good."
He leans down to kiss her, and whether it's the frosting or simply her, they get lost in each other for a bit.
They are suddenly interrupted by Es, wrapped in a towel, who has come back to the kitchen to ask her dad whether her RENT t-shirt is in the wash.
Jesse and Rachel break away abruptly, but they've already been caught. They've been careful in front of Es, not wanting to confuse her, and not wanting to take a step they weren't ready for themselves.
They're not really sure which one is better to say first, that Rachel is her sister or her dad's girlfriend. An eight year old (or anyone) might have issues with those two categories overlapping.
It seems that fate has decided for them.
"You're not supposed to do that!" Es practically screams, running back to her room and slamming the door.
All the times Rachel has envisioned Es' reaction in the last couple of weeks, this was never it. She looks up at Jesse, heartbroken, and whispers to him that she's sorry. He sighs, tells her to wait in the kitchen, and makes his way to his daughter's room.
He knocks once on Es's door, tells her that he's coming in. She's lying on her bed, hugging one of her pillows. His eight-year-old daughter is throwing her first teenage tantrum. All of a sudden, he feels ancient.
"Okay drama queen," he starts, hitting her playfully with another pillow. "What was that outburst about? I really like Rachel and I kissed her. I thought you liked Rachel too."
"I love Rachel, but that's not how it's supposed to go!" Es complains. "You're supposed to like Audrey and Vi and I are supposed to be sisters. We have it all planned out!"
"I see," Jesse says slowly, "And how long has this been the plan?"
"Since summer. That way, I get a new mom and a sister. Rachel was supposed to help. She's good at picking out things, and she can help Audrey to look nice so that you'll get married."
Jesse chuckles at Es's simple logic, ponders where to go next. "I'm going to be honest with you, Es. Audrey and I are never going to get married."
"But," he pauses, "What if I could give you a real sister?"
"How?"
"Well, you know I'm not your real dad, right?" It had always been a necessary distinction, but he still feels a pain in his chest every time he admits it.
Es sniffles and nods, "But you're better because mommy chose you just for me."
"That's right. But I never told you that your mommy had another baby a long time ago and she chose two other dads to raise her, sort of like you, because they wanted a baby so much and she wanted to help them." He anxiously awaits her reaction after delivering the story that he and Rachel had agreed upon.
"So I have a sister?"
"You have an amazing sister who already loves you so much, and takes you shopping, and lets you watch RENT even though your dad says you're too young."
He sees Es' eyes light up in recognition and he swears it warms his soul.
"Rachel?"
Jesse nods, "We were going to tell you tomorrow."
"And," he continues, "I should have told you from the start that Rachel isn't only my friend. I've loved her since high school and now we're trying to make things work between us."
"Does she love you back?"
"I don't know, but I hope so."
Es squeals with excitement. "We can come up with a plan."
"No more plans!" Jesse chides her, ruffling her hair.
"Vi thinks that Rachel is too cool for you 'cause she's famous," Es explains, "But I think that she just wants to be sisters."
Jesse calls Rachel into the room and there are hugs and further explanations, because Es, understandably, has a lot of questions.
"Does this mean you're staying in California?" Es asks Rachel, after they've made plans to go out to dinner to celebrate.
"For now," Rachel says, squeezing Jesse's hand in reassurance. "I don't want to leave you guys."
"So what about Tyler?" Es asks, "You told him you weren't sure when you were going back to New York. I heard you on the phone in Bed, Bath, and Beyond."
"He's nobody important." Rachel assures her, but she does not meet Jesse's questioning eyes. "I'm not going anywhere."
After dinner and RENT, Jesse puts on a pot of coffee and waits for Rachel to join him after singing Es to sleep. She knows what conversation is coming. He'd been nice enough to not raise Tyler again in front of Es, but she knows that he has anything but forgotten about him.
She walks into the kitchen and is greeted with Jesse's sarcastic echo of her earlier statement, "Thanks for giving me the heads up about Tyler."
"Can we not ruin tonight?" Rachel pleads half-heartedly, knowing that it won't matter. "He really is not important."
Jesse refuses to give up. "Ex-boyfriend?"
"Fiance."
Jesse whips around to face her, neglecting the coffee machine. "Current?"
"He seems to think so," Rachel whispers, "But no."
"You are unbelievable," Jesse states accusingly. "I've been nothing but honest with you."
"You have," Rachel stresses, "And I can't tell you how much I appreciate that, how much I love you for it."
"Not enough to return the sentiment, obviously."
She walks up to him and grabs his arms when he tries to push her away, closing the gap until they are only inches apart.
"Do I look like a girl that lets her boyfriend beat her?" She whispers it, looking him dead in the eye, watches as he understands the meaning behind her words and his arms drop, taking her hands with them.
"I didn't think so either. But I did, for years. And I only left when I lost the baby I didn't even know I was carrying."
Jesse reaches up to caress her face, his thumb catching her tears before they are able to make much of an impact.
"So, I came here, because I need you and I need her."
"Rach…"
She turns away from him, wiping her tears herself with her arms, grabbing her keys off the counter and heading for the door.
"I don't want to talk about it anymore."
Next up: Lima comes to LA
Sorry that this story is now so rushed :(. If you haven't yet, check out my new chapter story Charades. I should have the new Campus Visit chapter up by the end of the weekend. Thanks for all the support, guys!