Hey, guys. New chapter, yay! I'm not going to lie. I'm happy with this one. I've spent so long perfecting it and I hope it makes up for the awful last one. I might re-write that one because I don't think this story deserves it. Anyway, as always, I digress. Please review :) It means the world to hear your thoughts and if you have any chapter or story ideas, I'd love to hear and perhaps make them a reality. You could private message me if you don't want to review. Anyway, enjoy! - Ella
Chapter Five
'Ross and Rachel'
Her caramel biscuit highlighted hair was roughly brought up to the back of her head in a messed bun; Tendrils of hair fell past her face softly brushing her forehead and the nape of her neck. Rustic gold earrings dangled from her small, perfectly rounded ears. Upon her petite frame she wore a pure white tight t-shirt decorated with a cerise heart in the centre of a ragged black square, and scarlet and inky black chequered trousers along with a baggy dark grey woollen cardigan draped upon her shoulders. She stood on the pavement gazing up at the suburban house in Westchester. The Mediterranean white tiled roof blanketed the egg shell rendered brick walls. Beige shutters surrounded the white edged rectangular windows. Shrubs with the all of the colours in the scale of green nestled in the grounds of the house. A dark mossy green pine tree towered above the two-storey house like Big Foot in a forest. Jet-black outdoor lantern-like lights lit the way to the panelled garage door. Tiles depicted the house number, 1298.
"Ross, baby, it's perfect." Ross raised his arm from his side and placed it delicately around her waist and pulled her into him.
"I know!" An excited grin spread wide across his face as he lay a light kiss on the top of Rachel's head. They began to approach the vast cream-brick driveway and happily knocked on the colossal oak front door.
"Hello." A cheery woman with a beaming smile and golden blonde hair stood welcoming in the doorway with a young child grabbing at her legs. She smiled fondly with her dark chestnut eyes at the couple standing tall in front of her like she'd known them all of her life.
"Hi! I'm Rachel and this is my husband, Ross. We're very pleased to meet you!" Rachel outstretched her arm to shake her hand. The woman pulled her into a lengthy hug to Rachel's stunned surprise.
"I'm Meredith. Come on in!" The woman maintained the same cheery grin.
Ross dropped his keys into the small viridescent glass bowl to hear the sharp yet satisfying clink of metal on glass. "Rach?" he questioned, trying to see if she was home. There was no answer. Calmly, he removed his raven-black tailored suit jacket and hung it on the coat stand in the hall. Underneath he wore an azure-blue and cream pressed shirt and a clashing desert red and gold striped tie. He slumped down on the sofa, phone in hand and dialled.
"Hey, man. How are you?" a voice echoed through the receiver.
"Hey, Chandler. The house you suggested, it's perfect. Rachel loves it. We love it." Ross started excitedly.
"Oh yeah? What's it like?" Chandler queried.
"There are four bedrooms, an enormous master bedroom, a room each for Emma and Oscar and a spare room. We even have an en-suite to our room. Oh, Chandler, the garden. It's huge, big enough for the dog we've always wanted," he sighed happily. "It's perfect."
"Our room?" Chandler chuckled, heartily "Dude, that's amazing. Does she know? About you know, it?"
"No. I thought we'd keep it quiet. Don't tell Monica either. I have an idea." There were slow, quiet murmurs between Ross and Chandler on the phone.
"Honey? You home?" Rachel called from the front door. She laid down her countless bags full of shopping and strode out into the living room
"Hey, baby." Ross gazed up from his slumped position on the sofa. "So, what did y'a buy?"
"Throw pillows and this most beautiful paint. It's mustard yellow. I know it sounds gross but, babe, it's lovely." Rachel answered, enthused.
"Are we redecorating?" Ross questioned. Rachel sank back into the abyss of duck feathers that she called a sofa. Designer, obviously. She looked up with her bright aquamarine eyes directly into his,
"No," she hesitated "But, I'm really excited about this house, Ross. And it's perfect and it's what we've always dreamt about. A golden retriever frolicking through the grass, chasing butterflies and sticks. Emma and Oscar can have a garden to play in and explore. You know how much Oscar loves adventures, and Emma, she's seven now. She loves to play. We could get a swing set, or a jungle gym. Or anything. The house, it's full of possibilities. It's our future. Together. As a family." Ross stared intensely at Rachel, ecstatic about her enthusiasm about this house. He only knew that this was the one. His future. His happiness.
"You don't have to convince me, Rach. I saw it. It is perfect. I'm just… nervous. I don't know." Ross stuttered and threw his hands down on his lap in angst. Rachel turned her whole body to look at him. They needed to discuss this profusely, in depth. She knew they couldn't just rush into this. It was a huge decision. He wasn't that sort of man. He planned, and examined every aspect. Every hindrance. Anything that could possibly go wrong.
"Ross. I'm being serious. Oscar and Emma and asleep and they're fine. We need to talk about this. We deserve this. What are you nervous about?" Rachel implored.
"It's a big thing. An enormous thing to do. Can we just uproot the children from their lives? Oscar's three, he's lived here all his life. Emma's seven, as you said earlier. She's lived here since she was two. She doesn't properly know anything else. She's at school. We have jobs. Can we even get jobs that are perfect in America that are like the ones we have here? You've got the job you came here for and you love it. I work in a museum, examining palaeontological things. I love it there. It's my dream job. What I've wanted to do all my life. If I could get that sort of job in America, it would be perfect. But Rachel, I'm not sure."
"I know. Emma and Oscar should be near their family. Their grandparents aren't going to be around forever. We don't see the guys for months at a time. Monica's their Aunt and they haven't seen her in three and a half months. It's bad, Ross. We've both agreed that we're not happy here. We aren't. We've both agreed that the house is perfect so what's stopping us? Nothing. I'm nervous too. But it's good. We could go over for a bit and find a job and then decide on moving. It's not like we're poor and won't be fine not having jobs for a while. Baby, come on. What's stopping us? Let's do this." Rachel urged. Ross mused for a moment, analysing everything in his mind.
"Baby. Let's do it." Ross whispered into Rachel's ear.