Every year Rachel promised Emma they would spend the holidays in New York with Ross, but something with work always came up, and this time was no different. It’s not like Rachel didn’t miss New York or her friends. Sometimes she missed home so much that she questioned her decision of not getting off the plane when Ross chased her to the airport like a scene straight out of a rom-com. But she also knew that moving to Paris was what she truly wanted and was just scared, but it was the good kind of scared, like when she moved to New York scared or when she was going to have Emma scared. Every time she took a leap and did something that pushed her out of her comfort zone, things worked out for the best.
She was now an executive at Louis Vuitton headquarters. Emma was enrolled in the best Pre School in the city and Rachel was living a life she couldn’t even dream of. She couldn’t have imagined that the spoiled 24-year-old who lived with her parents and was marrying an orthodontist she didn’t love, turned into a single mom in her thirties thriving in the fashion capital of the world. It’s crazy how that one decision of leaving Barry at the altar changed her entire course of life.
Three days before Christmas, the doorbell rang, and on the other side of the door was Ross, as Phoebe would say Rachel’s lobster. He’s older now but still hasn’t learned to quantify his hair gel accurately. Rachel was flabbergasted; it really was him, he was here, in Paris, to spend Christmas with them. Emma ran and jumped into his arms as soon as Rachel let go of him. They spent the next few days showing Ross around Paris. Rachel would still pretend to doze off every time Ross geeked out about history or museums but secretly loved to see the glimmer in his eyes when he talked about these things.
Ross accompanied Rachel to the Louis Vuitton Christmas party, where she was being honored with an award for her exceptional contribution to the brand. Ross was so proud of the life Rachel had built for her and Emma here in Paris. Later, that evening they slow-danced to “The Way You Look Tonight” and Ross realized his feelings for Rachel did not fade away with time or the distance between them. Reminiscing about their time in Las Vegas, they didn’t stop at a few drinks as they promised and the rest of the night was just a big blur.
A couple of weeks flew by since Ross had left, and Rachel found herself at the local medical store after spending an entire morning throwing up in the office bathroom. She couldn’t wrap her head around what had happened. Rachel couldn’t shake the feeling of this bittersweet déjà vu. With Ross and Rachel’s history, another baby on the way would mean her leaving Paris and moving back to NYC. She could always choose to hide this from Ross, but she could never do this to him. Rachel knew how much he loved Ben and Emma but could live with neither.
She decided to call him up, expecting him to get all worked up as he does. When he answered, Rachel, cleared her throat and began, “Um, Ross, I need to tell you something. Just promise me you won’t freak out? Ok?”
He said, “ Rach, what is it? Is Emma okay? Are you okay?”
Rachel took a sharp breath in and decided just to rip the bandaid off and said, “We are having another baby. You’re going to be a dad again.”
Ross froze for a minute there, he wanted to say something, but nothing would come out of his mouth.
Finally, he spoke with his voice breaking, “Rach, you couldn’t have made me happier.”
Before Ross could say anything else, Rachel told him she would quit her job and move back to the States so Ross could be a part of this. She’d make a sacrifice, and go back to her life in New York.
It was a cold January morning when Rachel was leaving for work with a resignation letter in her hand, and as she stepped out of her apartment, Ross stepped out of the elevator and stood right in front of her. The moment their eyes met, Ross held her, looked at her trembling lower lip, and kissed her the way he kissed her in Central Perk for the first time all those years ago and said, “I love you, Rachel Karen Green. I want to raise our kids with you, even if it means moving to Paris to be with you.”
Ross quit his job at the university and moved in with Rachel and Emma. He would be a stay-at-home dad for a while to make up for all the time he had missed with his daughter and support Rachel with her job.
Ross took Rachel to the local planetarium one night. They were the only ones there with the whole place filled with lilies, her favorite. The lights went off and the words “Will You Marry Me?” were written across the starry sky.
Now all Rachel needed was a designer maternity wedding dress.
Written by Kavya Cocasse for MTTN
Edited by Asma Abidin for MTTN
Featured Image by Adam Hester on Getty Images
Artwork by Aishwarya Ramesh on Pinterest
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