Brody Weston Juilliard graduate. Married to the love of my life. We're raising our daughter together and soon we'll be joined by not one but two more little ones. The whole twins thing was a complete shock but we're thrilled. Brochel 1x1
Rachel: She was surprised at how easily a gender reveal party had been put together. With the help of her friends they had put together something so special for the Weston's, and Rachel couldn't be more excited about the party. Brody's parents were able to come in having planned on a late summer visit to begin with, but her fathers would be viewing the reveal through video chat which was okay with Rachel. Just having a day that she a) didn't have to plan or lift a finger with and b) was created to be a special day for Brody and herself made her so happy and feeling good about herself and everything. The party was at a park, the outdoors atmosphere perfect for the warm day with decorations lighting up the place even more. Rachel was sitting at a small table with Kayla as Brody mingled. While the five year old still disliked the fact of having two new siblings, she was enjoying having some attention on her. "Are you going to help mommy and daddy with the reveal?" She asked her daughter looking forward to finding out what she was having.
Brody: Brody was more than thankful that they had friends willing to put all of this together for them. Rachel had wanted something special and this was looking like it was going to be just that. With the show starting to settle, Brody was able to relax a little more and he sipped at a beer as he mingled with everyone that made the trip to celebrate with them. Rachel was currently sitting with their daughter just relaxing and he smiled looking over at her. Their babies were growing more and more each day and by tonight they would finally know whether they were having boys or girls. Really it didn't matter to him, they were healthy and right on track, but it was going to be a relief to finally be able to start putting a nursery together. Passing by Rachel he kissed her head and ruffled Kayla's hair before moving to talk to his parents.
Rachel: Rachel smiled as Brody came through to say hi to them before going to talk to his parents. She and Kayla were enjoying some appetizers and people mingled around them. After a few minutes she got up to join the crowds not wanting to be a rude guest at the small get together. "This is amazing." She beamed as she hugged her friends hoping to do the reveal sooner rather than later, though she knew they had to wait for the sun to start to set for the color specific sparklers and smoke to show.
Brody: As excited as Brody was for all of this, his stress was also not exactly low. This was two babies that they were going to be having sooner rather than later and he just prayed that things didn't go as badly as they had when Kayla was born. He'd been approved to take two weeks off right after they were born to help out, something that he was grateful for, but as he talked to his mother he mentioned her possibly coming toward the end of that period so that she would be around should things not fall into a rhythm to help Rachel out. She seemed eager and he took a deep breath of relief before looking over at his wife as she spent time with some of her friends from school who'd put all of this together. It would be a little while still before the sun started to set and they could actually do the reveal but he just wished it would move a little faster.
Rachel: Rachel talked to her friends before moving to talk to her in laws for a little while. The party was going great with everyone enjoying the music and food. When the sun began to set she took her husband's hand as they group gathered in a circle. "You ready for this?" She asked him not wanting to light the sparklers until he was ready.
Brody: Eventually, it finally started to get dark enough out that they would be able to light the sparklers and Rachel took his hand as everyone gathered around. Rachel asked if he was ready and Brody could only nod, filled with nerves as well as excitement to find out whether they were going to have boys, girls, or one of each. Rachel's friends handed each of them a sparkler, one with baby one tied around the bottom and the other with baby two. Everyone else had plain sparklers and after looking at Rachel, Brody took the lighter and lit both sticks, breath held as he waited for them to catch and start burning.
Rachel: She smiled as Brody lit the sparklers and she watched as they both lit up and turned blue. "Boys?" Rachel asked as she watched the blue smoke fill the air as everyone cheered. "We're having two boys!" She said as it began to register and she hugged her husband. While she had been imagining their twins she hadn't distinctly imagined having both boys.
Brody: It took a solid minute for Brody to make the connection that the blue smoke meant that they were going to have two boys. Suddenly Rachel's arms were around him and Brody could only bury his head into her chest as a few sobs escaped. "Holy shit..." He breathed before cupping her bump with both hands. "Sons, we're going to have sons..." While part of him had hoped, he honestly didn't think that they were going to be boys for some reason.
Rachel: "Sons." Rachel repeated as she hugged him and then kissed him before pulling away as she had Kayla come up. "You're going to have brothers, baby girl!" She grinned as the little girl hugged her. "I'm still the only girl?" She asked and Rachel laughed. "Yes, still the only girl." With that Kayla grinned and Rachel shook her head knowing that they were on a wilde ride.
Brody: Brody couldn't help but laugh when Kayla seemed pretty thrilled that she was still going to be the only girl. Still in shock, he rubbed his face and moved to sit down. Not even a moment later, Puck was beside him placing a beer in front of him and Brody nodded his thanks before taking a sip. He was thrilled for sons, to be able to teach them football and everything else, but now it was all the more real that they were going to have babies around again.
Rachel: While her husband went to sit down, obviously overwhelmed Rachel hugged and thanked their guests were coming and celebrating with them. She was exhausted from the day but so happy as the babies, her sons, kicked her as she hugged her father in law. Thankfully her dads had been on video chat and she knew she had to call them as soon as she could.
Brody: Sitting and shaking his head as he finished the rest of his beer, Brody eventually moved to his wife, pulling her back into his arms. "I kind of feel like I'm dreaming right now Rach..." He whispered. "I love you so much." She really was the most wonderful woman he could have possibly imagined having in his life, they shared the same passions and they were building such a wonderful family to go alongside everything else.
Rachel: She laughed and hugged him. "I feel the same, well I feel like I'm having a slight nightmare because the thought of two boys is a little terrifying but I'm so happy. I love you too, you and these kids are everything to me." It was going to be hard, she already knew that it would be but it was going to be everything.
Brody: "Boys are easy." Brody teased when Rachel mentioned that her dream was a bit more like a nightmare. "Little crazier but not as much drama." They had enough of the latter with Kayla for sure so there wasn't anything wrong with two little boys who were hopefully easy going and just happy kids. Resting his hand over her bump he pulled her into a soft kiss before running his fingers through the ends of her hair. They were halfway there and he honestly couldn't wait to hold these two little boys.
Rachel: "Boys are messy." Rachel laughed. "We're used to our prissy girl, and by the way these two kick I can already tell we're in for it." She was happy though, so beyond happy to be having to new babies and boys at that. Looking around she sighed. "Let's go say our goodbyes so that we can head out when the last person leaves."
Brody: Rachel declared that boys were messy and Brody could only chuckle, she'd met their daughter, right? He was fairly certain that children in general, were messy and it wouldn't matter what their sex was. She suggested that they start saying their goodbyes and Brody nodded following her as they moved around the party thanking everyone one last time before moving to sit as they watched Kayla playing with the remaining sparklers with the help of her Uncle Noah.
Rachel: She yawned as they sat down just enjoying the evening. "This mama is excited to go home and lay down. These boys are fighting over who can put more pressure on my spine right now." Boys.. It was going to take a while to get used to that, even longer probably to come up with names for them. That was sure to be a conversation they'd be having soon.
Brody: "We can go whenever you want." Brody murmured sure that no one would mind. Even if they struggled to pull Kayla away from her Uncle he was sure that he would bring her home if they asked, probably full of sugar but home all the same. Gently his hand rubbed over her back unsure of whether anything more than a light touch would be wanted right now. Sometimes it helped and sometimes it only made it worse and he never knew which.
Rachel: "No, that's okay." Shaking her head she moved slightly to rest her head on his shoulder. "I want to tough it out and just enjoy being outdoors on this beautiful night right now. Watching our princess run around having fun with her uncle and grandparents. It's a rare moment that I want to take in. "I'll be okay with staying for a while longer, the pain isn't too bad."
Brody: Rachel insisted that she was fine and that she was enjoying the night too much to leave just yet. "Alright stubborn..." He teased kissing her head. "By the way, that's a trait that you at least have to take half of the credit for if these boys decide to exhibit it." He declared knowing that she was just as stubborn as he was if not more so. "Still can't believe we're having boys. I know I would have been thrilled with girls but I really am happy that its boys."
Rachel: "Yeah, yeah." She giggled. "I can guarantee that they'll be stubborn, there is no way that they can get away from not having the trait. That's okay though, as long as they are happy and healthy they can be as stubborn as they want to be...within reason of course." Nodding she agreed with what he was saying. "I was hoping for one of each, if we're going to be open about it. Mostly because since we found out we were having twins I've had nightmares about not being able to tell them apart."
Brody: "I have no doubt that we'll be able to tell them apart Rachel. They aren't going to be 100% identical and even if they are, they're going to each have their own personality that will make it easy for us." Already he was fairly certain that would be true so he really didn't want Rachel to worry about it on top of everything else.
Rachel: "As newborns though?" She asked feeling stupid for bringing it up. "Forget I said anything, I know it'll be fine. Mother's intuition and all of that. Just stupid dreams, it's the hormones." Shrugging she sat up from her place on his shoulder and stretched a little before watching as Michaela showed her grandparents the gymnastics she had learned in her classes.
Brody: "Of course it's going to be fine." Brody assured her forcing her to look up at him for a moment. "You know they're likely going to have different cries and different little mannerisms even as newborns, and if we have to we make them wear different colors all the time or paint one of their nails so that we never have to question it." Things weren't going to be easy but he wasn't worried about the little things like that because no matter what those boys would be loved and that was really all that mattered.
Rachel: She just nodded feeling silly about it all. "Think she'll be happy with her brothers?" Rachel changed the subject as she motioned towards their daughter. She was still greatly on the fence about the entire situation but had been happy that there wasn't going to be another girl or two taking her place. It all didn't make her feel any easier that Michaela would be happy around her siblings.
Brody: "Once they're here I think so." Brody declared. Yes, two new babies were going to pull some of the attention from her but at the same time, she would have the opportunity to be a big sister and spoil her little brothers. After all, the babies weren't girls and he had a feeling that would help the five-year-old as far as jealousy went. "It'll be an adjustment and she'll probably have jealous moments but as long as we make time for her I'm sure she'll be fine."
Rachel: "Okay." Rachel said softly. "She'll be okay. She'll show us that she's the big girl that we know she is." Their daughter was getting to big and so smart but she was still just a little girl. "Just need to figure out a schedule that works once the babies are here and we'll all have to practice patience.. we both know that me and Kayla are both out of practice."
Brody: "Just don't stress over it Rachel. Kayla is not the first spoiled little girl that has been given siblings and I'm sure at least 70% of those situations worked out just fine." Looking up he spotted Noah carrying Kayla back over to them. "Looks like someone finally wore herself out?" He questioned with a chuckle as he glanced down at his watch to see that it was definitely approaching bed time.
Rachel: "You know I stress, it's what I do. One of my many many talents." She murmured because she couldn't help it. At any given time there were a billion things on her mind, she didn't know what it was like to not be stressing out over something. "Let's get her home." Rachel smiled her heart melting at how precious their girl was.
Brody: Gently shifting Kayla from Noah's arms to his own, Brody held his daughter against his chest and thanked the other man before agreeing with Rachel that they should head home. "Yeah I think it's time to get all three of our babies to sleep." He mused, hoping that the boys would do the same so that Rachel could get some much needed sleep.
Rachel: "We'll see about two of them. They seem to be night owls." She murmured as she grabbed the box of leftover food and goodies they were taking home with them. It wasn't heavy so she didn't mind carrying it home. "Let's get home, babe." Rachel smiled just wanting more than anything to lay down and relax for a little while.
Brody: Rachel commented on how their boys seemed to be night owls and Brody chuckled before watching Rachel pick up the box of things they were told to take home with them. It didn't look heavy, certainly not heavier than their daughter so he let her handle it and placed his free hand on her lower back as he guided her out of the park. He was tired himself and crawling into their bed sounded pretty good right now even if he logically knew it would be an hour from now before he was able to get settled in.
Rachel: The walk home was brief and Rachel sighed as they walked into their apartment and kicked off her shoes before heading to the kitchen to put the contents of the box away. Once everything was in place she went to the bathroom to clean herself up. "I am so ready for bed." They hadn't had to lift a finger at the party but she was so tired.
Brody: As soon as they got home, Brody quickly got Kayla changed into pajamas before tucking her into bed so that she could sleep in peace. He found Rachel in the bathroom and he kissed her head as she mentioned being ready for bed. "Today was an exciting day." He agreed knowing that even if they hadn't done much, finding out the sex of their twins was enough emotions to wear them out.
Rachel: "Really exciting." Rachel grinned so happy that they finally knew what the genders were and how they had found out. They could have known so long ago at their appointment but this was a true way to celebrate. "Did you have a good time? I know you only agreed to the party for me and I hate when you are forced to enjoy something."
Brody: "It wasn't horrible Rachel." He assured her. He hadn't needed a party but they now knew they were having boys and that was really all that mattered to him. "It was certainly a nice change of pace." He'd been so busy with the show that stepping back was something he definitely needed. Right now all he wanted to do was curl into bed with his wife and relax for the rest of the evening.
Rachel: "It was a great evening." Rachel added with a small shrug but she was so happy. Having two boys was not what she was expecting but it was the best surprise and they had found out the best way. "Now we need to decide names." She laughed knowing that it was going to be a doozy trying to figure out the perfect names for two perfect boys.
Brody: Deciding names was certainly going to be an interesting affair. Of course, they hadn't had too much trouble deciding on Michaela so he didn't think that deciding on two boy's names would be all that difficult. "We have plenty of time for names, we certainly don't need to worry about that tonight. Let's just relax, today was certainly exciting."
Rachel: "I know." Rachel said. "But I already have a million names floating around and I know you do to." She laughed. "I do agree that we should relax tonight and just enjoy the day but I just wanted to throw it out there. Something to think about and work on. Maybe we can write a two names down a day and see what we like best."
Brody: "Honestly I don't have any names." There were so many other things that his brain was trying to process that names had just fallen way, way down the list. He knew it was something they needed to do eventually but the new apartment, getting a nursery ready, work, and everything was more urgent. And honestly, yes they knew what they wanted to name Michaela before she was born but he didn't think that waiting to see them was a horrible idea either.
Rachel: She couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Okay, whatever you don't have to be such a spoil sport about the subject. I'm just trying to have a conversation with you, but nevermind. I'm going to bed." Sighing she got ready for bed before lying down and gently rubbing her bump. She was exhausted and pained but so happy that she wasn't sure she could sleep. The idea of twins had originally terrified her and honestly it still did but she had settled on the idea and just tried to push through it everyday and make the best of it.
Brody: Rachel, of course, seemed annoyed at his statement and Brody just sighed blaming it on her hormones. He was completely drained and getting into an argument with her was the last thing he wanted. "Night Rach." He murmured, getting ready for bed himself before falling onto the mattress and letting his body sink into it.
Notes: Honestly, we’re not even really sure what this is about we’ve been at it so long.
Brody: It had been three days since Brody had left New York to travel to Boston for a week run of the show as a test phase before they returned to the city to tighten things up before opening night. He had been reluctant to leave his daughter and pregnant wife but he hadn't had much of a choice so they were making the most of it. Still, he couldn't help but worry so after slipping away to his hotel room for a quick nap he found himself lying in bed, dialing his wife's number on facetime.
Rachel: Things were crazy. Between Brody working, Rachel doing her own work and overall getting Kayla settled on the pregnancy and trying to help her be happy with it. It never felt like she was going to get a break. Brody was off in Boston for the week and Rachel had just finished with a vocal lesson and had picked up Kayla. "Hey you!" Rachel said with a smile as she answered the video call. She had just got home and was in the kitchen wrestling with what she wanted to fix for dinner.
Brody: While Brody's face lightened a bit at seeing his wife, he was sure that the exhaustion was evident. After all, he'd only gotten a few hours sleep each night, spending all day going over choreography again and again before spending the evening watching the show with a critical eye for things that needed to be fixed either because it wasn't right in the first place or because it seemed to lose the audience in one way or another. Repeat that again and again and he was both sore and fatigued. "Hey beautiful." He declared. "Just wanted to check in and make sure that all 4 of you are okay back there."
Rachel: "We're doing great. We just got home and I endured the longest story known to man from our sweet daughter. She still hasn't finished it and I have no idea what it's about. Really hoping to figure it out at some point before I die." She said with a laugh. "Now I'm trying to figure out dinner but I'm tired so it may just be something simple." Rachel continued with a shrug as she sat down. "How are you?"
Brody: Rachel looked good, if a little tired herself, and Brody just let his eyes take in the pleasant sight of her while attempting to listen to what she had to say. "I'm good." He assured her not wanting her to worry when she had enough on her plate taking care of herself, their rambunctious daughter, and their two unborn babies. "I'd give for something that's not take out honestly myself." He admitted. Besides the decent breakfast provided by the hotel, he really didn't have much time to eat and the food provided at the theater was never enough for everyone so he hadn't gotten much of it in the past few days.
Rachel: "I'll make you whatever you want when you get home." She promised him. "You look tired." Rachel said with a sad smile. "You look nice though. I'm really proud of you." She said honestly. "You're doing your job being the assistant choreographer. Making your way to the top." She said proudly.
Brody: "I'm definitely going to take you up on that." Brody declared, unable to stop a yawn from escaping as she mentioned him looking tired. "Ready for Boston to be done though so that we can come home." Really he was just ready for the show to be open so that his 16 hour days would finally end. "So everything is good with Kayla, everything good with the babies too?"
Rachel: Rachel nodded as she yawned and moved around the kitchen to find something to cook. "We're really excited to have you home. Especially Michaela." She said before extending her arm so that he could see her little belly. "The babies are good, having me miserable all the time still but I have a little more energy today." Rachel said happy that while she had terrible nausea constantly that she could still function.
Brody: It was clear that Rachel was moving around as she talked and explained that they were all ready for him to come home, especially their daughter. Seconds later his gaze was on her growing bump and he smiled a bit completely enamored with the sight. "Good." He breathed, another yawn escaping at the same time. "Is our daughter around for me to say a quick hello to before I have to go back?" Looking at the clock he sighed realizing he had pretty much used up all of his nap time but he had needed this more.
Rachel: "She's in her room." Rachel nodded as she moved out of the kitchen and into Michaela's room. "Princess, dad wants to talk to you." She said as she handed her the phone and grinned as their daughter smiled as she looked at her dad through the phone. Leaning in the doorway she watched as she began to tell him the story she had been telling her for over a hour now and shook her head. "Daddy has to go soon, babe."
Brody: With Rachel moving to track down their daughter, Brody closed his eyes for a half second before their five-year-old was on the screen smiling at him. She babbled a greeting before quickly launching into a story. Evidently, it was the one she had started with Rachel because his wife declared that he would have to go soon so she probably shouldn't get into it. "How are you princess?" He asked, shifting a bit in the bed while trying not to visibly wince from the aches in his muscles.
Rachel: Michaela thankfully moved on. "Good." She answered her dad as she moved to lay on her bed. "Mommy and I went shopping for the babies and she let me pick out stuff for them." She continued, which was something Rachel was hoping would help her like the idea of getting two siblings a little bit more. It hadn't really helped but there was still time. "Miss you."
Brody: Brody certainly felt homesick as he watched his daughter climb into her bed as she talked to him, mentioning how they had gone shopping for the babies and that Rachel had let her pick out things for them. "What'd you get?" He questioned with a tired smile, hoping that she was getting slightly more used to the idea of their little family expanding. "I miss you too bug. I can't wait until we get to come home."
Rachel: Rachel laughed as Kayla shrugged at her dad's question like she had already forgot. "Oh!" She finally said. "Blankeys. They were soooo soft!" She said. "When will you be?" She asked. "When will you be home because I really really want to go to see a movie and mommy said that you have to take me because the dumb babies make her tired all the time and she'll fall asleep during it."
Brody: Kayla shrugged and then seemed to remember that they were blankets. "I'll be home in 4 more days." He assured her, chuckling softly when she said that she wanted to go see a movie but that Rachel had told her that he would have to take her. "Well why don't you call Sophia and see if she wants to see it too, maybe her mom will take you both..." He suggested, wanting to take the pressure off of Rachel while still making their daughter happy. It would also be good for her to socialize a bit with one of her friends other than Beth for a change.
Rachel: Moving to the bed, Rachel tugged her daughter to lay with her so that they could both talk to Brody. Michaela looked at her at Brody's suggestion and she nodded. "We'll call them in the morning." She murmured knowing that it would be a good idea. "We can't wait to see you." Rachel said with a smile to her husband. "Like really can't wait." She winked with a laugh as she rubbed Kayla's arm.
Brody: After another moment, Rachel's face was back in the screen as well and he heard her mention that they would call in the morning. "I can't wait to see you either, and to sleep in our bed again." He almost said sleep period but he didn't want her to worry. When the alarm on his phone went off seconds later he sighed. "I have to get back to the theater to prep for the show."
Rachel: They both nodded. "We'll talk to you later. Love you!" Rachel said with a smile as Kayla repeated her words. "Take care babe, see you soon." She said happy that he was happy and doing what he loved. She missed him but she knew that he was doing the right thing for them and she couldn't be more prouder.
Brody: The call ended and Brody sighed, lifting himself off of the hotel bed with a sigh before he moved to wash his face and change clothes before heading back to the theater. This week was certainly going to be the death of him. Four more days and he would be able to go home to his family. Thankfully they were getting a few days off before they went back to rehearsals to fix everything that needed changed from tryouts.
Rachel: Four days went faster than Rachel expected it to. Thankfully she was feeling good and decided to prepare Brody's favorite meal so that he could have something home cooked as he settled back home. Kayla was ecstatic for him to come home, mostly just tired of Rachel having to take it easy from the twins and Rachel smiled as she worked on putting cookies on a sheet as they waited for Brody.
Brody: Overall, Boston had gone well, but Brody was completely and utterly drained as they took a train back to New York. He certainly hadn't eaten as much as he should have, nor had he slept more than a few hours a day. As ready as he was to see his family, he was also ready to just crawl into bed and not move for a day or so. Usually he would just take the subway back home but today he didn't even have the energy for that so instead he hailed a cab from grand central and just closed his eyes until the car pulled to a stop signaling that he was home.
Rachel: When Brody came through the doors Michaela was the first to run and hug him. Walking over she hugged him next and kissed him. "We missed you." She murmured as she kissed him again. "We've made you some food, your favorite comfort food and cookies for dessert, which need to go into the oven."
Brody: He had barelt stepped through the doors when Kayla was wrapping her arms around him. Rachel wasn't far behind, whispering that she missed him as her lips met his. Though the food she mentioned sounded good, Brody honestly felt like he might pass out first. "Can I get a twenty minute nap or so first? Not sure food would settle well with me at this exact moment."
Rachel: "Um, sure." Rachel said. "It's not done yet anyways." She shrugged before grabbing his bag and taking it to the bedroom for him. "We'll eat when you wake up." She said knowing that Kayla was going to be disappointed that he was going straight to bed. "Let's go finish those cookies for dad, babygirl." Rachel said as she picked her up and kissed her cheek before carrying her back to the kitchen and setting her at her spot on the counter.
Brody: Brody knew that his daughter and wife would both be disappointed with him but he wasn't sure that he could honestly stay up much longer. He was completely drained and after moving to change into a pair of sweats, forgoing the shirt, Brody flopped onto the bed before closing his eyes. While only food and a proper night's sleep would actually relieve his fatigue, maybe a few minutes would keep him going for a few more hours.
Rachel: Rachel and Michaela finished dinner and waited a full forty five minutes before Brody emerged from the bedroom. Quickly getting up, Rachel got the food out where she had been keep it warm and set the table as Kayla bounced up and down excited to finally be eating dinner and to see her dad. "I made you cookies!" Michaela said.
Brody: While Brody set an alarm for 20 minutes it was clear that his body had slept through it and when he woke up it was later than he had intended. Throwing on a shirt as he moved out to the living room he winced a bit from the volume that came with his daughter's exclamation. "Thanks princess." He declared, leaning down to kiss her before moving over to Rachel to kiss her and caress her bump as well.
Rachel: She smiled into the kiss and kept him there for a second longer. "Sit, let's eat." Rachel said looking forward to a nice family meal. "You look better." She commented knowing that the sleep was much needed for him. "We have no plans for tomorrow so you can sleep for as long as you like. Kayla and I will occupy ourselves so you can rest.
Brody: Rachel kept her mouth pressed against his for a moment longer than he had anticipated but Brody certainly wasn't going to complain about that. She mentioned that he looked better and that they had no plans for the next day so that he could just rest. "That sounds like heaven." He declared knowing that after the past week that was what he needed more than anything.
Rachel: Rachel nodded before motioning him to sit so they could eat. Kayla was already itching to dig in as Rachel gave her the go ahead. "Don't get choked or make yourself sick." She warned knowing that she was good with stuffing herself with food and then having a stomachache for the rest of the night.
Brody: Moving over to the table, Brody sat down and immediately reached for the glass of water Rachel had poured him, needing to down the whole thing. He was sure that he was probably a little dehydrated and the last thing he needed was to get sicker than he already felt after a week away. His wife and daughter and two little ones were counting on him and the last thing he wanted was to bring any more stress to their lives.
Rachel: Rachel smiled at her husband as she dug into her food. She was really happy that he was home, not that she needed him around to help out but because she really needed the break. Between Kayla being her little diva self and growing twins that weren't far enough along to have her feeling well, she was in need of a bit of a break.
Brody: Though dinner tasted good, Brody really wasn't in the mood to eat all that much of it. It was almost to the point where he had to ease his stomach back into actually having real food and nutrition. Finishing off half of his plate, he pushed the rest around for a moment before getting up to clean both his plate as well as some of the dishes that Rachel had cooked in. The sooner it was all done, the sooner they could all rest.
Rachel: "Thanks babe." Rachel said as Brody worked to clean up. It was something she truly appreciated and once she was done she handed him her plate as well before putting the leftovers away as Kayla finished up. "Do story time with her tonight." She whispered to him. "I know you're tired, but she'll appreciate it so much."
Brody: Rachel thanked him as he cleaned and handed over her plate when she was done. Then she got up to take care of leftovers before whispering to him to do story time with their daughter that night because she would appreciate it even though Rachel knew he was exhausted. He certainly wasn't going to promise anything long when it came to story time but he would either do a short book or a chapter of whatever they had been reading before if she wanted. That was really all he thought he could handle though because his body was already starting to ache and get dizzy.
Rachel: "Please." Rachel said softly. "She's been looking forward to your homecoming since you left, please don't disappoint her by going straight to bed." She continued needing to press the issue for him to understand the severity of it. Their little girl needed the attention from him, she had been feeling left out since the day he had left having not understood why he had to leave for work.
Brody: Rachel pleaded with him and Brody sighed trying to not snap from exhaustion. "I won't do anything long but if it's a short story I will." He whispered back just wanting Rachel to drop the issue. He knew that their daughter had missed him, he had missed both of them as well, but the past week had been more work than he had done in years and his body was now paying the price. He couldn't even imagine how the actors felt right now but he was sure it was probably the same.
Rachel: "Thank you." Rachel said before kissing him quickly and then going off to help Kayla get cleaned up from her dinner. "You made a mess, princess." She murmured as she wiped at her face making her whine at her before the little girl got up to hug her dad. "Thank you for coming home, she's driving me crazy!" Kayla whined. "Hey!" Rachel laughed.
Brody: Rachel moved to clean their daughter up and by the time he had finished in the kitchen, Kayla's arms were wrapped around his waist as she thanked him for coming home because Rachel had been driving her crazy. "Mommy drives me a little crazy too sometimes but we love her because of it." He reminded their daughter as he strained slightly picking her up. "Daddy will read to you tonight but we need to go to bed a little early because daddy is exhausted too."
Rachel: Rachel laughed but sent him a glare anyways. "Why don't you go have your bath, Mic." She murmured figuring some time alone with her husband would be good. Walking up to them she kissed her daughter and then put her head on her husband's shoulder. "We're super glad daddy's home, huh. Hate that he was away for even a second."
Brody: Rachel suggested to their daughter that she go and get her bath and then she moved across the room to them, kissing Michaela before resting her head on his shoulder. "Hate that I was away too but now I shouldn't have to go anywhere for quite awhile." With the test run done they just needed to tweak things before they made their Broadway debut.
Rachel: Pulling away, Rachel yawned and went to the living to sit knowing that Kayla was going to go take a bath. "Babe, come here." She murmured as she rubbed her bump. For as far along she was compared to how big, she was going to be huge once she was actually getting up there in the weeks and then months. "Look how cute my bump is tonight."
Brody: After a moment, Rachel walked to the living room and their daughter left to take her bath. When Rachel called to him, Brody moved to her side and heard her comment on how cute her bump was. "Gorgeous." He declared kissing her lips before sliding down so that he was kneeling in front of her, level to her bump. He hadn't gotten to really say hello to his babies yet and he couldn't help but press his lips to her stomach as his left hand moved up to cradle and caress it softly.
Rachel: "I can't wait to feel them kick." She murmured. "It's going to feel so weird, having two of them moving. I can't wait." Rachel grinned knowing that since this was her second pregnancy she was likely to be able to feel it much sooner, plus having two she was hoping to double her chances as well.
Brody: "I can't either." Brody admitted. Yes, Rachel was definitely showing, but Brody knew that it would feel all the more real when he was actually able to feel the babies. Soon they should be able to find out the genders as well and that was something that would also make it all the more real. "How are you feeling?" He murmured hoping that she was hanging in there and that the morning sickness was starting to ebb a bit.
Rachel: Rachel smiled and ran her fingers through his hair. "I'm okay." She said honestly. "I think I'm in more pain than I am nauseous anymore." Shrugging she smiled. "I know that in a could weeks I'll feel better and have a couple more of feeling normal before the rest sets in. I'm lucky to have done this before and know what to suspect." If this was her first pregnancy and she was expecting twins she'd be ten times as miserable.
Brody: She assured him that she was okay, sore but not really nauseous. "We're both lucky we've done this before." After having Michaela and the stress that came along with that pregnancy, this one was going to be a breeze even if technically it shouldn't be because of the twin factor. With one more kiss to her belly, Brody moved up onto the couch and groaned softly as he shut his eyes for just a minute. He was sore everywhere and really did need a proper night's rest.
Rachel: "I'd be in complete panic if not." Rachel said honestly. "Not that this is easy, it's not at all and I'm still in a bit of a panic if I really think about it but the process, knowing how I'm going to feel and all that. It's easier." She felt more relaxed this time around, for more than that one reason but it was all good. "I'm happy."
Brody: "I'm happy too. We're bringing two babies into this world that are going to be so very loved." He assured her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Figuring that Kayla would be wrapping up soon he turned his head towards the bathroom before speaking. "Why don't you go start getting ready for bed, once Kayla is done I'll read to her and then we can hit the hay for the night."
Rachel: She nodded and kissed him before getting off the couch and heading into their bedroom. Getting changed she settled on the bed and raised her shirt as she rubbed her little bump and just closed her eyes, finding the motion to be the most relaxing. When Brody came in she opened them and smiled. "She enjoy her story?"
Brody: With his wife going to settle in, Brody locked the house up and then found their daughter as she was changing into her pajamas. After reading her a short story, he tucked her into bed and then headed to climb back into his for the first real sleep since he left. There he found Rachel rubbing at her bumb and her eyes fluttered open upon hearing his footsteps. "She did." He nodded, quickly shedding his shirt and sweats to leave him in just his boxers as he moved to cuddle.
Rachel: "That's good." She smiled as she moved to cuddle with him. "I really did miss you." Rachel whispered. "Though just as much as I missed you, I'm so proud of all the hard work you're doing with the choreographer. He must be really proud of you too." She added as she rubbed his side and kissed him. "Though we have tons to do now that you're home so you do need to get rested up."
Brody: Having Rachel against his side was something that Brody had missed all week long. She declared that though she had missed him. she was proud of him too and Brody could only kiss her back before groaning when she mentioned everything that they needed to do. He really didn't need that reminder. "Give me a day or two to recover from not sleeping or eating for a week and then we'll talk."
Rachel: "you really need to take care of yourself." She whispered. It was like he hadn't learned anything from her own eating disorder, while the two were completely unrelated and hers was completely mental while he just hadn't had time. She still didn't want to see him in the same position. "I worry about you so much already, please don't make me worry more."
Brody: "I was busy." Brody declared shrugging. "You don't need to worry about me. You know I like food too much to let anything other than lack of time stop me." He reminded her as he yawned and shifted a bit in bed. It had just been hard with everything else going on. Really he felt like the lack of sleep was impacting him more than the food.
Rachel: "You know that I'm always going to worry about you." Rachel said with a small smile. "There is no if and buts about it. It's just going to always happen just like you always worry about me. It's the married life and the parent life, it comes with the territory." Kissing him she sighed. "I'm just happy you are home and safe with me and our girl and these two babies."
Brody: "I know you are, but you shouldn't." He repeated, though any will he would normally have to argue about it wasn't there. "I'm glad I'm home too and not spending 16 hours at a theater." Honestly, he probably had spent more than that everyday there if he really timed it all. A day or two break would certainly be good for him even if they had ultrasounds and moving to do in the next week or so as well.
Rachel: "I'm going to though." She smiled because she liked worrying, she liked that they still loved each other enough that they worried and wanted to make sure the other was constantly okay. It meant that they were doing okay as a couple and now more than anything it was super important. "Well now you can spend time with us, it'll be great."
Brody: "I don't know about great. Not if Kayla is her exhausting self first thing." Brody mused. He really needed to just let his body catch back up after everything and while he loved his daughter she could be absolutely draining when it came to things like that. Especially because he knew that she missed him. His nap had certainly helped so he hoped a solid night's sleep would be all he needed.
Rachel: "Please don't be so negative." Rachel pleaded. "I can't take that, not right now." She had so much to deal with and all she needed was any sort of positivity form him to help her out. Sighing she kissed him and turned to get comfortable. "Night, we won't wake you in the morning." She promised as she reached to turn out the light.
Brody: The only chance Brody had to be more positive was in the morning and so he just kept his mouth shut as Rachel rolled over and promised that they would let him sleep in. "Thanks." He murmured, turning the light off on his side of the bed before closing his eyes and trying to will himself to fall asleep beause while his body needed it, his mind was spinning and not exactly cooperating.
Rachel: Brody thankfully still asleep when Rachel got up for the day. Getting a shower she went through her weekly routine before starting breakfast as Kayla woke up and padded to the kitchen. "Pancakes this morning, bug?" She asked as Michaela nodded sleepily and sat down at the table her eyes still half closed.
Brody: Before Brody actually fell asleep, he entered a half-lucid state where his body wouldn't move but his brain was far too active for his liking. He recalled looking at the clock reading 2am before everything went black. Honestly, he wasn't even sure what time it was when he finally woke up, but the apartment was quiet and that was something that he hadn't been expecting.
Rachel: The girls had their breakfast, Rachel setting some aside for Brody to warm if he wanted when he got up. Once they were done, they settled on the couch and started a movie which Rachel was grateful for. Feeling achy and tired she just held her baby girl for as long as she would let her, it wouldn't be long until she had three babies to hold.
Brody: Brody felt a bit better when he woke up even if the entire week's worth of soreness hit him all at once. Popping one if his heavier meds, he moved to get another shower, even if he'd just had one the night before. He needed to loosen up a bit before doing anything else and there was nothing better than hot water pounding on your back to ease some of the tension. Maybe he and Rachel could trade off massages later.
Rachel: She heard Brody go into the shower and shifted slightly on the couch so that he could sit with them when he got out. "Hey, babe." She smiled when he came in the room. "There is breakfast in the toaster oven for you to warm if you want it." Rachel smiled as she rubbed Kayla's back who was snoozing on her as they watched the movie.
Brody: After the water started to cool, Brody stepped out and slipped into a pair of sweats and a loose shirt before moving out to the living room. Rachel mentioned breakfast waiting for him and he nodded in thanks even though he wasn't all that hungry. Instead, he grabbed a banana and a few of the berries they had in the fridge as well as some protein powder and ice to make himself a quick smoothie. It would go down easy and hopefully it would help his body regain some much needed energy. Looking over to his girls he saw Kayla sleeping on Rachel's lap as they watched a movie. "How is she still tired?" He mumbled completely baffled at how she was sleeping this soon after waking up.
Rachel: "She's just being lazy." Rachel commented as she poked their daughter's side making her squirm before swatting it away. "Stop." Kayla mumbled as she opened her eyes. "See, lazy." She teased as she moved the five year old slightly so that her dad could sit down with them. "Good shower?" She asked hoping he was feeling better.
Brody: Once his smoothie was blended, Brody moved back to the couch and Rachel declared that their daughter was just being lazy. Kayla squirmed upon being poked and then was shifted to make room for him. "It wasn't bad. Still feel like I've been hit by a truck." He murmured just sipping slowly at the drink. Today was a day to do very little and hopefully it would be enough for him to be back to normal tomorrow.
Rachel: "Hopefully you'll start feeling better." Rachel murmured as she looked over at him with a smile. "I have to go to my lesson today but there isn't anything you need to do, I'll go to the grocery market while I'm out and take care of everything." She promised as she rubbed Michaela's back absentmindedly.
Brody: Rachel assured him that there was nothing he needed to do today. She mentioned having her lesson and stopping at the store but that she would take care of everything. "Sounds good to me." Brody murmured knowing that he would need to make it up to her once he was feeling better because he was sure that she was just as exhausted with the babies and everything she had needed to keep up with at home.
Rachel: She just nodded and focused on the movie for a few more minutes before urging Kayla to get up. Once she was, Rachel went and got ready for the day. Sitting down on the bed she sighed and rubbed her back and closed her eyes before standing up and forcing herself to be productive. Heading into the kitchen once she was ready she cleaned up the breakfast he hadn't ate and tossed it before rinsing off the dishes and loading them up, making sure he didn't have to do a thing. "I'll be back later." Rachel said once she was done.
Brody: When Rachel got up, Kayla shifted to rest against him and Brody flipped channels on the tv, not really having any desire to watch what they had had on. After a few minutes Rachel moved to the kitchen and he could hear her cleaning up from breakfast before she grabbed her things to leave. "Be safe. Love you." Brody murmured motioning her over so that he could kiss her lips and then her bump. "Don't push yourself." He added as a reminder not wanting anything to happen to her or the babies.
Rachel: "I'll be fine." Rachel said as she kissed him back quickly. "Have fun doing nothing." She added. "Love you too." Kissing Michaela's head she smiled slightly before heading to the door. "I'll only be a couple of hours, don't make your dad do anything, Kayla." She called back knowing that Brody probably didn't want to watch Kayla when she could be rambunctious. Closing the door behind her she sighed and started out to meet her student and run her errands.
Brody: He knew that she would be fine but he still worried about her, especially now. Rachel called over her shoulder to their daughter to not make him do anything and Brody smiled in appreciation because he just wasn't in the mood to move. Thankfully, the pain meds were starting to kick in and help ease some of his discomfort but he was still not feeling very well and he knew his body needed to just take it easy and do nothing but watch tv and take a nap in a few hours.
Rachel: Rachel went straight for her lesson and worked with her first student for a good hour before calling it a day and her second for another before she was finished with her lessons. She was currently working with four different students and was really enjoying teaching and strengthening their voices. It was amazing to see them hit notes that they couldn't hit even a week ago. Once she was done she ran the few errands she had before heading to the store. Carrying twins, though she was still early in her pregnancy was exhausting and getting around was already taking twice as long as her body adjusted to carrying two babies. Yawning as she entered the apartment building after buying everything the needed, she groaned when the elevator was once again out of order and began the long trek up to the door. Putting the bags down she opened the door before picking them back up and heading inside to the kitchen.
Brody: It wasn't too long before Brody's eyes refused to stay open from the meds and so gingerly he got up and urged Kayla to come lay in bed with him. The moment his head hit the pillow he was out again and he didn't stir until he felt Rachel's fingers pushing hair away from his face. "Lay down with us?" He requested almost inaudibly as his hand moved from under the blankets to wrap around her waist, tugging gently.
Rachel: She put some stuff away before going to check in on her family. "I have stuff to put away." Rachel whispered before leaning down and kissed his forehead. "Go back to sleep." She insisted before pulling back and heading out of the room so that he could do just that. Kayla wasn't all the way asleep but she could tell she was content for a few minutes before she knew she'd get up wanting to move around with Rachel.
Brody: He wasn't thrilled that Rachel wouldn't stay but it also didn't take long for the medicine to knock him out again. There was a reason they still had these pills, they certainly didn't take them often because it completely incapicitated you for most of the day. Even unconscious, Brody made a note to himself to do something nice for his wife because she certainly deserved it.
Rachel: It didn't take too long for her daughter to get up and she began to help Rachel with the things she had bought before settling in her room with her video game. Rachel put dinner in a crockpot before giving the apartment a good cleaning. Yawning when she was done with everything but vacuuming she sat down to go through bills and set her schedule for the next week.
Brody: Brody woke up completely parched and after throwing off the covers he stumbled to the kitchen to get a glass of water. One was quickly downed and refilled, as was half of the seconds before Brody felt slightly steadier and rubbed at his face while groaning. On the bright side he wasn't nearly as sore as he had been before he crawled into bed, he took that as a slight amount of progress in becoming himself again.
Rachel: She watched from her spot at their desk in the living room as he went into the kitchen, happy that he was awake. "Eat something." She murmured as she searched the internet for things for twins. There was so much to consider, especially with their impending move. The thought made her groan as she looked around at everything that needed to be packed.
Brody: His wife called out that he needed to eat something and Brody groaned totally not in the mood for anything. He knew she was right though and so he reached into a cabinet just grabbing can of chicken noodle soup, pouring it into a pot and putting it on medium on the stovetop. Even if he just managed the broth it would be something and he would do his best to eat the noodles as well to get something a little more solid in his stomach.
Rachel: "Thank you." She called out when she heard him fixing something. Sighing she got up and grabbed a box and began to stack books into it, if they didn't get anything started they'd never be ready to move. Brody being gone for a week had came at the absolute wrong time and his recovery was going to stall them more. "The elevator is out again." She mentioned as she stretched her back and sat on the couch to organize.
Brody: Rachel commented on how the elevator was out again as she moved to the couch with a box to put some books into. "That's not good." He declared knowing that it would be really inconvient to try and move without it. He had been debating on finding movers to do most of the work for them and it was his next paycheck that would decide whether they could afford it. He certainly hoped that they could considering he had nearly killed himself working so hard. They were bound to get some massive overtime pay because of the intensity of the test run.
Rachel: "I already sent a message, it should be fixed in the morning." She commented. "Didn't make lugging all the bags up very fun but that's what you get for living in an apartment building." Most of the books in her pile had never been opened and she sighed and sat them aside to figure out if they really needed them or not.
Brody: Of course his wife had already contacted the landlord about it, he really shouldn't have expected anything less. "It is." He murmured though she really should have texted or called him to come help her. Hearing her sigh he stirred the soup before moving to sit next to her. "If this next paycheck is good we're going to hire movers. I don't want you stressing over all of it."
Rachel: She shrugged. "As long as all of our belongings get into boxes, I won't stress over it. That's the biggest part, the moving will be fine if we have enough people to help, if not movers will be a good idea." Though she wasn't too keen on the trustworthiness of them, but she guessed it would be okay if they could afford it.
Brody: "Babe that's part of a good moving company's job. They box everything up and move it." It would take a lot of stress off of her even if she was probably somewhat hesitant of trusting strangers with their belongings. Though it certainly wasn't like he was just going to hire some random guys off the street. He was sure there were plenty of trustworthy companies in the city, after all it was New York and people moved here all the time.
Rachel: Rachel sent him a look not sure if he was serious or not. "I am not going to let anyone touch our stuff except for the two of us." She stated seriously. "Absolutely not, there is no way we're doing that. They can move our boxes and furniture from here to our new place but no matter what they are not going to be touching my things."
Brody: "Rachel...." Brody stated, groaning softly at her stubbornness. "The last thing you need to be doing is straining yourself and we both know we won't get moved in time if it's up to me unless I spent no time with you or Kayla in the next two weeks." He was sure that she wouldn't want that either so they really needed to find a compromise here.
Rachel: "Don't Rachel me, I'm not allowing it." Shaking her head she motioned to the box and the several around. "I've been packing for a week. I can finish it, on my own if I have to. You don't have to do anything, at all. That's what you wanted anyways." She stated as she continued to add books to the box. "I can put stuff in boxes, I'm not letting anyone else do so."
Brody: Brody was too tired to fight with Rachel. He didn't know how to make her see that with everything she was doing she was putting strain on her body and therefore their babies. He would never forgive her or himself if something happened but it was clear that she just wasn't getting that. "You putting stuff in boxes means that you're lifting boxes which is something that you're not supposed to do and you know that."
Rachel: "I never said anything about lifting." Rachel clarified. "The boxes will stay on the ground unless light enough to lift. I'm not stupid, Brody, and I am well aware of my limitations." Rolling her eyes she got up to continue what she was doing. "Now, you can continue to patronize me, you can leave me alone to do this, or you can help, but I am not allowing strangers to pack my things. End of discussion."
Brody: He could only imagine the minefield that their apartment would be with Rachel filling boxes and leaving them sit. That seemed totally safe. Sensing that his soup would burn if he didn't return to it, Brody shook his head as he got up and moved to pour the warm liquid into a bowl. He certainly couldn't wait for this move to be over and he was half tempted to have everything moved without Rachel having any say in it. Neither of them needed the stress and it was only her stubborn demeanor that was preventing her from being able to relax and not worry about it.
Rachel: She rolled her eyes as he walked away. "I swear, Brody." She mumbled under her breathe tired of him never listening to her. Getting another box she moved around the living room just wanting to get things done. She was exhausted and had been on the run since she woke up but she was going to get things done, no matter what.
Brody: Not in the mood to deal with Rachel and her moodiness, Brody took his bowl out to the fire escape, enjoying a little bit of sunshine, something he hadn't really seen in the past week. It was definitely hot out and he knew that he should drink some more water so he made a mental note to fill a bottle when he headed back in. Rachel had literally told him he wouldn't have to do anything and now she wanted his help packing boxes because she had some twisted idea that they had to do it all themselves.
Rachel: She finished her book box and another of odds and ends before sitting down. Her back was throbbing but she knew not to ask Brody for anything, he was super tired after all and she didn't want to put her problems on his sore muscles. Laying down on the couch she turned on the tv and grabbed the pad of paper and started making lists to do for the next couple weeks.
Brody: Though he could only finish half the bowl, Brody figured it was better than nothing and once the heat started to get to him he headed back inside and rinsed the bowl before putting it in the dishwasher and getting some water. Rachel was now laying down with a pad of paper and he moved to kiss her head before going to check on their daughter. Maybe she wouldn't drive him nearly as crazy as her mother was for a few minutes.
Rachel: She could only lay for a few minutes before having to get up and check on their dinner. Adding the rest of the ingredients to the crock pot she sighed really needing her back rubbed. Debating over it for a few minutes she finally went to Kayla's room. "I hate to have you do something." She began knowing she was being passive aggressive but she really didn't care. "But my back is killing me and if you don't' mind.."
Brody: Thankfully, Kayla just wanted him to sit with her for a few minutes and Brody closed his eyes as he leaned against her wall while she played. After a few minutes, Rachel walked into the room and he had to bite his tongue not to say anything about her tone. She asked him to rub her back and he sighed before motioning for her to come over. He certainly didn't feel like getting up so if she wanted a back rub, she would have to come sit next to him.
Rachel: His sigh made her narrow her eyes at him but she still moved and sat on the bed with him. "Thanks." She murmured as she ran her fingers through her hair and then looked over at Kayla who had her nose stuck in her video game still. "Have you beat that thing yet?" She asked only to get a silent head shake.
Brody: Gently, Brody worked his fingers against Rachel's back as she talked to their daughter. The last thing he wanted was for her to be hurting but at the same time he knew that she had brought it on herself by insisting that she pack. It was hard to have complete sympathy for her, though he felt slightly bad that it was the babies that were causing her discomfort. She really needed to take it easy even if he knew she never would.
Rachel: "I've made a list of things that need to be done." Rachel mumbled. "Not packing, but everything else. Moving our utilities to the new apartment is proving to be a pain and I don't want to talk to any of the companies anymore so it's now your job." She continued just wanted there to be electric when they moved. "Everything else is fairly simple."
Brody: Rachel mentioned the list of other things that they needed to do before the move like moving utilities. "I mailed in requests for change of address with the last bills starting when we get the keys to the new place." Honestly, that was the easiest way to do it. It wasn't like utilities were really ever turned off in the city, it was just a matter of switching the name that was on the bills for each location.
Rachel: "Our internet and tv aren't being easy either." She murmured. "And the electric company called today needing more information so you need to call them." She added. Account numbers needed transferred and addresses and it was more complicated than what he thought. At least that was what she was finding in her calls she was making to make sure everything was going smoothly.
Brody: "Internet and tv will be fine. Stop worrying." Brody declared shaking his head as he rubbed her back. "You probably confused the electric company, we're not sticking with them, the new apartment is serviced by someone else and the quotes I was given are cheaper than what we're currently paying." All they had to do was hand this electric back over to the landlord and that was the end of it all.
Rachel: She just nodded not sure what to say. If he said it would be fine then she believed him. After a minute she moved away from him and leaned over to kiss Michaela's head. Sighing she kissed her husband and then went to the bathroom to freshen up. "Dinner will be ready in a hour or so." She murmured to her husband once she was done as she leaned in the door frame. "I'm going to do some more picking up, I think."
Brody: When she had had enough she moved away from him and declared that dinner would be ready an in hour or so and that she was going to do some more picking up. Poking their daughter once she had left the room he suggested that she go help her mom. He really didn't want Rachel doing any more today but he also didn't want to fight with her so maybe that was a compromise between the two.
Rachel: Michaela came out saying her dad wanted her to help and Rachel shook her head. She wasn't having a five year old do something that wasn't her job. She knew her husband wasn't going to do a thing though and sighed. "Go into your room and put all the books you aren't reading right now in this box and then when you're done we'll do the same with your toys."
Brody: Before he could leave the room, Kayla had come back with a box and started picking through her books to put them in the box. While that wasn't entirely what he'd had in mind, it worked and he sighed before moving out to the living room. For her saying that he wouldn't have to do anything today to recoop from the trip, she sure seemed to be implying that he wasn't doing enough and that frustrated him.
Rachel: Brody came into the room and she looked up from her place on the couch where she had stacked some news paper to wrap valuables. "I'll have everything packed within a couple days. Then you can call your movers." She stated as she wrapped up a vase and carefully placed it in the box with some padding in it. "Our glassware will take the longest."
Brody: "I'm going for a walk." Brody stated as he moved to get his shoes. He didn't know why his wife was in such a mood today but she was and he was done dealing with it for the moment. She didn't know how to let things go or accept help and so he was done trying to get her to see reason. He needed some air and a stiff drink, but the former would have to do for now.
Rachel: "You can't go for a walk." Rachel said. "You're dying of exhaustion and must sleep for days and not do anything." She snipped. She wasn't too happy with her mood with him but being pregnant and not feeling any appreciation from him at all since he came home had hit her hard without warning. She knew he was tired but so was she, she didn't get the chance to sleep all day though. That wasn't her role as a mother as it was his as a father.
Brody: Rachel getting snippy with him was the last thing that Brody wanted to deal with and so he finished putting his shoes on, grabbed his phone and keys and walked out the door. He knew Rachel had a lot going on but it wouldn't do them any good to be in the same apartment right now. Yes she had stayed home and taken care of their daughter as well as growing two babies and everything else all week but he had barely ate or slept working his ass off to be able to come home to them and provide for them. They wouldn't be able to move to a larger apartment if it wasn't for his job.
Rachel: He left and she sighed before laying on the couch with a huff. She was annoyed and it just drove her that much more crazy. She wasn't going to let it bother her too much though, instead she got up and moved around doing this and that before deciding she was done for the day and heading into Kayla's room. "That's good for today, bug." Rachel murmured as she sat on her bed. "Let's do some writing practice."
Brody: Not having the energy to actually run, Brody settled for walking around the city, taking in a few shops and grabbing a beer from a local pub. Rachel probably wouldn't be thrilled if she could smell the alcohol on his breath so after finishing his single drink he headed to a few more places before returning home knowing it was late and both Rachel and Michaela would be settling into bed.
Rachel: Rachel and Kayla practiced writing before the little girl was ready for bed. She was sad that her dad wasn't there to tuck her in and Rachel sighed and just kissed her head and read and sang to her knowing that it only made her madder at Brody and the fact that Kayla was disappointed was the worst of all. "I hate daddy's job." The little one whispered in a hurt tone thinking he had went back to work. "Love you, bug." She whispered as he kissed her head. Rachel laid in bed with her as she fell asleep before closing her eyes herself just trying to comfort her.
Brody: When he got home, Brody quietly entered and locked up before moving to the bedroom to change and lay down. Even though he had slept fairly well the night before and part of today he was still absolutely exhausted and was ready for today to be over. He hated fighting with Rachel but he also hated that when she made him always seem like the bad guy when he was just doing his best and being stretched far too thin.
Rachel: Rachel didn't wake up until Kayla was nudging her in the morning needing to move. "Sorry bug." She mumbled as she worked to sit up on the small twin size bed so that her daughter could go to the bathroom. Rubbing her face she felt so sick and sighed as she worked through the nausea and overall gross feeling that had enveloped her.
Brody: The bed was empty and Brody figured that Rachel was in with their daughter. So he climbed in alone and after tossing and turning for a bit fell asleep before waking up with the sun and moving to go make breakfast and pack up things in the kitchen that they weren't likely to need in the coming week. He was still exhausted but he felt a little bit better and had enough energy to at least do a little even if he would rather leave it to the professionals.
Rachel: Rachel moved from the bed as Kayla climbed back in and she kissed her head before padding out of the room and into the kitchen. "Hey." She said softly to her husband as she placed a hand on her back and started the coffee maker. She was allowed one cup a day and she made sure she had it. "These babies are being hard on mommy first thing."
Brody: He'd done a box and a half and the muffins were almost ready to come out of the oven when he felt Rachel's hand on his back. She mentioned the babies were being rough and he moved to rest a hand on her bump. "Settle down now in there, it's too early to be rowdy." He murmured hoping that she would feel better soon as she got herself a cup of coffee. "Breakfast is almost ready as long as you're okay with muffins."
Rachel: "I don't think I could hold down anything else." She said honestly as she sat down with a groan hoping the nausea passed instead of sending her to the bathroom. "Michaela went back to bed, but she may get up for breakfast if you want her to." They didn't really have anything planned so if the little girl wanted to sleep she didn't see too big of a problem with it. "Thanks for packing some." She added as she looked around, not really feeling as mad or passive aggressive anymore. She just needed sleep she guessed.
Brody: Thankfully Rachel seemed to be okay with the simple breakfast and sat down in a chair with her mug. She declared that their daughter had gone back to bed but that she might get up if he wanted her to. He wasn't in a rush to have her energy or deal with her grumpiness from not sleeping enough so he shrugged, figuring they would wake her up soon. "Yeah...hopefully we don't need anything I packed." He mentioned back, trying to judge where her mood was this morning.
Rachel: She looked around before shrugging. "Should be okay." Yawning she groaned as she forced herself to wake up and feel better. "I've never been so happy to not have lessons today. Some of my students are just exhausting when it comes to teaching and then actually grasping what they are supposed to be practicing."
Brody: "You know you should take it easy whenever you need to." Brody reminded her not wanting her to think that he expected her to do nothing but just to make sure she took care of herself and the babies above everything. He knew what it was like to be a teacher so he completely understood, it was sometimes a challenge even if it was something he still enjoyed doing on occasion.
Rachel: "I know, but these people are counting on me to help them reach their goals vocally and I really don't want to disappoint them. Plus it's not like it really takes a lot out of me to sing runs." Rachel explained. "Plus I love it, I do, it makes me feel useful and not just a stay at home mom popping out babies."
Brody: "I'm not in any way trying to restrict you babe, but if you need a day at any point take it, reschedule, one day every once and awhile is not going to hurt your students." He assured her. He knew she loved it, he just wanted to make sure that she didn't stretch herself too thin with everything else going on.
Rachel: She nodded. "I know baby, I know, and I will. Right now though, I'm going to push through until I can't do it anymore. It gives us a pretty good increase of income and with twins on the way I like being as active as I can be." Rachel said with a small smile. "Its really good to have you home, to talk to and just see." She said softly.
Brody: While he did appreciate the extra money and they did kind of need it, he didn't want her making herself sick or hurting herself or the babies. She commented on how it was good to have him home and he smiled softly as he pulled the muffins out of the oven. It was good to be home, for the most part, though next week was probably going to be just as bad as Boston had been with the extra weight of his family on top of that.
Rachel: She hummed at the smell of the muffins and moved to grab one once he had them out of the pan. It was hot but she broke it apart anyways and took a small bite. "Really good." She complimented before going to check on their daughter only to find her sleeping away. "Lazy bones." She chuckled as she went back to the kitchen.
Brody: He had barely gotten the muffins out of the pan before Rachel had snatched one and started to eat it. She commented on how it was good and moved out of the room before coming back a moment later. "Everything okay?" He questioned as he made himself up a protein shake to try and get his energy back to where he needed it to be before life hit him in the face again.
Rachel: "Yeah." She nodded. "She's asleep, hope she's not getting sick. I think she's just wanting to rest and relax though." Rachel added with a shrug as she sat back down. "If you don't have anything planned today, maybe you two can go do something? I think that may get her energy back up, she's really missed you."
Brody: Rachel just explained that their daughter was still asleep and that she hoped she wasn't getting sick. She suggested that he take the little girl to do something today because she had really missed him. He wasn't sure what they really could do and then he glanced over at the calendar and it hit him that they could go start some preparations on the apartment today even if they couldn't get keys full time just yet. Maybe he could take her to pick out a paint color for her room and they could start on that for a little while.
Rachel: He didn't say anything and she just focused on her breakfast and keeping it all down. Rubbin her bump she hummed loving how it felt beneath her hand. It was small but so perfect already knowing that their children were growing, even if they made her miserable a good portion of the time. Getting up, Rachel kissed her husband's cheek before getting a little more coffee.
Brody: Brody leaned against the counter for a moment just watching Rachel and he couldn't help but smile seeing her humming as she rubbed her bump. Their babies were going to be here before they knew it and Brody was going to savor every moment of Rachel's pregnancy that he could. "God I love your bump." He mused smirking softly at the feelings it brought up in him, he just couldn't help it.
Rachel: "I love it today." Rachel said with a laugh. "I feel huge and I'm barely far enough along to feel so huge." She mumbled knowing that carrying twins came with the feeling but it was something she was getting used to. "I feel good though, i don't feel really achy like I could be. Just waiting for nausea to past and I'll be happy."
Brody: "You aren't huge. You're just as big as you need to be to allow our babies to grow." Brody assured her. It was good that she wasn't feeling achey or anything though he wished that she would get past the morning sickness already because they had to be getting close to that marker. "You're all bump and it's adorable." It was certainly clear that she was just expecting and not that she was gaining weight for another reason which he hoped helped her confidence.
Rachel: "I know, I know." Rachel murmured. "I still feel that way though and that's just something we have to deal with, comes with the hormones." She said with a small laugh. "I'm really excited for my next appointment, to see how much they've grown and how they are doing in there. To justify how I'm feeling and make it that much better."
Brody: "I can't wait to go see these little dudes or princesses or one of each." He declared kind of ready to know what they were having because he almost needed it to really feel prepared mentally. "I'm also ready to have this move over with so that we can stop thinking about it and just focus on Michaela and the babies and not everything else."
Rachel: "I keep imagining all the scenarios we could be happening and each and every one bring me to the same anxiety that I don't know how to handle two babies." Rachel said honestly. "Though dressing two girls or two boys alike would be super adorable so I'm kind of leaning towards wanting the same sex instead of opposite."
Brody: "There are two of us, we can handle two babies." He reminded her. That was one each and while it would be a lot, it was going to be something that they could manage together, especially after everything else they'd encountered. "I just want two healthy babies." He declared moving to press a hand to her bump. "Though I may lose it if they're both girls. I'm not sure I could handle four of you."
Rachel: "I know there is two of us, there is a lot that the mom has to do though that you cannot." She mentioned with a small shrug knowing that she could do it. Women wouldn't be able to have multiples if they couldn't handle it. "I'm not sure what I want, though four of me would be a little extreme. Two of me is already hard." She teased.
Brody: Brody really didn't think that there was all that much that Rachel would have to do by herself once the babies were born. He still wasn't sold on 100% breastfeeding but he wasn't going to argue with her over it so they would just have to wait and see how things went. "Two of you is hard." He agreed, shuddering a little at having four of them around with her intensity. They needed these babies to have at least a little bit of his personality or they might go insane.
Rachel: "I know I'm so lucky for that little girl but man is she hard to deal with." She laughed. "She's a little devil and drives me insane but she's adorable so she's okay." She laughed again. "I'm ready for these babies though, to add to our family. The more I think about it the more I know that we're in the right time in our lives for two more children. Even if two are complicated and you don't agree with me on how to care for them."
Brody: Rachel wasn't lying when she stated the difficulty of their daughter. "We are at the right place to have our little ones." He agreed. Once they got their family where they wanted it they would have all the more motivation to be successful in their careers. Family would always come first because without them there wasn't a reason to take risks or to dream big.
Rachel: She hummed and looked at her little bump. "I can't believe I have such a bump, I wasn't even showing at this point with Kayla still. Now look at me, I have twins and it's so surreal." Rachel murmured knowing that she wasn't going to get used to it any time soon but she was always going to love it.
Brody: "I love your bump. I love you." He declared setting his cup down before moving to kiss her lips gently. Her bump was where their children were growing and he just couldn't get over that. This time they were happy to be pregnant, this time it was wanted more than anything and that was such a refreshing thing. "I'm going to take Kayla over to the new place and we're going to go pick out paint for her room."
Rachel: "and I love you." Rachel smiled as she kissed him back. Nodding at his plans she kissed him again. "That's a great idea. I think I might go back to bed and just make today an off day and get back to my usual stuff tomorrow." She deserved a day where she didn't do a thing and she was going to take it. Whether or not she made it without making herself crazy was an antire other thing.
Brody: "You should do that." While their daughter was exhausting he could handle her for a few hours and it would let Rachel rest with the babies for a bit. He really did want that for her because he knew that she was probably doing more than she should be already. Still, unless a doctor told her to lighten up he really didn't see that happening so he was going to encourage her to take a day when she wanted to.
Rachel: She nodded and kissed him. "So if you could bring home dinner that would be great." Rachel suggested not really wanting to cook if she didn't have to. She and Kayla had done really good and only ate out once or twice the entire week he was gone so their budget for take out was way under what it usually was.
Brody: Rachel requested that he bring home dinner and he nodded sure that either they could hit up a restaurant or a store to find something that would be quick to prepare. If she didn't want to cook, he certainly wasn't about to imply that she should. He could handle himself in the kitchen and it would allow her to relax and just take it easy today.
Rachel: "I'm going to go rouse the kid from bed." Rachel said as she got up and went into the bedroom and sat on Kayla's bed and rubbed her back. "You need to get up, princess. Dad mad muffins and he's going to take you out or a bit while mom rest." She murmured smiling when Michaela turned over and slowly sat up to hug and cuddle her as she woke up the rest of the way. "Get dressed and go brush your teeth."
Brody: While his wife went to go rouse their daughter, Brody moved to go get dressed and cleaned up a little himself after downing the rest of his smoothie. He definitely needed the energy if he was going to keep up with their daughter today. It had been more than a week since he'd had alone time with her and it would be good even if he would need a nap himself after.
Rachel: Rachel helped her daughter change before making sure she brushed her teeth good and fixed her hair. "Okay, you are ready with your day with daddy." She said as she kissed her head and sent her to the living room to put her shoes on. "She's ready." Rachel murmured as she found Brody in the bedroom and then kissed him. "Have fun today.'
Brody: Just as he was finishing up, Rachel came in and declared that their daughter was ready to go. Kissing her back gently, Brody then leaned in toward her belly to press a few kisses there as well. "You two tell momma to take it easy today okay." He declared before pressing one more kiss to his wife's lips before returning to the living room to make sure that Kayla was really ready to go out to check out her new room.
Rachel: Rachel was so excited for Kayla to finally see her new room. They had somehow managed an apartment with three bedrooms and another room that could serve as an office for Rachel and Brody. Kayla's room was going to be bigger than her current one and they were allowed to paint everything, which was Rachel's number one thing she wanted since Brody wouldn't give on a house. Once the two had left she sighed and went straight for the bedroom feeling exhausted, the week of Brody being gone catching up on her.
Brody: Grabbing his and his daughter's subway passes, Brody guided his daughter underground before hopping on the train that would get them over to the new apartment. It was clear she was excited by the way she was babbling to herself the entire time. Stopping in the office of the new building, Brody requested the keys for a few hours and then they headed upstairs. The apartment was nice, far larger than what they had currently and he knew that they were going to be settled here for quite awhile. Especially because he couldn't see Rachel moving again, until it was a house.
Rachel: It took ten minutes to get comfortable before Rachel was able to fall asleep. While her back was killing her, sleep overcame her and brought her bliss she didn't know that she needed. She overworked herself, it was how she had been her entire life and being pregnant with twins wasn't going to stop her. She just couldn't help it.
Brody: Kayla seemed completely in awe as Brody showed her her new room. They made a mental game plan of where she wanted everything to go and once she had gotten her fill of it and the rest of the apartment, she insisted that they go get the paint supplies then and there. Laughing to himself, Brody found the nearest paint store and the two headed back out into the city, Brody hoping that Rachel had been able to get some sleep.
Rachel: She slept for hours before waking up to Michaela running through the house yelling for her. "Michaela Avigail, what have I told you about running and yelling?" She hissed as she sat up in the bed as her daughter jumped on it going on and on about painting and showing off the color that she had gotten everywhere on her. "It's pretty princess, just like you."
Brody: After picking out paint, they spent a few hours getting one coat of paint on the walls before heading home. With Brody laden down with shopping bags for dinner, Kayla ran ahead and before he could stop her she was running back to the bedroom yelling. Sighing softly he moved to put things down before washing up a bit to start dinner. His girls were in the bedroom and he moved to kiss Rachel before murmuring softly in her ear. "Sorry...she was off before I could stop her with my hands full with things for dinner."
Rachel: "It's okay." Rachel said with a smile. "Something to work on though." She had a bad habit at yelling, she was only a child afterall, but once the twins were here she knew that they couldn't have that anymore. "I'm happy you had a good time." Rachel commented as she tugged off her paint stained shirt before any residue got on her clean bedding. "Go change, I'll be up in a minute."
Brody: Rachel assured him that it was fine but something they needed to work on. While he changed clothes, not that his were too bad, Rachel tugged off their daughter's far messier one and then instructed her to go change. Nodding, their daughter left the room and Brody took a moment to change back into sweats. "So I got the things for some homemade mac and cheese. Sound good?" He hoped it did because he didn't really have a back up plan.
Rachel: She thought about mac and cheese for a second trying to take a guess at what her stomach's reaction was going to be. Her favorite foods and smells were pretty hit and miss these days, Brody's cologne had been the biggest trigger. "It sounds good." Rachel finally said hoping her favorite meal would be in her favor in the long run.
Brody: Thankfully she approved and Brody kissed her softly before heading to get some water boiling for pasta as well as all of the ingredients to start a rue for the cheese sauce. This dish was first boiled and then baked and it was the latter part along with some breadcrumbs that made it so good. Kayla had clearly found something in her room to interest her because she hadn't appeared and he just hoped that she wasn't tearing things apart like she was known to do.
Rachel: Brody left the room and Rachel laid back down so that she could wake up properly. After a few minutes she finally got up and moved to the kitchen to watch Brody cook. "Did she really like the place?" She asked having been nervous about it. It was a completely different area and she was going to have to adjust to her surroundings and new people.
Brody: As he cooked Rachel finally made her way to the kitchen. She asked about Kayla's thoughts on the new place and Brody shrugged. "She seemed in awe over how much bigger it was. She absolutely loved her room and already has plans on where all of her things are going to go." He added just glad that the afternoon had gone so well. "We got one coat of paint on the walls. Speaking of, you need to help me pick out what is going in our room so that I can get that done before we move in."
Rachel: It was a relief that she actually seemed to like it. Humming at his request she sighed having no idea. "A light grey? or is that for the livingroom..." She said unsure of what she wanted. "I'll have to go and look at the colors to decide." She wanted everything to be perfect but it was hard to do that when there was a million things that she wanted.
Brody: "Light Grey was what we were going to do in the bathroom I think." Brody hummed as he added the pasta into the water before continuing to stir the rue. "It's a little blah for our bedroom, maybe a pale blue or light brown, something warm and relaxing?" They were waiting to find out what they were having before deciding on a nursery color, even if in the end they went neutral it just wasn't something they were discussing yet.
Rachel: "I don't really like blue." Rachel said as she shook her head. "A light brown or a tan would be okay. I could decorate with that." She continued feeling okay with that choice of color. "I'd like a bold color for the kitchen, I think." She knew she had to get on the ball with things, but she had been so busy she hadn't really thought of it. "I'll go onto a home improvement site and look through colors and design ideas."
Brody: The latter of his suggestions had been his preference but he wasn't going to let Rachel know that. He could live with whatever paint colors she chose. "Bold is fine with me as long as it's not orange." That was the one color he wasn't a huge fan of. She mentioned going online for ideas and he nodded open to letting her get some ideas before they discussed it all again.
Rachel: "Not orange." Rachel said with a nod before yawning. "I'm not sure if I slept too much or not not enough." She murmured feeling off. "More than ready for that food though." It was going to be a little while but she knew something in her stomach would at least give her some more energy, at least she hoped that it would.
Brody: With orange out as a color, Rachel yawned and Brody frowned a bit seeing how weird she felt. "It'll be ready soon..." He murmured knowing that soon was a relative term in the case. Moving the rue off the burner for now, Brody pulled her into a hug, kissing her temple. "You push yourself too hard." He whispered hating that she was probably burnt out. That was the opposite of what he wanted.
Rachel: "I know." Rachel said as she hugged him in return. "I'm okay though, I'll know when I've hit my limit." She murmured before kissed his cheek. "Thank you for worrying about me but I really am fine. I'm just doing things one day at a time and trying not to move from normality too much. I don't want to hinder myself if I don't have too."
Brody: "Love you and just don't want anything to happen to you." He declared as he pulled back from her a bit to drain the pasta before dumping it into the casserole dish. Quickly he added the sauce and breadcrumbs before popping it into the oven and grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. He handed the first to Rachel before taking a second for himself. They both needed to hydrate because he was sure that they hadn't gotten enough water lately.
Rachel: "Nothing is going to happen, I promise." She knew she was okay, a little tired but she knew she was okay. There was no sense in taking caution unless she knew that she had to. Taking the water she opened it and took a drink before setting it on the table and heading to the living room to get her tabler. Sitting back at the table she started searching for design ideas.
Brody: She insisted that she would be fine and took a drink of the water before moving to get her tablet from the living room. With dinner cooking, Brody moved to sit down for a bit, his shoulders sore from the strain of painting. He couldn't wait until they were done moving and they could just settle in and prepare for these babies to arrive.
Rachel: She scrolled through design samples. "What about a navy in the living room? Or using it as an accent wall." She suggested. "We can do a light color on the other walls and then our main wall can be the navy, or another color." Rachel continued showing him the picture she found. Just wanting everything to look nice and perfect for them.
Brody: "Navy is fine by me, though let's go with it as an accent wall because all navy would be very dark." He looked at the pictures she was showing him before nodding. He didn't mind really any colors other than orange, pink, and purple for main living spaces. She could pick the paint and he would put it on the walls, she just needed to do it soon because once he got back into work, time was going to be a rare commodity until they actually opened.
Rachel: Rachel nodded and saved the color swatches so that they wouldn't have to guess at a store. Going to the kitchen she wasn't sure what color that she wanted. "You can pick the kitchen." She stated. "I have no idea, maybe green?" The decorations would be easy, but the main color had her stumped. There was too many choices.
Brody: After watching her look around the kitchen, Rachel declared that he could pick the colors. "Why don't we just leave it for now?" He questioned softly. It would be one less room they would have to splurge on paint for since she didn't really have any ideas yet. Plus it would save him the time of having to paint it before they moved.
Rachel: "Or girls." Rachel grinned. "Or boy and girl." She added. "Or people, who can be whomever they want." Rachel concluded with a smile. "But in reality the answer is, just a little bit longer two little humans who are going to drive mommy and daddy crazy regardless and make mommy very very tired." She laughed and kissed him.
Brody: Brody could only roll his eyes at his wife. "I was using the term guys as slang, not actually claiming what gender they were...." He stated kissing her back before turning to flip the oven to broil so that the top of the mac and cheese got crisp and crunchy, giving it the perfect texture. Sometimes Rachel was so literal that it absolutely drove him crazy.
Rachel: "Okay." Rachel said with a nod. Tapping her foot she watched as he finished up the food before calling for Kayla to wash up for dinner before standing up and washing her own hands as she looked out the window. "I'm going to miss this view when we move." She murmured. It wasn't a grand view but it was pretty and she knew it would take some getting used to.
Brody: Brody kept an eye on the oven for a few minutes before pulling their dinner out to cool and cutting up a few vegetables to go with it. Rachel told their daughter to wash up before doing the same herself and commenting on the view. "The view in our new place is similar, actually the one from our bedroom is even better." There was a small park a building or two away and they were up high enough that they actually had a bit of greenery visible from their window.
Rachel: "It's not the same though." Rachel stated. "Our new place won't have the old couple who walk down to the cafe every morning no matter the weather, or the couple across the street who are always throwing things into the road." she mentioned with a small shrug. "You're right the view will be better, but I'll still miss this one."
Brody: "It won't be the same no. But I'm sure we'll find quirks about our new place to love." He insisted. There was no way they would all fit in this apartment so they really didn't have much of a choice but to move. Finding dinner cool enough, Brody carried the veggie tray to the table, along with some plates and silverwear before taking the tray of mac and cheese over as well. "Alright my little humans, mommy can feed you now."
Rachel: Rachel smiled at him and nodded, he was right, she just got moving jitters now and again. She sat down as their daughter did while Brody brought food over. "Looks great." She commented as Michaela babbled over how hungry she was and how painting was exhausting and she needed some food. "I wish painting had actually made you tired." Rachel teased her daughter.
Brody: It was clear that everyone was hungry and Brody almost wondered if the tray contained enough food. That was a foolish thought but it crossed his mind all the same. "Eat up." He declared as he pulled his own chair out after getting everything else settled. He was starving too and the food smelled amazing. "Make sure you take a few veggies as well." He told Michaela wanting her to eat as much of a balanced meal as possible.
Rachel: Michaela rolled her eyes and picked up a carrot just to show she was eating something. "Watch the sass, little girl." Rachel warned knowing that it was coming, she could just tell when their daughter was about to get mouthy with them. She was sure it was because she was nothing but her mother's daughter but she chalked it up as intuition as well.
Brody: Kayla rolled her eyes at him and Brody moved to speak, though Rachel beat him to it. Digging into his dinner, Brody sighed happily, it had turned out pretty good considering and he hoped that it was something Rachel could keep down. Her morning sickness had to ebb here sooner or later but he couldn't wait for it to be gone for good so that they could move on to the other aspects of pregnancy.
Rachel: "Dinner is great, babe." Rachel said as she ate. So far she felt good so she hoped things would stay that way. Still though she ate slowly just to pace herself some. "I think I may take a bath after this, go to bed early. I need to kick this feeling so that I'm not going the rest of the week feeling like crap for no reason."
Brody: He was glad that Rachel seemed to be enjoying it and he nodded when she mentioned taking a bath before going to bed early. "I think we all need to go to bed early. It's going to be a busy week." He had one more day off before he had to get back to the grind at the theater and they were moving at the same time so he was sure that he wasn't going to get a lot of sleep until it was all over and done.
Rachel: "Maybe, once she's in bed, we can take a bath together." Rachel suggested. They needed some one on one time together to connect and enjoy each others presence. It was probably needed more than sleep and she hoped he was up for it. Kayla was busy stuffing her face and Rachel smiled at how perfect she was, how lucky they were.
Brody: Brody smiled when Rachel suggested including him in her bath. He was never going to turn down spending some alone time with her because it did not come nearly as often as he would like lately. "That sounds nice." He agreed, reaching under the table to squeeze gently at her thigh. He was certain Kayla would pass out early and it would allow them some much needed husband and wife bonding.
Rachel: "Okay." Rachel said with a smile really happy that they were going to get some time together. It was so important to her and it would really help them connect better. They needed that more than anything. "I can't wait for that. Plus it won't be long until I can't even fit in a tub so I want to take advantage." She laughed.
Brody: "I think we have a way to go before we have to worry about that." He declared. Especially because the tub in the new apartment was a good size bigger than the one they'd had here. Getting in and out might be a problem for her soon but that was certainly something he would be willing to help with whenever she needed it. Finishing up his plate of dinner as well as some vegetables from that plate, Brody got up and moved to take care of some of the dishes as well as she small amount of leftovers there appeared to be.
Rachel: "I hope so." she murmured because she felt like she was getting bigger and bigger each day and that soon she wouldn't be able to see her feet let alone take a bath. "I think physics will be against me soon enough." Rachel continued with a small laugh before shaking her head as she finished her food and Kayla did as well.
Brody: "That's what husbands are for isn't it?" Brody questioned as he leaned over to press a quick kiss to her lips. He knew that she was going to be increasingly self-conscious with this pregnancy but he was never for a second going to see her as anything but absolutely gorgeous.
Rachel: "That and foot rubs." She giggled as she stood up and stretched her back before picking up the rest of the table and handing it all to her husband before heading into the living room and relaxing a bit. There was never anything on tv, not that she watched it to begin with. Most of the time it was on whatever Kayla had turned it to but she still like to flip to see just what she could find.
Brody: "Don't push it..." Brody replied teasingly as he took the dishes Rachel was handing him to clean up. When he was finished in the kitchen he moved to the living room where Rachel was sitting, sliding himself behind her gently. His hands moved to rub softly at her lower back sure that she was hurting there a bit before one slid around to rest on her bump. "How are the little ones doing?" He murmured, completely in love with the way her skin was pressing forward to allow their babies to grow.
Rachel: She hummed in delight as he cuddled up to her. "I feel like they're making sure they have plenty of room in there." Rachel answered. "Everything is shifting and it's the most unpleasant feeling there is." She continued knowing that her organs were moving to accommodate the pregnancy more and she could definitely tell. "I feel okay though, a little dizzy throughout today but laying here with you always makes me feel better."
Brody: Her response was that the babies were making sure that they had more than enough room to move and grow. Chuckling to himself, Brody rubbed her bump before kissing her head a few times. He knew she was going through a lot and really all he could do was be here to support her with whatever she needed. Her being dizzy was a little worrying to him but he just murmured that he loved her, especially for carrying their babies and continued to gently rub his hands over her skin.
Rachel: She relaxed against him so happy to be in his arms and that he was home with them. She got testy and mad at times but she loved him so much and it was the little things like laying on the couch that made it all that much better. "All the boxes stress me out." She mumbled as she looked around. "If the idea of other people touching my things didn't freak me out so much I'd probably say screw it and let you hire packers."
Brody: Feeling Rachel relax back into him made Brody smile because he loved the moments like this where she was just calm and his. After a few minutes, she murmured about the boxes stressing her out and that if she wasn't as freaked by other people touching her things, she would let him hire packers. "The option is always there." He reminded her softly. "And hey, not too much longer." After all, he was the one that was going to do the majority of the work with the move over the next week or so and it was a daunting task to think about, especially with work and everything else.
Rachel: She hummed knowing it was an option but not sure if she wanted to or not. "I'll think about it tonight but I'd rather pack and then unpack. We don't have a lot left that really it won't really take long. Especially since I did the big stuff that had to be wrapped." She continued with a small shrug just wanting the move over with so that she could focus on the pregnancy.
Brody: There was still hope that Brody would be able to convince Rachel to accept the hired help because it would take stress off of both of them. Not saying another word about that topic, he instead asked to be reminded of her next doctor's appointment even though he knew it was in his phone so that there was no way he'd be able to forget.
Rachel: "Tuesday at 11." Rachel reminded feeling excited for the appointment and hoping that they'd get to see the babies again. So far her pregnancy was going excellently especially for having twins and she was over the moon by it. Besides the normal pregnancy systems she wasn't having any issues and that made for less stress on her.
Brody: He could tell that she was excited for the appointment and so was he. He thought they were due for an ultrasound and that she would be far enough along that they could find out what the babies were if they wanted to. "So...I can't remember if we've decided this or not but if we can find out the sex, are we going to? For some reason I'm thinking we agreed to but with everything lately I just don't remember."
Rachel: She thought about his question for a minute before nodding. "Before we knew it was twins I liked the idea of not knowing and having a surprise but with twins and not knowing if we need double of the same colors, I think it would be easier." Rachel answered knowing that if they waited while it wouldn't be too bad but she wanted to put individuality in what they bought. "Though.." She said with a smile as she turned slightly. "Can we do a big reveal? Maybe have the doctor put what we're having in an envelope and then go from there?" She asked thinking it could be fun and really she just wanted to celebrate this pregnancy as much as she could.
Brody: Rachel agreed to find out, though she requested that they have a bigger reveal and then do something special. "If that's what you want I guess we can work with that, though you know that will mean waiting longer because we won't have time to really throw anything until we get settled into the new place and the show debuts." He wasn't sure that his wife had enough patience to wait a few extra weeks as much as she may like the idea.
Rachel: "It doesn't have to be a grand party." Rachel said knowing that was impossible. "It doesn't even have to have that many people besides those that matter to us in the city and our parents if they can come." She continued. "I just want it to be special." Sometimes she hated how happy and special she wanted the pregnancy to be when she wasn't that way with Kayla and she knew it was because she felt guilty with how unhappy and how much she didn't want the pregnancy back then.
Brody: She assured him that it didn't have to be anything too large and he nodded sure that they could figure something out. He wasn't sure their parents would be able to come out but they could always skype them if need be. "If you want it to be special then we'll make it special." He declared kissing her head, almost willing to do anything for her as long as it would make her happy.
Rachel: "I just think it'll be fun. Maybe it's because I see a lot of viral videos but don't you think cutting open a cake, opening a box of balloons, or really anything would be cool? I think we deserve it, to have a special moment like that." Rachel murmured hoping that he was okay with the idea and didn't think she was being silly for even suggesting it.
Brody: "Babe if that's what you want then I have no problem with it." He assured her kissing her head before reaching to steal a sip of her water. He was sure that even finding out in the doctor's office would be special but if she wanted something fun then they could do that, he certainly wouldn't say no. The last thing they needed was cake though so he was going to veto that idea.
Rachel: She just nodded because that was what she wanted. It would befun for them and michaela was going to love it. Well she hoped so since the five year old still couod care less about having twin siblings on the way. Rachel hoped that making it fun would also instil some sort of excitement into the little girl instead of dread and annoyness. "I don't want to wait forever for the party though so we'll have to see if Shelby or Noah can plan it."
Brody: "I'm sure if you asked Claire she would have no problem throwing something together." Sure she was attempting to plan a wedding but he really didn't think that she and Puck had much determined when it came to that. It wasn't like this would be something huge either so he was sure she wouldn't mind if Rachel just asked her. If not he was sure Shelby would do it, after all she was going to be a grandma again and he was sure she was fairly excited about it all even if she usually kept her emotions well guarded.
Rachel: "I'll talk to her." Rachel said with a smile knowing her best friend would be on board with it all. She was already excited about the prospect of new babies in their lives that she knew it would be a great project for them. "Just have to get through these next few days until my appointment. I see a lot of sleeping in my future."
Brody: Rachel agreed to talk to Claire and then declared that they just had to make it a few days until her appointment. "I think you sleeping is a good idea." He agreed sure that her body needed the rest with everything it was going through. Plus if she was sleeping she wasn't overdoing it and that was his biggest concern with the pregnancy.
Rachel: "I knew you were going to say that." She said with a light laugh. "I think you worry a bit too much about me, but I promise you that I'm fine. Nothing that's going on with me didn't happen with Michaela, now it's just slightly escalated by two. It's nothing I can't handle. I am indeed supermom, I'll always be okay."
Brody: "I'm your husband, I'm afraid it's my job to worry about you." He admitted honestly. There was nothing that was ever going to change that. Plus her carrying twins only meant that he was worried about two more human beings so she was just going to have to get used to it. "You may be supermom but that doesn't change the worries I have."
Rachel: "Just like I'll always worry about you." She murmured knowing there was no getting around it. It was good though, they needed each other to worry for one another. That was what marriage was about and they were doing really well in that department. Well for the most part that was. "Supermom is excited to have more babies." Rachel smiled as she ran a hand over her stomach. "I can't wait to feel them."
Brody: "Daddy is excited to have more babies too. I'm certainly going to be jealous when you can feel them and I can't." He stated just looking forward to being able to hold his children in his arms. He loved Michaela more than anything but at the same time this was going to be very different. These were children that were going to look like him and take after him because of genetics and not just environment.
Rachel: "It won't be long until you can. I wonder if with twins we'll be able to feel sooner." She pondered. "Since they're limited on room in there." She continued not really sure and made a mental note to ask her doctor about it. She was such a tiny person that she was worried about having twins to begin with, but it was exciting to think that maybe she and Brody could both feel them sooner because of it.
Brody: Though he knew it wouldn't be long he also knew that Rachel was bound to feel them first. It may only be by a week or so but he was longing for the connection with his babies that she already had. "So what do you think, boys or girls?" They'd speculated before and were going to find out soon but he was just curious as to what her instincts were telling her about their twins.
Rachel: "I'm not sure." Rachel said honestly. "A part of me thinks one of each, I don't know yet though. It's hard to really feel it. Especially with two babies." She really just felt uncomfortable all the time that her connection with the babies was limited to her talked to them and telling them to move from her back that she hadn't really settled into a feeling yet.
Brody: "One of each would be fine with me, at least I wouldn't be completely outnumbered." He teased pressing a quick kiss to her temple. Their babies were growing by the day, making themselves more noticeable but Brody knew that he wouldn't really feel connected to them until they were here. Time was moving both far too fast but also too slow and it left him feeling somewhat torn about his own feelings.
Rachel: "We already know that they are identical from my scans, I'm not sure what the statistics are of having different genders are." She murmured having not done a lot of research mostly because she's end up in the dark posts and she was doing her best to avoid that. All the things that could go wrong with carrying her twins freaked her out enough just from the doctor telling her. She didn't need real life scenerios. "It's possible though. We should ask."
Brody: "I feel like the odds are slim but what do I know..." Brody shrugged. Really they just needed to focus on getting moved and settled and finding out the genders when it was time. On top of that he had the show opening and that was sucking far more of his energy than he would have liked. He'd honestly never imagined that it would be this hard to balance work and family
Rachel: "You asked what I thought." She murmured with her own shrug. Yawning she rubbed her temple and sat up a bit. "I'm going to get some tea. Do you want anything?" Rachel asked needing something soothing at the end of the day. It helped her relax her muscles knowing that sleeping was getting difficult and uncomfortable at night.
Brody: "No, I'm good right now." Brody assured her. He really should drink another glass of water but he would do that at some point before they went to bed. While she got up to make tea, he moved to check on their daughter, finding her passed out in her bed with Stella curled up at her side. "Looks like someone tuckered themselves out." He mused to himself before moving to at least tuck her in a little better.
Rachel: Rachel brewed her tea looking around at the kitchen that she had grown so used to since they moved. The one in their new apartment was smaller because of the extra space they needed but she was excited to have a new and more updated space to work in. It was the perfect apartment for them to grow their family in until they could get the house she so desperately wanted. Getting her mug she stepped into Kaylas room and smiled at her asleep. "She had a long day."
Brody: Just as he was finishing and pulling back to smile at his daughter Rachel's voice met his ears and he nodded. "Good to know that painting tuckers her out." He declared, pressing one more kiss to her head before pulling back. "So, should we start that bath we were talking about?" He questioned sure that Michaela was going to be out until morning at this point.
Rachel: Rachel nodded. "That sounds amazing, especially right now." She murmured. "I'll go get the water started and go change." Kissing his cheek she went to the bathroom and started the water before adding some bath salts to make it a bit more relaxing on them, especially knowing that it was Brody's favorite kind that helped him after a long day. While the tub was filling she stripped out of her clothes and put them in the hamper before standing in front of the mirror examining her expanding body.
Brody: While Rachel started the bath, Brody moved to make sure that things were wrapped up for the night. With the door locked and the security system armed, he headed to the bathroom, stripping his clothes off as he went. Once there he found Rachel standing before the mirror, just looking at herself. It was moments like this where her bump was on full display that he just found her overwhelmingly sexy. Moving behind her, he pressed a palm to her expanding stomach before dropping his mouth to her neck with soft kisses. "So fucking gorgeous..." He mumbled, just amazed by everything in their lives right now.
Rachel: "I feel pretty gross." She murmured back with a small smile. "This is just the beginning too, so not looking forward to a few months down the road when I'll really be gross." It was exciting though and she was really happy. There was just nothing about the pregnancy process that made her feel sexy. As long as Brody saw her as such though, that was okay. Turning around she kissed him. "Love you handsome." She grinned before moving over to the tub and waiting for him before sliding in to the warm water. "When was the last time we took a bath together? It feels like such a long time ago." Rachel asked honestly not sure because things had been so hectic.
Brody: He hated that Rachel was having body confidence issues because of the pregnancy but really all he could do was keep reminding her how much he loved her and how gorgeous she was. When she turned to kiss him, Brody responded softly, nipping at her bottom lip as they broke the kiss. Once he was in the water of the tub, Rachel slid in with him and his arms wrapped around her as he moved his mouth back to her neck. "It's been awhile I'm sure." Their lives had been utterly crazy lately so it was nice to finally get to spend some real time together with her.
Rachel: "I would say that we should try and make this a more regular thing, but I know that would get broken as soon as I said it." Rachel laughed as she ran her fingers up and down his thighs absentmindedly. "We do the best we can though, I do believe that. We don't have any real us time for about 18 years so this is good. This will do." Even if they did go crazy in between time together at least at the end of the day it was each other they were falling in bed with.
Brody: Brody knew that once they were both more established in their careers, that while things may get crazier, they would also be in a position to take more time for themselves and their family without having to stress as much. Feeling her fingers brushing over his thighs drove him slightly crazy and he moaned unconsciously in her ear before nodding. "We're always going to have each other, no matter what..." He assured her. Even if the time was limited, they were always going to do their best to make the most of it.
Rachel: "Can we take a baby moon?" She asked after a moment of silence. "Nothing extravagant, I'd be happy with a night in a hotel in the city. Just a little getaway before the twins come." It's help them relax and say goodbye to responsibility for at least 24 hours. Kayla had people who she could stay with and it'd be nice. "Of course if you can get off work for a night that is and I understand if not. I just think it could be benenfical to us, plus it would be fun. Like our first trip here was, before I got that terrible case of the flu."
Brody: Just sitting in silence with Rachel was relaxing and Brody hummed as she started to speak asking if they could take a babymoon before the twins arrived. "I'll see what I can do." He murmured sure that they could probably manage that. After all, the show would be dark one night a week once they got going so he would have at least a night that they could go out and do something nice together.
Rachel: She nodded happy that it was something they could possibly do. Sighing she closed her eyes and just relaxed against him. "I can feel them moving." Rachel whispered as she moved a hand to her bump. It was much more distinct this time around now that she knew what it was and how it felt. "I've never felt it before now. They must like me relaxing for once." She grinned always loving the feeling even if she knew that the little flutters would turn to big kicks sooner rather than later.
Brody: Nothing but pure awe appeared on Brody's face as Rachel mentioned being able to feel the babies moving inside of her. Completely speechless, he rubbed his hands over her bump, looking forward to the day when the movements would be strong enough for him to feel as well. It was pretty incredible to think about and he wanted nothing more than for the babies to keep developing so that he could hold them in his arms and feel their heartbeat against his skin.
Rachel: It made it all so real being able to feel the babies move. She could actually tell that there was two little people inside her. Being able to see them had been one thing but that had been nothing more than a picture, this was much more prominent. Sighing in happiness she kissed Brody's cheek before just enjoying the movement and laying against her husband.
Brody: "I love you." Brody eventually whispered, though his voice was completely choked up. "I love all three of you." It was becoming more and more real everyday that they were going to have two babies to raise and love in a matter of months. With their lives as crazy as they were it was all going to pass far too soon for his liking.
Rachel: "I love you." She responded happily though she knew she was always going to be scared of the idea of having twins her love for him only grew. This was all that they had wanted for so long, to add on to the family and have children that was both of theirs. "I love you." She repeated.
Notes: While trying to figure the many changes in their life out, Brody and Rachel take a break to just enjoy each other. Contains smut.
Brody: With the pregnancy and everything else going on, Brody was doing his best to still have normal moments with both his wife and daughter. Their lives were going to change drastically with the new babies and so today they'd gone looking for apartments and then stopped for dinner before heading home and turning a movie on since Brody was sure that Rachel was probably exhausted already and her back was likely sore from her expanding bump.
Rachel: Life was definitely changing for the Weston's and Rachel certainly loved it. However, it was a lot to handle in such a short amount of time. Having twins was something to process and it truly changed a lot for them. It seemed like she was getting bigger and bigger everyday and it definitely didn't make her feel all that good mentally and physically it was draining. She was happy though and having a day out with her husband was even better. "I'm not sure about any of those apartments." She mumbled after she had changed out of her clothes and into something baggier and settled on the couch with him.
Brody "We'll find something. Just relax. We still have a month or so before we have to worry about getting Kayla registered for school." Immediately, Brody shifted to pull Rachel's feet into his lap just rubbing gently to hopefully ease some of the pressure. She was carrying two growing babies inside of her and it was bound to be taking a toll on her muscles.
Rachel: She sighed and nodded. "I know, I know but I'm getting a little anxious. A month or so is a short period of time considering.." Rachel murmured knowing that it'll go by so fast and she really wanted some breathing room. She hummed as he massaged her feet and wiggled her toes loving how it felt. "You continue that, you may just get something tonight."
Brody: "It's not as long as we'd like ideally, but we'll find something, I know we will." It had taken them quite awhile to find this place and house hunting was never fun but he knew that they would be able to find a place to grow their family in. Feeling her toes wiggle against him as he rubbed her feet, Brody just chuckled as she mentioned him getting something tonight if he kept that up. "Just want you to feel good." He murmured moving to rub her ankles as well.
Rachel: "I know, I just want it to be soon so that I can stop worrying about it." Granted she was going to worry regardless but having one less thing on her plate would help her stress level greatly and in return help her pregnancy. "You always make me feel good." She whispered to him as she closed her eyes just enjoying the sensations.
Brody: Brody made a note to talk with the realtor that they'd hired again tomorrow about setting up some more showings because they wouldn't find a house any other way. Rachel whispered about how he always made her feel good and he smiled reaching a hand up to rest on her bump for a moment. She was absolutely stunning to him right now, carrying his children, two babies that they made together. Really he was turned on just looking at her lately.
Rachel: She hummed as he continued to massage her feet but didn't want to be put to sleep so she soon sat up and pulled him closer to kiss him. "It's been a good day, thank you." Rachel smiled. Their daughter was at a slumber party with a friend that wasn't Beth which made Rachel really happy. She loved how close the two girls were, but seeing her branch out with other kids made her heart swell. She was fitting in, something Rachel never did until she was much older. Even now she still didn't.
Brody: After a few minutes, Rachel just sat up and pulled him into a kiss, murmuring about how it had been a good day. "You're welcome. I know we're going through a lot of changes so I'm doing my best to make sure we make time to just take advantage of here and now."
Rachel: "A lot of changes is definitely an understatement, but I'm happy. We can still have moments like this and that's really relaxing and makes me feel better." She didn't feel very well most of the time these days and it was nice to just have a moment or two to enjoy herself and her husband and not really focus on the pregnancy or the vocal lessons she was teaching.
Brody: All he wanted was for Rachel to be happy and he was so glad that she was. He was absolutely thrilled about their expanding family and while he knew Kayla was still torn over it he could only hope that she loved her new brothers or sisters just as much as he already did. Yawning softly, Brody closed his eyes for a moment because his body was definitely feeling the strain of working so hard.
Rachel: She kissed her husband again before slowly laying back down and hissing at how the movement strained her back. "This is going to be a long pregnancy." Granted there was a chance she wouldn't make it all the way to her due date, she knew that no matter how long she made it, and she hoped that it was as long as possible, that it was going to feel ten times longer than her pregnancy with Michaela.
Brody: When Rachel laid back down she hissed out in pain and Brody instinctively reached out to her. "Come here babe." He murmured reaching to rub at her back to try and alleviate some of the strain it was under. He just wanted all of this to be as easy as possible for his wife knowing that a twin pregnancy was so much harder on her physically.
Rachel: She smiled softly at him and shook her head. "No, you come here." Rachel whispered before kissing him softly. "I want to kiss my husband." She murmured against his lips before kissing him again. "I love you so much. You're such an amazing husband that I am so lucky to have." Rachel pulled back and cupped his cheek. "Thank you for being amazing."
Brody: Rachel insisted that he go to her instead and Brody quickly complied, pressing his lips against hers in a soft kiss. "It's my job to help take care of you, especially when you're giving me the greatest gift ever by carrying our babies." He didn't feel like he was doing anything that went above and beyond what he was supposed to do. If he was hurting she always took care of him so he was just making sure he did the same.
Rachel: "These two are definitely a gift." She murmured as she pressed a hand to her swollen stomach. "A gift that gives and gives even when I'd really like it not to." Rachel teased before kissing him again and pressing against his chest to let her up. "My gift is sending me to the bathroom, why don't you head to the bedroom and I'll meet you there. We can continue this somewhere larger and more comfortable."
Brody: His wife agreed that their twins were definitely a gift though a moment later she was pushing on his chest and commenting on how they were sending her to the bathroom and that he should meet her in the bedroom. Kissing her lips again quickly in agreement, Brody got to his feet before reaching out to help Rachel to hers as well. Then he headed into their room after making sure the apartment was locked up and their security system was armed.
Rachel: She went to the bathroom and then headed to their bedroom with a small smile. "You're pretty handsome in our bed." She murmured as she leaned against the bedroom door. "Definitely chose the sexiest man in all the world to marry." Rachel smiled before moving towards him and sitting on the bed and taking his hand.
Brody: With Rachel having made it fairly clear what she wanted tonight, Brody moved to strip off his shirt before lounging on their bed. After all, she could be awhile, not that he minded waiting. After a few minutes her voice carried across the room and she called him handsome before also declaring that she had chosen the sexiest man in the world to marry. "I could say the same about you." Despite her self conscious issues, Brody loved every inch of Rachel, always had.
Rachel: "I wouldn't say that, but thank you." She murmured as she laid down next to him. Being pregnant with twins had took her down a few notches after working so hard to build herself up with her body image, but she was feeling good and happy and knew she'd be okay. "So, I was thinking we could end today the right way.. If you want to of course."
Brody: "Babe when do I not want to." He murmured, smirk gracing his face. He was after all, a man in his early twenties. "As long as it's something you're comfortable with and I haven't spent my entire day working my butt off you'll never hear me turn down some time alone with you."
Rachel: Rachel nodded and kissed his head. "I'm comfortable with it. I feel really good and know that in the next month or so that I won't be feeling as good and just want to take advantage of that now." She murmured before putting her head on his shoulder just wanting to be close to him and relax with him for a minute or so before getting into anything else.
Brody: With Rachel having made it fairly clear what she wanted tonight, Brody moved to strip off his shirt before lounging on their bed. After all, she could be awhile, not that he minded waiting. After a few minutes her voice carried across the room and she called him handsome before also declaring that she had chosen the sexiest man in the world to marry. "I could say the same about you." Despite her self conscious issues, Brody loved every inch of Rachel, always had.
Rachel: "I wouldn't say that, but thank you." She murmured as she laid down next to him. Being pregnant with twins had took her down a few notches after working so hard to build herself up with her body image, but she was feeling good and happy and knew she'd be okay. "So, I was thinking we could end today the right way.. If you want to of course."
Brody: "Babe when do I not want to." He murmured, smirk gracing his face. He was after all, a man in his early twenties. "As long as it's something you're comfortable with and I haven't spent my entire day working my butt off you'll never hear me turn down some time alone with you."
Rachel: Rachel nodded and kissed his head. "I'm comfortable with it. I feel really good and know that in the next month or so that I won't be feeling as good and just want to take advantage of that now." She murmured before putting her head on his shoulder just wanting to be close to him and relax with him for a minute or so before getting into anything else.
Brody: listening to hamilton while reading the tome is just ahhhh
Brody: She insisted that she was comfortable and moved to lean her head on him after kissing his forehead. Sensing her need for a few more minutes of relaxation, Brody just let her snuggle for a bit before lightly trailing his fingers over every inch of bare skin that he could reach. "I love you." He whispered. "And I love the two of you but you need to go to sleep now alright little ones?" He added directing his voice toward her stomach.
Rachel: "I love you too, baby." She murmured with a small smile. "I can't wait until I can feel them." Rachel murmured just looking forward to the feeling and how weird it'll be to feel both of them instead of one. She knew that since it was her second pregnancy she would be able to feel them sooner and was really eager for that day. "Come here and kiss me."
Brody: Rachel wasn't the only one looking forward to actually being able to feel the twins kicking and moving inside of her. When she told him to go and kiss her, Brody quickly complied, fusing his mouth to hers and moving his free hand around to support her lower back. Though they'd been together for years, nothing about this felt old and he would relish everytime because it always felt different.
Rachel: She kissed him back with ease and sighed just enjoying how good it felt. There would be a time where she wouldn't want to do this because of the pregnancy and knew that she needed to enjoy it while it lasted. Running her hand down his bare arm she hummed as her nails dug into his muscles just slightly.
Brody: When Rachel's nails dug gently into his arm, Brody groaned softly before shifting his body closer to hers. Already her bump got in the way of being quite as close like this but really that was something he could life with. They just had to get creative, it wasn't the first time after all. Gently, Brody moved his fingers to tangle in Rachel's hair and he let his other hand move to the side of her breast questioningly.
Rachel: Thankfully she was still early in her pregnancy that they didn't have to resort to special positions and Rachel smiled into the kiss as he caressed the side of her breast. "You're okay." She murmured as she pulled back slightly to catch her breath and just enjoy being close to him. Moving closer she wedged her leg between his and hook her ankle around his thigh.
Brody: With approval to caress her breasts, Brody gently moved his hand around to cup at her chest while she pulled back already breathing deeply. Watching her with nothing but love in his eyes, Brody granted her access when she moved to wedge her leg between his and looped her ankle up around his thigh. "Someone's anxious..." He teased softly, pressing his lips back against hers before moving some of her hair off of her neck so that he could access it.
Rachel: "I just want to be close to you. Our kid is away and we have this time together. I want to take advantage of it." She whispered as she reached up and stroked his cheek. "I may be anxious but I'm happy to be." She giggled slightly as he moved to kiss her neck and sighed as her eyes closed just enjoying the way it felt.
Brody: Brody certainly wasn't going to complain about his wife's interest in being close. Moving his mouth to her neck he kissed and sucked softly before moving his hand to her cheek as he pulled back. "How do you want to do this?" He whispered leaving it up to her because again he just wanted her to be comfortable no matter what.
Rachel: She bit her lip as she thought about it before pecking his lips. "We'll be good and comfortable in missionary. Kind of want to enjoy it for as long as possible before having to switch because of my bump." Rachel murmured before kissing him again and tugging him so that he was beginning to hover over her.
Brody: While he was slightly surprised by Rachel's request for missionary, at the same time he wasn't. As she kissed him again, Rachel tugged him over her a bit and Brody quickly braced himself on his arms while letting his hands wander as much as they could. "If missionary is what you want then I can work with that." They would have to adjust her hips a bit to give him a good angle but that was what pillows were for after all.
Rachel: "It's just easier right now, and it won't strain my back." That was her main problem right now, besides being nauseous still, her back was constantly bothering her and she just wanted to keep it as pain free as possible. Plus she loved how it felt to have him over top of her.
Brody: Brody had no problem with it and it did make sense with the twinges that he knew she was getting in her back from the strain of her growing bump. Focusing on the kiss again, Brody just hovered over her for a moment before reaching to the edge of her top and tugging upward slightly wanting her barechested to match him.
Rachel: She sat up slightly to help him get her shirt off and once it was she undid her bra and flung it off the side of the bed. Bringing him close again she kissed him softly as she played with the waist pants of his shorts. Rachel loved moments like this with him, where things were heating up but they were still light and slow.
Brody: Quickly, Rachel let him take her shirt off and her bra quickly followed before she pulled him close again. The heat from her hands quickly found his waistband and he groaned softly as she tugged at it gently. Though he didn't want to hurt her, Brody settled a little more of his weight on top of her loving the way her soft skin felt against his.
Rachel: Rachel could tell that Brody was being cautious and while she appreciated that she rubbed his back slightly. "I'm okay, you're not going to hurt us." She promised him just needing him to be there with her instead of in his head and worried. Her hands dipped into his short and his boxers as she gripped his hips slightly just wanting him to feel the slight tingle of her nails.
Brody: Rachel worked to quell his fears about hurting her or the babies and before he could even nod in recognition, her hands were at his hips, under his clothes, and her nails were pressing into his skin. That was certainly a sensitive area for them and Brody moved his hands to strip Rachel of the rest of her clothes just needing to progress things a little. While he absolutely loved their foreplay, at the same time it was torturous.
Rachel: Before she could get his shorts off of him he was undressing her. She smiled and scratched his skin before working to get his shorts and boxers off. Pulling him into another kiss once they were both bare of clothes she hummed enjoying being so close to him. "I love you so much." Rachel murmured once the kiss had broke.
Brody: The moment her clothes were off, Rachel resumed working on his until they hit the floor as well. Then her lips were on his again and she murmured how much she loved him. "Love you too beautiful." He declared, reaching off to the side for a spare pillow so that they could angle her hips on it. At the same time he shifted his leg to graze against her core, already feeling the moisture that had pooled there.
Rachel: She raised her hips so that he could settle the pillow under it and then made sure that it was in a comfortable position. Humming as his leg touched her she smirked and kissed him again. "I'm good when you are." Rachel whispered just needing him to make love to her now. She knew that it would feel so good.
Brody: With Rachel comfortable on the pillow and the angle comfortable enough for both of them she declared that she was good when he was. Stroking himself twice before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, Brody shifted to sheathe himself in his wife's core, instantly groaning at the tight heat that surrounded him. "Damn babe."
Rachel: Rachel moaned as he slid into her. "Right back at you." She murmured as she clutched his bicep and adjusted herself just slightly to make it a little more comfortable. Once she was sure they were okay she began to move her hips with his to create a rhythm between the two of their hips to make things even better.
Brody: Brody kept still until he was sure that Rachel was okay and then he began to move his hips against hers creating the kind of friction that would do them both in sooner or later. It wasn't too fast but it was certainly enough for them both to enjoy.
Rachel: She didn't think that sex with Brody would ever get old, especially when she was carrying his children. There was just an added romance to it that she absolutely loved and her baby bump sitting between them made it that much better. He was truly everything to her, even after so long together and it made her happy to get to kiss him and make love to him.
Brody: Looking down at Rachel, Brody could only moan happily at the way it felt to do this with her. They'd gotten together so young and yet everything that was there then had only gotten stronger with time. They'd only grown more connected as was proven by the bump pressed between them, the ultimate sign of their devotion to each other and the rest of their lives. Knowing that she was extra sensitive lately, Brody gently brushed his fingers over her breast before reaching out to take one of her hands in his as their hips continued to move.
Rachel: She squeezed their hands together as they continued to move together in a synchronized rhythm. Rachel moaned softly as she urged him to go slightly faster to add a little more friction between them. It felt amazing and after feeling pretty awful lately it was nice to be working towards a release that would make her feel that much better than she had.
Brody: With Rachel squeezing his hand, Brody continued to work his body against hers. When she signaled him silently, he picked his pace up a bit pushing them both faster towards the inevitable orgasms. "Come on baby." He whispered needing to feel her cum around him, needing to enjoy the way she was clench and moan as her release took over. It was what would send him flying over the edge himself.
Rachel: His urge for her to cum was exactly what she wanted and needed and she kissed him heatedly as her body worked itself into an orgasm. As the pleasure washed over her she moaned his name and closed breathed just enjoying how amazing it felt. "So good, baby. You always feel so good." She murmured as she squeezed his hand again as her body continued to calm down from the orgasm.
Brody: She didn't take long to orgasm after his request and Brody finally let his own orgasm hit as he felt her finally coming down from the pleasure that had worked through her body. Her words were incomprehensible in his ears, nothing but the waves of pleasure filling them. When it all finally started to pass, Brody gently pulled out of her and rolled off to the side a bit before collapsing onto the mattress.
Rachel: Brody moved beside of her and she rolled onto her side and ran her fingers down his arm with a content smile. "What a perfect night." She grinned as she leaned over and kissed his cheek just softly. "Thank you." Rachel murmured just wanting him to know how much she appreciated everything that he did for her. Especially in the midst of all the stress they were under and how crazy it was making her.
Brody: It was clear that Rachel was pleased by everything they had done that night and Brody tugged her closer to his body as she kissed his cheek and thanked him. "Pretty sure that goes both ways." He whispered shaking his head softly.
Rachel: "You made today really nice, I just want to thank you for that." She whispered as she cuddled into him and closed her eyes as her body relaxed against his. It was slightly different to cuddle with him with her bump, but it still felt good and comfortable. They weren't being actually separated by it yet so she was happy.
Brody: "You're welcome babe. Get some sleep." It was clear that she needed it now, after today he didn't blame her. She was growing two new lives and they had certainly been busy. "I'll be here when you wake up." After all, it wasn't like they were having an early rehearsal the next day and Rachel wasn't known for sleeping late, especially with her bladder lately.
Rachel: Rachel nodded slightly and began to relax herself enough to get some sleep. Though she was passed the first trimester where she was supposed to gain her energy back, twins seemed to take all of that away. "Night Brody, Love you." She whispered to him as she kissed his shoulder before finally falling asleep.
Notes: The secret of Rachel’s pregnancy is revealed and the couple gets quite the surprise at their second appointment.
Brody: Rachel was only 12 weeks pregnant but already this pregnancy was very very different. Of course, there was the joy that had come with it which hadn't existed with Kayla just because of the situation, but there was also the fact that already Rachel's body was taking different to the pregnancy. Just a few days ago they'd woken up to an actual bump. While he couldn't say he was a pregnancy expert, he didn't think that showing at 12 weeks was something that happened to most women. Granted, he loved seeing the evidence of their child, and chalked it up to it being her second pregnancy but it was just something that had taken them both by surprise and made keeping their secret even harder.
Rachel: She couldn't believe that they were already at 12 weeks. She was at the end of her first trimester and she couldn't wait to finally enter the second so that she could hopefully be free of morning sickness but more importantly they could tell people. It had been a few days ago when they had noticed her bump had popped over night. She was as big as she had been at sixteen weeks with Michaela and that was insane to her. She was also realizing that being pregnant in the summer and trying to hide it was not easy. Thankfully she was doing well enough at it but with herself showing she knew that they were going to have to tell soon. "Noah wants us to go get lunch today, babe." Rachel said as she got dressed hoping that her skirt top combo was going to hide her bump. "I was not expecting to go maternity shopping this soon."
Brody: With the day off work, Brody was just planning on relaxing with his wife while Kayla was at preschool and spending time with her grandma and aunt. He'd gotten dressed after showering a little while ago, but Rachel had been sick again this morning so she wasn't quite ready yet. As she got dressed she mentioned that Noah wanted to go get lunch with them today and he certainly didn't mind that. They hadn't gotten to spend any time with their friends lately and it would be nice to get out. "I didn't expect you to need to go shopping this soon either. But I guess your body is handling the second pregnancy differently and that's totally okay."
Rachel: She groaned because that was a complete understatement. "I think that there is some sort of monster inside of me, your kid is huge." She murmured as she looked at herself before showing him what she was wearing. "I need to change don't I?" She asked knowing that it was just obvious that she was pregnant. "I know we want to wait until after my appointment and maybe a week or so after that but I don't think it's possible." She murmured as she took off her shirt and skirt and went for high waisted shorts and a different shirt see if that helped. "I do want to go to lunch though, Claire and I have wedding planning to catch up on."
Brody: Rachel declared that his kid must be huge and he chuckled. "Well it could be a boy this time and that could be part of the reason. Or it could just be because it's your second pregnancy." He stated not thinking that the baby was any larger than it was supposed to be. She turned to show him what she was wearing and immediately asked about having to change because it was evident she was expecting. "We'll do our best." He declared watching her switch into some high waisted shorts and a new shirt. "It will be nice to see them, yeah." He agreed though his lips were pursed because the new outfit wasn't much better. "What about this?" He asked, moving over to their closet and pulling out a dress that went flowy at the waist.
Rachel: Rachel scrunched her face up and shook her head. "If I wear a flowy dress it'll be just as obvious, if not more." She sighed and took the dress though and changed into the dress just to see if it would make a difference. Thankfully it wasn't too bad but her larger breasts were evident. "I think this is as good as it's going to get." She murmured because there was nothing in her closet that would hide her pregnancy at this point.
Brody: She didn't seem to be a fan of the dress but she took it anyway and threw it on before declaring that this was as good as it was going to get. "It's fine." He assured her. Sure her breasts looked huge but her stomach was fairly hidden away under the fabric so at least it wasn't blatantly obvious. She was definitely going to need to get some maternity clothes though. "When we get home today, get online and order yourself a few things." He declared knowing that she needed it.
Rachel: "I'll do that." She murmured having some already in a cart at one of the stores she frequented. Moving to the mirror to fix her hair and makeup so that they could get going she looked over at him. "Text Noah and tell him that we can meet them in an half hour." That would give her enough time to get ready and not have to rush in case her stomach wasn't quite as settled as she thought it was.
Brody: His wife moved to do her hair and makeup and instructed him to text their friends about meeting in half an hour. Once he did that, Brody just moved to clean up the apartment a little bit and to check and see if their real estate agent had sent them any more listings to look over and see if they wanted to tour. He'd convinced Rachel that they weren't ready to purchase a house yet and while he knew she wasn't exactly happy, he hoped that she understood that something that big was something they needed to start saving up for instead of just doing.
Rachel: Once she was ready she checked over her appearance once more before heading out to find her husband. "Ready?" She asked not wanting to be late and definitely in the mood for good company and hopefully some good food. "Has he replied back where we're going?" She asked as she slipped her shoes on and grabbed her purse.
Brody: While he waited, Noah had texted back where to meet them and soon Rachel was coming out to slip some shoes on asking if he was ready. "Of course." He just needed to gather his phone and wallet but other than that he was set. "Yep, that casual place that has a little bit of everything a few blocks from the daycare." With it's location they had been there many times and it was nice but relaxed, a perfect balance for New York.
Rachel: She nodded at his answer happy with the decision because it would make her life a lot easier to have a lot to choose from. Taking his hand once they were locked up and ready to go she smiled at him as they headed out and towards the diner. The last few weeks had flown by so fast and she was looking forward to her doctor's appointment. Thankfully so far she was all stomach and hadn't actually gained any weight and felt pretty good besides the morning sickness.
Brody: Quickly, they locked the apartment up and headed out to the diner. It only took them about 15 minutes to get there and quickly they spotted Noah and Claire at a booth when they did. "Hey." He greeted, resting his hand on Rachel's back as they headed over to the table. They hadn't seen the other couple since the graduation party where Noah and Claire had gotten engaged so it was going to be nice to catch up.
Rachel: They found their friends waiting for them and smiled as they walked up to the booth. "Hi!" She grinned so happy to see the both of them. Sitting down Rachel was quick to ask Claire about any wedding plans she had started only to get a laugh from her friend. "No, we have started planning anything yet. We're still wrestling around with a date." She responded and Rachel nodded understanding that, she had Brody hadn't really planned anything the first month or two of their engagement and it had been Christmas before they even had a date.
Brody: Once Rachel slid into the booth, Brody joined her and Rachel asked Claire about wedding plans. He honestly hadn't expected them to have made too many and so he wasn't surprised when they replied that they were still trying to figure out a date. That was always the toughest part but once it was settled things seemed to fall into place fairly quickly.
Rachel: "Well I'm here whenever you start." Rachel said excited to help her plan if she wanted her to. Noah was staring her down and she eyed him and raised an eyebrow. "Yes, Noah?" She asked making him shrug and look at his menu. Rolling her eyes at him she looked down at her own menu to decide what sounded pleasant to eat and wouldn't disrupt the baby.
Brody: With Rachel's offer to help Claire plan the wedding, Brody turned to his menu to try and decide what he wanted to eat. He was sure that it would take Rachel a little longer to figure it out but he definitely wanted a burger and fries and maybe a milkshake on top of that. He'd been working so hard lately that he'd lost weight, something that he hadn't even thought was possible.
Rachel: She kept tossing ideas back and forth in her head as to what she wanted for lunch. A part of her wanted to get their cajun veggie burger because it would be spicy and she liked that but she also wanted to go easy on her stomach and get something bland. After a minute of considering she decided on the veggie burger but also mashed potatoes to hopefully help balance.
Brody: It didn't take long for the waitress to come around for their orders and everyone at the table placed theirs before returning to conversation. Claire asked how his job was going and he replied honestly that while he loved it he had never been more exhausted. It was going to be so worth it though and he knew that it was going to get better once people actually learned the choreography and they got closer to actually opening.
Rachel: "He's doing amazing, we are so proud of him." Rachel grinned as he took his hand because he really had no idea how happy everyone was for him. She hated that he was exhausted but knew that once the show was running he would be much less tired and it would all seem more worth it. Claire asked about her post graduation plans and Rachel shrugged because she couldn't exactly say. "I'm going to be teaching voice lessons to a friend of Shelby's daughter. I'm thinking of doing that on the side." It was something to bring in extra money and also something Brody wouldn't worry about her doing. Right now it was just helping this one girl who wanted to strengthen her voice and see what she was capable of.
Brody: Rachel piped in with how proud of him they were and when Claire asked about her own plans she mentioned the vocal lessons that she was going to give. It was a job that he had caved on letting her take because it really wouldn't strain her all that much and it was some extra money they could definitely use with the baby on the way. It wasn't a lot of her time but it was something to help keep her from going completely crazy as well.
Rachel: "Kayla is also a full time job right now so." She laughed. "I'm just being a mom and then I'll focus on my career." She wasn't in too much of a rush to begin with but being pregnant just meant she was prolonging it even more and she wasn't really all that upset about it. "Plus we are planning on moving so I don't really want to be doing anything that'll make that harder to do."
Brody: Their daughter was definitely a full time job, Rachel wasn't lying there. Rachel also mentioned the move and it made Noah's eyebrow crook again as if he wondered why. "Place is getting to be a little cramped. There's not really a social space when Kayla takes over the living room and as she gets older it feels like we're all stepping on top of each other." He explained diverting the topic away from anything else.
Rachel: Rachel nodded because that was beyond true. "I'm going to the restroom. I'll be right back." She murmured before kissing her husbands cheek and excusing herself. She felt nauseous and wanted to walk it off before it turned into anything else and spilled their secret. Once her stomach was calm she returned and took a sip of her water. "Im happy to see you guys. It's been so long."
Brody: Rachel excused herself to go to the bathroom and Brody looked up at her trying to mask his concern so that Noah and Claire wouldn't notice. The former seemed to be staring him down but thankfully Claire changed the topic to the new Broadway shows that were in the works and Brody chatted with her about it until Rachel was back, sipping at her water. Subtly, he reached down to squeeze her leg just wanting to make sure that she was doing okay.
Rachel: She gave her husband a look saying that she was okay and took his hand and squeezed it lightly. "What's wrong with you." Noah finally say and Rachel looked at him quizzically. "Nothing? Can I not go to the bathroom?" Rachel asked keeping her face as level and confused as she could so that he wouldn't break her. She was an excellent actress, she could do it.
Brody: A glance from his wife told him that she was okay and he smiled when she squeezed his hand. Noah asked her what was wrong with her and Rachel feigned confusion asking if she needed permission to use the bathroom. Her acting classes certainly paid off a bit but Brody knew if anyone could read her despite the act, it would be the man across from them.
Rachel: Noah cocked an eyebrow at him before mumbling something underneath his breath causing Claire to elbow him. Just then their food came, which Rachel was thankful for. If anything it would distract Noah and that was exactly what she needed from him. They weren't ready to know that she was pregnant yet, though they weren't hiding it because they were unhappy. She just wanted to announce it in her fun way and not just for people to find out.
Brody: Claire elbowed Noah after he mumbled something and just as she did, their food arrived. It was exactly what he needed. He knew that he hadn't been eating near as much as he should lately just because he always felt sick after work and a big dinner sounded like the worst idea possible. What he was looking forward to most was his milkshake though he would offer to share it with Rachel if she felt she could keep the sugar down.
Rachel: They all dug into their food, which was amazing as always. Her mashed potatoes were heavy enough on her stomach to act as comfort food and she knew her burger would be really light to help her not get too full and feel sick. That was if her stomach reacted to it all well. Eating also gave them all a distraction and the way Noah kept staring at her she knew that he was about to figure it out.
Brody: Everything was exactly how Brody needed it and he focused on eating, not wanting to think about anything other than the food in front of him for just a few minutes. He and Rachel would hopefully get to spend some of the afternoon just resting in bed because they both could use the downtime to enjoy each other and so he could adore the baby bump that was already there.
Rachel: They all ate quietly just enjoying their food and some light conversation. Every few minutes she would take a second to make sure she was still okay before continuing to eat her food. Each time she stopped her childhood friend would stare her down and she just ignored him while she ate. When they were almost done he looked at her like a light bulb had turned on. "You're pregnant."
Brody: The words came so suddenly out of Noah's mouth that Brody was caught completely by surprise. Granted Noah had been around Rachel the first time she was pregnant as well but neither of them had expected him to figure it out this time. He had other things to focus on and Brody nearly choked on his milkshake not sure whether to respond or let Rachel handle it.
Rachel: Rachel's mouth almost dropped having no idea what to say but Brody's reaction basically confirmed it for them. "I think you've lost your mind over there." She said nonchalantly as she looked over at him. "You've been acting weird since you got here, like you're sick or somethin and and I just know." He stammered making her roll her eyes at him because she had no idea if Brody wanted her to confirm it or not or just pretend, she didn't know. Looking over at her husband, she sort of shrugged her shoulders saying it was okay for him to say it was so.
Brody: Rachel stated that Noah had lost his mind but Noah stammered out that he just knew based on the way she was acting. After a moment, Rachel looked at him and shrugged and he bit his lip before speaking. "Fine, okay. We're having another baby. We just didn't want to tell anyone until Rach got out of the first trimester." He wasn't ashamed of the fact that they were pregnant because they had planned it, but he didn't expect anyone to figure it out either.
Rachel: Claire basically jumped out of her seat to hug her making Rachel laugh. "We're telling everyone in a couple weeks." She said. "So don't say a word to anyone." She added though she knew that they both could keep a secret. "I still don't see how you figured it out though." Rachel murmured to her friend and he just shrugged. "You just look it, like you look all happy and shiny, what's the word people use? Plus your boobs are huge like the last time, dead giveaway."
Brody: Rachel's best friend practically jumped her to hug her making Brody smile and let a soft smirk grace his face. With their promise that they would keep it a secret, Rachel stated that she still didn't know how Noah had figured it out. He replied that she was glowing and that her boobs were huge like when she was pregnant with Michaela. "Dude!" Brody teased shaking his head. Her boobs were huge but he was supposed to be the only one staring at them.
Rachel: Rachel wasn't surprised by Noah's remark, it was typical him and she didn't think any of them expected anything less. Once the congratulations were over she took her husband's head as they finished eating. It did feel good knowing that someone else knew about the pregnancy though she was still anxious for her next appointment to come before telling their family.
Brody: Noah congratulated them and Brody smiled, moving his hand to rest on Rachel's bump for a moment before he resumed eating. He loved all of this so much and he couldn't wait until Rachel's appointment so that they could at least hear their baby again.
Rachel: Rachel smiled at her husband before continuing with her lunch. Once she was done she relaxed just letting her stomach digest the food so that it didn't react badly to eating. There was a lot to be happy about and she sighed. "What does Peanut think?" Noah said after a while and she laughed. "Uhm, well we're hoping that by the time he or she is here that she'll be excited. We're seriously crossing our fingers."
Brody: When they all finished eating, Noah asked about what Kayla thought about it all. "I think there are aspects of it that she thinks are cool and then there are ones that I'm sure she's going to hate." He added after Rachel mentioned that they were crossing their fingers that she would be okay with it all. "Like she seemed excited about getting the chance to read to the baby but I think a lot of it doesn't quite make sense in her head yet."
Rachel: "I honestly think she's just excited to show off and be praised for helping." That what Rachel would have done had she had been an older sibling, she would have always been doing what she could just to be the center of attention. "We're just not sure how she's going to feel when she's no longer the only baby in the house. That's going to be difficult for her."
Brody: They could predict all they wanted on how Kayla was going to take to the new baby but really, they wouldn't know until the little one was here. Hopefully things would be okay but they may need to rely on Noah a little to talk her through it because out of all of them he was the only one that was an older sibling.
Rachel: They all finished eating and then paid before standing up and walking out together. "Ready to head home, babe?" Rachel asked as she looped her arm into his. She was ready to head home and relax for a bit before their daughter would be home. Plus she just wanted to enjoy some time with him because they didn't get it nearly enough.
Brody: Once everyone was done eating, they all headed outside after paying the check. Rachel asked if he was ready to head home and Brody nodded wanting more than anything to just spend some time with his wife while they still had time to not worry about anything. He could tell that she was tired as well and the last thing he wanted was for her to overdo it all.
Rachel: They said their goodbyes and then made their way home. Once there she stripped out of her dress and into something more comfortable. Laying down with a heavy sigh she rubbed her swollen stomach and closed her eyes. She was tired and the popping of her bump had caused all sorts of strain all over her body from it moving and adjusting to her womb. She had conveniently forgotten about this part of growing a baby.
Brody: When they got home it seemed like Rachel couldn't get out of her dress fast enough and she plopped down in bed, just rubbing her stomach. "You okay?" He murmured hoping that she wasn't in too much pain or too uncomfortable. Having a baby was something he knew they were both looking forward to but at the same time it was also very stressful.
Rachel: She opened her eyes when she heard his voice and nodded. "Yeah, I'm just tired and my back was hurting. Laying down made it go away though." Rachel replied with a small smile as she held out her hand for him to join her. "I really do feel good, it's just the little things that hit me every now and then but other than that I'm fine."
Brody: Her eyes fluttered open when he spoke and she assured him that she really was fine even if she had moment and little things that hit her every now and then. "Good." He replied moving over to the bed with her so that he could kiss her lips before dropping a kiss to her stomach as well. "It's still crazy that you're already showing. I love it but wow." He breathed excited for when he would finally be able to feel the baby kick.
Rachel: "Crazy is an understatement, I already feel huge." She murmured loving that he was kissing her stomach. It had been her favorite thing when she was pregnant before. "I look like I'm sixteen weeks pregnant and I'm not even thirteen yet. There's no way we were that off with my due date, we didn't start trying that long ago." Rachel knew that every pregnancy was different but she truly felt bigger than she should be.
Brody: "You aren't huge. You're just pregnant." He declared shaking his head. He was sure those exact words were going to leave his mouth a million times in the next few months. "No we didn't start trying but it could be so many different things. Your body is older and maybe it's just handling things differently." He shrugged. "I mean when you think about it, before your body didn't know how to handle pregnancy and now it does so maybe it's just expanding earlier to allow for the baby to grow."
Rachel: "Are you calling me old, sir?" She asked teasingly. "That's possible, I still feel much bigger than I should be. I feel like I know much this time around, I was prepared to be pregnant and I am experienced so I have more of an intuition and I just feel really big. I don't think anything is wrong, I just don't understand why I am so popped out."
Brody: Rachel accused him of calling her old and he rolled his eyes. "No I'm saying now your body is the right age to be having a baby. I'm older than you and neither of us is old." He said shaking his head. She explained how she was feeling and that while she didn't think anything was wrong, she couldn't understand why she was so big. "Maybe it has something to do with that thing you had with Kayla?" He questioned not sure if it would come back with the second pregnancy or if that had anything to do with it.
Rachel: She shrugged because she didn't know. "I don't think so, it went away and it didn't end up being as big of a deal as when it showed up so I don't think came back or it will." Rachel stated as she ran her fingers through his hair. She smiled at him and laughed. "I'm thoroughly convinced that this is just a really big baby."
Brody: Rachel declared that she was convinced that the baby was just large and Brody raised an eyebrow. "I hardly believe that it would be that big of a difference this early in the pregnancy. I'm pretty sure babies are all about the same size at this point." He was sure it was just because it was her second pregnancy and everything was different and that was that.
Rachel: "Maybe, at least it's a cute bump. I've seen way too many that are awkward looking." She giggled. It was also good that she felt good and knew what to expect this time around which generally just made her feel better. "That kind of sucks though, that I'm going to be bigger this time around just because it's my second baby. I didn't think Kayla had changed my body that much."
Brody: "It is a cute bump." He agreed, though he was sure he would love it no matter what because it was his baby that was behind the bump. "It's probably a combination of a whole bunch of things." He declared though he couldn't pretend to know what all of them were. "Just go with it. Sure you're showing, but you're both healthy and that's all that matters."
Rachel: "I'm going with it." She said with a nod. "I just have to get clothes that fit me and still manage to hide it for a little while longer." Rachel smiled at him. "How do we want to tell people? I want to do something cute and special for our parents and then probably some sort of facebook announcement for everyone else."
Brody: She assured him that she was going with it, she just needed to find clothes to hide it a little better for awhile longer. "I don't know babe." He declared when she asked how he wanted to tell people. "Haven't really thought about it. I mean my parents would be thrilled with just a phone call, though mom might pass out." She was the one that seemed to be creative with this kind of thing.
Rachel: "We can't do just a phone call, that's not fun at all and it needs to be more special." Rachel murmured as she thought about it. She would come up with something by the time they were ready for sure though. "I want it to involve Kayla, that way she feels included." That was really her entire goal for anything, just making sure their daughter didn't feel left out.
Brody: Rachel shot down that idea and declared that it needed to be more fun than just a phone call. She mentioned wanting to include their daughter and he nodded knowing that was important to her. She would figure something out. It wasn't like they were going to do it today or tomorrow anyway. They had some time since it wasn't like anyone but her mom saw them on a regular basis to even catch a glimpse of a bump.
Rachel: "I'll come up with the perfect way and you'll love it. I'll just need the appointment as inspiration. See our little girl or guy and then I'll know what to do." She was just drawing a blank as to what was beyond perfect and was excited to figure it out. There was no secret confessions and fear this time around and that made it that much more special.
Brody: "Babe....I don't think we're supposed to see the baby this time. Pretty sure that's the next appointment or the one after that to get the gender. This one is probably just going to be the heartbeat and that's it." He reminded her not wanting her to get too excited only to be let down when the doctor didn't do anything but the heartbeat.
Rachel: She nodded because he was right about that. "The heartbeat will be good enough for inspiration." Rachel murmured because really just anything to help, not that the bump didn't do anything. She already had a photo album started for bump pictures and had started saving gender reveal ideas. This was different though and she couldn't wait for people to know.
Brody: She insisted that that would be enough and he nodded moving to kiss her again before tugging her into his arms. "I love you." He whispered letting his free hand rest on her growing bump. "And we can tell people whenever you're ready. I mean we're basically out of the first trimester now." He felt a lot safer just knowing that their risk of miscarriage had greatly decreased.
Rachel: "I love you too, I love you so much." Rachel murmured before kissing his cheek. "I just want to make sure everything is okay, I know we're almost out and there isn't much of a chance of anything being wrong but.. After I hear the heartbeat and know that he or she is okay." She couldn't handle if something had happened between her first appointment and now and there wasn't a heartbeat.
Brody: "I'm sure everything is just fine." He declared shaking his head. If something had happened at this point he was sure that Rachel would have been bleeding. It wasn't like they were far enough along, if something had happened her body would just expel it all as horrible as that was. And the way she was growing only proved to him that everything was just fine with their child.
Rachel: "I just want to make sure, okay?" Rachel whispered because it was really important to her. She had read too many articles about babies not making it and a miscarriage not happening naturally so that they didn't know until the doctors appointment. It was just something she had to make sure of, with her health in the past she had to know she didn't mess herself up.
Brody: "I get that okay, but I promise you our baby is fine." He murmured not even wanting to dwell on the alternative. Rachel had been absolutely healthy for over a year, following her nutritionist's plans and he had no doubt that their baby was going to be just fine. "So just relax. The appointment is soon and after that we can tell everyone and start really planning for their arrival."
Rachel: "I'm relaxed." Rachel said with a smile. "I'm just happy with waiting, plus I like it being our little secret and just basking in our own little happy bubble. Once we tell everyone it'll be out there and we won't have this." She laughed a little. "We'll have Kurt constantly asking for updates and people touching my stomach constantly."
Brody: Brody was not looking forward to everyone wanting to be in every aspect of their lives including touching Rachel's stomach. "Mine." He murmured a slight possessive tone to it. He was the one that had gotten her pregnant and he certainly wasn't going to let them make a show out of her pregnant stomach no matter how good their intentions may be.
Rachel: "Yours" She said with a smile on her face. "I also think the idea of people touching my stomach is as appalling as I thought it was with Michaela so we're going to make sure it never happens." She hated the thought of people violating her like that just because she was pregnant, touching her bump would not get them close to her baby.
Brody: Rachel agreed that it was his and didn't seem at all put off by his claiming of the child and her bump. "Definitely not going to happen with anyone but me." He murmured shaking his head. This baby belonged to the two of them and that was it. Kayla was going to be the only other person allowed to touch Rachel's bump and that was purely because the more she bonded with the baby the better.
Rachel: "Everyone's going to be mad at me for it, but I don't care." She murmured as she leaned into him more just so that she could be in his arms. "Hey, speaking of what and don't want to do with the baby.. I've been putting together a lot of research when it comes to breastfeeding and was wondering if you'd go over it with me? Not right now, but at some point in the next six months."
Brody: He couldn't help but smile as she shifted into his arms and she brought up the idea of breastfeeding and the research she had done. "We can definitely talk about all of it at some point. I mean I kind of figure you want to but I'd definitely like to discuss it as well as maybe have a back up plan if things don't go 100% the way you want them to."
Rachel: She nodded. "I really want to, but talking is good and some of the research I've gathered I think you'll really like and find interesting." Rachel continued as she rubbed his arm. She would honestly be really disappointed if they had to go with a backup plan but it was something that was just on her list of things for them to discuss as the time went on. They had more important things to do, like move.
Brody: "We'll talk about it closer to when the time comes." He declared not wanting her to get ahead of herself. They still had months to plan for when the baby was actually here and so many other things to do before it actually arrived. It was on the list but it was pretty far down it in his mind at this point.
Rachel: "I know we will." Rachel murmured as she put her head on his shoulder. "Though something else I can't wait to talk about it names." She grinned really looking forward to deciding what to name their baby. "With Michaela, we chose her name because it was so special and I want a lot of thought to go into this one as well."
Brody: "We'll find the perfect name." He assured her. "But again, let's wait until we at least have an idea of the gender because otherwise we're going to drive ourselves completely crazy." That was especially true for Rachel at the very least. "Just relax for now babe. We have plenty of time for all of that. Don't get too worked up over it all."
Rachel: "I drive myself crazy on a daily basis, you married a crazy person this is not news." She laughed before sighing and closing her eyes. Rachel was tired and it felt good to relax with him. "I do my best, I'm just excited and can't wait to know more about our baby and for him or her to be here. This is just an entirely new experience and I'm so happy."
Brody: Rachel insisted that her being crazy was not news and that she was just so excited and happy for their baby to arrive. "I know. Trust me I am too...but I'm also going to savor every day of you pregnant with my child." There was absolutely nothing like it and he wanted to worship every inch of her. "Relax for a bit and then we can look at the listings the realtor sent over."
Rachel: She nodded because she wanted to do that too, she was just also impatient and knew that it was problematic. "I need to find the balance between being excited and wanting to savor it and wanting it to go fast." Rachel knew that she would miss the feeling of a baby growing inside of her later on but she also missed the feeling of holding a tiny baby just as much.
Brody: "Yes, yes you do." He agreed softly, leaning down to kiss her head. "Savor this because I'm sure there will be plenty of babies to hold in our lifetimes but not too many more pregnancies." After all, their friends were bound to have kids eventually and he hoped that they would be grandparents way down the road as well.
Rachel: She nodded again before moving to just kiss him. "I love you, handsome." Rachel murmured. "I'm so happy that we created a child together." It was something incredible and she was really happy about it. Yawning she snuggled into him. "Let's rest for a bit and then we can stare at the computer screen. I need to rest my eyes first."
Brody: "I love you too beautiful." He replied completely thrilled that she was having his baby. She snuggled into his chest a bit more and Brody smiled nodding when she suggested that they rest. He would never turn down napping with her, especially knowing that being pregnant was taking a lot out of her. She needed the rest and he wanted to make sure that she got it.
Rachel: Being at the end of her first trimester meant that her energy was shot but was on it's way to start replenishing as she entered the second. She loved napping though, so she really didn't mind that she had to rest more. Sighing she let herself fall asleep just enjoying a day with him where he wasn't working and their kid was elsewhere and they could just enjoy each other.
Brody: Once he was sure Rachel was asleep, Brody shifted a bit to cradle her bump in his palm, just enjoying watching her sleep. Some may think it was creepy but he was just in awe of his wife and everything she was doing for him. While they had both agreed to get pregnant, Brody knew that it was his pushing that had really made this happen and he was so grateful.
Rachel: Naptime was truly Rachel's favorite thing and when she wasn't taking care of Michaela, working her new job as a vocal coach or just being with her family that was what she was doing. As she entered her second trimester she was still constantly exhausted but had the stamina to do more and was starting be more active and used it to her advantage. She was particularly energetic the morning of their second appointment, excited to hear the heartbeat for the first time.
Brody: It had been a week since Noah and Claire figured out that they were expecting and today was Rachel's second appointment. And for Brody it was honestly one of the most important. This would let them know that their baby was okay, that they had made it through the first trimester and it would allow them to start being able to tell their family and friends instead of trying to hide Rachel's still growing bump.
Rachel: She wasn't too worried about hiding her bump as she got dressed, Kayla had left after waking up to spend the day at the beach with Shelby and Beth giving them the day to just focus on their new little one and the important appointment ahead of them. "I can't believe I forgot to send her sunblock with her." She grumbled as she walked out of the bathroom once she was ready for the day. Of course Shelby would have some for Beth but she still wanted to make sure that Kayla was safe from the harmful rays.
Brody: Brody had been ready for a few hours. He'd gone to work earlier that morning to put in a few hours before coming home to pick Rachel up for the appointment. As she came out of the bathroom she grumbled about having forgotten to send sunblock with their daughter. It wasn't like Shelby wasn't going to have some with her so he didn't see a reason for her to get bent out of shape and he moved to intercept a kiss, chuckling softly. "Breathe Rachel."
Rachel: She sighed and kissed him again. "I was just in a rush, who knows what else I forgot." Rachel murmured. "Though she's going to come home with a nice tan and I'll be jealous." Tanning and being pregnant did not go together, not that she minded but she still missed the glow of being sun kissed. "I was just distracted, still am."
Brody: "I'm sure anything you may have forgotten Shelby will take care of." He declared. It wasn't like they were sending her with a random person. It was her grandma and he knew Shelby would take care of her. "Pregnancy brain already?" He teased moving to rub her bump before pulling back. "Come on. We have an appointment to get to."
Rachel: "Gah, I hope not. It's way too early for that and if it is I'm so screwed in a couple months when it really hits." She giggled and nodded before grabbing her bag so that they could head out. Let's go see how our precious baby is doing." Rachel grinned knowing that the time was going to go slow slow until she was laying on the table.
Brody: Though traffic was a bear today, it didn't take them long to make it to the doctor's office and for Rachel to get checked in. While they waited he watched her flip through the many magazines around the office and he played on his phone until her name was called back to go through the basics before the doctor would see her.
Rachel: Thankfully the doctor didn't seem to be running too behind and they were back in a room within five minutes of her appointment time. The usual physical was completed and she was soon resting as the doctor talked with her and Brody about her bump and how while she was showing to be bigger than how far along she was, as he felt her uterus through her abdomen it was measuring to be accurate. "So, I'm okay?" She asked and once she was assured that it was okay for her to be larger than what she should be she relaxed as he started up the machine to find the heartbeat.
Brody: Once they were back in the exam room, it didn't take long for the doctor to reassure them that Rachel wasn't any larger than she should be, at least not enough to be worried about. He had told her that over and over but hearing it from their doctor was definitely a relief. The doctor took down all her measurements and did everything else he needed to before starting up the doppler to find their baby's heartbeat. He was looking forward to this most out of anything in the entire appointment and he knew Rachel was as well.
Rachel: She bit her lip as the doctor searched her stomach until finally a heartbeat came through. Tears welled in her eyes as she just listened to the strong heartbeat. The doctor had a look in his eye that she was immediately concerned about and squeezed Brody's hand. "What? What is it?" She asked fear bubbling that there was something wrong with their baby's heart.
Brody: It took a moment for the heartbeat to be found but once it did Brody immediately noticed Rachel crying from joy though the doctor appeared concerned. With Rachel squeezing his hand she asked the doctor what was wrong and immediately he started to worry that something was wrong. Quickly the doctor assured them that it wasn't something to be too alarmed at though he did push back and move to the door to call to one of the nurses to bring the ultrasound machine down as soon as she could.
Rachel: The doctor told them not be alarmed but didn't stop her from being. She was on the verge of panicking as she gripped her husband's hand. This had been what she had been afraid of and was so scared as to what was going on. "Brody." Rachel whispered not sure what to say or do as the nurse brought in the ultrasound and the doctor quickly turned it on and coated her stomach with more of the cold gel.
Brody: Despite the doctor's words, Rachel was freaking out and Brody had to brush some hair out of her face to kiss her lips softly. "Hey...if he says not to be overly concerned then just take a minute to breathe." He whispered back to her as the doctor and the nurse got the machine set up and coated Rachel's stomach with the ultrasound jell. "It's going to be fine." He assured her, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand before looking to the doctor in hopes that he wasn't lying to his wife.
Rachel: She nodded though she still didn't understand the need for a rush ultrasound. The heartbeat had sounded just like that but if the doctor was concerned about something she knew that he was going to figure it out and then let them know when he did. He turned on the machine and ran it over her stomach before humming. He pointed to their baby that was on the screen. "Right here you have a completely healthy baby with a healthy heartbeat." He began before moving it. "And right here you have another completely healthy baby with a heartbeat, something we missed the last appointment for probably various reasons but.. You're having twins, that's what I heard, two heartbeats."
Brody: As soon as the doctor's voice directed him to the screen, Brody looked up. Nothing looked wrong to his eyes but he wasn't a doctor so he couldn't exactly say. The baby looked gorgeous and the doctor assured them that it had a healthy heartbeat. A moment later though he moved the wand on Rachel's stomach and pointed to what was apparently a second baby. "Wait....twins..." He mumbled having to do a double take because that was not what he had expected at all. He almost asked the doctor if he was sure but that was probably a stupid question.
Rachel: Rachel was speechless as his words sank in, twins. They were having twins? She almost didn't believe it as the doctor showed them the two in the same screen and captured it for them. This wasn't apart of the plan, this was not in the agreement when she said she'd get pregnant right at the end of her college career. Two babies was two times the work and two times the exhaustion, she was completely in shock and not sure how to react.
Brody: As far as he knew neither of them had a history of twins in their family so it certainly wasn't something that either of them had thought would be possible. But there they were...two babies on the same screen right in front of him. "Woah..." He breathed unable to help the thoughts of that explained why Rachel had grown faster than they'd expected. Suddenly a smile broke onto his face because while this was a lot to take on, ultimately it was a good thing. Their babies were healthy and really that was all that mattered.
Rachel: She looked over at Brody who was smiling like the cheshire cat which was not what she was expecting when she was currently freaking out. "Oh My God." Rachel murmured as she just looked at the screen just taking it in. The doctor then started speaking again, telling them about how it seemed as if it was a very healthy multiple pregnancy but that twins pregnancy were watched more closely and that would mean more appointment. She wasn't going to be mad about that but her head was spinning that she still didn't know what to do or say.
Brody: Brody knew enough to know that having multiples meant that the pregnancy was classified as a higher risk but he really wasn't all that worried because everything seemed to be going well. Two babies were moving on the screen in front of him and that was something that was going to take some time to get used to. "Thanks doc..." He murmured knowing that Rachel wasn't going to be able to say much for awhile as her brain processed it all.
Rachel: "Two." She whispered to Brody when the doctor left the room. "Two..." That was completely insane and her mind was completely blown and terrified about it all. Rachel sat up slowly and just rubbed her temples as the instant headache that came from the stress from the news. She looked at her husband wide eyed because this was insane and she honestly couldn't believe he seemed so happy about it so quickly.
Brody: After cleaning Rachel's stomach off the doctor left and Rachel just mumbled the word 'two' at him over and over as she sat up. "Hey...it's okay." He assured her gently tugging her into his arms. "The babies are healthy and that's absolutely all that matters." They could figure out how they were going to handle two babies and everything else later, it wasn't like they were arriving tomorrow or anything.
Rachel: She hugged him tightly just letting it all sink in as she let out a shaky sigh because it was so incredible but also so weird. "I feel so horrible right now for not being over the moon happy like you are." Rachel whispered before kissing him. "We're going to be the parents of twins, that's one crazy turn our lives just took."
Brody: Her arms wrapped around him tight and she sighed before declaring that she felt horrible for not being as excited as he was. "It's okay." He assured her kissing her back tenderly before resting a palm on her bump. "At least we know why you popped so early." He added smiling again when she mentioned that they were going to be parents to twins. "Everything about our lives is crazy, why shouldn't this be as well?"
Rachel: She laughed because he was right about that, her body was preparing for two babies and their lives really were just crazy. After a second she laughed again before shaking her head. "I'm going to be huge!" Rachel was a tiny person she didn't think her body could handle carrying two babies, it all seemed so surreal."
Brody: "Come on. Let's get you home." He declared helping her fix her shirt before assisting her off the exam table. He was sure the doctor would have their pictures waiting at the front desk for when they scheduled her next appointment. Two babies were going to be a handful, but if anyone could handle it, it was them. After all, they made it through a teenage pregnancy and the attitude that their five year old daughter had.
Rachel: Rachel nodded because going home definitely felt like a good idea. The front desk gave her the appointment card as well as her photos that had 'baby a' and 'baby b' on them indicating which baby was which. She looked at them for a second before taking her husband's hand as they left the building. "I think we should tell our parents now." Rachel murmured not sure how to hide twins much longer with how big she was already and really just the magnitude of the news.
Brody: Leaving the office felt completely different than he had expected it to and Brody was honestly ecstatic and terrified at the same time. As they headed down the street Rachel mentioned needing to tell their parents now and he nodded. "Yeah. We're going to need them behind us on this as soon as possible." Not that he didn't think they would be but having twins was big and they could use the help.
Rachel: As they walked it all began to become a little more clear, she was carrying two babies instead of one. "Two little bundles of joy." She said with a smile because it was sort of amazing no matter how terrified she was. "I don't think it'll be an issue of getting them behind us, though I do think we can handle this.. It's just.... wow.. Obviously we couldn't have planned this, but I was not prepared for it to even be a possibility."
Brody: "Two boys. Two girls. Maybe even one of each." He mused. After all the doctor didn't mention whether they were going to be identical or fraternal twins, or well if he did Brody wasn't paying attention. "We certainly couldn't have planned it and it didn't even cross my mind when we were trying to figure out why you had popped so early." It was a good thing though that was for certain, even if it was going to make things more complicated.
Rachel: "I certainly didn't think of it." She murmured still not sure how she felt about it. Two babies was going to be so much and so hard but she did feel sort of excited about it. They had wanted three kids and now they were getting the last two in one. "Carrying two babies.. That's going to make for a really hard next six months."
Brody: He knew that Rachel was definitely scared of the effect a multiples pregnancy was going to have on her body and honestly he was a little too. "We'll get through it. We've been through worse." Of course she was going to have a lot more aches and pains, there was a greater risk of a premature birth and everything else but he had faith that it would all turn out okay.
Rachel: "We've been through worse yes, but that doesn't make this any easier." Rachel murmured as she wrapped an arm around him as they walked. "I don't know why this is so hard to clearly wrap my head around but it really is. I fully accept it and I'm happy about it, but there is just something about it that's not sitting well and making it just so scary." She admitted. "There's also the fact that our daughter was barely happy about one baby, two is not going to go well."
Brody: "We're gonna be fine. You and our babies are going to be fine." He declared kissing her head. "It just means that you have to really not push yourself too hard. It means that we're going to need to buy twice as many diapers and we're going to have to figure out if we want to make due with the cribs we had from Kayla or if we want to buy new. It means that you're probably not going to make it to 40 weeks, since I'm pretty sure twins almost always come early and we'll have to keep a close eye on the babies to make sure that they're growing properly."
Rachel: "It means a lot of things, I know." She said with a sigh. "The one thing out of everything you said that I think makes a lot of sense for us to do, mostly for aesthetic reasons, is buying matching cribs." Rachel said knowing that she'd probably drive herself crazy trying to match the two very different cribs they had of Kayla's. "I mean definitely keep your old one in storage but we could sell the entire set my dads bought for a really good price to put towards new." She hummed to herself not thinking it was a bad idea. "I was really looking forward to our new years baby, but before is good too as long as it's not too much and they're okay."
Brody: Rachel declared that they should probably buy matching cribs though she quickly clarified that they would keep his old one in storage and sell the ones her dads had bought for Kayla. If that would make her happy he was sure that they could make it work. "As long as they're okay and you're okay I'm going to be thrilled." He didn't really care whether the babies were at 34 weeks or 38 weeks as long as everyone came out of labor and delivery alright.
Rachel: She hadn't done any research on twins obviously, but what she had ready just randomly she knew that there was more of a chance of the twins coming really early than anything and that was really scary. "They're going to be so tiny, Kayla was eight pounds, these are two babies sharing that same space. They'll be what four or five if they make it to 38 weeks? This is really so much to take in and prepare for."
Brody: "Yeah they're going to be on the smaller end, probably five to six at close to full term. It's definitely going to be harder than one baby but at the same time twins happen pretty frequently babe and I'm pretty sure they all turned out okay." It wasn't like they were on the very risky end of multiples. Twins weren't really all that big of a deal even if it was at the same time.
Rachel: "I know that, but that doesn't stop it from freaking me out. Twins could be born more than singulars and I'd still be freaked out right now." Rachel said as she rubbed his back before taking his hand into hers instead. Really she just needed to get home, lay down, and just process it all. Then once she did that she would start planning and making lists.
Brody: Brody knew more than anything that he needed to get Rachel home to take a nap and let her mind settle with the idea. Shit, he needed to go for a run himself, and at this point he might see if Noah would go with him because being alone probably wasn't the best idea. As happy as he was, he was also freaked the fuck out and a breakdown in the middle of the city wouldn't be good.
Rachel: They made it home and Rachel sighed as she sat on the couch and just rubbed her head. Really she felt like such a bad mother for not feeling really happy about having two babies, and she needed to deal with it. They weren't ready for two new babies, he had barely pushed her into being ready for one.
Brody: Back at the apartment, Rachel sat down and Brody just watched her hoping that she would come around and be settled with this idea. It was starting to scare him that she was so upset about it all. Moving to the closet, he grabbed a light throw for her as well as a pillow just wanting her to lay down and rest even if she was watching the cooking channel or something while she did so. "Do you want me to call Claire to come over or something?" He asked not sure what he could do right now.
Rachel: Brody got her a pillow and a blanket which she was thankful for. "No, baby. I'm fine." She assured him as she laid down. "Why don't you sit with me? We can talk and maybe look through listings again? Do you think we should add another bedroom to our requirements?" Rachel asked not sure exactly how they could fit three children. She smiled at him though, not wanting him worried. "I am happy about this, I really am. It's just something that's just big news and I'm processing. I'm happy though."
Brody: Rachel insisted that she was fine and asked him to sit with her as she laid down on the couch. Though he wanted to run, if she needed him there, he would stay and just make sure she was okay. "I think bedroom wise we're still okay." He declared shaking his head. The twins could share, he saw no reason why they couldn't. Even though she was smiling, he was still worried and he bit his lip as she assured him again that she was happy even though she was still processing.
Rachel: "Come here." She murmured wanting to kiss him. "I love you, I love you so much and I'm really sorry for how I've reacted since the doctors appointment. I guess it was a shock to my system that hit me hard." She explained as she took his hand. "I'm just really scared, I know people do it all the time but it's really scary." She knew he was scared to though and that they would get through it all together. "I think I'm also mostly just worried about Michaela. I know I shouldn't spoil her and cater to her happiness but I know i am."
Brody: With his wife's request to come closer, Brody shifted towards her and let her kiss him softly. She apologized for how she's been acting and admitted that she was just scared and worried about their daughter. He was scared too, he was the one completely helpless watching her carry their twins. "Michaela will be fine. Sure she may have an attitude about it but she's not the first child to be given siblings and she'll come around."
Rachel: Rachel nodded and kissed him again. "Okay I'm not going to sit here freaked out anymore, I'm going to do the research I need to do to make sure I am helping out babies grow and be healthy. Then I'm going to find the perfect way to tell people so that we can finally share our exciting news that we are going to be the very proud parents of twins." She smiled and cupped his cheek. "God help us because if they are even a fraction like our daughter we are going to have our hands full."
Brody: After another kiss, Rachel promised that she wasn't going to sit and freak out anymore and instead she was going to research what she needed to do to be able to make sure their babies were healthy. "We definitely need to tell our parents." He agreed not sure that he would be able to keep this to himself much longer. "We're going to have our hands full no matter what." He declared shaking his head. There was no avoiding that.
Rachel: "Do you want to call them now? We can do a conference video call and tell them all at once." They had used it for their daughters birthday when it had fallen on a weekday and their parents couldn't come in till the weekend. It was handy and she was thankful for it. "Though I wanted to tell them in a special way I think we need to just tell them now and then tell everyone else a fun way." She suggested though she still wasn't sure just how to do that but she'd figure it out."
Brody: Rachel asked if he wanted to just do a conference call because while she had wanted to do something fun they really did need to tell them. "Yeah. Let's just call them." He knew that it would be a weight off of both of their backs to have their families in this with them and it would take the stress of the secret off of them as well
Rachel: Rachel nodded and waited for him to go grab a laptop. Once he was back she sat up suddenly a little nervous as she sent the entire family a message that they'd be recieiving a video call from them soon and to please answer. "They're going to be happy, right?"
Brody: Going to get the laptop Brody took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair trying to calm himself down. As the computer pulled up from power save mode, Rachel messaged their family and then asked if they were going to be happy. "I think so..." He declared moving to rest a hand on her bump for a little bit of comfort. "I mean I can't see them being angry for any reason."
Rachel: "Your parents are going to be over the moon happy. My dads probably will be too, I mean you did promise no babies in college and that is true." Her dads loved being grandpas she couldn't imagine them being upset over two more. They did find her education and career important though so that would be a challenge for them to know that this was what she wanted and was planned. Taking a deep breathe she kissed then kissed him before hitting the call button.
Brody: He was sure his parents were going to be thrilled once they got over the shock. And he had kept his promise to her dads, they were both out of college now . If anything they may take some convincing that this was planned and something they had agreed on wanting. The wait after Rachel hit the call button was one of the longest of his life and he stole another kiss from his wife before first his parents and then her's appeared on the screen.
Rachel: "Hey!" Rachel greeted to them all when they came on the screen all obviously curious what the random call was about. "Is Kayla okay?" His mom asked and she nodded. "She's being a beach babe today." She replied as she took Brody's hand. "We just wanted to talk and share a piece of information with you." Looking at him she smiled to see if he wanted to announce the news he had been wanting for so long now. They would have had a baby a year or two ago if she had wanted to, she loved how much she wanted to be a father again.
Brody: The first question out of his mother's mouth was asking if Kayla was okay. Rachel quickly assured them that she was and that she was being a beach babe for the day before she took his hand. After declaring that they had some news to share, Rachel looked at him and Brody smiled. "Technically it's two pieces of news." He added figuring that first they should drop the news that Rachel was pregnant and then add on that they were having twins. "We've known for awhile now, but wanted to wait until it was a little safer before we said anything..." He trailed off before smirking and shifting the camera down to focus on Rachel's bump. "We're expecting."
Rachel: She bit her lip as he dropped the news as he moved the computer to her bump. Standing so that they could see it better she smiled. "How far along are you?" Her dad asked as she sat back down and positioned the computer back to their faces. "I'm at 13 weeks, we found out around 6." She couldn't believe six weeks had went by so fast. "There's more though." Rachel added figuring that they should tell them it all so that they could process it all together. "We found out today, that we're having.. Twins!"
Brody: Rachel stood up to show off her bump and her dad asked how far along she was as Rachel sat back down. He let his wife answer and then she added the other half of their news. It still sounded so foreign that they were having two brand new babies when neither had even had the faintest idea that it would happen to them. Silence came across the screen for a moment but then he noticed that his mom was crying and he chuckled softly. "And before you ask, we had sat down and discussed expanding our family years ago and we decided that the end of college was a good time to start trying because we didn't want too far of an age gap between the baby and Kayla."
Rachel: Brody made it clear that the pregnancy was planned and she studied all of their faces just hoping that they were going to respond positively. "We figured this was the right time, of course twins wasn't in the plan but we're happy to adjust it and know that this is definitely something good." She said with a smile. His mom was crying and his dad was starting to show a small smile on his face. Looking at her dads she bit her lip before they each smiled. "Congratulations to you both."
Brody: With both his parents clearly starting to adjust to the news Brody looked in hopes that he would get some sort of reaction out of her parents. Eventually they smiled and congratulated them making Brody smile and relax a bit. "We're a little terrified about twins but it is definitely a good thing and we're hoping that Kayla takes it well. She seems to have mixed feelings on the whole idea of us having another baby."
Rachel: She felt like the world was being lifted from her when their parents seemed to settle with the news pretty well. "Yes, we're so scared but we're happy. Kayla knowing the news is going to be our next step and that's certainly going to be something we're not completely looking forward to." Rachel murmured. His mom asked what she thought of them having a baby and Rachel laughed lightly. "She'd rather have a dog."
Brody: Rachel declared that they still needed to tell Kayla and that was definitely something that he wasn't looking forward to. His mom asked what Kayla thought and Rachel answered honestly mentioning that the five year old would rather have a dog. "There are moments that she seems like she'll be okay with it. Like I mentioned her getting to help read to the baby and she seemed okay with that, but there are other moments that have us a little worried."
Rachel: "It's going to be really difficult to tell her because we both really just want her to be happy and for her to want these babies as much as we do." She really didn't know how to do it. Sighing she reached for her bag that had the ultrasound and pulled it out and show it to them. "See, look. This is Baby A and Baby B, you're two new grandchildren."
Brody: He hadn't even thought to pull out the ultrasound so he smiled when Rachel reached into her bag for it and held it up to the screen showing off both their new little ones. It made his mom cry even more and he smiled glad that his parents really were happy about this. "We had wondered why Rach was showing so much so soon but neither of us expected this to be the reason."
Rachel: She hummed with him. "Yes, definitely happy to know that I'm showing for a reason." Rachel murmured as she continued to hold up the picture for a minute before sitting it down. Everyone seemed to be happy and that was something that really made her feel better about it all. "We knew that we needed to tell you all now instead of waiting much longer."
Brody: "Rachel wanted to come up with a special way to tell all of you but after today's news we really just needed you to know." He was sure that they probably would have kept it as a secret for awhile longer had they not been shocked with two babies heartbeats. It was for the best though because now they didn't have to purposely hide it from anyone. They could just celebrate the lives they were bringing into the world.
Rachel: "Now we're just going to figure out a way to tell everyone else, something fun once Kayla knows." Rachel said with a small shrug. She wasn't sure what the next step would be or how to tell her but she was looking forward to celebrating with her husband for the rest of the day. Her dad then asked how she was feeling and she smiled. "Not too bad, I'm still waiting for the morning sickness to completely subside but it's not too bad."
Brody: They had to let Shelby in on their news as well but they could do that later today when they went to get Kayla. Her dad asked about how she was feeling and Rachel insisted that it wasn't too bad. "She's tired a lot more but that's something we're not surprised at." She was going to be tired a lot for the next few years and it was just going to be something they got used to.
Rachel: "I have more stamina now though so that's good, but definitely more tired and that's okay." Rachel said with a smile. They were just taking things one day at a time, which was probably what they were going to have to do from now on as they figured out how to raise twins. "We're happy that you're happy that's for sure."
Brody: Quickly, Brody moved to kiss Rachel's forehead and he smiled as she declared that they were happy their parents were happy. After everything they'd been through they knew that they were ready for this. It certainly wasn't their first go around and despite being surprised with twins Brody knew that they were more prepared than a lot of people their age having kids.
Rachel: They talked with their parents for a few more minutes before hanging up and Rachel smiled and laid her head on his shoulder. "They're happy." She grinned as she took squeezed his hand. "That is so relieving, now we need to figure out what we should say to babygirl when she gets home." She knew she really shouldn't worry too much about her but she really couldn't help it.
Brody: Eventually they ended the call with their parents and Rachel relaxed against him after putting the computer back on the table. "Yeah, not sure how to tell our daughter that she's going to be completely outnumbered by babies." He declared chuckling softly. He was sure that Kayla was going to love being a huge helper but there were certainly going to be moments where she'd had enough of it all. It was definitely a good thing that she was going to be in school at least half a day.
Rachel: She sighed and just relaxed against him. "I think we should just tell her and hope for the best." Rachel murmured as she kissed his cheek. "I think for our big announcement we should get her a big sister shirt and then baby a and b onesies for her to hold and we'll just do it that way." It was simple and didn't need any explanation.
Brody: Rachel mentioned just telling their daughter and hoping for the best and then mentioned getting baby a and baby b onesies and a big sister shirt and doing it that way. "What about thing one and thing two onesies." He teased knowing that might even get Kayla to laugh and not be quite as grumpy for a picture.
Rachel: "Maybe? I guess we'll just have to see what we can find easily." Rachel murmured not really minding how they went about it as long as it was obvious it was twins. "Maybe we can let her pick them out? That may help if she's allowed to choose thing." She really was all about making sure Michaela was comfortable and eased into the situation
Brody: "We'll figure it all out. We don't have to worry about the big announcement just yet. I mean we still have to tell Shelby and let Kayla know about the twins and after that we can figure everything else out." Pretty much everyone who was important already knew and so there really wasn't a rush to making a public announcement.
Rachel: "I feel bad that we're telling Shelby as an afterthought." She murmured. It had been the same when they got engaged and any other big news. She wasn her mother but no matter how close they sort of were there was still a wall Rachel had between them and she couldn't quite help it to not want to tell her like they would their parents.
Brody: "I'm sure she'll understand." Brody declared. It wasn't like they could just call her up like they had their parents. She was at the beach with Kayla and Beth and those two girls were so much of a handful that she wouldn't be able to spend time on the phone. They would tell her later that day, it wasn't like they were going to keep it a secret from her while telling everyone else.
Rachel: Rachel nodded because he was right. Yawning she hummed softly to herself as she pulled the throw he had brought out over her. "Just thinking about chasing two toddlers around in two years is exhausting." She said with a giggle. "Something tells me that us having twins means we're not going to have it easy like we were hoping we would.
Brody: His wife settled under the light throw and declared that just thinking about chasing two toddlers sounded exhausting. "Eh, an easy life is no fun." He teased kissing her softly before tugging her to rest closer to him. "Life is all about the adventure after all, and just think, you'll have no problem losing the baby weight tending to two." He added knowing that they were going to be running around like crazy.
Rachel: She groaned thinking about the baby weight. "I'm going to be so big." Rachel mumbled the thought not helping her body image any. "I see that though, I won't be sleeping any or having time to eat it'll all just melt off from that alone." She was going to be able to do it, women were made to have children even twins and she was going to do it all.
Brody: "You're going to be beautiful." Knowing that she was carrying two of his babies was only more of a turn on and he kissed her head. "That is never going to change." It wasn't like her entire figure was changing. She was going to have a large belly and that was completely different. "And I'm sure we'll both get adaquate sleep. I mean come on, we both know my mom is going to want to spend a few weeks here to help and your dads probably will too."
Rachel: "We're not in Ohio anymore, they won't be able to just be around like with Michaela." Rachel murmured not that it bothered her too much. She was so much more capable at handling it all than when she was a teenager and felt like they could do it on their own if they needed to. "They all have jobs and don't get grandparent leave, even you will only get a couple weeks."
Brody: "Babe...my mom is a teacher remember. She'll have off from mid December to early January." He declared. He was sure that every minute his mom was out of school she would be up here with them. "And beyond that she rarely uses her days off so if she needs to take a few I'm sure it won't bother her in the least." Yes they could do it on their own but they also had families who were going to want to help them.
Rachel: "I know, I guess I just feel weird about it now than when Kayla was born. We're older now, we don't need our parents to be here." She shrugged a little bit before kissing him. "We'll figure it out. We have five or so months, hopefully closer to six than five." She read stories and knew how hard it was to have babies in the NICU and knew it was a possibility with twins.
Brody: "Unless you have to have a c-section and then we're definitely going to need the help." While he hoped they would be able to deliver naturally again, there was always the greater risk that something would happen and she would have to go under the knife. If so, he would take all the help he could get because taking care of her, Kayla and twins would be a little bit more than he could handle on his own.
Rachel: Rachel sighed not exactly sure how to even imagine that happening. "This is all so much to think about. How do people have twins? Even the idea is completely freaking me out." She mumbled as she rubbed her twin bump. "We're not going to have to name them with rhyming names are we?" She asked not liking that at all.
Brody: "It's overwhelming yes, but you have to remember that we just found out a few hours ago. We have plenty of time to figure it all out." He declared resting his hand on hers over her bump. "And no...let's stick to very different names otherwise we're likely to constantly mix the two of them up." He replied knowing that if they were identical, it was already going to be hard enough.
Rachel: "I agree, different names are good." She murmured as she closed her eyes just letting it all sink in. It was going to take her a bit to fully not be freaked out and truly accept it all but she was looking forward to having to new babies around. "Two babies to love and cherish, that's a good thought." Rachel whispered with a soft smile.
Brody: The soft smile on Rachel's face was so sweet and Brody smiled down at her, brushing his thumb over her stomach again. "It's a very good thought. I can't wait." Of course, it would be a few more weeks before they could hopefully figure out the genders but either way he was going to be thrilled. Still he was hoping that he wouldn't be completely outnumbered by girls because that would not be fun when it came to the teenage years.
Rachel: "Me neither." She hummed softly as she just relaxed and enjoyed some resting time with him. Her mind was still swirling with thoughts about twins but she felt a little bit more relaxed now that the idea was settled and she felt more at ease over it. She was still scared but also looking forward to the new adventure life had given them.
Brody: There was still so much they needed to figure out, but at the same time it could all wait. Right now they were just going to cuddle and relax and that would be that. In a few hours their daughter would be back from the beach and they would have to let her and Shelby and Beth in on their news. After that they should probably tell Noah and Claire about the twins as well but again, there really wasn't any rush.
Rachel: She couldn't help but fall asleep leaning against him. The entire day had completely worn her and she needed the rest as her body digested the information. While she was still so terrified she was started to feel more and more happy and that was a feeling she needed. Plus having Brody so happy, it was hard for her to not be happy because this was what he really wanted too.
Brody: Brody went to talk to Rachel again after a moment only to look down and find that she had fallen asleep on top of him. He knew she needed it so he wasn't about to wake her. Instead he shifted her onto the couch a bit better and then moved to clean up a little bit before calling Noah, just needing to communicate his fears to someone that wasn't his wife because she was scared enough already.
Rachel: When she woke up she looked at the clock and groaned internally. It was late enough that their daughter was going to be arriving any time. "Why'd you let me sleep so long?" She asked as she sat up and stretched before slowly getting up and walking around just to wake up. The nap had felt good though and she was happy for the rest.
Brody: Noah seemed completely shocked that Rachel was carrying twins but at the same time congratulated him on his swimmers. It was typical Noah and it made Brody feel a little bit better about it all. After getting dinner going, Brody moved to look at some of the listings they were sent and set up a few appointments to look at a few he thought Rachel would like. Just as he was pressing send on the email, Rachel woke up asking why he had let her sleep so long. "Pretty sure your body needed it." He replied shrugging.
Rachel: "Maybe, but I'll never sleep later." It had been a little too late of a nap for her body to wear down again come bedtime but she figured that she'd be able to deal with it. She'd find something to occupy her time. "What are you up to?" She asked as she looked at his computer screen to see the listings up. "anything promising?"
Brody: "I'm sure Kayla will get you worn down as soon as she gets home." He mused looking up as she asked what he was up to. "There were a few. I set up a meeting with the realtor to go visit them. Since we really do need to get on this." They only had a few months until Kayla started school after all. "Besides that I called Noah. He told me to tell you that you better be careful of my super sperm after this pregnancy."
Rachel: She nodded because that was true. "We definitely do before I'm too big to be able to help." Rachel murmured as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his head. "He would say that." She laughed. "I should probably go call Claire then so that she doesn't think I'm hiding it from her since he knows."
Brody: Moving was certainly not going to be the most fun thing they'd ever done but at this point it was a must. There was no way this place would hold them and two new babies, it was just too small. Rachel kissed his head and declared that Noah would say that before declaring that she should probably go call Claire. "Sounds good." He declared. He really had just needed to vent and Noah was the only one of their friends that even knew that Rachel was expecting.
Rachel: She kissed him again before going into the bedroom and calling Claire so that they could catch. It was obvious that Noah had already told her and she laughed at her immediate reaction and how excited she was. They talked for a little while just talking about the twins and all the shopping they were going to be doing. Having someone else really excited about it, really made her happy and feel excited.
Brody: With Rachel off talking to her best friend, Brody wrapped up what he was doing and moved to look out the window. It really was crazy that they were going to bring two more little people into the world in just a few months. He certainly missed having infants around as tiring as it was going to be especially with a five year old as well. Luckily they would have Shelby and Beth to help keep Kayla entertained when their focus was on the babies.
Rachel: She got off the phone and made her way into the kitchen to make herself some tea. "Whatcha thinking about, baby?" Rachel asked as she put the kettle on the stove and went through her teas before deciding on a ginger one just to keep her stomach settled. "Claire is so excited for us, it really helped me be excited too."
Brody: It wasn't long before he heard Rachel putting the kettle on and she asked what he was thinking about. "Nothing really." He murmured. He had been worried financially about one baby and now there were two and to say he was slightly stressed was an understatement. He figured he could go see about teaching some classes at the studio again to bring in a little extra on top of the show just to be safe. "That's great."
Rachel: "Tell me." She whispered as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "I want you to talk to me, we can't shut each other out because of this situation." Rachel murmured as she rubbed his back. "I need you to talk to me, because I can't watch you go through this alone because you're stressed out when I can help you."
Brody: Rachel whispered for him to talk to her and she wrapped her arms around his waist before rubbing at his back. "I'm just stressed Rachel." He replied shaking his head. She was already worried enough for the both of them, he really didn't need to add the money situation on top of it all. At the very least there was no way they'd be able to afford a house so it was good that he had talked her out of that already.
Rachel: "Talk me through it though, let me help you." Rachel pushed because she needed him to be open with her, they couldn't keep the go around when they were bringing more children into the world. "Please, I can handle whatever is on your mind. I'm pregnant not fragile and I can handle it."
Brody: She pushed him to open up to her and he sighed moving to kiss her forehead. "I'm just worried about money okay." He murmured before stepping to go check on the food that was on the stove and in the oven. "One baby was going to be hard but manageable, I'm worried about being able to afford twice as much."
Rachel: She nodded understanding where he was coming from. "With me giving my vocal lessons, I think we'll be okay." Rachel murmured. "Twice as much diapers is going to be hard but we'll get enough to last us probably at my baby shower so that's something to look forward to. I bet our parents will want to pitch in with the furniture." She was stressed about the money too but she wasn't going to let it him get down too much when it was manageable.
Brody: Brody had already factored her vocal lessons into the budget and it was still way too tight for comfort. "I'm going to talk to the studio and see if I can start teaching some classes again." It would have him at work more but at least it would take some of the strain off of them. He certainly didn't want Rachel to have to work more, after all child care was expensive and it would be pointless for her to work while they were paying for that.
Rachel: "Okay." Rachel nodded knowing that if that's what he wanted to do then she supported him. "As long as you're not gone constantly." Rachel added not wanting him gone all the time when she wanted him home with her and Kayla. She sighed and kissed him. "I love you." She whispered before kissing him again.
Brody: Thankfully, Rachel didn't fight him but clarified that it was okay as long as he wasn't gone constantly. He would definitely be working more but they needed the money. When she kissed him he returned the gesture as well as her 'I love you' before turning back to the food. "Kayla should be home soon and dinner is about ready." He declared moving to the fridge to grab himself a bottle of water.
Rachel: "Is there enough time to talk to Shelby before we eat?" Rachel asked wanting her to know about the pregnancy before anything else. It would overall just be another weight off her shoulders and really they needed her when the babies arrive to help with Kayla. It really helped having a free daycare for their daughter to go to.
Brody: "Yeah, we can just leave it all to stay warm." He declared knowing that it wouldn't hurt the food to sit for a little bit while they talked to Shelby. After all, they certainly didn't want her to be the last to know and as of right now she was the last one they needed to tell before they let the news go completely public.
Rachel: Rachel nodded and not even two minutes later there was a knock on the door and she went to answer it. "Hey, come in." Rachel smiled as she hugged her babygirl. "Did you all have fun at the beach, princess?" She asked noticing the little girls slightly red skin that was about to turn into a tan. "YES!" Kayla squealed before going into a lengthy story as the group moved into the kitchen where Brody was.
Brody: As he finished up dinner, Rachel went to let Shelby and the girls in. Looking over, Kayla was a bit pink but it wasn't anything that wouldn't be tan by morning. It was clear that their daughter had had a good day by the way she was talking as they all came into the kitchen. The chicken was ready, as were the potatoes and he hoped that it had enough flavor for their daughter but not too much that would make Rachel sick.
Rachel: "Don't rush off, we want to talk to you." Rachel said to Shelby as Beth and Michaela sat at the table. She looked at Brody with a smile before going into the living room and getting the ultrasound. "We have big news." She grinned. "I'm pregnant." Rachel began as she handed her the photo. "With twins." She added as she looked it over.
Brody: Rachel asked Shelby not to run off because they had something they wanted to tell her. He had broken the news last time so he was going to let her do it this time. He watched her walk into the living room where they had left the ultrasound photos after talking to their parents and he smiled as Rachel handed the photo to Shelby and announced that they were having twins. He could only hope that she reacted as well as their parents had.
Rachel: Shelby immediately broke into a bright smile and and hugged her as she congratulated them both. "Thank you." Rachel smiled as she hugged her back. "What's twins?" Michaela asked and Rachel pulled back as Beth commented. "That's two babies, Kaya." Their daughter's face went non expressive as she took in the information. "Two?" She asked and Rachel nodded as she sat down beside her and showed her. "You're going to get two baby brothers or sisters or one of each." She explained as she pointed out the two babies. Michaela the made a face and Rachel frowned.
Brody: It was definitely a relief when Shelby's face broke into a grin and she congratulated them. Their daughter asked what twins meant and Beth told her that it was two babies. Kayla questioned that and Rachel moved to show her the picture declaring that she was going to have either two brothers, two sisters, or one of each. Kayla didn't seem all that thrilled with the announcement and he could only hope that she wouldn't decide to throw a tantrum on them.
Rachel: Their daughter was terrifyingly silent and Rachel bit her lip and looked at Brody not sure what was going to come of the news. "You said one baby." She said after a minute and Rachel nodded slowly. "I know, princess but it's not something mommy and daddy knew until today." They already knew she wasn't going to be happy but she wanted the best reaction as possible.
Brody: The way Rachel was looking at him was about as reassuring as their daughter's silence, as in, not at all. Kayla declared that they had told her one baby and Rachel reassured her that it wasn't something they even knew about until today. "We were only planning on one baby but apparently two wanted to join our family and have you as a big sister." He stated hoping that his positivity would rub off on her.
Rachel: She wasn't sure if their daughter was still just confused by it all or if she was really just not happy and it worried her. "Do you want to talk about this some more or do you want to eat?" Rachel asked figuring she'd at least give her a choice right now so that maybe the news would sink in and she'd want to ask questions afterwards. "Eat." The five year old mumbled and Rachel nodded as she kissed her head and stood up. At least she wasn't running around screaming, yet.
Brody: With the option of talking about it or eating being given, Kayla took the latter and Brody nodded, moving to get the food out of the oven. Maybe some time would let it all sink in like it had for them and she would be okay with it later. At least as of yet she wasn't crying or screaming so he would take the quiet for now though he also knew that they couldn't let her bottle it all up for too long.
Rachel: Shelby took that moment to say her goodbyes and Rachel hugged her and Beth before seeing them out as Kayla washed up. "A silent Michaela is worse than a screaming one. I never thought I'd say that, but that's how I feel right now." She mumbled to her husband as she helped him set the table so that they could eat.
Brody: With Shelby and Beth gone, Rachel mentioned that a silent daughter was worse than a screaming one. "It'll be fine. Let her process." He murmured grabbing plates and glasses for drinks while Rachel got the silverware and napkins. "We had to process ourselves so we can't expect her not to have to do the same thing." It was a lot to take in especially for someone who didn't really understand all of it.
Rachel: "I know, I know." Rachel murmured knowing that she had to allow her some time. "that doesn't make me any less scared of her reaction though." Their daughter was very opinionated and extremely blunt so she was waiting to see what her reaction was going to be once it all sank in. She just hoped that the more they talked about it and were excited the more she'd hopefully feel the same way.
Brody: "We'll work it all out like we always do." He assured her kissing her head. It wasn't like the babies were going to just disappear, she was going to have to get used to the whether she liked it or not. If nothing else she would quickly learn that hating the babies wasn't going to get her anyway and that her energies were better spent being positive and accepting them.
Rachel: She got Kayla's plate ready and sat it on her spot as the little girl came back and was ready to eat. Sitting down herself she felt uneasy about the situation really not sure what to say or think. Rachel didn't want to push her but she was trying so hard to make sure that Michaela was settling in with the idea and not getting upset over it.
Brody: Rachel took care of getting their daughter food and Kayla came back from washing her hands to eat. He knew that Rachel was getting worked up over it all and he sighed making his own plate before sitting down next to her and resting his hand on her knee. "Patience." He whispered. If their daughter was upset, they could deal with that but it wouldn't do them any good to jump the gun when it came to her feelings.
Rachel: "I'm being patient, just cautious as well." Rachel mumbled as she began to eat. The news had been so huge that she herself wasn't really in tune with her feeling about it right now. Her main plan was just to keep an eye out on their daughter and hope that once they all got a good nights sleep that it would all be better in the morning and could talk about it.
Brody: Dinner turned out better than he had expected it to which was certainly a relief since his cooking skills still weren't the best. "So, what do you think of daddy's dinner?" He asked both of his girls wanting feedback and knowing that it was a safe topic to bring up with their daughter that would hopefully get her talking again instead of sitting in silence.
Rachel: She smiled at her husband. "It's good, you did a great job." Rachel complimented. She usually did the cooking but it was always nice when he made dinner and most of the time he did fairly well at it. There was some issues he still had to work out when it came to flavoring and what was too much but he still did good.
Brody: Rachel insisted that he had done a great job and Brody smiled glad that she liked it. Kayla gave him a thumbs up between bites as well and he chuckled at her glad that at least she was eating instead of hiding in her room pouting. While he knew Rachel was nervous about the silence he was at least glad that she wasn't insisting that she be left alone like she sometimes did when she wasn't happy and needed to think.
Rachel: They continued to eat, Rachel and Brody enjoying light conversation with Kayla eating silently only chiming in when she was asked or she felt the need to comment. When they were finished she went off to her room and Rachel smiled at her husband and kissed him before helping him clean up. "By the time the babies are born, she'll be happy with it. Then they'll probably keep her up at night and she'll resent them but she'll come to like them again."
Brody: When dinner was over, Kayla went running to her room and Rachel helped him clean up after kissing him. It was more important than ever that they found an apartment and he was reminded of that when Rachel mentioned the babies keeping Kayla up at night. While it wasn't a must, it would be nice if they could find a place that had a little bit of distance between what would serve as the two kids bedrooms for that very reason.
Rachel: Once the kitchen was relatively clean, Rachel checked in on Kayla who was playing one of her games. "I love you, bug." Rachel said causing the little girl to look up and repeat the words back to her. Rachel then headed into the living room and sat down with a sigh as she started a little bit of twin research.
Brody: As he was finishing up, Rachel moved to check on their daughter and after a moment she came back and sat on the couch. "You okay?" He asked her not wanting the stress of their daughter to wear her down when she was already having her body put through so much stress. He was worried about it and so many other things and he ran his fingers through his hair sure that all of this was going to give him grey hairs.
Rachel: She looked at him and nodded. "I'm okay, yes." Rachel said honestly. "I'm worried but I'm trusting that we will get through whatever reaction she has." She murmured as she scrolled through the baby site. "I'm now just trying to find out what I need to know about carrying twins as well as finding a tracking app since the one I'm using isn't for twins." She was just trying to settle her mind and she was limited as to what she could do to do that.
Brody: She insisted that she was fine and that she was worried but trusting that they could handle their daughter and that now she was looking for information on carrying twins. He really didn't think it was that different but he hadn't done a whole lot of research himself so he figured that he could give her that. "Do you mind if I go for a run?" He asked just needing to try for a second time that day to clear his head.
Rachel: "No I don't mind." Rachel murmured. "Be safe." She added though she knew he would be but it was something she said everytime he headed out for a run especially at night. She yawned and laid down on the couch invested in the article she was reading. It really was a differnt pregnancy and she wanted to learn all about what to expect in the coming months. Mostly she just wanted to see what she could do to ensure a healthy pregnancy.
Brody: With his wife's okay to go out, Brody moved to change into some running clothes before grabbing his ipod for music along the way. He had no idea how long he would be out but that was okay with him. He hadn't run in a few weeks and it was going to feel good even if he was bound to be sore the next day because of it. Before he headed out he stopped in Kayla's room to say goodnight and to tell her to go to bed nicely for her mom.
Rachel: Brody left and Rachel stayed on the couch bookmarking articles to read later and for Brody to read. After a while Kayla came into the room and laid with her. "I want to be the only baby." She whispered to her mom and Rachel kissed her head. "I know princess. Mommy and daddy will always see you as our princess though. You're our number one, that's not going to change." She promised as she held her close just wanting to make her feel better. The situation couldn't be anymore difficult and it broke her heart to know that Kayla was struggling with this so much. The little one just shrugged a little bit but cuddled in closer. At least she wasn't pushing them away and throwing a fit but Rachel knew that the news was still fresh and hadn't sank in, yet she also wished she would be acting mad instead of sad over the situation. It would save Rachel's heart from breaking knowing it was just difficult for their spoiled little girl.
Brody: It was dark, dark by the time Brody started to get tired and he knew that he should probably get home. There was a point even in the busiest city in the world where it became a little creepy to be out. Quickly, Brody moved to hail a cab and after giving his address relaxed back into the seat, popping a few of the gatorade chews he'd brought with him for hydration.
Rachel: Kayla and Rachel laid on the couch for a while until they were both tired and she let her daughter convince her to sleep in her parents room. After the day they had rachel had no issues with it and once they were ready they laid down just cuddling and enjoying some mother daughter time.
Brody: When he finally got home, Brody moved to quickly shower knowing that he needed to clean up before going to bed. He was surprised however to see Rachel and Kayla taking up the entire bed once he was clean and had a towel wrapped around his waist. Deciding it would be easier to let them be, he grabbed some boxers and moved to the couch sighing softly. It was going to feel like forever until everyone had adapted to the changes in life.
Rachel: Rachel woke up in the middle of the night with Kayla still tucked in beside her. Getting up carefully she walked into the living and saw Brody on the couch. Smiling she adjusted his blanket and kissed his head hating that he was on the couch but knowing he didn't mind too much. "Baby." She whispered as she ran her fingers through his hair. "I love you." She whispered as she kissed his hardest again.
Brody: Eventually, Brody fell asleep more from exhaustion than anything else. At one point he could have sworn Rachel had come out and kissed him but he figured he was just dreaming or imagining it. Sneaking out of bed with their daughter there was just too hard for Rachel to likely have attempted it unless she was sick or needed to pee.
Notes: Rachel and Brody go to her first doctor’s appointment to see the baby, followed by shopping and family time after.
Rachel: It had been just over two weeks since her graduation and Rachel telling Brody the news that they had created life together. A week later her morning sickness started and they were unable to keep it from their little girl anymore. Thankfully the sickness wasn't as intense as it was with Michaela but she was sick constantly enough that the five year old started asking questions. While they were still not sure how she completely felt about it, her lack of a tantrum was good enough for the expecting mother. Sitting in a waiting room this time around was completely different than the last. She was so excited to see her new little one that she was getting jittery. "My appointment was fifteen minutes ago." She whined hating that the doctor was behind.
Brody: Life was certainly different now. Brody was working full time on a Broadway production and Rachel was taking care of their daughter while growing their newest blessing. He hated that she was experiencing morning sickness again, but thankfully it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been. Kayla had been informed that she was going to be a big sister, though Brody doubted that she really understood it all. Now they were waiting for the doctor to be able to see them for Rachel's first prenatal appointment and ultrasound to see how the baby was doing. Of course, the doctor was late and Rachel's leg was bouncing in anticipation. "I'm sure they'll be ready for us soon." He assured her shaking his head.
Rachel: "I want to be doing this already though." She pouted, they had to do a physical and everything else she didn't care about but was necessary for her health and their baby's. Finally her name was called though and she sighed as she took Brody's hand as they went back and sat down talking to the nurse as she took her blood pressure and marked down her weight.
Brody: He knew Rachel was excited to get through all of this and he was ready to go take a look at their baby as well but unlike her, he had a little bit of patience. When her name was called, Brody followed her and the nurse down the hall and just leaned against a wall while the nurse took all of Rachel's general statistics including weight and blood pressure. He knew that a lot of this was just establishing her base health for the pregnancy and while it wasn't fun for him he knew it was important for them both.
Rachel: The initial exam took a good fifteen minutes before she was put into a gown for the uterine exam. The doctor came in and introduced himself to Rachel and Brody, neither of them having met him before. He came recommended from her gynecologist though so she felt safe that they were getting the best care. He talked with them for a few minutes before starting his exam and once he was done he talked to her about the sonogram. "It feels like you're measuring about 8 weeks 5 days." He said as he started the machine so that they could get the first look of their baby.
Brody: Brody was anxious to make sure that everything was okay with the baby and Rachel. The last thing he wanted was for something that was supposed to be so positive to turn south. Eventually, they were in a room and Rachel was being told to change into a gown so that they could do the ultrasound. Meeting the doctor had Brody sure that Rachel was in good hands though he was also fairly certain that the ultrasound wouldn't be the most pleasant experience for her. They were told that she was almost nine weeks pregnant and he smiled, kissing her temple as she laid on the exam bed and the doctor started the machine up.
Rachel: She let out a breathe as she took Brody's hand and closed her eyes for a second to get used to the discomfort before opening as the doctor started talking medically about how her body was handling the pregnancy. What she got from it all was that she was fine and healthy, which she knew already, she had worked hard to be healthy. Finally he pointed to the screen and the tiny tiny baby making Rachel smile widely. It was to early to hear the heartbeat, which she remembered from Micheala but that didn't make anything but amazing.
Brody: As Rachel adjusted, she took his hand and squeezed before opening her eyes to look at the screen. The doctor stated that everything seemed to be good with both her and the baby and Brody's jaw dropped when the doctor pointed out the tiny spot that was their child. While it didn't look like a baby yet, it was definitely amazing to see and he bit his lip to keep from openly crying until they were alone.
Rachel: Knowing that everything was going well was nothing but relief to Rachel, the baby seemed to be doing just fine and she couldn't wait to get copies of the image to show people once they told. It would be another month before she saw the baby again and she knew that he or she would look so much different than the tiny spot that they saw now. "You know, I barely remember this with Michaela." She whispered to her husband. She was so scared back then that she had almost blocked it all out.
Brody: They asked the doctor for copies of the image, both wanting to be able to show off their unborn baby. As the doctor finished getting everything he needed, Rachel whispered that she barely remembered this with their daughter. He really didn't either because they were both so young and it was more of a scary experience than a welcome one. "Well this time we're going to remember all of it."
Rachel: She nodded because that was true, she was going to cherish this pregnancy so much more because of that. She had already started her own personal log and couldn't wait to start taking weekly pictures once she was showing. It was going to be so amazing to go through nine months of pregnancy being so happy about it.
Brody: After getting everything he needed, the doctor turned the machine off and backed away from Rachel before letting them know his estimate of her due date. It was hard to believe that shortly after the new year they would be parents and he was definitely looking forward to it. He could tell that Rachel was already starting to glow and that she was truly content with the changes her body was going through even if they were small at the moment.
Rachel: A New Year's baby sounded perfect to Rachel especially since it meant she wouldn't be uncomfortably hot in the summer. Sitting up she smiled at her husband as the doctor excused himself so that she could get dressed. This was only the beginning so she was still going to be cautious and worried until they hit the second trimester mark, but it was a great appointment.
Brody: The doctor left the room so Rachel could dress and he smiled watching her and looking forward to seeing their baby grow even more. "So...as of next year we're going to be changing diapers and doing middle of the night feedings again." He declared moving to step in front of her so that he could press a gentle kiss to her lips. "I love you."
Rachel: Rachel smiled and kissed him in return. "It looks that way, babe." She whispered before kissing him again. "Not long after celebrating our 4th wedding anniversary we'll be having our 2nd baby." It was really exciting and she felt good, especially since the nausea wasn't too bad this time around. Of course she had her days so far where she felt like literal hell but it was all good.
Brody: It made sense that they were having a baby at this point in their lives and he could only hope that their friends and family would be as happy as they were about it all. This was right and he knew it every time he looked at Rachel and their daughter. A large family was something they were just meant to have after being only children themselves.
Rachel: She got dressed and then hugged him because she really needed to be in his arms. "I still don't want to tell anyone yet." Rachel whispered to him just wanting to keep quiet for a while so that they could bask in their happiness and just wait for everything to be okay. "That is if our daughter doesn't say anything without trying to."
Brody: Rachel moved to get redressed and once she had she worked her way into his arms making him smile. "Then we don't have to." He declared shaking his head. They were still in the first trimester and so there was nothing wrong with wanting to wait to let everyone know about their bundle of joy for the new year. "I mean there's no guarantees there but at the same time, there's also no guarantee that anyone will have a clue what she's talking about." He declared when Rachel mentioned their daughter possibly spilling the secret.
Rachel: She laughed lightly because their daughter probably would say something and whomever she told would think she was just telling a story. She did have a vivid imagination after all. Smiling at him she kissed him again before pulling back just happy to be with him and to have seen their baby. "Almost 9 weeks, that's so amazing."
Brody: It wasn't like anyone knew that they were trying to be able to have something Kayla said trigger it all. It had been their plan and their secret until they were ready to share with their families that they had decided to bring another little one into the world. There were still a lot of people who would probably think that they were too young to be adding to their family but he really didn't care. They had graduated college, he had a good job, and they were going to be just fine.
Rachel: Once the doctor came in and gave them their copies of the ultrasound, the left the room and went to schedule her next appointment. She was exhausted and leaned against her husband as they waited before heading out. "What do you want to go now?" She asked. They had a couple more hours into they had to pick up their daughter and didn't really want to head home for that little bit of time.
Brody: With the pictures of their child in hand, Rachel and Brody headed out to schedule Rachel's next appointment before leaving the office building. Rachel asked where they should go now and he shrugged. "We could go get ice cream and maybe browse a few baby stores." He declared not really sure what to do. He did have to be at the theater in a few hours but it wasn't anything he had to rush to.
Rachel: She nodded and took his hand. "I don't think ice cream is going to settle very well but if we go to that one place that serves ice cream and sherbet, that may be okay." Rachel murmured not in the mood to get sick from the dairy and sweetness of ice cream when the baby thus far hadn't liked it when she ate the treat. Fruit though would be good and that was essentially what serbet was. "Going to baby stores will be fun too." She smiled excited to do some window shopping and see what had changed since their 5 year old was born.
Brody: While Rachel declared that ice cream wouldn't settle very well, she agreed if they went to the place that had sherberts as well. It wasn't that far out of the way so he figured that it would be okay to head in that direction because they still had plenty of time before they needed to go get Michaela. "I figured you'd like that." He added when she mentioned that baby stores would be fun. He knew his wife well enough to know that their child was going to be just a little bit spoiled.
Rachel: "Of course I would." She said with a smile as she rubbed her still flat stomach. She couldn't wait until she was showing, it would be what made it really really real besides the ultrasound. It was exciting though she wasn't looking forward to the hunt for maternity clothes. "Do you think it's a boy or a girl?"
Brody: Seeing Rachel rub her stomach made Brody slightly hot under the collar. He was still getting used to the idea that he had actually gotten Rachel pregnant. They hadn't been trying long and it just seemed to be so weird to him. Rachel asked what he thought the sex would be and Brody shrugged. "I don't know Rach. It's a 50/50 shot, though a boy would be kind of nice." They already had a daughter and it would be nice to even things up a bit.
Rachel: "Well obviously is 50/50." She murmured as she squeezed his hand. "I want another little girl." She said honestly. "I want a boy at some point but I'd like another little girl this time around." She wasn't really sure why she wanted another daughter but it just felt right for her two want to girls and one little boy in the family when the time came. Plus their little boy would be their last and ultimately the most spoiled. "Obviously as long as he or she is healthy but even more pink in our life.." She trailed off thinking about their daughter's favorite color that had taken over everything she owned.
Brody: Brody wasn't surprised in the slightest to hear that Rachel wanted another little girl. While no matter what he would be thrilled, he really did want a boy this time around. He was already outnumbered in the house and while Kayla did things like watch sports with him, it would be nice to just be able to have the family balance. "I guess we'll just have to see which fate decided on." He mused kissing her head as they headed to go get a bit of a treat after Rachel's appointment. "Oh...do you need pain killers?" He mentioned having thrown a packet of what was safe for her in his pocket not knowing how sore she might be.
Rachel: "Maybe you should have done a little magic on your swimmers to get them to go your way." She teased as they walked. Shaking her head to his question she smiled happy that he was so caring and looking out for her. "I haven't quite reached the pain stage yet, I'm mostly just completely drained." She had absolutely no energy and couldn't wait for 13 weeks to roll around so that she could be in her second trimester and start to regain energy again. She could deal with the constant sickness but not feeling like she had the energy to do anything some days was the absolute worst. "Thank you though baby, you are really the best."
Brody: She teased him about how he should have done some magic on his sperm to get his way and he just rolled his eyes back at her as they walked. She assured him that she was fine but thanked him anyway and he nodded, holding the door open for her as they reached the ice cream shop. "Just trying to take care of you however I can." He obviously wasn't a woman but he couldn't imagine that a vaginal ultrasound would be fun.
Rachel: "You take such good care of me." She said with a smile. "I'm so lucky to get to go through another pregnancy with you." He had done so much for her the last time to make sure she was okay and knew that he would do even more this time around. Looking at the menu she told him what flavor she wanted before going to find them a booth just needing to sit down. She really was tired and knew she'd probably take a nap when she and Kayla got home while Brody was at work. Their daughter was old enough now to know what not to get into while her mom was resting. She could take a short nap and then make it a girls evening.
Brody: Taking care of Rachel and Michaela was his job as a husband and a father and now that Rachel was carrying his little one, he knew that he had to do even more to take care of her. "Ditto babe." He replied kissing her lips quickly before nodding when she mentioned what she wanted and headed to go find somewhere to sit. He knew that she was tired, it didn't take much to figure that out and after ordering, paying for, and receiving both their treats he moved to slide into the booth next to her. "I'll pick up dinner on my way home since I should only need to be there until 6 or so." He mentioned not wanting her to have to worry about that.
Rachel: She took her treat and had a spoonful before shaking her head. "I was going have Kayla help me make a pizza." She murmured knowing that they already had all the stuff they needed. "I found a really amazing breadstick recipe online I was going to try as well. I don't mind making dinner." She said as she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Plus Michaela will enjoy it and I want to make sure she's getting enough attention from me since it's about to become all about the baby once I'm starting to show and we are buying stuff for him or her."
Brody: Rachel insisted that she already had dinner under control and that she and Kayla were going to make pizza and breadsticks. "Alright." Brody murmured shrugging. "But text me if you're too tired and change your mind." He didn't want her to push herself too hard, these next few weeks especially were when she needed to continue to take it easy and just relax so that their baby was safe and sound. They definitely did need to make sure their daughter didn't get left out or overshadowed, Rachel was right there, though Brody was still trying to figure out how to manage that on his end.
Rachel: "I promise you." Rachel said with a small smile. "Besides the most I will be doing is tossing the dough and then putting it in the oven. Michaela will want to spread the sauce and put the toppings on and the breadsticks shouldn't take too much effort." She knew he was worried but she still needed to be doing things so that she wasn't being useless. She loved cooking and taking care of her family. "You can bring home dessert though, maybe a cookie cake from the bakery down the street?"
Brody: With her promise, Brody backed off a little and just nodded when Rachel declared that their daughter would be doing most of the work anyway. She suggested that he bring home dessert and he nodded knowing that their daughter would certainly appreciate that. "Dessert I can do." He declared licking some of his ice cream and enjoying just the alone time with his wife and unborn child. "Maybe we can take Kayla to the zoo or something next weekend." He suggested wanting to get things in before the baby arrived and they wouldn't have quite as much time to go out and do things.
Rachel: She hummed at his suggestion knowing that their daughter would enjoy that a lot. "She's been bugging me about a beach trip as well or anything that involves swimming. She really wants to take swim lessons this summer." Kayla was such an active little girl and just like most girls her age she loved getting dressed up but also playing hard. "She also mentioned something about soccer but I think she decided against that when she figured out she'd have to pick between that and gymnastics and she loves doing her flips more."
Brody: His wife seemed to approve of that suggestion and mentioned that Kayla wanted to go on a beach trip as well, or just swimming in general. They certainly couldn't say that their daughter didn't do anything because she did whatever she could fit into a day. "I'd rather have her doing gymnastics than soccer anyway." He was sure that their daughter would have more fun with the latter and that she would just find soccer boring because honestly she wasn't the best when it came to team activities. Gymnastics was something that was more dependent on her as an individual and so it suited her well.
Rachel: "I feel the same, I think they played it at school during activity time and she enjoyed it but I don't think she'd like it that well playing all the time. She's too much like me." She laughed lightly as she continued to eat her food. "I personally don't want to become a soccer mom so I'm okay with the decision as well. Being a gymnast mom is enough." Some of the fellow moms were absolutely crazy and she knew their kids were not having any fun. Rachel just let Kayla go at her own pace and didn't push her to do anything but she was good and getting better all the time.
Brody: Getting the explanation that their daughter had played it at school made it all make a little bit more sense but he still knew that their daughter would be happier sticking with gymnastics. Unlike a lot of parents their daughter went to classes with who had parents with dreams of their children in the olympics, he and Rachel didn't push Kayla to do anything more than what she wanted to try and they let her coaches set her pace based on the abilities she was quickly gaining. It was the best thing for her in the long run.
Rachel: She finished her cold treat and then relaxed as she watched Brody eat his. "We need to get on the ball with finding a new place to live." Rachel murmured knowing they time was about to speed up on them. "Shelby said she'd help us like she did with this place." Thankfully her mom had good contacts that could help them find what they wanted at a reasonable cost and maybe just maybe not as far as Brody was wanting.
Brody: Rachel brought up needing to get on finding a new place and Brody nodded. He had been trying to settle in at work so his focus on that had slipped but she was right, they were running out of time. She mentioned that her mom said she would help them as well and he nodded slightly relieved because Shelby knew the New York real estate market far better than they did and she had contacts she could reach out to so that they could maybe find more than they would on their own.
Rachel: "I'll talk to her and maybe she can just set us up with a realtor who can do the searching for us." That would eliminate a lot of the stress and trouble that they were facing and would overall just make more sense so that they weren't going through tons of websites. "I'm excited to move, to find a place to last us for as long as we want to stay." She'd love to find a forever home but she wanted an actual home to do that and not a rented apartment. They couldn't afford to buy right now though it was something she was considering looking into. A mortgage may end up being cheaper and more worth while in the end and they wouldn't have to worry about moving again unless they really wanted to.
Brody: She mentioned seeing if her mom could just set them up with a realtor that would do the work for them and while Brody wanted to have some control because there were so many things that their new place needed to have, at the same time they really didn't have time to look through hundreds and hundreds of listings, especially when the market was changing daily. "Yeah. Let's do that." He finally agreed knowing that it was the best way to go.
Rachel: She nodded and made a mental note to talk to her later in the day so that they could start the search as soon as possible. The baby may not be arriving until January but they wanted to be settled in somewhere before the new school year to not uproot Kayla. "We will find us the perfect home, babe. Maybe even something we aren't expecting that's even better. I think we should maybe look into buying a place." She mentioned really thinking it could be a good idea. "Obviously think about it but considering how much we've paid in rent these past few years we could be paying something similar on mortgage maybe." She honestly had no idea and it was something they would have to talk about seriously. They had been building really good credit though by watching their finances and paying their credit cards and bills on time so I could be a possibility.
Brody: Rachel insisted that they would find something even if it wasn't what they were expecting. She mentioned buying a place and his eyes went wide. Purchasing a home was a completely different list of requirements that he hadn't even begun to consider yet. If they were going to commit to a place for longer than a few years they really needed to consider what their future would look like and what they would need.
Rachel: She could immediately see him freak out and kissed him to calm him down. "It's something to think and talk about." Sure they were on a timeline but it wasn't that rushed if it was something that they decided to do. "Love you." Rachel murmured before kissing him again just to continue to get his heart rate lowered so that he didn't freak out on her.
Brody: Suddenly, Rachel's lips were on his and she insisted that it was just something to think and talk about. "Love you too." He breathed as she kissed him again clearly trying to soothe him. If they were going to consider purchasing a property there were so many things to keep in mind, after all, they would have to worry about taking care of all of the maintenance and that really wasn't something he was looking forward to doing.
Rachel: "What are you thinking?" She asked as she ran her fingers through his hair and to the nape of his neck just curious as to what he thought of her suggestion. It would be something she wanted to know if he would even consider or not. While she hadn't thought about it much longer than she had told him it was something that appealed to her.
Brody: After a moment, Rachel asked what he was thinking and Brody just sighed. "A house is a lot of work. If something breaks you can't just make a landlord pay to have it fixed, it comes out of your pocket and you have to find a repairman that won't screw you over. It also means committing to one spot for the next 10-20 years of our lives. It means we have to be prepared to pay a mortgage no matter what happens. We'd also have to know now what we're going to need down the road because we can't just up and leave should it no longer fit our needs. It's just a lot." He declared shrugging and trying not to get worked up over all of it.
Rachel: Rachel took a moment to let what he was saying before adding in her opinion. "I understand all of that and while we do have that leisure right now we may not in our next place, we have have to fix some things and I think that's okay. Think about our parents, they started out building a house for us and making sure that we had everything that we needed in that house. I want to do that for our kids, to have a house that we make it our own without having to deal with paint restrictions or even pet deposits. Sure we may have to deal with something breaking but that's a part of adulthood and have to deal with regardless." Taking a breath she smiled at him. "Like I said I want to have a good discussion about this and compile some research and we have to see if we could even get a loan by ourselves or if we'd need a cosigner, but I think it's something to at least talk about. It may be a lot, but it would be so worth it in the end to see our kids grow up in one space that we don't have to keep moving to expand with our family or anything." Taking one more pause before adding in her last comment she kissed him. "Don't you like the idea of going house hunting before having a brand new baby and getting to paint the nursery. Don't you remember how that was with Kayla, we couldn't do that in an apartment. Kayla won't get to know what it's like to paint her room or anything."
Brody: He did his best to listen as Rachel listed all of the reasons why she wanted to get a place that was theirs. While yes, they had both grown up in houses, they didn't grow up in New York and real estate was something completely different here. He wasn't sure if they were ready for that step yet, they had student loans to pay and they were having a new baby and he really didn't want things to become strained because they had stretched too far financially. "We'll talk about it okay." He whispered already starting to feel a stress headache coming on. He wanted to give Rachel what she wanted but he didn't want things to fall apart because of it.
Rachel: She bit her lip but nodded. "Okay, that's all I want." Rachel murmured though it was something that she really wanted. While she loved apartment living, she was born to be a New Yorker after all, she wanted a place that was theirs where it be a townhouse, a loft, anything that was completely theirs. "Ready to go window shop?"
Brody: Thankful that Rachel was content with him just agreeing to talk about it for now, Brody finished off his ice cream before tossing both of their trash into the nearby garbage can. "Yeah, let's go window shop." He agreed thinking that maybe they would pick up a onesie or two. After all, eventually they would have to tell their families and he kind of wanted to send them presents in order to do so.
Rachel: Standing up she looped her arm in his as they walked out and headed in direction of one of the many baby stores around. It was exciting knowing that they were going to see what was new and in style. "It's such a beautiful day out, which makes it that much better." Rachel murmured as she looked around at the busy street and tall buildings.
Brody: When they were both on their feet, Rachel looped her arm in his and they headed down the street to a baby store that was fairly close. "I definitely can't complain about the weather." He agreed though he really wished that it was just a tad bit cooler because he was going to be hot after a long day at work later. Still, right now he was enjoying all things baby with his wife and that was really all that mattered.
Rachel: "I'm so happy that I won't be uncomfortably pregnant during the summer." She would probably be barely showing for most of it and that meant she'd be even cooler though from what she remembered from being pregnant during all cool months with Michaela was that she was going to be hot no matter the temperature. They continued to walk until they found a baby store and walking in making Rachel smile at everything. "There is so many different things than with Kayla." She murmured seeing brand new designs with cribs and car seats and really everything that was around them.
Brody: Brody was also very glad that they had timed this pregnancy for her to be in the early stages with New York's hot summer. It would be easier on both of them. When they found a store, they walked in and immediately Rachel commented on how things were so different than they had been five years ago. In his mind that could be attributed to the fact that they were in New York instead of Lima as well as the time difference. They had a lot of research to do on the best newest models of everything but it was something that they were going to look forward to doing for their child.
Rachel: Rachel looked around before pulling him over to clothing section to mostly looking at gender neutral items. She felt like she had changed so much since moving to New York and was truly looking at the fabrics that it was all made up and really just the quality of it all. "I really like this." She said as she showed him a light green sleeper.
Brody: It only took a moment for Rachel to pull him over towards the clothes and there he smiled as she looked over the rack of neutral colors before picking up a green sleeper. "Then get it." He murmured pressing a kiss to her temple. "Though you may want to shoot for a six month size since that's a little light for winter." He had no problem with picking up a few things as long as they were smart about it.
Rachel: She thought about it for a moment before nodding and getting a slightly bigger size than the newborn she had originally picked up. "I know we have stuff in storage in Lima but the thought of getting it here seems like it's going to be a hassle." Rachel murmured not looking forward to finding a way to get down there and back with it all.
Brody: Rachel picked up a larger size in the sleeper and then mentioned the stuff that they had in Ohio but how getting it up here would be interesting. "Babe. You know you're dads will totally use it as an excuse to drive up here." He had no doubt that they would throw it all in a car and bring it up to them without them even having to ask once they found out about the baby.
Rachel: "That's very true." Rachel said with a laugh because they were sure to visit so much the second they knew and once the baby was born. "Your dad would do the same, your mom too but your dad would come just because all the time if he could." She wished that they saw their parents more, but they never had time to go to Ohio and nether set had the time to come visit.
Brody: Rachel took his point with a laugh and declared that his parents would do the same. It was great having so much support and knowing that it was going to be there even if their families didn't know about the baby yet. "And once my grandma finds out you can be sure that she'll get to work knitting blankets and such." He declared sure that they wouldn't even have to buy any of those.
Rachel: She smiled because that was definitely true. "I wish we could see them all more." Rachel murmured as she picked added a couple more pieces to the pile of clothes, a grey onesie and a red one. Just a couple things that she could look at and make her smile as they waited for their baby to grow and be born. Plus she just loved to shop so it was really just another excuse.
Brody: As they talked, Rachel added a few more things to her pile and Brody smiled just watching her enjoy herself. "I wish we could too...before the end of summer maybe I can get a week off and we can take a trip." Of course there wasn't a lot to do in Ohio but he was sure that they could find something and seeing their families would be more than enough even if they had just seen them a month ago.
Rachel: "That would be good." Rachel said thinking that it would at least be good to be around their families for a little while. That was all that she wanted after all. She continued to look around with him, just making a list of brands to look into and to make sure that they had another list of recalls to watch out for since it seemed like everyday more and more were being made.
Brody: With a vacation in mind Brody knew that he would have to figure out the best time to take it and get it approved by his bosses so that they could start planning. Of course he didn't want to take too much time now because he was certainly going to want it when the baby was born but if they needed a vacation he was sure he could squeeze it in. "Anything else you want to look at?" He asked her as they moved away from the clothes to another section of the store.
Rachel: Rachel shook her head because there was too much around and her head was already filled with so much that they had to do that adding even more to it may actually make it explode. "I think I'm good." She said as she just scanned the area they were in her mental list getting longer and longer though it would give her something to do
Brody: Immediately, Rachel shook her head and then declared that she was good and Brody smiled knowing she had way too many thoughts in her head. "Alright, then let's get you home so you and baby can sleep." He knew she was tired, he could see it in her face and while he hated that she was exhausted and queasy, he was at least glad that it was for a good reason.
Rachel: "Okay." She murmured as she wrapped an arm around him and kissed his cheek. "We have to pick up our princess first though. That way you don't have rush to go do it and then bring her home before you have to head to work." Rachel said not wanting him to be late to the theatre because that would not be good.
Brody: His wife leaned in to kiss his cheek and declared that they needed to go get their daughter first so that he didn't have to rush to get her and then get to the theater. He hadn't been late to his new job yet and he didn't plan on it happening anytime soon. Thankfully, he'd learned the tricks of that area of town pretty quickly and once he was in the right area he pretty much walked the rest of the way.
Rachel: They left the store after buying the few items just happy for the outing and the overall day. "Do you think Kayla will understand more once we show her the ultrasound?" Rachel asked hoping so. She wasn't really sure how happy their daughter was about the pregnancy, she enjoyed being an only child a little too much. Suddenly something dawned on her. "We need to hide this bag when we pick her up or our secret will be out."
Brody: With their purchase made, they headed down the street again, Rachel asking if he thought their daughter would understand what was going on when they showed her the picture. "Doubt it." He declared laughing. "I mean it doesn't exactly look like a baby right now." There was no way that their little girl was going to be able to figure out the blob that was on the picture. Rachel mentioned needing to hide the bag when they picked their daughter up and Brody just shook his head. "We'll tell Shelby that I had you come with me to get a gift for one of my coworkers." He shrugged knowing that it was a very believable lie.
Rachel: "I know that, but I'm thinking if we show her and explain maybe she'll start understanding more. Though she probably won't until I'm showing. That'll be when it really seems real for all of us. Well except for me since I'm the one who feels like crap constantly." Rachel said as they walked. "That's a good excuse." She murmured happy for it.
Brody: Brody still didn't think that their daughter was going to understand until either she felt the baby kicking or the baby was actually here. It was just too big of a process for a five year old in his mind. Rachel declared that his excuse was good and he chuckled softly. It wasn't the first time he'd had to come up with a fib and it wouldn't be the last he was sure. If it kept them from having to admit they were pregnant until Rachel was comfortable he was all for it.
Rachel: Rachel really couldn't help her constant need for their daughter to be okay no matter the situation and the sooner she understood the pregnancy and Rachel knew her feelings the better in her opinion. It was just something that was really important to her and something that she really wished she could just come up with a way to make things right and perfect. Of course she knew better than to expect it to be perfect, but she still wanted her to be okay with it. They had raised a diva after all.
Brody: It didn't take them long to get across town to Shelby's to pick up their daughter and Brody took the baby bag from Rachel before they went in so that they could play off the lie a little easier. Plus he was sure that Rachel was going to want to be close to their daughter as soon as possible. Rachel had definitely been concerned about how Kayla would handle it all and while he was worried too, it wasn't the first time parents had had another child before.
Rachel: They got to her mom's place and let themselves in like the normally did when they picked up their daughter. Kayla was at the door greeting them as they opened and Rachel smiled and hugged her. "Hey, princess. Did you have a good day?" She asked as she picked her up and kissed her. Their daughter answered that she did have a good day which Rachel wasn't surprised by as she put her down. "Go say your goodbyes to grandma and Beth, we need to get home so daddy can get to work."
Brody: Rachel asked their daughter about her day and as always she replied that it was good. Rachel sent their daughter off to say her goodbyes and Brody moved to pull Rachel into a gentle hug. "Things are going to be just fine." He assured her knowing that she was worrying about it all. "She's going to be a great big sister and you just need to focus on resting." The second sentence was whispered into her ear so that only she could hear it before he kissed her temple and pulled away.
Rachel: She sighed and nodded though she wasn't going to be sure until things were fine. "I know, I know." Rachel murmured before heading into the apartment to say hello to Shelby and Beth. They talked for a few minutes before she knew that they really had to go and helped their daughter gather her things before heading out the door with her little family. "Let's get home."
Brody: He followed after Rachel as she headed in to say hello to her mom and sister but stood off to the side thinking about everything. Eventually, Rachel had Kayla and all of her things ready to go and they headed out to get back to their own apartment. While he loved his job, right now he was wishing he had time for a nap. Instead all he had time for was a power bar before heading to the theater.
Rachel: They made it home fairly quickly, which Rachel was thankful for, and made sure Kayla unpacked her things from the day like she was supposed to. Sitting on the couch Rachel yawned and pulled out the ultrasound just wanting to see the baby again. He or she really didn't look like anything in the pictures. Really if it wasn't for the arrow you wouldn't know that the spot was a baby at all. There was no way their daughter was going to understand that it was a baby and decided that waiting to show her would probably be less confusing.
Brody: Back at the apartment, Brody moved to grab a few snacks from the cabinet, downing one quickly before heading to gather the rest of his things. Kayla was unpacking her things and Rachel was sitting on the couch staring at what was likely the ultrasound picture. With his bag by the door and a few minutes to spare, Brody moved to sit next to his wife. "Pretty cool that we made that." He murmured laying his hand over her still fairly flat stomach.
Rachel: She beamed at him before kissing him. "I know, it's so amazing. That's our kid." She really couldn't believe it and couldn't wait until she was starting to show besides the slight bloat she had going on. Sighing happily she kissed him once more. "What are you doing at work today?" She asked just leaning into him not quite ready for him to go yet.
Brody: The smile that appeared on Rachel's face was everything and the awe in her voice was even better. There was no one else he would rather have a baby with and he couldn't believe that after years of talking about it it was happening. Kissing her back every time she initiated the action, Brody tugged her against his body as she leaned into him naturally. She asked about work and Brody shrugged. "Not 100% sure. I think we're working on a few of the later numbers as well as some staging but they could have changed their minds by the time I get there."
Rachel: Rachel nodded knowing that even if they did change their minds he would do wonderful at what he was doing. He had worked so hard to become a choreographer and the position was perfect for him. "I can't wait for the day you're the choreographer for one of my shows." She wasn't planning on hitting the stage for a good while after the pregnancy wanting to be a stay at home mom for as long as she could not she has every intention of being in a Broadway show. Looking at the clock she sighed. "You need to go, babe. I'm going to see if I can convince miss thing to lay down with me or at least play on her tablet in our room while I take a nap."
Brody: Rachel mentioned looking forward to when he was choreographing one of her shows and he smirked knowing that if that day ever came she would be working her ass off. Of course, there was a long way to go before he was a lead choreographer on anything. For now he was content with just assisting because it was far less stress but his ideas were still being put onto the stage. After a moment, Rachel declared that he needed to go and that she was going to convince their daughter to go play in their room while she attempted to take a nap. "Good luck with that." He murmured softly.
Rachel: She laughed lightly and nodded. "I'll do it if she can play games or watch Netflix." I wasn't too hard to convince their daughter to sway in her ways of there was something in it for her. Really she couldn't be more like Rachel. Sitting up from him she stood up really needing to lay down before she got any more tired. "Don't forget our dessert when you come home." She mentioned knowing that something sweet would be a good treat after their pizza. "Princess." She yelled. "Come say goodbye to your dad.
Brody: His wife insisted that their daughter would be game if there was something in it for her and he just laughed before watching Rachel get up. "Dessert, got it." He declared knowing that he would never be forgiven if he forgot that. Rachel yelled for their daughter to come say goodbye to him and he moved to meet his daughter halfway, picking her up to kiss and hug her. "I'll be back in a few hours. Short rehearsal today." He assured her. He hated that he was gone so much but one of them had to work and his job thankfully didn't have too bad of hours for the money he was making.
Rachel: "We'll see you later, babe." Rachel said as she put a hand on her daughter's shoulder to stop her from going anywhere just yet so that she could talk to her about their activities for the evening. First and foremost was a nap though or she wasn't going to be able to make dinner and she knew her daughter would start whining about it within the next few hours.
Brody: Rachel declared that they would see him later and she held their daughter in place as he grabbed his bag, wallet, and keys so that he could head to the theater. He'd change there, that wasn't a big deal, after all he did it all of the time. Sometimes it was just easier to get there in jeans than work out shorts especially when days were sometimes rainy. Working out in wet clothes kind of sucked.
Rachel: Once Brody was gone, Rachel told Michaela about their dinner places which made the five year old very happy. After she convinced her to hang out in her room for a little while just so that she could nap without worrying that she was getting into something that she didn't need to be in. The little girl was a pretty good kid when it came to not getting into things that she shouldn't be but that didn't mean she was an angel and there were plenty of times she had gotten into trouble for making a mess. The two girls went into the master bedroom once Kayla had what she wanted to keep her entertained and Rachel immediately changed and laid down almost immediately falling asleep.
Brody: Work went by quickly, though Brody was drenched in sweat by the end of rehearsal. Quickly he used some personal hygiene wipes just to quickly go over his body so that he could change and he wouldn't make Rachel sick from the smell the moment he stepped in the door. On his way home, he picked up a cookie cake and then went back to the apartment needing to eat before he passed out.
Rachel: Rachel slept for a good hour before Michaela woke her up bored and just wanting some attention with Rachel was happy to give. They two did their nails and did some fun stuff before starting on the pizza wanting it to be almost done when Brody got home. While she let the little one decorate it with their favorite toppings she worked on the breadsticks before popping them both in the oven and starting the clean up as Brody came through the door.
Brody: Rachel and Kayla were in the kitchen when Brody walked through the door and their daughter almost immediately pounced on him, her eyes going wide when she saw the cake in his hands. "Is that for us?" She questioned making him chuckle and nod. "After dinner yes." Carefully, he set it on the counter space that Rachel had just cleaned and then he moved to sort his clothes so that the sweaty ones could go straight into the wash because he definitely needed to shower and change into completely fresh clothes.
Rachel: Rachel looked at her husband and then the cake happy that he had remembered. Their daughter was immediately on a sugar high just looking at it making her laugh as she finished her pre dinner clean up and then went to set the table so that they could eat as soon as their food was done. "what do you want to drink, babe?" She called out.
Brody: Brody was just about to step into the shower when Rachel called out asking what he wanted to drink. "Water." He declared knowing there was no other option really. He needed to rehydrate and there was nothing else that would really do that. He'd had a bottle of gatorade on the way home but now he needed just pure water to help him recover so that he wasn't miserable all night.
Rachel: She filled his glass with water as well as hers and Michaela's since the family didn't really drink much else except for juice. That was what she preferred and had been furious the one time her daughter had came home from a playdate having had soda, that problem was fixed fast. Once everything was set she just relaxed waiting for the food to be done and Brody to be ready to eat.
Brody: A hot shower not only got Brody clean, but also helped to soothe his muscles which was something that he desperately needed. When he was feeling a bit better, he climbed out of the shower, threw on boxers and a pair of shorts before heading back out to the kitchen, leaving his torso to finish air drying for just a minute or so before he tugged a shirt on. "Did you get any rest?" He murmured to Rachel moving over to rest his hand on her lower back.
Rachel: "About a hour." Rachel murmured because that had been better than none. "Then we did our nails." She continued as the timer went off and she let him get the food out. "I may make it an early night, or at least take a bath just to relax a bit." Baths weren't the best idea when pregnant, which she hadn't known when pregnant with Michaela, but she hadn't had a bad experience with it so she wasn't too worried.
Brody: A little bit of sleep was better than none and Brody just nodded rubbing her back gently. She mentioned going to be early or taking a bath and he nodded. "As long as it's not too hot you should be fine." It was weird finding out this time around that baths weren't good but Kayla had been okay so he wasn't too worried about it this time around as long as the temperature didn't raise her interal too much.
Rachel: Rachel nodded because that was what she was thinking. "Let's eat, we're starving." Michaela was already at the table ready to eat having been talking about the pizza since she told her they were going to be making it. She had done a great job at helping her make it even helping her spread the dough. "This pizza is completely made by your daughter, our little cook."
Brody: Rachel mentioned eating and the growl Brody's stomach made was definitely audible. As they moved to the table, Rachel explained that their daughter had made the pizza all by herself. "Good job bug." He murmured reaching for his water first because his stomach wasn't completely settled yet and the last thing they needed was for two of them to be hovering over the toilet.
Rachel: Their daughter beamed at him the exact way Rachel did all the time, loving the compliment. She was miss independent so getting to help with dinner was always something she loved to do. "The breadsticks were all me, let's hope that they taste good." Rachel murmured as she got their daughter her slice so that it would cool a little bit before she dug in.
Brody: The way his little girl beamed at him made Brody smile. As long as they kept letting her help with things like this he knew that they would be fine in the long run. And he was sure that she would take to being a big sister easily, after all it was more of the same with helping out. Rachel explained that she had done the breadsticks by herself so they hoped that they were okay. "I'm sure they'll be fine." He murmured shrugging.
Rachel: "I hope so." She had turned into quite the cook and she was really happy about that, before Michaela was born she had been strictly take out with her fathers but becoming a mother had helped bring out her maternal and domestic side and she took pride in that. She took a bite of the pizza and hummed when it was as good as she imagined it to be.
Brody: Brody had no complaints when it came to the pizza, well except maybe that there wasn't enough meat. Still, it was good and filling and that was really all he needed to try and recover from rehearsal. Trying the breadsticks next he found that they weren't half bad. They could use a little more seasoning but with some of the tomato sauce they had left it would be good. He just needed to find the jar and heat a little up in the microwave.
Rachel: Her husband seemed to like the food fairly well which was good enough for her though she was wishing it was a little better than it was. "My taste buds are really off, I'm sorry if it's not the best." That was one thing that came with pregnancy and being nauseated and she truly felt bad if the food really sucked.
Brody: With the sauce, the breadsticks were much better and Brody poured a little onto their daughter's plate as well when she motioned that she wanted to dip too. "You're fine babe. Just could use some extra seasoning but it's not that big of a deal." It was still edible which was more than they'd had when they first got together six years ago.
Rachel: She nodded though was still cautious. "Okay." Rachel murmured as she worked on her pizza though she ate slowly because she never knew what was going to make her stomach churn. "How was work?" She asked after a moment just waiting for her stomach to settle a little bit before making the decision if she should return to her food or not.
Brody: It didn't take long for Brody to notice that Rachel was being very cautious about her food. "Work was exhausting. Felt like I was going to pass out on the way home." He was certainly working hard and while it was all worth it, it was absolutely draining.
Rachel: Rachel frowned hating that he had felt that way. "Go to bed early tonight." She said just wanting him to be well rested so that nothing happened to him. He was working so hard and deserved to have some time where he was able to relax. That was one reason she was happy he as just the assistant, it could be so much worse.
Brody: Rachel suggested that he go to bed early tonight but he wanted her to do the same so unless they were able to get Kayla down, it didn't look like it was going to happen for him. Rachel and the baby came first and they needed the rest far more than he did. After all, Rachel was growing a human and he was just dancing, the priority level was totally different.
Rachel: She watched Kayla eat her food, well more like shovel food into her mouth. She had always been a good eater and was never too picky which helped Rachel and Brody a lot. They really got lucky and it gave her a sinking feeling that they weren't going to get so lucky with this next one.
Brody: It was clear that Kayla was hungry and Brody smiled watching her down her pizza. Thankfully, she had been pretty easy going when it came to food and he knew that they were lucky because he had certainly heard stories from other parents. He wasn't sure if it was pushing their luck too much to hope for a second child that was just as easy going.
Rachel: Rachel finished what she wanted with her food as she started to feel sick from it all. Getting up she poured herself some more water and drank it slowly. "We're at 9 weeks, that means only about 4 more of this and maybe I'll be in the clear." She murmured to her husband just trying her best to settle herself so that she didn't get sick.
Brody: Though part of him was used to Rachel always being so sick, at the same time Brody hated it. She pushed her plate aside and stood up to get more water before murmuring about how she should only have another 4 weeks of this. Standing up for a moment himself, he moved to press his hand to her stomach while wrapping his other arm around her lightly. "Why don't you go lay down. I can handle the cleanup." He assured her just wanting her to be able to keep what little she had eaten down.
Rachel: She nodded and kissed him before taking her water and heading into the bedroom to lay down. Being sick from pregnancy was something that everyone hated though she did know that it was a positive thing. She just hated how it literally made her feel like she was dying. Thankfully it wasn't as bad as the last time, and she knew it was because of the mindset she was in with Micheala. This time around it was all just natural and something she had to deal with. Even if it meant she was currently unable to eat her favorite things or couldn't burn her favorite candle.
Brody: With Rachel heading to lay down, Brody returned to the table to finish eating himself because he was definitely still hungry now that his body had settled from work a little more. Kayla was staring off into space and Brody just watched her hoping that she was coming to terms with what her mommy being sick meant. They had explained that it was a good thing that meant the baby was healthy but all of this seemed a little over her head.
Rachel: Rachel had been laying down for about five minutes when she heard her daughter run into the room and climb into bed with her. She had been struggling with Rachel being sick which Rachel hated. "Hey princess." She murmured as she tugged her close to her and kissed her head. Laying down had at least settled her stomach as long as she didn't move too much too fast.
Brody: When Kayla finished Brody could tell that she was aching to go check on her mommy. "Just be careful not to jostle her too much." He murmured and with that, their daughter was off lie a shot. Brody ate until he was full and then moved to clean everything up, moving the leftovers to the fridge before doing the remaining dishes and making sure the kitchen was spotless.
Rachel: She was getting all sort of loving from her daughter as Kayla kissed her and hugged her. "Hey baby girl." Rachel whispered as she rubbed her back. "Are you happy that you're going to be a big sister?" She asked just over all curious though she knew that their daughter was still confused about the subject. Kayla looked at her before nodding and giving her a small yeah. "Okay, good. That's all mommy wants, is for you to be happy."
Brody: When he finished cleaning up, Brody moved to check on his wife and daughter and as he leaned in the doorway he heard Rachel ask if Kayla was happy about being a big sister. He knew that she would love it once she realized what was really happening but hearing her nod and declare that she was definitely helped him relax a little. "So....how are my girls?" He declared alerting them of his presence.
Rachel: Brody's voice caused her to look up and she smiled softly at him. "We're good." She said as she sat up some and pulled Kayla into her lap. "I think we could both go for some cookie cake in bed, don't you think princess?" Rachel said knowing that she had forgot all about the treat. Her stomach had settled down some and she definitely thought she could handle some more food.
Brody: Rachel insisted that they were good and then mentioned that they could go for some cookie cake in bed. Kayla definitely was excited for that and Brody rolled his eyes. "You know you're spoiled right?" He questioned directing it at both of them. He was running on fumes but he would still do anything he could for them, including bringing them cake in bed.
Rachel: Rachel and Michaela both looked at him and nodded before giggling. She yawned and stretched her stomach before moving her daughter off of her so that they could eat more easily. She was probably pushing her luck by eating something sweet but it had been an overall good day and she was willing to risk getting sick for the sugar.
Brody: His girls just giggled in reaction and with that Brody went to go plate up some small slices of cookie cake for them. He wasn't in the mood for any for himself right now, not after barely getting dinner to sit nice. Sweet did not sound good and he was more than content just to watch them eat. Hopefully, Rachel wouldn't end up sick because of it either because her stomach was so touch and go lately
Rachel: Rachel rubbed her stomach which was sticking out some from being bloated and eating. It was still cool though, that soon it would be a baby pushing her stomach out and truly showing that she was pregnant. When Brody came back in with their desserts she smiled and at him and took her plate as well as Kayla so that she could make sure that there wasn't crumbs all over the bed when she was done.
Brody: Rachel took both plates from him once he was back in the bedroom and she and Kayla worked on eating their treat while he just got his bag ready for the next day so that he could sleep in a little longer tomorrow morning. He was going to need it after tonight anyway. No they didn't have to be in until 9 but that was still a little much for him.
Rachel: She was happy that Brody had got them both small pieces, not wanting their daughter to have a major sugar rush that would cause her to be chasing her for half of the night. "After this is bathtime, princess and then it's bedtime." Rachel said knowing that she would have an early morning as well with preschool the next day. She only went four days a week and for half a day but she still liked to make sure she went every day.
Brody: His wife instructed their daughter that once she finished her dessert it would be bath and then bed time and Brody sighed silently in relief hoping that she wouldn't give them any trouble with it so that they could all get to bed fairly early. Rachel needed the rest for the baby, he needed it for work, and their daughter needed it so that they both could get it without having to worry about her all night.
Rachel: Their daughter had always been a night owl from the very beginning and still remembered the countless nights they woke up to her having her own little party in her crib. The difference between now and then though was that she was bigger, walking and talking, and full of mischief and attitude. Her late night parties were now sneaking in video games and making complete messes in the dead of the night for them to wake up to. They also meant that she was even more moody during the day and that wasn't fun for anyone. "You look beat, babe." Rachel said as she reached over to take his hand. "Head to bed early tonight, I got her."
Brody: After a moment Rachel reached for his hand and insisted that he looked completely beat and that she had their daughter and he should head to bed early. "You're just as worn down as I am, I'll be fine." He insisted not wanting her to put herself and the baby in a position that they shouldn't be in because she was exhausted as well. He didn't have to worry about himself nearly as much as he worried about her and so he'd stay up to help with their daughter.
Rachel: "I had my nap earlier, I'm fine to stay up and I'm not too tired now." She had been up early vomiting and then just the overall day had been exhausting but now that she had been home for a while and settled she had more energy. "We'll be just fine if you want to head to bed early, I promise you." She murmured needing him to get the rest.
Brody: She promised that with her nap she felt fine but Brody still knew that he couldn't let her bear all the weight of taking care of their daughter. He wasn't around all that much as it was and they would both only get busier as the show actually got closer to being on stage and the new baby was here. "I'm fine." He insisted shaking his head. He was used to not getting enough sleep, that wasn't anything new.
Rachel: He insisted that he was fine so she just nodded and leaned over their daughter to kiss him. "Okay, I'll do bathtime and then you can help with bedtime." Kayla was big enough to take a bath herself but that didn't mean Rachel wasn't close by so that she didn't get hurt. "Then we'll both head to bed as early as possible."
Brody: Rachel gave up arguing and declared that she would take bath time and then he could help with bedtime. "Sounds like a plan." He agreed, knowing that he could use bathtime to catch up on the sports for the day anyway. It would keep him awake and give him something to do.
Rachel: She and Michaela finished their cakes and Rachel collected the plates and took them to the kitchen as the little girl went into the bathroom. Following her in she adjusted her water and stepped away so that she could relax and enjoy the bathtime. Going into the bedroom she sat on the bed and kissed her husband. "love you."
Brody: When they were done eating, Rachel took their plates and headed to the kitchen while Kayla went to the bathroom leaving him alone for the moment. It wasn't often there was really any quiet in this place and it was another reason they needed to upgrade size wise. Otherwise, they really would drive each other crazy. A few minutes later, Rachel came back to the bedroom and sat down kissing him softly as she murmured her love. "Love you too." He declared yawning and then trying to hide it the best he could.
Rachel: She sighed as she leaned against him just watching him yawn. "We both need to sleep, I hope she'll go to bed and stay put tonight." Rachel murmured knowing that the parents just needed a good nights sleep after the long day they had. Thankfully she could rest the next day but Brody had to work but she knew he'd be okay.
Brody: As he flipped the tv in their room on, Rachel relaxed against him and declared that they both needed sleep. That was beyond obvious and he certainly hoped that their daughter would let them get it as well. "Swear we need a pressure sensor in her bed that alerts us if her weight moves off the mattress entirely." He mumbled hating the nights that she got into trouble instead of sleeping.
Rachel: "Do they even make those?" Rachel questioned having not really heard of it. "Though if she gets up to go to the bathroom I don't really want to be woken up for that." She murmured knowing the downside of the sensor. "She's going to be the reason we go grey early though, there is no doubt about it."
Brody: "I don't know." Brody replied shrugging. Though he loved his daughter he wished that she wasn't quite so much like her mother because she was just a little too crazy sometimes. "Oh yeah. I don't want to go grey." He had a feeling that he was definitely going to be one of those men that dyed his hair because grey before 45 just wasn't an option.
Rachel: She laughed and kissed him again. "Maybe tonight will be the night she passes out and doesn't move all night. Those are my favorite nights." Their daughter was certainly a handful and she moved from him and put her hand on her stomach. "Hey little one, it's your mommy and daddy. We're really appreciate it if you weren't like your sister. Give us a break and be the sweet child who never gets into trouble or has an attitude of a teenager."
Brody: Rachel found him funny and laughed before kissing him and then talking to their unborn child asking him or her to be a sweet child that wasn't nearly as crazy as their sister. "I doubt that will happen." He stated replying to both that and her comment about Kayla passing out tonight and not moving. That rarely happened and they hadn't done enough today for that to be the case.
Rachel: Rachel pouted and rubbed her pooch before covering it back with her shirt and going to check on their daughter to see what sort of mess she was making with the water. "Let's get your hair washed, bug." She said as she got down on her knees and lathered her with shampoo. If anything she was going to get her relaxed enough to go to bed easily and then maybe if she did get up in the middle of the night she wouldn't wake them.
Brody: Seeing Rachel rub her tiny little pudge did something to Brody that he couldn't explain. Of course he couldn't wait until she was really showing but for now even that little piece of evidence of their baby was something that drove him absolutely crazy. She left to go tend to their daughter and he flipped to sportscenter but he still couldn't stop thinking about holding the baby they made together in just a few months.
Rachel: She got the five year old clean and gave her a few minutes to play before helping her out and drying her off. "Alright, beauty. Let's get you ready for bed." Rachel whispered as she dried her hair before taking her into the bedroom and got her into her pajamas. She was so beautiful and she smiled as she kissed her head.
Brody: Brody didn't move until he heard movement heading to Kayla's room and he figured that their daughter was now done with her bath and getting ready for the bedtime part of the night. He was probably more ready for that than her but at the moment he really didn't care. Kayla looked all fresh and clean as she got into her pjs and Brody smiled heading in to give Rachel a hand so she didn't wear herself out anymore than she already had.
Rachel: Brody soon came in as she was brushing their daughter's soft hair. "Alright bug, do you want a story before you fall asleep tonight?" She asked figuring that it was something Brody could do since he liked reading to her and also might calm her down enough to relax her. The cat pounced onto the bed and curled up next to the pillow. "Your cat is curled up read for bed too."
Brody: Rachel was brushing Kayla's hair and she asked if their daughter wanted a story for bed. At the same time, Stella came into the room and jumped up onto the bed, taking the spot next to the pillow to curl up at. "She's always ready for bed." Kayla whispered giggling but she nodded and let her mom finish with her hair before moving to grab a book for him to read to her.
Rachel: She smiled as she sat down on the bed and tucked Michaela in once she had chosen a book. "Good night, my love." She whispered before kissing her. "I love you." Standing up she kissed Brody's head before heading out of the room to get ready for bed herself since Brody had story time covered. That way they could head to bed as soon as she was down for the night.
Brody: After Rachel said her goodnight's to their daughter she left the room leaving him with just their little girl. Sitting at the foot of the bed, Brody started to read from the book, it was one he'd read a thousand times and he was sure that he would read it a thousand more with the new baby as well. When he finished he closed the book and set it on the floor by the bed to be put away tomorrow. "Do you think your brother or sister will like that book too? Maybe you can help daddy read it to them."
Rachel: She went through her usual nightly routine before shutting off most of the lights and making sure that everything was locked and secured. Getting her laptop she settled into bed and started looking up things that were on here mind, townhouses, cribs, carseats even though they had no real reason for one. Just anything and everything they needed to look into.
Brody: Kayla seemed interested at the thought of reading to her younger sibling but she didn't really reply to him, instead just shifting to lay down in bed, her fingers moving to pet Stella gently. "Alright. Good night beautiful." He murmured leaning down to kiss her head before closing the door as he left her room. Back in their bedroom, Rachel was on her computer and Brody couldn't help but move to see what she was looking at.
Rachel: Rachel smiled at him when he came in and watched as he joined her in bed to look at her screen. "I was thinking about my house idea earlier, just thought I'd see what was out there." She murmured with a small shrug. "I also have an entire list of recalls up that are terrifying, the swing that Kayla used is on there. Of course it's a newer model but it's insane that it's the exact one that she used five years ago."
Brody: Rachel babbled about looking to see what was out there house wise, and that there were so many recalls on baby things that it was scary, including the swing Kayla used as a baby. "If it was a different model then her swing is just fine." He declared. Those recalls were usually because of the stupidest little thing and he wasn't worried about it at all. Their daughter had survived everything they'd put her in and he was sure that the new baby would as well.
Rachel: "We don't have her swing anyways, we gave it away remember? It's just insane how so many things have recalls anymore." She murmured as she saved the list for later on and then showed him the realtor site. "This woman seems to be really good, she works with rentals and buying so I think she could be good to talk to."
Brody: Rachel stated that they had given away Kayla's swing and he crinkled his nose not remembering that at all. He had thought they put all of that into storage. Closing the recall list, she switched to the realtor site and mentioned how the woman seemed to be good. "I don't know..." He sighed running his fingers through his hair. He still wasn't sold on buying. It seemed like too big of a risk for where they were in their lives right now.
Rachel: She sighed and showed him her credentials and recommendations. "Like I said she does do rentals to, though I still want to talk about buying." Rachel said knowing that he wasn't sure about it but having a realtor regardless was something to talk about. "We don't have the time to search through anything, I think that having someone do it for us will really help and get it done faster so that we don't have to do it ourselves."
Brody: She reminded him that the realtor also did rentals but that it would be good to have someone do the searching for them. He knew she was right but at the same time he wasn't a fan of losing the control over the search. "Can we talk about this tomorrow?" He murmured really just wanting to sleep tonight instead of trying to decide all of this. He worked early so he would be home by dinner at the very latest.
Rachel: "Of course we can, I was just looking up some things to wind down with." Rachel said before kissing him. "I want you to think about it anyways, especially buying." She murmured before kissing him again and then bookmarking more pages before turning her computer off and setting her computer on the stand beside of her.
Brody: Instead of responding to Rachel, Brody just waited for her to close her laptop and put it away before laying down next to him. He was ready to pass out and he had thought about buying and he still wasn't sure that it was something they were ready for. It put a lot of responsibility on him and with everything else he was slightly overwhelmed.
Rachel: All she wanted was for him to think about it an at least looking into the possibilities of it happening. It was something she really wanted and something they were more than ready for. If they were ready to bring another baby into the world they could buy a house that would end up probably being cheaper monthly than the rent they had been paying. "Good night, babe."
Brody: "Night Rach." He replied leaning over to flip his light off so that they could just sleep. They could worry about the search tomorrow. While yes they were on a time crunch, at the same time, they had enough time that they didn't need to fight over it tonight when they were both absolutely exhausted.
Notes: After Rachel’s graduation ceremony and the following party, Rachel and Brody go back to the apartment where she gives him his present, the greatest he’s ever received.
Brody: They had finally done it! Both he and Rachel had graduated from two of the toughest colleges in the United States, at least when it came to performing arts. While his ceremony had been earlier in the week, Rachel's had just ended and the family was heading back to a small ballroom Rachel's dads and his parents had rented to throw them a little party. He was certainly looking forward to celebrating this achievement with everyone because this was the one thing he'd done all by himself in a long time and it hadn't be easy by any means.
Rachel: The feeling of walking across a stage to receive her diploma after four hard years was one of the top best feelings Rachel had ever felt. She and Brody had successfully defeated the odds that came from becoming parents at an early age and proven everyone wrong. Her graduation had been long and a little boring at time but she was so happy to sit through it with Claire, her best friend since freshman year and Noah's now longtime girlfriend. When it was over she hugged her husband and daughter before her parents and in laws, they then made their way to the ballroom where they were having a small get together to just celebrate the week. When they all entered the room it was already decorated and a caterer was setting up the food and her papa immediately set off a bottle of champagne for a toast to the graduates. Rachel happily took the glass but only planned on taking a few sips, not wanting to give off her surprise. Early in the week she had decided to take a pregnancy test and much to her surprise, it was positive. The excitement had been hard to hide for the past few days but she had plans on how to tell Brody and knew it would make the perfect graduation gift.
Brody: The moment they all stepped foot in the ballroom Rachel's dad opened some champagne and they all toasted to their accomplishments. He was ready to eat, drink, and relax. His new job started next week so he had a few days to unwind before making the transition from student, to professional choreographer. He was honestly really excited about it. There was no better way to live than being able to provide for your family while also doing exactly what you loved. A lot of his classmates were joining companies and going on tour but being behind the scenes in New York's broadway world was exactly where he wanted to be.
Rachel: Her dads made a touching toast to the both of them that made Rachel tear up as she hugged them both. It truly was such an amazing feeling to have graduated college and to be on the track to her Broadway dreams. A lot of her classmates had booked shows from touring to Broadway but she was happy to be taking some time to focus on herself and her family.
Brody: Rachel's dads made a fantastic toast to the both of them and their future success and he watched Rachel hug them both just wondering if when he had Rachel take a pregnancy test, as they'd said she would, if it would be positive or not. He was really hoping that their efforts had succeeded and they would have a baby shortly after the new year.
Rachel: Once everyone was settled they all got food and sat down talking happily. She was happy that they were having the get together somewhere other than their apartment really not wanting to have to clean up after their own celebratory event. "I can't wait to get out of these heels." She murmured to Brody having bought them brand new for graduation without breaking them in first, that was a mistake that she knew better to do.
Brody: As they all got food and sat down at a table, Rachel commented on wanting to get out of her heels. Somehow he knew she was going to say that and so reaching for the purse she'd left with them during the ceremony he pulled out the pair of ballet flats that he'd stashed there for her. "Somehow your husband knew that was coming." He teased dropping them at her feet so she could slip them on and lose the heels.
Rachel: She laughed and kissed him as a thanks as she reached down and undid the straps and slipped on the flats with a happy sigh. There were definitely blisters and she knew she'd be doctoring them for a few days wearing sandals. Looking at diploma holder she had received until the actual thing was mailed to her she opened it up and read the alumni papers with a smile before starting on her food so happy with what their parents had ordered for them to have.
Brody: If there was one thing about being married this long it was that he knew his wife well enough to know that when she had bought new shoes for this that she would regret it. Rachel opened her diploma holder and Brody just focused on eating his dinner hungry from spending far too long at the graduation ceremony. He was sure that everyone had felt the same way about his but two in one week was definitely not the best time in the world.
Rachel: As they ate she watched their daughter with her grandparents, clearly happy that they were there and spending time with her. She had certainly been eating up all the attention and was even going with them for the night to their hotel. Their daughter had even played tour guide to them one day having become such a little New Yorker.
Brody: Kayla was clearly loving having her grandparents in New York and Brody was honestly kind of thrilled that she was going to spend the night in the hotel. It meant that he could get Rachel to take a pregnancy test and if it was negative they could make another attempt at it all without having to worry about being walked in on. It was certainly not easy trying to knock his wife up when having to worry about their daughter.
Rachel: She yawned slightly hiding how tired she was because she knew Brody would get suspicious if she indicated feeling even slightly off. She had to keep up the act for only a couple more hours until they were alone and she could give him her present. Finishing what she wanted from her plate she took Brody's hand and squeezed it just continuing to watch the conversation around the small room.
Brody: Brody really couldn't wait to get Rachel home alone for them to have their own celebration of at least graduation. Kayla came over and asked if they could put some music on and Brody chuckled nodding. It really wasn't a party without dancing, even if they only had the ballroom for another hour and he was sure there were lots of people who wanted to talk to him and Rachel.
Rachel: Kayla asked about music and Rachel smiled and watched Brody go with her to put some one. Getting up herself she went around and mingled knowing that she needed to talk to everyone and make use of the time they had, though really she had been talking to them all week since they had all arrived for Brody's graduation. The party was really just a get together that was easier than going to a restaurant when there was many of them.
Brody: Heading to the stereo with his daughter Brody let her pick what she wanted to play as long as it wasn't her cartoon music. Once he had that taken care of he went to find Rachel and wrapped his arms around her as she talked and mingled with everyone that had stopped by to see them. It was a joint party and both sets of classmates had been invited as well as professors and the like.
Rachel: She smiled at Brody and wrapped her arms around his and leaned back against him as she talked to one of his friends who was about to go on tour with a company. He seemed nervous about it and if she remembered right he was one that had been flaky most of his time a Juilliard and was lucky to have got the opportunity at all. "I'm sure you'll love it, especially traveling everywhere."
Brody: Rachel rested her arms on his and leaned back against him causing him to smile. She was talking to one of his classmates who was going on tour within the next week and Brody wasn't sure if he'd make it or not. He knew that he had barely graduated and so he was certainly lucky to have been given any sort of chance. Still, he was glad Rachel was being polite and he nodded from behind her when she assured him that he would love it.
Rachel: The couple began to make their way through each of their classmates just talking and congratulating each other until they made it to Claire and Noah. "Hey, glad you made it over here." Noah said after they had hugged. "Somethin' I want to do." He mumbled before nervously looking at Claire before getting on one knee and starting his speech to propose to his girlfriend of over three years.
Brody: They walked around the room talking to classmates and such until they made it over to Claire and Noah, their mutual best friends. Noah commented on how they had finally made it over there and hugged them both before mumbling that there was something he wanted to do. Brody's jaw dropped as he dropped to one knee in front of Claire, clearly proposing to the one woman that he'd actually had a real relationships with. He'd had no idea it was coming and while he was proud of the other man he also felt a little jilted that he hadn't be let in on the secret.
Rachel: Rachel was so excited and took a few pictures on her phone as Claire said yes and the two celebrated. Noah had offhandedly mentioned to her that he wanted to marry Claire but she had no idea he was going to do it after she graduated. She had an inkling that he had no idea that he was going to do it either, he was spontaneous about it which kind of made it that much better. Rachel hugged them both and nudged him for being so secretive though she could definitely tell he had been terrified but also happy about what he had just done.
Brody: It was nice to know that soon they would have another set of married friends. Plus weddings were tons of fun and now they would get to enjoy lots of them now that their friends were catching up. After Rachel hugged both of them and nudged Noah Brody moved in to do the same. "Dude...should have told me." He declared slapping him on the back and congratulating him. At the same time though he got it because he hadn't mentioned that he and Rachel were planning on having another baby either. He was sure their friends and family would be taken completely by surprise with the news.
Rachel: Rachel was more than excited to attend their wedding and how amazing it was going to be to watch her best friend since they were kids get married. She honestly had never thought it would happen for Noah after everything that he had gone though, and now he was getting married and it was so amazing. She couldn't imagine a better way for them to draw their party to a close than that.
Brody: With an engagement in the books, Brody leaned in to whisper to Rachel. "Ready to get out of here?" He was sure their families would understand that after the craziness of the past week they were ready to unwind a little, especially since they didn't have to worry about their daughter. He had a lot on his mind besides the party and he could use some peace and quiet.
Rachel: She nodded and wrapped her arms around his waist as they went around and said their goodbyes finishing with their parents and finally their daughter. "You be good tonight, princess." Rachel said as she hugged her. "Mommy and daddy will see you probably around lunch time tomorrow if not a little later depending on where you all end up." She had no idea what their parent's plans were for the next day so she knew it was pretty open.
Brody: Bidding their goodbyes to everyone, Brody and Rachel ended up with their parents and daughter, Rachel telling the latter to be good and that they would see her around lunchtime the next day. They definitely didn't know their parents plans but it would be nice not to have to rush out of bed to go get Kayla. Her grandparents were eating up this time with her and he knew that that was a good thing since soon she wouldn't be the only grandchild.
Rachel: They said their final goodbyes and made their way out of the building and into the city streets of New York. It was a beautiful early summer evening and she was content with walking with him for the little bit to get to their apartment instead of taking an Uber. They were officially adults out in the real world now, no more school not more studying, they were free and had such an amazing life ahead of them with their college degrees. "I'm so happy."
Brody: Since the weather was wonderful they decided to walk for a bit and Rachel mentioned that she was so happy. "Me too. We did it. We beat all the odds and both got our degrees." Of course his had come a few years later than it should have but it had let him figure out what he wanted to do and actually go after it instead of settling and being miserable. It was remarkable for them to have actually succeeded while raising one of the most perfect if not sometimes bratty little girls out there.
Rachel: "There were those people who didn't think we'd be able to do it, or even make it as a couple." One person coming to mind was Quinn whom Rachel hadn't even spoken to since high school. "Especially me, no one thought I'd do this.. I didn't even think I could but we did and I am so so proud of us." There was so much to be proud of and she was just so happy that it brought tears to her eyes.
Brody: There were so many people who had had their doubts and this week had proven that together they could do anything. "I'm proud of us too. And I always believed in you." She was crying a bit and he stopped for a minute to pick her up spinning her gently. "No tears today. Today is a good day and I plan on taking you home and showing you just how proud I am of both of us."
Rachel: She laughed and kissed him. "I'm just really happy, I can't help it. It's an overwhelming feeling know that almost six years ago I was in the worst place in my life and really had no idea how to move on and now I'm the happiest girl in the world." She explained before pulling him into a kiss. "I have a graduation gift for you at home before we get into celebrating." Rachel said as she took his hand so that they could continue walking. "It's not much, I just forgot to have someone take it to the venue so you'll just have to open it at home." She lied.
Brody: Rachel kissed him when he set her down and she assured him that she was just happy. She added that she had a graduation gift for him at home and that she had just forgotten to have it dropped off at the venue. "Okay." He replied squeezing her hand as they continued to walk. "I have one for you as well. I just didn't want our parents to know yet. I figured the chance of Kayla babbling about a new baby would potentially be enough fuel for the fire and I didn't want to give them more."
Rachel: She raised an eyebrow at him wondering what he had got her that would do that. As they got home she sighed happily as they walking into their apartment and immediately took of the flats her blisters burning but not minding since they had more important things to do. "Do you want to go first?" She asked not sure what his present could be but positive that hers should be last.
Brody: About 20 minutes later they arrived home and Rachel slipped off her shoes asking if he wanted to go first. "Sure." He nodded moving to sit her on the couch before going over to the kitchen and grabbing a file he had hidden. "So I did some research on schools because if we're going to move it should be before Kayla starts school and makes friends and I went online and compiled some listings of places in our budget with 3+ bedrooms and every other requirement that I have."
Rachel: She took the file from him with a happy smile on her face as she looked through them. Of course his requirements had not gone down since they had moved to New York and had only gone up but she knew he was just looking out for them. "Do any of these take us further from the city?" Rachel asked wanting to stay close so that they weren't making their commutes long to the prospective theatres.
Brody: Rachel asked about their distance from the city and if any were farther. "Most of them are in different directions but max a half hour subway ride to the theaters." He didn't want to be in the middle of nowhere but he knew that the more they got out of the direct city center the better the place they could find. More space to grow for the same price. So he'd tried to find a middle ground where hopefully Rachel would be happy or at least able to make due with one of them.
Rachel: She nodded because that didn't sound too bad though still a little further than she'd like to be. They'd figure it out though and she smiled and leaned over and kissed him. "I love this, thank you for taking this first step. It allows us to be able to make lists and figure out just what will be the best for us in the end." There was a few on the list that were catching her eye already and she found a pen and marked stars next to them so that she could look into them more later on.
Brody: "I figured the sooner we got on it the better. Again, moving before Kayla starts school is probably the smartest way to go regardless of if we get pregnant right away or not." Evidently there were a few that caught Rachel's eye because she grabbed a pen and starred them for later. "Alright, not the best present but It's been a rough couple weeks and I didn't have a whole lot of time to shop."
Rachel: "I love it." Rachel assured him before kissing him softly. "Are you ready for your present?" She asked suddenly really nervous. Getting up she went into their bedroom and grabbed the plain black box that she had made sure was big enough to seem like a normal graduation gift such as a book or really anything that would be expected and boring. Really though there were two handwritten signs saying "The only thing better than having you as my husband... Is have you as our their dad We're Pregnant!" With a onesie that said "Hello Dad" in big letters and finally underneath the pregnancy test. Giving him the box she smiled and sat just far enough away so that she could take in the entire reaction.
Brody: Rachel assured him that she loved it and then asked if he was ready for his present. He nodded and waited while she left the room coming back with a black box. Opening it up he wasn't sure what to expect when he read the first sign. Even the second didn't make it click but as soon as his brain processed the third he broke down. "Are you serious?" He asked her breathlessly his fingers gathering hold of a new baby onesie only to have a small stick fall from the bunches of fabric. Clear as day there was a pink plus sign and he honestly didn't have the words to express how he was feeling.
Rachel: She watched eagerly as he opened just wanting it to click and when it did she nodded and covered her mouth in excitement. "I found out a the day before your graduation. Took me two days to figure out how to tell you." Laughing she figured the fabric of the onesie that was in his hands. "I took two more other than that because I was scared that I was wrong but besides morning sickness every symptom is there." She grinned. "I'm guess we're around 6 weeks so I'm sure the sickness will start in the next week or two. I've already made an appointment, it's in a couple of weeks. I told them about how far along I am and they said that there was no need to have an appointment until after 8 weeks to get a clear transvaginal scan."
Brody: Rachel mentioned that she had found out the day before his graduation and that she had taken two other pregnancy tests just to be sure as well as making an appointment with a doctor for a few weeks out. "Oh my god." He breathed still unable to believe that this quickly they had gotten pregnant. Motioning for her to come over to him, he pulled her onto his lap and just cried into her shoulder. "We're seriously having a baby?" He was beyond excited and in complete awe that he had made a child with her, that it was real.
Rachel: She hugged him tightly so happy. "We're having a baby." Rachel grinned as she kissed his head. She hadn't wanted to have been trying for forever and was happy that it had happened so quickly. "Our dreams are coming true, graduating from college and now having another baby." It was so amazing and she was so excited. "Do you like how I told you? I wanted it to be special."
Brody: She assured him that they were indeed having a baby and kissed his head before asking if he had liked how she told him. "Loved it." He whispered back, lifting his head up to kiss her softly. "Can I go make love to you momma?" He whispered just needing to worship the body that was now carrying his child. He couldn't describe it but it felt completely different than before. Not only because they were older, married, and happy, but because he had done this to her, with her. This was their love created in a new human being.
Rachel: "Of course you can." Rachel whispered as she kissed him again. This was everything that she had wanted to happen and the exact reaction she was hoping for, not that he would have ever reacted badly with them trying but she still wanted him as ecstatic as he was. "Can I ask that we do one thing though? Could we not tell anyone? Not for a little while at least." It was so soon and though she didn't anticipate any problems she still didn't want to take any chances when it would crush them.
Brody: Rachel agreed but before they moved to the bedroom she asked if they could keep it a secret for awhile at least. "Of course." He whispered pulling her into a soft kiss. It was just wise to not tell anyone until she was out of the first trimester and they needed to be sure that things were going to be okay before they went through letting everyone else in their lives know. Gently he lifted her bridal style into his arms and moved back to their bedroom laying her down gently. Immediately his mouth moved to her lower stomach, pressing soft kisses there. "I know you can't hear me yet baby because you don't have ears but maybe you'll sense my presence anyway. I'm your daddy and your mommy and I love you more than anything already."
Rachel: She smiled as he carried her into the bedroom and immediately started to kiss her stomach and then talk to it. This was probably what she missed the most about being pregnant, how Brody always talked to the baby and kissed her stomach. It was so special and really made her fall more and more in love with him. She was positive that she had never been more in love with him as she was right now pregnant with his biological child.
Brody: Kissing her stomach a few more times, Brody then moved up to just kiss Rachel, cupping her cheek and holding her close. "Thank you." He whispered. She was once again giving him the greatest gift. He knew it wasn't easy putting her persual of a career on hold but he was so grateful that she was doing it so that they could once again bring a child into the world and experience the joys of parenthood.
Rachel: "You don't have to thank me." Rachel whispered as she cupped his cheek. This was so amazing and she was truly happy about it all, there was so moments where she had her doubts and wasn't sure exactly if she wanted to wait before finding a job but they never thought about it for too long. A baby, a baby that they had created together and wanted more than anything was absolutely everything to her.
Brody: Though she stated that he didn't have to thank her he still felt like he did. Gently he tugged at the bottom of her dress wanting to pull it off of her to just look at her. He knew that there would be no outward signs of their child yet but still, this was everything he had wanted for years and now it was finally becoming reality. He just couldn't be happier with how today had gone.
Rachel: She sat up some so that he could get her dress off of her and smiled as his eyes scanned over her. It was the most amazing thing and she groaned feeling so turned on over it. Her body was about to go through so many changes, some that she wasn't sure she actually remember positive she had blocked a lot of it out. She couldn't wait until she was showing, for her stomach so start getting hard before it popped out.
Brody: With Rachel's dress now on the ground, Brody took in every inch of his wife. Her breasts would likely be the first physical change and he ran his thumb along the sides of them not sure if they were sensitive already or not. "Going to be even more gorgeous." He was sure that she would certainly have that pregnancy glow that everyone fawned over and even with her bump he would find her just as sexy as always. Again, he was the one that had done this to her and he was quite proud of that fact.
Rachel: The one thing she remembered the most about her previous pregnancy was that Brody had constantly complimented her and truly thought she was gorgeous even when she didn't feel the least bit. He had always been the person to make sure she was given the confidence boosts that she needed and she knew he'd doing it this time around too. "They're just tender, you don't have to be cautious" She assured him knowing that he was being careful. They felt fuller like they were going to start getting bigger soon but thankfully they weren't causing her much pain just yet, mostly she just felt exhausted and hormonal.
Brody: Rachel assured him that her breasts were a little tender but that he didn't have to be too cautious. Nodding he slipped a hand under her to undo the bra, freeing her breasts which would hopefully help her be a little more comfortable. "God I love you." He murmured moving his hand down her back to where her ass met the bed, shifting her subtly to cup her and pull her closer to him.
Rachel: She sighed as he held her close and smiled feeling so amazing. The love in his eyes was exhilarating and she groaned softly against his skin as she kissed his shoulder. "I love you too, so damn much." Rachel whispered feeling like they were in such a great place and that there was no better way to start their post college life together than with a new baby.
Brody: Feeling Rachel press her lips against his shoulder only turned Brody on more and he smoothly tugged her underwear off before moving to kiss her belly again before moving down to her thighs. He remembered that they had to be careful with oral and it should probably be avoided, but he still wanted to kiss her and he was confident that that itself was safe enough.
Rachel: Rachel watched as he kissed down her stomach and to her thighs hoping that he was going to be careful down there. One wrong breathe of air and they could majorly hurt their baby. A kiss was okay though and as she settled on her elbows and looked down at him she smiled knowing that it wouldn't be long that she wouldn't be able to see him down there.
Brody: He could feel Rachel tense slightly and he kissed her thigh again before lifting his head. "Trust me. I remember." He assured her kissing her clit once, even taking it between his teeth for a second before slipping back up to kiss her, his hand moving to tease at her thigh instead. "I love you. Love you. Love you." He breathed moving to suck at her earlobe wanting to have her completely soaked and ready for him.
Rachel: "I love you." Rachel replied back as her eyes fluttered closed loving when he sucked on her earlobe like that. She had never known for years that it was one of her turn ons until he had done so maybe two years ago and that was it for her. Whining at him she squirmed underneath him slightly to get the best place for her hips to rest without getting too restless from want.
Brody: Rachel's whines and squirms told him that they were certainly making progress and he smiled pressing his hips down into hers. Really he needed to lose some of his clothes because otherwise they weren't going to get much further. He'd been so focused on the fact that he was going to be a daddy again and worshiping Rachel that his own state of dress had slipped his mind.
Rachel: The feeling of his dress pants against her bare skin was not attractive, so Rachel pushed him off of her slightly and sat up to begin to undress him. "You look so hot dressed up." She murmured loving this side of him as much as she loved his usual sweatpants. He was so attractive and sexy that it was hard not to get turned on every time she looked at him sometimes.
Brody: Brody couldn't help but grunt softly when Rachel pushed him off her a bit and started on his clothes for him. She declared that he looked hot and he couldn't help but chuckle. His wife certainly appreciated all the hard work he'd put into his body and that was one of the best confidence boosts out there. "You think I'm hot no matter what I'm wearing." He teased. After all she had practically jumped him after his senior showcase when he was coated in sweat.
Rachel: She shook her head. "That is not true. You have that red shirt that you really like but looks bad on you." Rachel pointed out with a smile as she unbuttoned his pants and pushed his him slightly to get up and take them off. "Boxers too, you better be naked when you touch this bed again." Rachel said needing him fully undressed for her.
Brody: Rachel had to bring up one shirt that he loved and for some reason she absolutely hated. After undoing his pants she pushed him off the bed to take them off declaring that he better be naked when he got back on. Smirking at her, he pushed both items of clothing off and kicked his socks off as well before moving back onto the bed and hovering over her, his hard length pressing against her stomach.
Rachel: He did as he was told and she grinned when he was back on top of her. "Much better." Rachel murmured as she ran her fingers down his chest before leaning up to kiss him softly. This was definitely the ultimate graduation present, making love with her husband. Especially since they were no longer having sex to try and get pregnant.
Brody: Brody's eyes fluttered shut as Rachel ran her fingers over his chest and then leaned up to kiss him. "Want to be on top this time?" He whispered softly in her ear. While trying to conceive they had stuck to mostly missionary because it provided a better angle for her hips. Now that they didn't have to worry about that though he wanted to know if she wanted to mix things up a bit.
Rachel: He asked if she wanted to be on top this time and nodded because the change would be good, though once she was pregnant she'd likely be topping a lot until that was uncomfortable so she knew she'd end up wanting to do missionary more until that point. He then flipped them over and she smiled down at him her hair falling in front of her face before she flipped it back where it belonged.
Brody: Rachel nodded to his position suggestion and Brody easily rolled them over so that Rachel was straddling him. Her hair fell in her face and he smiled up at her as she pushed it back where it belonged. "Damn you're sexy." He whispered just resting his hands behind his head for a moment as he took in every inch of his wife's body above him. There was nothing that could compare.
Rachel: She smiled down at him just letting him take her in and really doing the same. Leaning down she kissed his chest just wanting to give him some extra attention before doing much more. They had all the time in the world right now and she really wanted to take things slow and work up to what was going to be an amazing climax for the both of them.
Brody: Today there was no rush, there was nowhere they needed to be and nothing they needed to focus on besides each other. Rachel kissed his chest softly and Brody moved to tangle his fingers in her hair eventually pulling her into a soft kiss. He could already tell by the air around them that this was going to be amazing and he gently nipped at her lips. Today was all about finding the perfect balance between teasing and just pouring out their love for each other physically.
Rachel: She kissed him back tenderly torn between continuing to cherish his body and fastforwarding to making love with him. In the end she chose to continue to cherish him and sighed as she moved back to kiss his neck just softly, not wanting to leave any marks. They were past that stage and she didn't mind that either, it was nice to keep their romance in the bedroom and much more professional.
Brody: Rachel's lips moved to his neck and Brody moaned softly, rolling his hips up against hers. He appreciated her taking her time and focusing on every inch of his body like he did with hers all the time but he also wanted to make love to her, to show her just how happy he was that she was carrying his baby and to have her screaming his name until the neighbors officially hated them.
Rachel: Once he started rolling his hips up to hers she groaned and gave up on cherishing his body. Sitting back up she kissed him before aligning herself to him and taking him in with a happy sigh. This was what felt good, this is what had always felt right, and she knew that it was exactly what they both needed at the moment.
Brody: Clearly his movements had an effect on Rachel because she sat back up and kissed him before taking his length and sliding it home within her body. "Fuck...baby." He moaned softly. It felt like every inch of his skin was warm and tingling and reaching up he laced one of her hands with his, just needing that additional sense of intimacy. While he couldn't wait for her bump to get in the way, he quite enjoyed being able to see himself buried inside of her.
Rachel: Rubbing her thumb against his own, she began a steady rhythm for them to enjoy. She watched him as she moved her hips and how he watched them move together. He had always enjoyed watching them and it was hot knowing that it was hot for him. "I love you" Rachel breathed her breath getting more rapid as the pleasure increased.
Brody: Brody let Rachel set a rhythm that was good for her, only matching it with his own hips to increase the pleasure. Hearing her shaky breath and her utterance of her love for him turned him on even more and he could tell that she wasn't going to last much longer. That was completely fine by him, he wanted her to get off maybe once or twice before he finally got there himself. It wasn't like after years of being together he didn't have stamina, though it was certainly being tested by his emotions today.
Rachel: Telling him she was pregnant and seeing his reaction had been one of the biggest turn ons. So when she began to get close so soon after starting she wasn't surprised nor did she bother stopping it. They were free to have as much sex and as many orgasms as they wanted and she was hoping to beat their record.
Brody: Brody could already feel Rachel's body giving in and he pulled her in for a kiss, nipping softly at her lips before arching her back against him to increase the pleasure and hopefully set her off. "Let go babe." He murmured moving his mouth to her ear again certain that if nothing else it would set her off. Immediately he felt her walls tighten unbearably around him and he groaned lifting his hips off the bed to try and prolong her orgasm as much as he could.
Rachel: She laid against him for a second needing to breathe as she came down from her orgasm before moving her hips again for him. Kissing him softly she groaned keeping her hip movement slow as she recovered. Once she was feeling less sensitive she kissed him harder and gained more momentum just wanting to feel the friction and to have him moaning her name.
Brody: It was understandable when Rachel rested against him trying to catch her breath. Kissing her back he smiled as she started to move her hips slowly, picking up steam as her body was able to let her. With the wetness she'd realized coating him, the friction was even more intense and he groaned softly, closing his eyes for a minute to try and keep his bearings. Yes, she'd already orgasmed, but he wanted her to go again before he released knowing that it would take him some time to recover after all of this.
Rachel: Rachel watched him to see how close he was but could tell his plan just by how he was physically holding back. Kissing him again she moaned into his mouth really wanting him to climax but also wanting to reach again herself for the same reason. Sitting up slightly she put a hand on his chest for stability as she changed her pace and just rocked against him.
Brody: "Together." He whispered knowing that she wanted him to cum just as much as he wanted the same for her. Simultaneous orgasms were not an easy thing to achieve but he knew that they could manage it. It wasn't like they hadn't before. After kissing him and moaning in his mouth, Rachel changed her pace against him causing him to hiss slightly. "Babe.." He breathed feeling his stomach tighten in the familiar way that signaled he wouldn't make it much longer.
Rachel: The hitch of his breathe signaled that he wasn't going to last much longer so she continued the same pace just trying to get him as close to possible while also doing the same for herself. It wasn't as easy for her to reach a second climax after the first one was so intense but she knew that she could manage and it would be as good as he wanted it to be.
Brody: Brody knew that Rachel's body was sensitive and that it would be difficult for her to get from aroused to just over that peak that would leave her screaming. With a gentle hand he moved to caress her breasts, the body part that would be providing their baby with nutrients should she choose to breastfeed and things went according to plan. Then his other hand moved to rub at her little bundle of nerves, careful to be slow so that he didn't cause the action to be counterproductive by being too much.
Rachel: His actions were both wanted and thanked as her body began to respond to his gentle touches and she moaned. "Fuck." She hissed as her hips stammered causing her to stop movements for a second before beginning again once she was centered and focused again. It all felt so amazing and she closed her eyes just focusing on the pleasure and her orgasm.
Brody: Clearly what he was doing was exactly what Rachel's body needed and he nearly lost it when her hips stammered against his. Thankfully she got it back together again and he watched her close her eyes just taking in the way she looked like a literal goddess above him. "Cum for me baby." He pleaded knowing that he wasn't going to be able to hold on much longer. His orgasm was pulsing with the need to be released but he was holding back for her.
Rachel: It took a few more moments before her orgasm finally came. Cursing his name she laid her head on his shoulder her body pulsing as he shot into her. "Fuck" She moaned not sure she'd be able to move off of him or not. It was moments like this that were one of her favorites. When they were exhausted and completely blissful after sex and literally stuck together by cum and sweat.
Brody: Thankfully Rachel's orgasm didn't take much longer and as she cursed his name, he let himself go, spilling inside of her and moaning her name. He was completely dead as he came down from the high and after a moment, he moved to help ease Rachel off of him and to his side not wanting her to hurt herself since he was sure after two orgasms she was even more like jelly.
Rachel: Brody helped ease her off of him and she groaned as she laid next to him with her head on his shoulder. "That was so amazing, definitely would have made a baby there if we hadn't of already made one." She murmured with a smile as she kissed his shoulder. She absolutely couldn't wait for her doctor's appointment to officially confirm the pregnancy and allow them to see their little one for the first time. It was going to be so much different than when she was pregnant with Michaela and that made her that much more excited.
Brody: With his beautiful, pregnant bride tucked against his side, Brody was sure that life couldn't be much better. She teased that they certainly would have made a baby with that go around if they hadn't already knocked her up. Smirking he lifted her chin to kiss her softly, just completely overjoyed with how today had gone. They had attended the second graduation for the week, Noah and Claire had gotten engaged, and now they were going to have a baby on top of it all.
Rachel: She kissed him back before laughing. "What an amazing day" Rachel grinned before kissing him again. "an amazing week really." Sighing she closed her eyes and wrapped her arm around his waist. "I was so scared that the test was going to be negative when I took it, but I just knew it had worked. I felt pregnant and it was amazing to know I was right." They had only really been trying for just over a month so it was pure luck that it had worked so quickly. Then again they were both healthy and really safe the rest of the time so it had worked well.
Brody: "Couldn't ask for anything better." He replied kissing her over and over again everytime she offered her lips up to him. "Yeah..I thought we were waiting until after graduation." He teased having expected her to be taking a test today. Still he really wasn't all that disappointed, he just wished he had been there for moral support when she had taken the test. Everything was just working out the way they had always wanted it to and it was perfect.
Rachel: "I wanted to surprise you." Rachel murmured. "I wanted to give you a present like I did, it was so much better than waiting for a test to turn." She smiled happily at him. "I like how I did that much better, peeing on a stick and watching it turn was so boring compared to planning out the perfect announcement for you. I also bought Michaela a big sister shirt when I bought the onesie."
Brody: Rachel insisted that she had wanted to surprise him and that planning out his present had been far more fun than waiting for a stick to turn. She added that she had bought their daughter a big sister shirt when she got the onesie and he chuckled not sure how their daughter would take it when they actually told her that she was going to be a sister in a few months. Luckily they didn't have to worry about that right away because they were going to keep it as their own little secret for now.
Rachel: She was so tired as she laid against him trying to stay awake so that they could cuddle for a while longer and just enjoy everything. It was hard though and she yawned needing a nap or something. Cuddling into her husband more she smiled knowing that in a few months she wouldn't be able to cuddle so closely to him for her bump.
Brody: The way Rachel was laying against him and yawning, Brody could tell that she was going to fall asleep on him sooner rather than later. Deciding that both she and the baby needed it he kissed her temple and pulled the covers up over them before twisting onto his side to look at her. Voice soft, he began singing a song he'd heard recently on the radio in her ear. "Baby, that red dress brings me to my knees, Oh, but that black dress makes it hard to breathe, You're a saint, you're a Goddess, The cutest, the hottest, A masterpiece, It's too good to be true, Nothing better than, In my wildest dreams."
Rachel: Brody began to sing to her, one of her favorite things because he rarely sang anymore, causing her to smile as she got comfortable in the new position once he had moved. His voice was always one of her favorites and she sighed though she didn't know the song. It had obviously meant something to him though and she listened to the lyrics so happy he was hers.
Brody: It was rare that he actually put any effort into singing lately, dancing having taken over his life completely. Still, Rachel seemed soothed by his voice and her smile helped him relax as he just continued to let her know how he felt for her through song. Of course he could spend days doing that but this was the one that had been in his head and just seemed to make sense.
Rachel: As he continued to sing she began to doze until she was falling asleep her mind filling with a cute bundle of joy in her dreams. A little baby who was so soft and perfect was all she had thought about since spring break was now a reality. It was so surreal to know that in a little over seven months they were going to be welcoming a new member of the family. They had so much to get done before then too.
Brody: Rachel fell asleep in his arms and Brody smiled just pulling her a bit closer before closing his eyes to try and nap as well. Though one part of their lives had just ended, another was beginning and it was going to be absolutely amazing. He couldn't wait to hold his new son or daughter in his arms and to know that this was the real thing, this was what he'd wanted since Kayla was a baby.
Rachel: When she woke up a good couple of hours had went by and the sun was starting to set. Yawning she sat up to stretch before kissing Brody's head and getting out of bed to get a glass of water. Stopping in the bathroom she looked at herself in the mirror and raised her shirt. Her flat and toned stomach didn't look like she could be pregnant and it was amazing how it was changing before her eyes and in a few weeks it would start to pop out showing signs of their baby.
Brody: Somehow Brody fell asleep but at the same time he stirred as soon as the bed shift signaling that Rachel was awake. Pulling on a pair of boxers, he moved to go find her and smiled when she was in the bathroom staring at herself in the mirror. "Soon that'll be a bump." He whispered yawning and running his fingers through his hair. It was still hard to believe that there was really a baby in there.
Rachel: She smiled at him and put the shirt she had put on after getting out of bed back down and walked over to kiss his cheek. "I'm going to find something to watch on tv." She didn't really want to go back to bed knowing that if she did she'd wake up in the middle of the night wide awake and that wouldn't be fun for anyone.
Brody: Brody watched her drop the shirt again before moving to kiss his cheek. She then mentioned going to find something on tv and he nodded watching her for a moment before following after her. "Want to order some food?" He certainly wasn't in the mood to cook or do dishes and so he figured that delivery would definitely be the way to go.
Rachel: Rachel hummed as she thought about it, definitely feeling a bit hungry. "I don't mind what though. Nothing in particular sounds better than another." Really she knew that it wouldn't be long until they were ordering her cravings so she knew that they needed to caterer to his now. "Nothing too heavy though, it's getting late and I don't want to hurt our stomachs."
Brody: Rachel agreed and stated that she didn't care what they got as long as it wasn't heavy enough that it would leave them feeling sick later. "Alright." He declared moving to dig out their collection of menus to try and decide where to order from and what they wanted to get. "Want to try that new bistro that opened up a few blocks away?" He suggested. "Maybe just get a chicken salad or something like that?" It would certainly be light enough on their stomachs but at the same time take away the hunger pains.
Rachel: "Yeah, that sounds good." Rachel said as she got up and stretched. "I heard that they have a really food kale salad so I'd like to try that." She murmured figuring that salads would be their best bet, especially after the amount of food she had ate at the graduation party. She needed to balance it out, plus she was all for trying new places."
Brody: He nodded when Rachel agreed to his restaurant choice and declared that she had heard about the kale salad and wanted to try that. Quickly pulling the menu up on his phone, Brody decided what he wanted as well before calling and placing an order. "Alright. Food should be here in twenty." He declared, dropping a kiss to Rachel's head before moving to throw on shorts and a t-shirt so that he could answer the door when the food arrived.
Rachel: She nodded and went back to the couch, grabbing the throw and wrapping it around her as she started to flip through the guide to find something to watch. She wasn't sure exactly what she wanted to watch, mostly because she hadn't even turned on the tv for herself in years but also because she had been so busy with school. Settling on an home renovation show she smiled not minding those shows.
Brody: Somewhat dressed, Brody found Rachel curled up on the couch in a blanket. It seemed like she had found something on tv and he just settled in to cuddle with her until their food arrived. "So...how you feeling?" He asked softly wondering if she had had any morning sickness not that he had noticed it. He knew that she had been sick quite often with Kayla and he could only hope that it wouldn't be as bad this time.
Rachel: "I feel good." Rachel said with a smile. "Exhausted, but that's about it." With it being really early in the pregnancy, maybe five weeks though it could've been four depending on when it happened, she knew that it was a little soon for morning sickness to start. "Give me two week and I'll feel like hell." She laughed lightly not looking forward to the many impending causes from pregnancy that would be happening to her.
Brody: He relaxed a bit when she assured him that she was fine if not exhausted. She mentioned that in another two weeks or so she would feel like hell and he moved to wrap his arm around her. "Let's hope it's not so bad this time." He whispered not wanting her to have to go through the sickness. He was sure that there would be moments where she felt miserable, he just hoped that they would be kept to a minimum and the happy times would be what prevailed.
Rachel: She hummed and kissed his cheek. "Your mom wants told me that she felt like hell with you, so let's hope the odds are in our favor." Every pregnancy was different, that she knew for sure so she was hoping it was relatively easy. "I think morning sickness is partly psychosomatic, so I think that was a big part of my pregnancy with Michaela." She hadn't got really excited about having a baby until the pregnancy was almost over so she knew that it was a big reason why she was sick almost all the way through it in one way or another. She had literally made herself sick worrying and being scared.
Brody: Rachel mentioned that his mom had once told her that she had been very sick with him so she could only hope. "I think it is too," He nodded when she mentioned it being mostly in her head. Because this pregnancy was wanted and they were prepared for it he could only hope that it would help Rachel be more relaxed and ready to just enjoy it all which would lead to her feeling better and just glowing as the pregnancy progressed.
Rachel: "So I'll start right now feeling good and refusing to let morning sickness come." She said with a laugh though she knew it would happen regardless because it was natural and meant that the pregnancy was going well. Of course she had a her concerns and her worries regarding their move that was going to have to take place and how their daughter was going to take it, but she was genuinely happy about the pregnancy this time around.
Brody: Brody made a mental note to pick up some ginger tea and the pregnancy pops when he was at the store next, now that he knew that morning sickness was going to start at some point. He couldn't wait to be able to hold her hair back for her, to just be there for every step of the pregnancy, doing as much as he could to make the process as smooth as possible for her.
Rachel: "How are we going to tell baby girl?" She asked after a few moments of just basking in the fact that they had succeeded in making a baby. "I know we'll have to sit her down and tell her, make sure she understands and it's not hypothetical like last time but I kind of want to do something fun as well." Then again with not knowing how well she was going to react something fun may not be the best idea.
Brody: Rachel asked how they were going to tell Michaela and Brody shrugged thinking about it. Of course they wouldn't be telling her until after the first trimester with everyone else but Rachel was right, they would need to get her to understand that it was actually happening. "Maybe we could have her help with designing the baby's room?" He suggested. "Or we could just show her the picture of the new baby along with her old ultrasound. I don't know." He trailed off, not sure if either of his ideas were any good.
Rachel: She scrunched her nose up not sure about those. "Maybe we'll just talk to her and then do something fun afterwards regardless of her reaction. That way we can sway her if she's not happy or we can celebrate if she is." There really wasn't a good idea really, they just had to do it and hope that it went well.
Brody: It was clear by Rachel's reaction that she wasn't a huge fan of his suggestions and she just declared that they would have to tell her and then maybe do something fun after. There really wasn't a good way to do it, after all their daughter was a diva like her mother and probably wouldn't be thrilled to have some of the spotlight taken off of her.
Rachel: Rachel moved to kiss him. "We'll figure it out, we have a little bit." She murmured before kissing him again as their was a knock on the door signaling their food had arrived. Moving from him so that he could get up and answer she moved to the kitchen and got their utensils and something to drink. "I hope this place is good." She said as she entered the living room again and settled on the couch with him.
Brody: They deemed that they would figure it all out and just then their food arrived at the door. Getting up and paying the delivery man, Brody took the food back to the living room having seen Rachel get up to get silverware and drinks for the both of them. Brody was sure that he could down the glass of water with no problem, and would probably do the same with the second as well. "It's supposed to be." He declared, though he shrugged since he hadn't personally tried them before.
Rachel: She got her salad and opened it up after shaking it to mix up the dressing that had settled in the bottom. Taking a bite she hummed because it wasn't too bad. The kale was fresh along with the other vegetables so that was a huge plus. "It's not bad. I think we could probably make this for much cheaper." That was the one thing she hated about ordering salads from somewhere, they were always more expensive than the ingredients used to make them.
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Brody: The food certainly wasn't bad but Rachel was right, it was definitely cheaper to make their own salads. "Not the point of tonight Rach." He teased leaning back against the couch. This was them avoiding cooking and dishes, even if it was something as simple as salad. No one said they had to order from them again and Brody thought that the chicken in his was prepared and seasoned quite well.
Rachel: "I know that." She said with a laugh before taking another bite. "This dressing is phenomenal." Rachel said knowing that she couldn't duplicate it no matter how hard she tried. It was really good and gave the place an A+ in her book. With a smile she offered him a bite though she knew he wasn't going to touch the green stuff.
Brody: Rachel commented on the dressing and Brody nodded, that was certainly another plus to the salad. She offered him a bite of his and he shook his head. He reached his limits with just lettuce, he had no desire to try kale or whatever was supposed to be in her salad. "I'll stick to my own thanks. After all you need all the nutrients you can get for our little one."
Rachel: She hummed and ate the bite herself. "Yes, I'll need to set up a dietician appointment." The number one thing she didn't want to do is get off track with her diet and it was going to be important for her to make sure she was treating her body well. The last thing she wanted was to be malnourished like the entire year she swore off basically everything.
Brody: Brody was glad that Rachel was planning on going to see her dietician so that they could adjust her plan to accomodate the baby growing inside of her. The last thing he wanted was for something to happen to either of them and so her diet was even more important now than it had been in the past. As he finished off his salad, Brody set the bowl on the table and just leaned back against the couch ready to enjoy the rest of a quiet night with his wife and unborn baby.
Rachel: Rachel finished her food not long after her husband and added her bowl to his before leaning back against him. Now that it was all sinking in she wasn't sure exactly how she felt about no longer having anything to do. "I may go crazy." She mumbled to herself. Never had she gone without having anything to do and now she was going to be spending nine months carrying a baby basically doing nothing.
Brody: Soon Rachel was done with her food as well and she declared that she might actually go crazy now that she had nothing to do. "Well you could go spend time with your mom at the daycare. Join some summer things with Kayla, get involved with a group of other pregnant moms, help Claire with the wedding planning." There were so many things that she could do now that she didn't have to worry about school on top of being a mom.
Rachel: One thing she didn't want to do was spend time at the daycare, the rest seemed like a good idea though. "I'll see what activities Kayla wants to be involved in this summer. That'll be something for me to do along with the rest." She murmured happy that he had helped her. "Still it won't be the same as going nonstop with school work, maybe I'll offer like vocal lessons or something?"
Brody: Rachel declared that she would see what activities Kayla wanted to do this summer and that it would be something for her to do with the rest. "You don't need to be going nonstop babe." He assured her. They would be fine financially and the most important thing was her taking care of herself and their children. She mentioned giving vocal lessons and he shrugged. "Give it some time and see how things settle into place before you think about that one okay?"
Rachel: "I know I don't, but I don't know a speed that's not nonstop." Rachel said honestly because he knew that was true to. "Okay, but it something to consider at least. It could be fun, not even more the money but because I'd love to teach someone how to make the most of their gift." She still remembered when she helped Finn hit his first high note, she was really proud of herself and him.
Brody: "You can absolutely consider it once we settle into a summer rhythm and figure out what your body can handle with the baby. He knew that she was used to nonstop but her body would need her to act differently now that she was providing for another person. She hadn't been going quite so hard when she was pregnant before and he just didn't want her to wear herself down too quickly.
Rachel: Laying her head on his shoulder she sighed. "I wish these next couple weeks could go by so that we could have our appointment." All she wanted was to have her first exam and get through the workup and maybe see the baby for the first time. Even having gone through it before she wasn't sure how the first appointment would go.
Brody: "I can't wait for our appointment either." He agreed. "You'll have to get me the date so I can let work know and get whatever time I need off taken care of." Even if it was only an hour or two he wanted to let his new bosses know ahead of time so that they could plan around it. It was just a professional courtesy and since he wanted this job to work, it was important to him.
Rachel: She took a moment to remember the appointment before finally looking in her phone where she had saved it. "It's two weeks form this coming Tuesday at 2:30." Rachel told him before just sending it to his phone so that he'd have it. They had a calendar that had both of their phones synced to it but she hadn't put it in there yet not to ruin the surprise.
Brody: It seemed like Rachel was trying to remember when it was before she gave up and just checked her phone. Verbally she let him know but then he watched as she also sent it to his phone. "Thanks babe." He murmured knowing that as soon as he started work he would let them know of the appointment. He was so looking forward to it and he absolutely would not miss it for the world.
Rachel: "You're welcome." She said with a smile as she put her phone down and then laid against him again. "I'm so excited to go baby shopping." She said with a laugh. They had a few hand me downs from Michaela but they weren't all gender neutral if they had a boy plus she knew some of it was pretty dated being from five years ago. They had a good bit in storage though that was going to help them a lot. "I also can't wait to go apartment hunting though I'm really going to miss this place." It just wasn't big enough though and there wasn't enough room for another baby even if he or she was in their room for a few months.
Brody: Rachel mentioned being excited to go baby shopping and Brody laughed. That certainly was going to be something and he was looking forward to it as well. Of course they had some of the basics from Michaela that they could reuse but they would need clothes, especially if it was a boy and lots of other things. Then she mentioned apartment hunting and Brody smiled. It would be good for them to get into a place they could grow into. This apartment had been great but he hadn't been meant to live more than through college in. It certainly wasn't large enough to expand their family in.
Rachel: She smiled at him before getting up and getting the file of apartments and her laptop to start looking at them online. Going to the website for the first she had liked she immediately scrunched up her nose. "The specs look good but this apartment is awful." She mumbled as she flipped through the pictures of it hating it more and more. "Definitely no, I don't even want to see this one in person. Look at the kitchen, it's smaller than ours."
Brody: Clearly Rachel meant to start looking now because she got the file and her laptop and started to look at some of the ones he had pulled. The first she turned down immediately because it had a small kitchen and just seemed awful. This certainly was not going to be an easy hunt and he could only pray that they would find something fairly quickly before Rachel turned down every apartment in their budget in the city.
Rachel: Really she was just excited about the process and overall just curious over the list he has compelled for them that she just wanted to look through as they relaxed together. It wasn't going to be easy to find an apartment after how long they researched for the one they were in now and the appointments they had made when they came and looked at them. Now they were both probably even more picky than what they wanted especially since they needed bigger. "I wouldn't mind a place that's like this one just with more bedrooms maybe another bath and a bigger living room." Mostly she was looking at locations too because she didn't want to go too far from their current location to make it difficult for them. They lived in the city now and she really liked that. "Thankfully we have a little bit, or else you'd probably kill me by the end of this if we were going quick." She laughed.
Brody: "We definitely need bigger." He agreed. And while this place was nice maybe he did want one that was a little farther out of the city. Just enough that maybe there was a park even closer so that their kids could play. Obviously they would never have the childhood he did where he could be out in the yard unattended but he wanted to bring as much of that simple life as he could to his kids. "We have about 4 months, yes. We don't have a whole lot of time to waste but we aren't rushing too bad at the moment."
Rachel: "Four months seems like a good time. I don't want to be very pregnant and packing and having to move. Six months is still far along but it's also the mark where I won't be huge." It would be after that mark where she would start gaining weight more regularly and definitely get larger. She didn't want to be messing around with straightening up a new place after that point, especially when her nesting period would begin.
Brody: Rachel seemed to think that the four months was about her and the pregnancy and Brody just chuckled softly. "Four months is when Kayla will start kindergarten and we want her to start school and not have to move and leave her friends after that." He clarified. The cities school districts were so weird that he didn't want to have to worry about moving once she had started.
Rachel: "That's a very small thing compared to being hot and uncomfortable. Sure I'd like to have Kayla in one school, but I'm sure you don't want to deal with me being irritable because I'm very pregnant and having to move more than I'd like." Really their daughter was likely to find friends no matter what, she was a little diva but she was also pretty sociable when it came to other kids. Not having the hassle of having to transfer would be good though. "We need to find the best school district for her, I don't want her to go somewhere that she's going to get lost in really big classes." She was smart but she wasn't advanced, she was on track with other kids her age and would still need the one on one attention so that she didn't fall behind.
Brody: "Babe...do you really think you'd have to worry about moving if you were hot and uncomfortable." He teased. Like he would let that happen. He would get everything moved in on his own and all she would have to do is settle in or direct him from the couch. "And every listing I gave you had good schools." He declared. That had been his primary search function because he knew that was more important than anything else.
Rachel: She shrugged though she knew he wouldn't. There was a huge chance though that she would still be packing or doing something though, it was just how she was she just couldn't help it. "4 months, we'll worry about it then or when we find a place whether that be sooner than that or not." It would be nice to find it in less than 4 months so that they weren't rushing to get settled and making sure Michaela was ready for school.
Brody: "We'll find something." Brody assured her, kissing her head. "We'll have plenty of time for you to nest again and get ready for our little one." He honestly thought it was funny how crazy Rachel got when she was at the end of her pregnancy. They would get their daughter into a good school and find a place that was big enough for all of them he was sure of that.
Rachel: Rachel nodded before sighing not wanting to talk about it anymore, just wanting to relax and enjoy their evening before she managed to stress herself out. "I'm definitely tired, I can't wait to get out of this stage. It's worse than when I'll be puking." She could handle being nauseous or vomiting but being tired constantly for the entire first trimester was almost completely unbearable.
Brody: Rachel stated that she was tired and couldn't wait to get past this stage of pregnancy. He didn't like seeing her tired either but after looking at the clock he realized that maybe they should go to bed. "Are you ready to call it a night?" He murmured not wanting her to push herself too hard, not when there was no longer any reason for it. It wasn't like they had any reason to stay up.
Rachel: "Yes, that would be good. I'm ready to get some more sleep. Now that you know about the baby, I won't have to wake up hoping you haven't happened to open my draw that I was hiding your gift in." She had been so nervous that he was going to figure it out. "I can also finally throw away the pregnancy test box that's hiding in a tampon box." Rachel laughed having took all measures to make sure he didn't find out.
Brody: She agreed to head to bed and then teased that she could toss the pregnancy test boxes that she had hidden and that she wouldn't have to worry about him finding his present. "You can take care of all of that tomorrow." He declared moving to lift her into his arms to carry her back to their room. They could clean up the containers from their dinner tomorrow. For now they were fine and he just wanted to bask in everything that had happened today.
Rachel: She smiled and nodded as he carried her to their room. Settling on the bed she yawned and got under the covers just watching as he walked around the room and shut off lights and made sure they were secure for the night. "We need to finish your security system when we move to." Over the years they and their parents had been adding on to the original system that had been bought and she felt with a new baby it was time to finally finish it off.
Brody: After setting Rachel down, Brody moved to make sure that everything was ready for them to actually go to bed including arming the security system. As he did, Rachel mentioned finishing the system off when they moved. That was the whole reason he'd picked the system he had, it was the easiest to move from place to place and as long as you updated the address in the system, you would be covered anywhere.
Rachel: "You don't have many pieces left, right?" She asked not sure what all he wanted to buy to make them more secure. Really she had no idea what all he had and what all it did, she just knew that it made him feel safe and as long as she knew how to turn it on and off that was all she needed to know. In the coming days she would probably end up making a list of everything that they needed and she wanted.
Brody: Rachel asked about what pieces he had left and Brody shrugged. "I mean depending on the place I'll need to get more window monitors and a few more cameras." He couldn't imagine needing all that much more than that because he assumed that there would still only be one main door and everything else from their place would transfer over fairly easily.
Rachel: She nodded but put it in the back of her mind to see if it would be too much to actually upgrade it all together to give them something even more solid than what they had. Yawning again she got more comfortable in the bed once she had fixed her pillows before just sinking down into them and pulling the blankets up to her neck.
Brody: They could worry about the security system and everything else another day, for now Brody just wanted to sleep with his wife and unborn baby until they both felt like getting up in the morning. He knew that they would have to meet up with their parents at some point but he hoped that there wasn't a rush on that.
Rachel: Once he was settled into the bed next to her she smiled and moved over and kissed him before going back to her little warm cocoon she had made. "We can sleep in tomorrow, and yes I mean I'll actually sleep in." Granted her sleeping in was still not even close to what he expected but she knew that if she at least he'd be happy with her sleeping later than usual. She wasn't sure what time their parents were going to be by, but she knew it was after lunch knowing they were taking Kayla somewhere special first.
Brody: Rachel kissed him and then settled back in on her side commenting on sleeping in tomorrow and that she meant she would actually sleep in. "Good." He declared. They hadn't done it in forever and he knew that some extra sleep would certainly do their bodies, especially hers, some good. "I love you both." He whispered as he rolled onto his stomach, wanting to sleep that way tonight to try and let his muscles ease up a bit.
Rachel: "Love you too." She murmured her eyes already fluttering closed from how tired she was and comfortable the bed was. After the long day she was truly exhausted. She had no idea that sitting and listening to people talk and walking across a stage for thirty seconds was so exhausting but it totally was. "Good night, babe."
Notes: Brody and Rachel bring up the topic of Kayla becoming a big sister with fears of her completely freaking out.
Rachel: It had been just over two weeks since Rachel and Brody had started trying for a baby and so far it didn't seem like it was working. Of course she knew two weeks wasn't long enough to even begin to wonder but she still was hoping it had worked. They hadn't told Michaela yet though and that was her number one priority. So after her classes were over, she picked her daughter up and took her home where they were going to have her favorite takeout dinner. "We're home." Rachel said as she and the five year old walked through the door. The little one had been talking nonstop about her day in preschool and Rachel honestly had stopped paying attention about ten minutes in. "Go put your backpack away and bring me your folder so I can see what you have to do tonight."
Brody: They'd been trying for a baby for a few weeks now, making love at least 2-3 times a week but Brody wasn't sure if it was working or not. Of course he wanted to be hopeful, but the anticipation was so high that it was sometimes hard to stay focused. Rachel kept reminding him that they needed to sit their daughter down to let her know what was going on. He knew it wasn't going to be a fun conversation but Rachel was right. When he'd gotten the text that suggested they do it tonight, Brody did his best to clear his evening schedule of rehearsals so that he could get home. He'd walked in the door ten minutes before Rachel got home with Michaela and he had just stepped out of the shower. As he dressed he heard Rachel asking Kayla to put her backpack away and to bring her nightly folder over. "Sup bug?" He hummed as he stepped out into the kitchen, pulling his shirt over his head.
Rachel: "Don't ask her that." Rachel murmured as she put their food bags down on the table. "She'll talk your ear off for the rest of the night." Their little chatterbox always had something to say, much like her mother, but still exhausted Rachel nonetheless. "We're both starving though. How are you? How was your day?" She asked as she got out plates and everything they needed for dinner.
Brody: Rachel warned him that their daughter would talk his ear off all night if he asked her that and he chuckled, moving to scoop his little girl up for a hug and to hear her laughing. "It was fine. Tomorrow is going to be a bit longer though, had to push back my rehearsals when you texted. Not a big deal but just a heads up that you'll be eating without me tomorrow." He explained setting Kayla down so she could do what her mother had asked.
Rachel: She nodded knowing that was fine and sat down to look at their daughter's folder and what homework they had to tackle once they were done with dinner. Thankfully a preschoolers homework wasn't too much and it was easy to work with her on each section such as writing her name and the basics that they learned. "Okay, princess. Looks like you have a bit to do tonight." Reading the teacher's note she hummed happy that it was a good report instead of a bad one, which they received more times than less.
Brody: He and Rachel traded off on homework duty depending on who had the easier schedule for the night. Most Mondays and Wednesday were his along with the weekends and Rachel handled Tuesdays and Thursdays when he had rehearsals late and it was hard for him to get home before bed time. So tonight was usually Rachel's night anyway and he moved to turn the news on quietly just to catch up with what had happened that day.
Rachel: She and Kayla sat at the table working on her homework until it was done and Rachel was satisfied that it was done correctly and their daughter had learned in the process instead of just doing what she was told to do. "Ready for dinner, babe?" She asked as Kayla went to put her things away and Rachel officially set the table for them. "Her writing is getting better." She commented as he came into the room. Homework in preschool really wasn't much, mostly tracing letters and numbers and practicing with sounds, but Rachel enjoyed watching her grow and get so much smarter.
Brody: After awhile Rachel called to see if he was ready for dinner and he saw Kayla walking over to put her things away. Flipping the tv off he headed to the table and nodded when Rachel declared that their daughter's writing was getting better. "Yeah I meant to mention that to you yesterday." He declared looking around to see if there was anything he could help her with. It looked like she had it all taken care of though so he moved to wash his hands in the sink, not feeling like going all the way to the bathroom to wash up.
Rachel: "Are you ready for this?" She asked him as she kissed his cheek and used the sink after him to wash her hands. She was honestly really nervous and hoped that she would take it well. "We could use as much good thoughts as we can take right now, that she'll react to this is a positive way." The thing was, she really wasn't sure if she would or not.
Brody: Rachel asked if he was ready for this and moved to wash her hands when he was done. "Ready as I'll ever be..." He trailed off preparing himself for the worst. That was easier than hoping for the best in his mind. No matter what their daughter's opinion was this was happening. They weren't going to let their five year old dictate whether they had more kids or not.
Rachel: She hummed because that was true. Sitting down as their daughter came into the room and sat with them she put food on her plate before doing her own and starting to eat not sure how to go about starting. "So, princess. Daddy and I have something we want to talk to you about." Rachel said after a few minutes. When Michaela looked at her she bit her lip before going on. "We were talking about you getting a baby brother or sister. How would you feel about that?" She asked before turning to Brody hoping that the reaction they got was okay.
Brody: Rachel served their daughter and then herself and they all started to eat before Rachel brought up them wanting to talk to her about something. Kayla eventually looked up as if she was waiting for them to proceed and Rachel then mentioned her getting a baby brother or sister and asking how she felt about that. Knowing that Rachel was nervous, Brody moved his hand down to rest on Rachel's knee as he looked between mother and daughter waiting for some signal to whether this was going to go badly or not.
Rachel: Their daughter was quiet for a moment before scrunching her nose up at them. "Babies cry a lot." She said and Rachel nodded. "Yes, they do but they're also really cute and you get to be mommy and daddy's big helper." She responded trying to make it sound exciting and a good thing. "I don't want a baby, I want a doggy." The five year old then said and Rachel had to smile because she was a kid. "We're not getting a dog, princess." She then pouted and sighed at them. "So do you want a baby brother or sister?" Rachel asked again still having no clue what their daughter was thinking only to get a shrug. "Not really but thanks for asking. Can I have more chicken?" Michaela said and Rachel just looked at her husband sort of amused. "Well, at least you're polite. Let's get you so more chicken."
Brody: Kayla's first reaction was babies crying and Rachel agreed but stated that she would get to be mommy and daddy's big helper. So far this was better than he was expecting and that had him partially relieved. Kayla declared that she wanted a dog and not a baby and he bit his lip to keep from laughing. "Stella wouldn't like a dog either honey, but she'd love a baby just like she loves you." He declared. Their daughter was not at all enthused by the idea but it wasn't a tantrum and that was a win in his book. She asked for more chicken and Rachel got up to get her some as he let out a soft sigh of relief.
Rachel: She shook her head at their daughter and kissed her cheek as she got her more food before sitting back down. Reaching over for her husband's hand she laughed a little. "She's not screaming." She whispered because really that was what she was expecting. Though now they'd just have to wait for them to be actually pregnant to find out her true reaction. Right now it was just a what if, she was liable to react differently when it was really happening.
Brody: When Rachel sat back down she took his hand and whispered about how their daughter at least wasn't screaming. That was certainly a plus in his book. He just hoped that there wasn't a fit when they actually did get pregnant. It was one thing to talk hypothetically, and another to actually tell her that she would have to share her parents with someone else.
Rachel: Rachel didn't really feel better about the situation unable to help herself that she wanted her little princess to be happy and okay. Of course she knew it wasn't her decision but she wanted more than anything for her to be happy with being a big sister. The fact that she and Brody both knew it wasn't likely scared her. "I need to get to work on preparing for finals." She mumbled having so much to do including a term paper that she wasn't even close to even starting.
Brody: While he had a feeling that Kayla may not take the news well, at the same time, he was sure that she would eventually come around to it. Rachel declared that she needed to get to work prepping for finals and Brody nodded leaning over to kiss her head. He'd already taken the night off from rehearsals so there really wasn't anything he could do himself. After all, as a dance and choreography major, all of his senior year finals were actually involving dancing so it wasn't like he had papers to write or anything like that.
Rachel: She had a long list of what she needed to do, memorize lines for her acting class, work in her dance, her dialect class was actually the worst because she was learning she wasn't as good with mimicking other accents as she thought she would be, and finally her senior project that included a thesis term paper to go along with the actual project. "We're almost done, babe. I can't believe we actually managed to do this."
Brody: "We are almost done." He agreed as he finished up his dinner and wiped his mouth on a napkin. He still felt like he should have been done by now, but injuries weren't something to mess with and the last thing he wanted was to lose his entire career by being stupid. It was a lot easier to just listen to the doctors and take things easier knowing that it was all going to be okay in the long run.
Rachel: "I'm proud of you." Rachel said as she leaned over to kiss him. He had worked so hard to try and graduate early for them but an injury had stopped him but he didn't give up. In the end she was happy that he had started taking less classes, it meant he was home more and that was what mattered the most instead of an early degree. Getting up she cleared their plates and put them in the sink to deal with later.
Brody: Hearing that Rachel was proud of him made up for the disappointment he felt with himself for not being able to stick to his plan. Rachel took care of the plates and Brody moved to kiss her again. "Go do what you need to do. Kayla and I will occupy ourselves." She needed to focus on homework since tomorrow she would be in charge of their daughter all night and likely wouldn't get anything done.
Rachel: She nodded and moved to kiss her daughter before going into their bedroom for some peace and quiet so that she could concentrate. The first thing she started on was her portfolio. She had countless videos to edit to down and make into a productive demo reel though she knew she'd end up having Brody help her since she wasn't sure what to cut out and what to keep.
Brody: With Rachel hidden away in their bedroom, Brody moved to help Kayla clean up before letting her run off to play for awhile. Deciding to take care of the dishes, Brody quickly washed them and put everything else away before heading to see what was on tv that was actually worth watching. He could hear Kayla in talking to Stella and he just let her have some time alone as well knowing that she didn't get it unless she was here because she spent all day with other kids. It was good for her to have some self reflective time.
Rachel: After a little while she gave up and saved the portfolio to a flash drive and took it out to her husband. "Edit this for me when you have the time?" She requested knowing that it wasn't something he had to do now but just when he had time before the end of the semester for her to turn in. "I'm going to go work on my speech so if you hear me talking to myself in different accents, I haven't quite lost my mind." She laughed.
Brody: Eventually Rachel came out and dropped a flash drive in his lap asking him to edit it for her when he had some spare time. He would probably get to it that weekend if things tomorrow night went according to plan. She added that she was going to go work on her speech so if he heard her talking in different accents it wasn't her going crazy. Nodding he pulled her in for a quick kiss and told her not to push herself too hard because neither one of them needed to completely lose it this close to graduation.
Rachel: She promised him she'd be careful and kissed him again with a smile before heading back in and diving into her studies. She was truly proud of herself for making it through college and balancing a family life as well as working here and there. For a while she had hated that Brody didn't want her to work if it wasn't at a theatre but now she was happy that she had listened and hadn't been working as a waitress or barista for four years. It had allowed her to stay sane and have plenty of time to do things instead of constantly working until the last minute, though being a drama student at NYADA that still tended to happen.
Brody: After awhile, he realized that Kayla had been too quiet and he moved to check on her, smiling brightly at what he saw. She had one of her baby dolls cuddled against her chest and she was whispering softly about being a big sister. Sneaking away he moved to the bedroom and motioned for Rachel to follow him. "Look." He whispered as their daughter pretended to change the diaper commenting on how the baby was lucky she was cute because she was stinky or something to that effect.
Rachel: Rachel immediately started crying at what she saw and hugged Brody's waist feeling nothing but relief and happiness "I love her so much." She whispered so happy that she was okay with a baby hopefully being added to their family. Taking his hand she pulled him into their bedroom and kissed him hard. If anything this had completely solidified her decision for them to have another baby, their daughter having been her only worry. The thought of having a baby was enough to get Brody going but having their daugher happy about it was it for Rachel.
Brody: It was clear that his wife was thrilled by seeing their daughter come to terms in her own way about being a big sister. Of course there were still going to be bumps in the road, this was a good sign and he smiled. Rachel tugged him back to their bedroom and kissed him hard causing him to groan softly. Clearly this had been what Rachel needed and he lifted her up, just wanting a minute to make out with her even if he knew that they couldn't do anything else until Kayla went to bed at least.
Rachel: She smiled into the kiss and wrapped her legs around his waist. It was hard to be turned on right now with their daughter in the next room liable to come in but she couldn't help it, but after a few moments of kissing she pulled back knowing that she needed to cool down. "I love you so much." Rachel whispered to him. "I can't wait to have your baby."
Brody: Rachel gave into the kiss and it lasted for a good minute before she pulled back and he gently moved to set her down again. "Love you too." He replied sneaking one more gentle kiss. "Can't wait to get you pregnant." It was funny because one of his final pieces was about the cycle of life and the pregnancy segment was becoming more and more personal to him making it easier to dance than ever.
Rachel: Once she was back on her feet she stretched and urged her body to calm down. "Now go away before I jump you." She laughed before climbing back into the bed and wrapping the covers around her so that she could try and concentrate again. The more she got done tonight, the more they could focus on baby making when the weekend came.
Brody: Brody couldn't help but laugh when Rachel told him to go away before he jumped him. Shaking his head he watched her crawl back into bed and moved back to whatever he'd left on tv. He wished his wife would jump him but that probably wouldn't be good with their daughter still awake and likely to walk in on them. When it was bed time, Brody moved to get Kayla ready before letting her go say goodnight to Rachel and then tucking her in himself before locking up the house for the night.
Rachel: "Goodnight, my angel." Rachel said to their daughter as she kissed her. The next day was going be long but she was happy to know that she could pick her up and hang out with her for the night. When Brody came back into the room she smiled at him and sighed as she closed her laptop needing to give her eyes a break. Her workload was ten times more than it needed to be thanks to her ocd and need to make a schedule for every second of her life, but it was how she worked and how she was able to breathe easier and concentrate.
Brody: Thankfully without him saying anything, Rachel closed her laptop and Brody moved to strip down to his boxers before climbing into bed. "Make some progress?" He murmured stretching and sighing at the way the bed felt just molding around his body. He was sore for sure and he couldn't wait for finals to be over so that he could let his body heal a bit before he started at his new job.
Rachel: She shrugged. "I guess, but I also feel like I didn't get anything done at all." NYADA was so demanding and it was hard to keep track of it all, one of the main reasons she was so looking forward to graduating. "By the time finals come I should be prepared so that I'm not up all night the entire week before and before each final."
Brody: "I'm sure you did more than you think." He replied. Rachel was always such a perfectionist that she stressed way too much about all of the little things in life. He knew that she was more than ready to graduate, they both were and it would be considered a great achievement since each of them had probably lost half their classes in the past four years.
Rachel: Putting her laptop away she changed into a shirt and shorts and climbed back into bed with her husband. "I'm so ready for these next couple of weeks." She whispered because they were so close plus after those weeks they were going to start taking tests and that was more exciting. She only hoped that they wouldn't have to start taking ovulation tests and planning it specifically so that it would happen.
Brody: He watched as Rachel got ready for bed as well and climbed in next to him whispering about being so ready for the next few weeks. They had finals and then graduation and then they would start taking pregnancy tests to see if their efforts were getting them anyway. He could only hope that they were because the last thing he wanted was for it to become something stressful and unnatural.
Rachel: Laying her head against his chest she hummed contently just cuddling into him. "Do you want a massage to help with the stiffness?" She asked knowing that he was working his body so hard that he needed to give it a break and comfort it. Plus they were focusing on her and her comfort lately with the pregnancy process and wanted to make sure that he was feeling good too.
Brody: Rachel rested her head on his chest and after a moment asked if he wanted a massage to help with the stiffness. "I wouldn't be opposed." He replied sure that his muscles could use the release of tension for sure. After graduation he was certainly planning on seeing a trained massage therapist just because he knew that his whole body could use some attention to make sure that he didn't hurt himself but his wife certainly didn't give bad massages either.
Rachel: She nodded and moved so that he could get comfortable and once he was lying on his stomach she straddled his ass. "Where is it the most tense?" Rachel asked as she leaned over and grabbed the oil from his side table. She would happily give him a full back massage but wanted to be able to give him the most relief as well.
Brody: Rachel moved out of the way a bit and Brody shifted to rest on his stomach, feeling Rachel straddle his ass a moment later. "Shoulders and then lower back." He was sure he'd tweaked something in the latter and he'd been doing his best to ice and wrap it for rehearsals not wanting to risk it. Of course it made his movement a little less fluid but as long as he was good to go by next week that was all that mattered.
Rachel: She started with his lower back, it being the closest and always what took the longest to get loosened up. She hissed for him as she started to dig her hands into it knowing that it hurt but also knowing that he was going to feel much better because of the pain. Giving him massages was one thing that she really enjoyed doing for him because she knew she was good at it and it was something intimate to do that wasn't sex.
Brody: Rachel started with his lower back and she hissed right along with him when she touched the muscles and realized how tense they were. "Slow please." He requested not wanting her to put too much pressure all at once. He took good care of his body in every way possible but he still knew that too much pressure would be worse than just leaving it be when he had important work to do in the next week. He needed to be able to move and it would take some time to work out the kinks the right way. "May want to sit a heating pad on it for a bit and come back." He whispered knowing that the heat would help make the muscles more pliable.
Rachel: "Okay, baby." Rachel said softly as she got up and got the heating pad, plugged it in and then settled it on his lower back. Moving up on his back she started to work in his shoulders happy that they weren't nearly as bad as his lower back and that it would be easy to loosen them up. "I can't wait for school to be over so that you won't feel like this." With his job he was going to be choreographing and thankfully wouldn't be working his body to death.
Brody: Immediately he sighed in relief at the direct heat on his back. It wasn't painful, just a steady warmth that he knew would do him good. With that settled Rachel moved to his shoulders and those he could tell she would have far more success with. "Almost done." He agreed. After he graduated he would be able to dance for himself instead of a grade and choreographing would be far less straining on his body.
Rachel: She hummed and continued to work on his shoulders knowing that when she was done she could go back and work on his lower back and it would be much easier to soothe. Reaching for their iHome controller she turned on some music for him to focus on and softly sang along with it just doing her best to distract him.
Brody: Brody was trying not to focus on the discomfort when Rachel turned some soft music on and started to sing along with it. He had always loved her voice and it was a lot easier to focus on her than it was anything else when she was singing. Of course he could still feel the twinges of pain but it was easier to hold back the curse words and relax, letting Rachel do her thing.
Rachel: When she was done with his shoulders, proud that they were free of all knots and tension, she kissed down his spine. Removing the heating pad she turned it off and began to sang again as she began to work on the knots that had began to dissolve from the heat. The pad hadn't completely loosened them but it was enough that he could get through the massage with her distractions.
Brody: His shoulders certainly felt better as Rachel finished with them and moved down his back, kissing softly at his spine. He couldn't have asked for more when it came to his wife taking care of him. The loss of heat created a slight twinge but Rachel continued to sing as she worked the muscles of his lower back that he could tell had relaxed enough so that her touch did cause him immense pain. He'd have to use the pad again for a little bit when she was done just to soothe the muscles that she'd loosened up so that they didn't immediately retighten and leave him struggling to move tomorrow.
Rachel: She smiled as his lower back started to feel better underneath of her fingers. It took a good bit longer to get it loosened but when it did she sighed happily and put the heating pad back on his back knowing that was what he'd want her to do. Moving back to the bed she kissed him softly, her lips trailing from his down his face and his neck and shoulders. "I love you so much."
Brody: Brody sighed as his lower back finally started to loosen up and once Rachel was done she put the heating pad back and then moved up the bed to kiss him. "Love you too. Thanks for that." He replied letting his eyes close after a moment. "Hopefully it will get me through finals and maybe we can treat ourselves to real massages for graduation." He suggested knowing she would be more comfortable with him going if she got to go too.
Rachel: "You're welcome." She murmured as she rubbed his back. "Yeah, I'd like that." Rachel said knowing that they would both need it, especially if she was still trying to get pregnant. It would help her relax and her body do what it needed to do. "Plus we've completely earned it." She said after a moment and she smiled at him before snuggling into his side and closing her eyes to relax herself so that they could get to sleep and be ready for their day tomorrow.
Brody: Rachel agreed to their graduation present for themselves and stated that they had earned it. That was certainly true and he smiled as she snuggled into his side. Tucking her close he moved to drape his arm over her so that they could fall asleep together and go at tomorrow full force with his back hopefully ready to go. They only had another week or so left and he was more than ready for it all to be over.
Rachel: She took the moment to kiss him once more before settling against him once more. He was her ultimate comfort and always would be. All she had to do was be in his arms and she felt happy and safe. She wasn't tired enough to fall asleep immediately but took advantage of bein in his arms to just relax and let her mind wander.
Brody: The massage and the knowledge of what tomorrow would bring for Brody had him asleep within minutes. He would need every ounce of strength he could find to make it through the brutality of finals. They certainly didn't let you graduate easily at Juliard and he was earning every last credit he needed to finally be able to call the degree his.
Rachel: Rachel watched Brody sleep and she smiled because he was so handsome and she was so lucky to have him. He had been her guy for so long that she felt so connected to him. After a while she managed to fall asleep happily in his arms full of excitement that was going to come of their future and their many plans that they had.
Notes: On the first night of spring break Brody brings up the promise Rachel had made to him and the two have their first attempt at making a baby.
Brody: The past few years had certainly been a whirlwind time. Between Rachel's eating disorder which she was now seeing a dietician on the regular for and both their crazy class schedules as well as his minor injury which had made it impossible for him to graduate early as planned. Things were good though, Kayla was in preschool and loving every minute of it, he'd been hired as an assistant choreographer for a new Broadway show which was being heralded as the next big thing, and Rachel was finishing up her degree as well in between a few minor roles on stage here and there. Still, as he headed home from his last class before spring break Brody couldn't help but wonder if Rachel remembered her promise to him made 2 and a half or 3 years ago. She told him that when they'd reached spring break of her senior year that they could start trying for another baby, one of his own. Deciding to bring it up over dinner since Kayla was having a sleepover, Brody stopped by the store to pick up what he needed for one of Rachel's favorite new meals.
Rachel: Rachel was sure that she had never learned as much about herself as she had in the two years since her first wedding anniversary. Three years after marrying the love of her life, five years after the birth of her beautiful little girl, she couldn't have dreamed to be where she was now. At twenty-one years old she had dealt with so much more than anyone ever could, rape, depression, an eating disorder, everything under the sun that she wished she hadn't of gone through but had only made her that much stronger. After spending most of her junior year of college working as an understudy she landed a lead role in a new Broadway show only to have it pulled during previews in January. Now a few months later she was completely focusing on completing her senior year and maybe working on expanding their family. It was something she had promised Brody so long ago and their goal had been when Michaela was five, so the timeframe had ended. She just honestly didn't know if it was still on Brody's mind or if it was a good time. She wanted it, but their busy lives had prevented them from actually talking about it. Thankfully though their amazing daughter was at a sleepover and they had the opportunity to spend the first night of their spring break together. "Babe?" Rachel called out as she came through the door having just finished her last exam before break. "I'm home and in dire need of a shower. My dance exam was brutal, I don't know why I chose hip hop as my last dance course but wow."
Brody: When Brody arrived home, he put the cold groceries away and then headed to grab a quick shower. He'd been dancing all day and even just the walk home had left him sticky and gross from the spring heat. He'd just stepped out and thrown a pair of shorts on when Rachel walked through the door declaring that she needed a shower as well and that her dance exam, hiphop, had been brutal. He still found her doing hip hop funny because it just wasn't her dance style and he'd spent at least an hour a week when he could helping her out with it. "Go shower. I'm going to start dinner." He declared leaning down to peck her lips before stepping back from her and moving towards the kitchen to get everything going.
Rachel: She nodded and smiled at him. "Definitely a hot shower, if anything after this class I'll be ready for any role out there." Heading into the bathroom she stripped down and got into the shower, staying in for a little bit longer than she normally would just to help the soreness in her muscles from her performance. When she was done she dried her hair and went into the bedroom and got dressed. Smiling as she walked into the kitchen she wrapped her arms around him. "Smells good."
Brody: Slicing the tomatoes in half, Brody seasoned them the way Rachel liked and then threw them in the oven to cook before starting a few small portions of pasta in a pot and making up a breaded chicken breast for himself. Putting a little oil in a pan he sauteed some vegetables to finish off Rachel's plate and made up the rue for the light cheese sauce the pasta required. He was just getting ready to wrap everything up when Rachel's arms wrapped around him and she murmured about their dinner smelling good. "Well I hope so. I think I've gotten pretty good at cooking lately."
Rachel: "You have, you've become Mr. Mom." She teased happy that he had been home more since he was taking a lighter course load his last year of school. It allowed her to work harder on her career having been home the past three the most. It was a good balance that she liked, plus with his new job it was good for him to be home now. "I saw Kayla before me class, she was excited for her sleepover but made sure she double checked to see when we were picking her up. I think she was a little worried to she'd miss out the fun of us being home for the week." She laughed lightly and kissed his cheek before getting them both some wine to go with their meal.
Brody: Rachel teased him about becoming Mr. Mom and he rolled his eyes. Technically he'd been that from the start since he had been the one to stay home with their daughter. He knew that his being home more had been good for Rachel though, taking off some of the parental stress she'd been feeling the past few years. As he took the tomatoes out of the oven and added just a little cheese to melt over the top Rachel explained that she had stopped to see their daughter before her last class and that the little girl had double checked to see when they were picking her up because of missing the fun of their break or something. As he plated up the pasta with sauce and Rachel's vegetables with a tomato half for each of them he watched Rachel pour some wine. "Table or couch?" He asked not sure how comfortable she wanted to be. It actually might be nice to just curl up on the couch together while they ate.
Rachel: She hummed as she thought about it. "Couch is fine." Rachel answered following him into the living room and setting their glasses on the coffee table. She yawned slightly really just hungry more than anything as she took her plate from him and took a bite. It tasted amazing and she hummed in appreciation. "Thank you, honey." She was happy that they got to spend the night together, it had been a crazy semester with senior capstone happening for the both of them and overall just trying to reach graduation. "I love this and you."
Brody: Brody took their plates and silverware into the living room when Rachel agreed to eating on the couch for once. When she was settled he handed her plate over and nodded when she thanked him for making dinner. "I love you too...and I want to talk to you about something after we eat." He declared hoping that she would agree to go off her birth control so that they could start trying.
Rachel: "Oh?" Rachel asked wondering what he had to talk about and that everything was okay. With their history she often had a dreading feeling in her stomach of what was going to happen next and hoped that their good streak was continuing. "We can talk now if you'd like." She said not minding to talk and eat with him. It would help her curiosity that was for sure.
Brody: There were moments that he loved when Rachel's curiousity got the better of her and there were moments where he hated it. She mentioned that they could talk now and he shook his head. "Not about that. It can wait until after." While it was important he wanted all of their focus to be on it and not worrying about eating at the same time. "How was your day besides dance?" He asked changing the topic completely.
Rachel: She sighed but nodded though she was really wondering. Sighing she shrugged at his question. "Long, the rest of the semester is going to go by so fast and I don't know if I'm going to get everything done in time." She admitted trying not to get too stressed about it. If she got too stressed out who knew what would flair up and that would be even worse. "I'm handling it though, I'll just be happy when it's over and I have a degree in my hands. How was your day?"
Brody: Rachel mentioned how she didn't know if she'd get everything she needed to done in time. "Of course you will." He assured her. There wasn't anyone that knew how to plan their time to fit everything in better than his wife. He was sometimes envious of her for it even. "Definitely can't wait for the degree." He'd worked so hard that he was anxious to be able to finally provide for his family the way he was supposed to. Especially since they would need a bigger place if they were going to have another baby. "It was fine. Honestly pretty laid back. We had some open work times so I just spent it working on my final pieces and preparing for the showcase."
Rachel: "That's what I'm going to work on this week, since I'll have to time to actually focus and plan." She was a huge scheduler, a huge planner and it was something that she needed to do or she literally went crazy from things not being in order. "Of course I'm going to relax too because Kayla would be so crushed if we were busy the entire time we're supposed to be home but that's my main plan." Rachel said as she ate. The good thing was that they really didn't have much longer no matter how far away it felt.
Brody: He nodded when Rachel explained that she planned on using their week off for her to plan and and focus on her final pieces. "Kayla definitely expects plenty of time with the both of us." He agreed. Their daugther was so smart and he could hardly believe the things that she picked up on lately. She wasn't even in kindergarten and she was starting to sound read books which was utterly amazing. She could recognize at least twenty words just from sight alone on top of that. There was still nothing he loved more than being a daddy to his little girl.
Rachel: That was completely true, their daughter was as demanding as her mother and it showed more and more as she got older. She was amazing though and Rachel smiled just thinking about her. "I want to take her to the museums this week, it's been a while and she's bigger now that she'll enjoy it more than the last time we went. Maybe even the zoo if the weather is okay if not we'll probably see a show."
Brody: Rachel talked about taking Kayla to the museums and maybe the zoo if the weather was nice enough. "We definitely should get out and enjoy the city." They didn't take in it's culture nearly as much as they should and it would honestly be good for them inspiration wise to get out there and see so many important things to the history of the world. "I'm sure she'd love all of that."
Rachel: "I hope so. She deserves all sort of love and attention." She was in school and meeting other kids that she hadn't met before and getting so big on them but she still needed them and it was nice when she got in bed with them at night just to cuddle and talk. It made it seem like she was still their sweet angel no matter how independent she was getting, and no matter how much her attitude liked to come out. As she finished eating, the entire meal which was something she had worked hard to achieve, she relaxed against Brody and the couch with her wine.
Brody: Brody was honestly surprised when Rachel finished off her plate. While the pasta was the only food that was actually heavy on it, he hadn't skimped on her portion and so he was glad to see that she enjoyed it enough to finish it. He had a little left himself but he smiled when Rachel cuddled against his side and sipped at her wine again. "Love you." He whispered pressing a kiss to her forehead. When he finished he set his plate on the coffee table and sipped at his wine as well before relaxing back against the couch.
Rachel: She smiled at him not needing to respond to profession, he knew that she loved him more than anything there was no need to say it again. After a few minutes of just cuddling together and relaxing she put her glass down and took his hand. "So what did you want to talk about?" Rachel asked as she played with his fingers with her head on his shoulder just enjoying the way he felt wrapped around her.
Brody: They sat in silence for a few minutes just enjoying each other until Rachel put her wine glass down and took his hand, playing with his fingers. "It's spring break senior year..." He trailed off wondering if she would get where he was going with this by that alone. "Pretty sure you made me a promise and I was just wondering if you were going to keep it or not?"
Rachel: "I remember." Rachel said with a smile. "I wasn't sure if you were still thinking about it or not." She said honestly as she lifted his hand to kiss his fingers. "I, uh, I had an appointment last week with my doctor and I didn't have my iud replaced." Rachel trailed off before looking at him. "I figured that we could talk about it if it came up this week and then I could go back if we decided to wait.."
Brody: He was relieved that Rachel still remembered though she stated that she wasn't sure if he was still thinking about it or not. He couldn't help but groan softly as she kissed his fingers and his jaw dropped when she dropped the bombshell that she hadn't had her IUD replaced when she went to the doctor's. "I don't want to wait. You know I don't." He murmured. He'd wanted another baby for years but he had promised her that they would wait this long. "Does this mean...?" He trailed off softly glancing down to imagine her stomach swollen with his child.
Rachel: She kind of shrugged softly because there was a lot to talk about when it came to this. "I'm open to it, yes. I don't exactly have post graduation plans." Even though she hadn't forgot about it, if her show had took of at the beginning of the year instead of getting pulled she probably wouldn't be up for it. It did though and because of the blow she took from working on creating a role she loved so much and to see it fall to pieces she wasn't ready to go on more auditions. "I don't want to stress over it though, you know? I want to just try and see what happens for right now. If I'm stressing over getting pregnant and finishing school one of the two will fall through the cracks and so will I." Rachel said honestly as she squeezed his hands. "Plus there is so much to talk about and figure out, like we'd have to find a new place." Sure the baby could be in their room until they did if it took that long but she wasn't sure they had it in their budget to get a bigger place since it would automatically be more expensive.
Brody: She shrugged and stated that she was open to it and that she didn't have post graduation plans at this point. He knew she was still disappointed about her show falling through but maybe it had for a reason. "Definitely don't need to stress over it. We only have a month or so left anyway. Let's just try and after graduation you can start taking tests." It would give them plenty of time to just enjoy each other with the hopes of making a baby without putting stress on either of them. "I know we would." He declared when she mentioned having to find a new place. It would be good to do it before Kayla started school though so that they didn't have to uproot her after she'd already made friends. And with his new job and the savings he'd put aside from working through college he wasn't all that worried about the money of going for a 3 bedroom instead of a two.
Rachel: Rachel nodded that sounding like the best bet right now. It was something that she wanted but she wasn't in as big of a rush as she knew he was no matter what she promised him five years ago. "We'll figure it out." She murmured before smiling at him and kissing his lips. "We're going to have a baby, hopefully soon." Rachel whispered to him before kissing him again. It was exciting to think about and she truly hoped that they got pregnant without any difficulty.
Brody: He agreed that they certainly would figure it all out. Even if they did get pregnant quickly there was no need to apartment search until after graduation so that stress wasn't important. She kissed him and murmured that they were hopefully going to have a baby soon. Already he was turned on and he tugged her legs so that she was straddling him. "Any opposition to starting tonight?" He breathed incredibly turned on by the thought of finally getting the chance to put a baby in Rachel's belly. He'd waited so long for the chance to become a dad again that his libido was sky high. It was a good thing they were on break because if he had any say, she wouldn't be able to walk tomorrow.
Rachel: She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm never opposed to this." Rachel whispered before kissing him again. Okay that was a lie, but right now they were home alone and were on a break from school and that made it that much better. "Definitely not opposed." She murmured before moving her lips down his neck and kissing and sucking on it slightly.
Brody: Hearing his wife giggle only made Brody harder and he put everything he had into the kiss as she declared twice that she certainly wasn't opposed. Her mouth moved to his neck and he groaned, gripping her ass as he stood up to carry her back to their bedroom. He could only hope that she had locked the door when she came home because he hadn't checked and he certainly wasn't about to now. Not when he had far bigger plans with his wife. "Need you." He hissed already feeling his loose basketball shorts getting tight.
Rachel: She held onto him as he carried her and grinned once she was on the bed. Immediately pulling him over her she continued their kissing as she worked to get his shirt off of him. They had plenty of time to be together but right now she felt a sense of urgency and needed to feel him pressed against her skin on skin. Plus it had been a long time since they had went without a condom and she was maybe looking forward to that the most.
Brody: The sight of Rachel on their shared bed would never get old for Brody. Especially not when he was about to make love to her every which way and hopefully put a baby inside of her. Clearly she felt the urgency as well because she pulled him directly on top of her and kissed him hard while tugging on his t-shirt to pull it over his head. There clearly wasn't going to be a whole lot of foreplay needed, not when he was already hard and he was half certain that she was soaked as well.
Rachel: Rachel grinned at him when the kiss broke and she got his shirt off and threw it against the room. "It's been awhile since we've done this with the place to ourselves." She murmured it constantly being hard to be intimate when their daughter liked to crawl into bed with them and they never knew when she'd wake up. Thankfully they had a lock on their door that helped but this was so much better.
Brody: "Hopefully soon it will be even harder to have the place to ourselves." He murmured. Having another baby would be amazing. He couldn't wait for diaper changes and midnight feedings again. Yes it would cause them to have to be more creative with alone time but he knew that it would be so worth it. With his shirt on the ground, Brody moved to get Rachel out of hers as well. He needed to feel her breasts against his chest and to just take in the body that would hopefully soon be going through all the pregnancy changes again.
Rachel: "Messing around in the shower, taking naps in cars." Of course they wouldn't have her dads to watch the baby whenever they needed free time this time around but she was also okay with that. They were so much older now, they were adults and weren't being thrown into parenthood and it wasn't even close to be terrifying to think about like the last time. They had managed with Michaela but she knew that if they had been older that it would have been so much easier. "I miss having a baby to hold, a tiny newborn."
Brody: They were certainly going to have to figure out their relationship with the addition of a new baby but the baby would be a sign of their love and that was all that mattered. "Well then let's make one." He breathed moving his mouth to her neck to kiss and suck lightly. She felt incredible pressed against him and he pushed at her shorts wanting to get both them and her panties off her body. "Need you so bad." He murmured his nails scraping at her skin hoping to make her feel just as anxious as he was.
Rachel: She groaned and raised her hips so that he could pull her shorts down and worked on getting his own down as well. Once they had both been completely unclothed she ran her hands down his sides, resting them at his hips. He was so sexy, his body more defined than ever showing the hard work he had put into it. "Make love to me."
Brody: Her wish was certainly his command as she murmured for him to make love to her. Nodding he reached above her head to grab a spare pillow before moving to put it under her hips. He'd been doing some reading lately and the angle was supposed to help with the travel of sperm. Without going completely crazy with all the things suggested to conceive, he figured it was one they could try. Plus it would only bring both of them more pleasure.
Rachel: It was clear that he had been doing research and giggled at the notion but complied because she needed him buried inside of her already and if that meant going with his ideas, she was going to do it. "Babe." Rachel whined as she arched her hips to him needing him to take action. "This only works if you're inside of me." She teased before kissing him again.
Brody: Even with her hips on the pillow, Rachel arched them and whined at him. She mentioned that this would only work if he was inside of her and Brody growled softly, moving her arms to pin them above her head. "Babe. I'm going to be inside of you until you can feel me for days." He declared. His work wouldn't be done if she wasn't somewhat sore tomorrow. He planned on coating her walls with as much seed as he had ready to go and to make sure she got off in the process because that was only supposed to help with conception as well.
Rachel: She hummed at him adjusting the way her body was lying to accommodate the way he had her arms above her head. Before she could say anything else he was pushed into her making her groan at the fullness that came from the action. Her body took him in as easily as ever and she immediately moved her hips to take him in as deep as possible.
Brody: Unable to hold back, Brody pushed inside his wife and moaned at the feeling of her tight walls wrapped around him. It was an easy fit, but a perfect on at that and Rachel moved her hips along with his so that he was buried deep inside of her. If he remembered her cycle well enough this was actually supposed to be the perfect time to get pregnant and he rocked his hips against her as quickly as he could manage just needing that overwhelming feeling of pleasure that they always shared.
Rachel: His quick movements immediately sent pleasure through her and as much as she wanted him to go slow so that they could prolong the experience she encouraged it by mimicking his thrusts with her own creating a fast balance that had them both moaning. After four years together they had perfected love making though each time seemed to be better and better.
Brody: God, it was amazing that they both knew each other's bodies so well and what made the other tick enough that they were brought to orgasm. Rachel kept up with his frantic pace and he couldn't help but moan lowly in her ear as he used the way he was holding her arms down to leverage every movement to get the most out of them. That was one good thing about being a dancer, you really knew how to use you body and he was sure it showed in their lovemaking. Feeling like one hand above her head was enough, Brody moved the other down to trace over her stomach gently and reverently. He coudn't wait for her to be swollen with child, to feel little feet kicking out against him. After getting his fill of the soft skin there he moved his hand further down to brush against her clit knowing that it would help set her off even faster.
Rachel: She whined as he intensified her pleasure her body on fire and needing so much more and so much less at the same time. "Babe." She breathes as she moved her hand to wrap around his wrist. "We need to go a little slower" She murmured not wanting to get hurt the process from too much friction. Holding him close to her she slowed her hips to be a little less frantic but to be just as intense and pleasurable. They could still go fast but she needed a little more rhythmic for good measure and overall to be able to enjoy it more.
Brody: Rachel's hand wrapped around his wrist and she murmured that she needed him to go a little slower. Nodding he slowed to match the pace she was already setting with her hips. It wasn't quite what he needed but this needed to be pleasurable for her as well and the last thing he wanted was to end up hurting her. Still he moved his free hand over her core hoping that the light touches there would urge her to orgasm even faster.
Rachel: The change of pace was much better and she moaned as the pleasure increased now that the slight sting was subsiding from their previous pace. He could fuck her raw another time but right now she needed the slight change. She wasn't sure if she wanted to be impregnated by fast, quick and dirty sex. Sex may be sex no matter how they did it but she needed the difference and it definitely helped her. Moving her hips underneath him to bring him the ultimate pleasure that she knew he loved she brought his lips to hers biting and sucking them.
Brody: It was clear that Rachel enjoyed this pace much better and she rocked her hips under him before bringing his mouth to hers and biting and sucking his lips. That certainly helped him and he used his teeth right back against her, adding the roughness and desperation there instead of with his hips. He couldn't help the primal need that had overtaken him now that he knew they were doing this not only for pleasure, but also to create another child. It changed something inside of him deep down.
Rachel: They continued their pace each movement bringing her closer to her edge hoping that he was with her. "How you doing babe?" She breathed as she scratched at his hips lightly hoping he was getting close so that they could climax around the same time. The thought that he was going to shoot into her and in result get her pregnant was something that made her want her orgasm even more.
Brody: How Rachel was even able to form words, Brody wasn't sure of. She asked how he was doing and scratched at his hips making him hiss softly. He was getting so close to his orgasm and he wanted to make sure that she would come with him. "Need to feel you cum." He breathed though he wasn't sure if she was even able to hear him. This had been something that he had been waiting for for so long that he just couldn't handle it now that it was happening.
Rachel: She wasn't sure what he said but took his moans as a good sign. Focusing back on him and both of their pleasure she intensified her own thrusts just enough to send her into an orgasmn that they had both been longing for since the conversation started. She knew how much this meant to him and hoped that they succeeded sooner rather than later.
Brody: Within moments Brody could feel his wide spasming around him and that sent him flying off into his own orgasm. It seemed stronger than any he'd had before and he was certain that his body knew exactly what was going on. His body spilled his seed for nearly 30 seconds and he groaned as he finished sure that Rachel would have no problem getting pregnant if they kept this kind of love making up. Moving off to the side of her he panted and just stared at his wife hoping more than anything that their bodies were doing what they both wanted them to do.
Rachel: She looked over at him and smiled before kissing him. "It'd be so crazy if we just got pregnant." There was a lot of science behind it that she knew it wouldn't happen right then but in the coming days but it was still weird to know. They weren't using any birth control at all and she was excited about it, nervous and maybe okay with it taking an extra month just to give her more time to work on things she wanted to work on, but excited nonetheless.
Brody: "Definitely crazy but so good." He replied his eyes watering a bit at the thought. He was more than ready to be a dad again and he was hoping that their lack of birth control was going to bring them luck. "I can't wait to have another baby with you." He whispered kissing her forehead and just snuggling as close as he could with her hips still propped up on the pillow.
Rachel: She laid a hand on her stomach before moving the pillow and hitting him with it softly with the other one and a laugh. "Another little girl, truly outnumber you." Rachel murmured truly wanting a little girl though the statement of the baby just being healthy also weighing the same on her mind. Either way she really just wanted a baby that looked like him, even if that didn't matter with their daughter.
Brody: Rachel rested a hand on her stomach and Brody couldn't help but let his mind wander. He grunted when she hit him in the face with the pillow and declared that they needed to have another girl to truly outnumber him. "Nope. Definitely going to be a boy this time, this is my swimmers we're talking about." He teased back also feeling the need to even the playing field a little in their house.
Rachel: "Oh so your sperm are purely boy producing?" She asked with a laugh. "We'll see about that." She teased as she moved to lay her head against him. "Though Michaela would love to be the only girl in the house, except for the cat of course." Their daughter would eat that up that was for sure but really Rachel wanted another little girl to dress up.
Brody: "They're manly so of course they are." He declared running his fingers through her hair as she rested against him. "She would definitely enjoy that." He agreed when Rachel stated that their daughter would love to be the only girl. "How do you think she's going to take mommy and daddy having another baby?" He asked. Part of him thought she'd be excited but another part worried that she would throw a tantrum.
Rachel: She hummed because that was a good question. "I have no idea." Rachel said honestly. "I'd like to think she'd be excited but this is our daughter we're talking about but she's also going to hate not being an only child." She was good with playing with Beth but Beth was also older than her and she was the baby and knew that and milked every second of it. "It doesn't help that she's spoiled and knows it."
Brody: Brody was not looking forward to the possible tantrum from telling their daughter. "So let's wait until we get pregnant and then figure out how to tell our oh so wonderful but divalike daughter that she's going to be a big sister." Now he was worried that she was going to be super bossy to her younger sibling and it was not something that was ideal. He and Rachel had both been only children so he wasn't sure how to go about it all.
Rachel: Rachel sighed and nodded. "Maybe we could ask her if she's ever wanted a baby brother or sister?" She suggested figuring that was a start at least. "That way no matter how she reacts we can prepare ourselves, if she reacts badly though I'm really not sure how to go about it. I mean she'd get used to it, obviously, but.." Rachel sighed and shook her head. "She's an amazing little girl but she's such a brat." She had to laugh because it was true but it was also sad.
Brody: Their daughter certainly had her bratty moments and they were not the ones that Brody liked dealing with. "Maybe we should ask Shelby for advice or talk to Noah about how to go about it. He was the one friend they both had that had younger siblings and if anyone had taken it badly he was sure it had been Puck. Maybe they'd be able to gain some insight about how to approach it since Noah and their daughter got along really well.
Rachel: She scrunched up her face not sure about either of those options. She wasn't sure what sort of advice Shelby could give and Noah was such a big softy that she was positive he was ecstatic when he learned he was going to be a brother. "I honestly think this is something we have to deal with ourselves. We know our daughter, we know how she reacts to certain thins and we know how to talk her down. I think we should just sit her down and talk to her about it and tell her that it's going to happen no matter what." Rachel stated. "She can throw a fit if she wants but it's not going to change our minds and once she comes to terms with it on her own she'll be fine."
Brody: Rachel didn't seem to approve of either of those suggestions and declared that they just needed to sit their daughter down and let her know what was going on and that it was going to happen no matter what she thought. "I don't want to think about this right now." He declared preferring to bask in post coital bliss and think about the baby that was hopefully going to form inside of Rachel's uterus.
Rachel: "Okay, but I think that's what is best. I don't really want someone else telling us how to raise our children or how to tell them anything. I'm not comfortable with it." Rachel said before moving slightly to kiss him softly. "I love you, I'm excited about this. I hope it'll be soon. Maybe in the next three weeks I can take a test and it'll be positive."
Brody: "Never said we had to follow their advice but neither of us have siblings so we don't know what it's like." He declared considering it to be something they needed to do research on because they didn't have the experience. Dropping the subject though he smiled as Rachel kissed him and declared that she was excited about this. How many in a few weeks she could take a test. "Let's give it a month of trying yeah and then we'll get you to take a test." That was if it wasn't entirely obvious like it had been before.
Rachel: "A month should give us a clear reading, I'd be six weeks." Rachel declared knowing that she was two weeks at conception because of how ovulation worked. "Then if it's possible we'll set up a doctors appointment for whenever they suggest, probably between eight and ten weeks depending on their scheduling." The good thing about this was that they had done all of this before, they knew exactly what to expect and it would help so much.
Brody: "Yeah. Let's give it a month take a test and just go from there." He didn't want to think about the test being negative and her not being pregnant but he also knew that it would realistically likely take a few months for them to actually have success conceiving. It was good that they had been through all of this before. The bright side was that this time there wouldn't be the fear and sadness attached to all of it. Only joy.
Rachel: "Though if I get more moody than normal that'll be a good sign too." She was not looking forward to the inflation of hormones she was about to endure just as much as she wasn't looking forward to being in pain for 9 months. A baby was going to be worth it though, more than with it actually and she knew that once she held the new little one in her arms that everything she was feeling would go away instantly. "There is a lot we need to plan with this or at least I do. I'm happy I can plan this time. I'll go tomorrow and by parental vitamins to start taking as well as set up an appointment with the dietician." Those were number one on her list, with how she treated her body she had to make sure she didn't do anything wrong. Plus she had to call the doctor who dealt with her migraines to see how the medicine would have to change to keep her baby safe.
Brody: "You being more moody will definitely be a sign. He was sure that she was going to be even crazier than the last time but he wasn't going to tell her that. She listed the things she needed to plan including buying prenatal vitamins and seeing her dietician to see what changes needed to be made for the baby to be healthy. It was good that they were able to be proactive about all of this instead of trying to play catch up while dealing with the shock. "Once we graduate we'll start looking for a bigger place. But there's no reason to worry about that right now."
Rachel: She nodded though she was going to miss their home. They had loved it from the beginning and it has truly been the best first home for them. The thought of moving was sad but finding something bigger as closer to Broadway would be great. Maybe they could make sure they their daughter had a bigger room, that would be sure to help her with the situation as well. "I want a place that we can paint. That'd be a really nice change even if it's highly unlikely for it to happen."
Brody: This place had been perfect for their needs to far but it wouldn't suit a growing family, especially not if they didn't want Kayla to hate her new sibling. Rachel mentioned wanting somewhere to paint and he nodded adding that to the mental list of requirements. Maybe they could make a deal with the landlord that they would pay to paint it the way they wanted and upon moving pay to have it painted back to whatever was desired.
Rachel: She closed her eyes feeling sleepy but happy. "Nap before round two?" She asked not minding another round but needing to gain the energy first. It had been a long day of class and she needed to recuperate before anything else. Especially if they were going to get pregnant, she needed to stay as rested as possible during the process to not complicate anything.
Brody: "Definitely could use a few hours of sleep." He agreed when Rachel mentioned a nap before another round. He certainly wanted to get in as much sex as he could but letting Rachel and her body rest was also important. The last thing she needed was stress right now. He wanted to make this week as easy as her as he possibly could and he hoped that spring break and a lack of a crazy schedule would help with the whole process of making a baby.
Rachel: Rachel kissed him before pulling the covers over them and settling into her side. A nap felt nice though she hoped they wouldn't wake up and it'd be morning. If they did however it would mean they'd have more energy for morning sex before starting the day and going to get their daughter. "Sleep well, babe" rachel murmured with a yawn as she got more comfortable and began to drift off.
Brody: Rachel settled into bed and murmured for him to sleep well. He could tell immediately when she started to fall asleep but he was still a little too wired from her agreeing to try for a baby and what they had just done. Knowing she was out, he just moved his hand to her lower stomach and rubbed small circles there. He knew it wouldn't do anything but it helped ground him and made him feel more secure with life.
Notes: Rachel and Brody celebrate their first anniversary which doesn’t go as planned.
Brody: She claimed that she was just resting and that she wasn't going to fall asleep but Brody wasn't sure if he could believe that. He could believe that their daughter would wake her up as soon as dinner was ready though. Spaghetti was one of her favorites and he had a feeling that she was going to be hungry girl because she probably spent the whole day running around, that was what she usually did after all.
Rachel: Rachel yawned and turned her attention to their daughter that she wouldn't fall asleep, mostly because she really did feel awful and she knew if she fell asleep she'd wake up feel worse and she didn't want that. "Did you miss mommy and daddy last night?" She whispered getting a nod as an answer. "Yesterday was mommy and daddy's anniversary. I know you don't remember us getting married last year."
Brody: So that she didn't fall asleep, Rachel started talking to their daughter about if she had missed them the night before and how it was their anniversary. When she declared that Kayla wouldn't remember the day the little girl just shook her head and babbled about pretty dress. Brody was sure that she probably didn't remember it but she knew that the words were associated and what was being talked about.
Rachel: Kayla constantly looked at their family picture from the wedding so Rachel knew that was where she got the memory from the dress she wore. It was such a beautiful dress that Rachel was still so happy they had found it. Kissing her head she smiled. "You looked so beautiful, princess. You've also gotten so big since then."
Brody: It was amazing how quickly their daughter had grown and how they were now one year closer to expanding their family. As far as he knew, Rachel was still okay with the thought of getting pregnant as she was graduating and just deferring starting to really go on auditions until after they had another baby. He was more than looking forward to the day that they got that positive news.
Rachel: It wasn't long until his mom was yelling from the kitchen for them to clean up to eat. Groaning slightly from really not wanting to move she did anyways to carry Michaela into the bathroom to wash their hands. Once they were done she sat her in her booster chair before sitting next to her. She still wasn't all that hungry at all but knew that she needed to try so that she could potentially feel better from it. "This looks great." Rachel said as she her spaghetti onto her plate and getting a slice of garlic bread as well. It smelled really good and thankfully didn't churn her stomach as bad as she thought it would.
Brody: His mom called them all to wash up for dinner and Brody followed behind his family, using the kitchen sink instead of waiting for the bathroom to be freed up. He was sitting at the table when his girls joined them and he scooped a decent serving onto his plate before reaching for the garlic bread. "I may have to go for a run tomorrow morning." One because pasta was the perfect pre run food, and two because he really needed to start being active again.
Rachel: "I think that's a good idea." Rachel said with a nod though she wasn't much of a runner. "I need to do some sort of workout when I'm not feeling like death." She murmured. "Maybe Kayla and I will do yoga in the morning before breakfast." Her daughter loved doing yoga with her and was really really great at keeping up with her.
Brody: Rachel declared that his idea was good and that she should do the same even though he knew that she didn't mean running. She mentioned some kind of work out and Brody nodded knowing that would be good for her. He'd never really understood yoga but both his wife and daughter loved it and he certainly wouldn't complain as long as they didn't make him participate.
Rachel: She shrugged a bit as she started to eat slowly. She kept her diet so strict that there really wasn't a lot that she ate and always made sure she didn't eat too much. It wasn't too big of a deal in New York but ever since they had arrived she had felt like his mom had been judging her constantly during meals making her a little uncomfortable. "Spaghetti really is the best."
Brody: Brody knew that his mother was just as worried about Rachel's eating habits as he was but he wished that she would be a little more subtle about trying to force food down her throat. Brody had gotten pretty good at at least getting his wife to eat enough to sustain her and his mom really wasn't helping matters. "It's pretty good." He agreed. It was one of the hardest meals to screw up after all.
Rachel: Michaela of course was the happiest of them all with her dinner making them all laugh at how entranced she was in eating. "Slow down princess before you choke." Rachel said as she pushed Kayla's hair out of her face so that it didn't get food in it. Michaela of course being the little diva she is swatted her hand away and fixed her hair herself.
Brody: His daughter certainly loved spaghetti and it was honestly kind of funny to watch her. Rachel insisted that she slow down to not choke and Brody nodded in agreement. That was really the last thing they needed. "I know it's good but how can you enjoy your food if you swallow it without actually tasting it?" He teased making her just crinkle her nose up at him like the mini Rachel she was.
Rachel: Their daughter was quite the character and so perfect. Once she was sure Kayla wasn't going to choke from her food she started back on her own, eating on her garlic bread with a hum because it was some of the best. "The next time we are in we need to make the trip up to our place." She told her husband. They could have went this trip but ended up just staying local instead of traveling too much to see her hometown and everyone there. Considering her friends weren't in Lima anymore and her dads we away there wasn't much of a point in going anyways.
Brody: As they ate Rachel mentioned that the next time they were in Ohio they needed to go to their place and he nodded. That little Italian restaurant was one of the best things that they'd come across in their time together. It held a lot of memories and he knew that as long as it was open they would continue to go back every chance they had. This time they'd just had no reason to go up to Lima.
Rachel: She ate until she didn't want to eat anymore and wiped her face before putting her napkin neatly on her plate. Getting a new napkin she smiled as Kayla let her wipe her messy face off though she wasn't done eating just yet. "You're a messy messy girl." Rachel murmured as she focused on her perfect daughter and how she lit up the room so easily
Brody: Brody wasn't surprised when Rachel was the first to finish and there was still food left on her plate. She'd gotten through most of it though and he considered that a good day. It was when she went to clean up their daughter that he laughed softly because he knew that she would be just as messy in a few more minutes. Especially with spaghetti, their daughter almost got more of it on her than she did in her belly.
Brody: Brody had never thought that at 21 he'd be settled down with a family and planning on expanding it. That wasn't what most people his age were doing but it worked for him and seeing his family at the table surrounding him was a good feeling. "Want to go on a walk after dinner?" He asked Rachel softly. It was chilly out but warmer than yesterday for sure and it would be nice to walk off some of dinner.
Rachel: "I'd like that." Rachel murmured as she kissed his cheek. It would be nice to have some more alone time with him. They could enjoy the area and it'd be nice to have more time out of the house. Relaxing in her seat not ever wanting to be rude just because she was done eating she made conversation with her father in law
Brody: Rachel quickly agreed to the walk and Brody smiled. He tried to make her happy as much as he could and if something as simple as a walk would do it he'd be thrilled. Rachel talked with his dad while the rest of them worked to finish dinner and when he was done Brody started to clear plates figuring that he would take care of the dishes so his mom didn't have to.
Rachel: She followed Brody to help with the cleanup knowing that the quicker they finished the sooner they could head out and enjoy themselves. She wiped down the counters as he started rinsing the dishes for the dishwasher, it was a pattern that they were used to in New York so she knew that cleaning up his moms kitchen would be easy for them.
Brody: When Rachel got up it was clear to him that she was going to help clean up so that he'd be done even faster. It wasn't hard for them to fall into their usual routine and Brody smiled as he rinsed off dishes and put them in the dishwasher before turning to the pots that his mother had done the cooking in. Those took a little longer because he actually had to hand wash them but still it was the least he could do.
Rachel: It took them a little while but once they were done everything in the kitchen was spotless and his mom had nothing to do except put the clean dishes away if she wanted to. Kissing her husband she smiled and rubbed his back. "Is your stomach settled enough for our walk?" She asked not wanting them to go and get sick from the movement.
Brody: As Rachel finished up she rubbed his back gently and asked if he was ready for their walk or if his stomach needed more time to settle. "I think I'll be okay." It wasn't like they were going for a run. A casual walk really wasn't something that would push his body too hard or make him sick. "You good?" Yes she finished earlier than him but he figured it would still be wise to ask.
Rachel: She nodded before leaving the room to put her coat and shoes on. Once she was ready and he was she kissed their daughter's cheek promising to be back soon. They could go on a walk with her the next day if she wanted, but it was much too cold to go out at night plus Rachel wasn't all that comfortable with it.
Brody: He followed Rachel to slip on tennis shoes and his coat and watched as she assured their daughter that they would be back soon. He could tell that she wanted to go with them but she didn't say anything. "It won't be a long walk." He assured her. They probably wouldn't last more than 10 minutes or so and they would be back before she even really noticed.
Rachel: Taking his hand as they said goodbye to their daughter again before heading out she sighed as the cold air hit her face. "I love you." Rachel said with a smile as they walked along the sidewalk. It was a quiet evening the post holiday somber in effect. "I can't believe we've been married for one year and a day, it's seems so unreal."
Brody: They headed down the street together and Brody just kept his pace slow, not really in a rush to get anywhere. "I love you too." He murmured when Rachel looked up at him. The streets were quiet and it was absolutely beautiful out. "I believe it. Just like I believe that in two more short years you'll be finishing up school and we'll be talking about having another baby."
Rachel: "Two years, I can't decide if that's really soon or far away." Rachel murmured as she let go of his hand in favor of wrapping her arms around his waist. "I am excited to know what the future has in store for us, hopefully an off broadway show for me with in the next year. That's what's primarily on my to do list."
Brody: "Too far away." Brody whispered giving his opinion on the matter. Rachel moved her arm to wrap around his waist and Brody pulled her a little closer as they just moved around the block his parents lived on. "Besides this small show my focus is just getting through classes so I can be one step closer to graduation." He knew that he was doing a lot to get ahead of everyone else and that most people thought it wasn't possible.
Rachel: "Have I mentioned how proud of you I am lately?" Rachel said with a smile because it was true. He was doing so much and working his ass off for her and their daughter and she was so proud of what he had accomplished. "You're mean so much to us and we are so happy that you are our guy." Smiling at him she sighed. "Definitely still the love of my life."
Brody: Rachel asked if lately she'd told him how proud of him she was and Brody shook his head. She did tell him often but he really could use hearing it more. There were days that he was so sore he didn't want to get up or so exhausted by dinner time where all he wanted to do was sleep but somehow he was still functioning and thriving in his classes. He had to because he couldn't let her down.
Rachel: She hummed and stopped to kiss him properly before walking again. After a few seconds she sighed really liking the peace and no one in sight, they couldn't do this in New York. "I love being in Ohio again." Rachel stated. "Though I am really looking forward to heading home, I miss New York." No matter how much she enjoyed it she did really like it. "Also, if I have to sit through one more meal with your mom staring me down I might lose my cool and I don't want to do that."
Brody: Brody stopped when Rachel did and kissed her back. A moment later they resumed and she murmured about how she loved being back here even if she missed Ohio. She mentioned dinner and Brody sighed running his fingers through his hair. "I'll talk to her." He promised. He hated when he had to mediate between his wife and mother but he would do it because he knew that Rachel was stressed over it.
Rachel: "You don't have to." She said with a shrug. "We'll be leaving in a few days and then I won't have to worry about it." That was really the only positive she had with the situation. They were leaving soon and she wouldn't have to deal with it anymore. She really didn't find her eating habits a big deal and she hated to be nitpicked about it.
Brody: Rachel assured him that he didn't have to and that they would be leaving in a few days. Still he felt like Rachel was going to lose it if she had to deal with his mothers stares for even that long so he would talk to her in the morning. He knew that eventually Rachel would see that her body couldn't be sustained like this but he'd tried and tried to fight her on it and he just couldn't anymore.
Rachel: She sighed and just hugged him closer as they walk. "I don't have a big stomach so I don't have a big appetite." Rachel mumbled. "It's not that big of a deal." Sighing again she shook her head. "Sorry, let's just continue our walk. I'm just annoyed about it. I don't want to start anything with our family over it. That's senseless when it's fine."
Brody: Brody didn't respond to Rachel because he knew that it would only lead to them disagreeing. "We're almost back. Should we go again or just go inside?" He asked as they rounded the corner. If she needed to walk off some of her stress that was fine, but it was chilly out and the last thing he needed was for either one of them to get sick. They'd already dealt with the cold the entire night before.
Rachel: "Let's go inside." Rachel said knowing that if they walked more it would end up with them both tired and cold. "I'm going to take a bath tonight, get more clean than our shower did this morning. I feel like my hair is nothing but filth even after washing it for so long." Really it was her fault for not bringing her shampoo but at least it could be fixed.
Brody: With Rachel's answer to go inside, the couple was there within minutes and Rachel declared that she was going to take a bath tonight. "I'm sure you'll enjoy that." He added knowing this his night was mostly going to be spent getting Kayla to bed and then heading that way himself since for some reason he was still insanely tired.
Rachel: "Definitely, it'll help me relax which is important." Rachel murmured because it would definitely not make her annoyed about it anymore or at least it would just make her feel good because she loved taking baths. When they went inside she picked up her daughter and kissed her. "Hey, princess. Daddy is going to play with you while momma goes to take a bath."
Brody: Rachel headed straight to their daughter and kissed her before telling her that she was going to take a bath but that he was going to play with her. It honestly had been a few days since he really had any quality time with his daughter and so he certainly wasn't going to turn down the opportunity to just play and relax with her. He could only hope that she didn't want to do anything too demanding.
Rachel: She kissed Michaela again as she rubbed her back. Usually she'd offer Kayla to take a bath with her because it was something the young girl loved to do with her mom, but Rachel really needed an extra hot bath that would hurt her daughter's delicate skin. Excusing herself once Kayla was back on the floor playing with her Christmas presents she went upstairs and started the tub.
Brody: Kayla spent another minute letting her mommy dote on her before she contentedly returned to the floor and all of the new toys that she'd gotten for Christmas. Brody was beyond thankful that his parents were going to ship them back because it would not be easy to get their haul and the weeks worth of clothes on a flight back to New York. She would just have to wait a few days to be able to play with them once they got home.
Rachel: Rachel got settled in the tub once she added one of the bath bombs she had gotten for Christmas. The aroma that they put off was pleasing and soothing and she sighed as she got into the water and immediately closed her eyes as the hot water heated her skin quickly. Having some time to herself allowed her to center herself and not think about what was bothering her with Brody's mom and hoped that he didn't actually talk about it to her because she knew it would only put more thought in his head.
Brody: Watching Kayla play was honestly kind of relaxing and Brody just let his gaze drift occasionally to whatever his dad had put on the tv. Tonight was definitely going to be one of their more laid back ones and he was totally okay with that. He'd done a lot this past week and a night to just do nothing sounded perfect. Of course, his do nothing only extended as far as his daughter would allow.
Rachel: She sighed as she laid in her steaming bath water just letting the water scold her skin to help bounce her back to life from how awful she was feeling. The last 24 hours certainly could have went better and she was honestly disappointed in it all. She loved their boat ride but missed being intimate with her husband and hated how they had to be so tired and feeling ill, she hated that she was feeling tired and ill even more and that it had been her in an awful mood because of it.
Brody: After a few minutes Kayla looked up at him and just murmured that she wanted a snack. Looking at the clock Brody decided that that would be okay and picked her up to take her to the kitchen. He certainly didn't plan on letting her have any more sweets but there was fruit in the fridge as well as crackers and cheese and so many other things that would be healthy enough for her to munch on.
Rachel: When the water started to get even a little bit cooler she started to shiver and got out after she washed off and got cleaner than the hotel shower had with her hair. Wrapping a towel around her she sighed and laid down on the bed not feeling up to going back down to socialize with the family except for telling Kayla good night but she could do that when Brody brought her up.
Brody: After their snack, it was clear that Kayla was getting sleepy and was ready to wind down for bed. Plus Brody himself was still absolutely exhausted. Saying goodnight to his parents, Brody carried his daughter upstairs and there they found Rachel just laying on the bed with her eyes closed, still in a towel. "Mommy sleeping?" Kayla whispered to him and Brody just shrugged because he really didn't know.
Rachel: She felt a presence and opened her eyes to find Kayla and Brody standing in the doorway, Kayla looking at her quizzically. "Come here princess." Rachel murmured as she held out her arms just wanting to hold her. "Sleeping mommy?" Michaela asked and Rachel shook her head. "No, I was just resting my eyes before getting ready for bed and tucking you in."
Brody: After a moment, just as Brody considered going to get their daughter ready for bed, Rachel opened her eyes and murmured for their daughter to come to her. Immediately, Kayla asked if she had been sleeping and Rachel assured her that she was just resting her eyes. "Someone is sleepy and it's not just daddy." He murmured moving over to grab his pajama pants so that he could change for bed himself while his girls took over the bed.
Rachel: "I sleep with you and daddy?" Their daughter asked as she curled up to her mom. Rachel laughed and kissed her head because really she'd let her sleep in bed with them every night. "This bed is much smaller than ours at home, princess. Daddy will end up on the floor." Their daughter laughed at that as she toyed with the edge of the towel wrapped around Rachel.
Brody: Kayla wanted to sleep with them tonight but Rachel murmured about the bed being smaller here and how he would end up on the floor. "Daddy is not sleeping on the floor." He declared shaking his head. That would only end up with him being in even more pain tomorrow and that was something that they really didn't need. "Kayla needs to sleep in her own big girl bed."
Rachel: Their daughter pouted at her and Rachel sighed and kissed her head. "How about you and mommy get ready for bed and brush our teeth and then you can lay with mommy and daddy until you go to sleep?" She suggested knowing that it would work because once she was asleep she was pretty easy to move.
Brody: Kayla clearly wasn't happy with being denied and so Rachel suggested that they get ready for bed and that she could lay with them until she fell asleep. He couldn't help but groan softly but he knew that if that was the only way to get his side of the bed that he'd just have to deal with it. He'd rather put her to sleep in her own bed but Rachel loved to give into their daughter.
Rachel: She could hear Brody's small groan and smirked to herself a little. Their daughter got her way a lot but that also came from being not only an only child but their first one. "Come on" she said as she sat up and adjusted her towel before picking up her daughter and taking her to get dressed and her teeth brushed.
Brody: The girls left the room to get ready for bed and Brody just moved around the space before plopping down in the middle of the bed while he waited. It had been a long day, a long week really, and Brody was more than ready to go home and get back into the swing of things in New York. He hated to admit it but he was honestly slightly bored and it would be good to get back to performing.
Rachel: Once they had their teeth brushed and Kayla was ready for bed, Rachel sat her on the bed before putting her own pajamas on. "I'm so happy Christmas is over and New Years is almost here. We need to ring in a new year." She murmured knowing that they had both worked so hard this past year and got through so much that they really needed a hypothetical fresh start.
Brody: They didn't take too long to get ready and he grunted as Kayla hit the bed while Rachel put her own pajamas on. "I'm just ready for things to get back to normal." The whole New Year thing didn't mean a whole lot to him this year because there wasn't going to be much that was changing this year. Kayla was bouncing slightly and Brody sighed. "You need to settle." He murmured to her. "It's time to sleep."
Rachel: Rachel nodded in agreement. "I miss New York, a lot. I bet you're surprised at how how much you miss the city considering you weren't so wary of it when we moved." She murmured at him with a small smile. He then got onto Kayla to settled down and Rachel sighed and pulled her close to her and kissed her head before rubbing her sighed. "It's sleepy time, princess."
Brody: "I just miss being busy." Brody declared. It would be the same thing if they lived in Ohio full time and they had their routines here. It was just weird having so much time to do nothing and honestly it was boring. Rachel moved to the bed and pulled their daughter close telling her that she did need to settle down because it was time to sleep. Shifting slightly to give half the bed to his girls, Brody just yawned and rested his hands behind his head. He certainly wouldn't be able to sleep until Kayla was in her own bed for the night.
Rachel: "I really just miss the city, when we were walking last night I like the quiet and how we could see the stars but I miss it so much." She said with a sigh because she really was a New Yorker. Michaela curled into her and asked softly for her to sing to her which Rachel was happy to oblige to. Humming a tune before singing one of their lullabies she smiled loving when sang to her.
Brody: He knew that Rachel missed the city and was innately happy there. Their daughter asked her mommy to sing to her and Rachel complied. Brody could only hope that it would help her drift off faster because he just wanted to be alone with his wife for a little while before they both passed out. Though they were alone last night they'd been too cold and tired to actually enjoy it.
Rachel: Rachel continued her song until it was finished and sang one more until Kayla was finally started to doze off. Starting a third she sang softly against the little ones hair just holding her close and making her feel safe. When she finished the song their daughter was asleep and she smiled and kissed her head. "Let's leave her for a few minutes, just in case." She whispered to her husband them both knowing that if they moved her too soon it would end up with her crying and running back into bed with them.
Brody: Brody just listened to Rachel singing softly and nodded when Rachel mentioned giving it a few more minutes before taking their daughter to her own bed. The last thing he wanted was for her to end up running back here because she woke up immediately upon the shift. Still, he couldn't wait for the chance to be able to have a bit more bed space because their daughter was notorious for taking up most of it.
Rachel: Reaching over, Rachel took her husband's hand and squeezed it. "I love you so much." She whispered to him not wanting him to ever forget it. He meant so much to her and she was so happy that they were in such a good place right now. They had a few issues, like her eating habits that bothered him and small things about him that bothered her as well. It was okay though, they couldn't love everything about each other.
Brody: While they waited to make sure their daughter really was sleeping, Rachel reached over and took his hand before declaring that she loved him. "Love you too." He whispered back. That was never going to change, not after everything they'd been through together even if he was currently worried about her health. He could only hope that eventually she would see that she needed to change before something bad happened.
Rachel: Once she was sure that Kayla was out she got up and gently lifted her into her arms and carried her into the bedroom her grandparents had made for her. They had truly made the guest room the little girls with her own big girl bed and toys spread everywhere. Kissing her head she smiled and just watched her sleep before going back into Brody's all room and laying down next to him.
Brody: Eventually Rachel got up and lifted their daughter with her to carry her down the hall to the guest room that was essentially her's for the week. It was a few minutes before Rachel came back and settled into the bed next to him but he figured she was just making sure that their daughter stayed settled and asleep with the transfer. "Come here." He whispered reaching out his outer arm to tug Rachel's body closer to his.
Rachel: She scooted closer to him with a smile and kissed him softly. "You're warm." Rachel said with a slight shiver as her body soaked in the heat from his. "Another thing I miss is our bed." Sure his childhood bed was comfortable but she missed their bed and how it fit their bodies perfectly and truly was so comfortable.
Brody: Rachel shifted closer to him and kissed him, murmuring that he was warm. Her skin was chilled but it wasn't too bad. "Definitely miss our bed." That was one of the things he was so glad they took from his apartment because it was the best bed he'd ever had in terms of comfort. There was nothing else like it, even if this bed didn't suck like he knew a lot of people's childhood bed did.
Rachel: Rachel sighed and kissed him again before laying her head against his neck. "Only a couple more days, right? Then we're heading home?" She asked honestly not sure when they had their tickets to head home. The time had gone by fast that she couldn't recall anymore what was going on, she needed a schedule back.
Brody: "Just a few more days." He assured her as she cuddled against him and rested her head against his neck. It was only two days if he were going to be specific, they would be in New York for New Years again and he was absolutely thrilled to just spend the night at home relaxing. Maybe they'd have Noah and Claire over if the couple weren't planning on hitting up the parties but that was about it.
Rachel: Closing her eyes, Rachel nodded and sighed. "Good." She murmured as she wrapped her arm around his waist and just moved even closer to him. "You smell good." She said after a moment with a light laugh. "Like super good, is that the after shave your dad bought you for Christmas? I really like it."
Brody: Rachel shifted even closer and murmured about how good he smelled, asking if it was the new aftershave he got for Christmas. "I'll keep that in mind." He murmured lifting her chin up so that he could kiss her. While he was still absolutely exhausted, Brody still wanted to have some intimate time with his wife. His hand drifted down her body a bit and he just traced soft circles against the bare skin that he managed to find.
Rachel: She smiled as he touched her. "No sex tonight, okay?" Rachel murmured. "I know how tired you are and that doesn't usually turn out to be enjoyable. Plus I'm tired too and not in the mood." She continued before kissing him again. "Kissing you though, touching you, that sounds good right now." Just being close to him made her happier than the sex they weren't having.
Brody: Brody could only nod when Rachel declared that she didn't want to have sex. That was fine with him, they didn't need sex to be intimate with each other that was for sure. He just wanted to be close to her and to enjoy some quiet lazy time with his wife where nothing mattered but each other until they fell asleep curled up together.
Rachel: Rachel moved so that she was lying against him more just absorbing how he was still her favorite thing to lay on. She thought that her body still fit against his perfectly and she smiled while closing her eyes. Humming she kissed his shoulder lazily. "We can sleep in tomorrow, we need to get up and be active like you said you wanted to.
Brody: It was clear that Rachel found mostly laying on him comfortable and Brody chuckled to himself as he just held her close. "We can sleep until a normal time and then get up and work out. I certainly don't plan on getting up at 5 or 6 am." Getting up at 8 or 9 would give them plenty of time to be active, have a late breakfast, and still have half of the day left to do things.
Rachel: "We'll see if Kayla lets us sleep until normal." Rachel murmured knowing that the current time would play into when she woke up, plus she was pretty relaxed all day so who knew how much sleep she was going to get. Yawning she kissed his shoulder again before tugging the covers over them. "I'm cold and tired, I can't wait to fall asleep."
Brody: "That's what my parents are for. They're up that early anyway." He mumbled softly. There was no reason for them to get up if they didn't have to. Rachel tugged the covers higher and declared that she couldn't wait to fall asleep. "So go ahead." He whispered just breathing softly against her hair. There was absolutely nothing keeping her awake right now.
Rachel: "I'm not making your parents take care of our child when it's our responsibility. You can sleep in, but I'm going to get up with her." Rachel said since she usually did regardless. Sighing she nodded and moved off of him so that he was more comfortable and got comfortable again to try and fall asleep like she desperately needed right now
Brody: Rachel was sometimes a little too much as a mother and Brody just closed his eyes knowing that he needed to just shut up instead of saying something like he wanted to. It wasn't making his parents do anything. They would gladly get up with their grandchild because they didn't get to see her as much as they would like with them being hours away by plane. It had nothing to do with responsibility at this point.
Rachel: He didn't say anything which was fine because she knew whatever would come out of his mouth would just piss her off. Rolling over and away from him she curled up with her knees to her chest and tried to get some much needed sleep. All she wanted was to fall asleep and wake up with her daughter for the next couple days until they could go home.
Brody: Rachel rolled away from him to sleep and Brody groaned softly because he hated when they went to bed annoyed with each other. There were always going to be things that they didn't agree on and that was a good thing, but he hated when there was tension filling their bed. They really needed to get back to New York because he knew being back in Ohio did nothing for them.
Rachel: She hated when they weren't on good terms, it meant that she wasn't going to get any sleep anytime soon from the stress and over thinking everything. They were good at doing this and she hated that even more. Sighing she rubbed her eyes and as she stared at the wall trying to get her body to shut down.
Brody: Brody knew that neither one of them was actually sleeping and so after a moment he reached over to gently tug Rachel toward him. "Come here." He whispered just reaching to entwine their fingers. He really did love her and he wanted things to be good between them regardless of the stresses in their outside lives. Really they should have gotten the hotel for another night to just be able to focus on them but hindsight was 20/20 after all.
Rachel: She turned to him and gave him a small smile as she squeezed his hand. Moving slightly more towards him she kissed him gently. "I love you. I hate when we're like this." Rachel whispered. There was so much going on all the time that they were going to get into moods and just be mad at each other, but she still didn't like it. "Sorry." She said softly because she had been the one to get mad. "It's just been one of those days, I guess. Between your mom and just being tired and not feeling the best.." Rachel paused and laughed a little. "I think I'm also really bitter for not having sex on our anniversary which is so dumb. I must be PMSing or something."
Brody: The freeze seemed to ebb a little when Rachel turned toward him and kissed him softly apologizing for getting mad at him. "I love you too." He assured her tucking her body against his. "You must be." He agreed because there was really no reason for her to be pissy over the fact that they didn't have sex. "It's not our anniversary anymore but I'll do whatever it is you want." He assured her. That included even just getting her off if she needed an orgasm to help her sleep.
Rachel: "You also knew I was crazy when you married me, so none of this should ever come as a surprise." She laughed and shook her head. "No, I'm really tired and I don't really want to tonight." It wasn't that big of a deal, she was just moody and projecting off all the thoughts going on in her mind. She sighed and laid her head against him. "Today just wasn't a good day.."
Brody: "Today was a whole different sort of crazy." He declared nodding when she assured him that she really didn't want to do anything because she was tired. Running his fingers through her hair as she laid against him he kissed her temple and just sighed. "Do you want me to give you a massage?" That was almost a certain way to get her body to relax enough for sleep.
Rachel: She sighed and shook her head. "No, I don't want to get undressed and you're really warm so I'll just lay like this for a while until it helps." She was difficult but she really couldn't help it at the moment. She was going to bed in a funk and really needed to sleep it off before she started crying just because she was in such a bad place.
Brody: "Alright." Brody murmured though he kind of hated how stubborn his wife was in not letting him help her. There really wasn't anything else he could do but he hated this so after a moment he just started to sing softly, needing the distraction for himself as well as Rachel. If he knew he could sleep he'd head down to the couch, but sleeping without Rachel now was basically impossible.
Rachel: She smiled softly and closed her eyes just letting his singing soothe her. She really couldn't help the mood she was in, overall she just didn't feel well and was doing her best to just force herself to get some rest instead of her mind running wild for no reason. Yawning she cuddled into him closer her body beginning to relax against him.
Brody: Thankfully, Rachel seemed to respond well to his singing and she just cuddled closer to him as her body started to relax. Kissing her head again he switched songs just wanting her to fall asleep so that hopefully she could wake up in a much better mood than she had today. He'd likely sleep later anyway. Eventually he felt her breathing steady off and he sighed in relief closing his own eyes to sleep.
Notes: After Christmas Rachel and Brody go out to celebrate their first anniversary. A/N: Sorry for the random stopping point on this one, my google docs aren’t cooperating and I’m trying not to lose anything.
Rachel: She yawned as she laid on the couch with Kayla laying next to her as they read one of the new books that she had received for Christmas. The little girl was completely enthralled by the book hanging off of every word Rachel spoke as they finished page after page of the picture book. The day had been amazing, from waking up with her husband on the 365th day since they got married to opening the mountain of presents waiting for the entire family. It had been an incredible day that she felt so happy to be in Ohio enjoying the best winter vacation.
Brody: It was Christmas Day and it was also his first wedding anniversary...the combination of the two was something that Brody was still trying to figure out. When they'd picked the wedding date, he really hadn't thought about how weird it would be to try and juggle both events because they both required very different things. Christmas was about family and everyone being together, but his anniversary was something that he knew Rachel wanted to celebrate privately which created a stark contrast. After hours spent on the phone with his dad, Brody had finally come up with a plan that would hopefully make everyone happy. After all, they wouldn't be heading out until after everyone was getting ready for bed and they'd be home again in time for a late brunch the following day.
Rachel: They finished the book and she pulled Kayla closer to her just wanting them to snuggle for a bit. Her stomach hurt from dinner and she sighed happy that they day was almost over. Well that Christmas was almost over, having only gotten into the holiday because of her daughter she wasn't one to be excited about it all. Kayla had loved every second of it but really Rachel was looking forward to celebrating her anniversary. Getting married a year ago had been the second best day of her life and it still meant so much to her. She and Brody were continuing to overcome every obstacle that came their way and she was happy to get the chance to spend another year with him.
Brody: Brody moved into the living room and noticed that his daughter was laying with her mommy and they'd clearly been reading a book. Deciding to give them some more time alone, he headed upstairs to his old bedroom and threw together an overnight bag for he and Rachel. He hadn't told her the plans yet which was a little dangerous but she knew that they were doing something otherwise she probably would have had his head already.
Rachel: She saw Brody and smiled at him before he headed up stairs. Rubbing her hand up and down the toddlers back for a few minutes so happy that she was willing to snuggle with her. Kayla had gotten up really early to open presents and after a long day and only a short nap she was about ready for a late nap. "Love you Micheala." She murmured loving how the little girl smiled at her. "Love you momma" She repled filling Rachel's heart with warmth.
Brody: With the bag by the bedroom door ready to go, Brody just plopped down on the bed and closed his eyes for a moment figuring that a short nap wouldn't hurt. They'd all been up really early and what he had planned tonight wouldn't even get them back to the hotel until 2, let alone factoring in any extra activities. He was going to be exhausted tomorrow, that was certain. Thank goodness they had his parents to help watch their rambunctious daughter because otherwise he was certain that things would end up messy.
Rachel: After a few minutes, Michaela drifted off in her arms and she just continued to lay on the couch watching whatever her father in law had been watching before he had fallen asleep in his chair. Brody's mom was in the kitchen with his grandma cleaning up, something they wouldn't let Rachel help with, leaving everyone to just relax for a little while. Closing her eyes she fell asleep for a short nap to rejuvenate from the long day.
Brody: When Brody woke up again it was almost 8 and he groaned softly at having slept so long. That was more than just a short nap for sure and he knew that he needed to shake off the achiness that always happened after being still for too long and not laying properly. Plus he needed to clean up for the night so he headed into the bathroom after grabbing a towel to take a long hot shower which would hopefully solve all of his problems and wake him up.
Rachel: She and Michaela slept for a little over an hour before her daughter woke up feeling more energized than the rest of the family. Happy to tend to her though she opened up a couple more of her presents and settled on the floor to play and enjoy the time they had before she needed to go out with Brody.
Brody: A long shower was exactly what Brody needed and when he was done, he quickly shaved before heading back to the bedroom and digging through his suitcase for the best thing to wear. Since it was December and packing dress clothes wouldn't have gone over well on a plane, Brody threw on the pair of jeans he knew Rachel liked best and then a rich blue sweater before fixing his hair and heading downstairs to check on what was going on.
Rachel: When Brody came down the stairs looking stunning she beamed at him. "Look at you sexy." She said as she stood up to kiss him. Kayla was in her own world with her new doll. "Michaela does daddy look good?" She asked only getting a shrug as she continued to brush the blonde hair of the doll. "She's in love with that doll from your grandma."
Brody: He couldn't help but smirk slightly when Rachel's face lit up at seeing him and she called him sexy. "Hey." He murmured kissing her back before looking down at their daughter who was so lost in her new doll that she just ignored her mother's question. "That's not a bad thing. If it keeps her entertained I don't think anyone minds." He replied. "You should go get ready." He added knowing that she was bound to take at least a little while and they did need to get going within the next hour to make sure they were on time.
Rachel: "It's better than her running around screaming like she did this morning." Rachel murmured as she wrapped her arm around his waist. "I know, I'm going to go do that." Smiling at him she kissed his cheek before leaning down and kissing their daughter who just giggled at her. Heading up the stairs she jumped in the shower to get clean, and shaved, getting excited for their night away.
Brody: At this point, Brody was pretty certain that he would never get sick of having his wife touch him, no matter how innocent it was. She assured him that she was going to get ready right now and Brody moved to sit with their daughter who just looked up at him before shifting to lean against him while she continued playing. He loved that she was a daddy's girl and he just smiled and let himself relax into the couch enjoying the peace and quiet that the living room offered. It was a stark contrast from most of the day.
Rachel: She took her time a little bit to make sure that she was perfect for her husband, she wanted to be well groomed not a hair on her body that she wouldn't be there. It was rare that they had a night out, their last being luckily on her birthday but that was still a week prior to Christmas. Twenty years old looked good on her and she smiled as she sang to the shower head entirely happy with her life at the moment and how well it was going. The fall semester had been hard but she had made it through and knew that the spring would turn out just the same with hopefully even more exciting opportunities coming her way.
Brody: After a few minutes, Kayla decided to take the opportunity to babble to her daddy about all of her new toys including her dolly. He loved that she was such a happy child, that things were going so well considering where they had been just a few years prior. There were still times when he needed therapy to help him through things but for the most part he was doing well balancing it all on his own. He and Rachel were as good as they'd ever been and though he was working hard in all of his classes and taking on more than most did, he knew that it would all be worth it in the end.
Rachel: Once she was done in the shower she dried off and started work on her hair and makeup. Curling her hair the way Brody liked it and doing the same with her face she smile feeling great and hoping that he thought the same. Putting on black tights and a dark grey long sleeved dress she twirled around hoping she'd be warm enough in her black boots and coat wherever he was taking her. It took her ten more minutes to be satisfied with her look before heading downstairs to see him and their daughter.
Brody: Brody was still focused on their daughter and didn't even hear Rachel come downstairs almost 40 minutes after she'd gone up. "Mama." He heard her babble and it was only then that he looked up and smiled upon seeing his wife walk into the room. "Well don't you look monochromatic." He teased, winking at her before moving to stand up to kiss her gently. "Was there anything else you needed to add to the overnight bag?" If there wasn't he figured that he would put it in the car so that they could start getting ready to head out.
Rachel: She grinned at their daughter. "It's winter and I'm actually not sure I have many clothes that aren't dark in color anymore." She laughed having become a true New Yorker with her wardrobe that was for sure. "I think we have everything." She was wearing her sexy attire underneath her layers. Picking up Michaela she kissed her. "Are you going to be good with grandma and grandpa tonight little girl? I don't want to come home and have a bad report."
Brody: "Damn...we really need to get you more color then..." He replied keeping that in mind for the next time he needed to shop for her. Her style had definitely changed but he was sure that some color was still something she could work with. Rachel picked their daughter up and asked her if she was going to be good tonight. In response, she got a nod and then a yawn. "I think grandma and grandpa are going to have a fairly easy time getting you to go to bed huh?"
Rachel: "I have some color on, you just can't see it right now." She implied with a wink and a giggle. "I definitely see bedtime in your near future, princess. It's been a long day and all of your toys need to go to sleep too." Rachel said as Michaela laid her head against her shoulder. "We love you." She whispered as she kissed her hair and rubbed her hand up and down her back.
Brody: The comment about Rachel having color on that he just couldn't see made Brody groan softly and he ran his fingers through his hair. Rachel agreed with him about bedtime telling their little girl that her toys needed the chance to sleep too. The toddler just rested her head on her mama's shoulder and Brody smiled almost sure that she would fall asleep in her arms and all they would have to do would be take her upstairs before leaving.
Rachel: She lightly bounced Michaela as she rubbed her back knowing that she was going to be falling asleep soon. "Give daddy a kiss." Rachel whispered and smiled when Kayla lazily moved to do just that before laying her head back down against her mom. Smiling at Brody she slowly moved to the stairs so that they could lay her down easily once she was asleep.
Brody: Rachel murmured to their daughter to give him a goodnight kiss and their little girl barely moved her head to comply before laying it right back down. He could tell that she was exhausted and he smiled watching Rachel take her upstairs. Moving to find his mom, Brody let her know that they were putting Michaela down for the night and then they would be heading out.
Rachel: She hummed into her ear her favorite lullaby as the little girl began to fall asleep. Once she was asleep in her arms she laid her down gently in the bed and tucked her in. "Goodnight princess." Rachel whispered as she kissed her head before standing back up and just watching her for a moment before heading back down to her husband. "She's out."
Brody: Brody had just finished talking with his mom and was headed to go and grab the overnight bag from upstairs when Rachel appeared at the bottom of them and whispered that their little girl was asleep. "Perfect." He murmured smiling and gently he pressed a kiss to her head. "Are you ready to head out once I grab our bag?" It would take them about half an hour to get downtown, park and check in at the hotel and by then their real plans for the night would be ready.
Rachel: "Yes, I'm ready to go." Rachel said with a smile more than ready to get out of there. As much as she loved their family, she wanted to have time with her husband to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Smiling at him she kissed her cheek and then sat down with her coat and bag to fix her boots so that they could head out.
Brody: With Rachel's declaration that she was indeed ready, Brody moved upstairs quickly and peeked in on their daughter before going to grab their bag, his phone, keys, and wallet. With all of that now on him, he headed down to put shoes and a coat on before looking over at Rachel who was sitting on the couch. "Come on beautiful, let's head out." He suggested before looking over at his dad and letting him know that they would see him in the morning.
Rachel: She put her coat on and took his hand as they headed out of the house and to the car. Rachel smiled as she put her seatbelt on. "You know I think I've done very very well not asking you where we are going tonight." She murmured with a small laugh because she had been dying to know what they had been doing and she really wanted to know where they were going.
Brody: "You have, but I'm still not telling you." He replied chuckling as he adjusted the radio and backed out of the driveway so that they could get on the road. He knew that Rachel hated not knowing things but he still wasn't going to tell her what their plans were. "You're just going to have to wait until we get there." She would hate him until she found out and then he knew that he would be in her good graces again.
Rachel: "Fine" She said with a sigh though she was still smiling because they were going out. She almost expected it not to happen. Rachel looked out the window watching the nightscapes pass by until they were pulling into a hotel. "Hmm." She hummed as she looked at him. "And what do you plan on doing here?" She teased.
Brody: The drive was mostly quiet and Brody just enjoyed listening to the Christmas music on the radio and relaxing as he followed the road signs that would get him downtown. When he pulled into the hotel garage, Rachel commented on what he planned on doing here making him chuckle. "Well I was planning on sleeping at some point since we have been up since 7am." He teased back, though he certainly wouldn't mind some other activities taking place.
Rachel: "You've been up since 7, Michaela woke me up at 6:30 and we let you sleep until 7." Rachel clarified with a laugh. Reaching for his hand she gave it a squeeze before they got out to head inside and check in. She was definitely curious as to what he had planned and hummed to herself hoping that it would be revealed sooner rather than later.
Brody: Rachel clarified that she had been up even earlier than that and they had just let him sleep for an extra half-hour. Checking into the hotel only took a few minutes and once their things were in their room Brody smiled and motioned to Rachel that they weren't planning on staying. It was almost 11 already and that was when the boat started to board and they certainly didn't want to miss it.
Rachel: She was surprised when they just dropped the bag off and he said that they were heading out. Nodding she looped her arm in his so that they could head back to the car. "I'm excited." Rachel murmured as she rested her head against his shoulder. "So can I know where we are going now?" She giggled.
Brody: "Did you really think we were just coming to a hotel?" He asked reading Rachel's surprise. Instead of taking her through the garage though, Brody headed down to the riverside since it wasn't that far of a walk to the docks from here. "Nope. Still have to wait until we get there." It would only be a few more minutes of suspense for her and Brody wanted to hang onto that for as long as he could.
Rachel: Rachel shrugged honestly but excited nonetheless. "Okay, okay." She giggled as she walked closer to him, it wasn't too cold out thankfully but the wind was a little bitter when it blew against their faces from the water. "This is such a beautiful night." She murmured just looking around. "Definitely not like Christmas pasts."
Brody: Gently, Brody wrapped his arm around Rachel's waist to hold her close to him knowing that she was likely slightly chilly just from the wind alone. It wasn't too bad out which he was thankful for but it was the end of December and so it certainly wasn't warm outside either. "I can't complain about it." He agreed when Rachel declared that it was beautiful out and better than previous Christmases. As they approached the river boats, Brody smiled at the way they were all lit up and he guided Rachel over to where it was clear someone was taking tickets and giving instructions to people who were waiting to board.
Rachel: She was overly curious as they walked up to the docks and to all the boats lit up for Christmas. "Wow." She said because it was all so pretty almost like a fairytale. When he led her to a ticket booth she grinned. "We're going on a boat ride?" Rachel asked excitedly because she had never done that before, she had been on boats before well big ships on cruises or fairies but she had never on one like that before. She had watched the ones in the city before and had always wanted to be on them.
Brody: Immediately Brody knew that he had done well by the look of awe on Rachel's face. Handing over their ticket to the person at the booth they were instructed that they could head on board and he smiled leading Rachel up and onto the deck. "Yes, we're taking a river boat ride." He finally stated as he moved against the railing and looked out over the water. By no means was it as pretty as New York, but it was the best thing he could come up with.
Rachel: "It's perfect." Rachel grinned as she looked around just taking it all in. It was late at night meaning that everything around them was calming from all the Christmas excitement. "Happy Anniversary, baby." She murmured before kissing him softly. "I love you and I am so happy that we got to celebrate."
Brody: Honestly, he was just glad that Rachel was happy with what he'd planned for them. There were other people around but for the most part it was still fairly quiet and romantic. There certainly weren't any kids around and that was the best part about it being such a late time of day. Rachel murmured happy anniversary and then stretched up a bit to kiss him making him smile. "I love you too. Though I don't think we realized how tough it would be to have our anniversary the one day of the year that most things are closed." He teased.
Rachel: She shook her head because that was so very true. "We definitely didn't think about it at all." Rachel murmured. "But it's okay. We can definitely make it work, it's still our day and though we have to share it with a holiday I really think we can do it so that it's not an issue." At least she hoped that they could. It would be disappointing if they missed out on celebrating their wedding every year.
Brody: "We'll continue to figure something out, even if some years it's just a late romantic dinner at home." It was always going to be slightly weird trying to make the two work but he knew that it was important to Rachel that they did so he'd do his best to be creative about it all. On the water, the wind was slightly worse and so after a moment, Brody guided Rachel inside to a table so that they could get into the heat of the boat itself for a little while.
Rachel: "I'd take morning sex and then whatever we can do at night." She said with a slight shrug because she figured it was at least something because she had no idea how else to do things. "I guess your idea for us to get married on Christmas feel weird now, huh." It wasn't much of a problem for her if she didn't think of the holiday that she only celebrated for him and Kayla anyways. Going inside she sat down with him and looked out to the water. With a smile after a moment she got into her purse. "So the first anniversary is paper and that can mean basically anything from anything made out of paper to symbols of paper. I thought it was going to be really hard but the possibilities are endless." She said as she handed him a card that had a cheesy letter she had written to him for their anniversary and also three tickets to see Alvin Ailey. Something they'd both like but also their daughter would be entertained with.
Brody: Rachel responded that she would take morning sex and then nighttime activities and Brody just shrugged because that worked just fine for him. "It doesn't feel weird per say, but I guess I definitely didn't think about how hard it would be to celebrate both Christmas and our anniversary. At least you never have to worry about me forgetting it though." That was certainly a plus. Inside and sitting, Rachel dug in her purse as she explained that the first anniversary's symbol was paper and she handed over a card which he opened with a smile. "I'll read the letter later when we're alone." He promised figuring it might not be the best public read. The tickets were also welcome because he knew that they would certainly enjoy that as a family.
Rachel: "At least I have that going for me." She couldn't imagine anyone forgetting their anniversary but she wasn't going to mention that. "It's really cheesy and my blubbering about how much I love you so really reading it now or later won't make a difference at how silly it probably is." Rachel murmured with a laugh.
Brody: Rachel stated that the letter was just really cheesy and it didn't really matter whether he read it now or later. Brody had been holding onto his present for Rachel for about a week and he was sure that she was going to completely flip out when she saw it, in both a good and maybe a bad way. Reaching into his wallet he pulled out a small slip of paper, a copy of a contract he'd signed for a limited engagement appearance as a dancer for an off broadway show. Really it was an IOU for tickets but he'd only explain if he needed to.
Rachel: She took the slip of paper curious as to what it was and read it carefully as a giant smile came upon her face. "How long is it going to run?" Rachel asked because it was going to be a great opportunity for him much like the show she had done over the summer. "I'm so happy for you, baby. This is fantastic."
Brody: The smile he got as Rachel read the paper filled him with pride. He was putting in all the long hours for her and their daughter and knowing she was proud of him made all the difference. "Two weeks." He replied shrugging. It wasn't anything major as far as stepping stones, but every ounce of experience counted and he knew that keeping track of all of it would help him find steady employment after graduation quickly. "It's just a small production but they visited Julliard and out of everyone asked me to join."
Rachel: Kissing him happily she grinned. "That's fantastic, I'll be at everyone one of the shows." She promised not wanting to miss seeing him dance on a stage. It was going to be amazing to watch and it was going to be the best. "Kayla is going to love it too." Rachel whispered before kissing him too. "I love you, I'm so happy for you."
Brody: Rachel leaned over the table to kiss him and promised that she would be at every one of their shows. "You don't have to have to come to every single one Rachel." He assured her. Having her there a few times would be more than enough. "And of course she will, she loves watching her daddy perform." She'd been the happiest girl when he'd performed in the school production just before winter break. "I love you too. Did I do okay for our first anniversary?"
Rachel: "You did great." Rachel said with a nod because it was true, it wasn't perfect but she'd never expect everything. Kissing him again she then wrapped her coat around her a little tighter and looked out the window at the water. "Being out here makes me forget that it's almost midnight." She murmured having felt exhausted all day. "It's pretty, I've never really paid attention to Cincinnati at night."
Brody: Thankful that he didn't utterly screw up, Brody looked over slightly concerned when Rachel tugged her coat tighter. He didn't think that it was all that cold in here but clearly she was chilly. "Yeah, it's been a very long day so we are definitely sleeping in tomorrow morning." They weren't expected back to the house until 11 or so and that's when hotel checkout was so they'd have to be up by then anyway. Still, 10am was much better than 7 in his book. "It's not New York but it's not too bad."
Rachel: "Oh definitely." Rachel murmured not sure when the last time they slept in was, even when Michaela was with Shelby and Beth they were still up early going to class or getting anything done that they hadn't got to. "I think this is more romantic than New York, it's smaller and more elegant." She murmured knowing that a boat ride in New York would be romantic too but the boats are bigger and this just felt more them.
Brody: Sleeping in was something that Rachel quickly agreed to and she then declared that this was more romantic than New York because it was smaller. "Well I'm glad you like it. I wanted to do something other than just like dinner or something and this seemed to be one of the few things I could find that was open. Considering I was pretty sure that you didn't want to spend it in a bar or something." He teased.
Rachel: She hummed. "We really didn't think far enough advance when we set our wedding date." Rachel murmured just thinking about it. "What if in the future, we celebrate at home and then the following weekend we go out and celebrate?" She asked. "That way we're not going out at midnight to celebrate when our anniversary is almost over and we can dedicate a full 24 hours to us instead of 1 or 2. I think I would like that more, not that I hate this because I love this but we deserve to have a day where we celebrate our anniversary without having to share it with a holiday."
Brody: Rachel was silent for a moment before she suggested that on their anniversary in the future they celebrated at home and then just actually went out the weekend after. "We can definitely do that." He agreed. It would make things a lot easier to balance if she was okay with it. There were a lot of couples that didn't celebrate on their actual anniversary either so it wouldn't be like they were odd in doing it.
Rachel: "Just something to keep in mind next year." Rachel said with a small shrug. "I don't want to take Christmas from you and our daughter." She shrugged again before looking back out the window. "Do you want to go stand outside for a couple of minutes? It'll be colder but I think it'll be prettier outside. I want to get a couple pictures to show everyone."
Brody: "As long as you're happy, I'm happy." He assured her. If that was what she felt would be the best way to handle both then he was perfectly okay with it. She asked him about going outside because she wanted to get some pictures and enjoy it and Brody nodded. "Sure, we can do that." He agreed, moving over to the bar to get them both drinks before meeting her back on the deck and handing a glass over to her. "Here. Hot chocolate to help with the chill."
Rachel: "I'm happy." She hummed. While it wasn't ideal she would make the compromise. Walking outside she sighed as the cold air hit her face. It was definitely cold, but not even close what it could have been. "Thank you." She murmured as she took the glass and held it in her hands to warm them. Leaning in to him she took a sip of the hot liquid before laying her head on his shoulder.
Brody: As Rachel took the glass and leaned into him, Brody wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. If nothing else this was fairly relaxing and he was glad that they were able to get some time to themselves even if he was definitely going to be exhausted tomorrow. They still had a few more hours before they'd return to the docks and after that he wasn't sure whether Rachel would want to head straight to bed or not, he'd leave that up to her.
Rachel: After about ten minutes she was ready to head back in and sit down in the warmth. Getting a refill on their way in she sat down at another table next to a window and ran her fingers through her hair. "You look good in that sweater." She commented just taking him in. He was as gorgeous as ever, not that she was actually surprised. Every time she looked at him he was hotter and better looking.
Brody: They stood outside until Rachel was ready to go back in and then headed back to another table after Rachel got another hot chocolate. He could feel her eyes on him and she commented on how he looked in the sweater making him smile. "I figured you'd be a fan." He smirked knowing that she really loved when he wore blue. "You're beautiful as always, though I can't wait to catch a glimpse of the color you have on."
Rachel: "Oh I'm a big fan." Rachel grinned. "It brings out your eyes and matches your skin tone really well." She commented before laughing. "I'd give you a glimpse now but I definitely do not want to show all of these people." Rachel teased. "It's a color that you'll definitely like, striking, and there is lace in some great places."
Brody: There really was nothing better than having his wife appreciate him. They'd been together longer than most people already and it was a relief to know that their desire for each other still hadn't lessened. "Mine." He growled back softly when she mentioned giving him a peek but not wanting anyone else to see. "Lace is definitely good." She always looked absolutely stunning in it after all.
Rachel: She blushed and leaned over to kiss him. "I love you. I am so happy to have married you a year ago. It was the best decision I've made, well after Micheala." Rachel said with a smile before kissing him again. PDA wasn't something she was huge on but it was her anniversary and she was so in love with her husband.
Brody: "Definitely the best day of my life other than becoming a father." He agreed kissing her back. It was slightly odd for her to be so open with her affections in public but he certainly wasn't going to deny that he liked it. "Want to go see what food they have out?" He asked knowing that while it wasn't going to be a full multiple course dinner that the ride came up some sort of food on top of the drinks that they already had.
Rachel: "Uhm, sure." Rachel said though she wasn't all that hungry. "I don't have a clue who eats at this time but some fruit or maybe some sort of other snack could be good." She answered. "The hot chocolate is good so I bet that whatever they have is good as well." Taking his hand after she took off her coat so that no one would steal their table she stood up so that the could check it out.
Brody: He wasn't all the hungry either but he figured that it didn't hurt to see what they had. "Fruit could definitely be good." He agreed. It would be light but would give them something to keep their energy up because the last thing they needed was to be miserable or have no energy with over an hour left in the trip. Rachel left her coat on the chair to save their table and together the two headed up to the food bar just to see what was there.
Rachel: "Nothing to filling and nothing too sweet, the hot chocolate is enough for me." She still rarely ate sweets and the dairy in the hot chocolate was going to hurt her later but it was good and she was treating herself for once, which never happened. Looking at the food bar she hummed and got a plate before getting a few pieces of fruit and a couple of crackers.
Brody: Rachel's diet was still something that baffled Brody because she hardly ate anything and he didn't know how she could function. While Rachel got herself a few pieces of fruit and crackers, Brody himself also got fruit and took a few pieces of the bruchetta they had. Between the two it would be more than enough because he was still stuffed from Christmas dinner.
Rachel: Heading back to the table she sat down and took a bite of one of the crackers. "The bruschetta looks good." She commented as she rested her head on her hand as she picked at the fruit. The strawberries were delicious and she hummed because they were great for the season. "Are you looking forward to getting back home? We'll have our second christmas with Shelby and Beth, I know they are looking forward to it."
Brody: "It is good. Small bite?" He offered part of him hoping that she would at least taste a little because really one bite wouldn't hurt her. The fruit was definitely good considering that it was December and he just relaxed a bit, looking out the window to see the lights of the city passing by them. "Part of me is yes, but that means I need to get back to work and I feel like I'm going to be so sore the first few days. Comparatively, he'd been taking it easy and it was not going to be fun having to pick things back up. "I know Kayla is looking forward to it as well."
Rachel: She nodded and took a bite of it and nodded because it was good. Not as good as something they could have gotten back home but for a boat dinner it was good. "I'm ready to go back, I love Ohio and it'll always be my hometown but I am definitely a New York girl and Kayla is the same way. She loves being here with her grandparents that she doesn't see often, but I think the quietness and slow speed as thrown her off."
Brody: Rachel took the offered bite and Brody let himself relax a little bit for the moment. There was always going to be a part of him that wanted to come back to Ohio even if he knew that New York was home. He liked the quiet and neighborly feeling and it was something that he missed a lot in the city. He was pretty sure that they didn't know a single one of their neighbors and it was odd for him. He just tried not to think about it that much.
Rachel: Taking another bite of the small amount of food on her plate she then leaned back and closed her eyes just letting the sway of the boat sooth her. Thankfully neither of them got seasick or the adventure would have been a disaster already. "This is really so nice, baby." She whispered though maybe it was a little long but there was also music and people dancing and enjoying themselves."
Brody: It really was relaxing to just enjoy the ride and everything else that came along with it. Rachel whispered about how nice it was and he smiled though he knew at the same time that they were both ready to head back to the hotel. It had been a long day and the ride was a little bit longer than they probably would have liked though they were definitely getting their money's worth.
Rachel: The rest of the ride was amazing and peaceful but Rachel was more than anxious to get off of it and to the hotel. It was late and she was tired and freezing. She had a great time but she just wanted her husband and bed. "Thank you for this." Rachel whispered as she kissed him while they were waiting for the boat to dock so that they could get off and walk back to the hotel.
Brody: At just before 2am the boat was preparing to pull into the dock and Brody was holding Rachel close because it had gotten even colder out. "You're welcome. Hot shower back at the hotel?" He suggested knowing that they both needed to kick up their body temperatures. If only one of them had thought about turning the temperature in the room up. Instead they were probably going back to a cold room as well.
Rachel: "Definitely, it's freezing." She murmured as she shivered feeling chilled to the bone though the boat's heat had been on. "Though you won't be getting the full effect of what I have on underneath this dress by just taking it off before a shower." Rachel said because she really wanted to show it off for him, she thought she looked good.
Brody: Wind chill across the water was absolutely horrible and Brody just hoped that they didn't get sick because of this. "Who said all we have to do is shower?" He murmured softly in her ear thankful when they were told that they could step onto the dock and were thanked for coming aboard. He'd never been more glad that he'd picked a hotel only a block away because walking any further than that would be too much.
Rachel: "I was hoping you'd say that." Rachel grinned not feeling too tired for sex. She just wanted to not feel so chilled first or there was no way she would be able to move and enjoy it. The walk to the hotel went faster than the walk to the docks because they were walking more swiftly to get out of the cold. "Oh wait." She said having to slow down and hopping on one foot to fix her boot. "These boots were not meant for anything other than a slightly fast than normal walk."
Brody: Their pace back to the hotel was brisk and only slowed when Rachel had him stop so that she could fix one of her shoes. "Do I need to carry you?" He asked teasingly, breathing hot air against his hands to try and warm them up. "Because I will if it means getting out of this cold faster." He was definitely tired and shower sex was going to be interesting at this point but he'd carry her if he had to.
Rachel: "No, I'm good I just have a blister." Rachel said before taking his hand again so that they could rush back to the hotel. When they finally got there she sighed when the heat hit her face and she rubbed her hand over her face to warm it back up. Her sinuses were frozen and hurt and she groaned. "Okay, we need to warm up and then we can try and be sexy."
Brody: Rachel assured him that she was fine and took his hand again so that they could rush back to the hotel. Once inside Rachel rubbed her face and Brody groaned softly, shaking slightly as they moved to the elevator. "Definitely need to warm up." He agreed, pressing the button for their floor and reaching into his wallet for the room key. "Try is also the key word at this point."
Rachel: "Which is more than disappointing." Rachel murmured but she was really tired. Stepping off the elevator she leaned against the wall as he got the door open and then followed him inside. "If you could at least comment on how amazing I look, that'll at least make what I have on feel a little more worth it." Shower sex wasn't what she was aiming for when her lingerie screamed kiss my body.
Brody: "Sorry beautiful." Brody whispered unlocking their room and holding the door open for Rachel. "That I'm sure I can do." He declared sure that her lingerie was absolutely stunning. Sliding his jacket off he moved over to the heater and cranked it up a few degrees to get the heat to kick on even higher. "Do you want me to go see if we can get an extra blanket from the front desk?" The one on the bed didn't seem all that thick and the room was not much better than outside right now.
Rachel: "Yeah, go ahead though I'm sure the heat will make it comfortable." Rachel said as she sat down and took off her boots and rubbed her feet through her tights. Laying back on the bed she sighed laid her arm against her forehead. She really was tired and just wanted to go to sleep and warm up because she was exhausted and felt gross from it all.
Brody: Rachel declared that he could though she thought the heat would help and with a nod, Brody ran down to the desk quickly before heading back upstairs and into the quiet of their room. Rachel was laying on the bed with her arm over her head and Brody moved to gently rub her exposed feet and legs trying to help her relax a little bit. "Are you okay?" He asked not sure that the boat ride had been a good idea after all.
Rachel: Moving her arm she smiled slightly and nodded. "Yeah, I'm just tired. Plus the bed is pretty comfortable." Rachel murmured as she sat and stretched so that they could get the extra blanket on the bed. "Do you think maybe we could just go to bed? We can shower in the morning before heading back to your parents."
Brody: She assured him that she was just tired and shifted so that he could put the blanket on the bed. "Of course we can." He agreed when she asked about just going to sleep and showering in the morning before heading back to his parents. "As long as I get to cuddle you I think I'll live. Though I do still want to see that lingerie of yours." He added.
Rachel: "I really loved this lingerie, totally disappointing that I'm exhausted and want to be under warm blankets." Rachel pouted as she reached under her dress first to take off her tights so that there was a full effect when she took off her dress. "Ready?" She said with a small smile because she had really spent maybe more money on the set than she had in awhile. It was a deep red that stood out against her skin perfectly but wasn't flashy. It had lace and silk, she felt beautiful wearing it.
Brody: "You can wear it again for me some other day." He assured her. He would never ever complain about her dressing up for their bedtime activities and letting him take it off of her. She slipped out of her tights and then asked if he was ready before pulling the dress over her head. The image in front of him was more than he could have imagined and Brody groaned softly before just steadying his gaze to take all of her in. "Definitely going to have to wear this for me again."
Rachel: She smiled and stepped towards him to kiss him. "I'm happy you like it." Rachel whispered because it really was great. Kissing him again she pulled back and looked down at her body, she was thin but had developed muscle, it was perfect but she was decently happy about how she looked. "I'm going to go wash my face and do something with my hair so that it's not a disaster when we shower in the morning.
Brody: Rachel whispered that she was happy he liked it before pulling back and declaring that she was going to wash her face and do something with her hair. "I'll be waiting in bed." He assured her kissing her one more time before moving to strip down to his boxers so that he could crawl into bed. It was nearly 3am already and morning was going to come way too quickly at this point. Part of him wanted to stick his parents with Kayla for another day so that they could just spend the day in bed doing nothing.
Rachel: Take her pajamas with her she changed in the bathroom before cleaning up and putting her curly hair in a braid to keep it more contained. Once she was done she crawled into bed with him and laid her head on his shoulder. "Night, babe." Rachel whispered as she tugged the blankets up and tighter so that she could get warm.
Brody: Quickly Brody settled onto his usual side of the bed and flipped his light off before just closing his eyes to wait for Rachel. She appeared after a few minutes and quickly curled up on his shoulder allowing him to drape his arm over her waist. "Night." He murmured back, yawning once before rubbing her arm to try and help warm up her chilled skin so that she could fall asleep.
Rachel: She sighed and closed her eyes willing her body to relax and fall asleep. Kissing his shoulder she hummed and moved slightly to get more comfortable. "Love you." Rachel murmured as she started to feel more comfortable so that she could slowly drift off. She was looking forward to a morning with him before they went back to her in laws.
Brody: After a moment of the two of them settling in and getting comfortable, it wasn't hard to fall asleep. It was the middle of the night and it had been a very long day. He knew that neither of them had set an alarm though they really should have and he had no idea what time they would wake up the next morning to get ready to head back to his parents.
Rachel: The sun was shining through the blinds when she woke up the next morning and she yawned not ready to get up yet at all. Her mental alarm had went off though knowing that they couldn't sleep to the point where they had to rush to check out. Snuggling into her husband she yawned again definitely very tired from their late night.
Brody: If there was one thing Brody was thankful for it was his ability to just pass out and stay as deep asleep as possible. He didn't have to worry about the sun or anything except his wife or an alarm waking him up. Sadly though, it was Rachel's shifting that made him stir and he groaned as he turned his head to look at the clock. "Fuck..." He mumbled knowing that they really should get up even if that was the last thing he wanted to do.
Rachel: "It's so very early." Rachel groaned though it was that early she just felt like it was. She was used to not sleeping a lot from staying up late studying during school but those were nights where she had coffee and the warmth of her home or the library, they didn't include a freezing boat ride and a 5 minute walk at 3 in the morning.
Brody: "I wish it was early, but it's almost 10." Brody replied groaning as he draped an arm over his head. They'd gotten more than 7 hours of sleep but it really didn't feel like it. Their bodies were definitely not happy about being thrown off schedule. "So don't want to get up." He mumbled trying to snuggle back into the warmth of the bed.
Rachel: She sighed. "I guess we should shower and head out then." Rachel murmured as she sat up because staying in bed would mean they would miss their checkout and they couldn't afford to be charged for it. "Come on baby, let's get a shower and then maybe we can stop for a small breakfast before heading home. I'll call and see if our princess is being good and if we can be out for a little longer or if they need us to come home to see her."
Brody: Rachel declared that they probably should shower then and she suggested that they stop for breakfast on the way home. "Mom is doing a big brunch so we probably shouldn't stop." He murmured back. He was sure that their daughter was fine, actually she was probably in the kitchen helping her grandma and making a big mess at this point. He wasn't worried too much about that but he knew that his parents were expecting them to be home before noon.
Rachel: She groaned at the thought of a big brunch, she swore his mom was cooking ten times too much food on purpose. "Okay, let's shower then or we can just do that when we get home. It doesn't matter to me." Rachel said with a shrug as she got clothes out of the duffle bag he had packed for them so that they could get ready.
Brody: "Shower now." Brody finally decided. He wanted at least a little longer alone with his wife and he certainly wouldn't get that if they left now. They had about 40 minutes to clean up and get dressed before heading back on the road and he was definitely going to take advantage of it. Rachel was going for her clothes but instead Brody gently tugged her to the bathroom, closing the door behind them and kissing her softly as he turned the water on.
Rachel: Rachel smiled into the kiss and raised her shirt up to take it off once it broke. "Shower now it is." She laughed before kissing him again and then working on getting undressed. Once the water was the right temperature they stepped in and she sighed as it it her body that still felt chilled from the night before.
Brody: Rachel worked on stripping out of her clothes and Brody pushed his boxers down his hips smiling as she kissed him again. After testing the water, they climbed into the shower and Brody pulled her close, kissing her again as they let the water roll over them, heating them more thoroughly than it seemed like the blankets and heater had managed to do all night. "Love you." He breathed, dotting kisses softly over her face while his hand moved to just above her ass.
Rachel: "I love you too." Rachel said softly as she closed her eyes loving how he kissed her. Her hand cupped his bicep and she giggled loving some alone time with him that was intimate and just what they needed. "Thank you for last night." She said sincerely. "It was a great way to spend our anniversary and I just love having a night out with you."
Brody: "You're welcome. Now I'm just hoping that we don't get sick." He whispered tilting his head back a bit under the water. Reaching for the small bottle of soap that was in the shower Brody quickly worked it into his hair before doing the same with the body wash. He felt slightly sticky and gross, likely from the cold sweat he had going on last night and it wasn't the best feeling in the world.
Rachel: "You and me both, but I'm not feeling so hot so I think it's likely that I'm at least going to be sick." He had a stronger immune system than she did so she wasn't sure if he was going to catch much other than the sniffles. Taking the bottles from him since he was done she lathered herself up with the soap and then worked to get the hairspray and curls out of her hair.
Brody: "Don't tell me that." Brody whispered. He hated when Rachel got sick and he would definitely feel guilty if she got sick from what he had wanted to be a good night. As he rinsed off, Rachel worked to get herself clean as well, and her hair was definitely going to take a little longer. Moving out of her way but still under the stream of water, Brody just leaned against the wall and yawned softly.
Rachel: "Hey." Rachel said as she took his hand. "If I get sick it's not going to be your fault. I loved last night and I am so happy that we went and go to experience that." She murmured sincerely as she rinsed her hair hoping to have got it all clean. "You know me, I get cold easily and my body just doesn't react well to it anymore. It's not a big deal and I'm not feeling that sick, just feel chilled that's all."
Brody: After a moment, Rachel reached for his hand and assured him that her being sick wasn't something that was his fault. "Doesn't mean I have to like that I put you in a situation where you got sick." He replied. He didn't understand why her body couldn't stay warm and it worried him. Yes he'd been cold but he had warmed up for the most part overnight and didn't feel any different than normal now.
Rachel: "All I need is some tea and a hug from my babygirl and I'll be fine. I promise." Rachel said with a small smile as she poured the rest of the small bottle in her hand. "I have too much hair for these things, we should have thought to bring our own." She giggled as she worked it through her thick long locks.
Brody: "We'll stop for tea on the way home." Brody promised her. He may not be able to do breakfast but they could definitely stop for a proper cup of tea/coffee so that they weren't feeling dead when they got back to the house. Besides that she promised that she would be okay and poured the rest of the shampoo into her hair to try and wrangle it. "Sorry babe." He replied though he had asked her if she wanted to add anything to the overnight bag so it wasn't entirely his fault.
Rachel: Once her hair was rinsed she decided it was good enough. "I'll fix it later." She said as she kissed him softly. "I love you." Rachel murmured before kissing him again and then moving her lips to his neck and shoulder just wanting to give him some attention. They couldn't do anymore because she wanted to blow dry her hair and they had to get dressed before check out but kissing him was enough.
Brody: A few moments later, Rachel assured him that her hair was good enough and that she would fix it later. Then she kissed him before moving her mouth to his neck and shoulder. Humming in satisfaction, Brody stretched a little and then turned to face her. "Ready to get out?" He asked not wanting to shut the water off if she wanted to linger a little longer.
Rachel: She nodded and stood under the water for a second more before stepping out and wrapping a towel around her. Yawning she went into their bag and grabbed their toothbrushes and toothpaste and brushed her teeth before turning on the hotel hair dryer and getting to work on drying her hair.
Brody: Once the water was off, Brody wrapped a towel around his waist and moved to brush his teeth. Rachel would take a few minutes to dry her hair and so Brody knew that he would end up watching the news for a few minutes once he was dressed and ready to go. They only had one bag so he wasn't worried about having to make multiple trips to the car so really he could just sit until she was done.
Rachel: Once her hair was dry she went to Brody and got dressed in the outfit he had packed for her. "Okay, let's head out. Get something to drink and to your parents." She said with a yawn. Hugging him she smiled still so happy to have had a night out with him that they had desperately needed. "I bet Kayla's being so spoiled this morning."
Brody: Thankfully Rachel was ready by a quarter til and Brody grabbed their bag after sliding his shoes on. It only took him a moment to return the key to the desk and then they were out to the car, Brody quickly turning the heat up full blast. "I have a feeling her grandma recruited her to the kitchen and there is probably a fairly large mess right about now." He voiced. "We'll stop for coffee once we're actually out of the city."
Rachel: "That is definitely a possibility and I bet your mom is loving every second of the mess." Rachel laughed as she positioned the vents to hit her more. "That sounds good, babe. Wherever is fine, it's probably best we wait until we're out of the city since there is likely to be a lot of travellers out today making the businesses around here busy"
Brody: "I'm sure she is. She loves being a grandma." Brody grinned heading towards the highway to get them out of the city and towards home. "I was thinking more I hate driving in the city so getting out of it will help me relax." He clarified. Plus it would be a lot faster to stop somewhere just north of the city because there were less people.
Rachel: "That's a good point too." Rachel said though driving in the city wasn't as big of a deal to her. Closing her eyes she cursed when she remembered she hadn't taken her meds today or even brought them. "As soon as we get there remind me to take my medicine. I didn't even think and they're in the medicine cabinet."
Brody: Rachel asked him to remind her to take her medicine once they got back to the house and Brody nodded. "I can do that." She definitely needed to take her medicine because he knew what happened when she didn't and that wasn't something that he particularly wanted to deal with. It only took a few more minutes before he was able to take an exit outside of town and he pulled up to a starbucks drive thru so that they could get something warm to drink.
Rachel: "Thank you." Rachel said as she took his hand into hers. When they pulled up to starbucks she hummed trying to decide what she wanted. "I want a cinnamon chai tea latte, grande." She murmured really needing the warmth and the kick that it would give her. Plus the cinnamon would be perfect for the weather and overall help her.
Brody: Quickly he repeated Rachel's order to the barista before adding his own and Brody pulled out his wallet so that he could pay up at the window. It was only a few minutes later when they got their drinks and he handed Rachel's over to her before taking a small sip of his own and sighing at the taste of caffeine. Now he might actually make it through the rest of the day though he didn't know what plans were besides brunch.
Rachel: She took a sip of the hot liquid with a satisfied hum before putting it in the cup holder as they drove home. When they arrived she could see Kayla in the kitchen window standing at the sink on what she assumed was a chair with her grandma. "There's our girl." Rachel said happily so looking forward to holding her for a long time because she had missed her so much.
Brody: It didn't take more than another twenty minutes before he was pulling in the driveway and Brody chuckled when Rachel commented on seeing their daughter through the window. "Let's go. Straight up to take your medicine." He reminded her knowing that if she went for their daughter first she'd completely forget and it would be that night before it even dawned on her that she'd forgotten.
Rachel: Rachel nodded and grabbed their bag since she was heading up the stairs. Saying hi to his dad first she went up and put their dirty clothes in the hamper before going into the bathroom and taking her meds. Once she was done she yawned and went into the kitchen. "Hey baby girl!" She said happily more than looking forward to her hug.
Brody: While Rachel headed upstairs with their bag, Brody moved to the kitchen to see his mom and daughter. Immediately Kayla flung herself at him and he smiled holding her close and making her giggle by kissing her. Rachel was down less than a minute later and Kayla's smile brightened even further at seeing her mama. "Mama wants hugs." He whispered to her and passed her off so that she could do just that.
Rachel: "Hi my princess." Rachel said as she hugged her tightly while kissing her. She was such a perfect little girl who she loved so much. "Can I have a drink?" Kayla said pointing to her cup and Rachel nodding knowing that it wouldn't hurt her any. Helping her hold it she smiled as she took a sip of the tea. "Have you been good for grandma?"
Brody: Watching his wife and daughter was one of Brody's favorite things. It made him smile and he would never get over the realization that this was his family. Rachel gave their daughter a small drink of her tea and Brody looked over at the spread that his mother had made, his stomach growling. "Holy moly mom." He declared knowing that there was no way they would be able to eat all of this.
Rachel: She looked at that table with after Brody's exclamation and her eyes widened. There was so much food that just looking at it made her stomach sick. "You two have been busy." Rachel stated as she rubbed Kayla's back while sipping her tea. Kayla began to tell her about their morning and Rachel sat down knowing that their little talker was going to be going for a while.
Brody: Brody certainly hoped that his mother had a plan for all of this food because he was sure that they would barely touch a fourth of it. Rachel was talking to their daughter about her morning and Brody listened in, always loving to hear her little babbles because soon enough he knew that all they would be getting from her was 'fine' or 'whatever'. He'd cherish these days where she literally told them everything.
Rachel: Rachel kissed Michaela's head just enjoying listening to her talk as Brody's mom sat the table talking about their brunch and how she just wanted them all to have anything they wanted. "You'll be going home soon and I don't know what you're cooking up there but it's not mama's home cooked meals." She said and Rachel just smiled not sure what to say.
Brody: His mom worked to set the table for brunch and she commented on how they were going to be going home soon and she wanted them to have some homecooked meals. He knew that Rachel was slightly uncomfortable and he bit his lip before deciding to speak. "I've got this mom. Why don't you go sit down for a few minutes." If there was one thing he could handle it was setting a table.
Rachel: His mom sighed and nodded before leaving the room and Rachel just shook her head. "Your mom is definitely crazy sometimes." She murmured as she just held Kayla who had finished her story and was just laying against her content in her mom's lap. "I definitely know that Kayla had a blast cooking this meal for an army."
Brody: Thankfully his mom didn't put up a fight and Brody took over the table while paying attention to his wife and daughter. "I won't deny that. I still love her though." He declared. All of the women in his life could be a little crazy that was for sure. "I'm sure she did. But we're going to have to figure out something to do with all of this extra food." There was no way he was going to let it go to waste, that was certain.
Rachel: "I'm sure your grandma will be by sometime today and maybe your aunt. They can take some of it." Rachel said with a small shrug. "There really is so much food and I don't know how she expects us to eat all of it..." She murmured as she finished off her tea and tossed it in the trashcan that was beside of her. She couldn't eat that much food even if she wanted to.
Brody: "Still don't think that would put a dent in it." He declared as he finished with the last plate and just sat down for a minute. Yes he loved to eat but this was a different story entirely and he wasn't sure what his mother was thinking. He'd end up sick of he ate too much and that would make for a miserable flight back to New York.
Rachel: "I think she just wants us to have options and really it's not a lot of food when it's the 5 of us." Rachel said with a small shrug. "I think it just looks like a lot to the two of us. We're both exaggerating a bit." Shrugging again she chewed on her lip. "I do feel bad because I don't want to eat that much." She murmured. "But I do think it'll be fine."
Brody: Rachel seemed to change her tune and Brody just rolled his eyes before moving to look outside. It was starting to snow lightly, though he was sure that there wouldn't be much laying on the ground, at least not that he'd heard about. "Eat what you can and leave it at that." He murmured yawning softly before moving to get another glass of coffee from the pot his mother had made earlier.
Rachel: She rolled her eyes back at him and got up and left the room with Kayla, refusing to let him show her an attitude for just expressing her opinion when they were both being rude to begin with. Sitting on the couch with her daughter she covered them both up with a blanket just snuggling since she was still exhausted from the previous night.
Brody: When he looked up from getting his coffee, Rachel and his daughter were gone and Brody just did a double take before shrugging. Clearly she was annoyed with him over something, a not uncommon occurrence. So, he focused on the warm drink he had in his hand and tried to shake off the desire to just crawl in bed and sleep knowing that until they went to bed tonight he was just going to have to find some energy somewhere.
Rachel: She closed her eyes already falling asleep. Thankfully she wasn't feeling as sick as she was when she woke up so that was at least a plus. She was just really exhausted though and it was affecting her mood greatly. Kayla got tired of cuddling with her and moved to her grandpa instead. "Traitor." Rachel mumbled but she was happy that she was getting as much time in as she could.
Brody: Knowing that technically breakfast was ready, Brody picked at the food before going to get his wife and daughter to eat. If nothing else he and Rachel needed a little bit of something in their stomachs before they ended up falling asleep and not wanting to eat until dinner time. Kayla was snuggling her grandpa when he entered the room and he murmured about her getting some food though he was also sure that she had probably munched while they had been cooking.
Rachel: "I'm not really hungry." Rachel told Brody when he came to tell everyone to go eat watching her daughter and father in law going into the kitchen. "I''m tired and don't know if I could stomach anything." She continued. She'd try to not be rude and miss a meal but every meal they had spent there included his mom watching over her for not eating a whole lot. Plus she really wasn't all that hungry.
Brody: Rachel declared that she wasn't hungry and Brody sighed softly. "Will you at least try and eat half a bagel or something?" He knew that with her medicine she should try and get something other than tea in her stomach before it made her sick. "I get that you're not hungry, I just don't want your medicine making you sick." He clarified. Really they both just needed to go lay down and sleep for awhile longer at this point.
Rachel: "I can't decide if being sick to my stomach is better than getting a migraine anyways from not sleeping or not." Her medicine helped prevent her migraines from her triggers but counteracting them by being exhausted wasn't going to help much which she already felt more drained than she had felt in months, which wasn't normal and she knew that but it wasn't too big of a deal for her. "I'll eat something, I don't want to be rude to your mom for making it all."
Brody: Brody pulled Rachel to her feet after a moment and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm not worried about my mom. I'm worried about you." He whispered. "Eat a little bit of something and then we'll go lay down for awhile." He knew that his parents wouldn't mind watching Michaela a little longer so that they could try and sleep off the crappy feeling that they both had.
Rachel: Smiling slightly she kissed him. "I love you." Rachel murmured before laying her head against his shoulder. "I saw pancakes, so I'm definitely going to eat one of those instead of a bagel." She said knowing it would be better in the long run and fill her more if she ate it with some of the fruit that was cut up for them.
Brody: With Rachel's head against his shoulder, Brody let his fingers run through her hair before kissing her forehead and pulling back so that they could get something to eat. "A pancake is fine." He assured her. Even if she only ate one he would be happy and knew that it would keep her from getting sicker than she already felt. While she went for that and some fruit, Brody just grabbed a few slices of bacon and a small serving of egg that would be more than enough for him right now.
Rachel: Sitting at the table with her food she poured herself some juice knowing that anymore caffeine would just make her jittery. Michaela and her grandpa were giggling as they both played with their food making her laugh. "Okay children, food goes in your mouths." She teased as she leaned against her husband while they worked on eating.
Brody: Brody sat next to Rachel and just rubbed his face as Rachel scolding their daughter and his father for playing with their food. Then she leaned against him and he did his best to focus on eating though he was clearly distracted by fatigue making it hard to keep his eyes open. "Definitely need to go lay down." He whispered as he picked more at his plate than he actually ate.
Rachel: She hummed in agreement barely able to stomach more than a few bites not sure how long she could sit there before literally passing out. They definitely weren't used to the late night they had endured the night before. "Mommy go nap." Michaela said having noticed her mother falling asleep at the table making Rachel laugh a bit. "Mommy needs a nap, yes baby girl. Mommy and daddy both."
Brody: It was their daughter that spoke up declaring that her mommy needed to go nap and Brody chuckled a bit before nodding. "We definitely need a nap." He agreed looking to his dad who waved for them to head upstairs. "C'mon Rach." He murmured as he gently pried himself out of the chair before reaching to help her as well. "Let's go close the curtains and lay down for awhile."
Rachel: "Sorry." Rachel told her in laws as she took Brody's hand to head up to the bedroom. Once they took a nap though they'd be more likely to function as a family during dinner and that would at least help her feel less rude for missing brunch. Squeezing Brody's hand slightly as they walked she slowly walked up the stairs and changed her clothes into something more comfortable before falling onto the bed.
Brody: Brody walked behind Rachel up the stairs and just stripped once the bedroom door was locked and the curtains were drawn to make the room as dark as possible. By then, Rachel had already fallen into bed and Brody just moved to pull her closer to him before adjusting the blankets over them. "Get some rest." He breathed, kissing her shoulder softly before closing his own eyes again.
Rachel: "You too, baby." Rachel whispered barely audible from how tired she was and how close to asleep she was getting. "Just can't sleep all day, we'll be screwed for tomorrow." She mumbled knowing very well that if they did they would end up in the same position and that would just cause even more issues for when they left to go back home.
Brody: Brody wasn't all that worried about throwing off their sleep at this point. It was far better than them being sick and cranky which was the other alternative. Their bodies clearly needed the sleep and he was sure that they would wake up when their bodies had had enough. Until then he was just going to hold his wife and nap, because really there was nothing better to do.
Rachel: She quickly fell asleep not another thought running through her mind as she completely shut down from the exhaustion she was feeling. There was nothing worse than when she felt so tired and wished that she didn't feel that way. Luckily they had a chance to nap unlike when they were at home and had school to worry about.
Brody: Brody's body drifted off once he felt Rachel's body relax with sleep against him. They really didn't get to do this enough, if ever, at home with taking care of their daughter, school, work, and everything else they had going on. He knew that someday it would all be worth it but there were times that he wanted to just stay home for a week and do absolutely nothing like a lot of people his age were doing.
Rachel: Rachel felt like she had taken one of her strong pain meds that knocked her out by how deeply she fell asleep and the complete numbness she felt in her unconsciousness. She barely dreamed, just slept in a state of floating as her body caught up with the sleep she had lost and recovered from the cold and straining she had put it through.
Brody: Though he nearly stirred a few times, Brody was surprised when he woke up and it was already dark outside. Of course that only meant that it was sometimes around 5 but still, they had been asleep for almost five straight hours in the middle of the day. And for some reason he was still tired and knew that sleeping wouldn't be a problem that night either.
Rachel: When she finally stirred awake Brody was looking at her. "Hey." She groaned with a yawn before slowly sitting up feeling so stiff that it actually hurt to do so. "Oh God." Rachel mumbled as she rubbed her lower back. "I think I was ran over my a truck, no by ten trucks, big ones, tractor trailers, I was ran over very large eighteen wheelers."
Brody: Brody looked down when Rachel finally stirred and watched her slowly try to sit up. "Trust me I know that feeling." He agreed though he hadn't really tried to move himself. He was sure that his body would protest. "We slept all afternoon and somehow I'm still going to fall asleep easily tonight." It seemed like their bodies were yelling at them for the go go go that they did in the city now that they had finally slowed down a little.
Rachel: "I'm not sure about that, but I do feel like utter crap right now." Rachel mumbled as she got out of the bed and went into the bathroom to splash water onto her face just trying to refresh herself before giving up and going back to lay down just to calm her body to stop revolting against her. "I could sleep, but I'm not tired anymore."
Brody: Rachel continued to try and move around and Brody watched as she headed to the bathroom to splash some cool water on her face. "I don't feel quite as exhausted but my body definitely is not ready to go jump around either." This trip definitely showed that they both moved on a daily basis way too much and when they actually stopped and slowed down, their bodies had a hard time adjusting.
Rachel: "I just have a headache and a stomachache, which is no fun at all right now." Rachel whispered as she moved to lay against him. "I'm surprised Kayla hasn't busted in here yet. It's been hours since she's terrorized us." She said with a slightly giggled as she closed her eyes again knowing that she needed a minute before they joined the rest of the family.
Brody: When Rachel came back to the bed, she just curled up against him and mentioned having a headache and stomachache. "Pretty sure that would be hard since I locked the door." He knew that if it were an emergency his parents would just use the little key above the door jam but otherwise it would just give them the privacy that they definitely needed to relax. "There is no rush for us to go anywhere."
Rachel: She hummed because she hated lying around, even if she felt ill. "I know, but it feels weird to just lay around. I don't feel right just laying in bed doing nothing. I need to be doing yoga or going for a run, singing or dancing." Shrugging slightly she sighed. "I just hate lying in bed all day you know that, even when we don't have anything to do."
Brody: "I know you do but sometimes our bodies need us to take a day and just pause. We're always moving Rachel and eventually our bodies can't handle it anymore." He knew that that was why they felt so bad. It had nothing to do with the weather or anything else and everything to do with them pushing themselves too hard for too long. Even when they got here they were out going and doing and playing with their daughter.
Rachel: "I guess." Rachel said mumbled. "But if moving constantly makes me not feel like my head is going to explode or I'm going to vomit? I'd much rather do that." Sitting up she rubbed her face needing to move because the more she laid there the more she knew she had to move before she really got sick. "I want to cuddle our girl."
Brody: The moment of cuddling his wife ended quickly as she decided that she would rather get up and move, plus she wanted to see their daughter. "I'll be down in a few." He assured her. Of course he had no plans of going back to sleep, but he also wasn't ready to jump up as quickly as she was to resume the craziness of their lives.
Rachel: She nodded and kissed his cheek before wrapping an extra blanket around her and unlocking the door to head downstairs after a stop in the bathroom. "There's mommy's pretty princess." Rachel said with a smile watching Kayla light up from her spot on the living room. Walking over to her she sat down and pulled her into her lap and kissed her head. "I love you baby."
Brody: Brody knew one thing for certain, after everything, there wasn't anyone out there that could claim that Rachel was a bad mother. She was always wanting to be around their daughter, to spend time with her and it was everything else in her life that usually was pushed to the backseat. He completely understood that because he would do anything for their little girl but in some way, he was able to focus a little bit easier on the other things than Rachel was.
Rachel: Rachel wrapped them both up in the blanket she had around her. Kayla told her they were having 'sketti' for dinner and Rachel smiled knowing that it would be delicious. His mom was so good with her diet and making sure that she made her a small portion without meat with every meal that she was kind of looking forward to the meal. Though she wasn't all that hungry she thought maybe it'd help her feel better.
Brody: After about ten minutes, Brody was able to pry himself out of bed enough to head downstairs. Rachel and Kayla were wrapped up in the blanket Rachel had stolen from his bedroom and Kayla quickly shouted upon seeing him that they were having spaghetti for dinner. That certainly sounded good especially because he knew that his mom would make garlic bread as well which was honestly one of the best things he'd ever had.
Rachel: "Will you get me some water, babe?" Rachel asked when Brody came into the room. "Some Advil too?" She continued just so that she would feel a little less crappy. Kissing Kayla who was happily relaxed against her she grinned constantly feeling better when she had her angel in her arms. She was the very best part of her life and she didn't know what she'd do without her.
Brody: Apparently he didn't get to come down and see their daughter because immediately Rachel asked for water and advil making him chuckle. "Yes dear." He teased, moving into the kitchen to grab two glasses of water because his throat was starting to get dry and he could definitely use the hydration. Figuring that Kayla would want to mimic her mom as well, he filled a sippy cup and carried all three and the bottle of pain killers back to the living room.
Rachel: "Thank you." Rachel said taking the glass and pills. Kayla thanked her daddy as well for her sippy cup and cuddled into Rachel as she drank from it. Taking the pills she sighed before setting them on the table and rubbing Michaela's back. "Still feeling stiff?" She asked her husband hoping that moving around had helped him some like it had helped her just a little bit.
Brody: With his two girls happy, Brody plopped down onto the couch and rubbed his face, groaning softly. Rachel asked if he was still stiff and he nodded. He was pretty sure that it would be a lingering feeling throughout the day. He had spent too long not moving and his muscles were protesting the inactivity. "Probably should take a few of those myself." He murmured talking about the pain medicine.
Rachel: Rachel nodded and handed him the bottle. "Definitely need to, it'll help at least for your muscles to rest." She said with a smile just getting more comfortable. "The couch feels good though, and sitting up makes me feel much less like I'm going to be sick so that's a good development." Rachel laughed a little before closing her eyes.
Brody: Rachel handed him the bottle after murmuring in agreement that he should take a few. "The couch is okay." He declared, though he'd always thought it was a little uncomfortable growing up. Looking over at Rachel, he saw she had her eyes closed and he couldn't help but chuckle. They had just woken up and she commented on how she couldn't sleep anymore and now she had her eyes closed as she lounged.
Rachel: "Why are you laughing?" Rachel murmured as she opened her eyes to look at him. She was barely functioning and couldn't help but relax on the couch. She felt this crappy and they hadn't even had sex, it felt like a pretty shitty deal she had been dealt. It would have at least been worth it to feel so gross if she had an orgasm to thank fo rit.
Brody: Rachel asked why he was laughing and Brody just leaned in to kiss her quickly. "Because you just declared that you weren't tired but here you are closing your eyes." He had a feeling she would fall back asleep if she kept it up. The more comfortable she was, the easier it would be to fall asleep. He could tell she felt utterly crappy though and so he would cut her some slack.
Rachel: She smiled. "I'm just resting, I won't fall asleep. Besides even if I did the second dinner is ready I know this little one will wake me up." Rachel said as she tickled Michaela's side knowing how excited she got over food and would probably scream as she ran into the kitchen. Especially since they were having one of her favorites for dinner.
Notes: The family prepares for and attends the big event before going home to relax and enjoy the rest of the holiday.
Brody: The weather was cold outside, though not unbearably so under coats, gloves, hats and scarfs. Kayla was currently sitting on her Uncle Noah's shoulder, giving Brody a break from her weight while still allowing her to see everything as it passed by them along the parade route. Though he had watched this year after year as a child, there was definitely something different about being here and experiencing it in person. Wrapping his arm around Rachel, Brody kissed her head and smiled down at her, glad that they had decided to do this.
Rachel: "Minions freak me out." Rachel murmured as she adjusted herself in his hold happy for his extra warmth. Staying in New York for Thanksgiving was already amazing, though Kayla was most likely not going to make it to Santa coming through the parade but it was still already a joyous morning. The yellow giant balloon passed them and their daughter squealed loudly that Noah hissed as he moved his head slightly.
Brody: Brody couldn't help but laugh at Rachel's comment about the minions and he sipped at his hot chocolate, hoping that it would provide him just a bit more warmth to keep his fingertips from going numb. Their daughter was having a blast and she squealed looking up at the balloon. Noah hissed from the shrill sound and Brody smirked unconsciously. That was what you got with their daughter and her Uncle should know that by now.
Rachel: Rachel hummed and kissed Brody's cheek. "So this is fun and all, but I think next year watching it on tv will work just fine. Though when she's older we should come back, or even better we should get an apartment on the route and then we can just watch from our window." She said knowing that as their daughter got older she would enjoy it even more and when they had more children they would as well, right now though Rachel was freezing and starving and couldn't wait to start their dinner and relax in the warmth of her apartment.
Brody: It was clear that Rachel was ready to go home by the way she was shivering and her comment on watching this on tv next year. She mentioned someday getting an apartment on the route and he raised an eyebrow. That was certainly not going to be something he cared about when they needed to find another place. "Maybe someday we'll be in the parade." He declared knowing that Broadway was a big part and so it was a definite possibly that one or both of them would get to experience it from the other side of the barriers.
Rachel: "I'm sure we will, I'll sing and you'll be in a dancing ensemble." Rachel nodded as Kayla called out to her and then pointed at a musical performance that was starting to begin. She loved music and Rachel grinned as she reached out for her and settled her against her so that the could watch it together. "Do you want to do that, Michaela?" She asked and laughed when the little girl shook her head. "Do you want to dance like those girls?" Rachel then asked and laughed once more when the little girl simply said no though she was very much enjoying the performance.
Brody: A musical performance started and so Rachel took Kayla back from Noah, giving him a break and a chance to talk to and focus on Claire again. Yawning softly from the fatigue setting in, Brody blinked quickly to try and force himself back awake. His girls were talking about the performance and he caught Kayla's 'no' when she was asked if she wanted to dance like that. The little one seemed to like her classes so far but he wasn't expecting them to be a lifelong interest by any means. As long as she was happy then so was he.
Rachel: Rachel kissed her daughter's cheek and then focused back on the musical performance on a show that was currently only in previews. She longed to be on the stage and on a big show but nothing had came her way yet that she wanted to audition for. It wasn't that she was waiting on the perfect show, but her search kept falling short. "Mommy, snack!" Kayla said and Rachel nodded and reached down to their stash and handed her a baggy. "We'll go home and mommy will start our dinner."
Brody: Kayla asked for a snack and once she was satisfied for the moment, Brody just stared blankly, trying to keep himself awake. He had not gotten nearly enough sleep last night. "Mommy can start dinner and then we can all take a nap for an hour or so." He suggested. There was nothing that would need tended to that early anyway and a little more sleep was certain to do them all some good.
Rachel: "We have to skype our parents though, don't forget about that." Rachel said not wanting to miss them when they were going to be around. Her dads took another cruise since they were planning on being around to celebrate their first anniversary but they had promised her they could manage a video chat. His parents went out west like they had Brody and Rachel's first thanksgiving together and had set up a time with them to chat.
Brody: "Pretty sure it would be hard to forget with the alerts on my phone." He declared shaking his head. Neither one of those was until later though so he knew that they could definitely still fit in a nap so that they didn't crash come dinner time. It would be bad if no one was able to stay awake to eat dinner after all. Rachel would probably have their heads because she had worked so hard.
Rachel: She nodded and focused back on the parade, they were a good ways through that she knew it shouldn't be too much longer. Kayla moved herself so that her head was against Rachel's shoulder and she rubbed her back. "I don't think she's going to make it." She whispered to Brody as Kayla sat back up fighting how tired she was. At only two years old she had done really well with getting up earlier and making it through this much of the parade so Rachel was really proud of her.
Brody: Moments later it was clear that Kayla wasn't going to make it through the rest of the parade without falling asleep. "Me either." He whispered back to Rachel. "Want me to take her?" He knew that Rachel could handle her for awhile but their daughter wasn't exactly light anymore and he wasn't sure that she could handle holding her for an extended period of time, especially with her being asleep and therefore dead weight.
Rachel: "You went to bed hours earlier than I did and I still have more energy than you." She teased having stayed up finishing the last of the food for today so that it wouldn't take as long to get it all done. "I have her for now." Rachel said as she kissed her head and got her settled down, she moved slightly so that Kayla could still see the parade as she laid against her shoulder.
Brody: "Yeah well, which one of us has been working almost every day this week." He replied shaking his head. His breaks weren't really breaks, not completely the way that Rachel's were. So of course she had more energy than him, she had been doing a lot less lately. Assured that their daughter was fine for now, Brody nodded and looked back at the parade, though his focus wasn't entirely there either.
Rachel: She just hummed because he was right though it wasn't her decision to not be doing anything during her breaks. After about ten minutes she could tell Kayla was asleep. It was so loud that she was surprised at how easily she had fallen asleep but it didn't bother Rachel any as long as she was safe and getting the rest she obviously needed. "She's going to be so mad she missed Santa."
Brody: Rachel murmured that their daughter was going to be so mad that she missed Santa and Brody chuckled looking over at them. "We'll try and wake her for Santa." He declared. If she didn't wake fine, but they could at least try to stir their little girl so that she could get to see the big man himself. After all, she was still young enough that she very much believed in the magic and that was a great thing.
Rachel: "I'm sure she'll love that." Rachel said as she continued to rub Kayla's back. It felt good to have her princess sleeping against her, it wasn't often anymore that she even let them hold her as she slept unless she was aiming to sleep in their bed. Kissing the sleeping toddlers head she looked back out to the street and smiled pretty amazed by the grandness of the parade and how much bigger it was in real life instead of on a television screen.
Brody: Brody wasn't surprised by their daughter's exhaustion, it was pretty normal given the circumstances. He was sure that even though they'd gone to bed early that she probably didn't sleep the way they would have liked her to. So they would make the most of the situation and head home to rest for a bit as a family before they continued their day and celebrations.
Rachel: She leaned against her husband as their daughter slept against her. It was almost a month exactly to their anniversary and it blew her mind that a year had gone by so fast. "I really can't wait to eat." Rachel said after a moment being so excited about everything she had prepared for them. They'd be eating leftovers for a week but that was part of the appeal when it came to Thanksgiving.
Brody: Rachel leaned into his side for support and Brody brushed her hair with his lips before turning away to exhale a large breath. "Food and a warm bed definitely sound nice." He agreed. Watching football was something that was looking more and more like it would happen while curled up in the warmth of the bed. After being in the cold so long he was definitely starting to feel it.
Rachel: The rest of the parade seemed to go by slower once Rachel was ready to go home but she was determined to stick it out so that her daughter could see Santa. While Christmas really didn't mean anything to Rachel, they were raising Kayla to celebrate both holidays so she knew the toddler would like seeing the big man in person as he went by on the float. "Princess wake up." She murmured as she seen the end of the parade in the distance.
Brody: Both Rachel and Brody knew that they needed to make it to the end of the parade. Even if they wanted to leave, moving from their spot wouldn't be easy, and they did want to give their daughter a chance to see Santa as he ended off the morning. Honestly though, Brody didn't pay too much attention, trying to just rub his hands together to stay as warm as he could. When the old man himself appeared in the distance Rachel attempted to wake Kayla up and Brody smiled at the way she squirmed against the request.
Rachel: Their daughter only forced herself into Rachel's shoulder further making both of her parents laugh. "Michaela, Santa is coming." Rachel said as she rubbed her back knowing that she would want to see him. She repeated the statement and finally Kayla sat up and looked around. "Santa!" The toddler said with a yawn as she pointed to the old man waving at the crowd as he passed by.
Brody: It took Rachel mentioning Santa a few times over before Kayla finally stirred and looked around. She mentioned his name through a yawn and Brody knew that she was going to be happy that she got to see him. Once she had a nap he was sure that he was all she was going to talk about. After all, their daughter really liked presents and he and Rachel had their work cut out for them in making her Christmas fantastic.
Rachel: When the parade was over the large crowd started to disperse and Rachel groaning knowing that it was going to be hell getting back to their apartment. Luckily they didn't live too far away. "Let's get out of here." She murmured knowing that at least the tourists were heading to the shops or restaurants around them leaving the locals to a little bit of breathing room.
Brody: With the parade over, everyone started to head out for the rest of the day and Rachel murmured that they should do the same. The crowds were going to be hell for awhile later, but at the end of the tunnel was heat and sleep so Brody knew that he could deal with everything else for awhile longer. He would just need to make sure that he led the way and kept Rachel and Kayla close so that he didn't lose them in the masses that were everywhere.
Rachel: She held on to Brody's hand as Kayla fell back asleep against her while they navigated through the crowd. Everyone was stalling and taking pictures making Rachel roll her eyes happy that they had got passed the tourist feeling from moving to the city. Once they were in the clear she sighed feeling much less claustrophobic and squeezed her husband's hand.
Brody: It took a few blocks before the crowds died down a little and Brody sighed in relief at not being so close to hundreds of other people. They were still a few blocks from their apartment and while normally he would just hail a cab, he knew that finding one today was going to be impossible so they were stuck walking the rest of the way as well.
Rachel: Their daughter slept comfortably as they made their way home and once they were in the door she sighed happily before going into Michaela's bedroom and gently getting her layers off of her and tucking her in. Once the toddler was safe in her own bed, Rachel went into the kitchen to get everything ready to start warming up slowly so that they could all eat once they were up from their naps.
Brody: It took around 20 minutes for the Weston family to get home and once they did, Rachel immediately took Kayla to settle the toddler into her own bed. Brody however, moved to strip out of his clothes before redressing into ones that were warm and would help him get more comfortable. He was ready to sleep for awhile but wanted to make sure that Rachel didn't need his help before he did.
Rachel: It didn't take too long for her to be satisfied with her dinner prep and had the turkey and tofurkey in the oven. Going into the bedroom she changed and smile at her husband before climbing into bed and setting her alarm. "When do you want to be up? About a hour and a half?" Rachel asked planning on being up sooner so that she didn't burn anything. "The food will be a couple hours."
Brody: Before he could even head to the kitchen to check on Rachel she was in the bedroom changing as well before crawling into bed. She asked when he wanted to be up and he nodded at her suggestion knowing that would hopefully be enough to get him going again with a little more energy. At least he wouldn't be sleepwalking like he had nearly been on the way home.
Rachel: She leaned over and kissed him softly before settling into the bed. "Let's get some rest, babe." Rachel whispered happy to have such a relaxing day with them and to be able to cook and just enjoy the day together. There was a lot that they were missing but she was so happy to be in the city with her husband and daughter that none of that mattered to her at all.
Brody: The bed was thankfully warm and Brody snuggled under the blankets to get comfortable before closing his eyes. The parade had been fun, though he didn't think he'd have the desire to go back anytime soon. Once was more than enough. Hopefully next year they would be back in Ohio for the holiday and able to avoid the craziness of NYC at Thanksgiving. It really was so much worse being here in peak tourist season.
Rachel: Rachel easily rested though she didn't go fully to sleep. It was comfortable though and she sighed and let the earliness of the day wash away from her system. She was starving though and as they slept she could smell the food cooking and groaned as it woke her up with her stomach rumbling screaming for food.
Brody: Brody passed out hard in the bed, clearly everything he'd been doing lately had caught up to him. Breaks weren't exactly breaks for him since he was still working at the studio and on stuff from class so that he would be in the same place as when he left without regressing. All of that on top of being a dad and husband eventually wore him to the bone and caused him to sleep like this.
Rachel: Rachel went into the kitchen and checked on the food before making herself a snack. She spent her free time working on her health and making sure that she was eating right and taking care of herself though that was hard to do when she was also chasing after their trouble making two year old It was going to be sad as always to go back to school and an even busier schedule than what she already had.
Brody: Aching muscles and a charlie horse were what finally woke Brody up. He hissed at the pain and did his best to massage the area to get the cramp to go away. He knew that he shouldn't be surprised by it, after all, cold and stress certainly didn't help and he'd had lots of both this morning. Once the strength came back he pulled himself out of bed and back to the bathroom before heading to see what Rachel was up to.
Rachel: "Hey." Rachel said as she cleaned up her snack and then cleaned off the table to get it set. She already knew she'd be going to sleep early later by how tired she was, having working on Thanksgiving for a good part of the week wanting it to be fun and perfect she hadn't got much sleep. It didn't help that it was a general thing for her to be restless at night with all the stress of finals coming off and her diet going off track.
Brody: Rubbing his eyes, Brody found Rachel cleaning up the table in the kitchen. He knew that she had been stressing needlessly over this and he sighed moving to her and pulling her into his arms. "Take a breather." He whispered softly into her ear as he nuzzled against her. Dinner was going to be just fine, of course it wouldn't be his own mother's but he would manage until he got that possibly next year.
Rachel: "Sorry." She whispered as she leaned back against him. "I tried to sleep early, but I'm not used to napping anymore. It'll be an early night, since I'm cooking and you're cleaning." Rachel said with a small laugh. "I'm kidding, of course. I can clean up." She didn't mind knowing that he'd probably end up going to bed early as well.
Brody: Rachel teased him about how she would go to bed early since he was going to be cleaning up from dinner and then she assured him that she was just kidding and that she would clean up too. "How about we clean up together." He offered not wanting her to feel like she had to do it herself but knowing that he really wouldn't want to have to take care of it after either. Splitting the work would be the best way to go about it.
Rachel: "I have been slaving over this dinner for two days, but we can clean up together." Rachel murmured as she pulled away from him to finish up what she had been doing and then check on the foods that were cooking. All that was left was for it all to finish and for the three of them to be ready to eat. "Go find a game to watch or something." She stated not wanting him to be hovering.
Brody: "You've been slaving by your own accord." He reminded her. She was the one that was so worked up about it all being perfect. She pulled away from him and started checking on things again telling him to find a game to watch or something. Nodding slightly, Brody moved back to the bedroom and turned the tv on, laying down and switching to the channel that would have the first game of the day. It had just started so he really hadn't missed anything.
Rachel: She just shrugged and moved on from it all just wanting to have a good day. She focused on her cooking and then on her place settings were perfect she went and checked on their sleeping daughter. Rachel sat at the edge of the bed and rubbed her back with a happy smile on her face. She was so perfect and Rachel was so in love with her.
Brody: As always, Brody got lost in the game, murmuring with every bad pass that the quarterback made. Sometimes he didn't see how these players had even made it this far when he could throw those routes without a problem. He knew that the opposition was different but still, they were mistakes that shouldn't be made. It was all he could do not to yell at moments, knowing that his exhausted little girl was still sleeping in the room next door.
Rachel: Kayla woke up and had Rachel lay down with her, which Rachel happily did. "I love you, baby." She whispered as Michaela whispered "momma" to her as she cuddled into her side. She really was the most precious thing and it was hard to think that in just four months she would be turning three years old.
Brody: At halftime, Brody got up to stretch and get something to drink since he really hadn't had anything since returning home from the parade. While he was up he went in search of Rachel since she wasn't in the kitchen or living room of their place. He found her cuddled up with their daughter who was murmuring softly to her and he couldn't help but smile. Those two girls were really the best thing that had ever happened to him, even with all the negative experiences they'd had the past few years.
Rachel: She felt a presence and turned to look at her husband standing in the doorway looking at them. Smiling at him she grinned as Kayla pulled her back obviously not down cuddling and talking with her yet. Their daughter was so smart and already knew so much that it was amazing to just lay in bed with her and listen to her talk about what she thought was important right now, even if it was just the two of them counting or working on her ABCs.
Brody: Clearly his girls were okay and so Brody moved back out of the room and peeked in on dinner, since he was starting to get hungry and they hadn't had lunch. Thankfully he knew Rachel was planning on an early dinner, so he was good and didn't go digging for a snack like he otherwise would have. He could wait, he just needed to get out of the kitchen so the temptation was gone.
Rachel: She and Kayla continued to lay in bed for a little bit longer until the toddler said that she was hungry. Rachel nodded because so was she and got out of the bed and helped her princess get cleaned up before sending her off to her father. "The food should be done, babe." She stated as she went into the kitchen to get the servingware out and began to set the table with their dinner.
Brody: Brody had settled back into bed and was watching the third quarter progress when Kayla bounded into the room and murmured to him about dinner. Rachel's voice soon followed and he groaned softly as he got up and picked up Michaela whose arms were in the air waiting for him. "Did you have a good nap?" He asked her and she nodded softly into his neck as she cuddled against him. Moments like these were the best part about being a parent.
Rachel: As always their daughter was probably more energetic and awake than Brody and Rachel combined. She smiled as she got everything perfected as they came into the kitchen area. "I'm starving so let's get settled down and eat." She murmured as she poured their drinks and then say down to get Michaela's plate ready for her as she told her what she wanted to eat. "And pie!" The little one squealed and Rachel laughed and shook her head. "After you finish your dinner, princess."
Brody: By the time they reached the kitchen, there was tons of food on the table waiting for them. Rachel declared that she was starving and ready to eat and Brody nodded, settling Kayla into her chair before sitting down himself. As Rachel made a plate for the toddler, he worked on his own and couldn't help but chuckle when Kayla added that she wanted pie. "Desert definitely needs to wait until after." He agreed though he was sure that he wouldn't be ready for it for at least an hour after eating.
Rachel: Their daughter pouted but nodded as she sat down properly in her seat as Rachel placed the plate in front of her before finally working on her own. She had fixed smaller portions of a variety of foods knowing that it was all their holiday favorites but didn't want to make an abundance of each because it would all go to waste. She was proud of what she had put together and how well it turned out.
Brody: While their vegan leaning thanksgiving wasn't exactly perfect in Brody's eyes, the food was still pretty good and he knew that he would end up eating way too much of it. Kayla certainly seemed to be having a blast and he couldn't help but smile at her antics, she was absolutely something. "Dinner is great, thanks Rach." He murmured knowing that she really did need his gratitude for everything.
Rachel: "You're welcome." Rachel said as she smiled at him lovingly. Kayla giggled and clapped her hands. "Thanks mommy." Getting up she kissed her daughter. "Thank you babygirl." She murmured before pouring herself some more wine and then sitting back down to continue eating. She was enjoying her dinner and knew she'd be regretting eating so much after keeping such a strict diet.
Brody: Their daughter echoed his thanks in her own way and Brody smiled as he continued to eat, loading his plate with seconds when he was finished. He knew that his body would hate him if he didn't work out after this but the extra calories really wouldn't do him any harm in the long run, after all, he was so active that he had to eat like crazy on a normal day anyway.
Rachel: She piled more food on her plate regretting as she went but couldn't help it. Thanksgiving was her favorite holiday and she thought she deserved to splurge. "I won't be eating anything for two days after this." Rachel said almost seriously though she knew Brody would kill her if she even attempted that. It was so much food though and while it was so good and most of it was healthy anyways it was more food than she ever ate on a daily basis.
Brody: As Rachel got more food she declared that she wouldn't be eating for two days after this. Glaring at her softly, Brody could only hope that she was kidding, though if she wasn't he would kick her butt. Yes there was a lot of food here but that didn't mean that she could starve herself the next few days, that wasn't at all a healthy habit and he needed her to take care of herself.
Rachel: "Don't look at me like that." Rachel said as she sent him a glare back. "I'm not actually going to, I just should because I haven't ate this much food in months." She said with a small shrug as Kayla asked for more food and Rachel gladly fixed her plate up for her. "You're welcome princess." She smiled when she got a happy thank you.
Brody: Rachel told him not to look at her like that and then declared that she wasn't actually going to even if she should. "Food is good for you. It helps your body function." He reminded her. "And yes it's okay to indulge occasionally." Yes there was a lot of food but none of it was really all that bad for them, especially because it was made vegan.
Rachel: "I don't like indulging." Rachel said before taking a bite of her seconds and then sighing because it was hard to feel guilty when it was all so good. It wasn't a meal compared with her fathers, but it was something. "Can you believe that this is our third Thanksgiving together?" She asked as she smiled at him. Their very first was way back when Kayla was still growing inside of her.
Brody: Brody sometimes wondered how he could get Rachel to understand that it was okay to be good with food. Part of him was tempted to see if there was a nutrition class at NYADA and to pressure her to sign up for it so that all of this wouldn't come back to bite her in the butt when she was pursuing her career. She mentioned this being their third Thanksgiving together and he smiled. "Try fourth babe." He corrected. They had spent their first with her pregnant in her junior year and then there had been two in between then and now.
Rachel: She thought about it for a moment before finally smiling. "Four Thanksgivings together, I don't know how I managed to forget even one of them." Rachel beamed so happy to have spent so many years with him because they had all really been so wonderful that she couldn't believe it at all. Leaning over she kissed him just because before sitting back in her seat. "I love you."
Brody: Rachel seemed so excited at the idea that they had really been together so long and Brody couldn't help but smile at her. Quickly she leaned over to kiss him and Brody returned the action softly before taking another bite of his food. "I love you too." He replied. "Though the fact that I married you should speak for itself." He teased. He certainly wouldn't have done that if he didn't love her with every fiber of his being.
Rachel: "One month shy of a year of marriage." Rachel said with a smile. The last year had flown by and she really did feel like she was more in love with him than ever. They had been through so much that she really just knew he was the one for her still. No matter how many fights they had, he was still the one for her and would always be.
Brody: There were just a month shy of their first anniversary as well as Christmas and this was really going to be the first test of sharing both events. He wasn't sure just yet how they were going to do it but he knew that they would be in Ohio and that they would figure it out when it came time. He'd already picked up Rachel's gift for that so at least he didn't have to worry about making sure he didn't forget.
Rachel: She went back to eating before she didn't feel like she could eat anymore and then stood up to start cleaning up. Thankfully she had done her best to not make a big mess so really just their plates and utensils and what the food was on was all that would need cleaned. "I need a long nap." Rachel said as she yawned, truly exhausted from all the work she had done.
Brody: Rachel finished before him and got up to start the cleaning process. She yawned as she did and declared that she needed a long nap. "Pretty sure that's not a good idea." He declared shaking his head. "If you do that then you aren't going to be able to sleep tonight." That wouldn't be good if she was stir crazy later from sleeping too much throughout the day.
Rachel: "Babe, I'm exhuasted." Rachel said as she cleaned up her plate and put it in the dishwasher. "I didn't sleep earlier anyways and if this kitchen is getting cleaned at all, I need the energy to do so." She murmured really wanting to just go and lay down because she truly felt terrible from how exhausted she was and the last thing she needed was to get sick from it.
Brody: Rachel declared that she was exhausted and that she needed energy if the kitchen was going to get cleaned. Pushing his plate aside for the moment, Brody moved over to her and kissed her head. "Go lay down while Kayla and I finish eating and then we'll wake you up for family cleaning time and dessert." It wouldn't be a long nap but it would be something and would hopefully help her.
Rachel: She nodded and gave him a quick peck on the lips before going into their bedroom and laying down. She really was exhausted from the parade and everything so just being able to lay down for a few minutes at least help her a little bit, though she hoped it wouldn't make her more tired than she already was.
Brody: With a kiss, Rachel disappeared and Brody focused back on his food and their daughter who was sitting next to him. He knew that he couldn't let Rachel sleep too long but a small nap surely couldn't hurt. When they both finished a few minutes later, Brody sent Kayla to watch tv and he quickly cleaned up the rest of the dishes and put all of the leftovers away for later lunches and such.
Rachel: Rachel tucked herself under the warm pile of covers and sighed contently at how comforting the heaviness and warmth was against her body. It didn't take her long to fall asleep completely blissed to be able to lay down and get some much needed rest that she really didn't get to do often. With a toddler who was becoming more adamant every day about naps, a little bit alone time for her own rest was always welcomed.
Brody: Kayla sat quietly knowing that her daddy meant business when he told her to be good or she wouldn't get any dessert. Still, he could hear her humming to herself quietly as she snuggled on the couch with one of the fluffiest blankets they owned and a cat resting behind her head. "Can we watch football until it's time to wake mommy up?" He asked her knowing that even if she said no, he was going to take control of the tv anyway, she would just have to deal. With a dramatic sigh, Kayla nodded and moved to curl up against him as he settled onto the couch. They relaxed there for awhile until Brody looked at the clock and knew that he needed to go wake Rachel. Sliding out from his daughter's snuggles, he slipped back to the bedroom and leaned down to kiss Rachel's head.
Rachel: Rachel enjoyed her nap until it was interrupted by Brody's lips against her forehead. "This is so unfair." She mumbled as she rolled over away from him. If she wanted to nap she felt as if she had the right to do just that and did not want to get up if she didn't wish to just yet. "Go away, I'll get up in a few minutes."
Brody: Rachel rolled away from him mumbling about the unfairness of it all and Brody just chuckled softly at his wife's antics. She declared that she would get up in a few minutes and he sat on the edge of the bed, reaching to rub her back. "Kayla is waiting for her mommy to have dessert. Daddy told her that we had to wait since mommy was the one that put all the hard work into making it."
Rachel: She hummed in response before slowly sitting up and stretching. "Okay." Rachel said with a yawn as she got off of the bed and walked out of the room. "Okay, sweetpea, let's get some dessert." She stated and Kayla immediately bounded off of the couch and towards her and into her arms excitedly. "Pie mommy, pie!" The two year squealed and Rachel laughed and nodded as she took her into the kitchen and sat her down.
Brody: That seemed to work and Rachel sat up to stretch before getting up. The moment she walked out of the room and told their daughter that they could have dessert the two year old was bounding off the couch and over to her. He had never seen someone so excited about pie and he shook his head while laughing at the way she was acting. "You'd think that we were offering her a pony or something." He whispered in Rachel's ear when he got close enough.
Rachel: Rachel laughed and just shook her head. Their daughter was just an energetic little girl like her mommy and that was all there was to it. It wasn't any surprise that she was excited over dessert and Rachel truly enjoyed watching her bounce over the treats they had been working on. She cut her a piece of the pie she knew she wanted and added a small cookie as well before sitting it in front of her to enjoy. "There you go, princess."
Brody: Though Brody wasn't all that hungry and didn't have much of a sweet tooth, he still took a tiny sliver of each pie that Rachel had made just to get a taste. He was sure in the coming days he would have more, but right now it just really didn't appeal to him all that much. He'd rather just sit back and relax then overstuff himself even more than he already had and make himself sick.
Rachel: Rachel wasn't going to eat any of the desserts because of her own diet and the rarity she ever had anything sweet. She just couldn't do it, after so long of refusing she couldn't really even eat anything sweet anymore with it making her sick. It was okay with her though, it was important to her that she stayed fit and at a certain range of health and no dessert was a part of that.
Brody: There were things about Rachel's diet that after all this time Brody still didn't get. How she completely avoided sweets was one of them. He would go completely crazy if he even tried it. Still, he knew better than to say anything or try to pressure her into just enjoying and forgetting about her health for just a few minutes. It was a waste of time and he would rather enjoy his food before settling in to watch the rest of the football game.
Rachel: Rachel worked on cleaning up as her two loves ate their dessert. The more she got done now the less she would have to do later and she really did want to relax and not have to worry about much else. Once she was as done as she was going to get with Brody and Kayla still eating she went into the living room and started to go through the Black Friday ads.
Brody: Brody saw Rachel moving around the kitchen though he wasn't sure what exactly she had found to clean since he had already taken care of the dishes and everything while she was asleep. Still, it only took him a few minutes to finish his pie and once his plate was clean he moved to settle back in front of the tv, blanket draped over his lap as he settled in to relax.
Rachel: Brody soon joined her on the couch as she looked through the ads as Michaela climbed into her lap and started to point at the toys she wanted. "We'll see what Santa thinks, Princess. Have you been a good enough girl?" She asked though the little one was very known for her attitude and her tantrums.
Brody: It didn't take long for their daughter to crawl up next to her mommy and start babbling about all of the toys that she wanted. Brody knew that though she was certainly spoiled that they would have to teach her that she didn't need everything. He and Rachel had already done a lot of her Christmas shopping and he knew that their families had already gotten started as well. Brody himself was partial to getting their daughter the things she needed and educational toys with only a few others thrown into the mix.
Rachel: Rachel kissed Michaela's head and continued to look through her ads, marking things she wanted to buy though she was planning on doing more online than anything. Both Kurt and Claire had wanted her up early but she had declined the shopping experience knowing it would be incredibly exhausting when she had so much to do before school return to session on Monday.
Brody: The game was not exactly one he cared about but Brody still enjoyed watching it. He really couldn't wait until they were back in Ohio and he could steal a few of Rachel's friends to have a small game with him, snow or not. Eventually, Kayla got bored of looking over Rachel's shoulder at clothes and such and moved over to cuddle against him, babbling about the game and anything related that came to mind.
Rachel: Once Rachel had a general list for her outing the next day she put the flyers back on the table and got up to get herself a mug of tea to help the chill that was settling in the room. Looking out the window she saw it starting to snow for the first time in a couple weeks and smiled. "Princess, come here." She called out and when the little feet hit the floor and she heard them pattering towards her she lifted her up to show her. "SNOW!" Michaela exclaimed.
Brody: Cuddle time didn't last long when Rachel called for their daughter after moving to the kitchen. Her little feet ran across the floor and then she exclaimed that there was snow. Brody didn't even want to think about that cold stuff, but at least he didn't have anywhere to be until Monday so he could spend a few days relaxing and just doing whatever he needed to in the house.
Rachel: Rachel and Kayla watched it snow before she put the toddler down and she ran into the living room and jumped onto the couch excited about the snow. Being in the city she had no idea exactly what being around snow meant but it was always so cute to watch her get excited about the snow falling by the window.
Brody: "Omphf" Brody murmured when the couch sank under the weight of the toddler who that thrown herself back on it after being put down by her mommy. She always got so excited about the snow, though he knew that she didn't even understand half the point of it. Here in the city, snow days weren't nearly as common as they were in Ohio since no one really traveled by car anyway.
Rachel: Rachel made her way back to the living room and sat in the chair and checked her messages and sending well wishes to everyone on their Thanksgiving. It was a perfect one on their end and she sighed happily as she wrapped a throw blanket around her and did her best to ignore the football game in the background since she didn't care about it at all.
Brody: It didn't take long for their little girl to start babbling about the game again, her attention able to snap back quickly and pick up right where she left off. He knew that Rachel wasn't at all interested in it but she seemed to be lost in her phone anyway so there was no point in changing channels when he and Michaela were both enjoying it.
Rachel: After awhile Rachel gave up being in the living room when it was just sports and her husband and daughter ignoring her and went into the bedroom and laid back down with a book. It would better pass her time and wouldn't cause her to fall asleep which would help not have Brody forcing her to stay awake when she really didn't want to be.
Brody: Rachel eventually left Kayla and Brody to themselves to watch the game. Brody couldn't help but smile, he loved sharing this with his daughter even if he had no inklings that she would actually want to play sports. Watching her just enjoy something that he did as well was always so special to him. By the time the game ended though, Kayla was asleep on his chest and snoring softly, clearly worn out by the excitement of the day.
Rachel: Rachel got up and went into the living room seeing Michaela asleep. Smiling at her husband she sat by him and rubbed the sweet little girls back. "It's been a long day. We're all going to sleep well tonight." She whispered knowing that she definitely was going to sleep good because she more than exhausted even after her nap.
Brody just watched his daughter sleep against him until Rachel appeared and sat next to him, her hand rubbing the little girl's back. "Definitely going to sleep well tonight and into the morning.” He had no plans on going anywhere, not when the city was going to be absolutely mad with shoppers trying to get those deals. "She's perfect." He couldn't help but whisper after a moment. "If there's one thing I'm thankful for it's you and her."
Rachel smiled and leaned over and kissed him. "I love you. I'm always so thankful for the both of you." She whispered as she ran her hand through his hair and kissed him again. "Come on, let's get her changed and tucked into bed and then lay down and enjoy ourselves for a little bit." There wasn't nothing more that she loved than the two of them spending quality time together.
Brody: Immediately, Rachel leaned over and kissed him, running her fingers through his hair. She suggested that they put their daughter to bed and head to lay down and relax themselves and Brody nodded. "I could go for kissing my wife for awhile." He declared. He wasn't necessarily looking for any more than that, he just wanted to put past all the stress they were both under and just focus on their relationship and each other for awhile.
Rachel: She grinned and got up and helped him with their daughter so that she didn't wake up in the move. Though she was a pretty dead sleeper, it was always the times that they didn't want her to wake up that she would and then refused to go back to sleep for hours. Going into the toddlers bedroom she got out warm pajamas to help fight against the cooling apartment. "We need to turn the heat up some."
Brody: It didn't take too long for them to enter the toddler's room and successfully settle her into warm pajamas. Rachel mentioned needing to turn the heat up and Brody nodded knowing that she was right. "I bought plastic to cover the windows and help with that but I'll need you to help me get it up tomorrow." He declared. It would make a huge difference in their heating and he was going to do everything he could to try and keep their energy bill low. "And I think we should get electric blankets for winter so we can turn the heat down at night and try to save there."
Rachel: "Wouldn't that use the same amount of energy?" Rachel asked not sure if that would really help in the long run or not, she loved electric blankets so it wasn't that she was going to turn that down even without turning down the heat. Taking his hand she looked at their daughter once more before shutting off the light and turning on her nightlight. "Let's go to our bed."
Brody: "Nope. It's heating the space needed and not all the spaces that are unneeded. Far less energy." He'd done quite a bit of research about it and talked to his dad because he knew that they needed to save money anywhere they could especially with the cold winter temperatures. Of course they had their generator for emergencies but that really didn't help with long term electric savings. They left Michaela's room and Rachel mentioned going to their own bed. After stopping to make sure that everything was locked up and turned off, he followed after her and yawned slightly.
Rachel: She changed into shorts and a long sleeve shirt, her legs always got hot, before climbing into the bed with a yawn. It had been a great holiday and she was more than happy that they had spent it in New York. "I am going to go out tomorrow, but not really early in the morning." Rachel said as she turned down the covers to get more comfortable.
Brody: Rachel mentioned going out the next day, though not early and Brody nodded. "You know your budget right?" He teased. She really couldn't spend too much, they needed to be a little better about all of that even though it was hard. College and raising a family was expensive even with all the help they were getting and extravagances just weren't something that they could really swing no matter how big the deal.
Rachel: "I know, and I promise to not go over it." She had made a precise list of what she was buying and how much it was all going to cost. There was no way she was going to go over the budget unless there really was something big that needed to be bought, but she was positive that there wouldn't be. She was knocking out almost all of their Christmas shopping though so that they wouldn't have to worry about anything but wrapping it all.
Brody: Laying next to his wife she promised that she wouldn't go over her budget. After looking at her carefully, he nodded and groaned softly as he rolled onto his back. For some reason today was more exhausting than any day that I can remember and we have a toddler." He declared shaking his head. It was just hitting him now how tired he was even after a nap.
Rachel: She rolled over to him and kissed him softly. "Go to sleep, babe. I'll make us breakfast in the morning before I leave." Rachel murmured knowing that he and Kayla would be fine by themselves while she shopped. "I love you." She said as she kissed him again. She was exhausted as well though she was likely to be up for a little while longer.
Brody: For a long moment while Rachel kissed him Brody only blinked before finally responding. She murmured for him to go to sleep and that she would make breakfast in the morning before heading out. He knew that he and Kayla would find something to do while she was gone and he nodded just glad that he wasn't being forced to go out with her. Staying home and relaxing was exactly what he needed.
Rachel: Rachel kissed him again before sinking into the bed and she closed her eyes to fall asleep. She needed to let her body rejuvenate from the entire day so that she could function the next day and be ready to go back to class on Monday. Though she didn't fall asleep she curled up and did her best to relax until she could do so.
Notes: Rachel and Brody have another fight but end up working things out.
Rachel: It had been an absolutely frustrating day for Rachel. NYADA was doing some sort of evaluation day for the professors so the students didn't have to attend which was good. It gave Rachel a full day with her toddler and allowed the two of them to get some much needed time together. She also had an entire list of things to do. By noon everything had gone wrong. Michaela was being the devil getting into everything and absolutely not listening no matter how many times Rachel had put her in time out, by 1pm the total was to 4 times. "Michaela Avigail if you do not stop.." Rachel mumbled under her breathe as she collapsed on the couch giving up going through her dance routine and thinking that maybe she could get some sort of her studying done for her English class. Picking up her book she discovered that every single one of her papers had been torn out of their spots. Counting to ten she looked at the clock thankful that Brody should be walking through the door at anytime now. "Kayla, what did you do to mommy's things?" Rachel asked and Kayla looked at her and shrugged before going back to her toys. "Kayla, you know better than this. Come help me, please." Looking over at her daughter who stood up. "Kiss my butt." The 2 year old said making Rachel gasp as the little one walked into her room. Just then Brody came into the apartment and Rachel looked at him mouth agape before finding her words and standing up. "Okay, your daughter is a hellion today. It is now your turn to deal with her." She greeted as she picked up her books. "It's been 4 time outs, 5 tantrums, and now telling me to kiss her butt.. Your turn." Pecking his lips she went into their bedroom and closed the door needing a break from motherhood.
Brody: Rachel had the day off of classes but sadly Brody did not and so he was up at his usual time and heading across town in the cold. He really wished that he didn't have to but sadly that wasn't an option. By the time he'd finished classes and work and was heading home he was ready for a nap, though he knew he wouldn't get one. The moment he walked in the door he could tell that something was amiss and Rachel quickly declared that their daughter was being bad and that it was his turn to deal with her. She moved and pecked his lips before leaving the room and Brody sighed before going to deal with their daughter. "I hear that you've been bad today." He declared, standing with his hands on his hips at Kayla's door. She just shrugged at him and continued to tear her room apart. "Well you better change that attitude fast." He stated shaking his head. "Mommy won't smack your butt but daddy will." He knew that sometimes, a good spanking was needed and though Rachel wasn't fond of it as a punishment he knew that right now, it might do the trick.
Rachel: She was seconds from crying as she entered the bedroom and laid down her books being forgotten as she groaned and covered her face with the pillow. She had been so excited to spend the day with her daughter, something that she really rarely got to do even on the weekends lately. The day had not turned out how she wanted and she hated how her daughter was acting even if she knew she wasn't as hard on her as Brody would be, she had did everything to get her to settle down.
Brody: When Kayla didn't stop, Brody moved over to her and smacked her butt once to try and get the message across. When she hit him in reply, he quickly moved to sit on her bed and proceeded to smack her, not overly hard, but enough that she was crying after a few minutes. "Okay. I be good." She whimpered and then he stopped, sitting her up to look at him. "Go apologize to your mommy and then you're going to help clean up all the messes you made. You hear me." She nodded and whimpered and went toddling off when he put her down.
Rachel: Rachel heard him smack her and their daughters screams for a few minutes until she finally settled down. She knocked on the door when she couldn't get it open and Rachel got up and opened it to their still crying daughter. "Sowwy." Kayla cried as she clung to her leg. Picking her up she kissed her head and rubbed her back. "You can't be bad, Michaela. Mommy doesn't like being mad at you." She soothed before putting her down when Brody came towards them. "Go do as you daddy said." She stated and the little girl nodded before running off crying to the living room. Sighing she walked towards her husband and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you."
Brody: He moved and watched as Kayla knocked on the door and then clung to her mommy when Rachel opened it. Moving to them after a minute, she instructed their daughter to do what he had said and then his wife's arms were around him. "Welcome. I know you don't necessarily approve of spanking but on rare occasions it's necessary." It was something that he could only remember doing maybe once before and he knew that told their daughter that she really needed to clean up her act because what she was doing was unacceptable.
Rachel: "I know." Rachel whispered as she wiped her eyes as tears spilled over. "I need a minute and then I'll be out. I'm going to unscramble the mess she made of my English Comp book." She said softly as she looked at the little girl who was pouting as she slowly picked up her mess in the living room. It was days like today that made her question how good of a mother she was, she couldn't get Kayla to settle down at all and was against spanking. She'd never forgive herself if she spanked her daughter, the thought made her sick.
Brody: Rachel was crying and she mentioned that she needed a minute and that she would be back out. Pulling her gently into his arms he kissed her head before letting her head back into their room. Kayla was pouting, but she was picking up her mess and that was really all he could ask for. He knew that sometimes their daughter misbehaved and that it was a fact of life. It was their job to make sure that she knew when she was being unacceptable and that a spanking may leave her sore for a little while but that it wouldn't do any permanent damage.
Rachel: She gave him a small smile before going back and laying down. Rubbing her face she sighed and sat back up and went through her papers and got them organized again so that she could maybe get some work done if they could get Kayla to go down for an afternoon nap. After a few minutes she went back out and sat in the chair and watched as Kayla picked up her mess and Brody helped her a little.
Brody: Knowing that Rachel needed some time, Brody just moved to get himself a drink before helping their daughter a little bit. She was a force at times but it seemed like now she might finally go down for a nap. He could see her rubbing her eyes occasionally and she was quiet which was not something that they were used to. Rachel had come out and sat in the chair a little while ago and after a moment he moved to pick their daughter up, rubbing her back. "Go sit with mommy and let her rock you to sleep." He murmured, getting a soft 'okay' in reply. It seemed like she knew better than to mess or fight with him right now. Carrying her over to Rachel he sighed and handed her off before going to work on cleaning up the rest of the mess.
Rachel: Rachel took her into her arms and rubbed her back as she rocked her softly. "Love you, baby girl." She whispered and then smiled when she got a kiss and a love you in return. No matter how mad she could get with her baby girl nothing would ever change how quickly her heart melted when she just held her. "Sing." Kayla said and Rachel grinned and nodded as she started to sing one of their songs.
Brody: He smiled as Kayla asked for her mommy to sing to her and Brody just finished picking things up in the apartment because he couldn't stand it looking like a sty. He was glad that things had settled down a bit because maybe now he would get his nap while Kayla did the same. He was tired and could use a short rest now that things seemed to be a little better.
Rachel: She continued to sing to her daughter until she was asleep against her. Sighing happily that she was asleep she got up and put her into her bed before quickly picking up the mess that was her room. "Your daughter is exhausting." Rachel stated as she walked into the living room and collapsed on the couch with a groan. "I had such a great day planned for us but that was how she woke up this morning."
Brody: Rachel took and put their daughter to bed and after a few minutes came out and flopped onto the couch claiming that his daughter was exhausting. "I love how you say that...." He trailed off. He found it funny that she was his daughter when she misbehaved and yet she didn't have any of his DNA nor was he the one to knock Rachel up. He wasn't sure how that made any sense.
Rachel: Rachel laughed a little and shook her head before breaking into a fit of giggles. "You should have heard her! She was so serious! 'kiss my butt' how did she learn that?" It was so funny now that she thought of it or it was just that she was so tired and needed a release from her frustrating day with their daughter.
Brody: Suddenly Rachel was full out laughing and Jesse just shook his head at her not sure what to do. "Daycare I'd assume." He said raising an eyebrow. Moving over to her he reached out a hand and pulled her up. "Come lay down with me. I had a long day and I want to cuddle with my wife since we have some quiet time." He knew there were probably other things she wanted to do but they could wait because right now he wanted her with him.
Rachel: She sighed and took his hand and kissed him quickly before nodding. "For a little bit." Rachel stated having an entire day of homework to catch up on since she didn't get a chance to do any of it. "Let's order out for dinner, I'm not sure if I feel like cooking tonight." She murmured really needing to do homework instead of cooking and maybe hang out with their daughter if she was in a better modd.
Brody: Thankfully Rachel agreed to lay with him for a little while before suggesting that they order out for dinner. It was totally understandable that she didn't want to cook tonight so he nodded. They'd figure it out closer to dinner. Right now he just wanted to lay with her so that they could both relax before they had to worry about their daughter being up and about again.
Rachel: Rachel laid down on the bed exhaustion hitting her as her head hit the pillow. "Thank you for coming home when you did. I was about to break." She said softly still hating that she couldn't handle their daughter but after a full day of it she couldn't help it. Michaela just wouldn't listen to her no matter what she did
Brody: "Hey...you don't have to thank me." He murmured. It wasn't like she had texted him to come home early or anything. "Sometimes she can definitely be a handful but I have no doubt that you would have been able to handle it." She was the best mom and he knew that though she had rough days things would always be okay in the end.
Rachel: "I guess." Rachel said softly as she pulled the covers over her and closed her eyes wanting to sleep the day off because it was putting her into a mood and Brody didn't deserve to deal with that. "Let's just nap for a while and then focus on tonight later." She whispered as she tried to relax herself to the point where she could fall asleep.
Brody: "Let's nap." He agreed letting her tug the blankets over them. He could tell that she was upset and he hated that there was really nothing he could do. For now he just needed to hold her and make sure she knew that things were really okay. Hopefully after sleeping for a little while she'd feel better. Kissing her temple he just rubbed his thumb over her hip, doing his best to soothe her.
Rachel: His touch helped her settle down and it only took her a few minutes until she was falling asleep. Sleep was what she needed and she fell into a deep sleep that was more than what she had expected. After spending the day trying to get their daughter to settle down while trying to be a good student she knew she needed the long sleep she was in for.
Brody: When Rachel fell asleep in his arms, Brody let out a soft sigh of relief. He knew that he would only be able to cat nap, needing to keep an ear out for their daughter but it was clear that Rachel needed the rest more than he did so he was going to let her have it. She was absolutely beautiful asleep and he kissed her head before closing his eyes to at least doze off.
Rachel: She woke up a while later unaware of how long she had slept but felt a lot better besides a headache that had sprouted. "Is baby girl not up yet?" Rachel whispered to Brody was was still laying beside of her. She hoped that she was still asleep and not somewhere making a mess or even better playing quietly in her room with her toys or the cat.
Brody: When Rachel stirred he'd just gotten back from checking on their daughter who was curled up in bed with Stella, still asleep. "Nope. She wore herself out today." He murmured though part of him was wondering if their daughter was getting sick and that was why she had been acting out. He knew that it happened, changes in behavior could be tied to the body fighting something.
Rachel: "Good." She murmured as she closed her eyes again. "Grab me my pain killer please?" Rachel asked as she rubbed her temple. "I need to get up and get this work done but my head is not happy with me." She stated as she sat up slowly and leaned her head against the headboard. "What about Mexican tonight? I want a burrito."
Brody: After a moment she asked for pain killers and Brody moved to grab her some along with water. She mentioned Mexican for dinner and he couldn't help but crinkle his nose up at her because that didn't at all sound good to him. He needed something less greasy and spicy after the day he'd had. "I was thinking more diner food, chicken, corn, mashed potatoes."
Rachel: "That doesn't sounds good either." Rachel stated as took the medicine. Thinking about it she finally nodded. "I guess that's fine. A veggie burger isn't a burrito but I can get one tomorrow for lunch." She said as she twisted her hair between her fingers before getting up and pulling a sweatshirt over her and then going to check on their daughter. She was adorable and she said on the little bed and ran her fingers over her hair. "You're so beautiful."
Brody: His suggestion didn't sound good to Rachel but after a moment she declared that was fine. Nodding he watched her get up and move to their daughter and he smiled hearing her talk to the sleeping little girl. He absolutely loved being a dad despite how hard it was sometimes. Tomorrow was going to be painful, he had a bad feeling, but he would just have to go with whatever came.
Rachel: Kayla woke up and smiled at her as she touched her face. "Are you feeling better, princess? No more being mean?" She asked and Kayla pouted and nodded like she knew she was still in trouble. Laying beside of her she kissed her head and pulled her close. "Mommy loves you but you can't be bad like that again."
Brody: Letting Rachel have some time with their daughter, Brody located the menu for the local diner so that when they were both ready, they could order food. He was starting to get hungry after his busy day and knowing that he couldn't wait, he reached for a protein bar to help keep him from getting too tired or sick. It was just something that he had gotten used to with his lifestyle.
Rachel: She cuddled with the baby girl until she wanted to move and she picked her up and carried her into the living room. "We're playing nicely tonight, Michaela. Do not make a mess." Rachel said and she nodded and kissed her before asking to be put down where she then ran off to play with the cat. "Our little girl has returned from her evil twin that possessed her this morning.
Brody: He smiled when they returned to the living room and Kayla ran off to play with the cat. "That's good." He declared. He was not happy that it took a spanking to do it but she was back and that was really all that mattered. "Wasn't sure what you wanted to order." He murmured as he finished off the bar and tossed the wrapper in the trash. Now he would be good until food arrived.
Rachel: She took the menu and sighed none of it really looking appetizing at all. "I'll cheat and get the mozzarella sticks and try and even it out with a salad." Rachel said as she gave it back and looked back at their daughter. "Princess what do you want to eat?" She asked as Kayla looked up at her. "Mac Cheese!" Nodding she looked at Brody. "There you go. Are you going to pick it up? Maybe we should pick up some pedialyte and emergen-c just in case. It's that time of the year and my headache paired with her mood this morning is not going to be pretty if she ends up sick or I do."
Brody: Rachel decided what she wanted and then asked their daughter who was quick with an answer. She asked if he was going to pick it up and mentioned getting a few things in case they got sick and he nodded, kissing her softly. "I'll be back in a bit." He murmured. He would call in the order, swing to the store for a few things and then pick it up on the way back.
Rachel: "Okay." She whispered before grabbing her books and going into the living room. Kayla moved beside her clearly wanting to really apologize for her actions by being cuddly and making it up with her. Kissing her head she turned on some cartoons and then delved into her notes for the test she had the next day that she wasn't prepared for at all now that she was behind.
Brody: It didn't take him long to take care of everything and soon he was walking back in the door to find Kayla cuddling Rachel while the latter studied. "Food's here." He murmured, setting the bags on the counter before turning back to close and lock the door. He'd picked up fresh bottles of medicine and everything so if there was an illness coming at least they could start treating it quickly.
Rachel: She nodded at him but held out a finger since she wanted to finish what she was doing. "Go wash your hands and then go to the table." Rachel told Kayla who nodded and ran into the bathroom for Brody to help her. Rotating her neck, she looked back at the book still scribbling notes for another ten minutes before finally getting up to join her family to eat.
Brody: It was clear that Rachel wasn't ready but she directed their daughter to go wash up and then move to the table. He helped their daughter in the bathroom before serving her her food and getting his and Rachel's ready. They were almost done though before she joined them and he kissed her head. "You okay?" He asked her wanting to make sure that things hadn't been a problem and that she was good now.
Rachel: "Yeah, I just wanted to finish that chapter before I took a break." Rachel said as she kissed his head and sat down to eat her own food. "It's going to be a long night, but I am determined to ace this test tomorrow." She was a good student and while she had accepted that she wasn't going to get an A every time she was doing her best to juggle it all.
Brody: He nodded when she mentioned wanting to finish a chapter and then sat down. "As long as I can get you to bed at a reasonable hour." He murmured. There was no point in her studying too late and not sleeping because being tired was worse than not getting the extra studying in because it caused you to forget everything you had studied.
Rachel: "I'll be fine, my love." Rachel said as she worked on her salad while Kayla reached over from her chair and stole a mozzarella stick from her. "Hey!" She said and Kayla just giggled and hid her face so cutely. "I got behind today because of this little stinker so I need to catch up tonight, I promise to get sleep tonight. You are not staying up to babysit me though."
Brody: She assured him that she would be fine, but he knew that she would overwork herself if he didn't stop her. Kayla stole a mozzarella stick and Rachel made an exclamation that just made their daughter giggle. "I'll stay up if I want to stay up." He declared. "You know I don't sleep all that well without you in bed with me anyway." It wasn't like he would be getting great rest even if he went to bed.
Rachel: She just smiled and shook her head. "Okay, you can lay on the couch with me then." Rachel suggested just wanting him to relax and not worry about her. He really did that too much when she was fine and it wan't really necessary. Sure she did the same with her but she had a plan for her studying so that it would be okay. "I didn't do so hot on the last test and I need to do exceptionally well on this one to keep my grade up, okay?"
Brody: Thankfully she gave in to him resting on the couch with her. That was all he asked and he nodded going back to his food. "You'll do fine." He assured her. There was no reason that she wouldn't. She was smart and worked hard and really, studying was only reviewing what you should already know. At this point either you knew it or you didn't.
Rachel: "It's a creative writing class, babe and we're doing this memorization section with this test and it's not my strong suit." Rachel stated with a small shrug. "I just need to go through these chapters and get through it tonight. My writing assignments need work as well so these tests are carrying my grade."
Brody: Rachel explained the class and he nodded. "You'll still do fine." He assured her. He had the utmost faith in her. Even if she got a B or a C, it was still not something she really had to worry about. After all, it wasn't one of her major focused classes. "I'll help you if you want." There were always tricks for memorization.
Rachel: "I'll be okay." She said with a small smile. "I have a system, I just need to be able to concentrate for a few hours straight tonight." Rachel stated as she worked on her food until she was full and didn't want anymore. "Here, princess." Rachel said loving their daughters big appetite and how she eagerly ate the rest of her mozzarella sticks.
Brody: He knew better than to fight her when once again she said that she was okay. Rachel passed over what was left of her food that she didn't want and their daughter ate it eagerly. It was clear to him that she probably hadn't had a good lunch and that was why she was likely so hungry. "So glad she's being good." He whispered softly. When their daughter was like this she was such a joy.
Rachel: "Me too." Rachel said her head still pounding. Kayla was eating happily making her smile. "She and nuggets and fries for lunch, she must be going through a growth spurt." That was the only time she had been good all day when Rachel had bribed her to be good for a little bit if she made her favorite foods for her.
Brody: Rachel told him the opposite of what he expected when she mentioned that Kayla had indeed had a good lunch. "Hmm.." He murmured actually kind of surprised. Either she was going to get sick later from overfeeding herself or she was definitely going through a growth spurt. Finishing his food, he put the trash away and moved to clean up the kitchen a bit because it was going to bother him if he didn't.
Rachel: "She's hungry, it's good for her." Rachel said not seeing any problem with what she was doing, it wasn't like she was eating a lot. She had ate her mac & cheese and two mozzarella sticks. Throwing away her trash she kissed Kayla before going back to the living room to start doing more work. She really wanted to get her studying done so that she wasn't stressed out or that he wouldn't be so stressed out over her.
Brody: As soon as Rachel was done she moved to get back to work and Brody sat with their daughter while she finished up. Once she was done he let her down to go play quietly and then he finished cleaning up before moving to sit next to Rachel and just mess around on his facebook. He hadn't talked to his parents for awhile so he figured that he would message her and he hadn't checked facebook in general for a few days so he was sure that he'd missed a few things.
Rachel: She looked over at him a few times as he played around on Facebook. Sighing she curled up next to him and tried to focus but she was quickly failing due to her headache. "I swear if I end up with a migraine I am not going to be happy." Rachel mumbled as she closed her eyes for a moment and then focused again ignoring the pounding until she was purely reading the words.
Brody: After awhile it was clear that Rachel was struggling to focus and he bit his lip before taking her book away from her. "Go shower, relax for a bit, let the steam help with your head and then you can come back to it." He knew that was probably the only way she'd make it without causing herself even more pain. If her head was pounding, trying to continue reading right away was only going to make it worse.
Rachel: Rachel frowned but then nodded. "Okay." She murmured before kissing him knowing that he was right, she had only had about two bad headaches since Michaela was a baby and she was put on the proper medicine and really didn't want to add to that count. Going into the bathroom she turned the shower on hot and stripped before stepping in with a sigh not minding the burning at all.
Brody: She headed to the bathroom and he relaxed a bit, glad that she was going to take care of herself. Kayla was babbling as she cuddled with Stella and he smiled knowing that while she would be up for a few more hours, hopefully, she would go to sleep nicely tonight and he would be able to convince Rachel to get a good night's sleep. Even if she had to get up early to finish studying, that was better than her pushing herself too hard.
Rachel: She stood under the water and used her soothing body wash to just try and relax as she sat on the floor of the tub and let the water beat down on her. Being stressed never did her good, ever but she was much better at controlling it. The day had just gotten the best of her with Kayla misbehaving and she hadn't been able to control it like she normally would. When the water started to run cold she got out and wrapped a towel around her before going into the bedroom to put her comfiest bed clothes on.
Brody: While Rachel was still in the shower, Kayla came over to him and motioned that she wanted up. As soon as she was in his arms she curled into his chest and he knew deep down that they were going to be dealing with a sick child the next few days. That was certainly not going to be fun but he knew that they would make due. If he had to he'd email his professors and stay home with her because he would be okay with a couple days absences while Rachel probably would not be.
Rachel: Rachel came out of the bedroom in her comfy clothes and smiled sadly at their daughter. It was obvious that she was starting to feel bad, that was the only time she ever laid around anymore. "Hey princess." She whispered as she rubbed her back. There wasn't anything worse than her baby girl being sick though they had dealt with this many times by now.
Brody: When Rachel came out of the bedroom she noticed their daughter and immediately started to rub her back. "Daddy will email his professors and boss about being out tomorrow if Miss Kayla isn't feeling better by bedtime." He murmured. It was better to let them know now and have her wake up feeling good then to hold off because she would likely still be asleep when he had to leave.
Rachel: "I just have to be at school for that test, I can miss my other classes." He was always the one missing classes and she hated that. He was working extra hard to graduate early for them and she could handle missing a class or two. "I promise it won't be a problem." She said softly as she kissed their daughter's head.
Brody: Rachel insisted that she only had to be there for her test and that she could miss her other classes and he shook his head. "I'll take tomorrow. If she's still sick you can take the day after and we'll trade off until she's better." He declared. That was the best compromise he could come up with that would hopefully get her to see reason. Their daughter felt a little warm and he sighed softly. "Get the bottle of medicine. Let's give her a dose now."
Rachel: Rachel nodded though she still felt bad about it. Going to get the medicine she measured out the dose and sat down to coax their little girl to take it. "It'll help, princess." She murmured and then smiled when the little one took it before laying back against her daddy. She wanted to comfort her daughter but she picked up her books instead to get back to studying.
Brody: Kayla took the medicine her mommy gave her and then cuddled back against his chest making him smile softly. It wasn't often that he got this anymore and while he hated that it was because she wasn't feeling well, he was grateful for the chance to just spend time with his little girl relaxing like she used to. "You know. When you were born, you fit right here on daddy's chest." He murmured to her, motioning to how small she was.
Rachel: She smiled as she read her chapter at Brody's words. "Such a tiny baby girl." Rachel murmured remembering very well how it felt to hold her for the first time and how small she was. She missed the feeling so much, holding a newborn and couldn't wait until they were having another one.
Brody: Kayla didn't seem to believe him and he chuckled knowing that when they gave her a baby brother or sister she was going to be amazed at how small it was. "You and daddy did this lots while mommy was at school. Almost daily we'd have a nap with you on my chest." His words caused Kayla to cuddle a little tighter and he smiled just kissing her hair and gently rubbing her back.
Rachel: She looked over at them once more and then focused back on her studying knowing that if she didn't she would never get anything done because of the loves of her life. It was sometimes hard juggling her family and school and nights like tonight where their little one wasn't feeling well was the hardest but she was doing her best.
Brody: He knew that Rachel was struggling to focus and Brody sighed before standing up with their daughter. "Come on. Let's go lay in mommy and daddy's bed." He murmured to her. He'd send a quick email once she was settled and then they would turn the tv on and just relax for a bit so that Rachel could study in peace because otherwise she wouldn't get anything done.
Rachel: Brody took Michaela into their room which she was grateful for and as they left she stretched out on the couch ready for her study session to take as long as possible. She needed to get a good grade and though she was worried about her daughter, this certainly wasn't the first or the last time she would be sick and they'd both have to handle it.
Brody: Kayla promptly made herself comfortable and Brody smiled just getting her tucked in before putting a movie on for her to watch while he sent his professors and boss an email that he wouldn't be there tomorrow because of a sick kid. His little girl was his biggest priority and one day wouldn't kill his grades. After all, most people understood that he was a dad and not a normal student.
Rachel: She bit her lip hating that she was the one who didn't get to take care of their daughter, it made her feel like the worst mom and that Brody was always going to be the superior parent. Sighing she put down her book and went to make some tea really just wanting to stop thinking about it all because she couldn't let herself get down about it.
Brody: After a few minutes, Kayla asked for some juice and Brody moved to go get her a sippy cup. Rachel was in the kitchen making tea and he moved to wrap his arms around her sensing her distress. "Are you having those negative thoughts again?" He murmured as he kissed her hair softly. "Because if you are, you've got to stop it. It'll eat you alive. You're a wonderful mommy and the fact that you can't stay home with her this time doesn't make you any less of one. You were home all summer with her while daddy was busy and she knows that you love her."
Rachel: Rachel sighed at him and didn't say anything. It wasn't as if she wanted to feel this way and she didn't know what to do. The feeling was something she had always felt and she knew she would never truly feel like a good mom, not right now at least. Being so young and not knowing everything, it was hard and she just shrugged. "The only way I want you to eat me is between my legs..."
Brody: When Rachel replied, Brody just stared at her for a moment before laughing. "Really, that's your reply?" He asked her as he pulled away from her shaking his head. It was completely unrelated to what he had been talking about. "Go study and I'll work to get our two year old into bed for the night." He murmured grabbing the juice Kayla wanted, knowing that she wouldn't be happy if he took too much longer.
Rachel: "I don't know what to say to everything else." Rachel stated with another shrug having no other response before nodding. "Okay, I'll be here." She murmured hoping that she wasn't up too late because she did want to get some sleep though she didn't care if she lost sleep because she really did need to pass her test with an A. She was going to school and struggling for her little girl.
Brody: They parted ways again and in the bedroom, Kayla greedily took her cup and started to drink, clearly thirsty. Once she seemed satisfied she just resumed cuddling and watching the tv show with Stella curled up next to her, the cat's head resting on Kayla's stomach. "When this is over we'll get you ready for bed okay?" He murmured and she just nodded, clearly too tired to fight.
Rachel: Rachel curled up on the couch with her tea and murmured the words to herself to help remember. There was a lot that she needed to do but if she kept her concentration she could get it done and not have Brody dragging her to bed. She just wanted Kayla to not be sick so that the both of them could focus more.
Brody: Their daughter was almost asleep before the show was even over and when it was he had to gently stir her so that he could get her to brush her teeth and then change her into her pjs. With the way her body was limp even if her eyes were open he knew that he needed Rachel's help and so he called out to her. "Can you take a five minute break and come help me get Kayla into bed?"
Rachel: Rachel put down her books and couldn't help but smile at their sleepy little girl. Gently she picked her up and settled her against her as she rubbed her back. "Wake up for mommy." She murmured as she kissed her forehead happy when she whined at her. "Go find her pjs are take care of the bathroom." Rachel said as she took her in and sat her on the sink and brushed her teeth for her before undressing her so that they could get her to bed.
Brody: It only took a moment for Rachel to get up and come take their daughter from him. She directed him to go get pjs ready and he nodded, letting Rachel have a moment with their angel. He knew that Rachel was worried about her and still shaken from earlier so he certainly wasn't about to deny her some good cuddle time with their daughter before she was put in bed.
Rachel: Once Rachel had Kayla ready she took her into the bedroom and sat on the bed with her to get her pjs on. "Giving her that medicine really did the trick." She whispered as she felt her forehead and found it to be normal. Kissing her once she was dressed she tucked her in as Stella came over and cuddled with her.
Brody: Between the two of them they got their daughter changed and Rachel mentioned that the medicine had helped after checking their daughter's forehead. He knew it was still too early to tell how she would be in the morning but for now that was a good sign. Stella trailed after them and jumped up on the bed to once again cuddle her favorite human. "The way Stells is clinging to her though, I'm not sure we're out of the woods yet."
Rachel: "She knows that we are worried about her, I really think she's okay." Rachel stated as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Maybe a slight cold but I don't think it'll be anything more serious than that if that." She whispered as she kissed his cheek. "Come on, you said you'd lay down with me while I study."
Brody: Rachel wrapped her arms around him and just assured him that Stella knew they were worried and that was why she was being so cuddly. She mentioned him laying down with her and he nodded moving to kiss their already asleep daughter's head before leaving the room and cracking the door. He was exhausted, but there was no way he was going to bed until Rachel was there with him.
Rachel: She went to make some more tea before going to the couch seeing Brody tired. "Would it make you feel better if I moved to the bedroom." Rachel asked just wanting him get some sleep and be okay with her studying for a while longer. "You can hold me and cuddle me and I'll use my book light and it'll be like I'm asleep next to you."
Brody: When she finished making tea, Rachel came in and asked about moving to the bedroom to make him more comfortable. "No, that's fine babe. You don't have to." He would just curl up on the couch and doze in and out while she worked. Plus being in bed he was more likely to fall asleep and he wasn't about to do that until Rachel was completely done studying.
Rachel: "It wouldn't be a problem and it would make me feel better if you are resting. I'll be fine and I'm not going to be up much later. I'll be make me feel better if you are asleep. I know I would do the same to you if you were to pull an allnighter, but do this for me. Please." Rachel said as she kissed him softly. "Please."
Brody: Rachel insisted that it would make her feel better if she knew that he was resting. She kissed him a few times as she pleaded with him and he sighed before finally nodding. "Fine. But I'm not sleeping until you're done." He murmured. There was no way he was going to let that happen. He'd cuddle and doze but that was the most that he'd let himself do until she was ready to sleep with him.
Rachel: "Okay." Rachel said hoping to get him to sleep either way." Getting up she grabbed her things and followed him into the bedroom and changing before climbing into bed with him and getting comfortable next to him. "Hey, I love you." She whispered as she kissed him and the laid against him so that she could start reading and get him to fall asleep.
Brody: Once Rachel had her things, they headed back to their bedroom and Rachel settled into bed next to him. "Love you too." He replied kissing her back and then just closing his eyes while she started to read. He was a pro by now at resting but not sleeping and he knew that it was something that he was going to use tonight because he needed to make sure that she didn't stay up too late herself.
Rachel: She paid attention to him for a few moments, taking his hand and playing with his fingers wanting him to relax. She knew better than to stay up longer than she needed to and she didn't want him to lost sleep because of it. "Don't make me sing you to sleep." Rachel teased as she scratched his palm. "Sleep, I'll be done in an hour."
Brody: Rachel's fingers played with his own and she teased about singing him to sleep as her nails scraped over his palm. She insisted that she would be done in an hour and to sleep but Brody just continued to cuddle her, eyes open because he needed to know that all was well in the house before he could actually rest. Once she was settled to sleep with him, then he would be able to relax.
Rachel: "You are so frustrating." Rachel giggled as she turned to kiss his head before going back to her studying. Taking her focus off of him she wanted to do well on this test and getting distracted was not helping her any. He was comfortable though and she sighed and cuddled back into him even more before going back to her studies.
Brody: His wife commented about him being frustrating, but it was accompanied by a giggle as she kissed his head. She turned back to her book though she snuggled back into him even more making him smile. It wasn't too late yet so he wasn't going to say anything to her, though if she went over her promised hour he might have to force her to rest and finish in the morning since he was sure that she would have time, especially if she didn't have to take their daughter to Shelby's or focus on getting her ready.
Rachel: Though she wasn't positive if she could actually quit in a hour she let her husband relax her as she concentrated on it all. She always did well in school and while juggling many different things in college made it no different certain elements stressed her out more than others and she needed to take drastic measures sometimes because of it.
Brody: After awhile, Brody just nuzzled against her and kissed whatever skin he could reach. He needed her to relax after today. He knew that she needed to study but after dealing with their daughter, he knew she was far too tense. While he was tired, he knew that he wouldn't be able to sleep until she was as well, it was important to him that he made sure he was taking care of his wife as much as he could.
Rachel: "Babe." She murmured as she adjusted and sat up a little bit. "Get some sleep please." Rachel requested. "You being awake is tensing me even more." Rachel stated as she leaned over and kissed his head. "I'll be done soon, but go to sleep so that you can get up in the morning and take care of Kayla if she is sick.'
Brody: Rachel once again told him to sleep and insisted that she would be done soon. "Can't sleep." He murmured. He knew that he wasn't helping relax her all that much, but right now he just needed her to be able to finish so that they could sleep together. "I'm fine." He assured her. He would be able to take care of their daughter no matter what.
Rachel: She bit her lip and shook her head. "No you're not and you're seriously getting on my nerves. Go to sleep and stop worrying about me. I'm fine, I am capable of putting myself to bed. Just go to sleep." Rachel said as she moved from him needing to get her studying done and not rush because he was forcing her to stop when she wasn't comfortable in stopping.
Brody: She pulled away from him and insisted that she was capable of putting herself to bed. "But I'm not capable of sleeping when I know that you're still awake." He replied, sitting up and leaning against his pillows. Until everything was settled in the apartment he just wasn't able to sleep without worrying. And if he was worrying, well he certainly wouldn't be getting a very good amount of rest.
Rachel: "Please just try." Rachel pleaded. "You worry too much and it's driving me crazy. I need to get this done and you're going to have to let it go that I'm not going to sleep yet." She murmured as she sat the books down for a moment. "I really need you to get some sleep so that tomorrow isn't hell for either of us."
Brody: She pleaded with him to try and he shook his head. "Rachel I'm fine. I'm not going to be able to sleep until do. So just finish what you need to do so that we can both get some sleep." He declared reaching over to grab his phone so that he could browse the internet for a little while. She could study, he just needed to make sure that everything was okay before he slept.
Rachel: Rachel sighed and grabbed her things before getting up. "I'm too distracted in here, I'll be in the living room." His presence wasn't helping her any and she really wanted to study and just focus and not worry about whether or not he was sleeping. It was his decision after all and she wasn't going to pity him if he was exhausted the next day. "Go to sleep." Rachel stated again before heading out to the couch.
Brody: Rachel got up and moved to the living room, telling him to go to sleep as she left the room. He knew that wasn't going to happen, he'd told her that enough but somehow it wasn't getting through to her that he wouldn't be able to sleep until she was here ready to do the same. At midnight he would drag her into bed if he had to.
Rachel: She groaned and curled up on the couch completely ready to dive into all the material that she had to memorize. Thankfully the test was the only big thing she had for the next day, the rest of the week she was going to be focused on dance and running lines for her acting class. The thing that about it all though was that while she was stressed she still loved every second of it.
Brody: Brody turned the tv back on while he waited on Rachel because he knew that it would be a better distraction than anything else. He was tired but he was too stressed to sleep so for now he really just needed to relax and try and distract himself until Rachel came back to bed. Then he'd hold her close and sleep would come easily. He just had to wait and do his best.
Rachel: Rachel wished that time would go by slower because every time she looked at the clock more and more time had passed and she wasn't ready to stop studying. She was getting a little tired but not enough to quit and call it a night. Getting more studying done now would give her some good so that she could sleep on it and not have to wake up and start again, that would be worse on her.
Brody: When midnight came and went and Rachel still hadn't come to bed, Brody sighed and got up. He just wanted her to join him so that they both could sleep even though he was pretty sure that he would have time to nap with their daughter sick at home. It was going to be an interesting day and he wasn't sure that he would be able to handle it if he didn't get rest soon.
Rachel: When Brody got up she glared at him. "I'm almost done you are not going to drag me to bed." Rachel stated. "I'm fine and I want to work on this and not have to get up early in the morning to do so. This way I can sleep in some and let everything sink in." She continued before looking back at her books needing him to relax.
Brody: "Rachel, it's after midnight. You've had a long day already, are you honestly going to remember anything that you study from here on out?" He asked shaking his head. "I want my wife to come to bed with me. You've been at this for hours." He wasn't trying to be whiny or push her, he just wanted to spend some time with her because she had been at this for what seemed like forever.
Rachel: "Give me one more hour." Rachel stated. "Go to sleep, you pushing me isn't helping me right now. Just let me finish, I feel good about my studying and I know that I'll be fine if you give me another hour." She murmured really needing him to just let her be for a little bit longer. "Hour and a half tops, please."
Brody: Rachel told him to give her another hour and to go to sleep. "Rachel..." He stated moving to stand in front of her. "I can't sleep without you. You don't have to worry about getting Kayla ready in the morning, so get up your normal time and then review if you need to. Right now you pushing yourself is only going to make you sleep through your test."
Rachel: "I am not going to bed so please stop wasting your breath." Rachel stated. "Right now you are making me frustrated and not listening to me at all and I'm almost ready to just sleep on the couch." He was being irritating and she just wanted to study and do things the way that she wanted to and for him to leave her be.
Brody: Rachel told him that he was only making her want to sleep on the couch and that she wasn't coming to bed. Shaking his head he moved to grab his keys and phone. "Fine." He murmured. He wasn't going to be able to sleep without her and he also wasn't going to be around to see her destructive behavior. "I'll be back when you have to leave for class to take care of Kayla."
Rachel: "Are you kidding my right now? You're walking away and leaving?" Rachel shook her head before finally snapping. "I thought you were done walking away when you get mad, Brody. But nevermind, I see that's not going to change." Getting up she groaned and walked over to him. "I highly suggest you stop treating me like a child and let me being a damn adult who can do as she pleases like stay up and study for a test. Walk away, do it. I don't care. Just like I don't care if you come back in the morning. I'll take care of my daughter."
Brody: She snapped at him for walking away and then moved over to him telling him to stop treating her like a child and that she didn't care if he walked away or if he came back. "She's my daughter too first off." He murmured softly. "And if I walk out that door it's not because I'm mad. It's because I can't sleep without you, and because I can't stand to watch you killing yourself by not sleeping when you promised me that you would. You're the one breaking your promises right now. I'm not treating you like a child, but I know you Rachel and it'll be six am before you even look at the clock and then you'll pull an all nighter because you don't see a point in sleeping and after your test you'll be so tired that when you try to dance you fall and end up hurting yourself because your body didn't get the rest it needed."
Rachel: "No what you are doing is assuming that I am going to completely mess up instead of listening to me and believing me. I'm not breaking any promises besides that I'd go to bed now." Rachel stated as she sighed. "I just want to finish up and then I will go to bed. This is really not a big deal and all I want is you to see that I am fine and I am not going to mess up my life by one allnighter."
Brody: "I'm not going to argue. Go to bed whenever the hell you want. But I'm going to try and find something to do to keep myself awake because I can't sleep without you." He declared. She was his wife but right now it didn't seem like she cared about anything but her stupid test that he felt like she was stressing out too much over anyway.
Rachel: "If you leave right now, you are not taking care of Michaela tomorrow. You staying out all night will hurt our daughter in the end because you won't be able to do so." Rachel stated firmly. "I am not kidding, Brody. I will take her with me all day or I will take her to Shelby's, but you will not be touching her with no sleep at all. She is more important than my stupid test."
Brody: "Rachel. I can't sleep without you. So either I'm going to go out and stop 'annoying' you, or I'm going to sit in bed awake. There's no difference. I can take care of her just fine without sleep. It's not like I haven't done it before." He stated, now starting to get annoyed with her and how this was turning into a fight because she was just too damn stubborn to keep her promise and go to bed.
Rachel: "There you go, throwing it in my face that you are the one taking care of her all the time" Rachel stated before stepping away from him. "I don't care what you do, I am taking care of her tomorrow and not you, so prepare to go to school and work tomorrow because I'm not leaving except to take my test. I don't want you near her when you are acting like this to me, disrespecting my decisions. I know what I'm doing and right now I just want to study and then go to bed. I'm not deliberately staying up, I'm studying and once again I know what I'm doing. So you can go lay in bed and wait one more hour for me or you can leave. I don't care right now, I want to study and then take care of my little girl tomorrow before my test."
Brody: "I'm not throwing it in your face Rachel! And you're going to school. I'm staying home. I've already let everyone know I won't be there. My professors are far more understanding of me being a parent than NYADA seems to be and you can't afford to miss." He was frustrated and stressed and absolutely exhausted and this was the part of her that he couldn't stand. Everything was about her. "Neither. I'm going to crawl in bed with Kayla."
Rachel: "Most of NYADA doesn't even know I have a daughter." Rachel stated. "Because if they knew I'd be kicked out more quickly than I can blink." Sighing she went back to the couch. "Fine, if it'll get you out of my hair I don't actually care. Just let me do what I want and in the morning you can realize how crazy you have been towards me tonight and maybe you'll apologize."
Brody: The fact that she had to hide their daughter said a lot and he hated it. Rachel had such little faith in other people and legally her having a child before she entered school was no reason for them to kick her out, not when she had proved that she belonged there. She stated that she didn't really care what he did and to just let her do what she wanted to do. That he'd realize in the morning how crazy he was and would apologize. He knew that he wouldn't and just sighed before going to their daughter's room and slipping in beside her, tugging her tiny body close to his.
Rachel: She rolled her eyes and went back to studying knowing that at this point she would fail and it would be his fault for pissing her off. Now she was unfocused and she had forgotten most of what she had studied when she was good to go before he had to start a fight. Cursing him under her breathe as she started through her notes again she just wanted the night to be over so that she could get to her test already deciding that she wasn't going to any other classes.
Brody: Kayla snuggled against his chest and Brody sighed feeling her warm head. If Rachel would just go to bed, they wouldn't have had any issue. She had promised him multiple times today that she wouldn't do this but he shouldn't be surprised that she was because once her day started in a bitchy mood getting her to be reasonable was impossible. He was half tempted to call her dads to get her to go to bed.
Rachel: Getting up she made herself some tea to calm down before she dragged Brody out of their daughters bed and told him off again. He was infuriating and sometimes she didn't think he saw her as anything but the broken sixteen year old he found three years ago. She was never going to be grown up to him and she hated it, just like she would never be over how he refused to see how he rubbed it in her face all the time that he got more time in with her daughter, her daughter and she didn't care how selfish she was because of it. Kicking the cabinet door lightly to not wake up their daughter she sighed and grabbed her books and put them in her bag to go to NYADA's 24 hour room to study there.
Brody: He must of dozed off because when Kayla woke at 4 am crying he jolted up and cradled her to his chest. She was really hot and he sighed just trying to soothe her so that he could go get her some more medicine and something to drink to help with her hydration. Rachel was nowhere to be found in the apartment and he sighed, shaking his head at the fact that she had just left. She was going to be paying for this tomorrow with how she felt, that was for sure. Right now he just had to focus on getting this fever to break/taking her temperature and possible an ER visit if it was too high.
Rachel: She stayed at NYADA for a couple of hours not the only one there and Claire being one of those people occupying the room for the same test. When she felt okay she took a cab back and walked back into the apartment to Kayla whimpering on the couch. "Hey princess." She whispered as she picked her up and kissed her head. She was fevered and she cuddled her as Brody came out of the bathroom with a wet cloth and medicine.
Brody: After a few minutes, he finally got their daughter to let him put her down so that he could get what she needed. In the time he was gone in the bathroom Rachel must have come home because he found her on the couch with their daughter. "She just woke up crying." He murmured handing over the cloth before moving to get their daughter something to drink for after the medicine.
Rachel: She nodded at him and took the cloth. "Can you show me what hurts, baby girl?" Rachel asked and Kayla touched her head before leaning into her sniffling. Kayla definitely had a cold but Rachel was positive it wasn't more than that. "We'll just have to keep giving her medicine and pedialyte, a doctor won't doing anything for her. It's nothing serious."
Brody: Rachel asked their daughter to tell her what hurt and then declared that they would just have to keep up with the medicine because there wasn't anything a doctor would do. "We have to make sure her fever doesn't get too high." He murmured. She was a lot warmer than she had been and he was concerned that it was more than a cold or that it would develop that way.
Rachel: "I know." Rachel said as she gave their daughter the medicine and then the drink to take away the taste. She was congested but her breathing didn't seem to be that ragged so she really wasn't concerned. "Mommy got done studying right in time didn't she." She whispered as she leaned back against the couch and rubbed the little ones back as she looked over at her husband.
Brody: Rachel commented on getting home at the right time and Brody just clenched his jaw. She needed to sleep but if she wanted to fail her test because she didn't want to take his advice fine, he wasn't going to bring it up again. Needing fresh air he moved to the fire escape and just climbed out onto it, sitting down and running his fingers through his hair.
Rachel: She chose to ignore Brody and just continued to rub Kayla's back. Having a sick baby girl was never good but thankfully she seemed to be comforted and settled down pretty quickly. Though Brody wasn't going to agree she went into their bedroom and laid her down so that if they ever got to bed they could both be there if she woke up screaming again. "She's asleep again, not deeply but she should be soon. I think she may need an antibiotic with how her breathing is when she's laying down. We can take her in the morning be the first ones there so it doesn't take long." Rachel said when she went to the fire escape and stood inside. "I went to school to focus, I wasn't the only one there. Claire was even there so you can be mad all you want but I did what I needed to do."
Brody: He heard her voice after a few minutes and just focused on his breathing so that he didn't snap at her. It was better to not say anything at all then something that he would regret so this was just the way it had to be. He was pissed at her now more than he had been before because she clearly didn't see how he was being affected by her actions. She had handled a lot of this wrong and it just hit all of his bad spots.
Rachel: He didn't say anything and she just sighed. "I'm going to be now and setting alarms for 7 so that we can get her to the doctor." Rachel murmured. "Don't stay out there too long, you freezing and getting sick isn't going to help our daughter any." She mumbled as she went to the bedroom and changed before climbing into bed with Kayla who was snoring indicating that she was definitely stuffy.
Brody: Rachel stated that she was going to bed and setting an alarm for the doctor and Brody just tuned her out after that, taking in the sounds of the city. He wasn't cold or anything and he wasn't ready to go be in the same room as her either. He didn't see why she was going to force their sick daughter out of bed at a specific time just to go to the doctor when he had already called off. He could go whenever and he knew that it would be better to just let her get the sleep she needed for as long as possible.
Rachel: It didn't take her long to get comfortable next to Michaela and she tucked her into her body and kissed her head and closed her eyes. She hated fighting with Brody but he was borderline controlling her at this point and she didn't know how to handle it except to just fight him on it and ignore his wishes when they got that way. She fell asleep easily with their daughter sleeping next to her also sleeping pretty soundly.
Brody: Knowing that he wasn't going to fall back asleep, Brody moved to grab his things again and headed out to run a few errands, pick up some soup for their daughter and ice cream to help if her throat ended up sore. He might as well be productive since he wasn't going to crawl into bed with the way Rachel was acting. By the time he got back, it was almost seven and he quietly moved to turn the alarm off so that it wouldn't scare their daughter. Rachel didn't normally get up quite yet so he slipped out of the room to let them both continue sleeping.
Rachel: When she woke up it was nine and she knew that Brody must have turned off the alarm, it was fine because she wasn't planning on going to class and Kayla was just now waking up with her. The little girl rubbed her eyes and whined when she couldn't breathe through her nose and sat up just to cough. "I know, bug." Rachel murmured as she picked her up and going into the bathroom and turning on the shower on hot so that it would steam up the room and help her airway.
Brody: As soon as the doctor's office opened, Brody called and made their daughter an appointment for ten thirty. He heard Rachel get up with their daughter at nine and move to the bathroom before turning the shower on. "She has an appointment at 10:30." He murmured taking their daughter who reached for him, wanting a hug and her daddy for a moment. It was nice being wanted and needed and he just rocked her softly as the steam filled the room.
Rachel: "She definitely has a sinus infection but it doesn't seem to have spread to her ears." Rachel said to him as she braided her hair. "My test is this afternoon so I'll be able to go with you, I'll take my things with me so that I don't have to rush." She murmured as she put light makeup on and then turned to their little girl who was coughing from the mucus draining down her throat.
Brody: Since he had their daughter, Rachel started to get ready and did her makeup. Kayla was coughing over his shoulder and he just gently pat her back to try and work everything in her chest loose though it was likely drainage more than anything. Grabbing a tissue he held it to her nose and murmured for her to give him a big blow to try and get as much out as they could.
Rachel: Their poor little girl was so stuffy and she felt so bad for her. "Poor little princess. We'll get her better though." She murmured as she finished up and looked at the little girl and her daddy. "Are you going to give me the silent treatment forever?" Rachel asked as she rubbed the little one's back and kissed her head.
Brody: His wife assured their daughter that they would get her better and then asked him about the silent treatment. "I don't have anything to say to you Rachel." He declared just wanting to focus on their daughter and not wanting her to hear them fighting. He hated when they did it and the fact that it hadn't decreased in frequency any. It was hard enough for him to deal with let alone putting that one their daughter.
Rachel: "Fine." Rachel said with a roll of her eyes as she left the room to get dressed and then went to the Kayla's room to get her clothes to wear. Going back into the bathroom she took her from Brody and got her out of her pajamas and into the comfortable outfit. "Okay princess let's get you some more to drink and we can head out to the doctor."
Brody: She left the room and came back dressed and clothes in hand for their daughter. He let her take her back and just moved around to grab his things. He was exhausted and just sick to his stomach about everything. He knew that he should eat but he just had no desire to and he just followed Rachel as she left the apartment. He worked so damn hard for them and sometimes it felt like she didn't appreciate him.
Rachel: She got Kayla all snug in her winter coat, beanie, and gloves before putting her own coat on and gloves. Once she was sure that the little girl was fine with being in the cold she left with Brody trailing behind not really wanting to deal with him anymore either. They'd go to the doctor together and she'd hand Kayla over to him when she needed to go take her test but until then she was going to focus on Kayla and only her.
Brody: The cab ride to the doctor's was quiet and awkward and Brody just leaned against the window trying to keep a level head because it would be so easy to get upset with her again. That wasn't what their daughter needed though and right now she was his biggest priority. He hated having a sick kid because it gave him a helpless feeling that just utterly destroyed him.
Rachel: Rachel had never been so glad to be out of a cab once they were at the doctors office. Signing them in she sighed and sat down with Kayla dozing against her. It was obvious that she needed something to help loosen the junk in her lungs by how she was breathing but she wasn't worried. At two years old they had went through a handful of doctors appointments and it didn't worry her when she had something that was relatively simple.
Brody: Out of the cab and into the building, Brody took a seat a few down from Rachel just to give them both some space. She was handling their daughter just fine and so he wasn't going to say or do anything, instead reaching for a magazine to skim to try and distract himself. He wasn't sure how they were going to get past all of this at this point. Though an apology from her would probably help.
Rachel: Thankfully they didn't have to sit for very long and they were taken back and she helped Kayla onto the table who whined until she was picked back up so Rachel sat on the table with her. "You're okay baby girl." She whispered as she rocked her as the nurse came in and took her temperature as they waited for the doctor to come in. "The doctor will probably set up a breathing treatment." The nurse said and Rachel nodded figuring as much.
Brody: The best thing about this doctor was that most of the time they were very prompt. If you're appointment was at 10:30 you were taken within ten minutes of that time. They headed back to the exam room and Rachel held Kayla when the little girl refused to sit by herself. The nurse came in for vitals and told them what the doctor would likely do to help their little girl. He just wanted her feeling better.
Rachel: Rachel sighed and looked over at Brody knowing that his attitude right now was not helping their daughter. She was very calm and collected and he was in distress and it was bugging her. "Brody, relax." She mumbled as she continued to rock their daughter as they waited for the doctor to come in almost impatiently.
Brody: He wasn't sure how he was supposed to relax when his mind was currently racing about everything. There was just too much to worry about, too much to do, and he wasn't sure how to balance it all in his head without getting worked up. Kayla was curled against Rachel whimpering and the sound broke his heart because it wasn't like their normal peppy daughter.
Rachel: "Brody, you're upsetting her." Rachel stated still very much frustrated with him. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath and laid her head against the wall. "Babe, just relax. She's going to be fine once the doctor is in here." She whispered as she continued to rub Kayla's back as the little one sat up and looked at her with her cutest pout before laying back against her as the doctor walked in.
Brody: He wasn't sure how he could be upsetting his daughter just by standing around even if he was tense. He knew she would be fine but once again, it was clear that Rachel didn't see that he had far more on his mind then just this moment right here. Kayla looked up to pout at her mommy and Brody sighed, sitting in the chair next to the bed before just leaning forward and resting his head in his hands.
Rachel: The doctor listened to Kayla's lungs and checked her throat and ears before setting up the breathing treatment the nurse had brought in and handed it to Rachel to hold for her. "It's okay pretty girl, it'll help you feel better." Rachel said as the doctor explained that their daughter did have a sinus infection and a touch of bronchitis but was giving her antibiotics and another set of instructions to make sure that she was comfortable and the mucus didn't build up too much.
Brody: Thankfully the doctor was in soon and was examining Kayla to see what was wrong. They got a diagnosis of a sinus infection and bronchitis and he set the breathing treatment up while also prescribing an antibiotic for the little girl with instructions on how to make her more comfortable and get her healthy again. That was all he could pay attention to because he was going to follow those to the nose after stopping to get her medicine.
Rachel: Hearing that Kayla was going to be fine and that it would take a few days but the antibiotic would do it's trick was great. Once she was started on the antibiotic she would be okay to take to Shelby's so that their lives would go back to normal and hopefully Brody would calm down. Kayla leaned back against her as the nurse prepared her first dose of medicine.
Brody: The nurse got Kayla's medicine ready while she was on the breathing treatment and Brody just continued to try and relax in the chair, though his body was beyond tense and he had a headache forming for a number of reasons. Today was going to suck and he was already ready for it to be over. There was nothing worse than this awkward feeling.
Rachel: "There you go pretty girl." Rachel smiled as she kissed Kayla's head as she worked on the treatment until she pulled away babbling at her with a slight smile make Rachel completely happy. It didn't matter that Brody was pissed at her what mattered was that things were going to be okay with Michaela for now.
Brody: The treatment seemed to have a pretty immediate effect because their daughter started to babble and smile. He was happy that she was going to be okay. Especially because all he wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep. He just had no energy and he knew that was partly from lack of sleep but that it was a lot of other things as well.
Rachel: She had Kayla take the treatment back and sighed as she continued to rub her back just wanting her to relax. She was going to end up falling asleep after the treatment which was good. Looking at the clock she sighed knowing that they were on good time for her to make it to her test. "Okay baby girl we're going to leave here and you and daddy will go home while mommy goes and takes her test and then she'll go and bring us home food right after. School is only getting mommy for 45 minutes today."
Brody: Rachel told their daughter that he would be taking her home while Rachel went to school and to pick up food. Kayla nodded and it was clear that she was getting tired now that her breathing was a little easier. He was sure that she would be asleep before he even got her home but that was good because it meant that they would both be able to lay down for awhile and rest.
Rachel: "We're going to give you a breathing treatment to take home with you just in case but it sounds like her lungs are getting pretty loosened and clear." The doctor said as he listened to her lungs. The little girl pulled away and coughed until she was coughing up all of the grossness in her lungs. "It's okay princess." Rachel soothed knowing that while she wasn't happy or feeling the best but she was okay and that the coughing was helping her more than making her more miserable.
Brody: The doctor came back and listened to Kayla's lungs again, stating that they sounded better but that they were going to send another treatment with them just in case. Kayla started to cough up a lit of the crap that had been in her lungs and Rachel just assured her that it was okay, even though the coughing likely hurt her to do. "You can go home and nap with daddy."
Rachel: "Yes you can go nap with daddy, you both need one." Rachel said with a small smile. "It's going to be okay princess you're going to be fine." She whispered knowing that things were going to be great as her breathing got clearer and the antibiotics started to help along with the treatment.
Brody: Rachel repeated that they could go nap and that she was going to be okay. Knowing that Rachel needed to get to school he moved to take their daughter and settle her against his shoulder. "Will you pick up her medicine or should I stop with her on the way home?" He asked knowing that she wouldn't need it until much later but that it was up to Rachel how they handled it.
Rachel: "I'll pick it up." Rachel said once Kayla was in his arms. "I'm going to stay until the doctor says she can leave. I don't have to be at school quite yet." She murmured not wanting to leave until she was sure that Michaela was okay. Knowing she was going to be fine was a relief but she still hated that she was sick.
Brody: Rachel assured him that she would get it and that she was staying until the doctor gave their daughter the okay to leave. He nodded and just rubbed their little girls back, wanting to help jar loose all of the crap in her lungs so that she would cough it up. It wouldn't be comfortable for her but it was necessary so that she could start feeling better.
Rachel: She leaned back against the table not really sure what to say or do when things were so awkward between her and Brody. She wasn't planning on apologizing though so she figured it was going to stay that way until he got over it. "Do you want me to pick up anything else? Something specific to eat?" Rachel asked
Brody: Rachel asked if he wanted her to pick anything else up and he shook his head. They had soup they could have for lunch and beyond that he wasn't sure what they'd make for their daughter and themselves. "I'll text you if I think of anything." He murmured. He really hated fighting with her but he wasn't about to apologize for caring.
Rachel: "Okay." She whispered as she looked at the ground feeling just weird, awkward and sad that they were fighting. Looking at their daughter who was sleepy and doing her best to relax against her daddy she smiled slightly. "Hey Mommy's girl, I love you." She murmured as she took her tiny hand.
Brody: He smiled softly when she reached out to their daughter and took her hand telling her that she loved her. He could tell that he was going to have a sleeping child on his hands soon and he gently started to rock her, wanting her to sleep because he knew that her body needed it. If she could sleep it meant that she was feeling better and that was what he wanted for her.
Rachel: Soon enough the doctor came in and gave them the clear to go home after setting them up with an at home breathing machine. "Okay, I'll be home in about an hour. Take my test and then I'll stop at the store and be home." Rachel stated as she helped him get Kayla's coat back on her before putting her own back on. "Don't forget to text me what you want.'
Brody: Once they were given the all clear to take their daughter home, they got her bundled up and Rachel reminded him that she would be there in about an hour and to text her what he wanted. Nodding he moved to hail he and Kayla a cab knowing that having her out in the cold to ride the subway definitely wouldn't help her with getting better. Though it was more expensive, a cab ride was better.
Rachel: Brody and Michaela got in a cab and Rachel went to the subway station just down the sidewalk that would take her to NYADA. Sitting down with her book she looked over her notes some so that she could be refreshed from all the studying. She was really tired but not terribly and she knew that she was going to be fine and her husband's excessive worrying was so wrong. Shaking her head to not worry about it anymore she finished up and got of the train to go and take her test.
Brody: In the cab, Kayla dozed a little though Brody could tell that she hated being bundled up. "We'll get you out of those layers when we get home." He assured her just kissing her head and trying to soothe her little body. He was tired himself so he knew that a nap with his daughter was probably the best thing for them both right now. It would definitely help him relax a little.
Rachel: Her test went really well and she walked out of the classroom feeling happy and a little smug. Everything that she had went through was worth it and she sent Brody a text for what he wanted her to get as she made her way to the pharmacy to pick up Kayla's prescription she had dropped off before heading into her test.
Brody: The two settled into bed and Brody almost immediately fell asleep with Kayla cuddled on his chest. He didn't even hear Rachel's text when it came through because he was too occupied with catching up on sleep and taking care of his daughter by making her feel safe and comfortable. Though he hated having a sick kid, this was what really made it worth it.
Rachel: She didn't get a text back and figured Brody was asleep because she didn't want to think he was actually ignoring her. Sighing she picked up the medicine and then headed to the store close by the apartment. Getting a few different things that they needed and what looked good to her she went home and put everything away before finding them both asleep. Changing quickly she crawled into bed with them and laid on the other side of their daughter holding her close.
Brody: When Brody finally woke up, Rachel was beside him cuddling against their daughter who was still sound asleep. Running his hands through his hair he sighed and just closed his eyes again figuring that it would be smart just to let the quiet moment continue for as long as possible. After all, Rachel and he couldn't fight if they were both asleep.
Rachel: Rachel didn't wake up until Kayla was stirring in between them saying both of their names trying to sit up. "Sorry." She mumbled as she moved her arm from her waist and watched as the little girl sat up and rubbed her eyes still sniffling and coughing but she didn't look as miserable as she did at the doctors.
Brody: It wasn't too much longer after that that their daughter stirred needing to sit up. Brody moved to let her and once Rachel woke up she did the same. "Keep coughing all that yucky stuff up." He murmured, leaning over to get her a hanky to cough into. Getting all of that out of her lungs was important and while he knew she didn't like coughing she needed to know that it was going to help her.
Rachel: Getting up Rachel went and made Kayla some of her favorite hot tea to help with her throat from all of the coughing. Going back she smiled and handed her the cup as the little girl took a drink. "That's my girl." She whispered as she ran her fingers through her thin hair. She wasn't fevered which was even better. "You're going to be just fine, princess. Just have to get that icky stuff out of your chest which you will."
Brody: He yawned as Rachel got up and left the room, coming back with a cup for their daughter, most likely filled with tea. Kayla took a sip and he knew that it would help her feel a little better if only because getting tea wasn't something that was frequent for her and was kind of a special treat. Gently he rubbed her back, wanting to soothe her as much as he could so that she knew things were okay.
Rachel: She was getting very hungry from not eating all day and kissed Kayla's head. "Want me to start on something to eat?" Rachel asked Brody. "Set her up with the tv and she'll be able to relax and feel better." That way she could just watch tv by herself and know that she was okay instead of them constantly assuring her. "I'll start on soup if you'll make your garlic bread to go with it."
Brody: Rachel asked about food and Brody shrugged not sure if he was hungry or not even though it had been almost 24 hours since he'd eaten last. She offered to get soup going if he made garlic bread and he rubbed his face before moving to get up. He was still exhausted even after his nap and he wasn't sure how to get rid of that feeling, though he knew he had to.
Rachel: She went into the kitchen and pulled out the frozen homemade soup they had that would be better than the store bought he had brought home. Getting it started she sighed and leaned against the counter trying to decide if it was worth trying to talk to him or not. He was the one mad at her and not the other way around and she really didn't know what she was supposed to do.
Brody: Lifting Kayla up, he took her to the living room and got her settled with some cartoons to watch as well as her tea. Stella quickly curled up with her and he moved to the kitchen to start the oven for the bread. It would only take a few minutes once he put it in. Cutting it and getting the garlic mixture on it was what would take the longest portion of time and he could do that while the oven preheated.
Rachel: "So my exam went well." Rachel stated after a few minutes as she stirred the soup as it broke up in the pot. "I'm almost completely positive I got an A on it, looking back I don't think there were any parts of it except one or two that I didn't get correct." She continued not sure if he cared or anything but the silence was driving her crazy and he just wanted him to talk to her.
Brody: As he worked on the bread Rachel mentioned her exam and how it had gone well. "That's good." He murmured though he wasn't sure why she was bringing it up. He was still upset with her and she certainly wasn't helping herself right now by reminding him why he was upset with her. He hated that she didn't see what she had done wrong.
Rachel: Rachel sighed and bit her lip wanting to cry. "Will you stop?" She whispered. "Please, just stop it. You're being the worst person to me and for no reason. Just let it go, stop acting like this to me." She stated as she moved over to him. "Brody, please. This is stupid, you are mad at me over absolutely nothing and I should be the one mad at you for how you treated me all night. But I'm not and I need you to stop this and just get over it."
Brody: Rachel told him to stop and that he was being the worst to her for no reason. "No, I'm mad at you for a few reasons that you just can't seem to realize." He replied softly so that their daughter wouldn't hear them. "A, you break your promises to me about going to bed at a reasonable time, B, you act like I'm a jerk for fucking caring about you, and C, you don't realize what you're doing to me by not coming to bed or treating me like I matter."
Rachel: "I would have happily went to bed if I was ready to go but I am not a child like you have been treating me." Rachel replied just as softly. "I am allowed to stay up as long as I want and do what I need to do. You are a jerk and not because you care about me, you're just a jerk." She shook her head and turned out and looked outside. "Here's the thing, I am not going to be controlled by you. I refuse to do it and it's not because I don't think you matter because you do. It's because I matter too and while I'll take care of you for the rest of my life and I'll always do anything for you; when it is about my life and education and what feels right for me you are not going to stand around telling me what to do like I am going to jump up and do it."
Brody: Brody set down the knife when Rachel mentioned that he was treating her like a child and that he was controlling her. "Tell me how you really feel." He mumbled shaking his head. "Like you don't do the same thing when you think I'm acting self-destructively. Right now, you're being an utter hypocrite." He added hating the double standard. She could tell him what to do but the minute he worried about her health and sanity he was being controlling. The temptation to just pack a bag and walk out the door right now was strong but he wasn't going to do that to their daughter. "You don't know how it makes me feel when you act like I'm nothing. When you say that Kayla is your daughter. That you care so much about what other people think that you hide her from your school world."
Rachel: "I know that I do the same thing but there is a big difference, a huge difference. Do you know what the difference is, Brody? When you are acting self-destructive you are actually being self-destructive and idiotic. When you think I am being self-destructive it's because you don't like what I'm doing and it drives you crazy that I have my own mind and make my own decisions like staying up all night to study for a big test." Rachel explained as she turned to him now pissed at him. "I am a big girl, I'm an adult and I can do what I want and I'm going to especially when it comes to big tests." Shaking her head she looked towards the living room. "I know that I said that she's my daughter and yes I regret that, but when you start acting like you are the only parent who cares about her and that I don't care. When you think I am being the naive teenager that you still see me as, sometimes I think that you need to be reminded that she is my daughter, she's mine and while you think that I treat you like shit and you don't matter, it's the exact same way that you make me feel a large part of the time. Like you are only with me because of her."
Brody: Brody knew that he was going to end up snapping at her and that this fight would only escalate if he stayed around. "I'm not going to apologize for fucking caring about you. You're so fucking stubborn and you don't know when to stop sometimes. We both know it. Yes you're an adult but you don't only make the right decisions either and as you're husband I'm trying to look out for you. But fine. You want to act like this, I'll go stay in a hotel for a few days because I'm not going to get over this until you apologize for breaking your promises to me." Pushing himself away from the counter, he moved to the bedroom to start packing a bag for himself.
Rachel: She followed him into the bedroom refusing to let him walk out the door. "I'm not going to apologize for you not listening to me and trusting me. I was fine last night, I had no problems with staying up almost all night. I knew what I was doing and maybe I shouldn't have promised to go to bed at midnight but when I said I needed to stay up later you should have said that it was fine and to take my time until I was ready." Rachel stated calmly. "Also, I don't care so much about what other people think that I have to hide Michaela. Take that back."
Brody: Having Rachel follow him only irked him more and he quickly started to toss the things he would need into his bag. "But it wasn't fine, because you not sleeping means that I don't sleep." He declared, trying not to yell. "I haven't really slept or ate since two days ago Rachel." She was so caught up in herself that she didn't even notice. "And it certainly looks like you do, because they have no legal right to kick you out because you have a daughter so the only reason you have for hiding her is protecting yourself from what others would think."
Rachel: "It's not my problem that you can't sleep without me, Brody. That is something that you need to get over because once I'm working, which I want to point out that you won't let me do unless it involves a theatre, I won't be getting home until late and you're going to need to sleep without me." Rachel stated just watching him throw things. "This world is hard, Brody. I have to protect myself or I'm not going to make it and I don't want any special treatment because I have a kid. I'm not you who tells everyone and get whatever he wants because of it. NYADA doesn't work that way and neither do I.'
Brody: Rachel continued to make accusations and Brody was done listening to it. "Stop Rachel." He demanded. "Right now you're being a bitch. I don't even know who you are right now. I'm leaving and maybe we can talk once we both cool down." This wasn't getting them anywhere except more pissed at each other. Maybe a few days without him would help her stop being so self-centered.
Rachel: "So when I defend myself, I'm a bitch. Okay." Rachel said with a nod before looking down. "Fine, leave. This is you own grave that you're digging, not mine." She whispered before leaving the room and going to work on dinner for Michaela since she was going to be asking for food soon and she didn't want to keep her waiting even if she was currently wanting to throw up and break down.
Brody: Brody: "You're not defending yourself, you're attacking me." He replied. She stated that it was his own grave he was digging and he shook his head before grabbing everything else he needed. There was no way he was going to back down, nor could he be in the same space as her tonight. Once he had everything he moved to Kayla, kissing her softly and assuring her that he loved her. She didn't seem to understand why he was leaving so he simply told her that he had to go do a few things and that he would be back as soon as he could. He made a mental note to call their parents because he wanted them to hear his side of the story before Rachel called and started to badmouth him.
Rachel: "You're attacking me too." Rachel finally said as he started to leave the apartment. "We're attacked each other and I don't know why.. All because I did an almost all nighter on a test.." She shook her head and wiped her eyes before tears decided to flow because she refused to cry in front of him right now. "Just go, Brody. If you want to go, just go."
Brody: Rachel wiped away tears from her eyes saying that they were both attacking each other. She told him to go if that was what he wanted and he sighed. "I don't want to go. But until you realize that I'm not trying to control you I don't see how I can get past this. All I've ever done is look out for you because you're stubborn and you'll push yourself far past your limits before you even realize that you're close to the edge. I never told you not to study. I gave you all the space you needed to do so. But you very easily could have gone to bed and then gotten up early to finish knowing that you would have time before your exam with Kayla sick and not going anywhere."
Rachel: She didn't say anything for a long minute. "Do you know what I want? I want to actually do something on my own and fail if I fail. I want to go past my limits because I don't know what that's like. Time and time again you are saving me and while I love you so much for everything you've done for me.. I need to take care of myself for once, to fall on my ass for once." Rachel whispered. "I want to not do this anymore, to not fight and feel like crap for doing what I want and feel the need to do. I felt the need to stay up until I was ready to go to bed. I wasn't going to sleep until I knew everything about that test."
Brody: "Fine. Fall on your ass. But I can't be here to watch you do it and pick up the pieces." He murmured. He loves her too much to be able to handle that. "If that's what you want then maybe I need to give you space because it's not fair to me to be forced to watch you fail and hurt when I can prevent it in the first place." It was far easier to leave her to it if that's what she wanted then to sit around and wait to deal with the aftermath.
Rachel: The tears fell and she just nodded. "I guess this is why they say you shouldn't get married so young." Rachel whispered doing everything to try and not breakdown. Letting out a slow breath she looked at him again. "I'm not going to ask you to come home, you need to make that decision on your own. So if you leave, you have to know now that I'm not going to force you to stay no matter how badly I want to, I'm not going force you to come home either once you leave. You control me and I guess I control you too, but yeah go ahead. Maybe space is good. Maybe we should have done this years ago." Everything hurt but all of his words hitting her so hard and though she was positive that most of them were wrong, he was the one wanting to leave and she couldn't stop him. At the moment she didn't have the strength to. "Just stay okay, stay and let this stupid fight pass over like always."
Brody: Rachel started to cry as she declared that maybe this was why people stated that you shouldn't get married so young. She told him that she wasn't going to tell him to come home if he walked out the door. That if he left it would be his decision to come back. That maybe space would be good and they should have done this years ago. At the moment, he couldn't move and he rubbed his face not sure what to do. Finally, she whispered for him to stay and let this fight pass over like it always did. "It's my job to take care of you and if you won't let me do that then I don't know what to do."
Rachel: She walked over to him stopping just in front of him. "Stay." Rachel whispered as she reached for the bag in his hand and took it from him. "Let's eat and then give Michaela a bath and then watch a movie or something while she rests. She's feeling better, there is no danger of her getting worse with her antibiotics and it all working. We're all okay. Just stay and we'll forget about all of this"
Brody: She stopped in front of him and then again repeated for him to stay before taking the bag. She suggested a plan for the evening and weakly he nodded. He didn't have a whole lot of energy and after a moment, barely made it to the chair before essentially collapsing and breaking down into tears. The past few days had been beyond stressful and his body wasn't handling it very well.
Rachel: Taking the bag into the room she took a minute to breathe before going back out to him. "Go take one of your pills and lay down, Kayla and I will eat." Rachel said wanting him to feel better and to relax. Kissing his head she sighed not really sure what to say or do but at least he had stayed, she had managed to get him to stay.
Brody: Rachel told him to take a pill and go lay down and Brody weakly acknowledged her. She kissed his head and he sighed before slowly pushing himself up on shaky legs. He definitely needed his medication to help calm his body down though he wasn't sure when he'd wake up if he took it now. He could be passed out until tomorrow morning fairly easily.
Rachel: Brody moved to the bedroom and she sighed and went to the couch to check on Kayla who was whispering to their cat. Smiling she moved back to the kitchen and checked on the soup. Once she saw that it was almost done she put the bread in and sat at the table and let out all of the emotions out. She felt so bad and really wasn't sure what to do and just hoped it all passed.
Brody: Popping the pill dry, Brody laid down and closed his eyes while resting his arm over his eyes. He definitely needed the medicine to take the edge off of his body because otherwise he was surely going to break down. He knew that he should probably call their therapist to check in and just talk about some things, that it would be good for him, but it was still hard to admit that things weren't perfect.
Rachel: It took her a few minutes to be able to breathe again and once she was dry eyed she went and got her daughter and cleaned her up before taking her into the kitchen and sitting down with her. Thankfully she was pretty good with a spoon these days though she couldn't really eat soup that well. So Rachel fed her and fed herself just thinking of her husband and what was ahead of them.
Brody: Once the medicine started to kick in, Brody allowed himself to doze off, his body eagerly seeking the rest. He hated fighting with Rachel but he also hated feeling like he was always the bad guy for wanting to protect her and like nothing he did was good enough. He knew that he had to get past it but right now that just seemed too hard.
Rachel: She and Kayla ate though Rachel really wasn't that hungry anymore, but she knew that she had to eat to function or she would get sick and they really didn't need to add something to the mix. Thankfully the little girl was feeling much better and eating good like she normally would. When Michaela was done eating she got her cleaned up and into a warm bath to help her even more.
Brody: When Brody stirred again, he felt like he needed to puke though he knew there was nothing in his stomach to do so. Pressing a hand to his stomach to try and stop the heaving, he forced himself up to get some water, hoping that it would help his empty stomach. He could hear the bath going and knew that Rachel was cleaning their daughter up like she had mentioned earlier.
Rachel: Their daughter never had problems with a bath and she smiled and kissed her head as she relaxed in the water it obviously soothing. "Momma, sad." Kayla said as she reached up and touched her face making her smile and almost cry at the same time. "Yeah momma is sad but momma wants you to feel better, she needs you to feel better." Rachel whispered as she took her hand. "Love you." Kayla said with a smile as she stood up and kissed her making her heart warm. "You're the sweetest little girl, I love you."
Brody: It was a struggle to down even half a bottle of water and after, Brody moved to plop on the couch just groaning in discomfort. The stress had clearly already worn on him and though the medicine was helping him stay fairly mellow, it wasn't helping the fact that he was already kind of sick before he took the pill. Though he'd just woken up he was still tired and he knew that was partly from lack of food though he still had no desire to eat.
Rachel: They finished up in the bath and she got her wrapped in a towel and dried her hair so that they didn't add an ear infection to the mix. Carrying her out of the bathroom she saw Brody on the couch and sighed knowing he wasn't feeling well and though she wasn't in the mood to take care of him she knew she had to. Going into the little girls bedroom she got her in warm pajama's and into bed with a book so that they could read before she fell asleep.
Brody: When Rachel bypassed him and moved straight to Kayla's room he forced himself up again so that he could go and say goodnight to his daughter. After all she hadn't done anything and he needed her to know that he loved her even if he wasn't feeling all that great himself. He'd have to force himself to school and work in the morning anyway.
Rachel: Brody soon came into the room and she smile sadly at him. "Hey. You need to get to bed." She whispered as she scooted over in bed so that he could sit. "We're feeling so much better, daddy. Besides a little bit more congestion she's doing pretty great." Rachel said proudly just happy that their daughter was feeling better and would be able to go to daycare the next day.
Brody: He shook his head when Rachel mentioned him needing to get to bed and then scooted over to make space for him. She added that Kayla was feeling so much better and he smiled just leaning down to kiss her head. It was good that she was feeling better, now he needed to get himself to that same point somehow. Otherwise tomorrow was going to be painful and he'd end up hurting himself.
Rachel: "Brody, you need to lay down because I'm not strong enough to carry you into bed. I'm not sure if I can even lift you legs." She said with a small laugh just happy that Kayla was feeling better. Kayla whined at her because she stopped her reading and Rachel really laughed and kissed her head before continuing with the book.
Brody: Rachel added that he really did need to go lay down because Rachel couldn't carry even his legs. Their daughter whined about the interruption in her book and Rachel just laughed before resuming her reading. Brody knew that he really did need to get back to bed, but he didn't think all the sleep in the world would have him feeling better. Not when his body was this fatigued.
Rachel: She finished the book and just like their routine Kayla laid down and snuggled into her side and closed her eyes. "That's our girl." Rachel smiled as she tucked her in and began to sing to her. All she needed was for her to fall asleep and have a good night's sleep. After two songs she was out and she carefully moved her to her pillow. "Okay, let's go to bed Brody."
Brody: After the book, Rachel sung their daughter to sleep and then once she was out murmured for them to go to bed. It took him a minute to force himself onto unsteady legs and out of the room. Once there he paused to lean against the wall and take a few deep breaths to try and work up the strength to continue on to their bedroom. "Fuck....hate this." He mumbled, wishing he would have taken the meds sooner or at least forced himself to eat.
Rachel: She took his hand and kissed it before going to the kitchen and getting him some water and crackers and going back. "Here, get something in your stomach." Rachel whispered before getting ready for bed. It had been a long day and she just needed it to be over and for the next day to be better. "Eat some of the crackers and hydrate and then you'll be able to sleep better"
Brody: By the time he had made it back to the bed, Rachel was in the room with water and crackers. She told him to eat and hydrate and he nodded, settling into the bed. He wasn't sure how much he would be able to keep down but he knew that he at least needed to try. His body needed some form of nutrition since he hadn't had any for nearly 36 hours.
Rachel: Thankfully he was eating and she sighed and brushed her hair before going into the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. Heading back into the bedroom she laid down next to him. "I love you." Rachel stated just wanting him to know because he was the love of her life no matter what happened between them.
Brody: When Rachel had completed her nightly routine she moved to lay down with him and whispered that she loves him. He wished that he believed that a little more than he currently did but he nodded and swallowed hard. "Love you too." He replied before taking a large sip of his water, knowing that he really did need the fluids in his body, just as much as he needed food.
Rachel: His I love you wasn't all that convincing but she took it and curled up in the bed and closed her eyes just wanting to get some sleep. A part of her wanted to skip out on her classes the next day to make sure Kayla was okay and Brody was well but knew that maybe she shouldn't do that. Deciding to decide the next day she pulled the covers over her and tried to relax enough to fall asleep.
Brody: He took his time finishing the crackers and then the water before laying his head back down on the pillow. He still felt sick, but he knew that he'd have to just push it all aside in the morning, even if he was throwing up and feeling horrible. He had things to do and he couldn't take a second day off even if he needed it. After all, apparently using his daughter to get his way was wrong even though he was far more attentive to everything in his life compared to those around him that didn't have kids to worry about.
Rachel: She finally fell asleep weighing the pros and cons of not going to class the next day and was pretty sure she wasn't going to do it in favor of making sure Kayla was okay. She also just needed to be home since she knew she was going to be distracted the entire day and it would end up worse than being there. People didn't know she had a kid and she wanted it that way. She was a normal student who was struggling with the rest of her class and making it and though it was amazing that she was while being a parent she didn't want to everyone to know about it.
Brody: Even though part of him was still upset with Rachel his body still sought out contact with her. He needed to touch her and have her close to help him sleep, it was the most efficient way beyond drugging himself. Hopefully it would help as well, mainly because he needed to feel better in the morning, even if the odds of that actually happening were fairly slim.
Rachel: Brody pulled her closer to him and she smiled in her sleep and relaxed against him. She really just wanted things to be okay and wasn't sure if that was going to happen right now. A part of her knew that it would be but she just wasn't sure what was going to happen. Waking up for a moment she kissed his cheek before snuggling into him and fallig back asleep.
Brody: After a moment, Rachel kissed his cheek and then snuggled against him before falling back asleep and Brody smiled, so glad that for the moment things were okay. Apparently they had things to work through but they were both here and that said something. She had stopped him from walking out the door for the first time and to him that meant a lot.
Rachel: She slept most of the night waking up twice to go and check on Michaela and then going straight to bed with a sleeping Brody. When her alarm went off in the morning she quickly turned it off knowing that Brody's would be going off soon and she'd tell him her plan for the day. Cuddling into him more just wanting to be close to him she sighed and relaxed wanting to sleep some more.
Brody: He slept fairly soundly until his alarm went off and then he groaned immediately feeling his stomach turn. Forcing himself out of bed as quickly as possible he moved to the bathroom and heaved over the toilet. This really sucked because he knew that he needed to go to class but he wasn't sure he'd actually have the strength to focus or be able to keep up with everyone else.
Rachel: Brody got up and went to the bathroom and she knew that he really shouldn't go to school. Getting up she went and rubbed his back. "Skip with me today, we'll make it a family in day. You can rest and we can make sure Kayla is feeling better so that tomorrow we can all get out of this apartment." She whispered needing him to not go and hurt himself.
Brody: While he was dry heaving, Rachel followed him and rubbed his back telling him to take the day off with her and just rest. He knew that was probably a good idea but part of him still felt like he should go because he had already skipped yesterday. Sighing he moved to stand up and brush his teeth and it was the dizzy spell that made him nod. "Email my profs for me?" He murmured, not sure if he could even handle looking at a computer screen.
Rachel: "Take a bath." Rachel whispered before kissing his head and then heading to her laptop and emailing her professors about yesterday and today and then his before going into Kayla's room and crawling into bed with her and Stella. They were both asleep and thankfully the little girl was not fevered anymore and she didn't sound nearly as stuffed up as she had.
Brody: Rachel told him to take a bath and then kissed his head. He nodded and once the dizziness faded he moved to turn on the tub and stripped. His body definitely needed another day to try and recuperate because forcing himself back feeling like this was only going to end with him injuring himself and that would really not be good.
Rachel: She cuddled with Kayla for a while and ended up falling asleep which she would usually kick herself for but she didn't care today, today was about family and erasing the previous 24 or so hours and replacing them with something good. They'd get Kayla feeling even better and just watch tv all day while making sure nothing bad happened.
Brody: Brody worked to clean himself up as quickly as he could before moving back to bed and laying down. Rachel wasn't there, but he definitely wasn't feeling up to moving around yet. He knew he needed to eat and that it would help but right now, thinking about eating made his stomach turn so he knew that definitely wasn't going to happen for awhile.
Rachel: She woke up when Kayla woke her and she smiled and kissed her before getting up and helping her get ready for the day in comfy clothes that she could lounge around in. Sending her into the kitchen to wait for her she went into the bedroom and found Brody. "Hey, I'm going to fix Kayla some breakfast. Do you want toast or something? Be sure to take more of your meds as well."
Brody: Dozing in and out, Rachel soon appeared mentioning food and then reminding him to take more medicine. "Should probably eat something, but nothing sounds good." He mumbled sighing softly. His stomach still felt sick and he was still feeling slightly dizzy, though he knew that was mostly from not having anything in his stomach. "If you make something I'll try and eat it."
Rachel: "Okay." Rachel said with a nod. "I'll make something simple though." She whispered before kissing his cheek. Heading back to the kitchen she made some pancakes for all of them that would be heavier on Brody's stomach but not to the point where it'll make him sick. If anything it was going to be what he needed.
Brody: Rachel declared that she would make something simple and then kissed his cheek before leaving the room. Once again he just curled up and closed his eyes knowing that he needed to get as much rest as he could so that he could start feeling better. This really was the last time he could miss classes without falling too far behind.
Rachel: She and Kayla made breakfast, the little one trying to help her making her day brighter. Once it was all done she got her daughter settled and then went into the bedroom. "I made pancakes, if you want to join us or I can bring it to you." She murmured as she sat on the bed with him. "We'll get you some orange juice and make sure you gain some energy."
Brody: She returned when the food was done and declared that he could either join them or she would bring the food to him. She sat down and mentioned some orange juice as well so that he could get some energy back. "Not sure I can stand without passing out." He murmured rubbing at his head. The bath hadn't really helped, not when his body still didn't have what it needed.
Rachel: Rachel nodded and went to the kitchen and got his food and orange juice and took it back to him. "Call for me if you need me." She whispered before heading back to eat her own food and pay attention to Kayla so that she didn't eat to fast and choke. She loved pancakes and was pretty good at eating more than she should and more than she should at one time.
Brody: Rachel moved and returned with his food and Brody sat himself up enough so that he could eat without choking. His wife told him to call if he needed her and then left the room again to go take care of their daughter. It took him bite by bite to try and get some food in his stomach and he had to pause a few times just to let the nausea pass before eating a little more but eventually he finished three-fourths of his plate.
Rachel: She and Kayla ate before she cleaned up and then took Kayla into the bedroom with her daddy while she set up the breathing treatment and showed her how to hold it. "This'll help princess." Rachel said knowing that it wasn't necessary at this point but anything that would help make sure she was okay she was going to do it even if she was acting like her normal self except for the excess sniffling.
Brody: When his girls were done Rachel brought Kayla back to the bedroom and set her up with the second breathing treatment just to make sure that their daughter was going to be okay. He knew that she wasn't a huge fan of it and after putting his plate aside he reached over to rub her back just wanting her to relax and just do what she had to do so that she would get better.
Rachel: "Tomorrow will be a better day, baby to class for us and to her nana's for this little one." Rachel stated as she sat down with them knowing that she should spend the day at least working on school work but she didn't want to. She didn't want to even think about NYADA at the moment while her husband was mad at her and not feeling well and their little girl was getting over an infection.
Brody: He nodded when Rachel mentioned tomorrow being a better day. Hopefully by then he would be feeling normal again and at least able to be productive. Right now, he was going nuts with feeling so sick but he knew that it was his body telling him to chill the hell out and just take it easy. Right now stressing over things would get him nowhere.
Rachel: Laying back against the pillows next to Michaela she rubbed her temple to get the developing headache to go away. Feeling like going back to sleep she snuggled up next to her daughter who was taking the treatment like a big girl and rested a hand on her chubby leg as she just relaxed with the two of them hoping that Brody did the same.
Brody: Knowing that he did need to take more medicine now that he had some food in his stomach, Brody reached into his drawer for the bottle of pills. It looked like he would need a refill soon and that meant that he had to get the therapist to call a prescription in. He was sure that it wouldn't be an issue since he only took them as needed and it had been over a year since she gave him the last one.
Rachel: She opened her eyes after a few minutes. "What do you want to do today? Continuous movie marathon? Switching between Kayla approved movies and grownup ones during nap time?" Rachel asked figuring that would be the easiest and they could just lay in bed all day if they wanted or making a bed out of the living room.
Brody: After a few minutes Rachel asked what he wanted to do today. "Don't really care." He murmured figuring that he would spend most of the day asleep. While the medicine didn't make him super tired, it likely would today since his body seemed to be functioning in a shutdown mode because it didn't have the energy from food for anything more than that.
Rachel: "Can I have some sort of help with that answer?" Rachel asked just wanting to know what to think and how to go about the day she had designated as her mental health day. She yawned and laid back down and closed her eyes after checking on Michaela and then drifting off into a light sleep wanting to catch up on it.
Brody: Rachel asked for help and Brody just shrugged closing his eyes. "I probably won't pay attention to anything so if you too want to do movies then fine." He declared. "Feel too crappy to actually be able to focus on anything but sleeping." At least until the medicine started to work and his food kicked in helping his body at least. That was really all he could ask for at this point.
Rachel: "Okay." She whispered. "I'm going to sleep too." She murmured before falling back asleep just resting because there wasn't much to do while Kayla was relaxing with the breathing machine knowing that it was likely to put her back to sleep for a bit as well. Things were going to be okay but she was just wanting the day to be over.
Brody: She declared that she was going to sleep too and he nodded just closing his eyes while keeping his ears open to make sure that Kayla wasn't having any problems with the breathing machine. He knew that they would have to stop it at some point because too much wouldn't be a good thing either. For now though he would just let her be and take the time they all had to rest.
Rachel: After a few minutes she sat up again and turned off the machine and moved it off the bed before laying Kayla down and covering her up. "Nap." She murmured to the two of them before closing her eyes and holding her daughter closer to her so that they'd all relax and get a good nap in to start the day and hopefully wake up feeling better.
Brody: Rachel took care of the machine and then instructed their daughter to take a nap. He knew that it would be good for her and he smiled just draping an arm over his little girl and part of Rachel. He definitely needed to let his body heal a little and to get some energy back so that he wasn't feeling so sick later. It was certainly not something that he wanted to last any longer than it already had.
Rachel: She slept more soundly once she felt Kayla fall asleep next to her. She was able to truly sleep much more than she had all night and knew that she and Brody both needed it. Skipping two days of classes was going to seriously kick her ass but she knew that it would be okay, she would have to but she was going to worry a little bit.
Brody: Brody dozed in and out for about two hours before he needed to get up and move a little while trying not to puke. His body was feeling slightly better, he wasn't nearly as dizzy and he knew that was definitely a good sign and that it would help him to relax and get through the rest of the day as easily as possible. Kayla appeared next to him in the kitchen, putting her arms up for him to pick her up and he smiled and cuddled her against him, just rubbing her back softly.
Rachel: When she woke up Kayla was gone but she heard both her and Brody in the kitchen. Cuddling in the bed she pulled the covers over her head intending on sleeping for a little bit longer. The longer she slept the longer she didn't have to worry about too many responsibilities. Though she felt like crap because she was avoiding them.
Brody: Kayla just cuddled against him and babbled softly and Brody couldn't help but sway with her slightly. "You feeling better bug?" He asked her and while she shook her head no he knew that she had to be feeling better than yesterday, it was just her little mind telling her that she was still sick so she wasn't feeling better, and not comparing one thing to the other.
Rachel: Finally she forced herself up and went to take a shower so that she could be productive. Making a list in her head she sang softly to herself in the shower figuring that would be the first thing she should do. She needed her voice to not rebel from not singing because that would be extremely worse than just skipping classes.
Brody: Hearing the shower start he knew that Rachel was up and just moved around with their daughter slowly, making them both something small to eat. Fruit and then a sandwich was about all he could handle and he was sure that Kayla was probably not back to her full appetite yet. Once they both had food he sat her in her high chair and then sat down himself so that they could both try to eat.
Rachel: She had no idea it was lunch time until she was out of the shower and getting dressed in her bedroom. Yawning she padded into the kitchen and sat down at the table just watching her family eat. "Lazy days are nice." Rachel murmured as she ran her fingers through her wet hair. "Though I should work on something today, dancing or vocals."
Brody: He and Kayla were in the middle of lunch when Rachel appeared and commented on lazy days. She added that she should work on something be it dancing or singing and Kayla perked up a little murmuring something about her dancing with daddy. He couldn't help but chuckle, not sure if he would be much help to Rachel's dancing skills right now.
Rachel: She smirked and looked over at her husband, it had been a really long time since they danced together. They used to do it for the fun of it and now it just never happened. "How about you dance with mommy later, princess." Rachel said as she got up and kissed the little ones cheek as she ate a piece of her fruit.
Brody: Rachel suggested that Kayla dance with mommy later and their daughter nodded before coughing after finishing a piece of fruit. "Want me to put something together for you?" He asked. "There's still fruit and I can make you something else too." It wouldn't take too much effort and he slowly needed to get his body moving and doing things again.
Rachel: "Just some fruit is fine." Rachel said as she poured herself some water and then looked out the window to see what the busy streets were doing. It had snowed so people were walking a little more cautiously as others cleaned off the sidewalks and removed the ice that had formed. "It's a pretty day out, sun is shining despite the white on the ground."
Brody: She assured him that just fruit was fine and he nodded moving to get her a small bowl. She commented on how it was pretty out despite the snow and he groaned, so not ready for a New York winter again. It was going to be the death of him because it was so cold. "Probably cold as hell out so I'll pass on leaving the apartment." He murmured.
Rachel: "You're going to have to leave eventually." Rachel stated as she took some medicine for her head. "It's just cold, babe. It happens every year and it's going to happen for the rest of your life." She murmured really not minding the cold unless she was falling on the ice or something and then she was annoyed but it was just crazy weather.
Brody: "Not today." He declared setting the fruit on the table before starting to clean up after himself. "Doesn't mean I have to like the cold or the snow or the ice." He added shaking his head. He enjoyed the spring, summer, and fall of New York so much better. Winter just wasn't his thing, though at least here he didn't have to drive.
Rachel: "Yeah yeah." Rachel smiled as she sat down at the table and picking at her fruit trying to get into the groove of things and shake off the laziness that was in her bones. Groaning she put her head on the table. "I don't want to do anything and I hate myself for it. I need to do things, I don't do good with not doing things."
Brody: He watched Rachel sit down to eat and listened as she mentioned not wanting to do anything and hating herself because of that. "Rachel, if you don't feel like doing something don't push yourself." He declared. "Because that won't get you anywhere. You won't be nearly as productive as you'd want to be and that will only kill your mood."
Rachel: "My mood is already killed." Rachel stated as she sat back up to eat. Kayla was bouncing in her highchair which was the best thing because it meant that she was feeling better. "Are you feeling better, Kayla?" She asked and Kayla stopped bouncing, pouted, and then shook her head making Rachel bit her lip to stop her from laughing. "Someone is milking it."
Brody: Rachel mentioned that her mood was already that way and then she asked their daughter who was bouncing around in her chair. Kayla shook her head when asked if she was feeling better and Brody chuckled nodding when Rachel mentioned that someone was milking her sickness. "She's still sniffly and I don't think she quite gets the whole levels of feeling okay thing."
Rachel: She nodded really happy that she was still feeling better even if she didn't exactly realize it right now. "She's still milking it, totally my kid." Rachel grinned because though she hated being sick and really refused to be sick she still liked to be taken care of. Rachel finished her fruit and then stood up and found her phone to check her emails and any other notifications.
Brody: He couldn't help but laugh again when Rachel repeated that she was milking it and was totally her kid. That was definitely true and he cleaned their ornery daughter up before letting her down to play. He was sure that she wanted to do something since it was clear that she was feeling better. Their day of laying and doing nothing was pretty much over.
Rachel: Kayla went off to play and Rachel grinned and stretched her arms. "Hey princess want to do yoga with mommy?" Rachel asked knowing that would get her going for the day and Kayla settled so that she didn't overdo it when she was still sick. She may be breathing better but she still had bronchitis and a sinus infection.
Brody: Their daughter had only been down for a minute when Rachel asked her if she wanted to do yoga with her mommy. Immediately she moved to get their things as if that spoke for itself and he chuckled. "Finish your fruit first please?" He murmured to her not wanting her to get sick by having nothing in her stomach. He was going to go lay down but if she was going to be doing she needed some nutrition.
Rachel: "I finished." Rachel stated as she took off her shirt and went to change quickly before helping Kayla with her little yoga mat she had bought for her and grabbing her own. Turning on some soothing music she took a deep breath before looking at her daughter who was doing her little stretches. It was the cutest things and Rachel loved that Michaela loved it.
Brody: She replied that she had finished and then left to go change before returning to start with their daughter. He knew that Kayla loved it and that was all that was really important to him. Snapping a picture of them he headed back to the bedroom, and crawled into bed after taking some pain killers to prevent a headache that he had a feeling was coming soon if he didn't.
Rachel: Rachel and Kayla went through the exercises that they always did. The two year old knew all of them names for the different positions and did her very best to do all of them. She was going to be a great dancer and gymnast one day and it was going to be really great to see her grow into such a healthy girl. "So proud of you, princess. You're so good at this."
Brody: Laying down, Brody decided to call the therapist while he had time and it was one his mind. If he didn't he knew that he would forget and when he needed the medicine again he wouldn't have it and that really wouldn't be good. Thankfully she was free and they were able to talk for awhile before she called a prescription in for the local pharmacy for him.
Rachel: The two Weston girls continued their yoga until the little one was tired of it and just laid on the mat watching her mom. It was comforting to Rachel and she was able to feel useful and relaxed. When she finished she laid down next to her daughter and tugged her to her. "Love you." She whispered as she kissed her little head loving how she snuggled against her.
Brody: Feeling a little better now that he'd gotten a lot off of his chest, Brody moved to get some more water and found his girls just laying on the floor together. "Now I may not know a lot about yoga but that certainly doesn't look like any position I have heard of." He teased before grabbing a protein bar to try and get even more calories into his body so that it would start functioning normally again.
Rachel: "It's called the reverse corpse actually." Rachel responded with a laugh. "If we were on our backs it would be just called the corpse." She explained as Kayla giggled and cuddled into her. "There is a name for everything my love." There was a lot of names for yoga poses and she sighed and closed her eyes just enjoying the time that they had.
Brody: Rachel declared that it did have a name and their daughter giggled at her momma. Shaking his head, Brody just moved back to the bedroom, ready to lay down and rest again. He was feeling fatigued and that wasn't really the best feeling ever. Not when there was so much that he needed to do in the next few days.
Rachel: Her husband went back to bed and Rachel finally sat up and rolled up her mat and helped Kayla with hers before putting them back. Going back to the living room she sighed and sat on the couch with Kayla who had turned the tv on herself and was flipping through the channels like she was a 16 year old.
Brody: He found himself dozing in and out for a few more hours before his body yelled at him to get up and stretch. Apparently it was starting to feel better and being stagnant for so long was something that was no longer doing him good. Moving to the living room he found his wife and daughter watching tv and just laughed at the way Kayla was flipping channels at commercials and anything else she wasn't fond of.
Rachel: Rachel just watched Kayla completely entertained by her and how insanely cute she was. "That has been going on since she climbed her tiny self onto this couch and turned it on herself and has been mumbling every time she doesn't like a show." She explained as Kayla turned the channel once again sighed, shook her head, and then turned it again.
Brody: Rachel declared that this had been going on for hours and he chuckled before moving to sit next to his daughter. Kayla changed the channel a few more times after sighing and shaking her head and he burst into laughter at how cute and entertaining this was. "You are something my dear." He murmured kissing her head and laughing again when she shook him off and pouted at him.
Rachel: "She sure is something." Rachel agreed with a laugh as Kayla pouted at her too and then moved away from them and to the chair. "Oh, I think she's mad at us." She grinned as she moved over to her husband and wrapped her arms around him. "Are you feeling any better?" She asked really hoping that he was. "Because I would like that dance that Kayla was suggesting at breakfast."
Brody: When Rachel agreed with him, Kayla pouted at her too and then moved from the couch to the chair. "Apparently." He replied when Rachel commented on her being mad at them. Her arms wrapped around him and she asked how he was feeling, mentioning that she wanted the dance their daughter had suggested. "Give me until after dinner." He murmured kissing her temple. "Feeling a little better but my body still needs a while longer to shake this funk."
Rachel: "Okay." She whispered before pecking his lips. "I'm happy you're feeling better. Today is what we need even if tomorrow was going to be a really long day trying to make up for today and yesterday." Rachel murmured as she rested her head against his. Things were going to be okay between them and she was just really happy.
Brody: Rachel kissed him softly and he smiled before returning it and settling back into the couch. "I'm happy too. Feeling sick sucks." He murmured. "Bright side is, tomorrow is Friday, so at least we have the weekend to look forward to." That would make things a little easier. They would have time to both catch up on things and rest, something they both needed. "I called the therapist while you guys were doing yoga. Got her to refill my prescription."
Rachel: She sighed and leaned back with him and laid her head on his shoulder. "I should probably call her tomorrow." Rachel whispered. "When I get to self destruct mode that usually means I need to make a call in." She mumbled as she rubbed her temple and closed her eyes. "I really don't want to call her, I hate calling her." Rachel mumbled always feeling so strong and the crashing when she doesn't expect it to.
Brody: He nodded when Rachel mentioned that she should probably make that call as well. "I know you do, but you're right that you should." He murmured. "It helps you even if you do hate it." He wasn't sure how she was doing on her medicine but she could probably use a refill as well so that was just even more motivation for her to make the call.
Rachel: "Tomorrow, I'll call her tomorrow." She murmured as she relaxed against him. "If I have time, it may be Monday since I'll be at NYADA all day tomorrow." Rachel stated as she took his hand and played with his fingers really just wanting to not call right now and wait until she was ready to talk because right now she wasn't feel that ready.
Brody: Rachel insisted that she would call the next day or Monday at the latest since she might not find the time the next day with being at NYADA all day. He wasn't going to push her on this. If she hadn't called by next Tuesday, then he would get on her case about it. For now he just smiled at the way she was playing with his fingers and after a moment, pulled a blanket down over them as they cuddled on the couch.
Rachel: She smiled and kissed his cheek as he covered them up. "I'm sorry about yesterday." Rachel whispered even if she didn't feel like she should be the one to be apologizing she was going to apologize to him anyways. "I don't ever want to have to take a bag from you again, never do I want things to get that far. Never."
Brody: He was actually kind of surprised to hear Rachel apologizing for the day before. She mentioned never wanting to have to take a bag from him again and he nodded. He really didn't want things to ever go that far either, but he was also sure that it wasn't going to be the last fight they ever had, not when she was so naturally stubborn and he cared about her so much, always wanting to protect her.
Rachel: She sighed softly and just cuddled into him wanting to forget everything that had happened between them. That was all that she wanted, for things to be okay again. Sometimes they just fought and let everything unravel and she couldn't help but hate it so much but she couldn't help it. It was really just how they were.
Brody: Rachel cuddled into his side and Brody just tugged her closer, enjoying the way it felt to have her like this again. "Can we order dinner in tonight?" He asked her, not really wanting either of them to have to cook on what was supposed to be a relaxing day. Ordering food in would save them both the time and effort and would help them to have more time together to cuddle.
Rachel: "Definitely." Rachel answered not having a bit of energy to do anything and she was already suffering from it. "School is going to kill me." She groaned as she laid her head back on his shoulder. After a few minutes she sighed and sat back up and looked at him. "I'm not hiding her because I'm ashamed of being a mother, please don't think that."
Brody: She agreed with ordering out and then declared that school was going to kill her before resting her head back against him. They sat in silence for awhile until she declared that she hadn't kept their daughter a secret because she was ashamed of being a mother. "Just don't get why she's a secret." He sighed rubbing his face. He was beyond proud of being a dad and yes it meant that he had to live a different life but he never expected special treatment for it, he just wanted people to understand.
Rachel: "She's not. I just haven't told that many people about her, there is a difference." Rachel murmured as she squeezed his hand. "This is a tough world we are trying to get in to, being a father is not seen as something that is going to be detrimental to your career. Being a mom is though. Being a mother automatically makes me seem like I am just a mom that I am not capable of being anything more than that. While there are Broadway stars who are mothers, it's not the same. We're going into the same world but it's not in the same way."
Brody: Rachel clarified that their daughter wasn't a secret, just not a lot of people knew. She declared that there was a double standard when it came to being a parent in this business and he sighed. He didn't quite see it, there were lots of women that were successful and that had kids, just like there were a lot of men. "I don't think that's true." He murmured shaking his head. "But it's not like I can force you to tell people. I just think it would make some things easier on you."
Rachel: "I don't want easier." Rachel said as she ran her fingers through his hair. "I don't want easier, I want to suffer and be put through hell like the rest of my classmates, I want to be treated just like everyone else. I can't be seen as weak." She murmured. It was too important to her to be seen as strong and put together and not the wreck that she was most of the time. She could walk into NYADA and transform herself and kick ass at her education and she didn't want to combine the two even if that was a really bad thing in the end to do. "I want to graduate in two years and have my daughter run up to me so proud of me for everything that I accomplished and what I went through and know that no matter how hard it was that I did it for her, just like I said I was going to."
Brody: Rachel declared that she didn't want easier, that she wanted to suffer along with her classmates. "Rachel...it's not weak to just have people understand when something is going on. I'm not saying easier as in comparison to your classmates. I'm saying that currently you have it harder than them and letting people know would put you on an even playing field." She had totally misunderstood what he meant and that made him sigh softly. "Kayla is going to be proud of you no matter what."
Rachel: She nodded and cuddled into him again not wanting to comment anymore. She couldn't help how she felt about people knowing about her daughter and she really didn't want to think herself into depression and worry over it when it was something she had decided on when she started college. The ones who mattered knew and it rarely ever affected her, it was fine and she didn't want to change things.
Brody: Rachel just silently cuddled into him and Brody kissed her head knowing that he should probably just drop the topic, it wasn't stress that either of them needed. He closed his eyes figuring that he could just relax some more while their daughter was picky with her tv choices. It was kind of funny to watch and he knew that she was certainly going to be a difficult teenager.
Rachel: He didn't say anything which she was grateful for and she just watched the tv as Kayla flipped through the channels until finally settling on one of the most annoying shows ever but the two year old loved it. Sighing she shook her head and just closed her eyes as she and Brody cuddled on the couch just letting the moment sink in before either of them needed to move.
Brody: Their daughter picked a show that neither of them liked and he groaned softly before resting with Rachel. "We really should block that with the parental controls." He murmured knowing that would save them from having to deal with it and their daughter wouldn't even know that it was actually on. She would just get a blank screen.
Rachel: "She'd somehow figure it out and then we'd never hear the end of it." Rachel murmured as she wrapped her arm around his chest and sighed as she got more comfortable. "Just ignore, think happy thoughts and hope that this isn't another marathon that won't end until we're forcing her to bed." Rachel continued as she kissed his cheek.
Brody: Rachel mentioned that their daughter would figure it out and then be upset. She wrapped herself around him more and just told him to think happy thoughts and to ignore it. "That or we could go cuddle in bed, knowing she's not going anywhere as long as it's on." He suggested. When it was a show like this their daughter wouldn't move or even think about getting into trouble so he wasn't too concerned about leaving her in the next room.
Rachel: She smiled and nodded before unwrapping herself from him and sitting up so that they could go lay in bed for a little while. Taking his hand she kissed Kayla's head before going to lay down in bed. "Where do you want to order from?" She asked as she got comfortable so that she would know when she got up what to order and from where.
Brody: Getting approval from his wife to move back to their room he waited for her to get up before following. As they settled into bed she asked what he was thinking for dinner and he shrugged. "I don't know. We could do pizza." He declared. They hadn't had it in a little while and so it would be a change of pace meal wise which was always something good.
Rachel: "Okay." Rachel nodded knowing that was doable as she moved into his arms and kissed his cheek. "Time to get a cat nap in because after dinner I have got to work on something." She mumbled as she wrapped herself around him so that they could be comfortable and just relax for a while as their daughter was occupied in the living room.
Brody: Having his wife be so affectionate today made Brody smile and he kissed her head as she mentioned taking a cat nap. Tomorrow was really going to suck but at least it would be friday and he would be able to have the weekend to do everything that he needed to do to catch up. He wouldn't have to strain himself too badly in the long run.
Rachel: Being so close to him after such a big fight was something she needed more than anything, to know that he wasn't going to leave her and that things were going to be okay was hard right now. They needed this, to just lay in bed and be close so that she knew it really would be okay. He was the love of her life and no matter how many ops and downs they had she wasn't about to let him go.
Notes: Here’s our little surprise to celebrate two years :)
Rachel: Rachel hurried down the white hall trying to get to the hospital room as fast as she could. Michaela was about to have a baby making her a grandmother again at the young age of 44. The thought brought tears to her eyes at her first baby having babies, it was unbelievable but she couldn't wait to have another little one to love up on. Stopping she looked behind her to see Brody and Taylor, their 16 year old, trailing behind. "Will you two hurry up?" She asked refusing to miss anything even if they were being forced to stay in the waiting room this time around.
Brody: Being a grandpa for the second time at only 46 was something that made him feel a lot older than he actually was. Michaela was a wonderful mom though, just like he always knew she'd be. As soon as the call came in that she was in labor, Rachel insisted on them rushing to the hospital even though there really wasn't anything for them to do besides sit and wait. Taylor, their baby, felt the same way he did but they both knew better than to fight with Rachel as the crazy factor took over. Now they were walking through the halls, Rachel nearly sprinting and then almost yelling at the two of them for not moving faster. "Calm down Rachel. She just went into labor. We both know that we're likely going to be here for hours before anything happens."
Rachel: "You don't know that." Rachel said as she waited for them to catch up. "This one was here in barely an hour." She said as she wrapped her arm around Taylor who knocked it off in a typical teenaged fashion before walking ahead of them. Rachel rolled her eyes and wrapped her arm around her husband's waist instead. "I'm just excited, our little girl is having a baby." She said with a wide grin. "We're going to have another baby to hold and spoil."
Brody: Rachel insisted that he didn't know that and reminded him of how their youngest had made her way into the world in a speedy fashion. He chuckled as she brushed mom off like most teenagers do causing Rachel to wrap her arm around his waist. "We are going to have another baby to hold and spoil. One that we can pass off when we want to sleep." He grinned. That was really the best part of being a grandparent. All the benefits without the lack of sleep and everything else.
Rachel: "Except when we babysit." Rachel smiled. "Which we are doing tonight." She reminded him as they reached the room and walked in. "Hi, baby!" She stated as she hugged her eldest who was still the spitting image of her mother and the same exact attitude. "How are you feeling? Do you need anything? Ice? Washcloth? Has the doctor been in yet?" Rachel asked spitting off questions needing to know the answers before she could calm down and relax.
Brody: He was reminded that they had to do that when they babysat like they were tonight and he rolled his eyes knowing that she was going to be the one getting up. They got to the room that their daughter had been placed in and Rachel spouted off a million questions to her causing him to shake his head. "Ignore your mother." He assured her as he moved to kiss her forehead. "Her crazy is out in full force tonight and you don't need to worry about anyone but yourself and that little one." She smiled up at him though it was pained and he sighed wishing that he could make things easier for her. Even after all these years she was still his baby.
Rachel: Brody rolled his eyes and she shoved him playfully. He was the biggest sucker for their grandson and she knew that he was going to love having the little guy with them while their daughter dealt with having a newborn. "Hey!" Rachel said with a pout as she sat down next to their daughter. Her phone went off and she smiled seeing a text from one of their twins. "Your brothers will be here a little later." She told Michaela who nodded and closed her eyes.
Brody: They both took seats in the room, Taylor moving to get them coffee from downstairs since she wasn't a huge fan of things like this. Rachel's phone went off and she declared that their boys would be here later. He was really proud of both of his sons, even if they drove him a little crazy at times. "So...are we thinking this little one is going to be a boy or girl?" He asked since their daughter and her husband had decided that they didn't want to find out this time.
Rachel: "Girl." Rachel predicted. "We need to keep the family balanced." They were pretty even when it came to the boy and girl ratio and that kept her oddly calm to think about. It was so great through that their little girl had a family of her own and she smiled happy with how their lives had turned out. There really wasn't much better than sitting in a hospital room with Michaela waiting for the arrival of her second baby.
Brody: When Taylor came back it was with their daughter's husband and son and Brody smiled, immediately moving to take the two year old who squealed and cuddled against him. "There's pap pap's little boy." He grinned, his eyes lighting up. The other side of the family had taken grandma and grandpa so he and Rachel had gotten to be creative with what they wanted to be called.
Rachel: Their grandson arrived with his daddy and Rachel and Brody both gravitated to him. "Hi Nana's boys." Rachel said as she kissed his gigging cheek. He was the cutest boy and she smiled unable to contain her excitement to have another little one just like him. Michaela was the only one who had so far given them grandchildren, Taylor being much too young and their twin boys being way too wild to settle down just yet.
Brody: The little boy giggled and Brody smiled just bouncing him slightly. It amazed his sometimes that Michaela was a mom, that his baby girl had grown up so much. He was sure that he would feel the same way with the rest of the kids but none of them had really settled down yet besides Michaela. He knew that Matthew was planning on proposing to his girlfriend at some point but right now they were both still taking advantage of the craziness that being young and unattached for the most part provided.
Rachel: Rachel sat back down smiling at how Michaela and Taylor talked with each other, they had a good bond that Rachel was really happy about. It reminded her of Rachel and Michaela and she sighed having so many fears about Michaela as she got older and the truth about her conception came out but she had handled it pretty well and had grown so much stronger and into an amazing person because of it.
Brody: Their two daughters talked a bit and Brody just paced feeling his grandson fall asleep against his shoulder. Their daughter's husband was standing by her bed, pushing her hair out of her face and letting her squeeze his hand when she felt a contraction. She was on IV pain meds as far as he could tell but from what he'd heard she wasn't far enough dilated yet for the epidural so there was still a ways for them to go before there would be another little boy or girl in the family.
Rachel: It was always hard seeing Michaela in pain, ever since she was born it was hard but seeing her in pain because she was bringing a baby into the world was both hard and amazing at the same time. It reminded her of her four births and she knew that no matter how much pain she was in that it was going to be beyond worth it in the end. Standing up she hugged her son in law, a really great guy who had won all of their hearts fairly quickly. "How you doing?" She asked and he just chuckled and looked down at his wife who was resting. "I'll be better once the baby is here."
Brody: Rachel addressed their son in law, hugging him and asking how he was doing with all of this. Brody really couldn't have asked for a better man for their daughter. Even if he was gone a lot for his job, he made sure that his family always came first and he knew that Michaela never doubted his love for her. He could see bits of himself in the younger man, knew exactly what he was going through right now. Even if pregnancy and labor was a completely normal thing, there was always the fear of something going wrong at this point until that baby was safe in your arms and so was your wife.
Rachel: She smiled at the happy couple anxiously waiting for the labor process to speed up. It reminded her of when she was pregnant with Michaela at the very age that Taylor was, it was scary but having her first baby girl was the best thing in the world. Before she got emotional she tugged her youngest with her to the little couch in the room to sit and be out of the way.
Brody: Rachel moved with Taylor to the couch and Brody just sipped at his coffee while cuddling his sleeping grandson. He couldn't wait to hold the new baby and he just watched as their son in law worked to comfort his wife who was clearly feeling the discomforts of labor. She was already clearly exhausted and he could only hope that the baby decided to speed it along for her sake. Looking over at Rachel he motioned his head to the door. "Let's let her rest." He mouthed knowing that she wouldn't do it with them in the room and that she needed to try and get some before the hard work happened.
Rachel: She nodded at her husband and patted her daughter's leg for her to follow them. "We'll be back." Rachel whispered to Michaela before kissing her head and heading out the door to relax in the waiting room. "This is taking forever." Taylor whined her head in her phone as she typed away. "Can I go meet friends and then come back?" She asked and Rachel looked at her not sure. "We need to be here for your sister."
Brody: They headed out to the waiting room so that their daughter could try and rest some. He knew she needed it if she was going to make it through the rest of labor. Their daughter whined at them about it taking forever and asked to go meet her friends before coming back. Rachel stated that she wasn't sure but Brody nodded at her. "Who are you going to meet?" He asked. "And make sure you keep your phone on." He added. There was no reason for her to sit around doing nothing and he wasn't about to force her to stay. She'd be back to meet her new niece or nephew when the time came.
Rachel: Taylor told them where she was going and who she was going to be with and Rachel nodded. "Keep your phone on." She repeated after her husband before kissing her daugher. "Have fun." She said as the teenager left. Raising their kids in the city had been much different than how she and Brody had been raised in Ohio but she knew that her children were much stronger and independent because of it and she loved that. Sighing she took her husband's hand and sat down. "Ready to be the papap of two babies?"
Brody: Getting the details from their daughter they let her leave and Rachel told her to have fun. They had to trust her, they had raised her well and she'd taken self protection lessons since she was about 11 so he wasn't as worried as he could be. She had a good group of friends and he just had to trust that she would be okay. Rachel sat and took his hand before asking him about being ready to be a grandfather to two. "Absolutely." He grinned smiling down at the sleeping boy on his chest. "She's a great mom. She learned from the best."
Rachel: Rachel smiled and rubbed the sweet little boys back. "Me too." She murmured as she kissed the little guy's head. "She's doing a great job, I'm so proud of her." It felt good to know that they had raised the best kids and that their little girl who had brought them together so many years ago. The little boy stirred and clung to his papap making Rachel grin. "Makes me almost miss having babies.. Almost." She laughed.
Brody: His wife rubbed their grandson's back and kissed him commenting on how proud she was of their daughter. When there was a clatter down the hall he stirred and clung to him making Brody smile. "I think our kids would kill us if we had another." He teased shaking his head. "We're definitely past that point in our lives. No more babies for us except grandkids."
Rachel: "I'd kill us if we had another." Rachel stated as she focused on her grandbaby. "Yes, all grandbabies our precious grandbabies." She loved it more than she ever thought she would. Her babies having babies used to freak her out but when Michaela got married and then they announced they were pregnant it was the absolute best feeling in the world.
Brody: Liam whimpered against him and Brody rocked him slightly knowing that the poor little boy was missing his mommy and daddy. After a moment he reached out for his grandma and Brody passed him over before standing up. "I'm going to check and see where the boys are at and then pop in to see if I can get an update." He murmured. He didn't want to disturb their daughter too much but he wanted to see if things had progressed at all in the last little while.
Rachel: She took the precious boy and kissed his cheek before nodding at her husband. "Sounds good, babe." Rachel stated as she bounced the two year old until he relaxed against her again. She sang to him hoping he would get some more sleep wanting him to nap so that later on when they were back at their house he was easy to go down.
Brody: After calling both Nicholas and Matthew and finding out that one was on his way and the other was catching a flight in from D.C, Brody headed in to check on his daughter. The nurse had just left the room and he sighed when he saw the look on her face. "This one being stubborn?" He asked moving to take her hand and try to soothe her. She just nodded and he frowned seeing tears of fatigue and stress on her face. Her husband passed on what the nurses had said and he nodded when they mentioned that they were going to keep a close eye on things. If things didn't progress or the baby started to seemed strained they were going to do a c-section to make sure that neither mom nor baby suffered harm.
Rachel: Rachel and Liam continued to sway as she sang the song to him. He just like all of her kids had always loved when she sang to them. It was nice since she wasn't currently doing any professional work to be able to use her voice to soothe her family. As he fell asleep her song ended and she kissed his head just rubbing his back thankful for everything that they had in their life. She had four children who were everything to her and now a son in law and two grandbabies, it was perfect.
Brody: He lingered in with his daughter for awhile longer since she didn't want him to go and when the monitors started to go off and the nurse came in stating that it seemed like a c-section was the best option he kissed her, assured her that things would be fine, and then headed out to try and make sure that his wife stayed calm. He was sure she had seen nurses running into the room and he caught her in his arms so that she didn't disturb their grandson. "Hey. Relax. They're prepping her for surgery. The baby just isn't willing to come out and it's stressing them both so they're going to do a c-section before things get too bad."
Rachel: In an instant she saw nurses running into her daughter's room and her heart started racing as she got up and hurried in only to be stopped by Brody. She nodded at his words calming down though she hated the thought of their daughter going through it though she had herself with one of the twins and then Taylor. "Okay." She whispered as she held Liam tightly to her. "I hope everything turns out to be okay." She stated as she started to walk back towards her chair as Nick came running up. "Hi, honey. They're taking her into surgery." Rachel relayed as she kissed her son.
Brody: Thankfully she calmed down a bit and he kissed her head before reaching to rub her back. "Everything is going to be fine. The doctors know what they're doing and this is completely normal." It wasn't the best scenario but they were taking care of things before they could really harm either mom or baby. Nick arrived and Rachel relayed the latest news to him as she kissed him. "Everything is going to be fine. And now it's only a matter of a few minutes before we have another little one in the world. He knew that this really was for the best because with the way Michaela had looked, he hadn't been sure that going through labor any longer would have been a good thing.
Rachel: She nodded knowing that it was true and sat back down with a sigh. "Text Taylor and let her know." Rachel said knowing that the little girl will want to be back here even if she had been adamant to get out of there. She loved being an aunt and had been excited when the announcement was made. "What do you think Little Liam, are you going to have a baby brother or sister?" She asked the sleeping little boy clinging to her shirt in his sleep.
Brody: Rachel told him to text their youngest and he sent a message to both of their remaining kids letting them know what was going on. Even if Matt was on a plane, Brody was sure that he would want to be informed. His wife asked their grandson if he was going to have a baby brother or sister and Brody chuckled knowing that with as tired as he was, there wasn't going to be a reply. Twenty minutes later their son in law came out and sat down running his fingers through his hair. "They're both fine. They're finishing up with her and moving her to a recovery room." He murmured. It was clear that the surgery had taken a toll on him and Brody moved to sit next to him and rest a hand on his back. "It's another boy."
Rachel: Rachel smiled as their son in law came out and gave his announcement. Relief washed over her and she rubbed Liam's back. "You have a baby brother." She grinned knowing that she was going to be happy no matter what, a new addition to her family was amazing no matter the gender. "Congratulations." Rachel said as she got up to hug him and he hugged her back before taking the sleepy boy to hug while they waited for him to be able to go in and properly meet his new son.
Brody: After a moment Rachel moved to hug their son in law and murmur her congratulations. Liam was shifted to his dad and the two relaxed together while they all waited for things to settle with both mom and baby so that they could go make their introductions. Taylor came rushing back and let out a sigh of relief when she took in the atmosphere that things were okay. "It's a boy. We have another nephew." Nick declared hugging his sister and saying hello.
Rachel: Taylor came rushing in looking anxious until she saw that things were okay. She grinned and hugged her brother in law before congratulating him. After a few minutes a nurse came back for Eric and Nick took Liam before sitting down as they all waited to be able to see the new little one. Laying her head on her husband's shoulder she took his hand. "Love you old man." Rachel teased.
Brody: When the baby was ready for his dad, Eric was taken back to meet him and the rest of them continued to sit and wait knowing that it would take some time. Rachel rested her head against him and teased him about being an old man. "Yeah yeah, you're not so young yourself grandma." He smirked kissing her softly. They'd already experienced so much life and it was nice knowing that they still had so much more to witness.
Rachel: She gasped and hit him lightly. "I am plenty young, thank you very much." That was one reason she was happy that the terms grandma and grandpa had been taken by Eric's mom and dad because she felt much too young to be referred to as grandma. Granted she was so young because she had Michaela so young but that didn't stop her from refusing to be called old.
Brody: "You called me old first." He stated, shaking his head and moving to link their fingers together. "I've only got two years on you." Looking up when a nurse came out and asked for he and Rachel he stood up. "You're daughter is requesting to see you. She's still loopy from the anesthesia and pain medicine so be fairwarned." Nodding he pushed the door open and moved into the room where their daughter was laying, looking not so hot.
Rachel: "You have plenty more grey hairs though." She laughed as the nurse came out and she nodded and squeezed his hand as they went in. "Hey princess." Rachel said softly as she kissed her daughters head. "You're going to be okay." She whispered to her knowing that she wasn't feeling the best and wouldn't for a little while.
Brody: Rachel commented on him having more grey hairs though and Brody almost commented on how that was because she dyed her hair. Moving to their daughter's bedside he took her hand and rubbed gently while Rachel whispered that things were going to be okay while kissing her head. "Eric is with the baby. You just relax and take care of you." He assured her knowing that she had gotten the gene from her mother where she always felt guilty for things. "Your baby boy is just fine. You did good. We're so proud of you honey." He stated squeezing her hand gently before reaching up to wipe her tears away.
Rachel: "So proud." Rachel said as she doted on her daughter, using the cool cloth to clean up her face as she rested. Looking over at Eric who was holding the tiny bundle of joy she smiled at Michaela. "You did so good, baby. So good." She was so proud of her even if she knew she wasn't feeling the best and hating that they had to put her through surgery for her son. Squeezing her hand for her to look at her she moved her hair out of her face. "Hey, there is nothing wrong with a c-section. Absolutely nothing especially when it's best for you and the baby. Don't think that it shouldn't have happened." She had been the same way when she had the twins, thinking she had done something wrong somehow. Matthew had came out find naturally but Nicholas had been put in distress by the birth of his brother and they had to go through surgery to get him out safely. Years later when Taylor came around it had been more logical for her to be born through the same procedure.
Brody: As Rachel doted on her daughter Eric brought the baby into the room and held him gently, cradling him against his body. Rachel assured her that there was nothing wrong with a c-section and Brody nodded in agreement, remembering Rachel having gone through the same thing. "Baby girl...your body just wasn't ready to deal with a length labor and it was better for you to have the surgery rather than hurt him and yourself by trying to continue with a natural birth." Motioning to Eric, the little boy was brought to his mommy and placed gently on her chest. "He's here and now he needs you to love on him because you're his mommy and he loves you."
Rachel: With the baby in the room and then on Michaela the atmosphere changed and their daughter relaxed as she looked at the little boy. Tears swelled up in Rachel's eyes as she took her new grandson in. "He's beautiful." She said as she gently touched him. "Does he have a name yet?" She asked knowing that the two had been debating on names for months for either gender. The new mom shook her head, her eyes firmly planted on her son. "We'll decide soon, at least I hope." Eric joked making Rachel laughed lightly.
Brody: Their daughter cuddled her little boy and Rachel asked if he had a name yet. They replied that they hadn't decided on one yet and Brody smiled just looking down at the infant as he threw his fist out and squirmed slightly while squeaking. "He's got the Berry nose." He commented after a moment smirking. He knew that Rachel had never quite been comfortable with her nose and it was clear that it was being passed down to another generation in this little boy.
Rachel: "I'm sorry baby boy." Rachel said as she crinkled her nose and touched his. "I promise it'll be okay though." She continued as she just smiled at the newest addition. He wasn't the only one in the family who had got her nose but she still felt bad for every single one of them for passing down the feature that she still wasn't that happy about though she had grown comfortable with it over the years.
Brody: Rachel apologized to the infant who made a face when Rachel touched his nose and Brody chuckled. "It looks like he might have gotten his daddy's jaw so that will balance it out." He assured her with a smile as he just stared at the little one. "My baby is a mom of two." He whined shaking his head. "You grew up too fast Kayla." He sighed leaning down to kiss her.
Rachel: "Don't make us cry anymore than we are, Brody." Rachel said with a smile as she wiped her eyes and then Kayla's as they both looked at the baby. It was definitely the perfect moment and she looked at their daughter before pulling back and moving over to her husband. "You two get some time in with your son and when you're ready we'll bring in the rest of the group."
Brody: They yelled at him for making them cry, well scolded more like it. And after a moment Rachel pulled back and told their daughter and son in law to take some time with the baby and that they would bring the rest of the group in when they were ready. Kissing his grandson and then daughter quickly, Brody followed his wife, hugging her once they were outside the door. "They're both fine." He murmured knowing that she had been scared even if she knew that c-sections were normal.
Rachel: Rachel nodded and hugged him back with her head in his chest. "I know, I know. I just wish she hadn't of went through it. She's going to be in pain for a few weeks and that's going to make it so much worse." She murmured with a sigh before kissing him. It didn't matter how old her kids got she was never going to like any of them in pain. "Let's go round up the others and maybe go get something to eat. We need to get those two some time."
Brody: "And we'll be here to help them with all of it." He declared. Yes it would be tough on their daughter but they would help her through it by cooking, cleaning, caring for Liam and anything else she needed. Rachel suggested going to get the others and going for food and he nodded. As a group they decided to head just down the block for pizza and Brody sent a text to Eric on where they were so that they knew not to come looking for awhile and to just enjoy their son.
Rachel: They decided on pizza and made their way out of the hospital and down to the pizza place around the block. Liam was waking up as they got settled giving them all the most beautiful smile in the world. "Hi Liam!" She grinned as she took him from Nicholas. "Did you have a good nap?" Rachel asked as he babbled a mix of words and baby talk to her. Rachel settled him in his high chair as the group got comfortable.
Brody: As they got settled in at the restaurant, Liam woke up and Rachel took him from his Uncle asking about his nap. He babbled at her making Brody smile. He really did miss having babies around, it was a good time with their kids even if the twins had been a little harder to handle. There was nothing more rewarding than being a parent and grandparent.
Rachel: She could tell by the look on his face that Brody was missing babies just like she was. "No." Rachel told him from across the table. Nick looked at them as they both looked at Liam and shook his head. "If you two have another kid I'm moving far far away." He said making Rachel laugh. "It's not going to happen, trust me." She told her son, reaching over to pinch his cheek. "I have all the babies that I need."
Brody: Rachel simply stated 'no' and he looked at her before looking down at the baby. Their son looked at him and declared that if they had another kid he was moving far away. Rachel assured him that it wasn't happening and pinched his cheek. "Nah, we'll just start bugging you and your brother to add to our collection of grandkids." He teased. "It's about time you start thinking about settling down. Your mother and I had almost been married a decade at the point you're at."
Rachel: "Exactly, listen to your father. Gives us babies." Rachel said with a grin making their son roll his eyes. "Why would I do that? I'm young, I'm hot, I have ladies. I'm not going to choose just one, not yet." He stated and Rachel shook her head. "As long as one of your many ladies doesn't come up to you saying that you messed up."
Brody: He chuckled when Rachel told him to listen to his father. Nick's response made him sigh and put pressure on his temples. These boys have always been a handful. Rachel hit the nail on the head with her next comment and he crossed his arms over his chest before nodding. "Testing the waters is all well and good but don't be stupid."
Rachel: Their son just rolled his eyes and got up betting Taylor that he could beat her at one of the arcade games before racing over to the other side of the room. "Remember when we thought having more kids would be great? Couldn't wait to have boys." She said as she looked over at one of their sons. Having twins had been something that they had yet to get used to, one was just as rambunctious as the other and they were constantly trying to see who could drive their parents crazy first.
Brody: Nick and Taylor ran off to the arcade games and Rachel asked if he remembered when they thought having more kids would be great. "They are great. You love them." He murmured kissing her. Sure they were a handful but they made life worth living and brought their parents so much pride. It had been an unexpected adjustment having twins but it was something that he would never regret.
Rachel: "Of course I do, I wouldn't trade them for the world." She said before kissing him back. "However I boys have caused one too many wrinkles over the years." Rachel said as she kissed him again. She loved her life, every single bit of it right down to their little surprise that happened sixteen years ago that had really thrown them from a loop. Little Taylor Barbra was her mommy's world though.
Rachel: "You're cute." Rachel said as she wrapped her fingers around his wrist. "I love you." She said before kissing him softly. Liam was giggling as he played with a toy in the high chair. "We have a pretty amazing life. Not that I had any doubt that this was going to be us 26 years after getting married. 26.. That's such an amazing number."
Brody: He still enjoyed her touch now just like he did then and he smiled when she wrapped her fingers around his wrist. "I love you too." He whispered. "I couldn't ask for anything more. You've given me everything I ever wanted." He declared. "4 babies. Sometimes I still can't believe that I talked you into that many, or that well God decided that we were having that many whether we liked it or not."
Rachel: She had to laugh before she shook her head. "That's a good correction because you certainly didn't talk me into that many. As a matter of fact it wouldn't have happened. I love our little surprise though" Rachel said as she looked at their teenager who was so amazing. "Definitely so happy to have 4 absolutely perfect angels."
Brody: "Our little surprise might be the best thing that ever happened to us. No disrespect to the boys but we planned for them, well one of them at least." He declared. Taylor had taken them by surprise in every way and she was the most amazing thing. They had sworn that they were done and fate had other plans for them. Holding his own little girl though had been the most amazing thing.
Rachel: "Do you remember how you almost passed out when we found out we were having twins?" Rachel asked the memory being one of her favorites. They had been ecstatic when their efforts of trying for a baby had succeeded and then finding out they were having twins had put them all into shock. Her husband however was on the floor not even a minute after the doctor had revealed the news.
Brody: "Yes I remember." He murmured. He'd been in total shock when the doctor revealed that their attempts for a baby had not only been successful but doubly so. Everything had gone foggy and he was on the floor a split second later with no recollection of how he'd gotten there. The birth of their boys had been just as exciting and scary at the same time.
Rachel: She grinned and kissed his cheek. The entire pregnancy was rough but by the end of it they had two handsome boys who looked like their father. After that she had said no to anymore kids, refusing to even talk about the subject but that was when their Taylor was born and everything changed once more. "They all grow up too fast."
Brody: Reminiscing was one of his favorite things to do. They had so many memories together and they completely outweighed the horrors of the first few. In both their careers and personal lives they'd gotten everything they'd ever wanted and it was the best thing in the world. "They really do." He murmured looking at Liam. "You can stay this little forever okay monster?" He grinned loving so much spending time with his family. As their pizza was delivered Nick and Taylor came back and a moment later Matt walked in the door as well, clearly having just gotten into town.
Rachel: Liam just giggled at him as Matt came through the door causing Rachel to get up and hug the one baby she didn't see regularly since he had taken a job in DC. Leading him to the table she smiled when Taylor launched herself at her other big brother having clearly missed him as well. They were a close knit family and it was exactly what she had wanted.
Brody: The little boy just laughed and Rachel moved to hug her other baby. As soon as she let him go, Taylor flung herself into her brother's arms. "Looks like someone missed you." Brody declared smiling. Taylor and Matt were surprisingly close considering their ages. Really the whole group was but the two of them especially. He didn't know why but he certainly wasn't complaining.
Rachel: Rachel grinned as she sat back down as Matt and Taylor got settled at the table once their son had greeted the rest of the family. "Michaela and the baby are doing great." She told him as she checked her phone to see an update from Eric. "Eric says that they'll be ready for us whenever we are done eating, they even have a name."
Brody: Quickly he hugged his boy and then they all sat down to eat. Rachel passed on the news about the baby and his sister and then declared that Eric had stated that they were ready for visitors whenever they finished dinner. Brody was looking forward to that, he was hoping that his daughter was feeling a little better because he had been worried about her from the moment he first saw her today.
Rachel: They all started to eat, mostly catching up with the boys since they hadn't seen them both together in a while. Nick was around the city but was always doing this and that and with Matt in DC they hadn't seen him in a while. Once they were done, they cleaned up Liam and walked back to the hospital and to Michaela's room. Rachel, Brody and Liam went in first finding Kayla looking much better than she had before. "Hey princess."
Brody: The family enjoyed dinner and catching up and when they were done they headed back up to visit momma and baby. He, Rachel, and Liam headed in first and immediately he could tell that the medicine they had Kayla on was doing wonders. He was sure that the iv was helping as well and he smiled seeing the little boy curled up and sleeping on her chest. "You look so much better." He murmured passing off Liam to his daddy when he reached for him.
Rachel: Rachel smiled as she looked at the sleeping boy on her chest. He was handsome and looked just like Liam did when he was born except for the Berry nose. "Your brothers and sister are waiting outside." She said as she kissed her daughter's head just happy that she looked rested and like she was feeling better from the anesthesia.
Brody: Rachel mentioned that the rest of the group was outside and Michaela nodded before looking at her husband. "Daddy." She murmured and he made a face before moving closer to her. "What baby girl?" He whispered back. After a moment she gently offered the baby over to him and his heart melted as his new grandson snuggled against him, his hand wrapping around Brody's finger. So lost in that moment he totally missed her asking for her husband to let everyone else in.
Rachel: Brody held the baby first and she loved the look on his face. Moving beside of him she wrapped an arm around his back and looked at the baby in his arm. "Hi, precious." She cooed as she watched his little face. He was amazing and she was so proud of their baby girl who had brought another amazing little human into the world.
Brody: As he cuddled the newborn, Rachel moved to his side and peeked in at the little boy. He was absolutely stunning and Brody was so proud of his daughter. Once everyone was in the room, Eric spoke up. "So I'm sure you all are wondering what we decided on for this little guys name. After some discussion we decided that we wanted to name him after the people that have had a significant impact on our lives." Brody was torn between listening to his son in law and focusing on his grandbaby. A quick glance up had him catching Michaela stopping her husband before taking her turn to speak. "Daddy. I don't know what I would have done without you. You were there for everything when you didn't have to be and you'll never know how much that means to me. Right now you're holding Mason Brody Carter." She murmured though her voice was choked with tears. "I know I'm named after you but now my baby boy is named after both of his grandfathers as well."
Rachel: Michaela and Eric gave them a speech regarding the babies name and tears ran down her cheeks as she looked at the little boy. "Mason Brody, that's the perfect name." Rachel said as she leaned down and kissed baby's head. "Named after some really great men." She whispered as she kissed the baby's head again before kissing her husband.
Brody: Brody couldn't stop the tears from falling as his daughter revealed that this little angel was named after him. Tucking him just a little tighter against his body, Brody stared as the little boy peeked his eyes open at him as if saying hello. Rachel was kissing his tiny head and she murmured that he was named after some great men before she turned to pull him into a soft kiss. "Go on. You can have him." He whispered after a moment, knowing that Rachel was dying to love on the little boy herself.
Rachel: She nodded and took Mason from his Papap. He was tiny and perfect and she rocked him slightly just enjoying having him in her arms. He was absolutely amazing and another light in her life. After a few minutes Taylor appeared at her side and she motioned for her to sit before placing the newborn into her arms. The sixteen year old smiled brightly as she took in her new nephew.
Brody: Once the newborn was settled in his grandma's arms, Brody moved to hug his daughter who kissed him and then insisted that he sit with her. He had missed getting to cuddle his daughter so he wasn't about to turn the opportunity to have her in his arms down. "I love you." He murmured squeezing her gently. All this time and his relationship with her still hadn't changed, she was the best thing to happen to him because she turned his life around completely. Without her, he and Rachel wouldn't be who they were today.
Rachel: Rachel looked over at her husband and daughter and how nothing had changed since she was just a baby. She had made everything so much better and then some. If it wasn't for her, she and Brody probably wouldn't be together or wouldn't have made it. Once she knew that Taylor was settled and she knew that the twins would be getting their turn with Eric watching over them protectively. Rachel got up and moved over to the bed. "There's two of my favorite people."
Brody: He relaxed just taking in the fact that though their daughter was going to be tired and sore for awhile, she was okay and so was her baby boy. After a moment Rachel joined them at the bed and commented on them being two of her favorite people. "We're enjoying some daddy/daughter time." He murmured smiling at the way Michaela rested her head on his chest. "We don't get it nearly enough." With his daughter being a young mom, it was hard for him to get the time with her that he would really like even if his schedule was fairly free nowadays.
Rachel: "I see that." Rachel smiled as she took her eldest daughter's hand. She was always going to be their princess, even with having three other babies one being there little angel Kayla was always going to be the one to change it all. "We're so proud of you, baby girl." Rachel stated as she squeezed her hand. "Two beautiful babies and a wonderful life that we always wanted for you." It was hard to not get emotional thinking about how they had dreamed up this life for her and it had all mostly came true.
Brody: Mason was now chilling out in his uncle Matt's arms and Brody smiled wondering if his son was thinking about having that someday. He was looking forward to all of his kids settling down and having families. He knew that they would never really understand how he and Rachel felt until they did. Being a parent was the best thing and knowing that everything you had wanted for your children had happened was even better.
Rachel: The longer she watched her kids hold a baby the more sadder she got that their boys would be having families ones day soon. They had time with Taylor as long as nothing happened but Brody had pounded safe sex into their heads since they day they all started puberty. It was important to both of them that none of them went through teenage pregnancy and more importantly knew how to respect others and themselves, so far they were doing well at succeeding and Taylor was much too smart and protective of herself to let it happen.
Brody: When the baby was passed to Nick Brody had to chuckle because even though they'd done this before it was clear that he was still completely out of his realm when it came to a newborn. He didn't think that they would have to worry about him settling down just yet which was perfectly fine with him. When you were ready you knew and until then there was no point pushing it.
Rachel: Rachel got up and went over to their wild son Nick, giggling at how uneasy he was and how quickly he was willing to pass the baby to her. He was always the one who kept them on their toes the most, while Matt was as well he was almost more motivated and had more goals and ambitions than their other son who liked to go with the flow of things without any real plan. "Uncle Nick will be much more willing to hold you when you're bigger, Mason." Rachel cooed to him. "He'll also be the one to teach you how to get out of trouble." She teased as the little baby took her finger before starting to cry. "Oh you want your mommy don't you." She smiled and carried the baby back over to Michaela .
Brody: Rachel quickly moved to save their son and took the baby assuring him that his Uncle Nick would be more willing to hold him when he was older. When the baby cried, Rachel brought him back to Michaela and he watched his baby girl cradle her son against her, humming softly to him and rubbing his back to settle him. It was magical how a mother knew how to calm her baby and sometimes it blew him away to see his little girl showcasing that skill.
Rachel: Michaela calmed her son down and Rachel smiled over to her husband knowing that he was thinking the same thing that she was. When Liam was born they had been far more emotional over the fact that their baby was having her own babies but now it was just amazing and made her so happy. "You're grandpa will be happy to hear this little one." Rachel said speaking about her dad, LeRoy, Hiram had passed away a few years ago leaving the family with one less inspiration to look up to.
Brody: His wife brought up how Michaela's grandpa would be happy to hear about this little one. His parents would as well and noting that he should probably call them, he moved off the bed carefully before stepping into the hall. Thankfully both of his parents were around to bask in being great grandparents and he knew that they would be thrilled about the newest little one.
Rachel: Rachel knew that she was going to call her dad later on and kissed Michaela's cheek before standing up wanting to give her some space. There was a lot of emotions going around and she knew that it was a great family moment for them. She smiled and looked at her other three kids who were very much every part of her and Brody and acted just like it as they all three sat on the small couch picking on each other.
Brody: His parents were thrilled with the news of another little boy and promised to fly in in a few days. He knew that it would be good for them to wait because it would give Michaela a little time to heal and then settle in at home with her little family. Of course he and Rachel would be over as often as would needed they didn't want to smother them at the same time.
Rachel: She left the room and smiled as Brody hung up with his parents. Wrapping her arms around his waist she kissed him softly. "Love you." Rachel grinned though she was already definitely tired. She peaked into the hospital room to see Eric laying on the bed with Liam in his arms showing the little boy his brother. "It's going to be nice having Liam with us for a couple days until they're settled at home.
Brody: As he hung up Rachel appeared and wrapped her arms around him. She murmured that she loves him and then peeked back into the room. Smiling he saw their grandchildren being introduced to each other. "She's going to need some help with things for sure. She'll be here for a few days in recovery and even when she gets home she's going to have some trouble doing a whole lot."
Rachel: "I know." Rachel said remembering very well what their daughter will be going through. "We'll do what we can, taking care of Liam and making food." She smiled as she rubbed his back. "I'm looking forward to getting out of here though and enjoying it all from home. I say Taylor is going to be itching to leave soon and I don't want to overcrowd, though I do want to." She laughed.
Brody: Rachel assured him that they would do what they could by taking care of Liam and cooking. She mentioned getting out of here soon and he nodded knowing that in a little while they should probably leave to let their daughter rest and to get some themselves since it had been a long and stressful day. "We have another grandbaby now." He murmured wrapping her in his arms. "Hard to believe that when it feels like just yesterday it was Michaela we were holding."
Rachel: "I know, our little baby isn't so little anymore and we're not so young either." Rachel said as she relaxed against them. "So much has changed since I was a terrified sixteen year old with no clue how to be a mom or how to even get through a pregnancy. Now that sweet baby who changed everything has her own babies and it's surreal." She smiled a she pulled back to kiss him. "I wouldn't change anything though, not one second."
Brody: He still loved kissing her as much now as he had way back when and after a moment he pulled back. "Love you." He murmured. "Now let's go collect our children and leave Eric and Michaela some peace with the new baby." It was getting late and they really should get Liam to bed. He was sure that they would come visit for a bit tomorrow but for tonight it was time to head out.
Rachel: She nodded and moved back into the room to tell everyone to get ready to go. "Mister Liam, give mommy daddy and your little brother a kiss. You're going home with Nana and Papap." Rachel said loving how Liam smiled not having any trouble leaving his parents. Once he had gave his kissed he went over to her and she picked him up. "Stop by our place and get some of his things." Eric said and Rachel nodded as she just rubbed her grandson's back. "Will do." She smiled as she looked at the babyboy. "Nana will be back tomorrow little one."
Brody: They headed back into the room and mentioned to everyone that it was time to go. Rachel helped Liam give his kisses and then picked him up. Their son in law asked them to stop and get some of his things and they nodded before moving to say goodnight to their daughter and new arrival as well promising that they would be back in the morning.
Notes: Brody skips his classes, finally meets Cassandra July, and the two go on a date. [Contains smut]
Brody: They'd been back at school for a month and had found a little bit of a routine even if it was really hard to find time together. Sophomore year was ten times harder than freshman had been at least for him and Brody wasn't quite sure how he was going to keep up with things. He knew that he had to for his girls but after yesterday he'd decided a mental health day was in order so he skipped out of his classes. While he was cleaning up a little around the house he realized that Rachel had forgotten her sheet music for class that day. She'd commented over and over on how she needed it so since he wasn't doing anything better he decided that he would take it to her and get out of the house for a bit.
Rachel: Sophomore year at NYADA meant that those who had made it through the first year were now expected to be better than ever. Rachel had spent the summer training herself physically going to the gym multiple times a week while still keeping up with her dance and vocals as best as she could. She had went on a few auditions and had entered the new school year feeling as confident as ever. That was until she had to take another class with Cassandra July. The blond woman hadn't gotten over get hatred for Rachel and was pushing her harder than ever. She hadn't told Brody wanting to handle it and was instead working as hard as possible to improve herself. Impressing Cassie and getting her approval took her back to high school when she did everything to get everyone to like her. It was difficult though and after a busy week she rushed into class only to be put under the same scrutiny just for being present. By the end of class she was tired and stressed and had realized she had forgot her important sheet music for her next class. Rachel groaned as she left trying to figure out what to do. "Schwimmer I'm not done with you yet." Cassie followed her out into the hallway. "I need to get to class.." Rachel began only to get a laugh. "I have something to say first, the next time you come into my class late just to suck, don't come at all."
Brody: He'd only been to NYADA a few times so it took him awhile to figure out where Rachel would be so that he could meet up with her. He grabbed her tea on the way as well wanting her to be able to take a minute and relax before she had to go back to work again. As he headed down the hall he could hear his wife's voice around the corner and then heard the voice of someone whom Rachel had complained so much about yelling at her. It took everything in him to fight back the anger at his wife being addressed like that and after a deep breath he rounded the corner and spoke his wife's name aloud. "Hey." He murmured softly. "You left your sheet music at home so I thought I'd bring it and some tea by." Out of the corner of his eye he couldn't help but glare at Cassandra July.
Rachel: Before Rachel could say anything, Brody was there and she smiled and just nodded at Cassie before going over to him hoping to get out before things got worse. "You're the hubby huh." Cassie said and Rachel sighef and gave Brody a pleading look to let it go. "Hmm never thought she'd actually be with someone hot. I'd say way to go but I just feel sorry for you for dealing with her."
Brody: Cassie addressed him and Rachel pleaded with him silently to just ignore her. "I don't deal with her. I love her." He declared pausing a second before continuing. "See, that's what being in a relationship is about, loving someone for all their flaws. But I guess you wouldn't know that would you because there isn't a guy out there that wants to deal with someone that's a bitch all the time." He couldn't help but hate her after everything that she had put Rachel through. "Now Rachel may be too nice to do anything, I however don't have that problem. So if I find out that you're giving her anything more than constructive criticism, I will go to the Dean. Despite my age I have connections in this city and I'm sure I could find a few dancers that have been in Rachel's position before that would back me up."
Rachel: Brody defended her just like she knew he would no matter how badly she didn't want him to. She could feel Cassie's anger from across the hall and knew that she was going to be dealing with it for a while. "Go right ahead and go to the dean kid, I dare you. Your wife will never see even the lights of Broadway." Cassie threatened and rachel rolled her eyes. "Enough. You don't like me, I get it. Just stop being so mean." She turned to Brody. "Let's go okay?"
Brody: Cassie dared him to go to the dean and then threatened that Rachel would never see Broadway. Rachel just played it down and suggested to him that they go. "You have class. I can take care of myself." He assured her pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "After all, it seems like I need to set up a meeting with the Dean and make a few phone calls. He was absolutely serious about getting Cassie fired. He was sure that he had contacts who would gladly take a job here and were more than qualified.
Rachel: "Don't." Rachel said sincerely as she pushed him away from Cassie so that they could go and talk for a few minutes. "She's a horrible person, but she's never going to get fired." She said sincerely looked at her sheet music and slipped it into her bag. "Please, just let it go. I can handle it. It's not like she failing me." That was one thing she had going for her, Cassie was mean but she wasn't purposely failing Rachel.
Brody: Rachel pushed him back and then declared that she was never going to get fired. She pleaded with him again to let it go and he sighed softly. "If she doesn't stop, I will go to the Dean." He declared. There was a big difference in this industry between tough love and being rude. And he hated that Rachel had gotten stuck with the second. "I know that there are tons of teachers who would love this job and who would actually push their students in the right ways."
Rachel: "I know, and you're right. There is always going to be a Cassie though and the sooner I just deal with it the better I can handle it later on." She murmured as she kissed him softly. "I love you, thank you for bringing me my music. I was about to have a heart attack because I had forgotten it." Rachel smiled before kissing him again. "Now go home and enjoy your personal day to yourself, Kayla and I will be home in a few hours."
Brody: "I'll drop it for now." He stated softly. She kissed him and thanked him for her music and he nodded just doing his best to calm his body down. She told him to go home and relax and that she and their daughter would be home soon. "I'll call Shelby and see if she will keep Kayla tonight. Let's go out." He declared. Sure it was the middle of the week but he wanted a date with his wife and he hoped that she would be willing to make the time for it. They hadn't really been alone other than to sleep since they started back and they needed it.
Rachel: She grinned and nodded. "I'd love that." Rachel said happily as she looked for at the time. "I really need to go, decide where you want to go and put out clothes for me so that I just have to shower and get ready when I get home." She smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Love you, baby. I like getting to see you during the day, it's very different and nice."
Brody: She agreed and told him to lay out clothes for her to wear. Nodding he held her for a minute before letting her go so that she could get to class. "Yeah, well couldn't let you freak out over sheet music." He declared throwing his hands up. "Get to class!" He called down the hall after her. He should technically be there himself but he knew that he likely would have hurt himself by going so missing one class was better in the long run.
Rachel: She laughed as he yelled after her and winked at him before going into her classroom. Rachel loved him so much and having time with him, even a few minutes was enough to help her get through the day and truly put her head back on straight so that she could get through the rest of the day without him. She was planning on stopping by and seeing Kayla for a few minutes once she was done for the day but she couldn't wait to have a night with him.
Brody: Satisfied that Rachel was okay, Brody headed down and out of the building to try and figure out what they were going to do for their date. They'd done Broadway before, they'd done a club, he really wanted to think of somewhere different that he could take her. He momentarily considered a sporting event, it was preseason hockey time but he knew that wouldn't go over well with her.
Rachel: Rachel got through her next two classes before sending Brody a text that she was stopping by to see their daughter before heading home. "Hey princess!" She grinned at Michaela ran into her arms. The two and a half year old was her everything and she squeezed her tightly happy to see her for a few minutes. "You be good for Nana tonight, okay? Mommy will come see you tomorrow before I go to class." Kayla nodded and kissed her before wanting down to play. "Thank you." She told her mom who told her to have a good time. Rachel nodded and said goodbye to Beth and then her princess before heading home to her husband.
Brody: It took him over an hour of scouring the internet for things to do before he finally settled on two possibilities. He figured he'd let Rachel decide what she wanted to do more. As he worked to pull out a pair of jeans and a cute blouse for her he received her message about going to see their daughter. Replying with an 'okay' he moved to grab a quick shower so that he could get dressed himself for their much needed night out. He knew that taking today for himself was exactly what he needed and that it would help keep him sane.
Rachel: Rachel walked into their home with a smile as she put her bag in their room. "Hey baby." She smiled when she found him. Kissing him softly she took her hair out of the bun it was in. She knew he was probably still upset and kissed him again. "I'm going to go shower and then we can talk about tonight." Rachel murmured as she rubbed her thumb over his cheek before heading into the bathroom.
Brody: He was getting dressed when Rachel walked through the door and kissed him a few times declaring that she was going to shower and then they could talk. Nodding he stole one more quick kiss before moving to make sure that he had everything he needed before sitting on the couch to wait for Rachel to finish up. He was excited about tonight, always was when they got to have time together to just be a married couple.
Rachel: She took her time in the shower wanting to be clean and perfect for him. When she was done she stepped out and wrapped her hair in a towel before grabbing a bigger one to wrap around her body. "Is there a preference for my hair tonight?" Rachel asked as she walked out and sat by him on the couch not wanting to get dressed until she was getting ready.
Brody: He was kind of surprised when she sat next to him on the couch in just a towel but brushed it off and just looked over at her. "Nope, do it however you want." He told her not in the mood to be super picky. She was going to look hot no matter what so he really didn't care about all the little details. This was their night and he wasn't about to let anything ruin it.
Rachel: She nodded and took her hair out of the towel and ran her fingers through it before getting up. "What are our plans?" Rachel called out as she went back into the bathroom and ran a comb through her wet curls before going into the bedroom to put panties and a bra on. Really she was just overly excited to be going out with him.
Brody: She called out to ask what their plans were as she moved into their room and he chuckled before following and leaning against the door. "Your choice. We can either go to a comedy club or we can go see a local band. I figured we'd also grab dinner and maybe dessert out." He added. He knew that they couldn't stay out really really late because of classes the next day but they had a few hours before they had to worry about making it to bed.
Rachel: Rachel hummed and thought about it. "I'm trying to decide what would be better, possibly terrible bands or old men who can't tell a joke." She laughed lightly though she wasn't exactly sure which to go with. She was sure that either or was going to be fun no matter what but they hadn't really done either so she didn't know which would be better.
Brody: Rachel seemed to be having as much of a struggle with it as he was and he chuckled just moving to sit on their bed. "The comedy club I had in mind is pretty well known. So is the band so neither would suck. It's just a matter of what you're in the mood for more." He stated wanting her to know that he wouldn't subject her to something horrible.
Rachel: "Since bands usually include dancing and after today I really don't want to do that. So let's go enjoy some jokes. We could definitely use some laughs." Rachel said with a smile as she put the clothes on he had laid out. The jeans fit perfectly and she grinned as she slipped the blouse on and pecked his lips before going to blow dry her hair and finish getting ready.
Brody: After a moment of thought Rachel decided on the comedy club and he nodded watching her pull the clothes onto her body. She was so sexy and he couldn't imagine being with someone that didn't take care of themselves the way that she did. It just made them mesh so well together. Fully dressed, she kissed him again and then moved to the bathroom and Brody moved to call a cab so that it would be waiting for them when she was done.
Rachel: It didn't take long for Rachel to do something simple with her hair and then put on some light makeup that went well with the weather outside. When she was done she took his hand and kissed his cheek. "Let's go, my love." It had been so long since they had went out and she was excited to have some time with him and to really finally be able to do something.
Brody: He loved knowing her well enough to know exactly how long it would take her to finish up and just as he expected soon she was taking his hand and murmuring for them to go. Sure that they had everything he locked up and then followed her downstairs and into the cab that was waiting for them. Giving an address about a block away from the club he relaxed back into the seat and just looked over at his wife smiling.
Rachel: She leaned into him during the cab ride she was happy to be in his arms after a long day and needed a night off from school work to focus on him and her marriage. "Seeing you today really made it better. Going from morning to sometimes night without seeing you is really hard." Rachel sighed and kissed his cheek. She always got a chance to see Kayla throughout the day but never him.
Brody: It only took a moment for her to settle in his arms and Brody just looked out at the city as they drove through the crowded streets. Rachel mentioned that seeing him had really helped her and he kissed the top of her head smiling. "I know. I feel the same way. I really needed to play hooky today before I hurt myself by not being properly focused."
Rachel: "I'm happy that you did." She murmured. She could never do that, she would get far behind and it was one of the biggest fears that she had. "Now we get Rachel and Brody time and I can't wait." Rachel grinned as she pecked his lips. They were really trying to do it more this semester and not get lost in school and being parents.
Brody: "Me too." He declared. Sure he would hate himself tomorrow for it but today it was worth it. "Rachel and Brody time is much needed." He declared. So far they weren't doing so well on making time for each other and he hated it because he knew that they needed it if things were going to stay strong. There was only so much they could do with Kayla in the house and demanding their attention.
Rachel: She wrapped her arm around his waist as they were driven and when the cab stopped she pulled back and got out. The weather was perfect and she took her husbands hand as they walked down the street. "I started looking for halloween ideas for princess today, someone was talking about how parties were already being planned and I wanted to look and see what was out there for her, though I'm sure she'll tell us what she wants this year."
Brody: It didn't take them much longer to reach their destination and Brody paid before following Rachel out onto the street where he held her hand. She mentioned looking at halloween costumes for their daughter and he groaned thinking about it being that time of year again. "I definitely think she'll tell us what she wants." He declared knowing that was just how their daughter was at this age. "So. Food..." He trailed off wanting them to eat before they headed over to the club.
Rachel: Rachel hummed and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I bet she'll want to be a princess." She murmured as she looked around at what was there food wise. "I'm okay with anything, I had a light lunch so I could eat whatever you are in the mood for." There was a decent amount around them so they really had their pick.
Brody: "I don't know I think she might surprise you." He declared shrugging. It would be just like their daughter to find out all the other girls were going to be princesses and to completely buck the trend by wanting to be something completely different. Rachel didn't help him narrow down their food choices anymore and Brody nodded before leading her into a diner figuring that they could get pretty much anything there and it would satisfy their need for the night.
Rachel: Brody ushered her into a diner and she sat down and looked through the menu with a content smile. The diner was one of the better ones and had more foods that she would eat instead of the normal greasy foods that diners provide. "Are you going to stay at school longer tomorrow to make up for today?" She asked wondering what the plans were.
Brody: They sat down and immediately started to look over the menu. Rachel asked about him staying longer at school tomorrow and he shrugged. "I don't know yet. I guess we'll just have to see. He figured he might spend a little longer to catch up but he really wasn't sure. His major was certainly demanding and it was hard to know just how much he had missed by not being in class for a day. Even if he was gifted at picking up routines he wasn't sure if that would matter much.
Rachel: Rachel nodded and smiled at the waitress when she came by to take their drink order. Getting just a water she hummed as she tried to figure out what she wanted to eat. "I'm sorry you had to come into NYADA right when Cassie was getting onto me, I was trying to prevent you from knowing about that." He had enough on his plate and didn't want to be whining about how a teacher didn't like her.
Brody: He shook his head when she apologized about him having to witness Cassie like that. "Don't." He mumbled staring at her hard. "These are things I need to know." He declared. "Because if she's preventing you from being your best then it's harming your education and that's something that I won't stand for." He was really worried about her because no she wasn't being failed but she wasn't getting the instruction that she needed to be able to make it on Broadway. "If you don't want me to get her fired then maybe we can look into getting you private lessons to take the place of her class." He murmured.
Rachel: "I know, but there isn't much I can do and I'm really trying to just push through it. You have a lot going on that I really just didn't want to distract you." Rachel said honestly. "The good news is that while I do need to work on my dancing, at least I have the sexiest and most helpful dancer ever right in my house." She grinned though she didn't want him to take her on as a student because it would likely not end well.
Brody: He sighed and rubbed his face gently. "Baby the more scared you are of dance, the worse you are." He mumbled. "And yes you have me, but you and I both know that me teaching you probably wouldn't go very well. I'm serious, maybe we can get you a teacher from the studio and get you out of July's class." He murmured. It wasn't like they didn't love him there and he knew that a lot of the teachers were always willing to take on talented students.
Rachel: "That's money we don't need to spend." Cassie's class was part of her student loans so they didn't have to worry about it. "I'll see how things go in the next couple of weeks and if it's not better I'll go to Ms. Tibideaux and talk to her about dropping the class and transferring in the credit." It seemed like that was their only option at least for the moment until they could figure things out. He was right that she wasn't getting any better at dancing by being in the class.
Brody: "It's also money that would be well worth it." He declared. She told him that if things didn't get better that she would go see Carmen and he nodded knowing that was the best that he would get from her tonight. Looking back at the menu he decided on what he wanted before sitting back and looking out at the city. He loved her and just wanted what was best for her no matter what.
Rachel: She sighed and tried to decide what she wanted to eat right as the waitress came by. Giving her the order she took Brody's hand after he gave his and squeezed it. "No more school or work talk." Rachel declared wanting to spend the much needed time with him not discussing what was stressing them out when they did that all the time.
Brody: They put their orders in and Rachel declared that they needed to stop talking about school and work. Nodding he just played with her fingers and took her in, always amazed at how beautiful she was. He was so lucky that she was his and that he never had to worry about 'dating' again. He was with a woman who knew him better than anyone and who had been with him through good and bad and there was nothing better than that.
Rachel: She pulled his hand towards her and kissed his knuckles as they relaxed in the booth. They had only been back in school for a month and she already missing having a little bit more time with him like crazy. It was amazing how in love with him she was and how it was growing each and every day. "We've been married for nine months."
Brody: Rachel kissed his hand and then murmured about the fact that they had been married for nine months. "I know." He declared his eyes lighting up a bit more. He couldn't wait until they were celebrating Christmas and their one year anniversary. It felt like they had been married so much longer than that but he knew that it was just the fact that they had been together so long. After all, they were hitting the three year mark on their relationship.
Rachel: She gasped and looked at her phone. "We went on our first date almost exactly three years ago." It was in the beginning of September when she had her first ultrasound and Brody had confessed his love to her. They had went out a couple weeks after that. Rachel grinned so happy that their lives were still so amazing and that their relationship had grown. "Though that does just remind me that our little girl will be three in seven months."
Brody: "I know." He declared after watching her gasp as she realized the same thing that he had. "She's getting so big." He declared. "But guess what. That means we're only two years and 7 months away from trying for baby number two." He added. It was absolutely amazing that they were that close to expanding their family and showing the world once again how much they loved each other.
Rachel: "Two years and seven months." She said with a grin really wanting another baby. Things were falling in place for them fairly well, she was still searching for her next show but she was hopeful. By the end of the next two years she knew that they'd be in the right place financially and in their careers to want another baby.
Brody: The way she smiled told him that she was still 100% on board with the idea of them having a baby then. It meant a lot to him and he couldn't wait for the feeling that he knew would take over. This next pregnancy was going to be completely different because it was going to be a baby made of love and it was going to be a piece of him growing inside of her. It didn't mean that they would love Kayla any less, it would just be different.
Rachel: She leaned up and kissed him softly. "I love you." Rachel murmured before sitting down right as their food arrived. It was always exciting when she thought about their future together and just what was in store. So many people had doubted them and were still waiting for them to fail but they had proved time and time again that they weren't going to do so.
Rachel: "Two years and seven months." She said with a grin really wanting another baby. Things were falling in place for them fairly well, she was still searching for her next show but she was hopeful. By the end of the next two years she knew that they'd be in the right place financially and in their careers to want another baby.
Brody: The way she smiled told him that she was still 100% on board with the idea of them having a baby then. It meant a lot to him and he couldn't wait for the feeling that he knew would take over. This next pregnancy was going to be completely different because it was going to be a baby made of love and it was going to be a piece of him growing inside of her. It didn't mean that they would love Kayla any less, it would just be different.
Rachel: She leaned up and kissed him softly. "I love you." Rachel murmured before sitting down right as their food arrived. It was always exciting when she thought about their future together and just what was in store. So many people had doubted them and were still waiting for them to fail but they had proved time and time again that they weren't going to do so.
Brody: "Love you too." He replied just enjoying the time that they had to focus on them. He was so glad that they were able to do this, he knew how hard it was to give up a night with their daughter without feeling like they were abandoning her. Sometimes they needed to take off every cap that didn't have to do with being lovers for awhile. And that was exactly what tonight was about.
Rachel: She dug into her food excited for something heavy after a long an active day. NYADA was continuously kicking her ass when it comes to the physical work no matter how hard she was working outside of class to stay up to speed. It was good though and she loved coming home with her throat raw from singing and rehearsing lines all day and her legs wobbly from all of her different dance classes.
Brody: This meal was much needed. After all, he'd slept so late that he really hadn't had breakfast or lunch. So for the first time all day his body needed food more than anything and he was going to take advantage of their date night for that. It was good to get out of the apartment for awhile and just enjoy the city that they now called home. It was still different for him but he loved it here most of the time.
Rachel: When she was finished she looked out the window at the busy New York street, it never seemed to slow down and she loved that the most about living there. The loudness had been easy to get used to and the crowds were easy to maneuver through, it was the most beautiful city and she sighed happily just watching people rush passed.
Brody: Rachel finished before him and he watched her as she just looked out the window at all the people passing by. It was clear that she was so in love with this city and he loved her more than anything so that meant that he loved it here too. She was home no matter where they were at. "You ready to go laugh your butt off?" He asked her after a moment when he felt himself getting full.
Rachel: "I think so." Rachel said with a small laugh. "I've never done this before so I don't really know what to expect. I'm not sure I've ever seen a comedian before." She never even watched one on tv really. There wasn't a big interest for it but she was wanting a good laugh and Brody had picked someone who was going to be good so she was excited for it.
Brody: "I think you'll enjoy it." He assured her softly. It was something different and that was the most important part to him. He wanted to keep their dates fresh, wanted to make sure that when they did go out it was more than the same thing over and over again. After all they had a whole city at their disposal and they should take advantage of it. "I thought for a moment about taking you to a hockey game but I figured that wouldn't go over well with you." He teased.
Rachel: She laughed and took his hand as they paid and made their way out of the diner. "No that probably wouldn't have. You would've been annoyed with me before it already started from not knowing what's going on." Rachel teased as she kissed his cheek. "Plus isn't there a lot of violence in hockey? I'm not sure I could handle that."
Brody: Quickly paying the check Brody moved with Rachel back onto the street. "There's a little violence yes, but it's not like there's constant fighting. Though preseason does tend to have a little more with people trying to get spots on the team." He declared shrugging. This was definitely a better choice for them to be able to enjoy each other. "I'll have to get Noah to go to a game with me at some point." He added though, now that he had a male friend in the city, it was definitely something he was going to take advantage of.
Rachel: "Noah would definitely like that, Claire, princess, and I will go get manicures." She grinned. Kayla liked to watch a little bit of sports with her daddy but as she was getting older she was already being more influenced by her dolls and playing dress up then cheering on whatever Brody was watching. It was still cute to watch her enjoy a game with him though.
Brody: Rachel stated that that sounded like a plan and that the as girls could go get manicures. Kayla still liked watching sports with him but she was still a little young to be going to a game and really enjoy it. He would definitely take her at some point for a daddy daughter date though. She was absolutely perfect in the way she enjoyed spending time with both her mommy and daddy and doing things that suited both of their personalities.
Rachel: They walked through the streets hand in hand the act so normal to them that she felt like she had always been from New York. It was really where she belonged and she never felt more in her element until they had moved. "So are you going to sneak me drinks tonight?" Rachel asked with a grin. She still had a year to go before she was finally able to drink but was enjoying her husband's legal age greatly.
Brody: They had some time before the show started so they decided to just walk around for a bit before heading over. Rachel asked if he was going to sneak her drinks tonight and he rolled his eyes. "Maybe one." He declared shaking his head. He didn't want to get in trouble over it and since they were in public it was different than him buying a bottle and taking it home where they could both enjoy it.
Rachel: "You being twenty-one is not as fun as I thought it was going to be." Rachel teased. She wasn't a drinker to begin with and really didn't have any plans on becoming one. It was just fun to poke fun at her husband and just keep things light and bubbling so that they weren't so sincere and focused all the time.
Brody: He stuck his tongue out at her when she teased him and then moved his hand under the back of her blouse as they walked. "Yeah, well after that first night we both discovered that being drunk isn't all that fun." He reminded her. "And don't forget I keep you well supplied with wine." He added. It was almost once a week that he had to pick up a new bottle for the two of them.
Rachel: She hummed, being drunk was definitely not any fun and the sex was horrible. The next morning when she was puking for hours had been even worse and she didn't want to relive it until it was her birthday and she had a reason to. "I do like wine." Rachel smiled, she couldn't help it. It relaxed her and forced her to be able to just sit back and not think about a lot.
Brody: "See. I'm good for something." He declared moving to stand in front of her where he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. "You're stuck with me too so you better appreciate me." He teased before leaning down to kiss her, letting it linger for a moment, not caring that this was definitely PDA. "Should we head inside and find seats?" He asked her thinking that it might be a good idea to just go and relax.
Rachel: "Oh I appreciate you and I'll appreciate you even more tonight." She grinned before kissing him back. "That sounds good." Rachel whispered when he pulled back. Taking his hand she smiled at him as they went in and got through the door before searching for the right seat. She decided on something towards the front middle so that they weren't right up front but weren't hidden in the back.
Brody: His breath left him for a moment when she assured him that she would appreciate him even more tonight. It wasn't hard to figure out what she was implying and he knew that it was going to be so good even if they'd need to keep things somewhat gentle. It only took them a moment to get inside and when they did Rachel chose a pair of seats at a table and they moved to sit just waiting for things to start so that they could enjoy the second part of their date.
Rachel: She got comfortable in her seat and checked her phone for anything from Shelby and was happy when there was nothing. Taking her husband's hand she laid her chin on his shoulder and just looked around. The comedy club was really nice and she smiled at how even with a new environment she was still comfortable in the space.
Brody: He'd expected Rachel to check her phone and just looked around before flagging down a waitress and ordering a non alcoholic drink for her and something with just a little bit of booze for himself after showing his ID. As he did, Rachel moved to rest her chin on his shoulder and he peeked down at her smiling and thanking the woman as she moved off to get their drinks.
Rachel: She smiled back at him and just relaxed against him before sitting back up and looking over the different menus and flyers that were on the table. There was a biography about the comedian they were seeing and she took the time to read over it, she liked having research and appreciated the little bit of insight.
Brody: Letting his wife be curious he just watched her as she looked at the flyers on their table and read over the bio of the comedian that was performing tonight. He was sure that it wouldn't be anything too offensive though he hoped that Rachel could stay light enough that those touchy jokes didn't have her freaking out. She could be so serious about things that something like this may not always click with her.
Rachel: Rachel put the paper down and just sat back in the chair as they waited for more people to file in. "I need to go tanning." She murmured as she looked at her skin that was still fading from summer. She missed being dark and how it made her feel. There was something about being tan that automatically made her feel sexy and confident.
Brody: As their drinks were delivered Rachel commented about needing to tan and he rolled his eyes. She looked gorgeous and her skin was perfect. He saw no real reason that she needed to change that. "You're perfect just as you are." He assured her turning her head to kiss her gently. "Now relax, stop stressing over stupid stuff and just enjoy the fact that we have a night to ourselves for the first time in a month."
Rachel: "I'm not stressing, I am just commenting that I am much whiter than I would prefer to be." She said with a grin as she took a sip of her drink before sitting it down. "Also it's been like a month in a half because we spent two weeks before school started purposely spending every moment with Kayla. I'm positive that she was grateful when we took her back to Shelby." Rachel said with a laugh.
Brody: Rachel assured him that she wasn't stressing and corrected him on how long it had been. "She needs a break from her mommy's craziness sometimes." He teased. Their daughter was really the sweetest thing but he knew like every human she needed a break from the norm and being smothered with attention. Especially now that she was getting bigger and more independent. "We just really need to finish getting her potty trained because I'm over the diapers." He declared.
Rachel: She groaned and put her head on his shoulder with a dramatic whimper. "I tried so hard to get her potty trained by the end of summer. That was my number one project.." Rachel whined hating that she had failed because they needed Michaela out of diapers. "I just don't know why this isn't clicking with her. She's smarter than the two of us sometimes."
Brody: She whimpered at him declaring that she had tried so hard and that she didn't know why it wasn't clicking. "I don't know either." He sighed. They really needed it to happen she was way too big to still be in diapers and he just didn't know what to do to make it happen. "I'll talk to some of the parents at work and see if they have any advice." He murmured.
Rachel: "We can ask Shelby as well, I know she's tired of changing her diapers as well and Beth is just as stubborn as Kayla so maybe she can help." Rachel said with a soft smile. They would get it to happen and hopefully in the next couple weeks if she was able to keep up getting her trained. "It'll happen, and will in the next fourteen days."
Brody: Rachel added Shelby to the list of people to consult and he nodded letting the conversation drop. Tonight was about them and not their status as parents so they really needed to change the topic. Sipping at his drink he watched the lights go down and he knew that the show was finally about to start. They could get back to this later but now he just wanted to laugh and enjoy some time out.
Rachel: The show started and Rachel moved closer to Brody and sat up so the could pay attention. The comedian came out and did his opening monologue which made Rachel laugh. It was so far pretty funny and she hoped that it would continue to be and she wouldn't end up uncomfortable with any of the content.
Brody: His wife nestled against his side as the comedian started his monologue and then got into the rest of it. He was funny and it was exactly what they needed today. He was glad that she had come out with him tonight though he was sure that they would have even more fun when they got home. He wanted her more than anything right now but knew that he needed to wait until they were home and could really take advantage of it.
Rachel: The comedian ended up being hilarious and by the end of the show Rachel was in tears from laughing so hard. It was exactly what she and Brody needed and she kissed him happily. "Thank you." She murmured as she cupped the back of his neck. They didn't go out often but when they did it always was completely worth setting aside everything.
Brody: The way Rachel was laughing was only making things better and he smiled at her as she kissed him and thanked him. "You're welcome. I'm glad you had fun." He declared moving his hand down to her lower back. "Should we get out of here?" He asked her as he paid the place for their drinks. "I have a few other ideas in mind if you're up for them. Maybe dessert?" Of course his idea of dessert was eating some fruit, chocolate, and maybe some whipped cream off of her body.
Rachel: Rachel nodded and kissed him again before standing up. "Dessert sounds perfect." She grinned as they weaved through the people and back to the street to get a cab. The night had been perfect already and she could tell by the look in her husband's eyes that he was up to something else that already had a shiver going down her spine.
Brody: Thankfully she agreed and they headed out to get a cab. He was definitely looking forward to the rest of the night now. They had a few hours before it was really time to head to bed and he knew that they were going to make the most of it. They always seemed to have a little extra fun when Kayla was with her grandma so he knew that this was not going to be any different.
Rachel: She kissed him again once they were in the cab just wanting to be close to him and feel a little out there and while making out in the back of the cab wasn't exactly PDA it was still fun to do something she never really did. She was happy though and had just laughed for almost two hours straight which is the best medicine.
Brody: He hadn't really expected Rachel's attention in the cab but he certainly wasn't going to complain about what he got. The way she was kissing him was absolutely fantastic and he smiled responding eagerly. He hoped that she would be game for his idea of dessert because he though that it would be fun and would let them enjoy every aspect of each other.
Rachel: He grinned against her lips making her giggled and kissed him more. She was feeling so light and amazing that she pressing herself against him as they were driven home just seemed like the right things for them. "Love you." Rachel murmured as she pulled back not wanting things to get too heated when she was sure that they were about to.
Brody: "Love you too." He replied just letting his fingers tangle in her hair gently. She was absolutely gorgeous tonight and he knew that he was really the luckiest man in the city to be going home with her. He loved her more than anything and knew that this was exactly what they needed to be able to make the most of the time they were given. "Going to love getting you into bed even more though." He whispered in her ear.
Rachel: She beamed at him and wrapped her arm around his neck as they stayed as close as possible for the remainder of the ride. Once they were at their building and out she kissed him again before leading him inside and to the elevator. "So what are your plans for me, Mr. Weston?" Rachel asked as she gripped his shirt.
Brody: It didn't take too much longer for them to arrive home and he smiled as they headed into the elevator and she asked what his plans for her were. "You'll just have to wait and find out." He smirked, kissing her hard. "Though I'd advise you to head to bed and strip." He winked knowing that it would keep her occupied while he got everything ready for their dessert.
Rachel: She narrowed her eyes at him not sure exactly what he was planning but nodded anyways. "Okay." Rachel murmured before kissing him quickly as the doors opened and they went down the hall to their home. Going into their bedroom she stripped out of the jeans and blouse that he had picked out for her. "Do you want all the way naked?"
Brody: He loved that she hated being left in the dark, it caused him to have a lot of fun with things and it was so worth it in the end. They got to their apartment and she headed straight to the bedroom while he locked up and moved to the kitchen. "Up to you babe. Bra and underwear is fine." If she wanted to show more skin he certainly wasn't going to complain but it wasn't absolutely necessary.
Rachel: Rachel hummed at his answer and opened up her underwear drawer deciding to give him a little more than the plain and boring she had on. Slipping into the lingerie she crawled into their bed not sure what he was up to but it was sure to be fun. Laying down she resed a hand on her abdomen and the other twirled through her hair.
Brody: It didn't take him long to get the chocolate and whipped cream out and then cut up some of the fruit that they had in the fridge. He stuck to mostly strawberries, grapes, apples, and melon because he knew that they would go over best. Stripping his shirt and jeans off before heading back, he grabbed the tray and carried it into bed. "May I present dessert my dear." He teased, mentally groaning at the way she looked, she hadn't been wearing those earlier.
Rachel: She grinned at him when his reaction changed as he came into the room. "Thought I'd surprise you." Rachel said as she raised an eyebrow at him with the tray of foods. "Now what are we going to do with that?" She giggled as she sat up a little and crossed her legs eager to know what he was planning exactly though she had a good idea.
Brody: "I certainly can't complain." He declared just enjoying the sight of her body spread out for him. She asked what they were going to do with the food and he just smirked. Flipping the bottle of chocolate open he moved her hair off to one side and let it drip onto her skin before following with his mouth to clean her up. "Something that will definitely require a shower after." He stated, devilish look on his face.
Rachel: "Oh." Rachel murmured as she sighed at the feeling of his lips. "I like this idea of dessert." She mumbled as she ran her fingers through his hair. Grabbing the bottle she put some chocolate on her finger before spreading it on his cheek and licking it off. "Now this is definitely the right way to spend our night together. Even if it may end up with needing new sheets."
Brody: The sigh she let out told him that she was not opposed in the slightest and he smiled just kissing over her skin a bit longer. When he pulled back she spread some chocolate on his cheek and then licked it off and he groaned at the sensuality of this. "I thought it would be." He declared not really caring about whether they would need new sheets or not. Mixing it up in the bedroom was something that kept them feeling young and in love and he knew that as long as they had nights like this on occasion it would totally be worth it.
Rachel: She kissed him softly the chocolate on both of their lips still. It was a great idea and she moved him from her some so that she could could see what else he brought. Getting a strawberry she put some whipped cream on it before putting half of it in her mouth and leaning towards him so that he could take it from her.
Brody: As if her lips weren't already sweet enough the chocolate made it more so. She moved to grab a strawberry and whipped cream and then put some of it in her mouth before leaning towards him. Reading her signal loud and clear he stole the fruit and then kissed her fiercely needing to kick things up a bit. The way she had looked and acted all night already had him going crazy.
Rachel: She groaned into the kiss and brought them down to lay on the bed as it continued. Pulling back from the kiss she grinned and cupped his cheek and grabbed the bottle of chocolate again and poured it on his lips to kiss him again. "This is definitely bad for our health right now." She laughed though for once she didn't care that much.
Brody: Before he knew it they were laying down and Brody hissed at the way it felt to have his body pressed to hers. She poured more chocolate on his lips before kissing him and then stated that this was not good for their health. "Then go for the fruit." He teased moving to grab a piece so that he could run it over her skin leaving her sticky with it's juices before eating it off of her.
Rachel: Though it was a sensual act she couldn't help but laugh at the feeling of his mouth on her skin. "Move to a different area, that one tickles." She murmured as she popped a grape in her mouth before getting a different piece of fruit to eat off of him. Rachel moved in his arms so that she was on top of him and placed different fruits and the sweets on his chest before moving her hair out of the way to eat them off of him.
Brody: He couldn't help but shake his head when she laughed and told him that the spot tickled. After he finished she flipped them so that she could do the same and placed multiple pieces of fruit on his body before going to eat them. There really wasn't anything sexier and he smirked just watching her happily work over his body. This was definitely a good idea for the two of them to have a snack and some intimacy.
Rachel: She ate off of his skin and kissed over it once she was done before moving back to his lips to kiss him softly. It was fun and she straddled his waist and ground against him with a small moan before kissing him again. They rarely had the time to go slow and explore and now that they had it was even more amazing.
Brody: This was really about enjoying each other as much as they could and so he let Rachel do her thing, kissing her back when she wanted and just letting his body respond to hers naturally. When she moved back up she straddled him and ground against him making him moan and sigh. "My turn." He mumbled as he flipped them back over and reached to undo her bra at the same time. He had mentioned having fun with this and that was what he was going to do.
Rachel: She grinned as she landed on her back and moved her arms so that he could slide her bra off of her. Things needed to progress and she was happy that he was taking the step to doing so. Kissing him again she trailed her fingers down his arm and then relaxed against the sheets. It was already enjoyable but the look in his eyes told her that it was about to get even better.
Brody: Once she was settled topless on their bed, Brody grabbed the whipped cream and spread it over her breasts before diving in to take it all in his mouth. He wanted her to go absolutely crazy and he knew that by the end of this they would both just need to orgasm more than anything. It was going to be absolutely perfect after the day off he'd had.
Rachel: Rachel gasped at the feeling, her back arching into his mouth as she moaned softly. Looking down she watched as he worked over her breasts to clean up the whipped cream he has spread and how hot it was to watch. Any time he was pleasuring her was hot but this was different, sexier and dirtier and she loved it.
Brody: Going outside of their normal comfort zone when it came to sex was so important because it really did help them to bond. The way she was reacting was even better than he had expected and he loved knowing that it was because of him that she was writhing like that. There was nothing clean and innocent about this but there really didn't have to be.
Rachel: Brody was the only person she had ever been with and though she didn't know what it was like to be with someone else she didn't want to know either. He turned her on sometimes just with a look and it was something that had only grown since they got together. "Brody." She breathed her chest heaving from how good he was making her feel.
Brody: Once her skin was clean from the whipped cream, Brody moved up and rested his head against hers. "Yes?" He asked her smirking. This was turning out to be everything that he had wanted and he knew that once they both reached orgasm they were going to crash hard. They'd have to take care of clean up tomorrow and it was definitely going to be a crazy morning.
Rachel: She didn't say anything and instead kissed him hard. There were ideas in her mind on what she could do to him next but really she just needed him inside of her. "No more foods." Rachel murmured not caring about that anymore, she needed him. Rolling them so that he was on his back she kissed him again before sliding down to get his boxers off of him.
Brody: He couldn't help but growl softly when Rachel took control and stated that they were done with the food. Laying on his back he just watched her for a moment as she moved to kiss him and then shifted down the bed, tugging his boxers with her. "Impatient much?" He teased her softly though he really couldn't complain too much about that. He needed her just as much as she needed him, he was pretty sure of that.
Rachel: "Are you complaining?" She asked as she got her underwear off before sliding back up to him for a kiss. They could prolong it but she really didn't want to, she couldn't wait any longer her body was already about the explode just from need for him. "We could play with food more or I could fuck you into the bed... your choice." She grinned.
Brody: She asked him if he was complaining and then finished stripping herself before moving back to him. Her next sentence made his body jerk and he blinked quickly trying to process it. He loved when she talked dirty and she could keep that up any day if she wanted to. He certainly wouldn't mind that at all. Unable to speak he held up to fingers and then pulled her in for a hard kiss.
Rachel: He kissed her harder than she expected and she returned it full force before breaking it to align herself up with him and easily drop around him. Groaning at the feeling she wasn't still for longer than a half a second before she was moving at a rough and fast pace. There wasn't any need for slow when they were both so round up that they need something hard.
Brody: Before he could even register it Rachel was wrapped around him and moving her hips hard. It was so good and he cursed softly, reaching out to support her but letting his body react as she did her thing. She wanted to be in charge and that was completely fine with him. After all it wasn't an all the time thing so he could definitely enjoy the give and take that occurred when she decided that she wanted this.
Rachel: She continued her pace while being cautious of just how rough she was being, she had classes the next day and she really didn't want to be going to hers limping because she pulled something. That wouldn't be an easy story to makeup. She didn't slow down though and completely put her focus on her husband and his reactions to her.
Brody: Brody couldn't help but groan at the sensations that were building up inside of him. It was all almost too much and he gripped her hips a little tighter forcing her to slow down. He was being pushed faster than he wanted and knew that if she kept it up she wouldn't get to orgasm because he'd be done too soon. She could still keep the same level of friction, he just needed it to be slower.
Rachel: He gripped her hips and she nodded before slowing down to the pace he was setting with his arms. She had already grown tired and nodded as she settled at a better rhythm that was just as intense but not as bad. "Love you." Rachel panted as she placed her hands on his arms to keep steady not wanting to lose balance.
Brody: "Love you too." He replied though his words were staggered. It all felt so good and he could barely think straight. Her hands were on his arms and it was all so intense that he could barely focus. "You feel so good." He breathed his head falling back against this pillows as he bent his knees to try and change the angle a bit while also supporting her body a little better.
Rachel: Brody changed their position a bit and she moved her legs to benefit them both more. "Fuck." She breathed as she dug her nails into his thighs. "You feel so amazing." She mumbled as she changed her rhythm a bit to fit their new angle. Her body was reacting quickly and she knew it wouldn't be too long until she was tumbling over the edge.
Brody: Her nails dug into his thighs and he cursed softly from the little bit of pain that it created. She commented on how good it felt and he could already feel the changes in her body that signaled that her orgasm was quickly approaching. It was what he needed to feel because it was starting to become harder to hold his own orgasm back so that he could make sure that they both received release.
Rachel: They way his body looked laying beneath her was amazing and she watched as the muscles in his stomach tightened with her movements. It only took a few more minutes before she moaning his name as she clamped around him, her body wobbling but she stayed as still as she could so that she could work him into his orgasm.
Brody: He almost let out a sigh of relief when Rachel's orgasm hit her. Within seconds his own body was responding and pulsing harder than it had in a long time. That had been absolutely what he needed and he was so glad that he had a wife that was into him as much as he was into her and who wanted to do things like this whenever they got the chance.
Rachel: She was able to work him through his orgasm before landing on top of him with a sigh. Her legs were shaking as her body came down from the orgasm and she giggled sleepily and kissed his shoulder. "Love you." Rachel mumbled unable to move though she was sure that he wanted to since she was currently a sweaty sticky mess.
Brody: Groaning softly as he started to come down from the high Brody wrapped his arm around Rachel as she fell on top of him and then giggled and kissed his shoulder. "Love you too." He declared grinning. That had been fun and he loved that they were able to do things like that together. They were both a mess but it was so worth it. Now they just had to work up the energy to get up, shower, and change their sheets.
Rachel: She kissed his skin again with a sigh. "I can't move." Rachel mumbled her body numb but the good kind. She yawned and closed her eyes though she longer she laid there the worst she felt. "How much do you love me?" She whined as she ran her hand over his chest. "Will you carry me? Everything from the waist down is completely useless right now."
Brody: It didn't take long for Rachel to whine about not being able to move and then asked him to carry her after asking how much he loves her. Rolling his eyes he gently lifted her up knowing that they really did need to go clean up. With his arm under her legs and the other around her back he carried her into the bathroom and sat her on the toilet while he worked to get the shower going and at a decent temperature.
Rachel: Rachel smiled as he carried her and sighed as she sat on the toilet her fingers going through her hair as she watched him. He always looked good after sex, she looked like a mess but he was perfect always. Slowly she stood up and then wrapped her arms around his waist before stepping in with him. "I love nights like this."
Brody: Once it was good he stretched for a second and Rachel wrapped her arms around him before using him for support as they stepped under the water. "They're definitely much needed." He agreed kissing her gently. He knew that she was going to be sore and just kept his arms wrapped around her for support so that she could get her legs under her properly and wouldn't fall.
Rachel: She sighed against his kiss before pulling back to grab her loofa and get washed up. She was exhausted but it was worth it and she smiled to herself and leaned against the wall to fully get clean before washing her hair. They still had to clean up their bedroom but it wouldn't be too hard once they got the bedding changed.
Brody: It was almost amusing watching her and knowing that the reason she was so off was him. She was still stunning even if she was clearly exhausted and he kept a cautious eye on her as he quickly cleaned himself up knowing that they needed to go to bed so that they didn't fall asleep in class the next day. That certainly wouldn't go over well and he knew that after today she really needed to show Cassandra up tomorrow.
Rachel: Rachel finished up and kissed him before using him to step out of the tub. Yawning as she wrapped a towel around her she went into the bedroom and went ahead and stripped the bed though he was going to have to help her put bedding back on it. Laying down on the mattress she groaned knowing that she was going to need to take pain reliever before bed.
Brody: He watched her walk back to their room wrapped in a towel and after quickly finishing he joined her and helped her quickly remake the bed. Simply slipping on a pair of boxers he moved to take the tray back to the kitchen, grabbing them each a water at the same time. He knew that she would likely need to take medicine and they could both use a little rehydration so that they didn't wake up with cramps in the middle of the night.
Rachel: She got up and put on just underwear and a tshirt before taking the bottle from him and drinking it as she took her medicine. Crawling into bed with a sigh she easily curled up and close her eyes. "When I can't move tomorrow, I am totally blaming you because this was entirely your idea." Rachel mumbled with a small grin.
Brody: Deciding to be on the safe side, Brody popped a few pain killers as well knowing that he needed to be at 100% tomorrow. Rachel told him that she was going to blame him when she couldn't move tomorrow and he chuckled just laying down and pulling her into his side. She was really the best thing in his life and he didn't know what he would do without her. "I think the medicine will help." He assured her, kissing her head.
Rachel: Rachel got comfortable at his side and pulled the blankets around her more. "Good night, handsome." She smiled knowing that the next day was going to be good even if she was going to be groggy. She couldn't wait to pick up their daughter after her classes though and smiled to herself as she slowly fell asleep.
Rachel: It had been a great three days with her dads but the day that Brody's family was going to arrive was finally here and Rachel was excited to see them again. They hadn't told Kayla that they were going to visit and Rachel knew that it was going to be a great surprise for her to see her other grandparents. It had been a while since they had seen them as well and it was going to make their week to have the entire family together again.
Brody: His parents were due to come up that day and now they were just waiting for the other side of the family to arrive and spoil their daughter even more rotten. She had no idea that they were getting visitors but he was sure that she was going to be so excited when they arrived. Knowing that they should be here soon. Brody took Kayla out front to draw in the driveway with sidewalk chalk so that she would be able to see them as soon as they pulled up.
Rachel: Kayla and Brody were outside playing with chalk waiting for her parents while Rachel and her dads tidied up the place and made sure that the guest room was ready. Her dads and Brody's parents had always gotten along thankfully and she smiled as they moved around almost more excited than Brody was to see them. "I'll go check on the food." Rachel said the three of them having started an all day meal in the crock pots earlier in the morning so that they could all catch up and eat without any fuss in the kitchen.
Brody: Rachel was inside helping her dads with everything and Brody was watching as Kayla drew pretty pictures all over the ground. He knew that this was something fun for her since she didn't get to do anything like it in New York. It wasn't long before there was a car coming down the street and as soon as he recognized it he gathered Kayla and chalk from one side of the driveway so that his parents had somewhere to park.
Rachel: Rachel heard the car pull up and then Kayla's squeal when she obviously saw who it was. She smiled and finished cleaning up the living room before heading out and seeing her in laws hugging her husband and daughter. "You're here!" Rachel grinned as she moved to hug them both though Kayla was already clinging to her grandpa Weston.
Brody: It only took one peek at the car for Kayla to squeal at her grandparents and Brody smiled glad that she seemed so happy to see them. He took turns hugging both his parents and Kayla immediately requested to be picked up by her grandpa. "I think it's safe to say that she's happy to see you." He declared. "We all are." It had been way too long and he really did miss them.
Rachel: "We are definitely happy to see you." Rachel grinned as she stepped back to her husband and watched as his parents doted on their daughter. Her dads finally came out and greeted them before taking care of their bags. "They are on full hostess mode today, so beware." She said with a laugh as they all made their way inside, Kayla telling them all about the trip so far and how happy she was to see them.
Brody: His parents just focused on their granddaughter who was telling them about how happy she was to see them and everything else that she could think of. She got the babbling trait from Rachel and it was actually pretty entertaining to watch. She was certainly something and he knew that this personality she had developed was all her own and something that made her, her.
Rachel: Their daughter was so happy as they got comfortable in the living room and ran around the room showing them the toys she had their and gave her grandpa one of her dolls to play with. "Play!" Kayla said as she clapped her hands and pulled the older man on to the floor with her as she grabbed her other doll so that they could play together.
Brody: "Use your manners Kayla." He reminded her when she pulled his dad to the floor demanding that he play with her. "We use please and thank you around here." He added just watching, not really angry but trying to do his best to be a proper parent and that included teaching her how to behave in front of others no matter how excited she was.
Rachel: Michaela pouted at him before sighing. "Sorry" She whispered before hugging her grandpa and then going back to her doll still wanting to play with him. "She's gotten really big and really sassy and moody." Rachel stated and his mom laughed and said that she had noticed. "But she's as beautiful as ever, I'm happy we got to be here." She added and Rachel nodded knowing the feeling was likewise all around.
Brody: He received a pout but Kayla apologized and then continued to play after hugging her grandpa. Rachel explained that she had gotten sassy and moody and his mom replied that she had noticed. He almost joked about her not getting that from him but knew that it wasn't necessary, not with Rachel having been to the park and the therapist all in one week. "She's absolutely gorgeous." He agreed softly.
Rachel: Rachel nodded and smiled at him as she took his hand. "So perfect and gorgeous." Rachel said happy that she was growing up so well. She had went to her therapist the previous day and was feeling even happier than she had been and couldn't help but keep smiling feeling like she had a lot of weight lifted from her shoulders.
Brody: Relaxing a bit, he offered everyone drinks and then headed to the kitchen to fill some glasses with ice water. Even with the air conditioning it was still hot and it was clear to him that her dads temperature preferences had changed over the past two years. When he was living there they would freeze him out and now it seemed like the place was a sauna.
Rachel: They all sat around basically catching up on everything that was going on in their lives and everyone's in Cincinnati. All that was missing was Brody's grandma and Rachel's grandpa but knew that they would see them soon enough the next time they had a chance to visit. His parents seemed to be doing really well which was amazing and she sighed contently that everyone was together again.
Brody: There wasn't much to do but catch up and Brody knew that that was pretty much all anyone could handle with the heat. That was fine with him and he just relaxed next to his wife, watching their daughter play and enjoy being the center of attention. "You know, we really need to start looking into schools for her." He murmured knowing that getting her into a good starter school was important.
Rachel: "Shh." Rachel mumbled to him. "I'm not ready for that yet." She added. "Though yes I know." There was a great starter places in New York around where they lived and their commute that would be great for her but she really wasn't ready to deal with that just yet. She had a little bit longer and was planning on basking in that time for as long as she could.
Brody: Rachel told him to shush and that she wasn't ready yet. He knew that she knew he was right and that it was something they needed to look into. It definitely had to be a place that valued the arts because there was no way their daughter would flourish without that. He knew that learning was important but he also didn't want her losing her childhood too early either.
Rachel: "We'll start looking, ask around for recomendations." They both had connections with people who had kids that would know exactly what would be the best for them and her. She definitely deserved the best and Rachel would go to every starter school until she found the right one. "I just can't believe she's at that age, it kind of breaks my heart."
Brody: "It's hard to believe." He agreed. But next year she would need one and it would take them a good year to get through all the paperwork and find the right one for their daughter to attend. Somewhere where she would be happy and would continue to grow into an amazing person even though she was away from them and Shelby.
Rachel: She smiled at him and squeezed his hand. "Let's start when we get back so that we can start making lists and narrowing down options. The sooner we decide the sooner we won't have to worry about running out of time." Rachel said with a small shrug knowing that it was for the best even if bringing it up hurt her heart.
Brody: Rachel agreed to start looking when they got back to New York and he nodded knowing that was really all he wanted. He'd drop it now so that she wouldn't end up in tears on their vacation at the thought of their daughter starting school. He knew that it wouldn't be much different than her attending daycare but it was still something that was going to be hard on his wife.
Rachel: Rachel watched as their little girl played on the floor unaware that she was getting so big and was going to be doing so many new things as she continued to grow up. She was the sweetest little girl who enjoyed doing basically everything and was Rachel's entire world and the reason she was who she was. Getting onto the floor she pulled her into her lap and kissed her. "I love you, princess."
Brody: He knew that Rachel was getting sentimental when she moved and pulled Kayla into her lap, just holding her close and kissing her. "Tell mommy that you'll always be her baby even when you've got babies of your own." He murmured knowing that she was going through the same thing that their parents went through over and over again.
Rachel: She looked at her husband with a smile before just continued to cuddle her daughter while Kayla told her about her dolly and what her name was and what everything on her was. She was so smart and while they were still teaching her things she knew body parts and colors and a lot of her abcs. She was amazing and Rachel just sat there mesmerized that she had carried her for almost nine months and how it really didn't feel that long ago.
Brody: Kayla started to spout off knowledge at her mommy and he smiled at how smart their daughter was and how well she was going to do in life. He was so lucky, and he knew that he didn't give thanks enough for the two girls in his life. They had turned everything around and now he was proud of himself and where things were going.
Rachel: Rachel kissed Kayla's head and put all of her attention on her. "Why don't you show your grandma your dance moves." She had her show her dads when they had got there and they loved it but she knew that Brody's parents would love seeing their son in the daughter that was not biologically his. They had supported their decision from the beginning and now it was clear that Kayla was Brody's daughter just from his influence.
Brody: Rachel suggested that their daughter show off her dance moves and he knew that it was so his parents could see just how much she was his daughter even if there wasn't a shred of his DNA in her. It was amazing just how an influence could work to shape a child and it made him proud to see just how much his little girl adored him and wanted to do things like him.
Rachel: Everyone clapped as Michaela danced and Rachel smiled proudly as she giggled and plopped back down on her momma's lap. "She's doing really well in dance classes, definitely has my ambition." She laughed happy to have such an amazing daughter. "She loves going to Brody's work and dancing though, she also loves to sing and hum along to her favorite songs."
Brody: When Kayla was done she plopped back onto Rachel's lap and he smiled at how wonderful she is. "She's perfect." He grinned. Seeing her pick up on their love of the arts was everything and he knew that even if she decided that it wasn't what she wanted to do, the times that she did love it were going to prove to them just how much of their little girl she really was.
Rachel: Rachel grinned at her husband knowing that he was proud and so in love with Kayla just like she was. It had been a struggle at first to let him in as the father figure and really deciding if it was the best thing but once she knew what she wanted it was something she had never thought differently. He was the best father in the world.
Brody: "Come here Kayla." He requested from his daughter wanting to kiss her and love on her a bit. He didn't get enough time to just be her daddy and he missed the feeling of just relaxing with her. He knew that she wouldn't sit still long but he still wanted to enjoy whatever time he could get and just bond with the daughter that he had loved from the minute he discovered she existed.
Rachel: Kayla moved from her lap and onto the couch where her daddy was. She was being loving for the moment and Rachel was happy about that knowing that she was liable to change to her temper at any given moment if the time was right. She was giggling and giving his kisses, being the angel that they were raising.
Brody: Kayla immediately climbed up with him and started giving kisses, making Brody smile at how wonderful she was. "You know daddy loves you right?" He asked her as he held her close. "You and your mommy are the best things that have ever happened to daddy." She had him wrapped around her little finger since she was born and he knew that he was meant to love her with everything he had.
Rachel: Rachel moved back to the couch and just relaxed though she felt like she needed to do something. She definitely got that from her dads who were fussing over their guests constantly to make sure they were okay. Eventually she got up and went into the kitchen to check the food again and decided to start a no bake dessert that would be quick and easy. Relaxing just wasn't something she could do even if that was what she was meant to be doing during their vacation.
Brody: Rachel sat with them for a bit before heading off to do something, making him chuckle. "Berry's don't know how to sit and do nothing." He teased to her dads while their daughter just cuddled with him, her head resting against his shoulder. "You used to do this with daddy all the time when you were a baby." He whispered to her just enjoying the moment while he had it.
Rachel: Rachel sang to herself as she busied herself with the dessert. The sun was shining through the window making the kitchen warmer than it should be so she opened it up and just stood and watched the slight summer breeze go through the trees. It was something she couldn't do it the city and she found herself just enjoying the little things.
Brody: He was honestly surprised when Kayla fell asleep on him again. Even if it was only for another ten minutes, it was clear that she was a little girl who had worn herself out. He blamed it on the park and a sugar coma and their parents agreed, smiling at the way their granddaughter seemed to enjoy her daddy. When she woke up she was ready to play again and asked her grandparents to take her out so that she could draw with chalk again. "I'm going to get some laundry going." He explained holding back because he knew that it needed done.
Rachel: Rachel finished up in the kitchen and went out to find the living room empty. Looking around she saw the grandparents and Kayla outside. "Babe?" She called out finding him taking laundry to the washer. "Why aren't you out with the chalk monster?" She grinned as she leaned against the dryer and watched him separate clothes. "I made an oreo dessert that Kayla is going to try and eat all of."
Brody: Rachel called for him and then asked why he wasn't outside with their daughter. "Because I felt like they needed some time alone with her and I knew that we had at least two loads of laundry that needed done." He explained. They had only been here three days so far but it was amazing how much clothing they went through in that time period. "Sounds good." He declared when she mentioned dessert.
Rachel: She nodded because that made sense and their parents did need some alone time with the precious toddler. She turned to help him, grabbing a couple of stained shirts of their daughters and spraying them so that they'd come clean. "She sure is messy." Rachel laughed as she placed them in the washer and then hoisted herself onto the dryer to watch him.
Brody: "No really..." He joked when Rachel commented on their daughter being messy. They put a load in the wash and he added some soap before turning it on and then moving over to stand between his wife's legs as she stood on the dryer. "I got a solid ten minute block of our daughter sleeping on my shoulder like she used to. It was kind of nice." He whispered softly.
Rachel: Rachel smiled as rested her hands on his shoulders. "That's great, babe." She smiled before leaning in to kiss him. Neither of them really had the chance for their daughter to sleep on them anymore, usually they were either wrestling her to go to sleep in her bed or she was climbing into theirs and taking up the entire space in her sleep.
Brody: Rachel kissed him and commented on how great that was making him smile. He knew it was a rare occasion these days and that meant he treasured it even more. "I definitely enjoyed it." He replied, lifting her up and letting her wrap her legs around his waist as he moved them back to the living room. "Let's make the most of the few minutes we have alone." He murmured as he pulled her into a gentle kiss, his hands resting on the small of her back.
Rachel: "Are we going to make out on my dads' couch?" She laughed as she kissed him again. "I like feeling like a teenager again." Even if she didn't really have the chance to fool around with a boyfriend in her living room without already being pregnant it was still fun to imagine and she kissed her husband again with a sigh. "Love you."
Brody: "I think that's a valid option." He declared as Rachel asked about making out on her dads couch. They really didn't have anything better to do and it would be nice to just kiss and relax. Feeling like a teenager was never a bad thing either, especially because he really couldn't get into too much trouble even if they got caught. After all she was his wife, he'd already put a ring on it and made her his.
Rachel: She giggled and kissed him once more as she sat her on the couch and she laid back so the he could fit between her legs easily as he laid against her. The vacation had been going so well the last three days and their sex life had already been revamped by having some free time at night or in the mornings with her dads wanting to watch Kayla and spend time with her.
Brody: Rachel kissed him and then laid back on the couch, allowing him to settle between her legs. This was definitely nice, and just fun, something that they didn't get to do a lot. Kissing her gently he just enjoyed being near her and the fact that he felt a lot closer to her lately than he had in awhile, coming home had really been good for them all around.
Rachel: Being so close to him made her wish that they never had to return back to New York. It was inevitable though and as much as she hated it she knew that was going to mean that they were going to be back to limited time together and trying to make the time they found last. It sucked but she knew it was a part of adulthood and the fact that they had both picked such demanding fields.
Brody: He couldn't stop himself from touching her, working to memorize every little thing about her and her body. He wanted to know the sounds she made, the way she looked, felt, moved. It was all important to him because he knew that it would often be his memory that got him through that kept him pushing to be the best so that he could make her proud and come home to her every night.
Rachel: He caressed her and she whimpered softly against his lips. The slight touch of his fingertips made her shiver and she sighed as she continued the soft kiss they were sharing and how it felt more intimate than many of the heated ones that they often shared. This one wasn't about sex, it was about feeling and just enjoying each others company.
Brody: "I love you." He whispered when they pulled back to breathe. She meant so much to him and he could only hope that she knew that. Even though he told her his feelings all the time sometimes it felt like it wasn't enough and he prayed that she understood none the less. They had both been scared about becoming parents, had had injuries and breakdowns and yet somehow they were still here, together.
Rachel: "I love you too." Rachel smiled as she cupped his cheek and just took him in. He was so handsome and perfect, she wasn't sure how she ever deserved such an amazing person in her life. She never doubted she was good enough though, he proved daily that she was sexy and perfect and she knew that if it wasn't for him she'd still be questioning her self worth.
Brody: "Come on. Let's go sneak a shower." He murmured knowing that they could really both use one after rolling around in the grass at the park and everything else. Their daughter was fine for now and it would be a way for them to extend their intimacy. She was so amazing, and he wanted to keep showing her that. He needed her to know how much he loved her and how special she is.
Rachel: She nodded and waited for him to get up before holding out her arms for him to help her up. "Okay, let's go." Rachel smiled as she looked outside and saw everyone having fun before following her husband up to their bathroom. She stripped while he got the water adjusted and she combed out her hair before joining him under the water.
Brody: When she agreed, Brody got up and helped her off the couch, the two sneaking upstairs. He turned the water on before working on undressing, sighing because he knew that the heat was going to feel good on his sore muscles. There was nothing better than showering with his wife and just enjoying being in each other's space while they took care of something that needed to be done.
Rachel: Rachel focused on her husband more than she did herself as they showered, just taking in how defined his muscles were and the way his abs lined his torso. She kissed his neck and then his collarbone before bending down and trailing her tongue down to his navel before going back up and kissing him again. "So hot and sexy, baby."
Brody: Rachel seemed more focused on his body than anything, using her mouth to enjoy his abs and chest. "So are you." He replied. Her ass was fantastic, her breasts were two of his favorite things in the world and he felt like he couldn't go wrong with the woman he'd chosen to be his. She'd only gotten hotter as she got older and he knew that trend was bound to continue.
Rachel: She grinned and kissed him softly before just leaning against him for a moment and then stepping back to work on getting clean before they were needed for something downstairs. It was nice to get to relax with her husband and just enjoy each other even if it wasn't entirely sexual. They rarely got a chance for it and any chance she could just stare at his body she was going to.
Brody: Rachel took a moment to lean against him and he just basked in the feeling of her body against his. "We really need to get new calendars and work to make time for things like this." He whispered to her softly. He knew it would be hard but they needed moments like this, like this entire week to be able to remain strong and connected to each other.
Rachel: "I know we do. We've tried that before though. It fell through the second I bought our planners." Rachel said hating it but knowing it was true. There was nothing worse than not getting quality time with her husband but there wasn't really a whole lot that they could do when everything was so busy and hectic.
Brody: "Well we just have to try harder." He murmured. Another year of acting like the way they had and who knew where they would stand. That thought scared him. "We both know now what we have to do for school, so it should be easier this year. Plus we don't have a wedding to plan or anything like that taking up our time." He explained really needing her to get on board with this.
Rachel: Rachel nodded and wrapped her arms around his waist. "We'll make it work." She smiled before pecking his lips and then adjusting the water so that it would be warm again after it had started to turn cold. "I want to spend as much time as possible with you, we'll plan it out once we have our schedules and workload secured"
Brody: She assured him that they would make it work and then kissed him before adjusting the water. "Okay." He replied in regards to her statement. "Even if it's something as simple as working on our dance numbers together in the same studio." He added. He would be fine just sharing a space while they were doing separate things even if that wasn't the same.
Rachel: "We'll have Shelby keep Kayla a couple times a month over night too." Rachel said. Though her mom already kept her at least once a month per Beth's request having another night in there for them would be good and worth it. They were lucky to have not only a free daycare but for it to be family which helped a lot.
Brody: He nodded when she mentioned having Shelby keep Kayla a few nights a month too. That would certainly help in buying them some alone time if they planned it right. Still they would need more than that. Two or three days of being connected just wasn't enough to keep a marriage strong so they would have to find other times where they could focus on each other and not everything else in their lives.
Rachel: Rachel finished up washing off and kissed her husband again. "We'll figure it out, I promise." She smiled as she cupped his cheek. "It's going to work out for us." Of course she was going to stay positive about it and they could do whatever they could to make sure that there wasn't an impending disaster in their marriage.
Brody: When Rachel finished washing up she kissed him again promising that they would figure it out. He had to take her word for it for now and so he nodded, quickly washing himself off as well before stepping out of the shower with her so that they could dry off and redress before joining their family again. As long as they both realized that it was going to be hard, that was the most he could do for now.
Rachel: Rachel turned on the hair dryer so that the heat wouldn't completely destroy it. Smiling at her husband as he joined her knowing that they needed to head downstairs to their daughter soon because she was probably missing them even with her currently entertainment. "It'll work out babe." She said not wanting him to worry about it, they could do it but for now they were going to focus on their vacation.
Brody: She assured him that it would work out and he nodded pulling her into a soft but short kiss before leaving the room and heading downstairs. They'd have to make sure their daughter got a shower that night but she was a little water bug so he knew that it wouldn't be that hard to get her cleaned up once she was done playing outside and having her messy fun.
Rachel: Brody went downstairs while Rachel finished up and once she felt presentable she followed to see what everyone was up to. Laughing at the sight of the parents on the couch looking exhausted while Kayla continued to run around energetic she shook her head. "This is nothing compared to how she could be." She teased them.
Brody: He found their parents exhausted on the couch and Kayla still running around full of energy. "I could have told you that this would happen." He remarked as he moved to get a drink. Rachel clearly commented as well when she came downstairs and teased about how this was nothing. She was a little handful and he didn't know how they kept up with her sometimes. But they did and it seemed like four adults hadn't had as much luck.
Rachel: Rachel laughed with Brody and sat down on the floor and just watched Kayla go back and forth doing this and that and just having a good time playing. It really was a medium speed for her and she smiled at their parents who just groaned that playing with her and chalk had been far too much for one sitting.
Brody: This wasn't even their daughter's worst and he chuckled knowing that their parents were getting old if they were tired already. "Seems like there are other people here who need naps." He joked sitting down on a chair and just watching their daughter have a blast. She was so sweet and he knew that she meant well with playing with them even if she wore them out.
Rachel: "Yes, all of you go and rest before dinner. Brody and I will take care of the rest of the preparations." Rachel suggested with a smile and they all nodded their heads. "Tell your grandparents yours sorry for being a little hellion sometimes." She told Kayla who just giggled shook her head and ran off into the other room.
Brody: Rachel suggested that they do go rest and they all nodded. Kayla refused to apologize for being so rambunctious and he chuckled following her to another room. "I don't know where you get your energy from missy." He declared shaking his head. "You drive everyone crazy. No one is going to want to play with you if you make them want to sleep every time." He teased picking her up and swinging her around. "Go run around in the yard, daddy will come watch."
Rachel: She heard Kayla squeal and shook her head as she went running towards the kitchen and out the door. Sighing she followed and looked out the window and she found her outside toys and started to play. She was something else and grabbing herself a drink she went and sat on the steps to watch her be crazy with Brody.
Brody: Rachel sat down and joined him on the steps as they watched their daughter run around like a maniac. "She's something else." He declared just enjoying watching her and being around her. She was the love of his life, besides Rachel, and he couldn't imagine things being any different. "Sometimes I wonder what she'd be like without us and it's hard to even think about."
Rachel: "Don't think about that, ever." Rachel shook her head. "She is our angel and she came in a time that I think I really needed her to even if at the time I had no clue how to deal with it." She murmured. "Things really changed and she really changed my life just like you changed mine and she changed yours."
Brody: She told him not to think about it but it wasn't exactly something he could help. He wondered what she would be like without them, if she would be as bright and happy, if she would have as strong a love for dancing and singing. She had changed their lives and never for a moment did he regret her, he just couldn't help but wonder about things being different.
Rachel: Rachel laid her head on his shoulder for a moment and then kissed his cheek before just watching their daughter enjoy herself. She was a ball of energy and it was great to watch her just run around and laugh. She was the light of her life and she smiled as the little girl sat on the ground with one of her dolls making her walk across the grass.
Brody: Together they just enjoyed watching their daughter though Brody knew that they would have to go finish dinner soon. "Hey. I'm going to go work on food and change the laundry, you stay and supervise." He declared just wanting to get back into the house where it was a little cooler before his body started to protest too badly to the heat like it always did.
Rachel: Rachel nodded and just focused on their daughter not minding to watch her. She was her everything and she loved just sitting there with her and watched her have fun. It was great to watch but as she rolled in the grass and got into dirt she crinkled her nose and decided that a pre dinner bath may be in order.
Brody: Heading inside, the first thing he did was change the laundry into the dryer. Then he headed back into the kitchen to work on a salad and some bread to go along with what Rachel and her dads had made for dinner. Nothing was that complex but it was stuff that still needed to be done and he figured that he could handle it. After all he knew his way around the kitchen fairly well.
Rachel: Rachel just continued to watch Kayla for a little longer until she saw the time and went to scoop her up. Their parents had told them that they were going to be up at a specific time and she needed some serious cleaning before dinner. Taking her inside she shook her head at how dirty she was. "We're doing bath time now, she's filthy." Rachel commented as she looked at what Brody was doing and then kissed his cheek before taking Kayla up and getting the bath ready and putting her in.
Brody: Rachel breezed through the kitchen after awhile declaring that they were doing bath time earlier since their daughter was a filthy mess. Nodding he accepted her kiss before he moved back to the food, enjoying the way it felt to take care of his family and be productive. He went stir crazy if he didn't do anything for too long so this was definitely good for him mentally.
Rachel: Kayla wanted to splash as soon as she was in the tub and Rachel shook her head wanting to get the dirt from underneath of her nails first. "Let me do this and then you can play." She promised and luckily the little girl nodded and stayed still while her momma worked on getting her clean. Once she was satisfied that all the black was gone she sat back so that Kayla could play for a few minutes before she continued with bathtime.
Brody: It didn't take him long to have everything going and he knew that dinner was going to be yummy. Rachel had already made dessert but Brody decided to make up a fruit salad as well in case anyone wanted something healthier. Otherwise he and Rachel would just have it as a snack at some point over the next few days. It wouldn't go bad and that was the most important thing.
Rachel: Once she was satisfied that Kayla had zero dirt on her she drained some of the water and let her play for a little while longer before getting her out. "Let's dress pretty for your grandparents and then try to not get it on your clothes at dinner." Rachel murmured as she put her in a dress and did her hair before kissing her forehead. "That's mommy's pretty girl. Let's go find daddy."
Brody: His girls came down as he was working on the salad and he smiled at them. "You look pretty baby girl." He commented. "And mommy isn't soaking wet, I call that a success." He added kissing them both. "I figured I'd make a fruit salad up in case someone wanted a healthier dessert option." He explained upon Rachel's look. "If not, we'll eat it as a snack later." They were both big on getting fruit into their lives.
Rachel: "She was very good with her playing." Rachel said with a laugh as she kissed him back. "That sounds good, I'll probably go with that since I've cheated like three times this week already it feels like." She murmured knowing that she needed to cut back on the sweets even if it was okay for her to cheat sometimes and induldge.
Brody: "That's good." He grinned, finishing the fruit he was on and adding it to the bowl. Rachel mentioned that she would probably have the fruit herself since she'd been cheating so much and he nodded glad that he had thought about it. Not that one more dessert was going to change her figure any. She was healthy and sexy and that was all that mattered.
Rachel: She nodded and sat down at the table with Kayla who had found crayons and had wanted up to color. "Be aware of the table, bug." Rachel said and Kayla just nodded as she hummed to herself and colored on the piece of paper. She liked doing all sorts of things and Rachel loved that about her and about her and Brody as parents.
Brody: Kayla moved onto her next project, coloring a picture, and he smiled at how she was into so many different things. It was pretty cool that she had so many interests, no one could say she was boring. It made him feel good as a dad, to know that they had raised her to be so smart and accepting of everything around her. There wasn't anyone else just like her and that was something special.
Rachel: Rachel got up and straightened up the kitchen hating just sitting around. She couldn't do it. If she didn't have school work to do she found housework and then she found something else to do after that. It was just how she was, she was never one to just do nothing never in her life could she remember just wanting to do nothing.
Brody: "We really have a problem with getting bored." He teased as Rachel got up to help tidy the kitchen. It was already pretty spotless but he knew that she would find something. It was just the way they were. Though he was better at her than relaxing, it was still definitely something that they had in common. "Our parents should be up soon and then dinner will be ready."
Rachel: She hummed and looked at him. "I wouldn't call it bored, I just hate sitting around. I want to be doing something. I'm a productive person, not having anything to do bothers me." Even when Kayla was a baby she still couldn't just sit around and rest it just wasn't who she was. Sure she could watch a movie sometimes or anything else but she really just needed to be constantly moving no matter how self-destructive it seemed.
Brody: She explained and he knew that it was still boredom. Chuckling he moved to force her away from the counter. "Color a picture with our daughter." He was sure that Kayla would love getting to spend that time with Rachel and that it would keep her occupied for a bit so that she wasn't driving them both absolutely crazy. He loved her, but she was crazy.
Rachel: Brody moved her and she pouted at him but nodded and sat down with Kayla. "Michaela can I color with you?" She asked and Kayla looked at her for a moment before nodding and giving her a piece of paper and looking through her crayons before giving her that she had obviously deemed not good enough for her. "Thanks kid." She laughed before kissing her head. "How about you share with mommy and let her use the yellow one, can you tell me which one is yellow?"
Brody: Rachel asked their daughter to color and after a moment Kayla handed over paper and a few crayons that she clearly didn't want. He watched as Rachel asked to share the yellow and asked their daughter if she could tell her which one it was. He was hopeful that she would know the answer because she was such a smart little girl but if she didn't then it was just something that they had to work on more with her.
Rachel: Michaela looked at the crayons before picking up the green and Rachel shook her head. Kayla put it down and picked up the right one make Rachel smile. "that's right!" She grinned as she took the crayon from her. "My smartie." She grinned happy that she was learning her colors pretty well and able to catch on pretty quickly.
Brody: It only took two tries for her to pick the right color and he knew that was pretty good for a two and a half year old. He could hear footsteps upstairs and he knew that their parents would be down shortly. Dinner was almost ready, about ten minutes out and he was sure that it would be perfect timing to get everyone settled and at the table.
Rachel: They heard the rest of the family coming down the stairs and Rachel smiled at Kayla and continued to draw her gold star. It was an obsession she still hadn't gave up and she kissed her daughter's cheek as Kayla watched her draw the start and start coloring it. It was a nice moment between herself and her daughter and knew Brody was right to force her to sit.
Brody: Pulling things out of the oven and everywhere else they had been stored, Brody got a buffet line ready with plates figuring that everyone could serve themselves in here before heading in to the table. Peeking back he saw Rachel drawing a star and Kayla just watching her. "What shape is mommy making?" He asked knowing that she knew it and wanting to see her surprise her mommy by saying it.
Rachel: She looked at Kayla wondering if she would say it. Rachel knew she knew what it was, she had showed her a star many times and that it was probably a little excessive but she had so many ambitions and values that revolved around stars that she couldn't help it. Finally Kayla beamed at her. "Star!"
Brody: It took a moment but their daughter exclaimed what it was beaming and Brody couldn't help but smile too. She was something and he was so proud of her. "Such a smart little girl." He declared as he moved to kiss her and their parents finally appeared. "Dinner is ready, help yourselves." He assured them. "We're just taking about colors and shapes and our wonderfully smart daughter."
Rachel: Rachel was ecstatic and kissed her daughter. "I love you so much." She grinned as she hugged her until Kayla squirmed away from her and continued to color. "Are you hungry baby?" She asked and Kayla nodded for a moment before going back to her coloring. Rachel nodded and got up and got her plate so that it would be cool enough for her to eat and got her own meal and extras before sitting down.
Brody: Rachel loved on their daughter until she wanted no part of it and then moved to get her food. Brody wanted to make sure that everyone was settled before he fed himself, waiting a few minutes wouldn't kill him. When everyone seemed to be good he got his own food and sat down next to his daughter, smiling as she looked up from coloring and giggled at him.
Rachel: "Finish up so that you can eat, Kayla." Rachel said and Kayla just nodded and colored her picture before yelling for Rachel's dad to get his attention and waving the paper around until he stood up and got it from her. "Thank you munchkin." He said smiling ear to ear as he kissed her and then sat back down with it.
Brody: Kayla was told to finish up her drawing and when she did she waved it and yelled for her grandpa to come take it from her. She was clearly giving it away and it was sweet. "Now eat some dinner pumpkin so that you can have the dessert mommy made." He told her knowing that she would likely eat just fine anyway but that a little motivation couldn't hurt.
Rachel: Their daughter nodded and started to eat her food humming as she did. Rachel smiled and began to eat her dinner happy to have everyone with them. It had been so long since they shared a meal with everyone together that she was so happy to just be around them and have their daughter be their entertainment.
Brody: Thankfully she didn't put up a fight in eating and hummed while she did so like always. She definitely got the need to always have her mouth running from Rachel but he thought that it was cute. She certainly provided a nice positive energy to the room and he certainly couldn't complain about that. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the meal as well and he was glad that things were so good. "Did the four of you have good naps?" He asked starting conversation.
Rachel: "I certainly did." Rachel's papa answered. "I had forgotten what it was like to have a toddler around, especially one that is just like Rachel except maybe even more full of energy at some point but with less stomp offs." Rachel laughed and shook her head. They hadn't seen their daughter get dramatic yet and it was definitely something that compared to her.
Brody: Leroy mentioned that he had definitely had a good nap and that he had forgotten what it was like having a toddler around. He mentioned her having less stomp offs than Rachel and Brody laughed. "I promise she does her fair share of dramatics, you've just been lucky not to witness them yet." He declared making a face that said that they could be bad. "She's her mother, pretty through and through."
Rachel: "As much as I actually hate to admit and I am very proud of who I am, it's true. She's my mini me and that include running off crying and trying to slam her door." She was 2 going on 16 and while it was a little terrifying to see what she was going to be like when she got older it was also something that only bothered her when she was being particularily bad.
Brody: There were moments when Kayla could be a little terror but most of the time she was a well behaved little girl and he knew that his influence had something to do with the gentle balance that they had formed. He was proud of being her daddy and knew that all children misbehaved so it wasn't like they were doing anything wrong. Their daughter just had her own personality and that was a good thing.
Rachel: The family laughed and Kayla looked around at them. "Hey! I eating." She said pouting at them before going back to her food. "I guess we were disturbing her concentration." Rachel said with a small laugh as she gave her daughter a napkin to wipe her mouth with. "Be nice, princess. We want to talk while we eat." She told her not wanting her to be rude to everyone.
Brody: Kayla apparently wasn't a fan of them laughing and pouted at them before moving back to her food. Rachel told her to be nice because they wanted to talk and then handed her a napkin for her mouth. Sometimes she was a little sensitive, especially when it came to hearing and he knew that it was all part of her body developing. She would be fine though, she just needed to not pay attention to them.
Rachel: They all continued to eat, enjoying the company even if their little girl was being a little grumpy. "I'm so happy you two could come up." Rachel said honestly knowing that the trip just wouldn't have felt complete if they hadn't of seen them. It was a big point of coming to Lima, seeing both sets of parents and reminiscing in all of the memories that they had together.
Brody: Rachel told his parents that she was happy they had been able to make the trip and he knew that they were too. It was hard only seeing them a couple times a year and he knew that they really needed to work to make sure that they got to spend time with their families like it was much needed. It grounded them, brought them back a bit from their life in New York and was so important.
Rachel: Rachel smiled over at her husband knowing that he was thinking the same things that she was in regards to their family and being in Lima. They were certainly happy to be home and it had did them more than good to get some time to be able to head home for a while. Going back to New York was going to be a culture shock after getting used to a small country setting again.
Brody: As much as he'd gotten used to the city, it was still a culture shock every time they went back. He knew it was their home but being here was definitely a nice change of pace. Finishing his plate, he took it over to the dishwasher and put it away just wanting to sit back and relax for a little while, while everyone talked and caught up on everything that they had missed.
Rachel: Brody finished first, Rachel right after him and she cleaned up her plate and then generally cleaned the area before sitting back down while everyone else finished. She figured that they'd all relax around the table until they wanted dessert. "Is it good, bug?" Rachel asked Kayla and the little girl nodded and looked at her with a messy grin before going back. Thankfully she had managed to not get anything on her pretty dress.
Brody: Sitting back down, Brody relaxed in the chair, just watching his daughter eat, her face all messy. She was getting better but she still managed to get food all over herself somehow. It was fun to watch though and he knew that things were going to be good for the rest of the time that they were here. They had to find time to meet up with Will but other than that, they didn't have any plans.
Rachel: Rachel helped Michaela get clean after she was done eating and then got the desserts out of the fridge so that anyone could dig in when they wanted to. She was leaning more towards the fruit that the sugar though it looked really good. She knew she'd hate herself if she did though and spooned out the fruit salad into a bowl and got Kayla her dessert before sitting back down.
Brody: Rachel served the desserts and got her own as well as Kayla's since the little girl had finished her dinner. She had gotten fruit as she claimed too and he knew that he would have to get her to snitch a bite of the oreo as well. She felt bad for eating sugar but he knew that one bite wouldn't hurt and she would get to enjoy the taste of it just like everyone else.
Rachel: Everyone got the dessert she had made and raved about it making her shrug. It was just something that she had found a recipe for that was quick and easy. She didn't see it all that amazing. "Thank you though." Rachel smiled as she watched as Kayla dug into it and knew that it was going to be the ice cream the other day all over again.
Brody: He held off on dessert for a bit but everyone else went for it immediately, raving to Rachel about how good it was. Rachel seemed to brush it off but thanked them, just watching their little girl go at it. After a moment he snitched a piece of fruit from Rachel's bowl, just wanting a little taste of the sweetness. He had a feeling that though he would try hers, he'd go after the fruit too knowing that he needed the nutrients it provided.
Rachel: Brody stole a piece of her fruit and she poked his hand with her fork gently. "This is currently a no share zone, get your own." She teased as she popped a grape into her mouth. It was delicious and what she needed instead of the heavy creamy dessert she had made. She preferred the natual sugars no matter how silly everyone thought she was for not eating anything she thought was bad for her.
Brody: He made a face when Rachel poked him with her fork and told him to get his own. Shaking his head he moved to kiss her, enjoying the playful banter that they could have with each other. He knew that he should get his own but his stomach wasn't quite ready for dessert yet after the amount of food he just ate. He would get some at some point and until then he'd just enjoy spending time with his family.
Rachel: She kissed him back with a laugh and then leaned back in her seat as she ate. She knew that she wasn't going to be able to move after finishing off her food but she currently felt like it was worth it and sighed as she offered him a strawberry. "I think I'll be nice." Rachel grinned as she leaned forward with the strawberry in between her fingers as she offered to him.
Brody: After a moment Rachel offered him a strawberry and held it to him between her fingers. Leaning forward he took it, just gently sucking at her extremities as a slight tease. It was always fun to be with her and make her want him and though he knew he couldn't do too much with their parents here, he could still take advantage of some of the chances given to him.
Rachel: She smirked as he sucked on the tips of her fingers before pulling them back and raising and eyebrow at him. Wrapping her ankle around his she continued to eat. Two could play the teasing game and she was interesting to see how far they could take it just to have a little fun with each other. There was nothing wrong with flirting while in the presence of their parents after all.
Brody: He smirked at back at her as he finished chewing and she raised an eyebrow at him. It was nice getting to be around his wife with no pressure of them having to get certain things done. She wrapped her ankle around his and he knew that she was more than willing to flirt back at him and tease just a little for fun. Looking over at their daughter he smiled as she talked with her grandpas, her face completely covered in the dessert.
Rachel: Rachel shook her head at the mess that their daughter made and moved away from her husband to help clean her up. "You don't want to get your pretty dress dirty." She murmured to her when she protested. They had made her nice and clean for her grandparents and Rachel wanted to keep her that way so that as long as possible.
Brody: Rachel left him to clean their daughter up, though she protested the wet rag. There was always something new going on and he knew that Kayla would be dirty 24/7 if they let her. She clearly didn't see a problem with messes, though he knew eventually she would grow into the whole, not liking to feel disgusting thing. He felt that all the time and it was why they used so much water in their apartment.
Rachel: Once Kayla was clean of the big mess she had created, Rachel let her go back to finishing off her dessert and went back to her husband. Knocking shoulders with him she smiled and pecked his lips before turning back to her fruit. She was quickly getting full and eventually slid the bowl to him for him to finish.
Brody: Their daughter looking human again, Rachel came back over and reclaimed her seat as she bumped her shoulder against his. He accepted her kiss smiling and loving that they could have fun and just be normal people, in love and wanting to show it. Their parents were talking about various different things and he listened the best he could while glancing at his wife. When she slid her bowl to him he looked at her and knew that she was full.
Rachel: Rachel wasn't really paying attention to what was going on around them, their parents were talking about this and that and while she knew she could join in and give her opinion on numerous things she chose to just enjoy her husband and the atmosphere that was around them. It was nice and she sighed and laid her head on Brody's shoulder.
Brody: As he picked at the fruit, Rachel leaned her head on his shoulder making him smile. He really truly loved her and he knew that what they had was something that was going to last for the rest of their lives. "I love you." He whispered softly, bending to kiss the top of her head. She had given him everything and he hoped that she knew how grateful he was for her.
Rachel: "Love you too." She said back as she wrapped her arm around his and just relaxed. Looking over at their daughter she saw her being good and eating while babbling to herself. Her dads were engrossed in a conversation with Brody's parents about politics making her roll her eyes at how involved they could get but with the equality movement she knew they were proud and that made her proud as well.
Brody: It was a nice atmosphere to just sit and relax in, even if the political talk was fairly boring. He knew that their parents cared though and that made him feel good. He may not be huge on politics but there were things that mattered to him and he knew it was important to stick by those beliefs. "We need to start searching for new auditions for you." He murmured softly. It never hurt for her to go on auditions, they gave her more confidence in those situations which was key.
Rachel: Rachel nodded knowing that was definitely true. "There are a few coming up I've looked at, we've just had a lot going on that I haven't really thought about it as much as I should." Rachel murmured to him with a small shrug. It was something that she really wanted to do, but it was something that she was still working on and a few of her auditions pieces she didn't feel were quite ready.
Brody: "Just something we need to get you back into." He shrugged not meaning that it had to be right now. The more experience she could get the better. Networking was important and if she could get her name out there in positive ways than maybe soon she would have people calling her wanting her to audition for roles. It was something that was going to be really important when she took a break to have more babies.
Rachel: "I know, we'll work on it when we go back." Rachel murmured thinking that he could help her get ready for them before they had to go back to school and they had less time together to work on important things that while she could so them on her own she really wanted his opinion. In the end it was his opinion that matter the most.
Brody: He nodded at her assurance and then just lounged back against the chair to relax. Their daughter finished her dessert and pushed the plate away before turning to them and asking to go play in the yard. They could see her from the kitchen window so he didn't see why not, but left it up to Rachel to answer her since she was slightly more over protective.
Rachel: Rachel wasn't so sure about her going outside unattended but decided that there wasn't a lot that could happen in the fenced in yard. "Be careful, princess." She said as she got up and kissed her before holding her at the window. Pointing to the gate that went to the side yard. "Don't touch that." Rachel said not wanting her to figure out that it was easy to push and open since it wasn't locked. The little girl nodded and Rachel put her down and let her run out.
Brody: Rachel agreed after holding their daughter for a minute and warning her not to touch the gate. He knew that they would keep an eye on her as much as possible and that she would be fine as long as she didn't goof off too badly. She didn't get many chances to be able to run around like this and he knew that they had to give her the chance to enjoy a little bit of freedom.
Rachel: Rachel sat back down once she had watched Kayla run out and to her toys. "She's something else." She murmured as she took her husbands hand. They really needed to let her run around more, take her to the park more often. She knew that she would get the chance in daycare but they didn't do a lot when they were busy.
Brody: "She is." Brody agreed knowing that she was certainly a little hellion at times. It was hard giving her the space she needed to run around in New York, the fear of something happening to her much higher there. With all the people and everything else it just stressed him out and though he took her to the park occasionally, it always stressed him out to do so.
Rachel: Rachel laid her head back on his shoulder her stomach protesting all of the food that she had ate. Groaning she wrapped an arm around his waist and just relaxed against him. "We still need to go to our restaurant before we leave." She whispered to him not wanting them to forget that they wanted to go and show off their little girl.
Brody: Rachel seemed to be suffering from the amount of food she ate and yet she still mentioned that they needed to visit their restaurant. Chuckling he nodded and pulled her onto his lap so that she could cuddle properly. "That and go see Will." He declared. Those were the only two things left on their to do list and he knew that they would have no problem getting them both done.
Rachel: She smiled as he pulled her onto his lap and got comfortable and nodded. "Yes, we have to do that. He's the only one we haven't seen yet." They had saw Burt and Carole at the store the previous day and had unfortunate encounter with Sue Sylvester though she barely acknowledged them. There wasn't a lot of people they kept in contact with in Lima anymore, they had a close knit family and a couple friends they talked to and that was it.
Brody: The man had done a lot for them both and was one of the few people that they kept in contact with here. It was important for them to see him and he knew that he would have to call the next day to see if they could find a time to get together. He knew Will was going to be getting ready to start school again like his mom was and he hoped that they could at least meet up for a little bit.
Rachel: Rachel buried her face into his neck and kissed his skin lightly before sighing against it. Being in his arms was always the greatest feeling and while a part of her felt a little awkward sitting at the kitchen table with him like it, there was still something nice about it. "Let's go out and lay in the hammock while baby girl plays."
Brody: His wife kissed his neck and he sighed softly, enjoying the feeling of her so close to him. She mentioned going out to the hammock and he nodded, waiting for her to get up before moving to follow her. They'd be able to keep a better eye on Kayla this way and it was bound to be more comfortable. "Want to lay on me?" He asked her, wanting the feeling of her pressed against him instead of tucked into his side.
Rachel: Rachel got up and walked with him out to the backyard. Kayla looked at them and waved before going back to what she was doing. Brody laid down and Rachel nodded at his question and joined him in the hammock before rolling on top of him once it was stead. Kissing him softly she then laid her head against his neck again having missed what it felt like to lay directly on top of him.
Brody: Their daughter acknowledged them with a wave before going back to her playing and he smiled just enjoying what it was like to be so loved by these wonderful girls. Rachel nodded and settled on top of him, making him smile and relax under her. It was nice to just get to spend time with her like this, he really couldn't remember when the last time they had done this was.
Rachel: She laid with him smiling at how comfortable he was, even with his hardened muscles she still found complete comfort when laying with him. She always had and knew she always will. It was a little different than it was when her body was starting to change with being pregnant, the softness that her body was back then having disappeared.
Brody: Rachel seemed to settle against him fairly easily and he hoped that she was finding him as comfortable as possible. He knew that it wasn't like a soft pillow, but he worked hard to keep his body in that perfect balance. He didn't want to be at the extreme of a body builder, but he definitely knew that keeping his body fat low was important to be able to create the lines and such that he wanted with his body.
Rachel: "We always fit together so nicely." Rachel said softly after a little while. "It's like whenever I lay with you, our bodies connect perfectly and I love that." They were really like two puzzle pieces and she smiled and kissed his neck before closing her eyes and enjoying the warm day and the gentle breeze. "Tell me if you're getting to hot from me laying on you."
Brody: "That's because you were made for me." Brody declared rubbing her back gently and just holding her close. It was nice getting to spend time with her where their bodies could do this. She mentioned letting her know if he got to hot and he nodded though he was sure that wouldn't happen. As long as he got to be with her, he could care less about the weather outside. Plus it was getting cooler as the sun got closer to setting anyway.
Rachel: She grinned and nipped at his neck gently before snuggling into him more. "Love you, handsome." Rachel murmured hearing Kayla yelling at one of her toys on the other side of the yard. Giggling she just moved slightly so that they were rocking in the hammock slowly the motion making her sleepy and keeping her relaxed after the big meal they had.
Brody: Rachel teased him softly and then whispered that she loved him before sending the hammock rocking slightly. It was a nice way to spend the evening, something that they needed. He couldn't wait until they were stable enough to either have a house in New York, or a place with a roof or outdoor space that was a little nicer and that they could actually use.
Rachel: After quite a while tiny hands started to shake the hammock as Kayla whined for them to let her up. Rachel groaned not wanting to move but did just enough to grab ahold of Kayla's arms and pull her up next to Brody. "You have to be easy, little girl." She said not wanting her to start moving around and dump them to the floor.
Brody: Their daughter apparently wanted to cuddle after a bit and started to shake the hammock. Rachel moved a bit to pull her up and then told her that she had to be easy so that they didn't end up on the ground. He was definitely concerned about that and hoped that their little girl could just lay still next to them, enjoying the gentle movement and the warm summer night.
Rachel: Kayla laid next to the two of them just watching them like she didn't know why her mommy was laying on top of her daddy. "momma." Michaela said after a minute. "Move." She said and Rachel had to laugh. "No, it's mommy's time with daddy. Here come closer." Rachel said as she wrapped her arm around her and moved her so that she was cuddling into their sides.
Brody: Kayla told Rachel to move after a moment and he felt his wife laugh before telling her that it was her time with daddy. She murmured for Michaela to come closer and then wrapped an arm around her holding her closer. This was nice, it was some peaceful family time that was a rare occurrence for them. "It'll be bedtime soon Kayla." He whispered softly as he yawned and let himself just relax even more.
Rachel: "No bed!" Kayla announced sitting up quickly and Rachel quickly caught her before she sent them rocking more than she already did. "No right now, Kayla. Please lay down you're going to get hurt." She said but Kayla had already sent herself into a tantrum over bedtime and quickly got out of her hold and down to the ground before running off screaming towards the house. Luckily Rachel and Brody stayed still and didn't fall but she sighed and sat up from her comfortable spot to see where Kayla ran off to.
Brody: Kayla yelled about not wanting bed and though Rachel tried to calm her, she got out of the hammock and ran off yelling. Luckily she didn't tip them over, just jostled them a bit. Rachel sat up to see where she went and he sighed softly. It was moods like that that wore on both of them when their daughter decided to pull them out.
Rachel: Rachel groaned and got off the hammock and looked towards the house and found Michaela in Brody's dads arms through the kitchen window. "Your dad has her." She said with a sigh as she stood over him and laid her head on his chest. "I really don't want them to deal with that but I was almost asleep." Rachel whined.
Brody: Rachel told him that his dad had their daughter as she laid back down. "It's okay baby." He murmured playing with her hair. Their parents could handle the little girl, he had a feeling she would be fine for now, at least until bedtime was mentioned again. He just wanted to cuddle for a little while with his wife and then they could head inside to resume their duties as parents.
Rachel: She nodded and laid back down with him, covering his body with hers once more. "She's been really good today and it's about that time where she would get upset over the thought of bedtime." Rachel said with a shrug knowing that their daughter wasn't doing it just to be bad and show off her moods.
Brody: She settled back down and commented on how it was normal for their daughter to get upset about that. It was normal and he knew that their parents could handle it. Clearly she didn't want her mommy or daddy right now and them pushing her was only going to upset her more and make her more likely to lash out at them. This was the easiest way to let her mood settle.
Rachel: Rachel kissed him softly before laying her head on his shoulder. If their parents needed them they'd come out and get them but for now she wasn't going to stress over their daughters tantrum when there wasn't anything to stress about. It was something that happened and she was at the age where it was going to come and go pretty often until she grew out of it in a few years.
Brody: Knowing that there wasn't anything for them to do unless their parents came needing their help, Brody and Rachel settled back into the hammock to return to enjoying each other and basking in the quiet of the evening. "I can't say I miss how noisy New York is." He whispered enjoying the crickets chirping and the rustling of the trees around them as a steady breeze blew through.
Rachel: "I miss Lima." Rachel said softly. "I know that we belong in New York and that is our home but I really miss it here, maybe it's the simplicity of the town or the sentimental value but I wish we could stay longer." Rachel murmured with a sigh but there wasn't anything they could do and she knew they'd get back into the grove of their city when they got back.
Brody: "We'll come back for Christmas this year. Stay for almost a month." He declared. By then they would be sick of the small town but it would be much needed as a break. Last year was so busy with the wedding, but this year they were free and could go wherever they wanted. He'd get time from the studio since it was closed a lot anyway, and they would have holidays here, with family.
Rachel: "That sounds good." Rachel said hoping that it was possible and she wasn't working. A part of her wanted to be working around that time but she also really wanted to be in home. "Can we do Thanksgiving in New York?" Rachel asked after a moment. Thanksgiving was always big in her family though her dads hadn't been their the previous year, but she kind of wanted something different. "It'll be the first Thanksgiving as a married couple and a part of me kind of wants us to have it at home.
Brody: She asked about thanksgiving and whether they could stay in New York for that and he nodded. "Yeah of course, we're going to be going nuts trying to get ready for finals anyway." It would just be easier for them to not have to worry about traveling. "We can do something just the three of us, or have Noah and Claire, Kurt and Blaine over if they don't decide to make the trip home themselves."
Rachel: She smiled really wanting that. "Noah will come home, he's not going to miss a holiday with his mom and sister." Rachel said thinking that Claire would maybe go with him. "Kurt and Blaine, though maybe but I kind of want it to be the three of us. We haven't celebrated something like that just us or the three of us yet." It felt like something they really needed to do.
Brody: "We'll figure it out when we hit November." He declared. There was no point putting too much behind it yet when it was still a few months away. For now they could just relax and not worry about anything. Their daughter was well taken care of and so were they, and school didn't start for another week. All they had to worry about was spending much needed time with family.
Rachel: Rachel nodded and kissed him softly. "I love you, I'm happy that we are getting some much needed us time this week. I feel like our relationship has been rejuvenated, don't you?" She smiled as she kissed him again. "I hate that we are so far apart when we get busy with school and just life but moments like this remind me that it's worth it."
Brody: "Definitely feel like it's better." He agreed kissing her back. "And you will always be worth it." He added. They had been through so much but he knew that he could never go wrong with having her in his life, being married to her. They would definitely have to work harder to make sure that they could stay strong but there would never be a day that it wasn't worth it.
Rachel: She smiled and kissed him again. "We're worth it, always." If their marriage ever crumbled she wasn't sure what she'd do. He was her everything, he rock, the person she pictured growing old with. Not having him in her life was the most heartbreaking thought she could think of most of the time. "I love you, forever and always."
Brody: "Love you too." He whispered back. "Now lets get inside and handle our daughter before heading to bed." He declared knowing that they really did need to get moving and just end their day right. As much as laying here was nice, he was ready to move a bit before settling in a real bed. It had been quite the day and his body needed a chance to repair and prepare for the next.
Rachel: She sighed but nodded and got off of him and landed on the ground stretching. Heading inside she found their daughter in the living room laying on the floor with her leopard as she watched tv while sucking her thumb. "Hey princess." Rachel said softly the little girl looking at her for a moment before back at the tv. "No bed." Crouching down next to her she moved her hair from her eyes. "You can lay with mommy and daddy until you fall asleep, how about that?"
Brody: He took a long minute to stretch and then followed after Rachel, finding her in the living room with their daughter. Kayla mentioned not going to bed again and Rachel leaned down next to her assuring her that she could lay with them until falling asleep. If that was the sacrifice that he had to make to get her to go to bed, well he'd take it. He just wanted everything to be okay and for his daughter to get the rest she needed as well after her intense day.
Rachel: Their daughter seemed to think about it for a moment before nodding and reaching up for Rachel to pick her up. "That's my girl." Rachel smiled as she kissed her head and then took her to her grandparents so that she could tell them goodnight. "See you in the morning." She told everyone before heading up the stairs and getting a fresh diaper and everything else they needed and taking them into the bedroom to get the baby girl ready for bed. "When we get home, we're starting potty training again. It's time for you to use the big girl potty."
Brody: Kayla thankfully thought that seemed like an okay deal and reached for her mommy to pick her up. They headed upstairs after saying their goodnights and Rachel changed their daughter before declaring that they were going to start potty training when they got home. It was more than time for her to be out of diapers, he wanted to enjoy that for a few years before they started it all over again.
Rachel: Once their daughter was ready for bed, Rachel gently tossed her up the bed making the little one laugh. They needed to get her to settle down and some laughter and silliness could usually do the trick as long as it wasn't too stimulating. Getting into her own clothes she changed for bed and laid down next to their crazy baby girl.
Brody: The two of them joined their daughter after getting ready themselves and Brody yawned, not sure that he would even stay awake long enough to tote Kayla back to her own bed. He hoped Rachel could because a three am wake up because she decided to take over the entire bed wasn't exactly high up on his list of desirable things. She was far too selfish to share a bed with anyone.
Rachel: They both settled down on opposite sides of their daughter. "Love you princess." Rachel said and when Kayla said it back she grinned and kissed her cheek before pulling the covers over them so that their daughter could fall asleep and one of them could take her back to the bedroom. There was no way she was sleeping with them, it never ever worked out in their favor.
Brody: Yawning softly, Brody relaxed in the bed and closed his eyes, ready to fall asleep. Their daughter needed to pass out quickly because it was a struggle to not let himself fall into dreamland even though he wasn't holding his wife. He knew that he really shouldn't be this tired because what they had been doing was nothing compared to his normal in New York but he couldn't help it.
Rachel: Kayla rolled over and kissed her daddy and then snuggled into him before closing her eyes. Rachel could tell that Brody was tired and leaned over and kissed him before laying back down. "I'll take her, baby. You fall asleep." She assured him, it wasn't a problem for her to take Kayla. The little girl was so tiny that Rachel would carry her just because.
Brody: Kayla rolled to kiss him and then snuggled against him and Rachel murmured that she would take their daughter and to go ahead and get some sleep. He appreciated that and he kissed her back before settling into a comfortable position and letting his body relax a bit more. Now that he knew he didn't have to get up it was easier and he hoped that it would help their daughter sleep as well.
Rachel: She watched her two loves for a few minutes. Michaela was comfortable against her daddy which always made Rachel's heart warm. It was nice and she rubbed the little ones back as she worked on falling asleep. Hopefully it was soon because Rachel wanted to be next to her husband as she began to fall asleep .
Brody: It didn't take long for sleep to come and Brody cuddled under the blankets feeling safe and happy. They were together, life was good and it was so much easier to sleep when he didn't have a billion and one things to worry about. "Love you." He mumbled just as he passed out, glad that he had a wife that would take care of things when he was far too tired to.
Rachel: "Love you too, babe." Rachel said softly as she watched him fall asleep. Once he was out she focused on their daughter and when she was asleep, Rachel just watched them both for a little while until she was positive that Kayla was going to stay asleep. Gently she gathered her into her arms and took her into her bedroom. "Night my angel." She whispered as she tucked her in before heading back to her own room and crawling into bed next to her husband, kissing his cheek and then settling into his side ready to fall asleep herself.
