Life As We Know It

Chapter 23: White Christmas Bells

Apologies for lack of updates for this story. I lost my moose and… well… anyway on to the story.

In 24 hours, their moment would arrive. A year ago, this moment wouldn't have even been dreamt by either of them (ok, so maybe they would have, but they wouldn't have admitted to it and would have put it down to spending too much time together and knowing each other too well).

Their joint party last night ended fairly late. Their friends had all left by two in the morning and a very pregnant and tired Rachel had fallen asleep on the couch with Finn cuddled by her side. They were both rudely awoken by a loud ring at the door at 7am only to realise that both their parents had arrived. Unfortunately for Finn and Rachel, their parents had decided that the groom must not see the bride 24 hours before the wedding, so, Finn was made to pack a night bag and his suit for tomorrow and hurry off to Kurt's without even so much as a kiss. Hiram, Leroy, Burt and Carole also insisted that they have no phone contact in order to make their reunion much sweeter. Kurt, Santana and their friends had also agreed to take part (with word among the crowds spreading rather fast) to make sure that Finn and Rachel would not call, text or even email each other, knowing that this would be a hard task for either of them. For Rachel and Finn this notion was not something they knew was possible, for, the most they had ever gone without contact since they had met was a week and that was when the first week after their failed date; when they both thought that the other was their enemy and no friendship could ever be formed. Initially, upon hearing this, Rachel had thrown a small tantrum; foot stomping, pout and tears included. However, Cassie's arrival quickly distracted her for all of an hour before remembering and giving everyone but Cassie the silent treatment.

After numerous attempts to contact Finn and failing thanks to her fathers, Rachel sat in the lounge with Cassie reading one of her favourite books. Her phone had been taken away from her by Leroy which was why Rachel's silent treatment was harsher on him than on Hiram.

'Strawberry, baby girl, it won't be long before you see him again. You can't stay mad at me forever. It's the day before your wedding, you can't stay mad or upset. Please bubba' Leroy pleaded as he sat on the couch beside Rachel.

'Cassie do I seem upset to you?' Rachel asked an innocent Cassie who looked up at her not knowing quite what was going on. 'You'd like to talk to daddy won't you? But some people won't let us because they have decided not to be nice'

'Rachel' Hiram called as he walked into the lounge to sit opposite Rachel. 'You need to stop acting so childish. Besides, Cassie has privileges; she can speak to him if she wants, I'll be taking her to see him later' Hiram informs her with a slight witty tone.

'Hiram, you're meant to help me make her feel better' Leroy whispers into his husbands ears.

'It's the twenty first century, all that superstitious crap from thousands of years ago shouldn't matter anymore. I'm expecting his child, six months along.' Rachel mentions still refusing to look at either of her fathers. Quietly she adds 'maybe you should have been there to instil tradition for that'.

'We heard that' Hiram tells Rachel as he moves to sit closer to her and takes Cassie into his lap.

'It's the last day we get to spend with our baby girl being our baby girl. Tomorrow, you'll become a Hudson and you'll be leaving us Berry's behind. You'll have your own family, your own household, your own responsibilities (more than you already have) and we just wanted to spend one last day where it's just us. Our Strawberry and us, like the good old days.'

Leroy has now shifted closer to her and is brushing her hair with his fingers and she finds it hard to be moody with them now.

'I'll always be a Berry' she mutters quietly. 'It's much harder than that to get rid of me you know' she says with a little smile.