Chapter 10 Giving Birth

The reporters' ceaseless manhandling kept pushing Rachel around, even her luggage had been sent to the ground. None of the reporters had the decency to be nice to a woman like Rachel and all they did was swarm her. Suddenly, a lanky figure barged in and pushed back at the reporters who had Rachel surrounded. Detecting a hint of familiar body scent, Rachel looked up. "Jodie, are you here?" Jodie nodded at Rachel. She then took Rachel into her arms and lifted the luggage bag before they left. It was only after getting into the car that the reporters began to disperse. Rachel took a glance at her short-haired and refreshed dear friend, Jodie before letting out a relieved sigh. "Jodie, thank you." Jodie shook her head. "No, Rachel, I think you're very brave. If only I'm half as brave as you are." Rachel touched Jodie's arm lightly. "Jodie. you’re so much braver. You were just like a man back there!" Jodie side-eyed Rachel and pretended to be angry. "I'm warning you, Rachel! Don't joke about me being a man just because of my height! If I wasn't 5’6” tall, how was I going to protect you?" Rachel chuckled and nodded. "Right, yes ma'am. You are the coolest of them all." Jodie shrugged. "Did they finally kick you out, Rachel?" "Mm-hmm." Rachel acknowledged it with a subtle nod. The thought of the Bennet family colored her eyes with frigidity. Jodie sighed sadly. "What is your plan now?" Rachel placed her hand on her slight bump and answered with a motherly smile, "I will carry the child to term." Jodie was shocked to hear the confession. "What? You're having a baby, Rachel?!" Rachel tugged at Jodie's hand and placed it on her stomach. "That's right, Jodie, you're gonna be a godmother soon." Jodie desperately placed her hand on Rachel's baby bump. "This won't work! I have to get you settled down! My godson will not run about on the streets with you!" "How do you know it's gonna be a boy?" Rachel teased. Jodie shifted her focus back on the road. "I don't care if it's a boy, a girl, or a hermaphrodite, I will love them anyway!" Rachel looked at Jodie with a serious expression. "You could become this child's dad." "...Rachel! I told you, don't keep treating me like a man! If this continues, I will begin to doubt my own gender!" Unable to hold back any longer, Jodie yelled at Rachel angrily. She then took a deep breath before she continued, "I have another apartment, it was a birthday gift from my parents last year. It's not like I stay there anyway, so you can take it and focus on taking care of yourself and the baby. I'll be waiting for my godson, remember that!" Jodie Comer's apartment was so large and luxurious that it left Rachel a little stunned. "Jodie, are you really going to let me stay in such a nice place?" Jodie shot Rachel a dirty look. "Who says this is for you? It's for my soon-to-be-born godson!" Unfortunately, bad news traveled quickly. Almost all of the news on TV was about Rachel's affair with an anonymous old man, having her marriage called off, troubling her twin sister by association, and being kicked out of her family. Rachel's reputation plummeted as she became the joke of Orange Country. None of that mattered to Rachel as she poured all of her energy into caring for her belly as it got bigger by the day; she would talk to her unborn baby, sketch, and listen to prenatal education music every day. Occasionally, Jodie would deliver some food, baby clothes, shoes, and toys to her. It was a period of routine and monotony, but it was cozy and comforting. Several months had passed, and Rachel had begun to walk around by supporting herself with various things. One night, Rachel was sketching a picture of infants, projecting her hopes for her child onto it. Suddenly, a gut-wrenching pain shot through her body as her face turned pale. Rachel grabbed the new phone that Jodie had bought for her and dialed the only number in her contact list. When the call had gotten through, Rachel was about to pass out from the contractions. "Hey, Rachel? Are you missing me already?" Jodie teased from the other end of the phone. Rachel held her phone tightly as she uttered a weak response, "Jodie, I think I’m going into labor now, it hurts..." With a heavy expression, Jodie shot up from her seat even though she was out having dinner. "Hey, hang in there! I'll come over right now!" When Jodie did not get a response, she felt like her heart was going to explode. The moment she started walking away, a man grabbed her wrist. "Where are you going, Jodie?" Jodie looked down at the hand that was holding her wrist and her heart warmed. "Ian! Rachel is giving birth soon, I have to get there now!" Ian shot her a glare of dissatisfaction. "You're still in contact with her?! Stop hanging out with her, you hear? What if she influences you to be as bad as she is?" Rue, who was sitting opposite of Jodie, narrowed her eyes. 'No wonder I couldn't find Rachel anywhere. She has been staying at Jodie's place this whole time!' 'How long has it been? Though it does feel like she should be giving birth right about now.' Her eyes continued to narrow as she began to hatch a plan under her finely-made-up face. "Ian, Rachel is not like what you think her to be! Rachel needs me now, I have to go!" Jodie was serious about it, so even though she could not stand doing it, she pulled her hand out of Ian's grasp. Ian reprimanded her with furrowed brows, "Jodie, I don't like you disobeying me, do you understand?" Jodie gritted her teeth, but she gave Ian an apology. "Sorry Ian, I have to go!" Rue narrowed her eyes again and grinned at Ian. "It's fine, Ian. Let Jodie go." Jodie was surprised that Rue would speak up for her. However, now that Rue had spoken up, Ian stopped insisting. "Jodie, minimize contact with her in the future!" Before Jodie left, Rue could not help but add, "Jodie, after you’ve sent Rachel to the hospital, would you let me know? Mom and dad did kick her out, but we are still very worried about her being alone in the world outside." Seeing Rue's concerned face, Jodie eventually nodded. "Alright, I know what to do." After Jodie had left, both of Rue's hands layered on each other, covering her shin. She was deep in thought. 'Rachel, I've finally found you.' 'Do you think I should keep your child with Edward?'