The Man You'll Marry-Chapter 1
Rated PG/PG13
Summery:Settling down was the last thing on Rachel Berry's mind til she receives a package containing a family heirloom with a story 'The next man you'll meet is the man you'll Marry' but that's all it is? A story? Then why is Sam Evans suddenly stalking her?
There were just so many times that Rachel Berry could take rejection and she feared that she was reaching her limit.
"I see," she spoke into her cell phone as she sunk into a seat at the local coffee bean, "but you'll hold my resume and head shots in case something comes up….."
She was the star of her High School drama and glee club, a graduate from a prestigious university of the arts and yet at the ripe young age of 25 she was beginning to feel that she had peaked.
"Thanks again," she spoke to the man on the other end who had just told her that while he loved her audition for the lead role in a new television series he was producing his co-workers decided to go in another direction…. Translation tall and blonde.
Letting out a sigh she wondered if it was best that she took her mother's advice and settle down while she was still young and if fate stepped in and granted her a roll well then so let it be.
Taking a sip on her mocha which was now practically iced she began to wonder to herself if the day could possibly get any worse and then like clockwork the sounds of her personal anthem 'Don't Rain on My Parade' filled the air causing her to pick up her phone in a flash. Perhaps the producers came to their senses after all.
"Hello," she said her voice trying to hide its excitement.
"So, did you get the part?" her mother Shelby asked her from the other end.
"Almost….the producers decided to go in another direction."
Rachel could practically hear her mother's muffled sighs on her end of the line before the older woman spoke up.
"You know who I saw at the Whole Foods market the other day?"
"If I said no would you tell me anyway?" Rachel asked not in the mood for her mother's games.
"Evelyn Cohen Chang, she was telling me how her daughter Tina and how she was just married a few months ago to some brilliant up and coming director…."
Director? Rachel thought to herself wondering if perhaps her mother wasn't working some agenda after all.
"A director you say mom, did you catch his name."
"Artie something or other but that's not important….. What's important is that your friends are getting married and settling down and well…. I created a profile for you on J Date."
"You didn't."
"It's not like your getting any younger," Shelby said as Rachel shook her head, not that the older woman could see it.
"No, we're not having this discussion now over the phone mom….anyway who is to say I'm not on some hot date right this very moment."
"Really? What's his name, where did you meet him?"
"Goodbye mother," Rachel said clicking her phone off and turning it off before tossing her cup into the trash and making her way out into the crisp early spring air deciding to walk the rest of the way to her apartment all the while trying to remember if she still had her former High School classmates number, if it was the same and if the young Asian girl even remembered who she was enough to hook her up with her husband….professionally speaking as it was.
X-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Fifteen minutes later she smoothed down her skirt as she entered her apartment building and began to make the long walk up the stairs to her third floor apartment however before she could even slip her key into her lock she was greeted by the voice of her neighbor, Emma.
"So Rachel hear about the latest audition yet?"
It was bad enough that she didn't get the part but to keep reminding herself of this as the people in her life asked, it was torture.
Letting her lips curve into a small frown she looked into the young woman's eyes.
"I take it that's a no then, I'm sorry….there will be other auditions."
Rachel nodded. It was sweet of the older woman to say despite the fact that she said it time after time after and nothing changed…. Until.
"I know what will cheer you up," the older woman said with a smile that made her doe eyes pop before she disappeared into her own apartment only to reemerge moments later with a rather large package.
"The delivery guy was in the lobby and I knew you were out so…. I hope you don't mind that I signed for you."
Rachel shook her head as she took the package thinking that if the roles were reversed and she noticed Emma was receiving a package and wasn't in the building that she'd sign it herself.
"So, expecting something."
Rachel shook her head as this was definitely a shock to her as it was only March and her Birthday and the Holidays weren't until December and she didn't order anything from EBay or Amazon… at least she didn't think she had though she did remember hearing on Oprah or Dr. Phil or something about sleep shopping and wondered if all her stress was leading her subconscious to bouts of random retail therapy. God she hoped she didn't max out her Amex.
"Well then this is exciting, a surprise…. Perhaps it will brighten up your day."
"Perhaps," Rachel said faking a smile wondering how her neighbor could always be so chipper.
"Well let me know what it was alright?"
Rachel just nodded promising Emma she'd do so as she scurried into her apartment tossing the box onto her bed and opening it up only to find a garment bag and what looked to be a letter…..
Dear Rachel,
I hope that this package has found you well. Anyway as you know I never had a daughter of my own and have always considered you to be like one to me. That being said it's only natural that this be passed along to you. Anyway I'm sure your father has told you the story before…about how I had went to a boutique in Paris and bought an evening gown only to find that I had received this dress instead with the seamstress claiming that the dress was destined for me, that the next guy I would meet would be my soul mate and well seconds later I met your uncle and the rest is history as it were. Anyway I bring this up because I'm kind of physic….and well I had a dream about you Rachel. I saw you standing under a canopy dressed in this dress standing next to a young man who with his blonde hair and blue eyes clearly isn't Jewish but it doesn't matter because you were smiling, happy, in love…. Anyway I'm rambling which isn't something one should do in a letter. Anyway like I said I am bequeathing this dress to you with the same words that were spoken to me. The next man you'll meet will be your soul mate, the one you'll marry.
With Love,
Aunt Chloe.
Rachel's heart raced as she read the letter over three times hoping that the words would somehow someway change from this lunacy. That's what this was right? A cosmic joke of epic proportions? Sucking in a deep breath she reached over toward the garment bags zipper with shaky hand as she slowly slid the zipper down, visions of the white silk gown becoming clear with each movement.
It was official….. Her day had just hit rock bottom….