Chapter 6
A/N: This is it! Thank you everyone for their reviews, especially the people who reviewed every chapter. You're all awesome!
And I know I posted these last chapters quickly, but I'm going home from college today and I won't have access to this website.
Monica took deep, calming breaths all the way from the pent house. In all honesty, Rachel's confession about her marriage and her almost-desertion rattled her more than the miniscule confrontation with Pete. She knew Rachel and Barry were far from the perfect couple, but she didn't realize how trapped her friend really was. The guilt was building up inside. While she knew Rachel's predicament wasn't directly her fault, she could still yell at herself for not being home that day.
It stunned Monica a little how fake lives could be. Her non-marriage to Pete was a complete farce, yet they kept it going for about seven years. Even when she gained the weight back after she started living with Pete and a full time chef, he stuck by her side, ever the dutiful husband.
He had constantly pressured her, begging for a child. But she had resisted. Deep down, she knew that if they had a kid, she would be bound to Pete for the rest of her life. And she knew then she wouldn't be able to handle that.
Suddenly, she took a wrong turn. For some reason, she didn't want to go home yet. She had this urge for a really good cup of coffee.
Cruising for a while, her eye fell on a shop front with an inviting picture of a cup of coffee on the front. She recognized it as the place Phoebe sang at every once in a while. Though she usually attended Phoebe's "concerts," she didn't go into the shop for anything else. She'd long ago invested in her own coffee maker.
Still, why not kill some time. She had a good hour before she started her shift.
Parking, Monica was about to get out when her cell phone rang. Raising an eyebrow at the unfamiliar number, she answered, "Hello?"
"Hey, Monica? It's Ross."
"Ross…" Monica froze, confused. She hadn't spoken to him in weeks. "What's up? Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing wrong. I just wanted to apologize for the way our conversation went earlier. You know, the one where I told you I'd see you at Christmas."
Monica wrinkled her brow. "What conversation? I didn't talk to you today."
"You didn't? I could've sworn…you called earlier, asked about serving dishes…my friend was with you…"
"Look, Ross, I don't know what you're talking about. Maybe it was a dream or something," Monica sighed, growing impatient. She was really getting the urge for some coffee.
"I guess so. Although, it is a shame we don't keep in contact. Aren't siblings supposed to get closer as they get older?"
Laughing softly, Monica replied, "You're right about that. It shouldn't be too hard. Our relationship hit rock bottom when we were kids. The only place to go is up."
"Tell me about it. Most of my childhood memories are of Mom and Dad yelling at us to stop fighting."
"You mean yelling at me to stop bothering you," Monica corrected, her tone bitter as she remembered the favoritism.
There was a pause. "You know, they do love you. Mom's really upset you're not coming this year."
"Yeah, I'm sure. No one criticize for making the worst mistake of her life," Monica retorted, referring to how her mother viewed her break up with Pete.
"She'll come around. Want me to tell them you said hi?"
"Why not," Monica replied. Realizing she was just sitting in her car, she explained, "Look, you caught me at a bad time. I'm sitting in my car outside a coffee place, and I don't think I'm gonna be able to curb my caffeine addiction any longer."
"Understandable. We'll catch up next week. Happy Thanksgiving."
"Happy Thanksgiving to you too," Monica returned, then closed her phone and got out of the car.
Meanwhile, Chandler was already enjoying some coffee and pastries on the couch in Central Perk. He was taking his sweet time eating, even though there was milk in his car. It wouldn't bother him if he stayed there the whole day; the couch was surprisingly comfortable.
Besides, he might as well fill up now. He still didn't eat Thanksgiving food, at that's all there would be at dinner that night.
Casually viewing the various customers, his eye strayed to the window. A Porsche was parked out front. He himself had been thinking about getting a car; he could afford one, a nice one at that. However, he lived in Manhattan – why bother when he could take the subway or a cab?
Returning to his food, he found himself thinking about Janice. It crossed his mind before that it was only a matter of time before they got divorced. Did he really believe that? Were they that bad that their marriage couldn't be rekindled?
Did he want their marriage to be rekindled? Or did he just not want a divorce? That was entirely possible. After living with Ross and seeing what he went through with Carol, it was easy to see why he would be divorce-phobic.
What it all boiled down to was…did he love Janice?
Taking another sip of coffee, Chandler paused. Then he quickly put it down and ran to the bathroom.
A second after, Monica entered the shop, trying to decide if she wanted to stay and eat or grab something to go. Pausing as a guy rushed passed her into the bathroom, she approached the counter.
"Can I help you?" The cashier asked.
Almost blinded by his white hair, Monica answered, "Yeah, I'll have a large cup of regular coffee. Milk, two sugars."
"Anything else?" he questioned while he began getting her drink.
Monica considered it. She knew she shouldn't – she still needed to lose a few pounds to get back to her pre-Pete weight. But the muffins did look really good, and it wasn't like she'd be having a huge Thanksgiving feast that night. "Um, yeah, sure. Oh, hold on, I don't think I have enough cash for that. Can I run back to my car?"
"Sure. I'll hold your coffee."
"Thanks," Monica replied, sprinting back to her car.
Chandler emerged from the bathroom a moment later and went back to his seat. He checked his watch. Chances were, most of Janice's family was there already. It wouldn't be fair to leave his wife with all the hosting duties. Sighing, he wrapped up his bagel in a napkin and put the lid on his coffee.
Rushing back in, Monica handed Gunther the money. "Sorry about that."
"No problem, here you go. Have a happy Thanksgiving," Gunther responded.
Monica smiled at him while she gathered her purchases. "Thanks. You too." She then looked around for a seat. She would've sat at one of the tables, but the big orange couch was very inviting. Besides, it was empty – the guy who had been sitting there had just left.
Sitting down, she took a long sip of her coffee and let out a sigh of content. After a minute, though, she saw a leather wallet that had been left on the edge of the table. Figuring it must've belonged to the guy who left, she grabbed it and rushed out the door.
Chandler stood at the edge of the sidewalk, trying in vain to hail a taxi. Traffic was nuts, and every cab sped by him, full of people. Thinking it would be easier to take the subway, he felt in his pocket for his wallet, figuring he might as well get out the two bucks now.
"Excuse me, sir?"
He glanced up at the feminine voice, toward Central Perk's front door. Wow, he thought. A beautiful woman with stunning blue eyes was running towards him, his wallet in her hands.
She was out of breath once she reached him and handed over the wallet. "I found this on the…"
The two made eye contact, and for both of them it was as if the world stopped spinning. Both were panting, her from the run; him from lust.
Swallowing the lump in his throat, Chandler wrapped her in his arms and gave her the most passionate kiss he'd ever given anyone in his life. "Monica…"
"Chandler…." She breathed, kissing back with equal passion. "I love you."
Breaking apart solely to get some air, he replied, "I love you too. Come on, let's go home."
Arms still wrapped around each other, the two began walking back to their apartment. Passing Monica's Porsche, she ignored it. She could get it later.
"Happy Thanksgiving, Chandler." Kissing him again, Monica couldn't stop smiling.
Chandler paused, but then grinned and kissed her back. "Happy Thanksgiving."
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Thanks again!