Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of these fictional characters.
Below is a conversation that I envision could take place between Natalie and Julie over dinner some night in the future during which time several decisions are reached.
DECISIONS
"Julie, I'm home. Sorry I am so late."
"Hi mom, I'm in the kitchen."
After changing clothes, a subdued Natalie walks quietly into the kitchen and sees her daughter standing at the counter slicing some vegetables.
"Hi, honey, what are you doing?
"I'm making us dinner. Since tomorrow is Saturday and I don't have school, I decided it might be great if I make dinner for us tonight. You are so busy and tired now that we rarely eat together anymore."
"Thanks Julie, that's real sweet of you."
"Mom, I don't want you to do anything so just go over to the table and sit down. It won't be long now. Everything is almost ready."
Natalie does as she is told and slowly walks over to the table, sits down and waits in silence, lost in thought.
Julie brings the food to the table then takes a seat.
"Julie, thank you."
"It's nothing. Mom, actually, doing this also gives me a chance to talk to you about something."
"Boy, that sounds serious. My God, Julie, you aren't pregnant are you?"
"Mom, of course not! Actually, it is not me I really want to talk about, it's you mom."
"Me, why me?
"Mom, are you ok?"
"Am I ok? What do you mean?"
"I mean, do you feel all right?"
"Why would you ask me that? Look at me, since starting to work for Mr. Monk, I have lost weight and am probably in the best physical shape since I was in College. So see, sweety, there is nothing to worry about."
"Mom, that isn't what I mean. I mean is there something wrong?"
"Wrong? Why do you ask that?"
"Mom, I feel you have changed."
"Changed in what way? How?"
"When we are in the living room watching TV or listening to a CD together and I turn to say something, recently you always seem to be a thousand miles away or when we clean the house on the weekend, before we would be talking, laughing or singing together but now you do it in silence. Mom, I know something has happened. Does it have anything to do with Mr. Monk?"
Fearing where this conversation seems to be leading, Natalie suddenly puts down her knife and fork and says, "you know honey, I'm tired and not really hungry. I'm going to go to bed. Could you wrapped this up and put in the fridge? I'll eat it tomorrow. You go on eating your dinner."
Slowly her mother starts to rise to leave.
"Mom! Please don't go. I think I know what's the matter. Have you fallen in love with Mr. Monk?"
With her hands ever so slightly starting to tremble, Natalie sits back down in the chair and slowly repeats silently the question she has so long refused to ask and, unwilling to answer, now being asked by her daughter, "Am I in love with Mr. Monk?"
Looking directly at her mom sitting across the table, Julie is suddenly taken back by the sight of tears starting to flow down her mother's cheeks and says "Mom, you are in love with him, aren't you."
Out of the mouth of babes again come words Natalie for so long has been afraid to admit. But having been said, she no longer is able to avoid confronting her true feelings and, overwhelmed by the pain of unquiet love, Natalie breaks down uncontrollably.
Used to seeing her mother unafraid, always a fighter and never lost for words, Julie realizes that as much as Mr. Monk still loves his wife and she her mom, her mother also feels a new love equally as intense for this sometimes odd but loveable man, her boss.
Wanting to console her mom, Julie stands up, walks around the table and lovingly hugs her then asks, "Why don't you just tell Mr. Monk how you feel?"
"No, Julie, I can never do that. Mr. Monk is still in love with his first wife. I will never do anything to undermine that."
Momentarily regaining her composure, Natalie looks up at the tear stained face of her daughter and says, "Honey, I have decided to tell Mr Monk next Monday that I am quitting. I know how fond you have become of him but I just cannot bare this heartache any longer."
Seeing her mom cry this way only one once before when she told her that her dad had died, she understands at last why her once fun loving mom has changed so.
"Mom, if this is what you really want then go ahead and quit. I understand."
"Honey, what I really want I can never have. This is the only way."
Hugging her mom, again, Julie returns to her seat and begins to eat in silence. Natalie, saying nothing as well reflects on the ramifications of what has just happened.
Suddenly the phone begins to ring shattering the deadening silence that has engulfed the kitchen.
They look as each other, Julie asks, "Mom do you think it is Mr. Monk?"
Natalie simply nods "yes" but doesn't do nothing.
As if fate was determined to test her resolve, Natalie definitely responds by deciding not to answer the phone but let it ring until Monk gives up.
Julie starts to count the rings "4, 5, 6…"
With the number of rings climbing even higher "8, 9, 10..." Natalie realizes that this is Monk who is determined to let the phone ring till she answers so the sounds begin to somehow strangely resonate with the feelings for this man in her heart and slowly she starts to smile because she wants the rings to continue.
"12, 13, 14..."
Somehow knowing what her mother wanted to do, she tells her mom, "Mom, please answer the phone, I know you want to and I want you to also."
Despite the pain she has felt these many months, Natalie decides to at last let her heart decide what she should do and reaches over to pick up the receiver.
She hears a familiar voice on the line but speaking in an unfamiliar tone "tru...I mean Natalie, is that you? Are you ok? You had me worried. I lost Trudy and do not, must not lose you too."
As her eyes begin to moisten again, Natalie speaks softly "Mr Monk, yes its me. I am here. I'll always be here. For you."