When Chandler entered home, already way past dinner time, he found Jack sitting on the floor at the corner of the living room, facing the wall. He was on time-out. Monica hated to have to put their kids on time-out, but she only does if she really has to.
He was going to greet her on the kitchen but he didn't even walk it. Whatever Jack did left her pretty upset because she was scrubbing the dishes with such strength that she might break them in her hands.
Instead, Chandler carefully put his briefcase down right next to the coat hanger and quietly made his way upstairs. He was going to check on Erica, who was sick with chicken pox, and also to see if Matthew and Joseph were asleep. Joseph was six-months-old only, their recent adopted child and Matthew is four, being three-years younger than his twin siblings.
Chandler knocked on the door and then peered, checking on his daughter covered up to the chin with the bed sheets, entertained with her crayons and the coloring book.
"Hi sweetie." He said as he walked in.
"Hi daddy!" Eric put down the crayons to stretch her arms to Chandler, seeking for his hug that he happily conceded.
Chandler put a kiss on the top of her head and took a seat next to her on bed. "how are you feeling?"
"Better now. Mom says a couple more days and I can go back to school."
"You'll see, you'll be all good again in a blink of an eye! Did you eat everything mom brought you?"
"Every little thingy! Today I was really hungry."
"That's good," Chandler placed his hand on his daughter's forehead, checking her temperature. "and it's normal because you're not feverish anymore. Have you bathed already?"
"Yeah and mom even put oatmeal on the water!"
"It helps soothing the itchiness," He looked at the night stand, seeing a bottle of calamine lotion. "and so does the lotion. You'll sleep better, which you should do now." Chandler gathered the crayons together and closed the coloring book. "Come on, good night kiss to dad and rest, okay?"
Erica smiled, placing a kiss on her father's cheek, lying down in bed. Chandler got up, putting the crayons and the book back on its place and then came to tucking the bed sheets.
"Oh, just tell me what did you brother do to be on time-out?"
Erica wide opened her eyes and swallowed in dry, saying. "Mom says for me not to tell you. She wants you to talk with Jack."
"Alright…" He said a little worried. He bent and left a kiss on her forehead. "'Night, Erica."
"'Night dad."
Chandler walked out of the bedroom, switching off the lights. He walked then to the boys' bedroom to check on Matthew who was sleeping like a log. He just put a kiss on his head and left to not disturb him. Just then he walked to the nursery room, checking on the Joseph sleeping peaceful and soundly. The baby bottle was still there, empty though. He took it with him to the kitchen when he finally greeted Monica with a kiss.
"Hey honey, here," He spoke handing her the bottle. "it was on Joey's bedroom."
"You've been upstairs already?"
"Yeah. I figured something was right because Jack is on time-out and you seemed pretty angry at the dirt on the dishes!"
"Good that you went upstairs already, now you have time to talk with Jack." She spoke somehow angry at him.
"What did he do? Erica made me believe it was very serious. And why are you angry at me?"
"You'll know soon, Chandler." Monica put down the dish towel, making her way out of the kitchen. "Were the kids sleeping?"
"Mattie and Joey are, Erica was still awake but I told her to go to sleep now."
Monica left the kitchen and Chandler followed after her. Once Jack noticed his mother going upstairs, he turned around, sobbing. "Please mom, I don't want to talk with dad!" And again he stared crying.
"Baby," Monica walked to him, ducking in front of him. She was heartbroken but couldn't show it. "I know you said you were sorry and I know it wasn't your fault, but you really have to talk with your father about it." She cleaned his tears with her thumb. "Go on, be a brave boy."
Monica started going upstairs as Chandler came to sit on the couch, heartbroken for seeing his son like that. Jack looked at his father and started crying. For Jack, Chandler is his role model and Monica is his superhero; for Erica is the other way around, mom is the role model and dad is the superhero who can do anything. That's why it was so hard for Jack to talk, he was sure he'd disappoint his father.
"Hey, hey, come here, Jack, come here to dad." Chandler beckoned him and he came to hug him. "It's okay, bud, it's all okay. Tell me what's wrong." The boy just continued on crying, sobbing uncontrollably. "Jack, talk to me, you're worrying me. What was that you did that made mom so upset and is making you cry like this?"
Jack swallowed and took a deep breath, looking at Chandler. "You know Jamie from my class, right?"
"Yes, you two are best friends. Wasn't it today that you spend the afternoon at his house?"
"Yeah… and his brother Tyler was home… I saw him smoking and I said you smoke too once in a while-"
"Wait, wait, wait, how old is Tyler?"
"He's seven…teen…" Jack answered sobbing. "And he said he understood why you smoke. He says it's great and it's cool… He said if I had tried it… I said no, and then… then he said I didn't know… didn't know…"
"It's okay, Jack. Take your time." Chandler hugged his son tight as he started crying again.
"He said I didn't know what I was wasting… When I got home, I went to the kitchen and… you had a pack hidden there…"
"Oh, no, Jack, tell me you didn't…"
"I opened the pack and grabbed one… I just held it. Then mom walked in and she saw… saw me and she yelled, I was scared and I cried… I'm really sorry. She hugged me and apologized... she said I could die from that and so could you. And I… dad, you're not going to die, right?"
"No, bud, no." Chandler held him tight, rocking him as if he was still a little baby. "Dad is fine, nothing is going to happen to me, but mom was right. People can die from that-"
"Then why don't you quit?"
Chandler exhaled deeply, explaining. "It's not that easy. I started smoking really young and I was told to quit thousands of time and yet I never thought I'd be told this by my own son… I never even thought I'd be having this kind of conversation with my son. Jack, just promise dad you'll never take a cigarette from anyone. It's an awful thing, never even think about smoking one!"
"I promise dad. I promise."
Chandler leaned back on the couch, having Jack sat on his lap, with his arms wrapped around him, sobbing. He put his arms around his son and hushed him.
"You know what? I'll be asking your mom to buy some nicotine patches tomorrow. And I want you and Erica to, if you ever see me smoking, to just take it away from me."
As Jack slowly fell asleep on his arms, Chandler felt more and more horrible. That was why Monica was angry at him. He should have never brought the pack into the house. More, he should have never smoked in the first place! Monica and their friends had asked him so much and he could never really quit smoking. But now he was determined to do it. His son was terrified of the idea of watching his father die because of that thing and for his children he'd do anything. He'd do anything for Monica too, so he felt he owed her an apology, at least.
"What I did to you and to our family isn't acceptable, Jack." Chandler spoke to his sleeping son. "And to your mother… She's an amazing woman. Without her my life didn't have meaning and… Now that I think of it, maybe… maybe that's why we can't have a baby. Because I smoke so much that I can't give her a baby… And it just kills me to cause any pain or unhappiness to her… But I love her too much and I know she does too…"
He just didn't know Monica had been listening to his conversation with Jack all along. She came down quietly and sat next to him on the couch. Monica leaned to kiss his cheek.
"Chandler, to me it doesn't matter what could have been if things were different. To me it matters what we had, what we have and what we'll have. And I know I'll always have you."
Chandler slowly got closer to her and kissed on her tenderly the lips. "I'm so glad I have you Monica."
She pecked his lips and stroked his face. "Let's go to bed. It has been a really long day and I could use your chest as my pillow."
A smile lit up Chandler's face and he said. "I'm putting Jack on bed and I'll be right there in bed with you."
Chandler left Jack at the top bed of the bunk which he shares with Matthew and after tucking the bed sheet to both, he left the bedroom. Monica was so tired that she was almost sleeping. Chandler slipped under the covers and pulled her closer. She snuggled to him and laid her head on his chest.
"I love you Monica, really much."
Somewhat sleepy, Monica mumbled back. "Love you too, Chandler."
He took a deep breath and smiled. No matter how hard it was going to be to finally quit smoking, this time he was going to bear with it.
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