This is for a contest over at Merge:) While I personally believe it's absolutely not wonderful, maybe there is someone that would like to read it. Because I promised myself I'd enter, I whipped something up in a matter of 30 minutes. So you understand. :)
Disclaimer: Don't own anything. ;)
"Damn." Monica fumbled with her house key, trying to decipher it from among the million other keys on the ring. She flipped through the spare to Chandler's car, her car, her parent's house, Ross and Rachel's, Phoebe and Mike's, and even Joey's. "How is it that I have a key that belongs in California, but not my own house key?"
Erica and Jack were at daycare, and there was no one to let her inside. Ever since they started preschool, life had been even more chaotic than it was before. To top that off, Chandler had been acting weird the past couple of weeks.
'I'm working late tonight, babe. Don't wait up.' She mentally mimicked him, almost laughing in spite of herself. Slowly but surely, it was happening. Their marriage was failing.
She remembered the days before the twins when they would stay up all night, talking about nothing in particular.
Three Years Ago
"So why do you think they call it rocky road ice cream?" He had asked. "I mean, it's such an unappealing name for a desert! Rocky road...that just sounds like a cement advertising company. Wouldn't you rather eat something called caramel nut crunch?" Chandler referenced to the pint in his hand.
"I guess so," she giggled. "But, I don't know. It's sort of a mystery, that rocky road ice cream. It sounds like you're going to break your teeth on it, but in reality it's wonderful. You really never know until you try something, what it's going to be like."
He grinned at her, his blue eyes twinkling along the trails of his face. She could already tell he would have great laugh lines when they were old. "All right. You win."
"Yes," she playfully punched her fist in the air in a mock-victory.
"Gosh, you always win, Mon."
"Those are the rules, you know."
"You'll see...one day I'm going to beat you. One of these times, I'm going to be the one that surprises you with something; I'll be the one to sweep you off your feet for a change."
"You know I'm going to be constantly aware now, don't you?" She scooped a spoonful of ice cream out from the carton.
Chandler grabbed the spoon from her hand before pulling her into a passionate kiss. "That will just make me work harder."
Present Time
Twilight was falling as Monica dialed Chandler's cell. It was nearing night and it was his turn to pick up the twins from daycare.
"Hey, Chandler, it's me," she recited to the answering machine. "Listen, I'm locked out of the house, but I don't know if you want me to get the kids or not. Call me back, okay?"
As she flipped her cell shut, the date caught her eye. March 3rd. Her birthday.
"Oh my God! How on Earth did I forget my own birthday? Wow...this is strange. I really must be getting older."
Reveling in her news, another thought hit Monica. Chandler had also forgotten. "Well, I guess this is what happens when we get older...people just stop caring."
7 Years Ago
She remembered colors. Yes, there were colors. And food. Lots of food. And beer. Oh, yes. There was definitely alcohol.
"Chandler," she slurred. He walked outside their apartment, immaculately dressed. "Hey, ya got the door open!"
"Um, yeah." He sniffed the air. "Are you drunk?"
"Nah..." Fumbling, she stood up. "Okay...well. I am so drunk!"
Chandler thought fast. "Wow. Well, okay. Here's what we're going to do..."
Later that night, as they lay in bed, Monica tried to recover from the night.
"Oh my God. I can't believe my parents saw me drunk!"
"Yeah, me either."
"I can't believe I passed out on the ground," she lamented, having wasted away her thirtieth birthday.
"Personally, I can't believe you threw up on Ross."
She laughed huskily, the alcohol was still running its course. "Yeah, that was a good one."
"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed your birthday then."
"Yeah, me too." She rolled over and settled her head in the crook of his neck. "Thanks for taking care of me."
He smiled and winked at her, though she couldn't see it. "That's what I'm here for."
Sitting up in bed, Monica pressed a hand to her mouth and almost chuckled. "Good, because I think I'm going to throw up again."
Present Time
"Wow, that seems so long ago," Monica thought aloud.
"What does?"
"Oh my God!" She whirled around, facing Chandler. "When did you get here?"
Pocketing his car keys, he gave a slight smile. "Oh, about thirty seconds ago. You?"
"About thirty minutes ago. Did you pick up Erica and Jack?"
"No," he said stiffly. "Didn't you?"
Monica bolted from the porch. "No, it was your night! Oh my God, Chandler. The poor kids are probably crying on the streets right now. God knows what they've been through!" She pulled out her cell and hit the speed dial for their daycare.
"Mon, it's preschool, not prison. Besides, I want you to come inside first." A smile began to grow on his face. This was what he'd been waiting for.
A worried look crossed her face. "But Chandler, our children are waiting all alone there!"
"No they're not."
"What do you mean, 'they're not'"?
"I mean they're with Ross and Rachel right now, safe and sound."
"But why did you lie to me?"
He smiled suspiciously. "You'll see." Opening the door, he put his hands over her eyes.
"Chandler!" She screeched. "I can't see!"
"That's sort of the idea," he mocked.
"Well, why?"
"I said you'll see."
As they walked through the dark hallways leading to their bedroom, he guided her every step.
"Actually, Chandler, I don't know if I'm going to be able to see. All I can see are the insides of your hands right now...have you been eating cheese?"
"That was random."
"Well, your hands sort of smell like it."
Chandler laughed. Wow, she was good. Despite the 'family diet', he had sneaked in a cheeseburger from McDonalds before coming home.
For the few remaining moments, they proceeded in silence. A part of Monica wondered why he was being so mysterious, and a part of her sincerely hoped that there was some explanation for all of this.
"Okay." He lifted his hands up. "Open."
"Um, Chandler?" She wondered. "What am I looking at?"
He opened a small box that lay upon her pillow. Inside, a diamond ring shimmered in the newly born moonlight.
"Oh, wow," she breathed, tears forming in her eyes. "Wow."
"Do you like it?" He fitted it on her right finger, a ring for 'just because.'
"I love it. But why did you give this to me?"
"You don't think I forgot, do you?"
She blushed, shuffling her feet against the wall. "Um...actually, I did."
"What?" He pulled her close to him, smoothing down her silken waves of hair. "How could you ever think I forgot about you?"
"I...I don't know. I mean, you've been working late every night for like two weeks now."
"Mon, I was working to pay off this ring."
Her face immediately flushed a dark crimson. "Oh, great. Now I feel really bad."
"Why should you?"
"I...I don't know."
"I can't believe you thought I forgot your birthday, Mon."
"Well, to be honest, I forgot it, too."
"Really? Now that's a surprise," he sarcastically joked. "The working mother of twins who can barely squeeze in a moment for herself forgets her own birthday." He pulled her down on the bed beside him. "Well, here's my chance to sweep you off your feet, then."
Slowly, he brushed the trickling tears away from her skin. "You remember that conversation?" She wondered in disbelief.
"Of course. God, I remember everything, Mon."
Hardly believing only an hour ago she thought her marriage was falling apart, Monica nestled her head against Chandler's, tracing her long fingernails across his well-worn laugh lines.
"It's nice to know you think about me like that, Chandler."
He smiled before pulling her into a tender kiss. "Are you kidding? You're always on my mind."
"You were always on my mind
You were always on my mind."
- Willie Nelson, Always on my Mind
Thanks for reading. If it's not too much trouble, please let me know what you thought. :) I personally didn't think it was great, but maybe someone liked it. That's what I'm here for, lol. :)
Updates of other fics soon:)
Mel