Chapter 2
Monica stood, alone in the bathroom, looking at the toilet she had just flushed. She felt a strange sense of pride in what she had done, and viewed the experience as victorious.
Turning to face the mirror, she caught a glimpse of herself and was shocked at how drained her face was - her usual rosy cheeks had gone, and her face was unmistakably pale, highlighting her watery, red eyes – another result from the experience. However, her facial appearance was certainly not going to deter her. No, knowing that Chandler would be back from Joey's soon, she applied some foundation which managed to successfully add color back into her face. Looking down at her stomach, she suddenly saw everything she had tried to evade for so many years.
She was overweight. Fat.
F-A-T.
Fat. There was no mistaking it. It had gotten so bad, she was able to squeeze the excess skin on her body. God, she really was disgusting. No wonder, Kathy had so much of Chandler's attention – she was gorgeous, and more importantly thin, and Monica was plain and overweight.
Walking out of the bathroom, Monica decided she wasn't gonna eat snacks in between meals. Sure it would be hard, what with her laying out snacks for her friends every night and the frequent visits to Central Perk, but she would just keep engaged in conversation or just claim she had to work or something – that way it would work.
Popping some gum into her mouth, she did what she did best, and began to clean, in the hope that it would take her mind off the hunger pangs she was experiencing. A little while later, Chandler breezed in, after having a fairly successful game of foosball with Joey – he lost, but only by 4 goals which was rather an achievement for Chandler.
As he sat down on the couch, Monica came out of the bathroom, cleaning utensils in hand. Chandler smiled to himself: he found it so adorable the way cleaning made Monica so happy, she was so sweet. Chandler called Monica over to him, and as she went to sit down next to him, he pulled her into his lap.
Normally, Monica would have loved sitting in his lap, and cozying up to him, but now it was different. She suddenly felt very self-conscious and aware of how heavy she was, and how she was probably weighing him down. For Monica, the situation had suddenly become all very uncomfortable, and whilst she didn't let anything on to Chandler, she quickly got up, excusing herself to get them drinks.
Later that night, as Chandler slept with his arm round her, like always, Monica still had that anxiety in her. She really didn't feel like herself anymore and she couldn't believe that Chandler liked holding such a huge person. Wriggling gently out of his grasp, she lay on her side of the bed, and wept quietly, until she fell asleep.
X
Since she had skipped breakfast in favor of going for a run around Central Park, it was understandable that Monica was indeed rather peckish. She had arranged to meet Rachel and Phoebe in Central Perk for lunch, and it was while she was in the shower, that she figured how she could get out of eating under their watchful eye.
Tired from her exercise and no food, she walked fairly quietly into Central Perk which was pretty empty, only to find Rachel and Phoebe already there, talking about someone they didn't realize was overhearing…
X
"Oh yeah, so I was thinking to myself the other day, which one of us do you think will be the next to go through something big?" Phoebe wandered casually. Even though she was one of the world's greatest psychics, she wanted to know what Rachel thought on the matter since she was closer to Ross, with who big things usually happened.
"Well what do ya mean Pheebs?" Rachel asked, curious as to what her friend was getting at.
"Y'know – something big, like a marriage, or a proposal or y'know Ross getting divorced or something, or, oh - A baby!" Phoebe exclaimed the final part of her sentence rather loud as she realized that that could be pretty likely, since two of her best friends were shacked up together.
"Oh I don't know hun, but since Ross isn't married, I don't think he'll be divorcing quite yet"
At this, Phoebe looked rather shocked. "You mean he isn't married? Well how come? – This is Ross! He is always married!" In all the years she had known Ross, he was never really single for that long at all, he always had something going on, so this was strange.
It was then that Monica walked in, unbeknownst to the duo.
"Oh do you think Monica's pregnant?" Phoebe said genuinely – she wasn't joking around. Monica and Chandler were married and it wasn't long before she would be pregnant. And they both knew how desperate the couple were to have a few Bings of their own.
"Monica pregnant? Hmm, that's hard to tell" Rachel pondered. It wasn't because she had put on weight or anything, it was merely because Monica hadn't informed Rachel that they were trying, and Monica and Rachel's sister-chat sessions were where everything was talked about.
"Yeah – I'm not sure either – she could be…" Phoebe thought aloud. She hoped her friends were, she really wanted happiness for them, they had been through quite a bit already, though their relationship was unbelievably strong.
X
The words rang through Monica's ears loud and shrill. "Hard to tell", "I'm not sure either – she could be". Was she really that big? That big they thought she was pregnant? Something really had gone wrong with her, if Rachel and Phoebe had thought that, even Rachel, who Monica brought up to speed on everything.
As Monica had heard and processed these thoughts, she blocked out any other noise and only focused on her thoughts. Of course, subsequently she missed them saying how she didn't look pregnant, and how it was just them wondering – there was no evidence to the matter. But she missed all this.
Trying to put it past her (for the time being) she approached the counter and ordered her lunch - a brewed Lemon Tea from Gunther. Turning around, it was only then Rachel and Phoebe noticed her, and general pleasantries and greetings were exchanged.
It was whilst the girls caught up with one another, that Monica played her trump card. She had set an alarm on her phone to go off, and she was going to disguise it as her cell ringtone. Everything went accordingly and a couple minutes later Monica's phone started ringing. She picked it up and answered the fake person.
"Hello, Monica Geller…yes…oh…I see…right…I'll be in right away…no you stay there…Yep...okay…thanks…bye"
"Whoa Mon, was that work?" Rach asked worriedly. It felt like now Monica was in married bliss, they didn't spend as much time with each other, and Monica was Rach's best friend so she missed her. But work was work and Rach knew how much Monica's work meant to her, so she let it go.
After making her apologies for not being able to make their lunch and bidding them goodbye, Monica left Central Perk, not quite sure of what she should do. It was as she was walking up to her apartment, that she suddenly felt rather queasy. Shrugging it off, she continued her way up the stairs until she could physically go no longer, she felt so bad. Managing to withhold the contents of her stomach in her, she staggered inside, before literally throwing herself into the bathroom.
Breathing heavily, she wondered why it was she felt so sick. Was it just a side effect of making herself throw up last night? Was her body now confused? But no, because when she had done it all those years ago, briefly, that had never happened. Sure it was only the odd chocolate bar or donut, she had thrown up instead of a full blown meal this time, but Monica had an instinct that it wasn't that.
Suddenly she had a thought. A worrying thought. Forgetting all nauseous feelings, she ran out to get her purse and located her diary. Checking off the days, she realized something.
She was late.
Not just a few days. Late-late. Walking nervously back to the bathroom all thoughts of hunger were gone, as she anticipated what could be about to happen. She located what she wanted from the back of the closet, the secret part that Chandler didn't even realize existed.
Finding what she wanted she did what she had to and waited.
Waited.
God, if any 60 seconds was to go as slow as possible it was to be this. Trying to compose herself, Monica attempted to settle her thoughts, which right now were flying round in a whirlwind of chaos. But 'no' – Monica thought to herself – 'lets not think that yet. It can't be true. It can't be..It just'…
The alarm on her watch went off. It was time.
As if it were something you were not to look directly at she slowly picked it up at arm's reach. Inching it closer and closer to her, she kept one eye closed, almost as if something really terrible would happen when you made direct eye contact.
"It's now or never Mon" she said to herself, trying to calm her shaking body. On the count of three, she opened both eyes, and looked hard at the object.
She couldn't believe it.
It was positive.
She, Monica Geller, was pregnant.
