Chapter 4 - TOW Nora's Visit:
AN: Spoilers for Episodes up to and including TOW the Kips. Starts after Joey finds out about Chandler and Monica. Scenes are divided by [-].
Joey sat in his chair thinking, Chandler and Monica, together, this was huge! Joey knew he wasn't smart, but he knew women. He starts to think about their behaviour towards each other… "The bath, the kissing…"Joey spoke aloud. Chandler chooses that moment to walk in. Joey swings his chair around. "I can't believe I didn't see it!" Chandler looks down at the floor. "Sorry I couldn't tell ya man." Joey runs a hand through his hair. "It's so obvious now… was she hiding in the bathroom when I walked in a couple of months ago?" Chandler sighs, "she was under the water." Joey stands up fast. "She was in the bath with you! Niceeeee!" Chandler relaxes a little bit, "you can't tell anyone man. And if I tell you details you cannot, cannot, tell Monica!" Chandler says seriously.
Chandler and Joey sit in their chairs, each have a beer. "Tell me." Joey asks, "that night we returned from London, when we watched Die Hard - what was happening…" Joey trails off and Chandler picks up, "I was touching Monica under the blanket." He grinned, "how far?" Joey asks. Chandler take a sip of his beer. "All the way." Joey grins, "didn't know you had it in ya man!", and he pats Chandler's shoulder. "I didn't either." Chandler replies with a lope sided grin. "She inspires me Joey, and she makes me want to be a better man."
[-]
Ross is feeling sorry for himself; he sits in the single armchair in Central Perk. Monica had arrived about ten minutes ago but he hasn't made any effort to talk to her. He was drowning in self-pity. He knows she has tried to talk to him, but he blocked her out, allowing himself a bit longer in his self-pity state. He scrubs his hands over his face and takes a deep breath; he looks over at Monica. He opens his mouth to speak but pauses; he took a good look at his sister. She is sitting, reading a magazine, humming with a small smile on her face. She looks good, content even. "Hey Monica, everything ok with you?" Monica startles and for a split second Ross was sure he saw panic in her eyes. "I'm good Ross, how are you doing?" A quick change of subject, Ross notes. "You look happy Mon." Monica's face lights up. "I am happy," she paused, "sometimes Ross, it's fun to live in the moment." Before Ross could comment Phoebe walks in.
[-]
"Joey you cannot tell anyone! Even if this does eventually come out, you still can't say anything!" Chandler pleads. Joey is laughing, "dude I promised okay - but I'm finding this unbelievable - seven times! You!" Chandler gets angry, "why is that hard to believe? I may have not slept with loads of women but I'm not bad in bed!" Joey folds his arms, "Chandler I share a wall with you." Chandler stands up and takes a step closer to Joey, "Sex with Monica is earth-shaking; I don't give a rat's ass about sex with any other woman. She makes me amazing in bed." Joey nods and Chandler sits back down, "okay dude I believe ya. Oh, I wanted to ask, the kissing thing after London, how did that happen?" Chandler laughs. "It only happened twice, first time we just forgot! Rachel wasn't back and every morning we kiss goodbye. The time you saw, you guys had just walked in on us. Five more minutes and you would have seen a lot more!" Joey laughs, he raises his beer up to toast Chandler, "congrats and good luck." Clink.
[-]
Buzzzz, the intercom makes Chandler jump. He presses the talk button, "yes" he answers. "Mr. Bing," his secretary spoke, "you have a visitor." Chandler looks at his watched and frowns, Monica was at work. He presses the talk button again, "ok send them in." Chandler stands to greet whoever his visitor is, the door opens and Chandler wishes he said he wasn't available. "Darling!" Nora says as she walks into his office. "Mom" Chandler says with as much enthusiasm as he could muster. Nora walks around his side of the desk and pulls him in a hug. She pulls back and holds him at arm's length. "Let me take a good look at you." She pauses, "I see you are getting laid dear, I'm so pleased." Chandler's eyes bug open and his mouth drops open. Nora moves around to the front of Chandler's desk and settles into the guest chair. "Sit down and close your mouth Chandler, it's not a good look for you." He obeys, "how…?" Chandler tries to ask, "my naïve little boy, I write sex for a living, do you not think I don't notice the real thing around me." Chandler frowns. "It is that obvious?" He asks. Nora smiles, "I'm your mother of course I'd notice, but honestly Chandler you do look happier, content even." Chandler smiles back at Nora. "So I was thinking dinner at the Plaza, I would normally invite your friends but I would like you to invite your girlfriend instead." Chandler froze, no, no, no, "err mom… I don't know if that's a good idea." Nora frowns, "give me one good reason why not." Nora stares into her son's eyes. "In fact, call her now." Chandler sighs and picks up the phone; he'll never win this argument. He dials Monica's restaurant and hopes that Monica picks up. "Hello", Monica does answer the phone, "hey it's me." Chandler says into the phone, "hey you, I would love to talk but we are preparing for lunch." Chandler quickly jumps in, "I got my mom in my office, and she wants to take us out to dinner." He waits for a response, "us, as in the two of us." Monica asked, "yes." Chandler answers. Pause. "Okay, tonight?" Chandler double checks with his mom. "Yes, tonight, at the Plaza." He hears Monica gasp. "Sounds great, see you at home." "Bye," Chandler says before hanging up. He turns to his mom, "yes, we'll be there." Nora gets up, "fantastic, I'll send you a car to pick you up at 6.45, see you later darling." She leaves his office. Chandler sits there, still digesting what just happened.
[-]
Monica studies herself in her mirror. She looks good, her dress is classy, and her makeup is elegant. She takes a deep breath and walks out of her bedroom. Chandler said he would meet her in the hallway. Unfortunately she had forgotten the others are there. Phoebe is the first to notice, "wow Monica, looking good. Where are you going?" Rachel squeals "oh it's your secret boyfriend isn't it." Ross frowns, "what boyfriend?" Monica has to put a stop to this - "guys, it's a date. As much as I love you guys I would like a little privacy with my love life. As soon as I feel ready I will share details." Ross opens his mouth so Monica points at him. "This is non-negotiable, no arguments." She walks out. Chandler's standing leaning against his door, grinning at her, "ready?" Monica takes his hand, "as I'll ever be." Chandler takes a good look at her, "you look beautiful by the way." Monica kisses him on the cheek. "Thank you and you look very handsome." Chandler smiles and squeezes her hand as they walk downstairs.
[-]
As normal Chandler heard his mother before seeing her when they enter the Plaza. Chandler has his arm around Monica, while she has her wrapped around him. Nora turns around and sees them enter, "Chandler darling!" She calls out. Chandler takes a deep breath; Monica notices and squeezes him gentlely. "You are here, and with your girlfriend…" Nora pauses as she got a good look at Monica. "Haven't we met before?" She asks. Chandler jumps in. "Mom, you remember my friend Monica, Ross's younger sister," Chandler takes another deep breath, "also my girlfriend." Girlfriend, Monica thought, this was the first time he had actually introduced her as his girlfriend! Nora looks surprised, "Oh yes I remember! Hello Monica. Shall we go to our table?" Nora led the way, eager to get a drink and find out how this happened!
[-]
"So kids," Nora starts after she had a sip of her drink. "Tell me how this happened?" Chandler takes the lead, "Well mom, we were at Ross's wedding in London and it just happened…" he trails off. "I was drunk and looking for comfort, and I found Chandler." Monica finishes. Nora raised her eye brows, "well… was it good?" She askes, "Mother!" Chandler says. He then hissed, "I'm going to the bathroom", and walks off. Nora looks at Monica, "well dear?" Monica takes a deep breath, and kept an eye out for Chandler. "Seven times in our first night." Monica whispers, "and he knows how to give instructions. " Nora grins, "that's all I needed to know." They both take a sip of their drinks. "Do you love him?" Nora asks. Monica's breath hitched, she again looked for Chandler. "I'm pretty sure I will be in love with him soon… he's been my best friend for years. What you have to understand Mrs. Bing," Nora interrupts, "Nora." Monica pauses. "What you have to understand Nora is that Chandler is the only person who has been there for me for every moment of the last 10 years. We've gotten to know each other; we've supported each other during break-ups, deaths and births!" She pauses again, "I'm taking my relationship with Chandler very seriously." "What?" Monica sees Chandler standing next to her. Nora grins, "Chandler darling, you are very lucky to have Monica, she's a wonderful woman. And Monica, my son is quite a catch, do you know about his trust fund?" "Mom!" Hissed Chandler. "I don't care about that, and at the moment it's none of my business. Let's just enjoy dinner." Monica smiles at Chandler and takes his hand. "Okay." Grumbles Chandler. "See Chandler, she's good for you." Nora couldn't resist saying. That set the tone of the evening.
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Chandler had a banging headache by the time they were walking out of the restaurant; he was looking forward to going home. "Hang on kids, I got a present for you." Nora stops them, and hands Chandler a hotel room key. "A hotel room key?" Chandler says while rubbing his forehead. "Yes, for a suite here, tonight - my treat." She didn't even give them a chance to reply. She kisses them both on the cheek and walks out of the hotel. Monica turns to Chandler, "you ok?" Chandler sighs and pulls her into a hug. "Yeah, just want to crash to be honest." Monica squeezes him, "well let's stay here tonight, face tomorrow when it comes." Chandler pulls her back and gives her a small smile. "Sounds wonderful." He says. They walk towards the elevator.
[-]
Twenty minutes later they were lying in the huge super-king bed in an amazing suite. "I have to say, I like your mom!" Monica said lightly, Chandler grunts, "only my mother would give a night in a hotel suite as a present!" They lie in silence for a few minutes. "About what my mom said about a trust fund…" Chandler starts. "Chandler, I don't care, we don't have to talk about it." Chandler grabs her hands. "But I want to." Monica smiles, grateful that Chandler wants to tell her. Chandler starts, "mom put a hundred thousand dollars into a trust fund for me, which I gained access to at 25. But I've never touched it." He holds his hand up to Monica who was about to speak, "let me explain. Money never made me happy; it actually made my life pretty lonely. Not only did I have a sex-obsessed mother, I got a gay cross-dressing father and I was an only child. I swear my childhood home was designed to be as big as possible so my parents couldn't bump into each other. That meant I was by myself a lot of the time." Chandler pauses, Monica waits for him to continue. "My mom will never admit to it but I swear part of reason for that money was guilt, for my childhood. So I haven't touched it, I don't want guilt money; I want to live life on what I earn, not my mother." Monica leans forward and kisses him. "Thank you for telling me." Chandler pulls Monica closer. "Do you mind if we just stayed like this tonight." Chandler whispers. "Of course." Monica whispers back.
AN: This chapter helps set the scene for the next one which delves more into Chandler and Monica's past.. Don't forget to check out my other fics set in the Chandler and Monica - Their Story universe. See my profile for details.