August 1992
"Hey, you two," Kip said, nodding at Carol and Ross. They were together in public, which hadn't been happening much lately. Kip was at the bar in one of his rare appearances. He happened to know through Chandler that Sonny was at work, so his risk of seeing her was slim. Kip still wasn't sure if Chandler was dating Sonny or if they were still just friends. It was very unclear.
"Hey," Ross said, sitting down after Carol slid into the booth.
"How are you guys doing?" Kip asked. He knew from Monica that they had been having some troubles.
"Okay," Carol answered.
"Yea, okay," Ross echoed. Kip looked back and forth between them, knowing they weren't okay.
"You sure about that?"
"Uh huh," Carol nodded. She reached for Ross's hand to prove her point.
"Here's a crazy thought," Kip said. "Why don't you two go away somewhere? Take a vacation? Relieve some stress?"
"I'm game," Ross agreed, looking at Carol. "What do you think?"
"It might actually help," Carol said slowly. The last three months had been hard for her. She had days where she felt completely fine with Ross and her marriage and the straight life, and then other days were rough when she kept thinking about how she was possibly a lesbian. She was torn. She didn't know what to do. She kept making the mistake of commenting on attractive women in front of Ross, but he didn't seem to pick up on anything. In fact, he looked almost impressed that she was noticing them like he was, like it was an approval of his gawking.
"Yea?" Ross said, looking hopeful.
"Yea," she smiled. She caught Kip looking at her, and she wondered if he could tell she was completely lying right now.
...
"I think I'm dating Sonny," Chandler said to Monica.
"What gave it away?" Monica asked, trying not to feel jealous. Sonny made her feel so inadequate in the beauty department. The fact that Kip was even engaged to her drove her nuts. What if he realized she wasn't as hot as Sonny? Would he leave her? They were coming up on two years of dating, and Monica wondered if he was starting to think long term like she was. She couldn't help herself. She was 23 years old now. She had to start thinking about her future.
"I think what gave it away was the fact she is still hanging out with me," Chandler went on, interrupting her thoughts. She adjusted her face, trying to stay focused on him.
"Have you talked about it?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"I'm scared to. I feel like if I bring it up, she'll come to her senses and bolt."
"Oh, Chandler. You should give yourself more credit," Monica said to him. "Any girl would be lucky to have you."
"Ha, you say that, but I know you're just being nice," Chandler snorted. Monica didn't respond. He kind of had a point. She knew he struggled with commitment issues, and whoever he ended up with, that person had a lot of work to do.
"Just have the talk," Monica suggested. "Before you go crazy."
"You're right," he sighed. "Well, it's been good while it lasted."
"She won't bolt," Monica called after him. He shut the door in response.
...
Everyone was at Monica's for dinner that night. Kip was helping Monica out while Phoebe and Carol chatted. Ross was looking at pamphlets for cruises.
"This is nice," Kip said, hugging Monica sideways. "I wish you'd let me bring over the hibachi."
"That thing can stay over there," Monica replied.
"Oh come on. It makes cooking much easier," Kip cajoled.
"No thanks."
"Hello, children!" Chandler said, coming in. Kip choked on his beer when he saw Sonny standing beside him.
"Um, hi," Monica said, faltering. Sonny avoided Kip's gaze.
"I invited Sonny for dinner, if that's all right," Chandler carried on.
"I guess. Sure," Monica nodded. She felt her insides cringing. When she thought about Chandler dating Sonny, she didn't realize it meant Sonny would be standing in her apartment waiting to be fed.
"I'm just going to freshen up," Sonny said, moving to the bathroom.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Kip growled at Chandler when she was gone, grabbing his sleeve and pulling him aside.
"What? I thought if she accepted my invite that would mean we were dating," he answered.
"I don't want her here!" Monica hissed, joining in on the conversation.
"Why not?"
"Because."
"I'm gonna need a little more than that," Chandler frowned.
"Oh!" Ross said, interrupting them. He was staring at Kip. He had just realized where he had seen Sonny before.
"What?" Monica asked.
"Nothing," Ross replied quickly. "Actually, Mon, can I talk to you?" He went to her bedroom.
"Aw what now?" Monica groaned, going after him.
"Get her out of here," Kip ordered Chandler.
"No! I think she's my girlfriend."
"I don't care. Get her out. Now."
"I knew this was a bad idea," Sonny said, having overheard him. She pushed past to the door.
"Oh, wait!" Chandler cried.
"KIP!" Monica exploded, coming out of the bedroom. Ross had just told her what he had seen on Valentine's Day. Bloody Valentine's Day! He had "forgotten" until now! What angered her the most was that Kip hadn't mentioned it. That spoke volumes to her.
"Uh oh," Chandler said, sensing trouble. "Gotta go!" He ran after Sonny.
"What's wrong?" Kip asked, cringing a little.
"You went out with Sonny? On Valentine's Day?!"
"What?! No!"
"Ross saw you!"
"Where?!"
"So it's true?!"
"I'm out," Phoebe said, getting up quickly and bolting out the door. This was going to get heated and fast. Kip stood there struggling for something to say that would make this better.
"Ross, we should go too," Carol said. Ross hurried behind her out the door. Monica and Kip were left faced off in her kitchen.
"Monica," he started.
"Did you or did you not see Sonny on Valentine's Day?" she asked.
"I saw her, yes, but it wasn't a date."
"She kissed you."
"On the cheek! I didn't ask for it. She just did it!"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I knew this would happen," Kip replied, gesturing. She narrowed her eyes at him.
"Did you know that this would happen next?" she asked, going to open the door. "Get out."
"Mon, come on. Don't."
"Get out!"
"Let's talk about this."
"I don't want to talk to you right now. I can't even look at you right now. Just leave," she demanded. Kip stared at her, knowing if he left, this was going to make things worse, but if he stayed, she'd probably kill him. He opted for life.
"Let's talk later," he said, moving to the door. She didn't respond, which worried him, but he knew she'd have to come around eventually. They loved each other. Everything would be okay. This was just a bump in the road. Right?
...
"I am so embarrassed," Sonny said, hiding her face. Chandler touched her arm sympathetically.
"I didn't know he'd go off like that," he responded. "I'm sorry."
"It's just so stupid of me to think he'd want me back," she went on.
"Say what now?" Chandler asked, having not heard her correctly.
"Oh, Chandler. Why else do you think I've been in this bar so much? I was hoping he'd be here and that we'd at least be friends again. It was a long shot to think he'd want to be with me again, especially after I broke our engagement."
Chandler was feeling like he was the coyote from Bugs Bunny where he was falling off a cliff to the canyon below with the whistling music accompanying him.
"You...you were coming here hoping to spend time with him?" Chandler clarified.
"Yes. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you think I was interested in dating you," Sonny apologized. "I mean, you're a nice guy and a great friend, but I'm not interested in you that way."
And there was the bottom. The dust rose from his crash and settled into the air.
"I see," he said.
"I'm going to go. I'm sorry again," she said, getting up. Chandler didn't stop her. In that moment, he didn't care if he ever saw her again.
...
"Mon?" Phoebe asked, poking her head into the apartment. She had walked around for what she thought was long enough. She heard crying coming from Monica's room. She closed the door and crept to hers carefully.
"Phoebe?"
Damn.
"Yes," Phoebe replied, stopping. Monica appeared at her bedroom door, eyes red and cheeks tear stained.
"I could really use a friend right now," Monica said.
"Okay," Phoebe agreed. They both sat down on the couch, and Phoebe put her arm around Monica.
"I can't believe he didn't tell me," Monica cried.
"Ross is very self absorbed if you haven't already noticed," Phoebe commented.
"Not him. Kip!" Monica huffed.
"Oh. Then I don't know why he didn't tell you."
"He said I'd freak out."
"Which you did..."
"Whose side are you on?" Monica demanded.
"I don't know," Phoebe replied. "The side that's not crazy?"
"I'm not crazy!"
"Monica, he ran into his ex on Valentine's Day. Would you have wanted to know? Really? It was a case of bumping into someone. It didn't mean anything."
"She kissed him!"
"Oohh I didn't hear that part," Phoebe said, biting her lip.
"He said it was just on the cheek, that he didn't ask for it, but still!" Monica cried, banging her fist on her leg.
"The cheek? Pfft, you've got nothing to worry about," Phoebe dismissed. "That's nothing."
"Then she starts hanging out at our bar with Chandler. You don't think she's trying to 'bump' into Kip more often? I'm not stupid," Monica grumbled.
"I didn't say stupid. I said crazy," Phoebe corrected.
"I'm not that either!"
"What did Kip say?" Phoebe asked, ignoring her.
"He said it was nothing."
"Then it was nothing."
"How can you just take his word for it?"
"Because he's crazy about you! Come on, Monica! He spends time with your parents for crying out loud. No offense, but who in their right mind would do that willingly?"
"Hey..."
"Come on, Mon, you know what I'm talking about."
"I do," she caved.
"Just go talk to him."
"I don't want to right now."
"Well, then talk to him tomorrow."
"I'll think about it.."
"I'm going to bed now."
"Okay."
Phoebe got up feeling confident she had put out the fire. It was all in Kip's hands now.
...
"This looks great. What do you think?" Ross said, showing Carol the Hawaii pamphlet.
"I thought you wanted to do a cruise?" she asked, taking it.
"I changed my mind."
"I think it's a great idea," she said, smiling forcefully.
"Great," Ross echoed. He wanted to make her feel better. He had an idea that something was wrong, but he didn't know what. He knew she'd talk to him when she was ready.
...
Kip was pacing the apartment. Monica was so mad at him. He didn't know how to fix it. He did know not to push talking to her if she wasn't ready. That never worked in anyone's favor. It was like walking into a fan without the cage on. Chandler returned after a while, and he looked like someone had ripped out his heart.
"What's wrong?" Kip asked.
"Nothing," Chandler answered. He didn't want to tell Kip that Sonny just wanted to be with him, that she had been using Chandler to accomplish this. Nothing hurt more than being used by a woman for the attention of another man. Kip watched him go into his room and had a feeling that Sonny had caused Chandler's low mood, but he couldn't prove it for sure. He felt bad for his friend. Sonny was like a bug zapper that all bugs flew to, and it ended in getting really hurt.
Two more chapters, folks! Almost to the end! Thanks for reading and reviewing :)
