J is for Jigsaw
The phone rang in the living room and Monica stared at it for a second, her hands submerged in semi-dirty dish water. It rang again and Chandler called from the living room,
"Phone's ringing!"
Monica rolled her eyes, pulling her hands away from the enjoyable task and turning on the tap to quickly rinse them. They had been home for almost two days and had already fallen into the regular routine of Chandler lounging around whenever he could get away with it and helping Monica out whenever he couldn't.
"Still ringing!" he called again in unison with the next phone ring.
"Did the television tell you that?" she called back, picking the phone up, the very end of the ring cutting off. "Hello?"
"Hey Mom," Jack said breathlessly through the phone. He sounded like he needed to be somewhere fast.
"Hiya honey, how are you?"
"Good," Jack snapped back, not rude but rather rushed, "How's Dad?"
Monica glanced into the living room, Chandler hunched over in the lazy-boy, carefully putting a sizable puzzle together, his legs crossed in a wholly feminine manner, "He's doing as well as one can do, but my senses are telling me that it wasn't why you called."
"Yeah, uh," Jack sputtered out. Monica grinned, shaking her head slightly; he could never manage to hide his true motives from her when he was young and still hadn't perfected the art. "How'd you-, never mind. Tiffany's coming by to drop of C.J., is that alright?"
"What happened?" Monica asked darkly, fearing for the worse. Although Chandler and she never minded watching any of their grandchildren, Jack and Tiff usually asked them first as a courtesy. She knew Tiff very well, probably better then most mothers knew their daughter-in-law's, and therefore knew that Tiff would have the decorum to ask before heading over.
Jack noticed her tone and quickly backpedaled, "It's nothing bad Mom; Jamie's having her baby now and apparently refuses to do anything without Tiff there."
"Then why aren't you taking C.J. down here?"
"She was dropping him off at daycare- it was just quicker this way. You don't mind, do you?" he added as an afterthought.
"Not at all," Monica smiled as the doorbell rang, "I think that's them now," she said heading towards it, "Tell Jamie that I wish her all the best and give her my congratulations. Tell her I'll have to meet the precious thing soon, too. And that I-"
"Mom?" Jack interrupted delicately, "I really got to go. Do you mind?"
"No, of course, just-" the line went dead and Monica sighed, opening the door. C.J. stood in front of her, his back slightly towards her, waving good-bye to his mother, who took one look at Monica and sped away.
"Hey Granma," C.J. smiled, holding his bag in one hand and looking up with his big green eyes.
"Hi C.J., how are you today?"
"Good. Mommy said that Aunty Jammy's having a baby. Is that true?" he asked bashfully, entering the house and putting his bag neatly by the shoe stand.
"Yeah, Aunty Jamie's having a baby," Monica confirmed, stooping down slowly to help C.J. untie his shoe laces.
"A baby like Ally?" he asked, referring to his weeks old cousin.
Monica nodded, putting away his shoes, "Yes, a baby just like Alexandra." C.J. nodded, content with this, following Monica into the kitchen. "You want anything to eat, or drink?" It was early in the morning, and she didn't know if C.J. had eaten at home or was going to eat at the daycare. He shook his head but Monica took out a small carton of orange juice anyways, pouring three it into two glasses and a sippie cup.
C.J. sat down on the chair with Monica's help, watching her thoughtfully as he played with his cup. "Granma," he asked slowly, thinking which words he wanted to use to say what he was thinking, "If you and Grandpa were babies once, and if Daddy and Mommy were babies once, and if Aunty Jammy's having a baby; where would babies come from?"
Almost choking on her orange juice, Monica was saved from attempting to explain that particular… 'from' by Chandler, who entered the room, immediately heading over to C.J.,
"Where's my favorite grandkiddo?" he demanded with a wide grin, engulfing C.J. in his arms, the small boy disappearing into Chandler's body.
"Grandpa!!" C.J. shrieked, giggling, and Monica watched the two.
Chandler was slowly beginning to get stronger, but she could tell that the disease, whatever it was, was getting to him. He had a slight limp when he walked now as he was no longer supported by the dreadful 'pole-ish' boyfriend of an IV he had back at the hospital.
The doctors said to her that this time it would be a while until he would once again need the services of the hospital, so for the time being, she tried to let go the worry and just enjoyed being home with him. Falling asleep in his arms, an act which she had yet to grow tired of. She loved when they were at home like this; without the constant bustle and beeping of the hospital that kept reality upfront and present.
"I didn't know you were here C.J.," Chandler said, his comment and confused gaze directed towards Monica. He wasn't at all against surprise visits from family, but at such an early hour in the morning, with no warning?
"Jamie's having her baby," Monica explained and Chandler's brow furrowed for a second as he attempted to remember who Jamie was. "Tiff and Jack's friend?" she said and recognition suddenly passed across Chandler's face,
"OH! Her! She's been pregnant for a while, hasn't she?" he mused out loud.
Monica rolled her eyes, "Only for the past nine or so months."
Chandler stuck his tongue out at her, causing her to once again roll her eyes. C.J. laughed between the both of them, clapping his hands a couple times. "How about we," Chandler suggested, lifting C.J.'s still manageable body from the chair, "Go to the living room and let Granma finish cooking."
"Will she come with us later?" C.J. asked after a moment.
"Yep, just as soon as she's done," Chandler promised, feeling something in his back crack and deciding it'd be safer for both him and C.J. if the latter's feet were firmly planted on the floor. "Come-on," he said, taking C.J.'s hand and leading him away, "You can help me with my puzzle!"
Monica smiled for what felt like the thousandth time that day. It was only a couple hours into the morning and already she'd smiled more than she had for the entirety of Chandler's hospital stint. Watching Chandler walk hand in hand with their grandchild ignited a feeling in the pit of her stomach that she couldn't even explain. It was a feeling she reckoned only grandparents felt, a feeling that sent a wave of warmth down her spine.
Turning back to her dishes, thankful that Chandler had whisked C.J. away so she could focus; she wondered how Chandler would react if he got the question, 'Where do babies come from?' That would probably be a bad day for all of them.
It wasn't soon before everything was done and she removed her gloves, walking to the edge of the kitchen. Chandler and C.J. were working on the puzzle 'get-well-soon' gift from Ross together, Chandler helping C.J. navigate through the small pieces,
"That piece goes here cupcake," Chandler corrected gently, taking hold of C.J.'s hand and guiding it to its rightful spot, "You're getting closer though," he encouraged.
C.J. shrugged, taking another piece and looking through the puzzle thoughtfully, "Why is it called a jigsaw puzzle Grandpa?"
"Because all these little pieces have jagged edges," he explained, fingering the edge as he held it up for C.J. to see, "And because it's a puzzle; you have to find edges that fit perfectly with each other to make the picture complete." He found the complementary piece for the piece he was holding and snapped them together.
C.J. took the two pieces from Chandler, tracing the indent with his finger. "So the pieces that fit together are like you and Granma?" he asked thoughtfully after a second.
Chandler stopped searching the scattered pieces, glancing over at C.J., "What do you mean kiddo?"
"Well, the different jigsaws," he pointed to the pieces, "You said they had to fit perfectly with each other, and they'll make the picture complete… like you and Granma, right?" he said, picking one up and attempting to squish it into another piece.
Chandler smiled softly and kissed the top of C.J.'s head. "You're totally right sweetheart," he agreed quietly,
"It's not fitting!" C.J. cried in frustration, almost ready to throw the piece across the room. These pieces were smaller and had more curves and lines than the ones he saw the other kids playing with. It was a lot harder for him to find their place.
Chandler took his hand again and looked at the piece than at the board, "How about we do it together then," he suggested and C.J. nodded.
"Alright," he grinned, frustration gone, replaced by excitement and happiness. Chandler guided his hand to the right place as he did before and C.J. squealed, "I got it! Look how well it fits together Grandpa! Like it was made to fit like that!" he observed, grinning at his accomplishment.
Sensing Monica's presence he turned his head and saw her leaning against the door, an absent smile plastered on her face. He wondered how long she'd been there and smiled, "That's because it was made to fit like that," he said to C.J., his gaze solely on Monica. She looked straight at him, the room becoming a little blurry as Chandler added,
"They were made to fit perfectly with each other."