Mondler: Familiar Faces Trilogy 1 Chapter 25, a friends fanfic

A/N: Hey guys, this is just me reminding you guys for the reviews and suggestions for any improvements I could make to keep coming and to read all the chapters leading up to this one and the other books. Please also keep in mind that strong themes of bereavement will feature from now on for quite a while across all three books, and so if you are sensitive towards that topic, I ask you to keep that in mind before continuing to read on with the trilogy. Thank you so much for your continued support, and I hope you have a good day whenever and wherever you're reading this!

Chapter 25 – Monica

I had just finished wiping down the dinner table from dinner when I heard the sound of a phone ringtone going off. Looking around the kitchen to see if there was anybody else who would be able to get it, I started walking over to where my phone was on charge, as it was clearly going to have to be me who answered.

"Yes?" I asked, realising that I had answered the call in such a haste that I had forgotten to see who it was.

"It's Emma," the voice on the other end of the call said. I noticed that her tone sounded quite worried, and so I felt a desperate rush of questions flood my mind as I was desperate to get to the bottom of whatever it was bothering her.

"What's up?" I settled on, as I didn't want to really bombard her with all the questions I had at once, especially without knowing the source of her issues.

"It's Dad," she replied, as I felt anger start fog my mind, which I had been trying to keep clear as this would enable me to provide Emma with the best advice and guidance on solutions.

Presumably, Emma had taken my thoughtful silence as a queue to move on with what she was saying. "I know he went to see Mom earlier, but it's a few minutes past 7.30 now and I'm starting to get a little worried," she added, her tone still very much laced with fear.

"Are you with Lara and Ben?" I asked, thinking this was a good place to start before making any more suggestions.

"I think so," Emma answered. "But they're both in their rooms, doing whatever."

"It would be a good idea to go get them and let them know what's up," I said. "I'll wait on the phone for you to go get them, and then the four of us can go from there."

Emma agreed with me it was a good idea and said she would be back in 5, so I sat my phone speaker down on the table, and walked over to the cafetiere to get a cup of coffee whilst I waited for the others to get back.

As much as I tried to push all thoughts on the situation to the back of my head whilst making my coffee, the one that I couldn't quite manage was an unshakeable feeling of resentment towards Ross, and how he clearly still thought that Rachel being ill exempted him from basic responsibilities as a father.

It was absurd that he seemed to think it was okay to leave your son and daughters unsure where you are and worrying two nights in a row. Especially when they've lost their grandmother already and aren't sure whether their Mom will end up with the same fate.

A shiver ran through me as I picked up the now full coffee mug, and moved back to the table, battling an odd lump that had taken up camp in my throat as I swallowed. I didn't want to talk about the possibilities of how this will all end up any more than any of the kids, or adults for that matter.

"Are you still there, Aunt Monica?" I heard Emma ask from my phone speakers as I sat back down at the table.

Positing my phone in front of me so I could see kids and they could see me, I nodded.

"Hey guys," I said, shuffling in my chair for maximum comfort as I looked into the camera.

Ben and Lara said hello in unison, and then Emma moved to sit further in front of the camera, as they had clearly decided that she be in charge of the situation.

"When was the last time that Dad spoke to any of you three?" I asked, realising that this was probably one of the first questions I should've asked, even though now I would be able to ask all three of them, not just Emma.

"This morning," Lara answered, and Ben nodded along with her.

"Not even by text or call?" I pushed, wanting to make sure that every way that he could've contacted them had been covered. "Home phone?" I added, realising that I had forgotten to add that initially to my list.

All three shook their heads, as I continued to sit in front of the camera, now fairly confused at just how cut off from everything that Ross really had made himself and most of all, for what purpose exactly. It was a very Chandler-esque thing to do, I thought with a groan.

"Have any of you guys eaten?" I asked, as my eyes had drifted off to the kitchen clock, which had reminded me to ask probably because of the time.

Again, all three shook their heads. This time, the urge to yell and scream what a shitty father Ross was to them was almost too strong to attempt to quash.

"I'm Postmating you guys something to eat," I announced.

Emma seemed to start to argue with Ben over something that I couldn't quite make out, until the talking ceased and they both turned back to face the camera.

"I'm sure we have something in the fridge," Emma starts to say, as it becomes clear that Ben and Emma must have been fighting over my offer for food.

"I'm sure you do," I say, steadily. "But you guys' are getting this tonight."

All three of them thanked me. "Anything else you need, then just call me," I said, hanging up and switching from the messaging app to Postmates on Safari.

I placed an order for Chinese food, as I figured this was probably going to be healthiest option of takeaways and probably the healthiest food that they'd have eaten since Ross decided to shun all his parental responsibilities after Rachel went to hospital.

It was probably a good thing that Ross was keeping on the DL for the time being, because I know when I get a hand on him after all this, the aftermath is going to be far from pretty.

Satisfied that I had done all I needed to for the time being, I started making my way upstairs to Chandler and I's bedroom, to have a little company whilst I sort this whole thing out. And, inevitably, so he can be the person that I vent to about it.

Chandler's in the bed when I walk in, a magazine laying on his chest. It took him less than I second to realise I was there.

"Hey, babe," he said, sounding happy to see me. "All okay?"

"Yeah," I said, as I got into the bed next to Chandler. "I was just sorting a few things out with the kids at Ross's."

Chandler's expression turned to one that was somewhere inbetween confusion and concern, and I knew what he was going to ask next. "Why? What's the matter?" he asked, as I had predicted.

"Ross hasn't turned up again, that's all, and he refuses to contact any of the three kids to let them know where he is," I said, trying and failing to keep the annoyance at my brother's stupid behaviour out of my voice.

I saw a flash of anger across Chandler's expression. "I know Rachel's ill and everything, but that's bullshit!" he exclaimed.

"I know, right!" I said, knowing that I could've trusted Chandler to react to the news in a similar way to me.

"I've sent them some food via Postmates and said that they could call me if they needed anything else," I said, checking my phone out of habit for any updates.

Chandler looked more reassured by knowing that I had it under control, but I could tell that he was still reeling as much as I was over the fact that Ross seemed to think that he was now exempt from taking any kind of parental responsibility.