Hey, everybody! Thanks SO much for the reviews......keep 'em coming!
Anyways, we've arrived at Chapter 13. Okay, I can tell right now that some
people are going to be happy with Monica's "news" and some aren't. But for
those who aren't.......keep on reading, because there will be
twists......there are ALWAYS twists in this story! Anyway, I hope everyone
had a GREAT Thanksgiving, and I hope you enjoy this chapter very much.
PLEASE REVIEW!
Disclaimer: Not mine!
Chapter Thirteen
She'd suspected it for almost a month. Known it for sure for two days. And yet she couldn't work up the courage to tell him. It wasn't that she thought he'd be angry, in fact she probably suspected he'd be happy. But telling him, she realized, was admitting to herself it was true.
And she couldn't do that.
It was the first time in her life she was completely alone in a problem. Even when Richard had died, she'd had tons of people surrounding her and helping her. When Ryan had rebelled, Chandler had stepped into help her. But here, with this problem, she was completely alone. She knew she had choices and those choices......
Scared her to death.
***
Monica went through the motions for the next few days, but every could tell she wasn't really there. Her mind was off someplace else. Chandler chalked it up to stress from their new relationship, but still, he worried. She'd never seemed like this, not even, according to Rachel, right after Richard's death. Even then, she'd held things together.
But not now.
Every night he stayed over, Chandler tried to get her to tell him. Over and over he told her he was there for her, and that whatever was going on, they'd figure it out together. But still, she stayed silent, at best offering a simple, "It's nothing."
But Chandler knew all too well that it was not.
***
"Mon?" he asked that night as they climbed into bed, "Are we going to meet tomorrow at Micaela's play or do you want me to come over and drive."
Monica shrugged, "I don't care, Chandler, whatever's easiest."
"Well, if I come here straight from work-" he stopped as he realized she wasn't listening, "Mon?" he asked, "Are you even hearing this?"
"No, Chandler, and I don't need to," she said tiredly, "We'll figure it out later, okay?"
"Monica, why is it always later?" Chandler said, his voice beginning to get an edge, "Why can't we talk about it now? Why can't we talk about anything now?"
"Chandler, don't get started, okay? I'm too tired."
"That's just it, Monica," Chandler said, trying his best to keep his voice under control, "You're ALWAYS too tired! There is something wrong and you won't tell me and I need to know so I can help you."
"Chandler, I've told you, there is NOTHING wrong!" Monica said forcefully.
"Monica," Chandler said, and now he was struggling to keep from crying, "There is, obviously. Please, please, whatever it is, I'm not going to be mad."
"Chandler," Monica said through her clenched teeth, "Leave me alone."
"No, Monica, I can't!" he said, and lost all control of his voice, "You're suffering and I want to, no I need to know why. Because I love you and when someone I love is suffering, I'm suffering, too."
"Chandler, this isn't your problem. Just stay out of it."
"No!" he said, "Monica, if you can't tell me what's going on, then I can't stay here, I'm sorry I just can't. Not until you tell me."
Monica looked at him straight in the eye, "Then leave, Chandler," she said softly, "Leave right now."
It took a moment for him to register her words, but realizing she meant them, he sighed, gathered his things and left.
The second she heard the door to the house slam, Monica threw herself on to her bed and sobbed.
***
It took Chandler only a few hours to realize he did not function well without Monica. That night, he tossed and turned in bed, desperately wanting to have her next to him. But at the same time, he knew he couldn't stand to be lying next to her, knowing she was hurting and not telling him why. But he couldn't stand being away from her, either. It was a no win situation.
Chandler did sleep that night. But for one reason.
He cried himself to sleep.
***
"Mommy, is Chandler coming to my play?" Micaela asked sweetly the next morning.
"I don't know, baby," Monica said in an exhausted voice, "We'll see if he shows up, okay?"
Micaela bit her lip, "But I thought he was coming," she whined, "He promised."
Monica sighed. She hadn't slept all night. "Cae, we'll see, okay?"
Micaela nodded, her eyes sad. From across the breakfast table, Ryan watched the scene unfold. He'd heard Chandler yelling last night, and he'd heard the door slam. Even though he was young, Ryan wasn't unfamiliar with breakups. He terrified that his mom and Chandler might've broken up.
If there was one thing that couldn't happen, that was it. Ryan knew that if Chandler and his mom broke up, Chandler would probably have to break off ties with the entire family.
And the departure of Chandler would, most definitely, Ryan knew, lead to the fall of the Burke family. They couldn't survive without Chandler.
And Ryan was determined to make sure they wouldn't have to.
***
The next morning, before his mother and sister had even stirred, Ryan awoke and tiptoed downstairs. Picking up the cordless phone, he brought it into the downstairs bathroom and dialed the phone number he'd learned by heart-Chandler's.
"Hello?" a groggy voice asked.
"Chandler?" Ryan asked softly.
"Ryan?" Chandler asked disbelievingly.
"Yeah," Ryan said softly, "Chandler, how come you didn't sit with us at Micaela's play last night?"
Chandler sighed, "Ryan, I don't think I should be going into this with you. This is your mom and my business."
"No-uh, Chandler, it's mine, too. Because my mom is part of my family. And you're part of my family, too. And I want my family to stay together. I don't care what problems you and my mom are having, you have to work it out. For Micaela and me. You just have to."
"Ryan, it's not that simple," Chandler said.
"Yea, it is!" Ryan argued, "You love each other, I know you do! And if you love each other, then you have to make it work."
Chandler sighed, "Ryan, does your mom know you're calling me?"
"No, she doesn't," Ryan said sheepishly, "But Chandler, my mom is miserable! She needs you. WE need you. Come back. Please!"
"Ry, I can only promise to make an effort. I'll come back and talk to your mom, but sometimes adults have problems, Ryan."
"Just one try, Chandler. That's all I want."
"All right," Chandler said, "One try. For you, Ry." ***
Ryan and Micaela were already at school by the time the doorbell rang. Monica, who had the day off from work, got up from her self-pity party and went to answer it. "Chandler?" she breathed as she saw who was there, "I thought I told you-"
"Monica," he interuptted her, "I got a call from your son this morning and he begged me to talk to you. So please, let me talk to you. Give me five minutes and if after that, you want to kick me out, you can, okay?" Monica nodded, and he continued, "Mon, I won't lie and say it doesn't bother me that you're not telling me something. But if you want to keep it to yourself, well, as long as it's not harmful to you, then fine. But if it is......then, Mon, you have to understand the only reason I want you to tell is because I can't stand to see you hurting. But I won't force you, either. Because I realized that even if you can't tell me something, I still can't walk away from this relationship unless you tell me to. I can't live without you, Mon. I just can't function. You're my everything and you're the reason I wake up in the morning. And Ryan and Micaela, too. You can say if we broke up, I'd still hang out with them, but it wouldn't work. We both know that. And I need them, Mon, every bit as much as I need you. I need all of you. Please, Mon, give me another chance."
Monica's eyes were filling with tears, "What's wrong, baby?" Chandler asked softly.
Monica shook her head, "It's just.......here you are apologizing when this whole thing is my fault to begin with."
"No," Chandler said forcefully, "it's not your fault. You didn't want to tell me something and I tried to force you, and that's wrong."
Monica shook her head, the tears now falling freely, "Chandler," she whispered, "You were right. There was something I wasn't telling you, and I have to tell you."
Chandler put an arm around her and helped her to sit down, "Tell me, baby," he said gently, "I'm not gonna get mad. I swear."
Monica took a deep breath and choked out, "Chandler, I'm pregnant."
Chandler was silent for a few minutes. Then, finally, he pulled her in close and kissed the top of her head, "Thank God," he said softly, "Thank you, thank you."
Monica looked at him oddly, "What's that for?" she said.
"Mon......I have been so scared these past few days," he said, his voice shaky, "I envisioned you finding out you were sick, or dying or something......this, this compared to all that is wonderful news. It's wonderful news anyway."
Monica looked at him with sad eyes, "Chandler," she said finally, "You don't understand. I don't......I don't know if I want to have this baby."
TBC.....
thanks for reading, now.....press that lil purple button and REVIEW the hell outta this chapter!
Disclaimer: Not mine!
Chapter Thirteen
She'd suspected it for almost a month. Known it for sure for two days. And yet she couldn't work up the courage to tell him. It wasn't that she thought he'd be angry, in fact she probably suspected he'd be happy. But telling him, she realized, was admitting to herself it was true.
And she couldn't do that.
It was the first time in her life she was completely alone in a problem. Even when Richard had died, she'd had tons of people surrounding her and helping her. When Ryan had rebelled, Chandler had stepped into help her. But here, with this problem, she was completely alone. She knew she had choices and those choices......
Scared her to death.
***
Monica went through the motions for the next few days, but every could tell she wasn't really there. Her mind was off someplace else. Chandler chalked it up to stress from their new relationship, but still, he worried. She'd never seemed like this, not even, according to Rachel, right after Richard's death. Even then, she'd held things together.
But not now.
Every night he stayed over, Chandler tried to get her to tell him. Over and over he told her he was there for her, and that whatever was going on, they'd figure it out together. But still, she stayed silent, at best offering a simple, "It's nothing."
But Chandler knew all too well that it was not.
***
"Mon?" he asked that night as they climbed into bed, "Are we going to meet tomorrow at Micaela's play or do you want me to come over and drive."
Monica shrugged, "I don't care, Chandler, whatever's easiest."
"Well, if I come here straight from work-" he stopped as he realized she wasn't listening, "Mon?" he asked, "Are you even hearing this?"
"No, Chandler, and I don't need to," she said tiredly, "We'll figure it out later, okay?"
"Monica, why is it always later?" Chandler said, his voice beginning to get an edge, "Why can't we talk about it now? Why can't we talk about anything now?"
"Chandler, don't get started, okay? I'm too tired."
"That's just it, Monica," Chandler said, trying his best to keep his voice under control, "You're ALWAYS too tired! There is something wrong and you won't tell me and I need to know so I can help you."
"Chandler, I've told you, there is NOTHING wrong!" Monica said forcefully.
"Monica," Chandler said, and now he was struggling to keep from crying, "There is, obviously. Please, please, whatever it is, I'm not going to be mad."
"Chandler," Monica said through her clenched teeth, "Leave me alone."
"No, Monica, I can't!" he said, and lost all control of his voice, "You're suffering and I want to, no I need to know why. Because I love you and when someone I love is suffering, I'm suffering, too."
"Chandler, this isn't your problem. Just stay out of it."
"No!" he said, "Monica, if you can't tell me what's going on, then I can't stay here, I'm sorry I just can't. Not until you tell me."
Monica looked at him straight in the eye, "Then leave, Chandler," she said softly, "Leave right now."
It took a moment for him to register her words, but realizing she meant them, he sighed, gathered his things and left.
The second she heard the door to the house slam, Monica threw herself on to her bed and sobbed.
***
It took Chandler only a few hours to realize he did not function well without Monica. That night, he tossed and turned in bed, desperately wanting to have her next to him. But at the same time, he knew he couldn't stand to be lying next to her, knowing she was hurting and not telling him why. But he couldn't stand being away from her, either. It was a no win situation.
Chandler did sleep that night. But for one reason.
He cried himself to sleep.
***
"Mommy, is Chandler coming to my play?" Micaela asked sweetly the next morning.
"I don't know, baby," Monica said in an exhausted voice, "We'll see if he shows up, okay?"
Micaela bit her lip, "But I thought he was coming," she whined, "He promised."
Monica sighed. She hadn't slept all night. "Cae, we'll see, okay?"
Micaela nodded, her eyes sad. From across the breakfast table, Ryan watched the scene unfold. He'd heard Chandler yelling last night, and he'd heard the door slam. Even though he was young, Ryan wasn't unfamiliar with breakups. He terrified that his mom and Chandler might've broken up.
If there was one thing that couldn't happen, that was it. Ryan knew that if Chandler and his mom broke up, Chandler would probably have to break off ties with the entire family.
And the departure of Chandler would, most definitely, Ryan knew, lead to the fall of the Burke family. They couldn't survive without Chandler.
And Ryan was determined to make sure they wouldn't have to.
***
The next morning, before his mother and sister had even stirred, Ryan awoke and tiptoed downstairs. Picking up the cordless phone, he brought it into the downstairs bathroom and dialed the phone number he'd learned by heart-Chandler's.
"Hello?" a groggy voice asked.
"Chandler?" Ryan asked softly.
"Ryan?" Chandler asked disbelievingly.
"Yeah," Ryan said softly, "Chandler, how come you didn't sit with us at Micaela's play last night?"
Chandler sighed, "Ryan, I don't think I should be going into this with you. This is your mom and my business."
"No-uh, Chandler, it's mine, too. Because my mom is part of my family. And you're part of my family, too. And I want my family to stay together. I don't care what problems you and my mom are having, you have to work it out. For Micaela and me. You just have to."
"Ryan, it's not that simple," Chandler said.
"Yea, it is!" Ryan argued, "You love each other, I know you do! And if you love each other, then you have to make it work."
Chandler sighed, "Ryan, does your mom know you're calling me?"
"No, she doesn't," Ryan said sheepishly, "But Chandler, my mom is miserable! She needs you. WE need you. Come back. Please!"
"Ry, I can only promise to make an effort. I'll come back and talk to your mom, but sometimes adults have problems, Ryan."
"Just one try, Chandler. That's all I want."
"All right," Chandler said, "One try. For you, Ry." ***
Ryan and Micaela were already at school by the time the doorbell rang. Monica, who had the day off from work, got up from her self-pity party and went to answer it. "Chandler?" she breathed as she saw who was there, "I thought I told you-"
"Monica," he interuptted her, "I got a call from your son this morning and he begged me to talk to you. So please, let me talk to you. Give me five minutes and if after that, you want to kick me out, you can, okay?" Monica nodded, and he continued, "Mon, I won't lie and say it doesn't bother me that you're not telling me something. But if you want to keep it to yourself, well, as long as it's not harmful to you, then fine. But if it is......then, Mon, you have to understand the only reason I want you to tell is because I can't stand to see you hurting. But I won't force you, either. Because I realized that even if you can't tell me something, I still can't walk away from this relationship unless you tell me to. I can't live without you, Mon. I just can't function. You're my everything and you're the reason I wake up in the morning. And Ryan and Micaela, too. You can say if we broke up, I'd still hang out with them, but it wouldn't work. We both know that. And I need them, Mon, every bit as much as I need you. I need all of you. Please, Mon, give me another chance."
Monica's eyes were filling with tears, "What's wrong, baby?" Chandler asked softly.
Monica shook her head, "It's just.......here you are apologizing when this whole thing is my fault to begin with."
"No," Chandler said forcefully, "it's not your fault. You didn't want to tell me something and I tried to force you, and that's wrong."
Monica shook her head, the tears now falling freely, "Chandler," she whispered, "You were right. There was something I wasn't telling you, and I have to tell you."
Chandler put an arm around her and helped her to sit down, "Tell me, baby," he said gently, "I'm not gonna get mad. I swear."
Monica took a deep breath and choked out, "Chandler, I'm pregnant."
Chandler was silent for a few minutes. Then, finally, he pulled her in close and kissed the top of her head, "Thank God," he said softly, "Thank you, thank you."
Monica looked at him oddly, "What's that for?" she said.
"Mon......I have been so scared these past few days," he said, his voice shaky, "I envisioned you finding out you were sick, or dying or something......this, this compared to all that is wonderful news. It's wonderful news anyway."
Monica looked at him with sad eyes, "Chandler," she said finally, "You don't understand. I don't......I don't know if I want to have this baby."
TBC.....
thanks for reading, now.....press that lil purple button and REVIEW the hell outta this chapter!