Haunted, Chapter Eight
"The Confrontation"
Chandler spent the next week at a hotel in the city. In hindsight, Chandler realized that kicking him out was probably the best thing Erin could have done for him. It helped him to focus on what was important, and what he wanted in his life. He would spend the next week fighting for what he wanted.
For her part, Erin had told the children that Chandler was away on a business trip, though it was evident to Rachel that something was wrong with her mother. She was distant and quiet, and she often heard her crying at night. Rachel tried asking her mother what was wrong, but Erin would simply shake her head, and tell her everything was okay.
Meanwhile, Monica filled the rest of the gang on what had happened between her and Chandler, and on Chandler's decision to cut her out of his life.
"What are you going to do?" Rachel asked softly.
"Respect his wishes, I guess," Monica shrugged.
"What about the rest of us?" Joey asked.
"I think...I think he still plans on seeing you guys...just without me," Monica replied.
"That's not very fair," Ross said.
"He's doing what he needs to do. You all need to decide how you want to handle it. But I am okay with this. You have to try and see where he is coming from here. Please don't be mad at him, okay?"
The group nodded sadly, all the while wondering if any of them would see Chandler again.
***
Monica was cleaning the apartment, something she always did when Steven took Christine for the weekend. She considered cleaning to be cathartic, and she always felt a little better when her place was spotless. A sharp knock on the door startled Monica. She stood up and dusted off her pants, before heading for the door. She peered through the fisheye, and then pulled back, her heart racing wildly. She hesitated, then took a deep breath and opened the door.
"Erin," Monica said, masking her sadness with a fake smile.
"Hello, Monica," Erin said cooley.
"Uh, come on in," Monica said, pulling the door open wider.
"Thank you. Monica, we need to talk."
"Okay. Uh, can I get you something to drink?"
"No, I'd rather get this over with."
"Okay," the tone of Erin's voice was making Monica very nervous. Did she know? Chandler had told her about the kiss...had he told her everything?
"I know that you slept with my husband," Erin said quietly, "And I am trying my best to understand the situation that both of you are in here. I know that what happened fifteen years ago was...strange, to say the least. I don't want Chandler to lose his friends over all of this. I remember how much losing all of you hurt him. He was heartbroken, and lost for a long time...in fact he never really got over it. I won't stand in the way of Chandler's relationship with his friends, because I know how much you all mean to him. But you have to understand that I have a family, and I will do anything to protect it--"
"Erin, you have to know...that I am sorry about what happened. I never ever intended to...Chandler and I were pulled apart by circumstances we had no control over. We never really got to end out relationship, and I think that we both needed to deal with that. We never wanted to hurt you, or anyone. And I never wanted to break up your marriage..."
"I understand that Monica. I guess what I need to know is can you just be friends with my husband? I trust Chandler, but I don't know you well enough to trust you."
"I don't think I'll be seeing much of Chandler anymore."
"That's his decision. I'm going to talk to him about it, because I don't want him to resent me for all of this," Erin paused, and took a deep breath before continuing. "Do you still love Chandler?"
Monica looked at Erin, and could see that she was hurting. But she could also see that she had to be honest with her, because otherwise she would never trust her with Chandler.
"Yes, I do still love him."
Erin nodded, and sighed. She was surprised that Monica had been honest with her. She nodded and made her way toward the door. As she opened the door, she turned to look at Monica.
"I love him too. And I will fight for him." With that, Erin left Monica's apartment.
Monica stood in the middle of her apartment, staring at the closed door. She was taken aback by Erin's last statement. She would fight for him? Monica was under the impression that Chandler wanted to stay with Erin. Had he said something different to her? Monica's mind raced, and she wondered if she should break the rules, and talk to Chandler. She thought for a minute longer, then decided that she needed to know what he was thinking. She quickly showered and changed, and headed for Chandler's office.
***
Chandler sat at his desk, staring blankly at his computer screen. He was having trouble concentrating on much of anything these days, and he knew that it was because he was in limbo. He needed to talk to Erin, and to Monica. He turned in his chair, and his eyes fell upon a framed photo of his family. It was taken last Christmas. He smiled, remembering how he and Erin had told their children that they would go out for ice cream, as long as they all sat still for "one more minute", while the photographer tried to snap the perfect picture. Chandler picked up the frame, and ran his thumb across the top of the glass. Sighing sadly, he put down the photo, and looked at the one next to it. The only other framed photo on his desk was one of him at Central Perk, with the old gang. The photo was taken back in 1996, two years before the incident that would change their lives. They all looked so happy, so young. Chandler's intercom interrupted his reverie.
"Mr. Bing, you have a visitor," the receptionist said. Chandler sighed. He couldn't wait for his regular receptionist to get back from vacation. He couldn't stand the sound of this woman's voice.
"Okay, thank you," Chandler called back.
"Should I send her in?"
"Uh, YES!" Chandler shook his head. Damn temps.
Seconds later, Chandler's office door opened.
"Erin," Chandler said quietly.
"Hi, Chandler," Erin smiled briefly.
"Come in, honey. God, it is so good to see you."
"It's good to see you too. We need to talk about what we want to do."
"I know what I want. I know what I need. I've spent the last week in a cold, dark hotel room, focussing on what my priorities are. And I hope you'll understand what I'm about to tell you..."
Spend all your time waiting
for that second chance
for a break that would make it okay
there's always one reason
to feel not good enough
and it's hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction
oh beautiful release
memory seeps from my veins
let me be empty
and weightless and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight
in the arms of an angel
fly away from here
from this dark cold hotel room
and the endlessness that you fear
you are pulled from the wreckage
of your silent reverie
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort there
so tired of the straight line
and everywhere you turn
there's vultures and thieves at your back
and the storm keeps on twisting
you keep on building the lie
that you make up for all that you lack
it don't make no difference
escaping one last time
it's easier to believe in this sweet madness oh
this glorious sadness that brings me to my knees
in the arms of an angel
fly away from here
from this dark cold hotel room
and the endlessness that you fear
you are pulled from the wreckage
of your silent reverie
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort there
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort here
"Angel" by Sarah McLachlan
~*~
"The Confrontation"
Chandler spent the next week at a hotel in the city. In hindsight, Chandler realized that kicking him out was probably the best thing Erin could have done for him. It helped him to focus on what was important, and what he wanted in his life. He would spend the next week fighting for what he wanted.
For her part, Erin had told the children that Chandler was away on a business trip, though it was evident to Rachel that something was wrong with her mother. She was distant and quiet, and she often heard her crying at night. Rachel tried asking her mother what was wrong, but Erin would simply shake her head, and tell her everything was okay.
Meanwhile, Monica filled the rest of the gang on what had happened between her and Chandler, and on Chandler's decision to cut her out of his life.
"What are you going to do?" Rachel asked softly.
"Respect his wishes, I guess," Monica shrugged.
"What about the rest of us?" Joey asked.
"I think...I think he still plans on seeing you guys...just without me," Monica replied.
"That's not very fair," Ross said.
"He's doing what he needs to do. You all need to decide how you want to handle it. But I am okay with this. You have to try and see where he is coming from here. Please don't be mad at him, okay?"
The group nodded sadly, all the while wondering if any of them would see Chandler again.
***
Monica was cleaning the apartment, something she always did when Steven took Christine for the weekend. She considered cleaning to be cathartic, and she always felt a little better when her place was spotless. A sharp knock on the door startled Monica. She stood up and dusted off her pants, before heading for the door. She peered through the fisheye, and then pulled back, her heart racing wildly. She hesitated, then took a deep breath and opened the door.
"Erin," Monica said, masking her sadness with a fake smile.
"Hello, Monica," Erin said cooley.
"Uh, come on in," Monica said, pulling the door open wider.
"Thank you. Monica, we need to talk."
"Okay. Uh, can I get you something to drink?"
"No, I'd rather get this over with."
"Okay," the tone of Erin's voice was making Monica very nervous. Did she know? Chandler had told her about the kiss...had he told her everything?
"I know that you slept with my husband," Erin said quietly, "And I am trying my best to understand the situation that both of you are in here. I know that what happened fifteen years ago was...strange, to say the least. I don't want Chandler to lose his friends over all of this. I remember how much losing all of you hurt him. He was heartbroken, and lost for a long time...in fact he never really got over it. I won't stand in the way of Chandler's relationship with his friends, because I know how much you all mean to him. But you have to understand that I have a family, and I will do anything to protect it--"
"Erin, you have to know...that I am sorry about what happened. I never ever intended to...Chandler and I were pulled apart by circumstances we had no control over. We never really got to end out relationship, and I think that we both needed to deal with that. We never wanted to hurt you, or anyone. And I never wanted to break up your marriage..."
"I understand that Monica. I guess what I need to know is can you just be friends with my husband? I trust Chandler, but I don't know you well enough to trust you."
"I don't think I'll be seeing much of Chandler anymore."
"That's his decision. I'm going to talk to him about it, because I don't want him to resent me for all of this," Erin paused, and took a deep breath before continuing. "Do you still love Chandler?"
Monica looked at Erin, and could see that she was hurting. But she could also see that she had to be honest with her, because otherwise she would never trust her with Chandler.
"Yes, I do still love him."
Erin nodded, and sighed. She was surprised that Monica had been honest with her. She nodded and made her way toward the door. As she opened the door, she turned to look at Monica.
"I love him too. And I will fight for him." With that, Erin left Monica's apartment.
Monica stood in the middle of her apartment, staring at the closed door. She was taken aback by Erin's last statement. She would fight for him? Monica was under the impression that Chandler wanted to stay with Erin. Had he said something different to her? Monica's mind raced, and she wondered if she should break the rules, and talk to Chandler. She thought for a minute longer, then decided that she needed to know what he was thinking. She quickly showered and changed, and headed for Chandler's office.
***
Chandler sat at his desk, staring blankly at his computer screen. He was having trouble concentrating on much of anything these days, and he knew that it was because he was in limbo. He needed to talk to Erin, and to Monica. He turned in his chair, and his eyes fell upon a framed photo of his family. It was taken last Christmas. He smiled, remembering how he and Erin had told their children that they would go out for ice cream, as long as they all sat still for "one more minute", while the photographer tried to snap the perfect picture. Chandler picked up the frame, and ran his thumb across the top of the glass. Sighing sadly, he put down the photo, and looked at the one next to it. The only other framed photo on his desk was one of him at Central Perk, with the old gang. The photo was taken back in 1996, two years before the incident that would change their lives. They all looked so happy, so young. Chandler's intercom interrupted his reverie.
"Mr. Bing, you have a visitor," the receptionist said. Chandler sighed. He couldn't wait for his regular receptionist to get back from vacation. He couldn't stand the sound of this woman's voice.
"Okay, thank you," Chandler called back.
"Should I send her in?"
"Uh, YES!" Chandler shook his head. Damn temps.
Seconds later, Chandler's office door opened.
"Erin," Chandler said quietly.
"Hi, Chandler," Erin smiled briefly.
"Come in, honey. God, it is so good to see you."
"It's good to see you too. We need to talk about what we want to do."
"I know what I want. I know what I need. I've spent the last week in a cold, dark hotel room, focussing on what my priorities are. And I hope you'll understand what I'm about to tell you..."
Spend all your time waiting
for that second chance
for a break that would make it okay
there's always one reason
to feel not good enough
and it's hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction
oh beautiful release
memory seeps from my veins
let me be empty
and weightless and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight
in the arms of an angel
fly away from here
from this dark cold hotel room
and the endlessness that you fear
you are pulled from the wreckage
of your silent reverie
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort there
so tired of the straight line
and everywhere you turn
there's vultures and thieves at your back
and the storm keeps on twisting
you keep on building the lie
that you make up for all that you lack
it don't make no difference
escaping one last time
it's easier to believe in this sweet madness oh
this glorious sadness that brings me to my knees
in the arms of an angel
fly away from here
from this dark cold hotel room
and the endlessness that you fear
you are pulled from the wreckage
of your silent reverie
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort there
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort here
"Angel" by Sarah McLachlan
~*~