*~Hello children, here is the next chapter. The song is by Taj Mahal and the Phantom Blues Band...yes that's actually a group. The song is on the "Someone Like You" soundtrack. Anyway....
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the song
"Why?" Joey asked when Chandler told him to overnight the letter if he had to.
"Just please, Joe," Chandler pleaded. "Just please do what I'm asking you to do." Joey obliged and hung up the phone and went to the post office to send the letters to Chandler. Chandler went back down the hall to where Monica and Annie were.
"Monica?" He said softly. Annie was coloring, her dark curly hair spread all over the pillow propped up behind her.
"Oh, I didn't think you were still here," she said quietly. "I'll be right back sweetie." She gave Annie a kiss on the forehead and walked out into the hallway with Chandler.
"I was just leaving," he told her.
"Oh."
"I hope she feels better," Chandler said.
"Thanks," Monica said smiling as she glanced back at her daughter. "She's excited about getting the cast signed." Chandler smiled back.
"I was wondering if you and I and Rachel could grab something to eat tomorrow," Chandler asked knowing there was a pretty good chance that she would say no. He braced himself for a rejection. He had that skill down.
"Sure," she said. She handed him her address. "Rachel! I have to call Rachel! Bye Chandler." She raced back inside and grabbed her cell phone.
"Bye Mon," he whispered to the closed door. He turned away and walked out of the hospital holding the slip of paper with her address on it in his grip. He couldn't let this happen to him again. He couldn't fall for her. He was just going to end up getting hurt.
Monica had raced back in to grab her phone and quickly dialed Rachel's number.
"Rachel Green," was the usual answer.
"Rach?"
"Monica? Where are you? I went to your house and tried the restaurant and they said that you had left a while ago," Rachel said.
"I'm at the hospital," Monica answered.
"Are you okay? Is Annie okay?"
"I'm fine, Annie broke her arm."
"But she's okay?"
"She should be," Monica said.
"I'll be right down," Rachel told her.
"Thanks Rachel," Monica rubbed her temples.
"No problem, see you in little while," Rachel hung up the phone and Monica sighed and sat on the chair next to the bed.
"Oh Annie," she whispered.
"Mommy? Can I get a puppy?"
"You never quit on the puppy do you?"
"No. So can I?"
"We'll see," Monica told her sitting on the chair next to the bed. Annie was happily coloring a book. The day's events had finally hit her. Seeing Chandler, getting the call about Annie. Everything had come crashing together. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep when she heard Rachel calling her name.
"Mon?" She blinked her eyes open.
"Hi," Monica said sitting up and yawning. "What time is it?"
"It's four."
"Oh," Monica said.
"Mommy fell asleep," Annie told Rachel. "I let her sleep because she looked tired."
"Thanks baby," Monica said smiling. "The doctor said that we can take her home soon but we have to wake her up every hour tonight." Rachel nodded.
"I'll stay over and help," she offered. Monica took her hand and squeezed it.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome," Rachel said. "Hey baby girl, can I sign your cast?" Annie nodded and held out her arm for Rachel to sign.
"Oh Rach? Chandler's taking us out for dinner tomorrow night," Monica figured she'd casually slip it into the conversation.
"What?" She knew that would be the reaction.
"I said that Chandler's in town and taking us out to dinner tomorrow."
"I hate to be repetitive, but...what?" Rachel turned around.
"I know, but he came to the restaurant today and we got some coffee and then the hospital called and he took me here, and asked us to dinner," Monica said.
"You said yes?"
"Of course I said yes!" Rachel shook her head.
"Give me a minute, this is a lot to take," she told Monica. "You hate him."
"I don't hate him! I was just angry with him for awhile," Monica hissed.
"Monica, please. You hated him for not showing up."
"Oh bite me," Monica replied. "Chandler, our old friend, is taking us out to dinner. It's not that big of a deal."
"Easy for you to say," Rachel scoffed. "You were here when it all came together." Monica sighed.
"I'm going to ask the doctor if we can take her home. I'll be back," she stated and walked out of the room. She needed some air. It had been a long day. It would be an even longer week she could tell.
You know I love you baby
and I don't nobody else
but I wonder
if I'd done it different for myself
don't want no changes
no changes between me and you
ain't no need for me thinking
what I coulda, woulda should do
Joey had done his job and the letter arrived at Chandler's hotel room the next morning. Chandler ripped it open and then ripped open the envelope that had so long been sealed. He began to read the neat lettering across the page.
"Dear Chandler, I don't know if you'll read this. Rachel said that you didn't read the last letter. It's worth a shot though, and Rachel said that I had to write, and there's something I need to tell you, and I can only summon the courage once so I hope that you can forgive me and read this letter. Anyway, I'm pregnant. That's why Rachel moved out here. But Chandler, the reason I'm writing this to you is because the baby is yours. There is no doubt in my mind that it's not. The date the doctor said the baby was probably conceived was when I was with you. If you don't want to be a part of the baby's life, then don't come here, don't call. Ever. But if you do, then please pick up the phone. Ross has my number. Love, Monica."
"Oh my God," Chandler whispered sinking to the ground the letter still clutched in his hands. He had a daughter. No wonder Annie's ears and eyes had looked so familiar. They were his. They were miniature replicas of his. Monica should hate him. She should be so incredibly angry with him. Instead at lunch the day before she had apologized. She was sorry for what had happened. He was the one who left her alone and pregnant. Why had he been so stubborn and not read the letter? What had he been trying to prove? He wasn't ready to be a father then, still wasn't now, but Annie was his and he should have been there. He would talk to Monica that night. Make her see that he was sorry and that he had never read the letter, because if he had...Oh God, he had screwed up this time. By not opening a letter he had missed four years of his daughter's life. But Monica....she didn't try to call. Just one letter. One lousy letter that could have gotten lost in the mail to tell him probably the most important news of his life. They had a lot to talk about. This dinner was going to be interesting.
Monica woke up Annie for the last time and smiled at her sleepy daughter.
"Mommy, can I sleep the whole night tonight?" Monica laughed.
"Yes sweetie, you can," Monica told her giving her a hug. "Mommy is going out tonight so Christine is going to watch you."
"Really?"
"Yes," Monica said. "Come on, let's get you dressed." Annie hopped out of bed and onto the floor. She ran to the dresser and pulled out a blue dress.
"Can I wear this?"
"Sure," Monica helped her get dressed and then pulled her hair into braided pigtails. Little curls escaped and framed Annie's face. They walked out into the living room where Rachel was folding the blankets from her sleep on the couch.
"Morning Aunt Rachel," Annie ran to her and jumped into her outstretched arms.
"Hi Ann," Rachel said. "Ready for the day?"
"Yep, and guess what Christine is watching me tonight."
"I think you love her more than you love me," Monica teased her daughter. There was a knock on the door and Monica went to answer it. Chandler was standing there.
"Chandler?"
"I needed to talk to you," he told her.
"Oh, okay, hey Rach? Can you watch Annie for a little bit?"
"Sure, hi Chandler," she waved to her old friend.
"Hi Rachel," he smiled at her. Then his attention turned to the little girl in the blue dress that matched her eyes. "Hi, Annie, right?" She nodded.
"Let me grab my purse," Monica told him and grabbed it from the counter and left with him. They went to a small restaurant and grabbed a table.
"What did you want to talk about?" She asked.
"I finally read your letter," he replied softly.
"You didn't read it until now?" She asked astonished. "So you didn't not want anything to do with Annie...you just....never read it?"
"I'm so sorry Mon," he said. "I was angry at you and I just threw it in the box with your other letters." She was stunned. She had never expected this.
"You never read it?" She asked.
"If I would have known Mon, I would have done things differently," he assured her.
"You never read it?" She repeated. "You just never read it?"
"I'm sorry." She shook her head.
"I need some air," she told him standing up and walking out of the restaurant. He quickly paid the bill and ran out after her.
"Monica! Wait," he ran to her. She turned around. "If you hate me that's okay."
"I don't hate you," she told him. "I should have called, but I just....I wasn't going to tell you in the first place and Rachel talked me into it, but I couldn't stand to hear you say that you didn't want her....so I just....I wrote the letter and sent it hoping that you got it."
"I wish I would have opened it," he told her. "I'd give anything to be able to go back and open it." She nodded.
"I wrote more letters. Letters about Annie, but I figured you never tried to contact me, so I wouldn't try to contact you. I was so angry with you for awhile. So upset that you didn't call or come or something. I...then I just became sad. I missed you." The last part was said so quietly he wasn't sure if he had actually heard it.
"You missed me?"
"Yes, Chandler, I should have never picked Anthony," she admitted. "I'd give anything to go back and pick you. You were the one I wanted. I was scared. Five years later, and you finally know. It wasn't that I loved him more, it was that I was scared." She rubbed her arms and walked away leaving him watching her retreating figure.
life does what it wants to
no matter how you plan
it's give or take to make it
or a silent stand
don't know want no changes
no changes between me and you
ain't no need for me wondering
what I coulda, woulda, should do
Chandler came back that night to the apartment and found that despite what had gone on that day between them, Monica was dressed and ready to go to dinner. Rachel was equally dressed up and waiting for him. Annie and her babysitter were sitting on the couch watching a movie.
"I didn't know if you were coming," Monica admitted.
"Neither did I. Ready to go?" She nodded. Rachel hugged her old friend.
"Missed you," she told him.
"You too Rach," he said hugging her back. "Lets go." They walked out of the apartment and met Rachel's boyfriend Todd, who was coming with them, at the restaurant. When they sat down, Chandler surprised Monica by ordering for her. Something he always used to do, but she was shocked he still knew what she wanted to get. He smiled at her. Maybe things would get better.
"I wanted to ask," he leaned over and whispered to her. "If I could get to know Annie." She was equally surprised by this, but nodded.
"If you want," she replied.
"I do."
"Okay then," she smiled at him. "Stop by tomorrow." He nodded.
"Thanks Monica."
"You're welcome," she whispered back. Just because he's coming to see Annie, Monica reminded herself. Does not mean anything will happen between the two of us. We grew apart. We were never meant to be in the first place. She kept repeating this to herself, but somewhere inside of her, there was a small amount of hope. Don't do this to yourself, she thought. Don't get your hopes up just to have them crushed again. She knew that it was too late though. She already had her hopes up.
You know I love you baby
and I don't want nobody else
I can't help but wondering if I
done it different for myself
don't want no changes
no changes between me and you
ain't no need for me thinking
what I coulda, woulda, should do
*~ Please review, please review! That's all I have to say. And look, there's not really a cliffhanger this time! Aren't you happy?~*