The One With The Palm Reading
Continued from: 'TOW Chandler Comforts Phoebe'
By: Jana~
*****~*****
--Phoebe sniffled, her eyes puffy from crying, and Chandler stood, gathering her into his arms,
"I wish I knew what to do…" he muttered into her hair… "I wish you weren't so sad…"
"Same here." She pulled back from his embrace, then looked into his eyes… "I never really noticed how blue your eyes are…" She reached up and touched his cheek, then leaned forward and kissed his lips.
--His reaction was delayed, due to shock mostly, but then he jumped back…
"Pheebs?" he questioned her actions with just the use of her name…
She closed her eyes tight at the rejection… "I'm sorry…" Tears fell faster down her face, and he winced as he realized why.
"I love you Pheebs, as a friend, but I do love you."
"I'm just messed up… is all. I didn't mean to put you in such an awkward position…"
"It's ok." He gathered her into his arms again and held her tightly… "It's just… my heart belongs to someone else…"
She pulled back… "What? Since when? Who is she?"
He fidgeted… "I'm not supposed to say."
She squinted… "Why?"
"She asked me not to. For now…"
"Well, she's a lucky woman."
He chuckled as he let her out of his embrace… "You're just saying that cause you're trying to suck up to me. Find out who my secret girlfriend is."
She smiled at his humor… "Well, ya'know, I might know…" she muttered, teasing him… "I am, after all, psychic, remember?"
He'd started to tense, but relaxed when he realized that Phoebe was just playing with him… "Right. Psychic. Well, here Pheebs. Here's my palm. Tell me who you see me with."
She grinned before sitting on the bed, patting the bed next to her as she got comfortable, gesturing for him to join her. Smiling, he sat beside her and offered her his hand.
She looked happier right then than she had in quite a while, and he was pleased with himself for finding something that took her mind off her sadness… even if it was only for a short time.
She turned his hand palm up, then smoothed it so he would lay his fingers out flat. She ran her fingers along the little crevices and lines, and it tickled some, causing Chandler to smile…
"You have a long life line…" she informed… "And I see a lot of sadness in the beginning of the life line." She stopped her finger and pushed just slightly… "Right about here, I see some major changes in your heart." She moved a little further down the line… "I see some commitment here… and some worry, but mostly happiness."
He smiled and nodded…
"She's someone you've known for a while…" she went on… "She's your junior by age, but not by mentality." She moved to a knew line and started running her finger along it… "She's been patient with you, though patience is not her strong suit." She looked into his face… "You have put her off several times before committing…" she smiled… "Interesting." She gestured for his other hand and he complied…
"You and her as a couple… mismatched, but it works. Your differences complement each other." She looked up and smiled… "Wanna know if it's going to last?"
He squinted… "You can see that?" She nodded. "Sure."
"You will get married, and have 2 children, both girls. You're marriage will last."
"Are you just making this stuff up?"
"No! It's not an exact science, and one's life isn't necessarily etched in stone, but as I see it, and interpret what I see, what I just told you is true."
"Huh." He didn't exactly believe her, but it was interesting…
"Now… on to who this mystery woman is…" She smoothed his hand out again and moved to a new line… "She's kind and considerate… intelligent… she's controlling and bossy and set in her ways…" she looked up at him and chuckled… "Almost sounds like Monica."
Chandler's eyes grew wide and he yanked his hand away from her, jumping off the bed and backing away from her…
Phoebe's mouth dropped open… "It's Monica?!?"
"No it's not!" he lied loudly…
She ignored his denial… "When did this happen?"
"It's not Monica!"
"Are you guys in love? Who else knows? Am I the last to know?" Her questions came one after the other, giving him no chance to answer, not that he would have… and he started pacing as his anxiety sky-rocketed…
"Pheebs! It's NOT Monica!" He desperately wanted her to believe him, but she didn't…
He grabbed her suitcase and guitar off the bed… "We better get going…" He headed for the door… "Ok?" he asked sheepishly, stopping at the door and peeking back at her…
She smirked… "Fine. Yeah… let's go." She stood and grabbed her toiletry bag off the bed…
"Pheebs? You won't tell Mon, will you?"
"Tell her what?"
He sighed… "Thanks."
"No problem." She kissed his cheek… "And congratulations."
He blushed… "Thanks."
*****
--Chandler and Phoebe walked through the door, being immediately met by Monica…
"We're back!" Chandler called out…
"Yes, I see that…" Monica smiled, then turned to Phoebe… "How'ya feelin sweetie?"
Phoebe set her small bag on the table… "I'm actually kinda tired, so, can I go lie down for a bit?"
Monica nodded… "Sure sweetie, anything you want."
"Thanks…" She walked into Rachel's old room, smiling at Chandler discreetly before she closed the door…
Monica was taken aback when she caught the smile that passed between her friend and her lover… "What was that smile for?"
"What?" Chandler asked, going to the fridge and grabbing a YooHoo…
"Phoebe just smiled at you…" she told him with quiet resolve…
"Did she?" he asked, popping his drink open, then tossing the cap in the trash…
She could tell he was avoiding the issue… "Chandler! What's going on?"
"It's nothing, ok?"
The more he refused to answer, the more jealous she became. She knew it was ridiculous to be jealous of Phoebe… she had no interest in Chandler… right?
If he had just answered her, she wouldn't have thought anything of it, but when he avoided answering, her mind flew to the worst scenario…
"If it's nothing, then you can tell me!" she snipped, her voice low so Phoebe wouldn't hear…
He looked at her, a slight smirk… "Monica? If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were jealous."
"Don't be silly!" she dismissed him, a nervous chuckle following. She watched him closely as he moved to sit on the couch, his demeanor casual… "I don't have a reason to be, do I?"
"No, Mon, you don't."
"Then, tell me, what was the smile for?"
He took a breath… "Ok, but it's no big deal, ok?"
She sat next to him… "Ok…" She had a feeling she wasn't going to like what was about to be said…
"She kissed me."
"What?!"
"She was sad and crying and I hugged her… and she, sorta, complimented my eyes, then she… kissed me."
"And what did you do?"
He chuckled… "You are jealous!"
"Chandler…" her tone of voice told him not to make light of the situation… "What did you do after she kissed you?"
"I pulled away. Told her I loved her like a friend… she apologized. She only did it cause she was sad. It didn't mean anything."
Monica scowled as she nodded… "Ok…"
"I told her my heart belonged to another." He smiled as he brushed her cheek with his thumb…
"You told her that?" she asked with a bright forgiving smile…
"Mmm-hmm."
"I'm surprised she didn't bug you to death wanting to know details!" she chuckled slightly, but seeing the look on his face change, she stopped, and her smile dropped… "Chandler? You didn't tell her, did you?"
He recoiled, and inched away from her slightly… "Not exactly…"
"Then what exactly?"
"Well, she-- she said she could tell by reading my palm! You know, the whole psychic thing! How was I supposed to know she really could?!"
"She knows?!"
"I didn't admit it!" He defended himself… "I told her it wasn't you! But, yeah… she pretty much knows." He placed his hand on hers… "I'm sorry! I didn't do it on purpose or anything!"
She just stared at the ground, her face scrunched in concentration… "Well, what did she say?"
"When? All of it? Cause I don't think I can remem--"
"No…" she interrupted… "After you denied it was me that you were in the relationship with."
He shrugged… "Ummm… I told her we needed to go, and she dropped it. Then…" he strained to remember… "Then she congratulated me and kissed my cheek."
"Well, as well as she can keep a secret, we're gonna have to tell everyone now. Now that one knows, they all need to know."
He nodded… "Ok. When?"
"Tomorrow night. We'll have dinner here…"
"Ok." He sighed… "You're not mad at me, are you?"
"No. I'm not mad at you. It's sooner than I wanted to do this… but, it's fine."
"You're sure? You seem upset…"
She smiled… "Just thinking. Don't worry…"
He smiled and nodded… "Ya'know, Phoebe really had me freaked out when she was reading my palms…"
"Oh yeah, how so?"
"Just-- she said stuff about our relationship…"
"Like what?"
"She knew things. Like, that I put you off before committing, and that we'd known each other a long time." He smiled… "She said we were gonna make it."
"Really?"
"Yep."
"That is interesting."
"You know what else is interesting?" he asked with a sly grin…
"What?"
"That I've been in your presence for nearly 15 minutes and I have not yet received a kiss…"
She smirked… "Well, let's remedy that, shall we?"
"Lets." He leaned in and kissed her lips softly, his hand sliding through her hair, his free arm snaking around her waist… "Bedroom…" he whispered…
"What about Phoebe?" she asked, looking past him and to the bedroom door that Phoebe was behind…
"She knows, remember? Besides, she's sleeping…"
Monica grinned… "You have a point there…" She stood and smiled slyly as she moved past him and headed for her room…
He stood, then proceeded to do his little 'happy Chandler dance'…
"Don't do the dance." She ordered without even turning around…
"Sorry…" he apologized, then smiled and followed her into her room… as sprightly as a child in a toy store.
*****
--"What's the matter babe?" Chandler asked, Monica's demeanor seeming off as they lay naked in each other's arms, still recovering from making love.
She snuggled up tighter against him, her fingers lazily drawing intricate patterns across his chest, "Nothing…" she sighed, "Just thinking about how much I love you…"
"I love you too." he smiled and kissed her hair, "You're worried about telling everyone, aren't you?"
He knew her better than she would've thought possible, and she nodded just slightly in response…
"They're our friends, Mon… they're gonna be happy for us."
"Oh, I know… it's not that…"
"Then what is it?"
"Well, it's just… I know they're gonna ask questions. And, well, I don't come off looking so good…"
"What do you mean?"
"How I've chased you for years? Had sex with you without the commitment just to have you at all? They'll judge me."
He instantly felt bad. He knew she didn't say it to make him feel that way, but he did.
"Nothing says we have to tell them everything, right? Just keep it simple. There was something there for a while, and it finally happened in London. If they pester for more, we'll just tell them that they are our private memories and we're not sharing."
"Once everyone knows…" she uttered softly… "It'll be, like, official… ya'know?"
"I know…" He knew what she was doing… "Are you trying to give me an 'out', Monica?"
She averted her eyes… "Do you want an 'out'?"
"Do you want me to want an 'out'?"
She leaned back and looked into his eyes… "What?"
He chuckled softly, "I'm not looking to get out of this, Mon. I meant what I said before… I want to try to make this work… ok?"
"Ok…" she smiled… "I'm sorry, it's just, everything is about to change… a lot… and I guess I'm nervous."
"You're not the only one…" he chuckled… "You sure you're not looking for an out? Cause believe me, I wouldn't blame you…"
"No, Chandler, I'm not looking for an out. I'm committed to making this work… but, I've wanted this for so long, and now that I have it--"
"You wondered why you wanted it?" he asked with a smile…
"No…" she scowled playfully… "I've wanted this for so long, and now that I have it-- I guess it just seems almost surreal. Like I'll be waking up from this dream any minute now and you won't be here."
"You make me self-conscious when you say stuff like that…" he whispered… "I'm just Chandler… I'm not the man of anyone's dreams…"
"You are though…"
"Why?"
"Why?" she repeated… "Are you asking me why I love you?"
"I guess I am…"
She sighed… "Probably the hardest question one could ever ask. It's hard to put into words…"
"Try?"
"Are you that insecure?"
He smirked… "You have to ask?"
"You're sweet, kind, funny… you're sexy. You make me feel sexy… you're incredible in bed…"
He scoffed… "No I'm not…"
She shook her head… "You sell yourself short."
"Well, after years on the auction block… and you're the first bidder…"
"Oh, that's not true!" she patted his abdomen scoldingly… "Janice? Kathy?"
"Never sang my praises like you do, believe me."
"Well, that's because you weren't meant to be with them…" she touched his nose with impish affection… "You were meant to be with me."
He smiled… "And therefore, we're compatible?"
"Right."
"Interesting."
The sound of a guitar could be heard from out in the livingroom, and soon after the odd melody began, Phoebe's distinct singing followed…
"They thought they were hiding it all from their kin, but one dear old friend is here wearing a grin. She knows more than most, both in love and in life, but the question remains, will he make her his wife? Some will hear say that it's too soon to tell, if the couple in question do hear wedding bells. But I was the one who read Chandler's hand, so all Monica need do now is pick out the band."
Monica and Chandler came flying out of the bedroom, straight to Phoebe who was sitting on the couch with her guitar…
"Pheebs…" Monica called her name…
Phoebe stopped playing and singing and set her guitar aside… "Hey! I thought you guys were asleep!"
"Not yet…" Chandler muttered, noting Monica's uneasiness at the song Phoebe was just composing…
"Phoebe, sweetie, I know you know and all--"
"Know?" she asked, interrupting her…
Monica sighed… "About me and Chandler…"
"Oh," she smiled… "Right."
"Right. But, I need you to not say anything and not sing songs about it till after we tell the others, ok?"
Phoebe nodded… "No one was here, so I didn't see the harm…"
"I know. It's just, what if Joey overheard from outside while coming home from a date or something, ya'know? I would just, really appreciate it if you didn't sing songs about us just yet… ok?"
Phoebe nodded… "Ok…"
"And on a completely un-paranoid note…" Chandler interjected… "You look like you feel a little better."
"Yeah. I do feel a little better. I think it's cause I'm so happy for you guys."
Chandler smiled… "So, we helped you get over your depression by being a couple?"
Phoebe chuckled… "Looks that way!"
"I'm not paranoid…" Monica added out of the blue… "I'm just being cautious."
Chandler and Phoebe both looked at her and laughed…
"C'mon, babe, let's go back to bed…"
"Just so I know…" Phoebe called out as they started to walk away, his arm around Monica… "When are you telling everyone? Cause I have some great song ideas!"
Monica was inwardly not all that excited about having songs written about her, but if it helped Phoebe get over her depression, she would 'lump it'… "Tomorrow night at dinner."
"Ok! Thanks! Night!"
"Night Pheebs…" Chandler smiled, continuing once again towards Monica's room…
--Once in the room, the door shut, Monica outwardly groaned… "We're gonna be among such favorites as 'Smelly Cat' and 'Double Jointed Boy'…"
"I know, but look how happy she is!"
She smiled… "Yeah. I know." She climbed into bed after dropping her robe and he joined her a second later… "I guess I just feel weird about having my love life sung about…"
"Yeah, but it's just Phoebe singing about it… and she's heard by what? Dozens of people?"
"Yeah…" Monica laughed… "Good point."
They settled down, snuggled up in each other's arms, and Chandler was almost asleep…
"What did she mean by that?" Monica's voice scared him out of his journey into dreamland.
"What? What about what?" he asked groggily.
"In her song: 'will there be wedding bells?' and 'I read Chandler's hand, so Monica only needs to pick out the band'. What was she talking about?"
"She said she read it in my palm that we're gonna get married… that's all." He yawned, "Go to sleep now, k?"
"Sorry. Go back to sleep." She kissed his cheek, then settled back in…
"Mmmm…" he hummed, then began to nod off again…
Monica, however, didn't. She smiled to herself as her mind buzzed…
"Mrs. Chandler Bing." She whispered to herself…
"Hmmm?" he murmured… "Did you say something?" his voice was slurred and sleepy.
"Sssshhhh…" she hissed softly… "Sleep."
TO BE CONTINUED…