Chapter 15
With Monica and Chandler lost in their own world, Ross and Joey stepped in to take care of Eric. Joey wrestled the car keys from Eric's hand and told him he would drive him back to his hotel room. When Eric started to protest, Joey told him, under no uncertain terms, to shut up and get out. Across the room, one of Rachel's uncles, who had been outside when Chandler dropped his phone, retrieved it and handed it to his niece.
"That gentleman," he said, pointing to Chandler, "dropped this outside. I'm sure he wants it."
"Thanks," she said and gave her uncle a peck on his cheek.
She still didn't know what had happened as she headed to the table where Phoebe was seated, taking everything in with a huge smile on her face.
"Incredible night, huh, Pheebs?"
She nodded.
"Do you know what happened?" Rachel asked. "One minute I saw Monica with Eric and the next, I saw Chandler come charging into the room. But why? What got Chandler so upset? What did he see?"
"I don't know," Phoebe said. "Joey and I were on the dance floor when Ross said he needed Joey's help."
"Hey," Ross said, finally catching up with Rachel. "Phoebe, Joey is driving Eric back to the hotel, so you'll leave with us, okay?"
"Sure."
"What happened?" Rachel asked.
"Eric had way too much to drink. From the little I could gather, he wanted Monica to leave with him. Chandler was outside, and apparently, he saw something he didn't like. That's when he raced in here. A few people who were nearby said that he was begging her not to get in the car with Eric, and then when it looked to him like she was going to leave with him, he supposedly blurted out that he loved her."
"Causing Monica to forget all about Eric from the look of things," Phoebe said and chuckled.
"Apparently so. I was talking to my dad when he told me to go find out what was going on with Monica. I looked over and saw Chandler and Eric in a heated argument. That's when I came and got Joey to help me. We pulled Eric away from Chandler and Monica, who were oblivious to everything but each other by that time. Eric fought us but Joey got the keys away from him."
Rachel shuddered as a sudden chill passed through her. "Can you imagine if Monica had gotten in the car with him and he'd had an accident? How horrible would that have been? It makes me shiver just to think about it."
"Apparently, Monica said she would drive, but still, there was no way she could have handled Eric."
"Not in that condition," Phoebe agreed.
"At some point," Rachel said, noticing that Monica and Chandler still had eyes only for each other, "I need to give Chandler his cell phone. My uncle found it outside. I wonder who he had been talking to?"
*~*
In the Bridgeport office, Riley continuously paced back and forth waiting for his phone to ring. The lead statistican Sharon, an older woman with graying hair and friendly brown eyes, tried to calm him down.
"Calm down?!" he yelled. "How can I calm down?! I'm having the most important conversation of my career with the man who's supposed to get us out of this mess we've found ourselves in, and he just cuts me off. I can't believe he's this irresponsible. He assured all of us, didn't he, that he would be available by phone? How can he do this to us?!"
Sharon sneered. "Weren't you the one who had such grave doubts about his dedication to this project to begin with?"
Riley brushed aside her comment with a wave of his hand. "That was before, okay? We made a lot of progress these past few weeks because of Chandler. But this? This is unforgivable. What am I supposed to do? How long am I supposed to wait for him to call me back? I called him back twice, but the phone just rang. It's like he threw it away or something because he didn't want to be bothered."
"Riley," Sharon said, stopping him from pacing long enough to look him in the eye, "you know what you have to do. And the longer you wait, the worse it's going to be."
Riley released a frustrated sigh as he ran a hand through his full head of chestnut hair. "I know, I know. I just...I want to talk Chandler first. I want to give him the benefit of the doubt."
"How can you do that when he's not answering his phone? And even if he did, it's too late. We still have to let the New York office know what happened. Make the call, Riley. You know it's our only choice."
Riley nodded miserably.
"Oh, man," he said, as he picked up his receiver. "I can see it now. Heads are definitely gonna roll."
*~*
"Are you all right?" Chandler asked Monica.
They remained rooted to the spot against the wall near the entrance of the banquet room.
Monica, still smiling, nodded. "I'm better than I've been in a long time."
"Me, too."
"So, what happens now?" she asked, suddenly aware of their surroundings.
"Well, we can tell the others what happened, although I think they pretty much know, considering how they're huddled together at that table. What do you think? Do you want to leave and go back to the hotel?"
Monica nodded. "I don't mind talking to them briefly. But I do want to get out of here. Am I a terrible person for still wanting to leave?"
"No. It's been a long night. I'm sure they'll understand. Shall we?" he asked, reaching for her hand which she gladly gave him.
Smiling, they reached Table 4.
"You guys!" Rachel said, standing up and hugging them. "What happened?! You know I want to hear every last detail."
"Can we give you the really short version?" Chandler asked. "Monica wants to leave. I hope you won't be upset," he said, looking from Rachel to Ross and back to Rachel again.
"No, it's okay," Ross said, "but I want to know what all of this means."
"Me, too," Phoebe said.
Ross shot her a look.
"Oh, I see. You mean because she's your sister. Well, I want to know just because, so go ahead. Talk."
"It's been an emotional night for me," Monica said. "Please, can we tell you everything later? For now, just know that I'm happy but drained. I really just want to get back to the hotel."
"Are you driving her?" Ross asked.
Chandler nodded.
"Okay, but when we...when we get back to the city, your place, Monica. Long conversation. You got that?"
"I got it. You'll cover for me with Mom and Dad?"
"For now," Ross said. "But remember, Monica. Your place. Long..."
"Conversation," Chandler said, nodding. "I think we got it."
They said goodnight and were about to leave when Rachel remembered the cell phone.
"Chandler, wait. My uncle found this outside. He said it's yours."
When Chandler saw his cell phone, he froze.
"Riley! Oh no!! I totally forgot about Riley! I was talking to him about the project, something about a hacker and the numbers no longer matching and..."
"It sounds like you should call him," Phoebe said, stating the obvious.
Chandler thanked Phoebe for her acute observation and then looked at Monica. "I really do need to get in touch with him."
"Go ahead," Monica said. "I understand."
But before Chandler could call Riley, the phone rang.
"Maybe this is him," he said hopefully. "Maybe it was all a big mistake, and everything is fine."
But when he'd said "hello" and heard the voice on the other end of the line, he knew he was in major trouble.
"My office, Bing. As soon as you can get here."
"It's late, and I'm a good distance away from Manhattan," Chandler tried to explain.
"I don't care. Leave now. I want you in my office by 8:00 a.m. tomorrow. Is that understood?"
"Yes," Chandler said, because he knew he had no other choice.
"What's going on?" Monica asked.
"I'm in a lot of trouble," Chandler said, unable to process just how much trouble he was in. "Monica, I need to get back to Manhattan tonight. I can drive you to the hotel, but I can't stay. I have to get my things and hit the road."
"I'm going back with you," she said, without hesitation.
"Really?" he asked, still amazed that she actually wanted to be with him. "It's going to be a long night."
"I don't care. I want to be with you. I can help drive."
"You are one amazing woman. Thank you," he said.
They said their good-byes and left the party, after Monica assured her friends they would talk once they all returned home.
"They look so happy," Phoebe said, "even though Chandler must be worried about his job."
Ross agreed. "I need to hear more details about what's going on with my sister, but as his friend, I hope he doesn't get fired."
"Well, guys," Rachel said. She placed her arms around Ross' and Phoebe's shoulders and looked at each of them while wearing a huge grin, "I told you my plan would work."
With Monica and Chandler lost in their own world, Ross and Joey stepped in to take care of Eric. Joey wrestled the car keys from Eric's hand and told him he would drive him back to his hotel room. When Eric started to protest, Joey told him, under no uncertain terms, to shut up and get out. Across the room, one of Rachel's uncles, who had been outside when Chandler dropped his phone, retrieved it and handed it to his niece.
"That gentleman," he said, pointing to Chandler, "dropped this outside. I'm sure he wants it."
"Thanks," she said and gave her uncle a peck on his cheek.
She still didn't know what had happened as she headed to the table where Phoebe was seated, taking everything in with a huge smile on her face.
"Incredible night, huh, Pheebs?"
She nodded.
"Do you know what happened?" Rachel asked. "One minute I saw Monica with Eric and the next, I saw Chandler come charging into the room. But why? What got Chandler so upset? What did he see?"
"I don't know," Phoebe said. "Joey and I were on the dance floor when Ross said he needed Joey's help."
"Hey," Ross said, finally catching up with Rachel. "Phoebe, Joey is driving Eric back to the hotel, so you'll leave with us, okay?"
"Sure."
"What happened?" Rachel asked.
"Eric had way too much to drink. From the little I could gather, he wanted Monica to leave with him. Chandler was outside, and apparently, he saw something he didn't like. That's when he raced in here. A few people who were nearby said that he was begging her not to get in the car with Eric, and then when it looked to him like she was going to leave with him, he supposedly blurted out that he loved her."
"Causing Monica to forget all about Eric from the look of things," Phoebe said and chuckled.
"Apparently so. I was talking to my dad when he told me to go find out what was going on with Monica. I looked over and saw Chandler and Eric in a heated argument. That's when I came and got Joey to help me. We pulled Eric away from Chandler and Monica, who were oblivious to everything but each other by that time. Eric fought us but Joey got the keys away from him."
Rachel shuddered as a sudden chill passed through her. "Can you imagine if Monica had gotten in the car with him and he'd had an accident? How horrible would that have been? It makes me shiver just to think about it."
"Apparently, Monica said she would drive, but still, there was no way she could have handled Eric."
"Not in that condition," Phoebe agreed.
"At some point," Rachel said, noticing that Monica and Chandler still had eyes only for each other, "I need to give Chandler his cell phone. My uncle found it outside. I wonder who he had been talking to?"
*~*
In the Bridgeport office, Riley continuously paced back and forth waiting for his phone to ring. The lead statistican Sharon, an older woman with graying hair and friendly brown eyes, tried to calm him down.
"Calm down?!" he yelled. "How can I calm down?! I'm having the most important conversation of my career with the man who's supposed to get us out of this mess we've found ourselves in, and he just cuts me off. I can't believe he's this irresponsible. He assured all of us, didn't he, that he would be available by phone? How can he do this to us?!"
Sharon sneered. "Weren't you the one who had such grave doubts about his dedication to this project to begin with?"
Riley brushed aside her comment with a wave of his hand. "That was before, okay? We made a lot of progress these past few weeks because of Chandler. But this? This is unforgivable. What am I supposed to do? How long am I supposed to wait for him to call me back? I called him back twice, but the phone just rang. It's like he threw it away or something because he didn't want to be bothered."
"Riley," Sharon said, stopping him from pacing long enough to look him in the eye, "you know what you have to do. And the longer you wait, the worse it's going to be."
Riley released a frustrated sigh as he ran a hand through his full head of chestnut hair. "I know, I know. I just...I want to talk Chandler first. I want to give him the benefit of the doubt."
"How can you do that when he's not answering his phone? And even if he did, it's too late. We still have to let the New York office know what happened. Make the call, Riley. You know it's our only choice."
Riley nodded miserably.
"Oh, man," he said, as he picked up his receiver. "I can see it now. Heads are definitely gonna roll."
*~*
"Are you all right?" Chandler asked Monica.
They remained rooted to the spot against the wall near the entrance of the banquet room.
Monica, still smiling, nodded. "I'm better than I've been in a long time."
"Me, too."
"So, what happens now?" she asked, suddenly aware of their surroundings.
"Well, we can tell the others what happened, although I think they pretty much know, considering how they're huddled together at that table. What do you think? Do you want to leave and go back to the hotel?"
Monica nodded. "I don't mind talking to them briefly. But I do want to get out of here. Am I a terrible person for still wanting to leave?"
"No. It's been a long night. I'm sure they'll understand. Shall we?" he asked, reaching for her hand which she gladly gave him.
Smiling, they reached Table 4.
"You guys!" Rachel said, standing up and hugging them. "What happened?! You know I want to hear every last detail."
"Can we give you the really short version?" Chandler asked. "Monica wants to leave. I hope you won't be upset," he said, looking from Rachel to Ross and back to Rachel again.
"No, it's okay," Ross said, "but I want to know what all of this means."
"Me, too," Phoebe said.
Ross shot her a look.
"Oh, I see. You mean because she's your sister. Well, I want to know just because, so go ahead. Talk."
"It's been an emotional night for me," Monica said. "Please, can we tell you everything later? For now, just know that I'm happy but drained. I really just want to get back to the hotel."
"Are you driving her?" Ross asked.
Chandler nodded.
"Okay, but when we...when we get back to the city, your place, Monica. Long conversation. You got that?"
"I got it. You'll cover for me with Mom and Dad?"
"For now," Ross said. "But remember, Monica. Your place. Long..."
"Conversation," Chandler said, nodding. "I think we got it."
They said goodnight and were about to leave when Rachel remembered the cell phone.
"Chandler, wait. My uncle found this outside. He said it's yours."
When Chandler saw his cell phone, he froze.
"Riley! Oh no!! I totally forgot about Riley! I was talking to him about the project, something about a hacker and the numbers no longer matching and..."
"It sounds like you should call him," Phoebe said, stating the obvious.
Chandler thanked Phoebe for her acute observation and then looked at Monica. "I really do need to get in touch with him."
"Go ahead," Monica said. "I understand."
But before Chandler could call Riley, the phone rang.
"Maybe this is him," he said hopefully. "Maybe it was all a big mistake, and everything is fine."
But when he'd said "hello" and heard the voice on the other end of the line, he knew he was in major trouble.
"My office, Bing. As soon as you can get here."
"It's late, and I'm a good distance away from Manhattan," Chandler tried to explain.
"I don't care. Leave now. I want you in my office by 8:00 a.m. tomorrow. Is that understood?"
"Yes," Chandler said, because he knew he had no other choice.
"What's going on?" Monica asked.
"I'm in a lot of trouble," Chandler said, unable to process just how much trouble he was in. "Monica, I need to get back to Manhattan tonight. I can drive you to the hotel, but I can't stay. I have to get my things and hit the road."
"I'm going back with you," she said, without hesitation.
"Really?" he asked, still amazed that she actually wanted to be with him. "It's going to be a long night."
"I don't care. I want to be with you. I can help drive."
"You are one amazing woman. Thank you," he said.
They said their good-byes and left the party, after Monica assured her friends they would talk once they all returned home.
"They look so happy," Phoebe said, "even though Chandler must be worried about his job."
Ross agreed. "I need to hear more details about what's going on with my sister, but as his friend, I hope he doesn't get fired."
"Well, guys," Rachel said. She placed her arms around Ross' and Phoebe's shoulders and looked at each of them while wearing a huge grin, "I told you my plan would work."