Jason Banks surveyed the scene in front of him with mock boredom. He,
along with many of his colleagues, was sitting in an auditorium, waiting
for a presentation. It was to be presented by yet another restaurant from
New York. Jason's company was participating in a 2 month long, project in
New York to set up a new office out there, and they were interviewing
restaurants to cater to them when they were there. Although Jason would
never admit it, he was interested in these presentations. He found he had
an odd interest in food, but no talent in cooking or anything, so he often
wondered where his interest and strange knowledge of many cooking terms
came from.
He pulled his eyes away from the team who had just finished their presentation and glanced over at his friend Scott, who was sitting back in his seat, his feet on the chair in front of him, looking completely and utterly bored out of his mind. Scott was a good guy, he just had little patience for one presentation after another.
"Just one more left," Jason told his friend, a smile on his face.
Scott looked over at Jason and rolled his eyes. "Ever had that feeling where you just wanna kill yourself?" he asked jokingly. "I mean come on, we've been here for 4 hours."
"It's not that bad," Jason answered laughing. "Oh, and it's only been 2 hours."
"Well it's been the longest 2 hours of my life."
"He's right, dude," Jeff, another coworker/friend added. "It's not that bad. Plus, I can't wait until later, when we get to test all of their food."
Jason rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the front of the room, where the next team was just entering. Leading the group was a very confident, friendly, but firm, looking man. Boss, Jason told himself, definitely the boss. He was followed by a fairly good looking women with short blonde hair, who was clearly trying just a little to hard to look good. Jason felt sorry for the girl, as she looked young and nervous. Following her were 2 men. One looking like he was in his early 20's and the other his late 30's. Both were dressed in a suit, and looked comfortable.
The last individual to enter the room immediately caught Jason's attention. She looked to be around thirty and had long, black hair. She was dressed well, but not in an attention grabbing way, as she was wearing a pair of black pants and a white blouse. She looked very uncomfortable to be in a room filled with so many people. He watched as she reached her hand up to touch something that was hanging around her neck. She then closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Wow, would you look at the brunette," Roger, who was a coworker, but not exactly friend of Jason, said. "Wouldn't you like to get into her."
"Roger!" Jason cut him off, "give it up. I mean look at her, she looks really scared." Jason did not like Roger, as he could be really cruel to women. He treated them like possessions, that you could get and get rid of on a whim. He also talked about and critiqued every one he say. It really pissed Jason off sometimes. Like now.
"Jason, don't be a dumbass," Roger said. "She looks fine. Not scared at all."
"Are you kidding?" Jason asked, them turned his attention to Scott and Jeff. " Does she not look scared to you?"
"Not really," Scott said, unsure and Jeff shook his head, agreeing with Scott.
Jason looked back down at he. He couldn't explain it, but he could just tell she was not happy. To him she looked terrified.
He watched as she was introduced to his boss, Mr. Gordon, who shook her hand, very strongly. He saw her flinch inwardly and close her eyes for a second longer than normal. He could tell something was not right.
Monica cursed at herself for flinching in front of potential clients. She closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. She fought the urge not to reach for the ring. She was prepared to apologize to Mr. Gordon, but when she opened her eyes she saw that he had not even noticed and had moved on to meet the next person on her team.
Monica stood to the side and watched as her boss and two of their waiters/ waitresses, Anna and Matt began the presentation, explaining times of meals, and ordering, costs, etc. Monica closed her eyes and took a series of deep breath, as she felt for the ring, for the millionth time that day. Finally, she forced herself to open her eyes and observe the group watching the presentation. She had to do her part of the presentation soon and she knew if she didn't she would break down seeing them for the first time with all eyes on her.
Monica peered, timidly up at everyone. There were only about 15-20 people, but in her eyes, they were just one big blur. She couldn't focus on a single person. At first this concerned her, but then she realized that it was probably for the best. She got her cue took a deep breath, and walked onto the little stage.
* * * * *
"Hey Monica, would you like to grab a bite to eat with us tonight?" Anna asked Monica as they were riding the elevator up to their hotel rooms.
"Um, not tonight, Anna, but thanks anyway. I think I'm just gonna go to bed early, I'm exhausted." Monica answered. She was exhausted. Mentally and emotionally exhausted and all she wanted to do was get to her room and cry.
Anna shot her a sympathetic look. She knew vaguely what had happened to Monica, and often felt bad for her. In her eyes, Monica was a great person, but always seemed too scared to actually live life. "Well, if you change your mind, meet us in the lobby in half and hour."
"Thanks," Monica said, offering Anna a small smile. Monica gulped and felt her eyes fill with tears. She was fighting a loosing battle and the tears were coming whether she wanted them or not. No, she would not let herself break down in the middle of the hall way, not in front of Anna. She got to her door and managed to get it open. The second it was closed behind her, she collapsed on the floor and sobbed. She didn't know how long she lay there, but eventually, she pulled herself up, just to collapse on the bed, and clutching at a pillow, she felt the second-wave of tears come. She cried until she couldn't cry anymore and then she cried again. She found herself heaving, to get oxygen into her system as she had lost the ability to regulate her breathing.
As she lay there, struggling to breath, she allowed herself to ask why. Why had this happened to her? Why had Rachel set her up with Mark? Why did Mark do what he did? Why had Chandler left all those years ago? Had she done something wrong? Did he not love her? Was he even alive? Monica felt more tears and succumbed to them. She had long since given up fighting the tears when they came. It was useless.
Eventually Monica fell into a restless sleep, dreaming of what had happened to her 2 years before.
"Hi Monica," Rachel said entering Monica's apartment.
"Hey Rach," Monica answered, walking out of her room.
It looked to Rachel that Monica had been crying. She felt bad for her friend. Just a month before their wedding, Chandler had left for a work trip, never to be heard from again. No one knew what had happened to him, or even if he was alive, or dead.
"Monica," Rachel started. " I have something to ask you."
"What?" Monica asked suspiciously. She didn't like the look on Rachel's face.
"Well, I met this guy and."
"No," Monica said, knowing what was coming next.
"But.."
"No," Monica repeated.
"Mon," Rachel said gently, "He's been gone for a year."
Monica looked at her with a look of such sorrow, that Rachel pulled her into a big hug. "I'm so sorry he's gone, Mon. And I miss him to, but you need to move on with your life. You know I'm telling the truth."
"I know," Monica whispered. "But, I miss him so much, Rach. Why did he leave?"
"I don't know, Mon, but where ever he is, he wants you to be happy." To this, Monica said nothing. "So, all I'm asking is for you to go out once with this guy."
"Rach." Monica started, but weaker than before.
"I'm only asking for one date, Mon, and I'll get off your back. You know what, don't even call it a date. Just grab a bite to eat with him. He's a good guy."
Monica sighed. She knew she wasn't going to win this one.
Rachel took this as a good sign and continued. "His name is Mark and I just met him myself. He is a friend of a friend of mine. Remember Trudy? Well, it's her friends brother."
Monica had long since lost her will to fight, so it didn't take much more convincing from Rachel to get her to agree to the date. She hated the idea of dating someone else and she felt like she was betraying Chandler, but Rachel could be very convincing when she wanted to be. So Monica agreed to the date, even though every part of her was screaming No.
He pulled his eyes away from the team who had just finished their presentation and glanced over at his friend Scott, who was sitting back in his seat, his feet on the chair in front of him, looking completely and utterly bored out of his mind. Scott was a good guy, he just had little patience for one presentation after another.
"Just one more left," Jason told his friend, a smile on his face.
Scott looked over at Jason and rolled his eyes. "Ever had that feeling where you just wanna kill yourself?" he asked jokingly. "I mean come on, we've been here for 4 hours."
"It's not that bad," Jason answered laughing. "Oh, and it's only been 2 hours."
"Well it's been the longest 2 hours of my life."
"He's right, dude," Jeff, another coworker/friend added. "It's not that bad. Plus, I can't wait until later, when we get to test all of their food."
Jason rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the front of the room, where the next team was just entering. Leading the group was a very confident, friendly, but firm, looking man. Boss, Jason told himself, definitely the boss. He was followed by a fairly good looking women with short blonde hair, who was clearly trying just a little to hard to look good. Jason felt sorry for the girl, as she looked young and nervous. Following her were 2 men. One looking like he was in his early 20's and the other his late 30's. Both were dressed in a suit, and looked comfortable.
The last individual to enter the room immediately caught Jason's attention. She looked to be around thirty and had long, black hair. She was dressed well, but not in an attention grabbing way, as she was wearing a pair of black pants and a white blouse. She looked very uncomfortable to be in a room filled with so many people. He watched as she reached her hand up to touch something that was hanging around her neck. She then closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Wow, would you look at the brunette," Roger, who was a coworker, but not exactly friend of Jason, said. "Wouldn't you like to get into her."
"Roger!" Jason cut him off, "give it up. I mean look at her, she looks really scared." Jason did not like Roger, as he could be really cruel to women. He treated them like possessions, that you could get and get rid of on a whim. He also talked about and critiqued every one he say. It really pissed Jason off sometimes. Like now.
"Jason, don't be a dumbass," Roger said. "She looks fine. Not scared at all."
"Are you kidding?" Jason asked, them turned his attention to Scott and Jeff. " Does she not look scared to you?"
"Not really," Scott said, unsure and Jeff shook his head, agreeing with Scott.
Jason looked back down at he. He couldn't explain it, but he could just tell she was not happy. To him she looked terrified.
He watched as she was introduced to his boss, Mr. Gordon, who shook her hand, very strongly. He saw her flinch inwardly and close her eyes for a second longer than normal. He could tell something was not right.
Monica cursed at herself for flinching in front of potential clients. She closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. She fought the urge not to reach for the ring. She was prepared to apologize to Mr. Gordon, but when she opened her eyes she saw that he had not even noticed and had moved on to meet the next person on her team.
Monica stood to the side and watched as her boss and two of their waiters/ waitresses, Anna and Matt began the presentation, explaining times of meals, and ordering, costs, etc. Monica closed her eyes and took a series of deep breath, as she felt for the ring, for the millionth time that day. Finally, she forced herself to open her eyes and observe the group watching the presentation. She had to do her part of the presentation soon and she knew if she didn't she would break down seeing them for the first time with all eyes on her.
Monica peered, timidly up at everyone. There were only about 15-20 people, but in her eyes, they were just one big blur. She couldn't focus on a single person. At first this concerned her, but then she realized that it was probably for the best. She got her cue took a deep breath, and walked onto the little stage.
* * * * *
"Hey Monica, would you like to grab a bite to eat with us tonight?" Anna asked Monica as they were riding the elevator up to their hotel rooms.
"Um, not tonight, Anna, but thanks anyway. I think I'm just gonna go to bed early, I'm exhausted." Monica answered. She was exhausted. Mentally and emotionally exhausted and all she wanted to do was get to her room and cry.
Anna shot her a sympathetic look. She knew vaguely what had happened to Monica, and often felt bad for her. In her eyes, Monica was a great person, but always seemed too scared to actually live life. "Well, if you change your mind, meet us in the lobby in half and hour."
"Thanks," Monica said, offering Anna a small smile. Monica gulped and felt her eyes fill with tears. She was fighting a loosing battle and the tears were coming whether she wanted them or not. No, she would not let herself break down in the middle of the hall way, not in front of Anna. She got to her door and managed to get it open. The second it was closed behind her, she collapsed on the floor and sobbed. She didn't know how long she lay there, but eventually, she pulled herself up, just to collapse on the bed, and clutching at a pillow, she felt the second-wave of tears come. She cried until she couldn't cry anymore and then she cried again. She found herself heaving, to get oxygen into her system as she had lost the ability to regulate her breathing.
As she lay there, struggling to breath, she allowed herself to ask why. Why had this happened to her? Why had Rachel set her up with Mark? Why did Mark do what he did? Why had Chandler left all those years ago? Had she done something wrong? Did he not love her? Was he even alive? Monica felt more tears and succumbed to them. She had long since given up fighting the tears when they came. It was useless.
Eventually Monica fell into a restless sleep, dreaming of what had happened to her 2 years before.
"Hi Monica," Rachel said entering Monica's apartment.
"Hey Rach," Monica answered, walking out of her room.
It looked to Rachel that Monica had been crying. She felt bad for her friend. Just a month before their wedding, Chandler had left for a work trip, never to be heard from again. No one knew what had happened to him, or even if he was alive, or dead.
"Monica," Rachel started. " I have something to ask you."
"What?" Monica asked suspiciously. She didn't like the look on Rachel's face.
"Well, I met this guy and."
"No," Monica said, knowing what was coming next.
"But.."
"No," Monica repeated.
"Mon," Rachel said gently, "He's been gone for a year."
Monica looked at her with a look of such sorrow, that Rachel pulled her into a big hug. "I'm so sorry he's gone, Mon. And I miss him to, but you need to move on with your life. You know I'm telling the truth."
"I know," Monica whispered. "But, I miss him so much, Rach. Why did he leave?"
"I don't know, Mon, but where ever he is, he wants you to be happy." To this, Monica said nothing. "So, all I'm asking is for you to go out once with this guy."
"Rach." Monica started, but weaker than before.
"I'm only asking for one date, Mon, and I'll get off your back. You know what, don't even call it a date. Just grab a bite to eat with him. He's a good guy."
Monica sighed. She knew she wasn't going to win this one.
Rachel took this as a good sign and continued. "His name is Mark and I just met him myself. He is a friend of a friend of mine. Remember Trudy? Well, it's her friends brother."
Monica had long since lost her will to fight, so it didn't take much more convincing from Rachel to get her to agree to the date. She hated the idea of dating someone else and she felt like she was betraying Chandler, but Rachel could be very convincing when she wanted to be. So Monica agreed to the date, even though every part of her was screaming No.