Chapter 5
Monica took Chandler's ensuing silence to mean he had agreed to join her and her family for Thanksgiving. She smiled inwardly at the prospect.
"We're leaving the expressway," Chandler said, breaking into her thoughts. "Start directing me."
Monica guided him to Rachel's house. He pulled into the driveway and surveyed the sprawling, well-kept grounds and two-story white house with blue trim.
"Nice," he said, nodding.
"I know," Monica agreed. "You should see the inside."
Not knowing for certain whether that was an invitation to extend his stay, Chandler made no move to leave the car, although he did turn off the engine.
"Are you sure someone's home?" he asked. "The house looks dark."
"Rachel is," Monica said, pointing to the second floor. "That's her room. I see a light."
Chandler looked to where Monica had indicated. At that moment, he noticed a curtain being pulled back and a familiar attractive face, from photos Ross had showed him, appeared in the window. Smiling, she waved and motioned that she was on her way downstairs.
"She's coming," Monica said. "Would you like to meet her?"
"Sure."
They both exited the car at the same time Rachel opened the heavy oak front door. Dressed in tight-fitting faded blue jeans and a gauzy white top, she rushed to say "hello" to her friend and to give her a hug.
"We have the place to ourselves," she announced excitedly, before realizing Chandler was walking closer to Monica. "Oh, you must be Chandler. Hi. I'm Rachel. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you, too," he said, shaking her hand.
"So, you wanna come in?" she asked.
Monica looked to Chandler with hope in her eyes.
"Maybe just for a little bit," he said.
"Great. I have sodas and chips all ready."
"Not for me," Monica said, as they entered the foyer and walked carefully on the polished hardwood floor. "Unless it's a diet soda."
"Sure," Rachel said, looking at her friend a bit strangely. "I have Diet Coke. Come on."
They followed Rachel into the huge living room, with its white carpet, bay windows and a mixture of modern and antique furniture.
"Your home is lovely," Chandler commented, looking around at the expensive items proudly on display.
"Thanks. I'll give you the grand tour."
She and Monica shared a giggle; Chandler just smiled.
She took them through the living room into an elegant formal dining room, and then into a family room that Chandler would have killed for with every electronic contraption known to man, and finally into a huge, well-lit kitchen with every appliance needed and not needed. They climbed the stairs to see the bedrooms, which somehow didn't fit with the downstairs decor. But they were lovely just the same.
"Very nice," Chandler said again, as they walked back into the living room.
"Make yourselves comfortable on the sofa," Rachel said. "I'll bring the food in here."
"I'm glad you got to meet my friend," Monica said.
"Me, too. She seems really nice."
"She is. I'm sure you've heard about her from Ross."
"Maybe a little," he admitted, not wanting to give away any of his friend's secrets.
Rachel returned with a tray of glasses filled with soda and ice and a bowl of tortilla chips.
"This one's yours," she said, handing a glass to Monica, who had distributed coasters for all of them.
"Thanks."
Rachel handed another glass to Chandler and then sat down on the carpet across from the sofa.
"Help yourself," she said, pointing to the bowl where she had reached in for a chip.
Chandler found he was self-conscious about eating in front of Monica.
"Are you sure you don't want any?" Rachel asked Monica. It definitely wasn't like Monica to turn down chips. "I can make you something else if you're hungry."
"Actually, I'm not," Monica said. "I'm fine."
She took another sip of her soda.
"So, how's Ross?" Rachel asked.
"He's fine," Monica said.
"Do you like having him for a roommate?" Rachel asked Chandler.
"Sure. He's a good guy."
"He doesn't drive you crazy with all his dinosaur talk?"
Rachel and Monica shared another laugh.
"No. It doesn't bother me."
"Ross lucked out, didn't he?" Rachel said to Monica. "We didn't think he'd find anyone who would be able to put up with him."
"Well, he has to put up with me, too. But we get along."
"Hey, Rach," Monica said. "Ross said he's coming home for Thanksgiving. Maybe you can join us, you know, if your parents and sisters go away again and you don't want to go. Chandler's coming, too."
"That's nice," Rachel said. "I'll check with my parents and let you know."
"You don't celebrate Thanksgiving with your family?" Chandler asked.
"Not always," Rachel said, reaching for another chip. "Sometimes, they do things that I don't want to do. They're okay with me being by myself. They know the Gellers will take care of me."
"Wow, that's...interesting."
"Like tonight," Rachel said, warming to the subject. "There's some charity event. My sisters are way more into that stuff than me, so I asked to be excused, and my parents were cool with that."
Chandler nodded.
"Rachel," Monica said, not sure she should say anything but wanting her best friend to know the latest, "guess who Chandler's mom is?"
Chandler sighed but didn't stop Monica from telling Rachel.
"Who?"
"Nora Tyler Bing!"
"Nooooo!" Rachel said, her blue eyes lighting up.
"Yes, yes, it's true," Chandler said, somewhat resignedly. "I made the offer to Monica, and I'll make it to you. If you want an autographed book, just say so."
"So!" Rachel said, waving her hand wildly in the air.
Monica giggled and then so did Rachel.
"Okay," Chandler said, after finishing his drink. "Consider it done."
He swiped another chip from the bowl and then stood from the sofa.
"I should be heading back. Rachel, it was very nice to meet you. Thank you for your hospitality."
"Any time," she said and smiled. "It was nice to meet you, too."
"I'll walk you out," Monica said, stealing a glance at Rachel who nodded.
"Okay."
"Be back in a minute, Rach."
"Take your time," she said, low enough so only Monica to hear.
She walked with them to the door and gave Chandler a shy smile. "Tell that smart, crazy dinosaur-loving guy I said 'hi'."
"Will do," Chandler assured her.
Rachel left the front door slightly open and then went into the kitchen to give Chandler and Monica some privacy.
"This was nice," Monica said, beginning to feel more and more relaxed around Chandler.
"Yeah, it was. I'm glad I got to meet Rachel."
"I'm glad I got to spend more time with you," Monica ventured.
"Well, there's that, too," Chandler said.
He ran a hand through her dark tresses.
"Drive safely," Monica said, searching his face to see if he planned to kiss her again.
"I will."
Lowering his head, he took a step closer to her. He saw her lips part in anticipation.
"Your brother will kill me if I kiss you again."
"What if I want you to?" Monica asked, not sure where her boldness was coming from but liking it just the same.
"Monica, I've enjoyed being with you, and the last thing I want to do is hurt you."
"If I'm okay with this, then you can be, too."
"But are you? Okay with this, I mean."
"Chandler, you've been nicer to me than any boy I've ever had the misfortune to know."
"That's just it," he said, still stroking her hair. "I'm not a boy, Monica. And I don't want to mislead you by having you think of me in those terms."
"You're trying to tell me that you could meet someone at college tomorrow, and then you would never give me another thought."
"Not exactly. I just...we won't be seeing each other again..."
"Until Thanksgiving," Monica interjected.
"Right. Until Thanksgiving. And then after that, who knows? I'm not just saying this for me, I'm saying it for you, too."
"Chandler, I'm not thinking of you as my boyfriend. I'm just thinking of you as someone, okay a man, who was incredibly nice to me and who treated me with respect and kindness. Am I wrong to do that?"
"No," he said, reaching for her hand. "I like knowing you think of me that way."
"Then what's the problem?"
"You're right," he said. "There is no problem. I just wanted to make sure."
"Then kiss me again," she said, shocking herself and him by making the first move. "And make it a memorable one because it has to last me until Thanksgiving."
Monica took Chandler's ensuing silence to mean he had agreed to join her and her family for Thanksgiving. She smiled inwardly at the prospect.
"We're leaving the expressway," Chandler said, breaking into her thoughts. "Start directing me."
Monica guided him to Rachel's house. He pulled into the driveway and surveyed the sprawling, well-kept grounds and two-story white house with blue trim.
"Nice," he said, nodding.
"I know," Monica agreed. "You should see the inside."
Not knowing for certain whether that was an invitation to extend his stay, Chandler made no move to leave the car, although he did turn off the engine.
"Are you sure someone's home?" he asked. "The house looks dark."
"Rachel is," Monica said, pointing to the second floor. "That's her room. I see a light."
Chandler looked to where Monica had indicated. At that moment, he noticed a curtain being pulled back and a familiar attractive face, from photos Ross had showed him, appeared in the window. Smiling, she waved and motioned that she was on her way downstairs.
"She's coming," Monica said. "Would you like to meet her?"
"Sure."
They both exited the car at the same time Rachel opened the heavy oak front door. Dressed in tight-fitting faded blue jeans and a gauzy white top, she rushed to say "hello" to her friend and to give her a hug.
"We have the place to ourselves," she announced excitedly, before realizing Chandler was walking closer to Monica. "Oh, you must be Chandler. Hi. I'm Rachel. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you, too," he said, shaking her hand.
"So, you wanna come in?" she asked.
Monica looked to Chandler with hope in her eyes.
"Maybe just for a little bit," he said.
"Great. I have sodas and chips all ready."
"Not for me," Monica said, as they entered the foyer and walked carefully on the polished hardwood floor. "Unless it's a diet soda."
"Sure," Rachel said, looking at her friend a bit strangely. "I have Diet Coke. Come on."
They followed Rachel into the huge living room, with its white carpet, bay windows and a mixture of modern and antique furniture.
"Your home is lovely," Chandler commented, looking around at the expensive items proudly on display.
"Thanks. I'll give you the grand tour."
She and Monica shared a giggle; Chandler just smiled.
She took them through the living room into an elegant formal dining room, and then into a family room that Chandler would have killed for with every electronic contraption known to man, and finally into a huge, well-lit kitchen with every appliance needed and not needed. They climbed the stairs to see the bedrooms, which somehow didn't fit with the downstairs decor. But they were lovely just the same.
"Very nice," Chandler said again, as they walked back into the living room.
"Make yourselves comfortable on the sofa," Rachel said. "I'll bring the food in here."
"I'm glad you got to meet my friend," Monica said.
"Me, too. She seems really nice."
"She is. I'm sure you've heard about her from Ross."
"Maybe a little," he admitted, not wanting to give away any of his friend's secrets.
Rachel returned with a tray of glasses filled with soda and ice and a bowl of tortilla chips.
"This one's yours," she said, handing a glass to Monica, who had distributed coasters for all of them.
"Thanks."
Rachel handed another glass to Chandler and then sat down on the carpet across from the sofa.
"Help yourself," she said, pointing to the bowl where she had reached in for a chip.
Chandler found he was self-conscious about eating in front of Monica.
"Are you sure you don't want any?" Rachel asked Monica. It definitely wasn't like Monica to turn down chips. "I can make you something else if you're hungry."
"Actually, I'm not," Monica said. "I'm fine."
She took another sip of her soda.
"So, how's Ross?" Rachel asked.
"He's fine," Monica said.
"Do you like having him for a roommate?" Rachel asked Chandler.
"Sure. He's a good guy."
"He doesn't drive you crazy with all his dinosaur talk?"
Rachel and Monica shared another laugh.
"No. It doesn't bother me."
"Ross lucked out, didn't he?" Rachel said to Monica. "We didn't think he'd find anyone who would be able to put up with him."
"Well, he has to put up with me, too. But we get along."
"Hey, Rach," Monica said. "Ross said he's coming home for Thanksgiving. Maybe you can join us, you know, if your parents and sisters go away again and you don't want to go. Chandler's coming, too."
"That's nice," Rachel said. "I'll check with my parents and let you know."
"You don't celebrate Thanksgiving with your family?" Chandler asked.
"Not always," Rachel said, reaching for another chip. "Sometimes, they do things that I don't want to do. They're okay with me being by myself. They know the Gellers will take care of me."
"Wow, that's...interesting."
"Like tonight," Rachel said, warming to the subject. "There's some charity event. My sisters are way more into that stuff than me, so I asked to be excused, and my parents were cool with that."
Chandler nodded.
"Rachel," Monica said, not sure she should say anything but wanting her best friend to know the latest, "guess who Chandler's mom is?"
Chandler sighed but didn't stop Monica from telling Rachel.
"Who?"
"Nora Tyler Bing!"
"Nooooo!" Rachel said, her blue eyes lighting up.
"Yes, yes, it's true," Chandler said, somewhat resignedly. "I made the offer to Monica, and I'll make it to you. If you want an autographed book, just say so."
"So!" Rachel said, waving her hand wildly in the air.
Monica giggled and then so did Rachel.
"Okay," Chandler said, after finishing his drink. "Consider it done."
He swiped another chip from the bowl and then stood from the sofa.
"I should be heading back. Rachel, it was very nice to meet you. Thank you for your hospitality."
"Any time," she said and smiled. "It was nice to meet you, too."
"I'll walk you out," Monica said, stealing a glance at Rachel who nodded.
"Okay."
"Be back in a minute, Rach."
"Take your time," she said, low enough so only Monica to hear.
She walked with them to the door and gave Chandler a shy smile. "Tell that smart, crazy dinosaur-loving guy I said 'hi'."
"Will do," Chandler assured her.
Rachel left the front door slightly open and then went into the kitchen to give Chandler and Monica some privacy.
"This was nice," Monica said, beginning to feel more and more relaxed around Chandler.
"Yeah, it was. I'm glad I got to meet Rachel."
"I'm glad I got to spend more time with you," Monica ventured.
"Well, there's that, too," Chandler said.
He ran a hand through her dark tresses.
"Drive safely," Monica said, searching his face to see if he planned to kiss her again.
"I will."
Lowering his head, he took a step closer to her. He saw her lips part in anticipation.
"Your brother will kill me if I kiss you again."
"What if I want you to?" Monica asked, not sure where her boldness was coming from but liking it just the same.
"Monica, I've enjoyed being with you, and the last thing I want to do is hurt you."
"If I'm okay with this, then you can be, too."
"But are you? Okay with this, I mean."
"Chandler, you've been nicer to me than any boy I've ever had the misfortune to know."
"That's just it," he said, still stroking her hair. "I'm not a boy, Monica. And I don't want to mislead you by having you think of me in those terms."
"You're trying to tell me that you could meet someone at college tomorrow, and then you would never give me another thought."
"Not exactly. I just...we won't be seeing each other again..."
"Until Thanksgiving," Monica interjected.
"Right. Until Thanksgiving. And then after that, who knows? I'm not just saying this for me, I'm saying it for you, too."
"Chandler, I'm not thinking of you as my boyfriend. I'm just thinking of you as someone, okay a man, who was incredibly nice to me and who treated me with respect and kindness. Am I wrong to do that?"
"No," he said, reaching for her hand. "I like knowing you think of me that way."
"Then what's the problem?"
"You're right," he said. "There is no problem. I just wanted to make sure."
"Then kiss me again," she said, shocking herself and him by making the first move. "And make it a memorable one because it has to last me until Thanksgiving."