Christmas
Part One - Christmas Apart
It was Christmas. Well, supposedly. The date on the calendar was 25 December but it didn't feel like Christmas. Not to Monica at least. Chandler was stuck in Tulsa due to some work that HAD to be done by December 27 and it would take two days to complete it. Of course, Monica wouldn't be totally alone. The others were coming over and Emma. Monica smiled, it would be Emma's first Christmas. Her niece's first Christmas, Chandler's niece's first Christmas and he was going to miss it. Sighing, Monica picked up the phone and dialled.
***
Chandler blinked, trying to stay awake. It was 3 in the morning on Christmas day and he was stuck in front of a computer. Where was he supposed to be? Oh, that's right. He was supposed to be curled up in bed with his wife. His eyes wandered to his desk and he smiled. He had at least ten pictures of her. Six were framed on his desk, one was his desk top, another was his screen saver and the last two were in his wallet. The phone began to ring. Who could be calling at this hour? Sleepily, Chandler picked up the phone.
'Chandler Bing.' He said monotonously, hoping the caller would tell by the sound of his voice he wasn't in the mood to talk.
'Hey, Sweetie!' Monica's voice came through with false cheeriness. She didn't want him to hear how much she was hurting. He had felt really guilty about leaving her and the only thing that was a comfort about leaving her was Monica saying she would be fine. It would break his heart if he knew.
'Monica!' His voice perked up. 'Merry Christmas!'
'You too. How's the work going?'
'Tough. I wish I was there with you.'
'I wi-' Monica couldn't say she wished him to be there too. Then he would know something was wrong. '-will have to send some Christmas dinner to you. Can't have you starving.'
'How are you going to fit it in the fax machine?' Chandler joked.
'Ha ha. I'd better go. Love you.'
'Love you too. I will ring in a few hours, I don't want you to waste any more money. Bye.'
***
Two hours passed when the phone rang again. Chandler swung round in his chair from his computer and picked it up.
'Monica, I thought I told you....'
'Chandler, it's Ross.'
'Hey, Ross, what's up?' Chandler sank back in his chair and put his feet up on the desk. Then he sat up slowly. Why was Ross ringing him? Ross never rang him. Whenever he did Monica would always speak to Chandler first.
'Um, it's Monica.'
'What about her?' Chandler asked quietly.
'There's been an accident.'
It was Christmas. Well, supposedly. The date on the calendar was 25 December but it didn't feel like Christmas. Not to Monica at least. Chandler was stuck in Tulsa due to some work that HAD to be done by December 27 and it would take two days to complete it. Of course, Monica wouldn't be totally alone. The others were coming over and Emma. Monica smiled, it would be Emma's first Christmas. Her niece's first Christmas, Chandler's niece's first Christmas and he was going to miss it. Sighing, Monica picked up the phone and dialled.
***
Chandler blinked, trying to stay awake. It was 3 in the morning on Christmas day and he was stuck in front of a computer. Where was he supposed to be? Oh, that's right. He was supposed to be curled up in bed with his wife. His eyes wandered to his desk and he smiled. He had at least ten pictures of her. Six were framed on his desk, one was his desk top, another was his screen saver and the last two were in his wallet. The phone began to ring. Who could be calling at this hour? Sleepily, Chandler picked up the phone.
'Chandler Bing.' He said monotonously, hoping the caller would tell by the sound of his voice he wasn't in the mood to talk.
'Hey, Sweetie!' Monica's voice came through with false cheeriness. She didn't want him to hear how much she was hurting. He had felt really guilty about leaving her and the only thing that was a comfort about leaving her was Monica saying she would be fine. It would break his heart if he knew.
'Monica!' His voice perked up. 'Merry Christmas!'
'You too. How's the work going?'
'Tough. I wish I was there with you.'
'I wi-' Monica couldn't say she wished him to be there too. Then he would know something was wrong. '-will have to send some Christmas dinner to you. Can't have you starving.'
'How are you going to fit it in the fax machine?' Chandler joked.
'Ha ha. I'd better go. Love you.'
'Love you too. I will ring in a few hours, I don't want you to waste any more money. Bye.'
***
Two hours passed when the phone rang again. Chandler swung round in his chair from his computer and picked it up.
'Monica, I thought I told you....'
'Chandler, it's Ross.'
'Hey, Ross, what's up?' Chandler sank back in his chair and put his feet up on the desk. Then he sat up slowly. Why was Ross ringing him? Ross never rang him. Whenever he did Monica would always speak to Chandler first.
'Um, it's Monica.'
'What about her?' Chandler asked quietly.
'There's been an accident.'