PART THREE
"You've agreed to meet him?!" Phoebe exclaimed, "Wow, are you sure about this?"
"I'm about as sure as anybody would be in my situation." Monica replied, smiling.
"So…when's the big day?"
"Tomorrow night."
Phoebe widened her eyes, not believing what she was hearing. "This is amazing!" then she looked worried. "Do you want me to come with you?"
Monica immediately started to shake her head, "No Pheebs, this is something I want to do myself."
"…But I don't like the idea of you going off to meet somebody you can't put a face to."
"We'll be in a public place. We're meeting by the fountain in Central Park."
A look of relief spread across Phoebe's face. "That's good. At least there are other people around just in case you got kidnapped or something."
"I'm not going to be kidnapped!" Monica laughed.
"You're meeting a women you met over the radio?!" Ross exclaimed, staring at Chandler in disbelief, "Do you realise how crazy this sounds?"
Chandler settled himself on the couch of Central Perk, a coffee house that he and friends regularly hung out at. "Look," he said, turning to his friend with a serious expression on his face, "I want to meet her. She's great, sweet, funny…"
"…Psychopathic…" Ross finished for him.
Chandler sipped on his coffee and sighed, "Just trust me, ok? I know what I'm doing."
"Well, at least let me come with you…"
"No! I don't want anyone coming with me, I want to do this by myself."
"Ok…ok." Ross had a note of resignation in voice, realising that there was nothing he could do to change his friend's mind, "Just be careful, ok?"
Chandler smiled, "I will."
Monica left her apartment at 7.45pm. She was due to meet 'Tom' at 8, and she didn't want to be late. Arriving at the fountain a few minutes early, she looked around. There were still families around, enjoying the warm, late evening weather.
To her annoyance, she realised she was nervous. There is nothing to worry about, she told herself, and Tom is an ordinary, sweet guy.
She looked for signs of a man on his own, but there was no one. She settled herself on the steps of the fountain and waited…and waited. Checking her watch, she realised that half an hour had already gone. Tom was late.
Just a few feet from where Monica sat, Chandler stood by the fountain, looking for signs of a young woman hanging around. His eyes fell on a man with a dog and he watched with some amusement, as the dog appeared to be leading the man, and not the other way round. In the end, the man got some control over the animal and turned around, leaving the park.
Tearing his eyes away from the spectacle, Chandler's eyes rested on a dark haired woman sitting on the steps. For some reason, the woman looked vaguely familiar to him and moved towards her, curious. His eyes widened in disbelief when he realised whom it was.
"Oh…my…god." He exclaimed. The woman turned around to face him, and her eyes widened.
"Chandler…Chandler Bing?!" she exclaimed, getting up off the steps.
Chandler grinned, shaking his head. "Monica Geller…" he murmured, "How long has it been?"
Monica smiled at him and replied, "I don't know…six years maybe?"
Chandler nodded, remembering the petite young college student from all those years ago. "It must have been, the last time I saw you was at my college graduation party."
"Oh, the party," Monica giggled, "You didn't even have any decent music!"
"Hey, is it my fault the stereo wasn't working properly?" Chandler defended himself, chuckling at the memory.
Monica snapped her fingers. "Do you remember how we first met?" she asked.
Chandler groaned, remembering. "I can't believe I smashed your car window with my basketball."
"I can't either," Monica replied, shaking her head, "Do you know how much that cost to repair?"
"How much it cost you?" Chandler exclaimed, laughing, "I was the one who had to pay for it!"
Monica couldn't believe it when she saw Chandler. It was like a flash from the past. He hasn't changed much, she thought, studying the handsome young man standing in front of her. He still had the wavy dark hair; cheeky smile and bright blue eyes all the girls at college went crazy over.
She looked at her watch; realising Tom wasn't going to turn up.
"Hey, have you got to be somewhere?" Chandler asked her, gesturing towards her watch.
"No…no." Monica replied, "All the time in the world."
"Well, that's good," he told her, smiling shyly, "Because I was wondering if you wanted to come with me to this great coffee house I know."
"Sure," Monica said, smiling.
Chandler was disappointed that Lizzie had never turned up, but whom he'd seen instead was in some ways even better.
Monica was feeling the same way about Tom, but was secretly pleased that, on this occasion, he hadn't arrived.
After settling themselves on the couch, Chandler turned to Monica. "Hey, do you remember my friend Ross?" he asked.
"Oh…the guy who has the same surname as me!" Monica laughed, "I remember we used to trick people into thinking we were related! Have you seen him recently?"
Chandler chuckled. "Well, funny you should ask that. We still see each other practically everyday! We only live across the road from each other."
"That's great." Monica said, smiling, "How is he?"
A serious expression passed over Chandler's face. "He's going through a rough patch at the moment," he explained, "Do you remember his girlfriend, Carol?"
"Yes…"
"Well, they got married a few years ago and now they're going through a divorce. Ross isn't taking it too well."
"Oh no…" Monica sighed. "What went wrong?" She stared at Chandler in confusion as a slight look of amusement spread across his face.
"Would you believe that Carol is now living with a woman," he told her, trying to keep a straight face as shock spread over Monica's face.
"Oh my god!" she exclaimed, "really? Poor Ross…"
Chandler shook his head, "I know." He paused for a second, and then asked, "Anyway, what's going on with you?"
"Well, I live in an apartment a few blocks from here with my roommate, Phoebe."
"Cool. I have a roommate too. His name is Joey. Across the hall we have a friend who lives on her own. Actually, you might know her. Rachel Green?"
"Wow!" Monica exclaimed. "We've been friends since we were kids. Then, of course, we kind of lost touch during college." She stopped, a feeling sadness overcoming her.
Chandler touched her hand. "Hey," he said gently, "Are you ok?"
Monica nodded, staring at his hand. He withdrew it, embarrassed, looking into her eyes for a second.
"You know…um…if you want to see Rachel again, we could arrange something." He suggested, tearing his eyes away and drinking his coffee.
"Sure," Monica said softly, "That would be great."
"Ok then!" Chandler turned and smiled at her, "When shall we meet?"
"So?" Phoebe asked as soon as Monica walked through the door.
"So, what?" Monica asked, taking off her coat.
"So what happened with Tom?!" Phoebe asked impatiently.
"Oh…that." Monica said, suddenly remembering what the real reason was for her going out that night.
"Yes…that." Phoebe looked at her friend curiously. "What happened?"
"Well…he didn't come." Monica replied calmly.
"Oh…I'm so sorry." Phoebe looked at her sympathetically, but then sympathy turned to suspicion, "Then where have you been all night?"
"Ah…well," Monica started slowly, "Tom may not have turned up, but someone else did."
"Really? Who?"
"An old college friend of mine whom I haven't seen in years!" Monica exclaimed, "It was such a shock seeing him again…" she turned away; smiling a little at the evening she'd had with Chandler.
"Oh…" Phoebe nodded, realising her friend's apparent happiness at the evening's events. "Who is he?"
Monica turned to her friend, still smiling. "Chandler Bing. We became friends at college after a slight accident involving a basketball and my car."
"Wow…" Phoebe shook her head, "So, after seeing him again after all this time, what happened after that?"
"We went to that coffee house you and I have been meaning to go to for ages. It's a really pretty place."
"…And are you going to see him again?" Phoebe asked, looking at her mischievously, "Or is that answer too obvious?"
Monica nodded, thinking of the evening she'd had with Chandler. It had been pleasant and comfortable, as though they had never parted ways after graduation. There was still one thing bothering her; why didn't Tom turn up?
END OF PART THREE