Chapter 13
~*~
The 4 friends sat in line at the computers in the Births, Deaths and Marriages office. "Ok, everyone logged in?" Chandler made sure everyone was coping with the computer system "Yep" Rachel was the only one who replied. "So what are we looking for? It was your Fathers side of the family that were over here right?" Ross was ever the Dr. He wanted to make sure he had all the facts before he processed the data. "Just search for Bing's in this area. How many can there be?" Chandler guffawed.
The room fell silent as they typed away, writing notes down on the pads provided.
20 Minutes passed before anyone said anything. "This is no good, I can't see any Bing's in the death certificates. I knew there wouldn't be many, but none?" Chandler slumped back in his chair, deflated. "Do you think there's a chance they could have relocated?" Monica questioned. "There's every possibility. It has been 33 years since we've had any contact." "Oh, oh, oh." Rachel started fidgeting erratically in her seat. "I got something. Did you say your Dads brother was called Robert?" "Yes, why what does it say?" "It says his son Stuart was married last year to a woman called Nicola. August 8th to be exact." Chandlers' eyes lit up and he grew more and more excited. "Does it give you an address?" "Let me have a look. Yeah, here it is." She wrote the address down on her note-pad and handed the ripped out sheet to him. "Oh my God I can't believe how easy that was! I'm not even sure what to do with this? Do you think I should try getting his phone number and ring first? Or should I just show up at their house? I don't want to show up there and be like "Hi, im your long lost cousin!" I need to break them in gently!" Chandler was doing his usual nervous babbling. "Chandler you have 2 and a half days maximum to work with. If I was you id get my ass in gear and get round there now." Monica hated indecisiveness and it showed in her voice. "You think?" He looked at the gang nod in rhythm. "Ok, well, lets go over there?" His voiced was filled with uncertainty, but he knew with his friends' support he would be able to get through this without making a complete idiot of himself.
~*~
"It is once again safe to remove your seat-belts" The airhostess put the message over the planes speakers. Joey unbuckled his and rose from his chair to stretch his legs. It had been the first time in the 6 hours he'd been in the air that he was able to stand. The turbulence had been non-stop, so he was making the most of being able to walk. He paced the aisle next to his row for a few seconds before a thought entered his head. "Phoebe was leaving today too! Could she be on this flight?" He quickened his pace and practically ran the length of the plane, looking at every person in every seat until he got to the back. His stomach fell as he realised she wasn't here and he walked back slowly to his own seat, his head hung low. He sat and didn't get up again for the next hour, until the plane landed at Newark. He had his plan of action ready for when he got home. "Drop of my suitcase. Then phone Ursula!"
~*~
Phoebe laid down her cases and put the key in the door. After a few sharp turns it opened. "Wow, its huge!" Phoebe watched in awe. The whole apartment was open plan, with pine wooden floors and sparklingly clean worktops. The French doors were slightly ajar and the thin mesh curtains covering them were blowing gently in the wind. She walked towards then and opened them to there full capacity and walked out onto the balcony. Only a few metres away stood the magnificent sight of the Eiffel Tower. It reminded her of the Empire state building, with its narrow pointy top. She allowed herself a small smile. This was going to be the start of her new life and she would have to get used to the changes. The bruises were fading but the memories were still there. They would never really go, but that was something she would have to sort out. Tears began to form as she continued to stare at the 100-year-old monument. She would never see New York again. Or would she?
~*~
"STUART! Answer the door!" A female voice cried out from upstairs. Stuart was in the garden and hadn't heard the doorbell, but he sure as hell heard his wife holler. "Ok!" he screamed back at the top of his lungs as he walked to the door. He opened it to see 4 strangers standing there in front of him. "Yes, can I help you?" he asked. Chandler walked forward away from his friends and extended his hand. "Hi there, my names Chandler Bing. Im Charles' son. Your fathers' nephew. Your cousin." He was babbling again. Stuart reached over and shook his hand. "Wow, this is a bit of a surprise! Come in!" He moved to let the 4 enter the house. "Take a seat," he said as he closed the door securely. Stuart was five years younger than Chandler but didn't look it. "I haven't seen your dad in about 10 years!" Stuart took a seat across from Chandler. "My Dad was here 10 years ago?" "Yeah, he was doing a tour with some burlesque? He was in the Edinburgh Festival" "That makes sense," Chandler cringed with embarrassment. "So what brings you here? Not that im not happy to see you, its just a bit out of the blue." "Myself and my friends were here on holiday, so I decided to look up the family," He Pointed to the other 3 next to him. "You were the only Bing I could find" Chandler smiled. "My mum and dad retired last year and moved to Devon. The rest of the family immigrated to Australia about 25 years ago. There's Bing's all over the place!" He smiled back. "Hold on I'll get my wife, she will love to meet you." He walked towards the stairs and disappeared.
"He seems really nice!" Rachel tried to sound less enthusiastic than what she wanted to be. If Ross hadn't been there she would have commented on how hot he was, but didn't feel it appropriate.
"Yeah doesn't he. I'm so glad I did this now, thanks guys." No one had time to answer, Stuart appeared at the bottom of the stairs with his wife. "Nicola, this is Chandler and, sorry I didn't catch your names" "Rachel" "I'm Ross," "And I'm Monica"
"Its lovely to meet you all." She looked genuinely happy. "Would you like to stay for dinner? Its no problem." "That would be great if you're sure you don't mind?" Chandler was feeling so touched at his newfound family's generosity he stumbled his words. Everyone settled in for the night and chatted into the small hours about everything and anything they could think of. No one was feeling uncomfortable, well at least they weren't after the eighth bottle of wine was opened.
As the chat died down people began to split off into groups, talking amongst themselves. Rachel and Monica were engrossed in chat, as was Stuart and Ross and Chandler and Nicola.
"Rachel, can I ask you opinion on something?" What do you really think of Chandler?" Monica looked embarrassed. "Oh, is this the thing where you ask what we think of people then we bitch about them?" Rachel's eyes sparkled with excitement; she loved that game. "No, im serious? Do you think he's a good guy?" Rachel paused for a second. "Of course I do, he's my friend, I love him to pieces." "But what about as a boyfriend?" Monica's embarrassment grew. "Your falling for him aren't you!" Rachel squealed so loud Monica had to Shh her. "I think it's more than falling for him Rach, I think I," Monica stuttered. "You think you what?" Rachel was dying with suspense. "I think I love him!"
~*~
The 4 friends sat in line at the computers in the Births, Deaths and Marriages office. "Ok, everyone logged in?" Chandler made sure everyone was coping with the computer system "Yep" Rachel was the only one who replied. "So what are we looking for? It was your Fathers side of the family that were over here right?" Ross was ever the Dr. He wanted to make sure he had all the facts before he processed the data. "Just search for Bing's in this area. How many can there be?" Chandler guffawed.
The room fell silent as they typed away, writing notes down on the pads provided.
20 Minutes passed before anyone said anything. "This is no good, I can't see any Bing's in the death certificates. I knew there wouldn't be many, but none?" Chandler slumped back in his chair, deflated. "Do you think there's a chance they could have relocated?" Monica questioned. "There's every possibility. It has been 33 years since we've had any contact." "Oh, oh, oh." Rachel started fidgeting erratically in her seat. "I got something. Did you say your Dads brother was called Robert?" "Yes, why what does it say?" "It says his son Stuart was married last year to a woman called Nicola. August 8th to be exact." Chandlers' eyes lit up and he grew more and more excited. "Does it give you an address?" "Let me have a look. Yeah, here it is." She wrote the address down on her note-pad and handed the ripped out sheet to him. "Oh my God I can't believe how easy that was! I'm not even sure what to do with this? Do you think I should try getting his phone number and ring first? Or should I just show up at their house? I don't want to show up there and be like "Hi, im your long lost cousin!" I need to break them in gently!" Chandler was doing his usual nervous babbling. "Chandler you have 2 and a half days maximum to work with. If I was you id get my ass in gear and get round there now." Monica hated indecisiveness and it showed in her voice. "You think?" He looked at the gang nod in rhythm. "Ok, well, lets go over there?" His voiced was filled with uncertainty, but he knew with his friends' support he would be able to get through this without making a complete idiot of himself.
~*~
"It is once again safe to remove your seat-belts" The airhostess put the message over the planes speakers. Joey unbuckled his and rose from his chair to stretch his legs. It had been the first time in the 6 hours he'd been in the air that he was able to stand. The turbulence had been non-stop, so he was making the most of being able to walk. He paced the aisle next to his row for a few seconds before a thought entered his head. "Phoebe was leaving today too! Could she be on this flight?" He quickened his pace and practically ran the length of the plane, looking at every person in every seat until he got to the back. His stomach fell as he realised she wasn't here and he walked back slowly to his own seat, his head hung low. He sat and didn't get up again for the next hour, until the plane landed at Newark. He had his plan of action ready for when he got home. "Drop of my suitcase. Then phone Ursula!"
~*~
Phoebe laid down her cases and put the key in the door. After a few sharp turns it opened. "Wow, its huge!" Phoebe watched in awe. The whole apartment was open plan, with pine wooden floors and sparklingly clean worktops. The French doors were slightly ajar and the thin mesh curtains covering them were blowing gently in the wind. She walked towards then and opened them to there full capacity and walked out onto the balcony. Only a few metres away stood the magnificent sight of the Eiffel Tower. It reminded her of the Empire state building, with its narrow pointy top. She allowed herself a small smile. This was going to be the start of her new life and she would have to get used to the changes. The bruises were fading but the memories were still there. They would never really go, but that was something she would have to sort out. Tears began to form as she continued to stare at the 100-year-old monument. She would never see New York again. Or would she?
~*~
"STUART! Answer the door!" A female voice cried out from upstairs. Stuart was in the garden and hadn't heard the doorbell, but he sure as hell heard his wife holler. "Ok!" he screamed back at the top of his lungs as he walked to the door. He opened it to see 4 strangers standing there in front of him. "Yes, can I help you?" he asked. Chandler walked forward away from his friends and extended his hand. "Hi there, my names Chandler Bing. Im Charles' son. Your fathers' nephew. Your cousin." He was babbling again. Stuart reached over and shook his hand. "Wow, this is a bit of a surprise! Come in!" He moved to let the 4 enter the house. "Take a seat," he said as he closed the door securely. Stuart was five years younger than Chandler but didn't look it. "I haven't seen your dad in about 10 years!" Stuart took a seat across from Chandler. "My Dad was here 10 years ago?" "Yeah, he was doing a tour with some burlesque? He was in the Edinburgh Festival" "That makes sense," Chandler cringed with embarrassment. "So what brings you here? Not that im not happy to see you, its just a bit out of the blue." "Myself and my friends were here on holiday, so I decided to look up the family," He Pointed to the other 3 next to him. "You were the only Bing I could find" Chandler smiled. "My mum and dad retired last year and moved to Devon. The rest of the family immigrated to Australia about 25 years ago. There's Bing's all over the place!" He smiled back. "Hold on I'll get my wife, she will love to meet you." He walked towards the stairs and disappeared.
"He seems really nice!" Rachel tried to sound less enthusiastic than what she wanted to be. If Ross hadn't been there she would have commented on how hot he was, but didn't feel it appropriate.
"Yeah doesn't he. I'm so glad I did this now, thanks guys." No one had time to answer, Stuart appeared at the bottom of the stairs with his wife. "Nicola, this is Chandler and, sorry I didn't catch your names" "Rachel" "I'm Ross," "And I'm Monica"
"Its lovely to meet you all." She looked genuinely happy. "Would you like to stay for dinner? Its no problem." "That would be great if you're sure you don't mind?" Chandler was feeling so touched at his newfound family's generosity he stumbled his words. Everyone settled in for the night and chatted into the small hours about everything and anything they could think of. No one was feeling uncomfortable, well at least they weren't after the eighth bottle of wine was opened.
As the chat died down people began to split off into groups, talking amongst themselves. Rachel and Monica were engrossed in chat, as was Stuart and Ross and Chandler and Nicola.
"Rachel, can I ask you opinion on something?" What do you really think of Chandler?" Monica looked embarrassed. "Oh, is this the thing where you ask what we think of people then we bitch about them?" Rachel's eyes sparkled with excitement; she loved that game. "No, im serious? Do you think he's a good guy?" Rachel paused for a second. "Of course I do, he's my friend, I love him to pieces." "But what about as a boyfriend?" Monica's embarrassment grew. "Your falling for him aren't you!" Rachel squealed so loud Monica had to Shh her. "I think it's more than falling for him Rach, I think I," Monica stuttered. "You think you what?" Rachel was dying with suspense. "I think I love him!"
