A/N: I got my braces on yesterday... yes, braces at 14, how sad is that? Very. Thank God I got clear ones, so you can't really see them unless you're up close. But my teeth are sooo sore. My mom let me stay home from school today, and then she left so yay I get lots of time to update!
I understand that all you high schoolers are having finals right now, and I have one word for you -
Hahahahaha!
Just kidding. I really do feel sorry for you and I am dreading next year. Anyways... Julie (aka Llama Lover, Mrs. Aiken, etc.), I just re-read your review and I JUST GOT the whole "light pole" thing... that makes me *almost* as slow as you. And he IS a llama. My Bexy Becca Boo - aww, we're not update buddies! :( Maybe next time. Have fun at your confirmation! Hehe... I know all the rest of you think my "random commentary is kind of...odd...but amusing nonetheless" to quote a review, and I enjoy that. *mwah*
CHAPTER FOUR
Monica spent the next day trying to come to grips with not being able to see. She came to the conclusion that she hated it. She hated being incapable of seeing the doctors and nurses who entered her room; she hated having nothing to do but lay in the dark and listen to the television; but most of all, she hated not being able to see the man who had saved her life. She had heard Chandler's voice, but she had no memory of his face. Ross and Rachel and her parents - she could remember their faces, and not being able to see them was an annoyance, but it wasn't heartbreaking. But only being able to hear Chandler was horrible. There was something special about that man, she knew it.
She was alone for most of the day, except of course for the nurses who woke her every two hours to check her vitals. She also despised hospitals. She wasn't sick, but they made her feel like she had a terminal illness. Monica wanted to get out of there.
She tried to ignore the question that was burning a hole in her brain. What happened after she went home? What if she didn't have her eyesight back? How could she cook, or clean, or do anything of value? She couldn't.
The one bright spot in her day was a visit from Chandler.
"Miss Geller? You have a visitor," a nurse said, opening the door. Monica sat up and licked her parched lips.
"Hi, Monica. It's Chandler," Chandler said. Monica grinned widely.
"Hi, Chandler! Oh my gosh, I'm so glad you came. I'm bored to death."
"What, doesn't the hospital provide you with unwavering entertainment?" Chandler asked. Monica laughed. She liked him already.
They talked for about twenty minutes, and Chandler brightened Monica up considerably with his hospital jokes and cracks about the nurses and doctors. She was sad when he said he had to go, but promised to come see her the next day, or call. She looked forward to it already.
Later that day, the doctor told her she was going home the next morning. "We have assured there is no brain damage, and other than your loss of eyesight, there's no reason to keep you in the hospital any longer." He told her she would have to come back for check-ups, but other than that, there was nothing they could do for her there. She would have to see an eyesight specialist.
So Monica had the prospect of long, boring days ahead of her where all she could do was sit in her apartment. Most people would enjoy an extended vacation, but not Monica. She always needed to be up and doing something. She grasped onto the tiny but of hope she had left - that her eyesight would return quickly.
On Monday morning, Rachel helped her get dressed and then she and Ross took her home. Monica refused any help with walking - she used a cane and felt her way through the apartment.
"I'm going to take a shower," she told Rachel and Ross.
"Need any help?" Ross asked instinctively.
"I think I'm good, thanks," Monica said with a smirk. She felt her way to the shower and immediately stepped into the warm spray. She'd had only a sponge bath at the hospital, and she felt grimy and disgusting. The pond water smell was still on her; Monica could swear there was seaweed in her hair.
However, she discovered a problem when she got out of the shower.
"Um, Rach?" she called out the door. "Rachel!"
"Yeah?" Rachel asked.
"I, uh, don't have a towel," she said hesitantly.
"Okay, I'll get it," Rachel said. A minute later she opened the door a crack to hand in the towel and heard Monica crying. "Mon? Honey?" She opened the door and found Monica sitting on the edge of the tub, dripping, shivering, and sobbing. "Here's your towel, sweetie," she said, wrapping the towel around her shoulders. "What's the matter?"
"I can't do anything!" she cried. "I can't even find a frickin towel! I have to wait for my roommate to help me so I don't sit around naked. I'm like a little baby! I'm worthless."
"You're not worthless, Mon," Rachel said, hugging her friend. "You'll be able to see again soon, and then everything will be back to normal."
But Monica was afraid it wouldn't.
The next evening, Monica was listening to the radio and rested her head against the cool glass of the window, ready for a night of boredom and loneliness. Rachel and Ross were going to a museum conference for Ross's work and although they'd offered to skip it, Monica had insisted they go. She was happy to sit by herself and wallow. She was looking for her chapstick in her purse when she pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. What is it? she wondered.
"Hey, Rach!" she called.
"Yeah?" Rachel asked. Monica was starting to be able to tell where voices were coming from, and she could tell that Rachel was standing in her doorway.
"What does it say on this piece of paper?" she asked. Rachel's footsteps approached her, and then the slip was snatched from her hand.
"A phone number, and then - Chandler Bing."
"Oh!" she cried. Chandler - she could call Chandler! "Could you dial it for me?"
"Sure," Rachel said, and a few seconds later was placing the ringing phone into Monica's hand.
"Hello?" Chandler's voice answered.
"Hi, Chandler?" she asked, already knowing it was him. "It's Monica Geller."
"Monica! Hi! How are you feeling?" He sounded happy to hear from her.
"I'm... okay. Still can't see," she said immediately, knowing that this was the question he was asking. "But I was wondering, if you're not busy tonight, do you maybe want to meet for coffee? We could talk, get to know each other..."
"Sure! Where should we meet?"
"Well... could you maybe pick me up?"
She gave him her address and he arranged to pick her up in thirty minutes. She had the distinct impression of someone watching her as she hung up the phone.
"I can't believe you're doing this," Rachel said.
"What?"
"Going out with some guy you don't even know! You can't see, Monica. He could lead you into some alley and rape you before you knew what was going on!"
"Chandler's not like that," Monica insisted. ''He saved my life, remember? And anyway, the coffeehouse is less than a hundred steps from up here, I'd know if we weren't going there."
"Yeah, but you don't know him!" Rachel said.
"I feel like I do," Monica said quietly. "Now shut up and put some make-up on me."
A/N: Kinda short, but I might be able to update faster this time. Please review, thanks!
*Yen*
