Chapter Nine: Fate's Nasty Plan
Still at the park
Rachel could hear the many, muffled footsteps walking past her. She knew they were all staring, she knew they all wondered what she was doing, sobbing by a bench at Central Park. But, they couldn't possibly understand, no one could. First, one of her best friends died, while her husband missed the birth of his child. And to top it all off, now he was gone. Forever.
You can get through this, you have to be strong for your family and friends, Rachel told herself. Just concentrate on getting home, being with your girls, and then you can worry about emotions. So, she walked out of the park, watching stranger's heads turn around to watch her. She finally reached her car, and threw herself inside, slamming the door shut.
The traffic was awful, it took three minutes to move one inch. After waiting in an immense line of cars for about half an hour, Rachel decided to relax, and laid her head on the steering wheel. Before she knew what was happening, she heard horns blaring behind her, and she raised her head. The light was green, and she was holding up a train of cars. Damnit, she thought, as she stomped on the accelerator to catch up to the other cars. The engine revved up, causing her to fly forward, and slam into the car in front of her. Her windshield shattered, and she was propelled forward, barely held back by the seatbelt. The pieces of glass stung her eyes, and suddenly she felt a second car slam into her from behind. Her head shot back towards the seat, as she heard her neck snap in pain. She saw people stopping their cars, and running over to check on her. That's all she could remember, because her eyelids started to flutter, and finally collapsed.
St. Peter's Hospital, ER
Monica stampeded through the hallway, her husband slowly trailing behind her. She grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him to the front desk.
"Hello, welcome to St. Peter's Emergency Room, what's the emergency?" the woman asked calmly.
"My friend is here, she was in a car accident, THAT'S THE EMERGENCY!" Monica screamed.
"Excuse me, miss, but you're going to have to calm down, or I will be forced to call security," she ordered.
"Excuse my wife's behavior," Chandler interrupted. "But, our friend was in a severe car accident, and we need to see her."
"Name, please," the receptionist asked.
"Rachel Green," Chandler told her.
The woman typed in the name, and waited a few minutes for the search to end; "Rachel Green... yes, she just got an x-ray done, and should be ready for visitors. Room 513."
"Thank you!" Monica yelled, as she started to run back down the hallway.
Rachel's Room
"Monica, Chandler!" Rachel cried.
"Sweetie, what happened?" Monica asked, concerned, as she went to hug her friend.
"There was a car accident," Rachel began.
"We know THAT," Chandler told her.
"Hey, Mr. Sarcastic, let me finish," Rachel laughed. However, for some strange reason, she couldn't remember why she had been so upset.
"Rach, what's wrong, you look confused?" Monica asked.
"I..I don't remember why I was crying..." Rachel stammered.
"You were crying?! Honey, was it something someone said? Maybe Ross..." Monica asked.
"Ross..." Rachel said, her face turning pale, the color being drained out of it.
"Where is Ross, anyway?" Chandler wondered out loud.
"He's gone..." Rachel whispered.
"What are you talking about?" Monica asked, worried.
"He left me at the park, here," Rachel handed Monica the letter.
Monica read the leader, and about halfway through, her knees buckled and she sobbed on the floor. Rachel watched as her husband consoled her. She realized that she didn't have that anymore, and tears began to well up in her eyes.
"How could he do this to you... and me?" Monica screamed.
"I don't know, honey," Chandler rubbed her back.
At times like these, Rachel would wrap her arms around Ross, and cry into his chest. Now, she had no one, she was alone. She pushed her face into the bed, and cried, until her eyes were sore.
Still at the park
Rachel could hear the many, muffled footsteps walking past her. She knew they were all staring, she knew they all wondered what she was doing, sobbing by a bench at Central Park. But, they couldn't possibly understand, no one could. First, one of her best friends died, while her husband missed the birth of his child. And to top it all off, now he was gone. Forever.
You can get through this, you have to be strong for your family and friends, Rachel told herself. Just concentrate on getting home, being with your girls, and then you can worry about emotions. So, she walked out of the park, watching stranger's heads turn around to watch her. She finally reached her car, and threw herself inside, slamming the door shut.
The traffic was awful, it took three minutes to move one inch. After waiting in an immense line of cars for about half an hour, Rachel decided to relax, and laid her head on the steering wheel. Before she knew what was happening, she heard horns blaring behind her, and she raised her head. The light was green, and she was holding up a train of cars. Damnit, she thought, as she stomped on the accelerator to catch up to the other cars. The engine revved up, causing her to fly forward, and slam into the car in front of her. Her windshield shattered, and she was propelled forward, barely held back by the seatbelt. The pieces of glass stung her eyes, and suddenly she felt a second car slam into her from behind. Her head shot back towards the seat, as she heard her neck snap in pain. She saw people stopping their cars, and running over to check on her. That's all she could remember, because her eyelids started to flutter, and finally collapsed.
St. Peter's Hospital, ER
Monica stampeded through the hallway, her husband slowly trailing behind her. She grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him to the front desk.
"Hello, welcome to St. Peter's Emergency Room, what's the emergency?" the woman asked calmly.
"My friend is here, she was in a car accident, THAT'S THE EMERGENCY!" Monica screamed.
"Excuse me, miss, but you're going to have to calm down, or I will be forced to call security," she ordered.
"Excuse my wife's behavior," Chandler interrupted. "But, our friend was in a severe car accident, and we need to see her."
"Name, please," the receptionist asked.
"Rachel Green," Chandler told her.
The woman typed in the name, and waited a few minutes for the search to end; "Rachel Green... yes, she just got an x-ray done, and should be ready for visitors. Room 513."
"Thank you!" Monica yelled, as she started to run back down the hallway.
Rachel's Room
"Monica, Chandler!" Rachel cried.
"Sweetie, what happened?" Monica asked, concerned, as she went to hug her friend.
"There was a car accident," Rachel began.
"We know THAT," Chandler told her.
"Hey, Mr. Sarcastic, let me finish," Rachel laughed. However, for some strange reason, she couldn't remember why she had been so upset.
"Rach, what's wrong, you look confused?" Monica asked.
"I..I don't remember why I was crying..." Rachel stammered.
"You were crying?! Honey, was it something someone said? Maybe Ross..." Monica asked.
"Ross..." Rachel said, her face turning pale, the color being drained out of it.
"Where is Ross, anyway?" Chandler wondered out loud.
"He's gone..." Rachel whispered.
"What are you talking about?" Monica asked, worried.
"He left me at the park, here," Rachel handed Monica the letter.
Monica read the leader, and about halfway through, her knees buckled and she sobbed on the floor. Rachel watched as her husband consoled her. She realized that she didn't have that anymore, and tears began to well up in her eyes.
"How could he do this to you... and me?" Monica screamed.
"I don't know, honey," Chandler rubbed her back.
At times like these, Rachel would wrap her arms around Ross, and cry into his chest. Now, she had no one, she was alone. She pushed her face into the bed, and cried, until her eyes were sore.