Chapter 6
Revenge is sweet
Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with friends.
~*~
"Oh my God!" Phoebe stood at the door with her mouth agape at the sight of the person standing in front of her-the last person in world she was expecting at her door.
"Monica! Look at the state of you! Come in!" Phoebe led her tearstained friend into the living room and over to the couch. She sat her down while she went to make Mon a strong coffee to calm her. She certainly looked as if she needed it.
Phoebe eyed the crying mess that was her friend across from her as she poured the hot water into the bright coffee cups.
"What the hell happened?" She knew Chandler had more than likely told her the secret he had been harbouring from childhood, but she also knew Monica was a strong woman, to see her in such a state was rare, there was surely more to this that met the eye.
"Chandler told me all about his," She choked back the tears that were pouring from her eyes, the word she wanted to get out sticking in her through, unable to let the word infertility pass her quivering lips.
"I know hun, I know, Shh," Phoebe handed her the steaming hot mug and lovingly wrapped her arms around her for support as she placed herself down on the sofa next to her.
"He told me you knew. Why didn't you tell me Pheebs?" She took a sip of her black coffee and sat it down on the table.
"I only found out minutes before you did, and anyway, it was Chandlers place to tell you not mine."
There was an awkward silence as the two stared at the floor as if the words they wanted to say were written on it, the Monica's sobs broke the eerie quiet.
"He's left me Phoebe! He says he wants me to have the chance to be a mother, and opportunity he can't give me, but some other man can. A better man, to quote him." Her shoulders heaved uncontrollably as her sobs intensified.
"What he doesn't realise is, he's the only man I want. The only man ive ever wanted. I can't live without him. The last few months have been the best of my life, with us living together. It was lie all my birthdays and Christmases came at once. What am I gonna do!"
"Mon, this is going to blow over. You and Chandler are meant for each other! Let things settle for tonight, try and get a good sleep and speak to him in the morning when both your heads are a bit clearer. You have both had a rough night, and I know you're hurting sweetie, but think how he is feeling. He has just admitted his biggest secret and fear to the woman he loves, and he thinks he's lost you. This situation isn't easy for either of you." Monica sniffled and nodded, knowing what her friend was saying made sense, but it still didn't mend her broken heart.
"Where is Chandler? Is he still at your place?"
"No, he took my spare key and went to stay and Ross and Rachel's. What if he never comes back?" He tears flowed freely once again.
"Hey he will. He just needs time to realise what he's done is stupid. Just tell him everything you've told me and I can guarantee you will be back to together soon and all this will be forgotten. But in the mean time, you're staying here with me, for tonight or however long you need. That way I can keep an eye on you." Phoebe poked her friend playfully in the side to induce a laugh, and it worked.
"Thanks so much Pheebs, I don't know what I'd do without you"
"We can just call it payback for all the months you helped me. Now come on, bed missy. You need sleep." Phoebe held her dishevelled friends hand and guided her into the room that was once chandler's old bedroom.
"Here, you can wear this," Phoebe handed Monica a nightdress and headed for the door.
"Don't worry, it will all work out ok." She shut the door over and left Monica to ponder if it all would be ok.
She lay herself down on the bed and gazed longingly at the crib that held her "niece", wondering if she would ever have a daughter of her own.
In just a matter of minutes her life had been torn apart, and she couldn't see a way to fix it.
~*~
"AMANDA!" Rachel entered her old office into the arms of her ex-assistant.
"How's the baby?"
"Rach! The baby is fine, thanks for asking. You look amazing! And who is this?"
She spotted the tall, handsome guy behind her and eyed him up suspiciously.
"Oh, sorry, I'm being rude. Amanda, this is Ross, my fiancé." They shook hands politely, but Ross was struck by the weird look on Amanda's face.
"Ah, so you're Ross! I've heard a lot about you. So fiancé huh?" Amanda looked strangely at Rachel and sat back at her desk without saying another word.
"Eh, Ross, why don't you go down to the coffee machine and get us a drink, give me and Mandy a chance to catch up."
"Sure, coffee's all round?" The girls nodded and he left on his errand.
The minute he was gone all Rachel's calm and composure went out the window and panic set in.
"Is Jeff in today?"
"No, you're in luck. He's out at the main store meeting reps from Milan all day. He won't be back until tomorrow."
Rachel breathed a sigh of relief and let her shoulders de-tense.
"Rach, does Ross not know about him?" Amanda asked, her tone sounding a little scornful.
"God no! And he won't either if I can help it. I couldn't bear to think how he would react if I told him the truth. Its better this way, the less he knows the better and no one gets hurt."
"But Rach,"
"Amanda, don't judge me or try to make me change my mind. Trust me, im carrying enough guilt for everyone! You can't make me feel any worse than I already do.z"
"Hey, the coffee machine is out of order, how about I take us all out to the café across the street instead?" Ross emerged from the door, causing both girls to jump in shock.
"Oh, I would love to, but I have all this work to do," Amanda pointed to a pile of paperwork stacked neatly on her desk.
"But you guys go ahead. I'll catch up with you both later on in the week. You're staying at your old apartment right?"
"Yeah. Well it's been great seeing you again!" Rachel bent down and kissed her on the cheek.
"Tell him Rach." Amanda whispered into her ear before she had the chance to pull away.
"Ok, well I'll see you soon." Rachel grabbed Ross and practically frog marched him out of there.
"She seems lovely," Ross gushed.
"Yeah, she is." Rachel answered dreamily. Her mind was too busy elsewhere to bother about what Ross was saying.
"Should I tell him?" She wondered to herself and then she shook her head.
"He wouldn't understand."
~*~
Revenge is sweet
Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with friends.
~*~
"Oh my God!" Phoebe stood at the door with her mouth agape at the sight of the person standing in front of her-the last person in world she was expecting at her door.
"Monica! Look at the state of you! Come in!" Phoebe led her tearstained friend into the living room and over to the couch. She sat her down while she went to make Mon a strong coffee to calm her. She certainly looked as if she needed it.
Phoebe eyed the crying mess that was her friend across from her as she poured the hot water into the bright coffee cups.
"What the hell happened?" She knew Chandler had more than likely told her the secret he had been harbouring from childhood, but she also knew Monica was a strong woman, to see her in such a state was rare, there was surely more to this that met the eye.
"Chandler told me all about his," She choked back the tears that were pouring from her eyes, the word she wanted to get out sticking in her through, unable to let the word infertility pass her quivering lips.
"I know hun, I know, Shh," Phoebe handed her the steaming hot mug and lovingly wrapped her arms around her for support as she placed herself down on the sofa next to her.
"He told me you knew. Why didn't you tell me Pheebs?" She took a sip of her black coffee and sat it down on the table.
"I only found out minutes before you did, and anyway, it was Chandlers place to tell you not mine."
There was an awkward silence as the two stared at the floor as if the words they wanted to say were written on it, the Monica's sobs broke the eerie quiet.
"He's left me Phoebe! He says he wants me to have the chance to be a mother, and opportunity he can't give me, but some other man can. A better man, to quote him." Her shoulders heaved uncontrollably as her sobs intensified.
"What he doesn't realise is, he's the only man I want. The only man ive ever wanted. I can't live without him. The last few months have been the best of my life, with us living together. It was lie all my birthdays and Christmases came at once. What am I gonna do!"
"Mon, this is going to blow over. You and Chandler are meant for each other! Let things settle for tonight, try and get a good sleep and speak to him in the morning when both your heads are a bit clearer. You have both had a rough night, and I know you're hurting sweetie, but think how he is feeling. He has just admitted his biggest secret and fear to the woman he loves, and he thinks he's lost you. This situation isn't easy for either of you." Monica sniffled and nodded, knowing what her friend was saying made sense, but it still didn't mend her broken heart.
"Where is Chandler? Is he still at your place?"
"No, he took my spare key and went to stay and Ross and Rachel's. What if he never comes back?" He tears flowed freely once again.
"Hey he will. He just needs time to realise what he's done is stupid. Just tell him everything you've told me and I can guarantee you will be back to together soon and all this will be forgotten. But in the mean time, you're staying here with me, for tonight or however long you need. That way I can keep an eye on you." Phoebe poked her friend playfully in the side to induce a laugh, and it worked.
"Thanks so much Pheebs, I don't know what I'd do without you"
"We can just call it payback for all the months you helped me. Now come on, bed missy. You need sleep." Phoebe held her dishevelled friends hand and guided her into the room that was once chandler's old bedroom.
"Here, you can wear this," Phoebe handed Monica a nightdress and headed for the door.
"Don't worry, it will all work out ok." She shut the door over and left Monica to ponder if it all would be ok.
She lay herself down on the bed and gazed longingly at the crib that held her "niece", wondering if she would ever have a daughter of her own.
In just a matter of minutes her life had been torn apart, and she couldn't see a way to fix it.
~*~
"AMANDA!" Rachel entered her old office into the arms of her ex-assistant.
"How's the baby?"
"Rach! The baby is fine, thanks for asking. You look amazing! And who is this?"
She spotted the tall, handsome guy behind her and eyed him up suspiciously.
"Oh, sorry, I'm being rude. Amanda, this is Ross, my fiancé." They shook hands politely, but Ross was struck by the weird look on Amanda's face.
"Ah, so you're Ross! I've heard a lot about you. So fiancé huh?" Amanda looked strangely at Rachel and sat back at her desk without saying another word.
"Eh, Ross, why don't you go down to the coffee machine and get us a drink, give me and Mandy a chance to catch up."
"Sure, coffee's all round?" The girls nodded and he left on his errand.
The minute he was gone all Rachel's calm and composure went out the window and panic set in.
"Is Jeff in today?"
"No, you're in luck. He's out at the main store meeting reps from Milan all day. He won't be back until tomorrow."
Rachel breathed a sigh of relief and let her shoulders de-tense.
"Rach, does Ross not know about him?" Amanda asked, her tone sounding a little scornful.
"God no! And he won't either if I can help it. I couldn't bear to think how he would react if I told him the truth. Its better this way, the less he knows the better and no one gets hurt."
"But Rach,"
"Amanda, don't judge me or try to make me change my mind. Trust me, im carrying enough guilt for everyone! You can't make me feel any worse than I already do.z"
"Hey, the coffee machine is out of order, how about I take us all out to the café across the street instead?" Ross emerged from the door, causing both girls to jump in shock.
"Oh, I would love to, but I have all this work to do," Amanda pointed to a pile of paperwork stacked neatly on her desk.
"But you guys go ahead. I'll catch up with you both later on in the week. You're staying at your old apartment right?"
"Yeah. Well it's been great seeing you again!" Rachel bent down and kissed her on the cheek.
"Tell him Rach." Amanda whispered into her ear before she had the chance to pull away.
"Ok, well I'll see you soon." Rachel grabbed Ross and practically frog marched him out of there.
"She seems lovely," Ross gushed.
"Yeah, she is." Rachel answered dreamily. Her mind was too busy elsewhere to bother about what Ross was saying.
"Should I tell him?" She wondered to herself and then she shook her head.
"He wouldn't understand."
~*~