10 Dinner at Monica's

Chandler was the first to arrive and Monica was torn between doing everything she needed to do and cutting corners with preparation. She joyfully cut corners and had some fun with Chandler before Ross turned up, too soon in her opinion. Of course, people should be on time, Monica had no patience for sloppiness but there was no call to be early.

She was worried that Ross might ask questions about Chandler being there, but instead they all made polite conversation. Monica had not told anyone what Phoebe had told her and she asked a few leading questions about Emily's health without getting any kind of answer, and fortunately without exciting any kind of suspicion. It was slightly unnerving when Phoebe arrived, because she asked the exact same questions but Ross didn't seem to notice the point of the inquiry and answered the questions blandly. Ross appeared determined not to say anything much about Emily until everyone else arrived.

At dinner he said,

'I just don't get it, Emily's agreeing to everything. It just isn't like her. Most of the time we agreed but if we didn't, she'd say so. Sometimes we did it her way, sometimes mine, but she always had an opinion.'

'You want her to start ordering you around again?' Chandler asked. Ross shook his head.

'It just doesn't feel right. I mean she's perfect but I don't like it like that. She does everything for me. She even takes my shoes off when I come home.' Rachel looked satirical at that. The others stared at Ross. 'I don't let her do that any more, but she runs around doing everything else. She irons my shirts, she makes my lunch, and if I ask her what she wants, she just says she wants to do whatever I want.'

'So what's the problem with that?' Joey asked.

'It's everything, from what we have to eat, what we want on television, when we go to bed – well I don't mind that but everything else is a bit much.'

'I still don't see the problem,' Joey said.

'She agrees with me all the time. She acts as though everything I say is right,' Ross said.

'Well that's clearly abnormal,' Rachel said sharply.

'Yes with you I had to act like everything you said was right,' Ross snapped.

'Excuse me!'

'Time out!' Monica said. 'We're discussing Ross here.'

'He's trying to discuss me,' Rachel said feeling hurt at the comparisons he was making. How dared he?

'You should give her a break, you were the worst at dinner the other night. She was so nice to you, and you were so cold,' Ross said.

'I think she's putting on the nice act and she'll break out any second,' Rachel said, 'Wait and see!' She couldn't help thinking he was a gullible fool.

'If that's your attitude then you can go away because it's not helping,' Ross said.

'Fine!' Rachel stormed out over the others' protests. Joey almost went after her but remembered that they were still only halfway through the meal. He was surprised at how long he spent choosing between dinner and Rachel.

'You see what the problem is don't you Monica?' Ross said when the fuss died down.

'The same old problem,' Monica said dryly.

'With Emily,' Ross said severely.

'Well yes. You don't have a relationship with someone who agrees with everything you say. I mean why have a conversation?'

'That's it. We don't have conversations, she just asks questions about what I want and then she does it.'

'I still don't see the problem,' Joey said, frowning.

'That's it?' Chandler asked.

'If I ask how she feels she says she's just happy making me happy. That's not Emily. I mean I think she wanted me to be happy but I mean she had her own ideas. She wanted things too and she'd say so. She wasn't a doormat, she was a real person. I could make her happy,' Ross said, 'But now I can't because she already is happy. So she says.' That was the best way he could explain it.

'Maybe she's scared of losing you,' Monica said. 'I mean with the wedding – I know it was an accident but it must have been a terrible experience. I can understand why she went a bit extreme, even if I didn't agree with some of the things she did. She's probably feeling very insecure which is why she's just doing everything you want.'

'I love her Mon, and I've told her that, I've shown her that. Look,' he popped open a box he retrieved from his pocket. There were diamond earrings in it. 'These are for her.'

'Oh they're lovely, Ross.' Monica said. Phoebe admired them, holding one against Monica's ear for a better view.

'Maybe she'll calm down in a while,' Phoebe said. 'Once she realises that everything is all right.'

'I hope so,' Ross said.

'That reminds me, I've got a lovely scented candle for Emily,' Phoebe said, bringing out a package. 'It's got special ingredients.' Monica wondered what these were.

'Not aphrodisiacs?' Joey grinned. Ross looked apprehensive although tried to hide it.

'No, just general well being, health, happiness type stuff.'

'Well I guess that's all good,' Ross said, 'But it seems she's really happy now so I'll tell her to leave it for a rainy day.'

'No don't do that!' Phoebe said sharply, surprising them all.

'What?' Ross asked.

'Calm down Phoebe,' Chandler grinned and was surprised to get a dig from Monica.

'We-ell,' Phoebe said, 'It's to thank her for the other night. It won't be a proper thankyou if she doesn't get to use it now will it? I can always get her another one if she gets the blues.' She glanced at Monica as if to ask how her acting was.

'Yes,' Monica supported, not knowing what Phoebe was up to but sure it was to do with helping Emily. 'She should use it now. I've burned that candle, it's a really nice one. Don't leave it sitting around to collect dust.'

'Dust?' Ross joked, 'I've forgotten what that is, she keeps the place so neat.'

'Well there's a man running around New York who'd use her for his poster girl if he knew about her,' Chandler said.

'What man?' Ross had no time for the news.

'Just a man who thinks all women should obey their husbands. He's been declared a public nuisance or something,' Chandler said.

'I don't see why he's mad,' Joey said.

'Do you want dessert?' Monica threatened.

'Of course he's mad,' Joey said.

'Very mad,' Chandler said, and took the opportunity to wink at Monica. Why that should make her feel selfconscious after what they had done earlier in the evening she had no idea, but self conscious she was. Monica's blush went unnoticed. She stopped thinking about Ross and his strange problem and started thinking about her own.