Well, I wanted to get this part written and posted a lot earlier since I was ordered to hurry. But I failed. :-(
I hope you can forgive me. ;-) Anyway, here is the next part. And still no Chandler and Monica in this one. But maybe I don't plan on bringing them back together at all. Thought about that? Mwahahaha. Ok, power rush. lol.
And now have fun reading.
DISCLAIMER: The characters are not mine.
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Monica was sitting at her kitchen table, lost in thoughts. She shrieked as the door flew open and crashed into the counter. Just when the door was about to fall shut again Joey rushed through it, gazing intently at the paper in his hand.
"Monica! Monica, where are you? Monica?!" He screamed, running into the living room and then over to the bathroom, apparently not seeing her.
"What's the problem, Joey?" Monica spoke up just before Joey could bring his already raised hand down on the wood of her bedroom door. Startled he spun around and spotted her finally on the chair near the refrigerator.
"Where did you come from so fast?" He asked and made his way toward her.
"I was here all along. But it was really amusing to see you run around like a chicken with its head cut off." Monica laughed. "What can I do for you, Joey?" Monica asked after Joey plopped down an a chair beside her.
"I wanted to show you something." He replied excitedly, shoving the newspaper nearly in her face.
"Ok, then. But you have to lower the newspaper a little." Monica said and took it out of Joey's outstretched hands. She scanned the side but found nothing that would explain Joey's ecstatic behavior.
Joey, never a patient person, grabbed it back and turned it around.
"Did you know that Chandler wrote a book?!" He squeaked.
"What! No, he didn't. You have misread something." Monica said unbelievingly.
"But look…" He said, laying the paper in front of Monica on the table. He pointed at a picture adjacent to the article. "That is Chandler."
"Newest promising author hits city for book signing." Monica read the headline out loud. "After the incredible good selling start of 'The Intruder' … 'The Intruder'?" Monica stopped. "Wait a minute…I've read that." She stood up and went into her bedroom, only to reemerge seconds later with a book in her hands. "See, it can't be Chandler on the picture. This book was written by a Mark Johnson." Monica pointed at the cover after sitting down again.
"But this is Chandler. Look at the picture." Joey insisted.
Monica scrunched her nose as she took the paper again and studied the photo closer.
"I don't know. It's a black and white picture. And not a good one." Monica argued. "Maybe they just look similar."
"Maybe…" Joey replied thoughtful. Suddenly he jerked up. "Now wait a moment…wait a moment. I know that name. It sounds familiar somehow." Joey scratched his chin in his typical 'I'm-thinking-hard'-gesture. Monica watched him, her heart thumping fast in her chest.
"Oh my god!" Joey exclaimed suddenly. "I got it! I know where I heard the name before." Joey was looking at Monica, his eyes opened wide.
"Where, Joey!" Monica snapped impatiently after Joey just sat there for a minute.
"Uhm, remember when Phoebe decided to name one of the triplets after either Chandler or me? And I said to Chandler that his name was stupid?" Monica just nodded, having heard the story. "Well, Chandler then wanted to change his name. His choices were John Markson or…"
"Mark Johnson." Monica finished, her look again landing on the article in front of them.
When Ross entered the apartment moments later he found them both leaning over the newspaper, reading the article once again.
"What are you reading?" Ross asked.
Monica hadn't heard him enter nor did she hear his question. And Joey didn't acknowledge Ross' presence either. So Ross went over to the table and leaned over Joey's shoulder to see what had bound their attention.
"Oh my god!" He screamed after he saw the picture. His exclamation startled Joey and Monica out of their trance.
"God, Ross! You scared me." Monica scolded.
"Sorry. But what…when…how?" Ross didn't know what question to ask first.
"I don't know! Ok!? All I know is what is written in this article."
"And that's really Chandler?" Ross asked.
"We are pretty sure that it's him." Monica said. "But…there is only one way to find out if it's true." Monica mused.
"What do you mean?" Joey wanted to know. But Ross had already caught up with Monica's plan.
"You don't really want to go to that book signing, do you?" Ross asked. "I mean, even if it is Chandler. Do you think he would like to see you there?"
"I…I don't know." Monica wasn't sure what to do. "No, I have to do this. I have to see him. If I don't go I think I'll regret it for the rest of my life." Monica said determined.
"I would love to go with you. But I have an audition in twenty minutes. And Phoebe is in Montauk visiting her mother." Joey chimed in.
"And I have to meet Rachel at the doctors office at 2 o'clock." Ross said.
"Then I'll go by myself." Monica decided. "Hey, did you say 2 o'clock?" Monica asked suddenly.
"Yeah…Why?"
"Well, since we have 2 o'clock right now…" Monica pointed at the clock hanging on the wall. "And you are still here, I would say you are going to be late."
Ross checked his wristwatch and tapped a few times on the glass. "Dammit, it's broken."
"Uh, Ross?" Joey started after Ross fiddled with his watch for a few minutes. "Shouldn't you rather be running right now than moaning about your stupid watch?"
"Dammit!" Ross exclaimed again before rushing out of the apartment, leaving his two snickering friends behind.
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Rachel was fuming that Ross hadn't made it to the appointment. She had told him about it a week ago and had reminded him yesterday. She couldn't help but think that Ross wouldn't have forgotten an appointment if things were good between them. But then again, things were getting better and she had to take what he was willing to give her.
Rachel came around the last corner and saw her destination. Even so it was the nearest underground station from the location of her doctors office she dreaded the walk more every time she had to go to an exam. Again she wished Ross would be there. Than she could take out her frustration on him. That was one of the few benefits of pregnancy. You could be as bitchy as you wanted without being judged.
Rachel wasn't paying attention when she made her first step onto the crosswalk. She was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard the horn of a car and the screeching of tires on asphalt.
TBC...
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Ok, that was chapter 10. I hope you enjoyed it. And I would love it if you would review. I have a very low self-confidence and need constant encouragement. ;-)
