This follows on the same 'world' as my first TOW Ross Catches up with Emily.
Just for Us
'What are we going to do on Valentine's day?' Ross said. 'It'll be our first Valentine's day together.' He was feeling excited about it. This first year with Emily was exciting — a year of firsts and everything, was perfect. Except for the wedding, but they'd got over that. He still had the occasional ache from the accident, when he'd been hit by a minivan, chasing after Emily when she'd spotted him at the airport with Rachel. He couldn't afford to lose her, and he hadn't.
'What ever you like,' Emily said, 'Only I want it to be a day just for us.'
'Of course it will be for us,' Ross said. What did she think he planned to do? Throw a party?
'I know, at least that's the way you intend it, but somehow everyone else seems to be tagging along when we plan something special just for us,' Emily said.
'Not always,' Ross protested.
'What about my birthday?' Emily challenged. It was to have been a special dinner at a restaurant — then everyone had turned up. It wasn't so much that the plan had gone bad, just different. But he couldn't deny that they'd stayed out later than they'd expected and when they'd got home, the candles, the bubble bath and other treats were rejected in favour of bed — and sleep.
'Okay, but they wanted to say hello,' he said.
'I know, I was glad to see them, but we planned it was just to be the two of us, at the restaurant, and then somehow Joey turned up and then everyone else. And then Christmas. It's not as though that's a big deal for your family, and I thought we could have a day to ourselves, but that didn't happen either.'
'Well...'
'So we were going to have the next day to ourselves, Boxing day, which was not special to anyone except to ourselves, except Rachel wanted to come along with us to Vermont.'
'You have forgiven Rachel haven't you?'
'Yes, don't change the subject,' Emily said.
'She was feeling bad about her break up,' Ross said, 'And Monica was busy with Chandler, and Phoebe was away, and Joey had a date...'
'Of course, when they need help, we should help,' Emily said, 'But what about New Years day? We'd already been to a New Years party with everyone. Joey and Phoebe were just bored.'
'You liked Thanksgiving,' Ross said, 'That was with everyone.'
'Of course I did. I loved that day, and your birthday too, but just because I liked spending those with everyone doesn't mean that I want to spend every single day of significance with them. I married you, Ross, not all of your friends. Can't we strike a balance between seeing them and having time to ourselves.' Emily pleaded. 'That isn't too much to ask is it?'
'Okay,' Ross said, 'I promise, we're going to have tomorrow to ourselves.' We have time to ourselves though. In there,' Ross said, indicating the bedroom. 'And here, it's just the two of us.' The doorbell rang. Emily gave him a look.
'I wonder who that could be?' She went to answer the door, 'Hello Chandler.'
'Hi Emily, is Ross there?'
'Yes, come in,' she invited. 'I'd better get going,' Emily said to Ross.
'I don't mean to split anything up,' Chandler said.
'No, you're not doing that,' Emily said. 'It's tomorrow that's the special day.'
'Yeah, of course,' Chandler said. 'Us too. See you later at Central Perk.'
'Bye.'
Chandler settled himself down, helping himself to coffee.
'I hope I didn't interrupt,' he said, not looking very regretful.
'It's Okay. We were just taking about what we were doing for Valentine's day.'
'What have you got planned?'
'I don't know,' Ross said. 'I've got to think of something for just us two.'
'Well of course just you two. I don't need you working something out for me,' Chandler said. 'But have you got any ideas?'
'No,' Ross said. 'I can think of a present, lots of presents, but I'm all out of ideas.'
'Me too,' Chandler said. 'It's got to be special, it's our first.'
Chandler left Ross thinking, I've got to think of something, something really special, something where people aren't always going to be dropping in on us. Although dates with Monica went well, really well, it seemed that their big celebrations had to involve everybody. Monica loved to have everyone around, but Chandler just wanted her to himself.
She wouldn't spoil Valentine's day by inviting anyone along would she? But Phoebe was feeling down, and Rachel was single again after that episode with the taxi driver, and Joey could be relied to turn up at the wrong time… The best thing was to take her by surprise, Chandler decided. He would plan something secret. If she didn't know about it, she couldn't tell everyone else what was going on and invite them along. In fact, he'd take her right out of town, so even if she did happen to call anyone, they just couldn't turn up.
He frowned. There had been something in the paper about good deals on flights to Florida — perhaps they could take a quick trip there. Once they were right out of town, it would be just them, with no interruptions. No calls from friends or family, nothing. To his annoyance, he realised he'd left that paper with Ross. Oh well, he could buy another one.
