Joey stormed into the apartment. He was angry and confused. Chandler walked in a few seconds later rubbing his nose.
"You should really check whose racing in behind you before you slam a door," he said.
"Sorry," Joey said kindly. He sat down in the canoe. The duck walked in out of Chandler's room and came over to where Joey was.
"Sorry man, I'm not in the mood right now," Joey said. The duck waddled back into Chandler's room leaving the two guys all alone.
"Joey, I am so sorry. I thought you knew," Chandler said taking a step toward Joey. Joey looked up at him.
"I didn't know anything about this," Joey said. "What am I going to do now?"
Chandler picked up the card Helen gave him last night and the phone.
"The social service woman asked me to tell you to call her when you got in. She might be able to explain things better."
Chandler handed Joey the phone and the card. "It's up to you man," Chandler said. Joey looked at the phone in his hand and at the card.
He dialed the number.
Chandler walked back over to Monica's and Rachel's. Phoebe, Ross, Rachel, and Monica were sitting at the kitchen table while Sarah was watching television.
"How you guys doing?" Chandler asked.
"Fine, but I don't know how she's doing," Monica said turning to Sarah, who was watching Saturday morning cartoons.
"I'll talk to her," Chandler said. Monica nodded and turned back to everyone else at the table.
Chandler walked over and sat on the coffee table across from Sarah.
"Hey there kiddo, can I talk to ya?"
"Sure," Sarah said turning off the television and looking directly at Chandler.
"You didn't have to turn off the TV."
"Yes, I did. My…my mother taught me to be respectful of older, and hopefully wiser, people than myself," Sarah said. Chandler was in shock.
"Your mother taught you that?" Sarah nodded. "What else did she teach you?"
"She told me to always be respectful, kind, courteous, and to never trust the male sex," Sarah said.
"Really?"
"Yeah, except the part about the male sex. I figured that out on my own."
"Why don't you trust guys?" Chandler asked curiously.
"Men don't think things through. They don't think up here," she said pointing to her temple. "Their brains are a little lower, along with all their intelligence."
"Then why are you willing to listen to me?"
"You aren't like most men," Sarah said.
"What do you mean? You don't even know me," Chandler said.
"Most gay men are different from straight men," Sarah said with a straight face. Chandler's eyes went wide.
Everyone sitting at the kitchen table turned to listen to the conversation.
"I'm not gay," Chandler exclaimed. Sarah narrowed her eyes in confusion.
"Still in the closet? That's alright," she said patting his leg. Chandler smiled a forced smiled and stood. He walked over to the kitchen table, where everyone was looking at him.
"I don't like this kid," he said before sitting down.
Joey opened the door and walked in. He looked at everyone at the table and then over at Sarah watching television.
"So, what did you decide?" Rachel asked.
"I can't have a kid. I mean I'm not ready." Phoebe shook her head. "But Joey, this is your daughter. You can't just throw her out in the cold. Do you want her to live the same type of life I did after my mother killed herself?"
Joey shook his head. "No, but it's okay. The social service lady said she would help find a nice home for her. I just can't handle a kid right now."
"Yeah, cause it is so fucking hard to raise a teenager right?" a young voice said.
Everyone had been so interested in the conversation that no one noticed when Sarah walked up behind Chandler. Joey stood up and really looked at his daughter for the first time.
"I don't know anything about kids," Joey said.
"I'll make it easy for you. I am a teenager, not a kid. A kid is what you call a baby goat. I am not a child. I am sixteen years old and all I really do is stay in my room and go to school. I am not difficult to take care of. The hardest part about child raising my mother did, so don't give me this shit about how you can't do this," Sarah said stomping her foot.
"What happened to respecting your elders?" Chandler said surprised.
"If this," she said pointing to Joey, "bastard can't take responsibility for his actions, then he doesn't deserve my respect, my love, or me as his daughter. I'm sure that social services would be glad to throw me into a orphanage for a couple years."
Sarah took a few steps toward Joey and looked him straight in the eye. If looks could kill, Joey would be dead five times over.
"You know what? My mother used to tell me stories about you. How you slept with her and then disappeared. About what a jerk you were and I thought that she was just exaggerating because no one could truly be that bad. Now that I met you, I know that she was just being polite. You are worse than my mother could ever describe."
Sarah turned back to the couch and picked up her bag. She threw it over her shoulder and marched back to Joey.
"My mother wanted me to deliver a message to you before she died. She said to tell you to take care of me, and if you don't want me then at least take care of me until my Aunt returns to the state in two weeks. 'Please don't let him turn you over to social services' she said. It's too bad you aren't man enough to face your problems head on. Have a nice life, Dad."
Sarah walked past Joey and then ran down the stairs and out of the building before anyone could catch her.