It was some days later when Emily surprised Monica with the statement,
'There seems to be something going on between you and Chandler that you're trying to keep secret.' She and Emily were alone in Monica's apartment and until then had been talking trivia over coffee. Emily's statement surprised her so much that she didn't even think of deception.
'How did you know?'
'It's obvious. Chandler doesn't want to kiss anyone but you. He's just pretending with the rest of us.'
'Oh, I didn't realise it was that obvious.' She had thought they were doing a better job of hiding it than that. If Emily had notied, who else?
'I'm not sure how not now obvious it would be to Ross or anyone else,' Emily said, unasked.
'I don't see why not. They all know me…'
'A lot better than I do,' Emily finished, 'But that's partly the reason why I would pick it up.'
'How so?' Monica asked.
'Because there's no reason for me to think that you two getting together is unusual or unexpected or anything. Everyone can see the same things that I see, but for some reason it seems the others don't really seem to think it's possible for you to get together, so they must be ignoring it. When did it happen?' Monica blushed.
'Well, I don't know if you'd be… happy at how it happened.'
'Whether I'd be happy?' Emily asked in surprised. 'What do you mean?'
'It was the night before your wedding.'
'Why wouldn't I be happy about it?'
'But what the wedding…'
'Being a farce?' A shade of bitterness crept into Emily's voice and Monica regretted not having made up some other pretext. They'd done such a good job of looking forward that it was getting easier to put it behind them. Bringing up the wedding threatened to take them backwards. 'Oh, well, at least something went right.'
'Right?' Monica asked in puzzlement. With a short laugh, Emily said,
'Yes, the bridesmaids are supposed to get off with the groomsmen you know. It's practically their right…'
'You are mad,' Monica said bleakly.
'Not about you, never about you,' Emily assured her, 'And it's not that I'm angry or mad, as you put it, but I wish everything else had gone right with it.'
'I know, but you're here now, and everything is working out with you and Ross.' Emily's nod came readily enough.
'Yes.'
'And you're not worried about Rachel?' Monica asked, deciding to be bold since the wedding had already been mentioned.
'No,' Emily said, and again, Monica thought that was a candid enough answer. 'Maybe at first, but not now.' It was true that apart from the first meeting, Emily did not look at Rachel with suspicion. Monica had even been with Emily when they had come across Ross and Rachel alone at Central Perk, and she had noticed no tension. Monica took hold of her hand.
'Then, it's not so bad.'
'No, of course it isn't. But let's talk about you - unless you'd rather not.' But since Emily had already shown that she knew, Monica wasn't worried about talking to her. In fact she welcomed it, having not had anyone to confide in.
'I'm fine about it,' Monica said.
'So you and Chandler have been an item since the wedding? And no-one's supposed to know?'
'Yes, because Ross will go mad, really, so please don't say anything to him,' said Monica urgently. Emily looked guilty, and Monica said in dismay, 'You already have?'
'Not exactly. I suggested the idea, and he said it was ridiculous. I never said you were actually an item. I didn't know that.'
'Ridiculous? Did he say anything else?' Monica asked.
'Er…'
'Please Emily, I've got to know. I know we can't keep it a secret forever and if I know what his attitude is, then I can plan how to let him know.'
'Well, we weren't talking seriously,' Emily prevaricated. 'It would be different if we were.'
'Oh come on,' Monica pleaded.
'He was rather negative.'
'Rather negative?'
'He said 'No Way',' Emily admitted.
'Oh no.' There really was no hope for her.
'He'll get used to the idea. I don't know what the big deal is anyway. He should be happy that you're happy. And Chandler's his friend for goodness sake. I mean he's not an ex convict or a drug addict or a womaniser - is he?' Monica laughed nervously.
'Of course not.'
'Then just tell him, and let him deal with it.'
'That's fine,' Monica laughed nervously, 'I'm happy to do that, but I think I want to be in Yemen when he finds out.'
'How's he going to find out if you go to Yemen?'
'I'll send him a postcard.'
'Monica!'
'You don't know him very well yet, Emily,' Monica said.
'It can't continue like this though,' Emily said. 'It's absurd, having the pair of you running around to be intimate when no one suspects, like a pair of naughty schoolchildren. Goodness, sooner or later someone's going to try and set one of you up on a date, and then what will you do?'
'I don't know. Don't tell him,' Monica said.
'I won't tell him, but I think we should make a plan so that he is told.'
'How about you guys go to London for a holiday and I tell him at the airport?' Monica suggested with a smile.
'I won't rule it out,' Emily said, 'But I'm sure we'll be able to think of something better. What does Rachel think of all this?'
'Rachel doesn't know.'
'Oh,' Emily said, 'Why not?'
'I was just going to keep the whole thing totally secret. The only reason we're talking about it now is because you guessed.'
'Well, I would tell her if I were you. She might think it's funny that I know and she doesn't. And maybe she can help. ' That was a dimension Monica hadn't thought of.
'You're right. I mean, she won't mind, but…'
'It's better you tell her,' finished Emily. 'Tell her before you tell Ross. And her better knowledge of Ross might help.'
'Oh well,' Monica said, realising that this admission might have been difficult, 'Sometimes I wonder about that. But yes, I'll tell her. And maybe we three can figure something out.'