Chapter 20:
The cards we get
Three months later… Joey and Monica's apartment in Los Angeles.
Monica was cleaning the bedroom she shared with Joey. Her life was very good… she had a great apartment (nicer and bigger that the one she had in Manhattan), she had her wonderful twins and she had a man who really loved her. Besides, Michael (Gina's son) was 20 years old and lived with them and help them a lot with the twins (he actually moved with them because he wanted to run away from his mother, but he had used the excuse that Monica and Joey needed help with the babies) and, to make things even better, Monica's best friend, Rachel, was about to visit her for a few days. Life couldn't get any better…
Suddenly, Monica saw something very disturbing: a little box from a jewelry store. Monica opened it and saw what she feared the most: an engagement ring… Monica stood there… motionlessly… she couldn't believe it! Joey was going to propose? She wasn't ready for that… Monica looked at the ring… it was very cheap, with a rock shaped horribly… suddenly Monica felt nauseas and she ran to the bathroom and threw up.
Then she heard Gina entering in the apartment… she put the ring right when she found it and when downstairs to greet her.
Monica- hi Gina
Gina- hi… so… you have to go to pick Rachel to the airport now?
Monica- (smiling) yes… her plain will land in an hour…
Gina- ok… I will go with you to help with the suitcases…
Monica- thank you Gina, but you don't have to carry Rachel's suitcases… we will be fine.
Gina- who said anything about carrying the suitcases? I will just use my big boobs to get a man carrying them for us.
Monica- oh! Of course…
An hour and a half later… Rachel, Monica and Gina where in the back sit of a cab, Monica looked at Rachel amazed…Monica- oh my God! I missed you so much!
Rachel- I missed you too… we are all missing you crazy in New York…
Monica- and how are you and the baby?
Monica rubbed Rachel's five months pregnant bally.
Rachel- I'm fine… and this little baby inside me is perfectly healthy… but it does have a little flaw
Monica- witch one?
Rachel- it has a penis…
Rachel laughed at his own joke about the baby having a flaw… and Monica screamed happily…Monica- oh My God! You are having a boy! I'm so happy for you!… Obviously we have a lot of catching up to do… how long will you stay?
Rachel- a week… I can't leave Emma and Ross for too long…
Monica- just a week? I thought you were moving here indefinitely… since you brought everything you own with you
The three girls laughed and Rachel suddenly remembered something…Rachel- by the way Gina… thank you for helping me… the way you used your boobs to make that man help us was very impressive!
Gina- thank you! My girls were just doing what they do best…
Back in Joey and Monica's apartment… Monica served Rachel and Gina some drinks and Michael was feeding the twins…Rachel- you are so sweet Michael… some day you will be a wonderful father!
Gina- if he ever gets laid…
Michael- mum! There are babies here!… anyway… I will leave you girls alone and I will go to watch the stars…
Rachel- you have a hot date tonight?
Gina- yeah Michael… Tell us who is your date… Ms. right… or Ms. Left!
The girls laughed but Michael had a serious expression on his face…
Michael- very funny! And who are you dating, mom? Mr. Looser or Mr. Pervert?
Gina- ok… you win… I love you son… bye…
Michael- goodbye everybody…
Michel gave each baby a little kiss and said goodbye to them…
Michael- bye babies..
Little Joey- bye Ned…
Elizabeth- bye Ned…
Michael looked at Monica confused…
Michael- that's not the first time they say that… Mon, why do your kids think my name is Ned?
Monica- oh! Because they always hear Joey calling you nerd…
Michael- makes sense…
Saying that he left, leaving the girls and the twins alone. Monica cleaned all the mess that resulted from the babies being fed and Rachel relaxed on the couch.
Rachel- well… now we can have a girly talk… tell me Monica: How is your life here?
Monica dropped a plate she was washing. Rachel noticed that there was something wrong with her friend, but Monica simply cleaned the mess and greened…
Monica- well… I don't like the new restaurant in which I'm working, I miss Javu's… my boss here is so much worse than my boss in Javu's, but my relationship with Joey is fine… we are doing great together… he is excellent… he is being wonderful with me and the babies…
Rachel- really?
Monica- really… as a matter of fact, I think he wants to marry me…
Rachel looked at Monica amazed and Gina looked away very uncomfortable.
Rachel- wow… you think or you know for certain that he wants to marry you?
Monica- I know it… I found an engagement ring in his clothes.
Rachel- oh my God! How is the ring like?
Monica- that's another thing… the ring is not good…
Rachel- no?
Monica- no! Is horrible… very ugly an it looks very cheep…
Rachel- the important thing is the gesture…
Monica- yes… but how can I marry a guy who doesn't know what kind of ring I like?
Suddenly Gina said something very sadly…Gina- I chose the ring…
Monica- what!
Gina- I told Joey to buy that ring… he told me that he wanted to buy you an engagement ring for you but he wanted a female opinion because he was too afraid that he might choose the wrong ring… isn't that ironic?
Monica- yes… I given the fact that I'm in constant search for irony in my life… I'm so happy!
The sarcasm in her voice was unmistakable. Rachel looked at her very worried.
Rachel- are you going to say yes?
Monica- I don't know… I'm not ready to get marry again… I'm just starting my new life here… I have a lot of adjustment to do yet… I like things the way they are…
They had to stop talking because they heard Joey coming in to the apartment.
The following night…Monica, Joey, Rachel, Gina, Michael and Alex went with the twins to a very fancy restaurant. Monica thought that Joey was going to propose to her in that exact moment… after all, they were in L.A.'s best restaurant with most of the people they loved. But the night ended with no proposal, which surprised Monica very much. When she went to the bathroom with Rachel and Gina she asked her "future sister in law" about it…
Monica- Gina… Do you know when is Joey planning to propose?
Gina- I have not idea… I only helped with the ring… I'm out of this now…
Monica- I'm so nervous… he was so likely to propose tonight… I mean… we are in the most perfect place to propose… why didn't he?
Rachel- well… the night is not completely over yet…
Monica- but we already had three dishes and a cup of coffee… Joey already asked for the check!
Gina- what is the rush anyway? Are you going to say yes? because if you are going to say no and break his heart that can wait…
Monica- I don't know yet… I will know it when he asks me…
Rachel- Gina… Can I talk alone with Monica… please?
Gina- ok…
Gina left the bathroom and Rachel confronted Monica.
Rachel- Monica, What are you doing?
Monica- I'm redoing my make up… why?
Rachel- you know what I'm talking about! What are doing here, In L.A? We both know you don't love Joey…
Monica- yes… I love Joey very much…
Rachel- come on! You love Joey like I love Joey: as a friend… as the wonderful human been he is… but you don't love him in THAT way…
Monica- what do you know about what I feel?
Rachel- because I was in your same shoes not so long ago… Remember?
Monica- I'm not you…
Rachel- but you don't love Joey
Monica couldn't say anything… her eyes simply filled with tears… after a while she said very unconvincingly.
Monica- I love Joey… an I'm very happy with him…
Rachel- Are you honestly happy in L.A.? come on! You loved New York… you loved your life there…
Monica- but I don't have that life anymore Rachel! Don't you get it? that life is over because my marriage failed… I admit that I miss my old life… the other day I went to a coffee house here and I saw three boys and three girls in their twenties having coffee together and laughing… just like we used to… and I started crying…
Rachel- you can have your old life back… you know? Or at least a part of it…
Monica- enough Rachel! The truth is that is tempting to wish for the perfect husband, the perfect job or the perfect boss… but sometimes the best you can do is play wisely the cards you get and be happy with the wonderful things you have… and I do have great kids and a wonderful man… I should be happy with that… because is working with Joey… is really working…
Rachel decided to let it go… She was sure that Monica was making a mistake… but she had to see it on her own… The only thing Rachel could do is hoping that Monica would see the truth on time.
Five days later…The day before Rachel had to go back to New York Joey, Monica and Rachel went to the beach. Monica was driving her self-crazy… Joey still hadn't proposed and Monica couldn't help wondering why was it taking so long. In that exact moment, Rachel was swimming on the ocean while Monica was on the sand taking a sunbath with her eyes closed next to Joey.
Monica- Joey… honey… could you give me the sun blocker please?
With her eyes still closed Monica reached out her hand so Joey could give her the sun blocker, then she felt Joey putting an object in her hand… but it wasn't the sun blocker… Monica opened her eyes and saw a small jewelry box. Monica looked at Joey genuinely surprised… she was expecting a proposal, but she wasn't expecting it in that specific moment.
Monica- oh… Joey… is this…?
Joey- (smiling) just open it…
Monica opened the box and saw an engagement ring… but it wasn't the engagement ring she saw some days ago… it was a different ring… this one was a beautiful diamond ring that Monica actually loved. It was gorgeous.
Monica- Joey… this ring is beautiful…
Joey- I bought a different ring first, but I didn't really like that one… so I changed it for this one. I wanted you to have the best ring because I love you so much… I can't live without you, and I want to spent the rest of life trying to make you feel the same way… Monica… would you marry me?
"You make me happier than I ever thought I could be… and if you let me I will spend the rest of life trying to make you feel the same way… Monica would you marry me?" Chandler's proposal suddenly came to Monica's mind, but she quickly dismissed it. For everybody's sake she said:
Monica- yes! I will marry you, Joey!
They kissed passionately on the sand and then they went to the ocean and had a great time… When they came back to Joey and Monica's apartment, Monica and Rachel could talk alone while Joey took a shower…
Monica- Joey proposed on the beach! And I said yes…
Rachel- oh my God! Really?
Monica- really… and guess what? He bought a better ring… Is beautiful…
Monica showed Rachel the new and improved diamond ring and she casually said…
Rachel- that is beautiful… but I've already seen it…
Monica- what?Rachel- I told him to give you this ring instead of the other one…
Monica- but you are against me marrying Joey…
Rachel- but the poor guy needed help… and if you are going to ruin your life you are going to need at least a nice piece of jewelry to look at…
Monica simply rolled her eyes…
Two days later… in New York…Rachel was back in New York and she was at Central Perk's telling Phoebe and Ross the news.
Phoebe- I can't believe Joey and Monica are getting married… are they really in love?
Rachel didn't want to tell anyone her opinion about Monica and Joey… because maybe she was wrong. Then Chandler entered in the coffee house… looking pale, tired and with shadows under his blue eyes… eyes that didn't spark anymore…
Chandler- hi… oh… you are back Rachel… how are you?
Rachel- fine…
Chandler- and… how are…? How are things in L.A.?
Rachel- fine…
Chandler- wow…. That's informative… tell me… how is Monica?
They all looked at each other… they have to tell him…Phoebe- Monica and Joey are getting marry… they are engaged
Chandler- oh… well… That's…. that's fine…
It was obvious that Chandler was trying hard not to cry in public…Phoebe- I'm sorry honey…
Chandler- is ok… Pheebs… is ok… I want her to be happy… I do… and I ruined our marriage… I screwed up big time… I should have never left her when things got a little hard…
Ross- Chandler… nobody hated you as much as I did… but even I can see how much you still love my little sister… even I can see how miserable you are and how sorry you are for what you did… maybe you can try to get her back again…
Chandler- I can't do that to her… she is happy now… I can't ruin her happiness… I love her more than anything and I have to let her be happy… even if she is with Joey…
Phoebe- what about you? You don't even eat anymore… you barely sleep…
Chandler- You think I don't know that? I would do anything to get her back… I love her… and if you can honestly tell me that Monica still loves me and that she is NOT happy with Joey I will go across the country in the next plane… I will tell her how I feel and I will do anything that takes to bring her home again… But if she is happy in L.A. I don't want to ruin that for her.
Phoebe and Ross looked at Chandler not being able to say anything… they didn't have a clue about Monica's true feelings… but suddenly Rachel spoke… she just took Chandler's hand and looking into his eyes said…
Rachel- Go get YOUR girl back…
That was all what Chandler needed to hear…
To be continued…SO? what do you think now? Am I giving Mondler's fans hope? PLEASE read and review! and thank you so much to all who reviewed last chapter…
ONLY TWO CHAPTERS TO GO!