Chapter 2:
A great first impression
Three years later…Monica was in the very fancy Italian restaurant in which she worked as the head chef. Suddenly, Julia Brown (the owner of the restaurant) walked into the restaurant's kitchen very excitedly.
Julia- Guess what Monica? He will have that dinner party here!
Monica was very busy cooking and wasn't in her best mood… plus she had not idea who was Julia talking about.
Monica- a lot of people have dinner parties here… who are talking about?
Julia- the president!
Monica dropped the spoon inside the stew in witch she was making the sauce.
Monica- shit!
Julia looked at her in shock…
Julia- what's wrong with you? I've just gave you a great news…Monica- I know! The president having a dinner party here is great! I'm just surprised because I've always thought that those events took place in the white house…
Julia- well… president Bing was looking to do something a bit different to celebrate that he did so great at the last polls… the president and his stuff will have the celebration dinner here… this is so great! We will get a lot of publicity…
Monica- yes…
He seemed a little bit disappointed about the whole thing…Julia- what happened? Why aren't you exited about this?
Monica- the thing is… well… the only reason president Bing is coming here is because my brother works for him…
Julia- what? your brother works for the hottest president in America's history?
Monica rolled her eyes… she had to admit that Chandler Bing was very hansom and had very beautiful blue eyes but, to Monica, that wasn't so important… he was the nation's leader, not her date. Chandler being hot didn't change her opinion that Richard would be a better president.Monica- Ross are actually president Bing's best friend…
Julia- oh my God!
Monica- yes… when the other day you told me that you got a call from the White House telling you that the president wanted to celebrate here…. Well… I was surprised… so I called my brother and he told me that he was the one who recommended this place to the president…
Julia- so what?
Monica- that now I owe my brother a favor! And now my mother will be saying for years "Rossie make the president go to Monica's restaurant… he is so great helping his little sister… he is wonderful doing her a favor and helping her with her career".
Julia- I'm sorry… I have to say it again… so what? your brother advised the president to come here… but this is still a great opportunity to this restaurant and by extension to you… who cares about how did you get it?
Monica- I wanted to make it by my own… I barely talk to my brother… I didn't want he to do me a favor I didn't ask…
Julia was about to reply but her cell phone rang so Monica continued cooking until Julia finished her phone call.
Julia- well Monica… this is your lucky day…
Monica- why?
Julia- the president's personal secretary just call me… president Bing wants us to go to the White House tomorrow with samples of our food so he can taste it before he makes any final decision.
Monica was now overjoyed…Monica- that is so great! Now the president will taste the food before coming… and if he chooses us it will be because he likes the food and not because of my brother! oh my God! I have to cook for the president of the United States!
Suddenly she started to frenetically look in a recipe's book something appropriate to cook for the president.
The next day…Chandler was in the oval office… after a boring morning of paper reading and meetings he was watching one of senator Richard Burke's speech. Richard Burke was running for president against Chandler in the next election… Personally, Chandler Bing couldn't care less about what Richard had to say… but his advisors thought it was important that Chandler knew everything Richard said… as a result, Chandler was watching the speech on TV.
On the television, Richard was in the middle of the speech he was giving in some union.
Richard (on TV)- since we are talking about security… there is one thing I must point out: president Bing never served in the army… never… while I served two years which is not much, I know, but at least I have military experience… president Bing is commandeer in chief of the USA army without having any military experience… how can that make you feel safe? We can't be safe! And in times like the ones we are living we need a president with guts… I know that president Bing is well educated… but they don't teach anything about a real war in Harvard…
Chandler angrily yelled at the TV…Chandler- I went to Yale! You idiot!
Phoebe Boffey knocked the door and entered in the office…Phoebe- excuse me… Mr. president… your 2 o clock meeting was changed for 2:15… and the owner of the restaurant in which you were planning to have the celebration dinner is here with the head chef… they are with Mr. Gueller and Mr. Trivianni…
Chandler- right! Joey told me that he and Ross would meet with the people from the restaurant and that I should stay here… he said that I should hear senator Burke's speech and write a speech with a witty response…
Phoebe- may I tell you my opinion, sir?
Chandler- of course…
Phoebe- I think Mr. Trivianni said that to you because he wanted to eat all the food that the girls from the restaurant brought and not share any of it with you…
Chandler- yeah… I think so too…
Phoebe- however… I do think that is important that you are aware of the things senator Burke is saying and you must give him good response… you must defend your self!
Chandler- thanks for your opinion… but as I said in several occasions… I will not dignify all the shit that Senator Burke is saying with an answer…
Phoebe- as you wishes sir… if you want you might still go two the meeting with the restaurant girls.
Chandler- yeah… I will go and see how that is going… but wait! My favorite part is coming up…
Chandler pointed at the TV and on it Richard Burke was about to finish his speech with his usual "closure phrase"… Richard looked seriously to the camera he said:
Richard- thank you… I'm Richard Burke and I'm running for president Chandler shook his head and said to Phoebe…Chandler- thank God he clear that up… the people who were listening to him thought they were in a "Tupperware meeting"…
At that exact moment… in a room very close to the oval office:
Monica was very mad and she couldn't believe that her brother was doing that to her.
Monica- what do you mean that the president is not coming to the meeting?
Ross- he is busy Mon… Joey Trivianni and I will taste the food…
Monica- but that doesn't count! Mom will think that you were the one who made the president eat in my restaurant instead of my delicious food!
Julia- please Monica… let it go…
Monica- I will not let it go! I was told that the president would be here and I only came because of that… please… don't tell me I came for nothing…
Ross- Monica… try to understand… on contrary of what you think the president actually works… and he is very busy… he was going to come… but he couldn't…
Monica- oh! And because I'm not the president my time is not valuable… I can't believe it! the president's personal secretary said that I would have a meeting with the president him self… instead I have a meeting with you… so technically the president lied to me and made me waste my precious time… he disrespected me by not showing up…
Monica knew that she was exaggerating… but she was pretty disappointed because now she would depend on Ross… if the president chose her restaurant it would be because of her brother and not because she was good… Suddenly a very familiar voice was heard…
Chandler- well… lest all kick that bastard's ass…
Monica startled… noticing for the first time Chandler's presence in the room. She couldn't believe it! Did the president just her calling him a rude liar?
Monica- oh… I'm so sorry Mr. president… I did not see you… I'm very sorry…The president didn't seem very up set… But he ignored Monica and simply greeted Julia
Chandler- hello… Ms. Brown I presume?
Julia- yes… hello Mr. president… is an honor to meet you…
Monica- and I'm Monica Geller… the head chef of "Julia's" and I'm so sorry… is really a big honor meeting you, sir…
Chandler- Ms. Geller… Can we talk in private, please?
Monica- sure Mr. President…
A few minutes later they were alone in the oval office and Monica started her apology…Monica- Mr. president I am deeply sorry for what I said… please… forgive me…. You have to understand that I was arguing with my brother Ross who thinks he is so much better than me… what I said wasn't really about you, sir… I was just sticking up for my self in front of my arrogant big brother… he really annoys me sir… and I'm sorry…
Chandler wasn't really surprised by Monica's nervousness…. A lot of people felt like since he was the president they had to act extreme polite and never speak their minds in front of him...
Chandler- I'm sorry… did I give you the impression that I'm mad at you?
Monica- aren't you mad at me?
Chandler- not really… people say things so much worse than that about me every day…
Monica- yes… but not inside the White House, sir…
Chandler- you are right about that… usually they wait until they are out of here… or they just insult me on national TV…
Monica- I'm still sorry for saying those things…
Chandler- and you are not sorry for hiding your true identity?
Monica- I beg your pardon?
Chandler- I now who you really are… "Mrs. Burke"…
Monica froze and her face went red… the president knew about her relationship with Richard.
Monica- I'm not Mrs. Burke anymore… sir
Chandler- but you ARE Senator Burke's ex wife…
Monica could easily tell that the president was really upset about that… and she could understand the reason: Richard was Chandler's main enemy…
Phoebe entered in the office and served some coffee. After that, Monica took the opportunity to explain her self.
Monica- yes sir… I was marry to Richard… I mean… to Senator Burke… but that has nothing to do with the restaurant, sir… and that was the matter that brought me here today…
Chandler- I know that… I was just surprised because when your brother suggested that me and my staff could have our celebration dinner in the restaurant in which you work… well… he never mentioned you being my enemy's ex wife… he just said that his sister was a great chef…
Monica was touched by that…
Monica- Did he really said I was great?
Chandler- several times… and I believe him… I just asked to taste your food first because I figured that you didn't want any special treatment just because of your brother…
Monica smiled and him and looked directly into his eyes for the first time…Monica- you are right sir… I don't want to be judged because of my brother… or because of my ex husband… I was only married to him for two months and that was one year ago…
Chandler- oh… I know that… I also know that you are still a good friend of Senator Burke and that he is like a brother to your parents…
Monica- you seem to know a lot of things about me, sir…
Chandler- you know what they say… "You should know your friends very well… but you should know your enemies even better"
Monica- I'm not your enemy…
Chandler- but your ex husband is…
Monica- touché...
Chandler- anyway… I don't think that is going to be a problem for the matter that brought you here… I think I will have the dinner celebration at your restaurant… of course I will decide that after tasting your food…
Monica- (smiling) of course… thank you so much Mr. president… with your permission, I'm going to leave now… Have a nice day…
To Monica it was clear that the meeting was over, so she walked towards one of the oval office's doors and she was about to open it. But Chandler suddenly said:
Chandler- you can't do that Monica!
Monica couldn't believe it… he was saying that she couldn't leave? But why? And why was he saying that with such confidence? Very amazed, Monica said:
Monica- with all due respect, sir… Who is going to stop me?
Chandler- if you open that door you will be stopped by 4 security agents… because that's the door that goes to my private office…
Monica's face went red again and she hit her own head with her hand …Monica- sorry sir…
Saying that, Monica left the oval office using another door (the right one)… she couldn't believe how the whole thing went: she called the president liar and rude… and she was his enemy's ex wife… and, for the big ending, she almost leaves using the wrong door… What a way of making a first impression! She was sure that the president was now asking for a restriction order against her. But actually he asked for something completely different when Phoebe entered into the oval office…
Chandler- Phoebe… we will definitely have the dinner celebration at "Julia's"
Phoebe- ok Mr. president… I will organize everything immediately
Chandler- and Could you please get me Ms. Geller's phone number?
Phoebe- you mean the number from the restaurant, sir?
Chandler- no… I want the phone number from her house…
To be continued…Here is the second chapter… the people who saw the movie surely recognized some parts of it in this chapter… I want to make this story a bit different to the movie but there are some parts of the movie that I LOVED so I just have to include…
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS! I feel very happy because I didn't expect so many reviews for the first chapter… I hope I'll get more this time!
By the way… is funny I posted this chapter today because there were elections in my country… we didn't vote president this time but we had to vote for new members of the congress and the town's council.
LEONDRA: if you didn't watch "American president" and you don't watch it until I finish this story you will surely find this fic more surprising… however I would hate it if you missed a great movie just because of my story. LOL
JENNIFER: as you see, I did what you told me and wrote Geller instead of Gueller… but I've seen Monica and Ross's last name written in very different ways (Geller, Gueller and Gellar) that is why I got confused about witch is the right way for spelling "Geller".
CARINA: (SpaceMonkey69) I'm glad you also saw Michel's character a little bit similar to Chandler… I saw I was the only one and that I was crazy!