Chapter Six:
The dating game mixing with political games
The following morning… on the Oval office…Chandler was preparing him self for a meeting with the governor of New York… and of course Phoebe was there…
Phoebe- sir… do you need me to get you anything before they pick you up for your meeting?
Chandler- I don't think so… tell me Phoebe… Did Ms. Geller call?
Phoebe- no sir… sorry…
Chandler looked a little bit disappointed… but he tried to act normal…
Chandler- all right… then I just need my coffee and the newspaper…
Phoebe- ok
Phoebe left the oval office while Joey entered. Joey and Phoebe made eye contact and smiled at each other…. But then Phoebe leaves to get what Chandler had requested and Joey focused in the president and the business that brought him there…
Joey- good morning Mr. president… Chandler- good morning, Joey Joey- I need to have a word with you before you leave… Chandler- oh… is there a problem? Joey- no sir… but I wanted you to know that the press is going to ask today about whether the White House is prepared to soften the assault weapons section of the crime bill.Chandler- that's ok… there is no need to entertain that at this point…
Joey- you are right… and I also wanted to ask you how are we going to handle the Monica issue
Chandler- the Monica issue?
Chandler was getting more than a little annoyed… were they calling his date "an issue"?
Joey- yes… I think we should have a consensus on how the White House is going to handle it.
Chandler- I hope "the Monica issue" refers either to a hurricane called Monica or a problem we are having in Santa Monica… because if it's anything else…
Phoebe entered in the oval office with some coffee for Chandler, the newspaper and a huge smile.Phoebe- Mr. president, Ms. Geller is here to see you…
Chandler felt overjoyed… and Phoebe knew exactly what he was about to say… Chandler- Tell her she can come right in! I'm finished here…Phoebe- yes, sir…
Then Chandler talked to Joey very seriously…Chandler- there is NO "Monica issue"… did I explain my self clearly?
Joey- yes, sir…
At that moment Monica entered in the Oval Office and Joey left to leave her and Chandler alone…Monica- hi… thanks for seeing me without notice…
Chandler- (smiling) no problem… did you get the roses?
Monica- yes… thank you very much… they are lovely…
Chandler- I'm glad you stopped by… I had such a good time the other night…
Monica- so did I… I really had a good time… it's just that…
Phoebe entered in the office and she is forced to interrupt…Phoebe- you only have one-minute sir…
Then Phoebe went to the desk, picked up some papers, putted them in a briefcase and gathered up some of Chandler's things... while he explained to Monica what was going on:
Chandler- I have a very important meeting…
Monica- that's fine… I just stopped by to…
She had actually gone there to tell him that everything was too weird and she couldn't continue seeing him… but before she could say a word he interrupted her…
Chandler- are you free for dinner tonight?
Monica- dinner? Yes… but I don't think…
He interrupted her one more time…
Chandler- just a casual dinner in the residence… without the United Nations… but my daughter will be there with us so it my fell like the United Nations…
Monica- I would love to meet Elizabeth… but… I have many concerns…
Chandler- oh… what kind of concerns?
Chandler asked that knowing exactly what was worrying Monica.
Monica- well… they are many… well not many… just a few… actually I have just one main concern.
Chandler- I see… and I guess it has something to do with one of us being the president…
Monica- as much as you like making jokes about me getting worry I have good reasons to worry: you ARE the president…
Chandler spoke very seriously looking into Monica's eyes.
Chandler- I'm very aware of my job Monica… and I'm not mocking you… honestly… I might be the president bur right now I'm just a guy asking a girl over for a meal…
Out of the blue, a very loud noise (that sounded like jackhammer against cement) comes from somewhere outside and that sound kept growing louder and closer.
Monica- What's that?
Chandler- apparently my ride's here.
And now Monica could see what was the noise: coming into view outside the windows of the Oval Office, there was the President's helicopter. Phoebe helped Chandler on with his coat and scarf.
Chandler- Just have dinner with Elizabeth and me… today is our pizza night… how presidential can it be?
As Chandler rushes out the window to get in the helicopter he said...
Chandler- dinner is at Seven-thirty.
That night… at 7:30…Monica was escorted to the residential area of the White House… and she was told to wait there for the president, but then Elizabeth entered to the room.
Elizabeth- hello… are you Ms. Geller?
Monica- (smiling) I'm Monica…
Elizabeth- I'm Elizabeth Bing… people call me Liz
Monica- well… hello Liz… nice to meet you…
Elizabeth- my dad told me to tell you that he's on the phone with his dentist… he also told me to be a good girl and entertain you till he gets here.
It was obvious to Monica that the girl wasn't telling the whole truth…
Monica- is he really on the phone with his dentist?
Elizabeth- no… he told me tell you that because he wants you to think that he's a regular guy.
Monica- Who is he really on the phone with?
Elizabeth- the Prime Minister of Israel…
Monica- oh… I bet they are not talking about your father's teeth..
Elizabeth- no… they are talking about something called C-STAD
Monica- oh... yes... the Capricorn Surface To Air Defense.
Elizabeth- right!
Chandler entered and he smiled widely when he looked at Monica…Chandler- hello…
Monica- hi… how are you? Is everything all right with your teeth?
Monica winked at Elizabeth without Chandler noticing and he simply continued pretending that he was just a common guy.
Chandler- oh… yes… my teeth are fine, I've just got a cavity in my upper bicuspid region.
Monica- that's not so bad…
Suddenly Chandler felt very uncomfortable about not telling the truth…
Chandler- well… let pizza night begin…
A couple of hours later….
Monica and Chandler are playing pool in the game-room. They had just had a lovely dinner with Elizabeth and after the girl went to sleep they decided to play some pool. Monica was, of course, wining… and after she won another game she yelled:
Monica- yes! I won! In your face! You suck at pool…
Suddenly she remembered who was she talking to and she felt very embarrassed…Monica- I'm sorry Mr. president… I got a little carried away…
But Chandler wasn't mad at all… he was actually very impressed in the good way.
Chandler- hey! How many times do I have to say this? My name is Chandler… and don't apologize for being good at playing pool…
Monica- I was actually apologizing for my "In your face" and "You suck" comments…
Chandler- tell me something, Mon… the way you behave while playing pool…
Monica- you mean like a totally competitive bitch…
Chandler- yes… is that your normal behavior while playing a game?
Monica- yes…
Chandler- then you shouldn't act differently around me… I really like it when you act like your real self around me… what I hate is people letting me win…
Monica- people let you win a lot?
To Monica the idea of someone loosing a game on purpose was unconceivable.
Chandler- most people do… but your brother doesn't… he just looses because he truly sucks at playing pool.
Monica- I don't doubt that!
They are very close to kissing… but suddenly Monica feels very nervous and step away from him.
Monica- you know something? It's weird but I never came on a tour around the White House... they say it's great…
Chandler felt a little disappointed because he didn't get to kiss Monica, but he decided to give her more time.
Chandler- I guess I can show you around…
A few minutes later…They go to the "museum" area of the White House…. that is the area that a person can normally see while taking the official tour. Then, they enter in a beautiful room with glass display cases featuring full place settings of the official White House china and silverware from every administration since President Jackson.
Chandler- and this is the Dish Room…Monica was delighted watching at the beautiful and very sophisticated plates exposed in that room.
Monica- this is actually the China Room… Ross told me about this…
Chandler- is this called the China Room? I always called it the Dish Room… well… I am more familiar with the West Wing… but if you are curious about the mansion there must be one book about it that you can get…
Monica looked at him amazed…Monica- there are 700 books about this mansion! I actually have two… I will lend you one of those.
Chandler got closer and closer to her… but suddenly Monica stepped away pretending to be extremely interested in one of the plates...
Monica- Look at this Mr. President! It's really beautiful…
Chandler- just tell me something… Do you think there will ever be a time when you can stand in a room with me and not think of me as the President?
Monica- but you are the President… and when I'm in a room with you, oval or any other shape, I'm always gonna be Richard Burke's ex wife and you'll always be the President.
Chandler- I have news for you, Mon: AS Richard Burke's ex wife you would NEVER be alone in a room with the president…
Monica understood exactly what he meant with that statement. He moved closer to her and he putted his arms around her… Monica felt butterflies in her stomach…
Monica- is this a good idea?
Chandler- probably not…
Chandler kissed her on the lips and they share an amazing first kiss. But suddenly a Secret Service Agent entered and Monica and Chandler broke the kiss…
Agent- Mr. President… I'm sorry to interrupt but we have a secure call from the sit-room.
Chandler knew exactly what that meant and he addressed to Monica with an apologetic look.
Chandler- Excuse me.
He moved out the door and into the corridor. Monica realized something was wrong and instinctively moved to follow him and be with him, but the agent hadn't moved from the doorway.
Agent-Sorry, ma'am.
Then Chandler came back in
Chandler- Listen--
Monica- Is anything wrong?
Chandler- I'm sorry, we must end our evening right now. The Libyans have just bombed C-STAD. I'll try to call you tomorrow (to the agent) Can you show Ms. Geller out?
Chandler left. Then the Secret Service Agent escorted Monica out.
That same night... At Richard's apartment.
Richard is smoking cigars and drinking brandy with his son Tim and two of his closets friends who are called John and Robert. John and Robert happen to be Richard's political advisors and, of course, old members of the Republican Party.
Richard- You're over-thinking this Robert… Voters aren't interested in how to achieve economic growth, and they don't want to hear our plans to strengthen foreign policy.
Robert- So it all comes down to character.
John- But the press really like Bing! The networks, the newspapers, they love that guy…
Richard interrupted a bit upset.
Richard- Reporters like him. Networks and newspapers like ratings and circulation.
Tim- But Dad… the character debate never worked out for us.
Richard- Because it couldn't work. We didn't even need a poll… it was clear that attacking too strongly the character of a single father that lost his fiancé tragically was a terrible idea… that's why so far we couldn't run the campaign we wanted… because the opponent was practically a widower. Tim- He's still a single father…. And he is still alone….
Richard laughed and talked to John and Robert.
Richard- You'll have to forgive my son. He's been on a hunting trip and cut off from the world.
Tim- What's going on?
Richard grabbed whatever newspaper was closest to their hand and tossed them to Tim.
Richard- The President's got a girlfriend.
Tim looked who the girlfriend was and he imagined that his father must be furious about it.
Tim- what are you going to do?
Richard- I need the phone number of that friend of yours who is a private detective… I need to find anything I can about Bing…
Robert- we already know everything there is to know about him Richard… there is nothing bad…
Richard- come on! He is not the pope! I'm sure he has some dirty secret… I bet he is hiding some skeleton in his closet…
To be continued…Frankly, I don't understand why is this story not getting as much reviews as I expected…. I'm really liking it… I would be extremely disappointed if you wanted me to delete this…
Anyway… Thank you to Swiglo3000 who did review! and I'm glad that you seem to be enjoying this story…..
Para RAVE: yo nací en Mar del Plata.