After reading Some Girls and by special request…In His Mind continues….i am dedicating this story to two actors who made me fall in love with this play…to David and Eric.
She stood before him with shining blue eyes and golden hair. A copy of the woman he loved. He remembered her this morning as a bright eyed toddler clutching a dinosaur and kissing her daddy. Time had progressed and his own little girl was standing before him as a young woman. Obviously a copy of her mother, which frightened him because that meant he would be the overly protective father. No man would be good enough for her. He also noticed that she didn't inherit Rachel's nose, this would make her happy.
"I have often wondered what you looked like when I was young. You were quite handsome." The young girl smiled. If he didn't know who this really was, Ross would have been flattered as this girl flirted with him. "I see what Mom saw in you."
"You don't know how odd this is? I mean , I am looking at my three year old daughter as a beautiful young woman. And I bet a beautiful, intelligent woman." Ross said still eyeing her unbelievingly. Emma nodded her head."Yes Daddy. I have a 4.0 and I attend Columbia , I am majoring in Psychology. There was no way I would go to NYU." She giggled. "Even with a free ride. I am studying psychology because I am fascinated with human behavior, especially relationships. My term paper was on my family."
So she was a brain. His hopes for his daughter had come to fruition. She also was fascinated with human emotion and studying it. She would some day be a famous psychologist or even an author. She could be another Freud or Dr Phil. Ross was alive with the possibilities of the future. Emma Geller was that future and she was the combination that everyone had predicted…beauty and brains.
"Then you would definitely understand what I am looking for." Ross smiled. "I have went to the different women in my past and tried to learn from my own mistakes. I have asked them why we didn't work out and they all seem to say the same thing." Emma knew what he was getting at. She nodded her head and smiled . "Mom." Was all she said.
"They said I have objectified her and put her on a pedestal so much that no woman has ever been able to compete with her. They tire of that and then decide that the battle is fruitless and then break up or cause us to break up." Ross stated.
"Dad, no woman is perfect. And they all have their flaws and their strengths. You better than any man should know that . I mean didn't you and Uncle Chandler and Uncle Joey make that dumb list?" Emma said. This shocked Ross. "You mean you know about the list?" he exclaimed. "Yes Daddy, I know . I know about you drinking the fat, I know about the Prom Video, giving up the Discovery Channel to take mom to the hospital, I even know where I came from." She said the last part softly. "I know you weren't married."
Ross turned to her with a shocked look in his eye. "And who was the one that told you? Let me guess? Hmm , probably your Uncle Chandler. When I get my hands on him.." he said threatingly Emma put her hands on her father's shoulder. "Daddy , it was Mom. Before I went away to school, I asked her to tell me some things. I have always wanted to know about you guys and Mom promised me when I was older , she and I would have a talk." Emma said looking at her father. Ross had the look of a man who saw a ghost. "Emma, sweetie, …" Then Emma put her finger to her father's lips to stop him from saying it.
"Daddy, it's alright. I know that when I was conceived, you weren't together. I spent the first year of my life at Uncle Joey's and I even know about Mom and Uncle Joey." Ross looked into her eyes. "You were the best thing that ever came from your Mom and me. You probably helped us to stop denying our feelings for each other. I came very close to losing her." He said softly.
"Yes Paris. I don't care about some stupid story about a video or a bottle of wine or even the fact that I was conceived on my aunt and uncle's wedding invitations. I wasn't a cheap one night stand , I was the product of two peoples love. A love that would not die. And that makes me feel good." Emma said. Ross for the first time embraced his little girl.
"You know what I want to do?" Emma said enthusiastically. Ross was puzzled. "And what is that?" he asked curiously. "I want to find a man like you. A man who is intelligent and cultured, who would love and worship me like you do Mom. He also should have a sense of humor and loyalty like Uncle Chandler and a good and childlike heart like Uncle Joey. If I could combine all three of you, then that would be the perfect man. I may sound like an optimist, but I really think that this man does exist. " Emma said with hope.
"You really want a man like your old man?" Ross said surprised. This was an ironic turn of events. Here he was trying to make himself into a better man for Rachel, yet the one woman who would love him no matter what he would do saw him as the perfect man.
"You were in love with her since you were kids. You wrote her songs and you were going to take her to the prom because you couldn't stand to see her cry. That has to be one of the most romantic things I have ever heard. " she cooed.
"But Emma, I hurt her. I was unfaithful to her. If Emily would have gotten her way. I would have never seen her again." Ross said with shame. Emma put her arms around him. "Professor Geller, do you want to know what your daughter can teach you ?" Emma stated. Suddenly Ross was interested again. "And what is that, Dr. Geller?" he smiled as he addressed his daughter with the name he had for most of his adult life.
"Forget the bad. Let it go. But keep the memories that you cherish the most. Remember you are starting a journey together. But the journey should be pleasurable, not painful. As you grow old and you sit in the living room, don't be afraid to laugh at Vegas or try to capture that same feeling you felt that night at the Planetarium. Just be together and love each other. " Emma talked with tears in her voice. She put her arms around her father and looked at him one last time. "I love you Daddy. I wish you luck on your journey." She said as she walked away.
Before he knew it, he wiped his eyes. Emma kept looking back as she continued to walk. Her eyes were filled with tears. It almost made him wonder if Emma would truly get to know her father or was she merely looking at a ghost. He would be there for her like his parents always were for him. That he decided. Then the familiar mist came again.
A Shaun Cassidy song was playing. He didn't know if it was Hey Deanie or Da Doo Run Run but it was the younger Cassidy. A Lincoln High pennant hung on the wall. It was definitely not his room or Monica's. The furnishings were elegant but done for a young girl. Large stuffed animals littered the bed along with a small pink pony with a braided tail. He still was unclear where he was until he heard a voice cheering…
Two bits , four bits , six bits a dollar all for Lincoln Stand up and holler! The girl entered the door wearing a red sweater with a large L on it and a short red and white skirt. She waved two pom poms and threw them on the bed. That hair and that nose, it could only be one person.She walked over to the picture of a football player and blew it a kiss. She then noticed that she was not alone in her bedroom.
"Who in the hell are you?" she yelled in a high pitched voice. Ross knew immediately who it was.