To my readers… this will be a real to life story in contrast to my other one…so without further adieu chapter one…
Emma Green Geller and her new roommate had spent the day going from the bookstore and the local Pier One and Pottery Barn . Shelly couldn't believe that her roommate's grandfather bought her such a nice car for a graduation present. A lot of things she couldn't believe. Her parents were so ordinary and actually rather plain. Emma's mother looked like a actress and her father quite distinguished. She knew when she came to Northwestern, there would be people different than her. As they drove through Evanston, the girls both spotted a coffee shop. Tired from their travels, they stopped.
Walking inside, Emma felt right at home. There was a large couch in the middle of the shop and a few overstuffed chairs. It reminded her of the old place that had been there forever. Shelly got them a seat and Emma went to the counter and ordered two lattes.
"Here you go, my treat. " smiled Emma as she sat down and gave Shelly her coffee. Taking a sip , she sat down on the couch. "Now , why don't you tell me a little about yourself. You know , so we can learn more about each other." Shelly took a bite of her muffin and then started.
"Well I have kind of led a boring life. Same old town , same old school, same old everything. Then I got into Northwestern and thought wow I am going to be in the big city of Chicago. I could be a journalist and then write for a magazine like Rolling Stone or a newspaper like the Times or the Tribune. I can't wait to go and experience the same kind of things that I have only seen on television. You know, like on Sex and the City or that show about the six people in the coffee shop. This place kind of reminds me of that place."
"It reminds me of the place where my parents used to go. There was this coffee shop that my aunt and uncle and my parents went . " Emma said.
"I saw that picture in the room. Can you tell me a little bit about your relatives? Mine as I said before are so boring. Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Shelly asked. Emma took out her cell phone. "That is my half brother , Ben. He is from my father's first marriage. That is my cousins Jack and Erica, they are my Aunt Monica and Uncle Chandler's kids. My Aunt Monica is my father's sister. Those are my Aunt Amy and Aunt Jill. They are my mother's sisters. They aren't too bright." Emma admitted. "What about them?" Shelly asked as she saw the pictures of her parents friends. "That is my Aunt Phoebe who takes personal responsibility for my parents being together. That is her husband , Mike and their child, Lily. " Shelly noticed someone who was very familiar to her. "That looks like the actor, Joey Tribbiani?" she said as she pointed to the phone. Emma nodded her head. "It is. My parents and him are very close friends. In fact, they said I lived with him for a year when I was a baby. And that is his wife my Aunt Alex." Shelly couldn't believe this. "Imagine you know Joey Tribbiani! Could you introduce me to him sometime? He is old but he is still hot looking." Emma had to laugh at the reaction to Uncle Joey. "Sometime I will tell you the story of when my mother dated him." She said giggling. Shelly had to hear this. "Your mom dated Joey Tribbiani? What about your dad?" She asked curiously.
Emma knew her roommate wanted to hear the story. "Well Shel, you have to understand that my parents weren't married when I was born. They didn't marry until I was about two years old. My mom said that when I came home from the hospital, I lived with my dad and so did my mom. Then my father started to get jealous and my mother started to get restless and they fought , and we ended up at Uncle Joey's . My mom had this dream about Uncle Joey and then they went to Barbados. "
"Barbados?" Shelly asked eager to hear more. "Well they went there for some paleontology conference where my father was the keynote speaker. And my Uncle Joey was dating another paleontology named Dr. Wheeler. Then Dr. Wheeler broke up with Uncle Joey and she ended up with my dad. When Joey found out, he started making out with my mom. Then they started to date because, Uncle Joey didn't feel right until he talked to my dad. Something about he always knew my mom belonged with him. Then my dad saw my mom and Uncle Joey making out."
"Did your dad handle it well?"
"Are you kidding? My dad ? He didn't handle it at all. He pretended for them and even invited them to dinner. But then he got drunk, and fell apart." Emma continued.
"What about your mom and Joey Tribbiani? What happened?" Shelly couldn't wait for more of this story.
"Uncle Joey was right. Him and Mom couldn't be more than friends. They broke up soon after that." Emma said sadly.
Now Shelly was curious. "How did your parents finally get together?" Emma had the sweetest smile on her face. "That roomie I will tell you another time. It is the most romantic story you will ever hear. Even better than any movie." Across the coffee shop, a guy with sandy colored hair and brown eyes smiled over at Emma. She smiled back and then he walked over.
"Hi I am Christian, or Chris for short." The guy introduced himself to the two girls. Shelly put out her hand. "Shelly." She introduced herself. Instead almost mesmerized, the boy walked over to Emma. "And you are ?" he asked .
"I'm Emma." She said shyly, knowing he really liked her. Chris smiled to her and then sat down. "Do you go to school here?" Emma nodded her head and then told him she was a psychology major. "Well you are not going to believe this, but I am a drama major." Chris said proudly. "Chicago has a lot of great theatre and Northwestern is supposed to one of the finest drama schools in the country." Emma thought this was so cool. A guy who was following his heart. And an actor just like Uncle Joey.
Shelly was hoping that she would find a guy too. It only figured as beautiful and smart as her roommate was, she would find a guy first.But this city life was new to this country girl. She had to get her bearings first. The Elle was a mystery to her and so was all the streets downtown. But her and Emma would adjust to this new city.
Later the phone rang. "Hello, Emma and Shelly's room." She said brightly.
"Is Emma there?" the male voice asked. Shelly recognized it immediately. "No Dr. Geller, she is out with Chris." Shelly hoped she wasn't saying too much.
"Oh Chris? Well tell her that I am coming next week . I am giving a presentation at the Field Museum." Ross said. "I will be talking to her. And I can't wait to meet my little girl's roomie." He said with enthusiasm.
"I can't wait to meet you, I have heard so much about you from Emma." Shelly said with a giggle. "I'll tell her you called. Good bye , Dr. Geller." Shelly had to meet her roommate's infamous father.
Next Shelly meets Ross and Chris meets his girlfriend's Dad…
Little note as all friends fans know…Northwestern is the alma mater of David Schwimmer….here in Chicago…actually Evanston…so that was in tribute to my favorite actor and sort of my inspiration for coming here…The Field Museum is the museum in Chicago that specializes in dinosaurs. It has a huge T- rex named Sue…and I thought it would be a place that Ross would definitely speak at.