Beautiful Release
by Tina
Thursday night, Rachel zapped through the channels, barely paying attention to the screen before her. She couldn't settle down. If she did, thoughts of the other night might just drive her to insanity. And she felt close to the edge as it was.
She settled on a random channel once Barry entered the bedroom, loosening his tie and setting his briefcase on the desk by the door. For the past three days, his presence scared her a little. As if he knew.
"I ran into Paul and Jess, they invited us for drinks at their place in one hour."
Rachel looked back at the TV and kept on switching the channels.
"I don't feel like it. Not tonight."
"Oh, you do. 'Cause I've got something that will change your mind." He opened his briefcase and pulled out a piece paper. "It's a new prescription to that crap you like to take." She looked at him. "If you come, of course."
Rachel swallowed hard and exited to her closet. Barry watched her leave and smiled, setting the paper on her side of the bed.
---
Rachel and Barry silently took the elevator down to the 13th floor, home to Paul and Jessica Milange. He was a successful young lawyer, had just made partnership in the office he'd joined since even before graduation - of course, all due great connections - while she was a picture perfect housewife, pearls and all.
Rachel tugged to her shoulder bag and sighed, switching her body weight from one leg to the other. Barry looked at her.
"What's with you these past few days?"
"Nothing!" She replied almost before he could finish his question.
"Geez, that was convincing."
"I've just been tired, that's all."
"Oh yeah, I know how stressful your routine can be, sorry about that." he sarcastically replied, stepping out of the elevator.
Rachel shot his back a dirty look, following his steps. He rang the bell and, a few seconds later, a couple that could've easily had come out of a country side real state add opened the door.
"Hi, welcome!"
"Oh, Rachel, darling, astonishing as always!"
"Thank you, Jess. You look great yourself."
They said their hellos, how are yous and walked into the apartment. Rachel was surprised to see, side by side, Paul and Jess' three children looking at the guests.
"Junior, Bethany and Kim, what do you say?"
"Good evening, Dr. And Mrs. Farber."
Barry smiled at Rachel, but she just kept on staring at the children. Their unhappy looks was very much visible to her and it reminded her of the long exhaustive parties her own parents used to throw, where she and her sisters had played that part one too many times. No, it couldn't fool her.
"Good evening, kids" Barry replied.
Rachel forced a smile and looked at the hosts.
"How sweet."
The couple smiled back.
"Now come on, let's get to those drinks."
They entered the room they had well designed to be a lounge bar sort of place. There was a huge piano on one corner, loads of designer furniture and a glass wall with an expectacular view. All very mundane to Rachel by now.
"So, tell me, Rachel, how are things?" Jess asked taking a seat on a white couch, followed by Rachel. The husbands were by the bar, making the drinks.
"Fantastic. You?"
"Terrific!"
Rachel again forced a smile and wondered if things wouldn't be easier if both just admitted they were miserable. They could confide in each other and together find a way out of this hell. Oh, when had she become such a cynic? Just because she was miserable it didn't mean every married person had to be too. It didn't mean he had to be too.
She forced thoughts of him away. The last thing she needed was that in her mind.
"Oh, I don't know how many times I've said it before, but you've got a lovely home, Jess" Rachel started with the small talk.
"Aw, thank you, Rachel." Jessica looked around. "Did it myself and it's always nice when someone acknowledges it." She looked at Rachel and smiled. "God knows men don't pay attention unless it's all falling apart, isn't that right?"
Rachel politely laughed.
"That's right."
"Anyway, it comes as an even greater compliment coming from a person with such great taste as yourself, Rachel."
"Well, I'll tell you one thing, I didn't decorate our apartment myself."
Rachel again forced a pleasant laughter, being joined by Jess.
"Here you go." Paul and Barry joined them. Barry handed Rachel a glass of wine.
"It's Chilean." he informed her. "They got it in their trip there a couple of weeks ago."
"Oh, really? How did you like it there?"
"Absolutely gorgeous! We stayed in this-"
Jessica's speech was interrupted by Rachel's cell ring.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. Excuse me."
Rachel got up and opened her tiny bag in search for her cell phone with trembling hands. It could be him. When she finally found the tiny device, she saw Monica's name on the screen and realized there was a thin line between relief and disappointment. She opened it and approached the window, staring at the view as she spoke.
"Hello?"
"Rachel? Hi, it's Monica. Monica Geller."
"Hey, Mon. How are you?"
"I'm OK. Is there a problem, are you OK? I've been calling you for the past few days and you haven't called back, I wondered if maybe something happened?"
"No, no, I'm sorry. I've just been... busy."
"Oh. Is this not a good time?"
"No, don't worry." She turned quickly to glance at Barry, Jess and Paul. "Now's fine."
"OK, I was wondering if you wanted to do something tomorrow. We could get together on the afternoon and then later I could treat you some dinner at the restaurant, what do you think?"
Rachel looked down.
"I don't know, Mon."
"Why, what's the problem?"
'You're his sister' Rachel thought to herself.
"Hm..."
"Rachel, what's going on?"
"Nothing. How's three o'clock to you? I'll pick you up and then we can go to that spa I told you about." Rachel rubbed her shoulder. "I could use a massage."
"OK then, I'll be waiting!"
The excitement in Monica's voice made Rachel smile weakly. Yet, truthfully.
"See you, honey"
---
Monica moaned loudly and Rachel laughed.
"Do you always make sex noises when you get massaged?"
Monica blushed.
"I'm sorry, I've just been so tired."
The hand on her back pressed harder and Rachel closed her eyes.
"Hm, that's OK."
"Everything's been so crazy at the restaurant. After we got this great review in this magazine we've been full every night for the past three weeks."
Rachel opened her eyes and watched her friend speak so fondly of her work.
"Wow, look at you. Big famous Chef Monica, with a crowded restaurant and everything."
Again, Monica blushed.
"I know, bet you always thought I'd eat my way out of it, huh?"
Rachel laughed.
"Something like that."
They smiled at each other.
-
Rachel zipped up her boots and stood up.
"You ready?"
"Yeah"
They exited the dressing rooms and walked towards the front desk.
"Ah, this always puts me up in a better mood." Rachel commented, brushing her hand through her freshly blow dried hair.
"So this is a constant habit, huh?"
Rachel looked at Monica and felt a pang of hurt. Sure, after all she was just the pet wife, right? Didn't have a job, could spend her husband's money doing whatever she wanted. Had it all easy and free. Right...!
"Not too much, I don't like doing it alone."
They reached the desk and each handed their service and credit cards. Monica glanced at her watch.
"Oh, since it's kinda early and I don't have to be at work for another hour and a half, what do you say about stopping at the coffee house for a second? My fiancée will probably be there, you could meet him."
Rachel froze. There was a great chance Ross would be there too.
"Hm. I-"
"What?"
Rachel looked at Monica. Blank. She couldn't think of any excuse to get out of it. What was she to say, that she had suddenly developed a deathly allergy to coffee?
"Hm, OK, sure."
Monica smiled.
"Here you go" the nice lady from the counter gave them the receipts, which they signed. "Have a good day"
"Thank you, you too" Rachel and Monica said in union.
They stepped out of the building and Rachel gave her valet parking card to the man on the black suit.
"I'll be right back, Ma'am"
Rachel slipped her Chanel bag up her shoulder and turned to Monica, only to find her friend staring at her.
"What?"
Monica smiled.
"Nothing, I'm just... happy for you."
"Huh?"
"You just seem to have gotten everything you've always wanted, right?"
Rachel couldn't speak. So she just nodded, with the faintest of all the smiles she had even worn.
---
Her heart beated fast as they walked towards the coffee shop. Sure enough, she spotted his dark hair as soon as they reached the glass walls. She fought to keep her legs moving towards the door. Monica opened it naturally, entering quickly, and practically skipped her way to the orange couch. Rachel dragged herself behind, fighting to keep her hands off her face, not to hide from the man who'd seen more of her than she'd expected just a few days before.
"Hey guys!"
"Hey! Hello!"
Rachel realized the company of three unknown people. Monica kissed one of the guys. Well, that had to be her fiancé. There was another guy and a blond haired girl who watched Rachel.
"Guys, this is Rachel, we went to high school together. Rachel, this is Joey, Phoebe, my fiancé Chandler and you saw Ross the other day."
Ross finally turned around and noticed her. They looked at each other and were both silent for a while, serious. Rachel broke the contact and looked at the other three.
"H-hi, nice meeting you." yet she couldn't bring herself to smile.
"You smell nice" Chandler commented to Monica as she sat by him.
"Rachel and I went to a spa, we got massages and all that."
"Sure, 'cause where else would you get a massage, huh?" Phoebe shot her a look.
"Come on, Phoebe, she wanted to take me to this place." Monica turned to Rachel. "Oh, honey, sit down." Rachel slowly took the arm chair. "Phoebe here is a masseuse herself."
"Oh, really? That's nice." Rachel couldn't shake off the nervousness off her voice. She kept looking at him from the corner of her eyes. She couldn't help it. He looked so good. She moved slightly on the chair, uncomfortable with the quiet and unnoticed tension that was rising up between them.
"So, what are the plans for the night?" Chandler asked Monica.
"Well, I gotta get to work soon and Rachel's gonna come and I'm gonna treat her some dinner."
"Oh, free dinner? Count me in!"
"Actually, Phoebs, this is-" Monica tried arguing, but was cut by Joey.
"Hm, should I order the steak or that duck I had the other time we were there?"
Monica looked at Rachel, exasperated.
"Well, I guess now you have company."
"Chandler, you coming?" Joey asked.
"Nah, can't, got a few reports to finish."
"Ross?"
Rachel stopped breathing and turned to look at him too. Even though everybody's eyes were on him, he only felt hers.
"Hm, I don't know."
"What's wrong, has the Mrs. been running a tight ship lately?"
Everyone but Ross and Rachel laughed.
"Ha-ha, very funny." he sarcastically commented. He caught Rachel's eyes again, but she quickly looked away. He watched just how uncomfortable looked was and, even though he hated seeing her like that, something told him it was a good kind of discomfort. And it intrigued him. "I, OK, I'll come."
"Great, that should just as well eat away my entire paycheck this month." Monica said.
"Hmmm, maybe the salmon." Joey said, a longing look on his face.
---
Rachel watched Ross on his cell phone, a few steps away from their table, somehow finding a way to ignore Joey and Phoebe's guess-what-the-person-on-the-next-table-is-having game.
"...Monica's restaurant... home late... goodnight to Ben..."
It took him a minute. Maybe not even that long. She noticed the indifference in his voice and guessed the one on the other side of the line must've been just as unenthusiastic. He turned to come back to the table and she looked away.
"No, I bet that's the Mushroom Portobello." Ross took his seat. "Ross, what do you think?"
"Huh?"
"What do you think that lady over there is having?"
"Ah, I don't know. Maybe-"
"Mushroom Portobello, huh?" Joey turned to Phoebe. "See, I told you."
Ross just looked at Phoebe and Joey, already engaged in their conversation.
"Well, that's a good thing they listen to me." he commented and Rachel chuckled. He turned to her, realizing she was listening to him. And, by the way Joey and Phoebe were acting, it was almost as if they were alone together.
Rachel slowly turned her expression back to serious, the silence between them boiling up to a palpable tension.
"They like... games." Ross felt stupid after this statement. He just didn't know what else to say.
"Yeah, I- I can see that."
She looked away and leaned back on her chair, playing with her fork.
"Hey, how are you guys enjoying it so far?"
Rachel turned her head and saw Monica, tall chef hat and all, by their table.
"Oh, hey, Mon. Everything's lovely, thank you."
Ross watched and smiled at the way Rachel was ever so polite.
"Well, I took the liberty to make the orders for all of you, OK? And it should be coming here quicker than usual."
"Something tells me we need to start bringing this Rachel girl more often, here." Joey told Phoebe before turning to look at Rachel. He smiled. "How you doin'?"
Rachel raised her eyebrows, surprised and Ross almost rose with indignation.
"Joey!" Monica was the one who vocalized it. "She's married, you can't do that!"
Rachel looked away again and, this time, so did Ross.
"Oh, sorry."
"Anyway, I'll leave you guys alone now. I'll go and work on your dinner, bon apetit!"
"Thanks."
A small silence followed.
"Would you excuse me, I gotta go and powder my nose."
Rachel stood up and left the table. Ross watched her leave only for a few seconds.
"I'll be right back." He got up and left.
Joey and Phoebe watched they leave with weird looks on their faces. Phoebe gasped.
"Oh, no, Joey!"
"What?"
"They're gonna cheat! They're gonna go to the kitchen and ask Monica what those dishes are!"
Joey gasped with her.
-
Rachel had her hand on the door knob when she heard his voice.
"Rachel!"
She stopped, surprised, and turned to look at him.
"What?"
He caught up with her and both stood in silence, looking at each other. And then he couldn't control it anymore.
He pulled her close and kissed her.
She wanted to pull away, to say he was crazy for kissing her in public. Or at least open her eyes a bit and look around, make sure nobody was watching them. But, after the impact, reason failed. She kissed him back, it was the only thing her body allowed her to do.
After a while, they pulled away. They kept looking at each other and he kinda liked the fragile look she wore.
"I gotta see you again." he said.
She looked around, slowly returning to reality.
"This isn't the place, Ross."
"Hey" She looked at him again. "Please."
She was speechless. That he'd plead her for her presence... It was almost as if she could tell herself he needed her. Almost.
She nodded.
"Okay."
Well, there you go, another chapter is finished :) I very much hope you liked it and that you like where this is going. Although the story is only beginning ;) Anyway... you guys have been amazing with the kind comments,. Hope they still keep coming 'cause they make my day! So, c'mon, go ahead and leave me a message saying if you liked this installment or not and why :) Mwah, thank you and hope writing a new chapter soon! Bye!