Anything for Love
Chapter 13: The One Where Joey Moves Back to LA
"How was your day?" Joey asked when Phoebe got home.
"Good, thanks." She kissed him. "How was work?"
"It was all right. The same ol' same ol." Joey hesitated before adding. "I got some news today."
Phoebe smiled "Oh yeah?" She took off her coat and draped it over the back of a chair. "Good news?"
"I think it is. For me. For us. I don't know if you'll see it that way or not," Joey said nervously.
"Why do I feel like I need to sit down for this?" Phoebe asked.
"Maybe you should," Joey said.
"All right." Phoebe plopped down on the couch and Joey sat down next to her.
"I've had an offer to do a movie. It has big names in it, and the part is being offered to me. I haven't discussed salary yet, but these kind of movies usually the pay is pretty big," Joey began.
"What names?" Phoebe asked.
"Mel Gibson and George Clooney," Joey answered.
Phoebe whistled. "Wow! Those are big names! So what's wrong? Do you not want to leave your soap?"
Joey shook his head. "No, I spoke to the producer and he said they could use a temporary replacement for part of the time, and then temporarily write me off."
"Does the movie film right here in the city?" Phoebe asked.
Joey shook his head.
"Long Island?" Phoebe tried.
Again, Joey shook his head.
"Jersey? Connecticut?" Phoebe tried, already having an idea, but not wanting to believe it.
"It films in Los Angeles and Las Vegas," Joey confessed.
Phoebe was quiet for a moment. "For how long?"
"Six months." Joey winced at Phoebe's inevitable reaction.
"Six months! What about our wedding?" Phoebe asked, instantly sitting up straighter.
"We can still get married. Maybe we can get married in Las Vegas!" Joey suggested.
"I don't want some cheap Elvis Chapel elopement. Anyway, you said yourself you want your family to be there. I don't want to marry in Los Angeles either. I want to get married here!" Phoebe had tears in her eyes.
"Please don't cry," Joey said. He hated this.
"You're trying to get out of marrying me already!" Phoebe accused.
"I am not!" Joey insisted. "I still want to marry you. You have no idea how much! Look, we can still get married in May. I'm sure I can get them to give me a couple days off. Our honeymoon will have to wait, but we'll still get married." He gently wiped away her tears with his thumbs.
"Promise?" she asked with a sniffle.
Joey nodded. "I promise." He took her hands in his own. "Look, if you want me to turn this job down I will."
Phoebe shook her head. "You would not!"
"I would," Joey said, looking her deep in the eyes. "For you, I'd do anything."
Phoebe smiled, her tears drying up. "Take the job. I'm going to miss you like crazy though."
"Why don't you come with me? We can find a nice place together," he suggested.
Phoebe shook her head. "I couldn't leave my clients for that long. They've come to depend on me. I'll come visit whenever I can though. Anyway, I'm sure Prince Harry would not approve of the move anyway."
Joey scrunched his eyebrows up in confusion. "Prince Harry? How would he know anything about us, and why would he care even if he did know us?"
Phoebe rolled her eyes. "The cat, Joey. Not the Queen's grandson."
It dawned on Joey. "Oh! Right." He grinned. He then took her hands in his own. "Are you sure you don't mind me going?"
Phoebe sighed. "I don't like it, but if it will help you in your career, then I'm willing to make the sacrifice."
"The money will be good for us too now that we're getting married," Joey replied.
Phoebe nodded.
"We can call each other every night!" Joey kissed her, and then rested his forehead against hers. "It's only for six months, and then I'll come back to you. I promise."
"When do you leave?" she asked.
"Two weeks," he informed her.
Phoebe sighed. "I had a feeling it would be soon."
"We're just going to have to make up for the time we're going to lose; that's all," Joey said, kissing down her neck.
Phoebe tangled her fingers in his hair. "I suppose you're right." She was already dreading his leaving, but she didn't want to hold him back from an opportunity like this. She knew he would end up resenting her if she did. At least they'd have more money going into their marriage, she figured. Still, she knew money wasn't everything….
Phoebe hugged Joey tight at the airport. They and the others had had a mini going away party for Joey the night before, but the rest of their friends weren't taking his moving too seriously. They knew he'd be back. They were all working today and hadn't even come to the airport to see him off.
"Those two weeks went by too quickly," Phoebe said with a sniffle as she hugged him. She couldn't help but remember back to the last time when she had been at the airport with Joey. She had been picking him up. That time he was moving back to New York. She would much rather have it that way. This time, he was moving back to Los Angeles. She knew it was only for six months, but she still hated it.
He kissed her. "I'll be back next weekend. I promise. And soon we'll be married."
Phoebe nodded. "It seems like so far away."
"It will be here before you know it." Joey kissed her once more, and held her close for a moment. "I'll call you tonight." He then left through security.
Phoebe sighed, and headed home, missing him already.
As it turned out, Joey was busier with his new movie than he thought, and he regretfully called Phoebe to inform her that he would not be able to make it home the following weekend after all. "Next weekend for sure," he had promised. But the following weekend he was busy too.
"We talk on the phone every night, but it's just not the same as in person. I really miss him," Phoebe said to Monica and Rachel one day as they sat on the couch at Central Perk having coffees one evening.
"I still can't believe he left you for a movie," Monica grumbled. "You have a wedding coming up and he decides to jet off to the west coast for six months. This is exactly what I mean by your getting married not being a good idea."
"It's paying half a million dollars. We can really use it for our life together," Phoebe defended him. "And this could lead to million dollar movie offers for him if the movie is a hit."
"Still, he should not have accepted it when you're due to get married in a couple months," Rachel stated.
"Yeah, what is he going to do, just show up for the wedding and leave the rest up to you?" Monica asked.
"If he even shows up. This is Joey we're talking about," Rachel quipped.
Monica nodded. "True."
"You guys are terrible friends! How dare you talk about Joey behind his back like that?" Phoebe snapped. She was beginning to regret going to her friends for advice. There once was a time where they were actually supportive of her. Heck, there was once a time where they rooted for her and Joey. Now they were just being vicious witches in her opinion.
"We're sorry. You're right. We shouldn't talk about Joey that way. It's clear that he loves you. He just doesn't always make the best grown up decisions," Monica said gently.
Rachel nodded. "Joey is a great guy. He really is. He's just not all that responsible."
"Well I'd say all the movies he did and all the shows he did is pretty responsible," Phoebe argued. "Irresponsible actors don't get asked to be in movies that pay half a million dollars."
Both women nodded.
"You're right. We're just being silly," Rachel said. Though the look she and Monica gave each other showed that neither woman thought they were just being silly.
"Did you pick out a wedding dress yet?" Monica asked Phoebe then, trying to change the subject."
Phoebe shook her head. "I'm just going to try to find a regular pretty white dress. We're having a really small wedding, so there's no need for anything fancy this time. It's just going to be Joey's family, my brother, his wife, the triplets, my mother, and Ursula."
"Ursula?" Monica and Rachel both asked at once.
"Well, someone's got to be my maid of honor since you to both refuse to be," Phoebe grumbled.
"But why Ursula? You two hate each other!" Rachel said.
"I wouldn't call it hate. We're just not really friends. But she is my sister, and she is just going to have to do," Phoebe said simply.
Before either woman could reply, Monica got a text. She groaned. "There's a minor problem at the restaurant. "I gotta go."
Rachel nodded. "I should do too. Emma gets upset if I don't read to her before bed."
They said goodbye to Phoebe who mumbled a goodbye. She was still annoyed with them. They had changed over the years and she wasn't sure she even liked them anymore. Of course, deep down she loved them, but right now, she was too annoyed with them about the whole Joey thing to care.
"Maybe we're being too harsh. We should support her no matter what and be in her wedding," Rachel said to Monica once they were outside.
Monica sighed. "Maybe you're right. I hate the thought of Ursula being her maid of honor. Still, I love Joey, but frankly I don't think he is husband material. I truly think he's going to hurt Phoebe. He may not think he will, but let's face it, Joey is Joey. Sooner or later he's going to find some pretty young thing, and it will be all, 'How you doin'?'"
Rachel nodded. "I wish I could say you're wrong, but I really don't think you are."
"I think for now we should stand firm on not being in her wedding," Monica said.
Rachel sighed. "I suppose you're right. Man, we never should have encouraged her to be with Joey. What were we thinking?"
"Good question!" Monica said. "But it's too late now."
They bid their farewells and walked their separate ways then, both women worried about both Phoebe and Joey.
Meanwhile, Phoebe had just finished her coffee, and had stood up. She put her coat on, and then a woman who looked to be only slightly older than her came up to her.
"I'm sorry," the woman said, but I couldn't help but overhear you telling your friends that your fiancé is in the west coast for six months."
"Yeah, so," Phoebe said, getting on the defense, wondering why in the heck this lady cared, and how it was any of her business.
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to be nosy. I just wanted to make a suggestion," the lady said to her.
Phoebe raised an eyebrow. "I'm listening."
"A year ago, I had the same problem. My husband got transferred in his job, and it required him to be away on weekdays for three months while he worked on a house. He works in construction. Anyway, I didn't want him to forget me, so I had a nude portrait of myself done in a very tasteful way, but still in a way that would make sure he kept me on his mind even when I was a nine hour drive away."
"So, you think I should get one done for my fiancé?" Phoebe asked her.
The lady nodded. She then took out a business card from her purse and handed it to Phoebe. "I hand these out to all my friends because it did wonders for my marriage. They want to do wonders for their marriages as well." She winked at Phoebe and smiled.
Phoebe took the card. "Thank you. Doesn't it feel weird getting photographed in the nude by some stranger?"
The lady nodded. "It does at first, but the more photos he takes, the more exhilarating it is. They have a variety of poses and settings. You can even pose in lingerie if you'd like. You'd have to bring your own in that case though of course. They have a few non lingerie outfits right there in the studio in a variety of sizes. You can bring your own clothes too of course. And of course, posing in the nude is always a popular option. I believe there is even a woman photographer there if being photographed by a woman would make you more comfortable."
Phoebe was intrigued. "I'll definitely think about it. Thank you."
The woman patted Phoebe's shoulder. "No problem, Dear. Sometimes, you just have to keep them wanting you. It helps to remind them why they want you. Well, part of the reason why." The lady giggled. "You have a nice night now, you hear?"
Phoebe nodded. "Thanks. You too."
The lady turned and left then as Phoebe stared at the card. She shrugged and tucked it into her purse. She smiled to herself as she left Central Perk, thinking of what Joey's reaction would be if he were to receive a nude portrait of her.
By the time she got back to her apartment, she had decided to do it.
As it turned out, Phoebe was in luck. She was able to get an appointment two days later on St. Patrick's Day. There was an opening since the company said they didn't get many holiday bookings. Phoebe was nervous, but she was never one to be shy, so she didn't really mind taking sexy photos. In fact, she rather enjoyed getting her makeup and hair done professionally, and getting to play dress up. They even had a mani-pedi person working for them that did her nails. It wasn't cheap, but she had made some good tips lately and could afford it. If it would keep her on Joey's mind while he was away, then it was more than worth it to her.
The first thing she had gotten a picture in was some green lingerie. She had bought it a few weeks ago to wear for Joey on St. Patrick's Day before she knew he'd be away in Los Angeles. It was very revealing, and she felt sexy in it. They had her pose on the bed on her hands and knees, facing the camera. The lingerie didn't leave much to the imagination from that pose.
She had opted for the female photographer. She felt less dirty that way.
"Give me an expression like you're about to get lucky on St. Patrick's Day!" the photographer whose name was Jenna ordered her.
Phoebe didn't know exactly what that kind of look that entailed, but she did her best to look sexy, and the photographer seemed pleased with it.
There was another photo Phoebe did lying on the bed with red rose petals covering just the right places, and then she did the same pose only with no rose petals. It was just her lying completely nude on her back with the tip of her right index finger in her mouth.
She did a nude pose on a red velvet chaise lounge, in nothing but her engagement ring on a chain around her neck.
Finally, she did one where she was lying on a couch with her legs draped over the back of it, her head hanging down the front of the couch with her hair splayed all out in front of her. She only wore red heels and nothing else. She was applying to her lips the Chap-stick that drove Joey wild. The front part of her body was fully exposed.
Finally, she got one in a sexy tight dominatrix outfit with a whip as a prop. She didn't like that one as much, but the photographer assured her it was a very popular outfit with the men.
When it came time to look at the prints, Phoebe honestly liked all the photos and it was hard choosing which one would be best to use as the huge 40 X 30 framed picture. In the end, she decided upon the Chap-stick one since she knew how wild her Chap-stick drove Joey. She knew it was kind of silly, but then again, she also knew that she and Joey were both silly themselves, so it was fitting. She was allowed to keep the negatives in case she ever wanted more copies later. She also had wallets made of all of the poses so that Joey could keep them in his wallet and look at them anytime he wanted. She knew he'd like that.
When she left the studio, she felt happy. She wasn't happy with the price, but she could afford it. She was, however happy about getting such a sexy present for Joey. She could hardly wait to see how he liked it. She was having it shipped directly to his hotel. The production company was paying for him to stay at The Hilton for the duration of filming the movie in Los Angeles. He was going to be in Los Angels for the next three months, and then he would spend another three months in The Bellagio in Vegas before finally returning home to her. The pictures would be sent to The Hilton since that was where he was now. He could then bring his pictures with him to Vegas.
She had toyed with the idea of delivering the pictures herself, but she was booked for the month of March. Anyway, she figured it might be even sexier to make him have to wait for what he most certainly was going to crave after seeing those pictures!
That night, she called him to wish him a Happy St. Patrick's Day.
"Hey, Baby! I was just thinking about you! I miss you so much!" he said.
"I miss you too," Phoebe said. "How is the movie going so far?"
"It's going great! Everyone is being so nice. Guess who is in the movie as a surprise?" Joey asked.
"Tom Hanks?" Phoebe asked. She had always found him kind of cute.
"Nope! Michelle P-feyffer," Joey said proudly.
Phoebe laughed. "You mean Michelle Pfeiffer?"
"Oh. Is that how you pronounce it?" Joey asked.
"You didn't hear others referring to her with her last name?" Phoebe asked.
"Well, yeah, but I thought they were pronouncing it wrong, and I didn't want to embarrass them by correcting them. Man I'm glad I never used her last name to her or anyone else!" Joey was the one embarrassed now.
Phoebe laughed. "At least now you know how to pronounce Pfeiffer."
"I know it!" Joey said; relieved.
"I wish you were home. I miss you so much," Phoebe said.
"I miss you too, Baby, but I'll be home to visit shortly," Joey assured her.
"I got you a surprise today," Phoebe informed him.
"Oh yeah? What is it?" Joey asked, perking up.
"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, Silly! You'll find out soon enough. It will be on its way to you shortly," Phoebe replied.
"Hey, Joey, are you ready to go? We're waiting to start the par-tay!" came a female voice.
"Who the hell was that?" Phoebe asked.
"It's one of my new friends I met on set. She does hair and makeup and makes me look good," Joey informed her.
"You look good without any help," Phoebe said, her jealousy piqued.
"You're sweet, Phoebes. Look, my buddies and I are going out to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, so I gotta go. I'll call you later tonight. Happy St. Patrick's Day by the way!"
"Thanks. Happy St. Patrick's Day," Phoebe said, sad that he had to go so soon.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you too," she replied.
"Got to go. Bye!" Joey hung up in a hurry, but not before both female and male laughter could be heard in the background.
Phoebe sighed, and hung up the phone.
She went to Monica's restaurant and had dinner with Chandler to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Ross and Rachel were doing their own thing. Monica was working and prepared corn beef and cabbage for him, and a special vegetarian meal for her, dyed green special just for her. There was also green beer.
Phoebe had enjoyed her time with her friend, but then went home, got into her pajamas early and watched movies until she got tired. It was two in the morning by the time she went to bed and Joey had never called like he had said he would.
Phoebe fell asleep slightly sad. She missed Joey, and it seemed like he was already getting too busy for her. Those photos of her couldn't arrive soon enough! She wanted him to have a reminder of her that would keep her on his mind the whole time he was away from her. Then she could finally feel better about this whole situation, she knew. And hopefully keep his mind off that hair and makeup artist she had heard with him…