Peanuts from the sky, something everyone wants to know the flavor of. Are they salty, dry, honey roasted? It's a taste that will only last you through the first half hour of the flight.
Six peanuts don't go very far when you are seated between two people that can only be defined as the Hulk and Mother Teresa.
Fortunately, those half a dozen flavorless protein snake-bites are reserved for Coach, and Coach only.
First class is something celebrities like to call, a 5 star restaurant.
First, they bring out appetizers like smoked salmon and seared tuna soon followed by a spinach salad. Then for the main course, we had choices like Gorgonzola crusted beef filet with red wine beer sauce or wild rice and vegetable stuffed portobello mushroom served in a roasted red pepper sauce. We also got to choose between options like four seasons mousse cake or a specialty sundae for a sweet ending. One word for ya: Heaven.
"Mon?"
Shaking my head, I turn to my brother in the drivers seat. "I'm sorry?"
"I've said your name like five times. Where were you?"
Sighing contently, I lay my head back against the rest and look forward at the airport traffic we are trying to maneuver through. "Nowhere." Cracking a smile, I turn my head towards Ross "So how's Rach?"
"Uncomfortable, miserable, desperate...terrified." He glances over at me "But mostly excited and grateful." He smiles then indicates left before the car moves over. "I look at her and see how overwhelmed she gets with love for a fetus that we haven't even welcomed into the world, yet." He says softly "For being unexpected and sudden, this little baby is something we both want. It's amazing just how much you can love someone you haven't even met."
His words bring a tear to my eye before I quickly wipe it away from under my sunglasses. "You are going to make an incredible father." I put my hand over his on the stick-shift before squeezing softly and letting go, bringing my hand back onto my lap. The last thing he needs is my hand being the cause of an accident. "So tell me, have you decided on names? Tell me everything!" Kids are my weakness. They are God's creation to drive adults insane and elders crazy. Kids are a beautiful work of art. "Any day now, right?"
He nods "You could be an aunt tomorrow." He comments, patting my leg
I roll my eyes "It would be fantastic if your baby could be born tomorrow." That way I'd spend my day in the hospital waiting room instead of interacting with a house full of people. After the long day I had, I would rather enjoy a small home cooked meal with immediate family. Preferably, without fifty guest in our living room. I really don't want to attend this party. Unfortunately, it's happening at my parents house and that is where I'll be staying these next few days. Unless... "Hey Ross, do you and Rachel have a guest room unoccupied?"
He chuckles, already knowing where I'm going with this "Not unless you want to sleep in a bassinet." He stops swiftly before adding "But hey! You know who does have a spare room?" A smile creeps onto his face and I'm almost afraid to ask. But that's okay, because he continues anyway. "Chandler Bing."
I exhale sharply, turning towards the window "Not you too." I don't even want to see the smirk he is forming. Hearing it in his voice is enough for me.
"Mon, he was the love of your life. We were all sure you two would get married the day you introduced him to everyone. You guys were like, Romeo and Juliet." He jokes but I don't understand the punch line.
If I keep quiet maybe he will eventually stop talking.
"I just don't understand why you left him?" I can feel his eyes on me and I'm thankful I'm wearing sunglasses so he doesn't see the tears form in my eyes.
"It just..." Shaking my head, I take a deep breath "It didn't work out."
It's silent for a while before he speaks again. "I'm pretty sure there is more to it than different interests."
Maybe there is, I thought. Maybe we could have worked things out without breaking two hearts in the process, but it's far too late to turn back now and find out.
The rest of the ride was pretty much silent. With a few speed bumps here and there, we arrived home within an hour. Ross actually managed to drive the speed limit. I thought for sure I wouldn't see the house in the daylight, but he proved me wrong.
As Ross slowly pulled up to the big white house, all I could do was stare. It looked different, but I'm sure it's just my imagination. The grass was freshly cut with not a single weed to pull. Must have fertilized; I thought. However, dad has never been one to care for his own lawn so neatly. I turn to Ross still sitting in the drivers seat with the car in park. "Did dad call someone-"
He nods, cutting me off. "He hired three men to come out and do lawn care. It's crazy how fast they work. Finished in half an hour. Grass cut and fertilized, weeds wracked, bushes trimmed, all ten yards."
"Hm," I shrug "Impressive." Before I turn back towards the window I comment one last thing that I know will make him feel low. "He didn't hire you to do his manly work." I chuckle as his face drops.
"I was on Rachel duty."
"Sure, sure." I nod
"Seriously." He corrects any doubtfulness I brush off. "She could pop any day now!" His shouting makes me jump back.
Trying to calm him down I place a hand on his arm "Okay, I believe you." I pause and think "If Rachel could burst at any moment, why were you sent to come and get me?" I question.
"She got tired of me breathing down her neck." He mutters so softly I barely catch what he says as I turn back towards the house I grew up in.
Ross does get over protected when it comes to Rachel and his baby. That's why I know he will be a great dad. He has that fatherly connection with kids and they look up to him. He makes joking around rated G when children are in hearing range and knows the right time to put down the foot. Plus, he has the dad haircut. It's like a 2 for 1 deal.
"Just staring at the house doesn't do anything..." He trails off and for a moment I shut my eyes imagining I'm back in my LA house cuddled up in my satin sheets. I imagine it ideally; just minutes before I climbed out of a candle-lit bubble bath with scented salts. And of course, there is wine involved in this flashback. Nothing says LA like a bubble bath with a wine glass in arms reach.
I wonder if mom still has her supplies so I can relive the fantasy. As least, the bath part, I'm sure I won't find satin sheets within a 10 mile radius.
The car shifts as Ross opens and slams the door. My eyes open reluctantly when I realize I'm now sitting alone. Looking in the rear view mirror, I find Ross pulling my luggage out the trunk before he slams that door shut as well.
Why do doors only shut when we slam them? Without thinking too much into it, I climb out and reach to grab my bags from Ross.
"I got it." He grips the handle tighter and I follow him up the path.
As I walk my eyes drift to the pavement where my hand print is engraved into the cement.
I sat on the porch swing, my legs dangling off the cushioned seat as I watched the large truck's butt spin around and around. I was four years old and curious. I had no idea what exactly was going on, but I did know not to touch the gooey stuff coming out of the truck's butt.
My dad gave me an apple juice box and half a baloney sandwich, telling me to eat my lunch on the porch before he began walking over to the men in bright orange and yellow jackets.
Once again, I was four. If you told me not to do something it just made me want to do it even more.
Slowly, I stood up from the porch swing and took tiny steps closer to the grey paint. It looked so soft and fun to touch...my innocent mind couldn't resist.
My dad was too busy to notice my hand pressing into the hardening cement. He would have never even turned from his conversation had I not screamed as the cement crusted around my little fingers. Clearly, it was not paint.
He scolded me for 30 seconds before picking me up and running to the van. I started to cry as I watched his face fill with panic.
We spent 3 hours in the emergency room that day as they scrapped my hand delicately with a chisel. As painful as it may sound, I hardly felt a thing. The doctors were pretty good at distracting me from the operation they preformed as I was fully conscience on the hospital bed.
Smiling to myself, I look away from my hand print as I continue to follow Ross to the front door.
Without knocking or even ringing the doorbell, Ross opens the door and carries my bags inside.
Laughter fills the air and I look to Ross for any sign that we should have knocked before entering. But he never looks back at me. Instead, he sets my luggage by the stairs and heads towards the voices coming from the kitchen.
I've missed my family dearly, but there are times where I just wish I could find a place to relax and sink deep into a romantic novel. I'd love to catch up on the last few years, but there are more important things I could be doing; like unpacking.
I hear my mothers voice ring through the house and another cluster of laughter follows.
Setting down my purse along the rest of my belongings, I make my way to the kitchen. The last time I made this walk I was grabbing some last minute things before heading out of town. That was a hard time for all of us; laughter was the last thing heard in this household.
Without a pause, I walk straight through the swinging door.
"Monica!" Rachel practically pounces the moment our eyes meet. Her pregnant state doesn't stop her from quickly standing to greet me with a hug. "How was the trip?"
I break away with a huge smile "Long, but good." I try to keep it short before looking down at her glowing stomach "But enough about me. How are you? You look fantastic!" I step back to get a good look at my best friend.
She sighs but the smile never leaves "I'm ready to see my baby."
"I bet. Ross told me how anxious you are." I look over at my brother and back again "Do we know..." I trail off waiting for them to fill in.
"We decided to be surprised." Ross tells me, grabbing two waters out of the fridge, one for me.
I nod, taking the beverage before Rachel guides me to an open seat next to her.
"They don't want to do the whole gender norms thing." It's the first time my mother speaks since I walked in the door. "If they find out it's a girl most likely they will start buying pinks and purples for the little one, and if it's a boy..." She waves her hand around expecting me to catch on without her need to finish.
Which I do, and I completely agree.
My mother looks straight at me and forms a grin "Welcome home, sweetheart." She stands and takes a single step towards me before I follow her lead and we join together in a hug. She kisses the side of my head and asks the exact same question Rachel had a minute ago "How was your trip?"
"Judy, she already answered that." Now it was my fathers turn to join in the conversation "You've wasted your only question. Now it's my turn to greet our little girl." He stands up and wraps his bear arms around my tiny form.
I'm not too sure what he means by "only question." But I do often complain how they always ask me 20 questions the minute we speak on the phone. So I'm guessing they've agreed to cut back to a single question the minute I walk in the door.
To which I'm thankful for.
"Now," My dad breaks away but his hands remain on my shoulders "Where's the boyfriend?"
Rolling my eyes, I move away and back over to my chair.
"Way to go Jack, now she will never let us in on her personal life."
"I don't think I like this 'one question' idea." My father comments as he takes a seat.
Ignoring my parents side talk, I move on to another topic that doesn't involve me. "So mom, are you ready for your big celebration tomorrow?" I cross one leg over the other and lean back against the chair to get comfortable.
"As ready as I'll ever be. The guest will start arriving at one. It doesn't give me much time to set everything up which is why we will have to do most of it tonight." She informs me.
The place looks spotless. The cabinets and counter tops are polished, the floor is waxed and the windows remain so shiny you'd think the door was wide open.
Glancing outside I find tables and chairs resting up against the side of the house ready to be placed on the lawn. Tents are put up to provide shade as twinkle lights surround the edge ready for when the sun sets.
My mother puts on the most beautiful gatherings. She never sits down until she knows everyone is settled and comfortable where they're at. It's a gene I hope I've accumulated over the years after watching my mother prepare her holiday festivities.
"I'm expecting around 150 people to show by all the requests that were sent back." She announces which not only makes my eyes grow wide, but my fathers too. I guess this is the first time he is hearing of this news as well. She continues as if our house holds that many guest and won't be a problem. "The caterer will arrive around 12:00. So I'm going to need all hands on deck to get that food to the ice chest."
"And by ice chest, you mean the refrigerator?"
She nods "And I've ordered a couple more from the..." She snaps her fingers, the word on the tip of her tongue "Oh Jack, the place that Denise rented for her banquet. What's it called?" She shuts her eyes hoping it will come to her.
"Triple A Rentals, off of Court Street." He fills us all in on the mystery place that you can apparently rent refrigerators.
My mother nods "Yes!"
"Wait." Ross stops the conversation, holding up his hand to get everyone's attention. "You rented refrigerators? This food will been eaten. We don't need a place to store it for long."
"Yes sweetheart. But I'd rather the salad be fresh than sit out and get soggy from the heat."
"And what about the heated food. Are we putting that food in these coolers as well?"
Now he is just being a smart ass. When things don't become clear as crystals to my brother he always has to find a way through the subject, which will most likely get a death stare from somebody.
"No darling, we have ovens for those type of foods."
Just a few years ago my mother sent me pictures of her new renovated kitchen. She put in a great big marble countertop with overhead lights hanging down from the ceiling. She put in three brand new ovens, one on top of the other and a stainless steel fridge to match her stainless steel sink and dishwasher. I have no idea where she found all this money to do this kind of work, but the place looks magnificent.
"Okay." I clap my hands together giving my brother that death stare we talked about "Why don't we start setting up the tables before it gets too dark. Then we can talk about dinner?" I suggest
"That sounds like a plan." Rachel starts to stand but Ross gently pushes her back down.
"When Monica said we, she meant everyone but you." He comments, kissing the side of her head before sliding his water closer "Hydrate."
The second I stepped outside I noticed a huge difference. The back patio was wider, the stain a lot brighter and no chipped railings with mold spots. "Nice work dad. I didn't know you had it in ya." I comment, running my hand along the sanded railing that prevented you from falling off the side.
"Yeah, I thought I'd take up a new hobby."
"And by hobby, he means buying the supplies." Ross chimed in "Dad couldn't build a bird house if he wanted to."
I chuckle and fold my arms securely around my body as a gust of wind blows through. "Ah," I nod, completely understanding "Trying to take all the credit from Ross?" I smirk "Nice job, big brother."
"Nope." I look up to find him shaking his head. Now I'm confused.
I hear my father sigh as he steps closer "Sweetheart-"
"Uh oh..." I tilt my head to the side "Did you get Mr. Burke to do your dirty work again? Dad, you can't beat him if he is playing both sides." I laugh but it doesn't last long when I find Ross giving my dad a look.
It's silent for a while, no one jumping in to the conversation.
The back door slides open before slamming shut as my mother appears "What do you think, darling? Chandler did a good job, ha?" She smiles, looking around at the patio planted under our feet.
My eyes grow wide as I look at my mother beside me. "Chandler? You hired Chandler to do this?"
Her eyes look confused as she looks towards my father to jump in. But he is looking down, avoiding my gaze.
Finally I get some answers as Ross begins to explain. "He has a truck and the only way we could get the wood here is by truck. Then he started to help unload and you know dad, he gets winded fairly easily." He looks back at dad who nods but still doesn't look up; like a little boy afraid of a crush. "And you dated him, you know he's a nice guy. He wasn't just gonna say "See you later!" He started up the power tools and sawed the wood to the appropriate length and-"
"And the next thing I know, I'm making lemonade." My mom chuckles nervously as my dad laughs along in the same awkward state.
"And our shirts are off-it was hot-so we were drenched..." He tries to ease the mood
"Dad." I close my eyes, the mental image almost too much to handle. My hand covers my face as I try to calm down. Not only has my family been interacting with my ex, but they have been doing it behind my back.
Shaking my head, I glare at the person who started this "If you need to borrow a truck, next time call a contractor." And with that I back up towards the door. I can't believe this, first they keep in contact, then they don't even tell me about it. "Pretty soon they are going to tell me he is coming over for the big party."
"Ah, Mon...he is coming to the party."
My heart feels like it's hammering against my chest as I look over at Rachel sitting exactly where we left her; cradling the water in her hand. I wait for her to continue, but I don't think she will as she takes another drink.
"She invited him?" I furrow my brow before laughing, uneasily. "I should have seen this coming." Sitting down beside my friend, I continue "Of course she would try and get us back together the way we once were. She loved him." I tell Rachel although I'm pretty sure she is already aware. "And when I say love, I mean she treated him as though he was part of the family."
"Well, we all treated him like family."
Ignoring her I lean forward "Do you think he knows I'm in town?" I ask but don't wait for an answer "I mean, we didn't leave on very good terms. So do you think he wants to speak with me to maybe..." I venture off "Clear the pallet?"
"Like make-up sex?" She raises her eyebrows far enough they reach her hairline.
"No!" I gasp "Like clear the air, rekindle the friendship."
Silence falls between us; neither ready to say what we are both thinking. My thumbs begin to twiddle as my mind starts to gamble with all the thoughts running around. Maybe Chandler does know, maybe he wants to come by to try and win me back? A part of me wants to accept that, but an even bigger part doesn't think I'm ready for that kind of commitment. We were more than that lovey-dovey couple on the street. We were in love and talked about the future often.
Chandler was the only person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, and I'm pretty sure he felt the same way. Before I left things were hard between us. Both of us knew the end was near.
As things began to feel different, everything hurt: my heart, my head, my whole body ached for days as I cried. As I boarded my first flight to LA and turned around, only to find my love missing, I knew our relationship was effectively ruined.
It was the beginning of the end in my heart as I carried on without hearing from him. No one even muttered his name until a few months later when my mother bumped into him at the supper market.
When she told me he looked like he hasn't slept in months I felt terrible for leaving the way I did. I wanted to return home and fix what I left. But I couldn't as I stepped in front of the camera and changed my life forever.
AN:
It took me a lot longer than I thought to write this chapter! I really hope you guys are enjoying it because next chapter a lot of things will be revealed and hopefully things will start making a little more sense.
I just want to thank everyone for sticking with me as I take days to update.