AN: So sorry that it's long stretches between updates. Adulting sucks sometimes. Anyway, I hope you like this update. Please review!
Disclaimer: See earlier chapters.
Chapter 31
Chandler and Monica followed behind Joey as the front door opened and Ross and Carol came in with Althea. Monica went to give her grandmother a hug as Chandler stood a little ways away.
"We saw your new car," Carol looked at Monica. "I bet you're glad to finally have a car that runs."
"Definitely," she smiled. "I told Chandler he was next."
"I am narrowing down my choices," Chandler defended.
"He just doesn't want to get rid of his sports car," Ross cut in.
"I never asked for a sports car," Chandler told him. "But when they offered one to me, I wasn't going to say no."
"Who would say no to that?" Joey cut in.
"Supper is ready," Charles and Terry came out of the kitchen as they placed the main course on the table.
"Looks amazing," Althea smiled as she sat down in between her grandkids.
Max and Sherrie came out with James and Jenna, who each wanted to sit by Chandler. In the end, Sherrie sat next to Chandler to stop the arguing. The food was all passed out and the conversations started going around the table.
"What are you planning for your birthday?" Chandler looked over at Ross. "And can I come?"
"Mom and dad are planning something for next week," he told him. "They said that I can invite some friends."
"That probably doesn't include us,"
"They didn't say specifically," Ross gave him a look as he glanced around the table. "Do you all want to come to a stuffy restaurant next weekend?"
"And then actually do something fun afterwards?" Monica asked.
"Of course," he smiled at his sister.
"I am so in," Joey stated.
Supper lasted longer than usual because there was a lot more talking that night. After they were all finally done eating, everyone helped clean off the table and pack up the leftovers. Chandler gave Monica a look and she gestured towards the living room, so he followed her in and sat with her on the couch.
"Hey, that mark is going away," she pointed out.
"What mark?" he subconsciously touched his forehead.
"It showed more last night," she told him. "I think it was from your teammates knee."
"Probably," he smiled at her. "I didn't really feel it though."
"No?"
"Probably because I was knocked right out,"
"Right,"
"I'm fine now," he assured her. "I guess I scared you."
"Just a little,"
"Psst!" they both looked up abruptly and saw Max standing behind them.
"What are you doing?" Chandler looked at his uncle.
"The Nana is heading this way with your dads,"
Before they could comprehend what was happening, Ross, Carol, Joey, and Phoebe were taking up the remainder of the sectional couch as Althea came in followed by Charles, Terry, and Max.
"You all don't need to be here for this," Charles told them.
"Yes we do," Phoebe stated.
"It involves the household, so it involves us. Since we are all a part of the household," Joey added.
"Fine," Charles and Terry sat near Chandler and Monica as Althea took the chair across from them.
"We were all talking," Terry started. "And we're starting to get a little concerned."
"Concerned about what?" Chandler asked.
"That you two don't seem to be too concerned with what's ahead of you"
"You haven't traded in your car like you said you were going to," Charles looked at his son.
"I have narrowed it down to three choices and will be making my final decision,"
"Which I will help him with pertaining to the safety for a child," Monica added.
"Ok, well what about baby-related decisions?"
"Such as?" Chandler looked at them.
"Any baby-related purchases, or-"
"Oh, for the love," Max stood up suddenly. "Can I bring it all down?"
"No," Chandler and Monica stood up and started out of the room. "We'll show them. Follow us everyone."
"What's going on?" Terry asked.
"They're going to make you eat your words," Max told them. "Come on everyone."
They were all confused as they got up and followed Max up the stairs and into Chandler and Monica's room. Chandler was standing outside the closet as Monica handed him bags and bags that he placed on their bed.
"Ok," Chandler walked to the bed as he started opening the bags. "We have clothing, bibs, burp cloths, a few toys, diapers, wipes, blankets, things to organize the nursery…."
"A playpen," Monica brought it out. "And the start of their book collection, starting with the Velveteen Rabbit because that was Chandler's favorite book when he was younger."
"And if you look behind you on the dresser," Chandler told them. "The glass jar is what we have saved so far to be able to get the crib that we want."
"Why didn't you tell us that you did all this?" Terry asked them.
"And miss the looks on your faces at this moment?" Chandler smirked.
"We knew that it was only a matter of time before you accused us of leeching off of you guys," Monica stated. "Especially since we all have overheard many conversations between the two of you expressing to each other that we can't do this on our own."
"Which you are probably right," Chandler said. "We will most likely need your help after they are born, but we will prove that we can do this."
"So…." Max smiled at them. "How's that crow?"
"How long have you known about this?" Charles looked at his brother.
"Only since last night," he told him. "I followed Monica in here when she volunteered to read James and Jenna a story. She showed me everything."
"Well, I am impressed," Althea smiled at them. "I do have concerns about daycare though. Since you both will be going to school right?"
"They are both going," Charles stated.
"And we can't do anything about daycare until we talk to the guidance counselor about college," Chandler told her. "The colleges that we both want to go to all offer on-site daycare."
"Ok," Terry said slowly. "I do believe that they answered all of our concerns."
"Great," Phoebe smiled. "Who wants to watch a movie?"
"Me," Monica smiled at her and they all filed back out of the room and went back downstairs to the den.
Monica walked into their bedroom a few hours later as everyone either went home or went to their rooms for the night. She saw the bathroom door closed as she heard the shower turn off. She softly knocked on the door as she heard the sounds of struggling.
"Chandler? Do you need some help?"
"Yeah," he grumbled and she opened the door and walked in.
She walked in to see him in just a pair of basketball shorts as he attempted to get his shirt on.
"Where's the brace that you're supposed to keep on?"
"I couldn't get it back on,"
"Then let me help," she took it from him and got it on him and adjusted it so that it would be comfortable for him to sleep with it on.
"Thanks," he smiled at her as he slipped his shirt on and followed her out to the bedroom. "I didn't want to ask my dads for help."
"I am always here to help you,"
"Thank you," he sat on the bed and took his painkillers as he saw her grab some pajamas.
"Now that you are settled, I am going to take a shower too." she told him.
"I'll be here," he lay back as she walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind her.
Monica finished her shower and came back out to the bedroom to see Chandler laying back on the bed with his laptop open before him as he typed.
"What are you doing?" she asked as she sat beside him.
"Crap," he jumped. "When did you get done in the bathroom?"
"Just now," she smiled at him. "I guess you were in your zone."
"My zone?"
"That's what we call it," she told him. "You get a little intense when you get involved in your schoolwork or something else."
"Good to know," he glanced down at the notebook that he had some things written down and started typing again.
"So what are you doing?" she glanced at the computer screen. "Your blog?"
"First post needs to be approved by Monday," he told her.
"So what is the first post about?"
"Nothing pertaining to us as a couple. Nothing about our marriage or the baby yet."
"So what is it about then? I thought it was your thoughts about being an expectant father."
"I think the first post should be me telling about my past,"
"As in, with your mom, past?"
"Yeah," he said softly.
"Are you ready for that?"
"I'm not sure," he sighed.
"So why are you doing this?"
"Everyone thinks that they know everything about me before they get to know me. All they see is a kid being raised by two gay dads. They don't know the circumstances. They just think they do."
"And that's why you're doing this? To set the record straight?"
"In a way," he sighed. "I just want it out there and then maybe they'll understand a little bit about what guides my decisions."
"So then we'll all learn something about you?"
"I guess so,"
"It's getting late," she told him. "Why don't you put that away until tomorrow and let's try to get some sleep."
"Ok," he sighed as he closed his laptop and packed all his stuff away. "The painkillers will be kicking in soon anyway."
They both got settled and Monica turned out the light as Chandler very slowly started to get comfortable so as to not hurt his ribs anymore.
Chandler turned over in bed and winced as his side started to ache. He slowly sat up, careful not to disturb Monica as she slept peacefully next to him. He slowly stood up and walked into the bathroom. He came back out a few minutes later and grabbed the things he was working on last night before walking out of the room.
He slowly set up his things in the den and went to the kitchen to grab something to drink. He heard a noise and turned to see his uncle coming into him.
"Uncle Max?"
"Hey," he smiled at him. "What are you doing up so early?"
"My side started hurting,"Chandler told him. "So what are you still doing here? I thought you left last night,"
"Your dad offered to let us stay another night. Since we didn't have any plans this weekend we agreed."
Chandler nodded as he went to the coffee maker and started to make a pot. Max watched him as he went to the refrigerator to get a bottle of water and opened up the bottle of painkillers.
"Can I see those?"
"Sure," Chandler handed them over.
"Take with food," Max read. "I thought so. Sit down and I'll make you something."
"You don't have to. I can make something myself."
"I don't want you getting sick on top of everything else," Max told him. "And besides, you're supposed to be resting."
Chandler didn't argue and sat at the small table as Max took some things out of the refrigerator. Max brought some coffee over to his nephew and went back to mixing up some ingredients in a bowl. He found the griddle and set it up as Chandler started scrolling on his phone.
"I thought I heard someone out here," Terry came in. "Chandler why are you up so early?"
"My side started hurting," he mumbled.
"Here," Max brought over a bowl of fruit salad. "To hold you over until breakfast is ready."
"Thanks," he slowly started eating.
Within the next half an hour, everyone else dragged themselves out of bed and made it down to the kitchen. Chandler was still eating as Monica slid on the seat next to him.
"Tired or nauseous?" he asked her.
"Tired," she stole a piece of french toast from his plate.
"Hey!"
"I'm eating for two," she told him.
"Don't argue," Max smiled at him. "You'll end up losing a hand if you try to come between a pregnant woman and her food."
"Sit," Sherrie told James and Jenna as they entered the kitchen and they climbed up on the other side of Chandler.
Charles and Terry handed out food as Max finished it and everyone dug in. They were all quiet as they ate with the occasional scraping of forks on their plates. They were all starting to clean up as Monica and Chandler rested at the table.
"So why were you up early today?" Monica looked at him.
"My side started hurting," he told her. "I couldn't get back to sleep."
"Are you feeling better now?"
"Definitely," he smiled as his phone started to ring. "Coach Nash is calling me."
He clicked on his phone as he got up from the table and walked out of the room and Monica followed after him.
"What was that about?" Max asked.
"Coach Nash is calling him," Charles told them. "With some good news."
"The scouts?"
"Like I said, it's good news." Monica came back in and smiled at them all.
"What's going on?" Joey asked her.
"He's still on the phone, but his coach told him that he got scholarship offers from every scout that was at the game the other night." She told them all.
"Seriously?" Phoebe asked.
"Seriously," Chandler came back into the room beaming and everyone started to hug him in congratulations.
AN: So what did you all think of this? I hope you liked it. Please review!
