CHAPTER 1 – The one when they all decide
It had been almost 8 years since Emma and the twins had been together for the last time. Sure their parents still talked from time to time but it wasn't the same anymore, they had followed different paths. Neither of them lived in New York anymore. Actually, neither of them lived in the United States.
Monica had moved to London 5 years ago with Chandler and the twins Jack and Erica. The family was a little bigger now, with their 3-year-old biological daughter Ellen Rachel. Monica was thrilled with her family and her job, she was now the head chef of one of the most prestigious restaurants of London. Her career was at its best.
Rachel and Ross however had moved to Paris 8 years ago. Rachel was finally pursuing her dream on fashion industry and was a very influent and well-known person in the city. She was also more in love than ever with Ross. After Emma, who was 12 at the moment, they had 2 more kids. Jennifer, better-known as Jen and who was almost 8 years old, was born right after the whole family arrived to Paris. Rachel was actually pregnant before moving to France but they didn't know yet. Little Anne Monica, or Annie, was 5 years old and was going to start school that year. All the 3 girls knew a little bit of English but they all had a really cute French accent, which always charmed everyone, because their first language was French, since Ross and Rachel had no intentions of moving back to the States before they finished high school. They both enjoyed life in France, especially Rachel, who started loving art.
Despite living in the same continent, Rachel and Monica barely saw each other again after Ross and Rachel went to Paris. All the friends had reunited several times on the couple's new house in France during the first year but as the time went by they started growing apart. They talked on the phone 3 or 4 times a year, maybe more if something big happened and sometimes they met in New York but never with the kids, most likely because of school. In spite of the huge friendship that had kept them so close during so many years, in the last 5 years they never saw each other not even once. Rachel was too busy with her job and the 3 kids and Monica was just adjusting to the new life in London and her big job. However, they both felt that there was something missing in their lives.
It was late at night in Paris, around 1:30am, and Rachel couldn't sleep. She had been thinking that something in her life had to change and she knew exactly what it was, she just didn't know how to tell Ross. They had planned this whole wonderful life in Paris and she was really happy about it but now she wanted to move back, she wanted to go back to New York.
She decided to wake up Ross, she had to tell him. She turned on the lights of the room and touched Ross's arm, waking him up. He looked at his wife and got worried, she was obviously upset about something.
"Sweetie, wha-what's wrong? Did something happen?"
"Ross, I need to talk to you. I don't really know how to say this but this has been bothering me for a while now. I wouldn't say anything if this was just a momentary thing but this is what I really want."
"But sweetie, what is it? You can tell me, you know you can talk to me about anything." Ross said, kissing her very gently.
"Ross, I've been think a lot about this and I wanna move back to New York. I love it here, I really do, but I miss home, I miss New York, our family, our friends. It's not that I don't have friends here because I do, I have great friends, and I have you and the girls but it's not like our parents are gonna live forever and Phoebe and Joey are there too, I miss them. I know it will be hard for the kids but they can learn English, we can start talking in English around them and they can start taking English classes and like in 6 to 9 months we could move back."
"Wow, you've really been through this huh?!"
"I did, this is what I really want to do, it's what I need right now. What do you think? Is that okay with you?"
"Nothing would make me happier than that." They kissed and went back to sleep happy with their new decision.
In London it was still 00:30am and Monica was having the same thoughts as Rachel. She couldn't sleep either. She was happy, that's for sure, she had the best husband she could ever ask for, she had the twins that they had adopted with all their love and 3 years ago she had her first biological baby. She was thinking about it and a small tear ran through her face. She wished her friends had been there in that special moment. It was probably the only biological child she was gonna have and her best friends hadn't been there with her during that wonderful experience. That made her sad. She missed her friends and her home.
She tried to wake up Chandler but it was hard so she started kissing him through his whole body. Chandler was always ready for sex with Monica.
"Oh great, you're up!"
He quickly noticed the tone of her voice and that she had been crying.
"Hey, Mon, why are you crying? Are you okay? I hate seeing you all crying and sad."
"I am. I mean, I'm not. Well, I've been thinking and hum… I think we should go back to New York. You know how the kids always wanted to meet their aunts and uncles and be with their grandparents more often. I think it would be great for them."
"But what about your job? You love your job, it's everything you've always wanted. You know that for me it's fine, I mean, it's a big change but I love New York, it's my home."
"I know, and I love my job, I really do but… I miss our home, our friends, our family, and I loved our life in New York. And if I get enough recommendation letters I might even get a better job than this one here, I mean New York has tons of amazing restaurants where I could work."
"You're really decided aren't you?
"I am, Chandler, I really am…"
"So this is it? We're gonna do this?"
"I guess we are. And hum… thanks for understanding. I love you so much Chandler."
"I love you too Monica."
All the friends were asleep now as they realized their lives were about to change forever. However, they all couldn't be happier about it.