Best Chef in Town
"Hey, isn't that the best chef in town?" Chandler says as he enters apartment 20. Monica started to work at Alessandro's today and he is excited to hear about her first day of work.
Monica is standing at her kitchen counter. She is cutting onions. Chandler grins. It's typical Monica that she comes home after a day of cooking and cooks.
Chandler nudges her shoulder with his. "Hey, Mon, how was your first day of work? Have you everyone convinced already?"
Monica doesn't say anything. She is just standing there, cutting the onions. It is just now that Chandler recognizes the stack of onions next to her cutting board. She must have cut more than ten onions already.
"Um, Mon? What do you need all these onions for?"
"I … I just need to … I … I need them," she stutters.
Chandler looks at her and sees tears in the corner of her eyes.
"Mon, hey, what's wrong?" He wraps his arms around her.
"Nothing!"
"Hey, you're crying."
"It's the onions!"
Chandler shakes his head softly. "No, it's not. What is it?"
Monica lets herself fall against his chest. "I don't deserve that!"
"No! You don't!"
Monica lets out a watery chuckle. "You don't even know what I'm talking about."
"That's right. Are you going to tell me?"
"Everyone at Alessandro's hates me!"
"I'm sure that's not true."
"It is." Monica sighs.
"It was only your first day. You can't tell that soon."
"I can. Because they told me. They are not even trying to take me serious. Chandler, I don't know what I should do."
Chandler squeezes her tightly and sighs. He's looking at Monica and she knows that he's trying to find something to say.
"What should I do?"
"I … I don't know."
"But, Chandler", Monica pleads. "I really need your advice. Please!"
"I'm not that good at giving advice. You are the advice giver here."
Monica lapses into silence. He knows he's right. She's always the one who has advice for everyone. There isn't a problem that she can't solve. That's why they all come to see her when they have a problem. But now, it's different. It's her own problem and Chandler can see how she's trying to cope with that. He would do anything to give her any advice, but he can't think of anything.
He pulls her with him to the couch, but Monica resists.
"Come on, Mon, we're sitting down. You don't need these onions."
"I do. I have to show the world that I'm able to cook something."
"You are. You're the best cook I know."
"They don't think so."
"I think they do. Maybe they are intimidated by you. Because you are so good."
"Do you think so?"
"Of course!"
"But they hate me. They don't even laugh behind my back. They do that in front of me. It is as if they don't even care enough to hide it from me. I can't take that!"
"Oh, Monica." Chandler pulls her close and kisses her hair.
But Monica pulls away and grabs the phone.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm gonna call my boss to tell him I'm not coming anymore."
"What?"
"You heard me!"
"You are not gonna quit!"
"I can't work with people who hate me."
"Then show them how great Monica really is!"
"I'm gonna quit."
"I'm not letting you."
"You can't stop me, Chandler."
"Oh yes, I can. Because it was your dream for so long and I'm not the one who lets you ruin your dream."
"What do you care, Chandler?"
"I care about you, Mon. Do you know how unbelievable proud I was when I heard about your new job?"
Monica swallows and shakes her head. "You were?"
"Of course I was! I was telling all the guys at work how I am friends with the chef of that really great restaurant. I couldn't stop picturing you in your fancy kitchen today and I was so proud."
"I'm so touched by that, Chandler. But I can't do that. Yes, I want to work in a fancy restaurant, but not like that. Not with all of my co-workers secretly wanting to kill me." Monica begins to dial a number.
"Okay, Monica, if you're quitting this job it's the last time you gonna see me!" Chandler jumps up.
"What?" Monica looks at him, not believing what he's just said. They are looking at each other intensely for a few moments, then she continues to dial a number and Chandler storms out of the apartment. He cannot believe she is doing that.
As he enters his apartment, he hears his phone ringing.
"Hello?" He picks it up.
"Come back, you idiot," he hears Monica through the phone.
He walks back into Monica's apartment and smiles at her. "I knew you wouldn't go through with it!"
"You idiot! What would you have done if I really would have called my boss?"
Chandler sits down on the couch next to her again and wraps his arms around her tightly. "I would have started looking through the job offers with you, Mon."
"Thank you for being my friend, Chandler."
"It's hard to be your friend sometimes, Monica," he chuckles. "But it's so worth it," he then adds. "Your colleagues are gonna figure that out soon."
"I hope so."
"You should really yell at them," Chandler suggests.
"I … you know I can't do that. I have the need to please everyone."
"I know. But somehow you don't have the need to please me so feel free to come home and yell at me whenever you feel like you have to! I'd also put on an apron for you."
Monica smiles at him and Chandler's world lights up. He can't stand seeing her sad. Whenever he sees Monica like that, he feels the urge to cheer her up instantly. He can't stop before he sees a smile on her face again.
"You know what? I think you are the best!"
"I do know it but I would appreciate you saying it a lot more in the future."
"I try to remember," Monica says and smiles. "Hey, Chandler," she adds after a while. "Do you want me to sign some autograph cards for you so you can brag with me in front of your colleagues?"
Chandler bursts out laughing. He did it. He didn't only make her smile again, he also made her tease him. "I'd love that!" He chuckles and kisses her cheek, still laughing out loud.
Okay, I know, this whole Monica-wanting-to-call-her-boss-thing might be a little bit too much, but I so enjoyed writing it. :) Tell me what you think and also, if you have an idea about another situation I could write about, tell me. :) Thank you for reading and reviewing this – it's so much fun for me!