Then
Chapter 9: In My Daughter's Eyes
Sorry for lack of any type of updates lately—My "relaxing" summer has been anything but! I meant to have this done by Mother's Day…ha, that didn't happen!
_._._
Monica lay in bed, awake, but listening carefully to what was going on downstairs. She knew the Mother's Day tradition well by now, and only hoped this year's attempt at making breakfast would be better than last. Last year, Erica had insisted on helping make omelets, of all things, which turned out completely inedible. Phoebe and Jack had somehow burned an entire loaf of bread beyond edibility in the time it took Chandler to pour each of them a glass of juice. However, none of the three realized the meal was not at all edible. Chandler had slyly slipped a bowl of cereal on the tray as well, wanting her to be able to eat something. She tried a bite of everything, grinning bravely, the way only a mother could.
"Mommy, are you still in bed?" Phoebe's small voice yelled up the stairs, and Monica laughed. Though the tradition made it not a surprise, the breakfast in bed was supposed to be a surprise. Little Phoebe didn't quite understand that.
"Yea, still up here, sweetie!"
"K. Stay right there!" she yelled again, and Monica just laughed, hearing Erica's angry voice, assuming she was mad that Phoebe was ruining the "surprise." Erica's angry voice was followed by Chandler's softer voice, and then the clinging of silverware and the shuffling of feet. Monica laughed; Jack was the first one coming. He was, of course, running, not walking.
"Happy Mother's Day, Mommy!" Jack ran into the room, Phoebe on his heels, as he jumped onto her bed.
"Happy Mother's Day!" Phoebe echoed, handing her a flower from their garden.
"Happy Mother's Day," Erica added, not as enthusiastic as she entered with the tray of food. She was obviously not happy the other two had not waited for her.
"We made pancakes!" Phoebe bounced up and down next to her brother, who pushed her away.
"You did?!" Monica smiled, taking the tray from Erica, who sat down on the other side of Monica.
"Daddy and me made the pancakes," Erica whispered. "They didn't do anything," she shook her head, motioning to her siblings. Monica laughed, shifting her attention to the photo sitting in the middle of the tray. It was the picture they sent out for Christmas Cards the year before.
~.~.~
"Why are we getting Christmas card pictures, or holiday card pictures, or whatever you want to call them, taken in September?" Chandler asked, pulling at his sweater as they walked into the portrait studio.
"You're worse than the kids," Monica grabbed his hand, and he stopped fidgeting.
"Mom, it's hot out," Jack pushed his sleeves up. "And it's not Christmas yet," he pointed out. "It's not even Halloween yet."
"You're wrinkling your shirt," Monica pulled his sleeves back down. "And we need to get them done early so we get them back in time for the holidays."
"And by holidays you mean Halloween?" Jack quipped, and Monica glared at Chandler when he snickered at Jack's remark. Monica just sighed, turning to the man at the front desk, giving him an apologetic look in advance.
The first apologetic look Monica had given to the photographer would not cut it for long. The session lasted much, much longer than expected. Either someone wasn't smiling, or no one was smiling, or someone was whining, or three out of five of them were whining, or someone was sneezing, or grimacing, or giving someone else bunny ears in every single picture.
"Say cheese," the photographer tried to feign enthusiasm, about to give up on The Bings.
"Hey, what do you call cheese that isn't yours?" Chandler interjected.
"What?" Phoebe asked, not even turning to look at him.
"Nacho cheese!" he exclaimed, to which both girls laughed. Monica shot him a dirty look, and Jack completely ignored him.
And that's the picture they sent out in cards. Jack in front of Chandler, the only one smiling at the camera. Erica in front of Monica, looking back at Chandler, both of them laughing. Phoebe in the middle, head thrown back in laughter. And Monica beside Chandler, giving him a look he was all too familiar with.
A perfect portrait of The Bings.
~.~.~
Monica smiled at the picture, laughing at the now fond memory, though it hadn't seemed so at the time.
"Happy Mother's Day, Mon." Chandler sat beside her, brushing his lips against her cheek.
"Give her, her present!" Jack exclaimed.
"This isn't my present?" Monica motioned to the food in front of her, and all three of the kids shook their heads.
"You guys really need to work on the whole 'surprise' thing," Chandler laughed, pulling a small box out of his jeans pocket.
"Chandler," Monica objected, sensing from the small, jewelry-sized box he had spent way too much for a Mother's Day gift.
"Just open it, Mon," he handed her the box, and she hesitantly took it, opening it slowly. Her look of objection slowly faded into a smile as she saw the necklace inside, three emeralds in the middle of a small pendant. "It's supposed to be one of those things with all of your kids' birthstones, but, well, the all have the same one, so," Chandler trailed off with a shrug.
"No, no, it's perfect!" Monica threw her arms around his neck, nearly knocking over the tray of food in the process. "I love you," she kissed him quickly. "Thanks, guys," she added to the kids, who all shrugged, not very excited about jewelry.
"Mommy, I got you a present, too!" Phoebe exclaimed.
"You did?"
"Yep! Since you love cleaning so much, I decided you can clean my room for me today," she grinned. If she hadn't been four-years-old, and hadn't completely, genuinely meant it, Monica might have been less than thrilled about the smart-alec seeming gift. But she was four. And she did mean it sincerely.
"Thanks, Phoebs," she laughed, pulling her into her lap. "Do me a favor, though?"
"What?"
"Never, ever grow up, ok?" She squeezed her tight, and Phoebe nodded in agreement.
"K!"
~.~.~
In my daughter's eyes I can see the future
A reflection of who I am and what will be
Though she'll grow and someday leave
Maybe raise a family
When I'm gone I hope you see how happy
she made me
For I'll be there
In my daughter's eyes
(In My Daughter's Eyes, Martina McBride)
~.~.~
to be continued…
Ok, so I'm thinking, I'm gonna wrap this up… I have other ideas, and I can only do two series at once, and not many people seem to be interested in this anymore. Maybe I'll write a pretty long epilogue, if you people want? That's what I'm thinking. Maybe one more part, two at the most. Anyway, review and let me know!