Disclaimer. I don't own the characters. There is no more gain than the writing practice that is done here
Chapter 6: Explain to parents – Talk to children
Monday arrived, Erica and Jack went to school with their cousins and Chandler and the owners of the house went to work.
Also that morning, Monica decided to go talk to her parents, she didn't know what Ross had told them, but because of how angry he was with her, perhaps he had given them the wrong version of her feelings.
Richard asked her to accompany her, he was one of her father's best friends and he wanted to clarify her situation.
Monica knocked on the door of her parents' house and Judy opened it, she looked at Monica softly, but when she saw Richard behind her face changed from hers, she tensed and grimaced.
"Hi daughter how is you…"
"Hello mom, I want to talk to you."
"Yes I imagine, but we only want to talk to you, Richard is not welcome in this house"
"But mom..."
"Judy" Richard intervened, "we've been friends for years, I think I deserve to be listened to too"
"Look Richard, neither Jack nor I want your explanations, Jack is furious with you, now he's in the garage and I don't want him to see you because he's going to get very nervous and I don't want him to have a health problem because of that. You better go, if you want, wait for Monica in the car, and from now on don't come to our house"
"Judy, it's a shame they think like that, I've always considered them best friends, and I love Monica and I'm going to take care of her"
"I don't think she needs anyone to take care of her, by Richard"
Richard turned and walked away and Monica walked into the house. Obviously her conversation with her parents would be difficult.
Judy called Jack and when he saw Monica her face turned serious, but he went to the living room followed by Judy and Monica.
Monica began to speak "I know that Ross already told you that Chandler and I are getting a divorce."
Both of her parents kept silent looking at her, and she continued
"Do you remember how in love I was with Richard the first time we went out; we already had dreams to live together at that time"
Jack interrupted "Yeah, except having kids."
"Yes dad and that's why we broke up, but when we met again we realized that I can't have them either and that the sacrifice and suffering we went through at that time had been useless, if it hadn't been for my stubbornness for the children we could have been happy all these years and fulfilled the dream we both had of living in Paris…"
Jack asked, "You mean you were only with Chandler to marry him and have children, did you ever really love him?"
"Dad, I got together and married Chandler because I loved him, and I still love him. He's my friend, kind, loving, and an amazing father, and I'm sorry I hurt him, but you can't rule your heart and I'm in love with Richard. and we are going to fulfill our dream of being together and going to live in Paris"
"Daughter," Judy chimed in, "you've lived with Chandler for over 10 years, not counting the years they were best friends, and we all know he loves you unconditionally, unless he's a fake."
"Mom, he's not a fake, I know how much he loves me, but I don't love him the same way, I'm in love with Richard"
Jack whose face had turned red spoke "Look Monica, you are exchanging a good man for a scoundrel."
"Dad, don't say that, it's not true, he's a good man too and he never stopped loving me."
"No Monica, during these years when he asked me about you I always told him how happy you were, that they were a married couple like ours, united, that they loved each other and had two beautiful children. He knew it perfectly and he did not hesitate to meddle in your marriage, if he was an honest man and he really loved you, he should have let you go, let you be happy with your family, not look for you or fall in love, he is not an honest man, and if I were you I would be alert"
This last sentence from her father, whom she had always admired for his common sense and his correct conclusions, made a dent in her mind.
Jack continued…
"In any case, you are our daughter, we love you and if you think that this is your way, we are not going to say anything else, it is your life and we hope you are happy" ... "what I ask of you is that you never bring him to this house, he leave to be my friend, he betray my trust"
"Mon", said Judy, "we know that when you go out with the boys you have to bring them to our house or Ross's, let us know so we'll wait for them"
Monica kissed her parents and left with grief on her chest, evidently they did not accept her relationship with Richard, perhaps over time when they saw her happy they would change their attitude.
She got in the car and when Richard asked her how the conversation had been, Monica just said "fine."
Early that afternoon Chandler stopped by Ross's house to pick up the bags and drove to "the house" to wait for the kids, he knew that today he would have to talk to them.
Walking into the house he felt the same suffocating sensation he had when he left Wednesday night, he felt dark and empty. He left the children's bags in his room and his in the guest room.
He went to the bedroom that he had shared with Monica, removed all his clothes and bathroom items, and took them to the guest room, he would never sleep in that room again, he didn't even want to go back into it.
When the children returned, the first thing they did was ask for their mother.
Chandler told them that they needed to talk and they sat around the kitchen island, he didn't really know how to start, but he had to make this as painless as possible for his children so that their 6 year olds could understand.
"Erica, Jack, mom and I have separated, we are getting a divorce"
Erica asked "why? you love each other" "I always saw them kissing each other"
"Daughter, yes, we loved each other, but sometimes love changes or ends and it is not good to stay together when that happens"
Jack asked "dad, mom is mad at us, we misbehaved."
"Oh god, son, never think that, neither of you have to think that, you have nothing to do with our decision, never feel guilty or responsible for our separation, the only ones responsible are us."
"Guys, our divorce I know is going to be a painful change for all of us, but it's something we can't avoid."
Erica asked, "And where is mom, is she going to live here, or are we going to live here with you?" "Bob's parents separated and they stayed in the house with their mom, you're going to go…"
"No, our case is different, Mom went to live elsewhere, and you and I will stay here together, the three of us"
Jack intervened "And mom where she went to live"
"Well, mom fell in love with another man and she went to live with him"
Jack "who is he? what is his name? where does she live?
"He's a friend of your mom's, his name is Richard and he lives in Manhattan, I don't know exactly where."
Erica "but we're never going to see mom again...?"
"Oh no my love, you will not stop seeing mom, she will see you as many times as you want and she can, surely she will pick you up after school and take you to her new house, maybe you will sleep in that house one day, and then you will come back here"
"Kids, mom and I still love you as always and we want to be with you always, just in a different way, but I'll always be here with you, and you can never get rid of me," Chandler said with a small smile.
"Dad," said Erica, "that's why you were so sad the last few days."
Wow, Chandler thought, I thought I'd hid it better in front of them.
"Children, a separation is always sad, but we are going to recover, among all hugging and loving each other joy will return" "come here and give us a big hug"
"Daddy, I love you so much" said Erica, "me too," said Jack.
Well now I am going to prepare the snack, and bring the notebooks to do the homework and then you are going to play while I go to prepare dinner
Chandler hoped that the kids have understood that his mother and he still loved them and that they would always be there for them, it was very important for him that his children did not suffer what he had suffered.
