The escape and the after …. Chapter 9
Remember English is not my native language, I hope the translation is correct, I check it, but
sometimes I miss some incorrect, sorry.
I repeat, I am not the owner of the characters, I only rely on them for the sheer pleasure of practice writing stories without any economic interest, and these two characters inspire me.
Chandler thought about Cynthia's and Phoebe's words and made the decision. He went up again and entered apartment 20.
Monica is preparing dinner, she is not crying anymore, but her eyes are red.
"What do you need?" Monica asks.
Chandler stares at her and answers, "Don't invite me to dinner, what are you preparing?"
"A chicken with salad... but you don't have dinner with Cynthia?
Chandler had been standing leaning on the back of the couch and answered, "No…Cynthia is moving to LA and we said goodbye this afternoon at Central Perk."
Monica is on her back preparing the salad, she opens her eyes in surprise, slowly turns around and asks him "But is she going to live in LA for good?"
"Yes, two months ago they made her a job offer and in 15 days she has to start rehearsals"
Chandler explains nonchalantly.
Monica looks at him carefully and asks with concern, "And how are you, how do you feel?"
"I'm fine, why? Chandler responds.
"Because your girlfriend is moving to LA, aren't you depressed, sad, aren't you going to miss her? Or are you thinking about moving to LA too?" Monica spoke with a certain voice of alarm at the end of the sentence.
"No …. why should I move me, I'm living here and I like it a lot, I like my job, the friends I made, Cynthia was a good friend, pretty, funny…. a little more than only a friend, … but nothing more, we were both clear about it from the beginning, we were only going out to have a good time, she has very different life expectations than mine…" Chandler concluded.
"I thought you were in love with her…" Monica said quietly, as she set the table.
"Mon, I have dated many girls in Tampa, but I was never in love, if that means wanting to be with the woman all day and feeling like you want to spend your life with her, until now that hasn't happened to me…. But I know that when I am with that girl I will know that I am on my way to falling in love."
"And you still haven't found it," Monica stated.
"Something tells me yes…. but I have to ask her if she wants to go on a date with me, and I don't know what she's going to answer…" Chandler said with a smile.
"Well, if you don't ask her you'll never know the answer…" Monica said as she was putting the glasses on the table.
"yes, that's true," Chandler answered and paused…. "Monica, would you like to go on a date with me, say this Saturday…"
There was a loud crash of glass breaking on the floor, Monica's eyes were open and surprised and Chandler ran to her side to check that she had not been hurt, luckily it fell away from her foot.
"Mon, you didn't have to break a glass to tell me no…" And he looks at her with a mischievous smile, "run, I'm going to raise the glass, you could cut yourself…. "
Chandler cleaned up the mess while Monica was frozen by the table. When he finished throwing the pieces of glass into the trash, he sat up and looked at Monica saying, "Well, that was a no or a yes, because so far you haven't accepted the invitation"
Monica's face of surprise and fright transformed into a beautiful smile, "Yes, of course, I would like to go on a date with you."
"Perfect, but for a while let's keep it between us, I don't want your brother to kill me thinking I'm playing, because Mon, I'm not playing, you're important to me" Chandler said seriously.
"I don't want to play either, and this is also very important for me…. a while ago it started to be very important to me…" Monica answered.
"Well, then on that date we're going to have to talk a lot…" Chandler approached gently, took
Monica's face in his hands and gave her a soft kiss on the lips, then pulled away, and said, "that's enough for today, I don't like taking shortcuts"
Monica would have liked him to continue kissing her, she wanted a passionate kiss, but she had realized that one of Chandler's characteristics was that he took his time and planned each step carefully.
The only one who knew about the date was Phoebe, and so that the couple could avoid Ross she invited him to a double date, something that Ross didn't like, but he ended up accepting so as not to continue listening to Phoebe's pleas.
When Phoebe and Ross left, Chandler crossed the hallway and knocked on the door. He had bought a dark blue suit and a deep blue shirt, and in his hand he carried a bouquet of red flowers.
Monica opened it and was shocked by how handsome he looked.
In turn, Chandler found her more beautiful than ever with a red dress that highlighted the black of her hair that fell on her back.
They went to dinner at a small but very cozy and romantic restaurant that Chandler's co-worker had recommended to him. "Man, if you go to that restaurant, you're halfway to bed…" the colleague told him mischievously.
But Chandler was not what he was looking for tonight, there would be time, he wanted to know more about his personality, her soul.
They talked about everything, he told her in more detail about his childhood and his time at boarding school, and also the ups and downs that he suffered in the first months after he ran away from it. He opened his heart to her about what he wanted for his future, that due to what he had experienced in his childhood until he met Ronald and Julliet, he thought that getting married and
having children was the worst future a man could have, that the only thing what was worth it was the freedom to move from one woman to another without commitment, but when he saw how Ronald's marriage worked he realized that when you find a woman with whom you can be a friend, a lover, a travel companion, form a couple and having children was possible and desirable if the two were on the same page.
Monica told him about her mother, her preference for Ross, what had made her constantly compete with her brother while they were children, her mother's criticism, her father's resigned silence, her problems with eating, and finally her decision to change, to become independent, she managed to get her paternal grandmother to leave her apartment 20 because she was going to
live in Florida, she told him about her studies, her dreams of becoming someone in the kitchen, the boys she had dated, and her infatuation with Richard and the reason for the breakup were not on the same page, not even at the same stage of life, it was obvious, Ross told her, but she really believed that he would want a life with her and yes, he wanted to, but without children, and she couldn't accept those limits.
They spent hours talking, when the restaurant closed they continued talking on a bench in Central Park until the sun began to rise.
They returned, trying not to make noise so as not to wake Ross, but this time, at the door of
apartment 20, there was not only a soft kiss on the lips, it was followed by several more and more passionate kisses, until they heard noise coming from the kitchen's Ross and they separated, both with huge smiles and Chandler said "see you later…. look, I'm coming to have breakfast."
"You're crazy, I'm going to sleep until noon, come have lunch" and each one entered his house.
During the week they met for lunch or dinner, depending on Monica's shifts and out of Ross's radar, and on the seixs date they couldn't hold back the desire to make love any longer. Monica had asked Phoebe if she couldn't stay that night at her grandmother's house, Phoebe was delighted, she was betting on that couple,
The night was intense, with a lot of love and little sleep. None of her boyfriends had ever made her feel like this, sweet, tender, passionate, and concerned so that she would enjoy it as much as possible, and she really did. As dawn began to dawn, Chandler said a long goodbye and tiptoed to his apartment.
Thre weeks later Chandler realized that he had never felt that way, she was beautiful inside and out, he was crazy about that woman... And he decided it was time to talk to Ross, he was his friend and he didn't want to let him down.
Chandler prepared breakfast, and when Ross left his bedroom Chandler asked him to sit down, that he needs to talk seriously with him.
Ross thought he was going to tell him that he was moving, but it was far from the truth.
Man, I think you already know that I'm not a bad person…"
"Of course," Ross said.
"I don't like hurting people and I don't like lying or hiding situations, I think that in true friendship those things can't happen"
Ross was serious, he didn't know what this speech was about.
"Ross, about a month ago, Monica and I have been dating, we are dating, we are not playing, we have serious feelings for each other, and we hope to have a future together, it didn't seem honest to me that you didn't know, we just hope a reasonable amount of time to tell you to be sure that we want to be together."
Ross was silent, first his face turned pale and then red... he looked at his friend in his eyes,
Chandler kept his gaze so he could see that he was not lying...
A moment later Ross spoke. "Ok, I really like you, in this time you became my friend, I just warn you not to hurt her, if you do I will not hesitate to kick your ass and crawl all over the stairs…"
"Ross, I'm not going to hurt her, we're just going slow so our feelings are on solid ground..."
Chandler said with a smile.
"That's where the farmer came out," Ross told him and held out his hand for a mutually agreed greeting.
After breakfast they went to the girls' apartment. Monica looked at them with a reproachful face.
"Where were you, because you didn't come to breakfast, I was expecting you and I had a lot of pancakes left."
Chandler approached Monica, hugged her around the waist, gave her a kiss on the cheek and said,
"Don't be so protective, is this going to always be like this, until I'm ninety years old...?" and this time he gave her a quick kiss on the lips.
Monica was startled and looked at Ross, but he smiled. "I know, I told Chandler not to hurt you or I'll kick his ass, and I'm telling you not to hurt Chandler or I'll lock you in a room for a month with mom, and I don't know what the worst punishment is" the three laughed out loud.
Monica was happy, there would be no more secrets and she could enjoy her boyfriend without hiding.
A couple of weeks later Chandler came home from work and asked Monica if she had to work on Thanksgiving Day.
"Not because?" Monica answered.
"Perfect, because uncle Thomas invited me to lunch with the family and I told him I was going with my girlfriend. I want all Bing to know you"
"Seem to you? Isn't it soon? What if they don't like me? What if I'm not enough for your family?
"Mon, you drank wine…. Not only is it not soon... "I'm sure they will love you like I love you, and they don't have those stupid ideas in their heads."
"Oh, I didn't think you might have other plans, spending it with your parents..." Chandler said
sadly.
"Chandler, it will be a pleasure to be free from my mother for Thanksgiving…. Plus, I can go visit them on Friday when I'm also free, and that's how I take my boyfriend and introduce them to him."
Chandler opened his eyes in surprise……do you think? Isn't it soon? What if they don't like me?
Monica laughed out loud, "Look, my mother, if I go with my boyfriend, will be happy."
"But I'm not a cardiologist…" Chandler said with concern.
"No, but you are Jeremiah Bing's grandson, and the Dawson family can't get over that," Monica replied, laughing.
"But this Bing has the soul of a farmer…" Chandler said with a smile.
"Promise her that you are going to buy a plantation and that will subjugate her…" Monica suggested.
"Well, maybe that promise can come true…" He answered with a mischievous smile, gave her a kiss and was leaving, and Monica stopped him…
"Chandler what do I wear, they are very formal with clothes…"
"Whatever you wear you will be beautiful, but at night I will have the privilege of seeing you
naked" he winked and left.
They spent Christmas with the Gellers and for New Year's Eve they went to a party at Thomas' house. There were many people and they took hundreds of photos.
The following week in the county Social Magazine, photos of the parties held by the most prominent families were published, and among them were those taken at Thomas J. Bing's house.
Junior's wife showed him the magazine, these are not your sister Nora's relatives, Junior looked at the photos without much interest, until under one of them it read "Chandler M Bing and his girlfriend Monica E. Geller"
Junior was silent for a moment and then said to his wife, "Wow, Nora's son, the missing bastard is with the Bings. He looks good… Dad would squirm, but that was never really my fight, I didn't care about the boy and I don't care at all." He was silent again and then his face lit up, "You know, I'm not interested in what the boy has done with his life. But I'm going to send the magazine to my dear little sister, she's going to writhe with rage and remorse... it will be fun."
"Find out where she is, and we'll send her a copy."
In mid-February, Nora Thyler Bing shows up unexpectedly, without an appointment, at Thomas's office. She gives the secretary her business card and tells him that she urgently needs to talk to her brother-in-law.
Seeing her boss's last name on the card, the young woman truly believes that she is a relative of him, so without any preamble she tells Thomas, "Mr. Here is your sister-in-law who wants to see you."
Thomas is surprised since Katherine's sister lives in Boston and didn't know she had come down to NY and tells the secretary to come in.
Thomas is paralyzed when Nora enters.
"Hello, so long," says Nora.
Thomas only tells him "What are you doing here, why did you come?"
Nora takes out of her bag the magazine folded on the page where the photo of Chandler is. "I come to demand that you give me my son's address, and don't tell me that you don't know it, here they are all happy celebrating."
Thomas calms down, "Look Nora, Chandler didn't come looking for me, I discovered him by chance and I asked him if he wanted to contact you or Charles and he flatly said no, so I'm sorry, but I can't tell you where he lives."
"You are a bastard son of a bitch, all Bings are the same, you have no right to deny me seeing my son." exalted Nora shouted
"Look, Nora, first of all, save yourself the insults, it's not me, it's your son who doesn't want to see you, he expressly asked me that neither you nor anyone in your family know or contact him, and besides, if you loved him so much and cared about him so much, you wouldn't have abandoned a 10-year-old boy in a boarding school, "You and your father's bad actions are paid for."
"And Charles saw it."
"No, he doesn't want to see Charles either, and on the other hand Charles broke ties with all of us, so we haven't seen him practically since you guys got divorced."
Nora sat down and began to cry, "Thomas, I swear I didn't want to, but Dad forced me, just as he forced me to move to Manhattan, he even disinherited me…. "I was young and I didn't have the guts to fight him."
"Nora, suppose your dad forced you to take him to boarding school, did he also force you to see him every once in a while, to call him when you remembered? …Look, your son was very brave, he worked hard, he studied, he graduated, he got a good job and he has a lovely girlfriend, your father, you and my brother stole his childhood, adolescence and part of his youth, because it was not good for him. It's easy to achieve what it is now, let him live in peace, when he needed you
neither Charles nor you were there, now he no longer needs you."
Nora wiped away her tears, "I guess you're right, don't think I haven't had regrets for abandoning him, but as you say, it's too late" … "Thomas, I left you my card, my phone numbers are there, tell him if he wants to call me I'll be there happy, but no pressure, if he doesn't want to it will be fine"
Nora got up, gave the card to Thomas and said goodbye.
The next day Thomas called Chandler and met him at a restaurant near work; he didn't want him to go to his office in case they were being watched. He told him about Nora's visit and gave him the card telling him to do what he thought was best.
Chandler took it and put it in his pocket, in reality he was too happy to have to rummage through issues of the past, maybe one day...
At the end of March Chandler turned 27, everything that had happened to him this year seemed unbelievable, his life had changed again, and he was happy. The Bing family threw him a party and they also invited Ross, his parents and Phoebe.
In May it was Monica's birthday, she turned 26, and Chandler prepared a party for her in
apartment 20, everything went perfectly, when the guests left, they sat on the couch hugging each other and Chandler told her. "Mon, I'm thinking that it's time for us to live together, I want us to be together for longer, what do you think?"
Monica gave him a huge smile, leaned on him and gave him a passionate kiss,
They talked to Phoebe and Ross and he told him that Phoebe could move in with him, that it would be fun, although he would lose Chandler's breakfasts.
In the summer Chandler proposed to Monica that they spend the holidays in Florida, they flew to Orlando, rented a car, and toured several cities on both coasts of Florida, also visiting a couple of orange groves.
One afternoon, when they were sitting on the beach in Naples watching the sunset, Chandler asked Monica, "Mon, you could see the house with the white picket fence around here, in any city in Florida, near the beach…, I'm not saying now, not even in a year, maybe after we get married."
Monica looked at him with a smile on her face, especially at the end of his sentence, then she thought about it for a momen.
"Honey, as long as we are together the fence can be anywhere, and I would love to live here, the sea, the climate, and my man would be a perfect match."
"I would also like to buy a small plantation, not to make it our main income, I could ask for a transfer to Florida, there are several subsidiaries in the area, and you will surely get a good restoration, you are an excellent chef and you would come with good references, I think that It is very important that you develop yourself in the profession you like…. and the plantation would be like a hobby for me, I was very happy on Ronald's plantation."
"I like the idea, I imagine our children running through the orange grove," Monica commented with a dreamy face…. "but that must be very expensive"
I didn't tell you, nor did I tell the others because I didn't want to seem boastful, but my grandfather left a trust in my name, uncle Thomas helps me run it, and it's a small fortune, enough for a small plantation and for education of the children, of course, as long as we don't have more than four…" He said laughing.
"I think four is a good number…"
A couple of months after returning to NY, Chandler took her to a perfect restaurant and asked her to marry him, of course she said yes, and when her family and friends found out they had a small party.
A year later they got married, neither of them wanted a big ceremony or a pompous party. They were married in a small church in Southampton, and uncle Thomas took charge of the wedding at his house.
Chandler had come a long way, from his sad childhood in Southampton to that day when he realized his dream, he was free and had the woman he loved at his side.
A couple of years later, when Daniel was born, they decided to move to Florida, they bought the house with the white fence near Naples and Chandler bought a small orange plantation…. All his dreams had come true; the escape had been worth it
