The escape and the after … Chapter 8
Ilovematty, I read your review, I think you didn't read the beginning of chapter 6, since in theheader I wrote about the loss of Matthew, that day I was deeply sad and I just thought that publishing that chapter would allow me to clearly state my feelings for who was an incredible and beautiful person and also my favorite actor. You know, at first I even thought about not writing more stories about Chandler, I felt that it would be very difficult for me to create a story
knowing that he was not there, but then It realized that, on the contrary, I had to continue doing it to keep him alive in my mind, my heart, in my memory and in that of those who loved him. I ask you
to read chapter 6 and you will see that I do not forget him.
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.
Chapter 8
After the conversation with Phoebe Chandler went to his apartment and began to read lying on the couch. After a while the brothers arrived with Ben, who upon seeing Chandler threw his arms at him and Chandler began to tickle him, which Ben received with laughter. .
Ross told him: "You handle kids well."
Chandler replied…. "Yes, I already told you that I babysat Ronald's daughters, I even learned to change diapers at 17 years old…"
Monica asked how as he passed…. then you would like to have children….
Chandler said as if thinking through the answer: "yes, the day I meet the right woman, I fall in love with her, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her, yes of course, I will want us to have children. …But I don't think I found it yet…. or maybe I found her, but I haven't realized that she is the one, I will have to pay more attention, at work there are several girls who could fit the requirements.
Monica turned red…. She looked away and drank a glass of water, then she said she had to go. And she left almost running,
Ross took Monica's arm and said, "Mon wait, what's wrong, you weren't here to invite us to
dinner..."
Monica, still with a blush on her face, said "yes, of course, I'll wait for you when you want to come, I'll be preparing the food."
Chandler proposed, "Monica, do you want me to help you…"
"No thanks" and she left.
Chandler was once again intrigued by Monica's sudden change of mood, perhaps what he didn't tell Phoebe could be what he thought it was? but he was never good at guessing, and if he was wrong... Better to be sure, even if this takes more time.
During dinner he caught Monica looking at him out of the corner of her eye two or three times, although he avoided looking directly into her eyes. -
When they finished dinner Chandler decided that he would help Monica wash the dishes, and he noticed that she gave them two washes with detergent.
He asked her "why do you wash everything twice?"
"To make sure they are perfectly clean" … "it's a habit I have, it bothers you?"
Chandler replied "not at all, especially since you're not using my detergent, so the expense is all yours" and gave her a mischievous smile.
Monica gave him a piercing look, which made Chandler laugh more.
While they finished washing and drying the dishes and Phoebe and Ross are in the living roomwatching television, Chandler started a bolder conversation.
"Monica, Ross interferes in your dates, I mean gives his opinion on the boy and advises you?"
"No, except…. he hated Steven, he didn't understand why I had to please Mom and go out with an arrogant idiot, and he didn't like Richard, my previous boyfriend, he was 20 years older than me and Ross didn't want me to go out with him. "an old man like dad", but I was in love with him, I thought we thought the same about the future, but it wasn't like that, he didn't want children. So we broke up, and even though that relationship didn't last more than 5 months, that breakup did hurt me a lot, I had bet on that relationship. But Ross was right and I am very stubborn, I always want to be right."
Chandler said laughing…. "Wow, I just learned about two more of your virtues."
Mon looked at him surprised.
Chandler told her: "Yes, competitive, jealous of my food, very wasteful of detergent and
stubborn…. I don't know, but it occurs to me that there must be two or three more…"
Monica replied, "Well, that's how I am, whoever loves me is going to have to love me with all those virtues…"
Chandler replied "OK…. I'll keep it in mind …"
Monica looked at him, but he turned around and walked to the couch with the other two friends.
The following week he completed the trust procedures with his uncle. He was now a man with quite a considerable fortune, but he didn't tell his friends about it, he knew that money distanced people, and he didn't want them to see him differently.
On Friday he came back in a hurry to change, when he was ready to leave, Phoebe and Monica came in,
Phoebe spoke first "we came to invite you to the movies, and you can choose the movie, we chose the last one, a romantic one."
I'm sorry girls, but a co-worker invited me to dinner, his girlfriend is bringing a friend, he thinks I'm going to like her... We'll see, but we can go to the movies tomorrow or Sunday, we'll fix it tomorrow.
Monica's face blushed, she just said "Well I hope your double date is a success, that you have fun" and she turned and left...
Phoebe looked at him with a slight smile and said, "Don't pull so hard on the rope…"
On Saturday morning Ross walked over to apartment 20 for breakfast, Monica was making French toast, and Phoebe asked Ross if Chandler wasn't coming with him to breakfast.
"I don't believe it, he arrived very late last night, and now he's sleeping."
Monica screamed, the two friends turned around and asked her what happened.
"Nothing, I'm an idiot, I got distracted and burned myself with the pot…. Don't worry, I put the cream on and that's it."
Phoebe knew what her "distraction…" had been.
That Saturday night Chandler went out again, he had told Ross that the girl he was introduced to was very beautiful and funny, she was an actress, and they had hit it off in the books and movies he liked. That night they planned to go to the movies and have dinner.
Ross also had a date, so the girls didn't find out anything.
On Sunday none of the boys showed up until noon.
Ross told them that his date had been a fiasco, the girl was quite boring.
On the other hand, Chandler said that the two nights they went out had been fantastic, "Cynthia is an actress, she is very pretty, funny, intelligent, we have many similar tastes, surely during the week I will invite her to Central Perk and I will introduce them to her."
Monica didn't make any comments, but she didn't blush either, she avoided looking at him and got up to grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator, it was evident that he had found his right girl, and therefore it was better for her to move on, she just didn't know how was she going to do it, she had fallen in love with that stupid farmer, and to make matters worse she had to see him every day, and he was going to introduce she to her girlfriend. That was much worse than what had happened with her previous boyfriends, and even worse because he hadn't even become her boyfriend.
On Monday Monica started working in the kitchen of a well-known restaurant as a sous chef. She hadn't had the chance to tell Chandler about her new job and how happy she was, but none of that told her anyway would he mind.
Anyway, her new job allowed Monica to avoid the encounters at Central Perk and meet "Cynthia," but she couldn't avoid Phoebe and Ross's comments.
According to Ross, Chandler had had a lot of luck with that girl, and he seemed very excited.
Phoebe said that she was really cute and nice, Chandler behaved very gentlemanly and
affectionate with her, ... "I think he's going to be a good boyfriend..."
Monica's stomach was twisting, and she also got upset with Phoebe, because knowing what she felt for Chandler, she showed her how happy Chandler was with that other woman.
The next week at the restaurant it was his morning shift, so she had no choice but to go with her friends to Central Perk, her absence would be noticeable and would have no explanation, so she had to meet Cynthia, during all those afternoons she had to look good and endure her caressing Chandler's leg or kissing his cheek.
Two or three days after Monica had to put up with Cynthia, Chandler walked away from his
girlfriend a little and told Monica
"Mon, you didn't tell me that you had found a job, … that you started on Monday of last week"
"Well, we didn't meet, I didn't get a chance to tell you…" Monica said dryly.
"But I think we saw each other the previous Sunday…. and several days this week and you didn't say anything..." Chandler commented.
"Well that wasn't that important, and there were more interesting things to talk about," Monica replied.
"And you're happy, do you like it?"
"Yes, it is a good restaurant, the kitchen is well designed and the colleagues are good people, which is the most important thing," she answered coldly.
"Mon, you have to give me the address so we can have dinner and try your specialties," Chandler said with a smile.
"Yes, of course, whenever you want…" Monica continued to respond coldly.
Chandler turned around and said to the others, "We have to plan to go to Monica's restaurant for dinner together."
"Of course," Ross said.
"Of course it will be fun," said Phoebe.
"Do you own a restaurant?" Cynthia asked.
"No, I'm just a cook…," Monica answered and then she stood up and told them "well, I'm tired from the day at work, I'll leave you, have a good night" she gave them a small smile and left.
Chandler was worried by Monica's response, she was proud of her profession, because she minimized her so much?
The next day, when Chandler returned from work, he went straight to apartment 20, he knew that Monica would have already returned from her shift.
He found Monica lying on the couch, and she was crying.
He immediately came over and knelt in front of the couch.
"Mon, what's wrong with you, why are you crying?" asked a distraught Chandler.
"Nothing to worry about, I'm fine." answered Monica,
"Monica, everything that happens to you worries me a lot…. Why are you crying?... I can't see you crying.
"Chandler, don't worry, these are my things, and I prefer to be alone…"
"Do you want me to make you some tea?" …" Chandler said softly and took her hand.
Monica quickly took his hand away and said angrily, "I don't want anything, I just want you to leave…"
Chandler stood up, and gently closed the door.
Chandler went down to Central Perk because he knew Phoebe would be there,
"Hello Phoebe…. I just entered your house and I found Monica crying lying on the couch, I tried to get her to tell me what was happening to her, but she treated me coldly and told me to leave….
"What is happening to her…?"
Phoebe looked at him carefully, "I already told you, she's in love with a boy, but he loves another girl, like in romantic movies."
"But how do she know that he is in love with the other girl? …" Chandler asked.
"If they rub it in her face, unless she is stupid, she'll realize…" Phoebe said, raising her eyebrows.
"Last time you told me that I had to guess…. "I'm not good at that, but you're talking about me and Cynthia," Chandler asked.
Phoebe had lowered her head, but she raised her eyes and stared at him...
"But Phoebe, I'm not in love with Cynthia…it's…. Let's say... a friend with benefits... We both agree on that… she is affectionate, fun, we had a good time…. but she has work and life expectations totally opposite to mine, and we know it…. In fifteen days she is moving to LA because she has a job opportunity…. Chandler explained.
"Anyway, it's obvious that you don't like Monica, she doesn't arouse any feelings in you," Phoebe said.
"Why do you say that? When I arrived she was dating, later you told me that she was in love with another boy, you didn't tell me who he was …. why would I think it was me? …..especially since she never tried to give me a clue that she liked me," Chandler explained.
"Ok, let's say that the fact that she was dating, or that she was in love with someone else, has turned you away…. But now that you know what she feels, what's going on with you…" Phoebe asked.
Chandler was silent for a moment…. "Phoebe…. I liked her physically since I met her, she is beautiful, it was impossible for me not to be attracted to her... after I got to know her, I liked her personality more, she is strong, passionate, she knows what she wants... and I think she wants the same things as me……. As for whether I'm in love, I really don't know, I've gone out with many girls and I never felt like I was in love, until now I never felt the need to be with a woman all the time,
because I guess that's what being in love is like… With Monica we have never talked deeply about ourselves, we never had a date, we never kissed, we never made love, and I think those are the steps you have to take to know if you are in love.
And are you interested in starting to take those steps…" Phoebe asked.
"Yeah…. Of course I am interested in her, even though deep feelings have not yet arisen in me, there is something inside me, that tells me that she is the right one…. But I don't deny you, I'm afraid of making mistakes…" Chandler answered.
"I don't think you're wrong... She is a great woman, she wants to love and be loved, she wants a family, if you are looking for that, and if you also like the packaging and the personality, … "I think she's the one," Phoebe told him with a smile.
"But Chandler, you're going to have to make the first move…" Phoebe concluded.
Just as they were talking, Cynthia arrived with a smile, she greeted Phoebe and gave Chandler a quick kiss on the lips.
Cynthia noticed that the atmosphere was tense, but she didn't say anything. Phoebe got up saying that she had a client, and she left.
"Chandler, what's wrong…" Cynthia asked.
"Nothing …. "I was just talking to Phoebe"
"But it seemed like something serious, even you are still serious…" Cynthia insisted.
"When I got home from work, I first went to the girls' house. These days I had noticed Monica was somewhat distant, and yesterday she surprised me because of something she said about her work. I wanted to know what was wrong with her, but when I came in I found her crying and she didn't
want to tell me the reason and told me to leave, so I came to ask Phoebe what's happening to her," Chandler answered, he ran his hand over the back of his neck and lowered his head.
Cynthia looked at him carefully, "and Phoebe told you that Monica is in love with you."
Chandler raised his head and looked at Cynthia with wide eyes and surprise on her face, "How do you know…?"
"You men are all the same, you don't see the signs, when I arrived she gave me a forced smile and then she threw darts at me with her eyes, and she barely spoke to me…" Cynthia answered with a smile.
"And if so, why didn't she tell me, why didn't she ask me…. If I felt something...?
"God Chandler, when we are in Kindergarten and we ask the boy sitting next to us at the table if he wants to be our boyfriend, and he says NO, that is engraved on us for life, we will never ask a boy that again." Cynthia said, laughing.
"And you like her...? Cynthia asked.
"The day I met her she seemed to me to be the most beautiful woman I had ever met" Chandler interrupted himself thinking that with that phrase he could have hurt Cynthia and continued "…."well sorry one of the most beautiful…"
It's okay Chandler, Monica is really very beautiful, I'm clear about it, you don't offend me…"
Cynthia told him, and she asked him "But apart from being physically beautiful, you like her for something else."
"I really like her personality and how she thinks about many things, but we never talk deeply about each other, we never had a date, nor did we kiss, as I told Phoebe, how can I know what I feel without going down that path, but I also wonder how can she, without all those steps, know that she is in love with me to the point of making her cry???
"Chandler look, not all, but most men, when they meet a woman, first think with their penis, take her to bed, then, if they get through that part successfully, they think with their brain, she will be a good person? she will like me? she will be faithful? and only when they believe they have those answers does he begin to let himself be carried away by his heart" and continued
"On the other hand, most women when they meet a boy think with their stomach and heart, these two organs mix, if the boy attracts them, no matter the reason, he doesn't even have to be handsome, they begin to have butterflies in the stomach every time she see him, even if he doesn't even look at she, and those butterflies that go up and down between the heart and the stomach, end up nesting in the heart... and all this without even knowing if the other person feels the same, and since we let ourselves be carried away by the butterflies, when we use our brain it is usually too late, he doesn't feel anything for us or he has another one or he is simply a cretin "
"Chandler, your way of getting to know if you are in love with her is different from hers…. If you like her, if your brain believes that she can be the right one, you are going to have to start taking your steps soon, because she has already arrived at her destination and if she sees that at the end of the road there is nothing, after crying for a while she's going to take another direction, and you'll be late."
Chandler stayed silent, not sure how to continue.
Cynthia took his hands, "friend, if you felt so worried about her crying, and now you are so
affected by what she feels, obviously she matters to you much more than you thought, go up, explain to her that nothing serious is happening with me, invite her on a date, start the journey right now."
"You're a great guy, I liked meeting you, we had a great time, but it's time for you to take your trip, and I take mine to LA."
Cynthia approached and gave him a soft kiss on the cheeks, smiled at him, got up and left without Chandler turning around, he was a little scared at what could be the beginning of a new life, and although he had started a new life several times, this one he knew would be the most important.