The Caretaker
I hope you like the story, and that you tell me his opinions, through them I know if I'm on the right path.
Remember English is not my native language, I hope the translation is correct, check it, but sometimes I miss some incorrect personal pronouns for the phrase, sorry.
I reiterate, I do not own the characters of Friends I only rely on them for the pure pleasure of writing stories without any economic interest, and Monica and Chandler they inspire me
Chapter 4
On Wednesday, Monica was discharged. Ross had rented a wheelchair that Monica would use until she could start using crutches. Chandler, Ross and Joey helped her get into a more comfortable car that Chandler rented, since it would place her in a taxi was going to be complicated, Chandler and Ross carried Monica up in their arms and Joey carried up the chair.
Ross asked Chandler "what are you going to do when you're alone to take her to physical therapy?"
"I was thinking that the safest thing would be to rent the services of an ambulance, at least until Monica can handle herself with crutches," Chandler replied.
"Yes, that's a good idea, any of us who took care of her, even mom, would have to resort to that solution, well thought out, I share the expenses," Ross told him with a smile.
When Rachel and Phoebe returned from work they found Monica in her chair, and Chandler was making coffee for everyone, that first night they would eat pizza.
Finally, for Christmas Eve everyone had dinner, Chandler with Monica's instructions prepared a lasagna that turned out to be very delicious, everyone praised it, and Monica, somewhat jealous, told Chandler "if you make it so well from now on you will make it yourself."
"That's where the competitive Monica came out," Rachel said and everyone laughed.
After dinner they distributed the gifts, Chandler apologized to everyone since he had not managed to buy anything, but he promised to give them on New Year's Eve. -
When everyone left and Rachel went to her room, Chandler approached Monica and gave her a small package, "I hope you like it."
"Chandler, I told you not to give me anything, what you do for me is enough," said Monica.
"Come on, open it up and see if you like it," Chandler said.
Monica took out the packaging and inside the box was a beautiful silver chain with a Lapis Lazuli pendant, which was the color of her eyes.
"Chandler is beautiful, thank you!, I only gave you a vest"
"You know I love vests, it's beautiful, I thank you again"
Monica took it out of the box and asked him, "Chandler, can you put it for me" and inside she thought, I will always use it…
On Christmas Day Monica's parents came.
Chandler had prepared chicken and mushrooms according to Monica's instructions, but he decided that he would prepare baked potatoes with a sauce that his grandmother made. Monica thought, God help us! And for Phoebe he also prepares steamed vegetables.
Ross and Phoebe were already at the house setting the table while Chandler was finalizing the details of the meal.
When Judy came in with a platter, "Just in case, I brought some baked meat with vegetables!", she said out loud, Chandler approached her and said, smiling, "Hi Judy, how are you, thank you, I'll put the platter on in the refrigerator it will surely come in handy tomorrow, today we have chicken with mushrooms and baked potatoes with sauce."
Judy gave him a Geller look and went to greet Monica, Jack winked at him and also went to greet his harmonica.
"I made dessert," Phoebe said.
The food was very tasty, the chicken was perfect, but everyone praised the potatoes and that somewhat spicy sauce was delicious.
"Mon, what an exquisite recipe, you have to pass it on to me," said Judy.
"You'll have to ask Chandler, it's a secret recipe from his grandmother," Monica answered with a smile and looked at Chandler, winking.
"Wow, it's very tasty, did she teach you how to make it?" Judy asked Chandler.
"Yes, I really liked it when she prepared the potatoes with that sauce, so one day I asked her to teach me how to make them. Many nights when I returned from boarding school I was alone or with the maid who didn't cook well, so I made me the macaroni with cheese and sausages or also used to prepare this potatoes, the usual Saturday and Sunday weekend dinner alone at home."
"You also made them for your mom, because they are very tasty," Phoebe asked.
"No! Chandler said, laughing and making terrified eyes, "it was Grandma Bing's recipe, Mom didn't eat anything from Bing's, she never tried them" and he continued addressing Judy.
"But if you really liked them, I'll give you the recipe and explain grandma's secret, which is what makes them so special."
"Yes, thanks Chandler, I would like that, at the next dinner with friends I will surprise them" Judy answered smiling, now more relaxed with Chandler.
During the following days the friends came and went, while Chandler helped Monica do the exercises, prepared the meals, they chatted, at night the whole gang or they alone watched a movie.
Monica loved to see him in the kitchen, preparing what she told him to do…. It was sweet and at the same time funny, it made her forget that she couldn't get out of that damn chair.
Rachel and Phoebe helped Monica get dressed before going to work, and then when they came back they helped her with the shower.
So Tuesday the 29th arrived, the ambulance took Monica and Chandler to the hospital for the first physical therapy session, and Monica, despite the pain caused by the movements, made an effort to do them, she wanted to recover quickly.
When they returned home Chandler prepared lunch, they ate quietly, he told her about what he was writing, the idea of presenting his stories in a magazine and he also had written some comedy scripts for film or television, Monica thought it was an idea brilliant, that activity was for him, not that boring job that he hated so much, maybe now that he had time he could think about doing that activity permanently, and she decided to encourage him.
After lunch Chandler made tea for both of them, and advised Monica to take a nap, since the session had tired her. She thought it was a good idea, but when they were finishing the tea someone knocked on the door.
Chandler opens it and finds Richard!
"Hello Richard, how are you?" he said loudly to alert Monica.
"I came to visit Monica, can I come in?"
"Yes, of course, do you want to drink something, I just made tea," Chandler said as he ushered Richard into the room.
"No thanks, hello Monica, how are you, you look great," Richard said with a radiant smile that she barely returned,
Monica didn't like that he showed up unexpectedly, she wasn't sure why, but she didn't want Chandler to make assumptions about this visit, luckily he hadn't shown up with flowers.
"Thank you, and don't tell me Mom sent you back, that's impossible, now she's loving Chandler's cooking," Monica said with a smile, looking at Chandler and winking at him. She made a gesture that did not go unnoticed by Richard.
"Could we chat for a while alone?" Richard asked.
"Of course," Chandler said, he quickly grabbed his laptop and picked up the intercom from the coffee table, he showed it to Monica, "if you need me, let me know. Goodbye Richard, nice to see you"
Chandler came out, he was upset, he hated that guy, he was praying that Monica wouldn't get back with him. Suddenly he realized that he had no right over Monica, she could be with whoever she wanted, it would just be so incredible if she wanted to be with him, "better calm down" he thought, "don't dream impossible."
In apartment 20 Monica was sitting in her chair at the table and Richard sat across from her.
"You are really okay?"
"Yes, of course, today I had a physiotherapy session and it left me a little tired, when you arrived I was about to go take a nap" said Monica.
"Oh, I was inopportune," said Richard, knitting his eyebrows.
"No, it is fine, what do you want to talk about? Monica asked, trying to be polite, although his visit made her uncomfortable.
"Well, when I went to see you at the hospital I actually wanted to talk to you about us, but I thought it was inopportune since you were still recovering from the operation."
"Monica, I still love you, I never stopped doing so, and I think we owe each other a chance, I want to marry you and I am willing to have children with you"
"Richard, some things have changed since we broke up and others obviously haven't…" Monica said calmly, with a soft voice, trying to be kind, and continued….
"You know, I suffered a lot with the breakup since I had fallen in love with you and in my life expectations you seemed like the right man, but I managed to overcome those feelings, it were left behind, that is what has changed, I changed, I moved very go ahead" and looking him in the eyes, always calmly, I continued
"On the other hand, you have not changed, you are "willing to have children," that is, you are willing to pay the price that you suppose I would demand if I wanted to be with you."
"Monica is not like that."
"Yes, Richard, your proposal to have children is not the natural consequence of a couple who love each other and want to complete that love by having a child, for you having a child with me is precisely the price you are willing to pay to have me, and I'm not selling myself, not even for a child," Monica concluded, always keeping her voice calm and kind.
"It's because of him, isn't it?" Richard said firmly.
"What?"Monica exclaimed with furrowed eyebrows.
"It's because of that stupid and clumsy Chandler that he will never marry you, much less have children, I don't even think he's straight."
This sentence made Monica put aside her efforts to be nice.
"Richard, you are doubly wrong, Chandler is my friend, my best and closest friend, who is doing something wonderful for me, and your comment about his masculinity is also very unpleasant, unjustified and unfortunate," she said, clearly annoyed.
"Please Monica, no man can be so close to a woman as beautiful and great as you unless he loves you or is gay."
"You obviously have no idea what friendship is," Monica replied, shaking her head and looking at him in disbelief.
"I don't believe in friendship between a man and a woman, much less the one you say you have."
"OK Richard, then what is your problem, I assure you that he is not gay, therefore, according to your conclusion he loves me and I love him, in that case why do those feelings affect you, since the "us" that you claim no longer exists, nor will it exist" Monica concluded, clearly uncomfortable.
She didn't want to confront Richard, she tried to be kind and honest, but his comments about Chandler didn't let her do anything else. She wasn't going to let him put Chandler down.
"Monica, I love you, I want you with me, I want to be the one who took care of you, I already told you, I want us to have another chance, another us."
"I'm sorry Richard, that is not going to be possible, as I just told you, the "us" ended a long time ago, at least for me, I repeat once again, on my part there is no reason to make it reborn, obviously you would do it at the cost of a sacrifice or, worse still, paying a price to have me, but I am not interested in your proposal." Monica expressed herself firmly, but also showing discomfort and concluded.
"Look, except for some nasty nonsense you just said, I think you're a good man, I'm sorry you haven't gotten over your feelings, you should, there's nothing here anymore."
Richard stood up, his face was red and very serious, he just said "I don't think we'll see each other again, I hope you get what you want, although I think you're looking in the wrong place" he opened the door and left.
Monica felt very uncomfortable, angry with Richard, his unpleasant words, she took several deep breaths to relax and called Chandler on the intercom.
Chandler entered with a somewhat forced smile, "Richard left?" And when he saw her, he seriously asked her, "Is something wrong with you?"
"He told me that he loved me, that he was willing to have children,"
"Ah!" Chandler said as his stomach clenched and his heart pounded.
"And I answered that he did not want children, that the only thing he was looking for with those children was to buy me, the children were the price he was willing to pay to have me" "that I was not selling myself for a child and also that I no longer felt anything for him"
Wow, Chandler thought, Mon doesn't love him anymore...
"He insisted and said several more stupid things, but he ended up understanding that I don't feel anything for him, nor do I want to try again."
"I don't think he'll come back again," Monica concluded.
"And you're sad about that?"
"No Chandler, I'm upset by his insistence and other things he said, I didn't think he was such an idiot" "Well, now I'm awake, it's past nap time, do you want to watch a movie?"
"Yeah, sure, what do you want to see?" said Chandler, feeling totally relieved, and he thought, "goodbye forever, you old stupid mustachioed man."