The lottery
This Story is an AU, which takes the Lottery Tow as its starting point, only that I have transferred it to the fourth season, in a temporal context and with different consequences, which is why the friends must face decisions and changes. There will be a somewhat different London. But there will always be a London.
I hope you like the story, and that you tell me your 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 1
The first week of 1998 was passing, Chandler had tried to enter the third stage over the weekend to overcome the disappointment that had been left in him the ended his relationship with Katy, a relationship in which he had made an effort to be a good boyfriend leaving aside his phobias.
The girls tried to help him by dragging him to a strip club, which was a failure until, in apartment 20, Chandler overheard them talking excitedly about the strippers and choosing which of them each would go out with. His hot imagination at those lesbian comments skyrocketed and definitively culminated with stage three. He was ready to embark on new love affairs.
On Monday when Joey arrived from his fishing trip with his father, he ran to the film set since he had a small intervention in a movie starring Charlton Hesston.
Monica left for her job at Alessandro's ready to do battle with her colleagues.
Phoebe is in her fourth month of pregnancy with her brother's triplets and is still having some stomach discomfort.
Rachel is determined to catch Joshua, resorting to his entire arsenal of methods of conquest, which to date have failed.
And Ross, as always, worried about the lack of a woman by his side. He wants the commitment, but he still doesn't have anyone to make it happen with.
On Thursday of that week they were at Central Perk, everyone except Joey, discussing the movie The Spy that Ross had chosen, since this week it was their turn to choose a movie and it was Ross's turn among them. The girls were not very enthusiastic, but that was the agreement and it had to be respected.
Suddenly Joey appeared running into the cafe, "Guys, you saw the Power-ball prize this Saturday, it's THREE HUNDRED MILLION! I'm going to Staten Island, there are still possibilities there, does anyone want to buy tickets, does anyone come with me?
Monica, with the competitive spirit of hers, immediately accepted the invitation.
"I want to buy too," Rachel said.
"Me too," Phoebe shouted.
"Who would think of missing out on an opportunity like that, especially if he's in a job he hates," Chandler concluded.
During all the commotion Ross remained silent reading the newspaper.
"I have an idea," Rachel said. "Let's put in 50 bucks each and then we'll split the prize!
Everyone thought it was an excellent idea.
"I'll accompany you," Monica said to Joey and added, looking at Ross who had not yet intervened in the conversation, "Ross, are you also participating...?"
"No, that's a waste of money, I'm not going to throw $50 in the trash, there's no mathematical possibility that you'll win even the minor prize, I'm out."
"But Ross, we're all in this, it will be fun, and maybe we'll get lucky…" Monica insisted.
"I already said no, it's a matter of principles and you, Monica, should follow them, Dad always told us that money is earned by working, money from gambling soon disappears." He answered her
"Ross, the money you earn from working also disappears soon," Chandler said sarcastically.
"You do whatever you want, on Saturday you will have 50 dollars less in your pockets," Ross replied.
Monica and Joey went to buy the tickets. And with the 250 dollars collected they returned with 125 bills. And all his hopes placed in them.
Saturday's program of watching a movie was completely left aside, they would have dinner in apartment 20, where Joey and Chandler now lived because they had won it from the girls, and they would wait until 11 p.m. to watch the drawing and check the tickets together.
Ross decided to go alone to see the movie, he did not want to participate in that waste of time and money.
On Saturday everyone prepared for the draw, they had Chinese food for dinner, Monica had prepared a chocolate dessert.
Some speculated what they would do with the money, Joey stated "With 300 million we can buy the Knicks."
"I don't want to spend my money buying a stupid piece of equipment," Phoebe protested.
"With the 60 million, everyone will be able to buy what they want," Rachel assured.
"Well, it's not exactly like that," Chandler said.
"What are you talking about?" "This is what we need to buy the Knicks," Joey said.
"Wait, don't make plans, if we win and decide to collect the prize in cash, first it have to deduct the Lottery commission, so we will have about 180 million left, then it have to deduct the taxes from that sum, which will be 40%, like this, that in total we will receive more or less 100 million, and that divided among the 5 each of us will have 20 million dollars left," Chandler explained.
Everyone remained silent, "Friends, reason for a minute, 20 million! "It's a lot of money, and everyone can do a lot of things with their share," Chandler spoke again.
"But I'm not going to be able to buy the Knicks," Joey repeated sadly.
"Joey, you'll be able to invest in your career, that's what you love most, right?" Monica told him.
After dinner they prepared for the drawing, they distributed the tickets to do an exhaustive control of the numbers
At 11 p.m., at the start of the drawing, everyone was running with their eyes for the tickets they were responsible for.
Chandler's stomach began to clench, on one of his tickets he already had three guesses right, it wasn't a big prize, but it was satisfying to be able to prove to Ross that he was wrong.
Another number added to that bill, his hands began to sweat, his heart began to beat hard, he was not religious, although his family was Catholic, but he felt the need to pray.
When the fifth number came out, his hands, in addition to sweating, trembled, and a drop of sweat ran down his forehead. Obviously, no one noticed his state of excitement since each one was paying attention to the bills they had to control.
Chandler's heart was pounding in his chest, even if it ended there the prize was good, everyone could use it.
But when the show host shouted the last number, Chandler's body shook, his face turned red, he jumped out of the seat shouting WE WON, WE WON, WE HAVE ALL 6 NUMBERS and began his happy dance.
Everyone looked at him surprised, in reality he was a joker and they thought it was just one of them, but he started jumping, waving the bill and kept shouting GUYS WE WON, FOR GOD, HERE IT IS, WE WON
Monica stood in disbelief, and said, "Give me the bill, we have to corroborate it."
Chandler gave her the bill, but he told her "FOR GOD BE CAREFUL DON'T BREAK IT."
Monica started looking at the numbers on the ticket comparing them to the ones still on the screen, and it was true, all six numbers matched!
"Oh my god!" and looking at everyone with wide eyes he screamed…. "It's true, we won the lottery!"
Everyone began to jump for joy, carefully everyone looked at the bill and caressed it gently.
Joey yelled, "WE MAKE 300 MILLION, we can buy the Knicks!"
Chandler stared at him, then closed his eyes, shaking his head, Joey hadn't understood anything.
"Guys, stop yelling for a moment," Chandler said.
"You were the one who started screaming," Phoebe told him.
"Yes, I know, but we have to see first if there isn't another winning ticket because we would have to share it. Let's listen to the show host, he is certifying how many tickets were winners," Chandler explained with some serenity.
Everyone listened to show host when he confirmed that there was only one winning ticket that had been purchased in Staten Island, it was undoubtedly theirs.
Everyone jumped again and laughed with joy.
"We won 20 million each, it's incredible, we won't be able to live enough to spend it," Rachel said excitedly, squeezing her chest as her heart was pounding.
"No Rachel, it's 300 million," Joey repeated again.
"Joey, you still don't understand, between the commission and the taxes we have 100 million left, I repeat once again, 20 for each one," Chandler replied, looking at him intently.
"Oh, yeah, right, now I understand," Joey said with each sadness.
"Look we have to calm down, enjoy the moment, celebrate and starting tomorrow we will calmly think about what we want to do with the money, nothing rushes us" Chandler tried to bring calm to the others.
"It's easy for you, wait, be calm, you always had money, this is just a little more," Phoebe told him with an annoyed expression.
"Phoebe, what's wrong with you? If I had money, I assure you that I would not be working for 8 years in that shitty place, the money belongs to my parents, nothing was or is mine." Chandler answered, clearly annoyed, but then he spoke to everyone.
"Guys, this money that we will receive will allow us to buy things, many things, achieve professional dreams, it will bring us peace of mind for the future, but to have a happy life with the real things that matter, I assure you, we will have to look for that somewhere else." "On the other hand, that is why we have to be careful with our choices." Chandler concluded.
"Well, we'll all think about what to do, and like Chandler says now we have to party, it's a lot of money, he's right we'll have to be careful, but TONIGHT WE DESERVE TO HAVE FUN!" Rachel said shouting and jumping for joy.
Joey went down to buy Champagne, they played music, they danced, the only one who stayed sober was Phoebe because her pregnancy didn't allow her to drink.
Despite the drink, everyone had a hard time falling asleep, their heads were spinning with lots of dreams to achieve, it was true what Chandler had said, 20' million was a lot, a lot of money.