She knew them, she chose them, she united them

This is a difficult month, it's been a year since Matty left us, we miss him. I've always written about the Mondler and in each story I've delved deeper into Chandler's complexity, as I've noticed commonalities with Matty's personality. In this simple romantic story, I wanted Chandler to reflect Matty's deep need to help everyone and his undoubted love for children.

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.

Monica

It had been 5 months since Monica and Richard had broken up.

Monica was getting over the breakup, she felt like she had loved him, it was the first time she had really been deeply in love, he was so sexy, handsome, loving and mature, everything she had looked for in a man, but she hadn't taken into account that the age difference would be a difficult inconvenience to overcome. She was looking to start a family, she had dreamed of it since she was a child, perhaps immersed in the education she had received she had to fulfill the expectations of a woman, find the perfect man, get married, have children... And she was so imbued with that dream that she hadn't allowed herself to notice that Richard was in another stage of life, he really loved her, but his expectations for the future were directed at enjoying a young woman by his side, living traveling, and a family and children did not fit with Monica's dream.

She was aware that even though he had offered to be willing to have children just because he loved her and wanted to be with her, that offer implied a sacrifice for him, and that sacrifice could not bring anything good to the marriage in the future.

The problem was that it was really essential for her to fulfill her dream of being a mother; she would now be 27 years old and although she recognized that she was still young, she wondered how long it would take her to find the right man, where both loved each other and wanted to form a family. No friend had yet achieved it, how certain was she that it would ever happen to her before her biological clock stopped definitively.

This thought turned in her head until she reached the conclusion that she really did not need a man to be a mother; now there was the alternative of in vitro fertilization with an anonymous donor, she would fulfill her dream and then perhaps one day the man who would love her and her child would come. Perhaps separated women with children were not able to have a partner.

By taking that path she could wait all the time in the world to find her man. It took her a couple of nights to make the decision.

On Saturday morning, while she was having breakfast with her friends Rachel and Phoebe, her brother Ross and her neighbor Joey, she told them about her decision: she would have a child through insemination from an anonymous donor. That week she would go to find out what paperwork she had to do to begin the procedure.

Everyone at the table opened their eyes.

The first one to jump was her brother. "Monica, you have gone crazy, getting pregnant by a stranger, being a mother with the work and responsibility that comes with being alone and having to work, without thinking about the expenses that having a baby demands. You thought about that before having that crazy idea!"

"Ross, there are details that I still don't have resolved, but I have time to think about it and find solutions. How many women have children alone, even because the bastard didn't want to take care of them, and they got ahead?"

"Mon, look, I understand that you are depressed about what happened with Richard, but he is not the only man, at any moment you will find someone to start a family with, why rush, why skip stages" Rachel told her

"What I decided has nothing to do with Richard, he is already gone for good, I know that for you and Phoebe having a child is not a priority dream, but for me it is and I don't want to waste time going out with idiots, one after another just to find out if I fall in love and if he loves me enough to start a family" and continued

"Once I have my son I will have all the time in the world to choose the perfect man, but without pressure or false expectations"

"Monica, mom will be totally against that decision, as will dad" Ross jumped in.

"Do you really think I care about mom's opinion? She only cares about your decisions, she doesn't care about mine. On the other hand, she has nothing to say about my motherhood. She keeps telling me that my biological clock is ticking, that she wants more, it won't tick anymore."

"I support you" said Phoebe. "In life, you have to fulfill your dreams."

Joey remained silent. He wasn't sure what in vitro fertilization was, so he preferred not to intervene or they would make fun of him.

Ross stood up. "You've gone crazy. I don't want to hear any more of that nonsense. I hope you react and forget about it forever" and he left, slamming the door.

Rachel lowered her head. She was worried about her friend's decision.

On Wednesday morning, very early, since she had a night shift at the restaurant that day, she went to a fertility clinic to find out all the details.

There they informed her about the procedure, the way it was carried out, the choice of donor, but it was a priority that she had to undergo a series of tests to determine if she was suitable.

She was determined, so she got an appointment to be examined the following week, also on a Wednesday because of her work shift.

The next day Monica gave her friends all the details of the interview, once the exam was done they would give her a list of possible donors with the characteristics of each one, and they would begin the process.

"Monica, have you thought about where you are going to live, you will have a baby that needs space, a nursery for his crib, a changing table… you would have to move" said Ross again trying to stay calm to make Monica reason, preventing her from going into obstinate mode and not listening to reason.

"Or are you thinking that I will have to move in?" Rachel said seriously

"Of course not, it hasn't even crossed my mind that you would move, unless you mind sharing the house with a baby" Monica answered and continued

"I already thought about it, the nursery will be in my room, I will move the desk to the other wall and there I will set up a sofa bed where I will sleep, don't worry we will be fine"

"Of course we will be fine, I will help you with whatever you need" said Phoebe

"I will help you too, and I don't mind living with a baby, on the contrary… I just keep thinking that it is a hasty decision, you are only 26 years old…" Rachel commented

Ross remained silent, he knew that when something got into his sister's head nothing would change it, she was taking this as a challenge, a competition, and any opposition would only reinforce her decision.

"I think it will be fun to have a baby at home" Joey commented with a wide smile.

The following week she had all the tests done and the clinic told her that they would let her know when the results were in.

About 8 days passed and Monica received a message from the clinic that she was scheduled for the next day where she would be interviewed by Dr. Connery.

She arrived very excited, surely they would tell her when the procedure would begin.

The doctor received her seriously and asked her to sit down.

"Mrs. Geller, according to your tests you have an inhospitable uterus"

"And what does that mean?" Monica asked

Dr. Connery began his explanation

"Your uterus has a higher than normal acidity level, normally when a woman is ovulating this acidity decreases to allow the sperm to reach the tubes and fertilize the egg, this, once fertilized, moves to the uterus and nests there"

"If you were trying to get pregnant with a partner, it would not be easy to get pregnant, but it would not be impossible either, some sperm could go through the uterus and achieve fertilization, but this would perhaps not be enough either, then the fertilized egg would have to nest and there is a certain probability that your uterus would reject it and a spontaneous abortion would occur. In any case, I repeat, although difficult, a pregnancy by natural means in your physical condition is not impossible."

"But in in vitro fertilization, your condition is complicated. Based on our experience, it is highly probable that none of the embryos will implant, which makes this procedure not advisable in your case."

"Is there any other solution…" Monica asked with a lump in her throat.

"Yes, we can extract an egg, fertilize it with the donor's sperm, and then implant the embryo in a surrogate uterus. That is, your baby would develop in another woman's uterus."

"There is no other possible solution…" Monica asked again

"Unfortunately not, that is your only option, well, except of course adoption" … "Look Mrs. Geller, think about surrogacy, it could be an acceptable method for you, since you would have your biological child, but you would not go through the pregnancy stage"

"Thank you doctor; I will think about it… I need time to get over this news…" Monica greeted the doctor and left the clinic.

She walked until she reached the park, sat on a bench and her tears began to fall uncontrollably, it had never occurred to her that she could not be a mother… that she would not be pregnant with her child… She had never felt such deep pain, so unexpected, so irremediable.

A couple of hours later she walked to her house.

Phoebe and Rachel knew that she had gone to the medical interview, so they were anxiously waiting for her wanting to know when she would do the procedure, but as soon as Monica walked through the door they knew that something very serious was happening.

The girls accompanied Monica to the couch, and between sobs she told them in detail the doctor's report, there would be no baby, and most likely there would never be a baby.

The friends hugged her tightly, they knew that this news was the worst thing that could happen to Monica.

"But Mon, you have the alternative of surrogacy, it would be your baby only it wouldn't grow inside you…" said Phoebe

"I don't know Phoebe, I can't think now, my dream is broken, and I don't know if a surrogacy can fix it... I'm going to go to bed, I'm exhausted." said Monica

"Do you want me to bring you some soup, you have to eat something" asked Rachel

"No thanks, I have a knot in my stomach, I couldn't swallow anything... Thank you for your support, but I'm going to go to bed." said Monica and went to her bedroom.

Obviously that night she couldn't sleep, between crying fits and trying to think what she would do now that her dream was shattered.

She thought about Richard, she had left him because he didn't want children, and now she was the one who couldn't have them... but that didn't change things with him, she didn't have the same feelings anymore and going back to him would be like resigning herself to her fate, submitting to Richard's dream and she wasn't willing to do that.

During the following days her friends did everything they could to help her and be there for her.

Monica thought a lot, surrogacy didn't make her feel comfortable, having a child, caring for it, loving it was a dream, not a whim, and surrogacy seemed a lot like a whim, so she began to think about the other alternative that Dr. Connery had mentioned to her in passing, adoption. -

An adopted baby wouldn't be her biological child nor would it have been in her belly, but the idea of giving a home and love to a child who needed a family made her feel better, she would fulfill her dream without forcing the nature that was destined for it.

On Sunday night, everyone came over to eat pizza and watch a movie, so Monica took the opportunity to give them the news. She had made a decision: she would not do surrogacy, she would adopt a baby that needed a mother who loved it, it would be a child born from her heart, and this made her happier.

Phoebe stood up and hugged her. "It was the best decision you could make."

Rachel also supported her.

Ross remained silent. He didn't see the difference between having a baby and adopting one. The expenses and work would be the same, but he remained silent.

"Next week I will go to an adoption agency to sign up and see what possibilities I have."

She arrived at the agency in mid-April. There they explained to her that in general couples are given priority, but it is not impossible, that they would send a social worker to talk to her, see her home, and if the report was positive she would go on the waiting list.

The following week the assistant visited Monica and explained to her how she would organize the house so that the baby would have a nursery. They talked in depth. Monica explained her dream of being a mother, her problem conceiving, and her decision to give a child a home.

Days later the agency informed her that her application had been accepted, now she had to wait.

The first few weeks Monica was somewhat anxious to receive news, but then she calmed down. She realized that her case was special; it would not be easy for her to be chosen; obviously her dream of being a mother would take a while to come true.

Rachel and Phoebe had tried to arrange double dates to get Monica to go out, it had been 8 months since she had broken up with Richard, and all that time she had been focused on fulfilling her dream leaving aside the possibility of meeting someone, but Monica resisted,

In mid-August Monica received a call from the Agency in which they asked her to show up at the offices the next day.,

Monica was a bundle of nerves, she had trouble sleeping that night.

When she arrived at the agency she was attended by the assistant Marian Norton.

"Mrs. Geller, I called you because we had an opportunity that might interest you. I know that all the applicants sign up to adopt a newborn baby, but we also have older children who urgently need a home. There is an 18-month-old girl, she was born on February 20th of last year. She is a sweetheart. Her mother died in an accident a few months ago. Her mother was French and all this time we have been trying to find a relative here or in France, but we have had no results. The girl is extremely affectionate, always with a smile on her face." ….. Would you be willing to meet her? Obviously you can think about it as long as you need, but I think you two could do it."

Monica was silent for a few moments, while looking at her hands, then she raised her head and said, "Yes Mrs. Norton, I would like to meet her"

"Well, come on, her name is Nina, you see, she is a sweetheart and she desperately needs the affection of a mother, something that we cannot provide here."

They entered a room where there were a couple of children in their cribs, Mrs. Norton went to look for Nina, who greeted her with a huge smile.

"Come Nina, I want you to meet a lady, her name is Monica."

Monica instantly fell in love with the girl, she had light brown hair with soft waves, light blue eyes with an incredible shine, and a tender and mischievous smile that made dimples form on her cheeks.

"Nina, do you want to go with Monica?"

"Immediately Nina extended her arms for Monica to pick her up. Monica sat down in a small chair next to the game table with Nina on her lap, handing her a doll that was on the table.

"Nina, my name is Monica" ….

"MOM…" said Nina with a smile and leaned her head on Monica's chest and took her hand playing with her fingers.

"Okay Nina, now Monica has to go"

"No…" said Nina tightly

"Nina, I promise I'll come back tomorrow for you, but there are some errands to do, give me a kiss" Monica said in a tender voice

Nina hugged her and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. Monica hugged her tightly too. "See you tomorrow sweetheart" and handed Nina to Mrs. Norton, who placed Nina back in the crib.

Monica turned around to say goodbye to Nina and Nina was waving goodbye with her little hand.

"Well, Mrs. Geller, who thinks? You need some time…" asked Mrs. Norton

"I have nothing to think about. I want Nina. She needs me as soon as possible," said Monica emphatically

"Fine, come to my office to sign all the paperwork."

"Monica, the girl is registered under the name Nina, but you can change it."

"No, I would never change it. Look, I always dreamed that if I had a girl, I would call her Emma, but Nina is perfect for her. What I can do is give her Emma as a second name, it would be Nina E. Geller."

Monica left the agency as if floating in the air. Nina would be her little girl, her beautiful and smiling little girl. Life could not have given her a better daughter.

Before arriving home, she stopped at a furniture store and bought a sofa bed and a bed with a railing for Nina. When she grew up, they would take the railing off. She arranged for everything to be delivered the next morning.

She arrived at apartment 20 super excited. Her friends hadn't come back from work yet, and she started to pack things up, and she made a list of what she would need to buy, bottles, formula, diapers, ask what she would eat... a thousand things on her mind.

When the friends arrived they found Monica in full action, they didn't understand what was happening to her, but when they were together with tears in her eyes, she told them, "I have a beautiful 18-month-old girl named Nina and she will be home tomorrow, so I need your help to pack everything up."

The friends opened their eyes, but Monica didn't give them time to say anything, as she put them into action, she sent Ross and Joey to the market to buy what she needed, diapers, a bottle and a long list of things.

She made the girls move the desk to make room for her sofa bed, and in her room she had to take the bed apart, but she would wait for the boys to arrive for that task.

At the end of the night they were all exhausted.

The next morning the new furniture arrived, they finished arranging it and Monica left for the agency to pick up Nina.

Mrs. Norton brought Nina with a bag with her clothes and toys. As soon as Nina saw Monica she smiled at her and stretched out her arms and said "Mom" which melted her heart.

Monica asked her some questions about food, and if she had to take into account any health issues.

"Mrs. Geller, she is healthy, a doctor comes every week, but it would be convenient for you to make an appointment with a pediatrician who will be in charge of her follow-up in the future."

Monica said goodbye to Mrs. Norton thanking her for the opportunity, for having thought of her.

When she arrived at Apartment 20, all of her friends were holding signs welcoming Nina, and everyone had bought a toy for the little girl.

Nina immediately enjoyed everyone's arms and attention. -

Mother and daughter were starting their new life…