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 7

When they arrived at the Plaza bar, Nora was sitting next to a young woman Monica's age, both clearly wearing designer clothes. They both stood up when Chandler and Monica arrived, Nora was small like Monica, but the young woman, blonde, with almond-shaped green eyes, was almost as tall as Chandler. Nora hugged Chandler effusively, although he remained cold in the greeting, and the first thing she did was introduce him to Melissa, "You don't remember her, surely they met as children at grandpa's house, she is the granddaughter of Franklin Adams, a great friend of your grandfather, from our same circle"

Chandler looked at Melissa, extended his hand without giving her his wonderful smile while saying "No, I don't remember Melissa or her family, it's been centuries since I stopped being part of The Hamptons"

Nora frowned at Chandler's answer, but quickly turned around looking at Monica

"Son, don't you introduce us to this beautiful lady"

"Of course, she is Monica, a beautiful lady on the outside and a beautiful and incredible woman on the inside" Chandler told her while giving Monica his tender smile and taking her hand, interlacing their fingers.

Just then Monica spoke up "Nice to meet you Mrs. Bing, you too, nice to meet you Melissa"

At that moment a waiter approached to inform Nora that the table was ready, so they went to the dining room.

After settling in Nora spoke up "I'm here with Melissa, she studied literature in London and is writing novels that will surely be a success, and since she is living in The City again, I offered to introduce her to my editor, I have no doubt that he will be delighted with her work"

"How interesting" was Chandler's only comment.

Nora made a small gesture of discomfort at Chandler's lack of interest in the achievements of his beautiful companion.

Then she decided to go for Monica.

"And you Monica, where are you from?"

"I was born in Massapequa on Long Island" answered Monica

"I think I've heard of that city before…" answered Nora

"And now you live here in The City?" Nora asked

"Yes, when I started college I moved to Greenwich Village, and I still live there"

"What did you study, what do you do" Nora continued with her interrogation

"I'm a Chef"

"Ah, you're a cook" said Nora with a certain arrogance.

"No mother, a cook is the lady you have in your house, the one who prepares your meals the few times you're there, Monica is a professional, she's a Chef, she works in a renowned restaurant in Midtown and she also wrote a book on hygiene techniques and good practices in the kitchens that the City Council uses to inspect and control all the restaurants in the City" answered Chandler clearly upset and staring his mother in the eyes.

"Oh sorry, I clearly confused your profession" said Nora trying to look repentant.

"Chandler, you haven't told me you had a girlfriend. How long have you known each other? How did you meet? I love to hear love stories; they always serve as inspiration for my books."

"We met almost a year ago, when Monica brought Nina to my doctor's office," Chandler said tersely.

"And who is Nina?" Nora asked.

"Nina is my daughter; she is three years old" Monica answered with a huge smile just thinking about her little girl.

"Oh, so you are divorced" Nora affirmed

"No, I am single, but you didn't imagine that I would get pregnant from a boyfriend who left me, I was never pregnant, Nina is adopted" Monica answered firmly and defiantly to the assumptions that were going around Nora's head.

"But you are young, why adopt a daughter…" Nora commented clearly astonished.

"I always wanted to be a mother and since I didn't see any male who was eager to have a family, I decided to fulfill my dream by giving a family and love to a child who needed it, that's how Nina came into my life" Monica explained while Chandler caressed her hand resting on the table

"You surprise me, I don't understand how a young and beautiful woman would face the responsibility of raising a child, with what that implies" Nora said.

"Mother, we are all different. There are women who want to have children, love them and strive to be present in their lives at all times, and others are completely oblivious to those feelings. I wish all children had a mother like Monica, unfortunately some of us didn't," said Chandler, staring at Nora.

In the meantime, Melisa didn't say a word, she just looked at them with a certain intrigue.

Then Chandler suddenly turned to Melisa, "And what do you think? Do you like children?"

"Well, of course I like children. I have two nephews, but I don't see them very often. I travel a lot," Melisa answered, somewhat surprised.

"And do you plan to have children?" ask Chandler surprisingly and coldly.

"Yes, of course, in the future, when I get married," Melissa answered.

"And how will you do it? If you want to be a famous writer, you will travel more than now. I think you will see your children less than you see your nephews now. I advise you to think about it before having children" Chandler told her emphatically.

Melisa didn't know what to answer to Chandler's disturbing comment.

Nora had organized the dinner with the intention that Chandler would meet Melissa. The girl was the heiress of a fortune, from a good family, but everything was going wrong. She found that her son was in love with a woman who was clearly different from her and Melissa. She had a middle-class home, limited education, a working-class profession, with an adopted daughter. But she is clearly a woman of character and determination. She was a mother for pure pleasure. She was a diametrically different woman from her. Monica seemed too perfect. She must have some weak point.

"Changing the subject, Monica, I suppose that being a Chef your dream must be to have your own restaurant" asked Nora

"Yes, of course, it is the dream of all Chefs, with effort it can be achieved, the most important thing is to give it a high level of quality to be able to compete with the environment, I have a couple of chef friends who have joined forces and managed to establish a good business" said Monica thinking that they were finally moving away from the difficult topics that bothered Chandler, but she was wrong.

"I suppose that opening a restaurant must demand a significant investment, it must not be easy to get that money together, unless of course you are lucky enough to make a good catch" said Nora, slightly raising her eyebrows while looking at Chandler.

Monica understood Nora's insinuation clearly and answered her, "Look, you don't know me, I'm extremely competitive, my pride is having obtained everything exclusively with my personal effort, which is the only way I understand that life should be faced, I don't need bets or captures, I will get what I want on my own no matter how long it takes"

Nora remained silent, while she looked at the mocking laugh that her son gave her, she had been stabbed, her son was letting her know it, clearly the woman was quite eloquent, she should take another path.

Nora started talking about her books and spent some time pondering Melisa, in front of her son's bored expression.

Finally, Nora asked Chandler "How is your father, do you keep in touch with him?"

"Yes, we talk every 15 days, and he comes to The City a couple of times a year, coincidentally, he was here in January and then in February for Nina's birthday, it's great"

"Charles is always so sentimental, you're a lot like him in that aspect" said Nora with some disdain

"Mother, having feelings is not a defect, it's a gift, while those who don't have them live in solitude" Chandler happily stared at her.

Nora dropped the subject.

The dinner ended without further incident and they said goodbye in a friendly manner, "Son, I would like to meet again before I leave" Nora told him

"We will see my agenda" Chandler answered firmly, he shook Melisa's hand, and barely put his hand on Nora's arm, "Goodbye mother" Monica greeted both women with a false smile.

Chandler was quiet in the taxi "what's up love" Monica asked

"I behaved like an idiot, sitting there while she tried to hurt you, we should have gotten up and left the first thing she did, calling you "cook".

"Chandler, that's it, it's obvious that she wanted to introduce you to Melisa, she kept praising her qualities, for your mother she is a better catch than me" Monica told him laughing

"Look, if I were alone I would never have had a date with that little woman, it's clear that she looks like the same as my mother, anyway, I don't think we'll see her again for a long time" Chandler commented.

On Monday afternoon Monica had returned from the restaurant after picking Nina up from kindergarten. Nina had already had a snack and was now sitting on the couch watching cartoons while Monica finished tidying up the kitchen when someone knocked on the door.

Monica opened the door and to her surprise Nora Bing was standing there.

"Hi Monica, I asked Sandy for your address, can I come in?" Nora said with her air of superiority.

"Hi Mrs. Bing, what a surprise, yes of course come in," Monica answered, thinking "this woman is up to something, I doubt she wants to have a friendly relationship with me."

Nina continued watching television, totally absorbed in the cartoons, and didn't notice that someone had arrived at the house.

"What a nice place you have, it's small, its decoration is eclectic, but it's nice," Nora said as she looked around and saw Nina.

"That's your girl," she asked.

"Yes, it's Nina." Monica approached the couch, lifting Nina into her arms. "Honey, we have visitors, say hello to Mrs. Nora"

Nina looked at her and with a little smiling, said "Hello"

"Hello Nina, you are very pretty" said Nora also with a small smile

"My name is Nina E" answered the girl firmly, which surprised Nora

"She seems to have your character" said Nora looking at Monica. -

"Yes, she is a girl who knows what she likes, what she wants, and she says it with the naturalness, the freshness of every child" answered Monica

"I know that you are surprised by my presence in your house, but I came to talk to you" said Nora now seriously

"Fine, let me take Nina to her room" said Monica and addressing Nina she said "Honey, let's go to your room, you keep the dolls, I have to talk to the lady"

Incredibly, Nina immediately accepted the proposal that, at another time, with another person, would have made her protest since she loved visitors. "Bye girl, have fun with your dolls" Nora told her.

Nina just turned around Monica's shoulder and said "by"

Monica went back into the living room and offered Nora a seat on the couch, as she was still standing by the dining table.

"Look Monica, I am honest and I like to get straight to the point, you don't seem right for my son" was the first thing Nora spat out

"Excuse me ma'am, but it is your son who should decide which woman is right for him" Monica replied.

"Chandler is not practical, he is very sentimental like his father, and practical people who do not let themselves be carried away by their emotions succeed in life" Nora answered and continued

"At dinner you said that you had a dream in life which was to have a son, you already got it, and you have another dream which is to have your own restaurant, well I am here to fulfill that dream"

"How?" Monica asked raising one of her eyebrows

"I will write you a check right now for the amount you estimate you will need to invest in your restaurant, of course, with one condition, you already imagine it, that you stay away from my son. I know he is sensitive and for a while he will be depressed, but he will overcome it and find someone of his class to start a family with" Nora explained with absolute sufficiency. "Look, girl, right now you have your future almost in your hands"

"Madam, I think I explained to you during dinner, I am stubborn, very stubborn, and I like to achieve my dreams through my own effort, I will get to the restaurant one day with my work, I am not after a capture, much less would I sell my feelings and Chandler's feelings, not for a restaurant, not for any other type of offer or extortion that you intend to make" said Monica and did not stop

"You were never interested in Chandler, he is clear about it, he has overcome the pain that your lack of love and your neglect caused him"

Nora interrupted her "I will not allow you to talk to me like that or to judge me"

"Madam, you are the one who came to my house to make me despicable proposals, proposals that a mother who truly loved her son and wanted his happiness would never make, you only care about relating Chandler to your protégé, Melisa, I am sure that because that union would bring you professional or economic advantages. You know what Chandler told me after dinner, that he was clear that he would never have a relationship with a woman who is just like you," Monica concluded firmly.

"You don't know me well enough, I have power and money, I can make your life very difficult," Nora answered defiantly.

"Well, you would make life difficult for me and Chandler, I think that if you act that way you will definitely lose the warm affection that Chandler may still have for you." …. "Madam, you have definitely arrived late, 30 years late, to make Chandler believe that you have some kind of concern for his happiness."

"You are obviously a stupid and stubborn woman, you will never be happy, you do not belong to the same class, Chandler will end up discovering it," said Nora as she stood up to leave.

"Madam, you are wrong. you yourself said that Chandler is not practical but emotional. Clearly he and I are from the same class. You are the one who does not belong to our class. You are from the practical class. You will never be able to separate us."

Nora walked around the couch and went straight to the door, and without saying a word she left, knocking on the door.

Monica sat on the couch, trembling, and tears began to fall down her cheeks. No one had ever humiliated her so much. She had defended herself tooth and nail, but that did not erase the contempt she had seen on Nora's face.

At that moment, Rachel came in, encouraged by a good day at work, and was surprised to find Monica on the couch crying.

"Mon what's wrong, Nina's sick, you had an argument with Chandler" said Rachel alarmed by the sadness she saw on Monica's face

"No, Chandler's mother just left" said Monica through tears

"God Mon, Nora Bing was here, I'm dying to meet her, I love her books, I would have loved to tell her" said Rachel without realizing what was happening to her friend.

But when she stopped, she realized what she had said, evidently that meeting had not been good for Monica.

Rachel sat next to Monica on the couch and she told her the whole horrible conversation with that woman.

"Mon don't cry, she doesn't deserve your tears, she's a bitch, a conceited bitch... You have to tell Chandler what she did to you" said Rachel furiously

"No Rachel, if I tell him I'll hurt him and that woman has already hurt him enough" said Monica.

Phoebe arrived at that moment and Rachel filled her in on what had happened.

"Mon, you must tell Chandler, that woman is dangerous, he must be alert" said Phoebe

"But she is his mother, …" repeated Monica

"That woman was never anyone's mother, never, she never cared about her son's feelings, and obviously she doesn't care about them now either, please Mon, to preserve your happiness from that witch you must tell Chandler" Phoebe reaffirmed her thought

The girls were on the couch surrounding Monica and none of them saw that Chandler had entered the apartment and had heard Phoebe's last words

"Mon what's wrong" the girls turned around and Chandler saw Monica's red eyes and her tears on her cheek

"Mon what's wrong, why are you crying, what do you have to tell me?"

Chandler approached, went around the couch and sat on the low table in front of Monica and took her hands, "Please Mon, tell me what's wrong?"

"I don't want to hurt you" said Monica crying

"You're hurting me if you don't tell me, what's wrong" repeated Chandler

Monica finished telling him about Nora's visit, their conversation, her intentions, how she defended herself, and her fear that Nora would do something to separate them.

Chandler's face was red with rage, he sat down on the couch and hugged Monica tightly, "Baby, that will never, ever happen, she crossed her limit, look, many times I reproached myself for not feeling affection for her, but now it's clear that there will never be a hint of affection towards that lady who only gave birth to me" and continued

"Please calm down, I'm going to make sure she doesn't bother you again, bother our family" … "My Nina, she heard something, she saw you cry" he asked

"No, as soon as Nora arrived I took her to her room, she's with her dolls and she didn't come out, she didn't see me cry" said Monica more calmly.

Chandler decided that the next day he would call the hospital to let them know that he would be arriving later, he would go see his mother, actually he would go see this woman named Nora.

Nora was not surprised when the concierge told her that at the reception desk Mr. Chandler Bing was asking for her, and she told to go up to her room.

Nora was ready for a fight.

Chandler knocked on the door and Nora opened it "Hi son, what a surprise, how nice that you came to see me"

"Look, you know very well why I came, I will not allow you to bother Monica"

"For God's sake Chandler, she's a gold digger, I've been finding out, she had several boyfriends, I have the list, the last one was an old man with money, who surely realized that I was after his money and left her" said Nora smugly

"I know everything about Monica's past, it was she who left that old man, because he didn't want to have children, so don't come here trying to dirty Monica, I had a past that she knows about and she had a past that I know in detail. She also knows that the woman who gave birth to me never took care of me, she was too busy with her boyfriends, her career, her trips, she never stopped to ask her son how he felt, what was wrong with him, what made him happy, she never met her son, that would be taken care of by the nannies, or the boarding school, or the grandparents, you never acted like a mother, don't come now pretending to care about my life and my happiness, I know you're doing this for some unspeakable interest, if you intend to bring me closer to your protégé, it's only for your convenience, not for my happiness." Chandler said almost without taking a breath.

"Chandler, I won't let you talk to me like that. You've never lacked anything thanks to me," said Nora, clearly angry.

"I've never lacked anything thanks to you? good education, love, support, the help I needed to study medicine. I had all of that from my grandparents, even from Dad. I never had any of that from you." … "Look, that's enough. I remember my past very well. I know my story and yours. Go on your way. I'll go on mine with the woman I love. If you don't accept it, it's better for our relationship to end here." concluded Chandler.

"You're so blind. Obviously, I can't do anything. But you'll wake up," said Nora.

"If anyone in this room is blind, it's you. Maybe one day you'll wake up and realize that you're alone, surrounded by fine and expensive things, but without your son and his family, and it will be too late."

"Good luck, mother. I don't know if we'll ever be together again." Chandler turned and walked out the door.

Nora sat down on a couch in the room, not what she had planned when she came to the City.