Believing a slander
Chapter 4
Monica had finished her performance in the off-Broadway shows a couple of weeks ago.
Neumann, her agent, aware of the end of her work, called to tell her that he had just received information from a new production company, which would be starting casting for a play on Broadway in approximately 4 weeks, but first the candidates had to present a book and their resume.
Monica did not delay, she had Books and Resume in her possession so that same afternoon she showed up at the production company's office to leave both requirements.
That night Richard arrives at apartment 20, Monica had invited him to dinner with Rachel and Ross
During dinner Monica tells them about the new casting, it is a good opportunity, she found out that the production company is new, it is made up of young people, one of the members is the scriptwriter, and they are looking for 5 actresses and 4 actors.
Rachel and Ross were happy about the new opportunity, and wished her luck, but Richard remained silent. Before leaving that night Richard asked Monica to meet him the next day,
"Honey, tomorrow I'm going to be busy all morning and probably part of the afternoon to take a photo for an advertising agency, why don't you come home at night"
"I'd rather we go to dinner somewhere quiet to talk, Rachel and Ross are always here"
"Ok, come by at 7pm, I'll be ready" Monica answered
Once in the restaurant, after ordering the food Richard began to talk.
"Honey, I love you, you know that, and I wish we could enjoy the whole day together, traveling the world, I had thought that now that you finished with the theater we could go to France, Paris, the French Riviera, I know you'd love it, we could go for 3 or 4 weeks, what do you think?"
"Richard, I think we've already talked about this, I want to continue with my work" Monica answered with some annoyance.
"Honey, I understand, I just thought that since you're not working now we could take that getaway, then you look for another opportunity" his voice was sweet
"Yesterday I told you that I have the opportunity now, with this casting, I already left my book and my resume, now I have to wait for them to call me. Let's do one thing, if they don't call me for this audition, then we take that getaway, but let's be clear, it's just a getaway, if we take it when I get back I'll continue with my work."
"Okay, we'll wait" Richard answered seriously.
In reality, Richard didn't want Monica to continue with the work of actress, she was a young and very beautiful woman, sooner or later she would find a younger man and lose her, he had to convince her to travel, far from New York Monica could see the world and she would realize everything she would be missing just for her whim of being an actress. -
For her part, Monica was getting tired of Richard's insistence to leave acting, he only thought about traveling. In addition, she was realizing that the future together that he proposed to her was only to spend all the time traveling and that way you can't form a family, have children, a subject that he never talked about. Every day she doubted more that she loved him enough to give up all her dreams, just to follow the only path that he continually proposed to her.
In the offices of the production company they received hundreds of books and resumes, the three partners, together with Donald Harris who would be the director of the play, dedicated several hours a day for a week, to reduce to 50 the number of applicants with possibilities.
Through their respective representatives, they called 10 applicants per day. -
Neumann told Monica that she had passed the first selection and her casting would be on Monday of the following week.
She began to prepare her monologue, which would be part of the script of the play that had just finished and allowed her to have notes of comedy and also of uncertainty in that dialogue.
On Saturday, Rachel went shopping for clothes with her. She wanted something suitable for the interview. She thought about wearing trousers, but they would hide her legs, so she decided on a red, bateau neck dress, mid-knee, which showed off her figure without being provocative.
In the evening, Richard went to apartment 20 to have dinner and play poker with Rachel and Ross and wanted to see the clothes Monica had bought for the interview.
"Honey, don't you think it's a little flashy?"
"No," Monica replied with some annoyance
"It's perfect and it looks beautiful on her," Rachel said
"I'm just saying that maybe the color is too intense for a job interview, maybe something more discreet, blue, black."
"Red is a color that looks really good on Monica, it stands out with her white skin and black hair, it's perfect," Rachel assured
"Red looks really good on Mon and in the audition it's necessary for her to stand out and at the same time be elegant, I saw her wearing it and I really liked it," Ross commented
"Well, if you say so…" Richard replied
Monday came, the producers and the director had already selected some candidates, their intention was to reduce the number to 10 women and 10 men and from there choose the most appropriate, and they still had to interview half of the preselected candidates.
They had called them at 9 am, they had already interviewed 4 that day when it was Monica's turn.
She was a bundle of nerves, those who left told them that they asked about everything and paid a lot of attention to the performance.
Monica entered trying to appear calm and in control of herself, although inside she was a jelly.
The producers introduced themselves, one of them, whose last name was Bing, Monica did not remember his first name well, he was extremely handsome, as he was sitting she did not know his height, but he had bright blue eyes and a seductive smile.
Mr. Bing began with the questions, but in a relaxed, even friendly way, with complicity in her answers and making a few jokes to relax her.
They asked her where she was born, where she lived, about her family, her studies, if she had other interests besides the theater.
Monica answered them, and regarding her other interests she told them that she really liked cooking, that she had taken some courses and was very good at it.
Mr. Bing told her, "If you manage to pass the casting, we will have to see" and everyone laughed, including Monica, he was so nice and friendly.
Then she began with the Monologue that she had prepared, and then the reading of the script, for which she had a member of the production team who read the lines of the other character.
When Monica came in, Chandler already knew that this woman fit perfectly with the physicality of the role he had imagined for the protagonist Serenity.
After the monologue and the reading of the script, he was convinced that this actress also had the strength, the sympathy, and the character that was needed.
Monica returned to her apartment satisfied with her performance, she had hopes of being chosen for one of the 5 roles that were in the script.
As soon as Rachel arrived, she asked her how it had gone. "I think it was great. I was nervous at first, but Mr. Bing, the producer and writer of the play, was extremely kind and friendly, and allowed me to relax. They are all young people and are easy-going," Monica said, and continued.
"Also, I have to say that this Mr. Bing, besides being kind and funny, is very handsome. He has sky-blue eyes with a bright, mischievous look and an incredible smile."
"Mon, I think you already have a crush on this Mr. Bing."
"No, silly. He's going to be my boss. It's just that I really liked him. Also, don't forget that I would never go out with someone from the showbiz world."
"Well, he's not an actor, he's a writer. Let's say he's not totally into the showbiz world… "It could have a chance" Rachel exclaimed and they both laughed
The girls went down to Central Perk to wait for Ross, but Richard showed up, he wanted to know how Monica had done at the audition
"It was good, they explained to us that there are about 50 of us preselected, on Friday they finish the interviews with this group, from there will be 10 men and 10 women, the chosen ones will have a last audition and there they will decide who stays and what role each one will play" Monica explained with a smile
"And do you think you have a chance" Richard asked
"I don't know yet, but on Monday of next week I will know if I am among the selected ones"
"If they select you will continue with this casting until the end" Richard asked with a hint of annoyance
"Obviously, it is an incredible opportunity, even if they give me the smallest role I will be on Broadway, nothing and no one will stop me" Monica told him with a cold and direct look.
Richard did not answer
On Monday of the following week Neumann contacted Monica to tell her that she had been selected among the ten actresses and had to appear at the theater the next day at 10 am.
In this new casting everyone had to read part of the roles that could correspond to them and they were told that the next day they would be notified who was chosen and for what role.
Monica was excited, hopeful and nervous, all at the same time.
Rachel and Ross tried to calm her down and encourage her, they told her that she would surely be selected.
That night Monica called Richard to tell him, and he was not very excited about the news.
Monica hardly slept and in the morning she was anxious, until the phone rang, it was Neumann to tell her that she had gotten the main role, it would be Serenity, and she had to appear at the theater the next day at 11 am.
She immediately called Rachel and Ross at their respective jobs, and also her parents, who were happy for their daughter, especially Judy who could boast that Monica was working on Broadway.
On the other hand, Richard did not receive the news in the same way, he only asked her how long the play would be on.
"I know that they rented the theater for the entire season, so in principle it will be for 9 months, I am so happy, I will be the protagonist, can you imagine what that means for my career" Monica exclaimed
"Yes, I realize, and also what it means for our relationship"
"Please don't start, if you really love me you should be happy for me" Monica answered with annoyance
"Well, we'll talk later, now I have to attend to a patient, I'll call you to see each other"
"No Richard, I can't go out today, last night I almost didn't sleep because of anxiety, so tonight I want to rest and go to bed early, see you tomorrow"
"Ok, whatever you want, see you tomorrow" Richard answered with obvious annoyance.
The next day Monica showed up punctually at the theater, all the selected actors introduced themselves, everyone was happy and anxious.
The producers and the director were arriving, Harris handed out the script of the play to each actor so they could begin to study it, they all had theater experience so they knew they had to learn about all the characters and interact with each other, since the camaraderie and good treatment between them is reflected on stage.
Harris informed everyone that the next day they would begin rehearsals.
The group began to talk, among themselves, with the director and with the producers and after a while they began to leave.
Chandler stayed talking with the other producers and was the last to leave.
When he got to the door he found that it was pouring, and Monica was standing at the exit waiting for the rain to stop.
Chandler approached "It doesn't look like this is going to stop anytime soon, we're going to get soaked" he said to Monica with one of his seductive smiles.
"Yes, we'll have to wait a while" Monica answered,
They remained silent for a moment and Chandler said to her "This doesn't seem to be getting any better, there's a coffee shop right next door, if you don't mind Ms. Geller we can have a drink until the weather cools down"
Monica looked at him with a smile, "Yes, that will be for the best, otherwise I'll have to swim to the subway" Chandler laughed and answered "It will be fun, it will be in the papers "Breaking News today a mermaid was seen swimming in the streets of NY" "Come on, it's right here"
Chandler hasn't stopped thinking about her these weeks, besides being the perfect actress for the role, she's a beautiful, friendly woman, with character, and this is a problem, because he can't or rather he shouldn't try anything, it wouldn't be ethical, but he also realizes that it will be difficult, he likes her too much.