Monica and the painful consequences of a conpetence

Monica receives Chandler's news with joy. Her competitive spirit hasn't yet felt any challenge, but it will soon begin to awaken. Little by little, we'll see small, sporadic signs that will grow until her temper becomes an erupting volcano, with unpredictable and devastating consequences for her, Chandler, and the entire gang.

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

Chandler wakes up lazily, Monica is sleeping peacefully next to him, he stares at her for a moment thinking … "she is so beautiful, I never thought I would have such a beautiful woman by my side, also perfect in every other way, even with her quirks. Actually, what can I say… with my fears, my insecurities, I can only thank fate for putting her in my life…" He kissed her gently on the hand that was on the pillow next to him and got out of bed stealthily so as not to wake her.

He decided to take a shower first, shave, and then make a good breakfast, she always prepared it for him and it wasn't fair.

He stepped into the shower, the night before they had celebrated their ten month anniversary "wow" he began to think as the warm water fell on his skin "I've never had a relationship so long, none of them were really committed relationships, none of them lasted very long and none of them awakened the feelings I have for Monica" … "maybe it's because we've known each other for so long and we know everything about each other, obviously that calmed my fears a bit, and it's not that I don't still have them, but I'm more sure" … "if I look back over the last few years, there was no girlfriend, no real girlfriend that I loved before Monica" ….

He stepped out of the shower and began to shave, but continued to wander in his thoughts…. "I was never in love with Janice, I was actually scared of being alone and she was the woman I had closest and who was always willing to go out with me, I think she didn't love me either, I was like a whim" … "And Katy… Katy, with her I did have a big crush, which led me to fail my best friend, and all for nothing, seen from a distance, how long was I with her? We started at Thanksgiving, she left for Christmas and New Year's holidays, and we didn't even make it to Valentine's Day, she had already cheated on me before" … "No, obviously neither of us reached love, maybe heat, but love, you don't go to bed with someone else after the first fight" … "I was clear about that with Monica, we had two big fights so far and in neither of them Monica ran off to go to bed with someone else, me even less" … "from those two fights I learned a lot, first that Monica understands me, she knows me, she is patient with my immaturity, my fears and insecurities, and the other, the most important, scared me terribly thinking that I had lost her" ….. "I have it clear, I can't do any more stupid things, any more fuck-ups, I love her and I don't want to lose her…"

Chandler came out of the bathroom in his robe, fresh and neatly shaved and began to prepare the coffee, he would also make some scrambled eggs with bacon, and a couple of bowls of cereal and milk. Obviously it wasn't like Monica's breakfasts, but this was the best he could do.

While he was preparing breakfast he remembered the unusual night before, except for the romantic dinner with Monica and the rounds of love afterwards, the beginning of the evening in apartment 20 had been a pile of absurd events. Joey's grandmother who said she didn't understand or speak English, but this wasn't entirely clear, Joey anxious for us all to see his appearance on Law and Order, which became a great disappointment when his scene was cut. Then Joey's failed attempt to fake a scene to please his grandmother. And finally Ross's failed attempts to flirt with Caitlin... This had been funny and had caused his constant teasing, but now Chandler felt bad about it, he wasn't good at flirting either, he shouldn't have entered that competition, it wasn't fair, he recognized that in those advances both of them would have lost... we look so much alike when trying to flirt with a girl, "I think that's why we became friends in college, two losers together"

While Chandler is immersed in his thoughts and preparing breakfast, his phone rang.

Chandler was startled, he also didn't want Monica to wake up, he wanted to do it himself with passionate kisses that would surely make the breakfast cold.

"Hi, who is it" asked Chandler

"Hi son, it's dad, well it's been a long time since we talked, maybe you don't remember my voice anymore, how are you?"

Chandler stayed silent for a few seconds, it wasn't an apparition he expected, in recent years they had spoken little and had met even less, in reality it wasn't because his father didn't try, it was he who avoided him, and his distance was not due to his father's choice of life, which he respected, but he resented that he had to live a childhood between constant fights, between constant "visits" from his parents' friends, confinement in the boarding school a time when he felt ashamed of the content of the books his mother wrote, or the clothes his father appeared in.

Many times he had asked himself how he had managed to be halfway normal, he managed to graduate with honors, he did his job, even though he hated it, he was even valued by his bosses, he managed to have friends who accepted him with his oddities, his jokes, his sarcasm, and now he had the love of the perfect woman. "Amazing"

"Yes, I know your voice, I'm fine, and how are you and Fred, what's the reason for this call?" answered Chandler

"Wow, you're to the point. Son, I'm in New York, I arrived yesterday and I'll stay for a week, I need to talk, the issue is not our relationship, don't worry, it's for something else very important and I prefer to explain it to you personally, could you come this afternoon to the Astoria bar, we're staying there and the bar is a quiet place to talk"

Chandler was silent for a few seconds, he was thinking of spending the day with Monica, although he could tolerate taking an hour out of his girlfriend's company.

"OK, how about 5 pm?" answered Chandler

"Yeah, sure, that sounds perfect, see you this afternoon…" answered Charles enthusiastically

"OK, see you" answered Chandler and hung up.

When Chandler cut the door open he saw Monica standing in the bedroom doorway, sleepy-eyed.

"Who called?" Monica asked sleepily.

Chandler felt annoyed at that moment. His father's appearance had ruined his breakfast in bed, his plans for the afternoon with Monica, which also included bed, but the night was still left…

Chandler barely smiled. "It was dad, he wants to meet us this afternoon at the Astoria, according to him for something important. I'm not sure if I did well, but I accepted."

Monica approached and sat on the breakfast bar stool.

"Honey, of course you did well. You've told me that he's tried to get closer many times. I'm sure he loves you. It's true that your mother and he didn't do things right with you, but nobody is born knowing how to be a parent. To top it off, in their case, their personalities and circumstances overwhelmed them. You are an adult now, you know that it is difficult for all of us to make the right decision many times, we make mistakes, I know that it is not easy to overcome pain, it is not easy for me to get over my mother, but she is like that, I ended up accepting it and moving on, what you suffered cannot be erased from your life, but you can understand their circumstances, accept them and move on"

Chandler walked around the breakfast bar and hugged her tightly, "Thank you for the peace you bring to my life" and they stayed like that for a moment.

"Well, I'll continue with breakfast, sit down today I'm the chef."

Chandler arrived on time at the Astoria, in the cafeteria his father was waiting for him sitting in a comfortable chair in front of a round table and there were beers on it, Charles had not exaggerated his clothes or his makeup which calmed Chandler.

When Charles saw Chandler approaching, he quickly stood up with the intention of giving him a hug, but Chandler immediately raised his arm to seal the meeting with just a handshake, also greeting Fred who remained seated in his chair.

"I'm glad you could come, what do you want to drink?"

"A beer is fine."

"Son, I know you prefer that we get to the point, I'm here to make you a job offer." Charles stared at his son to see the reaction on his face, which was obviously one of surprise.

Chandler remained silent for a few seconds and then asked him, "A job offer, where? In Las Vegas?" I live here"

"No, it's not in Las Vegas, it's here in New York, let me explain"

"Fred and I have a good friend who has a restaurant in San Francisco, it has a lot of impact in that city and he wants to open one here in New York, but the investment is beyond his means and he offered to partner with them"

"Dad, I don't know what job you can offer me, I'm not a chef"

"God, I know, the job I propose to you is to take charge of the development and financing of our investment, you are brilliant, I know you have an excellent position at your job, but you hate it, this would be a good chance for a change and would give you freedom, I don't know how you stand being locked up in an office for 8 hours" Charles explained

"As you know I have a good position at work and that I hate it?, as far as I remember we never talked about it" Chandler said somewhat surprised

" Don't think I talk to your mother, we never do, it's more likely that if we were in the same room we would fight like in the past, it's our hobby. Look, all these years I have known about your life, even if you don't believe it I care a lot about you, through your aunt Olivia. We were always good friends, even during the worst times, she liked me despite the drama with your mother, I think she was partly my friend to annoy Nora" and continued under Chandler's attentive gaze

"I think you know that Olivia and Huber moved to San Francisco years ago, we always talk, but also she and her husband come to Las Vegas every two or three months, they love to gamble, and on their trips we meet for dinner and they come to the club, in those moments I take the opportunity to ask about you, and she knows everything because she is always asking Nora about your life. For example, I know that you have a girlfriend now, which makes me very happy, until now you not had any luck" Charles explained with a wide smile.

"And if you know I have a good job, even though I hate it, why are you offering me one now?"

"Chandler, I know you are brilliant, intelligent, shrewd, honest, loyal, generous with all your friends, a good man, it is clear that the blood of your grandparents runs through your veins, and you are the only person I trust to carry out our investment" and continued

"Look, I am not putting pressure on you, it is the last thing I would do, if you do not want to or are not interested, that is fine, I will continue to love you and hope that you forgive my mistakes, but if you are not in charge of the investment, Fred and I are clear that we will not do it. Justin's proposal is interesting, but not enough to risk our money by leaving it in the hands of any manager we hire" Charles concluded

"Dad, I'm good with numbers, with systems, but I've never led the development of a company, of an investment, I don't know anything about restaurants"

"Son, you won't be alone, we will guide you until you get the hang of it, I'm sure you'll do it quickly, on the other hand, it's a job where you'll have the same income you have now in the company, and you'll also have a share in the result of the investment"

Chandler remained silent, he was pale, his hands were sweating.

"Chandler, you don't have to answer me now, think about it, we're in the City until Saturday, Justin, Fred and I will try to find a suitable location, but feel free to decide what you want, just let me know, if you're interested in the proposal we'll introduce you to Justin who will explain to you what business they have in mind"

"OK" said Chandler "but I'm not promising anything, I'll think about it"

"That's enough for me, and you don't know how happy it makes me to see you" Charles told him with a smile.

Chandler looked at Fred who looked at his father with joy at seeing Charles clearly happy.

Chandler stood up, greeting both of them with just a "I'll talk to you soon, as soon as I decide"

"OK" "Take care son"

"You too" and with that Chandler left with a whirlwind in his head longing to get to the apartment to talk to Monica, and he also wanted to talk to Ross, both were sensible and would give him good advice, plus they knew his story. -