| 1.15 |
• • • • • • • • •
"You find the best sweet treats ever." Monica said sitting beside Anna in the cafe, sharing a lemon tart together.
"I have an eye for sugar." Anna said as Monica laughed at her words.
"Hey! How was your day?" Anna was surprised when she felt Chandler press a kiss to her cheek.
"I've got news." Chandler said moving to stand in front of his friends.
"What's going on?" Joey asked looking at Chandler.
"So it's a typical day at work..and Big Al tells me he wants to make me processing supervisor." Chandler said as everyone felt really happy for him.
"That is great!"
"Congratulations!"
"You deserve this Chandler."
"So I quit.." Chandler said as everyone looked at him with shock written on their faces.
"What? Why?" Anna asked leaning forward to look at Chandler.
"This was only supposed to be a temp job.." Chandler explained.
"But, you've been with them for five years.." Monica said realising that his job wasn't really a temporary job.
"I know, but if I took it, I'd be
admitting that this is what I do." Chandler said moving around to the back of the couch, leaning over the spot Anna was sitting.
Anna's lingering, beautiful perfume surrounding him as he stood near her presence, making a smile stretch across his face.
"Was it more money?"
"Doesn't matter. I just don't want to be a guy who sits in his office...worrying about the WENUS." Chandler said as the group looked at each other.
"I'm sorry.. the what?" Anna asked looking up at Chandler.
"Weekly estimated net usage system.
It's a processing term." Chandler answered Anna's question as the group nodded.
"Oh, that WENUS."
"What will you do?" Joey asked his friend who sighed, not knowing what career he wanted to move into.
"I don't know. But I won't figure it out working there." Chandler said as he sat down beside Anna, instantly placing a hand on her thigh, almost instantly Anna placed her hand on top of his.
"I have something you can do!" Phoebe said turning to look at Chandler. "I have this new massage client, Steve."
Chandler just listened to Phoebe's offer. "Anyway, he's opening up a restaurant...and he's looking for a head chef."
Anna watched Monica tap Phoebe's shoulder. "Hi, there."
It truly sounded like a great opportunity for Monica.
Phoebe smiled at Monica. "Hi."
"Maybe that a job would be great for Mon, Pheebs.." Anna said as Phoebe nodded her head.
"I know...you're a chef and I thought of you first – But Chandler's the one
who needs a job right now, so..." Phoebe explained as Chandler said his opinion on the job offer.
"I just don't have a lot of chef-ing experience." Chandler confessed, not knowing if working in a restaurant was the perfect job for him. "Unless it's an all-toast restaurant."
"I know you'll find the perfect job, you just have to keep searching." Anna said as Chandler nodded his head.
"It's a really difficult decision, one that doesn't change in a day." Chandler said as Anna squeezed his hand.
"Are you sure you don't want the restaurant job Chandler." Phoebe asked one more time.
"Thanks Pheebs.. I just don't see myself
in a big, white hat." Chandler said as Phoebe suddenly turned to Monica.
"Oh, Monica! Guess what?"
• • • • • • • • • • •
"Can you see my nipples through this shirt?" Chandler said rushing into Monica's apartment with Anna following behind him.
"No, but don't worry– I'm sure they're still there." Rachel said as Anna grabbed a bottle of water.
"You're gonna be fine Chandler." Anna said as Chandler took a sip from her water bottle.
"Where are you going, Mr Suity-Man?"
"I have an appointment with Dr. Robert
Pilman, career counselor-a-go-go!" Chandler said to the group. "I added the "a-go-go."."
"Career counselor?"
"You guys all know what you want to do– I don't." Chandler said hoping this was the best decision for his future.
"Uh.. I don't." Rachel said as Chandler sighed.
"Fine– all you guys in the living room know what you want to do." Chandler said as Rachel just shook her head. "You have goals. You have dreams. I don't have a dream!"
"Ah – The lesser-known "I Don't Have a Dream" speech." Ross said sitting on the couch.
"I love my life! I love my life!" Monica stepped into the apartment with a massive smile on her face.
"Brian's song?" Phoebe called across the room.
"Did the meeting go well?" Anna asked surprised when Monica suddenly wrapped her arms around her body.
"So well! He showed me where the restaurant's going to be– it's not to big or small.. it's just right." Monica said as Anna hugged her friend back who was very excited for her new job opportunity.
"Was it formerly owned by a blond woman and some bears?" Chandler asked leaning against the couch.
"That is so great Mon!" Anna said feeling very happy for Monica who seemed the happiest she's ever been.
"I'm cooking for him Monday, kind of an audition." Monica made her way over to Phoebe. " Phoebe, he wants you here. It's great. You can make yummy noises."
"What are you gonna make?" Ross asked his sister.
"Yummy noises." Phoebe answered Ross.
"And Monica, what are you gonna make?"
"I don't know. It's gotta be great." Monica said pacing across the floor.
"I know what you can make! I know! You should make that thing with the stuff." Phoebe rushed over to Monica who sat at the kitchen table.
"You know that thing with the stuff?" Phoebe tried to explain her idea. "Okay, I don't know."
Phoebe rested her head against Anna's shoulder as the girls looked through different recipe books.
"Anyone know a good date place in the neighborhood?" Ross asked as Joey turned to his friend.
"How about Tony's? If you finish a 32-ounce steak, it's free." Joey said as Ross nodded his head.
"Anyone know a good place if you're not dating a puma?"
"Who are you going out with?" Chandler asked Ross.
"ls this the bug lady?" Phoebe asked as Ross sighed.
".."I love you, Ross.".." Rachel said like a weird bug, which made the girls laugh.
"Her name is Celia and she's insect curator at the museum." Ross explained not liking the term 'bug lady' for his date.
"What are you gonna do?"
"Go out to dinner...then bring her back to my place and introduce her to my monkey." Ross explained his plans for the evening.
"And he's not speaking metaphorically."
• • • • • • •
"Try this salmon mousse." Monica said holding a spoon out for Joey to test her food.
Joey nodded his head after tasting Monica's creation. "It's good."
"Is it better than the first mousse?" Monica asked Joey who thought for a moment.
"It's creamier.."
"Yeah? Well, does it taste better?"
"I don't know Monica – it's whipped fish." Joey said as Monica turned back to her food. "I'm just happy I'm keeping it down."
Chandler stepped into the apartment, looking completely different from how he left, that morning.
"God– what happened to you?" Phoebe asked looking at Chandler who has a massive pile of folders and papers in his hand.
"Eight and a half hours of aptitude tests... intelligence tests, personality tests, and what do I learn?" Chandler looked down at the paper. "You're suited for data processing for a large multinational corporation."
"That's so great! You already know how to do that." Phoebe said as Chandler sighed while nearly collapsing in Anna's arms, his head resting on her shoulder.
"I just thought I'd be doing something cool– I just always pictured myself
doing something....Something!" Chandler said with frustration and exhaustion.
"I'm so sorry Chandler." Rachel patted his back, as he moved to stand beside anna, leaning against the couch. "You know? You can see your nipples through that shirt."
"Here you go– maybe this will cheer you up." Monica held a plate out for Chandler to grab a grape.
"I had a grape about five hours ago, so I better split this with you." Chandler said as Monica just shook her head.
"It's supposed to be small. It's a pre-appetizer. The French call it an amuse-bouche" Monica explained as Chandler ate his tiny snack.
"Well, it is amusing." Chandler said nodding his head.
"You want me to order a pizza and have an early night?" Anna asked as Chandler nearly collapsed on the ground.
"That is the best decision I have ever heard." Chandler said grabbing her hand.
"Joey, you in?" Anna asked as Joey jumped up from his seat.
"Who would miss a chance to eat pizza?" Joey followed after the couple.
• • • • • • • • •
"I just thought I'd do better things in my life.." chandler said as he laid beside Anna, in his bed the next morning. "Look at what you're doing, you've got people parading around in your clothes."
"It wasn't an easy decision Chandler– there were many times I felt like I could never do this job– but a few tests shouldn't stop you for still searching for that dream job– it's out there, just waiting for someone like you, who's hard working and intelligent." Anna said as Chandler listened to her words, always making him feel like he could accomplish anything.
"Here you are, once again pushing me to keep trying, and I'm really lucky to have on my side, helping me through this unbelievably hard decision." Chandler said as Anna just smiled at him while resting against the pillow.
"It's all I want to do Chandler– I know it's tough right now, but just keep going and you'll get there, you'll find exactly what you're looking for.." Anna said as Chandler leaned over and pressed a kiss to her cheek, wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.
• • • • • • • • • •
"You look beautiful." Chandler said as Anna finished pulling the zipper of her black heeled boots, she had just an unbelievably beautiful fashion sense.
"You look great.. in your sweatpants." Anna said as Chandler smiled while pressing a kiss to her lips, just enjoying the moment to themselves.
"Go kick some fashion designers butt." Chandler said as they both stepped out of the bedroom, spotting Ross and Joey standing in the living room.
"I want to take my tongue and–" Ross was in the middle of a sentence that shocked both Chandler and Anna.
"Say it." Joey encouraged Ross to keep going with wherever the conversation was going. "Say it!"
"– run it all over your body..." both Chandler and Anna's jaw's nearly hit the floor. "..until you're trembling with–"
They both suddenly stopped once they heard the sound of a chair scrapping the floor. Ross and Joey turned to find Chandler and Anna leaning against the desk with smirks on their faces.
"With?" Chandler asked looking at his friends with amusement.
"I'd love the see where the rest of that conversation was going–" Anna said patting Ross and Joey on the shoulders as she walked past.
"Funny story.." Both Joey and Ross said laughing together, to try and take the awkwardness away.
"I was always rooting for you two kids to get together." Chandler said opening the front door for Anna, kissing her cheek goodbye.
"Have a great day, love birds.." Anna said waving her hand as she heard Chandler laughing at her words before making her way down the building stairs.
• • • • • • • • •
"Wow– look at your view!" Anna said standing in Chandler's brand new office.
"I know, isn't it everything and more.." Chandler said feeling very excited about his decision.
"Look that guy is peeing!" Phoebe said pointing out the window, also seeing Chandler's office.
"That's enough of the view–" Chandler moved away from the large window. "Both of you sit down."
Anna and Phoebe sat down as Chandler rushed around his desk, sitting in his chair and pressing a button on the desk telephone.
"Helen, can you come in here for a moment?" Chandler said as the office door opened and in walked a very stern looking woman.
"Thank you Helen, that'll be all." Chandler said as Helen walked back out the door and closed it behind her.
"She's a bit.. terrifying." Anna said as Chandler nodded his head.
"Terrifying and no personality but I have my very own assistant.." Chandler said as the girls smiled at him.
• • • • • • • • •
It was getting very late as Anna was fast asleep on Chandler's office couch, he had a few jobs he had to finish before he called it a night.
"Yes Fran! I know what time it is..but I'm looking at the WENUS and I'm not happy!" Chandler said on the phone in an angry tone. "Let me tell you something. You will care about it because I care about it. Got it? Good!"
Anna suddenly woke up hearing Chandler slam the phone down.
"Woah– that was scary." Chandler said moving away from the desk as he realised what he had just become. "Get me out of here."