Chapter 12 - Back To A Family
"You guys didn't have to do all this" Rachel spoke out, though she hasn't managed to supress her delighted smile as she fiddled with the stripy, patterned wrapping paper of the nearest gift in front of her. Phoebe hugged Rachel from the side glancing around the group, the smile she had plastered on her face, reflected back to her 4 times over.
Chandler slipped his arm wrong Monica's waist, her back against his chest, gently pressing a kiss to Peytons forehead, who had crashed from the days excitement minutes before the party started. Apparently reaching the point where you cross the threshold of being 5 months old really tires you out.
"Happy Birthday Rach" Monica grinned at her best friend, "Okay come on let's get the party started!"
Turning from their little huddle around the gift table, the group watched friends and family dance, clink drinks and greet each other happily after months of no or very little contact. Monica and Chandler had yet to tell anyone else apart from their small friend group about their relationship, especially the parents, who coincidentally happen to waltz through the door, bearing gifts and warm smiles.
Monica's body tensed instantly, her only relaxant was Chandlers hand gently moving up and down her back letting her know he was there, weaving inbetween gatherings of dancers, Jack and Judy reached the birthday girl.
"Happy Birthday Rachel" Judy said, taking it in turns with Jack to hug and kiss Rachels cheek. Rachel smiled thanking them for attending her party and excitedly giving them a brief rundown of the night.
"Hi mom, dad" Ross greeted kissing his mother's cheek and shaking his father's hand, shifting his feet awkwardly he turns to his friends, "Pheebs, Joey, getting a drink?" He suggested raising an eyebrow getting them to catch on.
"Oh yes yes!" Phoebe exclaimed getting his idea and heading to the bar at the other end of the room. Judy finally approached Monica and Chandler who now stand further apart willing for someone to break the silence.
Monica glanced up at her mother, her grip slowly tightening around Peytons body unconsciously, staying quiet she saw Judy eye the little girl, then Monica then Chandler much more carefully.
"Monica, I-I don't..."
About a Year Earlier
Jack and Judy sat on the large round table along with Chandler, Phoebe, Joey, Ross, Rachel, Will and Monica, ready for a family dinner they had planned a week before.
"It smells delicious darling" Judy complimented, "But don't you think your hair should be tied back whilst your cooking?" Monica leant against the counter breathing deeply, the anger coursing through her veins from her mother's constant digs, joint with the sickness from every bit of food she'd cooked today, it was all a little too much.
Will noticed her distress and walked up behind her his arms wrapping around her meeting on her stomach, partially relaxing Monica gulped deep breaths of air attempting to control her stomach. "Mon we just need to tell them, your parents deserve to know, and your friends will soon start to notice anyway" he whispered into her hair.
Truthfully, she knew that her parents deserved to know, but she knew fully well that they would react in a bad way no matter whether she was happy and ready or not. As for her friends, they would start to notice soon, looking in the mirror she can already see the weight gain in her face and a tiny bump forming, she would only be able to hide it for so long.
Turning in Will's arm, nothing shown more in her eyes than anxiety and complete upset, she nodded. Tucking lose strands of hair behind her ear, Will, gently kissed her lips, "Love you" in little belief Monica weakly replied with "I know" and broke out of his embrace.
It was not very often Will said 'love you' she was lucky to get that, but Monica knew the emptiness of his words, there's a fine line between that and 'I love you' coming from anyone, though from Will it all held nothing.
Clearing her throat and standing to the side of the table closest to Chandler, Monica started to find her voice "I have something to tell you guys." Everyone at the table kept their eyes trained on Monica waiting for her to continue. "Well about a month ago I... Me and Will... we um." Clenching her eyes shut she let it seep into reality. "I'm pregnant. We are going to have a baby"
For what felt like eternity all fell silent, only the small buzz from the oven to be heard throughout the whole apartment. Then noise erupted out of nowhere in a burst of excitement and shock, mainly from Phoebe and Rachel who both leapt from their seats and pulled Monica into a hug. For the first time in months Monica found herself smiling and laughing at her friends, Chandler and Joey both hugged her once over the initial shock. Then came Ross.
"I'm happy for you as long as you're happy Mon" His jaw clenched in concentration, until the reassurance of his sister's nod Ross didn't relax.
Even through all the commotion, Jack and Judy made no movement, no reaction, at least one that no one could read. Monica told her friends about the scan, finding out and everything, Will helped with his side of the story too, but still nothing. Thinking it best to leave them for a while, Rachel, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Will moved over to apartment 20, Ross stayed as it was his family, he may have to diffuse a situation.
Monica didn't quite know what to do or say, her stomach flipped, and her heart felt as though it was inbetween shattering and maybe finally being happy, it was all down to this moment.
"Mom? Dad?" She whispered desperation causing her voice to crack painfully. Judy lifts her head to see her daughter, still an unreadable emotion.
"Why Monica?" Judy asked simply. "Why him? You know it'll only end badly for you?" soon enough the woman's harsh words broke down Monica's walls, her eyes filling with tears quickly.
"It won't Mom, I'll be a good mom I've always wanted children and now I will. You will have a grandchild" Monica tried to yell, every last thread of hope immediately snapping.
"No! You won't Monica, you think you will, but you'll realise just how hard it is. That man doesn't love you, he never has, and he never will. Now you're tied to him, it'll mess up that baby's life" The harsher the words got, the more Monica cried and begged for it to stop. "You know what, I give up. No matter what I told you, you were always disobedient and turned out like this. Good Luck."
"Fine! I'm done trying to live up to your expectations, I thought at least this time you'd be happy. I guess not" Monica started with a shout, which broke down so much that it ended with more of murmur
With that Judy grabbed her purse, Jack silently following her, not daring to look up from the floor. Monica felt her mother's words cut into her over and over, repeating teasingly in her brain. Ross broke from his phase of utter shock at the increasing volume of his sister's cries, all she ever wanted was her mom, someone who looked out for her no matter what. All she got was another teacher looking down on her only ever pointing out mistakes or disagreeing with any choice she made.
Sitting back in a chair, Monica's eyes fixed on her slightly visible bump slowly stroking shapes through the material of her sweater.
"I promise I'll try, I'll be a good Mom, I'll do whatever it takes." Her words gave her no confidence, everything inside seemed to have ceased up, no coherent thoughts fitting together
"I-I don't..." Judy tried to think of an explanation, an excuse anything, nothing came.
Monica kept her eyes on her mother watching guilt contort with adoration on her face. Judy lifted a hand leaving it resting gently on Peytons back, the rise and fall with her even little snores soothing somehow. Stepping to the side to get a better look at her little face Judy's heart swelled to impossible amounts, her smile too big to hide, Monica even had to grin a little.
Bit by bit, Judy's eyes climbed up to meet Monica's both mother and daughter's eyesight blurred with tears, running wet tracks down either side of their faces. Judy timidly stepped closer wrapping her arms around her daughter's shoulders, careful of the baby, Monica instantly fell into her mother's body clinging onto her jacket, the held back tears seeping through the material.
"I'm so sorry. I won't ever be able to express how sorry, how much I regret what I said that day." Judy croaked out wiping away Monica's tears with the pads of her thumbs. "She's beautiful, identical to you." She whispered smiling, Monica grinned glancing at Chandler over her mother's shoulder. "Is Will here?" Judy asked looking around, he was nowhere to be seen.
"Um, mom." Monica stepped to the side heading back to Chandler aware of her mother's eyes watching her every move, sniffling back her tears she moved her eyes to Chandler then back to her mom. "There's something you need to know... Me and Will broke up, which ill explain later but anyways. Me and Chandler are kind of together now." Chandlers arm slipped around Monica's waist, their fingers twining together naturally.
For a minute or two it was quiet, in the time Monica turned into Chandler's side, he leant down pressing a kiss to the top of her head, squeezing her hand gently.
Judy looked between the two, witnessing two people evidently in love, smiles as big as the other, the way they look at each other, the way he so sweetly hugged her or kissed her forehead.
It was just right.
Judy cleared her throat quietly, catching the couple's attention, "Honey are you happy?" It wasn't really something she needed to be answered, worth the confirmation though.
Both Monica and Chandler chuckled, turning back to each other, "I'm the happiest woman alive Mom."
"I'm glad. Monica when you're ready do you think we could maybe, talk everything out?" Chandler moved over to Monica's left side, carefully wiggling his hands under Peytons body so he could take her for a while. Stretching out her aching arm, Monica grinned at her mom.
"Shall we go and talk after I've said hi to Dad?" Rather enthusiastically Judy nodded, smiling wider than before, Monica saw her father who has floated towards Rachels parents and hurried after him, leaving Chandler, Judy and the sleeping baby
"Chandler." Judy hesitated, Chandler looked up, his hand subconsciously rubbing Peytons back, "I just wanted to say thank you."
His brow furrowed in confusion, Judy continued "I don't know what you've done but whatever it was, it worked, I don't think I've ever seen her this happy." Emotion got the best of Judy as she started to well up again.
Carefully Chandler stood to her side his free arm wrapped around her comfortingly, "Well I can't say it was without pain or suffering. We're here now though. I love them both so much. I'll look after them" He promises.
Judy stepped away from Chandler seeing Monica approach them again, relief and a new feeling of absolute admiration for her little girl swelling through her blood.
"You want to go in the kitchen, there's a table and coffee" She suggested.
"Sure" Judy agreed willingly.
Chandler held out Peyton to Monica slightly, "You or me?" he questioned, Monica took the baby knowing full well her mother will need the time. "I'll be with Joey and Pheebs, text me if you need anything." He flashed a lop-sided smile, leaning down to kiss her cheek.
"I love you" Monica whispered kissing his lips gently, her one arm pulled him close by wrapping around his neck in a hug.
"I love you too" He replied stepping back, "I'll see you after Mrs Geller" he nodded in Judy's direction, turning away and scanning the room for his friends.
"C'mon" Monica started leading Judy to the door by the entrance and down a hall to the spacious kitchen, filled with party food, cake, and coffee cups. Whilst Monica took a seat at her table and adjusted Peyton, so her body was moulded against her chest, Judy poured out two cups of coffee adding one sugar to hers and milk to both. She set them on the table, Monica smiled gratefully, "Thankyou. Look, before we start, just know that I've had a tough time and it has not been easy whatsoever.
"Okay. I just want to start by saying I can't ever apologise enough for my behaviour that night, I think the shock, and knowing what that man was like got the better of me." Judy croaked. "I already know you're an amazing mother, you've always been amazing Monica. You might've thought that Ross was my favorite but many people said I babied him way too much. So with you I thought it would be better to step back." Dropping her head Judy sighed deeply, "I missed you"
Monica already had tears in her eyes, glancing down at Peyton, her eyes began to flicker open slowly, brilliant blue pools of life gleaming up into the world. "Do you want to hold your granddaughter?" Without looking up, Monica stands and passes over the baby. Judy's shaky hands bring her close to her chest, the baby smell overwhelming. Tears trickled down the old woman's cheeks, Monica smiled, wiping her own tears.
"She's So Beautiful, What's her name?"
"Peyton, she's one of the best things that ever happened to me mom."
"That's beautiful isn't it, sweetie" Judy cooed tickling the baby's tummy.
"Though she didn't know that at first" Guiltily, Monica's body slumps down her shoulders drooping sadly. "I'll start with the Will thing. Well you were right, he didn't love me" At the same time Mother and daughter flickered their eyes up, sighing again balling her hands into a fist she continued, "He used to beat me mom, before and whilst I was pregnant. I was stuck in a bubble and didn't know where to go or what to do."
"I'll kill him" Judy cursed under her breath, anger evident on her face. "How did you get rid of him then?" she questioned.
Monica explained a detailed story of the argument with Chandler, the Will problem and how Ross and Joey got rid of him, reaching the point where she was crying trying to describe how lost and empty, she was without Chandler. The upsetting event of Peyton's birth caused Judy to become even guiltier and flustered with how her daughter had coped at all. When Monica eventually approached her and Chandler becoming official, a huge grin had taken over her face, just the thought of Chandler enough to make her ache with love.
Judy took Monica's hand in hers across the table "I'm so so sorry you had to go through that on your own" with no hesitation Monica shook her head.
"I wasn't alone, I might've caused myself to be on my own in my apartment. But none of my friends stopped trying. Peyton was such a fussy baby, only now has she started to calm down. Chandler always helped, in fact he's the only reason I kept on going. Him only." Grinning to the point of pain, Monica glanced up, Judy reflected her smile.
"I want to be in your life Monica, I want to be the mother I wasn't before, I want to be a grandma. I want to see you Chandler and all your friends at Thanksgiving and Christmas. I want my family back." Standing up Monica pulled her mom to her hugging her tightly.
Peyton squeaked disapprovingly, both adults giggling at her. "Me too. Hey sweetie, you want to go and see Chandler?" The baby's eyes light up, she seems a little young to know who people are but as she's with the 6 friends pretty much every day, any mention of their names causes her to bear her gums in a smile.
Walking closely together, they left the kitchen area and returned to the party, searching the room for any of their friends, though Monica tried to find Chandler specifically. He spotted them re-entering and started towards them,
"Hey. Everything good?" he asked taking Peyton in his arms and jostling her gaining some sort of squawk to emit from her.
"Everything's amazing" Monica smiled, wrapping her arms around his waist she buried her face int his chest, nothing felt more like home than this. Bending down Chandler met her lips in a sweet kiss, before hugging her impossibly closer.
"I love you" He whispered into her hair, feeling her smile against his chest he listened for her reply "I love you too"
Judy watched smiling goofily at her daughter, she'd never her seen her half as happy, this man was going to be the best person for Monica, that's all that mattered. Eventually they all departed around the room, swaying to the music, laughing and joking with each other.
This was family, it 's finally perfect.
I don't really like this Chapter, it's sort of rushed and there is probably mistakes, when I've got the time I think I'll rewrite this one! But you get the idea of where I was going with it. Please support this, follow and review, Thank you!