Later
Alison sat with Chandler and Rachel with Wesley. The restaurant was more ritzy than Rachel had expected, and the prices were extravagent.
"Five bucks for a glass of water?" Wesley read out loud. "Thats outrageous!"
"Well if you don't like it, you don't have to order anything." Alison said not even looking up at Wesley. She closed her menu.
"This is nice." Rachel said hesitantly. She looked at Chandler with a this is not going well kind of look. It seemed from the moment they set eyes on each other Alison and Wesley had sparred like a couple of golden gloves boxers. They glared at each other, almost daring each other to talk first so they can jump all over the statement. Rachel gulped her glass of tea.
"Let's dance!" She said suddenly. She got up and pulled Wesleys hand and almost knocked him off his feet.
"All right. Jeez, I get the hint already." Wesley said on the way to the dance floor. "I know what youre doing."
"Whats that?" Rachel said.
"Breaking that awful silence, even Chandler is not his witty self."
"Hmm." Rachel said as she watched Chandler get up and offer to dance with her which she flatly refused. "Wow, cold." Rachel thought. But then she did tell her about his disatorous affair with Joanna the former boss there. Maybe thats what shes judging him by.
"Kind of seems like an ice queen to me." Wesley said.
"Not really." Rachel defended Alison. "Shes had a really bad day."
"What, the new shipment of spandex didn't come through?"
Rachel laughed. "See? Thats the kind of thing that wouldnt even get a response from someone like her."
"Don't judge a book by its cover." Rachel said as the song ended. "The ending may surprise you." They walked back to the table. Rachel looked at Chandler who did not look happy at all.
"Hey Chandler? I need to uh, show you something." Rachel said standing.
"What?" Chandler said.
"Yeah, they have a uni-sex bathroom here and youve never been in one so I thought, hell why not go in one tonight." Rachel said making a "Come with me NOW" gesture.
Chandler made an oh with his mouth. "This is fantastic! I want to see if they have both condom machines and a machine for feminine stuff." Chandler added. "I'm so excited I may vomit!"
"Then we'll be close enough to the bathroom in case you do." Rachel said walking with Chandler behind a big long wall.
She stopped. Chandler looked a tad bit puzzled.
"Wheres the uni-sex bathroom?"
"There isnt one, I needed and excuse to talk to you."
"Ok."
"All right, we're bad matchmakers, we have to admit that now. Alison hates your guts and Wesley cant stop talking about how much he dislikes Alison." Rachel said. "Do you see something I don't? Cause I see nothing but a complete fiasco."
"Well, I don't know." Chandler said. "Did you hear that?"
"What?" Rachel said.
"Shhh." Chandler said putting his hand up. They crept round the corner to find Alison and Wesley dancing very close. Alison was giggling and Wesley was telling her something in her ear. At least thats what it looked like.
"Whats going on?" Rachel said.
"What do you think?" A waiter behind them said. "Love at first repulse. You never heard of it?" He rolled his eyes and walked around them.
"Doesn't that guy look like..." Rachel asked.
"Let it go, this is more important." Chandler said and took her hand and walked with her across the floor. "Hey guys, whats up?"
"Whats up?" Wesley said. "This girl is wonderful."
"But not more wonderful than you." Alison said.
"Well that settled it." Rachel said. "They're a cute couple in that piranha-goldfish sort of way." She muttered to Chandler who grinned.
"You know what?" Alison said. "You two ought to get together."
"Thanks." Rachel and Chandler said together.
"Let's blow this joint." Rachel said. "If we stick around too long we might accidentally break them up."
"At least they have dates for the xmas party." Chandler said and they looked at each other. "McDonalds?"
"Thought you would never ask."
"Let's go." Chandler said smiling as he extended his arm. She took it and they left the restaurant.
A week later
Rachel knocked on the door to Alisons office. She stood there a couple of minutes and then knocked again. Sophie came by and stared for a second.
"Alisons not there." She said as Rachel moved to knock again.
"Really?" She said turning. "Its been a week since I last saw her and Wesley at Chez Palaz. Do you know where shes gone?"
"Yeah, she called me last night." Sophie said giving Rachel a cup of coffee. "Shes in Las Vegas with Wesley."
Rachel almost spat out her coffee. "Las Vegas?" She wiped off her mouth. "What is she doing in Vegas?"
"Rachel, what do you do in Vegas besides lose tons of money?"
"She got married!" Rachel realized. "Wow, what do you know about that?" She asked not expecting an answer.
"Yeah, stranger things have happened." Sophie said and picked up a file. "See you at lunch."
"Yeah," Rachel watched Sophie go. "Stranger things have happened!"
