Beyond Friends Episode Four - "These Are Days"

Heard but not seen guest star-
Demi Moore as Alison

"Devil With A Blue Dress On"

Rachel switched on the radio as she showered for her day at work. She was feeling very good, she didnt usually listen to the radio in the bathroom, but she decided to do it today of all days. Even if meant getting the lyrics to the song all wrong, she didn't really care.
"I'm a devil with a blue dress on." She hummed as she toweled off and threw on a robe. She put her hair up in a towel and strutted across the floor. The phone rang.
"Let the machine get it, they can wait." She sang as she opened the closet.
"Hi Rachel, its your mom." The answer machine had kicked in after the first ring.
"And I have the perfect guy for you." Rachel said mimicking her mom. "He doesn't have a permanent record with the cops or will never cheat on you. Looks don't matter to you right?" She giggled. "For petes sake mom." Rachel said to the machine. "Ross wasn't that bad, stop treating like the antichrist." Rachel picked out her favorite blue dress and laid it out of the bed. She let her hair down and blew dry her hair.
She looked at the phone as it rang again, this time it was her dad. "I'm not even lis-ten-ning, na na na." She finished drying her hair and combed it, then putting it in a loose bun. She was just finishing dressing as the phone rang again.
"If that's the local Rabbi calling to say he set me up on a date, I'm leaving the country." Rachel quipped on her way to the phone. "Chandler would be proud of me, my first off the cuff remark!" She picked up the phone. "Hello, Rachel Green."
"Hi, Rachel, its me Alison." Alison said.
"Oh hi!" Rachel said. "I was just on my way in..."
"Don't come in today." Alison interrupted.
"You're giving me the day off?"
"No." Alison said. For the first time Rachel noticed the dead seriousness in her tone.
"There's something wrong, isn't there?"
"Yes. The whole departments been downsized. As of 8 am today, you and a bunch of other workers, including myself, have been fired." Alison spoke calmly. "You can come in anytime before five and empty out your desk."
Rachel held the phone several minutes after Alison hung up.

Chandlers Place.

Chandler was doing some minor tidying up when he heard the doorbell ring. He put down his push broom and ran toward the door. He brushed some dirt off of him before he opened the door. It was Rachel. She was wet. It had been raining heavily for the past hour and Chandler assumed she had walked the whole way over.
"Rachel, come in, you're gonna get cold." Chandler said running to the bathroom. Rachel peeled her coat off of her, it made a sopping mess in the middle of the kitchen floor. Chandler came out with a towel and his large robe.
"We gotta get those wet clothes off of you." He said handing he the towel and the robe. "Go into my room. I'll take care of this." Chandler looked at the floor.
"I'm sorry." Rachel said sounding more stunned than upset.
"That's okay, its just a floor. You're my best friend."
Rachel smiled and closed the door. Chandler began mopping up.

A few minutes and a couple of wringing outs later.

Rachel came out wrapped in Chandlers robe, and the towel was around her neck.
"Sorry I came here so abruptly, without even a phone call!" Rachel apologized.
"That's okay." Chandler said and gave her a glass of juice. "I thought you had seen enough water for a while."
Rachel smiled as she took the glass. "Thanks."
"Is there something wrong?" Chandler asked.
Rachel became quiet. Chandler looked at her, very concerned now.
"I know there is something wrong." Chandler said. "You can tell me."
Rachel sniffed. "I lost my job at Bloomingdales!" She sobbed.
"What?" Chandler said. She got up to get a tissue. "You were an executive! How can you lose your job, you were practically the boss."
"Downsizing. Alison and Sophie also lost their jobs. But I guess you can hardly blame them. When you have an VP for shoe laces, you know you have way too many executives for one company."
Chandler looked at her. "Smile, that last part was a joke." Rachel said to him.
"Well if thats all..." Chandler began.
"No, thats even it. I had to pay my rent today and I had no money. My landlord does not accept payment any other time except on rent day, so in 24 hours I have to find a place to stay and somewhere to put all my stuff until I find another place to live." Rachel sobbed again. "I don't know what to do, I'm still in shock from the firing."
Chandler thought for a moment. "Stay here with me!" He said.
"What?"
"Stay here with me!" Chandler said. He grabbed her hand. "Look, I have an extra bedroom here, with extra closet space, cause I know thats important to you. And uh its close to just about everywhere you can get a job and with your resume, I bet people will beg to hire you." Chandler said confidently.
"Wow!" Rachel said, "You're doing this all for me?" She smiled. "You're such a good friend!"
"I know." Chandler said and hugged Rachel.
"You'll be an even better friend when you help me move it all!" Rachel smiled as she pulled away. Chandler made a face.
"Okay."

A couple of hours of grunting and lifting later.

Rachel and Chandler managed to get most of Rachels stuff over to his place. As they began to organize her new room they talked about jobs and such.
"It's too late in the day to go out and pound the pavement for jobs today. I'll look in the paper and see if there is anything along the lines that im experienced in." Rachel said to Chandler who was moving her dresser for her. "A little to the left."
"Okay." Chandler said. "I think a lot of places will be glad to have you. Youre good to work with you're color coordinated." Chandler pointed at her room as a good example.
"I gotta be ready to take something less than I'm qualified to do. I mean I will pay half your rent as long as I'm here. I insist on it." Rachel said putting up a picture. "After all if I hadnt run into you a couple of weeks ago I might be on the street right now."
"Yeah." Chandler said. "You know I think I may know of someone who can maybe think of you as jobworthy." He said sitting down.
"Really? Who?" Rachel said excitedly as she sat down on the bed with Chandler.
"Let's make that a surprise." Chandler said putting his arm around Rachels shoulder. "I only hope she doesnt turn me down."
"She?" Rachel said raising an eyebrow."
"Yeah, she!" Chandler said a little put off. "I do have other female friends."
"Oh...Okay." Rachel said smiling. Chandler got up and left the room leaving Rachel to ponder her future.