Beyond Friends Episode Six. "Alice's Restaurant"
Guest Star
Courteney Cox As Monica Geller
Maggie Wheeler As Janice
"Scenes From An Italian Restaurant"
The next morning
Rachel stretched as she got up. She shook her head to try to sort of invigorate herself. She was up earlier than she was today than any other day. Why? Because today was the day she was gonna start working as a waitress at Monicas restaurant. Waitress, she thougt, I thought I would never have to wear apron strings again. Or make someone elses coffee. But she had to work, she realized. Chandler was being more than generous in letting her stay in his apartment while she got herself together. She rose from her bed and got dressed. As she got her white pants suit on Chandler knocked at the door. Rachel buttoned the front of her blouse quickly.
"Who is it?" Rachel asked.
"Mel Gibson. I heard you wanted breakfast served?" Chandler said behind the door. "Are you decent?"
"Yes." Rachel said putting her hair up. Chandler came in with a tray.
"Ta DA." He said. "Despite what Joey says, I think I am a good cook."
"Oh Chandler." Rachel practically gush appreciatively. "You are being so sweet to me."
"Well, thats what friends are for." Chandler said smiling. "Hurry and I can give you a ride to work. Its important to be on time." Rachel drank OJ while she listened.
"Ok." Rachel said. "I never thought I would put this on again." She commented as she tied the apron around her.
Chandler put his hand at her waist.
"Don't hurry." Chandler said softly. "I have plenty of time to get you to work."
"Oh?" Rachel said. "Cause I spend fifteen minutes picking out shoes..."
Chandler cut her off, suddenly pulled her close and kissed her passionately. She was a bit surprised at this sudden motion but she eventually relaxed and kissed back. He started to run his fingers through her hair as the kiss seemed to go deeper. Rachel continued to kiss him even when she thought she heard something go off in the background....
Rachel suddenly woke and and slammed down the snooze alarm on her alarm clock. She rolled abck over and hugged her pillow.
"Chandler? Kissing me in a dream? How is that possible?" She thought as Chandler knocked on the door.
"Hurry Rachel! I don't think Monica will be too pleased if you are late for your first day of work!" Chandler said through the door.
"I'll have to analyze that dream some other time." Rachel said as she got dressed.
Chandler drove off as he left Rachel at the back door of the restaurant.
Rachel tied her apron around her waist. Her mind flashed back for an instant to the scene in her dream. She thought for a sec when she opened the door. Chandler has been in her life so why not dream about him? And maybe the kiss part means that someone will come into her life romantically that knows Chandler. But since she has no idea who it is her mind substituted Chandler for the potential Mr. Right. Oh well, Rachel thought to herself as she approached Monica who was giving some cooking orders to a cook.
"And step on it." She said. She turned. "Hello Rachel, right on time."
"Thank you Ms. Geller." Rachel said remember that the relationship has changed now that Monica was the boss of her.
"Okay, tables four and five need to be picked up, then take the order of whatever table is in that quandrant." Monica said as she handed Rachel a name tag.
"I never had a name tag at central perk." Rachel thought as she put it on."Yes ma'am." Rachel said as she picked up an empty tray.
"By the way Chandler is gonna come here for lunch." Monica said. "It would be so cute if you served him. After all he did help get the job for you here." She smiled.
"Sure." Rachel said opening the door."All he has to do is sit in my area." She paused as the dream yet again flashed in her mind. She got busy with the tables so she could try and forget the dream. She knew she wasn't falling in love with Chandler. But she didn't know if she could say the same thing for Chandler, not yet anyway.
Noontime
Chandler stood in line at the front of the restaurant. He was talking to the matre de.
"I made a reservation here last night with your head chef Monica Geller." He said to him.
"I don't see a Chandler Bing here on the list." He said stuffily. "Now if you don't have a reservation, I will have to ask you to leave before I call the cops."
"Hold it, Mr.Starch." Rachel said coming up to the podium. "Hodge, remember the party of five for Kresner was cancelled?"
"Yes?" Hodge said looking at Rachel but not taking his eyes off Chandler who had a "I smell victory" smug look on his face.
"Well Mr. Bing did you say?" Rachel said looking at Chandler. "Mr Bing here is a valued friend to the head chef, and the head chef has reach with the owner and if you dont let Mr Bing have his assigned table. Well I can talk to Ms. Geller and she would talk to the owner and lets say...it wouldn't look good on your record." Rachel smiled knowingly.
"Right this way Mr. Bing." Hodge said and lead the way for Chandler, who followed him to his table. Chandler looked back and smiled. Rachel winked at him and walked up to the table. She brought out her notebook.
"Now, Mr. Bing. How would you like to order?" Rachel said giving him a leather bound menu.
"I'll have the chicken." He said handing the menu back. "And miss, call me Chandler. Only my father is called Mr. Bing, and I'm not even sure hes that anymore."
Rachel smiled and took the order back to the kitchen. "Chicken, with extra salsa and hold the asparagus." Rachel said knowing what Chandler liked to eat.
"Okay." Monica said. "Is Chandler there?"
"Yeah, hes over there." Rachel pointed him out. Chandler said and waved to her.
"Ask him to come into the kitchen." Monica said. "Make it look good and say I want him to pick out what chicken to kill."
"Will do." Rachel said and went over to Chandlers table. "Madame Head Chef would like you to come to the kitchen."
"Ok." Chandler said finishing off a breadstick. Chandler followed Rachel out to the front entrance of the kitchen.Monica met him right inside the door.
"Hey, I thought I would get this chance to tell you that I really appreciated that you ask Rachel to come here and work Chandler." Monica said.
"No problem." Chandler said. "I want to help Rachel out as much as I can." Chandler turned his head for a second.
"What?" Monica said.
"Nothing. I thought I heard something." Chandler said looking out. Then He heard it again. A very distinct voice pattern caught his ear.
"Oh....my....god." The voice said. "This is the worst veal I have ever had..."
"That voice." Chandler said. "No, no, no, NO! It can't be."
"...thats it. I am gonna see the head chef and give her a piece of my mind." The voice came closer, she seemed to be running, and then the kitchen door flew open. The mystery of who owned the voice was over.
"Oh my god." Chandler said. "Janice?"
"Oh.....my.....god!!" Janice said. She was as surprised as Chandler. "Bing-a-ling! Its been such a long time since I've seen you!"
"Here too." Chandler said as Janice hugged him.
"Oh Monica!" Janice said finally seeing her. "How are you?"
"Pretty good." Monica said holding up her hands to prevent Janice from giving her the same killer hug that Chandler had just recieved.
"And you own this restuarant?" Janice inquired.
"No, actually I am the head chef here." Monica said. "And I also heard you saying something about you giving me a piece of your mind about that veal you were just served."
"Well yeah." Janice said.
"Is that a good idea?" Rachel thought."Cause a piece of her mind is all she can afford."
"You know, it wasn't all that bad." Janice said backing off. "Bing-a-ling. If youre not seeing anyone, I have someone you oughta meet!"
"Actually, he is seeing someone." Monica said.
"Who?" Chandler said surprised.
"Yeah, who?" Rachel said just as surprised.
"He's seeing Rachel!" Monica said bringing up Rachel. She linked Rachels and Chandlers hands.
"Wow!" Janice said. "Who would have thought? I never thought you would be together."
"Neither did we." Chandler said.
To be continued
