Rachel yawned as she poured cream into her coffee. She stared blankly into space as her cup started to overflow.
"Rachel, want some coffee with that cream?" Ross asked passing her a towel.
"Oh my god." She put the creamer on the table. She dabbed furiously with the towel. "So sorry!"
"Thats ok." Ross said. "Say how do you like the new maid?"
"Maid?" Rachel blanked out. She thought for a minute. When Chandler left after he kissed her she looked up and saw someone in their apartment looking down on the scene. She at the time thought it was Ross. But it wasn't him. It was the new maid Inga coming in for a weekly Sunday cleaning. Rachel felt complete relief when she realized that Inga didnt speak a word of english and wouldnt be able to tell Ross what she had seen. If she had seen anything at all that is.
"Shes great. And I thought that Monica only cleaned like that."
"I know!" Ross said. "I gotta go. Last night they had an emergency again. "God, the place seems like its ready to fall apart when I'm not around."
"Thats what they have you for sweety." Rachel kissed Ross on the cheek. "Drop me off at work? I'll find a ride back with Janet, my coworker."
"Sure." Ross said. "You seem awful tense about that job."
"Its nothing. First week jitters."
"Your first week was last week." Ross reminded her.
"Oh yeah! Thats right!" Rachel slapped her head with the palm of her hand. "I'll be all right. Once a few things get out of the way, It'll be allright." She said.
"Ok." Ross said. Rachel went out the front door of the loft. "Mental note - check her caffeine intake."
The Source
Rachel stepped carefully around the telephone room. Pearl, the operator from hell, didnt seem to be around. And she had to find a seat before she could start work.
"Relax." She said to herself. "Have a seat."
She pulled out a gaudy plastic chair and moved to sit down. A hand appeared on her shoulder.
Rachel squelched a squeal from coming out of her mouth.
"I told you, greenie, that this is my seat." Pearl said before Rachel turned around. "Wherever you sit, that is my seat. Why is this not clear to you?" She said in a husky voice.
"I guess I didn't get the message." Rachel said with a slight hint of fear in her tone. She moved away from the table and Janet stood behind her with her hands on Rachels shoulders.
"My my god." Janet said.
"It looks like I'm gonna have to show you where your seat is again." Pearl said. "Over there." She thought for a second. "If this happens again, we will meet." She said sternly.
"Ok?" Rachel bubbled.
"March!" Pearl gestured to her seat. Rachel wisely followed her orders. Janet followed her.
"Oh my god." Janet said. "You better be careful, amigo, Pearl is like el diablo."
Rachel stared at her.
"The devil." She said.
"I'm gonna have to eat lunch today. Does she stake out a place in the cafeteia too?" Rachel said.
"Si." Janet said. "Be careful. The last greenie she targeted went mad. Shes working at Wendys now."
Chandlers Place
Chandler threw darts at a wall. He paused for a second then remember to hang a dartboard up.
"Mental note. Go to home depot later." He muttered as he hung a dartboard on the wall. He continued his game. He paused again for a second as Rachel flashed to mind. That kiss he gave her last week. He could have sworn to god that she kissed him back. Maybe he wanted to think she did.
He threw the dart and missed the dartboard by half a mile. He couldnt sit there on his rump. He had to do something. After all, it could be now or never.
The lunchroom
Remembering the advice that Janet had given her, Rachel plodded toward the lunchroom with her brown bag lunch. Since she was not able to eat with Ross today, she had thrown some things into a bag. Some things meaning whatever. It could be a sandwich. She had no idea. She was in a hurry. She spotted a empty seat, and made a beeline toward it.
She was suddenly stopped. Something had stopped her in the midst of running. It was like hitting a brick wall! No, not a brick wall, but like hitting a giant woman like Pearl in the torso with her head. She squeaked.
"Excuse me." Pearl rumbled.
"I'm sorry!" Rachel squeaked. "I'm so sorry, I don't know what happened. I should have seen you and you're very hard not to miss." She rambled. "I'm saying too much, shut up Rachel. There. I haven't shut up yet. I'm sorry!"
"You know what this means?" Pearl said.
"I don't get to eat lunch here today?" Rachel said. "I think I got bread pudding."
"No." Pearl said. "We get to settle this."
"We?"
"You, me. Meet me at the South Park two weeks from now. There is a skating rink there. WE are gonna play roller derby. Me and you. Be there, or stop breathing air."
Pearl pushed her out of the way.
Janey pulled Rachel to her side of the lunchroom. "Senorita, I will be praying for your soul." She said.
"Well maybes shes not so tough." Rachel said. "Ok maybe shes worse." She whined.
"I will help you, my old fiancee was a roller derby champ. He will help." Janet said. "Meet us at this South Park next Sunday after work."
"Ok." Rachel said. "Janet!" She called. "Do I stand a chance?"
"I'd rather not say."
"Great."
Later
Janet walked with Rachel out the door of the warehouse.
"Janet you dont need to come out with me." Rachel said. "Its not like shes going to jump me out in the parking lot."
"Anything can happen." Janet said. "I'm gonna keep my eye on you."
"Ok. If it will make you feel better." Rachel said although admitting to herself that she felt better with Janet by her side. Pearls car was gone.
"Ok, stand down sergeant, the enemy has retreated for today." Rachel assured her friend.
"Good." Janet said. She sighed. "I'm gonna have to do something alot safer after this gig. Maybe the NYPD bomb squad has an opening."
Rachel laughed, then saw Chandlers car approached. She looked at it and sighed. Chandler came out of the car.
"Chandler!" Janet shouted.
"Janet?" Chandler gave Janet a small hug.
"How are you Chandler?" Janet asked.
"Just fine." Chandler said. "Rachel this is Janet, Naomis sister." He explained. "Remember you gave me the idea about seeing her family?"
"Oh right I did." She said.
"And we are ever so grateful you did." Janet said. "Knowing what happened to Naomi gave us so much piece of mind." Janet said. "I got to go, but remember, Rachel. South Park. Next Sunday."
"Right." She said.
"South Park?" Chandler asked after Janet left.
"Its nothing." Rachel said. They shared a long look.
"Did Ross see me kiss you? I thought I saw someone in the apartment when I left."
"No. The maid." Rachel said. "I don't intend on telling him either."
"What?" Chandler asked.
"I dunno. I think I still love you too but I dont know. This whole few months has been so confusing. Its like being caught in a whirlwind." Rachel said. She kissed him on the cheek. "I gotta go. Ok? We have to be friends." She said. "At least till I have this all figured out." She said as she disapeared into the darkness.
"Dont take too long. Someone might steal me away." He said to himself.
