Chapter 5: The One with the Laundry and the Date
Adam was humming a tune as he gathered his laundry. He had been planning this for a while. He knew that the laundromat was a key moment in the show. The moment when Ross and Rachel's romance really began to simmer. He wanted to be a part of that. He walked into Monica's apartment, saw her, and a small smirk played on his lips.
"What?" Monica asked, her eyes narrowed. "You've got that look on your face. That… 'I'm about to do something terrible to my clothes and blame it on you' look."
Adam shrugged, holding up a bottle of detergent. "Just doing my laundry. Nothing to see here. I'm a clean man now. No more blue hair."
Monica, however, wasn't convinced. As Adam turned to leave, she discreetly swapped his laundry detergent with a new, super-foaming variety she had been saving for a rainy day.
Later, at the laundromat, Adam was watching Ross and Rachel. They were doing laundry, and the air between them was electric with unspoken feelings.
"So, you're doing laundry," Ross said, stating the obvious.
"Yes, Ross. I'm doing laundry," Rachel replied, a slight giggle in her voice. "This is my new life now. Laundry. And waitressing."
Adam, watching them from a distance, just smiled. He looked at his System. "Alright, System. The dates are going great. Now, as a joke, because it's me and a movie star and it's a big deal, give me the full, over-the-top, step-by-step plan for a romantic, rooftop date. Make it sound like a movie."
[To plan a date with Monica Bellucci: Step 1: Secure a reservation for two at the 'Top of the Rock' observation deck for October 20, 1994, at 9 PM. Step 2: Acquire a bouquet of her favorite flowers (white lilies). Step 3: Arrange for a private table near the ledge. Step 4: When she arrives, greet her with the flowers and a genuine compliment about her smile. Step 5: Order two glasses of champagne and toast to the beauty of the city.]
"Top of the Rock. Perfect. The view, the romance, the whole New York thing. I can do this."
Just then, his washer started to overflow with suds. A ridiculous amount of suds. Adam's eyes widened. He looked over at Monica, who was standing there, a triumphant smirk on her face.
"Whoopsie-daisy!" she said, mimicking his earlier joke. "Looks like someone got a little… bubbly."
Later, at Central Perk, Chandler was venting about Janice. "She just… talks! She talks about everything! Her cats, her ex-boyfriends, her… her toenails! And she has that laugh! OH. MY. GOD."
Phoebe, ever the empathetic one, just patted him on the shoulder. "You'll be okay, Chandler. Maybe you just need to… talk to her about her toenails. Maybe you have more in common than you think."
Adam, meanwhile, was telling the group about his soapy clothes. "It was a mountain of suds! A literal mountain! I had to go to a laundromat three blocks away just to get my socks clean!"
Monica, of course, was delighted. "Well, I told you. Mess with the chef, you get the soap."
Adam just shook his head, a smile on his face. He looked at Rachel, who was still slightly flushed from her laundromat encounter with Ross. "You know, Rach, I'm taking Monica Bellucci to Top of the Rock tonight. You should come. I mean, not on the date, but… you know. Just come to the top of the Rock with us. We could talk."
Rachel's eyes widened. "Monica… Bellucci? Oh my God. You're dating… her?" She sputtered, dropping her coffee cup again.
"It's a long story," Adam said, winking. "But the views are great. And I'm sure my clothes will be clean by then."