Chapter 23: Gifts
Three days after Bruce's fever broke, the lingering heaviness in his body was finally chased away by the winter sun of New York. Standing on the edge of Washington Square Park, he drew a deep breath of crisp air—his throat no longer hurt, just a faint tiredness remained.
This was Bruce's first time outdoors in days. The sunlight carried no warmth, but it still brightened his mood.
After hanging out in the square for about fifteen minutes, Bruce walked to a parked 1993 Ford Taurus, climbed in, started the engine, and pulled out into traffic.
His first stop this morning had been a cab ride to the same rental place where he'd gotten the Lincoln last time. Ever since that Christmas road trip, Bruce had fallen in love with the freedom of cruising around the city behind the wheel. Last time Joey had done all the driving; today he wanted to be in the driver's seat himself—and do a little shopping along the way.
Bruce wound through the streets of Greenwich Village, passing quirky little shops. Outside a classic menswear store, he picked out two soft flannel pajama sets in muted colors—time to retire the sweat-soaked old ones.
Next he stopped at a boutique home goods store whose window displayed some striking designer mugs. He immediately thought of Monica's color-coordinated set that she kept polished to perfection.
Inside, he chose a sleek, modern white porcelain mug with no busy pattern—just an elegant thin gold stripe along the handle, perfectly matching Monica's obsession with "clean lines and sophistication."
It was the perfect thank-you gift for nursing him through his cold.
Bag in hand, Bruce realized: if Monica was getting a present, he couldn't leave out Joey and Rachel, who had fussed over him just as much.
And if Joey and Rachel were covered, why not buy something for everyone?
For Rachel, he needed something fashionable. Near Bleecker Street, a boutique window full of brightly colored, beautifully designed silk scarves caught his eye.
He selected one with an abstract pattern in dusty rose and forest green—subtle yet eye-catching.
For Joey, Bruce racked his brain. The only thing that came to mind was Joey's beloved sandwiches. But he wanted something lasting, like Rachel's scarf or Monica's mug—nothing came to him, though.
Joey would have to wait. If inspiration never struck, sandwiches it would be.
For Phoebe, he chose a hand-woven "Healing Energy Bracelet" whose maker claimed it radiated positive vibes and protective energy.
For Ross, he grabbed a deluxe VHS box set of the Jurassic Park trilogy. By now Bruce was running out of steam—dinosaurs plus movies equaled an obvious choice.
By the time he got to Chandler, he was completely stumped. Should've just bought everyone the same thing, he muttered, wandering aimlessly into the comic book shop next door.
There he spotted the newest issue of a humor magazine whose cover model looked eerily like Chandler—his salvation. Gift-worthy or not, it would give Chandler a laugh.
Magazine bought, Bruce drove on, unconsciously circling back toward Washington Square—hence the scene that opened this chapter: a quick break in the sun, then off to the deli he and Joey had visited before.
He emerged with two sandwiches, drove home, parked, gathered his haul, and headed upstairs. First stop: Joey's door. Finding it unlocked, he walked straight in.
Joey was sprawled on the couch watching TV. "Hey, Bruce—you're looking way better! What's with all the bags? You actually went outside?"
"Yep, pretty much back to normal," Bruce said, handing over the sandwich. "Rented a car, did some driving around, and picked up a little something for everyone."
"This one's yours—from your favorite place, remember? The one you took me to last time."
Joey's eyes widened. "Dude, I was literally just lying here thinking how amazing a sandwich and a Coke would be right now—and you show up with one! This is like Christmas all over again." He tore into the wrapper eagerly.
"I tried to find you something more permanent, like Monica's mug, but nothing seemed right. If you think of anything later, tell me—I'll go grab it."
Mouth full, Joey mumbled, "Forget it—this sandwich is perfect. Look, if you're feeling like you owe us for taking care of you, that's sweet, but unnecessary. Whatever you give us, we'll appreciate it, because we're friends. Friendship isn't about keeping score with gifts."
Bruce felt his throat tighten a little. "Joey, if your mouth weren't full and your hands weren't covered in mustard, I'd give you a hug right now—a manly hug. Alright, time to hit up the place across the hall."
Joey followed him out. Bruce knocked on Monica's door, not expecting anyone to be home—but it swung open almost immediately, revealing Monica.
"Monica? You have the day off? I figured I'd just leave this here after seeing Joey."
She stepped aside, letting them in. "Yeah, it's my scheduled day off. What's in all those bags?"
Inside, Bruce found Ross and Phoebe hanging out too. "So everyone except Chandler and Rachel is home—perfect timing. I picked up a little something for each of you while I was out. Saves me from tracking you two down separately," he said to Ross and Phoebe.
They hurried over excitedly.
Monica asked, "So what did you get us?"
[Milestone: 500 Power Stones = +2 Chapters]
[Milestone: 10 Reviews = +1 Chapter]
Enjoyed this chapter? Leave a review.
20+ advanced chapters on P2treon Soulforger