DRINK/DRANK/DRUNK
MEL
Within a couple of hours, the house was full and there was a party underway. A beer pong tournament ensued in the multi-purpose room adjacent to the garage. In the living room, the women sat around, flipping channels between various New Year's Eve specials, commenting on what everyone was wearing, and sipping on concoctions of various flavorings.
Mel looked around and turned up her drink. "Wow. Who knew at thirty years old I'd still be having segregated boy/girl parties?"
The girls giggled and Jeanette chimed in, "I guess we weren't good enough for beer pong. I'd probably just ruin their man fun."
"So...you have a wedding date, officially," Nikki Hanson said, excitedly. "When do we start planning?"
Mel was grateful for the women that were in the room. Nikki and Kate Hanson, the girls from the office: Jeanette, Nikki, Carol, and Katie, and a couple of women Mel had just met that night who were girlfriends and wives of Tay's friends. One of the women had a wandering eye for Jason and in spite of herself, Mel kept an eye on her. It wasn't necessarily jealousy because she felt nothing more than friendship for Jason, but if a woman was willing to ogle him right in front of her boyfriend, then that was someone Jason had no business having anything to do with.
As cheering erupted from the multi-purpose room, Mel couldn't help but laugh at the sound. "Um, I guess I need to get on it as soon as possible. It's only ten months away and as each day goes by it feels like the date is closing in and I've gotten NOTHING done. It's kinda crazy."
"Well what kind of wedding do you want?" Kate asked.
Mel looked around the room blankly. "Uh...I really have no idea!" That was the truth. She had no clue what she wanted in their wedding. She'd had years upon years to dream of marrying Taylor but when she looked at him, she drew a blank. She had always imagined them married. How they actually got there never crossed her
mind. Maybe because how it happened never mattered to her. All that ever mattered was being married to him.
The blank looks were returned to her in full force. "Seriously?" Kate said.
Maybe it was the alcohol that caused her to vocalize her thoughts. "I always just imagined us married. Like, automatically. Like 'Immaculate Conception: Marriage Edition.' Like, we just wake up married one day. I don't know!"
This garnered a few giggles out of the other women, but Kate's face stayed stern. Mel was still getting to know Kate and the little bit she did know about her was that when Kate's wheels were turning, her face didn't look so
friendly. This little tidbit of knowledge about her would have helped Mel out awhile back, that was for sure. "So why don't you guys just go to the courthouse?" Kate asked. "Just pay the fee and sign the license?"
Mel stared back at Kate, equally in thought. "That crossed my mind. It's actually crossed my mind a lot..."
"What does Tay want?"
"He just wants to be married. I mean, yes, he WANTS a wedding...but I don't really know what caliber or anything like that..."
"So we're back to square one," Kate observed.
Mel nodded in response.
The conversation was then turned into a drinking game. Every time the word "wedding" was spoken, the ladies took a swig of whatever was in their hands. It was a get-drunk-fast technique that was definitely working. In what seemed like moments, the men emerged into the living room, Jason's arm slung over Tay's shoulder and swigging what was left of his beer. Mel had to admit relief at this sight as the second she saw Jason she knew this night could go one of two ways. Thankfully it appeared to be going the way she hoped.
"Your husband, here, is kind of a beer pong master," Jason laughed at Mel.
Mel glanced around at the other women and laughter ensued. "They're not even married yet, you crazy-ass!" Nikki giggled.
"Yeah!" Kate chimed in, holding up Mel's hand. "Do you see a ring on this finger?" She then looked at Mel's hand a little more closely. "Oh wait, there IS a ring on this finger. Shit, never mind, I'm drunk!"
This sent the room into an uproar, including Mel and Kate, who were wiping tears away from their laughter.
Before a response could be given, a voice faintly came from the multi-purpose room. It was then that Mel realized Zac wasn't in the room. "You guys!! Why the fuck are all these cups empty??"
One by one, starting with Isaac, the guys lost their cool. One of them was literally on the ground, hugging his stomach.
Kate eyed each and every one of them. "What is wrong with my husband?"
"You should probably ask your little bartender over here," Ike said, nodding toward Mel.
Kate laughed. "I thought you said a half a shot per glass?"
"Well...two glasses makes a whole shot...and he's had quite a bit of Mountain Dew and Dr. Pepper tonight...hope you sent an overnight bag with the kids."
The blood drained from Kate's face. "Oh my god, the kids!" And with that, she raced into the kitchen to use her phone.
Mel smiled at Tay. "So, my guy's a beer pong master, huh? Did you win me anything good?"
Zac finally stumbled into the room and answered her question. Whether it garnered an answer or not was irrelevant. "He won you a pretty good beer gut."
Tay smirked at his brother. "Dude, no I didn't, YOU did. You're the one who kept losing."
A sound escaped Zac's mouth that was something between a burp and a hiccup. "Oh yeah. That's right. MAYBE THAT'S WHY ALL THE FUCKING CUPS ARE EMPTY!"
"I'd say that's a pretty good assumption, buddy," Jason laughed, amused.
Zac then plopped himself on the sofa beside Mel where his wife had just been sitting. "Mel. What the fuck is wrong with me?"
"You're drunk."
"Um, no. I said I wasn't drinking. And I didn't. Try again."
"Well..." Mel was having a hard time keeping the giggling to a minimum. "You did DRINK a lot of soda..."
"You're right...I DRUNK a lot of soda...that means...well goddamn, I guess I AM drunk..."
"Actually, you DRANK a lot of soda..." Ike corrected. "And beer, might I add."
"Mother fucker, I already said I was drunk. Let's not add to it. If I say I'm drunk and you say I'm drank, well then, fuck, let's just all say I'm screwed!"
This time, Mel cried. She cried and then she couldn't breathe. Her knees curled up to her chest and she was grateful she wisely chose leggings instead of a dress to wear that night. Her head ended up on Zac's shoulder
as she laughed, unable to control herself, nor hold herself up. The alcohol was also catching up with her, making life that much funnier.
Underneath her, she felt Zac shake with laughter. "Oh shit, Mel. Is this gonna turn into Italy all over again?"
Mel jumped up and shoved her finger into Zac's face. "What happens in Italy stays in Italy, you shut your face right now!"
Zac laughed again. "What the hell are you getting so worked up for, you're not the one who has to be embarrassed."
Mel's laughter stopped abruptly. "Oh yeah...yeah, I'm not the one who puked all over the place!"
"It's okay, Mel," Tay said to her. "In both of your drunken stupors that night, we all received plenty of pictures and video, so. It's not like it was that big of a secret."
"Oh yeah..." Mel then looked around the room and had a thought. Thinking and drinking was dangerous sometimes. "How come every time I'm alone with one of you people I end up drunk or high?"
"High?" Tay asked, curiously.
"You know what, guys, I think it's time we got our drinks ready to count down. Ball drops in half an hour," Jason interjected suddenly.
"Good idea," Zac said, struggling to get off the couch and stumbled toward the kitchen. "Where's my woman? Woman!"
_______________________________________________
TAYLOR
"Tay, I don't think I can move." Mel had attempted standing and Tay had tried to help her but she never made it off the sofa.
Taylor laughed. "Babe, you're drunk, you're not paralyzed."
"No, you don't get it. I KNOW my body. I've been sitting here for quite awhile, getting good and toasted. Could you imagine what's gonna happen when I stand?"
"Will there be vomit involved? Cause if so, I might just leave you there."
Mel gaped at him. "Gee, I see how THIS is gonna be. I can't answer that question for you. But I do have to pee, so if you'll excuse me..."
Out of nowhere, Zac appeared, throwing Mel's arm over his shoulder. "Don't worry, bro, I got this. This is what we do. This is our thing. She's carried me to the bathroom on occasion."
"To pee?" Tay said, matter-of-factly.
"Fuck no, not to pee. I'll carry her to the door, but--yanno what, I got this. Just--just--I got this."
Tay was amused enough as it was. His current buzz caused him to allow this to happen. It didn't matter anyway, they couldn't go far. The nearest bathroom was right across the room and, even drunk, he knew Zac was a gentleman.
His youngest brother, Mackenzie, appeared at his shoulder and he sighed. "I'm gonna be up all night driving these people home, aren't I?"
Tay chuckled. "We can house a few of them, but no, I'd rather none of them left my house behind a wheel. It was really cool of you to volunteer yourself tonight. Really cool."
"Well I figure I've got a year or two of this left before one of these saps is peeling my sorry ass off the ground, so. I figure I'll pay it forward so they'll be appreciative when it comes their time to help me when I become
grotesquely plastered. And trust me, it will be horrifyingly grotesque."
Tay smiled. "I expect nothing less from you."
Twenty minutes later, the partiers were standing around the living room, fresh drinks in hand. Some took turns making little speeches about being thankful for family and friends for the year. Tay made a speech thanking everyone for attending their first New Year's party and how they hoped to make it a tradition. Before they knew it, they were counting down from twenty. This was the moment Tay had waited for all night long. He lived for any excuse to have Mel in his arms. The first kiss of the new year would finally be with the woman of his dreams. It occurred to him that even as teenagers, they had never rung in the new year together.
Tonight was just one time in a long list of firsts-that-should-have-already-happened-but-didn't for the two of them and he'd been looking forward to it, perhaps for longer than he should have been.
And then everyone's voices grew louder. "...three...two...one!"
Tay never even allowed "Happy New Year" to leave Mel's lips before he took her mouth with his. When he released her, she didn't pull away and she smiled. "Happy New Year," she said quietly.
Tay was in heaven. He couldn't even hear what was going on around them. He felt like they were the only two in the room and he wouldn't have had it any other way.
"Take a picture," she said, her voice still quiet.
This request caught Tay off guard. "What?"
"Take a picture. Of us. This our first new year together and I want to capture it. You can use your phone if you want."
"Oh!" Quickly he fished his phone out of his pocket and held it out to snap the picture of the two of them.
He turned his phone to review it but Mel placed her hand on his wrist lightly and lowered it. "We don't need to see how it turned out. Whatever's on there is perfect, I promise."
"I love you," he whispered.
She smiled. "I love you more." Then she turned up her drink. "I'm also loving this tasty cocktail Kate threw together. She's kinda talented."
"What? I heard my name," Kate said from across the room.
"You're really good at this whole drink...making...stuff..." Mel was having a hard time finding the words to express herself and this amused Tay. It also let him know that as much as he would love this party to last all night, he knew Mel wasn't going to make it much longer.
As if on cue, Jason approached them. "Hey, I'd love to stay and celebrate a little more, but I gotta head back to the hotel."
"Let my brother drive you," Tay said. "He's the driver tonight."
Jason smiled in appreciation. "No, I'm fine. I'm not even really that drunk."
"Noooo," Mel pouted. "You can't go. The new year just started."
"It's okay, I'll be back tomorrow and we can go for lunch..." Then he looked her up and down and changed his tune. "Or dinner..."
Tay chuckled. "I'm pretty sure she's not leaving the house any time soon tomorrow so you can pretty much be here whenever you want. At this rate, she may be ordering takeout."
"It's what I do best!" Mel's drunken sing-song voice chimed in.
"I'll walk you out," Tay said to Jason.
"Don't be gone too long," Mel said.
Rolling his eyes and shaking his head with a laugh, Tay walked with Jason to the door. On the porch, Tay said to him, "I'm really glad you could make it. It's good to see you."
Jason smiled. "Thanks, I'm glad to be here. I appreciate the invite. Oh, and I apologize for bringing up the whole Drew thing. I had no idea I was striking a chord or anything--"
"No. No, it's cool. It's--yanno, I don't know. There are some issues that she's just not--I don't know if she's choosing not to talk about it or not, but--things don't feel right there. It could honestly be Drew being really busy with work and stuff and I get it, but--I go on the road, too. I work constantly, too. But it really only takes a minute out of the day to pick up a phone, you know? And it hurts Mel and I can't stand to see her face when the subject comes up. And I dreaded telling her this one."
"I'm pretty good friends with Gerard," Jason said. "I don't talk to him on a regular basis, but he and I might speak once a week or so--"
"That's a lot more than Mel speaks to Drew," Tay interrupted.
"Right. And Gerard is a busy man. He's a workaholic, his entire life is work. Anyway, I can't say for sure what's going on there but I can tell you that I know for a fact that I'm getting more work than Drew is right now. I don't know anything beyond any of that, but yet here I stand. It's all about priorities and the people I care about just happen to be one of mine. I can't speak for anyone else. I mean she's working. She is. Just not like I am."
"You think it's anything we should be concerned about? I mean, would Gerard--?"
"No," Jason said, cutting Tay off immediately. "Absolutely not. And I'd kill him myself if I found that to be the case. I wish I could help you out, but that's really all I know about her. Like I said, my contact is Gerard."
"Well I appreciate you," Tay said. "And, really, you're welcome to stay. I don't see any reason you should have to drive all the way to town when you're already here."
Jason smiled. "Thank you, but it's not a problem. I'll be back tomorrow."
"Okay, then. Be safe driving and Happy New Year. We'll see you tomorrow."
After watching Jason safely leave the driveway, Tay turned and went back in the house. He heard the sounds of laughter getting louder as he walked in the living room. He took one look at Mel and he was instantly all
about her. He hated to do it, but he had to start ending the party. This year was a lesson. Next year there would either be less alcohol or he wouldn't allow Mel to start drinking quite so early. He was a little gone
himself, but in no way did he match Mel's level of inebriation.
When he rounded the corner of the sofa, he spied Mel with her cell phone in her hand, looking at it with a determined expression. "Well, you know the party's gotta start winding down when your hostess is nearly out of it herself," Tay announced, hoping to get the message across.
There was some laughter as he looked around and was relieved to find that there were a few people who looked like they were ready to wind down as well. His brothers and their wives had agreed to take two of their guest rooms for the night and Mac and his girlfriend, the only two underage people there, had started to round up the people they were driving home. Jeanette was taking the office girls in her car and Mac was starting with two of the couples that were there and would have to make one more trip back. It seemed to be quick and painless and Tay appreciated Mac and Jeanette for it.
Within the hour, the house was finally empty and Ike was hauling in overnight bags, one in each hand. "I had to get into Zac's car to get theirs, too," he said to Tay. The two of them looked at the sofa at Zac, who was stretched out across it, his ankles carelessly over one of Mel's legs as she sat, not noticing, texting on her phone. "He's in no condition to even unpack the thing," Ike finished.
As Ike walked past him and up the stairs, Tay leaned over the back of the sofa and said to Mel, "What are you concentrating so hard on?"
She sighed, annoyed. "I fucking texted her to tell her Happy New Year. I called and left a voicemail. I did everything and did she even say a word? Fucking no. Is this even her number anymore? Dammit, Tay, why the fuck won't my best friend contact me? Did she become too big a star and forget all the little people? Did she change her number?"
"Sweetheart, I don't know," he said softly. "But I do think it's time we start heading for bed. Don't you think?"
Beside her, Zac started to groan. "Mel. I don't feel so good."
"Again?" Mel sighed.
"Zac, if you're gonna puke, do it in the bathroom," Tay said. "I'm begging you."
Mel put her phone down and she kicked her heels off. "It's okay, Tay, I got this."
He watched her as she struggled to pull Zac off the couch "Are you sure?" he asked her.
"I'm sure. It's what we do. I practically have this down to a science."
She eventually was successful in getting him off his back and he followed them as she stood him up and helped him to the bathroom. Tay watched as Mel unbuttoned Zac's shirt and peeled it off of him, revealing the
black t-shirt he wore underneath. As she deposited Zac to his knees and lifted the toilet seat, she made her way to the sink and ran some water in one of the paper cups they kept for mouthwash. She barely managed to make it back to Zac when he started throwing up. Calmly and barely standing herself, she pulled his hair from his face and neck and tore a hair tie from her wrist with her teeth and started to tie back his hair as he threw up.
As gross as it was, Tay couldn't help but smile on the inside as he watched the scene unfold. Natalie would have never done this. She would never hold Zac's head as he threw up or work chewing gum out of his hair
(it happened once). He watched his fiancée take care of his younger brother and thought to himself that this was the sort of thing a sister-in-law was supposed to do. Or at least that's what he believed.
Another New Year's Resolution he decided to make on the spot was to quit comparing Mel to Natalie. Whether it was in his own mind or not, it was still unfair to Mel. He knew it would be easier said than done, seeing as
he'd spent ten years with Natalie and when you spend that much time with someone, they become all you know. He had a lot to learn and relearn, and some to forget, with Mel and he knew it would be easier on him to just dive in cold turkey rather than sit there and over analyze and compare everything.
Getting Zac to bed was a feat in its own, but the house was finally quiet before Tay and Mel headed to bed. "Mel, are you okay?"
She gave him a Look. "I'm drunk, I'm not plastered. I mean, I'm not at Zac's level or anything."
"I mean, are you gonna make it up the stairs?"
Mel stared up at the open stairs that descended from the open balcony above the living room. "Do I really have a choice?"
"Yes," Tay said. He then bent over and hooked his arm under Mel's knees and started to carry her up the stairs.
The look in her eyes was slightly amusing, a mix of fear and astonishment. She held onto him for dear life and all she kept repeating was, "Please don't fall, please don't fall."
"You don't weigh anything," he said to her, reassuringly. "I'm fine."
"Oh my god, put me down!" Mel said hastily when they reached the top of the stairs. She ran from him once she hit the floor and within seconds he heard her throwing up in their bathroom.
This was going to be a long night.
MEL
Within a couple of hours, the house was full and there was a party underway. A beer pong tournament ensued in the multi-purpose room adjacent to the garage. In the living room, the women sat around, flipping channels between various New Year's Eve specials, commenting on what everyone was wearing, and sipping on concoctions of various flavorings.
Mel looked around and turned up her drink. "Wow. Who knew at thirty years old I'd still be having segregated boy/girl parties?"
The girls giggled and Jeanette chimed in, "I guess we weren't good enough for beer pong. I'd probably just ruin their man fun."
"So...you have a wedding date, officially," Nikki Hanson said, excitedly. "When do we start planning?"
Mel was grateful for the women that were in the room. Nikki and Kate Hanson, the girls from the office: Jeanette, Nikki, Carol, and Katie, and a couple of women Mel had just met that night who were girlfriends and wives of Tay's friends. One of the women had a wandering eye for Jason and in spite of herself, Mel kept an eye on her. It wasn't necessarily jealousy because she felt nothing more than friendship for Jason, but if a woman was willing to ogle him right in front of her boyfriend, then that was someone Jason had no business having anything to do with.
As cheering erupted from the multi-purpose room, Mel couldn't help but laugh at the sound. "Um, I guess I need to get on it as soon as possible. It's only ten months away and as each day goes by it feels like the date is closing in and I've gotten NOTHING done. It's kinda crazy."
"Well what kind of wedding do you want?" Kate asked.
Mel looked around the room blankly. "Uh...I really have no idea!" That was the truth. She had no clue what she wanted in their wedding. She'd had years upon years to dream of marrying Taylor but when she looked at him, she drew a blank. She had always imagined them married. How they actually got there never crossed her
mind. Maybe because how it happened never mattered to her. All that ever mattered was being married to him.
The blank looks were returned to her in full force. "Seriously?" Kate said.
Maybe it was the alcohol that caused her to vocalize her thoughts. "I always just imagined us married. Like, automatically. Like 'Immaculate Conception: Marriage Edition.' Like, we just wake up married one day. I don't know!"
This garnered a few giggles out of the other women, but Kate's face stayed stern. Mel was still getting to know Kate and the little bit she did know about her was that when Kate's wheels were turning, her face didn't look so
friendly. This little tidbit of knowledge about her would have helped Mel out awhile back, that was for sure. "So why don't you guys just go to the courthouse?" Kate asked. "Just pay the fee and sign the license?"
Mel stared back at Kate, equally in thought. "That crossed my mind. It's actually crossed my mind a lot..."
"What does Tay want?"
"He just wants to be married. I mean, yes, he WANTS a wedding...but I don't really know what caliber or anything like that..."
"So we're back to square one," Kate observed.
Mel nodded in response.
The conversation was then turned into a drinking game. Every time the word "wedding" was spoken, the ladies took a swig of whatever was in their hands. It was a get-drunk-fast technique that was definitely working. In what seemed like moments, the men emerged into the living room, Jason's arm slung over Tay's shoulder and swigging what was left of his beer. Mel had to admit relief at this sight as the second she saw Jason she knew this night could go one of two ways. Thankfully it appeared to be going the way she hoped.
"Your husband, here, is kind of a beer pong master," Jason laughed at Mel.
Mel glanced around at the other women and laughter ensued. "They're not even married yet, you crazy-ass!" Nikki giggled.
"Yeah!" Kate chimed in, holding up Mel's hand. "Do you see a ring on this finger?" She then looked at Mel's hand a little more closely. "Oh wait, there IS a ring on this finger. Shit, never mind, I'm drunk!"
This sent the room into an uproar, including Mel and Kate, who were wiping tears away from their laughter.
Before a response could be given, a voice faintly came from the multi-purpose room. It was then that Mel realized Zac wasn't in the room. "You guys!! Why the fuck are all these cups empty??"
One by one, starting with Isaac, the guys lost their cool. One of them was literally on the ground, hugging his stomach.
Kate eyed each and every one of them. "What is wrong with my husband?"
"You should probably ask your little bartender over here," Ike said, nodding toward Mel.
Kate laughed. "I thought you said a half a shot per glass?"
"Well...two glasses makes a whole shot...and he's had quite a bit of Mountain Dew and Dr. Pepper tonight...hope you sent an overnight bag with the kids."
The blood drained from Kate's face. "Oh my god, the kids!" And with that, she raced into the kitchen to use her phone.
Mel smiled at Tay. "So, my guy's a beer pong master, huh? Did you win me anything good?"
Zac finally stumbled into the room and answered her question. Whether it garnered an answer or not was irrelevant. "He won you a pretty good beer gut."
Tay smirked at his brother. "Dude, no I didn't, YOU did. You're the one who kept losing."
A sound escaped Zac's mouth that was something between a burp and a hiccup. "Oh yeah. That's right. MAYBE THAT'S WHY ALL THE FUCKING CUPS ARE EMPTY!"
"I'd say that's a pretty good assumption, buddy," Jason laughed, amused.
Zac then plopped himself on the sofa beside Mel where his wife had just been sitting. "Mel. What the fuck is wrong with me?"
"You're drunk."
"Um, no. I said I wasn't drinking. And I didn't. Try again."
"Well..." Mel was having a hard time keeping the giggling to a minimum. "You did DRINK a lot of soda..."
"You're right...I DRUNK a lot of soda...that means...well goddamn, I guess I AM drunk..."
"Actually, you DRANK a lot of soda..." Ike corrected. "And beer, might I add."
"Mother fucker, I already said I was drunk. Let's not add to it. If I say I'm drunk and you say I'm drank, well then, fuck, let's just all say I'm screwed!"
This time, Mel cried. She cried and then she couldn't breathe. Her knees curled up to her chest and she was grateful she wisely chose leggings instead of a dress to wear that night. Her head ended up on Zac's shoulder
as she laughed, unable to control herself, nor hold herself up. The alcohol was also catching up with her, making life that much funnier.
Underneath her, she felt Zac shake with laughter. "Oh shit, Mel. Is this gonna turn into Italy all over again?"
Mel jumped up and shoved her finger into Zac's face. "What happens in Italy stays in Italy, you shut your face right now!"
Zac laughed again. "What the hell are you getting so worked up for, you're not the one who has to be embarrassed."
Mel's laughter stopped abruptly. "Oh yeah...yeah, I'm not the one who puked all over the place!"
"It's okay, Mel," Tay said to her. "In both of your drunken stupors that night, we all received plenty of pictures and video, so. It's not like it was that big of a secret."
"Oh yeah..." Mel then looked around the room and had a thought. Thinking and drinking was dangerous sometimes. "How come every time I'm alone with one of you people I end up drunk or high?"
"High?" Tay asked, curiously.
"You know what, guys, I think it's time we got our drinks ready to count down. Ball drops in half an hour," Jason interjected suddenly.
"Good idea," Zac said, struggling to get off the couch and stumbled toward the kitchen. "Where's my woman? Woman!"
_______________________________________________
TAYLOR
"Tay, I don't think I can move." Mel had attempted standing and Tay had tried to help her but she never made it off the sofa.
Taylor laughed. "Babe, you're drunk, you're not paralyzed."
"No, you don't get it. I KNOW my body. I've been sitting here for quite awhile, getting good and toasted. Could you imagine what's gonna happen when I stand?"
"Will there be vomit involved? Cause if so, I might just leave you there."
Mel gaped at him. "Gee, I see how THIS is gonna be. I can't answer that question for you. But I do have to pee, so if you'll excuse me..."
Out of nowhere, Zac appeared, throwing Mel's arm over his shoulder. "Don't worry, bro, I got this. This is what we do. This is our thing. She's carried me to the bathroom on occasion."
"To pee?" Tay said, matter-of-factly.
"Fuck no, not to pee. I'll carry her to the door, but--yanno what, I got this. Just--just--I got this."
Tay was amused enough as it was. His current buzz caused him to allow this to happen. It didn't matter anyway, they couldn't go far. The nearest bathroom was right across the room and, even drunk, he knew Zac was a gentleman.
His youngest brother, Mackenzie, appeared at his shoulder and he sighed. "I'm gonna be up all night driving these people home, aren't I?"
Tay chuckled. "We can house a few of them, but no, I'd rather none of them left my house behind a wheel. It was really cool of you to volunteer yourself tonight. Really cool."
"Well I figure I've got a year or two of this left before one of these saps is peeling my sorry ass off the ground, so. I figure I'll pay it forward so they'll be appreciative when it comes their time to help me when I become
grotesquely plastered. And trust me, it will be horrifyingly grotesque."
Tay smiled. "I expect nothing less from you."
Twenty minutes later, the partiers were standing around the living room, fresh drinks in hand. Some took turns making little speeches about being thankful for family and friends for the year. Tay made a speech thanking everyone for attending their first New Year's party and how they hoped to make it a tradition. Before they knew it, they were counting down from twenty. This was the moment Tay had waited for all night long. He lived for any excuse to have Mel in his arms. The first kiss of the new year would finally be with the woman of his dreams. It occurred to him that even as teenagers, they had never rung in the new year together.
Tonight was just one time in a long list of firsts-that-should-have-already-happened-but-didn't for the two of them and he'd been looking forward to it, perhaps for longer than he should have been.
And then everyone's voices grew louder. "...three...two...one!"
Tay never even allowed "Happy New Year" to leave Mel's lips before he took her mouth with his. When he released her, she didn't pull away and she smiled. "Happy New Year," she said quietly.
Tay was in heaven. He couldn't even hear what was going on around them. He felt like they were the only two in the room and he wouldn't have had it any other way.
"Take a picture," she said, her voice still quiet.
This request caught Tay off guard. "What?"
"Take a picture. Of us. This our first new year together and I want to capture it. You can use your phone if you want."
"Oh!" Quickly he fished his phone out of his pocket and held it out to snap the picture of the two of them.
He turned his phone to review it but Mel placed her hand on his wrist lightly and lowered it. "We don't need to see how it turned out. Whatever's on there is perfect, I promise."
"I love you," he whispered.
She smiled. "I love you more." Then she turned up her drink. "I'm also loving this tasty cocktail Kate threw together. She's kinda talented."
"What? I heard my name," Kate said from across the room.
"You're really good at this whole drink...making...stuff..." Mel was having a hard time finding the words to express herself and this amused Tay. It also let him know that as much as he would love this party to last all night, he knew Mel wasn't going to make it much longer.
As if on cue, Jason approached them. "Hey, I'd love to stay and celebrate a little more, but I gotta head back to the hotel."
"Let my brother drive you," Tay said. "He's the driver tonight."
Jason smiled in appreciation. "No, I'm fine. I'm not even really that drunk."
"Noooo," Mel pouted. "You can't go. The new year just started."
"It's okay, I'll be back tomorrow and we can go for lunch..." Then he looked her up and down and changed his tune. "Or dinner..."
Tay chuckled. "I'm pretty sure she's not leaving the house any time soon tomorrow so you can pretty much be here whenever you want. At this rate, she may be ordering takeout."
"It's what I do best!" Mel's drunken sing-song voice chimed in.
"I'll walk you out," Tay said to Jason.
"Don't be gone too long," Mel said.
Rolling his eyes and shaking his head with a laugh, Tay walked with Jason to the door. On the porch, Tay said to him, "I'm really glad you could make it. It's good to see you."
Jason smiled. "Thanks, I'm glad to be here. I appreciate the invite. Oh, and I apologize for bringing up the whole Drew thing. I had no idea I was striking a chord or anything--"
"No. No, it's cool. It's--yanno, I don't know. There are some issues that she's just not--I don't know if she's choosing not to talk about it or not, but--things don't feel right there. It could honestly be Drew being really busy with work and stuff and I get it, but--I go on the road, too. I work constantly, too. But it really only takes a minute out of the day to pick up a phone, you know? And it hurts Mel and I can't stand to see her face when the subject comes up. And I dreaded telling her this one."
"I'm pretty good friends with Gerard," Jason said. "I don't talk to him on a regular basis, but he and I might speak once a week or so--"
"That's a lot more than Mel speaks to Drew," Tay interrupted.
"Right. And Gerard is a busy man. He's a workaholic, his entire life is work. Anyway, I can't say for sure what's going on there but I can tell you that I know for a fact that I'm getting more work than Drew is right now. I don't know anything beyond any of that, but yet here I stand. It's all about priorities and the people I care about just happen to be one of mine. I can't speak for anyone else. I mean she's working. She is. Just not like I am."
"You think it's anything we should be concerned about? I mean, would Gerard--?"
"No," Jason said, cutting Tay off immediately. "Absolutely not. And I'd kill him myself if I found that to be the case. I wish I could help you out, but that's really all I know about her. Like I said, my contact is Gerard."
"Well I appreciate you," Tay said. "And, really, you're welcome to stay. I don't see any reason you should have to drive all the way to town when you're already here."
Jason smiled. "Thank you, but it's not a problem. I'll be back tomorrow."
"Okay, then. Be safe driving and Happy New Year. We'll see you tomorrow."
After watching Jason safely leave the driveway, Tay turned and went back in the house. He heard the sounds of laughter getting louder as he walked in the living room. He took one look at Mel and he was instantly all
about her. He hated to do it, but he had to start ending the party. This year was a lesson. Next year there would either be less alcohol or he wouldn't allow Mel to start drinking quite so early. He was a little gone
himself, but in no way did he match Mel's level of inebriation.
When he rounded the corner of the sofa, he spied Mel with her cell phone in her hand, looking at it with a determined expression. "Well, you know the party's gotta start winding down when your hostess is nearly out of it herself," Tay announced, hoping to get the message across.
There was some laughter as he looked around and was relieved to find that there were a few people who looked like they were ready to wind down as well. His brothers and their wives had agreed to take two of their guest rooms for the night and Mac and his girlfriend, the only two underage people there, had started to round up the people they were driving home. Jeanette was taking the office girls in her car and Mac was starting with two of the couples that were there and would have to make one more trip back. It seemed to be quick and painless and Tay appreciated Mac and Jeanette for it.
Within the hour, the house was finally empty and Ike was hauling in overnight bags, one in each hand. "I had to get into Zac's car to get theirs, too," he said to Tay. The two of them looked at the sofa at Zac, who was stretched out across it, his ankles carelessly over one of Mel's legs as she sat, not noticing, texting on her phone. "He's in no condition to even unpack the thing," Ike finished.
As Ike walked past him and up the stairs, Tay leaned over the back of the sofa and said to Mel, "What are you concentrating so hard on?"
She sighed, annoyed. "I fucking texted her to tell her Happy New Year. I called and left a voicemail. I did everything and did she even say a word? Fucking no. Is this even her number anymore? Dammit, Tay, why the fuck won't my best friend contact me? Did she become too big a star and forget all the little people? Did she change her number?"
"Sweetheart, I don't know," he said softly. "But I do think it's time we start heading for bed. Don't you think?"
Beside her, Zac started to groan. "Mel. I don't feel so good."
"Again?" Mel sighed.
"Zac, if you're gonna puke, do it in the bathroom," Tay said. "I'm begging you."
Mel put her phone down and she kicked her heels off. "It's okay, Tay, I got this."
He watched her as she struggled to pull Zac off the couch "Are you sure?" he asked her.
"I'm sure. It's what we do. I practically have this down to a science."
She eventually was successful in getting him off his back and he followed them as she stood him up and helped him to the bathroom. Tay watched as Mel unbuttoned Zac's shirt and peeled it off of him, revealing the
black t-shirt he wore underneath. As she deposited Zac to his knees and lifted the toilet seat, she made her way to the sink and ran some water in one of the paper cups they kept for mouthwash. She barely managed to make it back to Zac when he started throwing up. Calmly and barely standing herself, she pulled his hair from his face and neck and tore a hair tie from her wrist with her teeth and started to tie back his hair as he threw up.
As gross as it was, Tay couldn't help but smile on the inside as he watched the scene unfold. Natalie would have never done this. She would never hold Zac's head as he threw up or work chewing gum out of his hair
(it happened once). He watched his fiancée take care of his younger brother and thought to himself that this was the sort of thing a sister-in-law was supposed to do. Or at least that's what he believed.
Another New Year's Resolution he decided to make on the spot was to quit comparing Mel to Natalie. Whether it was in his own mind or not, it was still unfair to Mel. He knew it would be easier said than done, seeing as
he'd spent ten years with Natalie and when you spend that much time with someone, they become all you know. He had a lot to learn and relearn, and some to forget, with Mel and he knew it would be easier on him to just dive in cold turkey rather than sit there and over analyze and compare everything.
Getting Zac to bed was a feat in its own, but the house was finally quiet before Tay and Mel headed to bed. "Mel, are you okay?"
She gave him a Look. "I'm drunk, I'm not plastered. I mean, I'm not at Zac's level or anything."
"I mean, are you gonna make it up the stairs?"
Mel stared up at the open stairs that descended from the open balcony above the living room. "Do I really have a choice?"
"Yes," Tay said. He then bent over and hooked his arm under Mel's knees and started to carry her up the stairs.
The look in her eyes was slightly amusing, a mix of fear and astonishment. She held onto him for dear life and all she kept repeating was, "Please don't fall, please don't fall."
"You don't weigh anything," he said to her, reassuringly. "I'm fine."
"Oh my god, put me down!" Mel said hastily when they reached the top of the stairs. She ran from him once she hit the floor and within seconds he heard her throwing up in their bathroom.
This was going to be a long night.