Drunk Enough - 1. Drunk Enough

“Did you ever stop to wonder how you were supposed to get home?” Jeff asked.

Chord was tired. They had spent the whole day picking up a list of things for Jeff’s mother. Now his cousin sat in the car preparing to leave him at a hotel, on the Canadian side of the border.

“I’m sorry. I had my ID in my wallet before I left campus,” Chord protested as he got out.

“Well I’ve got to go. I have to be at work in a few hours,” Jeff said as he handed over a bank card and a small bag from the back seat. “It’s not much just a change of clothes and some toiletries. Have some fun, eat -- you know, necessities -- my treat.” Then, he gave him the PIN number.

“Oh come on Jeff, it would take you what, four hours to go get it and bring it back?”

“I’m not making promises,” Jeff said with a sigh, “but then again, Meagan Milford would kill me if you missed her twentieth birthday party.”

“Oh god,” Chord gasped, “you wouldn’t.”

“I would,” Jeff smiled wickedly, “and I did. See you in a couple days.” Jeff laughed and pulled away.

Chord watched him go.

Meagan Milford -- the bane of his existence through six years of school from the time she was ten years old until he matriculated at barely seventeen, thankfully leaving her behind in high school hell. And now his cousin had just blindly handed him over. Chord smiled and slid the card in his pocket as he walked into the hotel to call a cab. Spending money that wasn’t his was never a problem. That it was his cousin’s money was a bonus. Damned if he was going to stay anywhere near Meagan Milford, her party, or the same hotel, even if he did have to stay in the country.

It was late, but not so late he couldn’t get a good start on getting wasted. He wondered how drunk he could get before Jeff came back for him.

Apparently he could get pretty damn drunk.

Waking up next to a good looking male was not outside Chord’s experience. Although the happy-to-be-awake sex that followed was new as was the joint shower, the shower sex, and instead of getting dressed they both passed out again, contentedly sated, wrapped in a blanket and kisses.

Chord woke up to his phone chirping. It was just after breakfast time and Gaston, the blond Canadian that Chord had happily spent the last few days with, was still asleep in his bed. Chord rolled off the edge of the bed he was closest to and picked up clothing on his way to the bathroom. His phone was chirping again.

When the bathroom door was closed, he answered it.

“About fucking time you answered your damn phone!” Chord’s eardrum vibrated from the decibels flooding through it. “I’ve only been calling every…

“What is it Jeff?” he asked as he pulled on clothes.

“I’m about ten minutes from the hotel, that’s what. Get your ass outside; I don’t have all day to wait.”

“All right, but you might have to wait a few, check out and all,” Chord said as he slipped from the bathroom, through the hotel room, and out into the hallway, juggling his shoes and coat in his free hand.

“Fine, just hurry,” Jeff snapped; then there was silence.

Chord hopped from one foot to the other pulling on his shoes then his coat before heading toward the nearest exit.

It took a little longer than he expected to get back to the hotel Meagan Milford co-opted for her party. By the time he did, Jeff was in the parking lot.

“Hey, Jeff, ready?” he asked as he slid into the seat next to his cousin.

“About time you got out here. Your mother is so pissed at me,” Jeff said passing over a bag with food in it. There was a pair of sodas in the drink holders. “Eat, drink.”

Chord took the proffered bag, peeled the wrapper off a burger, and glared at his cousin. “She should be. I can’t say that I’m all that happy with you either. My card was in that bag you packed me. I have a headache. Take me home.” Chord snapped the seatbelt in place and started looking through the glove box for something for his headache. When he found a bottle of aspirin, he took two. When his food was gone, he laid the seat all the way back.

“Wake me up when we get there.”

“We were so worried you were going to miss Christmas,” Chord’s mother said as he walked in the front door. “Jeff said you were visiting friends in Canada?”

“Yes, you remember Meagan?” he asked as he pulled off his outer clothing, “from high school. Her birthday was this week. A bunch of her friends decided it would be fun to go up there and have a party.” He smiled and kissed his mother’s cheek as he walked past her. “But right now I need a shower. Do you know what Jeff did with my bag?”

“I had Mike put it in the basement. He and Els are in the guest room.”

“Mom!”

“Don’t you ‘Mom’ me. Ever since you were little you went to the basement when Mike and Els showed up.”

“But there’s so little privacy in the basement.” Chord paused, turned, and looked at her. “Please tell me they didn’t bring the twins.”

“Go shower.” Chord’s mother smiled at him and shooed him toward the bathroom.

By the time he lay in bed on Christmas Eve, Chord decided dealing with family sucked. Of course he was still stuck in the same room as his cousins, the twins. “It will be just like you did when you were little,” his mother had said the first night.

“It’s a few days, you’ll survive,” his father said as a follow up.

Uncle Mike admonished the teenagers to behave then left him to his fate.

“So, Chord, we’re going to be looking at colleges soon and your institute of higher learning has a fine academic reputation, but we have a few questions –“

“What are the chances of Rudy getting laid regularly?” There was a slight ‘oof’. “Well that’s what you want to know!”

“And since you look just like me –“

Chord listened to the fighting for a few minutes, then spoke, “Well if you don’t want to know…”

“We do want to know,” one of them insisted.

“Well, there are lots of beautiful bodies on campus with nice toned asses and tight abs…” Chord said with his eyes half closed as he absently played with the silver ring on his finger – Gaston’s ring. He had it on since he came home from Canada. “You know we have a dance program? All those long legs and flexible torsos…”

“I can’t wait for college,” one of his cousins said wistfully.

“Well, it’s not all about getting laid. There are classes, studying, tests, and papers – lots of papers,” Chord said in all seriousness. “There’s not really much time for a relationship if you want really good grades.”

“How are your grades?”

“I have really good grades.”

“And girls?”

“During the semester? None. None at all,” Chord said making his voice as sad as possible. “I have to save it all up for vacation.”

“But you’re here.”

“Alas, I am. Thwarted again.”

“No girls?”

“None.”

“How do you survive?”

“How do you survive?” Chord asked back.

There was silence.

Eventually the twins fell asleep. Chord lay considering the ring and the man behind it. He finally drifted off as well with a smile on his face.

Gaston woke alone in the bed. With a stretch, he climbed out and headed to the bathroom to relieve himself. It took a moment to realize things had taken a step to the left in his reality -- his purity ring was not on his hand and he ached in places he never ached before. He hadn’t dreamed it. It had actually happened – in a hotel. After…

He smiled and wondered where Chord was, at least until he checked the time. With a sigh Gaston went into the bathroom and climbed in the shower to wash. It always seemed to be like this between them -- stolen moments, quick kisses, and a promise of more. Yet, neither had the nerve to make the trip all the way to the other’s home.

He touched his empty finger. Well that would be impossible to avoid now. He had worn the ring, or one like it, for over five years and now he had given it away. Someone was bound to notice. The thought made him smile, although he wasn’t sure how he would respond.

By the time he was out of the shower, John and Ana had arrived to take him the rest of the way home.

“You were here one night Gaston, why is it such a mess?” his brother asked.

“I changed my travel plans,” Gaston admitted, “I got here a few days ago.”

“A few days! What were you thinking?”

Ana placed her hand on John’s arm. “He’s an adult, John. If he wants to spend a few days in a hotel room, he can. Now be useful and shove clothes in a bag or go take care of check out.”

John stormed out into the hall, presumably to take care of check out.

“I’m sorry Ana.”

“Why? You are an adult. John still sees you as a little boy. Now get dressed and let’s go home. He is right about one thing, this place is a mess.” Ana picked up things and put them into the travel bag, while Gaston gathered up his clothes and headed back to the bathroom to get dressed.

“Maman, je suis chez,” Gaston called out as he dropped his dirty laundry in the washroom, then he headed to his room. There were letters for him on his desk. His hands were shaking as he opened them.

He stared at the sheets for a very long time. Then he heard a clearing of the throat behind him.

“Well what do they say?”

“I’ll be staying at school another two years. I am accepted.”

Suddenly the room was crowded with his entire family. It was too much. Gaston buried himself in his mama’s embrace and broke down. Everyone left them alone and she patted him quiet.

“John told us you spent a few days of debauchery in a hotel,” she said as she sat him down on the bed.

“Yes Mama,” Gaston said hanging his head, supposedly in shame, but really to hide his smile.

“Good for you.”

He looked up in shock.

“You heard me,” she smiled at him, “You are a good boy, Gaston. You will also be a good man. A little debauchery is good for the body; a little guilt is good for the soul.” She shrugged. “Go to confession, pray, try not to do it too often.”

“You’re not angry?”

“Five boys, your father gave to me, five boys. Do you think I don’t understand how boys think by now?” She shook her head and stood up. “If you aren’t thinking with one head you are thinking with the other, but you always listen to your hearts. The key is to make you think with both at the same time about the same thing while listening to your heart. That is what makes you happy.”

“Mama…”

“Five boys, Gaston. A mother knows these things. I think lately you have been listening to your heart?”

“Yes Mama.”

“Good. Dinner is ready. Let’s eat.”

Gaston smiled. He could tell by her tone she wasn’t exactly happy, but she wasn’t going to berate him for it. He followed her down to dinner which had turned into a celebration. The next day he went with the family to confession, but found he had nothing of importance to confess.

When it was done, Ana brought Gaston his laundry. “Mama has been a little busy, so I washed it for you. It was no problem, but what I don’t understand is how you wear two different sizes.” She sat it on his bed. “At first I thought some of the other’s might have gotten mixed in, but then I found this.” She handed over a piece of paper. “It was in a pair of jeans.”

Gaston unfolded the paper. He looked up at her.

“It looks just like the one John and I received. Congratulations.”

“I…” Gaston trembled, “this is… I can explain…” He dashed from the bedroom into the attached bath.

“Well that reaction came a little later for me, but I assure you, it’s one we all have. So, when are we going to meet this Chord?”

Christmas day was crazy – family, family everywhere – and Chord was bored out of his mind. People were coming and going non-stop all day; picking up presents and dropping them off. There was food on the sideboard and everyone overate.

“Chord, this one is for you!” a voice yelled a few moments after the doorbell rang for the umpteenth time.

“For me?” he yelled back upstairs.

“Yeah some guy.”

Chord handed the game controller over to the other twin and went upstairs. He froze as he rounded the corner from the kitchen to find Gaston standing across the living room.

“Chord, introduce your friend,” his mother said looking at him expectantly.

Gaston looked up. He wasn’t sure if he should smile or scowl, but for better or worse, Chord Kendall was his husband. Ana had agreed not to say anything until he came to a decision about what to do. Christmas morning had been a miserable morning of family. He had never kept a secret from his mother or brothers, and to keep this one now had been eating him alive. Finally he came to a decision. Ana let him borrow her car and the drive took less time than he thought it would.

One of the older women asked Chord to introduce him, but Chord looked as if he didn’t know how he should do so, which didn’t really surprise Gaston at all. They had decided to wait for this moment after all.

When there was silence, he decided to take matters into his own hands, and crossed the room toward Chord.

“I am Gaston.” He looked at the woman who had spoken earlier, then at Chord. “He left a few things behind at school. I thought he might need them.”

“You didn’t have to bring them personally,” Chord said as he took the offered bag.

“Yes, some of them looked to be important. There were papers,” Gaston said. “I made sure they were on top. Have a merry Christmas.”

“Thank you.” Chord stood there holding the bag.

It pleased Gaston that Chord had a confused look on his face, because it was exactly the same way he felt. It also that helped Gaston know how he would react so he could better anticipate Chord’s reactions. However, he was still worried over what those reactions might be.

“You’ve come all this way on Christmas, please stay, eat something,” the woman who had spoken earlier said, “My mannerless son can show you were the food is.”

“Yes Mom,” Chord replied then looked at Gaston, “Come on, Gaston.”

“Thank you, I would be delighted.”

Once they were in the kitchen, Chord regained some of his composure. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“You left clothing behind. It was in my laundry, which I did not do at my house.”

“Oh. Sorry about that. Jeff called and I had to go. I thought I grabbed everything.” Chord pointed out the food and things on the sideboard as he grabbed a soda. “You want one?”

“Diet please. You could have woken me to at least say good-bye. I woke up alone. I don’t like waking up alone, Chord.”

“My family doesn’t know,” Chord said as he sat the drink in front of Gaston who had taken a seat at the table. “You knew that. We talked about it. It’s only a few more weeks until we go back to school, Gaston. We can go back early.”

“Open the bag and look at the paper,” Gaston told him as he tasted the pie. “This is good, your mother’s recipe?”

Chord gave him an odd look, nodded, then opened the bag and pulled out the paper on top. He read it. Dropped in the seat next to Gaston then looked over at him.

“My sister-in-law found that in your jeans pocket. She says it looks exactly like hers.”

“I thought we had to send off for the Marriage Certificate in the spring,” Chord said, his voice as shaky as his hand holding the page.

“It’s like a receipt, for in the meantime.” Gaston picked up more pie with his fork. “In case I need to prove you are legally my husband.”

“Well that explains a lot of things, Chord,” a voice said from the doorway.

Chord looked up and felt all the blood drain from his face as Jeff stood there looking at him.

Fuck.

“Don’t Jeff,” Chord pleaded.

Jeff walked over and sat down across from Chord, taking the paper from him as he did.

“So this is why you missed Meagan’s party?” He waved it. “You couldn’t have planned it because you didn’t know I was going to strand your ass there.”

“I knew about the party Jeff. The timing of the ‘shopping trip’ was a little suspect. The day after I got home? Seriously? I made other arrangements either way.”

Gaston smiled at Jeff. “This is really good pie.”

Chord looked at Gaston. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Gaston put a forkful of pie in Chord’s mouth. “You need to calm down. It’s not going to change anything.” He leaned forward and kissed him, just a quick peck. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“I wasn’t asking you to,” Chord said once his mouth was clear.

Jeff laughed. “I’ve got to know, is he that good a lay?”

Gaston choked on the pie he had just put in his mouth. His face was red before he was able to get himself situated. “I would say the marriage is fully consummated.”

“Yeah but was it good?” Jeff asked wiggling his eyebrows.

“What was good?” one of the twins asked as he sat down next to Gaston.

“Yeah what?” asked the other as he settled into a chair.

“None of your business,” Chord said as he felt his cheeks flush.

Jeff laughed and refolded the paper.

Gaston reached over and plucked it out of Jeff’s hand, only to hand it to Chord. “Wouldn’t want that getting lost again now would we?”

“No, not at all, especially not after all the effort you went through to bring it to him,” Jeff said as Chord tucked it back into his bag.

The twins finished their snack and everyone decided to head downstairs and play some more games before the younger cousins took it over completely. Chord tossed the bag with his other things and pushed a twin off the couch to make room for himself next to Gaston. If they were going to do this, well, Gaston was his husband. He found himself making reasons to touch him, smell him, and make him laugh. He knew this was why they decided to move forward with their plans.

When Gaston began to yawn, Chord smiled. When he began to nod off, Chord poked him. Then he leaned over close and whispered, “Hey, I can’t have you falling asleep behind the wheel. Did you think to pack a bag?”

“I left it in the car. Didn’t want to seem presumptuous.”

“Randy, go out to Gaston’s car and get his bag.”

“It’s small, in the front seat,” Gaston told him as he handed over the keys.

“Jeff, why don’t you help me get these couches unfolded.”

“I’ll get him a sleeping bag,” the other twin offered.

“It’s all right, Rudy, we can share.”

“Hey Gaston, I brought the phone in too,” Randy said as he handed over his bag and phone. “It was going off non-stop on the seat.”

“Oh, thanks, I thought I had turned it off,” Gaston said and promptly did so.

“You’re not going to answer it?”

“Not tonight.” He pulled a pair of flannel sleeping shorts out of the bag.

A short while later they lay in bed, Gaston shifted so he and Chord were spooned.

“Chord, are you gay?” one of the twins asked from the other bed.

Chord stiffened, but Gaston stroked him gently. “Is it important?”

“Not really,” Randy said, “I guess what Rudy really wants to know is if Gaston is your boyfriend?”

“Something like that,” Gaston answered, “we’ve not really decided on a relationship status.”

“Well, we hope you decide to stick around,” Randy said.

“Chord’s never brought anyone home for the holidays. It’s got to mean something.”

“He wasn’t exactly expecting me.”

“He didn’t make you leave.”

“I don’t think I will be, either,” Chord said pulling Gaston tighter against him.

“A new face at breakfast is usually an interesting story,” Chord’s father said as the pancakes were passed.

“Yes it is,” Uncle Mike said as he looked at Chord, “especially when the new face shares a bed with one of the family members.”

“He had to sleep somewhere, Dad,” Randy snapped.

“Yeah, spots are at a premium, in case you didn’t notice it,” Rudy said, backing up his twin.

“We share a bed, what’s the big deal?” Randy asked the adults at the table.

Chord laughed at his cousin’s antics, they may be annoying but he really did like them.

“Yeah what is the big deal, Uncle Mike?” he asked.

“It’s not natural for two young men to share a bed. I saw, this morning. You were touching under the same blanket.”

Chord smiled at Gaston who nodded in return.

“We were,” Chord admitted. “Don’t you touch your wife under the same blanket? If so, then it’s exactly the same thing.”

Everyone looked at him as the words started to sink in, then pandemonium broke loose.

Chord wasn’t sure when it happened but Jeff arrived with his mother, Aunt Cathy, and Uncle Mike left with Aunt Els ‘to cool down’. The twins were sent to Cathy’s house, ‘to be away from Chord and his unnatural behavior’. His mother was lamenting the family’s loss of grandchildren, while being consoled by her sister, Cathy.

Chord and Gaston were back at the kitchen table, this time with Chord’s father.

“Are you sure about this, Son?” his father asked pointing between Chord and Gaston.

Before he could answer, Jeff popped his head in the door. “Um, guys, you’re wanted in here, now.”

Gaston followed Chord into the front room wondering what else could happen.

“Henri.” Gaston hurried over to his brother, and grabbed his arm. “What the hell?”

Chord went with him.

“John, he threatened to report the car stolen. Ana had no choice. She said you were grown and could make your own decisions and it was her car and she gave you the keys, but you know how he is. He went through your room. There were pictures, Gaston.”

“He went through my personal things?”

“Mama made him stop,” Henri told him. “But you know how he is.”

“My things, Henri?”

“Yes, Gaston, your things. Are you not paying attention? He’s coming here. Mama sent me first. Everyone has been trying to call you. He and David had a fist fight after John called you a faggot.”

Gaston trembled and Chord wrapped his arms around his husband.

“Do you feel the same way?” Chord asked.

“If you love my brother and he loves you,” Henri said with a shrug, “Who am I to say?”

“Then welcome to our home, Henri.” Chord led them back into the living room. “Gaston’s family is my family. It’s quite a drive, are you hungry? Care for something to drink?”

“No, no thank you. So, this is your boyfriend?”

“Chord is my husband,” Gaston said quite simply.

Henri paled.

“Would you like that drink now?” Chord asked as he headed toward the liquor cabinet.

“I think I would,” Henri said as he looked at his youngest brother. “Mama is not expecting this. Well, she was expecting something like this, but not,” he waved his hand toward Chord, “this.”

“This is Henri, Gaston’s brother. He says Gaston’s mother is on her way here. Perhaps our previous conversation should wait until she arrives?” Chord explained to his family as he handed his father and Henri a drink but before he could sit down his Aunt Cathy spoke up, “You can fix us one too Chord; I have a feeling we are going to need it.”

Without a word Chord fixed two more drinks and handed them to his mother and aunt.

“So married?” Henri asked once about half his drink was gone. “I never would have guessed that. We did suspect a serious relationship but married?” He laughed and shook his head. “No, that is going to be a surprise.”

“It was a surprise for us too,” Chord’s father said. “Just found out at breakfast.”

Henri looked at his brother and laughed until he was red in the face. Jeff couldn’t help but join in. Chord snickered. Gaston elbowed his husband.

“Well it is funny,” he protested.

“What’s funny?” Chord’s father asked, clearly not finding humor in the situation.

“Well, technically we are only married on the Canadian side of the border,” Chord admitted.

That sent Henri and Jeff into more fits of laughter.

And the doorbell ended them.

Gaston stood and headed toward the door, Chord at his side, but Chord’s father stopped them.

“This is my house, I’ll answer the door.”

“I think we are going to need more chairs,” Chord’s father said as he led Gaston’s family inside. “Jeff, if you could show Henri and his brothers where we keep the extras, they can get something to sit on, otherwise anyone who don’t answer to Mama or Daddy can go to the rec room.” He turned to Chord and Gaston. “You two sit.”

“Welcome to the family,” Jeff said as he headed out of the room. His mother quickly followed only to return with coffee and tea service.

Chord and Gaston sat together on the loveseat, their fingers entwined between them.

Two years later…

Meagan Milford was planning her birthday party and she was trying to figure out how to get Chord Kendall there. Since high school he had evaded every party she had thrown. She set her list aside and opened her mail, saving the wedding invite for last. It was probably another one of her cousins; so many of them were getting married lately.

When she opened it she stared at it. It couldn’t be true. Chord Kendall and his husband, Gaston Kendall, had invited her to their American wedding ceremony, to be held on the second anniversary of their Canadian wedding… her birthday.

She crossed his name off her invitation list. No wonder she never could get him drunk enough….

The end.