It Had To Be You

Maddie’s birthday...hm, well there was sugar bread, aka cake, and sugar milk, aka ice cream and then kids going nuts shortly there after. I’m not even going to go over that. Beth did a good job, Maddie loved the rock star themed party. We also managed to get some good pictures of everyone in the the pink, fuzzy, and glittery party accessories in the goodie bags. If I do say so myself I might invest in a bedazzle microphone. Lane fit right in, which I was relieved for because I kind of invited her to my parents’ thanksgiving.

See, I wanted them to meet her and her to me them, more or less them to meet her because my family is a little scary. Not in like the axe-murderer way, but the overwhelming way. I still knew they’d like her, or at least I hoped they liked her. They really didn’t like Anna which should have been a sign. Plus I couldn’t stand the idea of the four of them sitting at my, I mean, our house eating dinner alone. It didn’t seem right, and maybe I would feel a little jealous at the fact that I couldn’t be there enjoying it with them.

“Do you remember the time Justin and I made a duct tape rope and hung off of the second story deck?” My brother Max laughed as he took a swig of beer. I avoided looking at the dark brown bottle, which was hard because just about everybody had one.

“McGiver was the shit.” I responded quickly and my father rolled his eyes.

Everyone laughed and Lane happily squeezed my hand. She had been on the down low for most of the night. Joe and Kenzie sat on the love-seat, Brandon was sitting in the recliner, my middle sister Jackie was sitting on the floor while her husband, Jeff, sat on the couch behind her rubbing her shoulders, Rachel was sitting in the rocking chair tucked in the corner while trying to map out her plans for Black Friday, my mother and father were next to Jeff on the couch. It was a little uncomfortable leaning again the ottoman on the floor, but it was just fine by me. Fig on the other hand, was had my parents’ pug warmly cuddled into his side. The kids and Max’s wife Caroline were up stairs sleeping because didn’t make it much past the turkey and dessert, plus Caroline was pregnant for the first time and was exhausted all the time.

It was cute to see Madeline, Ian, Rachel’s kids and Jackie and Jeff’s kids staring at her belly. I’m just hoping it doesn’t spark the question. Lane was also pretty adorable to see talking to her. Everybody was a little surprised that she guessed her due date and conception date. Then she told them bashfully that she was an OBGYN and that took the fun out of the looks on their faces. How did a girl who was so smart? I wonder if she looked at me and just thought I was some dumb art freak who wasn’t smart enough to do anything else...

“Justin Courtney!” My mother laughed and jokingly pointed a finger trying to deem the excuse, well inexcusable.

“Your middle name is Courtney.” Joe commented and then went back to dumbly smiling. I was kind of starting to dislike Joe, he was kind of a d-bag.

“Yeah, Mom why did you have to give us such shitty white names?” Jackie asked as she lifted her head.

“I think they’re nice.” She defended.

“Obviously.” Rachel piped up.

“Hey, you’re lucky I didn’t leave it up to your father to decide.” She added and he let his jaw hang slack.

“Daniel Trapper and Elka Bethany are wonderful names.”

“God that is bad!” Kenzie was turning bright colors from laughter.

“It’s not as bad as yours,” Lane mumbled out of the side of her mouth. Maybe I wasn’t the only one getting sick of Joe.

“What is it?” Everyone egged.

“Kenzie Sable Fergus.”

“Ou that is a doozie,” My dad, my dad hissed as if it were a burn.

“Joe!” Kenzie whined and smacked him on the chest emitting a hallow sound on his chest, “Yours is worse!”

“Let’s hear it, this is the bad car reck.” Jeff said.

“I know, I can’t wait.” Jackie whispered back to him and then we all waited in silence. Lane was already laughing.

“Joseph Nortly Fergus!” Kenzie proudly stated.

“Betelgeuse Betelgeuse Betelgeuse!” I shouted everyone paused a second, “What? I thought we were just saying ridiculous names now.”

Joe blushed a bright red and I tried to take the situation in a different direction. I didn’t really like him so far, but maybe he was just really insecure and people picking on him was bad...I like to think I’m a considerate guy and can understand other messed-up douchey people.

“Yeah really,” Max coughed into his sleeve and his eye-lids began to droop.

“Lane’s is the worst.” Joe’s complexion changed back into it’s pale sun-deprived complexion.

“Why are we getting me involved in this?”

“Because you brought it up and yours is the worst.”

“What is it!” Everyone began again.

“You know what? I’ll beat him to the punch: Lane Beatrix Fergus.”

“Whoa, as in the Harry Potter character?” Rachel’s pen hung limply in her hand, she should have given up writing that list ages ago. She should have given up Black Friday ages ago.

“Yep,” Lane bashfully smirked and then glanced at me.

She was getting tired too and possibly a little drunk. Did I make her stop there? No. Why? Because not everyone is a relapsing alcoholic/substance abusive loser like me. I figured she could let herself drink a little more than usual because she wasn’t driving, it was a holiday, and she dealt with my family all day. A few glasses, bottle, and mixers later it was well past midnight. The only problems: my parent’s house wasn’t big enough for everybody.

Lane and I lived the closest, let me say it again because I like to, Land and I live the closet, so we offered to head out. Joe and Kenzie left in his car. Thankfully Joe was such a hipster that he only drank Pabst beer, which we didn’t have on stock, so he was all safe to drive. Then Lane and I got the kids with Fig reluctantly following behind us. Sorry boy, that’s enough spooning for one night. Maddie clung to my side tightly and I had to balance Ian with some skill as Lane opened the car doors for me. She could barely get the buckles hooked.

What scared me a little was that I didn’t know if she was a happy, sappy or angry drunk. She was just very quiet, except for when you directly talked to her. So, I didn’t know if she was holding in a rant for when the wrong thing was said or if she was holding in tears. I approached everything with more caution than usual. We were home in about fifteen minutes. When we pulled into the driveway she was staring dreamily out of the window.

“Laney?” I held out a hand for her to help herself out. She took it and clumsily leaned on my shoulder.

So, do I get her inside first or the kids? Well, the kids were passed out while Lane was cutely drunken and stumbling. I was scared she’d wander away, so I got her inside and then put the kids to bed. I didn’t bother with the formalities of tucking them in, you know, brushing teeth, changing, bed-time stories, they were too far gone for that nonsense.

I tip-toed to our room attempting to avoid Kenzie or Joe...mostly Joe and then entered noiselessly. Lane was sitting on the end of the bed leaning back on her elbows.

“Justin,” She mumbled.

“Hm?” I walked to the dresser on the side of the room took off my glasses and started to empty out my pockets.

“You’re attractive.” She moved for what I assumed to be under the covers.

“Thanks, but not really.” I muttered tiredly and then jumped at feeling hands around my chest.

“You are really attractive,” Lane whispered in my ear. My heart jumped and a few shivers went down my spine, she sounded so matter-of-factly about it.

She kissed the back of my neck, silently, then again, and again, and now with teeth, and then she ran her tongue over my neck. At first I thought it was just a nice little pack on my neck, she does that sometimes... Another shiver went down my spine, before I turned around to be pinned between the dresser and her arms. She was stable now, in fact her eyes were focused but hazy, and her silence was determination. I knew what type of drunk she was. Good God. Why couldn’t a be a bad boyfriend and take advantage of her now? Not that I wanted her to be drunk, but...come on that look.

I sighed and tried not to breathe in her face. I placed my hands on her shoulders and softly pushed her away from me, “Lane I think you should go to bed.”

“I want this. Justin I want to--” Her hands began to move a downwards on my torso and I had to intervene this.

“Lane, Lane--Lane--Lane, auh” Ummm, what do I say to this? I don’t know if she really means this, I wouldn’t do this anyways if she wasn’t sober, but is she really telling me something or is it just drunken jabber?

Lane rested a hand on my hip and I tried to back up, but managed to get a knob of the dresser in my lower back. I don’t know why I couldn’t just lead her back to the bed to go to sleep. I think I was just in that much shock and so intrigued and relieved to hear what she was saying that I didn’t want her to go to be so she could wake up the next morning and deny everything. I wanted to sleep with her, I wanted to wake up the next to her just wearing my t-shirt, I wanted to lay there and just tell each other secrets. I wanted a fruity chick-flick with her. Shutting my eyes for a moment I punched my cowardice aside and told myself we would when we would. Even if that was never.

I led her to bed with some protest from her and then didn’t get in until she was sleeping. I just-- I don’t even know what is going to happen in the morning.