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starboygrove · 2 years

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Surviving Eddie Munson - Epilogue

Steve and Eddie have been living in Providence, Rhode Island for just a little under three years now. With the money awarded to them from their settlements, a combined total reaching just over one hundred thousand dollars, they were able to organize the move and execute it by the end of the year.

Understandably so, the teens were incredibly sad to see them leave. Max refused to speak to them for nearly two weeks before El was able to talk some sense into her. She ended up crying the hardest when they said their goodbyes, which was a feat when considering the amount of emotional distress Dustin was in. The young men made good on their promises to come back and visit, carving out time in their new busy lives to visit for Spring Break of ’87, and almost the entire month of June the same year once school was out.

Nancy and Robin had joined them on that visit, and they turned the ride back into a scenic road trip, enjoying the gorgeous landscape of the Upper Midwest and the entirety of the East Coast. Incredibly fond memories were made that summer, as well as the next. Being just a short hour long drive to Boston, the four friends were able to keep up with their bonds quite easily, blending their two new friendships together as the time passed by.

Their most recent foray to their hometown of Hawkins, Indiana, was for the teens’ high school graduation ceremony. It was an unbearably hot day for early June in ’89, but Steve and Eddie couldn’t be happier for their younger friends. Relatively speaking, they got to experience high school like normal teenagers, blooming into adulthood with a strong sense of self and safety that the two of them had missed out on. But they wouldn’t have it any other way, and did their best to show their love by being the most obnoxious fan-boys when each of the kids walked the stage to receive their diplomas.

All of the young teens’ lives are just beginning, spread across the country now that they have been accepted into and are attending their respective colleges of choice. To no ones surprise, Dustin got into Stanford’s engineering program in California, the little genius that he is. Still going strong all these years later, he and Suzie are finally able to live in the same city, much to their delight.

Max and El found their way to Portland after blindly throwing darts at a map until one landed directly on a city. Neither of them have decided on a major yet and are taking their general education classes at a community college to try and find something that sparks joy.

Lucas stayed in Indiana to remain close to his family, attending Butler university with his girlfriend Lisa. He got in on a full ride sports scholarship and the two of them are top students in the exercise science program.

Mike and Will are still in the Midwest as well after the latter got a generous scholarship to the Art Institute of Chicago. Mike decided that higher education isn’t for him, instead focusing on his newfound career as a dog groomer and providing for his boyfriend.

Outside of their trips, Steve and Eddie have built a beautiful life for themselves in their new city. They were able to buy a plot of land and carve out a home with enough room for their family to grow someday, if that ever becomes a possibility for them. For the most part, they have to keep their relationship a secret for safety purposes, but they have found a community in Providence that loves and respects them for who they truly are.

Eddie wasted no time securing a job at another record store, surrounding himself with people just as passionate about music as he is. Within those walls he has found a deep friendship with the owner’s daughter Lori, a fiery young woman who fondly reminded him of Max when they first met. They hit it off immediately, and to their delight they have more than just a passion for music in common. Lori’s girlfriend Alison is her polar opposite, but they balance each other fantastically. She’s a freelance artist, responsible for a good portion of the colorful murals that can be spotted around the city.

Steve took his time deciding what he wanted to do with his future career; the possibilities were seemingly endless, but after learning about their neighbor down the road, he knew he found his calling. Their closest neighbor David, a multi-generational Rhode Islander, is a mechanic by trade. His family’s business began to suffer after his father’s untimely death, unable to manage both the sales and repairs on his own. Steve offered to purchase half of the shop with the rest of his settlement money, and just like that, he became a business co-owner. They work well together, in the sense that Steve knows nothing about how to repair cars, and that David knows nothing about how to talk to people. His better half Patrick, as he would say, takes care of that for him in all other aspects of his life.

Robin and Nancy have gathered a wide array of friends during their time in college, both being social butterflies in their own ways. Living in such a big, new city, the avenues that opened up for the young women let them flourish in their respective personalities. There is a boisterous queer community in Boston for them to seek safety in, and as is the case with Eddie and Steve, the majority of their friend group is also queer in some capacity. They have one friend in specific that they have grown the closest to, a young adult who goes by the name Blake. Robin met them during freshman orientation and the three of them grew close immediately. Blake has been a sort of tour guide for both the city, but as well as the queer community the women are now deeply entwined in. Their new friend is openly gender nonconforming, using neither male nor female pronouns, and has shown the two small town women how to be out and proud about their identities.

When all of their loved ones get the invitation, it was no question as to whether or not they would come to witness their declaration of devotion to one another. Technically speaking, they have been engaged for nearly three years, and decided to finally make it ‘official’ last fall. Alison was more than happy to custom make their save-the-date cards for October 13th, 1989.

After a year of planning, Steve and Eddie are waking up on the morning of their wedding day together in the cottage they have rented for the occasion. They decided to go with a low-key venue tucked deep into the countryside of Rhode Island, with multiple cottages to house their guests, topped off with a large renovated barn to act as a reception hall.

It’s already a gorgeous day when they roll out of bed together; a bright blue sky greets them as they sit on the private balcony connected to their bedroom, cuddling up on the small wicker sofa with matching serene smiles on their faces. There is a soft, nearly chilly breeze that rustles the multicolored trees surrounding the property. The serenity of the peaceful morning doesn’t last for very long however; once the rest of the guests start to wake and emerge, the calm of the mid morning is lost.

Everyone present for the occasion is now currently getting ready in varying states of anxiety and excitement, and the grooms are no exception.

“Where is it!? I swear I put it out on the table last night, what the hell could have happened to it?” Steve is frantically looking for his tie, digging through piles of clothes, opening all of the drawers and cabinets he can, only to run face first into Eddie looming in the doorway to the bathroom.

“Babe. It was on the bathroom counter. Chill for a second with me?” He gently guides Steve by his arm to the bed and sits him down on the edge, taking his partner’s face into his hands lovingly.

“You. Are. Stressing. Me. Out.” He says, emphasizing each word with a gentle squish of Steve’s cheeks.

Rolling his eyes in return, he peels Eddie’s hands from his face to squeeze them tightly in his grasp. “I just want everything to be perfect today, but more importantly, on time.”

“And that’s why we woke up three hours before we even have to leave this room and walk about five hundred feet to the altar. Everything will be perfect, because you’re perfect.”

That seems to do the trick. Steve visibly relaxes his tightly wound body and gives Eddie a chaste kiss on the mouth.

“You’re more perfect,” he mumbles teasingly.

“Don’t you dare start, I won’t be arguing with you on this holy day of matrimony!”

“Darling, there is nothing holy about getting married on Friday the Thirteenth.”

“Exactly why I chose it,” Eddie replies with a satisfied grin.

There was a lot of compromising that had to occur during the planning of this event. They agreed on very few aspects, such as the time, décor, location, etcetera. After months of disagreement, they finally sat down and made a list of what was more important to whom; this is how they wound up with an outdoor wedding in the countryside with black and red decorations on a superstitious holiday.

A knock at the door grabs their attention. Eddie answers it to find Robin and Alison in their pajamas but with their hair fully done and a full face of makeup already applied, a jarring juxtaposition that makes Steve chuckle at the sight.

“Room service!” Alison jokes, holding out a tray of breakfast for the men to enjoy as they get ready for the big day.

“You really didn’t have to…thank you, this is really sweet of you guys,” Eddie replies with a warm smile.

“We are but your humble servants, m’lord.” Robin bows deeply with a pleased grin.

“Really, thank your dad and his wife, they’ve been up all morning cooking breakfast for everyone,” Alison adds on.

“Shit, I should have known he would pull something like this,” he laughs. “I told him this is his time to relax too!”

“Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, I’ve missed Wayne’s pancakes,” Steve says wistfully from behind, sneaking over to take the tray into the bedroom.

“Well okay you two, enjoy!” Alison chirps with a small wave.

“See you soon!” Robin sing-songs, practically bounding down the hall to catch up with their mutual friend.

They sit down on the balcony to enjoy their meal, sipping coffee and laughing at the teens’ antics from below. The boys were adamant that they be in charge of setting up the altar, which isn’t going as smoothly as they might have originally hoped.

“A little to the left,” Steve whispers, leaning forward over the railing to watch intently. “Just a smidge and—ooh! That’s gotta hurt,” he leans back into his seat with a breathy laugh.

“Where is El, she’d have this up in ten seconds flat,” Eddie muses from behind the rim of his coffee mug.

“Yes, but then we would have to murder our lovely friends for witnessing a former secret government weapon in action, and I don’t think that is on the to-do list for today.”

“Boo! How dare you use logic,” Eddie jeers with a laugh.

They finish their breakfast and start getting ready, showering together then helping each other get dressed and styling each other’s hair, a routine that they have become so familiarized with it’s nearly as easy as breathing.

Eddie has kept his hair basically the same as it was when he and Steve first met, with gentle tendrils of curls falling over his shoulders and masterfully manipulated bangs sitting over his forehead. He is dressed in black head to toe, as always, except for a pop of a deep burgundy color in the form of his suit’s pocket square. Steve on the other hand has grown into his role as a salesman, keeping his hair trimmed neat and tidy in the back, yet maintaining his nickname as ‘the hair’ with a perfectly styled coif in front. As per the theme, his suit is the yin to Eddie’s yang, a gorgeous dark red with a black pocket square.

The two of them admire each other in the mirror for a while before making their way downstairs. Their cottage is the only one that houses just two people, an intimately cozy two story structure with stone walls and wood floors. Just outside the front door are all of their guests patiently waiting for their arrival, seated in folding chairs. It was impossible for them to choose who to include in the wedding party, so in the end, they decided that everyone is of equal status in the occasion and have no groom’s maids or men. With simple instructions of ‘black or dark red cocktail attire’, the sea of loved ones have taken the dress code to heart, fashionably matching the grooms spectacularly.

Once they open the door to walk down the aisle together arm in arm, their friend Lori takes the cue and starts playing a rendition of Richard Wagner’s Wedding March on her violin in minor key. Everyone rises for their entrance, and the couple is preceded by Holly Wheeler, taking her role as flower girl very seriously by gently tossing a basket of rose petals to mark the path to the altar. Eddie gives her an affectionate fist bump before she returns to her seat next to her family, garnering a few chuckles from the audience.

Hopper, the unofficial officiant, glances between the two men adoringly before clearing his throat to begin the ceremony.

“Friends, family, ghouls, and gremlins,” He waits for the inevitable round of laughter before continuing. “We are gathered here today to witness the commitment of partnership between Eddie and Steve Munson. Thank you all for coming to be a part of this celebration of life, love, and the joining of two souls as one. Marriage is a long held tradition, one that binds two people together with love and devotion, a right that these two men do not yet have access to. Be that as it may, the vows they make today represent an equally important commitment to their partner and will serve as the foundation of their union as one.”

Hopper pauses briefly to turn the page in his leather bound notebook and makes a subtle attempt to wipe away a tear forming in his eye.

“I now ask Steve and Eddie to officially make their commitment to this union.”

He turns to Steve and gives him an encouraging nod. “Do you, Steve Munson, take Eddie Munson to be your life partner? To love and cherish him as long as you live?”

Steve breaks his eye contact with Hopper to turn to Eddie, giving his hands a gentle squeeze. “I do,” he says confidently with a wide grin.

“And do you, Eddie Munson, take Steve Munson to be your life partner? To love and cherish him as long as you live?” Hopper asks with a tender smile.

“Hell yeah I do!” Eddie cheers boisterously, causing a chorus of teary chuckles from the audience. Steve’s shoulders shake with silent laughter as he rolls his eyes in amusement.

Hopper addresses the audience once again while retrieving an ornate box from underneath the podium he is standing at. “The rings you exchange today are the physical embodiment of the love that you share. They represent the commitment and the devotion of yourself to your partner as a continuous, unending band.”

He opens the box to reveal two tungsten carbide wedding bands with each other’s names and their wedding date inscribed on the inside. Presenting the box to Steve, he delicately lifts Eddie’s ring out of the velvet holder, holding it in the palm of his hand before he recites his vows.

“Dearest, darling Eddie,” he begins with a wide smile. “Please take this ring as a token of my love for you above all others. I promise to respect and support you wholeheartedly through whatever challenges life may bring. With his ring, I am yours, forever and always.” He slips the ring onto the appropriate finger, gazing lovingly into his partner’s eyes.

Eddie openly wipes at his eyes with the palms of his hands before taking the remaining ring out of the box. “Steve,” he says breathlessly. “Please take this ring as a token of my love for you above all others. I promise to respect and support you wholeheartedly through whatever challenges life may bring. With this ring, I am yours, you little shit.” He whispers the last part so only Steve can hear, coaxing a wet chuckle out of the other man.

Hopper, close enough to hear as well, snorts at the unexpected addition. “Marriage is a life long commitment that you make to one another. As you devote yourself fully and freely to your partner, remember to make your partner feel loved and appreciated with each new day of your union. Cherish the special feelings, both the good and the bad, and your marriage will evolve into an endless circle of love and support. It is my honor to now officially introduce Mr. and Mr. Munson. You may now seal this union with your first kiss as a married couple!”

The deafening applause resonates all around them as they draw each other in for a loving kiss. Eddie dramatically dips Steve low for a brief moment before setting them upright, each man holding onto each other so tightly as if the other would float away if they let go.

At the behest of Jonathan, they pose for a few pictures at the altar, an abundance of rose petals raining onto them thanks to the efforts of Dustin and Lucas just outside the frame. They make their way through the crowd of loved ones, everyone congratulating them and commenting on the beauty of the moment.

As a group they head over to the barn where they all tirelessly decorated the building the night prior. Their efforts have paid off greatly, transforming the admittedly rustic interior to something dark and magical. Everyone mingles with each other, catching up on the recent events in their lives, buzzing with residual excitement leftover from just witnessing Eddie and Steve’s union. It will be a while yet until it is time for their meal, courtesy of a queer catering company that has just begun to arrive to set things up.

“Henderson!” Steve exclaims when his friend makes his way over to the happy couple, pulling the younger man into his arms for a tight hug. “You’re practically glowing with that tan, California seems to be suiting you well?”

“You don’t even know the half of it, man!”

They chat excitedly about Dustin’s first few months of college, and Steve couldn’t be happier for him; it’s clear that he’s really flourishing in the new environment.

“I don’t think Stanford would be the same without Suzie though,” he remarks, then swivels his head around to try and catch a glimpse of his girlfriend. “Ah! There she is.”

She’s standing in a group with her sister Eden, who is accompanied by her boyfriend Argyle, along with Jonathan and his girlfriend Delilah. The six of them have become close over the years, more especially as of late with Dustin and Suzie relocating close to the other young adults, who have been deeply rooted in San Francisco for a few years now.

They all look happy and healthy, laughing amongst themselves, and the trio greets them with enthusiasm as they reach the group.

“Hi! Oh my gosh, that was so beautiful! I think I went through half a box of tissues just on my own. Oh, where are my manners, my name is Delilah!” Jonathan’s girlfriend babbles before exuberantly shaking Steve and Eddie’s hands.

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” Steve says earnestly, shooting a knowing glance at Jonathan. For many of the couples present, these two are no exception to the rule that opposites attract.

“Long time no see,” Eddie says with a wry grin, giving Argyle and Jonathan quick fist bumps. The last time they were all together in one place the three of them tried out-smoking each other, resulting in a truly spectacular night of buffoonery.

“You both look absolutely stunning. I love the decorations, by the way!” Eden says excitedly, giving each of the men a brief hug.

“Of course you’d say that,” Suzie replies teasingly. “I have to agree with my sister though, it’s like walking into a really fancy vampire’s house.”

Eddie gasps, a hand flying up to his chest theatrically. “That is exactly what I was going for!”

Lucas and Erica join them to give their congratulations, also commenting on the choice of décor.

“It fits your vibe perfectly,” Erica remarks, pointing at Eddie. “But princess over here? How did you get him to agree to it?” The young teen scoffs at the thought of Steve having any input in the dark theme.

“Hey! I can be all cool and mysterious too,” Steve protests at the remark.

Everyone stares at him wordlessly before Eddie barks out a laugh that catapults the group into a contagious bout of laughter.

“There were compromises to be had, that’s for sure. Let’s just say that we both got what we wanted out of this.”

“Oh, Lucas, sorry about Lisa by the way. We were so bummed when you told us she got the flu,” Steve says when he remembers why his girlfriend is absent.

“Thanks man, she was really upset too. I wanted to stay to keep her company, but she wasn’t having any of it, something about not needing a man to take care of her,” he responds with a sheepish shrug.

“She’s got that right!” Erica exclaims, to which the women present wholeheartedly agree, much to their respective boyfriend’s chagrin.

They part with the group and make their way around the reception to greet some of the other guests. Max and El give them a crushing hug, nearly falling over with the force of it. The girls have grown up into happy and carefree young women, a sight that Steve and Eddie are proud to see.

“I can’t wait to get these photos developed, you guys were making THE stupidest faces up there,” Max says gleefully, taking the opportunity to snap another candid picture of them with her disposable camera.

“What she really means is that you guys looked great!” El corrects in attempt to save their feelings, like the sweetheart she is.

“No, I think she meant it,” Eddie says with affection. “Max just tells people she loves them in her own special way.”

“She never says anything mean like that to me, though,” El responds with a small frown.

“That’s because I love-love you, BIG difference!” Max says quickly with a kiss to her girlfriend’s cheek, leaving behind a lipstick stain. “Unless you want me to be mean to you?”

“I think I prefer things the way they are,” she replies with a dreamy smile on her face.

Mike and Will come to greet the happy couple, joining the four of them and doling out another round of hugs. Steve is still a little surprised at how mature they look, growing from the once tiny middle-schoolers into the young men standing before him. Mike has now surpassed his and Eddie’s heights, something that they probably should have seen coming.

“So, you two are next, right?” Eddie jokes with an impish grin that lights Will’s face on fire and has Mike stumbling over his words.

“Woah, relax you guys,” Steve snickers, and the two young men look between themselves in silent communication before speaking at the same time.

“Well, I mean, like--”

“The thing is--”

“We…are?” Will blurts out quickly with a grimace.

“We just didn’t want to overshadow your day with the news, is all. We were planning on telling everyone tomorrow,” Mike clarifies with a stiff shrug.

“Are you serious! That’s amazing,” Steve shouts, pulling them in for yet another embrace.

“It’s not a competition, you guys,” Eddie remarks with a small chuckle.

They part ways to move onto the next group, giving the couple full permission to tell anyone they please, regardless of the day’s occasion. Nancy and Robin ambush them on their way to talk to their local friends, linking arms with the two men.

“Well hello there, Mr. and Mr. Munson, how do you do?” Robin greets cheerfully.

“Hello you two, enjoying yourselves?” Eddie asks suspiciously.

“Of course! This is a wonderful day, bound to get better as the time goes on,” Nancy says cryptically.

“Alright, spit it out,” Steve demands, eyeing his friends in an attempt to figure out what their motives are.

“We were thinking,” they say at the same time before pausing to laugh.

“Later, perhaps some of us could take a little jaunt into the woods together?” Robin asks rhetorically. “A little birdie told me that some of our guests have brought some fantastic souvenirs from their state of residence.”

“That little birdie being me, of course,” Lori says once they’ve made their way over to their group of Rhode Islanders.

“Fast friends with Argyle, huh? Should have seen that one coming from a mile away,” Eddie says knowingly.

“I knew I heard something in the woods last night!” Steve exclaims, feeling like he just found a missing puzzle piece.

“If it’s anything like the stuff you guys brought back from California last year, I’m SO in,” David agrees readily.

“Count me out,” Patrick says with a chuckle. “Any of your other adult friends sober?”

“Will, El, Suzie, and hopefully Dustin; lord knows he doesn’t need the encouragement. And Blake, but you guys knew that already.” Robin lists off the names, counting on her fingers.

“Delilah, too,” Steve adds on. “So you’ll have plenty of folks to commiserate with over our illicit activities.” He waggles his brows teasingly.

“I can keep you company, Patrick,” Alison offers. “I have a feeling that I’m going to be taking care of this one for the rest of the day anyways.” She pats her girlfriend’s arm lovingly where they’re linked together.

They all laugh at Lori’s aggrieved expression, fully knowing that Alison is correct in her assumption.

It takes them a while to peel themselves away from their boisterous friend group to continue to greet their beloved guests. Nearly all of the parents and guardians present are gathered in a group, talking amongst themselves and turn to congratulate the newlyweds in unison when they approach.

Claudia Henderson draws both of them in for a brutally tight hug, nearly squeezing the life out of them. She’s still got a tissue clutched in her hand, clearly deeply moved by the occasion.

“I can’t help it, I’m just so happy for you boys!” She cries out. “But it’s so bittersweet, you deserve to be able to get married the real way!”

Eddie furrows his brows and draws her in for another hug, patting her back to console her. “This is more than we could have ever dreamed of, don’t worry about things like that. Maybe one day we will be able to sign a piece of paper, but this is more real for us than a simple document could ever be.”

“I couldn’t have said it better myself,” Steve agrees with a warm smile.

They are discussing their favorite moments from the ceremony when Holly runs up to get her mother’s attention for something seemingly urgent.

“Speaking of the little ghoul,” Eddie says, beaming down at the Wheeler’s youngest child. “My favorite part was our flower girl here. I can’t think of a single other person who could have executed the role better than you, Holly.”

She blushes at the praise and smiles shyly in return, earning a round of additional sentiments from the other adults. Karen Wheeler escorts her away when it is revealed she’s lost her headphones.

“Won’t be long until you’ve got one of your own,” Ted Wheeler remarks sagely.

“Pardon me if this is insensitive, but how exactly would you go about having a child together?” Charles Sinclair asks politely, a question that the couple has thought about on their own several times.

“Charles!” His wife, Sue Sinclair, exclaims out of embarrassment.

“No, it’s alright, we’re not offended at all! We’re really open to talking about these sorts of things, it’s a valid question,” Steve replies sincerely. “There are a lot of different ways that we could have children together, but we are leaning towards surrogacy. It’s still going to be a while before we start that chapter, so for now we take any chance we get to dote on the kids already present in our lives.”

“We’ve had enough experience with those gremlins to know that we want to wait as long as possible before becoming parents.” Eddie gestures to the group of teens currently clambering all over each other outside.

The older adults laugh in agreement, knowing first hand how much of a trouble it is to raise those kids.

“So how did you find out about this place?” Joyce asks inquisitively. “I thought we were reading the map wrong for a good twenty minutes on our way out here in the rental,” she adds on.

“This land actually belongs to our good friend David’s family. They renovated it a couple years back and have been using it as a wedding venue ever since,” Eddie says, pointing out the man in question in the crowd.

“That’s actually how he met his boyfriend, Patrick,” Steve supplies excitedly. “His father was the contractor for the project; they like to say that it was love at first construction site.”

“Oh, that’s horribly charming,” Susan exclaims. “David is the mechanic, correct?”

“The one and only; he’s the brawn to my brains at our shop,” Steve nods in confirmation.

“I ‘spose we can assume Alison had a hand with all the decorations?” Wayne asks from his spot next to his wife, admiring the room.

“She wouldn’t let us take no for an answer,” Eddie replies with a laugh. “We even tried paying her, to no avail. Honestly, if it weren’t for our friends, this entire shindig would be a hell of a lot more expensive than it turned out to be.”

There is a generous amount of truth to his words. Nearly every facet of the occasion has been either heavily discounted or outright given to them for free as a gift; the most expensive being the caterers. And even then, they got twenty percent off due to the fact that the owner is one of Blake’s cousins.

Speaking of whom, they’re over by the banquet table chatting with their cousin right now while the caterers finish up setting out the food.

“There you guys are!” Blake ushers the couple closer to meet their cousin Amy in person for the first time. All communication so far has been done over the telephone, so Steve and Eddie give Blake’s cousin a warm welcome and words of gratitude.

“I’ve heard a lot about you two over the last couple of years, it’s nice to be able to put a face to the stories!” Amy says cheerfully, shaking their hands with gusto.

“Oof, do I even want to know…?” Steve asks, grimacing at all of the potential embarrassing stories his friend could have told their cousin.

“Nothing but praise, I promise,” Blake says with a sly smile.

“Knowing you, I’m not so sure about that,” Eddie retorts with a nervous chuckle.

Due to Blake’s natural gravitational pull towards chaos and disaster, they have gotten their Indianan friends into some bizarre scenarios since the five of them met. It’s to the point where Patrick has affectionately banned them from his house after what happened during his last New Year party.

“It was so lovely to meet you both, but I really need to get going. If you could believe it, we have three other weddings to attend to this afternoon! We’ll be back tomorrow morning to collect everything.” With that, Blake’s cousin is off in a flurry, leaving the three of them to admire the handiwork displayed on the table.

Everyone takes turns grabbing plates of food and make their way to sit down to enjoy the meal. A cluster of round tables is gathered in the middle of the room and the group seats themselves without arrangement, some even moving between tables to join a different conversation once everyone has gotten their fill to eat.

Nancy is the first to make a toast, drawing attention to herself with a gentle tap of a butter knife against the rim of her wine glass.

“I just wanted to say a few words,” she says, clearing her throat delicately. “I am so lucky to be able to call these two wonderful men dear friends of mine. The fierce love you show each other every day is unparalleled, visible in each choice you make and interaction you have. Even before this beautiful day, you have committed yourselves to each other fully, a genuine bond that will last a life time and more. Congratulations to Steve and Eddie!”

There is a round of applause after her speech, and each of the guests who wish to speak take their turn doing so. By the end of the toasts there is not a dry eye in the house from the words uttered by the couple’s family and friends.

The sun is just starting to set once everyone has cleared the tables the best they can, gathering outside for group photos courtesy of Jonathan. As if it were a wedding gift, the sky is bursting with a myriad of colors, providing a magical backdrop to cement this day into one-of-a-kind photos. It’s not long before everyone begins to get restless for entertainment, seeing as those of age have begun to grow tipsy from the alcohol provided.

They all break off into groups once more, the variety of entertainment provided giving everyone something fun to enjoy. Steve finds himself pulled away from Eddie for the first time today at the request of Dustin and El, demanding he dance with them. Argyle is at the helm of the modest sound system, courtesy of Lori and Eddie’s workplace, expertly spinning records as well as he can spin pizza dough. Some of the other guests join them in their endeavor, breaking out into dance.

Eddie on the other hand is dragged away by Max and Lucas, requesting that he partake in the bag toss tournament just outside the barn doors. He readily agrees, defeating the competition with ease with his remarkably precise aim. That is until his fater challenges him, the very same man who taught him all he knows in the way of sports. Once he takes the reign as champion, Eddie finds Steve to defend his honor.

“I’m not the all-star sports champion I used to be,” he protests weakly, not wanting to get creamed by his father either.

“What, don’t tell me you afraid or somethin’?” Wayne teases, easily sparking a light under Steve’s competitive nature.

“Oh, in that case, you’re goin’ down old man!”

They produce quite the crowd of people to witness the duel, and some even get rowdy when they start to take sides and make bets. It is Wayne who comes out victorious in the end, defending his place as the bag toss tournament winner, but it’s a close match.

Afterwards, Argyle calls Steve and Eddie back into the barn so that they can have their first dance as a married couple. They embrace warmly and sway to The Rose by Bette Midler, one of the only things about their wedding that they agreed upon early on in the planning process. It’s sappy, and sweet, and everything they could have hoped for in a ‘first dance.’

When it is time to cut the cake they insist that everyone gets a piece before they do, serving everyone from youngest to oldest much to the delight of Holly. It’s a lovely red rose inspired three tiered wedding cake, with a custom made topper that looks nearly identical to the men in their current outfits.

The evening grows longer and colder, causing some of the guests to retire to bed earlier than the others, but not before more congratulations and affections for the happy couple. Hopper wrangles them into a bear hug, outwardly showing more affection than he typically does due to his inclination towards the wine provided.

“Thanks again, for everything,” Eddie says sincerely, patting the other man on his back.

“Can I officiate again, when it’s legal?” Hopper asks with a truly harrowing display of puppy dog eyes.

Steve just laughs, pulling him in for another hug. “You’ll be the first call, if it ever happens.”

“When!” Hopper corrects, pointing a finger in his face when they pull apart. “Not if. When.”

They wave goodnight when Joyce has to all but pry him off of the newlyweds, and Steve and Eddie watch with fondness as the older couple retires to their cottage for the night.

With the group that is left, it’s time for the night to continue on in an illicit fashion. So as not to make a horrible mess on their admittedly expensive clothes, everyone agrees to go change into something more casual before taking the party into the woods surrounding the venue. Those who choose to not partake in certain activities stay behind and play games reminiscent of their childhoods, such as Truth or Dare.

“Holy fuck you guys, where the hell did you get this stuff?” Steve asks after hacking up a lung, shakily passing the joint to the person to his left.

“Can you keep a secret bro?” Argyle asks seriously, eyes rimmed red already.

There is a murmur of agreement, curious to know what he will say next.

“I grow my own shit, man!” He reveals with excitement.

“Isn’t that like…sort of really a lot dangerous though?” Nancy inquires, leaning against Robin from where she is sat between her girlfriend’s legs.

“Only if you get caught,” Jonathan replies with a smirk.

“All the good shit in life is illegal,” Blake adds on.

“Amen! Mist…sist…wait, what should I call you?” Argyle pauses in consideration, unsure of which of the two words to use.

“Hmm,” They pause to think about it for a moment before deciding. “How about captain?”

“Alright, aye-aye cap’n!” Argyle corrects himself, giving them a proud salute.

They all laugh heartily at the exchange, heavily buzzed with the introduction of the drug into their systems.

“And that’s on being a true ally,” David quips quietly, earning another round of laughter from the queer folk present.

“So what’s next in line for you guys?” Mike asks the newlyweds.

“Good fuckin’ question,” Eddie retorts, scratching his chin in contemplation.

“We’ve been talking about getting a dog?” Steve offers with a half shrug.

“Bo-ring,” Lucas boos with an aggressive thumbs down.

“Ahh, the married life,” Eddie jokes, tugging Steve in for a sweet kiss.

“I say you guys go on another kick ass vacation, and take us with this time,” Lori insists. “I’ve always wanted to see the West Coast!”

“You’re more than welcome to stay at our place if you ever find your way out there,” Eden offers generously. “A friend of Eddie and Steve’s is a friend of me’s!”

“Sold, let me pack my bags real quick,” the other woman retorts jokingly.

“Hey, that would be really fun actually,” Max says. “We could go visit where I grew up, make like a whole thing out of it?”

“That would be a hell of a procession,” Nancy comments. “Just imagining it now…it would take, what, five cars minimum probably?”

“Or I can finally buy that RV I’ve been begging to for the last three years,” Steve says dreamily.

“Oh no, now you’ve done it, just look at him!” Eddie cries sarcastically.

“Sorry Eddie, looks like Steve gets to buy that RV,” Robin says with faux-sympathy.

“Ahh…the married life…”

Everyone laughs at the exchange until their bellies ache. They continue smoking for a little while longer before stumbling their way through the woods and to the venue. When meeting back up with the others, they all agree to call it a night, sleepy from such a long day of joy and excitement.

Steve is lying on the end of the bed with his legs dangling off the side of it when Eddie returns from the bathroom. He kneels between Steve’s knees, running his palms up the other man’s bare thighs seductively. When his partner barely even registers the touch, he snorts out a laugh and climbs up on the bed with him.

“Too tired to consummate our union?” He teases lovingly, carding his fingers through Steve’s hair.

“Mmmh no, I’m up, I swear…” Steve replies softly, barely able to crack an eye open.

“You are so high right now my dude,” Eddie snickers, pulling Steve up to lay on the bed properly by his armpits.

“I’m sorry baby,” he breathes out, nuzzling into Eddie’s side affectionately. The other man merely pats his shoulder and settles into the bed further.

“Don’t be sorry,” he chuckles. “We have all the time in the world to do as we please, it was only a joke. I’m happy to just simply be here with you.”

“So good to me,” Steve mumbles, pressing a kiss onto the nearest patch of skin he can find.

“Buuut,” Eddie draws out, already smirking at the thought. “If you wanted to make it up to me…”

“Yeah?”

“We could do that thing we’ve been talking about lately,” he finishes suggestively, earning a sleepy laugh out of his partner.

“Yeah, okay. I was gonna say yes the next time you asked anyways,” Steve admits.

“Damn! I should have gone for higher stakes.”

Steve and Eddie stay up for as long as they can until succumbing to sleep. The next day, all of their guests join them for breakfast before parting ways. The large majority of their family and friends leave to catch flights at various times throughout the day, but not before one large group photo to commemorate their time spent to witness the union of love.

It isn’t until their 25th anniversary that Steve and Eddie marry each other legally, bringing everyone back to the same countryside venue for a renewal of vows. Their large found family has grown even larger by then with the addition of a few new partners and a myriad of children. This includes their own daughter Rose, who by October 13th, 2014 is as old as Steve was when he and Eddie first met all those fateful years ago in Hawkins, Indiana.

#eddie munson #steve harrington #stranger things #steddie #eddie x steve #eddie munson x steve harrington #steddie fanfiction #steddie fanfic #steddie fic #stranger things fanfiction #cross posted on ao3 #stranger things smut #steddie smut #steddie fluff

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insecure-hbo-the-recaps · 6 years

Text

backwards-like

ok ok, sorry sorry sorry i’m back. i’m a few weeks behind and watching these episodes for the first time no spoilers.

Previously on Insecure: Living with Daniel was a lick. Daniel wants to make connections at the club. We Got Y’all needs to hire people of color. And Molly switched to a black run law firm.

Looky looky looky. Issa and Daniel are sleeping in bed together, platonically of course. Daniel teases her and at first you think they are still playing platonic, but they soon begin kissing and Daniel goes down on her. There is totally a scene full of Issa Rae's naked pelvis and hard nipples which I have to say is an improvement over her very awkward sex scenes last season. I approve. Idk about the eating Flamin Hots while getting head, but I understand the sentiment being expressed. But then! That was a fake out too, yet another of Issa's frequent fantasies about the person she wishes she could be but is not, like yelling at her coworkers at work or going on dates with her ex who dumped her last season. She got me that time.

Why are they sleeping together platonically? Issa quickly rolls out of bed and leaves before acting on any of the things she's thinking.

Molly is taking her bulldog to the dog groomer. She hasn't started at her new job yet. Issa hasn't had the interview yet for the invitation she had in the last episode but Molly is just happy she will be getting her own place soon. Issa clearly isn't quite ready to leave the safety (not to mention financially beneficial) arrangement she has with Daniel, but isn't being totally honest about that. Her makeup looks fantastic though.

Molly doesn't see what the big deal is since Issa is sleeping on the couch, but Issa's awkward response makes it clear they she and Daniel have started sharing a bed. Like a good friend, Molly knows this isn't a good idea, but Issa defends her poor choices while eating a dog biscuit.

We Got Y'all is participating in like... a non profit fair or something? I really like Frieda in a supervisory role, and it looks like Issa is doing better from the redheaded stepchild position she had been in before.

Meanwhile, Molly is having her first day at her new law firm. Her dress has a confusing belt thing going on but a cute ribbon tie at the neck. She meets all of the staff and I enjoy just the concept of a firm staffed entirely by black people. That's a nice thing to see on TV. And the view isn't bad either.

Can I just say that I actually love LA? I expected to hate it and for it to be full of nothing but bleach blonde fake boobed bimbos. First of all the people were totally normal - far more "normal" "American" people than I was expecting, which is to say... overweight, basically. New York was a lot worse/better - nothing but thin and fit people in really fantastic clothes. I never saw a fat person in New York until I went to Times Square with the tourists. I could totally live in LA and be completely happy with the vibe, it is honestly not that dissimilar to Chicago at all. After visiting a few times I really don't know why people hate LA so much. You know what I hated was San Francisco... a surprisingly ugly city! And before I ever went to California I used to tell people if I were to live anywhere there it would probably be SF. Oof. That's what happens when you speak in ignorance, sis.

Daniel is working on a new track which sounds like a cross between a video game soundtrack and a sad "my life was hard" rap song. He's hoping Spyder will like it, and solicits criticism from his producer friend. I don't know his name, sorry. The producer friend doesn't like basically any of the components of the song and criticizes things he thinks Spyder won't like. I'm not sure if we should trust his opinion more than Daniel's at this point. The caption says that he "strips down" the beat. They both sound like the same sad ass song to me, so idk. But Daniel is clearly uncomfortable with the criticism.

It turns out We Got Y'all is hosting a booth at a job fair, looking for the more black employees Issa suggested. Frieda and her manager haircut are happy with the turnout. For some reason, Dias de La Muerte dancers show up complete with a band and everything and I guess job fairs in LA are more interesting than any I've ever been to... which now that I'm thinking about it is zero...

It turns out this is part of a presentation for another employer that works with musically gifted kids in underrepresented neighborhoods. Issa goes over and talks to the staff there and seems impressed with their shtick. Or maybe impressed with the cutie manning the booth.

Uh oh. At Molly's new firm she's learning the office doesn't use standard tech that she's used to expediting her work with. Instead of DocuSign, they use Adobe and a courier. Yikes. I worked at a nonprofit that still didn't have efax and, why? This is the whole ass future. We wasted so much paper printing and faxing everything manually and they didn't even have the big blue recycling bins, which annoyed me to no end. They are also ok with CPT time on the courier deliveries, which is clearly unacceptable to Molly. Sigh. Why do we do this, you know?

Issa is meeting with the property management company and is being interviewed by an older black guy, which is a good sign. Let me reiterate that her makeup is lovely. It seems like the part time position is more the role of a super than... something Issa would really be interested in. She would also get a discounted apartment - about half off - that the interviewer is readily willing to give to her. He asks if she wants it, and at least she has a good bathroom mirror again with which to comtemplate it.

Later, Issa is tagging along with Daniel at the laundromat, who is complaining that his producer friend took out all the "musicianship" in his track - he wanted the string accompaniment, he wanted the instruments. Daniel is trying to elevate his production with Nordic influences and unique touches. Issa offers gently that when he gets to the next level he can do whatever he want, suggesting nonverbally that he should play the game for now and get creative later.

Issa tells him she picked up the second job, so now she can move out. Daniel points out that three jobs is a lot but Issa, perhaps pressured by Molly and Kelly, is really focused on getting her own place. Daniel tells her he really doesn't mind, and their chemistry is lovely as they flirt and get in each others' faces. They are doing a good job of building the tension because I really just want them to bone already.

Back at Molly's firm, a coworker asks if she wants to take a walk for lunch because she's in a fitbit challenge with her MiL. I am sharing data from my Apple watch with my sister and my niece and biiiitch... being a child is the best. She regularly gets 500+ move points a day while I struggle to reach 400, wtf is this child doing all day? She clearly moves so much more often during a day than I do, lol. No wonder we get fat as we get older. However Molly turns down this invitation - she is used to working through lunch, in case you weren’t picking up on all the signs that the black owned firm does not run as strenuously compared to the white-run environments that Molly is used to. The emphasize the point, the storage room is just randomly inside the building instead of offsite, as Molly would have expected. She clearly is not a good fit for this environment, and honestly she should just acknowledge that.

Girls night. The four girls are at a bar listening to Molly complain about the firm. Issa points out there are Mexican law firms as well, for Molly to complain about. Of course Tiffany, the obnoxious one, agrees that black things are janky. I mean... this is not an argument I want to get into for obvious reasons.

The girls go through examples of supporting and not supporting black businesses - Tiffany loves Beyonce, so although she signed up for Tidal she never goes on it. Kelly has a white accountant even though she herself is an accountant. I feel like this all the time. I feel pressured to give clicks to black articles, lol. I feel guilty for skipping links on Twitter about "black issues." I feel a responsibility to care and show support even about things that I don't fucking actually give a fuck about. Also Issa is wearing a dress that definitely showed up in some pivotal scene last season.

Tiffany hints about the changes from pregnancy - she hates that she can't fit her clothes anymore and she's being excluded from group chats. But the overall point is Molly should give the situation some time and try to adjust. Is Amanda Diva really pregnant IRL? Her pregnancy belly is realistic.

Kelly was helping Issa find an apartment - the best she could do with Issa's credentials is something with a "half bath," which, biiiiitch. So Issa breaks the news that she is, in fact, going to stay with Daniel a little longer. They're not sleeping together and they're getting along so she doesn't see what the problem is. Her friends try to convince her there is a problem, and shit like this scene is why I don't listen to bitches when it comes to my romantic life. Don't need all that extraneous input on what choices to make that are best for ME.

Back at We Got Y'all, Issa and Frieda are interviewing one of the people that showed up at the job fair. For some reason, Issa clearly isn't feeling it - and why is she taking part of this interview in the first place? Is it literally just because they need a black opinion on who to hire? The girl compliments Issa's sweater, perhaps perceiving the bad vibes she's kind of rudely wafting. The candidate asks sincerely what Issa thinks of the job, and Issa answers honestly that "they are how they are." When Issa says she's been there five years and the candidate concludes that Issa must really like it, she blanches with no response. But later, Issa checks out the website for the musical empowerment employer, so maybe she will find the motivation to make a change.

More of Molly's black firm, more of her disdain for the loose standards. This time they call her out, and everyone at the table laughs politely.

Check out Daniel! Despite Spyder's reluctance, apparently they have established a working relationship as Spyder shows up at the studio to meet with Daniel and the other engineer. It turns out a friend of Spyder did get shot at the club the other night. He probably died because when Daniel asks if Spyder is alright, Spyder takes a beat and responds "....nah."

Daniel plays his track for Spyder instead of the pared down version his producer recommended. The producer asks if Spyder wants to hear the other version and Daniel is clearly annoyed at this power move. He does play the producer - Khalil's - version, and Spyder thinks that version is hot as well. At first you aren't sure if Khalil is really being a snake - clearly both versions are good, just for different sensibilities - but then he takes over the session and starts playing more of his own stuff, to Daniel's chagrin.

Issa and Daniel are having dinner... I wanna say at Gladstone's! But that's a totally uneducated guess, lol. Daniel is in a bad mood, but Issa is oblivious. "Is that Jay-Z and Beyonce?" she says; "No, it's us! We cute!" she playfully jokes. This breaks through Daniel's bad mood, and Issa explains she wanted to thank him for his generosity, but she is going to take the part time job and move out. Daniel responds petulantly, and eventually explains the snake move by Khalil in the studio. Surprisingly, Issa takes Khalil's side, saying that Khalil knows what Spyder likes, and Daniel would be squandering this opportunity to be so prideful.

Daniel says he thinks it's funny that Issa is giving *him* career advice and... while maybe that's valid, does Daniel even have a job that pays actual money? Cause I have to say I have not seen any evidence of that over the last three seasons. He throws his "saving you from some shit" actions in her face and Issa is understandably hurt. The dinner is ruined. They still sleep together in the bed that night but they are turned away from each other in terse silence.

Daniel halfway apologizes for taking out his issues with Khalil on her but Issa only dryly replies that it's fine. He turns over and starts spooning and kissing her, which she reluctantly gives into. Toxic. I mean, I get it, but fuck, toxic relationships. It seems redundant to even complain about it because, fuck it, aren't we all toxic sometimes too - it's not always just the other person. This time, he goes down on her for real.

Unfortunately, Issa isn't into it. She says it doesn't feel right, and I don't blame her. They lie next to each other awkwardly and eventually turn away from each other again.

the soundtrack says something something something about loving each other despite their pride and yeah... I get it, lol. I would have got it without the on the nose elaboration.

#insecure hbo #issa rae #jay ellis

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theliterateape · 5 years

Text

Muffled in German Luxury

By Paul Teodo & Tom Myers

The following is an excerpt from the forthcoming novel Call Me Z by Paul Teodo and Tom Myers.

I HAD NOTHING TO REPORT, AND NO ONE TO REPORT IT TO. It was barely noon. I lived alone. I hadn’t spoken to my ex in twelve years. My two boys were gone, one in Fiji teaching yoga and meditation, the other living in the city at a job he’d just started. They didn’t need my grief. My dog loved me, but lately I bored him. Most likely when I got home I’d find a pile on the floor to welcome me.

I’d clean out the office later. I found my car in the visitor lot where I always parked. I pressed my fob. Nothing, not a twitch or honk or anything. Again. Nothing. Dead. Just like me. I stabbed the key into the door and twisted the lock open. I slid into the seat. My soggy suit stuck to my chilled skin.

And yes, Rebecca was gone. After four years she left the ring on the nightstand and shut the door. She had pushed for that ring. But we never set the date. Never called me her fiancé. Walked out with a sad look on her face, but not enough sadness to get her to stay. Maybe we weren’t a good fit either. I don’t think it was the drinking. I kept that from her pretty good. And the few times I didn’t she joined in. Her reasons were just as clear as Greta’s. “We’re going nowhere. We don’t communicate. You’re far away and we have no future.” Stuff I knew was more true than not. So instead of fighting for us, I let us drift away.

A triple Dewar’s White Label with a splash of water would go good right now, but I almost had a year. The last time I had that drink I woke up in Mexico, lying on a cot embracing a bearded goat. Turns out I’m not a farm animal kind of guy. So I wouldn’t let Rebecca’s rejection and the evisceration by Greta with all its accompanying humiliation drive me to the bottle.

I could hear Tommy telling me, “Cunning, baffling, powerful.” He talked like that. He worried too much. He was my sponsor.

I should call him. I always felt better when I did. He’d chew my ass. But I was sixty, not a kid. And I just got fired.

I started the car. Cold air blasted my legs. I was jumpy, rubbing my hands together, waiting for the warmth. Some idiot was barking on sports talk radio. I didn’t need his big mouth yelling at me. He was trying to make everything sound important or profound, but like he was from the neighborhood. He probably was a media-wise shill from an Ivy League school knocking down a couple hundred K a year selling Viagra to guys who didn’t have anything better to do in the middle of the day. Now I was one of them. How long before I started calling in?

I’ll call Tommy instead. He’d give me his crap, and I’d listen, then feel better, and then he’d throw in, “Let’s go to a meeting.” A meeting was his answer for everything. Sometimes, you know, it’s not. Sometimes, you have to hit the problem between the eyes. He’d always say, “Pause, pray, proceed.” Sometimes, it was just too much. I threw on Puccini’ instead. Tosca. Depressing as hell, full of torture, murder, and suicide, but the music was beautiful.

I backed up my Audi. The white Crown Vic patrol car I signed a requisition for just a few months ago edged closer. For Christ sake, what did Greta think? I was going to go nuts? Randy, the old guy, sat behind the wheel, Brylcreemed hair and weird handlebar mustache. Junior, his sidekick, a steroid pumped, over-caffeinated, blonde kid coiled next to him, ready to jump out of the car. Both carefully watching to make sure I left without incident. Security. Highlands’ finest.

I threw it into gear. Randy and Junior in pursuit. What the hell, give them something to do, I’d liven up their day, and make them earn their money. I drove slowly around the campus heading towards Greta’s office. Would they just follow me or flip on their lights? Training would indicate caution, but no lights. I shouldn’t be doing this. One was old, near retirement, and the other’s juice-strained mind was totally unpredictable. As I exited the campus they looked relieved, staring between the wipers on the Crown Vic. With a nod they each saluted, acknowledging my final departure. I was touched by their deference and disappointed in my behavior.

My phone buzzed. It was stuck inside my wet pants. I yanked it out, ripping my pocket. I flipped it open. “Boss, Joe. What the hell happened?”

“Just wasn’t working out, Joe.”

“You get canned?”

“Did you talk to Jenna?” Joe and Jenna got along. He said he had a daughter that reminded him of her. Gullible and kind of quiet. She and her three kids lived with Joe and his wife. The kids were all under seven. Joe joked that he’d take any overtime he could get just to stay away from the nut-house.

I took a deep breath. Why make it worse for Joe? I was his guy and his misplaced loyalty could screw up his job. He only had three years left to retirement. “Mutual understanding, Joe. Not my kinda place and Greta agreed. I’ll land on my feet, and things will keep going at The Highlands.”

Joe cleared his throat hard and coughed. He quit smoking years ago but he was still paying for his vice.

“Okay boss, wish you well. Keep in touch. You always had my back.”

“Joe.”

“Yeah?“

“Get that temp down in the OR for our good friend.”

He hacked again. I could see his neck turning red. “Fuck him, boss. And fuck his cold dead wife.”

“Take care, buddy.”

“Keep in touch.”

Nobody keeps in touch.

“I will.”

✶

I DROVE AROUND AIMLESSLY, THE SCOTCH CREEPING BACK INTO MY HEAD. I was done with Puccini. I put “Sona Andati,” the death aria from LaBoheme, into the CD player, trying to distract myself. It didn’t work. I shut it off before I looked for an oven to stick my head in. No real taverns in this town. I needed to call Tommy before I settled on a cocktail lounge attached to a sushi bar. It was noon and the streets were jammed with stylized fashionistas in hybrid SUVs driving their car-seated darlings who’d been born in our Taj Mahal Birthing Center to ballet, voice, or parent-toddler yoga. Having taken advantage of our Women’s Self Improvement Center, they wore their expensive yoga pants with great pride, bejeweled hands wrapped around a caramel low-fat macchiato, designer water bottle at the ready.

I couldn’t drive and dial. Even with this damn flip phone. I pulled into the parking lot of a dog groomer. An eight inch miniature something or other, tethered to a blue spring-loaded leash with a black satin harness, led its mistress towards an Audi A-8.

I pecked at the buttons like a hooded hawk. I could never remember his number. I had it stored in my phone but any attempt at technology made me sweat. First attempt got me a bakery, the next a Chinese woman, and the third an old guy who wanted to talk and didn’t care if it was the wrong number. Finally Tommy picked up. ”State your business.” His usual greeting.

“Tommy.”

“What’s up?”

“You got a minute?”

“You drinkin’?” Every time. Every single time.

“No.”

“Good.”

“It’s not just about drinking.”

“It is with us. We drink. We got no chance. So it’s all about drinking or not drinking. What’s up?”

I felt like throwing the phone out the window. Aiming at the miniature mutt whose shrill bark penetrated like a police whistle.

“What’s that?”

“Dog. Sort of. One of those squawkers.”

“Sounds like it’s being tortured.”

“I wish.” Its mistress lifted the horrible creature into her Audi. It spun in circles on the back seat. She closed the door on its high pitched yap, muffling it in German luxury.

“What happened? Did you shoot it?”

“I got fired.”

“Good. You didn’t belong there. I’m surprised you lasted as long as you did.”

Asshole. He didn’t even take a breath.

“Okay meet me at the 2 p.m. meeting at the firehouse.”

“No.”

“Really, what you got better to do?”

“No meeting.”

“I’ll meet you at Nina’s Coffee Shop at two.”

“That’s in the city.”

“That’s where you belong.”

Tommy clicked off his phone never giving me a chance to respond to his invite. It wasn’t an invite, it was an order. That’s how he operated. I hated it, and it was good for me. I was soaked. I should change. But if I went home and put on dry clothes I’d never make it by two. It was miles of busted up black top, potholes, trucks, smoke, and congestion. Two hours travel time, minimum. What the hell. I felt like a bum, just getting fired, might as well look like one. I’d fit in fine at Nina’s.

People snaking along this God-forsaken, cruelly misnamed expressway looked like zombies propped up behind the wheel in their seats. How the fuck did they do this every day?

For once the weather-guessers had been right. It had gotten colder and the drizzle turned to sleet. My teeth chattered. I banged on the vent, no evidence of warmth appeared. And my swollen prostate needed a place to piss.

I drove east. The gorilla inside me calling Tommy every vile name it could conjure. Traffic was surprisingly clear when I caught the 355 extension towards the Stevenson. You never let yourself think that in Chicago. The hell started as the ramp merged. First with the orange signs. Construction. Down to one lane. Forty-five miles-per-hour speed limit. And nobody, not one goddamn person around. Not a hard hat or yellow vest. Everything blocked off and not a soul carrying out construction.

A bearded, leather-jacketed asshole on a Harley, replete in red bandanna, shades and cigar swept by on the left claiming that all-important extra six feet of travel time, forcing me to jam on my brakes, skid and miss him by only inches. He raised his leather-gloved middle finger as I regained control.

Only thirty miles left.

We crawled through the deserted construction zone never topping fifteen miles-per-hour. My windows fogged. My suit grew musty. Forty minutes later traffic cleared slightly and we reached the breakneck speed of twenty-five miles-per-hour. People snaking along this God-forsaken, cruelly misnamed expressway looked like zombies propped up behind the wheel in their seats. How the fuck did they do this every day?

Eventually the construction cleared, I gunned it and shot between two semis belching smoke. As I passed the Harley, he saluted again. I didn’t wave goodbye. Then a jolt rattled the right side of my car, the vibration like an electrical shock through my hands. Pothole. Shit. The front end continued to shake. The steering wheel danced like it had a mind of its own and was happy with what just happened.

Pull off? Here, in the middle of semi-hell? The shoulders on this road were invitations for death. All I could do was slow down, and proceed. At best I’d wobble into Nina’s with a bent rim and malfunctioning suspension.

I exited at California near the Cook County Jail and immediately came to a stop behind a dirty green articulated bus. Four miles left. Inside the car was now a steam room. Droplets of foul smelling sweat dampened my seat. My disfigured vehicle no longer moved in a straight line, I relaxed my hands on the steering wheel, and tried to catch my breath. I unhinged my jaw which had been locked shut for the past ninety minutes. Just miles from my destination, I was trapped behind the world’s slowest moving vehicle and flanked by a continuous parade of broken cars dragging bumpers, tailpipes, and trailers overflowing with decrepit furniture, soon to be delivered to a home instead of the dumpster where it belonged. I loved this city despite its infamous traffic.

Thank you, Tommy, yeah, this is exactly what I needed.

The bus was a permanent fixture. It wasn’t going anywhere. Maybe it was housing for the homeless. It was definitely a stretch to call it transportation.

I saw an opening, snapped the steering wheel to the left and shot around the bus. The car responded angrily shaking and shimmying as if the front wheels were pointed in different directions.

Proud of myself, I looked in the rear view mirror to see how much distance I had put between me and the bus. My eyes were distracted by blue swirling lights following me. I didn’t need this crap. “Pull over, sir.” The cop’s loudspeaker blared. At least he gave me due respect. It’d been a long time since I’d been called sir by anyone.

I needed a drink. In a real tavern with a sticky stinking bar, dirt on the floor, and people who served you by just nodding their head. I could pull over, slide in, and drift away for days talking with construction workers, the homeless, and hangers on. Or I could be left alone. Those places knew how to leave you the fuck alone.

I momentarily thought of making a run for it. But with a wobbly front end, a foggy windshield, and congested streets I didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell. I put the bar on hold and adhered to the cop’s order. I slowly guided my damaged car into a lot that serviced a small strip mall containing a currency exchange, a cigarette store, and a beauty salon featuring nails, weaves, and extensions. A crowd of about a dozen young punks dressed in black, saggy pants defying gravity, some with braided hair, but mostly bald, shuffled about, music blaring, passing joints and bottles in brown paper bags.

Now I was grateful that the squad followed me in.

A freckle-faced redheaded cop exited his vehicle, hand at his side gripping his pistol. The crowd taunting, pointing back and forth between the two of us. The cop’s eyes constantly shifted between me and the group. I rolled down my window “License, registration, and insurance,” he said, eyes on the kids. “Slowly,” he emphasized as I rummaged through my glove box.

Methodically, I pulled the documents from the box and placed each, one by one, into the redhead’s hand. He didn’t belong here, nor did I. His eyes kept a constant scan on the parking lot. The music pounded louder. The wind chilled my still damp body through the open window. “Wait here.” He turned and walked back to his car.

Fucking Tommy. He drags me forty miles from home to a parking lot full of gangbangers. What the hell was I doing?

The young cop returned after running my stuff. He handed me an orange and white citation. “You can show up in court, or…” both our backs stiffened as the blaring music somehow grew more threatening, “or pay direct. Your choice.”

“Thanks.” I said. My window swiftly rising, providing a false sense of security.

He began to leave. He turned, “and your front end is out of whack. If you’re gonna be driving around here, you need a car that works.”

No shit. I acknowledged his advice with a wave through my closed window.

I studied the ticket. Improper lane use. $125. Do not send cash. Lucky me.

I eased slowly through the lot to return to the street. The kids didn’t move. My car wobbled even more. “Better get that fixed.” One of them laughed and kicked at the front end. I hit the gas and sped out of the lot.

Finally I pulled up to Nina’s. Soaked from the elements and my own fear. I exited my damaged vehicle spotting Tommy through the dirty window sitting alone at a table, his starched white collar peeking from under his gray hooded sweat shirt, his foot tapping to the beat of Wilson Pickett. He was fidgeting with the menu, his gnarled hands scarred from years in the ring.

I rushed in, the bell above the door jingling, my prostate screaming for a bathroom. I made a bee-line for the toilet. He looked up. “Any trouble getting here?”

#sobriety #Sobriety #South Side #Fiction #Chicago Fiction

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