HAPPY PLACE
~
Cousins, Massachusetts
On second thought, Susannah did need help with dinner.
Charlie was then donned in his "Caution: Hot Stuff Coming Through" apron that Conrad had gotten him as a gag gift that one Christmas, slowly pulling the dish of potato au gratin out of the oven. Conrad silently sat at the island, chin resting in the palm of his hand as he watched Charlie glide across the kitchen, weaving in between Laurel and Susannah as he set the hot dish on the stove. Conrad knew he couldn't cook to save his life (just enough to keep himself alive), so he knew he'd be set with having Charlie as his future roommate by the time they both graduated college, squeezing whatever they could in a shoebox-sized apartment in New York or California.
Conrad knew that Charlie would be a part of his life, like some invisible string tying the two of them together.
"Make yourself useful and set the table, why don't ya. I'll make sure you face the knives the right way." Charlie quipped as he flung a dishrag at Conrad's face, effectively snapping him out of his daze. Conrad balled the rag up and tossed it back at Charlie as he got up off of the stool to reach the cutlery drawer.
"If you're so uptight about etiquette, why don't you do it then?" Conrad asked, grinning despite the joke of a dig.
"I need to make sure you'll be agreeable when you eventually have your own house and your partner has you set the table. And then you'll be grateful that your dear old friend Charlie here taught you."
Conrad let out a sardonic scoff, shaking his head as he rooted around for forks, spoons, and knives. "Let me guess: we're using the good plates, too?"
Charlie simply nodded in response. The two of them went into the dining room, dishes and silverware in their hands and set the table in a comfortable silence. Charlie set the plates as Conrad followed, setting the cutlery in place before Charlie came around again and double-checked, tweaking things here and there along the way.
"Why are there so many damn forks, anyway?" Conrad muttered as Charlie came up behind him and he, once again, switched the salad and entrée forks.
"Ask the Greek," Charlie murmured, not bothering to move even after he corrected Conrad's mistake.
"Ah, the Greek," Conrad murmured back, smiling impishly. "Always at the scene of the crime." The two stood there for a moment, shoulders brushing. "Remember that mythology phase in middle school you went through?"
Charlie rolled his eyes and groaned at the memory. "And you got me the Percy Jackson series for my birthday to further enable it so whose fault was it really?"
"Hey, I only gave it to you, you decided to run with it."
"The first thing to heal is admitting you have a problem," Charlie shot back sarcastically.
Conrad raised his eyebrows in challenge. "So you agree? You think you have a problem?"
"Just be glad your mom's here or else this fork would be meeting your eye right about now."
Conrad put a hand over his heart, feigning hurt. Charlie only rolled his eyes as he let Conrad finish setting the table. As soon as everything was ready, they all sat down to eat and enjoy the meal. As always, Conrad and Charlie sat next to each other, even if Conrad sat at the head of the table.
"How're the potatoes?" Charlie asked, humorously watching as Conrad scarfed them down like he hadn't had a meal in years.
"They're okay." Conrad shrugged, his mouth full. Absentmindedly, Charlie leaned over and wiped away a speck of potato that lay on the side of Conrad's mouth with his thumb. "Is it gone?"
Charlie nodded, licking his thumb. "You have terrible table manners, by the way." Conrad then had the nerve to flip him off and Charlie pointed a finger. "See what I mean?"
Susannah laughed as the two conversed, smiling knowingly behind her glass. "So, Charlie. Any plans you have for this summer?"
Charlie nodded. "Yeah. Conrad and I still have our bucket list that we've got going on this year, and I still have my surf instruction job at the beach."
"That's good. Anything special in particular on that list?"
"Um, I think there's something about breaking a few records down at the pier. I'm not really sure, I'd have to check it again."
Soon after that, it was time for the Cousins beach party. It happened on the first night of the summer every year, and Charlie's only been a couple of times so he decided to go this time to see if it was worth all the fuss. Conrad had already seemed to have found a beer and was chatting up Nicole. Charlie had a water bottle, just in case he needed to be the designated driver that night. He had a drink every now and then at different occasions, but he never really relied on them to have any fun. He considered it a plus to have the personality that he had.
All seemed to be going well until it looked like Conrad was going at it with a guy who wouldn't give him back his drink. Which was fair because it seemed like Conrad was already out of his mind. Charlie made his way over to the two of them to break it up, facing Conrad so he can get a hold of him.
"Dude, are you okay?" Charlie asked, shielding the dude from Conrad's view so he could focus.
"I'm fine," Conrad grumbled, rolling his eyes.
"Do you wanna go home?"
"We practically just got here."
"And yet, you already seem to be wasted and picking a fight." Charlie was going to continue, but he heard the sound of police sirens from nearby and then suddenly everyone was rushing off the beach in a panic.
To put it lightly, Laurel was less than thrilled.
"I mean, how could you guys be so irresponsible?!" she fumed, "Susannah is asleep in the living room, I want you all in bed. Now. Charlie, can you please be a dear and help Conrad up to his room?"
"That's not necessary, Laurel. I'm fi-" Just as Conrad was about to ascend the stairs, he tripped up the steps, taking a knee to the hardwood.
"Oh-kay, come on." Charlie came around to help Conrad, holding him by the small of his back as he got him up the flight of stairs.
"You know you don't have to do this, right?" Conrad grumbled, sitting himself down on the edge of his bed, cradling his head.
"Yeah, well, if I'm not—and I know that you won't—then who will?" Charlie pulled a clean shirt out of Conrad's dresser drawers before spacing out Conrad's knees and stepping in between them before kneeling to Conrad's eye level. "Alright, arms up."
Conrad mumbled, "Is it the shirt?"
"What?" Charlie asked, slowing his bunching up on the shirt in his hands and getting it ready to be put on.
"Is it the shirt? You know, the one you got that day we went to the lobster festival that one time? The one with the top hat and the monocle and the cane?"
Charlie unbunched the shirt, and sure enough, a lobster with a top hat, monocle, and cane was looking back at him. "Yeah. Yeah, it's the one."
"Good." Conrad nodded slowly, "Good."
Charlie smiled softly at the somber look that crossed Conrad's face. Unfortunately, he couldn't tell if Conrad was actually letting go or the alcohol was loosening up his inhibitions. Either way, he looked a lot calmer. "Arms up, baby." Conrad's eyes flashed across Charlie's for a moment at the affectionate term before reluctantly raising his arms so Charlie could get the shirt over his head.
Charlie tucked some strands of hair behind Conrad's ears, some rebellious ones falling into his eyes, before palming his face and checking him over. "Good news, you probably won't end up throwing up tomorrow but bad news is you'll end up with a hangover, anyway." Without thinking, he thumbed Conrad's lower lip, and quickly pulled away. "You should be all set. I'm gonna get you a glass of water and some ibuprofen before I go."
With that, Charlie was making his way out of Conrad's room when Conrad's voice stopped him in his tracks. "Are you staying the night?" Conrad's voice might've been small, but Charlie managed to hear the question, anyway. Charlie turned around to face Conrad, whose face had gone from wet cat to kicked puppy, his full lips pulled down into a frown.
Sighing, Charlie answered, "Yeah, I'll be right down the hall. Just like old times."
"Would you wanna, I dunno, stay here instead? Make sure I don't choke on my puke or whatever."
"Yeah, I should probably keep an eye on you." Charlie huffed out a laugh and made his way back to the edge of Conrad's bed, mattress dipping as he leaned his weight into it. "Are you gonna move or am I gonna have to manhandle you?"
Conrad shrugged, murmuring, "S'never stopped you before." But he moved anyway and got comfortable on his side of the bed. Charlie let out another laugh of disbelief as he pulled back the duvet and got under the covers, getting comfortable and shutting his eyes. It wasn't long until Conrad was out like a light, the warmth of the alcohol finally pulling him under.
AUTHOR'S NOTE / 032724
double update as a treat