The Change Up

Hangovers & Subconscious Thoughts

Chase’s POV:
I was awoken the next morning by the sound of a newborn screaming. Rolling to my side to bury my face in the cushions, I grabbed the pillow and tried my damnedest to drown out the sound that was only making my head feel like Tommy Lee was gearing up to play ‘Hot for Teacher’. I groaned in agony when the screaming somehow seemed to grow even louder. I felt something hard hit me in the back, causing me to roll over and give whomever had just thrown something at me a death glare. 

As I did, I saw BG sitting in the recliner sipping from a mug that I knew would hold his favorite Black Rifle brew, a mischievous smirk on his face. The stuff tasted like 3-day-old road kill but worked wonders for a hangover. Not that BG needed it for that. But I damn sure need it. Or a bullet. Something had to give. 

“Better get used to that.” said B motioning to the back of the house where the nursery was. “Except multiply that by two.”

“Are they torturing the baby or something? My fucking god.” I said, easing myself into a sitting position. As I did, I could feel the lingering alcohol in my system making my head feel a little fuzzy, almost as if I was still drunk. Sad thing was, I’d only drank beer last night. This was usually the type of thing I felt when I tied a good one on with my buddy Jack Daniels. 

“Nope,” said BG. “Just giving him a bath.”

“In ice water from the sounds of it.” I groaned. “What time is it?”

“8:30.” said BG.

“Fuckin’ A, man.” I said. “I’m going to need some of that tar you call coffee to deal with this shit. Who the hell gets up this early?”

“You have much to learn, young grasshopper.” said BG in a fake Chinese accent. “You do realize that babies wake up all throughout the night right? It's not until they are older that they get on a schedule. Hell, Bray has just got where she sleeps all night and she's 2.” 

“Are you shitting me?” I asked. 

“I wouldn't shit ya. You're my favorite turd.” BG said with a chuckle. “But seriously man. 8:30 is late for a child that young. Odds are, Hannah and Kod have been up a few times throughout the night. Late night feedings were the worst. I was never more glad to have stopped drinking than I was the first time I had to get up with Barrett at 2am after having only been asleep for 30 minutes.”

“What the hell am I going to do B?” I said, scrubbing my face with my hands. By some sort of miracle the baby had finally stopped crying. “What the hell was I thinking?”

“To be really honest Chase, you weren’t thinking,” said B. “But there's no changing it now. What's done is done. Only thing left to do now is to man up and do the right thing as far as Jo and the kids are concerned.”

“Which is?” I said, partly knowing what he was going to say but needing to hear the words from someone else. 

“Come on brother.” said BG exasperatedly. “You can't be that dense. I’m talking about you marrying the girl. You love her don't you?”

“Hell yeah.” I said.

“You can see yourself growing old with her right?” asked BG. 

“Can't picture it with anyone else. You know that.” I said.

“Then give her some time to process, then tell her how you feel. Be very clear about what you feel and have been feeling all these years. Tell her what you want and do so in a fashion that makes it where she cant say no. I’m not saying go all caveman on her but sometimes that's what has to be done” said B standing from the recliner.