Survivin' - [B.C.]

Chapter 34: Life After Death

Both of us looked out into the foyer from where we were in the living room. Johnny was still in his king chair, but he was asleep now, head thrown back and mouth wide open. Hearty snores growled out of his throat and both Ben and I started to snicker.

"You know..." Ben said. "I'm not too sure."

========= SURVIVIN' =========

A quick check-up at the pediatrician's the day after the New Year's party proved that although I should've been either suffering or dead from alcohol poisoning, that I was actually completely fine. Martin apologized profusely, saying over and over how he didn't mean for anyone to find his stash. I told him that it was fine and that I really didn't see what the big deal was, but of course that wasn't much comfort.

Ben joked a lot about how they needed to keep me away from open flames so that I didn't combust. I found it funny, Ben found it funny, even Sophie found it mildly amusing, but Martin was not having it. We waved off his dampened spirits as we crawled into Ben's Jaguar to go back home. Later on, both he and Johnny left, and so it was just Ben, Sophie and I in the house.

Our day went by slowly, and was mostly comprised of fighting hangovers — especially me. Light crushed my skull and the slightest noise burst my eardrums.

"Welcome to Hell," Ben had said to me as he leaned on the bathroom door frame whilst I puked my guts out into the toilet.

He was right. A hangover from that much vodka was... beyond hell... I mean jeez.

But the real hell was the funeral.

We'd all been dreading the day ever since the accident. Well... you know what I mean. But when January 3rd, 2022 came along, so did the responsibility of hosting a wake.

There wasn't enough time to go shopping before the funeral and the only black clothes I had were the ones I wore for the New Year's party (which were still dirty because I hadn't washed them yet). Ben had to lend me a black dress shirt and some black skinny jeans. I didn't ask him why he had black skinny jeans. When I looked at him weirdly, though, he rushed to say, "it was a long time ago and it meant nothing."

Okay.

Ben wound up wearing a whole ass suit. He looked good, as usual. But Sophie looked stellar gorgeous in her black dress... as usual.

Ben's face was solemn as he stared dead-eyed into the mirror, adjusting his tie. His nose was a light flushed color and he emitted a sniffling sound every so often.

Wait, had he been crying? I hadn't noticed that!

Ben met my eyes through the mirror as I was staring at him pitifully. His eyebrows pulled together at the bridge of his nose.

"I'm not crying," he insisted "it's just very cold."

I shrugged. "I didn't say anything."

Sophie emerged from the kitchen, adjusting the crystal earrings dangling from her ears. She was sporting a small brown satchel and in the side pocket was a thermos which I could only assume was filled with liquor.

Sorry — coffee.

"Are you ready?" Sophie asked as she came to meet her husband in the foyer. She placed her hand on his chest and thumbed at his black tie.