As Fate Would Have It

Eight

I wake up with a major headache. I rub my head and notice that I'm on a couch, but not in my own apartment. I can barely remember last night; I had plans with Geoff at the bar. Piercing pain on my forehead, man did I forget what it felt like to be this drunk and have to recover from a hangover.  I sit up a bit and try to think straight.  The smell of bacon fills my nostrils.  Where am I?  Just then, Courtney walks in with a mug.  She sits down beside me on the couch.  Now I remember!  She drove me from the bar and let me stay the night.

     "You're finally awake.  Here," she hands me the mug.  "I made you some peppermint tea."

     "Thank you, Princess," I mumble as I take a sip.  I forgot how good tea was.

     "You're welcome, Dunky." Courtney says.  She leans forward and kisses me on the cheek.  She then heads back to the kitchen. I drink some more of the tea and Court comes back with a plate of bacon and waffles. She sets down a jar of syrup beside the plate and leaves the room again. I love that woman... With a plate of her own, she comes back and sits down beside me once again.  After eating some of the breakfast she made, Courtney speaks up.  "First of all, you're lucky I didn't have to go to work today."

     "Oh, shit!  I completely forgot about work!" I exclaim, jumping up from the couch. 

     "Let me finish," she continues, grabbing my arm to stop me.  "Second of all, you're also lucky that I called you off work today."  With that bit of new information, I sit back down a little more relaxed and she smirks at me. 

     "How did y-" I start, but she interrupts me. 

     "Don't be silly.  I know your work number.  I spoke to your boss, Randy, and he was very understanding.  Now, trust me, I didn't tell him that you were hungover.  I told him that you were suffering from a really bad headache, which would get in the way of you being able to properly fix up any cars." Courtney finishes with a proud smirk on her perfect face and takes a sip from her cup of tea. I swear she can read my mind...

"Well, thank you for all of this, Princess." I say, putting my arm around her. She squirms out of my embrace. I give her a worried expression.

"Duncan... You know I love you, but sweetie, you reek of alcohol..." Court protests.

"You're right. I'll shower, but not before I finish this," I reply, digging into the delicious breakfast she made for me. She laughs and finishes off all the food on her plate.

"So, do you remember anything from last night?" she asks, raising her eyebrows and taking another sip of tea.

"Well, I know that I was out with Geoff at the bar and we had too much to drink and you and Bridgette drove us home..." I sum up the details I can remember.

"Yes, that did happen, but do you remember what you said to me last night?" Court inquires. Uh oh...is all I think when I hear that part.

"Not exactly...?"

"You said my name and then 'tchotchkes'..." she concludes, giving me a weird look. 

     "What the hell are tchotchkes?" I exclaim.  More importantly, how in hell did I even come across a word like that?

     "That's what I thought until I realized that they were another name for worthless decorations or trinkets.  But, what I don't understand is why you'd say that before passing out..."

     I rack my brain trying to think of what all happened and what I meant by "tchotchkes" as I take a shower in Courtney's bathroom since I don't have the keys to my apartment.  She's right, I really did reek of alcohol.  Wait a minute!  That's it!  Suddenly I realize that I have a weird keychain on my key ring of the Total Drama logo that Chris McLean handed out to everyone at one of the reunions.  That had to have been what I meant because my keys are still in my car, which are all still in the parking lot of Ed's Coolerz.  I race out of the shower, not even bothering to turn it off, and into the living room where Courtney is.

     "Courtney!  I know what I meant by 'tchotchkes'!" I exclaim.  She turns around to look at me and starts snickering.  "What?"

     "Duncan..." she starts, only slightly covering up her face with her hands and looking me up and down.  "You're butt naked and soaking wet..."  I look down and notice that she's right.  My hands start to drift down, but then I stop and strike a pose. 

     "Well, Princess?  See anything you like?" I ask, waggling my eyebrows.  Courtney's face turns the exact shade of a tomato and she's laughing so hard, she can barely breathe.

     "God, Duncan!" she shouts.  "Finish showering and put some clothes on, damnit!"  She throws a pillow at me and I walk back to the bathroom.  I finish up showering and step out, wrapping a towel around my waist.  I look around and realize something. 

     "Uh, Courtney!" I yell. 

     "Yeah?" she answers, standing outside the doorway of the bathroom. 

     "I don't have any clothes..." I reply sheepishly.  Her facial expression contorts into sudden realization and she laughs even harder than before. 

     "Well, baby..." she starts in a mischievous voice.  "I guess you'll just have to wear this..." She holds up her fluffy, soft, pink bathrobe with a sly grin on her face.  I groan as I slip it on and tie the string tightly around my waist.  Courtney hands me my shoes and after putting those on, she grabs me by the string around my waist and drags me along, getting her keys on the way, and out the door. 

     "This is embarrassing..." I mutter while we get into her car. 

     "What was that, Princess?" Courtney smirks and looks over at me. 

     "Um, you're the Princess, not me." I protest.  She looks me up and down in that pink robe of hers and laughs.

     "If you say so..." she says, driving over to Ed's Coolerz.  She pulls in next to my car.  I get out and she asks, "You're sober enough by now to drive back to the apartment, right?"

     "Yes." I grumble as I reach into my car and unlock it.  I can't believe I was stupid enough to leave my window down and my keys in the car.  Luckily I was able to keep track of my phone; it was one of the only things still on my body besides my clothes last night, apparently.  I start up my car and pull out of the parking lot to drive home.  Courtney's following me, probably to make sure I don't wreck or anything.  We get back to the apartment building safe and sound.  Together we head up to the fourth floor.  Before unlocking my apartment, I pull Courtney towards me and put my arms around her.  She looks me in the eyes and we share a deep kiss before parting.  "I love you..."

     "You smell like my shampoo," Court says, breathing in my scent.  I give her a look and she laughs.  "I love you, too..."

     We then enter our own apartments and I finally get to take off her pink robe and put on some of my own clothes.  Since I took a shower at her place, I smell a lot like her, which is fine to me.  Courtney smells amazing, just saying, so maybe I don't mind the robe that much after all.  I chuckle to myself and fold up her sweet-smelling pink robe, placing it in my own bathroom.  I'll return it to her.  Eventually...