Complicated Love

New Year, New us?

"Do you really need that many hats?" I walk downstairs to see Brad, hung over, face down on the kitchen table with 3 party hats on his head "You look like a drunk unicorn."

"Stop talking."

"Good morning, baby." I go over, kissing his head as I walk by "Feel like throwing up yet?"

"Don't go in the hall bathroom." He sighs, trying to hold his head up "Why didn't you stop me last night."

"Tried. They had colorful vodka shots that you said were the most beautiful thing you've even seen. After your 3rd we couldn't stop you, so I just stopped drinking."

"We need better friends. They shouldn't have that shit at the day after New Year's party. We're too old."

He follows me over towards the counter, grabbing a mug to take the coffee I'm about to pour for myself.

"Hey, you did this to yourself. I get my coffee." I push him away as he tries to sip it out of my now too full mug "You should have known you'd feel shitty."

"What happened after we got home?"

"You want the truth or the story I was planning on telling to make you feel good?"

He stands in front of me, not knowing which he wants since the truth is obviously bad.

"Okay, so truth it is then." I decide for him, taking a sip of coffee before starting "Once I finally got you in the house, you decided the living room would be the perfect area to undress. You got everything but your boxers off, because according to you, 'that would be too inappropriate'. You then decided it was time for bed and asked me repeatedly if I wanted sex. I said yes just to see how interesting it would be. You passed out on top of me with a condom half on and only my shirt off."

"No."

"Oh, yes.  It was very similar to after our Christmas party."

"We don't mention this to anyone."

He turns towards the cabinet, looking around for some meds since his head very clearly hurts.

"They aren't in there." I grab my purse, pulling the bottle out "You stuck them in here after we got home. Not sure why."

I pour them in his hand, not watching what he's doing, giving him the perfect chance to steal my coffee once again and drink it with the pills.

"You're an asshole." I take the mug from his hands, pouring more coffee in it "I don't wanna drink this after you drank some. That's so gross."

"So then give it here. I don't care about your germs." He walks into the living room, throwing himself on the couch "Shut off the lights, it's too bright in here."

"Baby they are off. That's the sun."

"Then get some better curtains."

"They're waiting for you to hang them... they've been here for a month now." I shut the blinds, hoping that stops his bitching "You said you'd hang them up by Christmas."

"And you believed me?"

"For some reason, yes." I sigh, laying next to him, pulling the blanket up slightly so we can share it "I thought maybe for once you weren't full of shit."

I sit across from him, pulling out a book to read while he continues to regret every last shot from last night, secretly enjoying his pain.

"Why are you breathing so loudly?" He shrugs, pulling the blanket over his ears "It's so annoying."

"Then maybe you should just go up to bed. You can sleep with the body pillow you brought into bed last night and I can get some stuff done here."

"I did NOT bring your body pillow to bed."

"Brad, it's up there right now. You had it next to us before you fell asleep on me, then in the middle of the night you almost kicked me out of bed and grabbed the pillow instead of me."

"The pillow is comfy.  The pillow leaves me alone when I'm hungover."

"Yeah, well I'm leaving you alone too.  I promised Court I would go shopping with her and Coco."

"Buy something cute for Coco.  She's so nice."

"I was planning on it." I walk over towards him for a kiss "I might bring her back later, she's been telling Court and David she misses us."

"Okay, but she has to sleep in the room far away from ours.  We need to finish what I couldn't last night."

"Sounds good."

I grab my purse, not caring enough about how I look to change, and drive to Court's house where I see Coco looking out the window waiting for me.

"Hey honey!  You look so cute!" I laugh at her spinning around in her princess dress "Are you excited to go shopping?"

"Yeah!  Mommy buy me toys!"

"One toy." Court rolls her eyes, walking outside "You got plenty of toys last week from Santa."

Coco pouts, looking towards me and lifting her arms up for me to carry her since she's obviously very upset.

"You buy toys?"

"We'll see, you already have so many at my house that you always forget about."

We drive to the mall and Court hands Coco a bunch of toys to keep her distracted while we talk.

"How are you guys?" She asks "I know you were fighting last week when he was over helping David."

"We're okay.  I still feel like there's something we're missing or doing wrong, but we're okay."

"Jennifer, I know when you're lying."

"Don't lie, aunt Jen!" Coco turns around yelling from her stroller "That bad!"

"You just play with your games." I laugh as she shrugs and turns around "And seriously, I think we're getting better.  We have some big blowouts, but for the most part we've been so much happier.  I'm still worried about the future, but that's just me.  He's not going anywhere."

"I think it's great that you've had these challenges. I know they're hard to go through, but your relationship is definitely stronger."

I take the stroller from her, bringing Coco with me to a toy store so Court can finally get a little break.

"Uncle Brad said you can buy something," I get her out of the stroller "But you'll have to leave it at our house."

"I go your house later!" She holds up the toy she wants "Uncle Brad play with me!"

"I'm sure he'll love that.  Let's see if they have a new movie for us to all watch."

I show her a few options, hoping she picks one that isn't too annoying since she always has to watch it multiple times.

"This one!" She points to the princess one "I love it!"

"Okay, let's go find your mom."

I pick her up, since she no longer wants in the stroller and walk around until we find Courteney buying food.

"Mommy I go to Aunt Jen house tonight!"

"Just make sure you're being good," Court takes her from me "You need to be listening."

"She's always good for us.  We hand her candy and put her in front of the TV with her toys and she leaves us alone."

"You really are terrible babysitters.  I'll still take advantage of it though.  This is why she loves you guys so much."

We eat our food and shortly after decide to leave since Coco wants to show Brad all her new toys and movie that he'll be forced to watch.  She talks about it the whole ride home, and is so excited she jumps right into my car, completely ignoring Court and David wanting to say bye to her. 

I pull up to our house, and she's already unbuckling herself to run inside to meet Brad, who looks absolutely thrilled. 

"Happy New Years, baby.  You get to spend your hangover with Coco."