Him & I

Who Says You Can't Go Home - Part 2

It doesn't matter where you are
It doesn't matter where you go
If it's a million miles away or just a mile up the road
Take it in
Take it with you when you go
Who says you can't go home?
——Who Says You Can't Go Home, Bon Jovi ft. Jennifer Nettles

February 17, 2019

Grayson woke and was disappointed to find the bed empty.  But then he realized that his head was throbbing.  He tried to recall why that would be and then remembered that he'd had a bit too much to drink the night before. 

He remembered Cait making him drink some water before they'd made it upstairs.  He started to chuckle at the memory of her with nothing but a blanket wrapped around her, standing in the kitchen and trying to persuade him to drink more water, while he'd been trying to steal that blanket. She always handled alcohol better than him and she'd been laughing at him and had promised they could go upstairs as soon as he drank the water. That had caused him to gulp it down as fast as he could.

He got an even bigger grin as the memory of what happened afterward came back to him, even though his head was pounding. This bed was still the best place in the whole world.

He rolled over and saw more water and a couple of pills on his nightstand.  And he smelled coffee downstairs.  And heard voices. 

Grayson pushed himself up, swallowed down the water and pills, hit the bathroom and pulled on sweats and a t-shirt before he made his way downstairs.  Cait was in a bathrobe, hair in a braid, and was sipping coffee as she reviewed her recipes and notes, and was chatting with his mother.  His father was watching SportsCenter in the living room.

"Glad you're alive," Cait smiled up at him.  "I was starting to wonder."  Sherry just rolled her eyes at him.

"I'm not sure I am," he grumbled. 

"I'll make you some tea," Cait smirked.

Grayson threw himself down on a stool at the island and watched Cait pop a k-cup in the Keurig and brew his tea.  "Do you want anything to eat?" she asked.

"Ugh, no," he groaned.  "Not now.  How are you so coherent?" he asked.

"Because I can hold my liquor better than you," she laughed.  "And because I didn't drink as much as you."

"Maybe you shouldn't have had quite so much fun last night," his mother frowned at him.

Grayson frowned in return at that, but Cait set a mug of tea in front of him and reached into the refrigerator for the container of lemon slices, which she set on the island.  Then she kissed his cheek and walked back to the fridge and started pulling some things out, still talking to his mom. Grayson realized that Cait was starting some things for the team dinner they were having.  He sipped his tea and watched her, realizing for what had to be the eight millionth time how much he loved her.

But before he could articulate that thought, the back door flew open and Connor bounded in.  "Hey guys!" he grinned.  "How was Shooters?"

"Not so loud," Grayson groaned, causing Cait to laugh.  Jack and Joan had followed Connor in now and Grayson heard his soon to be father-in-law chuckle at him.

"Connor, take your bag back upstairs and maybe do your homework," Jack instructed.  "I don't think Grayson is ready for video games yet this morning."

Grayson gave him a grateful look and Jack smirked at him, then kissed Cait's cheek.  "You have all this under control?" He gestured to Grayson and toward the stairs.