This Is Me

Part 49

Sean dressed himself in warm clothes, shooting Mark a curious look as he mumbled out with a smirk. "Aren't you going to ask me why I was kissing a strange woman in the mens locker room?" Mark took Sean's bag from him, leading him out to the car, upon answering softly. "No. As jealous as I am... I'm trying to learn to trust you. After all, you didn't lie to me about Nate." A smile broke out over Sean's face and he leaned in against Mark's side. Mark wrapped an arm around him, holding him close. The air outside was incredibly cold, but with Mark holding him close, it felt perfect. It was late enough that most reporters had moved on to other stories to avoid standing in the cold. Giving Sean peace for the first time in weeks. They climbed into an awaiting car, where Stacy and her dad were already waiting patiently for them. Sean barely sat down in the front seat, before Stacy reached over to grab his shoulders and cheered out. "Are you ready for tonight? We couldn't get the traditional stuff... but we improvised."

Sean blushed a deep red, anxiously pleading. "Can we not do this, Stacy? We're in Canada... They won't even know what the hell we're doing..." Stacy's dad leaned forward, huffing out stubbornly. "No! Canada or not, you're not running from a fun tradition! Had you given us more notice... We could have done all this before we left Ireland. Now you'll have to settle for what ya get." Sean shook his head, sinking in his seat as Stacy began pulling out items for the event. Mark started to drive to the first bar they saw, while asking curiously. "You'll have to tell me what this is about? Why does he have to kiss everyone?" Stacy yanked on Sean until he was pulled into the back seat. She began ordering him to strip, while Stacy's dad informed Mark coolly. "It's a wedding tradition that came to us from Scotland. Back when the British lords were taxing us out of house and home... Weddings were too expensive to do. Which the Brits wanted for population control. Weed us Irish out. But anyway, a few wives came up with this idea that husbands always had enough money to drank their wages away."

Stacy's dad leaned closer between the seats with a brighter grin, adding on. "So, one night, they host this 'bottling night.' They gather their friends and sell the bride-to-be's kisses to the drunks at the pub. Which in turn paid for her wedding and gave the lads at the pub some needed smiles in dark times. It caught on and we still do it today. It's important to remember where one comes from. And in a small way, it lets the bride have some fun before her wedding. While the lad has his own fun." Mark raised his eyebrow, asking suddenly nervous. "What am I to do?" Stacy's dad patted his arm, telling him sweetly. "You aren't Irish. So, I won't force you to do anything. However, I will expect you to at least take a shot for every pub we visit. Just to keep things fun." Sean kicked Stacy's dad, warning him. "Mark doesn't drink. He has health issues." Stacy's dad rolled his eyes, grumbling out. "Fine. I'll think of something..." Mark pulled into a parking spot. Upon climbing out, he felt anxious for Sean. He couldn't imagine doing this.

Sean suddenly stumbled out of the car, laughing hysterically as Stacy shot out at him. "Hey! Don't laugh! It was the best I could find here." Mark bit his lip taking in Sean's white crop top and shorts. Stacy had even given him a blue flower crown that suited his green bangs perfectly. He couldn't believe Sean was wearing that in this weather though, but seeing Sean bent over with laughter was the best thing in the world. Stacy stepped out after him, snapping out. "Take him! Or I'll beat you with him!" Mark blinked at the item in her hand. It was a bright blue dog made of plastic in a bowing and bulky design. He didn't get why it was so funny to Sean. Stacy's dad noticed his confusion and rested an arm on his shoulder to inform him playfully. "In the old days, they used chamber pots to collect the money in. It was so that the British soldiers didn't take the money from them. The soldiers never wanted to inspect someone carrying that around. Sadly... We couldn't find one here... So, we settled for a kid's training potty."

Now Mark burst out laughing. Stacy popped the lid off the back of the dog, yelling out through giggles of her own. "Stop laughing! Now take him." Sean collected himself enough to take the plastic dog, chuckling out. "Story of my life..." Stacy chuckled, shoving him toward the bar door. As they approached the door, Stacy met up with a few of their crew members that had been waiting for them. The women surrounded Sean to laugh at the dog potty and accepted pans from Stacy. While the men of their crew gathered around Mark to give him congratulations. After a few minutes, the women started banging their pots together and chanting songs. The men tried to coax Mark into getting a drink with them, but he politely turned them down as they followed the women inside the bar. Sean trudged along behind the girls as they began calling out for men to pay for his kisses. Most of the men looked completely confused, but a few guys moved up to give it a try.