"The Cut"

Chapter 43- The Party's Over

Chapter 43- THE PARTY'S OVER

"Answer the phone, Asshole!" Ryan bellowed to Chase's voicemail recording. This was the third time he'd attempted to reach him since he'd left his neighborhood with Bailey. His mother had already phoned his dad, Bud, and he'd arrived shortly thereafter to retrieve his soused son.

 Though the Coopers were best friends with the Morrison's, Bud was in no mood for a party.

 Chase was missing in his father's Excursion and, worse yet, he'd left the party with Bailey! Bud and his wife had deliberately declined on their invitation to give Chase some breathing room with his friends after their Homecoming conquest.

 Clearly, Chase had proven to be irrational and irresponsible; his father was questioning himself for giving his son too much leeway. He and Sherri should have never lent him their SUV, and if they had attended the "after party", they could have prevented the entire catastrophe from the start.

"I'm going to search for them." Bud announced to Sissy and Chuck, as friends trickled in and out of their expansive home. "If he turns up, take the damn keys until I get back here."

 Chuck offered to ride along. He knew that things between Chase and Carson had ended in chaos, and that somehow, Jared Fullman was the responsible party involved in their break-up. He had no idea what condition Chase might be in, but he knew his friend could probably use a hand in reeling his son back in.

 Sissy remained at the house to host the many guests that had filled the entire first floor, as well as the back patio and swimming pool. She was grateful that mostly everyone in attendance remained under control, but was certain that things could change on a dime.

 She entered the kitchen to clean up some empty cups and plates and refilled the platters and bowls that were depleted by ravenous teenagers. She opened their stainless steel Viking refrigerator and grabbed the surplus containers of appetizers and dips.

 She sliced several varieties of block cheese, and displayed them like fans on the flat platters that decorated her island countertop. Then emptied a couple of bags of chips into the ceramic bowls, and opened two new jars of extra spicy salsa and pepper jelly for her company.

 Finally, she decided to make her way out to the pool, to make sure everyone still had their clothes on at this point.

She was grateful that the good Lord blessed her with three SONS!

 When Sissy opened the sliding glass door to her patio, she almost fell face first upon the stone pavers.

"Katie! Do NOT vomit in my Jacuzzi, Peaches!" she shouted.

 Becca was steering Katie away from the hot tub and swimming pool, but a couple of shots of Grey Goose vodka and a few cans of Coors Light proved to be her greatest enemy that night. Katie was not used to drinking, but given the fact that her date had just left the premises with the new Homecoming Queen, it was safe to say that she'd had a change of heart. Consequently, her body was repelled by the mass quantities of alcohol consumption for one evening.

"Honey, this girl is three sheets to the wind. We're gonna have to get her into the house and sober her up. I'd say she just needs to acknowledge the corn, and call it a night. Help me with her for just one minute, will ya, Becky?"

 Becca was certain that getting Katie home sooner, rather than later, would be the best plan of action. But, it could possibly take hours for her body to recover.

"Sure. It's Becca, by the way. Sorry." she replied to Sissy, who had already flung one of Katie's arms around her neck. Her eyes rolled back into her head for a moment, and she looked as limp as a wet pool noodle.

 Becca rushed to the other side of Katie, and supported her head and other arm. One of the seniors who was spectating the scene rushed to the the patio door and opened it immediately. A few others just stood near the pool, recording the show on their phones as they snickered.

"Thank you, Sweetie. Now, folks, listen here! There is NO reason to be making light of this and snapping photos and videos and the like. I do not want to hear about this being posted on social media! We are simply gonna rehydrate Ms. Katie, and let her rest on the couch a while. I'm sure ya'll have had your moments of glory in the past, so let's just let a dead dog lie." she warned and they dragged Katie toward the nearest sofa.

 Becca could not believe how rational Mrs. Morrison was behaving. Katie looked like a corpse in her inebriated state! Her parents would be horrified to see their daughter in this condition. They propped her upright on the cream leather sofa, and covered her with the linen blanket that was draped across it for decoration.

 Sissy clacked her way to the kitchen in her wedge sandals; she filled a red Solo cup with plenty of ice and cold water.

 She rushed back toward Katie, and Becca helped her keep her head up long enough to take a couple sips before she passed out again. They fluffed a couple of throw pillows under her head and dimmed the lights in the living room.

"Now, let's give her a chance to sleep off some of that giggle juice and we'll check on her in a little bit!" she chittered, and Becca followed Sissy to the garage. She suspected she was checking every corner of the house for other drunken guests, but was also nervous that Bailey and Chase would soon turn up.

 She flicked the garage lights on and to her relief, it was empty, albeit two cars remained parked in their spots for the night. The driveway was overflowing with vehicles of every make and model. A couple of students were still lingering near the entrance of the house.

 Sissy strolled across the yard to meet and greet a few, but halted when she saw a familiar truck entering the driveway. Becca trailed close behind, but nearly trampled her when she froze in her wedged tracks.

"Oh, Sweet Baby Jesus! Becky, help me out. I think that we may be in a heap of trouble. Isn't that Coach Fullman and his wife pullin' in?" she gasped.

 She yanked on Becca's arm and almost performed a tuck-and-roll on her way to the wrought-iron gate which remained open for guests who were still joining the party.

 Sissy silently cursed herself for not locking the gate sooner.

 Jared and Rachel Fullman waved from his Chevy Tahoe as he turned the high-beams down. He stopped the truck while Sissy wormed her way toward the driver's side window. She put on her best movie star smile and fluffed the back of her big, blonde hair.

 Jared opened his window and greeted her with a grin in return. Rachel leaned into her husband to exchange "hellos" and Becca stood firmly in front of his SUV in the driveway.

 She'd already decided she would lay face down in front of it if necessary to keep Fullman OUT!

"Why, Jared. Rachel. Hi! So nice to see the two of you. Ya know, the funniest thing happened just before ya'll decided to pop on in and join us tonight. Let me just tell you about it right quick...." Sissy began, as Becca reached for her cell phone. She needed Ryan and Gavin immediately.

"This little misdirection will not end well." Becca muttered through clenched teeth while frantically punching the keypad on her screen.

 WHERE THE FUCK WAS BAILEY WHEN SHE NEEDED A GOOD DIVERSION?