Page 112 of Bad Days
Jason takes the mic and greets the people.
“Good evening everyone. This is a special evening. In fact, we should be closed tonight, but since you lushes who get by on state aid wouldn’t know where else to go, we decided to let you stay here, just don’t break our balls.”
I laugh because Jason is always so serious when he makes these little speeches, like he has no idea what’s coming out of his mouth.
“Okay, you can bother us a little bit, just as long as you’re spending your money so we can keep this shithole going and feed our families, because yes, this is our family. A bit large and atypical, but that’s what it is. We’ve grown up together, we are friends and brothers. Some of us are even in love. Except for Aaron, who won’t come out of the closet. Okay, okay. Enough bullshit. I’m here to tell you all that I’m the one who is in love, dear friends. There she is, can you see her?
“She’s next to Rain. This is my Alex. Get used to seeing her sweet face because you’re going to be seeing it a lot around here…and don’t even think about it, Steve. I saw you. Don’t even try to think about her working with a sexy uniform on. I’ll break your face.”
I have never heard Jason give such a long confused introduction before.
“I’m digressing again, but the truth is I have to say something and I don’t know how it’s going to go over. You know, two months ago I was about to lose her, and it wasn’t the first time. But someone decided to give me another chance and I don’t intend to waste even one more minute without her. So Alex, know that after tonight I will not leave you alone again. You have always been my only weakness, but since you’ve been with me you’ve become my strength. You are my dream come true every day and from today onwards I will stand guard over your dreams to ensure that they are always good ones and that you won’t slide out of my life again.”
Rain is sobbing next to me and Liam is shaking his head in understanding from the stage. I take the tissue out of her hand and dry my own eyes because someone left the faucet on. I am completely in tears, emotional and grateful.
Loved.
“Cut it short and let’s have this song already.” Patrick takes the mic away from him and everyone starts laughing.
Then Jason shakes his head too and gets into position. He puts his fingers on the guitar strings and smiles.
And as Liam sings his smile opens even wider.
I live in a castle where no one can come near… And every wall was laid with bricks of mortar and tears… I swore I’d never lower down this old bridge again… Every word you speak, my walls crumble in… When we both sing out.
And I smile too, between my tears and my joy with all of the tenderness he is giving me. With all of the love in his eyes, lips and body.
There was a time when I could tell you for sure… That love was just a cruel charade of… Empty words and promises to break… But something in the way that you are… Makes me wanna start again.
This is the start of our new life together. Lost time doesn’t matter. My illness doesn’t matter, the tears, the suffering.
With all the crippling fear that heartache can bring… Darling if you take my hand… I’ll walk with you from winter into spring… Something in the way that you are… Keeps me hanging on again.
It is he who has walked me to spring. It’s he who made me believe again and who gives me new life every day. He taught me to believe and to hope.
And to love.
He comes down from the stage straight towards us and the people look on. He stops in front of me, flashing me with his famous dimples in all of their splendour.
“You made me a complete man. You have given me new life. You have taught me how to take risks and to love. I love you Alex McBride and the only thing I want to do from now on is to watch you, to smile at you and tell you how much I love you. I want to give you the ever-after that you deserve. Our happily-ever-after.”
“Our happily-ever-after,” I mutter.
“And I want you to be part of my family, of this family of crazy good-for-nothings whom I know will welcome you with open arms because that’s how it works. So…Alex, with Joe’s permission of course—” he adds, looking at my father who raises his glass in agreement, “—I’d like to bring you home and take care of you and no…don’t make that face because it’s not what you’re thinking. I want to take care of you because that’s what you do when you love someone. You offer her a house, strong arms to hold her at night. When you love a person, like I love you, you want to protect her so nothing bad happens. And you make promises to each other. I promise you that I will love you more than anything else in the world and that I’ll piss you off any time you want.
“That you can yell and cry and slap me if necessary, but that I’ll be happy because that’s why I’m here in this life. To make you happy.”
With Rain’s hysterical sobbing in my ear, I can hardly even think about what he’s said. But do I really need to think about it?
So I take a deep breath and reply in kind.
“And if I wanted to make a promise?” I say in a shaky voice as he raises an eyebrow and smiles wickedly at me.
“Let’s hear it,” he challenges.
“What if I want to take care of you too? And make you angry. Maybe even break a few plates. Make you go to sleep on the couch when we fight. Make you smile like you are now. Offer you two arms to welcome you every night that will never get tired of doing so. If I wanted to promise to make you happy and love you more than anything else all the days of my life? If I wanted to take on that responsibility and give you our happy-ever-after. What would you say to that?”
He continues to look at me with his big eyes full of love. He smiles with his dimples.
“I’d say we could do it.”
