Juniper Blue (NaNoWriMo2023; manxman)

Chapter 26

Gabriel

The Doirons knew how to throw a party, that's for sure. Dozens of cars lined the dirt road that led to the farmhouse. This was a typical scene on holidays.

It wasn't just New Year's Eve, but Juniper's 27th birthday at 11:59. He loved telling the story of when he was born, and I loved hearing it even if I'd heard it a hundred times.

I wondered how much information Juniper shared with his family. Did they know the reasons for our separation? I didn't know how they'd react to me showing up. 

Dressed in a sparkly silver sleeveless dress and a New Year's party hat, Halina opened the door, holding a pink cosmo cocktail. 1980s music blared, nearly drowning out the chatter and laughter. Instead of closing the door on my face, she hugged me. "It's so good to see you," she said. "Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year," I said. "Sorry to crash the party."

"It's okay. Come in. Juni's around here somewhere. Dad invited the whole town and they all showed up. Juni's gonna be so happy to see you."

Halina led me to Juniper who stood in the back of the room, chatting with other party-goers, people I recognized but couldn't remember their names. He held a half-empty martini glass, leaning against the wall, telling a story to his captive audience. Halina tapped his shoulder to get his attention. 

"Guess who I found at the door?" Halina said to Juniper. He turned to her and then to me. He abruptly stopped talking as his eyes locked with mine. His lips turned into a smile, a smile I hadn't seen in a long time. His entire face lit up when he smiled.

"Happy New Year," I said. "And happy birthday."

"It's not his birthday until 11:59," Halina said.

Juniper walked to me, popping a rainbow party noise maker blower in his mouth. As he stood in front of me, he blew it, hitting me in my nose.

"That's real mature," I said, fighting back a laugh.

As he went to do it again, I snatched it from him and kissed his mouth instead. He returned my kiss while still holding his martini. It was a much needed kiss.

"Mmm... you smell good," he said, burying his face in my neck.

"I've been in a car for ten hours. How can I smell good?"

"I could eat you up," he said, bursting into a fit of giggles, nearly spilling the rest of his espresso martini. "This is a fucking awesome surprise. This a fucking good martini, too." 

"How many espresso martinis have you had?" I asked as Juniper fell limp in my arms.

"I dunno. A few... and a couple of glasses of wine, too. I think Dad's getting the champagne ready."

"I think you've had enough," I said, taking the martini from him. I finished it off.

"Oh, shit. Now I need another one," Juniper said, hanging on to my arm.

"I don't think you do."

"Wha... what... what are you doing here... here?"

"I'd never miss your birthday. Can we go somewhere to talk?"

He nodded, grabbing a bottle of wine on the way out the back door. We passed people on the deck, everyone tipsy and having a great time. Juniper laughed at himself as he lost his balance, tripped, and fell off the deck. "Oops," he laughed, picking himself up. "I think I've had too much to drink."

"I think so, too. I'll take that," I said, taking the bottle of wine from him. I took a swig from it.

Juniper walked me to the barn, talking incessantly about his students, his disappointment with the lack of snow, and deciding whether or not he wanted to go camping next weekend. Nothing he said had anything to do with us. It was like I hadn't been gone for the past month.