It was just another weekend in the O'Neal household. Jimmy lying around, Shannon chatting and gaming with her boyfriend and Eileen getting herself ready for a afternoon outing with VP Murray. Kenny was in his room, busy trying to balance a conversation with his boyfriend as well as talk with Allison. One, more amusing than the other though he learned it's best to not get so love sick over someone too much that he completely shuts out everyone else in his life. It was certainly taking some time to adjust, having to make sure he made time for Allison yet also make sure he wasn't spending too little a time with Brett. It was a sacrifice he was willing to make though.
Kenny just happened to swipe to the left on his phone, bringing up his stream of notifications and the weather and reminders when he noticed the date. It dawned on him that today, unlike any other day, was special but he couldn't remember why. He quickly clicked on the calendar on his phone and tapped the current date and popped up was a reminder that it was his dad's birthday. Had Kenny been so involved with Brett that he even forgot his own dad's birthday?
Kenny wandered downstairs to see if any preparations were happening and if he can be a part of it, ready to act like he knew all along but Shannon was well into her gaming and Jimmy was asleep on the couch and Eileen had just stepped out. It wasn't just him then. Which made him feel a bit better but at the same time, his whole family just kind of forgot. How was that even possible? Kenny now went about making lunch for his dad as it was close to 1pm. He knew his dad kept some of his favorite beers in the fridge so he popped one open and finished putting together a sandwich with all the fixings he saw his dad add on countless times. He prepared a tray and got silverware and napkins as he then headed out to the backyard and into his dad's tiny home.
"Happy birthday!" Kenny shouted as he entered the make shift home and his gaze soon shifted to the number of balloons about his tiny home. His dad playing on a new Xbox One and already halfway finished beer sitting on his coffee table.
It finally dawned on him just what was going on, "did - ... Did you throw yourself a party?" Kenny asked as he set the tray onto a free spot on the coffee table. Pat paused the game, looking up at Kenny finally. Pat sported a blue button up shirt which were tucked into jeans that were kept around his waist by a belt. His casual attire.
"Kenny! Sorry, bud, I didn't hear you come in. Sit down! Sit, sit, sit."
Kenny looked tot he balloons and Pat followed his gaze.
"Those? It's noting. Just a little something I did for myself." Pat said and potted the free spot next to him on the couch. He then grabbed a second controller and handed it off to Kenny.
"You're in your mid-forties and you threw a party for yourself ... That's just- ... That's just sad." Kenny muttered as he sat beside his dad now and took the game controller. He wasn't well versed in gaming. Never took to it like Shannon had and sometimes, Jimmy. He hadn't even heard of the game his dad was making him co-op with but it was his day and it seemed like everyone else had forgotten. The least he could do was spend a few hours with him and try to enjoy the gameplay.
After what seemed to Kenny like years of guns shooting, blood spewing and screaming and raging monsters flooding the screen he had to put a pause to everything. He set the controller down and Pat got up and went over to the kitchen area of his tiny home and started to work on making himself a margarita.
"What's that?" Kenny asked as the sounds of ice crushed filled the room. A sound his dad should've warned him about before he turned on the device.
"Margarita maker." Pat said almost too thrilled,"you want one?" He asked, looking back at Kenny.
"Doesn't that have alcohol in it?" Kenny asked.
"Ahh, it's fine. It's just this once." Pat said as he poured them their drinks, "just don't tell your mother." He said with a chuckle.
Kenny stared at the slushie like beverage that was in, what he assumed to be, a margarita glass. He'd never tasted an alcoholic beverage before, well, unless you're counting wine during a church service but that was always just a swallow. This was an actual drink. Kenny felt his dad watching him, waiting for him to take his first sip. He swallowed nervously and mentally crossed himself about twenty times as he brought the glass to his lips and took his first sip. The cold drink flowing down his throat was actually quite refreshing. It was a bit too tart for his taste but the alcohol made it all feel better in the end. Pat smack a proud hand onto Kenny's back causing Kenny to groan at the male force.
"It's good right?" Pat asked and started to drink his own.
"I actually do enjoy this. Thanks." Kenny said and went to set it down but Pat insisted he'd at least finish it. It was his day after all and anything he said or wanted Kenny would have to do. He brought the glass up to his lips again and took another sip. He didn't know if it was because this was his first real drink or because of how tiny he was, he could start feeling a buzz just after a few sips. He slowed down on his sips now, taking time for his body to take in the fact that he was actually drinking something other than water.
Now, several minutes after receiving his first real drink, his glass was almost empty with only two drops left. Pat insisted he'd make them just one more and Kenny nodded, smiling almost too goofy like but he tried to keep a good composure. His eyes trained on his dad, watching him from behind make them their margaritas. Has he always been so attractive? It had to bee the alcohol making him think it for sure but the Pat turned his head back to look at Kenny and he met eyes with him. Kenny couldn't believe what he was feeling. It wasn't right. He started to get that butterfly like feeling in his stomach now, the one he gets when he's around Brett. He couldn't believe what his mind was thinking also. He tried to keep himself from saying something, from ruining this moment. It was his dad's birthday and he did not want to make it awkward between them, ever.
"Would you ever sleep with a guy?" Kenny blurted out, his mind now submitting to his 'no talking' rule. He suddenly felt like the world stopped in that moment. Pat brought the drink back to the coffee table and Kenny just looked at his margarita glass. Everything stopped and he wanted nothing more than to run out of there.
"If the opportunity presented itself, maybe." Pat responded, bringing Kenny back to real time.
He looked up at his dad, "oh yeah?" He said and took a sip of his drink. Pat sat beside him again and placed an arm on the top of the couch, squeezing Kenny's right shoulder. Kenny watched his dad's hand and looked back to him now. "You have enough ice for more margaritas, right?"