Winter Is Here. It Was The Old Gang, Kind Of

Isaac cooked eggs and tomatoes for breakfast for Sally. They watched ‘It’s Complicated’ until early afternoon. Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin. Isaac remembered when he last saw Alec Baldwin in BeetleJuice when Alec was young and handsome. 

“What happened to Alec Baldwin?” said Max, Isaac’s housemate as he walked through to the kitchen.

“He got old like all of them do,” said Cam, Isaac’s other housemate, as he walked through to the kitchen as well.

“Shut up you guys,” said Isaac. “Don’t spoil it.”

“Oo, spoil a couple of over the hill actors in a B grade movie,” said Max.

“Is this their retirement picture?” asked Cam.

When the film was finished, Isaac had to leave for Mother’s Day with his brother and sister, Will and Gina, and his mother Jillian too, of course. 

Sally went home. Her mum had died a few years ago and the day just seemed too painful to face now. She wanted to spend it on her own, picking some flowers and making her mum a posy.

Isaac and Will and Gina had bought Jillian a new brown leather handbag, with which Jillian seemed quite please.

They ate a roast, which Will had cooked. Afterwards, they ate vanilla ice cream and strawberries which Gina had prepared. Isaac had cooked a lemon cake which they ate with coffee. Isaac’s dad Bryan made the coffee.

“I’ve had a lovely day,” said Jillian to Isaac. “You kids are wonderful kids.”

Eddie came over to Isaac and Cam’s and Max’s after he’d seen his mum. Being Vietnamese, they didn’t celebrate Mother’s Day at the same time, but Eddie went to see his mum anyway.

Cam had gone for a swim with Max as they were both on a health kick, trying to get in shape as Max explained.

“For what?” asked Isaac.

“Girls, of course,” said Max. “Well, I guess not Cam, hey.”

Cam laughed. “I’m getting in shape for Eddie.

Isaac and Max laughed.

Eddie didn’t have a house key to get in, so he had to wait for Cam.

Isaac headed over to pick Sally up on his way home, but he knew Eddie would be waiting, as Cam was really unreliable, even with his own boyfriend, but Eddie wouldn’t be locked outside for long, if at all. Isaac knew that once Max and Cam got into their gym workout, they could be ages.

“How long have you been waiting?” asked Isaac.

“I’ve only just got here,” said Eddie.

Their mate Sebastian came over and cooked pasta and Cam made a salad. 

Cam rolled joints until he and Eddie left for some club, then Sebastian pulled pot out of somewhere 

“You’ve been keeping that quiet,” said Isaac. 

“All the more for me and you and Max,” said Sebastian.

Isaac and Sebastian and Max kept smoking.

Cam came home at 1am to Isaac, Max and Sebastian slumped on the couch in front of the TV. Sally was curled up in a chair. The air was thick with smoke.

“What the fuck,” said Cam when he caught sight of the other three. “You could at least open a window.

“We don’t want to let the outside in,” said Isaac. 

“Winter is here,” said Max. He shivered at the thought.

“It was the old gang, kind of,” said Sebastian. “But now you are here…”

“You can roll,” said Isaac.

“You can roll,” said Max.

“I was going to say the gang was back together,” said Sebastian.

Isaac and Max murmured in agreement.

“Hey Sally, how are you doing?” asked Cam.

Sally was quiet all night. She looked up from the big lounge chair.“Oh, you know,” said Sally.

“Mother’s Day isn’t exactly her best day now,” said Isaac.

Cam sat down next to Sally and gave her a hug. “We can all be your mums,” said Cam.

“Sally laughed. “You big dope,” she said. She wrapped her arms around Cam. “But thanks. That helps.”

“Anything for you Sal,” said Cam.

“Can we watch Whatever Happened To Baby Jane, then?” asked Sal.

Max and Sebastian groan.

Isaac remains silent.

“You did say anything?” said Sal. 

“Cam did,” said Max and Sebastian together.

Isaac remains silent.

“That film always cheers me up on a day like today,” said Sal.

“But, I did say anything, Blanch,” said Cam.

“You did, we didn’t,” said Max and Sebastian together.

“Oh, come on lads,” said Isaac. “We have to cheer Sal up.”

“Fine,” said Max.

“Okay,” said Max.

Sally clapped her hands in front of her face. “You mean, all this time, we could have been friends?” She jumped up from her chair. “I’ll get the DVD.”

“Isn’t she great,” said Isaac.

“I never thought you’d sink so low, Jane,” said Max.

“I'm not going to let you destroy me, Jane. I won't let you,” said Sebastian.

“I did it all for you, Blanche. All for you,” said Cam.