Graham's housemates came soon after he'd messaged them. While he waited, he'd messaged Aubrey and let her know that Gina and their parents were going to be coming by the next day and she could join them in looking through his memories if she wanted. She'd agreed and said she'd see him the next afternoon and again expressed her concern. Graham let her know he was doing a bit better than he had been earlier and told her she shouldn't worry. Graham's housemates all brought in various types of alcohol with them and Graham was surprised by how much was there.
"You guys bought enough for a frat party." Graham said.
"You've obviously never been to a frat party if you think this would be enough." Oliver laughed.
"I was meaning varieties not quantities. So I've thought about it and decided to only drink enough to help my mind stop buzzing and not get wasted." Graham said. "Not that I don't appreciate all the effort you guys went into making sure I could get completely trashed."
It seemed there was a collective sigh of relief from his housemates. Apparently they really had been worried about him, but were supportive enough not to fight him on his choice to drown his problems However, it seemed they were glad he decided to tone it down.
"So I take it that your meeting with your parents wasn't horrible." John asked.
"No, it actually went well after the first little bit, but even that wasn't as awkward as I thought it would be. Maybe it's because I already knew Gina. They're coming tomorrow again so I can pull out my old memories and show them. Lucky I brought them home during spring break." Graham said. "And thanks again for letting us meet without interruptions. Now that meeting is over, I'm okay if we're interrupted in the future so don't feel you have to stay away tomorrow too."
"I'm glad you're doing a bit better bro. But now if you're okay with it let's pick our poison." Oliver said. And they proceeded to mix drinks and Graham was glad he's been able to stop himself from completely overindulging as he knew he would regret it in the morning. He drunk more than he usually did and when he felt sufficiently numb he called it a night.
Graham woke up and instantly remembered why he limited himself when drinking. The light streaming in from the window made him wince. He quickly closed his eyes but that made him feel the intense pounding of his head all the more. He knew the best way to start feeling better was to get out of bed, take some pain killers and make sure he drank extra water that day. If only the numbness of last night didn't make him feel like this in the morning. Ever since turning 21, Graham knew he was a lightweight when it came to drinking. He was usually fine with it, but right now he wished he had more of a tolerance. Was one night of being numb not something he deserved right now? Why did it have to come with the hangover he was dealing with right now.
Graham sat up in bed and saw a glass of water, some advil and some saltine crackers on his nightstand table. Obviously one of his housemates wasn't in as bad of shape as he was and he was so grateful. He took the pills and ate some crackers. Then laid back down, hoping to pass out until the pain killers started working.
An hour later when Graham woke up his head wasn't pounding anymore. He still was feeling some of the effects but it was definitely more manageable. He got up, showered and got ready for the day. He then headed downstairs for some breakfast. All his housemates were already downstairs and he stopped. They didn't seem nearly as bad as he'd felt.
"Was I the only one drinking last night? I swear you guys were as well."
"No, we did but I swear you're getting to be more of a lightweight than you use to be." Oliver said. "And you may have had a shot or two of the harder stuff than we did."
"We all know I'm a lightweight, no need to rub it in. So who do I have to thank for the hangover remedy upstairs?" Graham asked.
"That would be Noah."
"I should have guessed, the crackers. His pre-med self making sure we don't take Advil on an empty stomach. I'm going to get something to eat now."
"There's an omlette already made for you on the table." Lucas said. "Elijah made it when we heard you get into the shower."
"You guys are the best!" Graham said.
"After what you're going through, don't mention it." Elijah said. "If eggs don't sound good, let me know and we'll figure something else out."
"I think my stomach is good enough. Probably wouldn't have been the case if I'd drank a bit more though." Graham laughed.
Graham went to eat breakfast. He wondered how he got so lucky to get housemates that seemed more like family than random guys he was sharing a house with. Maybe it had something to do with the fact they'd stayed together for almost five years now. They had each others backs and he was glad that they were here for him right now. And who knew, maybe having more of family would be a good thing. His main hope was that the transition wasn't too hard and that they could be patient with him.