Conjugated - A Jonnor Tale

Chapter Twenty-Two: Jude's Party

Chapter Twenty-Two: Jude's Party

Taylor couldn't have possibly known about the whole business with Kyle, so she could perhaps be forgiven for coming up with such an awkward idea. "I can't really explain why," Jude said, "but this just can't happen."

Taylor looked at him for a long moment. "Okay. In that case, I guess you kiss your own partners."

Jude sighed and relief and turned to Connor and kissed him, while Jay did the same to Snapback.

"Please tell me there isn't anything else like that in here," Jude said afterwards, as he regarded the bowl. Jay and Snapback were still kissing, oblivious to the whole envelope game.

"Just pick one," Taylor implored. "As you've seen already, they aren't all bad. You're just having some rough luck."

"Tell me about it," Jude said. She seemed intrigued by that but said nothing else. He reached into the bowl and stirred the envelopes around before reluctantly pulling one out. He opened it and read it, his eyes narrowing. He looked up at Connor. "If excitement is what to you aspire, you might get it by breathing fire."

"Breathing fire?" Connor repeated. "Cool."

"Hot," Jude corrected. He looked at Taylor. "How exactly is that going to work?"

"The professionals would use kerosene and that tiki torch over there," Taylor said with a nod towards the torch. "But since we don't want any industrial accidents, we're just going to use something safer but equally effective."

"So poisonous arachnids are okay, but industrial accidents are not," Jude said. "That's...umm...reassuring?"

"Walter isn't really poisonous," Taylor said. "But it would have been painful."

Callie came out of the house, smiled at Snapjay kissing away in the background, and handed a box to Taylor. "Happy birthday," she said to Jude with a smile, and went back into the house.

"Who wants to be first?" Taylor asked.

"Me!" Connor said. "What is that stuff?"

"Cornstarch. You need to pack as much of it into your mouth as you can, then blow it on the torch."

Connor's face twisted up. "Cornstarch?"

"You did want to go first," Taylor said. Jude nodded in agreement.

"Okay," Connor said. He took the box and tore the end open, and poured as much of it as he could into his mouth, grimacing as he did so. He walked over to the torch and blew on it, and a cloud of cornstarch burst out of his mouth and ignited as it passed through the torch, producing an impressively big fireball.

That caught the attention of Snapjay, and soon all of them were vying over who got to go next. Connor, his cheeks white with cornstarch, wanted to go again, but Jude's status as birthday boy won out and he got to go next. He packed cornstarch into his mouth until he looked like a squirrel packing nuts in his cheeks and then blew it on the torch, producing a fireball substantially larger than Connor's.

"Whoa!" Connor said. "I want to try again!"

"I think I'd better get more cornstarch," Taylor said. "You guys can fight over what's left in the box."

Snapback got to go next, his fireball was about the same size as Connor's. Jay proved to have the biggest mouth, he was able to stuff enough in to produce two fireballs, the first one rivaling Jude's in size and the second was slightly smaller than Connor's.

Taylor came back out with a much bigger, Costco-sized cornstarch box and the boys all took turns blowing fireballs until they were thoroughly covered in cornstarch and having way too much fun. "I guess this is a more popular idea than Walter," Taylor said. "We should keep this moving along though. We do have lunch in a little while."

Jude and the other boys reluctantly pulled themselves away from the surprising entertainment value of cornstarch and having way too much fun.

Jude dug around into the bowl, more enthusiastically than before, and pulled out an envelope. He opened it and read it aloud. "On your birthday you may want nothing more, than the brother you had before." He smiled. "You didn't," he said to Taylor.

The door opened and Jesus came out. "She did," Jesus said, wrapping Jude into a hug. "What's up, bro?"

"Oh man, I've missed you so much," Jude said. "I think even Connor has missed you."

Jesus smiled at Connor. He pulled back from Jude. "So check it out, I got to ride in Selfridge's plane...his private jet! It flew me here from Colorado for the party."

"I thought I wasn't going to see you until Christmas," Jude said. "This is amazing."

"Yeah, I guess I finally get to join everyone else in shipping Jonnor. What's up Connor?" Jesus gave Connor a slap-handshake.

"It's good man. You'll be glad to know Jude and I moved into the garage. You don't have to share your room with anyone anymore."

"Tight, yeah Jude sent me some pics of Southridge. Can't wait to see it." He cleared his throat. "Anyway, I think you're supposed to keep choosing envelopes because there's almost ready to serve lunch in there." He stood back, waving 'hi' to Snapjay.

Jude chose another envelope. "You must tell the truth about when you knew you were in love with your true love." He looked at Connor. "The day of my adoption," he said.

"The day I met you," Connor said to him with a smile.

"Really?" Jude said.

"Oh yeah. When I saw you standing in the hallway, you looked so lost and alone. But so cute and unique. I knew right away you were the dude I wanted to spend the rest of my life with."

Callie came out. "We're ready," she said to Taylor.

"One more," Taylor said to Jude.

Jude fished around and chose one. He opened. "A chance to solve the mystery of Rongorongo? What's that?"

"It's the lost native language of Rapa Nui," Jay said to him. When Jude returned a puzzled look, he continued, "I guess maybe you don't pay attention well in Geography, but Rapa Nui is the native name for Easter Island."

"Impressive," Taylor said to Jay. "He's correct, that card gets you and Connor a trip to Easter Island."

"Wow," Jude said. "I thought it was cool to go to Ensenada."

"Anyway, it's time for lunch," Taylor said. "You boys should come inside and clean up from the cornstarch."

***

"I have to say this is probably the best birthday ever," Jude said, addressing the squad and his family. "I want to thank you all for coming, and enjoy lunch. I'm sure Jefferson and Taylor spared no expense on it."

"I've got the receipts," Jefferson said to laughs. "Everyone join me in singing this wonderful boy a happy birthday." He led them all in the birthday song, and then with cheering and clapping, the group dispersed to their seats around large circular tables. Jude and Connor sat with Stef, Lena, Jesus, Mariana, Callie and Brandon.. The next table over, Snapback, Jay, Corey, Nicole, Taylor, Daria and Ian sat, while at a third was Kyle, Sophia, Myranda, AJ, Wyatt, Selfridge and Sharon.

Predictably, there was a peanut butter sandwich for Jude, made exactly how he liked it, and crab cakes for Connor. Jude watched Connor eat his crab cakes. "They good, babe?"

"I think they're extra buttery this time," Connor said, with a mouthful. "So heavenly." He chewed and swallowed. "Those were some pretty exotic gifts, cakes."

"Yeah, and I don't know if I needed any of them, although the cornstarch thing was fun. Jesus would have been here anyway."

"Easter Island sounds like it's gonna be pretty interesting. What do you think we'll find there?"

Jude shrugged. "I don't know that much about it. I know one thing though."

Connor looked at him and smiled. "What's that, cakes?"

"I already have the best present," Jude said, winking at him.

Connor's smile broadened, and his eyes gave Jude that "husband" look.