This Would Be Paradise (Book 2)-A Zombie Novel

Chapter 40

After an hour, the adults were all well on their way to being wasted, and the kids gorging on the last bits of the cake. Even Wyatt was ripping it up on the dance floor. A chair confined Sheri was sitting a few tables away from us with various people, staring longingly at the crowd. Her healing kidney keeping her from joining in. Ethan mentioned that Oscar had released her from bed rest starting today as long as she stayed in the wheel chair.

Colin had finally gotten around to asking Chloe to dance and currently they were on the dance floor looking as rigid as possible. Ethan was sitting beside me, his arm draped over my chair. He pointed with the hand that had his drink in it to the pair.

"I'm not goin' to have'ta get the shotgun, am I?" he slurred.

"This here's my daughter," I said in my poor excuse for a southern accent, then burst into laughter.

At Ethan's offended look, I said, "Calm down, I told Colin to ask her to dance. She's totally got a little crush on him." I looked down into my empty cup, I needed more drink!

"You need a refill?" Ethan knocked our cups together. "'Cause I need one."

"If you're offering." I handed my cup to him, watching him stumbled a little as he got up.

Roy was currently talking to one of the Hargrove people and Amanda running around with some of the other kids. Zoe had dragged a tipsy Darren into the crowd of dancers, leaving me now alone at the table. Temporarily drink-less. I lifted my head as shouting just barely made it to my ears over the music. There seemed to be a scuffle going on, people now trying to get out of the way.

Byron and Darren managed to burst out of the crowd rolling and punching at each other. I flew from my chair, the alcohol making me regret my hasty action. I hadn't drank this much to cut loose since Mardi Gras – drinking half a bottle of Jack back at the cabin didn't count as cutting loose.

Zoe was watching them with one hand cupped over mouth.

"What happened?" I asked, having to yell over the music.

"Byron was getting a little handsy and Darren shoved him, then they just started fighting."

I was going to try to help break it up, but Wyatt and a drunk Ethan moved in before I could. Wyatt grabbed Byron, whom he towered over, but that didn't stop Byron from struggling. Ethan fought to restrain a still swinging Darren and get some space between the two.

"What in God's name is going on? This is supposed to be a happy occasion!" Wyatt chastised.

"This asshole needs to keep his hands to himself," Darren said through heaving breaths.

They started each other down as they caught their breath. Neither were badly beaten up. The fight had been stopped before any real damage had been done.

"I ain't done nothin' wrong," Byron said.

"You both are going to have to leave the party if you can't contain yourselves," Wyatt said.

"I good, I good," Byron said as he held his arms up.

Ethan let Darren go, and he just stormed out, not bothering to reply. Wyatt quickly loosen his grip on Byron, who grinned his wide-mouth grin. "Let's get da music goin' 'gain!"

Luckily people were drunk enough that getting back to the party wasn't as awkward as it could have been. Slowly, people started dancing again as the fight was forgotten to give room for the rest of good times. Wyatt walked away, with Byron in tow.

"I should go check on him," Zoe said, sullen. So she left the clubhouse to talk Darren down from whatever mountain he was on.

I still wasn't entirely sure what had happened, but booze always fueled these types of situations. The music switched to a slower number, replacing the fast beat with a piano melody.