Southern Comfort: Chapter 1

Max and Clein finished packing up their car and climbed inside. They waved goodbye to their beloved Brooklyn apartment and drove south. Two months after COVID-19 decimated New York City the couple found themselves jobless and unable to make rent. They could either ride out the moratorium on evictions and try to someday pay back what they owed on rent, or they could move in with Max’s parents in Jacksonville, Mississippi. They chose the latter. 

A somber silence befell them during the first hour of their ride. Clein fiddled on his laptop, checking his subscriptions on OnlyFans. He had been an actor in New York and was considered a rising talent. Coincidentally, he had started an OnlyFans a few months before the pandemic and it was becoming somewhat successful. This was a blessing as it was now his only source of income. 

Max, on the other hand, was anxiously plotting his next move. He was a bit older than his twenty something boyfriend and had owned a small LGBT history museum in Brooklyn. There were no career options anywhere for someone with that experience and he felt like he was starting from scratch at age 34. Being able to fall back on his family was a blessing. 

Max’s family owned a stunning plantation style home on several acres of land in rural Mississippi. Clein had heard plenty of stories about the home but he still wasn’t prepared for its beauty. As the wrought iron gates swung open Clein’s jaw dropped. They drove up the winding driveway to the palatial white plantation style home. The building itself was impeccably well kept, thanks in large part to a team of gardeners, maids, and butlers employed by the Munch family. 

Max’s mother, Eleanor, was the first family member to appear on the front porch. She excitedly rushed outside with her arms spread wide while white linen fabric billowed against her rather plump frame. Max emerged from the car to embrace her and Clein followed. 

“I’m so thrilled you boys will be back in the fold here at Munch Manor. How I’ve missed your faces! Your father and little brother are inside. I’d have Moira take in your belongings but she’s not feeling well the last two days.” 

“What about Fred? Is he around?”

“Honey, we had to lay Fred off. Didn’t you hear?”

Moira and Fred were caretakers who had practically raised Max. He was shocked his parents would do such a thing, but apparently they had no choice. While the family’s money was originally made in tobacco, Max’s great great grandfather had sold his portion of the business and Max’s father made his money through the stock market. This meant that the Munch family was hit hard by the new recession and Max’s father had to lay off the majority of their staff. Max was deeply saddened upon hearing this news. 

“Chin up honey bun, we’ll get through this. The upside is there’s plenty of work to be done around the house to keep two strapping young men busy.”

The boys headed inside and greeted Max’s father, Earl. Earl was significantly older than his wife and significantly fatter since Max had last seen him. He had always had a beer belly, but now he could barely walk and looked incredibly unhealthy. Max felt concerned. 

Next, they found his brother, Jacob, in the backyard working out. Jacob too had grown significantly since Max last saw him. In one short year he transformed from a gawky 18 year old to a ripped 19 year old muscle stud. Max barely recognized him. They embraced and Jacob informed his brother just how stressed their parents had been about money. Apparently their mother was cooking constantly to keep distracted while their father ate the nonstop supply of food she produced. Both had gotten bigger and the brothers were equally concerned about their parents’ health. 

Eventually, the couple got settled and were able to enjoy some alone time. Clein was particularly dazzled by the whole affair. He was an only child and his parents had died several years ago, so he was grateful to be accepted into any family dynamic. Max, however, was not as enthusiastic. Most of all he was concerned about his parents health and finances, but he also had a heavy heart over the staff they laid off. Lastly, he wasn’t exactly thrilled about having to pick up the grunt work that needed to be done around the house. 

“It’ll be fine babe!” Clein said while munching on a pumpkin spice muffin Eleanor had made. “Some physical activity will do us good! Plus we can get good and plump from all your mom’s cooking. I think I’m gonna head back down to grab some of that mac and cheese she offered.”

“I need to be working on finding a new career! Not tending the garden and scrubbing the floors.” Max bemoaned.

At that moment there was a knock on the door. Max opened up and smiled ear to ear when he saw Moira. She held a silver platter piled high with cornbread, mac and cheese, ham, and greens. After setting the platter down Max scooped her up in a big hug. He invited her in for a seat to catch up. Clein just listened and ate to pass the time. Eventually, Moira excused herself as she had to finish cooking dinner and set the table. 

The boys showered and got dressed for dinner. Before they went down, Clein logged into his OnlyFans and made a short video showing off in the decadent 18th century bathroom. His fans were immediately sending praise for the video, though one did point out that Clein looked a little bloated. Indeed, he was full from the snack Moira brought, and shrugged it off. 

Once everyone was seated at the palatial table, Moira and Eleanor began serving them. Clein was flabbergasted not only at the amount of food that was served but also how delicious it all looked. Max was also a bit surprised by the portions, which seemed larger than when he was a child. As Clein began to dig in rapturously, it became evident that in tough times people turn to food for comfort.