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19

Hendrix

Garrett

Has the baby had her dip-tet?

I’ve gone a while without answering his texts, and I’m starting to feel bad. Garrett and I’ve always been close, even if his life’s purpose is to give me a hard time.

Okay, I’ll bite. WTF?

Logan

He’s alive! Dude, I was starting to think you’d blocked us.

Zane

More like they’re drilling you to death.

Not me. I was back in shape in two days.

Zane

I do not miss training camp at all.

Garrett

You mean stretching and kicking camp, twinkle toes?

Are you roughing the kicker?

Zane

He’s just jealous.

Garrett

Nice try. I can run rings around all of you with Dylan on my back.

Logan

Don’t you mean Liv?

Garrett

Liv, Kimmie, anybody.

What’s a dip-tet? Sounds like something for fleas.

Jack

It’s the diphtheria-tetanus shot, but I don’t think they give it to babies anymore. Did Gigi get a dip-tet?

Garrett

It’s a line from Raising Arizona.

Oh yeah, I forgot that movie!

Swiping on my phone, I send a quick text to Raven.

We should add Raising Arizona to our watch list.

Pink

The Cohen Brothers are brilliant, but it’s kind of loud for bedtime.

Garrett mentioned the dip-tet—should we be doing that?

Pink

IDK, but we do need to find a pediatrician here.

I don’t want her getting a shot. If she cries…

Pink

Why are you texting me—aren’t you in the kitchen?

I’m frowning at my phone, thinking about my baby girl in a sterile doctor’s office, when a text notification from Garrett appears on the screen.

Garrett

Gigi is in the 95th percentile for height.

With a dad like you, I’m not surprised.

Garrett

What’s that supposed to mean?

You’re a big guy, Sasquatch. Even Liv’s tall for a girl.

Garrett

Are you insulting my baby girl?

Dude! I’m saying she’ll probably be tall like her mom.

Jack

Okay, okay… Looking forward to the game—you all ready?

I was born ready.

Garrett

Oh, man…

Logan

When do you think you’ll have time to record again? We miss you on the show.

Not sure, but I’ll let you know. And I wasn’t insulting Gigi!

My jaw is tight, and I’m starting to wish I’d maintained my code of silence. Since when did Garrett get so touchy?

Actually, I kind of get it. If somebody even implied something critical about Haddy…

“Why are you frowning?” Raven walks into the kitchen, where I’m standing with my back to the bar. “They have alternate schedules if you’re worried about it. She just has to have all her shots by the time she starts kindergarten, but that’s four and a half years away.”

“No, I’m just…” Shaking my head, I shove my phone into my pocket. “What’s that?”

She’s holding a box. “Not sure. The UPS guy left it. It’s really light.”

My name is on the package, so I quickly cut it open and move all the packing peanuts away. It’s a large pillow, dark brown on one side, beige on the other, and on the brown side is cross-stitched the words, Marriage, babies, and a smiling poop emoji.

“What in the world?” Raven glances up at me confused. “Who sent you that?”

“Garrett.”

“You guys are crazy.” Shaking her head, she walks over to the cabinet and pulls down a wok. “I think I’ll try making stir-fry tonight.”

I lift my phone and take a photo of me holding the pillow up by my head, then I send it to the brother’s chat.

Garrett

Yasss… I’ve been waiting for that to arrive.

Thanks, bro. Can’t wait to sleep on it every night.

Garrett

How’s it going with those poopy diapers?

Great—no sweat.

Garrett

Why don’t I believe you?

Because it’s a total lie.

I have no idea how it’s going with the poopy diapers, because Haddy hasn’t had one since I bought the StinkBalm. I’ve been wanting to try it out and impress Raven.

Frowning, I look over at her. She’s standing beside the counter, reading the directions that came with the wok.

She changed out of her work clothes, and now she’s wearing leggings and a long-sleeved tee. Her long hair is pulled back in a scrunchy, and I decide to open a bottle of wine.

“Do you think Haddy’s constipated?”

She blinks up at me. “Not at all. She had a big poop this afternoon.”

My shoulders drop, and I exhale. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You wanted to know?” Her brow crinkles. “You said, and I quote, you do football. Not poop. So I just take care of it.” She tosses the manual onto the counter. “I’m used to it.”

“Well, I want to help now.” I pick up the corkscrew and quickly open the wine, pouring us each a glass.

“You really don’t have to. I don’t mind skipping the drama.”

Handing her a glass, I give it a little tap. “There’ll be no drama.”

“If you say so… I’ll let you know next time.” Her eyes narrow, like she doesn’t believe me. “Hand me the sesame seed oil. I got julienne veggies at the store, and I’ll make rice in the rice cooker.”

I prep Haddy’s dinner while Raven whips up the stir fry. Before long, the kitchen smells delicious, and my stomach growls.

“I don’t think anyone has ever used this wok.” She takes out bowls while I set the table.

“I don’t think anyone has ever cooked in this kitchen. At least not as long as I’ve lived here.”

“Seriously?” Her voice goes high as she spoons a serving into my bowl. “Enough?”

“If it’s as good as it smells, I’ll have seconds.”

That makes her smile, and she preps her own bowl, following me to the table, where Haddy sits, waiting for the rest of her dinner.

I refill our wine glasses, and we all sit at the table. “To our very first family dinner.”

“Aw! I should’ve made something fancier.” Raven looks down at the brown rice with bright red, green, and yellow peppers and small white shrimp.

“We’re not too fancy around here.” I take a big bite, sitting back as the savory flavors fill my mouth. “Dang, Pink, this is as good as anything you’d get in a restaurant. How’d you do it?”

“Fish sauce.” She nods, like it’s a secret. “Most amateur cooks don’t remember to add it.”

“I had fish sauce?” I glance at the pantry, thinking about her dragging me in there for a brief makeout session and kind of wishing she’d do it again.

I only go in there when I need snacks. Or when Haddy needs a snack.

“You have all kinds of stuff in that pantry. It’s all very expensive, braggy food, too.”

“What’s braggy food?”

“It’s all labeled like it’s the best food ever made on the whole entire planet and if you eat it, you’ll turn into some kind of superhuman Marvel character who lives forever.”

“Well, hell, why do we order out so much?”

She laughs, shaking her head. “I was just following your lead. I’ll cook more.”

“Only if you want to.” I hop up to grab Haddy’s veggies, studying the jar as I walk back to the table. “Who taught you to cook?”

“I taught myself.” She sits back, taking a sip of wine. “I’d watch the cooking shows on the Food channel, and I just liked it. It was relaxing to me. It’s how I met your sister—she was really into peppers and using them in dishes, and we both took the cooking excursion on that Caribbean cruise.”

“That’s right. Dylan told me about that.” Her expression dims, and I glance back as I give Haddy her bite of creamed spinach. “What’s wrong?”

“I just… nothing.” She seems embarrassed, and she’s not smiling.

An unexpected surge of protectiveness rises in my chest, and I’m ready to find out who to punch. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“It’s nothing. Just my mom.” A sad little curve lifts the side of her lips. “She always had something to say about my dishes. She liked to tell me what girls eat.”

Sitting straighter, I frown. “Do girls eat different foods than boys? ”

“Absolutely. For example, a handful of almonds is a better snack than a bag of chips.”

“I mean, that’s true. Nuts have protein and other stuff…” I catch her annoyed expression. “But they’re way better covered in chocolate.”

The tension eases slightly, but it’s not entirely gone. “She would say I could chew a bite of candy bar, but I had to spit it into the trash instead of swallowing it.”

“That’s fucked up.” I give our daughter another bite of spinach, and she hums as she eats it. “See, even Haddy agrees with me.”

“She would’ve been so proud I lost weight when I was pregnant.” Raven stands, carrying her bowl to the sink. “She’d tell me to brush my teeth to make the hunger go away. Once she even popped me with a hairbrush for eating a cupcake.”

“Okay, that’s just shitty. Who do I punch?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I’m exaggerating.” She sits at the table again, lifting her glass of wine with a sigh. Then she shakes her head. “No, I’m not. And Lawrence Calder O'Halloran was right there with her. He started the nickname Biscuit—right after I’d made a plate of drop biscuits for him.”

“I’d like to meet that guy.” So I can punch him in the face. “Your dad never defended you?”

“He started calling me Biscuit, too, like it was cute or something.” She moves her fingers around the stem of her glass, and I try to imagine how I’d respond to her treating Haddy that way.

“I couldn’t do it,” I confess. “I’d have to say something if you were treating Haddy that way.”

“Because you love her.” Her lips tighten. “The messed up part is my Mom was so certain about everything… all the time. Now, with the way people act about bodies and size, I wonder if she might’ve been right all along. She was an important woman after all.”

A note of bitterness is in her tone, and I put down the spoon.

I slide to my knees in front of her, reaching for her hands. “ Look at me, Pink.” It takes a minute for her pretty amber eyes to drift to mine. “Your mom was wrong. You’re beautiful, and I happen to love drop biscuits. I hope you’ll make them for me someday.”

Her eyes mist, but a tiny smile teases her lips. “Maybe I will.”

“You’d better.” I chuckle, rising back into my chair. “Do whatever you want in here. Make the place your own.”

“Okay.” She nods, glancing around the kitchen. “It’s a shame to let such a great room go to waste.”

“It’s all yours.”

I don’t even feel awkward saying it. It simply feels right.