Page 87

Sophie

Thatconversationwithmy parents went much better than I was expecting. I guess we weren't as elusive as we’d thought. Not only has my mom picked up on things, but Penny has seen us on the couch almost every night. How embarrassing.

Although I definitely feel lighter now that it’s all out in the open and we don’t have to hide anything. And things with Drew are amazing, so why hide our relationship?

Dad was definitely more freaked out than anyone else, but David’s input was helpful. I’m going to have to inform Drew later about David finding us asleep on his couch together back when we all got sick.

The family drama proved to be a little much for Bradley Vanderven. He and his son suddenly had somewhere else to be once we all returned to the patio after our kitchen conversation. And I’m definitely not complaining about their early exit. I feel like I can breathe now.

Once everyone has finished their dinner, we all help clean up the mess. The kids run back to the playroom to play, and the adults open a bottle of wine and sit on the patio. You never know what September in the Midwest will do, but this September has been extremely pleasant. None of us are in a hurry to go back indoors. It’s actually really nice for Drew and I’s relationship to be out in the open now, especially since everyone seems fine with it. Aside from Dad’s initial angry outburst, of course.

Drew sits next to me and keeps our hands intertwined. Every so often, the breeze blows a strand of hair in my face, and Drew brushes it aside.

Amidst all the hubbub, I had completely forgotten that Madden and Odette were stopping by to get Oliver on their way home from the hospital. They walk through the patio doors. Madden is carrying little Bradford in his car seat. The car seat swallows him up and makes him look so tiny.

They both look exhausted, but happy. Obviously excited to show off their new baby. Odette’s hair is in braided pigtails and she’s wearing her glasses, which mostly hide the dark circles under her eyes. She looks comfortable in a t-shirt and yoga pants. Even Madden is in casual wear, which looks weird since he’s normally very put together. But today he’s wearing sports shorts and a t-shirt that says, “Today I don’t feel like doing anything. Except my wife, I’d do her.”

“Madden, what on earth are you wearing?” Mom asks with a disgusted look on her face.

“Mom, I’m so tired. You’re lucky I’m even fully dressed at all. I grabbed the first t-shirt in my drawer without even looking at what was on it.” He finishes his sentence just before a big yawn takes over his face.

She rolls her eyes. “I’ll let it slide this once. Now, let me hold that baby!”

She makes grabbing motions with her hands toward the car seat. Madden and Odette wanted to have privacy at the hospital, like they did when Oliver was born. My parents took Olly to meet his baby brother yesterday, but besides them, none of us have seen him yet.

We all surround my mom as she unbuckles Bradford from his car seat. He has thick blonde hair curling around his nape and forehead and he curls up like a little hedgehog as Mom pulls him out of his car seat.

Everyone in the room makes a collective “aww” sound.

I clutch my heart and move forward to pet his soft baby-hair. “Oh my gosh, he’s just so precious.”

My mom snuggles him close and Dad sidles up next to her to kiss his new grandson on his chubby cheek. Oliver runs out onto the patio with the girls trailing behind him.

“My baby brudder is here!” He exclaims, putting his hands out to stop the girls from coming any closer. “Don’t get your germs on him.” He states with his lisp, drawing a laugh from all of us.

“Okay, Mom, you got to hold him, now it’s my turn!” I reach for my new nephew and Mom begrudgingly relinquishes her grip on him. I snuggle him into my chest and smell his head. “Oh, he smells so good.”

“New baby smell is the best,” Odette says as she comes up next to me.

She lays her head on my shoulder to look at her son, but her eyes close the minute she lays her head down. Madden comes up beside her and grasps her shoulders, bringing the weight of her onto himself instead of me.

Drew is on my other side, staring at Bradford with a tender gaze. “I really miss the baby stage,” he whispers, his lips brushing against my ear. He kisses me on the cheek without thinking, and Madden’s eyes bulge out.

“Um, did I miss something while my wife was giving birth to a tiny human?”

“Oh yeah, Drew and Sophie apparently make out all the time on Drew’s couch,” Brooks says with a shrug of his shoulders.

Now Odette’s eyes fly open. “I’m sorry, what?”

“We do not make out all the time!” Drew whisper-yells. “Only after the girls go to sleep … or, at least, we thought they were asleep. And we’re dating, not just making out.”

Odette looks up at Madden with a smirk. “You owe me $100.”

Madden heaves a heavy sigh. “My wallet is in the car.”

My jaw drops. “Wait, you made a bet about this?”

“You two haven’t been able to keep your eyes off of each other for two months.” Odette smiles, then leans back into Madden and closes her eyes again.