Page 85 of Playing for Keeps

During the second half of our trip, Lola and I hit up Arcadia’s sister city. We visit Avalon’s amusement park two days in a row, riding the roller coasters, playing at the water park, and gorging ourselves on overpriced food.

After returning home, we assume Lola’s nausea and fatigue are related to a bad hot dog.

“Here, Lola, pee on a stick,” Ma-Poppy suggests when my exhausted wife won’t budge from my parents’ couch for eight hours. “I’ve stocked up on them since I figured someone in the family would get knocked up soon. I assumed the first preggo gal would be Alexis since her raccoon people are extremely fertile, but it might be a McGraw for the win.”

“Yay,” Lola mumbles, face down on the pillow. “I might have created life. Now, I’ll get to feel like shit for nine months.”

“No, baby, just for a few months,” Ma-Poppy promises while Lola crawls her way to the bathroom. “At the beginning and the end. But the middle part is great.”

Soon, I sit on the floor with Lola as we wait for the test result. She hides her face against my chest.

“Is it wrong that I hope I ate a diseased hot dog?” Lola asks me. “I’m rethinking the mom thing.”

“Nothing you do is wrong.”

“You’ll never win an argument if you talk like that,” she says with her face still pressed against my chest.

“I’ll win plenty. I’m surprisingly sneaky.”

Though Lola smiles at me, she seems drained of all her energy.

“If it’s a bad hot dog, this aversion to food will pass. If there’s a bun in your oven, we’ll need to find a way to get you to eat.”

“Uh-huh.”

“And if this test comes back positive, I’m bound to act like a complete jackass while announcing the news to my family. I’ll likely run around with the pee test and sing ‘Circle of Life’ at the top of my lungs.”

Laughing against my chest, Lola closes her eyes and goes quiet. I enjoy the silence. When we first got together, I felt the need to make noise to keep Lola from thinking too much. If she started doubting us, I worried she wouldn’t stop. That ended once the curse was broken, and Lola trusted in us.

I reach up to the bathroom counter and bring the test down for us to see.

“It’s not a hot dog,” I murmur.

Lola lifts her gaze and meets mine. “Do you really like the name Worth?”

“Yeah, baby. I can almost picture our boy. He’ll have dark hair and blue eyes. He’s going to have your great lips and my cowlick. Women will love him, and men are going to die of jealousy. Mostly, I can picture how much little Worth is going to love his ma.”

As Lola’s fears drop away, she smiles easily. “I can see him.”

Kissing her tenderly, I can barely contain my excitement. After a few minutes, I silently beg Lola to let me run around and announce our news to everyone.

“I want to claim the couch again,” Lola says and crawls away from me. “You go be a proud daddy.”

After I help Lola to the couch, I show Ma-Poppy the test result. Immediately crying, she jumps up and down.

“I’m going to take such good care of you,” Ma promises Lola who gives her a thumbs-up before hiding her head under a pillow.

Ma-Poppy and I head outside where we run around to share our news with everyone we find.

“Val created life!” Tuesday cries and jumps around with our mother.

My ma runs over to tell Justice who is just getting home from the shop.

“I was a grandmother first, and I’m eight grandchildren in the lead, so don’t get too high on your farts here,” Justice announces before beginning to bounce with Poppy. “You're going to be a meemaw!”

While the sisters celebrate, I get a hug from Queen Meemaw Christine and a proud wink from King Peepaw Jared.

By the time Pa-Emmett arrives home, the homestead has broken out into an impromptu party.

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