Page 42 of A Me and Him Thing
So much happiness lives in this once-quiet house. This is no longer a house of mourning, a house of grief and despair.
This is a house of joy.
Chapter Twelve
WE’RE EACH GIVENseveral pieces of cardstock and a marker to record our answers. Ren and I find a couple of vacant folding chairs and take our seats.
“Okay,” Michelle says. “I’m going to ask some trivia questions about the expectant parents to see how well you know them. Whoever gets the most answers right wins a prize. Jerry will be keeping track.”
Her husband waves his pencil and scoring paper in the air, faking excitement at his task.
Michelle ignores her husband’s mockery. “First question: Who will be more nervous when labor starts? Sawyer or Quinn?”
That’s easy. Definitely Sawyer.
As everyone reveals their answers, they’re all sayingQUINN. Ren nudges me, so I hold up my answer. Mine saysSAWYER.
“Hold up your answer, Sawyer and Quinn,” Michelle tells them.
Quinn has a stack of answer cards on her lap, and she holds one up. It saysSAWYER. “When he drove me to the hospital when I was in labor with Josie and Jordyn, he took so many wrong turns, I thought we’d never get there. We were lost in Newport—the town he grew up in—for twenty minutes. I worried I was going to give birth in the car.”
The crowd laughs, and a few men tease Sawyer. He laughs right along with them. “I’m sure it’ll be no different this time around.”
Michelle says, “Bree is the only one who got that one right. Next question: Who is more likely to get up in the night with the baby?”
Several couples reveal their answers. They all sayQUINN, as though it’s laughably obvious.
I know differently. Sawyer always used to get up in the night, change Josie and Jordyn’s diapers, and bring them to Quinn for nursing. Hey, there’s a reason why Quinn adores him so much.
I hold up my card. It saysSAWYER.
Quinn holds up their answer. The card saysSAWYER. “He spoils me.”
Sawyer and Quinn sneak a quick kiss. I don’t avert my eyes. I take it all in and allow myself to feel happy for them.
I glance at Ren, and he nods at me, like he’s saying, “You’re doing great.”
“Next question,” Michelle goes on. “Who will ask for pain medication during labor first?”
A few “Aw, c’mons” wander around the room. Along with “That one’s easy.” The general consensus is once again Quinn. After all, she’s the one who will be experiencing the pain of labor.
Everyone looks at me, including Ren, awaiting my answer. I hold up my card. “Sorry, guys. That would be Sawyer. Are you kidding? He can’t bear to see Quinn in pain.”
Quinn holds up her card. It saysSAWYER. “It’s true. He channeled his inner Shirley MacLaine fromTerms of Endearmentwith the nurses last time and demanded they give me pain medicine immediately. He was out of control.”
The room fills with loud laughter. Sawyer just shakes his head, taking it all in stride. He’s a good sport.
Michelle moves on. “Next question: What is Mom’s favorite food, and what is Dad’s favorite food?”
Guesses abound as couples hold up their answers.CHICKEN ALFREDO AND TACOS, YOGURT AND STEAK, PICKLES AND ICE CREAM AND A BURGER. No one is even close.
“You know this one?” Ren asks me.
“Easy-peasy.”
“Glad you’re here?”
“Yeah, I am.” I love being the one who knows all the answers. It makes me feel close to Quinn, like I want to announce to everyone that I’m her best friend, and I know her better than anyone. While I know Sawyer too, I would’ve known these answers regardless of my fleeting relationship with him, so it doesn’t feel weird.
