Page 113 of Healing Waters
Taryn nods, then welcomes them in, showing them around.
“Colton!” Wagner bellows from across the room, where there’s a group of them all sitting at a large table. “What’s this I hear about you gettin’ your boyfriend knocked up?! Come’ere and tell Mutha and I all about how we’re gonna be great-grands! Walt! He’s here! Fuck you at, old fella?”
Redness breaks out from under Petro’s facial hair. Morgan grabs his hand and gives it a squeeze, knowing he has been nervous about announcing his pregnancy to the rest of the family. “You know Gramps. It’ll be fine, I promise.”
Colton rolls his eyes and looks at me, like I was the one that spilled the beans to Wagner and not Morgan. “Well,” he huffs, “someone better call animal control, because the cat’s apparently out of the bag.”
I snort. “Look at you with the dad jokes already,” I tease.
“I’m sorrrryy, Doodle,” Morgan laments. “I couldn’t help it! I was so excited! I forgot what a blabbermouth he is!”
“We should probably go say hi to everyone,” Brooks notes.
Walking over, I take Tally off Mom’s lap, so she can eat without my daughter’s grabby hands in her face. “Were you a good girl for your grandparents last night?”
She nods, her sticky curls flopping wildly. Around each of Brooks’ legs, I watch as Tati and Terra attach themselves. They’ve gotten quite fond of their Uncle B.
“Where’s Gan?” I ask Mom.
“Well, hello to you, son,” she snorts. “Not real sure. He took off to the bathroom, but that was a while ago now.”
“You just saw me yesterday,” I reply drolly.
“Yeah, but only to dump your daughter off, and head for your date night…”
“We’re very sorry, Vickie. We were just excited as it was our first night in a long time.”
She waves him off. “I was young once too. I get it.”
I shoot Gan off a text. Not like him to just dump his girls off on Mom and Dad and just take off. Since he and Sarah’s split, I’ve been surprised to see him managing being a single parent oddly well—though I’m sure that’s in part to them co-parenting decently. I can’t tell you how many times he’s called Brooks and I, just asking for advice on how to raise girls and keep things civil with Sarah.
Seconds later, Gannett emerges from the bathroom, his hair looking tousled as hell and his cheeks flushed.
“You alright?” I ask him. “You look sick.”
“Yeah,” he huffs quickly. Suspiciously quickly. “You clean the boat?”
I roll my eyes. “Yes, I cleaned the fuckin’ boat. I’ve cleaned it every time I’ve borrowed it, since that first night.”
I pass Tally off to Brooks, and head over to the buffet with Gannett. He loads a plate for him and another for the girls. I fill one for myself and Tally to share and fix one for Brooks too. Getting seated, we all start to dig in, chatter and camaraderie all settling around us.
While everyone’s attention is now elsewhere, Brooks leans in and notes to me, “Biggest family meal to date.”
“Mhm,” I hum in agreement, swallowing my bite. “I bet your mothers would have been here too, if they weren’t on their cruise.”
He nods, then looks around the table. Seeing no one paying us any mind, he whispers, “Is it weird that, when you and Gannett were over getting food,Gordysnuck out of the bathroom, looking as equally rumpled as your brother?”
