Chapter 38 Solana #2
“—and I’m telling you, I’ve never seen anything like it in my life,” he says, shaking his head in disbelief. “It was everywhere. Up her back, down her legs, somehow in her little curly hair. I didn’t even know a baby could produce that much shi—”
“We get it!” Kori shrieks, laughing so hard she’s wiping tears from her eyes. “Oh my god, Logan, we’re eating!”
“I’m just saying,” Logan continues with a half grin. “Nobody warns you about the blowouts. They tell you about the sleepless nights and the crying, but nobody mentions the hazmat-level diaper situations.”
Teysha buries her face in her hands, shoulders shaking with laughter. “He called me while I was out at the grocery story. Actually called me. I thought something was seriously wrong, and then he just starts venting about poop.”
The table roars.
Sunny chuckles warmly, dabbing at her mouth with her napkin.
“Welcome to parenthood, folks. Though I have to say, this reminds me of a time when Kori was a baby. Same situation—blow out that stunk up the whole house. Her father was watching her while I was out, and when I came back, that man was damn near in tears. Had the baby in the sink, the diaper in the trash outside, and he was just standing there looking shell-shocked.”
Kori groans, dropping her head onto Cash’s shoulder. “Thanks, Mom. Really appreciate you sharing that delightfully embarrassing anecdote with everyone.”
“That’s what mothers are for, baby.”
The laughter settles into warm chuckles as everyone returns to their food. Then Mick leans forward, his weathered face creased with a grin.
“So, Logan, Teysha,” he says casually, “when are you two blessing us with baby number two?”
The table goes quiet in anticipation of their answer.
Logan and Teysha exchange a look. One of those loaded, meaningful glances between a couple that says more than words ever could. The subtlest shade of flushed pink suffuses with Teysha’s brown complexion as she starts fiddling with her napkin.
“Um, well, we’re not—I mean, we haven’t really—”
“Nothing’s, uh, nothing’s going on,” Logan finishes for her with a clear of his throat. “Just focused on Chloe right now.”
Zoe’s head snaps up like a dog catching a scent. She elbows Ozzie hard enough to make him grunt, her eyes going wide.
“Wait a second. I know that look. What are you two hiding?”
“Nothing!” Teysha says too quickly. “We’re not hiding anything!”
“Mm-hmm,” Kori hums with a knowing smirk spreading across her face. “Then why have you been wearing nothing but loose sweaters and flowy dresses lately? I’ve known you for long enough, Tey. You dressed the exact same when you were expecting Chloe.”
Silver and I exchange a shocked but amused glance. He raises an eyebrow at me, and I press my lips together to keep from laughing.
Logan holds up his hands in surrender. “I plead the fifth. I’m not saying anything.”
“Could you two be more obvious?” Zoe asks.
“Okay, okay!” Teysha cracks, her face breaking into a huge smile. “Fine! Alright! I’m pregnant!”
The table explodes.
“I knew it!” Zoe shrieks triumphantly.
“How far along?” Kori demands, already out of her seat.
Teysha’s caught between a laugh and a sigh as she gives in and dishes more info. “Four months. I wanted to wait until I was out of my first trimester before saying anything. And I know Chloe’s only a few months old, but I’ve always wanted my kids close in age, so it works out—”
“You’re serious!” Sydney gasps. “Tey! Girl, you’re four months along?! That’s amazing! I’m—”
She cuts herself off abruptly, eyes going wide and mouth clamping shut once she realizes what she’s spilled too.
But it’s already too late.
The entire table has gone silent, every pair of eyes fixed on Sydney. Mason’s frozen beside her, his beer halfway to his lips.
Tito is the first to officially react. He leaps out of his chair, arms raised in celebration. “?Dios mío! ?Un doble milagro! Two miracles!”
“Sydney!” Teysha squeals. “Are you—?!”
“Yes! Four months!” Sydney exclaims in a burst of laughter. “We didn’t plan it, but we figured it was a sign. We just haven’t announced it with everything going on!”
Kori smirks, looking thoroughly unsurprised. “I already knew about yours, Syd. But I wasn’t going to say anything.”
Teysha pops up out of her chair and scurries around the table to pull Sydney into a hug, both of them gushing and talking over each other.
“We’re going to be pregnant together!”
“Cousins born almost around the same time!”
“You know what this means, right? We have to coordinate baby showers!”
Zoe throws her hands up in mock exasperation, though there’s a hint of humor in her tone. “Great, now we’ve got double baby showers to plan. You’re helping, by the way.”
She’s speaking to me, aiming a raised brow in my direction. I smile in response, excited by the prospect of helping out with their special milestones.
“Actually, that sounds great. I’d be honored.” I turn to Sydney and Teysha, who are still clutching each other like they’ve just won the lottery. “Congratulations, both of you. Seriously.”
Silver rises from his seat beside me, crossing to shake Mace’s hand and then Logan’s. “Congrats, brothers. You’re going to be outnumbered soon.”
Mace snorts. “Tell me about it. Especially if it’s a girl. It’ll be two against one.”
The room erupts into more celebratory chatter, everyone talking over each other about things like the pregnancies and Cash and Kori’s upcoming wedding.
Ozzie leans back in his chair, slinging his arm around Zoe. “You know, me and Zoe have taken things to the next level too. We’re sharing Netflix and Hulu passwords now.”
Zoe smacks his chest, but she’s laughing. “That’s basically marriage in this economy.”
After dinner, I find myself standing with the other old ladies in the living room, wine glasses in hand—except for our two expectant mothers—while the men congregate in the kitchen with their beers.
“I still can’t believe we’re both pregnant,” Teysha gushes, squeezing Sydney’s arm. “Our babies are going to grow up together! They’ll be best friends!”
Sydney beams. “We have our appointment to find out the sex soon. I’m so nervous.”
“Does Mace want a boy or a girl?” Zoe asks.
Sydney’s smile softens. “Surprisingly, he let it slip that he wants a baby girl. He tried to play it cool afterward, but I saw his face when he said it.”
“Logan’s hoping for a boy. He wants to give Chloe a little brother,” Teysha explains. She turns to Kori with raised brows. “This is going to be you and Cash soon, you know. Just you wait.”
Kori laughs, shaking her head firmly. “Oh no. Planning a wedding and actually getting married—for a second time, by the way—is more than enough on my plate right now. Kids aren’t even on the radar yet. Though my mom is already begging for grandbabies. She’s relentless.”
“That’s her job,” Teysha says. “Grandmas are legally required to be relentless about grandbabies. Mine is obsessed with Chloe. Sends her dresses and baby dolls every other week.”
I can’t stop smiling.
Standing here with these women, it’s as if I’ve finally found a group of friends. Other women who I can spend time with and feel like I fit in with. There’s no weird social dynamics like with Shay and Yvette, where I had to prove I was cool enough or could match their vibe when we went out.
These women accept me as I am with no judgment or mockery in sight.
I’m truly one of them. Officially an old lady now. Part of this strange and chaotic but beautiful family.
Which is why it’s so exciting to think about celebrating these moments with them—Kori’s wedding, Sydney and Teysha’s pregnancies, supporting Zoe as we help plan and coordinate everything.
For so long, I felt alone. Overlooked and invisible.
But not anymore.
My gaze drifts from the group of women, wandering across the room ’til it finds Silver. He’s standing with the men in the kitchen, beer in hand, laughing at something Ozzie just said. He seems to sense my stare, looking over in my direction.
Our eyes meet, and he winks at me. My heart flutters the same way it did the very first time, and like it will every day we’re together.