“No, you’re not. See? We’ve got this.”
I show them the wrenches, and Nic scowls. “That one is way too small.”
“What about these?” I ask, showing her the others I found.
“That big one might work.”
I discard the others, open the cabinet to the pipes, and all three of us struggle to get on the floor.
“I’m wearing way too tight of a dress for this,” Nic says with a scowl. “Seriously, someone’s going to walk in here and see up my skirt to my vagina and Matt’s gonna be pissed. He’ll spank me.”
“Why aren’t you wearing panties?” Lia asks.
“Because Matt forbade it,” Nic replies as if she just said that her hair is brown.
“Excuse me,” Lia says, stopping me from trying to fit the wrench on the pipe. “Did you just say he forbade it?”
Nic grins. “Oh yeah. And it’s sexy as fuck when he gets all dominant on me. It’s our thing.”
“Huh. I had no idea,” Lia says.
“But now you’re going to get me in trouble,” Nic says, sticking her lower lip out.
“Oh, for Godsake. Pull it together.” I roll my eyes and kick my brand new shoes off in frustration. “Take one for the team here, Nic.”
“I’m down here, aren’t I?” she replies and lays back to take a look at the pipe. “Here, hand me the wrench.”
I happily comply, and Lia and I join her, lying under the sink and watching her try to fit the wrench around the silver pipe.
“How is it dusty under here?” I wonder aloud. “Like, how does dust actually get under the sink? Isn’t that defying the laws of gravity or something?”
“I found dust inside my shoes,” Lia says with a shrug. “I think the dust is alive.”
“That’s disgusting.”
Nic grunts with the exertion of trying to turn the wrench and then collapses on the ground. “This thing is on there tight.”
“Oh my God, you guys, we have to find it.” Lia shakes her head and wipes under her eyes. “And I need my emergency makeup bag from the car because I refuse to spend my engagement party looking like a goddamn raccoon.”
“Oh, honey, you don’t look like a raccoon.” I pat her shoulder, but she turns wet eyes to me.
“I will if we don’t find my ring.”
“I’m gonna get this mother fucker off,” Nic says, grunting again as she tries to turn the wrench.
“Would it help if I push as you pull?” I ask her and try to get some leverage under the sink to help. “God, it’s so uncomfortable down here. How do plumbers do it?”
“They’re not in tiny dresses and heels,” Nic grumbles, blowing a piece of her hair out of her eyes. “Lia, you owe me a makeover after this.”
“I’ll come to your house and do your makeup every damn day if you find my ring,” Lia pledges, holding up her hand as if she’s swearing on the Bible. “I’ll carry babies for you.”
Nic smiles softly. “Thanks for the offer, but we’re adopting.”
“WHAT?” I shriek and pull her into my arms for a hug. “You are? When? You have to tell me everything.”
“After we find my ring,” Lia says. “And yes, we need all of the details.”
Because of PCOS and diabetes, Nic didn’t think she’d ever be able to have children. My brother, Matt, has been amazingly supportive and wonderful, but I didn’t know they’d decided to adopt. I couldn’t be more excited for them.
“Thanks,” Nic says with a goofy smile. “She’ll be here in just a few months.”
“She?” I pull her in for another hug. “Another baby girl in our family!”
“Oh no,” Lia says, tears streaming down her face. “I’m totally a raccoon now, and I don’t care. Nic, I’m so excited for you.”
“Matt’s so cute about it,” Nic says as she props her head in her hand. “He’s already bought some little outfits and stuff, but you guys, I haven’t bought anything. I don’t want to get my hopes up too high.”
“Why?” Lia asks.
“What if the birth mom changes her mind?” Nic whispers. “What if something horrible happens with the pregnancy?”
“Oh sweetheart, don’t talk like that.”
“I know, it’s totally horrible to think this way, but I can’t help it. I’m terrified that I’ll be standing in that birthing room with her, and the baby will come, and the birth mom will tell me that she can’t give her to me.”
Nic turns worried brown eyes to me. “I get it. I couldn’t give my baby up,” I reply and pet her arm, trying to reassure her. “But she’s doing this for a reason, Nic. Maybe she doesn’t have a choice. Or she just knows that she can’t provide for the baby like you can, and she’s doing the bravest, most wonderful thing in the world. She’s so fucking amazing.”
“I know,” Nic says, swallowing hard. “We got to meet her, and she’s really nice. I’m just trying to keep it together until all is said and done and the papers are signed.”
Lia pulls her phone out of a pocket I didn’t even know she had.
“Shit, guys. Wyatt just texted and wants to know where I am.”
“Back to the task at hand,” Nic says, pulling on the wrench again. “Damn it, I don’t know if I can get this fucker off.”
“Why do men screw them on so tight? Are they just trying to prove how strong they are?” I ask.
“Or, you know, trying to prevent leaks,” Nic says with a smirk.
“Or that,” I agree. “Hold please.” I reach up and flip a switch. “There, the floor will heat up. My ass is getting cold.”
“Good call,” Lia says. “But let’s hurry this along. He’ll come looking for me any minute.”
“Should we try a different screwy thing?” I ask, checking out the pipe. “It looks like it might attach here, too.”
“Maybe,” Nic says, thinking it over. “I just didn’t want to make too much of a mess.”
“I don’t give a shit about the mess, let’s just get the ring out, and then we can clean up.”
“Yes, that’s the best plan,” Lia says, nodding vigorously. “It came in a red box, you guys. This isn’t a cheap ring, or easy to replace.”
“Okay, pass me the middle wrench,” Nic says, holding her hand out, and I pass it to her, feeling like I’m assisting a surgeon.
“I didn’t expect to spend today like this,” I admit with a laugh. “We’ll think it’s funny ten years from now.”
Suddenly, someone clears their throat from the doorway, and we all stop moving, staring at each other, until my husband says, “What, exactly, are you doing?”
Nate
I haven’t seen Julianne in more than ten minutes. It’s unlike her to disappear at a party, especially when she’s hosting, but every time I try to go search for her, I get sidetracked by another family member.
I never expected when I was growing up with just me and my dad that I’d end up in a family with the population of Arizona. It’s everything I never knew I needed.
“Did you have some of this quiche?” Caleb asks as he goes back for seconds.
“Not yet,” I reply.
“Well, you’d better hurry because I’m about to decimate it.” He laughs and digs in.
I keep going back for the crab cakes. The spread is impressive, and I’ll have to send a personal note of thanks to the master chef, Suzanne. She’s never let me down.
I wander over to Natalie and smile at my daughter, who’s perched on Nat’s lap.
“Hi there, peaches.”
“Hi, Daddy.” She smiles and takes a bite of a donut.
“Have you been eating lots of sugar?”
Her eyes widen and she shakes her head innocently, but Natalie laughs and nods.
“Hmm. No more after that donut, okay?”
Stella grins, sugar coating her tiny pink lips and bats her eyes at me. “Maybe just one more?”