Page 90 of The Pass Protection
Chloe rolls her eyes. “It’s time for presents!”
Moving over to the table, I reach for my packages for the happy couple. “Okay, but I have to go first.”
“Girl, you didn’t have to get us anything,” Brynn says, facing me. Her smile is bright, and her pregnancy glow casts an almost halo-like effect around her.
Bouncing over to the mom and dad-to-be, I place one box in Quinton’s outstretched hand and the other gift in Brynn’s before sliding out of the way. She tries to balance the box around her belly but struggles. With a huff, she tells Q she’ll just wait to open hers until he’s done.
Slipping his finger beneath the envelope flap, he breaks the seal and pulls out the card. As he opens the card, something lands on his lap. He grabs the item before tipping his head back and laughing. Placing the ring on his finger, he twirls the white embroidered key chain with an image of New Balance 608 sneakers with an embroidered “Dad Life” below.
“This is great,” he howls. Q holds it up, and everyone chuckles at the unofficial-official pair of dad shoes.
Placing the card and keychain on the small table Chloe placed between the chairs, he unwraps the gift. As he removes the top layer, his eyes flit to mine. “You didn’t.”
I wink as he continues to open the gift. Murmurs of “what is it?” come from the group. Flipping the top of the box, Quinton pulls out his very own pair of “dad sneakers.”
“Oh my god, you’re going to look so hot in those,” Brynn says.
JP whoops from his seat. “Leave it to the sneaker queen to get our boy some dad kicks.”
“How’d you know my size?”
I shrug nonchalantly. “I have my ways.”
“My turn!” Brynn shouts eagerly.
Q thanked me as he placed the box on the floor before helping his wife unwrap her gift. Ripping open the paper, she moves tissue paper out of the way before pausing, her hands hovering over the items. Her eyes snap to mine as tears escape her blue eyes.
Slowly and gently, she begins pulling out items. A clear, round decorative piece fixed to a wooden block is on top of a cream-colored crochet blanket. Doves flying through the air with clouds and the sun are engraved in the acrylic. A wooden-handled rattle with a soft shade of tan crocheted dove’s head and a matching baby lovey made with soft fleece and the same style crochet dove finish the package.
“This is perfect.” Emotion clogs her throat as she gently places everything back in the box. She hands it to Quinton as she gets out of her chair and waddles her cute self over to me. She puts her hands around my shoulders and pulls me in for a suffocating hug. “Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome. Crew told me the story, and I thought you’d like to have doves looking over your sweet baby.” She sniffles before pulling away. She waddles back to her seat after a quick peck to my cheek.
The rest of the evening is spent with more laughing and crying as all of the gifts are unwrapped. Everyone seemed to have the same idea for Quinton—lighthearted gifts to help ease their nerves, which come with welcoming their first baby. Brynn’s gifts were a mix of sentimental and the essentials. Chloe gifted a journal for Brynn to write letters to her baby and track growth and other significant items. While the practical items were a variety of adorable gender-neutral outfits, bottles, a baby monitor, bedding, and everything in between.
Everyone shared the same excitement as we watched. As the evening starts to come to a close, Brynn stands from her chair and gets our attention.
“Thank you all so much for coming to shower us with all of your love. Chloe, thank you for planning the surprise. I should have known something was up with how you’ve avoided me.” She winks at her bestie, who feigns innocence. “It’s no secret that Q and I have had our issues with our parents. But one thing is for certain—you are our family. In the four years that we’ve been at CTU, our group of friends has meant more to us than that. I can’t imagine life here without you all in it.”
“Which makes this next part so fucking hard.” She pauses, looking up at Q as she grips his hand. “After talks with Q and my counselors, I’ll graduate at the semester’s end.”
Shock ripples around the group as Chloe’s eyes well up with tears. “Wait, what?”
“I was able to work a few things out by taking an extra class this semester, but I have enough credits to graduate. Besides, you guys don’t want a baby cramping your style.”
“Uncle Cody doesn’t care about his style.” Q groans as Brynn chuckles.
“Q will be in the off-season, and I’ll have our baby. It’s just time to say goodbye. My time at CTU is over.” A sob rips through her chest as she says her last word. Everyone stands and makes their way over to them.
Even with the heavy news, the day has been nothing short of perfect. These people discovered each other at a time when no one knew who they were. Friendship blossomed as a familial bond grew more profound in the time spent together. And as final hugs of goodbye are given, the love shines through as we all wait with anticipation of the arrival of our newest member.
Inever thought I would say I was happy to be in a bland, dull, quiet study room at the campus library. After a very emotionally heavy weekend, which included the surprise reunion with my brother and Brynn announcing she was moving, I was exhausted by Monday morning. We all knew it wouldn’t be long before Brynn moved, but no one expected it to be in a month.
As happy as I am for everyone, it feels weird that our little family is starting to break apart. It was inevitable, with our group consisting of people my age and a year older, but you don’t realize how fast time goes until you’re staring the end in the face. Brynn graduates this winter, then we’ll lose a good chunk of our group next spring. Cody and Chloe, JP and Grant, and Gregg and Macy will be calling their time at CTU over.
At least I’ll still have Harris.
And Bret. How has it been only three months since she came strolling back into my life? Three months of turning my world upside down with her perfect, high-pitched throaty laugh. Her green eyes remind me of my hometown lake and are now left unguarded. The confidence she has to crack jokes and bust our balls as if she’s been a part of our CTU family for years.
