Page 26 of Wolves & Watercolors
Poppy releases me and I wipe my hand across my skirt. Lazuli whispers something to his wife, so I leave the lovebirds to their banter and wander back to Marigold. She stands by the table, her gaze sweeping the crowd and her mouth in an analytical frown.
“It’s going great,” I reassure her.
“Yeah, I think so too. Just trying to decide if it’s time for a game.”
“Maybe let people clear their plates first?”
“Good idea.” She shakes off her serious expression. “So are you ready to be an auntie? You’ll have to make these visits a regular thing.”
“Hopefully,” I say sincerely. It’s gorgeous here and I feel incredible after a few nights of uninterrupted sleep and quiet days in the fresh air.
“Okay, I can’t wait any longer! It’s game time.” The last sentence is shouted, and the room quiets. Marigold grins, addressing the group. “We have two games, and the first is a competition. I need five volunteers.”
Among the familiar faces, I spot a few strangers, but no Cedar. Disappointment sinks in my chest.
“Slate, you have to compete,” Marigold demands, before picking four others from the raised hands. Jasper and Onyx play along, along with Cassia and a gorgeous woman with long, dark braids named Fern.
Marigold produces five babydolls and a pile of diapers from a bin behind the table. She gives Slate and Hazel a guilty smile. “I know you’re cloth diapering most of the time, but I figured you’d need a few disposables just in case. And I thought we could test them out! Let’s see who can diaper their baby the most times in sixty seconds.”
Fern lets out a throaty laugh and winks at the boys. “You guys are screwed. We’re the only ones with experience.”
Slate shrugs. “Might as well start now.”
“Get your babies ready!” Marigold distributes materials gleefully.
The competitors sit in a row on the living room rug and pull their babydolls closer. Each has a stack of diapers within reach.
“Set, and go!” Marigold yelps, jumping in place.
Disposable diapers fly as the boys struggle to place a diaper under their baby’s butt and line up the tabs. Cassia and Fern move like professionals, unfastening their first diapers and slipping a second around their babies.
Onyx tears the tabs off his first diaper but keeps trying to fasten it anyway. Finally he tugs off the diaper and tosses it behind him. Ember and Marigold double over in laughter, and I can’t help but join in. Even Onyx throws his head back and laughs wildly while he reaches for a new diaper.
Slate tugs a diaper off his babydolls too forcefully, causing his baby to somersault and land on its head. He stays focused, centering his baby and slipping another diaper under its butt, only to hit it with the heel of his hand and send it skidding toward Jasper.
“Watch it!” Jasper growls, picking his babydoll up by the ankle to avoid Slate’s flying baby. His half-fastened diaper sags and flops down to its knees.
“And time!” Marigold squeals, bouncing in place as she claps.
Fern and Cassia hold up their babydolls with triumphant smiles. Slate sets his reclaimed baby down with a thunk, his face the definition of resigned. Onyx exhales dramatically and flings another torn diaper over his shoulder, but it curls around his hand and slings sideways to hit Jasper in the head.
“Let's see how many diapers you did!” Marigold manages to say between giggles. “Come on guys, it can’t be that bad.”
Slate glares at her, only for Jasper to shove his shoulder and knock him sideways into Onyx. Marigold shakes her head, counting their piles.
“Alright, in last place is Onyx with two diapers. At least you got two!”
Onyx pumps his fist in the air.
“And in fourth place is Jasper, with four diapers. Slate is third with five diapers! And then Fern takes second with twelve diapers and Cassia wins with thirteen!”
“Thirteen?” Onyx says, holding up his hand to high-five Cassia.
She smiles at him ruefully. “It’s okay, you’ll get better someday, when you have your own kid.”
“No, no way, nope,” Ember says, standing and stepping away from Onyx. He grins and scrambles up to pursue her. She shrieks laughter and darts out the front door with her boyfriend on her heels.
That’s when I spot Cedar leaning against the wall. He looks like a kicked puppy. One look in those apologetic eyes and I’m rethinking our disagreement. What if I was being unreasonable? I should make things right. It wouldn’t be right to risk making things awkward for Hazel. Though if I’m honest, I’m more interested in repairing the relationship so I can continue to enjoy his company.
