Page 85 of The Outline


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The buzz of Renn’s phone in his pocket interrupted us just as he reached my hem. Rolling his eyes at the intrusion, he leaned back to check the message.

“Dammit! Robbie didn’t make it for detention today. They’re gonna add three more days.”

“Robbie got detention?” I wasn’t surprised Renn hadn’t mentioned it. He rarely volunteered any issues with his brothers.

“Yeah. His science teacher caught him scratching his initials into the wood of his desk. When she gave him a few days of detention, he kept mouthing off, so it turned into two weeks.”

“How very John Bender of him.”

“Huh?”

“The Breakfast Club?”

“The what?”

“Jesus. Never mind.”

“He’s at Ryder’s right now and I trust Lydia, so I guess I can wait to talk to him, but I wish he’d get it together. He’s not exactly headed to juvie, and his grades are okay, but the backtalk to his teachers is new. I don’t want things to escalate.”

I’d gotten along well with Robbie so far. He was on the cross-country and track teams at school, so we went running together sometimes. It was great because we got to hang out without the pressure to talk. I wouldn’t say we’d had any Hallmark moments, but hehadonce told me he liked me as Renn’s girlfriend, and that I made good cookies. I pulled Renn into a hug. “If there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know.”

“Don’t worry. I can handle my brothers.” Renn kissed me and ran his hands down my back. “Right now, I want to focus on you and this dinner with Zach and Teddy.” Renn loved to caretake. Hehatedbeing taken care of. He needed to understand it wasn’t a burden for me to hear about his family. I sighed as we exited the bedroom.

We had one more obstacle to navigate before getting out the door. Pete was coming by to keep an eye on Gage while we were out. Renn’s uncle let himself in, carrying a pizza.

“Hey, Pete,” I greeted him as the two men stared at each other.

“Um…hi, Sadie.” Pete took a chance on addressing his nephew directly. “I brought a pizza for dinner. Hope that’s okay.”

“There’s actually something staying warm in the oven.” Renn grew instantly irritated. “Chicken and broccoli.”

“Oh. I just know Gage likes pizza.”

“I’m sure he would love to have pizza for dinner. He’d also like ice cream for breakfast and to stay up and watchThe Daily Show. But it’s a school night.” Renn’s voice pitched higher.

Pete tried to thread the needle. “Okay then. Maybe I can just offer him a slice or two if he finishes his broccoli?”

“So you can be the hero and I can be the dick that denies him pizza?”

This was getting ridiculous. I put my hand on Renn’s bicep. “Pete’s compromise is okay, right?” I almost pointed out that there had been at least five school nights I could think of since we’d been dating when Renn had ordered pizza for dinner. He just refused to give Pete an inch. “It’s just pizza, not heroin, and we need to leave.”

Renn exhaled noisily as he gathered his hair into its bun-pony. “Fine. Gage’s finishing up in the shower now.” He grabbed my hand and pushed us past Pete. “We’ll be home by ten.”

I looked back to see Pete shaking his head in the universal motion forwhat the fuck just happened? He saw and gave me a tiny wave, mouthing, “Thank you.”

Our dinner withTeddy and Zach went smoothly. I presented them with my idea before the chips and salsa were even on the table. By drinks and appetizers, I had answered the twenty different ways Teddy had found to ask me if I was very, very sure I wouldn’t get too attached to the baby and change my mind. Three taco platters later, we’d agreed it would be prudent to contact a lawyer and get whatever legal protections we could, even if they wouldn’t be standard practice. By the time we’d ordered dessert, all four of us agreed this was the best baby-making option for Zach and Teddy.

“You’re positive you’re okay with this?” Zach asked his husband for the tenth time. “I trust Sadie with my life, but that’s because I know her almost as well as I know myself. I don’t want to get too excited and then find out you’d still rather do it through an agency.”

“Zach, if you tell me you like this idea, then I’m willing to put my trust in you. I realize that after the miscarriage you were really hesitating to go that route again. I saw how hard the process was on you.” Teddy reached an arm across the table and grabbed my hand. “But now Sadie is offering us another way, and for that, I am so grateful. Even if it scares me.”

I could see Teddy’s love for Zach at war with his natural inclination to do things by the book. “Is there anything more I can do to put your mind at ease?” I asked. Renn reached under the table and squeezed my leg in support.

“No. Loving Zach has been an unpredictable adventure. I hadn’t known how much color I was missing until he turned up the dial.” Teddy let go of my hand and turned back to Zach. “I’m scared shitless. I am. But let’s make this baby journey another adventure.”

“It’s gonna be great,” I assured him, lacing my fingers with Renn’s on my thigh. “And think of it this way—you’ll never have to feel weird about touching my belly or asking me how I’m doing too many times. I have no shame, either. One hundred percent, I’ll be calling you at three in the morning to bring me ice cream and hot sauce or whatever. And I will need near-constant foot rubs and pillow fluffing.”

“Should I already be regretting this?” Zach deadpanned.