19. Dinner At Gus's

“Hey, Gus.”

The older woman stood with her arms crossed before holding up her pointer finger and gesturing for Waverly to come here. Waverly sighed as she dragged her feet over to her aunt.

Gus looked around the room at the customers intently watching them. “Don’t you people have better things to do? Quit starin’ and get back to your drinks!” She yelled before leading Waverly into the back room of the bar as the building once again filled with the sounds of hollering and glasses slamming into wooden tables.

“Okay, before you yell at me, I just want to say that he had it coming,” Waverly explained before Gus could even shut the door.

“Champ is a jackass,” Gus stated as she walked over to Waverly. “But I can’t have you causin’ a scene like that in my bar. I’m expected to chuck people out for fightin’, and I really don’t want to have to do that to you.”

Waverly nodded. “I know, I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“I know it won’t,” the older woman said with a stern look before giving Waverly a more curious one. “Is it true what you said?”

A look of confusion spread across Waverly face, unsure of what her aunt was talking about, but then she remembered that before she had booted Champ in the groin, she practically confessed quite loudly that she and Nicole were gay lovers. “Oh, uh. Erm,” she felt a ball of fear lodge itself in her throat as her mouth went dry. She cleared her throat before sharply exhaling. “Um, I…” She paused, too afraid to admit it, even though the hard part was over and all she had to say was ‘yes’. The adrenaline rush was completely gone now, and all that was left was a scared girl who was now faced with the terrifying task of coming out to the woman who had raised her.

“I was going to tell you…” She said in a voice so soft that it was almost a whisper.

“Darlin’, it wasn’t that much of a secret,” Gus chuckled. “I’m just glad to see you finally goin’ after what you really want.”

“Wh–what?” All of the blood had drained from Waverly’s face.

“I spent most of your life watching you become this smart, incredible woman. I’ve seen your triumphs, but I’ve also seen your struggles, and I could tell there was something there. That there was a part of you that you weren’t ready to let out into the world, and that’s okay. Although I’ll admit, it was difficult seein’ ya with all of those boys and not bein’ able to tell you that they weren’t right for you. But I’m glad to finally see you happy.”

Waverly beamed as happy tears filled her eyes.

“And that woman is a fine officer. She’s in my good graces.” Gus winked. She stumbled back a bit as Waverly lunged forward and wrapped her arms tightly around her shoulders.

“Thank you,” Waverly whispered, wiping her cheeks to keep them from spilling onto the woman’s shirt.

Gus pulled back and kissed Waverly’s cheek. “So, you’ll bring her over for dinner at my house tomorrow night. It’s been a while since we’ve all had a family meal and I want to properly meet…” She trailed off and Waverly realized that she’s waiting for her to give her name.

“Nicole,” Waverly filled in. “Nicole Haught.”

Gus nodded. “Tomorrow night, you and Nicole will come for dinner, 7 p.m. Does that time work for you both?” Waverly nodded with a smile. “Good. And tell Wynonna to bring that boyfriend of hers.” She winked at Waverly and smiled as she rubbed her niece’s shoulder before heading back out of the bar and to the upstairs apartment – which was mostly used to hold inventory.

Waverly smiled to herself for a moment, her heart still racing a hundred miles a minute before she decided to go back out to where Nicole was – which was at the bar, talking with Wynonna. As she caught Wynonna’s eye, the older Earp patted Nicole’s arm, signaling that she was back.

“So, what happened? Did you get in trouble?” Wynonna asked before turning to Nicole. “Waverly’s never gotten in trouble with Aunt Gus before, so you may be witnessing an important event in history.”

“I wasn’t in trouble,” Waverly replied as she squinted her eyes at her older sister, who looked utterly disappointed. “But she basically told me I couldn’t beat people up anymore.”

“Darn.” Wynonna snapped her fingers. “I was just beginning to enjoy this new violent Waverly.”

Waverly shook her head, still unconvinced that they were really related. She then looked over at Nicole and gave an unreadable look. “And also, she asked me about you.”

Nicole’s eyebrows shot up as she nervously sat up in her stool. “Oh? Uh, and what did you say?”

“I told her the truth, that we’re together.”

The redhead nodded. “And uh, what did she say to that?”

Waverly sighed as she looked away for a moment, really wanting to mess with Nicole before looking back at her with a grin. “She wants you over for dinner tomorrow night.”

All of the tension in Nicole’s muscles washed away in a long sigh of relief before she bit her lip and shook her head. “You’re so cruel.”

“Good luck Haught!” Wynonna said sarcastically as she patted the redhead’s shoulder. “Gus’s dinners always end up being a snoozefest. I’m glad I don’t have to go.” Wynonna chuckled.

“Oh that reminds me, Gus wants you there too,” Waverly added nonchalantly.

“Son of a bitch,” Wynonna hissed as she slammed her fist into the countertop.

“And she wants you to bring Doc as well.”

“Son of a mother fucking bitch!” She grabbed Nicole’s beer to take a gulp, but Nicole stopped her and took the drink out of her hand just before it reached her lips.

“Hey, the baby, remember?” Nicole chided.

“Oh, right.” Wynonna sighed as she massaged her left shoulder with her right hand. “They really need to make some kind of non-alcoholic alcohol for alcohol-dependent expecting mothers like me.”

“Are you going to tell her about the baby?” Waverly asked.

“I haven’t even told Doc about the baby,” Wynonna retorted.

“I’m no expert in dealing with an unplanned pregnancy, but shouldn’t the baby daddy know he’s the baby daddy?” Nicole asked as she took a sip of her beer, causing Wynonna to snarl in jealousy.

“Not if the baby daddy is an emotionally unavailable selfish asshole about 80% of the time.”

“Yes, it’s so obvious how you managed to get yourself into this situation with someone so charming.” Nicole replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Hey,” Wynonna pointed a finger at her. “He may be an asshole, but he’s a sexy asshole. And he’s not always bad. But sometimes a woman just needs a really good fuck, you know?”

Nicole looked at Waverly before flitting her eyes back over to Wynonna. “Uh, do you want me to answer that?”

“Please don’t.” Wynonna said with a hand raised.

“Okay, so you’re bringing him to dinner tomorrow night, right?” Waverly asked, desperately hoping the answer was yes.

“Meh, I probably won’t even go myself. I’ll just tell her I’m sick or something, which these days wouldn’t really be a lie.”

“No, you have to go!” Waverly exclaimed a little too loudly as she grabbed her sister’s arm with both hands. “If you don’t, it’ll just be me, Nicole, and Gus…and I don’t think I could handle that without having a nervous breakdown. Please Wynonna?” Waverly pleaded with clasped hands.

“Okay, okay. Fine, I’ll go.”

“Thank you,” Waverly sighed.

“But I don’t know about Doc. Depends on if he pisses me off between now and tomorrow night.”

---

The next night

Knock knock knock

Nicole wisped over to her front door and flung it open.

“Hey–” Waverly began, but she was quickly cut off by Nicole yanking her into the house and slamming the door shut.

“Help!” Nicole begged with a frazzled look on her face.

Waverly gave the redhead a once over and took in the sight of her unbuttoned white shirt with an untied black tie hanging unevenly around her neck. She then noticed that her jeans had only one pants leg cuffed at the bottom, clearly still debating which style looked better. She stifled her laughter behind her hand at the sight of the disheveled woman.

“Oh, honey...” Waverly consoled.

“I know, I know, I’m a mess. I’ve tried on thirteen different outfits. Thirteen! Waverly, I didn’t even try on that many outfits for our first date. I didn’t even know I owned that much clothing!”

Waverly reached out and rubbed her hands up and down the redhead’s arms that were held stiffly by her side. “Okay, breathe.” She waited for Nicole to audibly take a deep breath before she continued. “It’s just dinner. And it’s not a formal occasion, so you can save the tie for another night. And I mean that, because I think you would look extremely hot in a tie.”

Nicole half-smiled in response, making a mental note for herself to wear a tie on their next fancy date.

“How about you just wear your black jeans and that deep blue sweater of yours? You know, the one that makes your hair pop.”

“Are you sure that’s not too casual? I mean, I’m meeting your aunt, the person who basically raised you, for the first time as your girlfriend. I want to make a good impression.”

“Gus will probably wear her usual jeans and plaid shirt, I’m wearing this Shorty’s shirt and jeans…because I forgot to do laundry, don’t judge.” Nicole tilted her head once in understanding. “And Wynonna will probably wear sweatpants.”

“And Doc? If he goes…”

“Well, you know him. He’ll probably wear his usual cowboy get-up.”

Nicole snorted. “Yeah, what’s with that anyways? Does he know it’s the twenty-first century?”

“He’s just a fan of the old west. I think he grew up a sheltered child in Georgia.”

The redhead nodded as the corners of her mouth drooped down. “That makes a lot of sense.”

“But really baby, just relax.” Waverly stepped towards Nicole and wrapped her hands around her waist. “Gus is going to love you, I know she will. You’re an incredible woman, and she’s an excellent judge of character. You have nothing to worry about.” She smiled up at Nicole, urging her to relax as she brushed her thumb along the small of the woman’s back, causing Nicole to melt at the feeling. She then brought her hands around to the front of Nicole’s torso and slid them up the woman’s opened shirt before tangling them in auburn locks, pulling Nicole into a searing kiss.

Their mouths slid together as Waverly tilted her head to the side, deepening the kiss as she darted her tongue in and out. Nicole moaned at the contact, involuntarily bucking her hips. Her eyebrows knitted together as she delicately pulled out of the kiss.

“Waves,” she whispered in a whine, gasping for air.

“I know, I know. You’re out of commission for the next few days. I just wanted a kiss,” Waverly replied innocently as she dragged her finger down the middle of Nicole’s torso from her neck, between her breasts, and stopping at the waistband of her pants where she started tracing the line of it.

Nicole sighed as she shook her head, staring down at Waverly’s hand just below her naval. “You’re being so unfair.”

A smile touched Waverly’s face as she slid her left hand down Nicole’s right arm and entwined their fingers. “Come on, let’s go get you ready for dinner.”

After about twenty minutes of Nicole ironing her clothes, getting dressed, primping in the mirror, and finding the right shoes to wear, they finally headed out to Waverly’s Jeep to begin the ten-minute drive to Gus’s. It only took two minutes for the radio to steal Waverly’s attention away from Nicole.

“Oh my god!” Waverly shrieked as ‘No Scrubs’ by TLC came on the radio. “I love this song!” She turned up the volume and rocked from side to side while waving around her right hand around as she sang along...

“No, I don’t want no scrubs, a scrub is a guy that can’t no love from me, hangin’ out the passenger of his best friend’s ride, trying to holla at me!”

Nicole quirked an eyebrow at her girlfriend. “Wouldn’t all guys be scrubs for you? You know, since I’ve turned you gay and all.”

“Hey, I was already gay. You just dragged it out of me.” Nicole hummed in response. “And only the ones trying to holla at me,” Waverly teased back with a wink.

“So then yes, all guys.”

Waverly rolled her eyes. “I don’t get hit on that often.”

Nicole stared at Waverly incredulously. “Are you kidding me? Guys are constantly drooling over you. I have to admit, it’s been a little difficult not being able to show them that you’re mine. I would’ve waited as long as you needed me to for you to come out, but I’m glad it’s out there so everyone can know that you’re taken.”

“Oh, a little bit jealous, are we?” Waverly asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Not as jealous as you yesterday,” Nicole smirked.

A scowl spread across Waverly’s face as she gripped the steering wheel as tight as the tiny muscles in her fingers would let her. “There was no way Beverly Shaw was going to steal you from me.” Nicole could’ve sworn she heard an animalistic growl come from the girl.

“Baby, even if I wasn’t with you I would’ve said no. She’s not my type.”

“No? You don’t like sexy blondes with the body of a model?”

“Nah, I much prefer quirky brunettes with the body of a dancer,” Nicole grinned.

Waverly shook her head as she tried to hide her dopey smile. “Smooth-talker.”

She turned left down a long gravel driveway and parked right in front of a farmhouse that looked like it had been redone within the past few years. The outside of the long one-story home was yellow with a simple wooden porch that wrapped all the way around the house.

“You ready?” Waverly asked as she put the car in park and turned off the ignition. Nicole nodded with a trepid smile before stepping out of the car and following Waverly up the front porch.

Nicole took a deep breath as she watched Waverly open the front door before hesitantly walking behind her, gripping tightly with both hands onto the bottle of wine she had bought on her way home from work as if it would somehow protect her from any embarrassing or awkward situations.

“Gus?” Waverly called out.

“In the kitchen.”

Waverly smiled and looked at Nicole, peeling one of her hands from the bottle and taking it into her own. She kissed her cheek in a gentle manner in hopes of easing some of the woman’s nerves before pulling her down the hall and into the kitchen.

“Hey darlin’,” Gus greeted as she gave Waverly a hug and a kiss on the cheek. As soon as she pulled away she looked at Nicole, the corners of her mouth pulling back into a slightly stiff smile – as Gus didn’t smile that often. “And you must be the girlfriend.”

“Uh, Nicole, ma’am.” The redhead reached out to shake the woman’s hand. As soon as their hands touched Nicole was suddenly aware of how sweaty her palms were. She raised her eyebrows in embarrassment as her face went crimson, quickly but gently pulling her hand away from the woman. “I’m sorry. I’m a little nervous.” She awkwardly chuckled before wiping her palms on her jeans.

“No need to be nervous here,” Gus said with the warmest smile she could produce. “I’ve seen first-hand the way you protect this town, and I know Waverly’s in good hands. I’m not here to see if you’re worthy of datin’ my niece. She’s a grown adult who can make her own decisions and will date whoever the hell she wants to, no matter what I say anyways.” She shifted her eyes over to Waverly and gave a disapproving look, clearly referring to her pervious relationships. Waverly shrugged in response, and Gus looked back at Nicole. “I’m here to get to know ya better, because all I know right now is that you’re a police officer who likes my beer and my Waverly.” She looked down at the bottle in Nicole’s hand. “And who also brought wine.”

“Oh, um, yes ma’am.” Nicole handed her the bottle.

“And enough of that ma’am crap. Call me Gus.” She winked at Nicole.

“Gus,” Nicole corrected. Waverly could tell that she was visibly more relaxed since walking into the house.

Just when Gus was about to say something about sitting down and making themselves comfortable, she was interrupted by the front door bursting open, followed by the sounds of walls being knocked into.

“Shit!” Wynonna hissed. “What the hell?!”

“Good grief Wynonna, can’t you go anywhere without raisin’ a ruckus? Or without bein’ drunk.” Gus berated as she peered around the corner to see Wynonna disheveled and a bit frantic.

“I’m not drunk!” Wynonna snipped. “And why the hell did you put this ratty old rug here right in front of the door for people to trip over?!” The older Earp frustratingly slammed the door behind her before stomping into the kitchen.

“Where’s Doc?” Waverly asked, quickly changing the subject in order to keep the usual WWE SmackDown between her aunt and sister from happening so early in the night.

“He couldn’t make it. Had things to do.” She gave Waverly a pointed look, and the younger Earp quickly understood that Doc had indeed pissed Wynonna off at some point since yesterday, earning himself a revoke in invitation.

“Darn. I was hoping he would be able to make it,” Waverly replied, slightly disappointed.

“Cheer up, kiddo.” She wrapped an arm around her sister’s shoulder. “It’ll be nice having a ‘no boys allowed’ night. I figured you would appreciate that, since that’s your thing now.” She dropped her arm and punctuated her sentence with a playful wink at Waverly, who was sucking her tooth and shaking her head as she glared at Wynonna.

“Now be nice to your sister, Wynonna.” Gus scolded.

“Hey, I am nice! I’m happy about Wave and Officer Haughtcakes.” Nicole rolled her eyes in response to the latest pun. “But what’s the point of having a gay sister if I can’t make fun of her? …Or her stick-up-the-ass girlfriend?”

“I’m standing right here.” Nicole complained as she waved her hands around.

“I know. I can see the stick from here,” Wynonna replied.

“Or maybe that’s my gun.” She gave the older Earp a look of warning.

“Whoa, Haught, keep it in your pants.”

“Okay, that’s enough.” Gus interjected. “Wynonna, can’t you go five minutes without insultin’ somebody?”

Wynonna rolled her eyes as she groaned. “Relax Gus. It’s just some harmless witty banter to spice up this otherwise boring dinner. Besides, they know I’m just messing with them.” She smiled confidently as she looked between Waverly standing with her arms crossed giving a death glare, and Nicole who had her hands on her hips looking slightly offended. “Sheesh. Tough crowd tonight.”

“Look, I just wanna have a peaceful dinner. Is that too much to ask from my girls?”

“Fine. I’ll be nice.” Wynonna answered in a low, raspy voice as she rolled her eyes.

Knock knock knock

Wynonna’s face scrunched up in confusion as to who could be at the door, before it was immediately replaced with a smile as realization had dawned on her. “Let me guess, you burnt the lasagna so you ordered Chinese food?” She asked Gus – who gave her a stern look in response as she stood with her hands on her hips – before walking over to the door. When she opened it, she saw a short man with brown skin, who was standing there empty handed.

“Dude, you forgot the food.” Her eyebrows knitted together as soon as she recognized him. “Wait a second…Jeremy?”

“Hi!” He waved with an awkward smile.

“You work as a Chinese delivery guy?”

“Um, no? Gus invited me to dinner tonight.”

“You invited him?” Wynonna yelled from the front door as she pointed at him with her thumb.

“Don’t be rude, Wynonna,” Gus scolded as she walked down the hallway and towards the door. “Jeremy is new to town and doesn’t know many folks around here. So I insisted he join us for dinner and get to know at least us, since he’s working at our bar.” She turned to Jeremy and reached out for his shoulder to guide him inside. “Come on in darlin’. You’re welcome in this house.” She gave him a reassuring smile as he stepped through the front door before giving Wynonna a scowl and leading him into the kitchen, Wynonna sulking closely behind.

“I better not catch you staring at my ass,” Wynonna warned when they reached the kitchen. As soon as Jeremy turned around to face her, she pointed a finger at him. “Or any of my other body parts.”

“I don’t think that’ll be a problem. You’re not my type.” He stated with a breathy chuckle, clearly feeling a little uncomfortable.

“Honey, I’m everybody’s type.” Wynonna winked before walking over to the fridge to get herself a bottle of water.

“No beer tonight?” Gus questioned with a raised eyebrow.

“Uh, yeah. Trying to cut back.” Wynonna quickly explained. Gus looked at her suspiciously, but eventually shrugged her shoulders and turned her attention to the oven.

knock knock knock

“Okay, now that has to be the delivery guy.” Wynonna trotted over to the door and opened it, revealing Doc Holliday leaning against the door frame with his hands in his jean pockets as the long suit coat that covered his maroon button up flapped in the evening summer breeze.

“Good evening ma’am.” He tipped his hat before smirking at Wynonna. “Did you come here alone?”

“What are you doing here?” She asked, completely ignoring his flirtatious manner as she placed a firm hand on his chest and pushed him back before stepping out the front door so nobody would hear them. She continued in a harsh whisper, “I thought you weren’t coming tonight?”

“No, you said I wasn’t coming tonight. I never agreed,” he smiled.

She rolled her eyes, trying her best to refrain from punching him in the face.

“Besides, I brought whiskey,” he held up the unopened bottle as the corners of his mustache rose even higher. “And I know it’s your favorite.”

Wynonna glared at him, trying even harder to refrain from punching him in the face. “I told you, I’m trying to cut back on alcohol.”

Doc dropped his smile as he simultaneously dropped his hand with the bottle down by his side. He noticed the bottle of water in the Earp’s hand and his upper lip twitched in surprise. “Oh. I thought that was a joke.”

“Do I look like I’m joking?” She glared at him as she clenched her jaw, causing Doc to retreat back in fear.

“Uh, no. No ma’am.” The cowboy cleared his throat before shifting his eyes down to the whiskey in his hand and raising it up. “Uh, why don’t I take this to the kitchen.” He smiled awkwardly, quickly making his way over to the group of people where he knew he would be safe from Wynonna’s wrath. Wynonna rolled her eyes before shutting the door.

“Hey there. Wynonna said you weren’t joining us tonight.” Gus said before giving Wynonna a confused look.

“Guess he finished his things early,” Wynonna replied with a forced smile.

“Oh, okay. Well, why don’t you come help me set the dining room table? The lasagna’s almost ready.” Gus said as she handed Wynonna a stack of plates with a pile of silverware on top.

“Wait, you mean you actually didn’t burn it this time?” The older Earp asked in surprise.

Gus glared at the woman. “You’re never going to let me live that down are ya.”

“Nope.” She followed Gus out of the kitchen and into the dining room.

“We’re glad you could make it,” Waverly smiled as she rubbed Doc’s arm.

“Yeah, yeah…as am I,” Doc replied, half paying attention as he watched Wynonna fiddle with the silverware.

Waverly noticed Doc’s close observation of her sister. “Are you okay?”

He turned back to Waverly, taking a moment for her question to register. “Actually, may I talk to you in private for a moment?” Waverly nodded before following Doc into the living room.

As Jeremy leaned against the kitchen table, he watched Waverly and Doc walk into the adjacent room…or, more accurately, he watched Doc.

Nicole noticed that Jeremy was staring a little too long for his gaze to be anything less than romantic. She furrowed her brow as she followed his line of sight. At first she had assumed that he was looking at Waverly, but when she looked at the two standing in the living room, she realized he was looking at Doc. She lightly chuckled to herself at the realization.

“So,” Nicole started as she poured a few glasses of wine for anyone who wanted one. ”Jeremy, was it?”

The boy quickly jumped and turned around as he was snapped out of his thoughts. “Oh, yes. Jeremy Chetri, Officer.” He held out a hand.

Nicole quirked an eyebrow at him. “You know I’m off duty right now, right?” She chuckled. “You can call me Nicole.” She took his hand and gave it a firm shake. She could see the anxiety in his eyes, and wanted to make him feel more relaxed and welcomed. “I’m also Waverly’s girlfriend.” She released his hand and gave him a pointed look to make sure he understood the subtext of the statement - that he wasn’t the only queer person there.

Since Jeremy didn’t know anybody in town yet and didn’t really pay much attention gossip, he was a little out of the loop about the whole situation. Which was pretty surprising, since Jeremy was the type of guy who knew pretty much everything even before it became news – he had above average critical thinking skills. So when Nicole randomly stated her relationship status, he quirked an eyebrow. He had no idea why she was looking at him like that.

Noticing that Jeremy was oblivious, Nicole raised her eyebrows and jerked her head towards the living room, signaling that she knew he was into Doc, but the boy was still oblivious. A moment later, a light bulb went off, and he realized what Nicole was probably thinking.

“Oh! Um, I wasn’t like, checking out your girlfriend or anything. Scout’s honor!” He held up three fingers. “But, um, you two make a great couple.”

Nicole chuckled as she shook her head and patted him on the back. She didn’t want to say anything since she didn’t know him that well, so she opted to change the subject. “Don’t let Wynonna scare you. Her bark is worse than her bite.”

Jeremy nodded with a smile before his eyes were naturally drawn back to Doc, watching him talk as he gestured with his right hand; his left hand was on his hip, pushing back that side of his coat to reveal his thin but muscular waist.

“Hey! I heard my name.” Wynonna said enthusiastically as she walked over to the two. Jeremy quickly turned around to face her, and she looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Were you just staring at my sister’s ass, horndog?”

“N-no! I wasn’t! I would never!”

“Why not? Think you’re too good for her?” Wynonna asked, taking a step closer to him.

“What? No! She’s very pretty…for a girl.” He fumbled over his words as he slowly backed away from her.

“What’s that supposed to mean? Are you saying she’s immature? That she’s not a woman?” She glared at him as she continued to slither forward, keeping the interval between them consistent.

“No! I, um…” He hit his back against the kitchen wall, realizing there was nowhere left for him to escape to as Wynonna got closer to him. “I…” He quavered.

“Dude, chill.” Nicole intervened as she pushed Wynonna back away from Jeremy. “He’s harmless. And he’s not interested in you or Waverly, so give him a break.”

Wynonna looked at Jeremy suspiciously. When she heard him gulp in fear, she realized that he looked like he was about to pee his pants. No predacious guy could be that scared of a woman. She sighed as she took a few steps back. “Sorry. I’ve just been in a weird mood lately.” She pinched the bridge of her nose.

Nicole placed a hand on the pregnant woman’s shoulder in sympathy. “You know what’ll help that?”

“Beer.” Wynonna stated bluntly.

“No,” Nicole rolled her eyes. “Yoga. And maybe some meditation.”

“Ew. I’m not doing that shit, no matter how out of wack my hormones are.”

Jeremy stepped forward away from the wall, feeling slightly less fearful when he figured out what they were talking about.

“Oh, congratulations! How far along are you?”

Nicole shushed him as Wynonna hissed, “Shut up!” and covered his mouth with her hand. “Gus and baby daddy here doesn’t know, so the information is currently top secret. Got it?” She threatened.

Jeremy nodded with wide eyes before taking a gasp of air as she released her hand. “So, who’s the baby daddy?” He asked in a whisper.

Wynonna stared at him. “Well, let’s see, is it you?” He shook his head with a confused look on his face. “So then who do you think it is, doofus! The only other penis owner here...”

“Oh! So, it’s Doc?” He asked.

Wynonna sighed in annoyance. She was currently lacking the patience she needed to be able to deal with him.

“He’s her boyfriend,” Nicole stated. She saw a look of disappointment glimmer on his face for a moment before it turned to understanding as he nodded. She had recognized the look as one she had worn herself so many times. It was the look of that initial let down when you find out your crush is straight, but then quickly getting over it because for the most part it was expected.

“I promise I won’t say anything to anyone about the…well, the you-know-what.” Jeremy said in a quiet tone.

“Thank you.” Wynonna replied with a slight sigh of relief.

---

“What’s up?” Waverly asked as soon as she and Doc were out of earshot of everyone.

“Have you noticed your sister actin’ a bit weird lately?”

Waverly frowned and shook her head, trying to play it off like she didn’t know what he was talking about, even though she clearly did. “Weird how?”

“Well, she just seems like she’s been in a bit of a mood lately.”

“She’s probably still a little bit shaken up about the whole being kidnapped and almost killed by Earl thing,” she offered, hoping he would believe that story.

“Maybe.” Doc nodded as he continued to furrow his brow in thought. “But it started happenin’ before that. One minute she’ll be mad at me for somethin’, and the next she’ll be cryin’ about somethin’ else. And then five minutes later she’s happy again, like it never happened.” He scratched his head.

“She’s probably just stressed out about work or something. Just give her some time and she’ll be back to her old self.” Waverly smiled as she patted his shoulder.

“I guess,” Doc shrugged. “You don’t think it’s because of me though, right?”

Waverly pursed her lips at the irony of the question, because Wynonna being pregnant was most certainly because of him. “Just keep doing what you’re doing. And don’t be afraid to ask her what’s bothering her. Maybe opening up the dialogue is what she needs to feel comfortable talking to you?”

“Perhaps you’re right. Maybe I will talk to her over a few drinks. Whiskey always helps get out the pesky hesitation.”

“Yeah, maybe alcohol isn’t the best thing right now. You know, since she’s trying to cut back and all. Looks like you might have to do this with a sober Wynonna,” Waverly chuckled as she lightly jabbed him in the side with her elbow.

“Sober Wynonna is what scares me,” Doc stated with raised eyebrows. “But rest assured, I will talk to her and figure out what’s goin’ on.”

Waverly smiled in response as she encouragingly rubbed his shoulder.

The sound of the kitchen timer filled the house and Gus quickly grabbed her oven mitts to pull the lasagna out of the oven. “Dinner is ready everyone. Come pick a seat so we can all finally eat some food.”

The group sat around the table with Gus on one end and Doc on the other. On one side was Wynonna and Jeremy and on the other side was Waverly and Nicole – with Wynonna and Nicole being next to Doc at one end and Jeremy and Waverly being next to Gus at the other.

“This dinner is lovely Gus,” Nicole praised. “I rarely have time to cook a meal like this for myself, so this is a wonderful upgrade from soup and microwaveable pizza.” Nicole smiled.

“Kiss ass,” Wynonna muttered. “Ow!” She yelped as Waverly kicked her from under the table and gave her a look of warning.

“Thank you, Nicole.” Gus replied. “So, how long ya been workin’ as a police officer?”

“A little over six years. Graduated top of my class actually,” Nicole stated proudly. She was usually very humble, but that was always an accomplishment she loved to brag about.

“Kind of like how Waverly graduated as valedictorian,” Gus pointed out.

“Aw, how cute. It’s a match made in heaven,” Wynonna playfully mocked before taking a bite of her lasagna. Her face twisted in confusion when she tasted it. “What kind of lasagna is this?”

“It’s spinach. My doctor says I’ve been eating too much red meat so I’ve been trying to cut back.”

“Lasagna with no meat?” Wynonna frowned.

“It’ll be good for you Wynonna,” Waverly gave her a knowing look as Wynonna groaned.

Ever since Waverly had found out about the pregnancy, she had been monitoring Wynonna’s food intake and making sure she was on a healthy diet, much to Wynonna’s chagrin.

“I’ve actually been reading up on veganism and have been thinking about switching over to a vegan diet.” Waverly stated, causing Wynonna to roll her eyes and fake gag.

“Guess that means I’ll have to learn some vegan recipes then,” Nicole said with a smile as she took Waverly’s hand on top of the table, showing her support. Waverly grinned, once again thanking the stars for being blessed with such an amazing girlfriend.

“Ew, okay, no eye humping at the dinner table please,” Wynonna scorned.

Waverly slightly shook her head, noticing the subtle smile on Wynonna’s face. She knew Wynonna was happy for them both, and only messed with them for fun.

“I was Valedictorian at my high school too,” Jeremy randomly admitted, adding on to the previous conversation. “And I would have been valedictorian at my university as well, if they had picked a valedictorian. I graduated a year early at the top of my class,” he smiled as he nodded triumphantly.

“Wow. Growing up I had to live with Waverly being a nerd, but I never knew that later in life I would be surrounded by them,” Wynonna teased.

“Well not all of us are blessed with the ability to go through life doing the bare minimum.” There was no bite in Waverly’s words. She had actually always been a little jealous of Wynonna’s care-free spirit. Wynonna raised her glass to Waverly before bringing it to her lips and taking a sip.

“Do not fret, as there are some of us here who are not nerds,” Doc chimed in. “I was never good at school work,” he scrunched up his nose and slightly shook his head. “But I was always good at shooting a pistol.”

“That you are, partner,” Wynonna winked. Doc quirked an eyebrow at her sudden shift from her previous vexation.

“So, Doc, that’s a pretty sweet ‘stache you’ve got there,” Jeremy stated coolly before shoving some lasagna into his mouth.

“Uh, thank you, Jeremy. It’s just something I’ve had for quite some time now. I barely even notice it’s there anymore.”

“Except when you spend an annoying amount of time grooming it,” Wynonna replied dryly.

“It really compliments your strong jawline,” Jeremy added with an excited smile and nod.

Nicole tried not to laugh at Jeremy’s poor flirting skills. Waverly was oblivious to the whole thing, and Wynonna just quirked an eyebrow before replenishing her empty plate with more lasagna.

“Uh, thank you…again” Doc replied, only slightly creeped out. “Someone’s hungry tonight,” he stated amusedly as he noticed Wynonna scarfing down her food.

Wynonna stopped mid bite and dropped her fork as she glared at him. “Are you calling me fat?” She asked in a scarily calm tone.

“Wha- no! I would never! I just meant that you have quite an appetite tonight.”

“Sure sounds like you’re calling me fat.” She stated as she abruptly scooted her chair back and slammed her palms down on either side of her plate. Everyone in the room was taken aback, especially Doc.

Waverly quickly stood up and walked around to Wynonna. “Uh, why don’t we go outside for a minute to get some fresh air.” She said as she wrapped her arm around Wynonna’s and led her outside, aware of the not-so-subtle growl the woman was giving Doc on her way out.

“You okay?” Waverly asked as soon as they were out on the front porch.

Wynonna began to pace as she pressed her palms into her forehead, trying to stop herself from crying, but it was no use. “Ugh, this is so fucking frustrating. Everything pisses me off, and then all of a sudden I’m crying, and also I really want a powdered donut like all the time. I feel like I have no control over my emotions.”

Waverly rubbed her sister’s back sympathetically. “You know you can’t keep this a secret forever, right? Pretty soon you’re going to start showing. You already have a small baby bump, and it’s only a matter of time before Doc puts the pieces together.”

“I know, I know.” She sighed as she roughly dropped her hands down by her side before bringing one back up to wipe her tears with the sleeve of her sweatshirt that covered her palm. “I just need a few more days, and then I’ll tell him.”

Waverly nodded as she stroked her sister’s thick, wavy hair. “It’s going to be okay, Wynonna. He loves you. He’ll be there for you.”

“I know. He’s a good man…mostly. There’s just a part of me that’s terrified he’ll reject me and the baby.” She sighed. “Is this what it feels like to come out?”

Waverly laughed as she nodded. “Yeah, kind of.”

“Well, you’re pretty fucking brave for coming out to basically the whole world last night, you know that?”

“Yeah, I do.” Waverly smiled at her sister.

“You know I’m just messing with you when I make all of those jokes, right? It’s just my job as your older sister to give you shit.”

“No, I know. I know how supportive you are…and I know how much of an asshole you are as well.”

“Hey!” Wynonna playfully slapped Waverly on her backside, causing the girl to giggle. “You know this baby’s probably going to turn out to be an asshole like me, right?”

“I’m expecting this baby to come out with a handlebar mustache and a goatee.”

The sisters both busted out laughing, the sounds echoing throughout the night sky.

“Hey, what do you think about Jeremy?” Wynonna asked when their laughter had died down.

“Kind of weird sometimes, but overall he seems like a nice guy.” Waverly replied.

“Do you get a gay vibe from him?”

“What?” Waverly snorted. “No way.”

“You sure? I’m pretty sure he was flirting with Doc.”

“I don’t think so. He was probably just trying to make conversation.”

The two women turned around when they heard the door slowly creak open and red hair popping through the crack. “Hey, you guys alright out here?”

“Haught! Come out here for a second. We need your expertise.” Wynonna said as she waved the woman outside.

“Okay, what’s up?” Nicole asked before gently shutting the door behind her. She looked over at Waverly questionably, but only received an eye roll in response.

“Jeremy…into dudes?”

“Well, it’s against my gay code of honor to out someone.”

“Aha! I knew it!” Wynonna exclaimed as she jabbed her index finger in the air.

“Wait, seriously?” Waverly asked, surprised by the statement.

Nicole shrugged. “But don’t say anything to him unless he says something to you first. Of course, only he can say for sure.” Waverly nodded as she replayed every conversation she’d had with the boy, but now with this newfound knowledge. She was intrigued that there was another gay person in Purgatory. Even though she knew she wasn’t alone, since Nicole was obviously a fellow lesbian, she felt a little better knowing that there was someone else who knew what she was going through. The wheels in her head began turning as she began to plan out ways to find him a boyfriend.

“I’m just glad to know that I really don’t have to worry about him staring at my ass.”

Nicole shook her head, only slightly surprised by Wynonna’s response. “We should get back inside. Right now it’s just Gus, Jeremy, and Doc.”

Just then the door creaked opened and Doc walked out.

“Okay, make that just Gus and Jeremy,” Nicole corrected.

“Hello, sorry to interrupt you ladies. I’m just going to head out.” Doc said as he put his hat on his head.

“Are you sure? I’m sorry I snapped at you before. Must just be that time of the month,” Wynonna chuckled awkwardly. Waverly and Nicole gave each other a look, knowing very well that was most certainly not the reason for her mood swings.

“No need to explain,” he held up his hand in protest. He, too, knew that Wynonna’s explanation was bullshit, since her mood swings had been happening for several weeks now. But unlike Waverly and Nicole – and now Jeremy – he didn’t know what the real reason was. But he figured now was not the time to ask. “It’s getting late anyways.” He leaned down and gingerly gave Wynonna a kiss on the cheek. “Good night, ladies.” He tipped his hat before roaming off to his car, only slightly tipsy from the whiskey.

Wynonna watched Doc’s red Chevy Camaro disappear into the dark night before turning back to Waverly and Nicole, who were both staring at her. “Oh, don’t give me that look. I’m going to tell him this week.” She pushed past them before opening the door and looking behind her. “You two coming inside or are you going to stay out here?” She asked genuinely.

“We’re coming back inside.” Waverly stated as she followed Wynonna into the house, Nicole walking behind them both and making sure the door was locked.

As soon as Wynonna walked into the kitchen, her eyes landed immediately on Gus, who was looking at her pointedly with her arms folded relaxingly across her chest. “So, you’re pregnant?”