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Games and Thrones, part 1

"How many game shows does this make now?" Holly asked as she brought a tray of vegetables and dip into the living room. "I know you said Celebrity Family Feud is on at the end of the month, and there's this one...." She gestured at the screen, where the WWE edition of Weakest Link was paused. "And there was one with words, wasn't there?"

Seth nodded. "25 Words or Less. Wow, that was years ago now." He pulled Roux onto his lap and kissed the top of her head. "You weren't even here yet."

Roux looked up at him, face scrunched in confusion. "Why not? Where was I?"

Becky tried to hide her chuckle. "You're the one who brought it up," she murmured, taking Roux's plastic plate off the coffee table and filling it up with a pile of carrots before adding a scoop of dip.

"You... weren't here yet because Mama and I hadn't made you yet," Seth hedged, putting Roux in her spot back between him and Becky. "We had only started dating and kissing and stuff."

"But you're always kissing," Roux replied.

Laughing, Becky handed Roux her snack plate. "We do now, yes, but not always. Mama and Dada used to just be friends, like how I'm friends with Uncle Kevin and Uncle Sami, or how Dada is friends with Auntie Bayley. The kissing came a lot later."

"Oh." Roux munched on a carrot while her parents and grandmother filled their own bowls. "So are you going to make me a sister with Uncle Sami or Uncle Kevin then?"

Seth nearly choked on his mouthful of coffee. "No, sweetheart. That's... that's not how it works. Some people are friends, and some people get married, like me and Mama did." He pointed to the large picture from their wedding on the wall. "Uncle Kevin and Uncle Sami are already married. Not to each other," he added quickly. The conversation was quickly spiralling out of control and he was sure Becky was going to tell Roman all about it so Roman could laugh at him later. Holly was laughing too, though she was doing her best to hide it.

"Let's watch the show now, sweet girl," Becky suggested, "and we'll explain things later." She then pretended to sneak some carrots from Roux's plate, knowing her daughter would be more concerned with losing her snack than getting an answer.

"Hey! That's my bowl, Mama!" Roux wrapped her arms around her plate and hugged it close, scooting closer to Seth.

We'll explain it later was fast becoming a godsend for answering all sorts of awkward questions Roux was posing, from Why don't her boobies move like yours? about a wrestler with breast implants to Why is he peeing on the wall? when she saw someone pissing in an alley. Breathing a sigh of relief, Seth grabbed the remote. "Everyone ready?"

"Yep." Becky positioned her plate so Roux would be able to reach it. "Roll it, as they say."

Seth laughed. "Pretty sure no one says that anymore. Everything's digital." But he took the show off pause and set the remote out of Roux's reach.

Roux cheered for everyone when they made their entrances, even The Miz. Once the game started, however, her favourites were obvious. "Mama! You got it right!" she exclaimed, tugging on her mother's sleeve.

"I did," Becky agreed. "It's all those stories we read."

"Hey!" Seth tickled Roux's side carefully, not wanting to make her spill her dip. "Dada got his question right too!"

Roux leaned against his arm and patted his chest. "You did good too, Papa."

Seth glanced at his mother and laughed. "I'll take that. I know that tune will change all too soon."

Roux laughed when Miz was voted off and he destroyed the host's podium, but pouted when Bianca was eliminated. "Not Auntie B! BOO!"

When Seth saw Roux grab a handful of carrots, he gently put his hand over his bowl. "No throwing," he reminded her half-heartedly. He was too busy being grateful that she hadn't asked what 'smokeshow' meant.