The Medford air was thick with the scent of Mary’s brisket and a tension so heavy it could have stopped a freight train. At the dinner table sat the Coopers, Meemaw, and Mandy, who looked like she’d rather be anywhere else—including a DMV waiting room.
Sheldon’s eyes widened. "A baby? In this house? The decibel levels will be intolerable! I’ll need to order industrial-grade earplugs. And if it's a boy, he'll likely want to play football, which means more laundry for everyone." Meemaw’s Intervention Young Sheldon s05e19
Building on the themes of that episode, here is a story that explores a "lost scene" during that tense family dinner. The Quiet Before the Storm The Medford air was thick with the scent