“What’s up?” Brad asked.
“Do you have it?”
He nodded. “Yep.”
Gwen walked in and closed the door behind her. “You guys are not going to blow anything up, right?”
Brad laughed. “No. I’m a professional.”
She wrinkled her nose and studied him. “Who are you?”
“Brad.”
“What do you do?” she pressed.
“I’m a professor.”
“Chemistry?” she asked with skepticism.
“Hospitality,” he said.
“Are you sure you want to do it like this?” she asked. “I’m not sure she’s up for anything big.”
“She will love it,” I said. “I know she was disappointed when the doctor said he couldn’t tell us the gender. She played it off, but I know she’s anxious to know.”
“Do you know?” she asked.
“Nope. I took the envelope and gave it straight to Brad.”
She didn’t look convinced. “Is this thing going to get the cops called?”
“Why would they be called?” Brad asked.
She put her hands on her hips. “I’ve thrown an amazing baby shower. Everyone is having a great time. If this backfires, I swear I will never forgive you. I will be your worst nightmare.”
Brad looked like he was having fun. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“We’ll distract everyone while you get it set up,” I said to Brad.
He nodded. “Okay. Colt dropped it off and I haven’t had time to do anything with it.”
“What do you mean you haven’t done anything with it?” I asked. “You were supposed to have designed it.”
“I said me and him were putting it together. It was in his garage. He brought it over earlier.”
Now I was the one with suspicions. “Fine. Get it ready.”
Gwen and I returned to the party while Brad went out the back door. “Are you sure about this?” Gwen asked again. “We could still do a cake or something like that.”
“This is going to be fun. I want her to be surprised.”
She sighed. “Okay.”
“Give him about fifteen minutes and then we’ll say we need to go outside,” I said.
“Are you going to tell her it’s the gender reveal?”
I shrugged. “Yeah, probably. I want her to know it’s coming. She’s going to be thrilled.”
When we returned to the living room, everyone was milling about with little yellow plates filled with the appetizers Gwen made. I was happy to see my dad talking to Dave. I was planning many more occasions like this in my head. I wanted everyone on good terms. I spotted River talking with my mom. The two of them were both smiling and appeared to be getting along great. I knew Mom would like her. She was different than Mara and my sisters. There was a refinement about River but not like stuck up. She was calm and smart and very easy to talk to.
“Hey.” She smiled when she noticed me. “Where’d you disappear to?”
“I have a little surprise for you,” I said.
Mom looked at me. “A surprise?”
“I know you wanted to find out the gender of our baby,” I started. “I have a little confession.”
“What did you do?” River asked. “Do you know?”
“I don’t know, but we are all about to find out,” I said and was unable to hide my excitement.
“What are you talking about?”
I gave her a quick kiss. “Let’s go outside.” I put my hand in the air and waved it. “Everyone, we’re going to be moving into the backyard for a surprise.”
“What’s going on?” Dave asked.
“What did you do?” River hissed.
“It’s a gender reveal!” I announced.
The room erupted into cheers. Everyone wanted to know if we were having a girl or boy. I wanted to know. We all filed out of the house and into the small backyard. Brad was standing in the middle of the yard with a very strange-looking contraption. This was not what I expected.
“Sit tight,” I said to River. “I want to make sure he’s ready.”
“Brad is in charge of the gender reveal? Did you make that?” She asked the last with her lip curled. I didn’t blame her. The thing looked like a fourth grader duct taped it together for a science fair project.
“I didn’t,” I said. “It’ll be okay.”
I grabbed Brad’s arm and pulled him away. “What the hell is that?” I hissed.
“It’s a rocket,” he said. “I’ll light it and it shoots into the air and will explode in either blue or pink powder.”
“Explode? Brad, I said no explosions. This has to be safe.”
“It is safe,” he insisted. “It’s a hobby rocket. It doesn’t go more than twenty feet in the air. It’s just a fine powder that comes out. Trust me, it works. This is what my brother-in-law used for his gender reveal. He made this one.”
“Why is it so fucking ugly,” I snapped.
He looked offended. “It’s not ugly.”
“Dude, it’s hideous. This better work. I will kill you if it doesn’t work.”
“Relax, it will work. Go stand with your woman.”
I shook my head and walked back to the group. I didn’t miss the looks of concern on the faces of my family. I tried to look confident, but I was nervous as well. I put my hand on River’s lower back. “Ready?” I asked her.
She clapped her hands. “I’m so excited!”
Brad made a big show of lighting the fuse and stepping away from the contraption. We all waited with bated breath. The fuse sizzled and then there was a loud pop followed by an explosion of white smoke. No one said a word as we watched the disaster unfold before our eyes. Just when I thought it was a total failure, the rocket shot into the air.
Everyone gasped together as we waited for the explosion that would give us the answer we were all waiting for.
BOOM!
I held my breath. Nothing happened. I looked at Brad, who seemed perplexed. The rocket fell straight down. Again, we all stood and watched. What else could we do?
“Hold on, everyone,” Brad said. “I’ll fix this.”
I was going to kill him. The idiot had one job. He dropped to his knees and was fiddling with the rocket. I stepped forward to ask what he was doing when the thing exploded. I jumped back as Brad was enveloped in a cloud of pink and blue dust.
“What the hell?” I muttered.
Brad got to his feet and turned to the crowd. His face and chest were covered in the fine powder that looked a lot like chalk dust.
“Brad?” I growled.
“Uh,” he said and tried to wipe his eyes, but his hands were covered with the same dust.
“Twins?” my mom gasped. “You’re having twins!”
“I see purple,” Lincoln pointed to Brad’s face. “Is it triplets?”
There was a loud, collective gasp. “Three babies!” Mom shrieked.
“No, no,” I said and then looked at River to make sure I was right. “Not twins, right?”
She shook her head with her eyes wide. “No! One baby!”
“So, is it a boy or girl?” Dave asked.
I looked to Brad. “Well? Boy or girl?”
“Maybe it is twins,” my sister Leslie said. “I have a friend that didn’t find out until halfway through the pregnancy that she was pregnant with twins. I guess one baby was tucked behind the other and it wasn’t caught until her ultrasound.”
River was shaking her head. “No. No. Nope. Not twins.”
I could see the panic on her face. I couldn’t help it. I looked at her belly. I didn’t know what a woman pregnant with twins was supposed to look like, but I didn’t think she was. The doctor sure as hell didn’t mention it.
I shook my head with disgust. “You had one job, Brad. One job. Since the big reveal is ruined, just tell us.”
“Tell you what?” he asked.
It was so hard to be pissed at him with his face and chest covered in powder. He looked ridicul
ous. I tried to remember he didn’t do this on purpose. “The gender!” I shouted. “Is it a boy or girl?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Everyone started to talk amongst themselves. We were all confused. “What do you mean you don’t know?” I asked. “It’s a pretty simple question.”
“I gave the envelope to my brother-in-law. I didn’t look.”
“Why are there so many colors in it?” I asked him. “What does that mean?”
Brad shrugged. “I don’t know. I was going to do it, but I got busy. I asked him to take care of it.”
“Where’s the envelope?” I asked.
“I gave it to him.”
“What did he do with it?” River asked.
Brad slowly shook his head. “I have no idea.”
“The pink came out first,” Mom said. “I think it was supposed to be all pink. And purple. It’s a girl.”
“The blue is more dominant,” Lincoln said. “He’s covered in blue. There’s only a little pink and purple.”
This was a huge cluster fuck. River was staring at Brad. I couldn’t tell what she was thinking. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I wanted this to be a surprise.”
“Oh, it was a surprise,” she said with a laugh. “I’ve seen plenty of videos about gender reveals gone wrong, but I’ve never seen one quite like this.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said again. I knew she was looking forward to finally having the answer. This was a disappointment she didn’t need. This was supposed to be a fun, special day and it literally went up in smoke. I pulled her in for a hug. “I’ll try and get the envelope. If I can’t, I’ll call the doctor and ask her to tell me.”
“Don’t be sorry,” she said. “It is pretty funny.”
“It was supposed to be fun, not funny,” I muttered. “I wanted you to have a good time.”
“I’m having a great time. Besides, I’m pretty sure it’s a boy.”
I pulled back and looked at her. “Oh, really?”
She nodded. “Yep. It feels like a boy.”
I laughed and shook my head. “I think it’s a girl.”
“Why?”
“Because I have four nieces and one nephew.”
“Uh, your sisters’ husbands made two of three of those girls. Lincoln has one boy and one girl.”
“I think it’s a girl,” I said with confidence.
“I have a feeling we won’t be finding out anytime soon.” She giggled. “No more gender reveals.”
I groaned and leaned my forehead against hers. “I’m so sorry. This could not have gone any worse.”
“It’s fine,” she insisted. “It was funny.”
“Back in the house,” Gwen announced. “We’ve got cake and gifts and I promise my cake is not going to be a disaster like certain other things.”
31
River
Poor Brad. Poor Lukas. They were shooting glares at one another as they sipped sparkling cider from champagne glasses. We were supposed to be celebrating the reveal. I so appreciated that he tried. It was sweet and romantic. I was anxious to know whether it was a boy or a girl, but I also kind of liked not knowing. It gave me something to look forward to. I was certainly not looking forward to labor. I needed the excitement of finally meeting my daughter or son.
Brad’s shirt was stained beyond repair. I had a feeling it was going to be a while before his skin returned to normal color as well. His hair looked like a rainbow. I offered him a smile. The guy looked dejected. I hoped Lukas didn’t make him feel too bad.
“Don’t smile at him,” Lukas growled.
“Stop. He didn’t know.”
“That’s the problem, he should have known. He had one job. One fucking job and he passed it off to a guy I’ve never met. If he didn’t want to do it, he should have just left it alone. Instead, he ruined my surprise.”
I patted his knee. “It’s fine. It’s not like it changes anything. We’ll find out later or we’ll find out the day he or she makes his grand entrance into the world.”
“Not the point,” he complained.
“Baby, it is the thought that counts,” I told him. “I’m thrilled you did anything. I’ve always thought about those gender reveal things and wondered what it would be like to hear such big news in front of a crowd. What if I didn’t have the right reaction and it was recorded for our child to see one day? It’s a lot of pressure. I’m looking forward to us finding out together in the delivery room or maybe another ultrasound if it turns out I need one. I’m hoping I don’t need one.”
“I can have him get the envelope back from his brother-in-law,” he said. “I know you want to know. I want to know.”
I leaned over and gave him a quick kiss. “I do want to know, but I can wait. I truly don’t mind.”
“I’ve been looking forward to this,” he muttered.
It was cute and sad to see him looking so disappointed. He looked like a boy that showed up at Disneyland only to learn it was closed. “I know it didn’t work out the way you wanted, but it was fun. It was the highlight of the party. It’s better to be a little different. No one wants to be the same.”
He sighed and shot another dirty look at his friend. “Purple?” he muttered. “Why in the hell did they put all the colors in that thing? I don’t understand what they were thinking.”
“We’re opening gifts in a minute,” I whispered. “Be happy. This is a happy time. We get presents!”
Gwen stood in the center of the room. “Who wants to be the note taker?”
“I’ll do it,” Brad volunteered.
“No,” Lukas snapped. “Mom, will you please do it?”
Gwen handed a small book to his mother. I knew Lukas was angry, but it wasn’t a friendship-ending kind of thing. They would both get over it soon enough. We spent the next twenty minutes opening gifts and fawning over every single one, no matter how small. I felt the love from everyone. I was so looking forward to the day our little one got to use all these cool gadgets.
His family showered us, literally, with everything from diapers to sheets and a variety of onesies and bathing supplies. My dad sprung for the stroller I had hoped for. In total, I felt like the rest was doable. Initially, seeing the laundry list of things I was going to need for the baby was overwhelming. I couldn’t imagine how I was going to get it all.
Lukas stood up after we finished opening the pile of gifts that also included some gift cards to various stores. “Everyone, I want to thank you for your generosity. For my family, it’s about damn time you have to give my kid gifts. River and I appreciate the help getting started on this little journey. We know you’ll all have lots of advice about what works and what doesn’t. Save it.”
The room burst into laughter. I slapped him on the butt. “Lukas! We need their advice. We’re newbies.”
He only laughed. “Fine, you can give advice if we ask, but save the rest of it.”
“I know you are not talking to me, son,” his mother said. “You will take my advice and like it.”
“Yes, Mom,” he said dutifully. “You’re the exception.”
Everyone hugged me and then Lukas as they filed out of Gwen’s house. I was so glad to have gotten the introduction to his family out of the way. They were nice people. I loved his mama. I hoped we could have more family gatherings.
“You look beautiful,” my dad said as he came up to say goodbye.
“Thank you so much for coming, Dad,” I said. “And the stroller. I know it was expensive. I appreciate it.”
“Only the best for my grandchild,” he said. “Too bad we didn’t know if it was a boy or girl.”
I felt Lukas stiffen beside me. “It’s fine, Dad. I wasn’t expecting to learn the baby’s gender today. It was a fun experience and a lesson in what not to do.”
He turned to Lukas and extended his hand. Lukas shook it. “Thanks for coming,” he said.
My dad gave him a look and nodded. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
I gave
him another hug and walked him to his car. I was hoping this meant everything was good between us. I would have to remember to thank Lukas for making the move he did. It meant a lot. The day had been perfect. It was like everything came together and all I had to do was focus on the rest of my life.
“Thank you so much for doing this for us,” I said to Gwen and gave her a hug. “You seriously knocked it out of the park. This was a lot of fun.”
“I’m glad I could be a part of this,” she said. She looked to where Lukas and Brad were talking by his car that was loaded down with the gifts we received. “Do you think they will be okay?”
“Yes,” I said. “They already made up. Lukas had some high expectations. He’ll get over it.”
“It was kind of funny,” she said with a laugh. “It definitely left an impression.”
“It was hilarious,” I said. “Poor Brad.”
Lukas lifted his hand, indicating he was ready to go. “That’s my cue,” I said. “I’ll call you later. Thank you again.”
Lukas drove me back to my place, and after a good ten trips up and down the stairs, we managed to get everything into my apartment. It was a lot to deal with, but I was certain I could find a place for everything.
“This was kind of an effort in futility,” Lukas said.
“What do you mean?”
“Why did we haul all of this stuff up here when it’s only going to end up at my place anyway? We should have just taken it there.”
“What?” I asked with confusion.
“You and the baby will be living with me when your lease is finished,” he said matter-of-factly.
My mouth dropped open. “What?”
He shrugged. “Well, yeah. My place is a lot bigger. The baby will have its own room. We have all this stuff. The baby needs his or her own space, don’t you agree?”
I was shocked by his assumption I would just move in. He was acting like it was already decided. My shock was replaced with anger. “Gee, do I have a say in where I will live or has this been decided for me?”
Our Little Secret Page 19