AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You look glowing, sweetheart.”
“Thanks, Mum. This is amazing. I can’t believe you all kept this under wraps, not giving away one single detail.”
“It wasn’t easy, let me tell you that,” says Pete, my amazing best friend.
Every woman should have a gay best friend. They’re just the best.
I laugh when I see that Pete was tasked with the job of carrying the large secret gender reveal balloons. I hope the wind doesn’t pick up or he’ll look like Mary Poppins, not that that role would bother my friend. Pete is the clumsiest person I know. Derren and Alice couldn’t have given him a worse job. I’m just waiting for the balloons to pop and our reveal ending up as one of those blunders you see on social media. The thought makes me laugh. I’m just glad Derren and Alice included my friend. It means a lot to me. “We all know how terrible you are at keeping a secret, buddy.” Drew pats Pete on the back and we all laugh. “Well done on gaining that Blue Peter badge.”
Derren takes the balloons from my best friend, and I’m handed a large basket of baby things in shades of cream and lemon. I look over the tiny items, but Alice takes the basket from me quickly to free up my arms.
“All gifts are over here. We’ll do them later. First, we’re all desperate to know what sex this little munchkin is going to be,” says Alice, and everyone whoops and cheers.
“I want to know what my first grandbaby is going to be,” says Drew's dad, Max.
“Hi.” I manage to wave over to Drew's mum and dad and a few others I see as I’m pulled along to where I’m meant to be standing. The whole thing has been choreographed brilliantly.
“Dad just wants to know if he’s buying a cowboy hat or a princess wand,” says Derren.
“Boy or girl, their first experience will be learning to ride on one of my horses,” says Max.
The thought of our baby being taught how to ride by their grandpa fills me with so much love. This baby is going to be one lucky little prince or princess.
The atmosphere around us is electrifying. My heart is pounding in my chest. “Shall we put everyone out of their misery?” I ask Drew.
I’m using everyone else as an excuse, but I honestly cannot wait one moment longer. The suspense is killing me.
“It’s all on you, baby. If you want to get it out of the way, then we’ll do it now.”
I nod. “Let’s do it.”
I stand on a pink cross at the back of the gazebo, and Drew stands on a blue one. Alice hands us a large balloon each with a pin. My hand is shaking. I don’t mind what the baby is, so I’m not sure why I’m so nervous. I’m surrounded by all my nearest and dearest friends, family, and work colleagues. Nothing can go wrong. I need to chill.
“Thank you all for coming. It means so much seeing you all here. I just hope I can do this.” I hold my shaking hand out in front of me and everyone laughs, claps, and gives me a bit of encouragement.
“We’ll do a countdown. On three,” Drew says, and I nod my agreement. I’m glad someone is taking charge. “One. Two. Three.” We pop the balloons, and I jump. It takes me a few minutes to register what I’m seeing. It’s the loud cheering around me that snaps me out of it. Drew picks me up and spins me around. I feel dizzy from the quick movement, but I try to look down at the ground to see what colour confetti is laying around us. How did I not see the colour before it hit the ground?
“It’s a girl, baby.”
It’s a girl. Drew’s words echo in my ears, and it finally registers. I look down at the pink confetti around our feet and my hands fly up to my mouth. The tears come strong and hard as everyone takes turns to cuddle and make a fuss over us. I feel like I’m floating. I can’t believe we’re having a baby girl. Oh my God, Drew is done for. A baby girl is going to run rings around him.
“You’ve made me the happiest man alive, Harper.”
“I was sure it was a boy.”
“You’re going to be so sick of pink,” someone calls from the gazebo, and we laugh.
Pink, frills, glitter. I’m sure this baby will hate it all one day, but as long as I’m in charge, she will be a proper girly girl until she can tell me otherwise.
I walk over to an empty table and pull out a chair. I sit down and take the weight off my feet, suddenly exhausted. The excitement of popping a balloon has tired me out.
“I’m going to be an uncle to a niece,” Derren sings as he walks off towards the house. Everyone is just as excited as we are. How can one baby bring so much cheer to everyone?
“We are never going to hear the end of this.” Drew sits down beside me and kisses my cheek. “Are you okay?”
I nod. “Hormones. One minute I feel like I can run a marathon, and the next I want to sleep for a week. It is what it is.” I shrug.
“It will all be worth it, honey.” Drew strokes my tummy tenderly.
