“I know, I’ve been checking it daily in the mirror, and today when my pants didn’t fit, I finally saw it. Of course, now I’m in that whole ‘is she pregnant or gaining weight?’ phase.”
“I think it’s adorable. What is that? A hair tie?”
“Yep, it gives me just enough room and keeps my pants up.”
I’m still laughing as we find a spot at the end of the doctor’s parking lot.
“So, if we are having a gender reveal party,” Syd asks, “does that mean we don’t want them to tell us today? Or are we going to find out today and then let the reveal be for everyone at the party?”
“What do you want?”
She scrunches her nose. “Well, I didn’t know you’d be into a gender reveal party, but if you are, I think it could be fun to wait.”
I stop just outside the entrance to the doctor’s office. “Syd, I want all the things that come with you being pregnant. Gender reveal party, yes. Maternity pictures, yes. Weekly progress photos, yes. Picking out a theme for the nursery and giving you a baby shower, yes.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.” I pull her in for a hug. Her arms wrap around me and hold tight.
“I want all those things too. I just thought you wouldn’t because we aren’t a couple, and that’s a lot of couple things to do together.”
“Babe, this is our first baby. We are going to make it as memorable as we can.”
Her body stiffens in my hold, and I regret what I just said.
Our first baby.
And I called her babe.
Sydney
Last February, I was trying to decide if I should stay in or go out for Valentine’s Day, and this year I’m trying to decide if I want the cake Mark and I will cut later today to have a pink or a blue filling.
So much has changed.
I still can’t believe we are having a reveal party today.
“Holy shit, Sydney. Look at him.”
June pops up behind me and nudges my hip.
“You know you aren’t doing a very good job at whispering, right?”
“He’s outside shoveling. I don’t need to whisper.”
I laugh. “Okay, but yes, I am looking.”
“You looked a little too close.” She laughs.
“Stop looking out the window.”
“Sorry.” June plops herself onto the couch. “Doesn’t he have like millions and could be paying someone to shovel your driveway for you?”
“Mark wouldn’t pay someone for something like that. Heck, he shoveled Ms. Coraline’s driveway every morning last week even though she is out of town.”
“Oh, what a gentleman.”
I nod slowly. “He really is, and despite what you know of him, he’s always been like this. He just . . . he lost his way a little for a moment.”
