Page 29 of Love Like Ours

Chapter Nine

Somehow, the days slipped away from her, blending into a blur of work, errands, and fleeting moments of quiet. It wasn’t until her sister-in-law called, her tone equal parts teasing and scolding, that she remembered the baby shower that weekend. The one that she was throwing for her.

She didn’t know how she’d forgotten. After all, she had helped Avery fill out all the invitations a few weeks back. She’d even offered to throw it at her house.

“Oh, don’t forget, you only get to do this once for your very first nephew or niece,” Avery said with a laugh.

Sophia winced as she hung up the phone, guilt curling in her stomach. She was the one planning it, and yet she hadn’t even settled on a theme, let alone figured out the decorations.

Determined to make up for lost time, she took the following day off from work and roped Juliette into joining her for a shopping spree in Edgeview.

It was nice to head back to her old stomping grounds. The larger town still had plenty of charm, with its cobblestone streets and quaint storefronts. Everywhere in town was already decked out for the upcoming spring season. How was it spring already? Pastel banners swayed gently in the breeze, and flower boxes overflowed with blooming tulips and daffodils.

“This is cute,” Juliette said, holding up a garland of tiny, hand-painted baby onesies strung together with twine.

Sophia tilted her head, considering. “It’s cute, but do you think it’s too much? I was leaning towards something simpler.”

Juliette gave her a look. “Soph, you’ve been leaning towards simple your whole life. This is a baby shower. It’s supposed to be fun and over-the-top cute.”

Sophia sighed but smiled, knowing her friend was right. “Alright, toss it in the cart.”

As they wandered through the aisles of the craft store, Juliette piled their cart with everything from pastel balloons to mason jars and twinkling fairy lights. Sophia added a few touches of her own—a stack of baby print napkins, a set of blue and pink trimmed plates, and a banner that read Welcome, Baby! in elegant script.

By the time they reached the checkout counter, their cart was overflowing.

“Are we hosting a baby shower or redecorating the whole house?” Sophia joked, handing over her credit card.

Juliette grinned. “Trust me, it’s going to look amazing. Besides, you only get to welcome your first niece or nephew once.”

The fact that her friend basically mimicked her sister-in-law’s words had her laughing.

After they loaded their haul into the back of the car, Sophia suggested they grab some lunch. “Thanks for helping,” she said as she slid into the driver seat.

“Any time,” Juliette replied, buckling her seatbelt. “But don’t think you’re off the hook yet. We still have to figure out the games and the food.”

Sophia groaned playfully as she started the car. “One thing at a time.”

“Okay, where are you taking me for lunch? We can come up with ideas for games and think about food ideas while we eat,” Juliette said.

“How about I take you to my favorite Chinese restaurant?” A grin spread across her face as she turned the car towards her old neighborhood.

Juliette perked up in the passenger seat. “You mean that little spot with the red lanterns and the fortune cookies that actually give good advice?”

“That’s the one,” Sophia replied, feeling a pang of nostalgia as they drove down familiar streets. The area hadn’t changed much since her childhood—same cozy houses, same overgrown sidewalks—but there was a comforting charm in its consistency.

They pulled into the small, almost-hidden parking lot behind the restaurant. The scent of garlic and soy sauce wafted out as soon as Sophia opened the door, making her stomach rumble in anticipation.

“This place smells amazing,” Juliette said, taking a deep inhale as they stepped inside.

The hostess greeted Sophia with a warm smile. “It’s been a while! Table for two?”

“Yep,” Sophia said, grateful for the familiarity.

They settled into a booth near the window, and Sophia quickly scanned the menu, though she already knew what she was getting.

“Okay, so while we wait, let’s talk baby shower games,” Juliette said, pulling out her phone and typing furiously. “What’s your take on some of the classics—diaper raffles, guessing the baby food flavors, stuff like that?”

Sophia made a face. “Some of those are a little... crazy, don’t you think? What about something more interactive? Like a game where guests write down advice for the mom-to-be, and we read them aloud.”