Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 86632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Brystol
I set the plate of cake balls I ordered from Cadie in the middle of the table.
“Okay, everyone, grab the color of your guess!” I said with a wide smile.
My mother and Nick grabbed pink, while my father and Rachel grabbed blue.
“Oh!” I said, putting a hand to my stomach.
“Moving around a lot?” my mother asked with a huge smile. I hadn’t been the least bit worried about how our parents would respond to the news of me and Gavin being the legal guardians. It was honestly a no-brainer, and no one would have been surprised by Evelyn and Denny’s decision.
“He or she,” I replied with a wink, “has been moving a lot since dinner. I think they liked the salmon.”
“I know I did,” Gavin stated, as he grabbed both a blue and a pink ball.
“Oh my gosh! It’s twins!” Rachel cried and jumped out of her seat.
Gavin looked confused for a moment, then he frantically shook his head. “No! It’s not! It’s just one baby.”
Rachel’s smile instantly faded, and she shot her son a dirty look. “What a cruel trick to play on us.”
He jerked his head around to look at me, and I shrugged while everyone else laughed. “You were holding both, so…”
Rolling his eyes, Gavin set them both down on his plate. “I wanted one of each. They’re different flavors.”
“Oh really? What flavors?” Nick asked.
Pointing them out, I replied, “The blue is chocolate chip, and the pink is orange-vanilla.”
“Damn,” my father whispered. “I should have picked pink.”
I walked over and joined Gavin when he rose from his seat. We held hands and looked at four pairs of anticipating eyes.
“Thank you for understanding that we didn’t want to make this a big gender reveal,” I started.
Gavin nodded. “It was important for us to share this with you four because…well…you’ve been there for us and have given some wonderful advice. And since you’re the grandparents, it only made sense to tell you guys first.”
“This has been a crazy roller coaster of emotions, but we’re going to get the best gift we could’ve ever received.”
My mother wiped a tear away and smiled as she nodded. My father took her hand and kissed it. I couldn’t help but smile as I watched them. When I glanced at Rachel and Nick, my heart swelled with love to see their arms wrapped around each other. I would consider myself lucky if Gavin and I were half as happy and in love as our parents.
Gavin walked over and grabbed the ultrasound photos and held them up, images facing away from our parents. Both moms let out a few oohs and ahhs.
I took Gavin’s hand, and we exchanged a smile before I said, “We’d like to introduce you to…”
All four leaned forward, and it took everything I had not to start laughing. There was no doubt that this little girl would be so loved.
“Brystol Marie Duggan!” my mother warned.
I felt the tears building. I closed my eyes. Thank you, Eve and Denny. We will love her with our whole hearts.
Opening my eyes, I drew in a breath and exhaled. “We’d like to introduce you to Lily Rae. Lily was the name Evelyn wanted if it was a girl, and Ray was what Denny wanted for a boy. We changed the spelling to R-A-E.”
Our mothers were on their feet, tears on their cheeks as they made their way to us. My father waited patiently as Rachel and Nick hugged and congratulated me. I smiled as he walked over.
“My baby girl is having a little girl.”
I lost the battle to keep my tears at bay.
“Hey, no. None of that now. This is a time to be happy.”
I buried my face in his chest and breathed in the familiar scent of my daddy’s Old Spice. My father’s simplicity nearly made me laugh. My mother said the moment he found out they had a body wash, he bought it.
His hand moved slowly up and down my back, just like he used to do when I was a little girl and upset.
“Shh. Don’t cry, my sweet angel.”
“I’m trying not to, Dad! I just can’t help but feel guilty for being so happy.”
He drew back and looked at me. “I know it’s hard to think about Evelyn and Denny being gone and never knowing their daughter, but you are making her, Brystol. She’s a part of you too.”
Reaching up, he wiped my tears away. Only then did I realize everyone had left the dining room, and it was just the two of us.
“Are you still going to therapy?” he asked, taking my hand and motioning me to sit back down.
“Yes. Gavin is going as well.”
He nodded.
“I don’t want to feel like this the rest of my life, Dad. I don’t want Lily to look at me and see the guilt on my face for loving her.”