23
Wedding Bells
Chapter 23
*One Week Later*
"Are you so excited to find out the gender?" Clara grabbed my shoulders, holding me close to her as she waits for my response. I smiled, nodding my head. I couldn't say I wasn't excited. I was growing more and more nervous for this, knowing the baby would be coming in the next few weeks. My stomach was so swollen it was growing unbearable.
I knew Clara would be the most up in my face about the gender and it would have been so hard to keep it from her, which is why I made sure I wouldn't know myself. My mother knew the gender and she was the only one. She promised to keep the secret. Planning the whole party all by herself.
Clara and I had spent the last few hours helping my mother get everything ready. Doing all the decorating as she takes care of the cake and the gender reveal box. She wouldn't tell me exactly how it was going to work, or what special trick she had planned for today.
"Yes but you should go bug Carter, since I don't know, so I can't tell you." I roll my eyes smiling as Clara rolls her shoulders, pulling them back before throwing her arms around like a child.
"Oh gosh, why won't you tell me," She whines, looking at me as if she was a toddler.
"I'm telling you!" I paused for a moment. Shaking my head as I tried to think of a way to convince her that I really didn't know. "I don't know I swear to god, my mother called Carter this morning to tell him since he isn't going to be here today, so go find him and bother him," I smiled. She rolled her eyes.
Carter was spending the day with David. He has been avoiding me since he found out this morning. My mother and him had talked for almost an hour and as soon as he found out I heard screams echoing through the house.
I cursed myself for not knowing what gender he was hoping for, all of my guesses missing the mark.
I was amazed with how quickly everything had come together. My mother with her party planning skills, had made sure there were copious amounts of food. Anything you could think of. There were alcoholic drinks for the non pregnant person, but my favorite punch hidden away just for me so I didn't feel bad.
Streamers were hung from the trees, tucked away behind the branches so you couldn't see where they started or ended. The entire back yard looked spectacular, as the hot New York sun beats down on us. She had gone big, obviously over excited for her very first grandchild. I couldn't blame her. I myself was growing more and more excited for the little bean to arrive. Holding my stomach as they kick around, watching for any sign of life in there. I wasn't sleeping very well and I knew once he was out I'd be able to catch back up before ruining my sleep cycle for the rest of my life.
Maybe that was what I feared most, was the lack of sleep I would be getting for the rest of my life.
The party would be starting soon, I could tell because my mother was in her pre party panic. The triple P we would call it. Even throughout high school she loved throwing parties like this. I remember sneaking into them, watching all the older couples drink and laugh their night away.
I wanted to be a part of them so bad. Funny how things change so much in such a little time. The more I got to know the party goers the more I realized I didn't have anything in common with any of them. They had always been my mother's wine drinking buddies, or members of her book club, people she would work with on a daily basis.
But over the years I had grown to love them, meeting their kids and making new friends with their children. Those were the ones that were here today. My mother had taken extra caution to the guest list, still inviting all of her friends, but making sure it was the ones with kids that I actually liked.
I was excited to see everyone, but the highlight of my day was going to be the gender reveal. I've never been so excited for something in my life. The thought of finally being able to settle on a name left me trembling with joy.
Clara was the same way. Her fingers curled up in a tight fist as she holds her hands closer to her face. She was counting down the seconds. We watched my mother carry the box through the yard, placing it near the fence. It would sit there until it was time. Torturing us until finally we were able to open it.
My mother glanced up at us, as if she could feel our eyes crashing upon the box, ready to destroy it. Waving her finger to tell us we weren't allowed to touch it.
Carter and I were growing tired of the what if's. What if it's a boy, we can't get it a pink blanket or what if it's a girl we can't get it a massive lion stuffed animal. Our nursery was a mixture of confusion, not fluid thought process.
I would need Clara's help to fix that once we finally knew. But that would be hours away.
I waddle to the punch bowl the best I can grabbing myself a drink that only I could have. My mother wanders by, smiling at me as if she had really good news for me.
"Whew everything is all set up, we have three chances here, the box in the middle and if they messed that up we have the cake, the inside is the correct color...hopefully, but worse case scenario I have a cannon that I know is filled with the correct colored confetti and I will shoot you with it, if the other two fail," Her words were going faster than her brain could process them, and she realized what she had just said by the time it was too late. "Yeah screw it, i'll shoot you anyways,"
"I would rather not be shot with a confetti cannon mother," I tread carefully trying to make sure she really heard me.
Great now my nerves were going to be through the roof.
"Oh don't worry it won't hurt." She waved her hand grabbing her alcoholic drink off the table. I shook my head looking at the glass in her hand. I missed drinking, it'd been the longest eight months of my life without a sip. There was nothing else to do and it seemed like everything everyone wanted to do revolved around alcohol in some way.
Teens sneak out of the parents home to drink it with their friends. Young adults test the waters legally to learn the limits they thought they knew as children. Parents use it to loosen up after a long day of screaming kids, and singles used it as an excuse to get to know each other.
It was everywhere in our culture, and I was amazed with how much I missed it when it was gone.
"Mom, please just don't shoot me with a confetti cannon," I tried saying one more time, sipping the fruity juice. She smiled before wandering off once more.
"We will see sweetheart," And with that she was gone, hiding away in the house as she welcomed the first set of guests into the backyard. Clara made her way to where I was standing, hopefully to bring me some comfort from my own mothers insanity.
"She is going to shoot me with a confetti cannon," I moan, grabbing a drink for Clara. She gladly takes it, holding the glass up to her lips to take a sip.
"What the hell are you talking about?" She questions, as if she didn't know my mother at all. I shook my head.
"If the box doesn't work the center of the cake is the correct color, she thinks, but worst case scenario she has a confetti cannon that she will shoot at me,"
Clara couldn't focus after she heard the center of the cake was also the correct color. Her eyes staring at the table as she plans her next move. I grabbed her arm as if I had to hold her back from destroying everything.
"Don't touch the cake," I groaned, hoping she would truly listen to me. I didn't want to have to babysit at my own baby shower. People were flooding into the backyard now and soon Clara would be able to sneak away and steal a small piece of the cake. Maybe she would be able to do it without my mother noticing. After a few moments of thinking about it I let her go, allowing her to do as she pleases. She didn't say a word, her heart so focused on the gender of this baby that she rushed straight for the cake.
I watched carefully, taking in all the faces of the crowd. If she was going to do it, now would be her best chance. My mother was distracted.
Like a snake she watched, patiently waiting her moment to strike. My mother had her back turned to the table, waiting for everyone to place their gifts down before announcing the party. I shook my head watching carefully as Clara picks up the large knife, checking the edges of it, before glancing up once more towards my mother.
Was she really dumb enough to cut the cake. There was no way my mother wouldn't notice.
But she did it. She took the knife, slowly slicing through the different sections of the cake. My heart jumping around in my chest I begged for her to hurry up.
If she came back successful, would I want her to tell me? No. Erin you are better than that, don't let her drag you down to her level of play. I turn back to Clara watching as she carefully separates the cake just enough for her to get a peek. Her eyes lit up.
She must have seen it.
Gently she tries to move the cake back. My mother turning around to look in my direction. I panic.
This was it. Clara was going to get kicked out of my own baby shower all because you couldn't wait a few hours. I shook my head rushing over to my mother. I needed to keep her distracted.
Here I was stooping to Clara's level.
She always found a way to drag me down with her.
"Mom, can we run inside for a few minutes?" I question doing my best to find any sort of distraction for my dear friend. Clara noticed what I was doing, grabbing another knife off the table to try and mold the frosting back to a decent place. My mother stares at me like I was insane.
Maybe I was for allowing Clara to keep tricking me like this.
"No, the party is out here, everyone is here, go mingle Erin, in around twenty minutes we will open the box and do the big reveal. After that we will do presents," My mother pushed passed me walking towards the microphone and the box in the middle of the yard.
Thank god Clara was finishing up, shaking her head as she rushed back over to my side.
"Do not tell me," I groaned looking at her as she smiles from ear to ear. She shook her head, pretending to zip her lips up as if it was locked away. I knew her better than that. I needed to get away from her if I wanted it to still be a surprise.
"Am I going to be happy?" I broke down, asking the question I knew would get me in trouble.
Thankfully my mother cut us off.
"Welcome everyone to my beautiful Daughters baby shower, I am so proud to announce that she is pretty much there, so good on you for making it this far, and sorry we tried to tell you how bad it was before this happened," The crowd laughs as a few people start pushing me towards the front of the yard, closer to the stage. I followed suit walking to stand next to my mother. She grabbed me pulling me into a hug before placing a banner around me. I glanced down, seeing that it stated I was the mom to be, as if they would have a hard time figuring that out.
"Please mingle for a few more minutes and we will be doing the gender reveal very shortly," My mother jumped down from the makeshift stage she had Carter set up last night. I followed her, taking the steps off of the wood platform.
"Mom, you didn't have to do all of this for me," She smiled at my comment shaking her head before responding.
"That is where you are wrong," She folds her arms over her chest before taking a few steps away. Grabbing my arm pulling me towards the box in the middle of the yard.
"Here is how this is going to work, I will keep Clara away from you because I know that damn girl messed with the cake..." My heart dropped, how did she know? I shook my head trying to find a way to back out of this. I didn't want to get in trouble on my own special day. "You are going to stand here," She placed me right next to the box. Holding my shoulders as she lines me up with the seam.
"We will do a big countdown and then you will pull this red string right here," She points to the side of the box. I glance at the red tab. Nodding my head to inform her that I was paying attention. "The box will open up, and a black balloon will fly out, you need to pop it with this needle," She hands me one of the largest needles I'd ever seen in my entire life. Shaking my head, holding it firmly in my hand. I almost felt threatened by the size of this damn thing.
"Then boom! You know the gender...hopefully," She smiled, throwing her hands in the air to emulate an explosion. I jumped at the sudden movement.
"Hopefully, like I said earlier don't shoot me with a confetti cannon," I moaned, staring back at the box, praying that it would be the correct gender.
"Yeah, we will see," Why did she look so cynical. Her face contorting until it almost didn't look like her anymore. Chills shoot through my body.
"Now that you've explained this to me, can we get it over with?" My mother glances down at her watch before nodding her head.
"Yeah I guess so let me go make the announcement."
The rest of the world faded away. My mind so focused on the box with the balloon. So focused on what the gender was going to be. A little girl to fulfill all of my childhood dreams, or a little boy to teach me things I would have never even thought of.
My poor mother, loving every minute of this so much. Clara ruining it for her as she continues to jump around boasting that she knew the gender. What a dumb girl she could be at times.
My heart was racing. There were so many things that were going to change today. What color would the nursery be? What would Carter say once he finally was able to talk about it? My thoughts chasing after him as I wonder about what he had done all day with David. Had they talked about it together?
Of course he told David.
Man that would be Karma for Clara knowing I was pregnant before Carter.
I shook my head trying to forget about the past. Things that had happened that didn't matter anymore. We were starting fresh with our cute little family of three. I rubbed my stomach, holding it tightly as I tried to relieve some of the pain.
"Are you ready Erin," My mother shouts over the microphone, pulling me out of my thoughts. I nod my head reaching forward to grab the red tab she had told me about earlier.
"Okay then...Three...Two..ONE!!" The entire crowd shouts, as I pull the tab, the box rips easy as the flaps fold back throwing a black balloon in the air just like my mother had said would happen. With one fellow swoop of the needle I pushed it into the black latex as a loud explosion shoots through the air.
I closed my eyes out of fear of getting hit in the face, the confetti cannon flashing through my mind once again. Another explosion, more like a pop this time, and I slightly open one eye to see what was happening.
My mother holds the gun carefully aimed in the air as tiny little pink fragments of paper fly around us. Floating gently towards the ground, getting stuck in my hair.
The confetti was covering everything. Covering everything in the wonderful color that was my baby's gender. Clara rushes across the grass to grab the cake, flinging the knife in the air as she cuts a slice as quickly as possible. Holding the cake in the air she starts to walk towards me.
"It's a Girl!" She shouts.
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