A Dance of Life

54

"Okay, ladies and gentlemen!" Pat says, drawing our attention. "This is the moment you've been waiting for! Time to find out the genders!"

There are a couple of whoops through the crowd and some people start to clap. Pat walks to D and me and wiggles her brows at me.

"But first, we're going to sing Annelise happy birthday while she cuts her birthday cake," Pat says, smiling broadly at everyone. "Then we'll do a countdown for her and Nathan to cut the cakes."

"For picture and synchronization purposes," Diana whispers in my ear.

Oh, God, this is so awkward, I think as I'm guided to behind the cake table. Cameras I didn't notice before are flashing in the background and everyone is hearing me on. These people don't even know me.

You don't have to know someone to be kind. Nicole and her family didn't know you, did they?

Our bad taste fills my mouth and I suddenly feel like I'm going to throw up. Why'd you have to go and bring the Carvers' up?

"Come on, Ellie, smile," Pat coaxes, her face filled with joy.

Even though my stomach is churning with the fear that always comes with thinking about the Carvers', Pat's enthusiasm makes me smile and when Lucas pops up beside me to 'help' me cut the cake, I can't help smiling wider.

Think about the now. Don't get cut up in the unknown. You can get closer when you get back to Virginia.

"Okay, dad-to-be, go join our mama bear to help her with cake B."

Nathan emerges out of the crowd missing his jacket and the arms of his long-sleeve shirt rolled up. He winks at me as he approaches and I resist the urge to roll my eyes. A month ago, I'd have felt that Pat was doing too much introducing Nathan as the dad-to-be, but despite the fact that they aren't his blood, the title seems all too fitting now.

"Dad-to-be," I say by way of greeting but he shakes his head.

"It's papa bear to you, ma'am," he says, kissing my cheek.

"I love you for this."

"Just this?" He says with a pout.

"Enough with the romance," Pat's voice interrupts, drawing a laugh from everyone. "There'll be more of that later. Cake A, Annelise, is the baby close to your... cervix, and that means, obviously, cake B is for the one close to your lungs. Ready?"

Nathan and I pick up our respective knives and put them into the cake. Lucas is holding my free hand and bouncing on the balls of his feet, something he clearly learned from his sister.

"One!"

I exchange a nervous look with Nathan. I haven't really thought about the genders all that much.

"Two!"

I don't know if I'd be able to handle having two boys, but I'm sure my dad and Nathan wouldn't mind. Lucas would definitely be happy about it, though.

"Three!"

We bring the knives down at the same time, retracting it once it touches the cake board.

"It's a girl!" Nathan laughs, raising the knife so they can see the crumbs and icing on it.

"Oh my gosh, really?" I say, giggling in shock.

"This one's blue," Lucas exclaims.

I raise the knife to the crowd as they break into applause and cheer, my cheeks hurting from the wide smile on my face. "It's a boy and a girl!"