After her sister-in-law handed it to her, Leah glanced at Marc, who looked a bit unsure. Pale even.
“What is this?” Leah asked suspiciously.
“It’s a surprise.”
“Are we going on a second honeymoon? If so, then we should wait until after the baby is born—”
“No.”
“Is it the spa gift certificate you mentioned yesterday? I could use some pampering.” Ron’s strong hands massaging her feet made her want to book a whole day of the same.
“No. But it’s up to you whether you open it now or later... Or not at all. I know you wanted to keep it a surprise but I figured today would be the perfect day, if any, for you to find out what we’re having.”
“You’re havin’ a baby!” Greg yelled from across the room.
Leah realized all eyes were no longer on the puppy, but on them.
“I meant, what kind of baby,” Marc clarified.
“A human baby, silly!” Greg said, his puppy now on the floor, playing tug-of-war with his shoelaces.
Leah felt the blood drain from her face. She was desperate to know, but she was afraid to be disappointed. In truth, like most parents, she’d be happy as long as her child was born healthy. But also, deep down inside, she really, really, really wanted a girl this time. She insisted their second dog be female, simply so Leah wasn’t the only one in the house. But a little girl...
Not just any little girl. Marc’s. Possibly with his dark hair and stunning blue eyes.
She’d be a daddy’s girl.
Damn hormones were making her eyes burn.
She flipped the envelope over and over in her hands, staring at it, very aware that everyone was still watching her. After a few more turns, she lifted her eyes to her husband. “Do you know?”
“No, I told Carly not to tell me. I wanted to find out at the same time as you.”
“Thank you,” she mumbled, a tear threatening to fall from the corner of her eye. She quickly caught it before it did. “It shouldn’t matter.”
“I know,” Marc said softly.
“He or she will be a part of us. That’s all that matters.”
“I know. You can throw that into the fire if you want and we can wait.”
Leah tried to swallow, but her throat was closing up. She really wanted to know but she was scared.
Her finger slipped under the corner of the sealed flap and as she slid it along the edge, she carefully worked it open. Then she paused, still staring at it. “We could choose a name if we know.”
“Baby, do it or don’t. It’s up to you.”
Leah gnawed at her bottom lip. It didn’t make sense that the kids were so quiet. It wasn’t like them. How could everyone be so focused on her and this decision?
She closed her eyes, flipped the flap up and slid out the card. Marc jerked next to her and she heard his breath catch. Opening her eyes, she read the front of the card.
It’s a boy!
Leah stopped breathing, trying to fight back her emotions. One heartbeat. Two.
“Open it!” screeched Carly. It was unlike her to be so impatient.
Leah opened the card and pink glitter went flying everywhere. Inside was large handwritten block lettering.
JUST KIDDING!
This one doesn’t have a penis!
Hooray for more vaginas!
Leah slapped a hand over her mouth and Marc yelled, “Thank fuck!”
His mother scolded, “Marc! Language!”
Greg boomed out another, “Fuck!”
Austin and Jax ran over and grabbed the card from her. “What is it, Mommy?”
“You’re getting a baby sister,” she told her boys through her tears.
“Is that good?” Austin asked, confused.
“It’s great. It means grandma will have another girl to spoil when you two are hanging out with grandpa.”
Teddy clapped and bounced on his toes, wrapped up in Adam’s arms. “It also means we’ll have a girl to dress up since Hannah no longer lets us dress her.”
Max and Amanda, Matt and Carly, Adam and Teddy along with Ron and Mary Ann came over, each giving her a hug and their congratulations.
Leah glanced over at a grinning Carly, who was now holding Levi and swaying back and forth. “A penis can’t be hiding, right?”
“Well, that’s always a possibility, but every time I’ve done the ultrasound on you, I did not see one.”
“And if she had one it would be big enough to see,” Marc said. “Us Brysons aren’t small. Right, Pop?”
“Right. I—”
“Ron!” Mary Ann squawked. “It’s Christmas. That’s not a conversation to have today or in front of the kids.”
“You heard your mother, no penis discussions on Christmas.”
“There’s never not a good time to talk about penis,” Teddy stage-whispered.
“Penis!” Greg crowed toward the ceiling, making the puppy bark, which, in turn, made all the dogs bark. “I got a penis, too! No vag... ina!”
“Yes, Greg, vaginas are yucky,” Teddy told him with a dramatic shudder and a wrinkled nose.
Leah ignored them and leaned into her husband, turning her face up to him. He lowered his mouth and brushed his lips over hers.
“It wouldn’t be a Bryson family holiday without total bedlam,” she murmured.
“Would you want it any other way?” he whispered against her lips.
“No.”
“Are you happy?”
“You, the boys, your family, make me happy. Never doubt that. Finding out this baby’s a girl was just the bow on the box. But the gift inside would’ve been great all the same.” She sighed with contentment, one hand on her belly and one hand cupping her husband’s stubbled cheek. “It’s been an amazing day.”
“The day’s only beginning,” Marc reminded her.
True. One more surprise needed to be revealed.
And it was a doozy.
Chapter Eleven Teddy & Adam
Adam’s stomach churned, his mouth was as dry as the Registan Desert in Afghanistan, his throat tight. And his heart thumped wildly.
“Why do you keep glancing at your watch?” Teddy asked as Adam lifted his wrist for the hundredth time.
Adam still had him pulled into his arms, his fiancé’s back pressed to him, the arm without his watch stretched across Teddy’s chest, holding him close.
“And why is your heart doing
