Page 153 of The Trouble with Flings

Jennifer grins up at me. “Oh yeah? Remember that time you got me pregnant?” As more laughter ensues, she rubs her belly and says, “In my defense, it was a pretty big secret. I felt like I was going to burst.”

“That was nothing,” Lenore shouts. “Give it three months, then report back on that bursting feeling.”

We laugh right along with everyone else.

“In all seriousness,” I say, “thank you all. This whole day has been extraordinary, but the most perfect part of it isn’t the things you’ve done or made for us. It’s that all of you, the people we love most, are here, showing us that our baby is worth celebrating, and nothing means more to us than that.”

“Yes,” Jennifer says. “Everything he said a thousand times over. Thank you.”

A symphony of Awws and We love yous rings out, and my parents exchange a loving look. It’s a look they’ve shared my whole life. One that says their love will always be there. I get a little choked up as my father pulls my mother closer, kissing her temple. I see so much of myself in him, I hope that’ll be us one day, celebrating Little Bean’s dreams, minus the separate homes.

“Let’s do this!”

Everyone cheers, and Keira hands each of us an enormous pink and blue tube. “Aim at the sky, twist the bottom, and keep your hands and faces away from the top unless you want matching emergency room visits.”

“Thanks, sis.” My heart is racing as I take Jennifer’s hand and say, “Are you sure you want to do this, wild girl? Last chance to back out.”

She tips her head up with a radiant smile that outshines the sun and says, “I’m sure. But we’re not naming our child Optimus Prime.”

“That’s okay. I’m partial to Princess Dragonfly or Cap’n Crunch, anyway.”

She smiles, warm and beautiful and mine. As I lower my mouth to hers, whistles and cheers ring out.

“Save the foreplay for after the reveal!” Bellamy shouts, and we grin against each other’s lips.

“Y’all are so needy!” Jennifer teases, causing more laughter.

We hold up our tubes, and I say, “On the count of three?”

She nods, and we count down together. “One. Two. Three!”

We twist the bottoms, and thunderous pops crack around us as plumes of bright purple powder and hundreds of shiny purple dragonflies explode into the sky and rain down over us. Cheers and gasps fill the air, the kids are jumping up and down and clapping, and all I can do is stare in confusion.

“Purple?” I shout at the same time as Keira, Bellamy, Daphne, and Jules shout it with anger. “What does purple mean?” I look at Jennifer. Shiny dragonflies are stuck in her hair, and she looks as confused as I am as she shrugs.

“Maybe you have super sperm and you’re having twins!” Grant shouts, and laughter erupts.

Jennifer laughs so hard she buries her face in my shirt.

As I put my arms around her, unhinged laughter cuts through my confusion. I turn and find Wells doubled over against Archer and Jock. All three of them are cracking up.

Keira stalks toward them. “You dirty bastards! You pranked them!”

“We enhanced the event,” Wells argues.

Keira goes after him with murder in her eyes. “I swear to God, Wells Silver—”

He ducks behind Victory, but she steps aside and says, “You’re on your own, babe.”

Indi shouts, “Archer Steele, you are in so much trouble!” which only makes them laugh harder.

“You’d better wipe that smile off your face, Daddy Dock!” Daphne insists.

“Come on, baby, it’s all in fun,” Jock pleads, hands splayed.

Jennifer looks up at me and says, “You realize these people are insane, right?”

“Hell yeah, but I love ’em.” We both laugh.