Sabine nodded, tears blurring at the corners but not falling.
“Y’all are measuring right on track,” the nurse said. “About twenty weeks now. Do you want to know the sex?”
They looked at each other.
Adair shrugged. “Up to you, baby.”
Sabine chewed her lip for a second, then shook her head. “Can you write it down for us so I can give it to his mom? She wanted to do a gender reveal.” She stated and Adair blew his breath hoping she forgot when her and Pam had that conversation.
“Of course, I’m gonna print some pictures—I would suggest not to look because the sex is obvious on a couple of them.”
“Thank you,” Adair said, while wiping the jelly off of Sabine’s belly then he leaned down and kissed it. Right in the center. “I love you.”
SEPTEMBER 5, 2011
The backyard smelled like charcoal, barbecue and…love. There were tables with blue and pink cloths, each with a centerpiece which was a bowl where guests placed their guesses of Sabine and Adair’s baby gender.
The balloon arch near right as you walked outside, looked like it came straight out of a catalog, perfectly arranged in alternating hues, framing a custom wooden sign that read“He or She? Wait and See.”
Lights were strung overhead—soft golden ones that would glow warm when the sun started to dip—and in the corner, a little speaker played Anita Baker low enough not to drown the laughter.
It wasn’t super flashy but it wasdone right.Pam had made sure of that. Because her grandbaby deserved a proper welcome. And Sabine—well, she was family now. For real.
It was thoughtful, homey…beautiful.
And most of all, it felt like love.
Sabine…she just stood on the back porch for a second, taking it all in.
“You good?” Adair whispered behind her, slipping a hand low across her belly and she nodded, a smile curling up. “Yeah.” He kissed her cheek, then went to snatch the tongs from his drunk ass uncle before he burned the burgers again.
Sabine stayed back, one hand rubbing her bump, the other gripping a half-full cup of lemonade. Her heart felt too big in her chest. All this—this laughter, these people, this love—it was everything she didn’t know she needed.
But at the same time, there was a quiet ache at the center of it all. Not a single cousin from her side had showed up. Noteven a text. Not even to say congratulations and they knew. They knew she’d gotten married and was pregnant because she didn’t hide it on social media. Although, it hurt, she couldn’t blame everyone for picking the more beneficial side.
More importantly, her mother wasn’t there.Neither was her father. Parents should big the bigger person when grandchildren come into play but not stubborn Charles Knight.
They hadn’t spoken since he hit her but still…he was her father. Since Sabine stood her ground and told them she wasn’t leaving her husband just because they couldn’t get over where he came from. Or how they didn’t like the way he talked. Or the fact that he didn’t come from a family with a “name.”
But Adair was her everything.
And if choosing him meant losing them, she made peace with that a long time ago.
Still. It stung a little.
Just a little.
Especially on days like this.
“Come on, Bine!” Reeka called out from the yard. “We ready!”
They were gathered by the cake table now—a tiered buttercream showstopper perched on a mirrored stand, trimmed in gold flakes with soft pink and baby blue rosettes piped by hand. In the center, a delicate acrylic topper shimmered under the lights:“Boy or Girl?”etched in cursive, nestled between two tiny fondant booties. The whole thing looked like it belonged in a magazine because, again, Pam had made sure it did.
The inside was dyed either pink or blue, and only Aunt Terri knew which. She was a secretly talented baker and cake designer who worked in Walmart’s bakery. She wouldn’t let anyone else do it and Pam was happy to give her sister the honor.
Terri made it and kept the secret like it was national security. Didn’t even let Pam know because she wanted her sister to be surprised too.
Adair walked over and stood behind Sabine again, hands on her hips with the biggest smile on his face. “You wanna cut it?”