The Stolen Child

Boy or Girl?

"I feel like a freaking beached whale." Cass said as she struggled to get off the sofa. I reached out, grabbing her hand and helping her up. Guests had arrived for the baby shower Ashley was throwing us. It was mostly for the baby, but I had added some special things for Cass. Together Ashley and I had paid for a slew of spa treatments for Cass once the baby was born. We also were going to treat her to a makeover as well.

The pregnancy had been going well, and today we were going to find out the gender. There were only three more months to go before our little bundle of joy would be here. Brody was still gone, with no end of his mission in sight. Lauren still wasn't sure when he would be home, but continued to assure me it would be before the baby was born.

"Ready?" I giggled as Cass placed her fists in the small of her back, pushed it hard in an attempt to stretch.

"You think it's funny, huh?" She smiled as she smoothed her dress. It was a beautiful light blue cotton dress which hugged her curves and accentuated her growing baby bump. She tied a pink sash above her belly. I had the same dress, but in a dusty pink color and tied a blue sash around my waist, clinching it in, exposing my curves. Cass and I made our way to the patio where everyone had gathered around. Cass knew the gender of the baby. She had kept it from me so she could assist with the gender reveal. I signed as I looked around, the weight of Brody's missing face barring on my shoulders. I looked down at my hand feeling pressure surrounding it. Cass had wrapped her hand around mine, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I'm sorry he's not here." She said.

"Yeah, me too."

"Well, are you ready?" She pursed her lips, waiting for me to be ready for this. I took a deep breath, sighing heavily.

"Let's go."

I put on my best smile as I greeted our guests, weaving in and out of the multiple bodies. Cass sat on a chair under the pergola. She decided that if people wanted to see her, they were going to have to go to her. She wasn't about to walk around in this heat pregnant. I can't say that I blamed her. Although I would never experience being pregnant, Cass voiced what she felt as often and as loud as she could. So much so that I definitely thought I knew exactly what she was feeling.

"I want to thank everyone for coming." Ashley stood under the pergola by Cass. "Noemi." She eyed me, waving for me to join her. I stepped through the sea of people, making my way to Ashley and Cass.

"Thank you all for gathering together today to celebrate Noemi."

"Well, actually, Cass should be the one we're all celebrating today. She's doing all of the hard work for me." I giggled as I ruffled Cass' hair. She glared at me as she reached up to fix it.

"And honestly." I continued. "We should be thanking Luke as well. Without both Luke and Cass, we wouldn't be here today. Without their selfless actions to help Brody and I, I wouldn't be less than three months from meeting my child." Applause echoed throughout the posh backyard as people clapped and cheered for Cass and Luke. I beamed from ear to ear as Cass took hold of my hand. I searched the crowd for Luke, finding him near the back. He had a smile on his face as he watched all of us under the pergola.

"Now, for the moment you've all been waiting for!" Ashley exclaimed excitedly as she handed both Cass and I a cardboard tube with a string at the bottom. I watched as she wrapped her fingers around the string. Cass and I both followed her example.

"On the count of three!" She yelled.

"One!" I wrapped my fingers tighter around the string.

"Two!" Butterflies crept up in my stomach as we neared the moment I would discover my baby's gender.

"THREE!" Ashley shouted and all three of us tugged hard on the string wrapped around our fingers. Loud pops were heard as bright pink confetti shot out of the barrels, showering over the crowd. I beamed with pride as everyone showed their enthusiasm for Brody and I.

Brody. How I wish he was here. He was missing every moment he had sworn he would be here for. I felt tears well up in my eyes as I thought about how he had no idea we were having a little girl. The sound of the crowd was lost on me as I thought about how happy he would have been, standing here beside me, most likely shooting off a popper of his own in a blue shirt and pink tie.

"Hey." Luke's smooth choice called out from beside me, shaking me from my thoughts.

"Hey! Luke." I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Is everything okay?" He asked, a look of concern across his face. "Tell me you're not upset you're having a girl?" He chuckled.

"No. No, I'm so excited. Can you imagine a little mini me running around here?" I laughed at the thought.

"I absolutely can." He smiled, his arm wrapped around my waist still. "So, what's bothering you?"

"Brody."

"Ah." He stepped back, sipping from his champagne glass. Ashley had purchased pink champagne for after the announcement. I should have known then that we were having a girl. "Excuse me for a second." My eyes followed Luke as he disappeared into the crowd, swiftly returning with a spare pink glass for me.

"Thank you." I sipped from the glass. "Brody promised he would be here. But he's not. He's missing out on everything. He promised me he wouldn't miss it." I quickly wiped away a stray tear before it betrayed me.

"I understand how hard this is for you. I'm sure he would absolutely be here if he could. I know he would." Luke wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "Look, I know he's trying as hard as he can to get back to you. To you and your little girl. He will be home soon. I know he will. He has a deadline, afterall."

"A deadline he doesn't know. He doesn't know the due date, and now he just missed the gender reveal."

"Have you been writing your letters?"

"Yes, but he can't read them. Lauren can't give them to him until he's finished with his mission. To be honest Luke, I quit writing them last month."

"What? Why?" His shock caught me off guard.

"It's just…I miss him. I miss him so much. Writing the letters reminds me that he isn't here, and isn't going to be here. That he's missed out on so much and I still don't know if he's coming home."

"Noe, he's coming home. He will be home before that baby is here." Luke gingerly pressed his lips against my forehead. I smiled at the comfort Luke was providing me right now. I really had the best of friends. I felt blessed they were in my life.

"Who wants cake?" We looked up at Ashley, holding up a piece of bright pink cake with blue and pink swirled frosting.

"Come on. Let's get some cake." Luke pulled me towards the dessert table. "Cale always makes me feel better."