Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

The twenty-week scan arrived far quicker than Daisy expected.

One moment she was staring at a positive pregnancy test.

The next she was halfway through her pregnancy.

Time seemed to move differently now.

Faster.

Scarier.

More exciting.

Harper met her outside the clinic practically vibrating with anticipation.

"You need to calm down."

"I'm calm."

"You brought snacks."

"I'm pregnant-adjacent."

Daisy laughed as they headed inside.

A short while later she found herself lying back on the examination bed while the ultrasound technician adjusted the monitor.

The room was dimly lit.

Quiet.

Familiar.

Yet Daisy still felt nervous.

The technician smiled.

"Ready?"

Daisy nodded.

The image appeared on the screen almost immediately.

And there she was.

Her baby.

Bigger now.

Moving.

Kicking.

Stretching tiny little arms.

"Oh my God," Harper whispered.

Daisy smiled automatically.

Every scan somehow felt more emotional than the last.

The technician spent several minutes taking measurements while Daisy watched the monitor.

Tiny fingers.

Tiny feet.

A tiny little person.

Her daughter or son.

The baby rolled slightly and Harper immediately pointed.

"Look at that."

"I am."

"No, LOOK."

"I'm literally looking."

The technician laughed softly.

Everything looked perfect.

Healthy heartbeat.

Healthy growth.

Exactly what Daisy wanted to hear.

Then the technician smiled.

"Would you like to know the gender?"

Daisy opened her mouth.

Before she could answer, Harper jumped in.

"Can you put it in an envelope for me?"

The technician looked amused.

"Gender reveal?"

Harper grinned.

"A small one."

The woman nodded knowingly.

"Seems to be the thing these days."

A few moments later she handed over a sealed envelope.

Just like that, only Harper knew whether the baby was a boy or a girl.

Daisy immediately narrowed her eyes.

"I don't trust you."

"You shouldn't."

"Harper."

"I'm not telling."

Daisy groaned.

Her sister looked far too pleased with herself.

A few days later, Daisy arrived home from work and immediately knew something was happening.

Her apartment looked suspiciously decorated.

The scent of vanilla filled the air.

Soft pink and gold decorations hung around the room.

Flowers sat on every available surface.

And Harper stood in the middle of it all directing people like she was planning a royal wedding.

"Oh no."

Harper turned.

"Oh yes."

"This isn't small."

"It is small."

"There are servers."

"Two servers."

As if on cue, one of them walked past carrying a tray of canapés.

Daisy stared.

Harper smiled proudly.

On the balcony, a beautifully decorated table overlooked Manhattan.

Drinks sparkled in the evening light.

Guests began arriving shortly afterward.

Friends.

Family.

Coworkers from the hospital.

Claire immediately hugged Daisy.

"I can't believe we're finally finding out."

Neither could Daisy.

Suddenly it all felt real.

Very real.

Eventually everyone gathered around the centerpiece of the party.

A beautiful cake.

Large enough to feed half of Manhattan.

Across the front were the words:

Boy or Girl?

Harper handed Daisy a knife.

"You ready?"

"No."

"Good."

The room filled with laughter.

Phones appeared.

People gathered closer.

Theo loudly announced he was still convinced it was a boy.

Poppy insisted it was a girl.

Neither child seemed willing to compromise.

"Three..."

Everyone started counting down.

"Two..."

Daisy's heart raced.

"One!"

Together, Daisy and Harper cut into the cake.

The first slice lifted.

For a moment nobody breathed.

Then the inside of the cake appeared.

Bright pink.

The room exploded.

"It's a girl!"

"I knew it!"

"Oh my God!"

Poppy screamed victoriously.

Theo looked personally betrayed.

Harper burst into tears immediately.

And Daisy...

Daisy simply stared.

Pink.

A daughter.

Her daughter.

Emotion hit so suddenly she couldn't speak.

A little girl.

Tiny dresses.

Tiny shoes.

Tiny pigtails.

A daughter.

Without thinking, her hands rested protectively against her stomach.

And for the first time, she truly pictured her.

Not as a baby.

Not as a scan image.

As her daughter.

A real little girl she would one day hold in her arms.

Standing in the middle of her apartment surrounded by the people who loved her most, Daisy smiled through tears.

Because she already loved her daughter more than she thought possible.

And somewhere beside her, Harper slipped an arm around her shoulders and whispered,

"You're going to be an amazing mum."

For once, Daisy didn't argue.

She simply looked down at her growing bump, smiled, and imagined meeting her little girl for the very first time. ❤️