Chapter Forty Nine

Chapter Forty-Nine

For one perfect second—

nobody moved.

Nobody spoke.

Nobody breathed.

The balloons floated upward.

The crowd stared.

And then chaos erupted.

Pink.

Pink everywhere.

The first box had exploded into a shower of pink balloons.

Daisy's hand immediately flew to her mouth.

Roman froze.

Completely.

A girl.

Another little girl.

Lillie was getting a sister.

The realization hit both of them at exactly the same time.

"Oh my God."

Daisy's eyes instantly filled with tears.

Beside her, Roman looked emotional.

Very emotional.

The kind of emotional he tried to hide.

Failed.

But tried.

Then everyone's attention shifted.

Because Harper and Noah's boxes had also opened.

One exploded with blue balloons.

The other exploded with pink.

Silence.

Then screaming.

Actual screaming.

Harper screamed.

Daisy screamed.

Poppy screamed.

Even Theo screamed despite not entirely understanding why.

"A BOY AND A GIRL?"

Harper's voice echoed through the venue.

Noah stared upward.

Still processing.

One blue.

One pink.

Twins.

A son and a daughter.

A complete set.

The realization finally landed.

Noah sat down.

Immediately.

The nearest chair.

Before his legs gave out completely.

Roman burst out laughing.

"I need a minute."

Noah rubbed both hands over his face.

Harper was crying now.

Happy tears.

The best kind.

"You okay?" Daisy asked.

"No."

Harper laughed through tears.

"Absolutely not."

Fair.

Very fair.

Meanwhile Roman was still staring upward.

At the pink balloons floating across the ceiling.

A little girl.

Another daughter.

His daughter.

The thought made his chest ache.

The good kind.

The overwhelming kind.

Daisy looked up at him.

His eyes immediately found hers.

Neither needed words.

Because they were both thinking exactly the same thing.

Another little girl.

For Lillie.

For them.

For their family.

Lillie suddenly clapped.

The room instantly laughed.

The little girl looked delighted by the balloons.

As far as she was concerned, this party existed purely for entertainment.

Roman lifted her higher.

"You've got a sister."

Lillie grabbed his nose.

Hard.

Roman laughed.

"Okay."

Apparently that was her response.

Across the room Harper was still crying.

Noah was still sitting down.

And everyone was gathered around them.

"A boy and a girl."

Harper laughed again.

"I know."

"A boy and a girl."

"I KNOW."

Noah looked mildly shell-shocked.

The poor man had spent weeks adjusting to twins.

Now he was adjusting to one of each.

Poppy was thrilled.

"A baby girl!"

Then she pointed toward the blue balloons.

"And a baby boy!"

Theo looked equally excited.

"Can I teach him football?"

Noah laughed.

"Eventually."

Theo nodded seriously.

"Good."

The future had apparently been decided.

Olivia appeared beside Roman.

Phone already recording.

Naturally.

"So."

Roman glanced at her.

"So."

"Two daughters."

Roman smiled.

The smile was instant.

Unstoppable.

Proud.

Happy.

Completely in love already.

"Two daughters."

Olivia laughed.

"You're doomed."

Roman looked at Lillie.

Then at Daisy.

Then at the pink balloons.

Then smiled even wider.

"Probably."

As the party continued, laughter filled the room.

Photos were taken.

Cake was cut.

Family gathered together.

And for the first time since the surprise pregnancies, everything felt real.

Not just babies.

People.

Little people.

Waiting to join their family.

Later that evening, after most guests had left, Daisy found herself standing on the balcony overlooking the river.

The city lights glittered below.

The autumn air cool against her skin.

Roman appeared beside her moments later.

Quietly.

As always.

For a while neither spoke.

Then Roman slipped an arm around her.

She leaned into him.

Comfortably.

Naturally.

Home.

"A girl."

His voice was soft.

Almost disbelieving.

Daisy smiled.

"A girl."

Roman laughed quietly.

"Poor me."

Daisy looked up.

"You sound happy about it."

"I am."

The answer came instantly.

Without hesitation.

Roman looked toward the ballroom where Lillie was currently being spoiled by approximately ten relatives.

Then back at Daisy.

"Two daughters."

His smile softened.

"I can't think of anything better."

Tears immediately filled Daisy's eyes again.

Because somehow, after everything—

the surprise baby.

The second chance.

The houses.

The pregnancies.

The future—

they'd ended up exactly where they were supposed to be.

And next year, when all the babies arrived, their little street would become even louder.

Even messier.

And even more full of love.