Boy Next Door

Fireworks

With only about ten minutes before they'd have to leave for the ultrasound appointment, Camila finished getting ready and scurried down the stairs. She couldn't help but audibly 'aww' when she saw her husband sleeping on the floor of the living room while Quinn sat by his head playing with his hair. The small girl looked up at her mom and giggled when she heard her enter the room.

"Hey Quinny, can you wake up daddy for me?" Camila quietly asked the toddler. Quinn looked down at a sleeping Shawn before looking back up at her mom. "Wake up daddy!" Camila repeated, pointing at her husband. Quinn looked back down at her dad, a wide smile growing on her face.

"Dada!" she screamed right as she leaned down to be face-to-face with him. He jolted awake and tried to recover from the harsh awakening while Camila and Quinn both laughed. Shawn reached his arms back and grabbed their daughter, immediately pulling her close to his chest and tickling her.

"Think that's funny you little stinker?" he joked as the tiny girl giggled and tried to squirm away from him.

"Settle down, children," Camila snorted. "We gotta leave for the appointment." Shawn looked at Quinn and gasped.

"Quinny! Mommy and daddy are gonna find out if you're having a little brother or sister!" The little girl didn't really understand what he was talking about but she smiled and giggled nonetheless — it was pretty much her go-to reaction for everything at this point. Shawn stood up and jogged over to the mirror that stood in their entryway, fixing his messy hair. "Jesus, how did my hair turn into a literal nest during that quick nap?"

"You may have been in the middle of a makeover when I got down here," Camila chuckled as she leaned down and picked up their daughter. Shawn squinted at Quinn in the mirror as he used his fingers to comb through his tresses.

"Good enough," he shrugged. He slipped on a pair of shoes that had been sitting by the door before the three of them got into the car. They dropped Quinn off at Camila's parents' house before heading to their appointment.

"So, any big Fourth of July plans this weekend?" Dr. Mandujano asked as she spread the clear jelly onto Naomi's protruding stomach.

"Yes, actually." Camila looked over at her husband and smiled. "We're having a small get together tomorrow with some of my family to celebrate...and to find out the sex of the baby!"

"Ooh! A Fourth of July gender reveal party...how fun! I take it you want me to keep the sex a secret for now then?"

"That'd be great," Shawn added. "Apparently Camila's mom has some grand plan."

"She won't tell us what it is but she said it's a great idea and knowing her, I have no doubt that it is."

"Well when do I get to find out?" Naomi asked. "The curiosity is killing me."

"What do you mean? You're invited to the party, silly!" Camila informed her. Naomi smiled, clearly excited about getting the invite. Dr. Mandujano informed the three that everything looked good and that the baby was more than healthy before writing the sex of the baby on a small piece of paper and sealing it in an envelope to give to Sinu. They exited the hospital and left to go pick up Quinn and drop off the envelope containing the sex of their new child.

Later that night, Camila laid in bed next to her husband as he mindlessly strummed on his guitar with his back against the headboard.

"Can I ask you kind of a weird question?"

"Go for it," he replied, his fingers stilling on the strings. Camila gave a thoughtful sigh as she pulled the duvet closer to her small body.

"Does it feel different for you this time?" she asked. "I mean, obviously it's different because I'm not the one carrying the baby...but like, since this baby is biologically yours...does it feel different?"