HURT FOR ME

Chapter Fifty-Four - Boy or Girl

"Is it a boy or girl?"

Aaron Adair

It's been three months since the last time I've written anything in my journal, truth be told, there hasn't been anything worth documenting.

Usually, I'd write when things were bad, or when Olivia and I would fight, but lately, things have been picture perfect between us.

Olivia's been busy at the cafe and I've been traveling for business but regardless of how occupied we become, we always make time for each other.

Our recent conversations have been about our wedding that's in four months and nursery decorations. Olivia wanted a neutral theme, which I argued our baby would turn into a sad-beige-baby, so we decided upon a modern look. Splashes of color but sleek furniture that would fit our baby girl or boy.

Today is our gender reveal, and it's causing my nerves to skyrocket and my body to tense up. Olivia's presence has helped calm my anxiety to some extent. However, if we were to have a baby boy, it would put pressure on me to name him after my father, and I'm determined to avoid that at all costs.

Olivia's voice interrupts my thoughts, calling out "Aaron," and I find myself drawn to her stunning figure adorned in a white, flowery dress.

Before she even asks what I think, I stand from my desk and lift her hand in the air, spinning her around. A joyful laugh escapes her lips as she steadies herself and plants a kiss on my cheek.

"You look beautiful," A warm smile covers her face as she looks up at me.

"Any luck?" Olivia has been concerned with my lack of writing since she found out I was still journaling just like I did in middle school.

I shook my head 'no' and glanced back at the blank page that I had left open in my journal.

Her soft hand gently caressed the muscle on my arm, easing more of the nerves. "It's okay, McDreamy," I chuckled at her recently new nickname for me.

She made the argument that if I were a character from Grey's Anatomy, I would be Derek or Sloan. However, in the end, she settled on Shepard, which I didn't mind because he is indeed a handsome man.

"Are you ready, Meredith?" We shared a laugh as we walked together towards the elevator.

"I'm more ready than ever." I leaned down, kissing her forehead gently before helping her into the elevator. Her belly has slowly progressed overtime, seemingly getting bigger and bigger with each day. I smile to myself at the thought of my unborn child.

❁

The venue was a large, white building with beautiful flowers lining the stone path to the entrance. Everyone cheered as we entered causing Olivia's face to turn bright red.

David and Katherine were the first to greet us, with David warmly embracing me in a tight hug. "I'm proud of you, son," he said, and I closed my eyes, appreciating his words. His fatherly presence made me reflect on my own dad, and I couldn't help but wonder if he would also feel proud of me if he were here. While I knew my mother would undoubtedly be proud of me, as she had always been my number one supporter.

After spending an hour greeting everyone, particularly my family members, we finally took our seats at the table positioned in the center and front of the room.

Behind us, facing the crowd, there stands a large, blank canvas perched on an easel. Placed at the center of the table is a container filled with white paint, accompanied by two blindfolds positioned on either side.

"Everyone," my grandmother's voice resonated through the microphone. "Olivia and Aaron will dip their hands in the paint and, with blindfolds on, imprint their handprints onto the canvas," she explained. "The paint will react to the warmth of their hands, unveiling either blue or pink." Everyone clapped as they stared at both Olivia and I.

I playfully picked up Olivia's blindfold, helping her put it on carefully to avoid messing up her hair. "You better get used to this," I teased in a whisper, close to her ear.

A soft laugh escaped Olivia's lips as I guided her to face the crowd. Meanwhile, I handed my blindfold to my grandmother, allowing her to assist me in putting it on.

With our eyes covered by the blindfolds, my grandmother guided both of our hands towards the container, guiding us to dip our hands into the paint.

"Now they're going to press their hand onto the canvas, and it'll reveal either pink or blue," my grandmother announced, capturing the attention of the room. A hushed silence fell upon the crowd as we followed her instructions, carefully pressing our handprints onto the canvas.

After a moment, the room erupted in applause and cheers, prompting Olivia and me to remove our blindfolds. As we did so, we gazed upon our pink handprints side by side on the canvas, and a sense of joy and excitement filled the air.

Olivia couldn't contain her excitement and started jumping up and down, wrapping her arms around my neck. I responded by gently lifting her up and planting a kiss on her cheek, sharing the joy of the moment.

Layla, Katherine, and Natalie rushed over to Olivia, so I gently let her down, allowing her to savor the moment with her family. Meanwhile, Sebastian and David congratulated me with firm hugs and hearty pats on the back.

As conversations resumed and people settled back into their seats, I reached out and took Olivia's hand in mine, pulling her close to me, enjoying the intimate moment between just the two of us.

"We're going to be parents," Olivia's voice cracked as she spoke softly into my shoulder. I could sense a hint of self-doubt in her words.

I soothingly ran my hand over her hair, providing comfort, and whispered into her ear, "You're going to be the best mother in the world." I reassured her, speaking softly to alleviate her doubts.

"And you're going to be the best daddy in the world," she responded with a smile. I cherished her words, leaning in to plant a gentle kiss on the top of her head as it rested on my chest.

"Does this mean you're going to call me da--" Before I could finish my sentence, her hand swiftly reached up and covered my mouth, preventing me from speaking further. I couldn't help but laugh, the sound muffled against her hand.

Olivia and I navigated through the crowd, ensuring we expressed our gratitude to each guest and making sure everyone felt appreciated and content for the remainder of our time at the venue.

Occasional glances from Olivia kept drawing my attention, making it challenging to think of anything else. Watching her engage with people in her gentle and kind manner, it brought back memories of the first time I saw her after the accident.

I had many regrets in my life time, but defying Olivia's mother and coming back for her wasn't one of them. She changed my life as I did hers, maybe even more.