"I think a little higher," I instructed Matthew and Lukas, who were hanging a 'It's a ...' pink and blue banner in the backyard.

We were all helping set up the combined gender reveal party. The party was in a couple of hours, so it was all hands on deck to finish decorating and setting up the actual reveal.

They both stretched a little and raised the banner higher. "How's that," Matthew asked.

I stepped back to get a bigger overview of the sign. "Lukas, your side a little higher."

Lukas stretched a little more. "I don't think it'll go much higher."

"That's perfect," I stated, satisfied with the banner.

Chase came over as I checked the banner off my list. "Where would you like these tables?"

I looked up from the clipboard. "Uuuhhhh, one second," I replied surveying the yard. "Let me see."

Picturing the complete setup in my mind, I instructed Chase to put the tables by the patio door. Marking off tables for the voting station, I decided to check Cruz and Amen's progress with the voting slips and boxes.

I could hear the giggling between them before even getting to the outdoor picnic area. They really did remind me of Troy and I at their age.

I cleared my throat, giving them a serious look. "We still have a lot to do for the party. I hope there's as much work getting done as there is giggling."

Cruz picked up one of the slips in a pile. "Don't worry, all these are ready to go."

"Perfect; when you finish those, go where Chase is setting up the tables now." I rechecked my clipboard.

Amen added another slip to the finished pile. "Got it."

I mumbled to myself as I flipped through my checklist. "Let me know if you have problems," I instructed, taking off for the egg hunt couple.

Brigette and Antonio were the only two who knew the gender of the babies. So they were in charge of the reveal. Which, according to them, will be an all-out egg hunt with all the kids in teams. Every pink and blue egg had the baby's due date on the outside to indicate which baby it was, with a letter inside. Once all the eggs were found, the letters would spell out the babies' names, revealing whether it's a boy or a girl.

Bridgette was sealing a pink egg with the due date when I approached them. Antonio immediately stood hovering over the table with his body. "No peeking," He warned.

I chuckled. "I just need to know if you need help to finish," I replied, trying to peek over him for fun.

Antonio stood, blocking the table. "We're good, and don't think I don't know what you're trying to do," He teased back with a touch of nose.

I pretended to pout for a brief moment. He shook his head and made a rise appear with a flick of his wrist. It was the one surefire magic trick that always made me smile.

"Thank you," I took the rose from him, kissing him on the cheek.

Food was next on my list, and that was Mom's domain. I knew Mom would make some fantastic food for the party, but it wouldn't hurt to ensure everything was on schedule.

I popped into the kitchen and surveyed the sight before me. It looked like some tornado ripped through. The sink was piled high with dirty dishes, appliances, and anything else imaginable. The oven had smoke coming from it. Burnt trays of food were on the counter. The mess was topped off with a countertop and table of messy supplies and appliances.

"Mom, what happened," I asked, moving one of the appliances on the counter.

Mom turned to me with a sigh. "Well, it started with a failed batch of cookie dough. After that, things began spiraling."

"OK, are you going to be able to get everything done," I asked, taking another glance at the mess.

"No, I won't have time to clean, wash, buy new ingredients, bake, plus frost all the treats. Maybe I can buy treats from the store after I clean this up. Sorry."

I thought on my feet. I wasn't sure they sold baby shower-themed sweets at a store. Or any store. There had to be a way to fix this.

Checking my list, I quickly restrategized my plan. "OK, Mom, what if you had some extra hands cleaning and baking? Plus, Dad and Miguel are on their way back from the gym. They can swing by the store and grab whatever you need."

Mom stopped cleaning. "Yeah, I suppose that could work. But can you spare any more people? I mean, who we have here is who we got to make this party. Everyone else is coming straight from work just before the party is starting?"

I bit my lip, looking at my list again. "You have all the other food, right?"

Mom nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"Because instead of decorating the treats, you can make them and let everyone go nuts at the party. Everyone will love it-especially the kids. Plus, if you only make your amazing brownies and cookies, they can used as toppers for an ice cream bar, or people can eat them as is. The added bonus of a lot less work also looks pretty good at this point."

Mom's jaw dropped to the floor, a shocked expression on her face. I wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not.

Mom's shock turned to a smile when she found her voice. "An ice cream bar is a great idea. Plus, it's definitely doable once I get this kitchen cleaned. Good thinking, Miya. Now, where is my whisk?"

I smiled, handing her the whisk and bowl. "I'll get Matthew and send him your way. Oh, and you may want to start off with the grocery list for Dad and Miguel."

Mom nodded, still looking frazzled. "OK. I just need a pencil and pad."

I handed Mom her phone. "Relax, Mom, this party is supposed to be fun. Working yourself into a frenzy totally defeats the purpose."

"OK, who are you, and what have you done with Gabby?"

We turned to see Sharon there. "I thought you couldn't get away."

Sharon shrugged. "I have my ways. But the Boltons might be a no-show. Sorry."

I pulled her into a hug. "Then that's their choice. I'm glad you're here, though."

"Me too. There's no way I want to miss finding out if I'm getting new nieces or nephews to spoil," She winced at the mess. "I'm also glad we come from an above average size family who can make anything happen. What's the plan?"

I smiled, thrilled to have my sister here. My family really didn't get to spend enough time together. Now that Sharon was here for the day, it was as close to family time together as possible. Mom filled her in while I pulled Matthew from decorating.


As it got closer to party time, more people started showing up. Since this was a last-minute party with our most immediate family and friends, most people coming were people I've known my entire life. A handful of people I hadn't known as long, but they were just as close as any family.

I was looking around at the early party guests when Javier came up with a drink in his hand. "Penny for your thoughts."

I took the drink from him, taking a sip. "Thanks. Everyone here…..Everyone we invite is people we can trust. Now that the party is going on and people are starting to arrive, it's only a matter of time. I invited them hoping for the best….."

"But you also fear the worst," Javier finished my thoughts.

I nodded. "I know this party is supposed to be for fun, but Smiley told me Troy's family will probably be a no-show. Who knows how many of my other friends are going to be no-shows? I guess a part of me wonders, if they don't show up, what does it mean?"

"It won't be anything more than what it is," Javier assured me. "It means someday they will find out, just not today. And there's nothing wrong with that."

I smiled, taking another sip of my drink. "I guess not. Hey, are you up for a challenge?"

He chuckled with a nod. "You're on. Which game?"

I gave him a sneaky smile. "Baby bottle bowling, and the winner gets a night off from kid duty."

"You're on," We shook on it and headed for the game area. Javier picked up a ball and handed it to me. "Ladies first."

I took it from him. "Thanks," I aimed and rolled the ball out.

Whack!

Javier whistled, watching the ball knock down all the bottles. "A strike right off the bad. Nice. Someone really wants that night off."

I winked. "Maybe."

Javier stepped up to the plate. "So you think you're having another girl or a boy?"

Javier knocked seven bottles, and I stepped up. "Boy, just because this pregnancy has been different than Melody's. What about you? You thinking boy or girl?"

"Girl. Just because they seem to be dominating in our family," Javier replied, watching me bowl another strike.

The look on Javier's face said case and point. I chuckled, stepping aside for him to take his turn. "Javy, what was it like you? Not being able to remember?"

He paused, turning to me. "Honestly weird, now. But at first, it was hard and scary. There was a part of me that felt like I was in a new world or that someone was playing some sort of joke on me. It actually took a minute to process and accept. Because when the fact that it was real started setting in, an even larger part of me felt like part of me was missing."

He took his turn, bowling a strike. He sat down next to me when I didn't move. "You think that's how Troy feels?"

"Probably," He guessed, "give him some time. Right now, just let him know he has a friend there. He'll let you know when he's ready."

I stood, picking up a ball. Casually rolling it down towards the bottles, I returned to my seat, not bothering to see how many I got. "Do you think you'll ever remember?"

Javier casually shrugged. "I wouldn't say it's a hard no or yes. I mean, there's always a chance, and no one knows what the future holds."

I fiddled with my bracelet, picking at one of the charms. "But….." I prompt in a whisper.

"But, it has been four years. There have been days that reality really hits hard, and I'm not nearly as hopeful," He noticed I was feeling down and nudged me. "The thing about bad days is they will pass, and then there are plenty of good days to enjoy. Something we both know a lot about."

Picking my head up, I gave him a smile. "Yeah, we know all too well about good and bad days. But, hopefully, Troy does too."

"Who knows, maybe he does," Antonio answered, causing us to turn our heads.

We grinned, seeing our six other siblings. Instantly, we all had that same thought.

"Group hug," We simultaneously announced, grabbing each other.

With all eight of us, we looked more like we were in some group huddle. We still had our arms on each other's shoulders when we pulled apart with wide, goofy grins.

"Man, I missed that," Esmerelda commented with a satisfying sigh. "We don't do that nearly enough these days."

"No arguments here," Cruz spoke up. "Facetiming and calling just aren't the same."

Isabella gave Cruz an extra side hug. "Since we're all actually here, why don't we play a game together? All eight of us."

I loved the idea and jumped at the chance to play a game with all seven of my siblings at once. "That sounds fun. What about Who's Who or Remember When?"

"OK," Sharon agreed. "Why don't you two finish your game of Baby Bottle Bowling while we go grab a game at the picnic benches?"

I shook my head, getting a better idea. I turned to Javier. "Actually, let's say you won this game, and I'll babysit True."

Javier raised a brow. "You sure? You're winning right now."

I nodded, squeezing him tight in a hug. "I already won the best prize."

Antonio and Miguel gasped, pretending to be angry. "What are we? Chopped liver," They exclaimed simultaneously, making us all laugh.

"Come on," Isabella waved us towards the picnic.

We ended up playing Which Would You Rather. We laughed, watching Miguel playfully tease Cruz with spooky noises and crawly fingers.

Sharon placed her hands on Miguel's arm. "OK, I think that's enough. Izzy, your turn; pick a card."

Isabella picked the card at the top of the pile. "OK, let's see. Would you rather…."

Isabella stopped when we heard our Mom's voice boom up our tree house. "I know the eight of you are up there. Come down and join the party games."

We all let out a disappointed sigh; so much for playing a game with only the eight of us. It was fun while it lasted, though.

"We'll be right down," Antonio answered as we helped Miguel clear the game. Many hands did make light work. It didn't take long for us to pack the game. Everyone was splitting into pink and blue when we got there.

People started talking and pulling us to their team.

"OK, everyone find a seat, and we'll start our first game," Mom announced over everyone's chatter.

It took a minute, but eventually, we got everyone settled and started playing: Which Mom is it. The blue team got light-up pens for winning that round. The pink team answered with their own win in: Name that Nursery Rhyme. Everyone was ready for the votes to be tallied after two games.

Most people voted girl for Rowan.

And they voted boy for me.

As the party games continued and everyone enjoyed themselves, I forgot that my friends were a no-show. I started enjoying myself and the little time I had gathering with my family we were.

Everyone groaned as Melody took another swing at the bottle pinata. "Oh, so close, Melody. Take one more big swing."

She stared at the pinata with the stick raised. Frowning, she toddled over to Lukas and handed it to him. Lukas took the stick from her and crouched to her level.

"Want some help giving the pinata a big final whack," He asked, picking her up.

Melody nodded, clapping her hands together. "Whack," She cheered with a giggle.

Lukas took her over to the pinata and handed the stick back to her. "OK, ready? We're going to hold it like this," He asked her, adjusting her grip on the stick like a bat.

They took a giant swing when Melody nodded. The stick made contact with the pinata with a sickening thud that snapped it in half. Everyone cheered when it started raining bags of candy and treats. The kids immediately beeline for the candy before any adults can stop them.

Melody handed me a piece of candy from her bag. "Here, Mommy, 'ndy."

I took the piece of candy she handed me. "Thank you, baby."


After the kids had some candy, Mom gathered everyone again. Clapping her hands, she cleared her throat to grab everyone's attention.

"Everyone, the final game is being set up now. This will be a huge egg hunt revealing not only the babies' gender but also their names," Mom explained, pointing to a table full of empty baskets next to a board. "So, when you're ready, come on up and grab an empty basket with a couple of people from your team. Once all the eggs are found, we'll put the letters on this board to spell out the babies' names."

The kids were excited and running on a sugar high when we started the final game. All the older children really turned it into a contest to see who could find the most eggs. There were overlapping arguments about who saw which egg or got to it first. The younger ones didn't quite understand the concept. But they still had a fun time toddling around the yard.

"I found another one," Melody heard another older kid shout.

She turned, seeing her put the item in her basket. The confusion was in her face as she stared at her empty basket.

Frowning, she bent down and yanked at the grass. "Me," She cried, tossing the tiny handful of grass into the empty basket.

Truett giggled, watching her continue to pull the grass. "Yeah, me," He cried, copying her.

Javier and I laughed, watching the kids turn an egg hunt into their own game. "You have to hand it to our kids for their creativity," Javier praised, watching them toss more grass and flowers into their basket.

"Petty, Mommy," Melody handed me the daisy in her hand.

She chased after Truett when I took the daisy from her. They giggled, showing each other their baskets, and talked in gibberish.

Javier, Rowan, and I were right behind them. "Should we guide them to an egg," Rowan wondered, watching them toss all sorts of stuff into the baskets.

Javier shrugged. "They seem fine. The point is to have fun, and they got that part down."

My mouth dropped, watching Melody dump her basket over her head. Her giggle turned into an all-out laughing fit when she purposely fell to the floor with her arms totally sped out. Truett mimicked her in laughter, and they started playfully kicking each other.

We laughed, "Yeah, fun is not a problem."

We let the kids do their own thing until Dad announced all the eggs were found.

"OK, so how do we know which eggs are announcing, baby," June, our close family friend, asked.

Antonio held up one of the eggs that Felicity found. "Each egg has a due date on it. Rosie's due date is in January, and Gabby's is in December. Here you are, Licy; open it and put the letter on the board."

Felicity cracked the egg like it was real. "E," She announced, showing everyone the letter.

She opened a couple more eggs, revealing the letters I, T, N, and O. Lewys went next and revealed the letters H, L, I, Y, and M. Olyvya went after Lewys and revealed P, K, T, I, F, and X.

Eventually, everyone went, and all the letters were placed on the board. It took a minute of playing scramble before we could figure out the names.

Felicity pulled on Sharon's hand. "Mommy, can Khloe be spelled with a K?"

Sharon nodded," Yeah, why, baby?"

Felicity went up to the board and removed some of the letters. "K-H-L-O-E," She spelled out, placing each letter back on the board. "Khloe."

It took a moment for it to click with everyone. The cheering and laughing were ear-shattering when it did finally register.

Dad laughed, picking Melody up, and pointed to my belly. "Melody, you have a new sister."

Melody shook her head. "No!"

Mom nodded. "Yeah, the baby in Mommy's tummy is your sister."

She shook her head again. "No!"

I laughed, taking her from my Dad. "Yeah, you'll have a sister to play with when Khloe arrives."

She clapped her hands. "Yeah! Pay!"

We all laughed even harder, and Melody burst out laughing.

"OK, Gabby's having another girl, but we still have no idea what Rosie's having," Teagan reminded us.

"Right," We agreed, settling down.

We turned our attention back to the board. I approached it to unscramble the other half of Khloe's name to spell out Brytton.

I placed the last letter back on the board. "Javy, Rosie, how long were the names you chose? It feels like we're looking at alphabet soup here. There are like twenty letters."

There was a chorus of laughter and chuckles. "It didn't seem like the names were that long," Javier commented, scratching his head. "Definitely not twenty letters worth."

Rowan nodded, 'Well, there are clearly at least twenty letters. This is hard."

I stepped back a second. "Wait, did you guys choose family names?"

Javier nodded. "Yeah, we picked family names for the middle names and more unique first names."

I nodded, stepping forward again. I picked up some of the letters. "A-N-T-O-N-I-O, spells Antonio," I spelled out, placing the letters in the correct order.

Rowan squealed, "That's it! That's one of the middle names on our list! We're having another boy! True, you'll have a new brother to play with!"

Everyone started squealing and clapping. There was so much excitement from everyone. Everyone was hugging Rowan and me as they congratulated us.

Antonio finally called everyone's attention. "Guys, we still have scrambled letters on the board. Shouldn't we unscramble them and find the baby's first name?"

Maya glanced back at the board. "There's still like twenty letters, give or take a few. Rosie, Javy, can't you just tell us the name you chose to go with Antonio?"

Javier and Rowan exchanged glances. "None of the names we chose were twenty letters. But we did decide on the name Felix Antonio."

I picked up the letters to spell Felix. "Wait," I paused. "Miguel's name is on here too."

I picked up the letters to spell Miguel's name. "What's the name you chose with Miguel?"

Javier approached the board, spelling out Peyton. "But why are there two separate names?"

"For two separate boys," I thought out loud. "Rosie is pregnant with twin boys!"

Instantly, Javier's face turned white as everyone erupted in screams and cheers. I wrapped my arms around my brother and best friend, congratulating him. He hugged me back, mustering up a small smile as if letting me know he was fine. Everyone's talking overlapped each other as they hugged us. It was the perfect, surprising ending to the party.