Chapter 31

Iam holding my warrior yoga pose and lost in one of Shakiara"s ballads with my eyes closed and my mind at peace. However, my peaceful moment is interrupted when I feel my earbud slowly slipping out of my ear. The sudden distraction forces my eyelids open, and I stare into a pair of deep blue ocean eyes.

In the next moment, I almost lose my balance, but before I can fall, Donnie wraps his strong arms around my waist, holding me close to him.

"What are you doing?" I ask breathlessly.

"What are you doing?" he counters in disbelief.

"What does it look like?" I retort, pulling away from him. "Yoga."

"You could have fallen, Shorty," he says sternly.

"No, I wouldn't have," I respond with an eye roll as I walk over to my phone and shut the music off. I pull the other earbud out and turn to face him. "What are you doing here?" I ask, grabbing my water bottle and taking a much-needed drink. "I thought you were picking me up later?"

Donnie hands me a garment bag and a small tote I didn't notice before. "What is this?" I ask, inspecting the bags.

"Lupe wanted me to ensure you had this before we left for the party." He smiles.

Today is the day of our gender reveal party, and Donnie and I have been eagerly anticipating the big reveal of our twin boys. We came up with a creative way to share the news with our friends and family, and we are excited to see their reactions.

"Of course she did." I laugh, knowing about Lupe"s involvement in the party planning process, including Tia, who is ready to deck her. Lupe has been running around the last few weeks, bossing people around and driving Seb crazy.

"Go get dressed, and then we"ll head over," Donnie says, leaning in for a kiss.

I moan in his mouth, and he just smiles. "Later, baby, or we"ll be late for our party."

I groan in frustration. "Who cares? It"s our party." I pout and walk past him, earning a smack to my ass.

I place the bags containing my clothes and accessories on the bathroom counter. I remove my clothes and step into the shower, letting the warm water cascade over my body.

As I step out of the warm shower, the steam enveloping me, I reach for the soft, fluffy towel on the rack nearby. I wrap it around myself, feeling its warmth and coziness against my skin. After drying myself off thoroughly, I walk over to where I left the bags.

Lupe packed a white and red baseball maternity jersey. The jersey has "Baseball Mommy" written in bold letters, with a Puerto Rican flag between the words. Donnie"s number 23 is on the back of the jersey. There's also a pair of beautiful baseball stud earrings. And lastly, there are personalized baseball capias in the form of corsage which is a part of Spanish tradition. I quickly throw on the maternity shirt and a pair of maternity jeans. I dry my hair, style my curls, and apply light makeup to my face. Splashing on a few perfume sprays, I leave the bathroom and grabbed my purse from the desk.

Donnie's wearing his jersey with the word "Daddy" written in black letters and his jersey number 23 below it. When Donnie turns around and notices me, a broad smile immediately spreads across his face, and my shoes echo against the tiled floor.

"You look beautiful, Shorty," he says quietly, unable to take his eyes off me.

"Thank you," I say. I place my hand gently on his chest and gaze up at him. "You look so handsome."

He pins my capia on my shirt, and I do the same with his. We grab our jackets and head toward the door. The weather here is still taking some getting used to. Despite being in the fall season, the temperature is relatively warm compared to what I was used to in Wisconsin.

"Ready?" he asks.

"Yeah, I"m ready."

We pull up to Seb"s house and notice the driveway is packed with cars, and the mailbox is decked out with vibrant red and white balloons that bob in the breeze. The porch's pillars are adorned with long, shimmering streamers in the same colors. Even the balloons themselves are entwined with each other.

"Why red and white?" Donnie asks as he put the car in park.

"Because they don"t know the baby"s gender, they went with your team"s colors," I say with a smile.

Donnie chuckles. "Creative."

He parks the car and rushes to my side, opening the door for me. My belly has been growing, and it"s becoming increasingly difficult for me to move around, especially when getting in and out of a car.

We walk in without knocking. "Virtual Diva" by Don Omar is blasting through the speakers outside in the backyard. We place our jackets in the front closet and head towards the sounds.

Upon entering the kitchen, we see Mom and Abuela sitting at the table, engrossed in cutting various fruits and vegetables. Tia stands at the counter, vigorously shaking her hips while making the punch. Meanwhile, Elisa tosses together a salad and sings along to the lyrics.

"Hey," I greet them, and they all turn toward me with a sudden burst of excitement, their eyes lighting up with joy and surprise as Tia screams.

Tia stares at Donnie, her eyes widening as she speaks. "No! We"re not ready yet! You were supposed to wait until we gave you the green light to come over," she says, placing her hands on her hips with clear annoyance.

Donnie shrugs, seemingly unphased by Tia"s sassiness. "Seb told me it was good to come over," he says, his arms wrapped around my waist.

Tia storms out toward the back door, her movements swift and determined. "Seb!" she yells, the door slamming shut behind her.

Donnie moves closer and gently presses his lips to my forehead, leaving a soft kiss. He then turns to Abuela and places a tender kiss on her cheek, followed by a similar gesture for Mom. With a smirk on his face, he whispers, "I"ll go out and handle this," before following Tia out.

Abuela turns to me and speaks in Spanish. "Are you just going to stand there and not give me a kiss?" she asks, a hint of playfulness in her voice.

I walk up, kiss her cheek, and wrap my arms around her from behind. Her hair is styled beautifully."Estás hermosa," I whisper.

I look around and realize that every person in the room is sporting a T-shirt with Donnie"s team number and their respective titles printed on the back. From Abuela to Titi and from Great Abuela to Bestie, everyone is proudly wearing their shirts. I can't contain my emotions, and tears well up in my eyes.

"You guys look so great," I choke. Just then, Elisa walks over to me and wraps her arm around me, pulling me into a comforting embrace.

"Don"t cry," she chuckles softly.

Frustrated with my emotional outburst, I say, "I"m sorry, it"s these hormones."

Mom chuckles and reminisces, "I remember being pregnant with you. All I did was cry." She shakes her head as if to shake off the memory.

Abuela joins in, laughing in Spanish, and teasingly adds, "Your mother cried when our pet bird ran out of food." The image of my mother shedding tears over a bird"s food shortage is comical, and we all share in the laughter.

"And when I was pregnant with your brother," Mom continues, "I wouldn"t cry as much, but I had the worst food addictions."

"Like what?" I ask curiously.

"Well, I used to dip Doritos in milk." Mom twists her face.

"Oh, gross." Elisa makes a face, sticking out her tongue.

"And mix the milk with her rice," Abuela adds.

The group groans in unison: "Eww."

Lupe enters the house, her beaming smile illuminating her entire face. "Oh, Reina," she exclaims in adoration. "You look so cute!" Without hesitation, she pulls me into her arms.

When we part, Lupe turns her attention to the task at hand. "Okay, everything is ready," she says, her expression serious. "The guys are going to come in and carry everything out."

Just as she speaks, the back door opens. In walk Seb, Max, Gio, Ash, Javi, and Jo. I greet each of the guys with a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek.

As we go outside, I take in the scene around me. Gabby is busy setting up the tables and arranging the chairs just so. Donnie is playing with Sophia on the swing set, pushing her higher and higher as she giggles with delight. She's wearing the same jersey as me. However, her shirt has "Big Sister" written on it, and her hair is beautifully styled into pigtails, tied up with red, white, and blue ribbons.

I stop in my tracks when I see Donnie"s parents. They walk toward me with open arms and broad smiles. I wasn"t sure if they would make it. Jackie"s eyes light up with delight as she wraps her arms around me. "Oh, sweetheart," she coos, "you look so beautiful." She pulls away from me and looks at me before hugging me again, making me laugh.

Charles approaches me with a drink in his hand and gives me a warm hug. "Sadie, it"s great to see you," he says.

With a genuine smile, I reply, "It"s good to see you too."

Lupe has really outdone herself. I am amazed by the backyard's baseball theme and decorations. The attention to detail is impressive. The centerpiece of the setup is a large picnic table that can easily accommodate all of us. The decorations are so well-placed that it feels like we are in a baseball stadium. There's even a baseball bat-shaped utensil holder and baseball-shaped balloons hanging from the trees.

Mom and Abuela arranged the fruit and veggie tray like a baseball diamond.

A "Welcome, Little Slugger" banner hangs above the table where the cake is displayed, accompanied by a festive balloon arch. The cake has a baby wrapped in a cozy blanket, with the message "Congratulations to Donnie and Sadie"inscribed along it with some adorable baseball cupcakes surrounding the cake.

And as for the table centerpieces, they are my favorite part of the decor. Three mason jars hold a variety of baseball-themed treats, including red vines, peanuts, and miniature Baby Ruth"s. The menu includes a spread of sliders, hotdogs, and corndogs.

After we fill our plates and eat, it is time for the reveal. A unique idea has been planned for the reveal by using blue baseball smoke to announce the baby"s gender. Donnie gathers everyone around while I approach the fake plate that Seb carved out from cardboard, and Donnie tosses the ball toward me. I hit the ball with all my might and watch as it explodes into a beautiful blue powder. Everyone cheers and screams in happiness.

"Yeah!" Jo cries out. "I called it." He turns to Javi and says, "You owe me fifty bucks."

Javi rolls his eyes and laughs.

Donnie takes his place again, and everyone looks on curiously, likely wondering what will happen next.

Sophia moves her tiny feet and waves her arms, cheering for Donnie when I toss the ball toward him. He hits it with great force, causing it to burst into another gorgeous blue cloud of powder.

Everyone is still.

"Wait, twins?" Donnie"s mom says with tears falling.

"You"re having twins?" Jo"s face lights up with excitement.

Donnie jogs to me and wraps us in his arms, and we both look at each other when we say, "Yes, twin boys."

Everyone chanted, their excitement reaching a fever pitch.

Donnie takes Sophia from me when Jo and Javi walk toward us. "That"s awesome, Sade." Jo"s face lights up with happiness. "Congratulations," he says, kissing my cheek.

Javi steps closer, his arm finding its place over my shoulders. I look up at him, my eyes searching for his reaction. "I hope you didn"t take the bet the wrong way," he says earnestly. "It was all in good fun, and we never meant to cause any offense."

With a soft chuckle, I gently side squeeze on his arm to emphasize my point. "Don"t worry, I"m not offended," I say.

"The money from the bet was meant for you and Donnie," he explains, a hint of a smile on his lips. I am about to thank him for his generosity when his expression turns mischievous. "So, you wouldn"t mind a second wager?" he asks, wiggling his eyebrows.

Jo perks up, looking intrigued. "What were you thinking?"

Javier replies, "Birthday."

"How much?" Jo asks.

"One hundred bucks."

"Javier!"

"Jo!"

Mom, Abuela, Elisa, and Gabby say their names simultaneously, but Jo and Javi are too engaged in their challenge.

Gio interjects, "That"s not a bet. We all know her due date."

Jackie adds, "But not all babies are born on their due dates."

Jo crosses his arms confidently. "I say the little sluggers will arrive on Christmas," he says.

Javi furrows his brow, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm, Christmas, eh? I"ll go with New Year"s. They"re going to have New Year's babies." Javi turns to me and Donnie with a tender expression. "A new beginning."

Tia lets out a dramatic sigh. "You two are idiots."

Soon after the party ends, it is time for everyone to pack up and head out. The guys are responsible for carrying the gifts out to Jo"s car, Tia"s, Javi"s, and my cars, as everything couldn"t fit in mine alone.

Sophia sleeps soundly in Jackie"s arms while the guys help clean up the backyard and carry out the gifts. Meanwhile, Mom, Abuela, and the girls clean the kitchen. I offered to help, but Lupe playfully smacked my butt and told me I was not allowed to lift a finger.

I sit on the couch, unable to stay still, feeling the urge to help. That"s when I remember the balloons at the mailbox. I wobble out the front door and make my way to the mailbox. The balloons are tangled tightly.

"Come on," I grunt as I untangle the ribbons. I am engrossed in the task when I hear Donnie"s horrified scream and see him running toward me. He grabs me and pulls me away from the mailbox just as a black sedan zooms past us at an alarming speed. Donnie holds me close to his chest, his heart racing. He turns me around and cups my face. "Fuck, Shorty. Are you okay?" he asks.

I nod, unable to speak because of the shock.

Javi, Jo, Seb, and the other guys ran out of the house at the sound of Donnie"s scream.

"What the hell happened?" Javi roars.

"Who the fuck was that? Did you get the plates?" Jo demands.

Donnie replies, "No, we didn"t. I was too busy trying to save Shorty from getting run the fuck over!"

"Damnit," Javi mutters as he pulls out his phone. While he is dialing, he looks up at me. "Get in the house. Staying out here isn"t safe," he says.

Donnie ushers me through the front door, still shaken by the close call.

"Are you alright?" he asks as we sit on the couch.

I nod, my hands clasped together so tightly my knuckles are white. "I-I think so." My breathing is still rapid, and my voice is trembling from the adrenaline and fear of almost being run over.

Donnie pulls me close to him. "Shorty, I—"

I gaze up at him and notice that his eyes are tightly shut, as if he is trying to block out thoughts of what could have happened.

After a few moments, he slowly opens his eyes, and they are glazed over with fear. "I can"t lose you," he whispers, his voice heavy with emotion.

Without hesitation, I gently cup his cheek, my touch soft and reassuring. "You"re not going to lose us," my voice cracks. I lean in and place a tender kiss on his jaw, hoping to ease his fears.

Donnie"s embrace is tight, his arms wrapping around me firmly, making me feel safe and trapped. He buries his face in the crook of my neck. I can feel his body tremble, his heart beating erratically against my chest. It"s as if he"s trying to memorize every inch of me, or maybe he"s afraid I"ll disappear if he lets go.

We cling to each other as if it"s our last day on earth, and for a moment, nothing else matters.