𝓈𝓊𝓃𝒻𝓁ℴ𝓌ℯ𝓇 • eli moskowitz

C H A P T E R E I G H T Y-S E V E N

It was the day of Carmen and Johnny's gender reveal for their new baby.

Nicole and Hawk were blowing up balloons that morning in her bedroom.

"Is Courtney coming today?" Hawk asked.

"Yeah, she is. I mean, it's being hosted at my house and you're here as my boyfriend, so I figured I'd invite her too. Plus, she loves Carmen." Nicole explained.

Hawk nodded. "Cool. Uh, does—does she know about our argument?"

"No, she doesn't. I only told my sister." Nicole answered. "Why do you ask?"

"I don't know, I guess I just don't want her to know that you were considering not coming to Boston for a second, I mean...I don't want her to be mad at you. I don't want her to be mad at me either." Hawk replied.

"I could understand her having a reason to be annoyed at me because of the whole Boston thing, but why would she be mad at you?" Nicole furrowed her eyebrows.

"Because I...I was considering not going to Boston too. I didn't apply to MIT." Hawk confessed.

Nicole raised her eyebrows. "You wait until now to tell me? I applied to Lesley, Eli!"

"No, I know, I know. Okay? I know. I just...I want to keep my options open, you know?" Hawk said.

Nicole sighed. "Well, I guess I've been keeping my options open too."

"So you applied other places that aren't in Mass too?" He asked.

"Yeah, I applied to a few other colleges that are good for education that aren't in Mass, so it'll be fine." She answered.

"Okay. You're not mad, right?" Eli asked.

"No I'm not mad, I just wish you had told me sooner."

"I know, I'm sorry that I didn't. I'm just figuring out what I truly want." He shrugged.

"So am I."

He nodded.

"Anyway, let's get back to the balloons."

"Sure."

They then continued blowing up the balloons.

🌻

The doorbell of the LaRusso house rang and Nicole opened it to reveal Courtney.

"Hey, Court." Nicole greeted.

"Hey, you." Courtney smiled and kissed her on the cheek. "Now where is my pregnant queen?"

"Kitchen, I believe." Nicole answered.

"Perfect!" Courtney cheered and skipped off to the kitchen.

Nicole sighed and closed the door.

"I think she likes Carmen better than you." Hawk joked.

She smirked and nudged him. "Shut up."

She then walked into the kitchen, Eli behind her.

Courtney was there hugging Carmen.

She pulled away and looked down at Carmen's stomach.

"You better be a girl, okay? Do you hear me? Cause there's too much testosterone around here and we need more girls." She pointed to Carmen's stomach.