More Than Friends

Chapter 42: The Big Reveal

Five months into the pregnancy, Nicole and Devin were startin' to feel the excitement build even more. The baby was growin' healthy, and with each doctor's visit, the reality of their little one's arrival became clearer. But there was one thing they still didn't know—the gender of the baby. And that was about to change.

Their family and friends had been plannin' a surprise gender reveal party for weeks. It had all started with Nicole's best friend, Tasha, who had convinced Devin's sister, Keisha, to help plan the whole thing. They had gone all out—decorations, games, and, of course, the big reveal moment.

Nicole had been feelin' a little more tired than usual lately, but the thought of finally findin' out the gender of their baby gave her a burst of energy. Devin, on the other hand, couldn't stop talkin' about the party, wonderin' if they'd be havin' a boy or a girl.

"I think it's a girl," Devin had said more than once, grinnin' every time the topic came up.

Nicole had laughed at him. "What makes you so sure?"

Devin had shrugged. "I just got a feelin'. Plus, I can already picture her lookin' just like you."

Nicole's heart had swelled at his words, but deep down, she didn't care if it was a boy or a girl. All that mattered was that their baby was healthy and loved.

The Party Setup

On the day of the party, Nicole and Devin arrived at Tasha's house, not fully knowin' what to expect. They had been kept in the dark about most of the details, but as soon as they walked through the door, they were greeted by cheers and decorations in shades of pink and blue.

"Surprise!" Tasha shouted, rushin' over to hug Nicole.

Nicole laughed, glancin' around at all their family and friends. "Wow, y'all really did it up!"

Keisha grinned, walkin' over with a smile. "We had to! This is a big day."

Devin looked around, takin' it all in, his eyes landin' on the giant balloon setup in the corner of the room. "That for the reveal?"

Keisha nodded, her eyes twinklin'. "Yup. We gon' pop that balloon, and the confetti inside is gon' tell y'all what you havin'."

Nicole felt her heart race with excitement. "I can't wait."

The Games and Fun

Before the big reveal, Tasha and Keisha had planned a few games for everyone to enjoy. There was a baby name game, where everyone wrote down their guesses for what Nicole and Devin should name the baby, and a "Guess the Gender" game, where guests had to vote on whether they thought it was a boy or a girl.

Devin, of course, had been loud and proud about his guess. "Team Girl all the way!" he shouted, grinnin' as he wrote his vote on the board.

Nicole chuckled, shakin' her head. "You don't even know yet, Dev."

"I got good instincts, Nic," Devin teased back, his excitement radiatin' through the room.

The laughter and fun filled the air, and Nicole couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with love. Their family and friends had come together to celebrate this moment with them, and it meant everything to her and Devin.

The Big Reveal

Finally, it was time. The moment they had all been waitin' for.

Nicole and Devin stood side by side in front of the giant black balloon, holdin' the pin that would pop it and reveal whether they were havin' a boy or a girl. The room was filled with anticipation, everyone watchin' closely, their phones out to capture the moment.

Nicole glanced at Devin, her heart racin'. "You ready?"

Devin nodded, his grin wide. "I been ready."

With that, they both held the pin together and popped the balloon. There was a brief pause, and then...

A shower of pink confetti burst into the air.

The room erupted in cheers and applause as Devin let out a laugh, his eyes shinin' with excitement. "It's a girl! I knew it!"

Nicole felt a rush of emotion as the confetti rained down around them. A girl. They were havin' a baby girl. She turned to Devin, tears fillin' her eyes, and saw that he was just as emotional as she was.

Devin pulled her into his arms, holdin' her tight as he whispered in her ear, "We havin' a baby girl, Nic. I can't believe it."

Nicole laughed through her tears, feelin' overwhelmed with love and joy. "I can't believe it either."

Celebratin' the Moment

For the rest of the party, they celebrated with their family and friends, laughin', takin' pictures, and feelin' the excitement of finally knowin' the gender of their baby. Devin couldn't stop smilin', already talkin' about what their daughter might be like, how she was gon' have him wrapped around her little finger.

"I'm tellin' you now, she gon' be spoiled," Devin joked, smilin' as he held Nicole close.

Nicole laughed, leanin' into him. "I can already see that."

As the night went on, Nicole and Devin couldn't stop reflectin' on how far they had come. From the moment they found out they were expectin' to now, standin' here with their family and friends, knowin' that they were about to welcome a baby girl into their lives—it felt like everything was fallin' into place.

Lookin' Toward the Future

Later that night, after the party was over and they were back home, Nicole sat on the couch, reflectin' on the day. Devin sat beside her, his hand restin' on her stomach, both of them silent but content.

"I can't believe we havin' a girl," Nicole whispered, her voice filled with awe.

Devin smiled, kissin' her softly. "Me neither. I'm so ready for this, Nic."

Nicole looked up at him, her heart full. "Me too, Dev. I'm ready for whatever comes next."

And as they sat there, hand in hand, they knew that the best was yet to come.