Sweetest Devotion

Rumor Has It

Anika's eyes trail to the ground, "the way we have been acting recently, it wasn't by mistake. We didn't want you to have another kid."

That's why we were so bad..." I quietly say.

"What?!" Mum asks raising her voice a little.

Ashlyns POV

"We thought maybe if we were bad, it would make you and dad feel like having 3 kids already seemed like too much work. Then you wouldn't want more." Anika says looking guilty.

Mum just sits there silently frozen, staring at us both. "Oh, girls." She managed to say then went back to being quiet, "Really, you've been doing all this, just because you don't want another little brother or sister," she says now sounding angry.

We both nod.

 Mum continues to talk to both of us, but I get distracted by my thoughts. I honestly feel really terrible, I don't understand why I put mum and dad under so much stress. 

What have they ever done to me?

I scramble through all the times, trying to find something horrible at some point, but, nothing. 

They've done nothing to me. They've actually given me the best opportunity, living. 

Why do I want to ruin their and another sibling's life? 

It's already official, I can't be mad. 

There is nothing I can do.

Why am I such a bad kid? Why do I have to cause so much trouble? Why do I have to be the one that always makes things worse?

I come back into reality, Mum seems to still be yelling at us. Not taking it much longer I suddenly stand up, 

"Mum you know what, I'm truly sorry. I don't know what has gotten into me. I'm really, really, really, sorry, please forgive me. This was all my fault I was in charge of all of this behaviour," I pause, "I know it's a real shocker. I'm really happy for you and dad, you must really want another kid! Congratulations I'm really excited. I can't wait to see the baby!"

 I walk over to mum and plant a kiss on her cheek. Anika looks at me shocked. To be honest, I don't even know what just came spilling out of my mouth.

Mum pulls me into a hug, "Aw baby, you have no idea how much it means to hear that, especially coming from you." She laughs, "Do you really mean it, your okay with another sibling?" 

I nod trying to show the best smile I can.

She looks over at Anika empathetically, "You going to be alright sweet cheek?"

She looks down. "Yeah... Congratulations Mum." Anika says planting a fake smile on her face.

Just then we hear the doorbell ring.

Mum squeals, "I'm so glad you guys are excited about it! I was scared you wouldn't be okay with it." She says giving us both another hug. "Laura, Daniel, and Grandma Penny are here to help celebrate! Come on!" She excitedly says motioning for us to come downstairs.

Seeing Mum this happy made me sure that I was okay with Mum and Dad having another baby.

***

Adeles POV

"Congratulation Doughnut!" Laura yells as I open the front door, she runs up to me and hugs me really tight.

"Nice to see you too Lau." I choke.

"Oops sorry, Delly.." Laura says with a laugh as she releases me from the hug.

"Congrats baby, and Merry Christmas," my mum whispers as she hugs me too.

Angelo runs up to me and gives me a big bear hug, "What was that for Peanut?" I ask with a laugh.

"Well everyone was hugging you so... I thought I was supposed to too!" He seriously says as everyone laughs.

"What about me, don't I get a hug?" Simon asks walking towards me.

"Nope," I reply with a smirk walking to the kitchen.

"Why not!" He whines.

"Because of how you behaved earlier today with the mimicking," I say smiling to my self.

"Oh yeah! I just remembered I have a question for everyone. If I make my voice like this do I sound like Ade-" Simon begins.

"Don't you dare finish that sentence or you won't get another kiss from me until next Christmas," I say with a smile after seeing his reaction and finally getting him back for his mimicking.

"Well, we all know by the way she's acting, Adele's pregnant," Laura says with a laugh.

***

A few hours later after we all sat down to eat dinner. We all walked into the kitchen starting to clean up. "Mummy! Look...cake!" Angelo yells pointing to the giant cake sitting on the countertop.

"Where did that come from?" I confusingly ask.

"Surprise!" Simon says as he kisses my cheek. "So remember how I whispered something into the doctor's ear when we went to your first checkup? Well, it was about this cake."

"Umm...as much as I love cake...what does this have to do with the baby?" I confusingly ask.

"The colour of the icing inside the cake determines what gender our baby is!" He eagerly says.

"Cut the cake already!" Ashlyn excitedly yells.

"Can I help cut the cake? Please daddy?" Angelo asks drooling, his eyes widen staring at the giant cake.

"Of course Peanut." He replies.

"You're about to be proved wrong Konecki!" I say struggling to see what colour the cake is.

"Adele it's blue!" Laura yells as everyone cheers.

"Haha, I knew it!" Simon teasingly yells to me.

I lean in and kiss him, "You were right this time. We're having a baby boy!"

We all dig into the cake when I notice that Anika hasn't even touched her cake piece. Usually, she's the one that finishes her cake second, after me of course.

"Honey, what's wrong?" I ask as my eyes trail to her cake.

"Oh my goodness!" I yell as I look closer at the icing inside of her cake. "Your icing is-," I pause.

"It's, pink!"