Child (Ish) Dreams

Chapter Eighteen

Sapphire and Sammie told their family, their friends and their colleagues about their engagement and their pregnancy. Of course, everyone wanted to celebrate but it was Crystal who arranged a baby shower and engagement party. The baby shower with just close friends and family and a fancy engagement party with anyone and everyone.

The engagement party was first. Crystal had it all set up in a fancy hotel room with more than a hundred guests, invited by Crystal. It also meant a fancy dress. Crystal delighted in this shopping trip but Sapphire had a special surprise up her sleeve for Sammie.

"Hey, I feel like we're at our wedding," Sammie whined as she walked into the side room where Sapphire was. Sam then stopped and stared at Sapphire as she turned away from the mirror to face Sam.

Sapphire had her hair braided into a crown, which her mum had styled for her. Her dress was knee-length, a one-shoulder lace affair with a stiff floaty out skirt in black and white which hid her bump. Sammie had been allowed her usual smart t-shirt but Crystal had forced the smart black trousers onto her instead of her usual jeans, which Sam had not been happy about. At least she was allowed her sneakers. Sapphire was not allowed to wear heels (Crystal had protested but Sammie had put her foot down on the pregnant lady wearing heels) so she was wearing white pumps. Plus the ring on display.

"Wow... You look fantastic." Sammie said. Sapphire smiled and walked over to Sammie to give her a hug.

"I feel... Fantastic actually. No pain for once."

"I think that would be euphoria. Take it while it lasts." Sam winked as she spoke.

"Are we allowed out yet?" Sapphire asked.

"Nope. Crystal said she would come get us. The guests are already here though." Sapphire checked her make-up in the mirror one last time and then Crystal was knocking on the door. Crystal would not allow Sapphire to be upstaged but she had sure tried to dress fancy by braiding flowers in her blonde hair and wearing a navy blue, skin-tight dress with a very deep neckline, showing off a lot of cleavage, plus blue strappy heels to match.

"How come you can show off your boobs but I can't?" Sapphire protested, jokingly.

"You're a taken lady. You can come in now, everyone's waiting." Crystal said. Sammie left the room but Sapphire pulled Crystal aside.

"You got the thing?" She whispered to her sister.

"Got your back." Crystal said with a wink. She left the room with a bounce in her step and Sapphire followed. Sammie took Sapphire's hand and they walked into the hall room together.

The room was filled with guests, dressed fancy. The room itself was fancy, decked in tinsel and decorations of pinks and purples. A table was spread with a buffet and in the centre was a pink and purple cake with two decorations of figures which must have been Sapphire and Sammie. A DJ was set up in one corner next to a dance floor and a bar to serve drinks.

The next few hours was a lot of talking from all sorts of people. Sammie snagged them both drinks, non-alcoholic champagne then Sapphire switched to Coke from the bar.

Sapphire was happy to see the guests she had asked to invite were there. There was Kate from reception, Jacob and Robert plus some mothers-to-be from her yoga class and plenty of family. Sammie introduced Sapphire to a few of her own work colleagues as well.

People helped themselves to buffet food and plenty of people were on the dance floor. Eventually, the DJ tapped on the microphone and invited Sapphire and Sammie up to the stage to give a speech. Sammie went first while Sapphire waited on the dance floor. Crystal sidled up to Sapphire while Sammie spoke about love and change.

"You got it?" Sapphire stage-whispered. Crystal handed over something to Sapphire, slyly.

"Good luck." She whispered. Sapphire tuned back in to hear Sammie's ending.

"I couldn't have got luckier with Sapphire and I appreciate you all to be here to celebrate us and what's to come. Thank you." Everyone applauded and there were some wolf whistles and cheers. Sapphire came up onto the stage and stood beside Sammie.

"Sammie, I love you. Our relationship is full of the fun and craziness that people need in life to stay sane. This relationship is more about equal love. It's about all the hand-holding, the I love yous and the endless love. But because I want something to bind Sammie to me..." Sapphire got on one knee and placed the microphone down on the floor so she could open the box she had kept hidden in her other hand. Inside the box was a black band that shone green in the light.

"Sammie, marry me."

"Would be a bit of a bummer if I said no," Sammie joked but she helped Sapphire up and nodded. "Of course I will." The whoops, cheers and clapping seemed even louder as Sapphire put the ring on Sammie's finger. Crystal picked up the microphone as Sapphire and Sammie kissed.

"Let's party!!!" There was another whooping and laughter in agreement and the party continued. Sapphire and Sammie cut their cake and everyone had a slice. It was an exhausting day and when the party ended and everyone had said their goodbyes, it was their parents and Crystal who helped tear down and clean up. As a result, Sapphire dropped straight to sleep when they went to bed, make-up on and all. Sammie came into the bedroom from the bathroom and smiled when she saw Sapphire snoring. Sammie took off her make-up gently, slipped off her shoes and took out all the hair grips from the crown. Not wanting to hurt Sapphire or the baby, she left her still in the dress and got into bed herself and immediately fell asleep.

The baby shower was next, done after Sapphire had gone to her thirty-one-week scan and had taken Crystal as well as Sammie. Crystal was Sapphire's backup birthing partner and had also gone to some of the breathing classes with her. As a result, Crystal had said they needed to find out the gender of the baby. Sapphire, Sammie and their family had been sorting out a nursery for the baby which was mainly creams, whites and greys. However, the baby's wardrobe was lacking as the gender had remained secret. However, Crystal was still determined and with Crystal's excitement, Sapphire and Sammie decided the baby shower was the best way to go. The midwife let Crystal see the gender which Crystal had somehow managed to keep secret. The baby shower was done at Sapphire's parents' house. Sapphire and Sammie had arrived early to help with decorating the house in pink and blue. They then got dressed, Sammie in a different smart top and her trousers and Sapphire in a new dress. Her hair was loose, her make-up natural (and waterproof, just in case). Her dress was purple this time, skin tight but a bit lose to allow comfort as it was a maternity dress. The dress was lace for the top part and polyester fabric for the skirt, a silk purple ribbon to tie just above the bump. Crystal had risen to the occasion once again and wore a plain yellow dress with a flower belt.

The guests arrived with smiles and gifts which were to be opened first, a buffet table was set up again and there was another cake on display. This cake was a simple one tiered cake, unlike the last engagement cake which had been three tiers. The cake was white icing with a pink baby sneaker and a blue baby sneaker in icing on the top. The cake in the middle would be coloured depending on the baby's gender.

To warm up to the idea of a baby, they played a few baby shower games. They played guess the baby food and stick the nappy on the baby. Afterwards, they all sat around and Sapphire opened each present from her guests. It was endless and she was grateful for them all.

"Okay! It's time!" Crystal said once all the presents were opened. Sapphire and Sammie took a knife and cut into the cake. They made a thin slice and pulled it out.

 "It's a boy!" Sammie hugged Sapphire as tight as she could with the bump in the way. Sapphire felt her heart would explode with the happiness of it all.