The sun streamed through the large bay windows of Avery apartment, casting a golden glow over the beautifully decorated space. The theme was pastel blue and gold, with accents of white that gave everything a dreamy, elegant feel.
Long strings of balloons floated toward the ceiling, alternating between shimmering blue and sparkling gold. A banner reading “Boy or Girl?” hung prominently over the food table, which was an absolute feast of delicious treats. There were blue and gold cupcakes with tiny baby bottle toppers, a platter of fruit skewers arranged to look like a rainbow, and mini sliders alongside pastel-colored macarons.
The centerpiece of the food table was the cake: two tiers of flawless white fondant decorated with delicate gold stars and topped with a question mark in glittering blue and gold.
“This is incredible,” Janice said as she walked in, her eyes widening. She was wearing a pale pink sundress and a sash that read “Team Girl.”
Avery, who was arranging the last batch of cookies on a platter, turned around and smiled. “You like it?”
“Like it? Aves, this looks like something straight out of Pinterest heaven,” Janice exclaimed. She walked over to the pastel-colored drink station. “Oh my God, is this sparkling lemonade with blueberries? Fancy.”
“It’s Ryan’s favorite,” Avery said, laughing as she handed Janice a glass.
“Well, if the décor and drinks are this good, I can’t wait to see who wins the games,” Janice said with a mischievous grin.
Soon, the apartment was filled with friends and family. Avery’s parents, Theo and Alessia, mingled with Ryan’s parents, while Oliver, Avery’s younger brother, hovered near the snacks, munching on sliders.
Ryan greeted everyone warmly, his excitement barely contained. “Who’s ready for some games?” he called out, clapping his hands together.
The guests cheered, gathering in the living room where a table was set up with notepads, pens, and jars of candy.
The first game was “Guess the Baby’s Due Date.” Each guest wrote their prediction on a small card and pinned it to a corkboard labeled “Baby Hayes Predictions.”
Janice smirked as she pinned her card. “I’m going with two weeks early. You were never on time for anything in college, Avery. Why should your baby be?”
Avery rolled her eyes, laughing. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Jan.”
The next game was “Baby Name Scramble.” The guests had to unscramble baby-related words, and the person with the most correct answers won a small prize.
“Seriously, who knew ‘diaper’ could be so hard to unscramble?” Oliver muttered, scratching his head.
“It’s because you’re terrible at this,” Ryan teased, nudging him.
After the games, everyone gathered around the food table. Ryan’s mom complimented Avery on the spread.
“This is absolutely beautiful, Avery,” Mrs. Hayes said. “And this cake? Stunning.”
“Thank you,” Avery said, blushing slightly. “It took a while to plan, but it’s worth it.”
Theo raised his glass of sparkling lemonade. “To Avery and Ryan—and to Baby Hayes. No matter what the gender is, this baby is already so loved.”
“Here, here!” everyone echoed, clinking glasses.
Finally, it was time for the moment everyone had been waiting for. The guests gathered in a semi-circle around Avery and Ryan, who stood beside a large black balloon with the words “Pop to Reveal!” written in gold lettering.
“Alright, everyone!” Janice said, taking charge as the unofficial emcee. “Cast your final votes—boy or girl?”
“Boy!” Oliver shouted confidently, while Alessia waved her “Team Girl” sign.
Ryan handed Avery the small pin they would use to pop the balloon. “You ready, Aves?”
Her heart pounded as she nodded. “Let’s do it together.”
They both held the pin and pressed it into the balloon. With a loud pop, a flurry of blue confetti exploded into the air, raining down on everyone.
“It’s a boy!” Janice shouted, jumping up and down.
The room erupted in cheers and laughter. Ryan pulled Avery into a tight hug, his face lighting up with joy. “A boy, Aves. We’re having a son.”
Avery’s eyes filled with happy tears as she rested her head on his shoulder. “I can’t believe it. A baby boy.”