Boy or Girl? Twenty-three people were eating and drinking lemonade and nibbling on snacks as they strolled around, laughing and conversing. It felt like the ideal day, with the sun shining and everything in its right place. I was trying not to get too worked up when I noticed Aunt Linda moving through the crowd. She was Matt’s older aunt, and although she didn’t mean any damage, her direct opinions frequently left you wondering about yourself.She yelled out, grinning as she walked up, “Emma, dear.” “I was just saying to Matt’s cousin that, in my day and age, there was no need for all of this drama to determine the gender of the baby. What happened to the traditional surprise of old?”I feigned a laugh. “Well, Aunt Linda, it’s just a game. It appears to be enjoyable to all.” She gave a nod, but her typical critical gaze was already skimming the decorations. “If you so specify. Nevertheless, I fail to see why individuals these days are in such a hurry to learn everything. There are certain things best left to chance.” Even though I made an effort to ignore her remarks, I couldn’t help but feel a little let down. Aunt Linda was traditional, just like Margaret, but I knew she meant well. Even yet, as I continued to greet other guests, her remarks continued to cross my mind.My mother-in-law Margaret showed up a little later. She smiled and gave me numerous gifts as she greeted me. “It’s a special day,” she remarked in a formal yet kind voice. Though it felt a little stiff, I was nonetheless grateful for the effort. Margaret wasn’t one to brag, but it was important that she was present. < I made an effort to ignore the undercurrent of tension between her and Aunt Linda’s comments as she continued to converse with other visitors. The celebration proceeded without incident. Everyone laughed, told jokes, and took turns speculating as to whether the baby was a boy or a girl. As the big moment approached, I could feel the electric buzz of excitement building up in the air. Matt was standing behind me, his arms encircling my stomach as he softly comforted me.He noticed that I was getting agitated and inquired, quietly, “You okay?” I smiled briefly at him and nodded. “Yeah, just excited to get to the big moment.” His laugh said, “Me too.” At last, the time had come. Everyone congregated around the confetti cannon that was put up in the middle of the yard. Matt and I stood next to each other, attempting to control our nerves and excitement. As 23 guests circled us with their phones out, prepared to record the big reveal, there we were, holding hands and grinning nervously. You know how these things work: when the confetti cannon pops, a male is shown to be blue, and a girl is revealed to be pink.Pop! When I opened my eyes, BLACK CONFETTI began to glide down instead of blue or pink. To be honest, it was a little unsettling, especially considering everything we had to endure to get here. It seemed as though the world had abruptly stopped. As the black confetti rained down around us, all I could do was gaze while my mind tried to process what had just transpired. In an instant, the ecstatic conversation turned to perplexed whispers, and I sensed that all eyes were on us. “It’s just a defective confetti cannon!” Breaking the quiet, Matt spoke in a forced but comforting tone. He tightened his grip on my hand as if he were trying to persuade me and everyone else that it was real.Like you, I wanted to believe it! I wanted to ignore it, joke about it afterwards, and assume it was simply a coincidental event. However, something didn’t feel quite right. As I watched the black confetti fall to the floor, I couldn’t get rid of the uneasiness that was starting to grow in my chest. Then, I noticed my teenage niece Sophie moving forward out of the corner of my eye. Her lips were pushed into a tiny line, her expression somber. With a voice that cut through the tension like a dagger, she cried out, “NO, IT’S NOT!” I turned to look at her, as did everyone else. “What do you mean, Sophie?” With my heart racing, I enquired.Sophie paused, looking around at the throng before meeting my gaze. “I saw someone switch the confetti cannon 20 minutes ago when everyone was in the other room.” I felt a surge of disbelief. “Who?” I questioned, sensing my fury beginning to rise. Aunt Linda caught my attention right away, and her piercing glance took on an air of suspicion. Was she the one who did it? After a brief period, Sophie turned to face me again, her voice a little tremulous. “I observed Margaret flipping it.” She replaced the one you and Uncle Matt had set aside with a different one. As everyone’s attention turned on Margaret, the air around us appeared to get thicker. She appeared surprised for a split second, her face looking pale. But then her expression tightened in the same instant.“Yeah, I switched it,” she answered in a firm, unrepentant voice. “These gender reveal events are ridiculous, and learning the baby’s gender before birth brings misfortune.” I simply wanted to keep you all from giving this youngster terrible luck.” My mouth fell open. I was hearing things that I couldn’t believe. “Margaret, we were supposed to be celebrating this unique time together. For everyone present. And you let some foolish superstition spoil it?”“It’s not silly!” Margaret fired back, fury lighting over her cheeks. “You young people act like you’re experts, but you’re so ready to disregard customs that have shielded families for many years. Not to mention the true sin at hand—getting pregnant before being married! Perhaps none of this would have occurred if you hadn’t jumped into things so quickly.”The people in the vicinity moved uneasily. My heart constricted as I felt a mixture of hurt and rage race through me. I looked at Matt, who seemed split between maintaining order and standing up for me. However, I’d had enough! I shook my head and replied, “Margaret, I’m tired of this.” “Weary of your interference, judgment, and superstitions. This is my life, our life, and you have no say over it.” Margaret’s voice was laced with contempt as her eyes narrowed. Emma, you’ve consistently shown rudeness. I knew you weren’t the appropriate fit for this family the moment you and Matt started dating.”Even though my heart was racing, I wasn’t going to give up. “I’ve had enough of trying to meet your unachievable expectations. I’m doing my hardest to create a happy family with your son because I adore him. However, you can’t ruin that for me.”The stress was too much to take. Uncertain on what to say or do, the guests stood still. Margaret finally growled, pivoted on her heel, and ran from the yard without saying another word. The black confetti that was all over the place seemed to represent everything that had gone wrong.That day was three years ago, and Margaret hasn’t spoken to us since. She refuses to even acknowledge her grandson and has never met him. Matt recognizes that by standing up for ourselves, we did the correct decision, even though it tears his heart.Though I still find it disappointing how things worked out in retrospect, I’ve learned to accept it. Maybe the gender reveal party was a bust, but at least that day I finally told Margaret no more and made a boundary. In spite of the loss of a member of the family, our lives are now calmer. I’ve discovered that sometimes letting go of folks who simply won’t perceive your happiness is necessary to protect it. Enjoyed this tale?
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