Chapter 26 - The second baby shower
Not a second pregnancy.
A joke.
My friend Rebecca hosted what she called:
“The baby shower Claire actually deserved.”
Nora was four months old.
Small backyard lunch.
No gifts required.
No balloon wall.
No wooden crate.
Just sandwiches.
Lemonade.
Nora asleep in a portable bassinet.
I almost refused.
Then accepted.
Why?
Because one ruined event did not need to own every celebration.
Guests:
Close friends.
Elaine.
Grace, visiting.
Daniel.
No Veronica at first.
That was intentional.
Then halfway through, Daniel asked:
“Do you still want Mom to come for dessert?”
We had discussed.
I looked at Nora.
Then the gate.
“Yes.”
Veronica arrived carrying:
Nothing.
That surprised me.
“No gift?”
She smiled nervously.
“I’m practicing.”
Rebecca laughed.
Even I did.
She sat.
No announcements.
No microphone.
No name conversation.
Then one of the guests joked:
“So, Veronica, what would you have named her?”
The table froze.
Veronica looked at me.
Then Nora.
Then said:
“Not my decision.”
There.
Simple.
The conversation moved on.
Later she asked if she could hold Nora.
“Yes.”
She took her.
Nora grabbed Veronica’s necklace.
Veronica said:
“Strong girl.”
Then corrected herself with a smile:
“Strong Nora.”
No Vivian.
May you like
No legacy.
Just a child with her own name.
