Is this destiny?

The mouth-watering smell of the barbecue permeated the air when JoAnna took the stage that was set up in the garden.

"Thank you, everyone, for coming and gathering here in a good mood to celebrate our recent achievements and future parents…", JoAnna spoke into the microphone and gestured toward Sarah and Aiden. "Before we all dig in into scrumptious food that our cooks are preparing with the utmost care, we need to reveal one big mystery! If I can have Sarah and Aiden, join me on this stage, please…"

JoAnna waved at Sarah and Aiden to join her.

As Sarah and Aiden moved toward JoAnna, Maksim observed Noah and Aaron who were standing next to him. He didn\'t miss that Noah was looking at Sarah with sparkles in his eyes, like a manic devotee of Sarah, while Aaron had a slight frown and longing in his eyes which told Maksim that Aaron would love to be there in Aiden\'s place.

\'Interesting…\', Maksim thought. \'There is no way that Divna does not know that these two are obsessed with her. Why is the pretty boy allowing these two to stay close to them?\'

It took a second for Maksim to understand JoAnna\'s words.

"Future parents?", Maksim asked Noah and Aaron.

"Mum…", Noah hummed in confirmation. "My mistress is expecting."

Maksim frowned for a second before returning to his usual expression because he knew that it does not matter with whom Sarah is, or if she is pregnant. That does not diminish her splendor. Pregnancy only adds another layer to the mystery his Divna is. Maksim remembered their previous interactions and he thought about how Sarah went to the base of the Voronin family (more than once) while she was pregnant. Reckless. Beautiful. 

"Is the betting pool closed?", JoAnna asked, to what Jamari gave her a thumbs up. "What do we have?", JoAnna mumbled and checked the latest information on the tablet she was holding onto. "It seems that 52% of bets are placed on a baby girl…"

JoAnna spoke about betting, and how the one who placed the largest winning bet will get a motorcycle, and Sarah\'s eyes locked on Aiden\'s.

The people and sounds disappeared and the two of them were lost in a world of their own, facing each other with smiles that reached their eyes.

"Are you ready for this?", Sarah asked Aiden.

He cupped her cheeks with his palms. "Are you?"

"I am ready for whatever comes, as long as you are by my side.", Sarah responded dreamily, making Aiden melt from the inside.

From the first time, he heard her voice, at the cafe next to Tesla University, he knew that she is special. And their first interaction in front of the bulletin board on campus confirmed that she is amazing.

Since then, the two of them went through many hardships together that made their bond stronger, and the fact that she always had eyes only for him, elated him.

He had a feeling that they reached a big milestone in their lives.

Aiden was aware that they are standing on a stage with many eyes directed their way, but he didn\'t care. The only thing important was Sarah, and that they are together. He didn\'t want to waste a single second concerning himself about others.

He moved closer and leaned his forehead on hers.

"We did it, love…", Aiden murmured against her lips. "We can go home and leave this mess behind."

"It\'s not a mess anymore.", Sarah reminded him.

"Mhm…", Aiden hummed in agreement and brushed his nose against hers. "You fixed it all."

"We fixed it.", Sarah corrected him.

The fact that he was so close that his breath splashed against her lips without closing that last inch of distance was driving her crazy.

Sarah clutched his shirt, got on her toes, and kissed him on the lips.

Aiden wrapped his arms around Sarah and his flavors filled her up as their breaths mixed. It was a familiar, yet always new sensation of floating in a haze that used to be the world around them. The only thing solid in Sarah\'s and Aiden\'s reality were the two of them holding each other and enjoying the phenomenon of their souls resonating as their hearts beat as one.

After an unknown measure of time, they stopped kissing and the sounds of whistles and claps reached them.

Sarah\'s gaze moved slightly above Aiden\'s eyes and her face lit up when she saw blue confetti stuck in Aiden\'s hair.

That confetti told Sarah that Felix did his magic and showered them in a color-appropriate display (probably with help of drones), and they didn\'t notice it because they were lost in each other.

Blue confetti... a boy. Her insides rejoiced at the thought that there is a mini-Aiden inside her, growing, waiting for his time to come out and hug her with his tiny hands and give her sloppy kisses.

She reached slowly and took the blue piece of paper from his hair.

Both Sarah and Aiden looked down to see that there is a pile of confetti at their feet, reaching their ankles.

Alice, Jayden, Lia, and Adam were giggling and rolling in blue confetti that littered the stage.

"I guess it\'s a boy…", Sarah said softly and looked at Aiden apprehensively while rubbing the blue confetti between her fingers.

They spoke about it more than once and agreed that whatever gender the baby is, they will love it, but she knew that he wanted a girl and she hoped that he will not love their baby less because he didn\'t get his wish.

Aiden\'s eyes darted over the floor for a few seconds as he took in the meaning of the blue-colored mess at their feet.

His eyes met Sarah\'s and he broke into a grin.

"A boy!", he said louder than intended.

Sarah\'s lips stretched into a smile and she exhaled the breath she was holding. The joy in Aiden\'s eyes was impossible to miss.

Aiden lifted Sarah up and twirled her a few times as she giggled.

"I can take this that you are happy?", Sarah asked.

Aiden gave her a smacking kiss on the lips. "Thank you, Sarah, for going on this journey with me."

"There is no one other than you with whom I would take this journey.", Sarah responded and kissed him back.

Jamari got on the stage and took the microphone from JoAnna. "I want to announce the biggest winner of today\'s bet. As the rules stated, other than doubling the amount placed for the bet, the winner will get the latest model of Ducati, Dark Icon! And the winner is…" Jamari made a dramatic pause and looked at parents-to-be. "Aiden!"

"How much did he bet?!", Michael shouted from the audience. He was peeved that he didn\'t win, as he placed a $100k bet for the baby to be a boy, and Michael really wanted to get his hands on that motorcycle.

Jamari cleared his throat and glanced nervously at Aiden. How can he say that Aiden put a bet that was more than all other bets combined? If Jeff didn\'t agree to cover extra expenses, Jamari would have trouble paying off Aiden\'s winnings.

"For privacy purposes, the amounts will not be disclosed.", Jamari said.

The audience burst into a mix of claps, whistles, and displeased grumbles.

Sarah was surprised. "You placed a bet that it\'s a boy?"

Aiden smiled smugly in response. In his mind, he was giving Sarah a ride on his newly won toy.

"I thought you wanted a girl.", Sarah said in a small voice.

"I still do.", Aiden admitted and added: "We will have a girl also."

"You knew that it\'s a boy?", Sarah asked in a whisper while wondering if JoAnna told him. Or maybe someone else.

"I didn\'t. But I knew that you wanted a boy and that I should not bet against you."

Sarah\'s mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. She was speechless and overwhelmed by all the love Aiden showered her with.

"I don\'t deserve you.", Sarah said when she found her voice.

"It is up to me to decide who deserves me and I say that you are the only one."

Sarah felt that familiar pull toward the man who held her in his embrace and their lips connected. That sensual touch pulled them back in their own world, rendering them oblivious to anything that is happening in their surroundings.

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