Page 73 of The Un-Apparent Heir

After dinner, they cut the cake. Natalie brandished a sword. As the children were given the green light to stay up, they crowded around her in awe. Natalie knew how to orchestrate magical core memories—another reason she was the World’s Best Auntie.

“So, all you wanted to do was have an excuse for swordplay then?”Patrick joked.

“Fuck yes, I did! I am so happy for Paul and Sanne and wanted to do it up big. So, thank you all for humouring me.”

“Paul would let you write the name of his children in the sky, so this is nothing,”George laughed.

“So, each half is a different colour,”Natalie said.“I handed this off to the pastry chef yesterday. They did their best. Well, I guess it’s different if they are a boy and a girl. The icing colour corresponds to stupid gender binaries. But, what can you do?”

“Natalie, we don’t need a bloody dissertation,” Paul groaned.

“You stop!”Natalie pointed the sword at her younger brother.

“Natalie., stop waving that about. You’re making everyone nervous!” Robbie said.

“I am quite good with it, thank you,”Natalie said.

Sanne laughed. Ed facepalmed. This was typical for them. Natalie rarely took this sort of thing seriously, having fun with it.

“Alright. Do you want to help me cut this side, Keir?” Natalie asked.

Keir hopped up to be helpful. He idolised Natalie and she adored him. As he grew, their relationship blossomed. He wanted to be just like her. Keir climbed onto a chair to be of appropriate height and beamed at her.

“Do we think… boy or girl?”Natalie asked.

“Boy!”Keir’s face lit up.

“Okay, team boy. I predict they both are because mothers never get what they want. And for that, if I am right Sanne, I am sorry.”

“I know you’re team girl at heart, so it’s okay,” Sanne said.

“I am. Alright. Hold onto this handle with me and we will cut the thing.”

They hacked two times before Ed stepped in with a proper knife to pop out the piece of cake, showing blue icing. Sanne groaned audibly while Keir celebrated.

“Sorry, Mummy. But you’ve got a 50% chance the next one works out,” Natalie winced.

“I want to do it! I want to do it!”Charlotte declared.

“Sure, why not? Young man, thank you for your service,”Natalie joked as Keir hopped down.

“I think it’s a girl,”Charlotte stood by Natalie’s side.

Natalie repositioned the sword. “Well, let’s see.”

Charlotte helped this time, more adeptly than little Keir proclaiming, “Ugh… another boy!”

Ed held up the second piece of cake. Sanne felt herself burst into tears, broken in a nonsensical way.

“Baby, it’s okay,” Paul said.

“Fuck you,” Sanne said, annoyed.“It’s not. I will never have a daughter! I wanted one so badly. And you’re just… rubbing it in my face.”

“Sanne, I would never do that. I would have been just as happy with girls,” Paul said. “I know you’re disappointed, but it will be okay.”

“It will,” Rebecca said. “We never got the boy we wanted, either. But we got four beautiful, wonderful young women, and I am sure that your boys will all be very lovely—as lovely as Keir and Nathan are.”

“Mama don’t cry!” Nathan grabbed Sanne’s maternity dress. “You no cry.”

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