68. Gender Reveal Party

July 15, 2017 - Pregnancy Week 19

Kara woke before the sun was even up, but she was too wired to go back to sleep.  She was on top of the world right now. National City was almost healed from the Daxamite invasion, her family was safe, and the worst criminals that she’d had to deal with were all humans trying to rob banks and things.  She’d kept her promise to Maggie that she would be more gentle and assess the situations more, so she wasn’t in the way of the police. Maggie had already told her she was proud of her, and that gave her a new kind of satisfaction in her heart.  Best of all, she knew the babies’ genders, and today would be the day she revealed it to everyone. She snuck out of bed and headed to the kitchen to make some coffee.  

When she looked at her to-do list, she grew a little frustrated.  The party wasn’t until one, and a lot of the stores didn’t open until nine, so she didn’t know what to do with herself until then.  She changed into her Super suit and took to the skies. It was a quiet Saturday morning, and the whole city seemed to be sleeping. There were only a handful of cars on the road, and most of the lights in the city were dim, with the exception of the street lamps.  She flew around enjoying the quiet and feeling thankful. She didn’t know how long this peace would last, so she was going to enjoy it.

About an hour later, she got a text from Lena asking if everything was OK.  She texted back that things were fine, and she would head back. Her poor wife was probably starving, and Kara wanted to make breakfast for her.  Now that her wives’ morning sickness was over, she had her mornings alone with Lena again, and she relished that time. Not to mention, they were all three getting a little needy and clingy, which suited her just fine.  She loved snuggling and fawning over them. It satisfied something primal inside her.  Kara swooped back to the mansion and shed her suit before finding her wife.

“Hi, sweetheart,” Kara greeted Lena, crossing the kitchen and kissing her.

“Hello, love,” Lena replied, wrapping her arms around Kara’s neck while they kissed.

Kara looked around and saw that Lena was already starting to get things out for breakfast.  “Let me help you, baby,” she offered.

“Kara,” Lena huffed, hands on her hips, “I’m perfectly capable of doing things for myself.”

“Yeah, but I like helping you.  It’s stressful when I have to sit back and do nothing while you do everything yourself.”

“Fine,” Lena conceded.  “You can chop the onions and the potatoes.”

“OK!” Kara replied cheerfully, taking the onions and pulling out a second cutting board.  “Did you sleep OK last night?” she checked.

Lena nodded.  “Yes, very well,” she winked.

“Me too,” Kara answered with a blush.

Lena chuckled.  “I love how you can say the most filthy things in the throes of passion, but one hint of sex outside the bedroom, and you turn into a blushing school girl."

Kara sputtered.  “I do not!”

“Liar.”

“Lena!”

The CEO shook her head and giggled.  “You are quite the dichotomy, my dear.”

The blonde pouted.  She didn’t quite know how to take that statement.  “I-”

“Oh, relax,” Lena kissed her on the nose.  “I love that about you.”

Kara softened her pout, but gave Lena her best doe eyes.

Lena giggled again and gave Kara the kiss she knew the blonde wanted.  “I love you, Kara. Both sides of you.”

Kara smiled adoringly at her.  “Thank you, Lena. I love all of you too.”

After one more kiss, they returned to their vegetables, dicing them all up for their favorite frittatas.  Kara zipped through the potatoes and threw them in the pans to cook since they would take the longest.  Once she started on the onion, she started humming a random tune, making it up as she went along. After the potatoes had cooked down a bit, they threw in the onions, peppers, and mushrooms.  When Lena’s stomach growled, Kara giggled and fed her a leftover pepper slice.

“Mmm, yummy,” Lena purred.

“You’re yummy,” Kara replied, kissing her.  “Mmm!”

Lena giggled and pulled her in by her shirt, kissing her a bit more.

They worked together to finish their breakfast, and soon they were sitting at the table to eat.  They sat in companionable silence, making eyes at each other and simply enjoying their food. Not long later, the rest of the household meandered their way into the kitchen seeking coffee and sustenance.  They all greeted one another amicably, and everyone thanked them for making breakfast.

“When are Jamie and Jessie coming back?” Carter pouted.  He was bored since the twins had spent the night with Ruby.

Alex looked at her watch, “I’m sure they’ll call soon.”

“So what are we supposed to do while you guys are setting up the party?” Maggie wanted to know.

Eliza answered, “You can help me set up some of the games and prize packages.  They don’t have anything that gives the genders away.”

The detective tried not to make a face, but Eliza saw through her anyway.  “You don’t have to. I can get the twins to help me instead.”

“You know what I would love?” Maggie said.  “I would love to play some pool. I miss it.”

“Oh, that sounds fun!” Alex agreed.  “What do you say, Lena?”

“Well, I’m not very good at it,” Lena bit her lip, “But I’ll come with you anyway.  It does sound fun.”

“I wanna come!” Carter exclaimed.

“You can’t go to a bar, son,” Cat tisked.

“Oh.  I didn’t know it was at a bar,” he pouted.

“How about you and I go see a movie?” she suggested.

“Yes!” he cheered.  “I wanna go see Spiderman!”

“Again?” his mother raised her eyebrow.

“Please!  It’s so good!” he begged.

“Oh, alright,” she agreed.

“Yes!  Thank you!”  He hugged her, and she ruffled his hair.  “Mom!” he complained.

She just chuckled and sipped her coffee.

Everyone finished eating, and they helped clean up the kitchen before disappearing back upstairs to their rooms to get ready for the day.  The foursome all picked out something from their new wardrobes, feeling like a million bucks. Lena’s personal shopper had done a wonderful job at helping them find nice-looking maternity clothes for the moms-to-be, and new Cat-approved clothing for Kara as well.  They were all very pleased.

Kara took Alex by the hands and tugged her in for a kiss.  “You all look so beautiful.”

Alex smiled at her, “Thanks, Angel.  You look very pretty yourself.”

Kara beamed.  “Thanks.” She pulled Lena and Maggie in for kisses too.  “Are you girls leaving right away?”

“Probably,” Maggie answered.  “I’m not gonna last until the party if I don’t do something to keep my mind occupied until then.  I’ll just go crazy from wondering.”

“Same here,” Lena agreed.

“Yeah, that’s about where I’m at too,” Alex concurred.  “Unless you wanna tell us what we’re having now,” she winked.

“Nope!” Kara replied, popping the P.  “You gotta wait until the party!”

“Alright, we’re outta here, then,” Maggie declared.

They all kissed her and headed out.  

“Bye!” she waved.  “Tell Mon-El I said hi, and I’ll see him later.

“OK!” they called back, disappearing out the door.

Kara looked around for Eliza, finding her in her room.  She knocked on the door and waited until it opened for her.  “Hey, do you need help with anything?”

“Sure,” Dr. Danvers replied with a smile.  “You can help me put the prize packages together.  I already bought everything that we need.”

“OK!”  

The pair of them took their time putting candles and movies and candy and things into the prize bags.  When they were almost done, Kara got a phone call from Jamie. The twins wanted to know if they could stay with Sam and Ruby until it was time for the party.  She gave them permission, only after she talked to Sam and made sure it was OK with her. She and Eliza could get everything done themselves. They were both pros at throwing parties, and Eliza was great with party games.  All they had to do now was to put a few things together, draw out a couple of posters, buy snacks, and pick up the cakes. There was more than enough time for all that.

About an hour later, they had all the games setup, the posters drawn, and the prizes ready.  They headed downstairs for Kara to get a snack and for Eliza to get some more coffee. On the way down, they passed Cat and Carter who were on their way out to go to the movies.  They said goodbye to one another, and the Grants headed out, promising to see them at the party, if not sooner.

Kara was vibrating with nervous energy.  She made a fresh pot of coffee and chomped on a couple of apples while they waited for it to brew.  “I’m so excited, Eliza. I just want to explode already! I can’t wait for this party. The girls are going to be so happy.”

Eliza smiled affectionately at her.  “They’re already happy. You make them happy, and for that I’m very thankful.”

“I love them so much,” Kara sighed contentedly.  “The babies are so perfect. I’m just thrilled beyond words.”

“They’re lucky to have you as a parent,” Eliza praised her.  “You’re a good mother, Kara.”

“Thank you, Eliza,” Kara said, tears pricking at her eyes.  “That means a lot, coming from you.”

“You’re welcome, dear.”  Eliza poured herself a mug of the fresh coffee and sat down at the table.  “Would you like to get the shopping out of the way?”

Kara nodded.  “Yeah, then maybe I can go fly some of this energy off.”

“Alright, just let me finish this cup of coffee, and we can go,” Eliza requested.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

“Hey!  Look who it is!” Mon-El greeted the trio of women as they walked in the door.  “What can I do for you beautiful ladies?”

Alex, Lena, and Maggie waved hello, greeting him when they got to the bar.  “We just want to play pool,” Maggie explained. “Is that OK?”

“Sure!” he replied, grabbing the tray of billiard balls and handing them over.  “How about I make you guys some virgin strawberry daiquiris?”

“Sounds lovely,” Lena answered with a smile.  “Thank you, Mon-El.”

“No problem.”  He mixed their drinks as they headed for the pool tables.  

There was hardly anyone there since it was still morning, so the girls got to pick any table they wanted.  Of course, they picked the new one that Lena had bought for the bar after Jessie had destroyed the last one.  It was gorgeous and perfectly level, and it was Maggie’s new favorite. Since there were three of them, they decided to play Nine Ball.  Lena had never played before, and was nervous that she wouldn’t be able to do it, but when they explained the simple rules to her, she relaxed.

Mon-El meandered over with three virgin strawberry daiquiris, “Here you are, ladies.”  He passed each of them a glass, and they sipped timidly at them.

“Not bad,” Maggie approved, and Alex and Lena nodded in agreement.  “Thanks, pal.”

“My pleasure!” he replied chipperly.  “Are you guys excited for the big reveal?”

“Chomping at the bit, actually,” Lena informed him.  “Hence the distraction,” she waved her hand at the pool table.

“Gotcha,” he nodded.  “Well, have fun, and let me know if you want anything else.”

“Maybe some fries?” Alex suggested.

“Oh, sorry, but the kitchen isn’t open until noon,” he explained.

“Bummer,” Alex pouted.

“I can make you guys some salads or something, if you’re really hungry, but I’m not allowed to use the fryer.”

“It’s OK,” Alex waved him off.  “Maybe later.”

“OK, later, then.”  He headed back to his post, leaving them alone again.

“You girls ready to get your asses handed to you?” Maggie challenged her wives.

“In your dreams,” Alex retorted.

“Ten bucks says I win,” Maggie smirked.

Alex huffed, “You’re on.”

“Lena?  Who’s your money on?” Maggie asked.

The CEO thought for a moment, “I say ten dollars for beginner’s luck.”

Alex chuckled in approval.  “Way to stay confident, Lena.”

“You’re on,” Maggie grinned.  “Rock, Paper, Scissors to see who goes first.”  They agreed, and on the count of three, they posed their hands.  Maggie picked rock, beating out Alex and Lena’s scissors. She racked the balls and broke them, pocketing the six ball.  “Oh, yeah!” She sunk the one and the two balls, but missed on the third. “Next!”

Alex stepped forward and sank the next three balls, missing the seven.  “Lena?”

The CEO took her place in front of the cue ball, lining up her shot, and missing completely.  “Woops!”

“Babe,” Maggie shook her head.  “No.” She picked up the cue ball and put it back where it was before Lena hit it.  “Do it like this.” She showed her wife how to get down low to the table to line up the shot.

“It’s not a very ladylike game, is it?” Lena asked, biting her lip.

“Don’t worry, we won’t take advantage of you here in public,” Alex winked.  “As tempting as it may be to turn you both over this table and fuck the shit out of you, I don’t want to be on the news again anytime soon.”

“Yeah, plus, Mon-El would want to watch, and I’m not down with that,” Maggie rolled her eyes.  “Come on, Lena.”

With Maggie’s direction, the CEO was able to actually hit the ball she was supposed to hit, even though it didn’t go in.  She smiled at the small improvement. “Thanks, honey,” she said with a kiss.

“Good effort,” Maggie replied.  She easily sank the seven and eight balls, but the nine ball was too far away from the cue, and she just missed the pocket.  “Damn it!”

Alex smirked and sank the nine ball with a flourish.  “I win!”

“Double or nothing!” Maggie snarled.

“You’re on!” Alex exclaimed.

They played another round, which Alex won again.  

“Damn it!” Maggie grumped.  She fished twenty dollars out of her wallet and handed it over.

“I don’t actually have any cash,” Lena admitted.

Alex and Maggie rolled their eyes.  “You can pay me later,” Alex permitted.  

They played a few more rounds, until Lena was tired of being beaten and she admitted her defeat.  By now, they were all hungry anyways, so they paid their tab and headed out in search of food.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Kara and Eliza were done shopping for the party by eleven.  They still had an hour before they could pick up the cakes, so Kara left Eliza watching the Food Network, to go fly off some of her excess energy.  She flew in zig-zags and loop-de-loops over the city, feeling freer than ever before. Her heart was ready to burst with excitement.

A half an hour later, she returned to the Grant’s place to reconnect with Eliza.  They left to get the cakes and balloons before it got any later. When they were done, they had just enough time to get to the Baldwin and start setting up.  They ordered the pizzas and started decorating the conference room. They had all the trimmings: pink and blue balloons and streamers, pink and blue cups and plates and silverware, coordinated tablecloths and runners, banners, you name it.  None of it gave away the genders, but one of their posters had places for people to write their names to guess whether they think each baby will be a boy or a girl. They were almost finished setting up when Sam came in with Ruby and the twins.

“Hey, guys!” Kara cheered.  “Did you all have fun?”

“Yeah!” the three preteens answered.  

“Were they well behaved?” she asked Sam.

“Of course,” the CFO replied with a grin.  “They were great.”

Kara smiled proudly at her daughters.  “I’m glad.”

“Do you need any more help?” Sam offered.

Kara pointed to the snack table.  “You can open those bags over there and put them in the bowls, if you like.”

“Consider it done.”  Sam headed over and started doing as she was told.

“I wanna help,” Ruby said, snatching up a bag of chips and dumping them in a bowl.

The twins were more concerned with getting hugs from their Mama and Grandma.

“I’m soooo excited!” Jessie exclaimed, bouncing like crazy.

“Me too!” Jamie added, bouncing only slightly less than her sister.  “I can’t wait to find out what the babies are!”

“Almost there!” Kara encouraged.  “Just hang in there a little while longer.”

The twins bounced around her like little gummy bears, singing a made up song about getting new brothers or sisters.  It was rather entertaining to the others. All of a sudden, Kara noticed something that she’d been noticing a lot lately.  Ruby was staring rather adoringly at Jessie as the twins bounced around her too, stealing snacks from the table. How cute was that?!  She wondered if Jessie had a clue. Probably not. Her daughter didn’t think like that yet. Did she? Nah. She wandered around the room, checking everything and deeming it all ready.

It wasn’t long before the moms-to-be showed up with Maggie and Alex arguing about who was the better pool player between them.  Lena was being quiet and looking irritated. Kara hurried over to them, ready to intervene.

“You guys, what did you do to Lena?!” she huffed, taking her wife in her arms.

Alex and Maggie stopped arguing long enough to realize their transgression.

“They’ve been at it for the last hour,” Lena complained.

“I’m so sorry, baby,” Maggie fretted, taking Lena’s hand in her own.

“Me too, Lena, I’m sorry,” Alex added, taking Lena in her arms.  “I’m so sorry.”

Lena sighed and melted into Alex’s arms, accepting the comfort.  She could feel the affection wafting off the agent, and she soaked it in as deeply as she could.  When Alex let go of her, Maggie stepped up and embraced her as well. Lena squeezed the detective around the middle, letting their foreheads rest together, their breaths mingling.

“I’m sorry, Alex and I get really competitive, and we get a little heated sometimes.  We still love each other, and we love you desperately. I hope you can forgive us,” Maggie begged.

“I forgive you,” Lena replied.  “But I probably won’t play pool with you guys again.”

Maggie grimaced.  “We deserve that.”

The twins had had enough of watching from the sidelines.  They interjected themselves between the women, hugging and kissing them all.  Ruby joined them, and their sweet smiles went a long way towards melting the tension in the room.

“Hey, guys!” Winn greeted them, Lyra on his arm.

“Hey!” Kara greeted, grateful for the distraction.  “How are you guys?”

“Great!” they answered, hugging everyone.  

“Make sure you put your names on the guessing board,” Eliza directed them, pointing to the poster.  “There’s a spot to guess for each baby on the board.”

“OK,” they agreed, wandering over to the poster and writing their names under their guesses.

As they were doing that, James and Lucy, and Mon-El and Eve showed up.  The Danvers greeted them with hugs and directed them to the guessing board.

The next person to walk through the door was the pizza delivery guy.  When he set the pizzas down on the table, his eyes widened. “Oh! No way!  You’re Supergirl!” he exclaimed to Kara.

“Yep, that’s me,” she blushed.

“Can I have your autograph?” he begged.

“Uh, sure!” she permitted.

He handed her a notepad and pen from his back pocket.

“Uh, do you want me to sign it as Kara, or Supergirl?” she wondered.

“Both!” he insisted.

She chuckled.  “OK, what’s your name?”

“Paul,” he said, practically vibrating with excitement.

“To Paul, love Kara, AKA Supergirl,” she spoke as she wrote.

He grinned a mile wide when she handed the notebook back.  “Thanks, so much! Oh! Can I take a picture with you? If I don’t, no one will believe me that I met you.”

“Sure,” she allowed.

He started to lift his camera when he laid eyes on Lena and gasped.  “Oh, my god, no way! Lena Luthor!”

Reflexively, Lena turned at the sound of her name, frowning at the name Luthor.

“Actually, it’s Lena Danvers now,” Kara explained.

Lena headed over to see what was going on.

“Lena, honey, this is Paul,” Kara introduced as though they were old friends.

The CEO offered her hand to the young man.  “Hello, Paul,” she smiled politely.

“Oh my god!  Lena Luthor- I mean Danvers is shaking my hand!” he exclaimed.  “Can I have your autograph too?”

Lena chuckled.  “Certainly,” she replied, taking the notepad from him and signing her name on the same page as Kara.

“Is this your baby shower?” he asked wonderingly, noticing her obvious baby bump.

“Sort of,” she replied.  “Do us a favor, and don’t go around telling people I’m pregnant yet, OK?”

“I promise!” he said earnestly.  “But can I still take a picture with you guys?”

“I don’t mind,” Kara shrugged.  “Is it OK, with you, sweetheart?”

“Sure,” Lena permitted.  “Just the face, OK?”

“Deal!” Paul grinned.  He snapped a quick pick of the three of them, thanking them profusely.  “Man, you guys are so beautiful and photogenic! I promise, I’ll keep my mouth shut.  Just know that you are two of the greatest people on the planet, and I’m so honored to meet you!”

“Aww, thanks!” Kara said, patting him on the shoulder.

“Thank you,” Lena shook his hand again.  “I appreciate that.”

The nice young man headed out, muttering excitedly about how no one was going to believe this.

Lena chuckled.  “That was cute.”

“I love it when people gush over you,” Kara said with a grin.

“It still feels strange,” Lena admitted.  “I’m so used to people hating me, I don’t know what to do with myself when they like me.”

Kara took the brunette in her arms.  “You deserve every bit of it.”

Alex and Maggie came over hand-in-hand.  “Look at you, with your fan club,” Maggie grinned, taking Lena’s hand in her free one.

Lena blushed.  “It’s so weird.”

“It’s not so weird from our perspective,” Alex encouraged.  “We’re your biggest fans of all, you know.”

Lena scrunched up her nose as she grinned.  “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” She kissed all three of her wives in thanks.  “I love you guys.”

The other three expressed their love for her as well.  They made their way back toward the door where more people were gathering.  J’onn and Douglas had come in while they were distracted, so they greeted them with hugs, then came the Williams’, and Maggie’s partner Lamar Clemmens, two more police officers from the NCPD precinct, four of Maggie’s alien friends.  Then Dan and Maureen Kavanaugh with all their kids and grandkids. Cat and Carter showed up next, followed by Susan Vasquez, Amy and Tara, Andy and Adam, Jess Cheng (Lena’s assistant), Lena’s two scientist friends from work, Shayla and her mother Kadera, along with her two younger brothers, Marcus and his mother Erika, and finally, Clark and Lois.  They were elated that everyone could come, and they gave hugs all around.

The kids were all having a blast running around the room playing tag.  Alex almost cried from the joy of watching her children play with all their friends.  Part of her wished she could go back in time to show her daughters this moment, so they wouldn't be so irrational in their decision making.  It was too late for that, though. They were already in love with their babies, so it was too late to turn back now. The foursome stuck close together as they mingled, trying to make sure they said hello to everyone.

When it seemed like everyone was present and finished eating, Eliza got everyone’s attention for the first game.  “Alright, everyone, the first game we’re going to play is this: Everyone gets a diaper pin, and if you get caught saying the words ‘boy’ or ‘girl’ until the cakes are cut, you risk having your pin stolen.  Whoever has the most pins by the end of the party wins the game.” She passed out the diaper pins to everyone, and when she was finished, she said, “Time starts now. In the meantime, we’re going to play some other games, and make sure you write your names on the gender guessing poster.  Are you all ready?”

She got a roar of approval from the crowd.  She led them through a few baby games like Bingo, Find the Pins in the Rice, and guys VS gals Juice Pong and Cornhole.  They even had a teddy bear piñata full of candy for the kids. When they were done, everyone was more than ready to get to the main event.  When the moms-to-be cut into the cakes, then they would finally know the gender of their babies. They all gathered around the cake table, and the excitement in the air was nearly palpable.  

“Maggie?” Kara grinned.  “You first.” She handed over the knife to the detective.

Maggie took a deep breath in and let it out slowly before digging the knife into the cake.  When she pulled the slice out, it revealed pink frosting in the middle. “It’s a girl!” she announced.

Everyone cheered, except the few groans coming from the people who had voted for her to have a boy.  Everyone clapped and congratulated her, nonetheless.

“Do you have a name picked out?” Maureen inquired.

Maggie smiled, “Yes, but I’m not telling until she’s born.”

“Aww,” Maureen pouted.

“Alright, Alex,” Kara grinned.  “Your turn!”

Alex stepped timidly up to the table, closing her eyes and muttering under her breath, “Please, be a boy.  Please be a boy.” She cut into the cake, and when she pulled the slice out, it revealed pink icing inside.  “Aww,” she pouted, then rubbed her tummy. “Don’t worry, little baby, I still love you.” She turned to the crowd, “It’s a girl!”

Almost everyone groaned because she had made such a big deal about wanting a boy, that almost everyone had voted for a boy on the board.

“Woohoo!” Jessie cheered.

After the initial insult of losing their bets, the group congratulated her.

“What about you, Alex?  Do you have a name picked out?” Dan quizzed.

“Almost, but not quite,” she replied.

“OK, Lena!” Kara invited, grinning like a fool as she handed over the knife to her wife.

“OK, here we go!” Lena said, taking a deep breath.  She cut into the first cake for Baby A. When she pulled the slice out, the cake was lined in blue.  Her eyes widened. “A boy?” she whispered. “It’s a boy!” she cheered.

“What?!” Jessie shrieked.  “Aww!”

The crowd hooted and hollered according to how they voted, which was about half and half.  

“Do the second one!” Kara beamed, bouncing on her toes in excitement.

“OK, ready?”  She cut the second cake for Baby B.  It was blue too. “Another boy!” She couldn’t believe it.  She was so happy, she almost cried.

“Oh, man!” Jessie huffed.

Everyone congratulated her, and then Eliza asked if anyone had gotten them all right.  Tara raised her hand.

“Oh, good job, babe!” Amy said, giving her a kiss.

Jessie’s eyes darkened with rage, and she handed baby Sophie back to Maureen and ran out of the room at top speed.

“What was that about?” James wondered.

“I’ll go find out,” Kara replied, sniffing out her daughter in the women’s bathroom in the hotel lobby.  “Jessie?” she called, hearing the girl sniffling and sobbing in the end stall. “What’s wrong, baby?”

Jessie didn’t answer.  She just kept on crying.

Kara tried to push the door open, but it was locked.  “Jessie, honey, talk to me.”

“I can’t,” the preteen sobbed.

“Why not?” Kara pouted.

“You wouldn’t understand,” Jessie explained.

“Try me,” she insisted.

Jessie heaved a heavy sob.  “Amy doesn’t love me!”

“What?  Of course she does!” Kara swore.

“Not like I want her to!” Jessie argued.

It finally clicked in Kara’s head.  “Oh. I see.”

“Why can’t she like me instead of Tara?” Jessie whimpered.

“Oh, honey, that just wouldn’t be right.  She’s thirty-five, and you’re only twelve.  This isn't the Dark Ages. There are rules about those kinds of things for a reason.”

“Why?” she whined.

Kara sighed softly, “Because young girls like you don’t need to be getting married and having babies.  You need time to figure yourself out, and to focus on your education. I know you’re not a little kid anymore, but you’re not a grownup yet, either.  If you want to be with someone, you should try someone your own age.”

“No one my age likes me like that.”

Kara smiled, even though her daughter couldn’t see it.  “Are you sure about that?”

“Wh- what do you mean?”

“I mean, I think there is someone who likes you like that.”

“Who?”

“Well, I can think of one person who makes every excuse to be near you that they can.”

“Who?!” Jessie exclaimed, opening the stall door.

“Ruby, silly!”

Jessie froze.  “You know I like girls?”

“Well, I wasn’t one-hundred-percent sure,” Kara admitted.  “But I do know a girl likes you.”

Jessie looked thoughtful.  “You really think Ruby likes me?”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure,” Kara confirmed.  

“Did she tell you that?”

“No, but I see the way she looks at you, and it’s pretty obvious.”

Jessie wiped her tears and blew her nose.  “What if she doesn’t?”

Kara took her daughter in her arms and hugged her tightly.  “Then you still have a really good friend in your life, and that’s something that you’ve always wanted, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Jessie nodded.  “But if she liked me like that, wouldn’t she have said something?”

Kara shrugged.  “Maybe she’s afraid of rejection, just like you.”

Jessie pressed her lips together.  “Should I ask her?”

“That’s up to you, if you want to do that.”

“I think I would like that.”

“OK, well, now you have something else to look forward to, hmm?”

Jessie grinned hopefully.  “I’m still upset about Amy, but maybe I’ll be OK, if Ruby says she likes me.”

“To be honest, I thought you were still anti-romance,” Kara admitted.  “I hadn’t heard anything otherwise until now.”

“I thought I was too, but now maybe I’m not.”

Kara stroked her daughter’s hair, “It’s OK to think about it.  You’re plenty young enough to still have time for romance, even if you and Ruby don’t end up together.  You’re an amazing girl, and I know that there are plenty of people in this world that will love you the way you deserve to be loved.  You deserve the very best.”

“Thanks, Mama,” Jessie said, squeezing Kara tightly.

“You’re very welcome,” Kara kissed her on the head a few times before letting her go.  “Why don’t you wash your face, and then we can head back in?”

“OK.”  Jessie splashed some cold water on her face to kill the red splotches, then she wiped herself dry with the paper towels.  

“Better?” Kara checked.

Jessie nodded, looking hopeful.  

“Shall we go back and celebrate your new brothers and sisters?”

“I-  I’m nervous now,” Jessie squeeked.

Kara put her hand on Jessie’s shoulder.  “No pressure, OK? You don’t have to do anything today, OK?  You can just wait until you’re ready.”

Jessie wiped her hands on her pants.  “My hands are all sweaty.”

Kara held in a giggle.  “It’s OK, baby. Breathe.”

Jessie took a deep breath in and blew it out slowly.  “OK. I can do this.”

“That a girl,” Kara encouraged.  They both headed back to the party.

“Are you OK?” Alex asked as they re-entered the conference room.

“Yeah,” Jessie answered, giving her a hug.

“Are you upset because Lena’s having boys?” Alex checked.

“No, that’s not-  No, it’s OK.”

“You wanna talk about it?”

“Maybe later,” Jessie shook her head.

“Alright, sweetie.  I love you.”

“I love you too, Mom.  I’m sorry that you’re not having a boy, but I’m really happy that you’re having a girl.”

“Honestly, I don’t mind,” Alex insisted.  “I’m just glad she’s a healthy baby.”

Jessie leaned down and talked to Alex’s belly, “I love you so much, little baby sister!  Be good for Mommy, OK?”

Feeling the baby move around, Alex grinned and ruffled Jessie’s hair.  “How about some cake?”

“Yes, please!”  Jessie grabbed a couple of pieces of cake with pink frosting and went to sit next to Ruby.  Her heart was pounding, and when Ruby smiled at her, it raced even faster.

“What’s wrong with you?” Jamie asked from the other side of Ruby.

“Nothing!” Jessie insisted.  “Shut up!”

Jamie just stared at her for a moment before shaking her head.  “Fine, you can tell me later.”

“Or never,” Jessie huffed.

Jamie rolled her eyes and focused on eating her own cake.  “Whatever.”

Jessie peeked at Ruby from the corner of her eye while she ate.  She’d thought Ruby was pretty when they first met, but she didn’t think about her that way until today.  It would be a good match, if they got together. They loved lots of the same things, and they really enjoyed their time together.  But what if Kara was wrong, and Ruby didn’t like her like that? It would be very disappointing. When she was done with her cake, she turned to Ruby, bolstering her courage, and asked her to dance.  When Ruby agreed, she grinned a mile wide, taking the girl by the hand and leading her to the stereo where Winn was playing music. Her heart was beating wildly, and the way Ruby was smiling at her made her want to burst with excitement.  What was even more encouraging was that she could hear Ruby’s heart racing too. They danced for a while, simply enjoying the celebrations before an idea occurred to her. “Hey, do you think your mom would let you spend the night with us tonight?”

Ruby frowned.  “I thought we weren’t supposed to know where you were staying?”

“I wanna ask,” Jessie insisted.  “I mean, if you want to, that is.”

“I want to,” Ruby confirmed.

“Let’s go ask,” Jessie took Ruby’s hand again and led her over to where Alex was talking to Lucy.  “Mom?” she interrupted. “Can Ruby spend the night with us tonight?”

“You just spent a whole day together, and now you want more?” Alex chuckled.

“Please!” Jessie begged.

Alex noticed the girls holding hands and wondered if this was a thing now.  “I’ll think about it.”

Lucy smirked at Alex when she noticed the same thing.

“We’ll be good, I promise!” Jessie insisted.  “She’s good at keeping secrets. She won’t tell anyone where we are.”

“I know, I’m not worried about that,” Alex replied.

“Please!” Jessie begged some more.

“Oh, alright,” Alex sighed.  “Go ask Sam if it’s OK with her.”

“Yes!  Thank you, Mommy!”  Jessie hugged and kissed her mother and then dragged Ruby over to where Sam was sitting down, talking to Douglas.

“Sam, can Ruby spend the night with us tonight?” Jessie asked hurriedly.

Sam looked at the preteens’ intertwined fingers, then at Douglas, who winked at her.  Grinning, she answered, “Uh, yeah, sure, if it’s OK with your moms.” If Ruby spent the night with the Danvers, then Sam would be able to spend the evening with Douglas.  That was A-OK by her.

“My mom said it was OK,” Jessie promised.

“OK, then.”

“Thanks, Mom!” Ruby kissed her on the cheek.

“You’re welcome, baby.”

Little Coby Kavanaugh toddled over and raised his arms to Jessie.  She picked him up and smooched his chubby little cheek. “Hi, buddy!”

“Dance?” he asked.

“You got it!”  She and Ruby returned to their dancing area and danced with the little boy.  Soon Jamie joined them along with a few of the other kids, excluding Carter. He still couldn’t bring himself to dance in front of a crowd.  On the plus side, the girls didn’t seem to be mad at him for it that day. That was a huge relief to him.

Pretty soon, several of the adults came to dance with the kids.  The mothers-to-be were elated, and danced together joyfully. Most of the couples danced as well, including Sam and Douglas.  Soon the party was over, the food was gone, and everyone was full and smiling. Everyone headed out with well-wishes to the mothers-to-be.  The Danvers gang and a few of the Super Friends stayed to help clean up. Their time in the conference room was almost over, so they couldn’t really stick around and mingle, but everyone had had fun and left with a goodie bag.

After the party, the Danvers (and Ruby) and the Kavanaughs went to the park, so the kids could play some more.  The moms-to-be sat down on a picnic bench, and the rest of the adults joined them.  

“So, how are you girls feeling now that you know the genders of your babies?” Maureen inquired.

“Great,” Lena replied.  “Except my back is killing me right now.”

“Same here,” Maggie added.

Alex rubbed Lena’s belly and gave her a kiss, “I’m happy.  At least we get a couple of boys this time, even if I didn’t get one.”

Kara wrapped her arms around her, “I’m sorry you didn’t get a boy, but I promise, I won’t love our girls any less.  Our kids are going to be so perfect.” She kissed Alex’s cheek, keeping her in her embrace.  

The redhead leaned into her and snuggled.  “Agreed.”

Kara closed her eyes and breathed in the comforting scent of her first wife.  There was nothing quite like it on earth, and she didn’t know what she’d do without it.  She remembered how beautiful Alex was when she had their first two babies. Kara would sometimes just watch her with them, in awe of how lucky she was.  Now, she had three wives and four babies on the way, and she felt like she’d won the lottery all over again. She didn’t know how it was possible to be this happy.

At the same time, Alex was thinking along the same lines.  She rested in Kara’s arms, breathing her in and remembering how good Kara was with their babies.  There was never a shadow of doubt in Kara’s love and adoration for her kids. She knew the blonde was telling the truth that she wouldn’t love any of them less than they deserved, and she herself was completely in love with the little ones on the way as well.  She knew she would love Maggie and Lena’s babies as much as her own. There just wasn’t any way around it. They were a family now, and these would be her children, as well as theirs. She smiled adoringly at Lena and Maggie, and they grinned back at her.  

Maggie bit her lip and looked rather serious.  “Um… I was thinking about inviting my family to the baby shower.”

Lena took her by the hand.  “Really? What prompted this?”

Maggie shrugged half-heartedly.  “I want to see if they can accept me and this family.  I don’t want my baby to think that her grandparents hate her.”

Lena kissed her tenderly.  “That’s very brave of you. I hope they don’t disappoint you.  I won’t be inviting Lillian, no matter how much she swears she wants to support me.”

“I hope that woman behaves herself,” Eliza grumbled.

“You and me both,” Maggie agreed.

The rest of the group all expressed their sentiments on Lillian and where she could stick it.  They all adored Lena, and they wouldn’t stand for anyone messing around with her.

All of a sudden, Lena gasped and looked down at her belly.

“What’s wrong?!” Kara asked frantically.

The CEO grinned.  “I think I just felt the babies move!”

Kara nearly collapsed from relief.  “That’s awesome!”

“Woohoo!”  Suddenly, Jessie was standing behind Lena, and she threw her arms around her, and smooched her on the cheek.  Just as suddenly as she appeared, she was gone, back on the jungle gym with the other kids.

Lena giggled.  “Little goofball.”

“They love you so much,” Kara grinned.

“I’m glad.  I love them too,” Lena replied with a sweet smile.

The group talked about a million different baby stories until people started getting hungry.  Kara suggested they go to the buffet, and the group agreed. They rounded up the kids, which took a while because none of them wanted to stop playing, then they all climbed into their cars and headed to the restaurant.  They all pigged out, and by the time they were done, the Kavanaughs were ready to head home. They exchanged hugs and love in the parking lot with promises to see each other at the baby shower in a couple more months.

Finally, the Danvers gang headed back to the Grants’ place.  Alex insisted the girls get ready for bed, and then she would let them watch a movie before they had to go to sleep.  The twins went upstairs and showered, coming back in their PJ’s, then Ruby was allowed to go wash up and change. Alex didn’t mind that Jessie and Ruby were crushing on each other, but she didn’t want to give them too much freedom just yet.  They were only twelve.  

The four kids debated on what to watch, ultimately deciding on ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.’  Meanwhile, the adults congregated in the kitchen. Alex sat on Kara’s lap, and the blonde rubbed her lower back.

“I hope you plan on doing that for all three of us,” Maggie insisted.

“You got it, honey bunny.”

Lena yawned.  “I’m sleepy.”

“Come ‘ere, baby,” Maggie pulled Lena in, and the CEO laid her head on her shoulder.  “There’s my girl.”

“Well, I hope you girls had fun today,” Eliza smiled at them.

They all confirmed that they did and thanked her profusely for all her help.

“It was my pleasure,” she replied.  “I’m very happy for you all, and I’m really looking forward to meeting all my new grand babies.”

“I’m excited too,” Cat agreed.  “I’m going to miss you all when your house is finished and you finally move into your own place.  How is that going, by the way?”

“Great!” Lena answered happily.  “The contractors promised me that it will be done by the end of October.  But that’s not including the pool, or the wall.”

“What will you do for security?” Cat asked seriously.

Lena smirked.  “Oh, trust me. I’m going to Luthor-ize it.”

Ms. Grant raised her eyebrow.  “What does that mean, exactly?”

Lena chuckled lowly, “It means top of the line, exclusive alarm and security systems, including a way to lock down the house and make it invisible.  A little trick I learned from my brother.”

“Oh, wow!” Cat replied.  “That sounds impressive.”

“Thank you.  Winn is helping me as well.”

“Oh, that’s good.  Winslow is a very smart young man,” Ms. Grant acknowledged.  “As I’m sure you’re well aware.”

“Yes, he’s been a godsend,” Lena agreed.  “You all have been, really.”

Her wives agreed.

They sat around and made small talk until the kids’ movie was over.  When Alex and Kara went into the living room to send them to bed, Jessie and Ruby were already asleep, leaning against one another with their hands still laced together.  Kara and Alex grinned at one another. ‘How cute!’ Kara mouthed to Alex. Alex nodded. They gently woke the pair and sent them upstairs to sleep in the bed. Alex wondered if she shouldn’t separate Jessie and Ruby, but she reasoned that they probably wouldn’t get up to anything they shouldn’t be doing when Jamie was still around, so she allowed it.

The foursome were pretty tired themselves, so they headed to their room to change into their jammies.  Kara gave them all back rubs before they turned out the lights, and then they were finally able to fall asleep.