I didn’t shake my head to stop him.
I simply let him see how miserable I felt.
He began getting up.
But Diane tapped her glass again.
“Before we finish, I have one very special announcement!”
My stomach tightened.
She stood beside the dessert table, smiling proudly at the guests.
“Since we’re all practically family here, I thought you should hear the wonderful news!”
She paused dramatically.
“OUR LITTLE BOY IS GOING TO BE NAMED BENJAMIN!”
The room erupted in applause.
Several women gasped with delight.
Someone congratulated Diane.
Another guest said it was a beautiful tribute.
I didn’t move.
Across the room, Levi’s expression changed completely.
Because Benjamin wasn’t simply a name we hadn’t chosen.
It was the one name we’d specifically ruled out.
Benjamin was Levi’s late father’s name.
And despite the affectionate stories Diane loved telling about her husband, Levi’s memories of growing up with him were very different.
His father had constantly criticized him, belittled his achievements, and made him feel that nothing he accomplished was ever good enough.
Years before I became pregnant, Levi had told me he would never give his own child that name.
Diane knew exactly how he felt.
We had told her again when she asked about possible baby names.
And now she had announced it publicly.
I stared at her.
“Diane, that’s not the baby’s name.”
She laughed lightly.
“Oh, don’t look so serious, sweetheart. It’s only a name.”
But it wasn’t only a name.
It was a decision that belonged to Levi and me.
And she had made it in front of forty people without asking either of us.
Levi stood.
He didn’t shout.
He didn’t even look particularly angry.
He simply walked across the restaurant toward the dessert table.
A woman began clapping.
“Speech! Speech!”
But Levi wasn’t going to give a toast.
He reached behind the dessert table and carefully took down the enormous GRANDMA’S LITTLE BLESSING banner.
The applause stopped.
Then he began removing the framed photographs of Diane holding him as a baby.
One by one, he lifted them from their displays and placed them safely against the wall.
Diane stared.
“Levi! What on earth are you doing?”
He turned toward her.
“Fixing my wife’s baby shower.”
The room went completely silent.
