She said Tom’s mother, Beatrice, had told her IVF babies weren’t natural and that the grey cake proved it. I gently took Maddie’s hand and placed it on my stomach right as the baby gave a strong kick. “Feel that?” I said. “This baby is real, and he already loves you.” Meanwhile, downstairs, Tom confronted his mother after confirming she had changed the cake order. She didn’t deny it, calling IVF “unnatural,” unaware of the full story.

That’s when Tom calmly told her the truth: he was the one who was infertile and Maddie wasn’t biologically his either. “Love makes a family, not DNA,” he told her before asking her to leave. That evening, Maddie kissed my belly, glowing with excitement about becoming a big sister. “Will Granny come back?” she asked. “Maybe if she learns how to love better,” we said. And just like that, Maddie reminded us what truly matters most.