"Irvin! You didn't invite my parents to our son's one-month celebration?!"
Irvin panicked instantly, scrambling to gather the scattered invitations on the table.
"It's nothing—I was just checking who we missed. I need to send out more, that's all."
I frowned at him. Something in my gut told me he wasn't being honest.
Still uneasy, I found a moment to call my mother.
"Mom, you know Baby's one-month celebration is this Saturday, right?"
She laughed warmly. "Of course! I've already got the red envelope ready to celebrate my grandson!"
"Grandson?" I asked, confused. "What do you mean?"
My father took the phone. "Irvin told us—he's letting Baby take your surname. They'll change it right after the celebration."
I was about to tell them that Marcia had already had her name changed, but before I could finish, the line went dead.
Afterward, my mother sent a text saying something had come up and we'd talk on Saturday.
That evening, Irvin came home to find me waiting in the living room.
"My parents said you agreed to let Baby take my surname?"
He smiled and nodded. "That's right. They wanted Baby to carry on the Pruitt name, didn't they?"
I frowned, reminding him again. "But Marcia already—"
He suddenly leaned down and kissed my forehead, gazing at me with what looked like pure devotion.
"It's fine, sweetheart. I've thought it through. If both children take your name, I'm okay with that."
His words only deepened my confusion.
Since when had he become a completely different person?
And even if he truly agreed—what about his mother? Would she ever accept this?
That night, I tested the waters with my mother-in-law.
To my surprise, she agreed as well.
"Yes, Irvin mentioned it. Your parents are getting older—it's only natural they'd want a grandchild to carry on the family name."
With her saying that, I let the matter go.
After all, if both children took my surname, my parents would only end up giving more.
The next morning, I dressed Baby in his outfit for the celebration. Then my mother-in-law spoke up.
"Greta, dear, the venue's going to be packed with people. Why don't you and Baby just stay home? No need to deal with all that chaos—what if the crowd overwhelms him?"
I stared at her, bewildered. "Today is his one-month celebration. How can he not be there?"