Selena looked at herself in the mirror and reflected on the events that led her to this point. It didn’t take too long. She knew exactly what that event was. It had all started with that night at the mixer and a very ill-timed one night stand. And now, here she was.

 

At least the dress didn’t make her look much bigger than she already was, she reflected as she rubbed her swollen middle. But really, that wasn’t saying much. Nothing short of some very complex optical illusions would have been able to make her look any smaller.

 

In an instance of unfortunate cosmic timing, she’d learned that she was pregnant around the same time that her sister Cara and her long-time boyfriend Jackson announced that they were finally getting tying the knot And she was happy for them, of course. Ecstatic, even. How could she not be? The two of them had been best friends since high school, and they were perfect for each-other, loving and supportive all the way. But the little one inside of her was going to make things a bit awkward. She remembered the conversation like it was yesterday.

 

“I know, I know,” Selena had said. She had been about seven months along at this point, and the wedding was a month away. “I know we always promised we were going to be each-other’s maid of honor, but there’s no way that I could-”

 

“I don’t care that you look like an escaped blimp, sis,” said Cara, looking up from giving her sister a belly rub. “You’re my sister and I love you and I wouldn’t dream of you not being a part of my wedding!”

 

“And I love you too,” she said. “And I will be a part of your wedding! But think about it. Me up there, huge and bloated in whatever hideous dress you pick out for me-”

 

“Hey!”

 

“-looking like I’m ready to drop at any moment, and what do you think everyone there is going to be looking at? What are they going to remember?” Selena shook her head. “This is your day, sis, and everyone should be looking at you. I’ll be there, but I want to be there as unobtrusively as possible. I want everyone to remember you and how beautiful you you looked, not that your sister looked like a watermelon smuggler in a chintzy dress.” She winced a bit as her baby gave a little kick in the spot where Cara had been poking her. “Ow. See, my baby agrees with me.”

 

Cara sighed. “Okay, okay,” she said, giving her sister’s hand a squeeze. “You win this round. I’ll get Daisy to do it, then. She’ll be absolutely over the moon about it, I’m sure.”

 

“And Daisy will probably plan a better bachelorette party than me anyway,” she said. “I figured we’d just all drink and play board games.”

 

“If you think we’re not doing that anyway, you’ve got another thing coming, you big fat baby mama.”

 

That was then. And now, here in the present, the wedding was mere hours away, and Selena felt very much like the proverbial big fat baby mama. She’d already had to get her mom to come by and make some last-minute alterations to the dress after a surprise growth spurt in month eight. There were a lot of things that she would have done for her little sister, but she’d be damned if she was going to be in there all wearing something that was hard to get out of and pee in. Zippers were absolutely out of the question.

 

With his usual sense of impeccable timing, junior chose that moment to headbutt her in the bladder again. She sighed as she made her way to her bathroom, hiked up her dress and sat down, experiencing sweet relief. Unfortunately, sweet relief was punctuated by a short, sharp pain in her groinal region. That was a new one. She pulled her legs apart and looked down into the toilet, afraid for a moment that she would see blood. Fortunately, this wasn’t the case, but she did see a slimy, discolored mass of… something.

 

She thought back to the talk she’d had with her nurse the previous week, about what to expect in her final months. That must have been her mucous plug. The pamphlet she had been given to read did not do the event justice. It looked even grosser than it had sounded back then.

 

Part of Selene’s brain went into panic mode. She had to call her sister to tell her what happened and then get her recently-widened butt to the hospital. But moments later, rationality took over.

 

The nurse had said that losing her plug didn’t mean that the baby was imminent, right? It was just the first sign that things were underway. And Cara had gone on and on about how she didn’t want a super-long ceremony. In and out and straight to the point. The guest list was relatively small, and they all knew what they were there for. And, most importantly at all, Selene didn’t want to make a fuss. If word got around that Cara’s sister had gone off to have a baby on the day of the wedding, that would be all that everyone was talking about for the rest of the year. She could handle this. Get through the ceremony, do some of the requisite mingling at the reception, grab some finger food, and be well on her way by the time everyone was making their way out.

 

“Now, you’d better behave,” she said, giving her middle a pat. “I can’t very well ground you yet, but still.”

 

Her baby gave a little kick in response.

 

“Good,” she said, nodding firmly. “We’re agreed.”

 

She had made up her mind, then. With the matter settled, she finished getting dressed, put her shoes on, and made her way downstairs. The ceremony would be starting in a little under an hour, and thankfully, it was right there at the hotel.

 

There was already a crowd gathering by the time she got down, and nobody paid her any heed, thankfully. As she waited to take her seat, she suppressed a grimace as she felt another little cramp.

 

Nothing to worry about, she told herself. A little pain comes with the territory, I’ve still got plenty of time. She took a seat as close to the back as she could manage as everyone fussed around making preparations for the ceremony. Jackson had already taken his place at the altar, fidgeting nervously as he waited for the show to start. Soon, the music kicked in, the doors opened once again, and there she was. Cara was absolutely gorgeous, of course. She was wearing the gown that mom had been married in, and she rocked it. And Jackson looked just about ready to weep from the sheer majesty of it. Selena forgot all about her troubles as her sister approached the altar, but they did not forget about her. The officiant had barely started to speak before she began to cramp up again. She gripped the edges of her seat and tried to focus on the words being spoken. Cara and Jackson had both written their own vows, and Selena was sure that they would be beautiful. Unfortunately, Selena was finding it increasingly difficult to make out the words. She crossed her legs hard and focused on trying to block out the persistent twinges that she was feeling.

 

She didn’t even realize that things had been winding down until Cara and Jackson kissed and the whole crowd stood up and applauded. Selena did her best to follow suit, and after a couple of false starts, managing to get up. She really hoped that somebody had been recording the ceremony.

 

Standing up seemed to ease the pain a little, thankfully, and Selena felt a surge of relief as the mob made its way to the reception hall. Selena helped herself to some appetizers and was to find an unobtrusive seat somewhere when a familiar urge built up.

 

“Seriously?” she hissed, looking down at her belly. “I just went!”

 

Selena stole a few glances around the room. The reception was in full swing, and her sister was currently occupied with being congratulated. Seizing the moment, she slipped off to the bathroom, pulled her dressed up and her panties down, and dropped down, letting out a sigh of relief.

 

“Made it,” she said to herself, leaning back and relaxing. But her relaxation was short-lived, as she suddenly felt a sharp pain, and along with it, felt a large quantity of liquid gush out of her nethers, completely soaking her groin and her thighs.

 

“Oh, fuck a duck,” she gasped, putting a hand on her chest. This was bad. This was really, really bad. She had to get out, had to get someplace else. But she didn’t want to bail. How much longer-

 

Her thought process was interrupted as she heard an upbeat dance track start in the other room. It was going to be a madhouse in there, but that meant that she’d be much more likely to escape notice. She patted herself down, but then remembered that she’d left her purse at the table. Right. Get that, dial for help, and slip out before anyone noticed. She could do that. She cleaned herself up as best she could with the supplies available to her and sat up, groaning as her change in position caused a fresh twinge.

 

“Just hang in there, baby,” she said, stepping out of her panties and kicking them aside; they were soaked, anyway. She wished she had chosen to wear a slightly more subdued color than hot pink as she waddled back into the main hall, where the reception was in full swing. The bass was pumping, colored lights were flashing, and the people in general were getting down with their bad selves. Selena made her way over to the table in the corner where she had chosen to sit, which was empty… except for her mother, Evelyn. Of course. Right then. She had to play it cool.

 

“Oh, darling, there you are!” said her mother, holding up a plastic cup of wine and grinning wildly. “Where have you been? I’ve barely seen you since the ceremony!”

 

“Just stuck in the bathroom,” said Selena, as she grabbed for her purse. “Excuse me, I just need my- shit!” She groaned, doubling over against the table.

 

“What’s wrong?” said her mother, leaning in closer. Selena felt her face redden. She couldn’t lie to her mother. Ever since she and her sister were little, she’d been able to see right through them.

 

“Okay, don’t panic, please,” she said, “but I think there’s a nonzero chance that in might be, um… in labor.”

 

“You’re what?!” exclaimed her mother, dropping her cup in surprise.

 

“Keep it down, keep it down!” hissed Selena. “I’m trying to keep it on the down-low so I need my phone so I can - nngh!” She groaned, unable to continue as she felt another sharp pain. “I’ve, um, been having pains all day and I was just trying to make it through the wedding, but-”

 

Her mother sighed. “Poor stubborn girl,” she said. “Grab your purse and meet me in that little room off to the side. You know, the one that we were keeping everyone’s coats and such in? Go there, I’ll be with you in a few minutes.”

 

Selena nodded, taking her purse and making her way to the small room. It was quiet, at least, and there was, mercifully, a chaise lounge she could seat herself on, and that she did, sighing in relief. She rubbed her belly as she settled down, trying to will her contractions to slow down. Unfortunately, they seemed to be doing the exact opposite of that.

 

Her mother came in moments later, towing a stout woman with thick spectacles and short, greying hair.

 

“Oh, dear,” said the newcomer. “You seem to be in a bit of a state, miss.”

 

“This is my friend, Avia,” said Evelyn, seeing Selena’s confused glance.

 

“I… remember you, I think?” said Selena. “Didn’t you used to babysit us?”

 

“Good memory,” said Avia, smiling. “I’m an obstetrical nurse. Your mother tells me you’ve been having contractions for awhile? Let me take a look at you.” She reached into her purse and pulled out a set of latex gloves and a bottle of hand sanitizer. “You never know,” she said, answering Selena’s unasked question.

 

As Avia sat herself down between Selena’s legs, Selena recapped the events of the day, starting with the morning and working her way forward. As she spoke, she felt Avia’s fingers exploring inside of her, and tried not to wriggle too much in response.

 

“...and that’s when my water broke in the bathroom and I came out to get my phone,” she said, wincing through the discomfort. “I was going to call for a ride to the hospital.”

 

“I’m afraid it may be a little late for that,” said Avia, nodding gravely. “You’re fully dilated. It won’t be long before the baby’s coming. Not long at all, if what you’re saying about your contractions is true.”

 

“What?!” said Selene, trying to get up. Her mother put a hand on her shoulder, pushing her back. “I can’t have my baby here! I can’t!”

 

“Your baby has its own ideas about that, dear,” said Avia, giving Selena a smile. “If I’m not mistaken, the head’s been pressing against your cervix for awhile now. Those cramps you’ve been feeling? They’re only going to be worse. Your body wants to push, and right now, you have two choices. Work with your body, or work against it. Either way, your baby’s coming out soon. Just let it happen.”

 

Selena narrowed her eyes at the nurse. She wanted to protest, but Avia was right on the money.

 

“It’s okay,” said her mother, taking her hand. “I’m right here. Do what you need to do.”

 

Selena looked up at her mother’s face. “...Alright,” she said. “Just, um, try to keep it down, okay? I don’t want to cause a big fuss…”

 

“No promises there,” said Avia, busying herself between Selena’s legs. “Okay honey, when you feel the urge to push, do it.”

 

It didn’t take very long for that urge to build up. Squeezing her mother’s hand, Selena gave in to it. The results were immediate. She could feel the baby start to enter the birth canal right away. Selena had heard that this part could take upwards of an hour, but she had a sinking feeling that the baby wasn’t feeling that patient.

 

“Nnngh, it’s coming!” she gasped, struggling to keep her voice down. “It’s coming, it’s coming, it’s coming oooout!”

 

“It sure is, sweetie!” said Avia, as she gently began to rub at Selena’s nethers. “Try to take it easy, don’t go too fast!”

 

“Tell him that!” she hissed, as she pushed and pushed. The pain was absolutely immense, but there was absolutely not stopping it now. After spending almost the whole day trying to ignore the fact that she was in labor, her baby was not going to wait one minute longer, and before she knew it, she felt a burning sensation as something began to bulge out of her.

 

“I can see the head already!” said Avia.

 

“I can feel it!” yelped Selena, before clapping a hand over her mouth to muffle the sound.

 

“Easy there,”  said the nurse, massaging Selena gently to help ease the baby out. “Go ahead and rest for a minute, things will be just-”

 

“Hey, has anyone seen my-” came a new voice. Every head in the room - save for one, of course - turned to look at the door, and there was Cara, still resplendent in her wedding dress, as well slightly tipsy. When she saw the tableau  before her - particularly, Selena with her dress hiked up over her belly and a baby’s head emerging from her - her jaw hit the floor.

 

“...Sister?” she squeaked.

 

“Um… hi there,” said Selena, momentarily forgetting her pain. “I, um… sorry. I didn’t want to cause trouble on your big day…”

 

Cara blinked incredulously. Then she burst out laughing. “Of course you didn’t,” she said, leaning against the wall for support. “God, sis, you’re so stubborn sometimes!”

 

Selena couldn’t help it. She laughed too. Evelynn and Avia joined in as well. The laughter continued until Selena felt another sharp pain, and before she knew what was happening, she was pushing again.

 

“It’s coming fast!” yelped Avia.

 

“Let me see!” said Cara, nosing in to get a closer look. “Holy shit, sis, you’re having a baby!”

 

“You don’t say!” yelled Selene, as she pushed and pushed, the baby’s head and shoulders making their way out of her straining pussy, and with one last yowl of exertion, he slid out into Avia’s waiting hands.

 

“You have a son!” she called out. “Time of birth, 6:43 PM!”

 

“Hey there, little guy!” said Cara, looking down at the squirming child. “I’m your auntie!”

 

“I’m sorry, sis,” said Selena, as she fell back and carefully accepted the baby, who was now wrapped in a tablecloth that her mother had grabbed. “I didn’t want to pull any attention away from you on your wedding day. I mean, it’s probably not too late for me to just slip out the back-”

 

“Nuts to that!” said Cara, beaming proudly. “Now this day’s gonna be special for two reasons!” Before Selena or their mother could add anything else, Cara turned and dashed back out into the main hall.

 

“HEY, EVERYBODY!” she yelled. “I’M AN AUNTIE!”

 

The sounds of applause and cheering could be heard from the other room until Cara closed the door behind her. Selene let out a heavy breath.

 

“Well,” said Evelynn. “I hope you’ve learned a valuable lesson today.”

“Probably,” said Selena, as she gently rocked her child. “I’ll let you know when I figure out what it was.”