Alva and Cody arrived at the event hall, the place buzzing with excitement. It was decorated like a whimsical nursery, with balloons shaped like pacifiers and rattles. Laughter echoed from every corner as people settled into their seats.
They found two empty chairs near the front and sat down. The air was thick with noise and anticipation, when suddenly, the lights dimmed and a man with a sparkling bowtie stepped onto the stage.
"Hello, ladies and gentlemen! I'm Mr. Barbs," he announced with a theatrical grin. "Welcome to our Doll Daddy Showdown!"
A cheer rose from the crowd.
"I want all the contestants to remain here at the front," he continued. "The game will begin shortly."
All the men stood up, including Cody.
"Hey babe," Alva said, resting her hand on his arm, "I want you to win this for me."
Cody chuckled. "I can't promise you that."
Alva smirked and let go of his arm.
Mr. Barbs clapped his hands together. "And now, for the best part—tonight's winner will walk away with one hundred thousand dollars!"
Gasps and murmurs rippled through the audience. Cody's eyebrows raised slightly.
The lights shifted to reveal ten tables lined up across the room. On each table sat a baby doll, a tiny diaper, a baby outfit—shirt, skirt, socks—and a miniature blanket.
"The rules are simple," Mr. Barbs explained. "Each man must dress the doll as quickly and correctly as possible—diapers, clothes, socks. Once you're done, you'll run to your girlfriend or wife, touch her hand, and return to your station. But—" he paused dramatically, "if the doll is dressed wrong, you'll be disqualified."
Cody stepped up to his station and looked down at the lifeless plastic doll in front of him.
A loud buzzer sounded.
"Let the game begin!" Mr. Barbs shouted.
Chaos broke out. Men fumbled with diapers, socks flew across the tables, and laughter filled the room. Cody picked up the diaper and tried to wrap it around the doll, but it wouldn't stay put. It kept slipping off, flopping around like it had a mind of its own.
One contestant dashed to his wife, only to be immediately disqualified. "No socks!" Mr. Barbs shouted into the mic.
Cody paused and looked around. Some men were moving fast, cheered on by their excited partners. Their wives shouted and clapped, giving them extra energy.
Alva, however, could only watch. Her belly was round—eight months pregnant—and she couldn't yell without straining herself. She clapped gently, trying to encourage him with a smile.
Cody noticed. He swallowed hard, then turned back to the doll. He started copying what other men were doing. The diaper still looked like a mess, but he left it and moved on to the clothes. He slid a shirt over the doll's head, yanked on a skirt, and shoved a sock on one leg.
"Time!" Mr. Barbs called out.
He walked around, inspecting each doll with exaggerated expressions.
When he got to Cody, he frowned. "Sir… the shirt is on backwards, the diaper is barely hanging on, and the skirt… well, I think your baby's wearing it like a scarf."
Cody looked down and blinked. "Oh."
"The winner is… Contestant Seven!" Mr. Barbs declared.
Everyone erupted in applause.
Alva shook her head slowly. What was she thinking? That Cody would win? That he'd show her something today?
"You promised me," she said quietly.
"I didn't," he replied with a shrug. "Let's go."
He reached for her hand, and they walked out of the building.
"You just lost that money."
"I can give you the money if you want it," he said, his voice low and a little tired.
Alva didn't answer. Her phone buzzed. It was a text from her mom.
"Come now—with your boss."
She read it in silence.
"Oh no…"
"What's wrong?" Cody asked.
"It's my mom… she wants to see you."
"…Okay."
***
They arrived at Alva's family home just before sunset. The smell of something warm and delicious drifted from the kitchen, wrapping around them like a welcome hug.
Inside, her mom was busy at the stove, stirring a pot while checking the oven. The table was already set: fried chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, buttered corn on the cob, green beans with bacon, and a fresh apple pie cooling near the window.
When she was done, she called out, "Dinner's ready! Come to the dining room!"
As they took their seats, Cody leaned close to Alva and whispered, "Your mom looks scary."
Alva chuckled softly, nudging him. "Mom, knock it off. Why all the staring?" she said with a playful eye-roll.
Her mother finally cracked a smile. "So… you like my daughter, huh?" she asked Cody, her eyes still sharp.
"Yes, ma'am," Cody replied, trying to sound confident.
"And you got her pregnant."
Cody leaned toward Alva and whispered, "Should I tell her you were the one who told me to go faster?"
Alva burst into laughter and smacked his leg under the table.
"Hey! Knock it off with your love talk. I'm still a kid!" Brian, her younger brother, shouted from across the table.
"Then go to your room, now!" Alva snapped, still laughing.
"Yeah, I was waiting for you to say that," Brian muttered as he stood and left with a smirk.
Their mom cleared her throat and looked back at Cody. "So… do you have plans to marry her?"
The room fell silent for a moment. You could hear the faint ticking of the wall clock.
"Mom," Alva said firmly, "I love him. He loves me. We love each other. That's all that matters. I don't need a marriage license to prove that."
Her mom looked at her, eyes softening. "Oh, my poor baby's grown up so much."
"Yeah, you made sure of that when you sent me on all those awful dates," Alva shot back with a grin.
Everyone at the table burst into laughter. Cody laughed so hard he had to cover his mouth. Even her mom chuckled, shaking her head.
The rest of dinner was filled with jokes, teasing, and second helpings. Cody complimented the food—especially the fried chicken, which was perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Alva's mom beamed with pride.
It was a real family moment—messy, loud, loving.
---
After everything, Cody and Alva returned home.
Alva sat on the edge of the bed, quiet. She rubbed her belly gently and stared out the window.
"I miss them already," she whispered.
"Don't worry," Cody said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, "you're going to visit them again soon."
She leaned her head against him and closed her eyes, comforted by his warmth.