Camille always believed she and her pregnant sister Eliza had no secrets—until Eliza wouldn’t share her baby’s name. Strangely, everyone else in the family already knew, even their mother. But when Camille finally uncovers the name and the real reason behind the secrecy, the truth hits her like a punch to the gut—and nearly tears the sisters apart.
Eliza and I weren’t just sisters—we were inseparable. We shared everything.
When she had her first kiss at fourteen, I knew about it before she ever wrote it in her diary. When she had her first real heartbreak in high school, she ended up in my bed sobbing at 2 a.m., mascara everywhere.
I was her go-to for everything—job interviews, fights with our mom, even bizarre dreams about flying cats.
We had that once-in-a-lifetime kind of bond.
So, when she told me she was pregnant, I assumed I’d be looped in on every step—every baby registry decision, every crib color debate, every diaper dilemma. And of course, I expected to be part of the baby name conversation.
One afternoon over coffee, I asked, “So what are the top name contenders for my future niece?”
I was practically buzzing with excitement, ready to dive into a fun brainstorming session. Naming a baby is a huge deal, after all.
But Eliza just gave me this half-smile and kept stirring her decaf. “We’re still deciding.”
I pushed a little. “Come on, you’re due any day now! You must have some favorites. Are you leaning toward a family name? Something trendy?”
“We’re still figuring it out, Cam,” she repeated, shooting me a glance that clearly said drop it.
And that was the end of it.
There were no name debates. No laughing over ridiculous suggestions. No rolling our eyes over weird family options.
Just this awkward distance between us that felt completely out of place.
It felt like she was deliberately keeping something from me—and that stung. Still, I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she wanted the name to be a surprise. Maybe Miles had strong opinions and they hadn’t come to an agreement yet.
But I soon realized that wasn’t true.
I sent her texts with name ideas over the next few days. Every time, she replied with the same line: We haven’t decided yet.
But that was a flat-out lie.
Over the weekend, I went shopping with one of our cousins and casually brought up the baby name mystery. Her reaction? A nervous, guilty smile that screamed Oops, you weren’t supposed to be left out.
At the baby shower, I made small talk with Miles’s mom and mentioned how excited I was to hear the name. Her smile faltered too.
Then came Aunt Linda choking on her coffee when I brought it up at brunch.
And Miles’s younger brother? Nearly dropped a dumbbell on himself when I asked if he knew.
That’s when it clicked.
Everyone knew the baby’s name.
Everyone—except me.