Two Contests, One *Big* Mistake

### Two Contests, One Big Mistake

The event space buzzed with excitement. On one side of the room, a line of pregnant women prepped and ready in bikinis for a traditional pregnancy contest, where the best baby bumps would take center stage. On the opposite side, the fertility company’s contest was equally packed. There, women carrying multiples—twins, triplets, and beyond—were set to compete in the much-hyped “largest pregnancy” competition. Two very different shows under one roof.

Kylie stood backstage, nervously adjusting her bikini straps. Her belly was huge. At 18, she was almost 7 months pregnant, but unlike the other women around her, she wasn't carrying just one or two babies. No, Kylie’s belly housed nearly 40. Her heart raced as she caught glimpses of the other contestants—slim in comparison, with modest bumps that could have easily fit inside her own belly.

Something was wrong.

Kylie glanced down at her number pinned to her chest: 34. The women in line with her all had similar numbers, and that was when it hit her: she wasn’t in the contest for largest pregnancy. She was in the pregnant bikini contest.

Her stomach twisted. She had meant to sign up for the fertility company's competition, the one where her size would make sense, where her decision to take triple doses of fertility medicine to guarantee a win wouldn’t backfire like this. A few months ago, she had been so sure of herself. She figured the more babies, the better. She’d win for sure. Forty babies? No one else could top that. But now, here she was, moments away from stepping onto a stage where her massive belly would be impossible to ignore.

Kylie’s legs wobbled as the line moved forward, each contestant taking their turn on stage. The women ahead of her strutted confidently, cradling their modest baby bumps as the crowd applauded. Tiny. All of them. Even the biggest among them looked petite next to her.

She tried to think. Could she back out now? Just run? But it was too late—her name had already been called. With a deep breath and a forced smile, Kylie stepped onto the stage.

The lights hit her, and she immediately heard the crowd gasp. She felt their eyes on her belly, stretched impossibly wide and pushing against the flimsy bikini. Her feet shuffled awkwardly, the weight of her pregnancy making it hard to move with any sort of grace. She waddled down the runway, doing her best to mimic the other contestants, but it was no use. Her size made everything awkward. Her belly swayed with each step, her bikini strained to hold it all in.

The whispers started before she’d even reached the middle of the stage.

“Is she…?”

“How many babies is she carrying?”

“She’s gotta be in the wrong contest.”

Kylie tried to ignore them. She smiled—a big, fake, plastered-on smile—and posed as best she could, her hands resting awkwardly on the sides of her enormous stomach. A bead of sweat trickled down her forehead as the judges exchanged glances. She could tell they were confused, unsure of how to judge her.

As she turned to waddle back, the host’s voice boomed from the microphone, stopping her in her tracks. “Hold on a second, contestant 34. Could we get you to stay on stage for a moment?”

Kylie froze. Her heart pounded in her chest. Oh no. What now?

The host, a chipper middle-aged woman with too much enthusiasm and not enough tact, approached her with a microphone. “I think the audience is just as curious as we are. How far along are you?”

Kylie blinked, unsure how to answer. She knew the truth would sound insane. But before she could stop herself, the words tumbled out. “Uh…almost 7 months. I’m…carrying about 40 babies.”

The audience went dead silent for a moment, processing what she’d just said. And then, like a wave, the laughter hit. At first, a few giggles. Then, full-blown laughter rippled through the crowd. Kylie’s face flushed red as she realized they thought she was joking. Forty babies? They couldn’t believe it. They didn’t even think it was possible.

The host chuckled along, clearly thinking Kylie was playing the crowd. “Well, that’s quite the sense of humor! But really, how many little ones are in there?”

Kylie swallowed. Do I correct her? But the crowd was still laughing, and part of her figured it was better to let them believe it was a joke. She forced another smile and shrugged. “Just a few more than usual, I guess.”

The host nodded, still grinning. “Well, you certainly made an impression! Let’s hear it for contestant 34!”

The crowd cheered, some still laughing, some clapping in support. As Kylie made her way off the stage, she let out a long breath. At least that’s over, she thought.

But as soon as she stepped backstage, a woman wearing a fertility company badge rushed up to her. “Kylie, right?”

Kylie nodded, confused.

The woman smiled, glancing at her enormous belly. “You’re supposed to be in the fertility contest. I saw your name on the list but didn’t see you on the stage over there. I think you accidentally signed up for the wrong one.”

Kylie groaned internally. Of course, they figured it out now.

The woman, seemingly oblivious to Kylie’s discomfort, continued with excitement. “But you know what? This might actually be a good thing. You’ve gone viral! People are already posting videos of you all over social media. They love you! The fertility company wants to offer you a sponsorship deal. You could be the face of our new campaign!”

Kylie blinked. “A…sponsorship?”

“Absolutely! You’re carrying forty babies. That’s a record! We’d love to have you represent us. Think of the opportunities! Interviews, magazine spreads, maybe even TV.”

Kylie stood there, stunned. The day had started as a complete disaster, but now she was being offered fame and money? She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Part of her still felt ridiculous for getting into this situation, but another part of her saw the opportunity laid out before her.

“Okay,” she said finally, nodding slowly. “Let’s talk.”

As she walked away from the chaos of the contest, Kylie couldn’t help but laugh to herself, her swollen belly jiggling.