Chapter 135

Emma yawned and sat up, rubbing her stomach with one hand. “I think I’m going to make breakfast,” she said, her voice warm and easy.

Abigail turned and smiled. “That sounds amazing, baby. I’ll start building the furniture while you cook. We can make it a productive morning.”

Emma smiled, already heading toward the kitchen. “You mean you’ll make a mess and call it progress.”

Abigail laughed under her breath. “Progress comes with a little mess.”

The faint sound of clattering pans and the smell of butter filled the air as Emma began pulling ingredients from the fridge. Abigail, meanwhile, made her way down the hall to the nursery, rolling up the sleeves of her hoodie as she eyed the neat pile of boxes she’d stacked the night before. Each one was labeled in black marker: crib, dresser, bassinet, bookshelf, rocking chair, changing table, closet organizer.

She crouched beside the biggest box, ready to start unpacking, when a soft knock echoed through the condo.

Abigail wiped her hands on her sweatpants and called out toward the kitchen, “I got it, babe!”

Emma’s voice floated back. “Okay! Don’t let anyone in if they’re trying to sell something!”

Abigail laughed as she walked down the hall, brushing her hair out of her face. When she opened the door, she was met with two familiar smiles — Megan holding two cups of coffee and Ashley standing beside her with a paper bag that smelled like cinnamon rolls.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite duo,” Abigail said, her grin widening. “You couldn’t have picked a better time to show up.”

Megan raised a brow. “Oh no. That tone means we’re about to get put to work, doesn’t it?”

“Absolutely,” Abigail said without hesitation, taking the coffees from her and passing one back to Ashley. “You two just became part of Operation Build Babyland.”

Ashley chuckled, already slipping off her jacket. “Let me guess, Emma’s in the kitchen?”

“About to start breakfast,” Abigail said, her tone teasing. “You can help her, or at least keep her entertained. I’m stealing this one for a bit.”

Before Ashley could respond, Abigail hooked her arm through Megan’s and started leading her toward the nursery.

Megan blinked, trying not to spill her coffee. “Wait, what’s happening?”

“You, my dear best friend, are helping me build furniture,” Abigail said, half laughing as she pulled her along.

Ashley shook her head, amused, and called after them, “Don’t break her before the baby’s even born!”

“I make no promises!” Abigail called back.

When they reached the nursery, Megan froze in the doorway. The sunlight caught the freshly painted sage walls, giving the room a soft, dreamy glow. Boxes of furniture lined one side of the room like soldiers waiting for orders.

“Oh my God,” Megan said, taking a sip of her coffee. “You weren’t kidding. You’ve got a whole store in here.”

Abigail grinned proudly, pointing toward the pile. “You’re helping me build all of this. Crib, dresser, bassinet, bookshelf, rocking chair, changing table, closet organizer, curtains the works.”

Megan blinked, lowering her cup slowly. “All of it? You’re insane.”

Abigail smirked. “Dedicated.”

“Insanely dedicated,” Megan muttered, setting her drink on the dresser box. “Alright, where do we start?”

“The crib,” Abigail said immediately, crouching to slice through the tape with a small box cutter. “That’s the one Emma will care about the most.”

They started unpacking, the sound of cardboard tearing and hardware clinking filling the air. The instructions unfolded like a map of chaos, and Megan stared at them in disbelief. “These people expect us to build this without an engineering degree?”

Abigail chuckled. “Come on, we’ve survived worse. Remember your first IKEA couch?”

“Don’t remind me,” Megan said with a laugh. “That thing nearly broke me.”

They worked side by side, sorting wood panels and tiny bags of screws. The smell of breakfast drifted down the hall pancakes, bacon, and the faint sweetness of syrup.

Megan tightened a bolt, glancing at her with a small smile. “You two are really ready for this, huh?”

Abigail paused, looking around the room. The sage walls. The sunlight. The quiet excitement humming in her chest. “Yeah,” she said softly. “I think we are.”

Megan smiled, nodding. “You’re going to be such a good mom.”

Abigail felt her chest tighten, warmth rising to her face. “Thank you,” she said sincerely. “That means a lot.”

From the kitchen came the sound of Emma’s laughter followed by Ashley’s playful voice. “That’s way too much butter, Em!”

“Don’t you dare touch my pancakes!” Emma shouted back, laughing.

Megan and Abigail looked at each other and cracked up.

“Breakfast is definitely going well,” Abigail said, tightening one last screw.

“Or dangerously,” Megan added, laughing as she passed her the next piece.

Megan tightened the last screw on the crib and sat back on her heels, letting out a deep breath. “There,” she said, brushing her hands together. “Crib complete. No casualties. I’d say we’re officially qualified contractors.”

Abigail laughed softly, testing the edge of the frame with her hand. “Not bad for a morning’s work.”

Megan took a sip of her coffee, studying her friend. The nursery was starting to look more like a baby’s room than a construction zone. The fresh paint glowed softly under the morning light, and there was a quiet peace about the space but she could still see something sitting behind Abigail’s calm expression.

After a moment, Megan said gently, “So… how are you holding up after the other night?”

Abigail’s smile faded a little. She set down the screwdriver she’d been using and leaned against the crib. “I’m alright,” she said softly. “Still a little shaken, I guess.”

Megan nodded, crossing her arms. “Yeah, Ashley told me Emma was furious.”

“She was,” Abigail admitted, letting out a breath. “And honestly, I can’t blame her. I was furious too. It’s one thing for someone to act out of line, but for a professor to do that? It just felt so… violating. I keep replaying it in my head, trying to figure out how it even got that far.”

Megan leaned back against the wall beside her. “Because she’s the one who crossed the line. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Abigail nodded slowly. “I know that now. At first, I thought maybe I should’ve left the second I saw her. But it all happened so fast. She took my phone, put her number in it, and I didn’t even have time to react before Emma showed up.”

Megan sighed. “Yeah, I still can’t believe that. Ashley told me Emma almost went off.”

Abigail laughed under her breath, shaking her head. “Almost? She did go off. I barely managed to stop her. I think if she hadn’t been pregnant, Shields would’ve ended up flat on the floor.”

“Honestly, she’s lucky she didn’t,” Megan muttered, her tone sharp for a second before softening. “So what now? You’re still in her class, right?”

“Yeah,” Abigail said quietly. “And that’s what’s been eating at me. I can’t drop it it’s part of my major requirements. But I can’t just pretend it didn’t happen, either.”

Megan frowned. “So what are you planning to do?”

Abigail exhaled, rubbing the back of her neck. “I already told Emma I want to handle it the right way. I’m going to talk to the dean next week. I want it documented in case anything else happens. I’m not looking to start a scene, I just need it on record. That way, if she even looks at me the wrong way again, there’s proof she’s crossed that line before.”

Megan nodded slowly. “Good. That’s smart. You don’t owe that woman silence.”

“Yeah,” Abigail agreed, glancing around the nursery. “I don’t want to let her ruin anything for me or for us. Emma’s been so excited about the baby, about school, about everything we’ve built. I don’t want this hanging over us like a cloud.”

Megan reached over and squeezed her shoulder. “She won’t ruin it. You’re handling this the right way. And you’re not alone, okay? Ashley and I have your back, always.”

Abigail’s lips curved into a small smile. “I know you do. Thank you.”

Megan smiled back, her tone softening. “You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for, Abs. Most people would’ve lost it that night. You stayed calm. You protected Emma and yourself. That’s real strength.”

Abigail shrugged, her smile turning a little wry. “I was terrified, honestly. But I didn’t want to make things worse. Once I saw Emma, all I could think about was keeping her safe. I’ll deal with Ms. Shields through the right channels but Emma and the baby come first.”

“That’s the mom in you talking,” Megan said with a grin.

Abigail chuckled softly. “Maybe it is.”

They sat in silence for a moment, the hum of the fan and the sound of distant laughter drifting from the kitchen where Emma and Ashley were talking.

Megan looked over at the half-finished bookshelf in the corner. “You know, I’m really proud of you.”

Abigail tilted her head. “For what?”

“For not letting this break you,” Megan said simply. “You’ve been through a lot, but you still show up — for Emma, for school, for yourself. That takes heart.”

Abigail smiled, feeling warmth rise in her chest. “Thank you, Meg. That means a lot coming from you.”

Megan grinned. “Don’t mention it. Now come on we’ve got a bookshelf to finish before breakfast gets cold. And if I get one more splinter, I’m charging you for labor.”

Abigail laughed, picking up the next wooden panel. “Fine, I’ll pay you in pancakes.”

“Deal,” Megan said, smirking. “But they better come with bacon.”