Chapter 192

The appointment had been on the calendar for weeks.

Long before the hearing.

Long before the investigation exploded.

Long before hospital visits, attorneys, witness statements, and university meetings became part of their daily lives.

And somehow—

With everything that had happened—

Neither Emma nor Abigail had really thought about it.

Not properly.

The pregnancy had become something they checked in on.

Something they worried about.

Something they protected.

But they hadn’t gotten to enjoy it.

Not really.

Every conversation seemed to get interrupted by another crisis.

Every exciting moment got pushed aside by another emergency.

Until now.

For the first time in months, they were driving to an appointment for a happy reason.

And that realization alone felt emotional.

Emma sat in the passenger seat while Abigail drove.

Per doctor’s orders.

Or rather—

Family orders.

After the passing out incident, nobody trusted Emma behind the wheel for long distances.

Emma found this deeply offensive.

Everyone else found it reasonable.

Abigail was somewhere in the middle.

“You’re enjoying this.”

Emma pointed accusingly.

Abigail laughed.

“A little.”

“I knew it.”

“You got put on house arrest.”

“It wasn’t house arrest.”

“It absolutely was.”

Emma folded her arms.

“They took my freedom.”

Abigail laughed so hard she almost missed a turn.

By the time they arrived at the medical office, both women were smiling.

Relaxed.

For once.

The waiting room felt strangely peaceful.

No attorneys.

No administrators.

No investigators.

Just families.

Expecting parents.

Children.

Normal life.

The kind of normal life both of them desperately needed.

Emma reached over and took Abigail’s hand.

Immediately.

Like she always did.

Abigail squeezed back.

The nervousness was different today.

Not fear.

Excitement.

Hope.

The kind that made your stomach flutter.

When the nurse finally called their names, both women stood immediately.

The nurse laughed.

“Excited?”

Emma answered first.

“Terrified.”

Abigail nodded.

“Accurate.”

The nurse smiled.

“Good.”

That somehow wasn’t reassuring.

A short time later they were sitting in the exam room.

Emma on the table.

Abigail beside her.

Holding her hand.

The room felt quiet.

Almost sacred.

Because no matter what else had happened recently—

This mattered.

This was bigger than investigations.

Bigger than hearings.

Bigger than campus drama.

This was their family.

Their future.

Their child.

The doctor entered with a smile.

“Well.”

She looked between them.

“You two look significantly less stressed than the last time I saw you.”

Emma laughed.

“That’s because nobody punched anybody this week.”

The doctor blinked.

Then looked at Abigail.

Abigail nodded.

“Long story.”

The doctor decided not to ask.

Probably wisely.

The appointment started normally.

Questions.

Updates.

Routine checks.

Everything progressing exactly as expected.

Then came the ultrasound.

And suddenly everything became real again.

The technician dimmed the lights.

The screen flickered to life.

Emma immediately reached for Abigail’s hand.

Not because she was scared.

Because she wanted to share the moment.

The room grew quiet.

The technician moved the wand carefully.

Watching the monitor.

Smiling.

Then—

“There we go.”

The image appeared.

Emma immediately felt her throat tighten.

Abigail stopped breathing.

For a second neither woman said anything.

Because there was their baby.

Right there.

Moving.

Growing.

Existing.

Real.

“Oh my God.”

The words slipped out of Abigail before she could stop them.

Emma laughed softly.

Then immediately started crying.

Which caused Abigail to start crying.

Which caused the technician to smile knowingly.

Because apparently this happened all the time.

The technician pointed toward the screen.

“Everything looks excellent.”

Neither woman looked away.

Not once.

The heartbeat filled the room.

Strong.

Steady.

Beautiful.

The sound immediately made Abigail’s eyes fill again.

Emma squeezed her hand harder.

Their baby.

Their child.

The tiny person who had somehow already changed their lives completely.

After several minutes of measurements and images, the doctor returned.

Reviewing everything carefully.

Then smiling.

The kind of smile every parent wants to see.

“Baby looks healthy.”

The room immediately relaxed.

Emma closed her eyes briefly.

Abigail released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

Healthy.

That was all they wanted.

All they had ever wanted.

Healthy.

The doctor continued reviewing the chart.

“Growth looks great.”

More relief.

“Heartbeat looks perfect.”

More relief.

“Everything is exactly where it should be.”

Even more relief.

Emma laughed softly.

The emotional kind.

The kind that came from finally hearing good news after so many difficult weeks.

Then the doctor looked up.

A smile appearing.

“Have you two decided whether you want to know the gender today?”

The room immediately went silent.

Emma looked at Abigail.

Abigail looked at Emma.

Neither spoke.

Because honestly?

They hadn’t really discussed it.

Not seriously.

Not with everything else happening.

The doctor waited patiently.

Emma smiled first.

“What do you think?”

Abigail laughed nervously.

“I think if we don’t find out today, Ashley might actually explode.”

Emma laughed.

“That’s fair.”

A pause.

Then both women looked at the doctor together.

And nodded.

A few moments later the technician smiled.

“Oh.”

The room immediately grew still.

Emma squeezed Abigail’s hand.

Abigail squeezed back.

Neither breathed.

The technician looked at the screen.

Then at both of them.

And smiled.

“Congratulations.”

A pause.

Then—

“You’re having a girl.”

Silence.

Absolute silence.

For exactly three seconds.

Then Emma started crying again.

Immediately.

Abigail wasn’t far behind.

A girl.

They were having a daughter.

A daughter.

The words echoed through Abigail’s head.

She looked at Emma.

Emma looked at her.

And both started laughing through tears.

Because suddenly all the fear.

All the stress.

All the chaos.

Felt so far away.

Later, after the appointment ended and they walked back toward the car, neither woman seemed interested in leaving.

They simply stood there.

Holding hands.

Smiling.

Occasionally laughing.

Occasionally crying again.

Because apparently that was happening a lot today.

Finally Emma looked at Abigail.

“We’re having a daughter.”

Abigail smiled.

“We are.”

Emma shook her head.

Like she still couldn’t believe it.

Neither could Abigail.

Not really.

But as she looked down at the ultrasound photos in her hand, one thing became very clear.

For the first time since this journey began—

The future didn’t feel scary.

It felt beautiful.

And somewhere inside that tiny picture was the little girl who had already become the most important person in both of their worlds.

Neither of them made it all the way home.

They were halfway through the drive when Emma suddenly sat up straighter in her seat.

“Pull over.”

Abigail blinked.

“What?”

“Pull over.”

Abigail laughed.

“Emma, we’re in traffic.”

“Fine. Next shopping center.”

Abigail glanced over.

“What are you planning?”

A slow smile spread across Emma’s face.

And immediately Abigail knew.

“Oh no.”

“Oh yes.”

Twenty minutes later they were walking through a children’s store.

Both carrying shopping baskets.

Both completely distracted by everything.

Tiny shoes.

Tiny socks.

Tiny dresses.

Tiny bows.

Tiny everything.

Abigail stopped in front of a display.

“Oh my God.”

Emma looked over.

“What?”

Abigail held up a pair of baby sneakers.

“They’re smaller than my hand.”

Emma immediately melted.

“Okay, give me those.”

“We don’t need those.”

“We absolutely need those.”

They ended up buying them.

Along with several other things they definitely hadn’t planned on buying.

By the time they reached the baby clothing section, both women were grinning nonstop.

Emma pulled out her phone.

“We need something for Megan and Ashley.”

Abigail nodded immediately.

“I was thinking the same thing.”

They spent the next ten minutes searching through racks.

Then Abigail found them.

Perfect.

Absolutely perfect.

She held up the first shirt.

Emma immediately laughed.

“No way.”

“Yes way.”

The shirt was tiny.

Pink.

And across the front it read:

Future Favorite Auntie

Emma grabbed it immediately.

“Ashley.”

“Definitely Ashley.”

A few racks over, Emma found another.

This one made Abigail laugh so hard she had to sit down.

Across the front:

Official Courtside Auntie

“Megan.”

“Absolutely Megan.”

The two women stood there laughing.

Already imagining the reactions.

Already knowing neither Ashley nor Megan would see it coming.

By the time they checked out, the shirts were tucked carefully into gift bags.

Their secret safely hidden.

At least for now.

Neither of them made it all the way home.

They were halfway through the drive when Emma suddenly sat up straighter in her seat.

“Pull over.”

Abigail blinked.

“What?”

“Pull over.”

Abigail laughed.

“Emma, we’re in traffic.”

“Fine. Next shopping center.”

Abigail glanced over.

“What are you planning?”

A slow smile spread across Emma’s face.

And immediately Abigail knew.

“Oh no.”

“Oh yes.”

Twenty minutes later they were walking through a children’s store.

Both carrying shopping baskets.

Both completely distracted by everything.

Tiny shoes.

Tiny socks.

Tiny dresses.

Tiny bows.

Tiny everything.

Abigail stopped in front of a display.

“Oh my God.”

Emma looked over.

“What?”

Abigail held up a pair of baby sneakers.

“They’re smaller than my hand.”

Emma immediately melted.

“Okay, give me those.”

“We don’t need those.”

“We absolutely need those.”

They ended up buying them.

Along with several other things they definitely hadn’t planned on buying.

By the time they reached the baby clothing section, both women were grinning nonstop.

Emma pulled out her phone.

“We need something for Megan and Ashley.”

Abigail nodded immediately.

“I was thinking the same thing.”

They spent the next ten minutes searching through racks.

Then Abigail found them.

Perfect.

Absolutely perfect.

She held up the first shirt.

Emma immediately laughed.

“No way.”

“Yes way.”

The shirt was tiny.

Pink.

And across the front it read:

Future Favorite Auntie

Emma grabbed it immediately.

“Ashley.”

“Definitely Ashley.”

A few racks over, Emma found another.

This one made Abigail laugh so hard she had to sit down.

Across the front:

Official Courtside Auntie

“Megan.”

“Absolutely Megan.”

The two women stood there laughing.

Already imagining the reactions.

Already knowing neither Ashley nor Megan would see it coming.

By the time they checked out, the shirts were tucked carefully into gift bags.

Their secret safely hidden.

At least for now.