Page 8 of Abby

The next morning, I call and make an appointment with my doctor for the following week and pick up the prenatal vitamins they called in. With that taken care of, I get ready for work and head to the shop. Riley and Shay are chatting by the register when I walk through the door, and they raise their hands in greeting.

“Morning, guys!” I chirp and give them each a hug before setting my bag down in the back room.

“Riley has a flight to catch after lunch, but she wanted the tour of the shop before she leaves,” Shay says. Riley is squishing the runt of the German Shepherd litter to her chest. A little black and tan darling with huge paws and a tail that drags the ground. She’s a late bloomer, but I feel she will outgrow all of her siblings in the end. Shay is cuddling Winston the pug, as usual.

“I don’t know why you don’t just take Winston home already, Shay. It’s obvious you aren’t going to let him go,” I say.

“He’s the shop mascot!” she argues and kisses the top of his wrinkly face.

“Bullshit,” Riley chimes in. “Take the dog home, Shay. God, you are so bad at making decisions.” They’re all laughing when the door chimes, and in walks Riley’s best friend Krista and her older brother Adam. Riley throws a massive grin at Krista, runs over to give her a bear hug, and then turns and gives Adam a sour look.

“Why are you here?” she snipes. Adam and Riley never really got along. He was a jerk, and his enormous ego has always rubbed her the wrong way.

“Nice to see you too, Ri,” he says and rolls his eyes before moving off to the playpen to look at the puppies. She can’t deny he’s grown into a fine man. Sure, she’d seen photos, but seeing him in the flesh is… A bit different. I watch Riley flush and scowl at the same time before turning her back on Adam and clinging to Krista again.

“Sorry, Ri. I got called into work, so Adam is going to drive you to the airport.” Krista smiles apologetically. “I’m just going to walk to work from here since the clinic is down the street.” Riley isn’t happy about it, but she shrugs. It’s better than taking a cab.

“It’s cool; work comes first.” She hugs Shay and me tight. “I’ll be back as soon as I get things settled in New York.” With a glare at Adam, she grabs her suitcase and lugs it out the door. I watch through the window as Adam snatches the bag from her and tosses it into the trunk of his Mercedes. Krista and Adam have both done well in the medical field; I have a feeling Riley is going to be surprised when she lets herself get to know Adam all over again.

11

Jake

Before I know it, Abby is in her second trimester, and her energy levels go through the roof. Even though we are still living separately, we spend more nights together than apart. Her baby bump is even more noticeable on her thin frame, and I’ve never seen anything so beautiful. She glows in her happiness.

We’ve discussed the future a lot over the last few months. I know I need a career change, so I’ve decided to apprentice at my brother’s tattoo shop on the weekends so that after the baby is here, I’ll be making much higher wages than I do at the coffee shop. In the meantime, I’m still making coffee in the mornings during the week. It works out well since I can see Abby when she’s working at the shop, and we can spend our lunch breaks together. Abby is thrilled that I’m going into a more artistic field. We’ve been looking for a house too. We’re going to need the space when the baby comes. Abby’s been saving for well over a year to put a down payment on a place, and with me adding to the pot, we should be able to afford it well before the birth.

I pull up to Abby’s place early on a Saturday morning to look at a lovely four-bedroom we found. It’s close to both Paws and Claws and The Black Rose, my brother’s tattoo shop. She comes out the front door with a big smile on her face and hops in the car.

“Hey, babe!” She plants a quick kiss on my lips before buckling her seat belt. “Let’s go look at our new house!”

“You’re in a good mood today,” I laugh. She’s got enough energy for three people these days, and it’s honestly great to see after all of the morning sickness during the first trimester.

We pull into a pretty neighborhood with green lawns and lush trees. The houses are colonials in varying shades of brick and white wooden slats. We pull in front of the showing; it’s a small two-story with a grey shingle roof, snow-white panels, and a cherry red door. I look over at Abby after we park, and I can already tell she’s in love.

Our realtor is waiting on the steps for us and leads us into a bright entryway with honey-colored wood floors and warm beige walls.

“There is new paint and flooring throughout, and the roof was just replaced.” She guides us to the kitchen next; it’s bright and open, with white walls and dark wood floors. The countertops are pristine marble, and the appliances are all black stainless steel.

“This is gorgeous!” Abby exclaims. I have to agree. This would be perfect for big family dinners. I find myself smiling at the thought. I can picture Abby and a houseful of our children here.

We move through the rest of the house. The den would be a perfect art studio for us to share, and with four bedrooms, we could have our bedroom, a nursery, and a guest room, as well as an additional room for future kids. I think we found our home.

“What do you think, Abs?” I take her hand as we look out the large window in the kitchen and out into the big backyard. The grass is lush, and there’s plenty of space for everything we could want to do out there.

“I think we’re home.” She tips her face to mine, and I kiss her softly before moving into the living room to discuss things with our agent.

After we put in the offer, all we can do is wait. Luckily, we don’t have to wait long, though. A few days later, we received acceptance. We can close in a month. I can’t wait to paint a mural in the nursery and officially live with Abby. I start packing up my apartment on my off time when Abby is at work or with her sisters.

I sit on my bed, looking around my bare bedroom, save for a couple of boxes filled with my belongings. It’s my last day in this place, and honestly, I’m not going to miss it. Ever since I got with Abby, being here has felt lonely. I look over at my desk; a black velvet box sits on top. I told my family about the baby, of course, and they are thrilled. Mom hasn’t even met Abby yet, but she said she could tell I’m in love, and all she cares about is my happiness. She gave me my grandmother’s antique diamond engagement ring; now, I just have to find the right time.

12

Abby

Moving into the new house is a lot harder than I anticipated, but luckily, Riley is back, and we have plenty of helping hands. I’m nearly at the end of the second trimester, and my stomach is huge. At least, I think so. Though Jake always tells me I’m gorgeous and not as big as I think. He’s too nice sometimes.

We get to find out the sex of the baby at our next appointment. I think Jake is even more excited than I am. He has been planning the mural for the baby’s room, and he talks to my belly every day. It’s adorable.

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