Chapter 130: No Way

Words : 1063 Updated : Sep 30th, 2025

Chapter 130: No Way Jamal grinned as he looked down at Josh, before letting his gaze travel over Abigail for a moment. Abigail’s heart quickened at the warmth in his gaze. "I see our little master Josh has met you too," the cook said with a pleasant smile. "I’m not little," Josh corrected. "You’re not?" Jamal asked with an amused smile as Abigail lifted Josh and made him sit on one of the Island stools. "I guess you can sit on the stool yourself." Abigail smiled as she moved around the kitchen with ease. "I can when I grow taller!" Josh said confidently and then changed the subject as he told the cook and Jamal about the game he had played with Abigail. Abigail opened the fridge, pulling out the container of cooked macaroni she had made herself the previous day. She set it on the counter, then reached for a small pot. Jamal took another slow sip of his lemonade as he watched her. "You two were playing hide and seek?" Josh nodded, kicking his feet gently beneath the counter. "She almost didn’t find me the fourth time. I hid behind the curtain!" Jamal chuckled. "That’s a good hiding spot. By the way, you haven’t told me what you want for keeping my secret," Jamal said, lowering his tone. Josh leaned closer, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper, "I didn’t tell your secret." Jamal smiled, "I know you didn’t. Thank you." "Seeing you both huddled together so closely, you both could be mistaken for father and son," the cook joked as she watched them. Jamal’s heart skipped a beat and Abigail froze at that. Was it that obvious? They both mused. "We are both handsome," Josh said with a grin. "Exactly!" The cook agreed, and Jamal relaxed. Abigail resumed stirring the pot on the stove. The buttery smell of cheese filled the kitchen as she added a bit more cheese, then sprinkled in a pinch of salt. "Abigail is pretty," Josh added, resting his cheek in his hand. Jamal looked from the boy to Abigail again, and his smile softened. "Yes she is," he said quietly. "Will you like Abigail to be your girlfriend?" Josh asked, making both adults pause in stunned silence at his direct question. Abigail nearly dropped the spoon she was using, and Jamal choked slightly on his lemonade. The cook burst into laughter, trying to stifle it with a hand to her mouth. "Why are you asking him that?" The cook asked Josh when she saw that the two were too stunned to speak. Josh blinked innocently, clearly not understanding the weight of what he had just said. "Because I like the both of them." The cook laughed, "The world doesn’t work that way, boy. Pete could lose his job if your father hears you say that. And Pete is married, so he can’t be Abi’s boyfriend." Josh’s face fell, "You’re married?" He asked, and Jamal winced, wishing the cook had not said that. Before Jamal could respond, Abigail gave Josh a look that tried to be stern but came out more amused than anything else as she walked over to him. She signed to him: [You shouldn’t ask such personal questions. It is rude.] Josh looked confused. "Why not?" [Because it is not your business.] she signed. Josh made a face like that explanation didn’t satisfy him at all, but he nodded. "Okay," he muttered and Abigail kissed the tip of his nose. After she was done preparing the meal, Abigail turned to look at Jamal, who she knew was waiting for the lunch that the cook was preparing. [I think I made too much. Do you want some Mac and cheese?] Jamal smiled, eager to taste the meal made by Abigail. "I’d forever be in your debt. I’m so hungry I could eat a bear." Abigail plated the meal, and all three of them ate together on the island, while the cook busied with preparing lunch for the house since the others had left for grocery shopping. Although she had lots of questions for Jamal, she couldn’t ask them since Josh would be able to follow the conversation if she signed. Josh chewed noisily, swinging his legs as he ate. "You make the best mac and cheese ever, Abi." "I agree," Jamal said, and Abigail smiled, happy to be having lunch this way with Jamal and Josh. She wished she could take a picture of them together. After lunch, Jamal offered to do the dishes, and Abigail returned to her room with Josh to watch paw patrol. Soon she noticed that Josh had slept off, and when she checked the time, she wasn’t surprised to see that it was his nap time. She shut down the laptop and kept it on top of the nightstand, then adjusted Josh to a more comfortable position. She had a contented smile on her face as she sat beside him with her legs tucked under her, staring at his sleeping face. She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his round pink cheeks. "Such a cutie," she said softly as she patted his hair, and then she touched his face. Whose nose did his look like? She mused, trying to see what features he got from her and which was from Jamal. He had Jamal’s golden blonde hair, her hazel eyes, his nose, her lips, his chin. He was a perfect blend of them both. Her thoughts drifted to Jamal as she looked at Josh, and she sighed softly. She was feeling very tempted to chat him up, but she restrained herself. Remembering that Genevieve wanted to talk to her, she sent Genevieve a text informing her that Josh was sleeping now. Genevieve texted back almost immediately, asking her to meet her in her bedroom. After making sure that Josh was comfortable, Abigail stepped out of her bedroom to meet Genevieve. As she knocked on the door, she remembered the last time she had been there five years ago on Genevieve’s birthday... scratch that. It had been her birthday. Her eighteenth birthday, yet Genevieve had done that to her. She remembered the way Genevieve had treated her and her blood boiled with anger. There was no way she was going to forgive Genevieve for all of that. Absolutely no way, Abigail thought as the door opened from inside.

Chapter 130: No Way

Comments (0)