Spencer places the test down on her bathroom counter. She runs a hand through her hair and looks at her reflection. She turns to the side and stares at her stomach through the mirror.
At least I don't look any different, she thinks.
Her cellphone rings abruptly, breaking her eye contact with her stomach. The phone flashes an incoming call from Toby. Tentatively, she hits accept and puts the phone to her ear.
"Spencer? Are you there? Hello?" Toby asks, confused by the deafening silence from the other end.
Spencer's heart breaks when she hears his voice. This is going to ruin his life.
"Toby…" she whispers, so softly he thinks it might be his imagination.
"Are you alright? Talk to me, Spencer, you're scaring me."
She can hear him getting into his car, no doubt heading to her house from work. She can't hold her tears in anymore. She slides down against the wall, clutching her phone so tightly her knuckles turn white. She sits there, unable to do anything but feel the ache in her chest.
"Just stay there, Spencer. I'm on my way." He stays on the phone with her the entire time, telling her everything is going to be okay, even though she knows it won't.
Spencer doesn't know how long she is sitting on the floor when she feels strong, familiar arms wrap around her. She is lifted up and tucked into Toby's arms. He sets her gently on her bed and curls up next to her. She cries into his chest while he silently strokes her hair and kisses her forehead. After some time, she finally finds the strength to speak.
"You saw the test on the counter, didn't you?" she asks, peeking up at him with red eyes.
He gently grabs her face between his hands and brushes his thumbs over her wet cheeks.
"Yes. We'll figure it out, Spencer. Just relax for now. I'm not going anywhere," he whispers.
Spencer nods her head and curls back into him, feeling the heavy ache inside her subside now that someone else is helping her carry it.
"So we'll keep the baby, then? Are you sure that's what you want?" Spencer asks cautiously a couple hours later as they sit curled up on the couch.
"Spencer, I want what you want. But I will say one thing. I want a baby with you whether it's now or in ten years. It's going to happen eventually, so why not now?" Toby reasons, rubbing her arm.
"But what if you resent me in a few years? Because I ruined your life?" Spencer asks, avoiding his gaze.
"You are not ruining my life, Spencer. You're what I want and now I want this baby, too. I will love him just as much as I love you."
"Him?" Spencer questions.
Toby smiles, "I have a feeling it will be a boy. He will have your bravery and intelligence, I just know it."
"Yeah? Well he will have your persistence and your six pack," Spencer jokes, but soon turns solemn. "What about college? Or money? How can we support a child?"
"We'll deal with it. But first, we have to do something nobody wants to even think about," he says with a smirk on his face.
"And what would that be?" she asks.
"We have to tell your parents."
Spencer requested that she tell her family by herself and Toby reluctantly agreed. Now, she stands outside his apartment door with two suitcases. She knocks lightly.
The door opens and Toby looks at her and then the luggage next to her.
"Do you remember when you said that if I have had the urge to run away, I should get you first?" she asks not even stepping into the apartment.
"Yeah," Toby responds.
"Well I think I'm ready to take you up on that offer," she responds, taking a step into the apartment and into her new life.
2 Years Later.
"Come on, Ryan. Open your mouth for me," requests Toby.
Ryan slowly opens his mouth and takes a mouthful of pureed peas. His chubby face squishes together and spits the peas out all over his dad.
"Seriously, Ryan? You're going to have to eat your peas eventually, little man."
Toby hears light laughter coming from the doorway. He turns to stare at his wife.
"You think this is funny, huh?" Toby asks, walking over to Spencer.
"Don't you dare come near me with that mess, Cavanaugh, or you will seriously pay!" Spencer squeals, running away from him.
"I think I will just have deal with the punishment then, Mrs. Cavanaugh," Toby remarks, grabbing Spencer and planting a firm kiss on her lips. Ryan sits in his highchair laughing as he mushes peas in his hair.
"Mmm…tastes like peas. How romantic," Spencer quips.
Toby laughs and sets his hands on her hips, pulling her into him. "So how was class?" he asks in between giving her light kisses down her neck.
Soon after she found out she was pregnant, Spencer decided she at least wanted to finish high school. It was almost time for graduation anyway, so she wasn't worried about the pregnancy really affecting her schoolwork. After she graduated, she and Toby moved an hour away to a beautiful suburban town. Luckily, both her grandparents left her a rather large sum of money in their wills. It would be enough to last at least a few years. Her mother came to her senses and her and Melissa stayed in close contact with Spencer. She wasn't so lucky with her dad. They lost contact completely.
Her friends were shocked but happy when she told them. They were her bridesmaids at the small wedding they had in the courthouse. She spoke with them almost daily and they often made visits to see their favorite nephew. Once they moved, A's threats stopped altogether. Spencer wasn't sure why, but she didn't dare question it. She was just grateful they finally left her and her loved ones alone.
Now Spencer was taking classes at the local university.
"Class was alright. The professor is so uneducated, though. I think he might hate me since I always correct him," Spencer breathes out, moaning between words as Toby continues his trail of kisses down her neck.
Ryan gurgles so loud, Toby can't help but stop the kisses and laugh into her neck. Spencer laughs, too.
"Can you believe this is our life now?" Spencer asks Toby.
"It's incredible, isn't it?" Toby responds, looking into Spencer's sparkling brown eyes.
"It really is," she replies, walking over to her son.
She picks him up from his highchair, despite his being a complete mess. He shrieks with happiness at being in his mother's arms. He nestles his head under her neck, his ear pressed near her heart. She rubs his back and closes her eyes. She opens them when she feels a hand on her shoulder. Toby smiles down at her.
"We have the perfect family, don't we?" he asks, lightly rubbing her shoulder.
"We do. But we can always use something else," she states, kissing Ryan's head.
"And what's that?" Toby inquires.
"Maybe…a sibling for Ryan," Spencer responds, avoiding his gaze.
Toby can't help but smile, "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
"I'm saying that I'm pregnant…again," Spencer whispers, partly because Ryan is now sleeping in her arms but mostly because she is afraid of what Toby will say. Having Ryan is one thing, but having another child? Could they handle it?
Toby erases all her fears as he gives her a long kiss.
"This is perfect. You are perfect, Spencer Cavanaugh," Toby murmurs.
And later, while Ryan is sleeping in his crib, his parents celebrate their new addition with a game of Scrabble. Toby wins.
