Chapter Three: Say You Love Me

Renee Marie Cavanaugh hadn't had much of a normal childhood. She burst into the world three weeks early, spent most of her first couple months of life at doctor's appointments to make sure her and her mother were both okay, and now, six years into her little life, her mother had left her and her father alone.

Every night since Spencer had left, Renee would sneak out of bed and go sit in the bay window at the front of their house. She would watch the road, and hope that every car that went past was her mother's. When she realized that none of them were, she would sadly crawl back into bed, and promptly cry herself to sleep. Then, in the morning, she would be woken by her father and began crying again because Spencer had not returned home.

On this particular night, as she was sitting in that same window, she saw a familiar car pull into the driveway.

"Toby Cavanaugh, you better be able to tell me what the hell you did to my sister." She heard her Aunt Melissa's voice carry up the stairs.

"How about we stop talking about what I did or didn't do, and focus on why she left in the first place?" Her father replied.

"Whether you did anything or not, the point is I now have a motherless niece and a brother-in-law that's slowly going insane while his wife is back living with her parents."

"Wait- She went back to Rosewood?"

"See, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to find Spencer. She's smart, but sometimes she doesn't make the smartest choices."

"Melissa, you know what this means, right?"

"What, that you're going home and leaving Renee with me? I have my own children to deal with Toby."

"No... Not that at all. Melissa, what if you bring Renee with you to Rosewood and just let Spencer see her?"

"Toby, that's not a good idea. When I talked to Spencer this morning, she... Well she said she didn't want to see you for a long time, and to not mention this to Renee."

Renee gasped silently from her spot at the top of the stairs. Her mommy didn't want her to know where she was? And she didn't want to see daddy?

"Melissa. Renee already knows something's up. Clearly she was struck with the smart bug."

"Well... Spencer doesn't want to involve her in this."

"She's her daughter! Is being home turning her back into one of Alison's minions?"

"Toby! I don't know what happened between you and Spencer because neither one of you is talking, but that is no way to talk about her."

"Melissa, it's irrelevant to the situation what happened."

"No, it's not! And Spencer doesn't know that I'm here telling you this. But she did tell me to call and say to stop trying to contact her. She'll get in contact when she has her head on straight."

"When'll that be? Days? Weeks? Months? Years? Does she not realize that I need her here right now?" His voice cracked. When Renee heard this, she knew this was her time to make sure he was okay.

"Daddy?" She said in a small voice from the top of the stairs.

"What is it sweetie?"

"I had the dream again and I can't sleep."

"Well, I guess you're awake now. Come downstairs and say hello to your aunt."

Renee carefully walked down the stairs and then ran over to her favorite aunt.

"Oof!" Melissa said as Renee wrapped her in a tight hug, "Why do I have the feeling you were never actually asleep little one?"

Renee put one finger to her lips and said "Shh," a gesture Toby was all too familiar with.

"How are you Renee?"

"I'm okay Auntie Melissa. I miss mommy though."

"Of course you do sweetheart. That'd be expected of anyone."

"Why doesn't she want to see me?" Renee asked in a small voice.

"Oh honey… Your mommy is trying to figure some things out right now. But I promise you she'll be home soon."

"In time for Christmas?"

Melissa glanced at Toby. They didn't know when Spencer was going to get her act together. Nor did they want to get Renee's hopes up.

"I don't know. But we're going to let her come back when she's ready, alright?"

Renee nodded, feeling the tears well up in her eyes. She let go of Melissa, and walked over to the couch where Toby was sitting, holding the blanket she knew her mother wrapped herself up in whenever it was cold outside, or even when the three of them were just curled up on the couch watching TV.

"Daddy?" Renee looked up at her father with her large eyes. Melissa saw the look shared between father and daughter and knew what she had to do.

"Alright. I'll make you a deal here… I'll take Renee for a few days, and try and weasel it out of Spencer what really happened, if, and only if, you try and sort things out with Spencer, not for me, not for you, but for Renee's sake."

Toby nodded as Melissa walked over and picked up Renee.

"Now let's get you back in bed. You've got a big day tomorrow little one."

As she turned to walk up the stairs with a drowsy Renee balanced on her hip, she looked back at Toby.

"Promise me, Toby, that no matter what happens, no matter how long it takes you to work this out, you'll remember those vows that you and my sister made to each other six years ago."