I came home from work and expected to find Spencer studying as usual. But she wasn't in the loft at all. Thankfully there was a note saying she went out with Hanna and Mona.
I tried not to show it, especially round Spencer, but I was still worried even though Garrett was back in prison. I was nervous every morning when I left for work. And I never fully relaxed until I got home and saw Spencer.
I knew she was fine with Hanna and Mona but I sent her a text just to make sure. A reply came but it wasn't from Spencer. It was from Hanna telling me that Spencer was fine and they were busy planning wedding details. And the groom was forbidden to know about those things.
Spencer would probably be with the girls all night. So I had Caleb come over since I figured he would be as bored as I was.
"Hey, Toby, thanks for having me over." Caleb said as he made himself at home in the kitchen.
"Don't mention it, I figured we'd both be lonely without our girls so why not fix that a little by hanging out." I shrugged.
"So, you and Spencer are finally planning the big day?"
"We've been planning all along." I said a little defensively. "We have a lot of ideas and we know what we want. Spencer picked out flowers and bridesmaid dresses, I looked at tuxes, and we know who'll be in the wedding party."
"That's good." He nodded. "Although I'm sensing that you're gonna say but."
"But, we can't make anything official because we don't have a place anymore. And because we don't have a place we're not sure on the date anymore either." I sighed.
"Yeah, having a date and a place are the number one and number two things on the list." He agreed. "But what do you mean you had a place but now you don't?"
"Spencer and I were thinking of getting married in June. On the day Hanna threw a party for Spencer after she got her sight back. And I suggested that we get married at the lake house. But Mr. Hastings is selling it." I explained.
"That's why Hanna's been extra crazy lately." He said and I could see the lightbulb go off above his head.
"Yeah, the girls have tried several times to talk him out of it but he won't budge. And tomorrow he's showing the place to one of his lawyer partners."
"That sucks. But you know, if you're not set on that exact date, you can always do what Hanna and I did."
"Thanks for the suggestion, but I don't think Spencer will go for eloping during spring break." I laughed. "Plus I think your wife would kill us if she didn't get to plan a huge traditional wedding for Spencer. And I do not want to get reacquainted with her pink furry lamp."
"Ah, I still cringe every time I see that lamp." He shook his head.
"She still has it?" I asked wearily.
"Yeah, it's in her closet right next to the pink pumps she always threatens to throw at people." He told me. "So yeah, eloping isn't a good idea for you. But you'll figure something out."
"Hey boys," Spencer greeted us, sounding pretty tired, as she walked into the loft.
"Hey, Spence; how was wedding planning?" I asked her and hug her coat up for her.
"What?" She asked confused.
"Hanna texted me and said you were planning the wedding." I said.
"Right, yeah, it was good." She nodded.
"Wow you must either be really tired or you're trying to block out wedding planning with Hanna." Caleb laughed. "Speaking of Hanna, if you're home then she probably is too and I should get going."
"Tell Hanna I said hi." I told him.
"I will. Get some sleep, Spencer." He said and then walked out.
"Spencer, are you okay?" I asked once Caleb was gone.
"Yeah, I'm just tired. The planning was a bit overwhelming." She nodded again. "How was your night with Caleb?"
"Good, we talked and emptied the kitchen of all the food. Oh yeah, and he suggested that we elope over spring break like he did. But then I told him that I don't want to get hit by Hanna's fist or her pink furry lamp again." I told her.
"I don't want a huge wedding like Aria's but I do want all of our friends and family to be there. And if we can't have the lake house, then I'd rather get married in a church than a courthouse." She said after laughing a little.
"What do you mean if we can't have the lake house? You're dad's selling it tomorrow." I asked.
"You never know, anything could happen, the man might not want it after he sees it." She shrugged.
"Again what is that supposed to mean?" I asked her.
"Nothing, just commenting."
"Spencer, I know you better than anyone. What are you hiding?"
"I'm not hiding anything." She tried to deny but I gave her a look. "I'm not really! Think of it as a surprise. I'll tell you tomorrow night I promise."
"What difference is one night gonna make?" I asked both curious and a little frustrated. "And I know you weren't really planning wedding stuff from the way you acted when you came in."
"It could make all the difference." She insisted. "And we were wedding planning, sort of."
"You really expect me to believe that?" I scoffed.
"Not really," She looked down and admitted. "But it's not anything bad. I'd tell you right now but Hanna would kill if she knew I told you this much."
"Come on, let's go to bed." I gave in.
Spencer would tell me when she was ready. And I knew she would never betray Hanna. I was a little scared of what Hanna was planning, considering some things she had done in the past, but I knew it was relatively safe and nothing to worry about.
The next morning I was woken up earlier than expected. I noticed that the pillow next to me was a little damp and then I realized Spencer was crying in her sleep.
"Spence, wake up." I gently shook her.
"Don't go, Toby, don't go." She mumbled in her sleep.
"I'm not going anywhere, Spence. Wake up, I'm right here." I told her quietly.
This time I shook her shoulder a little harder and it did the trick.
"Toby?" She asked then wiped her eyes.
I handed her the box of tissues from the nightstand she gave me years ago.
"Thanks," She sniffed. "Sorry, I woke you."
"You have nothing to be sorry for. Do you want to talk about it?"
"It felt so real." She sighed. "I was back in high school. Ali was alive so your family didn't come for her funeral. You only returned to Rosewood to move out of the house. The night before you left you came to see me. You wanted to make sure I was doing okay. We had a great time talking and I wanted you to stay. But in the end you still had to leave. Your family was moving to Massachusetts and we didn't know if we'd ever see each other again."
"Thankfully that was just a dream." I said quietly.
Now it made sense why she was crying and asking me not to leave.
"I don't know what I'd have done if you didn't come back." She whispered.
"I feel bad for Alison, and wouldn't wish that on anyone. But that's what happened, not your dream. I came back, I stayed, and now we're here together." I assured her.
"I love you." She smiled.
"I love you too." I replied and gave her a quick kiss. "Now it's six-thirty on a Saturday morning. Why don't we both try to get some more sleep?"
"I wish I could agree." She sighed. "But I should probably be getting up anyway. I have to meet Hanna and Mona. Their plans for today are big enough and crazy enough that they just might work."
"Does this have to do with last night?" I asked.
"Yeah," She nodded and got out of bed. "And I'll tell you what's going on tonight over dinner. I'm sure Hanna will want to celebrate so don't make any solid plans."
I knew better than to mess with Hanna's plans so I couldn't protest. I got up and made her coffee to go while she got dressed and then went back to bed when she left. But before I fell asleep I thought about Spencer's dream. In it, Alison was alive and it got me wondering. What would things be like if my mom was alive? And I ended up having a dream of my own.
I walked home after school and sighed in relief as I closed the door.
"Toby, is that you?" A woman's voice called from another room.
"Yeah, Mom, it's me." I replied and kicked off my shoes.
"How was school?" She asked as she came over drying her hands with a dish towel.
"Fine," I shrugged.
"Now why don't I believe that?" She asked knowingly.
"It was just a typical day." I shrugged again. But then she gave me the 'I'm-your-mother-and-I-know-everything-look'. "Okay, Noel Kahn said something about Spencer being with me and we got in a fight."
"Are you hurt? Is Spencer alright?"
"We're both alright. Noel Kahn is pretty much all bark and no bite. And it didn't happen on school grounds so nobody got in trouble." I told her.
"I'm sorry things are so rough for you at school. This is why I suggested moving when you got out." She sighed.
"Don't worry, Mom. I wanted to come back. If I get to be with Spencer, I can deal with the other stuff." I assured her.
"How is Spencer? You haven't brought her over in a while." She commented.
"She's good. You know how she is though. She refuses to go anywhere or do anything until she's done studying." I laughed a little.
"Well, you seem to be the only person that can drag her away from that. Next time she needs a break tell her there's homemade snow ice cream waiting." She smiled.
"Is there?" I couldn't help but ask.
"Yes, on the right of the freezer." She nodded and I headed straight for the kitchen.
A few hours later I was studying in my room. Well, I was supposed to be studying but I ended up sketching. My mom knocked on my door and poked her head in.
"Toby, there's someone downstairs for you."
"If it's Dad tell I don't want to talk to him." I stated firmly.
A few months after my mom got out of Radley, she found out he was having an affair. I was scared it would send her back but thankfully it didn't. She kicked him out of the house and divorced him. At first my parents had shared custody of me but that changed when my mom about Jenna after the fire. Now I had nothing to do with my dad and his family and that's how I preferred it.
"It's not. It's somebody else that you'll definitely want to talk to." She said and I felt like she was up to something.
I followed her downstairs and saw Spencer in the kitchen, sitting in the same spot I had been earlier.
"This ice cream is delicious, Mrs. Cavanaugh. Ever thought of opening an ice cream parlor?" Spencer complimented her.
"You know she's right, Mom." I agreed with Spencer and then gave her a hug.
"Thank you, Spencer, but I think the hospital needs all the nurses it can get its hands on. And I've been told that I'm good when it comes to working with children. In particularly, when it comes to the young girls that are crying and scared after falling out of a tree." My mom teased her a little.
"I can't with argue with that." Spencer laughed. "You know, I still have that pink teddy bear you gave me. It's in my room somewhere."
"Well, maybe you can give it to your daughter one day." My mom suggested to her.
Spencer had gotten a ride here from Emily so I drove her home later that night. When I got home my mom was getting ready for bed, but she stopped me in the hallway.
"Was I right?" She asked me.
"About what, Mom?"
"About Spencer being someone that you definitely wanted to talk to."
"Yeah, I always wanna talk to Spencer." I nodded and smiled thinking about her.
"I'm happy for you, Toby. And I like her, she's good for you. You deserve something good in your life. Keep her around." She told me and then gave me a kiss goodnight on the cheek.
So Toby had a dream of his own about his mom being alive. I don't know where the idea came from for the last two flashbacks but I hope you enjoyed seeing what might have happened. Feel free to give more ideas, I'll do my best to fit them in. Next chapter you'll find out whether or not they can save the lake house. BTW 25 reviews!? You are amazing! Keep it up :D
