After a hectic day at work, all Caleb wanted to do was collapse on the couch and watch Game of Thrones; have a simple night in. He unblocked the door and as it opened, called out to Hanna, "Babe, I'm home!"
Hanna appeared from the kitchen into the hallway, clad in a tight-fitting black dress. She had a pair of Roger Vivier heels on, and had her blond locks in loose curls. Suddenly, Caleb wasn't so tired.
"Wow," was all the brunette could stutter. "You look…wow."
"Why thank you," Hanna smirked. She walked up to her husband and placed an unexpected kiss onto his rosy lips. As she took ahold of Caleb's hand and had begun to lead him back into the kitchen, she explained, "Maddie's with my mom and Ted, so we have the night to ourselves. I was thinking maybe we could head out for something to eat? Italian?"
Caleb wasn't paying attention, and instead was eyeing up his beautiful wife. "Mhm," he mumbled.
"My face is up here," Hanna said, waving her hand in front of Caleb's face. He looked up and smirked. "So Italian it is?"
"Sure." Caleb let go of Hanna's hand and wandered over to the fridge, where he pulled out a can of soda. After cracking it open and taking a big gulp, placed it on the side and undid the top button on his shirt. "Do you want me to get ready? Since you look…" Caleb gestured to Hanna's dress. "…like that."
"Don't worry about it. You look cute as it is." The blond messed up Caleb's hair and chuckled when he dodged out of the way. "Actually, no. Change your shoes. Then we can go."
Caleb glanced down at his simple black Vans and when he looked back up, seemed offended. "What's wrong with my shoes?"
Hanna wrinkled up her nose, and without saying anything, shuffled into the hallway and picked up a pair of Burberry brogues. She walked back in and shoved them at Caleb, and he reluctantly took them. "They'll look better. I promise."
Caleb tutted and bent down to change the shoes. "I still don't know what's wrong with them," he muttered.
When Hanna was finally happy with her husband's look, she grabbed her purse from the couch, her phone from the kitchen side, and then the keys from the table by the front door. As Hanna walked out of the front door and reached her hand out to unlock the car, Caleb took them for himself.
"I'm driving," he announced. Hanna smiled and walked around the Land Rover to the passenger side and hopped in.
She strapped her seatbelt around her waist as Caleb jumped in and asked, "So, where are we going?"
Caleb followed Hanna's directions, driving out of Rosewood, and even out of Pennsylvania. After driving for what felt like hours, and it turned out it was hours—3 to be exact— Caleb pulled into a parking lot in a petite town in Philadelphia, Bristol. Hanna stepped out of the car and linked her arm in Caleb's. She led the way to a small, dimly lit restaurant down an isolated alley. Surprisingly, the actual restaurant was fairly busy, with posh waiters busying around.
"Hi," Hanna said to a waiter as she walked into the restaurant. "I have a table booked. It's under the name Hanna Rivers."
Caleb couldn't help but crack a smile. He still felt his heart flutter every time he heard Hanna—or anyone— referred to her as a Rivers. It was more than perfect.
"Right over here," the waiter replied. He started walking off and waved for Hanna and Caleb to follow. They were brought to a small table for two, with a candle flickering in the center. The couple took their seats on opposite sides, and smiled to each other as they did so. The waiter interrupted them by placing to menus in front of them. He waited for a moment, before asking, "What drinks can I get you?"
"Can I get a virgin mojito please?" Hanna replied. She was desperate for a glass of rosé, but knew she better hadn't. Caleb asked for the same and the waiter soon scurried off, but not before leaving two more different menus, full of the posh, expensive meals that were served here.
"So why a meal out?" Caleb asked as he read through the dishes.
"Why not a meal out?" the blond answered. "We never get a night alone anymore. And we won't for a while since…" she gestured to her stomach, which would soon be growing a bump. Caleb smiled widely and glanced at Hanna's belly. The waiter reappeared with two glasses and placed one in front of Hanna and one in front of Caleb.
"Have you decided on any main courses?" he asked in a friendly and chirpy tone. The blond suddenly remembered she hadn't even taken one look at the menu and hastily opened it and glanced up and down it. She chose the meal that sounded most appetizing.
Caleb then ordered his own and as the waiter was walking away, took a big gulp of his mojito. "These," he pointed to the glass, "these are amazing."
Wanting to know for herself, Hanna took sip of her own and was immediately hit with a burst of flavor. Hanna puckered her face, and gently placed the glass back down. "I haven't had a virgin in so long."
"Well you better start getting used to them. You can forget about alcohol for the next 9 months," the brunette replied. Hanna sighed and slumped her head into her hand. "It's not so bad. Just think about the baby."
"You're making it sound like I care more about drinking than I do about our baby," Hanna snapped. She immediately regretted it and gave him an apologising look. These hormones were driving her crazy. Earlier, she had snapped at her mom when all she did was take the finished guacamole bowl away to get washed. "Sorry," the blond mumbled.
Caleb chuckled and shook his head. She didn't need to apologise to him; she was allowed to be hormonal.
It didn't take long for the food to be cooked and brought over, and once it was, all of Hanna's snappy comments were forgotten about. Both Hanna and Caleb chomped away happily at their differing meals, and exchanged few glances as they ate.
"This food is amazing," Caleb announced, his mouth full of lasagne. The blond laughed and nodded in agreement.
"Hey, babe," she said. Caleb looked up from the table and smiled. "Do you think we can get Maddie tonight instead if me getting her tomorrow morning?"
"I was actually going to suggest that!" Caleb replied. "If we didn't, I wouldn't get a chance to say bye to her before I got to New York."
Hanna's IPhone was lying on the table, and she pressed the home button to see if she had any notifications from her mom. There were none—thankfully. "Should I give my mom or Ted a call to let them know we'll be picking her up?"
Caleb nodded, and the blond scurried off to the restroom. After leaving Ashley a voice message—since she wouldn't pick up—Hanna joined her husband back at the table. Soon, she was back munching at her food.
As she finished her last mouthful, Hanna sighed, feel nice and full. She relaxed back into her chair and watched her husband take a his last bite of food. The pair had eaten like there was no tomorrow. Caleb noticed Hanna staring at his plate and said, "Please say you don't want dessert too. I don't think I can eat anything else."
"I don't want dessert," Hanna reassured, chuckling. Hanna felt like she'd explode if she ate anymore. She reached over and grabbed her glass, taking a long and refreshing sip. "Remember when you said you wanted another dog? One that you could choose?"
"Yeah?" Caleb said as the waiter came to collect the empty plates. He had to dodge around the waiter's body to see Hanna's face and got internally frustrated when the waiter stopped to ask if the couple wanted anything else to eat. "No. We're good, thank you."
"We'd just like to pay, thanks," Hanna added, in a much more happier tone. She smiled widely at him as he headed back to get the bill. The blond turned back to her husband and continued with her point. "Well since now I'm pregnant, and we're moving to New York, is that still going to happen? Because I'd really like another dog. And I think Maddie would too."
"If we all want another dog, why can't we get another dog? Although this time, we are not getting a tiny, stupid, fluffy one like a Shih Tzu. We can get a big and manly one…like a Rottweiler!"
Hanna rolled her eyes and tutted. "We are not getting a Rottweiler, Caleb. We have a two-year-old and a baby on the way. Aren't Rottweilers dangerous?"
"Here's your bill." The waiter had suddenly reappeared and placed the bill onto the table, next to the candle. Caleb took one glance at it and thought he was going to pass out. The price was horrendous. Hanna, on the other hand, didn't seem so worried. She casually took out the her card from her purse and placed into the machine the waiter was holding. Hanna didn't seem at all phased by the price, and Caleb eyed her up suspiciously. As the waiter walked away for the final time, he wasted no time asking her what was going on.
"Nothing's going on!" Hanna replied, slightly exclaiming. The couple on the next table turned their heads at Hanna's loud voice, looking at Hanna and Caleb oddly. "I just wanted to be a nice wife treat you to a nice meal out. Is that now against the law?" She took her coat from the back of the chair and slid her arms through, before pulling it around her body. Caleb did the same with his own and followed his wife as she hurried towards the restaurant doors. Hanna gave all the waiters a appreciating and thankful nod as she passed, and Caleb gave them a quick smile.
"We didn't have to come to the most expensive restaurant in the whole of Philadelphia to have a nice meal out, Hanna. The Applerose Grille does nice meals!" Hanna was hastily walking down the street, her arm wrapped around her coat. Although it was June, the summer heat was being cooled off by the evening breeze. Caleb caught up with her and gently grabbed her arm, pulling her around to face him. "Hanna, tell me what's going on. Why did you bring me here?"
"I have a job interview" the blond mumbled. Caleb struggled to hear what she had said and asked her to repeat it. "I have a job interview in New York." The second time Hanna said it, she sounded a little more enthusiastic and excited.
The brunette raised his eyebrows and grinned, open-mouthed. "Babe, that's great!"
Hanna was staring at the ground and drawing circles with her foot on the sidewalk. "Yeah. Which is why I wanted to take you out for a nice meal."
"It should be me taking you for a meal out to celebrate." Caleb stared at his beautiful wife for a moment, before sighing. "Oh Han, this is amazing." He pulled Hanna in close and kissed her forehead as he felt her warm breath seeping through his shirt.
"I love you," Hanna muffled through the layers of clothes she was pressed against.
"I love you too, babe."
On the journey back to Rosewood, Hanna became more and more excited about her job interview. It was for a job she was actually interested in this time, and believed she had a decent chance of
getting it. It was for a costume designer on the set of a movie in New York and was like Hanna's dream job. She would need to head off to New York in the next week or two for a few interview before she would find out whether she got it or not. It payed well, and if she got it, it would mean the couple would have no problem renting their apartment and financing a new baby. Especially if Caleb got his job, too.
"You do genuinely want to do this job, don't you?" Caleb asked as he indicated left in the car. After Hanna's first attempt at trying to get a job, he wasn't taking any chances. "Because if you don't, I'm sure there are plenty of—"
"Caleb, I want it," Hanna interrupted. "I want to be a costume designer."
"Well only if you're sure. I don't you want being unhappy or whatever."
"I won't be. I swear this is what I want to do." And Hanna meant it. She'd never wanted anything more. As she stared out of the window, zooming past other cars, a thought popped into her mind. Would she have to tell them she was pregnant? Obviously they'd find out eventually, but it may influence her chances of getting employed. "Will I have to tell them?"
Caleb knew what Hanna was asking. He'd been waiting for this question since he found out. "Of course."
"But they'll find out on their own, anyway. Can't I just let that happen?"
"Babe, it's best if you tell them straight away. They won't appreciate it if you hide it from them," the brunette replied. He took a quick look at Hanna in the passenger seat and saw her face slumped in her hand. "How long is this job anyway? Aren't most movies shot in, like, 6 months?"
Hanna sat up straight and muttered, "More like a year."
"Well maybe you'll just have to bring the baby to work with you," he joked. Hanna didn't laugh and didn't look at all impressed. "You do want this baby, right?" Caleb asked slowly. He was all too worried that what Hanna was feeling would be leading somewhere.
"Of course!" she exclaimed. "I want this baby so bad. But we can't afford a baby if I don't have a job. And I'm not going to work hard at a job I don't want. It would help if the job was something like costume designing, because I have such a huge interest in it."
Caleb felt a twinge of guilt for asking if Hanna actually wanted her own baby. He tried his hardest to understand where she was coming from with the job problem, and finally decided that he couldn't. "Just tell them you're pregnant, Han." There wasn't really anything else that she could do besides tell them.
"I suppose you're right," the blond sighed. As the car passed the Welcome to Rosewood sign, Hanna remembered to remind Caleb to head to Ashley's house, although he was already on it. Like he'd forget to pick up his own daughter.
"Hey," Hanna whispered as Ted opened the door. He had Maddie in his arms, but she was completely passed out. Ted gently handed the sleeping toddler over to Caleb, who was careful not to awake her as he headed back down the front yard. Hanna stayed for a moment, thanking her parents. "Sorry she didn't get to stay the night, but Caleb wanted to see her before he goes to New York in the morning."
"It's fine," Ashley, who had now joined Ted at the front door, whispered. The blond leaned in and gave both a quick hug, before hurrying down the porch's steps, back to the car. Caleb still trying to strap Madelyn in without her waking up, which was proving more difficult than he'd thought.
"Here. Let me help you." Hanna climbed through the other side of the car and helped as Caleb gently placed the little girl in her seat. Once happy that she was safely strapped in and still asleep, the blond climbed back out and hurried around the car to the passenger side.
"Well, I don't know why I was expecting her to be awake when we collected her," Caleb announced as he sat himself down on the leather seat. He turned his head back to check on her and nodded. "Yep. She's long gone. I guess I won't be saying goodbye to her tonight after all."
Much to the couple's surprise, Madelyn awakened for a brief minute or two as they all arrived inside the house. Hanna had been carrying her in, but Caleb had dropped the car keys into the bowl too loudly. The sound had made Hanna jump, which had woken the toddler, which had led to a small crying fit.
"Maddie," Caleb hushed, taking her from her mother's arms. "I'm sorry, baby. Daddy didn't mean to wake you." He began gently bobbing her up and down, attempting to cease the cries. Eventually, they did cease, and Caleb was able to say goodbye without a fuss. He had brought Maddie up to her room, gotten her ready for bed, and made her comfy.
"Daddy's got to go to New York tomorrow, okay? So Mommy's going to look after you all day," Caleb explained. Tuesday's were usually his day off, and Hanna's day for herself—which she normally spent with a friend at the spa. The whole day would be spent with just Caleb and Maddie activities, things that Hanna wasn't fond off. Usually, it was going to the ice-cream parlour, or going to as many playgrounds as possible. "But I promise I'll be back to take you to bed."
"K," the toddler mumbled. She was already half-asleep, not that she would have understood Caleb anyway.
The next morning, Caleb awoke at an ungodly hour to travel to New York. His first meeting was at 10, but waking up at 3 gave him enough time to get there, check in to the hotel, and find the building he would be needing. Plus, waking up at 3 o'clock had it's perks: he'd get to see the sunrise.
Caleb tiptoed across the room and into the en suite, trying to be dealt quiet. He wouldn't hear the end of it if he woke Hanna. She hadn't been in the best mood when she'd gone to bed last night, after a friendly game of Monopoly turned into a more feisty version. Hanna had not been impressed when Caleb one.
When Caleb reappeared from the bathroom, he noticed Hanna had spread herself out across the bed. She was still fast asleep, but had clearly realised she now had the whole bed to herself.
The brunette grabbed the pair of black skinny Levi's that had been hanging over the back of the chair by Hanna's dressing table, and shoved them on. He then quietly and carefully tried to find the shirt he'd sworn he'd left out the previous night. It was harder than Caleb had expected to try and find a teeshirt with only one dimly lit lamp turned on. He couldn't turn any more on; he'd be murdered by his wife.
Caleb warily padded down the hallway, past Madelyn's bedroom. Although he found it slightly funny that Hanna would have to deal with caddie's crankiness if he were to wake her up, Caleb knew he'd get the blame. So, as quiet as a mouse, Caleb snuck into the room beside the toddler's and finally found the teeshirt he'd been looking for.
After quickly pulling it over his head, the brunette hurried down the stairs and into the kitchen, where his things were already lined up and ready to go. His "things" only really consisted of a basic duffel bag that was very lightly filled. Caleb was only going for the day, and knew he wouldn't need much.
45 minutes after waking up and quietly but frantically rushing around the house, Caleb grabbed his car keys and bag, and headed towards the front door. After looking back one last time to check everything was still in order, which it was, Caleb left for New York.
A/N - so caleb's having his interview in ny in the next chapter! hanna's interview will be soon, too, but there will be something that happens that will change everything in one of the interviews!
leave your reviews for this chapter; let me know what you thought of it! can we pleeeeaaaassseeeee get 5 reviews? maybe more? ;))