Chapter 25
Caleb had taken Hanna to dinner at an Italian restaurant on the north side of town. It was an adorable exposed brick building that served authentic Italian cuisine. Inside was covered with twinkling lights and candelabras lit the table setting the mood perfectly for Christmas time.
Caleb slid a long flat rectangular box across the table to Hanna as she reached for a bread stick.
"Happy Birthday babe." Caleb smirked as Hanna's face lit up.
She quickly unwrapped the box studying the objects inside.
"Three round fair tickets to Pennsylvania?" She questioned looking up at Caleb. "This had to of cost a fortune, are you sure?" she smiled reading the information on the tickets.
"Yes, Han. I know how much you miss the girls and let's just say the office gave me a nice little Christmas bonus." He smirked as a huge grin filled the blondes face.
"How come you are so perfect?" she asked giving a light peck on the lips to her boyfriend.
"I ask myself that everyday." He laughed in return
A week later Hanna and Caleb finished finals and were officially done with their first semester of college. They loaded their luggage and arrived at the airport where Aria, Spencer and Emily were all eagerly awaiting their return.
"I see them." Spencer shrieked as she spotted the young couple. Hanna had two large bags swung over her shoulder and Caleb had Parker in one arm and her car seat in the other. The girls rushed over grabbing the bags out of the couple's hands.
"You have gotten so big." Aria cooed at the baby in Caleb's arms.
Parker scrunched up her face and let out a big wale.
"Oh, she doesn't know who we are." Emily frowned backing up a little.
"She may be a little jet lagged and hungry." Caleb reassured the girls.
"Come here baby." Hanna cooed picking her up from Caleb's arms. "She probably just needs some time to warm up to everyone."
"Are we all going to fit in one car?" Caleb questioned looking at the large group.
"I brought my mom's minivan." Aria made a sour face. "We will be riding in style." She laughed throwing her coat over her shoulders.
The group arrived at the Field's, as to no one's surprise, the house was covered in lights and gobs of tacky Christmas decor.
"Holy cow, is your mom going to trip the power on the street?" Caleb mused grabbing the trunk full of luggage.
"It is Parker's first Christmas. We couldn't just half ass it." Emily stated seriously helping Hanna from the van.
"Look, pretty lights." Hanna stated pulling the blanket from over the baby's face.
"Don't look directly at it Park. It could burn out your corneas." Caleb joked as Emily retaliated by giving him a soft punch to the shoulder.
Spencer and the two others went inside first. Spencer warned the overly eager parents not to talk to the baby in typical over protective Spencer Hasting's style. The crowd greeted the little family and everyone took a seat around the Field's table. After dinner Toby, Caleb and the parents got into a pretty intense card game while the girls headed upstairs to Emily's room to catch up.
"Awe, your mom didn't move anything." Spencer mused looking around.
"Mom has been traveling a lot with Dad." Emily remarked looking back at the brunette.
"My parent's turned my room into an additional study the second my bags hit the floor at college." Spencer retorted rolling her eyes.
"I wish I could see my old room. I wonder if they left up the feather wall paper?" Hanna questioned with a sad look on her face.
"Can you guys believe we are done with our first semester of college?" Emily asked in a long drawn out breath.
"Yeah, only three thousand semesters's left." Aria groaned dramatically.
"Aria, what about Starbucks dude?" Hanna teased as the small one drew herself up into a ball.
"Well, to start off his name is Val." She smirked grabbing Parker from Hanna's arms.
"annnnnd?" Emily questioned furrowing her eyebrows.
"He's a nice guy." She replied vaguely.
"That's it? Only nice? Am I mistaken or is this the guy that's vegan and is so retro fabulous?" Spencer snarked throwing her eyes up in her head.
"Em, what about you? Any prospective ladies." Aria smirked quick to change the subject.
"No. And it's totally fine with me right now too. I had a girlfriend like all through out high school and I am enjoying my single life right now." She stated in nonchalant manner.
"Things are still going well for you and Caleb, right Han?" Aria asked before placing a kiss on the baby in her arms.
"We are super busy and Caleb works a lot at the software firm but we are good. Parker has a new boyfriend though." Hanna laughs.
"Parker, how are you dating right now but I'm not?" Emily teased the baby in Aria's arms.
"I saw a picture on Facebook, he's pretty cute Park." Aria joked as Parker clutched on to her forefinger. "Spence what about you and Toby?"
Spencer just nodded her head, things had been rough and she didn't want to dampen the mood. "Fine." She stated dryly.
"Okay Hastings. I can always tell when something is up. Spill." Hanna badgered.
"God, you're such a mom now." Aria chuckled looking at Hanna.
"I don't know if Toby and I will stay together." The smart one whispered out slowly.
"What, why?" Emily immediately questions as confusion consumed her face.
"I am moving." Spencer replies as she exhales deeply.
The other three girls look at each other in utter shock.
"Do you guys remember when I told you my mom had found a lump in her breast when we were in high school? Well, it turns out the doctor she seen was wrong. It is cancer. It's everywhere now." She sniffled trying to remain as calm as possible while the other's stared at her.
"She is going to do treatment at the cancer center in Pasadena and I am going with her."
"So you are going to quit school?" Aria blurted out without thinking.
Spencer nodded and Hanna, Emily and Aria sat on the bed with their mouths hanging open.
"But Spencer, you worked your ass off to get into Harvard." Emily shrieked
"I only wanted to become a lawyer because of my mom." Spencer trailed off as tears formed in her eyes.
"It's okay Spence, if it was my mom, I'd do the same thing." Hanna reassured the nervous girl and embraced her in a gentle hug.
"We are too." Aria stammered as her and Emily joined to form a group hug.
"Toby is mad because you are moving again?" Hanna asked in a soft tone.
Spencer nodded her head wiping the tears away. "He just landed a good job in Cambridge. He thinks that Melissa should go and not me. If anyone should understand about wanting to spend more time with their mother, you would think it would be him?" Spencer angrily retorted as snot dripped from her nose.
"So what now?" Emily hesitated.
"I'm going. I already changed my enrollment status. Mom starts her first round of chemo next week." She stated gaining composure.
"Well, Caleb and I won't be too terribly far. You know you can stay whenever. We have a comfy couch." Hanna soothed Spencer rubbing her arm.
"Thanks Han."
"We are here for you too Spence, anything." Emily mustered up a small smile.
The two days flew by and it was now Christmas Eve morning in Rosewood. Hanna and Caleb stayed at the Field's home in the guest room and they woke to a loud knock on their door. Pam bounces eagerly into the room and picks up Parker.
"I think Santa came." She giggles as Parker smiles up at her.
Caleb and Hanna get out of bed and follow the ecstatic mom who is followed by her equally ecstatic daughter into the living room. When they make it down the stairs they see the tree is busting with presents underneath and Wayne comes from around the corner dressed in a big red Santa suit. He starts his Ho, Ho, Ho-ing and Parker immediately starts crying.
"Parker it's just me." Wayne blushes embarrassed pulling off the fake beard so the baby can see it's just him underneath.
"Wow, you guys did not have to do this, this is so perfect." Hanna beams as Wayne takes Parker to the tree to retrieve a gift. Caleb tapes as Wayne, Hanna, Emily and Pam take turns unwrapping the gifts that clutter the room. After, Aria and her family and Spencer and her family gather back together to enjoy Christmas Eve brunch together.
"Are you guys sure you have to go?" Pam pleas as she bounces Parker in her arms.
"Yeah, I made Ashley a promise I'd have her girls back before Christmas day." Caleb smiled swinging a piece of luggage over his shoulder.
"Thank you so much for having us again." Hanna smiled graciously before giving all her friends a parting hug. "I love you guys. I will call you as soon as I get home."
Just before leaving, she pulled Spencer in again. "Hey, everything will be ok. We will come to visit as soon as we can."
Five hours and 1 delay later, Caleb and Hanna pull into Ashley and Teds simply lit Spanish abode. Caleb looks funny over at Hanna before he opens his mouth.
"Is Ted really going to make us sleep in different rooms?"
"He's a minister. Just because it's Christmas Eve, doesn't mean that he's ok with breaking a "Jesus rule." Hanna states as Caleb throws his eyes into his head.
"What, you don't think that he and your mom didn't do it before they got married?"
"Ewww. God Caleb! Please don't ever bring that up again." Hanna shutters as she rings the door bell.
Caleb laughs as they enter the house and Hanna pops him in the stomach.
"What's so funny?" Ashley smirks as the couple sets down their belongs.
"Caleb is jet lagged and delirious." Hanna spats out before Caleb could even open his mouth.
"Well we are so glad you are home." Ashley murmurs as Ted bounces Parker into the air.
"We are too Mom." Hanna sighs already missing Rosewood and her friends.
"Alright Parker, lets get your jammies on and get you to bed, it's been a long day." Caleb exclaims digging through the suite case pulling out a pair of red and white striped pajamas. "Here we go." He exclaims as he hands the baby to Hanna.
"Huh uh. Read the jammies they say, all mommy wants for Christmas is a silent night. You can sleep in Parker's room. I'll be in the guest room. Night my loves." Hanna smiles as she gives Caleb and Parker their good night kisses.