A/N: SO LOOK WHAT IS FINALLY UP! I PROMISED AN EPILOGUE AND HERE IT IS. MAYBE YOU DON'T EVEN REMEMBER READING THIS STORY. IDK. BUT HERE IT IS.
No, but in all seriousness. I'm REALL sorry. It has been waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too long. I apologize. I really struggled with writing this and it just got worse as I went along. It's really long and honestly, not that great. ALSO. I wrote like so many parts in different tenses, I tried to fix it all, but if you catch anything, i'm sorry.
ALSO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. FOR EVERYTHING. FOR READING THIS. FOR FOLLOWING THIS. FOR PUTTING IT IN YOUR FAVORITES. FOR BEING PATIENT. FOR REVIEWING. FO G. It really means a lot that you guys think i'm a good writer. Every. Single. Review. THANK YOU. NOW READ THIS.
14 Years Later...
The boys fingers moved at lightning speed across the computer keys, his sapphire eyes trained on the computer screen, and his ears clogged with ear buds; the lyrics of some rock band flowing through his ears. He sat in the school library, mostly alone. There were only three other people in here—the librarian, another senior whom had been on his Baseball team at one point, and another teacher. He was so engrossed in his work—well, maybe it wasn't actually work, but whatever—that he didn't even notice the presence of a new. His ears were so congested with music, and his eyes so focused on the article he was reading that he didn't even notice the new guest come in, not until she made her presence clear by gripping at his shoulders and shoving him into the table, that is.
"Agh!" the young man grunted out of surprise. He turned around to see his attacker, and smiled. "Is that really a way to greet the guy who helped you pass your Economics Final...and Spanish Final...and-"
"Okay! I get it." She sits down next to him, slapping her folder bursting with unorganized papers on the table.
"How'd they go?"
She tilted her head to the side, a look of uncertainty hinting in her features. "Okay. I don't know. I think I failed the multiple choice section, but-" her hazel eyes met the laptop screen, and her expression suddenly shifted to absurdity "what are you looking at?" asked the young women, her voice ranging the chords of all things bizarre.
He completely forgot about the tab his laptop was opened to. Wow, good job, Noah. She would surely like you now.
"Nothing," fumbled out the embarrassed young lad, his hand shaking over the mouse to exit the tab.
But, she was quick. Her hand was on his, pulling the mouse towards her. And he wasn't sure if he was glad for the instance, or ready to shove himself into his mother's office shredder. He slithered his hand away, awkwardly, sighing as she opened the tab once more. He watched her as her hazel eyes scrolled over the article. She began to smile—that grand smile that brought out the small dimple on her left cheek, and then turned to him. "What the hell?" she began to laugh quietly. "Why are you reading a pregnancy article?"
He slumped in his chair, almost hoping he would somehow fall out of the chair and hit his head so hard that he would fall into an instant coma. "If you must know," mumbled the boy under his breath "I think my mom's pregnant."
She began to laugh again, and although it was always a privilege to see her laugh, he wished the reason behind it wasn't because he was making a total fool of himself, like always. "Why..." she seemed perplexed at her statement, and then began to laugh again. "Noah, you're so...why can't you just ask her? Why do you need to research it?"
"She'll lie."
"It's not like she can keep it a secret forever. I mean, if she is, she is going to resemble Mrs. Polo soon enough..." said the girl, referring to their Spanish teacher, who is a little overweight (well, not a little; A LOT) "well not as bad, but you get my point."
He shook his head with soft laughter. "You're horrible."
She shrugged, her vibrant smile glowing.
"But, seriously why?"
"Okay, do you really expect me to wait that long to find out? Besides, I'm going off to college in like three weeks, she could have the baby, and I wouldn't even know."
"Okay, I think you are being a tad dramatic, but you are extremely impatient..." commented the young lady, twirling a strand of her auburn hair that fell from her pony tail. "But, I'm sure if you just said 'Hey Mom, what's in the oven?' she'll tell you."
He shook his head, his lips pressing together in a straight line.
"Why are you shaking your head?" asked the girl.
"Erica, my parents are crazy. Everything is a secret with them" he rolled his eyes, stepping up.
She followed his procedure.
She squinted her hazel eyes at him once they are standing up, "they seem nice, though."
"They are." He supplied quickly, "but they're crazy too."
She giggled, and this time, it isn't because he said something stupid.
"I think you may have inherited some of that crazy." She poked him in the chest playfully.
He felt the heat rise to his face, and he knew, just knew that his cheeks have changed hue. He quickly ducked his head down, and went forward, hoping she did not notice, but she probably did.
"Are you busy today?" he heard her ask, and his whole day spanned out in front of him. He was supposed to be home already, getting ready for some dinner his grandparents were having—on a Wednesday because their schedules were just that busy-and with finals tomorrow, he was planning to study the whole night. But, when Erica Woods asked you if you're busy, you don't say no.
"No, not really, anyways."
"Cool. Then I can come over?"
He struggled for an answer. His Mom would most likely kill him if he brought a girl home when he was supposed to be preparing for some extravagant dinner at his grandparent's big ol' mansion, but he was sort of woulding to take the risk. "Sure."
She smiled, and it made him smile. Her smile fits so well on her ivory face, it almost seems like a crime when it isn't on her face, along with the freckles she would accumulate over the hotter months—she hated them, but he thought they suited her perfectly.
The young woman stood in the kitchen, craving some walnuts, or pecans, or almonds—yes! Almonds sounds lovely. She scavenged to the pantry, and to her disappointment there are no almonds present. Just cashews. Damn it.
Her attention is soon adverted to the sight at the door, and the sounds of a doorknob turning. She saw her son, and a figure behind him. A very familiar figure that seemed to be a new asset to their home—Erica.
The two were soon inside the house, and in the midst of something that was apparently hilarious due to their ajar mouths flowing out with laughter.
"Hello, Erica" the woman greeted, stepping over to the pair.
"Hey, miss Hastings" the younger woman greeted her, a warm smile casting out on her face.
Noah looked his elder, a sheepish smile arranging on his face, and the look of slight fear reflecting in his blue eyes. "Hey mom."
"Hi" greeted the woman icily.
Erica shot a look of worry towards Noah.
"Hey Noah, we need to talk...in private."
He licked his lips nervously, and shot an apologetic glance towards the worrisome girl. "Sorry, I'll be right back" he told her before following his mother out of the kitchen, and into the hallway.
"What are you doing?" yelled the woman, "we're going to your grandparents in an hour!" she grumbled, her brown eyes piercing and full of all the venomous evil that he would like to avoid—too late.
"I—um—look calm down, I'll have enough time. It took me like five minutes to get ready. Besides, I don't see you ready. And is dad even home? Like, seriously mom," laughed the nervous son. His laughing eventually fades as she continues to glare at him.
"Bad!" she remarked, slapping his shoulder.
"Ow! I'm not a dog!"
She rolled her mocha eyes, and her arms come together across her chest. She looked to be perplexed on what to do with the situation. "Hmm," hummed the woman irritably, her eyes roaming all over. "I have a proposition for you." Her voice was calmer now, and he didn't know to be frightened or relieved.
"...what is it?" asked the teenager, hesitantly.
"You ask her out, and I'll let you skip dinner."
"What? No! Mom! I don't even like her."
"Oh, stop with all that crap. You do to! Every time she's around you turn into some love struck puppy. C'mon ask her! It is a win-win situation for you! You get skip dinner and all your grandparent's annoying, repetitive questions and you get a girlfriend" her hand flied up in a gesture as her eyes become saucers.
He stared at her for a moment, debating on what to do. Eventually, he came up with an answer. "No."
"Oh my God, are you kidding?"
"She doesn't like me...like that" he whispers secretively.
"You asked girls out before, why is she any different?"
He shrugged, unsure himself of the answer.
She sighed, a long and drawn out sigh, that makes him think all the air stored inside her is making its exit.
"You can stay here..." grumbled his mother, looking at her son once more.
"Really?" his sapphire eyes grew wide like they did when he was young and she told him he could have a piece of chocolate.
She nodded after a second.
His arms wrapped around her around her in a quick hug, "you're the best, mom. Thank you!" he rushed out before departing back in the kitchen.
A half smile crossed her face.
How she'll miss him when he's gone.
He soon came home to find his son, and his son's "friend" (not really), sitting at the kitchen table, books scattered out every which way, and mounts of papers hosting as the table cloth. He greeted the two casually. He flung his over the shoulder bag on the counter before beginning his search for something to calm his ravishing hunger, but not too the full extent that he would not be hungry for dinner at the Hastings.
"How'd the exams go?"
His son looked towards his father, and shrugged, nonchalantly. As if the question, was meaningless, and unimportant. "Good, I mean-" he took a second to think, "yeah, good."
"Why am I even asking you? You inherited your mother's brain. How'd they go for you, Erica?"
"Good, mostly" said the girl, perkily, "all thanks to your son." She nudged him in the shoulder, playfully (really, flirtatiously, but poor Noah failed to notice this).
His son blushed slightly, ducking his head down, his eyes darting back to whatever he was working on. "I didn't do that much, you could've done it without me."
"Are you kidding? I would have bombed them."
Although, any parent would want to sit here, and watch their child flirt, Toby halted the conversation. "Noah, shouldn't you be getting ready? Your mom's going to kill you if you aren't ready in time; you know how she is with stuff like this."
Noah stood up from the chair, a smirk rising on his mouth that bursts with laughter. "I don't have to go" said the boy, grabbing a handful of Doritos from the bag his father had brought out. Sensing his father's confusion, his son continued "she's letting me stay back and study."
His father looked at him strangely, squinting his eyes. That was unlike her, but he doubted his son was lying. Noah rarely did, and honestly, he was so glad for it. They didn't need any more dishonesty in their family; he already supplied a lifetime of it. He shuddered at the thought. "Like you need the extra time to study," said the man sarcastically, shaking his head. "That's not fair, we should have to suffer as a family. You're going away in a few weeks. God, I'm sure your grandparents would be even more delightful than usual now, since their favorite grandson is skipping out on dinner."
He shrugged, "sucks to suck" a smile entranced his face, as he took another handful of Doritos, and made his way back to his seat.
"Okay, that wasn't even cool when it was cool to say it" said his father, lightly.
The young teenagers at the table laugh, and as does his father.
Before making his exit, he offerd his son the bag of Doritos, and then Erica, but both decline so he just put it away. "I guess I should go get ready for this dinner before your mom set me on fire," said his father before making his final exit.
"Where have you been?" screeched the woman, obviously annoyed at her husband's tardiness. "We have to be on the road in twenty five minutes!"
"Spence, relax. We have enough time."
"Yeah, but what if there is traffic?! We cannot be late! They would already be pissed that Noah isn't coming, if we show up late, I'm pretty sure they'll throw you on the barbeque and force me into cannibalism."
He cringed at the thought, and gave her the look of absolute absurdity. "Okay, I think you may be overcompensating this, just by a tad" said her husband hesitantly, being sure not to send her in some type of frenzy—she was being weird lately, and he felt like he had to be wary of everything she said, or she would explode.
"Toby! Seriously. You know them, and I also don't think it is a secret that they don't like you. I'm just anxious to see which one of us they are going to blame for Noah's absence, probably me, just because, you know that is their favorite thing to do-"
"Spence, breath!" soothed her husband, an amused smile frosted over his features, his hands coming at grasp with her shoulders, slightly massaging them. "We'll tell them he was feeling sick, and wanted to put his strength into his studying. They aren't going to revolt against that."
She looked at him for a moment, pondering over the theory. A small sigh transpiring from her mouth dissolves into the air around them. "Okay."
He smiled a little, hoping to get something in return from her. And he is almost successful. A microscopic smile took place on her lips.
He lets his hands pass her shoulders, and swivel around her back, bringing her into a tight hug of reassurance and security. Her hands met the surface of his back, her head falling into his chest carelessly. The moment can't last forever though, they must continue their journey through the day, and leave their solitudes, to keep life flowing along.
"So," he said once they have separated, only the brims of his fingers touching at her arms. "Why are you letting the kid skip dinner? He does not need any more time to study, he has already memorized every single sentence in all his school text books, he doesn't need to do the same with an encyclopedia" said Toby jokingly.
She pushed her lips together, and her copper eyes fluttered downwards shamefully. "I said he could skip dinner if he asked Erica out.."
"Spence," he sighed.
"Look, I know you think it is meddling, but I'm just trying to help him! He's going to go off to college, and so would she, and then he'll regret it! And it would probably be too late! The kid's gotta make a move, and I'm just trying to give him some, I don't know motivation" she looked at him with her dopey eyes shifting back and forth.
"Spence," sighed the man once more, "I know you're just trying to help...but I don't know. You can't...force it. When he is ready to make a move he would, and who knows, maybe she would first."
Her eyes wandered in a circle as the murmur of something inaudible leaft her mouth.
"What?"
"I...guess you're...right" mumbled the brunette, this time speaking slightly more clearly.
He chuckled softly in retaliation.
"Now go get ready!" She weakly shoved him away, "If you make us late, then I'm going to be the one barbecuing your ass." A slight smirk traced on her face.
His eyes rolled up with a chuckle "okay, okay!" he surrendered, his animated eyes aligning with hers, and his hands affectionately running down her forearms. "Can I least get a kiss first?"
"No, ew," screeched the brunette, "you're all sweaty and gross!" She slightly moved away from him, but he is quicker, and right on her tail.
"It hasn't stopped you before," murmured the man, smirking.
"Ew!" Her mouth fell open with suppressed laughter, "go away. Leave me alone" said the woman, laughing, trying to remove herself from his stronger grip.
"Hmph," his shoulders slumped down, "okay, fine, with you can pass for the price of one kiss."
"Since when is that the criteria, Mr. Troll?"
"Since smart, beautiful, women, like yourself, started to solve all the riddles."
Her mouth cocked open and her eyebrow rose as she inched closer into him. "Women? What are you implying? Are there others?"
"No, actually, you are the first these rules have applied to, now that I think about it" he falsely pondered, looking to be in a train of thought. "And most definitely the last" hummed the man into her ears, tugging a gigantic smile on her face.
"Yeah, I better be" replied the girl, meeting his lips for an open mouth kiss. Her hand clamped into his hair, tugging on his bronze locks. He enclosed the space between them, bringing her hips into his.
"I have to shower," murmured the man.
She simply nodded in agreement, but neither attempt to break apart their lip lock.
"Why do I find you so sexy when you're all sweaty and hot and - sweaty." Her voice fainted as his lips make way to her neck. She gripped at his shirt collar. "Maybe, I should take a shower, too..."
He looked up at her laughing, shaking his head. "We can do this anytime starting in two weeks, remember? Noah is leaving for college. We can save it all for then" he winked, his voice trailing into an almost song.
"Right," she pulled up a smile.
He left her lips with a chaste kiss, and her eyes with a sheepish smile before making his way to take his most awaited for shower; leaving Spencer's smile to fade into a straight line.
Toby was in for a surprise.
"How'd Grandma's go yesterday?" the boy asked, a spoon full of cereal making its way in his mouth.
His mother shrugged, an indifferent look on her face "same as always."
The boy nodded, his spoon of cereal making another trip into his mouth.
She sat down across from him, setting her plate of toast on the table. She smirked at him, before taking a bite of the toast glazed with grape jelly.
"What?" he asked blankly.
She began to laugh softly.
"How'd your date with Erica go?"
"It wasn't a date!" growled the boy, annoyed.
"Sure it wasn't."
"You know—most parents wouldn't leave their kid alone with some girl for more than two hours."
"So, you're implying that I should have been worried?" asked his mother, her tone serious. "Why, I thought you two were just friends!" she mocked in surprise.
"Shut up," mumbled the boy, regretting the words that left his mouth. He stood up to the sink, with his empty cereal.
"Hey! I'm your mother; don't tell me to shut up."
"Shouldn't you be discouraging me from this stuff?" groaned the boy, frustrated. "You know giving me lector upon lector how I'm going to end getting some girl pregnant."
"You're not an idiot" responded his mother indifferently; keeping her attention on the toast she was smearing with jam.
"But, accidents can happen" said the boy, slowly.
She darted her eyes towards him as she closes the lid on the jar of jelly. "Where are you going with this conversation?" she narrowed her eyes slightly on her son, her tone turning slightly stern. "Don't tell me—"
"No!" he immediately denied. "No, no, no, no Mom, jeez."
"Thank God," she let out a sigh of relief, letting her ridged shoulders fall lazily as she finishes closing the lid.
He let out a dragging breath from his nose, and made his way over to her, taking a seat across from her at the circular table. He crossed his arms, slightly leaning back in his chair, starring at his mother while she ate her toast.
"But, I'm just saying," he began, creeping into the conversation once again. "Accidents can happen."
"Yes, I guess so."
"I mean I was an accident—"
"Don't say that," she immediately replied, her tone sharp and crisp. Her eyes fall on her toast, and then on her son. "Babies are not accidents, they are blessings. Yes, they can be unexpected, but they are not accidents."
"Fine, fine." He nodded his head. "But, people are likely to come across an unexpected baby."
She squinted her eyes at him, putting her toast down. "Can you stop being weird and just say what is on your mind?"
"Fine," mumbled the boy, fidgeting with his fingers clasped together on the table. "Am I going to have an unexpected sibling?"
She furrowed her eyebrows, and pursed her lips slightly before extracting a breath through her nose.
A moment passed.
"Why can't you be a normal teenage boy? And be obsessed with cars, and video games, and Nerf guns, or whatever your generation does for fun?"
A smile, or more of a smirk, tugged on the boy's face, "so you are, then?"
"You are seriously so weird." She shook her head.
He keeps looking at her, smiling. She rolled her eyes upward at the sight. "How did you even figure this out, you freak?"
He shrugged coolly. "It was pretty obvious. You've had the flu," he air quoted the word 'flu', "for the last two weeks. You don't have to be a genius to figure it out. On top of that, you've just been ten times more insane than you normally are—"
"I am not insane!" hissed his mother.
He ignores her.
"Does dad know?" asked the boy, followed by a "probably not" shortly after, almost in a mumble.
She pinched the bridge of her nose, and let out a frustrated sigh, shaking her head back and forth.
"At first I thought it would suck to have a little brother, but now that I think about it, it would be pretty cool" continued her son, ignoring the aroma of frustration gathering around his mother. "I mean, if it was a girl, I guess that would be cool too."
"Don't you have your last exam today? Shouldn't you be going to school? Getting ready?"
"It isn't till 10:45."
It was 9:04.
"But I guess you're right. I'm meeting Erica in the library for some last minute cramming," he sat up, taking a strawberry of his mother's plate in the process.
"Noah," she stopped him as his foot glides out of the kitchen. "Don't tell your father."
"Of course not." responded the boy, after a second, rising up a sheepish smile before making his exit.
She sighed.
Her main objective for raising Noah, was to discard his life of secrets, but she had failed in doing so. Sure, it wasn't that bad, but Noah saw his parents as secret keepers. He didn't really hold it against them all too much, but he knew there were things they kept from him. He wasn't stupid. Spencer tried to be honest with him, but explaining the ordeals of high school to the boy, seemed unnecessary. She didn't know everything about her parents. They weren't necessarily a good comparison, but the point was, there are some things the boy is just better off not knowing.
When they told the boy why his father was late on coming into his life, they told him somewhat of the truth. Toby had made a mess he felt he could not clean up and left town, unknowing of the woman's pregnancy. The two were out of contact—and had no way of reaching each other, but then one day, met again.
They didn't go into much detail, and he didn't seem to care too much. He was ten at the time, and he vaguely remembered his father's absence in his life. And, even now, he seems to accept the story as it is—see nothing beyond the fable.
But, she knows he is curious. Curious to the world around him, especially after reading an article online about her and finding out about the notorious –A. Before that, he just thought of her as some boring, academic scholar, who idiotically, got pregnant in high school, apparently. Since then, he has been more curious to their past—wanting to know details about this –A fellow.
But, Spencer didn't tell him much. He didn't need to know, and besides, recalling her old high school days was never a splendid trip down memory lane.
She can't expect him not to be curious though, to an ongoing bystander, it could seem incredibly fascinating.
But, none of that really mattered right now. She already told Noah enough. She needed to focus her attention on the fact that she is pregnant, and how she would tell the news to her husband.
"I can't believe Aunt Hanna, and Steph, are coming all the way out here from California to go to my graduation."
"Why?" Spencer asked her son, preparing a tray of vegetables for her guests.
"Because they are coming all the way out from California for my graduation."
She laughed softly, "Noah, they are like family! They wouldn't miss it for the world, or in Hanna's case a seventy percent off shoe sale, which she is giving up in order to attend, by the way."
He laughed.
"Wow, I must be pretty special."
"Yes, and you better be on your best behavior because you do not want her to regret missing that to come here."
"Alright, I promise." He snatched a piece of raw broccoli from the plate of vegetables.
"So, have you told dad yet?" He popped the piece of broccoli into his mouth.
The woman pulled out a pitcher of lemonade from the refrigerator, and set them on the table. "Nope."
"Don't you think you're going to have to tell him soon? I mean…it's starting to get obvious." He glanced towards her — flat— stomach.
She glares at him.
"I'm just kidding!" he put his hands up in defense, a bashful smile on his face.
She rolled her eyes, picks up the tray of lunchmeat, and walked past him, but not without telling her son "Are you just going to stand there or help me? Get the vegetable platter or something! Oh! And get some tin foil."
He listened to her, following her out towards the deck lodged in the back of their home. She set the tray of meat on the table, and he mimicked her actions, resting the platter of vegetables on the round glass table with an umbrella overhead to shade it. She began to cover the platters with the tin foil.
"No, but seriously I think dad is going to notice when you don't have your annual let's-get-drunk-off-wine-and-watch-cheesy-Nicholas -Sparks-movies party with Aunt Hanna."
She huffed, "I doubt he'll be watching me to make sure I don't let Hanna have the whole bottle."
"Why don't you just tell him? He's going to find out eventually."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she mumbled, not really paying attention to her son. She goes back inside and he followed. They both picked up something to bring to the round glass table, this time Noah does it without being asked. They continue this process until everything that is on the counter for lunch, is on the glass round table. When they are finally done, Spencer collapsed on one of the chairs circulating around the table, and poured herself a glass of lemonade. Her son sat down next, and she offers him a glass, but he declines.
After taking a long gulp of her lemonade, she set the cup down and exhaled a deep breath. "Now, what do you want to know?"
"Why don't you just tell him, already? It's not like you can keep this a secret…I mean…"
"You can't just drop this on somebody…especially when that somebody is going to be extremely effected by it. I just need to wait…decide how I'm going to break the news."
He stared blankly at her, still seeming not to understand the concept.
She shook her head.
"You are a teenage boy, you don't understand." She patted him on the knee with understanding.
"That I don't."
Their ears were alarmed with a noise of car coming in the drive way causing Spencer to stand up and drag her son along with her towards the front of the house. They found a Californian duo, and the outsider, being Toby, who was nice enough to pick them up from the air port.
Hanna and Toby are fighting over something frivolous, of course. When Stephanie, Hanna and Caleb's seven year old daughter, got a sight of Noah, she let her bags fall carelessly to the ground and ran up to him in a sprint, her arms out wide. "Noah!" said the little girl, her bronze eyes shining with glee. The teenager laughed, running down to her, and catching her in his arms when they meet. He picked her up, and smiled.
"Hey Steph, you're in a good mood."
"Because I'm around you, silly" the little girl giggled, poking the indent in his chin.
Noah glanced at his mother with a smile, and she too is smiling at the youngster's flirtatious words.
After looking up, and catching Spencer and Noah in her vision, Hanna too, ditched her bag, but dumped it on Toby instead of the ground, which causes him to roll his eyes. Hanna is mirroring the squeals of a teenage girl attending a pop hit sensation's concert. Her arms were open wide, and once she was close enough, she locked the three in a group hug.
"Caleb sends his love! He is so sorry he couldn't make it, but they are doing some huge, big, project there, and you know—work, blah, blah, blah!" she went on.
She released the hold of the three.
"God, Spence, remember when Noah was just a teeny wittle baby?" she hummed, looking at Noah fondly. "Now he's all grown up! It's so weird, time really does fly. I wish it flew by this fast when I took anatomy senior year."
Spencer laughed.
"Right."
Toby was closer to them now, and struggling with the bags.
"What do you have in these Hanna? Bricks?"
"Ha Ha. Look whose losing his touch."
He glared at her, which increases her laughter.
Spencer smiled at him as he walked pass, placing a warm hand on his shoulder in gratitude.
"Okay, so I have lunch made and everything—"
"Oooooh, we actually ate before we came, sorry."
"Oh," Spencer's face dropped.
"I'm just kidding! I'm starved." Hanna laughed loudly.
Spencer took in a deep breath, and smiled. Typical Hanna.
"Come on Stephie," Hanna told her daughter. "You have all week to play with Noah."
"Okay." The girl pouted as Noah placed her on her feet.
Before his mother could even ask he was already on the task of getting Stephanie's bag.
"Thank you" she breathed once he returned with the bag and piles in the house.
"I'm a great son." He smirked back at her.
She swatted him on the shoulder, and laughed.
After lunch ended, Stephanie was off to take her nap, and Spencer and Hanna were catching up on the latest gossip, the two men of the house find themselves finally able to relax.
"Steph has probably flirted more times in her life than I have," Noah said as he crashes on a recline chair.
Toby laughed, keeping his eyes on the monotonous channel flipping on the T.V. screen. A smile expanded on his face. "Afraid your girlfriend would find out?"
Noah gritted his teeth. "She is not my girlfriend. I thought I only had to deal with mom about this."
"I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist." Toby laughed, looking towards his son now, leaving the TV on some college football game. "But, seriously here. Why don't you just ask her out?"
Noah let out a long sigh, his head falling southward, letting his hands burrow in the depths of his hair for a moment. He looked back up at his father, taking a long, narrow breath in from his nose. "I don't know—she just got out of some huge relationship, and I feel like it is only decent to wait, but if I wait too long, then—ugh, I don't know."
"Hmm, how long has it been since they broke up?"
"A month."
His father let out a pondering murmur "she seems to like you though."
"Yeah, but... I don't know." His balled up fists pound against the arm of the chair, his eyes seaward. "It's stupid, but I don't want to hurt her… I feel like if we get together now—right before I go off to college, it would just end badly. Long distance usually does."
A moment passed.
"Wow, you really like her." His father observed his voice light and his eyebrows arching upward.
Noah bobbed his head up quickly, "Don't tell mom."
The man laughed, nodding. "All right, I won't tell mom" he promised, still chuckling. "By the way, has she been acting weird to you?"
"What?" Noah asked, pretending to be flustered by the question.
"I don't know…" his eyes trail off, "she has just been…not normal. Have you noticed it?"
A pause.
"I have no idea what you are talking about" Noah manages to say without laughing.
Toby nodded, his lips pursed, falling back into a slouch. "Maybe it's just me" his father mumbled, half jokingly.
Noah releases a suppressed laugh before stepping up. "I'm going to go hang out with Derek," Noah announced.
"Really you're going out tonight?" Toby looked at his son. "I thought we could do something…like I don't know…go to the batting cages, I'm not really sure, to be honest, I didn't think this through."
Noah smiled, "sorry."
Toby sighed, "well, be back before eleven."
"Would do" Noah replied, about to make his exit.
"Oh and Noah," his father calls "Just do it. Without thinking. Just kiss her."
"That seems like a great way to get humiliated, dad." Noah laughed, giving him a strange look.
"Hey, it can't be too awful. That's what I did with your mother—and hey! Look where we are now." He smiled.
Noah stared at him quizzically for a moment, pondering at the idea. "Huh" his son mumbled. "Thanks. See you later. Good luck with Aunt Hanna!" he told his father, referring to the duo's constant bicker.
"Thanks!" his father yelled back.
And this was when it really hit.
Noah would be gone—gone, in a few short weeks. It would just be him and Spencer. His mind couldn't seem to register the scenario.
"Time to get this night started!" Hanna shouted, coming from the guest room where her daughter was sound asleep. There was wine bottle in her hand, and Spencer could only suspect that Hanna made Toby stop somewhere on the way to their home. She was planning to say they were out—and well, the statement was true, kind of. After she saw the plus mark on that pregnancy test, the price of a bottle of wine was voted off her bill. The only bottle of wine lodging in her liquor cabinet was the one Toby unexpectedly picked up for her last week.
"Oh," Spencer glanced at the object in her best friend's hand. She licked her lips nervously, "I, um, pass on the wine."
"What? Spencer! This is a tradition! You can't just pass on the wine. It's, like, sacrilegious!" Hanna thumped on the couch, her blue eyes at a 10x magnification, and her lower lips diving out of its cave. "Come on, pleaaaaaaaaaaase, Spence" the grown woman stretched out the word childishly, "come on. You love tradition."
Spencer squinted her eyes at the statement. She had had a child before she was married, and when she got married, she proposed, and they basically eloped. She wasn't exactly traditional…
"I can't." Spencer whimpered softly, ducking her head down with a terrifying groan to accompany her.
A pause.
"Why?" Hanna narrowed her eyes on her friend, the tone of her voice sharper than it was a moment ago. "Spencer," she urged forcefully.
Spencer looked up at her and hesitantly murmured the untold secret.
"I'm pregnant."
Hanna stared at her, unblinking, for a long five seconds before saying anything. "It's Toby's, right?"
Spencer's brow furrows. "Yes, of course it's Tobys!"
"Well, I don't know…" Hanna mumbled, pursing her lips as her eyes cast downwards.
Spencer shook her head, licking the corners of her mouth. "I haven't told him yet."
"Why?"
"Because—I don't know—how would he react to this? Will he be happy?"
"Who cares! Spencer, look, I know I always give Toby crap, but that's my job. Whether he is happy or not, the worst case scenario is him pretending to be happy about it. Like seriously, Spence. Don't worry about it. You got the guy wrapped around your finger. The real question is: how are you feeling about this?"
She shrugged, "I don't know," her voice is light. "I just went through all of this…the last time I was pregnant, everything was so different… it was like a whole other world. And I was so young when I had Noah, and now here we are almost eighteen years later, and I'm pregnant again."
"Spencer you just turned thirty six. Some people don't even get married till they're thirty six. Some people have kids after their forties," Hanna cringed at the thought. "You're still a pretty decent age. Your womb is still harvesting fruit."
Spencer laughed. "I just—it's weird. I guess. I never—ever, thought about having another baby."
"Not once?" Hanna questioned, almost astonished.
She shook her head. "I mean it may have crossed my mind, but definitely never taken to heart."
The front door began to produce sound; the knob turning, and the sounds of clicking becoming apparent.
In came a man, his hair damp from the rain pouring outside. "Don't worry. I won't be here for long, I just need to get my wallet!" he defended, putting his hands up. He more or less jogged into the kitchen and returns with a wallet in his hand. He opened the door then turns his head towards Spencer. "Hey, did you want anything?"
She shook her head slightly, a tiny smile hoisting on her lips.
A beat passes and he swiftly turns his head to Hanna. "Hanna?" he pursued distastefully.
"Hmm…" Hanna pondered, a smile creeping on her face as she turns towards Toby. "Tampons!" her smile widened.
He rolled his eyes, ditching her gaze for Spencer's. "Love you, have fun."
"Be careful!" Spencer called out to him as he makes his exit.
"Would it kill you to be nice for one second, Han?"
"Spencer, I can't just be nice" she said the word with more emphasis than needed. "That is just—inhumane."
Spencer furrowed her eyebrows at her.
"Whatever Spence, can you at least just put in The Lucky One andkeep up with one of our traditions?"
Spencer smiled, her eyes doing a three sixty "of course."
The crowd sat in anticipation, waiting for their loved one's name to be called to receive their diploma. There were over three hundred and fifty names called that afternoon, but only one name mattered in the hearts of a certain crowd.
They sat on the crowed bleachers, squished together like the clothes in Hanna's overly populated closet. Everyone was there to support Noah. Emily and Bruna even decorated a sign that read "Go Noah!" for the event. Malcolm had come all the way out from Maine to attend the ceremony of his "little bro", as he referred to him. Aria and Ezra had trusted Ella to take care of their adopted daughter; Lacey, for the afternoon instead of forcing her to suffer through the three hour event of names being called off. The boy had many supporters and they would not miss his graduation day for the world.
When Noah's name was called, the small crowd had applauded wildly like they had for the rest of the students, while Noah had grabbed his diploma, his parents sporting a proud smile.
Spencer squeezed onto her husband's arm as their son made his way back to his seat. "That's our baby, he's graduating! He's all grown up!" she whispered, tears gathering in her copper eyes. "I can't believe it."
His eyes too, were glazed with tears at the sight. He smiled at his wife as he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into him. He placed a chaste kiss on her temple, letting out a mix of a sigh and a laugh and a sob.
"I thought you weren't supposed to bring girls to your room?" Erica followed him up the stood.
"I don't listen to everything my parents say" Noah told her without looking back. "Besides they won't even notice. My mom fell asleep hours ago, and my dad looks to be having an actual conversation with a can of peanuts."
It was his graduation party. It was huge. His whole entire extended family was there along with half of his grade; it was getting a tad ridiculous.
She laughed.
They continue their way to his room in silence, neither murmuring another word to each other.
"Nice." She nodded her head in approval as she walked in, her hands clasped behind her back. Her hazel eyes glanced around the tidy room with appreciation. The walls are painted a soft blue color, and the ceiling marked with the outline of tiny stars that she remembered having when she was little—they lit up in the dark. Her eyes fell to the bed, which prompted a smile on her face. "You make your bed?" she looked over to him with an amused smile.
"My mom makes me do it" he defended lightly.
"Mmmhmmm" she teasingly hummed, stepping in front of him.
They were inches apart , their faces close together—probably the closest they've ever been. He inhaled through his nose roughly—his breathing uneven. Her smile settled into something more placid and calm, her eyes wavering between his. He took this as a perfect time to do it. To just take his dad's advice, and kiss her, but he feels paralyzed. He forgot how to move.
The next thing he knew her lips were brushing against his, her hand gently pushing against his chest. He was too stunned to react. He wanted to kiss her back desperately, but once again he felt frozen in his own skin.
She began to pull away, but he didn't let her go too far. Without thinking, he kissed her back, pulling her back into the kiss.
A week passed, everyone has gone home. Hanna is no longer in their guest bedroom, Stephanie is no longer strutting around with her boa in hand—smacking people in the face with it and flirting with Noah at every chance she gets, the banter between blond and brawn is finally over, and everything is at peace. Spencer and Toby can finally have some alone time.
"Homemade dinner? You made dinner?" he speaks through the phone.
"Try to hide your excitement."
"No! Look, you're a great cook, but the last time you even bothered was three years ago. I remember because you made a pineapple upside down cake—better than Hanna's, to be honest."
"Aw, you're making me blush" she half joked. "But, hmm… I'm glad you mentioned that. Because it's on the menu tonight" her voice sang pleasantly in his ears.
"What's the occasion?"
"Nothing" she smacked her lips, swaying her head to the side even though he couldn't see her.
"The last time you made that was because I had a pneumonia for three weeks, and when I was finally better you wanted to do something nice."
"What am I only allowed to do one nice thing per century?" she retorted.
"Hmmm…"
"Fine. I'll just eat all of it myself."
"No! Of course not, Honey. You're an angel."
"That's what I wanted to hear" she hummed.
He laughed.
"So, are we just having sugar for dinner or is there something else too?"
A second passed.
"Spencer!" he urged.
"I'm trying to decide whether or not I want it to be a surprise."
"Tell meeee" he pleaded, childishly.
"Now who's the one who is incapable of surprises?"
"I'm definitely not as bad as you. The last time I tried to surprise you, you almost jumped out of a moving vehicle."
She laughed. "I wasn't actually going to do it."
"Mhm"
Another laugh.
"Just hurry home and you'll find out" her voice promised.
Toby opened the door to his lovely abode with more eagerness than normal. His nostrils were instantly greeted by the sweet scents of all the most amazing things in the world combined. He slipped off his shoes quickly. He made his way to the kitchen, where Spencer was smiling vibrantly, wearing a tight black dress that clung to her ivory skin and came to an end at her mid thigh, permitting her gorgeous legs to shine endlessly. Her straight chestnut hair fell smoothly down to her mid chest. She looked divine.
"You look amazing," he started towards her, completely forgetting the food, too fazed by the sight in front of him.
"This old thing? Please," she fanned him off with one hand, meeting him in the middle of the kitchen for a tender greeting kiss.
"Ready for your surprise dinner?" she murmured, still close to his face.
"I almost forgot."
She laughed.
"Where's Noah?" he suddenly asked, his eyebrows ceasing.
"With Erica."
"Why'd I even ask?" Toby chuckled, meeting his wife's lips for another kiss of delight. She pulled away faster than he thought she would. He opened his eyes, confused.
"We need to eat before the food gets cold," she told him, her voice light and almost laughing.
He smiled, stealing one more kiss before letting her go.
The two sat at the dining room table after dinner, using two forks and one plate to chow down on pineapple upside down cake. They were both beyond stuffed from the feast Spencer had came up with, but the sweet, refreshing, scrumptious, cake could not be left out.
When the only thing left, but crumbs, lied on the plate and the candle that had been lit awhile ago started to flicker, Toby asked, yet again, what the occasion was.
And this time Spencer would actually give him an answer.
She laced her fingers in between his, replacing the forks hold, which he really didn't have a problem with, and smiled tenderly. Her smile was small and fragile. It wasn't a smile big enough to bring out her adorable dimples, or put a crinkle in her eyes. It was just a smile.
"Okay. I admit that I lied before… there is a reason why I did this all."
He raised his eyebrows, pretending to be taken back by this new information. "Really? Wow. Wow," he continued on. "I'm—stunned."
She rolled her eyes, her smile widening a tad. "Shh…" she hushed him.
"Fine. OK, shoot."
She gazed at him for a moment. Her copper eyes melting into the ocean of his. He smiled a little bit. It was one of the moments, where they defy science. Where they could read each other's minds. They didn't have any radio technology to do so, either. They didn't need it. They knew each other so well. They knew what the other was thinking. They knew when the other was upset. They knew each other better than they knew themselves. That was just them.
"I know that we both thought that with Noah going away to college, we would have this big house all to ourselves, but…" she began, breaking the silence between them. "It's not going to be all to ourselves…"
He gave her a questionable look.
She scooted her chair closer to him, licking her lips nervously. She didn't know why she was so nervous. It was Toby. On the list of people she would have to deliver the news to, he was the easiest to tell. "Someone would be joining us in nine months."
Another look of confusion.
He could beat her at scrabble, but not figure this out?
"They're little, but a lot to handle."
"Aria?" he guessed.
She began to laugh, shaking her head "Wow. Seriously Toby? It's not that hard to figure out."
"I'm gonna take that as a no…" he joined her in laughter. "Look, I'm not good at riddles. Just tell me."
"They'll probably be staying with us for eighteen years."
He seemed to finally connect the dots. His blue eyes became saucers, his lips separating in wild awe. He leaned closer to her, his eyes wild and crazy.
"Wha—Spencer" his mouth arched up into a spectacular. "That's—are you sure?"
She nodded, a smile matching his, taking land on her lips.
His arms locked around her eagerly. "That's amazing," he murmured into her ear. "I—I don't know what to say."
"I—" her voice hitched. She took in deep breath, gulping. "I was afraid you'd be disappointed."
"I'm a little surprised, but I am far, very far, away from being disappointed. I love you so much."
The smile on her face couldn't be put to rest, "I love you too."
-fin-
a/n: hey guys so that's it. THE END :(
fedsnjfsxnjcdnjdc if you have any questions about this story you can either private message me or ask me on tumblr: .com (self promo ftw) ! and yes the pregnancy thing...lol. I JUST WANTED TO GO OUT WITH A BANG OK. Sorry it sucked, but PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW GUYS. Like seriously. PLEASE. EVEN THOUGH IT SUCKED I DID WORK HARD ON IT. YOU KNOW? So yeah, just tell me what you thought. What you wished would have happened. What you didn't like. If you hated Erica. IDK. What your favorite part was (mine personally was the hanna/toby banter lol)
