Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.

Spencer woke bright and early to get some fresh bagels and coffee from Gina's bakery, leaving Emily and Benjamin sprawled out on the living room floor in a mess of pillows and blankets, the movie still playing on repeat. She changed into a floral sundress and wedges, brushing her hair and heading out as quietly as possible. She drove with the windows down as it was a gorgeous day, and she decided to wait on her order. She could use some time outside of the house before she was stuck there for a week. Well, she didn't have to stay at home, but she wanted to finish a few items before she truly called it vacation.

She strolled into the bakery and saw only one other customer inside, but Gina looked bushed, so she must have missed the rush by a good five minutes or six. She was relieved, because she did not want to run into people today. She wanted a semi-quick in and out trip for breakfast foods and coffee, but she also wanted to check on Gina. Girl did not look her usual one hundred percent.

"Hey, girl." Gina stopped pipping roses on top of her cupcakes. "You look hot."

"Thank." She laughed lightly. "You look like a hot mess."

"I know. I'm trying something new with my anxiety and panic disorder," she mused. "You missed the chaos."

"Lucky me." She set her clutch down on the counter. "What remains?"

"Warm bagels, and my dignity is around here somewhere." She scanned the floor with a laugh and continued to pipe out tiny, tiny roses onto the cupcake. "What can I get for you, though, hot pants?"

"I'm in a dress, so no, no hot pants."

"With that ass, are you sure you lean that way?"

"Are you joking or coming onto me? I honestly cannot tell."

"I'm exhausted and this is what happens when attractive people come at me." She lowered her voice. "You should have seen me with him. It was awkward. He hasn't spoken to me since."

"Oh, God." She shook her head. "Anyway, I need to place an order to go."

"Aww, you mean you didn't come to check up on me?"

"Not today. Maybe tomorrow."

"Two days in a row? My, my, what is happening to you? I thought you'd be glued to your work desk."

"Ugh, don't get me started with that." She rolled her eyes and waved it away. "I need three bagels."

"Let me guess: blueberry, everything and plain."

"Right on the money." She nodded. "And some of that veggie cream cheese, please, on the side."

"Does he eat it?" She set the pipping bag down and grabbed a rag to wipe her fingers off. "I thought he was against veggies."

"He is, but I'm trying to force them on him, just a little bit. He loves cream cheese, so I'm hoping he won't be picky about it." She shifted her weight from foot to foot and exhaled. "Any hints on how to feed a three-year-old vegetables?"

"I am happily without children, so nope." She bent down with a pair of tongs and plucked a bagel out with it, slipping it into a paper sleeve. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it." She dug her credit card out of her clutch. "I also need two large coffees."

"Which one am I preparing it for? Emily or Aria?" She collected two more bagels and adjusted them in the bag, dropping in six small cups of cream cheese—three veggie, three regular.

"Emily."

She nodded. "How's she doing?"

"Great. She's couching the high school swim team during the school year, and during the summer, she's helping over at the community center. She and Paige both."

"Awesome. Sounds like she's living the dream." She paused for a moment. "Well, her dream anyway."

"Yeah." Her eyes lowered to the display case, and she swallowed.

Gina had happened to glance over to see her eyes lower and frowned. "Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah, fine."

"Lair." She set a brown paper bag down on the counter and headed over to the other side to prepare the coffee. "What's wrong?"

"I'm just…questioning some choices I've made."

"That's heavy." She looked over her shoulder. "What choices? If you don't mind me asking."

"Moving here, uprooting my life for a position at Blackbush and Hart." She followed her over to the far end of the counter and tapped her debit card against it. "I miss Rosewood. I miss…having my friends practically next door. I miss… God, Hastings and Hastings."

"Your entire family is there in Rosewood, and it's easier to raise a child around that family. They do say it takes a village," Gian commented. "However, your career truly started there, and it's obvious you'd miss that life. It's been your entire life for years now. I understand that kind of missing."

"You do?"

"Of course. I started in a little shop in Ravenswood, and I miss it all the time. I got my start there, laid roots there, but I wouldn't trade it for what I have now." She picked up a cup holder and placed the prepared coffees into diagonal slots. "It's okay to miss where you began your roots, but it's not okay to let that longing take over what you've built here."

"How do I know I made the right choice?"

"You have to figure that out yourself, Spence. Sorry. I'm only good with words to a point." She slid the coffee holder over the counter. "That's $15.75."

She handed over her debit card. "Thanks."

"You'll work it out, Spencer. I believe in you." She ran her card and handed it back. "All I say is enjoy what time off you have with that little boy. He's special, and you know that."

"I do. Thank you again." She tucked the card back into her wallet inside the clutch and blew out a sigh. "Wish me luck relaxing."

"Good luck, honey." She grinned at her and returned to her cupcake. "Hmm. Now, it's this shit that makes me question my career. Could I tempt you? It looks horrible. I can't sell this."

"It looks cute." She slid the cup holder down to the brown bag and looked over the cupcake with blue and white roses. "I couldn't even swing that."

"Maybe not, but I kinda hate it." She lifted it up. "Here. Happy early cupcake giving day, or something."

"Oh, don't do this to me." Spencer whined playfully. "I can't."

"It's naturally sweetened." She singsonged, wobbling it towards her face. "It's probably healthier than the bagel. No gym worries."

"All right." She accepted the cupcake and peeled the paper from the bottom back to take a bite. "Oh, my God."

"Right." She grinned. "You're welcome, Spence."

"How is this legal?" Spencer laughed, swiping icing off the tip of her nose.

"Spencer? Spencer Hastings?"

That voice stopped every molecule in her body, her heart paused in its motions, and her stomach twisted up in a mass of knots, jumping up to her throat and lodging itself there. She was sure she would have choked on that damned cupcake had it not been so moist. Surely, she had misheard. Surely, she had an out of body experience and thought the voice she heard was the voice she heard. Surely—fucking surely—she did not hear the voice she just heard. After all this time, all this distance and working and trying to forget, to recover, to move on—and there that damned voice was. Anxious, questioning, confirmed. It matched how she felt.

She swallowed without chewing and looked over at the man who had spoken to her. There he was: Caleb Rivers. He was wearing a suit—a black, expensive, form-fitting—and standing less than five feet away from her. He looked good. He'd gotten broader around the shoulders, and he'd grown his goatee out. He looked like a man now. Standing tall. He was tall and right in front of her.

"Caleb."

"Caleb?" Gina stood back in case Spencer blew if this was the same Caleb she'd learned about.

"Spencer, hey." He gulped and approached her. He felt gutted, ripped in half, and there was nothing around him but her. The floor was gone, the air had fled, and even the ceiling and glass had vanished. It was simply the two of them, and it only intensified the emptiness he felt. It was cold and ran down his back like sharp fingernails. "How are—?"

He was cut off by a splat to the face, his face twitched at the contact of icing and cupcake mashing into it, and he could feel the icing in his nostrils. He honestly couldn't blame her for such a reaction; although he hadn't meant to run into her, and he hadn't even known she lived here, so he could blame her for potentially ruining his interview in half an hour at Blackbush Tech. There was that. He had earned the rest. Perhaps even more. No, confirmedly more.

"Puh." He coughed and sputtered, peeling the cupcake off his face. "Hello again to you, too."

"You've got to be kidding me. No. No!" She collected her things and started to flee before stopping and whirling around to face him. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

"I—I came to—"

"No, you know what? I don't care. Just stay the hell away from me!"

"Spencer, wait!"

"Goodbye, Caleb!" She turned on her heel and scurried out of the building without looking back.

"Spencer." Caleb called from the doorway, but she was long gone by the time he'd gotten to the door. "Damn it."

Gina handed over another napkin and smiled at him. "Here you go, fuckboy."

He scoffed and accepted the napkin. "Thanks."

"At least it was a cupcake and not the coffee."

"That is true." He excused himself to the bathroom to get cleaned up for his interview.

Emily woke up to the sound of panicked breathing and rolled over to find Spencer on the floor of the kitchen. "Oh, my God, Spence!" She scrambled to her feet and over to her, gripping her shoulders and holding her close. "Are you all right? What happened?"

"Fuck, Emily." She grasped her hand blindly and gripped it firmly. "He—he—he's here."

"Who, Spence, who is here…" She stopped in the middle of asking who the hell made her react this way and gulped. "Caleb."

"Mommy!" Benjamin ran over to her. "Mommy, don't cry."

"Ben." She wrapped her arm around him and pulled him close, kissing him softly on the top of his head. "Baby."

An hour passed before Spencer was able to calm down, Emily carried Benji to his room to play for a bit while she got Spencer some water and some wine to finish crossing her over that calming line. She sat down with her on the couch, the camera in Benji's displaying him playing with his action figures and looking now and then to the door, likely trying to check on his mom even though he was gated into his room. It was rough, but they needed adult time. She would make up for it later with cuddles and candy.

"I can't believe this." Emily shook her head and lifted her glass of wine to her lips. "Just…can't wrap my head around this."

Spencer was leaning over her knees, fingers tangled in her hair, rocking up and down on her heels. "Kill me, Emily, just…fucking kill me."

"No. I love you too much to do that."

"God, Caleb!" She straightened up and pulled her hair up into a ponytail then realized she had no hair tie and dropped her hair. "I—I can't do this. I moved out of Rosewood to avoid running into Caleb. Well, that and the job opportunity."

"Why is he here?"

"It's not like I talked to him, Em. I shoved a friggin' cupcake in his face and ran, because I haven't spoken to him in three years after having his kid. I mean, it's not a conversation starter." She realized how harsh she sounded, as her throat was raw and ripped, and she felt like a jackass. "I'm sorry. This isn't about you. It's about him and us and our son."

"I know. I get it, Spence."

"No, you don't." She met her best friend's concerned eyes and shook her head somberly, tearing up. "You don't know what it's to be in love with someone who…isn't there. Who looks at you like a buddy when you spill your guts. Who found out you were pregnant and bailed into the arms of your best friend."

"Spencer, I do know what it's like to love someone who isn't there. I loved Alison for years, and she loved me like a friend for years, but nothing good and honest ever came of it." Emily set her drink down on the coffee table and laced her fingers together. "And…Hanna and Caleb? They never even got married, Spencer. They broke up, and Hanna? She moved to New York to dive into her fashion career. Aria and I barely hear from her. We know she has a new line of clothes coming out in the fall."

"What?" Her head whipped around, and she stared. "Why didn't you tell me about this? Emily?"

"Because Hanna made Aria and me swear to keep her name out of our conversations with you. I—I'm sorry. I still value all we have together, and I couldn't cross that line, but you need to know the truth now, especially if Caleb is back in your life."

"Oh, my God." She ran a hand down her jaw and reached for her glass of wine, downing its content.

"I'm sorry I kept this from you, but I had to. I'm loyal to both of you, and I won't be put in the middle of your…love triangle."

"It's not a love triangle," Spencer corrected. "It's a bunch of dots now, no connecting lines."

"Spencer, if that were true, this would have ended with the cupcake, and you wouldn't have iced out Hanna for the last three years."

"What are you talking about?" She ran her hands through her hair and wet her lips, eyeing her best friend.

"Spencer, you still… you still keep pictures of Caleb in your phone. You call out of him sometimes in your sleep. You put Toby in the uncle zone. Toby, love of your teenage life."

"That's ridiculous."

"It's not ridiculous, and you're not denying it."

"I keep pictures of him for proof."

"Of what?"

"Of his existence. For Benji." She gestured to the screen where her son was playing. "So when he asks about his dad, I have someone to show him."

"Then why is it a picture of you two?"

"Why would I have pictures of Caleb alone?"

"We have group pictures."

"You're infuriating, Fields." She stood up and marched into the kitchen for a refill of wine. "You're blowing this way out of proportion. It is one photo of us when we were together. It was one dream. It was…just ones, all right? I'm not still in love with the jackass."

"I never said you were in love with him." Emily chased her into the kitchen. "Are you?"

"I just said I wasn't."

"But you implied love."

"So?"

"You know…there's a saying about love," Emily informed her. "The first love is necessary but a puppy love. It's meant to burn out. The second love is painful and—"

"Let me stop you right there. I don't need a speech on love. I need to figure out how to…avoid Caleb until he's out of my life forever." She set the glass down in the sink and decided to stop drinking. "I need cuddles from my son."

"His son," Emily rang. "Your son together. You can't avoid him if he wants custody. He has a right."

"No, he doesn't," Spencer seethed, a flame burning in her stomach at those words. "He abandoned me and his son the moment he stood me up for dinner, only cementing it by ignoring me whenever I tried to reach out in the weeks that followed."

"Legally, I meant."

"I'm aware of the laws." She swallowed. "If he wants to see his son, he'll have to take me up in court."

"Isn't that a bit drastic?"

"Not one bit."

"I just meant—you're friends. Well, you were friends. You could come to a conclusion to this situation outside of a courtroom. He's a good person who's made some questionable choices, but he's still a good person. Even I know that, and I haven't spoken to the guy in years." More or less.

"If he thinks he can stalk me to a new town and take my son from me, he's dead wrong."

"He would never just take Benji from you."

"How do you know that he won't try? People have been taking things from me my entire life. I've been made a victim more than once, and you know my history with pills, with Radely. All it takes is a little digging, and my son is taken from me! I have to punch first, Emily."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Caleb would never use your history against you."

"How do we know that? I thought he would never abandon his own blood, but he did. I thought he wouldn't be able to track me down, but he has. Clearly what I believe about Caleb isn't true."

"Spence, you need to calm down. It'll be all right. Trust me."

"I love you, Emily, but I just…need my son right now. Is that okay?"

"It's more than okay. I'll clean this mess up. Go be with him." She smiled consolingly at her. "Go before I go."

She smiled. "Thanks." She headed upstairs to play with her son, losing the wedges along the way and climbing over the baby gate to join him. "Hey, buddy."

"Do you feel better?" He looked up from his soldiers, the eyes of his father almost reflecting her image around the irises, and she shuddered. "Mommy?"

"Yeah, I feel better." She lowered herself down onto her knees on the carpeted floor and smiled at her little boy. "How goes it with the men?"

"I'm bored." He tilted his head to the side and sighed. "I wanna go outside, and I'm hungry."

"Right, I forgot to bring you breakfast. I'm so sorry. Why don't we go outside and Auntie Em warms up those bagels?"

"I wanna play with Bastian and Ms. Alicia," he pouted. "May I?"

"Honey, it's her day off, and Mommy's here." She tucked hair behind his ear and tried to offer an encouraging smile. "We can have fun together. We don't need Alicia and her dog."

"But I wanna play with her dog."

"Okay, well, why don't we get breakfast first? Hmm?"

"Okay."

"Okay." She clapped her hands and attempted a smile. "Let's go."

He stood up, and she gathered him up in her arms, kissing his cheeks and blowing raspberries onto his neck until he was giggling and squirming for freedom. She laughed with him and tickled him, his body dropping to the floor with a soft thud and laughter erupting from his lips. She laughed manically during the attack to make him laugh even more, and she finally gave in when he cried uncle.

She tucked hair behind her ear and kissed him on the nose. "Mwah." She grinned at him.

"I love you, Mommy."

"I love you more, baby."

"Not possible."

She beamed at him. "C'mon, let's get breakfast."

They held hands and strolled downstairs. They ate breakfast just the two of them, Emily had work to do in town, and Spencer told her not to bring Caleb back here. Emily didn't even pretend to not be seeking out Caleb, and Spencer warned her as lightly as possible with her son in the next room. She simply said goodbye to the two of them and headed out.

Emily found Caleb easily, lurking outside the computer store in town, and she greeted him with a smile and hug, glad to see him out and about. He'd been in a deep depression for a while now, with the news of Hanna's success and Spencer simply missing from his life, and no one would or could talk about either one of them with him. It was a rule they had both laid out. No one talked to Caleb about how well or how poor they were doing. Hanna's was a sort of punishment for straying with her best friend, permission granted or not, and Spencer's was a pure and simple cut out. It wasn't to be cruel. It was to move on and raise a strong, healthy, happy boy. She had managed so far, so maybe now was the time to break the rule.

"Hey, Emily, you look great." He laughed happily at seeing an old friend. He saw her around Rosewood with her swim team and with Paige, but he never spoke to her. She liked to look at him like he was a wounded bird, and he couldn't handle that. He wasn't wounded. He wasn't broken. He was…a little lost. He was finally finding his way again. "How are you? What brings you here?"

"I'm okay, and you know what and who brings me here." She tucked hair behind her ear as the wind picked up, tugging at her blouse. "Spencer and your son."

The air fled his lungs at the mention of that word, a burning sensation kissed his nose, and his eyes seared with light tears. The dusty halls of his heart and soul were swept clean by the mere word—son. He panted an exhale and couldn't help but smile. "S—son? I have a son?"

Emily didn't realize how far the cut off period went. "You didn't know."

"I knew she was pregnant, but I never knew with what." He shivered and tried to contain the emotions brewing up in his stomach, and he loosened his tie. "I have a son."

"He's three years old."

His hand moved to his mouth as he tried not to cry. "D—do you have a picture?"

"Only like a million." She nodded and pulled her phone out of her pocket, unlocking it and going through the pictures she had to find ones of Benjamin and Spencer. She moved closer to show him the photo. "This one is my favorite." It was the first fall Spencer and Emily and Aria had gotten to spend together. They were all in Blackbush, so naturally they went pumpkin picking with Benji and Spencer. This picture was of the four of them, taken by a local, with the biggest pumpkin any of them had seen. Spencer and Aria rode on top of it with Ben sitting on the front and Emily taking up the rear. They were all smiling and happy. After the picture was taken, Emily fell off the rear with Aria, and Spencer nearly wet herself laughing.

"Oh, my God." He took the phone and zoomed in on him. "This is him?"

"It's an old picture, but yes, that's Benji."

His eyes landed on the two-year-old with Spencer's arm around him, holding him in place, and his vision blurred with tears. He was beautiful, with the same hair type, complexion, beauty marks and chin dimple. But the rest? Those eyes, those lips, that nose—it was all Caleb. He could see himself reflected in the small boy, and his heart swelled. "Benji?"

"Benjamin Luther Hastings-Rivers." Glossy eyes met hers, and she nodded. "She may not admit it, but she always wanted a piece of you in his life."

"Why Luther?"

"It's from a poem Toby gave her when she was pregnant. It meant a lot to her, so she added it to the most important person in her life."

"I… I never meant for this to happen," he pleaded. "I always meant to do better."

"I know."

"No, how could you?" He shook his head. "I… I never meant to abandon them. Not once was that the plan."

"Caleb, I know." She gripped his arm. "Now, Spencer might kill me for this for, but I have her address, and you can see him in person. He doesn't know about you, hasn't asked, but I've told him stories. He knows a little."

"Thank you, Emily, but I can't do that. I can't violate Spencer's trust in you like this. I'll make peace my own way. Trust me. I have a plan."

"I thought you didn't know Spencer was in town."

"I didn't, but I had a plan back in Rosewood. I just never…acted on it. I was…distracted."

"Yeah, it was a rough ride." She laughed anxiously and cleared her throat. "Why don't I tell you where we'll be later? You can come and talk to Spence."

"That'd be great, Em. Thanks." He stepped close to her and handed her phone back. "But try and make it just the two of you. I'm not ready to meet him. I… I just need more time."

"Yeah, I get that, but you shouldn't waste much more. You've spent enough time away from him, don't you think?"

"Yeah." He cleared his throat this time. "I'll let you go now. It was great to see you. We should have dinner sometime."

"I'd love that." She checked her watch. "It's about lunchtime. Why don't we meet at the bistro? It's just two blocks away, and it has a great food. Healthy choices, too. She ensures he eats healthy."

"That sounds like her. Does he go for it?"

"Chicken nuggets and chocolate milk were our dinner last night." He laughed. "So, mostly no."

"Yeah, that sounds about right. I think I was the same when I was a kid."

"I think we all were." Her phone rang, and it was Spencer. "I should take this, but we'll definitely do dinner later."

"Yeah, I'll text you."

She waved and answered the phone, returning to her car and hearing Spencer asking her to pick up some lunch from the bistro. Emily challenged her and asked her to get out of the house. Ben wanted out of the house anyway, and they could visit the dog park and the shelter to see puppies and dogs. She was hesitant, but she knew Emily was right. She agreed to meet her there.

So, twenty-two minutes later the three of them were sitting around a booth and sipping on ice waters with lemon. Spencer placed an order for chicken salad, Emily ordered grilled chicken, and Ben went with his usual chicken nuggets and fries. Spencer wasn't in the mindset to argue with him today. She'd make him eat something green with dinner.

"Is this the part where you acknowledge the trap you've walked me into?" Spencer scribbled on the coloring sheet the waitress had brought over for Ben, coloring in the hippo since he'd claimed the dog on the other side. A green hippo.

"If you knew it was a trap then why come?"

"Because it's inevitable." She glanced at her for a moment. "Isn't it?"

"Yeah, I think it is." She nodded and stretched out her legs. "Green for a hippo?"

"He took the purple," Spencer argued playfully.

"No, it looks good."

She chuckled. "I bet."

"Hey, Spence." Emily nudged her foot under the table, and Spencer lifted her eyes again. "He's here."

"I'll be right back, baby." She set the crayon down and kissed his hair. "Stay with Auntie Em."

"Okay, Mommy." He didn't even look up from the coloring sheet.

She slid out of the booth, minding her dress on the way out, and she saw him standing by the host's stand, eyeing her to try and gauge her mood. She honestly had no mood towards him anymore. He was a total stranger to her. She had no opinion of him, no respect for him, and no love for him. No matter what Emily said, there was nothing between them. They weren't even friends. He had burned that bridge almost four years ago.

"Hello, Caleb." She stopped a few feet away from him, glad the host was away at the moment.

"Hello, Spencer," he echoed. His eyes were forcefully glued to her face, because if he looked away for one moment, he'd be drawn to his son. This wasn't how he wanted to meet him, but if it happened, it happened. It would Spencer's move. He owed her that much.

"I don't think now is the time for us to talk it all out." She raised her shoulders to try and loosen the tension there.

"Why don't we meet for dinner tonight then?" he suggested.

"Oh, are you actually going to show this time?"

"I deserve that."

"And so much more," she hissed then reeled it in because she was in public, "but fine."

"I went to a restaurant this afternoon, La Poisson, so why don't we go there for dinner? I already made reservations for around seven, and I will be there. This is important."

"It was important the first time, too."

"I know, and I can't apologize enough for missing it. There's a reason, and I'll explain it to you tonight. Just give me a chance, please. I've changed."

"Here's the thing: for your change to matter, I have to know you, but I don't. The moment you abandoned me and our unborn baby was the moment you became a stranger to me."

He slowly nodded. "I understand, and I hope…this second meeting will show you what kind of man I am today."

"All I hope is it's a good man who wants to be involved with his son, because a child needs its father." She turned on her heel. "I'll see you tonight." She rejoined her table and smiled at her little boy, seeing he had finished with his dog. "That looks so good."

"Thanks. I named him Rosco."

"I like Rosco."

"Me, too."

Spencer knew he wanted a dog. He always talked about it with Alicia and with Aria, both of them having dogs, and she knew they had to have that conversation. She didn't want a dog right now. He was too young to accept the responsibilities of a dog, and she couldn't ask Alicia to watch her son and her dog both. She paid enough to, but she didn't want a dog. They were loud and messy and adorable, but she had a child for that. She could only hope he grew out of this wanting a dog phase and grew into wanting an animal that was simple, like a turtle or a fish. If he outright asked for a dog, she had no idea how she would go about telling him no, but she'd have to. It was in their lease that they couldn't have pets—probably.

Their food arrived as the train of thought came to an end, they ate and made jokes and laughed over Ben's little kiddy jokes. It was a good afternoon, but Spencer still struggled with trying to share her son. It lingered on her mind. She was the one who changed his diapers and soothed his colds and sucked out boogers and stuck out his tantrums. She was the one who had been there his entire life, and she was the only parent he had ever known. She wouldn't give up single motherhood for a possible chance of Caleb getting involved in their lives. He bailed the last time, so he might bail again. Honestly, horribly, she hoped. She wasn't the type to share, especially not the most important man in her life. Well, important little man. She hoped if Caleb was serious, this feeling didn't interfere with their relationship. This or any other feelings.

Emily sat on Spencer's bed while she tried on dress after dress, always finding some detail wrong with one dress or another. She had done up her hair and makeup and had a pair of heels in mind. She wanted to be taller than him to be in a position of power. She wanted to be the one to lead this conversation, and she wanted to be the one who laid the ground rules of their meeting, especially the meeting with their son for the first time.

"This is too office." She tossed it beside Emily. "This is too sexy."

"Spencer," Emily stood up, "you've complained about every single dress."

"Well, all I own are office attire and date dresses. La Poisson is an extravagant restaurant, and I can't wear jeans." She rubbed her arm and huffed. "Why don't you find a dress for me? I can't decide."

"Here. I settled on this one an hour ago." She dug it out from the pile of "too sexy" and revealed the eggplant hued, high-low, laced-neckline dress with black heels. "Here."

"Isn't that implying that I want to sleep with him? Instead of the power move I'm going for?"

"Spencer, just put on the damn dress."

"All right." She dressed and adjusted her curls and touched up her makeup. She felt like a little girl playing dress up. She was anxious about his intentions tonight. She didn't want to make him the bad guy, and she didn't want to play the bad guy herself, but she had to admit his timing was awfully suspicious. If someone ratted her out, she was going to cut them out of their lives. She didn't want Caleb to know where she had moved to, and she didn't want to be having this dinner, but it was, as she had said, inevitable.

"How do I look?" She spun around to show off the gown.

"You look hot."

"Thanks." She pressed her lips together and checked the watch on her wrist. "I should get going before I'm late. If he bothers to show up this time."

"He'll show. I know it." She gripped her arms and smiled at her. "Go get him."

"Yeah." She nodded and grabbed her clutch. "Kiss Ben goodnight for me."

"Will do."

She said goodnight to her baby boy and hugged him and told him a surprise would be waiting for him tomorrow. It was either the new firetruck she'd ordered for him or his father. She would give no hints, because she had no idea which it would be. "Have a good night with Emily, all right? She leaves tomorrow afternoon."

"Why can't I go with you?" he pouted.

"Because it's a business meeting, and it's not fun." She bent down and cupped his cheeks. "I will be back before you know it, and we'll have waffles for breakfast with bacon—if you eat brussels sprouts with dinner."

"Fine," he grumbled. "But promise."

"I promise."

They said goodnight there in the living room, Spencer kissed his cheek and told him she loved him before she departed from the house. She drove to the restaurant and sat on in the car debating going or staying then after mustering up her courage, she strolled inside. She said the reservation was under Rivers and saw him sitting in the same suit as this morning, and she felt relief settling in her stomach. He was here. He was truly here, so that meant he truly wanted to be a part of his son's life.

"Right this way." The hostess showed her to the table and left her menu. "Enjoy."

"So, you decided to show. Color me shocked." She meant it was a musing, but he took it seriously from the look in his eye.

"Here." He stood up and pulled her chair out for her. "And I wouldn't miss this for anything."

"Thank you." She sat down and exhaled deeply. "You look nice."

"You look beautiful." He seated himself and smiled naturally. "I missed you, if I'm being honest."

"I… I don't know what you want," Spencer confessed. "A friendship. A relationship. I don't know. You're a complete stranger to me, Caleb Rivers. We have a son who you've never met, and you've missed me?"

"I didn't even know if you went through with the pregnancy, or if you settled on adoption. I didn't know if I had a daughter or a son. All I knew was I was missing the best part of myself, and I couldn't get it back. It was gone before I had it, and I ache for it. Ache for it, Spence. Please, please, believe that I am sorry."

"How could I believe you? You abandoned us. I asked you to dinner, and you didn't even have the decency to call or ever show up to explain why."

"Spencer, you don't understand."

"I understand that I waited for you for hours in that restaurant. I understand that I went home alone in tears. I understand I have raised our son alone for the past three years. So, don't you dare sit there and tell I don't understand, because I understand plenty."

"No, I don't mean about Benji or about us. I meant about that night." He sighed softly and met her eyes. "I spent two hours arguing with Hanna prior to our dinner. I spent an hour trying to get my car started once it broke down. Then I just…got scared. I was twenty-five and stupid and scared out of my mind. A child? A baby? How could I raise a child when I had no experience to dip into? I am sorry. I'll always be sorry, but I need you to forgive me, so we can do this together."

He then went into detail about what happened with his car—or so the repairman told him—and his fears, his doubts. He wasn't a father type. Yes, he and Hanna would have had children, but he would have had time to consider his role. He would have had any time to consider anything, but with her, it just happened seemingly overnight, and there was no real time. Everything was on a countdown clock, and he was drowning from the weight of his stress and the expectations that would be thrust upon him. He wasn't sure he could do it then, but now he was sure. He was damn sure he could be a father. He wanted to be a father. He wanted to make amends. Please, please let me make amends….

She didn't speak. She was blown away. She hadn't considered his side of the story. She didn't want to. She wanted to stay angry, and she wanted to stay away from him, because she wasn't the type to share. She could be rather selfish and wanted to keep this little life they'd made together all to herself. She loved him from the start, even when she was scared. It was why she kept him. Why she stalled when pressed about what her intentions were with the baby—adoption, abortion or to keep him.

So, she needed to love him now. To love him and know he needed his father. He needed two loving parents, and he needed to know the part of him that was Caleb. She had no right to keep him away. She had no reason behind her anger anymore. She knew it wouldn't be so simple, but she needed to act now like she knew there was no real reason to keep the rage so close. The anger would be released when she stopped holding onto it like a lifeline. She needed to let go and simply love Benjamin. She needed to be an adult and let go. No matter how twisted up he made her.

"You still left me," Spencer weakly remarked, her voice not her own, soft and raspy, full of emotion. "You left me to raise a child all on my own. You were my friend, my lover, the father of our child, and you fucking bailed on me. On him. How can I forgive you overnight? Do you know what it's like to love someone who only liked you? Who ran back to his ex? To ran away from his responsibilities? Do you know, Caleb? Do you?"

His eyes lowered to the table, and this was the moment the waitress came over to ask if they'd decided on what to eat. Spencer ordered a bottle of wine, Caleb kept with water, and they said they'd decide on food later. The bottle was presented and opened, and Spencer downed the first glass without blinking. She poured herself a second and wiped a stray tear from her eye.

"I can't put myself in your shoes, Spence. I'm sorry I never tried. I will start tonight, and I will make it right with you and with our son. Please, give me the chance to do right by you both. I—I need him, Spence. Like air. You have no idea what the last three years have been like for me. Knowing he was out there and never having seen him or kissed him or held him felt like a bleeding, festering wound. It still does…so, please, Spence, please forgive me."

"I don't think I can," she whispered honestly. "I've spent so much many years trying to hate you that forgiving feels like betrayal, but…you're not the only one who has to make an effort here. I'll try. For our son, I will try."

He bowed his head. "Thank you."

She nodded and wiped yet another stray tear from her cheek and snuffled. "How did you find me, by the way?"

"I didn't know I had." He gripped his hands together under the table. "I… I got a job offer from the tech department at Blackbush Technology. I just…needed out of Rosewood, and they come highly recommended. The benefits were too amazing to pass up, and it's temp-to-hire, so we can both back out if it isn't a good fit."

"What benefits?"

"Housing. I get an apartment right down the road from Bloomdale Park, and I get free lunches from the cafeteria. Free gym membership. I get a brand new, state-of-the-art laptop and desktop, and I get upgrades for free. Access to new applications and…a lot of boring tech talk." He laughed to himself at her expression. "It's kind of a dream job. I hope it works out."

"You'd have to stay in Blackbush, though, right?"

"Kind of, yes. Is that a problem?"

"No. Not at all. I mean…no." She shook her head. "That's incredible, Caleb. I'm happy for you. You sound like you deserve it."

"After the last three years, yeah, I'd say I've earned it."

"How have the last three years treated you?" she inquired, curious.

"Well, Hanna and I are not married or divorced. We actually never got married, because of the whole pregnancy ordeal," he carefully spoke. "She was too upset. All we did was fight. Then she called it quits and moved back to New York. She's doing well from the bits and pieces I've read in magazines. She's engaged, actually, I think. It's been difficult trying to tell rumor from reality with celebrity designers."

"Yeah, I imagine."

"But um," he cleared his throat, "yeah. I've been doing tech work here and there to support myself. I moved with Toby for a little bit after the split, but he has since moved into a new house that he built himself, so I have the place all to myself. Had—had the place all to myself.

"I've been out there lately. Out in the world, I mean. I've kept pretty close to home, staying in touch with our mutual friends and trying to breach the Hastings boarder to learn where you were. I wanted to see you and our kid, but those walls are steel walls." He laughed gently. "It's okay. I understand why you asked them to keep me out. I would do the same if I had been so cruel."

"Caleb, I never asked for them to keep you out. It was implied, but I didn't think they'd listen. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Don't be sorry. It happened, and it's over now, right? We're going to be parents."

She gulped but nodded her head. "We're going to be parents."

A smile spread across his lips, and it couldn't be contained. It mirrored itself on her lips, and she chuckled, and the air instantly lightened. The conversation turned into an all-you-can-see picture and story time on Benjamin. Caleb actually moved his chair to be beside her instead of across from her to see better, Spencer ordered for the both of them while Caleb watched a community play featuring two and a half-year old Benji as a bush, and the waitress brought out a crab cake on the house for the lovely couple, having seen them sharing videos regarding baby Ben. Spencer had a mouthful of rice and couldn't correct her, and Caleb was distracted by a Christmas video of their son from last year.

"Did you hear her?" Spencer murmured behind her hand.

"Yep." He lowered the phone and chuckled. "I'm stunned you didn't chew her head off."

"I am not that kind of monster."

"You sort of are."

"You're such an ass." She rolled her eyes and continued to eat and drink. "You've always been a bit of an ass, you know that?"

"Wow, someone's buzzed."

"I've been on my best behavior for the last three years, so bite me."

"Where?"

She blinked and eyed him. "What did you say?"

"Hmm?" He acted innocent and pointed to a photo. "Is this you? As a giant turkey?"

"Yes, and our son is a bowl of yams." She laughed at the memory. "Aria dragged me to it. She wanted to do something festive, and we were still new to town, so we went and got parts in the play. It was Thanksgiving. She was feeling lonely, and we just did it."

He smiled at her. "You don't look so happy."

"Yeah, they shot me at the end to cook me. Like that scene from Stepmom? Totally pew-pewed me."

"Pew pewed you?" He snickered. "Your vocabulary has changed so much."

"It had to. I can't speak to you like I speak to a newborn. Benjamin has an excellent vocabulary, but not as vast as mine. I had to…shrink it some. Is that weird?"

"No, I think it's sweet." He reached over and grasped her hand. "Thank you for taking such good care of our son."

"Of course. I'm his mother, how else am I going to care for him?" She pulled her hand away and picked up her glass of wine.

"I didn't mean it as an attack."

"I know." She gripped the stem to her cup and exhaled from the pit of her lungs. "I'm still angry with you, Caleb, so forgive me if I am harsh."

"I know," he murmured. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry; be better," she finalized.

Their dinner lost its warm and friendly attitude, they kept up a front for the kind waitress, but Spencer mostly drank. Caleb asked her to slow down, but she wasn't listening. She finished off the bottle and was almost completely gone herself by the time Caleb paid. He helped her out of the restaurant and into her car, though it was a wrestling match to get her keys from her. She was clinging to his neck, laughing, and while he couldn't help but laugh at her laughter, he had to get her home.

"Spence, easy, easy." He helped her into the passenger seat and removed her heels before she broke her neck. "Careful, please, you're gonna break yourself."

"Caleb, you are such a mother hen." She pulled her foot from him and set it on his chest. "Which is truly comical, because you're a daddy. You're not even a good daddy. You…deserted me and our son, so you're a piece of shit daddy."

"Yup, that's hysterical." He caught her other ankle and removed her heel. "There, now sit back, please."

"Mmm-mmm." She shook her head. "You'll have to make me, and seeing as you couldn't come to one lousy dinner, good luck."

"Spence, c'mon."

"Caleb, c'mon." She mirrored his tone and laughed, her leg sliding up to rest against his shoulder, her dress hiking up to reveal lacy black panties. "Va te faire foutre, Rivers." She shoved him back.

He didn't need to know what French to know what Spencer was implying. She was drunk and aggressive, apparently, and he didn't want to fight with a drunk version of her. He just wanted her to get home safely. And he would ensure that. He caught her leg and placed it down on the floor of her passenger seat. "Here, let me buckle you in."

She crossed her legs sloppily. "Asshole."

"But an asshole who wants you to get home in one piece for our son." He smiled tightly and buckled her in. "Keep your limbs in the car, please." He closed the door and walked around to the other side of the car, buckling himself in and texting Emily for the address to Spencer's house

"You know," Spencer narrowly eyed him, bobbling her leg up and down as best she could in the limited space, "our son is so sickeningly like you."

He laughed. "Is he now?"

"He chews like…like you...chew."

"How do you know how I chew?" He glanced at her, and she grumbled a reply he couldn't make out. "Spence?"

"He walks…like you…."

"I doubt he walks like me."

"He does."

"I guess I'll see."

"Hmm, yeah, guess so…."

Spencer dozed off in that moment, he drove them home after receiving the address from Emily, and he carried her inside. He found Emily waiting in the entry way of the house, and he smiled shyly at her. She didn't have to ask what happened, simply guided him to her bedroom and took the heels from his fingers.

"Thanks for getting her home." Emily tucked her in on her side and pulled her hair back into a ponytail.

"You're welcome." He loosened his tie and looked around at the pictures of Ben and Spencer with her friends and a few of his own. "Wow, he's so big."

"Not really." Emily slid off the bed. "Do you want to see him? He's in bed, but I don't think he'd mind."

"No, no let him sleep." He shook his head. "I'll be back in the morning."

"Good, because if you would have bailed a second time, I'd have found you and broken your knees." She was entirely serious, and he nodded with a gulp he attempted to hide by clearing his throat. It didn't work so well—for him anyway. "Okay?"

"Ye—yeah."

"I'll show you out then I have to get some sleep. I have to get up early to head home. My kids have a meet."

"Well, good luck to them."

"I'll let them know."

They walked downstairs to the front door, Emily was tempted to ask him to stay the night, but he had to get back to his hotel room and make a phone call in the morning to accept or decline the offer from Blackbush Technology. She said goodbye to him there, and she realized then he had no car to drive himself back to the hotel.

"Okay, maybe I could stay the night?" he laughed hopefully.

"Sure. You can sleep on the couch." She let him back inside and patted his arm. "I'll get the guest sheets."

"Thanks."

Spencer woke up to the sound of birds chirping distortedly, and she groaned, her head tighter than a drum and full of a wine hangover. She dragged herself out of bed and into the shower, drowning herself in hot water and cucumber scent soap. She dried off and slipped into jeans and a blouse, heading downstairs to drown herself next in coffee and aspirin.

There was laughter in the kitchen, and she slowed her steps until she could peek in and see who was laughing and about what. It was Emily and Caleb and Benji. They were laughing over waffles and eggs, and it was a heartwarming scene. She had longed for such a scene since her son was born, and the jealousy she worried she'd feel was nowhere in sight.

"Mommy!" Benji jumped up from his table beside the island counter and ran over to her. "Good morning."

"Good morning, baby." She scooped him up into her arms and brought him over to the island. "How is everybody?"

"Great." Emily sipped her coffee. "How'd you sleep?"

"Like a rock." She didn't want to mention the hangover in front of her son. "Caleb, what brings you over?"

"I spent the night." He placed a cup of water and a bottle of aspirin in front of her. "Here, thought you might need this."

"Thank you." She looked at her son for a moment before speaking to him, "Baby, do you know who this is?"

"I think," he whispered to her.

"Who do you think he is?"

"Uncle Caleb," he responded. "Right?"

"Close." She set him down on the floor and tucked hair behind her ear. "This is your daddy."

"Daddy?" he repeated the world, unfamiliar and questioningly.

"Yes, Daddy." She blinked back tears. "Do you remember our conversation about mommies and daddies, and how yours was away on a special trip?" He nodded. "Well, Caleb's back now, and he's very excited to meet you, baby. He's so very sorry he was away for such a long time, but he's back, and he's going to be here every day." She looked over at him, locking eyes, "Right?"

Caleb found himself nodding and crouching down to be at the same level as Spencer and Benji. "Right."

"Daddy." Eyes just like his found Caleb's face and searched and searched and searched until tears began to pool in those chocolate orbs, and he let go of his mom's hands and approached the man named Daddy. "You're my dad?"

"I am." He couldn't help the tears in his eyes, and he reached out a hand to touch his face, but Benji caught the hand with his own and spread his fingers out against his father's palm and began to sob. "No, no, don't cry." Caleb closed his fingers around the tips of his son's and pulled him into his arms. "It's okay. I'm here now, and I am going nowhere. I swear. I swear."

Spencer watched, sobbing, at the sight of her little boy buried in his father's arms, and she cupped a hand to her mouth at the beauty of such a sight. Emily joined her on the floor and consoled her. It was a happy moment, one to be seared into her brain over the image of desertion. It would take more time, more moments, to completely cloak such a negative scar, but she knew he would make it happen.