FIC The days after their first kiss …part 4 (Spencer) G
Title: The days after their first kiss …part 4
Author: astabasta
Rating: G
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Spencer, Ashley, Arthur
Summary: Spencer and Ashley have a plan. Author's note: This series is my vision of what happens in the days after Spencer comes home after her first kiss (and whatever else may have happened) with Ashley. This is my version of season 1.5: that is between the end of the first season and the start of the second season. I have taken the liberty of introducing a new character, Emily, who you may have met in a previous part. Feedback and comments are welcome.
Spoilers/Warnings: None
Chapter IV
Spencer hears Arthur's footsteps outside her bedroom door.
"Dad?" Spencer calls.
Arthur's gentle face appears in the doorway. By her pouting lips and weary eyes, he can tell that Spencer needs to talk. Invited by her needy appearance, he comes in, and sits on her bed. Spencer leans into him, her entire body shudders with heavy sobs and Arthur puts a warm, steadying arm around her.
"Mom's ruining my life," Spencer weeps.
"She really doesn't mean to. And believe it or not, she makes the decisions that she does because she loves you. It's her responsibility – our responsibility – to protect you. You're her only girl, she sees so much of herself in you, and she only hopes for you what she has always hoped for herself."
"Then why doesn't she want me to be happy?"
Arthur thinks long and hard before he confesses, "Unfortunately, the happiness that mom wants for you is not the happiness that you've discovered on your own. And, frankly, she's scared to death about what you've found. She's so worried about you." Arthur pauses, then tentatively asks, "Are you happy?"
"Have you ever felt like all of a sudden your life just makes sense? That feelings that you didn't quite understand before suddenly fit perfectly in the hands of the right person?"
Arthur does not answer but looks into his daughter's eyes and knows that she is telling him a truth so tender and so unrehearsed that his heart all but falls into his stomach. His intuition, the one that has made him a trustworthy, understanding and dedicated social worker, believes what he sees.
"She asked me to go to Europe with her," Spencer whispers.
Spencer's speaks so softly that Arthur does not quite believe what he hears. But as her eyes search his face for a response, some sort of reaction, Arthur realizes that he heard Spencer correctly. His face pales, wrinkles form around his eyes and his mouth.
"Just until the end of the summer, Dad," Spencer's voice is louder, pleading, more committed to revealing her wish. "Her father will be there. His band is playing in a couple of countries. He has tickets for us, hotels in every city, and we even have a chaperone. Everything will be taken care of."
Arthur wipes his brow, runs a sweaty palm through his hair, and clears his throat.
"This could be a real educational experience for me," Spencer says in a mock-serious tone.
"Spencer," Arthur's voice is firm. "You're going to have to give me some time to think about this one." Spencer is taken aback by the change in his temperament.
"When is she leaving?" Arthur ventures to inquire.
Spencer looks around her bedroom as if she's searching for a life raft to grab onto before she reluctantly answers his question, "Next week."
Spencer's cell phone rings. They both see Ashley's picture on the display. Arthur takes the call as his cue to leave Spencer's bedroom or at least to avoid having to make a decision right at that moment.
Spencer can barely say hello before Ashley asks, "So, what did he say?"
"It didn't go that well," Spencer whispers not knowing how far her father has walked away from her bedroom door. "But, he did say he'd think about it."
"The tickets are open so if he changes his mind –"
"And my mother's," Spencer sharply interrupts.
"Oh ya, that - ," Ashley says with distaste. "Roadblock"
The other line beeps on Spencer's cell. Emily's name and number appear on the display.
"Give me a sec," Spencer tells Ashley before she clicks over.
"…and so I am thinking about having a perfect afternoon at the LACMA and who better to have it with than with you," Emily says.
"Huh?" Spencer responds confused.
"Do you want to go with me?" Emily asks pointedly.
"Where? What?" Spencer giggles nervously.
"Once again…cute but not too bright," Emily appears to say to someone else on her end of the line but not directly to Spencer. Then to Spencer, "The L.A. Museum of Art is showing the expressionists for a limited time, in fact it ends just after next weekend. I wanted to go since spring but I've been waiting to share the experience with someone who could really appreciate it. Check this out."
An image instantly appears on Spencer's cell display: a splendorous blend of sweeping reds, swirling greens, swaying purples, striking black strokes, and prancing oranges motionlessly dance to a symphony of inaudible music before Spencer's eyes. She is mesmerized by the stunning and sensual colors.
Spencer gasps in awe, "Who did this?"
"I did. But it's not even close to what you'll see tomorrow if you say yes."
"You did this?"
"It's nothing. Some end of the year project I added to my college portfolio."
"Isn't it a little too early to have a portfolio put together? I was going to start mine in the fall."
"I'm starting UCL Arts in the fall."
She's in college? That's hot.
"So for the third time," Emily asks impatiently. "Will you go to the show with me?"
"U 4get about me?" a text message from Ashley chirps onto Spencer's cell display.
"I have to go!" Spencer is flustered.
"Great. I'll come get you tomorrow at around - ," Emily says.
"No, I mean I'd like to go with you but I can't. My friend is leaving to Europe next week and I promised to spend the weekend with her."
"Your friend? The singer?"
She remembers.
"I see," Emily continues. "It's like that, huh? Well, let me know after she leaves, maybe we can hang. Later."
Spencer speed dials Ashley.
"You know better than to keep me waiting," Ashley sulks.
"But I've kept you waiting for weeks," Spencer teases.
"Months, but we'll fix that soon enough," Ashley teases back. "As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted by god-knows-who-could-be-more-important-than-me, the tickets are open and you can come at anytime and leave when you want."
"I still can't believe you're flying out next week, " Spencer whines.
"Monday."
"Monday! Ashley!" Spencer is clearly agitated and grits her teeth. "You're just full of surprises aren't you."
"I thought I mentioned that. Whatever. The bigger issue is that this weekend is the last time I'll see you before school starts. And with this whole curfew thing, I don't know how we're going to make that happen," Ashley says, disappointed. "I could come to your place," she rolls her eyes and painfully grimaces at the phone.
"A supervised home visit is not exactly what I had in mind," Spencer says. "Besides," her tone softens, becomes sweeter, "I want this weekend together to be special."
"I want it to be special, too," Ashley coyly smiles, moved by Spencer's tender wish.
They are quiet for a moment listening to each other's breaths and sighs. Then Ashley slyly says, "I have an idea."