"Momma…Momma" Aaron said as he pulled back Spencer's eyelid as she slept, his face a mere three inches from her own.
She grabbed him at the wrist and pulled his hand from her eye, moving over in bed and pulling him up over the side. She reached blindly for her glasses on her nightstand and saw the glowing red numbers on her clock— 5:42AM.
"What in the world are you doing up mister?" She nudged his nose with her own, her voice hushed in a raspy whisper of morning.
"The sun is up so it's tomorrow," he explained loudly in her face as she put a finger to his lips and shushed him.
"Inside voice," she reminded sweetly.
"It's time for my surprise now," he smiled a big toothy grin.
"Not until Mommy gets out of bed, and we have breakfast, and we go get Tabitha." She explained. "You've got a few more hours, buddy."
"Can I go watch TV with Pickles?" He pleaded.
"Nooo, snuggle with Momma," she said pulling him close as he wiggled away.
"No more sleeping," he said adamantly as Pickles jumped up onto the bed.
"See, Pickles wants to cuddle with Momma," she laughed as the dog licked her face and she rubbed his head. "We can watch TV on the tablet if you keep the volume quiet," she negotiated. "And let Momma hold you."
"Deal," he grinned and grabbed the tablet from her nightstand, expertly navigating through the menus to find Curious George on Netflix.
Spencer fell back asleep for about five minutes cuddling with her baby boy and her new cuddly little one when Aaron started yelling at Pickles for farting on him and started crying.
"Alright, I'm up." She said rubbing her eyes. Ah, motherhood.
"Toby! Toby! Toby! Toby!" Aaron chanted upon seeing Toby waiting outside for them in the car. "You is coming to the surprise?"
"Yes sir," Toby smiled, swinging his keys around his finger.
"YAY!" He got excited. "We are going to go get Tabby now?"
"Yep, as soon as you get in and buckle up," he smiled as Spencer made her way around his car and put in his carseat and secured him in, joining Toby in the front seat.
As Toby turned the key in the ignition, the engine sputtered and fizzled out.
"Ah, shit," he mumbled under his breath, turning the ignition again hoping for the engine to turn over and getting out of the car to check under the hood.
"Dad, I need to borrow your car. Like, now." Toby said frantically.
"You moved out," Mr. Cavanaugh reminded. "You don't get to barge in here like that.
"My car won't start, and a jump didn't help so it's the engine and repairs will take a while…this is an emergency… C'mon, you know I wouldn't be here if I didn't REALLY need it…and you have the van if you really need to go anywhere while I use the car… It's crucial I get somewhere,"
"You should have thought of that before you left home. No one forced you,"
"She did," he glared behind his father at his step-mother. As Mr. Cavanaugh grimaced at his son's disrespect towards his wife, Toby refocused his attention on his father. "I'll have it back tonight, I promise. No funny business." He was speaking in a rushed tone, unable to stop from fidgeting in every which way.
"I'm not giving you my car without you telling me what you're acting like a lunatic about…just go down to Pep Boys and get the car looked at, you'll have it back in a day or two. Whatever it is can wait."
"No, it can't. It's life and death, Dad!" he yelled.
"Life and death?" he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back onto the kitchen island. "Well now I'm curious."
"Dad, it's, just — UGH!" He grunted in frustration, raking his fingers through his hair and turning away before deciding he needed to just come clean. "I got a girl pregnant, and I kinda walked out… and she went back to school a few days ago, and I need to go make sure everything's okay. I don't want her to not have it because of me or something… I don't wanna be a deadbeat dad, either."
Mr. Cavanaugh sighed, "What did you do, Toby?!" He slammed his fist into the countertop. "Couldn't you be God-damn careful?! Who is this girl? Oh no, this isn't the girl you were driving around with all summer — the Hastings girl?"
"Spencer," he nodded. "I care about her. I need to go, I need to go tell her… She needs to know she isn't alone."
"You know her family is going to kill you… That Veronica is ferocious. You don't need a mess with that family, I'll tell you that. They'll sooner bury you than lose."
"So can I just have the keys?" He said impatiently.
"No." He said calmly.
"Why not?! I told you what this is about! This is my child we're talking about, and the mother of my child. I'm going to give her Mom's ring… not like an engagement or anything, but like, a, hey, we can be a family…I need to talk to her and apologize before anything else. She butt-dialed me yesterday and I can't help but think that that's a sign."
"Whoa whoa whoa, slow down. You will not do any of that. Toby, do you realize who you're dealing with? Spencer Hastings? You really think you can do this with her? Trust me, there's nothing you can give her that her family can't. She's going to have enough on her plate with a baby, if she even has it. Do you really think she needs your trouble on top of it? And how do you expect to finance any of this and support them? Are you going to sell drugs again and end up leaving them for jail? No, Toby. You aren't going. The best thing you could do for that girl and that baby is stay far, far away."
"But —" he cut himself off, taking in his father's words.
"You've got nothing to offer them. Leave well enough alone. She'll be okay. Just hope she doesn't have that baby. God only knows what problems it'll have with all those drugs in your system. It'll probably have an extra eye or something mutant-like."
"But I want to make sure she's okay… I care about her."
"If you really care about her, you'll save her the trouble of dealing with you for the next 18 years. And for God's sake wear a condom from now on you ass," he said hitting him on the back of his head. "I'm doing you a favor by not allowing you to go bother her. You've done enough."
He's probably right, she doesn't need me, Toby thought. She probably already got rid of it, anyway. Why would she want a reminder of her poor decision making in screwing me all of August?
"I don't know what I was thinking…" He laughed it off nervously, wanting so badly to see her and talk to her again, but his brain convinced he needed to be done with her — for her sake.
"Forget it, we can take my car," Spencer said hopping out and undoing Aaron's buckles.
"Sorry," he mumbled, walking over to her car.
"It's okay," she shrugged. "Come on, let's go get Tabs," she smiled at Aaron and buckled him into her car and got into the driver's seat, waiting for Toby to get in the passenger's seat. When she turned the car on, a Disney sing-a-long tape came on immediately and Aaron started scream-singing the Winnie-the-Pooh theme song. The two adults exchanged looks and just smiled.
"Don't you look pretty," Spencer smiled as she pulled up in front of Ashley and Ted's to find Tabby playing in the front yard in a dress resembling Elsa's "Let it Go" costume with Elsa's face in a brooch on the front.
"Aaron who is she dressed like?" Spencer quizzed as Toby leaned back against the hood of the car, keeping a safe distance to let the interaction stay organic. After all, Tabby barely knew him and he didn't want to offset the day in any way.
"ELSA!" He yelled and threw his arms around her and they hugged. "You look BEAUTIFUL" he flashed a flirty smile at his friend and Toby raised an eyebrow. His son was smooth.
Spencer got the car seat from Ted and buckled Tabby in, and the two toddlers held hands as they sang along to the CD together.
"Where are we going, Spencer?" Tabby spoke up.
"You'll see," she smiled as she took the exit onto the parkway, checking out the kids in the rearview mirror.
"Fine," she crossed her arms and huffed and puffed.
When they pulled into the parking lot, Spencer turned around and Toby took a video on his phone as the two kids practically jumped from their carseats and started to shriek. "FROZENNNNNNNNNNNN!" They yelled in unison. At the Family Day Toby had taken Spencer and Aaron to, there had been a raffle for a family pack of four tickets to Frozen on Ice and Toby had won the drawing. It was pretty clear that this was the best thing that could have happened to the kids.
When Spencer unloaded the children from the car, they immediately latched hands with each other and started to gush about how excited they were — there were television commercials for the event on all the time so they were very familiar with the show.
"They have little crushes on each other," Spencer explained as she let them walk a few feet ahead since they were on the sidewalk. "Tabby claimed him as her boyfriend a few days ago at daycare when another girl asked him to share crayons." She giggled.
Aaron turned around to look at the adults and lifted his hand in Tabby's. "Hold Momma's hand," he encouraged Toby. "Like this."
Spencer made a face but Toby did it just to appease the little birthday prince. They walked loosely connected as they went through the security check and made their way up to their seats.
When they sat down, Spencer leaned over the kids to make sure they had their sippy cups in their cup holders and were set up with their snacks. "I wanna sit next to Toby!" Aaron exclaimed and Spencer exhaled before motioning for Toby to get up so they could switch.
Meanwhile, Aaron shared his Teddy Grahams in a trade for Tabby's pretzels and Tabby gave him a sloppy kiss.
Aaron theatrically cleared his throat and locked eyes with Toby.
"Yes?" He laughed at the over-the-top action.
"You have to be romansick like me and Tabby," he explained. Spencer was on her phone texting Ashley to let her know they'd made it there safely when she felt Toby lean over towards her and whisper nervously but giddily.
"I think we're supposed to kiss," he laughed a little, looking back at the kids.
"Like this Mama," Aaron grinned kissing Tabby's face and wiping drool from his face with his hoodie.
"It's romansick," Tabby joined in. "Pweeeease,"
Spencer sighed, they were being cute, she had to admit. She leaned over and gave Toby a kiss on the cheek, slowly settling back into her seat.
"Nooooo, you did it wrong Spencer,"
"Yeah, Momma," Aaron grumbled.
"Well—" Spencer stopped at the light peck of Toby's lips on her own, taking her by surprise.
"Better, guys?" Toby shrugged as Spencer gave him intense side-eye.
Aaron nodded excitedly and Tabby gave a thumbs up and they quickly got distracted by a video advertisement on the big screen above the rink.
"That kid is nothing but trouble," Spencer blushed, smiling a little as she chewed her bottom lip, which was still tingling from the lightness of his kiss which had left her wanting more.
Soon, the lights went out and the show started. There was lots of oohs and ahhs coming from the kids, which kept Spencer sitting with a smile plastered on her face.
Toby was nudging her elbow and motioning over to the kids halfway through. Aaron was covering Tabby's eyes because the monster snowman had come out onto the ice.
"He's pulling out all the stops," Toby teased.
"Puppy love," Spencer smiled and lingered on him for a second.
"Mommy can we PLEASE go out for ice cream now," He pleaded. "With Tabby…and Toby" he added quickly.
"Oh please, Spencer!" Tabby jumped up and down.
"Oh c'mon…please please please!" Toby joined in teasingly.
Spencer laughed. "Fine, fine, fine, no more begging!" She said getting in the front, letting Toby buckle them in.
Aaron got strawberry and Tabby got chocolate and they shared, a mess of pink and brown coating their hands and chins.
"Toby, you share too," Aaron reminded and Toby held his spoonful of peanut butter to Spencer's lips. "If I remember correctly you really like peanut butter," He smiled as she hesitantly let him feed her.
"And you should also remember that I don't share ice cream," she teased as she took her own spoon to his cup, taking another spoonful to her mouth and sucking it off the spoon while laughing.
Aaron and Tabby ran around the ice cream store after finishing and Spencer caught them, wiping both of their faces down and rallying them to the car, where they both fell asleep on the way to Spencer's apartment. Spencer carried up Aaron, and Toby carried up Tabby.
"Do you want coffee?" Spencer asked, setting the coffee pot to brew.
"Sure," He sat down. "Thanks for letting me come today. I think they had fun,"
"Me too," Spencer smiled as she took out two mugs from her cupboard.
"They're such a cute couple," Toby added in. "Funny how they wanted us to be just like them,"
"Yeah, funny," Spencer raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure you didn't plant that idea in their heads…"
"I didn't!" He yelled.
"Mhmmm," Spencer said sarcastically, not believing him. "You loved every minute of it,"
"I think you did, too," He smirked.
"I have a boyfriend, thank you very much."
"Yeah, yeah. How's that working out?" Toby said coldly.
Before Spencer could answer, Aaron came from his room rubbing his eyes. Spencer was relieved to have been saved from the conversation that had started, as she was feeling her cheeks involuntarily flush.
"What's up, baby?" She said crouching down.
"Water," he pouted.
"Just you or Tabby too?"
"Tabby is sleeping," he said as Spencer went to the fridge to get the pitcher to fill his cup.
"Toby are you gonna have a sleepover with us? You and Momma and me and Tabby?" He grinned.
"No, bud, I'm goin home soon."
"But you live in this building too," he shrugged. "So you are already home," he reasoned.
"What are you fussing about? Are you bothering Toby and making trouble?" Spencer asked as she handed over his filled sippy cup and watched him immediately take it to his lips, nearly chugging it all.
"Slow down there," she ruffled his hair.
"I want you to have a sleepover with Toby," Aaron smiled.
"Toby has to go home," Spencer reasoned.
"But that meanie John guy has sleepovers with you Momma, and he doesn't even bring me Olafs!" He said enthusiastically.
Spencer immediately turned fire-engine red.
"Maybe I'll stay, but go finish your nap with Tabby first," Toby tried to fix it and Aaron skipped back to his room yawning.
"It's not how it sounds…" Spencer defended herself.
"It's not a big deal...you are allowed to have a boyfriend and do what you want with him." Toby practically threw up in his mouth as he spoke, remembering the morning he ran into John in the elevator bank leaving Spencer's apartment and the images of her body entangled with that prick's.
"I know... But I'm a mom and I can't introduce Aaron to just anyone. We've fallen asleep watching TV a time or two but we don't... I mean, we haven't..." She was flustered. "Not that I owe an explanation… I'm a grown up. And I'm sure you bring home girls all the time."
"Well that's where you'd be wrong…haven't had a girlfriend in a very long time," he smirked, which he realized made him seem like he was remembering a string of one night stands in lieu of a girlfriend, but in reality he was enthralled with her admission that she hadn't fucked John. He hoped she never would. He wished he wasn't so jealous, but around her he couldn't control himself.
"Stop that…" she blushed again.
"Stop what?" he asked innocently.
"You know what," she made a face. "That smirk can't mean anything good. You're forgetting you haven't changed much…"
"I'm not smirking." He said as the smirk turned into a toothy grin.
"Whatever you say…you don't have to stay, by the way. Aaron's just being a birthday diva." She laughed as she sipped from her mug and handed his over.
"I don't have anything else to do," he shrugged and added sugar to his coffee.
"The way Aaron latches…do you think, I don't know, is it crazy to think he senses it somehow. You know, who you are?"
"Yeah, you're crazy," he smiled and Spencer pushed him teasingly. "I don't know, honestly." he answered for real.
"He usually isn't so quick to be so open with others. He's kind of shy believe it or not."
"Well, I'm glad he likes me..but I'm sure he just likes me because I make Olafs and bring him toys and act like a huge kid," he shrugged.
"That's probably part of it, but I don't know, it seems special." She was at a loss for words.
He couldn't help but grin at that and moved to join her on the couch. It wasn't until they hit the soft cushions that they realized how spent they were from the day with the kids, even despite their coffees. As they got comfortable and their eyes became heavy, they started to talk about John's flaws, which Toby loved, and his admission to having not speaking to his father in almost five years, and found comfort in her similar admission. Though nothing was in great detail, their inhibitions were down and they felt a familiar comfort in just talking around each other, not necessarily seeking a real answer or even conversation. Just an ear to hear out what the other was internalizing.
Before they knew it, they had fallen asleep and were consequently being woken up by two little people climbing on them.
"Look, he has a hard tummy with no hair on it, my Daddy has a pokey, big belly with hair on it," Tabby made a face as she poked at Toby's exposed stomach where his shirt had ridden up.
"Gross," Aaron laughed, lifting his own shirt to inspect his belly.
Spencer was stirred by this and uncrumpled herself from her wedged position between the back of the couch and Toby. She kissed Aaron, "you sillies," she laughed.
"Mom, gross," he wiped his face. "Not in front of my wife."
"I missed the wedding?!" She played surprised.
"Yup, we cantelloped," Tabby piped in and Aaron grinned.
"Let me guess… in Arendelle?"
"Yup!" They both sang and Spencer smiled.
"We're hungry," Aaron whined.
"Why don't you guys wake up Toby while Mommy goes and changes her clothes and washes her face? We can go to the Chinese place." She suggested, stalking over to the bathroom sleepily.
While she was in the bathroom splashing cool water on herself to calm herself down, as being pressed up against Toby in that way had made her — uh, feel some things, and reinstated her elevator dreams, she heard Toby scream as the kids jumped on him.
She laughed as she came out to see him jump up and the kids doubled over in laughter on the couch.
"Do you want to come to dinner with us?" She offered.
"Wouldn't miss it," he said pulling on his sneakers and flashed her his trouble-making smile.
She didn't know what he had up his sleeve, but she knew she was in too deep.
