Chapter 9: Emmy, Emmy, Quite Contrary

"Are you okay?" Aria asked for the third time since Spencer had sat down.

"Well, let me think. My half-brother is bedridden in a coma, I'm working off of four hours of sleep, I'm stressing out completely about your wedding, and my sister is cheating on her husband, who is coming to the engagement party for the sole reason of hitting on me." Spencer snapped, her chin resting on her folded arms on the table. Her eyes stared straight at her half-drunken third cup of Starbucks coffee. "So, I'm gonna go with 'no.'"

The room fell silent and Aria and Hanna exchanged awkward glances. Spencer sighed and aimed a gust of air upward, blowing a lock of hair out of her face. "Look, I'm sorry." She said, leaning back in her chair, "I'm just…under a lot right now."

"It's alright. We know, Spence." Hanna reached out and squeezed her hand. After her first class, she and Aria had been kind enough to pick Spencer up and take her to Starbucks for coffee. Of course, Spencer had been mostly stoic all morning, having had two huge bombs dropped on her the previous night. When she had woken up in Toby's apartment, she had been so out of it that she wasn't even sure what class she went to that morning. Hanna had been the one to break the news to her that she was wearing Toby's long-sleeve t-shirt as a dress. Thankfully, she had been awake enough to pull on leggings underneath, but paired them with her old pair of flip-flops. In November.

"I – I just can't think straight. All I can see is Melissa in bed at night with that guy, while Wren is as clueless as Cher Horowitz!" Spencer said, raking a hand through her hair.

"Hang on, what, now you care about Wren?" Aria furrowed her eyebrows at her across the table.

"Ugh, no." Spencer groaned. "But I just…I feel like she's doing it for more than just the attention. I feel like she's doing it to get back at Wren. And me."

"But isn't it better that Wren finally gets payback for being such a dick to Melissa?" Aria asked.

"Well, it would seem that way, but the more that Melissa pushes him away, the more he'll feel like it's acceptable to hit on other girls." Spencer replied, taking a long gulp of her coffee.

"Like you?" Hanna asked, her lip curled in disgust.

"Bingo." Spencer sighed over the rim of her cup. "Guys, this was so nice but…I have to call the band to make sure that they are still on for Saturday." She said.

Aria smiled softly and reached out to squeeze her hand. "Don't worry. I'll do it." She grinned.

"No, Aria, I can't let you do that." Spencer shook her head. "It's your engagement party, and as your maid of honor it is my responsibility to – "

"Shh…" Aria shushed her. "Let. Me. Take. Care. Of. It." She smiled. "Now, you go back to your dorm room, change, and get to your next class. We'll see you at four when we pick Em up from the airport." She said.

Spencer knit her eyebrows stubbornly, "But I like this shirt."

"Yes, and as much as we love to see you strutting around in Toby's t-shirt, dreaming about seeing him without one, it's a fashion don't." Hanna laughed.

Spencer sighed. "Fine. I'll change."

"Aww, that's our Spencey!" Hanna and Aria chorused, pinching her cheeks.

"Aunt Thpenther?" Taylor asked from the passenger's seat of Spencer's Mercedes.

"Yes, Taylor?" Spencer asked.

"Why don't my mommy and daddy love each other?" Taylor asked softly, kicking her little feet in her car seat.

The question hit Spencer so hard that she nearly slammed on the brakes. She made an effort to keep her face smooth. "Oh, don't be silly, Taylor. Your mommy and daddy love each other very much."

Taylor shook her head. "No, they don't. Daddy's never home, and when he is, him and mommy fight. She thays that he loves other women more than her. And thometimes, Mommy cries. And it makes me tho thad." Taylor whispers softly.

Spencer's heart nearly broke in two at the sound of her niece – so incredibly innocent – express sorrow for her loveless parents.

She cleared her throat and tried to find some comforting words. "Oh, Taylor." She shook her head. "I'm sure that they'll figure it out soon. It's probably just a phase." She said.

"I hope stho." Taylor lisped through her missing front teeth. "Will you pray for us, Aunt Thpenther? Mommy uthed to take me to church, but since things got bad with Daddy…she stopped."

"Of course I will." Spencer murmured softly.

"Will we be able to go into Uncle Jathon's room today?" Taylor asked, peering up through the windshield. Melissa had phoned Spencer after her last class at one, asking her about what she was wearing to the engagement party. Taylor had asked if Spencer was going to "visit Uncle Jathon in the hothpital," and Spencer had been roped into taking her niece with her to visit her half-brother. Not that she minded. Taylor was good practice for when Spencer did, in fact, have a daughter (or course, named Audrey Jane).

"I don't know." Spencer said. "I guess we'll have to see."

"So how's your brother?" Hanna asked Spencer from behind the wheel. Spencer, Hanna, Aria, and Toby were packed into Hanna's BMW on their way to the Philadelphia to pick up Emily from her 5:30 flight. She was supposed to be landing momentarily, and Spencer had her phone poised on her lap, waiting for her friend's call.

"He's pulling along. Still not awake yet, but getting there." Spencer sighed. "But somehow, he's not my biggest worry…"

"Are you talking about Melissa and Frankie?" Hanna asked.

"Franco." Toby corrected.

"Sorry, Franco?" Hanna repeated.

"If you could have heard Taylor in the car this afternoon…" Spencer shook her head. "It was heartbreaking."

"What did she say?" Aria asked.

"She said that her 'mommy and daddy didn't love each other anymore.'" Spencer quoted.

"Awww!" Hanna and Aria leaned over to look at her from the front seat.

"That's so sad!" Hanna said.

"I know, and – Hanna! Eyes on the road!" Spencer shrieked as her friend began to merge over the yellow line onto the other side of the road, straight into the pathway of an oncoming semi-truck.

"Right, sorry!" Hanna exclaimed, her gaze snapping back to the street, veering the car back onto the right side.

"Anyway, so I don't know what I'm going to do. Melissa is miserable all the time, and so is Taylor. And Wren's hardly there to notice it." Spencer said.

"Spence," Toby shook his head. "This isn't your fight. You can't beat yourself up over something that someone else caused."

"I know," Spencer groaned, "but I feel like if I do something, no one will. I can't stand to see my niece like that. Melissa's too swept up in Franco to notice Taylor's desolation, and Lord knows that Wren doesn't care, so that just leaves me."

"Look, Spence, whatever this is…I'm sorry to say, but you should probably hold off on it until Sunday." Aria said. "I mean, you can beat yourself up all you want, but you can't do anything about it until later. I mean, tonight we're taking Em out for drinks, tomorrow, we have the rehearsal for the engagement party, and then Saturday, we actually have the engagement party."

"Yeah, you're right." Spencer sighed, picking up her phone, "I'm texting Emily right now."

"Oh, I see her!" Hanna grabbed Spencer's shoulder and shook her, "There she is!"

"What?" Spencer furrowed her eyebrows, "Han, that woman is at least thirty and Chinese."

"Oh." Hanna said. "Well, cut me some slack. I haven't seen her in a while…"

"Is that her?" Aria asked, stretching up on her tiptoes in attempt to see over the ocean of people circling the baggage claim; but alas, her teeny form prevented her from succeeding.

"Oh, there she is." Toby grinned and, on queue, Emily broke through the crowd, dressed in a pair of dark-wash jeans and a Cal Poly Swim track jacket, dragging her luggage behind her. When she saw them, she broke into a smile and took off running towards them.

Like little children, the four friends fought and kicked to get to her first. Of course, Hanna got there before the others, throwing her arms around Emily and squealing. "Em! Oh my God, you're heeerrrreee!"

"Yeah!" Emily gasped as she laughed. "Okay, a little tight there, Han." When Hanna pulled back, she pulled Spencer into a hug, "Aw, Spence! It's been too long!" She smiled brightly and pulled back. Taking her hand, her face turned solemn. "Hanna told me about Jason. I'm so sorry, and I want you to know that I'm praying for him."

Spencer smiled. "Thanks, Em. It means a lot. And it's so good to see you! How's junior year at Cal Poly?"

"Oh you know, fabulous!" Emily giggled, showing the dimple that creased the side of her chin. Then, she turned to Aria, "There's the bride-to-be!" She exclaimed, embracing her. "How is she?"

"Eager to be married." Hanna finished, stopping Aria before she could answer. Aria shot Hanna a look before hugging Emily again.

Emily laughed and then moved on to Toby. "Hey, Bob the Builder. How's your construction job treating you?"

"Great, Ariel the mermaid. How's the water been feeling?" Toby smiled and lifted Emily into his arms, raising her off her feet. When he set her down, he grabbed her luggage and hitched her bag over his shoulder.

"Fabulous as always." Emily smiled. "So, you'll have to tell me everything." She drawled to Aria, stretching out the syllables for emphasis. "How he proposed, when it happened, the wedding plans…"

"Don't worry, she'll have plenty to say tonight at Geoffrey's." Spencer assured her. "But right now," she said as they exited through the automatic doors, out into the parking lot and towards the BMW, "we want to hear about your life. Tell us everything. How Cal Poly is, how swim is, how…well, everything is!"

Toby opened the trunk when they reached the car, hoisting Emily's bags into it. Spencer opened the back door and piled in as Hanna and Aria took the front seats once more. Emily slid into the middle seat and Toby slammed the trunk shut before coming around the side to occupy the last vacant seat in the back.

"Oh, wow. Well, swim is great. I'm doing really well – Coach just can't seem to get enough of me! He always wants me starting at meets and congratulates me after practice. I gotta say – it feels good." Emily replied as Hanna backed out of the parking lot.

"That's great! And how are things going with Elyse?" Aria asked, peering over her shoulder.

Emily sighed and her gaze fell on her hands folded in her lap. "They aren't."

"Aw, Em!" Hanna said sympathetically. "I'm sorry! What happened?"

"Turns out the long distance relationship thing isn't working out for her." Emily said gloomily. "Since she transferred to UCLA…it's caused a rift in our relationship. She ended it on Tuesday."

The car fell silent for a moment. Spencer was the first to speak. "I'm so sorry, Em." She conveyed with empathy. "I know that you really liked her."

"It's not just that. Ever since…ever since Maya…" She sighed. It had been nearly four years since the supposed death of Maya St. Germain – Emily's second but most vital love – and poor Emily didn't go a day without thinking about it. The body that had been found was marred badly, so they were never completely sure, but the blood types matched, and Maya never turned up anywhere else, so it was assumed that she was, in fact, the dead body found in Emily's front yard. "I've never really...connected with anyone like I did with her. And I thought that Elyse might...well, never mind that. She's not."

"Maybe…maybe you could give Samara a call?" Aria asked gently.

Emily snorted. "And say what?" She asked, her eyes glazed over with pre-shed tears. "That 'Hey after all these years, I'm finally ready to tell you the truth?'"

"Hey, look, maybe things have changed." Toby offered. "I never knew Samara well, but in the outcome of that business with A and Alison…it seems like four years would be enough time to forgive."

"Yeah, and we know our Emmy wouldn't fall for someone who isn't forgiving and kind." Hanna added.

"Well, that's hardly the problem. I mean, it's been years. And what if she's seeing someone? What if she doesn't even live in Rosewood anymore? What if she's changed?" Emily asked.

"Nope." Hanna disagreed. "She's still in Rosewood; she works half-time at the counter at Bloomie's. And transferred to Hollis. Don't you worry - she's still rocking the beanies and jean skirts. She hasn't changed, except for maybe growing her hair out longer." Hanna replied.

"Well, do you know if she's seeing anyone?" Emily asked.

"Yes, I do know if she is. And so would you if you would stop neglecting your poor Facebook." Hanna said, annoyed.

"Oh yes, Hanna, please, forgive me for not checking my Facebook every ten seconds." Emily replied in faux apology. "I mean, with all the gobs of time I have - what with my insane practice hours and work schedule at The Cheesecake Factory, along with my schoolwork and classes."

"Alright, I get it. But, anyway, it says she's single. And, ah, do you hear that? That's the sound of your window of opprotunity opening. I say you take it."

"Me, too. I think you should give her a call. Maybe invite her to the engagement party. Just to catch up." Aria agreed.

Emily sighed and smiled slightly. "Alright. I just might do that."

"Aww, that's our Emmy!" Aria smiled as Spencer put an arm around Emily's shoulders. "Getting right back into her groove. Come on, Em. Drinks are on us tonight."