CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE ~ NYLON ~ PLAYING DADDY
Hanna pulled out every outfit in her closet and threw it onto the bed while Caleb flipped through emails on his phone. She sighed as she stared at the random accessories and old costumes.
"What am I going to wear?" Hanna groaned rubbing her growing belly.
"I'm sure you have something," Caleb told her. "You've got ten years of Halloween costumes stored in there."
"I know," Hanna sighed, "but I've never been pregnant on Halloween before. All the pregnant costumes are stupid and corny."
"What's gone with going as Juno?" he asked.
"Shut up!" Hanna threw a pillow at him. She looked around the room and finally saw the old photo from Ali's last Halloween. "I got it!"
"What?" Caleb asked.
"Britney!" Hanna laughed. She ran into her closet and dug to the bottom where she found her old clothes. She pulled out her Britney costume from over a decade ago and threw it on.
"You look ridiculous," Caleb said when she reappeared braiding her hair. "No one even remembers that video."
"Blasphemy!" Hanna yelled. "Britney is immortal."
"Whatever you say, princess," Caleb laughed.
"Watch yourself," Hanna gave him the evil eye. "Also, get dressed. Everyone will be here soon."
"Got it boss," he teased grabbing his suit.
XX
"Hanna this place is amazing," Aria said stepping inside the penthouse with her daughter in tow. Jeremy was going trick-or-treating with a friend from school.
"Candy! Candy! Candy!" Daisy shouted.
"Caleb," Hanna called for him, "can you help Daisy with her candy deficiency?"
"Does someone want candy?" Caleb teased pulling out a plastic cauldron full of treats.
"Not too much," Aria told him. "I want them to go to sleep tonight."
"Can I get you anything to drink?" Hanna asked Aria.
"Water is fine," came the reply. "I'll probably have something stronger when Ezra shows up though and takes the kids."
"Here," Hanna handed her a bottle of water from the fridge just as the doorbell rang.
"I've got it!" Caleb said. "Probably trick-or-treaters."
A second later Emily stepped into the kitchen with Ali in her arms wearing an adorable princess costume. She set Ali down who went running straight to play with Daisy in the living room.
"Hi," Hanna gave her friend a hug.
"Your place is awesome!" Emily told her.
"It was all Spencer," Hanna replied. "She did everything."
"Yeah, remind me to call her when I finally get my dream house," Emily laughed.
"Mommy!" Daisy pouted grabbing Aria's pant leg. "When do we get to go."
"As soon as your dad comes," Aria replied. Almost as if on cue, the doorbell rang and Ezra strolled in seconds later.
"Who wants candy?" he laughed as Daisy went running to him.
"Ali," Emily picked up her little girl. "You're going with Ezra and Caleb. Okay, be good and stay with them. Don't go running off by yourself."
"Okay," Ali smiled. Emily kissed her cheek and set her back down as she went running after the adults.
"Thanks again for letting Caleb go with the kids," Hanna told her friends. "I think he's getting a little nervous about becoming a dad and this could really help him. I don't think he's ever spent time with kids."
"I'm sure he'll be great," Emily replied. "If he can handle Ali, he can handle anything."
"Speaking of Ali," Hanna asked, "have you introduced her to Kristen yet?"
"Actually, yeah," Emily smiled. "Kristen and I brought the kids together and had dinner last month. They actually got along really well."
"That's awesome!" Aria told her as she opened a bottle of wine and poured herself a glass. "Emily?"
"Uh sure," Emily nodded. Aria handed her the glass and they cheered.
"Seriously, are you guys really doing that to me?" Hanna scoffed.
"You shouldn't keep wine where we can see it," Aria told her. "It's really on you. Plus, I remember you being drunk as a skunk at my baby shower."
"Those moments always come back to haunt you," Hanna sighed. "I remember thinking I was always going to be the fun one and now I'm a homeowner."
"Speaking of," Emily asked, "what's happening with your old place?"
"Well Caleb and I both kept owned our apartments so we decided to keep them," Hanna explained. "It's a little scary because it means he has a backup option if it doesn't work out between us but I'm probably going to rent out my old place."
"I was just wondering because Paige is moving to New York," Emily explained. "She asked me if—"
"Shut the fuck up!" Hanna's mouth fell open. "You've been talking to Paige and you never told us."
"It's not a big deal," Emily replied.
"Bullshit," Hanna said. She and Aria coaxed the story out of Emily as the two girls finished off the bottle of wine. Over an hour later the elevator door opened and Ezra and Caleb stepped in, each with a girl asleep in their arms.
"How was she?" Emily whispered stroking her sleeping daughters' hair.
"She's an angel," Caleb smiled gently placing Ali in her arms.
"Thanks," Emily said. She kissed Hanna's cheek goodbye and snuck out careful not to wake Ali.
"We should probably go too," Aria said as she looked over to see Daisy beginning to stir in her dad's arms.
"Bye," Hanna gave her a hug. "Thanks for coming."
Caleb wrapped his arms around Hanna as their friends slipped out. She rested her head on his chest and stroking his arms.
"You were great today," Hanna told him.
"Was today a test?" he asked. "Getting me to take the girls trick-or-treating with Ezra?"
"Maybe," Hanna replied coyly.
"Did I pass?" he teased.
"Let's just say you look kind of hot playing daddy," Hanna smirked.
This was just a cute filler chapter but there is some major drama coming up! I'll hopefully have another chapter up this weekend so stay tuned!
