Chapter Two: The Reading of Emily Jane Field's Will

And so the tragic event happened. It hit hard and no one saw it coming, because bad things weren't supposed to happen to good people, right? Wrong. Bad things always happened the to purest people. And so the good people known as Emily and Maya were taken. But when one door closes, another one opens. So, the door of Emily and Maya had closed and a mysterious new door opened with someone no one had ever expected to show her face around Rosewood again.

A man ushered them into a decent sized room with eggshell white walls, boring grey carpet, and a long, magnificent wooden table in the middle with several black business chairs pushed in. The man in the sleek suit and slightly balding head took the seat at the head of the table waving his hand at the chairs motioning for them to sit. Every one of the black chairs were taken expect for one lone chair. The balding man watched the empty chair and the closed door for a few minutes before awkwardly clearing his throat. "Ah, we're one short, but I guess we can start."

"I am Mr. Ronwall and I will be reading the last will of Emily Jane Fields." At the reading of her full name Mr. and Mrs. Fields got tears in their eyes as hearing their daughter's name was a dagger to the heart.

Mr. Ronwall began reading the will reading out all the things Emily had in her possession and where they were to go. She had given twenty five percent of her savings to her parents and split another twenty five percent of her savings to her four best friends. Each friend was given six point five percent of the twenty five percent savings. The shocking part was Spencer Hastings was including in the friends getting money. No one had been in contact with her ever since she disappeared three years ago. Everyone now looked at the empty chair now knowing Spencer was supposed to be sitting there hearing the will with them. Mr. Ronwall awkwardly cleared his throat again as if he had a frog in his throat. The sudden whispering stopped.

"And finally to my son." Toby's stomach gave a weird twist at the word finally. Both of Emily's parents were mentioned in the will as well as her four best friends including Spencer, the one best friend whom had been out of the picture for three years. Now her son was being mentioned. All the important people to Emily had been mentioned expect for Toby. Toby felt as if he was not going to be mentioned in the will, and well, that was a hit straight in the gut. "He will be given the rest of my savings if Maya has gone with me along with the home. And if Maya has passed along with me the guardians of Jace shall be the godparents: Toby Cavanaugh and Spencer Hastings."

And chaos began with the last sentence read.

Mr. and Mrs. Fields set up an argument with Mr. Ronwall explaining that they were Jace's adopted grandparents and they should be the ones taking custody of him like they had been since Emily and Maya's death. Aria was staring at Spencer's empty chair with wide eyes, and Hanna snatched the will out of Mr. Ronwall's hands since he was distracted by the angry Mr. and Mrs. Fields. "Let me see it!" she declared.

With the will in her hands, Hanna reread the last paragraph again only to find Mr. Ronwall hadn't read the wrong names like she had thought before. "But, that doesn't make sense? It's-" Hanna looked up from the will seeing Toby across from her. He had his hands clasped in his lap with his head bowed and a sudden interest in the edge of the wooden table. His face looked like it had been drained of blood. "Oh, Toby, I didn't mean to offend you. It's just-"

"No, I agree Jace should go with his grandparents," Toby said while not looking up from the table.

Mrs. Fields saw the sad look casted on Toby's face and a rush of guilt filled her. "No, Toby don't take it that way. You're great with Jace! It's-"

Mrs. Fields was cut off by the wooden door swinging open. Everyone looked up and gasped at the person standing in the doorway. Spencer Hastings was standing in the doorway. The same exact Spencer Hastings whom had gone missing three years ago with nothing more than three words left behind. Only the Spencer standing in the doorway was older and more mature looking. The matured Spencer was in a classy navy blue pencil skirt and a crisp white sleeveless shirt standing in black peep toed heels. Her long brown locks were drawn up in a sleek high bun and her makeup light, but very professional looking. Her lips were brushed with a light lipstick shade and pressed together in a straight line. She looked straight ahead at Mr. Ronwall and not at anyone else in the room. "Sorry for the tardiness; my flight was delayed."

"No problem at all, Miss Hastings?" Spencer nodded her head. "I am Mr. Ronwall. Now since we have already gone through the will, would you like me to go over your part in the will privately?" Mr. Ronwall inquired glancing at the other guests in the room whom were staring at Spencer with slightly gaped mouths.

Spencer gave a sharp nod. "I would appreciate that very much. Outside?" Spencer gestured her hand to the open space behind her.

"Very well." Mr. Ronwall stood up from his seat looking over at Toby. "Mr. Cavanaugh, we will need you as well."

The brown eyed beauty's gaze drifted for the first time away from Mr. Ronwall to Toby. He caught her gaze seeing the questioning look in her eyes, but she did not address the subject. Spencer spun on her heel and exited the room. Toby and Mr. Ronwall followed her outside with Mr. Ronwall shutting the door behind him.

"You may begin Mr. Ronwall."

Toby kept his eyes on Spencer the whole time while Mr. Ronwall reread the parts of Emily's will Spencer was in. And Spencer's look of calm was shattered when the last sentence was read leaving her with a flabbergasted expression on her face. "Um, excuse me sir, but I believe the last part was incorrectly read, because I am no child's godmother. "

Mr. Ronwall shook his head handing Spencer the will with a sigh. Spencer took the will in her hands and soon her eyes were flying across the paper with her pupils widening when she herself read the last sentence. No words left her mouth though. Mr. Ronwall exchanged looks with Toby and then Spencer before saying, "I think I'll let you two talk."

After Mr. Ronwall left the two had no words exchanged for at least five ticking minutes. Toby was observing Spencer while Spencer taped the front of her heel impatiently staring at the vase of flowers to her side. It was Toby who broke the silence. So many questions were running through his mind at the moment jumbling his thoughts. "Where have you been Spencer?" The question seemed like the best thing to ask you ex-girlfriend that had left you three years prior with only a two word break up left on a sticky note.

"New York," Spencer answered quickly.

"Why?"

Spencer didn't answer quickly like she did for the last question. She took a long pregnant pause then breathed in a sigh. "You don't need to know."

"Yes, I do need to know. You left me with only 'It's over.' on a sticky note! It's not the greatest way to break up with a person! I think I at least deserve to know why you left."

"I don't think this is the place to be discussing this," Spencer hissed glaring at the few people in the open that were looking at them strangely. "We just learned that we are guardians of a child. Did you know I was godmother? I mean, how can I be a godmother to a child I never knew existed?" Spencer added.

Toby didn't like her subject change. "No, Emily never mentioned Jace having a godmother. I knew I was godfather, though."

Spencer nodded her head clucking her tongue. "I see."

"So, back onto you." Toby glanced at her. "Why? Why did you leave?"

Another sigh left Spencer's mouth. "Back onto this now?"

"You could just tell me why."

"I don't have to tell you," Spencer grumbled. "Shouldn't we be discussing other topics?"

Toby was getting angry about Spencer not answering his question. So, he switched the topic like she suggested, but only to blindside her. "Yeah, maybe we should. How about you tell me why you weren't at Emily's funeral? It was a week ago."

A gulp went down Spencer's throat as her face fell. "I-I didn't know."

Anger washed over Toby completely. "You didn't know, huh?"

"Yes, I didn't know! Just yesterday I was called up being told that there was a will reading of Emily's will and I was to be there for it. When I asked why they informed me Emily had passed away. Great way to find out, huh? That's why I didn't show up at the funeral. I was only informed yesterday that my best friend was dead!"

A silence drew in as Toby took in what Spencer had said. Pushing away all the unanswered questions that were swamping his brain, Toby focused on why they were here: Jace. He was the reason they were here. If they were going to take care of him they needed to stop arguing. "We should talk about Jace."

"Well, I am denying my duty and the custody of the child will be all yours," Spencer said softly.

That took Toby off guard. "What?"

Spencer straightened her back and crossed her arms across her chest. "I happen to have a successful career in New York that I need to get back to. When I came here I wasn't under the impression that I would become a legal guardian of a child. I simply don't have the time or the need to take care of a child."

"Need?" Toby thundered.

"Well, it's not my child," Spencer stated.

"Not your child? Emily gave you this-"

Spencer cut him off with a snooty comment. "She must have been highly intoxicated when she made that decision then."

Range filled Toby's eyesight at Spencer's harsh words. "Don't you dare insult Emily! I don't know why she chose you to be the one to take care of her son, but she did and you should honor that. You should take this responsibility with honor because Emily would have done the same thing for you."

The two stood glaring at each other for some time, but surprisingly Spencer was the one to back down, directing her eyes at the wall to her side to avoid looking in Toby's blue eyes filled with fury. Toby's eyes and expression calmed down slightly when Spencer looked away, but were ready to spring up again in full fury. His brain ran wild and softly he said, "One week."

"One week what?" Spencer asked with her head still turned away from Toby.

"Give Jace one week. If the responsibility is too much to handle after one week, you can give it up."

Spencer met Toby's gaze with blue mixing with hazelnut. Her expression was softened at the gentleness in his voice. A sigh escaped her mouth for the third time today. "Fine, one week."