Chapter Six: And the Decision is…
Odd pair of friends isn't it? Their friendship may not seem important now, but it will as time goes on. Now it is the day Spencer never thought she'd reach: decision day. Today was the day in which many things could change for the better or worse. But, what will she choose? Will she stay here in Rosewood with Toby and Jace with the chance that her secret may be discovered? Or will she go back to New York where her secret is locked away safe? Decisions, decisions…
Spencer was awakened this morning by someone shaking her arm and calling her name. Peeling back her eyelids Spencer was greeted by the bright sunshine pouring in from her two windows. She must have forgotten to draw the curtains in before she went to sleep. "Bugger," Spencer grumbled throwing her hand up to cover her eyes. Morning and Spencer did not get along unless she had a steaming cup of coffee in her system.
"Spencer," Someone called again continuing to shake her arm.
Spencer continued to ignore the voice trying to fall back to sleep. But, this time she felt the bed sink in ever so slightly and a high pitched voice squeaked, "Spencer! Spencer! Spencer!" Pushing up her eyelids, Spencer took in the sight in front of her. Jace was sitting next to her with his tiny hands latched on her wrist pushing it back and forth while repeating her name over and over again in his squeaky voice. Shocked by the tiny child on her bed, Spencer went flying backwards hitting her back against the headboard. Pupils enlarged, Spencer stared at the child while attempting to take calming breaths.
"Whoa, are you okay Spence?" Spencer spun her head to the side at the mention of the nickname. To her side Toby stood with worry etched in his facial expression and concern in bedded in his oceanic blue eyes. The whole time she had been here Toby had not once dared to call her Spence. In fact, Spencer hadn't been called Spencer since she had left three years ago.
Gathering her wits back together, Spencer took a deep breath in and blew it out. "Yeah, I'm okay; startled by Jace, that's all."
"Do you know what today is?" Toby decided to change subjects.
Spencer knew exactly what day it was the second she had been awakened. It was day seven. It was the final day of the week trial. Today she was to decide if she was going to stay and accept the responsibility of taking care of Jace or if she was going to run back home to New York. "Yes."
"So?"
"So, what?" Spencer questioned.
"What's your decision?"
Spencer smirked when her wits finally reloaded. "I don't know what you mean, it hasn't been seven days yet."
Toby sputtered. "Yes, it has! Today is day seven!"
"Yes, it is, but it hasn't been a full seven days yet."
"What? You're going to make me wait until midnight?"
"Well, not exactly; just until tonight." With that said, Spencer flipped off her cover and proceeded past Toby to make her way to the bathroom.
Naptime approached soon enough as the day went on. As Toby handled the fussy child, Spencer snuck into her room opening up her laptop. Searching through a few things, Spencer found what she needed. But, Spencer couldn't proceed with her process since Toby interrupted. He cleared his throat loudly also tapping on the partially open door to get her attention. Spencer's wide brown eyes flew up to him while hastily snapping her laptop close. He took note of that, but didn't mention it. "I have to take an important call. Can you put Jace down for his nap?"
Blanching, Spencer gulped but nodded her head yes since Toby's call was important. Ever since the first day naptime Toby had taken over naptime duty. Slowly making her way over to Jace's room, Spencer entered with caution. "Hey, Jace, what story do you want me to read?"
"Tell story. Toby was going to tell story," Jace said with a happy grin on his little face.
"Well, Toby has to take a call. I'm going to read for you, so what book would you like?" Spencer inquired.
"Tell story! Tell story! Tell story!" Jace chanted obviously not caring if Spencer was going to be the one telling him the story.
Another gulp went down Spencer's dry throat. Carefully, Spencer sat down on the side of the bed Jace was patting. Spencer had no idea how she was going to tell a little boy a story. "What type of story do you want?"
"The Princess and the Knight one." Jace grinned.
"Are you the knight?"
"Nope." Jace shook his head. "I'm too good for a knight. I'm the king. Toby knight and you princess. And there's big bad dragon who takes princess. Then the knight goes to save her."
By the way Jace described it Spencer guessed Jace had already been told this story before. So, trying her best to think of how the story should go, Spencer gathered all the stereotypical ideas about a princess, a knight, and a dragon. Sighing, Spencer began.
"In a land far way there was a kingdom called…" Already Spencer had to stop not knowing what to call the kingdom.
"Jaceland," Jace interjected.
"A kingdom called Jaceland." Spencer thanked Jace silently for the name. "In a mighty castle on a hill overlooking the kingdom lived King Jace and Princess…Spencer." Spencer paused to think. "One day the kingdom was attacked by a-"
"A big bad dragon with green and black scales. And big wings. And sharp teeth. And bad, bad breath," Jace spewed out with excitement.
Spencer nodded her head. The corners of her mouth lifted a little bit at the Jace's many uses of the adjective bad. "The kingdom was attacked by a big bad dragon with green and black scales, big winds, sharp teeth, and bad, bad breath. The big bad dragon flew up to the kingdom and took the princess away to his lair in the…" Spencer lost her creative thought again.
"Tall mount-y thing in a big dark cave," Jace helped out.
Spencer concealed a giggle that wanted to escape, because of Jace's way of saying mountains. "To his lair in the tall mount-y thing in a big, dark cave. After hearing the news, King Jace sent his best knight-"
"Toby!" Jace cheered softly.
Spencer smiled at Jace's cheering for Toby. "King Jace sent his best knight, Toby, to go save the princess. Toby journeyed up to the dragon's lair to save the princess. Once in the lair Toby-"
"Used his knight skills to kill the dragon," Jace cut her off in a quiet voice.
Spencer let out her laugh this time. She was going to say Toby outsmarted the dragon, but she could tell Jace was slowly falling asleep, so to make sure he did fall asleep she used his idea. "Toby used his knight skills to kill the dragon."
At the moment Toby had completed his conversation on the phone and was coming back upstairs. At the top of the stairs Toby stopped deciding where he should go. He could go see how Spencer was doing with Jace or he could go find out why she snapped her laptop shut when he came into the room. Deciding, Toby made his way into Spencer's temporary room. It was a nice sized guest room with two decent sized windows with the view of the front year. Though, the room barely showed any signs of someone living in it for the past week. It occupied a suitcase and had two chargers pulled into the wall outlet to show any signs of Spencer's living here. Her cell phone lay charging on the bedside table and the item Toby desired for was resting alone on the bed. Sitting on the full sized bed, Toby carefully lifted open Spencer's laptop praying it was still open on whatever Spencer was on before. A grin appeared on Toby's lips when indeed Spencer's laptop was unlocked and still on the site. But, as soon as the grin appeared, it disappeared. On the screen was a page thanking Spencer for the purchase of a plane ticket to New York set to leave tomorrow morning.
Staring at the screen blankly, Toby's blood ran cold. He shut the laptop without looking at the other pages opened. After spending a week with her he had felt that she was going to stay. Toby was sure of that feeling. He was almost completely positive that Spencer was going to stay here. Spencer had gotten along with him and Jace, she made friends with Lily, and also she didn't act as if she was being forced to live here for the past week. Why was she leaving then?
Toby felt odd caring so much about this. But, inside he knew he didn't want to lose her again, and that made him sick to his stomach. He wasn't supposed to care for Spencer anymore.
Pushing those thoughts away Toby stood up from the bed. He had something he needed to do. Preparing to confront Spencer with his find, Toby stormed over to Jace's room only to come to a halt at the door when he heard Jace's soft, barely audible voice. "Mama always said the princess would kiss the knight for saving her."
Spencer's cheeks burned up to a brilliant red color. "Um, uh, once Toby saved Princess Spencer she kissed him."
"Then they would get married," Jace mumbled, eyelids dropping.
Spencer's cheeks changed into a deeper red that resembled a perfectly ripened tomato. "Uh, then Princess Spencer and Toby got married and they lived happily ever after." Spencer's words rushed out of her mouth attempting to make sure Jace couldn't add anymore to the story. To her luck, Jace's eyelids closed and he slumped against him stuffy Spencer had placed next to him, so he didn't fall asleep on her.
"Great story," Toby announced making his presence known.
Spencer nearly jumped into the air at the sound of Toby's voice. Toby chuckled seeming to forget about his confrontation for the moment as he realized this was the second time he had startled Spencer while she was in Jace's room. Spencer's cheeks turned into an even darker color. "I swear Jace was the one to make me the princess and you the knight."
"It's perfectly fine. I know the plot line by heart. The Princess and the Knight is his second favorite story," Toby commented.
"Is the Princess and the girl knight his favorite story?"
Toby looked at her shocked. "How'd you know that?"
"He said Mama a few times while explaining-uh-certain parts of the story. Emily or Maya told him this story, right?" Spencer guessed putting the facts together.
"Maya did. Mama was Maya and Emily was Mommy." Toby glanced away from Spencer hating the fact that he had to use the term was. "Emily was the princess and Maya was the knight."
"Oh." Toby assumed the sad mood had filled Spencer as well.
Toby decided to hold back his confrontation for Spencer. It was evident that Spencer was too saddened at the mention of their names, or at least at Emily's. He didn't want her to feel any worse.
Later that night when Jace was put to bed, Toby began to feel anxious. He had offered for them to go out to eat for dinner, but Spencer turned down the offer preferring to stay in. Though, after dinner Spencer went straight up to her room and had not been seen since. As Toby heard footsteps coming down the stairs his anxiety increased with every footstep. Turning his head towards the steps Toby saw Spencer at the foot of the steps with her suitcase that she had brought next to her. Sadness filled Toby instantly. This confirmed that Spencer was leaving.
He wanted to protest, but no words came out of his mouth to aid him. Spencer smiled at him sadly lifting one hand up into the air. "I-I have decided to stay in New York. It's better for me there. Goodbye Toby." She took hold of the suitcase handle and rolled it away, disappearing out of sight.
"Toby!" Someone yelled his name snapping him back into the real world. Toby focused his eyes upon Spencer whom was snapping her fingers above his face trying to gain his attention. "May I ask what is so intriguing about the ceiling?"
Sitting up, Toby immediately scanned the family room and kitchen checking for Spencer's luggage. With no sign of it Toby transferred his gaze over to Spencer in confusion. Did he imagine the whole thing? "Uh, I…don't, uh…"
Spencer rolled her eyes at his tongue tied words. "Must have been really interesting for you to become speechless about it." Toby narrowed his eyes as he detected sarcasm dripping in her sentence.
"So, um, did you decide?" Toby changed the subject attempting to get straight to the point.
"Yes, I did." Spencer's tone had suddenly become very indifferent. Toby feared for the worse. Spencer surprised even herself by letting the answer tumble out of her mouth smoothly. "I've decided to stay and accept my responsibility as godmother."