Monday.
In the afternoon, Hanna is at her store, sitting at the checkout counter. She has made it her temporary desk to work on the tasks she needs to manage while keeping an eye on the store, as Lisa and Vanessa work on the dresses upstairs.
She's typing on her laptop when she hears someone entering. Lifting her gaze, she expects to find a new customer, but instead, she sees a familiar face.
Hanna "Hey, Chloe!"
Chloe "Hey!"
Hanna "What are you doing here?" She asks, a tinge of concern in her voice. "Please tell me the other test came out negative."
Chloe "Of course it was negative. I'd have vanished to China if it hadn't. I'd sooner run away than break such news to my parents. But anyway, everything's fine, and I've learned my lesson."
Hanna "I'm glad to hear that, Chlo… Why did you come by then?" She asks again.
Chloe "I bumped into Caleb yesterday, and he mentioned you had to let Sydney go."
Hanna "Really? What did he tell you?"
Chloe "Not much, just that she was having a pretty bad attitude and you had no other choice… I never really liked her anyway." She says while taking off her coat. "Go take care whatever you need to take care of upstairs. I'll stay here."
Hanna looks at her, confused.
Chloe "I'm here to help you, Han."
Hanna "What? No! Did Caleb asked you to-"
Chloe "Yes." She cuts her off. "But I'm not here because he asked me too. I'm here because I want to help you."
Hanna "No, Chloe. I can't let you waste your time here. Go be with Zeth, do your homework, or whatever you have to do to get into college."
Chloe "Zeth's hanging out with his friends today. And I'll just come help you after school for a couple of days. I'm sure you are already looking for a new salesperson."
Hanna "You don't have to do this, Chloe."
Chloe "I know. I want to. You helped me the other day. I'll help you now. We are friends, aren't we?"
Hanna chuckles. "Thought I was too old to be your friend."
Chloe laughs. "I'll make an exception because you are too cool."
Hanna grins. "Thank you, Chloe, for being here." She says while gathering her things from the counter to go upstairs.
Chloe "No problem." She smiles back.
/
The rest of the day goes by without any surprises for Hanna, which is quite an achievement considering it's the first day she's reopened the store after the stock crisis and without Sydney attending to the store. Nevertheless, she still stays late, organizing things for the following day. She has interviews scheduled with potential replacements for Sydney and expects to be busy for several hours. After leaving the designs she wants Lisa and Vanessa to work on the next day on their desks, she finally heads home.
Hanna "Hey!" She greets Caleb, who is sitting on the couch
Caleb "Hey." He greets her back, still focused on the laptop on his lap.
Hanna "Did you have dinner already?"
Caleb "Yeah."
Hanna "Okay… Where's Chocolate?"
Caleb "In the backyard, he was driving me crazy." He finally looks up at her.
Hanna "Well, it's the first day without Zeth walking him. He must have an excess of energy."
Caleb "Yeah, I didn't have the time to walk him either." He focuses back on his laptop.
Hanna "I'll take him for a walk after I eat something…" she says and stares at him, expecting that he offers to go with her. But he doesn't, he is too concentrated on his computer.
Hanna turns around and leaves for the kitchen.
/
Later that night.
Hanna takes Chocolate for a walk, always staying within a short distance from their house. Even though it's been months since she started walking him by herself occasionally, it still makes her a bit anxious, especially since it's nighttime.
When she returns, Caleb is still on his computer. She goes upstairs to get ready for bed but once she's ready, she decides to go downstairs again.
Hanna "It's my turn to take the couch…"
Caleb "Go to bed, it's fine. I'll sleep here."
Hanna "It's okay, I can wait." She sits down next to him. "What's keeping you so busy, though?" She rests her chin on his shoulder to take a look, but she has no idea what he's doing because she doesn't even know what the programs he is running are or what they do.
Caleb "Just working on a few suggestions Lucas made yesterday."
Hanna "Oh."
Caleb "Just go to bed, really."
Hanna "Are you trying to get rid of me, maybe?" She kisses his shoulder.
Caleb doesn't reply.
Hanna "Maybe we can both sleep in the bed tonight." She suggests.
Caleb still doesn't reply as he keeps typing on his laptop.
Hanna "Should I email you for a reply?"
Caleb "Hanna, just go to bed. You are being more annoying than Chocolate right now."
Hanna "Fine." She stands up from the couch. "I hope you find the couch comfortable enough because you are sleeping on it for the rest of the week." She says, annoyed, before leaving.
/
The next morning, Caleb heads upstairs with the intention of apologizing to Hanna, expecting to find her upset with him. To his surprise, he discovers her in a cheerful mood, wearing a smile while finishing her makeup in the bathroom.
Hanna "Morning, Caleb!" She greets him with a smile.
Caleb "Morning…" He replies, somewhat baffled.
Hanna finishes applying her mascara and turns to him. "You're just in time for a kiss before I put on my red lipstick." She says before kissing his lips briefly.
Caleb stares at her, still puzzled. "Why are you so happy this morning?"
Hanna finishes applying her lipstick and then reveals a pregnancy test to him. "Here."
Caleb initially smiles, but that smile fades quickly as he reads "Not pregnant" on the test. His confusion deepens, and he looks back at Hanna, trying to make sense of the situation.
Hanna smiles. "We have nothing to worry about. I bought the test a few days ago, but it was too soon to take it then. Today marks about 9 days since… you know. So, I think we'll be just fine. I'll take another one in a few days just to be sure."
In complete silence, Caleb opens the shower, a lump forming in his throat. He then removes his underwear and steps into the shower, still processing the recent turn of events. It's not the negative results that affect him, but rather Hanna's attitude about the situation that hurts him. The warm shower helps him sort through his thoughts and decide on his next course of action. By the time he turns off the water, he has already made up his mind. He feels he has no other choice.
/
Hanna returns to their bedroom before leaving for work.
Hanna "I forgot my charger." She explains as she goes to get it from her bedside table. Then she notices Caleb packing his travel bag. "Are you leaving for Boston again?" She asks, confusion in her voice.
Caleb "No, I'm just leaving for the night."
Hanna stares at him, still trying to grasp the situation. "If it's about last night, it's okay. You were just in a bad mood... I wasn't serious when I told you that you'd sleep on the couch for the rest of the week."
Caleb "It's not about last night." He says, continuing to gather his things. "It's about all these nights… and days. We can't keep going like this. I have to do something. I'll leave, at least for tonight."
Hanna "You don't have to leave, Caleb. Let's talk... let's have a good talk to sort things out." She leaves her charger on the bed.
Caleb "I'm not okay right now. I'm leaving so we can talk at another time."
Hanna notices a hint of tears in his eyes. "Okay, I'll leave then… I can go to my mom's." She offers, since she doesn't know where Caleb could go.
Caleb "No, I need to get out of this house. I'll figure something out."
Hanna sighs. "Why are you so hurt anyway? I don't get you." She takes his hands to pause him from packing and looks into his eyes.
Caleb "I don't get you either." He looks at her earnestly, their eyes locked.
Hanna "Are you still upset because I won't keep trying for a baby? I thought you agreed with me that this wasn't the right time. I mean, look at us. We-"
Caleb cuts her off. "It's not that, Hanna." He releases his hands from hers and resumes packing. "It hurts, okay? Seeing you celebrating like that. So happy that you didn't end up pregnant, like if you were a teenager. You reminded me of Chloe the other day. But you're an adult, and we're in a serious relationship. I know it's not the right time. I've become aware of it in the worst way these days. But you can't be this happy, as if having a baby with me were such a terrible thing. I don't know how we went from trying for a baby to you celebrating a negative result."
Hanna "I was just relieved, Caleb. I do want a baby with you, more than anything. But not right now. I can't handle my own life at the moment, let alone take care of someone else... and I really need to focus on my business expansion to New York first."
Caleb "Yeah, I see where your priorities are. You don't have to tell me."
Hanna "What do you mean?"
Caleb "You are opening a new store in New York when your business is already breaking our relationship." He finally says it out load. "It's evident that it comes first, and I'm left, along with Chocolate and any future we could have, at the bottom. Things are always your way, you go around making life decisions that affect both of us, not just you."
Hanna "I'm expanding the business to New York so I can get my life together, Caleb."
Caleb "I've heard you say that many times, Hanna. When you started making your dresses, you said it was only until you got a good number of them ready to launch your website, and that you'd take it easier then. Guess what? It didn't happen. You said the same later, when you told me you would hire a seamstress to help you with the dresses… and then you said the same when you were setting up your store, saying you would start working less once it was set. I never know if you'll cross the front door and kiss me or treat me like crap. I never know which version of you is coming home after work. You keep things bottled up and treat me like a roommate. I'm only your boyfriend on weekends, and that's no longer enough for me. I'm sorry, I don't believe you anymore."
Hanna "Okay, then talk to Lucas. If you don't believe me, talk to him and ask him about the point of moving the business to New York. Tell him I said-"
Caleb interrupts her. "I won't go talk to Lucas, Hanna. I'm in a relationship with you, not him."
Hanna "Fine, then stay and let's talk." She grabs his travel bag and holds it tightly against herself.
Caleb "We are talking right now, aren't we?"
Hanna "We're not talking, you're just accusing me of basically all our relationship problems."
Caleb "I just told you I wasn't ready to talk, and you forced it."
Hanna "Fine, leave then!" She yells and throws his bag back on the bed, causing it to drop on its side, and some of Caleb's clothes fall out. "I'm done too." She goes and grabs some pairs of socks from his drawer. "Here, don't forget your socks." she tosses them on the bed as well.
Caleb "See? This is exactly what I meant before. Things are always your way, and your mind changes in a heartbeat. You were trying to make me stay, and now that you didn't like what I said, what you pushed me to say, you're just kicking me out."
Hanna "I'm already giving my all to make this work, Caleb… Do whatever you want." She says softly, hurt by Caleb's words, all of them. Then, she turns around and leaves, forgetting her charger on the bed.
Caleb "Of course I will!" He yells from the bedroom.
/
Hanna spends her first hour at work crying in the bathroom.
At some point, Lisa decides to knock on the door. "Hanna, are you okay?" She asks although she already knows she's not. She and Vanessa have heard her crying.
Hanna "Yeah… I'll be out in a moment." Her voice coming out shaky. "I'm sorry I took over the bathroom."
Lisa "It's okay. I was just checking on you because it's already time to open the store, and there's no one to take care of that."
Hanna "I'll go open it in a minute. Thanks."
/
Caleb arrives at the office, and Emily is already there.
Emily "Hey, Caleb!" She greets him warmly.
Caleb "Hey." He approaches her desk. "Can I ask you a favor?"
Emily "Sure." She notices his sad face.
Caleb "Could you please talk to the clients I'm supposed to meet with today and reschedule those meetings for tomorrow? I'd do it myself, but I don't really feel like talking to anyone right now."
Emily "Sure, no problem." She also notices the travel bag he's carrying. "Are you okay?"
Caleb "I'll be okay. I just need a moment."
Emily only nods, deciding to leave him alone.
/
It takes all of Hanna's strength to compose herself and finally start her day, but she manages to do it. She fixes her makeup, opens the store, and interviews the candidates for the salesperson position she had arranged the day before. She juggles these interviews while also managing the store, which keeps her occupied and prevents another breakdown into tears. Chloe arrives after school, coming to her rescue and making the rest of her day easier.
Chloe "Hey…" She greets Hanna softly, noticing her sad face.
Hanna "Hi, Chloe." She begins gathering her things from the checkout counter to go upstairs.
Chloe "Are you okay?" She asks while taking off her school bag. "Have you been crying?"
Hanna sighs. "Is it that obvious? I thought I had done a good job fixing my makeup." She places her things back on the counter and goes to check her appearance in a mirror in one of the fitting rooms.
Chloe follows her. "Your makeup is just as flawless as always, Han… it's your reddish eyes that give it away."
Hanna notices her own sad expression reflected in the mirror. She takes a deep breath and heads back to the checkout counter to get her things.
Chloe "Wanna talk?"
Hanna gives Chloe a faint smile. "I'll be okay."
Chloe "You sure?"
Hanna nods. "Thanks, Chlo." She reaches out and places her hand on the girl's shoulder. "Enjoy your last year being just a teen… I miss those years so bad. Adulthood sucks. I really appreciate you being here today too. But… don't come back tomorrow, okay? Really, go enjoy your life and be with Zeth."
/
Caleb, on the other hand, has a more complicated day. He spends the entire morning holed up in his office. At some point, Emily decides to check on him.
Caleb "Come in." He responds to the knock on his door.
Emily "Hey." She says, taking note of his reddened eyes, which remain fixed on his laptop. "Wanna go out for lunch?"
Caleb looks up at her. "I'm not really hungry, Em… I actually feel a little sick. I'll pass. Thanks anyway."
Emily nods.
Caleb returns his attention to the computer.
Emily "Just let me know if you need anything, okay?"
Caleb "Yeah, thanks Em."
Emily leaves.
/
Later, it's Toby who shows up in Caleb's office. He lets himself in without knocking and finds Caleb lying on the small couch in his office, his legs hanging from one of the armrests because it's a two-seat couch and he doesn't fit on it properly.
Toby "Hey, what's up?" He asks just like that.
Caleb "Hey…" He shifts to sit properly on the couch.
Toby "What's going on, bud?"
Caleb "Nothing… I'm just not feeling so well. I think I got food poisoning or something."
Toby "Does it have anything to do with that bag there?" He asks and points to Caleb's travel bag on his desk.
Caleb "I had to leave." He vaguely explains.
Toby "Did you guys have a fight or something?"
Caleb "I wish it was only just a fight." He sighs.
Toby approaches him and places his palm on Caleb's shoulder. "I've been there, buddy." he says, understanding the situation without needing much explanation. "I'll get better."
Caleb "Yeah… I thought I'd leave before making it worse, but I ended up venting at Hanna before leaving anyway. So things didn't come out exactly like I would have liked to say them…"
Toby nods in understanding.
Caleb suddenly stands up from the couch and rushes out of his office, heading straight for the bathroom. He barely makes it to the toilet in time to throw up, not even having the chance to close the door.
Toby "Are you okay?" He asks from the doorframe.
Caleb "Yeah, I just need a moment." He vomits again.
Toby closes the door to give him some privacy.
Emily "He looks terrible, Tob."
Toby "Yeah, I'll make him go home."
Emily "I don't know if you noticed his bag, but I don't think he has somewhere to go."
Toby "Oh, right."
Caleb comes out from the bathroom a few minutes later and goes back to his office. He's taking his toothbrush from his bag when Toby enters his office again.
Toby "Hey, you shouldn't have come to work, Caleb. Go to my place and have some rest. I'll let Spencer know you're staying with us."
Caleb "No, thanks… I'll figure something out. I won't stay at your place."
Toby "Why not?"
Caleb "Because it'd be weird, it's right next door to my house. Hanna's going to go home, see my car there, and Spencer will be there too… and… I can't stay at your place. I'll figure something out. Thanks anyway."
/
When Caleb comes out from the bathroom after brushing his teeth, he finds Emily waiting for him.
Emily "You should go get some rest, Caleb."
Caleb "Yeah, I'm leaving."
Emily "Where are you going?"
Caleb "I'll go to the Lost Woods."
Emily "That dump?" She makes a disgusted face.
Caleb shrugs. "I can't go to The Radley."
Emily "Don't you want to stay at my place? We have a guestroom."
Caleb "No, thanks, Em. I'll be fine. Don't worry."
Emily nods.
Caleb "See you tomorrow."
/
Caleb drives all the way to The Lost Woods, only to discover they have no available rooms due to flea fumigation. The Radley isn't an option either because of acquaintances and potential gossip. He might even run into Ashley there, and doesn't feel like explaining why he booked a room there. Feeling worse, he can't keep driving around looking for a place to stay. Lucas seems to be the only option left. Still parked outside The Lost Woods, Caleb decides to call Lucas.
Lucas "Hey, Caleb!"
Caleb "Hey, Lucas… Are you still in Rosewood?"
Lucas "Yeah, I'm not leaving until tomorrow morning. Do you need anything? Is this about your software?"
Caleb "No... I actually... I know this is weird, but I ran out of options... Could I crash at your place for tonight?"
Lucas "Sure! No problem. You can stay as long as you want… Did something happen?"
Caleb "No… just… Hanna and I-"
Lucas "Did you guys break up?"
Caleb "No." He rushes to clarify. "We just had a fight." He only says, not feeling like giving many explanations. "I only need a place to stay for tonight, and The Lost Woods is not available for now."
Lucas "The Lost Woods? Are you nuts? You should have called me before going there. Come over now, I'm here at my place."
Caleb "Thanks, man. I'm on my way."
/
Lucas "Hey!" He greets Caleb with a cheerful smile after opening the door.
Caleb "Hey, Lucas!" He tries to match his enthusiasm but fails.
Lucas "You don't look so good." He comments as Caleb makes his way into his loft.
Caleb "Yeah, I'm not feeling so well."
Lucas "Let me show you to your room."
Caleb only nods.
Lucas leads him to the guestroom, and Caleb follows, carrying his bag.
Lucas "Make yourself at home."
Caleb "Thanks, Lucas." He places his bag on the bed. "You saved my ass today." He sits down on the edge of the bed, still feeling unwell.
Lucas "I was thinking we could go out for dinner later, but you look pretty beat."
Caleb "I'm sorry, I'm not great company today."
Lucas "I'll give you some space then. Just give me a shout if you need anything."
Caleb only nods again, not feeling like talking anymore.
After Lucas leaves, he kicks off his shoes and collapses onto the bed. The morning's fight with Hanna keeps tormenting him, playing on repeat in his head while he struggles to rest. Filled with regret for many of the things he said to her, he ends up texting her a red heart emoji, even though the whole point of spending the night away from their house was to take some time apart from her and clear his mind. After texting her that simple emoji, which speaks volumes more than any words he could manage to text, he relaxes a little and finally falls asleep.
/
Meanwhile, Spencer arrives home, parking her car in the driveway. As she unbuckles Finn from his car seat, she spots Hanna sitting on the porch steps outside her house, accompanied by Chocolate.
Approaching Hanna, Spencer notices her tear-stained face and the cigarette in her hand.
Spencer "Hey, what's going on?" She's surprised to see Hanna home so early.
Hanna "Caleb left." She says in between sobs.
Spencer sighs. "If you put that cigarette out, you get to hold Finnie."
Hanna is about to say something but complies, extinguishing her cigarette and reaching for the baby. Spencer hands Finn to Hanna and sits down beside her.
Spencer "What happened?"
Chocolate approaches to sniff Finn a little.
Hanna "I don't really want to talk, Spence." She hugs the baby tightly and plants a kiss on his head.
Spencer "Okay." She says simply and wraps her arm around Hanna's shoulders.
Hanna places Finn on her lap, trying to force a smile for him, but fails as a few more tears escape her eyes. The baby gazes up at her with wide eyes, but doesn't flash his usual smile upon seeing Hanna.
Hanna "Take him." She says softly, handing Finn back to Spencer. "I'm making him sad too."
Spencer gently takes the baby back into her arms.
Hanna "Caleb and I had a huge fight this morning after I took a pregnancy test." She finally opens up as she wipes away her tears.
Spencer "Oh… What happened? Weren't you on the pill?"
Hanna sighs. "You're a few chapters behind, Spence."
Spencer "Want to catch me up?"
Hanna feels the urge to light up another cigarette, but she won't do that with Finn right next to her. "In short, he suggested I quit the pill, and I did it impulsively, without thinking it through. We actually tried for a baby, but then I changed my mind... Work has been incredibly stressful lately… and Caleb and I've been fighting for days."
Spencer "Oh, I see… these things happen, Han… you saw me and Toby last year. Give it some time." She speaks softly while letting Finn play with her car keys, something she usually doesn't allow, but she needs to keep him occupied.
Hanna starts crying again. "You don't get it, Spence." Tears flow down her cheeks. "What I did was awful… I took the test and then I was happy about the negative result, all smiley in front of Caleb. I thought about it all day… If things had been the opposite, and Caleb was the one who changed his mind about the baby and got all happy about a negative test, it would have broken my heart. I can't even imagine how bad I made him feel this morning." She sobs harder. "He said he was only leaving for the night, but I'm not sure he's coming back home tomorrow."
Spencer "It's okay, Han." She holds Finn with one arm and reaches out to wipe Hanna's tears. "Relationship crises can lead us to say or do hurtful things we regret later. We've all said things we wished we hadn't. Last year, I even told Toby I would get an abortion during one of our big fights. I regret saying that to this day." She kisses Finn's cheek. "But we moved on. Our relationship even grew stronger."
Hanna breathes deeply, trying to calm down. "What do I do, Spence?"
Spencer "Right now? You do nothing, Han. Give it some time. Don't force anything. I know it hurts, but try to cool off first." She replies gently.
Hanna nods.
Finn starts getting unsettled in Spencer's arms, tossing her car keys to the ground. Hanna stands up and picks up the keys.
Hanna "Go home, Spence." She hands her the keys. "Finnie seems tired."
Spencer stands up as well. "Why don't you come home with us?"
Hanna "Thanks, but I just want to be alone right now."
Spencer "Okay, Han." She rubs her arm, comforting her. "Just come over later if you change your mind."
Hanna nods again.
Spencer gives her a kind smile before walking home.
Hanna "Let's go inside, Chocolate."
Hanna enters the house and heads straight to the bedroom. She spots her charger on the bed where she left it that morning. Her phone has been out of battery for almost an hour now. She decides not to charge it yet, since she knows she won't be getting any calls or texts from the only person she would like to hear from. And, disconnecting from the world for a few hours also feels right. She changes into one of Caleb's t-shirts and returns downstairs to cuddle with Chocolate on the couch while watching whatever silly '90s sitcom she can find on Netflix.
/
Later.
Caleb wakes up, feeling cold, with a weird sensation in his stomach, a dull ache. It takes him a moment to realize where he is. He gets up, grabs a hoodie from his bag, throws it on, and feeling thirsty, heads to the kitchen for a glass of water. Lucas is sitting at the table on his laptop.
Lucas "Hey, you are alive!"
Caleb "What time is it? I fell asleep."
Lucas "It's midnight. I wasn't sure if I should wake you up for dinner or-"
Caleb "No worries. I wasn't hungry anyway. I'll just grab some water."
Lucas nods. "Help yourself."
Caleb "Are you working?" He asks Lucas after getting his glass of water.
Lucas "Yeah, I've gotten into this new video game. I'm sending the developers some reviews about an update they sent me a few days ago." He explains.
Caleb "Sounds cool." He takes a seat across from Lucas and sips his water.
Lucas "Definitely. It's pretty good. The graphics look amazing already."
Caleb simply nods. Truth be told, he isn't feeling well and he engaged in conversation mostly to be polite since Lucas is letting him stay the night. He isn't really in the mood for small talk. While Lucas keeps typing away on his laptop, Caleb glances around the table and notices a couple of folders, one of which is labeled "Hanna."
Caleb "Is that Hanna's plan for expanding to New York?"
Lucas "Yes, this is the updated version of the business plan I've been working on for her. I had to make some changes, since she kept insisting on keeping her workshop here in Rosewood as well."
Caleb "Mind if I take a look at it? I honestly didn't pay much attention to you the other day after you mentioned New York City." He confesses.
Lucas smiles. "Sure." He hands over the folder. "You shouldn't worry much about New York. One of Hanna's concerns was how long she'd have to be there, but it shouldn't take more than a couple of months... and New York is just a couple of hours away from here. She can travel back and forth whenever she wants."
Caleb nods silently.
Lucas "It's a short timeframe, especially since she'll be able to manage most of it from Rosewood once it's set up."
Caleb stands up, holding the folder. "I think I'll lie down. I'm not feeling well. Might have a fever."
Lucas "Okay. Just to let you know, I'll be leaving for New York early in the morning. I need to handle some things there. But I'll leave you the spare keys. Stay as long as you need."
Caleb "Thank you, Lucas. Seriously."
Lucas "No worries. I hardly use this place anyway. So if you ever need somewhere to stay, feel free to come here instead of ending up at the Lost Woods."
Caleb gives a faint smile. "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. Definitely want to avoid the fleas." He heads back into the bedroom.
Caleb lies down on the bed and begins reviewing Hanna's new business plan. He's amazed by the impressive growth projections for her business over the next couple of years. It paints a promising future for her business. He also notices the significant investment calculated by Lucas to execute the entire expansion, and the number of employees that would be hired. The guilt he was feeling before about the things he said to Hanna earlier that day grows as he realizes that the positions planned for hiring would cover most of the tasks that Hanna currently manages. Despite his fever and stomachache, he can't resist getting up from the bed again to talk to Lucas, as the complexity of the business plan raises some concerns in him.
Caleb "Hey… Can I ask you a few questions about this?"
Lucas "Sure." He remains focused on his laptop.
Caleb "This plan sounds a bit too complex… and from what I saw, you are planning on getting some investors involved… Will Hanna be covered somehow? I mean, legally? Just in case something happens?" He asks while taking a seat, feeling increasingly unwell.
Lucas raises his gaze from his laptop. "Of course, Caleb. I've got her back. I work with great lawyers who advise me on any business I invest in, and they'll handle the legal agreements for Hanna's business too. Hanna's maintaining the largest ownership stake, she'll maintain control over decision-making."
Caleb "And what about all the employees you plan on hiring?"
Lucas "Just the same as before, legal advice is covered, her accountant will take care of the payments, there'll be a supervisor to manage them… it's everything detailed in that business plan." He points to the folder that Caleb placed back on the table. "Everything will be fine. She asked me to help her solve her stock crisis for good, and to reduce her workload. That's exactly what I did. She'll focus on designing, which is what she really enjoys doing. No more managing employees, paperwork, ordering supplies, or paying bills. Just designing."
Caleb sighs. "I should have listened to Hanna." He mumbles.
Lucas "Are you okay?" He asks, not catching Caleb's muttered comment.
Caleb shakes his head. "I feel like crap." He says, referring not only to his physical state but also his emotional turmoil. He stands up from his chair. "Thanks for clarifying things for me, Lucas. I was just concerned because her business is going to turn into something much bigger and I don't want her to end up in any kind of trouble, especially legally… but it seems like you have everything under control... Anyway, I'll just head back to bed."
Lucas "Want something for the fever?"
Caleb "No, I'll just sleep it off. I'll feel better in the morning." He responds before heading back into the bedroom.
/
Next day.
It takes everything in Hanna to get up from the bed in the morning. She spent the night cuddling with Chocolate, trying to stay positive that Caleb would come back the following day.
She arrives at her store a little earlier than the opening time and finds Lisa already there, upstairs in the workshop. She kept the key after closing the place the previous day.
Hanna "Morning, Lis." She greets the woman with a faint smile, setting her purse on her desk.
Lisa "Good morning, Hanna. Are you feeling better today?"
Hanna lets out a sigh. "Just trying to keep it together." She simply says. "Thanks for closing up yesterday. I really appreciate it."
Lisa responds with a gentle smile.
Hanna "I'll be downstairs looking after the store if you need me." She says before heading for the stairs.
/
Caleb wakes up mid-morning, feeling even worse than the day before. Sitting up in bed, he's struck by an intense abdominal pain, forcing him to lie down again. He notices chills and sweating, realizing he must have a high fever. Despite feeling weak, he makes a huge effort to get up, heading to Lucas' bathroom to look for something to take for his fever. Unfortunately, he can't find Lucas' medicines after a thorough search. Frustrated and feeling terrible, he gives up and returns to bed. Once back under the covers, he reaches for his phone and calls Hanna, only to be directed straight to her voicemail. Shortly after, he falls asleep again.
/
Later, around noon.
Toby arrives at the office after spending the morning at a company where they're setting up an internal network designed by Caleb. As soon as he steps through the door, Emily intercepts him.
Emily "Hey! I'm worried about Caleb. He didn't show up this morning, and he's not responding to my texts."
Toby "It's okay, Em... I'm sure he just needs some time alone."
Emily "But he has meetings scheduled for this afternoon."
Toby "Here at the office?"
Emily "Yes, his first meeting is here, but the other one is a video call with those guys from Boston."
Toby "Let's cancel the meetings then. If he shows up for his first meeting just let him know I asked you to cancel them. If not, then we'll start to worry about him."
Emily "I don't know, Toby… he wasn't feeling well yesterday."
Toby "Yeah, I know. That's why I believe he's just resting wherever he stayed the night."
Emily nods, not so convinced.
/
It's early afternoon when Caleb wakes up once again, this time due to a sharp pain in his stomach interrupting his sleep. He attempts to reach Hanna once more, yet just like before, he reaches her voicemail. He assumes she might be upset with him, given that she hasn't responded to the red heart emoji he texted her the day before. Turning to Toby as his next option, he attempts to call but ends up directed to voicemail despite hearing call waiting beeps this time. Struggling to get up from the bed and reach for his clothes, his movements make the pain worse, causing him to sit on the floor.
/
Hanna is alone at the store today since she asked Chloe not to come to help her anymore. Spencer arrives.
Spencer "Hey! I was trying to reach you!"
Hanna "Oh, yeah… my phone died."
Spencer "I texted you last night to check on you! I was worried."
Hanna "I'm sorry… I didn't even bother to put it on charge…"
Spencer "Yeah, I see."
Hanna "Where's Finnie?"
Spencer "He's with Toby. I dropped him off at his office earlier because I had an appointment."
Hanna "Did you see Caleb there?"
Spencer "Nope, he wasn't there."
Hanna purses her lips.
Spencer "I'm sure he'll go back home later, Han."
Hanna doesn't respond. She just grabs some resumes from the checkout counter and hands them to Spencer. "Who do you think I should call to start working here at the store?"
Spencer takes the papers to look them over. "I don't know, they all have some experience… Have you checked their references?"
Hanna "Not yet… I'm not in the mood for that."
Spencer "Have you interviewed them?"
Hanna "Yeah, I did that yesterday. Those are the ones I liked the most. But I honestly didn't pay much attention to them…"
Spencer "You can't just call anyone, Han… You need to take this seriously if you don't want to end up with another Sydney… How about I take these home and check their references myself? I'll let you know who I think is the best candidate."
Hanna gives her a slight smile. "Thanks, Spence."
Spencer smiles back. "I should go pick Finnie up, Han." She heads to the exit. "I'll call you later. Charge your freaking phone, please."
/
Spencer arrives at the guys' office to find Emily and Toby in the middle of a discussion.
Emily "I told you we had to check on him before, Toby!"
Toby "I'm sorry, Em. I just assumed he was taking some time off." He answers, holding Finn in his arms.
Spencer "What's going on?"
Emily "Caleb didn't show up for work, and we haven't heard from him since yesterday. He was feeling sick, and we don't even know where he spent the night."
Toby "Yeah, and he called me a while ago, but I was with Finn and didn't hear my phone. I missed his call, and now he's not picking up."
Emily "Let's just call Hanna, maybe she knows something."
Spencer "No, I was just at her store. She knows nothing about Caleb either, she asked me if he was here. We don't need to worry her just yet. Maybe it's nothing."
Emily sighs. "I'll try to call him again." She says, putting her phone to her ear.
Spencer "How come you didn't ask him where he would stay the night? He's your best friend."
Toby "I don't know, Spence. We are guys, I invited him to stay with us, and he didn't want to. He said he'd figure something out, and we just left it there."
Emily "He's not picking up, guys…"
/
Meanwhile.
Caleb hears Emily's call, but since he left his phone on the bed and is currently sitting on the floor after his failed attempt to reach his clothes, it takes him some time to crawl back to the bed, given that his pain has become unbearable by now. By the time he manages to reach the bed, he's missed the call. Feeling a bit disoriented due to his high fever, he blindly grabs the phone and returns the last missed call on his log, without even checking the name associated with it.
/
Spencer takes the baby from Toby's arms. "Go check at the Radley, maybe he's there."
Toby "He wouldn't stay at the Radley, Ashley's there."
Spencer "The Lost Woods then? Go check there."
Emily "I've already called there because Caleb told me yesterday he'd check in there. But they aren't renting rooms at the moment. They said they were fumigating the place."
Spencer "I don't know where else he could have stayed."
Emily "He could have stayed anywhere, guys… What if he just booked something on Airbnb?"
Toby "Nah… it's not like Caleb."
Emily "At Aria's and Ezra's?"
Toby "No, he would never stay with them at that little apartment."
Emily "Would you just stop dismissing every single possibility I suggest? At least I'm trying to find him." She remarks, annoyed.
Toby "Okay, I'm sorry… It just seems unlikely."
Spencer "Give Aria a call… we have nothing to lose. Maybe they know something."
As Emily reaches for her phone to call Aria, Caleb's call comes in.
Emily "Guys, it's him!" She yells and takes the call. "Hey, Caleb!"
Caleb "Han?" He asks, confused.
Emily "I'm not Hanna, I'm Emily. Where are you? We are worried about you!"
Caleb "I'm at… Lucas." He says, short of breath. He struggles to speak as he lies down on the bed, putting in a lot of effort to climb onto it.
Emily "Are you okay?" She notices his heavy breathing.
Caleb "No." He only says.
Emily "Tell me the address, we are coming right away."
Caleb "I don't remember it."
Emily "Okay, just share your location with me. Can you do that?"
Caleb doesn't respond verbally but sends his location to Emily.
Emily "Hey, are you still there?"
Caleb still doesn't reply.
Emily "Caleb! Are you there?" She asks, worrying even more.
Caleb "Yeah."
Emily "Can you send me your location?" She asks again.
Caleb "I already did."
Emily checks her phone while still on the call and she sees that he has indeed shared his location with her.
Caleb "It's apartment 2 B."
Emily "Okay, we'll be right there." She hangs up and turns to Spencer and Toby, who are waiting by the door. "Let's go, guys."
/
Toby parks Spencer's car in the nearest available spot close to the location Caleb shared with Emily.
Emily "It has to be one of these buildings…" She tells Toby as they step out of the car.
Toby "Go check if Lucas' name is on any of the intercoms." He holds the rear door open for Spencer.
Spencer exits the car with Finnie in her arms, and they approach Emily, who's already at the entrance of one of the buildings.
Emily "It's here, guys. Apartment 2 B, Gottesman." She points out, reading the name listed on the intercom and pressing the button.
They wait for a couple of minutes, but there's no response from Caleb.
Toby "Try with any other apartment and let's see if someone lets us in." He suggests, but at that moment a man opens the door to exit the building.
Spencer quickly approaches him. "Excuse me, we're here to check on a friend of ours who is at apartment 2B. He called us because he wasn't feeling well. Could you let us in?" She explains.
Upon seeing the baby in Spencer's arms, the man readily agrees to help. He holds the door open, allowing them to enter.
Spencer "Thank you!" She says to the man as she proceeds down the hall.
Arriving at Lucas' apartment, they face another obstacle: another closed door.
Spencer "Do your magic, babe." She tells Toby, referring to his skills as a former police officer, knowing how to pick a lock.
Toby kneels before the door, confident. "Good thing I came prepared." He says while taking a piece of wire from his pocket. Breaking it into two parts, he begins working on the lock.
Emily "Hurry up, Toby!" Her impatience surfaces.
Toby "I'm almost there." Finally, with a proud grin, he manages to unlock the door. "Done."
Spencer "Let's go!" She says, already stepping inside.
Emily "Caleb?" She calls out.
Caleb "Here!" He yells from the guestroom.
The three rush into the room and find Caleb in bed.
Emily "God, Caleb! You look terrible."
Spencer "You're burning in fever!"
Toby "What's wrong, buddy?"
Caleb "Where's Hanna?" He asks, confused, looking around for her but not finding her.
Emily "We didn't call her yet. We wanted to check on you first." She explains.
Toby "What's wrong? You can't get up?" He asks again.
Caleb "My stomach is killing me." He responds, attempting to sit up a little.
Spencer "Stay lying down." She sighs. "Are you dressed?" She asks, since he's covered by the sheets.
Caleb "Kind of…" He says, realizing he's only in his underwear.
Passing the baby to Toby, Spencer gently pulls down the sheets to his waist, exposing his bare torso.
Caleb shivers, feeling the cold.
Feeling his stomach with her palms, Spencer discovers his abdomen is extremely tender.
Spencer "We need to take him to the hospital right now, guys… I think it's appendicitis."
Emily "Okay, lets go now."
Caleb "Where's Hanna?" He insists.
Spencer "We'll go get her after we get you to the hospital." She reassures him while taking Finn back from Toby's arms. "Help him get dressed."
Toby nods, assisting Caleb to get up.
Emily spots Caleb's bag and grabs it. "Here, take this." She hands it to Spencer. "I'll help Toby." She goes take Caleb's t-shirt from a nearby chair.
Spencer nods and leaves the room with Finn and Caleb's bag.
/
They finally get Caleb to the hospital, and after a quick check, a doctor confirms Spencer's suspicions. Seeing that Caleb's condition is critical, they skip an ultrasound to confirm the diagnosis and decide to take him straight to the OR due to the imminent risk of his appendix bursting.
Emily, Toby, Spencer, and Finn find themselves in the waiting room only ten minutes after arriving at the hospital. Everything happened so fast.
Emily "We should have called Hanna earlier… She's going to get mad at us for not letting her know before they took Caleb for surgery." She takes a seat.
Spencer "We had no other choice, Em… We got here just in time, his appendix might have burst if we took any longer." She sits down next to her, placing Finn on her lap. "Even if we had called her from the car, the doctors wouldn't have waited for her to arrive anyway."
Emily sighs. "I'll call her now."
Spencer "Don't… We shouldn't tell her on the phone. Call Ashley, let her know, and ask her to go get Hanna at the store."
Emily "Right." She agrees. "I'll give Ashley a call." She says, standing up and walking down the hallway with her phone in her ear.
Spencer looks up at Toby, who stands nearby. "I'll call my mom and see if she can come here and pick Finnie up."
Toby only nods.
Spencer notices his troubled face. "Are you okay?"
Toby sighs. "You were right before. He's my best friend, and I should have been there for him yesterday."
Spencer "You couldn't have guessed something like this could happen, Toby. I only meant that you could have been more communicative with him and just know where he was staying, but I guess you guys have your own way to communicate." She stands up and places a tender kiss on his fiancée's cheek. "Don't torture yourself, we got to him just in time."
/
Ashley arrives at Hanna's store after talking with Emily on the phone and finds her daughter seated at the checkout counter, typing on her laptop.
Hanna looks up. "Hey, mom. What brings you here?"
Ashley "Hi, sweetie." She greets her back, noticing Hanna's swollen eyes, immediately sensing something is wrong.
Hanna "What?" She asks, noticing her mother's intense gaze.
Ashley "Are you okay? Did any of your friends call you?" She asks, wondering if any of Hanna's friends might have informed her about Caleb being at the hospital. Despite Hanna appearing sad, she seems calm, which puzzles Ashley.
Hanna "No… What's going on?" She asks, trying to comprehend the situation.
Ashley "Emily called me. She said Caleb had appendicitis, so they took him to the ER."
Hanna "Caleb what?"
Ashley "He's undergoing surgery, honey. They're removing his appendix. That's all I know. Let's go, I'll take you there."
Hanna "I…" She starts speaking but her words don't come out.
Ashley "Where's Sydney?"
Hanna "She doesn't work here anymore." She responds, avoiding further explanations. "I'll just close the store. I'll let Lisa know I'm leaving." She finally reacts and heads for the stairs.
/
Hanna and Ashley arrive at the ER but don't find anyone there.
Hanna "Where are they?" She asks, visibly concerned. "I need to see Caleb, mom." She adds, scanning the area for any sight of her friends.
Ashley places her hand on Hanna's shoulder. "Stay here, I'll go ask."
Hanna nods in agreement, waiting anxiously.
After a brief conversation with a nurse at the desk, Ashley returns to Hanna. "Come on, honey. We need to head to the second floor. He's already been taken to the OR. Your friends are probably waiting in the waiting room there."
Hanna "What? They already took him away?" She reacts with disappointment.
Ashley offers a sympathetic smile. "You'll be able to see him later, sweetie. Let's go find your friends." She gently guides Hanna by placing her arm around her shoulders, leading her toward the elevator in the hallway.
/
Hanna "Where is he? Did they really take him for surgery already?" She asks Emily and Spencer straight away, skipping the greetings.
Spencer "I'm sorry, Han. He's already in surgery. It was an emergency. They couldn't wait any longer." She explains softly, since Finn is asleep in her arms.
Hanna "Why? Was it that bad?" She asks concerned.
Emily "He was in really bad shape when we found him, Han. His appendix was about to burst. We got here just in time."
Hanna "Found him? I don't get it, how did this happen?" She keeps asking, her eyes welling up with tears.
Emily "He had been feeling sick since yesterday. We were already searching for him after he didn't show up for work today when he called me from Lucas' place. He was in pain and couldn't get up from the bed."
Hanna "Since yesterday? Where was Lucas?" She's visibly upset.
Emily "Lucas wasn't there. I think he just let Caleb stay at his place."
Spencer "It's okay, Han. An appendicitis isn't that bad. It's a simple procedure to remove his appendix." She attempts to reassure Hanna.
Hanna slumps into a chair as tears stream down her face. "He was in pain all alone… I should have been there for him."
Sitting beside Hanna, Ashley, not fully understanding the situation, infers from their conversation that something must have been going on between Hanna and Caleb for him to stay at a friend's place. It also clarifies Hanna's earlier sad mood at the store before she received the news.
Spencer "Han, you couldn't have known about it. He… It wasn't…" She struggles with her words. "This could have happened to him at any time, and it just happened under these particular circumstances when you weren't around. That's all." She receives a text. "My mom is here to pick Finnie up. I'll be right back." She explains, while standing up, and leaves.
Hanna continues crying, so Ashley envelops her in a hug.
Ashley "It's okay, sweetie. He'll be fine." She says softly while gently rubbing her back.
Emily "It's not that bad, Han." She reassures her too.
Hanna pulls away from Ashley's embrace, deeply upset. "You don't get it… I should have been there for him. He shouldn't have been in pain for that long all by himself. If it had been the other way around, and it was me who left, he would have come after me. But he left, and I just let him leave. I even packed his socks myself." She breaks down, crying inconsolably.
Ashley rummages through her purse and retrieves a tissue. "You are here now, Hanna. You'll be able to see him later." She hands her the tissue.
Hanna "I'm not even sure he'll want to see me." She wipes her tears with the tissue, but it's pointless because she can't stop crying.
Emily "I'm sure he will, Han. He actually asked about you."
Hanna "He did?" She asks, surprised and touched.
Emily "Yes, more than once. He'll be happy to see you when he wakes up."
Hanna "Poor baby…" Her voice breaks. "I wish I had been there for him."
Ashley "Stop tormenting yourself, Hanna. I don't know what happened between you two, but you couldn't have known this would happen to him. Give yourself a break and try to calm down."
Hanna nods and attempts to wipe her tears away as she tries to regain her composure.
Shortly after, Toby and Spencer return and take seats, joining them in the wait.
Toby "Hi, Han." He greets her.
Hanna responds with only a nod, her tears still falling, but at least she's a bit calmer now.
/
Later.
A young male doctor shows up at the waiting room.
Doctor "You are here for Caleb Rivers, right?"
Hanna jumps up from her seat and approaches the doctor. She's calmer than before and has stopped crying, but she's still visibly affected.
Toby "Yes, we are his friends." He answers to the doctor.
Doctor "I just wanted to update you. The surgery went well, and he's currently in recovery. We decided to perform an open appendectomy instead of a laparoscopy due to his critical stage when he arrived here and the risk of a rupture."
Hanna "But he's alright now? There wasn't a rupture, was it?" She asks, her voice breaking as tears start to fall again.
Doctor "No, there wasn't a rupture. The surgery was successful. He's in the recovery room now, and the medical team is monitoring him closely. As he wakes up from the anesthesia, it would be good if someone close to him is around. It might help him feel more at ease."
Hanna "I'll go." She says between sobs.
Doctor "No, I'm sorry. It can't be you-"
Hanna interrupts him. "Why not? I'm his…" She hesitates. "Wife." She lies.
Doctor "I mean it can't be you because you are too affected, and he needs to be calm as he regains consciousness. People usually wake up feeling groggy and a little confused. Having you crying by his side could make him wake up frightened."
Emily "I'll go stay with him, Han." She offers. "You try to calm down so you can see him when he wakes up, okay?" She says kindly.
Hanna "No, I want to go there with him." She protests. "I'll calm down." She wipes her tears.
Ashley "You go, Emily." She says, taking charge of the situation.
Hanna is about to say something, but Ashley stares at her firmly and continues.
Ashley "Think of what's better for Caleb, sweetie. Let Emily go stay with him, and you can see him later when you are calmer and he's fully conscious."
Hanna only nods and reluctantly goes to sit back in a chair, knowing her mother is right.
Doctor "Please, come with me." He tells Emily and leads her down the hallway.
Spencer and Toby remain standing, chatting between them.
Ashley approaches Hanna and takes a seat in the chair beside her.
Ashley "Mind catching me up here? Did you guys get married, break up, or what? I'm not following…"
Hanna remains looking forward as her tears still dampen her cheeks. "It was just a lie, Mom… I thought that saying I was his wife would make me more important… and saying just girlfriend didn't feel accurate either… I think I'm more than that, we are more than that… or at least we were. I don't know anymore."
Ashley "What happened? Did you guys have a fight?"
Hanna looks at her mother now. "We are having some issues… but I don't really feel like talking about it, Mom." She starts crying harder again. "I just… I want him to get better… and I want us to go back to normal." She barely manages to say and it's her who pulls Ashley into an embrace now, needing her comfort.
Ashley "It's okay, sweetie." She hugs her tight while gently caressing her hair. "You'll work things out. I'm sure."
Hanna "Why are you so sure?" She rests her head on Ashley's shoulder.
Ashley "Because I've seen the love you feel for each other, baby. And you are two beautiful people. You'll sort things out, you'll be fine."
Hanna "Thanks, mom. I hope so." She releases herself from Ashley's embrace.
Ashley "Thank goodness you didn't get married. I thought for a moment you guys had eloped. If you ever decide to do something like that, please let me know. It would break my heart to miss your wedding."
Hanna manages a small smile through her tears. "I promise, Mom." She takes a deep breath, trying to calm down.
/
Emily is seated in a chair beside Caleb's bed when she notices him opening his eyes, indicating he's starting to awaken from the anesthesia.
Emily "Hey…" She says softly.
Caleb's eyes dart around the room, a clear sign of his confusion.
Emily "It's okay, we are at the hospital. Everything's all right." She reaches out and takes his hand.
Caleb remains silent, and Emily decides to join him in that silence, not wanting to overwhelm him. Several minutes pass until he speaks again.
Caleb "Where's Hanna?"
Emily "She's here. You'll see her in a little while."
Caleb nods. He remains calm, lying in bed for a few more minutes, but then attempts to sit up.
Emily "No… don't move." She places her hand on his shoulder and gently pushes him back. "You just had surgery."
Caleb stares at her, still displaying confusion.
Emily "Do you remember what happened?"
Caleb takes a few moments to recollect the recent events. "Yeah… you guys showed up at Lucas'."
Emily "It was an appendicitis. They removed your appendix."
Caleb "Oh, right… it was killing me." He recalls the unbearable pain he experienced earlier. "Where's Hanna?" He asks again.
Emily "She's in the waiting room."
Caleb "Why isn't she here?"
Emily "She was just too upset."
Caleb nods. "Yeah… I was too hard on her yesterday. I can't blame her for not-"
Emily "Oh, no, no." She interrupts him. "I'm sorry, I wasn't clear. I didn't mean angry upset. I meant sad upset. The doctor didn't let her come to see you because she couldn't stop crying and he said you needed to stay calm while waking up from the anesthesia. But she really wanted to be here with you."
Caleb "Really?"
Emily "Yeah, you'll get to see her in a little while." She smiles at him tenderly. "How are you feeling? Are you in pain?"
Caleb "No… I'm not in pain. I'm just feeling a bit nauseous."
Emily "Yes, the doctor mentioned you might feel a bit nauseous. It's normal. Just let me know if you feel like throwing up, okay? A nurse left this here just in case." She shows him an emesis basin.
Caleb "I'm okay."
Emily nods.
Caleb "Thanks for being here... Well, thanks for coming to my rescue in the first place."
Emily "We are friends." She offers him a warm smile. "You've been there for me too. I never thought it was possible to become friends with someone in your mid-twenties and still feel like you've been friends forever. You were a great addition to our group."
Caleb chuckles. "Yeah, I think we became pretty close, I mean, you saw me just in boxers today." He jokes, recalling the moment Emily helped Toby dress him back at Lucas.
Emily laughs. "I see that you are fully conscious now, being all funny. I think you are ready to see Hanna… Do you want me to go get her?"
Caleb smiles. "Yes, please."
Emily "Be right back." She says while standing up from her chair.
Only a couple of minutes later, the door opens again, and Caleb smiles, anticipating Hanna's arrival. However, it's not her. It's just a doctor who comes to check on him. The doctor examines his pupils, reflexes, and asks a few questions to ensure his well-being.
Doctor "Well, I see you are recovering very well from the anesthesia. I'll send your wife right in."
Caleb "Thanks."
Hi everyone!
I just wanted to thank Milli and "DuncneyLoveOfMyLife" for their reviews here, and a big thanks to Lucy for reviewing every chapter through email.
I'm really happy that some of you are still reading my story! I'm having fun writing it.
Also, wanted to wish you all a great new year!
Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.