It wasn't at first sight

by ByAllegra

What happens when Hanna loses her dog and Caleb finds it? This is a HALEB AU story. Hanna will have to deal with the asshole who kept her dog for a year. Caleb will have to deal with the beautiful but crazy girl who doesn't stop yelling at him, and who also happens to be the actual owner of "his" dog. Of course it won't be long until they change their minds and fall for each other.

66. Chapter 66

It's the afternoon, and Hanna leaves her store early. After the exciting news she and Caleb found out that morning, she hasn't been able to focus much on her work anyway. She finds herself smiling while thinking and imagining all kinds of things related to her pregnancy and the baby throughout most of the day. Also, she's been googling several things to clear many of the doubts that keep coming into her mind, wishing she could reach out to her mother friends, especially Spencer. Hanna has always believed that there's nothing Spencer doesn't know.

Leaving her car parked half a block away from her store, she decides to walk the few blocks that separate her store from Caleb and Toby's office. Having a copy of the keys, she lets herself into the office building.

Approaching the door to Caleb's office, before having the chance to knock, Hanna hears an unfamiliar voice inside, so she assumes he must be in the middle of a meeting. She decides to head for Toby's office instead and say hi to him, but even though the door is wide open, she doesn't find him there.

She then opts to just wait for Caleb at Emily's old desk at the reception. She settles into the chair and smiles at the sight of a frame with a picture of Lily and Grace when they were newborn babies. Suddenly, she finds herself wondering what if she were pregnant with more than just one baby, and just the thought of it is a bit scary, fading her smile away. She retrieves her phone from her purse and immediately looks that up on the internet. Reading that it's estimated that 1 in 250 pregnancies result in twins naturally and that she's not affected by any of the factors that increase her odds, she relaxes a bit.

A few minutes later, Hanna is engrossed in her phone when suddenly, the intercom beeps beside her. With no one else around, she decides to answer.

Hanna "Hello, RiversCav Security Technologies. how can I help you?"

A female voice responds from the other end. "Hello, I'm Bree. I'm here for a job interview."

Hanna "Oh, sure. Come in, please." She buzzes the woman in through the intercom.

Shortly after, Bree arrives at the entrance.

Bree "Excuse me, miss. I have a job interview at RiversCav's. Am I at the right place?" She asks Hanna.

Hanna looks up from her phone. Bree is a tall, pretty brunette who appears to be in her late thirties. "Yeah." she replies casually, pointing to the large sign behind her on the wall.

Bree "Oh, right." She chuckles nervously. "Sorry, I didn't see it. I'm a bit nervous."

Hanna "It's fine. Just have a seat over there."

Bree takes a seat in the small sitting area in front of the reception.

Bree "So, how is it working here?" She asks Hanna, attempting to strike up a conversation.

Hanna's eyes are still focused on her phone, but a sly smile crosses her face as a mischievous idea pops into her head. She forces a serious expression to conceal her true intentions, looking up at Bree before responding.

Hanna "Oh, it's... fine, I guess. Caleb's the boss, so you'll have to deal with him mostly." She pauses, her smile faltering slightly. "He can be a bit... intense at times, you know? But I'm sure you'll manage."

Bree "Intense how? What do you mean?"

Hanna "Oh, you know, he can be quite demanding. He expects nothing but perfection and can be a bit, um, intimidating at times. Some people find it hard to keep up with his pace and high standards. Just something to keep in mind." She flashes a sympathetic smile, hoping to plant seeds of doubt in Bree's mind about working with Caleb. "You don't mind working on Sundays too, do you?"

Bree "Sundays? Really?" She says, sounding disappointed.

Hanna nods.

Caleb's office door opens, and a young man emerges, followed by Toby and Caleb.

Toby "Thank you for coming in today. We'll be in touch soon regarding the next steps in the process. Have a great day."

The young man shakes hands with Toby and Caleb before heading out.

Caleb approaches Hanna as Toby invites Bree to enter Caleb's office, waving at Hanna before closing the door behind himself.

Caleb "Hey there!" He greets her, his smile wider than ever.

Hanna "Hey, you!" She smiles back, standing up as Caleb makes his way around the desk.

Caleb "What are you doing here?" He asks, wrapping his arm around her waist.

Hanna "I was missing you." She confesses, her hands resting on his shoulders. "And I couldn't focus on work anyway."

Caleb chuckles. "I know, it's a bit hard, isn't it? After learning such news… I've been thinking about you and the baby all day long."

Hanna "Same here." She moves her hand to his cheek and pulls him into a tender brief kiss. "Do you have much longer here?"

Caleb "This is the last interview, but Toby and I still need to discuss our options and decide on who we are bringing in to replace Emily. We need to figure it out soon."

Hanna nods. "Okay, then… I'll just wait for you at home."

Caleb nods. "I'll be there straight from here."

Hanna smiles. "I can't wait to start telling people about the baby. I have no one but you to talk about this."

Caleb smiles back and pecks her lips. "Wanna do something fun tonight?" He suggests.

Hanna narrows her eyes. "Like what?"

Caleb "Like going out for dinner in Philly to celebrate… and maybe tell strangers that you are pregnant? No one knows us there." He points out, smiling.

Hanna grins. "I'd love to."

Still smiling, Caleb presses a kiss to her forehead. "I'll see you at home." He says while releasing her.

Hanna "Oh, wait!" She calls out to Caleb as he's heading back to his office to join Toby and Bree.

Caleb turns back to her.

Hanna "I might… have said a few things to this woman… Bree." She half-confesses.

Caleb "What do you mean?" He asks, confused.

Hanna "I might have... embellished a bit about what it's like to work here. You know, just to... uh, test her reaction."

Caleb "Test her reaction? Why?"

Hanna "I'm sorry, she's stunning, okay? I just got a bit… let's just say 'protective'… She kind of gave me 'Sydney' vibes." She makes a disgusted face. "But now that I think about it, it probably wasn't the best idea."

Caleb "Protective? Or jealous?"

Hanna chooses not to answer.

Caleb "Hanna, you can't go scaring off potential employees just because you're feeling protective or… something."

Hanna "I know, I know. I messed up. I'll make it right, I promise. If she turns out to be a fine candidate after the interview, I'll just apologize and tell her I was just being stupid. I'm sorry."

Caleb "Well, let's hope she didn't take it too seriously… I just don't get why you would do something like this."

Hanna approaches him. "I don't know why. It was just an impulse. I just did it and now I feel bad… I'm sorry."

Caleb smiles. "It's fine, don't worry…. But I would appreciate it if you didn't do something like this again."

Hanna smiles back. "Promise."

Caleb "Okay, I'll just go back in there and see if she still wants to work with us." He chuckles.

Hanna smiles amusedly. "Don't worry, I didn't say anything too bad."

Caleb cups her cheeks. "Allow me to doubt…" He says before kissing her lips. "See you at home." He releases her again.

Hanna "See you, babe."

/

Caleb "So?" He asks Toby as they return to his office after escorting Bree to the exit. "What do you think?" He settles into his desk chair.

Toby "She was okay, but… I preferred the guy from the previous interview…" He takes a seat on the small couch nearby. "And also that other redhead girl we interviewed this morning. I'd choose either of them."

Caleb nods in agreement. "Yeah… let's decide on one of them."

Toby "Besides, this Bree girl asked me twice if we worked on Sundays… who expects an admin worker to work on Sundays? That was weird."

Caleb can't help but smile a bit, realizing that must be Hanna's doing. "Let's just take another look at their resumes." He says, opening the documents on his laptop.

Toby "What was Hanna doing here?" He casually asks.

Caleb looks at Toby and notices the smirk on his face.

Caleb can't help grinning too. "She just stopped by before heading home."

Toby's smile turns amused.

Caleb "What?"

Toby "She's pregnant, isn't she?"

Caleb's smile widens.

Toby stands up and approaches him. "Congratulations, man! I'm very happy for you, bud!" He leans forward to hug Caleb, who is still seated in his office chair.

Caleb "Thanks, Toby! I'm so freaking happy!"

Toby "I knew there was something up with you today, you seemed lost in thought." He pulls away from him. "But in a good way, not worried. Just not fully here." He explains. "And then I noticed Hanna's happiness and after our talk the other day… I just put two and two together…"

Caleb "We found out this morning… and I've been having trouble focusing on anything else. So… I'll have to just trust your judgment in picking out Emily's replacement."

Toby chuckles. "We are screwed then."

Caleb laughs.

Toby "Okay, so now Spencer and I have the green light to tell everyone about our new baby?"

Caleb "Yep… if you can find a way to convince Spencer to do so without telling her that Hanna is pregnant too… I mean, you can't tell anyone. Hanna's going to kill me if she finds out you know. And she'll kill me slowly and painfully if Spencer learns about this from you instead of her. And we still need to see Hanna's doctor next week to know for sure that everything's okay."

Toby "Well, in that case I'll just keep my mouth shut and let the girls handle all this themselves." He says, settling back on the couch. "I don't feel like getting into trouble… especially with a couple of pregnant women." He jokes.

Caleb "Yeah, we better play clueless until they both decide to share the news."

Toby nods. "So… redhead girl or… this guy…"

Caleb "His name's Patrick…" He checks his laptop. "And Christine is the other girl."

/

Caleb finally arrives home. All he's been yearning for since he left the house in the morning was to return, to be with Hanna, of course.

Heading to the living room, he doesn't find her there. The fact that Chocolate hasn't shown up to greet him is a bit strange too.

Caleb "Han?" He calls out.

Hanna "Up here!" Her voice comes from the first floor.

Caleb heads for the stairs and then enters their bedroom, finding Hanna there, clad in just her underwear, with Chocolate lying on the floor nearby.

Hanna "I thought I would dress up a little for our dinner, but… I can't decide what to wear." She sighs, slightly frustrated. "I've nothing to wear."

Caleb chuckles, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Hanna has a million things to wear, but he chooses not to comment and instead starts stroking Chocolate's fur as the dog approaches him.

Caleb "Hi, buddy! How was your day? Did you nap a lot?" He greets the dog.

Hanna finally selects a dress and is about to put it on, but Caleb stops her.

Caleb "Wait! Come here just a sec." He asks her.

Hanna looks at him curiously.

Caleb "Just come here." He extends his arm, offering his hand.

Hanna leaves her dress on a chair and takes his hand. Caleb gently guides her to stand before him.

Caleb "I've been wanting to do this all day." He says, wrapping his arm around her waist, before leaning in and pressing the most tender kiss on her stomach.

Hanna grins, placing her hands on his shoulders.

Caleb "I still can't believe this, Han." He says, resting his cheek against her stomach as he hugs her.

Hanna chuckles. "Neither can I. Good thing we still have a few months to wrap our heads around this." She moves her hands to his hair, caressing him.

Caleb pulls back slightly, only to lean in again and place more kisses on her still baby-bump-free stomach.

Hanna "I'm dying of love with all the kisses you're giving our Haleb baby, but… aren't there any for me?"

With a gentle yet swift movement, he releases her from his embrace, rising up from the edge of the bed.

Caleb "Plenty for you." He closes the distance between them and captures her lips in a passionate kiss, his hands cupping her cheeks.

/

Hanna and Caleb arrive at the fancy restaurant in Philly where Caleb made a reservation. Both of them are properly dressed up, looking elegant but not too formal. The host welcomes them at the entrance.

Host "Good evening. Do you have a reservation?"

Caleb smiles at the host. "Yes, under the name Rivers, please."

Host checks the reservation book. "Ah, yes, Mr. Rivers. Right this way, please."

Caleb "Excuse me, I have a small request… Could we get a table away from the air conditioner? My wife tends to get cold easily, especially now that she's pregnant."

Hanna can't help but smile, amused by Caleb's subtle way of mentioning her pregnancy.

Host "Of course, Mr. Rivers. I'll show you to your table, and if the temperature isn't to your liking, please let us know."

Caleb "Thank you."

The host leads them through the restaurant, navigating between occupied tables and soft lighting. Caleb holds Hanna's hand as they follow.

Hanna leans in to Caleb, whispering. "This place is beautiful."

Caleb nods, squeezing her hand gently.

The host stops at a cozy table tucked away in a corner. "Here you are, Mr. and Mrs. Rivers. Enjoy your evening."

Caleb pulls out a chair for Hanna, gesturing for her to sit. "Thank you." he says to the host, before taking his seat across from her.

Hanna chuckles softly. "The air conditioner, huh?"

Caleb grins. "Yeah, I'm planning on coming up with all sorts of silly excuses tonight to tell strangers that you're pregnant."

Hanna laughs, delighted by his playfulness.

Shortly after, a waiter approaches their table to bring them the menus.

Waiter "Would you like to check the wine list as well, sir?" He asks Caleb.

Caleb "Oh, no. It's fine, thanks. My wife is pregnant, so we are sticking to soft drinks for now."

Hanna smiles amusedly again.

Waiter "Perfect. I'll be back to take your order soon."

Hanna "You can't stop, can you?" She says playfully.

Caleb laughs. "Thought it was the reason we drove all the way here… to tell strangers about your pregnancy. I've already told two people in less than ten minutes. That makes two to zero, Han… you are falling behind." He challenges her.

Hanna "Oh, so now it's a competition… fine. Pick anyone in this restaurant, and I'll come up with something to casually let them know that I'm pregnant." She doubles down.

Caleb "Great, this is getting fun…" He says, scanning the room for someone challenging for Hanna to break the news. "People from that table over there, Han." He gestures toward a nearby table occupied by a group of six people, seemingly three couples in their fifties, engrossed in their own vivid conversation, and laughing a lot. They surely seem like the last people in the place who would be interested in paying attention to Hanna.

Hanna "Easy-peasy… and there are six people… that would make it six to two…" She gives him a cocky smile before standing up.

Hanna approaches the table and introduces herself. "Hi, good evening. I'm Hanna!"

The group turns to her right away.

Hanna "I'm very sorry to interrupt your evening. You really seem to be having a lot of fun! It's just that… my husband and I are celebrating that we are pregnant, and I was wondering if any of you would take a picture of us?" She asks, showing her phone. "I'd ask the waiter, but… he doesn't look like he takes good photos…"

"Oh, sure, sweetie! It's your lucky day! Sheryl here is a professional photographer." One of the women kindly answers to her.

Hanna "Oh, wow, that's great to hear!" She grins. "You wouldn't mind?" She asks the woman pointed as Sheryl.

Sheryl. "Of course not, Hanna." She says, already standing up. "I'll be happy to take a picture of you on your special night."

Hanna "Thank you!" She shoots her a smile.

Sheryl. "So? How far along are you?" She makes conversation as she follows Hanna to her table.

Hanna "We found out this morning, so it's very early, maybe just a month along." She can see Caleb's amused expression as they reach the table.

Sheryl. "Oh, congratulations!" She says, getting happy for Hanna. Then she gazes at Caleb. "Congrats to the father too." She kindly congratulates him as well.

Caleb "Thank you very much."

Hanna hands Sheryl her phone, and then she stands behind Caleb's chair, wrapping her arms around his neck, posing for the picture.

Sheryl "Well, there you go, Hanna." She hands the phone back to her after taking several pictures. "Nice to meet you, guys! Congratulations again on the big news! You must be thrilled!"

Hanna "Oh, yes, we are. Thank you so much, Sheryl. Thanks for your time."

Sheryl "No problem!" She says, walking away.

Hanna "So… six to two, babe… You need to catch up." She teases Caleb as she sits back in her chair.

Caleb "Well played, Han." He admits, smiling.

Hanna "Can we call a truce and go back to being on the same side?" She asks, taking his hands.

Caleb "Sure." He intertwines their fingers.

Hanna "Where's that waiter? I wanna order. I'm starving."

Caleb "I'll call him when I see him." He tells her, looking around to check if their waiter is nearby. "I don't want my pregnant wife to be hungry."

Hanna grins.

/

Hanna and Caleb return home after their fun and romantic dinner in Philly. Greeted by Chocolate at the front door, the three of them head upstairs.

Hanna "It was so fun telling all those people about the pregnancy... It helped ease my anxiety a little to share it with others. But still... I can't wait to tell the girls and my mom." She tells Caleb while taking off her heels, sitting on the edge of their bed.

Caleb "Yeah, I know... but we can tell them after seeing your doctor next week. I mean, I know waiting until the second trimester is most recommended, but... we could just tell them and ask them to keep it a secret." He suggests, unbuttoning his shirt.

Hanna "Uh huh... That would be nice. I mean, I won't be able to wait any longer than that."

Caleb "I can't wait to learn more... I mean, how far along you actually are... the sex of the baby..." He kicks off his shoes.

Hanna chuckles. "I'm more interested in confirming that it's only one baby." She casually remarks.

Caleb "Oh, right..." His expression becomes serious.

Hanna smiles at his sudden seriousness. "Does it scare you? The possibility of a multiple pregnancy?"

Caleb "Honestly, I hadn't even thought of the possibility of more than one baby until now that you just mentioned it... but yes, it sounds a bit scary." He confesses, getting rid of his pants.

Hanna "Yeah, I freaked out earlier today at the thought of it. I mean, I love Lily and Grace, and I know for sure Ali and Em were happy to find out they were having twins... But I'd prefer to start with only one baby." She unzips her dress. "But don't worry, I've already googled it. We don't have too many odds of it." She adds, standing up and letting the dress slip down from her body to the floor.

Caleb smiles at her. "Same here. I wouldn't have a problem with it either... but yes, only one baby sounds... less stressful."

Hanna smiles back. "Anyway, we'll surely find out how far along I am at the appointment next week. My gynecologist is also an obstetrician, and I'm almost sure she has an ultrasound machine there... but we'll have to wait a little longer to find out the sex. I'm sure it's still too early."

Caleb "Well, one thing at a time…"

Hanna "Would you mind bringing Chocolate's bed from the hallway? He won't use it out there, and he's been sleeping on the floor too many nights." She asks Caleb, noticing that Chocolate is already lying down in his new usual spot next to their bed.

Caleb "Oh, so I'm not getting lucky tonight?" He teases, as Hanna has always refused to have sex with Chocolate in the same room as them.

Hanna "Not tonight, babe... I'm feeling a bit tired, and I'm going to New York in the morning. I need to get some sleep."

Caleb "Oh, you're going to New York tomorrow?"

Hanna "Yeah, it's Wednesday. Leo and I are shopping for new fabrics together."

Caleb "You should have told me. We could have postponed our dinner in Philly for another day. It got a little late..." He says, checking the time on his phone.

Hanna "Are you kidding? We had to celebrate the big news today." She approaches him, grabbing his face, and presses a kiss against his lips. "Go get Chocolate's bed." She gives him a smile before disappearing into the bathroom.

Caleb picks up her dress from the floor and then fetches the dog's bed.

/

Caleb "What are you looking up now?" He asks Hanna, noticing that she's focused on her phone as he gets into bed next to her.

Hanna smiles and turns her gaze to him. "I'm just browsing some baby clothes... everything looks so adorable. I want to buy it all. But I've heard the girls complain about how quickly babies grow out of their clothes. Spencer gave Aria a bunch of clothes for Dante that still looked brand new."

Caleb "Well, you can buy as many clothes as you want if it makes you happy." He makes himself comfortable on his side and places his hand on Hanna's stomach.

Hanna sets her phone aside on the bedside table and puts her hand on top of his. "Do you have a preference for whether it's a boy or a girl?" She asks Caleb, remaining on her back so they can keep their hands on her stomach, but turning her head to the side to look at him.

Caleb smiles. "I want a boy."

Hanna chuckles. "Oh, you didn't even hesitate on that one."

Caleb "I would love to be the dad of a little girl... I just don't know if I could handle it. Especially as she grows up." He explains.

Hanna smiles, finding his answer extremely cute.

Caleb "What about you? Boy or girl?"

Hanna "Well... I've always wanted a little girl, you know? I can picture myself doing all kinds of things with her... and I'd surely design a million dresses for her too. But then I see Spencer and Finn, and the way that little guy adores his mom, and... I would love to have my own little boy too... I think it would be amazing either way."

Caleb nods. "I agree one hundred percent. I just want a healthy baby... but we'll love our Haleb baby no matter what."

Hanna turns to her side now and gets closer to him as he passes one of his arms between her body and the mattress, hugging her.

Hanna "This day has been crazy." She says, placing her hand on his face and starting to caress his cheek.

Caleb "Yeah... and a lot of crazy days await us from now on…"

Hanna "Well, I'm glad and thankful to be in this with you. Everything's been so much easier since the moment I told you I had quit taking my pills after visiting Chocolate's vet." She chuckles.

Caleb "What a way to find out about the pregnancy, huh?"

Hanna "Yeah…"

Caleb "Anyway, I'm happy to be in this with you too, Han." He pulls her even closer to him.

Hanna "I love you, Haleb baby's dad."

Caleb grins. "Love you more." He leans in and gives her kiss.

When Caleb pulls away from her mouth, Hanna shifts slightly away from him for a moment to reach for the bedside lamp and turn it off. She's about to make herself comfortable again in his arms, but as soon as she lies back down on her side, Caleb lowers his body, ending up at the height of her stomach. Right there, he wraps his arms around her again, resting his face against her body.

Hanna smiles. "Goodnight, baby." She starts stroking his hair, closing her eyes.

Caleb "Night, beautiful."

Hanna smiles once more, feeling his soft and warm lips pressing another kiss against her stomach.

/

A few days later.

Hanna and Caleb find themselves at the clinic. Hanna's already had a chat with her doctor, filling her in on why she's there. It was pretty quick, given that Hanna's doctor has known her for years and has all her medical history on file. Plus, Hanna's not sure how far along she might be, so with not too much to discuss, her doctor has decided to continue with an ultrasound.

Wearing a gown, Hanna lies down on the examination table, feeling a mix of emotions: anxious, nervous, excited, and a bit frightened all at once. Caleb shares in these feelings as he sits beside her, their hands intertwined.

Doctor "Well, here we go, Hanna." She says, before carefully positioning the ultrasound probe.

Hanna and Caleb remain silent as the doctor starts performing the ultrasound, their eyes fixed on the screen of the machine, even though neither of them catch a thing of what it is showing.

Doctor "There it is, guys." She finally tells them, pointing to a small spot on the screen. "Based on the ultrasound measurements, it looks like you're approximately two months and a week along in your pregnancy, Hanna. This estimate aligns with what we typically expect to see at this stage of development." She explains to them.

Hanna and Caleb exchange grins.

Hanna "That's great… I thought I'd only be about a month along…"

Doctor "Seems like your little one's been there for a while."

Hanna "So, it's only one baby, right?"

Doctor smiles. "Yes, it's only one baby."

Hanna glances at Caleb, who has been silent the whole time. His brow is furrowed in concentration, his eyes darting across the monitor as if trying to decipher a complex code. His facial expression reminds her of when he's too concentrated working on his computer stuff.

Hanna "Are you okay? Do you have any questions?" She warmly asks him.

Caleb looks at her, tearing his gaze away from the screen. "Yeah… just trying to decipher what I'm seeing on that screen." He manages a small smile, though his eyes betray his inner turmoil.

Doctor "Oh, don't worry. Ultrasounds aren't that clear at early stages. Let me help you a little… This is the gestational sac." She points to the screen, explaining to Caleb. "This tiny spot is the small embryo, and this is the flickering heartbeat. Would you like to listen to it?" She offers them.

Caleb "Yes, I'd like that." He responds, giving a squeeze to Hanna's hand.

The doctor presses a couple of buttons on the machine, turns a dial, and there it is, the rapid and rhythmic sound of their baby's heartbeat starts filling the small room.

A shiver runs through Caleb's body upon hearing that meaningful beating. He locks eyes with Hanna right away, noticing her glassy eyes and the happiness on her face.

Doctor "Let me get you some prints while you enjoy this sound for a bit more." She kindly offers. "I'll also send them to you by email, Hanna."

Hanna looks at her doctor now. "Thanks!" She simply says, as she's too touched to speak more.

She can feel Caleb's lips kissing her cheek.

Caleb "Thanks for this, Han… This is just incredible." He whispers to her.

Hanna smiles and turns her head to the side, pressing a tender kiss on his mouth.

They remain watching the screen while listening to the heartbeat for a little while longer, sharing in their special moment, a couple of tears even escaping Hanna's eyes at some point.

Doctor "Well, guys, congratulations! You have a very healthy pregnancy, the embryo is perfectly attached and everything looks normal." She hands Hanna a couple of prints. "Do you have any more questions?"

Hanna "Yeah, I actually would like to know about those genetic tests…" She says, handing the prints to Caleb. "A couple of my friends have taken them and I believe they mentioned they were non-invasive. Would you recommend that we take it? We are kind of eager to know a bit more about the baby…" She adds as Caleb takes a closer look at the ultrasound pics.

Doctor "Ah, you're referring to NIPT, or non-invasive prenatal testing. It's quite popular, a simple blood test for early information on the baby's health and gender. Many parents find it reassuring. Would you like to go ahead with it?"

Hanna gazes at Caleb for his confirmation.

Caleb nods.

Hanna "Yes, we would like to take it."

Doctor "Great! We can proceed with the NIPT right here in the clinic. I'll arrange for a blood draw. It's a quick and simple procedure. Once the results are ready, I'll contact you to discuss them. Sounds good?"

Hanna "Yes, thank you."

Doctor "I'll also prescribe you some vitamins, Hanna." She tells her, removing the ultrasound probe from her. "But everything seems to be perfectly fine."

Hanna exhales a breath she didn't realize she was holding, feeling an overwhelming sense of relief and joy.

/

Caleb "What a relief, Han! Everything's right." He comments as soon as they get into Hanna's car. "We truly are having a baby…"

Hanna "Yeah! I can't believe I'm already past two months. Thank God I was careful all this time… I mean, I only had a few sips of beer on your birthday, but that's all the alcohol I've had since I quit the pills." She says from the driver's seat. "I knew I could get pregnant anytime, but still. It wasn't easy… especially giving up sushi. I miss sushi." She starts her car.

Caleb smiles. "I'll buy you all the sushi you can eat once our little one is born."

Hanna smiles too. "Do you need me to drop you off at the office right away?" She suddenly asks. "Or could we… make a stop at the Radley?"

Caleb smiles wider. "Oh, you wanna tell your mom?"

Hanna grins. "Yeah, I can't wait."

Caleb "Well, let's go to the Radley, then. I can afford to be a bit late to the office today."

Hanna "Great!"

Caleb "So, do you have something particular in mind to break the big news to your mom? Or are you just going to tell her?"

Hanna "I don't know." She chuckles. "I've never been in a situation like this before."

Caleb chuckles too. "Yeah, it's pretty crazy, huh?"

Hanna "Oh! I know how to tell her!" She says, a bit excited.

Caleb "How?" He asks, intrigued.

/

Hanna parks her car, and she and Caleb, hand in hand, head for the Radley Hotel, and then straight to Ashley's office.

Hanna knocks at the door.

Caleb "Try to smile less, babe. You are giving yourself away with that happy face."

Hanna exhales deeply, trying to get serious. "Better?" She asks Caleb, looking at him.

Caleb nods.

Hanna knocks again.

Ashley "Just a minute!"

Hanna "How rude this lady is, making a pregnant woman wait." She jokes, still serious, and rolls her eyes.

Caleb chuckles.

Hanna "You need to get rid of your smile too."

Caleb "I know, but I can't help it."

Hanna "Just think about boring stuff… like your computer programs or something."

Caleb "That's boring to you, not to me."

Ashley opens the door for them. A smile forms on her face at seeing that it's them.

Ashley "Oh, guys! I didn't know it was you… I was finishing a call. Please, come in."

Hanna and Caleb step inside her office and then she closes the door.

Ashley "What are you two doing here?" She asks, intrigued.

Hanna "Well… we were just planning a few things…" She comments, taking a seat across Ashley's desk.

Caleb "We were wondering if you could… give us a hand with Chocolate and keep him for a few days." He adds, sitting next to Hanna.

Ashley "Oh, yes! You know I don't mind taking care of him." She simply answers, sitting down in her chair. "You came to my office just to ask this?" She asks, a bit confused.

Hanna "Yeah, we are just planning ahead. We wanted to make sure you didn't have any plans yourself, you know, like a trip with Ted or something like that…"

Ashley "So, when would this be?" She asks, still confused.

Hanna smiles. "Um… in like… seven months? More or less…"

Ashley laughs. "So you two want to know if I can keep Chocolate in seven months? Are you planning some big trip or something like that?"

Hanna grins. "Actually…" She places her ultrasound prints on Ashley's desk. "We won't be taking any trips for a while."

Ashley's eyes widen in surprise as she picks up the ultrasound prints from her desk. "Oh, my goodness!" she exclaims, a wide smile spreading across her face. "Are these...?" She looks at Hanna and Caleb with a mix of excitement and disbelief. "Are you telling me what I think you're telling me?" Her voice is filled with joy and anticipation as she waits for confirmation from Hanna and Caleb.

Hanna's smile widens even further, if that's even possible. "Yes, mom. We are having a baby." She confirms with excitement. She shares a loving glance with Caleb, then turns back to Ashley. "You'll be grandma Ashley."

As they all stand up, Ashley's eyes fill with tears of joy, and she pulls them into a tight embrace.

Ashley "Oh, Han, Caleb, I'm beyond thrilled for you both! This is the best news ever. I can't wait to meet my grandbaby!" She laughs through her tears. "Congratulations!" She pulls away from them, but grabs Hanna's face in her hands now. "Oh, my baby is having a baby." She says, her excitement evident in her voice.

Hanna chuckles. "I am… I'm having a baby."

/

Later that morning, Hanna finally arrives at her store.

Hanna "Hi, Maggie! Hi, Maddie!" She warmly greets the saleswomen as she heads for the stairs.

Maggie and Maddie greet her back with equal warmth.

Once in the workshop upstairs, she's greeted by Anna and Lisa as she tosses her purse on her desk.

Hanna "Morning, guys!" She returns their greeting with a smile. "I've got a bunch of new designs for you!" She smiles, retrieving her sketchbook from her purse. "You can pick the ones you want to work on, and I'll send the rest to Leo." She adds, handing it over.

Anna "Great! Let's see!" She takes the sketchbook eagerly.

Lisa "You seem particularly happier this morning, Han!" She observes, as Anna starts examining Hanna's new designs.

Hanna "Yeah, I just woke up in a good mood." She vaguely explains as she sits down at her desk. "So, Lis, want to help me pick some new precious stones to place a new order? I have this new design in mind, and I'll need plenty of them… I'm thinking of a corset fully adorned with them…" She elaborates as she turns on her laptop.

Lisa "Sure!" She replies, already rolling a chair toward Hanna's desk. "Have you sketched it yet?"

Hanna "Not yet… It just came to my mind last night. But I think that checking out some gemstone options will help me wrap up my idea."

Lisa nods. "Let's get to work then."

Three placed orders at different wholesalers later, Hanna texts her friends. As she and Caleb have agreed on telling their best friends about the pregnancy that night, she needs to invite them over and arrange the gathering.

Hanna: "Hey there! Pizza night at ours tonight? Let me know if you're in!"

Alison: "On a Tuesday, Han? It's a bit complicated. I've got class tomorrow morning and the girls go to daycare early… How about Friday?"

Aria: "Hey! Dantie had a bad night last night and didn't get much sleep. I want him to turn in early tonight."

Spencer: "We are free tonight, but… if the guys prefer Friday, I'm in too."

Hanna: "Aw, I was really hoping to catch up with you all tonight. But I get it! Friday it is."

Emily: "Tomorrow's Wednesday, aren't you going to NY?"

Hanna: "I'm going on Thursday this time. Caleb and I have this thing with Chocolate tomorrow."

Alison: "What 'thing'?

Hanna: "Long story. We'll catch up on Friday."

Spencer: "Perfect, see you all on Friday."

Alison: "Wait, since we are waiting until Friday… Why don't we go out for dinner? Could use a kid-free going out…"

Spencer: "Yes, please! Let's go out!"

Aria: "Um… Okay. I'll see if my mom can take care of Dantie."

Emily: "Please, I need to go back to the craft beer bar. I NEED a fresh beer from there."

Hanna: "LOL. Okay, perfect. Kid-free night out at the Hop Haven then! See you there, guys!"

Then, she decides to text Caleb.

Hanna: "Hey babe, apparently people with kids aren't up for spontaneous plans… Couldn't arrange the pizza night at our place for tonight. Everyone's busy or prefers Friday. We are going to the Hop for some beers on Friday. So, it's just you, me, and Chocolate tonight."

Caleb: "Sounds like a plan! It's been a while since we all went out for drinks. Also, looking forward to our cozy night in with Chocolate. Maybe we can catch up with our series tonight."

Hanna: "Yeah, but it sucks having to wait until Friday to tell the guys about Haleb baby… Anyway, I'll get ice cream on my way home. Promise I won't fall asleep halfway through an episode tonight."

Caleb: "Well, you have a good excuse to abandon me and the series now… Haleb baby's got you more sleepy headed than ever."

Hanna: "I'll do my best to stay awake tonight. See you at home."

They text conversation ends with an exchange of red heart emojis.

/

Friday evening finally arrives, and Hanna's impatience is at its peak as she can't wait any longer to break the big news to her best friends.

Hanna "Ugh... it's a pain in the ass trying to find parking in this town." She impatiently remarks from the passenger seat.

Caleb "This is only the second time around the block, Han. Let's see if we can find a free spot down this street."

Hanna "You could park twenty blocks away, and we'd still get to the bar quicker by walking from there than if you kept trying to park in this freaking downtown."

Caleb chuckles.

Hanna sighs.

Caleb "Want me to drop you off at the bar and then keep looking for a spot?"

Hanna "No."

Caleb smiles. "Someone's having another mood swing…"

Hanna "Stop connecting everything I say or do to the pregnancy, Caleb. I'm just tired of driving around in circles trying to find a stupid parking spot. That's all." She looks out the window, checking for a free spot. "Besides, if I were having a mood swing, which I'm not, it wouldn't be nice of you to just point it out. That's very insensitive."

Caleb "I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean to. You are right."

/

Hanna and Caleb arrive at the Hop Haven bar after finally finding a spot to park.

Hanna "I don't see anyone here." She tells Caleb, scanning the area.

Caleb "Guess we're the first ones to arrive after all, Han." He responds, also looking around. "Let's just grab a table." He suggests, taking her hand.

They find a large table and take their seats. It's a wooden communal table with benches that match the rustic style of the craft beer bar.

Caleb "Want me to get you something to drink? An alcohol-free beer or a soda, maybe?"

Hanna shakes her head. "I'm fine, thanks." She says, picking up her phone to check for new texts from her friends, but there's no news from them. "Do you think they forgot? I haven't spoken to any of them since the other day… not even Spencer."

Caleb "I don't think they would all forget about a night out with friends, Han. Especially not all of them." He shoots her a smile. "It's still early, and they all have kids. They must have to pack like a million things before leaving home and then drop the little ones off at their grandpas', or wait for the sitters, or whatever."

Hanna nods.

Caleb "I'll go get myself a beer. You sure you don't want anything?"

Hanna "Yeah, I'm sure." She responds and turns away, staring at her phone.

Caleb gives her shoulder a squeeze and is about to stand up, but a waitress approaches their table.

Waitress "Hi, guys! Can I get you anything to drink?"

Caleb "Oh, I thought you didn't have table service here." He says, recalling his last visit to the bar a few weeks ago with Toby.

Waitress "Well, it's a mixed service now, you can either order at the bar or I can take your order and bring the drinks over, honey." She smiles at him.

Hanna's eyes immediately fix on the waitress.

Caleb "Oh, okay, then…" He pauses for a moment to decide on which beer he'd like to have. "I'll have an IPA." He says and turns to Hanna. "What would you like to have, Han?"

Hanna "I'm good for now. I'll just wait for the guys." She answers Caleb, her eyes still focused on the waitress.

Caleb "That would be all, then. Thanks." He shoots the woman a smile.

The waitress smiles back. "Be right back with your beer, hon." She says and walks away.

Hanna "Why didn't you say anything to her?" She asks, sharply.

Caleb looks at her confused.

Hanna "She just called you 'honey'! Twice!"

Caleb "Oh, that? I'm sure she calls everyone in here 'hon.''"

Hanna "Well, it doesn't make it less inappropriate, Caleb. You should have corrected her."

Caleb smiles, incredulous. "Are you serious?"

Hanna's eyes widen in irritation, her annoyance evident. "Just forget it." She takes her phone again, ready to ignore him.

Caleb sighs but opts not to say anything, taking his phone as well.

A few minutes later, the waitress returns with Caleb's drink.

Waitress "Here you go, hon."

Hanna's gaze shifts from her phone to her right away. "Excuse me, would you mind not calling my husband 'hon' again? That's very bold of you."

Waitress gets visibly surprised. "Oh, yeah. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. It's just my way of speaking." She apologizes. "This is my first week on the job, I'll keep it in mind."

Hanna "Yes, please, do."

Caleb "Don't worry, it's fine." He tells the woman, trying to defuse the situation.

The waitress nods and walks away.

Caleb "Well, now we'll have to go get our own drinks because that woman is not coming back to our table…"

Hanna "Good."

Aria "Hey guys!" She happily greets them.

Ezra "Hi, lucky people who don't have to worry about kids." He jokingly adds his greeting as they take their seats.

Caleb "Hey!"

Hanna smiles at them. "Hey! We were starting to think you all stood us up."

Aria "Dantie started crying just as we were leaving my parents' house." She explains.

Ezra "Yeah, he's just too attached to us… I think it's a good thing for him to get used to us not being around all the time."

Aria "Yeah, but it broke my heart leaving him." She sighs.

Ezra "He'll be just fine. I'm sure he already forgot about us and is playing with Mike's old toys."

Aria "I'll ask my mom to send me a picture."

Hanna smiles. "I think it's Aria who's too attached to Dantie."

Aria smiles back. "You'll understand me someday."

Spencer and Toby walk into the bar shortly after.

Toby "Hi, guys!"

Spencer "Hi, everyone! Sorry, Finnie's sitter was late. We had to wait for her." She explains as they take their seats.

Toby "Oh, I see you've already started without us." He comments, gesturing towards Caleb's beer.

Caleb "Yeah…" He responds briefly.

Toby "Well, I'll go get one too." He stands up. "Anyone want anything?" He offers.

Ezra "They have table service now, bud. I was here last week with my brother." He informs Toby.

Toby "Oh, that's great!" He's about to sit down again, but Caleb speaks up.

Caleb "You'll probably get your order sooner if you go to the bar. I'll come with you. I wanna order some mozzarella sticks and fries anyway." He stands up.

Ezra stands up too. "Let's go then."

Aria "Bring me a beer, babe." She asks Ezra.

Ezra "Sure."

Spencer "Finnie loved the cars you gave him, Han. He's still playing with them, and he usually forgets about his new toys after only a couple of days." She tells Hanna as the guys walk away.

Hanna smiles. "Well, he better play with them a lot. He picked out those cars himself."

Finally, Alison and Emily show up too.

Emily "Hi, guys!"

Alison "Hey, beauties!"

Emily "Sorry, we were about to leave, but we got distracted for a minute, and Lily decided it was a very good idea to give her doll a bath. Ended up completely soaked." She tells her friends as she and Alison take their places at the table.

The girls laugh.

Alison "You two are lucky to have a couple of well-behaved kids." She tells Aria and Spencer. "And you're even luckier, Han. You're still in time to avoid falling into the trap. I mean, I love my girls, but… ugh, today I wished I could return Lily somewhere."

The group laughs again.

Spencer "I feel you, Ali. Wanted to return Finnie several times when he wouldn't stop crying because of his colic. Toby and I had it pretty hard those first couple of months…"

Alison "Where are your husbands?"

Aria "Went to order drinks and some food at the bar."

Emily "But they have table service now…"

Hanna sighs. "I kind of… called out the waitress for calling Caleb 'honey'…" She confesses. "So, she might not come back to our table for now…"

Alison laughs, Spencer and Aria smile amused, and Emily looks a bit confused.

Alison "I'll go get some drinks too, then. I don't feel like dying of thirst because of Hanna's jealousy." She stands up.

Hanna "So, Em! How's going back to high school?" She changes the subject.

Emily smiles. "It's crazy to be there again, guys. So many memories. Anyway, it's been great so far. Just a couple of rebel teens who are a bit difficult to handle, but it's been good in general."

Spencer "Well, I guess you're getting practice for when you have a couple of teens at home too."

Emily "Yeah, thank god we are still years away from that."

The boys return with some beers, except for Caleb, who decides to stay with Alison until she gets her order as well.

Ezra "Hey there!" He greets Emily, taking a seat.

Emily "Hey!"

Toby "Hi, Em!" He greets her too, sliding onto the bench next to Spencer and placing a beer in front of her. "Alcohol-free." He whispers into her ear.

Spencer smiles at him and sips her beer.

Toby "We also ordered some food, guys. They'll bring it all over when it's ready." He tells the group.

Spencer "Emily was just telling us about her first week back at Rosewood High." she tells Toby. "Seems like she's done great!"

Toby "Oh! I'm glad to hear that, Em!"

Emily "How about you, guys? How did you do with my replacement?"

Toby "Well, he hired this guy..." He pauses, trying to remember his name.

Caleb "Patrick." He says while taking his seat back next to Hanna, as Alison follows after him and sits next to Emily.

Toby "Right, Patrick. He's been okay, I guess. Maybe a little too chatty, but he learns fast."

Caleb "Here." He says to Hanna, leaving a beer for her.

Hanna looks at him for confirmation that it's alcohol-free. Caleb nods at her, sipping his own beer.

Emily "Too chatty, huh?"

Toby "Yeah, he keeps telling me about his cat, Mr. Whiskers."

Ezra laughs. "Oh, so you can't remember the guy's name but you know his cat's."

Toby "Well, the guy keeps talking my head off every morning about that animal."

Spencer "He must be a good guy if he loves his pet so much."

Toby "Yeah, he is."

Aria "Ezra and I have something to share, guys." She suddenly announces, making all eyes turn to her. "We finally found our new house!"

Alison "Oh, that's great news, guys!" She says right away, and the rest start to congratulate them as well.

Ezra "Thanks, guys. We are so excited. The apartment was becoming too small for us, you know? Kid stuff everywhere…"

Aria "They accepted our offer this morning. We are moving next week."

Toby "So? Where is it?"

Ezra "A couple of blocks down from Emily and Alison's. Same street."

Emily "That's awesome! We can drop the girls off anytime, Ali!" She jokes.

Alison "Oh, yes!"

Ezra "HA HA, very funny, guys." He says, sarcastically.

Toby "Well, let me know if you need a hand for the move."

Caleb "Same here." He offers too.

And those are the last words Caleb says for a while as the group continues their lively chat. Despite Hanna's significantly improved mood since their friends' arrival, Caleb has been a bit withdrawn ever since Hanna confronted the waitress earlier and doesn't engage much in the conversation. With their food brought to the table by another waiter, everyone else seems to be having a great time, enjoying the appetizers and their fresh beers.

Caleb "I'll go get another beer." He says, placing his empty glass on the table. "Want another one?" He offers to Ezra, whose glass is empty too.

Ezra "Yeah, thanks." He accepts right away and resumes his talk with Emily, giving her some tips to deal with teens.

Caleb leaves for the bar. Hanna's noticed that he seems off, so she stands up as well, and without excusing herself, she follows after him.

Hanna "Hey…" She says once he's finished ordering, so he turns to her.

Caleb "Want another beer too?"

Shakes her head, placing her hands on his shoulders.

Hanna "Just wanted to apologize." She says, moving her hands back as she wraps her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry. I don't know what's gotten into me." She presses a kiss to his cheek, then pulls back slightly to look at him, her arms still holding him.

Caleb "It's fine, don't worry." He reassures her, his hands resting on her hips.

Hanna "You've been too quiet. I hope I didn't ruin your night…" She comments, the expression on her face reflects how sorry she truly is.

Caleb "No, you didn't. I just… don't know exactly how to deal with this." He chuckles nervously. "I mean… I don't want to say the wrong words and piss you off again, but maybe you are… like… acting a bit different, and it might have something to do with-"

Hanna "Yeah, I know…" She interrupts. "I may be having these… mood swings, you mentioned earlier. I know I've been acting a bit weird, but-"

Caleb "Bit weird? You tried to scare away one of my potential employees at the office the other day, and now you snapped at that poor waitress…" He smiles.

Hanna "I know I'm not being too rational lately, okay? But I can't help it. I don't know if they are my hormones or what the hell is going on with me, but still. It doesn't justify the way I just treated you. I'm really sorry. I'll try to count to ten… or to a thousand, next time I get that irritated, before replying to you."

Caleb nods. "Can we make a deal? Because I don't want to end up having a fight with you, especially if these mood swings of yours are connected to your pregnancy…"

Hanna "What deal?"

Caleb "You just tell me when you are in a bad mood, and I… I won't even speak to you unless I really have to."

Hanna chuckles. "Fair enough."

Caleb "And about your irrational jealousy… that's something you'll have to handle yourself. But if I can make any suggestions, I would tell you to just keep in mind that there's no one in this world I want anything to do with but you."

Hanna grins. "I know it, baby. You know I trust you. We've had this conversation before." She pecks his lips. "It's just that these man-eater airheads get on my nerves."

Caleb chuckles. "None of them even try anything with me, Han. I think it's just you, bringing Sydney's ghost from the past."

Hanna nods. "Anyway, can you forgive me?"

Caleb "There's nothing to forgive you for, Han." He kisses her forehead.

Hanna "Thanks for being so understanding and patient with me."

Caleb "Thank you for cooking our Haleb baby in here." He smiles, his palm moving to her stomach now.

Hanna smiles back and leans in, giving him a very passionate kiss. Caleb's hands move to her lower back as he pulls her closer to him. Hanna's hand runs up his nape, entangling her fingers in his hair while deepening the kiss.

Aria "Seems like you'll have your beer a bit warm tonight." She tells Ezra, gesturing toward Hanna and Caleb over the bar.

Ezra "Should have known better than to expect them to come back with my beer soon." He replies, watching Hanna and Caleb making out. "What's wrong with table service tonight, anyway? Not a single server has come to our table…"

Aria smiles amusedly. "It's Friday night, babe. The place is too crowded." She excuses, covering for Hanna.

Caleb "Wanna go back and share the big news with the guys?" He softly asks Hanna, pulling away from her.

Hanna grins. "Yeah, let's do this." She releases him.

Caleb grabs the two glasses of beer that the barman served a while ago, and they head back to the table.

Caleb "There you go." He says to Ezra, placing his beer before him.

Ezra "About time!" He says playfully.

Caleb "Got a little distracted." He smiles as he and Hanna sit down.

Hanna "Ali…" She says while taking Caleb's hand under the table and placing their joined hands on her lap.

Alison gazes at her. "Yeah?"

Hanna "Remember what you said earlier?"

Alison "I said many things, Han." She smiles.

Hanna "About me still being in time not to fall into the trap of having kids?"

Alison's eyes widen.

Hanna "Well, I'm not quite in time for that anymore… guess what?" She grins.

Everyone turns to look at her.

Spencer "Oh my god, Han!" She grins too.

Aria "Oh, Han! Really?" She smiles. "Congratulations!"

Caleb's smile has become huge as well now.

Toby "Congratulations, guys!" He says, very excited, even though he's known the news for some days now. But his reaction is still very genuine because he's indeed extremely happy for his friends.

Suddenly, they all stand up and offer their congratulations, sharing hugs and exchanging kind words. Emily even becomes emotional and sheds a few tears while hugging Hanna. They are still standing there next to the table when Toby exchanges a look with Spencer, and after a nod of confirmation from her, he takes the chance to share their own big news as well.

Toby "Well guys, that makes two babies on the way then…" He grins. "Finnie's going to have a little brother."

Hanna looks at Spencer right away, both of them showing huge smiles.

Hanna "Oh, Spence!" She pulls her into a hug. "This is even better! We're pregnant at the same time! Congratulations!"

Spencer "Thanks, Han." She rubs Hanna's back. "It'll be great to go through this together."

Hanna "Yeah… I'll probably drive you crazy with a thousand questions."

Spencer chuckles as they pull away from their hug. "I'll be happy to be there for you."

Caleb "Another boy, huh?" He grins at Toby, as he knew about the baby but not the sex. "Congratulations, buddy!" He hugs Toby.

Toby "Yeah! We're getting another fishing buddy!"

Once the exchange of congratulations finishes and they are all seated back at the table, Hanna makes a request.

Hanna "Guys, it's still a bit early for us." She starts, taking Caleb's hand again. "I'm barely past the second month, so… we would appreciate it if you kept it a secret for now."

Emily smiles at her. "Of course, Han. Don't worry about it."

Alison "And how far along are you, Spence?"

Spencer "Oh, I'm three and a half months already." She grins.

Aria "So you've learned about the sex from a genetic test?" She assumes since less than four months is still early to know about the sex by ultrasound.

Spencer "Yes, we took the test. Everything's perfect."

Alison "That's great, guys!"

Emily "What about you, guys? Are you planning on taking it too?" She asks Caleb and Hanna.

Caleb "We already did."

Hanna "We are still waiting for the results. The anxiety is killing me…" She bites her bottom lip. "Anyway, Finnie's getting a little bro! That's so cute! Have you guys told him already?" She gazes at Spencer and Toby.

Toby "Yes, we did. We aren't sure if he didn't catch it or if he's not that happy about the news because he hasn't mentioned it again since we told him. We do talk about it, but… he kind of ignores us."

Hanna smiles tenderly. "Poor baby, maybe he's a bit confused."

Spencer chuckles. "I was changing him the other day, and I found these tiny jeans he no longer fits into, and I was like, hey, what do you think about saving these for your little brother? He took the jeans from my hands and started to try to force himself into them."

Toby "Yeah, and I was putting him to bed last night, and I said, 'You know, buddy, pretty soon you'll have someone to play with all the time.' And he just looked at me and closed his eyes. Can you believe it? He pretended to fall asleep to avoid the subject. I think he's just not sure what to make of it all yet." He adds, amused.

Hanna laughs. "Oh my god, I love him so much."

Alison "I'm sure he'll start assimilating the news better as the days pass. He's such a sweetie."

Spencer "Yeah, he will. Maybe when I start showing, it'll be easier for him to grasp the situation. It's not that easy for a little kid his age to understand the concept that I have a baby inside."

Emily laughs. "Well, thank god he's that little and still doesn't ask questions about how the baby ended up inside of you in the first place. I think I wouldn't know how to answer that question if any of the twins asked…"

Alison "Oh, I've thought about it, Em. I'll just fake a faint not to answer."

Everyone laughs.

Ezra "How are you, Caleb? You're being too quiet."

Caleb grins. "I'm just too happy, man."

Hanna smiles at him and pecks his lips.

Caleb "Can't wait to meet our little one." He adds, letting go of Hanna's hand and resting his arm over her shoulders instead.

Alison "Oh, you are still far from it, Caleb. You've still got a whole pregnancy to go through first… and that's not easy, especially for Han." She adds, gazing at Hanna now. "How have you been feeling, Han? Any symptoms?"

Hanna "Actually, I haven't had any morning sickness…"

Spencer "Ugh, lucky you, Han. I felt sick practically every day until a couple of weeks ago when it got a bit better."

Hanna "Yes, but… I'm not having it easy with my mood swings. Actually, Caleb hasn't had it easy with them." She shoots a smile at him.

Aria "Yeah, well, but you'll have to go through a lot yourself, Han. Putting up with you is the least he can do." She smiles at them.

Caleb "No problem with it. My patience and I are all in for this." He smiles again, rubbing Hanna's arm with his hand.

/

Caleb "No, buddy! You have to sleep in your bed tonight. Stay there." He says, closing the door to their bedroom.

Hanna "Poor baby, don't shut the door on his face like that." She says while changing into her lingerie, getting ready for bed.

Caleb "He won't stay there if I leave the door open, babe."

Hanna "But I feel awful about this."

Caleb "I know, it's not easy for me either. But we need to follow the trainer's advice. Our room is off-limits for him now. He needs to go back to sleeping in his own bed out in the hallway… I love that he's protective of you, but he can't go around snapping at people. We have to address the root problem now while it's early and we still have time."

Hanna nods, understanding his point.

Caleb "I know it's hard now, but he'll go back to normal soon if we're consistent in showing him that we are in charge, not him. That we decide when a situation is threatening or not." He adds, recalling some of the words the professional used to explain the situation.

They start hearing Chocolate scratching at their door.

Hanna sighs. "Go to bed, Chocolate!" She orders the dog, and Caleb notices the anguish in her voice.

Caleb approaches her. "Keep in mind that we're doing this so he can play with our little one in the park someday." He reassures her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. "He'll be just fine in that very comfy new bed you got for him."

Hanna nods again and places her hands on his shoulders. "Hold me tight because I'm only a second away from opening that door for him and undoing our progress so far." She rests her forehead on his chin, closing her eyes.

Caleb smiles and places a tender kiss on her forehead.

After the brief struggle with Chocolate at the door, Caleb and Hanna finally go through their bedtime routines in the bathroom before slipping under the covers. The room is dimly lit, with only the soft glow of the bedside lamp.

Hanna settles into her pillow. "What a long week full of emotions…"

Caleb smiles, turning to his side. "A couple of weeks full of emotions… it's been wild since we learned about this little bean in here." He says, moving his arm under the covers and placing his palm on her stomach.

Hanna smiles back. "Speaking of emotions… What are we doing for our anniversary? It's coming up in a couple of weeks. Want me to ask Spencer if we could borrow the lake house?" She suggests, placing her hand on top of his.

Caleb "Nope… I already have something in mind."

Hanna "Care to share your plans? I'm already dealing with so much anxiety, waiting a week for the genetic test results and about three weeks to tell everyone else about the pregnancy. So please, just tell me." She turns to her side as well, so she can face him, and uses her hand to keep his pressed against her stomach. "I don't want any surprises."

Caleb chuckles. "Fine... Our anniversary falls on Friday, so I was thinking we could have dinner in New York, at some fancy restaurant, and then spend the night there. I could book a nice hotel... What do you think?"

Hanna "That sounds amazing, babe… I could even go to New York in the morning that day, work there with Leo, then shower at the hotel and meet up with you for dinner…"

Caleb "Yeah… Are you planning on keep going to New York every week?"

Hanna "Yes, why do you ask?"

Caleb "I mean, now that you are pregnant… I'm not sure if I like the idea of you having a two-hour drive to go there and another two-hour drive to come back here after having worked all day. That makes four hours on the road in only one day… it's too much, Han. Especially now that you get tired more easily."

Hanna "Well, I've thought about it, but… I'll keep going there as long as I feel good enough to do so. Anyway, if it puts you at ease, I'm not planning on doing it while I'm eight months pregnant." She smiles at him.

Caleb "Just promise me that if someday you feel tired or something, you'll just stay here."

Hanna nods.

Caleb "And that you'll stay the night there if you're too tired to come back here. At Lucas', at some hotel, or wherever."

Hanna nods again. "Promise."

Caleb "I've been thinking about adjusting my own work schedule as well, you know?"

Hanna "How so?" She asks, intrigued.

Caleb "Promise me you'll keep it to yourself because I haven't talked about this with Toby yet."

Hanna "Yeah, of course."

Caleb "This is something I've been considering for a while… just like you found a way to delegate some tasks and responsibilities to other people to focus more on your designs, I would like to do something similar… I've been thinking of hiring a new person, someone with computer knowledge to take on some of my duties, especially meeting up with clients, so I can focus more on my software. You know I'm always working on new updates, and we have more and more new users each time, and I'd also like to dedicate some time to some other developments I have in mind. What do you think?"

Hanna "Well, if that's what you want to do, babe, I think you should talk to Toby and… just do it."

Caleb nods. "Now with our baby on the way, I'm more convinced that it would be the right thing to do… I would have almost no fixed commitments so my working hours would also be more flexible. I could work from home more often and just be here. We could even organize ourselves to take turns staying home with the baby and going out to work…"

Hanna grins. "It would be great, Caleb. I mean, we both could keep working while being present at home too."

Caleb "Yeah, that's the idea. I don't want to miss out on things."

Hanna "What about Toby? I'm sure he'll want to take some time off when their baby is born too. You covered for him for a couple of weeks when Finnie was born, remember?"

Caleb nods. "I've thought of that too. He already has a man of his trust working for him on-site. We could offer that guy a permanent contract. We've been doing well this past year, we can afford some permanent hirings and grow a bit. All the people working for us at the moment are third-party contractors, except for Emily's position, which now belongs to Patrick. It's about time we form our own staff of employees, a small staff, but still."

Hanna smiles amusedly. "Well, you let me know if you need an investor." She jokes.

Caleb laughs.

Hanna yawns. "Do you have any other life decisions to discuss, or can we just go to sleep?"

Caleb "Well, there's something else I'd like to discuss with you, but it can wait until tomorrow if you're tired…"

Hanna smiles. "You know pretty well that you can't say something like that and expect me to just turn around and go to sleep. I wanna know now, speak."

Caleb smiles back. "How about… we move to a new house?"

Hanna stares at him.

Caleb "We'll need more space, and… I would like one of those open concept houses, where the kitchen, dining room, and living room are all integrated. We almost never use our dining room…"

Hanna "I don't want to move to another house, babe."

Caleb "Why not?"

Hanna "This house is spacious enough for us and the baby. I mean, this house has always been too big for just the two of us. You used one of the empty bedrooms to set up your office, but we still have the other one free. I'll take the stuff I left there to the attic, and we can set up the nursery there."

Caleb "Yes, but we could have a newer house."

Hanna "But you did a very good job when you renovated this house a few years ago. It looks like new. And your grandpa left it to you, are you going to put it on sale just like that?"

Caleb shrugs. "I don't mind, and I'm sure he wouldn't have minded either. It's just a house. Why don't you want to move?"

Hanna "I like the idea of having Spencer right next door, babe." She finally admits. "Whatever comes up with the baby, it's nice to know that she's right there. You know the girl, she knows everything."

Caleb chuckles. "She diagnosed my appendicitis before we even got to the hospital." He says, recalling the day he ended up having emergency surgery.

Hanna smiles too. "Anyway, you can knock down some walls downstairs if that makes you happy and get your open concept big room. Just let me know when you plan to carry it all out because I don't want to be here when that happens. I'm not living in a house in the middle of a renovation, so I'll move to my mom's."

Caleb smiles back. "Okay, I'll think about it and I'll come back to you."

Hanna "Are we done talking now?" She asks, climbing on top of him.

Caleb nods, his palms resting on her lower back.

Hanna cups his cheeks and starts kissing him. She aligns her body with his, allowing their groins to make contact, creating friction as she accompanies the kisses with subtle hip movements.

Caleb "Thought you wanted to go to sleep." He comments, pulling slightly back.

Hanna "Yeah, but… my mood isn't the only thing my hormones are messing with, you know?" She buries her face into the crook of his neck, placing open-mouthed kisses on his skin.

Caleb "Finally, something in my favor." He says playfully, moving one hand down to her butt and giving it a squeeze.

Hanna chuckles, her warm breath grazing against his skin.