A/N: Just a heads up: there's no Ezria in this chapter. However, something will be revealed that will be major later on in the story! Oh, and a warm welcome to Josephine, who will be making an appearance in this chapter! And so will Spencer and Toby briefly.
Chapter 9
A rough night passed, but life kept on passing in front of Aria's eyes. Groaning, she nuzzled deeper into her blankets to block out the sunlight streaming through her large windows. When she was a teenager she adored nature, and had plants growing all over in the flower boxes. Now she wished some of the seeds she had planted yesterday would sprout into long, entwining vines to block the obnoxious sun.
Buzzz. Buzzz.
Her phone vibrated on her nightstand. Still keeping her eyes shut, Aria flung her hand out of the warm bed and grasped for it, only opening her crusty eyelids when she propped it in front of her face. One new message, the screen read, and her heart start pumping faster with one name in mind: Ezra.
Josie misses you today. Do you mind Skyping this morning?
It was just Mrs. Springfield. Aria knew the hard way that Josephine's favorite time of day was the early morning.
In fact, it surprised Aria that Josie missed her at all. On the cusp of turning five, didn't she think of Mrs. Springfield as her mother? Or maybe, because she was so young and had a fresh memory, she remembered Aria as the one in the first few months of her life—which is hard to believe when Aria could barely conjure up a memory of when she was five.
Sighing, Aria slid out the keyboard of her phone and typed back a crispy reply. Of course. I'll be online in two minutes. How could she say no to the daughter she'd abandoned after the bumpy evening she'd spent last night?
She whipped the comforter off her toasty body—quickly, so that she wouldn't be tempted to crawl back in—and strolled over to her desk, adjusting the hem of her pajama top as she did so. While scratching her head through her limp hair, she flipped open the laptop screen and turned it on. Once it was warmed up and ready for use, she took a seat and logged into her Skype account. Instantly she received a call from Mrs. Springfield herself.
However, when she clicked the accept button, she wasn't met by Mrs. Springfield's elderly face, but by a young, innocent one that reminded Aria much of her own—and Ezra's. "Mommy!" Josephine squealed in childish delight as Aria clicked frustratingly at random buttons, adapting to the newfangled technology.
"Hey, sweetie!" Aria couldn't help but smile widely as Josie displayed a smile of crooked baby teeth. "How are you?"
"Great!" she exclaimed. "How are you, Mommy?"
"I'm glad to be visiting home," she explained simply, "but I really miss being close to you."
The grin on Josephine's Aria-like face disappeared and was replaced by a wobbling frown. "When will you be back, Mommy?"
Aria knew this moment would come, but how could she tell her child that she wasn't coming back, that she returned home because New York just held too many unsettling memories? "I don't know, sweetheart." She went for the slight honest approach. "But I promise Nana will bring you here to visit."
"Really?" Josephine gasped. "I can visit where you were born? 'Cause I'm bored of where I was born! And Auntie Hanna, Spencer, and Emily are there too?"
Laughing, Aria nodded her head. "Yes, Josie, they are, and they miss you."
"I miss them too, Mommy." An unreadable expression daunted her features. "But I miss you the most."
"I know," Aria sighed. The excitement from seeing her daughter's bubbly face a few minutes ago vanished completely. "I love you, sweetheart."
"I love you too!" Josie chirped as Mrs. Springfield appeared in the screen behind her.
"Aria," Mrs. Springfield greeted her warmly.
"Good morning, Mrs. Springfield." Josie squirmed to keep herself in the image now that Mrs. Springfield had taken over.
"Please, Aria. How many times have I told you to call me Anne?"
"Of course," Aria laughed. Just then, her phone vibrated. It was a text from Spencer asking her if she wanted to meet at the Brew. "I'm sorry I can't stay long, Anne, but I have a hectic day ahead."
"Young ones these days," Mrs. Springfield joked. "You can't take a break, can you?"
"I try," Aria sighed, "but not with today's economy."
"Understandable." A short silence passed. "Talk to you later, then?"
"Yes, yes, of course." Aria nodded her head vigorously and contained a laugh when Josie started jumping into view. "Mommy, Mommy!" she squealed. "Nana Anne, let me say goodbye!"
With a huff, Mrs. Springfield pulled Josephine onto her lap. "You're getting heavy," she grunted, and Aria's heart sunk a bit; it was hard to believe that every day that went by was another day she missed of Josie's life.
After seating herself contently, Josie focused on her mother's projection on the screen and effervescently waved her tiny hand. "Bye, Mommy!" she exclaimed.
"I'll talk to you later, sweetie." Aria sealed her farewell with an air kiss before exiting out of Skype.
Exhaling a pent-up breath, Aria leaned back in her desk chair and stared at the ceiling, already feeling exhausted. It was going to be a long day indeed.
…
"I'll have a soy latte, please," Aria ordered once she and her friends settled into their usual table at the Brew.
"So," Hanna piped up before they had time to further adjust themselves on the seats. "What's the latest news?"
"Toby got an amazing offer yesterday at his carpentry." Spencer beamed proudly. "And he might have popped a question…" Smiling broadly, she showed off her left hand—and the glittering diamond ring that embellished it.
"Oh my God!" Hanna squealed before turning to Aria and Emily. "How did we miss this?"
Emily shrugged. "It's been such a crazy week, I'm surprised I even remember what Toby's name is." She grinned at Spencer. "Congratulations, Spencer."
"That's amazing, Spence! But I agree with Emily." Aria shook off her coat. "With returning home and all…"
The burbling atmosphere condensed, leaving a heavy residue that was unintentional. Spencer smiled weakly and wrapped her hands around her coffee, which just arrived. "Have you spoken to Ezra?"
Gulping, Aria pulled her lips into her mouth and avoided looking any of them in the eye, and nodded. "Yup."
"What?" Hanna gaped. "Aria, are you okay?"
Aria picked up her mug with hands shaking with adrenaline. "More like is he okay." Her mouth wobbled slightly as she took a hot sip. "Guys, I made a huge mistake…"
"No, Aria, you didn't," Emily reassured her. "You were keeping him and your child safe from Mona. Who knows what would have gone down if you had stayed?"
Aria stared glumly down at her latte swirled with cream. "We could have made it work…"
"You could have tried, but Mona would have crushed it before it was even stabilized," Spencer said intellectually, reaching for Aria's clammy hand. "Besides, he still loves you, Aria. And he wants to be a part of Josie's life…"
"I talked to her this morning," Aria blurted out.
"Okay, how many surprises can we handle at one sitting?" Hanna mumbled a bit angrily.
"I'm sorry it's been so long since we've talked, but it's best to just dump it out, okay?" Hanna didn't respond, so Aria continued. "She seemed happy. She misses me, but everything's going well."
Spencer grinned warmly, her ring finger glistening. "That's great, Aria. Do you miss her?"
"Yeah," Aria sighed. "A lot. But Mrs. Springfield is such a kind caretaker, and she was willing to adopt her and still let me be a part of her life."
"If you're happy, we're happy," Emily said, and Aria couldn't help but feel guilty for lying about her feelings. She wasn't happy at all, but she tried so hard to be in her messed-up life.
"You know what," Aria started, taking Spencer's ringed hand, "let's not talk about me. Let's talk about you, Spence!"
Hanna jiggled up and down in glee. "Tell us how he proposed!"
Blushing, Spencer removed her hand from Aria's and folded it with her other one to prevent her fingers from trembling. "Well, he returned home from work and told me about his new job offer, and how our income was going to skyrocket. And then, while we were curled up in front of the fireplace just relaxing, he took my left hand and….placed the ring on it!"
"Just like that?" Emily gasped in shock.
"Yeah, just like that!" Spencer squealed.
"Did he say anything?" Aria laughed as Hanna pulled out her phone and texted Caleb that she needed at least five subscriptions of the top-of-the-line bridal magazines.
"He said how much he loved me and how he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me…" She paused and sighed at the fond memory. "It's cliché, I know, but it was so, so like him and it was all so sweet. He didn't even finish. I just kissed him and after that I said yes."
"Aw," Aria fawned, truly happy for her best friend. She and Emily shared similar dopey expressions.
"Do you have a wedding planner?" Hanna chimed in after what appeared to be a grueling five minutes on the phone.
"I just got engaged, Hanna! We haven't even thought of a date." Spencer took a long, soothing sip of her coffee, enjoying the strong flavor.
"Spring would be beautiful, wouldn't it?" Hanna put a thoughtful finger to her chin and squinted her eyes at Spencer. "But it's too common. Fall is around the corner and winter comes right after that. Wouldn't a snowy evening and Christmas around the corner be just the thing to perk everyone up?" Awkwardly Hanna shifted her eyes away from Aria, whose façade took on a sour look.
"Christmas?" Spencer sputtered. "That's so soon!"
"Like you and Toby haven't practically been married the past five years!" Hanna retorted.
"That's true," Emily agreed. "And I'm sure you can't wait to be Mrs. Cavanaugh!"
Biting her bottom lip to prevent a stupid smile from crossing her mouth, Spencer's neck flushed. "You're right," she straight-out admitted. "I can't!"
"Then we just need to settle it with Toby!" Hanna almost yelled in exhilaration.
The girls talked for another two hours until Aria checked the time and nearly jumped out of her seat. "I forgot I was meeting Ezra at the park at noon!" she cried while grabbing her coat. "Thanks for the visit, guys. I had fun." Large eyes widening, she added, "Congrats again, Spence!"
"Thanks, shorty!" Spencer teased as Aria sent her a warning glare. "See you soon!"
Hanna piped up, "And next time bring your laptop so we can Skype Josie!"
"We'll see!" Aria trilled in singsong as she smiled at her friends and used her shoulder to butt open the door, rushing out in a flurry.
…
With papers to be finished, homework to be started, and an upset baby to cheer up, Aria was about ready to explode. Her apartment was a mess, too, and the disorganization was really starting to get on her nerves. She was expecting company, yet she only had enough time to throw on a t-shirt and sweat pants and pull her hair back in a high ponytail. It was the most she could do in the short amount of time she had.
A knock came at the door, jangling Aria's already tensed nerves. The nine-month old's tiny lips wobbled, ready to give out a shrill cry, and Aria rapidly flung open the door, her eye twitching.
"Aria," Spencer greeted her, but Aria could easily read Spencer's concerned face.
"Hey, Spence," she said, trying to regain her composure. "Toby."
"Nice to see you, Aria," Toby replied pleasantly. "You look great."
Aria scoffed and opened the door so they could enter. "Thanks, Toby, but we all know that isn't true."
Immediately Toby's eyes fell on the infant crying on the grown, tinier than average for her age. Toby remembered Spencer calling him in anxiety and sadness the day Aria ran away, the whole story tumbling out of her mouth and surprising him. He never pictured Aria as the type to get pregnant at seventeen, but there was living proof plopped on the floor right next to the couch.
"Would you like something to drink?" Before Spencer could say anything, Aria lifted a pot of freshly made coffee. "Right away, Spence."
However, Toby didn't hear her. He was transfixed by the precious baby whose cries calmed down as he came to her level on his knees. "Hey, princess," he cooed, and she blinked up at him under long, dark lashes. Tenderly Toby brushed aside a short, black curl from her forehead. "Aren't you the sweetest thing?"
As Aria turned around and handed Spencer the mug, she noticed Toby sitting next to Josephine, and she nearly dropped the coffee. It was unusual for Josie to like anyone but Aria, including the couple guys Aria attempted to date a few weeks prior. It was like Josie was a sensor for the ones Aria should and shouldn't keep in her life. "Wow." Aria gaped, her eyes bulging out of her head. "She's never like that around strangers."
Spencer turned her head around and gazed proudly at Toby, her lips curling up into a heartfelt smile. "He has a gift," she whispered.
When Toby reached out and startled the baby with a series of light tickles, Josephine howled in laughter. Aria was utterly dumbfounded by the scene playing out in front of her. She propped her elbows up on the counter and leaned forward, watching her daughter and best friend's boyfriend play together. "He's great with kids."
After another round of tickle fighting, Toby scooped up Josie and placed her on his lap, finally acknowledging the girls. "Do you know who that is?" he asked in a baby voice while pointing to Spencer.
"Hey, baby!" Spencer cooed as Josie just stared her speechlessly. For a second she saw the resemblance between Josie's blue eyes and her father's, but Spencer pushed the dreary thought aside. "I'm Auntie Spencer," she told the baby, plopping down next to Toby. Josie's familiar blue eyes followed. "And this is Uncle Toby."
Reluctantly Aria left the small kitchen and joined the crowd. As she approached them Toby pointed at her and reiterated, "Do you know who that is?"
A large, goofy grin spread on Josephine's lips, and she clapped her hands and gurgled in excitement. Aria couldn't help but smile at her daughter's reaction to her, and Josie's chubby hands reached out for Aria.
For a split second, though, Aria saw something entirely different: a true family. Though Josephine held no resemblance to Toby or Spencer, the way they laughed and smiled reminded Aria that Josephine was never going to have that—a father figure…and that it was all her fault.
The realization sent her heart crashing to the bottom of her stomach. She thought she was doing so well, juggling motherhood, education, and a job, but in actuality…what in the world was she doing?
What did you think? Next chapter expect LOTS of Ezria! Until next time,
Lady Elena Dawson