Keep Me Safe

Chapter 100

"Well, here we are," Spencer stated. She smiled up at the sign on the building. The early August sun was hot up ahead and the scissors were heavy in Spencer's sweaty palms.

She looked at her husband before positioning the scissors at the bright red ribbon and cutting it with a simple snip.

There was a small outburst of applause from their group of close friends and Spencer's parents. They had arrived a few days ago from Rosewood to aid Spencer in opening her office. It had taken months of planning on everyone's part but the day was finally here. The ribbon cutting was to be followed by a dinner party at their house.

She fell into Toby's embrace and pressed into him as he kissed her. "Shall we go inside," he whispered against her lips and she nodded.
He held the door open for her as she stepped inside and admired the space.

She and her hired employees had spent hours planning and decorating the building they'd be working in. Spencer was technically the owner of this office, but they worked through a larger mental health firm. Her parents had pulled strings to get her to a high position, and their work had paid off.

Standing in the lobby, admiring the furniture and architecture of the older building, it all finally felt real. There were a few things missing from her life - namely, the prospect of becoming a mother - but none of this would have happened without the tragedy. She could finally stand back and look at it logically. If she had had her baby, she would be out of school and unable to work until at least a year after Abby was born. She couldn't work and take care of a child. It was now clear that is was better to get herself established before starting a family.

As well as that, getting her business underway had somehow brought her and her husband even closer. Sure, they hadn't made love in three months, but they had been able to talk effectively and simply enjoy the other's presence. And they weren't the kind of couple who needed sex to fortify their relationship. They were perfectly content the way things were. They knew they would try for another baby, but they were taking time to get their lives figured out before then.

She led Toby by the hand into her office, leaving the others behind. Reveling in their temporary privacy, Spencer dragged his head down, connecting their lips passionately. The action was paired with a cough from Emma behind them, and Spencer pulled away, laughing.

She crossed to the wall where her desk sat, looking at the wall behind it. There were shelves containing pictures of her friends, pictures from her wedding, her college diploma, and her business license. Looking closely at it, she noticed something peculiar.

Typed on the license was "Legal name: Spencer Hastings".
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Okay so the fact that her last name isn't legally Cavanaugh will come into play in a huge way. And this whole chapter was her opening her therapy office, if you remember her mentioning that earlier in the book. I'm sad to say that I have the rest of the book mapped out. It's a long ways away, but the end is in sight 😭