Prologue: A Phone Call
Ring-ring… Ring-ring… Ring-ring…
"Hello? Ward residence."
"Hello, Luke, it's Kirsten Cohen… Is Seth there?"
"Um… Hi Mrs Cohen, I'll just go see."
"Dude it's your mom."
"Eh."
"Dude, really!"
"Eh."
"He's here Mrs Cohen."
"Thank you, Luke."
"Hi mom."
"Sweetie. How are you? Are you eating right? Wearing enough sunscreen?"
"Mom, I'm fine."
"If you were fine you'd be at home."
…
"So… how's dad."
"He's okay… he misses you."
"And Ryan?"
"He and Theresa are good, the baby is healthy and they think it'll be a girl."
"Right."
…
"You know we love you. No matter what."
…
"Love you too mom."
…
"Please come home, Seth."
…
…
"I've gotta go, I'll talk to you later, yeah."
…
"Ok… well, remember to put sun lotion on because you don't want to peel and make sure Carson feeds you properly and never forget I love you, Seth, and there is always a home for you here."
"Bye."
"Goodbye-"
Hmmm-hmmm… hmmm-hmmm.
Chapter One; Seth Cohen
He didn't go home. Ryan couldn't convince him, his dad gave up, and his mom grew to accept whatever part of his life he offered which happened to be holidays. Seth returned to Newport for Thanks Giving, Christmukkah, birthdays, and school breaks but finished high school in Portsmouth while working part time and living with Carson and Luke. He graduated with good grades, better than he'd dreamed of grades, and new friends although he didn't call a single one 'best'. He then went of to university and ended up majoring in business with a minor in Tourism and eventually graduated and became a businessman, owning his own company of tourist boats and guides that eventually encompassed the whole of California although he moved to L.A., and he earned a whole load of money to burn.
By the time he was twenty-eight he felt secure enough to make out a will even though there was still no one permanent in his life. The small share of The Newport Group that he would inherit from his mother would in tern be gifted to Ryan. His comic book collection would be given to Zach and Summer, they could either sell or keep because it would be expensive by the time he planned on dying which was hopefully sometime in his fifties when he was lonely and bitter. Yes, he was aware they'd divorced by a year or so later but he couldn't be bothered to change the will. For Maria, Ryan's beautiful and smart daughter, he left two million dollars to be gifted to her on her thirtieth birthday. No one else was included unless his parents were still alive, then all his possessions would go to them. His money was to be tied in with the company and the rest split between charities, most of them dedicated to giving poor kids a chance at a better life.
Seth didn't really have anything to do with Ryan. It was better this way. The choices he'd made in his life… he had no idea how Ryan would deal and no desire to risk even the partial relationship they had now on finding out. Mom and dad knew and they loved him. He was pretty sure Zach knew because he knew for certain that Summer knew even though it had taken him years to tell her, or rather years for her to discover his secret. It wasn't really a secret, not in his everyday life. But Ryan didn't know and that's what made it feel like a secret.
Seth missed Ryan. But soon he would have to face him again. The thought made him both nervous but at the same time he couldn't wait.
You Are Invited to the Wedding of
Marissa Cooper
and
Andrew Carmichael