Disclaimer – I do not own the O.C. or any of the characters associated.
So it's been three months…for the record, I do realize that's a hell of a long time! I've been dealing with some very personal, very stressful things in the last three months to be completely honest, but I am happy to say that my life is not the rocky road that it used to be. What does this mean? I'll be updating much more often, hopefully once a week, maybe two weeks. I won't let you down this time, I promise! :)
School had started and the first two weeks flew by very quickly. Seth's schoolwork took up the majority of his time and he worked nights at the comic book store. However, he did keep his promise to be more attentive and honest with Summer and for that, she was thankful.
Summer had stuck with her original plan of not going to college. This had disappointed Seth, but there was really no changing her mind. She wanted to be there for her child every second she could and she vowed never to abandon them like her mother had done to her. Being busy unpacking and settling into the small, new apartment, Summer hadn't yet gone to the doctor. But it was becoming more obvious that she was pregnant. Instead of just a couple times a week, the nausea she experienced was present almost every day. Certain smells had grown sickening to her and although she tried to stick to her normal schedule, she usually went to bed earlier and woke up later.
The couple who lived across the hall from Seth and Summer was married and had two kids. Their apartment was larger than most of their neighbors' but not by much. Both parents worked and the kids absolutely adored Seth and Summer. As a way to keep her busy, Summer had volunteered to watch the kids each day while Jenny and Eli were at work. Their daughter, Claire, was four and one of the biggest girly girls Seth had ever seen. He loved watching her and Summer interact with each other and seeing it actually made him sort of excited about having one of their own. Jacob was two. If you gave the kid some chicken nuggets and a Diego DVD, he'd be content for hours.
Finally, Summer made an appointment to go to the doctor. Jenny had the day off, so she didn't have to watch the kids. Seth, however, had a three-hour class to attend. It upset Summer that he wouldn't be there when the doctor confirmed her pregnancy, but eventually she got over it. There would be plenty more visits and she didn't want to wait any longer.
In the waiting room, Summer felt completely out of place. Most of the women around her were already into their third trimesters. What was even worse was that they all had men, probably husbands, sitting right beside them. Some were looking at baby magazines together and others were simply holding hands and talking. Eventually, Summer threw the magazine she'd been trying to focus on in the seat next to her and sighed. How long did it take?
Not five minutes later, Summer's name was called. It made her jump when she heard the nurse's voice and then she stood up, blushing. It felt as if every person's eyes were on her and she could just hear their thoughts running wild. She'd always hated it when people thought badly of her and that fact hadn't changed.
The exam itself didn't take all that long and when the doctor rolled his chair nearer to the bed and gave Summer a sympathetic smile, she simply nodded her head. "You are pregnant, Ms. Roberts," he stated rather obviously. "You're about eight weeks along. The nurse has some pamphlets for you and they'll inform you of all your options and-"
Summer cut him off. "I don't need them. Seth and I are keeping the baby."
The doctor smiled and removed his glasses. "Well, it seems like you've got your mind made up, Ms. Roberts. If I may, going to school and raising a child isn't going to be easy. I strongly suggest that you at least consider the alternative of adoption. I, myself, am not for abortion."
Summer furrowed her brow. Sometimes she still got a little hormonal, but who was this guy to tell her what was best for her. "First of all, I'm not going to school; my boyfriend is. Secondly, no one else is going to raise my baby. It's mine and no one else's. And to be completely honest, I couldn't care less whether you're for or against abortion because I'm not and it's not your decision to make. So just do your job and let me have this baby."
The old man couldn't help but let out a little chuckle. He knew it wasn't personal, as he'd dealt with many pregnant women in his lifetime, including his own wife. This one seemed especially sassy, but he guessed her age and non-marital status contributed to this. So he brushed it off. "Well, I will certainly do so, Ms. Roberts. Whatever you want." He rolled his chair away and stood up. "Talk to the receptionist and she'll set up an appointment for you in about a month. I don't see any reason for you to come in any sooner. Call me if you have any questions or concerns."
"Thanks," Summer mumbled as he left. She already didn't like the man; he'd tried telling her what to do and she'd never been one to take orders. After a moment or two, she gathered herself and made her way out of the examination room. She made her appointment with the plump woman at the front desk and then headed back to the apartment.
When she got to their floor, Jenny and Eli's apartment door was wide open and she peered in to see Jenny walking from the back room at an alarming pace. "Thank God, Summer!"
Summer could tell the woman had been crying, as her eyes were puffed up and red. Jenny was six years older than Summer, but at the moment a stranger would think her much more. Her bright red hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail and she was dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt. Summer immediately knew something must have gone wrong. "What's wrong, Jenny?" she asked concernedly, stepping inside the living room area. "Did something happen? Are the kids okay?"
Jenny nodded her head furiously. "They're fine, they're fine." Up close, Summer could tell the woman was shaking. "It's my father. He's had another heart attack and this one was much worse than last year. He was rushed to the hospital and I'm flying out to Cincinnati with my sister. I hate to be a pain, but do you think you could-"
For the second time that day, Summer cut someone off. "Oh, don't even worry about it, Jenny! You go with your sister and I hope your father's okay. Seth will be home soon and we're more than happy to watch them anytime you need. Go on."
The smallest smile crossed Jenny's face as she embraced the younger girl thankfully. "Okay, Eli should be home around his normal time and he'll just come over and get them. I already called him and let him know what's happening. Thank you so much, Summer!"
A moment later, Jenny was gone to meet her sister and Summer felt bad for her. Unlike her relationship with her own father, Jenny was very close to hers. Losing him would devastate her and that wasn't something Summer wanted to watch. She brought Jacob and Claire over to her and Seth's apartment and sat them down on the couch.
"Is something wrong with Mommy?" Claire asked.
"Yeah, is she okay?" Jacob echoed.
Summer smiled and ruffled the boy's hair reassuringly. "Your mommy is absolutely fine. So is Daddy, he'll be home soon. Mommy just had something she needed to go take care of, so you're going to be over here with me and Seth for a while. Sound good?"
Jacob smiled and nodded his head. "I love it here!"
"Me too," Claire added. "But I'm hungry!"
Summer fed the kids and then sat down to watch a movie with them on the sofa. Although Claire had very much tried to convince Summer and Jacob to watch the Little Mermaid, Summer was even more insistent that they needed to watch something everyone would enjoy. So in the end, Finding Nemo seemed like the perfect choice.
Seth got back from class at five and walked through the apartment door to see the love of his life and two adorable children curled up on the couch watching a movie. He could tell it was almost over from both the scene and the fact that the kids were getting antsy.
As soon as she saw Seth walk through the door, Claire jumped up off the couch and ran over to hug him. "Sethy!"
Summer smiled when she saw him pick up the toddler and when she looked over at Jacob, she realized he was still totally entranced by the world of fish on the television. Although she did love taking care of those two children, it didn't mean she was ready to have her own. She'd come to grips with the fact that she was pregnant and was no longer in denial. However, now she was just scared. Giving up school was a huge sacrifice and she knew in the end, Seth would be the one to pay for it to make up for the money she wouldn't be making. There was really nothing to do about it. Despite their make-up conversation and how supportive Seth had become, her gut feeling was still that they weren't ready for a baby. And she knew she was right.
Seth set his stuff down on the counter and walked with Claire on his back to the couch, where he sat down next to Summer. This action resulted in the four-year-old toppling off his shoulders, but she didn't seem to mind. Instead, she started climbing back up again. Seth leaned over to place a kiss on Summer's cheek. "How'd the doctor go?"
"Fine," she replied with a short nod. "I'm definitely pregnant."
He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. Contrary to his initial reaction and thought process, Seth was now very excited to be having a baby with his girlfriend. He knew it would be hard and put strain on the relationship, but the thought of a little Summer running around their home excited him. He'd come to the conclusion that he was, indeed, ready to be a father. "When do you go back?"
"Not till next month," she answered, keeping her eyes on the television.
"Alright, that's enough," Seth said pushing Claire off him one last time. "I need to talk with Summer in the kitchen for a second. Sit here and watch the movie with your brother."
Reluctantly, Summer stood from the couch and followed him to the kitchen, just a short distance away. "What?" she mumbled, crossing her arms. She kept her eyes on the tile.
Seth sighed and leaned back against the counter. "What's wrong with you, Sum? I mean, I think I know, but tell me what you're thinking."
Summer uncrossed her arms and ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know, Cohen. I'm just scared, I guess. I'm scared that we're going to be poor forever and that you're going to be the kind of guy who's never home because he has to work all the time just to keep a roof over our head. And I'm scared because we aren't ready for something like this and I know I'm going to be a horrible mother."
"Stop right there, Summer." Seth took a step forward and rested his hands on her hips. "You will not be a horrible mother. Have you not seen yourself with Jacob and Claire? They adore you and you take awesome care of them. You're going to be an even better mom. As for the work stuff, that doesn't matter. And no matter what happens, I'll never be that guy because I know what's important." She just looked at him. He smiled and continued, "And that is you." He placed a soft kiss on her lips. "And this baby."
It did make her feel slightly better but then again, Seth always did. She'd end up feeling the same way in the morning without him there to comfort her. "Taking care of somebody else's kids for ten hours a day is not the same as doing it non-stop for eighteen years, Seth. With Claire and Jacob, I'm a part of all the fun stuff and never have to deal with all the serious, parenting parts. It's completely different."
He shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I know it's different, but you'll still be a great mom; trust me. And I'm freaking out just as much as you are on the inside, but we'll be fine." He gave her another reassuring kiss. "I can honestly say that I'm excited about this baby because I'm having it with you."
Summer smiled and hugged him. "Sometimes you really do surprise me. Your personality has so many different sides. Thanks, Cohen."
"Alright, let's go put in a real movie," he said, walking her back to the living room. "We don't need any floundering fish on the screen. We need something kickass, something like…Spiderman!" At this, Jacob looked up and nodded his head vigorously.
Seth's words kept Summer feeling more confident about the pregnancy throughout that night. The whole part about having to tell people about it was a different story; that scared the hell out of her and she'd really rather not do it all. Of that subject, she was sure Seth felt the same. But for that night, it didn't matter.
Eli came and picked the kids up and informed Seth and Summer about his phone call with Jenny. It wasn't looking good for her dad, but she wasn't losing hope. He made sure Summer was still going to watch them the following day and then took them home to put them in bed.
An hour later, Seth and Summer lay in bed cuddling. Sometimes those were the moments they felt closest. "If you had a choice, would you want a boy or a girl?" Summer asked randomly.
Seth seemed to think about this question for a few moments. "Hmm…I'm thinking I want a girl. One who looks just like you. In some ways, a mini-Summer." He smiled.
This made Summer smile and then he asked her the same question. "I really don't know," she answered honestly. "I'm good with either. But we have to find out before I have it. I can't handle not knowing."
"Good, I feel the same way," Seth answered. "So how bad do you think it'll hurt?"
Summer slapped his chest. "Why would you say that, Cohen? I hadn't even thought about that!" She paused and then sat up abruptly. "Wow, thanks. I'm going to die. I don't handle pain well."
Seth rolled his eyes and pulled her back down. "I'm sorry, but you're not going to die. You'll be just fine. Besides, you've got another seven months to go."
"Don't remind me."
Please review! This chapter is obviously sort of a filler, but I did write this one rather quickly. So oh well!
