Seth and Ryan had settled into his room and Seth finished recounting his night, ending with the tale of Summer, in her amazing dress, having a rage blackout on Taylor Townsend, who, in her attempt to escape the Roberts wrath, bumped into a waiter and knocked his tray. The poor guy managed to right the tray before losing the entirety of its contents but not before a few wily mini-quiche escaped...right onto Julie Cooper.
"So, how much do you think the 'rents are parting with?", Seth asked as he slid down onto the floor and leaned against the bed to be level with Ryan.
Ryan, who was leaning against the wall absently leafing through a comic, gave a lopsided smile. He knew Seth had figured it out, too. "I don't even want to know. I hope it's not too much, but then again..."
"You hope it's enough.", Seth states. Ryan nods. "You think your old man will follow the Steve Miller plan?", Seth continues.
"The Steve Miller plan?"
"Yeah, you know, take the money and run", Seth explains.
Ryan smiles wide and shakes his head. Only Seth. "Since when do you listen to The Steve Miller Band?", Ryan sidesteps the question.
"I don't but it's a classic. The 'rents listened to all that shit and let me tell you that it didn't leave me without trauma. Picture if you will, a young lad, full of innocence and joy, running into the house after school only to happen upon his dear father getting handsy with his mother in the kitchen while serenading her about how much he loves her peaches and wants to shake her tree", Seth concludes with a full body shudder.
Ryan outright laughs at that.
"It's not funny. I could have been scarred for life if not for the support of Captain Oats", Seth says as he picks up the plastic horse, cradles it in the crook of his elbow and pets it. Wise to Ryan's avoidance tactics, Seth decides not to let him off the hook and ends his rambling. "And you didn't answer my question. Do you think he'll go once he gets the cashola?"
Damn. He'd hoped Seth's mind would meander past that topic and keep going like the runaway train it often is. He sighs, "I don't know, Seth. I hope so. I can't think of any other reason he'd turn up here. He never really gave a shit about me before."
Seth chewed his lip before continuing, "I know I only saw him for like a split second but...he doesn't seem like someone that takes kindly to being told what to do." He throws a cautious look at Ryan. He doesn't want to push too hard but they need to know this stuff. If they were to keep Ryan safe they needed to know all they could about Frank Atwood. He would find out as much as he could and then have a little sit down with the 'rents. They all needed to be on the same page, for Ryan's sake.
Contemplating for a moment just how much he wants to say, Ryan answers, "No. He doesn't. Truth is, I expected fists to fly when he was talking to Sandy." He runs his hand across his face and the words pour out. Worry overriding his need to keep his old life from bleeding into his present. "Raised voices at least. Especially if Sandy threw a restraining order at him. The guy I remember would not just sit for that. You saw him while they were talking. He was too calm. I don't think I ever saw him sit that still and I didn't like the look on his face." He's up and pacing now, unable to stop himself. "He's up to something. I can feel it. I mean, like I said, he never gave a shit about me and Trey. Or mom even but he didn't like other people messing with his shit. You know? He could beat the shit out of us but if anyone else ever laid a hand on us he'd rip them a new one. He cheated on my mom all the time. I don't think he ever loved her. She got pregnant with Trey and they got married. They fought all the time. He'd leave for days on end, probably shacking up with some other woman, so finally my mom says two can play at that game and dad comes home and finds her with someone. He nearly killed that guy. He didn't really care that she was cheating on him. He was pissed that someone else touched his wife. He thinks he can take anything he wants but no one takes what's his." The words finally come to an end as he leans against the wall and slides down to the floor. He lets his head fall back hard against the wall. He closes his eyes and lets out an exhausted breath, totally spent.
Seth's mind reels from the information Ryan has just imparted on him in an incredibly Seth-like manner, with the pacing and the non-stop rambling, barely taking time to breathe. This can't be good if Ryan is this worked up. Yes, he definitely needs to have a pow wow with the 'rents in the morning. Seth considers the fact that Ryan probably wouldn't have just purged himself like that if he wasn't sleeping inside the house tonight, and knew he'd be sleeping inside from here on out. Normally, Ryan would probably have let a few things slip during their Seth/Ryan time but then he'd shut down and tell Seth that he was tired and Seth would leave. Then he'd be sitting in the pool house by himself with all of these thoughts racing through his head. He hadn't realized until now just how disconnected Ryan's sleeping apart from them must have kept him all of this time. He sent out silent thanks to his mom for making the call and wanting to move Ryan into the house.
"Dude, I think that's more than I have ever heard you say", Seth teases, deciding that Ryan's had enough for the night. He'll file away all he learned tonight and leave it lie for now.
Ryan gave a soft snort and opened his eyes. "I don't think I've ever said that much. Ever.", he says, appreciating Seth not pressing him on any of the information that he's just let come gushing out of his mouth.
Seth gets serious again. "Look, maybe dad's right and Frank realizes that it'll be more trouble than it's worth and he just sticks with the SMP. The old man can be pretty persuasive and even if he does try anything, I think the 'rents are up to the task. They won't let anything happen.", Seth confidently concludes.
Ryan studies Seth's face and sees that he has complete faith in his parents. Ryan wonders what that feels like. Sandy and Kirsten have been better parents to him than his own since that first weekend but they aren't his parents. They're Seth's. They keep telling him he's family and he wants to believe it but he knows the truth. He knows they care about him but they can't possibly hold him on the same level as Seth. He's their real son.
Ryan gives a small smile, "Yeah. I hope you're right." He gets up and says that he's beat and maybe they should call it a night. Seth agrees, and he heads off to his room. Not "the pool house". His room. His smile grows. He's inside now.