Disclaimer: I don't own The O.C.
"Why is Dad acting so weird?" Seth asked The Nana.
"He's scared and dealing with many different emotions at once," The Nana explained.
"That makes sense," Ryan conceded unhappily. He was worried about his dad.
"Why don't I deserve your respect?" John angrily demanded of Sandy.
"Can we just enjoy dinner in peace?" Laurel asked. Everyone ignored her.
"You abandoned us with a word or a goodbye," Sandy angrily told his father, trying to choke back sobs.
"I needed to leave so I could grow up. I don't need to defend myself to you, Sanford."
"You should have been grown up already, John. You had a wife and three kids," Sandy yelled.
"Why are Daddy and Mister John yelling?" Sophie asked Julie.
"They're just having a fight. Sophie, Dylan, let's go into the living room," Julie said, also grabbing Ford and Victoria. Kirsten shot her best friend a grateful look.
Julie took the kids into the other room.
"I can't believe you're bringing that up," John yelled at Sandy.
"What, the fact that you should have been grown up already?" Sandy bitterly asked John.
"You're a selfish man," John accused.
"Don't calm him selfish! Sandy Cohen is the most unselfish person I have ever met," Ryan cried, defending his father.
"Who do you think you are? You don't yell at me," John angrily told Ryan.
"I'm Ryan Cohen, John. I'm happy to tell you that my dad grew up a better person because you abandoned your wife and children like the coward you are!"
John glared angrily. "I am not a coward, little boy. I just hated dealing with a shrill wife and three whining kids!"
"I am not shrill," The Nana told her ex-husband.
"You kept begging me to save money for a house, Sophie. You wanted more kids."
"To make our family happier," The Nana claimed.
"Our family wasn't even happy to begin with," John told his ex-wife.
"We were happy at one point," The Nana reminded him.
"We should just shut up and eat," Laurel cried, trying to change the subject.
"Can you please be quiet?" Kirsten asked her. Laurel looked outraged.
"Don't you tell me what to do," Laurel screamed.
"I asked you politely," Kirsten coldly informed Laurel.
"You yelled at my husband," Laurel icily said.
"I didn't yell at anyone," Kirsten coldly pointed out.
"How were you happy at one point? You always told me how unhappy you were during your marriage to John," said Sandy.
"I lied," The Nana snapped.
"This is getting awkward," Seth whispered to his wife.
"It was awkward a long time ago," Summer whispered back.
"The dinner where Sandy punched Frank was less awkward than this," Taylor whispered. Ryan shot her an incredulous look, but Taylor shrugged.
"Why'd you lie?" Sandy angrily demanded of his mother.
"It hurt too much to remember the happy times," The Nana confessed.
"And I know why," John sing-songed.
"Don't tell him," The Nana warned.
"Doesn't he know the truth?" John asked, antagonizing his ex-wife.
"No he doesn't," The Nana confessed.
"What truth?" asked a now freaked out Sandy.
"Please don't tell him," Diane begged.
"He doesn't need to know," Eric said forcefully.
"Know what?" a desperate Sandy asked.
"He deserves to know," John told his ex-wife and older children, smiling creepily.
"I need to know," Sandy creid.
"Fine. Tell him. I hate you," The Nana tearfully told her ex-husband as she left the table.
"You'll find out after Mom dies," Diane desperately told Sandy, her euphoria upon meeting her father finally fading.
"I want to know now," Sandy demanded.
TBC
I have a direction I want this story to go, but I need your opinion.
Here's two options. I like option A, but it might be too angsty.
Choose A or B:
A-John reveals Sandy was born with a stillborn twin sister or she died from SIDS.
B-John reveals to Sandy the three miscarriages that Sophie suffered.
Please pick one. I can't decide.