Disclaimer: These are not my characters.
NB: Implied slash.
Seth pulls a carton of orange juice out of the refrigerator and shakes it violently. Kirsten is sitting at the counter with her back to him doing paperwork. Without turning around, Seth says, "So. Mom. I guess it won't come as a huge shock to you that Ryan and Marissa broke up." He listens as she sets down her pen. Then he walks around the kitchen to the opposite side of the counter. He pours a glass of orange juice, slowly screws the cap back on, slides the glass back and forth across the counter a few times, finally looks up at her. Her face is very still. "I mean, since I guess you already knew he was in love with someone else."
She doesn't say anything, just watches his eyes.
He says, "Mom. You totally manipulated him into breaking up with me."
"He told you that?"
"You know he didn't."
"I…" she watches him with her even gaze, says, "Yes."
"How could you do that? Why would you do that?"
"Oh, Seth. It was just…" Her forehead crinkles up. "You barely knew him. We barely knew him. It was so fast. It was too much. I wanted everything to slow down. I thought it would be better for you. For both of you." She pauses and then says, "And I was angry. You were so young. You're still so young. You're my baby."
"Why didn't you talk to me?"
"Because I knew you wouldn't listen."
"But you knew Ryan would."
"I thought he would."
"Uh huh. Okay. So you trusted him to do what you thought was the right thing even though you didn't trust him with me."
She sounds rueful, "Pretty much."
"And you were mad enough to go behind my back and not talk to Dad and intimidate the hell out of Ryan, and think he was corrupting me or whatever, but you didn't actually doubt him. You still thought of him as trustworthy."
"Yes? In that way. Yes."
"Mom, that is so messed up."
"I wasn't just angry, Seth, I was terrified. You two had already gotten in so much trouble together. I thought just being with him you would end up getting hurt. And I know about being in love, believe it or not. People act crazy. You think you're the center of the world, that the rules don't apply. I wanted to protect you. From yourself and from him."
"Right. Okay. Fine. I'm not mad at you. Anymore." Seth holds her eyes, gathers himself, takes a breath, asks, "How do you feel about him now?"
"Seth. You know I love Ryan."
"Yeah. Okay. Well, I love Ryan, too."
There is a pause as this sinks in.
Kirsten finally says, "Okay?"
"Yeah. So. We're back together. I mean, we're dating. God that sounds so stupid. Anyway, romantically. There's not really a good word here. You know what I mean."
"Okay."
"Okay? That's it?"
"Well, there are still rules. You're still seventeen. I don't want you two… I wouldn't have let Summer sleep over here, when you were seeing her."
"It's a little different, Mom. We both live here."
"You know what I mean. No sleeping in the pool house. No…sex."
Seth raises his eyebrows. "No sex?" Then he starts laughing.
"Seth. I'm serious."
"Yeah, okay, Mom. Not till I'm married." He crosses his heart with one finger.
She rolls her eyes, then says, "I just want you to be happy. Are you happy?"
"God, Mom. Seriously. I am so happy." And he grins and she knows that it's true.
"All right then," she says, smiling back. "Come here and give me a hug."