'After all these years, my little boy is moving out,' Kirsten Cohen thought
sadly, ascending the last couple of stairs leading up to the attic. She
hadn't been up here in years.
Almost everything was covered in dust, and she sneezed as she opened up one of the boxes. Inside were ribbons from Seth's first grade Field Day. He hadn't placed in any of the competitions or races, but he had received plenty of participation ribbons. She smiled as she remembered the improvised "most valuable player" award he received when he stopped to help a classmate who had fallen down during the 50-yard dash. Seth was always looking out for the well-being of others...just like his dad.
Kirsten dug a little deeper in the box and found a picture that brought a smile to her face. She and Sandy were on the left, Jimmy and Julie Cooper were on the right, and Seth and Marissa were in the middle, in front of their parents.
Seth and Marissa had been great friends growing up. They would play in the sandbox for hours on end, making sandcastles or taking turns burying each other. When they grew too old for the sandbox, they resorted to splashing around in the pool.
Then came junior high. Marissa was coming into her own and Seth was incredibly insecure. Julie Cooper used every opportunity she could get to get Marissa noticed. She was determined for her daughter to be the socialite that she was. So while Marissa was attending parties and running around with Summer Roberts, Seth was hiding out in his room, playing video games and reading comic books. Come to think of it, he had never really grown out of those habits.
She placed the picture back in the box and removed a small yellow envelope. Her smile faded as she removed the wrinkled piece of paper. She unfolded it and sighed. It was Seth's birth certificate. She read over the information that she had committed to memory: 9 lb, 11 oz, 21 inches long. Mother: Kirsten Nichol. Father: Sandy Cohen. 'Father.'
Kirsten sat the paper down and sighed. This happened every time she looked at his birth certificate. She reread the last line. "Father: Sandy Cohen." If only Sandy knew.
It was no secret that Kirsten and Jimmy Cooper had been high school sweethearts. In fact, if it hadn't been for her father, she never would've married Sandy. She and Jimmy had begun to grow apart following their first year of college and Sandy was there to pick up the pieces after Jimmy left her for Julie.
Her father had urged her to stay away from Jimmy Cooper, that he was bad news. And of course, he couldn't wait to rub that in when it came out that Jimmy had embezzled money. Sandy hadn't been his first choice, either, but Kirsten was in love. They had actually eloped, because she knew that her father would never consent to walking her down the aisle.
So it had been a small ceremony. Beautiful, but small. She and Sandy had known each other for about 3 months when they ran off to Las Vegas to tie the knot. A few weeks later, Kirsten discovered that she was pregnant with Seth. Sandy had been thrilled. He was looking forward to being a father to this baby...even if he wasn't the father.
Kirsten ran a hand through her hair and let out a distressed sigh. Sandy never thought anything of it. He just believed that Seth was born premature. She never told anyone that Seth wasn't Sandy's. She suspected that somewhere, deep down, Jimmy knew. How could he not?
Seth has Sandy's charm and his sarcastic sense of humor. But Seth has Jimmy's eyes.
Almost everything was covered in dust, and she sneezed as she opened up one of the boxes. Inside were ribbons from Seth's first grade Field Day. He hadn't placed in any of the competitions or races, but he had received plenty of participation ribbons. She smiled as she remembered the improvised "most valuable player" award he received when he stopped to help a classmate who had fallen down during the 50-yard dash. Seth was always looking out for the well-being of others...just like his dad.
Kirsten dug a little deeper in the box and found a picture that brought a smile to her face. She and Sandy were on the left, Jimmy and Julie Cooper were on the right, and Seth and Marissa were in the middle, in front of their parents.
Seth and Marissa had been great friends growing up. They would play in the sandbox for hours on end, making sandcastles or taking turns burying each other. When they grew too old for the sandbox, they resorted to splashing around in the pool.
Then came junior high. Marissa was coming into her own and Seth was incredibly insecure. Julie Cooper used every opportunity she could get to get Marissa noticed. She was determined for her daughter to be the socialite that she was. So while Marissa was attending parties and running around with Summer Roberts, Seth was hiding out in his room, playing video games and reading comic books. Come to think of it, he had never really grown out of those habits.
She placed the picture back in the box and removed a small yellow envelope. Her smile faded as she removed the wrinkled piece of paper. She unfolded it and sighed. It was Seth's birth certificate. She read over the information that she had committed to memory: 9 lb, 11 oz, 21 inches long. Mother: Kirsten Nichol. Father: Sandy Cohen. 'Father.'
Kirsten sat the paper down and sighed. This happened every time she looked at his birth certificate. She reread the last line. "Father: Sandy Cohen." If only Sandy knew.
It was no secret that Kirsten and Jimmy Cooper had been high school sweethearts. In fact, if it hadn't been for her father, she never would've married Sandy. She and Jimmy had begun to grow apart following their first year of college and Sandy was there to pick up the pieces after Jimmy left her for Julie.
Her father had urged her to stay away from Jimmy Cooper, that he was bad news. And of course, he couldn't wait to rub that in when it came out that Jimmy had embezzled money. Sandy hadn't been his first choice, either, but Kirsten was in love. They had actually eloped, because she knew that her father would never consent to walking her down the aisle.
So it had been a small ceremony. Beautiful, but small. She and Sandy had known each other for about 3 months when they ran off to Las Vegas to tie the knot. A few weeks later, Kirsten discovered that she was pregnant with Seth. Sandy had been thrilled. He was looking forward to being a father to this baby...even if he wasn't the father.
Kirsten ran a hand through her hair and let out a distressed sigh. Sandy never thought anything of it. He just believed that Seth was born premature. She never told anyone that Seth wasn't Sandy's. She suspected that somewhere, deep down, Jimmy knew. How could he not?
Seth has Sandy's charm and his sarcastic sense of humor. But Seth has Jimmy's eyes.