Chapter 10: Better Late Then Forever
"What happened to her?" Marissa exclaimed at the sight of Summer's seemingly lifeless body on the couch. Charlotte ran past her into the apartment, towards Summer, while Seth walked over to Marissa to explain.
"She passed out." Seth said, calmly.
"Why did she --?" Marissa began but was cut off by Charlotte's cries.
"Mommy, wake up!" Charlotte poked Summer, who yawned unconsciously, and turned over.
Seth ran over to Charlotte, who started to sob loudly, picking her up and leaning her tiny head on his shoulder. He rubbed slow circles on her back, which made Charlotte really sleepy and she stuck her thumb in her mouth, content with her position.
Marissa smiled at him gently, amazed with his ability to calm the girl down so fast. She sat down, looking up at Seth, who laughed a little for some relief and sat back down on the armchair.
"I'll watch Charlotte," Seth began. "Why don't you go to Ryan? I'm sure he misses you." Seth rolled his eyes playfully.
"Actually," Marissa's eyes sparkled at the mention of Ryan's name. "I need to talk to him anyway." She got up, grabbing her purse from the kitchen counter, then looked back at Summer hesitantly. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, go ahead." Seth said, leaning back with Charlotte in his arms.
"Alright." Marissa muttered and left the apartment quickly.
Seth watched Summer for a while, but she barely stirred. He was extremely weary of the whole chain of events today, and could hear himself snoring slightly, and along with Charlotte and Summer, he fell in a deep sleep.
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"What was it that you needed to talk about concerning Marissa?" Kirsten asked as she threw away the last of the McDonald's leftovers. Sandy had left to do some paperwork and Ryan was watching Kirsten clean, something she rarely does, but when she does attempt to do it, it's certainly entertaining.
"Oh yeah," Ryan cleared his throat, "It's nothing."
"It can't be nothing, or you wouldn't have mentioned it." Kirsten said flatly, sliding back into her chair.
"Fine, well," Ryan started, "I straight out asked Marissa about Summer, and she basically lied to me. Well, she wouldn't tell me. But I already knew about Summer having a baby, and, I just don't think I can trust Marissa, and," Ryan took a breath.
"You've been spending way too much time with Seth. You're rambling!" Kirsten laughed and Ryan nodded, pathetically.
"And," He said sternly. "Julie pointed out to me how I'm always honest with Marissa, and then she's not honest with me, and," Before he could finish, Kirsten's eyes bulged with rage and she stood up.
"Julie, as in Cooper?"
"Know any other Julie's?" Ryan asked.
"Whatever Julie Cooper said to you, I wouldn't trust for a second. Marissa would never lie to you, or keep something from you, unless it was serious. And Summer, again, was just trying to protect Seth. If you knew, you would have told him, am I wrong?" Kirsten started to scream defensively, slamming her fist on the counter.
"You're right." Ryan said, a little shocked from Kirsten's sudden anger.
Kirsten burst out into a smile, throwing Ryan an apologetic look.
"Sorry," Kirsten said calmly, "I just can't stand Julie Cooper."
"I can see that." Ryan said, glancing at the abused counter top.
"Trust me Ryan," Kirsten said coolly, "Julie shouldn't be talking about honesty. She's always tangled up in a mess of lies."
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"So, tell me again why you invited the hussy to Christmas dinner?" Caleb purred into Julie's ear, lying down next to her on their bed.
"Caleb, sweetie," Julie kissed his forehead. "Have you forgotten that we are eating Christmas dinner at the Cohen's?"
Caleb smiled evilly at this revelation, kissing Julie passionately, and leaning back to glance at his evil new wife.
"I knew you'd be pleased." Julie cooed, lying back down.
"Throw tension filled drama queens in a room with my Kiki," Caleb smiled to himself gingerly, "And you can feel the sparks cut into their skin." He rubbed his hands together in approval, wrapping his arm around Julie.
"So true." Julie smiled. "It will be just like Thanksgiving, a few years back."
Caleb nodded in agreement, kissing Julie's cheek again.
"Let's just hope Kirsten can keep herself sober this time." Julie cackled maliciously.
"Oh, Jules," Caleb muttered sarcastically, "It's so much more interesting when she's drunk off her ass!"
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"I'll get it." Ryan said to Kirsten softly, hesitantly making his way to the door, where the bell had just rung.
"I checked the pool house, but you weren't there. So I figured," Marissa rambled nervously, swaying around in her spot on the foyer as she entered the Cohen's mansion.
Kirsten walked in on a stumbling Marissa, greeting her with a smile. "I'll leave you two alone."
Marissa smiled gratuitously and Ryan led her to the kitchen, where she placed her purse on the counter and took up Kirsten's now empty seat.
"So," Marissa said, not sure where to start, "You know that if you were angry with me, you could tell me. I want us to be honest with each other - always."
"So do I." Ryan said strongly, sitting down next to her. "So, let's start with you telling me about Summer."
"Fine." Marissa said, angrily. "What do you want to know?"
"Well, I heard a lot from Kirsten. But, I'd like to know about when she first left."
"Fine, but you have to promise me you won't say a word to Seth." She noticed Ryan shift his eyes and repeated, threateningly, "Not a word."
"I promise." Ryan said, cupping her tiny hand in his, smiling with some effort. He didn't want to lie to Seth, but he figured eventually, Summer would tell him the truth.
Marissa sighed, standing up and pacing the kitchen, "Remember how Summer acted really strange, a few weeks before she left?"
"Yeah." Ryan nodded, in remembrance of Summer's strange behavior.
"Well," Marissa sat back down again, "A few days before she left, Summer came to me and asked if I would go to a clinic with her. An abortion clinic." She paused, searching Ryan's face for a reaction, and he pursed his lips, nodding his head for her to continue. "She told me that she was pregnant. And she wanted to get rid of the baby. But I talked her out of it. I told her," Marissa's head started to throb as she remembered things she wanted to forget, "I told her that she needed to tell Seth, and she got really mad at me, saying how I couldn't possibly understand the situation she was in. And it's true. I couldn't. But Seth needed to know. The next day, I found a note in my dorm from Summer. She wrote that she was leaving and that once she figured out some things, she would call."
"You should've told me." Ryan said. "I could have helped you."
"How?" Marissa asked sarcastically, a hopeless look spread across her face and he nodded, shamefully. How could he have helped Summer? It was a pointless question to ask now.
"Anyway," Marissa said. "She also begged me in the note to not tell anyone. She wrote this whole explanation about why Seth couldn't know. . ."
"Because she didn't want him to ruin his future." Ryan put together, thinking back on Kirsten's explanation.
"Right." Marissa cleared her throat, which had formed a large lump of guilt, "The night I went to tell Seth she wasn't coming back, do you remember that?" Ryan nodded and she continued, "Summer called me. She had gone to her parents, but hadn't told them she was pregnant. She said she was stressed from school, and needed a break. Her dad didn't really care, you know how he is. Well, she called me to let me know she was ok, and that was keeping the baby. I pleaded with her once again to tell Seth, but she just started crying, making me promise not to tell Seth or you. So I promised." Marissa leaned back in her chair, "But she asked me to tell Seth that she wasn't coming back."
Ryan leaned back, "I can't believe you were holding this in for so long."
"She didn't want Seth to give up his future. I guess, in some way, Summer was trying to protect him, but she ended up hurting herself in the process, not to mention Seth. You know how much it hurt me to see him mope around, not knowing why she was gone, when I knew?" She had begun to cry, and Ryan leaned into her, kissing her softly, consoling her.
"It's ok. He knows now." Ryan whispered.
"He's at her apartment right now." Marissa sniffled, nodding.
"Are you serious?" Ryan leaned back, in surprise, amazed as Marissa nodded 'yes'.
"I think," Marissa smiled, "I think things between them are going to be ok."
**********************************
Summer woke up in agonizing pain, all her bones sore at once. Had she been dreaming? Or did Seth Cohen really cause her to faint? Was he even hear? Summer prayed that the whole past 2 years were a dream, and she would wake up to see herself back in her dorm, next to Seth. Instead, as she flipped around to see Seth sleeping on the armchair of her dingy apartment, Charlotte in his arms, she sighed in slight relief.
She didn't like the girl she was two years ago. The girl she was now never would have left him like that.
He looked simply adorable, holding Charlotte up against his chest. Summer slid off the couch, yawning, and walked over to them, not sure of what she should do, exactly.
"Seth," She whispered, poking his shoulder gently. His eyes blinked open, in shock, and Summer quickly stopped him from making a noise, pointing down to sleeping Charlotte. Seth handed over Charlotte to Summer, watching on in slight amusement, as Summer rocked back and forth with the girl in her arms, placing her in her bedroom. She walked back over to Seth, sliding back down onto the couch.
They stared at each other blankly, each too afraid to speak.
"I should go." Seth said quickly. "Tomorrow, we're having this huge Christmas dinner thing, and my Mom is definitely going to need help." He got up, trying to avoid Summer's longing eyes.
"Can we talk?" Summer asked, timidly.
"Um," Seth grumbled, sitting back down again in defeat. "Sure." He punched his arm back into his pocket, furious with himself. He hated how he could rarely stand up to her.
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"What happened to her?" Marissa exclaimed at the sight of Summer's seemingly lifeless body on the couch. Charlotte ran past her into the apartment, towards Summer, while Seth walked over to Marissa to explain.
"She passed out." Seth said, calmly.
"Why did she --?" Marissa began but was cut off by Charlotte's cries.
"Mommy, wake up!" Charlotte poked Summer, who yawned unconsciously, and turned over.
Seth ran over to Charlotte, who started to sob loudly, picking her up and leaning her tiny head on his shoulder. He rubbed slow circles on her back, which made Charlotte really sleepy and she stuck her thumb in her mouth, content with her position.
Marissa smiled at him gently, amazed with his ability to calm the girl down so fast. She sat down, looking up at Seth, who laughed a little for some relief and sat back down on the armchair.
"I'll watch Charlotte," Seth began. "Why don't you go to Ryan? I'm sure he misses you." Seth rolled his eyes playfully.
"Actually," Marissa's eyes sparkled at the mention of Ryan's name. "I need to talk to him anyway." She got up, grabbing her purse from the kitchen counter, then looked back at Summer hesitantly. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, go ahead." Seth said, leaning back with Charlotte in his arms.
"Alright." Marissa muttered and left the apartment quickly.
Seth watched Summer for a while, but she barely stirred. He was extremely weary of the whole chain of events today, and could hear himself snoring slightly, and along with Charlotte and Summer, he fell in a deep sleep.
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"What was it that you needed to talk about concerning Marissa?" Kirsten asked as she threw away the last of the McDonald's leftovers. Sandy had left to do some paperwork and Ryan was watching Kirsten clean, something she rarely does, but when she does attempt to do it, it's certainly entertaining.
"Oh yeah," Ryan cleared his throat, "It's nothing."
"It can't be nothing, or you wouldn't have mentioned it." Kirsten said flatly, sliding back into her chair.
"Fine, well," Ryan started, "I straight out asked Marissa about Summer, and she basically lied to me. Well, she wouldn't tell me. But I already knew about Summer having a baby, and, I just don't think I can trust Marissa, and," Ryan took a breath.
"You've been spending way too much time with Seth. You're rambling!" Kirsten laughed and Ryan nodded, pathetically.
"And," He said sternly. "Julie pointed out to me how I'm always honest with Marissa, and then she's not honest with me, and," Before he could finish, Kirsten's eyes bulged with rage and she stood up.
"Julie, as in Cooper?"
"Know any other Julie's?" Ryan asked.
"Whatever Julie Cooper said to you, I wouldn't trust for a second. Marissa would never lie to you, or keep something from you, unless it was serious. And Summer, again, was just trying to protect Seth. If you knew, you would have told him, am I wrong?" Kirsten started to scream defensively, slamming her fist on the counter.
"You're right." Ryan said, a little shocked from Kirsten's sudden anger.
Kirsten burst out into a smile, throwing Ryan an apologetic look.
"Sorry," Kirsten said calmly, "I just can't stand Julie Cooper."
"I can see that." Ryan said, glancing at the abused counter top.
"Trust me Ryan," Kirsten said coolly, "Julie shouldn't be talking about honesty. She's always tangled up in a mess of lies."
*************************************
"So, tell me again why you invited the hussy to Christmas dinner?" Caleb purred into Julie's ear, lying down next to her on their bed.
"Caleb, sweetie," Julie kissed his forehead. "Have you forgotten that we are eating Christmas dinner at the Cohen's?"
Caleb smiled evilly at this revelation, kissing Julie passionately, and leaning back to glance at his evil new wife.
"I knew you'd be pleased." Julie cooed, lying back down.
"Throw tension filled drama queens in a room with my Kiki," Caleb smiled to himself gingerly, "And you can feel the sparks cut into their skin." He rubbed his hands together in approval, wrapping his arm around Julie.
"So true." Julie smiled. "It will be just like Thanksgiving, a few years back."
Caleb nodded in agreement, kissing Julie's cheek again.
"Let's just hope Kirsten can keep herself sober this time." Julie cackled maliciously.
"Oh, Jules," Caleb muttered sarcastically, "It's so much more interesting when she's drunk off her ass!"
************************************
"I'll get it." Ryan said to Kirsten softly, hesitantly making his way to the door, where the bell had just rung.
"I checked the pool house, but you weren't there. So I figured," Marissa rambled nervously, swaying around in her spot on the foyer as she entered the Cohen's mansion.
Kirsten walked in on a stumbling Marissa, greeting her with a smile. "I'll leave you two alone."
Marissa smiled gratuitously and Ryan led her to the kitchen, where she placed her purse on the counter and took up Kirsten's now empty seat.
"So," Marissa said, not sure where to start, "You know that if you were angry with me, you could tell me. I want us to be honest with each other - always."
"So do I." Ryan said strongly, sitting down next to her. "So, let's start with you telling me about Summer."
"Fine." Marissa said, angrily. "What do you want to know?"
"Well, I heard a lot from Kirsten. But, I'd like to know about when she first left."
"Fine, but you have to promise me you won't say a word to Seth." She noticed Ryan shift his eyes and repeated, threateningly, "Not a word."
"I promise." Ryan said, cupping her tiny hand in his, smiling with some effort. He didn't want to lie to Seth, but he figured eventually, Summer would tell him the truth.
Marissa sighed, standing up and pacing the kitchen, "Remember how Summer acted really strange, a few weeks before she left?"
"Yeah." Ryan nodded, in remembrance of Summer's strange behavior.
"Well," Marissa sat back down again, "A few days before she left, Summer came to me and asked if I would go to a clinic with her. An abortion clinic." She paused, searching Ryan's face for a reaction, and he pursed his lips, nodding his head for her to continue. "She told me that she was pregnant. And she wanted to get rid of the baby. But I talked her out of it. I told her," Marissa's head started to throb as she remembered things she wanted to forget, "I told her that she needed to tell Seth, and she got really mad at me, saying how I couldn't possibly understand the situation she was in. And it's true. I couldn't. But Seth needed to know. The next day, I found a note in my dorm from Summer. She wrote that she was leaving and that once she figured out some things, she would call."
"You should've told me." Ryan said. "I could have helped you."
"How?" Marissa asked sarcastically, a hopeless look spread across her face and he nodded, shamefully. How could he have helped Summer? It was a pointless question to ask now.
"Anyway," Marissa said. "She also begged me in the note to not tell anyone. She wrote this whole explanation about why Seth couldn't know. . ."
"Because she didn't want him to ruin his future." Ryan put together, thinking back on Kirsten's explanation.
"Right." Marissa cleared her throat, which had formed a large lump of guilt, "The night I went to tell Seth she wasn't coming back, do you remember that?" Ryan nodded and she continued, "Summer called me. She had gone to her parents, but hadn't told them she was pregnant. She said she was stressed from school, and needed a break. Her dad didn't really care, you know how he is. Well, she called me to let me know she was ok, and that was keeping the baby. I pleaded with her once again to tell Seth, but she just started crying, making me promise not to tell Seth or you. So I promised." Marissa leaned back in her chair, "But she asked me to tell Seth that she wasn't coming back."
Ryan leaned back, "I can't believe you were holding this in for so long."
"She didn't want Seth to give up his future. I guess, in some way, Summer was trying to protect him, but she ended up hurting herself in the process, not to mention Seth. You know how much it hurt me to see him mope around, not knowing why she was gone, when I knew?" She had begun to cry, and Ryan leaned into her, kissing her softly, consoling her.
"It's ok. He knows now." Ryan whispered.
"He's at her apartment right now." Marissa sniffled, nodding.
"Are you serious?" Ryan leaned back, in surprise, amazed as Marissa nodded 'yes'.
"I think," Marissa smiled, "I think things between them are going to be ok."
**********************************
Summer woke up in agonizing pain, all her bones sore at once. Had she been dreaming? Or did Seth Cohen really cause her to faint? Was he even hear? Summer prayed that the whole past 2 years were a dream, and she would wake up to see herself back in her dorm, next to Seth. Instead, as she flipped around to see Seth sleeping on the armchair of her dingy apartment, Charlotte in his arms, she sighed in slight relief.
She didn't like the girl she was two years ago. The girl she was now never would have left him like that.
He looked simply adorable, holding Charlotte up against his chest. Summer slid off the couch, yawning, and walked over to them, not sure of what she should do, exactly.
"Seth," She whispered, poking his shoulder gently. His eyes blinked open, in shock, and Summer quickly stopped him from making a noise, pointing down to sleeping Charlotte. Seth handed over Charlotte to Summer, watching on in slight amusement, as Summer rocked back and forth with the girl in her arms, placing her in her bedroom. She walked back over to Seth, sliding back down onto the couch.
They stared at each other blankly, each too afraid to speak.
"I should go." Seth said quickly. "Tomorrow, we're having this huge Christmas dinner thing, and my Mom is definitely going to need help." He got up, trying to avoid Summer's longing eyes.
"Can we talk?" Summer asked, timidly.
"Um," Seth grumbled, sitting back down again in defeat. "Sure." He punched his arm back into his pocket, furious with himself. He hated how he could rarely stand up to her.
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