A/N: This story is slowly coming to an end. tear. anyway, I hope you like
this chapter . . . as always, review, review, REVIEW! and.. check out my
story at that 70's show . . . "Just Another Day" and review there!! thanks
a bunch and enjoy! There will be one more chapter after this and maybe a
conclusion!
Chapter 23: Proposal
"You!" Marissa's voice cracked as she laid eyes upon her mother, who entered the Cooper Mansion with a huff.
"Marissa, darling, did you lock yourself in your bedroom again?" Julie said, faking a smile as she sat down on the couch and Caleb looked on in amusement.
"No, you locked me in, you stupid bitch!" Marissa screamed, waving her fists.
"Marissa . . ." Ryan grabbed her waist, trying to calm her down, but she wriggled free from his grip.
"Why on earth would you lock me in? What is wrong with you?" Marissa screamed, flying down the stairs.
Julie gaped at Marissa, reeling in her words.
"I was trying to protect you. . ." Julie said, gasping as Marissa stomped her foot so hard the ground shook.
"Protect . . .Protect me?" Marissa stuttered, all of her anger rising to the top of her head, making her feel like a thousand balloons had just popped in her brain.
"Marissa, sweetie," Julie stood up, placing her hand on Marissa' shoulder, a sweet tone overcoming her voice, "Ryan's not good enough for you, can't you see that?"
Ryan came down the stairs slowly and Caleb, deciding that punches would be thrown soon, left his new wife to deal with her consequences, chuckling.
Julie watched Ryan's advances from the corner of her eye, and gripped onto Marissa's shoulder tighter; smiling at Marissa's softening eyes. "And Summer isn't either. You are a Nichol now, behave like it."
Marissa smiled widely, motioning for Ryan to come next to her, intertwining her hand with his.
Ryan watched her, slightly irritated at Julie, but even more furious that Marissa had stopped yelling. What was going on?
"Mom," Marissa cleared her throat, dramatically rolling her eyes, and brushing her mother's hand from her shoulder. "I'm a Cooper." Marissa glanced at her mother, who frowned slightly and shrank to the couch. "But I'd like to congratulate you . . ."
"On losing a daughter?" Julie sighed, her eyes starting to tear.
"No," Marissa winced at her mother's tears. "You lost me a long time ago."
Julie looked up at Marissa, apologetically and Marissa stopped her mother from opening her mouth.
"I love Ryan. And Summer. And you need to get over it, because they are two of the most amazing people I have ever known."
"And we don't lock her up in bedrooms." Ryan hissed, slightly taken aback when Marissa pinched him.
"I know that you think what you did was right, but it wasn't." Marissa stated, dragging Ryan towards the door. "And when you're ready to admit that, then I'll consider forgiving you." Marissa opened the door gently, looking back at her mother, who was bawling, "Come on, Ry."
Ryan, without hesitation, followed Marissa towards the Cohen's, silently, in a daze.
Did Marissa Cooper just stand up to her mother? And win?
"Marissa," Ryan said softly, as she turned to face him.
She placed her fingertips on his lips, kissing him gently. "I love you and from now on, I promise I will always be honest with you."
Ryan kissed her back, just as gently, "And I promise to stop hassling you about Summer."
"Good." Marissa smiled as she cupped his hand in hers, making their onward. "Now, I am determined to have a good Christmas, for once."
"Well, Christmas doesn't actually start until tomorrow." Ryan said quickly, grinning at Marissa. "But I can rock your Christmas Eve, all night long."
Marissa's eyes gleaming up at his, "Oh, baby."
"First, dinner. I'm starving." Ryan said quickly, pushing her inside the Cohen's Mansion.
"Agreed." She said, lifting his hand up and kissing it softly as they entered the dining room.
***************
"Summer," Seth began, ready to clear his conscience. Seth had learned from an early age that no matter what, succumb to the woman.
Even if her food really does bite the big one, grin and bear it, as he did with his mother.
Even if Summer does look trashy in that outfit, tell her she's an angel.
Even if Anna did screw up his life, forgive her.
See, succumbing to the superior species is always the best way to go.
Which is why he was going to start kissing Summer's ass, right now.
Even though he did NOTHING wrong. Never did do anything wrong.
Well, except for one thing.
He should have found her. He should have looked for her.
Instead, he moped around, waiting for her to come back.
The guy is supposed to CHASE the girl, Cohen, he could hear her lovely, yet obnoxious voice shriek in his brain.
Oh well, no use crying over spilt milk, is there?
"Summer," He started again as she placed Charlotte on the ground, random thoughts of Marissa's lock in popping up in her head. She pushed it to the back of her brain and held her composure as she looked up at him, pushing back a loose tendril of hair behind her ear. "I'm so sorry."
"What exactly are you sorry for, Cohen?" Summer spat out, trying to hold in her giggles. God, he was adorable, as his dimples bounced around, searching her eyes for the answers to his questions. She just wanted to do ungodly things to him, right there . . . if it weren't for the fact that her two year old was waddling off into the next room. Not to mention his parents, ew. She smiled as the mention of 'ew' popped into her head. Good times.
"Um," Seth stumbled, walking over to her, not sure which mood she was in currently, bad or good.
"Seth Cohen," Summer couldn't hold it in any longer. "I love you." She lunged at him, deeply kissing his lips. He flung back at her attack, but quickly wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back and kissing back, passionately.
"One word," Ryan said as he and Marissa entered the dining room. "Ew."
Marissa giggled at the sight of her two friends kissing once again, not helping but to smile as she slid into a chair next to Ryan.
Seth winced at their appearance, letting his hands hesitantly fall of Summer's body and pulled back from her, whispering, "I love you."
Summer blushed gently, helping Charlotte into her chair.
Then she sat next to her, Seth on the other side of the little girl.
"Oh, good, you're all here." Kirsten smiled as she walked in, Sandy right behind her.
Seth stood up, pushing his chair back and raising his wine glass, which the caterers had appropriately filled with white wine before leaving.
"I'd like to propose a toast." Seth said calmly, although he had never done this before. "Um," He looked down at Charlotte, who simply peered up at him. "Um," Of all the times to get stage fright, it had to be now. He looked at Summer, who watched him intently. Everyone else waited patiently.
"Seth, you're usually not one to be at a loss for words." Ryan joked and everyone laughed gently, easing Seth's nerves.
Summer nodded for him to continue and Seth stood up straight, relaxing his muscles.
"Come on, Daddy; just say it so we can eat." Charlotte said eagerly, staring at the bowl of mashed potatoes.
Summer's smile disappeared and she looked down at Charlotte, before laughing horrendously.
"Ok, well," Seth started again, "WAIT!" He looked down at Charlotte, who giggled furiously at her mother's own fit of giggles and everyone's stared at her, amusingly.
"How does she know?" Kirsten asked. "Did you tell her?" She looked at Summer, who was still laughing, but shook her head 'no'.
"She's a smart one." Sandy nodded.
"So that's what you were hiding before . . ." Ryan said to himself. "You're a smart one, alright."
"So, she's definitely. . ." Seth said cautiously, hushing to a whisper, "Mine?"
"SETH!" Summer laughed, trying to contort her face into anger. "Duh."
"Daddy, make your speech so I can have mash-ed pot-at-tos." Charlotte whined.
Seth grinned, propping the glass up. "This is a different sort of proposal."
Summer stopped laughing and stared up at him, seriously.
"Summer Roberts," Seth looked down at her, smiling. "I've loved you since . . . forever. And that's exactly how long I want to be with you," He paused, looking down at Charlotte as he slipped his present for Summer out of his pants pocket, fingering the tiny ring box in his hand, "And Charlotte. Forever."
Marissa and Kirsten gasped, swooning away and Ryan and Sandy stifled grins.
Summer blanked out, slowly standing up to meet his eyes.
Charlotte huffed and grabbed the mashed potatoes, spooning some onto her plate hungrily.
"Summer," He opened the box, exposing the shiny diamond ring, "Will you marry me?"
She stood frozen, watching him, laughing as she saw Charlotte drop a patch of potatoes on her lap and watched as Seth slipped the ring onto her finger, and it fit perfectly.
Like all of this did. Like the three of them did.
"Of course I'll marry you, Seth!" Summer shrieked, jumping to him and kissing him.
"Now, can we eat?" Ryan said, Marissa kicking him softly. "Ow."
"Yes, we can eat," Seth said sheepishly as Summer and Seth sat back down. "Some of us already are." He said, cleaning up Charlotte's lap.
As they all dug in, Sandy beamed at his new daughter-in-law to be, "Welcome to the family, Summer."
"Yes, get ready to go down in fights, become a dork, and pray that your eyebrows that don't end up like that of a muppet." Seth muttered, Summer smiling at his insecurity of being a Cohen.
"Sandy," Kirsten grinned. "She's already a part of the family."
Summer grinned a thankful smile as they all ate, chatting away.
Except for Seth and Summer, who just grinned at each other the whole night.
Between cleaning up Charlotte, of course.
Chapter 23: Proposal
"You!" Marissa's voice cracked as she laid eyes upon her mother, who entered the Cooper Mansion with a huff.
"Marissa, darling, did you lock yourself in your bedroom again?" Julie said, faking a smile as she sat down on the couch and Caleb looked on in amusement.
"No, you locked me in, you stupid bitch!" Marissa screamed, waving her fists.
"Marissa . . ." Ryan grabbed her waist, trying to calm her down, but she wriggled free from his grip.
"Why on earth would you lock me in? What is wrong with you?" Marissa screamed, flying down the stairs.
Julie gaped at Marissa, reeling in her words.
"I was trying to protect you. . ." Julie said, gasping as Marissa stomped her foot so hard the ground shook.
"Protect . . .Protect me?" Marissa stuttered, all of her anger rising to the top of her head, making her feel like a thousand balloons had just popped in her brain.
"Marissa, sweetie," Julie stood up, placing her hand on Marissa' shoulder, a sweet tone overcoming her voice, "Ryan's not good enough for you, can't you see that?"
Ryan came down the stairs slowly and Caleb, deciding that punches would be thrown soon, left his new wife to deal with her consequences, chuckling.
Julie watched Ryan's advances from the corner of her eye, and gripped onto Marissa's shoulder tighter; smiling at Marissa's softening eyes. "And Summer isn't either. You are a Nichol now, behave like it."
Marissa smiled widely, motioning for Ryan to come next to her, intertwining her hand with his.
Ryan watched her, slightly irritated at Julie, but even more furious that Marissa had stopped yelling. What was going on?
"Mom," Marissa cleared her throat, dramatically rolling her eyes, and brushing her mother's hand from her shoulder. "I'm a Cooper." Marissa glanced at her mother, who frowned slightly and shrank to the couch. "But I'd like to congratulate you . . ."
"On losing a daughter?" Julie sighed, her eyes starting to tear.
"No," Marissa winced at her mother's tears. "You lost me a long time ago."
Julie looked up at Marissa, apologetically and Marissa stopped her mother from opening her mouth.
"I love Ryan. And Summer. And you need to get over it, because they are two of the most amazing people I have ever known."
"And we don't lock her up in bedrooms." Ryan hissed, slightly taken aback when Marissa pinched him.
"I know that you think what you did was right, but it wasn't." Marissa stated, dragging Ryan towards the door. "And when you're ready to admit that, then I'll consider forgiving you." Marissa opened the door gently, looking back at her mother, who was bawling, "Come on, Ry."
Ryan, without hesitation, followed Marissa towards the Cohen's, silently, in a daze.
Did Marissa Cooper just stand up to her mother? And win?
"Marissa," Ryan said softly, as she turned to face him.
She placed her fingertips on his lips, kissing him gently. "I love you and from now on, I promise I will always be honest with you."
Ryan kissed her back, just as gently, "And I promise to stop hassling you about Summer."
"Good." Marissa smiled as she cupped his hand in hers, making their onward. "Now, I am determined to have a good Christmas, for once."
"Well, Christmas doesn't actually start until tomorrow." Ryan said quickly, grinning at Marissa. "But I can rock your Christmas Eve, all night long."
Marissa's eyes gleaming up at his, "Oh, baby."
"First, dinner. I'm starving." Ryan said quickly, pushing her inside the Cohen's Mansion.
"Agreed." She said, lifting his hand up and kissing it softly as they entered the dining room.
***************
"Summer," Seth began, ready to clear his conscience. Seth had learned from an early age that no matter what, succumb to the woman.
Even if her food really does bite the big one, grin and bear it, as he did with his mother.
Even if Summer does look trashy in that outfit, tell her she's an angel.
Even if Anna did screw up his life, forgive her.
See, succumbing to the superior species is always the best way to go.
Which is why he was going to start kissing Summer's ass, right now.
Even though he did NOTHING wrong. Never did do anything wrong.
Well, except for one thing.
He should have found her. He should have looked for her.
Instead, he moped around, waiting for her to come back.
The guy is supposed to CHASE the girl, Cohen, he could hear her lovely, yet obnoxious voice shriek in his brain.
Oh well, no use crying over spilt milk, is there?
"Summer," He started again as she placed Charlotte on the ground, random thoughts of Marissa's lock in popping up in her head. She pushed it to the back of her brain and held her composure as she looked up at him, pushing back a loose tendril of hair behind her ear. "I'm so sorry."
"What exactly are you sorry for, Cohen?" Summer spat out, trying to hold in her giggles. God, he was adorable, as his dimples bounced around, searching her eyes for the answers to his questions. She just wanted to do ungodly things to him, right there . . . if it weren't for the fact that her two year old was waddling off into the next room. Not to mention his parents, ew. She smiled as the mention of 'ew' popped into her head. Good times.
"Um," Seth stumbled, walking over to her, not sure which mood she was in currently, bad or good.
"Seth Cohen," Summer couldn't hold it in any longer. "I love you." She lunged at him, deeply kissing his lips. He flung back at her attack, but quickly wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back and kissing back, passionately.
"One word," Ryan said as he and Marissa entered the dining room. "Ew."
Marissa giggled at the sight of her two friends kissing once again, not helping but to smile as she slid into a chair next to Ryan.
Seth winced at their appearance, letting his hands hesitantly fall of Summer's body and pulled back from her, whispering, "I love you."
Summer blushed gently, helping Charlotte into her chair.
Then she sat next to her, Seth on the other side of the little girl.
"Oh, good, you're all here." Kirsten smiled as she walked in, Sandy right behind her.
Seth stood up, pushing his chair back and raising his wine glass, which the caterers had appropriately filled with white wine before leaving.
"I'd like to propose a toast." Seth said calmly, although he had never done this before. "Um," He looked down at Charlotte, who simply peered up at him. "Um," Of all the times to get stage fright, it had to be now. He looked at Summer, who watched him intently. Everyone else waited patiently.
"Seth, you're usually not one to be at a loss for words." Ryan joked and everyone laughed gently, easing Seth's nerves.
Summer nodded for him to continue and Seth stood up straight, relaxing his muscles.
"Come on, Daddy; just say it so we can eat." Charlotte said eagerly, staring at the bowl of mashed potatoes.
Summer's smile disappeared and she looked down at Charlotte, before laughing horrendously.
"Ok, well," Seth started again, "WAIT!" He looked down at Charlotte, who giggled furiously at her mother's own fit of giggles and everyone's stared at her, amusingly.
"How does she know?" Kirsten asked. "Did you tell her?" She looked at Summer, who was still laughing, but shook her head 'no'.
"She's a smart one." Sandy nodded.
"So that's what you were hiding before . . ." Ryan said to himself. "You're a smart one, alright."
"So, she's definitely. . ." Seth said cautiously, hushing to a whisper, "Mine?"
"SETH!" Summer laughed, trying to contort her face into anger. "Duh."
"Daddy, make your speech so I can have mash-ed pot-at-tos." Charlotte whined.
Seth grinned, propping the glass up. "This is a different sort of proposal."
Summer stopped laughing and stared up at him, seriously.
"Summer Roberts," Seth looked down at her, smiling. "I've loved you since . . . forever. And that's exactly how long I want to be with you," He paused, looking down at Charlotte as he slipped his present for Summer out of his pants pocket, fingering the tiny ring box in his hand, "And Charlotte. Forever."
Marissa and Kirsten gasped, swooning away and Ryan and Sandy stifled grins.
Summer blanked out, slowly standing up to meet his eyes.
Charlotte huffed and grabbed the mashed potatoes, spooning some onto her plate hungrily.
"Summer," He opened the box, exposing the shiny diamond ring, "Will you marry me?"
She stood frozen, watching him, laughing as she saw Charlotte drop a patch of potatoes on her lap and watched as Seth slipped the ring onto her finger, and it fit perfectly.
Like all of this did. Like the three of them did.
"Of course I'll marry you, Seth!" Summer shrieked, jumping to him and kissing him.
"Now, can we eat?" Ryan said, Marissa kicking him softly. "Ow."
"Yes, we can eat," Seth said sheepishly as Summer and Seth sat back down. "Some of us already are." He said, cleaning up Charlotte's lap.
As they all dug in, Sandy beamed at his new daughter-in-law to be, "Welcome to the family, Summer."
"Yes, get ready to go down in fights, become a dork, and pray that your eyebrows that don't end up like that of a muppet." Seth muttered, Summer smiling at his insecurity of being a Cohen.
"Sandy," Kirsten grinned. "She's already a part of the family."
Summer grinned a thankful smile as they all ate, chatting away.
Except for Seth and Summer, who just grinned at each other the whole night.
Between cleaning up Charlotte, of course.