Well this story is coming to a close, but it is not done yet. There will
be a sequel to this one titled As Time Passes By. It is going to take
place a while later after the end of this one. I am very gracious for all
the reviews this story got. It helped me tremendously with continuing
writing it. With the season at a close, I want to keep my O.C. withdraws
at a minimum by continuing writing fics based upon the show.
The next noise Ryan and Marissa heard was the sound of a car coming to a halt. They both turned around to see Julie headed towards them.
"Oh no. Your mom doesn't look too happy." Ryan said.
"She was fine when I left her at the airport." Marissa wondered.
When Julie approached them she looked upset. It didn't look as though she was angry, or furious, but disappointed that Marissa decided at the last minute not to get on that flight. Plans were already made and Julie is never too pleased when things do not go her way.
"Marissa, you said you were off to take a quick trip to the ladies room and I waited and waited and you never returned. Now I find you back here. I would like an explanation."
"Mom, I just didn't know how to tell you that I couldn't go."
"But you should have told me earlier." Julie replied.
"I didn't change my mind until the last minute. I'm sorry."
"Well then I guess I will be leaving alone."
"What? I don't understand." Marissa was confused.
"I didn't think things would turn out this way, but when I told you about getting away would be the best thing well I meant it especially for me."
"I thought this decision was all up to me?"
"It sort of was. I was planning to leave regardless, but since you wanted too, this made me especially happy. Now I see you want to stay so I have no choice."
"So I am going to live with grandma and Katlin?"
"Yes, until I feel it is the right time to come back."
"Which would be?"
"That I'm not sure."
"But we were just getting along well and you want to throw that all away?" Marissa was confused.
"Not throw it all away. Just take a break. I think this will do us some good."
"I don't know what to say."
"Just give me a kiss and hug goodbye. My rescheduled flight is going to leave later tonight. Your things are already dropped off at your grandma's."
"So I guess this is goodbye for now."
"Goodbye sweetie."
Julie gave Marissa a warm hug and walked back to the car. Before leaving she waved goodbye. Ryan couldn't believe that she would let Marissa go like that. Usually she was fighting for her, but it seems that her issues need to be dealt with even if it meant being away from her daughters. All Ryan was thrilled about was the fact that she was staying. They both went inside when Julie drove away.
Seth was still in the kitchen and wondered what went on outside. Seeing that they both came in together, he assumed that things were brighter than previously in the kitchen. Ryan's smile also gave a hint of that.
"Are you okay Marissa? You don't look too happy. I figured you'd be thrilled." Ryan asked.
"Thrilled about what?" Seth wondered.
"Julie is leaving to New York still without Marissa." Ryan answered.
"Oh. That's interesting." Seth said.
"I just... Ryan could you drive me to my grandma's house. I took a cab here."
"Yeah I guess."
The short ride to the house was quiet. Marissa looked like she was in deep thought. Ryan wondered what was going on in that head of hers. Normally he didn't worry about things like that, but after what happened he wasn't sure why he shouldn't. When they arrived in front of the house, Marissa gave him a kiss and exited the car. Ryan waved goodbye, but she already turned around and walked towards the house.
The following morning before leaving with Seth to school he gave Marissa a call. Katlin answered the phone and told him she wasn't home. When he asked her where she went, or when she would return, Katlin had no clue. Marissa's cell phone was not on either and chose not to leave a message. Since he wasn't able to talk to her, he finished getting ready and met up with Seth in the kitchen.
"Hey man what's up?" Seth asked.
"Not much. Let's just get to school early. I need to meet with my Science teacher about my test. He is letting me do some extra credit assignment before school starts."
"Alright. I'll just call Summer to be ready soon."
Ryan didn't know when Marissa would be back at school. He missed meeting her in the halls and having lunch with her. Seth and Summer were there, but it was not the same. At least now he wasn't mad at her, just depressed that he had to wait so long to see her. When lunchtime came he decided to give her cell a call. After two rings Marissa picked up the phone.
"Hello."
"Hey, how are you doing?" Ryan asked.
"Okay."
"Umm, I was wondering if you wanted to do something tonight?"
"I can't."
"Is your grandma not letting you out, or something?"
"It's not that. Ryan I am in New York right now."
"Quit joking around. That's impossible. Well not impossible, but you would have told me sooner if you really were."
"I'm not joking. I'm going to stay here for a while with my mom."
"When did this happen?" Ryan tried to calm his temper.
"I left on that later flight with my mom. I wanted to spend a little more time with her."
"How much more time?"
"Probably two weeks. I'll miss you believe me, but I'll try to have fun without you. You're not upset are you?"
"No, no. As long as you come back, and I bet your mother is happy."
"She's ecstatic. A little while won't hurt."
"Well I have to cut this call short, or I'll be late for class."
"I love you." Marissa said.
"I love you too."
The next noise Ryan and Marissa heard was the sound of a car coming to a halt. They both turned around to see Julie headed towards them.
"Oh no. Your mom doesn't look too happy." Ryan said.
"She was fine when I left her at the airport." Marissa wondered.
When Julie approached them she looked upset. It didn't look as though she was angry, or furious, but disappointed that Marissa decided at the last minute not to get on that flight. Plans were already made and Julie is never too pleased when things do not go her way.
"Marissa, you said you were off to take a quick trip to the ladies room and I waited and waited and you never returned. Now I find you back here. I would like an explanation."
"Mom, I just didn't know how to tell you that I couldn't go."
"But you should have told me earlier." Julie replied.
"I didn't change my mind until the last minute. I'm sorry."
"Well then I guess I will be leaving alone."
"What? I don't understand." Marissa was confused.
"I didn't think things would turn out this way, but when I told you about getting away would be the best thing well I meant it especially for me."
"I thought this decision was all up to me?"
"It sort of was. I was planning to leave regardless, but since you wanted too, this made me especially happy. Now I see you want to stay so I have no choice."
"So I am going to live with grandma and Katlin?"
"Yes, until I feel it is the right time to come back."
"Which would be?"
"That I'm not sure."
"But we were just getting along well and you want to throw that all away?" Marissa was confused.
"Not throw it all away. Just take a break. I think this will do us some good."
"I don't know what to say."
"Just give me a kiss and hug goodbye. My rescheduled flight is going to leave later tonight. Your things are already dropped off at your grandma's."
"So I guess this is goodbye for now."
"Goodbye sweetie."
Julie gave Marissa a warm hug and walked back to the car. Before leaving she waved goodbye. Ryan couldn't believe that she would let Marissa go like that. Usually she was fighting for her, but it seems that her issues need to be dealt with even if it meant being away from her daughters. All Ryan was thrilled about was the fact that she was staying. They both went inside when Julie drove away.
Seth was still in the kitchen and wondered what went on outside. Seeing that they both came in together, he assumed that things were brighter than previously in the kitchen. Ryan's smile also gave a hint of that.
"Are you okay Marissa? You don't look too happy. I figured you'd be thrilled." Ryan asked.
"Thrilled about what?" Seth wondered.
"Julie is leaving to New York still without Marissa." Ryan answered.
"Oh. That's interesting." Seth said.
"I just... Ryan could you drive me to my grandma's house. I took a cab here."
"Yeah I guess."
The short ride to the house was quiet. Marissa looked like she was in deep thought. Ryan wondered what was going on in that head of hers. Normally he didn't worry about things like that, but after what happened he wasn't sure why he shouldn't. When they arrived in front of the house, Marissa gave him a kiss and exited the car. Ryan waved goodbye, but she already turned around and walked towards the house.
The following morning before leaving with Seth to school he gave Marissa a call. Katlin answered the phone and told him she wasn't home. When he asked her where she went, or when she would return, Katlin had no clue. Marissa's cell phone was not on either and chose not to leave a message. Since he wasn't able to talk to her, he finished getting ready and met up with Seth in the kitchen.
"Hey man what's up?" Seth asked.
"Not much. Let's just get to school early. I need to meet with my Science teacher about my test. He is letting me do some extra credit assignment before school starts."
"Alright. I'll just call Summer to be ready soon."
Ryan didn't know when Marissa would be back at school. He missed meeting her in the halls and having lunch with her. Seth and Summer were there, but it was not the same. At least now he wasn't mad at her, just depressed that he had to wait so long to see her. When lunchtime came he decided to give her cell a call. After two rings Marissa picked up the phone.
"Hello."
"Hey, how are you doing?" Ryan asked.
"Okay."
"Umm, I was wondering if you wanted to do something tonight?"
"I can't."
"Is your grandma not letting you out, or something?"
"It's not that. Ryan I am in New York right now."
"Quit joking around. That's impossible. Well not impossible, but you would have told me sooner if you really were."
"I'm not joking. I'm going to stay here for a while with my mom."
"When did this happen?" Ryan tried to calm his temper.
"I left on that later flight with my mom. I wanted to spend a little more time with her."
"How much more time?"
"Probably two weeks. I'll miss you believe me, but I'll try to have fun without you. You're not upset are you?"
"No, no. As long as you come back, and I bet your mother is happy."
"She's ecstatic. A little while won't hurt."
"Well I have to cut this call short, or I'll be late for class."
"I love you." Marissa said.
"I love you too."