At least it's finally Saturday, Ryan thought while he washed dishes at the diner. His week was almost done, and he had the next day off to sleep. He hadn't been getting a whole lot of that lately, especially the past week. For what ever reason, Teresa seemed more restless at night then she usually was. Must be some pregnancy thing Ryan thought.
His boss had asked him to stay until the late night crowd was gone, which usually meant about two in the morning. The extra money would be good, especially with Teresa taking some days off this week. Days they really couldn't afford for her to take off, but she told him the morning sickness was really starting to bother her again, and she needed to rest and relax. He thought it was a little strange that she would start suffering from morning sickness again, but he didn't really question it. If he thought about it long enough, he would have realized he was really starting to care less.
He knew he made his decision to support Teresa and her baby, and that meant being back in Chino. He just didn't realize how much he would miss his life in Newport, and especially the Cohens. It hurt just thinking about them. Every time he picked up the phone to call them, he couldn't do it. He knew if he talked to any of them - Seth, Sandy or Kirsten, he'd want to go home. And no matter how long he'd be back in Chino, Ryan knew that Newport and the Cohens would always be his home.
It was close to three when Ryan was finally able to crawl into bed, too tired to shower off the sweat and grim of a seventeen hour day. He slept until almost one the next day, and only got up when he realized he hadn't eaten since lunch the day before. After a long hot shower, Ryan went to the kitchen with the plan to grab a bite to eat, a beer and his smokes before sitting down in front of the television. The last thing he wanted was a conversation with Teresa, but he found her in the kitchen, waiting for him.
"Morning sleepy head," she said, trying to smile, "or should I say afternoon?"
Ryan knew she was just trying to tease him, but he really wasn't in the mood, so he just gave her a look.
"Are you hungry? I could make you something to eat, if you want." Teresa said. She was suddenly very nervous.
"Nah, I got it." Ryan told her as he stared into the half empty refrigerator. God, the Cohen's refrigerator was never empty. It was always packed full, Ryan thought bitterly as he slammed the door shut and reached over for the cereal.
Ryan looked around, and realized that Eva was no where to be found, again.
"Where's your mother?" he asked.
Teresa just shrugged and said,
"Church."
"Again." Ryan said. It was more of a statement. Eva was always at church.
"Yeah, well," Teresa said, "She's still praying for us. You know, with the baby and all."
Ryan only nodded. Eva had been avoiding him since he moved in. Apparently she no longer thought very highly of him. To Eva, he was the boy who knocked up her daughter in a one night stand. He was trash now, the same as all the other Atwoods.
"What's she praying about this time?" Ryan asked.
Teresa looked at Ryan for a minute before answering. She knew this was the chance she needed. Ryan may have thought he was only make small talk, but this was the opportunity Teresa was waiting for. Deep down she knew she should be honest with him and tell him she lost the baby, but she just couldn't. He would leave Chino. He would leave her. Again. She couldn't let him leave. She already lost her baby. She couldn't lose Ryan, too.
"She's praying that we'll, um, get married soon," she lied..
Ryan snorted a little. He should have known. Actually, he was surprised it took this long before the subject came up.
"Well," he said, "She's going to have to keep praying. We can't get married right now."
"Well, you know, she was figuring that with the baby and all, we'd get married soon." Teresa tried to explain.
"Teresa," Ryan said, "We can't get married. We're not old enough."
Teresa knew Ryan was getting annoyed, and she wasn't completely sure why. He had to have known the subject would come up eventually. And now that it has, his only excuse is that we're not old enough?
"I was supposed to get married in June, remember?" she told him, "We're old enough."
"Not without parental consent." Ryan told her.
"But my mom already gave me permission to marry Eddie. She's not going to give us a problem about getting married." Teresa said.
Ryan stared at her for a moment. He really didn't want to continue this conversation, but he knew she wouldn't let it drop.
"And what am I supposed to do?" he asked her, "I just turned seventeen. I would also need consent."
"I'm sure if you called the Cohens...." Teresa started to say, but Ryan cut her off.
"I'm not asking them. I've asked enough from them. I can't ask them to come to Chino to sign permission for me to get married. We're just going to have to wait until we can do it alone."
"But that's not until next year!" Teresa said.
But Ryan only shrugged and walked away. He wasn't going to discuss it any further. He'd stay in Chino and give Teresa's baby his name, but he wasn't in any rush to marry her. And he certainly wasn't going to call Sandy or Kirsten and ask them for any more favors. Ryan sat in the chair with his back to Teresa and turned on the television. As he opened his beer and eat his cereal, he had hoped it would be the end of the conversation. He hated talking about the Cohens with anyone, but especially Teresa.
Unfortunately, Teresa must have said something to Eva because she too started with Ryan about marriage over dinner that night.
"I talked to Father Stan after Mass this morning," she said, "and he said that he could marry the two of you in a nice private ceremony the first weekend in August. We can then have a simple party here in the back yard. Teresa still won't be showing very much so none of our distant relatives will know. Wouldn't that be nice?"
Ryan glared at Teresa before looking back at Eva.
"I'm sorry, Eva," he started to explain, "But I've already told Teresa we can't get married right now. Not until next year."
"Why?" Eva demanded, "Why not until next year? You didn't wait until next year before taking Teresa to bed with you. Why wait to marry her and make her an honest woman. Keep my grandchild from being born a bastard."
"We're not old enough." Ryan said. He was trying not to lose his temper with Eva. He knew she was old fashioned and the whole situation was very upsetting to her, so he was trying to understand. Eva, on the other hand, wasn't going to be reasonable or understanding.
"You were old enough to sleep together. You are old enough to get married. Those rich people you lived with can't say no. They know, too. They know that you two have made your bed, and now you have to lie in it. You need to call them, tell them that you're getting married the first weekend of August, and that they need to be here."
Ryan took a deep breathe before answering Eva. He didn't want to scream at her. He wanted to scream at Teresa, and he would, later, after Eva went to bed. But for right now, he knew he had to talk to Eva.
"I'm not calling them, Eva." Ryan tried to calmly explain, "and we're not getting married in August. We will get married next year, when we're both eighteen."
Eva stared at Ryan for a minute before turning to Teresa,
"See, Teresa, I told you." she started to yell, "I told you to stay with Eddie. He would marry you. He wanted to marry you. He would take care of you and your baby. But no, you had to go find Ryan, be with Ryan. And now look at you. An unwed pregnant whore!"
Eva ran from the table, crying. Ryan sat very still waiting for the slamming of Eva's bedroom door before turning on Teresa.
"Ryan," Teresa said, "I'm sorry. I....."
"Save it," he shouted at her. "What, did you think your mother could fix everything? Demand that I marry you and that I would? Damn it, Teresa. What is the matter with you? I don't want to get married right now. Leave it alone. Christ, your mother didn't think too much of me before this, and now? How the hell am I supposed to live here with her now? How do you think she'd feel if she knew you were sleeping with me and Eddie at the same time, and that the baby was Eddie's? That I'm just here so you and the baby wouldn't be abused by him? I doubt she'd be in such a rush for you to marry Eddie then! Damn it, Teresa."
"That's the only reason you're here?" Teresa asked. She always knew in her heart that was the case, but to have Ryan admit it hurt, a lot.
Ryan didn't answer her. He just glared at her, confirming that what he said was true.
"Well, then you know what," she shouted back, "Don't do me any favors. I don't need you here. Just get out. Go back to your snotty Newport family and your snotty Newport girlfriend. Get your ass out of my house! I don't need you."
Ryan clenched his fist. For a split second he really wanted to hit Teresa. Hard. Everything he had done for her, everything the Cohens had done for her, and this is how she repays them. At that moment, he truly hated Teresa. And as they stood there glaring at each other, Ryan realized he needed to get out. Get out of the house and away from Teresa. He needed to clear his head, and decide what he should do next.
Without another word, he stormed out of the house, slamming the door as he left. Ryan wasn't sure where he was going or what he was going to do. He just knew he needed to get out. He needed to call home. He needed to talk to Sandy. He really needed to just go home.
His boss had asked him to stay until the late night crowd was gone, which usually meant about two in the morning. The extra money would be good, especially with Teresa taking some days off this week. Days they really couldn't afford for her to take off, but she told him the morning sickness was really starting to bother her again, and she needed to rest and relax. He thought it was a little strange that she would start suffering from morning sickness again, but he didn't really question it. If he thought about it long enough, he would have realized he was really starting to care less.
He knew he made his decision to support Teresa and her baby, and that meant being back in Chino. He just didn't realize how much he would miss his life in Newport, and especially the Cohens. It hurt just thinking about them. Every time he picked up the phone to call them, he couldn't do it. He knew if he talked to any of them - Seth, Sandy or Kirsten, he'd want to go home. And no matter how long he'd be back in Chino, Ryan knew that Newport and the Cohens would always be his home.
It was close to three when Ryan was finally able to crawl into bed, too tired to shower off the sweat and grim of a seventeen hour day. He slept until almost one the next day, and only got up when he realized he hadn't eaten since lunch the day before. After a long hot shower, Ryan went to the kitchen with the plan to grab a bite to eat, a beer and his smokes before sitting down in front of the television. The last thing he wanted was a conversation with Teresa, but he found her in the kitchen, waiting for him.
"Morning sleepy head," she said, trying to smile, "or should I say afternoon?"
Ryan knew she was just trying to tease him, but he really wasn't in the mood, so he just gave her a look.
"Are you hungry? I could make you something to eat, if you want." Teresa said. She was suddenly very nervous.
"Nah, I got it." Ryan told her as he stared into the half empty refrigerator. God, the Cohen's refrigerator was never empty. It was always packed full, Ryan thought bitterly as he slammed the door shut and reached over for the cereal.
Ryan looked around, and realized that Eva was no where to be found, again.
"Where's your mother?" he asked.
Teresa just shrugged and said,
"Church."
"Again." Ryan said. It was more of a statement. Eva was always at church.
"Yeah, well," Teresa said, "She's still praying for us. You know, with the baby and all."
Ryan only nodded. Eva had been avoiding him since he moved in. Apparently she no longer thought very highly of him. To Eva, he was the boy who knocked up her daughter in a one night stand. He was trash now, the same as all the other Atwoods.
"What's she praying about this time?" Ryan asked.
Teresa looked at Ryan for a minute before answering. She knew this was the chance she needed. Ryan may have thought he was only make small talk, but this was the opportunity Teresa was waiting for. Deep down she knew she should be honest with him and tell him she lost the baby, but she just couldn't. He would leave Chino. He would leave her. Again. She couldn't let him leave. She already lost her baby. She couldn't lose Ryan, too.
"She's praying that we'll, um, get married soon," she lied..
Ryan snorted a little. He should have known. Actually, he was surprised it took this long before the subject came up.
"Well," he said, "She's going to have to keep praying. We can't get married right now."
"Well, you know, she was figuring that with the baby and all, we'd get married soon." Teresa tried to explain.
"Teresa," Ryan said, "We can't get married. We're not old enough."
Teresa knew Ryan was getting annoyed, and she wasn't completely sure why. He had to have known the subject would come up eventually. And now that it has, his only excuse is that we're not old enough?
"I was supposed to get married in June, remember?" she told him, "We're old enough."
"Not without parental consent." Ryan told her.
"But my mom already gave me permission to marry Eddie. She's not going to give us a problem about getting married." Teresa said.
Ryan stared at her for a moment. He really didn't want to continue this conversation, but he knew she wouldn't let it drop.
"And what am I supposed to do?" he asked her, "I just turned seventeen. I would also need consent."
"I'm sure if you called the Cohens...." Teresa started to say, but Ryan cut her off.
"I'm not asking them. I've asked enough from them. I can't ask them to come to Chino to sign permission for me to get married. We're just going to have to wait until we can do it alone."
"But that's not until next year!" Teresa said.
But Ryan only shrugged and walked away. He wasn't going to discuss it any further. He'd stay in Chino and give Teresa's baby his name, but he wasn't in any rush to marry her. And he certainly wasn't going to call Sandy or Kirsten and ask them for any more favors. Ryan sat in the chair with his back to Teresa and turned on the television. As he opened his beer and eat his cereal, he had hoped it would be the end of the conversation. He hated talking about the Cohens with anyone, but especially Teresa.
Unfortunately, Teresa must have said something to Eva because she too started with Ryan about marriage over dinner that night.
"I talked to Father Stan after Mass this morning," she said, "and he said that he could marry the two of you in a nice private ceremony the first weekend in August. We can then have a simple party here in the back yard. Teresa still won't be showing very much so none of our distant relatives will know. Wouldn't that be nice?"
Ryan glared at Teresa before looking back at Eva.
"I'm sorry, Eva," he started to explain, "But I've already told Teresa we can't get married right now. Not until next year."
"Why?" Eva demanded, "Why not until next year? You didn't wait until next year before taking Teresa to bed with you. Why wait to marry her and make her an honest woman. Keep my grandchild from being born a bastard."
"We're not old enough." Ryan said. He was trying not to lose his temper with Eva. He knew she was old fashioned and the whole situation was very upsetting to her, so he was trying to understand. Eva, on the other hand, wasn't going to be reasonable or understanding.
"You were old enough to sleep together. You are old enough to get married. Those rich people you lived with can't say no. They know, too. They know that you two have made your bed, and now you have to lie in it. You need to call them, tell them that you're getting married the first weekend of August, and that they need to be here."
Ryan took a deep breathe before answering Eva. He didn't want to scream at her. He wanted to scream at Teresa, and he would, later, after Eva went to bed. But for right now, he knew he had to talk to Eva.
"I'm not calling them, Eva." Ryan tried to calmly explain, "and we're not getting married in August. We will get married next year, when we're both eighteen."
Eva stared at Ryan for a minute before turning to Teresa,
"See, Teresa, I told you." she started to yell, "I told you to stay with Eddie. He would marry you. He wanted to marry you. He would take care of you and your baby. But no, you had to go find Ryan, be with Ryan. And now look at you. An unwed pregnant whore!"
Eva ran from the table, crying. Ryan sat very still waiting for the slamming of Eva's bedroom door before turning on Teresa.
"Ryan," Teresa said, "I'm sorry. I....."
"Save it," he shouted at her. "What, did you think your mother could fix everything? Demand that I marry you and that I would? Damn it, Teresa. What is the matter with you? I don't want to get married right now. Leave it alone. Christ, your mother didn't think too much of me before this, and now? How the hell am I supposed to live here with her now? How do you think she'd feel if she knew you were sleeping with me and Eddie at the same time, and that the baby was Eddie's? That I'm just here so you and the baby wouldn't be abused by him? I doubt she'd be in such a rush for you to marry Eddie then! Damn it, Teresa."
"That's the only reason you're here?" Teresa asked. She always knew in her heart that was the case, but to have Ryan admit it hurt, a lot.
Ryan didn't answer her. He just glared at her, confirming that what he said was true.
"Well, then you know what," she shouted back, "Don't do me any favors. I don't need you here. Just get out. Go back to your snotty Newport family and your snotty Newport girlfriend. Get your ass out of my house! I don't need you."
Ryan clenched his fist. For a split second he really wanted to hit Teresa. Hard. Everything he had done for her, everything the Cohens had done for her, and this is how she repays them. At that moment, he truly hated Teresa. And as they stood there glaring at each other, Ryan realized he needed to get out. Get out of the house and away from Teresa. He needed to clear his head, and decide what he should do next.
Without another word, he stormed out of the house, slamming the door as he left. Ryan wasn't sure where he was going or what he was going to do. He just knew he needed to get out. He needed to call home. He needed to talk to Sandy. He really needed to just go home.