Ryan woke with beams of light shining through his open window and unto his
face. Scrambling out of bed, he slipped a white t-shirt on and headed into
the main house. To his surprise it was empty, save for Rosa who was doing
the breakfast dishes. She turned to him as he entered, but quickly turned
back to the stream of water clashing on her hands.
"Uh, Rosa?" his voice was rough and thick in his newly awakened state. "Where's everyone?" He stood barely absorbing the information that the kind housekeeper fed to him. Sandy was still working on his case. Kirsten had developments to take care of at the Newport Group. And Seth? He came home minutes before dawn and was still fast asleep in his room. Ryan gave a small smile, listening to the last part.
Collapsing into a kitchen chair, he reached over and grabbed the box of Captain Crunch. Not bothering to look for a bowl, he stuck his hand into the box and shoved a fistful of dry cereal into his mouth. Rosa gave him a strange look, but he was oblivious to everything but his cereal and his thoughts.
That was until Kirsten came rushing into the kitchen. "Rosa, Ryan," she greeted the two. "I'm looking for the blue prints I left here. I'm due at the construction site in twenty minutes. We're underhanded. My father is still with Julie in God knows where Rehab. The construction guy is a jerk. My office lost their copy of the blueprints. My secretary called in sick for the fourth time this month..." She spoke a mile a minute to no one in particular as she busied herself opening all sorts of cabinets and files in the kitchen. Rosa ignored her after the initial greeting, continuing with her washing. Ryan though less oblivious of his surroundings, simply chewed and swallowed even more cereal.
"Hey Kirsten," Ryan said nonchalantly. "If you need help, you know. I've got nothing to do this summer." Kirsten, for the first time since she entered the kitchen, stopped and looked into Ryan's dark blue eyes. At that moment, with his hair in a mess and his hand in the cereal box, he looked so boyish. She smiled. That was her son.
"Sure, Ryan. Get dressed, I'll explain stuff on the ride to the site."
XXX
One ring. Two rings. Slam.
What's wrong with you? Theresa asked herself for the thousandth time. It was exactly three weeks since Ryan left Atlanta. It had been days seen he last called her. It had been almost an hour since she first picked up the phone to call Ryan but she hadn't been able to summon enough courage to follow through with the call. Usually she lasted three rings, before forcefully banging the phone unto the receiver. Now, she was down to two. Desperate to talk to Ryan, to tell him that she could walk again, to tell him that she was coming to California.
"Mamacita, let me call the boy." Eva called over her shoulder, as she listened to her younger cousin slam the phone down yet again. "You're going to kill my phone." Eva had spent the past three weeks filled with bitter guilt over what happened between Theresa and Damon. She had taken it upon herself to change her work schedule to be able to spend physical therapy sessions with Theresa both at the hospital and in their apartment. Even though Eva began working night shifts, she was happier than ever. For once, since she moved into her own place, she felt needed.
Theresa was on the warpath every session of physical therapy. Convinced that her trainer was not giving his full effort to regain her ability to walk, she created exercises which she did late at night. It because of her own methods that helped her heal so quickly. And now, she could walk. There was an obvious imbalance in her stride, but at least she wasn't confined to the invalid status of a wheelchair anymore. To that, she rejoiced.
She picked up the phone again. One ring. Two ring. Thre-
"Don't you dare slam my phone down again!"
Four rings. Five rings. Si-
"Hello, Cohen residence." The voice was bright, cheerful and female.
"Mrs. Cohen?" Theresa asked, unsure of herself.
"Theresa," though Theresa could never be sure, the tone of Kirsten's voice was a definite indication of a smile.
"Is, uh, is Ryan there?"
"Oh," there was a hesitation in her voice. "He might be asleep already, it was a long day at work."
Theresa's face fell. "Well, thanks then-"
"You know what, honey? I bet you he's still up. I'll go check the pool house and have him call you right back, alright?" God, everyone deserves a mom like Kirsten Cohen.
"Thanks so much."
XXX
Seth, who had been permanently attached to Summer by the hand, hip and mouth, had finally found time to spend with his brother. He sat on Ryan's bed, while Ryan was sprawled across the pool house floor, slowly dying of the agony of Seth's blabber. He loved Seth, more than his own brother, perhaps. But if Seth told him the exact same story of giving Summer roses at the beach one more time. One. More. Time. Ryan was afraid he would snap.
Oblivious to Ryan's feelings, Seth grinned like a Cheshire cat. He was in love, more truly and deeply than ever before. The past few weeks were the honeymoon stage of his relationship with Summer. The whole episode in New York proved to the both of them that they needed each other. Despite the countless kisses and caresses the two shared, it was the feeling of Summer's arms wrapped around him, needing him, that Seth would never forget.
Seth smile grew even wider. "I don't know, man. Before it was cute how we argued and stuff. But now, it feels so different. We still argue but we're so much more relaxed. She's my soul mate, Ryan. She is. And I didn't really believe in soul mates... Do you?" The question hung in the air, the same way the smell of Summer's jasmine perfume hung on Seth. He paused for a moment, and continued on with another profession of his love for Summer. Ryan had to admit, they were perfect together. They had history, they had love, they both wanted and needed each other. Ryan could have had that.
He thought of soul mates and mates and relationships in general with every new word that left Seth's mouth. All the romance and affection and love Seth spoke of was like a symphony of feelings and gestures brought together in perfect harmony. Ryan enjoyed Seth's company and the fact that Seth shared all the details with him. It proved that Seth really trusted Ryan. But beneath all of that, Ryan was hurt more than anything. Because he wanted all of that and he knew she wanted all of that. It wasn't their fault that they were all those thousands of miles away.
Just as Seth was about to launch into a different story, Kirsten walked into the pool house. "Honey, why don't you call Theresa?"
"Uh, Rosa?" his voice was rough and thick in his newly awakened state. "Where's everyone?" He stood barely absorbing the information that the kind housekeeper fed to him. Sandy was still working on his case. Kirsten had developments to take care of at the Newport Group. And Seth? He came home minutes before dawn and was still fast asleep in his room. Ryan gave a small smile, listening to the last part.
Collapsing into a kitchen chair, he reached over and grabbed the box of Captain Crunch. Not bothering to look for a bowl, he stuck his hand into the box and shoved a fistful of dry cereal into his mouth. Rosa gave him a strange look, but he was oblivious to everything but his cereal and his thoughts.
That was until Kirsten came rushing into the kitchen. "Rosa, Ryan," she greeted the two. "I'm looking for the blue prints I left here. I'm due at the construction site in twenty minutes. We're underhanded. My father is still with Julie in God knows where Rehab. The construction guy is a jerk. My office lost their copy of the blueprints. My secretary called in sick for the fourth time this month..." She spoke a mile a minute to no one in particular as she busied herself opening all sorts of cabinets and files in the kitchen. Rosa ignored her after the initial greeting, continuing with her washing. Ryan though less oblivious of his surroundings, simply chewed and swallowed even more cereal.
"Hey Kirsten," Ryan said nonchalantly. "If you need help, you know. I've got nothing to do this summer." Kirsten, for the first time since she entered the kitchen, stopped and looked into Ryan's dark blue eyes. At that moment, with his hair in a mess and his hand in the cereal box, he looked so boyish. She smiled. That was her son.
"Sure, Ryan. Get dressed, I'll explain stuff on the ride to the site."
XXX
One ring. Two rings. Slam.
What's wrong with you? Theresa asked herself for the thousandth time. It was exactly three weeks since Ryan left Atlanta. It had been days seen he last called her. It had been almost an hour since she first picked up the phone to call Ryan but she hadn't been able to summon enough courage to follow through with the call. Usually she lasted three rings, before forcefully banging the phone unto the receiver. Now, she was down to two. Desperate to talk to Ryan, to tell him that she could walk again, to tell him that she was coming to California.
"Mamacita, let me call the boy." Eva called over her shoulder, as she listened to her younger cousin slam the phone down yet again. "You're going to kill my phone." Eva had spent the past three weeks filled with bitter guilt over what happened between Theresa and Damon. She had taken it upon herself to change her work schedule to be able to spend physical therapy sessions with Theresa both at the hospital and in their apartment. Even though Eva began working night shifts, she was happier than ever. For once, since she moved into her own place, she felt needed.
Theresa was on the warpath every session of physical therapy. Convinced that her trainer was not giving his full effort to regain her ability to walk, she created exercises which she did late at night. It because of her own methods that helped her heal so quickly. And now, she could walk. There was an obvious imbalance in her stride, but at least she wasn't confined to the invalid status of a wheelchair anymore. To that, she rejoiced.
She picked up the phone again. One ring. Two ring. Thre-
"Don't you dare slam my phone down again!"
Four rings. Five rings. Si-
"Hello, Cohen residence." The voice was bright, cheerful and female.
"Mrs. Cohen?" Theresa asked, unsure of herself.
"Theresa," though Theresa could never be sure, the tone of Kirsten's voice was a definite indication of a smile.
"Is, uh, is Ryan there?"
"Oh," there was a hesitation in her voice. "He might be asleep already, it was a long day at work."
Theresa's face fell. "Well, thanks then-"
"You know what, honey? I bet you he's still up. I'll go check the pool house and have him call you right back, alright?" God, everyone deserves a mom like Kirsten Cohen.
"Thanks so much."
XXX
Seth, who had been permanently attached to Summer by the hand, hip and mouth, had finally found time to spend with his brother. He sat on Ryan's bed, while Ryan was sprawled across the pool house floor, slowly dying of the agony of Seth's blabber. He loved Seth, more than his own brother, perhaps. But if Seth told him the exact same story of giving Summer roses at the beach one more time. One. More. Time. Ryan was afraid he would snap.
Oblivious to Ryan's feelings, Seth grinned like a Cheshire cat. He was in love, more truly and deeply than ever before. The past few weeks were the honeymoon stage of his relationship with Summer. The whole episode in New York proved to the both of them that they needed each other. Despite the countless kisses and caresses the two shared, it was the feeling of Summer's arms wrapped around him, needing him, that Seth would never forget.
Seth smile grew even wider. "I don't know, man. Before it was cute how we argued and stuff. But now, it feels so different. We still argue but we're so much more relaxed. She's my soul mate, Ryan. She is. And I didn't really believe in soul mates... Do you?" The question hung in the air, the same way the smell of Summer's jasmine perfume hung on Seth. He paused for a moment, and continued on with another profession of his love for Summer. Ryan had to admit, they were perfect together. They had history, they had love, they both wanted and needed each other. Ryan could have had that.
He thought of soul mates and mates and relationships in general with every new word that left Seth's mouth. All the romance and affection and love Seth spoke of was like a symphony of feelings and gestures brought together in perfect harmony. Ryan enjoyed Seth's company and the fact that Seth shared all the details with him. It proved that Seth really trusted Ryan. But beneath all of that, Ryan was hurt more than anything. Because he wanted all of that and he knew she wanted all of that. It wasn't their fault that they were all those thousands of miles away.
Just as Seth was about to launch into a different story, Kirsten walked into the pool house. "Honey, why don't you call Theresa?"