Chapter 2
She drove the two hours to Chino listening to Bob Segar. His mellow tunes always seemed to relax her when she was tense. It was how Sandy got her to chill out after a hard day at work. The fear of seeing Ryan again was starting to subside. It would be good to see him. Find out how he's really doing. They had kept in touch over the past few months but she knew Ryan would never tell them if something really was wrong.
She looked out at Ryan's hometown. She saw a few boarded up windows, stray dogs and steel fencing around the gardens. But as she looked a little closer she saw the people in their gardens. Some were chatting to the neighbours; some hanging up laundry and in one of the gardens there was a family having a barbeque. The atmosphere in the town surprised her. It seemed happy and content. It was everything she hadn't expected to see. She was to some extent ashamed of the fact she had never even asked Ryan about his life and the people in it before Newport. She could see Ryan living here. She looked at the sidewalk and saw Ryan playing marbles with his brother. She saw a park and could imagine him swinging on the swings or clambering over the climbing frame. But she knew that wasn't how it really was. She had read his file. She knew what memories Ryan had to face again. Every time he turned a corner she knew there would be something there to remind him of his past. She was so engrossed in the area around her that she had lost her bearings. She had to call Ryan to ask how to get to Theresa's mother's house.
She dialled the number
"Uh hello could I speak to Ryan please its Kirsten Cohen."
"Oh uh yes I'll go him for you." It was Theresa's mother. Kirsten hadn't thought her mother would be there when she arrived. She knew they were living with her but she hadn't thought about it much. She felt a twisting in her stomach knowing that there was a mother figure there for him. He didn't really need her anymore. Or did he ever need her in the first place? She didn't have much time to ponder this before Ryan picked up the receiver, "Hey Kirsten"
"Hey Ryan, I'm uh I kinda got lost. Could you give me some directions?"
"Sure where are you..." As Ryan explained to Kirsten on how to get to his new... old home Kirsten was thankful that her stupidity had broken the ice.
As she pulled up outside the house she saw Ryan waiting for her at the door making sure she found the house all right.
She got out of the car and looked at Ryan. She didn't know what to do. Hug him? Say a polite hello? But surprisingly she saw Ryan coming toward her with open arms. She embraced him realising just how much she had missed him. She took a step back and examined him closely. He was kitted out in a pair of black jeans and a beater with a shirt Kirsten had bought for him thrown over it. He looked tired but he seemed to be okay from what she could tell.
"I know I've really missed you guys. How are things at home? Has Seth called or got in touch at all?" he asked concerned
"Well no. He called about a month ago but we haven't had any word from him since. I think I'm gonna have to send Sandy down there to look for him."
"I wouldn't worry really. He can look after himself." He gave Kirsten a knowing look and they both laughed. "Yeah well the longest he's ever been away from us was when we sent him to summer camp and that only lasted for two days before he called and begged us to come pick him up." Ryan smiled his half smile and Kirsten was surprised that she could miss such minor things about a person. Ryan pressed on, "So how are things at home? What's been going on?"
"Uh well Sandy's working all the time. As usual. Summer's still pretty mad with Seth for leaving with a note so I haven't seen her much and Marissa. Well Marissa's still Marissa. She's back in therapy after her mom found a bottle of vodka under her bed."
"Wow. So I guess I'm missing a lot of the action in Newport huh?"
"Yeah. So I guess we'd better go in and see the mother to be."
Sorry i know the chapters are pretty short but ill update faster than i usually do to make up for it
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