Usual disclaimer applies

Ryan straightened the cutlery in front of him and moved his water glass an inch to the right and then to the left. They were waiting for Theresa to arrive. She had called and said she was running late and Ryan was sitting with the Cohens - a heavy silence hanging over the table. Kirsten toyed with the gold bracelet, a gift from Sandy for their fifteenth wedding anniversary. Sandy kept looking at his cell phone, checking the time, and making sure he hadn't missed any calls, while avoiding Kirsten's eyes.

"Maybe we should order," Sandy finally suggested.

"We should wait for Theresa. What do you think, Ryan?"

"Whatever."

They were acting weird, Ryan thought. There was no doubt in his mind that this lunch was all about the baby. But what did Sandy and Kirsten intend to discuss? Would Sandy use the same methods he had exercised to bring Ryan back to Newport? Would he blackmail Ryan and Theresa into doing what they wanted? What did they want?

He studied the menu, trying to find something he thought he could tolerate. There was a queasy, uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach, that hadn't left since Sandy had announced that the baby was his. Ryan was certain that any heavy food would come up. And while they weren't dining in a five-star restaurant, he didn't think the waiters would appreciate the mess he might create.

"Sorry I'm late." Theresa ran in breathless. Her hair was tied back in a back pony. She tucked the few strands of stray hair behind her ear and said, "My doctor's appointment ran late."

"You had a doctor's appointment?" Ryan's head snapped up. "W-why didn't you tell me?"

Shrugging, Theresa took the empty seat. "I didn't think it was a big deal."

"It's my baby too, Theresa. I'd like to be there for both of you."

"Well, you aren't there for me anymore, are you?"

Ryan looked down at his plate and mumbled, "You know I didn't have a choice. You told me to go."

"Fine. Whatever. I'll tell you next time."

"Don't be like that."

Ryan's voice turned sharp and Theresa gasped audibly.

"Ryan." Sandy put a hand on his arm.

"I know we still have a lot of decisions to make, but please don't cut me out of things."

It was Theresa's turn to stare at her empty plate. "I'm sorry. My next appointment is in two weeks."

"So soon?" Kirsten asked. "Is everything okay?"

"The doctor is just being cautious. He thought my blood pressure was a little bit too high. He's going to keep an eye on it."

"I'll come," Ryan said firmly.

"If that's what you want."

Ryan bit his lip, fighting back an angry retort. He didn't get it, because Theresa had practically begged him to leave his life in Newport to help her raise their child. He had come and had only left when his hands were tied and at her urging besides. So why was she being so cool and distant as if he had done something to her? He hoped it was her pregnant hormones.

"It's what I want."

"Okay."

"Good."

"Would you like to order?" Kirsten tried to break the tension.

"Sounds good. I'm famished." Theresa grabbed the oversized menu and opened it. She studied the list of appetizers and entrees while chewing the inside of her cheek. Ryan looked at her, and realized she was fighting back tears.

"The steak here is really good." Ryan's voice was soft as if he were trying to make amends for snapping at her. "So are the cheeseburgers."

She smiled. "A cheeseburger sounds good."

Sandy signaled the waiter who took their order. Five minutes later Sandy was nursing a beer, while Ryan looked on longingly. The women had mineral water and Ryan had a coke, which he sipped grudgingly. No one said much of anything until the food was in front of them. But even then, no one started eating.

Finally, Kirsten threw her napkin down on the table. "This is ridiculous," she said. "Theresa, are you serious about giving up this baby for adoption?"

Without batting an eyelash, she answered, "I've made up my mind to do it. I discussed it with my mother and we know this is the right thing to do. It's up to Ryan now. But if Ryan wants to raise this baby, he'll do it without me."

"Well, I just found out I have any say in this, so don't expect me to make up my mind overnight," he jumped in, startled by Theresa's declaration that she was definitely giving up this child.

"We don't," Sandy assured his charge. He held a fork and knife in his hand, but put it down, realizing that no one would actually be doing any eating on this lunch date.

"Sandy and I had a long talk and we thought of something." Kirsten turned to Ryan. "Seth wasn't so off this morning. Sandy and I want to offer to adopt this baby."

"I can't ask you to do that."

"That's too much," Theresa agreed.

Kirsten took a breadstick from the basket in middle of the table. She tore it in half, but did not put any of it in her mouth. "Sandy and I tried for years to have a baby after Seth was born. We wanted our children to be close in age. But it didn't happen. I went to a couple of doctors, but didn't really get to deal with it, because my mother got sick and we put expanding our family on the wayside. I've never been able to get pregnant again and the doctors told me I never will."

"We thought of adoption," Sandy continued, squeezing Kirsten's hand under the table. She was a lot like Ryan, and didn't wear her thoughts and feelings on her sleeve like he and Seth did. He knew this was hard for her. "But it was never the right time. But this seems like the right thing to do. I promise you both we can give your child a good life."

"And if you want, Theresa, you can still see the child and see where he or she is up to. Ryan, of course, you'll be part of his life. We thought it would make it easier for you, to give over the responsibility of raising a baby yourself. You'd be its big brother. And later on, when he or she is older, we can discuss if it should know that you're really its father."

Ryan shook his head. "I can't ask you to do this."

"You're not asking. We're offering," explained Sandy.

"I can't answer you right away."

"Of course not. We just wanted to lay it out for you." Kirsten turned to Theresa. "Would you agree to let us raise this child?"

"If that's what Ryan wants, it would be fine with me. I know you're good people and that you'll do your best with the baby."

Ryan pushed his chair back. "I need some air." He stood up. "I'm just going to walk a little. I'll get home on my own."

Kirsten and Sandy exchanged looks.

"Take my cell phone." Sandy gave him the metallic phone. "And answer it if we call you."

"Okay."

Ryan blindly walked out of the restaurant a million thoughts swirling through his head. He nearly knocked a waiter over, who held hot soup in his hands. The hot liquid must of have splashed on the man, because Ryan heard him mutter a few curses. He apologized and ran out.

He wasn't sure how to get to the beach or the pier, so he just walked up and down the streets, trying to organize all the thoughts in his head. He could hear Theresa telling him that he liked being a kid. That he wanted someone to take care of him. He knew she was right. But that didn't change his need to make sure his child had everything that he didn't have. And he knew that Sandy and Kirsten could give his baby everything, including unconditional love, guidance and nurturing. But he didn't know if he could ask them to do that or if he could grow up letting his child think he was his big brother. It didn't seem right.

The sun was getting high in the sky. Ryan didn't know how long he had been walking, but he was hot and sweaty. There were wet patches under his arms. His feet ached and he could feel blisters forming on the back of his feet. He sat down on a bench and put his head in his hands. He felt the phone vibrating in his pocket, and took it out to look at the caller ID. It was Kirsten. Or Sandy. He briefly considered not answering it, but knew they would throw a fit if he did that again.

He hit the send button. "Hey."

"Ryan, it's Sandy. Where are you?"

He looked around. "I have no idea."

"You have us worried, kid."

"Sorry. I was just walking."

"This entire time?"

Ryan nodded and realized that Sandy couldn't see him through the phone. "I just sat down when the phone rang."

"You left the restaurant five hours ago. You haven't sat down since?"

"It's been that long?"

"You're freaking me out, kid," Sandy said in a hushed voice.

"I'm okay. Just a lot on my mind."

"I'm going to come and get you. Give me some street names so that I can find you."

Ryan stood and walked to the corner. He squinted up at the sign and read it off to Sandy. "You practically walked back to Chino. Just sit tight. It'll take me a half hour or so."

"Fine."

He went back to the bench and sat down; grateful he didn't have to start figuring out how to make it back to the Cohens and grateful he didn't have to go begging for a ride home. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the back of the bench trying to empty his mind of everything. The next thing he knew, there was a hand shaking his shoulder. Ryan tensed every muscle in his body, taut and ready to pounce on the would-be attacker.

"It's just me, Ryan. You fell asleep."

His face flushed red.

"Ready to go home?"

"Yes," he mumbled.

"Need to talk?" Sandy offered, walking to the car and opening the passenger door.

"No more talking." Ryan climbed in.

"Okay." Sandy slammed the door shut and walked around to the driver's side. "Talking is way overrated."

"So why do you guys do it so much?"

"I'm Jewish. I'm a lawyer. I thrive on the gift of gab. I can't help it."

Ryan laughed.

"I know this has been hard for you. We're just trying to help."

"Is that what you were doing when you dragged me back to Newport by the scruff of my neck?"

"I told you, I was making sure you didn't throw away your life. Kirsten and I want to make sure you don't throw away what's left of your childhood." Sandy shifted back in the leather seat. "College was a great time for me. Even before I met Kirsten, I felt like I was free. I didn't have my mother around breathing down my neck. I had a whole new world to explore. I was really living it up. I acted crazy and stupid, but I also did a lot of growing up. I want you to have that. But I also understand your sense of responsibility to this kid. We just want to make it a little easier for you."

"I know."

"You don't have to agree to it, if you don't want to. Theresa said she would leave it up to you. She figures this way we could all have our way. She can get on with her life. Kirsten and I can raise another child, so we don't have to worry about empty nest syndrome for another few years. And you can make sure that your child is well taken care of. You can still be right there, but you don't have to give up school, or your friends, or your childhood."

"It's just a lot to think about."

"I know. And you don't have to make the decision right away."

"Thanks Sandy."

Sandy turned his head away from the road and looked at Ryan. "Kirsten and I, we love you. We'd do anything for you. You're part of our family."

Ryan threw himself into the work at the Newport Group to try and stop the swirling, whirling thoughts that nagged at his mind. The Cohens hadn't discussed the subject any further. Even Seth left things alone, even though his parents had filled him in on their offer. Seth had a right to know that he might be gaining a new brother or sister.

Three days after his lunch with Theresa and the Cohens, Ryan was sitting beside the pool. Summer was on an adjacent lounge chair and Seth was climbing out of the pool. Sandy and Kirsten had slowly started to relax the terms of Seth's punishment. So Summer was spending a lot more time at the house.

Ryan was enjoying the visits. Together, Seth and Summer had a knack for distracting Ryan. They could do it without even trying. Their constant bickering, doe-eyed expressions, and sweet-talk to each other was enough to make anyone puke, but Ryan relished it, because it took him far from his reality.

"Seth, don't drip on me."

"Where should I drip?"

"On Ryan. On the concrete. Anywhere but me."

"You're a lot less scary than Ryan. I'm pretty sure he hits harder."

Summer punched Seth in the arm. "Owe. Maybe not."

Ryan grinned. But the corners of his mouth dropped when he heard Kirsten calling their names in a panicked voice.

Seth's heart skipped a beat when he heard his mother cry out. As he scrambled out of his chair, Ryan at his heels, he grabbed the cell phone that was at the edge of his seat and dialed nine-one-one, but he waited to hit the send key. Thirty seconds later, Seth and Ryan skidded to a halt in front of Sandy's study. Kirsten was on the edge of her chair, looking frightened but unscathed.

"There's a bird in the office."

"God, Mom, you scared us." Seth hit the end key on his phone, realizing an ambulance would not be necessary.

"There's a bird in the house."

Ryan and Seth heard the frightened fluttering of the bird in a strange place. It flew from the edge of the Venetian blinds to the ceiling, dropping a present on the carpet below.

"Get it out!"

"How'd it get in there?"

"I don't know, Seth. But your job now is to get it out." She ran out of the room.

"Any ideas, Ryan? You're the brawn."

Ryan rolled his eyes. "You need brains. Not brawn. Why don't you try opening a window?"

Seth shrugged. "Okay." He walked towards the window, wondering once more how the bird got in if the window was closed. Ryan closed the door behind him. "Why are you doing that?" Seth asked, not relishing the idea of being in closed quarters with a wild bird.

"So it doesn't fly out into the rest of the house."

"Good move."

Seth climbed onto the windowsill and opened the window from the top. The bird flapped around and Seth ducked. Ryan laughed.

"Laugh all you want. But I refuse to get bird shit in my hair."

"Ducking won't help."

"How do we get it out?" Seth waved his hands. "Here birdie, birdie, bird. Exit is right here." He pointed to the open window.

"It's a bird. Not a dog." Ryan bit his bottom lip so Seth wouldn't see how much he was enjoying this. He wondered if he raised the baby if there would be zany times like this with Seth or would it all be stress and perpetual motion?

The bird jumped to the bookcase, leaving another present on the carpet.

"Well do something. Don't just stand there."

Ryan took a large volume off of Sandy's desk. The cover said it had something to do with family law. He marched under the ceiling fan, held the book open and slammed it shut, so that it created a loud thud. The bird jumped and flew off of its perch and headed straight for the open window. Seth sighed with relief and quickly shut the window to ensure it didn't return.

"So family law saves the day. If it weren't for all of this baby confusion that bird might still be in here, making all over the place."

"There's a bright side to everything." Ryan traced circles on the velour. "I don't know what to do."

Seth plopped down on the couch, suddenly remembering that he was wet and cold. But Ryan was talking, so he didn't get up again in the hopes of finding something to wear.

"I'd love a little brother or sister."

"What about a niece or nephew?"

"No. I'm too young for that. I prefer the former."

"I know kids back in Chino who were aunts and uncles when there were barely out of diapers."

"That just sounds wrong. Besides, they didn't have to help raise the kid. You know, I can see it Ryan, the only reason you're hanging back on this decision, not agreeing to it right away, is because you think that once again you're taking from the parents. And I'm telling you that that's what they're there for."

"They're your parents."

"They're my parents, true. But I know that they signed the papers saying they'd act in loco parentis. That makes them your parents too. And you know they've gone way beyond the guardian thing. They'll do whatever you want Ryan. But don't give everything up when there's a perfectly viable solution."

"So you think I should let your parents raise this kid."

"That or give it up for adoption. I don't know what's better. But I do know that you should not be raising this kid."

"Okay. Okay. You're right." Ryan jumped up and paced the floor, avoiding the spots where the bird had dumped its waste. "I'm not going to raise this kid by myself. But I'm not saying that I'm going to let this kid think I'm its brother."

"Fine." Seth slapped his knee. "At least we narrowed it down to two choices. Knock off one more and we'll arrive at a decision. In the meanwhile, I'm going to put on some clothes so I can take them off when I make out with my girlfriend. Ciao."

Seth mocked saluted and left Ryan alone in the office.