I like this chapter. Something in it though will not make you happy, but I can't tell you what part of the story is because then you will skip to that part and the other parts will be sad!

XOXO Jules

Chapter 18: "Don't strain, cuz nothin ever comes from it"

Summer stood digging her foot into the sand as she waited for Ella to get out of school.

"Hey." Summer said when she saw her daughter approaching.

"Hi!" Ella said smiling at the surprise. "Where is Marissa?"

"She had to go to the doctor to check on the new baby so she asked me to pick you up." Summer said.

"Summer Roberts?" She heard an older say from behind her. She spun to see her old first grade teacher, who she assumed was now Ellas standing behind her.

"Mrs. Krupp… Hi." Summer knew that she was the one teacher that had it out for her all of elementary school.

"Is Ella your younger sister?" The teacher asked Summer. Obviously it was to make a point about her age because she had to know "Roberts-Cohen", was Ellas last name.

"No, she's my daughter actually." Summer said.

"You and Seth Cohen," Mrs. Krupp said, "oh, how nice."

"Oh we're not together!" Summer said quickly.

"Like I said. How nice." She then turned and walked away.

Ella looked up at Summer questioningly.

"I had her when I was in first grade too."

"Really?" Ella said, "That's sucks."

"Yeah it did. Are we still on for Sundaes?"

"YEAH!" Ella said jumping up and down.

Ryan entered he and Seths office to find Seth with his head on his desk, swaying from side to side in his chair.

"Whats up man?" Ryan asks tossing his briefcase on the floor, hopping in a chair leaning back with his feet on the desk. "Is this about Summer? Marissa told me."

"I thought that I was making the right decision. Letting her come around again." Seth said bringing his head up from the table.

"And now you are having second thoughts?" Ryan asked turning his head towards his brother.

"I just didn't think how it will effect everybody else." Seth said.

"Like Noah." Ryan asked knowing Seth all too well not to read into him.

Seth nodded.

"Marissa was like a mother to Ella too, but now she is having her own baby, and it's just that Ella was always Noah and I's. I guess I took it to far." Seth said staring into space.

"You didn't take it to far! Seth you made a mistake when you were 17! You raised your daughter alone. How is it wrong for you to have moved on. You couldn't stay and wait for the girl that abandoned you and your child. I love Summer, she is my girlfriends best friend. But her leaving was hard for all of us."

It was expected for Ryan to be a bit bitter. After Summer left Marissa for awhile had slipped back into her old self-destructive behavior. Ryan was scared out of his mind for her… There was also another factor. The tow had been engaged since they were 21, two years now, and yet Marissa refused to actually marry him until Summer was back to be her maid of honor.

"Yeah. I guess I was just being hasty. I mean, I just want my daughter to know her real mother." Seth said, now looking Ryan in the eye.

"There's nothing wrong with that man." Ryan said staring up at the ceiling.

"How was you and Marissas appointment?" Seth asked leaning back against the wall feet up on his own desk, much in the manner that Ryan was doing so.

"Great." Ryan said taking a deep breath. "Their heartbeats were… wow."

"Their?" Seth asked surprised.

"Yup man." Ryan said grinning

"You mean Marissa and the baby right?" Ryan just grinned at his brother "RIGHT?!"

Summer and Ella ate their ice cream… Neither of them spoke but their silence wasn't awkward.

"So you're like my REAL mom?" Ella asked

"Yeah I am." Summer said. Sometimes she wasn't sure just how to approach things with children.

"I heard Grandma and Grandpa talkin' 'bout you." She said

"When?" Summer asked

"Always. Don' know wat they say though. The walls are thick." She said digging into her sundae.

Summer was looking through the paper while they ate.

"Watcha looking' for?" Ella asked

"An apartment." Summer said.

"WHY!" Ella asked

"So I can have somewhere to live." Summer tried to explain.

"But you live in the pool house! Uncle Ryan used to live there!" Ella said

"I know honey, but the pool house doesn't belong to me."

"I don't want you to go." Ella said. Summer could tell that Ella was trying to keep her bottom lip from quivering by biting it in a very adult fashion for a child. Something that Summer herself did.

"I won't be far. Down the street at the farthest. And you can have a room there too." Summer said smiling

"Does that mean that we can have sleepovers?" Ella asked

"As many as we want!" Summer said. "And you and I can decorate your room however you want!" Summer offered to the now smiling girl.

"I guess that is okay." Ella asked trying to be nonchalant about the whole thing, but a little smirk curled onto her lips.

Neither of them had noticed the ice cream shop fill up. Their picnic table had an extra two seats at the end though. A young man then approached them.

"Hi." He said. "Do you mind if my son and I sit?" He asked

"No problem!" Summer said scooting her purse down so that they had room to sit. The little boy, that looked about Ellas age sat next to her. He and Ella kept on looking at one another sticking their tongues out.

"Ella!" Summer said shooting her a warning glance. Ella cowered in her seat.

"Yeah, you too Landon, that is no way to treat a lady!"

Landon cowered as well.

"I am sorry." He said turning to Summer apologetically.

"It's alright." She said flashing him a smile.

"Is that your sister?" He asked her

"No, daughter." Summer said. "Your brother?"

She looked at the tall tan muscular man with brown spiked hair, and the most beautiful green eyes.

"No. Son." He said. "Craig Warren." He said holding out his hand.

"Summer Roberts." Summer said doing the same.

Ella and Landon looked at one another and then mocked their parents attempting to be adult.

"Landon Julian Warren." He said sticking out her hand.

"Isabella Marissa Roberts-Cohen." Ella introduced herself. Landon twisted up his face.

"You can call me Bam." She said rolling her eyes.

"Alright Bam, you can call me Landon."

They smiled at one another.

"Dad, can Bam and I go play on the playground?" Landon asked finishing his own sundae.

"If her mother says it okay." He asked looking at Summer.

"Of course. Just stay where I can see you." Summer said wiping the ice cream off of her daughters face. Landon and Ella both tore off towards the play set.

This gave Summer and Craig ample time to talk. Craig was 25, and finishing school. He lives in his own apartment with 7 year old Landon. Landon's mother had left a while back. Summer felt herself strangely opening up to him. Somehow speaking with Craig opened up to her what Seth must have gone through raising Ella alone. Except Seth had family and friends while Craig didn't. The most shocking thing of all though was Craigs job, he was a waiter at the lighthouse… Seth was his boss. They soon parted, realizing it was getting late, and headed in separate directions.

Mad? You should be! HEHE, fun times for me though. If you don't review maybe I will make them end up together! And what was with Ryan and the two heart beats? Is Marissa having twins? I don't know yet. I can't decide between a boy or a girl for them so possibly… I guess it depends on what you want. You know how to tell me? IN REVIEWS!

Hehe. Love ya!

XOXO Jules (evil grin)