Hey! I'm really excited by how this chapter turned out so REVIEW and let me know what you think.
Happy Reading!
xoxo Jules
Chapter 29: "We sat on my back porch and watched it"
--- That Sunday A week later
"Only you could get Ella to wear a Tutu." Marissa said as she took her seat next to Summer at Ella's recital, followed by Ryan carrying both baby carriers.
Noah and Seth sat on the other side of Summer, Seth in a wheel chair. He was going to have to undergo extensive physical therapy.
"Sush! It's starting!" Summer warned them as the curtain went up, and there in front of them was a row of feisty six year olds trying to hold position.
"Ella's the only one balancing." Noah whispered in Seth ear.
"One of the many perks of being a skate boarder." Seth whispered back
The recital went along beautifully, besides the part when a girl fell and Ella could not suppress her laughter. The entire row of Marissa, Ryan, Seth, Summer, Noah, Sandy and Kirsten looked down mortified.
"Daddy!" Ella said running over to him jumping on his lap.
"You did great Bam!" Seth said kissing her forehead.
"You did amazing El!" Noah said picking up the little girl swinging her around.
Ella ran over to see the rest of her family who greeted her with flowers.
"Seth, can I talk to you for a minute." Noah asked
"Sure."
"Where?" Noah asked
"Where ever you are willing to wheel me." Seth said winking
Noah smiled at him and pushed him out of the dance house.
"What's up?" Seth asked squinting in the sun. He could tell from the look on Noahs face that there was something wrong. In true Seth Cohen fashion he tried to lighten the mood.
"What did you have an affair while I was in a coma, because you weren't alone in that, the nurse that changed my sheets was… wow!" Seth said jokingly
Noah laughed, a tear forming in the corner of her eye. When Seth was like that it only made it harder.
"Um, Seth… Summer coming back has given me a lot to think about." Noah confessed
"What do you mean?"
"What I mean is she's Ellas real mother. That changes everything."
"Noah, you were her mother the first six years of her life." Seth said unsure of where this was going
"I know, and I love both you and she to death… but Seth, I just don't know if I can do it. All of this! I see how you still look at Summer and I can't help but think that I am breaking up this potential family!" Noah said crying
"No, SUMMER broke up that family when she left!" Seth said becoming angry with himself for not figuring that this would happen sooner.
"I'm sorry." Noah said pulling her purse up on her shoulder.
"Where are you going Noah?" Seth asked
"I'm going to stay with my parents for awhile at their place in San Francisco." Noah said.
"Please Noah, don't go." Seth said grabbing her hand
"I'm sorry." She said kissing him one last time and then running off…
--- That night Summer tucked Ella into her bed at the Cohen house.
"You did really well today Bam." Summer said kissing her cheek
"It was fun." Ella said. "Do you know if Noah is here?" Ella asked
"Um, I'm not sure baby." Summer said "Is there something that you need?"
"I just wanted her to rub my belly." Ella said
"Oh, do you want me to?" Summer offered.
"No thanks. Noah does it different."
"Alright sweetie. See you in the morning." Summer said closing the door, "I love you."
"I love you too." Ella whispered.
Summer went to find Seth who was sitting in the kitchen watching the rain falling outside.
"Are you okay?" Summer asked
Seth just shrugged. Summer went and sat on the floor next to his wheel chair looking like a little girl who was being told a story.
"I was raining like this the day that you left." Seth said looking away from Summer. "I came over to your house," His voice began to quiver in a boyish way, "I stood outside yelling to your window telling you how sorry I was… how much I loved you."
"I never knew…" Summer said, her voice trailing off
"That's because you were gone." Seth said.
"Do you hate me Seth?"
"How could I hate you?"
"How can you love me if I don't love myself?" Summer asked
"I don't hate you. If it weren't for you I wouldn't have gotten through high school, and I wouldn't have had Ella. My daughter is the best thing that ever happened to me Summer, and you gave her to me. I could never hate you for that."
"I look back on my life and it's like watching a movie, like it's happening to someone else, yanno?" Summer asked
"Yeah, I do." Seth said
Summer nodded standing up.
"Oh Seth, where's Noah?" Summer asked
"She left." Seth said
"Oh, when will she be back?" Summer asked
"She's not coming back." Seth said his voice quivering again
"Where did she go?" Summer asked
"San Francisco, to be with her family." Seth told her.
"Oh, okay." Summer said nodding. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bye." Seth said watching Summer flee the house.
Summer hopped into her car and turned on the ignition. It was going to be a long drive to San Francisco.
It was pouring rain and nearly 3 o'clock in the morning when Summer knocked on the door of a small San Francisco Victorian house in the pouring rain.
"Hello?" A man said opening the door. He was wearing blue striped pajamas and his grey hair was combed over.
"Hi, I was wondering if Noah was around."
"Are you sure that you don't want to come back tomorrow?" He asked
"It's really important." Summer begged.
"Alright, come on in an get out of the rain." He said.
The man was very friendly and welcoming. Summer could see where Noah got it from.
"Her bedroom is straight back to the left." The man said.
"Thank you." Summer said
She followed the hallway to Noahs room and knocked on the door.
"Come in." Her voice said through the door. "Summer!" Noah said when the small girl walked in.
"Before you tell me to leave, just please let me explain! I have gone to EVERY McKenzie in the phone books house in San Francisco and it turns out you're the second to last one, and I wouldn't have kept going if it wasn't important. You have to come back to Newport. It's not right that you left, and trust me, you will regret it because I know that I did. I'm not trying to push Ella onto you or anything it's just that she asked for you to rub her tummy tonight and you weren't there. I don't want her to loose another mother Noah, I really don't." Summer said all in one breath.
"Do you want something dry to wear?" Noah asked
"I just poured all of that on you and you ask if I want a change of clothes?" Summer asked surprised.
"Yeah." Noah said simply tossing Summer an T-shirt and pajama pants. "Meet me in the kitchen when you're done changing."
--- Summer entered the kitchen to find Noah pouring two cups of tea and then taking a seat at the table, Summer followed.
"I really think that you need to come back to Newport."
"Why?" Noah asked
"Because there is a little girl there that thinks the world of you."
"Yeah but you're her mother Summer. She doesn't need to be confused."
"The only thing that she is confused about is why the people that say they love her keep leaving." Summer said "I will always feeling guilty for leaving her, but at least I knew that she was in good hands with you. You and Marissa took care of her when I didn't. You have been her mother these six years Noah, and yes I came back, but I'm not trying to replace you. My daughter loves you and she needs you."
"I am just so confused Summer."
"So am I. But the one thing that I learned was that running away doesn't make it any easier. So what you're confused, come back to Newport and figure it out, but please don't make Ella suffer because of our mistakes. I was there with her tonight but she wanted you Noah. She loves you."
"That's part of the problem! What if you change your mind?" Noah asked her face tear streaked.
"Do you know how much pride I had to swallow to beg another woman to be there for my child? Please…"
Noah was silent. Summer nodded.
"Well if you're going to go at least say goodbye."
Will Noah pull a Summer will Seth and Summer end up together, or will Noah and Seth, or will they all end up going their seperate ways? All of that has yet to be determined. Reguardless of what happens I will make it so that everyone is satisfied... Much to my surprise this may not be a S.S end up perfect and happy and lovey dovey. They WILL be on good terms, but I've got to decide whether or not it would be realistic based on everything that has happened in the story thus far. Tell me what you think.
xoxo Jules