Title: Getting Ryan to Eat
Summary: A little missing parenting from The Truth.
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to The O.C. No profit is taken from this story.
Author's Notes: This takes place during The Truth on Saturday at lunchtime. Marissa doesn't call at this time. AU
On Saturday, Kirsten, Sandy, Seth, and Anna were in the kitchen, getting the takeout all set up for lunch.
Sandy asked, "Hey, Seth. Why don't you go get Ryan?"
"OK." Seth turned to Anna. "Hey. Will you come with me?"
"Yeah, sure. Maybe then we can be alone for like ten seconds."
Seth started to apologize to Anna about having Summer around so much. Anna didn't want to hear it. After a few moments of arguing, Sandy interrupted them.
"Seth! Ryan?"
Seth turned away from his girlfriend towards his father. "Yeah, Dad. I'm going."
After one last pleading look at a pissed off Anna, he sighed and headed out to the pool house.
Seth found Ryan there, lying on the bed, on top of the covers, fully dressed. Ryan had been doing a lot of that for the last few days, since Seth's parents had grounded him for attacking Oliver. At least this time he wasn't just staring blankly at the ceiling. He was lying on his side, looking out the windows. Well, that's what Seth assumed he was doing, since he had his back to the door and Seth couldn't see his face.
To tell the truth, Seth was getting a little worried about Ryan.
"Hey, man." Ryan didn't move. Seth plowed on, regardless. "Lunch is here." Still no response. "Come on, dude, you gotta eat something."
"I'm not hungry."
Seth waited for a moment. At least Ryan answered him, even if he didn't turn around to do it. When Ryan didn't move or say anything else, Seth gave up and went back into the kitchen.
At his parents' questioning looks, Seth shrugged and told them, "He says he's not hungry."
Sandy turned to Kirsten. "That kid has gotta eat something, sometime. He didn't eat the bagel I brought him this morning, and last night after his little trip next door, he didn't come in for dinner…"
Sandy started to head towards the kitchen door, but Kirsten intercepted him and stopped him by putting a hand on his arm.
"Let me. I think he might listen to me more, since you've been the one disciplining him."
Sandy reluctantly nodded and let Kirsten go ahead of him. Before she went out the door, she stopped and addressed those in the kitchen.
"Why don't you guys go ahead and start lunch. Maybe he'll feel more comfortable if you're already eating."
Then Kirsten headed out to the pool house. Sandy followed as far as the doorway. He stopped there and watched his wife enter the pool house. Since the shades were up in the pool house, Sandy could see the bed and saw enough of Ryan to see that he was lying in bed, again.
Sandy sighed and turned around to be faced with a worried Seth and Anna. He gave them a little smile, and gestured towards the table. "Let's eat."
Out in the pool house, Kirsten opened the door and walked in. "Ryan?"
Ryan turned to lie on his back, and turned his head to look at Kirsten. Before she could say anything else, Ryan spoke.
"I told Seth I wasn't hungry."
"I know." Kirsten gave Ryan a little smile. She walked forward, sat on the edge of the bed, and turned to face him. "But you have to eat something. I haven't seen you eat in days. When's the last time you ate?"
Ryan looked back up at the ceiling.
"That's what I thought. Are you OK? Are you feeling sick?"
"I'm OK."
"OK." Kirsten paused to study Ryan for a moment. He was still looking at the ceiling. "Look, I know you're upset, but you have to understand. We grounded you because we felt it was the right thing to do. You did break into the school, and attacked another student --"
Ryan sat up and looked straight at Kirsten. "It's OK. It's fine. I mean it isn't fun, but I can handle it."
Kirsten just looked at Ryan. She wasn't sure if she quite believed that.
"Really. Don't worry about it. You're not being too hard on me. I know I deserve it. It's fine."
Kirsten raised her eyebrows. That was yesterday that she had said to Sandy that maybe they were being too hard on him. Ryan wasn't supposed to hear that.
Ryan gave her a sheepish smile. "Yeah, I heard you guys. Seth's not the only one who can eavesdrop."
"Seth eavesdrops?"
Ryan looked chagrinned. "I thought you knew that."
"Don't worry. I won't tell Seth you let it slip."
Kirsten smiled, and Ryan gave her a little smile back. Then Kirsten got serious again.
"OK… So, if you're not upset about being grounded... is it Marissa? I know you were very upset on Wednesday after she broke up with you. Hey, it's normal to be upset, sad, hurt, after a relationship ends, especially one that was as long and serious as yours with Marissa."
"That's part of it, but --" Ryan stopped himself, like he knew he was about to reveal more than he wanted to.
Kirsten didn't think he'd say any more, but she tried anyway. "What else?"
Ryan didn't say anything. He just looked down.
Kirsten sighed. "OK, well, you still have to eat. Tell you what, you come in and eat lunch, and I'll leave you alone for dinner."
Ryan looked at her, amused, with slightly raised eyebrows. "Are you offering a deal? Isn't that against the rules?"
Kirsten looked at him, confused.
"You know, Parenting 101."
Kirsten was surprised. "You've been reading up on parenting tips?"
"I have to know what I'm up against, don't I?" Ryan gave her a half-smile.
Kirsten chuckled. "I won't tell if you won't." Ryan chuckled, too. "So -- deal? We have ravioli. I know you like ravioli..."
Ryan glanced at the kitchen, then back to Kirsten. He sighed. "OK, deal."
Kirsten got up from the bed and waited for Ryan to join her. Then she let Ryan lead her into the kitchen. When they entered, Sandy, Seth, and Anna all looked up at them from the table. Kirsten exchanged a triumphant look with Sandy. When she looked back at Ryan, she could see that he was avoiding everyone's eyes and was just standing there awkwardly near the table.
As Kirsten sat down, she asked Ryan, "Why don't you get the drinks? I'll have iced tea. Thanks."
Ryan looked up at Kirsten and nodded. Then he headed over to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of iced tea and a can of Coke.
As he was walking back to the table, Kirsten told him. "Ryan, you should have something healthy."
Ryan stopped and looked at Kirsten. She gave him a stern look and looked pointedly down at the Coke. Ryan looked down at the can as well. He looked back up at Kirsten, who tried to look determined. She was glad when he put her bottle of iced tea down on the counter and turned back to the refrigerator to put the Coke back and take out a bottle of orange juice.
Sandy exchanged a look with Kirsten. He looked impressed.
Ryan walked back to the table, picking up Kirsten's iced tea on his way past. He handed her the iced tea, and sat down at the table, across from Kirsten. She handed him the container of ravioli. Ryan took it and spooned out onto his plate two of the large ravioli and started to put the container back down.
"Three." Ryan stopped and looked up at Kirsten. "Come on, you usually have six."
Ryan gave her a look of resignation and spooned out one more onto his plate. Sandy again gave Kirsten a look like he was impressed.
Sandy picked up the shaker of grated cheese that he knew Ryan liked to put on his ravioli and put it down on the table within Ryan's reach. Ryan glanced at him quickly, then picked it up and sprinkled the cheese on his three ravioli.
Ryan picked up his bottle of orange juice, shook it, opened it, and took a swallow. He put the bottle back down and picked up his fork. At this point, he noticed that all four people at the table were watching him. He looked up at them, and they all looked back at their own plates and started eating again.
Ryan went ahead and ate his three ravioli, slowly.
The End.