Kirsten watches her husband pace back and forth across the kitchen as if by pure 'wishing' he can bring Seth and Ryan home. She was harsh on him all summer, blaming him for Seth's 'Newport-vacation' simply because he was there, the only member of her family left to blame.
She regrets it now, seeing how hard it's made him. He's so angry at Seth, so hurt that he would abandon the family. They all missed Ryan.
Sandy especially. Seth had never been close with him, he'd always been a 'mama's boy' and never liked Sandy's stories of his life outside of Newport. But Ryan was different. Ryan always respected Sandy and listened to him implicitly. Ryan had made Sandy feel like a worthy man, like a real father. Once Ryan had arrived, even Seth started confiding in Sandy more. Ryan had changed their family.
They should have known that he'd change it even more once he was gone. Seth hadn't stayed around long enough to see how he'd function as an only child again, he'd taken off. And she resented him for it. She resented Sandy for having to forcefully bring him home. And no matter how apologetic and genuinely sorry Seth was for leaving, he wasn't her perfect son anymore. She'd said some things to him since he got back that she regretted.
But she knew he was hurting just as much as she was when they found out about Teresa.
She has some harsh words for that girl, too. Dragging Ryan to Chino to support a baby that turned out not even to be his. Blaming him for the loss of the child simply because she could. Kirsten didn't care that the girl was broken now, committed to a hospital for her depression, all she cared about was that Ryan, who had given up everything for her, was gone. Gone.
Hearing his voice tonight has been the best thing that's happened since Seth came back. He's alive. He's safe. Seth's with him.
She would tell Sandy to stop pacing but she knows that it won't do any good. No word from Seth since Ryan had hung up on them. He isn't answering his phone and they can only pray that when he walks in, that Ryan will be walking with him.
She knows that things are far from okay, but they'll be closer if Seth brings Ryan home. Lots closer.
She sees Sandy pause in his step as the front door slams closed. She rushes past him toward the front door and they both freeze by the stairs.
"Come on, man…it's okay…" Seth's voice is placating, like he's talking to a child or a puppy and Kirsten sees Ryan standing behind him, his face hidden by shaggy hair and an unshaven beard. He looks old. Too old to be Ryan. But it's him.
She pushes past Sandy and goes to his side, ignoring all the signals that he's sending out to keep her away. She wraps her arms around him and holds him as tight as she can, he doesn't need to breathe, not as much as she needs to hold him.
"I'm so glad you're here…" she whispers, hoping he will hear her, hear how much they missed him, how much they love him and need him.
"I'm sorry…" he murmurs, shaking in her arms.
She releases him and takes his face in her hand, searching his eyes for something…anything that she can get to listen to her. "You don't have anything to apologize for. Okay?"
He nods, lowering his gaze immediately. She can smell the alcohol on him. She can see the exhaustion and disgust hanging off his bones. He's tired, too hurt to be around anyone. But he's her family…her son. This is what she's here for. To help. To fix everything. She'll take care of him.
"My turn," Sandy says, taking him from her and embracing him fondly. "God, kid…you had us worried…are you okay?"
Ryan doesn't answer, simply staring at the carpet but something flickers across his face. He shuffles in place, clearly unsure of how to act here.
"Let's get you cleaned up, where are your things?" Sandy asks, looking to Seth.
"He doesn't have any things. I made him leave the liquor bottle in the hotel room and his clothes…I think he just bought new ones when the old ones got too dirty…he doesn't have anything," Seth replies, putting a hand on Ryan's shoulder.
Kirsten doesn't know what happened between her boys in the past few hours, but something has changed. Seth somehow convinced Ryan to come back with him and Ryan seems to trust him more than before. He doesn't react to Seth's touch but meets his gaze.
"The poolhouse. You can take a shower and then we'll feed you. Just like I said, okay?" Seth asks, raising an eyebrow.
Ryan nods. "Okay…"
"I'll walk with you, make sure you don't disappear," Sandy says, throwing an arm around him and glancing proudly at Seth as he ushers him from the room.
"Seth…"
"You think Dad forgives me now? Do you forgive me now?" Seth asks quietly, turning to her.
"Seth, we love you. You will always be loved…" She pulls him into a hug and unlike Ryan, he winds his arms around her and returns her embrace.
"I know…I just needed to do something…I know I'm spoiled, I know that I don't deserve great parents like you and Dad…I just want you guys to stop being mad at me…" he says and she can feel his tears soaking into her shoulder.
"Oh, honey…" She doesn't know what to say. She hates that they've been so hard on him. He doesn't deserve the blame either. There's too much blame.
"He's so sad, Mom…I couldn't leave him there…after you talked to him, he didn't say anything, he just dropped the phone and sat down and I thought he was going to cry but he didn't…he just sat there and listened to me talk…" Seth explains, pulling away and wiping his eyes, self-conscious.
"Like old times," Kirsten says, walking with him into the kitchen. Seth smiles.
"I got him to come back…basically I just took his arm and he didn't fight me when I dragged him to the taxi. I've been using Grandpa's money, strictly for travel expenses…but I guess I'll be in trouble with Dad for that, too…" he says.
"I don't think your father will mind since you brought Ryan back…" Kirsten replies.
"I hope not…" Seth mutters.
Sandy steps into the house, leaving the door open behind him. He smiles at her, but turns to Seth who is clearly waiting to be chastened. Sandy pulls him into a tight embrace. "I don't care how you did it…but thank you…"
And Seth's crying again and she starts to cry because this is what she's been wanting for so long…
"Dad…where's Ryan?" Seth sniffles.
"He's asleep. He didn't say anything, he just sat down…and he fell asleep. I'm going to stay with him…make sure he's okay," Sandy says, releasing Seth and dabbing at his eyes, too.
"We'll all stay with him. I'll order us something so he can eat when he wakes up," she says, going to the phone. Ryan's favorite meal is still circled on the menu when she picks it up. She watches Sandy and Seth walk side by side to the poolhouse.