"You've been working like a maniac. Take some time off, slow down. Enjoy the fact that you're gonna have another kid. I can handle this for a while." Ryan straightened some papers as Kiersten tried to do a million things at once. She wrote a note for someone and she stapled a stack of papers together and signed a few approval documents for the builders on Anna's boutique.
"I can handle this, this isn't so much. Of course I can." Sandy knocked on the door.
"Kiersten, we need to go. We've gotta get Seth at the airport, remember?"
"I'll be right with you Sandy. If only I could find that stupid---" She searched eagerly.
"Looking for this?" Ryan held up a plain manila folder. She took it and glanced through the papers.
"Yes." She rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Maybe you could use a breather." Sandy concurred. Ryan smiled.
"But I have a business to run, I can't just---" She began fussing again.
"You can't just leave it in the capable hands of our son for a while? The son you trained to be good?" Sandy replied. She stopped and looked up. Again she heaved a sigh.
"I suppose, maybe just until the baby is born." She conceded.
"Are we going anytime soon, or should I look for a nice hotel near here?" Abby popped her head around the corner.
"We're going all right---just let me get my coat." Kiersten grabbed her blazer off the chair and they all headed out to the car. Ryan, satisfied just stifled a laugh.
"So, how are you sweetie? I feel like in all the rush I haven't really gotten a chance to talk to you lately. With graduation tomorrow and work everyday it's been kind of hectic. How are you feeling about breaking up with David?"
"We'll it's been kinda hard I mean, I'm so used to him being around that it's weird him not being there. It was my decision though, so I have to stick by it."
"Well you know--- there was a time when your father and I were separated too."
"Really---this I WANT to hear."
"It was the summer of love. We were sure we'd be in it forever. We couldn't have been different, but we were happy together. He was so carefree with his hippy-surfer attitude and little old me a stuffy rich girl. I craved excitement and Sandy we pretty exciting. One evening while we were laying---well, while we were talking under the stars I decided that I wanted to settle down with someone my own speed, someone who wasn't a risk, someone solid and more well off. So I broke it off with him." Kiersten looked at Sandy, he continued.
"Yeah, she did. I was pretty heartbroken and for several months she didn't talk to me. I think it was almost six in fact." He glanced at her and back at the road.
"I dated all those solid types, lawyers and accountants and sons of my father's friends. When it came down to it, nobody compared. They just weren't right."
"And she came running back to me." Sandy chortled.
"And now look were I am. Things turned out good for me. You never know what you have coming up in your life. Things could change and he could be back in your life again." She smiled and reached back to touch her daughters leg in support.
"I don't see it happening, but sure." Abby sighed and stared out the window again. They reached the airport just in time. She spotted Seth coming into the parking lot as they pulled in. Michaela was with him. Oh, God. This did not make her happy. Seth opened the back door eager to see Abby.
"Hey Abs, how are you, Graduate! You're growing up so fast!" He smiled. She kind of smiled but glared fixed at Michaela. Over the last month she'd had a growing dislike for Michaela. Seth had made them talk a few times, she wasn't his type. Abby was sure of that.
"I see you brought Michaela." Kiersten got out and greeted her. "It's nice to meet you." She smiled and shook her hand.
"It's cool to meet you. I've heard a lot about you." She smiled a bit. Wearing her Goth get-up, it looked funny.
"I'm not sure we have enough room, we didn't expect another passenger." Kiersten looked confused. Abby scooted over to the door and leaned out.
"I've got twenty bucks; you can probably catch a cab there." She offered sarcastically.
"No, you can all squish in the back." Kiersten snarled at Abby who glared back. She scooted all the way over to the other side of the car and Seth got in the center while Michaela squeezed in the right and shut the door. Sandy slammed the trunk and started the car.
"There will be no room for the car seat if we have this many people all the time." She said slyly.
"We don't have a car seat, Abs. What are you talking---wait! Mom, are you?" Seth began. Sandy glared at Abby in the mirror. "Holy Fizzoli, are you pregnant again? Go Dad!" He put his hand up for a high five but it was not reciprocated. He lowered it slowly.
"I was gonna tell you some other way, but since Abby stated it so blatantly, yes I am."
"That's cool. Do you know what it is?"
"I'm only 3 months along. I haven't gone in for a check-up yet. I have no idea."
"I miss all this excitement when I am away. Good grief." He smiled and laced his fingers through Michaela's. Abby felt like a sardine squished into a tiny little metal can. She didn't want to be a sardine, especially with Michaela.
"Do you really think I can have this baby?" Kiersten sipped her red non-alcoholic wine and leaned into Sandy's arms.
"Yes. I think you are a capable woman, you can do whatever you put your mind to." He kissed the crown of her head and took another drink from his glass.
"You don't think I'm too old? I mean there are risks, are we ready to raise another kid again, Sandy? You remember our others right, they were not easy." She spoke softly as she laid her head against his shoulder.
"You're letting Abby get to your head, you'll be fine." She smiled and rubbed his hand down the length of her shoulder and arm.
Abby came bounding down the stairs. "Does Michaela REALLY have to stay in my room? That is so not fair. Come on, can't we give her the sofa?" She stood in front of her parents. Kiersten heaved a sigh and sat up, the joys of parenting.
"Yes, Michaela needs to use your room. She's our guest."
"But we have the pool house, and it's so nice after we redid it."
"What do you have against her?" Seth entered the room annoyed.
"I just don't like her okay. Got it? She's not right for you. You are just lonely and she's there. You don't actually like her, I can tell. You couldn't ever, she's too different. I just don't like her and I don't approve of you liking her. You need to choose whether she means enough to you to lose your sister. This is my weekend, I want to handle this maturely but I can't. She sleeps in the pool house." Abby stormed out the back door.
Listening, Michaela flattened herself against the wall and sighed
"Now all you have to do is look over these blueprints and see if it looks like everything is drawn right to you. Make sure all the dimensions are right and then we can set up a meeting with the interior decorator to see what you want the inside to look like." Ryan placed the papers on the counter.
"This is really happening, isn't it?" Anna smiled brightly.
"Yes it is." Ryan replied locking eyes with her. She was so happy, it made him happy too. He pulled her into a kiss and wrapped his arms tightly around her. He opened his eyes for a moment during the kiss and noticed Modern Bride Magazine lying out on the counter.
Seth pushed the cart along the deli counter glancing at the meat and vegetable platters that they had out for graduation. Kiersten had sent him out to the store because she'd apparently forgotten everything for tomorrow's party. He picked up a few large platters and decided to take the shortcut to get to the napkins and what not. He took a left down aisle two, the "hygiene" aisle. He was virtually alone, so he felt it would be fine to briefly enter the forbidden territory. He strode on toward his goal at top speed, standing on the cart and coasting. Just then he saw a cart round the corner and there was nothing he could do to stop the eminent collision. He jumped off and shook at the concussion. Several things fell out of the oncoming cart and he bent down to pick them up. "I'm so sorry; I really thought I was alone. I was on a bit of a cart-surfing roll there and---" He looked up.
"Its fine, Cohen." She smiled.
"Summer! How have you been?" He dropped her things in her cart and embraced her.
"I've been good Cohen. I've been going to Cosmo School out her for 2 years now." She smiled and nodded her head. Seth blinked unsure of what to say. God, she looked gorgeous. Her face was so much for distinct and slender now, that many years will do that to a person though. Her hair was highlighted with auburn tints and her makeup was flawless as usual. Something was different though. She actually seemed genuinely happy. Not fake artificial happy, but content and excited. He hoped it was because she had run into him, literally.
"Yeah, yeah we'll I've been out at NYU doing the whole photography and English thing. It's been good." He nodded as well. She glanced into his cart.
"Are you back for your sister's graduation?" She asked.
"How could you have guessed?" He laughed.
"I got an invite a month or so ago, figured it'd be nice to come and wish her well. Thought maybe I might see you there, we could ya'know catch up on the old days." She beamed and flipped her hair behind her shoulder.
"Yeah, that'd be cool. Grab a cup of coffee or something. I hear a new juice bar opened up just a bit ago, we could check that out."
"Yeah, I've wanted to do that." She replied. There was a tension in the air that brought back memories from three summers ago.
"It helps to have a sister here, she knows all." He smiled. "Well, I should get going. See you tomorrow at the ceremony?"
"Yeah, see you then Cohen."
"Enjoy your shopping." He smiled and rounded the corner to choose napkins. He considered the choices. Pink was cute, but probably a little too My Little Pony-ish. He thought about green but it was an ugly shade. White was clichéd, so were black and brown. He decided on a sky blue, at first he thought it wouldn't look good but it did. It reminded him of Summer's eyes. He felt a tingle inside as he pictured her face again, so different yet so familiar and beautiful.