"A woman who'll wait for the third time around, head in the clouds, feet on the ground
She's girl he's glad he's found, she's his shipoopi."
---Shipoopi, The Music Man
The next morning Summer sat in her bed putting on her shoes while she listened, thanks to Kristi's phone, to the Springfield gang while they were on their way into New York City.
"How far away is Redbank, New Jersey?" she heard Jackson asked
"You're not going!" Ms. Casey exclaimed
"Why you got family there?" A man who she guessed was their tour guide asked
"A famous comic book and movie guy was born there and he's not going!" Casey told him
"You came all the way to New York just to get a comic book?" the tour guide asked
"He's not going!" Casey exclaimed again
"Sounds like you're having fun." Summer laughed
"It's been fun so far." Kristi agreed
"I wish I could be there. "
"No you don't."
"No, I really don't."
"So, how's Newport?"
"It's really great."
"Yeah? What do you have planned for today?"
"Well Seth is going to take me out on his boat for a while and then we're going to hang out on the beach for a while before hitting a party."
"A whole day with Seth and your first Newport party of the year, you must be so excited."
"I really am."
That afternoon Summer laid on the deck of the Summer Breeze while Seth sat next to her.
"This is wonderful." she whispered
"Yeah?" Seth asked
"Yeah. You and me, being back home again. It is so amazingly wonderful."
"I'm glad you think so."
Summer sat up and pulled her knees to her chest.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Anything."
"Do you think that you could ever hate me?"
"No. Why would you even ask something like that?"
"Just curious. That's all." She told him leaning in for a kiss.
That evening Summer stood in Holly's kitchen leaning up against her countertop, talking to Becca on the phone while Seth got her something to drink.
"So what did you guys do today?"
"Well, we went to the empire state building and I took a butt load of pictures."
"A butt load?" Summer asked laughing, "How much is a butt load?"
"Like ten. Anyway, then we separated into groups and my group went to China town and did some more shopping. I got two I Love New York shirts and some post cards, oooh and a picture of Audrey Hepborn and cat from Breakfast at Tiffanies."
"I love Breakfast at Tiffanies."
"Same here! "
"Is that Summer you're talking to?" She heard Wasman say in the background
"Hold on a minute Sum." Becca told her, "Yeah it is."
"Let me talk to her."
"Summer, Wasman wants to talk to you."
"Hey Summer." He said getting on the line
"Hey Wazzie. How's it going?"
"It's going great. You'll never guess who I met today."
"Is it someone famous?"
"Uh-huh."
"Oooh, is it Grady Bridges?" She said joking.
"Who?"
"From The Valley."
"Oh god no."
"Then who was it?"
"The ex-Mr. Madonna himself."
Summer took a minute to catch her breath and then finally asked, "You met Sean Penn?"
"Yep." Wasman told her very excitedly
"You've got to tell me this whole story."
"Okay, you see Jackson, Jeremy, Straus, and I were on a fedora hunt with Ms. Cox and I was just walking down the street and I bump into this guy and when I turned around to apologize I sees that the guy is none other than Oscar © Winner Sean Penn. And you want to know an interesting fact about Sean Penn? He's a fast walker. He walks as fast as I do, which is hard to do."
"I know it." Summer laughed as Seth handed her a cup of water.
"What's going on?" Seth whispered
"Wasman met Sean Penn."
"Really?"
"Mmmhhm." She said and then began talking to Wasman again, "So did you get any pictures of him?"
"I got the back of his head when he was walking away."
"The back of his head? That's sorta cheep if you..." She started to say and was then surprised by an arm being wrapped around her waist.
"My god!" She exclaimed turning around to come face to face with Luke, "Wasman I've got to go okay?"
"Sure."
"Tell Kristi I'll talk to her tomorrow."
"Okay."
"Bye."
Summer hung up her phone and then playfully hit Luke on the arm.
"You scared the crap out of me!" she told him
"Sorry. So, how have you been?"
"Good. I've been good."
"Good. You here with Seth?"
"Yeah I am." she said taking a hold of his hand.
"This is an interesting turn of events."
Shortly after midnight Seth and Summer headed out of Holly's house towards the Range Rover.
"So, you think your dad's going to be too mad when you get home?" Seth asked as he unlocked the doors
"I think he might be a little surprised considering I called him earlier and told him that I'm sleeping over at Marissa's."
"Really. So, as of now you don't really have a place to stay."
"That's right."
"Well, it would only be right if I asked you to stay with me."
"And it would only be right if I accepted your offer."
A few hours later Summer slowly slipped out of bed and slid on a pair of Seth's pajama bottoms that were lying on the floor and grabbed a tee shirt that was lying on his dresser. She then pulled her phone out of her purse which was lying on the chair and then quietly slipped out into the hall.
She hit home on her speed dial and waited for Meg to pick up.
"Hello?" She asked sleepily.
"Hey Meg." Summer whispered
"Summer. Hi. What are you doing up?"
"Couldn't sleep. I figured it would be about time for Sam's late night feeding pretty soon so you'd be up. So how is she doing?"
"She misses her mommy"
"Ooh, poor sweetie. Is she awake?"
"Yeah. She's right here."
"Can I talk to her?"
"Sure." Meg said and then put the phone up to Sam's ear.
"Hi honey, its momma. Hi. I really miss you. Know what? Daddy's here with me..."
That morning Summer laid in Seth's bed with her face in the pillow trying to get a few more minutes of sleep when Seth walked in and crawled up next to her.
"Morning sleepy head." He whispered
"Mmmm." Summer moaned rolling over onto her back.
"You think you might want to come down stairs for lunch?" he asked pushing a strand of hair out of her face.
"Lunch? What time is it?" She asked sitting up
"It's almost noon. And before you flip out Marissa already called your dad around nine and asked him if it would be okay if you stayed longer to help out with the rehearsal dinner tonight."
"Well don't you just have everything planned out, don't you?" She smiled
That evening Summer stood by the pool talking to various Noopsies.
"So, Summer have you decided where you're going to be going to school?" one asked
"Well, I was planning on going to Stanford, but now I'm leaning more towards Berkley." she said trying to sending 'help-me' looks to Ryan who was standing on the other side of the pool.
"Berkley is a terrific school." Another one said while the rest shook their head in agreement
"Hello ladies." Ryan said coming up behind them.
"Hello Ryan." the first Noopsie said as turning your head
"I'm sorry but going to need to steal Summer away."
"Sorry you guys." Summer said trying to sound sincere
"So you might be going to Berkley?" Ryan asked and they headed towards the pool house.
"That's what I'm thinking. "she said as they walked in
"This wouldn't have anything to do with a certain father of your child going there would it? "Ryan asked as he shut the door behind them
"That has something to do with it." she said sitting down on the bed
"What's going on?" Marissa asked coming out of the bathroom with Cohen
"Chino here just totally saved me from being driven insane by a group of Noopsies."
"It's was nothing." Ryan said rolling his eyes
Marissa sat down next to Summer and laid Cohen in between.
"She's gotten so big." Summer said as she started stroking Cohen's head.
Outside the speakers started playing Little Digger by Liz Phair. And everyone looked down at Cohen, not noticing that Seth had came into the room
"Does she make you think of Sam?" Ryan asked taking a seat on the floor
"So much." Summer sighed.
"You miss her?" he asked
"Of course I do. She's my daughter."
"Excuse me." Seth finally said, "What's going on?"
