Chapter eleven: Celebration of life.
Ryan walked out of the room carrying Marissa in his arms. He had woken up an hour before, but didn't want to risk waking her up. He finally scooped up the sleeping girl, and carried her into the poolhouse, layed her on the bed, and walked quietly from the room.
Once he walked back into the house, Seth had woken up, and was making a bowl of cereal for Sarah. "Hey Ryan, is my mom ok?" Seth said shifting his attention from the little girl's food.
"Yeah, she didn't vomit, or roll around or anything, so she seems fine." Ryan said while comforting Seth, and picking up, and hugging Sarah.
"I'm just worried about her, I thought she would get better after the Eulogy thing, but she got worse."
"Well...imagine if you lost Summer, I don't know how, but play along. Summer is gone leaving you and your daughter alone...do you think you'd feel better the day after spilling your heart in front of entire church? You wouldn't."
Seth understood now " Well what can we do to help?" Seth asked sincerely
"I'm not sure a funeral will help things right now... maybe we could push it back a couple days. Can we do that?"
"Well yeah, but I have a scheduled flight back home after tomorrow." Seth said sadly
"Well if you have to go, you can go...but I'm gonna stick around...Kirsten needs somebody around right now."
"Then I'll stay too...I'm 4 issues ahead anyways." Seth said comforting Ryan.
"...I have an idea...maybe we could have a smaller funeral service, just us. Then instead of letting her become more depressed, I say we turn the backyard into like a celebration for Sandy."
"You want to have a party for my dead father...that's kinda rude man!" Seth said offended
"No, that's exactly what I mean. We're not gonna celebrate Sandy's death, we're going to celebrate his life. No frowns, or crying allowed, all smiles."
"Really, Ryan Atwood and smiles don't usually go together." Seth said with a smile.
"Yeah well, I want to help Kirsten feel better, and I think showing her how many people care about her and Sandy will help her feel better." Ryan said avoiding Seth's sarcastic remark.
"Well, I'll start makin some phone calls man, start spreading the good news!" Seth said running up the stairs.
"Ryan Atwood, you should be eligible for sainthood anyday now" Marissa said as she walked up, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. " You are amazing, taking care of Kirsen like this...Sandy would be proud." She said looking into his deep blue eyes.
"I hope so...I miss him alot." Ryan said looking down to the floor. Marissa lifted his head back up with her hand, she was so beautiful, it literally hurt him sometimes. His stomach quaked before her elegant beauty, he hated and loved that feeling at the same time.
" I thought you said all smiles?" She asked him in a playful tone.
"Well Seth said it best. Ryan Atwood and smiling don't exactly go together." Ryan responded.
"What if I make you smile" She asked as she kissed him lightly. They continued to kiss until Summer, and Sarah walked through the door.
"EWW...Uncle Ryan, and Aunt Marissa are kissing!" Sarah observed.
"Oh my god, she said EWW!" Summer said in delight causing Ryan, and Marissa to laugh.
(The next day)
Summer, Marissa, Ashley, and Kirsten, who had fully recovered, were driving around Newport, giving the boys time to set up the party.
"Ok girls, it's been an hour now, and I've seen that building five times now, can't we just go home?" Kirsten pleaded.
"No...the buildings up ahead have great architectural features." Summer explained.
"Yeah...but we've already seen those buildings four times." Kirsten said
"True...but we didn't get to see the sunset!" Ashley pleaded.
"Ok...but the sun has set fifteen minutes ago." Kirsten said sharply.
"Come on Cohen!" Summer whispered to herself.
"What was that Summer?" Kirsten questioned.
"Ummm...I hurt my colon..." That remark made all the other girls look back at summer. "What...I slipped on the steps, and hit the railing..." Summer said dodging the akward glances. A second later , her cell phone rang.
"Seth...what's the update?"
"The cat has eaten the fish..." Seth replied.
"What the hell does that mean?"
" The party is ready...god! didn't we go over the code."
"Seth...just be ready." Summer said hanging up the phone.
"Can we go home now?" Kirsten asked nicely.
"Yeah, the cat has eaten the fish." Summer said forgetting that no one else knew the code.
"But we don't have a cat?" Kirsten said.
A few minutes later the range rover full of ladies pulled up to the house. They led Kirsten around the house, to the giant mob of people who all jumped up and said "Suprise!"
Kirsten's eyes lit up as she saw all the decorations, and pictures of her and Sandy around the yard. This wasn't a "we're sorry for your loss" party, it was a " Your husband was a great man, and we're here to celebrate his life" party, and Kirsten smiled for the first time in days.
Ryan, and Seth stood up on the make-shift stage they had put together, and had a microphone in their hands. "Ok, settle down, settle down... hey dude, in the back. put the keg down!" Ryan said as everyone laughed at the man who was trying to run off with the beer.
"Welcome to our little party that we put together for the beautiful, and elegant Kirsten Cohen, and the man that changed my life, Sandford Cohen." Ryan explained as the crowd clapped for the Cohens. "Now anyone that knew Sandy knows what a great person he was. He was a great man, and his presence is greatly missed." Ryan said.
"Since a few days ago was my father's eulogy, me and my brother Ryan here wanted to help ease the pain of loss. So we decided not to dwell on how Sandy died, but to remember how he lived. Tonight is a night that we remember a great man, that was taken too soon. Family, and friends tonight we honor Sandford Ezeikiel Cohen!" Seth said as the crowd exploded with cheers,and applause. As the boys walked off stage, Kirsten ran over, and hugged them both.
"Thank you so much boys!" Kirsten said while wiping away a few tears of joy. Seth, and Kirsten talked as Ryan walked over to Marissa, who had a few tears in her eyes.
"Hey! I said no tears!" Ryan said wiping away her tears. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing...I just wish I had kept in touch with my family more...what you said was beautiful...it really was." Marissa said while kissing him on the cheek.
"Hey, I have a suprise for you." Ryan said, covering her eyes, and leading her into the house. He stopped in the living room, and uncovered her eyes, and she saw him.
"Oh my god...DAD!" She said running to her father who had the biggest smile on his face.
"Hey kiddo!...you look so beautiful." Jimmy said accepting the giant hug she embraced him with. Ryan just stood back, watching her smile, seeing her so happy made him feel incredible.
"I thought you weren't coming!" she said as she continued to hug him
" I wanted to suprise you...I figured it would make you happier." He said enjoying the moment with his daughter. He soon walked over to Ryan, who shook his hand. "Thanks Ryan." Jimmy said with genuine respect for him.
" I think I know someone who would like to see you." Ryan said pointing out the door.
"Yeah...I'll be back in a minute."
Jimmy left the two of them alone, Marissa with a sweet smile on her face.
"So...did I do good?" Ryan asked
"God I love you...you're too good to me."
"No, any guy would do it to be with you." He replied. She kissed him deeply, and smiled at him, she loved him more than words could ever say.
Back outside, Jimmy walked up to Kirsten, who was looking the other way. "Hey, aren't you a little young to be drinking?" Jimmy asked playfully. Kirsten turned around and saw him, all she could say was..."Jimmy!"
