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Chapter Five
Ryan sat propped up against the pillows on his bed, trying to focus on his Physics textbook. He had to fit in some urgent studying time before Kirsten's dinner party tonight if he had any chance of passing the test tomorrow. It was at times like this that he felt Lindsay's absence the most keenly. He'd enjoyed the times they'd studied together. So, maybe sometimes they didn't get a great deal of studying done, and making out had always been more preferable, but they had also worked well as lab partners. Now, with no partner at all, it felt to Ryan as though his workload had doubled in both amount and difficulty.
The early evening California sun began to cast an amber glow onto the glass walls of the pool house, warming the room inside and making him sleepy. He gave up the studying and threw the textbook across the bed. His eyelids felt heavy as he laid his head back on the pillow.
"Wakey wakey sleepyhead!"
Ryan groaned as Seth pulled the pillow from underneath him.
"Leave me alone Seth, I was just nodding off…"
"You can't sleep, not now. We've got to get ready for tonight. Mom wants some help in the house and I need your help to pick out an outfit that will make Summer want to drag me off to my room for sex…."
"Summer's coming tonight?"
"Yeah, I know Mom said it was a family thing but, well, she's practically family…. whereas Ryan, all your ex girlfriends actually are bona fide family members!"
Ryan rolled his eyes and put a pillow over his face. How long was he going to have to put up with this from Seth? Since yesterday, when the Cohens had discussed adopting him, all Ryan had heard was Seth teasing him mercilessly about how he had not only dated his 'soon to be step sister', but also his 'soon to be aunt' and would he now be moving on to the 'soon to be Jewish girl cousin' in New York?
"Have you finished now?" Ryan asked shortly.
"I'll be awaiting your presence in my closet just as soon as you are ready…"
Ryan sighed as he watched Seth leave the pool house. He really wasn't looking forward to tonight. It was typically sweet of Kirsten to want to do something like this for him and he understood her reasoning behind it but he kind of wished it could have been just the four of them celebrating with some Take Out. He knew if he had been emphatic enough, she would have abandoned the idea, but Ryan liked how Kirsten was when she was organizing a function like this. It was obvious she got a real kick out of it. It had put a spring back in her step that hadn't been there for a while. But why Caleb and Julie would want to attend a celebration in his honor was a mystery to him. He did suspect however, that Caleb would do anything, or at least appear to do anything at the moment in order to stay on his daughter's good side. Whilst Kirsten had taken Lindsay to her heart, Ryan saw glimpses, every now and then, of how angry she still felt towards her father; a sarcastic comment here, a clipped tone in a conversation there, and he was pretty sure that she was using emotional blackmail now to her advantage, to force him into accepting Ryan into the family. Ryan wished she would understand that it didn't matter to him one way or other if Caleb accepted him into the family, but Kirsten had a real thing about it and he had given up trying to persuade her otherwise.
Ryan breezed into the kitchen to find Kirsten busily arranging a huge bouquet of flowers into a vase. Caterers bustled in and out of the room, carrying boxes of food, cutlery and glassware.
"You look very smart Ryan," Kirsten smiled at him appreciatively.
Ryan raised his eyebrows at the sight of so much chaos.
"You did say it was a small dinner party right?" he looked at Kirsten doubtfully.
"Oh, well, yes Ryan, but, you know my dinner parties, I like everything to be perfect, and that means I avoid the preparation of food at all costs and focus on flower arranging…"
Ryan laughed, relaxing momentarily.
"Seth said you needed some help?"
"I just need the chairs carried through from the dining room to the family room, we're going to eat in there, it's more spacious…Where is Seth by the way?"
"Ah, you know him and heavy lifting," Ryan joked, "And after I've done the chairs?"
"That's all I need help with sweetie, the caterers will do the rest. Besides it's your party, you shouldn't really have to help."
Ryan transported the chairs quickly from one room to the other and then went in search of Seth.
"Aren't you ready yet Seth? They're going to be here any minute…"
Seth surveyed the mound of clothes now flung on to his bed.
"I can't decide what to wear…."
Ryan frowned in frustration and marched over to the bed, grabbed a blue shirt and a pair of smart slacks and thrust them into Seth's hands.
"I swear, you become more like a girl every day…here, a shirt and some pants, that's all you need! Now get dressed quickly!"
He picked up an armful of clothes and dumped them on a nearby chair before sprawling across the bed with the latest copy of Legion while he waited for Seth to finish getting ready.
He looked up anxiously at Seth.
"You won't leave me right?"
Seth looked confused.
"Leave you?"
"Alone. With Marissa." He gave Seth his best 'deer caught in the headlights' look.
Seth smirked.
"She won't bite you know…."
"I know, I know. It's just, now that you and Summer are back together it's kind of awkward for Marissa and me to be around you guys when you're…and we're not…."
Seth sighed as he saw his hope for some one-on-one time with a naked Summer disappear like a puff of smoke.
"I get it buddy, I won't leave you unattended. Although I hope you realize what I'm giving up…"
"I don't need to know that…"
"Right!"
"There's the bell. We'd better go…"
Ryan answered the door to the Cooper-Nichols. Julie kissed him pleasantly enough on the cheek but spoke to him through clenched teeth. "Congratulations Ryan. It's very nice to be here to celebrate with you…."
"Thanks…" he answered doubtfully. Marissa winked at him before throwing her willowy arms around him, pulling him into a hug.
"I'm so proud of you," she whispered.
"Thanks," he accepted, smiling ruefully," me too…"
As he broke apart from Marissa, Caleb approached him, hand outstretched. Ryan held out his own hand uncertainly.
"Ryan! Congratulations young man," he boomed, and then as he got closer, dropped his voice a little and added," I guess you're just lucky you didn't get caught huh?"
Ryan smiled tightly as his soon- to- be grandfather towered over him imposingly.
"Thank you Mr. Nichol. I can always rely on you to remind me exactly why Lindsay chose to go and live in Chicago…"
Caleb smirked as he watched Ryan march off angrily. The boy was becoming more and more insolent as he became more and more confident of his hold over his family. Well, he'd soon be wiping that cocky look off his face.
Half empty wine glasses, discarded bottles of beer and dirty plates lay strewn across the dining table. Remnants of candles flickered in the breeze from the open doors. Sandy and Caleb sat smoking cigars by the pool while Kirsten and Julie drank endless cups of coffee and poured over the draft copy of the first edition of "Newport Living". Seth and Ryan lay slouched in front of the TV screen offering sporadic tips to the girls as they battled against each other in Ninja Assault. Sideways glances to each other confirmed to them both that the sooner the girls gave up this pretence at enjoying video games and hauled themselves off to Seth's room to watch The Valley season one on DVD, the happier everyone would be.
Ryan got up and stretched.
"Anyone need another drink?" he asked, for want of something to do.
"Yeah, me, juice please…" Summer answered, not daring to look up from the screen.
"Me too," agreed Marissa, concentrating equally hard.
"Me three" yawned Seth, "and bring snacks…"
Ryan strolled past the dinner table and into the kitchen. Caleb and Sandy glanced up as he walked past them.
"Everyone OK in there kid?" Sandy asked. Ryan nodded.
"Yeah, just getting some drinks," he answered.
He headed towards the giant refrigerator and pulled open the heavy door. He stood for a moment perusing the contents. The icebox was always stocked to overflowing. Ryan couldn't ever remember a time when it had been near to empty. His Mom's refrigerator on the other hand would only be full if AJ was having a party and had stocked it with cheap beer. More often it would have nothing more in it than a near empty jar of mayo and a carton of day old milk. Ryan sighed and helped himself to four bottles of cranberry juice from the shelf. Holding two bottles in each hand, he kicked the door shut with his foot and turned to leave. Just in time to come face to face with Caleb.
Ryan swallowed nervously.
"Mr. Nichol," he nodded curtly as he attempted to bypass the figure that stood blocking his exit.
"Just a minute," Caleb reached out and grabbed Ryan's arm. "I'd like a word with you if I may…." Caleb's voice was icily civil.
Ryan looked down at his arm with Caleb's knuckles wrapped firmly round it, teeth clenched.
"Please take your hands off me," he warned.
"Not until you listen to what I have to say."
Ryan eyed Caleb coldly. The older man made no attempt to hide his contempt.
"You may think you've successfully hoodwinked my daughter and son in law, but you haven't fooled me. I know exactly what you're up to and I intend to do anything I can to protect my family from your little money grabbing scheme."
Ryan sucked at his lip but stayed silent.
"This adoption thing? It's not going to happen O.K? There's no way I'm going to let my hard earned fortune be squandered on a punk like you…."
Ryan spoke through gritted teeth.
"I don't want your money. I don't expect you to believe it but it's the truth. This is what Kirsten and Sandy want, it's what Seth wants. Don't you care what they want?"
Caleb snorted in disgust..
"So just what is it that you want Ryan, if as you profess so earnestly, that it's not money?"
Ryan looked hard at Caleb. He wasn't sure why he was even wasting his breath talking to this man.
"A family. That's what I want."
"But you have a family, a mother, a father, a brother…"
Ryan took a deep breath.
"I have a mother who can't take care of herself, let alone me, and a father and a brother in jail, likely to be in there a pretty long time…not much of a family…" he added bitterly.
Caleb smirked. Did this kid really expect him to feel sorry for him?
"Your mother may be a drunk, but do you really think she will allow this, give up her rights to you as her son so that some other woman can become your mother?"
"My mother loves me." Ryan whispered, his face twitching dangerously.
"If she loves you so much, how come she dumped you on my daughter?"
Ryan glared at his tormentor, his fists balled and ready.
"She knows I'm happy here. She'll want to do whatever it takes to make my life better than hers ever was…"
Caleb ignored him, refusing to acknowledge the warning signs the teenager was giving off and pressed on with his taunting.
"Unless of course you're in this together eh? She'll agree to the adoption in return for a nice fat reward when you reach twenty one and get your hands on that Trust Fund that Sandy and Kirsten will no doubt set up for you?"
Ryan swallowed, his body shaking, his mind in turmoil. He took some more deep breaths, desperately trying to hold himself together and prevent himself from decking Caleb there and then.
"Hey Ryan, where've you got to with those drinks man?" Caleb released Ryan's arm swiftly as they both swung round to see Seth breezing into the kitchen. "Oh hi Grandpa, I didn't realize you and Ryan were talking.." He looked between them uncertainly. Ryan rubbed at his arm as he moved past Caleb and picked up the drinks he'd abandoned earlier.
"Mr. Nichol," he nodded as he left. Seth looked at his grandfather quizzically and then followed Ryan out of the room.
Ryan handed the bottles of juice to the girls and slumped back down on the couch in between Seth and Marissa. Seth glanced sideways at Ryan.
"You alright man, you look kinda shaky…"
"I'm fine Seth," Ryan answered shortly.
"Are you sure because you don't look fine…" Seth continued.
"I said I'm fine," snapped Ryan warningly. Marissa and Summer looked at each other uneasily.
Seth knew better than to pursue it in front of the girls, but he was determined to get to the bottom of it later. Something had happened in the kitchen between Ryan and his grandfather and Seth was pretty certain it hadn't been a 'welcome to the family' chat.
"So Cal, " wheedled Julie as she sat removing her make up later that night, "I noticed you went off to have a little chat with Ryan earlier…"
"Mmm," Caleb acknowledged, as he perched on the edge of the bed, loosening his tie.
Julie stalked over to her husband and began rubbing his back. Caleb took a deep breath and relaxed as the tension of the evening began to dissipate.
"Mmm, that feels good Ju Ju…"
"So, what did you say to him?" pressed Julie. She had to be careful how she approached this. She needed Caleb to see her as the supportive wife and not as a woman panicking as she saw her own share in his inheritance dwindling rapidly.
"Oh, I just did my best to rattle him, warned him I wasn't going to allow this adoption to go through. If we're lucky he'll get scared and back out."
"And if he doesn't?" Julie queried.
"If he doesn't, then I have another option up my sleeve…"
Julie decided to leave it there. If there was one thing she could trust Cal to get right, it was persuading people they didn't really want to do the things they thought they did.
"So, you gonna tell me what went on between you and Grandpa tonight Ryan? And don't tell me nothing because dude, I've not seen you wound up so tight since the whole Theresa at the Wedding Shower incident of last year…."
Ryan sat on the bed and focused on unlacing his shoes. He didn't look up at Seth.
"Forget it Seth, it's not important…"
"Come on Ryan, what happened? You can tell me, I'm here for you…." Seth sat down in a chair and waited expectantly.
Ryan shrugged.
"Your Grandfather just likes to remind me every once in a while of what he thinks of me, that's all….and I guess your Mom's already told him about the whole adoption thing…"
"Ahhh, so he was congratulating you right?" Seth finished, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Yeah, right…" Ryan smiled. How well Seth knew Caleb.
"Look Ryan. Mom and Dad and I, we all know you're not after our money…… or Mom and Dad's money……I don't actually have any money now that I lost it all on hookers and gambling," he rambled, " and dude, we are the only people that matter. Just don't let him get to you."
"Maybe everyone will think the same as he does though…" Ryan worried.
"So what if they do, has what other people think ever really bothered you before?"
"No but…"
"Well, don't let it now. Forget Grandpa. He's full of hot air. He'll get over it…" Seth waved his hands dismissively.
"I'm not so sure…"
"Trust me, he will. Now come on, we can play one more game of Ninja assault now that the girls aren't here to hog the controllers…."
Sandy strolled into the family room, clad in his pajamas and dressing gown.
"Boys, I'm glad you're still up. I wanted to talk to you about something and I don't want the Kirsten to overhear…"
Ryan and Seth put down the game controllers and looked at Sandy expectantly. Was he about to give another one of his sex talks?
Sandy perched himself on the coffee table in front of them, rifling his hand through his hair.
"OK, you're both astute enough to have spotted that Kirsten and I haven't been getting along so well lately…" He glanced at them both for confirmation.
"We had noticed your bedroom door's not closed much these days…" Seth quipped. Ryan kicked him.
"Thanks Seth," Sandy acknowledged. "The thing is, I want us to have some alone time, some time to refocus on our marriage, get the old spark back, remember what it was that made us fall in love with each other…" he continued.
Seth squirmed uncomfortably.
"Yeah dad, we get the picture, so what is it you're going to do, just get to the point.."
Sandy laughed.
"OK, OK, I get the idea, too much information….well, listen guys, I'm taking Kirsten to Italy, for a five day break, at the weekend. Now it's a surprise at the moment so don't go saying anything…"
"You're going to Italy and we don't get to come?" whined Seth.
"When you've been married twenty years and you've cocked up your marriage as badly as I have recently, then you too can take your wife to Italy Seth…"
"I guess that's a no then…"
he muttered.
Ryan sat up, pulling his shirt straight.
"What do you want from us? " he asked.
Sandy turned to face him.
"For you both to take care of yourselves and the house while we're gone. Try not to burn it down and promise me you'll have no wild parties?" Sandy looked between them questioningly.
"We can do that can't we Seth?" Ryan glared at Seth who was still smarting from being left out of the trip and rubbing his leg ostentatiously from where Ryan had kicked him.
"Well, if you don't think you can manage it, then I'll have to pack you off to the Gruesome Twosome for the weekend and I didn't think either of you would want that…"
"Yeah Dad, of course, we'll be fine. I hope you and Mom have a really wonderful time…without me…." he trailed.
"Good, that's settled then, I'll tell your mom in the morning, give her some time to organize time off work and do all that shopping she'll no doubt need to do before we go…Oh, and Ryan, we'll have that meeting with Marlene on Friday, before I leave, so that we can get the whole adoption ball rolling as soon as possible. I'll call Dr Kim and let her know you won't be in school."
Ryan nodded.
tbc
