Chapter 4

Summer Breeze

The sheets of the hospital bed felt cool to my body.

"Cohen," my voice was soft, almost inaudible. I wasn't afraid Seth had left my side. I was afraid he had been taken from my side. He was quick to grab my hand. A male doctor of about middle age had taken x-rays and he confirmed that one of my ribs was broken. All he could do was prescribe medication that would ease the pain. He told me I needed to drastically limit my movement until I healed. Now they were just waiting until my temperature, of 103.6, went down before releasing me. The door creaked open and my doctor walked in with a smile.

I tugged at my hospital gown. I was too self conscious of the discolored bruises on my body to care that I had to let go of Seth's hand to do so. Marissa and Ryan were sitting in a chair a few feet away from me. Neither one of them had said much.

"Let's see if your temperature has gone down," Dr. Ubdella said sticking a thermometer under my tongue. I prayed that it had. I wanted to leave. Hospitals were never my thing. It made things worse to me after I witnessed my step mom take her final breath of life in this very place.

"How is it Doc?" Ryan asked Dr. Ubdella who shook out the thermometer.

"Well," he said, "It's still technically a little too high to let us let her go yet."

"Please," I moaned. "I just want to go home. I feel a lot better." By home I meant home with Marissa. There was no way I was going to go back to my house. No way could I ever go back. My father would be ten times more dangerous with a gun if he actually loaded it with bullets. Dr. Ubdella pat my head.

"I know the feeling," he said. "I'm sure you're anxious to get home and explain to your parents how this happened." I said I had been attacked by a dog. He seemed to buy it with little skepticism. All I could do was nod.

"Thanks a lot Doctor," Seth said getting up to shake his hand. I felt my cheeks blush. I didn't understand how Seth could still make me feel like it was the first time he had kissed me or the first time he had brushed up against me. I liked it.

"No problem. Make sure you keep her safe," Dr. Ubdella winked at me before turning out of the room.

"Here Sum. Need some help?" Marissa asked handing me my clothes. I nodded my head and she helped me out of bed.

"So how are you feeling really?" Marissa asked sitting on the counter of the tiny bathroom in the hospital room. I used her to balance myself as I eased into my clothes.

"Sore," I said.

"I'm really sorry Summer," Marissa moved hair away from my eyes.

"It's not your fault Coop," I said as she helped me bring my head through the hole of my long sleeve shirt. "It's mine."

"Don't ever think that Summer. It's not your fault. Sometimes…I just wish you would let us help you," she said.

"I let you bring me here didn't I?" I smiled sarcastically. Marissa managed a small smile back.

"Let's just try to enjoy our weekend," I winced slightly as I went to tie up my hair. Marissa jumped up to do it.

"What do you think they talk about when we're not around?" she asked nodding to the closed door.

"One can only wonder," I giggled getting a mental picture in my head of Seth and Ryan talking about The Valley and Captain Oats. Marissa opened the door.

"Ready?" Ryan asked. I nodded.

"You look beautiful Summer," Seth said modestly taking my hand as we left the hospital.

"Stop lying to me Cohen!" I laughed at myself because I felt color flood my cheeks as Seth had said it. I wondered if I made him feel like this sometimes.

"Have I ever lied to you Summer Roberts?" he asked snaking his arms around my waist and kissing my ear. We climbed into the car and started to head away from the hospital. I felt at ease again. Marissa sat up front with Ryan and they had already managed to weave their fingers together. I rested my head on Seth's shoulder and sighed. I could only hide out at Marissa for so long until he came back.

"Where are we going?" I asked. We weren't going in the direction of Marissa's house.

"Well Seth and I figured hey you're out of the hospital and Seth and I will probably be grounded for life when we get home so why not go to the beach," Ryan said taking the keys out of the ignition. Marissa and I both giggled.

"So that's the kind of plans you guys cook up when were not around," Marissa said putting her arms around Ryan's neck.

"What can we say?" Seth asked. "If your mom hadn't married Caleb Nichol then Ryan and I would be the gruesome twosome of the town."

"Guess we'll just have to settle for second best," Ryan said. The sand felt good to walk in again. It had been a while since I had been down here. The moon was full and high in the sky and the beach was pretty empty. It was a rare and perfect moment. Seth brought me into his arms and I rested my head on his chest. I had always loved how I seemed to fit so perfectly in his arms. Seth rested his chin on the top of my head and I inhaled his familiar scent. This is where I wanted to spend the rest of my life. In my teddy bears arms.

Ryan and Marissa had decided they were going to get into a tickling match so Seth and I watched off to the side laughing at our goofy friends. Ryan fell over dramatically in the sand, Marissa loosing her footing and falling right on top of him. They sat in the sand laughing hysterically. Seth sat down next to Ryan on the sand and brought me into his lap. Ryan pulled Marissa down on top on his lap. Together we sat quietly watching the moons light reflect off of the ocean.

"So how are you really feeling Summer?" Ryan asked.

"Sore," I gave him the same response I had given Marissa.

"Any chance I'm going to get anything else out of you?" he asked.

"Don't prod," Marissa scolded tugging at Ryan's ear.

"I'm scared," I said.

"You're really brave Summer," Marissa said. "I would have never lasted this long."

"Duh, you're a girly girl Coop," I said.

"Oh please! And your not?" Marissa asked. I smiled.

"Are you scared when he…you know…when he hits you?" Ryan asked gently. I forced a lump of tears down my throat.

"Yes," I said quietly. "I feel safe with you guys." Seth patted my back rhythmically and sighed.

"I know you guys want me to tell someone. Anyone. Go to the police or to Sandy…but I just can't," I said addressing what I knew Seth was going to say next.

"They'd throw him in jail," Marissa said.

"Yeah and then what?" I asked. "I can't hide at your house forever Coop. They'd want to put me with another family member. But to me…you guys are my only family." Everyone grew quiet. Seth stroked my hair absentmindedly. I took a breath of salty air.

"Let's not think that far ahead," Ryan suggested. "Let's just think in the here and now."

"Okay, what's for dinner?" Seth asked.

"Cohen!" I cried. But before I could get a sarcastic remark back Seth pressed a kiss to my lips.

"You taste salty," he commented after pulling away. "Like a summer breeze." I smiled and nuzzled into Seth as he picked me up off of the sand. Ryan followed with Marissa in his arms. Seth named his little boat after me. Summer Breeze. He was so sweet. He hadn't even met me when he had done it either.

"Promise you'll always be here," I whispered.

"I promise. Will you promise me something?" Seth whispered back.

"Anything," I said.

"Will you be my little Summer breeze forever?" he kissed the top of my head. It was moments like these that when tears would spring to my eyes. What had I done to deserve Seth? What had I done to deserve this wonderful person that held me tightly? I took in another lung full of sea air.

"Forever," I promised.