Chapter 8

The Dinner

Marissa glanced at her reflection in the mirror for like the thousandth time and pulled a face. Her dress seemed far too simple. It was a straight-cut black chanel that was flattering, but in Marissa's opinion, dull. She checked her hair was in tight enough and wasn't planning to fall down anytime soon. It was up in a delicate chignon with wispy pieces of dark blonde framing her face. Ryan was doing his tie up in the other wardrobe mirror and seemed to be paying no attention whatsoever to his wife.

"Hey," she said softly, "What do you think of this dress?" Ryan turned and looked at her.

"Fine…" he started but then caught the look in his wife's eyes. He could read her like a book. "For Gods sake Riss, if you don't like it then why wear it?"

"Because it's sophisticated and simple," she said defensively, although she didn't know why exactly she was defending the dress. She hated it.

Ryan smiled at her, "Hey, you don't have to sacrifice your sense of fashion for the sake of me getting this deal you know, they'll love you anyway." Ryan was referring to the fact that the Atwood's were hosting a dinner for some very high-ups in the world of American Architecture. If he won this deal, he would be designing the renovation of an old but extremely large building in New York. He could design the place from home after a couple of weeks up there checking out what needed renovating, and then he could return there to oversee the building work. He'd be gone a couple of months tops and the money was good. Although Marissa hated the idea of losing Ryan to New York, she was relishing in the idea of going up there with the kids and indulging in a little shopping. A little? Hell, a lot!

"But…" she started to protest, but Ryan shushed her with a kiss on the lips.

"But nothing. I want you to wear something that makes you comfortable. I want you to be yourself, okay."

Marissa nodded slowly and turned back to her wardrobe. She pulled out a three-quarter length pink dress that Ryan had bought her a week ago in the interest of attending yet another Newport party in it. She thought it might just be better suited to this occasion.

"Mommy!" a little voice yelled just as soon as she had pulled the soft pink silk over her head. "Auntie Summer's here!"

Ryan and Marissa shared a slightly worried glance. "At least she's early," Marissa said shrugging. Then, as Ryan's face continued to be a worried mask she put her hand on his shoulder and said, "Don't worry Ryan, she'll be gone a long time before Seth gets here." Ryan nodded slowly and finally smiled. A little blonde head popped up behind the door, a big cheesy grin accompanied a set of big blue eyes.

"Mommy, I said…" the little boy started. Marissa nodded firmly.

"Yeah Jack, I heard," Marissa said softly. "Do you want to be a big boy and open the door?"

The five-year-olds eyes lit up. "Can I?"

"Uh-huh. Go ahead, and tell Auntie Summer I'll be down in a minute."


Summer pressed the doorbell again. She would usually barge straight in, but with Seth in town she never knew when he might just pop up. It had been a day since their exchange in the café, and they hadn't seen each other since. Summer's lawyers had informed her that the divorce papers would be through in the post any day now.

Finally the door creaked open to reveal Summer's godchild Jack.

"Hey there cherub," she greeted warmly.

"Hi auntie Summer," he greeted cheekily. Summer bent down and pinched his cheek softly.

"Where are Lori and Nate?" Summer asked.

"In the lounge with Mia." Mia was the Atwood's maid, and a glorified nanny. Thank God she was the kind of person who loved children. Summer followed little Jack through to the lounge and saw her other two godchildren, two year-old Lori and eleven month old Nate.

"Auwnie Suwwer!" Lori greeted with her two-year-olds charm. Little Nate smiled broadly and managed a gurgle.

"Hey little ones," she greeted. She went and sat down beside an exhausted looking Mia.

"Hi Mia. Your shift nearly over?"

"Thank God yes. I love the little angels but they're enough to run you ragged! I'll be happy to hand them over to you."

It was true; Summer was taking the kids back to her house tonight while Ryan had his big important deal clincher. Lori came over and sat on Summer's knee, leaning her blonde head on Summer's chest. Summer's heart swelled with love for the little girl. One day, she decided, she and Dominic would have a child.

Marissa appeared at the door to the lounge, a vision in fuchsia.

"Summer," she greeted warmly, walking over to hug her best friend. "You sure you're okay with this?" she asked nervously. Summer frowned up at Marissa and nodded firmly.

"Sure, I've had the kids loads of times," she insisted. Marissa shook her head.

"No, no I mean about Seth?"

"Seth? What's he got to do with the price of Manolo's?"

Marissa's hand shot up to her mouth and her eyes widened. "Oh God, I didn't tell you did I?

Summer's eyes narrowed, "Tell me what Marissa?"

"Um, well it's Ryan's night so he wanted to invite a friend and he said I could invite one and I wanted to invite you but with Ryan's choice I didn't think you would… accept." Marissa struggled.

"Ryan invited Seth?" Summer asked, trying to clarify.

"Well, he is his best friend and, you know, they're practically brothers so…"

"Right"

"You're mad aren't you?"

"I'm not mad," Summer said harshly. Marissa sighed.

"I know you're mad Sum."

"I'm not mad Coop. I'm furious, but I guess I see where you're coming from. I mean, it's been what? Two days since Seth got here and already he's getting a higher priority than me, right? But yeah, I 'm cool with that."

Marissa stared at her friend dejectedly. "I knew you were mad," she said quietly. Summer giggled a little but quickly composed herself. "But Summer, he's not taking priority over you. You know that if it was my party you'd be the one invited."

"I guess. It's a little unfair on you two that you have to play choosie's though. I'm sorry that mine and Seth's screwed up relationship is creating havoc on your seating arrangement."

Both girls laughed until they heard the door open. Suddenly they were deathly silent.

"Hey, nice place you've got here," a horribly familiar voice yelled. "Very swish. Hey, you guys here?"

"Seth," they both said at once, as he appeared by the lounge door.

"Wow, look at the sprogs…" he tailed off as he saw Summer sat on the couch, a tired Lori still snuggling into her. "Summer," he said monotonously.

"Seth," Summer replied, just as flat.

Marissa stood up. "Hey Seth, I'll just go see if Ryan's ready," she said. Summer shot her a look that said clearly don't you dare leave me here. Marissa shrugged apologetically.

"So…" Seth started, siting down next to Jack.

"Um, Mia, can you give me the recipe for that yummy hot chocolate? I'll do the kids it before they go to bed," Summer cut in quickly. She wanted anything to avoid another confrontation with Seth.

Mia nodded and headed into the kitchen with Nate attatched to her hip. Summer followed, leaving Lori and Jack with Seth.

"Hey guys," he said with discomfort.

Summer smirked to herself as Mia started writing the recpe on a pad of paper.

Line

"Oo arr yoo?" the little blonde girl asked Seth. Seth grinned down at her. It kind of broke his heart that his own godchildren didn't know wo he was, but hey, he'd missed a lot.

"I'm your Uncle Seth."

"My Oncle?"

"Yeah, he's Auntie Summer's husband," little Jack said knowledgably. Seth coughed.

"What?"

"Auwnie Suwwer? Ow do oo know 'at?" Lori went on, like Seth hadn't nearly had a coronary on the floor.

"Because," Jack went on, with all the worldly wisdom of a five-year-old, "I heard Auntie Summer and Mommy talking about how he broke her heart."

"What?" Seth repeated, feeling something close to complete and utter shame.

"Why did oo bweak her hawt?" Lori asked, gazing up at him with childish curiosity.

"I… I didn't mean to," he said lamely.

"Was it an accident?" Nick asked. Seth mused that he had never met such a bossy interrogater in his life.

"Um… not exactly," Seth said, sweat beginning to pour.

"Weww, if it wor an assiden 'en oo should jus' say oo're 'orry," Lori instructed.

"He said it wasn't an accident. Well, if it wasn't an accident what was it?"

"A…a misunderstanding. She sent me a letter and I guess I thought she meant it. Now, I'm not so sure."

"Whats a misunderstanding?" Jack asked.

"Um, its when something is misinterpreted."

Both kids looked up at him blankly. He couldn't help but laugh.

"Now kids," Mia reappeared in the kitchen doorway. "I want you to go get you're bags from you're bedrooms and say goodnight to Mommy and Daddy, ok?"

"Yes Mia," Jack said, before zooming off upstairs.

"Wes Meeyah," Lori repeated, and waddled off.

"Cute kids," Seth commented as Mia pulled the strap on a bag Seth assumed belonged to the babies.

"Adorable," Mia smiled.

"Um, where's Summer?" Seth asked. He wanted to ask her, he was going to ask her if she had meant what she had said – in the letter and the text.

"Still in the kitchen," Mia said flatly. Seth thanked her and headed in.

Summer was stood leaning over the counter, staring at a scrap of paper.

"Trying to avoid me huh?" he asked softly. Summer whipped around and knocked the paper onto the morrocan tiled floor. "Hey, let me get that," he said, indicating to the paper.

"I'm not an invalid Cohen, I can get it myself," she snapped. They both seemed to realise at once what she had said. She had called him Cohen. They stood in an awkward silence for a while.

"Is there any particular reason you're here Seth?" she asked, the venom barely disguised in her voice.

"Um, yeah actually. There kind of is."

"Well, I suggest you go on and tell me before I…" she trailed off, she obviously hadn't thought her comment through.

"Get a rage blackout?"

"Not funny Co…Seth. Do you want to tell me whatever pathetic reason it is that you're in here then?"

"Did you mean it?"

Summer's eyes snapped up. "Mean what?"

"What you said?"

"About the divorce you mean? Hell yeah. Its obvious that you think I'm a… what was it again, oh yeah… 'a heartless bitch', so why the hell would you want to stay married to me? No, wait, strike that. You're a heartless bee-yatch, so I guess the real question here is why would I want to stay married to you? Wait, what was that? Oh yeah, I don't!"

Seth's shoulders sagged. "I'm not talking about yesterday, I'm talking about…"

"You know what Seth?" Summer snapped, tears beginning to form in her dark, dark eyes. "I don't want to her what you have to say to me. I really couldn't care less. We, as in you and me, are done. So I'm ging to get the kids and get the hell out of here. And to save any possible confusion, I can tell you that if what I said was bad – as in, 'you're a jackass Seth' – then yeah, I did mean it."

Seth watched in amazement as Summer stormed out of the kitchen. He rested his head on top of the counter and fought back tears. She was pushing him away again.


AN: Okay, just need to get this off my chest. I may have confused some people in my AN last chappie so to save any more possible confusion, Summer did meet Dom after Seth left, but she didnt start dating him until she thought Seth was gone for good.Thats going to be cleared up in the next chapter, but just in case you couldnt wait, there it is!

Wow, that 'twas a long chappie. It was just that once I started writing I couldn't stop! Heh heh. I do that every single AN, in case you're sad like me and have noticed this – I have no idea why I do it. Its an illness, really. Woooo – so many reviews! Lovin it! I've finally got a timeline here now so I know that this is set 10 years after they leave college, so they're all 27/28 despite what I wrote in the first chapter – I will edit this immediately. Now that was FAIRLY IMPORTANT so if you've jst started reading this because you saw the above sign, read the whole AN. 'kay? Yes yes okay? Okay, good. Um… New question for you – Who is hottest? Ryan or Seth? Okay, for me, in case you're interested, the winner is hands down SETH! I don't know, I guess I just like the whole tall, lanky geek who just so happens to be gorgeous! So sweet too – oh better stop before I ramble on all day – trust me, its possible where Seth is concerned. I finally met someone the other night who is just as obsessed with Seth as me and we just talked about him all night, over the music 'cos we were having a night out. My other friend is also obsessed as me, but with Adam Brody more that Seth. However, I have yet to meet someone as into SethSummer as me! If you are, SAY IT WITH REVIEWS!

Anyway, will leave you poor people alone now – Au Revoir (why? I'm not French, I dropped it in Year 9 before my options)

Leanna :)