Family Drama

Author's Note: Thought that was the last chapter didn't ya? Well, here's another one. Really enjoyed the many reviews.

Disclaimer: Still own nothing.

Chapter Three

A few weeks after his asthma made a stunning return, Ryan was finally getting back to normal and the Cohen's were trying desperately to stop hovering.

Some mornings, Ryan would awaken with a slight whistle to his breathing which would of course send Kirsten into a tailspin of distress. It was those days she forgot that she had promised not to hover so much and would spend most of the day within seeing distance of Ryan. But, a solid glare from the 'whistler,' as Seth likes to call him, would normally bring her closer to the ground.

Ryan still struggled a bit after soccer practice, or if he got too excited doing something active, but he was quickly gaining ground and was much less hard on himself whenever an attack did occur. Thinking back a bit, Ryan remembered the day the Cohen's found out about his insecurity in relation to his asthma.

It was a normal enough day, just like most days before something tragic happens, and Ryan was actually in a good mood about everything. It was the weekend; which is always a plus. His soccer team had only lost one game so far. He had received an A on his history paper. Generally, the drama was standing at minimum capacity and life was good.

Leaving the poolhouse, he discovered Sandy cooking at the grill and Kirsten lounging on the patio with a bottle of water on her lap. By the pout on her face, he'd say she was kicked out of the general ficinity of the grill due to her less than stellar cooking skills. Nodding a good morning to the two older Cohen's, he moved on into the main house to see if Seth was up. If he was, he was going to propose going to the pier just for something to do.

Walking through the patio doors, Ryan could almost immediately see that Seth was not playing his PS2. Continuing on through the house, he made his way upstairs to Seth's bedroom. Knocking before he entered, Ryan peered his head in the doorway to see Seth standing in front of his mirror.

"Hey man, what's up?" asked Seth after he had flicked his body in the direction of the door to see who had entered.

"Nothin', just wanted to see what you were up to," answered Ryan. Walking further in the room, his nose was suddenly assaulted by a strong scent. "Whoa, what is that!"

"That, my dear friend, is my new cologne. Do you like?" said Seth as he patted at his famous jew-fro in an attempt to tame it. Looking over, he saw Ryan with an all too familiar look on his face. "Dude, tell me you're not having another attack," stated Seth with a look of panic welling up from deep inside him.

Shaking his head, Ryan tried to take big calming breaths that he has so often been instructed to take. Squeezing his eyes shut, he began to berate himself for being so stupid. And that was how Sandy and Kirsten found him. Shaking his head with his eyes squeezed shut, Ryan was repeating one word, 'stupid, stupid, stupid.'

Kirsten sprang into action. She began rubbing his back and saying soothing words in an attempt to calm him down. Sandy had left the room the moment he saw Ryan in the state he was in.

Rushing back with the inhaler, he shoved it into Kirsten's hands, who subsequently shoved it into Ryans mouth with the instruction to breathe in. But Ryan refused to take the medication. He just continued to shake his head in disappointment for himself and continued to berate himself for being stupid and weak.

"Ryan, Ryan," said Kirsten in the hopes of gaining his attention. With no success, she looked to Sandy in despair as the sounds of laboured breathing quickly began to escalate. Sandy stepped forward.

"Ryan, come on kid, you have to take your medication so you can get better," tried Sandy. But Ryan merely shook his head and continued the way he was going.

"Step aside, let a pro deal with this," said Seth as he shoved his way between panicky parents. Putting some distance between him, Ryan, and his parents, Seth began to whisper into Ryan's ear. After mere seconds, Ryan stopped shaking his head and speaking to himself. Holding his hand out, Kirsten placed the inhaler on Seth's plam in amazement. After a whispered, Breathe in, Ryan's attack began to lessen. After another quick inhale, his breathing was almost back to normal.

Ten minutes later, Ryan was leaning back on the couch with the three Cohen's sitting worriedly around him.

"I didn't realize what I was doing," said Ryan when he was questioned as to why he was calling himself stupid and weak repeatedly.

"But why would you say stuff like that?" asked Sandy, "you know you're not stupid and you're definitely not weak."

"I just hate this whole asthma business. I can't do anything the same anymore. I have to take all of these stupid precautions and it is just embarassing whenever I have an attack during school," said Ryan looking down at his worn and callused hands.

"We understand that, but there is nothing you can do to change that. This is apart of your life now no matter how much you want it to go away. You can still do anything you want to, you just have to take it easy," spoke up Kirsten from her position beside Sandy on the loveseat.

"I know," said Ryan sulkily.

"You really worried us back there, kid," said Sandy leaning forward so as to gain some eye contact from his young charge.

"I'm sorry," replied Ryan looking up and away hastily.

"What do you think caused you to have another attack?" asked Kirsten.

"I was fine until I walked into Seth's room," responded Ryan, "I guess maybe it was his cologne because it was very strong. I remember my mom's perfume would set me off when I was little because she always wore too much."

With this new bit of information, both Sandy and Kirsten turned and gave Seth a look that only parents seem to have. Cowering into the corner of the couch, Seth shook his head in denial and guilt.

"No, dude," said Seth.

"I guess from now on we have to be careful about what we wear," said Kirsten looking around at each of the individuals in the room.

"I think Seth's cologne only set me off cause it seemed like he just sprayed it, so the smell was still very strong in the room. You guys can still wear your perfume and everything, you just have to steer clear of me right after you put it on."

"Yeah, I guess we can do that," said Seth form his corner of the couch where he still looked extremely guilty. "I'm sorry dude, if I had've known, I wouldn't have bought it in the first place."

"No problem, It's not like you would've known," soothed Ryan. Watching this exchange between their two boys, Sandy and Kirsten were once again awed by the relationship that had developed between them despite their large differences in personality and upbringing.

"Now that our quota for drama has been fulfilled for the day, how about we settle down and watch a movie?" asked Sandy hopefully.

"Sorry dad, I'm already late for a meeting with Summer," apologized Seth.

"Yeah, sorry Sandy, but I have this paper that is due tomorrow," said Ryan. Getting up, they both went in different directions to lead their lives as if there wasn't something different and challenging to deal with now.

"How about you?" asked Sandy nuzzling his nose in Kirsten's neck, " would mind spending some time with the old man?"

"Oh I'm sure I can find some time in my schedule," replied Kirsten silkily. Laughing, she got up from the couch and walked sexily to the stairs where she beckoned for Sandy to follow. Grinning mischieviously, he got up from the loveseat and followed his lovely wife upstairs to the bedroom.

AN: Hey, maybe in the next chapter Ryan will experience an attack during school. Who knows!