Here and Now
Disclaimer – I own nothing to do with The O.C, they belong to Josh and the people at Fox!
A/N; Here is chapter four I hadn't originally planned this one so it's a bit of an addition to the mix.
Forgottenletters; Your review made me crack up! Very sorry to have confused all you Americans so here are the explanations. A nappy is a diaper and a pram is umm good what would you call it? Stroller/pushchair something like that!
Apologies and I will try to be clear on everything I say from now on.
By the way all the chapter titles (except the first two) come from an album so they also don't belong to me. Well done to anyone who can name that album you have great taste in music!
Enjoy and please review!
"I just don't think its fair that's all Sandy." Kirsten huffed as she spooned out some more pureed carrots for Seth who trying to mash what had fallen into the high chair.
"Well I don't understand why you even want on?" Sandy replied trying to aim the spoon at Ryan's mouth.
"It was how I was raised Sandy, I want the boys to be christened. Seth will you please stop that." Jolted back to reality by his mother's raised voice Seth's big brown eyes looked at her, tears forming in the corner.
"You never go to church – ever. You want them to be christened so you can dress them up and have a party don't even try to hide it. Ryan, Ryan please come on honey look it's nice daddy likes it." In an attempt to get Ryan to eat Sandy raised the spoon to his lips and made 'yummy' noises.
"I'm no worse than you, when was the last time you observed the Sabbath?" Silence met Kirsten and she smiled smugly, "But I bet when the boys get to thirteen you'll want them to have a bar mitzvah?"
Again she was met by silence as Sandy awkwardly pretended to be concentrating on feeding a squirming Ryan. Reaching for the cloth and hoisting an eight month old Seth onto her hip she stated complacently, "You haven't got a leg to stand on."
As Kirsten stalked away to the sink to clean Seth up, Sandy looked back at Ryan who had more food on his face than he had actually eaten. Throwing down the jar he too lifted Ryan up into his arms kissing his temple tenderly he whispered, "What have we let ourselves in for little man?"
Kirsten loved planning the christening; because she stayed home with the boys most days it gave her something to do that involved them as well. She had started by writing a list of everyone she wanted to invite – the numbers grew rapidly especially when her father found out and invited every business man in Newport. Caleb was very proud of his little grandchildren but particularly Ryan who had taken on more of Kirsten's waspish charm than Seth had.
Over the months as the boys grew their physical appearance had become more and more of a talking point. Nearly everyone who met the boys were shocked when informed that they were in fact twins, they looked so different from one another it really was amazing. Seth resembled his father in everyway, all his features were Sandy's except his thin build and button nose which he got from his mother. Ryan was the complete opposite from his brother, more a mix of both his parents. He had Kirsten's fair hair and eyes but his mouth and nose were all Sandy. One of the major problems with Ryan was his size; Seth was huge in comparison which made people sure that there must be a difference in age.
When Kirsten had visited the church in which she and Sandy were married the minister had been thrilled to see the boys. He had subtly grilled Kirsten on her reasons for coming to church very little and waiting so long before getting the boys christened Kirsten used all her Nichol charm to persuade him to perform the ceremony.
Once the place and guests had been arranged Kirsten could turn her attention to the outfits for the day. Her mother and sister travelled down for the day and the five of them went out on a shopping spree, while Sandy was praying that his wages would cover this extravaganza. Kirsten had returned later that afternoon the double stroller weighed down with parcels and bags, the boys sound asleep from their day out.
Kirsten had taken great pleasure in modelling each item for Sandy, to his surprise she had been very well behaved merely buying herself a new top and him a new shirt. The boys were too old for the traditional gown so Kirsten had opted for matching shirt and pants with identical little booties for each boy.
As the big day approach Kirsten grew increasingly excited, she hadn't been this wound up since their wedding day. She felt like this was more important because her boys would be making their first public appearance in Newport society. She could pretend like she didn't care what they thought but the truth was that she did, she wanted all her old friends to see how happy she was living in Berkeley and what beautiful children she had.
Sandy had bundled everything into the car the morning before the christening, they had decided to stay the night at Kirsten's parents so that the morning would be less stressful. The journey had been a long one with the boys taking it in turns to cry, causing Sandy to pull over in the nearest lay-by till Kirsten could settle them back down.
On arrival at the Nichol mansion Sandy had grabbed the bags out of the boot and slunk off to the guest room to hide from Caleb. Quicker than he had hoped he had all the bags were unpacked; their smart clothes hung on the back of the door and all the boys supplies had been placed in the small room Anne had converted into a nursery for when the boys visited.
Sighing Sandy made his way down the stairs to find Kirsten and Anne sitting in the lounge with the boys playing at their feet. Caleb could be seen through the patio doors pacing up and down the deck with the phone clutched to his ear so Sandy thought it was safe to join in the conversation.
Sitting down next to Kirsten he attracted his sons attention, they both turned to look at him grinning equally. Ryan got on all fours and scooted over to sit at his feet, that was what Sandy loved about his boys above all else, they loved to be near their parents whether playing or reading or eating. Ryan in particular got very anxious when left without his parents and he had a real phobia of strangers refusing to be held by anyone he hadn't met before.
Seth to made his way toward to the couch but instead of staying down at Sandy's feet, he gripped onto the fabric of the sofa straining and tugging at it. Reaching down Sandy pulled him up onto his feet allowing him to stand using the couch as support, he grinned down at Seth as his face pulled a very concentrated expression.
Beside him Anne squealed with delight, "Oh my when did he start doing that? Aren't you a clever boy huh?" She tickled Seth's chin as she gurgled at her, "He'll be walking soon, then the trouble will really start."
They all laughed and even Seth joined in although he had no idea what they were laughing about, the laughter continued when Ryan looked round at them a puzzled expression on his face. Sandy wouldn't trade this for anything else in the world his boys brought so much joy into his life.
The alarm buzzed loudly in Sandy's ear, groaning he rolled over to find Kirsten was already out of the bed. He heard her footsteps coming back toward their bedroom so he quickly closed his eyes trying to fool her, he was aware of movement around him and then gasped as a heavily package was deposited on his stomach.
"Sandy I know you're awake, take him and get him washed we have to leave in an hour." Kirsten voice was higher than usual a definite sign that she was harassed already.
Sandy cracked open his eyes to find a very mucky Seth sitting on his chest, grinning at his father Seth smashed a hand full of buttery toast onto his pyjama top. Sandy groaned and closed his eyes once again, deciding that he had better help out before Kirsten exploded he lifted Seth off him and made his way to the en-suite.
An hour later the whole Cohen family stood on the steps of the Nichol mansion as a pretentious photographer tried to make them pose. Sandy had a tight grip on Ryan's arms throughout the photo because he had decided that he disliked his booties and wanted to remove them. It had taken Kirsten nearly ten minutes to get the things on as he kept wriggling around the bed and when she finally had them on Ryan had swung his feet and pulled at them until the left one popped off.
Stressed out enough as it was Kirsten had passed Ryan to his father with strict instructions that he had to wear then for at least one photograph. He had been relatively good with them until the photographer insisted that he take about a hundred photographs each with the boys in a different position. Getting fed up with them he had begun to fidget two pictures ago, Sandy himself was getting rather annoyed at being poked and prodded while over heating in his shirt and tie.
He was very glad to see a sleek black Mercedes pull up the drive way, it was Anne who insisted that they all go together in one car. The only time Sandy had seen a car like it was in funeral processions and he hoped that this particular one wasn't used for such gory processions he didn't want the christening jinxed before it began.
They piled into the back of the car they boys placed gently into their car seats before being strapped in to the car. Sandy sat in the back row with Anne and Seth while Kirsten and Caleb cooed over Ryan in the front. It didn't take all that long to get to the church but the driver was kind enough to take the long way round once he saw the boys yawning lulled by the cars motion.
By the time they had arrived at the church both boys were asleep, Kirsten looked relieved the last thing she wanted was them howling all the way through the service. Walking down the isle with the sleeping boys they were thrilled to see one side of the church filled with their guests.
They nodded to Caleb and Anne as they took their places in the pew behind them while Sandy and Kirsten slide in next to Seth and Ryan's godparents. Sandy and Kirsten had asked two of their friends from university to be godparents much to their family's disappointment; they had decided that it would be too hard to choose between the two sisters.
The boys slept peacefully through all of the signing and praying, eventually it came to the actual christening, Sandy and Kirsten handed the boys over to their godparents and took their places in front of the minister.
After going through the preset questions the minister asked them, Sandy was handed Seth so that he was christened first, as he handed him over he whispered his name to the minister.
Standing beside the font the minister dunked his fingers in the water and raised his hand above Seth head, Sandy and Kirsten gripped each others hand waiting for the inevitable.
"Seth Ezekiel Cohen, I bless you in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit. May his spirit rest upon you and abide with you now and forever."
The minister marked out three crosses on Seth's forehead, after the first Seth's eyes shot open and he began to wail. The minister bounced him in his arms as he continued on but Seth continued to cry upset at being awoken in such a fashion, Sandy felt Kirsten grip his hand tightly. After holding Seth up for the congregation to see he handed him back to Kirsten and motioned for Ryan to be handed over.
Sandy took Ryan from Graeme and was surprised when Ryan whimpered in his arms; he had wakened when his brother began to cry. Sandy did a small dance on the spot as Kirsten rubbed Ryan's back trying to reassure him that he would be alright.
The minister took Ryan from Sandy's arms and presented him to the congregation, "Ryan Jacob Cohen, I bless you in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit. May his spirit rest upon you and abide with you now and forever."
Ryan's cries where lesser than Seth's he strained his neck to trying to seek out his parents, silent tears etched there way down his little cheeks. Again the minister danced with him but it didn't help Ryan disliked being held on his back; like a baby so he stretched out his arms for his father.
Quickly he was handed back to his fathers waiting arms, the buried his head into his neck as Sandy kissed his temple. He looked over at Kirsten was rocking with Seth he smiled and kissed her tenderly then they made their way over to their seats.
The party had been going on for several hours now, after more pictures outside the church everyone had headed back to the Nichol mansion. Anne and Caleb had lain on a lavish lunch to be severed to all the guests followed by a party so that everyone could mingle.
The boys had been given a substantial amount of money each, everywhere they turned Sandy and Kirsten seemed to be accepting checks. Obviously the Newport elite thought the bigger the check the more influence it would have with Caleb, which told Sandy that these people didn't know Caleb at all he didn't care who gave the most.
The boys got tired around seven so Kirsten and Sandy put them down for the night, looking at each other Kirsten say a spark in Sandy's eyes.
"You know the boys will be asleep for a long time and your mom and dad are occupied…"
Kirsten grinned sexily at Sandy and whispered, "So…?"
Licking his lips Sandy seductively Sandy took Kirsten by the hand and they snuck off to their room.
Kay that was chapter four five will be up soon. Hope you enjoyed it.
Please if you have read this far review! It means a lot to those who write!