Stone Cold Sober
Disclaimer – I own nothing to do with The O.C, they belong to Josh and the people at Fox!
A/N; Here is chapter nine– can't believe I've written this many already! This chapter was the hardest to write because in this one we see some tension between Sandy and Kirsten. This is in keeping with the true story line, where Kirsten's mother gets ill and they have to move back to Newport!
This chapter isn't particularly well written so please don't be disappointed as you have been forewarned. There is very little talking or speech in this chapter mainly just descriptive paragraphs so I hope it is okay!
The boys are now around six years old and are leaving Berkeley to move to Newport. I hope the tension in this chapter doesn't upset anyone but I thought it would be good to add in.!
Enjoy and please review!
Sandy drew up outside the house and immediately spotted the boys playing in the garden three doors down. He automatically searched around for Kirsten; she never let the boys play outside without her watching. She was too worried that Ryan would take an asthma attack so she would confine the boys to their own front yard and perch on the bench watching them like a hawk.
Locking the car he waved at the boys and Sharon, the young single mum whose garden the boys were playing in. Pushing open the front door he automatically knew something was wrong, the boy's school bags and blazers lay in a heap by the door. Kirsten never let them out to play without hanging up their uniforms and completing their homework.
"Kirsten? Honey?" Sandy searched through the house he found Kirsten in the boy's room stuffing their clothes into bags haphazardly. He could tell she had been crying the tear stains still fresh on her cheeks; her hair was frazzled as if she hadn't dried it and she wore an old sweat suit that was reserved for painting and spring cleaning.
"Honey what's the matter? Why are you packing?"
"We have to go; Mom said we could stay at the house until we get sorted. I told the school the boys won't be there for a while. I'm sorry Sandy I know how you feel but I have to go. I just have to."
Kirsten rambled on continuing to throw clothes into the bag, not caring whether she was taking all Seth's summer clothes and none of Ryan's. Sandy was starting to panic; he racked his brain desperate to find out what he had done to make her leave. He couldn't think of anything he had done that would cause her to take the boys and leave.
"Kirsten honey just…" Sandy pulled her away from the bag turning her to face him, "Just stop okay, and tell me what's happened?"
To Sandy's surprise Kirsten broke down before his eyes, she began to wail with sheer emotion and crumpled into a heap in Sandy's arms. "What am I going to do? Sandy I can't lose her I can't."
Sandy sat with his arms around her for what felt like hours, he stayed silent letting her pour out all her emotions respecting her chosen silences. From what he could gather through the choked sobs Kirsten's mother had been diagnosed with cancer, Kirsten being the respectable daughter was packing to move home. He knew she would move home regardless of what anyone said her mother meant the world to her and she would sacrifice the life she had built with him for her.
Sandy loved Anne nearly as much as Kirsten did; he had great respect for anyone who could tame Caleb Nichol. She was a feisty lady in control of her own life but she was never pushy or over bearing knowing just how to get people to do exactly what she wanted. Now that was all under threat, ovarian cancer could take her away from Kirsten and the boys Sandy would give anything not to have to watch Kirsten go through this heartache.
He waited with her until she calmed down lying tucked into his side on the boys floor, they discussed a plan – obviously Kirsten wasn't thinking straight due to the panic Sandy was the rational one at this moment. He had to think about their jobs, the boy's school and the house being left empty for the foreseeable future. There was no question that they would all be moving to Newport but doing it slap dash would help no one.
They came to the conclusion that Kirsten would pack a small bag and travel down by train tomorrow morning. This left Sandy to organise the house, he would call in for emergency leave from work and put in an internal transfer hopefully a position would become available near Newport. He would send the boys to school, there was no need to upset them just yet, giving him time to pack up the house. It wasn't a task Sandy looked forward too – driving down to Newport with the boys would test his patience but he couldn't possible send them with Kirsten.
He hoped that allowing Kirsten a week alone with her mom would settle her down a little, Anne wouldn't stand for her behaviour. She would occupy her time setting up for the boy's arrival and getting them enrolled in school – Anne wouldn't want them to see her as a sick grandmother.
It had taken longer than Sandy expected to organise their affairs, having to send all the furniture to storage and tie up all his outstanding cases at work. He had been right about Kirsten spending time with her mother it had been good for her - that was until Anne's first chemo session. He had answered the phone only to hear sobbing and crying at the other end.
The boys had been excited at first when Sandy explained that their mother was going away. They had been left at home with Sandy before and it usually meant pizza for dinner and music played at full volume. This time was very different however, their father was up at the crack of dawn packing up all their belongings only stopping to take them to school and feed them.
Their initial joy turned into upset and confusion as they watched the items from their youth being sent away to storage. Their childhood home becoming emptier by the day eventually it was only the bare minimums that were left.
After everything was in order Sandy was set to drive to Newport on the Friday afternoon, staying over night and arriving on the Saturday. He had taken the boys to school to say goodbye to all of their friends and when they arrived home the whole street was out to say farewell to the Cohen men.
Eventually Sandy had to put his foot down and strapped the crying boys into the car, knowing the longer he stayed the more upset the boys would become. It had finally set in that they were actually leaving and not coming back, the boys loved their old house and it was hard to let go. They couldn't understand why they had to go to Newport, too young to understand their grandmother's illness.
The drive to the inn had been uneventful the boys entertained themselves by linking together their gameboys for a battle. Booking in Sandy was glad to finally be able to hit the sack having bathed and changed the boys single-handedly. He lay looking at the sleeping boys who had ended up sleeping together in the same bed even though they had protested and demanded a pullout bed for one of them. He had always been glad the boys had each other but never more so than now. He would be too preoccupied with Kirsten and her emotions to provide constant entertainment for two six years olds plus the fact that they were starting at a totally new school with lots of preppy little savages.
They were looking forward to living with their grandparents, they knew that they would be spoiled and get whatever their hearts desired. Sandy suspected that now Anne had been diagnosed with a terminal disease she would want to spend as much time with her grandsons as she could fit in. No doubt she would be leaving a long list of instructions for Caleb on what he had to do with the boys in the future.
Sandy couldn't begin to understand what Caleb must be going through, he didn't know what he would do if Kirsten were ever to get sick. He couldn't imagine his life without her; he knew for sure that he wouldn't be able to cope. Sandy shook his head forcefully trying to push those horrid thoughts away from him, rolling over he settled into the pillows for some sleep.
Six months had past since the Cohen clan moved to Newport Beach to be with Kirsten's mother. Anne had been getting progressively worse since they had moved in, at first she had tried to be her normal self but the chemo took its toll on her body.
They had kept the boys off school for the first month to allow them to spend time with Anne before she couldn't be active anymore. She did everything with them, a different thing everyday; sailing, shopping, the zoo anything the boys wanted it was done. Then reluctantly they were sent off to Harbour Elementary every morning, they boys were not impressed with their new school.
Kirsten had been offered a job at the Newport group with her father and was free to start anytime she wanted, Sandy's transfer had come through and he was working in the PD's office.
Sandy had been woken this morning to see Kirsten crouched in the closet wrapped in her mom's old shawl crying like a baby. This had become a regular occurrence since they had moved in but today something had changed – she didn't stop when he woke up. She was no longer trying to hid the fact that she was crying, moving round beside her he wrapped his arms around her.
"Babe?" Kirsten ceased her sobbing for a few moments to look him in the eyes. Sandy knew immediately what had happened during the night – Anne had left them.
A week had passed since Anne died, Kirsten had been distraught unable to clear her head she had stayed in bed. With Caleb in a similar state and Hailey too young to help Sandy had been left to deal with the majority of funeral arrangements. Anne had taken care of most things before she died but he still had to spread word throughout the town and field the barrage of condolences.
It was also left up to Sandy to explain what had happened to the boys, they sensed the changes in the house but they weren't clear on the facts. Sandy had struggled that day to tell them what was happening, they were scared of the doctors and funeral directors coming and going. In the end Sandy had related their grandmother's death back to the death of their pre-school hamster. They seemed to accept his explanation going about their daily business as usual.
The boys stood before him now dressed in pristine black suits with crisp white shirts and jet black ties. Usually they hated getting dressed up but had given no protests today merely dressing sombrely by themselves. They stood quietly by Sandy's side waiting patiently for the procession to leave the house, many people they didn't recognise milled about their grandparents home. They hadn't seen their mother in nearly three days which only added to their worry, hearing clicking footsteps approaching they turned to view their mother.
Kirsten had made the effort to tidy herself up, but it was clear beneath the make up that she was unwell. Sandy had been worried about her hidden away in her room and he suspected that more often than not at night she had been slipping out to enjoy a drink or two. It was one of Kirsten's guilty secrets that she enjoyed her alcohol., she covered it in the past by quoting her student status but now she had nothing to hide behind.
She made a beeline over to Sandy keeping her eyes pinned to the floor so that no one would approach her. Sandy wrapped his arm around her waist protectively, he felt Ryan slip his hand into his squeezing tightly. Seth walked toward his mother and took her hand as well burying his head into her waist. Sandy had never been more proud of his children, they were only six but were mature enough to recognise their mother's pain and offer their unconditional support.
The service was rather long and drawn out with a packed church each wanting their turn to speak about Mrs. Caleb Nichol. Sandy sat behind Kirsten, allowing her to be with her father and sister, with one boy either side of him. During one of the hymns Kirsten had remained seated another small breakdown occurring due to Anne's favourite song being played, before Sandy could stop him Ryan had made a break for his mother. All eyes were on him as he made his way forward, Caleb spotted him first and to Sandy's surprise extended his arms out to him. Ryan launched himself up into his grandfather's arms and was overtaken by emotion, bursting into tears as Caleb rocked him soothingly. Waiting for the song to end Sandy leaned forward and offered to take Ryan back but Caleb merely shook his head slightly and sat spreading Ryan across his lap.
Only immediate family and close friends were invited up to the cemetery, which meant Caleb, Hailey, the Cohen's and a shocked Jimmy Cooper who had insisted on not going. Caleb assured him that Anne had issued orders for him to be there because he 'was like the son she never had', which had brought Jimmy to tears.
On returning to the house Kirsten had immediately disappeared up to her room, much to the disappointment of the Newpsies. Sandy had spotted her making a pit stop at the fridge first to remove a bottle of vodka, not even caring who was watching her. Sandy got caught up in the procession of well wishers being the official Cohen representative; this also meant that he lost sight of the boys.
Breaking away from the crowds he made his way up to their room hoping to tempt Kirsten out with the promise of crab cakes. Upon entering his bedroom he found three people instead of one, the boys were curled up by their mother on the bed asleep, their heads resting in her lap. Their suits had been tossed aside and lay all around the bed, Kirsten too had changed out of her dress into something more comfortable. Joining the three in bed Sandy kissed each tenderly on the forehead so as not to wake them from their slumber. Positioning himself on the bed he felt an odd shape prodding into his side, reaching down under the covers he pulled out the bottle of vodka. Kirsten had nearly emptied it and had obviously hidden it there upon the boys entrance Sandy dropped the bottle into the bin next to the bed.
Stroking the hair form her face he whispered, "Oh honey what are we going to do?"
It had been three weeks since the funeral and Kirsten was still on her drinking binge. Sandy had tried everything he could think of to get her to stop she always found a way around him. The boys were back at school and he was back at work everyone had started moving on but Kirsten just seemed to be stuck.
She was getting worse by the day, her ability to look after the boys was beginning to worry Sandy. Often he rushed home from work to make sure they were fed and put to bed before sitting up till the small hours trying to catch up on work. He knew that it couldn't go on but snapping her out of it wasn't going to be easy, he loved her more than anything but hated seeing her like this.
The final straw came when Sandy drove into the driveway nearly crushing his eldest son beneath the car. Slamming on the brakes he stopped just short of Seth's body, jumping out he hauled Seth up off the concrete.
"What the hell, Seth I could've killed you." They made a policy of not swearing in front of the boys but Sandy was in shock the boys were not allowed to play out the front. "What the hell are you doing out here?"
"Mommy said I could ride my skates down the hill, sorry daddy." Sandy looked down at Seth's roller skate clad feet.
That was it - Kirsten could drink all she wanted and ruin her own life but there was no way he would stand by and watch his boys get hurt. Carrying Seth under his arm he marched into the house, depositing Seth next to his brother in the den he searched out his wife.
He found her slumped over in a deck chair by the pool an empty glass by her hand. Sighing he walked into their bedroom and threw some of his clothes into a holdall, going into the boys room he did the same thing. Returning to the den he threw down the bag and ordered the boys to put on their shoes and coats.
"Kirsten? Kirsten.." He towered above her blocking the sun form her face, waiting for some form of coherent response.
"Sandy?" The response was groggy and slightly slurred.
Gripping her by the shoulders Sandy forced her up into the sitting position. "I can't take this anymore Kirsten. I love you but I can't stand seeing you like this. I've tried everything I can think of but you don't listen. I can't do it anymore honey I'm sorry butI thinkyou need to do this by yourself."
He turned away from her and wiped the tears from his eyes as he entered the house, the boys stood by the front door next to the travel bag. Sighing he lifted the heavy strap onto his shoulder and took the boys by the hand.
Behind him he heard footsteps hurry into the room, "Sandy? Sandy what are you doing? Where are you going?"
Ushering the boys out the door before he replied, he would shield them from this as best he could, "I told you Kirsten I can't do this anymore. You need to stop drinking and I can't force you, you have to stop on your own."
"I'll stop Sandy I promise I will. Where…where are you going?"
"The Mermaid for a few days after that I don't know maybe I'll go visit ma for a while."
"You can't take the boys!" Kirsten had cottoned on to what he was saying and desperation set in. "You're not taking the boys from me Sandy, I won't let you."
Ignoring her pleas Sandy proceeded out the door and unlocked the car ensuring the boys were strapped in safely. He threw the bag onto the front seat and took a deep breath in he never thought he would be walking away from Kirsten.
"Sandy! Sandy don't…don't go," Kirsten was clinging to him trying to force him to stay when she saw this wouldn't work she got violent and started to pound her fist upon his shoulders. Stepping around her easily Sandy lowered himself into the car and started the engine.
"You're not taking my children, I won't let you take my babies." She vainly pulled at the car doors forgetting in her drunken stupor that the security locks prevented the doors from being opened when the engine was switched on.
Sandy lowered his window a crack, "Maybe you should have thought of them before you went on a bender. I'll call you later – I love you."
Sandy pulled out of the drive way listening to his son's cries in the back broke his heart but it was for their own good. Sneaking a look back in the mirror he saw Kirsten kneeling where he had left her still crying for her family.
"I'm sorry baby I hope you can forgive me some day."
Wow well there you go - like it or hate it please review!
That wasn't on the books when I started writing and I have totally mucked up my plans. Now I have to go write another aditional chapter!
Please review and be patient for the next chapter.