Raising Ryan

Chapter 13 – Leveling Out

After his shower, Ryan exited his bathroom to find Seth standing on his bed and singing. Not at all pleased with the scene, he folded his arms across his chest and waited for Seth to turn around with the sole intention of causing him bodily harm.

It took longer than expected, but when he finally whirled around, Ryan bounded onto the bed tackling Seth and sucker punching him in the arm and thigh, leaving him whimpering in pain. Getting off the bed, he grabbed Seth by the ankle and dragged him onto the floor with a thud.

With Seth's mood broken, Ryan stood over him, straddling his wounded body. Bending down he grabbed Seth by the shirt and laid down the law.

"Alright look, you got laid. Great. It's done. If you don't come down off of cloud nine and start acting like a normal human being your parents are going to start drawing their own conclusions and it's not going to be pretty. It was four days ago Seth. Calm. Down."

Still wincing and rubbing his arm, "Couldn't you have told me all of this without beating me?"

"No. Now fix my bed and then stay the fuck off of it."

Releasing Seth's shirt, Ryan walked away, leaving Seth to wallow in his injuries.

"Do you really think they'd know?"

"Yes."

"Really? How?"

"Because you're acting like a five year old who just got a pony for their birthday."

"Am I really acting that…out of sorts?"

"Yes, and it's starting to get on my nerves. We've made it through four days without it coming up but if you don't cool your jets, they're going to start getting ideas and I've already lied for you once…no, make that twice. Don't make me regret this."

Pushing himself up on his elbows, "You're right. I really should…control myself. Sorry."

Seth put Ryan's bed back together and they headed to the kitchen for breakfast.

"Morning guys. Coffee?" Sandy greeted, with both boys nodding 'yes'.

Small talk filled the kitchen with plans for the day when Kirsten entered and the tone changed.

"Good Morning. I'm glad everyone is here because we need to have a family meeting."

"We do?" Sandy asked, equally as surprised as the boys were about the announcement.

"As you know, Rosa was here doing laundry yesterday…and this turned up." Raising her hand above the counter, she set down an open condom wrapper.

Ryan felt his heart come to a dead halt. Only Seth would forget to get rid of the evidence of his excursion. Likewise, Seth was mentally kicking himself in the ass for making such a stupid mistake.

"Since Rosa was doing laundry for both of you, she wasn't able to tell me where this item originated from. Anyone care to explain?"

Ryan could feel the back of his neck heating up with anger. They would never believe Seth even if he told the truth. And, even if the truth was believed, it would still roll downhill to him because he's the one that hooked Seth up.

"It's mine," Ryan blurted out, staring at the wrapper.

Ryan's admission left Seth stunned. Why was he doing this? The wrapper wasn't his. And yet he couldn't seem to get the words out of his mouth fast enough.

"Ryan…don't…"

"Forget it. If Sami calls, just tell her I'm grounded. Again."

Setting his coffee cup down, Ryan turned and walked out, in the direction of the pool house.

Sighing, "At least he told you the truth," Sandy acknowledged.

"No, he didn't," Seth interrupted, rather flustered. "I know, given Ryan's history it's easy to believe that's his. But it's not. Not this time."

"Seth, there's no need to cover for…"

"I'm not covering!" he yelled. "I'm sure Ryan said that because, because he knew you'd automatically think it was him!"

"Seth…"

"Dad, I'm serious!"

"Honey, why would Ryan admit to that if it wasn't his? That doesn't make sense," his Mother explained.

"Because…" Swallowing his pride, "Because the wrapper is mine, okay? I…I had my first…time…last weekend. The wrapper is mine. He said it to protect me because he knew about it."

The adult Cohens stood in silence, staring at their son. With his confession coming across very genuine in nature, they felt guilty for jumping to conclusions.

"I'm going to go talk to Ryan."

Kirsten worried about the encounter that would follow. "Sandy, go easy."

"I will."

In the pool house, Sandy found Ryan standing at the foot of his bed with his hands on his hips, glaring at his bed.

Making his way into the room, he took a seat in the wicker chair, across from the Warden's chair. The move caused Ryan to turn around and narrow his eyes at Sandy.

"Aren't you in the wrong chair?" Ryan sassed, given the conversation that was sure to follow.

"I don't think so. You're not in trouble…are you?"

Rolling his eyes, Ryan folded his arms across his chest.

Not exactly following his wife's advice, Sandy jumped right into the matter at hand. "Why did you cover for Seth?"

"Who says I'm covering for Seth?"

"Seth did."

Now that got Ryan's attention. His eyes flashed to meet Sandy's in an attempt to analyze the truth behind that statement. When he realized Sandy was serious, he let his gaze drop to the floor.

"If the wrapper wasn't yours, why did you say it was?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Apparently not to everyone."

"I saw your faces. I'm the one with the history of sexual misconduct. No one would have believed him anyway."

"But…you didn't do anything."

"It doesn't matter. Everyone assumed it was me. I know that."

"But Ryan, it does matter. It took us a long time to get you to take responsibility for your actions, but at no time did we think you'd be taking responsibility for other people's actions." Sandy paused a moment, studying Ryan to see if he was absorbing what he was saying. "So Seth had his first time. He's sixteen. Is that so far out of the realm of possibilities? I don't think so. So that's what all the singing and dancing and happy moods have been about. That's understandable. When Kirsten asked you about it, why didn't you just tell her the truth last weekend?"

"I've admitted a lot of things to Kirsten. I'm sure she's told you most of it. She knows more than any Mom probably wants to know about what her kids are doing or with who, but I trust her." Ryan's eyes drifted to Sandy's again before he quickly blinked and looked away. That wall was still up. "This wasn't my secret to tell. It's his business."

"I understand. That makes sense. From now on though, let him take responsibility for his business, okay?"

Ryan nodded.

When Sandy stood up from the chair, Ryan unfolded his arms and positioned himself a safe distance from Sandy. The strategic move didn't go unnoticed, but Sandy chose to drop it. Drawing attention to it would only empower the action.

Sandy hadn't even made it into the house yet when Seth came bounding up the steps to the pool house.

"Ryan? Ry? So, what did he say? You're not in trouble are you? I told them the truth. I told them it was mine."

"I know."

"So, what did he say?"

"He said I need to let you be responsible for your own actions."

"He's right. Why did you do it?"

"I don't know."

"You didn't think they'd believe it was me?"

"I'm used to things being my fault. This wasn't exactly a stretch for me."

Seth wrung his hands together. "Well I'm not going to let you take the fall for me. Ever. If I screw up, it's on me. Or, in this case, the screw is…on me."

A smile found it's way onto Ryan's face. "I told you the damn dancing would get you in trouble."

"You were right. I should have listened."

"So you punished?"

"No, actually. But I got the same lecture you did about 'the bigger picture', Seth explained, making quotes in the air.

Sighing, "Yeah, I know that one forwards and backwards."

"Maybe later on we could have some sort of ritual reciting of the rules of life. Mom would be so proud."

Laughing, "Yeah maybe. From now on Seth, always, always, always…throw the wrapper away. Don't keep any souvenirs."

"I swear, I will never again forget that detail!"

It was roughly four-thirty in the afternoon when the doorbell rang. Disgusted that no one else was around to answer it, Seth, begrudgingly, paused his video game and lumbered to the front door.

Pulling the door open, he discovered a rather cute brunette with school books in her hands and immediately straightened up his posture.

"Hey."

"Hi there. Is Ryan home?"

The girl had an intoxicating smile, it came as no surprise she was looking for Ryan.

"Well, um, I mean, I think he's home. And you are?"

"Sami."

Seth's mouth dropped open. "Napkin girl?"

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all. Why don't you come in, please do, come in, this way, is fine."

"Thank you."

"Why don't you make yourself comfortable here, in the living room, and I'll go…go…find Ryan."

"Okay." There was that smile again. No wonder she had Ryan turned inside out. Seth talked to her for exactly twenty-three seconds and he could feel his stomach doing flip-flops.

Seth walked as calm as possible until he was out of sight in the kitchen and then he bolted into the pool house.

Ryan was quietly laying on his bed studying, his books sprawled out in front of him. He was concentrating on formulas and chewing on his pen cap when Seth burst into the room.

"What the hell is the matter with you?"

"You have to come inside! Now! Right now! It's here! I mean, her! She's here! In the living room! It's her!"

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Napkin girl! She's here! She's…she's in the living room with books and, and brown hair and she's smiling Ryan! Get in there!"

"Sami's here!"

"Yes! What the hell do you think I've been explaining here!"

"Shit!"

Jumping off the bed, Ryan pulled on his shirt to straighten it out and ran his fingers through his hair. "Do I look alright?"

"Yeah, you look fine."

"Okay."

On the brink of turning to leave, Seth grabbed his arm. "Wait!"

"What!"

"Come here!" he hollered, dragging Ryan in the direction of the bathroom.

"What the hell are you doing now?"

"You need a splash of mouthwash! What if she wants to kiss you!"

"Good idea!"

In the bathroom, Seth yanked out the bottle of mouthwash and poured some into the cap. "Here. Swish!"

After a few healthy sloshes in his mouth, Ryan spit the mouthwash out and promptly received a towel in the face from Seth.

"Okay, let's see. Huff."

Ryan blew a hefty breath in Seth's face, causing his eyes to water.

"Whoa."

"What? Not enough?"

"No, no. It's plenty. Trust me. Very minty. Just don't blow in her eyes or she'll go blind."

"Very funny."

"She's in the living room man. Get in there."

Walking through the main house, Ryan took a deep breath before entering the living room.

"Hey Sami."

"Hi. I'm sorry to just sort of drop in like this but I was wondering if maybe you had some studying to do and thought maybe you'd like some company?"

"Yeah, actually formulas were just getting boring when you got here."

"Great!" she smiled. "So, where should we get set up?"

"Well, I sort of burned the bridge when it comes to the whole 'girls in my room' thing. It's nice outside and there's a great view of the ocean. How does the patio sound to you?"

"Sounds great!"

Leading Sami back through the kitchen, they paused to grab some drinks out of the fridge before moving on to the patio. Ryan dashed into the pool house for a moment to snag his books before quickly returning to the patio.

"So, I get to do formulas, what are you working on?"

"The art of the Haiku. Lucky me."

Chuckling, "I hate poetry."

"I don't know why, it's so you."

"Yeah right."

"I guess we should try to get some of this done, then we can take a break. Maybe go for a walk or something."

"'Kay."

An hour and a half later, Kirsten came home and discovered Seth in a very unusual place and awful engrossed in something in the back yard.

"Seth? What are you doing?"

Unaware his Mom had walked in, Seth jumped in his hiding spot behind one of her large potted plants.

"Me? Nothing. Just…felt like…spending time with this plant."

Doubting the sincerity behind his explanation, Kirsten walked over and peeked out the window.

"Is that…?"

"Napkin Girl. Yeah. That's her."

"Seth! They're kissing! Don't be watching them!" she scolded, rapping her son in the back of the head with the mail.

"Mom! They weren't kissing before! They were just talking! The kissing is new. Boy, they're…really…kissing."

"Seth! Get out of there!"

"Sorry."

Still laughing, Kirsten entered the kitchen and stuck her head out on the patio. The kids had obviously started out with good intentions since textbooks and notebooks were strewn across the patio table. But clearly boredom with the tedious task of homework had set in at some point and they relocated to a horizontal position on one of the lounge chairs, kissing being the subject they were both currently catching up on.

Walking over to the smooching couple, Kirsten cleared her throat. When that didn't get anyone's attention, "Excuse me? Ryan?"

Immediately both of Ryan's hands went up in the air, "We're not doing anything," he announced, proving his innocence.

The scene caused Kirsten a hearty laugh, which she did her best to control. "Could I borrow you for a moment Ryan? Hi Sami," Kirsten greeted.

"Hi Mrs. Cohen."

"I'll be right back." Pulling himself up and off the lounge chair, Ryan sheepishly followed Kirsten into the house. Once in the sanctity of the kitchen, "It's just kissing Kirsten."

"I didn't say you did anything wrong. I thought you might want to invite Sami to stay for dinner. That is, as long as you promise me that you will, at some point, finish your homework."

Smiling, "We were doing homework." Off Kirsten's look, "Well, I mean, we started out doing homework."

"Just remember to be a gentleman Ryan."

"I know. I'll…go ask Sami if she wants to stay."

Returning to the patio, Ryan wisely closed the door to the house behind him.

"So, I was wondering if…maybe…you wanted to stay for dinner?"

"I'd love to."

"Cool."

Ryan felt childishly giddy when Sami took her seat at the dinner table.

"Are you sure you don't need help with something Mrs. Cohen?" she offered.

"Oh no, Sami, it's fine. We're all set."

Entering the kitchen, Seth went into stealth mode, slipped right up to the table and attempted to sit down next to Sami.

"So, staying for dinner? That's nice. Very nice."

Before Sami could even respond, a large smack signaled Ryan's hand on the back of Seth's neck. Tightening his grip, Seth had a revelation.

"You know Sami, I hope you don't mind if I sit over there. This is actually Ryan's seat."

Laughing, "Not a problem!"

Taking his seat Ryan smirked at Seth. 'Nice try'.

Sandy and Kirsten immediately recognized the relaxed feel at the table. The kids were talking as if there were no parents at the table, Ryan included. It was refreshing to see him like this. Sami was having a profound affect on him. It appeared life had finally leveled out for Ryan and they enjoyed relishing the moment. At the same time, they realistically worried when Ryan might be tested again and they hoped it would be a long time before they had to find out.

(TBC)…