None of it's mine. Peace and love...
"Hello?"
"Hey, kid."
"Daddy! How are you?"
"I'm good, Chris. Where are you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Where are you right now?"
"The kitchen."
"Sitting at the table?"
"Yeah, why?"
Luke pulled his phone away from his ear and wrapped his arms around his son's neck from behind. Chris shrieked but turned around and laughed.
"Daddy, when'd you get back?"
"Last night. I needed to see my kid."
Chris grinned and shrieked louder as Luke pulled him up out of his chair and turned him upside down. Luke laughed and lightly panted.
"So how are you, kid?"
"Well, the blood's rushing to my head and the world is upside down, but besides that, I'm just peachy."
Luke laughed and put the kid back on his feet. Chris grinned up at him with an identical grin to the one staring down at him. Luke messed up his hair.
"Where's your mom?"
"Uh...I think the pool house. She might be out though."
"Okay, I'll look. Wanna come?"
"No, I have homework to do."
"Good kid. Get it over with. See, your dad was always a stupid kid who put it off until Monday morning."
"Really?"
"Usually."
Chris laughed and hugged his father before watching him saunter out of the kitchen. That was one thing that was kind of hard for him. Watching his dad and his mom talk to each other. Because they explained it to him, said they both loved him and they loved each other, and Chris shouldn't worry about it. And Chris wanted to worry about it and want them to be together, but he didn't. Because Mommies and Daddies should be in love and always kissing and stuff like Grandmom and Grandpa, but Mommy and Daddy didn't. They smiled at each other, but not like Mommy smiled at Seth.
Luke knocked on the panel next to the door before walking in and seeing Summer lying on her bed, reading some book.
"Hey, Sum."
"Luke! Oh, hey, it's good to see you."
She stood up and hugged him while placing a quick kiss on his cheek.
"Have you seen Chris?"
He nodded and sat on the bed next to her as he shoved his hands into his pockets.
"So what's new with you?"
Summer sighed and fell back onto her bed.
"I'm confused. Again. And had a big fight with Ryan. Again. And Chris was upset with me. Again. So new? Nothing really."
"Care to explain?"
"You want to hear the troubles of my life?"
"Came back for it, babe."
"Okay? So, um, have you talked to Ryan recently?"
Luke shook his head and pulled his feet up onto the bed too. Summer shrugged.
"Okay, so you don't know about the life changing event that happened last Saturday?"
"Unfortunately not until you tell me."
"We kind of got a surprise."
"Hence the life changing."
"Right. Um...Seth kind of...came back."
"Are you serious? How is he? Did you guys get back together?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"Yeah. And everyone seems to be ganging up on me because of it."
"Even Ryan?"
"Especially Ryan."
"That must suck."
Summer rolled her eyes. "Very observant."
"Okay. Is he here?"
"No. He's out with Ryan."
"Isn't that self contradictory?"
"Ooh, Luke, big word. And no. They made up."
"Okay. So Ryan's not mad at you anymore?"
"I don't think so."
"You don't think so?"
"I mean, he kind of doesn't like the idea of me and Seth too much."
"So you guys did get back together."
"Yes. No. I have no idea."
"Did you guys, like, just make out?"
She shot him another look. "God, Luke, it's good to know some people are still exactly the same from when they were sixteen."
"What? I'm asking a question as a concerned adult."
"A concerned adult who just came back from Hawaii where he was playing with cars that make big noises."
"Someone's gotta do it, baby."
"You're so strange."
"Okay."
She shook her head and picked up the book she had dropped on the floor. She opened it to her page after licking her finger. Luke kissed her forehead.
"So, you're good?"
She nodded without looking up and he grinned while getting up and strolling out of the pool house.
"That's my girl."
"I'm not your girl."
"Having my baby, what a lovely way of saying how much you love me." Luke sang in an oddly good falsetto.
Summer shook her head slowly, but looked up to see him walking seemingly drunkenly back over to the main house.
Ryan grabbed the newspaper that had remained unnoticed on the driveway and started browsing through it as he walked up the driveway. Seth jogged up behind him and read the headlines over his shoulder.
"Dude, looking for something?" Ryan asked.
"No."
"Then stop breathing on my neck."
"Stop being in my way."
"You want it?" Ryan extended the newspaper in front of him but Seth shook his head.
"No, that's okay."
Ryan straightened out the paper and looked back at the front page. Seth leaned his head over to read alongside him and sighed as hard as he could on Ryan's shoulder. Ryan threw the paper on the ground and turned around, throwing his hands out.
"You want to do this now, sailor boy? I'll take you."
"Go ahead, daddy-o. You've got nothing." Seth closed his mouth in a silent oh and blew out. Ryan shook his head and laughed.
"Dude, your defense is exhaling."
"You called me 'sailor boy.'"
"Truce?"
"Yeah, I guess."
Ryan picked up the paper and handed it to him. Seth looked at it for a second, but shook his head and handed it back.
"No, thanks. I'm done."
Ryan shook his head and muttered "asshole."
"Hi Jenn."
Ryan's head popped up instinctively, but shoved Seth in the chest the next second.
"You're pretty funny, man."
"It's what I live for."
Chris ran out of the house laughing his head off. He ran right into Seth while looking over his shoulder and said his sorry without looking at him. Luke followed him out of the house with an identical grin and grinned farther when he saw Ryan and Seth.
"Hey, you guys. It's good to see you. Ryan." He shook Ryan's hand and clapped him on the back. "Seth, man, it's good to have you back." He hugged Seth, and even though he looked a little overwhelmed, Seth thumped him on the back too.
"Yeah, Luke, uh, it's good to see you too, man."
Luke didn't notice the uncertainty in his voice, so his grin was still very visible on his face.
"Are you staying here? Your mom must be beyond happy."
"Yeah, um, I sleep here." Seth bobbed his head and kept his hands in his pockets.
"That's awesome, man." Chris ran back at his dad who lifted him into the air. "Hey, little man, this is your namesake. He's like the ultimate to your mom."
Chris smiled a half smile. "I know."
"Have you guys been getting along? That must've really made Summer happy."
Chris shrugged; Seth started to smile.
"We've been working on it," Seth said.
"Yeah? Work hard, man, Summer would love that." Luke threw Chris backwards over his shoulder and hung on to his legs. "Did you finish your homework?"
"Dad, let me down."
"Did you?"
"Almost."
"Go finish."
Luke swung him around his head and placed him back on his feet. Chris sighed and ran back into the house. Seth crossed his arms.
"You guys are close?" He asked with his brow furrowed.
Luke shrugged. "He's a good kid. Smart. Respectful. What's not to like?"
"But you guys hang out a lot?" Ryan nudged Seth lightly, but Seth ignored it.
Luke shrugged again. "When I can."
"When you can? He's your son." Ryan nudged him a little harder.
"Yeah, well, I have work and..."
"So you just leave Summer to do this alone?" Seth started nudging Ryan back.
Luke shook his head and mimicked Seth's arm cross. "I care for my son and his mother, man; I don't know what you're talking about. I help as much as I can."
"But you're not usually here."
"I'm here at least once a month."
"Once a month? Real committed father."
"Look, man, I don't know where you're coming off of, but you're never here."
"He's not my son."
"Yeah, you're right. He's not. He's mine. So shut your mouth on giving me parenting tips." Luke uncrossed his arms and let them hang by his side.
"It's not parenting tips to tell you that you should be around for the raising of your son."
"Well at least I don't leave the people that love me for a dozen years just because I don't want to deal with them."
Seth lunged forward; Ryan ran in front of him and pushed him back. "Dude, calm down." Luke lunged forward too and started trying to help Seth push Ryan aside. Ryan turned sideways and put a hand on each of their chests.
"You guys, come on. We were just talking." Ryan shouted in both of their general directions.
"He wanted it." Luke pushed harder and pulled off his jacket.
"He deserves it." Seth pulled off his jacket and threw it on the ground next to Luke's. He had gotten bigger in nine years and suddenly the emo geek actually had a chance in taking the water polo player. Ryan would even bet on Seth because he was pissed about Summer.
They glared at each other with darkening eyes, while trying not to make it obvious that they were weighing each other out through their tee shirts.
"Ryan, get out of this." Luke murmured.
"Yeah, man, move." Seth was barely blinking.
"You guys, really, this is stupid. Just walk away." Ryan looked from guy to guy.
"Chris!" Summer came running out of the pool house covered with a towel, but she stopped when she saw the three of them staring at her.
"Hey, what are you guys doing?" Summer's smile started to fade. Luke and Seth looked up and Ryan lowered his hands.
"Nothing, Summer." Luke scratched the back of his neck and put on a fake smile. Summer furrowed her eyebrow and walked over to them. All three pairs of their eyes slid down to the white towel she was holding up against her.
She laughed. "You guys really are strange. And I'm going to find out what the hell you guys were up to. Because one of you, my dears, is a blabbermouth." She winked and walked away to the house. Simultaneously, they all let out a breath and shook their heads. Seth bit the inside of a cheek; he'd never thought it was possible that she could become more beautiful.
Luke looked at the two of them and shook his head. "So which one of you is the blabbermouth? And wipe the slobber off your chin."
Seth shook his head. "No, it has to be you."
"As if, Cohen. You're still a bitch for her," Luke said.
"Ryan?" Seth turned to him. Ryan's arms were crossed and he was staring ahead.
"What?" He looked at the two of them and shrugged. "I guess, Luke."
Luke shook his head. "Whatever, I don't have time to discuss this with you guys. I'm going to help Chris with his homework. Later."
As soon as he was out of earshot, Seth laughed. "Dude, it's so obviously you."
"What? I thought it was Luke."
"That was just to piss off Luke. You're the blabbermouth."
"You wish. You know he's right? You'll always be her bitch."
"Oh really? Well, when you're alone in bed with your daughter, just think that in the past week, I have been the one to get some. Later, babe."
He clapped Ryan's cheek and walked toward the house. Ryan shook his head but followed him.
After dinner, everyone went outside around the pool while Seth and Summer cleared the table
"So what were you guys talking about?" Summer stacked three plates on top of each other and started walking to the dishwasher.
"Nothing. Catching up."
"You looked like you wanted to kill each other. What is it?" She dumped the plates on the counter and bent down to pull it open. Seth leaned his head back but shook his head.
"It's nothing. Nothing important anyway."
"You never liked him."
"I didn't ever not like him. He was just...I guess years of pissing in my shoes are hard to forgive."
"Aww." Summer leaned against the dishwasher and grinned. Seth shook his head.
"Not aw. Ew."
She laughed and grabbed his wrist to pull him closer. She caught his watch on her bracelet and laughed again.
"God, nothing's going right."
"Things don't look so bad from here." He cupped her wrist in his hand as he twisted her bracelet off his watch band. She smiled and leaned forward to kiss his nose. He smiled lightly and freed her wrist from his. She used her liberated hand to wind her fingers with his.
"Isn't it funny how when I look at you, I can't remember ever being mad at you."
"Hilarious."
She giggled. "Rhetorical question."
"Okay."
He ducked his head and kissed her gently, pressed up against the dishwasher. She pushed it on and wrapped her arm around his neck.
"Seth..." She was barely whispering, but he kept kissing her jaw and down her shoulder blade. "I love you."
He straightened up and brought his arm up to his head. "Um, we should, uh, finish, um..."
"It's done."
"Oh. Okay. So, uh, outside? All right, cool. Race you."
Seth jogged out the glass door. Summer crossed her arms and leaned against the dishwasher. She bit her lip and slowly followed him out.
Seth was sitting in between Ryan and his mother with his legs dangling in the pool. He laughed nervously after something Ryan said and glanced quickly at her. Summer sat down next to Luke and smiled at the sleeping boy in his lap. Luke laughed too and his arm fell behind her shoulders. Summer glanced back up at Seth who looked away as soon as her head moved.
"So, Marissa. I want to hear more about Paris." Kirsten tapped her leg and smiled. Marissa just shrugged.
"The butlers are really nice. I felt stupid not knowing French though. They all were trying so hard and I was like, 'bonjour.'" Marissa laughed as her phone rang. "Oh, sorry. That's Brendan. He had dinner with some client. Hello?" She stuck her finger in her ear and turned her head away.
"Daddy, you should tell them about Miss Spen..." Ryan threw a hand over Jenn's mouth and shook his head.
"Jenn, shouldn't you be going to bed?"
"A miss, Ryan?" Kirsten tapped his head and Ryan blushed.
"It's no big deal. Jenn just talks too much." He glared at her and she glared back. Kirsten laughed.
"I don't talk too much. And it is a big deal. Miss Spencer was all over you. Hello, Mr. Atwood." Jenn batted her eyelashes and they all laughed again.
"Good for you, man." Seth patted his back and grinned sheepishly. "So how does Jenn know her?"
Ryan blushed even harder. "She's kind of, Jenn's doctor."
The pool erupted with laughs and claps. Ryan glared at Jenn again.
"Thanks, honey, for bringing that up."
"I love you too, Daddy." Jenn said between laughs.
"So, Jenn, is she pretty?" Kirsten looked at the girl sitting next to her.
Jenn nodded. "Very pretty. Dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, and a really good butt."
Ryan's eyes widened and he ignored the laughs. "What did you say?"
Jenn shrugged and did her best to look innocent. "What?"
"Yeah, it really is time for you to go...to...bed. Now. Say good night."
"But Dad..."
"Come on."
He grabbed her hand and pulled her up and into the house as she shouted goodnights to everyone. Luke's arm had fallen a little more onto Summer's shoulders and his hand gently tapped a rhythm on one. He nodded to Summer.
"You're quiet. Is something wrong?"
"Hmm?" She looked up and over at him with a smile. "Fine. Just...I'm just tired."
"You want to go to bed? I can help with Chris."
"Um, yeah, I guess. Thanks."
"Yeah, no problem." Luke shifted Chris into one arm and took Summer's hand to help her stand up. "Goodnight, you guys." He smiled and Summer nodded.
She looked at Seth for another second as Luke took her hand again and led her to the pool house. Seth looked over at his mother and to Marissa who had hung up her phone.
"Are they always like that? Like they're married?"
Kirsten shrugged and Marissa mimicked her.
"I don't know; I guess it's just natural since they have Chris and all," Marissa said.
"It's hard for Summer sometimes, you know, honey? She feels a little looked down upon because she's a single mom. And I guess it's comforting." Kirsten rubbed gentle circles into Seth's back and he nodded.
"Yeah, but with the arm and everything. Why don't they just get back together?"
Marissa shook her head. "They were never really together. It literally was, like, one week. One second you see her hanging all over him and kissing him at prom, and the next she slaps him and tells him to leave her alone."
"Did he do something to her?"
Marissa shook her head again. "I think she got tired of him. She wasn't really into him, it was just easier, you know? And she needed a date for prom."
"They went to prom together?"
Marissa and Kirsten nodded. Kirsten added, "They won Prom King and Queen. They smiled for the picture, but the next day they were ignoring each other."
"He's a little protective of her though, isn't he?"
Marissa shrugged. "I guess on some level he loves her, but like I love you, you know? It doesn't mean anything. Especially since he was her rebound romance after you."
Seth was still trying to process the fact that she had said 'I love you.' I love you. God, that was fast. But he snapped out of it and nodded.
"He was her first boyfriend after the, uh, summer?"
Marissa shook her head. "No, but they were all rebounds. I mean, she was partying harder than she had ever before and each guy didn't last longer than Luke did. But I guess he was because we never considered those guys her boyfriends."
"Oh."
Kirsten looked over at Marissa. "She hasn't really dated a lot, has she? I mean, even after Chris has grown up and she could date."
Marissa nodded. "Just, like, go to dinner and then she says she'll call them. I don't know if it's that she's scared because she has a kid or if she's just not interested in the whole dating thing, you know? But Summer never was. She always just liked having the guy flirt with her, and then the next day it was over. Except for you." She tapped Seth's shoulder and he nodded.
"Except for me."
"Well, I mean, she really loved you. And I guess you were a hard act to follow. Even to come before. You were, like, the climax of her life."
There was that love word again. He nodded slowly and smiled faintly.
"I'm going to go to bed. Good night." He kissed his mom and Marissa's cheeks and walked up the stairs to his room.
Marissa looked at Kirsten and grinned. "He really still likes her."
Kirsten nodded. "How cute would they be?"
Marissa giggled. "And Summer needs it."
Luke came jogging out of the pool house and smiled at the two of them.
"Well, I'm going to take off. Mrs. Cohen, thank you for dinner and everything. Marissa." He kissed her hand and smiled at Kirsten. "I'll see you ladies later."
He walked off to his car and drove away. Marissa giggled again.
"Luke's never going to change, is he?"
Kirsten shook her head. "No."
"You think he likes Summer?"
Kirsten shrugged. "I can't imagine him not. He really is protective of her."
Marissa nodded. "But who do you think Summer likes?"
Kirsten turned and looked at Marissa and Marissa looked back. They both started laughing.
"I thought high school was the end of these triangles," Marissa said.
"Oh honey. Life's always hard. Especially when beautiful women and men are involved. And it just gets harder. This triangle has a kid involved."
Marissa nodded. "So do you think she's going to do anything about it?"
"Marissa, did you see Seth tonight? Terrified. I think she did."
Okay, so I'm really glad that came out like it did. I really had a case of writer's block and this didn't suck nearly as much as I thought it would. Luke's staying around for a while, but please don't hate him. He's a fun person to write and he has good intentions. Please leave a review and thanks for listening. Peace and love...