Disclaimer: Not mine…just borrowing
A/N: Well, I really should be studying chemistry…but obviously that's not going that well. I blame my Spanish class for being boring and making me start this chappie. Many thanks to Spykid18, SVOC Luva, Co, Dogsbody, and Kursk for the reviews. Happy reading!
Chapter 4 – Bagels, Sailing, & Gucci
"She's gone, isn't she?" Lee asked Kirsten before Ryan could even join them in the kitchen.
"She had to leave," Kirsten said hesitantly, "But you and Ryan are going to stay with us, okay?"
"Um," she looked behind her to find Ryan silently watching her, "Yeah, thanks."
That conversation echoed through Kirsten's head as she stepped out of the shower. It had been echoing through her head for the past 24 hours. On the outside, the fourteen year old had handled it very well, but the concept of 'well' was purely relative. She just could not comprehend how Dawn could just walk out on her kids and leave them with virtually perfect strangers.
Slipping into her designer business suit and looking around her large master bath, Kirsten could understand how Dawn saw life with the Cohen's as superior, but luxury goods did not equal perfection. Dawn didn't even ask if Sandy and she were willing, she just left. Kirsten knew that she couldn't turn the kids away, not after seeing a glimpse of the Chino lifestyle, but it was still difficult.
Ryan was still a stranger to her, and even though she saw potential in him there was a angry streak she couldn't ignore and that prison record. As for Lee, Kirsten didn't know anything about her. She didn't even know the girl's full name. Sure she seemed sweet, but for all they knew she could have a prison record too. But it was too late for second thoughts now; she had told them they could stay and there was no way Kirsten Cohen was going to abandon either of them.
"Comic books?" Lee walked into the kitchen to find Seth and Ryan reading comics while eating cereal at the table, "Ew."
"Hey, have you read any before?" Seth looked personally offended.
"Yes, I have," she answered smugly, grabbing a banana, "They're just too flaky for me."
"This coming from the girl who watches soap operas?" Ryan teased.
"They're called daytime dramas!" she argued, "Besides, I only watch them occasionally."
"Well, they're called graphic novels and I only read these occasionally," Seth shot back and she sat down across from him, "Is that all you're eating?"
"I'm not a breakfast person," she shrugged.
"That'll change," Seth muttered.
"What?" she looked from Seth to Ryan.
"Morning Mom," Seth ignored Lee and smiled at his parents, "Morning Dad."
"Morning guys," Kirsten smiled pouring coffee for herself and her husband.
"So, what are your plans for today?" Sandy popped two bagels in the toaster.
"I don't know," Seth shrugged, "I was thinking of taking them out on Summer Breeze."
"What about shopping?" Kirsten suggested.
"What are you thinking?" Seth looked appalled.
"I have to agree with Seth on that one, honey," Sandy added.
"I was thinking," she handed him his coffee, "That Seth and Ryan could hit the mall sometime this morning, unless you'd like to go with Lee and me this afternoon?"
"You know, Mom that actually does sound like a good idea" Seth turned to Ryan, "Believe me, man, you do not want to be stuck in the mall with her. It's not pretty."
"Seth!" she scolded.
"He needs to be warned," he turned to Lee, "And you need to prepare yourself, mentally and physically."
"It's shopping, not a marathon," Kirsten shook her head.
"For Kirsten Cohen, shopping is a marathon," Seth countered.
"Don't listen to him, Lee," she laughed noticing that Lee was only eating a banana, "Is that all you're having?"
"Yeah," she shrugged, "I'm not much of a breakfast person."
"You'll have to become one," Kirsten handed her the bagel Sandy had prepared for her, "Most important meal of the day, so eat up."
"Uh, thanks," she took the bagel hesitantly.
"See, I warned you that you were going to become a breakfast person, and I was right," Seth began, "I'm right about the shopping too."
"Will you just eat?" Kirsten scolded him as she went to make herself another bagel.
"Sure thing, Mom," he took a big spoonful of cereal.
"Lee, I need to get some information from you," Sandy joined them at the table with a small pad of paper, "For work."
"Sure," she paused at the awkwardness of the situation, "What do you need to know?"
"Full name?"
"Leslie – L-E-S-L-I-E – Rose Atwood" she answered, spelling out her first name for him.
"Birthday?"
"September 9, 1988."
"Do you know you're social security number?"
"Um, yeah," she rattled off the numbers, "Anything else?"
"Favorite color?"
"What?" Lee couldn't imagine why social services need to know that one.
"That one's for me," Kirsten said, "I need to know for your room."
"My room?"
"Yes," Kirsten smiled, "A guest room is not a bedroom, and since Ryan already has the pool house, we needed to find you somewhere else with a little more privacy, so we decided on turning Seth's old playroom into your bedroom."
"You really don't have to do that," Lee told her.
"Don't try to talk her out of it," Sandy advised, "She's wanted to redo that room since-"
"I stopped needing a playroom," Seth finished for him.
"Exactly," he smiled, "So what color?"
"Blue," Lee sighed and took a bite of her bagel; realizing things were destined to be drastically different here.
"So, Lee what do you think of your first sailing experience?" Seth asked as he worked with his boat.
"It's nice," she smiled from where she had been lounging on the other side.
"Nice?" Seth looked offended, "I think Summer Breeze is a little more than nice."
"It's great," she rolled her eyes, earning her a warning gaze from her brother. They were in the middle of the ocean and Ryan was still parenting her…brothers…she thought.
"Thanks," he laughed, knowing that she didn't fully mean what she said, but by looking at her, Seth knew she was having a good time.
"So why'd you name it Summer Breeze?" she asked, sitting up straight.
"Um, I," Seth began with a stuttered, "It's named after this girl. Summer. Summer Roberts."
"Oh," she smirked, "Would this Summer be the girl you were with at Casino night? The one in the red dress?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Nothing," Lee shrugged, "I just thought she was a little b-" she saw Ryan shoot her another glare, "High-maintenance."
"Well, yeah, but that's Summer," Seth countered, "Plus she's hot."
"Boys," she groaned and glanced at Ryan, "And don't you dare tell me I'm being hypersensitive."
"I wasn't going to say a thing," Ryan defended.
"Right," she returned her focus to Seth, "So this Summer, does she even know your name?"
"Well, sort of."
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked getting no response, "That's what I thought. There's no reason she shouldn't know you. You're Seth Cohen."
"That's kind of his problem," Ryan joked.
"Hey!" Seth complained.
"Well it's true!"
"Yeah, but…"
"Anyway," Lee interrupted, "Based on that 'little party' we attended, I'm guessing that your high school is filled with a bunch of cookie-cutter Newport trust fund teens, right?"
"I prefer to call them 'Newpsies in Training,'" he nodded, "But yeah."
"So I'm sure they're not into that whole emo-thing you've got going on."
"And this is supposed to make me feel better, how?"
"You need more confidence," she continued, "You're family is like the richest in Newport, right? So, you should command respect."
"Easier said than done," Seth muttered.
"Life's tough. Get over it," she returned to lounging, ignoring the look her brother was sending her.
"You sure you don't want to come?" Ryan asked Lee one more time.
"You're leaving me at a beach," she gestured at the Newport pier they were standing on, "I'll be fine."
"It's not you I'm worried about," he glanced at a group of preppy bikini clad girls and back at his sister, who were cut-offs and another white tank-top.
"I'll buy a magazine," she smirked, "You'll be back in what, an hour?"
"Yeah."
"No," Seth answered at the same time.
"What?" Ryan questioned, "You're kidding."
"Have you seen this list?" Seth held up the list of required items Kirsten had attached to the credit card.
"I don't need all this," he scanned the list while Lee read over his shoulder.
"I think you need some ties," she grinned.
"Just wait until you see yours," Seth warned, "You'll go in and come out three hours later with a mountain of clothes and like three little black Gucci dresses that will appear identical to everyone but my mother."
"Thanks, Seth," she groaned.
"Have a fun afternoon," he smiled, "While you can."
"Stay out of trouble," Ryan added.
"Bye!" she waved and turned to leave. Lee looked around and realized that shopping with her older brother may have actually been a better option. She gave a group of girls a disgusted look, she was already sick of Newport.
A/N: Thanks so much for those who reviewed…if you haven't reviewed yet, please do…I'll love you forever! (But not in a creepy way…I promise!)