A/N : Thank you everyone for your reviews - you're all awesome and I appreciate it so much! The story is mainly about Seth and Summer but Ryan and Marissa are added into it - I promise in chapters to come you'll see more of Ryan and Marissa and their family. Enjoy!
"We're back." Kirsten exclaimed when she entered the house with Sandy and the kids. Her hands full of the kid's bags she set them down on the staircase and wandered about the house to see if Seth and Summer were even up yet, it was noon now but they didn't think to call.
"Hey everyone!" Seth and Summer entered the foyer where everyone was standing holding hands with vast smirks upon their faces. The boys immediately ran to both, clutching to their legs as both were soon picked up and kissed.
"Aren't you two happy. I'm guessing you had a fun night last night?" Sandy shut the door behind him and stood by Kirsten's side, his hand on her waist.
Caitlin walked by both of them trying to dismiss their comments but couldn't help but chime in.
"Oh…." holding out her 'oh' she nodded her head as she soon picked up on what exactly made them so happy. "I know what they did. Ew! That's sick!" Her now witty mood turned into disgust and she exited the room quickly. Her face was scrunched, looking like she tasted something she didn't like and was now reacting.
"Will you stop this, the boys are around." Summer looking motherly at her as her eyes watched Caitlin run up the stairs.
"Mommy, what's Caitlin talking about?" Brady asked.
Summer looked at Seth as both placed the boys back on the ground. "N-nothing, guys, um…. go play in the living room – we'll be right there."
The boys ran into the living room unaware of what they were talking about, but obviously Kirsten and Sandy did and were standing there biting their lips to hide their smiles.
"I suspect we'll have a lot more of these babysitting nights now?" Sandy looked to Kirsten and then to Seth and Summer who was feeling awkward, though it wasn't like they did something bad, they were married.
"Don't you two need to be getting back to the house? Go pry into Ryan and Marissa's personal life, go watch their kids." Seth turned behind his parents, his hands on their shoulders practically rushing their parents towards the door.
"Okay, okay we get the picture. We'll be leaving but remember that dinner's tonight at Ryan's and Marissa's – at seven." Seth nodded and a few seconds later both left.
Both turned to each other and said "Dinner?"
Time flew by and it was five thirty now and the family was running around getting ready for dinner at Ryan and Marissa's.
"Zachary will you stop fidgeting?" Summer was in the mist of getting the boys ready and while Brady ran around the room playing, Zack tried his hardest to get out of Summer's grasp to join him. She pulled a long, tan colored shirt with hunter green sleeves with writing on the front, over Zachary's head and then released him to play with Brady. He was already dressed in khaki's and now it was Brady's turn. With Brady, only in blue jeans he was being held still by her legs. She pulled a long sleeved white shirt over Brady's head that was covered by a red, blue and white stripped short-sleeved shirt. She sighed and leaned backward, supported by her hands and took a few deep breaths. She soon stood and walked out of the room turning to the boys to tell them they'll be leaving shortly and made her way down the hall to Caitlin's room.
"Caitlin, ten minutes okay?" She knocked on the door and peaked her head in to see her daughter standing by her full-length mirror trying on some new outfits. "Don't you look nice."
Caitlin turned to look at her mother and quickly moved to another part of her room to make it seem like she was doing something else.
"Do you have any idea what Ryan and Marissa are hiding? Has Brittany told you anything?" Summer stood by the doorway curious if Caitlin knew anything especially since the dinner tonight had a special purpose.
"No, I have no idea, Brittany hasn't told me anything."
"Ok, well we'll all find out soon enough. Ten minutes okay?" Caitlin nodded and Summer left the room exhaling noisily as she made her last stop into their room. She checked her reflection in the mirror, pulling on her long, straightened hair and tugging on the bottom of her shirt as it bunched a little.
"Will you stop worrying, you look great." Seth exited their master bathroom wearing a simple gray shirt and blue jeans and sat on the bed putting on his shoes.
"I'm not worrying I just hate secrets and I don't know why Marissa would keep something from me especially since we tell each other everything." Seth came to her side and kissed her head and placed his hands upon her shoulder.
"I doubt the news is anything bad and we'll all know soon enough. We should get going, it's past six." Both in agreement they exited their bedroom and as Seth got Caitlin, Summer rounded up the boys. The family of five walked out of their two floor, California home and into their family mini van and drove and half hour to Newport to visit Ryan and Marissa along with the rest of the Cohen family.
"Marissa! Ryan!" Summer yelled loudly as she entered their cozy two floor house and the girls immediately hugged.
"Seth, how have you been? Long time no talk, thought you died or something." Ryan said jokingly as the two hugged.
"Yeah, well three kids…. life's been a bit hectic lately."
The house was full of their family members, Ryan and Seth's parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents along with Marissa's family.
Caitlin and Brittany soon joined with a hug and immediately scampered up to Brit's bedroom to get away from their family members. The boys walked into the living room where they were greeted by a bunch of their family members.
"This can't be Seth and Summer's boys, can it? Wow! Last time I saw them they could barely walk." Jimmy stood from the couch and gave both of them a hug, unaware of the faces both boys made behind Jimmy's back.
"So what have you and Ryan been up to lately? We only live a half hour away but I feel like we never get the chance to talk like we did before we had kids." Summer and Marissa were in the kitchen, the only place it seemed no family members seemed to subsist.
"I know, I know, I'm horrible. Lately things have just gotten crazy, Brit's been quite the fanatical teenager and because of it, the house has been a little frantic. Kiley's started pre-k and so she's adjusting to not having me there all day…I've been tired, and work's been getting sort of crazy so I'm promising I haven't been ignoring you on purpose." Marissa babbled on, the tiredness catching up to her, and though the last time she saw Marissa was two weeks ago there was something, different, about her.
"Brady, tell your great grandfather what's new with you." Kirsten sat Brady on her lap and adjusted him so he was facing Caleb who sitting to their side.
"I started kindergarten!" Brady shrieked loudly, excited by his new milestone.
"You started kindergarten? Wow, you guys are getting so big I can't believe this. Do you like it?" Caleb asked intently laughing at Brady's enthusiasm.
"Uh-huh, I like it a lot. My teacher, Mrs. Sullivan is real nice – she says I'm her favorite but don't tell Zack." Blocking his mouth with his hand he whispered the last part so Zack wouldn't hear him even though he wasn't present in the room. All the adults laughed as they listened to the five year old talk.
Outside, sitting on the front porch drinking some beers sat Ryan and Seth spending Seth-Ryan time, something that now rarely existed.
"Who would have thought that at the age of thirty-two, we'd be married to our high school sweethearts, be parents, own huge houses and have despondent jobs? Not me…. nope, no way." Seth took a drink from his beer bottle and turned to Ryan who was agreeing with a nod.
"Yeah, life's funny like that I guess. " They both watched the sunset over the ocean from Ryan's beachfront house.
"So, what's this big dinner party about? I mean it's not often that you have parties and invite all of our family members so it has to be big." Seth was taking on a Summer quality, prying, something that Ryan keenly picked up on.
"Calm yourself, you've been hanging around Summer too much. You're starting to act like her." Ryan took another sip of his beer and twirled the empty bottle around to see if there was any sips left but then sat it down next to him when he realized there wasn't.
"Hmm, that kind of happens when you're married to someone. But seriously man, what's going on? No one's dying right? Nothing serious?"
Ryan shook his head and readjusted his sitting position, leaning over he rested his arms on his knees. "No, I guess not but you'll find out soon. We better get back inside, people are probably wondering where we are." Both stood up, grabbing their beer bottles and returned to the house.
"Mommy…." Kiley walked into the kitchen running over to her mother and resting her head on Marissa's legs.
"Oh sweetie, there you are. Are you having fun?" Marissa bent down to pick her up and set her on her lap. Kiley, acting clingy laid her head on Marissa's shoulder acting cranky. "Honey, what's the matter?"
"I can't believe this is Kiley. She looks so big, she can't be only four." Summer poked Kiley's back but stopped when she seemed rather annoyed from it.
Zachary entered the kitchen, an analogous look upon his face as he too griped to his Summer. As Kiley turned forward, she stuck her tongue out and looked directly at her cousin. Returning a furious face, Zack too stuck his tongue out but was soon reprimanded by his mother.
"Zachary James, stop that right now." Summer scolded at him.
"What is going on, why are you acting mean towards your cousin?" Marissa asked her daughter, who also rebuked Kiley.
"He tore my favorite Barbie dolls head off!" Kiley exclaimed, distraught about what her cousin did.
"You have so many other dolls, sweetie and don't worry…. maybe daddy can fix it later." Marissa rubbed Kiley's back trying to comfort her.
"Zack, apologize to Kiley. " Summer held his arm as the little boy tried to run into the other room; similar to his father they'd always run when trouble called.
"No!" Zack proclaimed, stomping his foot refusing to apologize, again, similar to his father.
"Zachary, apologize now!" Her tone sharper she squinted one eye giving her motherly death glare and Zack soon obliged.
"Sorry…." He mumbled, looking down at the floor.
Summer turned back to Marissa rolling her eyes at what seemed to consume their lives now.
"Kiley" Marissa wobbled her daughter a little since after the apology, she was quiet.
"It's okay." She still looked angry, but she did what her mother told her to do and now it seemed like the situation was resolved. Marissa and Summer laughed, their lives which used to revolve around makeup, town gossip and who's dating who was now replaced with bedtime stories, homework, fighting and toy trucks. Go figure.
"What are you four up to?" Seth asked as he walked into the kitchen next to Ryan. His hand placed on top of Zack's head, he wrapped his other around his neck, resting it on his shoulder and began messing around with his hair. They began play fighting and as Seth held Zack over his shoulder, Zack's head facing the ground and his legs and arms flailing everywhere Summer stepped in and forced them to stop.
"Seth, not now." She shaded her face in embarrassment at her child-at-heart husband while everyone else laughed.
"We were just talking. Do you think we should have dinner now?" Ryan came to his wife's side kissing the top of her head and with a free hand stroked the side of her arm. Marissa bobbed her head and with Kiley in her arms, she hopped down from the chair, Summer doing the same. Seth returned Zack to the ground and they all walked into the living room hallway announcing that dinner was ready. As the crowd entered the dinning room and took their seats Ryan and Marissa stood to the side holding each other's hand and glancing back and forth passing smiles.
"Um, before we all eat Marissa and I invited you all here to share some news." Ryan looked at Marissa and grinned as all the eyes stared back at the two of them.
"Well, the news is…. we're pregnant!" Marissa, beaming with excitement tilted her head towards her shoulder giving a 'yeah, crazy huh?' look. Everyone fleeing from their seats stood up in complete astonishment, especially the grandparents-to-be, and flooded towards Ryan and Marissa giving them congratulatory hugs.
"You never told me your mom was pregnant." Caitlin whispered to Brittany, the only two other then the little kids to get up and tell them congratulations.
"I just found out an hour before everyone came, and plus it's not that exciting." Both girls watched the crowd gather over the news of a baby. To them it was nothing, or to Brittany it was another person to ruin her life, glad it wasn't happening to me.
"This was news you couldn't tell your best friend? Aw, congratulations! Pregnant? I can't believe this, how far along are you?" Summer asked upfront as she hugged her best friend.
"Believe me, it was definitely hard not telling anyone. I found out a few days ago and it was confirmed at a doctor's appointment Thursday. I'm seven weeks." Summer shook her head, memories of when both were pregnant together fifteen years ago replayed in her head and now she's expecting again.
"Ryan, you dog." Seth said laughing as both engaged in a hug. "I guess you finally caught up to me. Even, three to three."
"Yeah, can you believe it? I'm going to be a dad again and this one was unexpected, who would have guessed." Ryan too, quavered his head at the disbelief of this event. "But we shared the news and now, let's eat." Ryan patted Seth's back and the crowd now sat around the table and dug into their food.
The whole family sitting around the dinner table, chatting and laughing was nice for everyone especially since it rarely ever happens and to share the news of this blessed event made it even more special.
After some wine, and more chatting the family soon split and got into their cars and went back to their lives and after everyone left it was now just the Atwood family. Marissa was in the kitchen clearing off the table and Ryan stepped in taking on the chore.
"Here, let me do this." Ryan grabbed the plates from Marissa and walked over to the dishwasher and set them in.
Marissa laughed and put her hands to her hips. "Ryan, I'm only a couple weeks pregnant, I'm not capable of clearing off a couple of dishes?"
"It's not that, it's just you spent all day on your feet and making the dinner I just thought you deserved a little break." He continued clearing off the table and was now almost done.
"Okay, if you say so." She continued laughing thinking his excuse was absurd but decided that she rather him clean then her so she left the room. Meeting up in the living room, Brittany and Kiley both sat watching tv. "Hey girls, what are you to doing?"
"Watching tv, 101 Dalmatians is on!" Kiley rested next to her mother, her head resting on her legs as she took up most of the couch.
"Britt – did you have fun tonight? It was nice to see your cousins and everyone right?" Brittany nodded not really paying attention to her mother and focused more on the movie even though she hated it.
"I had fun, me and Brady played tag and then…. and then, we colored." Kiley seemed amused and was talking even though she was preoccupied with the movie.
"I haven't really talked with you two about this, but are you both excited? About the baby? I'd like to hear your opinions." Marissa moved her attention back and forth between the two girls, especially on Brittany.
Brittany shrugged, causing Marissa to focus more onto her seeing she was upset about something but Kiley on the other hand kept rambling on.
"Brittany – honey, are you excited?" She kept prying thinking in her head the possible answers her fifteen year old would say.
"I said I don't care." Brittany spoke sharply, her focus still on the tv.
"Why? This is a big thing. There's going to be another person in our lives, a little baby. It's a big change and I'd like to know if you both are okay with this. Our lives our going to change and I just want to make sure that we're all on the same page."
"You know what, I don't care that you and dad are having another baby because it wasn't my decision. No I wasn't asked if I wanted you to have a baby, I wasn't asked for something to keep me up at night, I didn't ask for something that would cry so much that you just prayed that you were deaf just so you didn't have to listen to it. I just, I just don't care and anyways, it's not like I can do anything about it now." Brittany stood up from her sofa and stormed out of the living room and up to her bedroom. Marissa troubled; looked down at Kiley stroking her hair as she wanted to go after her but decided that letting her cool off was the best. Yes, this baby wasn't planned nor was it really a good time, but things like this can't always be planned and that was the case for them.
"What was that all about?" Ryan walked into the living room and sat across from Marissa and wondered what Brit's blow-up was about, he only heard bits and pieces.
"Our daughter just expressed how she really feels about the baby. And you know how she feels? She's angry and upset that because of us her life is ruined. That this baby is going to ruin her life and you want to know what? It's all my fault." She began crying, the pregnancy must have already kicked in and memories of past pregnancies became familiar. Marissa too ran up the stairs into their bedroom, crying. A moment that was supposed to be joyous and happy and a time to celebrate was now a moment of sadness and resentment.
"Daddy, why is mommy upset?" Kiley asked climbing from the couch and moving over to where Ryan sat, snuggling against him.
"I think Brittany made her upset, but also when mommy's are having baby's sometimes they become very emotional and sometimes are very, very happy and then for no reason, will get really sad." Ryan's explanation was over her head and the little girl instead focused her attention back onto her movie. "It's going to be a long eight months." He sighed and lay back on the couch resting his arm on Kiley's leg.
The next morning Summer and Marissa decided to meet up for breakfast and talk, something they rarely get a chance to do anymore. They met up at a quaint little diner a few minutes from both their houses and sat down in a booth and began chatting.
"I had so much fun last night, didn't you?" Summer sat across from Marissa in a booth, her hands cupped around her coffee cup as she pulled it up to her mouth to take a sip.
"I had lots of fun, I was so relieved to tell everyone I was pregnant because I felt like I was going to burst if I didn't say something soon. Even talking to you, I wanted to so many times tell you, but Ryan and I decided to wait."
"You definitely caught me off-guard, I never expected for you to be pregnant." Summer sighed, staring out the window.
"Small world, huh? I'm thirty-three and expecting my third child, the only thing is I'm not seventeen anymore. You know, back when we were so young and energetic and could actually keep up with a baby. I know thirty-two is young, but I feel old, I feel old to be having a baby."
"Be glad we're not seventeen anymore, what a year we had. If I knew half of what I know now back then about raising kids, maybe Caitlin wouldn't be so screwed up." She laughed as the waitress came by to take their orders. Summer orders a cheese and bacon omelet while Marissa ordered four eggs over-easy, toast, bacon and also requested tabasco sauce. Summer looked at her, barmy over her large order and began laughing – she was definitely expecting.
"Yeah tell me about it. We were so young and naïve and kids was the last thing we all needed. It is true what Brittany says, parents aren't good for anything."
"Brittany says that too? Wow, our kids are too much alike. I can just imagine what they do when they're alone; probably talk about how awful we are as parents. I was at the mall with my mom and she like actually talked to me in public. I mean there were people around, watching, and she initiated conversation like we were related. It was so embarrassing!" Summer said with a high-pitched, teenage sounding voice. Marissa immediately started to laugh.
"Oh, oh, I have a better one while we're on topics of embarrassing our kids. Brit and I were at the mall shopping, bra shopping." Summer lifted up her eyebrows her mouth in an 'o'. "And so anyways, we were in the department and she of course went to the opposite side to get as far away from me as she could so I began shopping, picking out some things for her. I walked over to where she was, she was hiding her face and looking like she was waiting for someone and I held up the options for her to see if she likes any and mentioned that hers aren't very big, so an A bra would be best. Right as we're talking I guess someone from her class, boys, walk by us and begin laughing. My God she could have killed me right then, her face was so red." Summer burst immediately into laughter, tears streamed down her face they were laughing so hard. "Kids are something, aren't they?" Marissa cackled, her stomach hurt from laughing so hard.
"Yeah, they are. And you're about to have another one. Scared?" The waitress came by and placed the food in front of the customer, asked if anyone needed anything else and then left to let them eat.
"Scared? Yes and no, but I have two so it's not like I'm not used to having a baby around. Labor and delivery is a scary thing for anyone no matter how many kids you have, and I'm scared how the girls are going to act once the baby comes. Brit made it clear she wasn't happy, in fact it's disgusting but Kiley's only four, she's still too young. And then there's the house, Ryan's job, I just – "
"You have nothing to be scared of, you're a pro at this, If you have a c-section, well you've already had one as well as having a natural birth, the only thing you haven't experienced is a son." Summer dug her fork into her omelet, cutting off a little sliver of it and putting it in her mouth. She mhmmed in satisfaction, her omelet was superb as always.
"A son. I'm hoping it's a boy, then it'll be our last and we'll be complete. I remember when Ryan and I were in the c-section room and the doctor's had just delivered Brittany. I remember that feeling I got when the doctor announced it was a girl. The first time I saw her, she was so little and cute…. so wrinkly. We were so happy and at that moment nothing mattered, not our age, not where we lived, not our past history or what happened those last months – Ryan and I were there with our baby and that was all that mattered. That feeling's so great, and every time we have another baby we always get that feeling and it's just a special bonding moment Ryan and I share with our child." She placed her hand on her stomach, she was getting excited about the new baby the more she thought about it.
"Seth was such a klutz at Caitlin's birth, oh it was awful. He misplaced the car keys, drove like a grandma, got lost…if I wasn't in so much pain I'd have killed him right then and there."
"I remember you telling me the story, guys. I was so scared with everything; we were both so young when we found out. My life felt like it was over; I dreaded so much telling my mom and dad but to my surprise they didn't take it as bad as I expected. Though the pregnancy went fine, her dramatic birth I could have lived with out. I mean those first hours when the doctor said there's a chance she might not survive – I just didn't know what to do, it was so scary. My teenage years I'd never want for my kids, my parents divorce, my mom's wedding to Caleb, drug overdosing, pregnancy – I was a wild child, I swear if Brittany never came, who'd know what I'd be doing now. Another contribution she added to my life."
"I remember everything like it was yesterday. When I found out, telling Seth, everything. Do you remember?" Summer said chewing on some of her omelet.
"Of course, how would I ever forget?" The two looked off into space as they sat in the diner. Marissa's plate was empty and Summer's was halfway done. They looked out the window, the visions and memories of their seventeenth year, that crazy, lonely, scary year when the four of their lives would change forever played like it was yesterday.