Commencement Exercises

Summary: A different graduation; Sandy's brother 1987. And that means, yes, you guessed it – a trip to NYC, staying with The Nana, Kirsten pregnant with Seth…ooh the drama. Kandy and Cohens.

Disclaimer: I don't own the O.C. shock horror. I'm sorry to disillusion you all but that's the truth.
For Nana, not that she ever watched the O.C. but you never know. She and Sophie Cohen shared a wicked tongue in common. Gone but not gone. Love you.

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I slept on a sofa-bed in Wales and this was the result! If you think the Nana's a little harsh here's my reasoning – back then she wasn't as mellow as she is now, she didn't know Kirsten so well, she really resented her thinking that she was just messing Sandy around and she was also poorer then and bitter about being alone bringing up her kids. She's not really nasty, she just wants to test Kirsten and take out her frustrations on her.

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Prologue

Kirsten found Sandy sat hunched over a letter when she came home. She knew which letter it would be; she had picked it off the doormat that morning and worried about the New York postmark all day.

He glanced up as she leant against the doorframe and she was glad to see he looked unsure rather than upset.

'Your mom?'

'No. My brother.'

'Oh.' That was a whole different ballgame. Sandy and Dave had only just got their relationship back on track. He hadn't taken his older brother moving across the country very well and refused to talk to him for several years. Surprisingly enough he'd warmed to Kirsten, even coming to their wedding; she was obviously a better reason than Law School to stay in California.

'Are you gonna tell me, or do I have to read your mind?' she asked, walking over and sitting beside him on the bed.

'He's graduating.' Her husband held up two tickets bearing the name of his old high school and the words 'Commencement Exercises' in gilded letters.

'We're invited?'

'Yeah.'

'Do you want to go?'

'Well…'

'Sandy, if you want to go, go.'

'He's invited you too.'

'That's just to be polite,' Kirsten insisted quickly.

'No it's not. Davey's always liked you.'

'Only one of your family that does.'

He heard the slight unevenness in his wife's voice and hurried to comfort her, 'He has good taste and he specifically wrote to ask both of us.'

'But…your mom, and your sister, and it's a family thing. I'd just be in the way.'

'Kirsten, you're family. You and little-one in there,' he rubbed her stomach and she smiled. It was still hard to believe that there was a baby inside her, their baby.

'I don't know, New York is a long way away.'

'You can fly till seven months.'

'I know. I'm trying to find excuses, you know that.'

'Yeah, I do. You don't have to come but Davey wants you to, I'd like you to.'

'Sandy…'

'I'm sorry, just think about it okay. Maybe you and my mom can make peace this time.'

'Sandy, she insulted my wedding dress at our wedding. I don't think we're gonna be able to become friends over your brother's graduation weekend.'

'You have a point.'

'I do.'

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In the event Kirsten came. Somehow it was better to be able to hear Sandy's mother's insults firsthand, rather than having to second-guess why her husband was so edgy on his return. Plus she really didn't feel like being alone for an entire weekend. Call it the pregnancy hormones. And what if something went wrong? Better to suffer the Nana with Sandy than anything happen while he was all the way across the other side of the country. Still, it was with some very serious misgivings that she stepped on the plane. She was sensitive enough as it was at the moment and Sophie Cohen would be sure to cash in on being able to make her daughter-in-law cry at the drop of a hat.

'It'll be fine,' Sandy reassured her as they packed and again as they left for the airport. He repeated it at regular intervals throughout the eight hour flight, during the cab ride from La Guardia Airport to the Bronx and while they were waiting for an answer on the intercom of his mom's building.

'Hello?' the Nana responded sharply.

'Hey Ma, it's us.'

'Us being?'

'Sandy and Kirsten, let us in.'

'Fine. The elevators are broken by the way.'

'What?'

'The elevators…'

'No I heard, I was just complaining.'

'It's six flights Sanford, don't be pathetic.'

'I was thinking about Kirsten.'

'Why? Oh yes...well I'm sure she'll survive.'

Sandy grimaced but didn't retaliate. 'We'll see you soon.'

'The elevators are broken,' he told his wife as they stepped into the lobby.

'I heard, but it's fine. I'm perfectly capable of climbing stairs.'

'I just don't want you to over-exert yourself.'

'Well you're not carrying me. I'm pregnant not chronically ill.'

'You're pregnant which means you have to take care of yourself and I have to take care of you.'

'Oh so that's why we're visiting your mother.'

He sighed, 'We're visiting my brother for his graduation.'

'Honey I was joking.' Kirsten smiled sweetly as Sandy scrunched his nose at her in mock annoyance, and leant in to kiss him. Several minutes passed until she broke away. 'As much as I hate to say it, your mother is probably wondering where we are and I don't really want to give her another reason to hate me.'

'She doesn't hate you.'

His wife didn't respond, heading for the stairs without him.

'Hey,' he called, picking up the bags he'd dropped as they kissed, 'not so fast! If we have to do the stairs we're doing them slowly.'

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Shortly after eight pm East-Coast time, Sandy rapped smartly on the door of the apartment he had once called home with one hand, the other intertwined with Kirsten's. There was a moment's pause before it swung open to reveal his mother wearing a false smile and an apron. Kirsten wondered if Sophie had put it on specially to make her feel inadequate.

'Sanford,' she exclaimed, pulling him into a hug which forced him to release his wife's hand. Kirsten resigned herself to sharing him for the weekend.

'And Kirsten,' the Nana's voice lost its lilt as she leant stiffly forward to greet her daughter-in-law.

Luckily Kirsten was practised in the art of air kissing and pretending to actually like the recipient.

'It's lovely to see you Mrs Cohen.'

'Mmm I'm sure.'

'Ma,' Sandy said warningly and his mother ushered them inside.

'Your sister and her husband are in the sitting room and dinner's almost ready,' she called over her shoulder as she headed back into the kitchen.

Sandy smiled encouragingly at Kirsten as they went to greet Jess and Bill.

'Well look who it is,' a tired-looking, dark-haired girl exclaimed as they walked in.

'Hey sis, hey Bill.'

'Hey,' Kirsten mimicked.

Bill nodded to them. He was the strong, silent type, minus the strong.

'How're the kids?' Sandy asked, flopping into a chair, Kirsten perching awkwardly on the arm.

'Little menaces as per usual,' Jess declared. 'If you weren't already having one I'd tell you not to bother.'

Sandy laughed but Kirsten didn't really find it funny.

'And talking of that, Kirsten, you're looking…'

'Doesn't she look well,' Sandy interjected.

'I was going to say big.'

The awkward silence that was about to ensure was diverted by the arrival of the youngest Cohen.

'Sandy! Kirsten!' he yelled. 'You made it.'

'Of course we did. Weren't about to miss your graduation Davey-boy.'

'Dave,' the boy corrected, rolling his eyes as Sandy ruffled his hair.

'Aw you're always gonna be our little Davey.'

'Quit winding him up,' Kirsten chastised.

'KiCo,' Dave exclaimed, using the nickname he had masterminded at their wedding. 'How's my favourite sister-in-law?'

'I'm your only sister-in-law,' she said laughing and accepting a genuine hug. 'But I'm fine.'

'And my newest niece-or-nephew? You know you guys really have to find out whether it's a girl or a boy, the suspense is killing me.'

Sandy grinned, 'You'll just have to learn to live with it; we're keeping it a surprise.'

'He or she has stopped making me sick which is a relief.'

'Well you're looking fabulous.'

'Thanks. So more importantly how are you? Graduation, big day huh?'

Kirsten began to relax as she chatted with David, always known as Davey or Dave because no one wanted to be reminded of David Cohen Senior, but all too soon it was time for dinner and she had to face the rest of the Cohen clan in the enclosed space around the table.

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Well I promised and here I am! Let me know what you think.

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