Down A Rabbit Hole We Go – Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own the OC or any of its characters.

XXXXXXXX

Recap:

Kirsten watched her new brother beat her husband soundly in three games of pool. The whole time her father was grinning from ear to ear. She realized he'd set Sandy up and Ryan had played along with it. It was rare to see this side of her dad since her mother's death. He seemed genuinely happy and he beamed with pride when talking about Ryan. Ryan seemed like a good kid, despite Kirsten's misgivings about where and how he was reared. His mother's house sounded like a nightmare. So far Ryan was quiet, respectful, bashful, and apparently patient. If Seth's incessant chatter bothered him, he didn't let on. Right now, he was teaching her son the basics of pool. He chuckled every so often at something Seth said.

Sandy squeezed Kirsten's hand from where he sat beside her.

"They seem to be getting along well," Caleb pointed out.

Any response from Kirsten or Sandy was cut short when Haley came bustling through the doors to the den. "Anybody home?"

XXXXXXXX

"Haley?" Caleb's shock was apparent as he stood and faced his youngest daughter.

Kirsten clenched Sandy's hand as she looked between her father and sister.

Haley looked around the room. Her eyes widened when she spotted Ryan, then she grinned.

"You guys having a family reunion without me?' She smirked at Caleb.

"Haley, dear. Maybe we should go to my office and talk." Caleb suggested.

Haley just waived him off and crossed the room toward Ryan and Seth. She rounded the pool table and stopped a few feet from the two.

"Aunt Haley," Seth acknowledged her then looked between her and Ryan.

Haley looked at the boy in front of her. "Haley," she introduced herself.

"Ryan," Ryan replied, sizing up his other sister.

"Welcome to the family, Baby Brother." Haley replied then turned to look at her sister. "You owe me fifty bucks, Kiki."

"Wh..what?" Kirsten stuttered.

"You owe me fifty bucks," Haley repeated. "A few years ago, when dad disappeared again at Thanksgiving, I bet you fifty bucks that dad was hiding a steady girlfriend and maybe even a kid somewhere. I was right."

"Well, that's not exactly what's going on." Kirsten answered

"Oh?" Haley looked at her father for an explanation, obviously not buying it.

Caleb looked around the room at his three children, then focused on Haley. "Ryan is my son, your brother," Caleb explained. "But his mother and I are no longer involved. It was a … brief affair."

Haley looked mildly deflated at being wrong about Caleb having a girlfriend hidden away, but she shrugged it off, looking between her father and Ryan. "Well, I'm glad you finally decided to share Baby Brother with us."

Caleb looked relieved. He honestly hadn't known how Haley would respond to the news about Ryan. "How did you know? That Ryan was my son?" Caleb clarified.

"Well for one thing, he looks just like you in your and mom's wedding photo," Haley pointed out, looking pointedly at the photo on the wall.

Everyone in the room looked at the photo with Ryan moving over to study it. Caleb had never noticed the obvious resemblance.

"And my friend Monica moved to Anaheim Hills last year." At that, Caleb's eyes shot back to Haley.

"I got back to the states in early December and have been staying with her since then. Imagine my surprise when I'm driving through her neighborhood and see you and Baby Brother here getting out of your car at a house at the end of her street the week before Christmas. And then you returned every few weekends and over spring break. I've got to say though, I'm a little disappointed that you introduced the kid to Neil Roberts and his daughter before you introduced him to us." Haley admonished.

"Neil Roberts and his daughter? Summer?" Seth asked and Haley nodded. Seth turned toward Ryan. "You know Summer Roberts?"

"Yeah. Were friends." Ryan shrugged.

"Friends? Dude, we're talking about one of the hottest girls on the planet here. I've had a crush on Summer Roberts since like second grade and she doesn't even know my name. You've been in Newport for less than a day and you're friends?"

"It's a long story." Ryan and Caleb replied in sync.