Hey guys!

Sorry for not updating in so long! I'm terrible. I will definitely be updating this one more...Enjoy!

Dru

Chapter 5

Surprise

"Priscilla," It took Ryan a couple of minutes to gather his thoughts together before finding enough courage to speak.

"Uncle Ryan?" Priscilla questioned.

"I don't like seeing Angel discouraged. I told her I'd take over while she ate," Ryan replied, twisting his wedding band absentmindedly around his finger.

"You should go eat. It's not like I need to be babysat or anything," Priscilla replied. Her voice still sounded tear full.

"I wanted to see if maybe you'd talk to me instead," Ryan said.

"There's nothing left to say," Priscilla responded. "Angel kept something from me."

"Something that you already knew," Ryan said gently. "You knew Tanya was drunk but didn't want to hurt Marilyn's feelings by not getting into the car."

"It's not a big deal anymore! I don't know why everybody is still making it one," Priscilla snapped.

"No one's making this a big deal except you Sill," Ryan said. Priscilla opened the door and gave Ryan a funny look before helping him to his feet and pulling him into her room.

Angel walked out into the yard and stood awkwardly for a minute as everyone turned her way.

"Hi honey," Kirsten stood up to hug Angel as she approached the table.

"Gamma, Grandpa. What are you doing here?" Angel asked leaning over to hug Sandy as well.

"Your aunt oh-so-graciously invited us. Surprising more then just you kids apparently," Kirsten gave Seth a look. Angel smiled nervously before sitting down next to Marissa.

"So I hear you and Priscilla are having a bit of a falling out?" Sandy asked.

"They've fought before Dad. Priscilla will get over it. She's just an overdramatic like her mother," Seth said. Summer shot a look at him.

"Well your mother and I have a surprise but we wanted the whole kit and caboodle here before we said anything," Sandy said, taking a bite of corn.

"Dad! Nobody says that anymore!" Seth scolded, slightly embarrassed. Adrian banged his cup against his high chair before it fell down to the grass below.

"Chino Chino get it!" he giggled happily.

"Chino's not here boo. Be careful please," Marissa set the sipper cup upright again in front of him.

"Where's Daddy?" Ashton whined.

"He went upstairs to talk with Priscilla Ash. Would you calm down?" Angel tugged at her brother's leg so he would sit properly in his high chair. "Why are they so antsy ma?"

"Dad and I let them sleep with us last night remember? They got their dream sleep but we didn't get a whole lot of any kind of sleep," Marissa sighed as Adrian knocked over his cup again.

"The boys shouldn't be sleeping with you two at this age. I thought Jimmy bought them those nice beds," Kirsten commented.

"Oh, it was only a one time thing," Marissa assured her. "They sort of…fell asleep on us." Marissa usually took Kirsten's parenting comments as constructive criticism as opposed to something that would be needed to be taken to offense. The only time she took offense was when her own mother made comments which always got her blood boiling. Her mother never really had anything 'constructive' to say. Summer, on the other hand, found it necessary to defend every, even remotely 'constructive' comment about her children, usually taking it to offense.

Last summer Kirsten had made a comment about Christopher and Matt's hair being too long. That she couldn't see their faces. As to which Summer sarcastically remarked that Seth's hair hadn't been all that short in the photos she'd seen from his childhood. Summer loved Kirsten with all her heart. She was the grandmother to her children but she did seem to get on her nerves to a certain extent. It seemed to run in the family. Having annoyance to a certain extent that is…taking Priscilla for instance…

"I know that this drunk-driving episode has shaken you up Sill. I know it's hard for you to talk about," Ryan spoke softly.

"How could you possibly know Uncle Ryan?" Priscilla asked, sounding somewhat hurt. "You didn't sit in a car next to one of your best friends as you watched her sister swerve all over the road!" See, Priscilla loved Ryan with all of her heart. He was her Uncle, her Dad's brother. But she did take annoyance to him seeming to know the solution to everything. Some things, in Priscilla's mind, were better left unsolved. Like this. She knew that she was acting selfish, milking every ounce of sympathy from it she could. It wasn't like anybody could blame her much. She wasn't good with competing with a picture perfect older sister, a never around, always on her parents worried minds anyway older brother, super cute 3 and 5 year old little siblings, and now recently with Christopher's mirroring actions to Caden's. Priscilla was left in the dark with Captain Oats.

"I can sympathize with you on a certain level though," Ryan said, going back to twisting his wedding band in circles on his finger. "My mom wasn't exactly the picture of perfection. Actually she was probably the farthest you could get from perfection. She was drunk more then 95 percent of the time. I know what it's like to see someone you love go through something like that. Angel…she's just trying to understand. She just wants to be there for you. She will always be there for you Priscilla. So will your mom and dad and brothers and sisters. And Me and your Aunt Marissa and all of your cousins."

Priscilla took these words and analyzed them in her head for a couple of seconds. Angel would always be there. She then realized how much she had been hurting her best friend. How much it was paining her to be shut out by Priscilla.

"I want to apologize to Angel," Priscilla looked up at Ryan earnestly. "I can't believe I hurt her so bad."

"It's not your fault pal. I'm glad that you want to apologize to her. I knew you would. It was just a matter of when."

"I don't know how I can have such a cool uncle," she smiled seeing Ryan blush slightly.

"I heard through the grapevine that your crazy grandparents want to trek us all the way to Anaheim for a weekend at Disney Land," he said, standing up from the bed and stretching.

"No way!" Priscilla jumped up next to him, noticeably more enthused with the idea then he was.

"Come on you crazy kid. Now I see where Angel gets it from," Ryan put his arm around Priscilla's shoulder and walked with her to the backyard.

"There she is," Sandy got up and grasped Priscilla tightly.

"Hi Grandpa. Hi Grandma," she took turns hugging her grandparents before sitting down next to Angel. Angel looked at her, obviously taken aback.

"I'm sorry Angel," she whispered taking her best friends hand. "We can talk more about this later k?" Angel smiled.

"Ok Sill."

"Okay, now that we've got the whole brood here, your Grandma and I have a big surprise for all you kids," Sandy stood importantly next to Kirsten at the head of the table.

"What is it? What is it?" Matt, James, and Christopher chorused impatiently.

"Next weekend we are taking you and your loving parents," Kirsten paused here to give Seth a look to which he responded with a defended 'what!'. "To Disney Land!"

"Disney Land! WOO-HOO!" Matt, Christopher, and James looked at each other excitedly.

"Nisney Land! What is a Nisney land?" Adrian asked impatiently. Seth buried his face in his hands and sighed. Summer patted him on the back.

"It'll be okay honey," she assured him gently.

"It's easy for you to say now Sum. I'll get back to you next weekend…,"