Huge thank you for all the support for chapter 1. Really glad everyone is enjoying the writing style and the concept. Your comment give me momentum, big love.
Sorry for the delay. Moving forward hoping to update more regularly than this but there was a planned bit of life getting in the way slightly but everything is okay and it shouldn't happen again for a while. We shall see.
Ryan, Sandy and Kirsten had spent the day moving in the few possessions that Ryan owned into Sandy's old flat. He had been living at their house in Berkeley since the earthquake had destroyed the Cohen McMansion, and he had mixed feelings about leaving. He was very excited to have his own space again. While his room had been spacious in the Berkeley house, it wasn't exactly the pool house for privacy. But conversely, he was going to miss Kirsten and Sandy and Sophie-Rose, even if they weren't far away.
Kirsten had gone back to relieve the baby-sitter of her duties, they had shared a warm embrace and she said she'd be back tomorrow to help make the place liveable.
'If I find you sleeping on a mattress with the bed unbuilt, a sore back will be the least of your problems young man' she had said, before pulling him into a big hug. 'You are leaving the nest, and not in some horrible dramatic way'.
'I'm about a 40 minute walk away from the nest'
'It still counts', she'd said, not releasing him from the hug.
Sandy had stayed around, but his behaviour had been strange once Kirsten had left. He kept checking his watch and his phone as they assembled furniture. Then as they were working on building the minimalist pull-out sofa bed he announced.
"I'm just going to head out for a bit. An hour, tops", Sandy said. "Stay sat down, I don't mind". Ryan had been midway through tightening a screw when Sandy checked his phone and stood up.
"Everything okay?" Ryan asked.
"Yeah, all good. Just gotta grab something. Don't continue without me, the next part says it needs two people and I never get to feel this manly. I'll bring back some beers, we can build furniture, see what soccer is on ESPN Classics". Ryan smiled at the suggestion.
"Sounds great. Do you want me to come with you?" Sandy shook his head.
"No no, all good. Get acquainted with the place. Find a home for the cutlery, and the coffee machine, and that tomato plant Kirsten gave you".
Ryan nodded as Sandy walked over to him. He put a hand on his shoulder.
"Ya made it, kid", he said, smiling down at his son. Ryan looked around the apartment.
"I really did, didn't I...Thanks again. For the apartment, for everything really". Ryan stood up as he spoke and Sandy clapped him on the shoulder.
"Anytime, and I know Kirsten said it, what, five, six times? But you know where we are, if it gets lonely. If you get…" he paused. "Homesick, your room will always be there". Ryan gave a smile.
"Never thought I'd have two rooms".
"Three rooms until you find someone to move in", he said with a wry smile. "Told you, you could do worse. I'll see you soon kid".
Once Sandy had left, Ryan was at a loose end. He unpacked his coffee machine, a housewarming present from Kirsten, followed by the Tomato Plant she'd given him at the beginning of Summer. It had lived on the windowsill in his Berkeley house room and was growing well, little green proto-Tomatoes had started to grow now the flowers had dropped off.
Next he unpacked his cutlery, the loose spares that the Cohen's hadn't wanted. They'd offered to buy him his own, but he had grown to like certain knives and forks and spoons, and it seemed indulgent to buy more.
He organised the few bathroom supplies he had and then looked at the place where his bed and desk would soon be. Then he swung into the other room, the two were about equal size, though Sandy was convinced his room (now Ryan's room) was slightly smaller. He wondered how he was going to fill it. The idea of living with someone he didn't know didn't thrill him. It was a shame Luke had all his frat buddies, that could've been fun. He had heard Lindsay was coming to Berkeley, but they hadn't spoken much at all since, well, that. Sandy said he could either take out an ad or ask around during the introductory events for new students.
Ryan pushed that thought out of his mind, he wasn't looking forward to the search. It was a nice room he thought, both got plenty of light and were well spaced considering. The combination living room and kitchen led out to a small balcony that overlooked a busy, colourful and studenty street in Southside.
He passed the rest of the hour by working out and reading 'Big Sur'. He had started it a few days ago. Seth had given it to him along with 'Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail 68' by Hunter S Thompson to, and Ryan quoted 'Give him something to talk about to all those Bay Area types'.
Seth had later admitted that now Big Sur was only a few hours drive away, the book was something of a pamphlet to get Ryan to take him there next time he was in town. Much like when Seth had demanded he read On The Road as part of the 'Seth Cohen Introductory Road Trip Pack', or The Dharma Bums in an attempt to convert them to Buddhism, Ryan was once again left wondering what Seth read when he read Kerouac.
It was a poor advert for Big Sur so far, and as with the other Kerouac's Seth had suggested, Ryan found the alcoholism all too familiar and struggled to read it. He supposed Seth focused on the Pancake Tour of North America and the cool girls, not the spousal abuse, absentee fathers and chemical dependency.
He was midway through this thought when there was a knock on the door. Closing the book, Ryan got up to unlock it. Unsurprisingly, it was Sandy but he was carrying wheelie luggage with a crate of beers stacked on top of it. Wheelie luggage with 'save the environment' stickers all over it.
"Did it go okay?" Ryan asked, turning to give him space to walk in.
"Better than okay, in fact, I found a house-warming guest at the airport", Sandy said, clearly joking. Ryan wheeled back around to look through the open doorway. Standing there, dressed for the East Coast and beaming was Summer Roberts. Ryan's face broke into a broad smile and he dashed around the room to hug her, lifting her off the ground.
"Hey Roberts", he said, putting her down after the hug. "What brings you out here?"
"Oh, you know, in the neighbourhood. My Dad needed some stuff done here and in Newport", she said, laughing slightly. Ryan turned to Sandy.
"Your dad asked you to fly the width of the country alone, to tend to California stuff for him while he lives in Seattle?" Ryan asked incredulously.
"Yep", Summer said, unconvincingly.
"Every time I think I'm getting used to being around rich people", Ryan said, smiling at her and then Sandy.
"It doesn't matter if it's four or twenty four years, it doesn't get any easier, trust me". Sandy smiled. "I'll let you two catch up, Summer, come around to see Soph tonight. We can make you dinner and talk about this latest environmental safeguards bill. Hell, we can make you both Dinner and Ryan can close his ears". Sandy beamed.
"I'll be there Mr Cohen, Sandy", Summer corrected "And thank you again". Sandy waved off the thanks. Ryan shook his head gently.
"And you knew all afternoon, checking your phone every few minutes" Ryan in disbelief.
"Ahh, well when I'm not playing poker or in the courtroom, you can read me like a book", Sandy picked up Big Sur. "Speaking of which, I haven't read Kerouac since I was in this place, probably. I'll be in your room, I'll let you two kids talk first".
Ryan turned to Summer.
"I'd offer you a chair but I haven't built any yet", he said, running his hands over his short hair. "And, well, not to start this on the wrong foot, but I'm struggling to believe you are solely for your Dad's...stuff". Ryan gave a slight smile "I mean I'm happy to see you, but if you are here for a reason, I want to know it".
Summer gave a sad smile.
"Sorry, I just wanted to take the pressure off a bit I guess", she said, with a slight shrug. "If you get what I mean".
"Yeah, someone flying this far just to talk to me is a bit daunting. But, the last time you did it, you basically saved my life. I'd still be in that bar, not standing in Berkeley, about to go to College", he looked down at his hands, many of the scars still relatively fresh and fading. "You've set a pretty high benchmark for flights out here, Summer Roberts. How can I help?"
