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The celebration

The dinner was going well. Sophie had been delighted by the unexpected guests at her birthday celebration. She was in fine form. Even though Seth and Summer had been late arriving, all had been forgiven once they had shared their news. The double celebration had been commemorated with champagne and Edna and Cyril had met Sophie and her good friends Bob and Bev and they were all getting along famously. The band started playing some slow dance music and Ryan excused himself and asked Kirsten to dance with him leaving Sophie with Marissa.

"It's lovely to see you again Marissa." The Nana said.

"You too. It's been a long time. Too long." Marissa stated.

"I couldn't agree more." Sophie replied as they both watched Ryan and Kirsten move around the dance floor. "He's quite a guy you know?"

"I know." Marisa replied watching Ryan. She couldn't take her eyes off him.

Sophie hesitated and then made a decision and started again. "Look. I'm too old not to just come right out with what's on my mind. Who knows how long I'll be around? So if I don't say what I'm thinking then I may not ever get the chance again. If I upset you with what I'm about to say then I apologise. But Ryan has become too important to me to just sit here and not say anything."

Marissa looked at her wondering just what she was going to say. "Go on." She urged.

"When Sandy first told me about Ryan, I don't mind telling you that I was surprised. I had dealt with kids like him all my working life but never in a million years did I think about taking one into my own home. I thought that Sandy was taking a big risk." She looked at Ryan, following him with her eyes and a smile found its way onto her face. "But over the years, I have gotten to know him and he is an exceptional young man. Given what he has come from and how hard he has worked to get to where he is today … he is nothing short of remarkable. I couldn't be more proud of him, if he was my own flesh and blood." She added.

"And?" Marissa asked sensing that Sophie hadn't finished yet.

"Well. I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but when you left the last time … " Sophie shook her head. "Well I wasn't living with him ... but when I did see him he was a shattered young man. I don't want you to ever do that to him again."

Marissa smiled "I assure you I have no intention of doing that."

"Good ... Mind you I guess you would have said that before you left the last time too." Sophie replied still a bit skeptical.

Marissa thought for a moment. "You're right. But I don't know if you realise that we have recently become aware of the fact that my mother was the reason that we split up the last time. I can assure you that will never happen again. I have no intention of ever speaking to her again." She added.

"I doubt that will be the case. She's your mother. Whatever she has done, at some point you need to try to make things right with her. Sandy and I have had our moments over the years, I can assure you. But underneath it all, we have always loved one another." Sophie assured Marissa.

"That may be true for you and Sandy but I'm sorry I can't agree when it comes to my mother and I … I will never be able to forgive her for what she did to us. And there really is no point in you trying to change my mind. Ryan has already tried." Marissa stated.

"But surely …" Sophie started.

"Mrs Cohen .."

"Sophie, please."

"Okay Sophie. I'd really rather we not talk about this anymore. This is your night and Seth and Summer's. The last thing I want to do is think about my mother." Marissa assured her.

"Okay, I'll let it pass for now. But it's obvious from the way Ryan looks at you that he still loves you."

"I assure you the feeling is mutual." Marissa stated.

"So if he asked you to marry him?" Sophie fished.

Marissa smiled wondering what the old lady would say if she actually knew the truth. Just at that moment Ryan looked over at Marissa and the look they exchanged was filled with love. "All I can say is …." she thought for a moment trying to find the right words so that she wouldn't be lying to the old lady. "I promise, if and when he asks, I will say yes."

Sophie smiled to herself satisfied with the answer. "That's good. I don't mind telling you how happy I am that Seth is finally making an honest woman out of Summer. I know that this sort of thing is supposed to be accepted nowadays but let me tell you, I'm still from the old school. And as far as I'm concerned, the only reason two people should live together is if they intend to spend their lives together and if that's the case then wedding rings should be exchanged to prove the strength of that commitment."

Marissa smiled to herself. She had never thought that she was old fashioned but the fact was that she couldn't wait to do exactly as Sophie had suggested. Much as she wanted to feel Ryan's wedding band on her finger, she also couldn't wait until she would be putting one on Ryan's finger. Then they would truly be inseparable. The time couldn't come soon enough for her.

"So you're enjoying acting?" Sophie asked trying to find another subject for conversation since it was obvious that talking about Julie would only make things awkward.

"It's fine. I'm not sure that I want to make a career out of it, but it has been fun." Marissa replied.

"So do you have something else in mind? Or is their a chance that I could convince you to start a family? After you two get married of course." Sophie added just to make sure that Marissa understood what order she felt things should happen in. "I'm not getting any younger you know? And I'd Iove to have some great grand children to show off to my friends."

Marissa smiled. "Surely you should be working on Seth and Summer then." Marissa suggested.

"Oh. Don't worry I will. But I can't wait to see yours and Ryan's children as well. And as far as I'm concerned they will still be my great grandchildren, just as much as Seth and Summer's."

"Well, I'm actually supposed to only be in LA for a few more weeks." Marissa stated realising that she had been so happy with Ryan that she hadn't really given much thought at all to what would happen when the movie was finished.

"But what will you do then?" Sophie asked, frowning at the thought of Marissa leaving again. She knew that Ryan would be devastated.

"Well, I guess I still live in Paris." Marissa said realising for the first time how much it hurt to say that. She could no longer imagine her home as being anywhere but with Ryan. "I have a lot of modelling work still lined up in Europe. When I signed up to do the movie, I didn't realise just what being back here would lead to."

Sophie smiled as she looked at the young woman beside her. "You can kid yourself about that if you like, but I don't believe for a minute that you weren't hoping to rekindle things with Ryan. You pair have always had a connection that is almost unique. Attraction you can find anywhere, what you two have is special. You would have been a fool to ignore it because you'll only find it once in a lifetime."

Marissa nodded. A feeling of contentment came over her. She didn't know what it was that made the Nana so wise. But what she had just said, Marissa realised, was entirely correct.

---

Sandy walked over to where his mother and Marissa were and asked. "How about I get the birthday girl out on the dance floor?"

"No. My old bones are starting to feel a bit weary. Why don't you take the opportunity to take this lovely young lady out onto the dance floor? And if she steps on your toes then you could always swap partners with Ryan and get your wife to dance with you." Sophie suggested. "And I'm sure that Ryan would like that idea as well." She added smiling, as she exchanged glances with Marissa.

Sandy smiled. "Marissa, it seems like you've been nominated to be my dance partner. And since it's her birthday we have to do as she wishes. So would you do me the pleasure of dancing with me?" Sandy asked.

"I'd love to." She turned to Sophie. "Will you be alright here by yourself?"

"Certainly. I'm actually going to visit the bathroom first and then I'll come back and watch you as you glide gracefully around the floor." Sophie replied.

"Don't watch too carefully or you might actually see me step on a few toes." Marissa assured her as she stood and took Sandy's hand.

Sandy escorted Marissa out on to the dance floor and they slowly started to move to the music.

"What do you think about Seth and Summer's news?" Marissa asked.

"We couldn't be happier." Sandy replied glancing over at Seth and Summer as they moved around the dance floor.

Marissa smiled, even though she had asked just him, he had answered with a 'we'. She hoped that she and Ryan would be as close as Sandy and Kirsten were. They had always seemed to her to be the perfect couple. Sure they'd had a few problems over the years but they had always seemed to be invincible to her. Completely the opposite to her own parents, who had fallen apart at the first sign of trouble.

Sandy added "I guess that we've been expecting it for a while. But you know what my son is like. Part of me was wondering if we would have to wait for a leap year so that Summer could do the proposing."

Marissa laughed. "Yeah ... I know that Ryan had to give him a little helping hand to get him to actually go through with it this time."

Sandy smiled. "That doesn't surprise me. And now that Ryan has some experience with planning this sort of thing it might mean that Ryan won't procrastinate like Seth has done. One of the good things about Ryan is that once he makes up his mind that he wants something, he will usually pull out all stops until he makes it happen." Sandy hinted and looked at the lovely young woman in his arms as she started to turn a delicate shade of pink as she realised exactly what he was implying. "But come on, how about I switch partners with him. He's been giving me the evil eye ever since we came on to the dance floor and you know it doesn't pay to upset Kid Chino so I'd better give him what he wants. And my money is on the fact that what he wants, is to dance with you."

Marissa smiled. She didn't say a word. But Sandy could see from the shy smile on her face that she felt exactly the same way.

---

When the exchange was over and Marissa moved into Ryan's arms she couldn't help but feel like she was coming home. She melted in to him, as his arms moved to hold her and her head rested on his shoulder taking in the smell of him that she loved so much.

Ryan held her to him as they moved to the music. The scent of her filled him and he felt himself relax. There was something that just felt right with the world whenever she was in his arms. His let his right hand that was on her back just above her waist move slowly lower, pulling her closer towards him as he did so, making their hips meld together. In his left hand he held her right one and he used his thumb to stroke her palm indicating a promise that he would like to be stroking other parts of her as well. She used her head to snuggle further into the gap between his shoulder and his neck and he could feel himself responding to her. With his right hand he pressed her to him again removing all space between them so that she could feel the obvious reaction that she was evoking through the fabric of his pants and she pulled her face back a little to smile at him, making sure that he knew that she had picked up his silent message of want and she moved her hips slightly against his hardness to show him that her need matched his own. She licked her lips and Ryan gave a small gasp as he watched her tongue move slowly across the lips that he wanted to possess so badly. They were getting lost in one another.

Suddenly Seth was by their side. "Um. I just thought that you two might want to cool things down a little."

Ryan and Marissa pulled back a little surprised by his interruption.

Seth nodded behind him towards a corner of the restaurant. "Photographers at 10 o'clock, taking a very big interest in the two of you."

Ryan and Marissa looked where he was indicating and confirmed that there were indeed a couple of guys with cameras trying to use an indoor plant for cover.

Ryan pulled back a little more; disappointed that he and Marissa hadn't been able to continue with their 'dance'. "We're only dancing." Ryan stated.

"Yeah 'only dancing'. But from the looks that you were giving one another, I was scared that you may have forgotten that you were in a public place. I thought you were about to do it on the dance floor. I know that the guys over there would have enjoyed the show but you do have to remember that the oldies are with us." Seth added. "Still you never know, maybe they've been there before. They could have some experience to share with us."

"Seth. I can't believe you are even thinking that way. Stop asking everyone else about their experiences and just get your own." Ryan stopped what he was saying as he recalled what Marissa had told him earlier. "From what I hear, tonight is going to be quite a night, if it hasn't been already." He laughed.

Seth blushed. He looked over at the table and realised that everyone was making a move to leave. "It looks like the oldies are off to bed." He looked at Ryan. "So I guess that means we should be too." He and Ryan exchanged smiles both knowing that bed would not necessarily mean sleep for either of them. At least, not for quite some time.

"Right behind you." Ryan added as they made their way from the dance floor to say their farewells. He couldn't get out of there fast enough.