Chapter 10 – Recovery and Discoveries (Part 2)

(This part follows on 2 weeks after Summer visits Taylor in Paris)

Taylor sits in the airport lounge with her crutches next to her as she waits for her flight to be called, she thinks that she wants to put this year behind her and be back at Berkeley next academic year. Her flight is called and heads over to the gate and boards the flight to Newport.

The early morning sunshine wakes up Ryan as he wakes up and heads out for a day at college, he wonders what the next few weeks will bring him, Marissa is due to finish her year soon so they should be seeing each other this summer, then he will also be seeing Taylor when he goes to visit her in rehab.

Summer wakes up to Seth's snoring, and walks into there kitchen and starts to make breakfast, its Thursday and Summer is late to go to lecture her friend Che texts her to remind that she is late, she gets ready, smiles and kisses Seth on the forehead and gives Pancakes a carrot.

Marissa is woken by the noise of the traffic and wonders when she will be out of the city and have some time near the sea, only a short while till she was going home again and she would be seeing Ryan, Summer and Seth. Then it crosses her mind that she might meet the Ex again, this worries her as it will upset Ryan and she will need to be there for him what ever happens to them.

It was a cold morning on the West coast as Taylor arrives in Newport, waiting for her at the airport is her mother, they hug and Taylor starts to cry, her mother helps her with her stuff and they drive to the family home. Taylor steps in side the house it so different from the last time that she saw it and sits down in the living room and her mother reminds her that her rehab sessions start on Thursday, it seems along time to Thursday, she thinks how to spend the time between now and Thursday.

Ryan sits down on a bench near the canteen its Thursday and he remembers that Taylor starts her therapy sessions today, and then thinks it will not be that long till he is home for the weekend in Newport. Then his phone rings, he looks at the caller ID, it's Marissa he smiles and answers

"Hey"

"Hey how are you today"

"Good, how about you?"

"Good, so what are you doing?"

"Pondering about lunch at the moment, where I have chicken or beef with strong mustard"

Marissa laughed

"You are sounding like your brother!!!"

"Thanks!"

"So what are you doing?"

"Sitting in my PJ's watching The Valley whist eating cereal and serving then net and talking to you"

"Cool, what episode are you watching?"

"Season 3 Episode 25 when they are graduating from High School, it always makes me cry"

"I know it has that effect, my sis does the same, it was funny, I had to go to the store, she used all the tissues in the house and then Sandy and Kirsten laughed as well about it"

"It's not funny!!"

"Oh yes it is"

"No it is not"

Ryan laughed so did Marissa and then the laughed faded

"Well I had better go as the canteen is closing in 5 minutes, I will talk to you later, bye for now"

"Talk to you later, bye"

Ryan put the phone down and walked over to the canteen and thought about phoning Taylor asking about how her first session was, he had a lot to say that him & Marissa were dating, his results and other news.

Seth finally got up and walked to the kitchen, were Summer had left him some food and a note

"Hey, gone to lectures, back at 5 for dinner, Summer XX"

Seth read the note and eat the food Summer left for him and then sat on there sofa and switched on the TV and started to watch Briefcase or no Briefcase it was Seth's favourite reality show, whist writing his assignment on his laptop.

FRIDAY

Taylor woke up, to the sound of the sea and the smell of fresh cooked food, yesterday's therapy session with the doctor was helpful, she talked about her problems cheating on her boyfriend, the split, drugs and alcohol abuse and her injuries from the metro accident, the doctor went through the stages to help her back on the way with taking each problem in steps, firstly getting over a relationship and how to confront her emotions and be able to get over things quickly, then he would concentrate on getting her off drugs and alcohol with alternative medicine and hypnosis. He said it would take the best part of 6 months to get Taylor in a fit state to start back at Berkley maybe not for a couple of years , but it might take quicker. Taylor thought about Ryan lots and the fact that he had a new friend and that he would be back soon so they could be able to discuss plans about the future.

Seth & Summer had Fridays of college; they spend the day looking at jewellery and clothes, and went for dinner at the pizza place near to the main campus and shared a pizza and some diet coke and Summer then asked Seth

" I wonder Taylor got on with her therapy session"

"Probably fine" Seth Saying kissing her hand

"Cohen, are you all right you seem very different today, you know wanting to go all the jewellery shops and taking ages"

"Well actually I have a small gift for you" he put a small box into her hand

Summer opened the small box and it had a small note in it and a pearl necklace, with best pearls that could be bought. She opened the note and started to read it

"Summer, the last 5 years have been the best of my life, we have had our up's and downs, but we have come through this to be were we are today and I give you this as our late anniversary present and hope that you will stay with me another 5 years. I love you Summer now and forever

Seth"

Tears filled her eyes and she kissed Seth, and said

"I love you to, and never ever want to see you go"

"Me to, that is why I bought this for you, to show how much I love you"

"Cohen you are so romantic"

They spend the rest of the day, smiling at each other.

Ryan was glad it was Friday the weekend at last and he would be going home for dinner and a chance to see Taylor since the time they broke up and to discuss how her therapy was going. He had his car packed for the long drive from Berkeley to Newport. It took him most of the day to arrive in Newport he got there and drove to Taylor's house first, got out of his car and knocked on the door, after what seemed five minutes somebody opened to the door, it was Taylor

"Ryan"

"Taylor, could I come in we to do a lot of talking"

"Sure"

Ryan walked into the Townsend house and walked out to the pool and sat on one of the sun beds. Then he looked at Taylor, knowing not be able to say, but some words had to come out, finally they did and they were

"So………….how are things, I mean how are you, how's the sessions with the doctor going, are you pleased to be back at home"

"A little better than I was a month a go, well I was a junkie, sessions with Doctor Brown are going well, he said it would take me 6 months to get back to full health, but I might need to take medication to combat the depression for the rest of my live, and home is better than Paris and I have spilt from Jean-Paul as well and you, so my live is back on track, how about you"

"Well I have to say sorry for the way I broke up with you, it was cruel of my to be so harsh, but now I have moved on and I'm with somebody else and I'm fine apart from nearly breaking my wrist in football training last week"

"So who is this person you are with then?"

"Marissa Cooper, you have met her before, she helped a lot through when I received the news regarding you in whist we were in Florida on spring break and we have been long distance dating for 3 weeks now"

"Yes I remember her, she is very pretty, I'm glad she helped you through that time Ryan, you need a friend to help you otherwise you would have gone mad and would not probably not be talking to me now"

"Yes that is true"

Ryan and Taylor sat by the pool taking about him and Marissa and he forgave Taylor for what she had done, breaking his heart, they hugged and shared a small kiss. Taylor had to go in as it was past her time that she should stay out and Ryan had to go as he had dinner with the Cohen's that night as he left the house he had put the past to bed and thought that the future would be bright and that the world had more to offer and that Taylor would get better and they would still stay friends forever. He arrived at the Cohen's and was introduced to Sophie's new boyfriend and they sat down and eat dinner and discussed Ryan and Taylor's talk and Seth's competition win and Sophie's Boyfriend.