A new year's a new day
Lindsay left for Chicago after Chrismukkah for she'll be spending her New Year with her mom and her fiancé. That day, Ryan, Summer and Marissa scheduled a little day-out for Seth who was still reeling over Anna's death. Ryan saw Seth at the den, staring at the TV screen.
"Hey, buddy…" Ryan said when he saw him. He patted him on the shoulder, "Look, I know you're still upset, we all are…But we figured, since New Years just around the corner, we should go out, you know, relax a bit…Summer and Marissa are waiting for us."
"Yeah," Seth said, "Sure…"
"It's gonna be fine, man…" He said, "We're here…"
"Thanks…"
Just then, the doorbell rang. "I should check that out…" Ryan said and made his way to the front door. Seth followed him. Both of them were shocked at what they saw. It was Theresa, and with her was a boy who looks almost two years of age. Seth held his chin when he realized the little boy actually looks like Ryan.
"Theresa?" Ryan exclaimed, "What are you doing here?" He then turned his attention to the little boy whom Theresa was holding, "Who's that?"
Theresa started crying, "He's Matty…my baby…Our baby…"
"What?" Ryan and Seth said almost at the same time.
"Theresa, you said our baby was…"
"Gone," Theresa said, "I know I said that…But…" More tears came out of her eyes, "But I only said that because I knew you wanted to be with Marissa…The pregnancy was a distraction…"
"What?" Ryan said, shocked, "Theresa, that's not a good joke."
"I'm not joking…" She cried, "And I'm so sorry for lying…But…But I thought it was the best thing to do…But then…now I figured out I couldn't bring him up as well as you probably could."
"Theresa,"
"Ryan, he needs you." She told him, "I tried to bring him up but you know how it is…Life's hard. He needs a better family. He needs his dad…He needs you."
Ryan didn't know how to take it all in. "Theresa, can you hear yourself?" He said, "You can't just…Oh my God, you already did…You lied…How can you just…"
"I'm sorry…" She cried, "I thought I could be the best mom but…no…"
Ryan wanted to push her, do something to get all of the anger out. He kicked a stone on the pavement and Seth held him to try to stop him from doing anything more. Sandy and Kirsten came out to see what was happening.
"Ryan, no…" Seth said. Theresa kept on crying.
"You lied to me!" He screamed, "You lied to me and you didn't give me the opportunity to be with our son when he was younger! You know what you did, Theresa? You lied to me about a big part of my life and now you're here, telling me to get that child, take care of him…Are you toying with my life, huh?"
"Ryan, stop…" Sandy said as he held Ryan.
"I'm sorry." Theresa said as she handed Matty to Kirsten. "Please take care of him…" She told her, said another sorry to Ryan and went away.
Ryan was crying. He sat down on the stairs going to the front door, covered his face with his hands and cried. Sandy held him on the shoulder and patted him.
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Summer ended her conversation with Seth on her phone that afternoon. Marissa was sitting down on her bed, eating some chips while watching "The Valley". They were waiting for Seth and Ryan.
"Was that Ryan?" Marissa asked, "Are they already finished dressing up or something? She laughed.
"Coop, they're not coming…"
Marissa was startled, "Why? What happened? Is Seth okay?"
"It's not Cohen…" Summer told her as she sat down on bed as well, "Atwood."
"Ryan? What happened?"
Summer took a deep breath, "Theresa supposedly came over… With her and Ryan's son…"
"What? But…She said their son was dead…"
"She said she only said that because she knew he wanted to be with you…"
"Oh God…" Marissa said, "How's Ryan?"
"Not so good…" Summer answered, "Matty…That's Ryan and Theresa's son is with Mrs C in Cohen's room…"
"I think we should go there."
"Yeah, let's."
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Summer and Marrisa went to the Cohen home and found Ryan inside the poolhouse, crying. Sandy and Seth were with him. The room looked like a mess.
"Does she know what she did?" Ryan said, "She lied to me. That's my son we're talking about, you know? My son! And she just…" He cried, "I have no idea what to do…" He said, "I just…I can't…" And with that, Sandy held him by the shoulders and patted him on the back.
XXXXXXX
Marissa found Ryan inside Seth's room, looking at his son. Matty was playing with Seth's Captain Oats. Ryan was sitting on the floor.
"He's definitely your son." Marissa said as she went inside the room.
Ryan looked at her. Marissa sat down near the foot of Seth's bed.
"He has your beautiful eyes." Marissa added.
Ryan took a deep breath, "I don't know how I could take care of him."
Marissa held Ryan's hand, "Theresa's right," She said, "Matty needs a dad, a family…And we all know that the Cohens are Newport's golden family…He'll be fine here…"
"I'm not sure if I can be a great dad."
"Sure you could be…" She said, "He needs you. It'll be alright…"
He smiled lightly and rested his head on her knees. She stroked his hair.
"It'll be fine, Atwood…" She said.
XXXXXx
Seth, Summer, Ryan and Marissa were at the balcony, looking at the stars and the fireworks for New Year's eve.
"Looks like it's gonna be a tough year huh?" Ryan said.
"Could we just pretend for a while that everything's fine?" Summer asked, "But oh well…"
"You know, come to think of it, ever since the four of us all got together, it hasn't been so easy…" Seth said, "But that's life…" He then raised his wine goblet, "To Anna Stern!" He said.
"To baby Matty…" Marissa said and clunked her goblet with Seth's.
"To friendship!" Summer said and clunked her goblet with theirs, as well.
Ryan smiled, "Uh," He said, "And to love?" He toasted with them.
"To the new year!" The four of them said in unison, made a toast and laughed, trying to forget the problems for a while and facing the New Year altogether.
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