Anna paced the kitchen floor, swilling the wine like it was water. She was going to need it, if she planned to maintain her fortitude through this whole ordeal. She felt like such a turncoat, and the more she thought about it, the guiltier she felt. She'd been working off the old principle that it was much easier to beg forgiveness than to obtain permission, but it felt wrong, somehow, betraying Summer in so blatant a manner. She had asked herself dozens of times how she would want to be treated in the same scenario. Anna knew she would want her wishes respected, especially regarding the sensitive matter of an ex-lover, an ex-betrothed, no less.

At the same time, Anna's heart wrenched for poor Seth, who despite his faults, was a genuinely good person. He tried so hard to do the right thing, and more times than not, it came back to bite him in the ass. He hadn't deserved to be treated as heartlessly as Anna knew that he had been in his breakup with Summer. And to find out the truth now, years later… No matter what she did, someone was going to get hurt.

Summer sat quietly on the couch, fidgeting as Anna bustled around the kitchen, preparing dinner. Anna had put a CD on the stereo, some whiny guy with a guitar singing about someone being strange and beautiful. Stalker.

"Who did you say was coming over?" Summer called to her.

Anna poked her head out of the doorway that led to the living room to glance at her friend. She cleared her throat, "I didn't. It's just some people from work."

"Oh. What are we having?" Summer asked, touching her belly lightly as it growled. All she'd had to eat was a bowl of Honey Smacks that morning, sans her usual side of strawberries because Anna had forgotten them the last time they'd gone to the grocery store. Even though Summer had reminded her. Twice. She just didn't know where Anna's head had been lately; Outer Space...or worse, Pittsburgh. Ugh.

"I'm making Whistling Chicken, and some carrots and squash. I was thinking about running down to the market for some French bread before dinner."

"Sounds good. I love the yellow squash."

"Enjoy it while you can," Anna said, making conversation just to keep from thinking about what was coming. "The weatherman said we were getting a cold snap this weekend."

"It's about time," Summer muttered, lifting her hair off of her neck for a brief moment. Sweat trickled down the nape of her neck. Why she had decided on this dress, she wasn't sure, other than she remembered it once looked very becoming on her. It was perfect for her skin coloring, her hair. She sighed. She had a feeling this was going to be a long night.

Seth paced the kitchen floor in the apartment he shared with Ryan, taking vodka shots, hoping to bolster his courage. He was going to need it.

Ryan came padding down the hall, eyes downcast in an effort to buckle the brown leather belt that was hanging limply from his waist. His dress shirt was unbuttoned, revealing his smooth, tanned chest. Seth swallowed thickly.

Ryan looked up to see Seth standing in his boxers and his favorite t-shirt, the one that proclaimed, Taxation with representation isn't so hot, either! Secretly, it was Ryan's favorite, too. Seth was wearing one navy sock and one black. Ryan smirked.

"Planning on getting dressed any time soon?"

"I was just…uh. Just…"

"Getting sauced?" Ryan raised an eyebrow.

Seth squared his shoulders, "I'm getting ready."

"Ready for me to have to carry you home," Ryan muttered as he brushed past Seth over to the kitchen counter where the vodka bottle was sitting, open. He screwed the cap back on and put the bottle back in the cabinet. "Get dressed," he told Seth.

Seth sighed heavily, melodramatically. He wandered out of the kitchen and back towards his bedroom. Ryan knew he would spend an hour in front of the closet trying to decide what to wear. Ryan buttoned his own shirt up and gave a quick glance in the hall mirror at his hair. Perfect.

Five minutes later, he took a very purposeful stroll in front of Seth's bedroom door, and saw him standing in front of his closet, looking a little lost.

"You've got to be kidding me," Ryan said under his breath. Could nothing be easy with Seth? Ryan marched over to where Seth was standing and pulled out a black pair of slacks, and the only shirt he could find that looked like it had been ironed recently, a blue button-down.

"Ryan, this takes time," Seth shook his head at Ryan's selections.

"What does it matter, Seth? She can't see you!"

Seth's face crumbled, and Ryan cringed. He couldn't believe he just said that. What was he, heartless?

"Sorry, buddy," he offered softly, clapping a hand on Seth's shoulder. "It really won't matter what you're wearing, uh, even if she could see you. I think she's just going to be glad you came."

"Really?" Seth asked, his voice wavering.

"Yeah," Ryan handed him the shirt and watched Seth get dressed, hopping around on one foot to pull off the navy sock, and then again as he put on the matching black one.

Finally, they were both dressed, and pressed, and ready, and Ryan escorted Seth out of their apartment, and down the hall, assuring him that they hadn't forgotten anything, pushing him forward with every step.

It was in the cab, as Seth tossed and turned and wouldn't sit still for even a second, that Ryan was sure he was going to have to tie him to the seat, and gag him for good measure. He gritted his teeth.

It was in the elevator, when Seth asked for the eighth time if he smelled okay that Ryan was sure he was going to lose it, and kill Seth before the night was over. He clenched his fists.

It was in front of the door to the girls' apartment, when Seth was bending over, his head between his knees, taking deep exaggerated breaths, that Ryan gave up and decided to kill himself. He reached forward, and pressed his finger to the little circle of plastic, and from somewhere deep inside the apartment, he and Seth heard the answering chimes.

Though she had been expecting it, the sound of the doorbell startled Anna. Whether she was ready or not, this was happening, so she decided she would make the best of it, no matter what happened. She hurried to the door, smoothing the wrinkles from the front of her light linen shift. Her heart practically stopped beating as she watched Summer sit up straighter, adjusting the velvety fabric falling around her knees. She was still so proud, so regal.

"Do I look alright?" she asked.

Anna stopped, mid-stride. She cleared her throat, her voice husky. "You look beautiful," she answered honestly.

She opened the door to find Seth, who was rocking back and forth on his heels with a palpable nervous energy. Ryan stood behind him, looking every bit the James-Dean-rebel, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans, a perfect foil for Seth, who was still bouncing. She almost gagged at the overpowering scent of Seth's cologne. Did he take a bath in it, or what?

"Hi, guys," Anna said loudly, a little too cheerfully. She led them into the living room; Summer lifted her face expectantly. Anna closed her eyes for a moment, mentally preparing herself for the onslaught of fury that was certain to come the moment that Summer figured out exactly what was going on...

Seth stopped in the doorway, and the sight of Summer looking so lovely took his breath away. Her chestnut hair had been meticulously curled and the tendrils that ordinarily framed her face had been piled atop her head and secured with a burgundy ribbon. The neckline of her matching dress was designed to be modest, but the empire waist lifted her breasts so that the creamy swells were visible above the scoop-neck. The demure skirt was covering her knees, he could see black tights underneath. Her make-up had been applied impeccably, probably by Anna, and though her dark eyes were sightless, they were as deep and as boundless as they had ever been. Seth stepped closer, holding his breath.

"Summer, you know Ryan."

Summer's smile faltered slightly, her heart beginning to pound. "Ryan?" she asked, her expression perplexed.

"Hi, Summer," Ryan said, his voice gruff with disuse.

Recognition passed over her face, followed by a momentary glimpse of vulnerability. But it lasted only a moment. "Chino," she answered flatly. The moment she smelled that familiar aftershave, the scent that she could never eradicate from her perfect memory, her back and neck tensed up ramrod-straight.

"Seth?" she breathed, her heart stopping mid-beat.

"Hi, Summer," Seth said, shy.

Her breath quickened, her heart began flutter, fast, too fast. The butterflies currently taking up residence in her stomach felt elephant-sized, she felt sick. If she could have seen the room around her, she felt certain it would have been spinning at precisely that moment, making her dizzy. Instead she merely felt lightheaded, a tad woozy. Seth was leaning in close, closer, and she pulled away immediately, her panic finally consuming her, though he had not uttered another word.

"Anna, how could you?" Summer cried, rising to her feet.

Tears were already beginning to trail down Anna's perfect, pale cheeks; shamed as she was by her presumption and her lack of delicacy and care. "Please, Summer, be reasonable," Anna pleaded, stepping forward. She tried to put her arms around Summer, to comfort her.

"Reasonable?" Summer jerked her arm away from Anna's firm grasp. "You...you... ambush me in my own house, and you want me to be reasonable?" she sputtered.

"Summer, please," Seth finally spoke. "I just want to talk to you."

"No! No! You can all just get out!" Summer crossed the room quickly and easily; anyone glancing at her from across a crowded room would never be able to guess her disability. She only slowed when she came to the small stairway that led down to the back hallway, and she reached a foot out unsteadily in order to step down.

Seth started to follow her, but Anna held her arm out to stop him. Before either one of them could take another step, Summer tripped on the last step and fell forward on her face with a strangled yelp.

Seth bolted over to where she lay, and without any warning, shoved his hands under her arms and lifted her to her feet.

"Let go of me!" she yelled, wrenching away as if she'd been slapped. "Don't touch me!" She backed up down the hall like a trapped animal, lashing out preemptively with her fists. When she reached the door to her room, she backed in and slammed the door shut.

Seth rushed forward, pressed himself against the wood veneer, sinking to his knees. "Please, Summer, talk to me."

"No, Seth! Go away!" Her voice was choked with tears, and he could tell she hadn't gotten far. She was sitting on the other side of the door.

"You don't even know what I'm going to say!"

"Go away, go away, go away!" Summer screamed, sobbing. He envisioned her sitting mere inches from where he was kneeling, hands clamped over her ears, determined not to hear a word he said.

"Summer, please," Seth was crying too.

Anna's voice from the top of the small set of stairs stopped him cold. "Leave her alone."

"Anna, please," he turned to her, pleading. "Talk to her."

Anna laughed, a little cruelly, he thought. "You think she's going to listen to me, now? She's the most stubborn ass I've ever known. She won't come out tonight."

Seth stumbled to his feet, and then stepped away from Summer's bedroom door clumsily, unwillingly.

"I think you should leave," Anna stated, bluntly.

"I think we should, too," Ryan came to stand behind her, setting a warm hand on her shoulder, calming her. She was trembling uncontrollably, her stomach spasming into knots, like a fist clenching. "Come on, Seth," he prodded when Seth made no move to come any closer to the pair.

"I don't want to leave her," Seth insisted stubbornly.

Anna brought her hand to her face. "I knew this was a mistake. I knew I shouldn't have done this," she moaned, more aggravated by her own stupidity than anything else. She should have known this was not going to end well. There would be no happy ending for Summer and Seth, she'd known that all along. So why? Why had she agreed to this? "Leave, Seth. Leave before it gets worse."

He snorted, wiping angrily at his own tears. "How could it get any worse?"

From behind Summer's door, the shattering of glass startled all three.

Anna turned back to Seth, accusingly. He closed his eyes, clearly distraught.

"Seth, let's go," Ryan insisted. Seth came towards him, but slipped under Ryan's arm, away from his touch.

He left the apartment, slamming the door behind him. More glass shattered. An extra-loud sob came from behind Summer's door.

"God, I need a drink," Ryan muttered, rubbing his face.

"Tequila?" Anna offered, wearied.

"Got any limes?"

Anna nodded.

"Let's do it."

Outside, the temperature began to fall.

To be Continued...