Sorry for the long delay. I had exams at university which I passed yay! Now the updates will be more often. There will be at least another 1 by Friday.
Thanks for all the reviews. I have taken some on board so I hope you like the next chapter.
Cohen house night
Light spilled from the kitchen window onto the poolside. Kirsten sits at the table, the gentle breeze playing with her hair, her expression pensive, lost in thought. Sandy walks up behind her, " Well that's Summer returned home." He sighed and sank into a chair. His face looked craggy with a combination of tiredness and worry.
They sat in silence, neither wanting to speak in the face of the biggest crisis they had faced as parents so far.
Kirsten finally spoke, "Any ideas?"
"Sit them both down talk it out…ground Ryan…." replied Sandy.
"We need to take a stand, I don't want them punching each other."
"To be fair it was only Ryan doing the punching," interjected Sandy.
"Under normal circumstances a parental chat and some grounding would do the trick but with everything…" Kirsten said hopefully.
"These are far from normal circumstances. We ground him, we cut him off even more. He'll just punch the crap out that bag and the house will vibrate with the bass. He needs integrated not excluded," replied her husband sternly.
"In case you have forgotten he took a swing at your son!" retorted Kirsten
"He was provoked…Ok we can't ground him but we can't let it go," said Sandy with a sigh.
Kirsten gave him an intense glare
"Ok we talk to them both at breakfast and hope we can sweep this little incident under the carpet." Resolved Sandy. He held out his hand to his wife indicating the conversation was over. They headed inside and the house was plunged into total darkness.
The following morning Cohen kitchenSeth pressed the bag of frozen vegetables to his jaw. The left hand side of his face was throbbing. Kirsten walked in.
"How is the face?" she asked.
"From the right hand side I look like my normal handsome self and from the left I look like a hamster. Apart from aesthetics it hurts. It hurts to eat, drink, lie on, touch, wash, look at, talk" replied Seth.
Kirsten gives him a quizzical look.
"Mom, Ryan landed one on me for no reason. And it was a Chino punch not a Newport punching a water polo player punch. It hurts. I've maxed out my legal painkiller intake." Seth explained.
Ryan ambles in. He pours himself a coffee and grabs himself a box of cereal.
"Good you are both here. All I need now is your father." Said Kirsten in an enthused tone.
"Mom what's with the cheeriness. Both your sons are in major pain here. (Turning to Ryan) Man how do you deal with the pain, it throbs in time with my pulse?" Seth inquired.
Ryan raised an eyebrow and looks at Kirsten.
"How do I deal with the pain?" says Ryan softly
"Yeah its driving me mad here and by the way impressive fists of steel," joked Seth.
Kirsten's expression is turned more worried by the second. Sandy appeared in the doorway.
"What pain are we talking about Seth, the pain I feel all over my body because of Volchok last night. Or the pain inside because I killed Marissa. Or the pain of my so called brother not being there to talk to after all those nights I listened to your hare brained schemes and love for Summer," replied Ryan in a tone as cold as steel.
He continued to stare menacingly at Seth.
"Ryan, Seth sit down your mother and I need to talk to you both," announced Sandy.
Both boys stared at each other until Kirsten nudged Seth towards the dining table.
Dining tableThe boys sat opposite each other across the dining table. Sandy sat next to Ryan and Kirsten next to Seth. Sandy sighed deeply.
"You two both know what this is about so I'll cut to the chase, Ryan you shouldn't have punched Seth. We don't condone violence in this house especially between brothers," said Sandy. Seth nods happily. "However Seth equally you were wrong in provoking Ryan."
Kirsten continued where Sandy left off, "We know that with everything that has been going on no one has been their self that's why if you guys apologise and move on me and Sandy are willing to let it slide this once."
"But Ryan any more fighting and I mean any be it Seth, Volchok or anyone else there will be consequences and Seth try to be sensitive. So shake hands, be men and rise above it," finished Sandy triumphantly.
Beeping noise
Seth fumbles in his pocket to silence it. It is a text message. Ryan looks over and sees the message is from Anna.
Sandy asks, "Is that Summer? You should really check on her."
"Hmm will do," replied Seth halfheartedly. He was too busy messaging back.
Ryan threw him a dirty look and walked out.