"Summer, guess what?" Seth exclaimed as he landed on the sofa next to her. She quickly put the magazine down and searched his face. The wide smile reassured her that it was indeed good news.
"What?"
As if to catch his breath - since he was in ecstasy it seemed and had sprinted to the sofa – he waited a few seconds before he began his rambling. "Ryan called me and told me that Marissa had told him that she is expecting a baby. I'm gonna be an Uncle. Mom and dad will be grandparents. Isn't it amazing?"
Summer couldn't do anything but smile. He was genuinely happy and that was beyond sweet. "It is amazing."
"We are really grown up. I wonder if they will get married," Seth continued as he made himself comfortable on the sofa, unconsciously placing an arms over Summer's shoulders. "I mean if they are getting a baby they must be pretty sure they want to be with each other."
Nodding, she calmly replied, "Yeah, a baby is a big deal."
"Did Marissa call you?" Turning his head slightly he captured her gaze. "You don't seem surprised. Heck, even Ryan was surprised."
Summer gave him a guilty smile. She had been dying to know how Ryan would take the news. Her friend had been so scared that he wouldn't be happy since they hadn't planned to have a baby just yet. "I kind of already knew. Before Ryan even," Summer carefully said.
"I knew it!" Seth laughed, still completely overwhelmed by the fact that he was to become an uncle. "Does Ryan know that? Well, never mind. What do you think?"
Summer giggled, and relaxed against his arm. "I think it's great. I haven't really known anyone who got a baby before so it's exciting. I wonder if it's a boy or a girl, and what they will name the baby." That was true. None of her friends had ever had a baby before, not that she'd had many friends. And secretly Summer had always loved babies. Just thinking about how a person could grow inside another being was just too amazing. Like a miracle.
Seth smiled, noticing her choice of words. She wanted to know this baby. She wanted to stay in his life. Their first months together had been focused on Summer and all he could think about was to make her feel better. He wanted her to be happy more than anything. And now, some months into their relationship, Seth had started thinking about a future with Summer. He had never felt this way about anyone before, and although he had rushed into relationships in the past - which obviously was not good for him – he really felt like what he had with Summer was special. He wanted to be with her, and he wanted it to last and be it.
Summer turned to look at Seth, wondering what he was thinking of while unconsciously stroking her arm. "Do you want to have children," he finally said.
His question took her by surprise but he didn't seem to notice. He still seemed to have his head up in the clouds about Ryan and Marissa's baby, his niece or nephew. That was true, he was thinking about that specific baby. But he was also imagining what it would be like for his niece or nephew to have a cousin, possibly a little girl with brown hair and big dark eyes. Summer thought for a second before replying. "Um, I don't know. I guess."
"Summer, you would be the best mom. And the kids would be beautiful."
A giggle slipped out of her mouth and she smiled. Seth had an amazing gift to make her comfortable in all situations. "Well, do you want to be a dad?"
"Me? A dad? Sounds so weird. I'm glad Ryan's doing this first." He paused, turning more serious. "But I want to, someday." With you he added in his head.
"I bet your parents are thrilled," Summer said and leaned in closer to Seth's side.
Wrapping her in closer to his chest Seth placed a loving kiss on her temple. "I bet."
"Was Ryan happy?"
"Yeah. Happy but surprised I think."
"Marissa was so nervous about telling him."
"It wasn't planned?"
"No, except don't tell anyone I told you that."
"I won't," he said reassuringly, moving his face to her so that he could place kisses all over her neck. She let out another giggle as he kind of tickled her with his breathing, and pulled his lips up to meet hers. Softly pressing hers against his, she felt completely content and in love.
vvvvvvvvv
"Seth?"
Summer stepped out of the darkness, silently walking up to where he stood newly showered. His hair was still wet and the skin was still warm from the steams of the water. The shirt he was wearing was slightly damp and he was still holding the towel. "Yeah?"
Summer eyed him for a few moments, taking his features in. He looked so adorable and it made her heart feel all warm. Walking up to him, as he was drying his hair seemingly unaware of her gaze on him, she took the towel away from him. Finally looking into her eyes, Seth noticed the different look in those beautiful eyes. She was looking at him with so much emotion, that he felt slightly confused. "Everything okay," he asked.
Smiling Summer nodded, reassuring him that everything was indeed good. She knew that he cared so much about her, hence all the concerned questions about how she was feeling all the time. So many times there was something to be concerned about, and she loved Seth for always making sure. This time though, nothing was wrong. Everything was good. So good. "Everything's perfect," Summer whispered in his ear before kissing him.
Did he know how good he made her feel? How good they made her feel? With an overwhelming need to let him know, let him feel, exactly how good she felt, Summer deepened the kiss. She brought her arms into his damp hair, letting the towel fall to the flood. Kissing him always felt perfect, it had since that first kiss a few months ago. It was as if she was meant to be there with him, this close, as if she had found her safe harbor.
Seth was quick to answer her eager touch, intensifying the kisses and letting his hands find their way up her shirt. Her soft skin made him want to touch her all over, and she pulled away from his lips just enough to let him take her shirt off breathing heavily and quickly connecting her lips to his warm ones again.
As they made their way back into the bathroom, where Seth had just taken a shower, more clothes were thrown to the floor and the water was again turned on.
vvvvvvvvv
"Hello? Seth? " Kirsten Cohen walked into her son's apartment, after having knocked a few times and noticed that the door was unlocked. Seeing that no one was there she placed the clothes she'd picked up from the dry- cleaning on the sofa. "Are you home, Seth?"
The blonde was about to pick up her phone and call her son, letting him know that he had forgotten to lock his front door and that it was not okay even if he lived in what seemed a very safe house, when a noise interrupted her.
Summer appeared from the bedroom, wearing a robe and carelessly putting her wet hair in a loose bump on her head. She was surprised to see that there stood a woman in the middle of Seth's living room. Seth's mother to be specific. "Mrs. Cohen," she nervously blurted out, knowing exactly what she and Seth had been doing just minutes ago.
"Oh, hi, Summer!" Kirsten also seemed quite nervous and out of place. She had a smile on her face though. "I was just going to return some things from the dry-cleaning, and the door wasn't locked." She nervously played with her fingers. "I didn't think there was anyone here."
Summer carefully put her robe closer around her body, making sure she looked as responsible as possible. "Oh, yeah, I was in the shower and Seth-"
"Summer, where did you," Seth half said half yelled as he came from the bedroom, only to notice that his mother stood in the living room. "Go," he quietly finished his sentence. "Mom, I didn't hear you come."
"Well, Seth, I let myself in. Since I knocked and no one answered. I was just returning your clothes from dry-cleaning." Kirsten smiled as she explained herself for the second time, sensing the awkwardness of the situation.
"I was in the shower, I didn't hear you. Sorry." Seth scratched his head, completely unaware of the fact that Summer had just told Kirsten that she had been in the shower. Summer, knowing Seth didn't notice the awkwardness, felt her face heat up and she blushed. She didn't dare look at Kirsten, who probably could put two and two together.
And Summer was right, as Kirsten spoke again. "I can see that," she started referring to Seth's wet hair. "I was just in the neighborhood, so figured I'll bring you this." She motioned for the clothes on the sofa.
"Thanks, mom. Do you want to stay? I can put on some coffee," Seth suggested with a smile to both women.
"Thank you, Seth. But I should get home to your father." Kirsten excused herself, glad that her son at least offered. "Speaking of your father. He wanted me to ask you, if you have those shoes he lent you?"
"Yeah, I'll get them." Seth left the room, going to the bedroom again.
Summer stood there a little awkward, and forced herself to look at her boyfriend's mother. Kirsten seemed to do the same, only she seemed a lot calmer. With a smile she spoke. "Sorry about the intrusion. I guess I'm not used to Seth having-"
Summer quickly interrupted, afraid of what Kirsten was actually going to say out loud. "It's okay. No worries." Both women smiled, Summer blushing as she realized that her quick interruption just made what had been going on with Seth and her so much more obvious.
Kirsten had always liked the fact that the Cohen family, her family, was open with each other. Sandy had had that influence on her, always talking about things which she had been raised not to talk about. Sandy had insisted that they'd raise Seth the same, with things better being talked about rather than to be left with an awkward and silent understanding about. So she decided that she'd better do what she had learned to live by, breaking the uncomfortable silence between herself and the younger woman. "Summer, I am well aware of the fact that my son is intimate with his girlfriend. And I am glad that his girlfriend is you."
Summer nervously let a small laugh out from her mouth. She definitely had not expected Kirsten to react in this way, having practically walked in on her son having sex in the shower. She blushed for the millionth time. "Thank you. I am glad to be his girlfriend." It actually felt relieving that Kirsten was okay with it all, and acted to calm and natural. It made herself relax as well. "Seth really is an amazing guy."
"Yes, he is."
"Found them!" Seth appeared from the bedroom with a pair of shoes in his hands. Again, he was unaware of the changed atmosphere in the room and both women smiling and looking at him with love. "Tell dad thanks for the loan."
"I will." Kirsten accepted the shoes and turned for the door, after giving Summer a loving smile. "It was good seeing you, both."
"You too, mom." Seth kissed her cheek and followed her to the door.
"Bye, Mrs. Cohen. I hope I will see you again soon," Summer happily said. Seth's mom was really great.
Just as the door closed after Kirsten Summer flopped down on one of the sofa's, releasing a big sigh. "You know your mother totally knew we just had sex, Cohen."
"What? No she didn't. Not necessarily."
"Not only did she tell me, but when both of us are wet and saying we've just taken a shower I think it's quite obvious we've been in the shower together. And two people don't take a shower together if it's not something sexual. Don't you think?"
Summer laughed as she saw Seth's face change as he realized what had just happened, with him completely naïve and unknowing. He leaped down next to her on the sofa. "I should have known that. My mother knows everything. She's a very wise woman"
Giggling, Summer placed herself half on top of Seth, gazing into his eyes with a blushing smile. "I am actually okay with it, even though it's totally embarrassing. I like your mom."
"That's good. Because you'd better get used to it. My parents can be a little embarrassing."
"You really have a great family, Seth. They really love you." Summer turned more serious and rested her head against his chest, enjoying the now familiar position for her and the way that his arms immediately wrapped themselves around her.
"Yeah. You know, they love you too." Seth kissed her hair, softly talking to her. "I love you, Summer."
Summer smiled, both feeling and believing that those words were actually true. Something she had not been able to in the beginning. Love was a big word. "I love you, too."
Nothing could sound as beautiful to Seth but Summer uttering those words. He knew what she had been through; he knew that whatever hard time he had in his childhood with bullying wasn't as awful as growing up not being loved by anyone. At least he had had his family, and then Ryan. Summer had been alone and it ached in him just thinking about how she had been hurt in her life. It was not just the young Summer who had been hurt, it had followed her her whole life and she still had her scars and probably always would.
Seth tightened his hold of the petite brunette, the emotions making his eyes tear up. Summer didn't notice though, but buried her face into his neck, wanting to be even closer to him, as if to let him know that whatever he felt she felt too.
"You deserve so much, Summer. So much more than you ever can know." To those words it was Summer's turn to tear up. Never in her wildest dreams had she dreamt of this, lying in the arms of an amazing man whom she loved and who loved her back. He made her feel all kinds of feeling, and all of them were good. He seemed to love her no matter what he found out or no matter what she did or what feelings she had. He never gave up on her. And he made her not give up on herself either. He made her stronger and most of all, he made her happy.
"God, I love you," Summer whispered. He made her believe that what she had been feeling for so long was not the way she was supposed to live life. He made her feel safe and he made her brave. And deep down Summer knew that Seth could never do anything to hurt her. He was a good person. He was the kind of person she wanted to always be with, and he made her secretly dream of getting married, having kids and growing old together.
vvvvvvvvv
Later that night both of them lay in bed, Seth breathing into Summer's hair as he slept hugging her to him. Summer was wide awake though, content with the fact and comfortable just laying there in the dark, thinking.
The last couple of months had changed her. She almost felt like the time before she had met Seth was another life, and her life had changed so much. All to the better.
Before, just thinking about her childhood and her parents had made her cry. It did still hurt whenever she remembered but she had come to see things with a new perspective. She could see that it had not been her fault, and that her parents had had their own problems and she had just come between them. Summer could feel for that little child, the younger Summer, and almost comfort her in her mind. She had come to grow a love for that child, replacing the shame and hate she had been feeling for such a long time. And now, she wanted to give that little girl all that she deserved. She wanted to give that little girl a bright future, to take responsibility for those things not stopping her from healing and becoming a happy person.
Summer wanted to rise above all what she had been through, and use her experience to do good. She wanted to do what Seth had done for her; give other people hope. She wanted them to know that there were good people in the world and that they were not useless and worthless but important and worthy. No matter what they had heard in their life, no matter what they had been through.
For some time Summer has also been thinking more about her relationship – or lack of – with her father. She had decided that she would try to contact him, even if it just meant closure. She was not expecting him to be open to explain why he had left her, but she at least wanted to do everything she could to find out. Of this, Christy and Seth had been very supportive. And even though she knew that there was a big chance that she was going to get turned down by her father, she felt strong enough to not let that hurt her too much. She felt content about what she now had in her life, and the people in it. Seth and his family, Marissa. They were good people and a good start to her new life. She had not had a family for a very long time, and was used to that. So therefore, she did not need her father to come back into her life.
Summer smiled to herself as she lay there in the darkness, feeling safe and loved in the arms of Seth. If there was a God, she was grateful that He had sent Seth to her that day several months ago when she had wanted to jump off that pier. And she was glad and proud of herself for letting Seth in, because it had changed her life.
The story is coming to an end...