Hey guys, my apologies for the long break, but I was taking this really intense online course for the past three months, so I didn't want anything else to do with my computer other than the mandatory hours of work. I know this chapter's short, but I needed it to get back in the swing of things, plus I like it by itself rather than making a super long chapter that included dinner.
Chapter 8
"So what do you think?" Marissa asked, hands on her stomach. She'd come upstairs to freshen up while Kirsten was preparing dinner.
Ryan looked confused.
"The sex…" she prompted.
"Yeah, I, I mean good, really good." Ryan stammered.
"The sex of the baby, Ryan, what do you think, girl or boy?" she asked.
"Oh right, ummm-"
"Have you even thought about it at all?" She emerged from the bathroom with her toothbrush sticking out the side of her mouth.
"Well, everything's been kind of fast, I've only known for a couple weeks,"
"Right… well, I'm gonna go help Kirsten cook, you could come, or you can spend the rest of your day hiding up here."
"I'm not hiding; I'm taking a nap,"
"Well that's not what Kirsten thinks,"
"Is Seth still at the comic store?"
"He and Summer went back to school shopping."
"That's one thing I won't have to worry about," Ryan grumbled moodily.
"I thought you were happy about this, Ryan," Marissa exploded, "god, please do not put me through this on again off again stuff-"
"I am, I didn't mean-"
"This wasn't my idea, your free; this isn't your body-"
"Marissa!"
"What," she cried with as much venom as she could muster, turning away so he couldn't see her tears. She felt him hug her from behind; wrapping his arms around her stomach and her body give in to his, despite her mind's protests.
"I love you, and I really do want this, I didn't mean it."
She turned around, still in his arms, buried her head in his neck and cried. She cried for Ryan, how could he be this good? After all he had been through, he could still love, love her. He came from nothing and worked as hard as he could to make a future for himself and she had single handedly crushed it. She cried because it hurt how much she loved him and she couldn't bear to lose him. She cried for her pathetic, dependent self, with a dysfunctional tendency she couldn't seem to shake. Okay, she had to center herself, or she could go on for hours, deep breaths.
"Marissa?"
Sniffle, sniffle
"Are you alright?"
"Uh huh,"
"Do you forgive me?"
She looked up and smiled, Ryan was still Ryan, he smiled back and kissed her on her forehead, neither of them had moved.
"I have to go help Kirsten," she whispered into Ryan's chest, and slowly pulled away. She wiped her eyes, "sorry I've been so…dramatic," she said and backed out of the room, half-embarrassed.
"Hey Marissa, I don't think there'll be enough spinach for everyone so I'm-are you-"
"Everything's fine,"
"Well then, I'll just run out to get the spinach," she said, looking a little puzzled.
"Ok, bye"
"RYAN, SHE'S GONE." She waited a few seconds, "RYAN?" She headed upstairs to look for him, "RYYYYYYYYYAN?" She peeked into her room to find him eagle spread on her unmade bed, fast asleep. .
"Daddy," she whispered, "wake up," she kissed him softly on the lips.
He stirred and stretched, then closed his eyes again, "C'mon, Ryan, get up, Kirsten's gonna come back…"
She pulled his hand with all her might and was genuinely surprised to see this had no effect on him. He finally gave up on sleeping and stood up, but Marissa hadn't stopped pulling which resulted in her stumbling backwards and into the wall.
"Ow," she said, standing back up and rubbing her head, Ryan pushed her hair out of her eyes, grinning. She glared and pushed his hands away, "you've got to go, because you spending the night at my house is not something you want Sandy to find out, and I've got to get ready for dinner without any distractio-mmm" Ryan was now back on the bed with Marissa under him.
An hour later, with Kirsten miraculously not back, Ryan stood up and pulled his shirt over his head. He was deciding whether to wake Marissa. She looked so peaceful, but Kirsten would be back soon… He decided to leave her and set off for the pool house.
"Hey man," Seth trooped into the pool house, looking fully exhausted, "that is the last time I go shopping with Summer." He flopped down on the bed next to Ryan and let out a sigh of relief.
"Cohen, are you talking about me?" Summer questioned at the door.
"Nope," they both said together, sitting up and staring at her. There was an awkward pause. "Okay, well I'm gonna go test out my new labeler," she went to kiss Seth and left.
"Four years together," said Ryan.
"A kid together," said Seth, "but you are mister commitment,"
He sighed. "I didn't mean it like that, Seth, Summer's great"
"By great do you mean not pregnant?" There was a pause.
"Marissa called me daddy earlier," he said, "It really creeped me out,"
"Well, Ryan, it's kind of inevitable,"
"No, Seth, not me being a dad, her calling me 'daddy,'"
Seth snorted, "In what context did she use it,"
Ryan blushed, "intimately,"
"What were her exact words?"
"Seth"
"Ok, sorry, well if she does it again, just tell her it makes you freaked out. Now, she'll probably be offended, but –"
"Thanks Seth."
"Well what do you want me to say?"
They were quiet.
Summer is having a baby vicariously through Marissa. She is so excited. She won't shut up. And I'm not ready for kids, at least for the next decade.
"I hear you, "
"Im sorry, man, I didn't mean-"
"Its fine, whatever," They both stared at the ceiling.
"I'm gonna be the best uncle ever, I always wished I had an uncle, like a really cool uncle, who talked too much and hated my grandparents and listened to metal in his basement. He was drunk half the time and lived in the woods as a mailman."
Ryan looked at Seth, "he was fictional, wasn't he?"
"I was a very imaginative child,"
"So are you going to be a mailman?"
"I'm considering my options."
"Hey mom, it smells fantastic" it was five thirty and Seth and Ryan were bored and hungry.
"Hey boys, you're early," Seth ignored this and Ryan opened the fridge, "Everything is labeled," he said to no one in particular.
"Summer," Kirsten offered, stirring something.
"Where is Summer?" asked Seth.
"Wait for dinner, Ryan!" Marissa snatched a bagel from his hand. "Upstairs, with the labeler..." she answered warily.
"I'm all over it,"
"Keep her away from my room," Marissa called after him.
She kissed Ryan while placing all eleven plates in his hand, "you can set the table,"
"What time is Julie getting here?"
"She said six, but you never know with her," Kirsten answered.
DING DONG DING DONG