"Anybody home?" Ryan asked, holding the door open for Anna as they entered the Cohen's front door. He had seen Sandy's car in the driveway.
"Yeah! I'm in the kitchen!". Sandy's voice rang out, punctuated by rhythmic chopping. Ryan turned to Anna, silently mouthing 'you ready?' down at her. She responded with a swift nod. His hand reached out for hers, she gripped it firmly.
"Hey, you made it back early, did the judge just let you have this one?" Ryan asked as he walked in. Sandy looked up, smiling warmly at both of them as they put their bags onto the dining table. He had ditched his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves.
"No, can you believe it? The one time I'm in front of a judge when it has nothing to do with Caleb Nichol, it gets adjourned!" Rolling his eyes in feigned annoyance, he put down the kitchen knife.
"Anyway, pardon my manners. Mr Atwood, Ms Stern". He said, nodding to them in turn from across the kitchen island. "Can I get you anything while you regale me with stories from the colony of spoiled little rich kids?" He opened the fridge with one hand. "Water, cola…beer, vodka. I won't judge, we non-Newpsies gotta stick together". Happiness welled in Anna, Sandy had endured a hard summer with Ryan hospitalised and Seth gone, but the relatively quiet month had transformed him back to his old self.
"One guy in my Geography class didn't realise that getting water to South California has taken billions of dollars and damaged the environment irreparable. He asked how other places manage and was amazed when I told him in Pittsburgh it rains for over half the year", Anna told the story, watching Sandy soak up every word. A small ritually had emerged between the three of them, Ryan and Anna reporting back on the opinions of the Harbor's more sheltered denizens. Sandy pinched his fingers and thumb together like an Italian chef admiring his work.
Anna couldn't contain her laughter as they examined the claim. She admired that Sandy had managed to live here for so long while losing none of his passion for his life, ideals or his family.
"Molto Bene Anna", he said. "Thank you for braving that nest just to bring me these pearls. Anyway, what can I get you? Will you be staying for dinner? I heard Cameron's out of town again".
She felt a pang of pain at the mention of her father.
"Yeah…He got the call yesterday morning saying he was needed in Tokyo…well, today. But if you've already started I can go home". She hadn't finished speaking before Sandy's hand was raised and waving.
"No no, of course not. After the summer we've had, you are always welcome. I just wanted to know for my own logistics", Sandy said, smiling and gesturing to the counter "Figured I'd get ahead of it all tonight. Gonna be a long week". Anna helped make room on the kitchen counter for Sandy, not noticing him smiling at Ryan as he spoke.
Anna heard Ryan zip up his bag.
"We actually had something we wanted to give you, as like, a welcome back present", she said, turning to Ryan. He had the gifts firmly behind his back. "It isn't much, just Harbor stuff".
"Oh? Do you want to wait for Kirsten?" Sandy asked.
"Ahh, we can surprise her with it later as well", Ryan said, slightly bashful. "It really isn't a big deal".
"Well I'm assuming Miss Fisher isn't going to suggest either of you go into sales", Sandy said, crossing his arms, a wry smile on his face.
Ryan slowly pulled the magazine and tickets out from behind his back and placed them on the kitchen counter. Reaching down to pick them up, Sandy realised it was the Harbor Literary Magazine. As confusion abated, the smile on his face re-emerged.
"Wait a second Anna, is your work in this? I thought that all fell by the wayside last year?"
"It did, but they still wanted me…And…" She playfully nudged Ryan.
"Don't make me say it", Ryan said through a small, nervous laugh.
"Check the contributors", Anna said, beaming. Sandy flicked through.
"Well…As I live and breathe. Ryan Atwood, man of stone and silence turned man of pen and prose?" Sandy smiled in disbelief.
"Ahh, it is only like, ten lines. They just came to me in the hospital this summer. A lot of time to think I guess…and we were reading to each other a lot. I showed them to Anna one day. She thought they were worth submitting".
"And you agreed?" Sandy asked, still shocked.
"Yeah…I did. I figured maybe if they made someone else feel better…Ahh it's stupid".
"No it's not", Sandy and Anna said in unison. Ryan's bashful smile turned into a grin.
"Well yeah, that happened", he replied, his hand firmly on the back of his head.
As Sandy flicked through, Anna walked alongside to the kitchen counter.
"Mr Lawyer, I think your eagle-eyes missed something", Anna said, looking back at Ryan. Sandy lowered the magazine, spotting the tickets that had fallen onto the counter. He picked them up.
"What is…No…" Sandy said, looking from the tickets to him.
"Yep. One varsity soccer game, two tickets, front row". Ryan said, Anna could hear the pride in his voice.
"But, are you sure you'll be okay? What about your…injury". Sandy asked, concern in his voice.
"I've been cleared by the school doc. I won't be on for the whole game but I'm able to do half. They were very supportive. I'll be playing defence rather than striker as well, for now…I know you are both busy with Caleb at the moment, but hopefully you can come". As he finished, Ryan's hand sought out Anna's, their fingers gently entwined.
Sandy looked back down at the tickets, then to Ryan. If his eyes had widened at the magazine, they now shone as he looked at his son.
"They could give Caleb the death penalty and I still wouldn't miss this. Of course we will come". As he walked towards him, he passed Anna and beamed at her. "I'm proud of you, we both are…We all are. I'll never stop being impressed at how you bounce back at what life throws at you", Sandy said, placing a hand firmly on his shoulder.
Embarrassed, Ryan smiled.
"Thank you, but I can't take the credit. I've had more than a little help…from everyone", he said, his eyes meeting Sandy before turning to Anna.
Half an hour later, they returned from the pool house, the evening had started to draw in.
"Oh yeah, I meant to say, did you eat well while we were gone for the weekend? The doc said you needed to keep eating right and everything seems to be where I left it". Sandy asked, a small, battered paperback book in his hand as he leaned against the kitchen counter.
"Oh yeah, well…When you aren't here me and Anna tend to cook in the pool house".
"Ahh, of course", Sandy made a note of the page and closed the book, shaking his head. "You know you aren't a poor kid from The Bronx anymore when you forget how many kitchens are on your property".
"A nice problem to have", Anna teased.
"Not one I think I'll ever get used to", Sandy gave an embarrassed smile".
"Ahh, if it isn't the gruesome twosome", Seth said, waltzing into the room. Anna instinctively let go of Ryan's hand. She wished she hadn't.
"Hey man, did you get anywhere with Summer?" Ryan asked, ignoring the jab. Seth rolled his eyes.
"Less than nowhere".
"And you were so optimistic about Operation: Zach Attack". Anna said, suppressing a smile. If they had been on better terms, she would've asked him to stop this campaign against Zach and Summer.
"Well you know what they say Anna, no plan survives first contact with the enemy" Seth sighed, scooping up some grated cheese from Sandy's meal preparation piles.
"I hope you weren't actually planning to attack Zach young man", Sandy said, batting Seth's hand away as he returned for seconds.
"It is a codename dad, like Operation Mincemeat, or Linebacker" Seth responded in protest.
"I think those codenames are supposed to obscure the plan". Ryan pointed out, running his hand down the length of Anna's arm before interlocking his fingers with his once more.
"Everyone's a critic", Seth huffed, walking out into the garden.
A few minutes later, Ryan joined Seth by the poolside.
"Room for one more?" Ryan asked, running his hand across the top of the sun lounger Seth was resting on.
"Sure, sure". Seth looked around. "No Anna?"
"She is helping Sandy", Ryan said, trying to keep his tone neutral. There was a pause.
"That makes a change. Feels like all you do these days is study and hang out with her. Where is Seth/Ryan time? Where are the daring deeds, the brotherly comradery, as we navigate a complicated web of relationships. At least two women each vying for our attention at any one time".
Another pause followed. Ryan looked to Seth, his face impassive as usual. Seth took the hint that that was, perhaps, an over-exaggeration.
"It just feels like this year, you've got Anna and I've got…no-one" Seth's voice trailed off.
"You've got Alex", Ryan offered.
"'Got' is a generous way to phrase it. I'm not sure if she likes me or hates me. And besides, her and Marissa are keeping to themselves. Not like we can all hang out like we used to". Seth sighed.
"You know man, parts of last year…I wasn't having a great time…I mean even before getting stabbed". Lowering his head for a moment, Ryan focused on the stone work around the pool. "Summer said it best a few weeks ago…The way we were, wasn't always so great" Ryan sighed. "That's why me and Anna are taking it easy. Me and you, we both put her through a lot. We all put each other through a lot. I think everyone just needs to enjoy normality…And maybe that means distance for some. I mean Summer seems happy. Luke seems happy…"
Seth let out an even deeper sigh as Ryan finished. They looked at each other for a heartbeat.
"They just feel as unrecognisable as everything else. Luke and Summer wouldn't have looked twice at Lindsay and Zach at the beginning of last year".
"Summer wasn't exactly looking too closely at you at the beginning of last year. Luke isn't an entitled ass. And as you said, I'm all sorts of different" Ryan paused again, considering his words. "We are all happier. And we've all changed".
The final words hung in the air between them.
"I haven't",Seth said quietly, after several moments of silence.
"Well, maybe that's where to start", Ryan said, his breathing slow as they both looked out to the setting sun.
Ryan felt Seth's shoulders gently slump beside him.
"Maybe you are right…" Seth said finally, glancing back to the house. "Anyway, what brings you to my lonely domain?" Seth asked, gesturing to the pool and the ocean.
"Oh, yeah. Kinda related actually. Luke said he hadn't seen you in a bit. Asked if you wanted to come to his water polo game Wednesday? Said maybe we could play some ninja game afterwards".
"I said I'd be at the Bait Shop Wednesday evening". Ryan knew that meant Alex, potentially Marissa. "And besides, that's Zach and Summer territory…"
Ryan didn't respond immediately, considering his next words carefully.
"I mean, Harbor is Zach and Summer territory".
"Exactly", Seth said instantly.
"I think it would be good, sometime. I mean you I'm not water polo's biggest fan but…Well Luke is gonna invite Lindsay. I could probably convince Anna to go. We could all hang out as friends".
"That sounds like three couples and a Cohen to me, buddy". Seth's tone was sardonic.
"I'd watch that movie", Ryan said, gently shaking his head, his hair catching the light of the sunset.
"Yeah, I don't have to, I'm living it". Seth turned to him and Ryan was relieved to see the slight trace of a smile.
Carefully, Ryan got up from the other sun lounger. Once he was up, he placed a hand on Seth's shoulder.
"We are all here for you man", he said quietly. After a moment of looking up at Ryan, Seth nodded.
"I know…I know". He paused. "How's it feeling? The…wound".
"The pain isn't as sharp anymore". Ryan replied, a slight, grateful smile on his face. "Every day that passes, it dulls a little more''.