POST-VACATION VACATION
"So everything all ready to go?" Kirsten asked the four young adults standing in the foyer of her house.
"Yep! Suitcases packed, ticket's ready..." Summer began listing.
"We're fine, mom, really." Seth finished.
Just then Sandy came running with his tie not tied up, struggling to put on his jacket and holding his big briefcase, "I'm sorry you guys I have to go, but I'll see you guys soon hopefully?" He ran over and gave each one of them quick hugs and kisses and ran out the door before they knew it.
"Yeah, of course, Mr. C." Summer waved him goodbye.
Kirsten chuckled. "He's in the middle of something big..." she explained. Now, she was the only one left, with Seth, Summer, Ryan and Marissa ready to leave. "I'm really going to miss all of you guys." Summer smiled and gave her a hug, Marissa did the same.
"Don't worry, Kirsten. We'll be back sooner or later. And congratulations again, for the baby." Marissa said.
"Yeah, and thanks for everything. The past 2 weeks... probably the best Christmukkah holiday I've ever spent. You're like... a mom to me." Summer was beginning to tear up.
"Oh God." Seth rolled his eyes, Ryan laughed at his reaction.
"Shut up, Cohen!"
"It's okay, Summer. Congratulations for your engagement! And besides, with you marrying my son, I will be your mother... just technically, in-law." She laughed. "And Marissa, congratulations for you and Ryan too, moving in together." She gave them each one more big hug then turned her eyes from Summer and Marissa, over to her two boys. "Okay, your turn."
"Ugh." Seth moaned.
Ryan went ahead and gave Kirsten a hug. "Thanks Kirsten, for everything. We'll be back soon, don't worry."
"You better... C'mon Seth."
"Alright" he went over and hugged his mom. "I love you mom"
"I love you too." She said happily. "Drive safely you two," she looked at Ryan and Marissa. "And as for you, have a safe flight."
"Thank you. Bye!" They all said their last goodbyes to Kirsten and gave her one more hug, before they left the house.
They all packed into Ryan's car, and it was decided he and Marissa would drop Summer and Seth off at the airport, before they head back to Berkely.
"I can't believe all that's happened these past 2 weeks alone." Summer said, fastening her seatbelt.
"I know. You and Seth are engaged, a new baby's on the way, Ryan and I are moving in together..." Marissa tilted her head at Ryan and gazed at him.
"What are you smiling about?"
"I don't know, I'm just kind of really happy."
He grabbed her hand to hold, "I am too."
"Okay, barf." Seth ruined the moment, causing Ryan and Marissa to roll their eyes.
"We're happy for you guys too." Marissa added.
Seth shrugged, "Yeah okay, much better."
"I don't know about you, but I don't think I'm ready just yet to go back to school." Summer admitted.
Ryan thought for a second and then suddenly an idea popped into his head. "Well..." he sighed. They all looked at him, "I know I'm not one with the ideas all the time..."
"Except that mall idea, that sounded pretty good." Seth joked, only receiving Ryan's glaring eyes through the mirror.
"Well, I'm not going to lie, I enjoyed that idea." Summer defended.
"Yeah, I did too..." Marissa added, defending Ryan.
"Thank you... Anyways, Summer, you said you're not ready to go back to reality. Well neither am I. And I don't know about you guys... but remember, school doesn't start again for another 5 days."
"What are you getting at, Ryan?" Marissa asked him.
"Yeah, Chino! I'm getting impatient." Summer was getting angry.
"Well, you could always come back with me and Marissa to Berkely. Help us settle in our new home." 'Our new home'. I could get used to the sound of that, Marissa thought and smiled at Ryan. "...And you know, we could show you around Berkely. We could hang out." Ryan continued.
"Well, I could use the extra vacation." Seth added, hoping to convince Summer.
"That's actually a great idea!" Summer said with enthusiasm.
"So it's settled..." Marissa looked back at her 2 best friends then to the driver's seat where Ryan was. "Berkely?"
"Off to Berkely!"
"Wait Ryan, Marissa," Summer stopped him from speaking any further, "Just promise me one day, you guys will return the favour and come visit us in the east coast sometime?"
"Deal." Marissa spoke for the both of them.
"So what are we going to do once we get there?" Summer asked.
"And where exactly is 'there'?" Marissa added; her dorm, Ryan's dorm, or their new apartment?
"Well, I got some help at the apartment while we were here so I was thinking... straight to our new home?" he asked. He saw the smile grow on Marissa's face and he smiled in return.
"Sounds good." The new plan was set, the Fab Four were off for a post-vacation vacation.
/
Ryan pulled up into a quiet, peaceful neighbourhood nearby Berkely. He stopped at a lovely, small apartment building. It looked very well-built and new.
"This is it."
"Oh my God." Marissa said as she looked at her new home.
"Second floor, you ready?" She didn't even bother to answer Ryan, instead, quickly got out of the car and Ryan had to run after her. Seth and Summer laughed and slowly got out of the car, giving their best friends some time alone to soak it all in.
Marissa ran inside the apartment, she stopped to turn around. "Ryan, what number?"
"Whoa," he caught up to her, catching his breath. "Here." He took her hand to the elevator to the second floor. He led her through a hallway and stopped at a door with 3C on it. "Go ahead."
Marissa took out her key, the one Ryan gave to her for Christmas, and used to unlock the door. Before she could push it open, Ryan scooped her up in her hands. Marissa started to laugh, "Ryan, we're not married or anything."
"I know but it still feels appropriate." He kicked the door open to reveal a tiny, but roomy apartment. There were some newly-furnished furniture already laid out. The living room had a leather sofa and a wooden centre table, along with a small TV. The kitchen had nice granite counter tops with dark wooden cupboards.
"Ryan, this is unbelievable. How could you afford all this?"
"It's no big deal really. I mean, you were away all summer... yes I was busy missing you, but I also got a side job. It had great pay so I've been saving up."
"But this is too much. I don't know if I can do this, accept all this."
"It's okay. I wanted this for myself for a long time now. Having you live with me is a bonus to that."
She leaned in and kissed him, "I feel so spoiled."
"Well, you deserve this. I... love you." Ryan said.
"Thank you.." she joked.
Just then Seth and Summer walked in through the open door. "You shouldn't leave the front door open like that. Strangers can walk in any time as you two... do that."
Ryan finally put Marissa down as they started to become embarrassed.
Summer smacked Seth in the head, "Cohen! It's romantic..." she turned to Ryan and Marissa, "You guys, this is beautiful. I'm so happy for you."
"This is all Ryan," Marissa said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"C'mon I want to show you the rest of it." Ryan grabbed her hand, "Seth, Summer, make yourselves comfortable. Our place is your place too... Seth there's playstation if you want."
"Ryan, why would you do that? You'll definitely have often visits from Cohen now!" Summer said, sitting down on the couch, with Seth joining her.
Ryan led Marissa into the hallway, "So this is one bathroom..." he motioned at the door, "that's a spare room... and this, this is our room." Ryan slowly opened the door revealing a big bedroom. It had a window view of their neighbourhood, and you can even spot Berkely over the distance. There was a walk-in closet and another bathroom. "I got help with the furniture but all the unpacking, we're gonna have to do that." He pointed towards stacks of boxes.
"Ryan, I'd love to unpack our new apartment. This is... I love it." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you."
He began to kiss her but after a few moments, Marissa pulled away. "We've got guests in our home."
"You're right," he kissed her one last time, "We can finish this later... Let's go."
/
Ryan and Seth were in an intense game on playstation, while Marissa and Summer started to unpack Ryan and Marissa's room.
"Wow, Chino did a good job." Summer commented as she took out some of Ryan's belongings in a box.
"Yeah, I know... I can't believe we're actually doing this."
"Yeah, that's how I felt when Seth and I were talking about the wedding."
"How is that going? Planning and all?"
"Stressful! I can't stop thinking about the wedding and then something goes horribly wrong."
"Sum, your wedding will be the greatest. And just the fact that you are marrying Seth... you are marrying the love of your life, nothing bad can ruin that."
"You're right, Coop." Summer smiled, "Thanks." Summer rummaged through the box and found some things, "Hey look!" she pulled out a few photo albums. "Coop, Ryan's a 'preserve the memories' type guy?"
"I guess... C'mon, let's see!" Marissa grabbed it from Summer and sat on the bed. She opened it to find pictures of Ryan and the Cohen's. Some at a Newport Party, others just at home on special occasions.
"Oh my God, him and Cohen look so young!" Summer pointed at a picture. It was of Ryan and Seth sitting at home playing video games. Kirsten probably just grabbed a camera and asked them to smile because they were still in their PJs and Seth's face had: C'mon, mom, really? Written all over him. The girls both laughed at how cute they were.
"I know, look at the date though... This was taken when they were in 10th grade." Marissa said. She kept flipping through the pages and then found a bunch of her and Ryan.
"Aww, Coop! I remember I took this one!" Summer said. It was a photo of Ryan and Marissa kissing on the ferris wheel during the night of the kickoff carnival. "That was like, your 3rd round."
"Yeah well, though Ryan was afraid of heights, he insisted we'd go again.. and again and again."
"Well I'm glad I captured the moment... OH! Look here, you guys at that boat party. Where you spilled the beans on your mom and Caleb!"
"What a night... I owe Ryan that. He was the one that saw my mom and Caleb and found out about their little fling."
"You guys look so happy." And it definitely showed. The picture was captured from behind. It showed Ryan and Marissa's backs to the camera, Ryan had his arm wrapped around Marissa and they were both looking out into the water.
"We were," Marissa smiled.
"And look! That's when we all took that trip, we went golfing with..." Summer stopped before she could finish. She didn't know how Marissa would feel all these years with the mention of his name.
"Oliver." She finished Summer's sentence. "It's okay, Sum. You can say his name."
"Yeah, but that was just..."
"I know. This photo was probably the last photo taken before Ryan and I slowly drifted apart and Oliver came between us. But I mean, look at us now. We're fine. Happy. I guess this picture just shows how much we loved each other then and despite the drama, we still love each other now."
Marissa closed the book and stood up to put it away, but a picture fell out. Summer noticed and went to pick it up. "Coop..." she spoke softly. Marissa turned around to find Summer looking at a picture with a smile slowly creeping on her face.
"Sum, what is that?"
"Look." Summer handed her a picture. Marissa looked at it. A huge smile formed. It was a photo of her in the hospital after her overdose in TJ. Ryan was seated by her side, he had one of his hands holding hers and they were both asleep. She had no idea when or how this photo was taken, but looking at it, she immediately felt overjoyed. They weren't dating at the time, she had just caught Luke cheating on her. But still, they looked so peaceful, at ease.
"Did you take this picture?" Marissa asked.
"No, I didn't."
"I wonder who took it. Definitely not my mom, she hated Ryan then."
Summer laughed, "You guys look so perfect together. Back then and now."
"I love him, Sum." Marissa confessed out loud.
"I know... and he loves you." Marissa held onto the photo and made her way to her purse laying on the bed. "What are you doing?" Summer asked.
"I want to frame it and give it to Ryan as a little present. I know it doesn't compare to the apartment and all but–"
"That's sweet of you." Summer said. Marissa smiled. She looked at the photo one more time before tucking it into her bag.
"Do you guys ever talk about marriage?" Summer blurted out.
"Wow, Sum, where did that come from?"
"I don't know, we were talking about Seth and I's wedding then this photo happened... it seemed relatively appropriate."
Marissa sat in silence, then finally spoke. "No, I don't think it's in his head yet. We just moved in together."
"True... do you want to get married any time soon?"
Marissa hesitated, did she? "I... I love Ryan. I do see my future with him... but I don't know."
"What don't you know?"
"I guess I'm just not ready yet..."
"No rush, Coop. You're in a good place with Atwood now, no need to hurry things up."
Meanwhile, Ryan and Seth were still playing video games in the living room.
"So how're you dealing with things so far?" Seth asked Ryan.
"What do you mean?"
"Everything that's happened over the holidays, what do you think?"
"I'm happy for you and Summer, I can't wait for the new baby to arrive, and Marissa and I have never been closer..."
"Yeah..."
"Seth, just say it."
"I just think, things are too awesome lately. Something always happens..."
"Well, don't jinx it. We're all happy and where we want to be, why spoil it?"
"It's just, we never get to be happy for too long. That's how this family functions... I mean, when things were finally getting back together, Caitlin got kidnapped. And do I have to remind you of all the times back in high school when things were going great and something intense spoils it?" Seth pointed out.
"Well, that's all in the past, man. Why can't you just sit back and enjoy the moment?"
"Fine, I'll drop it. Changing the subject–"
"Seth, let's just play."
"Fine. I needa concentrate anways, you're almost beating me here."
"I always beat you..."
Just then Marissa and Summer walk out from the bedroom and made their way to the living room. They both collapsed on the couch, watching their boyfriends, who were sitting on the ground leaning against the couch, busy with their game.
"Guys, I'm kind of hungry..." Summer whined.
"Yeah, me too. Sum and I were thinking if you guys want to go out or order in or something?" Marissa suggested.
"Yeah and we can watch a movie or something?" Summer added.
The girls didn't get a response.
"Cohen!" Summer yelled out at him, "Marissa and I practically finished unpacking the room and now we're starving. All you guys have been doing is playing video games ever since we got here!"
"Summer, hold on, give us 5 more minutes. I'm kicking Ryan's ass here!"
Marissa rolled her eyes and slowly moved to the end of the couch Ryan was leaning against. She wrapped her arms around him and embraced him tight. Ryan then lost focus on the game and looked back towards Marissa and began kissing her.
"Ry, man! Don't give in... Man, you're so whipped."
Ryan stopped making out and threw a pillow at Seth, "Shut up, Seth, I just don't feel like playing anymore..."
Seth gave up and turned off the game. "Okay, fine, what do you guys want to do?"
"Order in and movie?" Summer suggested again.
"Alright." Ryan stood up and made his way to his phone, "Thai?"