Chapter 17
The Confusion
Summer wiped her eyes furiously as she waited in yet more traffic on the way to Newport. She had told Seth that she needed to go, and she had left without really explaining anything. All he knew was that there was an emergency, and that he would have to face her mother alone.
Seth paced back and forth. "I don't get it, what's happened now?" he asked with so much speed that his word merged into each other.
"Seth, relax okay? Summer will tell you soon enough. Just take deep breath's and chill," Cady ordered. Seth threw her an annoyed look.
"Right yeah, relax. Because, hmm, let's see, the mother-in law from hell is about to come and make us her demonic slaves or whatnot, and my wife – sorry, ex-wife – has just ran out of here crying her eyes out and not telling us a thing. Yeah, yeah I can see where you're going with that – let's relax."
Cady rolled her eyes. "That's the spirit, let's ramble instead, that'll really help the situation."
"It shouldn't have been this way. We should have got back together, told everyone at home and then spent the rest of our lives being happy and having se…"
"Whoa! Do not go there Mister!" Cady yelled loudly. She softened at the lost look on her friends face and put her arms around him. "Look, if there was something wrong with Summer, or anyone you cared about, she would have told you. It's probably some business emergency or something."
Seth nodded. They sat in silence for a while.
"Wait… Have you not told your parents you're back with Summer?" Cady asked suddenly. Seth shook his head.
"Nope. I haven't event told them where I am. Got lost in the joy that is Summer I guess."
"You need to ring them Seth. They'll think you've abandoned them again, and you'll slip just a little further off that pedestal parent's place their kids upon."
Seth looked up and raised his eyebrows. "Little philosophical for you there hun. What's that all about?"
Cady shrugged. "It's the play I'm doing." She grabbed the phone off the coffee table. "Ring them."
Seth nodded, grabbing the phone and dialling in the Newport code and his parent's number. After a little while, the phone was answered by a sombre sounding Kirsten.
"Hello?" she said softly. Her voice was dull and it sounded like her nose was blocked. She'd been crying. Again. Seth closed his eyes and said a thousand 'sorry's to the God's above for being such a lousy son.
"Mom, hey it's me. The son," Seth replied.
Kirtsen exploded on the other side. "Seth! Oh Sandy, it's Seth!" she yelled, causing Seth to put the handset a little away from his ear. "Where are you! You're alright yes? I'v been so worried – we've been so worried. Marissa told us you were fine but she wasn't giving anything away. Oh Seth! You're really alright?"
Seth tried to fight a tear that was coming to his eye. He couldn't believe he'd been so selfish and put his mother through this much pain.
"I'm fine – we're fine. Everything's… fine," Seth said half-heartedly.
"Who's 'we'?" Kirsten asked. "And everything is not fine. I'd be a bad mother if I thought that everything was fine when you're using that tone of voice."
Seth laughed a little. "You sound like Dad, Mom."
"Stop avoiding the subject Seth Ezekiel Cohen. Where's the wit, the sarcasm, the rambling? Tell me what's going on son."
"Okay, definitely dad."
"Seth."
"Okay, 'we' is me and Summer, and…"
"Summer is with you? Why is Summer with you? Are you…?"
"Trying to tell you a story here. God, what kind of a mother are you?" Seth laughed. Kirsten said sorry and Seth continued. "Well, we got back together last week, came to LA and were having a really good time…"
"Don't be afraid to skip over the details Seth."
"And, and then, we got a letter today, and guess what? Your son is a divorcee!"
"What? You signed that thing?"
"No, and neither did Summer."
"But then…"
"Yeah, we're just as confused as you are. Someone has forged our signatures. And then Summer's ran out on an emergency and Eva's on her way over."
"Seth, even if someone's forged your signature, you should have got a call of confirmation from your lawyers'"
"Well, they may have called. We haven't been answering the phone."
"Oh so that's why… hang on, just got mental imagery – ew!"
"Yeah, that's mature, and so fitting in the light of what has just happened."
"There's the famous Cohen sarcasm. Look, I'm going to pass you on to your father okay?"
"Right."
"Son, first off, how are you? All limbs where they should be?"
"Hmm, let me just check that Dad – yeah, I think tey may just be. Now back onto what is important here, namely me, your son, the one going through a bitter divorce."
"No you're not. If you're back with Summer then it's far from bitter, and you're not going through it 'cause it's already done."
"Wait, hang on a second – no, that did not make me feel better. Words of encouragement? Yes, totally acceptable. Reminding me of the stark reality of the screw-up that has become my life? No, definitely not."
"Hey, you're back with Summer aren't you? And son, congratulations. That was smooth!"
"Gee, thanks for that dad, I feel so proud."
"Look, I'm going to get in touch with my contacts okay? I'll ring you back later on. And have you been… you know, having an active and stimulating se…"
"Dad, for heaven's sake no! You cannot aske me that!"
"So you haven't?"
"No we ha… wait, just put the phone down dad. Walk away from this situation okay?"
"Whatever Son, you're mom want's to speak to you again. Love you."
"Love you too dad."
Two hours later and Summer was in Newport, having endured absolutely terrible traffic. She rang around hospital's on her cell, and when no-one said they had admitted Dominic, she rang Maegan up again, fearing the worst.
"Meagan," she started as soon as the phone was picked up. "Meagan I need you to tell me where Dominic is okay?"
"Summer," Meagan's voice was quiet and emotionless. "I think that you should come to your office.
"Is he okay?" Summer asked frantically.
"Just come." Meagan put the phone down. Summer stared at it in disbelief. She was about to throw it backinto the passenger seat when she realised how worried Seth must be. She dialled his number.
Beep beep beep beep
The engaged tone. She pressed the end call button and drove towards her office at full speed.
Seth finally put the phone down. Hs mother had kept him on the phone for nearly two hours. H flopped onto the couch beside Cady and rubbed his face in his hands.
"That was a guilt-trip," he told Cady. Cady smiled and rubbed his back.
""Well, that's what parents do best. Don't you feel better now though?"
Seth nodded. "I'm hungry. Are you hungry? I didn't finish my dinner – I could warm it up and you could have Summer's. I mean, I don't think she'll want it right now, do you? She hasn't got in touch o anything."
"Well, you were hogging up the phone over there," Cady said. Seth's eyes filled with pure panic.
"Crap!"
"What? No, don't worry, she'll try again later and tell you what it was."
"I could just ring her cell," Seth suggested.
"Hmm, go ahead."
Seth went to grab the phone again when a knock went at the door. "Guess I'd better get that. It'll be Eva," he told Cady, throwing the phone down and heading for the door. As he guessed, Eva was on the other side.
"Hey there Mrs Roberts, how are you this fine d…"
"I'm not here to make small chat Mr Cohen, I'm here for my daughter. Where is she?"
"Well see, that's a good question. She's in Newport."
"What?"
"I said…"
"I heard perfectly well what you said Stanley…"
"Seth"
"and why is she in Newport when I have just spent two and a half hours stuck in the ghastly traffic?"
"I don't know. Look, will you come in."
Eva looked past him dubiously, as if sensing infection within the flat.
"Look, this isn't the ideal situation for me here either, but if you want to be a good mother for the first time in your life, then come on in, stop being a super bitch and tell me why the hell me and Summer are divorced!"
Eva looked him up and down. "If you'd have been that direct when I met you I might have liked you. Now how about you go make me a cup of coffee, hmm?"
Seth gritted his teeth and made faces at Eva's back as she went to sit down beside Cady. It was going to be a long day.
Summer ran into her office, her heels clicking on the marble floor. "Meagan!" she yelled.
"In here," she heard Meagan reply Her voice was soft and scared. Summer started walking nervously towards her own office, where Meagan was shouting from. She opened te oak door and gasped. Dominic was tied to a chair, while Meagan was stood over him, holding a silver revolver.
"Well looky here," she said, in a voice that caused needles of pure terror to run down Summer's back, "Look who's finally decided to join the party."
AN: Hey everyone. Just wanted some Seth-Kirsten-Sandy interactiopn. Yeah the ending is waaaaaaaaaaaay over dramatic but I tried writing it about a thousand times and it just kept coming out very OTT, so I just figured, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!
Anyway, this was planned, and not just some weird little idea that got planted in my head I promise. I wanna get started on my new story so I'm ntrying to finish this soon, but not rush it 'cause a lot of good stories are ruined when they're rushed, so I'm trying really hard not to rush this. HOWEVER, (heh heh) I'm not gunna be able to update this as soon as I usually do 'cause everything's been hectic lately and I usually write ahead, but this was the last chapter I wrote ages ago so I'm gunna have to start writing again soon, after everything's calmed down.
But never fear, I promise I will try and finish this story by the time I go on holiday in three weeks, and theres not that many chapter's left. I'm going to plan my next story when I'm away (Cyprus - Whoooo!)
Anyway, I'll quit rambling about crap now,
Luv ya!
Leanna :)