Hi!!!!! OMIGOSH Im completely sorry I took soooo long to update but ive been truly hectic and still am!
i hope u r liking it and keep reading!!!!
lots of lovee!
oh snap, g2g!
xxoxox
---
Chapter 8: The Shape Things Are In
Déjà vu. The way both Ryan and Marissa were feeling. Well, kind of. Standing in the middle of their Berkeley graduation, Ryan was feeling just as he was getting out of high school. The graduation was pretty much the same as it had been the Harbor one, and Berkeley had been even better that what Sandy and Kirsten had promised him. College was the hell of an experience, almost as good as Harbor, and being there with Marissa made him feel like the luckiest guy on earth. He was happy his and Marissa’s relationship was completely stable, now that they were free of the high school drama. They both missed Seth and Summer heaps, it was true, but Chrismukkahs, Thanksgivings, and even Valentine’s Days had never better.
One of Marissa’s classmates was in charge of the speech; she was going to miss Berkeley. It had been fun, lots of fun. She would’ve never thought about it, but she actually missed Newport. She missed the Bait Shop, the Diner and most of all, their family and friends. In the crowd, she could see Kirsten, Sandy, Julie, Seth and Summer clapping endlessly. Marissa couldn’t help but look at how happy and proud they were, and how everything would change when they told them the…news. Nobody knew but she and Ryan, not even Summer, because she and Marissa didn’t have time to talk…besides Summer seemed to have ‘forgotten’ about the subject. Rage Blackouts, probably.
It all happened so fast. Ryan got his diploma, Marissa got her diploma, all of their classmates and friends got their diploma, and graduation was over. Ryan and Marissa were overwhelmed by their family’s “congratulations”. Suddenly, they found themselves picking up their luggage, saying good-bye to their Berkeley friends and heading over to Newport. Sandy, Kirsten, Julie, Seth and Summer returned to Newport that same day, but at earlier than Ryan and Marissa, who had to stay for an inside-closure for students. They sat next to each other on the plane back to Newport, both wondering what was coming next.
“What do you think they’ll say?” Marissa couldn’t help herself any longer.
Ryan sighed.
“I think they’ll be there for us. Sandy and Kirsten have always been very supportive, and Seth and Summer will be thrilled. It will be ok”
“I’m still worried about my mom” Marissa responded. “I have a bad feeling about this. She won’t be happy”.
“She’s…your mom. At least you still have your mom, I…I wish my parents were there for me as your mom has been for you all these years”
Marissa smiled tenderly at Ryan.
“Thank you. I’m sure your parents would be very proud of you right now, Ry”
Ryan smiled.
“You know, my mom used to call me Ry. She said I was going to be the first one of the family to go to college. I guess she was right” Ryan said, smiling.
“I like it, calling you Ry” Marissa giggled.
After a minute or two of silence she sighed.
“I still don’t know…what are we going to do?”
“Tell them they’re about to get a grandchild, a cousin and a little niece or nephew” Ryan repeated for the thousandth time.
“I’m scared. I still have a bad feeling about this” Marissa said sadly.
“We ought to tell them” he caressed her cheek. “Sooner or later they will realize once your belly starts getting bigger. Which is, now, I think” he placed a hand in her tummy, where he got to notice a little baby bump.
They both smiled, looking at each other.
“It’s growing so fast” Marissa said surprised.
Ryan couldn’t help but smile. Marissa hugged him and rested her head on his shoulder until the plane landed.
She sighed as they got their luggage and themselves into the cab.
Marissa turned around and found Ryan lost in his thoughts with a tiny smile on his lips.
“What?” she asked mischievously.
“I…I just can’t wait to tell them” Ryan spilled out, smiling. “They’re going to be happy for us”
She faked a smile back, but Ryan’s words left Marissa thinking. He was happy…he was not worried about what the Cohens or her mom would say; Ryan loved the way they were at that moment, they already were a family; and thinking about it, she was happy too. Ecstatic, even. A family! She and Ryan! A baby of their own! Their own child!
They were both happy about the way things were at the moment. She liked her life; she loved Ryan and her baby and loved the way things were going to develop for them since then. That thought gave her enough self confidence to do what she was about to do.
But how were the others going to react?
“Happy Graduation!!!!” Sandy, Julie and Kirsten rushed to the door when they heard the cab parking in the beginning of the Cohens’s house driveway and Ryan and Marissa getting out of the car.
“Thanks” they both responded as they were being hugged.
“Come here, we have a surprise for you, Ryan” Julie and Kirsten led them to the front door, where they saw something unusual: a brand new black Range Rover truck ‘wrapped’ with a big red bow.
“Wow” Ryan was speechless.
“A Range Rover!” Marissa hugged him from behind, smiling.
“You deserve it, sweetheart” Kirsten smiled at Ryan. “Sandy and I are very proud of you.”
“Speaking of Sandy, where is he?” Julie wondered looking around.
“He probably sneaked inside to take care of the grill” Kirsten said. Ryan hadn’t said anything yet, so she looked at him inquiringly. “Are you ok honey? Do you like it?”
“You shouldn’t have” Ryan said, half-happy, half-amazed.
“We wanted to!” Kristen insisted.
“Thank you guys, so much” Ryan said truly grateful.
Kirsten smiled. “I’m gonna go check on Sandy” she walked inside.
Julie turned to her daughter.
“I’ve got something for you too, sweetie” she told her as she alternated a look with Ryan. He got the hint, and he stepped back to ‘look at his car’.
Julie got out a small box out of her purse and opened it. Marissa gasped lightly.
“Mom…” she said, wide-eyed. She was staring at the most beautiful pair of wedding rings she’d seen in her life; they matched perfectly and were absolutely beautiful.
“I got these from my grandmother” Julie shared. “She said they guaranteed a perfect marriage. I never really used them, maybe that’s the reason my marriages never last” she smiled. “I want you to use them when you get married to Ryan. Don’t say anything, Marissa” she cut her before she could speak. “I was never really fine with you and Ryan, but I see the way you look at him, and I know you are really in love with him. I wanted your marriage to last, not like mine”.
Marissa’s heart flipped. Her mom was finally OK with her and Ryan, and she was going to ruin everything by telling her she was pregnant.
“Thank you, mom” Marissa hugged her mother. “I love you”
“I love you too honey. Now, let’s get inside, we wouldn’t want to leave Sandy’s grill waiting” and she rushed back inside.
Marissa stayed behind, waiting for Ryan, who ran back at her side.
She showed her the rings and looked him straight in the eyes. He immediately knew what they meant and understood everything Julie had just told her just by looking back into her eyes. He could actually read her soul, read her heart and feel whatever was there with no need for words.
He gently grabbed her hand and, together, they walked back into the house without speaking; just enjoying each other’s company.
“Ryan!” a little girl’s high-pitched voice shrieked excitedly as soon as he stepped into the house. He looked down just to see Sophie Rose, the youngest Cohen, running over to him and hugging him tightly.
“Hey!” Ryan smiled and lifted her up to his height and hugged her. “How’s my favourite little girl doing today? I missed you!”
Sophie smiled in Ryan’s arms and looked around. “Marissa!” she shrieked excitedly as well and flailed her arms, asking Marissa to lift her up too.
“Maybe you shouldn’t” Ryan warned her in a low voice without handing Sophie over to her. He was right; the doctor had warned her not to carry heavy weight, and a 4-year-old girl was in that category.
“Yes” she said sadly. Then she kneeled down so she was at the girl’s height, and Ryan left Sophie in the floor. “Hi sweetheart” Marissa hugged Sophie. “I missed you heaps”.
“Me too!” Sophie giggled “Can we go shopping now with Summer?” She pleaded.
“Um…I don’t know, honey. We’ll see, ok?” Marissa replied gently, not knowing what everyone’s reactions would be after what was coming next.
“COOP!” Marissa turned around instinctively as soon as she heard her best friend’s voice and was suddenly blinded by a breath-taking ‘bear-hug’ Summer gave her. “COOP! COOP! You’re finally here!” was all Marissa could hear from her. She could also feel and hear Seth coming by and saying hello to Ryan, who was gently trying to get Summer out of suffocating Marissa. She finally let her go.
“I’m so sorry I couldn’t go with you to pick out a graduation outfit, Coop, but I was trying to get Seth out of spoiling all our stuff…” Summer explained.
“You already told me that” Marissa frowned, surprised she didn’t remember.
“Really?” Summer said surprised. “Huh, rage blackouts, I suppose. Anyway, I’m so glad you finally came…”
So, Marissa thought, she doesn’t remember about our phone call. Which meant Summer didn’t know she was the one who told her in the first place she could be pregnant.
“…told Cohen he was so not going to pick your graduation presents so…” Summer took out two boxes out of one of the kitchen’s drawers.
“…this one’s his” she handed them the largest one. “And…this one’s mine” she finished with a big smile.
Ryan and Marissa thanked their best friends and opened Seth’s box first.
“It is a brand new copy of The Atomic County” Seth showed them. “See, with a special chapter for Kid Chino’s and Cosmo Girl’s adventures in The Ironist’s parents’ Alma Mater, and…”
“Enough blabbing, Cohen” Summer shut him up. “Open mine, you guys! I wanted to buy something for you at the mall but nothing was good enough, until finally…”
Marissa opened the box and immediately gasped. Instead of whatever she was expecting to get from Summer, this was not it.
Inside the box there was a little mellow, white and cotton-like bunny.
“A…rabbit?” Ryan inquired.
“It’s a bunny!” Summer said exasperated. “You know the rabbit I adopted from college I told you about, Coop? Pancakes?”
“Yeah…what about him?” she asked her.
“It turns out it’s a she” Seth told them. “Summer was head over heels when she found out that the rabbit was pregnant and had given birth to five bunnies under her bed”.
“I gave most of them away to college friends before I left” Summer said. “I still have pancakes, but this little friend was left and I thought of giving it to you guys!”
“Thanks, Summer” Ryan said sceptically raising an eyebrow, though he was smiling.
“I named him Flapjacks” Seth nodded proudly.
“Flapjacks?” Marissa was the one laughing now. “Great choice. A name food. Awesome, Seth”. She joked.
“Speaking of food” Sandy appeared in the kitchen. “Go outside kids, the BBQ’s ready”
Ryan glanced at Marissa, who smiled lightly. It was better to put it off until after lunch.
They talked all the while during lunch; about Berkeley, Newport and College in general. It was after the BBQ and the dessert and they all went back inside to keep talking when Ryan and Marissa decided it was time to tell them.
“Um, well” Ryan said from behind the table where him and Marissa were standing. “We…Marissa and I…have something to tell you”
“Ryan…it’s ok” Marissa looked at him. “I’ll tell them”.
She stared at the little audience.
“What is it?” Seth said impatiently. “If someone else had an accident and you’re looking for a donor, we’ll have to discuss the payments ‘cause I have a very delicate organism…”
“Seth” Ryan cut him.
Marissa took a deep breath and let it all out.
“I’m pregnant”.
Nobody reacted as they had expected them to. They all froze, with different expressions in their faces, processing what they had just heard. After what could’ve been seconds but what seemed like hours to Ryan and Marissa, Kirsten stood up and spoke.
“Aww, Congratulations, you guys” she said as she hugged Ryan first and then Marissa, to whom ear she whispered; “you and I are having a talk, sweetie!”
Sandy stood up as well. Ryan was expecting the worst, but he was smiling.
“Well, this is a bit of a shock” Sandy laughed with a Cohen-ish confused kind-of-way. “But I have to say, I’m proud of you, son”.
“Thanks” Ryan smiled, relieved.
“OMG, Coop!” Summer stood up as well and hugged both her friends at the same time. “This is totally great, Coop. We’ve got to go shopping!”
“Congrats, buddy” Seth grinned, still a little confused. “You better name that baby after me”
“Yeah that’s not gonna happen”.
The only one who hadn’t said a thing was Julie. She was still sitting down and had a killing look in her face. Marissa gave her a small smile, which she didn’t respond.
Julie stood up and walked over to Marissa.
“I am so…disappointed on you, Marissa” she said harshly “I thought…you had learned. That you wouldn’t make the same mistakes I did. I thought you had learn not to follow in my footsteps. I got pregnant very young, too. I gave you a nice life, Marissa. I thought you would do better” she turned to Kirsten and Sandy “thanks for lunch, Sandy, Kirsten. I know the way out” and left the kitchen.
Everyone was left staring at Marissa, who mumbled an “excuse me” and left through the living room’s door that led to the back yard. Ryan turned around to go after her, but Sandy stopped him.
“Give her some time” he advised him, so he stayed in the awkwardly silent kitchen.
“Um…Coffee?” Kirsten suggested breaking the ice. After they had had their first cup, Seth and Summer stood up from the kitchen table.
“Uh, Seth and I need to go” Summer pulled Seth by the shirt.
“Ok guys, don’t be back late Seth” his mother told him.
“Man, I want my own place” Seth mumbled under his breath.
Ryan stood up as well.
“I’m gonna go check on her” he quickly said before leaving.
It was not hard to find her. She was sitting in the poolhouse, her back to the room, glancing out the window and scratching Flapjacks’ back. Tears were rolling down her cheeks, accompanied by small sobs every now and then.
“Hey” Ryan entered the room slowly and sat beside Marissa. “Are you ok?” he continued as he caressed her arm. She kept sobbing.
“No, I’m not” Marissa said sadly. “Why does she do this to me? Why can’t she be happy for me? I love the way we are, the way we’re going to be. She had already accepted us as a couple, and now…she’s mad all over again”.
“It’s going to be ok, baby” he placed a hand over her shoulder and squeezed it. “We’ll be ok, don’t worry”.
“I know we will be” she smiled at him. “We’re together. I was just hoping she would be with me right now. She’s my mom, at the end”.
“I know, baby. I know” Ryan smiled; he had now taken Flapjacks and was scratching his little head. “We better get back inside. They were all very worried about you”
Marissa nodded and took Ryan’s hand and placed it in her belly, making Ryan freeze for a slight moment. Then he smiled and gently rubbed it.
“You’re getting better at it” She smiled proudly.
“Yeah, I’m kinda getting used to it” he grinned as they walked out of the poolhouse and into the house.
“Hey, guys” Kirsten said, who was waiting for them drinking another cup of coffee.
“Hey” Ryan waved, pulling Marissa with him.
“Hi, sweetie, how are you doing?” Kirsten asked Marissa.
“Um, better, I guess” Marissa smiled. They kept talking until sunset time, when Marissa remembered something very important.
“Oh, Ryan” she gasped. “I can’t go back home. Not with my mom there. I…we… don’t…even have a house…”
“Oh, honey, that’s perfect” Kirsten interrupted her. “You can both live here. Actually, we have plenty of space, but I guess you and Ryan will be more comfortable together in the poolhouse. And Seth will be pleased...you can stay as long as you want, even if it’s forever, I wouldn’t mind watching my first grandchild grow up. Is that ok for you guys?”
They both smiled.
“Perfect”.
Ryan looked at Marissa, who was giggling. She gave her one of her looks, one of the ones in which they had no need to talk.
And then Ryan knew it…She was OK.
---
hope u liked ittt!!!!
please keep reading&reviewing
peezout!