The earthquake had been and gone. Summer's couple years away protesting for GEROGE had been and gone.
The Cohens were back living in Berkley now, and it was mid-semester break. Ryan lived in the Bearkley house with Kirsten and Sandy, as did the now married couple Seth and Summer.
The five of them were going up to Newport for the weekend. Their old house there had been rebuilt and the owners, on holiday themselves, gave the Cohens its keys, giving it to them as a beach house.
As they arrived at what had been Seth's hell-hole for most of his life, memories flooded back to them all.
The three boys decided to go out and surf -- Ryan and Seth finally prepared to be trained by the master, Sandy! Summer and Kirsten sat watched marathons on TV, occasionally -- and awkwardly -- flicking through channels with porn; from softcore, to hardcore. They both fidgeted with each sight before the channel was quickly changed by Summer.
"I'm just gonna take in some air outside," Kirsten told Summer, who nodded and went back to watching the TV in boredom. They were going out for tea tonight, and today was going very slowly already.
Summer noticed half an hour had passed and Kirsten still hadn't come back. So she went outside and couldn't see her anywhere, but could here a feint noise coming from Ryan's old pool house, so went in on her curiosity.
"Oh, my God. I'm so sorry," Summer quickly shut the poolhouse's door as quickly as she opened it. Kirsten was lying on the bed, her jeans pulled down to her knees and somewhat legs spread. Kirsten quickly sat up and Summer could only put her hands over her face in embarrassment and lean against the closed glass door.
Kirsten swiftly pulled her underwear and jeans back up, walked over and opened the door.
"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Cohen," Summer squealed, shaking her head, hands still covering her face.
"It's okay, it's okay" Kirsten assured her; if anything, she should be the one embarrassed!
"Okay, well um, I should get back home," Summer said hurriedly.
"Summer, wait," Kirsten said, grabbing her arm. "I don't want you to think I'm some...crazy, sexed-up mom or anything." Kirsten was lost for words -- and she knew she hadn't said the right ones; but there's nothing wrong with masturbating - it's natural.
Summer turned around as Kirsten still held her arm. She tried to avoid eye contact and stop this from being more awkward than it already was.
"Summer, remember when Seth left Newport and you came with that box of the things he had given you, and you told me about vibrating at high and low frequencies? Well, like you said, It's harder to attract happy people when you're miserable, so it's been that bit more lonely for me," Kirsten explained.
Summer relaxed a bit now because she was full of questions. "Okay, I get that, so why were you..." she trailed off.
"Masturbating?" Kirsten said bleakly.
Summer nodded. "And why in the poolhouse?" she added.
Kirsten moved uncomfortably but suddenly felt overwhelmed, as if the burden and this answer not being voiced had been weighing her down.
"Because I haven't been attracting happy people," Kirsten said as Summer gasped. "I mean, it's no big deal, none of them have any attachment issues -- they know I'm married, so it's just a one-off thing."
Summer couldn't believe it! Kirsten was cheating on Sandy -- and this was the last thing Summer thought Kirsten would've been a part of.
Kirsten felt good saying the words and getting it out. Now she just had to keep Summer from ever repeating any of this to anyone.
"Summer, I know it makes me look like a bad wife --"
"Yeah, and a slut!" Summer thought to herself.
"—but you know how it is," Kirsten stopped. "Well, maybe not now, but when you're older and the person you love rarely makes love to you, you'll see it's just so you can keep sane. Being with other men and women will just help you recognise and appreciate your real love," Kirsten finished with a smile.
Summer was still in so much shock she didn't even realise Kirsten had stated she'd been with women!
"And I'll tell you why I was doing it in here," Kirsten looked around the poolhouse, "if you promise not to tell anyone about any of this." Summer just nodded lightly, but Kirsten was so relaxed and calm with everything; as if this wasn't any big deal.
"It makes me feel closer to Ryan -- like he's here doing it with me." Kirsten revealed this with indirect words again, but Summer could still understand. And this time, there wasn't so much disgust on her face. Kirsten noticed with a quick glance the erect nipples under Summer's shirt.
"Oh, my god. How is he?" Summer asked excited, her nerves and disapproval of Kirsten's revelations quickly turning into fun. The two girls walked over to the bed and sat down, as if on a gossip session. The tension in the room lightened and Kirsten felt the need to be girly and sexy.
Kirsten laughed. "Do you see the size of that dildo? What do you think I'm trying to replicate," she said, pointing to the toy that lay on a pillow. It had to be at least ten inches long and almost as think as a soft drink can.
