The next day at work, Summer filled Taylor in on her crazy weekend.
Taylor: And I thought I had a crazy weekend. Hunter! Don't eat the glue! Lizzie! Don't throw the Cheerios!
Summer: You ok?
Taylor: Ugh! No, not really. This weekend was stressful & tiring. And my period is late... I hope to God I'm not pregnant.
Summer: Another kid wouldn't be such a bad idea. You make such beautiful kids!
Taylor: You're kidding me, right? Yes, they're beautiful. But it would be a bad idea to have another one. Two is enough. Three is too much. Four would be crazy... I'm actually thinking about getting my tubes tied.
Summer: Nice...
Little Dylan leaves his seat & walks up to Summer.
Little Dylan: Miss Summer?
Summer: Yes, sweetheart.
Little Dylan: Did Mr. Dylan give you that key necklace?
Summer: Yes, he did. How'd you know?
Little Dylan: I just know.
Little Dylan walks back to his seat.
Taylor: You're such a Dylan magnet.
Summer laughs.
Taylor: So, what's with the necklace?
Summer: Dylan asked me to be his girlfriend.
Taylor: What?! Summer, I'm so happy for you guys.
Taylor hugs Summer.
Summer: Thanks!
Taylor: He totally loves you...You can see it in his eyes.
Summer smiles & holds the key necklace & looks at it.
Taylor: You love him?
Summer: Like I've never loved anyone else.
Taylor hold Summer's hands & smiles. Just then the receptionist comes in the art class & calls for Summer.
Receptionist: Summer, there's someone here to see you.
Taylor: Ooh... He misses you already.
Receptionist: Sorry, it's not Dylan. It's a girl. She said she's your sister.
Summer: What? I don't have a sister.
Receptionist: She's pretty persistent.
Summer: Um, Taylor can you manage without me?
Taylor: Yeah, yeah, don't worry about me. Are you gonna be ok?
Summer: We'll find out.
Summer takes a deep breath before leaving the classroom. She takes one more look at Taylor for confidence. Taylor smiles & mouths "you got this". Summer walked down the hallway & saw a girl sitting by the office. She took her time walking down the hall. She tried her best to think of what to say. She tried to think positively about the situation. Did she really have a sister? But how? Was she from her dad's side or her mom's side? As she approached the end of the hall, the girl stood from her seat. Soon they were face to face. Summer didn't know whether to hug the girl or shake her hand. She extended her hand as the girl simultaneously wrapped her arms around Summer for a hug.
Serena: Hi sister!!
Summer slowly embraced Serena back & patted her to hint towards the end of the hug.
Serena: I'm sorry, I tend to get a little excited when I meet new people.
Teachers & students walk past them in the hallway. Summer directed Serena to a more secluded area where they could talk.
Serena: I wasn't sure if this was where I could find you. I tried a few other daycares in the area & no one was named Summer Harper. I'm just glad I found you. I have so much to tell you & ask you.
Summer: Ok, first of all, what's your name?
Serena: Oh! Did I not say it earlier? I'm so sorry!
(Serena laughs) My name is Serena Langston. I'm Miranda's daughter.
Summer: Ok, you know what. I can't do this right now. I just... I just can't.
Serena: I thought you'd be happy to meet me.
Summer: Look, it's not you. I'm sure you're a nice person, Serena, but I haven't heard from my... from our mom in 14 years.
Serena: Can we go somewhere & talk more about this or maybe we can meet up another time when you're not so busy? You like coffee? Maybe we can go to Starbucks &...
Summer: And what become besties over a cup of coffee?
Serena: Well, yeah that's how I imagined our first encounter to go. Summer, I waited & contemplated how to go about this for the past 5 years. And now that I've finally met you, I wish I never tried to find you.
If Summer let Serena walk out, she would've never forgiven herself. She took the rest of the day off since she only had an hour left of work. She agreed to have a cup of coffee with Serena at their local Starbucks. Serena felt more at ease now that Summer agreed to sit & chat with her. Serena explained to Summer that their mother, Miranda got pregnant with her during a one night stand with Miranda's ex high school boyfriend, Todd Langston, Serena's father. Miranda came across Todd at work & they agreed to have dinner together. Dinner turned into a scandalous one night stand. Summer was 3 at the time of the incident & so when Summer was 4, Serena was born. Miranda hid this well since Samuel, Summer's father was away on deployment & Summer was far too young to remember her mother being pregnant. Miranda went away on a business trip to give birth to Serena. Todd, Serena's father tried raising Serena by himself with the help of his parents, Serena's grandparents, but he couldn't do it. Miranda left Summer for Serena when Summer was 8.
Serena: I know that was a lot, but please say something.
Summer: Well, 2 hours ago I found out I had a sister. And about 30 minutes ago, I finally found out why my mom left me & my dad.
Serena sighed & put her hand on Summer's hand.
Summer: Don't touch me.
Serena pulled her hand away from Summer.
Summer: Yeah, I'm leaving.
Summer throws a $10 on the table.
Summer: That should cover it.
Summer stands up & is about to walk away from the table.
Serena: Summer... wait.
Summer turns around.
Serena: There's more. But you're going to want to hear this.
Summer: At this point, I don't know if I'ld be able to take any more.
Serena: I'll buy you a pastry if you stay.
Summer: I don't need a stupid pastry.
Summer sits back down.
Serena: You & your dad didn't know, but mom had cancer. And she found this out a few years after she gave birth to me that she'd only have 5 years max to live. She wanted to keep both of us separate. She didn't want me to know about you & she didn't want you to know about me. In her diary that I found after she passed, she wrote that she gave her first daughter 8 years & she thought her second daughter deserved the same.
Summer stayed quiet with an angry look on her face. Serena looked worried & was afraid of what would happen next.
Serena: I'm sorry you had to hear all this from me. And I'm sorry we had to meet like this. I'm just sorry.
Summer: There aren't enough "sorrys" in the world that could bring back my mom.
Serena: She was my mom too.
Summer felt horrible, but then she realized Serena was in the same boat as she was. A part of her hated Serena & another part wanted to comfort her.