Nighttime at the Cohen house, and everyone is actually enjoying a meal together! Sandy and Kirsten bring up Ryan's upcoming eighteenth birthday, much to Seth's surprise, since he didn't know that anyone in the world existed besides himself. He decides to have a birthday bash for Ryan, saying that turning eighteen is "huge." This is true; it means that now when Ryan gets arrested, he'll no longer be considered a juvenile. Of course, Ryan doesn't want to do anything, saying that the last birthday party he had was when he was nine and his mom took him to the San Diego Zoo. Seth stupidly asks what happened to the rest of Ryan's birthdays after that, and Ryan dryly responds that they were replaced with Dawn's "all-day drinking-on-the-couch parties." Even the music has the grace to be ashamed, and stops abruptly, although we were not treated to a record-scratch sound effect. The Cohens looks around awkwardly, as well they should. And why haven't they thrown a birthday party for Ryan since he started living with them, hmmm? It's a little too late for this whole "Ryan lives with the Cohens and sees what a real family does for the first time" shtick. He's been there for three years! Ryan finally agrees to a party as long as it's a small one. How cute it is that he thinks that anyone will actually be true to his wishes.
Ryan then retires to the poolhouse to stare at his cordless phone. Somewhere in the dark, Marissa whips out her cell and stares at it. Each decides against calling the other. Wow, their relationship is exactly the same now as when they were together.
The morning, Summer catches up to Marissa in the Harbor hallway and demands that she get back together with Ryan, since she hasn't been sleeping or eating since they broke up. Again, how is this any different from when they were together? Marissa insists that she ate pancakes for breakfast this morning, not mentioning the part where she immediately threw them up again, and Summer tries to shift the conversation onto herself and some of the things going on in her life. But Marissa is distracted when she spots Ryan across the hall. Ryan also sees her, and immediately tries to hide his face and look inconspicuous. Marissa leaves, and Summer walks over to Ryan, who's pretending to be very interested in a Gay Pride Run poster in order to avoid having eye contact with his ex. The Harbor parents are too uptight to have a student who shot someone attending their school, but totally cool with the Gay Pride Club? How selectively progressive of them. Summer nags Ryan to talk to Marissa. Butt out, Summer.
Back at home, Kirsten is trying to infuse excitement and the impetus for change into her life with a new hairstyle. Instead of her usual part down the middle, she's got it parted just slightly to the side with some faux-bang action going on. I approve. She asks Sandy if they might want to invite Ryan's real family to his birthday party. Sandy points out that Ryan's dad is still in jail and that his brother really should be, which just leaves Dawn. And Sandy doesn't think this is a good idea, considering how things went down the last time Dawn was in town. He doesn't want to "embarrass" Ryan. How about "traumatize"? Plus, they have no idea where Dawn is. But Kirsten has faith that Sandy will be able to track her down. Sandy says that he'll try, but doesn't want to say anything to Ryan about it so that they don't "get his hopes up." I don't think his hopes would go "up," Sandy.