The Summers After

twenty-eight

BELLY

True to their word, Conrad, Jeremiah, Steven and Belly leave early the next morning. They climb onto Adam's boat and head out into the ocean. It's peaceful this morning with a little chill in the air, the sun hasn't even come up yet.

Jeremiah hands everyone a beer and holds it up in the middle of everyone, "Alright, let's have a toast!"

Steven shoved Jere playfully, "Dude, it's 5:30 in the morning."

Jeremiah holds his finger up to his lips, silencing Steven, "Shut up, we're toasting."

Conrad holds his beer up in solidarity with Jeremiah, "What are we toasting to?"

Belly and Steven chuckle and mimic the Fisher brothers. All four beers are in the center of their circle. Jeremiah looks around at each of them, "I love you guys. We've been through some shit together, but I'm glad we're here. Together."

Conrad nods once, agreeing, "To the summer kids."

"The summer kids," Belly, Steven and Jeremiah echo. They toast, clinking their beers together and then all taking long sips from the bottle.

Belly sticks her tongue out, "That's disgusting."

"Still such a baby," Steven says with a smirk.

Belly throws her hands up, "Okay, if you three going to pick on me all day, take me back now!"

Conrad pulls her across the seat into him, "You're not going anywhere."

For that day, those 8 hours they spend on the water, Belly feels like a 15 year old again. The boys do pick on her, but it actually kind of makes her happy. They fish, and shotgun beers. Jeremiah does a backflip off the side of the boat, which earns a few cheers from Conrad and Steven. They play flippy cup, Belly and Conrad don't even come close to winning. Then they switch teams, and Belly and Steven lose too.

"You're the problem, Belly." Steven says with a smile.

All three boys are so carefree. Conrad brings his chess set, and they take turns playing him. Conrad beats all three of them. They get sunburned, they're all buzzed in the best way, they blast music and dance like kids, and when they make their way back to shore, Belly feels sad that it's over. She wants to see their kids, but what the four of them have is irreplaceable. The bond they share runs through their blood. They need to do this more often.

"Give me a piggy back ride," Belly says to Conrad on their way up the driveway.

Conrad chuckles, "Hop on."

Belly runs and jumps on his back, wrapping her legs around his waist. He carries her into the house, and for one split second everything is fine. And then they hear the crying.

It's different than a normal cry, it's piercing. It's cutting through the air like a knife, sharp and loud. All four of them stop in the entry way. Without another word, Conrad drops Belly and then they're sprinting to the noise.

Conrad and Steven get their first, "Jesus!" Conrad shouts.

Belly practically runs into him as she barges into the kitchen. Belly almost doesn't have time to comprehend what is happening. Conrad, Steven and Jeremiah are in problem-solving mode, they race around the kitchen picking up kids and throwing towels on the floor. There's blood on the floor, not much but enough.