𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐧; conrad fisher

5

5 - Disappear

I woke up early that next morning and rushed downstairs. Today was one of the most important days of the Summer: Belly Conklin's birthday.

Every year Susannah had made sure that Belly's birthday was an all-day event that everyone (gladly) celebrated in the house. She and I would decorate the house as Laurel made Belly a stack of Mickey-Mouse shaped pancakes, while the boys had the pleasure of sleeping in–of course. I didn't mind though, I would have done anything for Belly, waking up extra early was the least I could do to make her day extra special.

Susannah and I decked the kitchen with pale blue streamers and silver balloons. When we were wrapping up with decorating, the boys came downstairs and sat down at the table, waiting to wish Belly a happy birthday once she finally arrived.

Soon enough, Belly eagerly ran down to the kitchen. She wore a darling floral romper and had evidently readied her hair and makeup for the day. Belly had a big smile on her face as she walked into the ornamented room. All of us flooded towards her, screaming "Happy birthday."

Jeremiah was the first to reach her, locking her in a tight embrace, "Happy birthday Bells!"

Steven and Conrad followed suit, and I was next after them. I wrapped Belly into a tight hug and pecked the top of her head with kisses.

"Happy birthday 'babybel!'" I exclaimed, using the nickname I'd made up for her as kids.

Susannah and Laurel were the last to give Belly hugs, Laurel sliding her the stack of Mickey Pancakes she had cooked for her. Belly smiled awkwardly upon receiving them. She then looked at her mom, guiltily.

"I'm sorry mom, I'm just not that hungry right now."

"Oh," Laurel replied, clearly taken aback by Belly's unusual reaction, "That's alright. We can put them in the fridge for later."

Belly nodded and kissed her mom on the cheek, as a way of both apologizing and saying thank you for her efforts to make her breakfast; regardless of whether she wanted it or not. Susannah tried lighting up the mood by suggesting that we all headed to the living room to give Belly her presents. Each of us piled on the couch, save Belly who sat on a chair in the center of the room. We took turns handing her a variety of gift bags and boxes, containing the different gifts we had gotten her. Laurel gifted her a book of classic poems, Susannah gave her a beautiful string of pearls she claimed to have inherited herself at the age of 16, Steven gave her a Princeton sweater (which resulted in a lot of eye rolls from the rest of us) and Jeremiah handed Belly a tiny box that contained a key-shaped good luck charm for her driver's exam.

Conrad was next, he awkwardly handed her a pink and yellow striped gift bag. Belly, still bitter from their argument from the previous night, was slow to take it from him. She carefully pulled out three Taylor Swift CD's, of her albums Red, 1989, and Speak Now.

"It's to play in your car, once you get your license." He explained.

"Thanks," Belly said unenthusiastically, "But they're not Taylor's Version."

In an attempt to diffuse the (frankly, triggering) tension, I quickly shoved my present into Belly's hands. She tore into the cardboard box, which revealed a vintage film camera. It was one of the many my Grandpa had collected, and he was happy to let me give it to Belly. He would say that the world could always use another photographer. He argued that it was because photography allowed people to see the world from each other's lenses, and that no two perspectives were the same.

"That's the beauty of it," I said, recounting my Grandpa's words to Belly.

Belly grinned, "This is the coolest gift ever. I'm so glad you could be here."