SUMMER CAN LAST FOREVER

RETURN TO COUSINS

CONRAD
I wake up bright and early at 7am, the events from yesterday flood my mind. Anger and resentment towards jeremiah. When I flash over all the stuff with belly, I feel nothing but pure joy. She still loves me, shes wearing my neclace, and my sweater. My belly, so perfect. I decide to go for a run, but I leave a note and a text on bellys phone, incase she wakes up while im gone. I run to the nearest cafe, grab coffee and muffins. I stop at the gas station, to get sour patch kids for belly. I know she said jere got her swedish fish yesterday, and she was too nice to correct him.

I run back to the hotel to find belly still asleep. I gently stroke her hair, and her cheek. I shower and change back into my clothes. I fold up all the blankets on the floor, in a neat pile. Its nearly 8 30 in the morning.

Belly practically tackles me with a hug when she wakes up and sees im still here. "Hey," I say hugging her tight.

"Thank you for breakfast. I really appreciate it, and the candy...my favorite" she tells me.

"Youre welcome" I look at her, and it takes everything in me not to kiss her. We eat breakfast, and then she showers, now were back in the car.

"Whats going to happen now?" Belly asks me, I can sense the fear in her tone.

"Ill drop you off, then ill go back to brown, pack my stuff, go to cousins, hope I dont run into jere. Maybe next weekend, if youre not grounded for life, you and steven can come for the rest of the summer. The three of us, plus shayla and maybe taylor can hang out til school starts," I hate that ill have to leave her again.

"As for us, you know I love you, and I fucked up. I promise I wont mess it all up again, I know better now. Only if you still want me though, I mean everything with jere....and my anger issues....also my panic attacks" I ramble nervously. Im actually so messed up right now.

"Have you been living under a rock? I meant every word of what I said on the beach. That had I known how much you cared, id fight for you, and us. Itll only ever be you conrad," belly replies firm.

"Thank you," I kiss her hand.

Laurel hugs me tight when we arrive.
"Thank you for being my daughters savior like always, you know ive always loved you for her. Keep up the work in therepy and school. Shed be so proud of you" she tells me, and I try not to cry.

"Thank you, youve always understood me" I tell her.

"Im always here for you" laurel tells me.

Belly goes into the house.
"Have either of you talked to jere yet?" she asks. I shake my head no.

"well, I have. I yelled at him for the way he talked to both of you, and I told him his mom would not be proud of him, that she raised him better" laurel replies. Thats always been my favorite thing about laurel, shes pretty no nonsense and confrontational.

"You didnt say that" I say amused.

"Oh, but we both know I did, and we both know its the truth, because she wouldnt be. If she could crawl out of her grave, and knock sense into him she would" laurel replies and I cant help but laugh.

"Thank you, I needed that" I reply.

"I love you connie, I love jere too, even though hes being an asshole" she says.

"Thank you for everything" I hug her again.

"Drive safe okay, call belly or I when you get back," she gives me the mom glare.

"Ill call you both" I give her a small smile. "Can I say goodbye to belly? I have a feeling it might be the last chance i see her this summer" I chuckle.