CRUEL SUMMER

20: Angry Route

EARLY THE next morning, the three had gone downstairs to find Conrad in the kitchen- Via didn't think he had slept. Conrad did this thing where he believed everything was his responsibility- mainly because their dad put all the blame on him as a kid.

Jeremiah cleared his throat, "You wanna talk about a plan B?"

"There's no time for a plan B, Jere." Conrad sighed deeply, slamming his phone down on the counter.

"There's no time?" Jeremiah repeated, "Dude, come on. Is your ego really that big or is-"

"Aunt Julia's already here." Conrad interrupted, "She got here yesterday. She's at Ocean Harbour."

"What?" Via frowned, "You saw her?"

"I mean, we talked on the phone for five seconds." Conrad replied sarcastically, before remarking, "She couldn't be bothered to come to mom's funeral, but she'll hop on the first flight to come sell this place."

"I don't get it. Why?" Via asked, "What's the big rush?"

"What's there not to get, Ollie?" Conrad questioned, attitude laced through his voice, "The house is getting sold. It's not some game, it's serious shit."

Via chuckled frustratedly, "You're such a dick. Can you even hear yourself? It's embarrassing."

"Just go back to bed." Conrad sighed, walking out, "Let me deal with it."

Belly scoffed, "Well, that went well."

"You know, he keeps saying he's gonna figure things out." Jeremiah added, "But he hasn't figured out shit."

Belly suggested, "Why don't we go and find Aunt Julia?"

"Okay, I like this plan." Via adjusted her posture as she sat on the kitchen counter, "What's the game plan?"

Belly listed sarcastically, "Sneak attack? Bribery? Murder?"

"I'm thinking we play to my strengths." Jeremiah suggested.

"Charm offensive." Belly nodded, "We should buy flowers."

"I wish we had more to go on, but she and my mom weren't close." Jeremiah explained, "I mean, the last time I saw and her Skye, we were probably eight years old."

"Shit, that was a long time ago." Via sighed, "Do you think she remembers us?"

"I mean, Conrad probably took the righteous anger route when he talked to her." Jeremiah explained, "So, she probably hates us, but we can try."

***

After a while of driving and Via restraining the urge to hold Belly's hand the entire journey, the three had finally arrived at Aunt Julia's apartment. Belly clutched onto some blue flowers, as they walked up to the blue front door.

Belly questioned, "Is this it?"

"Must be." Via replied, before attempting to knock on the door.

Jeremiah stopped her, "No, no, no. This won't work if you do it. I'll do the persuading, don't say a word." He knocked on the door, as a blonde woman slowly opened it. He embraced her in a hug, "Aunt Julia! Conrad told us you were here, it's been a while."

"Jeremiah." Julia nodded, before looking at the two girls, "Then you must be Olivia and..."

"Belly. Isabel Conklin." The girl smiled, "I'm Laurel Park's daughter, Susannah's best friend."

"Right, sorry, wow." Julia replied, "It's been so long." She looked in between the twins, "You've both got my dad's eyes."

"Yeah, uh, we got these hydrangeas for you from mom's garden." Jere took the flowers from Belly, "Is it okay if we have a second to talk?"

Julia hesitated, "Is this about the house? I'm sorry but I've decided to move ahead with the sale. Actually, we're gonna have an open house tomorrow."

"Oh, uh, you have to know how much the house meant to them and me and my family." Belly explained, "You spent summers there as a kid, right?"

Julia nodded, "A few, yeah."

"Why would you wanna let go of, uh, such a magical place?" Belly questioned.

"I remember Susannah calling it that." Julia sighed.

Jeremiah frowned, "I don't understand how you can just get rid of something your sister loved so much-"

"It's not personal." Julia scoffed, "You're not suggesting I gift the house to you?"

"I mean, it is ours." Via blurted out frustratedly.

"Why don't you just sort it out with your dad. I'm certain that you have the recourses, but I can't put off a sale while I wait for you to get your ducks in a row." Julia explained, "I have to be back at work in a week. I barely have the time off as it is."

Via scoffed, "So, that's why you weren't at the funeral?"

"Mom?" A teenager walked up to the door, as they looked at the three other kids, "Jeremiah? Olivia?"

"Skye?" Jeremiah questioned, before introducing Belly, "Uh, this is Belly. Her mom and my mom were best friends."

Julia stepped away from the door, "Well, we actually need to go. Thanks for stopping by."

"Of course." Jere nodded, handing her the flowers, "Don't forget the flowers-"

"No." Via interrupted, grabbing the flowers from Jere's hands. She smiled through gritted teeth, "The flowers weren't for you."

Jeremiah muttered, "Ollie-"

However, Via was already storming off, clutching into the flowers, "We're obviously wasting their time, so we're leaving. Let's go!" 

Belly apologised to to Aunt Julia and Skye, as Jere stormed after Via, "I'm so sorry. Have a nice day."

"Ollie, what the fuck?" Jeremiah stressed, as he followed behind her towards the car, "Now she's definitely not gonna let us keep the house."

"She was never going to anyway!" Via replied frustratedly, "I mean, did you see the way she was fucking looking at us?"

"Livy, calm down." Belly reassured, "I'm sure she was-"

"Sure she was what?" Via raised her voice, as she slammed the car door behind her. She brushed the hair out of her face, as she breathed deeply, "I'm sorry, Belles."

"No, it's okay." Belly nodded softly, "What are you thinking?"

"That we were stupid to play the nice game, we should've just told her the truth." Via explained, slouching in the passenger seat of the jeep.

"Conrad already did that and he failed." Jeremiah remarked, as he reversed the car out the parking lot.