ephemeral [ Conrad Fisher ]

31

MY  Fouth of July's were spent far different than how the Fishers spent theirs on cousin beach. More often than not, my family had a small cookout in our backyard and then we went to watch The Boston Pops Orchestra plays a concert on the Esplanade. Last year, we spent the day on one of the firework cruises, that put us on the water as the fireworks went off over Charles River. So, when I woke up to find Susannah already cooking in the kitchen, you could say I was a little shocked. 

"Morning, Nox!" Susannah greeted me with a bright smile, her apron dusted with flour and a mixing bowl in her hand.

"Morning," I replied, rubbing my sleepy eyes and stumbling into the kitchen. The scent of something sweet and delicious filled the air, making my stomach growl in response.

Susannah raised an eyebrow playfully. "Late night?"

I blushed a little at the implication. "Just movies with everyone. It's our summer tradition."

She chuckled as she returned to her cake batter. "Sounds like fun."

I joined her at the counter, curiosity piqued. "What's all this for?"

"The Fourth of July party, of course!" Susannah beamed, pointing to a box filled to the brim with large flag-themed tablecloth, boxes of sparklers, and streamers.

"Sounds amazing. Is it like this every year?"

"Always, But I have to say, this year's celebration is special. It's our first summer having you with us, and it's not every day that our Conrad has a girlfriend." She grinned, her eyes dancing with mischief.

I laughed, a touch of pink dusting my cheeks. "We're not officially—"

Susannah interrupted with a knowing wink, "Not yet, maybe. But it's in the air, isn't it?"

I shook my head softly, replaying the womans words over in my mind for a moment before I smiled softly at her "Is there something I can help with?"

Susannah's eyes sparkled with excitement as she handed me a piping bag filled with frosting. "You can help me decorate the cake. It's going to be the centerpiece of our dessert table."

I looked down at the cake, already frosted and waiting for my artistic touch. "What's the theme?"

"The good old red, white, and blue," Susannah replied. "But feel free to get creative."

As we worked on the cake, she began telling me about past Fourth of July parties at Cousin Beach. Each story was filled with laughter, games, and fireworks. I couldn't help but feel like I was getting a glimpse into the heart of their family traditions.

"It's so different from what I'm used to," I admitted, smoothing out a layer of blue frosting on the cake. "But I love it. It's like being part of a big, warm family."

"That's because you are, Lennox. You've always been apart of our family."

I felt a warmth deep in my chest at her words. "Thank you, Susannah."

I continued decorating the cake, creating a vibrant American flag design with red strawberries, white frosting, and blueberries. It wasn't the prettiest thing I had ever decorated but it sure was the most patriotic. a masterpiece, and we both marveled at our handiwork.

"Wow, that looks amazing!" Susannah exclaimed, wrapping her arm around my shoulders "You did great Lennox." She grinned "I'm going to put you to work today." she snorts shaking her head "Everyone else has the tendency to disappear until the party has started."

She was right, it wasn't until the clock neared ten thirty, that there was a soft murmur of voices, indicating the arrival of the others. Jeremiah and Belly wandered into the kitchen, looking far more put together than I was at the moment.