|Not You|
Summer always meant a five hour drive and three months in Cousins. The six kids had grown up together, facing love, laughter, heartbreak, pain, and joy together. But this summer was different, with new feelings emerging, and an ever loomi...
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"Bells!! It's your birthday!" June exclaimed, running in the back door and engulfing the younger girl in a hug.
"Joy, there's pancakes Belly didn't want," Steven said, reaching down to grab one of the Mickey Mouse-shaped treats.
"You're joking? She turned down pancakes on her birthday??" June exclaimed, reaching her hand out as Steven threw the mouse at her.
In one bite the pancake was in her mouth, the ears sticking out from between her lips. Conrad laughed, already rising from his seat as he made his way over to her. Glancing around to make sure no one else was paying attention, he reached up and gently shoved the ears into her mouth.
Mateo walked in, seeing the interaction between the two. In two steps, he placed himself firmly between Conrad and his sister.
"Morning," He said, pushing June back with his butt.
Protests coming from the girl, but only falling on deaf ears. No one was able to make out what she was saying with her mouthful of pancake.
"We were just about to do presents!" Susannah exclaimed, coming around behind Conrad and lightly grabbing his shoulders.
Mateo went to follow Susannah, only to yelp, whirling around to face his sister. He only glared at her as a smile attempted to grace her stuffed face. They both followed the group to the living room.
Once they sat down, everyone began handing over their presents to Belly.
"Okay Belly, me first," Laurel said, handing over a hefty-looking wrapped square. "You're going to love it."
Belly ripped open the paper, revealing a worn-looking book.
"It's a first edition. I got it from a rare book dealer," Laurel explained, a smile spread across her face.
"Oh, thanks Mom," Belly said, her smile deceiving her.
"Turn to the bookmarked page. It's your favorite poem," Laurel said, nudging Susannah.
"Oh yeah. I remember Susannah teaching us to recite this. For what we lose..." Belly started as all the kids in the room slowly joined in.
"Like a you or a me, It's always ourselves we find at sea," They finished, all the kids looking around at one another.
"Thank you. I love it," She said, smiling at her mom.
"Okay open mine now Belly," Susannah said, reaching over to give Belly a velvet box. Belly opened the box, revealing a beautiful pearl necklace.
"Wow, it's gorgeous, thank you, Susannah," Belly said, just as Susannah got up from her spot next to Laurel.
The woman went to sit next to Belly, removing the necklace from the box. She moved to place the necklace around the girl's neck, Belly moving her hair out of the way in the process.
