The summer everything changed | CF

1~ Weird

    We had been coming up to cousins every summer since before Belly and I were born, and even before that. Summer was what made me live the most, at home and school I was just Belly's weird deaf twin. But that the summer house I was more than that. My skin got darker and my smile was the most real there. With Susannah and the boys, nothing was impossible.

    The drive up was the most difficult part, knowing you were so close but yet so far away. I was so excited to see Jeremiah and Conrad again, also Susannah of course. She was like my second mom. Steven drove and Belly and I sang along to the song on the radio, hyping ourselves up.

    "Can you guys turn it down a little, please?" Mom asked making me pout slightly.

    "Yes, please." Steven said taking the chance to turn down the music on his own.

    "Thank you. I want you to be better about helping out this summer." Mom always worried about helping out, to make things easier on Susannah. "I mean you, Belly and Steven. Like, don't just leave your dishes in the sink. Load them into the dishwasher. And not just your own dish,
either, Steven." Mom lectured with sternness in her voice, I knew this hardly applies to me I was overly helpful sometimes. Especially when it came to helping Susanna cook, I love cooking with her.

    "Mom, Susannah has people who clean, doesn't she?" Steven glanced as he drove, I stared out the window. Anticipating the arrival, getting that pit of  excitement I always get in my stomach.

    "Steven!" Belly smacked him for my mom, I just stare out the window waiting. I think Belly asked if I wanted to go into the gas station but I'm not sure if I even responded. I just want to be there already, it washed away all my worries. Being in that house with those people.

    I was so set on getting there I just wanted to keep driving. When we arrived Steven honked a few times to let them know we were here. As everyone got out of the car, I went to the trunk to get my bag. I guess I didn't get the memo because I heard.

    "Look who came back all grown up?" I walked around the corner to see Jeremiah lifting and spinning Belly in a hug making her squeal. Huh.

    "Okay, okay put me down." She said as he set her back down to her feet. His head turned to look at me for a second and smiled like he usually does, he opened his mouth to say something but Steven called at him.

    "Jere, Jere, Come over here."

    "Yeah." Jeremiah turned, looking back at me for a moment and left before giving me a hug. I soon see Conrad ruffing up Belly's hair and it's almost like they forgot about me. I don't know why I was upset I have gotten used to that lately. I frowned for a second, as they carried Belly away to do one of their famous Belly flops.

    "Hey, beautiful girl why don't you let me help you with that?" I hear a familiar voice and smile, I look over my shoulder to see Susannah. "I thought I told you to pack light and we'd go shopping for your birthday?" She teased pinching my cheek as she placed her hand against my back walking into the house.

    "I know but I like my options." I grinned. I ran up the stairs to put my bag in my room before, returning to the kitchen to sit at the table in front of Susannah. Not too long after me Belly came walking in with the sound of water with every step she took.

    "Hi." Belly spoke with a smile, water dripping from her hair and her clothes.

    "You're dripping water all over the place." Mom complained as Susannah stared at the two of us. Her eyes flickering back and forth in awe.

    "Laur," She said then changed her voice to a not so subtle whisper. "They're gorgeous." It was good to hear a compliment that wasn't just pointed to Belly.

    Ever since Belly got her braces off and decided to get contacts, everything has been different. Everyone has their attention on her not that I wasn't happy for her. But no one ever looked at me. Especially while I was standing by Belly and Taylor. I mean Belly and I are fraternal twins, she looked more like mom, I looked more like dad. Steven looked like a mix of both our parents. My hair was the dark brown just like my mom and Belly's, but I had green eyes and freckles scattered all over my face and body. My skin was a little lighter but in the summer it darkened up to an olive complexion.

    "Oh girls you have always been lovely, god, look at you two." Susannah said making me smile widely ear to ear.

    "I look pretty much the same, Ollie is the one that's changed." Belly nudged her shoulder to mine making me shake my head. All I had done was change my style and grow out my hair. I used to cut my hair to my shoulders and I decided to finally grow it out.

    "You do not look the same, neither of you. You're growing up. You're in bloom." She always has a way of making us feel special.

    "Laur, they're you all over." She spoke making mom laugh as he put away some groceries she picked up.

    "People say we look like dad." Belly said, I then spoke.

    "Especially me."

    "No, when your mom and I first met, she looked just like you guys. It's like you guys split her traits. Olive you do have freckles but those are just little kisses from angels." She explained, Susannah is amazing.

    "Except, I had no boobs." Mom commented, making me scrunch my nose.

    "Gross Mom." We both said making the older women laugh.

    "Belly, you should call your father and tell him we got in safely." Mom spoke up making me and Belly look up. Belly looked confused as to why she just asked her, I wasn't talking to dad right now. I refused and she knew that, I am firm on that.

    "Uh, why don't you tell Steven to do it?" She asked eagerly.

    "Because I'm telling you. He misses you guys when you're gone."

    "Yeah, but he'll see us
at the end of the summer." She says trying to avoid having to call our dad.

    "No, he'll be here
for the Fourth."

    "He's coming?"

    "I thought you said he wasn't." I spoke up with a hurt look and looked at mom angrily.

    "He always comes for the Fourth." She chuckled at our reactions.

    "He didn't come last summer." I said looking at Susannah to see if she knew this. Mom sighed.

    "Because we'd just
gotten divorced. We're good now." I rolled my eyes annoyed and muttered.

    "Bullshit." No one heard me.

    "Where's Mr. Fisher?" Belly asked to distract from my quiet comment.

    "Oh, he's in London. They got him going back and forth. He'll join us later in the summer. For now, it's just
the women and the children, just the way we like it." Susannah said with a smile to lighten up the mood, but I could tell there was something she wasn't telling us. Weird.