Summer Lovin |Jeremiah Fisher

nine: i remember it all too well

Their house, Susannah's house, was sold.

The thought numbed Delilah senseless.

"It's sold? You sold this house in the last 12 hours?" Conrad rasped.

"Yes. To a lovely family with two children and some kind of a poodle mix." Julia said, her lips drawn in a tight line.

"This can't just be over." Jeremiah protested.

"It is. Im gonna need your keys please." Julia said, holding her hand out. Delilah watched as the Fisher brothers exchanged looks but slowly pulled out their keys, their faces defeated.

"I bet you're enjoying this," Conrad muttered under his breath.

"Mom, please don't do this," Skye said softly. Julia just looked at her kid with a wounded look.

"Skye? Really? " Julia frowned. It made Delilah want to hit her, this wasn't Skye's fault. It wasn't any of their faults.

"I told you two that I was selling the house and you just refused to believe it. And im not enjoying it but I will admit that im relieved it's finally over." Julia said.

And with that, she took her leave, leaving Skye to chase after her and the rest of the summer group to stand before the front porch, maybe for the last time.

The group made their way into the house, taking different spots in the kitchen as the feelings of defeat and remorse settled over them.

Delilah sat on the island counter next to Conrad who was standing, and Jeremiah stood across from them. Cam and Evan stood by the kitchen windows, Steven, Taylor, and Liam by the stove while Belly sat on the kitchen top a few feet away from them.

"Okay, I know things aren't going so great right now but it's always the darkest before the dawn right?" Jeremiah said. Conrad shook his head.

"Not this time," Conrad muttered. Delilah squeezed his shoulder with a sad smile.

"Can't say we didn't try," Delilah said, glancing between him and Jeremiah. The brothers nodded numbly.

"Im sorry, I couldn't get her to call off the deal." Skye's voice rang out as they walked into the kitchen. Conrad shook his head as Skye went to stand next to Jeremiah, Cam and Evan walked closer to the group and stood beside Delilah.

"It's not on you Skye." Conrad shook his head.

"I know but she's my mom. I would get it if you guys were angry with me too. I just can't deal with her right now." Skye sighed. Jeremiah wrapped his arm around them in a side hug.

"No one blames you, Skye."

"So what, we're supposed to go home now?" Steve finally asked. Conrad shrugged.

"Yeah. It's over." Conrad said. Belly frowned.

"No. Our last memory here can't be this, everyone miserable and defeated. This place deserves a better goodbye than that." Belly frowned. Delilah met her gaze for the first time since the boardwalk showdown.

"Like what?" Delilah raised a brow. Belly stuttered, her gaze immediately drifting away to anything that wasn't Delilah. She still couldn't bring herself to look at her, and that pissed Delilah even more.

"My mom came to the beach house for the first time with Susannah after her dad died. And it was supposed to be just the two of them but Susannah hated how empty the house felt so she decided to throw a huge party. Everyone was dancing and drinking, they went swimming at midnight." Belly said, Delilah laughed softly.