The First Summer of Forever

Chapter 13 - Prepping

Conrad

Belly had gone upstairs with Taylor as Laurel poured coffee for the guys, and we all put cream cheese on our bagels and started to dig in. "Thanks for bringing breakfast, Laur." I said. "You're welcome Connie. I can't have my boys working hungry today. So what's on the agenda? What do you need help with?" "Well, I figured you and Taylor could help Belly pack, and then gather up all of the necessities you think we might need, and food. We plan to do a lot of fishing and cooking on the boat. So we will need spices, some things from the pantry, stuff like that. Us guys will do all the heavy lifting, getting the emergency water supplies on and everything else. Steven and Jere can help me prep the boat for sailing."

I could hear Belly and Taylor laughing upstairs, and I could almost make out bits and pieces of their conversation as they came downstairs. I couldn't help but smile a little, and I wondered if anyone else had heard anything. I knew what they were talking about. It was common knowledge that anything that happened wouldn't stay between just me and Belly. Taylor knowing things was just part of the deal. It reminded me of my mom and Laurel. They knew everything about each other, nothing was ever a secret. I was okay with it, because I was used to it with my mom being the same way. No doubt they were giggling about last night.

I felt the blood rush to my face just thinking about last night. It was amazing. I was so insanely attracted to Belly. Not just body, but soul too. We had this connection that could never be put into actual words. It was just understood. And now that we were married it was in hyperdrive. If I am honest, all I want to do is keep her in my bed, tangled up together, our skin lighting each other on fire. I can't wait till we're alone again on the sailboat sailing down the coast. Although I look forward to our time alone for obvious reasons, I also just can't wait to teach Belly how to sail. I hope it will be something we can do together for a long time. I could imagine us sailing all over the place, like all the way to the Caribbean- fishing, and cooking our own meals, stopping at different islands to enjoy the nightlife and culture.

"Connie, how do you like your coffee?" Laurel said. "Uh, just black please." I answered and thanked her as she poured coffee into the Simpsons mug she knew I liked so much. " I'll have cream and sugar, Mom, thank you!" Belly said in a sing-song tone as she bounded down the stairs with Taylor. "I haven't forgotten how you take your coffee, Bean. A little coffee with a lot of cream and sugar." Laurel said, half rolling her eyes.

After breakfast, the guys and I loaded the big jugs of water onto the boat, along with the containers of marine fuel. They helped me lower the sails, check all the riggings one last time, and load the new life saving devices on and into storage compartments. Belly, her mom, and Taylor loaded the bags, boxes of groceries, and started unpacking them in the cabin.

After some time, I went over the checklist again mentally, making sure we didn't miss anything. I think everything was done. Nothing left to do now, except to set sail. Jeremiah and Steven catapulted into the pool when we were finished, and Taylor headed over to the lounge chairs with her magazine to tan. Laurel sat at the patio table working on her current book.

"I'm gonna go take a shower" I said softly to Belly, "It might be our last chance to have a good shower for a while." I added, mentally noting that showers on a sailboat can be very short and uncomfortable at times. "I'll come with you." Belly said, and it made my heart race at the idea.

I couldn't shake this feeling she gave me. She still makes me feel like a teenager. Belly and I went inside quietly, trying our best to be nonchalant. Once up the stairs, we both sprinted to the shower, locked the door, and stripped down quickly while the shower began to steam up the bathroom. I pulled her into the shower, both of us laughing. "This is crazy, what if someone hears us?" She said, laughing into my lips, my hand behind her head. "Everyone's outside." I said, her body pressed against mine, her wet skin slipping against me. Then I kissed her like my life depended on it. Like I might die if I didn't kiss her just then. Like she was the air that I needed to survive. And at that moment, I felt like that might have been really true.