𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐎𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝 // (𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐫𝐚𝐝 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫)

Part 45

We all wait in the old living room and listen to Laurel and Adam's conversation.

"Where are the kids?" He asks her.

"They're giving us space so we can have an adult conversation about the house."

"Okay, thanks for coming all this way to back me up, they've been giving me such a hard time."

"I'm not here to back you up, I'm here to back the boys up," She tells him. "You can't let them lose this house, Adam."

"Well it's done, Julia sold it." He says like some smart ass.

"Actually, I changed my mind." Julia joins in on the conversation.

Of course, then Adam starts trying to make bullshit excuses and Conrad nearly runs through, before Jeremiah stops him.

"Well I'm not squandering their trusts to buy this house and I'm very surprised that someone like you would support that."

I nearly charge through after that.

"When did I say that? I just want you to move money around and buy the house for them, we all know that you have the money so don't deny it."

"I think I'm gonna go now, because that's not happening, end of story."

"You know what, I have a question for you," Julia stops him. "Why is it, that those boys have been trying harder to save this house for the last 3 days, than you have for the last 3 months?"

"Adam."

"Shut up, Laurel, you don't have a vote," He yells. "I know Suze made you feel like this house is part yours but it's not."

Conrad then runs into the kitchen yelling.

"Where do you get off saying shit like that?"

We all follow after him.

"It's for the best," Adam replies, before turning his attention back to my mother. "Did you really think railroading me would change my mind?"

"Excuse me, but fuck you."

I grin.

"Susannah wouldn't want us fighting like this."

"You have no idea what she would want!" Con shouts. "You lost her a long time ago.

"Can you get past your own grief and think about the boys for once?"

"It's better this way, easier for everyone if we let this place go."

"Easier for you," Con tells him.

"It's just a house, Conrad."

"How dare you say that, just because you can't face her being gone."

"Yeah, being here is hard, she's everywhere here."

Conrad looks down slightly, clearly backing slightly out of the conversation.

"She loved you, I tried to talk some sense into her. It's not a secret I've never been your biggest fan, but she wouldn't listen because when Beck set her mind on something, that's it, she set her mind on you, Adam."

"She wasn't like that."

"But she was, this house, the kids, me, you," She pauses. "Do this one last thing for her."

He takes a moment to search everyone's faces, their expressions.

"I'm not letting the boys use their trusts, but...if I sold the Boston house I'd have enough to keep this place up and running, you'd both mostly be at school but, we can't afford both houses, it's here or there."

"Here," Conrad says. "It's here."

"Jeremiah?"

"Yeah, Dad, it's here."

"Okay, then."

Both of the boys head out, probably to the beach, and I give my Mother the biggest tightest hug you could imagine.

I go up to my room to pack my stuff up and head out into the front with everyone else.

We start talking about staying one more night so that Conrad can pull an all-nighter for his exam so that he gets into Stanford. He got into Stanford.

"You really got in?" I ask him, happily.

"Yeah."

I walk over to him while everyone says their goodbyes.

"I'm still not 100% sure about this," He tells me. "You don't have to stay and help."

"I know, but I also know how much Stanford means to you, you made me proofread your essay like 8 times."

"No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did."

"No, I didn't...I did."

I chuckle.

"I want to help, you are taking this exam."

"Okay, thanks." He heads inside and I soon after follow him.

Belly goes with my Mom, and Steven is staying to 'help' as well.

When I get inside, Conrad is lying across the countertops, Steven is eating two-day-old chips, and Jeremiah looks moody.

"Time to start studying!" I yell.

"I'm too tired to study, I need a Power Nap," Conrad mumbles.

"Me too," Steven says with a mouthful of chips.

"Same here." Jere raises his hand.

"Well, I'm tired too, but it's already afternoon, we have work all night and leave early tomorrow."

"Who invited her again?" Steven says sarcastically.

Con shrugs. "I work best under pressure."

"Please y/n, one hour?" Jere begs.

"Hmm."

"Please?" Con pleads.

"Okay, but only one hour."

They all walk off but I grab Steven's arm before he can too.

"Not you, I need your help."

I drag him through to the other room and start preparations.

'And will you still want me? When I'm nothing new.'