folklore; conrad fisher

38: wedding bells

The table went absolutely quiet. We all stared at the couple, aghast.

Laurel and Steven laughed awkwardly, looking at one another and wondering if what they'd heard could possibly be true.

I couldn't even believe the news myself. When I looked at Conrad, he also seemed as shocked as the rest of the table. It was hard to process any of it. I coughed loudly and took another sip of champagne.

Conrad rubbed my back as I re-composed myself. When I returned to the table, the realization seemed to finally have hit Adam, who was now yelling at Jeremiah.

"This is what I'm talking about with responsibility! What did you drag her into?"

Jeremiah was protesting against his father when Steven objected, "Wait, are you being serious right now?"

"Yes!" They said in sync.

"You guys are not ready for this." Laurel argued, and Conrad nodded in agreement.

The table began going back and forth. Laurel and Adam asked Belly if she was pregnant and Belly seemed incredibly taken aback and upset by the question.

I personally didn't think Belly was pregnant, I just thought that she and Jeremiah were making some irrational decision right now.

Conrad cringed, "Jere, you really should think something like this through."

"We love each other, we want to be together!" Jeremiah said.

Laurel shook her head, "You are together! If you want to take the next step, move in together... Foster a cat! Why rush to get married?"

"A cat is a nice idea." I mumbled, finally joining the conversation, though I wasn't sure if I was heard over the shouting.

Belly latched onto Jeremiah, "I love him, and he's my family. I mean, that's what Susannah always said, right? Family is the most important thing."

"I hope you don't think you're getting your mother's ring." Adam sneered at Jeremiah.

The two looked horribly offended, and Jeremiah said he'd decline the ring anyway.

"We don't need Susannah's ring," Belly said, reaching into her pocket, "Jere got me my own."

She put it on her finger and held it in front of her mother's face, smugly. Laurel looked horrified. When I caught a glimpse of it, I snorted, and the couple shot me a dirty look. It was the smallest, daintiest thing I'd ever seen. I hadn't even noticed the diamond on it until I squinted. I downed the rest of my champagne before continuing to witness the drama in front of me.

Steven and Belly were arguing when he turned to me, "Did you know about this?"

"Of course not!" I said, turning to Conrad, "Did you?"

"No," He said, "And if I did I would've talked you out of it."

He was looking at Jeremiah now, angrily. Jeremiah didn't let his stern expression falter as his eyes met his brothers, "You don't get a say in this, Conrad."

But before Conrad could say anything back, the server returned with the seafood tower. Laurel told her then that we'd be cancelling the rest of our order, and asked for the check right then and there.

I was grateful for it, not only did I want to leave the incredibly tense situation, but I'd also run out of champagne to get me through it.

"Are you serious?" Belly said to her mother, as Laurel sent the server off.

"Yes I am very serious!" She yelled, her lip quivering.

Jeremiah and Belly seemed to have had enough. They excused themselves from the table and left, arms linked. I got up and followed them out, quickly. Even though I thought they were making an awful decision, it still hurt me to see everybody ganging up on them like that. I've always been the elder sister figure to Belly, and if there was any time to support her, it was then.