The Summers After

twelve

BELLY

Belly is standing in front of the mirror, brushing her teeth. The party is over, people are fast asleep and that's exactly what she wants to be doing.

Her hair is in a bun on top of her head, she's wearing Conrad's t-shirt.

Conrad walks into the bathroom and stops behind her. They stare at each other through the mirror. He sets his chin down on her shoulder and slowly snakes his arms around her torso. "Do you want to tell me what happened with you and your mom?"

Belly shakes her head. Her mouth is full of toothpaste which is perfect timing, she literally can't respond.

Conrad turns his head slightly to kiss her neck, "Belly," he drags out the last syllable with a warning tone, "she's your mom."

Belly rolls her eyes. She leans forward to spit, "she just... she crossed a line with me today, okay?" Her mouth is still full of bubbles so it comes out all gargled.

Conrad chuckles. "You sound ridiculous." Belly finishes brushing her teeth and when they're clean, she spins around in his arms. He gently hoists her onto the counter so they're eye to eye. "Tell me what happened," Conrad says softly. He's running his hands up and down her bare thighs.

"She said your mom would be disappointed in the way you treat your Dad." Belly braces for his reaction. Anger. Hurt. Betrayal. But nothing.

Conrad's face doesn't change. He just, sort of, shrugs. "Huh."

Belly grabs his face in her hands, "Do you feel okay?"

He laughs. "Yes."

"Why aren't you reacting? Did you hear what I said?"

"I did," he nods once, "I don't know, she might be right. I'm just not there."

"You think she's right?" Belly relaxes her grip on his face. She gently strokes his cheek instead.

"I don't know if my mom would be thrilled with the cold shoulder I give him. She always wanted us to be this perfect family. But now I'm a Dad, and I definitely don't understand him."

Belly exhales, "My mom is not right. Your mom would be proud of the person you are. End of story."

Conrad smiles at her, "Did you talk to Jere at all today?"

"A little bit. Why?"

"He never got over you, Bells."

Belly frowns at him. He's insane. It's been 7 years. "Conrad, come on."

Conrad shakes his head, "I just think he'll always love you."

"Probably. But I'll always love him too. There was a history there before we dated. There's a comfort level we'll always have."

Conrad nods, understanding completely. "I get it. I just want him to be happy, and it does kill me that I might be the reason he isn't."

Belly understands that too. The web is twisted, all the strings are tangled and no matter what they do, it will forever be that way. But to some extent, even before she dated either one of them, it was complicated. She was always going to Isabel Fisher, that was destiny. But everything getting her to that point was a whirlwind of teenage hormones, death, and bad decisions.