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First dinner of the summer at Cousins. Feels like a dream.
"Steven, I swear to God, if you look at that phone one more time, I'm putting it in the screen basket," Mom tells him sternly.
"It's just, we want to see your beautiful faces. Can dinner be a screen free zone? You know, like the olden days," Susannah saves the awkward tension.
"Steven," Jeremiah warns, a couple seconds before grabbing his phone and throwing it like a basket ball straight into the screen basket.
"Dude, are you kidding me?" Steven whines.
"Boom! Nailed it," Jere smiles proudly.
"Congratulations, Jere," I slightly smile.
"Okay, okay, okay we get it, you've been working out."
"Oh, you're just jealous because Jere has a better body than you," I playfully insult Stevie, glancing at Jeremiah who smily smugly.
"Uh no, actually, it's all about the lean look now. Otherwise, you can't wear tailored suits."
"Sure, sure," Jere speaks up sarcastically.
"Tailored suits," Conrad chuckles.
"When are you leaving for training camp, man?" Steven asks him.
"Uh, he quit football," Jere responds for him.
"Wait, really? You quit?" Steven asks in disbelief, while Connie just hums and nods. "Are you me, man? I'd-I'd kill to play college ball."
"He can always change his mind," Susannah interjects.
"I'm not gonna change my mind," Connie decides. "I was just gonna sit on the bench all season anyways."
"Well, if you're not playing football anymore, what are you gonna do all summer?" Mom asks him. Conrad shrugs.
"Oh, dude, you can work at the club. Yeah, with me and Jere," Steven suggests.
"You're working at the club?" I ask Jere, my lips curling in a downwards smile. He nods smiling back at me.
"I'm not gonna work at the club."
"So you guys are actually working this summer?" Belly asks still confused.
"Yeah, I'm lifeguarding, and Steven's working at the snack shop." Jere says fist bumping Steven.
"Oh Belly, Liz, I almost forgot. I have a surprise for the both of you," Susannah says out of the blue.
"So this is why you had to stop by the country club," Mom understands as Belly and I open the envelopes Susannah gave us.
"I wrangled Belly and Liz an initiation to be a debutante," Susannah explains.
"Is that the thing where the girls wear white dresses and curtsy?" Belly asks her making me chuckle.
"It's when a girl comes of age and is presented to society. I-I know it sounds silly but I swear it's fun," Susannah says. "Girls come from all over New England to Cousins just to be a part of it. You'll make so many new friends."
"I cannot believe you are still holding on this archaic dream," Mom gets out of her chair to leave the room.
"No, it used to be about finding a husband, but now it's about networking. They teach you leadership skills, like how to market yourself, and it benefits charity. It's, um, like a bat mitzvah."
Mom laughs at her, "It is not like a bat mitzvah. There is nothing religious about a debutante ball."
"The whole deb scene is bullshit. It's for sheep," Conrad says.
"No, it's not. It's when a girl has a coming out, it's a formal recognition she's reached maturity."
Steven laughs at this, "Oh, sorry. I'm sorry. Mature? Belly and Liz? A-a couple mouths ago Liz had a cat funeral and Belly made us all wear black."
"Shut up, Steven. I saw you crying in your room." I kick him under the table.
"Wait, Mochi died? Dang. I'm sorry, Lizzy," he makes a sad face and I smile thankfully at him.
"Girls. Don't you want to get all dressed up?" Susannah persuades.
"It's just not their kind of thing. Maybe you, Elizabeth, but I don't know about Belly. She's our feral little alley cat," Mom admits causing Steven and Jere to snicker and me to also kick them under the table again.
"Um I'll think about it," Belly replies.
"Me too," I say agreeing with her.
Maybe this debutante ball might be a good thing after all. You know, too make new friends and whatever.
