Swim Until You Love Me

Part II

"Good morning," I said out loud.

"Oh my god," Conrad groaned from his place on the sofa. "How are you not hungover?"

I grinned. "I didn't really drink that much. You know I'm a blackout drunk. Wouldn't wanna forget your beautiful faces."

Jeremiah looked at me and smiled. "Good morning Mads." To my mother he said, "Do we have actually to sit for the portraits? Can't she just look at a picture or something?"

"She needs to look at you in the flesh to capture your essence. You know, while you're still young and have hope," Mom said.

"Susannah's painting our portraits?" I asked.

"Yeah. Also, Conrad does not have hope. He's hopeless. But, my hungover smoothie fixes all," Jeremiah winked at me. He was right. Those smoothies were magic.

"Can you please just hurry up," said Conrad.

"Go back to bed," Jeremiah said back, as he shooed Steven out of the kitchen. He turned on the blender. I laughed to myself as Conrad jerked up.

Jeremiah poured it into a glass and I brought the smoothie over to Conrad. As he got up to drink it, I knocked off his pillows and sat there instead, just to be annoying. I smiled sweetly as he rolled his eyes.

"Shit we're going to be late," Steven said to Jeremiah. I grinned at him. "Good luck on your first day Stevey."

"Don't call me that," he said. "And those boomers are gonna tip me so hard they won't know what hit them." I rolled my eyes as Mom grimaced at the weird hip thrust he did.

"Oh, c'mon Laurel, my boy's gotta get that bread," Jeremiah said.

I heard Conrad snort as he finished his smoothie and plopped his head into my lap. I smiled at him and looked up to see Jere looking away.

Belly walked into the kitchen. "Want some cereal?" Jeremiah asked her. "Sure, hit me."

"Oh my god," Susannah came running in. "Belly is going to be a debutante," she said, slightly breathless. I narrowed my eyes.

"What?" Steven and I said together.

"It's not that big of a deal," she said. Jeremiah smiled at her.

"Just you wait, there's the tea, the auction, the ball of course and the rehearsals. I need to write this down," Susannah said. "We need to go shopping!"

"This sounds expensive," said Mom. I agreed.

"Oh, don't worry," said Susannah. "It was my idea, it's on me. Plus, we still have to style you for your book party."

"Belly, are you sure you wanna do this?" asked Mom. "It doesn't seem like you."

"It's not," Conrad and I said together.

"Could you both please be a little more supportive?" Susannah said. "Mads, you're not gonna take part?"

"There no way, Susannah, I'm sorry. I'd rather just hang out with Ketanji and Shayla and you guys."

"Okay," she said, looking a little disappointed. "Now which one you boys is gonna be her escort?"

"Not me, I went last year."

"Yeah, and I swore off balls." I snorted. "The dances, dude."

"Wow guys stop fighting over me. I'm not going with either of you. I'm going to find my own date," Belly said. I smiled.

"Wikipedia says debutante balls require instructions in morals and social etiquette. No offence, Beck but I don't think a Country Club's the right place to teach Belly about morals," Mom said.