Ghost Of You || The Summer I Turned Pretty

02

Waking up from her nap, Dream tiredly rubs her eyes before looking out the window, and noticing it's about to get dark. Checking her phone she reads the time, 8:28 pm before checking her text, and seeing she doesn't have any she starts to get up. Getting out of bed she stretches her arms and legs before heading out and downstairs to see what everyone is doing.

Getting down the stairs she sees Belly sitting on the island, seemingly lost in thought about something. Walking up to her and sitting down she looks at her, waiting for Belly to notice her presence and take in the silence. After about 2 minutes she finally seems to be coming to her senses and looks over, and she jumps at the sight of her sister sitting next to her.

"Jesus, how long have you been sitting there?" Belly asks, taking a breath to slow down her heart rate.

"Only like 2 minutes," Dream laughs lightly, "What's going on in that mind of yours little sis?"

"Okay you're only like 12 minutes older than me, calm down and I was just thinking about how fun this summer is going to be," Belly explains.

"Yeah, well 12 minutes is 12 minutes older." Dream teases her sister. "And of course, this summer will be fun, every summer is anyway."

"Yeah, well I just don't want anything to change that's all," Dream says, having a bad gut feeling about this summer and not knowing why.

Dream notices the look on her sister's face, while she goes back to what the doctor says. "Hey, everything's going to be fine, nothing's gonna change. This is going to be the best summer ever okay?"

"Yeah," Belly responded, brushing off her worries. "So are you going to the party tonight that's at the beach?"

"Oh, I mean maybe, I didn't even know there was a party."

"Yeah, Steven, Jeremiah, and Conrad are going so I was just wondering if you are too."

"Maybe not tonight, it's been a long day and I'll probably just stay in and have a movie night with the moms." Dream said, noticing how Belly's face kinda dropped. "But hey you should go, have fun, make some more friends, but be careful okay?"

"Yeah, okay." Belly nodded, before standing up. "I'm gonna go get ready and Facetime Taylor too."

"Okay, I love you." Dream responded, smiling at her sister.

"Love you too," Belly said before running up the stairs and to her room.

It was about an hour later and Susannah, Laurel, and Dream were all sitting in the living room watching a movie. Before Laurel speaks up, "So have you had any thought about doing the trial?"

Laurel didn't want to lose her best friend and her daughter. If she had a chance to go back in time and find a way to stop them from having cancer then she would do anything. It was hard having to deal with it and keeping it from the kids, but she understood why they didn't want to tell them yet. Even if it was killing her inside to tell someone.

"I don't want to do any more trials, you know that," Susannah responded looking at her. "I just want to be myself when I go, I don't want to be surrounded by doctors and tubes going in my arm. I want to be comfortable."

"Okay, I get it, just when are you planning on telling the boys?" Laurel asked.

"When the summer is over, I will tell them."

"Okay," Laurel responded quietly.

"Umm so I was thinking, maybe around the last week we could tell everyone about what's going on, and we could all plan a movie or game night and we can all just spend time with each other." Dream said after a couple of seconds of silence. "You know, just have one last night together."

"Yeah, that would be nice. Maybe a couple of days after the debutante ball." Laurel said, nodding her head while looking at her daughter.

"Yeah, I agree," Susannah said.

"Umm, and I was thinking too, once I'm gone I want to be cremated and you guys could maybe spread my ashes here or at the beach. I just love this place and I want to be put to rest where I'm most happy." Dream then explained, starting to tear up and looking down at her hands.

"Yeah, we can do that baby," Laurel said, not even being able to fully process this conversation, still in denial about having to outlive her daughter.

Laurel never thought that one day she would have to outlive one of her kids. She always thought they would be putting her to rest first when they were older and grown up, and then they would have each other. She never thought that she would have to plan a funeral for her oldest daughter, and put her to rest, while also having to continue raising her 2 other kids.

"Okay, I know it's a lot to ask, and I'm sorry I'm putting all this pressure on you. I'm just scared mom, if it was my choice I would never leave you to do this." Dream says, starting to cry a little.

"Hey, this isn't your fault and you don't have to be scared, because I and Susannah are here and we are not leaving you. Okay?" Laurel said sternly.

"Okay." Dream nodded her head, before going to hug her mom and Susannah. "I love you."

"I love you too." "I love you." Susannah and Laurel responded, hugging the girl back while fighting back the tears in their eyes.

"Susannah also brought something up with Belly today and with a lot of convincing on her end, we both would like to see you do the Debutante ball this summer, but only if you want," Her mom brought up, starting a new conversation, Susannah nods her head agreeing with her.

"Yeah, I think that would be nice," Dream says, smiling.

The two women smile, happy that their girl agrees to do the ball, and even if they won't be able to see her in a beautiful white gown when she's older, then this would be a great chance to see her in one now. At least before it's too late.

It was about an hour later, and Susannah and Dream fell asleep on the couch while the three lay with each other. While Laurel had to deal with the kids, after finding them coming home by a cop. After talking to the kids, she goes back into the living room goes back to her spot, looks at her best friend and daughter, and sees them sleeping peacefully while wanting nothing more than to try and get as much time with them two as possible.