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Jules watches Conrad pour another glass of wine, and wonders whether or not to join him. His eyes catch hers from across the room, but he quickly looks away. She turns her attention back to her parents and Susannah.
"We're thinking we'll do an arts-and-crafts day," Sonali explains to Susannah, who had asked what they'd decided on, party-wise, for Nini's upcoming birthday. Susannah always loved to plan a good party, for any occasion, but birthdays especially. Lots of kids are bummed when their birthdays are in the summer because friends are away on vacation or busy, but Jules? Jules felt lucky that she had a summer birthday, because she also had Susannah.
"That sounds lovely! Let me know if you need any help organizing." That was Susannah-code for: I will be planning this birthday, and it will be amazing.
"We're hoping to keep it small," Sonali continues. "Just invite a few friends and kids from ballet camp."
"Nini's doing ballet camp?" This is the first Jules is hearing about it. It was here, in Cousins during the summer, that Jules first started dancing, too.
Her mother nods, smiles proudly. "She loves it! I can't believe she's going to be five already."
"They grow up so fast," Susannah agrees. She then wraps an arm around Jules' shoulder. "I can't believe that our little rose is turning 18!"
Jules smiles, relishing in the feeling of Susannah's warmth, her tenderness, and her ability to make people feel seen.
"I can't believe it either," Jules admits. When she looks for Conrad once more, Jules notices that he's been roped into a conversation with Laurel and someone who her mom had pointed out as Cleveland Castillo. Even after all these years, Jules can tell when he needs backup: the impatient tapping of his foot, his eyes searching the room for an out.
After excusing herself from the conversation, Jules makes her way over to Conrad.
"Hey," she greets, nodding at Laurel and Cleveland. "Mind if I borrow this guy? We've got some catching up to do." If either Laurel or Cleveland said anything more after yes, then Jules doesn't hear them, already pulling Conrad away. It feels like the most natural thing; summers ago, the two had made a pact to: 1) never leave the other alone at parties like this and, 2) come to the other's rescue in the event that they are separated.
She leads them to the back corner of the room, near a small couch. Neither of them make a move to sit; neither of them say anything. Up close, Jules could see how Conrad had grown up: the shadows under his eyes, creases in between his brows. He was always quiet, the more calm and thoughtful one of the group, but always with soft edges, especially when it came to Jules. Now, quiet could have been replaced with brooding, and all those soft edges seem sharper. Something is off about him, she can already tell. Jules wishes she could just go right out and ask him what was wrong. She expected it to be awkward with Conrad, but not to be this nervous and uncertain around the boy she once talked with hours on end, about anything and everything. Out of the corner of her eye, Jules can see Jeremiah stacking books in Steven's arms, the pile dangerously tall, and for some reason she's calmed by the sight of her two friends being as childish as when they were, well, children.