We'll Always Have Summer (The Summer I Turned Pretty) - Graduation to Wedding

11 - Dinner at the Fisher's

Telling my dad was easy, we met him for dinner at a nice restaurant and shared our news. He was genuinely happy for us and said said as much. Telling Jeremiah and Mr. Fisher was going to be more difficult...

"What do you think is the best way to tell Jeremiah?" I asked Conrad as we drove back to my mom's house.

"I'm not sure there is a best way," was Conrad's matter of fact answer. After a moment of thoughtful silence he added, "I want to tell him in the privacy of our home, not in a public setting. He might need some time alone to get used to the reality of it".

I could tell Conrad was speaking from experience and I blushed slightly as I recalled Jeremiah's announcement of our engagement at a restaurant and Conrad's subsequent reaction. Conrad had been hard to read at the time, his face was emotionless as he got in his car and drove away. But I know now that that was what he did when he was struggling... an attempt to hide his pain. 

It was really sweet of Conrad to not want to put Jere in the position he himself had been put in by Jere three years ago. I glanced at Conrad and squeezed his arm as my heart swelled with love for him. Conrad is thoughtful, considerate and gentle... these qualities are what I love most about him.

We ended up telling Jeremiah and Mr. Fisher in a way very similar to how we had told my mom and Steven. We made dinner at Mr. Fisher's house and shared our news during the meal. Conrad made the announcement and Jeremiah took it like a champ. His face broke into a huge grin as he congratulated us. Mr. Fisher gave us his blessing as well. Then his eyes glossed over a bit and he got a faraway look on his face. I supposed he was remembering when he proposed to Susannah and my heart ached for him a little.

After dinner I was helping Conrad clean up when I saw Jeremiah head out the back door onto the deck. I looked at Conrad, "I'll be back shortly," I said and he nodded understandingly.  Following Jeremiah I slipped quietly through the door and onto the deck.  Jeremiah was leaning against the railing, as I joined him he looked at me and our eyes met.

"Hey," I said.

"Hey," he replied.

"How have you been?" I asked.

I've been doing well, how about you?" he asked.

"I'm good, great really," I smiled at him.  "Ugh, what do I say now," I thought, kicking myself for not having worked it out in advance. Jeremiah rescued me though. I can always count on Jeremiah to make the best of a situation.

"Bells, I'm really happy for you and Con," he said smiling genuinely at me.

"You are?" I asked awkwardly. "I mean I wasn't sure how you would take the news."

Jeremiah's smile grew bigger. "I've had three years to get used to the idea that you were going to marry Conrad and not me. I've been expecting this day ever since we broke off our wedding and trust me, I wouldn't have given you up so easily for anyone except Conrad."

I was speechless and a bit shocked.  "You knew Conrad and I were going to get married?! How?  Conrad and I didn't even know. We haven't even talked to each other for the last three years!" Which was technically true, as our only communication had been through an exchange of letters.

Jeremiah chuckled quietly, "Bells, I think everyone knew except you two.  Even my mom, years ago, thought it was a real possibility..."  He stopped short and his voice trailed off at the mention of Susannah.

I thought about it for a bit, Susannah had written in her letter to Conrad, (which Jeremiah had accidentally received on the day we had planned to get married) that she had only had the chance to set him in love once... with me.  My mom said she had been hoping for this day when we told her our news.  Steven had been excited for us and not at all shocked like he had been when Jere announced that he and I were engaged.  Even my dad and Mr. Fisher had almost seemed to be expecting our announcement.

"I care about you and Conrad a lot," Jeremiah interrupted my thoughts, "and I can't help but be happy for you both."

Meeting his eyes again I replied, "I care a lot for you too.  I don't ever want things to be awkward between us."

"Oh Bells, things could never get too awkward between us, we have too much history together," Jeremiah replied and he gave me a quick hug.

"You're right," I replied. I was relieved.  I could have guessed that something like this would be his response, after all this is Jeremiah I'm talking about, sweet and easy going Jeremiah, but it was still nice to hear it from his own lips.

"Does Conrad need help in the kitchen?" he asked.

"I'm sure he would appreciate some," I answered and we headed inside.

And that was it.  That was the last time Jeremiah and I ever talked about our romantic history together.  We were back to our old platonic friendship, and I was so grateful to Jere for going easy on me.  It would have been difficult to marry Conrad if there was any awkwardness at all between me and Jeremiah.