The Summer I Found You • Steven Conklin

The Womb

"Do we really have to physically sit for our portraits?" Jere asks.

"Can't she just, like, look at a picture on her phone or something?" Steven says right behind Jere as he watches him make eggs.

"Okay, get out." Jere says not wanting Steven right behind him.

"What? Why?" Steven laughs while backing up.

"She needs to see you in the flesh in order to capture your essence. While you're still young
and full of hope." Laurel says looking up from her computer. Us three laugh at that as Laurel rolls her eyes. "Her words."

"Well, Conrad does not have hope, actually. He's hopeless, but my hangover smoothie... it cures all." Jere says.

"Can you please just hurry up?" Conrad asks from the couch.

"Just go back to bed, all right?" Jere tells Conrad as I roll my eyes. "All right, seriously, Steven, get out." Jere says pushing Steven away.

"Oh, come on." Steven complains.

"This is a delicate science, and your heavy breathing is gonna break the yolk." Jere states

"You guys are annoying, I hope you know that." I say from the kitchen island.

"She hasn't painted you since you were little.
I think it'd be nice to have these portraits for when you're older." Laurel tells us.

"Old. No. When I'm older, I'm sure there'll be, like, like, holograms or something I can watch of myself, you know?" Steven explains as Jere starts the blender.

"Just sit for your portraits. I don't see Conrad complaining, or Vivian." Laurel states.

"He'll complain when he's conscious." Jere says handing Conrad the smoothie.

"And I'm just an angel." I say smiling at Laurel.

"Come on, man. Hurry your ass up. All right? I can't be late for my first day of work." Steven tells Jere.

"We won't. We're good." Jere says walking back to the kitchen.

"Come on, man." Steven says slapping Jeres ass. "Those old country club boomers are gonna tip me so hard, man, they won't know what hit 'em." Steven says doing this weird humping action.

"Please don't ever do that again." I state.

"Oh!" Jere says laughing as I laugh to.

"Steven, I swear." Laurel says shaking her head.

"What?" Steven asks.

"Come on, Laurel. My boy's got to get that bread." Jere says patting Stevens shoulder.

"Thank you." Steven says laughing.

"Good morning." I say looking at Belly.

"Belly, where have you been? Is that a bruise?" Laurel asks worried.

"Um, I-I bumped into someone." Belly lies.

"You bumped into someone?" Laurel asks confused.

"Doesn't look that bad." Conrad says from the couch.

"Um, cereal?" I ask.

"Yeah, hit me." Belly says as I start making her a bowl of cereal.

"Oh, my God!" Susannah says walking into the room. "Our girls are gonna be a debutante."

"It's really not that big of a deal." Belly says as my moms hugs us.

"I'm sorry. Like, Belly? Like, my sister? Like, that thing right there?" Steven asks in disbelief.