𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡| 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗋𝖺𝖽 𝖿𝗂𝗌𝗁𝖾𝗋

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐨

( 𝗂 𝖼𝖺𝗇'𝗍 𝗁𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗅𝖾 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾 )

BELLY WAS THE LAST to come out the house with her bags, Steven already in the drivers seat after begging Laurel to let him drive. Laurel reluctantly let him after Margaret said he was a good driver to get them there, Margaret sat in the back with Laurel, which left Belly to the passenger seat.

Belly always loved the passenger seat. Margaret remembers how much Belly would beg and plead with Margaret to let her sit up front with Laurel when they would drive down to Cousins; back when they were younger. Margaret always said no, because it was an age thing. Oldest always say up front, but when Margaret knew Belly would be sad for most of the drive, at the ripe old age of fourteen, Margaret let a twelve year old Belly sit in the passenger seat with Laurel.

Steven was mad of course, upset that it wasn't him who was next in line when Margaret gave up her seat. But he got over it when Margaret promised him that when he learns to drive, she would help convince their mom to let him drive down to Cousins.

So here the family was, Belly blasting the music and singing along. Margaret smiling as she saw how Steven was slightly judging her.

"Can you guys turn it down a little, please" Laurel told the two kids up front.

"Yes. Please" Steven agreed, but Belly rolled her eyes and whined.

"Bells, come on" Margaret told her as she gently patted her younger sisters shoulder. Belly sighed and quickly turned down the music.

"I want you to be better about helping out this summer" Laurel started as she looked at Steven, Belly and Margaret. More at the younger kids than Margaret. "Like, don't just leave your dishes in the sink, load them into the dishwasher" Laurel looked dead at Steven. "And not just your own dish, either Steven"

"What?, but—"

Laurel interrupted him as Margaret held back her laughter at Laurel's comment and Steven being confused. "I want you to be good houseguests"

"Mom, Susannah has people who clean, doesn't she?" Steven asked. Laurels face flushed as she quickly smacked his shoulder.

"Steven!" She scolded as Margaret let out a laugh as she sent another text message to Sabrina.

"Ow!" Steven cried out.

Margaret looked at Laurel. "Good one mom"

"All right. All right, sorry" Steven apologized as they continued driving, Margaret and Belly looking out their respective windows.

Laurel was always weird about money. The fact that Susannah has a lot and their family really doesn't. Margaret remembers when Susannah would go on a spending spree when Margaret was younger, sending them baby clothes or buying her jewelry.

Margaret still holds onto the red Tiffany heart necklace Susannah gave her when she turned sixteen. The same necklace she wore when she was at her Debutant.

It collects dust in her jewelry box, but this summer she brought it with her. Final summer of her youth and she figured it would be symbolic to give away a childish thing to Belly and wear a necklace she chose. A necklace that Susannah knew and fully understood why she had such a connection to.

Instead of a Daisy necklace, it was a Tiffany and Co red heart pendant. Margaret still couldn't believe that Susannah would spend that much money on her, let alone genuinely feel so proud and happy that she bought it. All Susannah ever wanted for Margaret was to feel like her own person again. Not what someone expected her to be.